Bobcats Making Headlines

The MHS Bobcats worked as a school-wide team – from the wrestling mat to the swimming pool to the sidelines – during Senior Night events this week.

To ensure senior student-athletes felt seen by friends and family who could not attend this week’s MHS Boys Swimming and Wrestling competitions, a group of students worked hard to live stream the proceedings.

Senior Antony Miranda Gomez and junior Elisabeth Draisey – both dedicated video production students – volunteered their time Thursday night to live stream the action. Many other students, including seniors Anthony Sotelo and Eli Thiessen, lent a hand by providing commentary on the Bobcat News Network (BNN) broadcasts of the wrestling meet and the singing of the National Anthem. 

From managers to creators and athletes to artists, Bobcat students and staff continue to problem-solve in a time of restrictions and challenges due to COVID-19; the result has been incredible teamwork among the MHS academic, athletic, and art programs. Students have come together to support each other with caring, accountability, and critical thinking to help promote their school.

As the District continues to grow and explore live stream production, like and subscribe to the BNN YouTube channel and keep an eye out for new content!

Agriculture is a leading industry in Iowa, and a new course at Marshalltown High School is bringing hands-on agricultural education to Bobcat students. 

MHS Introduction to Agriculture teacher Tara Leytham said students have enjoyed the coursework and activities, which focus on animal- and plant science. For one major project, student teams are using what they have learned this semester to prepare and sell homemade beef jerky.

“The whole point of this project is to teach entrepreneurship skills while hitting on the agricultural standards,” Leytham said.

Along with learning how to properly prepare beef, the students created marinade and seasoning recipes to give their jerky a unique flavor. The teams also planned which customer groups they would focus on to sell their product, created brand logos, and provided nutrition labels for product packaging. 

MHS junior Jose Martinez said he was interested in learning more about animals and agriculture when he signed up for the new course. 

“We learned more about the breeds and that there’s more than just ‘a cow,’” he said of the animal science unit. “I like it, it’s fun to learn about.” 

Sophomore April Wills said farming is important in her family. She is happy to have a course where she can learn more about agriculture.

 “I grew up on a farm, but I wasn’t able to get into agriculture because we moved … so this class really helps me to learn all of that stuff that I didn’t get to learn,” April said. “It’s a very fun class. You learn different things every day.” 

Leytham said many students have expressed interest in careers working with animals; one of those students is freshman Abriana Martinez. 

“I saw that for the second semester we were doing animal science,” Abriana said. “I want to do something to do with animals, like a vet or something similar.” 

She said she has learned much about animal health and physiology this semester, and is excited for next semester’s animal science course, which will build upon the students concepts from Introduction to Agriculture.

As the agriculture curriculum grows, Leytham said she wants to have many course offerings which complement one another and provide several agriculture education pathways. Another agriculture program goal is to build business partnerships to create work-based learning opportunities for students.

The new MHS agriculture curriculum is off to a great start. Jose, April, and Abriana all said they would recommend the course to their friends and classmates.

Three dedicated Marshalltown Community School District staff members have earned Employee of the Quarter honors for the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year. All three have had a positive impact on their fellow employees and the District overall. 

The awardees for the first quarter are: Anson Elementary Food Service employee Shelly Dall, Hoglan Elementary ELL teacher Adrian McLaughlin and Marshalltown High School CNA Rocio Villagomez. Meet each of the honorees below – 

Shelly Dall – Food Service at Anson Elementary
MCSD Food Service Director Lynn Large and Nutrition Supervisor Michelle Diers said Shelly Dall is highly dependable and stepped up in a big way this semester as the coronavirus pandemic caused many changes and challenges.

“You’ve done a lot of good stuff, and we just want you to know that we’ve noticed, and people all across the building are seeing what you are doing,” Large said, adding that Anson teachers have noted Dall’s role in making the transition to in-classroom lunches easier this semester.

Diers said Dall is diligent in ensuring students get the food they need to fuel learning. 

“You not only take care of the kids and the staff here, but you also take care of your kitchen like it’s your kitchen at home,” Diers said during Dall’s award presentation. 

Adrian McLaughlin – ELL teacher at Hoglan Elementary
Hoglan Principal Amy Williams said she sees Adrian McLaughlin’s passion for supporting students and families every day. McLaughlin has put forth extra effort to create video updates for students in both English and Spanish, and was instrumental during Hoglan’s Return to Learn planning process in the summer.

“Adrian recognizes the need to work together to support students and families, and continually goes above and beyond to serve,” Williams said. “She is creative in coming up with ways to communicate important information with families.”

Rocio Villagomez – Certified Nursing Assistant at MHS
The District Health Services Department has been extra busy this school year due to the pandemic, and Rocio Villagomez has proven to be a crucial part of the MHS nursing team.

“I appreciate everything you do for us, for all of the students and staff,” said District Lead Nurse Stacey Tool-Crawford during Villagomez’s award presentation, adding that Villagomez played a key role in helping produce a Return to Learn health services video earlier this year. 

MHS Principal Jacque Wyant said she appreciates the positive, fun attitude Villagomez brings with her to work every day. Villagomez regularly goes above and beyond to help with translations for families when needed and is a strong collaborator in the high school Health Services team. 

Congratulations to all three of the first quarter awardees! Check out more photos from the Employee of the Quarter award presentations below. 

Six Marshalltown High School music students have attained the highest individual honor available to Iowa high school musicians – each has been selected as a member of one of the 2020 All-State Music Ensembles. Congratulations to the following students:

• All-State Band: Rebekah Stone, bass clarinet (second year)
• All-State Chorus: Olivia Adams-Zmolek (second year), Taylor Hoffman, Aaron Seberger, and Elijah Thiessen (fourth year)
• All-State Orchestra: Veronica Herrera, violin

The 2020 All-State Music Festival concert would have celebrated the 74th anniversary of this prestigious event. District auditions for each ensemble were held virtually last month in Le Mars, Hampton, Independence, Atlantic, Indianola, and Washington. 

In total, 3,483 students representing 263 high schools auditioned virtually. The students selected to an All-State ensemble represent the top 1.7% of all Iowa high school musicians.

While we are saddened that the 2020 All-State Music Festival Concert itself has been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, that in no way diminishes the accomplishment of the young musicians designated as members of the 2020 All-State Band, Choir, or Orchestra. They are in every way All-State Musicians and we commend them for earning this honor! 

The Marshalltown Community School District is incredibly proud of our many military veteran employees who bring their valuable skills, knowledge, and experience to our schools each day. 

MCSD Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte shared special Veterans Day cards with military veteran employees Wednesday to honor and celebrate their service to the country. Thank you to all who have served!

After months of planning, partnership and hard work, community members came together to celebrate the brand new Marshalltown Court Complex Tuesday afternoon.

Marshalltown Schools Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte introduced the exceptional new facilities – including 12 new tennis courts and three new pickleball courts – and shared the District’s gratitude for the community partnerships that made the sports facility a reality. 

“The reality is our kids deserve what other kids in other parts of the state and country have, which are high-quality facilities to learn a lifelong sport and, for those who want to compete, to compete at a really high level,” Dr. Schutte said. 

Marshalltown School Board Vice President Sean Heitmann praised the new facility and thanked Dr. Schutte for his work to organize the many partnerships that made the project possible. 

“This is a great deal for our kids, it’s a great deal for our community. I hope it gets tremendous use,” Heitmann said. 

The project saw the City of Marshalltown and MCSD continue a partnership going back more than four decades, starting with the eight previous tennis courts originally installed in 1974. The significant deterioration of the previous courts was a major factor in pursuing the Marshalltown Court Complex project.

“Marshalltown is a fun place to live because there’s so much collaboration going on here,” said Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer. “If you have a good idea and the right people behind it, it happens, and that’s exactly what happened here.” 

Contributions from national, regional, and state divisions of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) were also vital to the creation of the Marshalltown Court Complex. In total, the USTA, USTA Missouri Valley, and USTA Iowa District gave $91,500 in support of the project; the funding also supports increased tennis curriculum in physical education classes District-wide.

The Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation played a crucial role in ensuring pickleball facilities were included in the Marshalltown Tennis Complex, providing $150,000 toward the project. Pickleball, a paddle sport played on a small court, has seen increasing popularity locally and nationally in recent years; the specialized courts at the new facility will offer community members access to this fun sport.

“The Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation was excited to support this opportunity to provide students with yet another quality athletic complex,” said Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation Executive Director Karn Gregoire. 

Additionally, the Zink family provided $25,000 toward the project, and Bobcats Softball coach Jim Palmer was pivotal in providing seating at the new sports complex. The MHS Class of 1969, led by Lyle Jensen and former Bobcats Girls Tennis coach Billy Wilson, donated several evergreen trees to act as windbreaks on the north side of the facility grounds. 

“This is an incredible complex,” Wilson said at Tuesday’s grand opening. 

Dr. Schutte said the complex is very near completion, and the project is expected to come to a close within the next few weeks. Marshalltown Schools appreciates all of our partners and community members who supported this important project. The Marshalltown Court Complex will provide Marshalltown community members with recreational and competitive opportunities for years to come. 

National School Bus Safety week takes place each October, serving as an important reminder to prioritize safety near school buses.

According to the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), the 2020 National School Bus Safety Week theme is “Red Lights Mean STOP!” When a school bus displays flashing red lights, other vehicles must stop until the flashing red lights are no longer displayed. More information on required stopping for school buses from the Iowa DOT is available here.

The NAPT offers many school bus safety tips and resources for students, families, educators, and the wider community. School buses are crucial to ensuring Bobcat students are transported safely to and from school – it is vital for everyone in the community to maintain caution and awareness near school buses!

Bobcat students and staff throughout Marshalltown Schools are sporting new water bottles thanks to a generous donation from JBS Marshalltown and UFCW Local 1149 this week. 

The 4,655 new water bottles will support health and safety within the schools by ensuring each person has access to their own personal water container throughout the day. Personal water containers are among the multiple health and safety strategies MCSD has implemented this school year in response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Marshalltown Schools is incredibly grateful for our ongoing community partnerships with UFCW Local 1149 and with JBS Marshalltown, which donated thousands of face masks for this summer’s MHS Commencement Ceremony Such strong community partnerships are crucial to the health, safety, and success of Bobcat students and the Marshalltown community. 

Marshalltown High School Band and Color Guard students gave several excellent performances at Monday evening’s MHS Band Extravaganza at Leonard Cole Field.

The MHS Jazz Band, Marching Band, and Color Guard were each highlighted at the Extravaganza, with each group bringing unique and entertaining performances.

Enjoy these photos from Monday evening’s MHS Band Extravaganza!

Marshalltown Community School District is partnering with the Arts & Culture Alliance and the City of Marshalltown to create vibrant sidewalk murals at local schools. In May of 2019, our community tragically lost an 8-year-old boy, Christian Maxon, after being struck by a car while crossing the street after school.

We believe the arts provide hope, healing and are a creative way to address and solve community challenges. It is our priority to honor and pay tribute to Christian and his family by increasing safety, awareness, education, beautification and engagement in the arts through this project.

“In 2019, the Alliance launched our newest program, Marshalltown Murals. From the beginning, it was our priority to expand the program by partnering with the Marshalltown Schools to incorporate murals within the community,” said Arts & Culture Alliance Executive Director Amber Danielson. “We believe this is a critical and significant opportunity to address the challenge of street safety in the school zones, while engaging students in a creative and educational way. We are honored to lead this project to pay tribute to Christian and his family.”

The project’s fall kick-off is possible thanks to a gracious donation by Jason and Jenny Matteson, who are sponsoring the mural at Franklin Elementary School. Jason and Jenny said the Sidewalk Safety Murals project “was extremely important to us – to promote safety awareness, as well as an offering of love and hope for Christian’s family.”

Murals will first be placed at three of the 11 schools this fall – Franklin, Rogers and Woodbury elementary schools. The remaining MCSD schools, as well as St. Francis Catholic School and Marshalltown Christian School, will be completed in the spring/summer of 2021. Franklin Elementary, the school Christian attended and where the accident took place, will receive the first mural. Each mural will measure approximately 10ft x 10ft.

Franklin Elementary’s mural will have a special dedication to Christian, including a lightning bolt which represents Flash, his favorite super hero, as well as his favorite color, blue.

“I’m hoping this campaign will remind all people to be hyper-vigilant and careful any time they are driving or crossing the street because even if you have the right of way and follow proper safety precautions, there is no guarantee that everyone else will,” said Christian’s mom, Brittany Maxon. “We want to bring awareness to everyone – children, adults, drivers, and pedestrians – anything to prevent another family from suffering our heartbreak. Christian would want that. He loved everyone and would want his loss to help bring awareness and keep others safe.”

MCSD Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte said the project serves as a powerful way to honor Christian’s life and as a critical safety reminder.

“MCSD is very excited to partner with the Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance on the Sidewalk Mural Project in honor and remembrance of former Franklin Elementary student Christian Maxon. It is a step in the right direction of providing more education, support and attention to the critical importance of safe practices for motorists and pedestrians within our community,” Dr. Schutte said.

The Alliance’s Mural Selection Committee, which includes a local artist, an Alliance Board Member and a Marshalltown Public Art Committee Member, is working hard to finalize the mural design with the hand-selected artist, Lauren Gifford of Des Moines. The artist has granted us copyright of the mural, so we will be able to spread the message throughout the community. Our intention is to put the mural on signs to be placed at each of the schools’ busy intersections and crosswalks to share the message to drivers traveling through school zones. The signs will be translated into Spanish. 

The mural design and verbiage “Look Both Ways” was selected for many important reasons:

• It is vibrant and bold – our hope is it literally stops people in their tracks to remember street safety.
• The phrase is universal to everyone – people of all ages, from children to senior citizens, and people of all ethnicities and abilities.
• The phrase is applicable to everyone – walkers and drivers, allowing the messaging to be spread community wide.

The painting will begin over the next couple of weeks, with the goal to have the first three murals completed by the end of October. The Alliance concentrate on fundraising over the winter months for the remaining schools. Each mural is $1,500 and we still need another $12,000 to complete this project at the remaining schools

“Christian was the most caring child I have known. I am blessed to be his grandmother. It is a great honor to have his memory kept alive with this project that will remind drivers to be extra cautious in school zones and remind the students to be careful when crossing the streets,” said Christian’s grandmother, Denise Balot.

The Arts & Culture Alliance, a non-profit organization, was created in 2004 to cultivate a community of arts and culture by supporting, promoting and enriching existing opportunities and by seeking new possibilities. Our mission allows us to focus on enhancing the quality of life in Marshalltown by making it a place in which arts and culture thrive and our community flourishes.

To make a tax-deductible donation toward the Sidewalk Safety Mural Project:
Please make checks out to Arts & Culture Alliance – send to PO BOX 386, Marshalltown, IA, 50158

Online Donations Accepted at www.artsandculturealliance.org/support *click the donate button and select sidewalk mural project

For more information or questions, please contact us at (641) 752-ARTS (2787) or director@artsandculturealliance.org. Learn more about the project at www.artsandculturealliance.org/marshalltown-murals