If you do not need services but would like to volunteer, please go to Nebraska Missions of Mercy’s Sign-up to register!

Families must register each member who will be participating in the race and can turn their registration forms the day of the race at the zoo. If families would like t-shirts for $5 each, they must send their t-shirt orders to:

Lincoln Fire and Rescue                                                                                                              ATTN: Kim Kabourek,                                                                                                                                           1801 Q Street                                                                                                                               Lincoln, NE 68508

All t-shirts must be ordered by Monday, May 6 and can be picked up Friday, May 24 at the fire station. There will be t-shirts for sale the day of the race, but quantities are limited! For registration forms, click here or visit any local fire station or the Lincoln Children’s Zoo!

Families used the push-up mats for the upper-strength station.

At the flexibility station, families tested their flexibility with leg lifts. At the abdominal strength station, families did sit ups and stood backs together and passed a ball from side to side. At the upper body strength station, families practiced the proper push-up! At the agility station, families ran from line to line and picked up bean bags! At the exercise band station, families created their own exercise bands and practiced simple exercises that they can do at home. At the healthy snacks station, HyVee

Students and staff practice using their exercise bands at the exercise band station.

volunteers and school nutritionists discussed the hidden sugars found in everyday snacks, as well as had a demonstration of the amount of sugar included in juice drinks at the healthy drinks station!

Once the families went through all of the stations, they were able to enter their names in a drawing for exercise equipment, such as pedometers, bracelets and t-shirts provided by the Fuel Up Play 60 Grant! In addition to the exercise equipment prizes, one lucky student was able to win a gift certificate worth half of the registration fee for a Brighlights Summer Program of their choice!

To help promote fitness and a healthy lifestyle, Riley Elementary Staff had a Lincoln Mayor’s Run sign-up station for those families interested in registering for the annual run. Finally, Lincoln’s SHARE program was in attendance to inform families about their volunteering program!

Although it was Riley Elementary’s first Family Fitness Night, it was a great success and received much support from local organizations!

Two Calvert parents, an army recruiter and an air force militant, read “Nubs: A Marine, a Mutt and a Miracle” and talked about their experiences in the army with the families.

Pete the Cat – Early Childhood Education

How Rocket Learned to Read -Kindergarten and First graders

Bridget’s Beret – Second and Third graders

Nubs: A Marine, a Mutt and a Miracle – Fourth and Fifth graders

After listening to the stories, the families were able to learn about fun websites that are accessible through Calvert’s Media Center. Students can access these fun and interactive websites, such as CultureGrams, PebbleGo, and World Book Online at school. Families also learned about websites that they can access from their home computer!

Students who attended were entered to win a free hard back of the books read. School staff awarded one student from each grade a copy of one of the books read by the volunteers. To end the night, families ate pizza, fruit and cookies provided by CLC, PTSO and Title I, and enjoyed their time together!

With warmer weather and longer days approaching, take your child outside to play and learn! Here are some fun games that you can play with your child!

Have a shape safari! Identify four shapes for your child to find, such as square, circle, triangle, and star. Using a piece of paper and a pencil, walk with your child around the yard or neighborhood to find the shapes. When your child finds the shape, let them draw what object it is. For example, if your child finds a bird bath, let your child draw a bird bath under the “circle” column. Set a goal: how many circles can your child find? Use the Shape Safari Chart to help you keep track of the shapes you find!

Does your child need to practice spelling words? Use sidewalk chalk outside to study! Help your child by sounding the word out! After they have finished spelling, check the words with a different color of chalk. Make notes of the words they missed and let them try it again! Want to mix it up? Play Hangman with your Child’s Spelling list!

Play “I Spy” with your child! Using description words, find objects around the yard or your neighborhood for your child to find. Include math problems, such as “I spy something that is red. There are 2+1 of these, what is it?” May be it is three red tomatoes in the garden, three red flowers, or three red toy cars; be creative!

Parents can turn any game into an interactive learning game by including colors, shapes, and numbers! Have fun this spring season and get out and play with your child!

Step One: Help your student believe in themselves. By identifying your student’s talents and strengths, this will help your student know that they can succeed and they are talented.

Step Two: Get Organized. For some students, organization is key. Help your student get organized by creating a planner to write down homework assignments, use three-ring binders and folders to keep handouts and notes organized, help your student prepare their backpack before they go to bed, encourage your student to keep their locker organized, and keep a list of your student’s classmates’ phone numbers on the refrigerator! If your student needs help, help your student use the list to call another classmate!

Step Three: Manage your Time Well. Encourage your students to use call time and study halls to complete homework assignments. If your student does return home with homework assignments, help them create a study plan for the night, and check to see if their homework is completed before they go to bed. If you have a quiet area in your home, create a study zone that will be free of interruptions.

Step Four: Be Successful in Class. Make sure your students arrive to school everyday and on time. When your student misses school, they miss class presentations, notes, discussions, assignments, quizzes and tests, which they will not completely be able to make up. Encourage your students to participate in class and in group work. The more that students participate in class, even if they do not answer the questions right, the more the teacher and their classmates will notice the effort they are giving. Last, allow your students to take responsibility for their grades. If they receive a good grade on an assignment or test, be proud of your student. And if your student does not receive the grade they wanted, don’t let them make excuses. Help your student figure out a plan to improve for the next assignment or test.

Step Five: Take Good Notes. Encourage your students to be an active listener and take notes to help them pay attention. By taking notes, your student will be an active listener and help them stay focused. In your student’s notes, help them highlight the important information. If there is repetition, or main points, highlight them. By highlighting the most important information, this will also make your student’s notes easier to read. And if your student misses class one day, encourage your student to use the list of their classmates’ numbers on the refrigerator to get the information.

Step Six: Know How to Read a Textbook. One of the more difficult, but obtainable steps, it is important for parents and their students to scan, read and review assignments. When you and your student scan the textbook, look for titles, headings, pictures, graphs, charts and everything in bold or italic print. To get an overview, read the introduction, summary and review questions of the assignment. While reading the textbook, encourage your child to take notes and ask questions about words in bold or italicized. More than likely, the bold and italicized information is important to know. And once you and your student have read the textbook, review the assignment. Create a quiz for your student over the assignment to help them remember what they have learned.

Step Seven: Study Smart. Encourage your student to use the study zone in your home if they have homework and encourage them to not procrastinate. The more your student procrastinates, the more difficult it will be to begin. Help your student organize their study time by creating a checklist or a schedule to follow to finish their homework. If they are studying for a test, remind them to use their notes they have taken in class, review the bold or italicized words and review questions in text books, and to rewrite the most important information.

Step Eight: Be a Good Test Taker: If your student has a text the next day, go over these helpful tips to test taking! Your student should come to class prepared with all of the necessary supplies needed for the test, such as pencils, erasers, or a calculator. Once the tests are given out, your student should write their name on the test and read the directions. Encourage your student to mark the questions they want to return to. If your student is unsure on one question or do not know the answer to another question, encourage them to mark the question and come back later. Once your student has completed the test, make sure they remember to check their answers. Sometimes, students might forget to answer a question or erase an answer. Encourage them to check over their answers. And last, when you know your student has taken a test, ask your student to bring the tests home. If they receive a good grade, be proud of your student! If they do not receive the grade the wanted, go over the answers with your student and make a plan to improve on the next test!

Step Nine: Reduce Test Anxiety. If your student struggles to take exams or gets nervous, help your student begin to study early. Help them create practice tests to review the material and to prepare themselves mentally for the exam. The night before the test, help your student review the material, using the practice tests and their notes and make sure they are in bed at a decent hour.

Step Ten: Get Help When you Need It. If your student is struggling in school, don’t forget to help them find resources offered in the schools to get their questions and concerns answered. Teachers are always available to students to ask questions and as parents, e-mail, call or talk in person with your student’s teachers for advice to help your student study at home. There are even after-school tutoring programs that are available to your student!

As your student gets older, they will learn to become more independent students, but as the parent, it is important to be involved in your student’s academic career. Be there for your student for support, communicate with their teachers, and help them to create good study habits to reach their academic goals!

February 16: LPS Vocal/Instrument Solo and Small Ensemble Contest at Lincoln Northeast. The even begins at 8 a.m. and will be an all-school contest.

February 17: Lincoln Youth Symphony Concert, 1 p.m. at Lincoln Northeast.

February 18: Jazz Band I, II, III Concert, 7 p.m. at Lincoln Southeast.

February 21-23: Musical “Seussical: The Musical,” 7 p.m. at Lincoln High. $5 tickets.

February 22, UNO Jazz Festival, Lincoln East

February 25: Jazz Concert, 7 p.m. at Lincoln Southwest

February 26: Orchestra Finale Concert, 7 p.m. at Lincoln East

February 28-March 2: Musical “Grease,” 7 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on March 2 at Lincoln North Star. $6 for students and $8 for adults.

Looking for future performances in your local high schools? Click here for an updated calendar!