October 27, 2020 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

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. The Lincoln Board of Education shall also make available for examination and copying as requested by members of the public, at least one copy of all reproducible written materials to be discussed at the meeting.

In the interest of maintaining the orderly decorum of the Lincoln School Board's meetings, the following rules are established for the conduct of all person attending a meeting of the Lincoln Board of Education and for those participating in public comment:

Face coverings that cover the nose and mouth are required for all individuals attending Lincoln Board of Education meetings.  This requirement is in alignment with the recommendations of the Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department for individuals in public settings and to protect other participants at the Board meeting who may be at higher risk or more vulnerable to COVID-19. When participating in public comment you may only remove your face covering while at the podium and addressing the board. 

No signs, posters, placards, etc. shall be affixed to the walls, doors, etc. of the Lincoln Public Schools District Office or any room therein, except by LPS staff in connection with District business and then only with permission of the Superintendent or designee.

No sign, placard, or poster which is carried by hand shall be permitted in the Lincoln Public Schools District Office building or any of its rooms.

In keeping with Board Policy 8420:

1. Persons speaking during Public Comment will be called forward individually by the Board Chair to the location identified for such purpose. 
2. 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. Board members may share, address or consider comments from the public during public comment, at the end of public comment or when related business is on the agenda.
3. Each individual speaking to the Board will be required to identify himself or herself prior to giving public comment. A "Record of Appearance" card is provided for this purpose.
4. Persons wishing to appear will be heard in the order in which the Chair of the meeting determines appropriate.
5. In cases where more than one person wishes to speak on the same topic, their presentations to the Board may, at the discretion of the chair, be grouped together by topic.
6. If the number of people wishing to speak under the public participation portions of the agenda is large, the chair may rule that a public hearing be scheduled or the discussion be limited on the issue in question.
7. Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may make printed materials available to the Board but may not use any other form of media.

Explanation:
This report includes routine Human Resources changes:

a.  Certificated Employees:
         Elections - 3
         Change of Status - 2
         Leave of Absence - 1
         Separations - 1
  
b.  Substitute Certificated Employees:
          Elections - 29
          Separations - 2

c.  Classified Employees:
          Elections - 28
          Change of Status - 3
          Leave of Absence - 1
          Separations - 19

d.  Other:
           Worker's Compensation Lump Sum Settlement - 1

Proposal:
That the Board approve the Human Resources items presented in the attachment(s).*

*The information in the attachment(s) may be protected by privacy legislation until the Board of Education takes action on the staff recommendations.  Therefore, this attachment(s) is not included in agenda materials provided the public and the news media.  Any information in the attachment(s) that is not protected by privacy legislation, however, is available for public inspection from the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources upon request.

That the Board is approving the Human Resources items attached with the information as presented or as on file with official district records and documents relating to each such item, or in such other form as may be approved by the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources, or the Associate Superintendent’s designee, and that the Board hereby authorizes the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources, or the Associate Superintendent’s designee, to transact and complete each such item approved hereby, and 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 each such item of transaction as contemplated, for and on behalf of this school district.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed demands on instructional staff and created the need for additional pandemic supports for staff to have additional planning time to meet these demands for the benefit of student instruction.

Explanation  
Since reopening for the 2020-2021 school year, after having been remote only in the 4^th quarter of the last school year, instructional staff have been providing educational services in-person, and have also provided services remotely to students who have remained at home or been quarantined for periods of time. The Board has recognized the added demands on staff.  The Board seeks to enhance the ability of staff to meet the challenges by providing additional pandemic instructional supports planning time. The proposed calendar revisions have been developed in collaboration with the Lincoln Education Association.

Proposal  
The Board discuss and approve modification of the normal school calendar for the 2020-2021 school year only to provide additional pandemic instructional support by amending the attached calendar to provide:

1. At the early childhood and elementary level:
   1. additional early release days on five dates (approximately 80 minutes each) on November 10, 2020, January 12, 2021, February 9, 2021, March 16, 2021, and April 13, 2021, and
   2. additional non-student time days on two dates (approximately 420 minutes each) on November 2, 2020 and December 11, 2020;
2. At the middle school level:
   1. additional early release days on five dates (approximately 80 minutes each) on November 10, 2020, January 12, 2021, February 9, 2021, March 16, 2021, and April 13, 2021, and
   2. additional non-student plan time on two dates (approximately 420 minutes each) on November 2, 2020 and February 15, 2020;
3. At the high school level:
   1. additional non-student plan time on three dates (approximately 420 minutes each) on November 2, 2020, February 15, 2020, and April 1, 2021;
4. Early release days will be autonomous teacher plan time;
5. Non-student plan time will include ninety (90) minutes dedicated to equity related professional learning.
6. Early Childhood and Special Education and related services to be provided to the greatest extent possible given the normal school calendar.

The Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Regional program through the Library of Congress promotes the widespread, sustained and effective use of primary sources in K-12 classrooms by offering grants of up to $20,000.  The purpose of these grants is to incorporate TPS materials and methods into existing education and professional development programs for pre and in-service teachers, librarians, and other K-12 educators.  School districts, universities, cultural institutions, library systems and other educational organizations may apply. Funds may be used for a variety of professional development options, such as workshops and academic courses, to meet programmatic needs.

Explanation  
The Lincoln Public Schools Curriculum Department is working with Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) to develop a project that would result in enhanced social studies curriculum at the middle and high school levels. This project includes the submission of two companion grants—one by LPS and one by NWU—to the Library of Congress for professional development that results in deeper and more accurate representation of ethnic, racial and gender groups.

First, Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) proposes to submit a proposal to the Library of Congress for $20,000 that would allow them to deliver a week-long workshop to 24 LPS high school social studies teachers in summer 2021. The workshop will use digital resources available from the Library of Congress as the foundation of the instruction that teachers will receive. The TPS grant would pay for NWU and LPS instructor time, as well as LPS teacher time to participate in the workshop.

Second and simultaneously, LPS proposes to submit a proposal to the Library of Congress for $20,000 that would support a year-long initiative to further enhance the LPS secondary social studies curriculum. The goal will be to for teachers who attended the workshop to expand curriculum materials for greater inclusion, accuracy, and depth in teaching about the lives, contributions, and experiences of diverse ethnic, racial, and gender groups.  New curriculum materials will be created during the summer of 2021 and taught in classrooms during the 2021-2022 school year.  New lessons will be observed and assessed with an eye toward ensuring inclusivity and equity in the curriculum.  Participating teachers will then revise lessons based on observations and student work, allowing finalized lessons to be used in middle and high school classrooms throughout the district beginning in 2022.    

Proposal  
That the Board approve the submission by Lincoln Public Schools of the Teaching with Primary Sources Grant application to the Library of Congress for $20,000. This grant does have a match requirement of 20%, which will be met through the in-kind donation of Curriculum Department staff in their time spent in the workshop and in assisting with curriculum development. 

Both proposals are due November 1, 2020.

In the interest of maintaining the orderly decorum of the Lincoln School Board's meetings, the following rules are established for the conduct of all person attending a meeting of the Lincoln Board of Education and for those participating in public comment:

Face coverings that cover the nose and mouth are required for all individuals attending Lincoln Board of Education meetings.  This requirement is in alignment with the recommendations of the Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department for individuals in public settings and to protect other participants at the Board meeting who may be at higher risk or more vulnerable to COVID-19. When participating in public comment you may only remove your face covering while at the podium and addressing the board. 

No signs, posters, placards, etc. shall be affixed to the walls, doors, etc. of the Lincoln Public Schools District Office or any room therein, except by LPS staff in connection with District business and then only with permission of the Superintendent or designee.

No sign, placard, or poster which is carried by hand shall be permitted in the Lincoln Public Schools District Office building or any of its rooms.

In keeping with Board Policy 8420:

1. Persons speaking during Public Comment will be called forward individually by the Board Chair to the location identified for such purpose. 
2. 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. Board members may share, address or consider comments from the public during public comment, at the end of public comment or when related business is on the agenda.
3. Each individual speaking to the Board will be required to identify himself or herself prior to giving public comment. A "Record of Appearance" card is provided for this purpose.
4. Persons wishing to appear will be heard in the order in which the Chair of the meeting determines appropriate.
5. In cases where more than one person wishes to speak on the same topic, their presentations to the Board may, at the discretion of the chair, be grouped together by topic.
6. If the number of people wishing to speak under the public participation portions of the agenda is large, the chair may rule that a public hearing be scheduled or the discussion be limited on the issue in question.
7. Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may make printed materials available to the Board but may not use any other form of media.

Explanation
At this point, it is appropriate for the Board to meet in closed session for one of the stated matters and/or any other permissible closed session matters in compliance with the law.