Weekly Update: May 26, 2017
Weekly Update, May 26, 2017
Dear Grinnell-Newburg Staff, Family and Friends:
This weekend the Grinnell-Newburg School district will celebrate our 2017 GHS graduates! Please join me in congratulating our 101 seniors who have completed this milestone in their lives. Graduation is a celebration in which we all take pause to reflect on our students and their academic achievements. This journey is an “End to a New Beginning”. I would like to wish our graduating seniors well as they voyage down a new path. Whatever that trek may be, it is my hope that our graduates will find their passion and experience joy in whatever choices they make. I look forward to the Senior’s scholarship evening this Saturday night in the auditorium beginning at 7:00 PM, and our graduation ceremony beginning at 2:00 pm in the high school gymnasium.
As we enter into this Memorial Day weekend, I will take a moment to remember those military personnel who have made such great sacrifices for our freedom.
Admin Team Meeting
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Learning Environment SIAC events: This summer and early fall, the school district will host three events for our staff and community members to learn more about learning environments. We are also looking forward to engaging members of the community in activities that focus on the 4 C’s: collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity. We invite you to join us for one of the tentative sessions on either June 15, August 30, or September 6 at the Drake Library Community Room beginning at 6:00 PM. Our new architects from CMBA will be participating in these events and assisting with our presentation. This is a learning opportunity for our community to have discussions on how students learn in various learning environments. Further information will be sent out next week.
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Highly Reliable Schools email link: We invite our parents to complete a survey designed by the Marzano Research Group. This survey will assist our administrative team as we engage our staff next year implementing the Highly Reliable Schools Model. This fall, students and staff will also take a similar survey. We are asking parents to complete this survey by June 1, 2017. We will be using the results of this survey to plan for professional activities over the course of next year. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Highly Reliable Schools Parent Survey
Board Meeting:
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Technology Integrationist Bill Gruman discussed the Technology Clarity survey given for grades 3-12 for students and K-12 for staff on the use of technology in the District. This survey will continue to be taken over the next few years to help make decisions on professional development needs for staff and students.
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Survey for Davis staff regarding laptops/iPads: The administrative team is looking at cost saving measures to replace the old MacBook laptops in the 1:1 program at Davis with iPads. At this time, if we sell the MacBooks and replace them with new iPads, it will result in a zero cost, as Apple has reduced the iPads for schools costs. Bill Gruman will be disseminating the survey to the Davis Staff in the upcoming week. We want to thank the Davis staff for their input as we explore this option.
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Spanish 8th grade Curriculum: The staff have selected Avancemos! Resources as the selected Spanish curriculum for next year. The materials are on public display in the district office. A comment sheet will be made available for anyone wishing to review the curriculum. The Board’s Curriculum committee will meet on June 14th at 5:00 PM to review any public comments. The materials will be ordered following the official Board adoption on June 14th. I would like to thank our Spanish teachers for their time in reviewing materials and planning for the Spanish extension program to include 6, 7 and 8th grade students. These resources will be used for the 8th grade program.
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Approved Contract with CMBA: The Board officially approved our architects contract this week. CMBA will be meeting with the admin team on June 6 to plan our summer learning environment activities. We look forward to this collaboration.
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Recognitions: We had a very full board room this past week as we recognized all remaining Above & Beyond submissions for the 2016-17 school year. We are grateful for the astounding number of Above and Beyond award recipients. Thank you also to all of our parents, staff and students for submitting nominations. These awards will continue to be presented this September. We will select one student, staff and community group for each board meeting to be highlighted.
Listening Tours
I was able to meet with staff from almost every building this week, where we discussed the state of each building. These meetings are important, providing me with a good understanding of what is going well in each building, as well as improvements the staff feel could be made. It also gives me an opportunity to have direct conversations with our staff, and answer questions they may have. I appreciate everyone who came out to our Listening Tours, and I am grateful for the valuable insight each one of you bring. The final listening tour with Bailey Park will be on Tuesday at 3:15.
Split Seasons at the Middle School Level
The Little Hawkeye Conference has voted to split the athletic seasons for the middle school winter sports, beginning 2017-2018 school year. This will help alleviate some practice schedule conflicts and eliminate most early morning practices. This will only affect basketball and wrestling at the middle school level. Girls basketball and wrestling will take place before the Winter break, and boys basketball will take place after Winter break.
Fine Arts Awards Night:
Congratulations to all of our fine arts students for being recognized this past week.
Recipient of the John Phillip Sousa Award for outstanding achievement in instrumental music Reanna Campbell, parents Bruce & Carrie Campbell and Mr. Dressler.
Recipients of the Iowa Choral Directors Award for outstanding achievement in Vocal Music: David Gilbert, Leah Ramsey, Mr. Henderson, Madelyn Topliff & Lucas Chamberland.
Sydney Green, Kayle Mackin, Nicole Popp, Karsen Innis, Danika Nolton, Chloe Baumann with Mrs. Ahrens - Visual Arts Awards
Congratulations to Danica Nolton with her photograph New Vermeer, Kayli Makin with her photograph Weeping Woman, and Isabela Gallegos with her photograph Facing Live. Their artwork was selected to be displayed in the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Virtual Gallery, featured on the NAEA website, and in the NAEA Studio & Gallery. Congratulations to Sydney Green for being selected as Iowa’s First District Winner of the 2017 Congressional Art Competition by Congressman Rod Blum. As the winner of the Art Competition, she receives the honor of her piece being displayed at our Nation’s Capital for one year, along with free roundtrip airfare to attend the National Art Competition winners banquet in Washington D.C.
Upcoming Events:
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May 27th - Senior Awards Night 7:00 PM
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May 28th -- Commencement 2:00 PM
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May 30-- Davis Amazing Race (Rain Date 31st)
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May 30 - Health Fair - am at FV, pm at BP
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May 31 -- GMS Celebration Assembly 2:00
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May 31 - Go the Distance day at FV
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May 31 - Go the Distance day activity at BP
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June 1 -- GMS Presidential/Academic Awards Assembly 8:15 a.m.
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June 1 - FV end of the year assembly at 10:00
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June 12- PLC/Coaches 9:00-2:00 at Public Safety Building
Virtual Backpack Are you looking for some summer fun? Check out all of the opportunities for students this summer. There is something for everyone!
Sincerely,
Janet
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Janet M. Stutz
Superintendent
Grinnell-Newburg Schools