Dear Buffett Middle Families,

It is time for the NSCAS Growth Summative testing! Please see all of the resources below that are provided by the Nebraska Department of Education to learn more about the assessment and to access practice materials. The NSCAS Growth Summative is an adaptive statewide assessment that measures student performance on Nebraska's content area standards in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math for Grades 3-8. Additionally, students in Grade 8 will take the NSCAS Summative Science Assessment. For Buffett, our schedule is as follows:

March 31-April 7 = NSCAS Math for Grades 6-8 (90-minute test)

April 8-11 = NSCAS Science for Grade 8 only (45-minute test)

April 14-17 = NSCAS ELA for Grades 6-8 (90-minute test)

I wanted to take a moment to share why these assessments are an important part of your child's educational journey. State tests are not just a way to measure individual student progress, but they also provide valuable insights into how our school is performing overall. These assessments help identify areas where students may need additional support and ensure that all children are meeting essential learning standards.

While it’s natural to feel some pressure around testing, it’s important to remember that state tests are just one of many ways we evaluate your child's growth. They help educators tailor instruction to meet the needs of every student and ensure that no one falls behind. Beyond that, state tests also give students the opportunity to demonstrate the skills and knowledge they’ve gained throughout the year.

As we prepare for these tests, we encourage students to do their best, but also to remember that these tests are just one part of their educational experience. We are here to support them every step of the way!

Thank you for your continued partnership in helping your child succeed.

Dr. Pick

#TogetherWeThrive

The student tutorial below provides detailed information about the NSCAS Growth Assessment including who will test, how many questions are on each test, and the different types of items students will need to answer.

• Students and parents can access the Item Type Sampler through the NWEA testing app.
• After opening the NWEA testing app, confirm app self-lock by selecting "yes."
• When prompted, select "Item Type Sampler."
• Student selects grade, subject, language, and accommodation, if appropriate.
• Each item sampler has 20 questions.
• Items samplers are available for Grades 3-8 in ELA and Math, and Grades 5 and 8 for Science.

To access directly from the state website, click here.

Girls Wrestling - City Champions

Boys Wrestling - 3rd Place

Girls Basketball - 3rd Place

Boys Swim - had a great season, no placements at City Finals

During spring break, 14 Buffett eighth graders spent four days exploring New York City. Students spent time exploring 9/11 Musuem and Memorial and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, enjoying the beautiful weather in Central Park and Rockefeller Center, took in two Broadway shows: The Play That Goes Wrong and MJ: The Musical. While in Times Square, they met Robin Roberts of Good Morning America and even made it on air! They traveled by ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, by subway to Chinatown and Little Italy and walked through the Financial District. They packed a lot into four days and left with memories to last a lifetime!

Times Square photo credit: © Kevin McCormick / GroupPhotos.com

Three 6th grade Bobcat mathematicians took home some serious hardware last week at the 33rd Annual McMillan Math Competition. As a team, they won the speed round and the buzzer round. They were the overall winners of the competition and took home a trophy for the school's display case. Elliott M. also was 2nd place in the individual contest. Way to go, KT U., Oliver B., and Elliott M.!

In the spirit of March Madness, Buffett students voted for their favorite books of all time. Pete the Cat took the March Madness bracket! Our students loved to play and celebrate their love of literacy together.

Incoming 6th graders and their families had a chance to visit Buffett last Thursday. They spent time meeting other students, staff, and PTO. Families also signed up for classes and enjoyed a cookie and lemonade.

Create a passion project. Work with top mentors

The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is a program for middle school students to work one-on-one with a mentor to explore their academic interests and build a project they are passionate about. Our mentors are scholars from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Cambridge. The program was founded by a Harvard & Oxford PhD who met as undergraduates at Harvard.

The program is rigorous and fully virtual. We offer need-based financial aid for students who qualify. You can find the application in the brochure!

To learn more, you can contact our Head of Partnerships, Maya Novak-Herzog, at maya.novak-herzog@lumiere.education or go to our website.

Apply before April 13th for our Summer 2025 cohort using this application link!

Current 7th grade families: Are you interested in traveling to New York City during spring break of your 8th grade year? Were you unable to attend the meeting in February? Join us for an informational meeting on Wednesday, April 16 at 6:30 in the Buffett Library. Contact Ms. Moyer and Ms. Halverson with any questions. See you then!

April 17 - National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony 6:00 - 7:30 p.m., cafeteria

April 18 - No School for Teacher Planning

April 21 - No School for Articulation Day

May 15 - 8th Grade Recognition Night 6:00 - 7:30 p.m., gym

May 21 - Last Student Day

Website: buffett.ops.org
Location: 14101 Larimore Avenue, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: 531-299-2320
Twitter: @BuffettMagnet