Even if the Ground Hog should see his shadow this week, and we truly have six more weeks of winter, this will surely rank as one of the milder winters at least that I can remember! Hopefully, that statement won’t come back to haunt me.

Nelson Teaching Award
Honor the best teachers of the Lewis Central School District and the Council Bluffs School District.  Nominations will be accepted through February 17, 2012.  Making a nomination is a way to give a teacher the recognition he/she deserves.  Five teachers will each receive a $5,000 check, a specifically designed trophy and public recognition.

Nominees must have a minimum of two years experience as a certified teacher or counselor in the Lewis Central or Council Bluffs School Districts.  Nominations will be accepted from students (current and former), parents, fellow teachers, school administrators and the general public.  Individuals cannot nominate themselves.

The H.H. “Red” and Ruth H. Nelson Family Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award Program is administered by The Omaha Community Foundation.  Neither the Nelson Family nor administrators from either of the eligible school districts are involved in the process.  Judges are independently selected by The Omaha Community Foundation and neither the Nelson Family nor the school district administrators are aware of their identity.  Recipients of the Nelson’s Excellence in Teaching Award Program are at the sole discretion of the judges.

Past LC recipients include the following:  John Drake, Linda Hahn, Clay Cunningham, Joe Vinchattle, Allison Toman, Laurie Nielsen, and Lee Dwyer.

Applications must be made on line.  You may nominate your favorite teacher by going to:
http://omahafoundation.org/about/supporting-organizations/nelson-excellence-in-teaching-award/. 

Open Enrollment Deadline
March 1 is the application deadline for open enrollment.  If the student will be entering school for the first time as a kindergarten student, the deadline is September 1, 2012.  However, we have already received 32 applications (kindergarten) for next year.  If class size numbers become problematic then applications will be approved according to the date filed.  According to board policy, if an older sibling’s open enrollment has been previously approved, then the other sibling’s application will also be approved.  Here are some other points of information associated with open enrollment:

• Open Enrollment applications must be submitted to the resident and receiving districts.
• Students that open enroll in grades 9 -12, shall not be eligible to participate in varsity contests and competitions during the first 90 school days of transfer.  Please contact the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union at (515) 288-9741 or the High School Athletic Association at (515) 432-2011 for questions regarding eligibility.
• Students in a family moving from District A to District B after March 1 qualify for open enrollment (rite of continuation).  However, if you have a change of residency from the one listed on your initial application, you must inform the ERC immediately.
• Home School (Competent Private Instruction) CPI students may open enroll.  The deadline for CPI applications is March 1.  Dual enrollment for academics, extra-curricular, and Home School Assistance Programs are available to students open enrolling from one district to another.
• If you have filed an open enrollment application previously and it was approved, you do not need to file the paperwork every year.  However, there must be an application on file for each child.
• Parents are responsible for transporting children open enrolled to another district.  This applies to all students including those with an IEP.
• As a general rule, late filed applications (after March 1) that do not qualify for one of the “good cause” reasons as cited on the application, will be denied.

If you have any questions, please contact Anna Boehm at the ERC (712) 366-8248.