Gateway Family Newsletter (English)
December 2021
Important Upcoming Events
Dec. 17th---Second Quarter Ends
Dec. 17th---No School for Pre-K, Early Childhood Planning Day
Dec. 20th thru Jan. 3rd---No School, Winter Recess
Jan. 4th---No School, Teacher Planning/Professional Development
Jan. 5th---Third Quarter Begins
Jan. 17th---No School, MLK Day
Notes From the Gateway Office
Please remember that school will not be in session on the dates listed below.
- Monday, December 20th thru Monday, January 3rd (Winter Recess)
- Tuesday, January 4th (Teacher Planning/Professional Development Day)
School will resume on Wednesday, January 5th, 2022. On behalf of the Gateway Staff, we wish you and your family a happy holiday!!!
Kindergarten Registration
Stop by Gateway on Jan. 13th from 9:30-2:30 to complete the registration process. Please bring the following items with you.
- Proof of Address
- Child's Birth Certificate
- Child's Immunization Records
Students are age-eligible to attend kindergarten at the beginning of the 2022 school year if they have attained the age of five (5) on or before July 31, 2022.
Call Gateway's main office at 531.299.1480 with any questions.
Winter Dress
As winter quickly approaches, please help our students come to school appropriately dressed for the weather and outdoor play. Recess is an important time for our students to socialize and engage in self-selected physical activity. At Gateway we try to ensure outdoor recess daily for students as much as possible.
Outdoor recess will not be held if the temperature or wind chill is twenty degrees Fahrenheit or below.
At all other times the decision for inside or outside recess is made based on factors such as age, student dress, playground conditions (including ice, snow, sun, mud,) and class need for outdoor activity. When required, recess might be shortened or moved inside.
When indoor recess is necessary, students still have opportunities to take part in physical activity. At Gateway, our classrooms provide supervised options such as: completing stretching exercises, jogging or doing jumping jacks in place, Go Noodle exercises and other activities that promote physical activity.
OPS Indoor/Outdoor Recess Guidance
Safe Arrival to School
Winter weather is fast approaching and the safety of our students and staff continues to be our number one priority. Please remember that Gateway students that do not attend Kid’s Club should not be arriving at school before 8:35 AM. Breakfast is free for all Gateway students and will be offered each morning at 8:35 am upon students' entry. The school day begins each morning at 8:50 AM.
Leaving children at school prior to 8:35 AM creates an unsafe situation, due to the fact that teachers are not on duty until 8:35 AM. If you need to drop your child off prior to 8:35 AM, please consider using Kids Club. Kids Club is a before and after school program administered by the Omaha Schools Foundation for children attending Omaha Public Elementary Schools. If you are interested in enrolling your child in Kids Club or have questions regarding specific hours and fees, please call the Omaha Schools Foundation Office at (531) 299-0250.
Safety Tips
- Please use only one of the three designated crosswalks to safely cross to/from school each day.
- Please use only the right hand lane to drop off and pick up students each day. The left lane is used as an exit/drive thru lane.
Crosswalk
Crosswalk
Crosswalk
Handicap Parking
Gateway Lost and Found
Covid-19 Vaccine Clinics
Music Program Updates
Out of a desire to provide our students and families a safe performance experience, we have decided to make some changes to how we do our music program this year. Each grade level will be having their own music program. We hope that you will find it easier to find parking on program days, will have a better idea of how much time you will need out of your day to attend the program, and will feel safe that we are able to adequately distance family groups in the performance space.
Please see the performance schedule below for the programs you would like to attend:
- Kindergarten: Monday, December 6th, 2021 11:55am-12:25pm (Snow date: December 13th)
- 1st Grade: Tuesday, March 1st, 2022 2:15-2:45pm (Snow date: March 9th)
- 2nd Grade: Friday, February 18th, 2022 1:20-1:50pm (Snow date: February 22nd)
- 3rd Grade: Thursday, April 14th, 2022 3:10-3:40pm
- 4th Grade: Thursday, April 14th, 2022 9:10-9:40am
- 5th Grade: Friday, January 28th, 2022 11:00-11:30am (Snow date: February 3rd)
- 6th Grade: This performance will be in May and the date will be passed along to families as soon as it is set.
- Chorus: There will be a performance in late March or early April. The date will be passed along to families as soon as it is set.
After you have attended your child(ren)’s performance, we would like to hear your feedback on how this change works for you. Please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher, Mrs. Kloke, Mr. Burton, or Miss Egan.
Thank you,
Mrs. Kloke and Miss Dworsky
General Music Teachers
Gateway Elementary
Nominate Your Favorite Teacher
Do you know an Omaha Public Schools teacher who deserves recognition?
A great teacher can turn a geography lesson into an exciting adventure or make a conversation become a life lesson. And the Omaha Public Schools community is fortunate to have so many great teachers. It’s why the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award was created more than 30 years ago — to recognize those teachers who have gone above and beyond to help their students in the classroom and in life.
Nominate an Omaha Public Schools teacher for this award and tell us what he or she has done that has made a difference. Now more than ever, let’s recognize the extraordinary efforts of educators within the Omaha Public Schools. Omaha Public Schools teachers continue to meet today’s challenges with an unwavering spirit and passionate dedication to their students. Please submit your nomination by Jan. 15, 2022.
Not Feeling Well?
While it’s important for children to be at school, it’s also important for them to stay at home and rest if they are sick--both so they can recover and so they don’t make others sick. If your child is sick, please notify the main office at 531.299.1480. Strict adherence to our health and safety guidelines protects other members of our community and allows in-person learning to proceed more successfully.
If you have any questions, please call our School Nurse, Mrs. Lauren Boll @ 531-299-1480.
Nebraska Family Helpline
Raising kids is hard. It’s okay to ask for advice. The Nebraska Family Helpline is a free, confidential resource for parents who have questions regarding their child’s behavior. Trained counselors are standing by. Have a question? Give them a call at 1-888-866-8660.
Terry Burton, Principal Gateway Elementary
Email: terry.burton@ops.org
Website: gateway.ops.org
Location: 5610 South 42nd Street, Omaha, NE, United States
Phone: 531-299-1480