June 8, 2021 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. 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.

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: 

Rationale: 

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.

If at any time persons appearing before the Board exceed the time limitations set forth in this policy or on the agenda or if persons appearing before the Board or who are present at the Board meeting or public hearing become abusive in language or behavior, it shall be the responsibility of the chair to declare that person or persons out of order and to refuse permission to continue to address the Board, require a change in behavior and may require the person or persons to leave the premises of the Board meeting.

 

Rationale: 

Rationale:  The Human Resources Division also includes the Office of Risk Management.  As such, in addition to the Lincoln Board of Education approving all contractual agreements with employees, all employee benefit issues, all personnel actions, and all other matters within the scope of the Human Resources Division, as part of the Human Resources Matters agenda; the Lincoln Board of Education also must approve the settlement of Workers’ Compensation claims, take action on tort claims filed against the district, and take action on all other matters within the scope of the Office of Risk Management.

Explanation:
This report includes routine Human Resources changes:

a.  Administrator Employees:
         Elections - 1
         Change of Status - 1
      
b.  Certificated Employees:
          Elections - 18
          Change of Status - 1
          Re-Elect, New Assignment - 2 
          Leave of Absence - 132
          Separations - 4

d.  Classified Employees:
          Elections - 19
          Change of Status - 2
          Separations - 34

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.

Rationale: 

Rationale: 

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:  Periodically, the Nebraska Unicameral passes laws that impact school district policies or mandate that local school boards adopt specific language into district policy.  When this occurs, staff prepare either new policy language of edited language that complies with these mandates and presents it to the board for consideration.

EXPLANATION:

The revision to Policy 4780 is being amended due to required policy additions resulting from the passage of LB1080 in August 2020.

Rationale: 
Explanation
Recommended changes generally fall into three categories: minor edits, edits focused on equity and greater inclusivity, and substantive edits.

Polices with minor edits: 6120, 6130, 6210, 6222, 6283, 6300, 6310, 6330, 6340, 6350, 6421, 6430, 6441, 6442, 6445, 6450, 6500, 6510, 6521, 6523, 6525, 6550, 6580, 6600, 6602, 6603, 6604, 6620, 6621, 6700, 6710, 6720, 6740

Policies with edits focused on equity and greater inclusivity: 6000, 6110, 6200, 6410, 6440, 6526, 6610

Policies with substantive edits: 6320, 6411, 6570

The following policies are submitted for affirmation as written and do not require revisions: 6121, 6230, 6520, 6522, 6530, 6601, 6721, 6742, 6745

Rationale: 

Rationale: 

Rationale: 

Rationale:  Lincoln Public Schools proposes to write a competitive application to the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), within the U.S. Department of Justice. This application is in response to the School Violence Prevention Program Grant.  This program is designed to provide funding to improve security at schools and on school grounds through the following strategies: coordination with local law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence against others and self; placement and use of deterrent equipment; and acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency.

Explanation
LPS utilizes many procedures and systems in order to ensure the safety of students and staff. The use of two-way radios for communication within school buildings has long been a standard mechanism for ensuring the safety of students and staff.  Unfortunately, the replacement of this equipment in elementary and middle schools is not currently within budgetary options, and while the recommended life of these devices is 10-12 years, current projections for their replacement is on a 20-year timetable. 

In addition, current equipment used in LPS schools broadcasts an analog signal, while a digital signal is much stronger and offers greater communication options and flexibility for staff within a building. This grant provides an opportunity to replace current analog two-way radios in LPS elementary and middle schools with digital devices over the next three years. A plan is already in place to replace all high school radios.

The grant application is due June 22, 2021.
 

Rationale:  The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is the primary piece of federal legislation dealing with the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness. The McKinney-Vento program is designed to address the problems that homeless children and youth have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.  Under this program, State educational agencies (SEAs) and Local educational agencies (LEAs) must ensure that each homeless child and youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as other children and youth.  Homeless children and youth should have access to the educational and other services that they need to enable them to meet the same challenging State student academic achievement standards to which all students are held.  States and districts are required to review and undertake steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as a barrier to the enrollment, attendance, or success in school.

Explanation
The LPS Homeless Outreach Coordinator works with families experiencing homelessness to arrange transportation services for children to attend school and works with families to provide other supports that create a more stable environment for children experiencing homelessness. LPS will use funds received through the McKinney-Vento Act to continue to support the salary of the Homeless Outreach Coordinator and to pay transportation costs for homeless children to attend school.  

The grant application is due June 16, 2021.
 

Rationale:  The Board of Education must approve all salary schedules/pay rates for the employees of Lincoln Public Schools.

Explanation
Attached are the 2020-21 pay rates for substitute and miscellaneous employees and the proposed 2021-22 pay rates for such employees.

The recommended salary increases range from no increase to a 1.00 percent increase, depending on the employee group.  The determination of what salary to recommend is made in conjunction with the supervisor of that employee group and an assessment of the availability of candidates for the positions.
 

Rationale:  June 21: Board Retreat, 5:00 pm, Hillcrest Country Club
June 22:
Board Work Session, 4:30 pm, LPSDO
Board Meeting, 6:00 pm, LPSDO
ESU 18 Meeting, following 6:00 meeting, LPSDO
 

Rationale: 

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.

If at any time persons appearing before the Board exceed the time limitations set forth in this policy or on the agenda or if persons appearing before the Board or who are present at the Board meeting or public hearing become abusive in language or behavior, it shall be the responsibility of the chair to declare that person or persons out of order and to refuse permission to continue to address the Board, require a change in behavior and may require the person or persons to leave the premises of the Board meeting.

 

Rationale: 

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.

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.