November 6, 2017 at 6:00 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 and Superintendent Evans our #OPSProud Spotlight is on Burke High School senior, Tristen Sims. 

Tristen was recognized this fall as a National Hispanic Scholar. He was selected by the CollegeBoard for scoring in the top 2.5 percent among Hispanic and Latino Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) takers. Tristen has also been involved in Boys Scouts for 12 years and he’s currently finishing up his Eagle Scout Award project, which entails making neighborhood libraries. Tristen is also involved with Burke’s Focus Program and has been in FOCUS since the third grade. 

We salute Tristen Sims and give him a round of applause for his outstanding academic achievements.

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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It is recommended that the claims for the School District of Omaha be approved as presented by the Central Administrative Staff.

A. CLAIMS A REPORT

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

A.  CLAIMS B REPORT

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It is recommended that the claims for Educational Service Unit No. 19 be approved as presented by the Central Administrative Staff.

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The Committee on Claims met on 11/06/2017 and approved the audit of claims conducted by the Secretary to the Board of Education. 

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The Memorandum of Understanding between Douglas County School District 0001 and Service Employees Local Number 226 addresses the Temporary Secondary Lead Assistant Custodian position for the 2016-2018 contract years.   This position provides a full-time Assistant Custodian an additional 10% of their regular hourly wage while temporarily assuming lead responsibilities on the second shift.  The Temporary Secondary Lead Assistant Custodian position will cover the lead duties until a Shift Engineer position is filled at the assigned building.  Once the Shift Engineer position is filled, the Temporary Secondary Lead Assistant Custodian is re-assigned to an Assistant Custodian position at another school location.      

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The District and Local 226 negotiated the attached MOU during the contract negotiations for the 2017-2018 contract.  The purpose of the MOU is to create a pilot program to incentivize newly hired nutrition services full time employees to continue employment with the District and to aid nutrition services and human resources with hiring and retention of nutrition services employees.

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The Delegate Agreement between Omaha Public Schools (OPS) and Educare is from November 1, 2017 to October 31, 2018. The Delegate (Educare) agrees to provide Early Head Start and Head Start services as a delegate agency for OPS at both Indian Hill Elementary and Kellom Elementary locations. All criteria and program expectations for a comprehensive child development program have been specified in accordance with federal, state and local laws, ordinances and regulations. The Educare Delegate Agreement is updated annually and has been in place since 2005.

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It is critical that the Omaha Public Schools continues to improve Kindergarten instruction each year based upon research and best practices.

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

Committees:

Board Governance - met October 24, 2017

Budget and Audit - met November 2, 2017

Policy - scheduled to meet November 13, 2017

Americanism - scheduled to meet November 14, 2017

Student Assignment Plan (SAP) - met October 17, 2017

Legislative - met November 3, 2017 

Construction Manager at Risk (CM@R) - met October 19, 2017

Citizen Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) - met October 25, 2017

Superintendent Search Committee - met November 1, 2017

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Summary of Fiscal Year 2016-2017 District cost savings through protocols regularly followed in procurement processes.

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.