Standing Bear Elementary
Monthly News
February, 2024
Staff Shout Out Link
Take a minute to let staff know they are appreciated. Use the QR Code or Link below:
Message from the Principal
Greetings Standing Bear Families,
Hard to believe that it is already February! We are approaching our 100th day of school. Your students are 100 days SMARTER! We have seen some AMAZING gains from our fall to winter MAP scores. We encourage our students to continue to work hard through the end of the school year. Students should schedule some time each day/evening to read, that helps improve reading skills and writing. Looking forward to a FABULOUS February!
Some important information in this newsletter includes:
- Student Safety (AM drop off time)
- Traffic Flow and Safety
- Student Placement for 2024-25
- Conference Sign Up Form
Per the Student Handbook regarding drop off
Students can NOT be dropped off prior to 8:30am unless they are registered to attend Kid's Club. Staff members are not on duty until 8:35am. It is not safe to have students unattended in the morning. Safety of students is our top priority.
Traffic Flow & Safety- There can NOT be double lanes during drop off or pick up on Taylor street. There should be a single line coming from the east and a single line coming from the west. Do NOT create another lane on Taylor to enter onto school grounds. Please be patient and follow the guidelines so we do not have any accidents.
Student Placement for 2024-25 School Year
As a staff, we will be working on sorting students for next year sometime in April. This is a very detailed and specific process to make sure classrooms are balanced and students are placed according to their strengths and needs. Therefore, I will not be taking requests for specific teachers for next year. You definitely know your child the best, so if there is a situation, concern, type of teacher, etc you feel your child would benefit from, please send me an email with that information. We will place them to the best of our ability and take into consideration your email.
I appreciate you trusting us that we will place your child in the best possible classroom. Fortunately, the staff at Standing Bear are all high quality instructional leaders and caring teachers. If you wish to send an email to me regarding next year, please send that before the end of March so we can have that information when we start the sorting process.
Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Take Care
Stay positive, patient and flexible!
Sincerely,
Bridget O'Melia
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Please use the link below to sign up for our upcoming conferences. Be sure to read through the directions first.
Students do better in school when parents are involved. Attending parent–teacher conferences is one of the MOST important ways to be involved in your child's academic progress and overall well being at school. Attending conferences and teaming up with your child's teacher will help your child succeed.
A parent–teacher conference is a great opportunity to:
- discuss your child's progress
- share your child's strengths and needs
- work with the teacher to help your child do well in school
We look forward to seeing all our families. Let's have 100% parent participation during conferences! Go Cubs!!
Step 1: Use the link to access the conference sign up
Step 2: Change the dates to March 27th or 28th
Step 3: Choose your child's teacher
Step 4: Select the time for the conference
Step 5: Select "Book" to finalize your conference sign up
Step 6: Mark your calendar!
Upcoming Events....
February:
February 1st: PK/KDG music program @ 2:30pm
February 2nd: No School for Students
February 5th: School Counselor's Day (Give a SHOUT out to Miss Monty!)
February 9th: Sock Hop 6-8 @ Standing Bear
February 9th: 100th Day of School
February 14th- Valentine's Day
February 19th- No School: Presidents Day
February 27th- Don & Millie's PTO night
February 27th- Scholastic Photo Day
March:
March 7th- Family Math Night
March 11th-15th Spring Break
March 21st- National Down Syndrome Day (Rock Your Socks!)
March 22 & 23- Marco's Pizza PTO night
March 27th & 28th -Parent Teacher Conferences & Book Fair
March 28th & 29th- No school for students
April:
April 3rd- Paraprofessional Day
April 8th- Assistant Principal Day
April 9th- PTO Meeting @ 6:30pm
April 11th- Outdoor Movie Night
April 12th- No school for students
April 13th- PTO Meeting @ 6:30pm
April 15th- No school for students
April 24th- Administrative Professional's Day (Our school secretaries)
May:
May 1st- Principal's Day
May 3rd- School Lunch Hero Day (our cafeteria workers)
May 6th-10th- Teachers/school staff appreciation week
May 10th- Drama performance
May 14th- PTO Meeting @ 6:30pm
May 17th- School Carnival
May 22nd-Last Day of School
Specific details for events will come out closer to the event.
This list is complete as of today. Events will be added as necessary.
You can always check back for updates. Thank you!
National Downs Syndrome Day: March 21st
Outdoor Recess
We always take into consideration the "Feels Like" temperature
The "feels like" temperature is a measurement of how hot or cold it really feels like outside. The “Feels Like” temperature relies on environmental data including the ambient air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed to determine how weather conditions feel to bare skin.
Message from the School Counselor
Standing Bear's Therapy Dog is making lots of new friends. Students LOVE to see and interact with Juliet.
Message from the School Nurse
The Health Office assists students with nosebleeds, wet clothes from snow/water, accidents and spills that often require a change of clothing. Please have your child place a bag of clothes in their back pack for their locker at school.
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month
Cavities, also known as caries or tooth decay, are the most common chronic disease of childhood, yet cavities are preventable. Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t. https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/publications/features/childrens-dental-health.html
Are You Watching What Your Child Eats and Drinks?
Your child’s diet is very important for developing and maintaining strong and healthy teeth. It is helpful to include good sources of calcium (yogurt, broccoli, and milk) to your child’s diet to help build strong teeth. Teaching your child about healthy eating habits is one of the best practices for a lifetime of good health. Here are some helpful tips:
- Eat fruits and vegetables for snacks rather than candies and cookies.
- Brush your child’s teeth twice daily.
- Serve water at mealtime rather than juice or soda.
Julie Frazier, RN, BSN
Standing Bear Elementary (M, T, TH)
Head Start Nurse (W,F)
P: (531)299-2142
F: (531)299-2158
Attendance
- Contact the main office if your child will not be in attendance or late
- If you will be picking your child up early for any reason
- If the dismissal procedure for your child has changed (another person picking up, no bus, etc.)
- Please provide a doctor note for any appointments so we can mark the absence as medical and excused
Phone: (531) 299-2140
Fax: (531) 299-2159
Nurse Fax: (531) 299-2158
School Meals Program
Please note these updates regarding the school lunch/breakfast program:
- Nutrition Services provides a second chance breakfast bag for students who don't arrive in time to attend the regular breakfast meal. The bag contains everything a student will need to focus on learning. Visit your cafeteria manager for details.
For the 2023-24 school year, the Nebraska Department of Education has determined the following meal prices:
- Students: Due to CEP, no cost to students enrolled in Omaha Public Schools and attending a school that provides breakfast and/or lunch
- Adults and Visitors:
- Breakfast: $2.75 per meal
- Lunch: $4.60 per meal
- Ala-carte prices are available at each school
- The cost of an additional milk or a milk to add to your home lunch is $0.50 per carton.
Standing Bear PTO Information
Website and App
We have a new website and app. We hope you like it! Make sure to check it out and get your student added to the directory! Directions on the image.
We would love for you to join the PTO too ($10), but that is not required to add your student. The directory is only available to those that are connected to the school and sign-up, it is not public.
Important Information from Standing Bear
Building Security
For the safety and security of our students and this building, anyone entering the building must stop in the office first.
Drop Off Zone
We ask that you please continue to pull all the way down to the second crosswalk if possible (by main front doors). We can then unload around 10 vehicles rather than 5.
We currently have a school staff member assisting your child to breakfast or the classroom at the main doorway for all student’s morning arrival. REMINDER: School doors don’t open until 8:35 AM for classroom entrance and breakfast opening hours.
We ask again not arrive for end of school day pick-up until 3:55pm to prevent traffic flow congestion issues .
Please be attentive and cognizant of all school crossing guard officials and adhere to their requests during student morning drop-off and pick-up times. Our goal is to ensure your child’s overall safety.
School Blackboard Communication
We will be using Blackboard for mass communications to families. All newsletters, updates and reminders will be sent via email or text. Please make sure to contact the office if you need to update your contact information.
Birthday Celebrations
We ask that only non-food items be brought for birthday celebrations. Please check with your child's teacher to discuss day and time for treats to be dropped off.
Arrival Reminders
- Drop off is 8:35AM, that is when breakfast is open and staff are on duty
- Please have student(s) ready to get out when you pull up
- Pull all the way down if able
- If you need to get out to assist your child, go into the parking lot lane not the main drive
- If your student is NOT eating breakfast they need to enter through the main front doors rather than the cafeteria doors
- Grab and Go Breakfast- If your student is eating breakfast, they need to enter the building through the cafeteria doors. They may enter through the main front doors if they choose not to eat the district provided breakfast.
Dismissal and pickup
When parents pull onto school grounds, outside staff will input your family number to indicate that you have arrived. Classroom teachers will get your student(s) ready to dismiss. How this works- We will enter your Family Number into a form, this will be visible to classroom teachers in the building and they will dismiss. Students will be dismissing out the main front doors staggered based on your arrival time. Students will NOT be dismissing out any other doors.
It will be extremely helpful if you let your student(s) know your preferred lane for pick-up. This will help them know to look for you in the main drive or the parking lot lane. Once your student(s) are loaded, you can pull out of the pick-up line to leave.
What you will need at dismissal:
- You will need to place your car hanger number on your rearview mirror so it is clearly visible to outside staff.
- You will need to pull all the way down to the front door (as cars move ahead, you move ahead) if you are picking up on the main drive, pull all the way down to the front main entrance or up to the vehicle in front of you. If you are picking up in the parking lot lane, you will still need to pull all the way forward. ALL students will exit out the main front doors.
- We will call your student(s) out as you arrive, continue to pull forward whenever possible until all your students are loaded.
** Kindergarten students- dismissal will remain the same for parents who walk up to get kindergarten students. If you are choosing to drive through for pick up, parents will still pull up like all other vehicles with their family number visible.
** Early Childhood will remain the same. Parents will need to park and come check out their child.
** Walk up parents- A staff member will be located out front, you can provide them with your family number so teachers are aware you are ready to pickup. Your student(s) will then be dismissed. Parents do not need to enter the building. If you need to go into the building to pick up your student, you MUST stop at the office for a visitor badge and to sign the check out sheet.
** Each family will receive 2 car hangers. If you would need additional ones, please contact the office. It is imperative not to lose your issued designated car hanger numbers. Please clearly display upon arrive so there is no confusion to expeditiously release your child for pick-up.
WE WILL BEGIN DISMISSAL (ENTERING NUMBERS) AT 4:00PM. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE AT SCHOOL BEFORE 3:55PM TO PREVENT AN INITIAL BACKUP. The line moves very fast once we begin the dismissal process.
Thank you for everything!
Early Pickup for Students
If you are picking up your students early for a doctor appointment, etc please call the office ahead of time and we will have you child ready to go at the designated time. Parents will need to come into the office to check out your student(s).
Student Safety
Safety remains our top priority in the Omaha Public Schools. We now have a Visitor Management System to ensure we are provided the most secure environment. Visitors will need to ring the outside doorbell. Once the secretary answers, she will verify your student's name and visitor's name prior to opening the front door. If the visitor's name is not in our system, they will not be let into the building. We ask that you understand that it may take a few minutes to gain access into the building while the secretaries verify your information. Please make sure you have updated contact information and that your emergency contacts are current.
Visitors will need to use the kiosk to get a visitor badge. This will require you to get a photo taken and use the printed visitor badge with your photo.
Large events such as holiday celebrations, music programs and family nights will not require the same check in process. Entrance into these events will be monitored by staff.
Bridget O'Melia, Principal
Email: bridget.omelia@ops.org
Website: https://standingbear.ops.org/HOME/tabid/36/Default.aspx
Location: 15860 Taylor Street, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: 531-299-2140
Omaha Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age, genetic information, citizenship status, or economic status in its programs, activities and employment and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following individual has been designated to address inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Superintendent of Schools, 3215 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68131 (402-557-2001).