The RPS Weekly Message
Thursday, September 19, 2024
Ralston Public Schools, in partnership with the Community Based Attendance Coalition (CBAC) and the Metro Omaha Educational Consortium (MOEC), will be drawing attention to and sharing information throughout the month of September on school attendance in recognition of Attendance Awareness Month.
We want to stress and promote to our families the value of good attendance and relay that every day a student is in school is an opportunity to learn, build relationships, and access support.
Addressing chronic absence is a key component of improving graduation rates, increasing academic achievement and giving young people the best chance at success in their adult life.
Ask Your Student - Your family, neighbors, teachers, and staff want you to find success in school and life. Why do you think coming to school helps build a better future for you and your classmates?
During the week of September 9-13, Ralston Public Schools conducted our annual health screenings at three of our six elementary schools and our middle school.
Our final three elementary school screenings (Mockingbird, Seymour, and Wildewood) will take place in December.
The yearly screenings include tests on a student’s vision, hearing, and dental. RPS would like to thank the volunteers from the Papillion Lions Club for their tremendous assistance with our vision and hearing screenings. They are true professionals and do such a great job with our students.
If any student needs a referral in any one of the categories screened, families will receive a letter from the District Health Office. Also, the vision and dental mobile units will be in our District in the coming months to assist students.
Outdoor Education is quickly approaching for our District’s sixth-grade students. This highly anticipated yearly tradition takes their learning outdoors for two amazing days at the YMCA Camp Kitaki. The sixth-grade students will participate in outdoor activities including archery, fishing, hiking, canoeing, and a high ropes tower. They will also learn about the Nebraska environment including wildlife, plants, and survival techniques.
October 7 & 8 - Mockingbird & Karen Western Elementaries
October 21 & 22 - Meadows & Wildewood Elementaries
October 28 & 29 - Seymour & Blumfield Elementaries
Ralston High School will host its next monthly food distribution on Tuesday, October 1st. This event is in partnership with the Food Bank for the Heartland.
Families can begin to line up at 4:00 pm at Ralston High School (8969 Park Drive) in the main parking lot on the east side of the school. The food distribution will go from 5:00 to 6:00 pm.
Ralston High School staff volunteers will direct individuals on where to park and help with the food distribution.
IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM FOOD BANK FOR THE HEARTLAND: All Food Bank for the Heartland Mobile Pantry food recipients will be required to fill out a form (USDA/TEFAP self-attestation form (FDP-105)) providing their address, household size, if there are children under the age of 18 in the household, and attesting their household meets the income guidelines and/or participates in programs like SNAP or LIHEAP.
Participants will fill out this form each month they receive food at a Food Bank for the Heartland mobile pantry.
Mark your calendars now and make plans to support the Ralston High School Theatre Department and their fall musical “Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 - The Musical.” This production is a Broadway-style musical based on the 1980 movie of the same name. The musical follows Violet Newstead, Doralee Rhodes, and Judy Bernly as they bond and eventually overthrow their misogynistic boss, Franklin Hart Jr.
Cast members featured on the poster include (from left to right) Arianna Johnson-Brown, Emily Cross, Keira Dunham and King Barnett at the bottom.
Dates:
October 24 - 26 at 7:00 pm
October 27 at 2:00 pm
Ticket information to come in a future message.
The Ralston High School Yearbook staff wants to remind Ram Nation the best time to order your 2024 - 2025 yearbook is NOW! In October, the RHS yearbook will only cost $60.
After October 25th, the price of the yearbook will increase. The RHS Yearbook staff will not have another sale like this for the remainder of the year.
If you are interested in a RHS yearbook, NOW is the best time to order. If you order online, you can set up a payment plan. Click on the LINK to purchase your yearbook today!
** Do you love taking photos? **
The RHS Yearbook staff loves taking photos as well and also enjoys seeing great photos of Rams activities. If you take a great photo and want to submit it for the yearbook, click HERE and be taken to a website where you can submit photos for the publication.
Ralston Public Schools is now accepting Option Enrollments for the 2025-2026 school year. Please visit the District website, https://www.ralstonschools.org/Page/3149, to learn about the option enrollment process, review the new enrollment information packet, and fill out the necessary paperwork.
Important - Updated Construction Transition for Seymour Families
This is a reminder for Seymour Elementary families about their transition back to Seymour from the Westside Community Center.
There will be NO SCHOOL for Seymour Elementary students only on Friday, September 27th, and Monday, September 30th. These days will allow our staff to move out of the Westside Community Center and back into Seymour Elementary. The FIRST DAY of school for students at Seymour Elementary will be Tuesday, October 1st.
Due to this transition back to the building and all that goes with this move, the District has decided to push back Parent/Teacher Conferences at Seymour Elementary. The NEW DATES for Seymour Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences will be Monday, October 7th, and Tuesday, October 8th. Seymour families, please look for communication on scheduling your parent teacher conference time in one of the upcoming Seymour Family newsletters.
The City of Ralston and Ralston Public Schools would like you to mark Sunday, October 13th on your calendar. Fall Fest will be a fun, family event at The Granary in downtown Ralston. Final plans are being worked out, but there will be fun, family activities, sweet treats, crafts, and entertainment. Stay tuned for more information.
The OneWorld Medical Mobile Health Center provides medical and behavioral services at the most convenient place for youth and their parents; near their school. They are always taking appointments; if your child is not feeling well, sports physicals, vaccinations, and well-checks.
Parents can schedule appointments by calling OneWorld at 402-880-4870.
New this Year - Medical Mobile at Karen Western
The OneWorld Medical Mobile Health Center will start to come to Karen Western Elementary every other Friday during the 2024-2025 school year. The mobile unit will be at Ralston High School every Tuesday from 8:00 am - 3:30 pm. Below is the schedule for August and September for Ralston Middle School and Karen Western (8:00 am - 3:30 pm).
Friday, September 20 - KW
Friday, September 27 - RMS
KMTV Channel 3 Highlights How Ralston Public Schools is Improving School Attendance
Thank you, KMTV Channel 3 and reporter Greta Goede, for two great stories on how RPS is working to improve our attendance numbers. All of our schools are putting forth a tremendous effort, partnering with our families; we very much appreciate the great relationship we have with our school community.
Thanks for highlighting the work of our school teams at Meadows and Karen Western Elementary Schools!