November 3, 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 recognizes Hannah Paredes, Omaha Public Schools Dual Language and World Language Teaching and Learning Consultant, for receiving a Spanish Federation of Schools of Spanish as a Foreign Language award.

Rationale:  The Treasurer's Report for September 2025 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 the OPS Forest Station Emergency Responder Radio Enhancement System Project is being submitted to the Board of Education for acceptance.

Contractor                    Project                                                     Completion Date
First Wireless              Forest Station Emergency                        August 29, 2025
                                    First Responder Radio Enhancement
                                    System Project

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

Rationale:  FUND: 5195 - ESU19 Educational Services
PROGRAM: 2251 - Staff Development
DEPARTMENT: 7045000 - ESU19 Literacy
SUPPLIER:  Leading Educators
POLICIES: 7000, III.K, 7000, VII.A, 7000, VII.D
AMOUNT: $45,500.00

As part of the Comprehensive Statewide Literacy Development grant, Omaha Public Schools is infusing cognitive and reading science into year-long instructional leadership development for principals, assistants, curriculum specialists and instructional facilitators. This addendum is for design support and alignment of that learning across role groups. 

Rationale:  In keeping with the provisions of Policy 8348, Administration recommends that the Board voluntarily recognize that the positions of Dispatcher, Dispatcher Assistant and Keyroom Assistant, which are currently included among non-negotiated employees, be added to the Local 226 Transportation Bargaining Unit effective immediately.  Seven employees will be impacted.  Salary and benefits for those positions will remain the same for the remainder of the 2025-2026 school year and will become negotiated beginning with the next collective bargaining agreement.  

Rationale:  Administration recommends approval of the attached Application for Lump Sum Settlement with the Nebraska Worker’s Compensation Court in the matter of Felicia Jones vs. OPS.  Ms. Jones, a security officer, suffered injuries to her neck, left shoulder and back shoulder arising out of her employment with the District when she was hit by a school bus while directing traffic at Monroe Middle School on December 10, 2018.  The parties engaged in mediation which was unsuccessful.  The parties then entered into subsequent negotiations and agreed upon a lump sum settlement in the amount of $256,199.51 as more fully set out in the attached settlement agreement.  Upon approval by the Board, the Application for Lump Sum Settlement will be submitted to the Nebraska Worker’s Compensation Court for approval.    

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:  Board Members are prohibited by Nebraska law from voting on items which may personally benefit them.  Expenditures which may personally benefit individual Board Members are presented to the Board for approval in the form of a separate Claims Report in order to permit those Board Members to abstain from voting on items which may personally benefit them.  The Board of Education is required by State Statute 79-584 to approve all expenditures of District funds.  Claims Report C is a listing of expenditures that may relate to individual Board Members or Organizations that employ them.

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:  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:  Funds: 1, 153   General Fund, Special Education - IDEA
Department: 7194010   Special Education Administration
Programs: 1214, 1215, 1222, 1231, 1234, 1235,1236, 1265, 1266, 1270 - Speech Therapy School Age, Speech Therapy Ages 3-5, Nursing Services, Nonpublic Therapists, Nonpublic Teachers, Tuition to Agencies
Project: 461025, 461026, 460025, 460026 - IDEA Base/EP Grant
Policy: 7000 
Amount:  $4,422,320.00

Administration recommends approval of the attached annual Special Education Services contracts.  Every year, the Special Education Division, within Curriculum and Instruction Support, negotiates and renews contracts with outside agencies for special education services that are required under Rule 51 and Rule 52.  This is the eighth set of agency contracts going to the Board of Education for approval for the 2025-2026 school year and is part of the District's annual practice.  In keeping with the provisions in Policy 7000, contracts that may exceed $50,000 are being placed on the agenda for Board of Education approval. Attached you will find: a service provider rate sheet, contracts and a contract cost sheet for your review for contracts that exceed or may exceed $50,000. The contract rate sheet includes NDE approved rates for services that need to be purchased by Omaha Public Schools from outside agencies that will provide special education services to students ages birth-21. The contract cost sheet includes the agency, address, type of service the agency provides, the estimated number of students that receive services from that agency and 2025-2026 contract rate. The sheet includes an estimate of the total cost for special education services provided by contract agencies. The rates and contracts are budgeted for within the 2025-2026 school year. Per their agreement with Omaha Public Schools, all providers must receive NDE approval to provide special education and related services. The total cost to the District for this group is estimated to be $4,422,320.00 and is an allowable reimbursable special education expenditure. 

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:  FUND: 1, General Fund
PROGRAM: 1100, Regular Instruction
DEPT: 3641136, Bryan High School
SUPPLIER: 52291, Stanbury Uniforms, LLC.
POLICIES: 7000, III. K., 7000, VII.A
AMOUNT: $38,282.50

Administration recommends approval for Bryan High to purchase additional band uniforms. On April 4, 2022, the Board of Education awarded RFP 009-22 to Stanbury Uniforms for Bryan High band uniforms. Since that time, the number of Bryan students participating in the band has increased, creating the need for additional uniforms. As the total cost of this contract together with the previous purchase is over $50,000, the attached contract is being presented to the Board for approval pursuant to Board policy 7000, III.K. and 7000, VII. A. The total cost of this purchase is $38,282.50.

Rationale:  Administration recommends approval of the attached Subdivision Agreement between the City of Omaha, the District, the YMCA, the Omaha Public Schools Foundation (OPSF) and the Lozier Foundation for the development of the new YMCA and Stadium near North High School.  The new stadium will be constructed on approximately 4.1 acres of land immediately to the East of North High School which is currently owned by the YMCA. The YMCA is donating its land to the project. On April 17, 2025, the District entered into a funding agreement with OPSF which is conditioned upon the following: 1) conveyance of the proposed stadium property from the YMCA to the District; 2) District approval of the Project design; 3) OPSF and its funders entering into an agreement to provide sufficient funds to pay for the entire cost of the project; and 4) successful negotiation of a field sharing agreement between the District and the YMCA. The Board approved the License Agreement for Field Use and Parking Lot Use with the YMCA on October 6, 2025.  OPSF and its funders entered into the requisite funding agreement on October 10, 2025.  Approval of the subdivision agreement is a necessary step prior to conveyance of the property from the YMCA to the District.  While the project will be entirely funded through OPSF and its funding partners, the District, as the ultimate owner of the stadium, is a necessary party to the Subdivision Agreement.  As such, Board approval is required.

Rationale:  It is recommended that the grant fund budget be amended to include the receipts and expenditures of the attached grant awards.

Rationale:  This document provides the Board of Education with monthly Head Start information regarding attendance and enrollment, meal counts, in-kind amounts, health requirements, policy council minutes, delegate reports, and program information summaries to maintain a communication structure to support oversight responsibilities as stated in Head Start Performance Standard 1301.2.

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.