Cedar Bluffs Elementary Newsletter

• Monday, August 17th - Open House 5:00 to 7:00

• Wednesday, August 19th - First Day of School - 1:30 Dismissal & No ASP

• Monday, September 7th - No School

Dear Cedar Bluffs Elementary Families

As we prepare to begin another school year, I wanted to take a moment to welcome both our returning and new families to Cedar Bluffs Elementary. I hope your summer has provided opportunities to relax, spend time with family, and create lasting memories. We are excited to welcome our students back and begin another year of learning, growth, and celebration.

I also wanted to start by thanking all of you for making my family's first year as part of the Cedar Bluffs Elementary community such a success. As I quickly got to know our students, staff, and families, I realized that this is a truly special place. The kindness, support, and pride that exists throughout our community are evident every day. Each of you plays a critical role in creating a positive environment where our students are able to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. I look forward to continuing to build strong, positive relationships with all of the stakeholders involved in our students' education.

Over the past year, I have seen firsthand what makes Cedar Bluffs special. Our dedicated staff consistently goes above and beyond for students, our families are supportive and engaged, and our students demonstrate resilience, kindness, and a genuine excitement for learning. Those relationships are the foundation of everything we do, and they will continue to guide our work this year.

As principal, my commitment remains the same. I believe every child deserves to feel safe, valued, challenged, and connected at school. I will continue to be visible throughout the building—in classrooms, hallways, lunch, recess, and school events—because I believe the best way to support our students and staff is by being present. My door is always open, and I encourage you to reach out with questions, concerns, ideas, or simply to introduce yourself.

This year, we will continue to focus on providing high-quality instruction while fostering a school culture built on our Wildcat PRIDE values of Positivity, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Empathy. Together, we will encourage students to take academic risks, build meaningful relationships, demonstrate kindness, and develop the skills they need to be successful both inside and outside the classroom.

Thank you for trusting us with your children each day. It is truly a privilege to partner with you in their education. I am excited for another outstanding school year and look forward to all that we will accomplish together.

Have a wonderful remainder of your summer, and we look forward to seeing everyone soon!

Sincerely,

Curtis Carlson
Principal
Cedar Bluffs Elementary School

Our annual Open House will take place on Monday, August 17 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. In order to help reduce overcrowding, we ask that families attend during a designated time slot based on their child’s last name. Families with the last name beginning with A-J are encouraged to attend between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m., while those with last names beginning with K-Z should attend between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m.

Please enter the building through the Auxiliary Gym doors (West Gym). During this time, you and your child can meet their teacher, see the classroom, and drop off supplies at your child’s desk, cubby, or locker space. You will also be able to take care of any remaining paperwork with our office staff.

You do not need to stay for the full hour. Once you’ve met the teacher, organized your child’s supplies, and completed any necessary forms or paperwork, you are welcome to leave. All PK–12 families will be attending, so following these time guidelines will help keep the evening smooth and enjoyable for everyone.

Our first day of school is Wednesday, August 19, and it will be an early dismissal day. School will run from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and there will be no Kids First After School Program that day. Students may begin arriving no earlier than 7:30 a.m. at the Auxiliary Gym, where breakfast will be served. Please do not enter the building or drop off your child before 7:30 a.m.

For the 2025–2026 school year, we are excited to continue our school-wide Wildcat PRIDE character program. PRIDE stands for Positivity, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Empathy—core values we are committed to instilling in all of our students.

Our staff actively looks for students who demonstrate these traits throughout the school day. When a student is observed showing PRIDE, they will receive a bracelet that enters them into a weekly prize drawing.

In addition, we will host monthly school-wide assemblies to celebrate students. Each month, one student per class—nominated by their teacher—will be recognized for exemplifying that month's featured PRIDE value.

We strongly believe in the power of positive reinforcement to help shape and encourage meaningful behavior, and we hope your child has had the opportunity to be celebrated through this program.

ParentSquare is replacing Remind as Cedar Bluffs Public Schools’ primary communication tool for families. Please review the attached document for more information about ParentSquare, including how it will be used to keep families informed and connected with the school.

As students return to school, please remember that all medications to be administered at school must be brought to the school by a parent or guardian. A completed medication authorization form must accompany the medication, and all medications must be in their original pharmacy-labeled container.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us safely care for our students.

Our school participates in the Avel School Health Nurse Program, which helps us provide quick access to healthcare during the school day.

• How it works: If a student isn’t feeling well, they can visit with a registered nurse virtually through an iPad.
• What the nurse does: The nurse will assess your child’s symptoms and make recommendations for care.
• Parent communication: If the nurse feels your child should go home, you will receive a phone call directly from the nurse to discuss next steps. Please note: the call will come from 605-606-0550, which is not a school number. We encourage you to save this number in your contacts for easy recognition.

This program helps ensure that students get timely medical attention while at school and gives parents peace of mind knowing a licensed nurse is available when needed.

Regular school attendance is essential for student success. Being present each day helps students stay on track academically, build positive relationships, and develop consistent learning habits.

To support student success and comply with Nebraska attendance requirements, families will receive an attendance letter after 5 unexcused absences. An unexcused absence is any absence without a doctor’s note or one that is not the result of the school sending a student home due to a fever or vomiting.

After 10 unexcused absences, an additional attendance letter will be sent home. A meeting with the student’s parents/guardians, teachers, and administration will also be scheduled to discuss attendance concerns and develop a plan to improve attendance. At that time, Saunders County ARRIVE will also be contacted.

After 15 unexcused absences, another attendance letter will be sent, and a meeting will be scheduled with the ARRIVE Coordinator to provide additional support and address continued attendance concerns.

After 20 unexcused absences, another attendance letter will be sent, and the county attorney in the family’s county of residence will be contacted.

We understand that circumstances may arise that impact a student’s ability to attend school regularly. Our goal throughout this process is to partner with families, identify barriers to attendance, and provide support whenever possible. If your family is experiencing challenges that are affecting your child’s attendance, please reach out to the school so we can work together to help your student be successful.

Cedar Bluffs Elementary School

Principal: Mr. Curtis Carlson

Main Office: Mr. Charlie Rinke

Website: https://www.cedarbluffsschools.org/
Location: 110 E Main Street, Cedar Bluffs, NE 68015

Phone: (402) 628-2080

Live Feed: https://www.cedarbluffsschools.org/live-feed