LCPS Board set District Goals for 2012-13

At their February meeting, the LCPS School Board identified four goals to prioritize the values, mission, and expectations of the Loup City Public Schools for the 2012-13 school year including:

Academic Excellence: To become a school system that inspires, challenges, and supports the highest level of excellence for all of our students. We believe an intellectually rigorous educational experience will develop graduates who will advance into the next phase of their lives prepared to function effectively in the world of the 21^st century, and who understands the importance of living as informed, responsible citizens.

Safe and Orderly Schools: To work together as a school district and community to provide a safe and orderly learning environment.

Community Schools: To establish public trust and confidence through open, honest communications and positive relationships.

High Quality Workforce: To recruit, retain, and professionally develop a high-quality work force.

The purpose of district goals is to focus the efforts of the Board, administrative team, students, and staff in our quest for continuous improvement areas including: budgeting, staffing, curriculum, professional development, assessment, business operations, maintenance, transportation, food-service and technology.

These goals stress the Board’s high expectations of providing outstanding educational opportunities to all of our students.

Send a Message to LCPS Teachers for Nebraska Teacher Recognition Day

Nebraska Teacher Recognition Day is Tuesday, March 6, 2012. It is time to say "Thank You" to a teacher/ staff member who has made a difference. Please log onto the LCPS district Facebook page   (http://tinyurl.com/84d33bo)

to "like"  our Tribute to Teachers post and/or to leave a comment. Please take a minute to let that special staff member know how much you appreciate all that he/she does for kids.

Join us to Celebrate Read Across America & Dr. Suess' Birthday

The Kindergarten through third Grades at the Primary Building will be celebrating Read Across America and Dr. Seuss’ Birthday the week of Feb. 27, 2012  with the following activities :

Monday (Feb. 27)-Silly Sock Day  (Wear your silliest socks)

Tuesday (Feb. 28) - Wacky Hat Day (Wear your wackiest hat)

Wednesday (Feb. 29)-Dress Up As Your Favorite Dr. Seuss Character (For Example:  Mr. Brown, Cat in the Hat, The Grinch, Cindy Lou, Horton)

Please feel free to join us if you can for the Buddy Reading and celebration in the gym on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Buddy Reading will take place in the classrooms from 2:00-2:30pm.  Kindergarteners will Buddy Read with the Second Graders and First Graders will Buddy Read with the Third Graders.  At 2:40pm, we will meet in the gym as “The Cat in the Hat” will read us a story.  After that we will celebrate Dr. Seuss’ Birthday by having a little treat.

                                 “You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild,

                                  To pick up a book and read with a child.” (NEA)

Public Forum to Discuss Conference Options

The Loup City Public School District is hosting a community forum on Monday, February 27, 2012 in the Jr.-Sr. High School Commons. starting at 7:30pm. The purpose of the forum is to discuss the district’s current conference affiliation and conference membership options open to the district in the future.

Public Participation: Board of Education meetings and Board of Education public forums are open meetings, which patrons are welcomed and encouraged to attend. Following a short presentation by Superintendent Tom Hinrichs, Board President Mike Rademacher will invite comment and questions from the public, utilizing the following guidelines:

·       Any person wishing to address the board will be asked to sign-in before speaking or in advance, by contacting the superintendent’s office.

·       Comments must be limited to issues at hand.

·       We ask that comments be limited to five (5) minutes in length.

·        For groups with the same special interest, we request that a spokesperson be appointed.

·       We are requesting that, if possible, a copy of patron comments is provided in writing, to the Board via the Superintendent’s office, before the meeting, or provided by the speaker at the meeting.

A record of all questions, comments, and suggestions will be compiled and added to the information on conference affiliation, which is made available on district website. We will be conducting a simple exit poll following the public forum.

Current conference information (member schools, enrollment figures, activity offerings, and travel distances) is currently available on the LCPS website: http://blog.loupcity.k12.ne.us/

Please join us on February 27^th for this important discussion.

LCPS Board Approves 2012-13 School Calendar.

The 2012-13 school calendar features:

•  A starting date of August 16, 2012 for students in grades 7-12 and and August 17th for all students. 
• An ending date of  May 16, 2013 
• 174  instructional days (171 for elementary students) for students
• 185 contract days for staff
• 13 days with 2pm dismissals times
• One noon dismissal
• 161 Full Days
• 1129 Hours for 7-12 students (1080 are required)
• 1109 Hours for K-6 Students 

The 2012-13 LCPS school calendar may be accessed on the school website

http://blog.loupcity.k12.ne.us/files/2010/03/2012-13-LCPS-School-Calendar.pdf

Strategic Planning Meeting Scheduled to Discuss Conference Options

On Monday February 27^th district patrons are invited to join the Loup City Board of Education for a strategic planning meeting to discuss LCPS’s conference affiliation options.  Loup City is a founding member of the Lou Platte Conference, which was first organized the 1950’s. Other schools in the Lou Platte Conference are: Adams Central, Centura, Doniphan / Trumbull, Gibbon, Kearney Catholic, Ord, Ravenna, St. Paul, and Wood River. At the strategic planning meeting, the Loup City School Board will consider whether or not the Lou Platte Conference remains the right fit for our school.

Recent discussions among the Board, staff, and students have involved enrollment figures, travel distance, activity offerings, and future stability of the Lou Platte and surrounding conferences. The Loup City Public Schools have been approached by representatives of the Goldenrod, Fort Kearney, and Loup Valley Conferences to inquire about our district’s interest in possibly joining one of those conferences.

We have conducted discussions with and surveys of our staff and students regarding conference affiliation over the past few months. The Loup City Board of Education would like to use this strategic planning meeting to gather information and field questions from the public as the Board considers this issue for possible future action.

Information pertaining to the Lou Platte, Goldenrod, Fort Kearney, and Loup Valley conferences is posted on the Loup City Public Schools website http://blog.loupcity.k12.ne.us/ .

Please plan to join us at this strategic planning meeting to listen and be heard on this important issue.