June 15, 2016 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: 

Lisa Morehouse is the Human Resources Office Manager for Lincoln Public Schools. She has been chosen as president-elect of the National Association of Educational Office Professionals (NAEOP). Morehouse has been a member of the organization since 1996, has previously served on the board of directors as administrative council chairman and area director, and is currently serving as vice president. She will be installed as president-elect this July and as president in July of 2017.

Explanation
Lisa Morehouse’s earliest memory of being a lifelong learner came as a child by observing her own father’s zest for personal and professional improvement. Today one of the key factors for her professional career is still the ability to adapt to the changing requirements and skills necessary.  

She remembers a conference years ago where her desire for professional growth was sparked by a speaker emphasizing continuing education. It applies directly to her role in LPS, “The many changes in our world over the past two decades have caused a ripple effect into the role of the educational office professional. From terminology and technology, from our responses to our attitudes, we are constantly changing.”

As president-elect and president of the national organization, Morehouse will develop opportunities for office managers from school districts across the country to improve their own work. The ripple effect of stronger professional standards and education will impact teachers and staff members in school districts in every state, not to mention its impact on professional growth within the schools in LPS.

Morehouse points out that the local association of office professionals has also demonstrated its commitment to students through awarding an annual college scholarship.

Combine that commitment with the number of LPS office professionals progressing toward official certification in their career paths and Morehouse believes LPS clearly demonstrates a value for the education and development of young people and its own workforce.

Eric Weber, associate superintendent for Human Resources, says: "We are thrilled that Lisa will be representing office professionals as president of the national organization representing school office professionals. Lisa is always looking for ways to provide development and growth for our office professionals here in LPS, and her spirit of continuous improvement and desire to grow talent individually will now carry over to the national level."

Rationale: 

David Beatty is the eLearning Instructor/Career and Technical Teacher at the Pathfinder Education Program in Lincoln Public Schools. He was recently honored as the Distinguished Educator of the Year by the National Partnership for Juvenile Services.

Explanation
Through his work at the Pathfinder Education Program, David Beatty was recently honored as the Distinguished Educator of the Year by the National Partnership for Juvenile Services.

His work is impactful and important, working in a program that helps students who are in some sort of judicial trouble, yet focusing on education continuity and credit recovery.

Beatty explains it this way, “We aim to build on the existing strengths and interests of each student, using a differentiated instructional approach as a way to plan and address the unique multi-age, multi-ability needs of students in the classroom.”

Beatty and his co-workers also stress personal responsibility and awareness in a way that connects them to their school work and their purpose in school. He is well aware of trends in data and legislation and best practices as to how to connect and motivate students with various backgrounds.

Beatty advocates for the end of negative stereotypes of youth. He said it is critical that all students receive a quality education because they will play a role in the community going forward. “Youth at the Pathfinder Program are incredibly resilient, capable, and curious! The majority of youth will return to the community and local schools, where it is expected they will become productive citizens and great contributors to society.”

Randy Farmer, director of the Pathfinder Program, says of Beatty, “David Beatty is truly a professional educator.  Each year he discovers new ways to increase student course completions in our E-Learning classes, and provides students with business and technology-related teaching that stretches their boundaries.  He develops positive relationships with students that motivate them to be successful.  In the challenging environment of a detention center, David helps students see their true potential and develop their capabilities, both academically and as individuals.  He cares for every student and focuses on their positive attributes at a time when most of the focus on a student is related to their ongoing life challenges.”

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: 

Explanation
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.

This report includes routine Human Resources changes:

   a.  Administrator Certificated Employees:

             Elections – 1

   b.  Certificated Employees:

             Elections – 30

             Re-Elections Same Assignment – 4

             Re-Elections New Assignment – 1

             Changes of Status – 8

             Leaves of Absence – 10

             Separations – 11

   c.  Substitute Certificated Employees:

             Elections – 4

   d.  Classified Employees:

             Elections – 53

             Changes of Status – 6

             Separations – 43

   e.  Other:

             Employment of Family Member – 4

   f.  Approval of a settlement agreement

 

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 June 15, 2016, were previously provided.                   

Federal Tax ACH Deposit of $5,509,631.29.                   

Procurement Card ACH Transfer of $136,481.32.                   

Office Depot ACH Transfer of $74,096.58.                   

Vendor ACH Transfer of $179,251.02.

b.  PAYROLL FOR RATIFICATION – Payroll for the period ending June 15, 2016, in the amount of $14,395,658.12.

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 payment of exam fees for students at three high schools; the purchase of disposable products for use at all locations; the purchase of food for use in the summer feeding program; the purchase of science kits for use in all locations; the purchase of early childhood items for use in all locations; the purchase of laptop computers for certificated staff; the purchase of a guided reading program; the purchase of health curriculum packages; the purchase of apple computers for Wysong and Nuernberger; a parking lot lighting project at Lincoln High; the purchase of curriculum for use in second and third grades; an agreement for Specialized Education consulting services; an agreement for payment system software; an agreement to provide grant funding for CLC programs; agreements for CLC services at various locations; a license renewal for on-line computer assisted learning software programs; renewal of the warehouse handling and storage agreement for frozen food storage; items 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 June 15, 2016.

b.  Payroll for the period ending May 31, 2016.

c.  Gifts for Lux, Maxey, Saratoga, and the district.

d.  Bids/contracts/other routine business for payment of exam fees for students at three high schools; the purchase of disposable products for use at all locations; the purchase of food for use in the summer feeding program; the purchase of science kits for use in all locations; the purchase of early childhood items for use in all locations; the purchase of laptop computers for certificated staff; the purchase of a guided reading program; the purchase of health curriculum packages; the purchase of apple computers for Wysong and Nuernberger; a parking lot lighting project at Lincoln High; the purchase of curriculum for use in second and third grades; an agreement for Specialized Education consulting services; an agreement for payment system software; an agreement to provide grant funding for CLC programs; agreements for CLC services at various locations; a license renewal for on-line computer assisted learning software programs; renewal of the warehouse handling and storage agreement for frozen food storage; items listed for auction; and any other bids/contracts/routine business as presented.

Rationale: 

On February 23, 2016, the Board adopted a resolution to accept option students for the 2016-17 school year.  Applications have been received from students requesting that they be accepted as option students for the 2016-17 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 February 23, 2016.      

Explanation
Staff has examined the applications of the students included in this proposal.  The students meet one of the criteria set forth by the Board in its resolution of February 23, 2016.  Staff recommends approval of these applications.      

Proposal  
That the Board adopt the following resolution:  

WHEREAS, the students who have been assigned student numbers 406521, 288885, 413066, 413068 (for purposes of confidentiality, assigned numbers are being used) meet one or more of the criteria of the Board resolution of February 23, 2016, 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, 2016, 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 2016-17 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 district of Lincoln Public Schools and wish to attend school outside of Lincoln Public Schools has been received after the March 15, 2016, deadline.  The Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education may deny or approve these requests.  If these requests is approved by the Board of Education, it will be forwarded to the option school district for their approval.    

Student Number            Option District
412974                                 Milford                                   
412979                                 Crete                                                                     

Proposal 
That the Board approves the requests for option out for the 2016-17 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: 

The Planning Committee monitors city growth, building utilization, and student enrollment trends throughout the school year.  The North Star official fall membership in 2015-16 reached 2,196 students.  Lincoln is a thriving city.  The geographical attendance area surrounding North Star continues to grow with new housing developments.  The school district is seeking strategies to stabilize the growth at North Star, in an effort to hold enrollment as close to 2,200 as possible.  During the 2015-16 school year, Lincoln Public Schools only processed high school selection choices into North Star that had been filed by the stated deadline and closed North Star to remaining transfer requests.

Explanation
Due to the anticipated growth in the number of students in the North Star attendance area, the Planning Committee reviewed high school attendance area boundaries.  The current high school attendance area assignments for 2017-18 are reflected on Attachment One.  The Planning Committee recommends changing the assignment for the area defined by the Clinton Elementary School boundaries from North Star to Northeast High School, reflected on Attachment Two.  The proposed attendance area assignment, if approved, would begin with the 2017-18 school year.  Eighth grade students in the Clinton neighborhood will be assigned to Northeast High School for the 2017-18 school year, unless the student selects a different high school through the high school selection process.

Proposal
That the Board discuss the Planning Committee’s high school attendance area boundary proposal reflected in Attachment Two.

Rationale: 

Lincoln Southwest High School is proposing a travel agreement for performances at Pearl Harbor the week of December 28, 2017.  Proposed fees include travel, accommodations, meals, and local attractions.

Explanation
It is recommended that an agreement be made between Lincoln Public Schools and Explor (Greenville, Wisconsin) for travel services for an estimated 250 Southwest High School music students traveling to Hawaii.

The date of travel is from December 28, 2017, through January 4, 2018.  The estimated total group package price is $682,244.00.

A complete tabulation is available in the Purchasing Office.

This will be an estimated expenditure of $682,244.00 from the Activities Fund.

Proposal
The Board, by approving this agreement with Explor, is approving the award, the contract documents for this project, and all associated documents related thereto according to the terms and conditions as on file with district records or such other or additional terms and provisions as negotiated and approved by the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or a designee, and the Board is hereby delegating to and authorizing the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or a designee, to sign, execute, and deliver the contract documents and all such related documents, make all contract payments, and to take or cause to be taken any and all other action and sign any other documents as may be necessary to complete the transaction, and to administer, operate, and/or implement the contract and all associated documents related thereto on a day-to-day basis during this project as contemplated thereby, for and on behalf of this school district, and hereby designates the Director of Purchasing, or another person as selected by the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or a designee from time to time, as its program administrator under this agreement.

Rationale: 

Annually, the Board of Education evaluates the Superintendent of Schools.  The 2015-16 evaluation of Steve Joel, Superintendent, has been completed and will be recommended for approval to be placed in his personnel file. A copy of the public summary of the Superintendent’s evaluation is attached.

Explanation
The annual evaluation of Steve Joel, Superintendent, has been completed and will be placed in his personnel file and the public summary thereof is attached.

Proposal
That the Board of Education approve the Superintendent’s 2015-16 evaluation to be placed in his personnel file and the public summary thereof.

Rationale: 

Annually, the Board of Education evaluates and reviews the contract of the Superintendent of Schools.  The 2015-16 evaluation of Steve Joel, Superintendent, has been recommended for approval to be placed in his personnel file, and his contract is being recommended for extension and increased compensation. Copies of a public summary of the Superintendent’s evaluation are available, and the proposed contract for approval is attached.

Explanation
It is recommended that the current contract for the Superintendent be amended and approved.

The proposed contract is attached.

Proposal
That the Board of Education approve an extension and compensation increase and the proposed contract.

Rationale: 

Explanation
Annually, the Board of Education reviews the contracts of the Associate Superintendent for Instruction, the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources, and the Assistant Superintendent for General Administration and Governmental Relations.

It is recommended that the proposed two-year contract for each of the three Associate Superintendents and the Assistant Superintendent be amended and extended for one year to June 30, 2018.  It is also recommended that a total salary increase of 2.85 percent, overall total package increase of 2.91 percent, be approved for this group for 2016-17.  Each contract is within the parameters set by the Board of Education.

Included in the total package increase for each of the three Associate Superintendents and the Assistant Superintendent are all district costs including the district’s contributions to health insurance, state retirement, and Social Security.

The proposed contracts are attached.

Proposal
That the Board of Education ratify the recommended one-year contract extensions and total salary increases of 2.85 percent (overall total package compensation increases of 2.91 percent) for the Associate Superintendent for Instruction, the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources, and the Assistant Superintendent for General Administration and Governmental Relations.

Rationale: 

Explanation
The Lincoln Board of Education has recognized the Custodial Employees Association, the Maintenance Employees Association, the Lincoln Public Schools Association of Office Professionals, and the Transportation Employees Association as the exclusive bargaining agents to negotiate salary, fringe benefits, and working conditions for members of the respective employee groups.  Mr. Robbie Seybert has negotiated with each employee group.  Mr. Seybert has also met and conferred with the representatives from the Administrator and Technician groups.  Tentative agreements have been reached between Lincoln Public Schools and the respective employee groups for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years.

The proposed agreement for each employee group is as follows:

Administrators

• The salary increase for 2016-2017 is 2.88% with a total package increase of 3.09% (compensated on a percentage basis).  

• The salary increase for 2017-2018 is 2.89% with a total package increase of 3.10% (compensated on a flat basis).

Custodial Employees Association

• The salary increase for 2016-2017 is 2.88% with a total package increase of 3.29% (compensated on a percentage basis).
• The salary increase for 2017-2018 is 2.89% with a total package increase of 3.31% (compensated on a flat basis).Declined dual option, open enrollment plan for health insurance.

Maintenance Employees Association

• The salary increase for 2016-2017 is 2.88% with a total package increase of 3.19% (compensated on a flat basis).
• The salary increase for 2017-2018 is 2.89% with a total package increase of 3.21% (compensated on a percentage basis).

Office Professionals Association

• The salary increase for 2016-2017 is 2.88% with a total package increase of 3.30% (compensated on a percentage basis).
• The salary increase for 2017-2018 is 2.89% with a total package increase of 3.31% (compensated on a flat basis).
• Declined dual option, open enrollment plan for health insurance.
• Agreed to delete language in the handbook which restrained the association from allocating the district funds ($1,250 annually).

Technicians   

• The salary increase for 2016-2017 is 2.88% with a total package increase of 3.21% (compensated on a percentage basis).
• The salary increase for 2017-2018 is 2.89% with a total package increase of 3.23% (compensated on a flat basis).
• Declined dual option, open enrollment plan for health insurance.

Transportation Employees Association

• The salary increase for 2016-2017 is 2.88% with a total package increase of 3.48% (compensated on a percentage basis).
• The salary increase for 2017-2018 is 2.89% with a total package increase of 3.49% (compensated on a percentage basis).
• Declined dual option, open enrollment plan for health insurance.
• Added language (at the District's request) to restrict abuse of the overtime benefit that employees received on the weekend, regardless of how many hours they work during the week.
• Deleted language for field trips.

Health insurance will increase by 4.9% in 2016-2017 (4.9% projected for the following year) and each employee group will hold its employees harmless (money comes out of the package so the district covers the increases).  Minor editorial changes (years, pay, PPACA, etc.) were made in most agreements.  These settlements are within the parameters set by the Board of Education.

Included in the total package increases for each employee group are all district costs including the district’s contributions to health insurance, state retirement, and Social Security.

Proposal
That the Board of Education ratify the proposed agreements with the Administrators, the Custodial Employees Association, the Maintenance Employees Association, the Office Professionals Association, the Technicians, and the Transportation Employees Association for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years.

Rationale: 

Proposals were requested from interested vendors to provide shelf-stable, refrigerated, and frozen food products for use by Nutrition Services for all locations.  The contract prices are for the period of July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017.

Explanation
It is recommended that award be made to the lowest responsible vendors meeting specifications, based on estimated expenditures:

Thompson Foods (Grand Island, Nebraska)                                                        $1,410,174.72
Sysco (Lincoln, Nebraska)                                                                               1,131,326.17
US Foods (Lenexa, Kansas)                                                                                258,499.76
Reinhart Foodservice (Omaha, Nebraska)                                                               207,569.50
Cash-Wa Distributing (Kearney, Nebraska)                                                               33,638.65
Tecumseh Poultry (Waverly, Nebraska)                                                                   21,780.00
Mrs. Clark’s Foods (Ankeny, Iowa)                                                                          19,409.20
American Bean Company (Edison, New Jersey)                                                            6,740.25
Total                                                                                                           $3,089,138.25

There were 281 items on the quotation requests.

This will be an estimated expenditure of $3,089,138.25 from the Nutrition Services Fund.

Proposal
That the Board approve the proposed award to the above listed vendors.  Lead times are two – four weeks before delivery, so first orders will need to be placed in June 2016.  The Board, by approving these purchases with the above vendors, hereby designates the Director of Nutrition Services, or another person as selected by the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or a designee from time to time, as its program administrator under these purchase orders.

Rationale: 

Proposals were requested from interested vendors to provide transportation services and loan certain employees to Lincoln Public Schools as directed by the Lincoln Public Schools Transportation Department.  The contract would be effective from August 12, 2016, through the last day of school in May, 2019.

Explanation
It is recommended that Lincoln Public Schools enter into an agreement with First Student, Inc., who was the only vendor to respond.

The contract provides for up to 15 drivers and 6 route buses based on the rates below:

First Student-owned and operated school buses $265.00 (per route)
District-owned and First Student-operated school buses $220.00 (per route)
Additional/excess/shuttle driver hourly rate $41.00
Hourly charter transportation $40.00
Other hourly charges $30.75 All costs will increase by 2.5 percent each year

This will be an estimated annual expenditure of $1,200,000.00 from the General Fund.

Proposal
The Board, by approving this contract with First Student, Inc., is approving the provision of the agreement by them and all associated documents related thereto, according to the terms and conditions as presented, or such other or additional terms and provisions as negotiated and approved by the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or a designee, and the Board is hereby authorizing the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or a designee, to sign, execute, and deliver such documents, and to take or cause to be taken any and all other action and sign any other documents as may be necessary to complete the transaction and implement the same as contemplated thereby, for and on behalf of the district.  The Board, by approving this contract with First Student Inc., hereby designates the Director of Transportation, or another person selected by the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs from time to time as its program administrator under this contract.

Rationale: 

June 28: 

Public Budget Forum, 5:00 pm, Board Room

Board Meeting, 6:00 pm, Board Room

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.