Greatness Happens When we Honor our Veterans

Happy Fall, everyone! The end of the first quarter of the school year is fast approaching and the signs of the season are upon us. Football games, hoodies, cooler weather, and pumpkin spice everything are constant reminders that fall has arrived. This is the Rikli family’s favorite time of the year.

Fall is also the time when we celebrate Veteran’s Day. This year the holiday (previously known as Armistice Day) falls on Wednesday, November 11. Veteran’s Day was first celebrated to mark the end of World War I. Though the date remains the same, the holiday has been expanded to honor U.S. veterans from all wars and the men and women of our armed forces. We owe so very much to our veterans and our current servicemen and women. We must never forget their sacrifices. There are groups actively engaged in the good work of making sure our veterans are never forgotten. The Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation (NVVMF) is one such group. The mission of the NVVMF is “to develop, erect, and maintain a memorial to honor all Veterans who served during the Vietnam War and to further provide a lasting historic educational account for future generations.” The NVVMF supports and honors over 44,000 Vietnam veterans who call Nebraska home. The really exciting part of this project is that the memorial will be located in the boundaries of the Papillion La Vista Community Schools. It will be located at 11691 S. 108th Street near SumTur Amphitheater in Papillion.  My wife Amy and I agreed to serve as Honorary Committee members of this very worthy cause.  We will be joining several notables including former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and former Nebraska Governor and Senator Bob Kerrey both of whom are Vietnam veterans.  We are pleased to have been asked to support such a worthwhile cause that honors our Veterans. With your support, Nebraska and PLCS will soon be a home for this new memorial.  Honoring veterans is deeply important to my family. One grandfather was killed on a training mission during World War II serving as a B-26 bomber pilot. Another grandfather was a Marine who fought in the South Pacific during World War II. My Grandpa Rikli brought back from the war a Japanese katana sword that hangs in my home, a constant reminder of the hardship and struggle that he and so many other veterans endured. Thanks to everyone for a productive start to the 2020-21. If you would like to know more or support the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, please visit https://nvvmf.org/. If you see a veteran in the community, please thank them for their service. Greatness Happens Together!

Greatness Happens Together

 

Welcome back to the 2020-21 school year! And what a year it’s been. Most of us didn’t grasp how much the COVID-19 pandemic would change our lives when our students left for Spring Break last March: the school closures, the lost jobs, the protests, the calls for social justice, the economic distress, and worst of all, the loss of so many lives. I can’t recall a more difficult time during my 24 years in public education. It would certainly be understandable to be pessimistic during such times.

Challenges aside, I remain optimistic. We have seen so many positive stories since PLCS opened its doors on August 11th. Students and staff are doing a fantastic job wearing face coverings. Our custodians are working diligently to clean and sanitize our buildings. Parents are doing an amazing job symptom screening their children every morning and modeling good hygiene practices. District teachers, both in person and remote, are supporting our families and providing the world-class instruction for which PLCS has long been known. Our reopening efforts have been a true team effort.

It is fitting that the PLCS District theme for 2020-21 is Greatness Happens Together. We owe so much to so many. Our staff, our families, our students, and our community have all shown us what greatness looks like every day. There are many obstacles ahead of us to be sure. The District is attempting to balance the demands of a traditional in-person school day with a new, dedicated online school for our remote learners. Kinks in our lunch protocol are still being worked out. And social distancing will continue to be difficult to practice at all times particularly in our larger buildings. I am confident that we will address each of these challenges with your help and patience.

In closing, please be kind to us and each other especially our teachers. They are working so very hard to support you and your students. This is uncharted territory for all of us. Mistakes will be made and plans will change. But we will get through this and emerge on the other side even stronger. Our District’s best days are ahead of it. Greatness Happens Together. 

Andy

We believe in an inclusive environment that honors diversity, equity, and access

I would like to discuss what we have all witnessed happening in our country and across our community these past few weeks. I’ve been struggling to find the right words and determine how the Papillion La Vista Community Schools can best address this critical issue in the most meaningful way.

The issue of race relations and the recent protests are deeply emotional topics. On one hand, I feel a moral obligation to use my position to say what’s on my heart and embrace how we can change to help this situation. On the other hand, I am cautious because words can so easily me misconstrued, and I don’t want my voice to cause pain or to make the situation worse.

We’ve decided being direct is the best course of action.

Racism in any form is deeply wrong and runs completely contrary to our mission as a public school.

I want to be crystal clear about where the Papillion La Vista Community Schools stand.

1.     PLCS exists for one reason and one reason alone: to serve ALL students and ALL families and support ALL staff regardless of their race or background.

2.     Our top priority has always been and always will be educating ALL students and keeping our students and staff safe both physically and mentally.

We may not be perfect and there may be days that we will fall short of these ideals, but it won’t be for lack of trying.  We understand that we still have listening and learning to do.

I would like our community to know the District has been working on this very issue since last February when we re-started our Strategic Planning process. As part of that process, the District identified a goal relating to staff diversity and training.  The committee also updated our Mission Statement and wrote belief statements that will guide everything we do.  There was a specific belief statement around this issue:

We believe in an inclusive environment that honors diversity, equity, and access.

Moving forward we will form a District Diversity Action team to look deeper into our school district and identify what areas we are doing well and what areas we need improvement. We will implement steps in support of this Diversity goal and make certain we uphold our Mission and beleifs.

As your Superintendent please know that we understand these conversations are vitally important and we are committed to being a part of the solution. In short, we want all staff, students, and families to feel welcome and safe here. We are all part of the same PLCS family and community. Please be gentle with one another and help us to disrupt hate and prejudice whenever and wherever we see it. That is the PLCS way. #PLCSgreat

There is so much reason for hope

(A PVH teacher waves at students from a safe distance during a teacher parade)

Greetings, Papillion La Vista Community Schools! I hope this message finds everyone safe and healthy. You and your children’s safety are the District’s top priority.

As all of us adjust to our new normal, it is a good time to reflect on how much our world has changed in just a few short weeks. We are surrounded by an endless stream of disheartening news by the 24-7 media cycle. We find ourselves social distancing, endlessly washing our hands, disinfecting our homes, and in some cases, adjusting to the challenges of working from home and engaging our children. Talk of COVID-19 dominates nearly every conversation.

But there is so much reason for hope. We have seen countless individuals show us what positive leadership looks like. Teachers and parents organizing parades, so our students know that we love them and miss them. Citizens flooding the District with offers of money, support, and assistance. Volunteers offering to help our Food Services Team distribute meals to our families in need. The number of individuals who have stepped forward to serve our community is simply unbelievable.

Every generation of Americans has faced a life-defining experience of some sort; I know this challenge will bring out the very best in our staff, our families, our students, and our community. We owe so much to so many. Our medical professionals who work tirelessly to combat this disease in our clinics and hospitals. Our truck drivers and service industry who selflessly work to keep essential services running. Our first responders who continue to protect us while risking their own personal safety. And of course, our military who safeguard our liberties at home and abroad.

We know you have many questions. Commencement, prom, and preparations for seniors are questions that frankly, we do not have answers for yet. We will do our best to share updated information without jamming up your email inbox. We have hosted two Facebook Live events in the last three weeks and will continue to use this as a way to connect with all of you. Please send us any additional questions you have and we will do the best we can to get all of them answered. We will continue updating the website and District social media sites with new information.

In closing, please know this. The PLCS Family is here to support you as we adjust to these difficult times. Please be gentle with one another. We will emerge from this better, stronger, and more resilient. Thank you for your continued patience and support. Our school district’s best days are ahead of us.

Yours in Education,
Andy

PLCS works to keep schools safe, students healthy

Happy March, Papillion La Vista. We’ve been blessed with a relatively mild winter and spring appears to be just around the corner. Spring is one of the very best times of the year in Nebraska. Our two rescue dogs, Macy and Evie, love to take long walks around Shadow Lake and the Rikli kids are chomping at the bit to spend some quality time outdoors. We’re all looking forward to taking a break from academics with spring break fast approaching.

We would like to talk about self-care and the coronavirus, in particular. The winter months are always difficult with the common cold and flu causing misery in many of our households. The coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has the potential to create even more challenges for our families, so the school district is working closely with our public health officials to minimize any risk to your students and your family.

Here is what we’ve done so far. The District has a pandemic response plan that we are currently reviewing. This plan is a comprehensive document that details how the school district will respond during emergency situations. 

Each disease outbreak is different, of course, so we will work closely with our staff and health experts to make sure our plan adequately meets the need of our schools and your children. The school is also consulting with health officials from across the metro area to assure our plans are in good order and that we have the very best information about the virus. 

Area Superintendents are also collaborating with one another on response plans and communication to parents. A Task Force has been formed and all school districts in the metro-area will have a twice weekly conference call to discuss the latest information and possible responses if the situation grows more concerning. 

Our best advice to parents is to exercise common sense and good hygiene practices. This would include regular hand washing, staying home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, and avoiding close contact with people who are sick. If you would like more specific information, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has an excellent website and a list of resources: www.cdc.gov. 

Our schools continue to be safe places to send your children, and we trust our parents to make good decisions for their children. You always have the right to keep your child home if you have concerns about their well-being or are worried that they may be ill. If in doubt, sit them out! 

Thank you for your support and #BeKind.

Reflecting on 2019 and looking forward to 2020

Happy New Year, Papillion La Vista Community Schools!

I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing Winter Break.

The Rikli Family had a restful holiday. We traveled to Grand Island to spend some time with our in-laws and enjoyed some family time with the kids, our two rescue dogs, and of course, Linus. It was a wonderful opportunity to relax, recharge, and reflect on 2019.

The District experienced tremendous success in 2019. Our academic achievement continues to be outstanding with our students consistently scoring above state averages on state and national exams. The District boasts a 95% graduation rate and our most recent Monarch and Titan graduates received almost $30m in scholarships.

Finally, the District received an NSPRA Gold Medal Award for excellence in communication for our bond campaign. The upcoming year is likewise full of promise and potential.

Work continues on voter-approved bond projects with our new elementary school opening next fall and expansions at G. Stanley Hall, Anderson Grove, and PLSHS. We will begin renovation work at PLHS this spring.

School safety and mental health initiatives will continue to play a prominent role as the District prioritizes student and staff well-being. We will re-start our Strategic Planning process this winter to build a future roadmap for the District.

Lastly, we will support our teachers and staff through our new, innovative PLCS Family Fund which provides financial support to employee members experiencing personal hardship. Thank you to our staff, families, students, and community members for continuing to make Papillion La Vista Community Schools such a special place to live and work.

Here’s wishing the entire PLCS family a happy and prosperous 2020.

PLCS Family Fund helps staff experiencing hardship

Happy December, everyone! We are approaching the end of first semester and the end of 2019. The Rikli Christmas tree went up early, gifts are bought and wrapped, the stockings are hung by the fireplace, and the entire home is overrun with holiday decorations. My son Sam takes great delight waking up every morning to see what mischief Holly and Jolly the Christmas elves have done the previous evening.

The holiday season can also be a challenging time for many of us. School work, final exams, travel, and shopping for that perfect gift can create stressors for all of us. It is easy to lose sight of the purpose of the season. There are so many people across our community and country that are struggling. The holidays are meant to be a fun and relaxing time, but for so many people, the season can also be a reminder of lost friends and families, personal challenges, and financial need.

You may be aware that my wife Amy and I created a program called the PLCS Family Fund. The PLCS Family Fund was created specifically to help PLCS employees who may be experiencing hardship in their lives. Our School District has over 2,000 employees and every day, unforeseen tragedies impact our school family. It may be a serious medical issue, a costly auto repair, or the loss of a family member. Any PLCS employee may confidentially nominate a fellow employee for a gift from the fund. The PLCS Family Fund provides direct financial assistance to support our staff members when they need it most. Special thanks to the Papillion La Vista Schools Foundation and Papillion Sanitation who are providing financial support to the PLCS Family Fund. 

Please click here to visit the District website if you would like more information about supporting our staff.

I hope everyone can spend a bit of time with family and friends reflecting on 2019. We work in a great school district in a wonderful community and live in the greatest country in the world. All of us have so much to be thankful for, and it is my hope that all of us can find a bit of peace and joy in the season. Thanks to everyone for a great first semester and have a fun and relaxing Winter Break. See you in 2020.

Late start a new option for PLCS when it snows

(Students sled at Walnut Creek Elementary during PE class last winter)

Happy Holiday Season, PLCS! The first semester flew by and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. The Rikli Family loves the holiday season! My wife Amy and the kids put up a huge Christmas tree, lots of holiday treats are baked, and Burl Ives songs are played on a continuous loop.

The holiday season also brings the possibility of bad weather. Please know we will always make decisions that prioritize student safety above all else. I have three school-age children, and my wife and I both work outside the home. We understand sending children to school when the weather turns ugly can be scary. You always have the right as a parent to keep your children home if you feel conditions are unsafe. We know parents will make good decisions for their families.

Snow day decisions are one of the most difficult decisions we make as school leaders. We are at the mercy of road crews, fickle snow forecasts, and rapidly changing weather conditions. We take school cancellations seriously since many parents work outside the home and calling a snow day often creates hardships for parents who need daycare. We understand the need to communicate with parents as quickly as possible so they can arrange supervision for young children if school is canceled. However, we prefer making the decision the morning of the bad weather rather than canceling the evening before. Snow forecasts are notoriously difficult to predict, and we’ve had situations where we made a snow day call early, the snow didn’t arrive, and parents were frustrated that school was canceled.

The District does not have a formal policy for bad weather cancellations. In general, if we receive 4-5 inches of snow or if the sustained windchill is -25 or colder, we will likely cancel school. Timing is everything. Heavy snow predicted at 3:00 a.m. makes for an easier decision than bad weather later in the day, for example. 

I typically wake up (obscenely!) early and personally drive as many city streets and school parking lots as possible so we can have a decision by 5:00 a.m. We do have conversations with other school districts to see how the weather may impact their decisions and consult with the National Weather Service and Offutt Air Base to get the latest weather updates.

In response to last year’s difficult winter (we had seven snow days!) the District has decided to explore Late Starts. We may or may not use the Late Start protocol depending on the conditions and the timing of the weather. The information has been sent to parents and staff about possibly starting school two (2) hours late if bad weather is anticipated. 

The District has no plans for early dismissals; we are uncomfortable with the possibility of young students walking home to unsupervised homes. 

Please follow me on Twitter @AndrewRikli if you’d like to get an early jump on school closure information. 

Thanks to everyone for making PLCS such a special place and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

PLCS supports mental health needs for students, families

Happy Fall, everyone! Autumn has officially arrived, and the end of the first quarter of the school year is rapidly approaching. I hope everyone’s year is off to a positive start. The Rikli family loves the chill in the air, fall sports, and trips to Vala’s pumpkin patch. Linus is getting ready for his first snow day decision, but that is a blog for another day…

I would like to discuss an issue that is very important to me personally, namely mental health for our students and families. We know that many people in our community struggle with mental health challenges, and the school district wants to be part of the solution.

The District has launched several programs to support mental health needs for our students and families. PLCS has partnered with Project Harmony and its Connections program to support families where there is suspected trauma. Trained therapists from CRCC will be embedded at both high schools to support students with mental health needs. A countywide mental health problem-solving team has been formed to better equip our staff with supports and resources. A new Social-Emotional Learning curriculum is being implemented at the elementary and middle level. Lastly, the District is now offering a Crisis Hotline (531-444-CARE) through its PLV Cares initiative.

PLV Cares is a collaboration between the school district, the cities of Papillion and La Vista, and community partners. The group serves as a gathering place for information on community resources to help those looking for ways to receive assistance in Papillion and La Vista. The PLV Cares program is intended to be a model of support, outreach, and communications to allow the surrounding community to identify the needs of young people and connect those needs with resources in the area.

You may have seen PLV Cares representatives from the group at high school athletic contests or seen PLV Cares signs posted in front of PLCS buildings. You will see the group’s logo along with the Crisis Hotline phone number. It is never too early or too late to ask for help, regardless of what you and your family are going through. For more information, please visit the website at www.plvcares.org. Thanks for all you do to make this a great community and let us know how we can help.

Welcome to a new school year!

Welcome back to the 2019-20 school year! Returning to school can certainly be stressful for families, students, and staff, but I think it’s the most exciting time of the year. The Rikli family had a wonderful summer including camping at Ponca State Park (check out the gorgeous views of the Missouri River!) and our annual pilgrimage to Adventureland. You simply must ride The Monster if you go! But we were all ready for the structure and “normalcy” that the school year brings. I hope you and your family feel the same.

One of our school district’s annual fall traditions is establishing a theme for the upcoming year. Last year’s theme was “In a World Where You Can Be Known for Anything, Be Known for Kindness.” It was a worthwhile focus for our schools, and it was so exciting to see how each of our buildings took the theme and made it fit their own school’s culture and needs. This year we are proud to announce the 2019-20 theme of “Growing Greatness. Building Futures”. We believe this theme truly captures who we are as a District, and what we want to be in the future. 

We are Growing Greatness in several ways. We are revamping our Employee Recognition program, updating our school security processes, and expanding our support for mental health in our schools to name just a few examples. Growth is something this District deeply values, and we want to continue to build upon that proud tradition.

In addition to Growing Greatness, we will also focus on Building Futures. The District will soon launch a new Strategic Plan, establish a Family Fund for employees who are struggling financially, and perhaps most visibly, continue work on our school bond projects. Thanks to the support of our community, we have made significant progress adding secured entryways at several elementary buildings, finalizing a new parking lot at Foundation Field, expanding PLSHS, and renovating G. Stanley Hall and Anderson Grove. The expansion at PLHS will begin next spring.

Thanks to everyone for following my Superintendent’s Blog. Our plan is to post a new entry every two weeks, so please drop me a line if there is a specific issue you’d like me to address. It’s an exciting time to be a member of the PLCS family. Have a great 2019-20 school year. And as always, Be Kind!

The end of the school year has arrived

We’ve made it! The end of the 2018-19 school year is at hand. The winter weather was certainly interesting, but taken on balance, it’s been a terrific school year. The month of May is an incredibly busy time in the Rikli home with retirement celebrations, end-of-year events, open houses, and senior send-offs. But perhaps the most special event is Commencement.

This year, over 800 students from PLHS and PLSHS participated in graduation. Baxter Arena has hosted the event the last five years, and it’s a showcase event for our schools and community. Our high school logos are displayed prominently on the ribbon boards, our graduates’ names are featured on the main video screen as they cross the stage, and the whole event simply says “class”. The look of pride on our graduates’ faces—and their families!—as they accept their diploma is simply amazing. Commencement is truly one of the highlights of the year for our seniors, our families, and our high school staff members who work to support them.

The District too has much to celebrate. Several bond projects are either completed or currently underway including controlled access entryways at several elementary buildings, an expanded parking lot at Foundation Field, and building expansions at Anderson Grove, G. Stanley Hall, and PLSHS.

Papillion La Vista High School was named the second high school in Nebraska—along with PLSHS—as a National Unified Champion School by the U.S. Special Olympics Committee. 

Lastly, the District was awarded a prestigious Gold Medallion Award by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) in recognition of the bond campaign organized by our Communications Office. 2018-19 was a great year indeed!

Thanks to our staff and families who made this such a successful year. I hope everyone has a great end to the year and congratulations to our recent Monarch and Titan grads.

Here’s wishing everyone a safe and restful summer break. And as always, #BeKind!

Check out some highlights of graduation here:

Living the #BeKind message

In the last several weeks, we’ve seen several examples of our staff and students showing what #BeKind is all about. From the Wear Red event which raised dollars to support flood relief efforts to our recent committee meeting with PLV Cares, our community has again shown why Papillion La Vista is one of the very best places to live and raise families.

The recent flooding across Nebraska and the region was a heartbreaking tragedy. But there are many examples of individuals who pitched in to help their neighbors get back on their feet. In addition to numerous building-level fundraisers, the District hosted a “Make A Difference, Wear Red” Day on Thursday, April 4. In just a few days, over $8,400 was raised by District staff and families    with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross for flood relief efforts. It was an incredible effort and outpouring of support for a very worthy cause.

Our #BeKind efforts haven’t ended with the flood relief efforts. The District hosted its first-ever “Attire to Inspire” event at PLSHS. This event is part of the District’s Unified Sports program for students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers. The Attire to Inspire event drew well over 200 community members and included students from both PLHS and PLSHS who modeled fashions from area business partner ReRUNS. This event was generously supported by several area businesses including the PLV Schools Foundation, Hy Vee, and ReRUNS. Attire to Inspire was a truly unforgettable event for our students and their families.

Lastly, the District hosted PLV Cares. PLV Cares is a collaboration between the school district, the Cities of Papillion and La Vista, and other community partners. Mental health is one of the most pressing needs facing our community today. PLV Cares is intended to be a model of support, outreach, and communications focusing on mental health needs for our students, their families, and our community. The group has a standing committee of approximately 25 members and has helped raised awareness about mental health issues through community events, parent training sessions, and legislative action.

There are always things we can do to make our schools and community more inclusive and welcoming places for all families. But much progress has been made in several important areas. I am proud to say the #BeKind movement is alive and well in the Papillion La Vista Community Schools.

Be Known for Caring

Welcome to the final stretch of the school year, PLCS! It was a difficult winter by any measure, and if you’re like the Rikli family, you’re thrilled to see the snow melting and experience the warmth of spring. Unfortunately, the warmer weather and rain have brought their own challenges in the form of widespread flooding across the State and region. We are blessed. Our schools and most of our staff and families have avoided the worst of the damage. But we don’t need to go very far to find displaced staff, homeless students, and homes devastated by the recent floods.

The PLCS Family has committed to an all-staff jeans day to support flood relief efforts across the metro and State. Furthermore, many individual PLCS schools have launched benefits to support our fellow Nebraskans, many of whom have lost everything to flood damage. 

At Tara Heights Elementary, students launched a “Kids Helping Kids” campaign to support families in Fremont. Students and staff at La Vista Middle School are collecting items ranging from cleaning supplies to food items for the Salvation Army. Papillion La Vista South is accepting donations for area homeless shelters. Trumble Park students are raising money for the Red Cross. At Prairie Queen, Anderson Grove, Rumsey, and G. Stanley Hall, students and teachers are putting together care packages and packing supplies for families in need. These are just a few of the examples of how our schools and families are rallying support.

Moments like these remind me what a special place we live in and call home. Martin Luther King, Jr. once reminded us that “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?” Nebraska is sometimes derided for being flyover country. We don’t have beaches or mountains or oceanfront views. But what we do have is tough, strong, resilient people who care deeply about their community and their neighbors. I have never been prouder to be a Nebraskan and a Papillion La Vista resident. Thanks for everything all of you do to make this a great place and #BeKind!