May 16, 2016 at 6:30 PM - Omaha Public Schools Board of Education and Educational Service Unit 19 Board Meeting

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Notice to visitors: If you wish to speak, please obtain a “Request to be Heard” form from the entry table and return the completed form to the table attendant or the Board of Education Director.

The agenda will be kept current and available for public inspection in the office of the Secretary of the Board of Education at the Administrative Building during regular working hours. 

Board members may request specific agenda item(s) be moved to a different place on the agenda.  Please attend the entire meeting to ensure you hear discussion on a particular agenda item.

Pursuant to Section 84-1412 of the Nebraska Statutes, the public is hereby informed that a current copy of the Nebraska Open Meetings Act is posted in the Board meeting room on the north wall.

Agenda items are subject to reordering at discretion of the board president, please attend the entire meeting to ensure you're able to hear any discussion. If you would like to rehear any discussion, please listen to our podcast located on the District Web Page, district.ops.org.

Rationale:  The Vision:  Every Student.  Every Day.  Prepared for Success.

The Mission:  Omaha Public Schools prepares all students to excel in college, career, and life.

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Madam President, members of the Board, the Spotlight for this evening are this years mini grant winners from the National Council of Jewish Women. 

For the 2015-2016 school year eighteen OPS teachers were awarded mini grants to help fund their classroom projects. The grants provide money to teachers for innovative and creative classroom projects that are not funded by school budgets.

We salute the mini grant winners for their commitment to providing creative educational opportunities for students and at this time we welcome Helen Epstein Committee member of the National Council of Jewish Women.

Grant recipients:

Kate Dominic: Beveridge Magnet Middle School

Deb Goeman: Western Hills Magnet Elementary School

Naomi Fox, Jennifer Anderson: Ashland Park/Robbins Elementary

Erin Bunton: Dundee Elementary

Keri Witherell: Lewis and Clark Middle School

Rebecca Noble: South High Magnet

Jill Taylor: Central Park Elementary

Rachael Burns: Northwest High Magnet

Mikaela Wolf, Jessica Hald, Tracy Deland: Spring Lake Magnet Elementary School

Traci Melanson: Fontenelle Elementary

Daniel Gathman, Cassie Benzel: Burke High School

Natasha Kraft: Hearing Resource Teacher

Kelly LaFluer: Lewis and Clark Middle School

Shawn Graham: Accelere Program

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TREASURER 

The Treasurer's Report for April 2016 is attached for review.

Rationale:  At this time, any Board member may request that any item in the consent agenda be removed from the consent agenda and be considered and voted on separately. 

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APPROVAL OF CLAIMS - SCHOOL DISTRICT OF OMAHA

It is recommended that the claims for the School District of Omaha be approved as presented by the central administrative staff.

A.    CLAIMS REPORT A

Rationale:  APPROVAL OF CLAIMS - SCHOOL DISTRICT OF OMAHA

It is recommended that the claims for the School District of Omaha be approved as presented by the central administrative staff.

A.    CLAIMS REPORT B

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APPROVAL OF CLAIMS - SCHOOL DISTRICT OF OMAHA CLAIMS REPORT C:

All Claims submitted as potential conflict of interest for members of the Board of Education.

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APPROVAL OF CLAIMS - EDUCATIONAL SERVICE UNIT NO. 19

It is recommended that the claims for Educational Service Unit No. 19 be approved as presented by the central administrative staff.

Rationale:  The Committee on Claims met on 5/16/16 and approved the audit of claims conducted by the Secretary to the Board of Education. 

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Staff recommends approval agreement between Omaha Public Schools and OHARA LLC., to provide manage care plan as required by rules of Nebraska Workers Compensation Court.  

OHARA will manage the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up services of persons suffering work-related illness or injury in order to enure appropriate medical treatment is provided and to effect an early return to work. 

 

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Staff requests permission to purchase textbooks for Business and Marketing subject area textbooks, from the Board of Education on June 6, 2016. Presentation is an information item, provided on May 16, 2016 to update the process, identified need, authority of action, timeline, and future steps. The fiscal impact is $269,000.

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The Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment is requesting approval at the June 6, 2016 Board of Education meeting to purchase curriculum method books and resource materials for instrumental music.  This recommendation aligns with principle 2.2 of the Strategic Plan.  This district-adopted instrumental music curriculum for students participating in instrumental music, grades 4-12, will replace method books that are over twenty years old. 

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The Department of Curriculum Instruction and Assessment is requesting approval at the June 6, 2016 Board of Education meeting to purchase curriculum materials for 9th grade reading intervention. This recommendation aligns with Guiding Principle 2 Objectives 2.2 and 2.4 of the Strategic Plan. The projected total for the textbook and curricular materials is $230,000.

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Staff will request the approval of the purchase of new Human Growth and Development curriculum textbooks and materials for grades 4-8 and 10. Documents will also be available for the Board that detail the comments and feedback regarding the materials used for field feasting by the elementary nurses and Human Growth and Developmwnt teachers. The Board will also be provided a summary of the parent and community feedback on the curriculum materials reviewed during the community events held earlier this year along with a summary of the number of students who have opted out of Human Growth and Development courses for the 2015-1016 school year. Pacing guides will also be shared that detail what lessons from the proposed curriculum will be used at each grade level.

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The Department of Curriculum Instruction and Assessment provides support and remediation for students PK-12 during the month of June. Programs are site-based to meet remediation needs. The focus is to help students attain mastery in language arts, reading and math. No action is needed by the Board of Education. This receipt of report is an update for Board of Education.

Rationale:  The Omaha Board of Education is authorized by state statute to hold closed sessions.  Closed sessions may be held when clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual.  Reasons that meet this standard include but are not limited to:  (a) strategy sessions with respect to collective bargaining, real estate matters, pending litigation, or litigation which is imminent as evidenced by communication of a claim or threat of litigation to or by the public body; (b) discussion regarding deployment of security personnel or devices; (c) investigative proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct; (d) evaluation of the job performance of a person when necessary to prevent needless injury to the reputation of a person and if such person has not requested a public meeting; and (e) legal advice.