Bobcats Making Headlines

Miller Middle School extended learning program students donated $416.30 to the Animal Rescue League of Marshalltown on Jan. 14.

The students raised the money by competing in teams against each other in a coin war recently. The group visited the ARL and presented the check to ARL Director Heidi Drager.

The money will go toward the ARL’s adopt-a-kennel program.

“We love it when kids get into doing good things for the community,” Drager said. “We really appreciate it.”

Miller teacher Ann Jackson said the students came up with the idea to do a fundraiser to help the ARL on their own.

Miller Middle School students present a check for $416.30 to Animal Rescue League Director Heidi Drager on Jan. 14.

Children’s author and former Iowa State Cyclone football player Ryan Sloth talked to students at Rogers Elementary School on Jan. 13.

Children’s author and former Iowa State Cyclone football player Ryan Sloth made a stop at Rogers Elementary School to speak with students on Jan. 13.

Sloth, a former defensive back, tours the country talking about his book series – which focuses on the adventures of the character Sammy Sloth.

The author told the students to stay positive and to never give up.

“I try to inspire them to work hard and possibly they could become authors,” Sloth said.

Sloth also visited the Rogers Family Learning Night that night, which was attended by 15 families from Rogers, 20 Rogers students and 14 guest students.

Sloth played for the Cyclones from 1996 to 2000 and also had a playing career in the Arena Football League, where he currently coaches. He has also been featured playing football as an extra in several movies including “We are Marshall” and “Leatherheads.”

Beau Ragland was a state finalist in the Know Your Constitution.

Marshalltown High School junior Beau Ragland recently was a state finalist in the Know Your Constitution contest.

Ragland was selected to represent the local Iowa House District in the contest and was among the 100 finalists selected from more than 1,000 students across the state.

Ragland attended the awards luncheon in West Des Moines on Jan. 9.

The Know Your Constitution Project is designed to enrich students’ understanding and appreciation of the Constitution. The students participating in the project were required to familiarize themselves with Constitution related issues. A quiz was completed by each participating student. An essay question accompanied the quiz in case of a tie.

Ragland’s essay submission for the contest was chosen as one of the top 15 from the 100 state finalists.

This program is sponsored by The Iowa State Bar Association, with additional funding from the Iowa State Bar Foundation and many of the county bar associations across Iowa.

The Marshalltown Community School District welcomed two area state legislators and members of the Marshalltown Business-Education Alliance to tour two schools Friday, Jan. 9.

State legislators Dean Fisher and Mark Smith toured Fisher Elementary School and Marshalltown High School along with school staff and members of the MBEA including David Barajas, CEO of the Marshalltown Regional Partnership and Paul Gregoire, of Emerson/Fisher.

There was a wide range of topics discussed including the Teacher Leadership and Compensation System, English Language Learners, Project Lead the Way and STEM. The legislators visited several classrooms to see educational state funding in action.

The MBEA also provided the legislators with its priorities for the 2015 legislative session, which begins Monday.

Kristyn Kell, right, gives a tour of Marshalltown High School.

Marshalltown High School teacher Naomi Musal talks about the English Language Learners program at MHS with Mark Smith, left, Paul Gregoire, center, and Dean Fisher.

David Barajas, standing left, and Paul Gregoire, standing right, talk with Fisher Elementary School second graders Friday.

The Lenihan Intermediate School student leadership group known as Ricochet spearheaded a successful drive to send care packages to troops in Afghanistan.

The group packed supplies this week they gathered from fellow students and staff at Lenihan last month.

They plan to send 30 boxes to the same unit which features Marshalltown graduate Zack McLain, the brother of Lenihan sixth grader Max McLain.

The drive is called “Love our Troops” and the group hopes the care packages arrive in time for Valentine’s Day.

They feature sports equipment, food, sports drinks, magazines, CDs and more.

“It really taught them patriotism and opened their eyes to learn more about those serving overseas,” said Lenihan teacher Angie Lovell.

Helping the students pack on Thursday after school was Jody Anderson of Anderson Funeral Homes, who is a veteran. He offered to pay for the shipping costs of all of the boxes.

“It’s important to support those overseas,” Anderson said.

The Lenihan students enjoyed packing the boxes and hope the troops overseas enjoy the boxes even more.

“We thought this would make them feel better,” said Lenihan sixth grader Eli Thiessen. “It makes me feel like I’m helping people and that’s always good.”

Lenihan Intermediate School students pack care packages for troops on Jan. 8.

The Lenihan students also sent thank you cards to the troops.

Jody Anderson, left, helps Max McLain pack care packages for troops.

Rogers Elementary School hosted its Sunrise Family Learning Center for kindergarten students and their parents earlier this month. Parents were invited to eat breakfast with their children then stay and learn more about the family center in the school. It was the second breakfast learning center the school hosted this year.

“What we are trying to do is help bring parents up to speed with the resources we have at the school,” said Rogers Principal Dr. Mick Jurgensen.

Rogers also hosts family learning nights events twice a month during the school year to help get families involved in the school.

Kindergarten parents at Rogers Elementary School had breakfast with their children at the school on Dec. 12.

Dozens of Woodbury Elementary School second grade students took part in a “Hot Chocolate Poetry Hour” on Dec. 19 at the school.

The students selected poems and practiced their public speaking skills by reading the poems in front of a group of fellow students, staff members and parents. After the poetry reading, everyone enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate.

Woodbury teacher Becky Jacobson said this was a perfect way to wrap up their poetry genre and foster a love of reading and enjoying poetry. She said it also was a chance for students to build language fluency and gain confidence in front of a group.

The students read the poems in both Spanish and English on the last day of school before the holiday break. Jacobson’s class and two other classes taught by Olivia Romero and Claudia Jaramillo Mendoza took part in the event.

Classes resume in Marshalltown Schools on Jan. 5.

Woodbury Elementary School second graders hosted “Hot Chocolate Poetry Hour” on Dec. 19.

Students and staff from Miller Middle School collected more than 3,000 food items for the less fortunate during the school’s holiday food drive this year.

It is nearly double the amount of items they collected last year.

Students delivered the food to The Salvation Army in Marshalltown on Friday, Dec. 19.

“It’s outstanding,” said Miller counselor John Augustine. “They definitely learned it’s the season of giving.”

The Salvation Army will give out the food in their Christmas packs as well as use some to help stock its food pantry.

“It feels good to help others,” said Miller seventh grader Hunter Youngblood, who helped deliver the food Friday, which filled three trucks.

Miller students competed in teams against each other to see which team could collect the most food. The winning teams were awarded with a pizza party Friday.

Pictured with some of the food being delivered are Miller Middle School seventh graders, from left, Hunter Youngblood, Abbileni Rodriguez, Justice See and Carolina Cervantes.

Marshalltown High School hosted its seventh annual Poetry Out Loud competition among students on Dec. 18 in the MHS/Community Auditorium.

Taking first place and advancing to the state contest was senior Ellen Podhajsky.

In the contest, students recite two poems that test them on memorization and recitation.

Other top five placewinners from MHS Thursday were junior Mitchell Schwandt (second place), senior Libby Crawford (third place), sophomore Michelle Ankrum (fourth place) and freshman Luke Pedersen (fifth place).

Podhajsky recited “A Noiseless Patient Spider” by Walt Whitman and “The Woman at the Washington Zoo” by Randall Jarrell.

Podhajsky will compete in the state contest on March 1 in Des Moines. She also won the MHS contest last year and placed fifth at state.

Poetry Out Loud contests are held in every state in the country with more than 150,000 students participating.

Students are judged on the following criteria: physical presence, voice and articulation, appropriateness of dramatization, level of complexity of the poem they read, evidence of understanding, accuracy and overall performance.

Ellen Podhajsky, right, won the MHS Poetry Out Loud contest Dec. 18.

Mitchell Schwandt took second place.

Libby Crawford placed third.

A group of MHS students take part in the Poetry Out Loud contest Dec. 18.

The Marshalltown High School fine arts department presented its holiday concert on Dec. 14 in the MHS/Community Auditorium.

The treble choir, concert choir and holiday singers, under the direction of Amy Ose and accompanied by Annie Grieshop, performed.

The symphonic band, under the direction of Brett Umthun, and the wind symphony, under the direction of Bret Lee, also performed.

Hundreds of students performed many holiday favorites at the event to a full crowd at the auditorium.