October 8, 2013 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

Notice of the time and place of the Lincoln Board of Education meeting was e-mailed to an extensive list of local and regional news media.  A mailing list is maintained at the Lincoln Public Schools District Office.  A public notice was published in the LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR.

The Lincoln Board of Education is empowered to act on any item listed on the Agenda at any time during the meeting, irrespective of the time or order listed. Pages listed, or further detail, are available upon request. The Open Meetings Act requires and the intention of the Board is that agenda items be sufficiently descriptive to give the public reasonable notice of the matters to be considered at the meeting. The Lincoln Board of Education releases its agenda well in advance of most meetings and desires that all interested persons are fully informed. Any interested person who has a question or needs clarification about the sufficiency of a descriptive item should contact the Office of the Superintendent of Schools.

Rationale:  The attached minutes are intended to accurately reflect the action of the Board at its previous meetings.

Explanation
The minutes have been prepared for Board approval.

Rationale: 

Lori Anderson, a teacher at Lincoln East High School, has been named Career Technology Education Teacher of the Year by the Association for Career and Technical Education of Nebraska.  The group seeks to honor outstanding achievement, service and contribution among educators.

Explanation
Lincoln East High School teacher Lori Anderson remembers taking every business class she could as a high school student.  They were her favorites. So when she became a teacher, it was a great fit.

She says: “Hands-on learning has students engaged and excited about the subjects.  Students enjoy creating – and in classes like Introduction to Digital Design along with Digital Media I and II, students are able to use their creativity in a fun way that has educational merit.  In lecture classes, students enjoy group work where they are able to collaborate with their fellow students.”

Anderson believes that the skills her students are learning are applicable inside and outside the classroom. She further engages with her students through student organizations like the Future Business Leaders of America, DECA, and HOSA.  The student and Anderson represent East High and the community through state and national conventions.  And further, students are able to learn college-level and career-level skills while still in high school.

Anderson also recognizes the ever-changing landscape of career development and how her classes and lessons must change with the times.  She believes in the value of new career education classes such as Take Charge.  She understands how curriculum must adapt when industries change software programs.  She stresses that career tech teachers must emphasize technology in ever growing and changing ways.

WHEREAS, Lincoln East High School teacher Lori Anderson has been named Career Technology Education Teacher of the Year by the Association for Career and Technical Education of Nebraska, and

WHEREAS, Anderson has been recognized by her peers from across the state as an effective Career Technical educator, and

WHEREAS, Anderson knows the ever-changing landscape of career development and strives to keep her curriculum fresh and up-to-date – so her students can benefit from having hands-on learning that keeps them engaged and excited, and

WHEREAS, Anderson recognizes the need for students to have skills that improve their learning, encourage their participation in extra-curricular career tech activities and provide a foundation for college-level and career-level skills while still in high school.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Lincoln Board of Education does hereby congratulate Lori Anderson for being named the 2013 Career Education Teacher of the Year by the Association for Career and Technical Education of Nebraska.

Rationale:  In keeping with Policy 8420, a time limit of five minutes will be allotted for any speaker. At the discretion of the Chair, the speaker may be allotted additional time.

Rationale: 

Rationale: 

Rationale:  At each meeting, the Board of Education is asked to approve certain items of routine business of the school district.

Explanation
The items included in routine business for this meeting are:

a.    REGULAR CLAIMS – Claims for the period ending October 8, 2013, were previously provided.

       Federal Tax ACH Deposit of $4,953,150.20.

       Procurement Card ACH Transfer of $108,587.16.

       Office Depot ACH Transfer of $11,424.43.

       Vendor ACH Transfer of $36,988.25.

b.    PAYROLL FOR RATIFICATION – Payroll for the period ending September 30, 2013, in the amount of $13,072,823.57.

c.    GIFTS – Approval for the gifts listed on the attached gift report.

d.    BIDS/CONTRACTS/OTHER ROUTINE BUSINESS – Bids/contracts/other routine business will be presented for approval for a trash compactor for Southeast High School; supplementary support of the Chinese language and culture teaching program; an agreement for travel services for music students and staff from Southwest High School; an agreement for education services with Mosaic at Bethpage Village; agreements for educational services with multiple Nebraska public school districts; and any other bids/contracts/routine business as presented.

Proposal
That the Lincoln Board of Education approve the following items of routine business:*

a.    The regular claims for period ending October 8, 2013.

b.    Payroll for the period ending September 30, 2013.

c.    Gifts for North Star, Roper, West Lincoln, and the district.

d.    Bids/contracts/other routine business for approval for a trash compactor for Southeast High School; supplementary support of the Chinese language and culture teaching program; an agreement for travel services for music students and staff from Southwest High School; an agreement for education services with Mosaic at Bethpage Village; agreements for educational services with multiple Nebraska public school districts; and any other bids/contracts/routine business as presented.

*That the Board, by approving Routine Business, is approving Regular Claims, Payroll for Ratification, and all listed Bids, Contracts, and Other Routine Business items or transactions with the information and in the form as presented, and except as to conclusive award or contract amounts, in such other form and with such other or modified terms and conditions as may be negotiated and/or approved by the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or a designee, and that the Board by this approval delegates to and is hereby authorizing the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or a designee, to (a) sign, execute, and deliver all necessary documents or contracts, (b) make all transaction or contract payments and designate a transaction or program administrator, (c) take or cause to be taken any and all other action as may be necessary to complete the transaction, and (d) administer, operate, exercise renewals, terminate, and/or implement each listed and approved item or transaction and all matters thereto on a day-to-day basis during its term as contemplated, for and on behalf of this school district.

Rationale:  On February 12, 2013, the Board adopted a resolution to accept option students for the 2013-14 school year.  Applications have been received from students requesting that they be accepted as option students for the 2013-14 school year.  Staff recommends that the students referred to in this agenda item be accepted for enrollment as they are in compliance with the Board resolution of February 12, 2013.

Explanation
Staff has examined the application of the student included in this proposal.  The student meets one of the criteria set forth by the Board in its resolution of February 12, 2013.  Staff recommends approval of this application.

Proposal
That the Board adopt the following resolution:

WHEREAS the student who has been assigned student number 282953 (for purposes of confidentiality, an assigned number is being used) meets one of the criteria of the Board resolution of February 12, 2013, with regard to such option students;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the aforementioned student be accepted as an option student on the condition and with the express understanding that all programs, all classes and all buildings of assignment, except as otherwise required by law, shall at all times and from time to time during attendance at Lincoln Public Schools be determined solely by Lincoln Public Schools.

Rationale:  *The Lincoln Board of Education is empowered to act on any item listed on the Agenda at any time during the meeting, irrespective of the time or order listed. Pages listed, or further detail, are available upon request. The Open Meetings Act requires and the intention of the Board is that agenda items be sufficiently descriptive to give the public reasonable notice of the matters to be considered at the meeting. The Lincoln Board of Education  Board releases its agenda well in advance of most meetings and desires that all interested persons are fully informed. Any interested person who has a question or needs clarification about the sufficiency of a descriptive item should contact the Office of the Superintendent of Schools.

Rationale: 

Lincoln Public Schools in accordance with the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 has established a Wellness Policy with goals in the area of nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities.   The mission of Lincoln Public Schools is to create a health-promoting school community and to instill habits of lifelong learning and health.  The district’s Wellness Policy also states that this mission is best served through a collaborative process with school and community stakeholders with measureable outcomes for students.

Explanation
The Nebraska Association of School Boards (NASB) and the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA) has partnered with the Nebraska Whole Child Project to increase and promote student fitness and help lower student obesity.   Lincoln Public Schools will continue to support and recognize the efforts of NASB and NCSA in their effort to work with LPS and other school districts across the Nebraska to further the LPS wellness mission and supports the health and wellness of students across the state.

Proposal
That the board review the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the Board of Education at Lincoln Public Schools recognizes the increasing trend of obesity and lack of physical activity of students, and

WHEREAS, Lincoln Public Schools is currently working to increase the fitness levels of its students and will continue to work with partners to improve the overall health of all students in regard to fitness, obesity, and eating disorders, and

WHEREAS, Lincoln Public Schools recognizes the efforts of the Nebraska Association of School Boards (NASB) and the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA) to work with schools across Nebraska to increase student fitness and lower student obesity called the Nebraska Whole Child Project, and

WHEREAS, Lincoln Public Schools supports the mission of the Nebraska Whole Child Project to bring schools together to collectively share best practices for student health and wellness, and

WHEREAS, Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education, its administrators and staff will partner with the Nebraska Whole Child Project in ways it determines will benefit the students of Lincoln Public Schools and K-12 students from across Nebraska.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Lincoln Board of Education supports the efforts of NASB and NCSA to bring schools together to facilitate the sharing of best practices to improve the health and fitness of students across Nebraska.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Lincoln Public Schools will work collaboratively with the Nebraska Whole Child Project in furtherance of its mission to increase fitness and lower obesity of Nebraska K-12 students.

 

Rationale:  Tuesday, October 29, Board Work Session at 4:30 p.m., LPSDO Board Room
Wednesday, November 6, Chamber Coffee at 8:00 a.m., at the Chamber Office
Saturday, November 9, NAACP Freedom Banquet at 6:00 p.m., Cornhusker Hotel
Tuesday, November 12, Board Meeting at 6:00 p.m., LPSDO Board Room

Rationale:  In keeping with Policy 8420, a time limit of five minutes will be allotted for any speaker. At the discretion of the Chair, the speaker may be allotted additional time.

Rationale:  The Lincoln 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.