A Message from the Principal
Greetings Viking Families,
The 2021-22 School Year is off to a great start. We are so excited to have students in the building engaged in learning and extra-curricular activities! Be sure to keep up with everything by following the Omaha North High Calendar at mhsaaconference.org see the link below. We are proud of our freshman who are getting to the know the building and their team of teachers. Our staff is working hard to provide high quality learning experiences where students have opportunities to collaborate, innovate and communicate!
School Safety is our top priority so we will be reviewing Safety Procedures and conducing safety drills. Your students may also talk to you about “hall sweeps,” which are designed to get students to class on-time. This is another measure to promote safety as well as achievement to ensure students are in their assigned location focused on learning.
As you are aware, we continue to communicate when individuals test positive for COVID-19. While the letters are concerning, remember that as we go about our daily lives, we are exposed to COVID at the local grocery store, restaurants, or other businesses where mask-wearing is optional; however, they are not required to send a notification letter. Additionally, notification of positive results does not necessarily mean that transmission occurred at school.
Please know that students and staff continue to adhere to health & safety guidance including wearing face coverings, frequent handwashing and sanitizing high touch points. Continue to screen students daily before sending them to school. If they are not well, keep them home. Contact the school nurse if your child is awaiting results or tests positive. We appreciate everyone’s support and cooperation as we continue to navigate this pandemic.
Thank you for your continued support of the Viking Community. If you have any questions, please contact us at 531-299-2700.
Go Vikings!
Attendance Matters
While we know that attendance at school is important, our district recognizes this is an unprecedented time. The safety and well-being of our students and staff is a high priority. With Omaha Public Schools’ 1 to 1 technology initiative, each student is receiving an internet connected device. Attendance in remote learning will be an expectation throughout our district to monitor engagement.
The secondary instructional day starts at 7:40 a.m. Families are expected to call in their students when they are not able to participate remotely. Please call the Omaha North Attendance Office when your child cannot participate in remote learning. The attendance phone number is 531-299-2708.
Tanya Westbrook, Special Education Department Chair
I am excited to work under great leadership and with amazing staff and students. Over the the years I have heard so many great things about North. I am excited to finally be a part of the great things that are about to happen.
My teaching is to create a positive space that students, administrators, educators, and parents feel they can rely on. I feel it is important to build a relationship with all stakeholders and create a positive culture.
Andrea Laudi, Science
I decided to work at North because I was impressed by its commitment to science as well as its students. As a science teacher, the possible opportunities within a STEM-focused building excite me. I continue to be impressed by the dedication that the faculty and staff show for their students. Student success, both in and out of the classroom, is placed at the forefront of North's mission. Students are why we teach, and I believe that North's student-centered approach will empower me to make the biggest impact on my students.
My teaching philosophy comes from a place of mutual earned respect. I believe that this dynamic, between and among students and educators, begins with relationship-building. Learning is best accomplished in a place where students feel safe and welcome. I hold my students to high expectations but also believe that it is my responsibility to provide them with the tools necessary for success. I hope that my classroom is a space for students to learn about science, explore their interests, and think critically about the world around them.
Siobhan Green, Social Students
When I decided to move to the Omaha area, I choose North after talking with Dr. Nero and Coach Martin because I could tell this was a positive school that would be a great fit for me.
Students learn best when they are the ones doing the work rather than the teacher giving information. In my classroom, I believe in giving students ownership. I encourage students to explore the content and find something in history that they connect with or find interesting. Students develop and practice key 21st century skills that will help them beyond their formal education years.
Natalie Hafner, Art & Digital Design
I chose to teach at North because I enjoy the atmosphere, the diverse student population and the friendly staff . I went to a OPS high-school (Burke) so I feel at home in a big school and I want make it feel like home for my students as well.
My teaching philosophy is student-centered, I truly care about each individual that I have the privilege to teach. My goal is to always help students believe in themselves so they can reach their potential in and outside the classroom.
Steven Kirchner, Social Studies
Omaha North is home for me. I attended high school and won a state championship in wrestling here. I have always held this school and this neighborhood very close to my heart since it is where I am from. I have coached wrestling as an assistant coach at North since 2019. I am excited to take my passion for this community into the classroom!
Omaha North is home for me. I attended high school and won a state championship in wrestling here. I have always held this school and this neighborhood very close to my heart since it is where I am from. I have coached wrestling as an assistant coach at North since 2019. I am excited to take my passion for this community into the classroom!
Matthew Kudlacz, Social Studies
I'm an Omaha native who's lived in other parts of the country for the last 25 years or so. When I decided to relocate to Omaha to pursue a new career in teaching, I knew I would be happiest serving students in a large, diverse, academically-rigorous high school with a rich cultural history and community. North High is, in my estimation, the best example of that in all of OPS. I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to join North's faculty.
I believe that good teaching is premised on a balance between teacher and student concerns. Though I have high academic standards and expectations for my students, I also rely on my reserves of compassion, curiosity and flexibility to meet students where they are. In this, I try to model to my students how one must always strive to adapt as a learner and a person in order to fulfill our potential as human beings.
Tyler Shearer, Social Studies
I student-taught here and loved my experience here at North.
I believe that teachers are obligated to hold their classrooms to the highest expectations for every single student. With hard work, dedication, and perseverance students can rise to any occasion and surmount any task. I also believe the classroom should be a safe environment for all students and that all students should feel safe expressing themselves in a judgement free zone.
Omaha North High Magnet School
Email: north@ops.org
Website: north.ops.org
Location: 4410 N 36th St, Omaha, NE, United States
Phone: 531-299-2700
Facebook: facebook.com/onhms
Twitter: @OPS_NorthHigh
Omaha North High Magnet Athletics
Email: eric.johnson@ops.org
Website: https://omahanorthvikings.com/
Phone: 531-299-4008
Twitter: @OPS_Vikings
