SPS Spring Newsletter 2025

Seward Public Schools - a district rooted in excellence - in cooperation with family and community members is committed to the development of the whole student and affirms that all students will have the skills to become productive, resilient, and contributing members of their community.

Hold On... Spring Is Here Spring has arrived, and with it comes a flurry of activity—end-of-year concerts, banquets, Honors Night, prom, spring field trips, and graduation—all culminating in a memorable conclusion to the school year.

For some, the phrase "hold on" may carry a cautionary tone, suggesting uncertainty or challenge. I prefer to think of it as the moment just before a rollercoaster ride begins. As someone who enjoys rollercoasters, when I hear the reminder to buckle in and hold on, I know I’m about to experience something exhilarating—even if I don’t know exactly what twists and turns lie ahead.

Much like a rollercoaster, this time of year is full of excitement for students. They are looking ahead to the next step in their lives: the next grade level, summer opportunities, or perhaps something entirely new. I hope each of you has the chance to enjoy this special time with your children. Although we cannot always predict what lies ahead, we do know these moments pass quickly.

On Sunday, May 18, we will proudly celebrate 113 graduating seniors as they walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. This milestone highlights the vital role our staff, students, families, and community play in shaping the future of Seward, our state, and our country. Regardless of whether our graduates have been Bluejays since kindergarten or joined us more recently, we are grateful for their contributions to Seward Public Schools. I am confident that whatever path they pursue—college, military service, or a career—they are prepared to make a positive impact in their communities.

This year, we launched our new five-year strategic plan with tremendous efforts from our staff toward advancing the district’s goals. One notable highlight has been the work of the District Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Team. This team is designing systems within each building to better support students who need additional help, while also enriching the experiences of those who have already mastered the content.

I hope each of you enjoys a restful, joyful summer filled with family, friends, and maybe even a rollercoaster ride or two. The first day of school—August 13—will be here before we know it!

Thank you for your continued support of Seward Public Schools.

May 5-10- Thank you to our wonderful staff at SPS! We are fortunate to have such a great staff that is dedicated to our students each and every day! If you get a chance next week please thank your child’s teacher, administrator, bus driver, para professional, secretary, cook, custodian, and maintenance worker for all that they do!

The Last Day of School 2024-2025:

The last day of school for students will be on Thursday, May 22 with a 11:30 dismissal.

2025-2026 School Calendar:

The 2025-2026 school calendar is included in the newsletter. The first day of school for students will be Wednesday, August 13 with a 1:30 dismissal. The full calendar is at the bottom of the newsletter and also on our website.

We have a number of staff members who have given a lot to Seward Public Schools over their careers. This group of retirees has given many years of service to SPS! Their dedication and service to students will be missed! We wish them all the best of luck as they start the next chapter in their lives.

Tyson Horn- Seward Middle School Art Teacher

Suzi Paseka- Third Grade Teacher

Kyrie Briggs- Elementary Paraprofessional

Breanna Placke- Middle School Paraprofessional

Summer Food Support- If you need support over the summer with food insecurities please visit our website at food services.

Our new strategic plan has five goals or objectives that we will are focused on. We have bulleted a list of just a few of the things we are currently working on.

Academics/Instruction

All students have the opportunity to excel academically through a systematic approach that meets their personal needs.

• Articulated a Multi Tiered System of Support for Academics to support all students.

Recruit, Hire, Retain

All students will have access to high-quality staff who foster relationships,

are highly trained in their area, and will continue advancing their knowledge and skills.

• Recruiting Fairs
• Stay Surveys
• Para to Teacher Apprenticeship program

Facilities

Each student will have access to facilities to ensure excellence in academics and extracurricular activities.

• District-Wide Facility Study

Communication/Culture

Each student will be supported by productive communication and a welcoming and accepting culture.

• Implementation of the HumanEx Survey for SPS staff.
• "All In" Social Media presence

Mental Health

All students and staff will recognize the importance of mental health.

• Evaluated the research on digital devices in schools and implemented the findings appropriately

• Articulated a Multi Tiered System of Support for Mental Health/Behavior to support all students.

The math curriculum team completed a comprehensive review of math instructional materials that are available and they have selected the following materials that were approved for purchase by the Board of Education:

K-8 Envisions by Savvas

Algebra, Geometry, Algebra- Reveal by McGraw HIll

A variety of publishers were selected for our advanced high school math courses.

This summer, our teachers will be working on creating instructional frameworks and those frameworks will be shared with the Board of Education in August.

Seward Middle School

SMS Weights: 7:00AM-8:00AM

Boys: Mon/Wed

Girls: Tues/Thurs

Session 1 = June 2-27 (4 weeks)

Week Off = June 30-July 4

Session 2 = July 7-July 25 (3 weeks)

Seward High School:

Start Date May 28 Monday-Thursday

6:30-7:45 AM- 10th-12th Grade Boys

7:30- 8:30 AM- 9th Grade Boys

8:15-9:15 AM- 10th-12th Grade Girls

9:00-10:00 AM- 9th Grade Girls

SHS Evening session Monday -Thursday (coed)

5:00- 6:30 PM for anyone who could not make morning weights

Seward Public Schools Special Education Department is preparing to retire files of students who are now 26 years of age and older. If you think you may have a file and are interested in obtaining it, please call Dr. Shannon Hall-Schmeckpeper, Director of Special Services at (402) 643-2968 before May 30, 2025. We will begin shredding files on June 9, 2025.

Would you like to help contribute to our mission of Every Student, Every Day, A Success?

Seward Public Schools is accepting applications for para professionals, custodians, and bus drivers for the 2025-2026 school year. This is a great opportunity to earn extra money and support our students. The following positions are currently open, so please stop by the District Office at 410 South Street to fill out an application or click on the link below.

They accept most commercial insurance companies along with all Medicaid plans & uninsured clients. Blue Valley will verify your policy prior to receiving any vaccines.

All clients must make an appointment and bring in their current insurance or Medicaid card, along with their Managed Care insurance card to all visits. Please have all insurance information ready when making an appointment.

Source: Nebraska Immunization Program, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. . For additional information, call 402-471-6423.

The School Rules & Regulations are available on the internet: http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/reg/t173.htm (Title 173: Control of Communicable Diseases - Chapter 3; revised and implemented 2011)