August 5, 2019 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:  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:  Board of Education #OPSProud Spotlight - August 5, 2019

Good evening Board President Snow, members of the board and Superintendent Dr. Logan.  We are pleased to present our USASkills Nebraska State student-winners as tonight’s #OPSProud Spotlight.
SkillsUSA is a national membership association serving high school, college and middle school students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations, and for further education. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA helps each student excel. More than 345,000 students and advisors join SkillsUSA each year, organized into more than 19,000 local chapters and 52 state and territorial associations. There are nearly 21,000 teachers serving as 
professional members and SkillsUSA advisors.

This year’s state competition took place this past April in Grand Island, Nebraska.   Each of the 102 competitions fall under one of eleven categories known as "sectors."  The categories are Arts and Communications, Construction, Health Sciences, Hospitality and Tourism, Human Services, Information Technology, Leadership, Manufacturing, Public Safety, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Transportation. The following students earned first place recognition at this year’s state competition:
                Advertising Design
                Alicia Zimpleman, Benson High Magnet School

                Broadcast News Production
                Will Beiermann, Karrin Ledwich, Emily Ortiz-Cantu and Lucas
                 Sinnett, Career Center

                Firefighting
                Ian Perry, North High Magnet School

                First Aid-CPR
                Shar Soe, Career Center

                Mobile Robotics Technology
                Isaac Beacom and Tanner Sasse, Benson High Magnet School

                State Only - Precision Machining Technology
                Jordan Cowden, North High Magnet School

                State Only - State T-Shirt Contest
                Lilyonna Kirby, Benson High Magnet School

We also recognize Thomas Sibbit of Benson High Magnet School, who was selected to serve on the Nebraska Board of Directors for the 2019-2020 school year.

We congratulate these young people on their accomplishments and at this time, we welcome Career Center Director Jeremy Cowley to the podium for remarks.


 

Rationale:  The Treasurer's Report for June 2019 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. 

Rationale:  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

Rationale:  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

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

Rationale:  The Committee on Claims met on 8/05/2019 and approved the audit of claims conducted by the Secretary to the Board of Education. 

Rationale:  Since 2010-2011, Omaha Public Schools has partnered with Metropolitan Community College to offer Gateway to College. Gateway to College is a nationally recognized scholarship and dual-credit high school diploma completion program. Omaha Public Schools provides this opportunity to students ages 16-20 through the Multiple Pathways Accelere program, serving disengaged students that have fallen behind on credits. A new, one-year contract for 2019-2020 is being proposed with an $80,000 cap. The cap remains unchanged from past years. Actual services for Gateway to College from MCC amount to $120,000, resulting in +$40,000 of savings for OPS. We are seeking board approval on the new contract to continue to provide this opportunity during the 2019-2020 school year.

Rationale:  This contract is an ongoing consultative contract in its second year that provides onsite coaching for our instructional preschool coaches and teachers affiliated with our OPS Early Childhood Partnership Agreement with the Learning Community. This contract is  funded by our Learning Community Partnership Grant; there is no financial obligation to our district.

Rationale:  Staff, Jacobs, and DLR Group are requesting approval of the Design Submittal for the New High School 60th & L Street Project and Staff, Jacobs, and BCDM Architects are requesting approval of the Design Submittal for the New High School 156th & Ida Street Project as part of the 2018 Bond Program.
 
The electronic Design Submittal booklets have been provided to members of the Board of Education for consideration.  Approval of the Design Submittals is needed in order to proceed to the next phase, which is bid solicitation.

 

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.