Fall SPS Newsletter

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.

If this is your first year as a Bluejay or your 18th year, welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! I hope all of you have had a great summer and are excited to start the school year. The Seward Public Schools theme this year will be centered around “Diving In.” With the 2024 Summer Olympics underway, diving into the school year headfirst is the best way to approach the upcoming year. Each of our students will encounter new opportunities and challenges throughout the school year. This includes the opportunities to do great things in the classroom and the activities students are involved in. Students will also experience challenges throughout the year, and how they learn from their mistakes will only make them stronger as they go through school and life. Just like a perfect dive, students must be willing to meet these challenges and new opportunities headfirst.

Seward Public Schools adopted its third strategic plan last spring, which will now serve as the roadmap for the next five years. I believe that our district's strategic plans over the last ten years have been the foundation of our success. More details about the new strategic plan are shared on the district website and in this newsletter.

This summer was busy, with many important projects completed throughout the district. The elementary preschool playground got a new pour-and-play surface, the painting and flooring three-year project is now complete at the elementary school, and a section of the roof was replaced at the elementary school. Concrete repair was done throughout the district, and the Elementary PTO had a new walking trail installed at the elementary school. All the schools also had a deep cleaning and are ready for the upcoming school year, thanks to our great custodians and maintenance department over the summer.

Our Social Studies and Art teams were busy over the summer as they prepared for the implementation of our new social studies and art curriculum. I know that these new resources will challenge and enrich our students as they learn the importance of United States history, citizenship, economics, and government, which will be a great addition to our comprehensive K-12 curriculum.

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 at 402-643-2941.

New staff members for the 2024-2025 school year include Scott Curry Athletic/Activities Director- High School, Lindsay Hotovy- Elementary SPED, Spencer Jakub- High School Speech, Jacob Hanseling- Third Grade, Rylee Philippi- First Grade, Rebekah Miller- High School Social Studies, Erin Choquette- Elementary Speech, Paige Anderson- Elementary Special Education, Patrick Miller- High School Math/Science, Melanie Gowin- Middle School 6th Grade Reading. New para professionals at this time are: Susie Weir, Kyrie Briggs, and Emmalee Herring at the elementary school and Christina Canning at the High School. Roger Campbell has also joined the maintenance crew this summer. We are still looking for bus drivers, substitute teachers, and paraprofessionals if you are interested in any of these positions you may apply online at https://sewardpublicschools.tedk12.com/hire/ or pick up an application at the district office at 410 South Street, Seward, NE

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 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.

With the construction on Highway 15 near the high school, it is recommended to use 2nd street as your North/South route through town. We would encourage you to avoid 5th street as a North/South road for school-related traffic.

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.

In Seward Public Schools we review our curriculum areas every seven years. This past year we reviewed our Social Studies and Art Curriculum. As part of that review we examine the Nebraska standards, current research regarding Social Studies and Art instruction and materials that are available to to teach these standards. At the Elementary and Middle School level, TCI was selected as the resource that could best help with teaching Social Studies. At the High school, we will use McGraw-Hill and assorted publishers for our AP courses.

We just completed our 5-year strategic plan with the help of our staff, students, parents, and board members. We are extremely grateful for the support and work of so many of you to create a plan that can guide us for the next five years. Below you will find our strategies that we will be focused on as well as a link to the full document.

1. We will create and implement a multi-tiered system of support that empowers educators to use a data-driven approach to support all students academically.

2. We will develop plans for Pre-K-12 systematic communication in the areas of student achievement, family partnerships, and school culture.

3. All students and staff will have access to mental health supports to develop safe and appropriate coping strategies.

4. We will attract new staff and retain high quality staff by providing the opportunity for collaborative professional development, giving a voice in the decision-making process, and promoting a culture of excellence.

5. We will research, develop, and implement plans to ensure facilities meet the needs of students and staff.

Link to the full plan: https://www.sewardpublicschools.org/vnews/display.v/ART/5cbf159506d09

We will be transitioning to a new point of sale for our food service program that will give parents more information and options regarding student meal purchases. This also means that we will be updating our online food service payment provider. As of July 31, E-Funds will no longer be available to place funds into your child's lunch account. In the coming days you will be able to use the following link to credit your child's lunch account: www.schoolpaymentportal.com

We will notify you when this link is ready for you to fund your child's account. In the meantime, school offices will accept checks and cash as normal to fund student accounts. Please note that any leftover funds from previous years will be transferred over to the new system.

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 an email to ticket@sewardschools.org .

All elementary, middle, and high school hot lunches and breakfast will be served beginning Wednesday, August 14th. The cost of breakfast and lunches for the 2024-2025 school year are:

Daily

PK-4 Lunch $3.35

5-12 Lunch $3.50

K-12 Breakfast $2.25

Milk $0.50

Free and Reduced price meal application forms will be sent home with students the first day of school on August 14th. 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.

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.

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.

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 PK-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

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

Seward Elementary “Open House” will take place from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Monday, August 12th. 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 the 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 hosting an open house for students and parents/guardians this year on Monday, August 12th. Please see the schedule below:

6:00-6:30 p.m. - Open house for 5th-grade students and parents/guardians, as well as any new students and parents.

6:45 p.m. - An informational meeting for 5th-grade parents/guardians will take place in the large gym.

6:30-7:30 p.m. - Open house for students and parents/guardians of 6th-8th grades.

Locker assignments will be available on this night, so students may bring items to put in their lockers if they wish. We encourage parents or guardians to gather the information they need, ask any necessary questions, familiarize themselves with the building, and bring paperwork to prepay lunch accounts for convenience, which will help reduce lines for students on the first day.

Seward High School will be hosting a freshman and new student orientation on Monday, August 12th, at 7:00 p.m. in the new theater. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for students who want to arrive early to start getting their T-shirts, schedules, and fill out paperwork to beat the rush. They can also learn more about student activities; tables will be set up in the main gym for additional information. Parents/guardians and students will have the opportunity to visit classrooms, meet teachers, find lockers, and acclimate to the building. Information will 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 deposit money into their students' lunch account and to pay for activity tickets before school starts 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.

High School football, softball, cross-country, volleyball, and girls golf practices will begin on Monday, August 12th. All middle school activities will start after school starts. Each student in grades 7-12 must have a physical to participate in practice. High school participants will also need to fill out the consent to treat and transport form as well as the NSAA eligibility form before the start of practice. You can obtain these forms at the Fall Sports Parent meeting on Thursday, August 8th at 7:00 in the Theater. You can turn in all forms to the High School's main office. Please contact the high school office at (402) 643-2988 for any high school athletic questions.

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.

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 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.

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.