Exeter G.F.W.C.Woman's Club Makes Fabric Masks For School

Bonnie Cudaback delivered the masks the Exeter G.F.W.C. Woman’s club made for the Exeter-Milligan school district to Superintendent Paul Sheffield (right).

 

 

Exeter-Milligan school is looking to start the school year soon and will do so with all of the students and staff sporting masks.  These custom made masks were produced by the GFWC Exeter Woman’s Club.

Woman’s Club member Bonnie Cudaback had the idea as their a way to help the school, “It was just a service to the school.  I contacted Paul (Sheffield) in June or July and asked if I could make masks because I thought it would be a way of helping them start school.” 

  Several more of her fellow Woman’s Club members joined her.  Some members did the cutting, while others ironed and sewed.

Initially, Cudaback explained, Sheffield requested a thousand masks. The club was able to produce 532 for the district and is now making them for the bus drivers.  They made several different sizes to fit preschool students, kindergarten through third graders along with larger sizes.

The district was thrilled with the donation the Woman’s Club made to the district, “We thank the Exeter Woman's Club for taking the time to make over 500 masks for our students to use.  Our goal is to be proactive to keep our students and communities healthy.  Working with the Women's Club will help us meet this goal plus ties into our theme of Better Together!”

The other members who participated in the project were Agnes Loukota, Reba Toothman, Karen Chapman, Elaine Oldehoeft, Suzanne Johnson, and Peggy Warner.

Members contributed the fabric out of their personal stash and the only expense they had was for elastic which they purchased online.  Some of the masks were made using bread ties for nose pieces which community members donated while some were made using metal nose pieces purchased online.

For Woman’s Club members, this project fit perfectly in with their mission, “dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.”

 

 

Exeter Aquatic Center to End Season on Aug 12

The Exeter Aquatic Center will have it's final day of the season on Aug 12.

Throwback Thursday

Week of August 3

A free scrap tire recycling was held August 6 at Fairmont State Airfield.

Virginia Mae (Muff) Sudrla died at home in Exeter, Nebraska on August 8, 2010, at the age of 88.

Exeter-Milligan Board Approves School Reopening Plan

The Exeter-Milligan school board met in a special meeting on July 30, 2020 in the Exeter-Milligan gymnasium.  The meeting was also available for interested parties to watch on STRIV.

The primary purpose for the meeting was to discuss reopening policies for the upcoming school year.

Superintendent Paul Sheffield presented a blueprint plan for reopening.  The plan was formulated by a committee made up of Sheffield, Principal Laura Kroll, business manager Jackie Yound, elementary teacher Laura Steuben, secondary teacher Amy Tomlison,  maintenance staff /bus driver Steve Briske, school nurse Marilyn Pribyl, and school counselor Denice Kovanda.

The committee report showed four levels of response to the pandemic in order to keep students learning at school as long as it is safe.

The district emailed the information to each school family and also placed them on their website.

All students will be required to wear masks on school transportation (no exceptions).  Parents may option their students out of wearing a mask but if a student contracts COVID 19 all students in the same school  group (K-2, 3-6, or 7-12) who are not wearing masks will be required to quarantine for 14 days.

There are a few exceptions to the mask rule.  Students under 5 will not have to wear a mask nor will students be required to wear one at recess, during PE and for activities like welding.

Temperatures will be taken before students enter school transportation or enter the school building.  Students who display any symptoms will be asked to stay at home.

Principal Laura Kroll added that they are adding an option for a zoom absence in their attendance records, ‘they will have to be on the zoom to be counted.”

Sheffield explained that no field trips are being planned for the 20-21 school year, “I truly think we will have to go to e-learning at some point.  We want to get as much school time as we can.”

No non-essential visitors or volunteers will be allowed in the school.  Parents wanting to drop something off for their students will be asked to bring it to the office.

The district cancelled the open house before school starts but kindergarten, third and seventh graders have been invited to an orientation.

Lunchtimes will be staggered and additional space for eating will be opened up to spread out the upper grades.

The district is following the guidelines set out by the NSAA for athletic and academic activities.  Their committee has recommended that entrance fees are waived for all sports activities.  No programs will be distributed but will be available for viewing online.  Safe precautions are being outlined for concessions.

Sheffield praised the staff at Public Health Solutions, “They have been so easy to work with.  This is all going to be a work in progress.  I can guarantee there will be some hiccups along the way. It’s a group effort, we are going to rely on everyone. We want to keep kids in school as much as we can.”

School Board President Adam Erdkamp.asked, "From the committees recommendation we are not going to offer online learning as an option?"

“If e-learning was the way to go we would be doing it 100 percent of the time,” explained Sheffield.

One patron asked if they considered going to a staggered schedule like Lincoln has proposed.

Sheffield explained that the number of the students in each class allows the district to socially distance but they did have one parent who planned to homeschool.

The other item on the short agenda was a discussion on the Wednesday, Aug 5 meeting in Geneva with the Fillmore Central school board about the feasibility study.  The boards will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the media center.

Erdkamp added that he would, “Make a recommendation to use the same people we used in the study with Friend.  It would be easier to go through and compare our options.”

The board passed the reopening blueprint resolution unanimously.

Throwback Thursday

Week of July 27

Alan Emshoff, President of First National Bank in Exeter, was recently appointed to the Fillmore County Hospital Board by the Fillmore County Board of Supervisors. Alan and his wife, Amy, have lived in Exeter for 13 years with their three daughters and have been very active in the community. Alan serves as the treasurer for the Exeter Chamber of Commerce and also serves on the Fillmore County Development Corporation's board of directors.

Softball, street dance and silly kids were the theme in Exeter Saturday July 24. Despite some rain Saturday morning the two day softball tournament brought teams from all over to compete before heading downtown to the street dance Saturday evening.

The Exeter Volunteer Fire Department served some great barbeque along with the band, "Who's Bill Anyway." The Exeter Chamber of Commerce sponsored the kiddie parade whose route ran through the blocked street to lots of applause.