August 2024

We are excited for the days ahead.

We are one school district improving together for students and families.

Staff worked all summer to roll out new classroom materials, complete construction projects, coordinate with our new transportation vendor and maximize the rest of our federal funding through Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief, or ESSER.

This edition of Inside OPS shows the difference new materials can make for students and staff. In July’s edition of More than Hashtags – The OPSProud Podcast, Central High teacher Molly Mattison talked about student engagement and choice in English classrooms. Columbian Elementary’s Gwen Wellsandt explains below how new science materials spark curiosity and imagination.

It all connects to our united focus on growth. As we keep doing better for every single one of our 52,000 students, Omaha Public Schools is aligning our work with data and best practices.

It is so much fun to see staff throughout our schools in anticipation of students’ arrival.

We wish everyone a great start to the new year.

New Year, New Tools

Omaha Public Schools Invests in High-Quality Curriculum Materials

This year, science experiments will look a little different in Gwen Wellsandt's fifth-grade classroom. 

"Science is about wondering," said Wellsandt. Something Omaha Public Schools elementary students will experience thanks to our district's investment in new curriculum materials and resources.

"These new materials are colorful and beautiful," Wellsandt added. "Every unit, every module and every lesson opens with phenomena, which is that wondering piece."

The new science materials offer engaging, hands-on activities. They incorporate digital labs and workbooks to make the lessons more interactive and accessible. Wellsandt says she is excited for students to see lessons come to life.  

"Every child deserves to see themself as a scientist," she said. "The updated materials provide current data and information that is accurate and also reflects the demographics of our district."

Science is one of many curriculum updates Omaha Public Schools staff will implement this year thanks to Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. Funding covered new materials for K-12 computer science and art, new science resources for elementary students, and updated curriculum for English language arts (ELA), reading, and English learner support for secondary students. All curriculum is consistent districtwide and aligned with state standards.

"Our district prioritized ESSER funding to ensure that we are getting curriculum in the hands of our students," said Susan Christopherson, Omaha Public Schools chief academic officer. "I think that speaks to our priority of investing in our students and their experiences in the classroom."

Bluestem Middle 6th grade teacher Nikki Johnson is preparing for students to use the new ELA curriculum. Features include an online platform paired with a workbook, allowing for digital and paper-based learning. Our district also adopted an online tool for writing and grammar lessons. 

"The new curriculum offers opportunities," said Johnson. “We are providing our students and teachers with the best tools to equip them for the future."

Staff and community feedback guided the selection process for new curriculum materials. Following public review and feedback sessions, teachers throughout our district field-tested the materials.

"We engage so many people within the community, and teacher involvement in field testing is essential to ensure that we pick the right curriculum," said Christopherson. 

The updated curriculum materials provide new tools to engage students in grade-level content for every course and content area. The investment reflects Omaha Public Schools commitment to improvement, ensuring all students have access to resources that support success.

"We want students to value their experience in the classroom," said Christopherson. "We understand that it's a partnership between families and our district, and we want families to know that we are selecting materials that will help their students learn, engage and succeed."

Omaha Public Schools Path to Improvement Includes Focus on Family Engagement

The first day of school brings excitement for staff and students. The new year also means a fresh start with room for growth.

During the past year, Omaha Public Schools spent months preparing for new curriculum in our classrooms. This is one part of our district’s focus on improvement. Teams also reviewed data around student engagement in our classrooms and publicly shared the many ways Omaha Public Schools measures student progress.

Changes in our classrooms, like updated curriculum materials, present a new way to work more closely with our families.

“We want to provide resources and information on how best to support student learning and their experiences,” said Crystal Boyd, Omaha Public Schools ombudsperson supervisor. “We prioritize creating a safe and inclusive environment where students and families can freely ask questions and provide input so we can understand their needs.”

For parents like Elisa Esteban, back-to-school events offer that opportunity. She attended Buena Vista High’s orientation this month with her kids.

“I’ll have two high schoolers this year,” said Esteban. “The orientation is helpful to make sure we have everything up to date and helps them be prepared for what they're going to do and what classes they're going to take.”

Schools districtwide host back-to-school events to connect with families before the first day of classes. The events offer paperwork assistance, help for families who have questions about class schedules and the opportunity for students to meet their teachers.

“It’s an opportunity to make that first day of school a little bit more comfortable,” said Katie McWilliams, Buena Vista High curriculum specialist. “We see more parents and families, and it's because people want to come, feel welcome and know the building.”

Omaha Public Schools student enrollment fair is another option for families new to our district or those who moved over the summer. Families can register their children, learn about transportation options and update contact information.

“Our goal is to support families,” said Boyd. “We give them a voice, advocate for them and provide resources to help their children be successful.”

Families can monitor their student’s academic progress all year through Omaha Public Schools parent portal. The portal provides access to class schedules, grades and attendance records. Our Community Resource Directory includes resources about after-school programs, youth services, housing assistance and other needs.

“We want to provide resources and information on how best to support student learning and their experiences,” said Boyd.

Omaha Public Schools Back to School Guide available at ops.org is another resource for families as the new year gets underway. It includes calends, breakfast and lunch menus, calendars and more.

District News

Save the Dates: 2024-25 Calendar Includes Four Improvement Days

Omaha Public Schools 2024-25 school year includes four Improvement Days, an update communicated to staff and families in April. The dates are:

• Sept. 24, 2024
• Oct. 29, 2024
• Jan. 28, 2025
• April 1, 2025

Each Improvement Day is a two-hour late start for students so teachers can collaborate and maximize each minute with students in the classroom. Download this year’s calendar at ops.org/calendar.

Omaha Public Schools Schedules August Interview Fair

A rewarding career starts with Omaha Public Schools! Our district is hosting an interview fair at the Teacher Administrative Center on Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Staff will be onsite to assist with applications, answer questions and conduct interviews. View career opportunities and apply on our website.

Summer Project Clears Portables from Several School Campuses

This summer, crews removed 36 portable classrooms at five school campuses.

Thanks to Omaha Public Schools 2018 Bond Program, the portables, which contained classrooms in some locations, were no longer needed due to renovations.

Visit ops.org/bond for a comprehensive overview of bond projects.

More Than Hashtags: The OPSProud Podcast

The latest episode of More Than Hashtags: The OPS Proud Podcast featured back-to-school resources for students and families and an update on our curriculum adoption and implementation.

Listen here on the KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio website.

Our Community Opportunities section is our digital bulletin board where families can find information about upcoming events and activities available in our area. New flyers are posted at the beginning of each month. This month's flyers include:

• Do Portugal Circus
• Train Like A Champion
• Free Pediatric Back To School Clinic

Omaha Public Schools provides this opportunity for outside organizations for the benefit of our families. It does not endorse any business, product or service.

Superintendent Matthew Ray extends congratulations to...

… to all Omaha Public Schools Educators Rising students who placed in the top 10 at the Educators Rising 2024 National Conference.

• Daisy Altamirano, Bryan High, 3^rd place
• Mia Sanchez Rodriguez, Bryan High, 10^th place
• Chloe Price, Burke High, 8^th place
• Estefani Aguilar Rodriguez and Neftaly Aguilar-Martinez, South High, 6^th place

… to Kara Saldierna, Omaha Public Schools executive director of Special Education, for receiving the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Patriot Award from the Army National Guard.

… to Kennedy Elementary, Wilson Focus Elementary and Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Department for achieving Apple Distinguished Schools status.

… to Omaha Public Schools business and industry partner supervisor Chris Humphries for his selection to the Leadership Omaha ‘Class 47’ by the Greater Omaha Chamber.

… to all Omaha Public Schools students for surpassing their goal of reading 2,000,000 minutes in our Summer Reading Challenge.

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