December 4, 2017 at 6:30 PM - Omaha Public Schools Board of Education and Educational Service Unit 19 Board Meeting

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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.

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Madam President, members of the board and Superintendent Evans our #OPSProud Spotlight is on Dundee Elementary School’s Principal Kaye Kennedy, Assistant Principal Jeanne Simmons, teachers and students.

In September, Dundee Elementary was designated an Exemplary High Performing School for 2017 by the U.S. Department of Education. Dundee Elementary is one of four Nebraska schools named a National Blue Ribbon School and among 342 schools nationwide to be recognized for demonstrating exemplary academic performance or progress in closing the achievement gap. The school was honored at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. this November.

We salute students, staff and teachers for this achievement. This is the second year the school has received this honor. They were awarded the Blue Ribbon award in 2005.  I’d now like to welcome Principal Kaye Kennedy to the podium.

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. 

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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

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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

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

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The Committee on Claims met on 11/20/2017 and 12/04/2017 and approved the audit of claims conducted by the Secretary to the Board of Education. 

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Central Office is seeking approval from the Board of Education to approve the District to enter into contract negotiations with Risk Administration Services, INC. (RAS) for workers’ compensation third-party administration (TPA) services and Berkley Risk for General Liability and Auto TAP services. After a successful RFP, RAS and Berkley Risk were selected as the final choices for TPA Services. Berkley Risk is our current TPA for both Workers’ Compensation, G/L and Auto. Workers’ compensation TPA services would be transferred to RAS, who would assume all current and future claims administration for OPS workers’ compensation claims. Berkley Risk’s contract will need to be renegotiated to include only G/L and auto lines of TPA.

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The Memorandum of Understanding between Douglas County School District 0001 and Service Employees Local Number 226 confirms an agreement reached at the bargaining table that no employee would see their wages reduced in 2017-2018 with the move to comparability.  Any  employee whose published 2017-18 wage rate is lower than the wage rate that was actually paid in 2016-2017 will be frozen at the 2016-2017 wage rate for the 2017-2018 contract year.       

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Staff recommends that the Board of Education, in accordance with the provisions of the Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act, deny the claim for compensation submitted on behalf of Kimberly Benson resulting from an auto accident involving an OPS Bus on September 21, 2015.  Ms. Benson's claim was filed beyond the statutorily mandated time set forth in the Nebraska Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act.

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Committees of the Board of Education will provide a brief update.

Committees:
 

Budget and Audit - scheduled to meet on December 5

Board Governance - met on November 27

Policy - met on November 13

Americanism - met on November 14

Student Assignment Plan - scheduled to meet on December 12

Legislative

Citizen Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) - scheduled to meet on December 13

Superintendent Search Committee - met November 30

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Attached Policies were reviewed by the Policy Committee and are provided to the Board of Education as information.   First reading will be at the December 18, 2017 Board of Education with a second reading on January 8, 2018. 

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.