Feb. 7, 2023

Following each Board of Education meeting, the Office of District Communications recaps the board meeting in the Board Digest.

The #OPSProud Spotlight recognized students who recently earned honors from the Nebraska Chapter of the International Thespian Society.

Approval of the Report of the Legislative Committee Including Recommended Legislative Positions

The Board Legislative Committee updated the Board regarding where bills are currently in the Nebraska Legislature.

The committee provided recommendations for bills based on their potential impact on Omaha Public Schools. The Board approved the recommended positions.

The Board Legislative Committee will continue to monitor bills and will review any adjustments. As adjustments to bills are made, the Omaha Public Schools position may also change.

College & Career Academies and Pathways Update from Northwest High

Northwest High staff and student representatives provided an update on their implementation of College & Career Academies and Pathways. The team shared an overview of each of their pathways and student opportunities.

Freshman Academy

Each student at Northwest High begins their high school career in Freshman Academy. Students are grouped into three "houses" or teams. The houses compete against each other, host spirit days and build a strong foundation for students' connection to high school. Since implementation last year, freshman students on track to graduate have increased by nearly 15%. There has also been an increase in participation in extra-curricular activities.

During Freshman Academy, students choose a pathway among these overarching areas of study:

• Emergency Response
• Public and Community Service, or
• Legal Studies

Northwest High is working towards dual enrollment courses and industry certifications in each pathway. Seventy-one students in the Energy Systems Technology Pathway recently received their OSHA cards. A group of these students attended the meeting and shared their hands-on experiences and opportunities provided through their pathway.

In addition to their pathways, Northwest High has partnered with Metro Community College (MCC) to offer the Early College program, which will launch in fall 2023. Students who enter the program as a freshman can earn a Liberal Arts Transfer Associate of Arts Degree along with their high school diploma. The MCC degree helps students build a strong foundation and develop critical thinking skills as they prepare for a four-year degree. There is no cost to students in the Early College program.

Academic Support and Tutoring Update

As part of our district's commitment to supporting students with unfinished learning, our district is providing expanded Academic Tutoring and Support options for young people. Students and families can receive academic support in three ways: from school staff (school based in-person), through

work with community partners (community based in-person) and online on-demand services. This is one of many ways Omaha Public Schools is using federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds for student achievement.

Executive Director of School Improvement Susanne Cramer provided an update to the Board on the implementation of the three avenues of support for students and families.

Online Tutoring

School liaisons have been trained on our online tutoring platform with Paper. They are now demonstrating the tool with students. The goal is that each student will receive a demonstration by Friday, Feb. 10. Staff will work with students to use the tool at least four times at school.

Through online tutoring with Paper, students in grades 3-12 have access to:

• 1:1 live chat tutoring sessions with experts
• Support in 200 subjects
• Available in English, Spanish, French and Mandarin
• Expert review of written work (essays, creative writing, poetry, lab reports)
• Hundreds of resources and activities for families to support students at home
• Interactive shows and activities to expand learning beyond the classroom

Students can access online tutoring seven days a week via the Clever dashboard on their iPad until 11 p.m. at no cost to them. Families will receive communication next week once all schools have had an opportunity to demonstrate the tool.

Community Based Tutoring

Our district is working with Omaha Public Schools Foundation and Collective for Youth to provide tutoring at community based after-school programs. Our partners continue to hire, and our staff is working to onboard tutors.

School Based In-Person Tutoring

Students began taking advantage of expanded in-person tutoring in September. Staff has worked with families to identify students who may benefit from the additional support. Nearly 11,500 hours of in-person tutoring have been logged as of Jan. 20.

Families with questions regarding Academic Support and Tutoring should reach out to their child's school.

Next Omaha Public Schools Board of Education Meeting

The next regularly scheduled Board Meeting is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 22, 2023. It is tentatively scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

Board of Education Agenda

To review previous Board of Education agendas, click here. If you have trouble accessing direct links, please access the entire Board of Education Agenda to view presentations and other documents.

How Can I Watch a Previous Board of Education Meeting?

The video from the meeting will be available by Wednesday at noon following the meeting. The video can be viewed by clicking here.