McMillan Monthly

February will be a busy month with many different activities occurring and have included a few highlights below. 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:

• Reminder there is No School on Friday, February 13th or Monday, February 16th, 2026. On Friday, staff will be participating in a district wide Professional Development day and Monday is President's day.
  
• There is a LATE START professional development morning on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. There will be NO breakfast served at school. School starts that morning at 9:40am, and students may enter the building at 9:10am.
• The Grading Window for teachers to input grades opens on 2/5. Student progress will be emailed to parents. We want all Monarchs "on track", passing their classes to be ready for high school and beyond. Check your students grades on their iPad or on Parent Portal!
• There is an NJHS Fundraiser happening this month! NJHS will be selling Candy Grams from Monday, February 2 to Tuesday, February 10 during all three lunches. Students may purchase them for $1.00 or $2.00 each. Each purchase can be sent to a different person and comes with a choice item. There will be 3 different templates to choose from. All Candy Grams will be delivered at the conclusion of the fundraiser.
• This week is National School Counseling week! We have an amazing staff at McMillan in our Counseling and Social Worker department - if you have moment, reach out and thank them for their service to McMillan and our community!
• 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.

#MONARCHPROUD,

Dr. Andrew R. Walters

Principal

Middle schools across our district are strengthening students’ experience to better ensure all students are reading on grade level and prepared for success. These years are critical for young people to build strong reading and writing skills.

We are acting on student, staff and family feedback to deliver:

· More frequent teaching on reading and math through an updated class schedule, with both subjects most days and rotating longer periods mid-week.

· A stronger focus on reading and writing across classes.

· Academic support through reading and math intervention and extension time during the school day.

· Consistent access to elective choices in the arts, STEM, and career exploration that include work on reading and writing.

The schedule shift will be implemented in the 2026-27 school year. These efforts are to give students more consistent, high-quality learning across all middle schools, so every student feels supported, challenged, and prepared for high school and beyond. Families are critical partners, and we wanted to share this information directly as we begin planning as a staff team.

We are grateful for your continued partnership.

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.

Snowy streets have returned earlier than expected this year. With that, comes the unexpected traffic issue on the hill by McMillan. Even if your car can handle an icy/snow packed hill, you are likely to become stuck. Avoid the hill between Martin Ave. and 37th Street. Instead, go an extra block and then circle back. See below.

When needed, our district will call a “School Closure.” On a “School Closure” day, there is no remote learning or activities assigned for students to do at home. While there are no virtual office hours on “School Closure” days, students and families may email teachers with questions.

On a “School Closure” day, the Teacher Administrative Center (TAC) may be open or closed. If it is closed, employees will work remotely. Omaha Public Schools employees receive a separate communication with that guidance.

Whenever possible, our district will announce changes to a daily routine the night before. We also know weather conditions and other emergencies can develop rapidly and a morning decision may be necessary. When that happens, we will communicate as early as possible.

We follow consistent communication routines. If weather, power outages or other circumstances force a change to our normal day, we communicate directly with impacted staff and families. That communication arrives through email, text message and phone call. Families should ensure their contact information is current in Infinite Campus. We also share the information on our website and through local news media.

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.

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.

Ms. Maggie Peterson, our Social Worker at McMillan Middle School is here to support students and families with social, emotional, and community needs, helping to ensure every student is set up for success both in and out of school. She is available to connect families with resources, provide support during challenging times, and partner with parents, teachers, and staff to strengthen our McMillan community.

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.

As we move through February and March, important decisions about your bridge to High School and the 9th grade year start to happen. August, 2026 may seem very far away, but planning for this has already began. 8th graders - share these dates with your family:

• 😍 High School Orientation: Wednesday, February 25th, Starting at 8:00 AM
• ⏩ High School Course Selection: Tuesday, March 3rd, Starting at 8:00 AM

If you have questions about either of these opportunities, please contact Demetria Ballard at 531-299-6769

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!

In true Monarch spirit, let’s focus on “keeping the main thing the main thing.” As we dive into Winter 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. See your coaches for more details on Boys and Girls Wrestling, Boys Swimming, and Girls Basketball, which are going on now.

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

Clubs meeting after school during the month of December:

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
• 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

As is common for this time of the year, we are seeing an increased prevalence of illness in the community. McMillan Middle School is continuously working to do our part in reducing the spread of illness, and we appreciate your help in this effort by following the strategies listed below:

• Stay home when sick until at least 24 hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication

• Stay up to date with vaccines (flu, etc.)

• Perform frequent hand hygiene
• Practice respiratory etiquette; covering coughs and sneezes

• Clean high-touch surfaces regularly

• Consult with your child's healthcare provider for personalized guidance

Current 6th Grade Parents

We are so excited for your student to be a 7th grader. Just to let you know, students who will be in the 7th grade for the 26-27 school year need a physical exam and to be up to

date on all immunizations. 7th graders generally need a Tdap shot. This is a requirement based on Nebraska state law. This appt can be scheduled for after March 1, 2026. Paperwork will be coming home in the mail at the end of February.

Mobile Clinic

We will have the Charles Drew Mobile Clinic here at McMillan on March 11th. The Mobile Clinic can do Sports and school physicals, Immunizations/vaccinations, well-child visits, and Acute Care. If you would like your student seen by Charles Drew, we need you to sign up before March 10th at the following link or scan the QR code.

Charles Drew School Based English

https://form.jotform.com/252094692624159

Charles Drew School Based Spanish

https://form.jotform.com/252186254647160

- 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