From the High School Principal
The calendar turning to March really caused me to stop and reflect on the year we have seen thus far. With the end of quarter 3 upon us, I cannot believe how quickly this year has passed. As of today, Spring Sports are all churning ahead at full steam. I am proud of these students for their resilience and flexibility. I am honored to work with the teachers, coaches, counselors, and sponsors who have made the first seven months of this school year a success. There’s a lot of work left to be done, but with the recent success of our first semester both in the classroom and in our various activities, I am confident that the rest of the year will bring many successes as well!
ESHS is wrapping up winter activities and soon spring activities will be in full swing. I would like to take a moment to offer a sincere “thank you” to all of our coaches and sponsors, students, and parents for their hard work and dedication throughout the school year. I am often amazed at how busy our young people are, as they balance a full load of academic classes with numerous clubs, activities, and sports, all while finding time to volunteer, hang out with friends, work part-time, and spend time with their families. I applaud their efforts and the efforts of our parents for all the coordination, support, meals, and transportation. It may feel like your high-school student’s schedule runs your life, but I promise that your time and commitment will impact their lives positively in the years to come. The hard work will pay off!
It was great to see so many of you for parent-teacher conferences in February. I believe that the high participation rate is symbolic of the excellent relationship between our parents and our school. I appreciate our parents taking the time to have meaningful conversations with teachers about their students’ learning. Thank you for attending to support your students and for your generous support of our teacher meals on these two evenings! Our staff greatly appreciates your thoughtfulness!
IMPORTANT SCHEDULE NOTICE FOR APRIL 8th.
On Tuesday, April 8th, all Juniors will take five sections of the ACT: English, Math, Reading, Science and Writing. Juniors will be dismissed at approximately 1:00pm.
ESHS 9th and 10th Graders will take the pre-ACT on April 8th which includes English, Math, Reading, and Science tests. 9th and 10th grade students will be dismissed at approximately 12:00 pm. No lunch will be served on April 8th.
*Seniors will not be in school on Tuesday, April 8th.
Please see the schedule below for important spring dates:
Spring Break: 3/14- 3/21
ACT National Testing Day at EHS: 4/5
State ACT and Pre-ACT at ESHS: 4/8 (*Seniors not in school)
Junior/Senior Prom: 3/29
No School 4/18
Graduation May 18th at 6:00pm at EPS Stadium
Please do your best to plan vacations during Spring Break (March 14th- 21st ). As we get closer to the ACT dates, I will send emails with full details. The administration and counselors work to ensure that the loss of instructional time for all students is minimized during these assessments.
Career Exploration Fair- March 26th
We are extremely excited to announce the second annual EPS Career Exploration Fair is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26, 2024, from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at Elkhorn North High School (17800 George Miller Pkwy, Omaha, NE 68116). Join EPS as we partner with over 100 local organizations to give students additional opportunities to explore career pathways and openings across a wide variety of fields including agriculture and natural resources, communication and information technology systems, skilled and technical sciences, health sciences, human services and education, and business management. We look forward to seeing our students and parents at this event!
Mental Wellness and Phone Numbers:
Please know that we are thinking about your student and the transitions that occur in high school that may present as challenges to your student. Continue to ask questions and be a good listener when you are communicating with your students. When your student is struggling, unsure, anxious, or feeling overwhelmed, being fully present and asking questions that can guide your decision-making will help you in your next steps.
Here are some tips for talking with your child:
Be honest Be concise Be reassuring Normalize his or her feelings
Remember the four T’s (talk, touch, tears and time)
Crisis resources are also available through any of the following organizations:
Safe2Help…………………………………………………….(833) 980-7233
988 Nebraska………………………………………………………988
Boys Town National Hotline…………………………………800.448.3000
Crisis Text Line……………………………………………….Text VOICE to 20121
Nebraska Family Helpline…………………………………….888.866.8660
It’s OK to Talk…………………………………………………ok2talk.org
13 Minutes……………………………………………………..13minutes.org
As always, please feel free to contact me here at the high school if you have questions or concerns.
Take Care,
Mark Kalvoda
Principal
Elkhorn South High School
20303 Blue Sage Parkway
Omaha, NE 68130
402-289-0616
