September 8, 2015 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 Board of Education of Lancaster County School District One, also known as Lincoln Public Schools, is conducting this hearing pursuant to Sections 77-1601.02 and other Nebraska laws.  These laws provide that the 2015-2016 property tax request for the School District shall be the property tax request from the prior year, unless the School District holds a hearing and modifies the property tax request.  The prior year’s property tax request would not correctly fund the 2015-2016 budget which has already been formally adopted by the Board of Education. The testimony received in this hearing will be taken into consideration by the Board when we take action to approve or modify the preliminary property tax request prior to October 13, 2015.       

 

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: 

In keeping with Board Policy 8420:

• A time limit of five minutes will be allotted for any speaker.
• Members of the Board of Education will not respond or engage with speakers.
• Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may hand out printed materials to the Board but may not use any other form of media.
• The Board Chair may make adjustments to the public comment guidelines, according to Policy 8420.
• If at any time persons appearing before the Board exceed the time limitations or become abusive in language or behavior, the Chair may declare that person out of order and to refuse permission to continue to address the Board.
• Anyone refusing to be identified will be prohibited from speaking.

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:

             Changes of Status – 5

             Leaves of Absence – 5

             Separations – 2

   b.  Substitute Certificated Employees:

             Elections – 28

             Changes of Status – 2

             Separations – 12

   c.  Classified Employees:

             Elections – 39

             Changes of Status – 7

             Leaves of Absence – 2

             Separations – 35

   d.  Approval of recommended board resolution regarding Section 125 Flexible Benefits Plans.  Copies of

        the proposed plans for approval are attached.

 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: 

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 September 8, 2015, were previously provided.                

Federal Tax ACH Deposit of $5,234,376.93.                

State Tax ACH Deposit of $725,408.86.                

Procurement Card ACH Transfer of $111,426.51.                

Office Depot ACH Transfer of $15,585.16.                

Vendor ACH Transfer of $11,586.37.

b.  PAYROLL FOR RATIFICATION – Payroll for the period ending August 31, 2015, in the amount of $13,517,897.57.

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 architectural and engineering services for the 2014 bond program phase 3 projects; a community learning center agreement; an agreement for professional development sessions; 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 September 8, 2015.  

b.  Payroll for the period ending August 31, 2015.  

c.  Gifts for Adams, Clinton, Northeast, Pound, and the district.  

d.  Bids/contracts/other routine business for architectural and engineering services for the 2014 bond program phase 3 projects; a community learning center agreement; an agreement for professional development sessions; items to be listed for auction; and any other bids/contracts/routine business as presented.

Rationale: 

March 15, 2015, 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 2015-16 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 
Request from a student who resides in the district of Lincoln Public Schools and wishes to attend school outside of Lincoln Public Schools has been received after the March 15, 2015, deadline.  The Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education may deny or approve this request.  If this request is approved by the Board of Education, they will be forwarded to the option school district for their approval.                                      
                      Student Number                             Option District 
                      267635                                            Norris                                        

Proposal
That the Board approves the request for option out for the 2015-16 school year. 

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: 

A hearing was held earlier this evening on whether the Board of Education should approve or modify the preliminary property tax request for Lancaster County School District 001 – Lincoln Public Schools (Attachment One).

Explanation
The 2015-16 budget of Lincoln Public Schools has already been adopted.  According to state law Section 77-1601.02, the preliminary tax request for the district shall be the property tax request from the prior year, unless the school district holds a hearing and sets the property tax request at a different amount.  The prior year’s property tax request would not correctly fund the 2015-16 budget which has already been formally adopted by the Board of Education.  Attachment Two reflects last year’s property tax rates, this year’s initial estimate, and the final property tax rates for 2015-16.  

Staff recommends that the following resolution be adopted so that the 2015-16 budget may be funded as adopted.  A simple majority vote is required.      

Proposal
That the Board of Education discuss the following proposed resolution:  

THEREFORE Be it resolved that the Board of Education of Lancaster County School District 001 hereby sets the district’s 2015-16 property tax request at a different amount from that of the 2014-15 fiscal year and that, pursuant to State Law Sections 77-1601.02, and other Nebraska laws, does hereby set the 2015-16 Lincoln Public Schools property tax request, including the county’s collection fee and any delinquent tax allowances, as follows:

 

General Fund	$199,801,170.73
Building Fund	0
Bond Fund for High School Bonds Authorized in 1999	5,385,886.81
Bond Fund for Bonds Authorized in 2006	13,061,003.91
Bond Fund for Bonds Authorizes in 2014	11,050,373.63
Qualified Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund	6,505,523.17
Total Lincoln Public Schools Tax Request	$235,803,958.25

 

and THEREFORE BE IT further resolved that if updated valuation, budget, or other pertinent information is subsequently received by Lincoln Public Schools or by Lancaster County, Lincoln Public Schools, its administration, and the County shall adjust the property tax request to reflect the updated information pursuant to State Law Sections 77-1601 and other Nebraska laws.

 

 

Rationale: 

September 9, TCA Joint Board Meeting, 8:00 am, TCA

September 14, FLPS Board Meeting, 7:30 am, LPSDO

September 16, GNSA Meeting, 9:30 am, NCSA

                        NASB Area Meeting, 4:30 pm, Omaha Marriott

September 17, NE Loves Pubic Schools Film Screening, 6:30 pm, Ross Theater

September 22, Board & ESU Board Meeting, 6:00 pm, LPSDO

Rationale: 

In keeping with Board Policy 8420:

• A time limit of five minutes will be allotted for any speaker.
• Members of the Board of Education will not respond or engage with speakers.
• Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may hand out printed materials to the Board but may not use any other form of media.
• The Board Chair may make adjustments to the public comment guidelines, according to Policy 8420.
• If at any time persons appearing before the Board exceed the time limitations or become abusive in language or behavior, the Chair may declare that person out of order and to refuse permission to continue to address the Board.
• Anyone refusing to be identified will be prohibited from speaking.

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.