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Author Archives: Shannon Langford
Hunter Breakfast
Keys for Lister-Sage Center
The Board is in the process of updating our list of operational keys for the northwest access door for the center. The Board has chosen to work on getting everyone’s information and access keys in order and will be billing users on January 1st for 12 months use of the facility. There will be a minimal $35/year charge for access. Users will be given and asked to sign an agreement to rules/guidelines for the facility. Please Note: Failure to update information/payment for the keys before the New Year will mean your KEY WILL BE DEACTIVATED.
Please contact Seth Terrell (232-4680) or any other board member for information.
Hamburger Feed – updated
Lister-Sage is hosting a free-will donation hamburger feed during the October 5th football game with Banner County. Proceeds will benefit Lister-Sage community center. Come cheer on the Hawks for their Homecoming game and stop by to support our school-community center. The feed will be hosted on the Lister-Sage balcony!
Preschool Buzz
Time sure flies when we’re having fun! I cannot believe we have been in preschool for over a month! We have overcome many obstacles already and are continuing to grow as little learners! The students have an established routine which helps eliminate unproductive time. Every morning the preschool students start their day with a family style breakfast. They are eager to help serve and have already learned many new manners! We then transition into our day with brushing our teeth. After that we are ready for the day! Our day is busy with whole group time, calendar, singing, games, free play, art, outside time, music with Mrs. Varvel and PE with Mrs. Mandelko. We are also so very thankful to have Mrs. Ray assist us in our room every day!
Some of the themes we have covered so far this year are All about Me, I Have Five Senses, and Shapes. This week we were excited to begin our study of the alphabet. We kicked off the week with “A is for Apples” and are doing many activities integrating both the letter “a” and apples. Literacy awareness is relevant very early in a child’s life. By introducing skills like knowing the alphabet and letter sounds early on, it provides children with the solid foundation they need to continue on to elementary school.
A large part of our focus in preschool is building positive social skills. We are working on an array of skills. We actively participate in sharing our toys and time. We also are working on table manners, saying please and thank you, chewing with our mouth closed. Using kind and helpful words is also important to us. All of these skills are necessary to become independent little kiddos!
Please check the website each week for our weekly newsletter! The newsletter briefly discusses our theme for the week as well as other preschool happenings. Needless to say with 13 students we are busy little bees!
PreK News: October 1, 2012
Click the link below to read the October 1, 2012 preschool newsletter.
Superintendent Addresses Academic Success
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” Steve Jobs
EXCELLENCE IS EXPECTED IN HAY SPRINGS!
Reflect back three years ago. Hay Springs Schools were not achieving well academically. We had a large number of students that were not proficient on State Assessment tests, our school district did not meet AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress), and perhaps worse, the State of Nebraska placed us on the “Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools” list – the bottom 5% of all schools in the State. Overall, we were a failing school district academically.
Now, jump forward three years to today. Note the following success:
- On average 87% of our students are proficient, well above most schools in the State.
NeSA Tests (Nebraska State Achievement Test):
- NeSA – Reading: Our test scores exceeded the average State’s average scores at every grade level tested. At the fourth grade 100% of our students were proficient.
- NeSA – Math: Our test scores again exceeded the state average except at grades four and seven who were close. Grade six had 100% students proficient.
- NeSA –Science: These tests were exceptionally high. Students are tested at grades five, eight, and eleven. Students tested well above the State average.
AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress): Our school district has met Adequate Yearly Progress every year for the last three years. All districts strive for this yearly recognition.
Two years ago our school was taken off the “Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools” list. Because of our high academic success we are not close to being placed on the list again.
ACT Test: If your child plans to attend a four-year college after high School students must take the ACT. This test reflects the achievement of our graduates over time and is an indication of the extent to which our students are prepared for college-level work. The ACT measures English, mathematics, reading and science. Last year’s graduating class and this years senior class are both substantially over the State average. I would note that most schools only test the few students that plan to attend college. In Hay Springs we make an effort to test every student.
We can attribute our academic success to our outstanding teaching staff, hard working students that come to school well rested and prepared for class, a solid curriculum and a supportive Board of Education.
In the last week we have sent home individual student’s State Assessment Test Scores. Read them over, ask your child’s teacher for clarification, and work with your child if there are areas that are low.
As a community we should be proud of our hard working students, supportive parents, and diligent staff. We are all working towards improved learning and successful students.
There is no better place for your child than Hay Springs Public Schools.
Read Run Marathon
Several students and Mrs. Olson have met the 26 mile run/walk goal of the Read/Run marathon. Students also have until January to read 26 books or earn 26 accelerated reader points. Mrs. Olson encourages these students to keep going and continue to run and/or walk each morning. There are several more participants who are still working to reach their 26 mile goal.
Back: Mrs. Olson, Jace Langford, Logan DeCoste, Bailey Scherbarth, Joce Varvel
Front: Hayly Hopkins, Tianna Clark, Acacia Clark, Taylyn Hopkins
See You at the Pole
See You at the Pole is a student-led, student-initiated movement of prayer that revolves around students praying together on the third Wednesday of September, usually before school and usually at the school’s flagpole. It involves students in elementary schools, middle/junior high schools, high schools, and colleges/ universities all over the world. Hay Springs students participated in this national day. Prayer was led by Fellowship of Christian Athletes member Austin Weyers. 
Bullying & Cyber Bullying Assembly
On Thursday, September 20, 2012, Trooper Chuck talked to the Middle School and High School about sexting, bullying, cyber bullying, child pornography, and ways to stop it. There are many cases in the Panhandle of Nebraska.
BULLYING & CYBER BULLYING
Trooper Chuck taught us about some of the dangers of bullying and cyber bullying. We learned about how important it is and that many teenagers commit suicide because of bullying. About 4% of all suicides are caused by bullying. Teenage female suicides have gone up by 70% in the past 5 years. Cyber bullying is when a person uses technology to bully another person.
One of the videos was about a boy, who was told to “go home and shoot yourself and nobody would miss you.” Then the boy went home and killed himself.
Bullying isn’t just physical, it can also be emotional. Some examples of bullying are: excluding a person from a group, calling them names, talking about people behind their backs, & physically hurting them. Bullying is the main cause of suicidal thoughts all throughout America. We also learned that girls have a higher rate of suicide than guys.
SEXTING
Sexting is when someone takes a picture of someone nude/partially nude or a picture of a sexual act and sends it to others. There are many young adults and teens that are now sexting.
It really got us thinking about bullying when he mentioned that a girl named, Jessica killed herself because people were bullying her. She took a picture of herself naked and sent it to her boyfriend. When they broke up he sent it to all of his buddies who passed the picture on to their buddies. Many people teased (bullied) her about the picture, causing her to become depressed. She didn’t do anything. She thought that when she graduated it would be over. One day, her mother went into her room and saw her hanging. This is an example of sexting.
INTERESTING FACTS
Trooper Chuck said that if someone reported a picture of a naked or partially naked person under the age of 18, the person in possession can be put in jail for child pornography.
We didn’t know that having a nude picture of somebody 18 years old or under is child pornography. Having possession of child pornography can cost you $10,000 or 5 years in prison or both.
Trooper Chuck also said that the police can go into your phone records to find evidence of sexting or bullying. If a person has a picture of a guy/gal that is under the age of 18 can get be arrested. This will make the chances of getting hired very difficult, because it is a felony.
What do you do if you get a nude/partially nude or a picture of a sexual act?
- DO NOT PASS IT ON.
- Tell a trusted adult. (Parent/guardian, teacher, counselor, police officer, etc.)
- Show the police the picture. They will investigate. Even though we can’t stop all bullying, we can sure take a stand and stand up for what’s right.
What can you do if you are being bullied?
Tell a trusted adult. (Parent/guardian, teacher, counselor, & etc.)
What if someone else is being bullied?
Tell a trusted adult. (Parent/guardian, teacher, counselor, & etc.)
Don’t join in the bullying.
Stand up for them.
Be their friend.
Signs of suicide:
Obsessing (talking about or posting it) about death.
Telling people that they feel they don’t have a right to live.
Depression (great sadness)
Saying that they want to kill themselves.
Change in social behavior.
IN ALL CASES TELL A TRUSTED ADULT!!!
Report incident
