The Skyline Monthly Roundup

What a great September we had! This past month, our students truly shined by mastering our very first habit—Making eye contact and giving full attention.

This October, we are ready to take a bold step forward in our Journey to Magic by unlocking the letter A: Accept failure and learn from your mistakes.

Real magic doesn't happen when everything goes perfectly on the first try; it happens when we have the courage to rise after falling! While it is natural to want to stay comfortable in our bubble, true strength is developed when we step out, face a setback, and discover our power to bounce back. Experiencing the sting of a mistake isn't a dead end—it is the ultimate foundation to learning, growing, and reaching our full potential!

Building the "A- Accepting Failure" Mindset at School

At Skyline this month, we are helping every student realize that being a Stallion isn't about getting everything right immediately—it's about how you respond when things get tough. When our students face moments of feeling defeated or tempted to give up, we are coaching them to turn those obstacles into stepping stones.

Together, our staff and students are embracing this mindset by:

• Conquering the Urge to Give Up: Teaching students to push past initial frustration, overcome feelings of defeat, and rely on their inner strengths to solve problems.

• Reframing Mistakes as Fuel: Showing students that mistakes don't mean stopping; they are simply valuable clues that teach us how to try again with a different approach.

• Modeling Resilient Leadership: Teachers openly sharing their own daily mistakes and recoveries, proving to students that adults fail and learn, too.

• Embracing Bold Challenges: Providing frequent, challenging learning opportunities so students can practice bouncing back with confidence.

Bring the Magic Home:

You can help unleash this powerful mindset at home with a few daily practices:

• Normalize the Setback: Openly share a mistake you made during your day and highlight how you learned from it.

• Encourage the Struggle: When your child encounters a tough task or assignment, give them space to stretch their intelligence and resourcefulness before stepping in.

• Celebrate the Bounce-Back: Praise your child’s determination when they refuse to give up after getting frustrated, highlighting their resilience and willingness to try again.

Thank you for partnering with us as we empower our students to be resilient, unstoppable learners.

Magically,

Mrs. Bousema

Skyline Principal

• Oct 6 Battle of the Books @ 3:10-3:45
• Oct 7 Health Screenings 8:30-11:00
• Oct 7 Written Spelling Bee in Classrooms
• Oct 7 October Students of the Month Bingo with the Principal
• Oct 8 3rd Grade Field Trip
• Oct 9 Dance-A-Thon (FUN RUN)/Stomp
• Oct 14-15 Outdoor Education
• Oct 15 End of First Quarter
• Oct 16 Teacher In-Service, No School
• Oct 19 Skyline Spelling Bee @ 2:15
• Oct 23 Report Cards Go Home
• Oct 23 Trunk or Treat
• Oct 30 Halloween Class Parties & Parade (End of Day) @ 2:30

Front: Jasper, Eli, Sully, Kira, Lyra, Kate, Poppy, Zelda,

Back: Ella, George, Aiden, Clara, Claire, Mia, Coen

Not Pictured: Coen

We are making great progress on our fundraising and want to keep it going through the weekend! Classes that get to $1500 by Monday get donuts for a snack on Tuesday!

If you would like to Attend or Volunteer to help at the Glow Party, please use these links to sign up!

Attend: https://skylinestallionspto.membershiptoolkit.com/volunteer/180054

Volunteer: https://skylinestallionspto.membershiptoolkit.com/volunteer/180417

Daily Schedule & Arrival

• 7:35 AM — Breakfast Begins (Breakfast hours 7:35-8:00)

• 7:55 AM — Morning Supervision & Walking Club Begin (No supervision prior to 7:55 AM; please do not drop off early)

• 8:10 AM — First Bell (Students enter the building and head directly to classrooms)

• 8:15 AM — Tardy Bell

• 3:06 PM — Dismissal

• Note on Walking Club: Students arriving between 7:55 AM and 8:10 AM will participate in supervised exercise.

Drop-Off & Pick-Up Safety Rules

To keep our students safe and ensure traffic flows smoothly, please keep these reminders in mind:

• Pull all the way forward. This is the single most important step to keeping the line moving!

• Stay in your vehicle if you are in the drop-off/pick-up lane.

• Have students enter and exit curbside only.

• Drive slowly and stay off cell phones.

• Always use designated crosswalks.

• Practice seatbelts at home. If your child cannot buckle or unbuckle themselves independently, please practice this skill together at home to help drop-off run smoothly.

• Use assigned crossing locations: We are working to cross students at locations that are monitored by staff and safety patrollers. See the updated map of crossing locations. (We will no longer include 212th Street and Skyline Pass as a station for our patrollers and staff members.)

As we start the new school year, we want to remind families about the importance of safe riding habits such as wearing helmets, stopping at all stop signs, and staying aware of surroundings. It is the responsibility of families to ensure that any method of transportation that a student utilizes is legal, and that all applicable laws and regulations are followed when traveling to and from school.

Notably, the EPS Elementary Handbook, as quoted below, prohibits the use of motorized scooters on school property.

Safety conditions for riding bicycles differ among the various elementary school attendance areas. Each elementary school has an established practice with the safety of children as its first consideration. It may be necessary for school officials to revoke the privilege if safety violations occur. The school is not responsible for lost or damaged bicycles. Motorized scooters and skateboards are prohibited.

Thank you in advance for your partnership in ensuring the safety of all, especially during busy drop-off and pick-up times.

Listed below are the cellphone expectations as listed in Policy. The link to our student handbook can be found below.

2025-26 Elementary Student Handbook -- Cell Phone Policy found on Page 8

"Cellular phones and devices, including cellular watches, are strongly discouraged at school to minimize distractions to the learning environment. The use of cellular devices is not permitted throughout the day. Students must keep the devices powered off and in their backpacks or the office area, and they are to be used only after dismissal at the end of the day. If this procedure is not followed, the device will be kept in the office area and a parent/guardian may collect the device from the office."

Please take a moment ahead of the first day of school to review the updated expectations as outlined in the handbook, and discuss them with your student.

The school administration and teachers encourage all to behave and dress in a fashion that reflects good taste and a style appropriate for a school day. The fact that a school will permit a wide variety in school clothes does not mean that all styles are equally appropriate. The final decision in those situations of disagreement will be resolved by the school administration after consultation with the student and parents/guardians. In addition to the above guidelines, the school administration will exclude the following items and/or method of grooming. This list is not inclusive of all items that will be excluded.

1. Clothing or articles which are soiled, torn or ragged

2. Articles displaying obscene or vulgar writing or symbols

3. Articles which could cause damage to other individuals or property (Example: chain belts, cleats)

4. See-through clothing

5. Bare feet/stocking feet

6. Hats, hoods, and sunglasses may be worn to school, but not in the building

7. Clothing which is too short, too tight, too revealing, or too bare as to be immodest. Clothing that bares the back/midriff or allows undergarments to be seen will not be allowed.

8. Underclothing worn as outer clothing

9. Dress which promotes, advocates, or advances the use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs, including clothing which displays the logo or trademark of any brand(s) of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs.

10. Tank tops with thin spaghetti straps or halter tops where a bare back is displayed

11. Any items which would detract from the educational environment will not be acceptable.

Dress code violations will be addressed with students by counselors or administrators. When possible and appropriate, the administrator will contact the parent/guardian, present the problem, and seek their cooperation. If parents/guardians cannot supply appropriate clothing, the student will be given clothing to wear that day. Should such action include disciplinary action, state statutes and Board of Education policies will be followed.

Handbook Verbiage (found on page 16 of Elementary Student Handbook)

Be Safe

Be Thoughtful

Be Accountable

Be Ready

Doors are locked during the day. Visitors must enter through the front doors using the access panel/ camera outside the office. Please:

1. Push the button

2. State your name and the purpose of your visit

3. When you hear the door unlatch, open the right door

4. Wait for the second set of doors to be unlocked

5. Sign in on the visitor sheet and take a visitor badge

6. After your visit, please sign out and return the badge

If your child forgot something please drop it off at the office. We appreciate your help to minimize classroom interruptions.

• If you are taking photos or video during school hours (including class trips and events), please note these are allowed for personal use only. Videos and images should not be shared in any form without appropriate consent from the student's parent/guardian. Obtaining consent is the sole responsibility of the person taking the photos and video.
• Elkhorn Public School is not responsible for obtaining consent for controlling how such images are shared.
• Please be respectful of all students and families in our school community by not taking or sharing photos or videos of students other than your own.

Lunch Accounts information → All current info can be found here under “Lunch Accounts”

Dear Parents,

As we begin the new school year we want to give you the following information on student meals.

We ask that you keep your students’ account funded to prevent any issues with their purchases.

Applications for free/reduced meals for the current school year must be submitted annually to receive free/reduced meal prices and the additional benefits that can be provided to families who qualify. Instructions for completing an online or hard copy application can be found at https://www.elkhornweb.org/parents/lunch/

2026-2027 Breakfast and Lunch Prices

Breakfast:

Elem: $1.95

Middle: $2.15

High: $2.30

Lunch:

Elem: $3.15

Middle: $3.70

High: $3.90

*One milk is included with a purchased meal. Extra or single milk (without a purchased meal) is $0.55 each.

*Extra entrée and ala carte items have an additional charge

**You will receive an email when your students account is below $5.00 daily as a reminder. The easiest way to avoid any issues is to set up an Auto-Deposit function on your students’ account, instructions can be found below.

NEW FOR 2026-2027

Lunch Accounts and Free/Reduced Meal Applications

EPS will utilize PaySchools Central, a new vendor platform, for online payment of lunch funds, parent pay busing, device coverage, and other payments. Follow these instructions to create a new PaySchools Central family account. You will need the Student ID number for your student(s) to complete this process. Please note that information found on pages 13-14 of the instructions are not applicable to EPS.

Additionally, PaySchools Central is also utilized to complete online Free and Reduced Meal applications. Instructions for completing the online application can be reviewed beginning on page 21, or a hard copy of the application is also available.

MAIL CHECKS payable to EPS, that include your students name and student ID Number to Sodexo, EPS Food Service, 1401 Veterans Drive, Elkhorn, NE 68022

SEND LUNCH MONEY WITH YOUR STUDENT TO SCHOOL, include student name and student ID

number preferably in an envelope for elementary students to give to their teacher.

We look forward to continuing to serve our students healthy and nutritious meals!

Elkhorn Food Service

1401 Veterans Drive Elkhorn, NE 68022

402-289-0443

Lunch@epsne.org

If you are having any issues with PaySchools, please contact 1-877-393-6628 or PSC_help@payschools.com.

Parents are welcome to join their students for lunch!

A few reminders for your visit:

• Seating: You are welcome to sit at the table with your child and their classmates. If you prefer to sit with only your child, they may join you at a separate table, but classmates must remain at their regular table.

• Outside Food: You are welcome to bring lunch for your child, but please do not bring food for other students.

We look forward to seeing you!

EPS will utilize PaySchools Central, a new vendor platform, for online payment of lunch funds, parent pay busing, device coverage, and other payments. Follow these instructions to create a new PaySchools Central family account. You will need the Student ID number for your student(s) to complete this process. Please note that information found on pages 13-14 of the instructions are not applicable to EPS.

Additionally, PaySchools Central is also utilized to complete online Free and Reduced Meal applications. Instructions for completing the online application can be reviewed beginning on page 21, or a hard copy of the application is also available.

TeamMates of Elkhorn is currently seeking additional mentors to clear our student waitlist! Mentors spend 30 minutes a week creating a positive impact on a student that lasts a lifetime. Please consider volunteering your time to meet the growing need for mentors across our District. Apply online now!

Additionally, visit Runza on Tuesday, September 22, and support your local chapter of TeamMates! 10% of all Runza sales at the 204th and Maple and 175th and Center locations will be donated back to our Elkhorn chapter.

Guardians can receive email summaries about their student's activity in Google Classroom. These summaries include information on their student's missing or upcoming work, as well as recent class announcements, assignments, and questions from teachers.

Some guardians may already be receiving these summaries. If you are not yet set up to receive them, you will get an invitation email. Simply click the accept button in the email to start receiving these summaries. Please verify that the listed email address is the one you want to use. If it's not, do not click accept or decline; instead, refer to the "Get email summaries" section in the linked document for more information.

Please note that you may not receive an invitation if you are already signed up from previous years or if a teacher has not enabled email notifications in their Google Classroom. Also, if there's no new activity to report, or if a teacher turns off email notifications, you might not receive a summary on a particular day or week.

For more detailed information, please see the document Guardian Email Summaries - for Guardians.

Elkhorn North Vocal Music Boosters Mattress Fundraiser: Sunday, October 11, from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at Elkhorn North High School. View additional information on the Facebook event.

Elkhorn North Holiday Market, benefiting ENHS Cheer: Saturday, November 14, from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM at Elkhorn North High School. View additional information on the Facebook event.

EPS and individual buildings use a parent messaging system called SchoolMessenger to send emails, phone calls, and text messages to parents sharing district information, monthly updates about building happenings, and weather-related school closings. To ensure accurate delivery of these updates, please verify that all contact information listed in your parent PowerSchool account, including phone numbers and email addresses, is up to date and correct.

Additionally, this system allows recipients to “unsubscribe” from its mailing list; however, by “unsubscribing,” you are completely removing your email address and phone number from both District and building lists. If you choose to unsubscribe, you will not receive any communication from your child’s assigned school or the EPS district. If you accidentally unsubscribe or decide you would like to begin receiving emails again after unsubscribing, contact your building secretary to change your communication status.

Residents of the District who have attained the age of 65 and those who have served or are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces may request a free activity pass to admit them to all District-sponsored activities. Passes are distributed at the EPS Central Administration Office during normal business hours, and proof of residency, age, and military service (as applicable) is required.

The elementary school (K-5) school day is from 8:15-3:06.

Before School: Breakfast is offered for all children from 7:35 to 8:00 every day and then students go to Walking Club. Students not eating breakfast may attend Walking Club at 7:55. Morning outside supervision starts at 7:55, so students not attending breakfast should not arrive before that time. A student that arrives at school on time is more likely to make the most of his/her day. Please make every effort to arrive on time.

After School: The dismissal bell rings at 3:06. Students should leave the building to go home upon dismissal unless specifically directed by a teacher to remain. There is no supervision after 3:20, so please make arrangements to have your children picked up by that time.

Arriving Late/Leaving Early: Students arriving late or leaving early must sign in/out at the front office. When a student leaves early, a parent must come into the office to sign his/her child out.

• ENHS Junior Clinic: August 19-20 at Elkhorn North High School; view registration information and additional information here.

• ENHS Vocal Music Golf Tournament: August 14 at Pacific Springs Golf Course; view additional information and register here.