Staying On Track in Omaha Public Schools

From student council to playing softball, girls’ wrestling and a college preparatory academy, Felicianna Clay-Morales is no stranger to extracurricular activities.

“Being involved at your school really helps you get out of your bubble,” said the North High sophomore. “It helps you build the image that is good for college by being a part of the different clubs.”

In addition to making the most of her high school experience, Clay-Morales is focused on staying on track to graduate. And she’s not doing it alone.

Our district is using on-track data to help our schools see whether students are meeting the key milestones toward graduation, including attendance, course grades and credits earned.

At North High, Freshman Academy teams meet regularly and review data. Staff use that information to identify challenges early and connect students with support along the way.

“If a student is on track at the end of their freshman year, then they're more likely to graduate on time with their peers,” said Liz Anderson, North High assistant principal and data processor. “It’s wildly impactful to start freshman year off strong.”

By focusing on each student's data, staff can identify the right supports to keep students moving toward graduation and beyond.

“Different situations might require different levels of intervention,” said Anderson.

North High also ensures students know their hard work is paying off with celebrations throughout the year.

“North High is a good environment to be in,” said Clay-Morales. “The people, the teachers, it’s homey and has good experiences for everybody.”

The work at North High is part of our districtwide focus on continuous school improvement, aligned with our Strategic Plan.

At a recent Board of Education meeting, district leaders highlighted how schools are using data to guide improvement efforts. They shared examples from other schools in our district on how important attendance is to academic success. 

At Bryan High, staff are focused on identifying attendance patterns early and communicating directly with students and families before concerns become chronic. The school also centers on fostering a sense of belonging and on consistent messaging about the importance of being present and engaged.

“Our responsibility is to turn those findings and our improvement strategies into action,” said Langston Frison, Ed.D., an Omaha Public Schools principal supervisor.

Across Omaha Public Schools, our teams continue to use this data to identify areas for growth and the best way to support our students.

“The goal is not simply to know our data better,” said Frison. “The goal is to get better because of what the data tells us.”