January 7, 2019 at 6:30 PM - Board of Education Meeting Agenda

Rationale: 

New Board Member Maureen McNamara and re-elected Board Members Frank Kumor and Nina Wolford will be administered the Oath of Office.

Maureen McNamara will be welcomed to the Board of Education.

Attached is the Oath of Office for Board members.

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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.

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Administrative Recommendation: The information in sections B and D were sent to all members of the Board of Education for review.  The administration recommends approval by consent of the items in section B of the agenda identified with an asterisk and receipt of the information and proposals in section D identified with an asterisk.

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Administrative Recommendation:  Approve the Minutes of the December 3, 2018, Board of Education meeting.

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Administrative Recommendation:  Acknowledge receipt of the Treasurer's Report for December, 2018.

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Administrative Recommendation:  Approve the payment of claims totaling $2,090,971.80.

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Administrative Recommendation: 1) Mark Benson and (2) Cheryl Roth be released from their contracts effective May 23, 2019.

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Administrative Recommendation: (1) Lori Huffman and (2) Amy Welte be elected to the certified staff for the 2018-19 school year effective January 7, 2019 subject to their release from any contractual agreements with other school districts.

 

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Request for nomination of Temporary Chairman is taken.

Recommended action:  Nominate (Jeff Rippe) as Temporary

Chairman of the Board.

 

 

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Nominations for President of the Board will be taken.

If no further nominations, I move that nominations be closed.

If one nominee, roll call vote will be taken.  If more than one nominee, vote will be taken by secret ballot.

 

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Nominations for Vice President of the Board will be taken.

If no further nominations, I move that nominations be closed.

If one nominee, roll call vote will be taken.  If more than one nominee, vote will be taken by secret ballot.

 

 

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Nominations for Secretary of the Board will be taken.

If no further nominations, I move that nominations be closed.

If one nominee, roll call vote will be taken.  If more than one nominee, vote will be taken by secret ballot.

 

 

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Nominations for Treasurer of the Board will be taken.

If no further nominees, I move that nominations be closed.

If one nominee, roll call vote will be taken.  If more than one nominee, vote will be taken by secret ballot.

 

 

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Each year the board must authorize representatives 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.

Administrative Recommendation:  The administration recommends that the President and Vice President be the authorized representatives of the Board.

 

 

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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 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 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.

Administrative Recommendation:  The administration recommends that the Board authorize the Superintendent or his designee as the official representative of the Board of Education.

 

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In the event that the Board officers change, the Board must authorize the use of the previous officers’ signatures for the month of January.

The recommendation is that 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.

 

 

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The recommendation is to nominate up to three members of the Board of Education to serve as Bellevue Public Schools' Foundation Board of Directors.

The current members of the Foundation Board of Directors are Scott Eby and Frank Kumor.

 

 

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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 Sarah Centineo and Nina Wolford.

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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 Doug Cook, Frank Kumor, and Nina Wolford.

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MABE is comprised of a school board representative from each of the metro area school districts.  The group typically meets monthly to share information and best practices.

Sarah Centineo is the current Board representative.

The President of the Board of Education will appoint a member of the Bellevue Board as a representative on the MABE Board.

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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.

Public input will be received at this time.

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Recognize the Bellevue Education Association as the exclusive and sole collective bargaining representatives for all teachers, nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists employed by the District for the 2020-2021 school year.

Administrative Recommendation:  The administration recommends approving the BEA as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for non-supervisory certificated staff.

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Each year, all Nebraska public school districts are required to have an external audit completed and presented to the Board for approval. Tonight the 2017-2018 fiscal year Audit Report will be presented by the District's external auditors, HSMC Orizon LLC.

Jodi Rinne, CPA from HSMC Orizon LLC, will be present to comment on the report.

Attached is a copy of the Audit Report.

Administrative Recommendation: Accept the Audit Report for the 2017-2018 fiscal year as presented by the District's external auditors, HSMC Orizon LLC.

 

 

Rationale:  The Board will receive an update on bond projects. 

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Administrative Recommendation: The administration recommends to approve the following task orders with GP Architecture: Task Order #12- Central Elementary School Life/Safety Mechanical Upgrades in the amount of $87,300, Task Order #13 - Belleaire Elementary School Life Safety/Mechanical Upgrades in the amount of $145,500, and Task Order #14 - Birchcrest Elementary School Life Safety/Mechanical Upgrades in the amount of $140,400   

 

 

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The Board approved the District to go out for bids at the October, 2018 Board meeting for buses and white fleet vehicles.  Tonight the district will give a presentation to the Board on propane buses prior to presenting the bids that were received.

 

 

 

Rationale: 

Nebraska’s First Annual Student Mock Trial News Reporter Competition

Congratulations to Bellevue West junior, Taegan Jacobs, for winning Nebraska’s first annual Student Mock Trial News Reporter Competition.

Nebraska’s first-in-the-nation mock trial news reporter contest emerged as a competition within the Judge Lyle Strom High School Mock Trial Program State Championship, which was held in Omaha on December 3 and 4, 2018.

The Student News Reporter Contest is now a permanent feature of Nebraska’s High School Mock Trial Program; the program is an educational component of mock trial state finals. The goal is to teach high school students with interest in a media career about the legal system.

Additional details can be found here about the new competition: High School Student Journalists Tackle Trial Court Reporting During State Competition

 

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Tonight the district will give an update on the School Based Mental Health Services available to students that is provided by Bellevue Public Schools and Children’s Respite Care Center.

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The administration annually updates the Board about student performance as measured by various indicators.  

 

 

Rationale:  Public Comment pertaining to items not otherwise on the Agenda must be submitted to the Secretary of the Board five days prior to the Board meeting.  There were no items submitted for Public Comment for this meeting.

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BPS Foundation - Scott Eby and Frank Kumor

MABE - Sarah Centineo

Other Meetings Attended

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January 11, Bellevue East/West Boys & Girls Basketball Game at East, 5:30/7:15 p.m.

January 12, Bellevue West AFJROTC Military Ball

January 17, Bond Oversight Committee Meeting, Birchcrest, 6:00 p.m.

February 2, Bellevue East AFJROTC Military Ball

February 4, Board of Education Meeting, Welcome Center, 6:30 p.m.

Rationale:  Administrative Recommendation:  Adjourn to Executive Session to consider matters relating to strategy sessions with respect to collective bargaining and negotiations with outside agencies which are necessary to be considered in closed session for the protection of the public interest.