February 2, 2026 at 6:00 PM - Omaha Public Schools Board of Education and Educational Service Unit 19 Board Meeting
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A. OPS Board Of Education Information
Rationale:
Notice to visitors: If you wish to speak, please obtain a “Request to be Heard” form from the entry table and return the completed form to the table attendant or the Board of Education Director. The agenda will be kept current and available for public inspection in the office of the Secretary of the Board of Education at the Administrative Building during regular working hours. |
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B. Call to Order
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C. Pledge of Allegiance
Rationale:
Buena Vista High School's JROTC will present the Colors and lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
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D. OPS Vision and Mission Statement
Rationale:
The Vision: Every Student. Every Day. Prepared for Success.
The Mission: To prepare all students for success in college, career, and life. |
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E. Roll Call
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E.1. Excused/Unexcused Absence
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F. School Spotlight
Rationale:
The #OPSProud Spotlight recognizes Bluestem Middle who earned the school-wide Social Justice Trophy at the Martin Luther King Living the Dream Competition.
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G. Board and Superintendent Communications
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G.1. Treasurer
Rationale:
The Treasurer's Report for December 2025 is attached for review.
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G.2. Superintendent
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G.3. Board Members
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H. Public Comment and Recognition
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I. Consent Agenda
Rationale:
At this time, any Board member may request that any item in the consent agenda be removed from the consent agenda and be considered and voted on separately.
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I.1. Reading of Minutes
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I.1.a. Thursday, January 22, 2026 - Regular Meeting
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I.2. Approval to Accept Proposal by Miller Electric Company and Approve Contract for the Replacement of Data Cabling at Wilson Focus School, Spring of 2026 ($79,150.00)
Rationale:
FUND: 4013 General Liability Fund
PROGRAM: 2510 Business Support Services DEPT. ID: 7062100 Accounting and Finance Office SUPPLIER: Miller Electric Company POLICY: 7000, III.B, 7000, VII.A, 7000, VII.D AMOUNT: $79,150.00 Administration recommends the acceptance of the proposal submitted by Miller Electric Company and the attached contract for services for the replacement of data cabling and outlets at Wilson Focus School. The work will include all labor to remove existing CAT5 Cabling and replacing it with CAT6 cabling supplied by the District throughout the building. The existing data cabling and terminations were damaged by flooding and high humidity levels in the building caused by a water main break on July 4, 2025. The required replacement of the damaged cabling provides an opportunity to upgrade the cabling to the current District Standards. In keeping with the provisions of Policy 7000(IV), District received three proposals from suppliers qualified to install District communications cabling. The proposal received from Miller Electric Company provides the best value to the District. The total price of the accepted proposal is $79,150.00. Proposals received were:
For complete proposal documentation, contact david.fannon@ops.org.
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I.3. Approval of Amendment to District Management Group Consulting Agreement for Additional Services ($210,000.00)
Rationale:
Fund: 154 Title I Grant Fund
Fund: 174 Title I Support for Improvement Dept: 7193010 Secondary Education Administration Dept: 7192010 Elementary Education Administration Program: 1100 Regular Instruction POLICIES: 7000, V., G. AMOUNT: $210,000.00 Administration recommends approval of the District Management Group (DMGroup) Breakthrough Results Contract Amendment. The contract with DMGroup for 2025-26 school year was signed on August 4, 2025. This amendment will provide for the implementation of additional improvement science coaching cycles for attendance teams.
The cost of this amendment is $210,000.00, bringing the total cost of the contract to $1,370,000.00.
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I.4. Approval of Application for Lump Sum Settlement with the Nebraska Worker’s Compensation Court in the Matter of Grady McQueen vs. OPS
Rationale:
Administration recommends approval of the attached Application for Lump Sum Settlement with the Nebraska Worker’s Compensation Court in the matter of Grady McQueen vs. OPS. Mr. McQueen, a paraprofessional, suffered injuries to his neck and back arising out of his employment with the District when he fell backward while helping hold a student. The parties entered into negotiations and agreed upon a lump sum settlement in the amount of $180,103.92 as more fully set out in the attached settlement agreement. Upon approval by the Board, the Application for Lump Sum Settlement will be submitted to the Nebraska Worker’s Compensation Court for approval.
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I.5. Approval of Amendment to Layer Platform Software Agreement (add $37,804.80)
Rationale:
FUND: 1 General Fund
PROGRAM: 3120 Contracted Services DEPT ID: 7166500 Maintenance SUPPLIER: Layer Platform, Inc. POLICY: 7000 AMOUNT: $37,804.80 Administration recommends the approval of the attached amendment to the Layer Platform Software Solution that was approved by the Board of Education on February 8, 2024. This three-year agreement provides a solution for managing work orders and internal inventory for facility maintenance. During the 2024-2025 school year, the District transitioned the facility use request process from an outdated paper-based system to an online process utilizing Layer Software. Both building requests for added users and this additional use of the program resulted in an increase in the number of licenses being utilized. The cost of the additional 240 licenses is $37,804.80, bringing the total annual cost of Layer Software Solutions to $99,897.60. The additional licenses will be used between January 25, 2026 - January 25, 2027. All terms and conditions of the license agreement that was approved by the Board on February 8, 2024, remain in effect.
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I.6. Approval of Claims Report A - District Expenditure
Rationale:
The Board of Education is required by State Statute 79-584 to approve all expenditures of District funds. Expenditures are presented to the Board for approval in the form of a Claims Report. Claims Report A is a listing of all District expenditures and are organized and presented to the Board by which fund the expenditure is being made from (e.g. General Fund, Bond Fund, etc.).
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I.7. Approval of Claims Report B - Expenditures from Various Student Activity Funds for which the Board Serves as Custodian
Rationale:
The Board of Education is required by State Statute 79-584 to approve all expenditures of funds for which the District serves as custodian. Expenditures are presented to the Board for approval in the form of a Claims Report. Claims Report B is a listing of expenditures from the various Student Activity Funds for which the Board serves as custodian.
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I.8. Approval of Claims Report C - Expenditures on behalf of Board Members or their Related Organizations
Rationale:
Board Members are prohibited by Nebraska law from voting on items which may personally benefit them. Expenditures which may personally benefit individual Board Members are presented to the Board for approval in the form of a separate Claims Report in order to permit those Board Members to abstain from voting on items which may personally benefit them. The Board of Education is required by State Statute 79-584 to approve all expenditures of District funds. Claims Report C is a listing of expenditures that may relate to individual Board Members or Organizations that employ them.
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I.9. Approval of Claims Report D - Payroll Expenditures
Rationale:
The Board of Education is required by State Statute 79-584 to approve all expenditures of District funds. Payroll expenditures are presented to the Board for ratification in the form of a Claims Report. Claims Report D is a summary of payrolls processed and is presented by payroll and pay date.
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I.10. Approval of Claims Report E - Payroll Estimated Expenditures
Rationale:
The Board of Education is required by State Statute 79-584 to approve all expenditures of District funds. Payroll expenditures are presented to the Board for ratification in the form of a Claims Report. Claims Report E is an estimation of payrolls to be processed prior to the next Board meeting and is presented by payroll and pay date. Board authorization is requested for amounts not to exceed the totals in the Claims Report.
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I.11. Approval of Educational Service Unit No. 19 Claims - Expenditures to be Paid from Education Service Unit's Funds
Rationale:
The Board of Education serves as the Board of Educational Service Unit 19. The Board of Educational Service Unit 19 is required to approve all expenditures of District funds as well as funds for which the District serves as custodian. Expenditures are presented to the Board for approval in the form of a Claims Report. Educational Service Unit No. 19 Claims Report is a listing of all expenditures to be paid from the Education Service Unit's funds.
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I.12. Committee on Claims Audit Approval (02/02/2026)
Rationale:
State Statue 79-584 requires the Secretary to the Board of Education to audit all accounts of the Class V school district and to submit that audit to the Board of Education Audit Committee for review and approval. The objective of the audit is to obtain and review sufficient claim documentation to determine the risk of material misstatement. The audit methodology is set forth on the Claims Audit Report.
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I.13. Approval of Proposed Staffing Adjustments
Rationale:
Policy 4001 and 4035 require that the election of employees shall be by action of the Board of Education upon recommendation of the Superintendent or designee. Additionally, Policy 4008 requires that the Chief Human Resources Officer process all retirements, resignations, cancellations, contract amendments and terminations of employment making a recommendation for appropriate action to the Superintendent and Board of Education. Therefore, the District recommends the approval of the attached Staffing Adjustments.
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I.14. Approval to Purchase Thirteen (13) Multi-Passenger Vehicle Type A Collins Mini School Buses ($1,180,647.00)
Rationale:
FUND: 4070 Depreciation Fund
PROGRAM: 2510, Business Support Services DEPT: 7062100, Accounting and Finance SUPPLIER: Master’s Transportation POLICIES: 7000.V.B.: Contract Purchases AMOUNT: $1,180,647.00 Administration recommends approval of the purchase of thirteen (13) Multi-Passenger Vehicle (MPV) Type A Collins Mini School Buses to support athletics and activities at each of the District’s middle schools. These MPVs meet the new requirements of a 9-passenger vehicle, do not require a Commercial Driver’s License, and will provide flexibility at each middle school to transport smaller groups of students without the need to charter a bus. Administration is proposing to purchase the MPVs from Master’s Transportation as an exception to bidding under Board Policy 7000 V.B. (Cooperative Purchases) at a cost of $90,819.00 per vehicle. The District previously purchased similar vehicles for $89,486.00 each and believes the price difference ($1,333.00 per MPV) is reasonable given the timeframes involved. Administration has been able to secure Sales Order/Bill of Sale for the thirteen MPVs, contingent upon Board approval. Approval of this purchase authorizes the Superintendent or his designee to move forward with the contingent Sales Orders/Bills of Sale. The total cost for thirteen MPVs is $1,180,647.00.
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I.15. Approval to Purchase Updated Data Protection Equipment from Sirius Computer Solutions, LLC. ($336,179.76)
Rationale:
FUND: 1 - General Fund
PROGRAM: 1100 Regular Instruction DEPARTMENT: 7062560 - Districtwide Technology SUPPLIER: Sirius Computer Solutions, LLC. POLICIES: 7000, III. K.,7000, V. B., 7000, V. G AMOUNT: $336,179.76 Administration recommends the purchase of updated data protection equipment from Sirius Computer Solutions, LLC, to refresh the District’s primary data center backup and recovery infrastructure at the Teacher Administrative Center (TAC) and the Scott Technology Center (STC). The current data center backup and recovery equipment is over six years old and nearing the end of its serviceable life. The proposed modernization includes updated server hardware with increased performance and additional enhancements to the current data protection software. These servers protect student information systems (archived data from SASI and current Infinite Campus data), financial and administrative data (PeopleSoft), file servers, and the virtual machines running critical systems and data, store copies of data securely and rapidly restore systems in the event of failure, cyberattack, or data loss. This upgrade enhances performance, extends lifecycle support, and integrates into the current environment. The list of equipment being purchased and installed for this upgrade is included as an attachment. This purchase was not bid as the data protection upgrades are being procured through a cooperative purchase using State Contract #15332 OC., in accordance with Board Policy 7000, V.B. The total cost of this purchase ($336,179.76) includes 60 months of hardware support and associated software licensing and is within expected costs for this upgrade.
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I.16. Approval of Second Reading of Policy 1401 (Community Partnership Proposal Policy)
Rationale:
Policy 8120 stipulates the Board of Education shall cause policies and regulations to be revised as necessary. Administration will provide recommended changes to the following policy:
1401 (Community Partnership Proposal Policy) (2nd Reading)
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I.17. Approval of Surplus Inventory Items for Auction or Discard
Rationale:
Pursuant to Policy 3090, Administration recommends approval of the sale of the attached lists of items which include vehicles and miscellaneous surplus items. The sales will be held online by The Auction Mill L.L.C., public auction on February 8, 2026, through February 22, 2026, for miscellaneous surplus items, and February 15, 2026, through February 27, 2026, for surplus Nutrition Services items and vehicles. The District is selling the surplus items "AS IS" since they are no longer usable by the District.
The District will pay 10% of the gross proceeds of sale for any vehicles sold. The title transfer fee of $25.00 will be charged to the individual purchasing the vehicle. Auction Mill L.L.C. will receive 20% of the gross proceeds of the sale of miscellaneous surplus items. The Administration further requests that the Board of Education authorize the Superintendent or his designee to sign all necessary transfer documents upon payment in full by the purchasers.
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I.18. Indemnification of Mr. Matthew Ray, Mr. Glenn Mitchell, Ms. Tiffany Tate-Collins, Ms. Amy Hallam, and Mr. Michael Morris
Rationale:
Pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. 79-516, the Board of Education authorizes indemnification of Mr. Matthew Ray (Superintendent), Mr. Glenn Mitchell (Then Principal at Harrison), Ms. Tiffany Tate-Collins (Title IX Coordinator), Ms. Amy Hallam (Then Nurse at Harrison), and Mr. Michael Morris (Security Guard at Harrison) against expenses they may incur in defense of litigation filed in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.? The suit arises from a claim of discrimination filed by a former health aide of the District.? The District investigated the claims and concluded that no discrimination had occurred.? A complaint was then filed by the former health aide with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission (NEOC).? The NEOC investigated the claim and found No Reasonable Cause to believe that discrimination had occurred, but, in keeping with normal practice, the NEOC issued a Right to Sue letter to the former health aide.? Each of these individuals have been named in their capacities as employees of the District.? The Board determines that indemnification of Mr. Ray, Mr. Mitchell, Ms. Tate-Collins, Ms. Hallam and Mr. Morris is proper in the circumstances because they acted in good faith and in a manner which they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the school district.? The Board further authorizes the engagement of Baird Holm, LLP to provide the legal services related to the pending suit against the District and Mr. Ray, Mr. Mitchell, Ms. Tate-Collins, Ms. Hallam and Mr. Morris and authorizes the President to sign Joint Representation Agreements on behalf of the District with each of the individual defendants.
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J. Discussion and/or Action Items
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J.1. Information Item(s)
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J.1.a. Advanced Academics and Gifted and Talented Education Update
Rationale:
Administration will provide an update on Gifted and Talented and Advanced Academic services in the Omaha Public Schools.
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J.1.b. Budget and Audit Committee Update
Rationale:
The Chair of the Budget and Audit Committee will provide an update.
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J.1.c. Policy Committee Update
Rationale:
The Chair of the Policy Committee will provide an update.
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J.2. Action Item(s)
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J.2.a. Approval of the Report of the Legislative Committee Including Recommended Legislative Positions
Rationale:
The Legislative Committee, in keeping with the provisions of Policy 8150, recommends approval of its findings and recommendations as set forth in the attached summary of bills introduced before the Nebraska Legislature. The summary has been prepared with the assistance of Kissel Kohout ES Associates and generally includes legislation which may affect the District. The Committee continuously monitors legislative activity and may, from time to time, recommend that the Board take or update a position on a particular bill, resolution or amendment. Committee recommendations typically include one of the following: Support, Oppose, or Monitor with Research. In the absence of one of those recommendations, the Committee is recommending that the District take no position. Given the fluid nature of the legislature, the Committee may need to present new bills, resolutions or amendments, including some that may not have appeared on the bill summary, to the Board for consideration. In addition to the bill summary, the Committee, on occasion, recommends Board approval of position statements to guide the Board President and/or Superintendent when dealing with legislative debate on issues particular concern to the District that arise between Board Meetings. The Committee is recommending that the Board adopt the attached new positions which are highlighted with this report.
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K. Receipt of Reports
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K.1. Head Start Annual Report to the Public 2024-2025
Rationale:
In accordance with Performance Standards and the 2007 Head Start Act, the Board of Education will be presented with the Head Start Annual Report for Douglas County School District 001 2024-2025 school year. Head Start Act Sec. 644 (2) Each Head Start agency shall make available to the public a report published at least once in each fiscal year.
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K.2. Head Start Monthly Board Report December 2025
Rationale:
This document provides the Board of Education with monthly Head Start information regarding attendance and enrollment, meal counts, in-kind amounts, health requirements, policy council minutes, delegate reports, and program information summaries to maintain a communication structure to support oversight responsibilities as stated in Head Start Performance Standard 1301.2.
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L. Request for Closed Session
Rationale:
The Omaha 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.
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. That the Board hold a closed session: 1. For strategy session with respect to negotiations/collective bargaining clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual in compliance with the law. 2. For strategy session with respect to property/real estate matters clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual in compliance with the law.
3. For strategy session with respect to pending litigation, or litigation which is imminent as evidenced by communication of a claim or threat of litigation to or by the public body clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual in compliance with the law.
4. For discussion regarding deployment of security personnel or devices clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual in compliance with the law.
5. For investigative proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual in compliance with the law.
6. For personnel and the evaluation of job performance clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual in compliance with the law.
7. For discussions of the legal consequences of specific action and legal advice clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual in compliance with the law. |
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M. Adjournment
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