(KLZA)-- The cost for health insurance for Falls City School District employees is going up for the 2019-20 year. 

Monday night the Board learned the rates for the Educators Health Alliance insurance will increase 4.99 percent next year for health and dental insurance plans used by nearly every Nebraska school district. 

The Educators Alliance is a consortium of three statewide public school groups that manages the plan.  The Health insurance will increase 5.2 percent and dental insurance 1 percent resulting in the overall 4.99 percent increase. 

A presentation on one of School District 56 newest peer mentoring programs at North Elementary school entitled Circle of friends occurred at the beginning of the meeting.  

The program is funded by a grant provided through the Autism Action Network and Nebraska Autism Spectrum Disorder network.  

It was also noted the Falls City Sixpence program gained two new employees in the past month.  Sandra McNeely who has been a Paraprofessional and Substitute Teacher for Falls City Public Schools for the past eight years was hired along with Tyson Wessels, a Peru State graduate with a degree in Elementary Education who has served as a Southeast Nebraska substitute and worked with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.