Roughrider District News

Mr. Billeter

As we approach the end of January, the first month of the second semester has been busy with

activities at Southwest Public Schools. Our students have been actively participating in various

competitions, showcasing their talents and skills in speech meets, quiz bowl contests, wrestling

meets, and basketball games. We are proud of their dedication and wish all our teams the best

of luck as they gear up for upcoming conference, district, and state competitions.

Communicating with our community is very important to us. We want parents and patrons to

follow our social media pages to quickly learn about possible school delays or closings due to

bad weather. Our goal is to keep everyone informed and updated about any important school

announcements.

February is a busy and exciting month for Southwest Public Schools. On Thursday, February

6th, we will honor our Beef in Schools committee members and recognize our generous donors

during the halftime of the girls' basketball game. The following day, Friday, February 7th, there

will be elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences, which will also serve as a teacher workday for

the high school staff as they work and assist with the Southwest Wrestling Invite. There will be

no school on Monday, February 10th, and on February 12th, we will have a late start at 10:00

AM for professional development.

We want to remind all families that preschool applications are due on January 30th. Parents

seeking an application form should contact the school office directly. We are committed to

supporting our students' early education and look forward to welcoming new young learners to our school community.

As we continue to navigate the school year, our primary focus remains on providing high-quality

education, supporting our students' growth, and maintaining strong connections with our

community. We appreciate the ongoing support of our parents, staff, and local supporters who

make our educational mission possible.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Conferences will be held on Friday, February 7th, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to meet with teachers and check on your child's progress. There will be no school or daycare for elementary students on this day. We will be utilizing sign up genius for parents to sign up for a conference time. You can find the link on our school website www.swpschools.org.

Late Start on Wednesday, February 12th

Don't forget we will have a late start at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, February 12th for teachers to collaborate in their PLC teams.

Valentine’s Day Celebrations

Classroom Valentine’s Day parties will take place in the afternoon of Friday, February 14th. Teachers will send more information regarding your child's classroom party plans.

Good Friends Celebration

Our 3rd graders and their Good Friends will celebrate on Thursday, February 13th from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. We are grateful to our community volunteers for fostering positive relationships with our students.

Celebrate School Kindness Week: February 9-15, 2025

Mark your calendars! From February 9th to 15th, our school will be celebrating School Kindness Week, also known as Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week. This special week serves as a reminder of the power of small, thoughtful actions in creating a positive and compassionate school environment.

Kindness Week is a time for students, teachers, and staff to focus on performing simple yet meaningful acts of kindness that brighten someone’s day. Whether it’s offering a friendly smile, writing a note of appreciation, or helping a classmate, every small action contributes to a culture of caring and respect. Let’s work together to make our school a place where kindness thrives—not just during this special week, but all year long! Stay tuned for more details on our planned activities.

We encourage families to join in by practicing kindness at home and in the community. Thank you for helping us create a culture of kindness and positivity!

Southwest Elementary students and staff will be celebrating School Kindness Week February 9th-14th. On February 17th we will celebrate the national Random Acts of Kindness Day. Throughout the month, the elementary students will discuss and demonstrate ways to show random acts of kindness to others.

This quarter’s Rock N’ Riders have some great activities scheduled for February including Valentine Cookie-gram from Bleu Flour Bakery. Orders will be delivered to students and staff at the elementary on February 14th.

National School Counseling Week is February 3rd-7th and recognizes school counselors' critical role in supporting student growth, development, and success. This year’s theme, “School Counselors: Helping Students Thrive,” highlights the dedication of counselors to fostering academic achievement, emotional well-being, and career readiness.

Thriving students benefit from a strong network of support, and all adults—educators, parents, and community members—play a vital role in their success. By fostering positive relationships, creating safe and inclusive environments, and encouraging resilience and self-confidence, we can empower students to reach their full potential. Together, we can help every student thrive.

📝 Early Childhood Training Dates

Our Early Childhood Team will be attending a training series at ESU 15 in Trenton during the second semester. These sessions are an important opportunity for our early childhood teachers and paras to engage in professional development, and we are excited to offer them this chance to enhance their skills.

As a result, there will be no preschool classes or preschool child care on the following dates:

• Thursday, January 23rd
• Thursday, February 20th
• Monday, April 7th

The 6th grade class will be part of the annual Healthy Habits Day on January 28, 2025, in McCook at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. The event will begin at 9:35 a.m. in the Fairboard Community Building and will conclude by 2:30 p.m. The day will be filled with mini lessons on how to make healthy snacks. Our local 4-H Extension does an excellent job in organizing and keeping the students engaged throughout the day with cooking and games. The students come home with a bag full of supplies and recipes that they can recreate at home.

Seniors:

Scholarships:

• Seniors can access scholarship applications at www.swpschools.org
• Hover over the Jr. Sr. High School tab at the top
• Go to the bottom of the selection and choose “Senior Scholarships”

Click the google link.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tUvMVTpzKq3umttYJmzwmBM64aNEs60AOFPMJARU_jQ/edit?gid=0#gid=0

*The spreadsheet is organized by monthly due dates so be sure to look at the months in advance, so you have time to fill the applications out before the due date. This is updated as I receive scholarships throughout the year.

*The scholarships highlighted in red are not updated and the scholarships highlighted in green are

always open and have differing due dates so be sure to look back on these frequently.

Seniors wanting to improve their ACT scores can take it through February to use on their college and scholarship applications.

Juniors: Southwest will be administering the ACT to all Juniors on March 26 th . This is a form of state testing we do as a school. This ACT test will be given at no cost to the students and the results may be submitted for college entrance as well as scholarship applications. Juniors will be completing a John Baylor ACT test prep program in Mrs. Slaten’s English Class in preparation for the ACT test.

Summer Camps:

Students can apply for these fully funded camps to attend this summer! Applications are available in Mr. Schake’s Office

• Girls State & Boys State (Juniors)
• Jr. Law Cadet (Juniors)

Board of Education Meeting

Southwest Public Schools

District 179

January 13 th , 2025

President Jason Neseth called the regular meeting of the Southwest Public Schools Board of Education toorder at 7:44 p.m. on January 13, 2025 at the Southwest Junior-Senior High School in Bartley.

Present: John O’Dea, Jennifer McConville, Jason Kloepping, Jason Neseth, Derek Meyers, Superintendent Drew Billeter, Tara Fries, and Sydney Mousel.

Absent:

Visitors: Sagan Downer, Sasha Burton, Cindy Wilcox, Todd Doyle

President Neseth observed Open Meeting Law requirements.

Moved by O’dea, seconded by Teter, to excuse absent board members. Ayes: Brooks, Teter, Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None Motion carried.

Moved by O’dea, seconded by Teter, to approve the board meeting agenda as presented. Ayes: Brooks, Teter, Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None Motion carried.

Notices of the meeting were posted at the Adams Bank and Trust in Indianola, the Stockmens Bank

Bartley Branch, Post Offices in Bartley and Indianola, Southwest Elementary School in Indianola,

Southwest Junior-Senior High School in Bartley, and published in the Valley Voice newspaper and on the school website. Notice of the meeting was given in advance to all members prior to the meeting date.

Moved by O’dea, seconded by McConville, to approve the minutes of the December 16, 2024 Board

Meeting minutes. Ayes: Brooks, Teter, Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent:

None Motion carried.

Moved by O’dea, seconded by Teter, to approve the claims as presented. Ayes: Brooks, Teter, Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None Motion carried. The treasurer’s report was presented to the Board.

Moved by O’dea, seconded by Teter, to Adjorn Sine Die and Elect School board Officers at 7:50 p.m.

for the 2024 calendar Ayes: Brooks, Teter, Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None.

Absent: None Motion carried.

Motioned to nominate elected officers as follows: Jason Neseth as President, Duane Teter as Vice-

President, Brooke Brooks as Secretary, and Jennifer McConville as Treasurer. A yes: Meyers, Brooks, Neseth, Teter, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.

President Neseth presided during the remainder of the meeting.

Motioned, to retain committee members as follows: Teter, Meyers, and O’Dea to the Americanism

Committee; Neseth, Brooks, and McConville to the Transportation Committee; Meyers, O’Dea, and Brooks to the Building and Grounds Committee; Neseth, McConville, and Teter to the Negotiations Committee; and Brooks to the Foundation Board. Ayes: Meyers, Brooks, Neseth, Teter, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays:None. Absent: None. Motion carried.

Moved by McConville, seconded by Meyers, to take action to authorize Board Officers to sign checks forthe following funds: General Fund, Special Building Fund, Depreciation Fund, Employee Benefit Fund,Activity Fund, Qualified Capital Fund, Student Fee Fund, and School Nutrition Fund. Ayes: Brooks, Teter,Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None Motion carried.

Moved by Teter, seconded by Brooks, to appoint an official depository for the district funds. Ayes:

Brooks, Teter, Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None Motion carried.

Moved by Teter, seconded by Brooks, to take appropriate action on designating an official news

publication for the school district. Ayes: Brooks, Teter, Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays:

None. Absent: None Motion carried.

Moved by O’dea, seconded by McConville, to approve the resignation of Mrs. Conie Lovin. Ayes: Brooks, Teter, Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None Motion carried.

Moved by Brooks, seconded by McConville, to approve the revision of Policy 3004.1 Fiscal

Management for Purchasing and Procurement Using Federal Funds. Ayes: Brooks, Teter, Meyers,

Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None Motion carried.

Moved by McConville, seconded by O’dea, to approve the revision of Policy 2008

Meetings. Ayes: Brooks, Teter, Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None

Motion carried.

Moved by McConville, seconded by Meyers, to approve revision of Policy 5045. Ayes: Brooks, Teter,

Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None Motion carried.

Moved by O’dea, seconded by McConville, to approve the school calendar for the 2025-

2026 school year.. Ayes: Brooks, Teter, Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent:

None Motion carried.

Superintendent Billeter reported that the after-school daycare program will remain unchanged for the time being. Letters of intent regarding the program were sent out at the beginning of January. In

addition, Superintendent Billeter took the opportunity to thank the board members, as January is School Board Officer Appreciation Month, recognizing their contributions and support to the district. Regarding the district's Beef in Schools program, Billeter shared that they are expecting to receive their first shipment of beef this week, with plans for the kitchen staff to begin incorporating it into meals starting this month. This initiative is part of an effort to provide locally sourced protein to students. The district has also received additional donations to cover the costs of freezers and beef processing, further supporting the program's success. On a different note, the junior senior high school is currently facing an issue with its watt stopper. Superintendent Billeter mentioned that the district is in the process of obtaining quotes for the installation of a new system. An upgrade to the lighting system to resolve the issue and improve efficiency and most importantly safety.

Principal Fries has reported that the preschool admission letters have been sent out, and as of now, there have been 31 applicants. This number indicates the level of interest in the preschool program and may guide the school in determining the resources and planning required for the upcoming year. Additionally, Principal Fries has expressed a desire to revisit and potentially revise the preschool entry policy for the 2026-2027 school year, maybe this spring. This review is necessary due to some "grey areas" in the current policy, which likely refer to ambiguities or inconsistencies that could lead to confusion or challenges in its application. Furthermore, new legislation may be influencing the way students are admitted or the criteria that must be met for preschool entry.

The next regular board meeting will be held on Monday, February 10, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at the

Southwest Junior-Senior High School in Bartley.

Moved by O’dea, seconded by McConville, to adjourn the meeting at 8:42 p.m. Ayes: Brooks, Teter,

Meyers, Neseth, McConville, and O’Dea. Nays: None. Absent: None Motion carried.

Agenda for meetings will be kept continually current and available for public inspection in the office of the Superintendent.