The NSAA Board of Directors met on August 18, 2021 at the NSAA Office in Lincoln with the following members present:
The meeting was called to order at 8:30 AM
1. Moved to nominate Jon Cerny as the Chairperson and Robert Drews as Vice Chairperson. Motion Carried: 8-0
2. The Board welcomed new board member Ryan Ruhl.
3. Moved to add the presented cooperative sponsorships to the amended agenda. Motion Carried: 8-0
4. Moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Items on the Consent Agenda included:
5. The Board was provided Conflict of Interest Forms for their signature.
6. It was moved to approve the 2022 State Soccer Championship schedule dates of May 9-14, 16 and 17. Motion Carried: 8-0
7. Moved to allow Executive Director Jay Bellar and Associate Director Jennifer Schwartz to sign all documents and financial statements and reports relating to operations, investments, expenditures and receipts of the NSAA. Motion Carried: 8-0
8. Moved to approve the 2021 Fall Activity Manuals and the 2021-22 Media Manual. Motion Carried: 8-0
9. Moved to approve the 2021-22 Board of Directors Policy Manual and Office Operations Procedures. Motion Carried: 8-0
10. Moved to allow Girls Wrestling teams to enter two girls per weight class designating the scoring wrestling in district competition. Motion Carried: 8-0
11. Moved to allow Holdrege High School to opt-up to Class B in volleyball and girls basketball for the 2021-22 seasons. Motion Carried: 8-0
12. Moved to approve the 2021 District Music Financial Report. Motion Carried: 8-0
13. The Board discussed a letter the physicians and leadership from the Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians are requesting to be sent to NSAA member schools. The letter asks that the NSAA membership amend the bylaws to allow a pre-participation physical to be completed 6 months prior to the start of the school year.
14. The Board discussed the protocols for fall activities in their respective districts.
15. The Board heard an appeal from Blair High School.
16. The Board went into closed session at 10:30 a.m. to hear an appeal from Omaha Skutt High School.
17. The Board exited closed session at 11:07 a.m.
18. The Board heard a presentation from Norfolk Public Schools regarding their equity, diversity and inclusion plan.
19. The Board discussed the proposed 2021-22 NSAA Budget. The budget will be presented for adoption at the September Board meeting.
20. The Executive Director discussed the reprimand report, PPP Loan Forgiveness, and the work of the NSAA Summer Bylaw Review Committee.
21. It was moved to enter executive session at 1:17 p.m. to deliberate on the presented hardships, to seek advice of legal counsel on pending litigation, to protect the interest of the public, and to prevent the needless injury to the reputation of an individual(s). Motion Carried: 8-0
22. Wieskamp and Schauer excused themselves from executive session during the discussion of pending litigation.
23. Moved to exit executive session at 2:12 p.m. Motion Carried: 8-0
24. Moved to adopt findings of fact and determination to uphold the Executive Director's decision for Blair student Joseph LaMontia. Motion Carried: 8-0
25. Moved to adopt findings of fact and determination to uphold the Executive Director's decision for Omaha Skutt. Motion Carried: 7-1 (For: Wieskamp, Wiseman, Lee, Cerny, Ruhl, Drews, Unzicker | Against: Reznicek)
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:17 p.m.
The next meeting of the NSAA Board of Directors will be September 16, 2021 at the NSAA Office in Lincoln.
District I - Kathi Wieskamp, Lincoln Public Schools
District I - Dana Wiseman, Sutton
District II - Dr. Bob Reznicek, Boys Town
District II - Thomas Lee, Omaha Northwest
District III - Dr. Jon Cerny, Bancroft-Rosalie
District IV - Ryan Ruhl, Centura
District V - Robert Drews, Holdrege
District VI - Dr. Troy Unzicker, Alliance
Also in attendance: Kim Snyder, Nebraska Department of Education liaison; Rex Schultze, NSAA Legal Counsel; Josh Schauer, Perry Law Firm; Nick Inzerello, HUDL; Dan Hutsell, Athletic Director, Blair High School; John LaMontia, Parent.The meeting was called to order at 8:30 AM
1. Moved to nominate Jon Cerny as the Chairperson and Robert Drews as Vice Chairperson. Motion Carried: 8-0
2. The Board welcomed new board member Ryan Ruhl.
3. Moved to add the presented cooperative sponsorships to the amended agenda. Motion Carried: 8-0
4. Moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Items on the Consent Agenda included:
- Approval of the Agenda as amended.
- Approval of the Minutes of the June 17, 2021 Board of Directors Meeting
- Approval of the Minutes of the June 23, 2021 Summer Bylaw Review Committee Meeting
- Approval of the Financial Statements
- Approval of the following new cooperative sponsorships for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years:
- Omaha Christian Academy and Omaha Street School for Volleyball
- Crofton and Wynot High Schools for Boys Golf
- North Platte and Ogallala High Schools for Boys Swimming and Girls Swimming
- Callaway and Arnold High Schools for Girls Wrestling
- Humphrey St. Francis and Lindsay Holy Family High Schools for Play Production
- Randolph and Laurel-Concord-Coleridge High Schools for Girls Wrestling
- Fremont and Archbishop Bergan High Schools for Girls Wrestling and Baseball
- Fremont, Archbishop Bergan, Arlington and Blair High Schools for Boys Swimming and Girls Swimming
- Columbus Lakeview and Twin River High Schools for Girls Wrestling
- Approval of the following cooperative sponsorship renewals for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years:
- David City, East Butler and Shelby/Rising City High Schools for Softball
- Humphrey and Lindsay Holy Family High Schools for Boys Track, Girls Track and Boys Golf
- Grand Island Central Catholic and Grand Island Northwest High Schools for Girls Tennis
- Lexington and Overton High Schools for Softball
- Fillmore Central, Exeter-Milligan and Friend High Schools for Softball
- Norfolk and Norfolk Catholic High Schools for Boys Tennis
- Alliance and Hyannis High Schools for Unified Bowling
- Fremont and Archbishop Bergan High Schools for Boys Tennis, Softball, Girls Tennis, Boys Soccer and Girls Soccer
- Cambridge and Arapahoe High Schools for Unified Bowling
- Grand Island Northwest, Grand Island Central Catholic and Wood River High Schools for Boys Soccer and Girls Soccer
- Shickley and Bruning-Davenport High Schools for Boys Golf
- Lawrence-Nelson and Sandy Creek High Schools for Speech
- Approval of the following cooperative sponsorship renewals for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years:
- Maywood & Hayes Center High Schools for Football, Volleyball, Boys Cross Country, Girls Cross Country, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Boys Track, Girls Track and Boys Golf
- Callaway and Arnold High Schools for Football, Volleyball, Boys Cross Country, Girls Cross Country, Unified Bowling, Wrestling, Girls Wrestling, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Boys Track, Girls Track and Boys Golf
- Approval of the dissolution of the following cooperative sponsorship for the 2021-22 school year:
- Omaha Benson and Omaha North High Schools for Baseball
Motion Carried: 8-05. The Board was provided Conflict of Interest Forms for their signature.
6. It was moved to approve the 2022 State Soccer Championship schedule dates of May 9-14, 16 and 17. Motion Carried: 8-0
7. Moved to allow Executive Director Jay Bellar and Associate Director Jennifer Schwartz to sign all documents and financial statements and reports relating to operations, investments, expenditures and receipts of the NSAA. Motion Carried: 8-0
8. Moved to approve the 2021 Fall Activity Manuals and the 2021-22 Media Manual. Motion Carried: 8-0
9. Moved to approve the 2021-22 Board of Directors Policy Manual and Office Operations Procedures. Motion Carried: 8-0
10. Moved to allow Girls Wrestling teams to enter two girls per weight class designating the scoring wrestling in district competition. Motion Carried: 8-0
11. Moved to allow Holdrege High School to opt-up to Class B in volleyball and girls basketball for the 2021-22 seasons. Motion Carried: 8-0
12. Moved to approve the 2021 District Music Financial Report. Motion Carried: 8-0
13. The Board discussed a letter the physicians and leadership from the Nebraska Academy of Family Physicians are requesting to be sent to NSAA member schools. The letter asks that the NSAA membership amend the bylaws to allow a pre-participation physical to be completed 6 months prior to the start of the school year.
14. The Board discussed the protocols for fall activities in their respective districts.
15. The Board heard an appeal from Blair High School.
16. The Board went into closed session at 10:30 a.m. to hear an appeal from Omaha Skutt High School.
17. The Board exited closed session at 11:07 a.m.
18. The Board heard a presentation from Norfolk Public Schools regarding their equity, diversity and inclusion plan.
19. The Board discussed the proposed 2021-22 NSAA Budget. The budget will be presented for adoption at the September Board meeting.
20. The Executive Director discussed the reprimand report, PPP Loan Forgiveness, and the work of the NSAA Summer Bylaw Review Committee.
21. It was moved to enter executive session at 1:17 p.m. to deliberate on the presented hardships, to seek advice of legal counsel on pending litigation, to protect the interest of the public, and to prevent the needless injury to the reputation of an individual(s). Motion Carried: 8-0
22. Wieskamp and Schauer excused themselves from executive session during the discussion of pending litigation.
23. Moved to exit executive session at 2:12 p.m. Motion Carried: 8-0
24. Moved to adopt findings of fact and determination to uphold the Executive Director's decision for Blair student Joseph LaMontia. Motion Carried: 8-0
25. Moved to adopt findings of fact and determination to uphold the Executive Director's decision for Omaha Skutt. Motion Carried: 7-1 (For: Wieskamp, Wiseman, Lee, Cerny, Ruhl, Drews, Unzicker | Against: Reznicek)
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:17 p.m.
The next meeting of the NSAA Board of Directors will be September 16, 2021 at the NSAA Office in Lincoln.