East Husker Conference Speech Meet Schedule

The meet is Saturday Feb. 27 in Tekamah.

District Boys Basketball Final Tuesday 7:00 pm at Neligh

Bancroft-Rosalie will play Stuart in the District final next Tuesday with the winner advances to the State Tournament. The game will be played in Neligh at 7:00 pm. Neligh is about 75 miles from the Bancroft-Rosalie School.
The loser will need to qualify as a wild card. Bancroft-Rosalie is currently #1 in wildcard powerpoints.

Blue Ribbon application- Assessment Results

 Assessment Results Narrative Summary

Math Trends

The number of students that scored at or above proficient on the state math test increased significantly from 2011 to 2014. All grades 3-6 increased the percentage of proficient students by at least 26%. The largest increase occurred in 6^th grade, which increased from 30% proficient in 2011 to 79% in 2014 an increase of 49%. Grades 3, 4 and 5 all had proficiencies above 90%.

Math- What contributed to gains

Several changes were implemented beginning in 2011 that have contributed to the large gains. The school switched to Saxon Math as the core curriculum in grades 3-6. The Saxon Math program has excellent alignment to the State standards and the State Math test. The school also implemented a test prep program that begins one week prior to state math testing. During test prep teachers review the state standards and provide test-taking strategies to the students. Two online supplemental math programs are utilized and accessible from home or school. XTRA Math helps students to increase their computation fluency. IXL provides practice in all of the Nebraska Math Standards and establishes a mastery level for each standard that students can attain.

Math Gaps

There is a 10-20% gap between Free and Reduced price student performance and the general student population. Native American students were 100% proficient in grades 4 and 5, 75% proficient grade 3 and 63% proficient in grade 6. In an effort to reduce the gaps Bancroft-Rosalie Elementary School has implemented an after-school program this year. There includes a 30-45 minute academic time every day for students to access supplemental math programs. IPads will be available for students to check out overnight to access the online math programs beginning in April 2015.

Reading Trends

The number of students that scored at or above proficient on the state reading test increased significantly from 2010 to 2014. All grades 3-6 increased the percentage of proficient students by at least 16%. The largest increase occurred in 3rd grade, which increased from 53% proficient in 2010 to 88% in 2014 an increase of 35%. Grades 3, 4 and 5 all had proficiencies above 80% and 4^th grade had 100% proficient.

Reading- What contributed to gains

The school implemented a test prep program that begins one week prior to state reading testing. During test prep teachers review the state standards and provide test-taking strategies to the students.  The classrooms emphasize learning the elements of literature. Posters have been placed in every classroom with examples of literary elements.

Reading Gaps

There is a 17% gap between Free and Reduced price student performance in 3^rd grade and the general student population. Native American students were 100% proficient in grades 3, 4 and 6, but only 60% proficient in grade 5. In an effort to reduce the gaps Bancroft-Rosalie Elementary School has implemented an after-school program this year. There includes a 30-45 minute academic time every day for students to access supplemental math programs. IPads will be available for students to check out overnight to access the online math programs beginning in April 2015.

Blue Ribbon School application

Bancroft-Rosalie Elementary has been nominated for the National Blue Ribbon School Award. An application form needs to be submitted to the Department of Education by March 20. I will share some of the narratives that are being submitted that show what makes Bancroft-Rosalie Elementary an exemplary school.

Describe the nature of the community and students served.

Bancroft-Rosalie Elementary School serves the communities of Bancroft (495 residents) and Rosalie (160 residents) in rural Northeast Nebraska. The economy is primarily agriculture related businesses. Rosalie is on the Omaha Indian Reservation. Bancroft-Rosalie Elementary School has 164 students in grades P-6. The student population is 83% white, 12.8% Native American, 1.8% African-American, 1.2% Asian American, and 1.2% Hispanic. The free/reduced lunch rate is 40%.

Bancroft-Rosalie Elementary is a unique learning environment. Twenty-one (21%) percent of the student’s option into the district from nearby school districts.  Many of these option students are from families that attended Bancroft-Rosalie School or families that live on the reservation and choose to send their students to a school off the reservation.  Bancroft-Rosalie Elementary is a school wide Title I school. The school has two school improvement goals- All students will increase knowledge and skills in math concepts and reasoning and all students will be provided a multi-tier system of supports.

The school has one classroom per grade level and two special education teachers. Bancroft-Rosalie Elementary utilizes a “Walk to Read” program with small group instruction in the subjects of reading, language, spelling and math. Students move to the group that is working at their correct level of difficulty. Placement is determined by triangulating data from three sources- a universal screener (DIBELS), an in program placement test, and state testing and norm referenced assessments (Nebraska State Assessment, NeSA, and Measures of Academic Progress, MAP).

The staff is highly collaborative and meets at regularly to review student data and plan strategically to accommodate students who may not be mastering objectives, or to identify those who might benefit from more advanced work. Students with disabilities are fully included. The school adopted a set of scientifically based interventions that are enabling staff to provide focused remediation for students experiencing difficulties, especially in reading and math.

Top Ten Musicals

With my tickets in hand to see "Pippin" at the Omaha Orpheum next week, I want to share my personal all-time top ten Musicals and where I saw them.

#1- The Gentleman's Guide To Love and Murder (Broadway, New York) ** Won 2014 Tony for best musical

#2- Kinky Boots (Broadway, New York)** Won 2013 Tony for Best Musical

#3- Wicked (Orpheum, Omaha)

#4- Book of Mormon (Broadway, New York and Orpheum, Omaha)** Won 2011 Tony for best musical

#5- Jesus Christ Superstar (Lied Center, Lincoln) *** Ted Neeley (from the movie) played Jesus

#6- Mama Mia (Orpheum, Omaha)

#7- Les Miserables (Chicago)

#8- Phantom of the Opera (Orpheum, Omaha)

#9- Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Broadway, New York) ** Won front row seats in a lottery before the show. Memorable because I didn't know it was a drag queen movie until after I had the tickets.

#10- Hedwig and the Angry inch (Broadway, New York) ** Neil Patrick Harris played Hedwig.

Why College Planning is needed in Middle School

I am serving on the EducationQuest Middle Level Advisory Group. Some interesting research was presented-

1- The single most valid predictor of whether a student attends college is if the school had a strong college-going culture. I believe that B-R has such a culture.

2- Attendance is more predictive of passing high school classes than test scores. Efforts to improve attendance could likely have a greater pay-off than efforts to improve test scores.

Gator Gab Speech Meet Results

Speech Meet Results

Team
5th

Humorous
7th- Suzanne Ras

Serious
7th- Brianna Wegner
7th- Jaelisa Switzer

Persuasive
2nd- Brianna Wegner
3rd- Kylita Gomez

Oral Interpretation of Drama
5th- Nottlemann, Bonsall, Tietz, Bruning, Cole

Duet Acting
4th- Bruning and Nottlemann
6th- Nottlemann and Hennig

Informative
1st- Suzanne Ras

Poetry
4th- Kylee Cole

Boys Basketball Subdistrict Tournament Bracket

Speech Team public performance Monday night at 8:00 pm

Pub Auction results

The Sunday auction of the Pub equipment and materials brought in $9484.25.
The money will be used to complete the renovation of the lower (Dining room) side of the building. The two priority items are furnace replacement and carpet/tile on the floor.

The school is working on a preschool expansion grant through the Nebraska Department of Education that would increase preschool to a full day program. If the grant is approved, some students would attend preschool in the Panther Pad.

State Boys Basketball Tournament

 A win this Friday should guarantee the Bancroft-Rosalie Boys Basketball team the #1 seed in the D-2 division of the State Basketball Tournament. The bracket has the #1 seed playing on Thursday March 12 at 7:00 pm in the Lincoln Southeast gymnasium. If Bancroft-Rosalie plays the 7:00 pm game, we will have a 2:00 pm dismissal Thursday March 12 and no school on Friday March 13. The scheduled teacher workday on Wednesday March 18 will become a regular school day. On Thursday March 12 the after school program will run from 2:00 pm until 6:30 pm. The school will also offer the after school program all day on Friday March 13, exact times to be announced later.

Wakefield Sweet Meet Speech Results

Varsity Team- 2nd Humorous- S. Ras - 2nd Serious- Switzer- 4th; Wegner- 5th Persuasive- Wegner- 3rd; Gomez- 4th Oral Interp of Drama- Bruning, Bonsall, Cole, Tietz, I.Nottlemann- 2nd Duet Acting- Bruning and I.Nottlemann- 1st; Hennig and T.Nottlemann- 4th Entertainment- Hennig- 5th Extemporaneous- A. Ras- 6th Informative- S.Ras- 2nd; K.Gomez- 5th Poetry- K.Cole- 4th; J.Tietz- 5th Junior Varsity Team- 4th oral Interp of Drama- Madrid, Johnson, L.Ahlers, Lonewolf- 1st - D.Ahlers, Steinmeyer, Currier, Schuttler, Switzer- 3rd Entertainment- Steinmeyer- 2nd

Girls Basketball Subdistrict Tournament Bracket

B-R 2015-16 School Calendar

Bancroft-Rosalie School Board meeting summary

The Bancroft-Rosalie Board of Education met Monday, February 9, 2015 at 7:30 pm in Bancroft. Superintendent Cerny presented the January transportation report, upcoming school board workshops and conferences, state aid projections and the Pub Auction Sunday February 15 at Noon. In old business the board gave final approval 387 Use of Surveillance Cameras. The board discussed the possible cooperative agreement for all sports with Lyons-Decatur. Several patrons were in attendance and asked questions about the need for cooping sports and wanting details on how the coop would be implemented. Many of the details have not been finalized, but the agreement would probably operate similar to the junior high sports coop. The sports coop would be the beginning step in bringing the two districts together to increase both the academic and activity opportunities for students. In new business, the board reviewed curriculum and personnel needs for 2015-16. Head custodian Matt Kai prepared a list of buildings and grounds needs. In other new business the board adopted the school calendar for 2015-16 with the first student day of school set for August 17. The board approved a 3% salary increase for Superintendent Cerny and Principal Sjuts. A copy of the Superintendent contract and projected costs will be published on the school website.

Bancroft-Rosalie School Board Agenda February 9, 2014

B-R School approved by Fire Marshal as a DayCare Facility

One step closer to meeting Health and Human Services requirements for after-school programs. We already meet the school requirements.

Fascinating Plains Indians Photography Exhibit at Neihardt Site

BANCROFT, Neb. (January 26, 2015)—The February “Sunday Afternoon at the Museum” program at the John G. Neihardt State Historic Site will feature an impressive photography exhibit. This 24-photograph exhibit titled “Photographers and the Plains Indians” will open to the public with a scholar presentation on February 8 at 2:00 p.m. These extraordinary images of Native Americans were selected from the Nebraska State Historical Society’s photographic archives and raise issues about what it means to “capture” a people through the visual medium of photography. The exhibit explores the commercial demands of the 19th century Euro-American consumers—and how these expectations led to the exploitation of indigenous North Americans, particularly in what is now Nebraska. This exhibit was created and made available for loan by the Nebraska State Historical Society, a state agency. Don’t miss the rare opportunity to see this collection of photographs and to contemplate the past and the subjects within. A reception will follow the program. The Neihardt State Historic Site is located at 306 W. Elm St., Bancroft, Neb. Both the program and reception are free and open to the public. For more information, call 1-888-777-4667 or contact us through email at Neihardt @gpcom.net. “Like” us on Facebook at John G. Neihardt State Historic Site to stay informed about programming.

Bancroft Biz Buzz

Bancroft Fire Department hard at work this morning

Accidents happen. And when they do its nice to know these guys are there when you need them. Bancroft Fire has 25 members, and most showed up on this chilly morning. Thanks to the Pender Fire Department for answering the mutual aid call to assist Bancroft.