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We listen.
We value the voices of our students, staff, families, partners and community.
Thousands of people across our district have helped shape the work to achieve our Moonshot and build the Board of Education’s next strategic plan.
On Sept. 30, we publicly shared what we’ve done so far. This edition of Inside OPS gives you an inside look at the process. Open communication is important to us.
What makes this approach different?
For the first time in 170 years, our district earned accreditation as one unified school system—not 100 separate schools. That matters because we do better when we work as one team. Improving experiences and outcomes takes all of us, together, across every school in our community.
In my time with Omaha Public Schools, I have never seen such open, real engagement. Through the discussions featured here, we are asking thoughtful questions and listening closely to students, staff, families and community members.
We are building our plans together, not creating something in isolation and asking for feedback at the end.
This collaborative approach is more complex. It takes time. It is worth it.
If you have already taken part, thank you.
If you would like to join, another opportunity is coming in November. You can find the details below.
Improvement is a team effort. It takes every one of us.
Matthew Ray
Superintendent
Omaha Public Schools
| | Omaha Public Schools Earns Systemwide Accreditation | | |
Within the walls at King Science & Technology Middle, you’ll find a science classroom that is home to lizards, snakes, turtles and even an axolotl salamander.
“I like being at this school and this class because I get to learn more about animals,” said Iri Robinson, King Science & Technology Middle eighth grader. “And of course the teamwork that comes with it.”
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Classrooms like this demonstrate the learning that takes place throughout Omaha Public Schools. Learning that helped our district earn systemwide accreditation last spring from Cognia.
As part of that process, evaluators observed 102 classrooms and interviewed more than 400 students, staff and community members across our district.
“A team comes from all over the country, who have worked in large school districts, and they go to schools and classrooms, talk to leadership teams, parents and staff and then give us the findings of our strengths and areas of weakness,” said Susanne Cramer, Omaha Public Schools chief school improvement officer. “The rigor of the process benefits us because it helps us get better.”
School districts in Nebraska are accredited every five years. Previously, we were evaluated by individual schools. This is the first time Omaha Public Schools has gone through the process and been accredited as a single system.
“It’s important that we have a common understanding of what effectiveness is and what processes are going to drive improvement,” said Cramer. “If we’re engaging in continuous improvement, collecting evidence along the way and doing what we’re supposed to do, then there shouldn’t be any surprises.”
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King Science & Technology Middle participated in the evaluator school visits and interview process.
“This was an opportunity for an outsider to come in and provide non-biased feedback,” said Jane Laughlin, King Science & Technology Middle principal. “If we are going to improve as a district, then we need to be evaluated as one district.”
The Cognia accreditation review commended Omaha Public Schools for strong classroom management and positive learning environments across our district.
Evaluators also identified growth opportunities, such as raising academic expectations, strengthening progress monitoring and ensuring students experience consistency from school to school or classroom to classroom.
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“We want all of our students to get the same experience no matter where they’re located in our district,” said Laughlin. “And that we're educating with fidelity so that what we’re doing for our students is going to improve their performance and their livelihood in the future.”
The Cognia feedback will help shape our next strategic plan. A draft of the plan is anticipated in December 2025, with potential approval in February or March 2026.
| | Omaha Public Schools Learns Through Listening | | |
Before her class opened their textbooks, Susan Loney, Ed.D., walked around the room and greeted each student. The simple routine shows the care she believes every young person deserves when they step into her classroom.
The Druid Hill Elementary English language teacher felt the same kind of care when she was asked to participate in a focus group with Omaha Public Schools.
“I was given the premium experience of our school district’s level of care,” said Loney. “I was able to share my thoughts, experiences and hopes regarding our district’s Moonshot.”
Since December 2024, our district has met with more than 500 staff, students, parents and community members, giving them an uninterrupted space to share their experiences with Omaha Public Schools. These sessions are part of our district’s work to gather feedback as we work toward our Moonshot goal – all students reading on grade level by 2030.
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“We’re asking the big, heavy questions,” said John Crowe, Ed.D., Omaha Public Schools director of enterprise strategy and innovation. “It's a way for us to elicit feedback from our stakeholders that helps us answer the question of ‘what do you want to see from us over the next five years?’”
During a recent Board of Education workshop, staff shared that transforming literacy across our district began with listening to and honoring the stories of those who have a direct connection to our schools.
“The lived experience of those around us is so much richer than what we could come up with sitting in a room on our own,” said Crowe.
Staff host conversations using open-ended questions that encourage storytelling and personal reflection. In these conversations, leaders heard about successes and setbacks.
“My school district is listening to my insights on the challenges and opportunities I see in my role as an English teacher to help support our students’ success,” said Loney. “Involving teachers’ voices to be part of that is amazing because we're doing it in the classroom.”
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Our district has made progress moving from “random acts of improvement” toward aligned goals, behaviors and processes.
“We listen for four main reasons: to build a shared understanding of the Omaha Public Schools experience, to align our work to our stakeholders’ realities, to strengthen trust between us and those we speak to, and the number one reason is because we care,” said Crowe.
As these conversations continue, our district will apply what it has learned during the conversations to help inform our next strategic plan. The next opportunity for the public to participate is scheduled for Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. at Lewis and Clark Middle.
| | National School Lunch Week | | |
Our district is testing new recipes to keep students healthy and focused in the classroom.
"If they're not full and if they're not fed, then they don't have energy to learn," said Chef Peter Walsh. "We're not going to teach all the kids in the district to read on grade level by 2030 if they aren't well fed."
During National School Lunch Week, we’re serving up a big helping of gratitude for all our Nutrition Services staff for their hard work.
Read more about how our Nutrition Services team fuels learning across Omaha Public Schools.
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Reminder: Late Start for Improvement Day on Oct. 28
On Oct. 28, all students will begin two hours late for an Omaha Public Schools Improvement Day.
Staff will use the extra time for data-driven work to improve teaching and learning across our district. This allows teachers to collaborate and maximize each minute with students in the classroom.
The remaining Improvement Days in the 2025-26 school year are:
Find more information about Omaha Public Schools Improvement Days here.
| | Board of Education Town Halls | | |
Members of the Omaha Public Schools Board of Education have been hosting town halls this fall to connect with our community. The remaining dates are:
- Vice President Kimara Snipes
- Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025
- 6 – 7:30 p.m.
- Central High
- Bri Full
- Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025
- 10 – 11:30 a.m.
- Omaha Public Schools Teacher Administrative Center (TAC)
- Gini Magnuson
- Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025
- 6 – 7:30 p.m.
- Buffett Middle
Community members may attend any town hall, regardless of where they live within Omaha Public Schools. Visit our website for more information.
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Our district and community have resources to support students and staff, including the Safe2Help Nebraska Hotline.
Safe2Help Nebraska is a confidential and anonymous hotline for students, families, staff or community members to report concerns.
If you or someone you know needs support or would like to report a safety concern, Safe2Help Nebraska Hotline is available 24/7 at (531) 299-SAFE. The app is installed on every Omaha Public Schools iPad, providing easy and immediate access.
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More Than Hashtags – The OPSProud Podcast: October 2025
The latest episode of More Than Hashtags is here! King Elementary teacher Keairra Watson puts the science of reading to work for her second graders. Get a glimpse into her classroom as she makes building foundational skills fun for her students.
To listen to the episode, click here.
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... to Pamela Young, Bluestem Middle physical education teacher, for receiving the Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award from the Nebraska Society for Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE).
… to Deana Rainey, Northwest High English teacher, for winning the University of Nebraska Omaha Student Choice Outstanding Dual Enrollment Instructor Award.
...to Board of Education member Shavonna Holman, Ed.D., for receiving the Swanson Award for Teaching Excellence from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Education and Human Sciences.
… to the Omaha Public Schools students who qualified as semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.
… Hannah Paredes, Omaha Public Schools dual language and world language teaching and learning consultant, for receiving a Spanish Federation of Schools of Spanish as a Foreign Language award.
… to the Omaha Public Schools students who earned their Seal of Biliteracy from the Nebraska Department of Education.
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| | Omaha Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation or economic status in its programs, activities and employment and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following individual has been designated to accept allegations regarding non-discrimination policies: Superintendent of Schools, 3215 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68131 (531) 299-9822. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director for the Office of Equity and Diversity, 3215 Cuming St, Omaha, NE 68131 (531) 299-0307. | | | | |
