March 2025

Summer 2020 showed us the power of a united focus.

While facing incredible uncertainty, we deployed 1:1 technology, developed robust health and safety protocols, served hundreds of thousands of meals and more – all to return to learning as soon as possible in our new normal.

That united focus changed how we approached our work.

Since then, we reflected.

• What if we applied that same attention and energy to improvement?
• Rather than adding new initiatives and strategies on top of everything else, how could we narrow the focus and sharpen our attention?
• How could that mobilize every single staff member, our students, families and community toward a shared vision for the future?

In 2024, the conversation turned to, “what is the one focus that unlocks everything else?”

We talked with our Board of Education, staff, principals, families, students, partners and community members. We turned to the experts right here in our district, in Omaha and beyond.

Literacy rose to the top.

Whether a student is learning English or taking Advanced Placement English, literacy opens every opportunity that follows.

In August, we made it official. Like the original Moonshot rallied Americans to land a person on the moon and get them safely home, our call is to make sure every student reads on grade level by 2030.

This edition of Inside OPS shows our work so far. It includes deep, authentic engagement with staff, families and partners to build the plan together. We’re also taking you inside schools as they teach reading in new ways, building stronger connections with families.

As you read this edition of Inside OPS, know how committed we are to every student’s success through this united focus on improvement. All means all.

Matthew Ray

Superintendent

Omaha Public Schools

Omaha Public Schools Reaches for the Stars with 'Moonshot' Literacy Goal

When this school year began, Superintendent Matthew Ray welcomed staff and shared a big goal—working together to achieve all Omaha Public Schools students reading at grade level by 2030. He outlined his vision for our district's "Moonshot."

"For me, it was about narrowing the biggest impact on the students we serve, and that was around literacy," Ray explained. "Literacy connects everything. It's the throughline to everything we do."

In the months before our district’s Moonshot announcement, staff publicly presented data that underlined the importance of this work. They shared assessment scores, which revealed that only 38% of third through eighth graders at Omaha Public Schools were proficient in reading and writing during the 2022-23 school year.

"We realize we have to raise the level of all students reading at grade level and also invest in closing the gap," said Omaha Public Schools Chief School Improvement Officer Susanne Cramer. "Our Moonshot is a big, ambitious and audacious goal - a singular focus for our district. This isn't just about launching a new initiative or a new program. It's about making literacy a top priority across the entire district."

While identifying literacy as the goal, and since that time as our district develops a plan to achieve it, leaders sought input and gathered feedback from staff, families, students and partners.

"We knew that we needed to bring people along and bring in experts, and those experts work in the Omaha Public Schools," said Ray. "Everyone in the organization will be and is working towards this goal."

Moonshot work extends beyond district walls. Omaha Public Schools has also engaged community partners.

"Our community partners have shown readiness and willingness to support our students and families," said Cramer. "As we work toward our Moonshot, they will be crucial to moving this forward together."

Staff reviewed feedback from the ongoing outreach and recently presented three steps that move this work forward. The work includes developing strong leaders at every level to guide this initiative, fostering stronger family connections and strengthening student-centered learning environments where each young person’s needs and experiences are prioritized.

"Having all of the stakeholders involved in this process and getting to hear input and feedback is so important in building a sense of community, especially with our teachers who are in the classrooms every day," said Jennifer Pudenz, a literacy lead coach at Highland and Conestoga Elementary.

The input, feedback and advice from staff and community members helped identify current challenges and areas for growth, such as inconsistencies within our district.

"This tells us how people feel about where we are and where we need to go to reach our Moonshot," said Cramer.

Our district is committed to ensuring every student has the opportunities and supports to achieve this goal.

"The word 'all' means that we believe all kids can learn and grow," said Cramer. "The student experience, for all students, matters. Our work for all students matters. And we're not assuming, from the beginning, failure of any group of students."

Superintendent Ray says literacy is at the heart of learning and overlaps with math, science and other core subjects.

"We can easily connect it to everything the student does and their experience at the Omaha Public Schools," said Ray. "This is not a hashtag or a gimmick. We are committed to making this goal and using terms of when, not if, we reach this goal."

Building Strong Readers Throughout Omaha Public Schools

Magic is in the air as families enter Adams Elementary’s gymnasium for a literacy night. The event shares strategies to build stronger reading skills at home. Fourth grader Simon Beck, excited to draw a picture on a new canvas book tote, attended the event with his mom.

“I’m thinking of drawing a book and saying, ‘do not disturb, I’m reading,’” Beck explained. He says reading is his favorite thing to do.

“There are so many imaginary settings, characters and worlds that you can explore that you otherwise can’t in real life,” said Beck. “It’s important to know how to read so you can enjoy the imaginary world of authors and other people’s minds.”

As part of the school’s Family Literacy Night, each student received a copy of Malcolm Mitchell’s “The Magician’s Hat.” Families also participated in fun literacy-focused games and imaginative arts and crafts centered around a magical theme.

“In my classroom, we have ‘disappearing literacy.’ They'll write on paper with a white crayon and then reveal what they wrote or drew with watercolor,” said Abigail Mitchel, Adams Elementary kindergarten teacher.

For Andrea Pafeka, Beck’s mother, there was a lot of excitement leading up to the event.

“It’s great because it gives all our families a chance to be in school and talk to other parents,” said Pafeka. “It’s another way to get the kids excited about reading and a good way to build community.”

Mitchel says learning to read is a partnership that extends beyond the classroom and involves families and teachers working together.

“We want to provide our families with the opportunity to practice these skills with their kids at home,” said Mitchel. “It's important for us as teachers to build a relationship with the community that is our school.”

Family Literacy Night is just one of many ways our schools engage families as partners in promoting literacy to support academic progress.

Omaha Public Schools implemented a new English Language Arts (ELA) and reading curriculum this fall. For kindergarten through second grade students, this includes learning materials focused on structured literacy.

“It contains fundamental skills children need as they learn to read,” said Miki Holbeck, Omaha Public Schools coordinator of structured literacy. “So, letters and sounds, how to blend sounds to make words and how to read and write words and sentences.”

In October, staff presented to the Board of Education about structured literacy and how it's taught in our schools. Structured literacy has three key parts:

• First, teachers directly explain the skills students are learning and model how to do it.
• Second, after modeling, students practice the skills with teacher support until they can do it independently.
• Third, teachers measure how well students have learned the skill.

“We’re seeing a lot of success in our classrooms,” said Meagan Bakhit, Adams Elementary principal. “It’s a true indicator if they’re able to read and if they can reproduce that in their writing. It’s showing great evidence that this is working.”

The updated curriculum includes new activities and tools that help students practice reading and writing in all subjects, making literacy a focus in every classroom. This investment reflects Omaha Public Schools' commitment to continuous improvement, ensuring every student has access to resources that support success.

District News

Omaha Public Schools Athletes Shine at State Competitions



Omaha Public Schools proudly celebrates the incredible achievements of all our student-athletes who competed in the 2025 NSAA State Championships for wrestling and bowling!

Taryn Stern made history by clinching Westview High’s first-ever state title with her victory at the 2025 Bowling Class A Individual State Championships. 

In wrestling, five students earned first place in their weight categories:

• Abdi Unle, Bryan High
• Two-time state champion
• Tyson Terry, North High
• Four-time state champion
• Jermaine Dortch, North High
• Kalynn Lyons, Westview High
• Audre Herron, Westview High

We are proud of the dedication and hard work of all Omaha Public Schools student-athletes.

Celebrating Art in Our Schools

March is a celebration for the arts in Omaha Public Schools as we recognize Youth Art Month.

High school students in Nebraska earned awards for their submissions in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Students submitted artwork in 16 categories, including sculpture, photography, painting, hand drawing, film and animation and portfolios. 

The winning pieces are displayed at Omaha Public Schools Teacher Administrative Center through March, alongside art from students throughout Nebraska. Visit our district’s social media pages to view some of this year’s entries.

Students Prepare for Spring Theater Performances

The talented staff and students of Omaha Public Schools are hard at work bringing spring performances to the stage. Here is a full list of shows happening around the district.

• Beveridge Middle
• Matilda, Jr.: April 24-25
• Marrs Middle
• Sherlock Holmes and the First Baker Street Irregulars: April 30-May 1
• Lewis & Clark Middle
• Trailblazer Showcase: April 4
• 8th Grade One Act: May 1-2
• Bryan High
• Urinetown: March 28-30
• Silenced on Barber Street: May 2-4
• Buena Vista High
• Lucky Stiff: April 4-6
• Murder Mystery Dinner Theater: May 9
• Burke High:
• Chicago Teen Edition: 4-6
• Trolls Rockstar Unified Theater: May 2
• Central High
• Puffs: April 25-26
• Central Folktales from Around the World - April 3
• Northwest High
• Tuck Everlasting: March 27-29
• Student Written One Act: May 2 and 9
• South High
• Tuck Everlasting: April 3-5
• Westview High
• Addams Family: April 25-27
• Senior Showcase: May 2

2025 Summer Opportunities in the Omaha Public Schools

Omaha Public Schools provides many opportunities for students throughout

summer recess, including advanced academics, performing arts and Next Level Learning (NLL).

• To learn more about the opportunities available, visit ops.org/summer.

Our Community Opportunities section is our digital bulletin board where families can find information about upcoming events and activities available in our area. New flyers are posted at the beginning of each month. This month's flyers include:

• Omaha KROC Summer Day Camp
• Girl Scouts BFF Day Camps
• Ralston Girls Softball registration

Omaha Public Schools provides this opportunity for outside organizations for the benefit of our families. It does not endorse any business, product or service.

Superintendent Matthew Ray extends

congratulations to...

… to Jacob Lang of Bryan High for winning first place at the 2025 Microsoft Office Specialist PowerPoint State Championship.

… to Kevin Hansen, Omaha Public Schools head diving coach, for being inducted into the 2025 Metro Conference Swim-Dive Hall of Fame.

… to Izzy Worden of Central High for being selected for the Nebraska Young Artist Award in Vocal Music from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

… to all Omaha Public Schools students who earned a National Merit Scholarship Finalist award.

• Hugh Lowe-Weyand, Central High
• Mary McGill, Central High
• Audra Morrison, North High
• Ellis Yamamoto, North High
• Jay Peters, South High

… to all Omaha Public Schools students who received recognition in the Scholastic Art Awards.

… to Owen Johnson of Central High for placing at the NSAA State Diving Championship.

… to all Omaha Public Schools journalism students who earned awards at the Nebraska State JEA Winter Contest.

• Kyra Carpenter, Bryan High
• Maryann Bautista, Bryan High
• Morgan Sagitteh, Burke High
• Johanna Frandeen, Burke High
• Mari Carr, North High
• Audra Morrison, North High
• Ellie Yamamoto, North High
• Taryn Stern, Westview High
• Maggie King, Westview High
• Cora Vobejda, Westview High
• Sydney Phillips, Westview High
• Tessa Wilcox, Westview High
• Mya Green, North High
• Sarah Willert, North High

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