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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. 

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.

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Led by Girl Scout troop 45402.

Rationale:  NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) will become an airborne classroom for teachers during research flights in the coming months.  A dozen two-person teams were recently chosen for SOFIA's Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program, representing schools from around the country.  Each team will be connected with an astronomer to see airborne infrared astronomy carried out firsthand.  Judi Little and LeeAnn Vaughan from Burke High School have been selected by NASA to be among this elite group of teachers.  Our congratulations to them!

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:  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:

All claims submitted excluding those listed in Claims Report B

Rationale:  APPROVAL OF CLAIMS - SCHOOL DISTRICT OF OMAHA CLAIMS REPORT B:

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

Rationale:  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:  APPROVAL OF CLAIMS - EDUCATIONAL SERVICE UNIT NO. 19 - REPORT B

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

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OMAHA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM – APPROVAL OF POWER OF ATTORNEY WITH ATLANTIC ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.L.C.

Staff, at the direction of the Board of Trustees of the Omaha School Employees’ Retirement System and following legal review by the attorney, will recommend approval of a power of attorney agreement with Atlantic Asset Management, L.L.C. to permit them to enter into forward settling transactions for the purchase or sale of certain agency mortgage-backed securities and other similar securities that result or may result in the delayed delivery of securities.

Rationale:  INVESTMENTS - OMAHA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM

It is recommended that the following report submitted by the Board of Trustees of the Omaha School Employees' Retirement System concerning investment of retirement funds during the month of December 2013, be adopted.

Rationale:  GRANT FUND BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS

It is recommended that the receipts and expenditures of the detailed grant fund budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year be amended to include the following reimbursable programs:

 The Sherwood Foundation Grants and Grants less than $10,000.00 to be amended into the 2013-2014 budgets are available for review in the Board Workroom.

SHERWOOD FOUNDATION GRANTS

These budget amendments in the amount of $374,618.00 are for the period beginning September 1, 2013, and ending August 31, 2014.  These amendments represent only that part of the budget that will be expended during the 2013-2014 school year for new programs from the Sherwood Foundation.

This program is 100% reimbursable.

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For the payment of licensing for programs utilized by the District from Novell at various buildings and departments within the District.

Rationale:  If the extension of the contract is approved by the board then the requisition amount shall be paid in the amount of $53,950.

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The NEA Foundation on November 1, 2013, announced that it has renewed its grant to and support of an Omaha partnership of the Omaha Education Association, Omaha Public Schools, and community leaders through the Collaborating for Equity (CFE) grant project. The project goals include: Relational Trust, Instructional Practice, Family and Community Involvement and District/OEA Collaboration for Teacher Leadership. This is the third year of the grant project which involves, Field Club, Franklin, and Highland Elementary Schools; with additional schools being brought on as a second cohort this year. The five year grant, will provide funding for an additional year of the partnership’s action plan to develop teacher instructional leadership and implement collaborative practices to improve student achievement.

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Staff along with RDG Planning & Design will present to the Board the findings & results of the 2014 OPS Facilities Study.

The purpose of this study is to present the findings & results of each elementary school, middle school and senior high school facility to deliver current and future programs and services within the Omaha Public Schools so that each student has an equal opportunity to meet state standards.

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Under the Affordable Care Act, it is necessary for the District to create a second health retirement account for retirees only under a the District's current sick leave conversion plan.  The creation of the second health retirement account provides the necessary framework for which the District's various labor representatives can negotiate to option into a new second health retirement account. 

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Rationale:  The 2013 Graduation and Dropout Report presents annual information on the district’s graduation and dropout rates for all students and for various student demographic groups. This report provides district officials and policy makers with a metric for understanding the district’s progress in graduating students. Overall, the district’s graduation rate has increased 2.3%, and the dropout rate has decreased 1.2% since 2012. Further, the data demonstrates that OPS is narrowing the graduation gap between racial/ethnic groups. Although the district trends are moving in the right direction, it is important to continue to improve these trends so more OPS students are college and career ready.

Rationale:  OPS SERIES 2014 REFUND FINAL SUMMARY

Update on refunding of District's Series 2003B Bonds.

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.