January 2020
Backstage at the ballet
Each year, one Lincoln Public Schools elementary school is chosen to participate in "Backstage at the Ballet," an artist-in-residency program through the Midwest Ballet Company. This year, the ballet company visited Lakeview Elementary School Dec. 3-6. Students rotated through three stations - choreography, makeup and costuming - during specials time. The week culminated in an abbreviated performance of the "Nutcracker Ballet" on Dec. 6 in the Lakeview gym. The performance included several Lakeview students. Although reluctant at first, third-grader Dannya was all smiles after she had her face painted by the company's professional makeup artist. "It was a really fun day and I got a great privilege of getting to paint my face, so that's why I changed my mind because I thought to myself, maybe I'll never get to do this in my life ever again, so I'll try it," she said. Lakeview music teacher Anna Claridge helped organize the visit and said the students were "absolutely ecstatic." "We feel honored that we were chosen to do this because it's a really big deal," she said.
SECTION A: A3 TeamMates of the Month A5 Harvest of Books A7 LPS named to AP District Honor Roll Safety partners Independence Academy AQuESTT classification A8 ConnectLPS A10 Music students win state honors A12 Wreath laying ceremony SECTION B: B1 One hour at Dawes B5 8th grade open house information B7 Teacher honored by Scottish Rite award B9 Thank You Board of Education 2020 Census B10 Wellness column B11 Menus B12 Bond issue Community News is a publication of Lincoln Public Schools. If you have any questions about this publication please contact Jason Keese, 436-1619; or Mindy Burbach, 436-1609; Lincoln Public Schools P.O. Box 82889 Lincoln, NE 68501-2889
January 2020 | Community News | Section A
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January TeamMates of the Month
Kyana and Angela: Lifetime Friends As a Lincoln Northeast High School senior, spring graduation is imminent for TeamMates mentee Kyana. Though she has not settled on a major when she starts her secondary education in fall 2020, the one thing she does know is that she and Angela, her TeamMates mentor of 10 years, will remain in each other’s lives. “I have no doubt that we will always be in touch,” Angela said. Kyana picked up where Angela left off. “When we are done [meaning, when Kyana graduates] I still want to get together. I don’t drink coffee,” Kyana laughs, “but I want to meet her for coffee, or lunch, something like that.” “I have gotten so much out of our relationship,” Angela said. “I hope Kyana has gotten as much as I have. It’s pretty amazing.” What Kyana received from Angela as her TeamMate mentor is a guaranteed friend. Someone she can depend on, and talk to, someone “you can trust yourself with.” For Angela, Kyana has been a surprising challenge. “I grew up in a really small town and went to a really small school,” Angela said. “Kyana is very open and loving to everyone and is friends with all people, which is something I’ve learned from her, to be open to more people.” Meeting Kyana when she was in third grade, Angela has delighted in seeing her grow into a poised and confident young woman, through elementary school, three middle schools, and now high school. She could be called the leader of the Kyana bandwagon, especially when Kyana exhibits rare uncertainty. “I’ll probably go to UNL,” Kyana said. “I’m interested in education or maybe nursing. It seems too hard but I know I can do it.” Angela gently counters. “Kyana is unsure of her future, as far as her career, but there is definitely a future. She’s just not sure what it looks like yet.”
January 2020 | Community News | Section A
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Harvest of Books plants the seeds of reading
Since its inception in 1997, the Harvest of Books, Inc., has distributed more than 184,500 books to first- and second-graders in the public, private and parochial schools of Lincoln. On Nov. 26 that tradition continued, with roughly 7,000 students receiving a free book. Students at Norwood Park Elementary were among those who benefiited from this generosity. They not only were able to choose a book, they also had books read to them by represenatives from the Kiwanis and the two Harvest of Books sponsors, the Lincoln Education Association and KFOR radio.
January 2020 | Community News | Section A
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LPS earns spot on AP District Honor Roll Lincoln Public Schools is one of 250 school districts in the U.S. and Canada being honored by the College Board with placement on the 10th Annual AP District Honor Roll. To be honored, LPS had to increase the number of students participating in AP, while also increasing or maintaining the percentage of students earning AP exam scores of three or higher. “Successfully reaching these goals reflects the collective effort of students, teachers, counselors and school leaders,” said Matt Larson, LPS associate superintendent of instruction. “This honor indicates Lincoln Public Schools is making progress identifying students who are ready for AP. With that said, we have additional work to do to ensure AP courses are more equitably available to all students. Lincoln Public Schools is committed to expanding the availability of AP courses among prepared and motivated students of all backgrounds.”
“With more students participating and succeeding in AP in this district, more students are getting a head start on college by earning college credit during high school,” said Trevor Packer, senior vice president of AP and instruction at the College Board. “We are pleased to honor the teachers and administrators who have worked to clear a path for more students of all backgrounds to advance through AP.” In 2019, more than 4,000 colleges and universities around the world received AP scores for college credit, Advanced Placement or both, and/or consideration in the admissions process. Inclusion in the honor roll is based on a review of three years of AP data, from 2017 to 2019, looking across 38 AP Exams. For inclusion on the 10th Annual AP District Honor Roll, districts needed to meet the following criteria:
• Increase participation/access to AP by at least 4 percent in large districts, at least 6 percent in medium districts, and at least 11 percent in small districts; • Increase or maintain the percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students taking exams and increase or maintain the percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/ Latino and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students scoring three or above on at least one AP exam; and • Improve or maintain performance levels when comparing the 2019 percentage of students scoring a three or higher to the 2017 percentage, unless the district has already attained a performance level at which more than 70 percent of its AP students earn a three or higher.
LPS, Region V partner for vital school safety training Lincoln Public Schools partnered with Region V Services on Dec. 5 to offer training to more than 40 school resource officers, law enforcement officers and mental health professionals on how to identify concerning student behaviors and risk factors, assess the risk level, and develop and implement plans to reduce the risk of those students harming themselves or others.
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LPS Director of Security Joe Wright said the • goal of this youth Behavioral Threat Assessment training, held at Southeast Community College, • was to pull together as many educational resources as possible to assist the school district’s law enforcement and community partners. • “We all share the same goal, and that’s to keep our schools safe,” Wright said. “Training like this offers us a chance to bring experts and resources together in one place to talk about ways we can ensure that our schools remain safe.” The training offered a variety of speakers addressing a wide range of topics: • “Crisis Response After a Suicide” - Brenda Leggiadro, counseling and school social work supervisor for LPS, and Ursula Vernon-Hansen, LPS school social worker • “Behavior or Not? How We Know and What We Can Do About It” - Therese
Mathews, University of Nebraska Medical Center associate professor and expert on adolescent psychiatric mental health, and Whitney Strong-Bak, University of Nebraska Medical Center assistant professor with an expertise in pediatric psychology “Youth Medication Misuse” - Ally Dering-Anderson, clinical associate professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy “Threat Assessment Schools: Best Practices,” Joe Wright, LPS director of security Threat Management in Schools - Safety Planning 101” - Jon Sundermeier, LPS security coordinator “Youth Resources” - a panel discussion with Kasey Moyer, executive director of the Mental Health Association of Nebraska; Gabby Danner, LPS school social worker; Arnold Remington, Targeted Adult Service Coordination (TASC) program director for Lutheran Family Services; Terri Marti, Lincoln Lancaster County Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) team coordinator; and Sandy Thompson, foster care specialist at KVC Behavioral Healthcare
You can read more about how LPS works to keep our schools safe through threat assessment at the LPS Security webpage.
“We all share the same goal, and that’s to keep our schools safe. Training like this offers us a chance to bring experts and resources together in one place to tvalk about ways we can ensure that our schools remain safe.”
Independence Academy celebrates student success New name, same mission. What was known as the Vocational Opportunity in Community Experience - or VOICE - program is now called the Independence Academy. The mission of the Independence Academy, part of the Lincoln Public Schools Special Education Department, is to prepare students with disabilities, primarily ages 18 to 21, to gain the skills and connections they need to facilitate a positive transition into adult living. The program's new name better reflects that mission, said Independence Academy Coordinator Tonya Jolley.
"It's more fitting with the direction of the students and where they're going," she said. The program started more than 25 years ago and currently serves 115 students. The program’s goal is for students to learn about independence, career development, developing self and academics. They gain community-based work and life experience at various sites throughout Lincoln, including Bryan Health Warehouse, Duncan Aviation, Food Bank of Lincoln, Hy-Vee and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Watch how one Independence Academy student, Dalante, is thriving as a result of the program on the LPS News Center.
Lincoln Public Schools sees improvement in AQuESTT classifications The updated AQuESTT (Accountability for a Quality Education System, Today and Tomorrow) classifications released Nov. 27 by the Nebraska Department of Education show for the first time that no schools within Lincoln Public Schools remained on the “Needs Improvement” list. The updated classifications were released after the completion of the evidence-based analysis period. “We are extremely proud of the hard work exhibited by our students, staff and administration,” said Matt Larson, associate superin-
tendent for instruction. “This indicates that the strategies and practices put into place are moving us in the right direction.” In early October, the Nebraska Department of Education provides a classification for all Nebraska school districts and schools: Excellent, Great, Good or Needs Improvement. After the classification is released, schools have an opportunity to submit documentation for review that demonstrates continuous improvement efforts. After the review, 16 schools increased their
classification. Schools receiving an increase in classification: Arnold, Calvert, Clinton, Elliott, Everett, Fredstrom, Hartley, Huntington, Kahoa, McPhee, Norwood Park, Pershing and West Lincoln elementary schools; and Lincoln High, and North Star and Northeast high schools. Larson added, “There are still challenges that remain and we will continue to work with staff to address areas of concern, ensuring that every student at Lincoln Public Schools is college, career and civic ready.”
January 2020 | Community News | Section A
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ConnectLPS
Here’s some of our favorite photos from LPS schools in the past month. Want to see more? Connect with your school’s social media at lps.org/connect.
The Career Academy
“The Career Academy students are working hard to get finals done, papers turned in and presentations made before the winter break! #doinghighschooldifferently”
Irving School
Hill Elementary School
“Gifted mentor and author Joel Green took his students on a tour of Robber’s Cave. This gave them an opportunity to see some of Lincoln’s history as well as perform both music and poetry in the space.”
“George Washington visits kindergarten.”
Beattie Elementary School
Fifth grade band and strings assembly
January 2020 | Community News | Section A
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Eastridge Elementary School
“Fifth graders finish their clay projects and write their artists statements.”
Elliott Elementary School
Goodrich Middle School
“What a special day at Elliott today! Thanks to the generosity of the YMCA and its members, each of our students received multiple gifts in honor of the holidays! We so appreciate the community support and thank everyone who contributed to this special event for our students! #ElliottHope #ElliottProud”
“Ms. Spiedell’s eighth grade artists have been hard at work! Check out their awesome realistic pencil drawings!”
Everett Elementary School
“These kindergarteners had fun learning music in class with Mrs. Meyer!”
Fredstrom Elementary School Hour of Code event
Lincoln North Star High School
“Thank you to everyone who helped make the holiday party for Mrs. Kinney’s parenting class a great success! Students with young children enrolled at the Child LearningCenter received toys, books and clothing”
January 2020 | Community News | Section A
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LPS music students earn allstate, children’s choir honors More than 100 music students from Lincoln Public Schools were recently awarded all-state honors at the high school level or participated in the state children’s choir for fourth- and fifth-grade students. Students from all LPS six high schools were named all-Nebraska in band, jazz band, orchestra or choir. Auditions were held throughout the fall, with all-state honorees announced Oct. 16. The annual All-State Ensembles were held Nov. 21-23 in Lincoln. At the elementary level, students from 15 schools participated in the state children’s choir. Students are offered a chance to work with acclaimed conductors every other year at the Nebraska Music Education Association Conference and Clinic. This is a one-day event with the final performance at the Lied Center for Performing Arts. This year's event was Nov. 21.
The LPS elementary school honorees:
• Adams: Mitchell Ripley, Emerson Hogeland, Keegan Brester, Lillian DeAmbrose, Aniket Saxena, Grady Vernon, Mason Wieseler, Julia Falcone, Maria Falcone, Elizabeth Oltman • Arnold: Harley Campbell, Victoria Stearman, Joel Ortiz, Kristin St. James, Colin Svoboda, Caleb Robinson • Belmont: Helen Parrott, Nevaeh Longoria, Leonne (Lily) Mucapa, Washburn Hoffman, Kingston Countryman, Kyle Gabig, Shayla Green, Wade Metzger • Campbell: Caleigh Crandall, Marley King, Callum Bilder, Davis Wagner, M’Kenzi Simon • Cavett: Syllas Parker, Gracie Kathman, Hayden Caldwell, Grace Farley, Addison Sundermeier, Ada Rawlings, Julie Martin, Jackson Hollman, Zac Tridle • Fredstrom: Michaela Bern, Kinsley Davidson, London Mika, Maya Rezabek, Sarah Kroesche • Huntington: Ethan Pospisil, Brynna Renard, Paw Wah, Teddy Lee • Kloefkorn: Kevin Thimmesch, Cooper Nielsen, Kylee Egge, Morgan Blackman, Addy Lefler, Hannah Zimmerle • Kooser: Emersyn Smith, Denasha Mengelkamp, Elias Schafer, Ann Chong, Oliva Knox, Samantha Lubbeck, Lilah Zastrow, James Pasieka, Amelia Hart, Oliver Shively • McPhee: Spencer Speth, Brielle Aparicio-Nelson, Jayden Gilmore. • Riley: Mercedes Lewis, Amirre Brown, Veronica Vela, Amaya Simpspon, Jayli Beal • Roper: Sarah Kentch, Analeise Meitzen, Sawyer Bruggeman, Haley Falck, Thomas Brezenski, Aden Langher, Jackson Harper, Treyton Mayfield, Riley Dang, Addison Carlson • Sheridan: Henry Schaffer, Riley Minister, Paloma Arter, Lily Thompson, Lily Deitering and Marbella Linke • Wysong: Ella Staehr, Chloe Koehlmoos, Macie Lenhoff, Addison Petersen • Zeman: Logan Oakes, Annika Limbach, Calvin Koch, Mollie Moses, Izabella Madderom
East High School
Band Isaac Cary, Isaiah Escobar, Aubrey Fornander, Kyle Givens, Anna Renard, Anna Riley, Emma Williams Choir Josiah Christensen, Kailey Conradt, Alexis Crist, Carmen Hillhouse, Hayley Lindgren Orchestra Liz Andersen, Anna Cooper, Alexis Crist, Elizabeth Hayes, Evan Hennig, Sophia Holz, Ealynn Hsu, Benjamin Jacobsen, Zachary Jacobsen, Riley Kalnins, Brody Knaak, Joshua Lee, Anna Little, Larissa Myers, Kenneth Ou, Connor Peterson, Hannah Robb, Minjae Song, Clarissa Tan, Caleb Welsh
Lincoln High School
Band Jackson Ehlers, Yanori Ferguson, Carmen Marley Choir Jack Amen, Phu Le, Mason Madden , Jacob Vanderford Orchestra Ariana Borlak, Natalie Holding, Clara Kendrick, Serina Kendrick, Ian Kleppinger, Janna Marley, Grace Maly, Vivian Ostrander, Sonja Rebarber
Northeast High School Choir Evan Miller Orchestra Matthew Dohmen
North Star High School
Band Parker Averill, Rylie Eilers, Kayla James, Jacob Vollbrecht Orchestra Hannah Farr, Hannah Gish, Josh Henning, Gabby Notter
Southeast High School
Choir Elise Anderson, Allison FitzSimmons, Kinsey Knorr, Cooper McClure, Aidan Carlson, Cyrus Zgud Band Matea Jerkovic, Taylor Velgersdyk Orchestra Lilly Beattie, August Gower, Cameron Grabenstein, Dameer Gustafson, Gabi Lawrey, Deanna Lyons, Wolfgang Sturm, Nicole Tinius
Southwest High School
Band Elaine Bai, Rose Curtis, Domonic Flores, Hawkin Sibley Choir Ally Barry, Reagan Cisar, Ethan Czapla, Rachel Fisher, Avery Florea, Michael Fraley, John Greisen, Coralee Lewis, Jake Meyer, Liam Millwood, Seth Rogers, Dominic Sander, Grace Schirmer, Campbell Sharpe, Franco Silva Mendoza, Jack Thielen, Lane Welch Jazz Band Carson Gress Orchestra Lindsey Blehm, Mikaylah Lange, Sam Rader, Katie Wieseler, Alexis Hobleman
January 2020 | Community News | Section A
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Laying thanks
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embers of the Lincoln Public Schools Junior ROTC participated in the annual Wreaths Across America event honoring veterans on Dec. 14 at Wyuka Cemetery. As part of Wreaths Across America, people across the country laid wreaths at the gravestones of veterans. The Wyuka event featured a short ceremony, followed by the laying of wreaths in the military section of the cemetery.
January 2020
One hour at Dawes Middle School One English class. One math class. One music class. One common thread of creativity, both in teaching and learning. One hour at Dawes Middle School.
1:11 - Room 126 Students in Nikki Sheets’ eighth-grade differentiated English class have written questions that spark their curiosity on white sheets of paper, which now plaster the whiteboard in the back of her classroom. Some questions on these “curiosity sheets” are serious (Are we stuck in augmented reality? How hard is the middle of the earth? What influences your dreams?). Some are silly (Why do socks always disappear? Why did curiosity kill the cat? Is a hot dog a sandwich?). On a recent Friday afternoon, students started class by pulling their sheets off the whiteboard and spending 10 minutes researching one of their questions. Then they shared what they learned with a partner. “What did you learn, what new piece of information did you find, is your question answered?” said Sheets, now in her eighth year teaching at the school nestled in a neighborhood near North 48th Street and Cornhusker Highway. Sheets uses this as a warm-up exercise, something to get her students’ creative juices flowing. After they attempt to answer life’s big - and not so big - questions, they dig into the day’s lesson. Students are currently reading one of two novels: “Spare Parts,” by Joshua Davis, or “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” by Bryan Mealer and William Kamkwamba. Both novels center around youth who take a chance and invent something that benefits their communities. Students split off into pairs again, this time discussing what they’ve read since the previous day. Sheets mingles among them, asking questions and offering feedback. The novels are part of a larger unit centered around inventions. One of their essential questions: “Are inventions realized through perspiration or inspiration?” They’ve talked a lot about hard work vs. creativity. Sheets’ classroom is clearly a combination of both. There’s plenty of reading, writing and analysis. But Sheets also creates space for the kind of free-flowing creativity that, for most people, is unique to childhood. “Seeing their creativity shine and watching them dive into things that interest them is inspirational to me,” Sheets said afterwards. “They think and feel so much and we only get to see it for a short time. Why not let them be kids, let them be curious? Curiosity is what makes being a kid so much fun. There is so much out there that has yet to be discovered and yet to be learned. At this stage in their lives, they are old enough to move past the ‘I wonder’ stage and begin looking for answers. Their brains can comprehend and problem-solve, so why not let them?” Story continues on Page B6.
January 2020 | Community News | Section B
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Eighth-grade high school informational meetings 2019–2020 High school enrollment is right around the corner for you and your eighth-grade student. The following information can help your family make a successful transition into ninth grade.
Parent/Guardian Informational Meetings An important component in the transition process are the informational meetings at the six LPS high schools* in January. These meetings are designed to welcome you and your student into the high school and meet with counselors and instructional staff to learn about the opportunities available at that school. Since students entering the ninth grade may choose the high school they want to attend in LPS, these meetings have been scheduled to give you the opportunity to attend more than one high school meeting before the Jan. 31 deadline for submitting the “High School Choice” form.
The schedule for informational meetings:
Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 – East High School – 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020 – Southeast High School – 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020 – Southwest High School – 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 – North Star High School – 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020 – Lincoln High School – 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020 – Northeast High School – 6:30 p.m.
*Some students choose to participate in one of the specialty programs offered in LPS: Science Focus Program, Arts & Humanities Focus Program, Bryan Focus Program, International Baccalaureate (IB) and The Career Academy. Students enrolled in a specialty program are also enrolled as a student at one of the six comprehensive LPS high schools. Information about the focus schools and specialty programs offered at LPS can be found under the “Schools” tab at www.lps.org or by contacting a school counselor. Please note that transportation is now available to students attending focus programs.
High School Counselor Visits In February and early March, high school counselors will come to the LPS middle schools to meet with students who are planning to enroll at their high school. At that time, high school counselors will discuss graduation requirements, answer questions about the high school curriculum and register eighth-grade students for ninth-grade courses. Students will be participating in pre-registration activities with their eighthgrade counselors before the high school counselor visits. Dates for the high school counselor visits will be communicated by high schools and middle schools. Please watch for that information. Among the most important decisions being made by students and their parents/guardians are those related to the high school they will attend and the courses they will choose to meet graduation requirements and support their educational and career plans. We look forward to your attendance at the informational meetings so counselors, department chairpersons and administrators will be able to greet you and assist you and your student as they begin the transition from middle school to high school.
January 2020 | Community News | Section B
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An hour at Dawes, a variety of lessons 1:30 - Room 122 A couple doors down and across the hall from Nikki Sheets and her English class, students in Marta Bukowski’s eighth-grade algebra class are tackling transformational geometry. In two corners of the room, Bukowski and her co-teacher, Jessica Auffert, work with small groups of two or three students at a time. “So, with the algebraic rule, if you move side to side, either left or right, that’s going to affect your X value,” Bukoskwi said as she worked with one student. “So we’re either going to add a value because we moved right into the positives, because the numbers get bigger, or we’re going to subtract because we’re heading into the negatives.” At the same time, students at their desks received the same one-on-one attention - but in a very different way. Students intently watched their Chromebooks, where Bukowski’s hand would appear on the screen and write notes for the day’s lesson. Wearing headphones, students also listen to a recording of her explaining the lesson as they copied the notes. Students could pause and rewind if they missed something or didn’t quite understand the first time. Bukowski and Auffert thought of this creative solution to what they identified as a problem shortly after the school year began. They saw that students had a wide range of abilities in each of their classes. Whole-class activities weren’t always effective, as students who quickly grasped the concepts grew ansty waiting for Bukowski as she helped students who were struggling. Eventually, they would have to move forward with the lesson no matter what. “We knew we had to change something,” said Bukowski, who’s in her fifth year at Dawes. After brainstorming, they realized students needed individual feedback on guided practice - when they work through a problem with a teacher - not feedback while taking notes over a new topic. So they came up with a new routine. Students now start with an introductory activity to explore the material, talk among their teams and activate prior knowledge. They move on to the video notes, reflect over the notes by writing a “take-away” or “wonder” on a whiteboard, then shift over to small-group tables for guided practice. When they’re done with guided practice, students start on independent practice back at their desks. “All this time, students are able to work at their own speed, and Jess and I can really tell who is struggling and what they are struggling with during guided practice,” Bukowski said. “I think every teacher lives for the ah-ha, light bulb moments, maybe more so in math since there are so many topics to cover. That never gets old, and I feel like the new setup of my lessons has helped me make sure students experience more of these moments. I have a lot of students who have previously struggled in math classes, and they have low confidence in trying problems on their own. So I am genuinely happy when they can do a problem on their own - but not because they got it right, because they had the confidence to try, even if they might make a mistake.”
1:45 - Room 105 Leaving Bukowski’s classroom, walk through the commons area inside the main entrance and head down the hall a little farther. Before long, you hear the familiar start and stop of band practice. It permeates the walls and can be heard next door in room 105, where Abbi Newby is teaching her sixth-grade general music class - in almost complete silence. Students are spread around the room, working individually on their Chromebooks and wearing headphones. They’re composing their own music using a software program called Flat. Newby, in her sixth year at Dawes, asked students to think of a title based on something they are thankful for and create music based on that title. They chose two to five different instruments they thought were a good fit for the title and aim for 12 to 20 measures of music. Many of the song titles centered around friends and family, while others included “Macaroon Cookie,””Scary Movies,””Warm Summers Cold Winters,””Waffles” and “My Dog.” Newby walked around the classroom and listened to their compositions. She offered encouragement and occasional wide-eyed excitement about what they created. She turns back to the entire class, “I just had a great conversation about how to write about something, like a dog, if there aren’t any dog sounds lifted. Maybe you could use a tuba or trombone or trumpet, depending on how big the dog is.” It’s not all about technology, though. Near the end of class, Newby leads the class in singing scales: “Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti.” “I am a little old-fashioned,” Newby said afterwards. “It’s really important that students have the basic theory skills to provide a solid music foundation. From there, it becomes more personal and we can use other strategies, like technology, to bring the music to life.” After class, Newby acknowledged that teaching a middle school class that sometimes involves public performance can be a challenge - but one that she welcomes. “Middle school is a really tough time. Working through vulnerability is a big part of my job. Building an environment that is safe takes a lot of time and grace but it’s imperative. I set high expectations but allow students to take their time to work through some of the fear and shyness. I also model making mistakes - I have voice cracks, too! - and stress that it’s not about being the best, it’s about doing your best.”
Scottish Rite teaching award winner recognized Jacque Rush, an instrumental music teacher at Scott Middle School, was formally recognized as the 55th winner of the Scottish Rite Distinguished Teacher of the Year award during a ceremony at Lincoln Public Schools District Office on Nov. 22. Rush said she was truly humbled to win the award as she stood before a boardroom filled with family, friends and colleagues, as well as representatives from the Lincoln Scottish Rite, LPS and the Lincoln Board of Education. “To be honored with this, when I know some of the other people who have won, I just don’t even know what to say,” Rush said, moments before asking her colleagues from Scott to also stand and be recognized. Rush has taught music for more than 40 years and at Scott since the school opened in 1996. Scott typically has more than 300 students enrolled in its instrumental music program, making it the largest in LPS. Since 1997, more than 2,300 of her students have earned individual superior ratings in solo and ensemble competitions. Rush has former students who are now music educators in Lincoln, across Nebraska and nationwide, as well as others who perform professionally. Rush first learned she was being honored during a surprise announcement at a Scott concert last May at Lincoln Southwest High School. Bruce Wood from Lincoln Scottish Rite said his organization is firmly committed to its sponsorship of the annual award, which is one of the school district’s most prestigious honors and comes with a $7,500 cash prize. “We are honored to be able to support the schools and look forward to a continued relationship with Lincoln Public Schools,” Wood said. Eric Weber, LPS associate superintendent for human resources, thanked Scottish Rite for its ongoing support, noting, “They join us in the belief that there is no job more important to our community than teaching. Lincoln Board of Education President Lanny Boswell also thanked Scottish Rite and spoke about the power of public education. “This award stands as a testimony to the impact educators have on our future, our community and our country. What a powerful reminder of the rich tradition of excellence at Lincoln Public Schools,” Boswell said. Rush’s formal recognition didn’t end on Friday. She’ll be featured along with past winners in an interactive display located outside the boardroom.
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Thank you,
Lincoln Board of Education! January is National School Board Appreciation Month and we would like to take a moment to recognize the hard work and dedication of these unpaid elected officials. Our Board of Education members are locally elected citizen leaders who spend countless hours championing for public education and for each and every child in Lincoln. The most important responsibility of our Board members is to work with our community to improve student achievement by establishing effective and cost efficient policies and regulations.
Thank you, Board of Education, for your dedication to our children! Lanny Boswell, Board President, District 5
Connie Duncan, Board Vice President, District 2
Kathy Danek, Board Member, District 1
Barbara Baier, Board Member, District 3
Annie Mumgaard, Board Member, District 4
Bob Rauner, Board Member, District 6
Don Mayhew, Board Member, District 7
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Secrets to a decade of better health By Michelle Welch, RD, LMNT LPS District Wellness Facilitator Starting a new decade can be a great opportunity to explore current choices and build some secret strategies to help your family have their best decade yet. Check your tech. Can we all do better in finding life balance with technology? Absolutely. Computers, phones, readers and gaming systems all have tools to rather set limits or let you know about your weekly time investment in using them. Bed, bath and beyond is more than a store name. Help kids set patterns for success by building self-care routines that help kids hit the sack at a better time to provide adequate sleep. Use timer alarms to prevent bedtime from drifting late in your busy evenings. Ensuring that student phones/devices have bedtimes and sleep in parent supervised areas help prevent sleep delays and interruptions of your child’s critical sleep. Be Aquaman or woman. For nutrition, growing kids benefit from the nutrients in milk at meals or in substitutes for those students with allergies. Other than that, helping get your family back to the faucet is great for teeth, waistlines and overall hydration. Build a better beverage habit by using refillable bottles whenever possible. If you are looking for added flavor, slices of fruit can infuse a little flavor into your daily habits. Get sneaky with sides. Let’s face it. We eat on the run far more often than we’d like to admit. A great way to save money and boost nutrition is to pick up sandwiches and pair them with rinse- and-serve fruits and veggies from home. Fries and other less healthy sides drive up your drive-through costs while not offering much for food value. Give up the drive-through guilt by making this simple swap and find more money in your pocket for fresh fruits and veggies. Cook up more connection. Our kids love spending time with us and sometimes we get lost in how critical that face time can be due to the demands of life. Keep working to find little ways to stay connected and keep listening. Whenever you can, share family meals, parent-child walks and that quite informative ride home from school. Those little talks can open the door to bigger talks down the road. Find and share your joy. Laughter, joy and better health are free, simply by giving yourself and your kids permission. Step back and think about what you value in your family. Doing volunteer work for a cause you care for, spreading kindness or even just having fun building a snowman can help you in body, mind and spirit. Together, we can build a brighter community for our students and our community. Want to learn more about what is happening in LPS Wellness? Follow LPS Wellness on social media and check out our webpage at www.lps.org/wellness.
January 2020 | Community News | Section B
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January Breakfast
January Elementary Lunch
January Secondary Lunch
January 2020 | Community News | Section B
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Bond Issue Informational Presentations Informational presentations about the Lincoln Public Schools upcoming bond issue will be held throughout the community during the month of January. The informational presentations are scheduled 6-7 p.m. for the following dates and locations:
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Thursday, Jan. 9: North Star High School, commons area, 5801 N. 33rd St. Thursday, Jan. 16: Southeast High School, media center, 2930 S. 37th St. Thursday, Jan. 23: Northeast High School, cafeteria, 2635 N. 63rd St. Thursday, Jan. 30: Southwest High School, commons, 7001 S. 14th St.
More information about the bond election can be found on the Lincoln Public Schools website at lps.org/2020bond, or by contacting LPS Business Affairs at 402-436-1636.