Summary of April 8, 2015 Meeting
Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Update:
Superintendent Steve Joel
Social media, interesting year, perception survey
Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel talked about the growing challenges that emerged this year:
- Dealing with the various ways parents communicate and engage these days – when they have questions or concerns about school issues – and immediately jump to social media before contacting their children’s schools.
- Dealing with serious issues of suicide.
- Dealing with second-hand accounts that teachers do not feel they have a voice.
Joel asked Council members to complete a simple perception survey with four questions about LPS educator engagement. He explained: “We would really like to know how you are feeling, we would like to hear your suggestions of what we ought to be looking at.”
Reflections of past year, future years
- Joel said he is excited about what is happening in the coming years:
- The new high school Career Academy will open in four months – in the fall of 2015 – with 17 career pathways for students, and Joel said it would be a “game changer for the Lincoln community, opening up new doors for our kids.”
- The new elementary school opens in the fall of 2016.
- The new middle school opens in the fall of 2017.
- He said growth in LPS enrollment likely would continue to be robust. “We grew by 1,200 students last year, and anticipate continued increasing numbers.”
- The school district’s major instructional strategic goal – the high school graduation rate – has continued to grow, though Joel cautioned, “we have reached a time when we are dealing with kids who traditionally have not always succeeded in school. Our district has a 40-plus percent rate for free and reduced lunches. We are a major refugee resettlement community. We have students who are homeless, incarcerated, students with high mobility…students with mental health issues.”
- Joel said LPS is expected to do well with state aid through the State Legislature this year. “I anticipate that we will be able to add some staff in high needs areas…Further down the road, the situation will become more challenging…and we will be addressing the issues of charter schools and vouchers.”
Inspiration…
“Please remember why we do what we do. This is public education and everybody contributes to the system. People in public education don’t get a pass. The tradeoff is that we teach all kids. We don’t ask about a student’s citizenship or nationality. We don’t ask about their religion. We don’t ask about gender expression. We teach them all. That’s what makes public education great…Keep fighting the battle, standing up for what we do. When we look back, we will know that we changed lives.”
Facilities Update:
Liz Standish, associate superintendent for Business Affairs
Standish offered an update on the progress of many school district projects funded through the 2014 LPS Bond Issue.
- The Career Academy – located on the Southeast Community College campus – will open in the fall of 2015 and the facility is coming along fast “with really cutting-edge things happening.”
- Wysong Elementary School will open in the fall of 2016. “We have intermediate and primary wings in this new school, and are planning small break-out spaces within learning communities…We are also planning the facility with consideration to changing technology.”
- The Bill Nuernberger Education Center will open in the fall of 2017 and will be built for “flexibility into the future…We will serve a more comprehensive group of students…We will have a multipurpose area, a gym, create a more viable school setting.”
- The new Marilyn Moore Middle School will open in the fall of 2017 – again with small breakout spaces within each learning community. “We want to create flexibility spaces that could be used for different purposes.”
- Library addition for Meadow Lane Elementary School.
- Classroom addition for Pershing Elementary School.
- Cafeteria addition at Norwood Park Elementary School.
- Extensive renovations at the Seacrest Athletic Complex, re-opening for the first football game in the fall of 2015.
- Security and technology additions throughout the school district – as well as secured entrances at schools that need those changes.
- A major construction project at Irving Middle School.
- Window replacement at Saratoga Elementary School.
- Roofing projects at some high schools.
Technology Update:
Jane Stavem, associate superintendent for Instruction
Stavem addressed what she said everyone was asking about technology: “So what’s next year going to look like at our school?”
She explained that the Technology Implementation Plan was officially approved by the Lincoln Board of Education and would move forward next year, working through a three-year cycle.
“This is a big deal, a huge undertaking for all of us – from classroom teachers to technology folks in our buildings to those buying machines to people just getting them all out of boxes. The scope is huge, and I know we will all feel stretched. It will feel different. But we will give everyone lots of support as we move along.”
Stavem explained that next year, sixth graders will all be provided with Chrome Books, and computer devices will also be provided to high school students attending the new Career Academy. “That will serve as a pilot for high school.”
- 2015: Devices in the hands of all sixth graders; pilot for high school students at the new Career Academy
- 2016: Devices in the hands of all third, fourth and fifth graders, seventh graders and students at two high schools (the decision has NOT been made about which high schools)
- 2017: Devices in the hands of all eighth graders, and for students at four remaining high schools; tablets in K-2 classrooms
- 2018: Begin a rotation of refreshing devices every three years.
“The coolest thing is that you’re all here when it happened,” Stavem said. “You can say that. You can look back and remember how this changed everything in education. You will open up a world of opportunities of instruction for our students.”
Comments, questions from Teacher Advisory Council members
Question: I am really afraid that our kids are getting weary of testing. We give them weekly tests for reading, chapter tests for math, and I’m afraid when we get to these last tests for NeSA that they are test weary…I worry about the scores.
Answer from Joel: “We are watching that closely. I know there are many concerns about that. Please, if you have suggestions, thoughts about this – let us know.”
Question: Looking at NeSA going forward, we are really struggling with connectivity right now…I’m afraid kids and teachers are getting frustrated.
Answer from Leslie Eastman, director of Evaluation and Assessment: “We are looking at several ways to ease this issue. We are looking at pacing, adding more access points to carts. We know this is a short-term solution, but we will solve this issue in the next few years.”
Eastman urged anyone having connectivity problems during NeSA testing to report the issue to the LPS Help Desk so all issues are documented.
Question: Are there any plans for a new LPS high school?
Answer from Standish: “We know that the bubble of students now in middle school will be hitting high schools soon, and we are seeing considerable growth. But we will be closely watching what happens at the new Career Academy, because I think that kind of specialized rigor, and relevant experience is where high schools are headed. Instead of looking at a more comprehensive seventh high school, we will be watching to see if we can possibly relieve student growth through more specialized programs.”
Question: Lincoln North Star High School classrooms are full right now – is there any help coming soon?
Answer from Standish: “Your leadership team has submitted some possible solutions and we are reviewing those right now. I think we can make some helpful adjustments. We will be looking at the master schedule. We know we will reduce computer labs, and possibly could use those spaces. We are well aware of your challenges.”
Updated October 21, 2015
