Every Student Counts

The Lincoln Board of Education has announced the names of four finalists for the position of superintendent of Lincoln Public Schools.

https://home.lps.org/superintendent/2022/01/25/lincoln-board-of-education-announces-finalists-for-superintendent/

The four finalists are:

-- Paul Gausman, Superintendent for Sioux City Community School District in Sioux City, Iowa.

-- Peter Licata, South Regional Superintendent for the Palm Beach County School District in Boca Raton, Florida.

-- Jami Jo Thompson, Superintendent for Norfolk Public Schools in Norfolk, Nebraska.

-- Antwan Wilson, Assistant Professor for Nebraska Wesleyan University, in Lincoln Nebraska, and Chief Executive Officer of Schoolwise Educational Consulting.

Please be aware of this new petition drive. It would mean the director of education would become a political appointee of the Governor and would replace the State Board of Education.

Learn about the full impact of this idea and understand who is behind it before you decide to sign.

Petition drive aims to eliminate Nebraska Board of Education, give governor K-12 oversight A petition drive is underway that would replace the State Board of Education, education commissioner and Nebraska Department of Education with a new Office of Education accountable to the governor.

Important information was we prepare for the upcoming legislative session. And the continued push to take money from public schools to fund private education.

How School Choice Becomes School’s Choice In a new book, Kevin Welner and Wagma Mommandi lay out the ways that charter schools control access and shape enrollment.

Parts of South Lincoln are now part of this District for the State Board of Education. We need people who believe in the power of public education to apply for this open seat. One State Senator has recommended Matt Innis. Mr. Innis supports abolishing the Department of Education. He also ran against Ben Sasse for Senate because he wasnt loyal enough to Trump.

There are still two days to submit your application for consideration.

Gov. Ricketts Seeks Applicants to Represent District 5 on the State Board of Education Media Contacts: Taylor Gage, 402-471-1970 Justin Pinkerman, 402-471-1967 Media Release: Gov. Ricketts Seeks Applicants to Represent District 5 on the State Board of Education LINCOLN – Today, Governor Pete Ricketts announced that he is seeking qualified applicants to fill the vacancy representing ...

Children's Hospital & Medical Center strongly recommends that all students and staff members mask up in school settings this fall and that eligible individuals ages 12 and up get vaccinated against COVID-19. In this back-to-school video message shared with school leaders and via social media, Melissa St. Germain, M.D., vice president and medical director of Children’s Physicians and Urgent Care, shares these recommendations and other reminders to ensure a safe, healthy return to the classroom.

Back to School & Your Student's Health We want students to have a safe, healthy school year and benefit from in-person learning. Pediatrician Dr. Melissa St. Germain shares some key steps to ensur...

If you have been following the media coverage of recent LPS Board meetings, there has been a small group of anti-maskers drawing attention for their demands. Because of threats and the potential for violence, security has been enhanced for public meetings.

Could you please consider helping show support for the health and safety protocols developed for LPS? We are all disappointed that COVID-19 is still spreading and that masks will be needed again this school year.

However, the success of stopping in school transmissions last year can give us all hope that students can been in their classrooms this year with masks, social distancing, and frequent hand washing.

It's time for parents, grandparents, community members, and students themselves to stand up and speak out. If you can, please make plans to attend the next school board meeting on August 24. The meeting will begin at 6pm but sign in for addressing the board during public comment begins at 5. Just show up at 5905 O Street and sign up to speak. There are time limits for each speaker. Public comment will last for one hour, and then will continue again at 7:45pm following other business.

If you would like to contact Board members directly, their email addresses are located here: https://home.lps.org/board. Dr. Joel's email is also listed on that page.

Please share with your friends the importance of supporting the decisions of the Board. They are consulting with medical experts and working closely with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Health Department, the City of Lincoln, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

This is not the time for anti-science, conspiracy theories, or internet based self-research for answers.

Thanks!!

LPS Lincoln Board of Education | Home The Lincoln Board of Education is committed to providing the highest quality education for all students in Lincoln Public Schools. The Board sees the primary mission of the schools to be the development of responsible adults:

Please read, share and take action.
Lincoln just voted to support our incredible public school system, so let’s keep the momentum going!

CALL TO ACTION: We need your help to stop the attacks on Nebraska's public schools.

In recent days, elected officials and national privatization organizations have ramped up their efforts to dismantle public education in Nebraska. We expect this to continue until LB 1202 has its hearing next Wednesday, February 19, at 1:30 PM.

- LB 1202 is a scholarship tax credit bill that would cost $10 million annually. Those dollars will benefit wealthy corporate and individual donors at the expense of our state's general fund and the critical programs and services, like education, it funds. Furthermore, LB 1202 ties eligibility to the receipt of SNAP benefits and therefore effectively includes a work requirement for parents.

- In addition, LB 1202 doesn't protect students from discrimination based on religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or any criteria other than race. Unlike public schools, whose doors are open to all, private and parochial schools are also not required to provide transportation or special education services and can cherry-pick which students receive scholarships and admission. We don't believe taxpayer dollars should be used to support educational models that do not serve all children.

- Despite the privatizers' claims, the research is very clear: Other states with these scholarship tax credit programs do not see any savings or improved academic outcomes, and the majority of scholarship recipients are not students "trapped in failing government schools," as President Trump suggested, but rather students who were already attending (or planning to attend) private school without state aid.

HOW TO HELP: Email the Senators on the Revenue Committee and urge them to oppose LB 1202. Copy and paste their addresses here:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Let's work together to keep tax dollars supporting public schools in Nebraska!

New Report: Charter Fraud And Waste Worse Than We Thought "We have concluded that the practice of allowing unauthorized schools to receive funds, which has been in effect since 2001, has become a magnet for grifters, consultants and charter entrepreneurs who see an easy way to cash in."

Please share this page and encourage others to like so that they will have access to information about the upcoming Lincoln school bond AND bills to follow in the upcoming legislative session. A new group has been formed to advance legislation that will have a negative impact on our great public schools and it will be important to have accurate information shared about protecting funding for public schools that are succeeding every day in educating ALL students.