Highlights of 2/22 Lincoln Board of Education Meeting

The Lincoln Board of Education met for a regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at the Lincoln Public Schools District Office, 5905 O St. 

Special Reports, Presentations and Celebrations of Success

Selection of New Superintendent

The Board waived second reading and voted 7-0 to appoint Paul Gausman as the next superintendent for Lincoln Public Schools. The announcement comes after a four-month long national search process that included an extensive recruiting and thorough background check process led by search firm Hazard, Young and Associates. Gausman will replace Steve Joel, who announced his retirement in September 2021. Gausman has been the superintendent for Sioux City Community School District since 2014, during which time the school district has seen significant gains in academic achievement and the graduation rate.

Board members praised all four of the finalists, which also included Peter Licata, south regional superintendent for the Palm Beach County School District in Boca Raton, Fla.; Jami Jo Thompson, superintendent for Norfolk Public Schools in Norfolk, Neb.; and Antwan Wilson, assistant professor for Nebraska Wesleyan University and chief executive officer of Schoolwise Educational Consulting.

Board members had the following to say about Gausman and their decision to vote in favor of him being the next LPS superintendent:

Board Vice President Don Mayhew: “For me, Dr. Gausman rose to the top of a very talented field. His experience, his relevance, his vision is compelling…he told us he has spent his career preparing for this job.”

Board member Barb Baier: “Dr. Paul Gausman is the one who stood out for me. He has a long-term superintendency in Iowa. He embraces our core beliefs as a school district and community with ‘all means all.’ I was particularly impressed that he valued the arts as much as he does STEM education and bringing that into the schools.”

Board member Bob Rauner: “One, I was looking for someone with a track record of success at the superintendent for a five- to seven-year tenure. I think that’s the amount of time it really takes to make an impact on an organization. I wanted to see someone who had done that and he had. I also liked his track record of bringing together multiple community partners.”

Board member Kathy Danek: “His first year teaching was in the music department at Lincoln Northeast. His background in fine arts gives a unique perspective on fine-tuning a musical performance and the work it takes to get it perfect - that focus has guided his work as a superintendent, where you are never satisfied with a song, but rather can the entire band play it while marching in the rain and still sound stellar.”

Board member Lanny Boswell: “During his tenure as superintendent of Sioux City Community Schools, their graduation rate has increased from 79 percent to nearly 90 percent…During the interview process he engaged well with students, staff and community members and he’s indicated he will continue that engagement with a 90-day transition plan leading into a strategic planning process.”

Board member Annie Mumgaard: “ I can see that Dr. Gausman has the teaching muscle, and administrative experience to work well with LPS. He has a core belief in public education, equity, and in students. And he has potential, as no job is static. It is for these reasons I can support this motion for Dr. Paul Gausman as the next superintendent.”

Board President Connie Duncan: “He came to the interview very prepared. He is a leader that will have strong community ties. One comment I read from an employee is that he will respect and value all employees of the school district…He has experience in a diverse community. Listening to my colleagues, Mr. Gausman stands out as a strong candidate.”

Gausman’s official start date is July 1, 2022, but will be engaging with the Lincoln community in various ways before then. You can read more about Gausman’s history and accomplishments here.

Honoring Staff

The Board frequently honors staff who win state or national awards with formal resolutions. On Tuesday, the Board recognized Lincoln North Star High School biology teacher Tracie Chapo for being named 2021 Nebraska Teacher of the Year by the Air Force Association.

Pandemic Update

Board member Bob Rauner provided an update on the current community numbers regarding COVID-19. 

Association Superintendent for Business Affairs Liz Standish also provided information to the Board regarding the first school day since the change in face covering requirements for all school buildings.

First Reading

Everett Indoor Air Quality Construction Project

LPS recently received bids to provide Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) construction of the Everett Elementary School IAQ project. It’s recommended that the lowest bid be accepted for the project: BIC Construction LLC (Lincoln) for $15,735,000.             
                                                                                 
There were two other bidders:

Sampson Construction Co. Inc. (Lincoln) - $15,995,000
Hausmann Construction Inc. (Lincoln) - $16,279,000

These funds will come from the 2020 Bond Fund and other appropriate building funds. The Board waived second reading and voted to approve the project.

Ethernet Network Switches

It was recommended the school district accept a bid of $1,022,250.72 from Datavizion LLC (Lincoln) for the purchase of wired network switches. Network switch equipment serves as the wired connectivity backbone in all LPS buildings. It aggregates connections from the school district’s Voice-Over-IP (VoIP) phones, surveillance cameras, access control and HVAC equipment, and wireless access points that in turn support connections to fixed, portable and mobile Wi-Fi devices. This would be paid for through the 2020 Bond Fund and general funds.

The Board waived second reading and voted to approve the proposal.

Budget Calendar for the 2022-23 Budget

The Board on Tuesday was presented with the 2022-23 budget calendar, which includes the following:

• Budget work session June 28, 2022
• Community presentations and public forums in June and July
• Preliminary budget available Aug. 23, 2022
• Publication of the budget hearing date Sept. 18, 2022
• Join public hearing with other city and county entities Sept. 19-23, 2022
• Public hearing/budget forum Sept. 26, 2022
• Budget approval Sept. 27, 2022

More information about the budget process will be available soon on the LPS website.

Public Comment

There were eight citizens who addressed the Board during the first public comment period. You can view their comments as part of the full meeting video here.

Glimpses of LPS

We open every Board meeting with a video that highlights the amazing things taking place in our school district. Tuesday’s video featured the 34th Annual LPS Spelling Bee, which was held Feb. 12 at Culler Middle School. 

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