Superintendent Briefing
May 2019
North Platte Public School District Strives toward GREATNESS
Communication starts with the process of building a connected team. To connect with someone, you must communicate with them. Relationships are the foundation upon which great teams are built and communication serves as the initial foundation in building a great relationship.
Communication builds trust. Trust generates commitment. Commitment fosters teamwork and teamwork delivers results.
Staff Member of the Month
Congratulations! NPPSD Team
Mel Keup & Greg Fruhwirth
Business sponsor, Jennifer Gilland from Doodads and Fandangles
North Platte Public Schools Awards Staff Member of the Month for April
The North Platte Public Schools Foundation in conjunction with North Platte Public Schools is excited to announce that Mel Keup is being honored as the NPPS Bulldog Staff member of the month for April.
Mel has been with NPPS for 28 years and is currently a paraprofessional at Washington Elementary.
In her nomination Greg Fruhwirth, Principal at Washington Elementary, described Mel's characteristics including compassion, loyalty, teamwork, honesty, integrity, caring, great laugh, hard work and most of all a spirit that makes you happy to be around. North Platte’s nickname is “Bulldogs” and she exemplifies that attitude and spirit because she never quits.
This month’s sponsor of the Bulldog Staff member of the month was Doodads and Fandangles owned by Sara Sonneman and Jennifer Gilland. Winners are rewarded with a gift basket from the monthly sponsor as well as balloons and a gift card to the NPHS Bulldog store sponsored by the NPPS Foundation. Also, Prairie Friends and Flowers provide a flower bouquet to each's month's winner.
The North Platte Public Schools Foundation is facilitating the program and takes nominations from principals and administration. Staff members are awarded monthly throughout the school year and were recognized at the end of the year Education After Hours.
May 2019 - Safety Update
North Platte Public Schools is finishing the first year of reviewing and updating our safety and security policy Our first line is always working at building relationships with our students. We have also been working cooperatively with our area law enforcement to ensure our district is safe for our students and staff. One final measure that was installed for the month of April was RAVE. This is an app on your smartphone that depending on the situation, a teacher or staff member can push this button and alert all parties of the situation. Along with the app, the North Platte Police Department put a GEO fence around Madison, Adams Middle School, and NPHS so when this button is pushed we know exactly where a problem is occurring in our District. -- Stuart Simpson, Executive Director of Finance, Facilities, and Operations Also we have a Coffee Card for the first person to email Sheila Furley
NPPSD Safety Committee
If you have a building safety/security request to be considered, please send it to Stuart Simpson the safety committee chair. The committee will discuss it at their next monthly meeting.
The safety committee meets monthly to discuss safety and security around the district.
Staff members that serve on the committee:
Stuart Simpson, Chair
Tami Eshleman, Education Representative
Brian Tegtmeier, Technology Representative
Jeremiah Johnson, SRO, Law Enforcement
Brandy Buscher, Student Services
Lori Coburn, Custodial Director, Building Surveillance
NPHS Journalism brings home a State champion and awards for all
Congratulations to State Journalism champion Ainsley Nichols! The senior earned first place in news-writing at the NSAA Class A state journalism competition in Norfolk Tuesday. She also placed second place in newspaper column writing. Nichols is the managing editor of The North Platte Bulldogger.
Junior Anam Vaziri placed second in advertising, and junior Clay Stone came in sixth in headline writing. Vaziri and Stone are both editors on the high school paper.
The Round-Up yearbook staff, represented by editor-in-chief Haley Ablard, managing editor Josie Keck, and copy editor Coleman Riggins, placed sixth in yearbook theme development for their work on this year’s 2019 yearbook. The editors began working on the book last May, and it will be released next week.
Results of the 2019 SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Competition
Twenty-two students from the North Platte High School SkillsUSA Chapter competed at the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference in Grand Island, Nebraska. The 8 students in bold will compete at the National competition in Louisville, KY. Sixteen students were awarded with the Academic Achievement Award. Fifteen students were awarded level 1 of the Professional Development Program. Twelve students were awarded the distinguished ambassador award for attending the Fall Leadership, Mid-America, and the State Skills and Leadership Conferences. Rebecca Ady and Kainin Wilson were elected as State Officers for the 2019-2020 school year.
Rebecca Ady Opening & Closing Ceremonies 1st
Jestynne Crankshaw Opening & Closing Ceremonies 1st
Carli Fudge Opening & Closing Ceremonies 1st
Mia Hilber-Hansmeier Opening & Closing Ceremonies 1st
Sarah Phares Opening & Closing Ceremonies 1st
Hannah Rosenof Opening & Closing Ceremonies 1st
Kainin Wilson Opening & Closing Ceremonies 1st
Hayden Thatcher Sheet Metal 1st
Colton Ogden Welding Fabrication 2nd
Keifer Smith Welding Fabrication 2nd
Teren Weatherly Welding Fabrication 2nd
Ethan Bokoskie Opening & Closing Ceremonies 2nd
Kaitlyn Bowers Opening & Closing Ceremonies 2nd
Kaitlyn Connelly Opening & Closing Ceremonies 2nd
Emma Dowhower Opening & Closing Ceremonies 2nd
Derik Gifford Opening & Closing Ceremonies 2nd
Taylor Lowe Opening & Closing Ceremonies 2nd
Caleb Tegtemeier Opening & Closing Ceremonies 2nd
Academic Achievement Rebecca Ady, Ethan Bokoskie, Kaitlyn Bowers, Kaitlyn Connelly, Jestynne Crankshaw, Emma Dowhower, Carli Fudge, Mia Hilber-Hansmeier, Taylor Lowe, Sarah Phares, Hannah Rosenof, Destiny Rundquist, Keifer Smith, Caleb Tegtemeier, Hayden Thatcher, and Kainin Wilson
Distinguished Ambassadors Rebecca Ady, Ethan Bokoskie, Katelyn Bowers, Kaitlyn Connelly, Mia Hilber-Hansmeier, Adam Luhring, Haylee Morgan, Sarah Phares, Hannah Rosenof, Destiny Rundquist, Caleb Tegtemeier, and Kainin Wilson
Professional Development Program- Level 1 Rebecca Ady, Ethan Bokoskie, Katelyn Bowers, Kaitlyn Connelly, Carli Fudge, Derik Gifford, Mia Hilber-Hansmeier, Taylor Lowe, Adam Luhring, Haylee Morgan, Sarah Phares, Hannah Rosenof, Destiny Rundquist, Caleb Tegtemeier, and Kainin Wilson
State Officers for 2019-2020 Year Rebecca Ady and Kainin Wilson
Teammates End of the Year Celebration
Teammates End of the Year Celebration occurred on April 17, 2019. Teammates honored all seniors for their accomplishments! Congrats to Megan, Kiera, Mason, Regan, Gillian, and Zac for being involved in Teammates and good luck to all of you! --Molly Morales, TeamMates Coordinator.
Nebraska Young Artist Award
The University of Nebraska Young Artist Award annually recognizes 11th-grade students from Nebraska who are gifted and talented in the areas of visual art, dance, music, theatre, and emerging media arts. These students exemplify the pinnacles of creativity in one of the fine and performing arts. Students were selected for this award by the UNL Hixson-Lied College Faculty. NPHS students, Jack Carlson in violin and Parker Tonkinson in trumpet, were recognized as recipients of this award on April 3rd, 2019 in Lincoln, NE. Students selected for the Nebraska Young Artist Awards were also asked to nominate the teacher who provided them with the greatest amount of mentoring and support in the development of their special talents. Miss Dawn Fickel was nominated by Jack Carlson and Mr. Brett Bradley was nominated by Parker Tonkinson.
$250,000 21st Century Community Learning Center Continuation Grant
Kids Klub was awarded a $250,000 21st Century Community Learning Center Continuation Grant from Nebraska Department of Education.
This grant will fund After school and summer programming for Cody Elementary students for the next five years.
This grant was the result of the collaboration between Kids Klub, NPPSD administration, Cody Elementary Principal, Jeff Nemecek, and our community partners to write and submit our proposal in early February.
Official word of our grant award was sent to us in April. Congratulations Kids Klub and thank you to our partners for this group effort in bringing high quality after school & summer programming to our Cody students for another five years. -- Carrie Lienemann, Kids Klub Director
Pat Bryant, Adams Middle School
Pat Bryant, Adams Middle School, recently celebrated her 22nd Anniversary with Sodexo here at North Platte Public Schools. She is one of the behind the scenes, unsung heroes in Child Nutrition. While she has worked in various assignments around the kitchen, the last few have been directing the Dish Room and operating the Dish Machine for most of her 6-hour daily work shift. She is also responsible for supervising 15-20 Adams’ student helpers in proper food and physical safety with dishes going into and out of the Adams Dish Room. The Adams’ Dish Room not only cleans the Adams’ Dishes, Pots, and Pans and Table Service for the 650 Adams’ Students but also many of those from McDonald, Cody, Eisenhower, Lake Maloney, and Osgood Elementary Schools. Great Job, Pat, and Thank You for all you do for the Kids of North Platte. --Larry Young, SODEXO Nutrition Services General Manager
Jill Barnason, Adams Middle School
Jill Barnason, Adams Middle School, all smiles displaying her baking skills today. One of the signature programs Sodexo offers in the North Platte Elementary Schools is the A to Z Salad bar where fruits and vegetables beginning with the letters of the alphabet are offered daily throughout the month of April. Today, in our Elementary Schools, we had R and S, and in being alphabetically correct, Jill prepared 36 pans of “Rhubarb, Strawberry Crisp”for all 9 NPPSD Elementary Schools. Great Job, Jill, and Thank You for all you do for the Kids of North Platte. --Larry Young, SODEXO Nutrition Services General Manager
North Platte Public Schools College and Career Initiative
North Platte Public Schools is working on developing a NPPSD Career & College Initiative. Each year, components of the initiative will be implemented in order to accomplish the District’s purpose of preparing students to be productive, responsible citizens.
North Platte Public Schools College and Career Initiative is a concept that focuses on preparing our students to become productive responsible citizens. We have a short period of time, thirteen years, to accomplish this purpose. Elementary schools are focusing on career awareness, middle schools are focusing on career exploration, and the high school is focusing on academies and internships to prepare student to be career and college ready.
NPHS Career Internship Program
Amy Sabatka, NPHS Careers Instructor/Internship Facilitator, is creating some great internship opportunities for NPHS students. The purpose of the career internship program is designed to provide students with on-the-job training that will empower students as they pursue their career goals.
For Information about the NPHS Internship Program . . .
Amy Sabatka
308.535.7105 (school)
308.530.9609 (cell)
NPPSD Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support
North Platte School District is working with Nebraska Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support (PBiS) by planning and training for an implementation target of 2020-21. All schools are developing school-wide behavior plans via school based PBiS teams during the 2017-18 and 2019-20 school years.
4th Consecutive Year of Continuous Improvement
North Platte Public Schools is focusing on improving attendance by implementing interventions -- “Dare to go Five Below”. An NPPSD Attendance Task Force has been assembled that includes key leaders within the community. Mayor Livingston wrote and signed NP Community Proclamation challenging the NP Community to collectively support this initiative. The police chief, the sheriff, the county attorney, and other city and county officials are participating in the task force team.
NEBRASKA FRAMEWORKS External Team Members
Chair, Melanie Mueller, Director of Research, Assessment Papillon/LaVita Schools, and Evaluation; Team Members Kimberly De La Cruz, high school assistant principal, Westside Community Schools; Scott Becker, elementary principal, Westside Community Schools; Andrew Bell, elementary principal, Papillion-La Vista Community Schools; Mary Scarborough, University Nebraska-Omaha instructor; Amy Wemhoff, University of Nebraska-Lincoln PBiS consultant; Brent Holder, retired middle school principal
External Team visits North Platte Public Schools
The North Platte School District hosted the External Team on April 29, 30, 31, 2019. All North Platte Schools were visited on Monday, April 30, 2019. This process involved planning, implementation, evaluation and renewal of school improvement activities to meet local and statewide goals and priorities. All accredited schools in Nebraska must have a school improvement process in effect according to Rule 10-009.01. The process includes a periodic review by visiting educators who provide consultation to the local school/community in the continued accomplishment of plans and goals. In accordance with Rule 10-009.01B, each school must have an external team visit at least once every five years.
National Teacher Appreciation Day
National Teacher Appreciation Day, also known as National Teacher Day, is observed on the Tuesday of the first full week in May. In 2019, National Teacher Day will take place on May 7th.
NPPSD Staff & Parents & Guardians
THANK YOU to the NPPSD Staff & Parents/Guardians for all your hard work and support throughout the 2018-19 school year. The North Platte Public School District is working collectively to become a great school district. It is a district that collaborates to create and improve an effective integrated district-wide system to ensure adults have the capacity to support students and learning in collaboration with family, businesses, and community members.