16
December, 2015 From the Desk of Tom Wood, Superintendent Needs Assessment Survey I wanted to thank all of you who took the time to complete the needs assessment survey and submit comments last month. The results are being analyzed and shared with stakeholder groups in the district to help us continue quality service to families and students as well as improve on the identified areas. As educators our goal is to consistently and continually improve practice and feedback from students, parents, staff, board members, and the community is a key to that. Summary of Results Some of the summary findings are included below. This is not a complete list but rather a compilation of common themes and ideas that were identified in the survey. The Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) assisted with the results and offered recommendations too. There were several strengths: 1. Almost three-quarters of staff members believe that there is a shared understanding of improvement efforts. 2. Over 75% of staff believe that virtually all students can learn at high levels. 3. Almost all respondents in all three groups believe that the school board can have a positive impact on student achievement. 4. Over 75% of parents and students say that parents are well informed of their student‟s progress. 5. Nearly all parents and staff members agree that parents must be partners in education. There were also areas that were identified as needing to improve. IASB‟s recommendations for those improvements follow: 1. Create urgency and consensus among all stakeholders around the belief that virtually all students can learn at high levels, that barriers can be overcome, and that major improvements can and will be made in student achievement. 2. Place major emphasis on effective instruction, the content and rigor of the Iowa Core Standards, and on active student engagement in the classroom. 3. Continue to improve the assessment system to align to the content and rigor of the Iowa Core Standards. 4. Insure that all stakeholders understand how they have a voice in decision making. While these nine points are not inclusive of every response that was submitted, these are drawn from the common themes in the survey choices and open-ended responses that were gathered. Surveys such as these reflect the perception of the people taking it; as perceptions vary, so did the responses. However, we are taking the feedback seriously and are creating plans to address these needs. Your continued help and support will assist us in seeing these plans through. Next Steps School Improvement Plans will be drafted, edited, and finalized with the School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) and the school board. These plans will help shape our professional development as administrators, school board, and teachers. In addition, you will see future newsletters and communications that address these issues regularly. Finally, I invite anyone who has questions to call me or either one of our principals, set up a time to come in, and discuss what is on your mind. Our goals are very much in line with those of our parents, and that is to provide the best education to students at Martensdale-St. Marys. As a district we will strive to continually improve, and as a superintendent I will do the same. Your feedback and assistance with this is crucial. Sometimes a simple conversation can get the ball rolling when it comes to change. With that, I invite any community members or parents to come in for a cup of coffee and talk; I do want to hear from you. Thank you for your continued support; the families of MStM make this school a great place to be!

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Page 1: December, 2015 From the Desk of Tom Wood, Superintendent ...December, 2015 From the Desk of Tom Wood, Superintendent Needs Assessment Survey ... The Martensdale-St. Marys District

December, 2015

From the Desk of Tom Wood,

Superintendent

Needs Assessment Survey

I wanted to thank all of you who took the time to complete the

needs assessment survey and submit comments last month.

The results are being analyzed and shared with stakeholder

groups in the district to help us continue quality service to

families and students as well as improve on the identified

areas. As educators our goal is to consistently and continually

improve practice and feedback from students, parents, staff,

board members, and the community is a key to that.

Summary of Results

Some of the summary findings are included below. This is not

a complete list but rather a compilation of common themes

and ideas that were identified in the survey. The Iowa

Association of School Boards (IASB) assisted with the results

and offered recommendations too. There were several

strengths:

1. Almost three-quarters of staff members believe that

there is a shared understanding of improvement

efforts.

2. Over 75% of staff believe that virtually all students

can learn at high levels.

3. Almost all respondents in all three groups believe

that the school board can have a positive impact on

student achievement.

4. Over 75% of parents and students say that parents are

well informed of their student‟s progress.

5. Nearly all parents and staff members agree that

parents must be partners in education.

There were also areas that were identified as needing to

improve. IASB‟s recommendations for those improvements

follow:

1. Create urgency and consensus among all stakeholders

around the belief that virtually all students can learn

at high levels, that barriers can be overcome, and that

major improvements can and will be made in student

achievement.

2. Place major emphasis on effective instruction, the

content and rigor of the Iowa Core Standards, and on

active student engagement in the classroom.

3. Continue to improve the assessment system to align

to the content and rigor of the Iowa Core Standards.

4. Insure that all stakeholders understand how they have

a voice in decision making.

While these nine points are not inclusive of every response

that was submitted, these are drawn from the common themes

in the survey choices and open-ended responses that were

gathered. Surveys such as these reflect the perception of the

people taking it; as perceptions vary, so did the responses.

However, we are taking the feedback seriously and are

creating plans to address these needs. Your continued help and

support will assist us in seeing these plans through.

Next Steps

School Improvement Plans will be drafted, edited, and

finalized with the School Improvement Advisory Committee

(SIAC) and the school board. These plans will help shape our

professional development as administrators, school board, and

teachers. In addition, you will see future newsletters and

communications that address these issues regularly.

Finally, I invite anyone who has questions to call me or either

one of our principals, set up a time to come in, and discuss

what is on your mind. Our goals are very much in line with

those of our parents, and that is to provide the best education

to students at Martensdale-St. Marys. As a district we will

strive to continually improve, and as a superintendent I will do

the same. Your feedback and assistance with this is crucial.

Sometimes a simple conversation can get the ball rolling when

it comes to change. With that, I invite any community

members or parents to come in for a cup of coffee and talk; I

do want to hear from you.

Thank you for your continued support; the families of MStM

make this school a great place to be!

Page 2: December, 2015 From the Desk of Tom Wood, Superintendent ...December, 2015 From the Desk of Tom Wood, Superintendent Needs Assessment Survey ... The Martensdale-St. Marys District

From the Desk of Josh Moser,

Secondary Principal

“The future starts today, not tomorrow.” Pope John Paul II

If I were to go backward in time to visit my 14-year-old self as

a high school freshman, and then tell my teenaged self that in

25 years I would be a middle school/high school principal in

Martensdale, Iowa, I would have laughed out loud (partially

because I‟d be in disbelief and partially because the “LOL”

abbreviation had not yet been invented). At that time in my

life (the fall of 1991), while I didn‟t know exactly what I

would be doing when I grew up, I was 100% certain it had

nothing to do with being in school any longer than I had to. As

I went through my various high school coursework, I often

found myself asking these questions and making similar

statements:

“I won‟t need to know this after high school.”

“When will I ever use this in the real world?”

“I already know what I will be doing, so I don‟t

really need to learn this.”

In spite of that wonderful teenaged gift of knowing

everything, it turns out I didn‟t know where I would end up or

what kind of skills or knowledge I‟d need to get there. In fact,

I was totally off-base from the beginning. To illustrate this

point, the English language arts textbook assigned to me as a

high school junior (which I didn‟t really bother to read at the

time) turned out to be the very same textbook I had to teach

from my first few years at MStM. At that moment of

realization and clarity, it occurred to me that had I made the

effort in high school to learn the material when the

opportunity presented itself, then my instruction would have

been that much better. Instead, I spent the two weeks I had

before the school year started (I was hired at MStM in early

August) putting in long days and nights not only reading the

texts but rather learning them well enough to teach them to

juniors in high school.

The students at MStM are pretty amazing in many respects –

they are gifted athletes, talented artists, and promising

academics. One area in which nearly all are lacking is

clairvoyance – that is, the ability to see into the future. Now

this is nothing to be alarmed about; it is not a skill tested on

the Iowa Assessments nor is it tied to any class‟s final exam.

What it does mean, however, is being able to accept the fact

that while our students generally have a pretty good idea what

they want to do beyond high school and/or after college, none

of us can see exactly where our students‟ lives will take them.

Many students have goals for what they want to do and where

they want to be in 5/10/25 years from now. Goals are

definitely important to have in that they can help guide

decision-making for the here and now while looking forward

to what‟s next.

This has another implication: we must prepare students to deal

with some uncomfortable realities – things like ambiguity,

failure, disappointment, and, in the end, resilience. These,

coupled with more academic skills like problem-solving,

critical thinking, and effective communication, should really

be the foundation for a student‟s education. Content-area

knowledge and skills are effective means of presenting

opportunities to learn these other skills and demeanors. Math

homework is seldom about getting the right answer and more

about how to learn and practice problem-solving skills and

process evaluation. Writing several drafts of a paper in

English class is less about correct comma placement and more

about developing reasoning and defending arguments. They

are both opportunities to learn how to fail at something and

relearn it as a means of building capacity for resilience and

withstanding ambiguousness. Sometimes homework is less

about getting it turned in and more about organization and

time management. In turn, perhaps tests shouldn‟t be so much

about memorizing disconnected facts as they should be

practical applications of knowledge. This is not to say the

content-related skills and concepts are any less important; they

simply don‟t have the same weight as those other skills when

it comes to long-term learning and skill sets.

For those of us who have already been through high school

and are now in college, the work force, and even parenthood,

we know things don‟t always turn out the way we had planned

when we were teenagers. The point is we want our students to

begin seeing beyond the here and now in order to adapt to

what is coming next – which seems like a paradox, since we

don‟t always know what is coming next. Getting to that next

step involves planning, goal-setting, hard work, and using

one‟s resources. It also means taking into account how our

decisions today affect our ability to make decisions tomorrow.

This is a team effort, and we are supporting MStM students as

they begin their futures today.

MStM Students Visit DMACC Southridge

In alignment with my column‟s theme for December, a group

of over 40 MStM sophomores and juniors attended a field trip

to DMACC‟s Southridge Career Academy to learn about the

many opportunities available to them as juniors and seniors

next year. Accompanied by Mr. Randy Folkerts, these students

toured the facility, met with program advisers, and even

participated in some hands-on learning with other students

currently in the different programs. The Southridge Career

Academy caters to the students of Warren County schools as

well as other surrounding districts. It is a tremendous

opportunity for students to expand their learning and focus on

an area of interest aligned with their talents and future

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aspirations. MStM has nearly a dozen students currently

enrolled in DMACC programs at the Academy. We are hoping

to grow those numbers – and with the feedback from their visit

earlier this month, it sounds like this will be the case for the

2016-2017 school year!

From the Desk of Beth Happe,

Elementary Principal

The Power of Thank You

In the spirit of Thanksgiving this

week, I'd like to pass along a

message I shared with the staff

regarding the benefits and power of

two simple words. THANK YOU.

“They are two words that have the

power to transform our health, happiness, and success.

Research shows that grateful people are happier and more

likely to maintain good friendships. A state of gratitude,

according to research by the Institute of HeartMath, also

improves the heart's rhythmic functioning, which helps us to

reduce stress, think more clearly under pressure and heal

physically. It's actually physiologically impossible to be

stressed and thankful at the same time. When you are grateful

you flood your body and brain with emotions and endorphins

that uplift and energize you rather than the stress hormones

that drain you. (Courtesy Jon Gordon)

Gratitude and appreciation are also essential for a healthy

work environment. A simple thank you and a show of

appreciation can make all the difference. So, today, I thank

YOU for the countless ways you each support the students and

each other here at MStM. Look at all you have done since the

first day of school! THAT‟S a LOT! I appreciate the ways

you have helped me to feel part of the family here and assisted

me in knowing more about our school. Your kindness has

been heart-warming.”

I would like to extend this message to you, our families and

benefactors! You have entrusted us to educate and care for

your children. Thank you for your support of our mission and

commitment to the success of every child. We are all in this

together!

Here‟s wishing you time to appreciate family and friends in

the days ahead! ENJOY!

From the Desk of Randy Folkerts,

Jr. High/Sr. High Counselor

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SCHOLARSHIP OR

ADMISSION ESSAY?

If an essay is required when you are applying for admission or

for scholarships to help with your college educational

expenses, the essay is extremely important. A well-written

essay will differentiate a truly outstanding student from the

merely good ones. Most applicants can boast of memberships

in clubs and sports, but the essay is one place where you can

set yourself apart from other students. Be sure you have a

parent, teacher, mentor, employer, etc. read and critique your

essay before submitting it. A good essay should:

Be typed or neatly printed (at least 12-point type is

preferred).

Use proper grammar and correct spelling.

Be approximately 1-2 pages in length unless otherwise

specified.

Clearly address the essay topic specified.

Be creative but not strange. Don‟t be afraid to take a risk

but convey your point.

Give the scholarship or admissions committee insight into

your personality, interests, motivations, values, attitudes,

goals, etc.

WHERE TO LOOK FOR SCHOLARSHIP SOURCES

1. At the college you are considering: Office of Admissions,

Office of Scholarships/financial aid

2. Scholarship internet sites (fastweb.com,

collegeboard.com)

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3. Scholarship Books in the Counseling Office:

Scholarships, Grants & Prizes

The Scholarship Handbook

4. Parents‟ Employers

5. Counseling Office

6. Local service organizations (VFW, Elks, Masons, Rotary,

etc.)

THAT’S RIGHT IT’S DECEMBER!

December is here – Have you sent in your applications to the

colleges you are considering attending??? Some schools use

the date your application arrives as the priority date for things

such as housing. The later you apply- the less choices you will

have. Others have priority dates on scholarships. Missing

dates may cost you money or opportunities for special

programs. READ EVERYTHING you get from schools you

are considering. Priority dates are one thing but deadline

dates are another. If you are considering select schools, those

deadlines are often January 1st. Early decision dates are even

sooner! Check your literature so you are fully aware of your

deadlines

ACT NATIONAL TEST DATES

Test Date Regular Registration Deadline

February 6, 2016 January 8, 2016

April 9, 2016 March 4, 2016

June 11, 2016 May 6, 2016

If you elect, you may register for the ACT and SAT tests

online. The online addresses are:

ACT- www.act.org

SAT- www.collegeboard.com

Career/College Planning and Financial Aid Night

College Planning Night

. Did you know that 90% of the fastest growing careers

require additional education and training beyond high school?

To help you prepare the Martensdale – St. Marys counseling

office and the Iowa College Access Network® (ICAN) are

offering a free presentation on career and college planning.

This presentation is geared toward juniors and their parents.

This is your chance to receive help with all your questions

about the career and college planning process and life after

high school.

The ICAN Career and College Planning presentation will be

held:

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Day: Wednesday

Date: December 9th

Location: Media Center

Topics

The presentation covers the following topics:

Career Exploration and Assessment

Academic Preparation and Requirements

Admission Process and Requirements

College Selection & Campus Visits

Application Process

Understanding Costs – Cost of Attendance

Scholarships

Successful Transitions to College

Need help understanding financial aid?

A college education is a worthwhile investment in the future.

Unfortunately, it can also be a costly one. In today‟s world,

financial aid is often necessary to pay for postsecondary

education, but the process can be confusing and

overwhelming.

To help you understand the financial aid process, the high

school guidance office has invited the Iowa College Access

Network® (ICAN) to make a free presentation on financial

aid for seniors and their parents. This is the ideal opportunity

to get answers to your questions about financial aid.

ICAN Financial Aid Presentation

Martensdale- St. Marys School Media Center

Wednesday, December 9th

at 7:00pm

Topics include:

Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal

Student Aid).

Important deadlines.

Overview of the financial aid process.

Types of financial assistance available.

Scholarships and scams.

Helpful tips.

Where to go for additional help.

Note: The FAFSA is a free form that may be completed

without professional assistance via paper or electronic forms

provided by the U.S. Department of Education

at www.fafsa.gov. ICAN‟s free services help reduce confusion

and can ensure accuracy.

Scholarship Info

Scholarship information is available on the School Web site

under Guidance Counselor and in the Counseling office in

the Scholarship Blue Book. Talk to the guidance secretary,

Kerry or the counselor for more information.

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From the Desk of Amy Sowder,

Talented and Gifted/Yearbook

Senior Parents/Yearbook Information: The time to get

your senior photography session scheduled is now, as turn-

around time is often four to six weeks. A senior photo

(vertical poses only) and a clear and easily reproducible baby

photo (5x7 or smaller) are due in to Mrs. Sowder or the

yearbook staff the first week of second semester. The earlier

you can get them into the yearbook staff, the better. Photos

may be originals, on CD‟s, or sent as jpegs to Mrs. Sowder‟s

e-mail. Other digital formats are often too small to

reproduce, including photos from Facebook or cell phone

cameras. Original baby photos will be returned.

If there are financial circumstances, the yearbook staff will

take your senior‟s photo for the yearbook for free. Please

make an appointment.

Also, if you would like to congratulate your senior with a

personal ad in the yearbook, the message (30 word limit),

photo, and payment of $35 are due by fall parent/teacher

conferences. Contact Amy Sowder at [email protected]

with questions.

From the Desk of Angela Davidson,

PK-12 Art

From the Desks of Charles Hilsabeck,

Adam Hansen, and Jeff Englehardt

HS Math Department

The math department is off and running with another exciting

year at MStM. We are extremely fortunate to welcome

another staff member to our district this year. Jeff Engelhardt

has worked as a substitute for the past several years, but

has joined our staff as a full-time teacher. His is teaching

Algebra I, Computer Programming, Consumer Math, and

Junior High Independent Study.

As a part of our professional development this year, Mr.

Hansen and Mr. Hilsabeck are continuing to research new

ways to introduce student problem-solving into our

curriculum. Mr. Hilsabeck is currently incorporating a

student-centered approach to his classroom to increase student

engagement and critical thinking. Mr. Hansen is focusing on

using online apps and websites to have students dynamically

interact with complex math problems. These strategies have

already shown great improvement amongst many students,

and we continue to look forward to more student growth.

Several students also had the chance to participate in the

HiMCM Math Modeling Competition here at MStM on

November 6th-7th. Eighteen students spent the weekend

working in small groups writing a paper detailing their

mathematical response and model to a real-world scenario.

This year‟s question is listed below.

Problem: Curbing City Violence

A regional city has had lots of problems with gangs and

violence over the years. The mayor, chief of police, and city

council need your help. Data are available for the following:

Incidents of violence, Homicides, Assaults, Regional

Population (Census data), Unemployment, Unemployment

rate, High School enrollment, High school drop outs,

Graduation rate, Dropout rate, Prison population, Released on

parole, Parole violations, Percent of parole violations, and

Juvenile Inmates. Analyze and model these data to give the

city a plan to reduce violence. After you complete your

analysis and model, prepare a news release for the mayor

briefly outlining your proposals that recommend a campaign

strategy to curb the violence.

Page 6: December, 2015 From the Desk of Tom Wood, Superintendent ...December, 2015 From the Desk of Tom Wood, Superintendent Needs Assessment Survey ... The Martensdale-St. Marys District

It was a great experience for those who participated, and the

students were excited to use their critical thinking skills to put

what we have learned in math class to use. The math

department will be hosting a junior high competition in the

month of December. As always, please contact us with any

questions you may have throughout the year.

Adam Hansen [email protected]

Chuck Hilsabeck [email protected]

Jeff Engelhardt [email protected]

Spanish Club

On Thursday November 5th Spanish Club had a Day of the

Dead party. We made a Mexican dish and an altar to

remember loved ones who have passed away.

The Mexican dish that we made is called Mole; this is a sauce

that you can put on your entrée. We put ours over chicken and

rice. Some may say that it is chocolate, but really it tastes

spicy and has a hint of cocoa.

We used the Art Display Case to make the altar. We decorated

the altar with cultural times and each Spanish Club member

was asked to bring in an item in memory of a loved one who

had passed away. Some of the items included: an antique

coffee box, a bible, a picture frame, and a heart shaped paper

weight.

Our next meeting will be Monday, November 30th

during

seminar. We will be holding a guacamole and salsa

competition. Each member, or groups of members, will bring

in their best recipe to be taste tested by the Spanish Club. The

teachers will be able to judge the guacamole in the teacher's

lounge throughout the day. All 7-12 MStM students are

welcome to bring in a recipe of their own.

MStM CURRENT AND FORMER STUDENT

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Mackenzie Morrison, MStM class 2011, is living in Germany

playing professional basketball for Bergische Lowen. She is

one of the top players in her division averaging a double

double with 17.7 points per game and 10.9 rebounds a game.

She loves Germany and has also visited Paris, Amsterdam and

Brussels on her time off. She hopes to play for a bigger team

next season in Italy or Spain.

FCCLA: December 3rd

is National Family and

Consumer Sciences Day. To celebrate National

FCS Day, we are asking everyone to cook and

eat a meal as a family. If you would like to

"commit to dining in" on December 3rd

, you can

go to www.aafcs.org/fcsday. Happy cooking to

you!

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From the Desk of Susan Gabbert-Clark,

PK-12 Vocal Music

Reid Frederiksen, a senior here at Martensdale-St. Marys, was

selected to be a member of the Iowa High School Music

Association‟s Iowa All-State Chorus on November 21, 2015.

Of the students who auditioned for this event, only 17% were

selected. Reid was one of 600 singers in the Iowa All-State

Chorus with over 170 different schools participating in the

Iowa All-State Music festival. This was the 69th

Annual Iowa

All-State Festival and Reid was a part of making history!

Never before have the singers been given an unknown song to

learn and memorize to perfection in just two days. Dr. Peter

Eklund was the guest director of the Iowa All-State Chorus.

Iowa Public Television (IPTV) did record the concert for re-

broadcast on November 26th

, Thanksgiving evening at

7:00 p.m. and on the following Sunday, November 29th

at 5:30

p.m.

Congratulations to Reid for

his selection into this

prestigious ensemble!

Sunday night, November 22nd

, 15 singers in the junior high

and high school choruses entertained participants in the Tour-

de-Lights! at the Water Works Park in Des Moines. Students

sang sacred and secular songs for the crowd which included

pets dressed up like elves and reindeer! It was fun time and we

had great weather! Thank you to Anita Kiene for helping to

chaperon the carolers!

Looking ahead, the high school chorus will be performing the

National Anthem on December 18th

at the MStM girls‟

basketball preview at the Iowa Energy game. On January 10th

,

both the junior high and high school singers will be

performing for the National Anthem for the Iowa Wild game.

You are invited to come and support our singers as well as the

Iowa Wild hockey team. Please see the poster on the back

page for more information.

Thank you to our second, third, and fourth grade students who

performed patriotic music at their concert in November. Your

music meant a great deal to your audience and they

appreciated hearing songs about our great country!

From the Desks of Jan Devore

and Jenna Fitzgerald, 1st Grade

First graders have been very busy this month learning about

many new comprehension strategies, such as visualizing,

retelling and sequencing. Both classes worked very hard on

creating a hallway "noun town." Hopefully everyone was able

to see their creation during conferences last week. Students are

doing a nice job embracing our new Everyday Math

curriculum. It has been challenging, fun, and very beneficial

for the development of mathematical skills for our young

people. As December draws near we will begin our Christmas

Around the World unit. This is a wonderful way for students

to learn about other cultures around the world and how their

traditions and customs may be different from our own. We

look forward to the rest of the school year and all the

wonderful learning experiences that lie ahead for our

students. Your continued support is critical to their success

and we thank you for helping us in providing the best possible

learning experiences within our classrooms.

Page 8: December, 2015 From the Desk of Tom Wood, Superintendent ...December, 2015 From the Desk of Tom Wood, Superintendent Needs Assessment Survey ... The Martensdale-St. Marys District

How Do You Cook a Turkey?

Straight from the Chefs in Mrs. Webster‟s Kindergarten Class

- “I would stuff the turkey and put it in the oven for 5

minutes” – Marin

- “We don‟t cook turkeys at our house. That‟s not our

thing.” - Jett

- “First you cut it and then put it in the oven for 10

minutes” – Brenden

- “Mom and Dad put it in a pan to get hot and put it in

the oven and set it for 18 minutes and then cut it up

and share with our family.” -Sloan

- “My dad hunts for it, he hides and then shoots it, then

it goes straight to the oven to cook and we take it out

and chop it up to eat.” –Hayley

- “He goes to hunt it and shoots it and then puts it in

the oven for 10 minutes and then we eat it.” Macie

- You put it in the fridge for one minute then stuff it

up, and place it in the oven for 4 minutes and then eat

it.” – Liam

- “My Dad shoots it and then we put it in the oven for

2 minutes and then we chop it up to eat.” – Lauren

- “You have to let the turkey thaw then put it in the

oven to cook. Make sure you let it cool before you

cut and eat it.” – Alice

- I don‟t know how, my mom and dad do it for me.” –

Isabella

- “Put it in the freezer for 100 minutes then eat it!” –

Kenneth

- “Put the turkey in a pan with some water then cook

it.” – Claire

- “You can put it in boiling water then put it in the

oven to cook more and get it out and cut it up to eat. “

–Devon

- “I think my mom buys the turkey first, then cooks the

turkey and chops it up before we eat it.” – Judah

- “First you put it in hot water and then you start

cooking it for 10 minutes and then eat it.” – Brady

- “Cut in half and then put it in the oven to cook for a

while.” -Jaden

- “You put cold water in the turkey and then put it in

the oven for

15 minutes to cook.” – Dash

- “Cook the turkey in the microwave for 100 minutes

and then cut it up and then you eat it.” – Jackson

- “My daddy hunts it and we wait for our family to

come to our house and my mama puts it in the oven

to cook, then we cut it up and eat it will all of our

family.” – Hayden

- “I go to the store and get a turkey and put it in the

refridgator for 100 minutes then my mom cuts it up.”

– JD

- “I go to my grandma‟s house, and my grandma cooks

it for me and then all of us eat it.” – Ever

Happy Thanksgiving 2015

From The Desk of Dana Smith,

PK-12 Guidance

Classroom lessons are focusing on respect and what that looks

like both at home and school. The students are doing a great

job identifying behaviors within themselves that are

respectful. They are also working on areas that need a tune

up.

As we enter this holiday season I would like to take a moment

to thank all of you for being so supportive and welcoming.

Have a wonderful holiday season.

Chili Supper Fundraiser

Friday, December 11th 5:30-7:00 p.m.

MStM Cafeteria

For the John Cassady and

Scott Higens Families

Both John and Scott are battling cancer.

John’s son Johnnie is in 5th grade and is active

in wrestling, football and baseball.

Scott and Lisa Higens have two sons. Dylan

is in 8th grade and is active in cross country,

basketball and soccer. Tyler is in 5th grade

and is active in basketball and soccer.

Thank you for supporting our MStM Families!

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MINUTES OF BOARD MEETING OCTOBER 12, 2015

The Board of Directors of the Martensdale-St. Marys Community School District met in regular session, pursuant to law on October

12, 2015.

Members Present: President, Nicole Bunch, Ralph DiCesare, Dawn Reeves and John Ralls together with Superintendent Tom Wood,

Principal Josh Moser, Principal Beth Happe, and Business Manager Jill Gavin.

Members Absent: Vice President, Dean Furness

I. Welcome – Board President

Mrs. Bunch called meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. and welcomed all guests.

II. Consent Items

A. Approval of Minutes – Board President

B. Approval of Agenda – Board President

C. Approval of Bills and Secretary‟s Report – Board President

D. Approval of Hot Lunch and Activity Reports – Board President

Mrs. Reeves motioned to approve the consent items, seconded by Mr. DiCesare. Roll call: 4 ayes.

III. Celebration

Mr. Wood thanked City State Bank for donating $1,000 to the purchase of new scoreboards in the high school gym.

Mr. Wood shared an email from an Indianola staff member.

Mr. Wood,

I wanted to pass along to you that a couple of former full-time staff members that have had the opportunity to substitute in your school

have expressed how awesome your students are both in respect of and to adults and their work ethic in the classroom. At a time when

it seems that teachers, administrators and schools are being faced with criticism and negative feedback that news like this needs to be

shared with a neighboring school district; your efforts are being noticed!! Thank you for the leadership that you are providing to your

staff and the quality people that you have working for you but ultimately, the outstanding students that you have attending such a fine

school district. Keep up the good work in the days ahead!!

101 E Salem

Indianola, IA 50125

515-961-0391

Pageturners Bookstore and the MStM PTO

are excited to offer an

in-store Book Fair

November 23rd

– December 5th.

20% of the proceeds from sales to MStM parents,

teachers and students

will go toward buying the school library new books!

Simply go to Pageturners Bookstore in Indianola,

tell them you are there for the MStM Book Fair and buy new,

used or special order books to help the library grow!

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Have a nice weekend.

Sincerely

Kevin Huss

High School Social Studies Teacher

8th Grade Volleyball, 8th Grade Girls Basketball Coach and H.S. Girls Tennis Coach

Indianola Community School District

Mr. Wood announced that is National School Principal‟s Month and thanked Mr. Moser and Ms. Happe for all that they do and is very

thankful for the both of them.

Mr. Moser announced the successful homecoming week. There was positive school spirit throughout the week. He also commended

the Cross Country team on their season. The team had 8 runners last year and they now have 27 runners. Mr. Moser recognized the

coaches‟, Mr. Bixby and Ms. Benson, for their efforts.

Mr. Furness joined the meeting by conference call.

IV. Public Comments - none

V. Old Business

A. Reports

1) MStM Music Booster Minutes – minutes from September 14, 2015

2) MStM Athletic Booster Minutes – minutes from September 9, 2015

3) MStM PTO Minutes – minutes from September 21, 2015

B. Presentations

1) Facilities Report Mr. Gibson

No report was provided.

2) Principal‟s Report Ms. Happe

Ms. Happe introduced Rana Webster and Terah Henson, Kindergarten teachers, to present to the board about the alternative seating

they have introduced into their classrooms. Mrs. Webster and Mrs. Henson have been collaborating with other Kindergarten teachers

across the nation over the summer to see what works and what does not work in the classrooms. They learned about alternative

seating and connected with WittFit.com. Exercise balls were purchased for each of their classrooms and they created a curriculum on

how to utilize them with their students. The exercise ball allows the students to have active seating, enhances attention and

coordination, and strengthens their core and balance. They created a worksheet of why they are using it in their classroom, measured

each of the students and talked to them about the rules. They give the students choices of using the exercise balls, pillows or a

standing table. The teachers are keeping track of interventions and behavior issues. They have already seen a decline in interruptions

of their instruction to stop behaviors. The balls also help with posture, makes them stronger, allows them to move while they work,

helps them have better handwriting, and it helps them stay focused. Pictures and further documentation was shared with the board for

review. The board thanked the teachers for their presentation.

Ms. Happe is already working on the Early Literacy Implementation (ELI) Chapter 61. She is looking to get a jump start on setting up

summer school for the elementary and she already has teachers interested in teaching.

Mr. Moser and Ms. Happe, along with Mrs. Franey and Mrs. Connor, will be attending the 2015 First Annual Education Conference,

Deming in Education ~ Out of the Education Crisis, to be held November 6-8th

in Seattle, Washington. This conference is for

educators, administrators, business and organizational leaders interested in making a profound and sustained difference in education

and quality learning. It is for anyone who wants to effect change that will foster intrinsic motivation, enhance student performance and

inspire joy in learning in the next generation of students. The Deming in Education Conference will shatter the existing beliefs that

are perpetuating our education crisis. Hear the stories of leaders who are challenging the status quo to create exceptional learning

environments that preserve our children‟s natural curiosity and “yearning for learning”. They will provide an update to the board at

the November board meeting.

3) Principal‟s Report Mr. Moser

Mr. Moser provided an update on the Seminar Intervention Practices. They are focusing more on intervention and providing the

students additional time with teachers for instruction and time to complete homework. He is still working on the process and

gathering feedback and suggestions for improvement.

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Mr. Moser, Mr. Klemesrud and Mrs. Tomlinson attended the IASBO/SAI Student Activities Conference on October 7th

regarding best

practices for the Activity Fund. Training sessions included legal topics, coaches‟ handbooks, public purpose and public benefit of

student activity funds. Many districts do things differently and there are a lot of gray areas in terms of what is acceptable and what is

not. School districts are not required to maintain funds raised by outside organizations in the school‟s activity funds. Regarding

“public purpose”: “Some employees seem to struggle understanding this „working for the greater good‟ concept. It‟s not about what

individual adults want to happen”. Regarding “public purpose”: “DE increasingly is put in a position to mediate or referee these

issues” which is not their place to do so. MStM is ahead of the curve when it comes to coaches handbooks, where many schools did

not seem to have them. There is no substitute for strong internal controls. Segregation of duties was referenced many times in

different presentations. All in all, the safeguards and procedures we currently have put the District in a good place in terms of being in

compliance and following the letter and spirit of Iowa Code regarding student activity funds. We will continue to improve and update

the coaches‟ handbook. We will develop and maintain a fundraising calendar. Class trips should not be managed/sponsored by school

official or district-sponsored organizations.

Mr. Moser is serving on the SAI Legislative Committee where they will focus on increase in school funding, increase in community

involvement in legislative affairs and increase access to mental health resources to serve those students.

Mr. Moser informed the board of the security measures for the secondary. Students will be escorted to their vehicles during the day if

necessary and students will not be allowed to use the locker rooms unless it is during class time.

4) Superintendent‟s Report Supt. Wood

Mr. Wood will be conducting a needs assessment survey this fall through the Iowa Association of School Boards. It is an online

survey that will be open from October 19th

through November 2nd

. We will publicize notices and send email reminders to all within

our reach. Please help get the word out about it as well. The results will be analyzed using IASB tools and will help us determine areas

to focus for improvement as a district.

Mr. Wood has been in contact with the Warren County Juvenile Court Services regarding the possibility of getting a full-time Juvenile

Court Liaison in our building. If we are able to do this, and decide it is something that would be beneficial, this person would be active

with our students in a variety of ways. The Liaisons not only work with students on probation but those who are at-risk. They focus on

prevention, skill building, and relationships with students who need extra support. This resource would also be a partner in any drug

and alcohol investigations within the school and outside that may involve our students. Mr. Wood was informed that Warren County

does not have the budget to provide a Liaison at this time. The Board agreed to have Mr. Wood continue to pursue this opportunity

and find a way to fund it.

There will be a board workshop on November 16 at 4:00. Harry Heiligenthal from IASB will be facilitating this session. It is

important for us to take time to learn together and improve together.

VI. New Business

A. Approve Request for Special Education Supplement Allowable Growth 2014-2015 Supt. Wood

Mrs. Reeves motioned to approve the Special Education Supplement Allowable Growth Request of $8,326.55, seconded by Mr. Ralls.

Roll call: 5 ayes.

B. 2nd Reading/Approve of Policies 102 – 102 R1, 410.2, 503.1, and 505.2 Supt. Wood

Mr. DiCesare motioned to approve Policies 102 – 102 R1, 410.2, 503.1, and 505.2, seconded by Mrs. Reeves. Roll call: 5 ayes.

C. Approve Level I Investigators and Alternate Level I Investigators

for Identifying & Reporting Child Abuse 2015-2016 Supt. Wood

Mrs. Reeves motioned to approve Mr. Randy Folkerts as Level I Investigator and Mrs. Dana Smith as Alternate Level I Investigator

for Identifying & Reporting Child Abuse 2015-2016, seconded by Mr. Ralls. Roll call: 5 ayes.

D. Receive Preliminary Certified Enrollment Report for 2016-2017 Supt. Wood

Mr. Wood reviewed the certified enrollment for October 1, 2015. Actual Enrollment went from 525.7 in 2014 to 525.20 in 2015.

Open enrollment out students went from 101 in 2014 to 88 in 2015. Open enrollment in students went from 110 in 2014 to 123 in

2015. Total students served went from 537 in 2014 to 559 in 2015, an increase in 22 students. The enrollment will be certified on

October 15, 2015.

E. Approve SIAC/Quality Support Committee for 2015-2016 Supt. Wood

Mr. Wood requested to table this for the November board meeting.

F. Discuss/Approve Increase Substitute Rate for 2015-2016 Supt. Wood

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Due to the increase in lack of substitute teachers, it was recommended to increase our substitute rate of pay to compete with our

neighboring school districts. There has been several times already this school year that we are pulling special education teachers out

of the classroom to cover for teachers that are absent. It is important to have quality substitutes and to keep them wanting to come

back. The rate of pay is currently $95 per day. Mr. Ralls motioned to approve a $10 increase to the substitute rate of pay, seconded

by Mrs. Reeves. Roll call: 5 ayes.

G. Approve Personnel Recommendations Supt. Wood

Mr. DiCesare motioned to approve Ms. Benson as Wrestling Cheer Sponsor and Mr. Flander as JH Head Girls‟ Basketball Coach for

the 2015-2016 school year, seconded by Mrs. Reeves. Roll call: 5 ayes.

Mr. DiCesare motioned to approve Mr. Furness as a volunteer for the girls‟ basketball program, seconded by Mr. Ralls. Roll call: 5

ayes.

H. Approve Early Graduates Supt. Wood

Mrs. Reeves motioned to approve the request for the students who would like to gradate early pending successfully completing their

requirements, seconded by Mr. Ralls. Roll call: 5 ayes.

I. Confirm – Next Meeting Dates Supt. Wood

The next board meeting will be held on November 9, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.

VII. Adjournment

Mrs. Reeves motioned to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Ralls. Roll call: 5 ayes. Time: 5:17 p.m.

It is the policy of the Martensdale-St. Marys Community School

District not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, national

origin, gender, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment),

marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity, and

socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and

its employment practices.

There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of

discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this

policy, please contact the district’s Equity Coordinator.

MStM’s Equity Coordinator is Josh Moser, secondary principal. His

address is MStM Community School, 390 Burlington, Martensdale,

Iowa 50160. His phone number is 641-764-2686 and his email address

is: [email protected]

The Martensdale-St. Marys District Newsletter is published by the last day of the preceding month.

The newsletter is available for pickup in the Superintendent’s office, Post Office and the Jiffy

station, all are located in Martensdale.

You may also view it on the http://www.MStM.us website. Questions or concerns may be addressed to:

Mrs. DePauw Martensdale-St.Marys

Elementary Office 390 Burlington Ave.

Martensdale, Iowa 50160 or by email

[email protected] Office: 641-764-2470

Fax: 641-764-2100

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Martensdale-St Marys

December, 2015 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 4:00pm Basketball-

B/JH Nodaway

Valley

4:00pm Basketball-

G/JH Away vs.

Clarke

6:15pm Basketball-

B/JV Iowa Christian Academy

7:30pm Basketball-

B/Varsity Iowa

Christian Academy

2 3 6:00pm Wrestling-

Varsity Martensdale-

St Marys vs. Multiple

Schools

4 Drake Honor Band

6:15pm Basketball-

B/JV Away vs. Wayne

6:15pm Basketball-

G/Varsity Away vs.

Wayne

7:45pm Basketball-

G/JV Away vs. Wayne 7:45pm Basketball-

B/Varsity Away vs.

Wayne

5 Drake Honor Band

9:30am Wrestling-

Varsity Away vs.

Woodward-

Granger

6 7 4:00pm Basketball-

B/JH Away vs.

Winterset

4:00pm Basketball-

G/JH Winterset

6:15pm Basketball-

G/JV Murray

Community

7:30pm Basketball-

B/JV Murray Community

8 4:00pm Basketball-

G/JH Away vs.

Pleasantville

6:15pm Basketball-

B/JV Southeast

Warren

6:15pm Basketball-

G/Varsity Southeast

Warren

7:45pm Basketball-G/JV Southeast

Warren

7:45pm Basketball-

B/Varsity Southeast

Warren

9 1:00 Dismissal

12:35pm-

1:00pm NHS

Meeting

6:00pm-

7:00pm College

Planning Night @

JH-HS Media

Center

7:00pm Athletic Booster Club

Meeting @ Mr.

Hatchers Room

7:15pm Financial

Aid Night @ JH-

HS Media Center

10 4:00pm Basketball-

G/JH Away vs.

Southeast Warren

4:00pm Basketball-

B/JH Southeast

Warren

6:00pm Wrestling-

Varsity Nodaway

Valley vs. Multiple

Schools 6:15pm Basketball-

G/JV Guthrie

Center

7:45pm Basketball-

G/Varsity Guthrie

Center

11 4:00pm Basketball-

B/JH Pleasantville

5:00pm Wrestling-

Varsity Away vs. Central

Decatur

6:15pm Basketball-

B/JV Pleasantville

6:15pm Basketball-

G/Varsity Pleasantville

7:45pm Basketball-G/JV Pleasantville

7:45pm Basketball-

B/Varsity Pleasantville

12

13 14 4:00pm Basketball-

G/JH Away vs. Van

Meter

4:00pm Basketball-

B/JH Van Meter

6:00pm School

Board Meeting @ Supt. Office

6:30pm Music

Booster Meeting @

Music Room

15 4:00pm Basketball-

G/JH Murray

Community

4:00pm Basketball-

B/JH Away vs.

Murray Community

6:15pm Basketball-G/Varsity Away vs.

Central Decatur

6:15pm Basketball-

B/JV Away vs.

Central Decatur

7:45pm Basketball-

G/JV Away vs.

Central Decatur

7:45pm Basketball-

B/Varsity Away vs. Central Decatur

16 17 18 TBD Basketball-

G/Varsity Iowa

Christian Academy

19 10:00am Wrestling-

Varsity Away vs.

Southwest Valley

High School

20 21 7:00pm JH-HS Band

& Choir Concert @

HS Gym

22 6:15pm Basketball-

B/JV Away vs.

Nodaway Valley 6:15pm Basketball-

G/Varsity Away vs.

Nodaway Valley

7:45pm Basketball-

G/JV Away vs.

Nodaway Valley

7:45pm Basketball-

B/Varsity Away vs.

Nodaway Valley

23 1:00 Dismissal

24 No School

25 No School

26

27 28 No School

29 No School

30 No School

31 No School

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Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

12/1 Day 3A 12/2 Day 4B 12/3 Day 5A 12/4 Day 6B

Egg/Toast Pancakes & Sausage Bagel Breakfast Pizza

Milk & Juice Milk & Juice Milk & Juice Milk & Juice

Chicken Fajita Softshell Pasta/Red Sauce Cold Ham & Cheese Sand BBQ Pork Z Rib Sand.

Lettuce/Cheese Cups Green Beans w/g Bun/ Ranch Dressing Whole Grain bun

Broccoli Normandy Broccoli Carrots/Celery Corn

Peaches Pineapple/Bread Fresh Fruit Pears

Milk Milk Milk Milk

12/7 Day 1A 12/8 Day 2B 12/9 Day 3A 12/10 Day 4B 12/11 Day 5A

Cereal or Toast Egg & Cheese Biscuit French Toast/Sausage Bagel Breakfast Pizza

Milk & Juice Milk & Juice Milk & Juice Milk & Juice Milk & Juice

Sloppy Joes w/g Bun Meat Gravy Popcorn Chicken Soup BBQ Pork w/g Bun

Sweet Potatoes Mashed Potatoes Carrots Celery/Carrots Baked Potatoes

Corn Green Beans Broccoli Normandy Ranch Dressing Coleslaw

Pineapple Peaches/Bread Mixed Fruit/Bread Crackers/Applesauce Pears

Milk Milk Milk Milk

12/14 Day 6B 12/15 Day 1A 12/16 Day 2B 12/17 Day 3A 12/18 Day 4B

Cereal or Toast Sausage/Biscuit/Gravy Egg Taco Bagel Breakfast Pizza

Milk & Juice Milk & Juice Milk & Juice Milk & Juice Milk & Juice

Pasta/Red Sauce Mac & Cheese Hot Ham & Cheese Pork Roast Chicken Nuggets

Broccoli Peas Whole Grain Bun Mashed Potatoes/Gravy Baked Beans

Carrots/Pineapple Vegetables Corn/Broccoli Normandy Green Bean Casserole Carrots

Bread Mixed Fruit/Bread Peaches Apple crisp Pears/Bread

Milk Milk Milk Milk Milk

12/21 Day 5A 12/22 Day 6B 12/23 Day 1A 12/24 12/25

Cereal or Toast Egg/Sausage Biscuit Breakfast Pizza

Milk & Juice Milk & Juice Milk & Juice

Cheeseburger w/g Bun Orange Chicken Breaded Pork Pattie

Baked Beans Broccoli Mashed Potatoes/Gravy

French Fries Carrots/Pineapple Carrots

Peaches Rice Applesauce

Milk Milk Milk

12/28 12/29 12/30 12/31 1/1

Non-discrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly. "In accordance with Federal law and U.S.

Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-

10410, or call toll free (866)632-1010102 (Voice). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the

Federal Relay Service at (800)877-83310; or (800)845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer."

**** THIS MENU IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE ****

In addition to the breakfast items listed, yogurt, breakfast bars and fresh fruit are offered daily!!

Grades 4-12 have a fruit and vegetable bar available to

them.

WINTER BREAK

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