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Westside Community Schools, Nebraska

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Westside Community Schools
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Douglas County, Nebraska
District details
Superintendent: Mike Lucas
# of school board members: 6
Website: Link

Westside Community Schools is a school district in Nebraska.

Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...

Superintendent

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 		This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates.

Mike Lucas is the superintendent of Westside Community Schools. Lucas was appointed superintendent in June 2019. Lucas' previous career experience includes working as the superintendent of York Public Schools in Nebraska.[1]

Past superintendents

  • Blane McCann was the superintendent of Westside Community Schools from 2012 to 2019. McCann's previous career experience included working as the superintendent of the Shorewood School District in Wisconsin, coordinator of leadership cohort at Cardinal Stritch University, and executive director of K-8 instruction of the Kenosha Unified School District in Wisconsin.[2]

School board

The Westside Community School District Governing Board consists of six members elected to six-year terms. Members are elected at-large.[3]

Elections

See also: Westside Community Schools, Nebraska, elections

Seats on the Westside Community Schools Board of Education are up for election in May every two years.

A general election was scheduled for May 14, 2024.


Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.


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Public participation in board meetings

The Westside Community Schools school board maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[4]

“ Public Participation
  • All or any part of a meeting of the Board, except for closed sessions, may be videotaped, televised, photographed, broadcast, or recorded by any person in attendance by means of a tape recorder, camera, video equipment, or any other means of pictorial or sonic reproduction or in writing.
  • The Board shall not require members of the public to identify themselves as a condition for admission to the meeting.
  • The Board shall not hold a meeting in a place known by the Board to be too small to accommodate the anticipated audience.
  • The Board shall, upon request, make a reasonable effort to accommodate the public's right to hear the discussion and testimony presented at the meeting.
  • The Board shall make available at the meeting, for examination and copying by members of the public, at least one copy of all reproducible written material to be discussed at each meeting.

Public Comment

  • At Board meetings, public comment is permitted when “Public Comment” appears on the Board Agenda and when public hearings are held as required by law on specific topics, such as budget or student fees. Except for closed sessions, the Board will provide the opportunity for public comment at each meeting.
  • When “Public Comment” appears on the agenda, or when a public hearing on a specific topic is held, the Board’s presiding officer will ask if anyone in attendance wishes to comment. Each person who wishes to do so must provide their name, address, date, and the topic about which he or she wishes to speak.
  • Comments during public comment time at Board meetings are not limited to agenda items, but must pertain to the operation of the District, subject to the requirements and limitations set forth in this Policy and the District's rules for participation and comment at Board Meetings. Comments during public hearings on a specific topic must pertain to that topic.
  • Public comment time is not a question and answer session with the Board and, to comply with the Nebraska Open Meetings Act, it is not a time for Board members to engage in discussion or debate with the commenter.
  • Public comment is an opportunity for the public to verbally address the Board. Distribution of handouts, materials or any other item, and visual/electronic (such as PowerPoint) presentations, is not permitted during public comment. Anyone who wishes to provide Board members with written or electronic materials may do so by mailing or delivering six copies, addressed to the Board, to the District’s administrative offices at the ABC Building, 909 So. 76th Street, Omaha, NE 68114.
  • It is the responsibility of the presiding officer to maintain order. During public comment time, the presiding officer has the authority to declare any person out of order and to refuse permission to address, or to continue addressing, the Board if such person’s actions are contrary to this Policy, any other Board Policy or Board rules for public comment.
  • Any person who engages in conduct contrary to the provisions of this Policy (or any other Board Policy, rule or regulation, or applicable law) at any time during a Board meeting or hearing, and who persists in such conduct after notice by the presiding officer to discontinue such conduct, may be directed to leave the proceedings. Any person who refuses to leave after being so directed or who willfully disturbs a meeting of the Board or hearing, is subject to the criminal penalties provided by Nebraska law.[5]
 ”

District map

School district map

Budget

The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[6]

Revenue, 2020-2021
SOURCE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Federal: $5,684,000 $933 6%
Local: $60,449,000 $9,924 63%
State: $30,179,000 $4,955 31%
Total: $96,312,000 $15,812
Expenditures, 2020-2021
TYPE AMOUNT AMOUNT PER STUDENT PERCENT
Total Expenditures: $98,687,000 $16,202
Total Current Expenditures: $85,959,000 $14,112
Instructional Expenditures: $45,956,000 $7,544 47%
Student and Staff Support: $8,250,000 $1,354 8%
Administration: $13,405,000 $2,200 14%
Operations, Food Service, Other: $18,348,000 $3,012 19%
Total Capital Outlay: $8,551,000 $1,403
Construction: $8,067,000 $1,324
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: $0 $0
Interest on Debt: $3,574,000 $586


Teacher salaries

The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.

Year Minimum Maximum
2024-2025[7] $58,500 $82,000
2019-2020[8] $37,900 $83,725

Academic performance

Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[9]

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 51 60-64 20-24 35-39 <50 35-39 58
2018-2019 59 75-79 29 45-49 <50 45-49 66
2017-2018 59 70-74 25-29 40-44 <50 45-49 65
2016-2017 75 85-89 51 60-64 21-39 60-64 81
2015-2016 79 90-94 55-59 65-69 40-59 65-69 83
2014-2015 79 90-94 55-59 65-69 60-79 65-69 83
2013-2014 80 85-89 50-54 70-74 60-79 70-74 84
2012-2013 79 90-94 50-54 65-69 40-59 65-69 83
2011-2012 79 85-89 50-54 65-69 60-79 65-69 83
2010-2011 76 85-89 40-44 50-54 60-69 80

The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2020-2021 56 65-69 25-29 45-49 <50 45-49 63
2018-2019 60 65-69 32 50-54 <50 45-49 66
2017-2018 57 60-64 30-34 50-54 <50 45-49 62
2016-2017 60 70-74 30 45-49 21-39 50-54 66
2015-2016 87 90-94 75-79 75-79 60-79 75-79 90
2014-2015 83 90-94 65-69 70-74 60-79 75-79 87
2013-2014 85 90-94 65-69 75-79 60-79 75-79 89
2012-2013 86 85-89 70-74 75-79 60-79 80-84 89
2011-2012 81 85-89 50-54 65-69 60-79 70-74 85
2010-2011 79 85-89 50-54 60-64 70-79 83

The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:

School year All (%) Asian/Pacific Islander (%) Black (%) Hispanic (%) Native American (%) Two or More Races (%) White (%)
2019-2020 90 >=50 80-89 70-79 PS >=90 91
2018-2019 89 60-79 80-89 >=80 >=80 92
2017-2018 90 >=50 80-89 80-89 PS >=80 91
2016-2017 91 >=50 >=80 >=80 PS >=80 92
2015-2016 94 >=80 80-89 >=80 >=50 >=50 95
2014-2015 94 >=50 80-89 >=80 PS 60-79 95
2013-2014 91 >=50 80-89 >=80 >=50 >=50 92
2012-2013 91 >=50 >=80 >=80 PS >=50 92
2011-2012 92 >=50 >=80 >=80 >=50 >=50 93
2010-2011 87 >=50 60-79 >=90 >=50 87


Students

Year Enrollment Year-to-year change (%)
2022-2023 6,271 0.8
2021-2022 6,221 2.1
2020-2021 6,091 0.0
2019-2020 6,094 2.5
2018-2019 5,942 -2.1
2017-2018 6,066 1.1
2016-2017 5,999 -2.1
2015-2016 6,123 0.3
2014-2015 6,106 -1.1
2013-2014 6,173 2.0
2012-2013 6,051 1.4
2011-2012 5,964 -1.0
2010-2011 6,023 -0.3
2009-2010 6,043 -1.0
2008-2009 6,106 -0.3
2007-2008 6,126 0.0
2006-2007 6,124 1.6
2005-2006 6,028 2.3
2004-2005 5,887 1.6
2003-2004 5,793 2.9
2002-2003 5,625 5.2
2001-2002 5,333 -2.9
2000-2001 5,485 2.7
1999-2000 5,335 0.0
Racial Demographics, 2022-2023
RACE Westside Community Schools (%) Nebraska K-12 STUDENTS (%)
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.3 1.3
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander 3.2 3.0
Black 9.3 6.6
Hispanic 11.3 21.2
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.1 0.2
Two or More Races 8.8 4.6
White 67.0 63.3

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


Staff

As of the 2022-2023 school year, Westside Community Schools had 441.30 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 14.21.

Teachers, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Prekindergarten: 8.00
Kindergarten: 0.00
Elementary: 224.09
Secondary: 209.21
Total: 441.30

Westside Community Schools employed 14.00 district administrators and 22.50 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.

Administrators, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS
District Administrators: 14.00
District Administrative Support: 14.75
School Administrators: 22.50
School Administrative Support: 29.00
Other staff, 2022-2023 school year
TYPE NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF
Instructional Aides: 159.77
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: 31.50
Total Guidance Counselors: 14.00
Elementary Guidance Counselors: 3.00
Secondary Guidance Counselors: 11.00
Librarians/Media Specialists: 8.00
Library/Media Support: 0.00
Student Support Services: 37.43
Other Support Services: 219.60


Schools

Westside Community Schools operates 14 schools. They are listed below in alphabetical order.
List of schools
SCHOOL NAMENUMBER OF STUDENTSGRADES
Carl A Swanson Elementary Sch291PK-6
Hillside Elementary School372PK-6
Loveland Elementary School280PK-6
Oakdale Elementary School308PK-6
Paddock Road Elementary School287PK-6
Prairie Lane Elementary School271PK-6
Rockbrook Elementary School275PK-6
Sunset Hills Elementary School281PK-6
Underwood Hills Early Childhood Learning Center0PK-PK
Westbrook Elementary School547PK-6
Westgate Elementary School274PK-6
Westside High School2,1069-12
Westside High School West Campus09-12
Westside Middle School9797-8

Contact information

Westside Community Schools logo.png
Westside Community Schools
909 S. 76th St.
Omaha, NE 68114
Phone: (402) 390-2100


About school boards

Education legislation in Nebraska

Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.

See also

Nebraska School Board Elections News and Analysis
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ West Community Schools, "Meet Dr. Mike Lucas," accessed May 4, 2021
  2. ↑ LinkedIn, "Blane McCann," accessed May 4, 2021
  3. ↑ Westside Community Schools, "BOARD MEMBERSHIP AND ELECTIONS," accessed May 4, 2021
  4. ↑ Westside Community Schools, "PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT BOARD MEETINGS," accessed April 25, 2025
  5. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  6. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
  7. ↑ Westside Community Schools ,"2024-2025 Teachers Negotiated Agreement," accessed April 25, 2025
  8. ↑ Nebraska State Education Association ,"2018-2019 Salary Schedule Pages," accessed May 4, 2021
  9. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
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