Nathan Hale Newsletter -- Quarter 2: Home

Main Office

(402) 557-4200

Administration

(402) 557-4202

Attendance

(402) 557-4202

Nurse

(402) 557-4215

Social Studies/Language Arts --  The students in Ms. Violett, Ms. Jonyka, Ms. Johnson, and Ms. Moore's classes have been using their higher-level thinking skills to learn about Ancient Egypt.  Not only did they learn about how the topography of Egypt allowed it to flourish, they saw how a unique culture, society, and religion contributed to a rich experience with pharaohs, mummies, and amazing archeology.  They also studied Ancient Egypt's social-class pyramid and then compared and contrasted the social classes of Ancient Egypt with the social classes of today's society.  Ms. Johnson had her students become "scribes" and write staff members messages in hieroglyphs.  They will be "packing their bags" and moving to Greece and Rome for third quarter.  Upon their arrival, they will study a range of new material such as geography, map analysis, and the affects of geography on human settlement.  

Science -- Mr. Novotny and Mr. Clerc had their young scientists learning about Earth's forces, volcanoes, earthquakes, and geologic time during second quarter.  Mrs. Swain's classes also were "rockin" as they studied rocks, minerals, earthquakes, plate tectonics, and volcanoes.  Mrs. Swain's students created science fair projects -- which everyone will be able to see sometime in late January at a science fair open house.  (Stay tuned for more details.)  During third quarter, the focus of seventh-grade science will be physical science, energy, and electromagnets.  

Reading --  For second quarter in Mrs. Worthy's reading classes, student read the novel Small Steps by Louis Sachar.  Students made character sketches and completed theme projects over the novel.  In addition, students also focused on main idea and details in nonfiction reading by reading the stories "The Great Serum Race" and "Life Under Ice."  Ms. Hodge's classes read short stories such as "Befiddled," "SOR Losers," and "The Great Serum Race."  They learned about literary devices such as similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, and personification.  They also read the novel Holes by Louis Sachar. Ms. Harvey's classes began reading Holes by Louis Sachar and discussing the themes of choices, friendship, justice and injustice, and racism.  They will continue reading Holes after break and wrap it up during third quarter. 

Math -- The students in Mrs. Violett's, Ms. VonCannon's, and Ms. Rech's math classes were "all in" during second quarter as they worked on adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing proper fractions, improper fractions, and mixed numbers.  During third quarter, they will be learning to solve algebraic expressions and equations.  Ms. Ross' students spent second quarter finding rate, unit rate, and writing and solving algebraic expressions.  

 

Science --  In seventh-grade science, Mr. Schaben and his students spent the quarter talking about human body systems: circulatory, immune, skeletal, excretory, muscular, endocrine, digestive, nervous, and respiratory.  In his Physical Science class, the students finished their unit on chemistry and started to explore the wonderful world of physics.  In both classes, the students spent a good part of second quarter working on their science fair projects.  Nathan Hale's Science Fair will take place during third quarter this year.  Stay tuned for more information!

Reading -- Whew!  Ms. Vaiskunas and her students were busy during second quarter.  They worked with IVF summaries, finding main ideas, the elements of a story, and identifying genres.  The students in her 21st Century classes analyzed characters and the characters' decisions. 

Social Studies --  The students in Mr. Garcia's classes read an extraordinary book titled A Long Walk To Water by Linda Sue Park.  The book described two stories about two different people living in Sudan.  The students created a portfolio summarizing each chapter.  The students were very engaged in the story and even put themselves in the story.  They simulated one of the main character's struggles by walking around the school with water above their heads.  In order to get their legs tired, they even had to do squats and lunges!  It is great to see the seventh-grade students continue to immerse themselves into the subject of World Geography.  Hopefully, they will continue to enjoy their travels during third quarter.   

Math -- In Mr. Starks' Math 7 class, the students finished second quarter learning about fractions.  The students learned how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions.  Students also learned how to perform those math operations using mixed numbers.  These Patriots wrapped up the unit by taking a test over fractions right before Winter Break.  They will begin the second semester by learning about algebraic expressions.  Some topics that will be covered in this unit are order of operations with rational numbers, creating variable & numeric expressions from word phrases and word problems, evaluating numeric & variable expressions, and sequencing. 

Language Arts -- During second quarter, Mrs. Foley and Mrs. Bridgeford had their seventh-grade language arts students read A Christmas Carol and then write a cause-and-effect essay that explained what caused the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, to change over the course of the play.  Students were taught the writing process and how to include textual evidence in their essays.  For third quarter, students will perform a practice NESA test that asks them to read a passage, analyze the text, and write a response that includes text evidence. 

High School Selection

High school open houses are scheduled in January for all seven high schools for incoming freshman for the 2017-2018 school year.  Parents/Guardians are encouraged to select several high schools of choice to visit with their students during open houses.

Generic information packets were sent home in December so that families have access to district information concerning all high schools.  These packets are for information purposes only, giving a brief overview of all OPS high schools.

High school selection forms will be sent home with students the week of January 25, 2017 and are due back to Hale on or before February 1, 2017.  

It is recommended that students select three high schools in order of preference.  If the home school is selected, only one choice is needed, as students are guaranteed placement at their home school.  Please pay attention to the transportation guidelines if transportation to a high school will be needed for the 2017-2018 school year.  Even if a student does not plan to attend OPS, the district is requesting the form be returned.  Students will automatically be assigned to their home attendance area school if no form is returned. The goal is to have 100% return on the forms.  

One of the most important considerations for selecting a high school is the need for transportation.  Be sure to have a discussion with your student as to how transportation to high school will be provided.  Make certain your family is aware of the distance to the high school you select and the availability of a bus.  Eligibility guidelines for riding a bus are strictly enforced.

Again, high school selection forms will be sent home with students the week of January 25th and are due back to Nathan Hale on or before February 1st.  High school open house dates are:

Benson High School -- Sunday, January 22   (1 - 3 p.m.)

Bryan High School -- Thursday, January 12   (6 - 8 p.m.)

Burke High School -- Tuesday, January 10     (6 - 8 p.m.)

Central High School -- Saturday, January 21 (2 - 4 p.m.)

North High School -- Sunday, January 22       (2 - 4 p.m.)

Northwest High School -- Tuesday, January 17 (6 - 8 p.m.)

South High School -- Thursday, January 19   (6 - 8 p.m.)

OPS Career Center -- Saturday, January 28 (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)

School Selection for 2017 - 2018

In the 2017 - 2018 school year, OPS will be implementing a new Student Assignment Plan for elementary and middle schools.  This new plan will impact transportation eligibility for the 2017 - 2018 school year for student not attending their neighborhood school starting at the beginning of the school year.  We strongly encourage you to look at the new plan as you are considering school choice and transportation for the upcoming school year.  The new plan considers the student's residence and distance to school, not socioeconomic status, to determine transportation eligibility.  There are no changes to the high school plan for the 2017 - 2018 school year.

Guidelines to Help Your Student be Successful at School

1. Encourage your student to be on time to school and classes.  Mastering this life skill now will have many benefits as they grow toward  adulthood.

2. Stay engaged with your student and his/her teachers.  Be proactive.  Don't wait until progress reports or the first report card to know your student's grades.  If you wait for the report card, it may be too late.  Make sure you know what is expected of your student and that they are meeting the teacher's expectations.  Check your student's grades often by checking the Parent Portal or by emailing your student's teachers.  If you are not currently signed up for access to Parent Portal, please contact Mr. Conn in the office, and he can help you get set up.  

3. Talk to your student about what they are learning in their classes and encourage learning outside the school day.  Don't just focus on grades, but talk about the content of what they are learning.

4. Encourage your student to participate in extra-curricular activities.  Being involved in activities provides students opportunities for making new friends, learning new things, building character, and helping them learn time management skills when they are balancing their homework and activity.  

5.  Create a college-going culture at home.  Emphasize that you expect your student to continue their learning beyond their graduation from high school.  College can be any education after graduation whether it is a four-year college/university, community college, trade school, or certificate program.

6. Encourage problem-solving skills.  Your student is at the age where they can figure out appropriate ways to solve issues that they may be having with peers or teachers.  Encourage them to seek guidance if they are struggling to find an appropriate solution.

7. Parenting is hard, but rewarding, as we watch our child learn and grow into successful adults.  Sometimes we make mistakes raising our children.  Our children need our unconditional love and respect.  Students need to learn to become independent, responsible, and self-sufficient to be successful in their endeavors in school and at home.  As parents, we can help them by ensuring that their emotional needs are being met on a consistent basis.  Your understanding, common sense, adult judgment, and good sense of humor can make these middle-school years a joy for both you and your child.

Ms. Redinbaugh (6th Grade Counselor)

(402) 557-2410

Mrs. Janzen (7th and 8th Grade Counselor)

(402) 557-2411

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Happy New Year!  It is difficult to believe that we have completed the first semester of the school year.  Your children have been busy both in their clubs and activities and in their classrooms.  What very recently seemed like a new school year is settling into a familiar routine.  Congratulations to the 225 students who earned a 3.0 G.P.A. or higher for mid-term reports.

Great things are happening at Nathan Hale.  We have had professional development on classroom management and student engagement.  The North High football team visited our young men for an assembly.  We have hosted two successful parent meetings, and many parents came to school on December 20, 2016 for "Parents As A Student" Day.

We want to thank the many pastors, the 100 Black Men organization, and the OPS employees who have assisted in our school and at many events and activities this semester.  We are fortunate to have so many parents and community members who provide their time and expertise to our school both in and outside the classroom.

I wish you and your families all the best this new year.  Best regards from all of us at Nathan Hale Middle School.

Sincerely,

Darin Williams, Principal

 

 

Reading -- Second quarter is "in the books" for Mr. Irvin and his eighth-grade reading students.  They spent the quarter enjoying fictional reading and learning about the five elements in literature: character, setting, conflict, plot, and theme.  Mr. Samson's reading students worked on their summarizing skills during second quarter.  They will begin individual book projects after Winter Break.

Social Studies --  Mr. Bedore and his students looked to the West during second quarter as they learned about Manifest Destiny and the westward expansion of the United States.  They finished the semester completing an inquiry project that required them to find and analyze two primary sources on a topic such as the transcontinental railroad, the gold rush, or Native American displacement and then articulate how this topic influenced our nation's desire to move west of the Mississippi River.  

Math --  It all adds up for Mr. Matthews, Mrs. Patton, and their students in pre-algebra.  During second quarter they had equations of all sorts: one variable, two variable, and linear equations of all kinds.  The students used slope and will be able to check for constant rate of change. Proportions are up next for third quarter.  

Language Arts -- Life As We Knew It was just one of the books that the students in Ms. Carlson and Ms. Lee's classes had the opportunity to read in Book Club groups with their peers during second quarter.  Discussions about characters, point of view, predicting and questioning challenged these eighth-grade Patriots to become strategic readers.   They also read a story from an anthology called Hamadi and contemplated the big question "Can all conflicts be resolved?"  This story helped them work on the strategies of vocabulary building, critical thinking, and predicting.  Everyone will focus on writing during third quarter.  Ms. Carlson and Ms. Lee encourage parents to ask their student to explain the use of an IVF organizer.  Don't worry if they stumble a little because these teachers will be working on this strategy and even more writing strategies after Winter Break.  

Science -- During second quarter, Mr. Elder's eighth-grade science students learned about matter and how to apply chemistry to the world around them.  Heading in to third quarter, students will be focusing on physics and on how to describe motion of objects. 

Vocal Music -- Ms. Boesch and her chorus students worked extremely hard during second quarter to prepare for their Winter Concert which was performed on December 8th.  Their attention will shift to preparing for the All-City competition and performance during third quarter.  Ms. Haas and the students in her general music classes studied note names, rhythms, form, tempo, and dynamics during second quarter. During third quarter they will learn about music history.

Spanish 1-2 -- Hola! Los alumnos hablan de sus amigos y familias.  Hello!  The students (in Mrs. Peter's class) speak of their friends and families in Spanish, of course.  They will learn to speak about school and home during third quarter.  

Social Justice -- The students in Ms. Skradski's classes are learning by doing.  They spent second quarter working on their service learning projects.  The eighth-grade students wrote letters to Congress, and the seventh-grade students started a "pay-it-foward" chain.  

Physical Education (Boys) -- Second quarter saw the boys in physical education finishing up one of their last "invasion" sports with hockey.  Mr. Williams and Mr. Clayburn made sure the boys made it into the weight room to work on large and small muscle groups, as well.  The boys tested their bumping, setting, and serving skills during a unit on volleyball.  

Physical Education (Girls) -- The girls in Ms. Kowal's physical education classes played volleyball and basketball during second quarter. They also worked on their fitness levels by having circuit days and by using pedometers to meet step goals during class.  During third quarter, they will play badminton and floor hockey.

Introduction to Careers -- Managing Time.  Setting Goals.  Leading A Team.  Communicating Effectively.  Solving Problems.  These are some of the skills employers are looking for from their new hires.  That is why Mrs. Kildow and her students spent second quarter working on these job skills and applying them to their "job" of being a middle school student.  These skills look great on report cards, as well as, on resumes!

Instrumental Music -- A beautiful noise could be heard from Nathan Hale's band, orchestra, and percussion classes as these music students and Mr. Karpf worked diligently to prepare for the Winter Concert.  Their hard work paid off as the Winter Concert on December 8th was a success!  After Winter Break, student will be gearing up for All-City concerts and adjudication.  

BSP --  Mr. Sweeney's students worked hard on all subjects during second quarter.  They especially focused on reading, writing, and math.  

Leadership -- Homelessness was the theme for Ms. Benson and her leadership students during second quarter.  Her eighth-grade students studied abnormal psychology (a branch of psychology that deals with mental and emotional disorders) and investigated how these disorders impact homelessness.  Her seventh-grade students looked at going beyond just putting a patch or a band-aid over homelessness and discussed practical ways an individual can actually help fix the problem.  Her sixth-grade students studied the connection between homelessness and food production and shortage. 

 

 

Tackling Bedbugs

1. Report issue to your landlord.  Ask them to spray pesticides.

2. Do not sleep on the floor.  Get a frame for your bed.  Metal frames are best.

3. Move your bed away from walls.  Bugs can crawl up walls.

4. Buy protective sheets and seal your mattress and pillows.  You can buy these at Walmart or online.

5. Do not let blankets touch the floor.  Bugs can crawl up blankets.

6. Vacuum regularly.  Only use vacuum cleaners with disposable bags. Vacuum the entire floor all the way into corners and under furniture.  Vacuum furniture as well as carpet.  A vacuum hose is best.  Vacuum under cushions and in crevices.  The hose will reach into corners and crevices where bedbugs like to hide and lay eggs.  Vacuum your bed and bed frame.  Vacuum cracks in the floor and walls.  Bed bugs lie in very small spaces.  Empty the vacuum outside into a sealed plastic bag and throw this bag into the dumpster.  This gets the eggs out of your home.

7.  Heat kills bed bugs.  Wash all clothes and bed sheets/blankets in hot water.  But, hot water is not enough.  You have to use a dryer.  If you do not have a dryer, go to the laundromat.

8. Put clean clothes in sealed plastic bags.  Buy large Ziploc bags to store clean clothes in as soon as they come out of the dryer.

9. Visit a hardware store to get their advice about products that kill bed bugs. 

For more information about prevention and treatment of bed bugs, visit the link below.

 

 

Starting with the 2017 - 2018 school year, Omaha Public Schools will implement its new Student Assignment Plan, called the Partner Plan.  The Partner Plan guides the school choice process and transportation eligibility for elementary and middle-school students.  Please visit sap.ops.org for more information. (A link is provided below.)

The Partner Plan creates eight (8) elementary partner zones and four (4) middle school partner zones within the school district.  A student's primary residential address and current grade determine the partner zone.  Placement in the neighborhood school is always guaranteed.  Students attending a school other than their neighborhood school may continue to attend their current school, however, starting in August 2017, transportation will only be provided to schools within the partner zone (for elementary students residing more than 1.0 miles from their elementary school or middle school students residing more tha 1.5 miles from their middle school).

To identify your neighborhood school, your partner zone, and your transportation eligibility for 2017-2018, visit sap.orp.org at the link below.  

If you would like to speak to someone at Nathan Hale about the new Student Assignment Plan, please contact our School Support Liaison, Ms. Kuhns, at 402-557-4200.  

Girls Swimming --  The girls swim team had a great season splashing around in the pool!  The team consisted of 15 dedicated swimmers and Coach Kowal.  At the beginning of the season the team struggled to swim 50 meters under a minute and by the end of the season several swimmers had improved their time to be less than 50 seconds. Twelve of the 15 swimmers represented Nathan Hale at the city swim finals.  The team competed in dual meets against Monroe, Lewis and Clark, Beveridge, Norris, Morton, and McMillan and improved with each competition.  Way to represent in the natatorium Patriots!

JV Boys Basketball --  With the regular season in the books, Nathan Hale's JV basketball players and Coach Williams can be very proud of their accomplishments.  They finished the season with a winning record of 6-4.  Thanks to their hard work and dedication, they saw a steady improvement in fundamentals the entire season.  Most importantly, the boys had fun working as a team!  Congratulations Patriots on such a great season. 

Varsity Boys Basketball -- The Varsity boys basketball team and Coach Jensen finished the regular season tied for fourth in the final standings -- tied with four other schools with a winning record of 6 - 4.  In the first round of the end-of-the season tournament, the Patriots defeated Beveridge (also 6-4).  The score was 47-38.  In the second round, they played King Science on December 20th and won.  This solidified fifth place in the tournament for the Patriots.  This was combined with their accomplishment during the regular season to promote them to fourth place, overall.   The season was one of growth, as the athletes focused on fundamentals and leadership on the court and in the classroom.  Coach Jensen saw growth in the players in both phases, and he looks forward to seeing them succeed in high school. 

It's the end of the day. 

While many employees across town are jumping in their cars and heading home for rest and relaxation, five teachers from Nathan Hale are gathering their school books and heading out for "round two".  For the second half of their day, Ms. Carlson, Mrs. Foley, Ms. Workman, Mr. Samson, and Ms. Rech become students--students who are diligently working their way toward a Master's Degree in reading. 

All of these dedicated educators are part of a program called The Career Ladder in Reading which started in the summer of 2013.  The Career Ladder in Reading was made possible through grants from the Sherwood Foundation and the Lozier Foundation and is important to OPS and Nathan Hale because it increases student achievement.

Teachers participating in The Career Ladder in Reading program show significant gains in instructional efficacy (effectiveness) in literacy.  In turn, research shows that this instructional efficacy in literacy corresponds with positive teacher practices in the classroom and high student achievement. 

It is effective.

More than 200 OPS teachers have participated in the program.  Participants in the program range from early childhood teachers to high school educators, and they are from all content areas -- ranging from science and math to language arts and home economics. 

Nathan Hale is very fortunate to have five teachers in the program.  The Career Ladder in Reading will increase the participants' understanding of, and ability to, implement best instructional practices in reading.  Additionally, Career Ladder in Reading participants disseminate these best practices throughout the district by offering professional development within their building. 

It is a big commitment.

While teachers are enrolled in the program, they have class once a week from 4:45 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  During that time they are taking two separate classes.  They also have the corresponding, graduate-level, homework associated with those two classes.  Then, beginning in their spring semester, they start completing PD (professional development) hours within their building.  Each teacher is required to complete three hours of professional development a month.  Additionally, there are quarterly Saturday meetings at the TAC building where all participants meet for professional development.

It is crucial. 

For Mrs. Foley, Ms. Carlson, Ms. Rech, Ms. Workman, and Mr. Samson, the time and effort required to complete The Career Ladder in Reading program is worth it.  The benefit their participation in the program brings to Nathan Hale and our students negates any late nights, overwhelming homework assignments, and loss of free time. 

"I continued my education to further assist my students with their reading journeys.  I have learned many useful things about the brain and how it processes text, which has been a wonderful addition to my classroom." -- Mr. Samson

 

Omaha Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age, genetic information, citizenship status, or economic status in its programs, activities and employment and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.  The following individual has been designated to address inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Superintendent of Schools, 3215 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68131  (402-557-2001).

Las Escuelas Publicas de Omaha no discriminan basados en la raza, color, origen nacional, religion, sexo, estado civil, orientacion sexual, discapacidad, edad, informacion genetica, estado de ciudadania, o estado economico, ensus programas, actividades y empleo, y provee acceso equitativo a los "Boy Scouts" y a otros grupos juveniles designados.  La siguiente persona ha sido designada para atender estas inquietudes referentes a las polizas de no discriminacion:  El Superintendente de las Escuelas, 3215 Cumming Street, Omaha, NE 68131 (402-557-2001).

PTSC

Save the date -- Tuesday, January 10th -- for the next PTSC meeting.  PTSC stands for Parents, Teachers, Students, and Community, and it is an organization (made up of people from all of these groups) that supports Nathan Hale Magnet Middle School.  You may have referred to this type of group as the PTA or PTO when you were in school.  

Nathan Hale's PTSC needs you.  Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of most months.  The remaining meetings for this year will be January 10, February 14, April 11, and May 9.  The meetings begin at 6:00 p.m. and are held in Nathan Hale's library.  Lanesa Ballew is this year's president.  

The PTSC uses Box Tops for Education to help fund their scholarship program.  All Patriots are encouraged to collect Box Tops and turn them into Mr. Conn in the main office.  

Auditions for the Spring Play

Nathan Hale's drama team will begin working on the Spring Play right after Winter Break.  The play is titled "High School Election" and follows a group of quirky students as they run for student body president.  Ms. Workman is looking for approximately 20 actors and two student directors for this play.  There will be an informational meeting about the play on Wednesday, January 11th.  Auditions for the play will be the following week, Wednesday, January 18th.  Both events will take place from 3:25 - 5:10 in the auditorium.  If students are interested in being part of the performance, they should attend the meeting and the auditions -- and be prepared to make an excellent impression!

Nathan Hale Magnet Middle School will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on February 24, 2017.  NAEP is the largest nationally-representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subjects.  It is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education.  NAEP is different from our state assessment because it provides a common measure of student achievement across the country.  The results are released as The Nation's Report Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents, policymakers, and the public. 

Some eighth-grade students have been chosen to participate from our school.  Those students were sent home with a letter, notifying them that they were chosen on December 21, 2016.  These students will participate in either the mathematics or reading assessment.  The assessment also asks students questions about their daily routine and their educational experiences.  For example, students are asked if there is a computer at home and about the amount of reading they do.  Student responses are anonymous, and they provide context and meaning to the assessment results.

The assessment takes about 90 to 120 minutes for most students.  The results are completely confidential (in accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347).  The information collected is used for statistical purposes only.  However, if you do not want your child to participate, please notify Ms. Workman (jenna.workman@ops.org) in writing by January 19, 2017.

There is no need to study in preparation for NAEP, but please encourage your child to do their best if they have been chosen to participate.  A brochure that explains what participation in NAEP means for you and your child is available at the link provided below. 

We are excited that our school is participating in NAEP.  We know that Nathan Hale Magnet Middle School's students will show what our nation's students know and can do.

Poetry Slam -- Many excellent poems were submitted to Mrs. Ridgley for Nathan Hale's poetry slam this fall.  This talent combined with enthusiastic and memorable performances made the Hale Slam a truly special event.  Mrs. Ridgley and the other judges had the daunting task of selecting two Patriots to represent Nathan Hale at the District Slam, but they did and these two students had a great time competing at the Pizza Shoppe Collective on Wednesday, November 30th.  They shared their poems, had a great time collaborating with and getting to know other middle-school students from OPS, and enjoyed pizza and pop.  

Spelling Bee -- Nathan Hale's Gifted and Talented department hosted an in-house spelling bee right before Winter Break.  The winner of this will complete in the district-wide Bee in February.

Quiz Bowl --  The Nathan Hale quiz bowl team has been having a great time practicing for the Second, Annual Nathan Hale Quiz Bowl Tournament on Saturday, January 14th.  Teams from across the city (and even the state) will be participating.

Think Tank -- Our Think Tank team did an awesome job of representing our school on Thursday, December 15th at UNO. Three of our members were in the top three teams at the event.  The students had a great time meeting and working with other middle-school students from OPS.  They worked hard, had fun, and used a great amount of creativity.

Honors Special Projects --  HSP students in both the seventh and eighth grade have been working hard as they study World War II for the National Pentathlon competition.  The students read the book Number the Stars by Lois Lowery and have been busy creating presentations over WWII history and then teaching their classmates.  The eighth-grade HSP students had a great time climbing the rock wall at North Star during an Outward Bound Leadership workshop on November 11th.  

Student Council -- Nathan Hale's student council members have had a great time working with UNO to collect winter gear for refugees arriving in Omaha.  They have been busy with student elections and planing fun activities for everyone at Nathan Hale.

IT Conference -- Nine Nathan Hale Patriots attended an IT Conference at UNO on November 9th.  

Scholars -- Members of the seventh-grade Scholars program attended a Gallup StrengthFinders Workshop on November 16th at North Star.

Intramural Soccer -- Mr. Clerc and Ms. Skradski coached sixth-grade, co-ed intramural soccer.  Any sixth-grade student who stayed out of trouble and earned good grades had the chance to be part of the team.  The team had many fun practices and learned a lot.  They had two games against Morton.  The Patriots lost one and won one.

GOOOOOAAAAALLLLL!

Intramural Basketball --  Mr. Clerc, Ms. Voss, and Mr. Novotney coached the sixth-grade, girls basketball team.  Students who maintained good grades and represented themselves in a positive-manner remained on the team.  The team only had three practices and two games but showed tons of improvement.  The Patriots won their first game at Monroe and lost their second game against Morton.  Mr. Clerc will be coaching the sixth-grade, boys basketball team in January.

What do you think?  This is the second edition of Nathan Hale's digital newsletter.  We would like to know what your thoughts are about the newsletter and about receiving it in a digital format.  Please email your comments and feedback to Mrs. Tetschner at angela.tetschner@ops.org.  Thank you.