November 2023 Community News by Lincoln Public Schools

NOVEMBER 2023

It’s all smiles for “trash”-talking LPS kindergarten students during science lesson WHAT’S INSIDE: SECTION A: A2

LPS Honors Cadre students gain confidence at districtwide leadership conference

TeamMates of the Month: Alek and Ed

Sustainability at LPS: Scrap Metal Drive

Looking for a book?

Wellness: Raising thankful, thoughtful kids using car conversations

Connect LPS

A10 Menus A12 Beattie students enjoy winning moments at walkathon

Lincoln Public Schools kindergartners are learning “garbology” terminology this fall during special science presentations in their classrooms. Hundreds of kindergarten students are connecting science with smiles during garbology lessons. They are discovering the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling as part of the LPS science curriculum. Mandy Bydalek of the LPS Sustainability Team recently presented a lesson on garbology at Maxey Elementary School. She said it was exciting to share environmental ideas with young students. “I really enjoy working with kindergartners,” Bydalek said. “They’re a lot of fun to be around and it’s always entertaining. They have a lot of energy and they’re really interested in learning about everything.” Garbology presentations take place at every LPS elementary school during the first quarter of the academic year. Bydalek said it was important to give students easy ways to connect with the garbology material. The 30-minute lesson features a short video, student-involved activities and several examples of recycled materials.

“I think they really enjoy the presentations,” Bydalek said. “They get behind not being a litterbug, and they pick up on the three R’s really quickly. It’s so fun to see them smiling.” LPS Curriculum Specialist for Science Betsy Barent said garbology has been a critical piece of the LPS science puzzle for many years. She said it was important for elementary students to soak up environmental science concepts in the classroom. “Learning about the place they live in, our environment, is one of the most effective and equitable ways to engage students in learning about science,” Barent said. “This is especially true for young students as they have tangible access and experiences with their environment.” At Maxey, Bydalek showed a video about the Bluff Road landfill before describing what each of the three R’s mean. Students learned they could reduce their environmental footprint by using only one paper towel instead of five. They could reuse water bottles instead of throwing away a plastic cup of water, and they could recycle items such as paper, aluminum, glass and cardboard.

Students continued to smile when Bydalek showed them a variety of recycled materials. One example came when she held a box of toy cars in one hand and an empty plastic water bottle in her other hand. They oohed and aahed when Bydalek said the toy cars were made from recycled water bottles. “Things like that are easy connection points for a lot of kids,” Bydalek said. “It’s the same thing when we’re talking about topics like composting. They’ve seen compost piles before, so they know what that is.” Bydalek gave students a chance to get even more involved near the end of the presentation. She invited six of them to the front of the room and handed them different items to display. The entire class then had to choose whether the items should go in the recycling or landfill bins. The six students beamed as they proudly participated in the activity. Barent, who has served as president of the Nebraska Association of Teachers of Science (NATS), said LPS initially offered garbology classes in second grade. LPS revised its science curriculum after state officials released new “Nebraska College and Career

Ready Science Standards” guidelines in 2017. That’s when the school district shifted its garbology lessons from second grade to kindergarten. “Having kindergartners investigate their surroundings and how they can have a positive impact on it sets a strong foundation for exploring their environment more deeply as they get older,” Barent said. Bydalek meets with members of the Keep Lancaster County Beautiful organization and the City of Lincoln Solid Waste Management Division each summer to plan the garbology curriculum. She visits approximately 20 schools in a 45day span each fall for her lessons. Her team partners with the two entities to visit the other 20 LPS elementary buildings. Bydalek said the garbology lessons have led to many bright smiles in LPS kindergarten classrooms. “It’s a great way to engage the kids about this,” Bydalek said. “I always have fun because you can see them learning.”

November 2023 | Community News | Section A

LPS Honors Cadre students gain confidence at districtwide leadership conference

Sarah and Rilya have been pillars of their middle school communities with their superior work ethic, strong academic talents and friendly personalities. They joined more than 200 of their fellow leaders Sept. 22 at the Honors Cadre Leadership Symposium. Students in the Lincoln Public Schools Honors Cadre program gathered at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business for a full day of leadership activities. They represented Culler, Lefler, Dawes, Mickle, Goodrich, Schoo, Irving and Park middle schools on campus. Eighth-grade students Sarah and Rilya both said they were happy to be at the symposium. Sarah attends Lefler Middle School and Rilya takes classes at Culler. “We’re not at school, but we’re still getting to learn,” Sarah said. “It’s really nice to learn about leadership.” “I like seeing new people and getting to meet everyone from all of the middle schools,” Rilya said. “We’re learning about what makes a good leader and how we can lead at our schools.” Barbara Miller was thrilled to see all of the tables in the building’s atrium filled with top students. Miller is the LPS emerging educators empowerment specialist and has watched the Honors Cadre program flourish over the past decade. The program began nine years ago with a group of seven Lefler students. It has since grown

to more than 200 students at eight middle schools. “It is so amazing to see how this has taken off since it started,” Miller said. “It’s incredibly exciting to see this many students here, because they’re all part of a bigger picture. There’s a specialness to this because these are our future leaders.” Many of the Honors Cadre students are also members of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at LPS. AVID students develop skills such as leadership, critical thinking, time management and relationship building through a series of college-readiness elective classes. LPS staff members can nominate candidates in grades 6-12 for the program. Students took part in an AVID tutor training class and two breakout sessions called “Leading With Purpose” and “Utilizing Your Strengths” at the symposium. They also listened to several motivational speeches and had lunch together on campus. All Honors Cadre students take the AVID elective class while they are in middle school. UNL graduate Ra’Daniel Arvie gave students insight on several leadership topics during his keynote address in the early afternoon. He said he turned his life around after his freshman year of college after realizing the value of community service. He is now an academic outreach specialist for first-generation and upward-bound students at UNL. “I’m all about helping people see in themselves what they might not

see in themselves,” Arvie said. “It is always important to serve others. We were not placed here to live independently of one another. We are here to help other people.” UNL seniors Bailey Robinson and Hannah Coldiron led the “Utilizing Your Strengths” seminar. Both are in the Clifton Strengths Institute at the UNL College of Business and have guided many of their peers. They told students that they all had the ability to help others with their gifts. “We are all valuable,” Robinson said. “We all have our own strengths and talents.” LPS Youth Development Coordinator Peter Ferguson encouraged students throughout his “Leading With Purpose” session. He spoke about making the most of every opportunity to lead, learn and grow every day. “You only get two things each morning. You get a chance and you get a choice,” Ferguson said. “You get a chance to experience life and you get a choice on what you want to do with it. Those are two powerful things.” Students could share what leadership meant to them during Ferguson’s class. They wrote sentences on notecards and spoke to their classmates both in one-on-one and large-group formats. They smiled with each other as they listened to the answers. Miller beamed as she watched students work together in their activities. She felt the symposium was

giving them valuable knowledge for their futures. “I think all of these students are recognizing the responsibility and opportunities that come with being a leader,” Miller said. “It’s incredible to see what they’re learning today. They’re going to be able to take this back to their schools and help a lot of their classmates.” Rilya said being selected for Honors Cadre classes had boosted her confidence. She said those feelings of being wanted and valued would help everyone continue to be pillars of their school communities. “They saw in all of us that we can be leaders,” Rilya said. “That’s what I like about it.”

Community events advertised in Community News are privatelysponsored events that are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Lincoln Public Schools. Lincoln Public Schools makes no representations about the absence of COVID-19 at these events.

Community News is a publication of Lincoln Public Schools. If you have any questions about this publication please contact Marlenia Thornton, 436-1619; or Mindy Burbach, 436-1609; Lincoln Public Schools P.O. Box 82889 Lincoln, NE 68501-2889

November 2023 | Community News | Section A

TeamMates of the Month

Alek and Ed: A TeamMates lateral pass Like all TeamMates, Alek and Ed are connected. But it almost didn’t happen. When Alek’s fourth-grade teacher approached him about getting a mentor, he wasn’t sure. “At first I was kind of skeptical about TeamMates,” Alek said. “My sister was in TeamMates, but sadly enough her TeamMate moved and she didn’t get to say goodbye.” Alek remembered how his sister had felt. Would it happen to him? He decided to take the chance with a college student named Cody. “It was definitely awkward at first, me being little, with a college student. Over the first three meetings, he would engage me in conversation. Over time, we grew close and it was fun.” Their bond flourished for four years. Then, Cody got a trucking job. Alek decided it wasn’t history repeating itself. “I really changed my thinking. TeamMates can’t control some

things. I mean, Cody got a good job. He couldn’t be there if he was on the road all the time.” Cody definitely took the time to say goodbye to Alek, but he went further. He reached out to his former mentor, Ed, to see if he would consider mentoring Alek in his place. That’s why Alek calls Ed his “GrandTeamMate.” It was sort of like a lateral pass in a football game, a way to keep going forward. “One of the things I learned from Cody about Alek was that he liked to make up games,” Ed said. “So, when we started back in middle school, we were inventing card games! Nobody who walked through the library could make sense of it.” The mentor-to-mentor transition for Alek was smooth and it meant his mentoring journey wasn’t really interrupted. “With Ed, since I had a mutual agreement with Cody, it was easier

since there were already some common things there.” Ed, who had mentored Cody for seven years, knew what to do. He just kept showing up. “You’re not a hero on the first day. You’re not supposed to be. You’re supposed to show up. You’re supposed to care. You’re supposed to listen. It really is a development process and pretty much the longer the better, because you’ve got more shared experience.”

Both of them are looking forward to celebrating Alek’s graduation. In the meantime, Alek, who plays first cello at his high school, has a lot to teach Ed. “I’m learning a lot about music from Alek. I know very little. He knows a lot. I also get to go to his concerts and that’s pretty darn cool.”

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November 2023 | Community News | Section A

Climb On!

By Baptiste Paul Illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara

Falling Short

By Ernesto Cisneros

Abuela, Don’t Forget Me By Rex Ogle

The Foundation for Lincoln Public � Schools supports every school and student in our district in the ways they need it most.

' ... .,

IF you would like to make a lasting impact on generations of LPS students, consider a donation on Giving Tuesday.

□u

',,,, Giv

nov. 24 - dec. 30

join us for lincoln’s favorite holiday tradition!

Light Tunnels • Light Shows • Dancing Trees • Train Rides • Hot Cocoa • S’mores • New Lights • and more!

learn more at

LINCOLNZOO.ORG

November 2023 | Community News | Section A

THANKSGIVING MORNING 1-MILE FUN RUN & WALK | 5K RACE VIRTUAL TROT AT HOME THE RAILYARD The YMCA of Lincoln Turkey Trot presented by Union Bank & Trust returns for its 15th year as one of the highly favored traditions on Thanksgiving morning! Early registration deadline is November 19. Late registration is November 20 through November 23 at 7:30am. The race is open to the public, near and far!

1-MILE FUN RUN / WALK / VIRTUAL $19/person | $72/family

5K INDIVIDUAL RACE/VIRTUAL $34/person 8:00am | 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk 8:30am | 5K Race 9:15am | Awards in the Railyard

Presented by

Union Bank & Trust

Event proceeds benefit the YMCA Annual Fundraising Campaign - Strong Kids.

Take Dual-Credit Classes and SAVE! Legislative Bill 1014 provides additional financial support to Nebraska community colleges who offer dual-credit courses to students at the lowest possible rate. SCC now offers a 65% discount off of tuition and fees for the entire 2023-2024 academic year. You’ll pay $42.35 per credit hour instead of $121 per hour! •SCC comes to you in your high school to support your educational journey •Transfer the credits you earn from SCC to other two- and four-year schools, saving you money •Discover your future career through our complimentary portfolio For more information contact: Brian Stark (bstark@southeast.edu) or Caleb Berg (cberg@southeast.edu)

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CornhuskerCouncil.org/LPS

November 2023 | Community News | Section A

Raising thankful, thoughtful kids using car conversations By Michelle Welch, RD, LMNT District Wellness Facilitator Nothing feels better than hearing from others how your child is showing amazing kindness or thoughtfulness to others. How can we help this happen more often? One great tool of difference making is using those little moments in the car with your kids for learning.

Teach it. In your car conversations, start young. Talk about how little actions you take help people feel welcome. Help them to think through how new friends might feel who just moved to town. Help them consider how they would feel if they were left out of an activity. Talk about what we can do with our words and deeds to help more people smile and feel welcomed.

Model it. Just as with subjects in school, lessons in thoughtfulness

and kindness find deepest roots if they go beyond words. Think about what interactions they see us model each day. How do we act in traffic? When shopping or at a restaurant? How kind or thoughtful are we to others? Do we give them some grace? Hmmm…. When we mess up, and we all mess up, talk about how you wished you would have handled that better and how you will handle it next time. Then move those words into actions.

Consider the car discussions that may help them be successful at remembering what it feels like to be on the non-winning end of activities. How would they like to be treated? Learning how to be a gracious winner and loser is a lesson that can pay dividends. If each of us would do this with our kids, imagine the impact it could have on helping kids stay engaged in activities? In having less problems finding referees for games? It all matters.

Reward it. Are we as good at

Prioritize it. Whatever we

giving them a high-five for little acts of kindness as we are when they score during a game, win a trophy or achieve good grades? Kids love us and ultimately want to please us, even if that seems somewhat hidden during certain tween or teen moments. Do what you can to make a bigger deal out of their little efforts of thanks and kindness.

2023 CHECK OUT THE LPS WEBPAGE FOR INFORMATION ON LPS

ATHLETIC & ACTIVITY CLINICS Click and follow the links below:

LPS.ORG CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ATHLETICS CLINICS SCHOOL YEAR CLINICS

give energy will grow. If kids find they get the most attention from doing positive acts, that’s what gets reinforced. If kids gain more parent energy, even negative energy, only when they are acting less than stellar, that too can shape choices kids make. Yelling is attention—if that’s all they can get, they’ll take it. Light bulb moment?

You know your kids better than anyone else. If you find them attention seeking in less-desirable ways, work hard to turn the bus around, which might include ignoring attention-seeking behaviors. Focus on giving more energy to those little, teeny-tiny choices that they make that support positive choices. Even better, stoke the coals when you see them extending those efforts to others. Something as simple as holding the door for someone or giving them a genuine compliment is something kids can do at a very young age. Watch them beam when they see you noticing. Together, we can build a happier, healthier community.

CONNECT LPS Here are some of our favorite photos from LPS schools in the past month. Want to see more? Connect with your school’s social media at lps.org/connect.

Rousseau Elementary - Facebook

“It was the perfect day to enjoy Roca Berry Farm! Kindergarten had the best time!”

Irving Middle School - Instagram

“Irving Middle School has the best Circle of Friends Club. Yesterday, Irving students celebrated fall & friendship!”

November 2023 | Community News | Section A

A10

Elementary K-5/ Breakfast Breakfast

NOVEMBER 202� 2

1 Thu

Wed Meatless Entree

Chocolate Cream Chip Benefit Bar Honey Cheerios Cereal

Entree

Apple Cinnamon Toast Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bar

Cocoa Puffs Cereal

Fruit

S'mores Flavored Bar

Orange Juice

Assorted FruitJuice

Fruit

Banana

Meatless Entree

Cheese, Egg & Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bagel

Meatless Entree

Cinnamon Super Stik

Fri

Tropical Fruit Flavored Raisins

Fruit Blend Juice

Applesauce Cup

Mon Meatless Entree

Entree

Apple Jacks Cereal

Meatless Entree

Blueberry Belgian Waffle

Meatless Entree

Entree

Trix Cereal

Honey Cheerios Cereal

Meatless Entree

Yogurt

Cinnamon Super Stik

Beef Sausage Sandwich

Birthday Cake Flavored Bar

Fruit

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Benefit Bar

Fruit

Grape Juice

Mixed Berry Cup

Mon

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bar

Fruit

S'mores Flavored Bar

Assorted FruitJuice

Fruit

Tropical Fruit Flavored Raisins

Fruit Blend Juice

Banana

13 Tue

Apple Frudel

Cocoa Puffs Cereal

Orange Juice

Meatless Entree

Egg, Turkey Ham & Sausage Breakfast Pizza

Fruit

Apple Juice

Mandarin Orange Cup

9 Fri

8 Thu

7 Wed

6 Tue

Applesauce Cup

14 Wed

15 Thu

Fri

Meatless Entree

Entree

Meatless Entree

Apple Jacks Cereal

Meatless Entree

Honey Cheerios Cereal

Cocoa Puffs Cereal

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

Mini Maple Waffles

Pancake & Sausage on a Stick

French Toast Benefit Bar

Trix Cereal

Birthday Cake Flavored Bar

Yogurt

Fruit

Grape Juice

Cinnamon Super Stik

S'mores Flavored Bar

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bar

Fruit

Banana

Applesauce Cup

Tropical Fruit Flavored Raisins

Mixed Berry Cup

Mon

Entree

Meatless Entree

Chocolate Chip French Toast

Message

Cheese, Egg, & Turkey Sausage Breakfast Burrito

Apple Jacks Cereal

22 Thu

21 Wed

20 Tue

Assorted FruitJuice

Fruit Blend Juice

Orange Juice

Apple Juice

Mandarin Orange Cup

Honey Bun

Strawberry Mini Bagels

Message

No School

Fri Message

No School

Meatless Entree

Birthday Cake Flavored Bar

Trix Cereal

Fruit

Yogurt

Grape Juice

Fruit

Mandarin Orange Cup

Assorted Fruit Juice

K-5/ Breakfast

NOVEMBER 202�

Applesauce Cup

27 Tue

Mon No Elementary School

29 Thu

28 Wed

Entree

Message

Beef Sausage Sandwich

Entree

Meatless Entree

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Benefit Bar

Trix Cereal

Honey Cheerios Cereal

Yogurt

Cinnamon Super Stik

Fruit

Mandarin Orange Cup

Banana

Apple Juice

Meatless Entree

Egg, Turkey Ham & Sausage Breakfast Pizza

Cocoa Puffs Cereal

S'mores Flavored Bar

Fruit

Orange Juice

Fruit Blend Juice

Applesauce Cup

Secondary Breakfast

NOVEMBER 2023

6-8Breakfast

Wed

1 Thu

Fri

Meatless Entree

Entree

Meatless Entree

Honey Cheerios Cereal

Meatless Entree

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

Chocolate Cream Chip Benefit Bar Cinnamon Super Stik

Fruit

Cheese, Egg & Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bagel

Apple Cinnamon Toast

Strawberry Toaster Pastry

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bar

Cocoa Puffs Cereal

Orange Juice

S'mores Flavored Bar

Banana

Fruit

Assorted Fruit Juice

Tropical Fruit Flavored Raisins

Fruit Blend Juice

Applesauce Cup

6 Tue

Mon Meatless Entree

Entree

Apple Jacks Cereal

Meatless Entree

7 Wed

Beef Sausage Sandwich

Blueberry Belgian Waffle

Birthday Cake Flavored Bar

Honey Cheerios Cereal

Meatless Entree

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

Cinnamon Super Stik

Yogurt

Mandarin Orange Cup

Fruit

Egg, Turkey Ham & Sausage Breakfast Pizza

Strawberry Toaster Pastry

S'mores Flavored Bar

Banana

Fruit

Apple Frudel

Fruit

Assorted Fruit Juice

Tropical Fruit Flavored Raisins

Fruit Blend Juice

Applesauce Cup

14 Wed

15 Thu

Fri

Meatless Entree

Entree

Meatless Entree

Apple Jacks Cereal

Meatless Entree

Honey Cheerios Cereal

Cinnamon Toaster Pastry

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

Pancake & Sausage on a Stick

Mini Maple Waffles

Birthday Cake Flavored Bar

Fruit

Chocolate Chip Waffle Snaps

Trix Cereal

Grape Juice

Yogurt

Mandarin Orange Cup

Fruit

Mon

French Toast Benefit Bar

Cinnamon Super Stik

Cocoa Puffs Cereal S'mores Flavored Bar

Banana

Meatless Entree

Chocolate Chip French Toast

Apple Jacks Cereal Birthday Cake Flavored Bar

Fruit

21 Wed

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bar

Fruit

Assorted Fruit Juice

Fruit Blend Juice

Entree

Message

Cheese, Egg, & Turkey Sausage Breakfast Burrito

No School

22 Thu

Tropical Fruit Flavored Raisins

NOVEMBER 2023

23 Fri

Message

No School

Meatless Entree

Chocolate Chip Waffle Snaps

Trix Cereal

Grape Juice

Yogurt

Mandarin Orange Cup

Fruit

Assorted Fruit Juice

Applesauce Cup

Mon

27 Tue

Meatless Entree

Entree

Apple Jacks Cereal

Meatless Entree

Blueberry Belgian Waffle

28 Wed

Beef Sausage Sandwich

Meatless Entree

Entree

Meatless Entree

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Benefit Bar

Chocolate Chip Waffle Snaps

Honey Cheerios Cereal

Trix Cereal

Cinnamon Super Stik

Grape Juice

Yogurt

Fruit

Mandarin Orange Cup

Fruit

Birthday Cake Flavored Bar

Fruit

Apple Juice Mixed Berry Cup

29 Thu

Egg, Turkey Ham & Sausage Breakfast Pizza

Strawberry Toaster Pastry Cocoa Puffs Cereal

Orange Juice

S'mores Flavored Bar

Banana

Fruit

Fruit Blend Juice

Applesauce Cup

Honey Bun

Applesauce Cup

Mixed Berry Cup

20 Tue

Strawberry Mini Bagels

Fruit

Orange Juice

Apple Juice

6-8 Breakfast

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bar

Cocoa Puffs Cereal

Orange Juice

Mixed Berry Cup

13 Tue

Fri Meatless Entree

Trix Cereal

Apple Juice

Entree

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Benefit Bar

Chocolate Chip Waffle Snaps

8 Thu

Meatless Entree

Grape Juice

Fruit

Mon

Elementary Lunch

Potato Rounds

Pineapple Tidbits

Chicken Tenders

Romaine Tossed Salad Whipped Potatoes

Pineapple Tidbits

Hamburger Bun

Rice

Grain

Dinner Roll

Hamburger Bun

Grain

Diced Pears

Orange Wedges

Fruit

Hash Brown Potatoes

Baby Carrots

Romaine Tossed Salad

Tomato Soup

Cheese Chef Salad

Mandarin Oranges

Hamburger Bun

Dinner Roll

Grain

Breadstick

Banana Mixed Fruit

Beef Gravy

Fruit

Crinkle Fries Warm Cinnamon Apple Slices

Fruit

Vegetable

Romaine Tossed Salad Baked Beans

Cheese Chef Salad

Vegetable

Apple Wedges

Fruit

Sunbutter & Jelly Sandwich Cheese Stick Meatless Teriyaki Burger on a Bun

Potato Rounds

Vegetable

Meatless Entree Cheese Chef Salad

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Chef Salad Black Bean Burger on a Bun

Meatless Entree

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Salisbury Steak Chef Salad

Popcorn Chicken

Entree

29 Thu Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Entree

28 Wed

22 Thu

Pumpkin Spice Bar

Dessert

Bread Dressing

Cheese Sticks

French Toast Sticks with

Meatless Entree

Chef Salad

Hamburger Bun

Dinner Roll

Grain

Grain Breadstick

Mandarin Oranges

Cranberry Applesauce Gelatin

Mixed Fruit

Warm Cinnamon Apple Slices

21 Wed

French Toast Sticks with Pork Sausage Links BBQ Beef Rib Patty on a Bun

Entree

27 Tue

Dinner Roll

Breadstick

Hot Dog Bun

20 Tue

Dinner Roll

Hamburger Bun

Grain

Diced Pears

Poultry Gravy

Fruit

Crinkle Fries

Fruit

Whipped Potatoes

Romaine Tossed Salad

Vegetable

Green Beans

Vegetable

Meatless Orange Chik'n on Rice

Meatless Entree

BBQ Pulled Pork on a Bun

Three Meat Pizza

Orange Chicken on Rice

Entree

Mon

Dinner Roll

Mon

6-8/ Lunch

Dinner Roll

Hamburger Bun

Rice

Orange Wedges

Fruit

Grain

Hash Brown Potatoes

Baby Carrots

Apple Slices

Fruit

Tomato Soup

Romaine Tossed Salad

Baked Beans

Cheese Chef Salad

Cheese Stick

Cheese Chef Salad Cheese Chef Salad

Sunbutter & Jelly Sandwich

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Black Bean Burger on a Bun

Meatless Entree

Chef Salad

Cheese Chef Salad

Dinner Roll

NOVEMBER 202:

Tortilla Rounds

Hamburger Bun

Grain

Assorted Fruit

Applesauce

Fruit

Baked Potato

Fresh Red Pepper Strips

Corn

Romaine Tossed Salad

Vegetable

23 Fri

Black Bean & Corn Salsa with Tortilla Rounds

White Cheddar Mac & Cheese

Meatless Entree

Chicken Tenders Chef Salad

Breaded Pork Patty on a Bun

Entree

Fri

Hamburger Bun

Croissant

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Vegetable Romaine Tossed Salad

Assorted Fruit

Applesauce

Grain

Chef Salad

Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Romaine Tossed Salad

Vegetable

Whipped Potatoes Beef Gravy

Fruit

Creamed Turkey

Entree

8 Thu

Romaine Tossed Salad

Green Beans

Vegetable

Cheese Chef Salad

Meatless Chik'n Nuggets

Meatless Entree

Chef Salad

Meatless Entree

Popcorn Chicken

Entree

Wed

Garlic Bread

Dinner Roll

Mandarin Oranges Rotini Noodles

Grain

Mixed Fruit Hamburger Bun

Grain

Scalloped Potatoes Banana

Fruit

Fresh Red Pepper Strips

Fruit Warm Cinnamon Apple Slices

Romaine Tossed Salad

Baby Carrots

Romaine Tossed Salad

Vegetable

Vegetable Crinkle Fries

Marinara Sauce Cheese Chef Salad

Meatless Chik'n Patty on a Bun Cheese Chef Salad

Rotini with Meatless Meatballs &

Meatless Buffalo Wings

Green Beans

Cheese Sticks

French Toast Sticks with

Meatless Entree

Chef Salad

Sloppy Joe on a Bun

French Toast Sticks with Pork Sausage Links

Entree

Tue

Meatless Entree

Homemade Meatloaf

Chicken Nuggets

BBQ Beef Rib Patty on a Bun

NOVEMBER 202:

Meat Sauce on Rotini Noodles

Entree

Fri

Mexi Pizza

Breaded Chicken Patty on a Bun

Vegetable

Chef Salad

Entree

Thu

Fish Sticks

Chef Salad

Entree

Wed

Meatless Sloppy Joe on a Bun

Cheese Chef Salad

Meatless Orange Chik'n on Rice

Meatless Entree

Chef Salad

BBQ Pulled Pork on a Bun

Three Meat Pizza

Orange Chicken on Rice

Entree

Mon

Secondary Lunch

6-8/ Lunch

A11 November 2023 | Community News | Section A

November 2023 | Community News | Section A

A12

Beattie students enjoy winning moments at walkathon

Beattie Elementary School students turned walking into a winning activity Sept. 26 when they enjoyed splashes of sunshine outside. Hundreds of students, staff and area residents took part in the third-annual Beattie Walkathon. Students raised more than $26,000 for the Beattie Parent-Teacher Organization in the three weeks leading up to the event. They celebrated their success with smiles throughout the morning and early afternoon. Beattie staff members Maile Mekelburg, Rachel Fyfe and Lindsey Flori-Plummer all helped organize the walkathon. All three said they were happy with the large amount of participation from the community. “This is one of my favorite days of the year,” Fyfe said. “It’s great to see students being active and getting a chance to celebrate what they’ve done for our school. They’ve worked really hard to make our goal, so this is such a great thing.” Members of the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NCDHH) also joined Beattie students for International Deaf Awareness Week recognition. Student-athletes from Lincoln Southwest High School, Union College and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln also visited Beattie during the day.

“Just seeing the joy on all of the kids’ faces makes it all worth it,” Mekelburg said. “This is an awesome day. It’s a lot of fun to see everyone here.” Flori-Plummer is a teacher of the deaf. Beattie also has sign-language interpreters who support children with classroom learning each day. She felt students would be encouraged and inspired by seeing role models who are either deaf or hard of hearing at the walkathon. “It’s super important,” Flori-Plummer said. “They don’t often meet adults who are either deaf or hard of hearing at school, so this is a great opportunity for them. It shows them that these adults are successful in everything they do, and our students can be too. They’re great examples for all of our students.” Kim Davis became one of those role models when she walked in Beattie’s front entrance. Davis is the lead advocacy specialist at the NCDHH and has championed for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community for decades. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native joined the NCDHH in August 2012 after spending 11 years at the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Davis said she was impressed by the number of sign-language interpreters at Beattie. The willingness of

interpreters to learn the language has allowed students to participate in activities such as the walkathon. They have also helped students keep pace with their classmates in core subjects such as reading, math, science and social studies.

walkathons. They filed out of the gym and started a route that went around the school’s perimeter several times. The PTO provided every student with a duffel bag, banana, water bottle and bag of popcorn after they crossed the finish line.

“Seeing this many people who know ASL (American Sign Language) is really nice,” Davis said. “It means that these students are getting a really good education and are learning from teachers who are caring about them.”

Fyfe said students set a goal of $25,000 before starting their fundraising campaign in early September. Mekelburg and Fyfe told them they would camp in a tent outside school on Sept. 28 if they reached that mark. They began preparing for their Beattie camping adventures after students surpassed that milestone on Sept. 23.

Davis said she was happy to watch students who are deaf and hard of hearing display wide grins at the walkathon. They shared high-fives with their classmates and teachers, ran under tents filled with blowing bubbles and smiled with a staff member dressed up as the Beattie Bobcat. “This is a lot of fun,” Davis said. “I’m very honored that the school invited us to come here and be a part of this. Not only is this something that’s fun for all of the students at school, but it’s also good exposure for students who are deaf and hardof-hearing. It shows everyone that they are equal and important members of the community.” Beattie students joined Fyfe for instructions and grade-level group photos before beginning their

The PTO will use the money to provide Beattie students with educational field trips during the year. The group will also sponsor community events such as Family Fall Fun Night and Grandparents Night at school. Fyfe felt the walkathon was successful on many levels. She said it gave the entire Beattie community a chance to experience winning moments together. “The kids have done such a good job with this,” Fyfe said. “I love seeing this. It’s a great way to celebrate all of their hard work.”