the POWER of Engagement

2013-2014 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

Colby Koski-Aparo doesn’t know it, but he and Donald Rumsfeld have at least one thing in common. In 2013-14, the Sunset Hills Elementary third grader started using a stand-up desk. The former Secretary of Defense uses one as well.

“I like it,” Colby said. “I like the thing you can put your foot on and rock back and forth.” Among other features, stand-up desks are equipped with a bar that users can lean on. The bar on Colby’s desk moves, too. The stand-up desk at Sunset is just one of the innovative ways Westside staff members are working to meet the individual needs of students.

At Oakdale Elementary, all the students in Stephanie

Swanson’s class sit on large, bouncy exercise balls. Swanson started using the balls in class back in 2010 after reading about their educational benefits.

“It gives the students a chance to move a little while they are still learning because they can rock or bounce lightly. Some students really need that ability to move throughout the day,” Swanson said. “I think many students are able to stay better focused when they sit on a ball chair because they can't slump down like in a regular chair and are less likely to mentally check out." Pairs of students share a ball in the classroom and take turns sitting on it every other day.

Sunset Hills Principal Greg Betts heard about the idea of a stand-up desk from Superintendent Blane McCann during a meeting in 2013. McCann read about Rumsfeld’s use of a stand-up desk and wondered if it might be something to incorporate into the District’s move toward personalized learning. “I thought it might

be one more tool in our tool box to meet the individualized needs of our students,” McCann said.

Betts and Colby’s teacher, Molly McMeekin, agreed to try out a stand-up desk. McMeekin said she’s noticed in the past that students like Colby simply like to stand while learning. After asking these students to sit down time and again, “you realize that this might be what they need to be successful,” she said.

Betts wrote a grant to the Region 2 organization of the Nebraska Association of School Administrators requesting $300, the cost of the desk. Region 2 awarded the grant to Sunset Hills, and Colby began using the desk just before winter break last year.

McMeekin said that she explained to the other students in her

class about the desk, and it never became a distraction.

At Oakdale, Swanson finds students who use the exercise balls are more alert. “For one thing, it helps strengthen their core muscles,” she said. “Also, since they are having to keep those muscles engaged while sitting, research shows that can help keep their minds engaged as well in the classroom.” Swanson received a grant from the Oakdale Community Club to purchase the $15 to $20 balls. Parents have donated balls, too.

WESTSIDE CONSIDERS INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NEEDS TO HELP WITH CLASSROOM SUCCESS

“IT GIVES THE STUDENTS A CHANCE TO MOVE A LITTLE WHILE THEY ARE STILL LEARNING BECAUSE THEY CAN ROCK OR BOUNCE LIGHTLY”

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WHS STUDENT BRINGS TED TO DISTRICT 66

Inspired by the TED talks she’s watched, Ruby Hickman wanted to inspire others. Hickman curated the first TEDxYouth@WestsideHS on April 21, 2014 for her senior project. TED Talks are conferences held around the world that focus on spreading ideas. The discussions are always videotaped and shared online. TEDx events are independent TED-like events that can be organized by anyone who is granted a free license from TED, which is what Hickman did.

Centered on the theme of Innovation, TEDxYouth@WestsideHS featured talks from five students who all were doing innovative things inside and outside of school.

• Junior Kelli Schilken, a member of the musical duo Belles and Whistles, sang and discussed songwriting

• Sophomore Benjamin Frazier spoke about 3-D printing with nods to Star Trek

• Senior Amber Kischer focused on the challenges of writing and producing a play

• Senior Tag Ryan talked about composing the score for a production of The Shining at Benson Theater

• Junior Emma Sherman, who self-published a science fiction book, addressed the topic of women and science fiction

Hickman started her search for speakers by talking to teachers and asking who at school was doing interesting, creative work. While the project helped her meet a requirement for graduation, she said her underlying goal was to “plant a seed” and inspire WHS students and staff to think innovatively beyond traditional learning and the traditional classroom.

“THE UNDERLYING GOAL WAS TO ‘PLANT A SEED’ AND INSPIRE WHS

STUDENTS AND STAFF”

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STUDENT FACTS STAFF FACTS

QUICK FACTS

6,089 STUDENTS10 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

1 MIDDLE SCHOOL1 HIGH SCHOOL

1 CAREER CENTER10 BEFORE AND AFTER

CARE PROGRAMS6 PRESCHOOL AND

EXTENDED LEARNING, FULL DAYCARES

2 TODDLER PROGRAMS

1,399 EMPLOYEESCERTIFIED STAFF DEGREES:

3 BACHELOR’S PLUS DEGREES300 MASTER’S DEGREES

73 MASTER’S PLUS DEGREES8 SPECIALIST’S DEGREES12 DOCTORAL DEGREES

CERTIFIED STAFF AWARDS13 NATIONALLY BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS

8 NEBRASKA AK-SAR-BEN IKE FRIEDMAN TEACHER LEADER AWARDS

6 MILKEN EDUCATOR AWARDS4 RECIPIENTS OF THE NEBRASKA TEACHER

OF THE YEAR AWARD8 FINALISTS FOR THE NEBRASKA TEACHER

OF THE YEAR AWARD3 CHRISTA MCAULIFFE PRIZE WINNERS

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: 14.5%STUDENTS ON FREE/REDUCED LUNCH: 31.3%ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: 2.3%

ETHNICITY OF STUDENTS IN 2013-14

ETHNIC GROUP NUMBER PERCENT

WHITE 4,605 75.6%

BLACK 535 8.8%

HISPANIC 379 6.2%

TWO OR MORE RACES 305 5.0%

ASIAN 221 3.6%

AMERICAN INDIAN 40 0.7%

NATIVE HAWAIIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER 4 0.1%

TOTAL 6,089 100%

The Westside Community School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, color, age, national origin or disability. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Westside’s Director of Special Services at (402) 390-2110.

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FACILITY FACTS TRANSPORTATION FACTS

QUICK FACTS

20 BUILDINGS WITH 1.1 MILLION SQUARE FEET

170 ACRES OF LAND

5 MAJOR ATHLETIC FIELDS

1 NOTEBOOK COMPUTER FOR EVERY STUDENT IN GRADES 8-121 NOTEBOOK COMPUTER FOR EVERY TWO STUDENTS IN GRADES K-7

1 NOTEBOOK COMPUTER FOR EVERY CERTIFIED STAFF MEMBER1 TABLET COMPUTER FOR EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

CERTIFIED STAFF MEMBER1 MULTI-MEDIA PROJECTOR FOR EVERY CLASSROOM4 YEARS IS THE AVERAGE LIFECYCLE OF A LAPTOP

The Board of Education unanimously voted in spring of 2014 to provide every student with a computing device beginning with the 2014-15 school year. With that in mind, computer use for students has become 1 notebook computer for every student in grades 7-12 and 1 tablet computer for every student in grades K-6.

Wireless data connectivity has been upgraded in all elementary and secondary buildings in District 66.

The District's Wide Area Network (WAN) has been upgraded to gigabit speed for all buildings.

Also available to staff and students: interactive white boards, Apple TVs, document cameras, digital cameras, Nooks and iPads.

52 VEHICLES USED EVERY DAY FOR REGULAR SCHOOL ROUTES, FIELD TRIPS AND ATHLETIC EVENTS

31 BUS ROUTES TRANSPORT MORE THAN 620 K-12 STUDENTS ON SCHOOL DAYS WITHIN SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES

NEARLY 20% OF THE DISTRICT’S 871 OPEN ENROLLMENT STUDENTS RECEIVE TRANSPORTATION

36 OPEN ENROLLMENT STUDENT ROUTES CRISSCROSS THE METROPOLITAN AREA

At times, the District will also contract with transportation services to meet the needs of Special Education students.

TECHNOLOGY FACTS

2014-15 SCHOOL YEAR TECHNOLOGY UPDATES

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WESTSIDE BOARD OF EDUCATION

The 2013-14 school year proved an exciting time, as the Westside Board of Education approved our shared visioning work and strategic plan. Since I first arrived in the District, we have discussed moving away from an industrial model in education, to one that truly prepares our students to live and work in a global community. Our teachers have been working hard to develop classroom lessons that allow our students to engage in critical thinking and problem solving. We want our students to see the connection between school and possible careers through real world experiences.

During the 2013-14 school year, we also began to discuss the future of our District’s facilities and our

BLANE MCCANN, PH.D. SUPERINTENDENT

ROSIE ZWEIBACKPRESIDENT

SCOTT HAZELRIGG, J.D. VICE PRESIDENT

MARTHA SLOSBURGSECRETARY

DAVID WILLIAMSTREASURER

DANA BLAKELYDIRECTOR

BETH MORRISSETTEDIRECTOR

enrollment trends. In the spring of 2014, the DLR Group presented us with a preliminary look at the future of our facilities, including the physical and functional needs. We also learned about the enrollment trends anticipated in the next five years, which indicate our resident student population is beginning to increase. We know that students do better when they’re given the tools they need to succeed. Beyond curriculum and computers, this means providing them with a rich learning environment.

As I have long believed, the strength of this District rests in its community. We are fortunate to live in a community where so many residents care about the education of our young people and have supported our

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efforts for nearly seven decades. As we continue our work, we will seek engagement and input from you. I welcome your comments and ideas. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours in Education,

Blane McCann, Ph.D.SuperintendentWestside Community Schools

WESTSIDE FOOTBALL PLAYERS HELP CLEAR

TORNADO DEBRIS In late June 2014, more than 30 players and three coaches from the Westside High School football team spent a day in Pilger, Nebraska. The team combed the fields around the small town picking up debris from the devastating tornado that hit the community on June 16.

Head Coach Brett Froendt said the players and coaches covered about 90 acres of cornfields. They spent the day picking up wood, metal, shingles and other debris that would have damaged farm equipment. One piece of twisted grain bin was so heavy and large that it took five players to carry it out of the field.

Westside, along with teams from many other Nebraska communities, responded to a call for help from Wisner-Pilger High School’s football coach, who asked teams from the state to help clear debris.

The Westside team ate lunch with a farmer who had lost everything on his property, including his home. “The kids had a good experience and provided some relief to stressed out farmers,” Froendt said.

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PADDOCK ROAD STUDENTS CREATE

HOPE WITH BRACELETS

two ways to make it happen. “Where there are ways there’s a will,” he said. Kylee’s goal was curing cancer, and she decided she could try to earn money for research.

As 2014 began, Kylee and Kate had their plan to sell bracelets ready to go. “We thought the bracelets were a good idea because everyone was making them,” Kate said. The two enlisted friends and family to weave bracelets. Classmates also made bracelets and posters advertising the project. Paddock Road’s other fifth-grade class helped, too.

For three days, students sold bracelets at the school’s front entrance under the label Kylee’s Kure for Kancer. Three sizes were available at three prices – 25¢, 50¢ and $1. “All of the dollar ones sold on the first day,” said Kate.

“She set a goal and she achieved it, and it was a big one that involved other people,” said Michelle Patterson, Paddock Road principal. “It was good to get other classes and the whole school involved.”

In 2013-14, Kylee Elder combined her passion for curing cancer and her skill for weaving Rainbow Loom bracelets to create a movement at Paddock Road Elementary School.

Kylee, a fifth-grader, along with help from friend Kate Beckman and many others, led an effort to create and sell bracelets to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The students earned more than $150 for their cause.

“I was very, very happy,” Kylee said. “It was one of my hope goals.”

Last November, Kylee and her classmates in Pam Mitchell’s class at Paddock Road, met with Shane Lopez – a nationally known researcher on hope and the author of Making Hope Happen.

Based on the District 66 school year theme of Building Hope, Mitchell’s class created hope folders. In the folders, each student listed three goals. On the day that Lopez visited, he encouraged the students to pick one goal and list

SHE SET A GOAL AND SHE ACHIEVED IT, AND IT WAS A BIG ONE THAT INVOLVED OTHER PEOPLE. IT WAS GOOD TO GET OTHER CLASSES AND THE WHOLE SCHOOL INVOLVED.

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DISTRICT EXPENDITURES Salary 38,302,795Benefits 14,375,769Non-Salary 13,058,230Transfer 2,754,589

State Revenue 36,131,423Local Revenue 26,480,677Use of Fund Balance 3,532,957Federal Revenue 2,346,326

DISTRICT FUNDING

School taxes in District 66 include those paid to the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties.

Tax rate per $100 of assessed value $1.27Taxes for a $150,000 home $1,911Total District assessed valuation $3,221,769,705

2013-14 TAX RATE (WESTSIDE PORTION)General Fund $0.198 per $100Bond Fund $0.116 per $100Building Fund $0.010 per $100Total Westside Tax Rate (includes levy override) $0.32Learning Community Tax Rate $0.95Combined Learning Community + Westside Tax Rate $1.27

4% 5%

7

G

4%% 55%%

52%39%

Around 80% of the budget is used to pay staff salaries and benefits.

To help avoid cutting services to students, the District has saved almost $1 million over the last three years by renegotiating contracts with vendors.

clc

A FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT (2013-14)

MOST OF WESTSIDE’S TOTAL LEVY (.95 CENTS OF THE TOTAL $1.27 TAX RATE) IS ASSESSED BY THE

LEARNING COMMUNITY

2013-14 TAX FACTS

The District has saved more than $225,000 in the last 16 months by refinancing its bonded debt at a lower interest rate. Westside has also refinanced another eligible bond issue, which will save more than $1 million over 20 years.

19%

DISTRICT

1111999%4%

56% 21%

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When it comes to facilities, Westside Community School District is home to everything from the music room at Oakdale Elementary, which dates back to 1869, to Westside High School’s modern and contemporary cafeteria. The District’s challenge in years to come will be retaining a sense of history as it moves forward to improve and refresh its facilities.

After a year-long architectural study, a series of community meetings and a great deal of input from staff, parents and community members, Westside Community Schools leaders are crafting a plan for refreshing and improving the District’s aging buildings.

A Westside Community Schools Facilities Task Force was formed. Forty-one people, from all areas of the Westside community, worked together to create a plan to improve District buildings. Task Force members considered future educational needs, school safety and enrollment trends,

among several other factors. The plan will likely include putting a bond before the community for a vote in the near future.

“Westside’s tradition of excellence in academics will only be enhanced and extended as we work to ensure our facilities are innovative and high in quality,” said Westside Superintendent

Blane McCann.

In May 2013, DLR Group architects began an intensive study of Westside buildings. They studied the condition of each building and its main systems, the ways in which the building was used, traffic patterns around the building and other items. Architects also met with staff members from each building. The result was a nearly 2,000-page report and master plan that will help guide decisions about Westside’s facilities for years to come. The District also completed a

long-term population/enrollment projection study by RSP Associates that will provide information about future students. A series of community meetings, including one virtual town hall, also allowed members of the Westside community the chance to weigh in on the facilities recommendations.

TASK FORCE CONSIDERS FUTURE

NEEDS FOR WESTSIDE

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Paddock Road Elementary School teacher Pam Mitchell was the 2014 winner of the Christa McAuliffe Prize for Courage and Excellence in Education from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln. For Pam Mitchell, teaching is more than a way of life. “It is the core of my identity. It is my passion,” she said.

Even so, when the fifth-grade teacher learned she won the 2014 Christa McAuliffe Prize for Courage and Excellence in Education, she was in disbelief. “When I found out I had won, I was stunned,” she said. “My heart was pounding. I knew the award had to do with making an impact on my students. I love teaching and that meant everything to me. I was so honored. I held up the rest of the day at school, but cried in my car all the way home.”

The annual McAuliffe Prize recognizes Nebraska teachers who are excellent educators, but who also go beyond excellence by showing courage. Courage can be displayed in many different ways. The common denominator among McAuliffe prizewinners is the lasting and positive effect they have had on their students and on their peers. The award comes with a $1,000 for the winner and $500 for the school.

Mitchell was nominated for the prize by Paddock Road Principal Michelle Patterson. “Pam has been a symbol of hope for many students throughout her tenure at Westside Community Schools,” Patterson said. “She has a passion for her profession that never wavers.”

The nomination was supported by several others who wrote letters, including Westside parent Melissa Gedrich. Her son, Jeremy, was one of Mitchell’s students. “To this day, I am not sure what miracle Pam performed to get Jeremy to care in her classroom,” Gedrich wrote. “Jeremy entered the fifth grade hating school and emerged wanting to be a teacher just like his beloved Mrs. Mitchell.”

PADDOCK ROAD TEACHER WINS

MCAULIFFE PRIZE FOR COURAGE AND

EXCELLENCE NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR OF THE YEAR AWARD: WHS counselor Theresa Henson, semi-finalist

2014 NEBRASKA TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD: WHS teacher Judy Stucky, finalist

AKSARBEN CHAPTER OF THE AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD: Hillside teacher Amy Falcone, recipient

NEBRASKA THESPIANS TEACHER OF THE YEAR: WHS teacher Jeremy Stoll, recipient

NEBRASKA COACHES ASSOCIATION 2014 BASEBALL COACH OF THE YEAR: WHS teacher Bob Greco, recipient

NEBRASKA ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, RECREATION AND DANCE HEALTH EDUCATION TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD: WMS teacher Melissa Jackson, recipient

2014 SCHRAGER DISTINGUISHED TEACHING AWARD: Rockbrook teacher Cara Kimball, recipientWMS teacher Anna Sumner, recipient

WESTSIDE FOUNDATION BRAVO TEACHING AWARD: Recipients include WMS teacher Rob Huebner, Rockbrook teacher Terri Kleinschmit, Swanson teacher Marlo Tomich and WHS teacher Nathan Bramley

DISTRICT STAFF EARN VARIETY OF HONORS

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HOW WESTSIDE STACKS UP

Only partial (minimal) information is available on 2013-14 NeSA Writing Scores due to testing problems that occurred at a state level.

WESTSIDE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS NESA MATH SCORES

GRADE LEVELSG3

100

50

0% p

rofi

cien

t 80 83 82

G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 G11

79 79 83 86 80 80 80 76 77 87 88 84 79 80 78 66 70 77

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

NESA SCIENCE WESTSIDE VS. STATE

GRADE LEVELSG5 G8 G11

10080604020

0

Westside

State

85 67

G5 G8 G11 G5 G8 G11

82 68 76 67 79 68 81 68 82 73

2012-13 85 73 81 70 81 74

2013-142011-12

% o

f stu

dent

s pr

ofic

ient

WESTSIDE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS NESA READING SCORES

GRADE LEVELS TESTEDG3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 G11

10080604020

0

84 87 86 84 86 86 86 86 84 86 88 88 82 89 86 79 88 87 67 80 80

% p

rofi

cien

t

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

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HOW WESTSIDE STACKS UP ACT WESTSIDE AVERAGE

Graduates # of Tests English Math Reading Science Composite

2012 404 344 23.5 24.7 24.2 24.2 24.3

2013 396 302 23.7 24.2 24.1 24.1 24.2

2014 471 353 22.7 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.2

FOLLOW-UP OF WESTSIDE GRADUATESCLASS

Attending College

In-State

Out-of-State

Four-Year

Two-Year

Non College

Working

Other Training

Military

2012

86.8%

65.6%

34.4%

84.6%

15.4%

13.2%

87.1%

3.3%

9.6%

2013

87.3%

67.7%

32.3%

84.5%

15.5%

12.7%

52.1%

12.2%

35.7%

2014

83.9%

56.7%

27.2%

69.4%

14.5%

16.0%

17.4%

6.3%

14.2%

NATIONAL MERIT2011-12

51413

544

343

2012-13 2013-14

COMMENDED

SEMI-FINALISTS

FINALISTS

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During the spring of 2014, Faith Jolkowski sharpened her problem-solving skills and honed her brainstorming techniques as part of the Future Problem Solvers group at Swanson Elementary.

The fifth-grader said being part of the problem solver group was fun and enriched her regular classroom work. “It’s helped me in math when we do our equations,” she said.

Faith and her fellow Superstars at Swanson spent six weeks participating in the pilot of a school-wide enrichment program. Students spent one hour a week during a regular school day working on projects and enrichment activities together. These projects and activities ranged from running, to newspaper writing, to crocheting, to gardening, to science experiments. Westgate and Paddock Road also served as pilot schools.

“It gives kids a chance to drive their own learning,” said Lynn Spady, the Excellence in Youth Teacher Leader for District 66 and EY coordinator at Westgate. “School-wide enrichment is grounded in what we know is good for kids.”

School-wide enrichment is based on the principle of personalized learning. Students and staff members filled out interest inventories naming things they liked to do

or topics that interested them. If enough students were interested in a topic, such as dinosaurs or sewing, a group was formed and an adult was chosen to lead it. These groups have about 10 students each. Parent and community volunteers also became involved.

“Giving kids a choice in what they learn and how they learn it is important to building hope in today’s students,” Spady said. “They live in a world that is personalized for them. They live in a world where they have a lot of choices. When kids are given the chance to choose a subject that interests them, they are more likely to be engaged in their own learning.”

In Future Problem Solvers, Faith and other Swanson students developed creative and critical thinking skills through games and activities. In one challenge, the students were instructed to put themselves in line according to age. The catch: they couldn’t use words to do it.

Swanson fourth-grader Rebecca Yaroch was part of a science experiment group. She’s enjoyed the in-class science experiments she’s done in the past. The enrichment group gave Rebecca a chance to do more. The group created rockets out of straws, plastic bottles and clay to learn about Newton’s second law of physics. “I’m hoping that they can do it year-round (2014-15) next year because it was fun,” she said.

SCHOOL-WIDE ENRICHMENT PILOT

PROGRAM TESTS PERSONALIZED

LEARNING CONCEPT

“GIVING KIDS A CHOICE IN WHAT THEY LEARN AND HOW THEY LEARN IT IS IMPORTANT

TO BUILDING HOPE IN TODAY’S STUDENTS”

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More than $165,000 was raised at Westside Foundation’s VI-VI Gala.

Loveland Elementary was named by Gallup as one of 192 schools nationally with a high-hope student body.

Westside Community Schools received a $2.6 million federal grant to help prepare high school students for college or a career. The grant will allow District 66 to hire a K-12 career coordinator who can build partnerships with businesses and the community.

WHS Warriors football team placed second in the state football tournament.

Westside Nutrition Services began a pilot program called Breakfast in the Classroom at Hillside, Westgate and Swanson elementary schools. All students received a healthy breakfast each morning that was eaten in their classrooms. The program was funded by the Midwest Dairy Council’s Fuel Up to Play 60 program.

WHAT MAKES WESTSIDE GREAT?

The WMS Robotics Team took first place in the middle school division at the River City Robotics Contest. Members of the team were Grant Cai, Karissa Flora, Joshua Paul, Connor Smith, Samuel Sweeney and Olivia Wing.

WHS senior Augusta Thacker represented Nebraska in a national Google competition. Her drawing of a holographic book incorporating the Google logo was chosen as the Nebraska winner.

WHS show choirs consistently brought home awards from every competition during 2013-14. For example, at the Elkhorn South Crystal Cup, Warrior Express placed first in the Prep Division. Simply Irresistible placed first in the Female Division. ATSC was named Grand Champion and received honors for Best Vocals, Best Choreography and Best Band.

Benjamin Kutler, a fourth-grader at Swanson, and Emma Miller, a sixth-grader at Oakdale, won first prizes in the Metropolitan Reading Council’s writing contest.

More than 30 players and three coaches from the WHS football team went to Pilger to help pick up debris from the tornado that tore through the town in June.

WHS Assistant Principals Trudi Nolin and Tony Weers traveled to Tianjin, China, in October 2013 to Tianjin Experimental High School. The pair gave a presentation on professional development at WHS at an international education forum. Fifteen countries were represented at the event.

WHS was named an Apple Distinguished School for the seventh year in a row. WHS has been given a two-year designation, so the award runs through 2015.

WHS Warriors Boys Basketball team was Class A runner-up in the state tournament.

WHS students Jordan Estee, Alex Zimmerman and Gregory Tracey were named tournament champions and received the sportsmanship award at the first CREATE Open Robotics Tournament at Millard South High School.

Board of Education members Rosie Zweiback and David Woodke were honored by the Nebraska Association of School Boards for the time they have spent volunteering, as well as for their commitment to education.

Eighty-five percent of WMS eighth-graders joined Warrior Wellness, the District’s employee wellness program that was offered to students for the first time during 2013-14.

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WHAT MAKES WESTSIDE GREAT?

Westbrook Elementary student Katelyn Allen was recognized for bravery and courage by the Omaha Police Department’s Northwest Precinct in April. She was home alone over spring break when someone broke into her home. Katelyn grabbed her phone, locked herself in the bathroom and called 911.

WHS student Jenny Solheim and two Westside Middle School students, Sara Evans and Elena Pepitone, earned medals in the prestigious national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

WHS junior Jennifer Ahn competed as a national finalist in the Music Teachers National Association Senior Strings competition in Chicago.

The WMS Destination Imagination team qualified for state competition. Team members were Joitree Alam, Ben Brodkey, Grace Calderon, Ellie Hellman, Maddee Rauhauser and Hailey Tierra.

Two WHS seniors, Emma Johanningsmeier and Naomi Samuel, were honored by Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman for scoring a perfect 36 on the ACT.

WHS student Ruby Hickman curated the first TEDxYouth event at WHS. The theme was innovation.

If you are interested in receiving regular updates about the District, go to http://tinyurl.com/westsidedistrict2014 and submit your contact information.

WMS student Brin Hinde noticed that the flag outside her school needed to be replaced. She wrote to U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, who sent a new flag.

WMS student Ben Brodkey qualified for the state Geography Bee.

WMS students Joitree Alam, Anna Fleming and Asa Dewitt earned spots at the National History Bee competition.

WMS student Kati Mdzinarishvili placed first in the Level 1 poetry competition at the La Convention Française at Creighton Prep High School.

Prairie Lane Elementary student Brendan Pennington was the 2014 champion of the Nebraska State Geography Bee and competed at the 26th annual National Geographic Bee in Washington D.C.

WMS student Grace Johanningsmeier represented Nebraska at the National Spelling Bee.

Westbrook Elementary School’s dance team took second at the Colors of the Rainbow Competition.

WCS received a state grant of $289,000 for school improvement. This will be used to hire an instructional coach at Westbrook Elementary.

To make a donation, contact Laura Iliff, Executive Director Westside Community Schools Foundation, Inc.

(402) 390-2193 • liliff@westside66.org

www.wcsfoundation66.org

WESTSIDE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WISHES TO THANK THE WESTSIDE FOUNDATION FOR ITS FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.