March 26, 2013 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: 

Karen Hand, director of Athletics and Activities for Lincoln Public Schools, has been honored with the Award of High Distinction from the Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and the Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska School Activities Association.

Explanation
Karen Hand has been employed with Lincoln Public Schools for 33 years and has served as the director of Athletics and Student Activities for the past 23 years. In 1989, she served as interim athletic director for Lincoln East High School, and was also previously Assistant to the Director of Athletics and Student Activities.

Hand is well known throughout the state for her support and willingness to host state and district events, for her astonishing knowledge of issues related to athletics, and her focus on what is best for student athletes. In honoring Hand at a state basketball tournament recently, the Nebraska School Activities Association thanked her:

‘Through the years Karen has worked to add and equalize opportunities for young ladies in existing sports, and partnered with others to add soccer and softball as NSAA sanctioned activities.’

The Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association noted her dedication to youth:

‘You were nominated by your colleagues because of your performance as an outstanding athletic administrator and your dedication to the youth of your community and the State of Nebraska. You have earned the respect of your peers in athletic administration.’

Hand could recall many great memories of sporting events in the past, but first on her mind might be the impact athletics and activities can have on a student. She wrote:

‘The best result is the connection of students to school; better attendance, better attention to grades, better behavior in and out of school. Students are held accountable to a standard code of conduct at their respective high schools.’

WHEREAS Karen Hand, director of Athletics and Activities for Lincoln Public Schools, has been honored with the Award of High Distinction from the Nebraska State Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and the Distinguished Service Award from the Nebraska School Activities Association; and

WHEREAS Hand is recognized and respected by her peers throughout Lincoln and Nebraska for her dedication and commitment to students and their involvement in athletics and activities; and

WHEREAS  Hand has worked to create opportunities for students and coaches to realize the benefits of athletics and activities on a person’s character; and

WHEREAS  Hand understands the impact athletics and activities can have on a student, explaining: “The best result is the connection of students to school, better attendance, better attention to grades, and better behavior in and out of school.”

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Lincoln Board of Education does hereby congratulate Karen Hand for her recent honors, her dedication to the youth in our community, and her legacy of student athletics and extracurricular activities in our school district.

 

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: 

Rationale: 
Explanation
The items included in routine business for this meeting are:

a.    REGULAR CLAIMS – Claims for the periods ending March 26, 2013, were previously provided.

       Federal Tax ACH Deposit of $5,031,009.45.

       State Income Tax ACH Deposit of $667,077.76.

       Retirement ACH Transfer of $4,054,304.29.

       Insurance ACH Transfer of $740.66.

       Procurement Card ACH Transfer of $181,506.01.

       Office Depot ACH Transfer of $64,300.27.

       Vendor ACH Transfer of $45,433.14.

b.    PAYROLL FOR RATIFICATION – Payroll for the periods ending March 15, 2013, in the amount of $13,371,697.97.

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 a cargo step-van for Transportation; district office network equipment; Seacrest Field parking lot expansion; music equipment and supplies to fill annual orders at all locations; an agreement for education services with Berniklau Education Solutions Team; an amendment to the cell site lease agreement with Alltel Communications of Nebraska, Inc.; an interlocal agreement with the City of Lincoln for Heritage School; authorization for a student branch bank at Belmont Elementary School; 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 periods ending March 26, 2013.

b.    Payroll for the periods ending March 15, 2013.

c.    Gifts for Eastridge, Everett, Kahoa, Northeast, Saratoga, Southwest, and the district.

d.    Bids/contracts/other routine business for a cargo step-van for Transportation; district office network equipment; Seacrest Field parking lot expansion; music equipment and supplies to fill annual orders at all locations; an agreement for education services with Berniklau Education Solutions Team; an amendment to the cell site lease agreement with Alltel Communications of Nebraska, Inc.; an interlocal agreement with the City of Lincoln for Heritage School; authorization for a student branch bank at Belmont Elementary School; and any other bids/contracts/routine business as presented.

*That the Board is approving routine business and the listed bids and contracts with the information and in the form as presented, and except as to amount bid or total contract price, in such other form as may be approved by the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or his designee, and that the Board hereby authorizes the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs, or his designee, 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 the transaction as contemplated, for and on behalf of this school district.

Rationale:  On February 12, 2013, the Board adopted a resolution to accept option students for the 2013-14 school year.  Applications have been received from students requesting that they be accepted as option students for the 2013-14 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 12, 2013.

Explanation
Staff has examined the application of the students included in this proposal.  The students meet the one of the criteria set forth by the Board in its resolution of February 12, 2013.  Staff recommends approval of these applications.

Proposal
That the Board adopt the following resolution:

WHEREAS the students who have been assigned student numbers 294962, 294988, 292430, 294990, 294992, 294993, 294717, 257933, 264933, 264993, 206652, and 188249 (for purposes of confidentiality, assigned numbers are being used) meet one of the criteria of the Board resolution of February 12, 2013, 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:  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 the such other school has expired.  The enrollment of such student prior to the expiration of the expulsion period requires the approval of the Lincoln Board of Education by a majority vote. Student number 294982 (for purposes of confidentiality we are using an assigned number) has filed the proper application and has requested enrollment.

Explanation
The Department of Student Services has reviewed the application and the background information on the student and are recommending that the application be approved and that the student 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 application and recommendation of the Department of Student Services as it relates to student number 294982.

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:  Lincoln Public Schools offers family literacy programs throughout the district and is applying for grants to provide funding to family literacy service providers. Organizations applying for literacy funding must have the following components:

• Adult Education Instruction
• Children's Education
• Parent and Child Together Time (PACT)
• Parenting Classes
• Literacy Programs

Explanation
The overarching goal of the Family Literacy Program is to help participating families reach their full potential. These grants will support family literacy services provided to targeted English learning families whose students have been identified through an assessment process. High standards for attendance and performance in he courses are maintained for participating families.

1) Provide quality adult ESL classes: These classes will provide eight hours of English language classes per week for fourteen participants during the standard school calendar year and during the summer. 

2) Host effective family/school/community education classes and events: This weekly event will provide two and one half hours of instruction about parenting and community resources to adult participants to assist them in helping their children be better students. Instruction will be offered throughout the school year and summer.

3) Bring adults and children together during Parent and Child Together Time (PACT): These activities will provide the opportunity for adult participants and their kindergarten through 5th grade students to engage in educational activities for two hours weekly in the child’s elementary classroom during the standard school calendar year and summer.

Rationale:  The Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) Grant is offered by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.  The purpose of the program is to provide funds to local educational agencies and community-based organizations to initiate, expand, and improve physical education for students in grades K-12. The PEP grant is intended to help students meet state standards for physical education. Applicants must undertake the following activities: (1) instruction in healthy eating habits and good nutrition, and (2) physical fitness activities that address state standards for physical education.

Explanation
Lincoln Public Schools received a one-year PEP grant in 2002 in the amount of $147,886.  Those funds provided training and equipment for physical education teachers to assist high school students to meet district and national standards for physical education related to physical activity and fitness.  Computerized fitness assessment equipment and heart rate monitors were purchased for each high school physical education program. In 2009, LPS received a three-year PEP grant in the amount of $519,757. Those funds provided professional development for elementary physical education teachers and CLC staff in addition to related equipment and supplies necessary to implement research-based physical activity programs.

LPS will address the following program elements:  (1) instruction in healthy eating habits and good nutrition;  (2) fitness education and assessment to help students understand, improve, or maintain their physical well-being;  (3) instruction in a variety of motor skills and physical activities designed to enhance the physical, mental, and social or emotional development of every student;  (4) development of, and instruction in, cognitive concepts about motor skills and physical fitness that support a lifelong healthy lifestyle; (5) opportunities to develop positive social and cooperative skills through physical activity participation; and (6) opportunities for professional development for teachers of physical education to stay abreast of the latest research, issues, and trends in the field of physical education.

Funds will be used to provide professional development for elementary and middle school physical education teachers and CLC staff, purchase related equipment and supplies, and enhance the LPS physical education and nutrition instruction curriculum. Partners involved in this grant will be Lincoln’s Community Learning Centers (CLC), their ten Lead Agencies, Teach a Kid to Fish, and Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln.

Proposal
That the Board discuss submission of this three-year grant proposal for approximately $1,500,000 dependent upon final funding of grant award.  Required local match is 10 percent of first year cost and 25 percent of years two and three costs. This local match will be met by in-kind donated staff time from the Project Director and community partners.

Rationale: 
Explanation
The monthly financial report for the month ending February 28, 2013, is attached.

Proposal
Information item; no Board action required.

Rationale:  Policy 6130 (attached) provides for a voluntary summer school program.   In recent years, Lincoln Public Schools has offered a 9-12 summer school, limited elementary reading and math programs, middle school music camps, limited middle school math programs, ECSE – 8^th grade limited special education services, and a limited technology program for upper elementary and middle school students. 

Explanation
A summary of the programs follows:

High School (Grades 9-12):
The high school program will be a six-week session housed at North Star High School for general education, ELL, and special education classes  - May 30, 2013, through July 11, 2013. 

residing Tuition:
Tuition for students in the LPS district:

2013 Tuition                      Credit Hours

$  65.00                            2.5 credit hours

$130.00                            5.0 credit hours

$  30.00                            each additional 2.5 credit course

$  60.00                            each additional 5.0 credit course

LPS families qualifying for free or reduced lunch are eligible for a free summer school opportunity.

Tuition for students NOT residin00                            g in the LPS district:

2013 Tuition                     Credit Hours

$175.00                           2.5 credit hours

$350.00                           5.0 credit hours

$350.00                           each additional five credit hours

All non-resident students are charged the full tuition.

There is no tuition charged for LPS special education students currently participating in special education courses.  Special education students participating in general education courses must pay tuition as described above unless they qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Non-resident special education students who did not attend LPS during the 2012-13 school year are not eligible for summer school participation. 

Other Summer School Opportunities:

• Special Education Summer Programs will focus on meeting the individual needs of students through extended School Year (ESY) services.  These services will be available to all students who receive special education services and demonstrate regression in critical skills without timely recoupment.  Preschool classroom-based programs will take place at three elementary schools, with one classroom operating throughout the summer for children who receive continuous services and the other two sites offering three-week programs.   We will offer two-week Read Ahead! programs for K-5 students at three to four sites across the district.   In addition to ESY services, our high school courses will include English 9 and 10, integrated curriculum, VOICE, and special education support in district summer school courses.
• Summer elementary literacy/numeracy programs funded by an NDE Flexible Funding Grant
• Middle school instrumental and vocal music camps for middle school students
• A limited summer technology program for upper elementary and middle school students

Proposal
This is an information report; no Board action requested.

Rationale: 

Friday, March 29, No School All Levels

Monday, April 1, No School All Levels

Wednesday, April 3, Chamber Coffee, Chamber Office

Tuesday, April 9, 6:00 p.m., Board Meeting, Co-City Bldg.

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:  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.