Excitement is building as we prepare for the 2021-22 school year!

Our teachers are organizing their classrooms. Our operations team is ensuring schools are sanitized and ready for our students’ return.

Because our first days of school are staggered,

I want to remind everyone about the specific start dates:

We reflected on the lessons learned this past year as we planned for fall. We kept health and safety at the forefront of our decisions. We know there are many factors that determine a young person’s health and well-being. Some of the most important factors include connectedness to classmates, staff and the familiarity of a daily routine.

Our focus will be on responsible, in-person learning. We have posted our complete health and safety protocols on our website. We will continue to consult with public health officials and medical partners.

We encourage anyone eligible for a vaccine against COVID-19 to get one, after talking with their doctor. In partnership with the Douglas County Health Department, we scheduled 33 vaccine clinics outside of our middle and high schools leading up to the start of the school year.

Each of us must do our part to Be Responsible. The more of us who are vaccinated, the less likely it is that the virus can spread in our community. For our families, teachers and staff: please stay home from school and work if you’re feeling ill. Get tested if you have symptoms of the virus. Being responsible not only ensures your health and safety, it protects others.

We’re eagerly counting down to the first day of school and we look forward to seeing those smiling faces and back to school outfits! Thank you for your continued support of the Omaha Public Schools.

This additional step is for the protection of everyone in our schools, to limit the spread of COVID-19. A complete list of our many health and safety protocols for the 2021-22 school year is available on our website.

Each summer, the Making Invisible Histories Visible program gives students and teachers the unique opportunity to dive into Omaha's hidden history. This year, students explored the history of Omaha by studying Omaha's former streetcar system and the communities connected by it.

For more information on the Making Invisible Histories Visible program, visit our website.

The vision for high school programming at Omaha Public Schools continues to take shape. Community engagement sessions gave families, staff and our community the opportunity to share feedback on our proposed College & Career Academies and Pathways.

From focus groups that began in 2019 to meetings that took place throughout 2021, thousands of people have had a voice in the plan’s development. Valuable input along the way shaped updates to each high school’s proposed academies and pathways. Changes vary from one high school to the next, depending on staff and community feedback.

"The feedback we received helped us refine the proposed College & Career Academies and Pathways," said Susan Christopherson, director of secondary education. “We are excited to present updates to programming that reflect our commitment to preparing all students for life after graduation.”

Over the past few months, our district reached out to more than 30,000 stakeholders through a survey and hosted more than 70 community engagement sessions to gather input.

As staff returned for the upcoming school year, each high school – including the new Buena Vista and Westview - hosted a meeting with staff and community members to review their College & Career Academies and Pathways plan with updates from summer engagement opportunities.

“This proposed evolution of programming will ensure that our students continue to maintain core classes with access to advanced academics, fine arts and electives,” explained Christopherson. “The plan enhances those foundational offerings with additional real-world experience.”

The latest updates to our proposed College & Career Academies and Pathways will be presented to the Board of Education on Aug. 16.

During the 2021-22 school year, Omaha Public Schools will serve meals at no charge to enrolled students. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved use of the Seamless Summer Option (SSO), which allows local school districts to provide no-cost meals to all enrolled students for the duration of the 2021-22 school year.

Although school meals will be provided at no cost to all children, families may receive additional fees waived by submitting a free/reduced meal application and being approved. Only one application is needed per family but families must reapply each year. It is also important because school funding depends on completed meal applications.

With school starting back up, be sure to check out all of the fall STEM programs and opportunities offered for students, parents and educators in the Omaha area. Here are some programs available for classrooms.

To register for these opportunities or to find more summer programs, visit the STEM Community Platform Portal or click the link below.

Anyone can nominate a Top Teacher at CHIhealth.com/TopTeachers.

If you would like to view the latest CHI newsletter, click here.

... to the Omaha Public School district for being recognized as a 2020-22 Common Sense District by Common Sense Education. This was awarded as more than 90% of our district schools and programs earned Common Sense School recognition.

... to Matthew Koth of Highland Elementary for being named a 2021 White-Reinhardt Award winner by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. Koth was recognized for his contributions to student learning in agricultural sciences and literacy.

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