February 25, 2025 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: 

Mattie Trejo-Amen has been an elementary counselor at Lincoln Public Schools for six years. She was recently awarded the Elementary School Counselor of the Year Award by the Nebraska School Counselor Association.

Explanation:
The Nebraska School Counselor Association recently named Humann Elementary School counselor Mattie Trejo-Amen the 2025 Nebraska Elementary School Counselor of the Year. The award recognizes school counselors who demonstrate excellence in their profession.

In Mattie’s role, she teaches citizenship and prosocial lessons in every classroom at Humann, grades kindergarten through fifth grade. These activities and lessons focus on being safe, respectful, and kind. Mattie also supports all students in helping them develop social-emotional skills like how to build relationships and problem-solving.

Prior to becoming a school counselor, Mattie was an elementary school teacher.

Rationale: 

Nicki Hanseling has been a counselor at Mickle Middle School for ten years. She was recently awarded the Middle School Counselor of the Year Award by the Nebraska School Counselor Association.
Explanation:
The Nebraska School Counselor Association recently named Mickle Middle School counselor Nicki Hanseling the 2025 Nebraska Middle School Counselor of the Year. The award recognizes school counselors who demonstrate excellence in their profession.

Nicki begins each morning at Mickle with supervisory duties overseeing students in the hallways, and she speaks with teachers and administrators in team meetings throughout the day. She also visits with students in her office about a range of issues such as academic requirements, safety concerns, and social-emotional issues. Nicki’s primary mission is to help students achieve success throughout their time at Lincoln Public Schools.

When speaking about her work, Nicki said:  

"Working with kids and seeing the growth from coming in as sixth graders to leaving as eighth graders is just magic to watch. Even as sixth graders, the difference in them compared to seventh graders, and seventh graders compared to eighth graders, is just cool to see.

We don’t always get to see the growth students make by senior year. Just acknowledging that and recognizing growth for a student may look really small initially, but we’re planting seeds for bigger things that they might do for themselves down the road."

 

Rationale: 

The Board believes public attendance and participation, when appropriate to the business at hand, is beneficial to the work of the Board and models the importance of civic engagement and civil discourse to the community’s children, but it cannot impede the Board from completing the business of the meeting. 

In keeping with Board Policy 8420 and Neb Statute 84-1412(3), the Lincoln Board of Education has established these reasonable regulations to conduct Public Comment::

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 three minutes will be allotted for any speaker unless prior to the beginning of the Public Comment agenda item, the chair sets a different reasonable time frame to be allotted for speakers in order to accommodate the number of persons who have submitted "Record of Appearance" cards. The time limit is per speaker, per meeting and may not be transferred or assigned to other speakers.

3. The chair may endeavor to organize public comment by what agenda items or other issues have been identified as topics by public speakers, adjust for the age of speakers, and/or split the Public Comment agenda item to be conducted in different positions within the Board’s Order of Business. 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.

4. In order to be called forward to address the Board during Public Comment, each person wishing to speak must obtain a "Record of Appearance" card from staff at the meeting in which they wish to speak. "Record of Appearance" cards are available beginning 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the meeting. Those wishing to speak must accurately complete the required sections of the card, and submit it to the appropriate staff member by 15 minutes after the start of the meeting.

5. Individuals will be called forward to speak by name, organization being represented, if applicable, and address. Each individual speaking to the Board will be required to identify himself or herself prior to giving public comment by stating their first and last name and, if applicable, any organization they represent.

6. 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.

7. If the number of people wishing to speak under the public comment portions of the agenda is large, the chair may rule that a public hearing be scheduled.

8. Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may make printed materials (paper no larger than 8.5 x 11 inches) available to the Board but may not use any other form of media. Public speakers are asked to provide 10 copies of any copies of printed materials presented to the Board.

Persons attending Board meetings and/or speaking to the Board during Public Comment or during a public hearing must follow all requirements established by the Board, as well as all Board, chair and staff directions in order to help maintain the order, proper decorum, safety and security, and the non-disruptive functioning of the Board meeting. These include, but are not limited to the following:

• Abiding by time limits
• Refraining from applauding, cheering, jeering, or engaging in speech that defames any individual(s), or stymies or blocks meeting progress;
• Refraining from the use of audio recordings, video recordings, or any digital still images, posters, signs, costumes, other props and/or photographs
• Refraining from abusive, disruptive or threatening language or gestures, and
• Staying in the areas identified by the Board as reserved for the public.

If at any time persons appearing before the Board do not comply with these or any other Board requirements, it shall be the responsibility of the chair to declare that person or persons out of order and require a change in behavior, delay or recess the meeting, or refuse permission to continue to address the Board, and ultimately 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
         Elections - 1
         Change of Status - 3
         Separations - 2

b. Certificated Employees:
         Elections - 51
         Separations - 3

c. Certificated Substitute Employees:
          Elections - 17
          Separations - 5

d.  Classified Employees:
          Elections  - 44
          Change of Status - 1
          Separations - 25

e. Employment of Family Member - 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 September 10, 2024, the Board adopted a resolution to accept option enrollment students for the 2025-26 school year.  Applications for enrollment during the 2025-26 school year have been received and are in compliance with the Board resolution of September 10, 2024.  

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 September 10, 2024.  Staff recommends approval of the applications.

Proposal:
That the Board adopts the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the students who have been assigned student numbers 437477, 465179, 466608, 466611, 466382, 466384, 466614, 466385, 466609, 466619, 466616, 461831, 466822, 466663, 429721 and 429764 (for purposes of confidentiality, assigned numbers are being used) meet one or more of the criteria of the Board resolution of SSeptember 10, 2024, 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:  *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: 

Rationale: 

Rationale: 

Rationale:  The Nebraska Department of Education created the revision Action Grant in 2020 to improve, modernize, and expand career and technical education (CTE) programs to align with Nebraska’s economic priorities and workforce demands. The reVISION Action grant program provides Perkins funds for eligible secondary and postsecondary recipients to help implement the reVISION action steps developed and identified throughout the reVISION local and regional CTE assessments. reVISION Action Grants provide eligible recipients an opportunity to apply for up to $100,000 in additional Perkins dollars awarded through a competitive process to implement innovative strategies to transform and expand the quality of CTE programming in Nebraska.

Explanation:
The Career Academy (TCA) at LPS provides academic and real-world experiences to high school juniors and seniors through high school and dual credit courses in 16 different career pathways. In the Health Sciences career pathway, all Juniors begin by learning in depth knowledge about Human Anatomy and Physiology. 

With the support of the Nebraska Department of Education’s reVISION Action Grant, TCA will purchase one Anatomage Table to improve immediate and intermediate outcomes for students interested in health-related occupations as part of the Health Sciences pathway. An Anatomage Table is a digital, touchscreen table that can be adjusted horizontally or vertically, depending on the demands of the curriculum. The Table offers life-size digital representation of the human body, allowing the visualization, manipulation, and virtual dissection of complex anatomical structures, using detailed three-dimensional models. The Anatomage Table will be used during Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology II classes to help students better understand what they are learning using this hands-on detailed model. This will result in students with greater content knowledge and understanding in these ground level courses, better preparing them for upper-level work.

Proposal:
That the Board approves the submission by Lincoln Public Schools of the revision Action Grant application to the Nebraska Department of Education for up to $100,000. This grant does not require any match. The proposal is due March 21, 2025.
 

Rationale:  Each year a joint LPS/LEA committee, composed of a Board member, parents, teachers, and administrators, recommends a student calendar to the Board for consideration. The Board adopted calendar variables to guide the Calendar Committee’s work in meeting the goal of creating a school calendar that demonstrates the district’s commitment to learning.  Following the Board’s approval of a Student Calendar, district staff assign additional staff-specific days on the calendar in accordance with the negotiated agreement, including staff compensatory and teacher plan days.  These days are non-student days.

Explanation:
Occasionally, the calendar requires adjustments to the staff and student days within a previously Board-approved student calendar. When this happens, district staff recommend changes that align with the board-adopted calendar variables and comply with the negotiated agreement.

Attached is the revised 2025-2026 student calendar. This alteration would result in a one-day change, with the 2025-2026 calendar modified so that students start with a four-day week beginning Tuesday, August 12. As a result, the Quarter 1 break would be adjusted and conclude on Friday, October 10, instead of being a non-student day.

Rationale:  Each year a joint LPS/LEA committee, composed of a Board member, parents, teachers, and administrators, recommends a student calendar to the Board for consideration. The Board adopted calendar variables to guide the Calendar Committee’s work in meeting the goal of creating a school calendar that demonstrates the district’s commitment to learning.

Explanation:
The Calendar Committee began work in October 2024 to consider a student calendar for 2026-2027. The committee, composed of a Board member, parents, teachers and administrators, met three times to build a student calendar for Board consideration. The recommended student calendar aligns with the Board’s student calendar purpose and calendar variables.

Attached is the proposed 2026-2027 student calendar.
 

Rationale:  Periodically, new circumstances or changes in legislation or regulation from the state or federal government require the school district to make a number of updates to align existing policy. All proposed changes have been recommended and reviewed by legal counsel.

Policy 4880 has been updated to provide greater specificity and clarification regarding the District’s anti-harassment and anti-retaliation policies. This change is necessary to ensure Policy 4880 aligns with the law by including anti-retaliation language.

Rationale:  The Lincoln Board of Education has recognized the Lincoln Education Association (LEA) as the exclusive bargaining agent to negotiate salary, fringe benefits, and working conditions for members of that employee group. The negotiation teams, representing LEA and Lincoln Public Schools, have reached a tentative agreement for the 2025-2026 school year and LEA has approved the tentative agreement.

The proposed agreement calls for a 3.80 percent total package increase for 2025-2026.The settlement is within the parameters set by the Board of Education. Included in the package increase are all district costs, including the district’s contributions to health insurance, state retirement, and Social Security. A complete copy of the proposed agreement is available for review at the office of the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources upon request.
 

Rationale:  The monthly financial report for the month ending January 31, 2025, is attached.
  Information item; no Board action required.
 

Rationale: 

Rationale:  February 27: SSKI Board Meeting, 12:15 p.m., SJDLC
March 5: Chamber Coffee, 8:0 a.m., Chamber Office
March 10-14: Quarter Break, No School All Levels
March 11: No Board Meeting
March 16-19: NASB Federal Advocacy Conference, Washington, DC
March 19: GNSA Meeting, 9:30 a.m., NCSA
March 20: Chamber Congressional Series, 8:0 a.m., Country Club
March 22: Zeman Elementary 50th Anniversary Celebration, 3:00-5:00 p.m., Zeman Elementary 
March 25: Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m., SJDLC




 

Rationale: 

The Board believes public attendance and participation, when appropriate to the business at hand, is beneficial to the work of the Board and models the importance of civic engagement and civil discourse to the community’s children, but it cannot impede the Board from completing the business of the meeting. 

In keeping with Board Policy 8420 and Neb Statute 84-1412(3), the Lincoln Board of Education has established these reasonable regulations to conduct Public Comment::

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 three minutes will be allotted for any speaker unless prior to the beginning of the Public Comment agenda item, the chair sets a different reasonable time frame to be allotted for speakers in order to accommodate the number of persons who have submitted "Record of Appearance" cards. The time limit is per speaker, per meeting and may not be transferred or assigned to other speakers.

3. The chair may endeavor to organize public comment by what agenda items or other issues have been identified as topics by public speakers, adjust for the age of speakers, and/or split the Public Comment agenda item to be conducted in different positions within the Board’s Order of Business. 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.

4. In order to be called forward to address the Board during Public Comment, each person wishing to speak must obtain a "Record of Appearance" card from staff at the meeting in which they wish to speak. "Record of Appearance" cards are available beginning 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the meeting. Those wishing to speak must accurately complete the required sections of the card, and submit it to the appropriate staff member by 15 minutes after the start of the meeting.

5. Individuals will be called forward to speak by name, organization being represented, if applicable, and address. Each individual speaking to the Board will be required to identify himself or herself prior to giving public comment by stating their first and last name and, if applicable, any organization they represent.

6. 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.

7. If the number of people wishing to speak under the public comment portions of the agenda is large, the chair may rule that a public hearing be scheduled.

8. Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may make printed materials (paper no larger than 8.5 x 11 inches) available to the Board but may not use any other form of media. Public speakers are asked to provide 10 copies of any copies of printed materials presented to the Board.

Persons attending Board meetings and/or speaking to the Board during Public Comment or during a public hearing must follow all requirements established by the Board, as well as all Board, chair and staff directions in order to help maintain the order, proper decorum, safety and security, and the non-disruptive functioning of the Board meeting. These include, but are not limited to the following:

• Abiding by time limits
• Refraining from applauding, cheering, jeering, or engaging in speech that defames any individual(s), or stymies or blocks meeting progress;
• Refraining from the use of audio recordings, video recordings, or any digital still images, posters, signs, costumes, other props and/or photographs
• Refraining from abusive, disruptive or threatening language or gestures, and
• Staying in the areas identified by the Board as reserved for the public.

If at any time persons appearing before the Board do not comply with these or any other Board requirements, it shall be the responsibility of the chair to declare that person or persons out of order and require a change in behavior, delay or recess the meeting, or refuse permission to continue to address the Board, and ultimately 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.