It's been another fantastic week at CPS! I have had the opportunity to be in all of our schools multiple times, and I love seeing how fast our students have progressed from the first day of school to now. Understanding routines and procedures ensure we maximize instructional time and we are already well on our way.

It's crazy to think we've already knocked out two full weeks of the 2021-2022 school year. Not only have we knocked it out, but we've also done so successfully. I love seeing our students learning, playing, and competing, and I am so thankful that we've been able to have such an exciting start to the year.

It's Friday! We are so excited to have successfully completed the first full week of school. I want to give a huge shout-out to our students and staff for bringing their positive energy and willingness to learn each day. Also, I want to thank all of our parents and guardians for trusting us with your student(s).

CPS is up and running, and I couldn't be more excited! It has been great to see all of our students back at school ready to learn. Every new year brings new changes, and this year is certainly no different. As we navigate these new opportunities, there will undoubtedly be bumps in the road. Please remember you can reach out to me anytime via phone, email, or connect with Dr. McDowell. I would love to sit down and talk one on one with you as well. Just reach out, and we will schedule a time.

Today was the official Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year for all CPS staff. I am always impressed by the professionalism and enthusiasm our staff brings every day. One of my favorite song lyrics, "Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity...To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment...Would you capture it or just let it slip," set the stage for the 2021-2022 school year. We will capture opportunities for our staff, students, and community and work diligently to ensure no opportunity slips by us.

The countdown is on. We are just five short days from welcoming all CPS staff back for the 2021-2022 school year. Of course, many of our staff and teachers have already been hard at work preparing for the upcoming school year. If you haven’t had the opportunity to review our Safe Return to School and Continuity of Services plan, I hope you can soon. I believe the plan will answer many of your questions and provide insight into our thinking for a safe start to the 2021-2022 school year. Again, as of now, we are planning on opening in “Green.” The Board of Education and I will review and adjust our plan as our local situation warrants. You can check out our plan and provide your feedback by clicking here.

It's hard to believe that we are less than two weeks away from the start of the 2021-2022 school year! The beginning of the year is always a busy time for everyone, so I wanted to provide you with some important information and upcoming dates.

I hope this update finds you all safe and healthy. It is hard to believe we are just a few short weeks away from the start of the 2021-2022 school year! This summer has been a busy one for us at CPS as we have worked diligently to prepare for a safe and exciting return to the new year.

While this has been a year like no other, I wanted to take the time to thank you for the adjustments you have made to support our students. Crete is a fantastic community! This year demonstrates that when a community, parents, students, and a school district work together, anything is possible. After all, we didn't miss one day due to COVID-19.

The countdown is on! 4.5 days of school left for the 2020-2021 school year. As we bring this school year to an end, I cannot thank everyone enough for your support throughout these unprecedented times. Together, we not only provided a safe environment for our students and staff, but we also provided a quality education. I am grateful that we could focus on teaching and learning rather than simply surviving the year. Kudos to all of you!

I know I talk about the weather a lot, but through the Friday update, I hope you get to know me a little better, not only as your superintendent but also as a husband, father, and community member. Around the office, I catch a lot of heck because I am always cold, and yes, I admit I am not very tough when it comes to cold weather. So why talk about the weather today? It's 80 degrees outside! I love the sun, and I love being warm!

I don't know about you, but I'm am ready for the cold weather and cloudy skies to go away. I want to address a "hot topic" right now and how CPS is prepared to handle whatever the outcome might be. The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) released the first draft of the Nebraska Health Education Standards. NDE is currently seeking public input on the first draft of these standards.

I hope this update finds you well. As I mentioned last week, we will be launching a survey to gather your feedback on communication across the District. We want your honest input so we can continue to improve.

Welcome back! I hope you had a restful break and are ready to complete the 2020-2021 school year with high levels of energy and enthusiasm. Speaking of finishing the school year, the last day of school for all students is Friday, May 14, 2021. The last day of school for students is an early dismissal day. The last day for staff will be Friday, May 21, 2021. A detailed schedule for staff will be released soon.

I miss the sun! I don't know about you, but I am ready for a couple of days of steady sunshine, warmer temperatures, and less wind! I want to give a shout-out to bus drivers.

The sun is out! Perhaps we have turned the corner and can now see the gloomy sky and the rain in our rearview mirror. Our spring sports and activities season is officially underway with contests and performances this week.

The day many of us have been waiting for has arrived. Today, CPS will host an onsite COVID-19 vaccination clinic for our staff. Any staff member wanting the vaccine will do so. Hosting this clinic is exciting for us. However, it does not mean that we are in the all-clear yet.

Spring is in the air! I hope you have had the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the sunshine and warmer temperatures. I love seeing and hearing our kids playing outside, being active, and interacting socially on the playground. I also continue to be impressed with our students and staff's willingness to wear and understanding the importance of wearing a face mask even while they are at recess.

I hope this update finds you well. If you haven't already, you will be receiving the Crete Public Schools Annual Report in the mail. The annual report is only a snapshot of the fantastic work happening at CPS. There are so many great things happening at CPS.

It has been another exciting week with the frigid temperatures. Buses struggled to start on Monday and Tuesday. We had furnace issues at the administration building, potential rolling electrical outages, and a new four inches of snow on Sunday, which all played into the decision to cancel school on Monday and Tuesday.

I hope this update finds you well and warm. I believe it is still important for us to continue sharing our most up to date COVID-19 numbers and plan. Today, we have four positive cases and 25 individuals in isolation/quarantine. These numbers are remarkable.

WOW! That was a lot of snow. Thank you for your support and understanding as we navigated this incredible snowstorm. Canceling school for inclement weather is never fun, and I'm not too fond of it when our students are not with us when they are scheduled to be.

I hope this update finds you and those you care about doing well. It is encouraging that the Public Health Solutions COVID-19 risk dial remains in the "Orange." However, as we all know, now is not the time to ease up on our mitigation strategies.

I hope this update finds you warm and safe. Our students and staff have done a fantastic job settling back into the routines that kept us all safe and in school during the first semester.

Welcome back! I don't know about you, but I am excited for what is sure to be a great second semester. I hope you all had a safe and restful holiday break. Yes, it's nice to be out of the office for a couple of days, but I always feel so much better physically and mentally when I'm at work, and our staff and students are in session.

Winter Break is almost here, and it's time for a much-needed pause as we prepare to rest and usher in a new year. It's also a time for reflection. As we look back on 2020, we can say it's a year we won't soon forget.

On Wednesday of this week, I met with our Parent Advisory Council. What a great group of caring and committed parents! During the meeting, one parent offered congratulations on making it to the end of the first semester. They thought for sure we wouldn't have made it to October. But we did!

CPS is doing great! Two weeks ago, I was very concerned about a "holiday" surge in our COVID numbers. As of today, we just haven't seen the increase. However, now is not the time to let our guard down.

Welcome back! I hope you had a safe Thanksgiving break. Not that anyone is counting but did you know that there are only 11.5 days until Winter break after today! So what does that mean for CPS?

We made it! It's the Friday before Thanksgiving, and we have been able to remain in school, our students have been able to participate in activities, and we have safely done all of this. None of this would have been possible without the support of all our parents, guardians, community, and staff.

Every week for the past three months, I have shared a CPS COVID-19 update with you. Today's update is no different. However, the data I am going to share, and the call to action are much different. Last Friday, CPS had ten positive COVID-19 cases. This week our numbers are 29 positive cases and 138 students and staff in quarantine. I still believe we are doing everything we can to create a safe environment for our students and staff. CPS alone cannot turn these numbers around for our community.

The sun is shining, and it's not 30 degrees yet! There is no doubt the level of uncertainty in our nation and our community (COVID-19 related) may have raised the level of anxiety for many of us. However, as I sit at my desk and look out my window, I see many PK-2 students and their families walking to school. These sights remind me of the fantastic work happening at CPS every day.

It's been another fantastic week here at CPS! The Public Health Solutions Risk Dial remains in Orange. Currently, we have five active cases in the District. A remarkable feat given the current COVID-19 situation across the state. CPS will stay in yellow for the upcoming week.

Smithfield Foods has generously donated $50,000 to TeamMates Mentoring Program in Crete Public Schools, making this their tenth consecutive year of support. The partnership strives to create confident leaders by providing them with the skills to succeed and putting them in a position to give back to their communities.

The Board of Education of the Crete Public Schools will meet in a special session on Monday, November 2, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. in the Middle School Auditorium located at 1500 East 15th Street, Crete, Nebraska.

I don't know about you, but I am certainly not ready for this cooler weather. To be completely honest, if it's not 85 degrees, then I think it's cold. As we move into the winter season, I want to take a moment to remind you of our process for canceling school due to weather.

At the beginning of the year, we launched our CPS Return to Learn Plan. Given the current circumstances, we must view this Plan as our Continue to Learn Plan. We know that COVID-19 can be a polarizing topic.

I know the calendar says it's October, but it sure doesn't feel like it! As we move further into October, that means the end is near for our fall sports teams. Our teams have worked tirelessly to prepare and improve, and we want to make sure they can compete in postseason play.

We made it! It's officially October, and we are still fully engaged in face-to-face instruction. Activities and athletics are rolling along as well.

It's hard to believe it's already Friday! Since March 19, 2020, we have discussed that COVID-19 is a dynamic and ever-changing situation. Wow-what a true statement that has proven to be this week.

It's Friday! Has anyone told you lately that you matter? Well, you do, and if you're reading this update, we consider you part of the Cardinal family.

It's Friday! It's been another fabulous week at Crete Public Schools! I know I may sound like a broken record, but our students, staff, and community deserve another huge shout out for the fantastic efforts that have been put into making this a great school year!

Rollin' rollin' rollin' - You may know the rest of the lyrics, but that song came to my mind this morning. CPS is rollin', and we need to keep doing what we're doing because it's working!

Today, Public Health Solutions (PHS) announced a downward movement on the COVID-19 Risk Dial. This is excellent news and a testament to the great work of our students, staff, families, and community.

It's time to celebrate! We have made it through a full week of school. Thank you for a fantastic start to the 2020-2021 school year. I am so proud of our students, staff, and families for how well you all have adjusted to our new normal.

Thank you for a fantastic start to the 2020-2021 school year. It has been a joy seeing our students and staff back together again.

It is hard to believe it is already August! Today is one of my most favorite days. Today, all CPS staff have an opportunity to come together to reconnect, look ahead, and get excited about the school year in front of us.

I appreciate all of the questions coming in via Connect with Dr. McDowell, email, and Facebook. If you have questions or would like to sit down and talk, please be sure to reach out. As of today, July 31, 2020, our first day with students, we will be operating in "Yellow." Yellow requires temperature screening and face-coverings to be worn by all students, staff, and visitors.

CPS launched their new website on August 5, 2020.