SPS starts 2017-18 year

Sidney Public Schools began its 2017-18 year Thursday.

Superintendent Jay Ehler said faculty and staff alike are excited for the new year.

A challenge faced by the district remains the community's economic uncertainty.

"There's been less stressful times in Sidney, for sure, but when I was in the buildings all through last year it was amazing that the instruction was as high a level as it's ever been," he said. "That shows with the amount of growth the kids have had. In comparison across the state and over the years, our test scores were right up there as high as they've ever been."

Though an official count will not be completed until after the first week, Ehler estimates a decline in enrollment of 50 to 75 students.

"Student enrollment is one of the biggest indicators of state aid, and so one negative for us this year is we're going to be down about $575,000 in state aid," he said. "That's a big number."

This decrease was anticipated, though.

"Over the last probably year and a half we've been really tightening our belts as far as cutting a few costs," Ehler said, "and we've absorbed some staff so we are prepared to handle a loss like that."

The district this year is implementing a new math curriculum across all grades.

For kindergarten through fifth grade, it is called Go Math, and for grades six through 12 it's called Big Ideas. The new curriculum is enhanced by supplemental materials emphasizing technology.

"New materials are always a little more work for the teachers, so the math teachers and principals have done a good job of both selecting the materials they liked," Ehler said. "Hopefully they'll match up well with our state standards and are rigorous enough but still easy enough to teach."

The new school year also begins with facility upgrades.

The district's biggest project, Sidney Middle School's roof, has been completed, Ehler said

Improvements have been made at South Elementary, as well. To alleviate traffic congestion at the site, a new south side parking lot was constructed for staff.

"We're using the old parking lot as a turnaround for parents dropping off their kids in the morning," he said.

These are demanding but exciting times for educators, Ehler said.

"In some ways, education right now is extremely demanding because there's more and more legislative decisions and state department decisions that fall back on teachers and principals," he said. "At the same time ... It's just continually changing. Over the last 20, 25 years, we've had more change than probably in the 200 years prior to that."