This week's top stories

Housing development year’s top story
A major housing development is starting to take shape on Aurora’s western edge as the year comes to a close, visible signs of a project local residents chose as the overwhelming favorite as the top story of 2021.
Gov. Pete Ricketts applauded community leaders in November for taking advantage of the state’s Rural Workforce Housing Fund to launch a 64-lot development project. Earlier in the year, the Aurora Housing Development Corporation was awarded a $1 million grant, which when combined with local pledges created a $2 million pool which will be used as a revolving loan fund for future housing projects.
The combination of all that effort created momentum toward the end of the year that easily grabbed the top spot in the News-Register’s annual news poll involving a random survey of local residents and community leaders.
(To see the other nine stories that earned a top spot, please see this week's front page!)

High Plains urges caution in comparing state test score data
High Plains Community School Supt. Kim Beran reflected on the district’s performance in statewide testing results made public last week, noting that the numbers offer a baseline of data included among several other factors when developing student instruction plans.
The Nebraska Department of Education posted results from its Nebraska- Student-Centered Assessment System (NSCAS), which revealed that High Plains students in grades 11 and 3-8 scored slightly below the statewide average in both English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. Across the state, 48 percent of students tested proficient in ELA and 46 percent in math, while at High Plains 45 percent of the students tested proficient in ELA and 32 percent tested proficient in math.

Lady Huskies win first dual at GINW
The Aurora girls wrestling team crossed off another first last week. 
The Lady Huskies competed in its first dual Dec. 21 at Northwest and secured its first-ever win at the same time, defeating the Vikings 48-18 with a ton of pinfalls. 
Aurora coach Derek Keasling was happy for his girls team to experience its first dual and the joy of winning at the same time. 
“It was exciting for them,” Keasling said. “It was unfortunate Northwest didn’t field a bigger lineup with injuries, but that happens. I was excited to see our girls compete. It was fairly even and we fought really hard.”
The night featured five contested matchups for the girls, two of which were won by Aurora. 
Kehlanee Bengtson made quick work of Emma Harb at 138, winning her match in 27 seconds. 
While that was the shortest match of the night, none of the contested battles went the distance. 

4R district speaks to pilot test scores report
The Aurora School District received its most recent set of test scores just like the districts around Hamilton County and the state of Nebraska.
But before one can look at the scores, a bit should be said about the change in the test overall and some background on why educators are seeing these particular scores and what they mean. 
“Let’s just start with a little bit of background on what the NDE is transitioning us to,” said Desiree Teahon, 4R curriculum director. “It’s going to be a name change (to start). It’s going from what you’ve heard us say is NSCAS -- the Nebraska Student Centered Assessment System -- to NSCAS Growth.” 
Before, she noted, the school gave the NWEA Map test, a “nationally normed” benchmark test that can be given three times a year if needed.
“So what you get back from that are scores that compare you to all other kids of the same grade across the nation,” Teahon continued.

To read more of any of this week's top stories, please see this week's print or e-edition!