Parents & Guardians,

We are off to a fantastic start to the 2026–27 school year! It is hard to believe we are already wrapping up our third week. The building is back in full swing, and our students and staff have been hard at work learning, growing, and getting into the routines of a new school year.

📅 Important Dates & Events

Labor Day – No School
Monday, September 7

Parent-Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, September 23 & Thursday, September 24
3:30–8:00 PM
Students will be dismissed at 2:00 PM both days.

K–5 teachers are currently reaching out to families to schedule conferences.

Attention Middle School Parents

In an effort to streamline Middle School Parent-Teacher Conferences and help reduce wait times, we are going to try something a little different this year by using students’ last names to suggest conference windows.

Middle School conferences are not scheduled appointments. Parents are welcome to come during the suggested window below, visit with teachers, and then move to the next teacher as needed. Conferences typically last 10–15 minutes per teacher.

We recognize that these suggested windows may not work for every family. If you have a K–5 conference scheduled on a different day, or if your schedule does not allow you to attend during your suggested window, you are welcome to attend during the other conference window.

If you have children with last names that fall into different alphabet groups, please simply choose the conference window that works best for your family. You do not need to attend both windows.

Our goal is simply to spread families out as much as possible and help minimize long lines and wait times.

Wednesday, September 23

3:30–5:30 PM
Last names A–M

5:30–6:00 PM
Teacher dinner/break

6:00–8:00 PM
Last names N–Z

Thursday, September 24

3:30–5:30 PM
Last names N–Z

5:30–6:00 PM
Teacher dinner/break

6:00–8:00 PM
Last names A–M

Again, these are suggested conference windows, not required appointment times. We will welcome you whenever you are able to attend.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we try this new approach. We hope it will make conferences more efficient and enjoyable for both families and teachers. We appreciate your continued partnership and support of 1R!

Staffing assigned days between 1R & St. Libory 

Wednesday, September 23 at 1R:  Mr. Herrmann (Social Studies)   Mr. Simmons (PE) 6:30-8pm  Mr. Meyer (5-8 Band) 5:30-8pm Erickson (Counselor)

Thursday, September 24 at 1R :  Mrs. Wissing- (Science) Mrs. Houdek- 6-8 Music   Mrs. Liberty K-5 Music 3:30-7 Engel (School Psych)

No School – Friday, September 25

📚 Book Fair & Breakfast Buddies

Mrs. McGowan will host the 1R Book Fair during Parent-Teacher Conference days.

PTO will also host Breakfast Buddies on Thursday, September 24 at 7:15 AM in conjunction with the Book Fair. Come enjoy a donut with your child and pick up a book to support their love of reading!

📸 School Pictures

School pictures were recently completed. If you need assistance with orders or have questions, please contact Cassie Price Photography at 308-850-1179 or cassie_price@live.com.

Picture Retakes: Thursday, October 1

❤️ Thank You, PTO & 1R Families!

Thank you to our 1R PTO and all the families who attended our Open House. We had a great turnout, amazing raffle prizes, and some great food! We appreciate everyone who helped make the evening such a success.

PTO will continue to use Peachjar to share flyers, fundraisers, and upcoming events. Be sure to check Peachjar emails and the PTO Facebook page for updates.

Culver’s PTO Dining Night:
Monday, September 14 | 4:00–8:00 PM

⏰ Morning Arrival & Attendance

Please do not drop off your child before 7:45 AM. Our school hours are 7:45 AM–3:45 PM, and school begins at 8:00 AM.

Please plan to arrive between 7:45 and 8:00 AM. The 8:02 AM bell is the tardy bell.

In order to provide appropriate supervision, we need your help by making sure students do not arrive before 7:45 AM.

Attendance is extremely important to your child’s success. Instruction begins as soon as students enter the classroom.

If your child will be absent or ill, please call the 1R office before 8:00 AM at 308-385-6352. If we have not heard from you by 9:00 AM, Mrs. Bachle will follow up and an attendance alert may be sent.

🚗 Afternoon Pickup

A reminder about our after-school pickup procedure: If your child is not ready and waiting in the parking lot when you reach the pickup area, please pull around and get back in line on 1R Road. This allows us to keep traffic moving for everyone. Please share that message with all who are picking up. 

We understand pickup can be crowded, but if everyone follows the procedure, we can keep the process moving quickly and safely.

Please do not use the east parking lot for daily pickup. This area needs to remain available for buses, coaches, staff, and parents entering or leaving the building.

Thank you for helping us make student safety our top priority!

🍎 News from the Lunchroom

K–5 students may continue to order a fresh salad with their lunch this year. They may also choose an Uncrustable PB&J as their lunch selection during morning lunch count.

Middle School students may also purchase an Uncrustable PB&J as an à la carte item.

🏐 Middle School Athletics

Middle School sports are underway, and we wish all of our teams a successful fall season!

Activity schedules can be found on the Bound App. Please contact your child’s coach if your athlete will be absent or if you have questions about practices, game times, or locations.

Please note that SOME 7th & 8th grade volleyball games have been moved to the Old Gym at Northwest.

📢 Stay Connected

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of 1R. We appreciate everything our families do to help make our school a great place for students.

The best and most up-to-date ways to stay connected are:

• 1R Google Calendar
• Northwest District Calendar
• 1R Facebook Page
• 1R Website
• Northwest Public Schools Website

Please do not hesitate to contact the 1R office or me if you have questions, concerns, or need assistance.

1R Office: 308-385-6352

We are off to a great start, and I am excited about what is ahead for our students, staff, and families. Thank you for helping make 1R such a special place!

Sincerely,

Mr. Retzlaff
Principal, 1R