Husky Headlines

March 12th marks the end of the THIRD Quarter! We are entering our fourth and FINAL quarter of the 24-25 school year. It's the final countdown! While we are getting close to the end of the school year, we do still have eleven weeks of school left. Please help us as we work to keep all students on track to have an amazing - and complete - school year!

Attendance has been a HUGE issue is schools across Nebraska for the past couple of years. Shelby-Rising City Elementary School had our highest rate of absenteeism during the 23-24 school year. Chronic Absenteeism is defined as a student missing 10% of their school year. This is with unexcused, parent excused, and even doctor excused time. During the 2023-2024 school year, 22% of students across the state of Nebraska were chronically absent!! (OUCH!) Please help us throughout this last quarter to ensure that ALL students are here each and every day of school. Every single day really does matter.

We will be gearing up for our Nebraska NSCAS Testing along with our S-RC District assessments (MAP Growth and Acadience for all K-5th grade students). Teachers will be talking to your child(ren) about their personal goals for end of year testing. Take some time to ask your child(ren) about their goals and how they are going to work to meet their goals! One of the easiest ways to work toward testing goals is to practice IXL skills at home for an extra 10 minutes a day. CLICK HERE to see all of the research behind IXL!

• March 1st - Preschool Enrollment Opens
• March 7th - S-RC Alumni Volleyball & Basketball Games
• March 8th - S-RC Alumni Volleyball & Basketball Games
• March 10th - BoE Meeting (Open to the Public)
• March 12th - 10:10 Late Start - PLC
• March 12th - End of 3rd Quarter
• March 13th - No School 🌼 Spring Break
• March 14th -No School 🌼 Spring Break
• March 18th - Spring Pictures
• March 25th - No School for Elementary Students - ACT Day
• March 26th - 10:10 Late Start - PD
• March 26th - Book Buddies
• March 26th - Book-It Deadline!
• March 30th - Father/Daughter Dance
• March 31st - 3rd Grade Field Trip
• April 25th - Kindergarten Round-Up: No School for Kindergarten Students!

Mark your calendars for March 1st! Our preschool enrollment will begin on March 1st, and this year we will be going to a digital enrollment format available through our S-RC website (links on the website will not be there until March 1st). You will need to fill out all enrollment forms, and then prior to the first day of school in August, you will need to bring in your child's original birth certificate and immunization records. Ideal times to bring in those forms would be before the last day of school OR at our Preschool Open House in the Fall.

You will receive more information as the school year rolls on and Preschool Enrollment continues!

Kindergarten Registration for the 25-26 school year is now open!

All S-RC Registrations have moved to an online format. Please CLICK HERE to enroll your child in Kindergarten for the 25-26 school year. When enrolling your child, you will need to turn in the following forms:

We will then add your child to our list for our 25-26 Kindergarten classes!

Kindergarten Round-Up is scheduled for Friday, April 25. Once your child is on our list, you will get a packet to let you know more information about Kindergarten Round-Up!! Packets will be sent out in the first 10 days of April.

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Thompson at hthompson@shelby.esu7.org

*** Current kindergarten students: You will not have school on this day, as our preschoolers will be taking over your classrooms! Please mark your calendars as well.

Spring Picture Day is Coming!! Students will take pictures on Tuesday, March 12th. You will then be able to order online through Digital Solutions using your child's online code and your email address. Proofs will be sent home with students as soon as they are made available to us.

🎉 We’re in the middle of Testing Season! 🎉

Our EL students have been putting in great work on the ELPA21 (English Language Proficiency Assessment for the 21st Century)! Nebraska public schools require this test for all students receiving English Learner (EL) services.

💡 What’s Tested?
When they take the ELPA21, students are showing their English-language skills in:

• Listening 🎧

• Speaking 🗣️

• Reading 📖

• Writing ✍️

🌟 Ready to Test!
Students practiced using the online testing platform so they could feel confident and ready for this year’s assessments. Some students completed all of their test sessions in February, while the remaining students will continue testing through the middle of March.

🎉 Keep Up the Amazing Work!
Our students are working hard and making incredible progress every day! Let’s keep supporting their achievements as they continue to shine! 🌟

February was full of reading adventures and exciting activities in the library! Here's a look at what each grade level explored this month:

📚 Book Fair Success!
From February 4-11, our library hosted a fantastic book fair. Students, families, and staff discovered new favorites while supporting our library. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and made this event a success!

📦 New Books in Classroom Libraries
We added a variety of new books to classroom libraries, giving students even more opportunities to enjoy reading during the school day. Happy reading!

Kindergarteners brought their favorite stuffed animals to join them in library class and began their Story Passport Adventure, discovering exciting stories from different countries.

🐾 First Grade Adventures with Pete the Cat
First graders enjoyed learning about James Dean and Eric Litwin, the author-illustrator duo behind Pete the Cat! They also kicked off their Story Passport Adventure, exploring stories from around the world.

🗺️ Second Grade Reviews Story Maps and Travels the World Through Stories
Second graders practiced using story maps to understand plot elements and started their Story Passport Adventure, learning about global cultures through literature.

💡 Third Grade Prepares for Read Across America Month
Third graders received a reminder to read Golden Sower nominated books and began working on a special project to celebrate Read Across America Month in March.

💻 Fourth Grade Builds Digital Citizenship Skills
Fourth graders are nearly finished reading Don't Let the Doll In by Mike Ford. They also studied Super Digital Citizenship, learning how to make responsible and respectful choices online.

🔍 Fifth Grade Investigates Information with 2 Truths and 1 Fib
Fifth graders sharpened their information literacy skills by playing 2 Truths and 1 Fib each week. They used reliable sources to distinguish facts from fibs, strengthening their ability to evaluate online information.

We were so honored to be recognized by the United States Congress, our local representative to the Nebraska government, and the Nebraska School Librarians Association this month! Thank you for supporting our library and encouraging students to explore the world through books. We can’t wait for more reading adventures in March!

K-2nd Grade: This past month, we’ve been working on balance, tumbling skills, and fitness testing. The fitness testing results will help determine our top contenders for the Fitness Cup in May! Looking ahead, we’re excited to dive into hockey, soccer, and a little tee-ball as we finish out the year.

3rd-5th Grade: Students have been enjoying fan-favorite Mat Ball and basketball, and completing their fitness testing to qualify for the Fitness Cup as well. Parents, mark your calendars! Our Track & Field Day is set for April 30th. I know it’s a bit early this year, but due to the high school track schedule, this was our only available date. Sign-up sheets will be sent out in mid-March, so keep an eye out!

Over the last few weeks the 3rd graders have been working towards their goal of no missing or late assignments. They finally met their goal this week and were able to build forts in the classroom and enjoyed a movie together! It was exciting to see groups come together to use their teamwork and different strategie skills to build the best forts.

Yee-Haw! Preschool had a fun time celebrating our annual Cowboy Day! We had fun "panning for gold", roping "cattle" and learning all about the old west.

Special Education Director

Shelby-Rising City Public Schools

Email: hthompson@shelby.esu7.org
Website: https://www.shelby.esu7.org/
Location: 650 North Walnut Street, Shelby, NE, USA
Phone: 402-527-5946 5718
Twitter: @ms_thompson007