Lovell schools prepare for Sept. 2 opening with meetings

Students return to school today (Thursday) at Rocky Mountain schools in Cowley, but the first day of school is still nearly two weeks away at Lovell schools due to an earlier-announced construction delay at Lovell High School.

School starts Tuesday, Sept. 2, at Lovell schools, and School District No. 2 is gearing up with a variety of meetings and events.

Lovell Elementary

Registration for Lovell Elementary School will be held Monday, Aug. 25, from 9 a.m. to noon. It’s an important morning, Principal Cheri Hoffman said, because parents and students can meet their teachers, bring school supplies, tour the school, buy lunch tickets and prepare for the new school year. All teachers will be present including music and P.E. teachers, the school nurse and the principal to answer any questions or hear any concerns students or parents might have.

“Any new or incoming kindergarten students have to get their immunization records to us and bring a certified birth certificate and social security number,” Hoffman said. “That’s required by the state. If immunizations are not up to date, this is a great time to do it.”

Classes at Lovell Elementary run from 8:20 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:20 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday. Kindergarten students will have only a half day of school for the first two weeks – Sept. 2-15 – with classes dismissed at noon following lunch and recess. Buses will run early for kindergarten students on those days.

Hoffman said kindergarten parents are welcome to be on the playground for the first two days of school to drop off and pick up their kids.

Two back-to-school nights are scheduled this year. The nights are for parents so they can meet with teachers and learn teacher and school expectations for their student(s). The nights are Tuesday, Sept. 2, for kindergarten through second-grade parents and Thursday, Sept. 4, for grades three through five.

Kindergarten and third-grade sessions are from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., first and fourth grades from 6:15 to 7 p.m. and second and fifth grades from 7 to 7:45.

“It’s really important that parents come because a lot of information will be disseminated,” Hoffman said.

New staff members this year include Bethany Womack, who moves from a paraprofessional position to a new position as a resource room/special education teacher, and Breana Smith, who is a new resource room paraprofessional.

The major capital construction work this summer involved remodeling the library to create an enclosed computer lab for better testing and computer use for students, Hoffman said, adding, “We now have two full, functioning computer labs.

Hoffman said she’s excited to see the completion of the school courtyard, which lay mostly unused for many years. A project to renovate the courtyard culminated with an Eagle Scout project by Kyle Wolvington, who joined forces with the school staff to finish the project, aided by a Game and Fish Grant the school obtained about two years ago, Hoffman said.

“We received a grant to work on the courtyard and turn it into an outdoor classroom,” Hoffman said. “We’ve been hauling in dirt, rocks and plants, and Kyle came in and helped us finish the courtyard. It’s gorgeous, absolutely beautiful. It’s a great spot for kids. There’s a waterfall, and students can read and write and do science experiments.

The courtyard has a weather station and a new storage shed and planters, made by students at Lovell High School.

“This is a place where we can do things that tie into the curriculum,” Hoffman noted.

Lovell Middle School

LMS will have an orientation meeting for all students and parents Wednesday, Aug. 27, from 8 a.m. to noon, principal Doug Hazen said. Students will be able to walk through the school, meet teachers, rent band instruments, pay school lunch accounts, check locker combinations and turn in forms for participation in athletics.

New middle school students may register on Thursday, Aug. 28, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. A birth certificate, immunization records and social security number are needed.

School hours are 8 a.m. to 3:21 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 1:18 p.m. on Friday.

LMS will host a Back to School Night for parents on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 6 p.m. Parents will be able to visit with teachers and learn their expectations, go over schedules and more.

“It’s important for parents to come so they know up front what’s important for their student for the rest of the year,” Hazen said. “The expectations are important to know.”

Cross country practice began on Monday, Aug. 18, and football and volleyball players and parents will meet today (Thursday) at 4 p.m., followed by the first practices Friday at 4.

New staff members this year include special education paraprofessional Stephanie Mollett, Kristin Warner, who will teach seventh-grade reading and sixth-grade writing, and Brenda Hackenberg, who will teach sixth-grade reading and social studies.

Lovell High School

A freshman and new student orientation will be held Tuesday, Aug. 26, at the new multipurpose room from 10 a.m. to noon. Students will be able to meet teachers, learn about building procedures and tour facilities. Principal Scott O’Tremba said the student council will lead icebreakers and games, and Athletic Director Joe Koritnik will be on hand to talk about athletics. O’Tremba will talk about school policies and procedures, and counselor Tawnya Teter will discuss academic counseling.

The bell schedule is 8 a.m. to 3:24 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 1:16 p.m. on Friday.

A parent open house will be scheduled once the school remodeling project is complete and may involve the entire community, O’Tremba said.

New staff members this year include Samantha Christensen, sophomore and senior English, Chelsie Phillips, math, Tina Schenavar, special education, Kelsey Giesenhagen, special ed paraprofessional, and lunchroom cooks Stacey Workman and Jaime Hoover.

Former sophomore and senior English teacher Carissa Camp is the new middle school/high school librarian.

The remodel project is just about finished, O’Tremba said, and the building should be nearly ready by Sept. 2. He did say that the band, choir and family and consumer science classes will meet at the middle school until mid-October. He also said that hot lunch will remain at the elementary school until mid-October.

By David Peck