Highlights of 4/23 Lincoln Board of Education Meeting

 

Highlights of 4/23 Lincoln Board of Education Meeting

 

The Lincoln Board of Education held a regular meeting on Tuesday, April 23, 2019, at Lincoln Public Schools District Office, 5905 O St.  The Board will hold its next meeting on May 14, 2019.

Evaluation and Proposed Compensation for the Superintendent of Schools

The Lincoln Board of Education annually evaluates and reviews the contract of the Superintendent of Schools, and Tuesday the Board recommended that Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel’s contract be extended with a proposed compensation increase.

The recommended salary for the superintendent for the 2019-20 year would be: $329,539. That amount represents a salary increase of 1.35 percent – and a total salary package increase of 1.53 percent.

The Board will take a final vote – and the Superintendent’s full evaluation will be presented – at the May 14 Board meeting.

Proposed contracts, salaries for superintendent’s exec team 
The Board of Education also annually reviews the contracts of the superintendent’s executive team, and this year it is recommended that the proposed two-year contract for each of the three Associate Superintendents and the Assistant Superintendent be extended for one year to June 30, 2021. In addition, it is recommended that a total salary increase of 2.06 percent – an overall total package increase of 2.26 percent – be approved for this group for 2019-20.  

Included in the total package increase for each of the three Associate Superintendents and the Assistant Superintendent are additional district costs including the district’s contributions to health insurance, state retirement and Social Security.

Annual salary proposals:

  • Matt Larson, associate superintendent for Instruction: $209.400
  • Liz Standish, associate superintendent for Business Affairs: $219,259
  • Eric Weber, associate superintendent for Human Resources: $219,259
  • John Neal, assistant superintendent for General Administration and Governmental Relations: $214,925

The Board will take a final vote at the May 14 Board meeting.

Indian Education Program

The Board considered submission of the required application of the Indian Education grant to the U.S. Department of Education for $139,941.  The LPS Indian Education program would provide support to Native American students in grades PK-12 in the 2019-20 school year. Native American students are enrolled in all schools across the district representing about 60 tribes as designated by the parent. Decisions regarding the use of these funds are made in consultation with the Native American Advisory Committee.  

The U.S. Department of Education through Title VI of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides funds to fulfill the federal government’s responsibility to the Indian people for the education of Indian children. These funds support the goal of ensuring programs that serve Indian children are of the highest quality and provide for not only the basic elementary and secondary educational needs but also the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of these children.

LPS has received federal funds for services for Native American students since the mid-1980’s. Grant award amounts vary according to the total amount of Indian Education funds available at the federal level and are not based only on the number of students. This table reflects student count and the grant award amount in recent years. 

School Year

Student Number

Amount Awarded

2013-14

568

$137,006

2014-15

553

$133,660

2015-16

606

$148,737

2016-17

611

$146,179

2017-18

585

$138,292

2018-18

572

$151,709

2019-20

*526

$139,941

*Indicates count from December 2018 submitted with current grant request.

The Board will take a final vote at the May 14 Board meeting. 

Kloefkorn roofing repair

The Board heard a recommended bid of just over $1 million from Sprague Roofing Co., of Lincoln, to conduct roof repair at Kloefkorn Elementary School.  The damage was the result of a hail storm and is covered fully by insurance. 

The Board will take a final vote at the May 14 Board meeting.

Wheelchair School Buses

The Board heard a proposal to purchase seven wheelchair school buses with three-point safety belts for use by the Transportation Department – at a total expenditure of $798,646.

The proposal recommended buying six wheelchair school buses – at a cost of $116,620 per bus from Cornhusker International Trucking – as well as buying one gasoline bus at a cost of $98,926 from Nebraska Central Equipment.

The Board will take a final vote at the May 14 Board meeting.

Bids on commodities approved

Bids of more than $1 million were approved Tuesday to purchase nutrition items that include mozzarella cheese, barrel cheese and bulk chicken.

Purchases will be:

  • Nardone Brothers Baking Co. (Hanover, Pennsylvania): $388,382.70
  • Land O’ Lakes, Inc. (Arden Hills, Minnesota): 102,427.70
  • TysonFood, Inc. (Springdale Arkansas): 529,701.00

Student  Celebration

For the April Student Celebration, Lincoln Public Schools took a closer look at the 2017 Nebraska College and Career Ready Science Standards, and what that actually looks like for science instruction inside our classrooms.  Presenters were:

  • James Blake, K-12 science curriculum specialist for Lincoln Public Schools.
  • Jessica Wehner and Keith Swift, Schoo Middle School Science teachers.
  • Evelyn Vesley and Hayden Nagel, Schoo 8th grade students. 

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


Published: April 23, 2019, Updated: April 23, 2019