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Inside this issue:
1-3
4-7
8-10
11-17
18-22
District
Newsletter
Mitchell Elementary and Junior/Senior High Schools are accredited by
the State of Nebraska and also hold NCA-AdvancEd Regional
Accreditation (North Central Association)
November/December 2017
MPS
Staff and Students
Recite the
Pledge of Allegiance
Each Morning at the
Beginning of School
Mitchell Public Schools, in partnership with the
community, will empower students to become lifelong
learners and respectful, responsible citizens.
Total District Enrollment (as of 11/21/17)
Administration
MPS — Staff
Administrative Assistants
JH/HS Staff
Elementary Staff
“40% of
Mitchell
Public
School’s
Staff hold
a Master’s
Degree”
“The average
number of years of
teaching experience
for MPS teachers is
13.49 years.”
Page 2 MPS — STAFF
Grade Level
Math Average Reading Average General Science Average
Mitchell National Mitchell National Mitchell National
1 178 181 175 178
2 193 192 191 189
3 208 203 206 199
4 221 214 215 206
5 224 221 215 212 210 206
6 233 225 222 216 216 209
7 232 229 225 218 216 211
8 237 231 228 220 220 214
9 241 233 227 222 222 215
10 244 232 229 221 224 215
11 247 235 233 222 227 ——
Page 3 MPS
PIEPER JENKINS KEENER HELGERSON SPENCER FUSS
We Do What’s Best for Kids!
Page 4
Ms. Urbanek
Superintendent of
Schools
— From Ms. Urbanek — Superintendent of Schools
As we start to head into the holiday season, it is my hope that this newsletter
reaches houses where health and joy are at their highest levels. When we are con-
stantly bombarded with negative news and we bombarded with the worst of human-
ity, it is easy to fall into a mindset of saying “What is wrong with the world to-
day?” Trust me, I get to that point, too, every now and then. However, I’ll share a
little secret with you that I hope will help to ease your troubled thoughts:
One thing I hear over and over as I attend meetings both in the valley and
throughout the state is how others notice how respectful and kind our students
act. They aren’t saying this to be flattering, because quite frankly, people don’t lie
about that sort of thing. It truly is a culture and the atmosphere in Mitchell
schools. We have amazing students that are generally all very kind, respectful, gra-
cious, and, well, GREAT kids. Some may wonder how we “get so lucky.”
But, they all know that it’s not just luck. It is a culture that stems from parents,
the teachers and staff, and the community focusing on traits and skills that just
seem to be lacking in other parts of the world today. It is placing trust in one an-
other to raise and educate children in the best possible way. It is knowing that a
school is a place to learn, and learning involves a lot of different pieces of the mind,
body, and soul. It’s recognizing that all kids, just as all people make mistakes, and
it is the lessons we take from those mistakes that develops our character. It is de-
veloping resiliency in our children, knowing that life may not always be easy but
we can learn to make the best out of difficult situations.
I would encourage you as parents and patrons as you continue to watch the news
and view the negativity in our world today, please know that we have approxi-
mately 678 reasons to be very proud. We have 678 children that come through our
doors every morning that are continuing to develop into fine young leaders of to-
morrow. To me, that’s a lot of reasons to smile and reflect on some very good
things going on in our world today.
Jr/Sr High
Christmas
Concerts (Concerts Held in the
HS Auditorium)
High School
Holiday Concert
December 18th —
7:00 pm
Jr. High
Holiday Concert
December 14th —
7:00pm Notice of Non-Discrimination
This school district does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, gender,
marital status, disability, or age in admission or access to, or treatment of employment, in its programs
and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
Any person who believes she or he has been discriminated against, denied a benefit, or excluded from
participation in any district education or employment program or activity may file a grievance using the
district’s grievance procedures.
Any person having inquiries concerning this school district’s compliance with the regulations
implementing Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, or Section 504 is directed to contact Superintendent Katherine
Urbanek in writing at 1814 19th Ave., Mitchell, NE 69357 or by telephone at (308)623-1707. For further
assistance, you may also contact Office for Civil Rights (Kansas City Office), FAX: 816-268-0599;
Email: [email protected].
Page 5
Mr. Peters
JH/HS Principal
MPS — From Mr. Peters — JH/HS Principal
The following article was published by SCHOLASTIC as a school resource.
Helping your Adolescent with School & Academic Success
As children enter the preteen and teen years, it is natural for them to become more independent from the family. Friends
will play a larger role in their lives, so it is important to help them foster healthy friendships and strong peer
relationships. At the same time, peer pressure may increase, causing complex emotional feelings that we sometimes
describe as teenage angst. Children who are confident and feel good about themselves are more able to resist negative
peer pressure and make better choices for themselves. You can help bolster self-esteem and encourage your adolescent to
take on the added social and academic responsibility that goes along with growing independence.
BE AN INVOLVED PARENT
Decades of research indicate that when parents are involved, students have higher grades, test scores, and graduation rates;
better school attendance; increased motivation and better self esteem; and more positive attitudes and behaviors. In fact, the
more intensely parents are involved, the more beneficial the achievement effects.
ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO TRY NEW THINGS
School is full of “firsts,” but some kids can be wary of trying something new if they don’t think they will do well. Remind
your child of his or her strengths and of the times when he/she thought he/she couldn’t do something but finally did.
PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR EXPRESSING OPINIONS
Knowing how to communicate effectively takes practice. Be sure to include your child in family discussions at the dinner
table, in the car, while watching the news. Talk about what’s happening in the world and solicit his/her opinion: If your
child feels comfortable articulating ideas with you, chances are he’ll/she’ll feel confident participating in classroom
discussions and connecting on a social level with friends.
BE A GOOD LISTENER
If your kid knows that you are genuinely interested in and respect what they are doing in school or with friends, they’ll be
more confident and motivated to succeed.
PRAISE THE EFFORT, NOT THE GRADE
Self confidence rises out of a sense of competence. In other words, kids develop confidence not because parents tell them
they’re great, but because of their achievements, big and small. Sure it’s good to hear encouraging words from mom and
dad. But words of praise mean more when they refer to a child’s specific efforts or new abilities.
STAY ON THE SIDELINES
Remind your child that you are proud of him/her and have confidence in him/her, and then step aside and give him/her the
opportunity to try something new, make mistakes, and learn from them. The more opportunities your child has to practice
solving problems outside of school, the better equipped he/she will be to handle them in the classroom and beyond.
GET TO KNOW YOUR CHILD’S FRIENDS AND THEIR PARENTS
Have your child’s friends over or invite them along on a family activity. Taking friends hiking, fishing, on a picnic, or to a
show can help strengthen relationships and help you feel comfortable with them. Also take the time to chat with their
parents whenever possible to learn more about their parenting style and home environment.
POSITIVE PARENTING
Be aware of how your adolescent reacts to his or her friends while helping him/her develop his/her own sense of right and
wrong. Talk with him about risky things friends may pressure him to do, like smoking or dangerous physical dares.
Your ongoing involvement in your adolescent’s life can help him/her become independent, while building his sense of
responsibility and self confidence at the same time. As his positive self image grows, so will his academic and social
successes.
The Principal’s office would like to remind/inform parents to call the office secretary
(623-2235), in the event that their child is ill. This call should occur the morning of the
absence by 9:00 A.M. If the school is not contacted within 24 hours, the absence becomes
unexcused. Any absence that is not verified by a parent may be viewed as a truancy issue.
The strongest factor for success is self-esteem:
Believing you can do it, Believing you deserve it, Believing you will get it.
ACT TEST will be ADMINISTERED to ALL Juniors
Tuesday, April 3rd
8:00 am—1:30 pm
Mr. Kuxhausen
Elementary Principal
Page 6 MPS — From Mr. Kuxhausen — Elementary Principal
I came across some great reading/research recently that takes on parent involvement with schools and their
child/children. The article titled What Kinds of Parent Involvement Really Make a Difference was done by
Angel Harris and Keith Robinson. In the article, it describes what is ineffective parent involvement in schools.
The article compares effective parent involvement with what a theater's behind the scenes workers do so actors
can perform successfully so the most effective parents set the stage for their child's success in school. These
are some of the tasks noted in the article as "setting the stage":
They provide a secure home and neighborhood environment so children don't have to worry about food
and shelter and getting to and from school safely.
They make strenuous efforts to get their children into good schools.
They are supportive of academics, but also of non-school activities like ballet or piano lessons.
Their support comes across as caring about children's overall success, not pressure and micromanaging
to get an A in math. This can be conveyed indirectly, for example, by a desk rather than a TV in a
child's bedroom, and lots of books and magazines in the home.
They convey the critical importance of academic achievement to future options and life success.
They show confidence in the child's intelligence and ability to do well in school, fostering a positive
academic identity and a sense of responsibility to not let the family down.
The article summarizes by stating that parents' stage setting as opposed to being super involved in school
activities, makes the difference in a child's success.
Please connect with us at the following links:
http://mpstigers.com/ (click on Elementary - click on Principal's Notes)
https://www.facebook.com/mitchellelementarytigers/
Elementary Spring Concert (Held in the Elementary Gym)
2nd-3rd Musical
March 29th — 1:30pm
5th Grade Musical
March 29th—2:30
Elementary Christmas
Concert
(In the ELEM. Gym)
December 20, 2017
2:00 pm
Elementary Principal News
Elementary
Graduations (Held in the Elem. Gym)
6th Grade
May 15th — 7:00pm
Kindergarten
May 16th — 2:00pm
Page 7 MPS — From Mrs. Splichal —- Special Services Director
SPECIAL EDUCATION The Special Education Department, serving students with disabilities, is staffed by Elementary Special Education teachers Mrs. Kylie Soule and Mrs. Kristin Pankonin and High School Special Education teacher Ms. Sue Marsh. These highly-qualified teachers provide
excellent leadership in delivering specially-designed instruction for students with disabilities and improving access to the curriculum for all students within the special education program.
PARAEDUCATORS
Mitchell Public Schools would like to recognize the dedication and expertise of the paraeducators in each building that work hard every day to support the students they serve. Paraeducators play a key instructional rule for students’ learning and are a trusted
partner for all teachers. The impact of these paraeducators on student learning is indispensable.
HIGH ABILITY LEARNING The Elementary High Ability Learning (HAL) program, under the direction of Jennifer Splichal and parent volunteer Chelsea Sauer, is getting ready to compete in the First Lego League Robotics Program. First Lego League invites students to use Lego Mindstorm kits
to design a robot and solve a challenge issued worldwide. Past challenges have been based on topics such as nanotechnology, climate, quality of life for those with disabilities, animal problems, and transportation. This year’s challenge involves solving problems within the human water cycle. The High School HAL program is currently conducting a feasibility study on a potential Mitchell Public
Schools greenhouse project. Stay tuned for updates!
MITCHELL TIGER CUB PRESCHOOL The Mitchell Tiger Cub Preschool has the ability to serve up to 40 students with 20 students attending each session- morning and
afternoon. The program is currently at capacity, but openings do happen throughout the year. The preschool is in operation four days a week for three and one-half hours each session. Mrs. Julia Jacobs is in her 3rd year serving as the head preschool teacher, and she
has two paraeducators working under her direction. The Mitchell Tiger Cub Preschool serves three- and four-year-old students who turn 3 or 4 prior to or on July 31. Applications for the program are available in the Elementary School office
INFORMATION REGARDING SECTION 504
Section 504 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with a disability in any program receiving federal assistance. The Act defines a person with a disability as anyone who
Has a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities (major life activities such as caring
for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working);
Has a record of such impairment; or
Is regarded as having such impairment.
In order to fulfill the school district’s obligation under Section 504, the school district recognizes a responsibility to avoid discrimination in policies and practices regarding personnel, students, and parents. No discrimination against any person solely due to his or her
disability will knowingly be permitted in any programs or practices in the school system.
The school district has specific responsibilities under the Act. This includes the responsibility to identify and evaluate a child suspected of having a disability under the Act. When the child is determined to have a current disability and is eligible under Section 504, the
school district must afford access to appropriate educational programs. If the parent or guardian disagrees with the determination made by the professional staff of the school district, he or she has a right to
a hearing with an impartial hearing officer.
FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA) The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) specifies rights related to educational records. This Act gives a parent,
guardian or eligible student the right to: 1) inspect and review the child’s educational records; 2) make copies of these records; 3) re-ceive a list of all persons having access to those records; 4) ask for an explanation of any item in the records; 5) ask for an amend-
ment to any report on the grounds that it is misleading, inaccurate, or violates the child’s rights; and 6) request a hearing on the issue if the school refuses to make the amendment.
Questions regarding any of these programs may be directed to Jennifer Splichal, Special Services Director at
308-623-2828 or [email protected] .
Nebraska Department of Education Releases Key Information Mrs. Peters —- Assessment/Curriculum Director
NDE Press Release (Oct. 2017):
By doing this preliminary statewide release, we hope to control the story around the changes in grades 3-8 ELA and ACT ELA, mathematics,
and science at the high school. The decrease in scores is due to the changing expectations around the rigor of college and career readiness.
General messaging about the ACT college entrance exam
• The FREE exam is administered to all juniors, giving the students an additional year to improve their ACT score
• The ACT is the most common college entrance exam currently administered in Nebraska (84% of graduating seniors took the voluntary ACT exam
last year)
• Nebraska ranks first among states that test 80% or more high school graduates on the ACT
• Currently 18 states require 100% of their graduates to take the ACT college entrance exam
The NeSA-English Language Arts (ELA) exam is replacing NeSA-Reading and NeSA-Writing and will be taken in grades 3-8.
• The NeSA-ELA is aligned to the Nebraska College and Career Ready Standards for English Language Arts, leading to better outcomes for students,
schools, and communities
• The combined NeSA-ELA means less exam time for students at the fourth and eighth grade levels
The NeSA-ELA standards better prepare students for the next level of learning.
• The NeSA-ELA brings increased rigor, relevance, and high expectations for all students
• Scores may decrease in the initial year of testing due to the increased rigor of the exam
• As state standards are raised to meet college and career readiness standards, and instruction reflects those standards, scores are expected to improve
Page 8 MPS — From Mrs. Peters — MPS DAC
11th Grade ACT Spring 2017
% of Students Meeting College Readiness Benchmarks
NeSA Reading Proficiency
% of Students Meeting or Exceeding State Standards
NeSA Math Proficiency
% of Students Meeting or Exceeding State Standards
NeSA Science Proficiency
% of Students Meeting or Exceeding State Standards
2017-2018 Time Table for Seniors
Page 9
September Meet with Guidance Counselor to make sure
graduation requirements are in order. Check registration deadline for the –October 28,
2017 ACT Test (September 22, 2017)
Visit with the Guidance Counselor about careers and colleges.
Visit web sites for applications, deadlines, and
financial aid information, for the colleges you are interested in.
Attend college visits at Mitchell High School when
announced. Most college visits are at 1:30pm
in the auditorium.
Take the John Baylor ACT prep course in your regular Math, Science, and English Classes.
If you are looking at the Military, verify you took
the ASVAB and get in contact with Military recruiters.
Jostens will be here in September to pick out your
announcements design and take orders. Create an educational resume (Should have been
completed in Mr. Long's Class as a Junior.
Make a list of teachers, coaches, spiritual leaders, and community members that you can ask for
reference letters.
RHOP (Rural Health Opportunities Program) application deadline for Chadron State
College is on November 15th.
October
Take the ACT. (Test date- October 28, 2017) Check registration deadline for the December
9, 2017 ACT test (November 3, 2017).
Continue to visit with college representatives and research colleges you are interested in.
Consider conducting a job shadowing activity.
Consider taking some college visits. Conduct scholarship searches on the internet.
Conduct senior interviews with Mr. Braman
You can complete your financial aid application online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
RLOP (Rural Law Opportunities Program)
application deadline for Chadron State College is January 16th.
November If you are serious about a college, make an
application. Major universities have early application deadlines. Check the College
website for your college’s application
deadlines.
RHOP application deadline for Chadron State College is November 15th.
Continue looking at on-campus visits. This should
be completed between October and April. Seniors are allowed 2 College Days for
visits. See Mr. Braman for College visit form
and advanced make-up slip. ACT Deadline for December 9, 2017 test is
November 3, 2017.
Check Scholarship Board outside Mr. Yauney's room and webpage for scholarship listings.
December Freshmen Scholarship application to UNL, UNO,
UNK, is due January 15 (Complete application and activities resume must be received by this
date).
Check to make sure graduation requirements are in order.
Make second semester schedule changes if necessary.
Take ACT (December 9 2017).
January
Check colleges of your choice for application deadlines, scholarship deadlines, and
financial aid deadlines.
Conduct second semester senior interview with Mr. Braman.
Deadline for February 10, 2018 ACT is January 5,
2018. Scholarship Deadline at Uni. of Nebraska –Jan 15.
(All students that have filed an application
will be considered for the Regents,
Nebraska’s Top Scholar, David
Distinguished Scholars Award and the James
Canfield Award). Check Scholarship postings outside Mr. Yauney’s
room and webpage’s for scholarship listings.
February Applications for admission should be complete. Financial aid applications are due at most
universities.
If you apply for freshmen scholarships at UNL, UNK, or UNO, you must apply for admission
by Feb. 1, and the financial aid form is due at
UNL on March 1. ACT Test- February 10, 2018.
Deadline for February ACT-January 5, 2018.
Check Scholarship postings outside Mr. Yauney’s room and webpage’s for scholarship listings.
Local Scholarships applications begin.
March Deadline for University Honors program (spring
application) (Uni. of Nebraska). Check Scholarship postings outside Mr. Yauney’s
room and webpage’s for scholarship listings.
Complete Scholarship applications. Deadline for April ACT-March 9, 2018.
All Community Service, Job Shadowing, &
Internships must be submitted by
March 1, 2018.
April Most local scholarships are due this month.
Most colleges will notify you this month if you have been awarded a scholarship.
ACT Test- April 14, 2018.
Return any supplementary materials requested by colleges, i.e. housing contracts, medical
forms, deposits, roommate preference.
Check Scholarship postings outside Mr. Yauney’s room and webpage’s for scholarship listings.
New student enrollment information on college
web site for paid enrollment deposits (University of Neb.).
May
Maintain your grades and appropriate behavior! Your acceptance to a college and the awarding of
scholarships is provisional based on
completing high school at your present grade point average, maintaining appropriate
behavior, and graduating in good standing.
Schedule freshman orientation visit.
GRADUATION!!!! MAY 12, 2018.
HAPPY GRADUATION !
MAY 12. 2018 @ 2:00.
MPS — High School News
Be Prepared!!!
Math 4 years (Algebra I, II, geometry, and one additional class that
builds on geometry or algebra background)
English 4 years
Social Studies 4 years (including, Geography, World History, American
History, and American Government.
Natural Sciences 3 years (One class must include a lab)
Foreign Language 2 years (Second unit must build off of first)
Mr. Braman — HS Counselor 308 623-2235
Test Registration Late Fee Date Deadline Required
2016-2017 ACT Test Dates
www.actstudent.org
November 4–17, 2017
January 6–19, 2018
March 8–23, 2018
May 6–18, 2018
December 9, 2017
February 10, 2018
April 14, 2018
June 9, 2018
November 3, 2017
January 5, 2018
March 9, 2018
May 5, 2018
SCHOOL CODE: 281-530
Library News — Ms. Harder
The 2017-2018 School Year is going to be a great one in the library! I am so excited to be the new librarian and have a lot planned for the kids. The library has received a little bit of a face-lift and also gained some awesome new books. Speaking of new books, thank you so much to everyone who donated to our coin drive! We raised over $700 for new books! That’s amazing! The 1st quarter was spent learning library procedures, how the library is organized, and we recently started talking about Digital Citizenship. Throughout the school year I am hoping to make even more changes; integrating technology into more lessons is one of my main goals.
Starting November 16th 5th & 6th grade will are welcome to join our book club
that will take place every other Thursday from 3:45 to 4:45 in the Library.
Page 10
mpstigers.follettdestiny.com
MPS — District News
Is My Child Really Sick?
Guidelines For Keeping Children Home From School Kim Thomas RN,BSN —-School Nurse
Cold, Sore Throat, or Cough The common cold presents the most frequent problem to parents. A child with a “mild” cold but otherwise feeling well may go to school. A child with a “heavy” cold and a deep or hacking cough belongs home in bed even though he/she has no fever. If your child complains of a sore throat and has no other symptoms, he/she may go to school. If white spots can be seen in the back of the throat or if a fever 100.0 or higher is present, keep the child home. Red Eyes If your child’s eye is stuck shut, bright red, and/or oozing yellow or green discharge keep home. These symptoms all indicate the highly contagious bacterial form of pinkeye (conjunctivitis). He/she should see a doctor and stay put until he's been on antibiotic eye drops for 24 hours or as advised by healthcare provider. Fever A fever is a warning that all is not right with the body. The best way to check for fever is with a thermometer. No child with a tempera-ture over 100.0 degrees should be sent to school. Do NOT allow the child to return to school until he/she has been fever free with-out fever reducing medication (Tylenol/Ibuprofen) for 24 hours. Stomachache, Vomiting, or Diarrhea If your child has vomited two or more times, keep him/her home until food can be kept down for 24 hours. A child with diarrhea should be kept home.
Rash A rash may be the first sign of one of childhood’s many illnesses, such as measles or chickenpox. Do NOT send a child with a rash to school until your doctor has said that it is safe to do so.
Pain If your child complains of an earache you should keep your child home and consult your doctor without delay.
Sick Children Belong at Home and
Well Children Belong in School
First Year
Kyleigh Adkins
Whitney Hooton
Emily Peden
Kiayah Taylor
Second Year
Ashley Jackson
Lexie Jackson
Alternate
Alaina Schmidt
MPS Activities Jimmie Rhodes—- Activities Director
Page 11 MPS — High School News
I am proud to be in my third year as the Activities Director at Mitchell Public Schools (MPS). We are fortunate to be a part of a community that
values the Care, High Standards, and Dedication that surrounds our school. It’s awesome to work in an environment that encourages academic and
athletic accomplishment while embracing Excellence, Discipline and Sportsmanship.
MPS is a proud member of the Nebraska Schools Activities Association (NSAA) and fields boys and girls athletic programs, in 7 different
sports. Among its many clubs MPS also provides students opportunities in Tigers Committed, Cheerleading, One Act, Speech, FBLA, FFA, Quiz
Bowl, Band, Vocal Music, Striv TV, and yearbook. Overall student participation and support in MPS activities is something to be proud of.
The MPS mission focuses on empowering our students to become respectful, responsible citizens, and I have always been a firm believer that
interscholastic activities is a huge part of excelling in the classroom. Mitchell students strive for excellence in all their activities. They work hard to
fulfill their potential in the classroom and in competition. They have become leaders and role models within our school community and beyond.
Our Administrators, Faculty, and Staff are committed to getting the most out of our students.
I work with a winning team in the activities department, from the coaches, to the sponsors, to the office staff. Mitchell Public Schools has been
working towards a tradition of success. We have had one of our most successful overall experience in competition, student participation and fan
support over the last year.
Our coaches, sponsors, and I are always happy to talk with you about our programs and answer any questions you may have.
GO TIGERS!
Follow the TIGERS!
I am really excited to be back in Mitchell
and working for Mitchell Public Schools in the
physical education department. My classes
currently consist of 9th grade PE and Health,
Lifetime Activities, Weight Training, and Jr.
High PE. The students have been working
really hard in all of my classes. In 9th Grade
PE and Health students are working very hard
in the weight room and starting to see great
results. Students are currently working in a
nutrition unit in health. They are logging their
food intake and learning what a proper diet
consists of. The Lifetime Activities class has
completed units in flag football, Frisbee golf,
ultimate Frisbee, and volleyball. The students
are doing a great job at learning new activities
they can do the rest of their lives. The students
in Weight training have been doing a great job
improving their strength, conditioning, and
agility. The work they are putting in will pay
off for each one of them. The school year has
had very positive start in physical education
department and I look forward to working with
our students the rest of the year.
7—12 Health / Physical Ed / Weights
Mr. Kuxhausen
The bands in Mitchell are off to a great start
this school year. 6th grade students have just
started on their instruments, and I am excited to
see them progress throughout the year!
The 7th and 8th grade bands have been working
hard this semester, and it has been great to have
so many of these students be willing to spend
extra time in the band room after school to
improve as musicians. Jr. High Jazz Band is
meeting Tuesday mornings at 7:15 and Friday
afternoons at 12:30.
Our high school band spent first quarter
working on pep band and parade music,
participating in the Ogallala Marching Festival
and Old West Parade.
For our second quarter, we are preparing for
honor band auditions, the Veteran’s Day
program, and our Winter concert in December.
I’m proud of the hard work the students in each
group are putting in this year. Encourage your
students to take instruments home to perform
the music they are working on!
Band News
Mr. Sailors
Music News
Mrs. Charnele Long
Kyleigh Adkins
Jori Peters
Kiayah Taylor
Alaina Schmidt
Katelyn Newton
Alicia Sanchez
Hannah Knepper
Lexie Jackson
Anabelle Gillen
Natalie Simpson
Whitney Hooton
Ashley Jackson
Samantha Vizcaino
Sabrina Vizcaino
Hunter Fegler
Riley Dupre
Fransico Barrios
Riley Reisig
John Plascencio
Jaden Schmacher
Scott Snygg
Othaniel Banks
The Fall of 2016 brought the Mitchell City Administrator, Jeffry Sprock, to the art room with an invitation to create a mural for the city pool.
Our Art III & IV class decided they could tackle the project. We met with Mr. Sprock to talk about the city’s expectations. The three students,
Sophia Armstrong, Max Avila, and Abe Hernandez, came up with mural ideas individually. We then decided to create designs based on all three
ideas to present to the City’s Board of Public Works. Due to the time of year and the schedules of the students we painted the approved mural in the
art room on non-woven, lightweight fabric, installing the finished mural on a nice day in May.
WTC Art Day was again hosted by Chadron State College on November 6th. Seven of our students attended where they each participated in
three out of seven different workshops throughout the day creating art with students from Western Nebraska and South Dakota.
ART DEPARTMENT
Mrs.Cantrell
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT—”Continuing to be Active and Investigate”
Ms. Clark, Mr. Belgum, Mr. Powell
Page 12 MPS — High School News
Mr. Powell’s Physical Science class
continues to learn how the world around us
works. From learning the elements to
figuring out how Newton's Laws work,
they continue learning about chemical and
physical reactions. The Life Science class
has continued to learn about how living
organism function and the different key
aspects to life. Students are learning about
heredity and DNA. They will also get into
learning about the different body systems
and how the life cycle works. Mr. Powell
is also inspiring their minds during
Exploratory Science with experiments and
new ideas.
Mr. Belgum is still working hard with
the High School Science Quiz bowl team,
as well as the Jr. High team. The Robotics
class is always working on a unique and
interesting projects. Mr. Belgum’s
Chemistry classes have busy with their
atom models and reports. They have also
been working on chemical equations and
reaction types. The Physics class started
out with the egg drop experiment from the
top of the building. This resulted in every
egg getting broken. They are currently
working on paper rocket design and
launching. The goal is to reach 100 yards,
the record so far is 63 yards. They will be
wrapping this up soon and will be moving
onto circular motion and working with
gyroscopes. The Earth Science classes
have finished their unit on chemistry and
are now working on astronomy with their
planet reports and presentations. They will
soon be working on their constellation
stories.
Ms. Clark’s Biology has been working
with the basic cells of life, macromole-
cules, organelles and their functions. They
will soon be working with genetics. The
Animal Science class researched and
presented zoonosis diseases; how they are
contracted and what organism(s) are
responsible for the transmission. They are
now working with classification systems.
They will be researching a specific animal
and determining the full classification of it.
The HALS class continues working on the
greenhouse project, while also learning
how to make a story map using GSI. The
Anatomy class continues to learn medical
terminology as they learn the bones of the
skeleton and how they articulate with each
other.
Page 13 MPS — High School News
Social Studies
Mr. Yauney
The Seventh Grade Social Studies
class has been reviewing and
finalizing a lot of Nebraska standards
concerning American History,
Geography, and Economics. The
second, third, and fourth quarters
will primarily emphasize ancient
World History.
The American Government class
has been studying American History,
Economics, and Government. The
second, third, and fourth quarters
will emphasize government issues.
8th Grade Civics
2017 is off to a great start and my 8th grade students are studying the early foundations,
key documents, and important figures in the development of the United States. We just
finished studying about the early colonies in North America and the events that led to the
American Revolution. Now we are beginning to examine the Bill of Rights and the
formation of the American Constitution. We will spend some time studying the Articles of
the Constitution, the Preamble, and how the Amendments protect our basic freedoms as
Americans.
10th Grade World History
My Sophomores are digging into the ancient past and studying the timeline of World
History. We started with early recorded history (early humans), and we have worked our
way toward the present by examining early civilizations such as the Sumerians, Egyptians
and now ,the Ancient Greeks. We also have examined the major religions of the world and
what role they have played in the development of every civilization throughout history up
to the present day. We have been doing hands-on projects and technology presentations to
supplement the material we have been studying so far. We have only begun to scratch the
surface of the history we need to study in my class, and we look forward to an exciting rest
of the year.
7/8th Grade Nebraska History
My 7/8th grade students are learning the history of Nebraska, famous landmarks, famous
people from Nebraska, and the wide variety of plants and animals that make Nebraska a
great state!! Go Big Red!
Social Studies
“Spanning the globe in search of a constant variety of social studies!!”
Mr. Rada
Social Studies
Mr. Chancellor
Students in the Family and Consumer classes have been very busy the last several months, completing a variety of projects and
assignments. Students have researched several facets of Family and Consumer Sciences, exploring ideas such as foreign culture and
cuisine, healthy options and lifestyle choices, as well as concepts of independent living and child development. Most recently the
FACS III class completed a super hero project, in which they designed a super hero and wrote a children’s book about their
character. These books will be shared with students at MES in the weeks to come. The project was a huge success and all students
were very highly involved throughout the entire process.
In the weeks to come students will also be completing several projects for the holidays. We are looking forward to more baking,
sewing and creating. Also we love to welcome family members and community volunteers into our classroom. If you have any
questions, concerns or simply want to share a life skill or talent please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
Family and Consumer Science Class News
Ms. Wiegel
American History:
The juniors are working very diligently as we move into the second quarter. The students are not only completing
their tasks for our class but also have begun to read the novel “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair. The book discusses
the terrible working conditions Americans endured at the turn of the century. Sinclair originally intended to try to
get change in the working conditions but famously stated, “I aimed at the people’s hearts, and by accident I hit their
stomachs.” The novel lead to monumental change in the United States and is being taught in conjunction with the
English department.
Geography:
The freshmen have just completed the basics surround geography as the first quarter closed. They are beginning to look at
different regions of the world and will continue to do this as the year progresses. We will begin our studies right here at home
in the United States and then move to the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the rest of world.
JH/HS ENGLISH DEPATMENT
Mrs. Law, Mrs. Gonzales, Ms. West
Page 14 MPS — High School News
Seventh grade students have been
studying Greek and Latin roots and
analyzing vocabulary terms that contain
those roots, as well as determining how the
root of the word contributes to the
vocabulary words’ overall meaning. For
writing, students have written various
essays including a descriptive personal
narrative, instructions, and informational
research-based reports. In the upcoming
months, the class will participate in a novel
study, write about the piece of literature in
a text-dependent analysis, and various
creative writings. In addition to the major
writing units, seventh graders also
participate in grade-appropriate grammar
study.
Ninth grade students have been reading
Fahrenheit 451 and the Giver and studying
the themes and elements of dystopian
literature and are working on a literary
analysis paper for each novel. For speech,
students just finished up a unit on
informative speaking and are starting a
unit on persuasive speaking. The class is
studying elements of persuasion like ethos,
pathos, and logos, to further understand
how successful persuasion is
accomplished. In the upcoming months,
the speech class will be continuing with
persuasive speaking and working on a
debate. The novels students will be starting
a new novel.
Sophomore students have applied
knowledge of the writing process to three
different expository essays - cause-effect,
problem-solution, and persuasive. Students
then transformed their persuasive essays
into speeches with technological visuals to
present to class. Classes also participated
in lively debates over many of the topics.
They will also begin a mid-term research
paper, write poetry and short stories, and
finally write a text-dependent analysis
supported by a piece of literature.
Students have also studied several world
literature texts including various short
stories, didactic literature from various
religious texts, as well as novel studies of
The Odyssey, A Thousand Splendid Suns,
and Bless Me, Ultima.
Junior students are working on a
cooperative unite with the American
history class. Students are reading and
analyzing The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.
The class is responsible to analyzing
themes such as social darwinism,
capitalism, and socialism. These themes
and the information from the novel will be
used to write a final analysis paper
covering elements of literature and
elements from history. After the
completion of the novel American
literature will be moving into a unit on
Romanticism, reading authors such as,
Emerson, Thoreau, and Poe. The
composition and grammar class will be
working on a unit over argumentative
write to prepare for the ACT this spring.
Senior literature students have
participated in a survey of British literature
beginning with the Anglo-Saxons and Old
English texts like Beowulf, then Middle
English texts focusing on King Arthur and
Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales,
Shakepeare’s sonnet and Macbeth, and
finally John Milton’s Paradise Lost. To
conclude the semester, students will write
a text-dependent analysis using a specific
literary perspective to analyze one of the
major works studied this semester.
Mrs. Karin Law’s 8th, 10th, and 12th
graders continue to improve grammar
skills along with an intense focus on the
writing process. Eighth grade emphasizes
the importance of overall grammar
knowledge and the confidence to generate
ideas for descriptive, personal and
narrative writing. Tenth graders continue
their knowledge of grammar and literature
while seniors have a semester examining
the formatting differences in MLA
(Modern Language Association), APA
(American Psychological Association) ,
and CMS (Chicago Manual of Style) styles
of research writing to prepare for college
writing expectations . Mrs. Law also
advises the advanced writing class that
takes pictures and develops the yearbook
and submissions to the local newspaper.
Mitchell Public Schools has adopted the John Baylor ACT Test Prep curriculum. This program has
proven to raise ACT test scores among high school students across Nebraska. At MPS students will be
involved in this program this spring prior to ACT test opportunities.
Attention: Senior Parents
Please remember to submit baby pictures by December 15, 2017 to Mrs. Law.
Senior photos need to be submitted by February 16, 2018 in order to be in the yearbook, wall composite, and newspapers.
These photographs need to be portrait in orientation and can be submitted via email or as a high-quality hard copy.
Please contact Mrs. Law with any questions.
Page 15 MPS — High School News
JR HIGH READING
Mrs. Chancellor
We have been very busy this fall in 7th and
8th grade reading. We have immersed ourselves
in various types of literature as well as strategies
that good readers use when studying
literature. In both 7th and 8th grade reading we
have been doing a genre study. We are taking
this study to deeper levels with rich classroom
discussion in our student-led literature circles.
We are spending time deepening our knowledge
of our own metacognition, how we think about
our thinking and how our brain works when we
read. 7th graders got the opportunity to write
their own fractured Cinderella stories at the end
of first quarter. They enjoyed this and did a
great job of including common patterns or
motifs and well as themes and life lessons. In
7th grade we are reading I Am Malala , which is
the autobiography of Malala Yousafzai, the girl
you was shot by the Taliban and survived. This
is a great story for us to discuss as a class and is
helping us to realize how fortunate we are to
have the freedoms that we do in America. In 8th
grade we are reading The Book Thief by Marcus
Zusak, this is a historical fiction piece set in
Nazi Germany and is one of my all time favor-
ites.
Another large area of focus in reading class is
Vocabulary. We complete a word of the day to
help expand our vocabulary develop-
ment. Vocabulary is such an important part of
reading and we will continue to work on not
only understanding word meanings, but also
how words can be broken down to determine
meaning and various other parts of vocabulary
development such as finding synonyms and
antonyms of words. Another important part of
vocabulary is learning and understanding literary
terms. Some literary terms we have discussed so
far this year are: alliteration, personification,
similes, metaphors, and motifs just to name a
few. Keep looking for these things outside of
text and try to point out and recognize figurative
language when you see or hear it. Doing this
will transfer into our reading and further develop
these skills.
I cannot encourage you enough to have your
child read, read, read at home. Finding
something to read for enjoyment is one of the
most difficult things at this level. Encourage
your child to find something they enjoy so
reading is not seen as a punishment. Keep
talking with your child about what they are
reading. Talking about literature with peers and
adults is so important to development as a
reader. Research supports that independent
reading is the single most important thing for
developing readers to do and this is where they
will learn critical thinking skills necessary for
reading success.
Thank you again for the opportunity to work
with your children. If you have any great reads
that would be worth sharing feel free to email
me anytime. I will send out book orders
throughout the year so check them out to see if
you and your child find anything that my spark
their interests.
Business Department / FBLA News
Mrs. Gillen and Mr. Long
Tuesday, November 28, 2017, the Mitchell
High School FBLA will hold their members
and officer installation. The officers are: Kyra
Lewis, President; Adeline Hobbs, Vice
President; Kelynn Ewert, Secretary; Tucker
Hodsden, Treasurer; Miah Buckley, Reporter;
Keyana Wilfred, Historian; and Kailey
Townsend, Parliamentarian. Sixty-six
members will be installed. Many of our
members helped with the Star Herald’s Kidz
Explore at the Mitchell Event Center. A Fall
Fun night for FBLA Members was held on
Tuesday, October 10, 2017. Many members
brought food, played volleyball, and dodge
ball. Some members also earned school
service points by helping at Parent/Teacher
conferences. Several FBLA members will be
attending the Business and Industry Tour in
November in Scottsbluff. This event is
sponsored by the Scottsbluff/Gering Education
Committee of the Scottsbluff/Gering Chamber
of Commerce.
The 7th grade Keyboarding application
students are currently working on a Microsoft
Power point Project based on a Natural
Disaster; this project includes online research
as well as presentation with colors and
pictures. They are also learning all of the
special features associated with the Microsoft
Word program. Many lessons include
formatting documents, inserting pictures, and
typing skills. They will also be introduced to
Microsoft Publisher throughout the year.
The Business Information Technology
Applications I and II classes are currently
working on the more advanced features in
Microsoft Excel; which includes formulas and
functions. They just finished creating business
cards, letterheads, flyers, and brochures in
Microsoft Publisher and their own website for
this business. They are also being introduced
to Coding.
The 11th and 12th grade Accounting students
are learning about journalizing and posting to
General Ledgers. Soon they will be doing the
books for a business using a manual
simulation project. QuickBooks for
Accounting will be introduced after the Winter
break.
Personal Finance classes are studying the
dangers of debt. They have explored credit
card terms and conditions while learning the
hidden costs of using a credit card. The
students have also researched the dangers of
cash advance companies and learned that
borrowing for emergencies only leads to a
cycle of debt. We have also discussed
budgeting and how to keep track of their
spending. The classes have also been
participating in the Stock Market Game with
other students throughout the state of
Nebraska. This is teaching students about the
stock market and how to manage a financial
portfolio.
8th Grade Career Exploration is a year-long
class that will explore the 16 career clusters
that follow the Nebraska Career Education
Model. The purpose of this class is to
introduce students to a vast assortment of
careers. Looking at all the different types of
careers will allow students to make more
informed decisions as they transition to high
school and start picking their elective classes.
We have been researching careers, listening to
guest speakers, and doing virtual tours of com-
panies within the state of Nebraska.
Media Design and Production will explore
careers in the Media and Production fields.
We will also be producing a weekly news
show called “Tiger Vision” that incorporates
many different types of segments from
interviews, announcements, sports, and game
shows. The students in the class have been
learning a lot and having fun while creating
this weekly show. In addition to the news
show we are also live streaming home and
some away events using the Striv TV
platform. Things that we will be streaming
this year are athletic events, concerts, and
graduation. This allows grandparents, parents,
and alumni from near and far to stay
connected with Mitchell Jr/Sr High School
and allow our students to share our story! You
can catch everything that we do on our
channel page at striv.tv/Mitchell. You can also
follow the Tiger Vision twitter account
(@mpstigervision) or Instagram account
(@mpstigervision) for schedules, updates, and
photos.
Page 16 MPS — High School News
Growth is the key word in the Jr./Sr. High Math
department this year. We have a record number of
students taking the dual-credit College Algebra class this
year. Our 8th grade Algebra I class is bursting at the
seams as well. We are adding more 3-D printing projects
to courses as we have become more familiar with the
technology.
With all the growth and positive development, we
look forward to even better scores this year as we double
down on our ACT preparation efforts. We feel more
comfortable with the new state standards and expect
better results this year. We are truly excited about the
state of our program and look to continue to make it
better.
Math Department
Mr. Hamer, Mr. Harriger, Mr. Chrisman
MATHCOUNTS is bigger and better as they prepare for a run at qualifying for state.
The Chess Club is filling the library and then some.
Industrial Technology Mr. Dobry
My first year at Mitchell High School has gotten off to a great start. The students have been working hard on their
projects and we have all taken time to get to know one another. The Advanced Woods students have began their first
projects. The Beginning Woods students are finishing up their first projects, which were corn hole boards. Architecture
students are constructing model houses, while AutoCAD students are learning how to draw on the computers and do 3-D
modeling. The Junior High exploratory class has begun by building Co2 cars. If you have any questions feel free to call
the school or e-mail my school account.
Fine Arts
Night
Monday, May 7th,
6:30
Jr/Sr High
Spring Concert
April 16th, 2018
7:00
Page 17
News From JH/HS Special Education Department Mrs. Sue Marsh
The Mitchell High School Special
Education department has geared up
for another productive year. This
department helps students verified
with a disability to be successful
members of the Mitchell school
system and also to become productive
members of any community. The
special education department is
headed by Sue Marsh, with the
invaluable help of the paras, Mrs.
Welsch, Mrs. Yauney, Ms.
Blackstone, and Mrs. Knepper
The paras work with the students in
the general education classes as well
as in the resource room. They work
hard to develop positive working
relationships with all students.
Some of the classes taught in the
resource room include Individualized
Math, English and Reading classes,
Vocation, Transition and Applied
Studies classes. When a student has a
need we work hard to meet that
educational need to ensure success for
all students.
The special education students
continue to do great things for our
school. The Vocation class continues
the tradition of taking on the
responsibility of ordering, taking
inventory of the stock and helping
with general maintenance of the
concessions stand. This is a big
responsibility, but the skills being
taught far outweigh the extra work.
This type of hands-on learning cannot
be duplicated in a traditional
classroom and we appreciate the
opportunity to be able to help out our
school at the same time we are
learning valuable skills.
This class is also responsible for
the Special Treats business that was
started back in 2008. The class is
responsible for taking orders, baking,
package, and selling cookies . On
occasions they even make deliveries.
The students order the dough, figure
profit/loss, and balance the books that
go along with running their business.
Vocation students are also given
the opportunity to research jobs,
colleges, and careers that may interest
them in their futures. Planning is an
important step in preparing the student
for adulthood and we work hard to
help them in this process. Students
fill out interest inventories, take
formal and informal assessments that
aid in the planning of their futures and
then use those assessments to help
determine areas of interest and need.
We also attend conferences that
expose them to activities focusing on
careers, colleges, and their future. So
if you see us out and about in the
community, please know that we are
working hard to give all students the
opportunity to become lifelong
learners and respectful responsible
citizens.
SPECIAL
TREATS
Call
623-2235
to order your
cookies or
cookie
bouquets
today! We are
happy to help
with class
parties or
special
occasions.
Delivery
available upon
request.
MPS — High School News
Foreign Language News
Seῆora Rada
School Calendars
Lunch Menus
Activities Schedules
Staff Information
Class Information
Infinite Campus Access (Student grades/Attendance)
Board of Education Minutes
Check it out! Mitchell Public Schools’ Website
http://www.mpstigers.com/
Bienvenidos, BonJour, Guten Tag,
Ciao, Namaste, Salaam! Welcome to
Spanish class! We are learning a variety
of vocabulary and focusing on communi-
cating a lot more this year and embracing
culture and our differences!
This school year is filled with many
different topics, a variety of learning
resources and good old communicating.
Examples are new vocabulary, comparing
different cultures, recordings with partners,
and communicating in Spanish. Students
have begun to study grammar and form
sentences or work on their sentence
structure. Throughout the year students
will build on their vocabulary,
communicating skills, sentence structure,
and cultural projects. All Spanish classes
are learning about how and why we
celebrate “Day of the Dead,” “Dia De Los
Muertos.” Our classes will be doing
various projects to celebrate this special
day and take away a different appreciation
for this celebration. Students will also be
learning about different countries and
cultures.
Another exciting piece of news for
Spanish students is that we took our first
trip out of the country to Belize. It was a
trip of a lifetime! The 13 students that
went to Belize found themselves falling in
love with the experience of travel. This
year our group has grown. We have 16
students signed up to go to Costa Rica the
end of May. We also have five adults
traveling with us this year. Extremely
excited about all the great things
happening in the Spanish world!
PLEASE HELP !!!
Page 18
BOX TOPS for Education Campbell UPC Codes Hand held games (with battery & charger)
Land o Lakes Milk tops Old Cell Phones Gold, Silver & Platinum items
Ink Jet cartridges Laser Cartridges IPods and other mp3 players—GPS devices
Digital cameras Creative Zen Laptop/Notebook Computers
Microsoft Zune Radar Detectors E-Book readers
Tyson A+ Package Tops
YOUR SUPPORT CONTINUES TO HELP OUR STUDENTS ENJOY MORE BENEFITS IN THIS STRUGGLING ECONOMIC TIME…
Thank you for helping our
students.
MPS — Elementary News
Elementary Office News Mrs. Reuter & Ms. Bradley
Please utilize the phone system when calling to let us know your child is absent. The office personnel check the phone messages
upon arrival each morning. For best results, please leave attendance messages on Mrs. Reuter’s phone if no one answers. After
dialing, her extension is number ‘1’ on your phone.
When calling before or after school hours, other extensions are listed below. If calling during regular school hours, please ask Mrs.
Reuter or Ms. Bradley to transfer you to the appropriate person, or they would be happy to take a message for you.
Thank You!
The Elementary Phone Number is 308-623-2828.
After Hours…
Mr. Kuxhausen — Principal Messages — Dial 0
Mrs. Reuter — Attendance or Office Messages — Dial 1
Ms. Bradley — School or Office Messages — Dial 6
Mrs. Thomas — School Nurse/Medical Issues — Dial 4
The School Cafeteria has a direct line. For messages regarding lunch money or other cafeteria issues, please dial 308-623-1945.
Page 19
1st Grade News Mrs. Osmera, Mrs. King, Ms. Hoffmann
2nd Grade News Mrs. Cheek, Mrs. Hughes, Mrs. Hessler
Second grade is off to a great
and busy start! In reading, we are
working on developing fluent
readers. We are currently in
Theme 3 of Communities and
Neighborhoods.
In math, we have been working
with money, time and addition
facts.
Science has been very eventful
with our hands on activities, and
even a field trip to the Wildcat
Hills Nature Center. We are
learning all about plants and
animals and their interactions
with one another.
In social studies, we just
wrapped up our unit on "Our
World" and learning about map
skills and the history of Mitchell.
Our second graders are also half
way through learning all 50 states
and capitals!
Language time has been filled
with developing complete
sentences, identifying subjects and
predicates and proper punctuation.
We have also been focusing on
building creative and strong writers
in all subject areas.
3rd Grade News Ms. Cardona, Mrs. Engstrom, Mr. Gregory
We have had a busy year so
far in Mrs. Engstrom’s, Ms.
Cardona's and Mr. Gregory's
Third Grade Classes. We have
classrooms with 47 unique
students. We are learning
responsibility each day by
turning in homework on time
and by reading Accelerated
Reader books.
We are switching classrooms
to work on keyboarding, Social
Studies, and Fast Math skills.
In Social Studies, we have
been studying different cultures
and traditions of Mexico and the
Caribbean.
In Language ,we have been
using our Chrome books to
research spiders and write
reports on them. We have been
working on grammar, and
writing skills. We have also
been working on writing good
paragraphs.
We also visited Fort Laramie
and the Pumpkin patch for a fun
day of learning.
Tentative Elementary
Track Meet Date
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Kindergarten Field Day
Tentatively
Friday, May 4, 2018
MPS — Elementary News
Kindergarten News Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Bellairs, and Mrs. Gompert
We also began the year studying
about ourselves, friendships and the
community. Next, we studied
apples, pumpkins, and the season
fall. Now, we are busily preparing
for Thanksgiving and our
Thanksgiving feast! Thank you for
all your parent support in
kindergarten. We work hard at
learning and are excited to share our
skills with you.
We are off to a great start in
kindergarten. In reading, we began
the year learning and reviewing our
letter and letter sounds. We
practiced rhyming words and we
recited nursery rhymes. We have
quickly moved on to blending
sounds together and working with
word families. We have a long list
of sight words that we practice each
day that helps us become fluent
readers.
In math we began the year
learning and reviewing our numbers
and counting. We are looking
forward to a pizza party if we all can
count to 100 by the end of the year!
We are now writing number
sentences, placing items on a graph,
and identifying more and less.
First grade is full of Superheroes this year!
For many of our first graders, there are many
new, exciting things for them: desks, home-
work, spelling tests, Accelerated Reader! De-
spite all of these "firsts", they are all acclimat-
ing well.
Our students are reading at various levels.
We help the students best by leveling our
classes and tailoring our instruction to fit their
needs. Even though the content may be
different, each of us is assisting students build
and solidify their reading foundation. We do
this through blending sounds to make words,
reading connected text, explore vocabulary
words, and various comprehension strategies.
The first graders are becoming quite the
mathematicians! They are digging deep into the
number world. The students have been learning
about number placement, what numbers come
before and after, and learning rules to adding
and subtracting. Also, the students have been
busy counting dimes and pennies and telling
time.
Our science program has introduced how to
conduct investigations, types of engineers,
process design, natural vs. man-made materials,
and some technology. The students enjoy using
an internet-based program to learn these
concepts.
Continue to read with your child every day,
practice math facts, discover patterns around
you, and encourage your children to ask why to
promote learning and discovery! Thank you for
all of your support!
4th Grade News Ms. Clarke and Mrs. Kearns
Our year started off with a trip back in time visiting
Flowerfield School in Harrisburg, Nebraska. Students and
teachers experienced a school day back in 1888. Students
dressed in pioneer clothing, brought lunches appropriate for the
time, and participated in everyday school activities. 4th grade
also attended activities at the Farm and Ranch Museum and
Farm Safety Day at the Scottsbluff County Fairgrounds.
Fastt Math is a program that all 4th graders are participating
in. This computer based program targets multiplication and
division fact practice. Students are working towards mastery of
these facts. We are beginning to learn all about Nebraska
history, developing our writing skills, continuing to work on
reading comprehension, A.R., and novel reading. We are
looking forward to experiencing all that 4th grade has to offer.
Page 20
5th and 6th Grade News Mrs. Keener, Mrs. Schaffer, Mrs. Wadhams, Mrs. Bohl, Miss Luikens
There are 92 fifth and sixth graders this year
in the Mitchell Elementary. The core subjects
are departmentalized with the following
teachers: Jenny Bohl- Language Arts and fifth
grade homeroom, Kris Keener-Science and fifth
grade homeroom, Kaitlin Luikens- Math and
sixth grade homeroom, Jami Schaffer-Social
Studies and fifth grade homeroom, Valerie
Wadhams-Reading/Spelling and sixth grade
homeroom.
This fall the students were able to take a
variety of field trips. The sixth graders visited
the Museum of Fur Trade and the Planetarium
at Chadron State College. The students learned
about the importance of the fur trade in western
Nebraska and the constellations in the night
sky. The fifth graders learned all about our
water resources at the “Project Wet” field day
held at the YMCA camp, and visited Agate
Fossil Beds.
Red Ribbon Week was a huge success. We
participated in the Red Ribbon Olympics and
the Red Ribbon Parade. We are “Proud to be
Drug Free!”
We were fortunate enough to have Katie
O’Boyle from Chadron State College as a
student teacher the second quarter.
5th and 6th Grade Science The 5th graders have been learning about the
Scientific Method and Problem Solving using
science. This was very popular due to the
number of hands on experiments they got to
experience. They are now working on learning
Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion and all about
gravitation, magnetism and friction.
The 6th grade also started out with a review
of Scientific Method and moved on to
Technology and Engineering. They also
enjoyed a number of challenging hands on
experiments and designs. We are now studying
the human body and will be going through all
eight systems.
5th and 6th Grade Social Studies The 5th graders have been very busy! So far
this year we have learned about ancient cultures
such as the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, and Inca and
early Native American groups. We have also
learned about European explorers and the
impact they had on the Native Americans. The
5th graders are now studying the colonization of
America.
The 6th grade started out learning about
Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion.
We have just concluded a unit about events that
led up to the Civil War. Currently, 6th grade is
learning about the Civil War, important people,
major battles, and different perspectives of the
war.
5th and 6th Grade Math We have had a great start to the new school
year! 5th grade has been busy solving word
problems, distinguishing between parallel and
intersecting lines, identifying the different
classifications of angles, identifying fractions,
listing factors of whole numbers, adding/
subtracting, multiplying/dividing whole
numbers and decimals, adding fractions, finding
averages, and solving for elapsed time in
years.
The 6th graders have worked on reducing
fractions and percents, finding area and
perimeters, identifying standard notation and
expanded notation, solving fractional parts of
whole groups in word problems, identifying
measurements, adding/subtracting/multiplying/
dividing whole numbers, fractions, mixed
numbers, and decimals. They have also been
measuring and drawing angles, identifying
place value of decimal numbers, and working
with elapsed time in hours and minutes.
5th and 6th Grade Reading The core reading classes study skills in
vocabulary, structural analysis, and
comprehension. Some of the topics include
identifying and interpreting the meaning of
literary devices. We study root words, base
words, and affixes to determine meanings of
multisyllabic words. We have vocabulary word
lists to acquire new academic and content
specific grade-level vocabulary and apply them
in new ways. In comprehension, we study
fiction and nonfiction. We concentrate on
determining what is important; making
connections to the text; visualizing;
questioning; predicting; inferring; and
synthesizing information to form new
ideas. We do a poetry unit and learn about the
elements of poems, how to read poems out
loud, and different forms of poetry.
Students also participate in novel reading
groups. They are in groups of 6-8 and read and
discuss novels. Holes, Indian in the Cupboard,
The One and Only Ivan, Maniac Magee,
Earthquake Terror, Hatchet, Moon Over
Manifest, Tale of Despereaux, and Bud Not
Buddy are just a few of the great novels the
students have read.
5th and 6th Grade Language The 5th graders started the year off by
dissecting sentences and finding the eight parts
of speech in sentences. They have learned about
simple and complete subjects as well as simple
and complete predicates. The fifth graders are
now reviewing the 6th traits of writing and we
will be writing many different types of papers
(creative, descriptive, narrative, expository and
persuasive).
The 6th graders started out the year
dissecting sentences and reviewing the eight
parts of speech. The students have had to learn
about, and memorize helping verbs, subjects,
and verbs in the sentences. We reviewed the 6
traits of writing and have done some writing.
They wrote a spooky story for Halloween.
They are currently working on interview
skills. We will write many different types of
papers in 6th grade (creative, descriptive,
narrative, expository and persuasive).
MPS — Elementary News
Page 21
Physical Education News Mr. Broussard
NO SCHOOL
November 22-24
December 22-31
January 1-3
February 16
February 19
March 9
March 30-April 2
April 26-27
Last Day of School..
May 17
Elementary Music Mrs. Long
Title I Reading
Mrs. Dobry
Title I Reading is a program that
allows our district to aid students in
need of additional instruction. As an
all Title school, we offer our support
to all children. Based on testing and
evaluations, we place and implement
several interventions to assist our
at-risk students. These programs are
designed to give instruction in one or
more of the 5 key areas that have been
identified by the National Reading
Panel as key components of
successful reading programs:
phonemic awareness, phonics,
comprehension, fluency and
vocabulary. We also assist with math
instruction in the classroom, as well
as individual help in small groups.
Experienced members of the Title I
staff returning to the department this
year are Stacey Kahl, Mindy
Fillingham, and Jeanie Young. Wel-
comed additions to our department are
Nancy Schmidt, Christina Hays, and
Jordan Houser. We are fortunate to
have such dedicated and caring
individuals that are eager to help all
needs. Dedication to the success of
students of Mitchell Elementary is our
focus in the Title I program.
Dedication to the success of students of
Mitchell Elementary is our focus in the
Title I program.
What Really Happens in a Music Classroom???
Believe it or not there is much more going on in a music classroom than just
music. Yes, we sing and play instruments, but through those activities there
is much more happening. Music involves using many different brain
functions including: motor control, imagination, hearing, sight, and memory.
Music inspires and evokes emotions in a healthy way. It teaches how to
create, evaluate, analyze, understand and remember. Music involves math,
science, history and foreign language. There is much more that goes on in a
music classroom besides music.
MPS — Elementary News
1, 2, 3 & 4
Here at Mitchell Elementary we
find physical education as a very
important subject. This class is
designed to help the kids live an active
and healthy lifestyle. The goal for
Mitchell Elementary physical
education class is to introduce the kids
to a wide variety of different sports or
activities. Our expectations of the
students isn't to have them master all
the skills in a couple sports/activities,
it is to have the students feel
competent in several. If kids learn the
basic skills and rules to games and
feel comfortable playing them, they
are more likely to continue to
participate in those activities outside
of school and for the rest of their lives
and become lifelong movers.
While these kids engage in the
different types of games or activities
we also want to teach them about good
sportsmanship and how to compete the
proper way. They know that it is okay
to be competitive but they have to
understand how to act when they win
and understand how to act when they
lose. As it says in our mission
statement “Mitchell Public Schools, in
partnership with the community, will
empower students to become lifelong
learners and respectful, responsible
citizens.” This mission statement goes
hand in hand with our physical
education class here at Mitchell.
This year we have been focusing a
little more on fitness and fitness
concepts. We learn proper
terminology for the workouts they
have been performing. We also talk
about the different muscle groups that
are being activated during specific
exercises. We feel it is very beneficial
to teach the kids the proper way to
workout. We hope to teach them that
working out and exercising isn’t a
punishment it is actually a reward for
their health and bodies. We want
fitness to be fun for them.
Our physical education program
has been working on making P.E.
class a fun and educational
environment. Thanks to the P.E.T. and
our school we have installed a
projector that we use to watch and
learn correct skill cues for specific
skills, to watch how to properly play a
game, and to interactively take quizzes
using "plicker cards". We hope to
continue to find different ways to
utilize technology in a positive way
for the years to come. We also want to
keep working on doing new things for
the kids and we wouldn't be able to
without the support of the parents and
the help from the P.E.T., so I would
like to thank everyone personally for
your support.
This year has been great so far and
great participation by the students.
Your son or daughter would love to
share what they have learned in
physical education class so far, so
when you get a chance just ask them.
We would like to thank the parents for
helping us keep our gym floor in good
shape by supplying their kids with
gym shoes!
The Mitchell Elementary Special Education
staff and students are continuing their work on
students' individual learning goals. At this
time, the Mitchell Elementary Special
Education staff consists of Special Services
Director Jennifer Splichal and two classroom
teachers, Kristin Pankonin and Kylie Soule,
along with eight paraprofessionals: Jaci
Barnes, Christi Hays, Vanessa Hernandez,
Laura Hubbard, Felecia Ivey, Vicki Keener,
Lindsey Middledorf and Laurie Weimer.
Mitchell Elementary service providers are
Michelle Weimer – Physical Therapist, Jamie
Selzer – Occupational Therapist and Jean
Wegelin – Speech Language Pathologist.
Elementary Talent
Show (Held in the Elementary Gym)
May 3rd — 1:30pm
Page 22
“TODAY I will do what others won’t,
so TOMORROW I can do what others can’t.”
Counseling News Mr. Edens
Tiger Cub Preschool News
Mrs. Jacobs
MPS — Elementary News
We have been off to a busy start in
Pre-K this year! We are working our
way through the alphabet learning to
recognize a new letter and sound each
week. In addition to letters, we have
been working on recognizing our
numbers, shapes, and colors. We have
been identifying rhyming words,
counting, and learning to write our
names. We are practicing our social
skills with Second Step curriculum,
learning to take turns, share, and work
with our friends. We have invited
guests into our classroom and are
preparing to take field trips to
businesses in Mitchell. Our special
helpers include Mrs. Ramirez and
Mrs. Fegler.
Elementary Special Education Mrs. Soule and Mrs. Pankonin
We have many new students in our building this year.
This results in more students desiring to get attention
from staff. This also has resulted in the need for more
patience by staff and students in hallways, the cafeteria
and in the classrooms. The good news is that it means the
word is out on the success of our district. One of the
things that has made our school so successful and unique
is the support and efforts by students, staff and parents
collectively.
As parents, you can continue to be blessed with
student success by making students expectations realistic.
By this statement I suggest 3 simple goals for your child
each day: 1. Be honest ( tell the truth). 2. Work hard at
everything you do. 3. Be kind to others. If our kids will
do these 3 things consistently, then they should have a
nucleus for a successful day and year.
In counseling classes this year, we will continue to
stress the need to follow rules set up for the safety and
success for our students. We will also strive to instill
ideas regarding character traits to our students. Emphasis
will be placed on the education of knowing the harm of
illegal drugs and harmful products. Units of study will be
given for healthy choices along with hygiene essential
practices. We will also continue to educate the students
about the dangers of bullying and the actual components
of what a bully is comprised of. Along with this unit we
will study the dangers and legalities of the social media
and the cyber bullying potential of this medium.
Besides group sessions, the counseling department
will meet with individual students upon staff or parent
request.
Thank you for your support for our school. With your
positive support we can continue to provide an excellent
learning environment for all of our children.
For the kids, and the future,
Mr. Edens
mpstigers.com
MITCHELL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1819 19TH AVENUE
MITCHELL NE 69357
NON PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE PD
69357
PERMIT #220
Mitchell Public Schools
in partnership
with the community
will empower students
to become lifelong learners
and respectful,
responsible citizens
