November: LPS Community High School Task Force at Southeast

The Lincoln Public Schools Community High School Task Force held its third meeting on Thursday at Lincoln Southeast High School and continued committee work to study high school enrollment, priorities and facilities.   

Liz Standish, associate superintendent for Business Affairs, who is facilitating the Task Force, took a moment to describe the role and process for the work of the Task Force. 

“This Task Force represents the very beginning of a community conversation – you are bringing the important issues to the surface – your work is directional,” Standish explained.

This group might answer questions such as:

  •       What are some of the key areas the school district should study?
  •       What are the recommendations that the school district should explore further and vet?
  •       What are some of the guiding principles the school district should keep in mind as we refine a high school recommendation? 

She outlined the probable calendar of events that will follow the Task Force work:  

  •   The Task Force will make recommendations – then the Board of Education and the superintendent will take topics to the broader community, research ideas, conduct surveys and further study.
  •  The past model for LPS includes a Superintendent’s Facility Advisory Committee – with subcommittees – and it is likely that a similar group would form and include a committee on high school.
  •  The Board of Education will evaluate Advisory Committee suggestions matching recommendations to resources available, setting priorities, etc.

The Task Force – made up of about 70 community citizens and LPS educators – was formed to investigate community options and priorities for serving high school students.  They will meet monthly throughout this school year at all six public high schools, and will make recommendations to the superintendent by May, 2018.

On Thursday, the Task Force continued to work in four subcommittees and discuss specific discussion topics. 

  • Subcommittee on Focus Programs/Innovative Delivery:

o   Question: What should be the driving purpose for adding new Focus Program opportunities?

o   Question: What percent of high school students do we believe will leave the traditional high school setting for Focus/Innovative Programs?

o   Question: What types of programs need to be developed?  Where should they be housed?

  • Subcommittee on Traditional High School/School Size

o   Question: What does a class A high school facility include compared to a Class B high school facility?

o   Question: What features should a high school include? 

  • Subcommittee on City Growth/Capacity Needs.

o   Question: How much additional capacity will we need? By Quadrant?

  • Subcommittee on Community/Student/Diversity

o   Question: How will we define equitable?

o   Question: How will we define diversity?

o   Question: Why is this an important discussion in considering a new high school or focus programs?

o   Question: How can a specialized program be equitable?  What features need to be included?

o   Question: How can a specialized program be diverse?  What features need to be included?

Last year, LPS served 11,677 high school students, and by 2021, LPS is expected to have 13,344 high school students.  Last year three high schools had enrollments of more than 2,000 students: Lincoln North Star High School, Lincoln Southeast High School and Lincoln High School – and this year Lincoln East High School joined that list. 

Task Force Co-Chairs:

  •       Gloria Eddins
  •       Bob Rauner

Task Force meetings:

Date

Location

Time

September 28th, 2017

East High School

1000 S. 70th Street

Meeting 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Optional Tour at 3:30 p.m.

October 26th, 2017

North Star High School

5801 N. 33rd Street

Meeting 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Optional Tour at 3:30 p.m.

November 30th, 2017

Southeast High School

2930 S. 37th Street

Meeting 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Optional Tour at 3:30 p.m.

January 25th, 2018

Lincoln High School

2229 J Street

Meeting 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Optional Tour at 3:30 p.m.

February 22nd, 2018

Southwest High School

7001 S. 14th Street

Meeting 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Optional Tour at 3:30 p.m.

March 22, 2018

Northeast High School

2635 N. 63rd Street

Meeting 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Optional Tour at 3:30 p.m.

 


Published: November 30, 2017, Updated: November 30, 2017