Bobcats Making Headlines

The 2022-23 school year is in full swing, and big, yellow school buses are again a common sight on weekday mornings and afternoons throughout Marshalltown. National School Bus Safety Week, running from Oct. 17-21, offers a great opportunity for everyone to brush up on their school bus safety knowledge.

MCSD Transportation staff work hard to keep students safe on the road. They ensure students get to and from school, as well as school-related extracurricular activities, in a timely manner.

There are many ways for community members to help make students’ bus rides to and from school as safe as possible. Here are a few important tips to keep in mind around school buses:

• Flashing red lights mean STOP for vehicles around a school bus – keep at least 25 feet away from a bus with flashing red lights to ensure students’ safety.
• Flashing yellow lights mean SLOW DOWN and prepare to stop.
• Drive slower and maintain greater driving distance when a school bus is present.
• Don’t drive distracted – maintain focus on the road and surroundings.
• Be extra watchful for school buses between the hours of 7-8:30 a.m. and 3:30-4:30 p.m. on weekdays, when school transportation activity peaks.

Students and families should also practice safety around school buses. Here are some key things for families to remember and practice with children:

• Children should stay three giant steps away from a roadway until the bus comes to a complete stop. 
• It is never safe to walk behind a school bus.
• Children should maintain a distance of about five giant steps away from the front of a bus when getting on or leaving the bus.
• Look both ways whenever crossing any street. 

Several colorful, vibrant “Look Both Ways” sidewalk murals are visible at all MCSD schools, serving as a reminder to everyone, whether walking or driving, to prioritize student safety.

More school bus safety tips and resources for students, families, educators, and the wider community can be found at https://www.napt.org/. 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 near school buses!

Two MHS students’ Spanish-language articles have been selected for publication in the University of Northern Iowa’s student newspaper, the Northern Iowan, as part of a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Natalie Andrade and Alexia Garcia authored the articles after much research in their Heritage Spanish class last school year. Andrade’s article – titled “Entre dos mundos” (“Between two worlds”) – explores the author’s experiences and memories from one of her childhood birthdays. 

Garcia’s article is also aptly titled. In “La hija mayor” (“The Oldest Daughter”), she tells of the experiences and pressures often faced by the oldest sibling in a household. 

MHS Heritage Spanish and AP Spanish teacher Kristin Stuchis said Andrade and Garcia were excited for the opportunity to share their experiences through their articles. 

“These two young women explored newspapers from around the Spanish-speaking world … they would look at the articles and think about what makes a good story,” Stuchis said.

Both students said their biliteracy skills have grown thanks to their advanced Spanish education at MHS.

“Throughout taking those courses, I have learned how to better connect ideas and be able to shift between the two languages effortlessly,” Andrade said.

Congratulations to Natalie Andrade and Alexia Garcia!

New Marshalltown High School Homecoming King Cesar Corona and Queen Yanitza Lopez were crowned at Leonard Cole Field on Thursday evening.

New MHS Homecoming King Cesar Corona and Queen Yanitza Lopez were crowned at Leonard Cole Field on Thursday evening.

Corona and Lopez were chosen as 2022 MHS Homecoming Royalty by their fellow students. Attendees of the Coronation Ceremony also enjoyed a rousing pep rally ahead of Friday’s big game.

Earlier Thursday evening, the entire Homecoming Court helped ramp up Bobcat Spirit in Marshalltown during the annual MHS Homecoming Parade down Main Street. Also featured in the parade were students from the MHS Football, Marching Band, Color Guard, Bowling, Golf, and Cheer programs, among others. Several high school clubs also featured, as did a float from Marshalltown Learning Academy.

Congratulations to King Cesar Corona and Queen Yanitza Lopez, as well as their Homecoming Court peers: Nile Christensen, Jaxson Eisenbarth, Anthoneih Kopsa, Nicolas Orozco, Antonio Rico Alba, Jason Strand, Brayden Weatherly, Ava Augustine, Tarryn Bell, Averi Bolar, Reagan Ford, Rachel Jacobs, Chesni Uhde and Meah Yoemans.

Join us in cheering on the Bobcats at Friday’s Homecoming game against Des Moines Lincoln! Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Leonard Cole Field. Additionally, the Homecoming Dance will take place at the Auxiliary Gym from 8-11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, with photos scheduled for 7:30-10 p.m.

Go Bobcats!

The first ever Iowa Alliance Conference (IAC) North Boys Golf team championship went to the Bobcats at the Marshalltown American Legion Golf Course on Tuesday.

Several members of the Bobcat Boys Golf team, led by Coach Lucas Johnson, earned individual plaudits on their way to winning the team title. Ryan Schmit (2nd overall), Ty Faltys (4th overall) and Cael Sandvick (6th overall) received First Team All Conference honors, while Jacob Thiessen (10th overall) and Eli Polley (11th overall) earned Second Team All Conference honors.

With the inaugural IAC North team title in hand, the Bobcats now look ahead to district-level play at A.H. Blank Golf Course in Des Moines, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 3. Help us cheer on the Bobcats as they look to add to their postseason success!

Homecoming festivities are set to begin ahead of next week’s big game, and we are excited to announce the Marshalltown High School students named to the 2022 Homecoming Court:

All sixteen students on the Court will be celebrated at a Homecoming pep rally on Friday morning. Festivities will continue throughout next week, and the Homecoming King & Queen will be crowned on Thursday, Sept. 29 after the annual Homecoming Parade down Main Street.

The Bobcats will face Des Moines Lincoln at Leonard Cole Field for this year’s Homecoming football game. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30.

The Homecoming Dance will take place at the Auxiliary Gym from 8-11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, with Homecoming photos scheduled for 7:30-10 p.m.

Check out the full 2022 MHS Homecoming activities schedule, including next week’s theme days, and join us in showing your Bobcat Spirit!

Hundreds of Fisher Elementary students and families gathered in the school’s playground area for the first ever Fisher Fall Scoop on Wednesday evening.

The Fall Scoop is intended to be an annual event to support strong, healthy connections between school staff and the students and families they serve. True to its name, the event offered students and families a chance to enjoy a frozen treat while exploring several fun activities.

In addition to having fun at the Fisher playground, students enjoyed sidewalk chalk, picture coloring, and temporary tattoo activities stationed around the school. Students and families also got to explore two large, yellow firetrucks operated by Marshalltown Fire Department firefighters.

Between all of the fun activities, families and school staff had valuable opportunities to talk and strengthen connections. Thank you to all of the families who made it out for the inaugural Fisher Fall Scoop!

Young trees will take root at several Marshalltown CSD schools this week through the exciting Planting Hope project.

The Marshalltown Planting Hope project kicked off with a planting event on the west lawn of MHS on Monday afternoon. In all, 114 new trees will find a home at MHS, Marshalltown Learning Academy, Miller Middle School, Rogers Elementary School, or Hoglan Elementary School this week.

This generous effort is being made possible by the Wright Foundation for Sustainability & Innovation and Trees Forever, with support from Marshalltown Parks & Recreation and Green Iowa AmeriCorps.

Bobcat students and staff, local Emerson staff, and Marshalltown Trees Forever members are providing volunteer support for this week’s Planting Hope efforts, and the trees being planted were supplied by Wood Duck Nursery. Species include oaks, elms, maples, and American sweet gum trees, among others.

While they are currently small in size, the trees planted this week will enhance beauty, comfort, and environmental health at their new homes. Eventually, they will help restore Marshalltown’s tree canopy, which took a significant hit after the 2018 tornado and 2020 derecho.

Be on the lookout for these colorful additions at the above schools this week!

Miller Middle School Extended Learning Program (XLP) teacher Ann Jackson was one of 84 teachers nationwide recently selected to join the Society for Science Advocate Program.

“I wanted to increase my skills and be a better advocate for all students, and especially those who are underrepresented,” Jackson said, adding that she was selected to support underrepresented students who are interested in Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering (STEM) subjects.

Jackson is participating in special professional development opportunities as part of the Advocate Program. She joined fellow middle school science teachers in Washington, D.C. this summer for training, and continues to meet with a cohort of teachers virtually each month.

The Advocate Program will provide additional resources and support for Jackson as she works to grow students’ engagement in STEM-related learning and activities.

Among Jackson’s goals for the coming years is getting more students interested in Science and Technology Fair competitions. She said she looks forward to supporting Miller students’ STEM success.

The Marshalltown School Board approved an increase in substitute teacher pay at the Monday, Sept. 6 board meeting. 

As a result, the daily pay for substitutes will increase from $130 to $140. Additionally, substitute teachers will be able to earn an even higher pay rate – $160 per day – for substituting for 50 or more days in any one school year. 

Substitute teachers have the opportunity to develop healthy, positive, and educational relationships with Bobcat students. They can build their skills in important areas like instruction, public speaking, teamwork, community engagement, and more.

In addition to the increased in substitute pay, the Marshalltown CSD offers these exciting employment incentives:

• A $2,500 relocation incentive for newly-hired teachers who choose to move to the District.
• A  sign-on bonus of up to $5,000 for newly-hired K-12 special education teachers.
• For certified teachers, our 10-year cap on pay for years of experience has been temporarily lifted, meaning you will receive credit on the salary schedule for each year of experience.

No matter what kind of school career you’re interested in, MCSD has excellent opportunities for you to do what you love while making a difference for children in the Marshalltown community. Search and apply for a position at https://iowa.schoolspring.com/ (enter Marshalltown’s zip code, 50158,  into the “City, State, or Zip” search bar at the top left of the page).

Marshalltown High School students who maintained a 3.5 or higher GPA last school year were celebrated at the Marshalltown Performing Arts Center Auditorium on Wednesday. 

Some of the students were recognized with an academic letter for the very first time, while previous letter-earners were recognized with academic bars to signify their consistent success in the classroom.

“This evening is about striving for academic excellence,” said MHS Principal Jacque Wyant. “These students demonstrate their readiness for college in their academic rigor and achievement. They demonstrate their career readiness in their volunteerism, positive attendance, extracurricular involvement, Seal of Biliteracy, and dual credit … they are definitely Bobcat Ready.”

Wyant added that many of the students are also involved in extracurricular activities, volunteering in the community, and taking dual-credit college classes. She added that the Class of 2023 may well break the record number of dual-graduates set by the Class of 2022.

Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte also commended the academic letter-earners on Wednesday evening. He urged Class of 2023 seniors to maintain focus on preparing for post-secondary life, and encouraged sophomores and juniors to take advantage of opportunities to expand upon their education within the school and community.

“You have already proven you’re on a great path” Dr. Schutte said. “I’m super excited for what the future holds for you.”

More photos from Wednesday’s celebration can be found below, along with a list of students who earned an academic letter during the 2021-22 school year (for academic bars, * indicates one bar earned, and ** indicates a second bar earned):