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Our Moonshot sets our direction.
Our Strategic Plan is how we reach the destination, together.
The two are tightly connected.
As a roadmap, the plan aligns work across teams, schools, partners and our community.
It does not sit on a shelf, separate from daily teaching and learning. The Strategic Plan is infused throughout all our work, across our entire district.
Measurable outcomes demonstrate our accountability to the students and families we serve.
We will keep improving. We must do better for young people.
This is where we are headed.
We’ve engaged and informed staff and families throughout the development process, including:
This edition of Inside OPS gives another update on our progress.
As staff review, reflect and incorporate feedback on the draft plan, we anticipate it coming back to the Board of Education this spring for approval.
We shared in October – this path to doing better is more complex. We know it is worth it.
Thanks for all you do.
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Matthew Ray
Superintendent
Omaha Public Schools
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Omaha Public Schools Maps Out Next
Strategic Plan
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Omaha Public Schools is developing its next Strategic Plan with one focus in mind: literacy.
“The one thing that holds everything together and is important to everyone is literacy,” said Jane Erdenberger, Omaha Public Schools Board of Education president. “If we can focus on literacy, we open doors for every single one of our students.”
At a recent Board of Education workshop, staff shared updates on how our district is shaping the framework that will help define our roadmap to improve student success. This follows Omaha Public Schools Superintendent Matthew Ray’s vision for our district’s Moonshot—working together to achieve all students reading on grade level by 2030.
“This supports us in decision making, resource allocation, understanding the systems and what we need to measure,” said Susanne Cramer, Omaha Public Schools chief school improvement officer. “The purpose is to guide our work, keep us focused on that singular literacy goal and tell the story of our school district in a meaningful way.”
Since September 2023, our district has collected extensive input from staff, students, families, community members and partners to inform this plan. District leaders are looking closely at student outcomes, evidence-based practices of high-performing schools and improvement science.
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“All of this is coming together based on feedback,” said Cramer. “All of those pieces will make up that puzzle to drive toward all students reading on grade level by 2030.”
This will guide our district from “random acts of improvement” to aligned goals, behaviors, processes and investments.
“We learned from talking to teachers and leaders that we have inconsistency from classroom to classroom, and from school to school,” said Cramer. “How do we guarantee high-quality grade-level instruction from the pre-algebra classroom to the biology classroom to the second-grade classroom? That will be in the Strategic Plan.”
Building that consistency includes making sure teachers have the resources, support and leadership needed to improve student outcomes.
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“That means that our teachers have time to collaborate, we have strong instructional leaders in every building and we're implementing improvement processes with integrity,” said Cramer. “We've been ensuring that we have the right tools, data and processes in place to support continuous improvement.”
As Omaha Public Schools moves forward in this work, the takeaway is clear: literacy unlocks everything else for young people.
“We have an amazing team that really cares for our students and is doing what they can to help them be ready to be launched into the world,” said Erdenberger.
The Strategic Plan is expected to be brought before the Board of Education for approval in March.
“We're reinforcing those value-driven behaviors around results, equity, accountability, leadership and joy all along the way,” said Cramer. “We’re sharing the metrics, telling the story transparently about where we are, how far we have come and what we're planning to do about it.”
| | Bryan High Students Help Shape Children’s Nebraska Project | | |
Bryan High senior Cristian Carrillo Narvaez describes his ideal relaxation room as having cool, ambient lighting, bean bags, and peace and quiet.
“If I’m stressed, I want somewhere I can relax and just be myself,” he said. “And I really like bean bags.”
Carrillo Narvaez is a part of Bryan High’s interior design pathway. He and other students provided input on creating an inviting and comfortable space for Children’s Nebraska’s new Behavioral Health & Wellness Center.
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“We picked out furniture and color schemes that we believed children our age or younger would feel comfortable in,” said Carrillo Narvaez. “We took a survey on the colors and portraits that made us feel warm and comfortable.”
Students offered suggestions on types of furniture, artwork, wallpaper and sensory features.
Children’s Nebraska leaders said working directly with students provided valuable insight into what makes a space feel welcoming and calming for young patients.
“Children and teens are the ones who will use and interact with the space, and to ensure the building made them feel safe and calm, it was important we seek their input,” said Jeanee Weiss, Children’s Nebraska community health strategy leader. “The students of Omaha Public Schools made a direct, lasting footprint in a state-of-the-art building that will serve kids for years to come.”
The experience provided career exploration within the pathway, as well as networking opportunities with professionals.
“It was a great opportunity,” said Jacqueline Cipriano-Ponce, Bryan High senior. “It also gave us a good understanding of the career paths we can go into.”
Krystal Kolb, Bryan High family and consumer science teacher, says that students gained hands-on experience from industry experts.
“What Children’s did to include our students is so cool,” said Kolb. “It was really neat to see that they actually applied what the students suggested.”
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Kevin Trejo Orea, a Bryan High student in the mental health pathway, says something as simple as the color of a wall can play a role in a child’s mental health journey.
“Blues and greens can help bring their mood down and keep calm,” said Trejo Orea. “I feel like it’s better for them to be able to feel safe, comfortable and welcome.”
After sharing their ideas, the students returned to the wellness center to see the final product.
“It was really cool seeing our designs come to life,” said Carrillo Narvaez. “Seeing that they took into consideration what a couple of high school students saw and felt and put in place for something so important, like mental health.”
The Behavioral Health & Wellness Center opened this month on Children’s Nebraska’s West Dodge Road campus in Omaha, offering the full spectrum of pediatric mental health services – including 24/7 walk-in support for youth under the age of 20.
| | Adams Elementary Earns National Recognition | | Two-Hour Late Start for All Students on Jan. 27 | | |
On Jan. 27, all students will begin two hours later than normal for an Omaha Public Schools Improvement Day.
Staff will use the extra time for data-driven work to improve teaching and learning across our district.
The remaining Improvement days for this school year are:
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Holiday Reminder
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is on Monday, Jan. 19. All schools and district offices will be closed.
To download or view our district calendar, visit our website.
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Our district and community have resources to support students and staff, including the Safe2Help Nebraska Hotline.
Safe2Help Nebraska is a confidential and anonymous hotline for students, families, staff or community members to report concerns.
If you or someone you know needs support or would like to report a safety concern, Safe2Help Nebraska Hotline is available 24/7 at (531) 299-SAFE. The app is installed on every Omaha Public Schools iPad, providing easy and immediate access.
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Our Community Opportunities section is our digital bulletin board where families can find information about upcoming events and activities available in our area. New flyers are posted at the beginning of each month. This month's flyers include:
- Hispanic Community Health Initiative Annual Health Fair
- City of Omaha summer applications
- Hillside Little League registration
- Aim For The Stars Summer Camp registration
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... to Adams Elementary for being selected as a National Elementary and Secondary Education Act Distinguished School.
… to all Omaha Public Schools students chosen for the Omaha World-Herald’s 2025 All-Nebraska football team.
- Tory Pittman, Central High
- Darion Jones, North High
- Max Clark, North High
- Jaron Cannon, North High
...the District Communications team for recognition by the Public Relations Society of America - Nebraska Chapter's 2025 Paper Anvil Awards.
- Award of Excellence - 2024-25 Comprehensive Strategic Communication Plan
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Award of Excellence - All-City Music Festival 75th Anniversary
- Best in Show
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| | Omaha Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation or economic status in its programs, activities and employment and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following individual has been designated to accept allegations regarding non-discrimination policies: Superintendent of Schools, 3215 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68131 (531) 299-9822. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director for the Office of Equity and Diversity, 3215 Cuming St, Omaha, NE 68131 (531) 299-0307. | | | | |
