Gateway October Newsletter
October, 2019
Assistant Principal, Nicole Longlee.
Important Dates
October
Tues., Oct. 8th---Individual Picture Day
Wed., Oct. 9th---Kindergarten Firefighter Visit
Fri., Oct. 11th---Talent Ticket Winners Announced
Thurs., Oct. 17th---Kindergarten Field Trip to Valas Pumpkin Patch
Fri., Oct. 18th---End of Quarter 1
Mon., Oct. 21st---Start of Quarter 2
Wed., Oct. 23rd---No School for Pre-K, Early Childhood Teacher Plan Day
Wed., Oct. 23rd---Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:30-8:00 pm
Thurs., Oct. 24th---NO SCHOOL, Parent Teacher Conferences, 12:30-8:00 pm
Fri., Oct. 25th---NO SCHOOL, Elementary Teacher Plan Day
Mon., Oct. 28th --- Classes Resume
Tues., Oct. 29th--- 6th Grade Field Trip to Fontanelle Forest
Thurs., Oct. 31st---Classroom Halloween Parties, 2:30 pm
Notes From The Office
Please remember that due to Parent/Teacher Conferences, classes will not be in session for Gateway Elementary students Thursday, October 24th and Friday, October 25th. School will resume Monday, Oct. 28th.
September Soaring Eagles
Emergency Drills @ Gateway
Your child might have come home talking about our lockdown drill, shelter drill or building evacuation drill. All of these drills prepare our students and staff how to respond in the event of an emergency. At Gateway we follow the Standard Response Protocol (SRP). SRP is a series of clear, concise actions established to provide consistency in vocabulary and response during an emergency situation. SRP uses four actions: “Lockout”, “Lockdown”, “Shelter in Place” and “Evacuate”. The purpose of the SRP is to align our emergency response protocols and procedures with the local law enforcement and other school districts in the Omaha metro area.
During the first few weeks of the school year, our students and teachers practiced these very important procedures. I'm including an English/Spanish handout that explains the procedures that we practice. Please take a moment to review these actions with your child. Don't hesitate to contact your child's teacher or me if you have any questions or concerns.
Gateway Family Night at the Bellevue Berry Farm
The 7th Annual Gateway Fall Family Night at the Bellevue Berry Farm will be held on Thursday, October 17th from 5:00-8:30 P.M. Dinner will be served from 5:00-7:00 pm. Cost is $9.00 per person. Cost includes admission to the Bellevue Berry Farm and its attractions including a bounce house, pirate swing, haunted hayrack ride, haunted house, bonfires along with the World's Best Hot Dog Dinner! Forms were sent home last week. Please return the form along with payment. If you have any question, please call our office @ 531-299-1480. We hope to see you there!!!
A Night On "L" Street!!!
Parents to PE
Gateway Garden Club
The group is also looking for any parents that might be willing to help with the exterior landscaping needs. This might include weeding, planting and general upkeep. If you are interested in assisting, please send an email message to Gateway fourth grade teacher, Ryan Kuck at ryan.kuck@ops.org.
Thanks!!
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Mark your calendars for Fall Parent Teacher conferences:
Wednesday, October 23rd, 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Thursday, October 24th, 12:30 pm to 8:00 pm
If you haven’t done so, please call 531-299-1480 to schedule a time. Our goal is always 100% attendance for P/T Conferences!
The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) offers some excellent information about Parent Teacher conferences:
Children whose parents are involved in their education do better in school.
Before the conference, talk with your child and find out what his/her favorite school subjects and activities are and if he/she has any concerns for you to discuss with the teacher.
Review your child’s work. Are there any areas that need improvement? Discuss both strengths and weaknesses with the teacher – we all have both.
Be on time. The conference schedule is tight and everyone needs to stay on schedule. If you develop a conflict, let the school know as soon as possible. Try to reschedule, even if it needs to be a phone conference.
Keep an open mind. Conferences are meant to help you understand your child’s school performance. Working together, home and school maximize student success.
Make plans to follow through at home if needed. Decide what you, your child, and the teacher need to do to help your child succeed.
Afterwards tell your child about the talk. Praise the things he/she is doing well and pass along compliments. If you need to, talk about areas you will work to improve.
Buffett Award for Outstanding Teachers
Recognize those that make a difference every day.
If you and your child would like to recognize a teacher for outstanding work, please write a letter of nomination to The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. It doesn’t have to be formal; don’t worry if you don’t write well. Letters should be a heartfelt expression of why you believe that this teacher would be a worthy candidate for the Buffett Award. Nominations can also be submitted online at:
buffettoutstandingteachers.org
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: 402-561-6030