Gateway Family Newsletter

December

Friday, Dec. 13th, No School for PK Students, PK Plan Day

Thursday, Dec. 19th---Second Quarter Ends

Friday, Dec. 20th---NO SCHOOL For All Students, Professional Development Day

Monday, Dec. 23rd thru Thurs., January 2nd---NO SCHOOL For All Students, Winter Recess

January

Friday, January 3rd---NO SCHOOL For All Students, Teacher Planning Day

Monday, January 6th---Third Quarter Begins

Monday, January 20th---NO SCHOOL For All Students, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Tuesday. January 28th---2 Hour Late Start Day For All Students

Thanks go out to all of the Gateway family and friends that attended our K-1 Winter Program! Also, thanks go out to Gateway music teachers, Mrs. Kloke and Mrs. Schultz-Thomas for their incredible efforts in organizing the program! The students did an amazing job, and their performances truly got everyone into the seasonal spirit!

See flyer below

Buena Vista High School and their Latino Leaders Club are planning a community event on December 14th from 11 am until 2 pm and would love to invite Gateway families to join the for some holiday fun! Please see flyer below for details.

As winter quickly approaches, please help our students come to school appropriately dressed for the weather and outdoor play. Recess is an important time for our students to socialize and engage in self-selected physical activity. At Gateway we try to ensure outdoor recess daily for students as much as possible.

Outdoor recess will not be held if the temperature or wind chill is twenty degrees Fahrenheit or below.

At all other times the decision for inside or outside recess is made based on factors such as age, student dress, playground conditions (including ice, snow, sun, mud,) and class need for outdoor activity. When required, recess might be shortened or moved inside.

When indoor recess is necessary, students still have opportunities to take part in physical activity. At Gateway, our classrooms provide supervised options such as: completing stretching exercises, jogging or doing jumping jacks in place, Go Noodle exercises and other activities that promote physical activity.

Are you interested in swimming lessons? Please see the information below.

Winter weather is fast approaching and the safety of our students and staff continues to be our number one priority. Please remember that Gateway students that do not attend Kid’s Club should not be arriving at school before 8:35 AM. Breakfast is free for all Gateway students and will be offered each morning at 8:35 am upon students' entry. The school day begins each morning at 8:50 AM.

Leaving children at school prior to 8:35 AM creates an unsafe situation, due to the fact that teachers are not on duty until 8:35 AM. If you need to drop your child off prior to 8:35 AM, please consider using Kids Club. Kids Club is a before and after school program administered by the Omaha Schools Foundation for children attending Omaha Public Elementary Schools. If you are interested in enrolling your child in Kids Club or have questions regarding specific hours and fees, please call the Omaha Schools Foundation Office at (531) 299-0250.

Please see the important information below regarding handicap parking spots. If you have questions, please call our main office. Thanks in advance for following the Nebraska Handicap Parking laws.

Missing a coat, sweatshirt, hat, gloves?----You might want to check our "Lost and Found" clothing racks located just inside our main entrance!!

Health and safety are everyone’s responsibility. With the cold and flu season upon us, please encourage children to follow the effective mitigation strategies to prevent the spread of illnesses:

• Monitor your health daily
• Stay home when you are sick until at least 24 hours after you are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication
• Follow up with your healthcare provider
• Test to prevent spread to others
• Get vaccinated if recommended by your health care professional (flu, COVID-19, etc.)
• Perform frequent hand hygiene
• Practice respiratory etiquette, covering coughs and sneezes

While it’s important for children to be at school, it’s also important for them to stay at home and rest if they are sick--both so they can recover and so they don’t make others sick. If your child is sick, please notify the main office at 531.299.1480. Strict adherence to our health and safety guidelines protects other members of our community and allows in-person learning to proceed more successfully.

If you have any questions, please call our School Nurse, Mrs. Desiree Cabellos @ 531-299-1480.

Raising kids is hard. It’s okay to ask for advice. The Nebraska Family Helpline is a free, confidential resource for parents who have questions regarding their child’s behavior. Trained counselors are standing by. Have a question? Give them a call at 1-888-866-8660.

Email: terry.burton@ops.org
Website: gateway.ops.org
Location: 5610 South 42nd Street, Omaha, NE, United States
Phone: 531-299-1480