Culler Middle School is a professional learning community with a tradition of service, a culture of collaboration, and a commitment to student learning.

The Cougar Connection

April 2024

Letter from our Principal

Greetings Families, 

We are so excited to kick off April here at Culler with exciting things happening every week. 

This month we will have NSCAS testing on Wednesday and Thursday each week. Please make sure your students get plenty of rest and come to school on time. 

We hope to see all of you here at the variety show after school on the 10th. Please encourage your scholars to make great choices to attend the dance on the 25th.

It is hard to believe we only have seven weeks left! 8th grade families, please look for details to come on how we will celebrate your scholars’ continuation to high-school!

In partnership,

Picture of Daniel Church
Daniel Church

Principal
dchurch@lps.org

Upcoming Dates

  • 4/1 P/T Conferences 5-7pm
  • 4/9 Food Market 2:45-3:30 pm
  • 4/10 Variety Show 6pm
  • 4/25 Spring Dance 4:30-6pm


Testing Dates

  • 4/9
  • 4/10
  • 4/16
  • 4/17

Students of the Month

March

6th Grade Students of the Month

Razan Hussein, Isabelita Gamboa Gomez, Josias West, Alannah Guthrie

7th Grade Students of the Month

Quency Walker, Roxann Caroon, Alayshia Nimox, Kpalee Npimnee

8th Grade Students of the Month

Sofia Cherevoza, Yennifer “Daniela” Rivas Dormes, Cy Norris

EL

  • L2- Marie Francine & Ziaur Noori
  • L3- Osman Mohamed

February

6th Grade Students of the Month

Harper McPherson, Veronika Rovenska, Amy Nguyen, Sergio Dominguez Betancourt

7th Grade Students of the Month

Khukula Sadeq, Mervielle Vigan, Sham Al-Mahdawi, Igor Popadko

8th Grade Students of the Month

Sofia Cherevoza, Yennifer “Daniela” Rivas Dormes, Cy Norris

January

6th Grade Students of the Month

Razan Hussein, Isabelita Gamboa Gomez, Josias West, Alannah Guthrie

7th Grade Students of the Month

Quency Walker, Roxann Caroon, Alayshia Nimox, Kpalee Npimnee

8th Grade Students of the Month

Juliana Salim, Angela Recinos Cabrero, Kai Colberg, Perhard Khudada

AVID For All

AVID at Culler Middle School: Preparing Our 7th and 8th Graders for Future Success

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to share information about the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program available at Culler Middle School. AVID is a nationally recognized program designed to support students in building the skills they need for academic success and lifelong learning. This initiative helps students develop critical thinking, organization, and study strategies, ensuring they are well-prepared for high school and beyond.

Exclusively for 7th and 8th Graders

At Culler Middle School, the AVID program is offered exclusively to our 7th and 8th grade students. By focusing on these key years, AVID provides timely support that aligns with the developmental and academic challenges our students face as they transition to higher grade levels. The skills learned through AVID not only enhance academic performance but also empower students with the confidence and determination to pursue future opportunities.

A Thoughtful Application Process

We believe that every student can benefit from the opportunities provided by AVID. To ensure the program meets the needs of our students, there is an application process in place. This process helps identify students who are most likely to thrive in an AVID environment. As part of the vetting process, selected applicants may be invited to participate in an interview. This interview is designed to provide additional insights into each student’s interests, academic goals, and readiness for the program’s challenges.

What to Expect

  1. Application Submission: Parents and students will receive detailed information on how to apply, including deadlines and required materials.
  2. Interview Process: If selected, students will have the opportunity to participate in an interview. This step is designed to help us better understand each student’s aspirations and how AVID can best support their academic journey.
  3. Enrollment: After the application and interview process, successful candidates will be enrolled in the program for the upcoming academic year.

Benefits of AVID

AVID is much more than an academic support program; it’s a community of learners dedicated to excellence. Students in AVID benefit from:

  • Enhanced Academic Skills: Focused instruction in writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
  • College and Career Readiness: Exposure to college-level coursework and the opportunity to learn essential skills for future academic success.
  • Supportive Community: A collaborative environment that encourages students to support one another and celebrate their achievements.


We encourage you to consider this valuable opportunity for your child. If you have any questions about the application process, the interview, or the AVID program in general, please feel free to contact our program coordinator at [contact information] or speak with your child’s school counselor.

Thank you for your continued support in helping our students reach their full potential. Together, we can empower our young learners to pursue their dreams with determination and confidence.
Thanks so much for being part of the AVID family!

AVID (Achievement Via Individual Determination) is an educational program that is designed to help students develop the skills they need to be successful in college and beyond. This segment is meant for all Culler students and their families, not just those in the AVID Elective, so that every student can reap the benefits of successful habits and routines now, and in the future!

For more information, visit https://home.lps.org/curriculum/avid/ or reach out to our AVID Elective Instructor, Mx. Beatty via email (abeatty3@lps.org)

Mx. Beatty

Thanks so much for being part of the AVID family!
In AVID pursuit of excellence,
Mx. Beatty
AVID Elective Teacher
@ Culler Middle School

The Culler Library

Empower learners to be curious, critical, and creative thinkers; enthusiastic readers; skillful researchers; and conscientious digital citizens.

Library News

Did you know many of our fantastic library resources are accessible from home? Students can use these tools to research and gather information for their assignments, making it easier to complete their work wherever they are.

Follow these directions to get the login information to use these resources at home:

  • Begin at portal.lps.org
  • Enter your student’s ID and password (If you don’t have this information, the school office can provide it for you).
  • Select “Library Website” from the alphabetical listing in the portal.
  • Click on “Home Access” to open a Google Doc with login instructions.

Digital Citizenship Tips

At LPS we teach students that terms of service agreements are important and have real-world implications. 

Topics for a family discussion might include:

  • What are terms of service agreements? (Rules you must follow when using an app or digital tool.)
  • Why should you be aware of terms of service agreements? What are the consequences of using apps not intended for students your age? (Many terms of service agreements include age requirements for the app or digital tool. If you use a tool that you are not old enough to use, your account may be canceled, your safety may be compromised, and you may see inappropriate content.)


LPS has procedures in place to ensure the apps and websites students are using adhere to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. 

Library Staff

Mrs. Lisa Maupin

Mrs. Lisa Maupin

lmaupin@lps.org

Mrs. Ahmed

Mrs. Ahmed

lahmed@lps.org

ELL Information

Culler ELL Teachers

Ms. Deras

Ms. Deras

aderas@lps.org

Ms. Schlickbernd

Ms. Schlickbernd

nschlick@lps.org

Ms. Yeoh

Ms. Yeoh

syeoh@lps.org

Mr. Shanahan

Mr. Shanahan

sshanah@lps.org

Ms. Kari Stephens

Ms. Kari Stephens

kstephe3@lps.org

Ms. Iman Al-Saadi

Ms. Iman Al-Saadi

ialsaad@lps.org

Ms. Joanna Walton

Ms. Joanna Walton

jwalton@lps.org

Notification of Continuation of Services

In the next few weeks, families will receive a Notification of Continuation of Services. This document outlines the level your scholar is currently being served and the classes they are in. If you have any questions about this information, please reach out to Mrs. Bandy. 

Liaisons

Arabic

Arabic

Aqeel Fadhil
(402) 436-1715

Arabic

Arabic

Sudanese Dialect

Hager Mohamed
(402) 436-1958

Spanish

Spanish

Claudia Rains
(402) 436-1988

Kurdish

Kurdish

Khudhur Ali
(402) 436-1994

Karen

Karen

Kmwe Paw
(402) 436-1434

Vietnamese

Vietnamese

Toan Tran
(402) 436-1955

Pashto

Pashto

Amanullah Ahadi
(402) 436-1832

Russian/Ukrainian

Russian/Ukrainian

Olena Savchenko

Culler Counseling

The mission of Culler Middle School’s counseling program is to advocate for ALL students which is demonstrated through forming positive connections and cultivating a sense of community. As professional school counselors, we will provide a comprehensive, data driven, developmentally-appropriate program that supports each student’s academic, prosocial, and career development.

Health Guidance for Going to School

Showing up to school every day is critical for children’s well-being, engagement, and learning. As we continue to battle with cold and flu season, please refer to the following guidelines regarding when to send your student to school.

Make sure to send children to school if they are:

  • Generally healthy and well.
  • Participating in usual day-to-day activities.

Children can even go to school if they:

  • Have a mild cold, which may include a runny nose and/or cough.
  • Have eye drainage without fever, eye pain or eyelid redness.
  • Have a mild stomach ache.
  • Have a mild rash with no other symptoms.
  • Have head lice. Though they are annoying and should be treated, lice are not a reason to exclude a child from school.
  • Haven’t had a fever overnight and they have not taken fever-reducing medicine during that time.

ParentVUE Support

As we enter quarter 4, remember to set up your ParentVUE account if you haven’t already so you can access your child’s grades, attendance and district test scores. You can even set up parameters to see if your student’s grade falls below a certain grade or if they have any missing assignments. Here are two super helpful links with videos showing you how to update your settings.

https://home.lps.org/cs/parentvue-lps-parent-portal-for-student-information/

Picture of Kylie Washburn
Kylie Washburn
Picture of Drue Marr
Drue Marr

7th Grade
dmarr@lps.org

Picture of Sarah Charles
Sarah Charles

8th Grade
scharles@lps.org

Picture of Cathy Davis
Cathy Davis

Attendance Counselor
cdavis4@lps.org

Picture of Kelly Grefe
Kelly Grefe

Registrar
kready@lps.org

Picture of Denise Klein
Denise Klein

Social Worker
dklein3@lps.org

Technology for Learning

Walled Garden

There are many “layers” of digital protections that follow your student as they progress through their life in LPS. Informed by federal/state laws, and guided by LPS Board of Education policies, the District builds a digital “walled garden” where students are able to collaborate with peers and teachers, while also keeping their data secure.

Learn more about how your student’s data privacy is protected here: LPS Computing Services | Data Privacy

Eduroam

The eduroam wireless network is more secure than most public wifi networks and is available in several locations around Lincoln. Students using their LPS Chromebooks around town should connect to eduroam whenever it is available. Simply select it from the list of available networks – no other steps needed! Visit this poster [LINK] and/or LPS jump code: pao4 for more information.

Scenarios where Eduroam may come in handy include:

  • Visiting UNL campuses? Don’t hassle with UNL guest wifi, use eduroam!
  • Hanging out at The Lighthouse, The Malone Center or The Bay? Use eduroam!
  • Serving or staying at People’s City Mission? Use eduroam!

Testing Season is Upon Us!

It’s said a body needs 8 hours of sleep every night. That’s especially true during the testing season. Student Chromebooks also need a good night of charging. Please help your students remember to bring their Chromebooks fully charged every day.

Student Data Privacy

LPS cares deeply about protecting students DIGITALLY. We go to great lengths to ensure that your child’s digital interactions are safe and appropriate, that the data we collect about them is secure, and that we are guiding them to make good digital decisions. Because these efforts are less visible than our physical security efforts, we have assembled this resource to shine light on these important measures that are happening in LPS every day: LPS Student Data Privacy

Health Office

Health Office Staff

Ann Pickrel RN

Ann Pickrel RN

Angelica Olivas

Angelica Olivas HT

ParentVue is a component of the LPS Student Information System that allows parents/guardians to:

  • Access class information
  • Obtain email addresses to message teachers
  • Monitor attendance & report all-day absences 24×7
  • View and print report cards
  • Secondary Only: Monitor grades & automatically receive notifications when a grade falls below a selected level

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