Return to OPS School Board meeting
Live reporting by Anthony J. Zarzycki
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Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ

Hi, I’ll be livetweeting today’s Omaha Public Schools Board of Education @OmahaPubSchool Meeting for #OMAdocumenters @oma_documenters!

The room is about a โ…’-full with attendees. I use #OmahaEd so folks interested in Omaha education can find my tweets, hope you use it too! https://t.co/FU2AEeQjq5

05:50 PM Jun 22, 2023 CDT

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 2/23

@OmahaPubSchool @oma_documenters Guest wifi is currently downโ€”@oma_documenters, reporters, and Boardmembers alike are having difficulties connecting to the Internet. What the modern era giveth, the modern era taketh away.

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 3/23

@OmahaPubSchool @oma_documenters President Head @spencer_head, in opening the meeting, announced that Board meetings from October to December will take place at @OPS_NorthHigh. https://t.co/TD3Ts1dSLV

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 4/23

@OmahaPubSchool @oma_documenters @Spencer_Head @OPS_NorthHigh Roll call. All present except for Vice President Smith and Holman
@DrShavonna. Head says both provided an excuse to the Board.

Erdenberger moves to excuse Holman, @advocacybri seconds. Carries 7-0.

Casady moves to excuse Smith, Juarez seconds. Carries 7-0.

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 5/23

Attendance Report:
1. Smith 11/12, 92%
2. Full 11/12, 92%
3. Thielen 12/12, 100%
4. Holman @DrShavonna 11/12, 92%
5. Head @Spencer_Head 11/12, 92%
6. Kratky 10/12, 83%
7. Erdenberger 12/12, 100%
8. Juarez 10/12, 83%
9. Casady @trcasadyops 11/12, 92%

All excused.

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 6/23

@DrShavonna @Spencer_Head @trcasadyops Next, Board communications.

Erdenberger highlights consent agenda items H8, a $6,981,300 construction bid for a Benson High @OPS_BensonHigh addition, and H15, a $1,500,000 bid for call center services. https://t.co/cKb5fe38Y1

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 7/23

@DrShavonna @Spencer_Head @trcasadyops @OPS_BensonHigh President Head @Spencer_Head reads from a prepared statement regarding the report about mismanaged retirement funds. He says employee contributions were not affected and communications went out to parents.

News ยป https://www.ketv.com/amp/article/nebraska-state-auditor-retirement-funds-omaha-public-schools-mismanaged/44301799 https://t.co/t6iPzSky2o

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 8/23

@DrShavonna @Spencer_Head @trcasadyops @OPS_BensonHigh Next: Public Comment.

Suzanne Watson is speaking on behalf of @StopTheBleed, asking the Board to allow time to train staff for emergency medical training in events such as mass shootings. https://t.co/55x6yF3eDN

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 9/23

@DrShavonna @Spencer_Head @trcasadyops @OPS_BensonHigh @StopTheBleed Jim Vecchio oversees the non-profit Nebraska Center for Workforce Development and Education @NEWorkforce. He says his group’s T.O.O.L.S. program works with high school students to train them in trades. Asks the Board to continue the funding for their program. https://t.co/aOQAAlZ6j3

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 10/23

@DrShavonna @Spencer_Head @trcasadyops @OPS_BensonHigh @StopTheBleed @NEWorkforce Ron Kaminski @Rlkaminski with Omaha Building, Construction, and Trades Council. Says they’re relying on out-of-state labor because not enough students are being trained. Hopes their partnership with OPS continues. Quote: “everything big in Omaha you’ve seen, our members built.” https://t.co/mGW13wT3S5

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 11/23

@DrShavonna @Spencer_Head @trcasadyops @OPS_BensonHigh @StopTheBleed @NEWorkforce @Rlkaminski Sheriff Aaron Hansen @DCSheriffNE says schools need more skilled trade exposure.

I am tagging the Douglas County Sheriff account instead of his personal account as he presented his position and is uniform, so for intents and purposes, I believe he spoke in his official capacity. https://t.co/7bunqksMB6

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 12/23

@DrShavonna @Spencer_Head @trcasadyops @OPS_BensonHigh @StopTheBleed @NEWorkforce @Rlkaminski @DCSheriffNE Next: Consent Agenda.

Casady @trcasadyops exempts herself from item H18. Passes 7-0 with one exemption on item H18. https://t.co/OfpfX9JCxF

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 13/23

@DrShavonna @Spencer_Head @trcasadyops @OPS_BensonHigh @StopTheBleed @NEWorkforce @Rlkaminski @DCSheriffNE The Consent Agenda is the quickest item to pass but contains millions of dollars of funding. Here’s what’s in it: https://t.co/loUD2NuZhV

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 14/23

@DrShavonna @Spencer_Head @trcasadyops @OPS_BensonHigh @StopTheBleed @NEWorkforce @Rlkaminski @DCSheriffNE Thielen presents the Policy Committee update and moves to accept the four changes that are in second reading. Full @advocacybri asks about Thielen to summarize the changes to academic coaching, asking if it’s paid or volunteer. https://t.co/29ORLX1Yfi

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 15/23

Staff says those who do academic coaching are paid, Thielen adds that this policy streamlines the labeling of that position. https://t.co/sNRPMHJUq5

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 16/23

Full @advocacybri asked how many students in pre-K to 2nd grade have been expelled as state law now prevents students in those grades from being expelled.

News ยป https://www.wowt.com/2023/03/08/nebraska-bill-aims-prohibit-suspension-preschoolers-early-grades/

Thielen said he’s been looking for an answer and will provide it when he finds out. https://t.co/dlj7u8r2CZ

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 17/23

@advocacybri Kratky says as a former teacher, nobody wants to suspend these students, but the skills to train some students to be in a classroom might not be available at OPS. Mentions students with scissors.

Thielen clarifies to Kratky that violent behavior is an exemption in the bill. https://t.co/BK7VBtCYz7

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 18/23

@advocacybri Full @advocacybri asks what guidelines there are to the individual behavioral adjustments required. Anne MacFarland answers that the “systemic plan for implementing” is being fleshed out but the requirement and language in the second reading is required by statute. https://t.co/OybTMhhGFa

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 19/23

@advocacybri Vote to accept the second reading of policies passes 7-0.

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 20/23

@advocacybri The Board revisited the Consent Agenda as Anne MacFarland explains that they did not motion correctly. Thielen motions to accept the Consent Agenda, Erdenberger seconds, Board votes same 7-0.

https://twitter.com/anthonyzarzycki/status/1672023584108052481?s=20

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 21/23

@advocacybri Casady @trcasadyops motions to move into executive session, Juarez seconds. Passes 7-0. That will be all the business tonight!

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 22/23

@advocacybri @trcasadyops While we wait for the OPS Board to come back to adjourn, you can get meeting coverage from other public bodies across Omaha emailed to your inbox with the Omaha Documenters newsletter!

https://oinj.org/newsletter

Anthony J. Zarzycki ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ @anthonyzarzycki 23/23

Meeting adjourned at 7:02 p.m. This concludes the Omaha Public Schools (@OmahaPubSchool) Board of Education meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for July 17, 2023. For more meeting coverage, check out http://documenters.org.