Dear Parents,

 

Only in Nebraska can you experience an early dismissal day for heat (Tuesday) and then have overnight temperatures dip into the lower fifties on Thursday.  The weather roller coaster ride continues.  Enjoy a beautiful 3 day weekend with your family, the weather should be nice.

 

Despite the weather, our first full week of the school year was very productive.  Everyone is settling into the routine and it should be a remarkable year.  Most of our annual traditions will continue and this newsletter will advise you of all events pertaining to your children.  A new tradition will be inaugurated next Friday, Sept. 10.  It will be casual clothes day with students encouraged to wear either Husker jerseys (Nebraska plays Idaho the next day) or NFL jerseys.  Our students will  challenge the faculty in a flag football game starting at 2:15 in the hollow parking lot.  Students from all grade levels will rotate in against the 8? teachers able to take part.  We are the defending State Champions in the “Fuel up to Play 60” competition and we will “kick off” another year of exercise and healthy eating with the football game.  See you there !!  

 

The World’s Finest Candy Sale is rapidly nearing the completion date.  The H & S volunteers hope to have all proceeds turned in by next Wednesday, Sept. 8.  Even if you haven’t sold every candy bar send your check into the office and sell the remaining bars later.  Checks should be made out to SSPP.  If you can sell more candy, check out another box from the H & S volunteers before or after school.  We have some extra mints this year so if you have regular customers who like mints,  check out another box.  Thank you for your enthusiastic support !!  Mark your calendar and plan to attend the first H & S meeting of the year on Tuesday, Sept. 21.

 

Nearly all of our students and parents completely “buy into” our uniform policy because of the benefits derived by taking the “fashion” question out of our school days.  However we have a few violations that need to be addressed.  Here is a condensed list of problems observed so far: 

girls are not to wear make up or dangling earrings, both boys and girls must wear socks, everyone must wear shoes with the heels covered, girls cannot wear underneath shorts or leggings that extend lower than the hem of their uniform skirt, boys & girls must keep shirttails tucked in, only uniform sweat shirts are allowed, boys must wear their pants at waist level, uniform shorts may be worn throughout the month of September.  Parents thank you for your home/ morning enforcement of the uniform policy.

 

We are still waiting for some required paperwork from several families.  Please check your desk at home for the field trips permission forms, health updates, free & reduced lunch applications and early dismissal instructions.

 

Thank you for your response to our call for an early returns on your General Mills boxtops for Education.  Mrs. Lynn Melcher turned our boxtops in to earn the doubling offer from our local No Frills stores.  No Frills is also one of our partners for SCRIP.  Finally, the Hy Vee stores are continuing the traditional fundraiser for schools called “Receipts for Education”.  Save all of your Hy Vee receipts between now and December 31 and send them to the school office for redemption. 

Later this month most of our students will be taking standardized tests.  This is a requirement by the State of Nebraska.  In the past we have always taken the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.  However this year the Archdiocese of Omaha has decided to change over to another testing program called Terra Nova.  Terra Nova is a subsidiary of the McGraw Hill Publishing Company.  The tests will be different yet very similar.  The major changes will be that only grades 3, 5 and 7 will actually take the tests each year.  However, our 8th graders will still take a test entitled SCORE, a preliminary ACT test that ties in with the PLAN test that most sophomores in high school take.  The down side of changing test programs is that we will not have much of a gauge on year to year improvement/ declines.  More information will be sent home in the ensuing weeks before the testing actually starts.

 

Enjoy the three day Labor Day weekend when Americans celebrate the contributions of laboring men and women to our standard of living and way of life.  In this time of escalating unemployment statistics we should take time to thank the Lord for our jobs/ means of survival and continue to work to help those less fortunate through charitable donations, etc.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS  -

 

Sept. 6 -  Labor Day  - NO SCHOOL

 

Sept. 8 - Candy sale wrap up day

 

Sept. 10 -  Faculty vs. Students Flag Football, 2:15

 

Sept. 10 - football jersey casual clothes day

 

Sept. 10 - kindergarten parents bake for Bingo

 

Sept. 15 - first Don & Millies Night of the year

 

Sept. 16 - Archbishop’s Dinner for Education (for tickets call the school office)

 

 

May the Lord continue to Bless us,

  

Richard Leimbach

Principal