Author: Nanci Stritt

Southwest Public Schools

May 2024

‘Rider News

From The Desk Of Superintendent Drew Billeter

. As we approach the end of the 2023-24 school year, I am filled with a sense of pride and gratitude. It is truly astonishing to think that this is the last newsletter of the year, a testament to the incredible accomplishments and resilience of our students, staff, and families.
This school year has been marked by remarkable successes across our district. Our students have excelled academically, athletically, and artistically, showcasing their talents and dedication. Southwest Public Schools has continued to provide an exceptional educational experience for all students.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to our incredible teachers and staff. Your unwavering commitment to our students' well-being and academic growth has been truly inspiring. Through the challenges and triumphs of the past year, you have consistently gone above and beyond, ensuring that our schools remain beacons of excellence.
To our parents and guardians, your unwavering support has been instrumental in our success. Your involvement in your children's education, your participation in school events, and your partnership with our educators have been invaluable. Together, we have created a strong, collaborative community that empowers our students to reach new heights.
As we bid farewell to the 2023-24 school year, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our graduating seniors. You have worked tirelessly to reach this milestone, and we are immensely proud of your accomplishments. We wish you the very best as you embark on your next journey, whether it be college, the workforce, or military service. Your future is bright, and we have no doubt that you will continue to make us proud.
In closing, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve this remarkable community. Together, we have weathered the challenges and celebrated the triumphs of the past year, and I am confident that our collective dedication and resilience will continue to propel us forward.
Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable summer break!

Inside this issue:

High School News	2
Elementary News	2
Counselor’s Corner	3
School Nurse	4
Board Minutes	5
Dental News	6
Volleyball Camp	7

Special points of interest:
May 11 - High School Graduation 10:00 AM
May 16 - Last Day of School. Dismissal. Elem 1:00 PM Jr/Sr high 12:50 PM

NHS Night—Mrs. Rice
Nine new members were inducted into the Southwest National Honor Society on Tuesday, April 16th. CONGRATULATIONS!
Pictured:
Kyra Nelms, Ella Cure, Bellamie Stritt, Caitlyn Adams, Houston Billeter, Alyssa Koch, Atleigh Nelms, Adeasha (Nena) Escobar Salas, Anikka Nelms
I'd like to thank the outgoing Seniors, Ashlynn Latimer, Avery McConville, Ana Cerenil, Haylee Thomas, Nathan Rippe and Colton Sedlacek for their time and service to our organization, they will be missed!!

Elementary News - Mrs. Fries

As the 2023-2024 school year comes to an end, the only word I can think of to explain my feelings is grateful. I am grateful for such an amazing staff, administration, and school board. They clearly put our students first and are dedicated to helping them learn and grow. I am grateful for the families who attend our school and the support we receive from them. We are blessed daily with the opportunity to work with some amazing kids. I am grateful to our community that never fails to support our school in an effort to enrich the lives of our students.
May 6th-10th is Teacher Appreciation Week. If you have a chance, please take a moment to write your child's teacher a note telling them how much they are appreciated. Teachers are an essential part of our lives. They have the important responsibility of shaping the minds and hearts of our future generation. From teaching the basics of reading, writing, and math to instilling important life skills like empathy, responsibility, and critical thinking, our teachers work hard every day to ensure that their students receive an excellent education. We are blessed to have some of the best teachers working in our schools!
Elementary Field Day will be held on Wednesday, May 1st, at the high school track in Bartley. Students will ride the buses to Bartley and eat a picnic lunch. Field day events will start at noon. Parents, families, and friends are more than welcome to come and watch their children compete on this day. The Southwest Foundation will be selling sandwiches and concessions for spectators.
The Elementary Spring Program will be held at Bartley in the gymnasium. The performance will begin at 7:00 pm. Students have been learning and practicing a variety of songs to perform on Thursday evening, and I am sure the program will be spectacular! We will wrap the school year up on Thursday, May 16th, with an early dismissal. Students at the elementary school will be dismissed at 1:00, and there will be no after-school daycare.

High School News - Mr. Springer

The 2023-24 year has been a great educational success, as we have returned to a more normal school year at the Junior/Senior high school. The staff and the students have spent a lot of time working toward reaching the goals they set back in August.
The month of May is a short month in terms of school. These are a few dates that you may want to keep open on your calendar. **** On May 1st we will host the Elementary field day. It starts at 12:00 at the track in Bartley. May 11thth Graduation. May 16th is also the last day of school.
Summer school will once again take place this year to help students catch up on credit recovery. The Junior/Senior High summer school program is designed to get the students who may be low in English or Math skills extra help and allow them to gain credit recovery. This will hopefully ensure they are ready for the next level of course work when school resumes. Summer school will be Monday through Thursday from 8:30 to 11:30 the month of June.
The class schedules for next year have been finalized. We have spent a lot of time working to ensure students are able to take the classes they wish. However, there is a slight possibility that a specific class may not fit. If you have not visited with your child, I would encourage you to ask them what they signed up for in the fall semester. The schedule is designed to fit the request students made this year. So when the fall term hits it is hard to make changes and still get the classes they want.

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‘Rider News

Counselor’s Corner - Mrs. Lewis
Seniors:
*If you plan to live in the dorms make sure to pay your housing deposit.
*Check your college site for their freshman registration days and make sure to sign up.
ACT
Register for the ACT at: actstudent.org
Southwest School code: 280151
McCook Community College test site code: 024600
Summer Camps:
Students can apply for the Youth Energy Camp, this is a fully funded camp to attend this summer! Information is on their Canvas page!
The University of Nebraska at Lincoln is offering several Food Science day camps this summer- view the link below to see all the opportunities.
https://foodscience.unl.edu/food-science-summer-camp
F.A.R.M. Camp (Frontier Area Rural Mental -Health Camp and Mentorship Program)
-For high school students interested in a career in mental health
-June 24-28th at Chadron State College
-More information can be found on student canvas accounts!
School Assembly:
** May 14th there will be a speaker at the high school. His name is Mark Potter. He shares a message about shattering the mental health stigma and his own struggles with it.

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School Nurse - Mrs. Nelms
Wednesday, May 1: Jr/Sr High Health Screenings. All students in grades 6-11 will participate in our annual student health screenings. Staff from Red Willow County Health Department and Southwest Dental are assisting in these screenings: Blood Pressure, Height, Weight, Vision, Dental, and Hearing.
If you would object to your student participating in the grades 6-11 health screening, please contact: janette.nelms@swpschools.org
Tuesday, May 7: Free Sports Physicals at Southwest High School. The Southwest Booster Club, in conjunction with McCook Clinic, offers a free sports physical on May 7, 2024 to students of Southwest School in current grades 7-11. Your student just needs a completed and parent signed NSAA pre-participation physical activity form at the school on or before May 7 in order to participate. These forms were mailed home, and are also available at the school.
The providers that are currently scheduled to come to Southwest High School are: Physical Therapists; Dave Carfield, Stacie VanPelt Health Care Providers: Dr. J. Blomstedt, W. Schoenemann NP-C, A. Sheets PA-C, Dr. J. West,
*If your student is going to participate in a sporting extracurricular activity in the 2024-2025 school year and they will be in grades 7-12, they need to have a sports physical on file dated after May 1, 2024. You can choose to use the free sports physical day at Southwest, or see a provider of your choice, at your own cost.*
May 16, 2024: If your student has medication at the elementary or high school buildings, a parent needs to come pick this medication up at the school office.
2024-2025 School Year:
All incoming 7th graders need a school physical and updated vaccinations for the 2024-2025 school year. The school physical will be used towards the sports physical requirement if they are going to participate in junior high athletics. Please make your appointments now.
All incoming kindergartners for the 2024-2024 school year will need: A school physical, an eye exam, updated vaccination records, and a birth certificate on file at the school.
If you would object to any of these requirements for incoming kindergarten or 7th grade students, please contact: janette.nelms@swpschools.org

Board of Education Meeting Southwest Public Schools District 179 Aprit 8, 2024
President Jason Neseth called the regular meeting of the Southwest Public Schools Board of Education to order at 7:31 p.m. on April 8th, 2024 at the Southwest Junior-Senior High School in Bartley.
Present: Jason Neseth, Duane Teter, John O'Dea, Brooke Brooks, Jason Kloepping, Jennifer McConville, Superintendent Drew Billeter, Principal Tara Fries, Principal Matt Springer, Sydney Mousel
Absent: None.
Visitors: Les Roggenkamp, Diane Moore, Lisa Ryan, Ashley & Austin Lambing, Derek Meyers, Valley Voice
President Neseth observed Open Meeting Law requirements.
Moved by O'Dea, seconded by Kloepping, to approve the board meeting agenda as presented. Ayes: Teter, O'Dea, Kloepping, Neseth, Brooks, and McConville. Nays: None. Motion carried.

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‘Rider News

Notices of the meeting were posted at the Adams Bank and Trust in Indianola, the Stockmens Bank Bartley Branch, Post Offices in Bartley and Indianola, Southwest Elementary School in Indianola, Southwest Junior-Senior High School in Bartley, and published in the Valley Voice newspaper and on the school website. Notice of the meeting was given in advance to all members prior to the meeting date.
Moved by Teter, seconded by McConville to approve the minutes of the March 11, 2024 board meeting. Ayes: O'Dea, Teter, Kloepping, Neseth, McConville, and Brooks. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Moved by Teter, seconded by O'Dea, to approve the claims as presented. Ayes: Kloepping, McConville, Brooks, Teter, O'Dea, and Neseth. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
The treasurer's report was presented to the Board.
Moved by McConville, seconded by Brooks, to approve and discuss and take appropriate action on accepting the resignation of Dennis Hengen. Ayes: Teter, Kloepping, McConville, Neseth, O'Dea, and Brooks. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Moved by Kloepping, seconded by Neseth, to approve and discuss and take appropriate action on accepting the resignation of Rose Hengen. Ayes: Teter, Kloepping, McConville, Neseth, O'Dea, and Brooks. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Moved by Teter, seconded by Kloepping, to approve and discuss and take appropriate action on accepting the resignation of Amber Daffer. Ayes: Teter, Kloepping, McConville, Neseth, O'Dea, and Brooks. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Moved by McConville, seconded by O'Dea, to approve a contract for Payton Schake as a JH/HS Counselor for the 2024-2025 school year. Ayes: Kloepping, Neseth, McConville, Teter, O'Dea, and Brooks. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Moved by O'Dea, seconded by Kloepping, to approve a teacher contract for Joni Bowman for a 2nd grade position for the 2024-2025 school year. Ayes: Kloepping, Neseth, McConville, Teter, O'Dea, and Brooks. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Moved by Teter, seconded by O'Dea, to approve the quote from Unitech with the amount of $454 to refinish the gym floors over the summer. Ayes: Kloepping, Neseth, McConville, Teter, O'Dea, and Brooks. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Moved by O'Dea, seconded by Brooks, to approve the Junior Kindergarten and early childhood program as presented. Ayes: Teter, Kloepping, McConville, Neseth, O'Dea, and Brooks. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Moved by Teter, seconded by McConville, to approve a COOP girls wrestling with Cambridge for two years (2024-2025 & 2025-2026). Ayes: Teter, Kloepping, McConville, Neseth, O'Dea, and Brooks. Nays: None. Motion carried.
Superintendent Billeter informed the Board about the Local School Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment Review. In that, he listed how we promoted a diverse range of nutritious meals for our students and they also have 30-minute lunch breaks. He also addressed that a few of our other strengths as a school are that we offer a wide array of Physical Education classes that also touch base on health education. The playground equipment for the elementary was delivered. All electric work at the elementary was completed, and the new shot clock was installed. On April 11th, there will be a SPED meeting for any homeschooled students in our district. The 4th and last safety meeting was conducted on April 8th.
Principal Tara Fries informed the board that they finished up with their MAPS testing. On Monday the 8th, all the children witnessed the solar eclipse. Lastly, they had a great turnout for the book fair and literacy night this month.
Principal Matt Springer informed the board that in their Safety meeting conducted on Monday, April 8th, they discussed fixing the southeast gym doors to make them into a single door. The 6th – 12th students also have finished up their MAPS testing.
Agenda for meetings will be kept continually current and available for public inspection in the office of the Superintendent.
The next regular board meeting will be held on Monday, May 13th, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. at the Southwest Junior-Senior High School Library in Bartley.
Moved by O'Dea, seconded by Kloepping, to adjourn the meeting at 8:08 p.m. Ayes: Kloepping, O'Dea, Teter, Neseth, McConville, and Brooks. Nays: None. Motion carried.

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Southwest High School
900 Coke Street
PO Box 187
Bartley, NE 69020

Phone: 308-692-3223
Toll Free 855-692-3172
Fax: 308-692-3221

Address Service Requested

www.swpschools.org

Test Date	Registration Deadline	(Late Fee Registration)
June 8th, 2024 / June 9th, 2024	May 3rd, 2024	May 17th, 2024
July 13th, 2024 / July 14th, 2024	June 7th, 2024	June 21st, 2024