1. education
2. school

November 2014
Hershey Public Schools, P.O. Box 369, Hershey, NE 69143
w w w .h p s p a n t h e r s .o r g
(308) 368-5572
We just completed the first nine weeks of the 2014-2015 school year. I want to thank
everyone for all you have done to help make it a great start to a successful year. I also want to
congratulate all of the coaches, staff, activity sponsors and students for all of their effort in the fall
activities.
I also want to congratulate the Panther Marching Band under the direction of Mrs. Lori
Evans, they received a Superior trophy in the State Bandmaster’s Competition a few weeks ago.
This is equivalent to earning a state championship trophy in a sporting event. The last time the
band won this honor was 1994.
We have received news on our 2013-2014 State Report Card. Our students increased their
average scale score in math and also increased the district average and ranking. We have been
working very hard to improve our math scores. Additional information about how Hershey
compared to other schools in the state is available on the State of the Schools Report on the
Nebraska Department of Education website (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/). I encourage
you to review those results. We welcome the information that NeSA provides us. This information
is used to drive curriculum, instructional choices and best practices.
The Federal Government also uses NeSA test scores for Adequate Yearly Progress or AYP.
This was is part of the No Child Left Behind legislation that was supposed to be reauthorized in
2008. It has not yet made it to reauthorization and for the 2013-14 school year 100 percent of the
students and student sub-groups needed to be proficient on the NeSA test. We did not achieve the
goal being 100 percent proficient on the NeSA tests. We continue to strive for excellence and will
continue to work toward this goal.
November 16th through the 22nd is American Education Week. Make sure that you say
“Thank You” to a teacher for everything they do for kids in the Hershey School District. Teachers’
put in a lot of extra time helping students and it is nice for them to hear positive comments from
students, parents and patrons of the district.
We were very excited to host Jon Gordon on October 29th, the message that he gave to the
teachers and to the students was wonderful. Some of the more popular quotes that he stated
included: “Talk to yourself instead of listen to yourself”, “It’s all perspective and how we see thingsLOSS- is it a loss or a Learning Opportunity to Stay Strong”, “Feed the positive and weed the
negative”, and the three C’s which are: communication, connection and commitment! Thanks again
to all of our sponsors for supporting his message. They include: John Applegate Foundation,
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Hershey Education Foundation, Hershey Booster Club, Hershey State Bank, Simplot, D.A. Davidson,
Trane and Huskeradio.
I am always open to suggestions or comments on anything pertaining to school. Feel free to
give me a call at 368-5574 or stop by the school. Have a great month, and Go Panthers!
Mrs. Jane Davis, Supt.
News from the High School Principal
Birds, Beard, Blood, and Tears
The season is finally here
Oil our guns and slap on our camo
Flip in some credence
And flap in some ammo
I don’t know whether its weather or feathers
Or all of the decoys laid out together
A black powder sunrise at the start of fall
God bless that sweet cadence I blow from my call.
I appreciate all of the seasons we experience in Nebraska, but the fall is and has always been
special to me. My duck blind is ready and is patiently waiting for the arrival of the first of the
annual migration of water fowl from the north. The fall weather has been especially nice this year,
but will soon change and trigger this migration and the game will be on.
Our students had the opportunity to hear Jon Gordon speak this week and he did an
excellent job of teaching about the positive mind and how important the positive is in our lives. I’ve
talked to many of you about the books he writes and I can’t say enough about them. I have never
been much of a book reader, but his books are an easy read and contain a great deal of meaning that
can improve all of our lives. I’m not sure how many books he has written, but I have read five of
them and although I have my favorites, they all contain a message to live by and improve our lives.
Take the opportunity and read The Energy Bus.
High School Principal,
Mr. Troxel
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November News from Activities Director
Fall Sports are coming to a close and the winter season is about to start. All the
students worked very hard this year and had to fight through many different adversities in all
the sports. Our hallways have turned into a walking therapy clinic with all these
injuries. Through that the coaches and students have had to adjust and step up in all
areas. Even though these led to some losses on our records it is always a great lesson to these
students about the difficulties that we all face in life. It is not how hard it becomes for us and
what do we do now, it is what can we learn from this, how we push through and how quickly
can we get back up. Sports provide so many life lessons for our students. Sometimes they are
not always ones they want to learn but I know our students all come out of all these lessons
better. That happens because of the great coaches and students We have such amazing
students here at Hershey Public Schools.
Malachi Murtaugh was selected to the National Honor Choir that was held in Nashville,
Tennessee. This is such an amazing honor for Malachi and Teresa Rotert. They traveled to
Nashville and Malachi was able to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. Congratulations Malachi on
this prestigious honor. We are very proud of you!
I have stated this many times and I do it once again that we have the best band in the
state of Nebraska. On Saturday, October 25th at the NSBA State Marching Band Competition
these students and Lori Evans have the hardware full stating that we have the best band in the
state. They received the highest score in class “C” and received a Superior rating. This is only
the 2nd time in school history that our band has ever received this top rating. The last time
was 20 years ago in 1994. Getting a Superior at the State Competition is equivalent to winning
State in another sport. I am so proud of our marching band and Lori Evans. We always
appreciate the wonderful music and performances that they put on for us here at Hershey
Public Schools and it is so amazing that their hard work and dedication resulted in this State
Championship!
We hosted the 2014 C-5 Districts this year at West Wind Golf Club in Ogallala. Courtney
Laubner was just a few strokes and one place away from qualifying for State. All the girls
worked very hard and I was very proud of their efforts. I want to take this opportunity to
thank Teresa Rotert for her many years of dedication and hard work for our girl’s golf
program. She is retiring this year from Hershey Public Schools and that also means leaving our
girls golf program. You know the impact that our coaches have on our students is great when
you see the emotion from the girls after finding out that Districts was the last time she would
be coaching them. Teresa has been an amazing coach for us and qualified individuals and
teams to state in her tenure. We are going to miss her as one of our coaches. The rest of year
we will take every opportunity to enjoy this last year with such an amazing educator. Thank
you Teresa!
Jeremy Thomas
Activities Director/7-12 Assistant Principal
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NEWS FROM THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL
The chill in the air can only mean one thing… the Holiday Season is quickly approaching!
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and we have so much to be thankful for at Hershey
Public Schools. Thank you to the parents for the time and effort you give to your children; your
commitment to your kids strengthens Hershey Elementary one student at a time. Thank you to the
bus drivers for getting our students safely to and from school. Thank you to the HELP Club for your
unwavering support. Thank you to our teachers and staff for your amazing work ethic and
commitment to our children. Last, but certainly not least — thank you to the students for making
Hershey Elementary the wonderful school that it is!
Parent-teacher conferences was a huge success as we saw 98% of our student’s parents!
Although the district only hosts parent-teacher conferences twice per year, we know that
communication must be frequent and ongoing. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s
teacher at any time to discuss progress. Of course, parent communication is not limited to
conferences. Our teachers and administrators use a variety of tools to share student progress and
classroom happenings such as monthly/weekly newsletters, PowerSchool, classroom blogs, class
and district Twitter and Facebook accounts, phone calls, email, and progress reports. Please take
advantage of the medium that works best for you to make sure you are always up to date with the
happenings at school.
Our fast pace doesn’t seem to slow down but I hope that on November 27th, you will take
time to reflect on the joys and pleasures you have with family and friends.
Have a great month and a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!
Jason M. Calahan
Elementary Principal
Appreciated
The elementary school would like to thank the following for their contributions:
 The Hershey Volunteer Fire Department for their presentation and viewing of
equipment at the fire hall during Fire Prevention Week. Several of the volunteer
firefighters gave up their day to work with the Pre-K-3 students, which was much
appreciated.
 The ELKS club for donating a student dictionary to every student in 3rd grade.
 The HELP Club for conducting the annual Book Fair during Parent-Teacher
Conferences. This year’s fair was the most successful on record!
 Mrs. McConnell and her high school students for supplying materials and arranging
an assembly for all students during Red Ribbon Week.
 Patrons who attended the Parade of Costumes on Halloween.
 Parents who supplied treats for the various Halloween parties.
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American Education Week
November 16th-22nd marks American Education Week. It is a good time to reflect on the
quality educational system we have here at Hershey. We would like to first thank the teachers for
your hard work and dedication to our students. Secondly, to parents who support the school and
see that their children complete homework and stress doing their best. And lastly, to the students
who cooperate, show respect for one another and take on the responsibility to get good grades. All
three entities are necessary if we want to celebrate during American Education Week.
VETERAN’S DAY PROGRAM
A Veteran’s Day program will be held for all K-12 students on Tuesday, November 11th, in
the east gym beginning at 9:30a.m. The program will be presented by the Hershey American Legion
in conjunction with our Fine Arts Department.
Mid-Term
The middle of the second quarter is Thursday, November 13. Progress reports will be
handed out the following week and parents are encouraged to look over the reports with their
child. As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the teacher.
Student Grades
Parents of students in grades 2 through 12 are reminded that they can access their child’s
grades by going to the Hershey school web site and click on the Power School button. Once there
you will enter your login name and password (which are on the report card) and you can monitor
grades on a daily basis if so desired. It is a good way to keep up on your child’s progress. If you
click on the particular grades, it will show you how or why they received that grade.
NOVEMBER CHARACTER COUNTS PILLAR – RESPECT
The Character Counts trait for the month of November is Respect.
To kick off the month and emphasize the pillar of Respect, students are asked to dress in
yellow on Tuesday, November 5th, 2014.
People who are respectful treat others with respect and follow the Golden Rule. They are
also tolerant of differences, use good manners and do not engage in the use of bad language. They
are always considerate of the feelings of others and don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone. They also
deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements.
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ACCELERATED READER POINTS
Students in grades K-6 who have earned AR (Accelerated Reader)
points since the last newsletter include:
10 Points:
Ashtyn Jones - KM
Kale Kirby - KM
Alexis Pinkerton - KM
Braidyn Boggs - 1J
Maddex McConnell - 1J
Faith Frame - 3D
Cole Schwager - 4K
Gracie Halouska - 4S
Shanae Badgley - 5G
Matthew Bruns - 5G
Jamie Junker - 5G
Ensley Frame - 5K
Nick Thalley - 6H
Blake Bruns - 6K
20 Points:
Ashtyn Jones - KM
Madison Haddow - KJ
Cole Murdock - KJ
Jaycee Hampton - 1J
Gabriella Sundstrom - 1J
Charles Koch - 2H
Hayden Davison - 4K
Langdon Kohn - 6H
30 Points:
Austin Barner - 1J
Kenna Bringewatt - 1J
Meredith Cordova - 1J
Rhys Edelman - 1J
Makenna Foster - 1W
Samantha Hill - 2H
Aidan George - 4K
Kaden Aase - 5K
Langdon Kohn - 6H
40 Points:
Lilian Huegel - 1W
Alexis Truesdale - 1W
Lance Kirby - 2H
Tia Massie - 3R
Ruby Nutter - 3R
Kaden Aase - 5K
50 Points:
Hannah Hendricks – KM
Ryleigh Melvin - 1W
Ashton Marshall - 2H
Rhett Edelman - 2T
Ezra McConnell - 2T
Jax Staton - 2T
Ellie Guthard - 6H
100 Points:
Bryce Bode - 2T
Pake Dewey - 4S
Eva McConnell - 4S
Emma Smith - 5K
Dillon Zeigler - 5K
Tierinie Zogg - 5K
Shyanne Lambert - 6K
150 Points:
Reagan Sokol - 3D
Emma Hall - 3R
Kayla McNeel - 4K
Brylee Thompson - 5K
Annah Wareham - 5K
Austin Hoelscher - 6K
Shyanne Lambert - 6K
200 Points:
Eva McCreery - 3R
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Skyler Brown - 5K
Keegan Oettinger - 6H
Phillip Cordova - 6K
250 Points:
Madison Guernsey - 4K
300 Points:
Brodey Hund - 3D
Chase Martin - 3R
Brandy Bode - 4S
Jane Fischer - 4S
350 Points:
Tayten Wilson - 6K
400 Points:
Madison Sokol - 5G
450 Points:
Brooklyn Dominguez - 5G
500 Points:
Brooklyn Dominguez - 5G
Skyler Hund - 5G
Brandon Eller - 6H
Joslyn Glos - 6H
650 Points:
Brecken Glos - 5K
Eli McConnell - 6H
700 Points:
Reace Anderson - 6K
Reagan Hudson - 6K
950 Points:
Mekenna Fisher - 5G
1200 Points:
Braden Dominguez - 6H
2100 Points
Brooke Bode – 6H
Panther Pride Marching Band Gets Superior at State!
The Hershey Band made history on Saturday, October 25th at the NSBA State Marching Band
Competition when they were the highest scoring class “C” band and received a Superior rating. This
is only the 2nd time in the band’s history that they have received a Superior at state. The last time
the band won a Superior at State was exactly 20 years ago, in 1994.
The NSBA State Marching Competition was held at the University of Nebraska, Kearney on
Foster Field. There are 9 judges for the competition several of which are actually on the field
walking around the band while they are performing their show.
The marching season began for the students in early August with a 3 day band camp.
Throughout the season the students worked on perfecting their marching as well as their music.
Their preparations for the competitions included before school practices in addition to their regular
band class. All of the music must be memorized for the show and multiple elements come together
in the final product.
A very important part of the band’s success was due to the “pit crew”. This was a group of
grade band students who were responsible for getting all of our equipment and props on and off
the field in under 2 minutes!
7th
Getting a Superior at the State Competition is the marching band equivalent to winning
State in Basketball!
Congrats to the band! Your hard work paid off!
Book Fair
“WELL YOU DID IT AGAIN! Yep!...HELP Club’s Book Fair reached another all time record high
sale. Largest one in school history. Thanks to the students and parents who all contributed to
make this year’s Book Fair successful! 100% of the money earned goes right back to the
school. You also helped the library earn $250 in new books!” Way to go Hershey!”
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Elementary students at Hershey Public Schools Celebrated Red Ribbon Week the
week of October 27th – October 31st. The overall theme for this year’s celebration was
“Friends Don’t Let Friends Bully or Do Drugs”. Students had a special theme each day of
the week.
Monday – “Jersey Day” Students wore jerseys to team up against drugs.
Tuesday – “I’m a Jean-ius, I’m Drug Free” Everyone wore blue jeans and dressed as their
favorite genius.
Wednesday – “Hats Off to Drugs” Students were very creative with their colorful, clever
hats.
Thursday – “Red Day” Everyone wore red to honor the memory of Enrique Camerenas and
to remember that “One Person Can Make A Difference.”
Friday – “Drug Will Haunt You, Say, “Boo” Drugs” Student enjoyed celebrating Red Ribbon
Week and Halloween by wearing their Halloween costumes to school.
Julie Smith organized a “Door Decorating Contest”. Mrs. Ransdell’s 3rd grade class
won the door decorating contest. Mrs. Smith’s 4th grade class received 2nd place, and Mrs.
Murdock’s kindergarten class received third place. There were many colorful, creative
doors throughout the school.
Classroom guidance lessons for the week had an “I Love Me, I Am Drug Free” theme.
Students participated in activities that reinforced making choices that will lead to a
positive, healthy lifestyle where we show respect for others. One of the major highlights of
the week was our Red Ribbon Week assembly where the junior high chorus and high
school band performed for the students. Emily Dethlefs, Hershey High School’s senior who
has received the honor of being one of the few students in Nebraska to be awarded the
honor of “Believer and Achiever”, spoke to the students about believing in themselves.
Parents and members of the community were invited to attend this assembly.
These Fun, Drug Free, prevention activities were enjoyed by all. The students
enjoyed the bookmarks, pencils, stickers and red ribbons with the “Friends Don’t Let
Friends Bully Or Drugs” theme. Thanks go to our music department, principals,
administrators and everyone else who so willingly supports and encourages our students.
Leona McConnell
K-12 Counselor
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Financial Aid Program
Monday, November 17, 2014
7:00 pm
Hershey High School- Distance learning room
See Mrs. McConnell for more information
EducationQuest Foundation
College Planning Bulletin
A monthly college planning guide for Nebraska high school students
November 2014
Seniors…it’s time to start the admissions process!
Admission deadlines will start hitting this fall. Follow these steps to stay on track:
Complete your college visits and narrow your choices to 3-4 schools.
Contact your top colleges NOW and ask about deadlines and the process for applying for admission, college-based
scholarships and financial aid.
Apply to your top 3-4 colleges before the deadline. Along with your application, the colleges will require your high
school transcript, class rank, GPA and ACT/SAT score. They may also request a list of your extracurricular activities,
letters of recommendation, an essay, and an interview.
Update your Activities Resume. Since extracurricular activities are an important part of the admissions application,
keep them up-to-date by using the Activities Resume at EducationQuest.org.
Contact your admissions representative periodically to stay informed about deadlines and campus activities.
Attend a Financial Aid Program to learn college funding options
If you attend, you can register to win a $500 scholarship!
Juniors and seniors - to learn about financial aid and other college funding options, attend an EducationQuest
Financial Aid Program with a parent or guardian. If you attend, you’ll be eligible to apply for a $500 Financial Aid
Program Scholarship! Find details at EducationQuest.org.
Lincoln, Omaha College Fairs coming up
If you live in the Lincoln and Omaha regions, don’t miss these opportunities to visit with representatives from over
100 colleges:
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Lincoln Area College Fair, Sunday, October 19, 1:00-3:00 p.m. – Southeast Community College
Omaha Area College Fair, Sunday, October 26, 1:00-4:00 p.m. – University of Nebraska at Omaha
For details, including a list of participating colleges, see the College Fair article at EducationQuest.org.
If you can’t make it to a College Fair, attend an Educational Planning Program (EPP) at a location near you. These
“mini college fairs” also feature college representatives. See “Upcoming Events” at EducationQuest.org for dates
and locations.
Register for a barcode!
Before you attend a college fair or EPP, visit NebraskaCollegeFairs.org to register for a barcode. Take the barcode
to the event and college reps will scan it to retrieve your demographic information.
Juniors…start researching colleges
If you narrow your college choices by the end of your junior year, your senior year will be less stressful. Here’s how
to get started:
Review College Profiles at EducationQuest.org for information about colleges in Nebraska and across the country.
If you’re interested in an out-of-state school, check out the Midwest Student Exchange Program to learn about
options for discounts on tuition.
Meet with college representatives who visit your school, and then visit the websites of the colleges that interest
you to learn more about the schools.
Once you’ve narrowed your choices, schedule campus visits. Try to visit in the spring of your junior year while
colleges are still in session.
For more tips, visit the Selecting a College section at EducationQuest.org.
November “To Do” List
Juniors and seniors…complete these tasks in November to stay on the path to college!
____ Seniors, register by November 7 for the December 13 ACT.
____ Seniors, register by November 6 for the December 6 SAT.
____ Attend a Financial Aid Program in your area and apply for a $500 scholarship.
____ Apply for scholarships. Visit free sites such as ScholarshipQuest at EducationQuest.org.
____ Meet with college representatives who visit your school.
For free help with college planning, contact EducationQuest Foundation:
Kearney
Lincoln
Omaha
308-234-6310
402-475-5222
402-391-4033
800-666-3721
800-303-3745
888-357-6300
EducationQuest.org
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Your Journey to College Begins with Us
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HERSHEY PUBLIC SCHOOL
REGULAR MEETING
MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014
The Hershey Public School Board of Education held their regular meeting on Monday, October 13, 2014 in the board
conference room. Legal notice of the meeting was advertised in the September 9th edition of the Courier Times and
posted in three places within the Village. The meeting was called to order @ 7:00 PM followed by the Pledge of
Allegiance and the notification to those in attendance of the posted Open Meetings Law Poster on the west wall.
Members present were Steve Koch, Roger Stockall, Floydene Brown, Bob Arnett and Brenda Johnson. Traci Hoatson
was absent. Also present were Superintendent Davis, Principals Troxel, Thomas and Calahan and seven guests; Luke
McConnell, Shanna Duggan, Brittney DeBord, Brett Hantla, Crystal Huegel, Marguerite Gallegos, Marcy Lapp.
Approve the consent agenda which consists of the minutes of the September 15th annual budget hearing,
annual tax levy request & regular meeting; bills for payment in the amount of $514,371.05 and all financial reports.
All in favor, motion carried 5-0.
New staff members, Brittney DeBord, Brett Hantla, Crystal Huegel, Marguerite Gallegos, and Marcy Lapp were
introduced to the Board.
Approved to authorize the board president and superintendent to sign the contracts and any other required
documents with the Department of Roads granting them temporary and permanent easements and control of access
for projects _L56C (1010) Tract Number 3, 4, and 5; Control Number 61277 for the Hershey Viaduct and to take all
other necessary actions to accomplish the same, second by Roger Stockall. Roll call vote; S Koch-yes, B Johnsonyes, R Stockall-yes, F Brown-yes, B Arnett-yes, T Hoatson - absent; 5-0 motion carried.
Accepted Tim Betts’ resignation with regret. All in favor, 5-0 motion carried.
Approve policies #404.08 Drug and Alcohol Testing Program and #801.01-801.14 – Transportation, and #905.02
Annual Emergency Safety Plan. All in favor, 5-0 motion carried.
Approved the "option in" request for Ashton Lambert (Kdg) and Shyanne Lambert (6 th) option-in from North Platte
Public School District #1. All in favor, 5-0 motion carried.
Recognized the Hershey Education Association as the official bargaining agent for the 2016-2017 teacher
negotiations. All in favor, 5-0 motion carried.
Excused the absence of Traci Hoatson (work obligations) from the September 15 th annual budget hearing, annual tax
levy request & regular meeting. All in favor, 5-0 motion carried.
Principals’ reported on John Baylor’s presentation to students in grades 7-12 and the opportunity for juniors and
seniors to utilize his ACT preparation materials at school and at home. A special thanks to the Hershey Volunteer
Fire Department for hosting students in grades K-3 for fire prevention week. Safety Patrol members attended a field
trip and learned safety tips from Nebraska Department of Roads and the Nebraska State Patrol. Girls’ Golf district
update and Junior High Football and Volleyball update. Cross County districts will be held in grant. Congratulations
to the All State Barbershop Chorus Members on their All-State Selection and honor. Those members include: River
Hudson, Eli Huebner, Jeremy Parker, Darnell Roberts, Sam Mackley, Payne Dewey and Ben Fischer.
No Board Reports.
Superintendent Davis reported on the LB1103 hearing that will be held in Broken Bow, discussion with ESU #16 and
village board about Joint Public Agencies, Nebraska Department of Education’s AQuest initiative and the upcoming
State School Board conference.
Next regular meeting will be held on Monday, November 10th @ 7:00 PM
Meeting adjourned @ 8:23 PM.
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2014-2015 Hershey Basketball T-shirt Order Form
Shirts and Hooded Sweatshirts will be offered in royal blue this year.
Front
Back
Name: _______________________________
Youth
M
Youth
L
Small
Medium
Phone #: _____________________________
Large
XL
2XL
3XL
4XL
T-Shirt
Total Price
$
$15
$15
$15
$15
$15
$15
$15
$15
$15
Longsleeved
Shirt
$
$20
$20
$20
$20
$20
$20
$20
$20
$20
Hooded
Sweatshirt
$
$30
$30
$30
$30
$30
$30
$30
$30
Total $
Enclosed
$30
$
ORDER FORM DUE BY Tuesday, November 25th at the basketball scrimmage!! T-shirts
will be in the first week of school in December.
Please make checks payable to Hershey Basketball. There will be an announcement on
Power school when the t-shirts are in.
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We need the alumni to keep us informed of their name, CURRENT mailing
address, and the
year they graduated. Send the information to Loren Johnson, 304 Nansue Rd,
Hershey NE
69143 or [email protected]. Our phone # is 306-368-5440.
Newsletter information? Email Diana Connell at [email protected]
Help save our planet! Go paperless our website is www.hpspanthers.org
It is the policy of the Hershey Public School District not to discriminate on the basis of gender, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, age or national origin in its education programs,
administration, policies, employment or other agency programs.
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