As fall activities wind down other activities, such as Play Production, are gear-ing up. Our One-Act cast and crew did a very enter-taining public performance of “Soapy Smith’s Winter Wish” as they prepared to compete in the MNAC and District Play Production competitions. THANK YOU Mrs. Kina Stefka for all of the work you have put into our drama program this year! Besides the Play, there are MANY other opportuni-ties to see our students in action. The December cal-endar included with this newsletter is a good place to find upcoming events, but I want to point out that you can access the most current events calendar on the school web-site https://sargentpublicschools.org/

I look forward to seeing friends and family cheer on our Wolves! An important thing for parents to remem-ber is that with all of the hustle of activities and the holidays, help your students by encouraging them to budget their time throughout this busy season. As you check on their grades and homework deadlines be sure to remind them to re-quest work ahead of time when they know they are

going to be gone. The teachers appreciate it and it will allow them to spread the work out instead of hav-ing all due the day after the big game or meet. Just a quick heads up that Semes-ter exams will be coming up on December 19th and 20th. In an effort to help par-ents monitor their own stu-dent’s progress remember you can use the email notifi-cation function of Pow-erSchool to be emailed grade reports and lunch bal-ances. If you would like to fine-tune or start this feature contact Mrs. Schauda. She can help you set things up so you can check all of your children with logging on once to check grades, lunch balances, and attendance for each of your children. If you have questions about setting up a family login or are una-ble to log in through the par-ent guardian portal you can contact the school and we can talk you through it. PowerSchool can be a use-ful tool for parents, students, and staff but I realize not everyone has internet access or email. If you have ques-tions about your child’s pro-gress please feel free to con-tact their teachers, Mrs. Schauda, or me at 527-4119. Speaking of student pro-gress, mid-term grade re-ports will be sent home with

students on November 27th. If you didn’t re-ceive a copy or would like to check your Jr/Sr High student’s grades you can check on power school or give me a call and we will make sure you get another copy. This seems like a lot of information, but like I said it is a busy time of year. So until next Month en-joy the Holidays and GO WOLVES!

THANK YOU to the

following people for

donating locally

raised meat, and/or

the money for pro-

cessing that meat,

for our lunch pro-

gram: Marty Rid-

dle, Dick & Coleen

Grint, Ben & Pam

Quandt, Lone

Creek’s Torro

Ranch-Caleb & Sal-

ly Harris, Greg &

Jody Smith / Luke

& Terry Smith, and

Slagle Angus Ranch. Congratulations to the Sar-

gent Mathletes on tying for

2nd place in their division of

the in the individual compe-

tition at UNL Math Day!

Thoughts From the Principal

December 2019 Inside this issue:

SARGENT PUBLIC SCHOOL Newsletter

College

Information 2

College

Information 3

Semester Tests 3

Foreign Exchange

Program 3

Career Explora-

tion Day 4

Amazon Rewards 4

Music Notes 5

School Attend-

ance 5

Box Tops 6

Box Tops 7

UNL Math Day 8

FBLA News 9

Upcoming Events 9

FFA News 10

Zenfolio 10

Yearbook 11

Title I 12

Title I 13

Dec. Calendar 14

Financial Aid. . . Applying for financial aid isn't difficult if you're prepared. Follow these steps to determine how you'll pay for college. Step 1. Learn what types of financial aid are available: Scholarships come from pr ivate donors or from your college and are not repaid. Some are based on financial need while others are based on criteria such as academics, community involvement, leader-ship, athletics, talents, or military involvement. Grants are based on financial need and you don't repay them. They include:

Pell Grants (range from approx., is $500 - $5,000)

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants

State grants

College-based grants

Work-Study, also based on financial need, allows you to earn money while attending college. You get paid for hours worked so don't expect money up-front to pay tuition. Work-study earnings will not affect future financial aid eligibility. Loans are a type of financial aid you must repay. Several types of loans are available for students and parents. Step 2. Apply for scholarships Start looking for scholarships in your junior year. Use free resources including:

Your high school guidance counselor

The college financial aid and admission offices ScholarshipQuest with over 2,000 local and statewide scholarships Don't ever pay for scholarship or financial aid services! If you receive offers, check with your guidance office or financial aid office before you reply.

Step 3. Request a FSA ID (Federal Student Aid ID) This ID replaces the PIN previously used by students and parents 1. Go to fsaid.ed.gov before you start your FAFSA 2. Enter personal information 3. Answer challenge questions. Select answers that are easy to remember and won’t change over time. 4. Submit your FSA ID information and verify your email address with the assigned security code. Step 4. Complete the FAFSA Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.ed.gov. The colleges you list on the application will receive the results. Gather the required items to complete the FAFSA.

Apply before your college's priority date to get the best financial aid package.

Complete the FAFSA every year you're in college. If you need help completing the FAFSA, contact the EducationQuest office nearest you.

Step 5. Expect a Student Aid Repor t (SAR) The Federal processor will send you a SAR which summarizes your FAFSA information and provides your Expected Family Contri-bution (EFC). If you need to make FAFSA corrections, use your PIN online at fafsa.ed.gov or contact the college financial aid office. Step 6. Expect a financial aid award letter from the colleges you applied to The colleges will use your FAFSA results to award you financial aid. They will use this standard formula:

Your financial need determines the amount and type of financial aid you will receive.

Step 7. Compare award letters Some colleges may offer more in scholarships and grants, while others rely on student loans. Calculate your out-of-pocket expenses for each school to get the whole financial picture. Use our Award Letter Comparison Calculator for an easy comparison. Step 8. Apply for student loans, if necessary Your award letter will indicate the type and amount of student loans you can borrow. Apply for them through

Cost of Education (tuition/fees, room/board, books, transportation)

– Expected Family Contribution (FAFSA results) .

= Financial Need

College Information for Seniors

Page 3 December 2019

your college financial aid office. Step 9. Explore other college funding options They might include:

College Payment Plans. Many schools offer a monthly payment plan for your out-of-pocket tuition expenses. Ask about finance charges.

Alternative loans. These loans come from pr ivate lenders who determine the interest rate and repay-ment terms. Most alternative loans require a co-signer.

Home Equity Line of Credit Loan. This allows you to borrow money as you need it, which fits well with tuition payments.

The Military. All branches offer education assistance which may include the Montgomery G.I. Bill, tui-

tion reimbursement and student loan repayment.

Education Quest is a nonprofit organization that provides many different college services for free.

Take the time to stop in and check out the services they offer. Their offices are located in

Kearney at 2706 2nd Avenue, Phone 800-666-3721. They also have offices in Lincoln and Omaha.

EXPERIENCE ANOTHER CULTURE Want to learn more about Europe, South America or Asia?

Interested in expanding your family’s cultural awareness?

Willing to help make a

Host an Exchange Student Host Families provide meals, a place to sleep and a nurturing environment. Students have their

won spending money and . Experienced Local Cooridinators support the family

throughout the program. All family backgrounds are welcome to appy to host such as Empty

Nesters, Retired Couples, Single People and Couples without Children.

Over 25 Countries to choose from!

Sargent Public Schools 7th-12th grade students will have “Semester Tests” on Thursday December 19th thru

Friday December 20th. Semester tests provide a way for teachers to see how well concepts were mastered

over the course of the year. Because the exam covers so much content it is important that students begin

studying early and not wait for the night before to try and “cram” it all in. These exams will be worth 10% of

their final semester grade.

Here are a couple of examples to help you understand how the semester test might affect your students grade.

Ex. 1—1st qtr. 90, 2nd qtr 92, semester test 99, Final semester grade is 92

Ex. 2—1st quarter 90, 2nd qtr 92 semester test 75, final semester grade is 89

Semester Tests are Part of Final Semester Grade

Page 4 December 2019

Dec. 2– District One Act Play @ North Platte

Dec. 6 – Lions Van

Dec. 9 – BOE Meeting

Dec. 10 – Elementary Christmas Concert 7PM

Dec. 11 – State Play Production @ Norfolk

Dec. 12 – High School Christmas Concert @

Loup County 7:30

Dare Graduation @ 2:30

Dec. 18 – High School Career Fair

Amazon School Rewards Program

Do you shop Amazon? If so, did you know a percentage of your sales will now be donated back to the school? Sargent Public Schools has joined forces with Amazon School Rewards Program. Our school will receive up to 15% back in referrals for any purchases made through our Amazon school site. The school Amazon site has been posted on the Sargent Public Schools webpage (www.sargentpublicschools.org). When shopping, be sure to use the link from the school website, and log into your Amazon account to make your purchases. The school Amazon site MUST be used for the school to receive the cash back credit. Be sure to share this link with family and friends and help the school earn some cash back! For more information, please contact Mrs. Tobias.

Career Exploration Day 2019

The 2019 Career Exploration Day will be held on December 18th. This is the seventh annual event and it is for 7-12 grade students. A survey will been given to the students to get an idea of careers they want to learn more about and Mrs. Osborn and Mrs. Schauda are making calls to pro-fessionals to put us on their schedule. They will each share good infor-mation regarding training and education required, what they like about the career, and what a normal day looks like. The gym will be full of colleges and businesses that want to get their information out to the stu-dents. We hope this day and the preparation for the day will strike up a good conversation at home about your child’s future.

Dec. 19 – Semester Tests

Dec. 20 – Semester Tests

End of 2nd Semester

2:00 Dismissal End of 2nd Qtr.

Dec 22-26 – 5 Day Practice Moratorium

Jan. 6 – Classes Resume

UPCOMING EVENTS

Page 5 Volume 1, Issue 1

School Attendance

As we near the end of the semester you need to be aware that your student could be in jeopardy

of losing semester credit if they miss too much school. As long as the school has been properly

notified, a student could miss up to eight days of school before it affects the credit they receive

for a class. After the eighth absence the principal, and possibly a staff hearing committee, will

review the absences to see if an exception should be made because of a major illness, serious

medical reasons, or if these were unexcused absences.

I believe there might be a misunderstanding and some parents may think that if they call

the school it is automatically an excused absence. An absence is considered unexcused unless it

is due to a verified medical/dental appointment or a funeral for a close family member. In oth-

er situations it will be up to the principal to make judgments pertaining to whether an absence

will be excused or unexcused. We need parents to call so we can make sure your student didn’t

get stranded on his or her way to school and this is the best way for me to tell if students are

absent or truant. Except for activity participation an unexcused absence has little affect un-

til after the eighth absence. Then they are considered as we determine if a student should

receive full or partial credit.

Music Notes On Monday, Nov. 4th, the Senior High students of the Twin Loup Choir traveled to Stapleton for the MNAC vocal clinic. 130 students from the MNAC conference joined together under the direction of Stacie Black-more from the Cozad Schools. The students worked with Stacie on 6 songs that were then presented in a concert at 5:30. Songs for the day were: “Sing” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Gary Barlow; “Armed Forces- The Pride of America” arranged by Greg Gilpin; “Tongo” Arranged by Greg Gilpin; “Blue Skies” arranged by Roger Emerson; the boys entertained the audience with “Pirate Song” by Tim Y. Jones; and the girls gave a moving performance of “Give us Hope” arranged by Francisco J. Nunez. To view the concert, you can still log onto our school facebook page and hear the concert in its entirety.

Twin Loup Senior High member from Loup County is (back row) Jack Simpson. Sargent singers are Chris-tian Eckhoff, Miles Putnam, (front row):Jenni Hadock, and Lucy Vincent.

Music – Music – Music!

Remember to mark your calendars and invite the friends to some festive music.

The Twin Loup 7-12 Winter Concert is Thursday, Dec. 12th at 7:30 at the Loup County Gym. The Pre-K – 6th grade Winter Concert is Tuesday, Dec. 10th, at 7:00 PM. Hope to see you there.

Page 8 Volume 1, Issue 1

Sargent Mathletes Tie for Second Place in Individual

Competition at UNL Math Day

Ten students attended UNL Math Day on November 14, 2019. Sargent’s team consisted of the following students: Bridget Slagle, Hope Ottun, , Bailey Schneider, Sidney Vincent, Tiara Mauler, Raif Ruppert, Daniel Folkers, Karina Kitt, Andrea Maldonado, and Shawn Quandt. The stu-dents participated in an individual test competition and then competed in quiz bowl competitions in the afternoon. The top three scorers in the individual competition were Daniel Folkers, Bailey Schneider, and Hope Ottun. Those scores tied us for second out of fourteen schools in our di-vision. The quiz bowl team of Bridget Slagle, Hope Ottun, and Bailey Schneider also made a strong run in that competition as well. The UNL departments have a room full of demonstrations, puzzles, career infor-mation, and other activities that the students can participate in. It is a very fun day and UNL does a very nice job of making it very affordable for schools outside the area. We are very thankful to our board and ad-ministration for allowing us to participate.

Page 9 December 2019

Page 10 December 2019

The District 10 Livestock Judging Contest was held in Ord on Novem-ber 13th. In the Senior Division, there were 109 contestants. The senior division judged ten classes of livestock and gave three sets of oral rea-sons. Sargent came in first, qualifying them for the state contest. The team consisted of Quade Young -3rd, Ally Micheel -4th, Bailey Schnei-der -6th, and Shawn Quandt -32nd. There were 185 contestants in the Junior Division, and Slate Micheel and Archer Grint placed in the top twenty-five percent. The Sargent Junior High team placed second, with the team of: Elissa Kipp -3rd, Cassidy Grint -7th, Tallin Schauda -18th, and Sarah Riddle 19th. The senior team will participate in the state live-stock judging contest in April.

Karina Kitt, Sargent FFA Reporter

FFA News

Needing pictures of your child(ren)?

We have you covered! Pictures taken of students K-12, on behalf of the Yearbook class, have been uploaded to a website for family and friends to access and purchase. The website can be accessed by going to the following website: http://sargentyearbook.zenfolio.com/

Once at the website, you will need to create an account, and then start adding pictures to your cart. Picture galleries can be browsed by activity/event, in hopes of making your search quicker and easier. All proceeds go back to the yearbook class to help keep our equip-ment updated to better serve you. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Tobias.

Page 11 Volume 1, Issue 1

Page 14 December 2019

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31

December 2019

End of 2nd Qtr.

Christmas Break begins

G & B BB vs Stapleton

@ Taylor 6:00-7:30

Wrestling Quad @

Litchfield 5:00 T-L, A-L

Mullen & Overton

G & B BB vs South

Loup @ Sargent

6:00-7:30

Wrestling Ravenna

Invite 11:00

Lions Van

G & B BB @ Dun-

ning 4-5:30

Wrestling A-M Invite

10:00

G & B BB vs Stuart

@ Taylor 6:00-7:30

Wrestling Invite

Sargent 1:00

G & B BB @

Brady JV 2:00 V–

to follow

G & B BB vs Ansley-

Litchfield @ Sargent

6:00-7:30

G & B BB @ Bur-

well 6:00-7:30

Wrestling El-

gin/Elgin Pope John

Invite @ Elgin 9:30

State Play Produc-

tion in Norfolk

Five Day Practice Moratorium

JH WR @ Dunning

1:00

JH WR @ Merna

11:00

BOE Meeting

Good News Club

Good News Club

7-12 Career Fair

District One Act Play

@ North Platte

Elementary

Christmas Program

7PM

JH WR @ Ains-

worth 4:00

High School

Christmas Program

7:30PM

DARE Graduation

2:30PM