Elkhorn Middle School Newsletter
October 2023
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
I want to make sure and thank everyone who was able to attend conferences. It is such a difference maker in our EMS community when we can connect with and collaborate with families. Your time and support are greatly appreciated.
I also wanted to, again, thank our booster/PTO supporters for providing dinner for teachers on Tuesday, and to Brookside church for providing dinner for teachers on Wednesday. It always feels great for our staff to not have to pack both lunch and dinner for themselves on conference days.
Booster Club News
I want to thank all of the parents who contributed to the Parent-Teacher Conference meal for the teachers. Teachers were very thankful for the delicious treats and Olive Garden pasta. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!
On that note, you have another opportunity to get involved with supporting students at EMS. You may have seen the giving tree and/or the QR code linked to a signup genius for donations to the media center and art club at conferences. Your help is requested to provide incentives for our student readers and gift cards to Blick for the art club. The gift cards will reward students for meeting milestones in reading and also provide a pizza and ice cream party at the end of the year for Battle of the Book and Golden Sower participants. Any contributions are welcomed and appreciated. You can find the link to the wishlist here.
Please mark your calendars for Monday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. for our next Booster Club/PTO meeting. We will have a special guest, Superintendent Dr. Habrock. This is an important meeting to attend to learn about the upcoming bond issue that is being proposed. It will be helpful to be well-informed about the future needs of Elkhorn Public Schools. The meeting will be in the library. We hope to see you there!
Lastly, we will be starting up boys basketball soon. We appreciate any help working concessions during basketball games. You can bring your children with you and it is a great way to get involved. You can be paired with an experienced volunteer so there will be someone there to show you the ropes. Check out this concession link to sign up. Thanks!
If you have any questions about Booster Club/PTO happenings please reach out to us at emsboosterclubelkhorn@gmail.com. And don't forget to follow us on Facebook under Elkhorn Middle Booster Club. You can find info about easy ways to fundraise with TAGG and other happenings.
Sincerely,
Jessica Hacker - President
Theresa Kimmell - Vice President
Ally Morrill - Secretary
April Nerz - Treasurer
Note from the Nurse
With the beautiful onset of the fall season also comes the unwelcomeness of the cold, flu, and Covid viruses as well as seasonal allergies. Be sure your student is practicing healthy habits like getting plenty of rest, eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, good hand washing/sanitizing techniques, and staying up-to-date on immunizations.
**Also--please be sure to continue to turn in action plans and medications for your students with asthma and severe allergies.**
Health Screens
The State of Nebraska requires that all 7th grade students as well as students new to the district be screened for height, weight, vision, hearing, and dental health. Parent volunteers are welcome! The screening at Elkhorn Middle School will be on Wednesday, November 8th from 8:30 am-10:30 (Volunteers please arrive at 8:15 am to sign in and receive instruction.)
Here is the Sign-up Genius link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4AAAAB2AA6FA7-44680146-elkhorn
Also, please make sure that your student brushes their teeth that morning and that they wear their glasses or contacts that day if they have them. Thank you!
Happy Fall!
Andrea Daniels, RN
Retake Picture Day!
Did you know?
You can access Elkhorn Middle School daily bulletin board. Just head to our website and click on the red pin to see all the fun things happening at EMS daily.
Mrs. Wagner’s Library Corner
Technology Tips:
Not turning on? Plug in, then hit REFRESH then POWER and release Wait 10-30 seconds.. Video link.
Not printing? Restart and be sure to sign into mobility print when/if it pops up. Otherwise, change printer destination to FollowMeBW.
Battle of the Books: It’s back and will now be hosted in the library! This is open to all students who love to read and work with others to demonstrate their understanding of text. Announcements will be made and information will be on the TV slideshow.
Get Involved: Makerspace is open! Golden Sower competition has started! Lunch Book Club is on Fridays! There are so many ways to get involved, so encourage your student to swing by the library.
Band News
October 6th
8th Grade Band to EHS– On Friday, October 6th, the 8th Grade Band will go to EHS to observe and participate in a high school marching band rehearsal. This is always a really good experience for the students. It helps educate the 8th graders about what marching band is like at the high school level.
November 9th
6-8 Band Concert @ EMS – On Thursday, November 9th, all band students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade will be performing their first concert of the year. The concert will take place in the EMS gym and will start at 6:30 PM. All students should arrive at EMS by 6:00 PM for warm-ups. Please come encourage your students and enjoy the concert. Concert attire will be expected for all students and will include black pants, black shoes and socks, and the EMS polo shirt (tucked in). There will be an online store available soon for new students to order the EMS polo.
Vocal Music News
Save the date! - There is a chorus concert here at EMS on November 7th, starting at 6:30 pm. All 6th, 7th, and 8th grade chorus members are part of this concert. Call time for students is 6:00 pm. See you then!
Show Choir Parents - Rehearsals will continue to be on Wednesday and Friday mornings starting promptly at 7:00 am. Should there not be school on a Friday, there will be a rehearsal on Monday instead. Please drop off students at the front door from now on. It will open at 6:45 am.
Our first full choreography session will be on October 14th from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. More information to follow! Thank you show choir parents for all of the great communication!
EMS SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES INFORMATION
Boys Basketball will start this month.
Detailed info can be found: EMS Athletic Info
Registration on Rschool, An updated physical and an Activity Pass / Fee must be purchased before tryouts.
If you have already paid the activity fee for the year, you do not need to pay it again.
Important Dates:
Tryout Practices: Thursday-Friday -Oct 12, 2023 Oct 13, 2023
Practice info: Monday thru Friday 3:30pm-5:15pm Pick-Up: 5:30pm
Requirements: Athletic Registration, Uploaded Physical (dated after May 1, 2023), Activity Fee Payment (If completed for Volleyball or Football, not necessary) Registration Directions
8th Grade A Coach: Brandon Hultman bhultman@epsne.org
8th Grade B Coach: Mike Ray nschuster@epsne.org
7th Grade A Coach: Brad Beard bbeard@epsne.org
7th Grade B coach: Nate Ritterbush nritterbush@epsne.org
C Team Coach: Mike Ray and Paul Fewell mray@epsne.org
Player Informational / Expectation Meeting: Thursday, Oct 5, 2023, 3:25-4:00
Tryout Practices: Thursday-Friday -Oct 12, 2023 Oct 13, 2023
Practice info: Monday thru Friday 3:30pm-5:15pm Pick-Up: 5:30pm
Requirements: Athletic Registration, Uploaded Physical (dated after May 1, 2023), Activity Fee Payment (If completed for Volleyball or Football, not necessary) Registration Directions
Sign Up for the team: Join Google Classroom
7th Grade Code - 6xmcmjm
8th Grade Code - aglihpx
Joining Google Classroom simply allows the coaches to put together a roster and begin communication.
Competition Schedule:
7th Grade: 7th Grade Boys Basketball Schedule
8th Grade: 8th Grade Boys Basketball Schedule
CTeam: Schedule will be posted once teams are formed
**Sign up for “Team Stack”!! While Google Classroom helps coaches get an idea of roster size and parent emails, it is cumbersome as a communication tool. So in order to receive ALL communication from the coaches, it is recommended that parents download the “stack team app” that many EMS teams will be using this year. All schedules, practice updates/cancellations, etc will be communicated to parents through this app.
Go to your mobile app store and load Team Stack onto your device. (www.teamapp.com)
Search for “EMS8 Boys Basketball” and sign up.
You will have to ask to be a member.
Please reference your child’s first and last name in the application.
A cell number is helpful in cases of emergency.
A coach will approve and you will then have access to the information.
Players are also welcome to add the app and join; however signed parental consent must be received by coaches. Want your child to have access to Stack Team App
Parental Permission for Team App: Click the link below if you would like to give permission for your athlete to join the “Stack Team App”. Print your own copy of the permission sheet, fill it out, and have your child turn it into the coaches ASAP. Student athletes WILL NOT be allowed to join until the permission slip has been received.
Attendance Policy
Students that arrive to school after 8:10am bell will be counted as tardy. All students must be excused verbally by a parent or guardian.
**Please remember to email the office at ems@epsne.org or call the office at 402-289-2428 when reporting a student tardy or absent (not the teachers).
Students that are absent for professional appointments must either provide documentation from the appointment or call the school office to inform the school why the student will be (or is) tardy in order to have the tardy excused.
Excessive tardies may result in disciplinary action and contact from the administration.
Look for your student to charge their Chromebooks overnight every night. Please help establish a routine location for your student’s Chromebook and charger.
Keep an eye out for your student’s gym clothes! Students should bring them home regularly to be washed and then returned to school for gym class.
Students are expected to turn off their phones and keep phones in their lockers during the school day. If you need to contact your student during the day, the office is happy to help! We can easily get a message to your student. Students are welcome to use the phone in the office if they need to contact a family member.
As the weather cools, students should be prepared to wait outside if they arrive before 8:00. Jackets and coats are encouraged and will be stored in student lockers during the day. Hats must be stored in lockers and hoods must remain down during the school day.
- There is an admission fee at all athletic events at EMS and all of our opponent sites. All sites are cash only. Admission for middle school events held at EPS sites are: Adults $3, Students $2. EPS Athletic Passes are accepted at EPS sites only.
Drop off/Pick Up & Parking
We have several community members who regularly utilize the handicapped parking spaces in the North loop as well as the main, South parking lot. Please leave handicap spaces open for those community members with handicap placards.
Elkhorn Sounds of Excellence Marching Band Invitational 2023
This is a joint effort of the three high schools in the Elkhorn Public Schools district. It is a celebration of high achievement in marching band and features performances from EHS, ENHS, and ESHS bands!
EPS Text Messages
In an effort to ensure the timely communication of important information, EPS utilizes text messaging to communicate with families. As part of this process, EPS families interested in receiving text messages must opt-in by texting “Yes” to 67587. Doing so will provide the permission we are required to secure in order to send text messages to your mobile device. Once you have sent “Yes” to 67587, you will receive a text confirming your participation.
Project SEARCH Business Advisory Council
Project SEARCH, an EPS partner program serving young adults with disabilities, is seeking additional businesses to be part of the “Project SEARCH Business Advisory Council”. The goal of the Business Advisory Council is to increase overall employment opportunities for Project SEARCH interns by networking and promoting the goal of competitive employment for people with disabilities. If your business is interested in participating or you would like to learn more, please contact Andrea Street at astreet@epsne.org.
Community Resources
Community organizations exist that serve Elkhorn families in need of additional support and assistance. Review this linked flyer for additional information or contact your child’s school counselor for assistance.
News from the EPS Foundation
TeamMates of Elkhorn: Call for Mentors
TeamMates mentors spend 30 minutes a week leaving a positive impact that lasts a lifetime. Please consider volunteering your time to meet the growing need for mentors across our District. Apply now by clicking here!
Sodexo information
2023-2024 Breakfast & Lunch Prices
Breakfast:
Elem: $1.75
Middle: $1.95
High: $2.15
Adult: $2.75
Lunch
Elem: $2.95
Middle: $3.65
High: $3.80
Adult: $4.60
*1 milk is included with a purchased meal. Extra or single milk (without a purchased meal) is $0.55 each. Extra entrée and ala carte items have an additional charge
**You will receive an email when your students account is below $5.00 daily as a reminder. The easiest way to avoid any issues is to set up an Auto-Deposit function on your students account, instructions can be found below.
MAKING DEPOSITS
SETTING UP AN ONLINE ACCOUNT INSTRUCTIONS - This will allow you to make deposits, view the account, set reminders and add an auto-deposit option if preferred.
*EPS partners with SchoolPay for student lunch accounts. To add funds, go to
www.schoolpay.com and log into to your user account.
MAIL CHECKS payable to EPS, that include your student name and student ID Number to Sodexo, EPS Food Service, 1401 Veterans Drive, Elkhorn, NE 68022
SEND LUNCH MONEY WITH YOUR STUDENT TO SCHOOL, include student name and student ID number preferably in an envelope for elementary students to give to their teacher.
Safe2Help
Contact Information Updates
Send changes to contact information to ems@epsne.org
2023-2024 Academic Calendar
The approved 2022-2023 academic calendar can be viewed here.
3200 North 207th Plaza, Elkhorn, NE 68022
Phone:402-289-2428
Fax: 402-289-1639