Inside this issue:

High School’s Most Used

Phone Numbers:

Main Office

308-345-5422 ext. 1

Fax: 308-345-5477

Activities Director

308-345-5733 ext. 7

Superintendent’s Office

308-345-2510 ext. 5

www.mccookbison.org

Mc

Co

ok

Se

nio

r H

igh

Ne

ws

lett

er

Volume 6 Issue 3

NOVEMBER 2014

MHS Activities 2

Organizations and Yearbook 3

Guidance Counselor Dept. 4

Nurse’s Corner 5

Parent Connection / Mission Statement 6

November 27th NO School- Nov. 26-28

600 West 7th Street McCook, NE 69001

Senior High

BAND Concerts: Tues., November 4th at Fox Theater with Guest Composer, Chris Hughes,

7:30pm (Free will donation)

Mon., December 1st - Christmas at the High School Auditorium, 7:00pm

Don’t forget to

change your clocks on

November 2nd.

Remember to

“fall back” an

hour which

means an

extra hour of

sleep!

Senior High Administration 308-344-4400 ext. 1

Mr. Jerry Smith -Principal Mr. Jeff Gross - Assistant Principal

Mr. Darin Nichols –Activities Director/Assistant Principal

ELECTION DAY- NOVEMBER 4th

US Senator Representative of Congress Governer & Lt. Governer

Secretary of State State Treasurer

Attorney General Member of the Legislature McCook Board of Education

McCook City Council McCook Public Power Dist

NE Public Power Dist.

Educational Service Unit #15

THESPIANS

would like to

thank everyone

who donated

items to the

Pantry in our

TOTS (Trick or Treat So

Kids Can Eat) food drive!

M CCOOK SE NI OR HIGH NE WSLE TT ER

MHS Activities

Activities/Sports Schedule

You can find our sports & school activities schedule on the school website: www.mccookbison.org

by clicking on ‘Activities Calendar’ and then ‘McCook’. If you’d like to print out a specific

sport’s schedule, click on the sport you’d like under View Schedules and click ‘View’.

If you have questions, please call the Athletic Dept. at 308-345-5422 ext. 7.

NOVEMBER Schedule of Events:

1st - FFA National Convention @ Kentucky

Volleyball -GNAC @ Kearney, 10:00am

3rd - Sub-Districts Volleyball held in SH Gym

5:00/6:30/8pm

4th - Representative from UNK here on campus 10:30am

Sub-Districts Volleyball held in SH Gym, 7:00pm

Volleyball - Districts, TBA

SH Band Concert @ Fox Theater, 7:30pm

5th - 2:00pm Dismissal (Teacher in Service)

7th - Football - 2nd Round Playoffs, TBA

10th - School Board Meeting in JH Conference Rm, 6:30pm

12th - 2:00pm Dismissal (Teacher in Service)

13th - SH Girls Basketball Player/Parent Meeting in

SH Commons, 6:00pm

Volleyball -State, TBA

14th - Health Checks for 10th grade & New Students

Volleyball -State, TBA

Football -Semi Finals, TBA

19th - 2:00pm Dismissal (Teacher in Service)

24th - FFA -LSE @ Cambridge

25th - G/B Basketball Jamboree vs. Southern Valley

held at MCC Event Center, 6:00/7:30pm

Football -State Finals @ Lincoln FB Stadium

26th - 28th - NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Holiday) ACTIVITY TICKETS

Elementary Student………$25.00

Jr. & Sr. High Student……$30.00

Adult…………………………..$45.00

Family Pass…...Not to exceed $150

A Senior Citizen Pass can be picked up in the

Superintendent’s Office.

MHS Play Production Presents

“A Piece of My Heart”

by Shirley Lauro

Produced in Cooperation with Samuel French

Thurs., December 4th at 7:00pm (30 minutes in length)

In SH Auditorium

Directed by: Mrs. Davidson

FREE WILL DONATION

CONGRATULATIONS to

Ahria Golden

Lindi Johnson

Madison Snyder

on being accepted as members of the

2014 Nebraska All-State Choir.

Way to go, girls!!

Page 3 M CCOOK SE NI OR HIGH NE WSLE TT ER

Art Club will meet the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of each month. Sponsor– Mr. Clapp

Computer Club - Sponsor: Mrs. Fisher

Creative Writing Club - Sponsor: Mrs. Hauxwell

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) - Sponsors: Mr. Ramsay & Mrs. Janes

Future Farmers of America (FFA) -Sponsor: Mr. Cooper

Nov. 11 Blue/Gold Jacket Ceremony @ RW Co. Fairgrounds, 7:00pm

Nov. 12 CDE #1 @ Curtis NCTA, 7:00am

Nov. 18 Meeting in Ag Room, 7:00am

Nov. 24 Cambridge LSE, 6:00pm bus leaves

Math Club -Sponsors: Mrs. Jones & Mrs. Applegarth

Robotics Club - Sponsor: Mr. Sughroue

NORE Science Club –Sponsor: Mrs. Jones

Organizations -News & Announcements

SENIORS-

Remember, senior portraits are due to the yearbook by December 23rd. You can bring them in, mail them, or you can have your photographer email them to Mrs. Harris at kharris@mccookbison.org.

Also, we are again offering Senior Tribute Ads in the 2014-2015 yearbook. Senior Ads are a great way to give your special senior personalized recognition that will be cherished in their senior year-book for years to come. Pricing is as follows:

Full page = $150 1/4 page = $60

Half page = $100 1/8 page = $35

Look for a letter with a full explanation of the Senior Ads in your mailbox soon. Your personalized Senior Tribute Ad is due by January 9th.

EVERYONE! Don't forget to order your 2014-2015 MHS Yearbook!

Journalism/Yearbook

FFA LABOR AUCTION

& Sloppy Joe Meal

Date To Be Determined

6:30pm

At JH Cafeteria

ACT Test Schedule!

ACT information (including the school code 281455) is available in the Guidance Office. Actual regis-

tration must be done online at online at www.actstudent.org.

Wells Fargo College STEPS!

Wells Fargo offers students a helpful website with functions on it ranging

from school loans to choosing a college. If the student enrolls in the STEP program he/she is automatically entered into a

drawing for $1,000.00. Their web address is: www.wellsfargo.com/student/.

Reduced Tuition for Out-of-State Colleges!

The Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) is a tuition reduction program that makes attending out-of-

state colleges more affordable for non-resident students. Nearly 100 colleges in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Min-

nesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin participate in this program. To learn more about the program,

go to their website: www.msep.mhec.org.

Visit UNK!

The Guidance Department of MHS will be sponsoring a fall visit to the University of Nebraska at Kearney cam-

pus on Tuesday November 18. The bus will leave at 7:30 AM and return at 3:30 PM. If you are a senior or a junior and

would like to visit UNK, please sign up in the guidance office. This activity is funded by our College Access Grant from

Education Quest.

Now Is The Time!

If you haven’t applied for admission to the post-secondary school of your choice yet, DO IT NOW. The rule of

thumb is, “the earlier, the better.” Being “admitted” doesn’t lock you in to attending that particular school, it only holds

a place for you should you opt to attend. If you can’t decide between 2 or 3 schools, go ahead and apply to them all.

RHOP and KHOP!

If you are interested in a health career, then the RHOP or KHOP programs are for you. If you get accepted to

these programs, you will study for 2 years at Chadron, Peru, or Wayne state colleges (RHOP) or the University of Ne-

braska at Kearney (KHOP) and then transfer to the University of Nebraska Medical Center for completion. Upon com-

pletion of the program, a spot will be held open for you in professional school. If this interests you, come to the guidance

office for more details. The deadline is quickly approaching and the application process is detailed, so hurry.

UNK Scholarship!

If you are planning on attending University of Nebraska at Kearney next fall, you might be interested in the

Omaha World-Herald/Kearney Hub Scholarship. This is a “full ride” scholarship including tuition, room, meals, fees,

and books. Applicants must have at least a 30 on their ACT composite score and a minimum class rank of top 10%. The

deadline for applying is November 15, 2014. Applications can be found on the UNK website at: www.unk.edu/honors.

The OW-H/KH scholarship is part of the Honors Program at UNK. Honors Program has its own admission requirements

(27+ ACT and top 25% of graduating class and registration deadline (February 1, 2015). Honors Program students bene-

fit from several opportunities. See the website.

Test Date Registration Deadline Late Registration *

December 13, 2014 November 7, 2014 November 21, 2014

February 7, 2015 January 9, 2015 January 16, 2015

April 18, 2015 March 13, 2015 March 27, 2015

June 13, 2015 May 8, 2015 May 22, 2015

regular fee = $38.00

$54.50 with the Writing Test

* requires an extra fee of $24

Guidance Counselor Department

V OLU ME 6 ISS UE 3

Nurse’s Corner

Update from the Health Office

Health Screenings for the 2014-2015 year have been scheduled. Parents may won-der: Why are School Health Screenings done annually? Health Screenings are done primarily to identify conditions that may be significant to health or learning.

Nebraska Statute 79-248 – 79-252 applies to all public schools. Required screenings include Hearing, Vision, Dental and BMI. Privacy & Confidentiality are of utmost importance. Results are documented in the child’s school health record. Identification & intervention improve outcomes (screening is not diagnostic). Students with results outside of the normal parameters set by the statute will be rescreened

before a referral is mailed to the parent. Screenings will be conducted for students in Kindergarten, 1st-4th grades, 7th grade and 10th grade

per statute requirements. Additional Indications for screening:

New to the district Student enters Student Assistance Process with no current screening results available Periodic screenings as specified by the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Nurse/Parent/Teacher concern

Schedule for Health Screenings:

Central Elementary: November 3rd (4th grade/new students) McCook Elementary: November 5th & 6th (Pre-K-3/new students) McCook Junior High: November 13th (7th grade/new students) McCook Senior High: November 14th (10th grade/new students)

FRIENDLY REMINDER DURING HEALTH CHECKS AND EVERY DAY:

CHILDREN SHOULD BRUSH THEIR TEETH AND WEAR THEIR GLASSES OR CONTACTS TO SCHOOL.

Please contact the school nurse with any questions or concerns by calling 308-344-4400. Sincerely,

Darcey Hansen, RN, School Nurse

School Board Meeting:

Mon., November 10th

6:30 pm

At the JH Conference Room

Everyone is welcome

to attend!

OUR MISSION

It is the mission of McCook Public Schools’ community to equip all students to succeed in a complex global society.

This mission is based on the following beliefs about how students learn and what they must know to be responsible and

contributing citizens in a global society. Students, school, home and community share the responsibility for education..

All students can learn.

Learning is a lifelong process.

High expectations promote success and challenge all students.

Everyone is entitled to a safe and caring school environment.

Learning opportunities exist beyond the classroom environment.

Learning is promoted by the respect of self and others.

PARENT Connection

Infinite Campus is the student information system that McCook Schools uses to track almost all

of our student information. We keep track of demographic information, schedules, grades, tran-scripts, immunizations and health related data, lunch accounts, and our faculty maintains their class-room grade books as well.

We encourage parents to set up a portal account (separate from their students account) to view all of the children in the household. To set up parent account, please contact Kim Korgan at the senior high school (344-4514 or email at kkorgan@mccookbison.org). Once you have a parent portal es-tablished, there is much you can do!

You may select which of your children's information you would like to look at. When you click on "Schedule" you see your child's schedule but can also click into a view only of that grade book. Any item in blue can be opened to give you more information.

Another tab that is popular with parents is the "Food Service" tab. This lets you monitor what your child is eating for lunch and his/her account balance. NEW this year, parents have the ability to pay on line for their child's lunch program. It is really easy, and money is added immediately to the correct account.

Something that is fairly new to Infinite Campus is the availability of allowing parents to change their information online. Under "Household Information" you can change address and phone information.

We also encourage you to go under "Contact Preferences" to select how you’d prefer to be notified by the school when we use the auto dialer. You’re allowed to select one or more of these options: home phone, cell phone, email or the newest text messaging (SMS).

For Inclement Weather

Listen to these radio stations for

late start or cancellations:

KIOD 105.3

KSWN 93.9

KICX 96.1

Veteran’s Day

November 11th

FLU INFORMATIONWhat is the flu?

Influenza (the flu) is an infection of the nose, throat,

and lungs caused by influenza viruses. There are

many different influenza viruses that are constantly

changing. They cause illness, hospital stays and

deaths in the United States each year.

The flu can be very dangerous for children. Each year

about 20,000 children younger than 5 years old are

hospitalized from flu complications, like pneumonia.

How serious is the flu? Flu illness can vary from mild to severe. While the flu can be serious even in people who are otherwise healthy, it can be especially dangerous for young children and children of any age who have certain long term health conditions, including asthma (even mild or controlled), neurological and neurodevelopmental

conditions, chronic lung disease, heart disease, blood disorders, endocrine disorders (such as diabetes), kidney, liver, and metabolic disorders, and weakened immune systems due to disease or medication. Children with these conditions and children who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy can have more severe illness from the flu.

How does the flu spread?Most experts believe that flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with the flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Less often, a person might get the flu by touching something that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, eyes or nose.

What are the symptoms of the flu? Symptoms of the flu can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea. Some people with the flu will not have a fever.

How long can a sick person spread the flu to others?People with the flu may be able to infect others by shedding virus from 1 day before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after. However, children and people with weakened immune systems can shed virus for longer, and might be still contagious past 5 to 7 days of being sick, especially if they still have symptoms.

PROTECT YOUR CHILDHow can I protect my child against the flu?To protect against the flu, the first and most important thing you can do is to get a flu vaccine for yourself and your child.

Vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older.

It’s especially important that young children and children with long term health conditions get vaccinated. (See list of conditions under “How Serious is the Flu?”)

Caregivers of children with health conditions or of children younger than 6 months old should get vaccinated. (Babies younger than 6 months are too young to be vaccinated themselves.)

Another way to protect babies is to vaccinate pregnant women because research shows that this gives some protection to the baby both while the woman is pregnant and for a few months after the baby is born.

A new flu vaccine is made each year to protect against the flu viruses that research indicates are most likely to cause illness during the next flu season. Flu vaccines are made using strict safety and production measures. Over the years, millions of flu vaccines have been given in the United States with a very good safety record.

The Flu: A Guide For Parents

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/flu or www.flu.gov or call 800-CDC-INFO

Is there a medicine to treat the flu? Antiviral drugs can treat flu illness. They can make people feel better and get better sooner and may prevent serious flu complications, like pneumonia, for example, that can lead to hospitalization and even death. These drugs are different from antibiotics, but they also need to be pre-scribed by a doctor. They work best when started during the first 2 days of illness. It’s very important that antiviral drugs be used early to treat the flu in people who are very sick (for example people who are in the hospital) or peo-ple who are at greater risk of having serious flu complica-tions. Other people with flu illness may also benefit from taking antiviral drugs. These drugs can be given to children and pregnant women.

What are some of the other ways I can protect my child against the flu?In addition to getting vaccinated, take – and encourage your child to take – everyday steps that can help prevent the spread of germs.

This includes:Stay away from people who are sick.

If your child is sick with flu-like illness, try to keep him or her in a separate room from others in the household, if possible.

CDC recommends that your sick child stay home for at least 24 hours after his or her fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. The fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.

Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Throw the tissue in the trash after it has been used.

Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.

Keep surfaces like bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.

MAY 2013 | CS239139-A

IF YOUR CHILD IS SICKWhat can I do if my child gets sick?Talk to your doctor early if you are worried about your child’s illness.

If your child is 5 years and older and does not have other health problems and gets flu-like symptoms, including a fe-ver and/or cough, consult your doctor as needed and make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks enough fluids.

If your child is younger than 5 years (and especially younger than 2 years) or of any age with a long term health condi-tion (like asthma, a neurological condition, or diabetes, for example) and develops flu-like symptoms, they are at risk for serious complications from the flu. Ask a doctor if your child should be examined.

What if my child seems very sick? Even children who have always been healthy before or had the flu before can get very sick from the flu.

Call for emergency care or take your child to a doctor right away if your child of any age has any of the warning or emergency signs below:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing

Bluish or gray skin color

Not drinking enough fluids (not going to the bathroom or not making as much urine as they normally do)

Severe or persistent vomiting

Not waking up or not interacting

Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Has other conditions (like heart or lung disease, diabetes,or asthma) and develops flu symptoms, including a fever and/or cough.

Can my child go to school, day care or camp if he or she is sick?No. Your child should stay home to rest and to avoid giving the flu to other children or caregivers.

When can my child go back to school after having the flu?Keep your child home from school, day care or camp for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone. (Fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) A fever is defined as 100°F (37.8°C) or higher.

These everyday steps are a good way to reduce your chances of getting all sorts of illnesses, but a yearly flu vaccine is always the best way to specifically prevent the flu.