Press Release – January 13, 2020
District OR-1 Completes Superintendent Search Process with
McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C.
The District OR-1 Board of Education has selected Mr. Michael Hart to become their next superintendent of schools. Mr. Hart will begin on/about July 1st after Mr. Rob Hanger retires.
Mr. Hart has served Norfolk Public Schools as their Director of Human Resources since July 2016. Prior to that, he served as the Principal at the Norfolk Junior High School (2010 - 2016). Prior to that, he served as the Assistant Principal at the Norfolk Junior High (2001 - 2006). Prior to administration, he taught middle school ELA for Lincoln Public Schools. Michael was also a middle school ELA teacher for Omaha Public Schools.
Mr. Hart, along with three other highly qualified finalists, interviewed with the board of education and multiple staff and student groups Saturday.
Helpful Organizational Hints to Help Your Student
By Mrs. Jen Whyman
Having needed supplies is very important. We make sure our students have these things at the beginning of the year, but oftentimes, these need to be checked periodically. Pencils are a big item that needs to be replaced constantly throughout the year. Keeping extra pencils in their Chromebook backpack is a must. Paper and notebooks are another supply that can be used up before the end of the school year. Having materials readily available helps them to use their time efficiently.
There are many organizational systems a student can use, but I feel a simple one is best. Using a single folder and labeling one side with “done” and the other side with “not done”, is simple and easy to keep track of. This is also similar to what is used in elementary school, so it makes for an easy transition to junior high. It leaves one folder to keep track of and one place to look for homework when it is needed.
A calculator is a helpful tool to help make math homework easier. Some students like the calculator on their Chromebooks and some might prefer a simple handheld calculator. A good scientific calculator is the Texas Instruments TI-30XIIS.
The 2019-20 school year has been quite eventful for the PE classes. We were able to start the year in the gym learning some of our basic stretches and warm-up routines to prevent injury. We were then pushed outdoors when we heard the exciting news that we were replacing the gym floor here at Bennet Elementary! While we were outdoors we did numerous activities from relays to kickball. During that time, we also experienced some unfavorable weather, which pushed us indoors. During those times several classes were able to learn about personal hygiene as well as nutrition (what we should and shouldn’t be eating/drinking). After about 5 weeks being outdoors, the students were very excited to get back inside to the brand new gym floor! Now that we are back inside, we will be working on more advanced activities like throwing and catching.
This fall, second graders had an opportunity, along with the Otoe County Extension Office to do a mini-unit on the Butterfly life cycle. The Extension Office came to Bennet Elementary three times to do activities with the students. They had the opportunity to learn the stages of the life cycle, the parts of a butterfly, and then each classroom got 5 painted lady caterpillars to care for! We were able to observe them eat, multiply in size, wrap themselves in a chrysalises, and hatch into a beautiful butterfly! The students loved letting them go into the trees behind the school on release day! We can’t wait to do it again next year!
The Position The Palmyra Bennet District OR-1 Schools, Palmyra, Nebraska, Board of Education, is seeking a highly qualified and fully certified Superintendent. The Board wishes to have the successful candidate assume the responsibilities of the position July 1, 2020. McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C., Executive Recruitment and Development has been engaged as the consultant in a search for outstanding candidates. They will assist the Board of Education in identifying and screening the candidates.
Stakeholder Input Survey Link
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DistrictOR1NE
The survey will open on Monday, October 28, 2019
The survey will close on Monday, November 4, 2019
Please !CLICK HERE! to download full invitation.
SafeSchools Alert Mobile Application Download Instructions
The SafeSchools Alert System allows our students, staff, faculty and parents to anonymously and securely submit safety tips regarding bullying, harassment, mental health, threats of violence and safety concerns to our administration team 24/7.
Please go to the App Store for iPhone or Google Play for Android and download the free SafeSchools Alert Mobile App:
Thanks for helping to keep our district safe and connected!
Our District Code is: 1795
Our District Name is: Palmyra District OR-1
