April 27, 2019

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Happy Friday! A big thank you to our Junior Class Sponsors for helping organize, set up, and chaperone prom. A even bigger thank you to Nancy Isebrand for taking charge and making sure everything was done. It was great that it was pretty much uneventful for us.

 Just a reminder contracts for teachers are due on May 2. Contracts for everyone else are due on May 8. I will be glad to take them, or you can send them directly to Central Office. 

 With the last day of school now set for May 31, we will have semester exams on May 30 and May 31. May 29 will be the students' last day of class. Students will check out that day. We will run the advisory schedule, but will use that time to clean lockers. Please be out in the hallways while this is being done. We will not sign the lockers off at that time since they will have books left for later classes. Lockers then will be checked out after lunch. 

 The seniors' last day of class is still May 14, then they will test on the 15th and 16th. I did have a little fun with them at the class meeting and told them since we had missed so many days, they also had to make up the time. They didn't see the humor in that. Anyway, Mr. Martin has agreed to proctor tests. Please use the Senior semester test list Mr. Utesch sent to indicate what class the student has to take. If you are giving a scantron test, he will run it through the machine for you, but you will still need to get the test data on your own. Let the student know you if you would prefer they test in your room. Seniors will be expected to take most of their tests on Tuesday. Students that have to take more than 4 tests can test on Wednesday. Wednesday's testing will end at noon since we have in-service that day.
Have a great weekend!
Mark


Staff News

Please keep Dorene Schimek and family in your thoughts, Paul's father passed away last weekend in Minnesota.

 Please keep the Kopperud family in your thoughts as Judd's grandfather passed away last week.

 Melessa Tyler has decided to resign her aide position at the end of this school year. We wish her luck!

Staff as Learners

Students as Leaders

Mr. Oetken took several members to the State FFA Conference in Ames earlier this week. Students attending were: Christian Koch, Claire Ohlrichs, Whitney Ten Napel, Kerstin Thoms, Jaiden Davison, Kaleb Koerselman, Camden Schroeder, Mia Haage, and Jada Tirre.

Assistant Principal's Happenings

Five Ways to Deal with Spring Fever in the Classroom:(https://www.apperson.com/.../five-ways-to-deal-with-spring-fever-in-the-classroom)

 1. Power in numbers - have your students work in pairs rather than groups.  Pairs will allow learning to be collaborative and productive, while groups give an opportunity for distraction and off task behaviors.

 2. Keep it Moving - Kids need to move - get all kids involved by asking questions and having them use movement in response to questions (toe tapping, wiggle ears, etc...)  Remember that activity requires more than 15 minutes of sitting still.

 3. Shared Responsibility - Give your students who like to cause issues special duties in the classroom (hand out papers, bring note to office, etc...).  If you can get them focused on something other than their next disruption, you can keep the entire class under control.

 4. Brief Activities - Be realistic!  This is not the time of year for a novel study or month long project - pack in movement and hand-on exploration as much as possible.  Matching the student's energy will make for a more productive day of learning.

 5. End of Year Theme - Develop an end of the year theme centered on things that interest your students (super heroes, movies, etc...).  You would be surprised what a little fun may do when tied to your curriculum at the end of the year - students stay focused and they learn!

 Student council and class officer voting will take place on Monday, April 30th.  Please allow students access to computers so that they may vote for their class and school representation for next school year.  Students will have till 3:00 pm to cast their votes.  Mrs. Isebrand will send out the notification and ballots via school e-mail to the students.


Librarian's News

Are you planning on trips this summer and want some great books to listen to? Try SYNC. AudioFile Publications offers free audiobooks for teens 13+. In case you are not into YA lit, there are many classics that you may remember having at least heard the title, such as Macbeth and The Scarlet Letter. Two titles are offered free each week from April 26 through July 25. Check out their website, or text syncYA to 25827 to receive the Title alerts. Please share this resource with your students!

 Although the school year is extended, we will still require all library books to be returned by May 23. This gives us time to round up the many books that will still be out after Memorial Day. Seniors' will need to return all library books by May 4, unless they need them for a class project or have made arrangements with library staff. The office is trying to get all accounts cleared ASAP for seniors. 

Success Center Update

This quote was shared with me last week, and I wanted to share it with all of you.  I thought it particularly relevant as we approach the end of the year.

 "I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom.  It's my personal approach that creates the climate.  It's my daily mood that makes the weather.  As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a student's life miserable or joyous.  I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.  I can humiliate or humor, or hurt or heal.  In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a student humanized or de-humanized." - Haim Ginott

Instructional Coaches Corner

Upcoming Events

Friday, April 27
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Girl Tennis vs. Spirit Lake
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Boy Tennis @ Spirit Lake
- 4:15 pm Boys Varsity/JV Track vs. Harris Lake Park, HMS, OABCIG, and Spencer in Le Mars
4:30 pm Girls Varsity/JV Track @ Spencer

Saturday, April 28
- 9:00 am Varsity/JV Boy Golf @ Lake Creek Country Club
- 9:00 am Varsity Girl Tennis @ Spirit Lake - Lakes Conference Meet
- 9:00 am Varsity Boy Tennis @ Spencer - Lakes Conference Meet

Monday, April 30
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Girl Golf vs ELC and Storm Lake @ Willow Creek
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Boy Golf @ Brooks Golf Course
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Girl Tennis vs. Spencer
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Boy Tennis @ Spencer
- 5:00 pm Varsity/JV Boy/Girl Track @ Storm Lake

Tuesday, May 1
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Girl Golf @ Cherokee
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Boy Golf vs. Cherokee @ Willow Creek
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Girl Tennis vs. Storm Lake
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Boy Tennis @ Storm Lake

 Wednesday, May 2
- 10:00 am Varsity Girl Golf @ Whispering Creek Sioux City
Thursday, May 3
- 12:00 pm Varsity Boy Golf vs. a bunch of schools @ Willow Creek
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Girl Tennis @Storm Lake
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Boy Tennis vs. Storm Lake
- 4:30 pm Varsity/JV Boy/Girl Track @ Spirit Lake - Lakes Conference Meet

Friday, May 4
- 3:30 pm State Large Group Contest in Le Mars

Saturday, May 5
- 8:30 am Varsity/JV Girl Tennis @ Spencer
- 8:30 am Varsity/JV Boy Tennis vs. Spencer

Monday, May 7
- 10:00 am Varsity/JV Girls Golf @ Lake Creek
- 10:00 am Varsity/JV Boy Golf @ Brooks Golf Course
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Girl Tennis vs. ELC
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Boy Tennis @ ELC

Tuesday, May 8
- 7:30 pm HS Vocal Concert

 Wednesday, May 9
- 8:00 am Varsity Boy Tennis District @ Spirit Lake

Thursday, May 10
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Girl Golf @ Lake Creek Country Club
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Girl Tennis @ ELC
- 4:00 pm Varsity Boy/Girl Track @ MOC - State Qualifying

Monday, May 14
- Senior's last day of regular class
- 5:30 pm Girl Track Banquet

Tuesday, May 15
- Senior Semester Test
- Speech/Thespians Banquet 

Wednesday, May 16
- Senior Semester Test
- 2 Hour Early Out
- 8:00 am Varsity Girl Tennis - Districts - TBA
- 6:30 pm Senior Awards Night

Thursday, May 17
- 9:00 am Senior Graduation Practice

Sunday, May 20
- 3:00 pm Commencement

Monday, May 21
- 4:00 pm Varsity/JV Baseball @ SC East
- 6:00 pm Varsity/JV Softball @ SC East

Tuesday, May 22
- 5:30 pm Varsity/JV Baseball vs. SBL
- 5:30 pm Varsity/JV Softball @ Boyden-Hull

Wednesday, May 23
- 5:30 pm Varsity/JV Baseball @ Sheldon
- 5:30 pm Varsity/JV Softball @ Sheldon

Friday, May 25
- TBD Varsity Softball @ Heelan Tournament

Saturday, May 26
- TBD Varsity Softball @ Heelan Tournament
- 3:00 pm Varsity/JV Baseball vs. Heelan

Monday, May 28
- No School
- 1:00 pm Freshmen Baseball vs SC West
- 5:15 pm Varsity/JV Baseball vs. SC West

Tuesday, May 29
- 5:30 pm Varsity/JV Baseball @ Rock Valley
- 5:30 pm Varsity/JV Softball vs. SBL

Wednesday, May 30
- Semester Test Day 1

Thursday, May 31

 - Semester Test Day 2
- 12:30 pm Freshmen Softball @ SC East

Friday, June 1
- TBD - Varsity Softball @ SC West Tournament
- 12:00 pm Freshmen Baseball/Softball vs. Sheldon
- 5:15 pm Varsity/JV Baseball vs. Spirit Lake

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