Nebraska First Lady Sally Ganem visited Norris Elementary School on Thursday, May 2nd.  A former Elementary Principal, Mrs. Ganem, wife to Governor Dave Heineman, was right at home as she gave an expressive reading of several popular children's titles.  She further entertained the students as she extemporaneously fielded questions from the student audience, and regaled the grade level groups with stories about the Governor and humorous asides about domestic life in the Governor's residence.  She read to groups in multiple locations, including the school's Media Center, gymnasium, and Multi-Purpose Room.  

 

After reading to students, the First Lady checked out Norris Elementary, escorted by Principal Dr. Bob Brandt, and then went from there to Norris Middle School, where she observed the Grab & Go breakfast, a recent state School Breakfast Challenge winning program, learning about its particulars from Principal Mary Jo Rupert. Mrs. Ganem expressed her excitement for the expansion of in-class, in-day school breakfast programs and heard the enthusiasm of students who described how the mid-morning breakfast program helps them feel better and think better by offering them a needed nutritional break in the morning.

 

First Lady Ganem also spoke with 2013-14 PK-2 principal & Special Education Director (current MS AP) Brenda Tracy about the district's expanded preschool programming, which was supported by state resources through a competitive grant process.  In the spring of 2012, the district was just one of 11 in the state to win support for its expanded early childhood interventions through preschool, winning $52,000 to support the initiative that has proven beneficial to the growing birth to five student population.