McMillan Monthly, April 2026

We are looking for as many families as possible to complete this survey for McMillan this month. Please click on the link here or scan the QR code. www.TinyURL.com/OPSParentVoice

Thank you to McMillan families for attending our STEAM and new student registration night on April 2nd. It was so rewarding to see our gym full of community partners centered around all things STEAM related and to see so many 5th grade families in attendance! There are many events upcoming with in this newsletter, and for a full list of all activities and announcements, please be sure to check the McMillan website found here for upcoming events, the staff directory, and other important information. Home - McMillan Middle

Important Reminders and Upcoming Events:

• McMillan Attendance Weekly Challenges are happening now! 6th grade won the last week of March, and 7th grade won the first week of April!
• Class/Course registration for 26/27 with counselors in school:
• Current 6th grade is April 9 and 10
• Current 5th grade is April 13
• Current 7th grade is April 21 and 22
• NSCAS Testing dates: Math State Tests with iPads are April 6 to 13, Science State Tests with iPads are April 15 to 22 in classrooms.
• No School for students on Friday, April 17th and Monday, April 20th, 2026. Friday is a teacher scheduled workday and Monday is the district Articulation professional development day.
• Alice in Wonderland Tickets go on sale this month.
• Friday, May 1st, Show starts at 7:00 PM
• Saturday, May 2nd, Show starts at 5:00 PM
• Tickets are $2 for students, and $5 for adults and can be purchased at the door. McMillan students can buy tickets from Mr. Trask in his classroom. Questions? Call 531-299-2440.
• If you are interested in your student attending homework help or high dosage tutoring at McMillan, reach out to Stacie Stevens at stacie.stevens@ops.org or call at 531-299-2440 for more information regarding Tutoring at McMillan.
• It is Nebraska State Law that cell phones are not to be out during educational hours, 7:40 AM to 3:05 PM. Our phrase that is said each day to students is, "not seen, not heard, not taken." Student phones that are removed may be subject to a family member coming to get the phone. This is administrator discretion by grade level. Contact McMillan with questions.

• Lastly, please know that lunch block and Pride blocks have altered routines for restrooms and drinks. During 4th block (lunch) students are expected to use the restroom and get a drink during their lunch, as admin and security are required to serve students rather than supervise hallways. We appreciate your understanding of this. This has been procedure since the start of school.

#MONARCHPROUD,

Dr. Andrew R. Walters

Principal

We want to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who helps ensure our students arrive at school each day, on time, and ready to learn.

Thank you to our students and families for making daily attendance a priority. Your commitment matters and makes a real difference. Thank you to our outstanding teachers who bring energy, creativity, and purpose to their classrooms—making McMillan a place where students are excited to be each day. And thank you to our support staff and community volunteers who provide the care, encouragement, and extra support our students need to be successful.

Research shows that it takes an average of three days for a student to catch up for every one day missed. Students who miss fewer than nine days during the school year meet the goal of missing less than 5% of the school year, helping them stay connected, confident, and on track for learning.

Together, our collective effort ensures that every day counts at McMillan.

There are 415 minutes in the school day, and every minute counts! Tardies to class disrupt the classroom, interrupt the lesson, and put students at risk of falling behind. These reminders started at the start of the school year and will go out daily. The school will send daily emails to parents and guardians of students who were tardy to one or more classes. BE RESPONSIBLE MONARCHS! Get to class on time.

TeamMates is a mentoring program which pairs students with caring adults who are screened through the mentor application process. Many employers will provide adults time off to be a mentor to a child in any school system, and at McMillan - we want to expand our program! The mission of TeamMates is to positively impact the world by inspiring students to reach their full potential through mentoring. Students interested in having mentor for a weekly or bi-weekly mentor/mentee match should contact the McMillan Social Worker, Ms. Peterson, at maggie.peterson1@ops.org or call 531-299-9678. Ms. Peterson will walk you through the process to join TeamMates this month.

In March and April, all McMillan students will participate in schoolwide testing for NSCAS. We are excited for this opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning and show the growth they have made this year. We will be doing goal-setting for students in Pride on March 9th and 10th.

As a reminder, a few simple steps can help ensure students are prepared to do their best:

• Get a good night’s sleep before each testing day
• Eat a healthy breakfast
• Arrive at school on time — testing will begin promptly
• Bring their iPad fully charged (students report a preference to test on their device)
• Put forth their best effort on every question

McMillan will test on the following dates during given ELA, Math or Science Blocks:

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We are proud of our students and confident they will represent McMillan well.

Attention Families: There are 415 minutes in the school day, and every minute counts! Tardies to class disrupt the classroom, interrupt the lesson, and put students at risk of falling behind. Get to class on time.

• Cell Phones and Personal Devices must be off and out of sight during the school day from 7:40-3:05
• Student failure to comply may result in their personal device being confiscated by administration.
• Parent Communication and Code of Conduct consequences may be applied for repeated violations of the No Cell Phone/No personal device policy.
• If you have any questions regarding this, please call the grade level administrator.

Personal devices (headphones, earbuds, cell phones) and big backpacks are to be put away during the school day. Repeat offenders may require a cell phone safety plan or the phones to be picked up by a family member.

Summer EBT information is beginning to roll out; we have linked the website here: https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Summer-EBT.aspx

Additionally, we have linked the link for Outreach materials here https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Summer-EBT-Outreach-Materials.aspx to assist in endeavors of getting the word out about summer EBT. It is important to ensure that families have submitted their Free/Reduced lunch applications for the 26-27 school year.

Students who were approved for Free or Reduced-price meals during the 2025-2026 school year are eligible to receive 2026 Summer EBT benefits and do not need to complete an application.

Please call 531-299-6310 with any questions!"

Please see below for a list of community resources available to families.

Free service through NDE and NSCS

Nebraska SMART, a free online tutoring program developed by the Nebraska State Colleges in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), has now expanded statewide, providing all K–12 students with access to one-on-one academic support at no cost.

How Nebraska SMART Works:

• Parents must register their children for tutoring through the Nebraska SMART website.
• Once registered, students (or parents) can schedule sessions or connect instantly using our on-demand feature.
• Tutoring is available in 15-, 30-, 45-, or 60-minute increments; on-demand sessions are available in 10-minute blocks.
• All sessions take place on Pearl, a secure online tutoring platform that records and manages communication.
• Tutors are education majors who have been admitted to their programs, completed background checks, and are mentored by College Program Coordinators.

High school is just around the corner, and now is the perfect time to audition, practice, and prepare for the 2025-2026 school year! Many high school clubs, sports, and activities hold auditions, parent meetings, or tryouts now, so don’t wait—jump in and get involved! As the saying goes, “Ain’t nothin’ to it, but to do it!”

Opportunities exist in a variety of activities, including but not limited to:

• Athletics – Football, Volleyball, Cheerleading, Dance Teams, Drill Teams
• Performing Arts – Marching Band, Color Guard/Flag Corps, Show Choir
• Leadership & Clubs – JROTC, DECA, Educators Rising, GSA, Black Student Leadership Council, FFA, and more!

Why get involved?
Students who participate in activities and athletics report being happier, forming friendships before day one, knowing classmates in their courses, having better attendance, achieving higher GPAs, and being more likely to graduate. Simply put—school is better when you’re part of something bigger than just the classroom!

For more information, check the social media pages (X, Facebook, Instagram) or the website of the high school your 8th grader will attend this fall. You can also call the school directly. Still have questions? Contact the McMillan office at 531-299-2440.

Get involved—make the most of high school from day one!

The Campus Portal for Parents allows parents and guardians to monitor their children's academic progress online. If you do not have a Parent Portal account, please click the Infinite Campus icon to access directions.

Zūm Parent App

With Zum app, you can better protect your student's safety by:

1. Tracking your student’s ride in real-time and receiving ride updates
2. Knowing the driver profile and vehicle assigned to transport your student
3. Viewing pick-up and drop-off time estimates
4. Starting real-time chat with our support team if needed
5. Canceling rides when necessary

Download the Zūm App (iOS) (Android) from your carrier’s App Store.

If you have questions or concerns about your child's transportation, their eligibility to receive transportation, a late bus or more, please call the transportation hotline at (531) 299-0140.

Hey Monarchs!

Good luck to Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer, and our Girls and Boys Track in competition this month! Intramural 6th grade Volleyball, Alice in Wonderland, AcaPenta to Nationals, and Band, Chorus and Orchestra competing in Adjudication this month are also highlights!

In true Monarch spirit, let’s focus on “keeping the main thing the main thing.” As we dive into Spring athletics, it’s important for our students to stay sharp in three key areas: Academics, Behavior, and Community.

We’re dedicated to building STUDENT-athletes here at McMillan, which means your child must be passing all their classes to be eligible for playing time—just like in high school. S

If you have any questions, feel free to stop by and see me!

Clubs meeting after school during the month of March:

Monday's:

• YMCA Lion's Pride
• P4K on given days Tre

Tuesday's

• Robotics - 3:10 to 4:45 in the basemen with Ms. Clark - see Ms. Clark if interested
• YMCA Lion's Pride
• P4K on given days with Tre

Wednesday's:

• Journalism Club - Room 258 from 3:20 with Mr. Pruisner - All are welcome

• Magic @ the MAC ​Card Club​, Room 155, 3:20-4:30​

• YMCA Lion's Pride
• P4K on given days with Tre

Thursday's:

• Drama Club - Room 166 with Mr. Trask from 3:15 to 4:30. All are welcome
• Drama Club rehearsals are in FULL SWING with Alice in Wonderland - more coming soon!
• YMCA Lion's Pride
• P4K on given days with Tre
• Science Olympiad with Mr. Huber

Friday's:

• YMCA Lion's Pride
• P4K on given days with Tre

This Month: See opportunities for Quizbowl with Mrs. Dewitt

All this Month: Alice in Wonderland auditions and rehearsals after school in the auditorium on stage.

Alex Curran, McMillan Activities/Athletic Director

📢 Attention 6th & 7th Grade Families: Required Physicals & Immunizations

7th Grade Entry Requirement

Nebraska State Law requires that all students entering 7th grade have a physical examination completed by a Physician, PA, or Nurse Practitioner. A copy of this exam must be submitted to the school nurse before the start of the school year.

📌 Important Details:
✅ The physical must be dated AFTER March 1, 2026
✅ This physical also counts as a sports physical if your child plans to participate in athletics
✅ Tdap Vaccine (Tetanus & Whooping Cough) – REQUIRED for all incoming 7th graders

Submitting Your Child’s Records

Once your child receives their physical and immunizations, please submit a copy to the school Health Office or have the doctor’s office fax it to (531) 299-2459 so we can update records.

Sports Physicals for 7th Graders Entering 8th Grade

📌 If your child plans to play sports in 8th grade, they must have a sports physical dated AFTER May 1, 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact Nurse Bonacci-Lemay at (531) 299-2441.

Thank you for ensuring your child is ready for future seasons! 💙💛

- Nurse Bonacci-Lemay

• Phone: (531) 299-2441
• Nurse Fax: (531) 299-2459
• Nichole.BonacciLemay@ops.org

The Mission of McMillan

The Mission of McMillan Middle is to academically challenge students and to promote student ownership of learning in a safe, diverse, and respectful environment.

The Vision of McMillan

• Collaborate with School, Family and Community-based partners
• Provide an Innovative, project-based, cross-curricular school setting
• Integrate components of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math through Project Lead the Way. (PLTW)

2025-26 School Improvement Plan Goals: (The What)

• Raise our Reading Scores by 15% from 29.17u% to 52.18%.

• NSCAS ELA and Math assessments will increase proficiency from 24.49% to 30.49%.

• Reduce Chronic Absenteeism rate of 55.24% to 44.19%.

• Increase English Language Proficiency, as measured by the ELPA 21 summative, from 28.81% to 43.81%.

Our focus on Culture to drive Improvement: (The How)

Safe
At McMillan, safety comes first. Through staff training and clear protocols, we create a caring environment where students and staff feel physically, emotionally, and socially secure every day.

Responsible
Responsibility means being prepared, making good choices, and learning from mistakes. We hold ourselves and each other accountable for actions, effort, and growth through feedback and the PDCA cycle.

Respectful
Respect is shown in how we treat people, our school, and ourselves. We value every voice, celebrate differences, and create a welcoming space for all.

Email: andrew.walters@ops.org
Website: https://www.ops.org/mcmillan
Location: 3802 Redick Avenue, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: 531-299-3923
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OPSMcMillanMiddle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OPS_McMillan