SPS Fall Newsletter
August 2023
Mission Statement
The school district of Seward--where every student, every day is a success--affirms that all students will have the skills to become productive and contributing members of a global community. In cooperation with family and community members, the district is committed to the development of each student academically, emotionally, socially, and physically.
Welcome from the Superintendent, Dr. Fields
I want to welcome all new and returning families to Seward Public Schools for the 2023-2024 school year. I hope all of you have had a great summer and you are excited to start the school year! The Seward Public Schools theme this year will be centered around FAMILY and how our roots continued to be founded in Academics as we Grow For Success. This theme captures how the Seward Public Schools Family continues to do great things for our students as we work together to provide our students with an excellent education and serve as a leader in the state with our student's academic performance. This great feat would not be possible without our great staff and their dedication to the students.
Seward Public Schools will begin work on our third strategic plan which will map out the next five years for SPS this fall. I believe that our district strategic plans over the last ten years have been the foundation of our success. We will ask stakeholders from all groups to be part of the district's strategic planning process. I look forward to our new district strategic plan and building site plans that will align with the new district strategic plan as we finish up our last year on our current plan.
This summer was busy with many important projects completed throughout the district. The high school replaced three heat pumps along with a new lighting system for the theater. The elementary school got another third of the building repainted with new carpet. All the schools also had a deep cleaning and are ready for the upcoming school year thanks to our great custodian and maintenance department for their work over the summer.
Our language arts curriculum team was busy over the summer as they prepared for the implementation of our new language arts curriculum. I know that these new resources will challenge, and enrich our students language arts skills and will be a great addition to our comprehensive curriculum K-12.
Enjoy the last few days of summer and I can’t wait for another great school year at Seward Public Schools. Please do not hesitate to call the schools or district office for any questions you may have.
New Teachers and Staff Members
Student Handbooks
Communicating with the public is an important part of what we do in the School District of Seward. In an effort to save paper, we will not send home paper copies of our high school and middle school handbooks; however, parents and students should read the handbooks on our school website at http://www.sewardpublicschools.org (the handbooks are located under the “For Parents” section).
All students will be given signature pages to take home for students and parents/guardians to sign stating that they have gone online and read the handbook. Those forms will then need to be returned to the school. There will also be a place on the form for parents to indicate that they do not have access to the internet or would prefer a hard copy of the handbook. We will send home a printed copy for any parents requesting one.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Seward County Wellness 4 All
Seward Public Schools, in cooperation with Centennial and Milford Public Schools, Memorial Health, ESU 6, and ESU 5, participates in the Seward County Wellness for All program. Through this program, a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner will provide support to all students and staff members. Individual support will also be available to students with parent/guardian permission.
Curriculum Update
Hot Lunch and Breakfast Program
All elementary, middle, and high school hot lunches and breakfast will be served beginning Wednesday, August 16th. The cost of breakfast and lunches for the 2023-2024 school year are:
Daily
K-4 Lunch $3.10
5-12 Lunch $3.25
K-8 Breakfast $2.20
Milk $0.40
Free and Reduced price meal application forms will be sent home with students the first day of school on August 16th. If you wish to apply for free or reduced-priced meals, please fill out the application and return it to the school. Please follow the directions and fill out the application as accurately as possible. Accurate and complete applications will speed up the determination process.
Did you know that you can pay for your child’s lunch online?
Seward Public Schools has contracted with E-Funds to provide the service of online cafeteria payments. For those of you who have used E-Funds in the past, the interface has changed but the process is still the same for funding your account. For those of you who are new to E-Funds, please click the link below to register, all you will need is your student’s ID number, please feel free to contact your child’s school for this number if your child does not know their number. To access this link from our website, please go to Quick Links and click on E-Funds Log-in.
Bluejay Alerts
We are currently using a notification system to notify enrollees in the event of an emergency, school closing, and event cancellations.
Our alert system pulls contact information of parents from PowerSchool, our student management software, so if we have the correct information in PowerSchool, you will automatically receive notices.
If you have questions or are having issues with the system, you may send email to ticket@sewardschools.org .
Sex Offender List
The link to the sex offender list for Seward and Butler counties can be found at https://sor.nebraska.gov/ This is the most update list and can be referenced at anytime for your area.
Transportation
Seward Public Schools has numerous bus routes traveling many miles each day. We do what we can to ensure that students do not ride an excessive amount of time, yet, we know some students are going to spend a good deal of time on the bus each day. We try to do the best we can with the limited resources that we have available, and we appreciate the cooperativeness of the parents and students.
COMMUNICATION is an important aspect of our transportation program. It is important for us to be notified of any changes. If your child or children regularly ride the bus and for some reason do not plan to on any given day, please call ahead and let us know of the change. In the morning you may call the bus garage after 6:30 AM at (402) 643-6069 or contact the route driver before their route starts. For changes in the afternoon route you may either call the bus garage, the route driver, the district office at (402) 643-2941, or your child’s school office: Elementary School (402) 643-2968, Middle School (402) 643-2986, or High School (402) 643-2988. If we do not answer the phone, keep trying—other people may be calling, and we might be on the other line. Parents may also send a written note in advance to the bus driver or the school office describing the bus route changes.
Bus routes for this school year will soon be scheduled, and bus drivers will be contacting parents to let them know times for the morning and afternoon routes. If you plan to ride the bus and do not receive a phone call from a bus driver by August 9th, please call us and make sure we have you placed on a route. Also, if you are new to the district, or if you have changed addresses, please call and let us know where you live and phone numbers where you can be reached so we can get you on a route.
Bus evacuation drills will be conducted once per semester for all students.
SHUTTLE BUSING will be provided for students to shuttle back and forth between public school buildings before and after school. The schedule is included in the newsletter.
Pre-Registration Information
Kindergarten: Children must have reached the age of five years on or before July 31st to be enrolled in kindergarten. Birth certificates and immunization records are required for registration for all new students. Students enrolling in kindergarten or transferring from out of state must have a visual evaluation. Students will not be allowed to begin school without these records.
K-12 students who did not attend Seward Public Schools last year should register in the principal’s office starting August 1st. Each kindergarten student, 7th grade student, and students moving into Seward Public School District from out of state, must have a physical before the start of school. Starting on August 1st, all school offices will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to answer any questions.
Grades K-4.
Elementary School
200 East Pinewood
402-643-2968
Grades 5-8
Middle School
2401 Karol Kay Blvd
402-643-2986
Grades 9-12
High School
532 Northern Heights
402-643-2988
School Building Information
Regular School Hours:
Seward Elementary School 8:15 a.m. to 3:17 p.m.
Seward Middle School 8:05 a.m. to 3:23 p.m.
Seward High School 8:15 a.m. to 3:37 p.m.
Phone Numbers:
District Office – 643-2941 Bus Garage – 643-6069 Elementary – 643-2968
Middle School – 643-2986 High School – 643-2988 Maintenance – 643-2664
Elementary Open House
Seward Elementary “Open House” will take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Monday, August 14th. Preschool AM Students Open House will be from 5:00-5:45, PM Preschool Students will be from 5:45-6:30. Kindergarten families and families new to Seward Elementary are invited to attend open house from 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. All other grades will be from 5:30-6:30. This is a great opportunity for parents and students to meet teachers and other staff members and visit their classrooms. Parents may also bring in meal money, immunization records, vision evaluations, and physicals if you have not already done so. You may also bring school supplies to the open house. Marty Telecky, busing supervisor, will also be present to answer any busing questions parents might have.
Middle School Open House
Seward Middle School is having an open house for students and parents this year on Monday, August 14th. See the schedule below:
5:30-6:00 p.m. - 5th Grade students and new students only, no parents. A tour of the building in groups will take place.
6:00-7:00 p.m. - Parents can join 5th graders and any new students at SMS to meet teachers, ask brief questions and find lockers. An informational meeting for 5th grade parents and new parents will take place at 6:05 in the large gym.
6:00-7:00 pm- Students and Parents of 6th-8th grade
Locker assignments will be available on this night so students may bring items to put in their locker if they so wish. We encourage parents to get the information you want, ask the necessary questions, orient yourself to the building, bring paperwork and prepay lunch accounts for your convenience so as to reduce first day student lines.
Ninth Grade/New Student Orientation
Seward High School will be hosting a freshman and new student orientation on Monday, August 14th at 7:00 p.m. in the new theater. (Doors will open at 6:30 if students want to arrive early to start getting their T-shirts, schedules, fill out paperwork etc. to beat the rush, and learn more about student activities (tables will be setup in the main gym for more information) Parents/guardians and students will have an opportunity to visit classrooms, meet teachers, find lockers, and get acclimated with the building. Information will also be provided regarding schedules, school policies, college planning, activity tickets, the automated lunch program, school organizations, and other relevant school information. We encourage parents/guardians to come prepared to put money in your son and/or daughter’s lunch account and to pay for activity tickets before school starts in order to avoid the rush on the first few days of school. This should be an exciting night to continue the journey of transitioning to high school.
Student Surveys
From time to time our school district works with agencies to educate our children about the consequences of risky behaviors such as alcohol and illegal drug use. In an effort to determine how often our students engage in risky behaviors, we aid these agencies in conducting surveys. The data we gather from these surveys is confidential and individuals cannot be identified. We can use the group data to apply for grant dollars to help educate our students.
If you prefer that your children do not participate in these, or similar, surveys, please inform their principal, in writing, of your objection.
Babies Can't Wait! An Important Message to All
If you Suspect Something is Wrong...Early Intervention Can Help
If you suspect that your child isn't developing as he/she should, it's important to get another opinion as soon as possible to see if a problem really does exist. You can turn to a variety of places for help: doctors, health clinics, school districts, and community agencies.
While some professionals may believe that a child will outgrow a problem, it's better to provide help early to make sure that the child has a better chance of success. Many children do not "outgrow" a problem - they may need extra help called early intervention.
Your school and the ESU #6 Preschool Interagency Coordinating Council have a service called Child Find designed to identify children (birth to age 3) who may be at risk for learning and could benefit from special services. Children who display trouble with learning, moving, playing, hearing, seeing, and talking may qualify to receive free assistance. All children develop at different rates.
If your child is found eligible for services, an Individual Family Service Plan will be developed by you, the parent, and the people who will help you meet your child's special needs. The program will build on your child's strengths and improve areas of weakness. The program will provide support, encouragement, and assistance for you in working with your child.
Make the call that really counts. A professional will be happy to discuss your concerns about your child's development.
Call a Services Coordinator at:
Educational Service Unit #6
210 5th Street
Milford, NE 68405
800-327-0091 or 402-761-3341
Seward County Sixpence
Seward County Sixpence is a joint countywide program between Seward, Milford, and Centennial Public School Districts and ESU 6. The program is beginning its third year and is currently recruiting families for our program. Specifically, the program works with families who are prenatal or have children up to three years old to track development, promote learning and strengthen families. Families who are interested or would like more information about Sixpence may contact us at 402-587-0800. The new address for Sixpence is 1300 Hillcrest, Seward Nebraska.
Little Free Libraries
We now have six new Little Free Libraries in our community! You are encouraged to both take books and add books to the libraries, so that we can all keep reading. There are books for children, teens and adults at all locations!
Plum Creek Park, Wake Memorial Park (Ironwood Drive), National Guard Museum playground,
Cottonwood Park (behind Casey's), Parade of Flags and St. John's Lutheran Church.
Notice of Non-Discrimination
Seward Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, marital status, or based on such protected classes, in admission or access to, or treatment of employment or educational programs and activities. Any person having information or inquiries regarding any such discrimination is directed to contact Superintendent Josh Fields, in writing at 410 South Street, Seward, NE 68434 or by telephone at (402) 643-2941. Any person may also contact the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education: by email at OCR.KansasCity@ed.gov; by telephone at (816) 268-0550; or by fax at (816) 268-0599, regarding complaints of discrimination based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability as well as complaints concerning the denial of access or other discrimination against Boy Scouts or other youth groups.
