Southwest Schools

From the Superintendent From the Superintendent From the Superintendent From the Superintendent –––– Clayton WaddleClayton WaddleClayton WaddleClayton Waddle

November 2012

S.W.E.A.T. 3

Board Minutes 4

Life Skills 6

Counselor’s Corner 7

Band News 8

Jr. High Football 9

National Honors Society

9

Inside this issue: ‘Rider News

Special points of inter-est:

• Nov. 4 - Daylight Saving

Time Ends - Turn your clocks

back 1 hour.

• Nov. 5 - HS Dessert Theater

in Bartley @ 7:00 PM

• Nov. 9 - NO SCHOOL FALL

BREAK

• Nov. 12 - Veteran’s Day

Program in Bartley @ 9:00

AM

• Nov. 21 - 2:00 PM Dismissal

• Nov. 22 & 23 - NO SCHOOL

TOWN HALL MEETING – A meeting has been scheduled for November 12,

2012 at the Jr./Sr. High School in Bartley starting at 7:30 pm. The purpose of

the meeting will be to gather input from the public on the short and long term

goals of the district and to provide information on the upcoming school im-

provement visit. A copy of the presentation will be available soon on the web-

site. Please plan on attending this important and valuable meeting!

WEATHER CANCELLATIONS - Soon it will turn cold and the question will

arise regarding school postponement or cancellation due to inclement weather.

My decision focuses on whether or not students can safely be transported to

school across the entire district. If we have school and a parent believes that it

is unsafe to travel, that parent is free to (and encouraged to) make their own

decision.

Southwest will be using our mass communication system called Blackboard

Connect to let everyone know if the school day will be changing. We will also

be using a service called Weatherthreat.com which informs local radio and

television stations in our region when a change in the regular school day occurs.

Please plan to use multiple sources on bad weather days as technical difficulties

can happen. A note will be sent home to double check the contact information

we have on file in the next couple weeks.

ENROLLMENT – From the charts on the next page, you can see that the

enrollment numbers for the 2012-2013 school year in comparison with previous

years. Southwest’s enrollment is down by 19 students from last year for grades

PK-12. The main reason for the decrease is the small kindergarten class this

year and a large graduating class last year. The enrollment has gone up and

down throughout the years, and has ranged from a low of 305 in 2012 to a high

of 362 in 2005.

Continued

Page 2 ‘Rider News

Veteran’s Day Program at Southwest High School in Bartley

Monday November 12th

9:00 AM

Everyone is welcome to attend!!

S.W.E.A.T. - Mr. Kennedy

Elementary News - Mrs. Rasmussen

Page 3

November is a month to be thankful. Here in the United States we have a lot to be thankful for, and at the top of that list is our freedom. The elementary students will again honor the men and women who have kept us free. Please join us in Bartley, at the Jr/Sr High to celebrate Veteran’s Day on Monday, November 12th at 9:00 am.

Students have been enjoying our new laptop computer lab. Teachers have students set the computers right on their desks and visit many sites where students can sharpen their skills. They are using them to practice letter sounds, math facts, and grammar skills, just to name a few.

A mobile iPad cart with 20 iPads will be arriving next at school. The teachers received an iPad at the end of October to get a head start on finding apps that will support their students’ learning. The student lab will be available by the end of the month. This is the way students are learning outside of school, and we need to bring that technology into the school too.

The elementary teachers are in the process of selecting new science materials. We are in need of updated ma-terials that will better align to the Nebraska State Standards and provide more hands-on and technology op-portunities. Three programs that the teachers are reviewing are: FOSS by Delta Education / School Specialty Science, Science Fusion by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publisher and Science a Closer Look by McGraw-Hill. Anyone who is interested in the selection of science materials is welcome to be a part of the process.

This month we have two scheduled times off. The first day is November 9th for Fall Break. The daycare will be

closed also that day. Next we have a 2:00 pm dismissal on November 21st. The daycare will be opened until 6:00

pm that day. School and daycare will be closed on November 22nd and 23rd for Thanksgiving

Beginning November 1st, the kindergarten through sixth grade students at Southwest will be given the

opportunity to participate in the SWEAT program. For those of you who aren’t familiar with SWEAT it is an

acronym for South West Exercising All Together. We had great success with this program a few years ago so

we are bringing it back as part of a wellness grant through Tri Valley Health System. Every morning before

school and noon recess students will be allowed to walk around the outside of the school building to accumulate

miles. It will take seven laps around the school to equal one mile. Our goal as a school is to walk from San Fran-

cisco to New York City, which is 2,906 miles. Mileage goals for the school year have been set for each grade

level and those students reaching the goals will be rewarded with a SWEAT tee shirt. The mileage goals are as

follows: 6th-60 miles, 5th-50 miles, 4th-40 miles, 3rd-30 miles, 2nd-20 miles, K and 1st-10 miles. Students will

work in art class on the design for this year’s SWEAT tee shirt, which will be voted on by grades K-6. The tee

shirts will also be made available to the public for purchase.

Just as a reminder to parents who drop off children in the morning, please do not use the bus drive through as

there will be students walking around the building in the morning. You are more than welcome to use the park-

ing lot as a drop off area.

HAPPY THANKS GIVING

Page 4 ‘Rider News

Board of Education Meeting

Southwest Public Schools

District 179

October 8, 2012

Vice-President Crinda McConville called the regular meeting of the Southwest Public Schools Board of Educa-tion to order at 7:32 p.m. on October 8, 2012 at the Southwest Elementary School in Indianola.

Present: Tom Sughroue, Kevin Potthoff, Crinda McConville, Steve McConville, Steve Daffer, Principals Carrie Rasmussen and Matt Springer, Superintendent Clayton Waddle, and Patricia Smith.

Absent: Duane Teter.

Visitors: Mary Marsh, Cody Gerlach, Rebecca Brittenham, Chris Watt, Kim Barnett, Don Ellicott, Mary Foster, Cassa McConville, Brooke Ruggles, and Ondrea McConville.

Vice-President McConville observed Open Meeting Law requirements.

Moved by Sughroue, seconded by S. McConville, to excuse absent Board Member Duane Teter. Ayes: Potthoff, Sughroue, C. McConville, S. McConville, and Daffer. Nays: None. Absent: Teter. Motion carried.

Moved by S. McConville, seconded by Daffer, to approve the board meeting agenda as presented. Ayes: Daffer, Sughroue, Potthoff, C. McConville, and S. McConville. Nays: None. Absent: Teter. Motion carried.

Notice of the meeting was given in advance by the board approved method of meeting notice. Notice of the meeting was given in advance to the president of the board and all members prior to the meeting date.

Cassa McConville and Brooke Ruggles reported on recent Student Council activities which consisted of Home-coming Week and the RPAC Student Council workshop.

Rebecca Brittenham, instrumental instructor, reported on the band’s activities this school year with a Power-Point presentation. The band participated in the Heritage Days and the Harvest of Harmony Parades. Ten students participated in a service project at Heritage Days with children’s activities provided to introduce them to musical instruments.

Chris Watt, Grade 7-12 guidance counselor, reported on students’ achievements. Kate Kelly is one of 48 stu-dents to be recognized as a Nebraska School Activities Association Believers and Achievers. The John Baylor Test Prep online classes are being used to improve ACT test scores. Southwest seniors will receive eight of twenty RPAC Academic Awards with ACT scores of 24 and above. Mr. Watt encourages students to apply for scholarships at two and four-year colleges.

The Board was informed of fourth grade students’ recycling project of over 250 pounds of paper, the high school ag students’ participation in a land judging competition, RPAC cross country meet results, and Haley Te-ter’s qualification for the state girls’ golf meet.

Moved by Daffer, seconded by Potthoff, to approve the September 10, 2012 board meeting minutes as pre-sented. Ayes: Sughroue, Potthoff, C. McConville, Daffer, and S. McConville. Nays: None. Absent: Teter. Motion carried.

Moved by Potthoff, seconded by Sughroue, to approve the claims as presented. Ayes: C. McConville, Sughroue, S. McConville, Daffer, and Potthoff. Nays: None. Absent: Teter. Motion carried.

makes a good Thanksgiving, but how can he convince his older brother? Meanwhile, the turkey, with the help of his animal friends, is doing his hilarious best to escape from becoming the

Two pilgrim brothers set out to find a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. The big pilgrim is ready and raring to get one, but the little pilgrim is not so sure. He has other ideas about what

main course!

You will have to read the book to find out how this story ends.

Book Of The Month - Mrs. Young

Page 5

The treasurer’s report was presented to the Board.

Matt Springer discussed the need for replacing the 1977 coach bus with the purchase of a used coach bus and the costs with the board. The board approved travel to Minnesota for Mr. Springer and a mechanic to shop for a used coach bus.

Moved by Sughroue, seconded by Daffer, to declare as surplus a list of items as presented and added band in-struments and stands, two 15-passenger vans and the 1923 building for the October 21, 2012 auction at 1:00 p.m.. Ayes: Sughroue, S. McConville, C. McConville, Potthoff, and Daffer. Nays: None. Absent: Teter. Motion carried.

Moved by S. McConville, seconded by Potthoff, to approve Board Policy 6035 – Pledge of Allegiance as present-ed. Ayes: S. McConville, Sughroue, C. McConville, Potthoff, and Daffer. Nays: None. Absent: Teter. Motion carried.

Moved by S. McConville, seconded by Sughroue, to approve the enrollment option application for the child of Stephanie and Oscar Esperanza. Ayes: Daffer, Potthoff, S. McConville, C. McConville, and Sughroue. Nays: None. Absent: Teter. Motion carried.

Moved by Sughroue, seconded by Daffer, to approve the enrollment option application for the child of Tammy Washa. Ayes: C. McConville, Sughroue, S. McConville, Potthoff, and Daffer. Nays: None. Absent: Teter. Mo-tion carried.

Superintendent Waddle discussed the ESU 15 inservice held on October 1 at the junior-senior high school, the auction of surplus property by Young’s Auction Service on Sunday, October 21, at the 1923 building at 103 W. Nebraska St. in Bartley, updated the board on the 1923 building demolition project and preliminary work of relo-cation of utilities, and reported the approval and signing of the architect’s contract .

Principal Springer reported on the upcoming FFA participation at the National Convention in Indianapolis, Indi-ana, an update on the status of trees west of the junior-senior high building, hosting of the District C2 One Act Play Production on November 27, completion of the MAPS testing, P-T Conferences attendance, the anti-bullying presentation, and the approaching district and state fall sports season contests.

Principal Rasmussen thanked donors for donations to the elementary backpack program, Parent-Teacher Confer-ence attendance of 95%, ESU 15 teacher inservice, and upcoming October events.

Moved by Sughroue, seconded by Daffer, to enter into closed session to discuss possible litigation for the pro-tection of public interest at 9:00 p.m. Vice-President McConville repeated the motion, and the board voted as follows: Ayes: Sughroue, Daffer, C. McConville, and Potthoff. Nays: None. Absent: Teter. Motion carried.

Vice-President McConville reconvened open session at 9:46 p.m.

Moved by Daffer, seconded by Potthoff, to adjourn the meeting at 9:47 p.m. Ayes: Daffer, C. McConville, Sughroue, S. McConville, and Potthoff. Nays: None. Absent: Teter. Motion carried.

The Life Skills Building has been a

busy place this year. Not only are

classes being held here, we also

have visits from speech, occupa-

tional, and physical therapy.

Seventh and eighth grade career

classes have taken a career inven-

tory. Many of the students were

very surprised to learn the career

they were best suited for. They

are currently working on The

Zones of Regulation. This curricu-

lum deals with self-regulation and

emotional control. Students are

working on their ability to adjust

their level of alertness and how

they display their emotions

through their behavior to attain

goals in socially adaptive ways.

Self-regulation is the ability to do

what needs to be done to behave

appropriately in a given situation.

Being able to remain calm and orga-

nized to successfully negotiate a

positive or negative event is our

goal. We will end the semester

discussing career clusters and type

of education needed for that clus-

ter.

We also have Reading Mastery,

math, and social studies classes in

our building. We aren’t finding as

much time to cook this semester.

Hopefully, we can whip up some

good dishes next semester.

The students take great pride in

cleaning our building. From ceiling

fans to windows and dishes, they

do it all.

Please stop in and get the grand

tour of our building. We love visi-

tors.

Life Skills News - Mrs. Wyatt

Page 6 ‘Rider News

Mini-Cheer Camp - Ms Shirkey

The Southwest cheerleaders held a mini-cheer camp Friday, October 12 for 63 girls pre-school through 8th grade. The girls learned cheers, made posters, learned a dance to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper, and had a pizza party for supper. The cheer camp participants performed at half-time of the boys’ varsity football game against Arapahoe. A huge thank you goes to the cheerleaders for their hard work with camp. Cheerleaders for the 2012-2013 year are Megan Helberg, Arianna Gutierrez, and Mackayla Wright. Thank you to the following businesses that helped sponsor the camp: Adams Bank & Trust, Ag Valley Co-op, Brooks Construction, Haag Insur-ance, Lord’s Hardware, McConville Agency, Rocket Inn, Schaffert Mfg Co, State Bank of Bartley, and Tri-Valley Health System. Thank you also to Natalie Meyers, Donna Roggenkamp, and Kim Barnett for their help with camp. The camp participants received a t-shirt and pom-poms for participating in mini cheer camp.

Counselor’s Corner - Mr. Watt

Page 7

SENIORS

• Reminder that Senior students get two days their Senior year to go and visit colleges and the military etc. These days do count

against your ten absence days a semester.

• �e had Southeast �ommunity �ollege� �niversity o� �ebras a at !earney� "as#ngs �ollege� $oane �ollege and �hadron State

�ollege visit our school in October. Loo �or Fort "ays State �niversity on �ednesday �ovember 28th

at 2:50 P.M. and Mc�oo

�ommunity �ollege coming up �or sure this month.

• �ovember 2nd

is the regular deadline �or the $ecember 8th

A�T test. Seniors this is the last A�T test that will count �or scholar-

ships. Please remember to upload your photo as this is a new requirement that started �or the October 27th

test.

• The �OL. $elbert L. Townsend Scholarship applica#ons are now available. Every Southwest Senior has been personally deliv-

ered an applica#on. A Mc�oo "igh School or Southwest "igh School Senior will get this scholarship! This scholarship is �or

the �ollowing speci5c schools: ��L� ��O� ��! or ��TA 6�ur#s7. Applica#ons are due March 8� 2089 and more in�orma#on is

available �rom :im "amill or Peggy ;een at Mc�oo �a#onal ;an . Phone number is 69087 945-4240.

• Than you �or all o� the Seniors hard wor in ge=ng their school applica#ons completed by October 85th

. �e are now wor ing

on college speci5c scholarships through �ovember 85th

.

• Seniors are as ed to con#nue wor ing on their resumes. This requires going bac and remembering all o� the school ac#vi#es�

wor experiences� and volunteer experiences they have to compile the pro�essional resume. Students have created wonder�ul

examples and will be able to use them come local scholarship season beginning in :anuary.

:��IORS

• The PSAT/�MSQT test was administered on �ednesday October 87th

during the morning. I would personally li e to than

both the students and their parents �or the outstanding job they did ta ing that test. These students wor ed extremely hard

on this test. I am proud o� their effort.

• $eadline �or the $ecember 8th

A�T test is �ovember 8th

. Please visit www.actstudent.org �or more in�orma#on and pay spe-

cial aDen#on to the new photo requirement.

• ;eginning in :anuary in Mr. Loshbaugh’s English 88 course students will beginning the 82 session :ohn ;aylor A�T test prep

program. This program is designed �or school-wide A�T score improvement. This will lead up to the February 9th

A�T test

which we hope all :unior students will consider ta ing. $eadline �or the February 9th

A�T test is Friday :anuary 88th

.

• All college bound :uniors should consider ta ing the A�T test twice during the spring o� their :unior year and twice during the

�all o� their Senior year.

SOP"OMORES

• Too the ASVA; career exploratory test on �ednesday September 89th

and had these results interpreted to them on Tuesday

October 29rd

by Sargent Russell.

• Too a 8-hour PLA� try out test on Tuesday September 88th

.

• �ill ta e the �ull PLA� test on Tuesday �ovember 89th

in the morning in Mrs. �lar ’s room. This is a pre-A�T test with a �ull

interest inventory designed to give the student more ideas about what careers they might be interested in and might good at.

8th

Graders

• �ill be ta ing the EXPLORE test on �ednesday �ovember 84th

in the morning. This is a pre-A�T test with an interest inventory

component designed to demonstrate to the student the importance o� their high school courses and what they need to do to

get the career they want.

On Saturday, September 29th the

Southwest High School band mem-

bers not only participated in the

Heritage Days Festival parade in

McCook in the morning, but also

volunteered their time in the af-

ternoon. The McCook Chamber of

Commerce was in need of activity

booths for kids at Norris Park so

members of the band answered

this call by organizing a music

booth complete with musical games

and prizes. Students were in

charge of five stations including:

the “Tambourine Toss” (where

drumsticks were staked into the

ground and kids had to toss the

tambourine and ring them around

the sticks for points); “Name That

Tune”; ”Musical Instrument Bingo”;

“Make Your Own Instru-

ment” (where students made wind

and percussion instruments out of

everyday items such as paper

plates, straws, and paper); and the

“Percussion Race” (where auxiliary

percussion instruments were lined

up on a table including sleigh bells,

cow bells, tambourines, whips, ma-

racas, wood blocks, triangles, etc.

and students had to race by going

down the line, making a noise on

each, and whoever could play all

the instruments the fastest won a

prize). This service project took a

lot of time and preparation, but it

was definitely a hit with the kids

of the community. I think the high

school band members had a great

service-learning experience and

had a lot of fun sharing their joy

of music with the kids.

Southwest Band - Mrs. Brittenham

Page 8 ‘Rider News

We are gearing up for our annual Veterans Day Program, which will be held in the high school gym on Monday, November 12th, at 9:00a.m. There will be prel-ude music by some junior high stu-dents as guests are entering the gym; eleven high school students will sing the National Anthem; the junior and senior high school band will perform; and the elementary students will be singing songs, reading poems, and telling about

some of the Flag Rules. The stu-dents are very excited to honor the Veterans, so please join us in making that day special for our area Veterans.

We will be having Christ-mas programs before too long. The elementary program is scheduled for Monday, December 3rd, in the high school auditorium. The PreK-3rd grade half will start at 6:30, with the 4th-6th grades at 7:30. I hope to see everyone soon!

In High School Music we are get-ting ready for our Dessert Thea-ter, sponsored by the Music Boost-ers. The concert will be on Monday, November 5th, at 7:00 in the audi-torium, with dessert served after-ward in the commons area. There will be music performances from the choir and band, as well as indi-vidual and small group performanc-es. It will be an entertaining night, so plan on coming to watch!

Music Notes - Mrs. Roggenkamp

The Senior Class of 2012 have a limited number of Southwest Roughrider Sup-porter Welcome mats for sale at an AWE-SOME REDUCED price of only $15.00 apiece. These mats are 20” x 30”, made from nylon carpet with recycled backing & serged border edges. They can be vacu-umed and machine washed! Call the school or talk to any Senior Class member today before they are all gone!

The group has already started planning our trip in November to volunteer our time (taking pop tabs to the recycling center and PAINTING - OUR FAVOR-ITE!) as well as needed supplies at the Ronald McDonald House in Omaha. This charity gives the families of chil-dren who are being treated at the Uni-versity of Nebraska Medical Center a place to stay. We will also be doing crafts with some of the children (both in-patient & out-patient) at the Chil-dren’s Hospital that day.

The last week of November we will be setting up our Wish Trees once again.

The Southwest National Honor Socie-ty is again having their Little Caeser’s Pizza Kits fundraiser that helps sup-port our Community Service Projects throughout the year. We will be selling until end of the school day on Monday, November 5th. If you are not contact-ed and would like to buy some pizza (or cookie dough or calzones!) please con-tact Mrs. Rice at the High School or one of the following students: Cassa McConville, Kimberly Lord, Oliver Kragelund, Kate Kelley, Blake Storrs, Brooke Ruggles, Kaylee Potthoff, Me-gan Kelley, Miranda Wordekemper

Feel free to choose a star and help those less fortunate in our school dis-trict have a Merry Christmas! Also in November, we will be taking orders for Winter Sports buttons. Order forms will be available in the High School Of-fice. The buttons are $4.00 a piece.

In December, the members of NHS will be Christmas Caroling in Bartley and Indianola as well as delivering the gifts from the wish trees.

Once again, we want to thank everyone for your support of our organization and our service projects throughout the year!

National Honor Society - Mrs. Rice

Junior High Football - Mr. Loshbaugh

Page 9

The Southwest Junior High football team finished another successful season on Thursday, October 18th with

a 56-0 win over Hayes Center. They end the season with a record of 4-1, their only loss being a close, de-

fensive struggle at Hitchcock County.

Seventh graders on this year’s team included Tanner Brooks, Devin Carfield, Cody Downey, Derek Green-

lee, Logan Greenlee, Hunter Lehmann, Wyatt McConville, AJ Mead, G. O’Dea, Anthony Starr, Kaleb

Sughroue, Patrick Sughroue and Ryan Van Pelt. Many of these players contributed valuable minutes of

playing time this year.

Eighth graders who will be moving on to the high school team next year include Sean Anderson, Drew Hof-

man, Taylor Honeymann, Lance Kelley, Alec May, Connor McConville, Drew Minard, Trey Mousel,

Dustin Riley, and Kaden Van Pelt. They have been a great group of young men to work with and we wish

them continued success as they move to the next level.

2012 Junior High Football Results

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Medicine Valley at Southwest W 46 - 0

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Eustis-Farnam at Southwest W 36 - 6

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Southwest at Hitchcock County L 6 - 8

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Southwest at Arapahoe W 48-24

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Hayes Center at Southwest W 56 - 0

Board of Education Town Hall MeetingBoard of Education Town Hall MeetingBoard of Education Town Hall MeetingBoard of Education Town Hall Meeting

Monday, November 12th, 2012 at 7:30 pmMonday, November 12th, 2012 at 7:30 pmMonday, November 12th, 2012 at 7:30 pmMonday, November 12th, 2012 at 7:30 pm

At the Jr./Sr. High School in the AuditoriumAt the Jr./Sr. High School in the AuditoriumAt the Jr./Sr. High School in the AuditoriumAt the Jr./Sr. High School in the Auditorium

Everyone is Welcome!!Everyone is Welcome!!Everyone is Welcome!!Everyone is Welcome!!

NON-PROFIT ORG

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Paid

PERMIT No. 1

Bartley, NE 69020

Southwest Public Schools

Southwest High School

900 Coke Street

PO Box 187

Bartley, NE 69020

Phone: 308-692-3223

Toll Free 855-692-3172

Fax: 308-692-3221

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United We Educate

www.swpschools.org