Due to updates and our transition to Synergy, our new Student Information System, we are resending this newsletter to make sure all new and current families have been reached with this information. Thank you for your understanding while we work through this transition together! |
Welcome Back, Heritage Families!
We are excited to welcome our students and families back for another outstanding year at Heritage Elementary! A new school year brings fresh opportunities to learn, grow, build meaningful relationships, and create lasting memories together. This year, our theme is Soaring to New Heights, and we look forward to watching our students rise to new challenges and successes.
The first day of school for students is Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with an early dismissal at 11:40 AM. Please note that lunch will not be served on the first day.
We will also be hosting Kindergarten Round-Up on July 30th and 31st. We are excited to meet our newest learners and begin building connections with our incoming kindergarten families.
During the summer, the Heritage Elementary office will operate on a limited schedule through Thursday, July 30, and will be open most Tuesdays from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
We look forward to partnering with our families and making the 2026–27 school year a successful and rewarding experience for every student. Enjoy the remainder of your summer—we can’t wait to see you soon!
SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS!
Take care,
Ms. Woodrich
Heritage Principal
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July
- Thursday, July 30th - Kindergarten roundup (assigned times were given in parent night packet)
- Friday, July 31st - Kindergarten roundup (assigned times were given in parent night packet)
August
- Monday, August 3rd - SNACK MILK OPENS; see section below
- Monday, August 10th - Back to School Night; 5:00-6:00 PM - Bring student supplies
- Wednesday, August 12th - First Day; Dismissal at 11:40 AM (No Lunch)
- Friday, August 21st - SNACK MILK CLOSES for the district @ 4:00; See section below
- Monday, August 24th - PTO Meeting @ 6pm
- Thursday, August 27th - Picture Day; more details later
September
- Monday, September 7th - No School (Labor Day)
- Wednesday, September 9th - Early Dismissal; 11:40 AM
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We are excited to announce that our transition from NebSIS to Synergy is complete! We are ready for parents to activate Synergy ParentVUE accounts. This will also begin the process of Online Registration (OLR), formerly called student verification, for the 2026-2027 school year.
You should have received an email on Thursday, July 9th from Synergy with ParentVUE account activation directions. The email was sent to all parents in Synergy to the email we have on file in NebSIS. This email will guide you through activating your account. This video also explains how to activate your account: Activating Accounts. Each parent will need to activate their account separately in Synergy.
Once your ParentVUE account is activated, you will be able to update any information through OLR for the 2026-2027 school year. OLR will occur as part of your initial activation. You can also access OLR through the OLR tile in ParentVUE.
The information you previously reported in NebSIS has been transferred to Synergy. This is a video explaining the basics of navigating your ParentVUE account: ParentVUE Homepage Introduction. ParentVUE is accessible through a web browser or through a mobile app:
To be routed on a bus on the first day of school, transportation requests must be received by July 31st. Any requests received August 1st or later will be placed on a waitlist. Transportation requests are submitted through the OLR process.
If you need assistance, please refer to the ParentVUE User Guide or the ParentVUE videos referenced above. There is also a “Help” tab in the top right corner of each page that provides detailed information. If you need further assistance in the month of July, please contact the district office at 402-238-3044 or email synergy@bennps.org.
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Online Student Verification
All parents will be asked to complete the online Annual Student Verification process in July to ensure student records are accurate for the start of the school year. This will occur in Synergy for the 2026-27 school year.
Additional information about Synergy, including login credentials and step-by-step instructions were sent out to families in an email on July 9th.
Registration Days
- Elementary Schools will not have specific registration dates because this may be handled entirely online. If you need to drop off birth certificates or immunization, medication, and physical forms, the offices will be open periodically throughout the summer. Please call your child's school to schedule a time to meet with school staff.
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Transportation registration for 2026-27 is done when parents are completing their student verification in July.
To be routed on a bus on the first day of school, transportation requests must be received by July 31st. Any requests received August 1st or later will be placed on a waitlist. Transportation requests are submitted through the OLR process.
Bus Pass Reminders
- Bus passes are good through a student's senior year.
- Be sure to put your student's bus pass in a safe place after the last day of school!
- The transportation office will NOT create new bus passes until the 3rd week of school.
- Students who have been issued a bus pass and have lost it, are subject to a $25 replacement fee.
- There is no charge for the first initial bus pass.
2026-2027 Bus Routes
Families will receive a letter with the times and locations of pick-ups and drop-offs for each route. In order to ensure routes are as accurate as possible, letters will not be mailed until the week before school starts.
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- The elementary school day begins at 8:05 A.M.
- Students will be let in the building at 7:45 for breakfast.
- Students will be let in the building at 7:45 for clubs beginning after Labor Day.
- Walking Club and Reading Club begin after Labor Day.
- Supervision for students begins at 7:50 outside of the building. Please do not drop off prior to this time unless they are attending breakfast or a club at 7:45.
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ALL students will be let in the building at 8:00.
- K-1 will enter through the east side of the building. Grades 2-5 will enter through the main doors.
- The elementary school days ends at 3:07.
- Below is a map to help guide everyone for drop off and pick up.
Please refer to this map to know where to drop off and pick up students every school day. The parking spots are for any parents who would like to park in the front and walk up to get their child. If you are pulling up to get your child(ren) please stay in your vehicle and we will send all students to their appropriate cars. This makes our drop off and pick up more efficient for all.
If you have children that are in multiple grades we ask that they dismiss where the youngest sibling dismisses. For example, if you have a 4th, 2nd, and Kindergarten student. The 4th and 2nd grader will walk to the Kindergarten loop to dismiss with the younger sibling. Please also make sure to communicate this with the classroom teacher prior to the first day of school.
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Students are invited to eat breakfast and lunch at school daily. Daily breakfast prices for the 2026-2027 school year will be $2.15. Breakfast will be served from 7:45 to 8:00 am daily. If your child eats breakfast, they will not have time for a morning club. For lunch, students can enjoy our cafeteria options or bring a lunch of their own. Daily lunch prices for the 2026-2027 school year will be $3.05. If your child brings a cold or “packed” lunch from home and gets milk from the school, their account will be charged only for the milk. |
Families also have the option to purchase semester snack milk for their students. The cost is $53.40. This is separate from our lunch program and can be paid online. Students can get another milk during their class "snack time". Please see the attached document for more information on snack milk prices. All payments for lunch and snack milk will be done at myschoolbucks.com. You can start ordering 1st semester snack milk Monday, August 3rd. Once you log in, go to the school store and look for the carton of milk. 1st semester snack milk will completely shut off for the district on Friday, August 21st @ 4:00 PM. You will no longer be able to purchase it; NO exceptions. |
PTO Memberships for 26-27 are available: You can now purchase your Membership for the 26-27 school year. We would love you to JOIN OUR TEAM and welcome all parents, guardians, AND staff to become members of the PTO. You can purchase your membership on the PTO website today or through the MySchoolBucks App. We are also excited to bring back our Membership drive. Simply complete all of the checklist items on the PTO Flyer and return to PTO for a chance to win a giftcard!! |
2026 FUN RUN Fundraiser: Be on the lookout for information on the FUN RUN Fundraising program on our Facebook page in July & August. This will detail the prizes, incentives and experiences that students will be eligible for this September!! If you know a local business that would love to support our students through a Corporate Sponsorship, please check out the Sponsorship Levels available. |
Save the Dates: Kindergarten Roundup and Verification Days will be held on Thursday, July 30th & Friday, July 31st. More information about your specific date and time will be sent out from the school. Please stop by the PTO table and pick up a special gift for your Kindergartner or new student from the PTO and get some information about our organization.
Back to School Night will be held on Monday, August 10th at 5:00pm. Come drop off your school supplies and meet your teachers. And make sure to stop by the PTO table to sign up for your membership, grab your membership gift, and check out our ONLINE Badger Boutique for all your new Badger gear for the 26/27 school year!
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26/27 PTO Committee Positions are STILL AVAILABLE - Looking to take on a bigger role in PTO? We are still looking for a few more members to join our AMAZING committees. To learn more about the available committee, check out our website and click HERE to sign up for a committee position. We still have availability for our Yearbook, Fundraising, and Food Donation committees! |
Adopt the Lounge: Let’s STOCK THE LOUNGE for our Heritage Staff!! Our staff love snacks and drinks so let’s kick off the 26/27 school year with a fully stocked lounge! If you’d like to donate, please see our links below on how to donate.
1) The PTO created an Amazon Wishlist for easy purchase options which will be sent directly to the PTO. Just click and pay!
2) A SignUp Genius has been created if you prefer to shop while out and about. Click on the link HERE to purchase specific items for the lounge and then contact heritageptooutreach@gmail.com to coordinate a donation drop off. Thank you for helping to support our amazing Heritage staff!
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Baker’s/Kroger Partnership : We have been approved as a Community Rewards partner with Baker’s/Kroger Supermarkets! This is an exciting opportunity to exercise passive fundraising to funnel donations to Heritage. All you have to do is designate “Heritage Elementary PTO” (Org#: NU711) in the rewards section of your Shopper’s account - a portion of every transaction will be donated to Heritage on a quarterly basis! |
Bennington Public Schools has updated our procedures for volunteers working with students. We truly value the time and talents our parents and caregivers share with our school community! If you plan to volunteer at school this year-whether in the classroom, at events, or on a field trip-please take a moment to review the new procedures. If you would like to volunteer, simply complete this application form, sign it, and return it to the school office.
If you have filled out a form in the past and have already been approved, you're all set.-no need to complete it again. If you're not sure of your status or have any questions, our office staff is happy to help. Just give the office a call at 402-238-2095.
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The steps below outline what needs to happen before an individual can volunteer at any of our schools. Contact the school to discuss a volunteer opportunity.
Level I
- Level I volunteers are not required to complete a volunteer application form.
Level II
- Complete a volunteer application form and return it to the building Principal
- The building Principal will review the volunteer application and communicate with the volunteer applicant of the approval or denial of the request based on the application information and the volunteer's good standing with the district.
Level III
- Complete a volunteer application form and return it to the building Principal.
- The building Principal will review the volunteer application and submit the form to the District Office for a background check.
- The cost of the background check will be covered by the district.
- Complete the background check sent via email to the volunteer applicant by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
- Once received, click the link provided and the on-screen instructions will guide you through the background check process. This link will expire after 14 days.
- Please allow 2-3 weeks for the background check to be completed and results sent to the District.
- The building Principal will communicate with the volunteer applicant of the approval or denial of the request based on the application information, the volunteer's good standing with the district, and the results of the background check.
Volunteer activity can only begin AFTER the applicant receives an approval email from the building Principal and a Volunteer Level III background check is cleared. All volunteers must follow Bennington Public Schools guidelines regarding safe and responsible volunteerism.
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All information regarding upcoming Bennington community events, sports camps, and activities are posted on our district website, and shared through the weekly district newsletter, the Badger Update.
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Notice of Non-Discrimination
The Bennington Public School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, color, religion, veteran status, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, or other protected status in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Students: Mr. Dan Bombeck, Director of Student Services, 11620 North 156th Street, P.O. Box 309, Bennington, NE 68007 (402) 238-3044 ( dbombeck@bennps.org). Employees and Others: Dr. Matt Blomenkamp, Assistant Superintendent 11620 North 156th Street, P.O. Box 309, Bennington, NE 68007 (402) 238-3044 ( mblomenkamp@bennps.org). Complaints or concerns involving discrimination or needs for accommodation or access should be addressed to the appropriate Coordinator. For further information about anti-discrimination laws and regulations, or to file a complaint of discrimination with the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education (OCR), please contact the OCR at 601 East 12th Street, Room 353, Kansas City, MO 64106, (800) 368-1019 (voice), Fax (816) 426-3686, (800) 537-7697 (telecommunications device for the deaf), or ocr.kansascity@ed.gov.
Title IX
The Bennington Public School District is committed to offering employment and educational opportunity to its employees and students in a climate free of discrimination. Accordingly, unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation of any kind by District employees, including, co-workers, non-employees (such as volunteers), third parties and others is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated.
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