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

Rationale: 

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:  Led by

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.

Rationale: 

School Spotlight – September 19, 2016

Madam President, members of the board, our School Spotlight for this evening is on Gregory Sand, a math teacher at Central High School. This year Mr. Sand was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.  The award is given to outstanding K – 12 science and mathematics teachers from across the country. Mr. Sand had the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C. to receive his award on September 8.  

In the Public Pulse of the Omaha World Herald a former student who now lives in Brooklyn, New York wrote about Mr. Sand saying, “I had the good fortune to have Mr. Sand as a teacher. He manifests the idea of teacher in the highest sense of the word. Not only does he have a unique capacity for inspiring enthusiasm for math, but he is also relentlessly committed to building programs so that even more students will reap the benefits of his vision. Perhaps even more importantly, his brilliance extends beyond understanding complicated mathematics to understanding how to reach students on a personal level and inspire them to do better.”

We salute Gregory Sand for his hard work and commitment to students and we now welcome Central High School principal Dr. Bennett and Gregory Sand. 

Rationale: 

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. 

Rationale: 

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: 

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

Rationale: 

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

A.       CLAIMS REPORT C

Rationale: 

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 9-19-2016 and approved the audit of claims conducted by the Secretary to the Board of Education. 

Rationale: 

Staff recommends the approval of the 2016-17 Administrator/Supervisor salaries of the attached positions.

Rationale: 

Staff recommends the approval of the 2016-17 Executive Council salaries of the attached positions.

Rationale: 

Central Office Staff, the administration of Kennedy Elementary, and 75 North are requesting the elementary boundaries for Conestoga Elementary and Kennedy Elementary be changed for the 2017-18 school year.

Rationale: 

Annually the Special Education Division, within Curriculum and Instruction Support, negotiates and renews contracts with outside agencies for special education services that are required under Rule 51. Attached you will find: a contract rate sheet and a contract cost sheet for your review. The contract rate sheet includes NDE approved rates for services that need to be purchased by Omaha Public Schools from outside agencies that will provide special education services to students ages birth-21. The contract cost sheet includes the agency, address, type of service the agency provides, the number of students that receive services from that agency and the 2016-2017 contract rate. The sheet includes an estimate of the total cost for school age and early childhood special education services provided by contract agencies. The rates and contracts have had legal review and are budgeted for within the upcoming school year.

Rationale:  Representatives of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) will provide the Board of Education an update on the 2014 Bond Program with regard to topics discussed in CBOC meetings including schedules, budgets and contingencies.

Rationale:  Jacobs staff will be available to present an update on bond progress and to respond to questions from the Board.

Rationale:  DLR Group along with staff will provide an update on the Comprehensive Capital Facility Assessment. DLR Group will discuss the process used in inspecting, evaluating, and ranking major building systems. Format options for reporting the facility data will also be identified.

Rationale: 

Staff will present the proposed 2017-18 and 2018-19 Calendar for information. Further input will be accepted until the calendar is approved by a vote of the OPS Board of Education.

Rationale:  Student Transportation of America Update will provide an update on transportation. 

Rationale:  Committees of the Board of Education will provide a brief update.

Committees:
Accountability (September 13)
Budget and Audit
Communications (October 25)
Policy  (September 28)
Americanism (December 14)
Student Assignment Plan (September 27)
Legislative (October 11)
Construction Manager at Risk (CM@R) (October 6 - Gilder)
Specialty Schools Review and Recommendations (SSRR)  (September 13)
Citizen Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC)
Code of Conduct (September 26)

Rationale: 

The work of the Accountability Committee to modify the Superintendents Evaluation process has resulted in the development of an innovative model through which the Superintendents performance is measured as a function of: 1) district performance on key metrics; and 2) perceptual data from district leadership (i.e., Principals and Executive Council Members). Recently the committee requested proposals from local, external firms to work with the Research Division in collecting the perceptual component of this performance measurement process. The committee has reviewed the proposals, and selected Category One Consulting to serve in this role. Category One Consulting will facilitate the distribution, collection, and reporting of the survey results utilized for the measurement of the perceptual components of the model.

Rationale: 

The Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council (ESUCC) meets monthly to support the statewide coordinated provision of the most cost-effective services for students, teachers, and school district in each educational service unit.  Following approval of the meeting minutes by the full Council, these minutes are provided to the Board of Education as an update. ESU Coordinating Council Meeting minutes for July 27, 2016 are provided as an attachment.

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.