August/September Newsletter

Welcome back to another exciting school year! I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable summer break, and you're all as eager as we are to kick off a fantastic year of learning, growth, and achievement.

As we begin this school year, I want to express my sincere hope that it will be a positive and productive time for everyone. Our staff is dedicated to providing the best educational experience possible, and with your support, I know we can achieve great things.

This past summer a lot of work took place on our campuses. The elementary school saw quite a bit of renovation. We worked to improve the safety and security of the building with a new secure foyer (like the high school entrance) as well as new ADA bathrooms. In order to do this, the main office moved to the front of the school and it now occupies one of the former Kindergarten classrooms. This new office area also houses the principals office, the nurses office, a staff restroom, and a couple of places for students to work.

The former office has been converted into the new ADA restrooms. Several rooms on the south side of the school were renovated and made to replace the Kindergarten classroom that became the office. The former Computer Lab was made into two new classrooms, and the school counselors office was expanded and remodeled as well. They worked all summer on the inside of the building and also replaced the roof and the black top on the exterior. Our Ribbon Cutting is Wednesday, September 9th at 4:30pm with an open house to follow.

You may have seen steel work happening at the site of the new middle school which is west of the high school. After several months of dirt and utility work, footings were poured and steel has started to be erected. A new chiller pad and chiller were put in on the east side of the school. This was always going to be part of the project, but was done a little earlier than originally planned as our chiller was giving out and we had to replace it this summer instead of toward the end of the project. Over the next few months, you will see a lot of new things happening on the west side of the high school as they are planning to have that area complete by the fall of 2027. The entire project is still on track to be complete by the fall of 2028.

One of our school-wide goals this year is to improve attendance in all of our buildings. Our students do really well compared to the state average, but this is a Nebraska Department of Education area of focus this year, so we decided to make it one of our focus areas as well. Consistent attendance helps students stay connected to their learning, classmates, and school experiences. It helps them maximize learning. We’ve included a calendar with our no school days this year to help families plan appointments, etc.

Thank you for being an essential part of our school community. I look forward to seeing you at school events throughout the year!

Let's have a great year!

Josh Cumpston

Steel Framing is starting to go up at the new Middle School.

Front Row L to R: Danae Birky (1st Grade), Ashauna Davis (Tyke Para), Faith Kvasnicka (Elementary Health Para), Mandi Allen (Middle School Head Cook), Kearsten Bures (Elementary Para).

Back Row L to R: Merissa Zajic (Elementary Resource), Brooke Boelter (5th Grade), Anna Fisher (Family & Consumer Science), Hunter Verhage (7th & 8th Social Studies), Sherry Bruns (Elementary Cook).

Welcome to the 2026-27 School Year!

Welcome! I hope you enjoyed your summer, however the 2026-27 school year is almost here. I am anxiously waiting for the students and staff to bring life back to the hallways and classrooms of our school building. I look forward to working with you and your child, and providing a positive educational experience.

I would like to recognize our staff members who attended numerous classes and workshops to increase their ability to deliver quality instruction to our students. I would also like to acknowledge the custodial staff for their many hours of work to make improvements and clean the elementary facility over the summer.

If you would like to have an educational conversation, please contact me anytime. The office phone number is 759 – 3184, and my e-mail address is aaron.veleba@fillmorecentral.org.

Educationally,

Aaron Veleba

Upcoming Events:

Monday, September 7, No School

Tuesday, September 8, No School

Monday, September 14, 4th Grade AgVenture Day

Wednesday, September 16, School Pictures

Friday, September 25, Grandparents Day / Early Dismissal

New FCES Staff Members

• Danae Birky, 1st Grade Teacher

• Merissa Zajic, Special Education Teacher

• Kearsen Bures, Paraeducator

• Ashaunna Davis, Paraeducator

• Faith Worster, Paraeducator

Water Bottles

Families are encouraged to provide a water bottle for their student(s). Students will be allowed to fill water bottles at the bottle filling stations.

Volunteers/Visitors

Volunteers and visitors are welcomed at FCES. Please contact your child’s teacher if you plan to visit during instructional time or lunch. FCES does limit visits to 1 hour in length to ensure classroom/student routines and procedures are minimally disrupted.

Student Materials

For the 2026-27 school year Fillmore Central Elementary is providing all required supplies needed in the classroom for all students. A book bag is the only item that families will need to provide for students. This commitment ensures every student is equally equipped to be successful at FCES.

Snacks and Treats

Fillmore Central continues to encourage families to follow the district wellness policy when providing snacks and treats. Food items that are brought into the school should follow the smart snacks standards if possible. Additional information can be found on the school website.

Absent…

Please call the school before 8:45 a.m. if your child will not be in attendance that day, 759 – 3184. Thank you.

Arriving at School

The school day begins at 8:05 a.m. The tardy bell rings at 8:10 a.m. Breakfast is served from 7:30-8:00 a.m. Students should arrive no earlier than 7:30 a.m. To begin the school day, all students enter through the front doors.

1. Parents/Guardians are asked to drop off their child at the front doors of the building.

2. Students arriving at school between 7:30 – 7:50 a.m. report to the lunchroom. Please enter through the front doors.

3. Students arriving between 7:50 – 8:05 a.m.

“K” Report to the art room

1st Grade Report to the lunchroom

2nd Grade Report to the gym

3rd Grade Report to the music room

4th Grades Report to lunchroom

4. Students are not allowed to wait for the 8:05 a.m. “bell” anywhere outside the building unless they are supervised by their parent / guardian.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served each school morning starting at 7:30 a.m. Breakfast service stops at 7:55 a.m. to ensure students have time to eat and transition to their classrooms at 8:05 a.m. The cost for a student breakfast is $2.15. If your child eats breakfast, the cost will be deducted from your child’s lunch account.

Lunch

When you plan to eat school lunch with your child please call the school before 9:00 a.m. so a lunch can be prepared for you. Student lunch cost is $3.20 and adult lunch cost is $4.30. Please note, hot lunches for elementary students are prepared at the high school each day, so it is important that we have an accurate count of visiting adults. Thank you for your help in this matter.

Fillmore Central Elementary does not have a student use microwave.

Milk Money for “K” and 1st Grade

Students in Kindergarten and 1st grade can purchase milk for their daily A.M. milk breaks for $22.00 per quarter.

Registration Requirements (Immunizations, birth certificate, etc…)

Please note that Nebraska State Law requires all Kindergartners and all out-of-state transfer students to have:

· 3 doses of DTP with one given on or after the 4th birthday

· 3 doses of polio

· 2 doses of MMR, and

· 3 doses of Hepatitis B

· 2 doses of Chicken pox: Must have the immunization or a note stating the date when your child had chicken pox.

· Influenza type b (Hib)

· Invasive pneumococcal disease

· Physical exam

· Vision Exam

· Certified copy of the birth certificate (the copy from the hospital does not meet this requirement).

These required documents must be on file prior to the start of the school year. Please be sure this is taken care of prior to August 8 so your child does not have to miss the first day of school. Tip: Do not wait until the last minute to find these items. It takes some time to collect copies from various agencies. Please be diligent about collecting the necessary paperwork, and call if you have questions.

Boxtops for Education

During the 2026-27 school year Fillmore Central Elementary will generate revenue through the Boxtops for Education App. In the past, Boxtop funds were used to go on fieldtrips, see a movie at the theater and provide food and other treats. Please continue to scan your receipts with the Boxtops App. to help Fillmore Central Elementary.

What is Early Development Network Services Coordination?

Services Coordination helps families of children with special needs below age three:

• Find services to meet developmental, educational, financial, health care, child care, respite care and other needs

• Work with multiple providers to make sure services are provided as needed

Why is Service Coordination Needed?

Nebraska families of children with special needs have found it difficult to locate needed services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and then to coordinate the services with the providers.

Who is Eligible for Services Coordination?

Eligible families are those with an infant or toddler below age 3 who has a disability or developmental delay and qualifies for special education through the public schools.

Year round services coordination is provided.

There is no cost to families.

How Can Families Apply?

To request Early Development services for your child or to refer a child, call the local number below. With prior parental permission, referrals may be made by anyone who suspects a developmental delay in an infant or toddler.

CONTACT: Beth Lightwine at ESU6-Geneva office (225 North 17th, Geneva, 402-759-3143).

WELCOME BACK!

Below is important information for your student at Fillmore Central Middle School.

IMPORTANT DATES

Monday, September 7, No School

Tuesday, September 8, No School

Wednesday, September 16, School Pictures

PERSONAL ELECTRONIC POLICY (CELL PHONES/SMART WATCHES/EAR BUDS)

Students are not to have cell phones, smart watches, and/or ear buds on them during the school day (8:05-3:20). These should be kept in their locker or book bags. Locks are available for students wanting to keep the device(s) secure in their locker.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

School supplies (pencils, pens, highlighters, notebooks, folders) will be provided to middle school students.

BACKPACKS

For students in grades 5-12, backpacks will need to be stored in hallway lockers during the day. They will not be allowed in classrooms, restrooms, locker rooms, lunch rooms, etc., during the school day.

ICU

The Power of ICU program will continue to be used this year at the middle school. As a reminder, this program is a communication tool designed to notify parents of their student’s missing assignments and help ensure students complete missing assignments.

BREAKFAST

Breakfast will be served at the Middle School from 7:30-7:50 AM each school day. Second chance breakfast will be served between first period and PRIDE each day, as well. Students have responded positively to this breakfast opportunity, and we're glad to continue to provide the program.

ATHLETIC PRACTICES

7th & 8th grade students participating in athletics must have all necessary forms completed in FinalForms before they are able to practice. Your child’s physical must be uploaded and all necessary forms must be completed in FinalForms. The necessary forms are listed below.

• Student Athlete Handbook

• NSAA Student & Parent Consent Form

• NSAA Student Eligibility

• Heads Up Concussion Fact Sheet

• NSAA PPE Physical Form (Must be uploaded in FinalForms)

PHYSICALS

All Kindergarten and 7th grade students, and students transferring from another state are required by law to have a physical and current immunizations before they will be allowed to start school. All students who will be participating in athletics must also have a physical prior to the first day of practice. Physical forms are available at the local physician’s offices or may be downloaded from FinalForms. Physical forms must be uploaded into FinalForms. No physical copies will be accepted.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR PARTICIPATION IN EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Grades 7-12. No student shall participate in any activity if he or she is failing two or more classes. Determination of whether a student is on the ineligible list is based upon semester-to-date grade point average. A student cannot gain eligibility for one week after being placed on the ineligible list. A week is from 12:01 A.M. Monday through 11:59 P.M. Sunday.

🌊 On Sunday, August 9th, FCMS students attended the Middle School pool party held at the the Fairmont Pool.

Welcome to the 2026-27 school year! This year will be an exciting year at FCHS. Our construction project is really starting to take shape. Construction projects generally require some flexibility, but any inconveniences will be minor and we are all looking forward to the completion of this project in the next couple of years. With that being said, here are a few reminders and updates as we kick-off the 2026-27 school year.

Staffing

For the first time in 5 years, FCHS will have a new staff member. Anna Fisher will be teaching FCS as well as sponsoring the FCCLA. Please welcome Anna!

Activity Calendar

Over the summer, we made the switch to Bound for our online activity calendar. Our hope is that Bound will be more user friendly and more appealing to those people who use it. I know on my end it is, but like everything else, learning a new system takes time. We will do our best to keep this updated with the correct information. You can access the new Bound website at: https://www.gobound.com/ne/schools/fillmorecentral. You can also install the Bound app for your phone by going to your App Store for Apple devices or Google Play on Android devices.

Attendance

One fairly major change for this year at the high school pertains to attendance and potential loss of credits due to excessive absences. In the past, students were allowed 10 non-doctor verified days each semester before we look at forfeiture of credit. Starting with this school year, the board of education has approved a change to 8 non-doctor verified absences before we look at the possibility of forfeiture of credit. This number is more in line with NDE’s days related to chronic absenteeism.

A second change will be an early-release incentive for students. We have adjusted our Friday schedule as we have moved our HR to the end of the day. Students who meet the following criteria will be allowed to leave for the weekend at 3:15 p.m.

• Students cannot have any first period tardies during the week. Additionally, they can have no more than 1 tardy to any other class during the week

• Attendance - students may not miss any school, other than for a school activity to be eligible for the early release option

• Students must be passing all classes

• Students must not be on the ICU list

• If students choose to leave, they must leave campus. They are not required to leave, but they cannot hang around in the parking lot, lockerrooms, etc…

• Students must not have any discipline or behavior issues during the week. This includes cell phone violations

• Parents will need to give consent at the start of the year for their student to access this option, should they meet the criteria

RRSH Change

For the past 8 years, FCHS has utilized a rotating remedial study hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This year we will be moving to only one period each week, which will be on Wednesdays. Our rationale is that 2 periods each week were too much. Additionally, there are very few school activities on Wednesdays, which will allow more students the opportunity to utilize this study period each week.

ICU

This year will mark the 6th year that we will be using the Power of ICU program. As a reminder, this program is essentially a communication tool designed to help ALL students complete ALL assignments with quality, and in a timely manner. This program is not perfect, but it has made a positive impact on student learning and I am excited that we can continue with the communication tool.

Second Chance Breakfast

We will once again be offering breakfast between first and second period each day. This opportunity has been well received by our kids and we are happy to be able to offer this program. With the Friday schedule change mentioned earlier in this article, we will still offer breakfast on Fridays between 1st and 2nd period.

School Supplies

As has been done for the past several years, all necessary school supplies will be made available to students.

Cell Phone Policy

Last year was our first year with the new cell phone policy. The change seemed to have a positive impact on student engagement, which correlated to better student learning. With that being said, this policy will remain unchanged for this school year.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.

GO FC!!!

Congratulations to this group of students worked hard last year to earn the honor roll of distinction. Special thanks to 34 Electric and 34 Well Drilling for donating the shirts!

Activity passes are $75 per person. They are able to be used at any regular season games. Your name will be added to the list once you have paid. Passes will not be accepted at Conference or District events.

K-12 Fillmore Central Students and Fillmore Central Fans that are 65 years or older are free. Please contact Dawn to be added or to make sure you are on the list.

For questions contact Dawn Temme at 402-759-3141 or at dawn.temme@fillmorecentral.org

Great News for Reduced Price Families!

For the 2026-2027 school year all reduced breakfasts & lunches are FREE ($0.00) in accordance with the Hunger-Free Schools Act Program.

To find out if you qualify for reduced breakfast and lunch, please check out this form, or reach out to Jodi Meyer at jodi.meyer@fillmorecentral.org.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

In 2025, an anonymous donor made a transformational $8,000,000 gift, designated specifically for an auditorium/theater addition. The total cost to construct and fully equip the auditorium is approximately $10.4 million, leaving a $2.4 million fundraising goal over the course of two years to complete the project and ensure a first-class performance venue.

As a result, a group of community volunteers, in partnership with the Fillmore Central Public Schools (FCPS) Board and the FCPS Foundation, is introducing an accelerated fundraising campaign to secure the additional funds needed to fully complete the nearly 600-seat auditorium.