Highlights of 10/9 Lincoln Board of Education Meeting

Highlights of 10/9 Lincoln Board of Education Meeting

The Lincoln Board of Education held a regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at Lincoln Public Schools District Office, 5905 O St.  The Board will hold its next regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 23.

LPS Summer School 2018

The Lincoln Board of Education Tuesday heard a summary of success at the Lincoln Public Schools Summer School program from 2018. 

Highlights of summer school facts and information:

·      A total of 1,962 high school students signed up for the 2018 summer school program at Lincoln North Star High School – and 1,639 students completed their classes.  Ten years earlier, in 2008, a total of 1,208 students signed up for summer school – and 937 completed.
·      Summer school enrollment included students from all grade levels and from all six high schools.
·      Summer school 2018 offered 54 different courses.
·      eLearning was offered at five high schools and the Bryan Community Focus Program, and 317 students completed one or more online classes.  
·      Summer school 2018 had support from 73 certified staff, 44 classified – as well as one social worker and five counselors.
·      A total of 137 seniors graduated after completing LPS summer school.
·      An additional LPS summer school program – funded by the Nebraska Department of Education through Flexible Funding – was offered to 1,157 students at 39 LPS elementary schools to provide up to 20 days of support for students with a focus on reading. The students were not receiving special education services, but were identified as needing additional support.    
·      LPS Federal Programs summer school initiatives offered 4-week morning sessions at all Title I schools – and resulted in overall gains in math and reading scores at all schools.  The program also provided free transportation, breakfast and lunch. A separate curriculum was provided for this summer school program to 434 English Language Learner elementary students and 105 ELL middle school students.
·      A summer school program for incoming LPS ninth graders who attended Title 1 middle schools – offered a transition program that allowed the students to earn high school credit at their feeder high schools over the summer. An additional 32 middle school students earned credit at The Career Academy.  
 

Native Youth College and Career Readiness Project

The Board of Education celebrated receiving a four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education – with funding of almost $500,000 per year – to support the Native Youth College and Career Readiness Project. 

The project will aim at determining the most effective services and programs to improve the educational opportunities for Indian students, and strategies that can include academic, social/emotional, cultural and other support services.  The project must involve a full-time grant coordinator, a Partnership Advisory Council to include tribal partners and extensive professional development.

Academic supports:

·      Prime Time Reading program, tribal elders read to elementary students monthly, share meal, take-home books provided
·      Success coaching by teachers for middle and high school students
·      LPS Native Youth Leadership Council
·      Tutoring for high school students
·      Summer camps at TCA and Focus Programs for students in grades 7-9
·      School-based presentations and discussions on historical trauma
 

Mental Health Interventions:

·      School based therapy for students
·      Additional telehealth-based therapy
 

Cultural advocacy:

·      Additional Native American advocate dedicated to elementary students
·      Full-time cultural specialist
·      Referrals from Ponca and Santee Sioux Tribes
·      Native Specific Restorative Circles
·      All-LPS Pow Wow
 

Desired outcomes:

·      Increase on-time graduation rate for Native students
·      Increase of Native students who are college and career ready
·      Decrease in absences, suspensions and expulsions among Native students
·      Fewer Native students identified as “at risk”
·      Increase Native student perception of school environment
 

Policy changes

Changes were approved for the following LPS policies.

Parent involvement and engagement: LPS policies were revised to match new language crafted by the U.S. Department of Education. (LPS provided a presentation on current parent engagement that included Federal Programs, Early Childhood and Community Learning Centers.) 

Recording othersLPS polices were revised to establish recording authorization requirements that better ensure the privacy and confidentiality of student information.  Recent advances in technology have made it easier to record conversations, so many individuals do not realize the risk to privacy in such recordings. Nebraska is a "one-party" consent state—meaning as long as one person knows that they are recording, it is allowed.  However, in a meeting at school at which educational records are being shared, it is important that all parties are aware of any recording, so students’ privacy can be protected and only the information that has been authorized for release can be taken from the meeting. 

Funds Management:  In an effort to create efficiency, revisions in Policy 3500 will assist with the workflow process being developed for the new Enterprise Resource Data Program (ERP) by granting the position of Director of Purchasing or designee the authority to sign contracts under $5,000.  Establishing a threshold for approval in the Purchasing Department would allow work flow to be processed more effectively and ensure appropriate staff verify the activity.  The Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs is authorized to sign contracts and agreements for the school district.  The workflow process is currently managed through paper documents in folders for signature.  Contracts and agreements at all funding thresholds are routed through the hard copy paper process.  All contracts and agreements are vetted to ensure that the appropriate administrator has approved the activity and budget authority is available for any cost.  Contracts and agreements in excess of $25,000 are approved by the Board of Education.  

Purchasing:  In an effort to create efficiency revisions in Policy 3610 will assist with the workflow process being developed for the new Enterprise Resource Data Program (ERP) by granting the position of Director of Purchasing or designee the authority to sign contracts under $5,000.  Establishing a threshold for approval in the Purchasing Department would allow work flow to be processed more effectively and ensure appropriate staff verify the activity. The Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs is authorized to sign contracts and agreements for the school district.  The workflow process is currently managed through paper documents in folders for signature.  Contracts and agreements at all funding thresholds are routed through the hard copy paper process.  All contracts and agreements are vetted to ensure that the appropriate administrator has approved the activity and budget authority is available for any cost.  Contracts and agreements in excess of $25,000 are approved by the Board of Education. 

Staff Celebration:

The Lincoln Board of Education Tuesday recognized Lincoln Public Schools business teachers who were honored with B.E.S.T. (Belong, Excel, Study and Travel) awards from the Nebraska Department of Education. 

The teachers are:  Lori Anderson-Stowe, Lincoln East High School; Jocelyn Crabtree, Lincoln Northeast High School; Jodi Gehr, Lincoln Southeast High School; Julie Hippen, Lincoln Public Schools District Office; Matt Maw, Lincoln East High School; Kim Pickering, Lincoln High School; Shannon Quible, Lincoln North Star High School; Jessica Thompson, Lincoln Southeast High School; Lindsay Tillinghast, Lincoln Southeast High School; and Deb Wolken, Lincoln Northeast High School.  

To view the entire Board meeting;
Go to: Youtube.com/user/lpsorg


Published: October 9, 2018, Updated: October 9, 2018