Woodbury celebrates excellent attendance

Posted on April 2, 2012 by marshalltownschools

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At Woodbury Elementary you don’t have to look long to find a student with a white or blue Bobcat dog tag on their wrist, around their neck, or in their pocket. It’s a symbol of pride, shared among the 250+ students with perfect or excellent attendance in the third quarter.

On Friday, March 30, Principal Sarah Johnson and Learning Supports Specialist Eric Hunerdosse visited classrooms to hand out the attendance awards. Recognition went to students with perfect attendance and those with excellent attendance (two or fewer absences).

Students were also recognized at an afternoon assembly.

The students with perfect or excellent attendance represent nearly three quarters of the entire student body at Woodbury. The school’s average daily attendance rate in the third quarter was 96.56 percent.

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Preschool Early Registration is April 14

Posted on April 2, 2012 by marshalltownschools

Early Registration for Marshalltown Community School District Preschool will be Saturday, April 14, from 10am to 12:30pm in the Lenihan Intermediate School commons.

Students must be 4 years old by Sept. 15, 2012, to enroll. Please bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate to registration. There is a one-time $25 registration fee due at sign-up. There is no monthly tuition!

In 2012-2013 preschool classes will be offered at seven locations in Marshalltown – Anson Elementary, Fisher Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Hoglan Elementary, Rogers Elementary, Woodbury Elementary and St. Paul’s Preschool.

The MCSD Preschool Program is guided by the Iowa Quality Preschool Program Standards (IQPPS) and Iowa Early Learning Standards. Through use of The Creative Curriculum, students will develop language and literacy skills, learning and thinking skills, social skills and large and small motor functions.

Each preschool classroom is led by a teacher certified in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. Paraeducators, Speech-Language Pathologists, and other staff provide on-site support (Bilingual tutors are available at the six elementary school sites).

For more information about the MCSD Preschool Program call 641-754-1000 or 641-754-1070.

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Miller team takes Central Iowa Battle of the Books championship

Posted on March 30, 2012 by marshalltownschools

Front: James Drummer, Dayana Carrera, Jonathan Ortega. Back: Tim Potter, Jacob Ramsey Smith, Nick Lanes

The Miller 8th Grade ELP Battle of the Books team earned first place at the Central Iowa Battle of the Books competition at Simpson College on Tuesday, March 27.

Over 80 teams entered the competition last fall.  To prepare for the competition, each team read books from a list of 30 titles that included many genres of literature. Two elimination rounds were held at school during February and March, which required teams to answer questions about each book and identify each author.  After the second elimination round, the top 17 teams advanced to the semi-final round at Simpson College.

During the semi-finals, Miller earned a spot in the final oral round with a team from Cowles Montessori School in Des Moines, and then won the championship. Each team member received a trophy, and the team received a set of the 30 books that will be included in next year’s competition.

One 7th grade ELP Battle of the Books team was also very successful in the two elimination rounds and also advanced to the semi-final round at Simpson.  This team included: Juan Andrade, Whitney Canaday, Nallely Loera Gutierrez, Juliana Osgood, TJ Snyder, and Austin Tullis.

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MHS advances 9 to state National History Day

Posted on March 29, 2012 by marshalltownschools

All nine Marshalltown High School students who competed at district National History Day in Pella March 28 earned bids to the state contest.

The 2012 National History Day theme is Revolution, Reaction and Reform in History. The state competition will be April 30, 2012, at the State Historical Society in Des Moines.

State Qualifying Entries:

Group Documentary:  “All We Ask Is Justice: The Cedar County Cow Wars” (covers the government mandate to TB test all Iowa cattle in 1929) – Adam Willman, Isaac  Medina, and Jon Kirner

Group Performance:  “Carrie Chapman Catt: Leading the Women’s Rights Revolution” – Ellen Podhajsky, Hannah  Stone, Susie Pratt

Individual Exhibit:  “The Revolutionary Law that Changed the Role of the American Girl” – Emily Barske

Group Website:  “Changing the Treatment of Tuberculosis: Revolutionizing Society’s Attitudes” (covered Iowa’s sanatoriums and the discovery of streptomycin) – Molly Major and Erin Woltjer

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MCSD fund drive nets $870.10 for Reach Out and Read

Posted on March 29, 2012 by marshalltownschools

Dr. Colette Lothe (left) receives a donation for Reach out and Read from MEA representative Becky Jacobson.

Marshalltown Community School District employees donated $870.10 to Marshall County Reach Out and Read, a program that promotes early literacy.

Becky Jacobson and Nicole Christensen, the Reach Out and Read co-chairs from the Marshalltown Education Association, presented a check for $870.10 to Colette Lothe, Marshall County Pediatrician and the Marshall County Reach Out and Read Committee at their recent board meeting.

The MEA facilitated the fund drive for all the employees of the Marshalltown Community School District.

“We offered all MCSD employees the chance to participate in this great cause to help kids get literacy experiences,” said Jacobson.  “On behalf of all the Marshalltown Community School District employees and members of the MEA, we are very proud to present this check to the Reach Out and Read Program.”

Money was collected during January and February to benefit the program that provides books for 3-year-old children at their regularly scheduled doctor’s appointments.

According to Betsy Macke, Chair of the Marshall County Reach Out and Read program, these funds will be used to provide a children’s book to every 3-year-old child seen by a Marshalltown physician at their well child check up.  In addition, every physician will talk to the parents about the importance of reading to their child for at least 20 minutes each day.

“Our school staff knows that it is crucial for children to develop good language skills,” said Macke.  “Of all parent and child activities, reading aloud provides the richest exposure to language. National studies have shown that children whose doctor participates in the Reach Out and Read program enter kindergarten better prepared to succeed and have stronger language skills.”

Macke and the Reach Out and Read Board expressed their appreciation to receive this donation from the MCSD teachers and personnel through the fund drive sponsored by the MEA.

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Film festival showcases work by Lenihan students

Posted on March 28, 2012 by marshalltownschools

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Lenihan English Language Learners and their families filled IVCCD Orpheum Theater Center yesterday for the “Fighting for Justice Film Festival”, featuring films written and produced by ELL students.

Twenty films were screened at the Oprheum, all focused on the Underground Railroad, Martin Luther King, Jr., César Chávez or injustices in Burma.

Working on the films helped students hone their English skills by identifying main ideas, paraphrasing, and writing correct sentences.

The students used Microsoft MovieMaker to create their films, recording their voices for narration and using appropriate images – and sometimes the students’ own drawings – to illustrate the stories.

Read more about the Film Festival in today’s Marshalltown Times Republican.

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MHS sophomore qualifies for national debate tournament

Posted on March 28, 2012 by marshalltownschools

Marshalltown High School sophomore Abby Snyder has qualified for the National Forensic League National Speech & Debate Tournament June 10-15 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

This is Snyder’s second year qualifying for the national tournament in legislative debate. Her national bid was earned at the East Iowa District Congress tournament held Saturday, March 24, at Davenport West High School. Snyder was one of more than 30 students participating in the district competition. A total 107 district tournaments were held nationwide to choose the 3,200 students eligible to compete at the national level.

Top performers take home more than $200,000 in college scholarships. For more information, visit the tournament website: www.NFLnationals.org.

Anyone wishing to support Snyder and the Marshalltown Forensic team can do so by making a donation to Marshalltown High School, c/o Dr. J. Hawk, 1602 S. 2nd Avenue, Marshalltown, IA 50158.

For more information, contact Dr. Hawk at jhawk@marshalltown.k12.ia.us.

About the National Forensic League

The National Forensic League (NFL) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit honorary society whose mission is to promote high school and middle school speech and debate activities as a means to develop a student’s essential life skills and values. More than 112,000 high school and middle school students, representing more than 2,900 schools nationwide, are currently building their communication, leadership, cognitive, and presentational skills as members. Since 1925, more than 1.3 million students have found their voice in the NFL. For more information, visit www.NFLonline.org.

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Spring Break tutoring sessions offered through MHS Breakfast and Books program

Posted on March 28, 2012 by marshalltownschools

Breakfast and Books, a schoolwork assistance program at Marshalltown High School, will hold Spring Break tutoring sessions April 3-5, 9am-Noon.

Breakfast and Books began in February, offering students extra help with schoolwork on Saturdays in the MHS Cafeteria. From 8:30 to 11:30 on Saturdays students can come to get assistance from or work on credit and component recovery with two core subject teachers, with alternating Saturdays for math and science, English and social studies, and physical education.

During spring break sessions (held 9am-noon) all students are welcome to receive help with any subject, with core teachers available for support. Students are able to come at any time during the three-hour window and can come any or all days.

Food will be provided and students needing transportation can make arrangements with Erin Weatherly, iJAG education specialist.

Breakfast and Books is supported by GEAR UP Iowa.

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MHS places third at State Science Olympiad

Posted on March 27, 2012 by marshalltownschools

Marshalltown High School placed third at the State Science Olympiad contest Saturday, March 24, at Coe College in Cedar Rapids.

MHS was just one point behind second place Cedar Rapids Washington. Ames took the top spot and Burlington placed fourth. Science Olympiad is a “nonprofit organization designed to encourage middle and high school students in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics”.

MHS placed first in Microbe Mission, where teams answer questions, solve problems and analyze data relating to microbes. Marshalltown placed second or third (and therefore earned medals)  in 12 other categories:

Results

1st Place in Microbe Mission – Annalisa Iole and Chandler Schmidt

2nd Place in Forestry – Ilene Finn and Adam Willman

  • Testing knowledge of North American trees on the Official National Tree List.

2nd Place in Dynamic Planet – Ilene Finn and Adam Willman

  • Teams work at stations displaying various materials related to Earth’s fresh waters and corresponding questions.

2nd Place in Protein Modeling – Therese Kuhlman and Chandler Schmidt

  • Students use computer visualization and online resources to guide them in constructing physical models of proteins and in understanding how the structure of the protein determines the function. For 2012, students modeled proteins involved in the regulation of apoptosis as they explore the discovery and treatment of a rate (one in a billion) genetic trait discovered through genome sequencing.

2nd Place in Technical Problem Solving – Mollie Finn and Kyle Dalluge

  • Teams gather and process data to solve problems.

2nd Place in Disease Detectives – Mollie Finn and Lainey Crawford

  • Students apply principals of epidemiology to a published report of real-life health situation or problem (food-born illness).

2nd Place in Astronomy – Mollie Finn and Alex DeGrado

  • Teams demonstrate understanding of basic math and physics concepts relative to stellar evolution and type 1a supernovas.

2nd Place in Fermi Questions – David Montealegre and TJ Miller

  • A Fermi Question is a science related question that seeks a fast, rough estimate of a quantity which is difficult or impossible to measure directly. Answers are estimated within an order of magnitude recorded in powers of 10.

2nd Place in Gravity Vehicle – Dalton Ernst and Daniel Talbert

  • Teams design, build and test one vehicle and ramp that uses gravitational potential energy as the vehicle’s sole means of propulsion.

3rd Place in Robot Arm – Daniel Talbert and James Talbert

  • Teams design, build, document and test one robotic device to move scored items (developed prior to competition).

3rd Place in Towers – Blake Gethmann and Matt Vandegrift

  • Teams design and build the most efficient tower.

3rd Place in Anatomy – Annalisa Iole and Alex DeGrado

  • Teams are tested on knowledge of anatomy and health concepts including respiratory and digestive systems.

3rd Place in Forensics – Therese Kuhlman and TJ Miller

  • Students identify polymers, solids, fibers and other materials in a crime scene scenario.

4th Place in Sound of Music – Therese Kuhlman and Andrew Walker

  • Students build two different instruments of any type based on a 12-tone tempered scale, prepare to describe the principles behind their operation and perform a major scale, a required melody and a chosen melody with each.

Event descriptions from the Iowa Science Olympiad website http://www.coe.edu/iowa-science-olympiad

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Anson’s annual Chris Cakes night draws large crowd

Posted on March 27, 2012 by marshalltownschools

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Over 700 people visited Anson Elementary Monday night for the annual Chris Cakes night.

Students and their families enjoyed thousands of pancakes made by Chris Cakes, along with sausage, fresh fruit, milk and juice. More adventurous diners tried to catch their pancakes as they few through the air – soaring anywhere from a few feet in the air to several yards across the cafeteria.

After eating as many pancakes as they wanted, families were invited to play math games.

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