December 15, 2017

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Happy Friday! Just a few reminders, next week we have last building extra hour meeting of 2017 on Wednesday. I have a Lakes Conference Principal's meeting today and will be gone after 9:30 am. I should be back around 2:30 pm. If there is something you are wondering about how our other conference schools do something, please let me know before then and I will see what I can find out. We also have our Snoball dance tonight after the basketball games in Carey Gym. 

 On Monday, the music department will be performing their annual Holiday Concert. Concert starts at 7:30 and it is in the competition gym.

Erin Ohrlund and the Thespians will be performing "The Semi-Amazing, Sort-of-Sensational, Almost Unbelievable Christmas Spectacular!" on December 22. Mr. Utesch will get dismissal information out soon. Students will need to pay a $1 to attend the play like in the past.

 As I have been talking with the students who are struggling in class with their grades, I have been asking them why they are not taking the retake opportunity on their tests. I have heard a variety of reasons, but a few feel that the amount of work they have to do to retake and then keep up with current work doesn't make this possible. I know the retake option is left up to the discretion of the teacher, but we don't want to make it so much work the students don't want to do it. Remember the purpose of our grades is to indicate student learning. We want to encourage the students that learning never stops and you can always learn content to a higher degree, "growth mindset". Please examine what you are asking students to do in order to earn the retake. We don't want to use the retake policy and reinforce the "fixed mindset" with our students. The retake also doesn't have to be the entire test. For instance if I am in a math class and I mess up one one type of problem, why not focus on just those types of problems? 

 I encourage you to discuss this during your next department PLC time (what do you do before allowing retakes) and please include the discussion in the minutes. 

 Have a great weekend!

Mark 

Staff News

Staff as Learners

Students as Leaders

Mr. Moss is taking his Integrated Physics students are visiting one of Mid-America's wind turbines by Primghar today.

Assistant Principal's Happenings


Librarian's News

As student council advisor, I want to thank all of you who help with our Support Siouxland Soldier drive. Here is a personal thank you from one of the recipients:  To all who participated,

 I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to
help with this program.  It is valued so much when you can see a little bit
of home when we are away.  I received your package and it was such a delight
picking through all the goodies.  The jerky was my favorite.  I shared the
box with people in my section.  It was like a pack of wolves attacked it.  I
think the entire box was gone or spoken for within a couple days.

 I personally am from Sioux City so I know all about the Ice Cream Capital of
the world.  Attached you will find me holding a little piece of home I
actually found here in Guam. (picture of him holding a box of ice cream treats)

 The men and women of the armed forces are very thankful for communities such
as ours who reach out and support each other.  Thank you LeMars Student
council and staff.  Your act of kindness definitely has made a difference.
Please tell your community helpers and sponsors thank you as well.

 If any of you would like to learn more about the 185 Air Refueling Wing in
Sioux City I would be happy to tell you more and get you some very valuable
information on college benefits that the Air National Guard provides.

 Once again, Thank you to all for the wonderful package.  I hope your
holidays are brighter knowing that you have made our stay away from family
and friends just a little bit better.

 Brian Harder, SMSgt
Attachments area

Success Center Update


Instructional Coaches Corner

Interested in doing some drag and drop activities such as sorting , sequencing, sentence completion, and labeling & annotation using Google Docs? Check out this two minute video describing how you can do it.

 Are a huge proportion of Android apps tracking you? Click here to read more.

 What do you get when you merge a lie detector, a job application and a mobile app? Click here to find out.

  If you are a user of Google's Chrome Apps I'm sorry to say that Google is killing them...for good.

 Factitious is a game that tests your news sense. The goal of the game is to test your ability to detect fake news from real news.

 Read Across the Aisle is an iOS and Android app that acts like a Fitbit of your reading habits. It helps you to see the partisan bias of your news sources, track your own political news bias over time, find high-quality news sources on the left and right, and get periodic reminders to read news from sources on "the other side"Just as your Fitbit reminds you to get up and walk around after an hour of inactivity, this app will notice when you’ve gotten a little too comfortable in your filter bubble—and it’ll remind you to go see what other folks are reading.

 Have a great weekend!

Articles Worth Reading

Ten Creative Alternatives to Showing Movies Before Break - I had this shared with me and it has some excellent ideas.

 Helping Struggling Students Build a Growth Mindset

Upcoming Events

Friday, December 15
- 4:45 pm JV Boy/Girl Basketball vs. Storm Lake
- 6:15 pm Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Storm Lake
- 7:45 pm Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Storm Lake
- 9:00 pm Snoball Dance

Saturday, December 16
- 12:00 pm Robotics in Old MS Gym
- Varsity/JV Wrestling @ Spencer
- 10:15 am Freshmen Boys Basketball vs. Heelan

Monday, December 18
- 7:00 pm HS Holiday Concert
- 3:30 pm Varsity/JV Bowling vs. Sioux Central

Tuesday, December 19
- 4:45 pm JV Boy/Girl Basketball vs. Spirit Lake
- 6:15 pm Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Spirit Lake
- 7:45 pm Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Spirit Lake

Thursday, December 21
- 4:45 pm JV Boy/Girl Basketball vs. Heelan
- 5:00 pm Varsity/JV Wrestling @ Akron Westfield
- 6:15 pm Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Heelan
- 7:45 pm Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Heelan

 Thursday, January 4
- 3:30 pm Varsity/JV Bowling @ Remsen
- 4:45 pm Freshmen Girl Basketball @ MOC
- 6:00 pm JV Girl Basketball @ MOC
- 6:00 pm Varsity/JV Wrestling @ Western Christian
- 7:30 pm Varsity Girl Basketball@ MOC

 Friday, January 5
- 2:00 pm Varsity Girl Basketball vs. Sioux City East @ Tyson Event Center
- 4:15 pm JV Boy Basketball @ Sioux City East
- 7:15 pm Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Sioux City East @ Tyson Event Center

 Saturday, January 6
- NWI HS Honor Band @ Sioux City
- 10:30 am Varsity/JV Wrestling @ West Sioux

 Monday, January 8
- 6:00 pm Freshmen Girl Basketball @ Gehlen
- 7:00 pm Freshmen Boy Basketball @ Gehlen

 Tuesday, January 9
- 4:45 pm JV Boy/Girl Basketball vs. Sioux Center
- 6:15 pm Varsity Girl Basketball vs. Sioux Center
- 7:45 pm Varsity Boy Basketball vs. Sioux Center

 Thursday, January 11
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Bowling @ Spencer

 Friday, January 12
- 4:45 JV Boy/Girl JV Basketball @ Western Christian
- 6:15 pm Varsity Girl Basketball @ Western Christian
- 7:45 pm Varsity Boy Basketball @ Western Christian

 Saturday, January 13
- 9:00 am Freshmen Girl Basketball vs. Sioux City East
- 10:00 am Varsity/JV Wrestling - Le Mars Invite
- 10:15 am Freshmen Boy Basketball vs. Sioux City East

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