November 2023 News
Elkhorn High School
Dear EHS Parents,
As we move into the start of the Second Quarter, I find it a great time to reflect on our strong start to the 23-24 school year, and my excitement for the months ahead. I continue to be impressed by the character and determination of our students as well as their balancing of activities, curriculum, volunteering, work, and more. Their positive outlook and relentless work ethic is a testament to their families and a great indicator of their success down the road. The season ahead is challenging: semester finals, the winter season, demanding classes, and the like. Just the same, their diligence is inspiring and this perseverance will serve them well when they leave the halls of EHS.
On our end, EHS counselors and administration will be checking our students’ grades with a mid-quarter grade progress report and talking with our students daily who are struggling academically. We will continue to serve our students with many opportunities that will help them become the adults they aspire to be. Our goal is a well-rounded educational experience with a focus on academic rigor - and our staff as well as your support at home will help them to navigate this.
I am frequently reminded there is much to celebrate here at EHS. Here is a very quick list of accomplishment from our first quarter:
-EHS Seniors Marielle Cruz, Logan Kieckhafer, Tannor McColly, Grant Spanel, and Gavin Visser have been named as National Merit Semi-Finalists, and Kashif Nazmul was named a National Merit Commended Scholar!
-NSBA State Band - State 3A Runners-Up!
-Willy Wonka, our school play, has three performances this weekend. LINK to tickets!
-Volleyball and Softball seasons wrapped up in sub-district tournament play
-Football made an appearance for the state playoffs
-All State Band and Choir students perform November 16-18th in Lincoln
-Strong showing at Girls and Boys State Cross Country
-Strong finish to the Boys Tennis and Girls Golf seasons
-Unified Bowling started its season with two events at The Mark!
On Friday, 11/10, EHS will recognize students on the Honor Roll for Quarter 1 at EHS as well as our Elkhorn Excellence Winners (students nominated for character and grit by staff) with Elkhorn Excellence t-shirts provided by the EPS Foundation. The EPS Foundation supports our mission by recognizing students for academic success and helping with classroom grants, scholarships and partial subsidizing of AP Tests.
We have much to be grateful for. These successes did not happen by accident. They were achieved through collective vision, effort and commitment of staff, students and parents. Clearly, we all have the same goals in mind- excellence in everything we do. I appreciate your support of everything at Elkhorn High. I challenge students and staff to stave off the fatigue, and encourage others to do the same. Focus on what we can control and look for opportunities to serve others.
To this end, students will soon begin their initial interest surveys for courses in the 2024-2025 school year. The topic of rigor and college preparedness has been frequently discussed this quarter. Periodically, I hear the conversation framed in a manner of “what students will need for college”. When engaged in this conversation with students, parents or colleagues, I often respond with some questions, “Can the student honestly state that he/she has done everything possible to be prepared for college? Have they taken advantage of rigorous levels of curriculum in order to prepare for college?” Clearly, I want our students to be successful in college and in life and have a vested interest in their future. Thus, I would contend it is far better for students to be challenged to their utmost potential in high school, where they have built-in support systems of caring parents and educators at their side. I believe that as educators, we are morally obligated to ensure that our students are prepared for life after high school. I fear that if students leave here without being challenged and find their first real academic challenges in college, they will struggle in isolation, away from caring adults, and become overwhelmed. Our guidance department, teachers and administrators will continue to encourage our students to take the rigorous coursework in preparation for college. We look forward to continued conversations with our parents and students regarding college preparedness. I would encourage all of our parents to thoughtfully promote their students to take the most rigorous courses possible during all four years of their high school career.
Thank you for your continued support of EHS, and Go Antlers!
Upcoming Dates:
F 11/10: Honor Roll and Elkhorn Excellence during TA
T 11/21: Junior Practice ACT during School; ALL STUDENTS attend school this day
W-F 11/23-25: Thanksgiving Break: note - no school on Wednesday 11/22
F 12/1: EPS Foundation Scholarship Applications open for Seniors (over $400,000+ to EPS Seniors Annually)
F 12/8: NHS Blood Drive - HERE is the link to sign-up if you are interested.
T-W 12/19-12/20: Fall Semester Finals - Students are not permitted to take finals early - please contact me with any questions.
T 1/2: Teacher in-service
M 1/15: Teacher in-service
Annual EHS Canned Food Drive Sponsored by DECA-FBLA-FCCLA
- Did you know that 20% of students in Douglas County don’t know where their next meal is coming from?
- DECA-FBLA-FCCLA are having their annual Canned Food Drive to benefit the Western Douglas County Food Pantry’s Food Basket Project.
- The drive is starting Monday, November 13th and runs until Friday, December 1st!
- Pack your student's book bag with any donation to bring to their TA teacher!
District Reminders from Elkhorn Public Schools
EPS BOND INFORMATION
REMINDER: Ballots for the EPS Bond are due on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, no later than 5:00 PM. Ballot drop boxes are located at Bess Johnson Library, Spring Ridge Shopping Center, and the Douglas County Election Commission Office. For additional details about the proposed bond, please visit https://bit.ly/45cjq9C.
Online Safety Seminar
Junior Dance Clinic - Under the Sea
We're Hiring
EPS is currently seeking to fill open teacher assistant positions, specifically in the following areas:
Secondary TA: assist with general and special education students in grades 6-12 in the areas of small and large group academic work, academic interventions, student supervision, and basic clerical duties.
Starting Wage: $16.70/hour
English Learner TA: assist students who have limited English proficiency by supporting EL services under the direction of a certified regular education teacher.
Starting Wage: $17.25/hour
Young Adult Program TA: assist young adult learners with verified disabilities in the areas of classes, vocational opportunities, and community experiences.
Starting Wage: $17.20/hour
To learn more about open teacher assistant positions or complete an online application, please visit https://bit.ly/epsjobs.