Bear Buzz January 2026

Bryan High School, in partnership with students, families, and the community, provides a student-centered learning environment that cultivates character, fosters academic excellence, and embraces diversity to prepare students for post-secondary opportunity and career readiness.

January Update: Reengaging with Purpose

Welcome back, Bear families. As we step into a new semester, we are not starting over. We are building forward. The work we began this fall is paying off, and we are focused on sustaining that momentum in the months ahead.

Instruction That Challenges and Lifts

Teachers have been working hard to raise expectations. Across content areas, students are being asked to think, read, speak, and write at higher levels. The message is clear: grade-level work is for every Bear, every day. That is how we raise achievement. That is how we grow.

Fresh Data. Fresh Focus.

Thanks to the PreACT in October, we now have early insight into how our ninth and tenth graders are progressing. This gives teachers real-time data to drive instruction and support student needs. It also helps students set meaningful goals for themselves. They are being coached, challenged, and celebrated.

Culture That Remains Strong

Even in a cold January month, our hallways feel warm. Students are showing up, engaging in class, and being recognized through positive referrals and Osos de Oro (Golden Bears). That culture of encouragement is no accident. It is a result of consistent care from our staff and pride from our students.

The second semester gives us an opportunity to reinforce expectations, reset goals, and re-center on what matters most.

Many Bears, One Bryan. Every student on track. Every student graduating.

Principal CK

January 5: Quarter 3 Begins

January 10: Show Choir Competition

January 19: No School for All Students

January 26-30: Junior class selection for 2026-27

January 27: Two-Hour Late Start for All Students

January 29: Advanced Academics Celebration

February 13: No School for all students

February 16: No School for all students

February 24: Two-Hour Late Start for All Students

March 12: Parent-Teacher Conferences

March 12-13: No School for all students

March 16-20: Spring Recess, No School for all Students

Please see our BHS Website Calendar for other upcoming dates and events!

Freshman Families,

IXL is an education technology tool that has been purchased by Omaha Public Schools. Freshman are currently practicing grade-level skills within the platform, assigned by their Math and Freshman Seminar teachers in alignment with the curriculum for rigorous practice opportunities. IXL helps students not only achieve success on grade-level content but with college entrance and high school exit exams. IXL StudyWise is a tool for standardized tests (ACT, SAT, PreACT) and state assessments (NWEA MAP, i-Ready, etc.) that turns students’ previous test scores into their very own personalized study plans. Then, each student can focus on the exact skills that will improve their scores and prepare them for their lives ahead. These plans have been created for your students and currently live on their dashboards.

Students will use these study plans in their Freshman Seminar and Math classes along with learning essential testing-taking skills, executive functioning skills, and project management. We are very excited to provide students with a tool that meets their current needs while preparing their learning for upcoming high stakes assessments. Students can continue to work on skills by logging into Clever at home, using any device. It is recommended that they complete skills in IXL to a SmartScore of 80 before starting new skills. This flyer provides more information about how to make the most out of the Studywise tool.

Please reach out to your child's teacher for any questions about accessing and achieving the most out of the IXL Studywise plan!

JOIN THE CAFE TODAY!

The CAFE (Community And Family Engagement) brings together families, alumni, staff, and community partners to support Bryan High students.

· Quarterly Meetings: 2/4, and 4/1; 5:30 pm in the Bryan High Library

· Goal: Build connections that help every Bear thrive

All are welcome! We hope you get involved in Many Bears, One Bryan.

Safety is a top priority at Bryan High. Our district uses the terms and actions outlined in the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) as we manage events outside of our regular routine such as a fire, evacuation, severe weather or other disruption.

We regularly practice Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter procedures so students and staff can easily understand what to do and expect in each situation.

To ensure open communication, families will receive a message when we have an SRP response at Bryan High.

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.

We’d appreciate your help in sharing this resource with students and families in your district. The Nebraska SMART flyer (available in English and Spanish) can be distributed electronically or printed for your schools.

I’d also welcome the opportunity to visit with you to share more about the program and how it can support your students’ success.

Thank you for your continued partnership in helping Nebraska students thrive.

You do not need a claim code as your Schoolinks login has already been created for you and matched to your student! Check out our Schoolinks Platform overview: https://youtu.be/5YBM2SwfD94?si=Ex4hnymPJ5CoqM27

How you can connect:

1. Go to app.schoolinks.com.

2. Type in your email address in the Email spot and click Forgot Password.

3. It will prompt you to check your email for a link and “reset” your password.

4. Make sure to use the same email address that you have shared with OPS previously. That is the email address that was used to create your account.

Need support, contact support@schoolinks.com

Below please find the link of the application for convenience.

Career Center will send this link out to all students via SchooLinks. There will be directions for students to plan to allow 15 minutes to complete and submit the application in one setting. We will also direct them to inform their counselor of their application.

https://ops.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe /form/SV_dbuNeXE0HQOsb3M

2026-2027 BHS Registration presentation Class of 2028 - CTE.pptx

​2026-2027 BHS Registration presentation Class of 2028 - CTE.pptx​

Jan. 26 - February 2 Junior final course selection meeting with assigned counselor.

Jan. 30 - February 10 Sophomore final course selection meeting with assigned counselor.

February 11-18 Freshmen final course selection meeting with assigned counselor.

February 20th................. FINAL DEADLINE FOR Grades 9-11 students/families to complete Course Plans on Campus Portal

Open now - Deadline 4 pm on January 30th.

Must upload resume, personal essay from English class and SAI report.

Links to application

Bryan High Scholarship 2026 – Fill out form

We from UNO’s Office of Student Leadership and Involvement (SLI) want to share our upcoming opportunities with you and your students! In Summer 2026, we will again be offering our Summer Scholars program, which provides college-bound high school juniors the opportunity to enroll in a course at UNO to earn college credits, prepare for college life, and connect with UNO faculty, staff, and students.

In the months leading up to summer, we will also be continuing our Monthly Maverick Workshops tailored to prepare high school students for the unique challenges and opportunities they may encounter while applying for and attending college. Our spring workshops will include topics such as:

• Scholarship Writing: Tips and strategies for creating standout scholarship applications and strong college applications
• Wellness and Development: Fostering conversations and reflections about holistic wellbeing
• Financial Aid 101: An introduction to the FAFSA, financial aid processes and deadlines, and tips for managing finances

As preparations are beginning, we would like to share both informational flyers and ask that you share it with your students. We believe these will be incredibly valuable for students as they prepare for their postsecondary education journey. If you have junior students who may be interested in registering for either opportunity, we would love to have them participate!

Once students register, a member of our SLI team will follow up with them directly to provide further details.

Thank you for sharing this opportunity with your students! Should you or your students have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out to our program directly at unoslicollegeprograms@unomaha.edu.

1. Your Portal Login: Use your personal email to create a login. This will help you access your portal after graduation, and keeps you connected with the Foundation.
2. Start now so you have plenty of time. You can use the green SAVE button to save your progress and come back later. (When you have everything finished, click on SUBMIT - once you Submit you will not be able to go back to add or change information).
3. You will need your resume (profile from SchooLinks), an unofficial high school transcript from your Campus Portal app, and one or two recommendation letters. Some scholarships require a FAFSA or Financial Aid Form but it is optional for most.
4. If the scholarship requires an essay, You will be able to submit a form in the Section: Scholarship Specific Questions.
5. References: Provide the email address of your reference/s. A few scholarships will require two references. It is recommended you submit at least one reference letter.
6. The portal will stay open until March 2nd, 2026, 11:59 PM. (midnight)

We are pleased to announce that the Nebraska Officials Foundation and Nebraska High School Officials Association will be awarding two $5000 scholarships this year.

Bill Lewis was the past NSAA Director of Officials and school administrator who dedicated his time and talents to improving the quality of and respect for sports officiating throughout Nebraska.

Submit Your Application at: https://form.jotform.com/253033823363048

As an alternative, the forms can be scanned and e-mailed to: nhsoascholarship@gmail.com DEADLINE: February 1, 2026

Apply for Educational Benefits Today!

This summer, our district notified families that students at Bryan High will continue to receive lunch at no cost, regardless of income, through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

We encourage our families to complete an Educational Benefits to see if they qualify for additional benefits including:

• Discounted home internet services
• Discounted or waived fees for SAT, PSAT, ACT, AP and other academic tests
• Waived or reduced college and post-secondary application and course fees
• Scholarship options
• Access to career, internship and other community programs

Log in to SchoolCafe and click “Apply for Benefits” to complete the form. It only takes a few minutes to complete if you have your household income details.

One form covers all students in your household. If you have already completed an Educational Benefits Form or Free and Reduced Meal Application through SchoolCafe, you can check your eligibility status on your account dashboard.

Please reach out to our office if you need help completing your application. 531-299-2540.

https://educationquest.org/events/

Big news for Nebraska seniors! The Do The FAFSA Nebraska program will award 60 scholarships worth $1,000 each this academic year—20 per Congressional district!

Applicants must:

• Be a Nebraska high school senior.

• Plan to attend a Nebraska college/university full-time in Fall 2026.

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and a Nebraska resident.

• Must complete the 2026–27 FAFSA.

Key Dates

• Oct. 1, 2025 – Application opens

• Dec. 5, 2025 - First Drawing – First drawing (8 winners per district)

• Apr. 15, 2026 – Second drawing (12 winners per district)
  Students not selected in December will automatically be entered into the April drawing.

Get Ready Now

• The scholarship will be listed in ScholarshipQuest starting Oct. 1, 2025.

• Encourage your students to create a ScholarshipQuest profile NOW so they’re ready to apply when the time comes!

• Watch for more details in the next Counselor Bulletin and on our social media channels.

Advanced Academics and Dual Enrollment Supports

For the 2025-26 school year, the Omaha Public Schools will continue its commitment to early access to college and college credits.

Fees for Advanced Academic college credit exams and dual enrollment with partnering institutions will be covered at no cost to families. Qualifying students may be asked to complete applications as needed.

Dual enrollment is the opportunity for high school students to take approved college courses taught in our high schools to earn high school and college credit concurrently. We partner with the University of Nebraska Omaha, Midland University, and Metropolitan Community College.

Graduation is an exciting milestone for students and a once-in-a-lifetime moment to be celebrated. Jostens makes it easy for schools, parents and seniors, with one-stop shopping for apparel, announcements, keepsakes and class jewelry. So, seniors can celebrate with pride and commemorate their big moment for years to come.

Online ordering at JOSTENS.com to order graduation products, caps & gowns, class rings and school letter jackets will go live on September 2nd.

Omaha Bryan High School OMAHA, NE | Jostens

All students who participate in the graduation ceremony are required to wear these items specifically selected for your school: a cap and gown unit with stole (includes free tassel). Your graduation apparel must be ordered from OPS’ selected vendor, School Traditions (Jostens).

Cap, Gown, Tassel,

Late Cost (order window 10/21/25 to graduation day): Cap, gown, tassel, and stole $51.95 + $2.99 handling fee + tax + $10 late fee = $68.79 TOTAL

If you are not able to order online, you can pay with debit/credit card, cash, or check at the School Traditions storefront on Tuesdays or Thursdays 10AM-5:30PM. They are located at 12100 W. Center Rd. Suite 202.

Cap and Gown Online Ordering Instructions

1) To go to your school ordering site, go to www.jostens.com and click on Find My School/Group Store. Type your school's name and select Nebraska. Or click on a direct link for each OPS school: Bryan

2) Click Graduation click cap and gown

3) Scroll down and click ORDER NOW IF YOU ONLY WANT CAP AND GOWN SCROLL TO CAP AND GOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE.

4) Scroll down below all of the packages, below Announcements & Cards, below Accessories, below Apparel, and click Cap and Gown Unit w/Stole

5) Enter in sizing information and click NEXT: ADD KEEPSAKE TASSEL

6) Adding a Keepsake Tassel is optional. If you would like to purchase for an additional fee, click on the one you want to purchase. Otherwise, click NO THANKS. Click NEXT: ADD APPAREL.

7) Adding Apparel is optional. If you would like to purchase apparel for an additional fee, click on the item you want to purchase. Otherwise, click NO THANKS. Click NEXT: ADD ANNOUNCEMENTS.

8) Adding Announcements is optional. If you would like to purchase announcements for an additional fee, click on the item you want to purchase. Otherwise, click NO THANKS. Click NEXT: REVIEW.

9) Click ADD TO CART

10) Enter first and last name, Click CHECKOUT

11) Click CONTINUE AS A GUEST

12) Enter BILLING INFORMATION, click CONTINUE

13) Enter information to FINALIZE YOUR ORDER

If you need help with Announcements & Graduation Products:

High School/Home School

1-877-475-7027

Step By Step Ordering

Archived Newsletter Links:

November 2025

October 2025

September 2025

March 2025

February 2025

January 2025

October 2024

September 2024

August 2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

Many Bears, One Bryan. Every student on track. Every student graduating.