The Chadron School Board Monday night unanimously approved a new 2-year contract with the Chadron Teachers Association that starts with this coming fall’s school year.

Under the agreement, the district’s base salary will be $31,700…up $600 from the current year, when teachers received a $700 base salary increase.

School Board President Sandy Roes is pleased by both the agreement and the cooperation shown by the teachers and the district’s negotiators in reaching it. She also says it’s important because it gives the district  some early certainty in the budgeting process.

Roes says the $600 increase in the base salary is the average among the 11 districts in the state’s “array” for the Chadron Public Schools…a group of similar sized districts used for comparison purposes.

The new agreement also increases the employee health insurance deductible from $700 to $950, clarifies minor points in contract language, and makes minor adjustments in the extra-duty schedule for coaches and advisors.

Board members discovered just before voting on the agreement that a planned reduction in payment options for extra-duty pay had accidentally been overlooked, but decided the issue was too small not to go ahead and approve the contract.

 

The Alliance School Board has selected current Kimball Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Troy Unzicker, as its next Superintendent.

The board approved the hiring of Unzicker during its regular meeting Monday night, by a 6-0 vote.    He will begin his new job on July 1.

Unzicker, a 1982 Gering High graduate,  obtained his doctorate in December.

Dr. Unzicker was a recently a finalist for the Gering Supt. of Schools.

The Alliance Public Schools has seen a reducdtion in state aid over the past three yeasr, and Unzicker says Kimball faced a loss of over $2 million in state aid, forcing the district to set priorities in spending. He says there were some reductions in programs, but not one of them were eliminated and there were no staff reductions.

Unzicker believes that communicating with staff is important, as well as being involved in the community.

“Talking to patrons is necessary in order to gauge how the district is doing, what the different pockets of the community feel are important, and to get everyone going in one direction for the benefit of students,” he said.

Dr. Unzicker’s professional experiences include serving as a teacher of North Loop Scotia (north of Grand Island), where he also coached football, boys’ basketball, and track.  He was also a secondary principal in Mitchell, where he oversaw grades 7-12.    Unzicker has been the Kimball Superintendent for seven years.

He also is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.  He and his wife, Susan, have a daughter, Tabitha, a high school Junior, who is also a three-sport athlete.

A Chadron State College freshman who died over the weekend…apparently of natural causes…is being remembered as a well-liked young man preparing for a career in the medical field.

18-year old Chadron State College student Sterling Atkins of Broken Bow lost consciousness while watching television at his girlfriend’s residence in Chadron. College President Dr Randy Rhine calls Atkins’ death a terrible loss for the school.

“Sterling was well-known on campus and had many friends here,” says Rhine. “He was one of our health professions students, and that’s a pretty tight group so he will be missed.”

Rhine…who was attending a hockey match in Rapid City when notified of the death…says Atkins had been under the weather the previous couple of days, with his girlfriend having him over Saturday to help him feel better.

Chadron State has a standing plan for counseling services if a student, faculty, or staff member dies, and Rhine says it was activated as soon as officials were notified by authorities.

“Even though it occurred off-campus, (Sterling) lived on campus and Aaron Prestwich, our interim executive director of student affairs, got in touch with our counseling staff and director of housing.”

Rhine believes many students took advantage of the chance to talk to counseling staff later Saturday night and Sunday, adding that “it’s good we’re in a position to be able to provide those kinds of services.”

Dawes County Attorney and Coroner Vance Haug scheduled an autopsy and a number of tests for Monday afternoon, but says Atkins’ death appears to be the result of a medical condition…with no evidence of drug or alcohol use.

Dawes County Attorney and Coroner Vance Haug is investigating 3 separate and unrelated deaths in a roughly 12-hour period over the weekend, one an apparent suicide and the others from natural causes.

The first death occurred Saturday evening. Haug says 18-year old Chadron State College student Sterling Atkins of Broken Bow lost consciousness while watching television with a friend, and rescue efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Haug says an autopsy is scheduled for Monday afternoon along with a significant number of tests, but that Atkins’ death appears to be the result of a medical condition…with no evidence of drug or alcohol use.

An autopsy is planned for Tuesday on 48 year old Dave Hewitt of Whitney, found dead Sunday morning about 9:30 of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Haug says foul play is not suspected, but that investigators will review evidence found at the scene as well as the results of the autopsy and lab tests.

While Haug and Dawes County Sheriff’s officers were en route to Hewitt’s home Sunday morning, they received a call about another unattended death…64-year old Patrick Moore of rural Dawes County.  Haug says Moore suffered from a number of life-threatening medical issues with foul play not suspected.

 

The Rehab and Wellness Center at Box Butte General Hospital continues to expand its staff with the addition of another Physical Therapist and an Occupational Therapist.

Abigail (Abby) Keilwitz, PT, DPT, attended Chadron State College from 2006-2009 for her undergraduate education and The University of Nebraska Medical Center from 2009-2012 for her doctoral education. She completed her last rotation at Alegeant Lakeside Hospital in Omaha, NE from March 2012 to May 2012. Ms. Keilwitz joined the Rehab & Wellness Center staff as a rehab tech July 17, 2012; passing her National Licensure for Physical Therapy on October 31.

Ms. Keilwitz is an Alliance native, and is one of several BBGH Health Professions Club success stories, having been a member of the HPC from 2004 to 2006. Work experience at BBGH was a major influence for her desire to become a physical therapist. “I worked as a summer intern at The Rehab & Wellness Center in 2007,” she said. “I enjoyed watching the therapists’ interactions with their patients and was fascinated by their problem-solving skills.”

As to why she wanted to work at BBGH, Ms. Keilwitz said, “Being able to be a physical therapist in the town I grew up in is great and I enjoy the challenges that a rural environment offers. I like working with all populations of patients (children to geriatric) and working in diverse environments, from inpatient to outpatient; high school sports to home care. And the staff is great to work with.”

Ms. Keilwitz is single, and likes to spend her leisure time wakeboarding, running, cooking and spending time outdoors.

Katherine (Kate) Brummer, OTD, OTR/L, attended Chadron State College from 2006-2009 for her undergraduate education and Creighton University from 2009-2012 for her doctoral education. She completed her last rotation at The Rehab and Wellness Center from August to December, 2012 and started work as a rehab tech the beginning of January, 2013. She obtained her National Licensure in Occupational Therapy January 24.

Ms. Brummer was raised in Stratton, CO, though her parents now live in Colby, KS.

She became interested in occupational therapy after watching a therapy session for a cousin. “The therapist was playing with him while also working on trunk rotation,” she said. “I thought it looked like fun and was really interested in learning more about therapy. After that I completed an internship at the local hospital (Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital) and that was when I really became interested in Occupational Therapy.”

She said the reason she chose The Rehab and Wellness Center for her practice was due to her rotation there as a student. “I really got to know the staff and they are excellent,” she exclaimed. “I could see they really enjoyed their work and they had a team atmosphere that I hadn’t seen anywhere else. I am very excited to help expand the Occupational Therapy department as we grow into our new space. I am eager to work here and so far, it has been great.”

Ms. Brummer concluded by saying she loves the challenge of rural therapy. “The types of patients rural therapists work with are very diverse and will always keep me on my toes. I’m also excited about the challenge that brings.”

She and her husband Jake enjoy fishing, running and watching movies.

BBGH is a non-profit, county owned 25-bed Critical Access Hospital. The mission of BBGH is to lead and innovate in healthcare delivery and community wellness.