Superintendent Briefing
September 2019
Welcome Back to School
NPHS Cheerleaders and Pacers welcomed all elementary students and families back to school on the first day of school - August 19, 2019. What a great way to start the school year. Thank you to the NPHS Cheerleaders and Pacers.
2019-2020 NSAA Believer and Achiever Award!
Please join me in extending congratulations to two NPHS students, Elliot Purdy and Aleecia Pace, who have been selected as North Platte High School's nominees for the 2019-2020 NSAA Believer and Achiever Award!
The Nebraska School Activities Association and U.S. Bank® are proud to sponsor Believers & Achievers, a state-wide awards program that recognizes Nebraska’s future leaders. Believers & Achievers has been designed to reward high school students in Nebraska for their excellence in academics and participation in NSAA activities. Those students who show a commitment to citizenship, school involvement and community projects will be honored in the Believers & Achievers program.
From those nominees submitted, U.S. Bank® and the NSAA will select and honor 48 high school seniors throughout the 2019-20 academic year. The pictures and profiles of six Believers & Achievers will be featured monthly in the NSAA News on the NSAA website. A poster will be produced and sent to each member high school for display. The 48 individuals selected will be honored with an award at an NSAA championship contest during the 2019-20 school year. All 48 Believers & Achievers will be invited to attend an end-of-the-year banquet, celebrating their achievements. During the banquet, U.S. Bank® will announce individual scholarship winners. -- Jordan Cudney, NPHS Athletic Director
NPPSD Preschool Update
★ At the beginning of the school year, the district hung new banners (pictured above) at all schools to promote preschool in our district
★ The district has 5 Locations currently offering preschool. They all offer 2 half-day sessions (except Lincoln only offers a.m.)
★ Buffalo is piloting a full-day preschool program which is currently FULL
★ There are still several openings within our preschools (Washington Jefferson, & Cody) so we are trying to spread the word. Mrs. Fleck, principal at Buffalo, did an ALL schoosl call to inform people of the openings.
★ Preschool & Early Childhood Educators formed a team this summer and worked on bettering the preschool program for future students.
★ The NPPSD website has been updated so parents can find preschool information easier.
★ Tamran Berol, secretary at Buffalo, has started making all the calls in regards to preschool openings and registrations.
North Platte School District is committed to providing high-quality early childhood care and education programs for the North Platte Community. -- DaNesa Fleck, Principal & Preschool Facilitator, Buffalo Elementary.
The preschool staff listed below have been hard at work doing home visits to prepare for their upcoming students.
North Platte, Nebraska — The first five years of a child’s life presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for childhood education and development. During those years, neural connections are being made more rapidly than at any other time. These connections are the architecture of the adult mind—the foundation upon which all future learning and relationships will be built. (Nebraskachildren.org)
More than 150 high-quality, scientific studies from all over the world demonstrate that starting early can have major short and long-term effects on cognitive and social-emotional development. Early learning has been linked to progress in school, increased earnings, and reduction in anti-social behavior, welfare participation, and trouble with the law. (Buffet Early Childhood Institute https://buffettinstitute.nebraska.edu/about-the-early-years)
Childcare shortages can affect economic development and have a broad impact beyond the family, and communities need to address these issues with right-sized solutions that meet the unique aspects of the community. Nebraska Children and Families Foundation (NC) can offer expertise and resources that otherwise a community may not have access to. (Nebraskachildren.org)
North Platte Community leaders are working with Communities for Kids. “Communities for Kids works closely with partners at both the government and community level to create more access to high-quality early childhood care and education programs. The communities lead the way in this effort by determining their own needs and strengths,” said Amy Bornemeier, Vice President of Early Childhood Programs at Nebraska Children and Families Foundation.
North Platte Public Schools Awards September Staff Member of the Month
The North Platte Public Schools Foundation in conjunction with North Platte Public Schools is excited to announce that Tamran Berol is being honored as the NPPS Bulldog Staff member of the month for September. Tamran is the Administrative Assistant at Buffalo Elementary School.
She was nominated by DaNesa Fleck, Buffalo Elementary Principal. In her nomination, Tamran was described as an angel. “She is here for the right reasons, kids and communication,” said Fleck.
Monthly award winners are given a gift basket from our monthly business sponsor, balloons and a gift card to the Bulldog store at NPHS provided by the Foundation and a flower bouquet from Prairie Friends and Flowers. The September business sponsors were Jason and Lori Hansen of Midwest Family Financial.
The North Platte Public Schools Foundation facilitates the program and takes nominations from principals and administration. Staff members are awarded monthly throughout the school year and will be recognized at Education After Hours in the spring. Business sponsors are being sought for the 2019-2020 school year. For more information, contact the North Platte Public Schools Foundation at 696-3325.
Nebraska Association of School Boards 2019 Award of Achievement
The Nebraska Association of School Boards (NASB), Board of Directors and staff, recognized the 2019 Award of Achievement recipients during the North Platte Area Meeting on Tuesday, August 27, 2019.
NASB is a private, nonprofit organization that serves the needs of Nebraska public school districts and Educational Service Unit board members. Nebraska’s 1,700 school board members from across the state may participate in board development training throughout the year by attending workshops and conferences to help strengthen their role in governance, legislative advocacy, and stewardship of district resources in support of student achievement. In recognition of their volunteer time and commitment to education, the Association commends continued participation and growth in knowledge and best practice governance. Through the Awards of Achievement program, the following board members were recognized at the meeting for their outstanding excellence:
- Level 2 North Platte Public Schools Ivan Mitchell
- Level 6 North Platte Public Schools Jo Ann Lundgreen
- Level 1 North Platte Public Schools Mark Nicholson
- Level 3 North Platte Public Schools Matt Pederson
- Level 5 North Platte Public Schools Mike Morrell
- Level 4 North Platte Public Schools Skip Altig
SEESOMETHING - - SENDSOMETHING
All North Platte Public Schools have new SEESOMETHING - - SENDSOMETHING signs posted throughout the buildings to provide information to students and staff about how to report unsafe activities. It takes everyone to keep our schools safe! -- Officer Johnson, School Resource Officer
NPPS Safety Committee
The NPPS Safety Committee met at Lake Maloney Elementary to discuss the safety and security at both schools (Lake and Osgood) with the principal. The committee had a few minor agenda items to discuss besides the monthly school update. We feel that our schools are safe but will be diligent about making sure our schools are secure. The Safety Committee wants to emphasize that staff are creating relationships with students and letting them know they are in a safe and caring environment.
The next meeting will be at McDonald Elementary. Stuart Simpson, Executive Director of Finance, Facilities, and Operations.
NPPS TeamMates
Welcome back to another school year! We are excited to have the TeamMates Mentoring program in ALL North Platte Public Schools. We are a school-based one-to-one mentoring program that began in 1991. Tom and Nancy Osborne founded the program in an effort to provide support and encouragement to school-aged youth in grades 3-12. The goal of the program is to see youth graduate high school and pursue post-secondary education. Last year TeamMates gave out over $3.9 million to graduating seniors. To reach this goal youth must meet one time per week with a caring adult who serves as their mentor. Mentors are volunteers from the community who have dedicated themselves to making a difference in the life of a young person. Mentors support the strengths of the youth and help build a sense of hope, purpose, and vision. TeamMates is for ALL youth and anyone can become involved.
Last year we started the school year with 22 matches in all of our schools. I am proud to say that today we have 80 matches and strive to reach over 100 by the end of the school year. We were thrilled to give out over $2,500 in college scholarships to our 7 graduating seniors in 2019. If your child is interested in joining TeamMates or if you know of someone who would make a great mentor in our schools, please call Molly Morales at North Platte High School 308-535-7105. You can also go to teammates.org to apply to become a mentor or learn more about our program.--Molly Morales, TeamMates Coordinator
Grab & Go Breakfast
We implemented Grab & Go Breakfast at both Eisenhower and McDonald Elementary on Monday. The above video link shows the student's at Eisenhower coming in from Walking Club and grabbing their breakfast as they head to the classroom to start their day. Monday Eisenhower's breakfast count was 114 and is now up to 175. McDonald started on Monday with 94 breakfasts and has climbed to 161 students enjoying a Grab & Go Breakfast. Great to see these students getting fueled up ready to learn.--Diane Heine, Food Service Director
Attached is a video (link) from Thursday, August 28th, of the McDonald students coming in from the morning Walking Club and picking up their Grab & Go Breakfast to take and eat in their classroom. For the first 10 days of school, McDonald is averaging 142 breakfast served per day (daily counts as high as 162 last week. This is compared to last school year when we were serving breakfast in the cafeteria and averaging 70 - 75 breakfast meals a day. The increase in students eating breakfast this year is WONDERFUL!! Diane Heine, Food Service Director
RSVP Volunteers Impact North Platte Public Elementary Schools
Forty-three (43) RSVP Volunteers served with the RSVP Literacy Program during the 2018-19 reporting period. Approximately 513 students were reported to have received help from a RSVP Volunteer during the 2018-2019 school year. Of the students who received help, 370 students were reported to be reading at the benchmark by the end of the school year.
The volunteers served a total of 1,781 hours at the 9 North Platte Public Elementary Schools through the Literacy Program.
In April & May 2019 RSVP distributed 2 brand new books, a pencil, and bookmark to every student in the North Platte Public School District, St. Patrick’s Catholic Schools, Our Redeemer Lutheran School, and three Head Start programs. A total of 4,668 books were given to 2,334 students. This is the 11th year we have given out books. This year we have given over 55,000 books.
We surveyed the teachers at the end of the year. This is what they have to say about the volunteers and the books we distribute.
What teachers said about RSVP Volunteers . . .
· They give students extra practice with letter recognition and letter/sound correspondence, reading, practicing sight words, decoding words, or in general working with students to practice skills they need additional assistance. They also work with students that are above grade level to enrich their opportunities.
· The RSVP Volunteers play such a huge role in helping students to increase their scores by providing either small group guidance or one on one help. When working with the Volunteers, the students feel like they matter, gain confidence and receive help at their level. Students begin feeling confident, happy and more successful.
· I believe RSVP provides a chance for students to work one-on-one with a volunteer to guide them with their phonics, fluency and comprehension skills. My students loved working with the volunteers and it was a time for students to really focus on their reading needs with someone other than their teacher.
· I utilized the RSVP Volunteers during my small group reading rotation centers 3 days per week. One group focused on High-Frequency Words and Vocabulary Readers. The other group focused on weekly vocabulary discussion and the application of new vocabulary in 7-up sentences. Both volunteers also helped students improve their reading fluency.
· The RSVP Volunteers gave individual attention to struggling readers. They were able to help the child succeed in their reading and comprehension.
· The RSVP Volunteer who comes to my classroom is a role model to many of my students that don’t have a positive role model. He is willing to help with anything the students need help with.
· The books are a wonderful gift to the students as these may be the only books they have at home. In my class, we took the time to read them wither together or in partners. The students are proud of their books.
· The students love receiving the books you provide. They are grade-level appropriate and the students are excited and cannot wait to read them. Receiving a brand new book of their own is so awesome and the students are excited to get them. Thank you!
· My students loved receiving the books! I think this a great part of the program. I appreciate that the books are on grade level for the students, they are new and interesting so the students want to read the books, and they feel special to receive a girl book or boy book.
Thank you so much for providing the books for the students. --Dana Songster, RSVP Director. Bridget Weeder, RSVP Secretary
Dorothy (Dot) Koubek, Foster Grandparent & Mrs. Ayres, 1st Grade Teacher, McDonald Elementary
North Platte School District & CAPWN Foster Grandparent Program
The North Platte School District in conjunction with the CAPWN Foster Grandparent Program are proud of the accomplishments of Senior Corps volunteer, Dorothy Koubek. She has been a Foster Grandparent for 18 years with the CAPWN program and has served at the North Platte Schools the entire time. She started serving as a volunteer at Eisenhower School with Angie Ayres as her teacher. Angie moved to McDonald Elementary in 2016 and “Dot” moved with her. Dot helps the children in the first grade with reading skills as well as nurtures the children as they learn. She has a wonderful personality and has been called “Grandma” by many children over the past years.
She has served over 12065 hours by serving four days a week during the school year and volunteering at the Summer Kid’s Academy during the summer months. She never seems to tire of being around the children and watching them learn to read. When I go to visit her, she is so proud of her “kids” that are sitting around her table in her classroom. Some of the older students that have had her in the past are speaking to as they go down the hall. Dot is such an important part of McDonald Elementary and always will be.
Foster Grandparents are 55 years of age and are income-eligible. They work at least 15 hours for the program and enjoy being with children. The program is sponsored by Community Action Health Center (CAPWN) and is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Services (CNCS) which has a very large Senor Corps population in Lincoln County. If you are interested in being a Foster Grandparent, please call Cathy Schumacher at 308-633-3348 or contact a local North Platte School Elementary and they will connect you with us.
Congratulations once again, and thank you for inspiring a lifetime of fitness through running.
Sincerely,
Erica Gminski
Youth and Coaching Programs Manager
Road Runners Club of America
youthprograms@rrca.orgRough Riders Horse Club
In September Kids Klub students from Cody Elementary began their Rough Riders Horse Club.
This club was made possible through a competitive grant managed by Nebraska Department of Education. The funds for this grant are set aside from 1% of the Nebraska Lottery proceeds.
Thirty students spent three weeks learning the care of, and how to ride, horses with Dusty Barner and staff at Dusty Trails.
On Sept. 13th those same thirty students were treated to behind the scenes access of the Mid-Plains College Rodeo events.
Rodeo Coach, Dustin Elliott, in addition to the other rodeo coaches, and the rodeo participants, took our students on the arena floor and gave them instructions on each event and then supervised simulated rodeo events that our students participated in.
We were fed dinner, given an autograph and photo opportunity with the rodeo team and queens, and then treated to VIP seats for the actual rodeo.
What a fabulous opportunity for our students. Thank you again to our community partners for coming together on a vision and making it happen for the students of NPPS Kids Klub.-- Carrie Lienemann, Kids Klub Director.
NPPSD Transportation Department
September has been a busy month for the NPPS Transportation Department. Bus drivers have driven over 15,000 miles taking students and staff all around North North Platte and throughout Nebraska.
The Transportation Department has made student safety its highest priority as students travel in school vehicles
High School activities : 14,359 miles
Middle School activities : 1,680 miles
MS Route : 1,200 miles
Kids Klub : 130 miles
We appreciate their dedication to our students and staff. Lori Coburn, Director of Facilities.
NPPS Mobile App
We are happy to share with our North Platte Public Schools community the release of our updated mobile app. The app is designed to get quick access to district and school information, news and events. You can access the new mobile app in both the Apple App Store and Google Play store. Simply search for "NPPSD" in either store. -- Brian Tegtmeier, Director of Technology.