September 11, 2018 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 001, 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 2018-19 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 2018-19 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, 2018.       

 

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:  BACKGROUND:

Becky Coatney, Food Service Manager at Rousseau Elementary School, was recently honored as the 2017-18 Nebraska Manager of the Year by the School Nutrition Association (SNA). The School Nutrition Association is a national organization representing more than 58,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. The Manager of the Year award honors members based on four categories: cafeteria environment; management and staff development; involvement with the School Nutrition Association; and school and community outreach. EXPLANATION:

The School Nutrition Association has named Becky Coatney as Nebraska Manager of the Year for 2017-18.

Edith Zumwalt, director of Nutrition Services for Lincoln Public Schools, said the following about Coatney:

"Becky has a love for teaching children about nutrition and good eating habits. She plans amazing events, such as the School Breakfast Week promotion. Becky deserves this award because of her positive, can-do attitude. She finds creative ways to decorate the cafeteria and plans events that are fun for the children. Becky gives 100 percent to do what is best for the students she provides meals to every day."
 

Rationale:  Camelle Kinney, a Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher at Lincoln North Star High School, was recently honored by the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) as a Teacher of the Year Merit Finalist - one of only two in the country. Kinney received her award June 25 at the AAFCS National Conference in Atlanta. The award recognizes exemplary teachers who use cutting-edge methods, techniques, and activities to provide stimulus and visibility to family and consumer sciences in elementary and secondary education.

EXPLANATION:

The American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) has named Camelle Kinney as a Teacher of the Year Merit Finalist. Kinney has been a family and consumer sciences teacher at Lincoln North Star High School for 15 years. The AAFCS cited her work with an advanced culinary course when announcing her honor:

"Cutting-edge technology is used throughout Kinney’s culinary class...The impact of Kinney’s class goes beyond students learning how to run a restaurant. Students form connections with businesses and organizations in the community, discover related career paths and are better prepared to work in the real world."


Lincoln Public Schools Curriculum Specialist for Career and Technical Education, Cynthia Baum, said Kinney is not only a teacher but a respected leader in FCS education.

       "She brings out the best in people that maximizes
       learning situations and sustains the energy to learn more."

Rationale: 

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:  Explanation:

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:  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 2018-19 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 2018-19 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 2018-19.

Staff recommends that the following resolution be adopted so that the 2018-19 budget may be funded as adopted.  A simple majority vote is required. 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 2018-19 property tax request at a different amount from that of the 2017-18 fiscal year and that, pursuant to State Law Sections 77-1601.02, and other Nebraska laws, does hereby set the 2018-19 Lincoln Public Schools property tax request, including the county’s collection fee and any delinquent tax allowances, as follows:
 

General Fund	$232,346,452.22
Building Fund	0.00
Bond Fund for High School Bonds Authorized in 1999	5,616,256.51
Bond Fund for Bonds Authorized in 2006	17,250,263.46
Bond Fund for Bonds Authorizes in 2014	11,853,182.71
Qualified Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund	5,129,274.70
Total Lincoln Public Schools Tax Request	$272,195,429.60

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:  The Nebraska Math Readiness Project was developed to provide a bridge to success for high school seniors who need to improve their math skills prior to entering and completing a college-level math course. In partnerships across Nebraska between community colleges and public schools, a math readiness course will be offered to high school seniors who failed to show college-readiness on their ACT Math exam by scoring between 13 and 16 while also declaring intentions to pursue a post-secondary education. In Lincoln, Southeast Community College will partner with Lincoln Public Schools to implement a three-year grant-funded project to provide this opportunity to high school seniors.

Explanation
Lincoln Public Schools will request $83,460 from Southeast Community College to fund course coordination, student software, and paraeducators support for the project over a three-year period.

Proposal
That the Board discuss and vote on the approval of a grant from Southeast Community College for $83,460. Lincoln Public Schools will provide matching funds of up to $76,584 over the three-year period to pay teacher salaries necessary to carry out the project. Matching funds will come from the General Fund.

Rationale:  September 12 - TCA Joint Board Meeting, 8:00 am, TCA
September 19 - State of the City Address, 7:45 am,
                          The Graduate Hotel
September 25 - Board Meeting, 6:00 pm, LPSDO

Rationale: 

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.