LPSPedia

Terms, phrases and acronyms used at LPS

LPS 'Pedia

  1. 0-9
  2. A-D
  3. E-H
  4. I-L
  5. M-P
  6. Q-T
  7. U-X
  8. Y-Z

MAC – Multicultural Advisory Committee

The Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) is a community based committee created by the Superintendent to give recommendations/advice to help the District in compliance with its Multicultural Policy.

macOS

macOS refers to the operating system running on laptop & desktop computers made by Apple since 2001. For example, the MacBook Air provided for LPS certificated staff runs macOS.

macOS User Guide: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/welcome/mac

 

macOS was previously known as OS X and originally Mac OS X.

Major and Minor Behavior

Minor and major behaviors are often distinguished based on their severity and impact on the learning or working environment. Here’s a general differentiation between the two types of behaviors:

Minor behaviors are generally less disruptive or harmful and have a limited impact on the environment. While these behaviors can momentarily disrupt focus or attention, they typically do not significantly impede the learning or working process for an extended period. They are typically managed in the classroom or environment in which they occurred by the staff supervising that environment and supported by the building’s administration team as needed.

Major behaviors are more severe, disruptive, or potentially harmful and significantly impact the learning or working environment, causing distress or a halt to the educational process. They require immediate attention and intervention. These behaviors are managed at the office level by the building administration’s team, who may consult with Student Services or Special Education Department for guidance or an alternate response.

 

MAM – Monday AM

The “Monday AM” is a weekly communication (Google Doc) from the Superintendent’s office to LPS Administrators every Monday morning. It consists of an aggregation of updates and action items from district departments that buildings will need to know about.

The intent of the Monday AM is to reduce or eliminate a constant, but irregular stream of interruptions from departments, and offer a single reliable resource to refer to when looking for previously shared information.

What is now known as the Monday AM is believed to have started in the 1990’s with a regular weekly message from Dr. Marilyn Moore, associate superintendent for instruction.

Manifestation Meeting

Through their Individual Education Plan (IEP), a student may have an adjusted plan for behavior and discipline. It is required by law that any student with an IEP (504 Plan) must have a manifestation meeting at his/her home school before being referred to Student Services due to behavioral incidents.

At the manifestation meeting, the team examines the impact that the student’s disability may or may not have had on an offending incident. If the student’s actions are determined to be a manifestation of his/her disability, then the maximum disciplinary action taken is a five- day suspension.

Nebraska State Statute 790265.01 (LB705) states that suspension is prohibited for students pre-kindergarten through second grade, with limited exceptions.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to make necessary accommodations for students with disabilities to ensure they are provided a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

MAP – Measures of Academic Process

Nebraska school districts are required to give a norm-referenced standardized achievement test at least once in elementary, middle, and high school. In 2017, LPS chose the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests to meet this requirement. Students participate in MAP Growth testing in grades 3-5, and 6-8.

 

Match Data Sets

Used when working with queries in the Data Warehouse to find data which occurs in each time period or attribute.

MATCH DATA SETS

MATCH DATA SETS

MAX – Maxey Elementary

JoAnn Maxey served on the Lincoln Board of Education from 1975 through 1976. Then, in 1976, she was appointed by Governor Exon to complete the term of a senator who had resigned his seat in the 46th legislative district. Mrs. Maxey is remembered as a pioneer. She was the first board member of African-American descent and also the first black female state senator.

McKinley School

  • LOCATION: 230 S. 15th Street
  • IN OPERATION: 1902·1927

McKinley was chiefly an elementary school until 1915 when it became a “special school with grades 1-9 with prevocational and evening classes.” In 1927 McKinley was closed.

The school was named for the 25th American president, William McKinley, who was assassinated in 1901.

MCP – McPhee Elementary

McPhee was built on the Capitol School site (see Capitol School) as a joint project of the Lincoln Board of Education and the University of Nebraska Teachers College in order to serve as a campus laboratory school. Although the faculty and staff of McPhee were Lincoln Public Schools employees, they once received an additional stipend from the university to fulfill laboratory functions.

The school was named for Miss Clare McPhee, who became principal of Capitol School in 1918. Miss McPhee, a native of Quebec, was a woman of wide culture, a scholar and a writer. With her sister, Marguerite, she authored a child’s biography of George Washington (pub. 1930).

Miss McPhee retired from Capitol School in 1942 and passed away in 1960.

MDT – Multidisciplinary Team

MDT (Multidisciplinary Team) meetings are usually part of a process that emphasizes how well students respond to changes in their instructional environment.

An MDT team is comprised of a variety of professionals depending on the situation. They can include a school psychologist, school social worker, administrator, special education teacher, PBiS coach, teacher(s), or any other staff with direct knowledge of the student. They perform assessments, analyze/interpret results, and develop a cohesive action plan if the data deems it necessary.

MEA – Meadow Lane Elementary

Meadow Lane was not built until 1957; however, the school actually began in 1955 in ten houses purchased by the Lincoln Public Schools district from the area developer. By 1957 the Meadow Lane building was finished and the houses were sold.

The name of the school matches the subdivision of the area.

Medications

Parents/guardians must provide a signed written consent for a child to be given medication at school prior to medication being given. A consent form is available in any school office, or on the Health Services web site.

As required by state law, Lincoln Public Schools has in place an Emergency Protocol, which calls for the administration of medications (epinephrine by injection and albuterol by inhalation) in the event of life-threatening allergic reaction or asthma. Please contact the school nurse for more information about the protocol.

Students in Lincoln Public Schools with the diagnosis of asthma or severe allergy may be permitted to carry inhalers or Epipens® for self-administration. Authorization to do so is coordinated by the school nurse and requires parental/guardian as well as physician consent. Students with diabetes may carry glucose sources and other supplies for self-treatment when authorization is in place to do so.

For more information about the management of these and other health concerns in the school setting, parents/guardians are encouraged to contact the school nurse assigned to their child’s building.

MFD – Multi-Function Device

Most of the devices that put ink on paper in LPS are Xerox MFDs. MFD stands for “Multi-Function Device.” These are machines that do much more than duplicate paper. They are networked devices that can scan documents, send and receive faxes, act as a printer for your computer, and also make copies. In addition, they operate accounting software that correctly charges the correct budget accounts for every piece of paper that comes out.

For more information on using the features of these devices, check out the page linked below.

MI – Multiple Impairments

Multiple Impairments (MI) is a combination of severe educational needs creating a situation in which the student cannot be accommodated in special education program created to support one type of impairment.

A “Multiple Impairments” classification does not include Deaf Blindness.

MIC – Robin Mickle Middle School

Mickle Jr. HighlMiddle School was named for the longtime principal at Northeast High School, Robin S. Mickle. A member of Lincoln’s school system for 31 years, Mr. Mickle was principal of Jackson High when it was annexed in 1927. He continued in that position until 1941 when he became a counselor at the new Northeast. In 1945 he was appointed Northeast’s principal, a post he held until his death in 1957.

In September of 1993, Mickle began the process of becoming a middle school. Sixth graders entered Mickle and ninth graders left.

MOO – Marilyn Moore Middle School

MOO – Moore Middle School

Moore Middle School is named after Dr. Marilyn Moore (19xx- ). Her career in education includes a decade as a teacher at Goodrich Middle School, five years as an administrator in human resources for Lincoln Public Schools and 25 years as associate superintendent for instruction for LPS, all while acting in a number of influential positions with non-profits in the Lincoln community.

Moore Middle School was built as a partnership between the Lincoln Public Schools and the Lincoln Family YMCA. One facility will house the new Marilyn Moore Middle School as well as the Copple Family YMCA. The 243,000-square-foot facility opened in fall 2017. The 30-acre site is surrounded by public park space on the south and east, and is large enough to accommodate future additions to the school or YMCA.

Moodle

Moodle is a course management system (CMS) provided to LPS teachers as a utility to supplement the face-to-face learning that is already taking place in our classrooms and assist teachers in creating online learning communities. It must be used within the comprehensive curriculum that is provided and approved.

MOR – Morley Elementary

Morley School was named after Mrs. May Watkins Morley, an admired and respected educator who joined Lincoln’s public school system in 1900. Mrs. Morley taught in a number of schools until 1915 when she became principal of Prescott. She retired from that position in 1946 and passed away in Lincoln in 1966 at the age of 91.

MOSAIC

MOSAIC began in 1991 as a strategy for LPS to meet LB 922, which requires all public schools to infuse multicultural education into the K-12 curriculum. The original MOSAIC multicultural book display was small, drawing from previously published titles and the few newly published titles available at that time. Thirty years later, MOSAIC continues to impact our district by informing teachers, librarians, and curriculum designers about high quality multicultural resources. A dedicated committee of librarians, educators, and community members systematically seek out the newest and best titles by and about diverse cultures and people. The committee reads and rigorously reviews each title according to the quality of content and the perspective of cultural authenticity. Many hours of research and consideration are involved in the review process to ensure that titles do not perpetuate stereotypes or misinformation. The priority is to identify titles that are accurate, authentic, and of high literary quality. Only those titles that receive excellent reviews are promoted to the MOSAIC collection. These titles are then actively promoted to teachers, librarians, administrators, curriculum specialists, students, and families so that they can be purchased by individual school libraries, integrated into curriculum, and most importantly, put into the hands of the students who need them, whether as a reflection and affirmation of their own lives or as a means to better understand the lives and experiences of others. 

What began as a small event hosted in the hallways of the district office has evolved and transformed over the decades. MOSAIC now exists as a virtual display (https://lms.lps.libguides.com/MOSAIC2018) that can be accessed by students, teachers, families, and community members at any time throughout the year. Through this model, we continue to provide the most popular and most important features of the collection: critical reviews, curriculum connections, links to book trailers and extended video resources. In addition, this new format has allowed us to link directly to ebook and audiobook records, providing users instant access to many of the titles in the collection.

MTSS / MTSS-B (Multi-Tiered System of Support and Intervention)

A Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a systemic, continuous-improvement framework in which data-based problem solving and decision-making is practiced across all levels of the educational system for supporting students. Tiered systems of support are designed to create predictable and safe learning environments that meet the needs of all students in all settings throughout the school. The support encompasses both academic and behavioral interventions.

Supports are organized into tiers with increasing intensity based on students’ needs.

  1. Tier 1 consists of the supports that all students receive. These supports intend to prevent problems before they occur by teaching and reinforcing social, emotional and behavioral skills for all students.
  2. Tier 2 interventions and supports are provided (in addition to Tier 1) for groups of students who, based on data, are not responding to Tier 1. These supports are designed to improve school success for students by providing additional focus on missing skills.
  3. Tier 3 interventions and supports are provided (in addition to Tier 1 and 2) for a small number of individual students with intensive needs who have not responded to lower tiered supports. Interventions and supports at Tier 3 are more intensive and individualized and focus on preventing unwanted behavior, teaching missing skills and supporting/encouraging.

For more information and resources, visit the LPS MTSS web page.

Home

 

This process may be referred to as MTSS-B.

In the past, many LPS educators referred to this type of process as RTI.

Multicultural

Multicultural education is the identification, selection and infusion of specific knowledge, skills and attitudes for the purpose of:

  • affirming the culture, history and contributions that shall include but not be limited to African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans; and
  • challenging and eliminating racism, prejudice, bigotry, discrimination and stereotyping based on race; and
  • valuing multiple cultural perspectives; and
  • providing all students with opportunities to “see themselves” in the educational environment in positive ways and on a continuing basis.

To promote and support multicultural education within Lincoln Public Schools, it shall also be the policy and practice of this District to create opportunities for all students to achieve academically and socially in an educational environment in which all students and staff understand and respect the racial and cultural diversity and interdependence of members of our society.

Multiple Literacies

Multiple Literacies are referred to in different ways. In LPS people may be referring specifically to a new State standard in language arts that was added in April of 2009.

Nebraska K-12 Comprehensive Language Arts Standard – Multiple Literacies: Students will identify, locate, and evaluate information. (As approved by the State Board of Education 4/2/09)

Otherwise, they may be referring in general to the notion that literacy does not begin and end with the printed word, rather, there is a distinct way of interacting with other forms of media (computers, television, artwork, advertising, sign language, etc.).

NCLB – No Child Left Behind

NCLB refers to the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001” (Pub.L. 107-110, 115 Stat. 1425, enacted January 8, 2002), which is the latest federal legislation that enacts the theories of standards-based education reform, based upon the belief that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills to be given to all students in certain grades if those states are to receive federal funding for schools. The Act does not assert a national achievement standard; standards are set by each individual state.

Definition via wikipedia

NDE – Nebraska Department of Education

The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) is a constitutional agency approved by Nebraska voters. The Department operates under the authority of an elected board of education. NDE is organized into teams that interact to operate the agency and carry out the duties assigned by state and federal statutes and the policy directions of the State Board of Education. The teams are organized around distinct functions and responsibilities that encompass leadership and support for Nebraska’s system of early childhood, primary, secondary and postsecondary education; direct services to clients; and internal support to the agency.

The department carries out its duties on behalf of Nebraska students in public, private, and nonpublic school systems. The staff of the department interacts with schools and institutions of higher education to develop, coordinate and improve educational programs.

Nebraska Business Focus Program

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business and Lincoln Public Schools partner to offer the Nebraska Business Focus Program in fall 2023, located at Standing Bear High School. The program enables students to develop their business knowledge and skills to be successful in any career path, working for a business or starting their own.

All 9th and 10th grade students at Standing Bear will experience business concepts integrated into regular classes. This is known as the “pre-pathway.” The College of Business provides hands-on learning opportunities for students in these pre-pathway learning opportunities, including exciting guest speakers and contests to pitch business ideas.

Students in grades 11 and 12 have an opportunity to explore their passions and career opportunities in the areas of accounting, economics, finance, management/entrepreneurship, marketing and supply chain management. They will connect with peers, teachers and business professionals from the community. This early college and career pathway is for those who plan to either:

  • Pursue a 2- or 4-year degree upon graduation
  • Enter the workforce with foundational business knowledge

Students in the pathway can opt to take business classes for college credit and will receive reduced tuition from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Non-credit experiences will be available to students free-of-charge. The program is designed to be affordable and accessible to students and their families.

 

Welcome To the Early College and Career STEM Focus Program

Nebraska Early Development Network

The Nebraska Early Development Network provides services and supports that are designed based on the needs of children birth to age three and their families with the belief that parents know what is best for their families. The goal of the Early Development Network is to provide coordinated services for Nebraska families as conveniently as possible. The program helps families to understand their child’s disability and provides assistance in dealing with situations that interfere with the child’s development.

NEC – Nuernberger Education Center

The Nuernberger Education Center is designed to serve students 6th through 8th grades who have been referred from other middle schools in Lincoln Public Schools. Through the use of a behavior model and Positive Behavioral Implementation and Supports (PBiS), the mission of the Nuernberger Education Center uses consistent expectations throughout the building in which students will be encouraged to develop self-management and coping skills that allow them to cultivate a positive self-concept. In addition to working with the middle schools from where the students were referred, the staff will collaborate and partner with students, parents, guardians, and outside agencies in order to assist in the betterment of all the young people that pass through the doors of the Nuernberger Education Center.

The Nuernberger Education Center (NEC) is named after Judge Bill Nuernberger, who was the first judge to serve on a separate Juvenile Court in Lancaster County. Judge Nuernberger advocated that young people need a separate court and worked tirelessly, both in his professional and personal life, to better the lives of all children in the community.

NeSA – Nebraska State Accountability

NeSA  is a new statewide test that all Nebraska students in grades 3-8 and 11 will
take beginning the spring of 2009. NeSA-Reading will allow for comparisons of student performance as required in recent legislation.

The test will be available as an online test and a paper/pencil test. Some schools may choose to use the online version as well as the paper/pencil test.

Student performance results will be publicly reported by total score as well as student performance.

NETA – Nebraska Educational Technology Association

The Nebraska Educational Technology Association is a grassroots organization open to everyone interested in sharing information about using technology in the educational process.

NETA is an official Affiliate of the International Society for Technology in Education, joining other affiliated educational technology associations from around the world in the improvement of teaching and learning through the use of technology.

Membership is usually attained through attendance at the NETA conference held each spring (usually in April.) The NETA conference is the premier education technology conference for this area of the country.

NHS – National Honor Society

The National Honor Society was founded in 1921 by the National Association of Secondary School Principals  (NASSP) and continues to be under the sponsorship and supervision of this organization.  The NHS was created with the intent to recognize and encourage academic achievement while also developing essential characteristics to be citizens in a democracy as the organization chose the ideals of scholarship, character, service and leadership in the selection of members and its activity.

NIMS – National Incident Management System

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a system that improves local, state, regional and national agency responses during a complex incident through the use of the Incident Command system (ICS) and the application of standardized procedures and preparedness measures.

Please contact the Director of Security for Lincoln Public Schools, William F. Kuehn, at 436-1641 or wkuehn@lps.org if you have security issues or questions.

NOC – Network Operations Committee, ESU

NOC is the Network Operations Committee within the Nebraska ESU (Educational Service Unit) system.

Across the state, ESU system affiliate groups focusing on specific topics meet a few times a year to discuss alignment and strategy for their respective issues, as well as participating in their own staff development and training. LPS contributes active membership and leadership positions on many of these groups.

NOR – Norwood Park Elementary

Norwood Park School became a part of Lincoln Public Schools in 1930 when Havelock was annexed. The building dates from 1921. The school was named for its area subdivision.

Normal (Lincoln Normal area school)

  • LOCATION: 52nd & South Street
  • IN OPERATION: 1919 (annexed) – 1936

Normal, Nebraska was an unincorporated townsite southeast of Lincoln, named for Lincoln Normal University, which had a campus at 56th and South Streets. Lincoln Normal area school operated only from 1891 until it was destroyed by fire in 1898. The area was annexed to Lincoln in 1919. When Normal was annexed, Lincoln acquired the area school and operated it as part of the Lincoln Public Schools system until 1936 when it was closed and tom down. The site is now part of the grounds of Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital.

Northeast Child Center

  • LOCATION: 63rd & Baldwin Streets (Northeast High School)
  • OPERATION: 1941-1964

This small elementary unit at Northeast High School was listed as an independent school from 1952-1956, but for most of its life, it was a division of Northeast High School.

NRT – Norm referenced tests

Standardized tests that compare a student’s performance to that of other test-takers. Norms are obtained by administering the test (under the same conditions) to a given sample (drawn from the population of interest, called the norm group) and then calculating standard scores.

NSCAS (Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System)

The Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System (NSCAS), pronounced “en-skass,” is a statewide assessment system from the Nebraska Department of Education that began use in 2017-18. It uses multiple measures throughout the year to provide educators and decision makers at all levels with the insights they need to support student learning. Many Lincoln Public Schools teachers have been involved in the development of the assessments used across the state.

For more information about assessments given in LPS, you can reach out to our Assessment and Evaluation department.

Assessment and Evaluation

To see which grade levels and subjects are assessed and to learn more about the system, visit the NDE website:

NSCAS System

 

NSCAS – Nebraska Student Centered Assessment System

The Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System (NSCAS) is a statewide assessment system that includes multiple measures throughout the year in language arts, math, and science.

NSCAS is pronounced “en-skass.”

NSCAS Overview

NSSRS – Nebraska Student and Staff Record System

The Nebraska Student and Staff Record System (NSSRS) is the official method for submitting student and staff data to the Department beginning in 2007.

O’Connor Elementary

  • LOCATION: 40th & Adams Streets
  • OPERATION: 1963 – 1967

This short-lived elementary school (frame building) was named for Mary O’Connor, principal at Park School for 28 years until her retirement in 1943. Miss O’Connor died in 1960 at the age of 85.

 

Via Jim McKee: “As you drive around Lincoln, look for the 1963 O’Connor School which still stands, albeit boarded up, as a prefab-looking frame building on the southwest corner of 40th and Adams streets in the corner of a Lincoln park.”

The original O’Conner Elementary building as seen in Google Street View images from 2019.

OHI – Other Health Impairment

Other Health Impairment (OHI) is having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that— (a) is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis [a kidney disorder], rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and (b) adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

ORC – Office Resource Center

The Office Resource Center (ORC) web site is intended to be a reference to common procedures and activities of LPS Office Professionals. All of the content there is originally found elsewhere on LPS.org, but is conveniently gathered together in one location for easy access by folks who share a job type.

OT – Occupational Therapy/Therapist

Occupational Therapy, often abbreviated as “OT”, incorporates meaningful and purposeful occupation to enable people with limitations or impairments to participate in everyday life.

P-T, P/T, PTC – Parent Teacher Conferences

Parents are invited to the classroom to learn about their child’s progress. These conferences are often brief touch points, 10-15 minutes in length.

Parent teacher conferences are held twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Dates vary, as each school schedules them independently.

PA – Parent Acknowledgement (of Instructional Technologies in LPS Elementary Classrooms)

The Parental Acknowledgement document presented to all LPS parents serves some important purposes for LPS:

  • This acknowledgement is part of our agreement with the parents of the minors in our care regarding digital identity, data privacy, and information security at LPS.
  • It clearly indicates to parents that their child will be using devices in the school building that can access the internet.
  • The signature of the parent serves as the parent’s consent to allow LPS to manage which ITTs (Instructional Technology Tools) may gather PII (Personally Identifiable Information) about their child, per COPPA, FERPA, PPRA, and other Federal and State laws.
  • Establishes that use of the devices is a privilege and students must demonstrate appropriate caution and responsibility when using them.

A signature by the parent/guardian is required before students will be allowed to use technology devices on the LPS network. Students returning a “NO” response for technology use will still be able to use devices on required LPS & State assessments.

PAR – Behavior Framework

The LPS behavior framework is organized into three main components: Prevention, Accountability and Restorative Practices. It is referred to by its acronym: PAR.

  • Prevention – Prevention is the intentional planning and implementation of consistent systems and practices that build relationships and community, establish clear expectations and routines, and utilize a mindset of high expectations and high support.
  • Accountability – Accountability is a transparent and consistent process that includes a combination of re-teaching skills, repairing harm, appropriate consequences, and communication.
  • Restorative – Restorative Practices is a collection of reflective and inclusive processes that focus on proactively building relationships and community, while also addressing harm in a manner that allows for meaningful accountability.

The PAR Framework’s purpose includes:

  • Foundational principles of behavior
  • Emphasis on the importance of relationships. community, and a positive, supportive environment
  • Provide a structured and restorative approach to responding to behavior
  • An accountability matrix to increase consistency for students, staff, administrators, and stakeholders
  • Evidence-based strategies for prevention, intervention, response, and support
  • Resources and practical tools to support implementation

PAR – Park Middle School

Established in 1926, Park was an elementary school until 1992 when it was remodeled and traded roles with Everett to become a junior high/middle school. The school was named due to its location near Lincoln’s first city park.

PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support)

School-wide PBiS is a system of supports that include proactive strategies, for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments.

PBIS is not a curriculum, program, intervention or practice. It is a decision-making framework that guides selection and implementation of research based practices and interventions for improving student outcomes for all students.

To learn more about PBIS in LPS, visit our web page:

http://wp.lps.org/pbis/

 

 

PEaK – Promoting Engagement and Knowledge (PEaK)

Project PEaK is funded through the Nebraska Department of Education. The project outlines how district will use MTSS to close the achievement gap for struggling students in 2nd, 3rd, 4th grades. The grant is funded through special education.

PER – Pershing Elementary

Pershing was named for General John J. Pershing (1860- 1948), commander of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in Europe during World War I. He was named General of Armies by a special act of Congress, one rank above the five-star generals of World War I. Although Pershing was not a native of Lincoln, he fell in love with the city while serving as commander of cadets at the University of Nebraska in the 1890’s. He adopted Lincoln as his hometown but was seldom in residence here.

pershingsiteandoriginalcosts

Photo provided on Pershing’s web site.

 

Additional History

The following information is collected from an editorial column presented in the Lincoln Journal Star in July 2023.

Lempke, Major General (retired) Roger P. “Local View: Why Pershing matters.” Lincoln Journal Star [Lincoln, NE], 14 July 2023, Editorial sec., p. A6. Lincoln Journal Star, journalstar.com/opinion/columnists/local-view-why-pershing-matters/article_75202640-1cf7-11ee-b8a7-6bb0feef4292.html. Accessed 14 July 2023.

Military Service

Lieutenant John J. Pershing graduated from West Point in 1886 during the same period when his family moved to Lincoln.

He asked for the assignment to the university and made an indelible imprint on the University of Nebraska during his time as a professor of military science beginning in 1891. He is locally famous for forming the Varsity Rifles, which eventually became a national organization known as the Pershing Rifles. He also earned the law degree that he had dreamed of getting before going to West Point.

After leaving Nebraska, he commanded the 10th Cavalry Regiment (among the first Buffalo Soldiers regiments) consisting of African-American soldiers led by white officers, a unique assignment at that time. His next assignment at West Point as a tactical instructor earned him the nickname “Black Jack” Pershing, which would be his forever tagline.

His life became turbulent after leaving Nebraska. After the West Point assignment, he served in different capacities as an observer in the Russo-Japanese War and the Balkans, a military attaché in Tokyo and a commander in the Philippines.

He led forces during the Spanish-American War and the Pancho Villa Expedition into Mexico. His life changed dramatically when his wife and daughters were killed in a house fire in 1915 while he was leading troops in Mexico.

Pershing retained his connection with Lincoln over the years. His sisters lived in Lincoln, he owned property here and he even thought about retiring to Lincoln.

General of the Armies John J. Pershing retired from military service in 1924. Upon his retirement from military service in 1924, he was called to serve in many different leadership capacities until his death on July 15, 1948.

Naming of Local Facilities after Gen. Pershing

The need for a modern auditorium in Lincoln became apparent in the 1930s. Unfortunately, the Great Depression and World War II delayed the beginning of a new auditorium and construction of the Pershing Auditorium did not begin until 1955, after World War II. During this period plans were underway to build a new high school in the northeast section of the city. Prospective students voted to name the school after retired Gen. John J. Pershing. However, the city of Lincoln had already decided to name its new auditorium after Pershing. Following local protocol, the new school was named Lincoln Northeast High School when it opened in 1941. Also taking the Pershing name during this period was newly constructed Pershing Elementary School in 1955. After some contentious issues, construction of the city auditorium finally began in 1955, and it opened in 1957 as the Pershing Municipal Auditorium.

The Pershing Mural

Pershing Municipal Auditorium included a 38-by-140-foot mural depicting life in Nebraska, which became well known throughout the region. The auditorium was in service to the community and region from 1957 through its closing in 2014, after which community efforts raised money to properly remove and restore the mural. Removal and restoration was successfully completed in 2023. Current plans intend to install the mural within historic Wyuka Park.

PL – Professional Learning

LPS has a strong focus on professional learning (PL,) also known as professional development (PD). The district provides comprehensive experiences that are job embedded. Building principals also have focused PL that is in conjunction with the district’s strategic plan and building school improvement plan.

Continuous Improvement and Professional Development at LPS

PLC – Professional Learning Communities

A Professional learning Community (PLC) is a group of teachers who meet regularly to share expertise, collaborate, and plan for student academic success. Data is used to make informed instructional decisions and time is implemented to celebrate successes. At the elementary level, teachers meet the last Tuesday of the month. At secondary, PLC’s meet once a week for a shorter time. PLC’s may be organized in a variety of ways (ie: all 3rd grade teachers, all math teachers, etc.).

The professional learning community, or PLC, is based on a single, simple premise: To be effective, educators must change their focus from teaching to learning. In a PLC, educators have three goals:

  • Ensuring that all students learn. Every classroom includes students of varying abilities. In a PLC, teachers are prepared to serve both the students who learn material quickly and those who need additional time and support. That means developing a coordinated strategy to provide timely intervention when students are struggling.
  • Creating a culture of collaboration. In many schools, teachers work in isolation. While staff may come together to formulate basic operational policies (like how to respond to tardiness or supervise recess), they do not engage in professional dialogue about what works in their classrooms. In a PLC school, educators share best practices, join forces to solve problems and work together to improve both their individual performances and the school’s performance as a whole.
  • Focusing on results. To ensure that a PLC meets its educational goals, educators must identify students’ current levels of achievement, establish clear educational objectives, work together to meet those goals and provide evidence that they have succeeded.

More information on LPS’ Professional Learning Communities

Portal

To bring visibility to tools that are approved for use and make it easier to get logged in to web services, district students and staff are asked to use a site called The LPS Portal.

https://home.lps.org/training/2016/08/08/the-lps-portal/

  • Curriculum Specialists identify which apps will appear on the K-5 portal.
  • Teachers & students are not restricted from using ITTs that are not found in the portal, so long as the ITT has been approved and appears in the Matrix.
  • If teachers have any questions or concerns about which ITTs are and are not included in the Portal, they should consider sharing them with their Instructional Technology Coach or building Administrator.

Portfolio

A way of collecting information for one or more of the following uses: (1) to showcase student work, (2) to describe student performance, or (3) to evaluate student performance. The term portfolio can refer to both the process associated with collecting information and the product itself, the collection.

The key characteristics of effective portfolio systems are: (1) authenticity of instructional activities and assessments, (2) on-going assessment that is aligned with curriculum and instruction, (3) inclusion of assessments that focus on process as well as product, (4) use of assessment results to document growth, (5) collaboration between student and teacher, (6) student self-reflection and evaluation, and (7) supports communication.

PostCMS

The LPS Applications Development Group created Post. It is the backbone of the district web site, and is used in various vays around the district, including some high school building web sites.

Post is not available to every LPS staff member. It is a web based tool used to create and manage content that appears on the LPS.org website and some of the high school sites.

Post access is set up by the LPS Application Development Group. Contact Brian Fitzgerald (bfitz@lps.org) for more information.

POU – Pound Middle School

Pound was named for Olivia Pound who was on the Lincoln High School staff from 1900 until her retirement in 1943. Miss Pound was a Latin teacher, girls’ advisor, and from 1918-1943, assistant principal. During that time she wrote nearly 20 textbooks, contributed numerous articles to educational publications and was president of the National Association of University Women. She died in 1961.

Olivia came from an illustrious Lincoln family of educators. Her brother Roscoe became dean of the University of Nebraska’s law school and eventually dean of the Harvard Law School. Her sister Louise was professor of foreign language at the University of Nebraska for many years.

Pound Middle School welcomed its’ first class of sixth graders in 2003-04, assuming a 6-8 grade configuration for the first time in the forty-year history of the school.

PRE – Prescott Elementary

  • LOCATION & OPERATION:
    • 1889 – 1930: 1st building at 20th & Cherry (now Sumner)
    • 1922 – Present: 2nd building at 1930 S 20 St, 68502
  • Web site

In 1890 the Lincoln Board of Education decided to name the 20th and Cherry School, Prescott, in honor of the renowned American historian William Hickling Prescott (1796-1859), author of ‘The History of the Conquest of Mexico‘ and other histories.

Over the years it has been reported that the school was named for William W. Prescott, the first president of Union College. Although W. W. Prescott was important to the establishment of Union in 1891, he was president in name only. Actually, he was the president of three Adventist colleges at the same time and spent little time in Lincoln until he actually served as Union’s president in 1924-1925. We can find no documentation that would indicate the board ever changed the 1890 name designation from W.H. to W. W. Prescott.

Processing

B.I.S.T. is a school-wide behavior management plan that increases student learning time, stops disruptive/hurtful behavior, and teaches skills that will lead to life success.

Processing is a discussion between the adult and student used to develop a plan for the student to be accountable for and change disruptive behavior.

ProCom

Developed in the early 1990’s, the purpose of ProCom is to discuss overall relations between building administrators, the Superintendent, and members of LEA, by exchanging information, considering problems, and discuss improvements. ProCom meets regularly and establishes an annual agenda on which items may be placed during negotiations.

ProCom Membership is 5 to 8 administrators and 5 to 8 Association members along with the district Superintendent and President of LEA. ProCom has been a part of the LEA negotiated agreement since 1992.

Promethean Boards

Across LPS you will find interactive white boards in various makes and sizes. Since their arrival in Education in the early 2000’s, LPS has experimented with their use in classrooms. Ultimately, we have arrived upon the Promethean brand of interactive white board as the supported platform in LPS.

Protective Plan

B.I.S.T. is a school-wide behavior management plan that increases student learning time, stops disruptive/hurtful behavior, and teaches skills that will lead to life success.

A protective plan is what the school and the family develop together to provide the structure and support to stop the student’s disruptive behavior and to teach the student needed using skills.

PT – Physical Therapy/Therapist

Physical therapy provides services to individuals that develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability. This includes providing services in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by injury, disease or environmental factors.

PTA / PTO / PC – Parent Groups

  • PTA: Parent-Teacher Association
  • PTO: Parent-Teacher Organization
  • PC: Parent Collective

Parent groups are organized at the building level and are led by the parents whose children attend the school. Each group can function a bit differently and may be structured differently from building to building based upon the needs of the school.

PYR – Pyrtle Elementary

E. Ruth Pyrtle (1871 – 1947) was associated with Lincoln Public Schools from 1898 until her retirement in 1940. For much of her career, she was principal of either Bancroft or McKinley Schools. In 1921 she ran unsuccessfully for Nebraska Superintendent of Public Instruction. In 1929 she was elected national president of the National Education Association.

Miss Pyrtle was a prolific contributor to education journals and in 1930 published a book, Early Virginia Families. She died in 1947 at the age of 76.

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About LPS ‘Pedia

The LPS ‘Pedia is a list of terms, phrases and acronyms used at LPS. In addition, a history of each LPS building is included, as it appeared in the 1999 publication ‘How the Schools Were Named’ by LPS Media Services.

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