The Bluejay Bulletin Newman Grove President: John Krueger Vice– President: Scott Nelson Public Schools Treasurer: Jeanie McCloud Secretary: Ryan Chilson ~~~~ 2018-2019 Member: Ginger Buhl-Jorgensen Member: Becky Wallin September, 2018 Web Site: http://www.newman.esu8.org (402) 447-6294

Board of Education Hearing—Budget Hearing  The next meeting of the Board of Education will be Octo- September 10, 2018 ber 8th at 7:30 p.m.  Mrs. Wood presented information on her programs and  The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. schedule for the year.  The Open Meetings Act was announced.  Ms. Schmedding’s Counselor report provided information  The agenda was approved as published. on her preparations for the beginning of the school year.  2018-2019 Budget Hearing: The purpose of the hearing  Tim Rossow presented the Activities Director report. He was to hear support, opposition, criticism, suggestions or updated members on the various athletic activities and observations of taxpayers relating to the proposed budget records, and the possibility of having a one-act play this and to consider amendments relative to the budget. year.  Discussion: Discussion between board members. No dis-  Principal Barnes provided information on Elementary trip cussion from the floor. to Olson Nature Preserve, Grandparents Day at the park,  The hearing adjourned at 7:13 p.m. professional development and Parent-Teacher Confer- ences on September 26th, implementation of the new sci- ence curriculum, Beef in Our Schools, and NSCAS State Board of Education Hearing - Testing. Property Tax Request Hearing  Superintendent Shalikow reported on the Annual State September 10, 2018 Education Conference on November 14-16 in Omaha, an update on elementary playground and ag education facili-  The meeting was called to order at 7:15 p.m. ty, Labor Relations Conference he attended on September  The Open Meetings Act was announced. 5-6, an update on cafeteria elevator, scheduling of district  The agenda was approved as published. audit on September 20 & 21st, and NASB area meetings  2018-2019 Property Tax Hearing: The purpose of the on October 3, 2018 in Norfolk. hearing was to hear support, opposition, criticism, sugges-  The Treasurer’s Report was approved as presented; tions or observations of taxpayers relating to setting the claims were approved for payment ($76,052.53-General final tax request at a different amount than the prior year Fund; $1,390.00-Depreciation Fund; and $85,512.51- tax requests. Building Fund).  Discussion: Discussion between board members. No dis-  Approval of an amended teacher contract due to advance- cussion from the floor. ment on pay scale for Erin Forre.  The hearing adjourned at 7:26 p.m.  Recognition of the Newman Grove Education Association as the exclusive bargaining agent for certificated teachers for the 2020-2021 school year. Board of Education Meeting  Approved a 6 foot vinyl coated chain link fence and September 10, 2018 building permit for the playground.  The 2018-2019 district budget was approved as presented.  The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. All members  Members approved the 2018-2019 resolution for property were present. tax requests in the amounts of $2,216,637.35 (General  A copy of the Open Meetings Act was posted in the room Fund) and $752,525.25 (Bond Fund). in accordance with the law.  The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.  The agenda was approved as published; minutes of the previous meetings were approved as printed.  The minutes of the August 13, 2018 meeting was ap- proved as printed.

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

From the Desk of MR. BARNES Mr. Darrell Barnes, K-12 Principal

The school year is off to a great start here at Newman Grove. Activities are in full swing, classes are rolling along, it feels like fall is in the air, harvest is getting close. We all know that education is important and a foundation for our jobs and careers. Making sure our students get to school on time and don’t miss many days helps show them that showing up “for work” on time and every day is part of doing the best you can at your job. Below are some other things we as parents can do to emphasize the importance of education and accountability to our students. Quite often we as parents have just asked how school went and our kids say “fine” and we move on. What if we ask them more specific but open-ended questions that opens the door to conversation? Such as; what was the neatest thing that happened at school today? Did you do something helpful for someone at school today? Obviously, we need to ask age and grade appropriate questions but use them as a place to open up discussions. Ask to see their homework and encourage them to explain what they are learning based on those papers. Chat with them about an area of interest that they would like to explore more, and then encourage them to read about it. Have them read to you be it from a textbook or a book they are reading for class or just interest. Encourage your student by having a set time and place for homework, this is true for all students in that routine helps us keep focused on the task at hand. Another area to encourage your student(s) is to read, it expands the vocabu- lary, opens them up new ideas and potential areas of interests. Reading is a great behavior for parents to model. You can never go wrong when you are encouraging your students to read!! Showing interest in their education shows them that education is important!

Newman Grove Public Schools offers an after-school program for students who would like additional help with homework. Students are welcome to stay and work on that day’s homework. Students do not have to stay---just when they need some help!

Who? 3rd-6th grade When? 3:30-4:15 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays Where? Elementary Computer Lab/Office– 2nd Floor

**A phone call will be made if your child is staying for the after-school program. Please have a phone number where you can be reached at. If we are not able to reach a parent, the student will not attend that day. Your child will make a phone call when they are ready to leave.** If you have any questions please call the school. Together we can make a difference!

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

COUNSELOR’S O Theresa Schmedding R K-12 Counselor N [email protected] E R Challenge and Fun in Junior High On Thursday, August 30th, the seventh and eighth grade students, along with Mr. Amen and Ms. Schmedding, had the opportunity to travel to Camp Timberlake just south of Central City. The students had the opportunity to go through a team challenge course. They also had opportunities to challenge themselves with a quad high wire climb with a zip line at the end, a vertical wall climb and the vertical power pole climb with a trapeze jump at the top, and canoeing and kayaking. The goals for the day were to develop teamwork, encouragement, positivity, and to have fun collab- orating as Junior High students. It was great to see all the students encourage one an- other and helping each other overcome their fears. Many of the students challenged themselves and their fear of heights on one, two, or all three of the challenge stations. It was inspiring to see students hesitate and say they would not do a station and then actually try it after facing their fear. Many of them showed courage and determination. Ms. Schmedding and Mr. Amen took groups of students on a challenge course through the woods in which students had to overcome many challenges as a group. Students encouraged and helped each other through the many obstacles they faced. Timberlake staff helped the students though the different challenges of each station. After all the challenges and fun, a sack lunch was provided for the students (thanks to the school cooks) before leav- ing for home. A special thanks to the school administration is deserved for giving the seventh and eighth graders such an opportunity and a fun day. The students will never forget the life lessons of teamwork, facing challenges, and the power of positivity and encouragement.

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) PARENT REMINDERS Thank you to everyone who attended  Please call the school if you know your child is going the Newman Grove PTO’s Back to School to be absent (appointments, etc.). Send a note to school with Bash! Families enjoyed a hotdog meal, photo them before the absence. booth, balloon animals,  Please call the office by 9:00 a.m. if your child needs assign- and face painting. Thanks ments. to all the volunteers who  If you should change your address, telephone, or cellular helped make it a success! phone number, the office would appreciate you notifying them of the change so that records may be kept current. You may also enter your changes on the JMC (Parent Access) program. NO SCHOOL  Please keep the school nurse informed of recent immuniza- tions. Wed., Sept. 26 No School, PK-12  If we don’t have a parent email address, we would truly appre- ciate one. Fri., Oct. 19 No School, PK-12 The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

Dear Beef/Pork Producer,

Newman Grove Schools is again hoping to participate in the “Nebraska Beef in Schools Lunch Program.” The con- cept behind the program is to promote Nebraska Beef in the school lunch program and encourage beef education and nutrition through our school. The number of times beef is served in our lunch program could be increased by insti- tuting this program and students would learn to appreciate the beef cattle industry which is Nebraska’s largest industry.

How does the program work? Producers that are willing to donate a beef at some point during the school year will need to take it to a USDA federally-inspected facility, such as the Albion Locker. The processing of the beef would be taken care of either by donations or by the school. The beef would then be packaged in appropriate sizes and transported to the school. In researching other schools of our approximate size, it looks like it would take about five to six beef cattle per year. As of last year, over 25 schools in the state were getting involved in the program. Newman Grove had a successful year last year getting the program off the ground with the beef donations from JSMM FARMS-ALBION, DUSTY & ERIN FORRE-NEWMAN GROVE, and a hog donation from SCOTT & KRISTIN NELSON-NEWMAN GROVE. The school and the students truly appreciated the generosity of these donors. It is also possible to work together and split a donated beef with someone else if that works the best for your situation as it still will benefit our students by providing local quality beef (or pork).

With the strong history of the Newman Grove FFA chapter it is evident that the “Nebraska Beef” program could open doors to creating more opportunities for agricultural education such as observation of beef processing and the health benefits of beef.

If you are interested in being part of the program or have questions, please contact Darrell Barnes at the school (402- 447-6294)

Darrell Barnes Kylie Sweeter

Principal FFA Sponsor

Help Save a Life … SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS REVIEW

FFA is hosting a What do you think our students should be blood drive taught in social studies -- including history, civics, eco- nomics, and geography? The Nebraska Department of October 15th at Education (NDE) is seeking input on the Nebraska Social Studies Standards! The social studies standards provide Fellowship Bible Church the framework for what students are expected to know from 12:00—6:00 p.m. in grades K-12, and your feedback will help make im- provements to the current standards which will be re- Contact an FFA Officer or Mrs. vised this year. The survey should take less than 15 Sweeter to make an appointment! minutes to complete and closes on September 30, 2018. The goal is to collect over To complete the survey, use this link: https:// 30 productive units of blood. nde.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1FZK0gd5TjTdw1f

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

Newman Grove FFA By Kylie Sweeter

The 2018-2019 school year is off to a quick and productive start in the agriculture classroom and for the Newman Grove FFA Chapter. In the agriculture classroom, the ag mechanics and advanced projects classes are busy learning shop safety and preparing to take their safety exam so that they can start on pro- jects in the shop. The 8th grade agriculture class is already well into their parliamentary procedure unit and learning how to an efficient meeting. The animal science class has been studying the taxonomy of living organisms, plant science is diving into soils, and our agriculture leadership class has started fine tuning their SAE projects and FFA knowledge. All of the classes are looking forward to getting to use the new 3D printer in the agriculture classroom! The Newman Grove FFA Chapter has had a very busy August. We started off the month by holding our annual FFA retreat. This year we tanked and tubed down the Cedar River near Ericson, NE. A special thank you to Tom Haase for loaning and helping to transfer our tanks and tubes. On Saturday, August 18th, we held our annual FFA Lock-In. The night was spent informing junior high members about the FFA organization, competing in minute to win it challenges, playing dodgeball, and the favorite game of German spotlight tag. On Tuesday, August 21st, the chapter had their family cookout at the City Park. It was a great way to start the school year and welcome new members and their family to our chap- ter. We will wrap up the month of August with a few members representing the chapter at the Nebraska State FFA Fair in Grand Island. We wish them the best of luck when they exhibit their livestock. We would also like to congratu- late alumni members Mya Donelson and Hannah Haase for receiving the high- est FFA degree awarded, the American FFA Degree. They will receive this award at the National FFA Convention in October.

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

FFA Officer Highlight FBLA Highway Clean-Up By Tim Rossow

Since 2008, the Newman Grove FBLA chapter has been

responsible for litter removal on the two-mile stretch of Highway 45 north of Newman Grove. We have an agreement with the State of Nebraska Department of Roads to do our highway clean up twice a year. We make every effort to make sure that we get the job done. Last Saturday, September 14th, nine students turned out to pick up trash. There seemed to be a lot less trash to pick up this year; we are grateful for this! Please make sure when you see us out there that you slow down. Back row (l-r): Bethany Borgheiinck, Maddison Steffens- meier, Colleen Rossow, Sarah Johnson, Morgann Johnson, Name: Brady Sokol Dominik Cuevas, Elyssa Cuevas. Front row: Eli Tannehill, Bru- no Santarosa, and Christyan Anderson. 2018-2019 Office: President

Favorite Ag Class: Advanced Projects

FFA Activities & Contests: Land Judg- ing, Ag Mechanics, and Farm Business Management

Favorite FFA memory: Annoying Mrs. Sweeter on long car rides

How has FFA made a difference in your life? FFA has taught me the responsibilities of operating on no sleep, packing bags at the last moment, and most importantly leader- ship characteristics.

Please support the Newman Grove Junior Class!! Raise Money for the Newman Grove PTO Place an order with Schwan’s any time between Au- The NGPTO would like to invite you to participate in “The gust 20th – December 30th and a portion of your or- Save-A-Label” program which helps non-profit organizations raise money. This is an extremely successful program that der’s proceeds will go to the Junior Class. Place the over 13,000 non-profit groups participate in. Just save the order by going online to www.schwans-cares.com or labels of Best Choice products and our group will earn $.03 call 1-855-870-7208. The campaign ID# is 41308. Place for each Best Choice UPC symbol redeemed. Thank-you for your support!!! your order or buy eCertificates and Schwan’s will de- All you need to do is: liver it straight to your door. Friends and Family from  Clip off only the UPC symbol from labels or cartons…Not all over the country can place an the entire label. order and help the Newman Grove  Drop off the symbols at NG Public Library, Shell Creek Market or school office. Junior Class raise money for prom  Keep Clipping! and graduation expenses. Please NOTE: !!! ONLY BEST CHOICE LABELS CAN BE USED. help support the Class of 2020!! Please keep separate from Box Tops. !!!

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

Boone Central/Newman Grove Softball By Danielle Amen The Boone Central Newman Grove Lady Cardinal Softball team had a strong outing in their season opener going 2- 0 on the evening. The JV squad started the night off with a 10-2 victory vs. Hwy 91 behind 10 hits collected by the team. Avery Olnes lead the charge from the plate going 3-3 with a leadoff to start the game. She was drove in with a single by Ashtyn Hedlund 2-3 and Jeslynn Beckman 1-3 to jump ahead 3 to 1 after the first . The largest scoring explosion came in the third inning when the Cards picked up six runs behind Cheyenne Ruhnke’s and Claire Choat’s triple. Pitching responsibilities where split between Olnes and Hedlund only giving up 1 the entire game. This was a strong first outing for our underclassman. They had a huge presence at the plate and the pitching staff did well. The BCNG Cardinals Varsity followed suit of the JV squad bringing home a 4-3 victory. Lauren Hedlund led off the game with an over the fence solo blast to right center to jump ahead 1-0. Emily Groeteke reaching on a base of balls scored later in the inning being drove in by a single from Brooke Groth. Highway 91 rallied back in the 2nd and 3rd collected 2 unanswered runs. In the bottom of the 4th the Cards picked up one run with Hwy 91 responding in the top of the 5th to tie up the game 3-3. In the bottom of the sixth Anna Hamling led off with a double to left field followed up by a Claire Choat triple to score pinch runner Avery Olnes which ended up being the go ahead winning run. Keiley Tisthammer went five innings striking out 8 batters, and only allowing 4 hits. Emily Groeteke came in the final two innings to shut down the Cyclones, not allowing a single hit. It was a great start to the season; our girls never got flustered and kept battling the entire game. Getting a win under our belts and those first game jitters out of the way, now the Lady Cards can continue to build. On Thursday, August 23rd the Cardinals traveled to Schuyler for a triangular. Boone Central/Newman Grove contin- ued the winning streak with a pair of wins. The Lady Cards scored three times in both the first and second innings, then ended the contest against Schuyler with a six-run fourth. They managed to shut out the Warriors and win with a 12-0 score. The Cardinals had a slow start against Polk County, but rallied to get a 14-6 victory in five innings. The highlight of the match was when Emily Groeteke hit a in the second inning to put BC/NG on top 6-5 and gave a Cardinal burst of 13 runs in the second, third and fourth innings. Groeteke finished with two hits, two runs scored and six RBI overall. Next up was the Wisner-Pilger Tournament on Saturday, August 25th. Boone Central/Newman Grove dropped 4-2 decision against Blue River even though they out hit them. Brooke Groth scored both of the Cardinals runs, doubling and scoring on Stephanie Wright’s single in the fifth, and then reaching base on a single and going home on Claire Choat’s triple in the seventh. The Lady Cards came back with a vengeance and stomped on two straight opponents to finish the tourna- ment with a 15-2 win over Highway 91 in four innings and a 15-1 win over Pierce also in four innings. The Lady Cardinals took on the Blue River Panthers Tuesday, August 28th at the Albion Sports Complex. The Jun- ior Varsity took their first loss of the season dropping the opening game 7-0. The Cardinals although only collecting one less hit on the contest 6 to 7 were unable to get any runs strung together. Ladies collecting hits were as follows Ashtyn Hedlund, Claire Choat, Tessa Hamling, Cheyenne Ruhnke, and Oliva Connelly. Ashtyn Hedlund started for the Lady Cardinals with Avery Olnes coming in relief. The girls gained a lot of valuable experience from this game facing a pitcher with movement, something many of our underclassman have not had a lot of experience with. The BCNG Varsity came out hungry to avenge their only loss of the season to the Panthers last weekend. It was a hard fought intense ball game back and forth battle for the evening. The Panthers jumped out with two runs to start off the game, but the Lady Cards answered back with two of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie up the game. In the top of the third Blue River struck back scoring another two runs with Boone Central responding with runs of their own in the bottom of the third and fourth innings. The game was all tied up 5-5 at the top of the fifth inning when the Cardinals bats came alive on two outs. The Cards scored 4 runs in the bot- tom of the sixth from clutch hits from Stephanie Wright, Lauren Hedlund, Emily Groeteke, and Claire Choat. The Cardinals had a strong presence from the plate, collected 15 hits on the night with a huge night for Sophomore Claire Choat (4-4) hit- ting two over the fence homeruns along with two singles. Other multi hit leaders for the night were Stephanie Wright (2-3), Lauren Hedlund (4-4), Emily Groeteke (2-3), Brooke Groth (2-4), Keiley Tisthammer (1-3). It was a collective effort from our pitching staff that evening with Groth, Groeteke, and Tisthammer making appearances allowing seven hits and striking out nine batters. This was a great fought match up and our girls showed a lot of heart bouncing back after the loss from the Pan- thers this weekend. It was a great team effort with a final score of 8-5. Boone Central/Newman Grove continued their winning streak when they hosted North Bend Central on Thursday, August 30th. The Cardinals all but decided the outcome in the first inning, as Keiley Tisthammer’s grand slam with Claire Choat, Karlie Tisthammer and Brooke Groth aboard highlighted an eight-run inning.Tisthammer was also dominant on the mound, giving the Tigers four no-hit innings and eight . On Saturday, September 1st the Lady Cards hosted their annual invite. Their first match was a 8-0 victory over Mad- ison/Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family. Their second straight shutout. In the second inning Kirstin Zoubek singled home Leighann Miller. Claire Choat and Miller hit home runs in the third, and the Cardinals got its final five runs in the fourth, with Karlie Tisthammer, Miller and Anna Hamling hitting doubles. Miller finished 3 for 3 at the plate and scored three runs. In their second game of the day, BC/NG faced the Pierce Bluejays. The Bluejays scored three runs in the first inning and trailed just 4-3 through three innings, after losing 15-1 a week earlier. The Cardinals ended their hopes however, in the fourth inning,

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018 getting 10 runs to end up with a 14-3 win. In their final game of the day, BC/NG completed their tournament sweep with a 9-1 win over Polk County. Lauren Hedlund started the hitting off with a solo in the first inning and adding a two-run smack in the second. The Lady Cards added five runs in the third inning, as Leighann Miller doubled and Ashtyn Hedlund connected for a two-run triple. Along with her home runs, Lauren Hedlund scored three runs and drove in three. Claire Choat had another 3 for 3 performance, with two RBI. Emily Groeteke and Keiley Tisthammer showed a strong performance on the mound for the Cardi- nals. The Madison triangular was cancelled due to the rain storm on September 4th so Boone Central/Newman Grove had a whole week before their next competition. On Saturday, September 8th they traveled to Columbus for the Lakeview tournament. The first game against Omaha Duchesne/Roncalli proved to be the end of their winning streak. The Omaha team took an early lead of 5-1 but the Cardinals battled back in the mid-innings to take an 8-7 lead sparked by Emily Groeteke’s two-run fourth in- ning home run. Duchesne/Roncalli went back in front 12-8 with five runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Lady Cards rallied again in the top of the seventh but were unable to finish off the win and lost 14-13. Boone Central/Newman Grove came back in the next game with a 10-0 win in three innings against Madison/Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family in consolation play. In the second inning, Leighann Miller and Stephanie Wright hit a couple of singles, Lauren Hedlund walked and two M/H/LHF errors opened the floodgates. Emily Groeteke earned the win with M/H/LHF having zero hits or runs in three innings. BC/NG finished the day with a 10-5 loss to the host Lakeview. The Cardinals took an early lead with single runs in the first and third to make it 2-0. The fourth inning became their downfall. Columbus Lakeview scored 10 times on six errors and three singles. The Boone Central Lady Cardinals have been staying busy. Last Thursday with JV and Varsity at NEN, Saturday Varsity Grand Island Northwest Invitational, and last night JV and Varsity at O’Neill. Last Thursday the JV squad jumped on the Vipers early and never slowed down. The ladies collected 11 hits with tough plate appearances from Avery Olnes (3-3), Jeslynn Beckman (2-4), and Madisyn Cuningham (3-3) with two homeruns. The Cards played solid defense behind their pitchers Ashtyn Hedlund and Avery Olnes. The girls learned playing the same team within a week you can’t overlook any- one. Monday night the Cards fell behind 5-4 after the first inning but settled in and bounced back looking comfortable at the plate picking up runs every inning bring the final score to 15-7. The bats were hot with 17 hits from Olnes, Hedlund, Cuningham, Beckman, Nelson, Reynoldson, Henry, and Hamling. Pitching duties were split between Ashtyn Hedlund and Jeslynn Beckman. The Lady Cards varsity last Thursday, took a heart breaking loss to NEN dropping the contest 5-4. It was a hard fought game with the cardinals putting the ball in play hard but just couldn’t find the holes in the Vipers defense. The Cards made a late charge in the top of the six inning tying up the game 3-3. The Vipers rallied back grabbing 2 more in the bottom of the in- ning. The Cards finally fell when only scoring 1 in the top of the 7th inning. Leighann Miller went 2-3 from the plate with other hits picked up from Lauren Hedlund, Emily Groeteke, Brooke Groth, and Ashtyn Hedlund. This weekend at the Grand Island Northwest tournament the Cards went 2-1. Started of the morning falling to Gothen- burg 8-7 in . The Cards collected seven hits in the game but left too many runners on base, not picking up the time- ly hit. Lauren Hedlund and Claire Choat each went 2-4 on the game. Pitching duties were handled by Keiley Tisthammer, Brooke Groth, and Emily Groteke. The second contest of the day was a forfeit to Chase County. The girls bounced back from the morning loss to take down Aurora 5-3. The Cards were outhit in the contest 8 to 4 but that was all they needed. Solid defen- sive effort and game ending from Keiley Tisthammer to Anna Hamling to hold off bases loaded threat by the Husk- ies. Emily Groeteke picked up the win on the mound. The girls battled hard and never back down now they know what it feels like to win a tight game and want to continue that down the final stretch of the season. Monday night the BC/NG Cards rescheduled make up game with O’Neil was an exciting affair. The is always little extra on the line when playing O’Neill and you could feel it. We made multiple strong defense plays and that intensity carried over at the plate. The seven run fourth inning lead to the final 9-1 victory over the Eagles. The Cards collected 10 hits on the evening with Brooke Groth (3-3) and Leighann Miller (2-2) collecting multiple hits on the game.

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

Boone Central/Newman Grove Cross Country

By Tom Dickey Boone Central Invitational Individual Results 8-31-18 Heat and Humidity Can’t Keep a Cardinal Down! The Boone Central Invitational has always been an awesome meet. It has a strong history of interesting weather and great races! It’s one of the institutions of Nebraska Cross Country since it’s been going strong since the sport began at Albion High School in 1970. The number of schools has fluctuated, but one thing has always been a constant – the weather! One thing you can usually on is heat! The 2018 version of the BCI appeared to be getting a break at noon on Friday, but by 4:30 the skies had cleared, the tempera- ture had elevated, and the humidity had pumped up. Because of that icky weather, the girls’ race, which led off the meet, progressed very slowly. No one really was interested in pushing the pace. Sam Weeder and Jordan Stopak tiptoed along with the pack just waiting for their chance to take off. They waited and waited and waited . . . patiently before erupting into the lead with less than a half mile remain- ing. With no one anywhere near their finishing speed, they swept cleanly into the chute in 1 st and 2nd place. Their times of 20:46 and 20:50 were not what they considered fast, but they were the result of a perfectly run race! One of the biggest problems we had last year was the big gaps that formed after our lead girls finished and the rest of our scorers. So, I was thrilled to see Katie Goodwater comfortably striding shortly behind Sam and Jordan at the halfway point. She continued her aggressive race throughout, grabbing the 10th place medal in 21:53. This is a full 30 seconds faster than she ran at this race last season! No one was more anxious to run than Autumn Simons. After a really good summer of running, she was found to have a partially detached retina that would require surgery. So after only 3 days of practice, she and her family headed to Iowa City for surgery. About two weeks of recovery later, she toed the line at the country club with instructions to run, not race. She did a really good job, hitting her goal of plac- ing 30th exactly in 24:27. It may take awhile, but I know she will be “up there” pretty soon! Julia Nore wasn’t too far behind Autumn, fin- ishing well in 35th place. Her time of 25:59 is well off her personal best, but I know that she’ll continue her improvement. Lauren Pugh took the big step up to 5k after two years of Junior High distances and did a really nice job. She finished 42 nd in 26:50. Probably the biggest smile I saw on a face Friday was plastered on Mariah Olson’s. In her first race over maybe 200 meters, she was thrilled to just complete it and “actually pass some girls!” She finished 68th in 31:58. I was very encouraged with the outcome of the girls’ race. They ran the race exactly how we had planned it. We knew that the Scotus girls would be much better than us early in the season, so it was no surprise to see them total a low 23 points – and I was really pleased that we could carry off the runner-up trophy with 36 points. I also know that, that score will be different late in the season! The boys took off at the crack of the gun, knowing that they were going to be a much improved team over last year. After our last 6 minute time trial the week before, Scott Wright proclaimed that we were the most ready for the first meet than any of his previous 5 years of experience. Jonny Lindgren found a comfortable spot in a big group of lead packers. He knew that the weather would slow the pace, so he waited patiently for the right time to take off. Unfortunately, a cramp hit him in the hamstring area with about a mile remain- ing just after he had made a move to take the lead. He tried to stretch it, but wasn’t able to continue. Luckily it wasn’t anything worse than a cramp! Taking over the lead duties was Bradley Schindel. We had discussed a placing goal that would force him into some dis- comfort early on, but he followed the script closely and pulled off a great race. His 11th place finish was wonderful, and his time (17:53) was a BIG personal best – the only one in our high school ranks! Scott Wright got out hard and tried to stay within range of Bradley, but he found the pace pretty tough and was forced to crank it back a bit. He finished well in 34th in 19:37. Maybe the most impressive race of the day was turned in by young Gavin Ienn. During the second half of the race, it appeared that he was running while others were walk- ing! It would have been interesting to see just how many kids he passed during the race. He finished just behind Scott in 36th (20:39). Caleb Kohl also did his share of passing, finishing 44th in 20:06, not too far off of his personal best. Will Grape had started well with Scott, but he too was forced to slow it down a bit, but he sure came home with enthusiasm. He sprinted home, nipping a competitor at the line to grab 47th in 20:12. Harrison Dodds got the season and his high school career off to a good start with a 53rd place finish in 20:36. Brian Mock hung in there for 80th place in 22:39, and Zach Reicks ran well, to place 95th in 24:56. I was really pleased with our varsity guys. They placed 5th over-all without the low points of our top guy! I’m not sure if we would have climbed to far up the placement ladder with him, but I was still well pleased. I think this will give some of our opponents notice that we’re going to be better than we have been the past few years! The Junior High kids are always super anxious to get out on the course for the first time. There’s a pent up excitement that is part fear and part anticipation. This showed when the girls’ starting gun sounded and Alicia Weeder sprinted from the line like she was being chased! Well, I guess she was being chased because there was no one for HER to chase. She zipped around the course in the ex- cellent time of 9:34 to win easily! Kyra Kruse was our next finisher, grabbing 24th place in 11:44, just 2 seconds away from here personal best! Our “never-give-up” gal, Carmen Montoya kept it rolling for her first ever race, finishing 51st in 17:44. While our other teams struggled to find the ability to run personal bests, the JH boys seemed to have no problem – producing 3 of 4 possibilities! Colton Simons led the way with a really solid race with a long hard finish, running 9:47 for 19th place. Not too far behind was Troy Sandman, running by far his fastest ever time, placing 29th in 10:20. Just behind Troy was Ben Kohl, who threw off the pain

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018 in his knee to finish 30th in 10:27 (PR). Joining the PR parade, Darren Petersen knocked 24 seconds off of his to finish 37th (10:44). Our newcomers followed in order: Bruno Santarosa ran 11:23 for 50th, Giles Deeder was 68th in 13:02, and Louis Hoppe grabbed 69th in 13:15. All three of these guys have been fighting really sore feet!

Team Results: Girls’ Team Scoring: (1) Scotus - 23, (2) Boone Central - 36, (3) Columbus - 51, (4) O’Neill - 54, (5) Norfolk Catholic - 97, (6) Wayne - 104, (7) Nebr. Christian - 120, (8) Fullerton - 127, (9) St. Edward – 177 Boys’ Team Scoring: (1) Norfolk Catholic - 23, (2) Columbus - 29, (3) Scotus - 50, (4) Pierce - 56, (5) Boone Central - 112, (6) Nebr. Christian - 112, (7) O’Neill - 148, (8) Fullerton - 153, (9) Wayne - 155, (10) St. Edward - 217, (11) Twin River – 221

Norfolk Catholic Invitational Results 9/7/18 We did a good job at the Norfolk Catholic Invitational. I think we made some solid progress from the week before, but it seems like we still have a long ways to go. We’ve got some sick or dinged up runners who will improve quickly when they get all healed up. I’m still very pleased with the effort in the races. For Jordan and Sam to go 1-2 again is really fantastic. Katie was just a few seconds off of her personal best, and Autumn continues to progress. Having Jonny suffering from bronchitis didn’t help him much, but to get 10th with that type of sickness is wonderful. Bradley has become our PR man - 2 races, 2 PRs! Scott ran one of his best races ever, while Caleb continues to get faster. Girls: 1st - 22 Points Boys: 4th - 92 Points Jordan Stopak-1st 20:40 Jonny Lindgren-10th 18:27 Sam Weeder-2nd 20:41 Bradley Schindel-14th 18:48 Katie Goodwater-9th 22:20 Scott Wright-31st 20:05 Autumn Simons-18th 24:06 Caleb Kohl-37th 20:30 Julia Nore-30th 26:18 Harrison Dodds-41st 20:48 Lauren Pugh-36th 27:28 Will Grape-44th 20:59 Mariah Olson-8th JV 31:45 Brian Mock-7th JV 23:29 Zach Reicks-11th 24:12 JH Girls: JH Boys: Alicia Weeder-2nd 7:22 Colton Simons-29th 8:00 Carmen Montoya-82nd 12:51 Darren Petersen-35th 8:08 Ben Kohl-36th 8:08 Troy Sandman-37th 8:13 Giles Deeder-62nd 8:48 Bruno Santarosa-74th 9:07 Carson Wood-82nd 9:24 Louis Hoppe-88th 9:49

Columbus Scotus Invitational 9/13/18 As you can see, we made some really good progress this week. It was great that we could accomplish a couple important goals. First of all, the girls needed to really cut into the margin of victory that Scotus had on us - by beating them, we obviously did that. Our steady improvement by all the girls insures that success. Next, the boys needed to score under 100 points, which was a pretty big undertaking. Scoring 99 just got the job done! Our runner of the meet had to be Bradley Schindel. He took right at 2 minutes off of his previous personal best to get 5th place, just a few seconds behind Jonny (who continues to improve from a bout with bronchitis). Girls: 1st - 29 Points Boys: 5th - 99 Points JH Boys: Sam Weeder-1st 21:06 Jonny Lindgren-4th 18:08 Colton Simons-25th Jordan Stopak-2nd 21:06 Bradley Schindel-5th 18:13 Ben Kohl-32nd Katie Goodwater-11th 22:34 Scott Wright-42nd 20:32 Darren Petersen-34th Autumn Simons-19th 24:01 Caleb Kohl-49th 20:58 Troy Sandman-35th Lauren Pugh-41st 26:17 Will Grape-52nd 21:03 Emmanuel Hernandez-42nd Mariah Olson-72nd 32:51 Gavin Ienn-56th 21:13 Giles Deeder-51st Harrison Dodds-65th 21:56 Carson Wood-64th JH Girls: Brian Mock-104th 23:51 Bruno Santarosa-65th Alicia Weeder-1st 13:02 Zach Reicks-110th 24:07 Louis Hoppe-73rd Carmen Montoya-58th 23:47

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

Fall Homecoming Activities Are Under Way

Newman Grove’s 2018 Homecoming coronation will be Saturday, October 6th at 7:30 p.m. in the High School Gym. Candi- dates for Queen are Cheyenne Cleland, daughter of Ken and Karen Cleland, Sarah Johnson, daughter of Jay and Shirley John- son, and Maddison Steffensmeier, daughter of Keri Dreger. Candidates for King are Dominik Cuevas, son of Jenelle Mostek, Tyson Haddix, son of Tyson & Ginger Jorgensen and Shelly Duhachek, and Brady Sokol, son of Scott and Joan Sokol. Attendants from the Junior Class are Leighann Miller, daughter of Bill and Donna Miller, and Logan Hodges, son of Gary and Lorie Hodges. Sophomore Attendants are Khaidence Schlee, daughter of Aaron and Kelly Schlee, and Aaron Saldana, son of Ryan Schulz and Kortni Deeder. Attendants for the Freshman class are Morgann Johnson, daughter of Christine Fossen and Tom Johnson, and Isaac Potmesil, son of Todd and Jeri Potmesil. Numerous activities are planned for the week, including a pep rally on Friday at 1:30 p.m. Saturday’s coronation will be followed by a dance. Back row (l-r): Dominik Cuevas, Brady Sokol, and Tyson Haddix. Front row: Sarah Johnson, Cheyenne Cle- land, and Maddison Steffensmeier.

Checkup time - Submitted by Mrs. Wondercheck RN School is back in full swing and the students have had their immunizations and physicals. It’s time for the parents to look at their own health now! We’re into the second half of 2018 – how are you doing so far? Take some time to review your successes and make the rest of the year even better by adjusting goals or making new ones. Having a variety of goals helps you address all areas of your well-being. Exercise and weight goals. Do your weight control and fitness pursuits need improvement? Along with tracking your weight and exercise periods, the American Psychological Association advises recording any episodes of emotional eating (e.g., what and where you ate) to identify behaviors that need changing. Nutrition goals. The USDA’s ChooseMyPlate program (choosemyplate.gov) can help with nutritious, quick recipes rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and a checklist to identify meal plans tailored to your age, gender and size. Mental and physical health goals. Contact your health care provider’s office to see if you are due for a checkup, vaccinations, mammogram, co- lonoscopy or other tests. Consider your mental health, too. Are you taking time to relax daily with yoga, meditation or other techniques? Talk to your health care provider if you need help with depression or anxiety. Sources: Psychological Science, American Psychological Association, USDA, CDC Posted in eMazine

Exercise and stay active at every age. Major studies indicate that regular exercise throughout life is the best strategy for slowing or reversing the effects of aging on several biological markers (biomarkers), including: Blood sugar tolerance. Aging may reduce your body’s sensitivity to insulin. Exercise helps increase that sensitivity and lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes. Blood pressure. It tends to increase as we age. But we can often prevent and reverse high blood pressure with regular exercise and weight control Muscle strength. The more muscle you use the less you lose. You can increase muscle strength at every age. Body fat percentage. Without regular exercise your muscles shrink, fat tissue accumulates and you burn fewer calories, leading to weight gain. Aerobic capacity. The amount of oxygen your body circulates is a key indicator of overall fitness. Cardio exercise improves oxygen flow, boosting stamina and health. If you haven’t already, discover how regular exercise can greatly improve your odds of aging well. Sources: Healthy Aging, Tufts Medical Center

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

Boone Central/Newman Grove Boone Central/Newman Grove

Junior High Football Junior High Football

By Sam McCormick By Jeff Hayes

7th Grade Team 8th Grade Team

BCNG vs. Norfolk Catholic 9/6/18 BCNG vs. Norfolk Catholic 9/6/18 It was an excellent day for the 7th Graders from th Boone Central as they defeated the Knights from Nor- The 8 grade kicked off their season with a double folk Catholic 12-0. It was the Cardinals first game of the OT win against Norfolk Catholic. You could tell it was an year, and it is always nice to start off the year with a win. opening game as both teams made mistakes. The team did a There are definitely some things we still need to work on great job on defense all night long. We made some critical when it comes to small mistakes and tackling, but that stops when it really counted. In the first OT neither team will come with more practice and game time. Scoring could find the end zone. In the second OT Norfolk Catholic started with a 29 yard touchdown run by Parker Borer on scored but then the defense stood their ground and denied the Cardinal's first possession. The 7th grade defense the Extra point try. We scored on our second OT play and proved to be stout, as they forced a turnover on downs then hit a pass play in the corner of the end zone on the ex- tra point to get the victory. and a fumble in the second quarter thanks to Jackson Lipker. The Cardinals threatened to score at the end of st nd rd th the half with a 49 yard run by Brant Benes, but ran out of Score: 1 2 3 4 OT OT Score time. One big play in the third quarter was a 53 yard punt BCNG 6 6 0 0 0 8 20 return by Benes, but the offense stalled due to some un- NC 6 0 6 0 0 6 18 forced errors. The last score came on a 4th and forever with less than 2 minutes left. Benes faked a handoff and Q1 51 yd TD run by Jack Roberts XP – Failed threw over the top of the defense to Jackson Lipker for what looked like a first down. Well Lipker ended up Q2 3 yd TD run by Jack Roberts XP – Failed breaking three tackles and running 75 yards for a touch- 2nd OT 10 yd. pass from Alex Christo to Jack Roberts XP down to seal the game. Norfolk Catholic had one final Pass from Alex Christo to Jaxon Schafer chance, but was picked off by Benes to end the game. I am very proud of the kids for battling and showing heart on both sides of the ball. BCNG vs. Battle Creek 9/13/18 Scoring: 1 2 3 4 Final It was a long night for the 8th grade team. We just BCNG 6 0 0 6 12 could not put together a sustained drive. We had a couple NC 0 0 0 0 0 drives that looked good but we just couldn’t keep getting the 1st downs necessary to keep them going. The defense gave BCNG vs. Battle Creek 9/13/18 up some big plays that led to touchdowns for Battle Creek. We definitely have some work to do on both sides of the ball. Score: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final

BCNG 0 6 0 6 12 Score: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final BC 0 0 0 0 0 BCNG 0 0 0 0 0

2Q 3:31 — 33 yd TD run by Parker Borer. XP failed BC 0 12 6 6 24

4Q 4:18 — Fumble recovered by Brant Benes

4Q 2:16 — 58 yd TD run Brant Benes, XP failed

4Q 0:16 — Fumble recovered by Cade Moser

OCTOBER 2018

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

NEWMAN GROVE SCHOOL BREAKFAST/LUNCH MENUS (A variety of low fat & fat free milks offered daily with each meal; salad bar is available to 7-12 ) MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY September 17 September 18 September 19 September 20 September 2 1

Mini Donuts Apple Churro Waffle Sticks Long John Pancake/Sausage Stick Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Corndogs Tatertot Casserole Grilled Chicken Breaded Pork Patty Beef Nachos Baked Beans Green Beans Sandwich Mashed Potatoes Fiesta Beans Corn Pineapple Carrots w/Gravy Applesauce Peaches Dinner Roll Tropical Fruit Pears/Dinner Roll

September 24 September 25 September 26 September 27 September 28

Cinnamon Poptart Cheese Omelet Mini Apple Turnover French Toast Sticks Fresh Fruit & Juice NO Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Popcorn Chicken Breaded Beef Patty Sloppy Joe Chicken Quesadilla Mac and Cheese Mashed Potatoes SCHOOL Green Beans Spanish Rice Peas w/Gravy Mandarin Oranges Broccoli Tropical Fruit Peaches/Dinner Roll Pineapple

October 1 October 2 October 3 October 4 October 5

Cereal Breakfast Pizza Mini Waffles Cherry Frudel Mini French Toast Yogurt Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Breaded Chicken Patty Cheeseburger Pulled Pork Sandwich Lasagna Bake Crispitos w/Chz Sauce Mashed Potatoes Broccoli Baked Beans Green Beans Corn w/Gravy/Dinner Roll Peaches Peas Garlic Bread Pears Mandarin Oranges Pineapple Tropical Fruit

October 8 October 9 October 10 October 11 October 12 Strawberry Poptart Pancake Wraps Cherry Turnover Yogurt Blueberry Muffin Apple Churros Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Pizza Breaded Pork Sandwich Beef Stroganoff Sub Sandwich Chicken Nuggets Broccoli Peas Corn WG Sunchips Tater Tots Applesauce Mandarin Oranges Peaches California Veggies Green Beans Brownie Cookie Dinner Roll Tropical Fruit Pears

October 15 October 16 October 17 October 18 October 19

French Toast Sticks Cinni Minis Banana Bread Slice Breakfast Sandwich NO Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice Fresh Fruit & Juice BBQ Rib Sandwich Chicken Strips Breaded Chicken Chili/Crackers Baked Beans Mashed Potatoes Sandwich Carrot Sticks SCHOOL Mandarin Oranges w/Gravy Curly Fries/Peas Peaches Pears/Dinner Roll Tropical Fruit Cinnamon Roll

(menus are subject to change without notice)

The Bluejay Bulletin September, 2018

PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

Wednesday September 26th 4:00—8:00 PM

Please enter through the high school gym doors. You will have a chance to meet with all of your stu- dent’s teachers. Please plan to attend!!!

SAVE YOUR BOX TOPS!! PTO sponsored Book Fair Wednesday Box Tops for Education—Newman Grove Schools continues to collect Box Tops for Educa- September 26th tion Coupons. The box top coupons are still 4:00-8:00 PM worth 10¢. Coupons are redeemed for items such Located in the high school library. Students will as computer software. have a chance to look at the books in THANK YOU FOR advance. All items are cash and carry. The book fair is open to the public. Books make great CONTRIBUTING! gifts!

MISSION STATEMENT Newman Grove Public School District is committed to providing a environment where all students can develop academically. Students will be provided opportunities to acquire skills needed to accomplish their goals and to develop their potential as life-long learners, which will allow students to participate in and contribute to society.

NEWMAN GROVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 101 SOUTH 8TH STREET NEWMAN GROVE NE 68758-0370

BOXHOLDER and RURAL ROUTE NEWMAN GROVE, NE 68758