Last month, Blue Valley North hosted a Fall Party for Navigators programs across the district, with booths, 

decorations, and games designed and run by BVN Connections classes. We loved seeing the togetherness and inclusivity of our schools working with one another. The Navigators program has helped countless students by providing them with the skills needed to be successful adults when they leave our hallways.

During the week of Veterans Day, many educators take the time to create lessons and activities that center around Veterans, giving students the opportunity to learn more about what the day means and the importance of honoring those who have served our country. 

Emily Winters, an ELA teacher at Blue Valley Southwest, planned an activity for students to create military dog tags which are issued to those who serve. 

Students wrote the name of a veteran they wanted to honor on a sticker name tag and asked to wear it the rest of the day. Students were also encouraged to take a moment to share whose name they wrote in an effort to honor the veteran. 

Jenna Bienemann, a sophomore at Southwest, wrote her mom, who served 10 years in the Army, and her dad, who served 30 years in the Army, on her name tags.

“I think this day is important to the military people who have applied themselves to the Army. They have this day where we recognize all the effort they’ve put into serving this great nation that we have… It’s a good way to say thank you for protecting us,”

— Jenna Bienemann, Blue Valley Southwest sophomore

Blue Valley West's library has always been a safe space for all students. Fostering a diverse and dynamic collection that caters to the diverse needs of students has long been the library’s mission. But the librarians recently recognized a piece of their mission they weren’t meeting. Now, the library houses a section designed specifically for the school’s LIFT students.

“Growing this section that has been built around our LIFT students’ interests and topics of instruction allows them to come into the library and pick up a book to read with their teachers or friends just like any other student,” said Jennifer Buehler, a LIFT special education teacher. 

Buehler said for this group of students to be able to walk into a space and know they can easily and equally access books, an opportunity they may not have everywhere, means a lot to them and shows them their school is willing to go above and beyond to ensure the library is a positive experience.

"Practicing inclusion in our library ensures that our students, teachers and all staff from various backgrounds, experiences and abilities feel valued and welcome,” said Courtney Grimaldi, a Blue Valley West librarian. “...Our student body sees these actions and efforts and recognizes that being inclusive is part of being a Jaguar. One of our cornerstones at West is “family,” and that means everyone gets included and celebrated.” — Courtney Grimaldi, Blue Valley West librarian

Blue Valley High teacher, Laura Volz, goes above and beyond to support her students during their time in high school and post-graduation. With her openness, ability to make others feel safe, and expertise in education, Mrs. Volz has left a lasting impact on each and every student. Two siblings, Trevor and Ainsley Lister, both feel lucky to have developed such a strong teacher-student relationship with Mrs. Volz. Trevor and Ainsley have continued their connections all the way into college. They reached out to Mrs. Volz for advice on what classes to take and how to navigate their classes, and overall life advice.

“There are few people in this world that give everything to others and expect nothing in return and this is Ms. Volz. She has given me so much and I know if I ever needed someone to call or someone to have my back, Ms. Volz would be my number one! Her personality and positive attitude are infectious and you can see it in the bonds she makes with the students in her classroom.” -Trevor Lister, Blue Valley High Graduate

Parents as Teachers(PAT) has established a strong partnership with Safe Home, a local nonprofit organization. Safe Home provides counseling, health advocacy, and emergency shelter for those in domestic abuse situations. Parents as Teach hosted an Outdoor Explore event where families were asked to donate items like paper towels, toilet paper, and shampoo.

“The young children in PAT were learning about empathy and caring for others. It was so fun to see toddlers carrying in a roll of paper towels or bottle of shampoo. The pride on their little faces was priceless” - Terry Jensen, PAT Educator Lead

Over the course of the 18 years that Lauren Gore, Blue Valley’s special education coordinator, has worked in Blue Valley, she’s had to take leave for various health issues. As Lauren navigated the health concerns, Blue Valley allowed her to focus on family and pick up where she left off once she was able to return to her job. Once she received her administrator certification, she knew she wanted to stay in Blue Valley, regardless of how long it took for a position to become available. Now Lauren is the parent of three Blue Valley students and said she can’t imagine her kids attending school anywhere else or herself working anywhere else.

“I can't put into words how much it means to me how BV staff and families have wrapped around me and my own family at every stage of my life over the past 18 years. The BV staff culture is one that is built on support, trust and community. Over the years, my colleagues have become family, and I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be.” — Lauren Gore, BV special education coordinator

Owen Cigich, a Prairie Star Elementary 1st grader, and Kevin Melcher, a Prairie Star special education paraprofessional, have formed a bond that stretches beyond the classroom walls. Both recently attended Braden’s Hope Gala where Owen was recognized as a Hope Hero with 10 other kids from the area who are cancer fighters. Mr. Melcher attended with his son.

“Mr. Melcher makes me happy. He helps me stay safe and makes me feel better when I am sad. I like to laugh with Mr. Melcher.” – Owen Cigich, 1st grade at Prairie Star Elementary