August & September Newsletter

Welcome back to another exciting school year! I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable summer break, and you're all as eager as we are to kick off a fantastic year of learning, growth, and achievement.

I am excited to announce that starting September 3rd, our school will be implementing a new e-funds system for school lunches. This new system will make it easier for parents to manage lunch payments if they choose to do so. More information on how to set up your e-Funds account will be provided shortly, so please keep an eye out for updates.

In addition, we will be holding a community meeting on September 4th at the Elementary school to discuss the facility audit. This is a great opportunity for the board to hear input and get feedback on the future of our school facilities. Your participation and feedback would be appreciated, and I encourage you to attend.

As we begin this school year, I want to express my sincere hope that it will be a positive and productive time for everyone. Our staff is dedicated to providing the best educational experience possible, and with your support, I know we can achieve great things.

Thank you for being an essential part of our school community. I look forward to seeing you at the community meeting and throughout the year!

Let's have a great year!

Josh Cumpston

Please direct any questions to, Jac Marchand, at 308-627-0195 or district office 402-759-4955. Shuttle routes between Fairmont and Geneva will transport students to the other town. Morning shuttles depart Geneva at 7:45 a.m. from the High School, and Fairmont at 7:20 a.m.

NEW PICK-UP LOCATION: AFTER SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT PICK UP WILL BE AT 3:35 P.M. AT THE ELEMENTARY.

Breakfast and lunch services are available to all students. The price per meal will be as follows:

Grades K-4: $1.95

Grades 5-12: $1.95

Adults: $1.95

Prices subject to change

Grades K-4: $3.00

Grades 5-12: $3.35

Adults: $4.10

Prices subject to change

This Institution is an equal opportunity employer.

Welcome! I hope you enjoyed your summer, however the 2024-25 school year is almost here. I am anxiously waiting for the students and staff to bring life back to the hallways and classrooms of our school building. I look forward to working with you and your child, and providing a positive educational experience.

I would like to recognize our staff members who attended numerous classes and workshops to increase their ability to deliver quality instruction to our students. I would also like to acknowledge the custodial staff for their many hours of work to make improvements and clean the elementary facility over the summer.

If you would like to have an educational conversation, please contact me anytime. The office phone number is 759 – 3184, and my e-mail address is aaron.veleba@fillmorecentral.org.

Educationally,

Aaron Veleba

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, September 4, Early Dismissal

Monday, September 9, 4th Grade AgVenture Day

Wednesday, September 11, School Pictures

• McKenzie Scheil will be the new K-7 school counselor at FCES and FCMS.

• Tami Dittmer will be the new head cook at FCES

Water Bottles

Families are encouraged to provide a water bottle for their student(s). Students will be allowed to fill water bottles at the bottle filling stations.

Volunteers/Visitors

Volunteers and visitors are welcomed at FCES. Please contact your child’s teacher if you plan to visit during instructional time or lunch. FCES does limit visits to 1 hour in length to ensure classroom/student routines and procedures are minimally disrupted.

Student Materials

For the 2024-25 school year Fillmore Central Elementary is providing all required supplies needed in the classroom for all students. A book bag is the only item that families will need to provide for students. This commitment ensures every student is equally equipped to be successful at FCES.

Snacks and Treats

Fillmore Central continues to encourage families to follow the district wellness policy when providing snacks and treats. Food items that are brought into the school should follow the smart snacks standards if possible. Additional information can be found on the school website.

Absent…

Please call the school before 8:45 a.m. if your child will not be in attendance that day, 402-759-3184. Thank you.

Arriving at School

The school day begins at 8:05 a.m. The tardy bell rings at 8:10 a.m. Breakfast is served from 7:30-8:00 a.m. Students should arrive no earlier than 7:30 a.m. To begin the school day, all students enter through the front doors.

1. Parents/Guardians are asked to drop off their child at the front doors of the building.

2. Students arriving at school between 7:30 – 7:50 a.m. report to the lunchroom. Please enter through the front doors.

3. Students arriving between 7:50 – 8:05 a.m.

“K” Report to the art room

1st Grade Report to the lunchroom

2nd Grade Report to the gym

3rd Grade Report to the music room

4th Grades Report to lunchroom

4. Students are not allowed to wait for the 8:05 a.m. “bell” anywhere outside the building unless they are supervised by their parent / guardian.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served each school morning starting at 7:30 a.m. Breakfast service stops at 7:55 a.m. to ensure students have time to eat and transition to their classrooms at 8:05 a.m. The cost for a student breakfast is $1.95. If your child eats breakfast, the cost will be deducted from your child’s lunch account.

Hot Lunch

When you plan to eat school lunch with your child please call the school before 9:30 a.m. so a lunch can be prepared for you. Student lunch cost is $2.90 and adult lunch cost is $4.10. Please note, hot lunches for elementary students are prepared at the high school each day, so it is important that we have an accurate count of visiting adults. Thank you for your help in this matter.

Milk Money for “K” and 1st Grade

Students in Kindergarten and 1st grade can purchase milk for their daily A.M. milk breaks for $22.00 per quarter.

Registration Requirements (Immunizations, birth certificate, etc…)

Please note that Nebraska State Law requires all Kindergartners and all out-of-state transfer students to have:

· 3 doses of DTP with one given on or after the 4th birthday

· 3 doses of polio

· 2 doses of MMR, and

· 3 doses of Hepatitis B

· 2 doses of Chicken pox: Must have the immunization or a note stating the date when your child had chicken pox.

· Influenza type b (Hib)

· Invasive pneumococcal disease

· Physical exam

· Vision Exam

· Certified copy of the birth certificate (the copy from the hospital does not meet this requirement).

These required documents must be on file prior to the start of the school year. Please be sure this is taken care of prior to August 8 so your child does not have to miss the first day of school. Tip: Do not wait until the last minute to find these items. It takes some time to collect copies from various agencies. Please be diligent about collecting the necessary paperwork, and call if you have questions.

Boxtops for Education

During the 2024-25 school year Fillmore Central Elementary will generate revenue through the Boxtops for Education App. In the past, Boxtop funds were used to go on fieldtrips, see a movie at the theater and provide food and other treats during the school year. Please continue to scan your receipts with the Boxtops App to help Fillmore Central Elementary.

What is Early Development Network Services Coordination?

Services Coordination helps families of children with special needs below age three:

• Find services to meet developmental, educational, financial, health care, child care, respite care and other needs

• Work with multiple providers to make sure services are provided as needed

Why is Service Coordination Needed?

Nebraska families of children with special needs have found it difficult to locate needed services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and then to coordinate the services with the providers.

Who is Eligible for Services Coordination?

Eligible families are those with an infant or toddler below age 3 who has a disability or developmental delay and qualifies for special education through the public schools.

Year round services coordination is provided.

There is no cost to families.

How Can Families Apply?

To request Early Development services for your child or to refer a child, call the local number below. With prior parental permission, referrals may be made by anyone who suspects a developmental delay in an infant or toddler.

The start of the school year is here! Below is important information for your student at Fillmore Central Middle School.

• Monday, September 2, No School

• Wednesday, September 4, Early Dismissal

• Wednesday, September 11, School Pictures

Athletic Practices

7th & 8th grade students participating in athletics must have all necessary forms completed in FinalForms before they are able to practice. Your child’s physical must be uploaded and all necessary forms must be completed in FinalForms. The necessary forms are listed below.

• Student Athlete Handbook

• NSAA Student & Parent Consent Form

• NSAA Student Eligibility

• Heads Up Concussion Fact Sheet

• NSAA PPE Physical Form (Must be uploaded in FinalForms)

Shuttle Bus

Shuttle buses from Geneva to Fairmont will leave Fillmore Central High School each morning at 7:45 AM. There will be four buses so that each grade level will have their own bus. Drivers and other staff will assist students the first week in boarding the correct bus. Students who ride the shuttle bus to Fairmont are to sit in the High School Cafeteria while waiting for the bus each morning. Breakfast will be served beginning at 7:30 a.m. If your student is not eating breakfast, we ask that they not arrive before 7:40 a.m. At the end of the day, shuttle buses will return to Fillmore Central Elementary at approximately 3:35PM.

*FCMS Student-athletes practicing in Geneva or students who rode their bicycles to school will be bussed to the High School.

Expectations for students riding school transportation:

• Students will follow the directions of the bus driver or other adult riders.

• Students will have assigned seating.

• Students are not allowed to change seats while the bus is moving. They should sit with both feet out of the aisle and face forward.

• Students may talk to the person next to them, however, at NO time should they be using a loud voice that disrupts others or is disrespectful toward others.

• If a student brings a device, they need to use earbuds when playing music or other audio sound.

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! Where does the time in the summer go? It seems like just yesterday we were wrapping up the 2023-24 school year, but here we are again. At any rate, here are a few items to keep in mind as we kickoff the new school year.

Staffing

For the third year in a row, we do not have any changes to our staff. We have a dedicated staff that loves working with kids, and that is such a huge asset when it comes to teaching. Our staff is great at building relationships and I feel that every single one of our students has at least one, and most likely multiple teachers that they are able to connect with.

E-Sports

The board of education approved the addition of an ESports team at the high school for this school year. Fillmore Central will be competing in the fall session and Mr. Schwartz will be the sponsor this year. This is an exciting opportunity for our students this year. More information will be available once school starts.

ICU

This year will mark the 4th year that we will be using the Power of ICU program. As a reminder, this program is essentially a communication tool designed to help ALL students complete ALL assignments with quality, and in a timely manner. This program is not perfect, but it has made a positive impact on student learning and I am excited that we can continue with the communication tool.

Second Chance Breakfast

We will once again be offering breakfast between first and second period each day. This opportunity has been well received by our kids and we are happy to be able to offer this program.

School Supplies

As has been done for the past several years, all necessary school supplies will be made available to students.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.

GO FC!!!

Ryun Theobald

Activity passes are $75 per person. Activity passes are able to be used at any regular season games.

Fillmore Central Fans that are 65 years or older are free. Please contact Dawn to make sure you are on the list or to be added.

For questions contact Dawn Temme at 402-759-3141 or at dawn.temme@fillmorecentral.org