Seward High School Newsletter

We hope you were able to enjoy a peaceful winter vacation. We are happy to welcome our students back on January 7th. As we begin a new year, we appreciate our students and staff for all their hard work during the first semester. The first semester of this school year has given us much to be proud of in all areas. We have great students at Seward High School who represent our community in the right way. Please come out and support our students in their different activities this winter and spring.

Looking back on 2024, we have much to celebrate as a school community. We should all be proud of the work we have done together preparing our students for the future. The coming year should be just as exciting. Go Bluejays!

Wishing you a happy 2025!

Scott Axt

Principal

We have three snow days that are built into the calendar this school year. Any additional weather-related closures will result in E-Learning district-wide. More information will be sent out to families with general E-Learning guidelines and expectations.

When the weather and roads become hazardous, please encourage your student to leave for school earlier, drive more carefully, and dress appropriately for the cold and the ice because walking and driving will be challenging for our young drivers. In the event that we are in school and it begins to snow or ice collects on the pavement, some sort of reminder will be given to students at the end of the school day reminding them to completely scrape their windshield, allow more distance between cars and to generally drive safely.

Seward Public Schools currently uses a district-wide helpline that can be accessed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for our students. The reporting system is called Safe2Help. Safe2Help Nebraska is an anonymous and secure hotline and cell phone app to share safety-related information or concerns to the appropriate school, crisis counselor, or law enforcement agency. They are here to help keep you, your school, and your community safe.

The hotline number is 1-833-980-7233. Students can also access the website at https://www.safe2helpne.org/ or download the mobile app for free called Safe2HelpNE.

A few of the features of the hotline are outlined below.

• 24-7 coverage with trained professional counselors

• Immediate screening and triage of report

• Life-safety threats are referred directly to area law enforcement for local action

School Payment Portal is being offered as a safe, secure and convenient way for parents/guardians to manage school lunch payments. You will have the opportunity to track purchases, create reminders and set up automatic payments. If you do not want to pay online and would like to continue sending in money with your student, you are still able to create a username and password to track your students’ purchases and see how much

money is on the account.

Below is a guide to setting up your student’s account. Any questions or concerns with a student’s account should be directed to the office of your child’s school.

To set up your account you can visit https://www.schoolpaymentportal.com

• The first time that you visit the website, you will be directed to Click the green button marked CREATE ACCOUNT. Enter your First Name, Last Name, email address and a password. Then click the Create Account button located in the lower right corner. Once you have established an account, you will need to use the Parent Login button from the main site to access your account.

• You will see confirmation that your account has been created successfully. Next, click the Parent Login Page button, enter your login credentials and click Sign In

• Once you are logged in, click the Add Student button.

• Enter the School’s Zip Code, 68434, in the field for zip code, then click Continue

• Available schools will be displayed. Click on the blue Select to the left of the School name

• Enter the required information for the student that you wish to add to your account, then click Continue

• Verify the information and click on the blue Add Student to the left of the student’s name

• You will be returned to the Student Access page. Follow the above steps for each student you wish to add to the account

To make payments to lunch accounts:

• Click the blue button marked Make Cafeteria Deposit

• Enter the Deposit Amount for each Student listed and click the Continue button.

• Follow the screen prompts to set up your payment options.

National Honor Society

National Honor Society Induction will be held on Sunday, March 30th at 2:00pm in the HS Theatre.

All students have access to tutoring on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night of each week from 3:45-4:45 p.m. in the Seward High School library. Students have access to Seward High School. Students needing computer access are also welcome to attend. Some students create study group who meet regularly in the space. Parents/guardians can contact the school to check on student study group attendance and times the student signed in and out of the library.

It is not too early to begin thinking about scheduling Senior pictures. Seward High School will continue offering senior banners for purchase. These banners will hang in the main lobby during the 2025-2026 school year. Information on how to order banners will be available this spring/summer.

The Term 2 Honors Breakfast will be held Friday, January 24th, from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. The purpose of the Honors Breakfast is to recognize and celebrate those students who have made the Term 2 Honor Roll. Parents/guardians are encouraged to attend along with their son and/or daughter. Additional information regarding the honors breakfast will be included in the report card mailing for those students who have made the honor roll.

The third round of parent/teacher conferences is scheduled for February 5th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Parent/Teacher conferences provide an excellent opportunity for you to meet your son’s and/or daughter’s teachers, receive updates on their academic progress, and obtain other information that will help you to support your student in their journey through high school.

Sophomore Parent/Guardian Session with the Counselors (5:45-6:30 p.m.):

A special program will be held for the parents/guardians of sophomore students on February 5th during parent/teacher conferences. Sophomore parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to attend. The presentation will start at 5:45 p.m. in the new theater and will last approximately 40 minutes. School staff will share information regarding a wide array of post-secondary planning topics - especially focusing on the coursework opportunities (college credit options) as students move into their junior year.

The ineligibility list is a report generated at Seward High School that provides a list of students and courses who have a failing grade(s) each week. While the reasons for why a student may be failing a course can vary greatly, often incomplete or missing work can figure prominently among the reasons – either because of the impact the missing work has on a student’s grade or because they do not participate in the necessary practice to obtain the knowledge and skills being assessed. We address this challenge internally at the high school by using our interventions framework that includes a combination of teacher and school-level interventions. In our interactions with parents/guardians as a part of this process, we often get the question, “What can I do?” We know that if a few have this question there must be others. Below are suggestions we often provide as a starting point for parents/guardians. Not all students are the same, so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to process ideas further. The combination of at-home and in-school interventions will only increase the likelihood of future success for a struggling student. We appreciate the teamwork and cooperation.

Homework Routines: Tasks are easiest to accomplish when tied to specific routines. By establishing daily routines for homework completion, you will not only make homework go more smoothly, but you will also be fostering a sense of order for your students that they can apply later in life, including college and work.

• Find a location in the house where homework will be done. The right location will depend on your student and the culture of your family. Some students do best at a desk in their bedroom. Research tells us that many students become too distracted by things they keep in their bedroom and do better at a place removed from those distractions, like the dining room table or desk in a main living area. Some students need to work by themselves. Others need to have parents nearby to help keep them on task. Ask your student where the best place is to work. Give them the latitude to try this location, but also don’t be afraid to change the routine if it is not producing results. A good routine is one that works!

• Establish a dedicated homework time. Your student should get in the habit of doing homework at the same time every day. The time may vary depending upon the individual student and/or day of the week. Many students will have a variety of commitments such as school activities, work, and family activities. Building routines that take these variables into account is an essential element of good planning. We recommend a time before dinner or as early in the evening as possible. The later it gets, the more tired the student becomes and the more slowly the homework will actually get done.

Check PowerSchool: PowerSchool is a valuable tool for you as a parent. You can set your account to provide you regular updates thereby allowing you to monitor the progress of your student. If you have questions regarding a specific assignment, grade, or other class specific variable on PowerSchool you can quickly email the teacher. PowerSchool is also a tool you can use to identify what needs to be done at home so you can set daily homework completion goals with your student as part of their routine. Please contact the Seward High School office at 402-643-2988 to set up a PowerSchool account if you do not already have one.

Trust Your Instincts: If your student tells you that they have their work completed and all is going well academically, yet you continue to receive notifications that they are on the ineligibility list, we encourage you to contact the school to inquire further. You can do so by emailing or calling one of your student’s teachers, counselors, or building administrators. We recommend you start with the classroom teacher to obtain the most detailed and specific information regarding the progress of your student.

Support the Interventions Process: The staff at Seward High School is committed to an interventions framework that includes layers of support at the classroom and school-level. This system involves interventions and communication at the classroom-level, during Access time, in the counseling office, and with school administration.

Specifically one intervention is Lunch Study Hall which will be assigned to a student for a failing grade. The student will eat lunch in the front lobby in a supervised setting and have time to work on assignments, test retakes, etc.

Another intervention is After School Study: After two consecutive weeks of being on the ineligibility list, most students will have received an intervention by school administration which involves assigning the student to mandatory after school study Monday through Thursday each week and/or work time before or after school with a specific teacher. After School Study can sometimes be an inconvenience for families as they need to accommodate additional transportation demands and/or alter their own routines; however, the accountability, structure, and support of these interventions have yielded significant benefits for many students at Seward High School.

There is no magic formula. The key at home is to find the balance between having consistent expectations and being flexible enough to find the right combination of strategies and interventions. It’s not always easy, but with good teamwork between the school and home we will increase the likelihood of success. The staff at Seward High School is here to serve. We are committed to striving to meet the needs of every student. We appreciate your efforts at home and will continue to do our best to meet the needs of all students.

The Seward High School commencement ceremony will be held Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in the south gym at Seward High School. Students are to report to the library by 1:15 p.m. with cap, gown, and attire appropriate (business casual) for the event. While in the library, graduates will receive final instructions regarding graduation procedures. Graduates will also move to the north gym so parents/guardians/friends of the family will be able to take pictures of the Class of 2025 one last time before the ceremony begins. The entire ceremony will last approximately 45 minutes from start to finish. Students who do not plan to participate in the commencement ceremony should report to Mr. Axt as soon as possible no later than Friday, May 2nd. This information is being provided as early as possible for family planning purposes. Additional information regarding the ceremony will be provided in subsequent newsletters.

• April 8th - Big Deal Day - Seniors have the day out of school to finalize college visits, complete community scholarship interviews, and/or finish community service hours.

• Community Service Hours Due for Seniors: Wednesday, April 30th.

• Prom: Saturday, May 3rd

• Honors Night: Monday, May 12 (Business Casual Dress – No jeans or shorts please)

• Last Day for Seniors: Tuesday, May 13

• Graduation Rehearsal: Wednesday, May 14 (9:00 AM)

• Yearbooks: Seniors interested in a yearbook must purchase online here, no later than May 16.

• Yearbook Parent Page Ad: Senior parents interested in purchasing a parent page ad for their senior student may do so by contacting the yearbook sponsor, Ms. Christensen, at julie.christensen@sewardschools.org or by calling Seward High School at 402-643-2988. The deadline is March 28th.

• Senior Skip Day: To eliminate any potential misunderstandings, the school does not approve any senior skip day while school is in session. Seniors who participate in a skip day will not be excused and will be assigned a consequence. If parents of seniors call the attendance office, they will be told that the school does not sanction a skip day.

• Fines: Students who owe any fines will not receive their diploma until the fine has been cleared.

• Diplomas: This is a reminder that diplomas are awarded after a senior student has completed all activities associated with the high school. Students who have completed all activities following the graduation ceremony will receive their diploma shortly thereafter. Students still involved in activities such as state track, school trips, etc. will receive their formal diploma after their final school activity following graduation.

Start the process early. Start searching for scholarships as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the spring semester of your senior year in high school to start searching, or you’ll miss many of the deadlines. There are many scholarship awards available to students in earlier grades. Continue searching for scholarships even after you are enrolled in college.

Do not pay for scholarship searches. Use free resources such as ScholarshipQuest at EducationQuest.org with over 2,000 Nebraska-based scholarships. Free national sites include Fastaid, Scholarship Monkey, ScholarshipExperts.com, School Soup, and Scholarships.com.

Earn the best possible ACT/SAT scores by taking the exam in the spring of your junior and again in the fall of your senior year. December is the last date for seniors to take the ACT/SAT and have it count for many scholarships, but check with colleges/scholarships about later dates allowed.

Tailor your application to the goal of the scholarship. Read and follow directions carefully. To illustrate, last year 6,000 students in Nebraska applied for the Buffett Scholarship. Of those 6,000 applicants, over 3,000 (yes, over half!) were eliminated from consideration because they didn’t fully complete all the required components of the application.

Apply for local scholarships. Ms. Baker and Mr. Fields will begin communicating application procedures and timelines for the Seward Community Scholarship Fund early in the spring semester. It is strongly recommended that all seniors consider applying.

Visit with Ms. Baker or Mr. Fields often for information regarding scholarship possibilities. The Seward High School Counseling website under Counselors on the high school website is a good resource as you explore various scholarship opportunities.

Update your activities, honors, community service, or paid jobs using your PLP, the Activities Resume at EducationQuest.org - and don’t forget about MobileServe where all hours must be recorded, verified, and approved.

Use quality references such as a teacher, coach, or activity sponsor - not family members. Encourage them to write specific examples of your leadership skills or other qualities that you believe will make you a good candidate for a particular scholarship. Give them advance notice and a specific deadline when making your request.

Place scholarship applications in deadline order. Local awards and college-specific applications deserve top priority because you’re more likely to earn them.

Tailor your essay to the scholarship. Ask a teacher, counselor, parent, or administrator to read your essay and offer advice. Your essay response will be a great opportunity for you to stand out in comparison to other applicants.

If you have difficulty writing essays, record yourself with your computer/phone answering the question out loud and then transcribe what you say. You can use your transcription to draft an outline to assist with writing your essay. Do not turn to AI to write your essay, as your voice and originality are essential. Pay close attention to grammar, spelling, and neatness. Ask at least two people to proofread your entire application.

Make a copy of your application before mailing it. Send the application by certified mail (if mailing is required), return receipt requested, or with delivery information.

While the suggestions above are helpful tips to best present yourself in the pursuit of scholarships, it is important to remember that it is what you do throughout your high school career that matters most. You are encouraged to apply yourself to the best of your ability in rigorous coursework. This will not only make your application more attractive because you have attempted these courses but will also improve your academic skills so that you can perform at a higher level on standardized tests such as the ACT/SAT. Furthermore, consistent school and community involvement over time will be a critical component of several scholarship awards. In short, do your best to make the most of your high school experience from a post-secondary preparation standpoint.

You can do it!

When should my junior student take the ACT?

This is a common question we hear from parents at Seward High School. We recommend that most students take the ACT a minimum of two times – once during the junior year and then again during the first semester of the senior year.

This year all juniors took the district paid ACT in October and will take the state paid ACT for state reporting Tuesday, April 8. As the test is content based, being further along in classes will help improve the chances of a higher score. For students wanting to maximize their ACT performance EducationQuest recommends taking the test up to four times – two times during the junior year and then another two times during the first semester of the senior year.

As you plan ahead, PLEASE make sure your junior student is in attendance on the state-mandated ACT Tuesday, April 8. Please do not schedule appointments for that day. We need all of the juniors to take the test that day. Let’s shoot for perfect attendance, juniors!

Additional ACT Reminders:

ACT Fee Waiver: (This does not pertain to the April 8 in-school test) Students with economic need may qualify for fee waivers with the ACT if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Family receives public assistance

• Student is a ward of the state

• Student resides in a foster home

• Student is homeless

• Student participates in free or reduced-priced lunch program

• Family income is at or below the 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics Low Standard Budget

Students may use up to two ACT waivers total junior and/or senior year. Any student who qualified for an ACT waiver also will qualify for application fee waivers when applying to college. Contact Mr. Fields or Ms. Baker for assistance.

ACT Score Reporting: It is the student’s responsibility to submit test scores to their college of choice. While registering for the test, students can select up to four colleges to receive their test scores. To avoid paying to send your scores at a later date, please ensure that you have selected four colleges of your choice at the time of registration on the student's myact.org account. The score that juniors earn on the October and April test can be used for college reporting.

Test Preparation: Seward Public Schools is paying for the On To College ACT Prep for all juniors this year. Please check with your junior concerning their progress in the program.

Financial aid makes up the difference between what college costs and what a family can afford to pay. Approximately two-thirds of full-time undergraduate college students receive some sort of financial aid.

Three main types of financial aid:

• Loans that have to be repaid

• Grants and scholarships that don’t have to be repaid

• Employment programs, such as work-study, that allow students to earn money and gain job experience while still in school

Below you will find several web resources that will assist in navigating the financial aid application process.

https://studentaid.ed.gov-The Federal Student Aid website is a good starting place for students planning for college and looking for financial aid.

https://fafsa.ed.gov-The fafsa.ed.gov website takes students line-by-line through the financial aid application process.

http://www2.ed.gov/finaid/landing.jhtml-This is a U.S. Department of Education website devoted to financial aid. There are several useful links at this URL that will assist students/parents.

https://www.khanacademy.org/college-admissions/paying-for-college/financial-aid-process/v/overview-of-fafsa-and-css-profile-This is a KHAN Academy video overview of FAFSA and the CSS profile. This is a great place to start for those just trying to understand the basics of financial aid.

https://www.khanacademy.org/college-admissions/paying-for-college/financial-aid-process/a/fafsa-walkthrough-This is a video series created by KHAN Academy that will walk those watching through the eight steps of applying for financial aid: account setup; student demographics; school selection; dependency status; parent demographics; parent financial information; student financial information; sign and submit. Each of the eight parts has a short video clip explaining the various steps in detail.

You play a critical role in helping your students understand the various options available to them

after high school. The list of suggestions below comes from EducationQuest and is designed to support parents and mentors as they help guide their students toward the “right” postsecondary fit.

• Talk to your student about his or her interests, abilities, talents, and goals.

• Know what is going on in school and with your student’s studies.

• Make sure your student is in school every day, on time, and ready to learn.

• Give your student responsibilities around home.

• Talk about education opportunities beyond high school, including college, trade school, community college, military service, apprenticeships, and specialized programs.

• Learn about the courses available at Seward High School and be involved when your son and/or daughter make these selections during the course registration process.

• Talk about your job/career.

• Let your student know every day that you care about what happens to him or her.

Nebraska has nearly 60 four-year colleges, community colleges, and trade schools. Understanding this wide-array of opportunities can sometimes be overwhelming. Below is information from EducationQuest summarizing some of the possible career opportunities associated with each type of post-secondary pathway.

Universities and Colleges (four-year) offer bachelor degrees in a variety of majors. Many also offer advanced degrees such as master and doctorate level degrees.

Examples of Potential Careers: Accountant, Computer Systems Analyst, Dietitian, Engineer, Graphic Designer, Insurance Agent, Investment Banker, Journalist, and Teacher.

Community Colleges (two-year) offer certificates, diplomas and associate degrees in a variety of programs. Courses taken in an academic transfer program will transfer to most four-year colleges.

Examples of Potential Careers: Automotive Technician, Aviation Mechanic, Dental Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, Heating and Air Conditioning Technician, Licensed Practical Nurse, Plumber and Welder.

Private Career Schools (trade schools) – specialize in fields or trades such as technology, business or cosmetology. Most award diplomas or certificates that are completed in a short period of time.

Examples of Potential Careers: Administrative Assistant, Computer Systems Technician, Cosmetologist, Court Reporter, Massage Therapist, Medical Assistant, and Veterinary Technician.

It’s never too early to start investigating the various post-secondary possibilities. For details about colleges in Nebraska and across the United States, see College Profiles at educationquest.org Parents/guardians and mentors should also consider the following suggestions to help identify the right postsecondary fit for their student:

• Visit college websites with your student to learn about various options.

• Attend activities with your student at area colleges. These might include sporting events and athletic or band camps. This will help you understand the size and “feel” of the colleges.

• Encourage your student to participate in group campus visits organized at the high school. Take the opportunity to learn about the programs offered by area colleges.

• If you’re traveling as a family, stop at some colleges along the way to learn about options farther from home.

• Encourage your student to start scheduling college visits as a sophomore or junior. Contact the admissions offices at each school to do this. It is also wise to attend college fairs in your area.

If you are unable to attend Seward High home events you can still see all the action at fan.hudl.com The Multimedia team will broadcast wrestling, basketball, baseball, and fine art performances this winter and spring.

Spring semester brings about numerous exciting events in the choir program.

Honor choirs are in full swing. We have 15 students participating in the UNK honor choirs on January 29 and 2 more that were accepted to the Doane honor choir on January 5-6. Many NSAA competitions and final events occur, and we have a small group, a duet and two soloists selected by the state to perform the National Anthem at a number of these events. Be following the school’s Facebook page to see their performance when it happens.

Other important events:
Show Choir

• January 25 Hastings Tiger Clash

• January 31 Beatrice Showcase

• February 7 NCDA in Central City

• February 15 Lincoln Northwest

• February 22 Wahoo Court of Champions

• March 1 Norris Clash of the Titans

Musical : The Sound of Music

• March 21, 22, & 23

Choir Concerts

• March 3 - Choir Concert

• April 24 and 25 - District Music Contest at Norris

• May 5 - Spring Vocal Concert

There are a lot of talented students in the music program at the high school. We would love see you at one or more of these events!--

Building/District Website: www.sewardpublicschools.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sewardpublicschools

Twitter Athletic Updates: @SewardBlueJays #sewardjays

Activity Calendar: www.centralconference.org

Staff Email: firstname.lastname@sewardschools.org

Website: www.sewardpublicschools.org
Location: 532 Northern Heights Drive, Seward, NE, USA
Phone: (402) 643-2988
Facebook: facebook.com/sewardpublicschools
Twitter: @SewardBlueJays