Vol. 1
July 25, 2025
July 25, 2025
Did you know the Kloefkorn calendar is on the website? Please click HERE to access it. Having the calendar on our website allows us to add school activities to keep it current, as well as save calendar printing costs. Take a minute to mark it as a favorite to keep updated on Kloefkorn Events.
August
7- Open House, 5-6pm
12- Happy Birthday Bill Kloefkorn!
First Day of School for KINDERGARTEN
13- First day of School for 1st - 5th Grades
15- First day of School for Preschool
18- PTO General Meeting, 7pm, Media Center
29- Chronicle
Hello, Amazing Kloefkorn Families!
I hope this message finds you soaking up a joyful summer! We are already buzzing with excitement as we prepare for another fantastic school year ahead. Mark your calendars — our 2025–2026 school year kicks off on August 12 for Kindergarten and August 13 for 1st through 5th grades.
This year, our school-wide theme is all about building connections. We’ll explore the power of friendship, community, and collaboration — celebrating the many ways we learn, grow, and thrive by connecting with one another. From classroom experiences to school-wide events, this theme will be woven into every part of our year.
We are excited to see you all at our Open House on Thursday, August 7th, from 5:00-6:00pm. Please welcome the following new staff:
Carly Ferrel, 2nd grade teacher
Katie Larson, 5th grade teacher
Kim Anderson, paraeducator
Tiffani Gill, paraeducator
Erin Birk, School Psychologist
Madilynn Piro, Social Worker
Vivian Bell, Health Technician
Thank you for taking the time to read through this information in preparation for this upcoming year! Below, you’ll find key scheduling information to help your family gear up for a smooth and successful start to the school year. And as always, if there’s anything I can do to support you before August, please don’t hesitate to reach out. My email is scook2@lps.org, and I can be reached by phone at 402-436-1148.
Here’s to a connected and inspiring year ahead!
♥ Ms. Cook
scook2@lps.org
🎶 Chorus Sign-Up 🎤
Chorus is held on Tuesday mornings starting at 7:15am, begining September 9th. Students in 4th and 5th grades are welcome to participate in chorus at the same time participating in instrumental music (band/strings). Be on the look out early August for the Chorus Sign-Up email.
📅 Open House – Thursday, August 7 | 5:00–6:00 PM
Join us for a great start to the school year! During Open House, families can:
Practice your arrival routine using the safest route to school
Meet your new teachers, tour the building, and locate your classrooms
Return any required health paperwork and deposit lunch money
Complete Online Verification through ParentVue (available starting July 14)
Computers will be available in the front office if needed
Submit Arrival/Dismissal Forms (available after August 1)
Office computers will be available for your convenience
Connect with the Kloefkorn PTO and learn how to get involved in our school
Kindergarten’s First Day: Tuesday, August 12
1st–5th Grades’ First Day: Wednesday, August 13
Optional breakfast will be served daily starting on the first day of school.
7:45–8:10 AM – Students eating breakfast may enter through the main front doors and go directly to the cafeteria.
Breakfast price: $1.30 (subject to change)
General arrival and supervision begin at 8:00 AM.
Students not eating breakfast should arrive between 8:00–8:10 AM
Students may enter through the main front doors or Door 5
Arrival Locations by Grade:
Kindergarten: Go to classroom hallway
Grades 1–3 & 5: Go to the gym
Grade 4: Go to the commons area
Students arriving after 8:10 AM go directly to class. Students are tardy if not in classrooms by 8:15 AM.
Kindergarten: Dismisses slightly early from Door 13
Grades 1–5: Dismissal begins at 2:53 PM
1st–3rd: Exit through front doors
4th–5th: Exit through Doors 6 & 7
All students are expected to go directly home or to a school-sponsored after-school program. Completing the arrival/dismissal form helps us coordinate a smooth transition. Teachers will walk students to their designated exits.
📌 Don’t forget to complete your Arrival/Dismissal Forms and the Online Verification through ParentVUE!
Need help? We’ll have computers available in the front office.
Lunch price: $2.50 (subject to change)
Students bringing cold lunch should label their lunch bags or boxes.
Lunch Guests are Welcome!
Guests may bring food for their child only.
Guest tables will be available when space allows. If full, additional seating will be arranged at classroom tables.
Lunch Times:
K 10:55 - 11:20 1st 12:10 - 12:35
2nd 11:20 - 11:45 3rd 11:45 - 12:10
4th 11:35 - 12:00 5th 12:30 - 12:55
IN THE CLASSROOM
Who is my child’s teacher? Class placements are thoughtfully developed and continue to shift throughout the summer as we work to create the best balanced and supportive learning environments possible for all students. Teacher assignment emails will be sent to families in early August.
While we are unable to accommodate individual teacher requests, please know that every Kloefkorn teacher is committed to creating a welcoming, engaging, and nurturing classroom experience. We can’t wait for your child to meet their new teacher!
Classroom Donations: Traditionally, one of the rituals families participate in as they prepare for the new school year is to purchase school supplies. In accordance with the Nebraska Constitution and state and federal law, Lincoln Public Schools provide a free, public education to all students. This generally means the district provides the supplies needed for instruction at no cost to students. This includes text books, pencils, erasers, crayons, glue, scissors, paper, notebooks, tissues, etc. For this reason, please do not send school supplies for your child’s individual use at school.
You are NOT required to purchase any of these items, but you may wish to purchase and donate some items to your child’s classrooms. We ask that you do not put your child’s name on any items. All items purchased will be graciously accepted as a donation to the school and will be shared by all students within the classroom. See the list below for ideas. Staff may also have some subject or grade level specific ideas at Open House.
Kleenex
Black Expo Markers
Pre-Sharpened #2 Pencils
Disinfectant Wipes
Bandaids
Summer Staff Shout-Outs
Jake Gormley · Chase McKinney · Mads Kasparek · Matt Nilsen
Tiffany Johnson · Joelyn Tucker · Leticia Atkinson · Rose Salazar White
I hope all of you are having a great summer! As we prepare for the 2025-2026 school year, I wanted to give you all some information/reminders. Please read all the information carefully.
For Incoming Kindergarten Students
Below is the list of documents that are required by the district in order for your child to attend school:
Complete Immunization Record (including kindergarten shots) *If immunization records are not submitted, students may be excluded from school.
Health History Inventory, completed by the parent/guardian. (Link to form: Health History)
Physical Exam Report, including a hearing screen, completed by a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant from within 6 months before the first day of school, earliest exam date: 2/12/25. (Link to form: Physical Exam, or your provider can fax us their physical exam documentation to 402-458-3248.)
Vision Evaluation Report (completed by a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or a vision professional (optometrist or ophthalmologist)) **Can be done at the same time as the school physical. (There is a spot on the Physical Exam from above for this information, or the separate Vision Evaluation form can be used as well if not done at the physical.)
Dental exam (Please have your child’s dentist fax their most recent dental exam date to the school: 402-458-3248)
If your child is on a special diet, a special meals form with a doctor’s signature must be completed and turned in. (Link to form: Medical Statement for Students with Special Nutritional Needs)
If your child has any medical needs, diagnoses, or any medications that will need to be kept at school (including medications for asthma, seizures, etc.) please contact the school nurse as soon as possible for further directions on what is needed to keep those medications at school.
Please note that doctors’ offices do not automatically send any of the above records to school. You will have to request that they be sent to us, or submit copies if you have those. If you are unsure if certain documents have been received by the health office, please reach out to us to clarify what is still needed for your child before the start of school. All required documents, records, and forms can be turned in to the front office at school, faxed to school, or they can be emailed to me or the front office staff.
For All Students
Please turn in updated immunization forms for your child, each time they get a vaccine. This helps to keep our records up to date.
Each time your child visits the dentist for routine dental care/cleanings, please make sure the health office gets a note stating they had that visit. We have a dental screening at least once a year, and those students who have not turned in documentation stating they have been seen in the 6 months prior to that date, will be screened by the dentist at school. (You can also ask your dentist to fax us a note with dental screening dates, if they do not send you with a note on the day of the appointment.)
Lincoln Public Schools Health Services Guidelines to Note (for ALL students):
Health Conditions
Please advise the school nurse if you have any health concerns about your child and keep us informed of any changes. Students with asthma, seizures, severe allergies, diabetes or other conditions are required to have “action plans” completed yearly. (The following commonly used action plans can be found on the LPS website: Asthma Action Plan, Severe Allergy Action Plan, Seizure Action Plan, Diabetic Action Plan.)
Health Screenings at School
All students (Preschoolers and 1st through 4th grade) are screened for height, weight, vision and hearing during the school year. Kindergarteners should have all these things done at their Kindergarten physical. Fifth graders are just screened for height and weight. Any screening results that are a concern will be referred to the parents/guardians.
Emergency Contact Information
It is very important that we have current daytime phone numbers for parents and at least two other responsible people to contact in case of an emergency. We cannot send students home or obtain emergency care unless a parent or responsible person has been contacted.
Medications at School
Any medication, prescription or over-the-counter, if given at school must have a written doctor’s order and a Medication Consent Form completed by the parent/guardian. (The form for this, “Request to Provide Medication” can be found on the LPS website.) No medication will be given without both the consent and doctor’s note. Medication must be brought to the school in the original container, properly labeled, including: child’s name, physician’s name, and directions for administering. All medication must be kept in the health office.
There is an optional program in which Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are provided as needed by LPS and can be given with a signed consent form. This form must be completed yearly. (The form for this, “Request to Provide Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen” can be found on the LPS website, or the consent can be filled out via online registration.)
Health Related Reasons for Dismissal or Exclusion from School
Fever of 100 degrees or higher (For students with fevers at home or at school, it is required that he/she be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medications before returning to school.)
Undiagnosed skin rash (In order to return to school, it is required that the rash is gone, or a note the student’s medical provider is given, which states the student is not contagious.)
Pink/red eyes with drainage (In order to return to school, it is required that eyes are clear, with no drainage, or with a note from a medical provider stating the student is not contagious.)
Vomiting or Diarrhea (With any vomiting or diarrhea at home or at school, in order to return to school, it is required that the student has no vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours.)
Persistent cough (may return to school when the persistent cough is resolved without the aid of cough suppressant medication.)
*Other conditions, within the judgment of the School Nurse, that are potentially contagious or place others at risk, may result in exclusion from school.
When do we contact parents?
Parent/guardian contact will be made if your child experiences any of the health concerns listed above while at school, any emergency, any head/face injury, and with any health-related questions. We do not call each time a student visits the health office.
If I haven’t already, I greatly look forward to working with you and your child(ren)! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate reaching out. I can be contacted via phone on school days from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm, or by email at any time, including over the summer. All required documents, records, and forms can be turned in to the front office at school, faxed to school, or they can be emailed to me or the front office staff.
Thank you and let’s have a healthy school year!
Kelsey Jaacks, RN, BSN
kjaacks@lps.org
Most of our communication comes to you by email. Please be sure that the office has your updated contact information at all times. This will help you stay current on what is happening at Kloefkorn. You can email your changes to the office staff at rsalazar@lps.org. Be on the lookout for the monthly newsletter, the Kloefkorn Chronicle. This is also located on the homepage of our school website.
Please also consider joining our socials for continuous news.
https://kloefkorn.lps.org/ (School Website)
https://www.facebook.com/KloefkornSchool (School Facebook)
https://www.instagram.com/kloefkornelementary/?hl=en (School Instagram)
http://www.kloefkornpto.ptboard.com/home (PTO Website)
https://www.facebook.com/KloefkornElementaryPTO (PTO Facebook)
Synergy ParentVUE is the “one-stop shop” for information about your student’s teachers and classes. In addition to providing parents/guardians secure access to student grades and assignments (at the secondary level), attendance, and class information, ParentVUE is also the avenue to verify student enrollment in LPS. During the school year, parents can submit absences for their student(s) with just a few clicks! Parents of secondary students can also pay fees (Chromebook fines, yearbooks, etc.) via ParentVUE.
The District’s goal is to ensure at least one parent/guardian per household has activated and uses their ParentVUE account. If you haven’t yet acquired an account, please contact the school office for an activation key.
More information about ParentVUE can be found on our school home page under the ParentVUE button.
Email board@kloefkornpto.org if you have any questions, or visit our website www.kloefkornpto.ptboard.com/home for more information regarding what the PTO is up to.
As a parent or guardian of a student, you are already a member of the Kloefkorn PTO community. Our PTO is powered by parents and caregivers committed to enhancing the work of the Kloefkorn teachers and staff. We provide our school community with extra hands, supplies, support, and plan events throughout the year. We cannot make this happen without volunteers. WE NEED YOU! In hopes of encouraging more participation, we are moving to quarterly general PTO planning meetings with essential committees meetings scheduled as needed. Let’s help make this year exceptional!
PTO Student Directory:
As part of a PTO membership, members get a copy of a school-produced directory. The following information for each family will be included in the directory, unless this Exclusion Form is completed:
Student name and address
Grade
Teacher
Parent name(s), primary phone number, primary email
Please complete the form ONLY if you wish to EXCLUDE some or all of your contact information. Note: complete one per student.
If you would like your contact information included in the directory, you may disregard this form and no action on this form is needed. Exclusion forms must be completed no later than Friday, September 5. If an exclusion form has not been received by this date, we will interpret this as your permission to include your family’s contact information in the 2025-2026 Kloefkorn Student Directory.
Stay Up To Date:
Visit our website to see important details. www.kloefkornpto.ptboard.com. View our Facebook page for up to date information and highlights from our events. www.facebook.com/KloefkornElementaryPTO
Executive Board:
President: Marty Nader
Vice President: Heather Triggs
Co-Treasurers: Stephanie Christolear & Valerie Swartz-Hansen
Secretary: Cristi Wells
General Board Members: Leticia Atkinson, Melissa Klinzman, Lyndie Nader, Habib Olomi
Last year the PTO funded and hosted many enrichments, but these are just a few items:
Staff iPads and Apple pencils
Student Headphones
Additional Classroom Supplies
Science & Math Enhancements
Movie Licensing
Field trips, Author, Artist and Animal Visits, and Classroom Parties
Staff Appreciation
Professional Learning for Staff
Community Events: Fun Night, Dine Outs, Color Run and Movie Night
Curriculum Celebrations: Art Night, Science Fair, and Earth Night