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Timing of administrative contract renewal was a major discussion point during a joint board meeting, Nov. 20, in Ewing. Following discussion about certificated staffing, Orchard educator Kristin Johnston asked if the staffing timeline is applicable to administrative staff. “As far as when the principal and administration decide staffing who stays or goes, is that going to be the new administration deciding or the current administration,” she asked. The same approach will apply to adm... Full story

Clearwater, Ewing and Orchard school boards covered a long list of agenda items, Nov. 20, during a three and one-half hour meeting, in Ewing. Discussion focused on the new Summerland school district, which will take effect June 6, 2020. While a chunk of the meeting was spent discussing staffing and administration timeline, other topics included the new district's reorganization petition, selection of Summerland school board members, policies, curriculum and sales of assets. Steve Williams,... Full story

Phase one: complete. With last week's successful passage of the Summerland school bond, board of education members from Clearwater, Ewing and Orchard planned to meet Wednesday, Nov. 20, in Ewing, to start phase two of the consolidation and building processes. Ewing Principal Greg Appleby said, "We have a lengthy agenda to discuss a number of items, including policy." Dale Martin, superintendent of Nebraska Unified District #1, which includes Clearwater and Orchard, said a number of items need...

A number of weather-related postponements and cancellations are in effect for Tuesday, due to a potential winter storm that may affect the area. The junior high wrestling meet that was to be held in Elgin has been cancelled. No school on Tuesday: Ewing Schools Clearwater Schools Orchard Schools Chambers Schools Wheeler Central Schools Elgin Public & Pope John Neligh-Oakdale Schools No sale at Creighton Livestock....

Phase one: complete. With Tuesday's successful passage of the Summerland school bond, board of education members from Clearwater, Ewing and Orchard plan to meet Wednesday, Nov. 20, in Ewing, to start phase two of the consolidation and building processes. Ewing Principal Greg Appleby said, "We have a lengthy agenda to discuss a number of items, including policy." Dale Martin, superintendent of Nebraska Unified District #1, which includes Clearwater and Orchard, said a number of items need to be... Full story
With the passage of the Summerland school bond, Clearwater, Ewing and Orchard boards of education will meet in joint session, Wednesday, Nov. 20, in Ewing. Nebraska Unified Superintendent Dale Martin submitted the following agenda to the Advocate-Messenger for publication. A Special Joint Meeting of the Clearwater Original Board of Education, the Ewing Board of Education, and the Orchard Original Board of Education will be held on Wednesday, November 20, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. at Ewing Public School. A Special Joint Meeting of the Clearwater...

Getting kids involved with other cultures and people from different countries is one way many schools benefit in the United States. Orchard Public Schools is blessed with a second foreign exchange student for the 2019-20 school year. Silvia Bode-Garcia, an 18-year-old from Margarita Island, Venezuela, joins Madleen Repein, from Germany. Bode-Garcia will reside with Sam and Barb Schwager during the school year and will be a member of the senior class. Silvia wanted to become an exchange student...
Orchard’s advisory board of education faced a short agenda when they met in the high school business room last Wednesday, Oct. 9. Principal Cathy Cooper updated board members Candace Hoke, Kristi Schutt, DeAnna Clifton and Nate Schwager on recent parent-teacher conferences. She reported a 93% elementary parent turnout, with 71% participation at the high school level. “That’s a really good percentage and it probably went up, because a couple of parents and teachers got together and talked at an alternate time,” she said. “We probably were clos...

The Oct. 10 edition of the Summerland Advocate Messenger included a section of frequently asked questions regarding the proposed Summerland school building project. Questions and responses were supplied by Bobcats Unite, a group of volunteers from Clearwater, Ewing and Orchard communities who have been researching the issue, finding answers to questions and presenting information to the public. This article contains the second half of questions and responses. Summary Statements (based on...

The Nebraska Department of Education released AQuESTT profiles last Wednesday. Accountability for a Quality Education System Today and Tomorrow is an assessment of the state's schools that was developed to ensure all students across backgrounds and circumstances have access and opportunities for success, according to David Jesperson, public information officer for the Nebraska Department of Education AQuESTT annually classifies schools and the state's districts as excellent, great, good, or need...

Public informational meetings regarding the Clearwater/Ewing/Orchard reorganization and bond issue will be held in each of the communities, beginning Sunday. Meetings will be at: Ewing Public Schools,in Ewing, on Sunday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. Clearwater Public Schools, in Clearwater, on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. Orchard Public Schools, in Orchard, on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. A quorum of the local boards of education may be in attendance at this informational meeting. No official actions or...
Three public informational meetings regarding the Clearwater/Ewing/Orchard reorganization and bond issue will be held. Meetings are scheduled as follows: Sunday, Oct. 13, Ewing Public Schools,in Ewing, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, Clearwater Public Schools, 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, Orchard Public Schools A quorum of Board of Education members from each may be in attendance at these informational meetings. No official actions or board discussions regarding the issues inherent with this reorganization and bond effort will be taken at this...
The Orchard Public School Advisory Board of Education faced a short agenda when they met last Wednesday at the high school. Board members heard from Principal Cathy Cooper that enrollment numbers used for football classification, as of last Wednesday, sat at 47, the maximum allowed for eight-man participation, in order to qualify for state playoffs. An increase in the number of boys enrolled in grades nine, 10 and 11 in any of the three schools, would push the future Bobcats to 11-man. Enrollment on Oct. 1 will determine classification....

Preliminary enrollment figures for area schools were released recently. Enrollment at Clearwater Public Schools, Ewing Public Schools and Orchard Public Schools show a decrease from 2018-19 numbers. Clearwater Public Schools All three schools in the Unified District report fewer students. Superintendent Dale Martin listed the number of students per grade at each respective site, in a report released Aug. 21. Clearwater Public Schools boasts the largest enrollment of the Unified schools, with...

Clearwater Public and Orchard Public Schools will celebrate homecoming, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 3. Dress up days will be held in each school. Clearwater students will strike their best movie star pose on Tuesday, relive the past during decades day, Wednesday, and sport blue and black for the Bobcats on Thursday. Orchard students will have a dress up day on Tuesday, celebrate wacky Wednesday and pair up for duo day on Thursday. Both schools will cheer for the Cyclones and Bobcats Friday. The...
The Orchard advisory school board approved several policies when three members and Principal Cathy Cooper met last week at the school. Board member Nathan Schwager was absent. The policies included several to align activity policies in the three schools forming the Summerland Bobcat cooperative, Orchard, Clearwater and Ewing, along with changes recommended by the state school board association. Several statewide changes deal with electronic nicotine delivery systems, alternative nicotine products, tobacco products, look-alikes and products...

Not every day do you get to talk to someone from a different country, but students from several communities will get the opportunity every day. Maddy Repein is a foreign exchange student from Cologne, Germany, and she is living with Bob and Bev Krutz of Orchard until June 2020. Repein is only 15 years old, and she will be a senior at Orchard Public Schools. Maddy would be a sophomore back in Germany, and she does not receive credit for spending a year in America. When she returns to Germany,...

Patience, determination and confidence. Eleven-year-old Derek Sayers, of Orchard, says 4-H has developed those traits. He has a poster - and ribbon - to prove it. "It's taught me how to get things done," he said. Sayers has been an independent 4-H member for three years. His interest in the youth program began after he listened to a talk about it at Orchard Public Schools. "I asked my parents if I could try it and they said 'Oh yeah.'" He's shown beef, goats and poultry. This year, he recevied...

Mark you calendars for Saturday, Aug. 24. The Summerland Lady Bobcats will open their inaugural season at the Bill Marshall Volleyball Classic. The Bobcats are slated to face Axtell, at 10 a.m., at Grand Island Central Catholic. A second match will begin at noon against Schuyler Central. The EPPJ Lady Wolfpack will also participate in the tourney. The Wolfpack will face Palmer at 10 a.m., at Grand Island Northwest, follwed by an 11 a.m. match against Pender. The fourth annual classic features a...