Saturday, March 26, 2016

Exeter-Milligan Update: Actions Day






On Wednesday, March 16, twenty-eight (28) Exeter-Milligan students headed to Central Community College in Hastings to participate in Actions Day. Actions Day is an academic competition where approximately 800 students participate in 40 different categories. Placing for Exeter-Milligan were Spencer Papik - 5th place in Notorious People, Trevor Luzum - 5th place in American Geography, and Janey Due - 2nd place in Music.

Pictured are participants at Actions Day

Front row: Bailey Steuben, Sydney Hall, Trevor Luzum, Janey Due, Spencer Papik, Hanna Klose, Trever Zelenka, James Backer, Katherine White.
Second row: Karoline Knudsen, Kate Jansky, Kelsey Bigelow, Josie Kresak, Hailey Luzum, Joey Bartu, Mitchell Manning, Haylee Sheffield, Ella Wilkins, Hannah Horne
Back row: Ashley Benorden, Alexis Uldrich, Patrick Murphy, Trystan Brandt, Spencer Pribyl, Joel Klemm, Carmin Colacci, Samantha Horne and Tara Mueller

Friday, March 25, 2016

Exeter-Milligan Elementary Patriotic in Spring Concert

Exeter-Milligan third and fourth graders played the boomwhackers.  Here, Carter Milton helps his classmate Ayla Kahler follow along with the music.  Also pictured are Josh Meyer (middle) and Tyler Due (far left).


Exeter-Milligan honored its country, its military members and veterans in their spring music concert “This is America” on Tuesday, March 15th.  

The third and fourth graders started the evening on their boomwhackers playing “The Caisson Song.”  Next to perform were the students who participated in Sing Around Nebraska before the fifth grade band played.

The fifth and sixth grade band performed the “William Tell Overture” and “The Grand Old Flag.”
Music director, Mrs. Angie Murphy, presented the Bruning-Davenport music contest ribbons and recognized the students who participated.

The sixth grade band performed “BB Rock” before all the Kindergarten through sixth graders performed “This is America.”  Ben Bartu, a Boy Scout in Troop 218 led the flag ceremony.  Flags were carried by the Exeter Boy Scouts and Milligan Junior Auxiliary members.  After the pledge, the sixth grade band played “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the crowd was invited to sing along.
The kindergarten, first and second graders waved their flags while they sang, “Oh, I Love America,” and signed along with the song “I Love My Country.”

The third and fourth grade classes sang “All American Me and You” and “Thankful for the U.S.A.” before the fifth grade sang the jazzy tunes, “Fifty Nifty United States,” and “The Heart of America.”
The third through sixth graders performed the very touching song “Those Who Served,” just before the class groups took turns singing each of the military hymns.  They asked the veterans or active service members to stand when their service branch song was performed.  All were recognized with applause.

After honoring the veterans, the kindergarten through second graders sang “Proud of Our Veterans.”
To close the evening Becca Krupicka and Briana Capek sang a solo to begin the song, “God Bless the USA.”

Attendees at the performance were also treated to a patriotic art show by the kindergarten through sixth grade.  Each class did a different art project with a patriotic theme.  Students also brought home colored paper flags to write the name/s of their family members who had served or were currently serving.  They created a giant flag out of the smaller flags to display the many in our community and family who have served our country.





 Exeter-Milligan kindergarteners, first and second graders sing about how they love America.

 Exeter-Milligan kindergarteners, first and second graders sign along with the song they are singing.

 Sixth grader Becca Krupicka sang a beautiful solo to start the song “God Bless the USA” at the Exeter-Milligan Spring Concert.

Exeter-Milligan Students at Class D All State Band

  The Class D All-State Symphonic Band
 The Class D All-State Band Wind Ensemble with director Dr. Carolyn Barber.




Twenty-one members of the Exeter-Milligan senior high band traveled to Kearney on Friday, March 18th  to participate in the Nebraska Class D All-State Band.

The students auditioned for the three bands, Jazz Band, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble.
The Jazz Band was directed by Mr. Mark Irvin, the Symphonic Band by Dr. Sam Zitek and the Wind Ensemble by Dr. Carolyn Barber.

The students spent most of the day on Saturday learning and practicing their pieces for a performance on Saturday evening.

Exeter-Milligan Band Director, Mrs. Angie Murphy accompanied the group, along with several chaperones.  The event was held at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.  Exeter-Milligan students performed in the Symphonic Band and the Wind Ensemble.

Winning medals for Exeter-Milligan were:  Ashley Benorden, Clarinet, Hannah Horne, Baritone Saxophone, Haylee Sheffield, French Horn, and Trystan Brandt, Trumpet.

Exeter-Milligan had the highest number of participants out of all the schools participating in the event. 

Below - Exeter-Milligan’s Patrick Murphy performing with the Wind Ensemble during the Class D All-State Band concert.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Exeter-Milligan School Board Meets

President Sharon Kuska opened the Exeter-Miigan school board meeting by welcoming the visitors present.

The board approved the consensus agenda after hearing the treasurer’s report from Kendra Jansky.

Board member Adam Erdkamp reviewed the bills.

Caitlin Murphy, an Exeter-Milligan eighth grader, presented her FCCLA Star Project. She will compete at the State competition in April.  Her project involved collecting donated school supplies and distributing them to any students who needed them. 

She was able to receive donations during the Open House and distribute them as well.  She established a system whereby teachers notify her by email when if they have a student who needed supplies.  Also, she has put together kits for new students who have come to Exeter-Milligan mid- year.

Representatives from the school wellness committee, Lisa Soukup, Darcy White and Lori Ruhl, presented an updated wellness policy for the district. Updating the wellness policy was one of the goals of the federal Carol White PE grant that the district is participating in.

Soukup noted, “Some things that are different (in this new policy) were more specifics on foods that we would provide. We are trying to get healthier foods in the classroom for parties.”

White added, “We are working towards healthier eating, liked making better suggestions for snacks.”

Physical activity is another one of the facets of the wellness policy.  The group recognized that the teachers must be role models.  They have started a step challenge with McCool that will go to the end of April.

Soukup explained that their goal is to challenge the junior high and high school students, “In the morning we have the gym open so they can come in and walk.  We want them to take brain breaks throughout the day in their classes. . .try and get some type of movement in during a 45-minute class in the high school.”

Kuska asked about forming community partnerships.  The committee, according to Soukup, hasn’t reached out yet.  “We are trying to get these policies in place before we branch out.”

The board moved on to the building project update.  Superintendent Paul Sheffield explained the west entry is unofficially finished. Currently, construction work now includes doing mud work on the inside and brick work on the outside.  They are “on track to be done at the end of May or beginning of June.”

The board discussed fundraising for different activities. Board member Annette Gloystein was very positive about the students participating in fundraising for their activities, “I think the students learn different abilities.”

Kuska added, “I am of the same mindset.  I think it is great for the students to do.  It gives them a little bit of sales skills and helps them learn to say thank you, set goals and to work toward something.”

Sheffield will present a fundraising policy for review at the next  board meeting.

During the new business portion the board accepted the resignation of third grade teacher Casey Pohl who will be getting married and moving to Iowa this summer.  Earlier in the year they accepted the retirement of first grade teacher Sharon Lott.  The third elementary teacher to resign was PE and Title teacher Derek Harlow.  The resignations were approved.

The board also approved the principal contracts.

Three new teachers were approved including Brooke Neville for fifth grade, Catherine Roemmich for Special Ed/Title and Laura Steuben for third grade.   Sara Lincoln, who currently teaches fifth grade, requested a transfer to first grade which was approved.

Elementary Principal, Laura Kroll, reported receiving approximately 50 applicants for the open positions.  They are still working out who will teach PE in Milligan.  Kroll added that “all of the teachers hired have a special education endorsement which is an advantage in the classroom.”

Several board members mentioned their concern about the absence of a male teacher at the Milligan campus.

Next on the agenda was a discussion on the lunch program.  The district has been participating in the federal lunch/breakfast program and part of that program includes the commodities program. A new addition to the program is fresh fruits and vegetables, which was very beneficial.  Sheffield commented, “To be able to find those (fruits and vegetables) from regular vendors, we have no idea what that would cost.  Yes there are hoops to jump through, but they are making it more enticing.”

Sheffield hopes to start a beef program whereby area producers could donate beef to the school lunch program.

The board has discussed several times the option of removing the district from the government sponsored lunch program.  Sheffield made it clear that if the board chose to opt out of the government sponsored lunch program the option to go back into the program would be available the following year. No decision was made on the lunch program.

The board reviewed the senior trip planned for Minneapolis.  Sheffield reported the information had been given to parents and the canines will be at the school that morning to sniff the luggage.

There will be a very short summer project list as the construction will be wrapping up.  An air conditioning unit that was recently replaced in the current band room may be relocated to the Milligan school library.

Sheffield reported that the application from the Friend school district to join the CRC was not approved by the required number of current members.

He also noted that a human performance program will be brought to the district on Friday, April 15.  The presentation is given by several former Navy seals and is a joint project with the Fillmore County Coalition.  There will be a parent meeting on Thursday, April 14 starting at 7:30 PM.  All parents of students in grades 7-12 are encouraged to attend.

The board set the next meeting for April 13th at 8 p.m. in Milligan before adjourning.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Exeter-Milligan Boys Place Third at Doane Invitational Track Meet

















Girls:  8th place out of 15 teams

Katherine White - 3rd place 200 Meter Dash, 4th place Long Jump, 4th place Triple Jump
Kate Jansky - 3rd place 800 Meter Run, 5th in the 3200 Meter Run
Hannah Beethe - 7th place 60 Meter Hurdles

Boys: 3rd place out of 13 teams
Tristan Brandt - 3rd place 200 Meter Dash, 1st place Long Jump, 2nd place Triple Jump
Eric Olsen - 8th place 200 Meter Dash
Sam Zeleny - 3rd place 800 Meter Run
Jack Dinneen - 5th place 1600 Meter Run, 2nd place Pole Vault
Spencer Pribyl - 8th place 1600 Meter Run
Trevor Luzum - 3rd place 60 Meter Hurdles, 4th place High Jump, 8th place Long Jump, 4th place Triple Jump
Patrick Murphy - 7th place 60 Meter Hurdles, 6th place High Jump
4th place - 4 x 400 Meter Relay team of Sam Zeleny, Joel Klemm, Colton Bossaller, Eric Olsen
2nd place - 4 x 800 Meter Relay team of Sam Zeleny, Colton Bossaller, Spencer Pribyl, Jack Dinneen




Boy Scouts visit Hay Minion in Beatrice





Boy Scouts in Exeter Troop 218 participated in a merit badge university at Southeast Community College in Beatrice on Saturday, March 5th.  On their way home the group stopped at the Homestead National Monument to take a photo with the Hay Minion Park Ranger.  Pictured from the left are Braden Capek, William Yokel, Clint Oldehoeft,  Ben Bartu and Tyler Sysel.