March News
Elkhorn High School
EHS Families,
The calendar turning to March really caused me to stop and reflect on the year we have seen thus far. With the end of quarter 3 upon us, I cannot believe how quickly this year has passed. Starting this past Monday, Spring Sports are all churning ahead at full steam - this stuff fills my bucket and excites me for the future. I am proud of these students for their resilience and flexibility. I am honored to work with the teachers, coaches, counselors, and sponsors who have made the first seven months of this school year a success. There’s a lot of work left to be done, but the recent success of our Winter activities have really highlighted the work our students and staff are doing!
As I alluded to before, Winter activities are coming to a close and Spring activities are firing up. One of the most impressive aspects of this student body is their ability to balance academics with activities, athletics, jobs, friends, volunteer time as well as time with families. I applaud both their efforts and the efforts of their parents for coordination, support, meals and (in many cases) transportation. Often, this schedule can feel as though it is dictating your families’ lives for four years, but the hard work will pay off!
It was great to see so many of you for parent-teacher conferences in February. I believe that this high participation rate is symbolic of the excellent relationship between our community and our school. I appreciate our parents taking the time to have meaningful conversations with teachers about their students’ learning.
New Opportunity: EPS will be hosting our first annual EPS Career Fair on the evening of Wednesday, March 27th at Elkhorn South High School. Over 120 Prospective Employers will be in attendance! More details to come.
ACT and Pre-ACT Testing Day
On Tuesday, April 9th, all Juniors will take five sections of the ACT: English, Math, Reading, Science and Writing. Juniors will be dismissed at approximately 1:00pm.
EHS 9th and 10th Graders will take the pre-ACT on April 9th which includes English, Math, Reading and Science tests. 9th and 10th grade students will be dismissed at approximately 12:00pm.
No lunches will be served on April 9th . Seniors will not be in school on this day.
Spring Dates of Note:
Spring Break: 3/15 - 3/22
EPS Career Fair - At ESHS: 3/27
State ACT and Pre-ACT at EHS: 4/9
ACT National Testing Day at EHS: 4/13
EHS Prom: 4/13
No School: 4/19
Seniors Last Day: 5/15
EHS Graduation: 5/19; 6:00pm @ EPS Stadium
Please do your best to plan vacations during Spring Break (March 15th -22nd). As we get closer to the ACT dates, I will send emails with full details. The administration and counselors work to ensure that loss of instructional time to all students is minimized during these assessments.
As always, please feel free to contact me here at the high school if you have questions or concerns.
Mental Wellness and Phone Numbers:
Please know that we are thinking about your student and the transitions that occur in high school that may present as challenges to your student. Continue to ask questions and be a good listener when you are communicating with your student. When your student is struggling, unsure, anxious or feeling overwhelmed, being fully present and asking questions that can guide your decision making will help you in your next steps.
Here are some tips for talking with your child:
Be honest Be concise Be reassuring Normalize his or her feelings
Remember the four T’s (talk, touch, tears and time)
Crisis resources are also available through any of the following organizations:
Safe2Help…………………………………………………….(833) 980-7233
988 Nebraska………………………………………………………988
Boys Town National Hotline…………………………………800.448.3000
Crisis Text Line……………………………………………….Text VOICE to 20121
Nebraska Family Helpline…………………………………….888.866.8660
It’s OK to Talk…………………………………………………ok2talk.org
13 Minutes……………………………………………………..13minutes.org
Take Care,
Mark Schroeder
Principal, EHS
Do's and Don't for State Basketball Absences
- Do call in advance, even days before, to notify of your student's absence. Don't call last minute which causes delay in your student's dismissal.
- Do excuse your child at the 1:32 passing period which will allow time to get to Lincoln. Passing periods are best for excusals to reduce interruption of instruction time.
- Do accept our thanks for your help with this, and GO ANTLERS!
Student Absences
- Please make sure you are CALLING the office for any absences and appointments for your students. We do not accept emails.
- If your child is leaving for an appointment, the sooner you can communicate that to the office, the easier it is to get a pass to the student as opposed to interrupting valuable learning time when we have to call the classroom.
- If leaving between passing periods, they will not receive a pass, they just need to go to the office to sign out.
Parents are not required to come into the building to get their student. The office staff will verify the student has been called out, and the student will sign themselves out on the computer in the office. If the absence is for a doctor appointment, have the student bring a note from the doctor upon their return. Thanks in advance for your cooperation with this.
Click Here for an update from our Nurse!
Please make a note of these dates!
EPS Career Fair - At ESHS: 3/27
State ACT and Pre-ACT at EHS: 4/9
ACT National Testing Day, EHS: 4/13
EHS Prom: 4/13
No School: 4/19
Seniors Last Day: 5/15
EHS Graduation: 5/19; 6:00pm @ EPS Stadium
You Are Not Alone
Safe2Help is available to students K-12 in Nebraska. If you're struggling with an issue that affects someone's safety, crisis counselors are waiting to help, 24/7. Make an anonymous report by calling 833-980-SAFE (7233), downloading the app, or going to safe2helpne.org.
District Reminders from Elkhorn Public Schools
Career Fair
The inaugural EPS Career Exploration Fair, open to all EPS middle school and high school students, is scheduled for Wednesday, March 27, 2024, from 5:00 - 8:00 PM at Elkhorn South High School. Join EPS as we partner with over 100 local organizations to give students additional opportunities to explore career pathways and openings across a wide variety of fields including agriculture and natural resources, communication and information technology systems, skilled and technical sciences, health sciences, human services and education, and business management. As a reminder, student attendance at the EPS Career Exploration meets the requirements of a career exploration activity as part of the Career ACHIEVE Scholarship requirements.
To view a full list of business partners, please click here.
2024-25 Kindergarten and New Student Registration
If you have a child who will attend kindergarten during the 2024-2025 school year (students must be at least 5 years of age by July 31, 2024, to attend Kindergarten), please register them by visiting the District Website (www.elkhornweb.org). Once you have registered your child on the District website, we will use the email address in that registration to communicate Kindergarten Round-up information and details with you.
Additionally, any K-12th grade student not currently enrolled in an EPS school, with a planned start date prior to May 23, 2025, should visit https://www.elkhornweb.org/parents/new-students/ to register for the 2024-25 year school.
"Parenting and Guiding the Smartphone Generation" with Dr. Jean Twenge
In alignment with newly adopted Strategic Plans goals, and a focus on the mental health and overall well-being of students and staff, EPS will host Dr. Jean Twenge as she presents “Parenting and Guiding the Smartphone Generation”. In addition to Dr. Twenge’s presentation, a Q&A session will follow featuring special guest and Creighton Volleyball Coach, Kirsten Bernthal Booth. Parents are encouraged to attend this event which will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at 6:30 PM at Elkhorn South High School. The presentation will be free and open to the public. Visit https://bit.ly/parentingthesmartphonegeneration for additional information.
Technology Resources for Parents
For Parents/Guardians:
TeamMates: Call for Mentors
Did you know by giving just 30 minutes of your time each week, you can make a positive, lasting impact on the life of an EPS student? Currently, 14 students are awaiting their chance to have a TeamMates mentor, and you can help! Apply online at http://bit.ly/2vNtESK today and be matched with your student by Spring Break!
Early Intervention Services Reminder
Elkhorn Public School Families - if you have any concerns regarding your young child’s development, don’t hesitate to reach out to the EPS Early Intervention team. Our dedicated professionals are here to support you and your child’s needs. Visit Elkhorn Public Schools Early Intervention for more information.