INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Principal’s Corner ....... .2

Weather Closings ........ .3

Guidance Counselor .... .4

Speech ........................ .6

Student Achievements..8

A Club Bracket………......8

Winter Concert ............ 9

Calendar ...................... 10

Lunch Menu …………….11

• School Resumes

- January 4th

• “A” Club Tournament

- Jan 2nd & 8th

• MAPs testing for

Elementary -

Jan 11 - 15

• Spring Lifetouch

Picture Day

- Jan 14th

• MAPs testing for

High School -

Jan 18 - 22

• L & C Honor Band

- Jan 23

• Elementary AIMs

Web Testing

- Jan 28

• L & C Conference BB

- begins Jan 29th

January 2016 Edition

THE EAGLE

NEWSLETTER

www.allenschools.org

SUPERINTENDENT’S CORNER

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Allen Community for the fantastic first semester to the school year. I could not be happier with the students, staff, and our community here at Allen.

We have a wonderful school and we have some great people who are working hard at trying to prepare our young students for the opportunities that they will experience in their lifetime. I wish everybody a Happy Holiday Season, safe travels to everyone, and we look forward to seeing you all back at school in January.

Just a few reminders on some important dates as we return to school in January. We will be returning from school break on January 4th. During the week of January 11th the elementary students will be taking the MAPs tests and during the week of January 18th the 7 - 10th graders will be taking the MAPs tests. AIMs Web testing will be held on Jan 28th. On February 1st we will be holding an all-day staff in-service and there will be no school for students.

This time of year brings not only cold weather but also sickness. If your child is sick please keep them home so they can recover and not infect other stu-dents. It is good practice to make sure kids are fever free for 24 hours before their return to school. Over the holiday break our custodians will be wiping everything that students may have touched with anti-bacterial wipes in the hopes of killing any germs that may be lingering from the illnesses that has been hitting our school. If your child is questionable when it comes to their health please keep them home until whatever is ailing them has passed.

Once again I would like to wish everyone a very happy and blessed holiday season.

Mike Pattee, Superintendent

ALLEN CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS

** Note games change up for the

January 8th basketball

games vs Ponca.

JV Boys play first - then girls JV

Boys Varsity plays first then Girls Varsity

PRINCIPAL’S CORNER

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that you had an enjoya-

ble Christmas break! The holidays are a wonderful time for families to spend time

with one another and make memories.

January can be a great time for reflecting back over the past year, as well as

looking ahead to the new one. I would like to encourage parents and students to dis-

cuss how school has been going, and make some goals for the new semester. Our

first day back will be Monday, January 4th, and students will be making a clean start

in terms of grades. This is an excellent time to make sure they begin well! Perhaps

they need to meet with a teacher and make a plan to improve their classroom perfor-

mance. Late or missing homework can be a huge deterrent to success—now is the

time to make sure our students stay on top of their work and do not get behind. Here

at school, we will continue to keep parents updated by mail when a student has low

grades, and we will be encouraging students to seek after-school help when needed.

Better communication between school and home can often help solve academic

problems when they arise. By working together, hopefully everyone will have a

successful second semester, both in and out of the classroom.

We are now in the middle of our winter activity schedule, and we have stu-

dents who are busy with basketball, wrestling, quiz bowl, speech, band, jazz band,

and choir. They are all working hard and we should be proud of the positive way in

which they represent our school! There are a few honors that did not make it in time

for the last newsletter:

Class D All Area Volleyball: 2nd Team: Gabby Sullivan,

Honorable Mention: Lexi Oswald

All State Volleyball: 2nd Team: Gabby Sullivan, Honorable Mention: Lexi Oswald

Lewis and Clark Quiz Bowl at WSC:

Varsity: Garrett Brentlinger, Amber Krakau, Austin Roth, Cody Thomas

JV: (3rd of 17 teams) Jarod Lund, Katie Bathke, Kiara Monteith, Isaac Verzani,

Levi Woodward

District LSE Results: Natural Resources Speaking – Katie Bathke, Blue Ribbon

One Act: Conference Runner Up - Outstanding Actor: Lexi Oswald

District 3rd Place - Outstanding Actors: Bailey Boyle, Alexis Hoesing, Brook

Kneifl, Chris Madsen, Lexi Oswald

8th place in Nationals: Levi Woodward competed in the FFA

Agriscience Fair in the area of Power, Structural and

Technical Systems.

As always, we thank you for your sup-

port and encouragement!

Lana Oswald, 7-12 Principal

Non-Discrimination

Policy

It is the policy of the

Allen Consolidated

Schools not to

discriminate on the

basis of sex, handicap,

age, race, religion,

marital status, or

national or ethnic origin

in its educational

programs, administered

programs, and all the

related publications.

It is the policy of the

Allen Consolidated

Schools not to

discriminate on the

basis of sex in its

educational programs,

activities, or

employment policies

as required by Title IX

of the Educational

Amendments.

Inquiries regarding

compliance with

Title IX may be

directed to:

Mr. Michael Pattee,

Superintendent,

Allen Consolidated

Schools,

(402) 635-2484,

or to:

The Director of the

Office of Civil Rights,

Department of

Education,

Washington D.C.

Special

Education

Allen Consolidated

Schools ensures that

a free appropriate

public education is

available to all

children with

disabilities from

birth through the

high school year in

which the student

reaches 21 years of

age, including

children who have

been suspended or

expelled from

school.

Allen Consolidated

Schools requests

your help in locating

handicapped

children. The school

implements the

Federal Handi-

capped Children’s

Act (PL 94-142) and

Nebraska Statute

which guarantees a

free appropriate

education program

for all children be-

tween birth and 21

years of age.

If you have students

or know of any

young person who

meets criteria please

contact the Superin-

tendent's Office.

Unpredictable weather can hit at any time.

Delays, early out and closings can be found on all the

Sioux City TV and radio stations. Updates will

continue to be sent out by ADT and the new push

notification process.

With winter weather arriving, your child needs to bring

snow pants, a heavy coat, boots, hat, and gloves every

day for recess during the winter months (per the stu-

dent handbook). The teacher on recess duty those days

will decide which clothing items are needed in order to

safely enjoy the recess time. If winter attire is needed

and your child does not have the proper clothing, they

will not be able to play and will be required to stand in

an area designated by the teacher on duty. Please send

your child with the proper items ASAP. They can be

kept at school for your convenience. Please contact

your child’s teacher with any questions.

The annual staff will be selling the 2015-16 yearbook starting January 14, 2016 and running

through February 15, 2016

Cost of this years yearbook will be $30 with a name and $25 without a name.

You can contact one of the annual staff members or the school at 635-2484 if you would like to

purchase one.

Annual staff members to contact are:

Alexis Hoesing-Sachau, Mariah Keiser, Lexi Oswald, Kaylen Smith, Kay Stapleton, or Gabby Sullivan.

Although we are a small town, it is surprising how many changes are made in just two years! The last calendar was printed in 2014 and many new names have been added while others deleted. Keep up with birth-days, anniversaries, business hours and meetings by purchasing a 2016 community calendar. The calendars are available at a cost of $10.00 at Countryside Gas and Grocery, Security Bank and the Village Office.

SENIORS SENIORS SENIORS --- --- ---

It’s time to start the It’s time to start the It’s time to start the

admissions process!!admissions process!!admissions process!!

Admissions and deadlines

will start hitting this fall.

Follow these steps to stay on

track:

⇒ Complete your college

visits and narrow your

choices to 3 –4 schools.

⇒ Contact your top

colleges NOW and ask

about deadlines and the

process for applying for

admission, college-based

scholarships and finan-

cial aid.

⇒ Apply to your top 3—4

colleges before the

deadline. Along with

your application, the col-

leges will require your

high school transcript,

class rank, GPA and

ACT/SAT score. They

may also request a list of

your extracurricular ac-

tivities, letters of recom-

mendation, an essay, and

an interview.

⇒ Update your

Activities Resume.

Since extracurricular

activities are an im-

portant part of the ad-

missions application,

keep them up-to-date by

using the Activities

Resume at Education-

Quest.org.

⇒ Contact your

admissions repre-

sentative periodically

to stay informed about

deadlines and campus

activities.

Attend a Financial Aid

Program and you may win a

$500 scholarship!!

Happy New Year! The first half of the school year seemed to fly by.

This is a very busy time for our students. Senior parents, please continue

supporting your child as they begin to make decisions about colleges and

don’t forget to continue your scholarship searches. Remind them to check

once a week in the guidance office for new scholarship opportunities.

The Juniors will be offered the John Baylor ACT test prep in Janu-

ary. This is a free service to our students and can greatly increase your

child’s ACT score. It will be offered during the school day and will rotate

among different class periods.

Complete the following tasks during January

Juniors & Seniors—complete these tasks in to stay on the path

to college:

∗ Register by January 8th for the February 6th ACT

∗ Attend a Financial Aid Program if one is being offered this month in

your area and apply for at $500 scholarship.

∗ Apply for scholarships. Visit free sites such as ScholarshipQuest at

My.EducationQuest.org.

∗ Meet with college representatives who visit your school

For free help with college planning, contact EducationQuest Foundation.

Kearney (308) 234-6310 or (800) 666-3721

Lincoln (402) 475-5222 or (800) 303-3745

Omaha (402) 391-4033 or (888) 357-6300

FROM THE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE

If you’re a high school junior or senior— and if you attend an

EducationQuest Financial Aid Program [FAP] before

February 1, 2016—you’ll earn a chance to win one of three

$500 scholarships!!

EducationQuest is conducting FAPs across the state. If you attend,

you can register to win a $500 scholarship. Parents or guardians

who attend may register on their student’s behalf.

PENNIES FOR

PATIENTS (sponsored by the student council)

begins in February 2016.

NECC Career day for 9th Graders will be Monday, March 7th

January To-Do-List

If you are filing a

FAFSA for the first time

and want free

personal help, call

EducationQuest to make

an appointment.

Kearney 308-234-6310

or 800-666-3721

Lincoln 402-475-5222

or 800-303-3745

Omaha 402-391-4033

or 888-357-6300

Free FAFSA

Webinars will

help you prepare.

You and your parents

can learn about financial

aid and the FAFSA from

the comfort of your

home by participating in

an EducationQuest

FAFSA webinars

January 11, 2016

- 7:00 pm

February 21

– 7:00 pm

Some important test dates to re-

member :

*ACT for Juniors & Seniors:

• February 6, 2016 - register by Jan 8

• April 9, 2016 - register by Mar 4

• June 11, 2016 - register by May 6

To sign up for the ACT visit

www.actstudent.org

FROM THE COUNSELOR’S OFFICE

Seniors . . . It’s time for FAFSA!!!

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the application for state, federal and

college-specific financial aid. Even if you don’t think you’ll qualify for need-based financial

aid, you should complete the FAFSA to qualify for low-interest student and parent loans.

Follow these steps to prepare for, and complete the FAFSA and the financial aid process:

⇒ Contact the college (s) you applied to and ask for their FAFSA priority filing

date (typically March 1 to April 1). Some types of financial aid are awarded first-come,

first-served, so submit the FAFSA before that date.

⇒ Complete your 2015 taxes early as the FAFSA requires current tax information.

⇒ Gather these student and parent items:

⇒ 2015 Federal income tax forms and, if applicable, Schedule K-1 (Form 1065)

⇒ 2015 W-2 Forms / Student driver’s license number / Social Security Numbers /

Birthdates / Dates parents were married, separated, divorced or widowed / Cur-

rent cash, savings and checking account balances.

⇒ Current investment values (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CD’s, etc.) excluding your

home and retirement accounts

⇒ Value of business (if more than 100 employees) / Value of investment farm (Do

not include the value of a family farm that you or your parents live on and oper-

ate. / 2015 child support (paid and/or received / 2015 Workers’ Compensation /

Other untaxed income in 2015 such as housing/food/living allowance for military

and clergy / Alien Registration Number for eligible non-citizens

⇒ Be prepared to answer the following FAFSA questions:

⇒ Did you or anyone in your household receive any of the following federal benefits?

⇒ Supplemental Security Income / Food Stamps / TANF / Free or Reduced Price

Lunch / WIC

⇒ Complete and file the FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov before your college’s priority date.

⇒ Expect a Student Aid Report acknowledging that your form was processed.

⇒ Expect Financial Aid Award Notifications in the spring from the colleges you listed

on your FAFSA. The notifications will detail the financial aid assistance the colleges are

offering (could be a combination of scholarships, grants, work study and student loans)

⇒ Check out these free FAFSA tools and resources. Visit “FAFSA TOOLS” at https://

www.educationquest.org/resources/fafsa-tools where you’ll find:

⇒ College Funding Estimator - estimates your FAFSA results.

⇒ FAFS Checklist - provides a list of items you need to gather before you complete

the FAFSA

⇒ FAFSA Tutorial - explains each FAFSA question.

⇒ FAFSA Demo and IRS Data Retrieval videos - walk you through the FAFSA

process.

6

Be a Volunteer!

Becoming a school

volunteer can be one of

the most rewarding

experiences in life.

Sharing a special talent,

reading a book to a

student, assisting the

school librarian, helping

to put up an interesting

bulletin board for the

classroom teacher, or

helping chaperone on a

field trip are all ways that

one can serve as a

school volunteer.

Volunteers are made up

of parents, grandparents,

business people, retirees,

high school students, and

other community

members. They can

volunteer on a regular

basis or on special

occasions. If you would

like to volunteer please

call the school at

635-2484.

Family Educational

Rights and Privacy Act

(FERPA)

Annual notice provided

to parents/guardians and

eligible students of their

rights to inspect and

review educational

records, amend educa-

tion records, consent to

disclose personally iden-

tifiable information in

education records and

file a complaint with the

U.S. Department of

Education.

ONE ACT DEPARTMENT

The Allen Consolidated Schools One Act Department has been very busy as 18 students in

grades 9 – 12 have been working on the play An Evening of Culture, Faith County II:

The Saga Continues.

They performed for the Lewis Division of Conference on November 17th at Homer with the

One Act team earning Conference Runner-up Honors!! The Outstanding Actress Award went

to Lexi Oswald!

The team performed at District

Competition in Wausa on November

30th. They placed 3rd with Out-

standing Performer awarded to

Bailey Boyle, Brooke Kneifl,

Lexi Oswald, Alexis Hoesing-Sachau

and Chris Madsen.

Mr. Lacy and Mrs. Murphy.

Competitive Speech

We have 13 high school students involved in speech this year. Scripts have been or-dered and practices began right before the holiday break. Our season kicks off with the first meet in Wisner on January 16th and will stay busy through March. We will host a

showcase for the public on March 10th at the school.

Coaches this year include Marcy Roeber, Kami Murphy & Dakota Roberts.

Allen Speech Team 2016 Tentative ScheduleAllen Speech Team 2016 Tentative ScheduleAllen Speech Team 2016 Tentative ScheduleAllen Speech Team 2016 Tentative Schedule

Tournament Date

Wisner Practice Makes Perfekt Meet Saturday, January 16

Hartington Public Invitational Saturday, January 30

Winnebago Invite Monday, February 8

Wakefield Invitational Friday, February 12

Gator Gab-Fest Tournament VI @ Wisner Saturday, February 20

Conference Speech Contest @ Wakefield Saturday, February 27

(Participation will be determined by placings at previous meets. The team is limited to the top two in each event and one duet and one OID.)

Norfolk Panther Invite Saturday, March 5

Allen Speech Showcase @ 7pm Thursday, March 10

NSAA District D1-3 Speech Contest @ West Boyd Tuesday, March 15

(Participation will be determined by placings at previous meets. The team is limited to the top two in each event. Only the top three placings in each event will qualify for the state contest.)

NSAA State D1 Speech Contest @ UNK Thursday March 24

SENIOR PICTURES

Just a reminder, the school needs two colored

glossy billfold size portraits or a digital photo

copy of each senior. Please contact

Mrs. Roeber with

questions.

mroeber@esu1.org

Keep up-to-date with up-

coming school

activities at:

www.allenschools.org

Ifthereisanyinterestina

DVDoftheperformances

listedbelowpleasecontact

MarleneLevineat

mlevine@esu1.org

Orgotothelinksbelowto

watchtheperformances:

Madrigal–serving/program

https://youtu.bew_uooFchC3o

Madrigal–programonly

https://youtu.be/W4r-_XHZd-g

WinterConcert

Elementary

https://youtu.be/zLha9OBEBbY

WinterConcert5th-12thgrade

https://youtu.be/gLNAzx5-qbI

The Allen Chorus

presented a

Madrigal Dinner

The song, the laughter, the feast draw nigh

Post Holiday Junior Varsity Basketball January & February

Friday, Jan8 vs Ponca Girls JV – 4 QTS Boys JV – 2 QTS 4:00

Monday, Jan 11 @Randolph

Girls JV – 4 QTS Boys JV – 2 QTS 4:45

Tuesday, Jan19 @Wynot Girls JV – 2 QTS Boys JV – 2 QTS 4:00

Thursday, Jan 21 Wausa

Girls JV – 4 QTS Boys JV – 2 QTS 4:00

Thursday, Jan 28 @E-H Girls JV – 4 QTS Boys JV – 2 QTS 4:00

Tuesday, Feb 9 vs Winside

NO Girls JV Boys JV – 2 QTS 5:00 Junior Varsity Games AT Allen will start at 4:00 with a “rolling” time schedule. Varsity games may start earlier than 6:15. Please be advised of this possibility. Quarters may change based on injury, illness, academics, weather conditions, etc….

All - Area Volleyball Honors

Second Team - Gabby Sullivan

Honorable Mention - Lexi Oswald

All-State Volleyball - (Lincoln Journal Star)

Second Team - Gabby Sullivan

Honorable Mention - Bri Hingst,

Lexi Oswald

All-State Volleyball (Omaha World Herald)

Honorable Mention - Gabby Sullivan, Bri Hingst,

and Lexi Oswald

District LSE Results

Natural Resources Speaking -

Blue Ribbon - Katie Bathke

Agriscience Fair

Levi Woodward competed in the FFA Agriscience Fair in the area of Power, Structural and Technical Systems.

Levi ranked 8th in the nation!!

Winter Concert 2015Winter Concert 2015Winter Concert 2015

1st grade

Pre School

4th grade

3rd grade

Kindergarten

Pre K - 4th Grade

Featuring: Kiara Monteith

and Austin Roth (all state)

5th - 6th Chorus

7th - 8th Chorus

High School Chorus 5th - 6th - 7th Gr. Band

High School Band

2nd Grade

ALLEN CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS

126 E. 5TH STREET

PO BOX 190

ALLEN, NE 68710-0190

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

STDPRST

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Permit No. 3

Allen, NE

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs

to the people who prepare for it today.. ~ Malcom X

NO SCHOOL - February 1st - Teacher-in-Service

JANUARY 2016

NEWSLETTER

ECRWSS

BOXHOLDER

ALLEN, NE 68710

January 4th - School Resumes