October 28, 2014 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: 

Melissa Pilney has been honored by the Nebraska International Languages Association as the recipient of the 2014 Outstanding New World Language Award. Pilney is a French teacher at Lefler Middle School and Lincoln North Star High School.

Explanation

Melissa Pilney is often described as a young educator who uses creativity to teach foreign language to middle and high school students. In the nomination letter submitted to the Nebraska International Languages Association, it is noted:

One colleague of this teacher described her as “always enthusiastic” and “up for anything, a true team player.” She is also very self-reflective, and is continuously searching for ways to make the students’ experience in their classes more engaging, more fun, and more culturally enriching.

Pilney uses blogs, Pinterest, and old-fashioned note taking with her students to inspire them to learn. When French class is over, Pilney’s students carry her passion for the French language, but also they literally carry the language in other ways:  through a portfolio of foldable and 3-D grammar, vocabulary, and cultural notes.

Co-workers appreciate Pilney’s willingness to help with other teaching assignments, host language clubs, and help others prepare for local and state competitive events. When one of her students struggled with the curriculum, Pilney’s work and her belief in the student transformed that struggle into success. Today that student is a ‘trusty’ student assistant for Pilney.

Proposal

 

 

That the Lincoln Board of Education adopt the following resolution:  

WHEREAS, Melissa Pilney,  a French teacher at Lefler Middle School and Lincoln North Star High School, has been honored as the recipient of the 2014 Outstanding New World Language Award bestowed by the Nebraska International Languages Association; and

WHEREAS, Pilney has earned the respect of her peers, supervisors, and students for her quality and creative teaching expertise; and

WHEREAS, Pilney has demonstrated a willingness to go beyond the simplest definition of a teacher and has expanded her impact throughout and beyond the school day, teaching with inspiration and passion; and

WHEREAS, Pilney is a teacher who understands the importance of recognizing every student as a unique individual with unique teaching needs.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Lincoln Board of Education
does hereby congratulate Melissa Pilney for being honored with the Outstanding New World Language Award.

 

 

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: 

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.  Certificated Employees:
             Elections – 1
             Changes of Status – 4
             Leaves of Absence – 1
             Separations – 1
   b.  Substitute Certificated Employees:
             Elections – 52
             Separations – 19
   c.  Classified Employees:
             Elections – 33
             Changes of Status – 5
             Separations – 13
   d.  Other:
             Workers’ Compensation Lump Sum Settlements – 1
   e.  Board Resolution regarding recognition of Lincoln Paraeducator Association as the official bargaining agent for 2015-16.

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 her designee, and that the Board hereby authorizes the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources, or her 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: 

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 period ending October 28, 2014, were previously provided.                

Federal Tax ACH Deposit of $43,944.58.                

State Tax ACH Deposit of $11,138.00.                

Procurement Card ACH Transfer of $120,291.78.                

Office Depot ACH Transfer of $10,120.49.                

Retirement ACH Transfer of $4,319,304.87                

Vendor ACH Transfer of $1,940.59. 

b.  PAYROLL FOR RATIFICATION – Payroll for the period ending October 15, 2014, in the amount of $140,282.96.  

c.  BIDS/CONTRACTS/OTHER ROUTINE BUSINESS – Bids/contracts/other routine business will be presented for approval for new pool lockers at Northeast; IP phones at Elliott, Huntington, and Belmont; removal and re-installation of turf at Seacrest; the lease-purchase of two new AS/400 servers; an agreement for a CLC Curriculum Coach for the 2014-15 school year; purchase of a membership participation fee in Partnerships for Innovation; an agreement with Confucius Institute for Chinese Language and Culture teachers; an agreement for travel services for Southeast students; an amendment to the Family Service Association CLC agreement; an agreement for direct supplemental education services; items to be listed for auction; 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 period ending October 28, 2014.  

b.  Payroll for the period ending October 15, 2014.  

c.  Bids/contracts/other routine business for new pool lockers at Northeast; IP phones at Elliott, Huntington, and Belmont; removal and re-installation of turf at Seacrest; the lease-purchase of two new AS/400 servers; an agreement for a CLC Curriculum Coach for the 2014-15 school year; purchase of a membership participation fee in Partnerships for Innovation; an agreement with Confucius Institute for Chinese Language and Culture teachers; an agreement for travel services for Southeast students; an amendment to the Family Service Association CLC agreement; an agreement for direct supplemental education services; items to be listed for auction; and any other bids/contracts/routine business as presented.        

Rationale:  Lincoln Public Schools regulation 5460.1 and Nebraska state law provides that if a student has been expelled from any public or private school, and the student has not completed the terms or time period of the expulsion, the student shall not be permitted to enroll in this school district until the expulsion period from such other school has expired, unless the Lincoln Board of Education approves by a majority vote the enrollment of such student prior to expiration of the expulsion period. Student numbers 213780, and 219041 (for purposes of confidentiality we are using assigned numbers) have filed the proper applications and have requested enrollment.       

Explanation
The Department of Student Services has reviewed the applications and the background information on the students and are recommending that the applications be approved and that the students be enrolled in the Lincoln Public Schools Expelled Student Program for the remainder of this school year, subject to such terms and conditions as imposed by the Director of Student Services and all program rules and regulations until the term or time period of the original underlying expulsions are completed.      

Proposal
That the Board approve the applications and all recommendations of the Department of Student Services.  

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:  As part of its mission to provide safe environments for staff and students, the Board has included additional services  and  infrastructure  directly  related  to  security  which  did  not  fall  into  the description  of  the duties  of  any  one  particular  department.    After  careful  deliberation,  it  was determined that a great deal of work in this area was being done by Business Affairs, so it should be identified in the services that may be included in that division’s work.

Explanation
The revised Policy 3000 adds Security as a service that may be provided by Business Affairs.

Proposal
The Board discuss Policy 3000.

Rationale: 

Rationale: 

As directed by Policy 3997 and Regulation 3997.1, a committee of seven (7) community members (Jane Burke, Connie Duncan, Brendan Evans, Jane Holt, Luke Peterson, Mary Schleich, and Kylee Yakel) and three (3) Board members (Boswell, McLeese Stephenson, and Zimmer) solicited and reviewed suggestions for names of the new elementary school to be built at South 61st Street and Blanchard Boulevard, the new middle school to be built near 84th Street and Yankee Hill Road, and the soon-to-be-renovated facility at 1801 South 40th Street.  Over 300 names were suggested by more than 400 individuals.  The committee met September 29, 2014, to discuss the submissions and make a recommendation to the Board.      

Explanation
The committee unanimously recommended that the next LPS elementary school be named for Sally G. Wysong, a long-time early childhood education advocate.  Wysong pioneered one of the first accredited pre-schools in the state of Nebraska and served eight years as a member of the LPS Board of Education.  

The committee unanimously recommended that the next LPS middle school be named for Marilyn Moore, retired LPS Associate Superintendent for Instruction.  Moore often talked about the specific needs of middle school students and initiated the process to transition LPS from the junior high to the middle school model.  

The committee unanimously recommended that the renovated facility at 1801 South 40th Street be named for Bill Nuernberger, the first separate juvenile judge for Lancaster County.  Judge Nuernberger’s philosophy on juvenile justice was that it should focus on helping young people, not on punishment.      

Proposal
That the Board thank the community members of the School Naming Committee for their thoughtful service, and that the Board receive and approve the committee’s recommendations:  Sally G. Wysong Elementary School, Marilyn Moore Middle School, and Bill Nuernberger Education Center.

Rationale:  At the second Board meeting of the month, information regarding the district’s monthly financial report is presented.      

Explanation
The monthly financial report for the month ending September 30, 2014, is attached.      

Proposal
Information item; no Board action required.

Rationale:  Wednesday, November 5, Chamber Coffee, 8:00 am, Chamber Offices
Tuesday, November 11, Board Meeting, 6:00 pm, LPSDO Board Room

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: 

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.