July 27, 2021 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. The Lincoln Board of Education shall also make available for examination and copying as requested by members of the public, at least one copy of all reproducible written materials to be discussed at the meeting.

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 the interest of maintaining the orderly decorum of the Lincoln School Board's meetings, the following rules are established for the conduct of all person attending a meeting of the Lincoln Board of Education and for those participating in public comment:

No signs, posters, placards, etc. shall be affixed to the walls, doors, etc. of the Lincoln Public Schools District Office or any room therein, except by LPS staff in connection with District business and then only with permission of the Superintendent or designee.

No sign, placard, or poster which is carried by hand shall be permitted in the Lincoln Public Schools District Office building or any of its rooms.

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:  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.  Administrator Employees:
          Change of Status - 1
          Separations - 1

b.  Certificated Employees:
          Elections - 31
          Change of Status - 12 
          Re-Elect, Same Assignment - 1
          Re-Elect, New Assignment - 1
          Leave of Absence - 41
          Separations - 15

c. Certificated Substitute Employees:
          Elections - 6
          Change of Status - 1
          Separations - 230

d.  Classified Employees:
          Elections - 69
          Separations - 13
          Separations - 84

OTHER:
e.  Workers Compensation Lump Sum Settlement - 2

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: 

Rationale:  On February 9, 2021, the Board adopted a resolution to accept option enrollment students for the 2021-22 school year.  Applications for enrollment during the 2021-22 school year have been received and are in compliance with the Board resolution of February 9, 2021.  

Explanation 
The applications included in this agenda item have been examined by staff and meet one of the criteria set forth by the Board in the resolution of February 9, 2021.  Staff recommends approval of the applications.

Proposal   
That the Board adopts the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the students who have been assigned student numbers 270831 and 443915 (for purposes of confidentiality, assigned numbers are being used) meet one or more of the criteria of the Board resolution of February 9, 2021, 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, 2021, 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 2021-22 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 have been received after the March 15, 2021, deadline.  The Lincoln Board of Education may deny or approve these requests.  If the requests are approved by the Board of Education, they will be forwarded to the option school district for their approval.

Student Number            Option District
410513                            Norris
437067                            Norris
443862                            Norris
292211                            Raymond
265274                            Norris
250642                            Norris
444105                            Waverly
444103                            Waverly
430315                            Waverly
444188                            Waverly

Proposal  
That the Board approve the requests for option out for the 2021-22 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: 

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Rationale:  EXPLANATION
The proposed agreements are as follows:

Maintenance:

• The total package for 2021-2022 is 1.58% (across the board increase) 
  • The total package includes a salary increase of 1.51%, increases in Social Security and retirement costs - and a 2.96% increase in health insurance premiums
• Four Alternative Network Options (health insurance) will be available for all Maintenance employees beginning in the fall 2021

Transportation:

• The total package for 2021-2022 is 1.83%
  • The total package includes a salary increase of 1.51%, increases in Social Security and retirement costs - and a 2.96% increase in health insurance premiums
• Four Alternative Network Options (health insurance) will be available for all Transportation employees beginning in the fall 2021

Rationale:  Lincoln Public Schools proposes to write a competitive application to the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, within the U.S. Department of Justice. This application is in response to the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Grant Program.  This program intends to fund school safety projects that address one of two purpose areas: (1) To provide training to school personnel on preventing student violence against others and themselves, including how to respond to mental health crises; or (2) To develop and implement threat assessment and/or intervention teams, which must coordinate with law enforcement agencies and school personnel.

Explanation
Lincoln Public Schools utilizes a 4-person district threat assessment team, which responds to potential threats identified in over 60 schools and programs, making it crucial that school personnel clearly understand how to identify and respond to potential threats and how to work collaboratively with the district team.

The district will apply for grant funds for multiple training opportunities:
(1) threat identification training for all secondary school staff, including focus programs, over the course of three years;
(2) specialized threat management training for smaller school-based threat assessment teams in secondary buildings, which will increase their competency for supporting the work of the district threat assessment team, including development of common language and protocols;
(3) supplemental training for the district threat team, which includes Lincoln Police Department and Blue Valley Behavioral Health staff;
(4) training for clinicians in secondary schools on WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) programming to support students returning to school after a mental health community placement; and
(5) training on trauma and behavioral supports for ISS (In School Suspension) Supervisors, Campus Supervisors, and Student Support Technicians.

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1. Elementary and Middle School students residing more than four (4) miles from the school in the attendance area within which they reside.
2. Special Education students whose individual education plan (IEP) require transportation as essential to learning.
3. Students who have been moved for the benefit of the district to relieve overcrowding, due to major facility renovations, efficiency in use of buildings and/or staff.

Rationale:  Periodically, changes in federal or state law requires the Lincoln Board of Education to review existing policies to ensure compliance with these changes.  Following each session of the Nebraska Unicameral, the Board’s policies are reviewed to identify the policies that need to be deleted, revised, or added.

Explanation
Updates to Policy 7000 are recommended to keep the policy aligned with the Nebraska Administrative Code.  Since First Reading, references and language related to Rule 52 have been added to ensure the policy is inclusive of Early Childhood.

Rationale: 

Rationale:  August 3: Attendance Area Public Forum, Scott Middle School, 5pm

August 4: Attendance Area Public Forum, Meadow Lane Elementary, 5pm

August 5:
Chamber Coffee, Chamber Office, 8am
Attendance Area Public Forum, Arnold Elementary, 5pm

August 9: Attendance Area Public Forum, Virtual, 12pm

August 10: Board Meeting, LPSDO, 6pm

Rationale: 

In the interest of maintaining the orderly decorum of the Lincoln School Board's meetings, the following rules are established for the conduct of all person attending a meeting of the Lincoln Board of Education and for those participating in public comment:

No signs, posters, placards, etc. shall be affixed to the walls, doors, etc. of the Lincoln Public Schools District Office or any room therein, except by LPS staff in connection with District business and then only with permission of the Superintendent or designee.

No sign, placard, or poster which is carried by hand shall be permitted in the Lincoln Public Schools District Office building or any of its rooms.

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.