December 11, 2012 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:  The United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) has honored seven LPS elementary schools, with a Gold Award in the HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC).  Overall, 34 LPS schools were recognized for their commitment to improve the quality of foods served, provide nutrition education, and promote a healthy and active lifestyle.

Explanation

The goal of the HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) is to improve the health of the nation’s children by promoting healthier school environments.  To help meet the goal, LPS Nutrition Services identifies schools that have made changes to improve the quality of the foods served, provide students with nutrition education and provide students with physical education lessons and opportunities for physical activity.

Gold-award winners include: Beattie, Belmont, Brownell, Hartley, Kooser, Norwood Park, and Pershing elementary schools. These schools are the first in the state to reach the gold level in the program’s three-year existence.  Twenty LPS schools earned the silver award and seven earned the bronze.

Edith Zumwalt, director of Nutrition Services, has overseen a major transformation in the school lunch and breakfast programs in both menu offerings and student attitudes toward school meals. When Zumwalt started, one particular high school had a little more than 100 students eating school lunch. Today, that same high school serves nearly 1,000 lunches, thanks in part to Zumwalt’s leadership and the work of her staff.

Proposal

That the Lincoln Board of Education adopt the following resolution:

WHEREAS, seven elementary schools in Lincoln Public Schools have been honored by the United State Department of Agriculture with a Gold Award in the HealthierUS School Challenge, and

WHEREAS, thirty-four elementary schools in Lincoln Public Schools have earned top honors for commitment to school meals, nutrition education, and physical activity, and

WHEREAS, LPS Nutrition Services Director Edith Zumwalt and her staff have led the way in their work to win the HealthierUS School Challenge, and

WHEREAS, student attitudes toward school meals, physical activity, and nutrition have changed dramatically over the past two decades, and

WHEREAS, LPS Nutrition Services have evolved from dealing with school lunchrooms, to becoming a multi-faceted partner to provide a comprehensive approach to healthy living.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Lincoln Board of Education does hereby congratulate Edith Zumwalt and the LPS Nutrition Services Department for earning top distinctions as awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture for work in serving quality foods, promoting nutrition education, and leading the way to provide healthy and active lifestyles for our students.

 

 

 

Rationale: 

David Nebel is a social studies teacher at Lincoln Southeast High School and has been named the Gilder-Lehrman Nebraska History Teacher of the Year, the third teacher in Lincoln Public Schools to receive the esteemed award.

Explanation

The Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History honors teachers who have demonstrated a commitment to teaching American history using creativity, imagination, and primary resources in school. Nebel accomplishes this through his relationship with his students, according to Principal Brent Toalson and Randy Ernst, Social Studies Curriculum Specialist.

Toalson said, "I have always respected Mr. Nebel’s intellectual ability, his use of effective instructional methodology, and his passion for working with high school students.  Mr. Nebel has a reputation as an excellent social studies teacher, who encourages students to do their best work."

Ernst said, "Former students mention Nebel as one of their favorite high school teachers.  We are fortunate to have Dave Nebel teaching social studies for the Lincoln Public Schools.  Many of Dave's former students recognize him as the best teacher they ever had.  Teachers like Nebel help make LPS a special place for kids."

Nebel started teaching at Lincoln Southeast as a student teacher in 1993 and became a full-time teacher at Southeast in 1994.  He says his teaching style has changed with experience, recognizing the importance in creativity in the way the material is presented.

Nebel also said current events play such a key role in teaching government and politics, it is both a challenge and an opportunity to continue to develop a keen awareness of future topics for studies.

Proposal

That the Lincoln Board of Education adopt the following resolution:

WHEREAS, David Nebel has been honored as the esteemed Gilder-Lehrman Nebraska History Teacher of the Year, and

WHEREAS, Nebel has earned the respect of his peers and supervisors with his ability to incorporate current events and history to more effectively teach social studies, and

WHEREAS, past and current students recognize and are motivated by Nebel’s passion for his subject and his ability to inspire, and

WHEREAS, Nebel is committed to teaching social studies with imagination, emphasizing creative teaching methods and the use of current events in the classroom.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Lincoln Board of Education does hereby congratulate David Nebel for being named the Gilder-Lehrman Nebraska History Teacher of the Year and for having earned the respect of his peers and students for being an inspirational teacher.

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:     b.  Substitute Certificated Employees:
             Elections – 13
             Separations – 2
   c.  Classified Employees:
             Elections – 13
             Changes of Status – 1
             Leaves of Absence – 1
             Separations – 9
   d.  Board Resolution regarding recognition of Lincoln Education Association as the official bargaining agent for
         2014-15.

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 periods ending December 11, 2012, were previously provided.

        Federal Tax ACH Deposit of $4,541,663.75.

        Procurement Card ACH Transfer of $87,046.50.

        Office Depot ACH Transfer of $8,393.53.

        Vendor ACH Transfer of $37,810.57.

b.    PAYROLL FOR RATIFICATION – Payroll for the period ending November 30, 2012, in the amount of $13,300,087.48.

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 terrazzo for the Lincoln Public Schools District Office; classroom furniture for the new Educare facility; classroom manipulatives for the new Educare facility; easement and conveyance at Custodial and Transportation Office; suspension of regulations and easement and conveyance at Pyrtle Elementary School; easement and conveyance at Lincoln Public Schools District Office; easement and conveyance at East High School; facilities use rates; 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 periods ending December 11, 2012.

b.    Payroll for the period ending November 30, 2012.

c.    Gifts for Hill, Information Technology Focus Program, and the district.

d.    Bids/contracts/other routine business for terrazzo for the Lincoln Public Schools District Office; classroom furniture for the new Educare facility; classroom manipulatives for the new Educare facility; easement and conveyance at Custodial and Transportation Office; suspension of regulations and easement and conveyance at Pyrtle Elementary School; easement and conveyance at Lincoln Public Schools District Office; easement and conveyance at East High School; facilities use rates; and any other bids/contracts/routine business as presented.

*That the Board is approving routine business and the listed bids and contracts with the information and in the form as presented, and except as to amount bid or total contract price, in such other form as may be approved by the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or his designee, and that the Board hereby authorizes the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or his designee, to sign, execute, and deliver necessary documents or contracts, and to take or cause to be taken any and all other action as may be necessary to complete the transaction as contemplated, for and on behalf of this school district.

Rationale:  On January 24, 2012, the Board adopted a resolution to accept option students for the 2012-13 school year.  Applications have been received from students requesting that they be accepted as option students for the 2012-13 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 January 24, 2012.

Explanation
Staff has examined the applications of the students included in this proposal.  The students meet the criteria set forth by the Board in its resolution of January 24, 2012.  Staff recommends approval of these applications.

Proposal
That the Board adopt the following resolution:

WHEREAS the students who have been assigned student numbers 251757, and 183634 (for purposes of confidentiality, assigned numbers are being used) meet one of the criteria of the Board resolution of January 24, 2012, with regard to such option students;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the aforementioned students be accepted as option students 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:  March 15, 2012, was the deadline for enrollment option applications to be completed for students wishing to attend school in a district other than the one in which they reside for the 2012-13 school year.  The Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education has authority to waive the deadline for late enrollment option requests (NDE Rule 7, Section 004.05).

Explanation
Requests from students who reside in the Lincoln Public Schools District and wish to attend school outside of the Lincoln Public Schools District have been received after the March 15, 2012, deadline.  The Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education may deny or approve these requests.  If these requests are approved by the Board of Education, they will be forwarded to the option school district for their approval.

                                    Student Number                                   Option District

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:  December 24-January 4 - Winter Break (No second December Board meeting)

January 8 - 6:00 p.m., Board Meeting

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.