August 2020 Newsletter
BACK TO SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
LEWISTON CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL
306 Tiger Avenue
Lewiston, NE. 68380
402-865-4675
402-865-4875 (fax)
IMPORTANT BACK TO SCHOOL DATES
Monday Aug. 10 - FB VB practice
Monday Aug. 10 - Teacher meetings
Tuesday Aug. 11 - Teacher meetings
August 2020 NewsletterWednesday Aug. 12 - Teacher meetings
Thurs. Aug. 13 - First Day -FULL DAY
Thursday Aug. 20 - Pre-K First Day
Monday Sept. 7 - NO SCHOOL Labor Day
Wednesday Sept. 9 - Lifetouch Picture Day
Monday Oct. 26 - Lifetouch Picture Retake Day
Superintendent’s Message
Preparations for the new school year are moving full speed ahead and once again, it’s time to start making your back to school plans. This newsletter has all of the back to school information you need in preparation for another school year. Important dates to start the new year include football and volleyball practice starting Monday, August 10th and the first day of school Monday, August 13th. Due to the impact of COVID-19, parents are encouraged to read the district’s reopening plan which is posted on the district’s web page at lewistonconsoldiated.org. The plan identifies several new protocols to ensure student and staff safety during the national pandemic.
We are happy to announce that Mr. Thad Loomis will be teaching 7-12 Language Arts. Mr. Loomis grew up in Broken Bow, NE, where he graduated in 1994. Mr. Loomis attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he graduated in 1999 with a BA in English and a minor in History. Mr. Loomis attended UNL Graduate School from 2007-2013 and is currently attending the Transitional Certification Program at UNK. Mr. Loomis has lived in Beatrice since 2002 and has 6 kids, Dawson, Jordan, Haley, McKenna, Miley, and Zander, ages 16 to 6. Mr. Loomis loves playing basketball, going to his kids' events and spending time with family and friends.
We are also excited to announce that Joe Cox is the new Director of Buildings and Grounds. Joe spent 32 years working in the casino gaming industry and the last two years working for the Lincoln Post Office. Joe currently resides in Sterling, has 4 adult children and 3 grandchildren. Joe enjoys fishing, hunting, and spending time with family.
As in the past, we encourage all free and reduced lunch applications as we receive federal reimbursement for all free and reduced meals served to eligible individuals. Lunch prices for the 20-21 school year are $2.45 for elementary, $2.95 for grades 7-12, and $3.65 for adults. Breakfast prices are $1.70 for elementary, $1.90 for grades 7-12, and $2.25 for adults.
Please return your application for free and reduced lunch to the school as soon as possible. The policy remains that meals will need to be paid for in advance at the Principal’s office. If you do not qualify for free lunches, it will be your responsibility to pay for your child’s meals in advance. Students with no money in their lunch account will be required to bring their lunch. New this year, admission to all home activities will be free for students attending Lewiston Consolidated Schools and their parents.
The purpose of this newsletter is to provide basic information for the Lewiston Consolidated School District that will keep all citizens informed on important school procedures, issues, and facts. This newsletter will be distributed to all patrons on the Lewiston Consolidated School mail routes. If you do not receive a newsletter and wish to do so, or know of anyone who would like to receive this newsletter, please notify the Superintendent’s office at (402) 865-4675.
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! This spring and summer has certainly been one for the books. First and foremost, I would like to thank all the parents and patrons of our district for the way everyone handled the closure. I appreciate the patience that everyone has shown. We certainly hope that we can continue to provide an education in the brick and mortar building the full school year. We ask that everyone help us with our health recommendations, as these are put into place so we can continue to come into the school building to have in-person learning.
Below I have listed a few ideas that parents might want to talk to their children about since coming back to school will feel and be different than any other year they’ve returned.
Encourage: Encourage your child(ren) to wear masks when asked at school (this will be when social distancing isn’t possible).
Good Hygiene: Make sure they know why good hygiene during this time is so important. I’m sure many parents have used this summer as a training time for proper handwashing.
Set a Good Example: Children tend to mimic and take on the attitude of the adults they are around (parents, teachers, grandparents, other family members, friends). If parents, teachers, staff, and other adults they are around model good Covid-19 safety procedures, then children will be more apt to be positive about the situation.
Supplies/Materials: Please make sure all supplies and materials are clearly marked with your child’s name. This will ensure that these supplies won’t be shared.
Talk to them: This is a complicated time as much for your child as it is for you. Take the time to speak with your little one so you can probe their understanding of the pandemic, address any concerns and help set new expectations. Older students with more independence can be empowered to think about strategies they'll use to follow the guidelines and encourage their peers to do so as well.
Daily Routines: Routines have probably gotten put aside during these last 5 months. Now would be the time to start a bedtime and morning routine. There are many good checklists found online that can be used as evening and morning routines are re-established.
Finally, this is an unprecedented time for all of us. We are navigating through unchartered waters that we have never seen before. We ask that you keep communication open between home and school. Please do not hesitate to call your child’s teacher or myself if you have any concerns or questions. We have put a plan in place for the safety and well-being of all students and staff. Things will be a little different, but with your support and understanding, hopefully we can get this year off to a good start and continue to provide education in a face-to-face manner.
Enjoy the rest of your summer and I look forward to seeing everyone back on August 13th.
Mrs. Smith
Lewiston Consolidated School
July 13, 2020
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Children need healthy meals to learn. Lewiston Consolidated School offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs PK-6 $1.70 7-12 $1.90; lunch costs PK-6 $2.45 7-12 $2.95. Your children may qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Reduced price is .30 for breakfast and .40 for lunch. If your child(ren) qualified for free or reduced-price meals at the end of last school year, you must submit a new application by September 24, 2020 in order to avoid an interruption in meal benefits.
This packet includes an application for free or reduced-price meal benefits and a set of detailed instructions. Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.
1. WHO CAN GET FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEALS? • All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) are eligible for free meals.
• Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.
• Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.
• Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
• Children may receive free or reduced-price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced-price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.
2. HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS HOMELESS, MIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY? Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please call or e-mail Caroline Hunzeker 402-865-4675 or crowland@lewistonschool.net.
3. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD? No. Use one Free and Reduced-Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to Caroline Hunzeker 402-865-4675 306 Tiger Avenue Lewiston NE 68380
4. SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS? No, but please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Caroline Hunzeker 402-865-4675 or email crowland@lewistonschool.net immediately.
5. CAN I APPLY ONLINE? You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if your school district makes this option available. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit [website] to begin
or to learn more about the online application process. Contact [name, address, phone number, e-mail] if you have any questions about the online application. 6.MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE?Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this schoolyear. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the newschool year. If you do not send in a new application that is approved by the school or you have not beennotified that your child is eligible for free meals, your child will be charged the full price for meals.
7.I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS? Children in households participating in WIC maybe eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Please send in an application.
8.WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED? Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof ofthe household income you report.
9.IF I DON’T QUALIFY NOW, MAY I APPLY LATER? Yes, you may apply at any time during the schoolyear. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligiblefor free and reduced-price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.
10.WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH THE SCHOOL’S DECISION ABOUT MY APPLICATION? You shouldtalk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Rick Kentfield 306 TigerAvenue Lewiston, NE 68380 or call 402-865-4675.
11.MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN? Yes. You, your children,or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced-price meals.
12.WHAT IF MY INCOME IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME? List the amount that you normally receive. Forexample, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made$900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do notinclude it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wagesreduced, use your current income.
13.WHAT IF SOME HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE NO INCOME TO REPORT? Household membersmay not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application or may not receiveincome at all. Whenever this happens, please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are leftempty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fieldsblank, as we will assume you meant to do so.
14.WE ARE IN THE MILITARY. DO WE REPORT OUR INCOME DIFFERENTLY? Your basic pay andcash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing,food, or clothing, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the MilitaryHousing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combatpay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.
15.WHAT IF THERE ISN’T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY FAMILY? List anyadditional household members on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your application. ContactCaroline Hunzeker 402-865-4675 or email crowland@lewistonschool.net to receive a secondapplication.
16.MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP. ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR? Tofind out how to apply for SNAP or other assistance benefits, please go online toACCESSNebraska.ne.gov or call 1-800-383-4278.
If you have other questions or need help, call 402-865-4675.
Sincerely,
Rick Kentfield
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Instructions for Completing the Free & Reduced-Price School Meals Family Application For households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), follow these instructions: |
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Part 1: List each child’s name, the school they attend and their grade. Part 2: Enter household’s Master Case Number if the household qualifies for SNAP, TANF or FDPIR. Part 3: Skip this part. Part 4: Complete this part. An adult must sign the form. Part 5: This part is optional and does not affect your children’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meals. If you do not select race or ethnicity, one may be selected based on visual observation. |