February 13, 2026

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Friday Focus

Happy Friday the 13th! I will be out of the building today, as I will be in Iowa City for the State Swim Meet. Tanner qualified in 2 individual events and he will swim prelims tonight. Tanner and Seth will be swimming their relays on Saturday.

As post-season wrap-ups conclude for our winter activities, we are officially shifting gears toward spring. For me, once spring sports hit, the school year seems to accelerate even faster.

On the administrative side, student registration is nearly complete. Once we have the majority of students registered, I will begin scheduling "number meetings" to finalize our sections and staffing needs.

AI & Legal Considerations: Protecting Student Privacy

On Tuesday, Adam and I attended the SAI Legal Lab, where we took a deep dive into the legal considerations of AI. Our primary takeaway involves FERPA compliance and the platform you choose to use:

  • Open AI Platforms (e.g., ChatGPT or personal Gmail accounts): Uploading student information into these platforms puts that data into the public domain. This is a FERPA violation and puts our district at risk.

  • Closed AI Platforms (e.g., Gemini via school account): When you are logged in with your school-issued account, Gemini operates as a closed platform, offering the security required for educational settings.

Important: Always double-check that you are logged into your professional account before using AI tools for school-related tasks.

New Technology: Meta Glasses & AI Notetakers

We also want to stay ahead of new hardware and software entering our hallways:

  • Meta Glasses: These AI-integrated glasses allow users to record video and take photos discreetly. Use of these falls under our current electronics policy. If you see a student wearing them, please notify Adam or me.

  • AI Note-Taking Apps: These programs can transcribe everything they hear in a room. While helpful for some, they pose a major privacy risk if they capture conversations not intended for transcription, potentially leading to further FERPA violations.

Please remain vigilant. If you notice students using unauthorized transcription tools on their Chromebooks or phones, please bring it to our attention.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. 16: No School
Feb. 25: Inservice
Feb. 25: End of Trimester 2
Mar. 10: NHS Induction Ceremony
Mar. 11: Inservice
Mar. 18: Evac Drill @ 2:05
Mar. 24-27: ISASP
April 1: Pass Plans due (Trimester 3 and Semester 2)
April 3-6: No School
April 15: Inservice
April 18: Prom
May 6: Inservice
May 11: Senior's Last Day of Regular Class
May 12-13: Senior Semester Tests
May 17: Graduation
May 20-22: Semester Tests Grades 9-11 (subject to change due to snow days)

Have a great weekend!
Mark

Assistant Principal's Happenings



Grateful for our team -

Moss


Upcoming Activities


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
10:00 am 3A Boy District Wrestling Meet @ CB AL
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

Monday, April 6
5:00 pm Girl JV Soccer vs. SBL
6:30 pm Girl Varsity Soccer vs. SBL

Tuesday, April 7
4:00 pm Boy/Girl Track @ SBL
4:00 pm Boy Tennis @ SBL
6:30 pm Boy Varsity Soccer @ SBL

Thursday, April 9
4:00 pm Boy Tennis @ SC North
5:00 pm Boy JV Soccer @ Spirit Lake
5:00 pm Girl JV Soccer vs. Spirit Lake
6:30 pm Boy Varsity Soccer @ Spirit Lake
6:30 pm Girl Varsity Soccer vs. Spirit Lake

Friday, April 10
5:00 pm Girl JV Soccer vs. Sioux Center
5:30 pm Boy JV Soccer @ Sioux Center
6:30 pm Girl Varsity Soccer vs. Sioux Center
6:45 pm Boy Varsity Soccer vs. Sioux Center

Saturday, Apirl 11
9:00 am Boy/Girl Track @ Sioux City Relays


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