January 23, 2025 at 6:00 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:  To prepare all students for success in college, career, and life.

Rationale:  The #OPSProud Spotlight celebrates Westview High's Anthony Schik, recently named Nebraska Thespians Theater Teacher of the Year.

Rationale:  The Treasurer's Report for November 2024 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:  Pursuant to Policy 7003, F.4., Administration in keeping with long-standing practice, the Substantial Completion for OPS Kellom Roof Top HVAC Unit Improvements
 is being submitted to the Board of Education for acceptance.

Contractor                       Project                                          Completion Date
Eyman Plumbing            Kellom Roof Top HVAC Unit          December 4, 2024
                                        Improvements              

The completion date, as listed above, is the date of commencement of the one-year warranty period and is required by the contract documents. This agreed-upon contractual date will provide continuity in the start dates of the warranties and considers that the Owner had beneficial use and occupancy of the facility.

Rationale:  FUND: 176, Misc. Federal Grants      
PROGRAM: 1170 English Language Learners
DEPT: 7198170  English As a Second Language
GRANT:  471125 Refugee School Impact 
POLICIES: 7000 
Amount:  $1,596.00

Administration recommends that the Board of Education approve the attached agreement with Boys Town National Community Support Initiatives to provide services to students and parents throughout the District. Boys Town facilitators will continue to support students and parents through Common Sense Parenting workshops and training sessions.   Common Sense Parenting will address parenting topics for newly arrived immigrant families to support their school-age children as they navigate school and life in the United States. Three sessions will be offered in February 2025, and up to 20 families will be able to register for each session and receive corresponding materials. The District has previously spent over $50,000.00 on services from Boys Town and therefore brings this contract to the Board for approval. The total cost for these three sessions is $1,596.00 and will be paid for by the Refugee School Impact grant.

Rationale:  FUND: 1, General 
PROGRAM: 1100, Regular Instruction 
DEPARTMENT: 7193010, Secondary Education Administration 
POLICIES:  6213 
AMOUNT: $80,000.00 (maximum) 
 
Administration recommends approval of a renewed contract and Data Protection Agreement with Metropolitan Community College (MCC) to continue the Gateway to College program. Gateway to College is a nationally recognized scholarship and dual-credit high school diploma completion program. Omaha Public Schools provides this opportunity through the Multiple Pathways program to students ages 16-20 who are either at high risk of leaving high school or who have left high school without earning a diploma and choose to return to education and complete a high school diploma while earning college credit at MCC.  All courses are dual credit and students earn college and high school credits at the same time. Courses align to meet high school graduation requirements.  All courses are held on campus at Metropolitan Community College.  A new, one-year contract for the 2024-2025 academic year is proposed with an $80,000.00 cap. The cap remains unchanged from past years. The term of this contract is September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025.

Rationale:  FUND: 177, Misc. State Grants
PROGRAM: 2211, Career and Tech Ed Support
DEPT.  7196010, Career & Technical Education
PROJECT:  471925, Perkins State CTE Grant
SUPPLIER: Blair Freeman
AMOUNT: $56,151.20

Administration recommends approval of the contract for a partnership between Omaha Public Schools, Omaha Public Schools Foundation (OPSF) and Blair Freeman for the purpose of supporting the building of student-built houses as aligned to Pathway Programs of Construction and Design offered at Benson High, Bryan High, and Career Center. OPSF will pay costs associated with the construction of the physical building space and will retain ownership of the project at its conclusion. Omaha Public Schools will contract with Blair Freeman for instructional support at a total cost of $56,151.20. 

Rationale:  FUND: 1 General Fund
PROGRAM: 2510 Business Support Services
DEPT: 7062510 Information Management Service
SUPPLIER: 24091 CDW Government Solutions, LLC
POLICY:  7000, III, D., 7000, III., K.
AMOUNT: $145,449.30 (after e-rate discount)

Administration recommends award to CDW Government Solutions, LLC, for Bid No. 25-003 to purchase network switches, wireless access points, and switch modules to update existing District Network equipment.  The switches, which will be added to existing wireless controllers, are compatible with existing District infrastructure, including identity services engine, access points and switch module to update existing District Network equipment at the following schools: Miller Park Elementary, Minne Lusa Elementary, Mount View Elementary, Sherman Elementary, Skinner Elementary, Nathan Hale Middle School, and Benson High School. The district also received bid responses from High Point LLC and Electronaca. The bid response from High Point LLC was non-compliant due to the bid not being submitted to the appropriate bid box as directed, and failing to bid the required items (they provided alternative items). The bid response from Electronica was non-compliant due to the bid being incomplete (it did not contain any documents). The bid award is subject to the completion of a contract that will be brought to the Board for approval at a future date.  CDW Government Solution, LLC will hold bid pricing until June 30, 2026, for future purchases from the District as a part of the bid award.

The bid complies fully with E-rate competitive bidding rules for Funding year 2025.  The network infrastructure components are eligible for a Priority 2 E-rate, which is a Federal program that provides discounts on telecommunications, internet access, and internet connections to eligible schools. The District receives an 85% discount rate on eligible purchases.

The total amount to be awarded to CDW Government LLC is $969,661.98, and the total cost to the District after the projected 85% e-rate discount is $145,449.30.

Network Switches and Wireless Access Points	Quantity	CDW Government Solutions, LLC	Electronaca	High Point LLC
		Unit Price	Non-Compliant Bid	Non-Compliant Bid
Switch: Catalyst 9300 48-port PoE+, Advantage Lic 5yr, 2 x 715W AC Power Supply, 2 x power cord (NEMA 5-15), 8 x 10GE Network Module, or equivalent.	13	$11,008.54	NC	NC
Switch: Catalyst 9300 24-port mGig and UPOE, Advantage Lic 5yr, 2 x                                             AC Power Supply, 2 x power cord (NEMA 5-15), 8 x 10GE Network Module, or equivalent.	24	$11,348.78	NC	NC
Access Point: Catalyst 9130AXI-B 802.11ax; 8x8; Mod; Int Ant; mGig B Domain, or equivalent. No license needed	396	$1,223.04	NC	NC
Switch Module: Cisco 10GE LRM Fiber SFP Transceivers, or equivalent.	136	$513.65	NC	NC

Contact Terry.Scales@ops.org for complete bid documentation.
 

Rationale:  The Board of Education is required by State Statute 79-584 to approve all expenditures of District funds.  Expenditures are presented to the Board for approval in the form of a Claims Report.  Claims Report A is a listing of all District expenditures and are organized and presented to the Board by which fund the expenditure is being made from (e.g. General Fund, Bond Fund, etc.).

Rationale:  The Board of Education is required by State Statute 79-584 to approve all expenditures of funds for which the District serves as custodian.  Expenditures are presented to the Board for approval in the form of a Claims Report.  Claims Report B is a listing of expenditures from the various Student Activity Funds for which the Board serves as custodian.

Rationale:  The Board of Education is required by State Statute 79-584 to approve all expenditures of District funds.  Payroll expenditures are presented to the Board for ratification in the form of a Claims Report.  Claims Report D is a summary of payrolls processed and is presented by payroll and pay date.

Rationale:  The Board of Education is required by State Statute 79-584 to approve all expenditures of District funds.  Payroll expenditures are presented to the Board for ratification in the form of a Claims Report.  Claims Report E is an estimation of payrolls to be processed prior to the next Board meeting and is presented by payroll and pay date.  Board authorization is requested for amounts not to exceed the totals in the Claims Report.

Rationale:  The Board of Education serves as the Board of Educational Service Unit 19.  The Board of Educational Service Unit 19 is required to approve all expenditures of District funds as well as funds for which the District serves as custodian.  Expenditures are presented to the Board for approval in the form of a Claims Report.  Educational Service Unit No. 19 Claims Report is a listing of all expenditures to be paid from the Education Service Unit's funds.

Rationale:  In keeping with the provisions of Nebraska Revised Statute section 79-981, the Board of Education is responsible for the transaction of OSERS’ business, including approval of expenditures of OSERS’ funds.   The Administration recommends approval of the attached claims to be paid from OSERS’ funds.

Rationale:  State Statue 79-584 requires the Secretary to the Board of Education to audit all accounts of the Class V school district and to submit that audit to the Board of Education Audit Committee for review and approval.   The objective of the audit is to obtain and review sufficient claim documentation to determine the risk of material misstatement.   The audit methodology is set forth on the Claims Audit Report.

Rationale:  FUND: 5190 ESU19 Info & Management Services 
PROGRAM: 2510 Business Support Services 
DEPT ID: 7062550 Human Resources Information System 
SUPPLIER: Customer Expressions Corporation (Doing Business as) Case IQ 
POLICY: 7000, VII., A 
AMOUNT: $48,096.00
 
Administration recommends the approval of a three-year renewal of the agreement with Customer Expressions Corporation (Doing Business As Case IQ (formerly i-Sight) at a cost of $16,032.00 per year.  The renewal provides continued access to case management software for documentation and tracking of employee misconduct, Title VII, and Title IX investigations.  The cost of service for the previous three-year agreement with an additional one-year renewal was $63,825.00 approved on October 16, 2023. Administration recommends approval of the services through September 30, 2027. 

Rationale:  The Board of Education approved the extension of the easement for a cell tower located at the northwest corner of Lot 2 at Blackburn Alternative School to February 2030 at the November 4, 2024 Board of Education meeting.  The original easement was granted to BGCM on April 6, 2004, to allow BGCM to maintain, operate, and repair an existing PCS antenna upon a stadium light standard and related ground-mounted equipment.  Sprint Spectrum, L.P. owns the PCS Communications Facilities, which have been maintained at this location since February 3, 2000.  This extension aligns the easement with an option Sprint Spectrum L.P. has to extend the lease through 2030 with BGCM. The attached assign the rental agreements that run through 2055 to Omaha Public Schools at the end of the easement approved by the Board of Education at the November 4, 2024 meeting.  At that time, the District would assume the remaining six options to extend the agreement for five (5) years each option exercised per the lease agreement attached, receiving $2,012.50 per month for the use of the antenna space. 

Rationale:  FUND: 156, Head Start/Early Head Start
PROGRAM: 3201,Early Childhood
DEPT:  0660085, Head Start Grant
PROJECT: 650525, Head Start Kennedy
VENDOR: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
POLICIES: 3570.A.
AMOUNT:  $16,913.00

In keeping with 42 U.S.C. 9837 (also known as Section 642 of the Head Start Act), the Board of Education serves as the Governing Body for Head Start.  Under the Head Start Act, the Board of Education has legal and fiscal responsibility for the Head Start program and is required to review and approve all funding adjustments including budget revisions.  Administration recommends approval of the Head Start budget revision for the Fiscal Year 2024. This budget revision request will allow the District-operated Head Start program to utilize $16,913.00 of supply funding on vision screening equipment. The Board of Education previously approved the vision equipment to be purchased using the FY2023 carryover funding on February 8, 2024.  

Rationale:  Administration requests approval of a Memorandum of Understanding with OneWorld Community Health Centers, Inc. to operate a school-based satellite at Bancroft Elementary.  This initiative is a collaboration with the Learning Community Center of South Omaha (LCCSO) and aims to support both students and families within the community. The collaboration with OneWorld Community Health Centers and LCCSO is designed to strengthen family engagement, provide critical resources to support student learning, and foster a holistic approach to education that extends beyond the classroom.  The LCCSO will provide a variety of services and educational resources designed to enhance the well-being and academic success of Bancroft Elementary students and their families. The programming will include parent education, parenting classes and workshops, educational navigators and family activities. There is no cost to the District, as it is paid for by the LCCSO.

Rationale:  Administration recommends the approval of the Nebraska State Forms required to apply for and receive reimbursement for approved costs to the District from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the July 31, 2024, wind storm (Disaster DR-4838).  The Authorized Representative Form identifies the District Staff and other relevant information.  The Risk Assessment form provides information on the District’s preparedness to administer a FEMA grant if received.  The Sub-Recipient Disaster Grant Agreement indicates that the District would comply with all relevant state and federal guidelines regarding any grant received.  Finally, the Memorandum for the Record outlines the guidelines for seeking reimbursement of Administrative Costs. 

Rationale:  The Board of Education approved an agreement with AXIA Consulting Inc. for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System Consulting Services as described in Request for Proposals No. P018-24 at the July 15, 2024 Board Meeting.  AXIA Consulting Inc. subsequently entered into a stock purchase agreement to be acquired by Huron Consulting Group, Inc.  AXIA and Huron provided notice of the acquisition to the District on December 2, 2024 and requested the District approve the attached agreement assigning AXIA's interest in the contract with the District to Huron.  The Administration recommends the Board approve the attached agreement.

Rationale:  Policy 4001 and 4035 require that the election of employees shall be by action of the Board of Education upon recommendation of the Superintendent or designee.  Additionally, Policy 4008 requires that the Chief Human Resources Officer process all retirements, resignations, cancellations, contract amendments and terminations of employment making a recommendation for appropriate action to the Superintendent and Board of Education.  Therefore, the District recommends the approval of the attached Staffing Adjustments.

Rationale:  Administration recommends approval of the attached contract as a partnership agreement between Metropolitan Community College (MCC) and Omaha Public Schools. As an extension of the Concurrent Enrollment Program at Metropolitan Community College, students receive full college credit for MCC classes taught in an Omaha Public Schools setting where they meet MCC standards, policies, and objectives during the 2024-2025 school year.  There is no cost to the District.

Rationale:  Policy 8120 stipulates the Board of Education shall cause policies and regulations to be revised as necessary.  The Policy Committee will provide recommended changes to the following policies:

Recommended Approval of First Reading:

5419 - Parent, Guardian, and/or Educational Decisionmaker Involvement and Student Privacy Protection Policy
6280 - Instruction (Reviewed, no changes)
6310 - Textbook Loans (REMOVE)
6315 - Use of Maps in Instruction (NEW)
6320 - Parent Requests for an Alternate Text (REMOVE - will be included in Policy 5419)
6360 - Recognition of Religious Beliefs and Customs

Rationale:  The Legislative Committee, in keeping with the provisions of Policy 8150, recommends approval of its findings and recommendations as set forth in the attached summary of bills introduced before the Nebraska Legislature.  The summary has been prepared with the assistance of Kissel Kohout ES Associates and generally includes legislation which may affect the District.  The Committee continuously monitors legislative activity and may, from time to time, recommend that the Board take or update a position on a particular bill, resolution or amendment.  Committee recommendations typically include one of the following: Support, Oppose, or Monitor with Research.  In the absence of one of those recommendations, the Committee is recommending that the District take no position.  Given the fluid nature of the legislature, the Committee may need to present new bills, resolutions or amendments, including some that may not have appeared on the bill summary, to the Board for consideration.  In addition to the bill summary, the Committee, on occasion, recommends Board approval of position statements to guide the Board President and/or Superintendent when dealing with legislative debate on issues particular concern to the District that arise between Board Meetings.  The Committee is recommending that the Board adopt the following new positions with this report:
 

Bill #	Senator	Position	Description
LB5	Bosn	Monitor w/ Research	Provide immunity for administration of naloxone or other federally approved opioid antagonists
LB13	Cavanaugh, M.	Monitor w/ Research	Require the Department of Health and Human Services to file a state plan amendment relating to child care
LB21	Cavanaugh, J.	Monitor w/ Research	Adopt the Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records Act
LB126	Holdcroft	Monitor w/ Research	Change provisions relating to redemption of bonds of political subdivisions
LB135	Holdcroft	Monitor w/ Research	Provide, change, and eliminate provisions relating to elections for certain purposes related to bonds and tax levies
LB195	Meyer	Monitor w/ Research	Provide immunity for administration of naloxone, nalmefene, or other federally approved opioid overdose reversal medications

Rationale: 

The School Board will conduct interviews and select the individual for the vacant Subdistrict 8 Board position.  

Applicants:  

Viridiana Almanza Zavala
Lacey Merica
Della Vest

Rationale: 

New Board Member for Sub-district 8 will take the Oath of Office.

Rationale:  The purpose of this report is to present information pertaining to class size and pupil-teacher ratios in regular classes in the Omaha Public Schools (OPS). Measurements of class size and pupil-teacher ratio offer valuable insights into the efficiency of staff assignments and their alignment with the student population they serve.

Rationale:  In accordance with Performance Standards and the 2007 Head Start Act, the Board of Education will be presented with the Head Start Annual Report for Douglas County School District 001 2023-2024 school year. Head Start Act Sec. 644 (2) Each Head Start agency shall make available to the public a report published at least once in each fiscal year.

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.