Bluestem will run on the OPS middle school time schedule. All students, grades sixth through eighth, will start at 7:40 a.m. and end at 3:05 p.m.

Before school starts, students interested in breakfast will be served in the cafeteria from 7:10 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Students are not permitted in the building prior to 7:10 a.m.

After-school clubs, intramural, and activities will run from 3:15 p.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. Bluestem Middle School offers various after-school clubs and intramural activities (see last section of this Course Catalog). For seventh and eighth graders, after-school athletic practices will conclude by 5:00 (unless there is an away game). Late buses will depart at 5:15 p.m. Any eligible transportation student may sign up for the late bus. Students are not allowed in the building after 3:15 unless they are part of a supervised school activity or athletic event.

All students follow a basic alternating day block schedule. Rather than all classes meeting daily, classes meet every other day for extended “blocks” of time. This alternate-day schedule is also referred to as “A/B”. There are four blocks or periods each day. Because of the alternate day schedule, students may take eight classes at a time. Four classes are on A days and the other four classes are on B days.

Some advantages of this block schedule include a reduction in the number of classes students must attend and prepare for each day, and extended amounts of time for learning to apply knowledge through hands-on activities, group discussions, projects, and performance assessments. Block scheduling provides time for students who need more or less time to engage in learning; greater opportunities for some students to be accelerated; an increase of uninterrupted time for learning activities, extensive practice, and laboratory work; and blocks of time to allow and encourage teachers to use active teaching strategies and promote greater student involvement.

All new students to Bluestem will participate in an all-day orientation program on the first day of school. Student orientations will be held in August to provide students with knowledge about the school and programming. Also, students and parents will be invited to Meadowlark Welcome to answer questions, review course schedules, and to enhance familiarity with new processes (e.g., location of lockers and practice with their combination lock). During the summer, we host a Meadowlark Welcome Camp filled with fun hands-on preparation activities for middle school. Meadowlark Welcome Camp is for incoming sixth graders.

All courses are based upon content standards that align with the state of Nebraska academic content standards and for those of the Omaha school district. Content standards are what a student should know and be able to do in each course. Teachers will also know how to inform and improve instruction using a variety of assessments. Mastery of content standards is also measured through diagnostic assessments using an information management computer system called MAP (Measures of Academic Progress). The Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System (NSCAS) measures student proficiency. Student grades will be based in large part on the mastery of each course’s content standards. Students will have multiple opportunities to master the content standards during the course through reteaching activities. In addition, students who master the content standards quickly will have opportunities for extension activities that expand learning

Advisory is the time set aside in the schedule for students to be engaged with a single staff member in building relationships, setting and tracking academic goals, and developing social emotional skills. This is time well spent supporting student success and building connectedness. Bluestem Block Advisory activities give students a chance to focus attention on character development, decision-making, and life skills.