January 9, 2012 at 6:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  A motion will be necessary if a member of the elected Board is absent.

Rationale:  The Bellevue Board of Education abides by the Nebraska Open Meetings Law.  A copy of the law is posted on the wall of our Board room.

Rationale:  Approve by consent items in sections B and C of the Agenda identified with an asterisk and receive the information and proposals in sections D and E identified with an asterisk.

Rationale:  The Minutes of the December 5, 2011, Board of Education meeting were sent to all members of the Board of Education for review.

Rationale:  Acknowledge receipt of the Treasurer's Report for December, 2011.

Rationale:  Approve the payment of claims totaling $1,590,817.41.

Rationale:  Release (1) Tracy Molitor from  her contract effective January 20, 2012.

Rationale:  Elect (1) Andrea Turner to the certified staff for the 2011-12 school year effective January 5, 2012, subject to her release from any contractual agreements with other school districts.

Rationale:  Accept the changes to the Articles of Incorporation for the Foundation made by the Foundation Board of Directors on January 9, 2012.

The changes remove the requirement that the President and Vice-President of the Board of Education serve as President and Vice-President of the Foundation Board.  The Board of Education will select by majority vote any three members of the Board of Education to serve as the Board of Directors for the Foundation.

Attached are the Foundation Articles of Incorporation with the proposed changes to Articles VII and IX.  All other Articles remain unchanged.

Rationale:  President Hansen requests nominations for temporary chairman of the Board.

Rationale:  The Temporary Chairman of the Board requests nominations for President of the Board.

Rationale:  The Board President requests nominations for Vice-President of the Board.

Rationale:  The Board President requests nominations for the appointment of the secretary and treasurer.

The recommendation is to appoint Judy Potter as Secretary and Mary Kay Davenport as Treasurer to the Board of Education.

Rationale:  The Board President requests nominations for the School Attorney.

The recommendation is to appoint the firm of Adams and Sullivan, P.C. and other attorneys as needed as School Attorneys.

The Legal Services Agreement between the firm of Adams and Sullivan, P.C. and the Bellevue Public Schools is attached. 

Rationale:  The recommendation is to adopt the following resolution:  whereas ______________ has been duly elected President and ______________ Vice-President of the Board of Education for 2012, be it therefore resolved that the President of the Board of Education be named the authorized representative of the Bellevue Board of Education and in the President's absence, the Vice-President of the Board of Education be designated as the authorized representative and that these officers are authorized to file the applications and reports for Impact Aid, Title XVIII of PL106-398, and any other Federal applications, reports, resolutions, contracts, real estate transactions and agreements necessary to the operation of the school district as required on behalf of the Bellevue Public School District.

Rationale:  Authorize the Superintendent of Schools or his designee to act as the Board of Education's official representative in all matters relating to local, state, and federal programs including applications, plans, reports and verified information for No Child Left Behind, vocational education, special education, adult education, grants, Educational Service Unit, and any other federal or state programs as required, and any contracts, real estate transactions, or agreements necessary to the operation of the school district and as authorized through Board policy.

Rationale:  All warrants of the District issued in the month of January of this year which bear the facsimile signatures of the officers authorized during the immediate preceding term of office by this Board to sign and validate warrants of the District are hereby ratified, confirmed, and validated.

Rationale:  Nominate __________, ___________, and ___________ to serve as a Bellevue Public Schools' Foundation Board of Director.

Rationale:  The law requires that the President of the Board of Education appoint three Board members to examine, inspect, and approve all textbooks used in the teaching of American History and Civil Government.

The current members of the Americanism Committee are Frank Kumor, Alicia Richards, and Lisa Rybar. 

Rationale:  The Bellevue Board of Education serves in a quasi-judicial role at various times including when a student discipline action by the administration is appealed.  The President of the Board of Education shall appoint three members of the Board to the Student Discipline Committee to hear any student discipline appeals.

The current members of the Student Discipline Committee are Denise Seaman, Frank Kumor, and Nina Wolford.

Rationale:  Nebraska statutes require the Board of Education to annually review the Parental Involvement in Educational Practices Policy.  The existing policy was adopted by the Board of Education in 1995 and is reviewed annually by the Board of Education.

Notice of the hearing was published in accordance with Nebraska statutes.  A copy of the existing policy and regulation, Parental Involvement in Educational Practices, is attached.

Rationale:  The Nebraska Association of School Boards is requesting a Board appointment to the Government Relations Network.  The Government Relations Network keeps representatives current on important legislation at the local, state, and federal levels.

Rationale:  Recognize the Bellevue Education Association as the representative organization and the exclusive negotiating body for teachers, deans, counselors, nurses, psychologists, and program specialists for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years.

Attached is a letter from BEA President Stephanie Cain requesting that the BEA be recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent for non-administrative certificated staff.

Rationale:  On December 11, 2011, the Bellevue Public Schools lost a dear friend when Logan Lucien Fontenelle died at home from Diabetes 2 complications.

Logan and his wife Leah gave Bellevue Public Schools gifts of paintings, as well as gifts of time and talents.  Logan talked history with the Bellevue Board of Education, staff, and students.  He helped plan the April, 2007, rededication of Omaha Chief Big Elk's grave and when the Omaha Nation leaders and students spent a day with the Bellevue/Offutt Community.  Logan always expressed deep appreciation for Bellevue Public Schools' beautiful brick murals of his ancestor Omaha Chief Big Elk leading Bellevue's diverse culture into the future.

The Bellevue Leader and the Omaha World-Herald joined Bellevue Public Schools in honoring Logan.  Their tributes to Logan included history that the Bellevue Public Schools shares with the Omahas.  Logan had defended Bellevue Public Schools' secondary school mascots representing symbols of respect for Native Americans.

Years from now, Bellevue historians will reference the attached tributes to Logan Lucien Fontenelle.

Rationale:  Bellevue students participated in the Fall Knowledge Master competition December 7.  In the high school division, Bellevue East Purple Team took first place and Bellevue West Purple Team took second place in the state.  In the junior high-freshmen division, Bellevue West freshmen took first place and Bellevue East freshmen took second place in the state.

Bellevue East Purple Team members were John Bensen, Roosevelt Boyland, Ryan Boyland, Alex Campbell, Evan Cotto, Nate Crawford, Matthew Cummins, Nathan Duffy, Dan Gleason, Morgan Goldsberry, Erik Ingram, Chayce Kenny, Kassy Pepper, Tim Rolling, Christian Rush, Trevor Savage, Weston Secrist, Sarah Sindelar, Jesse Whitsett, and Rebecca Zawistowski.  Bellevue West Purple Team members were Gabe Belcastro, Cole Burmeister, Josh Butler, Mitch Clark, Erica Dalen, Alex Gangwish, Amanda Gangwish, Lauren Garcia, Kevin Hanna, Mark Huebner, Aaron Kruger, Matt Kruger, Max Lydiatt, Dan Moses, Michelle Pham, Kyra Valentine, Ashley Weed, Jacob Wilkinson, and Zach Williams.

Bellevue West freshmen team members were Jackie Armstrong, Daniela Cortes, Talia Duran, Samantha Ramming, Aurora Kenworthy, Kirsten Hall, Delaney Jackson, Sophie Otto, Monica Pham, Renee Pineda, Debbie Seeley, and Brooke Winsor.  Bellevue East freshmen team members were Beth Alexander, Sydney Hanson, Mary-Francis Laporte, Ashlyn Looney, Noah Madrigal, Bethany Rainwater, Shannon Smith, Cathy Stork, George Timmins, Desiree Wilson, and Taylor Young.

The Bellevue East teams are coached by David Bossman and the Bellevue West teams are coached by Bradley Nord.
 
In the middle school division, Mission Purple Team took third place, the Logan Fontenelle White Team took fifth place, and the Lewis and Clark Team 2 took ninth place in the state.

Mission team members were Dominick Lewis, Jonathan Jenkins, Logan Wood, Noah Sautter, Andrew Nelson, Tommy Casart, Michelle Ruzicka, Jacob Mikkelson, Kelly Speltz, Samantha Seaman, and Paige Haskins.  The Mission team is coached by Brent Myers.

Logan team members were Blake Callahan, Ramon Gutierrez, Casey Jones, Madelyn Kazmierski, Michael Kochera, Joseph Lydiatt, Tejiri Smith, and Alec Stroud.  The Logan team is coached by Christine Daniels.

Lewis and Clark team members were Kamryn Brockbank, Asheton McAllister, Christian Dumont, Karen Goeschel, Amanda Horbach, Catherine Knight, Elaine Stueve, Kinsey Boughner, Tyler Imhoff, Sean Letcher, Omar Mora, Ryan George, Andrew Haggerty, and Vincent Larson.  The Lewis and Clark team is coached by Charles Owen. 

Rationale:  Bellevue East Step Team, Chieftain Steppers Incorporated, took second place at the Nebraska Wesleyan University Step Show on November 19.  Team members were Carlea Magee, Destiny Myers, Antonio Vazquez, Mary Yelle, Tateyna Jones, Te'Andi Titus, and Kyara Koehler.  The team sponsors are Deirdre and Bryan McKinley.

Rationale:  The Bellevue West Forensics' novice team competed at the Millard South GOLD tournament, which is strictly for first-year students in the metro area.  Bailey Antsey took 4th place in Original Oratory and Renee Angela Pineda took 1st place for Informative Speaking.

The Bellevue West Forensics' varsity team competed at the Millard West Invitational on December 2.  The team placed 5th out of 21 teams.  Dan Christie and Allison Prendergast took 5th place in DUO Interpretation; Allison Prendergast took 8th place in Dramatic Interpretation; Loriana Harkey took 12th place in Original Oratory; Courtney Hansen took 8th place in Humorous Interpretation and 4th place in Original Oratory.  Allison Prendergast and Courtney Hansen earned one bid each towards qualifying for the National Tournament of Champions in May, 2012.

Bellevue West Forensics competed at Lincoln High on December 9.  Caroline Engwell took 6th place in Original Oratory and Kjersten Schuttler 5th place in Novice Original Oratory.

Bellevue West Forensics competed at Creighton Prep on December 10.  Courtney Hansen took 2nd place in Humorous Interpretation.

Rationale:  Bellevue students participated in the November Newzbrain Current Events Challenge.  Mission Team Super Ninja Bananaphones won first place in the nation in the seventh grade out of 358 teams from sixteen states.  Team members were Kelly Speltz, Samantha Seaman, Paige Haskins, Nolan Marshall, Noah Sautter, and Jared Swift.

In the eighth grade division, Logan Fontenelle Team Tidtles and the Crew finished in third place in the nation out of 218 teams from fourteen states.  Team members were Joseph Lydiatt, Blake Callahan, Max Snodgrass, and Caleb Eby.

Bellevue West Team Umadbro won first place in the nation in the high school division out of 24 teams from five states.  Team members were Ashley Weed, Kevin Hanna, Cole Burmeister, Alex Gangwish, and Max Lydiatt.  Bellevue East Team Boyland won second place in the nation.  Team members were Roosevelt Boyland, Ryan Boyland, Eric Ingram, Daniel Gleason, Helen Timmins, and Tim Rolling.

Rationale:  The 3rd annual Bellevue Science Olympiad Teacher-Students Workshop was held on December 10, 2011, at Lewis and Clark Middle School.  Eleven middle school teams, including the top five teams at the Nebraska State Tournament the last several years, competed in twenty-one events.  Five high school teams competed in sixteen events.

The Bellevue Lewis and Clark Team won first place in Disease Detective, Forestry, Road Scholar, and tied for first in Crime Busters.  The team won second place in Experimental Design, Microbe Mission, Meteorology, Rocks and Minerals, and they tied in Dynamic Planet and Water Quality.  They won third place in Anatomy, Awesome Aquifers, Towers, and Food Science.  Team members were Samantha Ramming, Talia Duran, Aurora Kenworthy, Hanna Warak, Audrey Lausterer, Brenna Treanor, Xedrix Barbeyto, Nathan Beyer, Callie Pancoe, Brandi Shapland, Emma Larson, Sarah Zawistowski, Alex Wheeler, Brenna Treanor, and Celeste Kenworthy.  The team is coached by Kristi Kuhn and Charles Owen.

The Bellevue Logan Fontenelle Team won first place in Awesome Aquifers, Food Science, and Reach for the Stars.  They won second place in Crime Busters, Road Scholar, and tied for second in Water Quality.  They won third place in Forestry, Keep the Heat, and Rocks and Minerals.  Team members were Henamari Ybay, Luke Carter, Caleb Wagner, Della Wilson, Taylor Billington, Brooklyn Mussman, Abby Muraski, Casey Jones, Michael Kochera, Rachel Alexander, and Timothy Trojanowski.  The team is coached by Christine Daniels and Christopher Casart.

The Bellevue Mission Team won first place in Experimental Design, Keep the Heat, Meteorology, Rocks and Minerals, Microbe Mission, and tied for first in Crime Busters.  They won second place in Anatomy, Awesome Aquifer, Disease Detectives, Food Science, Optics, and tied for second in Dynamic Planet.  The team won third place in Reach for the Stars and Write It-Do It.  Team members were Kirsten Hall, Sydney Hanson, Mary Francis Laporte, Monica Pham, Chloe Schwarting, Tommy Casart, Andrew Nelson, Michelle Ruzicka, Krizzel Soratorio, Alex Molnar, Samantha Seaman, Paige Haskins, and Kelly Speltz.  The team is coached by Norma Thompson and Melody Kjerstad.

The Bellevue East Team won first place in Optics and Rocks and Minerals and third place in Anatomy and Water Quality.  Team members were Rebecca Zawistowski, Gage Boyce, and Henry McNamara.  The team is coached by Derek Babb and David Bossman.

The Bellevue West Team won first place in Microbe Mission, second place in Fermi Questions and Water Quality, and third place in Forestry and Remote Sensing.  Team members were Aaron Kruger, Michelle Pham, Matthew Kruger, Daniel Moses, Sarah Bethel, Matt Thompson, Zach Williams, and Ashley Weed.  The team is coached by Bradley Nord and Britton Sullivan.

Rationale:  Attached is a letter from Megan Boldt, ALICAP Administrator for the Nebraska Association of School Boards.  Ms. Boldt congratulates Bellevue Public Schools for being selected as one of the top performing school districts for safety in the ALICAP pool this year.  The All Lines Interlocal Cooperative Aggregate Pool (ALICAP) provides insurance coverage to public school districts in the state of Nebraska. 

Rationale:  The 2012 legislative session began on Wednesday, January 4, 2012.  This is a short session with the Legislature scheduled to adjourn April 12, 2012.  Senator Abbie Cornett will discuss with Board members potential legislation and seek input from the Board. 

Rationale:  Attached is revised Administrative Regulation 402.08, Employee Travel Compensation.  This regulation is submitted for Board review. 

Rationale:  The Bellevue Public Schools' Business Department issued an RFP in October to determine a cost effective means of upgrading equipment and/or HVAC systems at four school sites:  Bellevue East and Bellevue West High Schools, Avery Elementary, and CHAP Center.  At the November meeting, Board members received a report on the RFP to be issued regarding the analysis and recommendations for improvements of HVAC systems at the four school sites.  At the December meeting a report on the bids was presented to the Board and a contract was awarded to Engineering Technologies Incorporated for $32,700 to conduct an analysis and make recommendations for improvements to the four school sites. 

Tonight an update will be given on the project.

Rationale:  Bellevue Public Schools earned District Accreditation under AdvancED in 2009.  At that time, the Quality Assurance Review Team identified three required actions for our District to complete in order to uphold our District level accreditation status.  An Accreditation Progress Report was submitted in November, 2011, to AdvancED indicating our progress toward meeting these required actions.

Tonight, we will hear an overview of this progress report.

Rationale:  An oral report will be provided on the recent meetings of the Learning Community.

Rationale:  None.

Rationale:  January 22-28, School Board Recognition Week
February 2, Transportation Employees Day
February 6, Board of Education Meeting, 6:30 pm, Welcome Center

Rationale:  Adjourn to executive session to consider matters relating to strategy sessions with respect to negotiations with outside agencies and the superintendent's evaluation which are necessary to be considered in closed session for the protection of the public interest and for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of individuals.