A year after deferring a raise, Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel would see an almost $5,000 pay increase as part of a proposed contract under consideration by the Lincoln Board of Education.
Joel's annual base salary would jump to $334,515 — a 1.51% increase — under a new three-year contract, which the board is expected to approve at its May 11 meeting.
Joel, who joined LPS in 2010, would continue to receive 15 days of paid leave for professional and consulting work, in addition to the vacation and sick leave parameters for all LPS administrators. The district would also continue to pay for the superintendent's $250,000 life insurance policy.
Joel’s total compensation package, which includes salaries and benefits, would increase by $6,084 to $391,638.
The proposed contract comes with a glowing evaluation of the superintendent and his work navigating the coronavirus pandemic and last year's social unrest. Board members credited Joel for his work in helping draft a pandemic response plan as schools went remote while also dealing with budgetary concerns.
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"Dr. Joel was exactly the right leader at the right time to bring us through this situation successfully," board member Don Mayhew said in the superintendent's appraisal.
The board identified strengthening equity, diversity and inclusion in the evaluation as a goal for the superintendent to pursue in the upcoming year.
Board members also will consider new contracts for Joel's top executives, which would come with the same 1.51% salary increase for next year. That's slightly lower than the 1.53% increase approved for teachers in the district.
In 2020, Joel and his executive team turned down raises even as the pandemic introduced novel challenges to running the district. He recalled coordinating with his team when the district shut down school last March, having to meet on Zoom to make those decisions instead of in person.
Now, with a post-pandemic world on the horizon, Joel said he is grateful for his team's work in those early stages.
“There was never once where we thought this is what we would be rounding past,†Joel said.
Board member Barb Baier also praised Joel and the executive team, noting the long days district workers put in when the pandemic unfurled.
“This has been a really, really rough year,†she said.
Here are the proposed salaries for the executive team in 2021-22:
* $222,570 for Liz Standish, associate superintendent for business affairs, and Eric Weber, associate superintendent of human resources.
* $218,170 for John Neal, associate superintendent for general administration and governmental relations.
* $212,562 for Matt Larson, associate superintendent of instruction.
Voter's Guide: Lincoln Board of Education candidates
Four incumbents seek reelection to Lincoln Board of Education; two unopposed
All four Lincoln Board of Education incumbents whose seats are on the May 4 election ballot are seeking reelection. Two of the incumbents have challengers.
Districts 1, 3 and 5 and 7 are on the general election ballot.
Seven board members, each representing a different district based on a geographic location, sit on the school board. Each board member is elected to a four-year term in the nonpartisan race. The board is responsible for setting district policy and for hiring and overseeing the superintendent.
School board members are not paid.
In District 1, Kathy Danek, who is running for her sixth term, is a registered Democrat in the officially nonpartisan race. She has represented District 1 in northeast Lincoln since 2001 and has served as president of the board five times.
Challenging her is Republican Christina Campbell, a licensed insurance provider who works for state Sen. Mike Groene, who has served as chair of the Legislature's Education Committee.
In the primary, Danek received 2,317 votes to Campbell's 2,174 votes. Democrat Colette Yellow Robe, a third challenger, got 1,161.
Lincoln Board of Education member Don Mayhew, who is seeking his sixth term to represent District 7 in southwest Lincoln, faces one challenger, Michael Patestas.
Mayhew, a registered Democrat, has served as board president four times since he was first elected 20 years ago. He received 2,702 votes in the primary.
Patestas, a chiropractor and registered Republican who lives in Denton, is also seeking the seat. He garnered 1,683 primary votes.
Incumbent board members Lanny Boswell, who represents District 5, and Barb Baier, who represents District 3, face no challengers in their reelection bids.
District 1: Christina Campbell
Age: 34
Lives near: North 56th Street and Madison Avenue
Occupation: Administrative aide in the Legislature
Political party: Republican
Education: Associate degree in criminal justice
Website:
The pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to education, affecting students in many ways including academic losses and mental health issues. How should the district address those issues going forward?
We should be exploring ways to assure people they are safe and can continue school as normal. Multiple studies have shown kids are far less likely to be affected by COVID and therefore school should continue as normal. I worry for kids who have tough home lives and have school to rely on for safety. These restrictions on kids will affect adversely far into the future. It’s time we consider that and get them permanently back to their regular routines.
LPS’ state aid allocation decreased significantly last year and is expected to do so again this year. What do you see as the biggest budget priorities and where should the district make cuts if necessary?
Most school districts are very top heavy — meaning they have a lot of administrators. Budget priority emphasis needs to be on teachers and their needs and not on more administrative staff. We need to be there for teachers as their lives have been turned upside down during this time as well. Teachers need to be supported and I would advocate that the budget reflect that.
The district has embarked on efforts to better address equity issues, a focus that began before the Black Lives Matter protests but has intensified since then. What are the best ways for the district to further that work and ensure educational equity for all students?
As far as educational equity — every student deserves a good education. In Nebraska we need to allow school choice to better make that happen. Let parents pick the school that they want their kids to go to. Competition always works to improve schools, so I feel that allowing school choice would greatly benefit all schools.
The district recently reallocated money to continue the expanded school resource officer program, despite concerns from some that it will increase the school-to-prison pipeline. Do you support the program? Why or why not?
I always support programs that will keep kids safe and improve their outlook on good police officers and their important role in our society. From working in corrections, I have seen the education system fail people. These officers that are chosen for the SRO role receive extensive training outside of the regular duties of an officer, and they exercise discretion as well. I believe this reduces the school-to-prison pipeline.
What, if anything, should the district have done differently to address the pandemic?
From listening to the input of wonderful teachers, I have heard the toll that online-exclusive learning has taken on students and teachers. I don’t think we should have gone to long-term online learning. Once we learned kids are less affected, schools should have opened back up. I think there is a place for online learning for things like snow days. Kids need to be in school, learning, growing and socializing with peers. That is how we build strong, confident kids.
District 1: Kathy Danek
Age: 66
Lives near: North 48th and Adams streets
°¿³¦³¦³Ü±è²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô:ÌýCommunity volunteer; retired from Auxiliary to the American Postal Workers Union Executive Board
Political party: Democrat
Education:Â Southeast Community College
Website: None
The pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to education, affecting students in many ways including academic losses and mental health issues. How should the district address those issues going forward?
Plans are already in place to expand summer school learning opportunities in multiple locations, providing additional training and support for staff. Deploy counselors, social workers and educational coaches. Address food insecurity by returning the BackPack program into our schools. The decision to have a one-year-only full-remote school should address some of the workload issues for teachers. These beginning steps return us to a sense of normalcy for students, staff and our community.
LPS’ state aid allocation decreased significantly last year and is expected to do so again this year. What do you see as the biggest budget priorities and where should the district make cuts if necessary?
By statute, we must balance our budget. Before we make any reductions, we need to look at the available resources and prioritize the educational needs of students. If cuts need to be made, they should be strategic and as far from the classroom as possible. LPS is over 80% people in our general fund. We may need to review programs, address boundaries and prioritize a highly qualified diverse staff.
The district has embarked on efforts to better address equity issues, a focus that began before the Black Lives Matters protests but has intensified since then. What are the best ways for the district to further that work and ensure educational equity for all students?
* Share and engage the community on the 2020 draft equity definition. Finalize and present to the board for adoption.
* Prioritize and adopt strategic equity goals which create the platform, identify action steps, include comprehensive evaluation processes and be ongoing.
* Continue working with Midwest Equity Center to identify, train and create an action plan. This includes district training, as well as board and executive team work sessions.
The district recently reallocated money to continue the expanded school resource officer program, despite concerns from some that it will increase the school-to-prison pipeline. Do you support the program? Why or why not?
Yes, the Safe and Successful Kids interlocal agreement established a threefold program of Preventative (30%), which includes resources for mental health services; Proactive (40%), the Community Learning Centers; and Protective (30%), six middle school SROs. An agreement defined the responsibilities of school administration and SROs which reduced the number of law enforcement interactions with students. This interlocal opened up grant opportunities and awards to stabilize and strengthen the CLCs while providing mental health services and a threat assessment officer.
What, if anything, should the district have done differently to address the pandemic?
Overall, LPS handled the pandemic professionally and centered students’ needs. Retooling education to an electronic format, allowing parent choice and safety protocols for students in schools were the biggest parts of the plan. Part of the pandemic plan should have made it clear from the beginning that the plan would evolve as information and documentation supported those changes. Putting a stakeholder group together has always been an LPS strength. This may have reduced the fear and anxiety in the community.
District 3: Barbara Baier
Age: 63
Lives near: South 16th Street and Capitol Parkway
°¿³¦³¦³Ü±è²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô:ÌýGrants administrator for the city of Lincoln
Political party: Democrat
Education: Some college
Website: None
The pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to education, affecting students in many ways including academic losses and mental health issues. How should the district address those issues going forward?
LPS is developing a comprehensive plan, utilizing COVID relief funds, to address academic losses as well as mental health issues. Targeted programs include, but are not limited to, expanded summer school opportunities with lunch provided, provision of dedicated remote learning, enhanced access to community and in-school mental health services, and more. Additionally, I am advocating for summer job/education/internship opportunities in partnership the Greater Workforce Development Board, if additional COVID relief funds are available.
LPS’ state aid allocation decreased significantly last year and is expected to do so again this year. What do you see as the biggest budget priorities and where should the district make cuts if necessary?
LPS’ highest budget priority is keeping any cuts from diminishing the classroom experience, keeping class sizes reasonable, and retaining academic supports for students in need of them. Budget cuts must be approached carefully with a thorough understanding of their potential impacts. District data, input from building level administrators, teachers, parents, and students, and review of educational best practices need to be reviewed prior to determining where budget cuts may need to occur.
The district has embarked on efforts to better address equity issues, a focus that began before the Black Lives Matter protests but has intensified since then. What are the best ways for the district to further that work and ensure educational equity for all students?
LPS has contracted with the Midwest Equity Center to provide training so the district can improve its equity programming. Key to our equity work is to engage on ongoing basis with marginalized communities. This would include partnering with minority-based community centers, the LGBTQA community, low-income advocacy agencies, and new American groups to have public dialogues at locations where marginalized communities feel comfortable. Continuing to monitor academic progress, graduation rates and juvenile justice referrals for disparities will be critical.
The district recently reallocated money to continue the expanded school resource officer program, despite concerns from some that it will increase the school-to-prison pipeline. Do you support the program? Why or why not?
I appreciate Lincoln’s law enforcement. The SRO program has gathered data, indicating disparities in referrals to juvenile justice among African Americans, Native Americans, students with disabilities and the low-income. Marginalized communities have cited this data and national studies, indicating SROs do not enhance security, but rather increase the likelihood minority children will be referred to juvenile justice. Studies report school security is improved through investments in mental health and other supports. LPS resources should be spent on proven interventions.
What, if anything, should the district have done differently to address the pandemic?
Within weeks of the lockdown, LPS reinvented itself to provide remote learning, meals to hungry children and more. During the summer, LPS district office continued working 12- to 16-hour days to develop remote learning options, meeting academic standards. Our plan aimed to provide the community with the most educational options possible. Decisions were made in consultation with local and national epidemiology and education experts. I’m proud of LPS, its teachers, and staff for doing their best during unprecedented situation.
District 5: Lanny Boswell
Age: 50
Lives near: South 27th Street and Yankee Hill Road
Occupation: Software engineer
Political party: Republican
Education: Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering, California Institute of Technology
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The pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to education, affecting students in many ways including academic losses and mental health issues. How should the district address those issues going forward?
The district is currently considering many potential academic and mental health supports to address pandemic learning loss. Examples include serving more students in summer school, providing additional teacher plan time, and additional academic support in afterschool programs. Federal funding is available for some programs, which must still be identified and prioritized.
LPS’ state aid allocation decreased significantly last year and is expected to do so again this year. What do you see as the biggest budget priorities and where should the district make cuts if necessary?
Decreases in state aid have required the district to reduce positions and reassign personnel from support positions to classrooms. We must continue to focus the budget on teaching and learning, making cuts as far from the classroom as possible. We must also continue community partnerships, such as the new high school focus programs, where costs are shared with other public and private partners.
The district has embarked on efforts to better address equity issues, a focus that began before the Black Lives Matter protests but has intensified since then. What are the best ways for the district to further that work and ensure educational equity for all students?
Equity occurs when student outcomes and experiences in school are not determined by race, gender, family income, or other demographics. Ensuring that all students have the opportunity to be successful in school requires that we identify and remove systemic inequities in our policies and practices. Improving equity is an ongoing effort that must be done collaboratively with our students, staff, and the community.
The district recently reallocated money to continue the expanded school resource officer program, despite concerns from some that it will increase the school-to-prison pipeline. Do you support the program? Why or why not?
I strongly support the school resource officer program as part of a comprehensive approach to student safety and success. In 2018, the LPS Board and city officials created the Safe and Successful Kids interlocal agreement, which supports preventative, protective and proactive programs, like mental health, threat assessment and afterschool programs. The middle school SRO program includes safeguards such as officer training, data collection and clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
What, if anything, should the district have done differently to address the pandemic?
The past year has been one of unprecedented challenges. LPS students, staff, and community supporters have gone above and beyond to address the pandemic while allowing learning to continue. Nearly every aspect of how schools work was reinvented with the help of health officials and other experts. As we learned more about the virus, we improved the plan and did things differently. I am deeply grateful to the families, teachers, administrators, staff, and community for supporting our students.
District 7: Don Mayhew
Age: 52
Lives near: South 27th Street and Nebraska 2
Occupation: Restaurant owner
Political party: Democrat
Education: Associate Degree in computer science
Website:
The pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to education, affecting students in many ways including academic losses and mental health issues. How should the district address those issues going forward?
We have created a major learning loss plan that we will implement over the next two years. We will use CARES funding to: expand summer school opportunities; provide an interventionist teacher to every building to help students with educational losses in reading and math; increase extended day opportunities for elementary and middle school children to get extra help; and we will be increasing community partnerships with mental health providers to do wraparound services for children who have experienced trauma.
LPS’ state aid allocation decreased significantly last year and is expected to do so again this year. What do you see as the biggest budget priorities and where should the district make cuts if necessary?
The biggest budget priority is always classroom education. Historically we have tried to make any cuts as far away from the classroom as possible. Almost 90% of our budget is people, so it’s hard to look at reductions without looking at positions. Last year we were able to achieve some savings through attrition without interrupting services for children. I expect us to continue looking for those types of opportunities in the coming year.
The district has embarked on efforts to better address equity issues, a focus that began before the Black Lives Matter protests but has intensified since then. What are the best ways for the district to further that work and ensure educational equity for all students?
We brought in the Midwest & Plains Equity Assistance Center to help us in our work to create and improve equity based instructional strategies. This has included training for the full board and executive staff as well as many central office staff. We have had our principals going through monthly professional learning modules to help raise consciousness around race issues. Next year we’ll be working to connect that work into our instructional practices.
The district recently reallocated money to continue the expanded school resource officer program, despite concerns from some that it will increase the school-to-prison pipeline. Do you support the program? Why or why not?
I do support the program. There is no question in my mind that children of color are disproportionately affected by citations. But our data shows that the disproportionality has nothing to do with having officers stationed in the schools. In addition, state statute requires resource officers to have more training than other officers, including identifying neuro-atypical behavior. If we remove resource officers, the police responding to our students may be less prepared to deal with the needs of our children.
What, if anything, should the district have done differently to address the pandemic?
Part of the problem in dealing with a once-in-a-lifetime event is there’s no playbook. We found ourselves trying to craft policies and practices in real time against information that was changing daily. In addition, we had a very short time to create a 100% remote education system that we simply weren’t ready for. In a perfect world, we’d want to have a more deliberative process with more stakeholders at the table. Unfortunately, that wasn’t always possible.
District 7: Michael Patestas
Age: 55
Lives near: Southwest 56th Street and West Denton Road
Occupation: Chiropractor
Political party: Republican
·¡»å³Ü³¦²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô:ÌýBachelor of Science in business management, St. John's University in New York; associate degree in math/science, Cayuga Community College in New York; Doctor of Chiropractic, Life Chiropractic College, Georgia.
Website:
The pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to education, affecting students in many ways including academic losses and mental health issues. How should the district address those issues going forward?
To examine information, put forth by scientific experts, that allows our students/parents/teachers to return to school safely. Surveying our constituents to find out how we can make their experience better at LPS. COVID-19 has not discriminated, it affected everyone's family. We need to return to our normal daily lifestyle. Then, to assess the survey results to determine the academic and mental health needs. Provide an educated solution to meet the needs.
LPS’ state aid allocation decreased significantly last year and is expected to do so again this year. What do you see as the biggest budget priorities and where should the district make cuts if necessary?
The biggest budget priority should be taking care of LPS' frontline workers, the teachers. Remember, COVID-19 affected teachers, too. Meeting their needs will only improve the educational process and experience for students at LPS. Making budget cuts is never easy. But, regarding cuts, maybe we should look toward some administrators in upper management that make salaries in the top 1% of the state.
The district has embarked on efforts to better address equity issues, a focus that began before the Black Lives Matter protests but has intensified since then. What are the best ways for the district to further that work and ensure educational equity for all students?
LPS should form a partnership with students and their parents. Every student should be treated equally and have the same opportunities to be successful at LPS. As teachers come prepared to teach, students should come prepared to learn. But that doesn't always happen. Therefore, allowing school choice in Nebraska will let parents choose either a private or public school option that would best fit their students needs.
The district recently reallocated money to continue the expanded school resource officer program, despite concerns from some that it will increase the school-to-prison pipeline. Do you support the program? Why or why not?
I agree with my constituents from District 7. School safety is a priority. These highly trained, competent, fine school police officers of Lincoln are needed to provide positive leadership, respect and a strong friendly bond between themselves, the students, the parents and the teachers. This will lead to a reduction of the-school-to-prison-pipeline theory, as community policing has demonstrated throughout neighborhoods across America.
What, if anything, should the district have done differently to address the pandemic?
Complete online learning was frustrating for students and teachers. This pandemic was new territory. LPS and local cable providers were unprepared to handle the internet volume. From not being able to log into Zoom or all the calls that I received from LPS about my daughter being absent because of a log-on glitch, students suffered academically and socially. As scientific experts revealed evidence-based studies regarding school-aged children being less affected, LPS should have reopened full time.