January 30, 2026

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Friday Focus

Happy Friday, I hope everyone has had a great week. 

Last week I wrote about the DCAP and I wanted to share that document with you this week. Please take the time look it over. If you are doing something that fits with in the different sections, please let me know so I can add it, bonus points if you send me something to hyperlink as evidence. Le Mars DCAP 2025-2026

This week I started work on the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment or CLNA. This needs to be completed every 2 years for our Perkins grant. This is antoher requirement for our CTE teachers. This plan looks at different areas and we go through and rate ourselves, list our strengths and then items we need to work on. We also have to outline our Perkins budget for the next 2 fiscal years. 

Judd and Melissa have been busy with registration talks and starting the online registration process. I am asking you to show a 5 minute video Monday in advisory on the new Wells SchoolWorks program. Working with Wells, they have created 2 pathways our students can take. Learn more here: Wells SchoolWorks

ISASP will be here before you know it, please make sure you have taken the test security training through the ISASP portal. Mrs. Hill shared this out a few weeks ago. I will have her pull the report so we can see who still needs to complete this.

Recognizing Excellence

The Le Mars Foundation is currently seeking nominations for Employee of the Month. We have an incredible team here; please take a moment to nominate a colleague who goes above and beyond. You can find the nomination form here.

Key Dates to Remember

Feb. 4: Midterm (3rd Quarter)
Feb. 11: Inservice
Feb. 25: Inservice
Feb. 25: End of Trimester 2
April 1: Pass Plans due (Trimester 3 and Semester 2)
April 18: Prom

Have a great weekend!
Mark

Assistant Principal's Happenings


Things to Celebrate, part 1:
Gemini Nano Banana image creator AI is pretty good, but still has problems putting text into images it creates.  Nevertheless, the sentiment is still the same and the spirit of the Oregon Trail rings true.....




Things to Celebrate, part 2:
I had three instances this week of students going to a teacher to apologize for their behavior on their own.  To me, this is fruit of our staff-wide consistency using BoysTown methods.  

You should take pride in this -- you are helping young people mature into adults that recognize that their actions sometimes cause working relationships to be fractured and they are willing to make things right by being the first to take ownership of their actions and apologize.  This is huge!  

The easy route would be to simply assign consequences.  The more difficult work is to take a "long-view" of the student's growth and what is in their best interest, and taking time to get to the heart of their behavior.  Keep up the great work.

Things to Know:
Occasionally I give you an office discipline update.  I haven't run a report for a while, so this is since 10/31 - 1/28.

173 total office referrals:
49 Conferences with student/verbal warnings
8 ISS
13 OSS
8 Loss of Privilege
2 Other
93 detentions

Just for Fun:
I came back to my cart after a lengthy absence on Wednesday to see I had been ticketed.  Officer Vickery swears he had nothing to do with it.....

I've decided not to fight this unjust ticket in court.  I'm confident the judge would throw it out on the basis that my cart is a 1994 model, not the 2025 model cited.

So to our mystery meter maid or meter man I would like to pay my fine -- here you go....:). Thanks for the laugh!





Grateful for our team -

Moss


Upcoming Activities


Friday, Jan. 30
TBD - High School Honor Band - USD
4:00 pm JV Boy/Girl Basketball @ CB Abe Lincoln
5:15 pm Freshman Boy Basketball @ CB Abe Lincoln
5:30 pm Varsity Girl Basketball @ CB Abe Lincoln
7:00 pm Varsity Boy Basketball @ CB Abe Lincoln
7:00 pm Girl Wrestling Regionals - TBD

Saturday, Jan. 31
TBD - USD Honor Band
TBD -  State Jazz Choir Festival - Le Mars
9:30 am Boy Wrestling @ Kinsley-Pierson
10:00 am Boy/Girl Wrestling - Le Mars Invite

Monday, Feb. 2
TBD - High School State Show Choir
5:00 pm JV Boy Wrestling @ MOC

Tuesday, Feb 3
4:00 pm JV Boy/Girl Basketball vs. SC North
5:30 pm Freshman Boy Basketball vs. SC North
5:30 pm Varsity Girl Basketball vs. SC North
7:00 pm Varsity Boy Basketball vs. SC North

Wednesday, Feb. 4
TBD - HS Jazz Band Festival @ Morningside
TBD - HS Girl State Wrestling

Thursday, Feb. 5
3:30 pm Boy Bowling @ Sweet 16 Lanes
4:00 pm JV Boy/Girl Basketball @ Western Christian
5:30 pm Freshman Boy Basketball @ Western Christian
5:30 pm Varsity Girl Basketball @ Western Christian
7:00 pm Varsity Boy Basketball @ Western Christian

Friday, Feb. 6
TBD - Cyclone Honor Band
4:00 pm JV Boy/Girl Basektball @ SC West
5:15 pm Freshman Boy Basketball @ SC West
5:30 pm Varsity Girl Basketball @ SC West
7:00 pm Varsity Boy Basketball @ SC West

Saturday, Feb. 7
12:00 pm - Boy District Swimming @ Waukee
TBD - Cyclone Honor Band
8:00 am State Large Group Speech @ Cherokee

Monday, Feb. 9
TBD - State Jazz Choir - Spirit Lake 
4:00 pm Freshman Boy Basketball vs. Lewis Central
5:30 pm JV Boy Basketball vs. Lewis Central

Tuesday, Feb. 10
4:00 pm Freshman Boy Basketball @ CB TJ
4:00 pm JV Boy/Girl Basketball @ CB TJ
5:30 pm Varsity Girl Basektball @ CB TJ
7:00 pm Varsity Boy Basketball @ CB TJ
7:30 pm HS Jazz Concert

Thursday, Feb. 12
TBD - Northern Festival of Winds @ UNI

Friday, Feb. 13
TBD - Northern Festival of Winds @ UNI
4:30 pm JV Boy/Girl Basketball @ Spencer
5:00 pm Boys Swimming State Meet @ Iowa City
6:00 pm Varsity Girl Basketball @ Spencer
6:00 pm Freshman Boy Basketball @ Spencer
7:30 pm Varsity Boy Basketball @ Spencer

Saturday, Feb. 14
TBD - Nortern Festival of Winds @ UNI
8:00 am Crimson and Black @ Harlan
12:00 pm Boy Swimming State Meet @ Iowa City

Monday, Feb. 16
8:00 am NWIBA District Jazz Band @ LCHS

Tuesday, Feb. 17
6:00 pm Le Mars Dance Team Exphibition 

Thursday, Feb. 19
6:00 pm 9th Grade Honors Program Meeting

Friday, Feb. 20
8:30 pm Winter Dance

Saturday, Feb. 21
8:00 am All-State Large Group Speech @ Ames

Friday, Feb. 27
7:30 pm HS Vocal Concert

Saturday, Feb. 28
8:00 am Crimson and Black @ Heelan
8:00 am District IE Speech @ TBD

Thursday, March 5
7:30 pm HS Orchestra Concert

Saturday, March 7
8:00 am Crimson and Black @ Emmestburg Show Choir

Tuesday, March 10
6:30 pm NHS  Induction Ceremony

Saturday, March 14
8:00 am IHSSA State IE Speech - Denison

Tuesday, March 17
11:00 am Boy/Girl Track @ Mount Marty Indoor Meet

Saturday, March 21
8:00 am Crimson and Black @ Hinton Show Choir Competiton

Thursday, March 26
11:00 am Varsity Boy Track @ Mount Marty Indoor

Friday, March 27
11:00 am Varsity Boy/Girl Track @ Mount Marty Indoor

Saturday, March 28
8:30 am State Solo and Small Ensemble Festival - TBA

Monday, March 30
8:00 am All State IE Speech Festival - UNI

Tuesday, March 31
4:00 pm Boy/Girl Track @ Denison
7:00 pm boy Soccer @ Council Bluffs AL

Thursday, April 2
4:00 pm Boy Tennis @ Cherokee



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