Bobcats Making Headlines

Members of the Marshalltown High School Envirothon team which placed fourth in the state finals include, from left, Zyrus Whitehead, Monica Carroll, Ben Harris, Emily Sickles and Jasmine Mendoza.

Marshalltown High School placed fourth in the state Envirothon competition, which was held at the YMCA Camp of Des Moines in Boone on April 16. MHS placed first in the oral presentation category with their management plan for the Marietta Sand Prairie. The team also placed first in the wildlife category.

The contest consisted of five tests: wildlife, soils, aquatics, forestry and this year’s current topic of rangeland management as well as an oral presentation based on a challenge that each team had to come up with a management plan for a local prairie. Over 60 teams from across the state competed in six district contests. The top 16 scoring teams qualified to compete at the state finals.  

“I am very proud of this group of students who, despite their incredibly busy schedules, were able to pull off such a high finish,” said MHS Extended Learning Program teacher Susan Fritzell.

Marshalltown High School participated in the state solo/ensemble music contest on April 14 at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines. MHS had 75 students compete, according to MHS instrumental music director Brett Umthun.

“Our students received outstanding ratings and comments from the judges throughout the day,” Umthun said.

MHS received Division I ratings in 37 events (some with perfect scores), Division II ratings in 21 events and Division III ratings in seven events.

Olivia Stone

The Outstanding Performer Award for Center 4 was given to MHS student Olivia Stone.  She will perform her bass clarinet solo on May 9 at the Outstanding Performance Recital in the Music Hall at Iowa State University.

Marshalltown Schools Employee of the Quarter award winners for the third quarter are from left, Connie Reinert, Bob Rush and Elaine Johnson.

Three Marshalltown Community School District employees were honored with Employee of the Quarter awards for the third quarter of the school year recently including Connie Reinert, Bob Rush and Elaine Johnson.

Reinert is in her 17th year as administrative assistant in the transportation department. She was nominated for the award by bus driver Dave Adland.

“Connie is always there when we need her to assist in all communications regarding bus routes, scheduling, student placements and other administrative tasks,” Adland wrote in his nomination form.  “Connie has a caring personality and her ability to interact with parents, students and staff is one of her greatest assets. All of us at the bus barn are lucky to have her in the position that she’s in.”

Rush is in his second year in food service at Fisher Elementary School.  He was nominated for the award by food service supervisor Nancy Mayer and Director of Food Service Lynn Large.

“Bob is an exceptional employee,” Large wrote in her nomination form. “He is dedicated to the students at Fisher Elementary. Bob goes above and beyond in helping students have a positive experience. He is organized, kind and demonstrates effective communication and team skills.”

Johnson is a counselor at Lenihan Intermediate School, where she has worked since 2006. She has worked in the district since 1990.

She was nominated for the award by three Lenihan staff members including Renae DeVenney, Joan Furjanic and Elizabeth Luttrell.

“Elaine is one of the most dedicated employees; she goes above and beyond to meet with our students and to help them,” DeVenney said. “She is very compassionate toward the students and builds a trust with them. She is also very highly respected among her peers.”  

Dave Adland hugs Connie Reinert

Pictured during the award presentation are, from left, are Chad Novotny, Paulette Newbold, Jerry Flathers, Chuck Springer, Connie Reinert, Kevin Beye, Dave Adland and Dr. Theron Schutte.

Pictured from left, Lynn Large, Dr. Theron Schutte, Bob Rush, Mark Lee and Nancy Mayer.

Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte congratulates Bob Rush.

Pictured at Lenihan, from left, Kyle Young, Elizabeth Luttrell, Lisa Crouch, Renae DeVenney, Elaine Johnson, Dr. Liz Jurgensen, Joan Furjanic and Dr. Theron Schutte.

A donation of $600 was made to Franklin Elementary School in honor of a former teacher, the late Ann Jass. Pictured are, front row, from left, Barb Vovos, Franklin students Cayde Boydstun, Caisha Dailey and Vicente Rodriguez. Back row, Franklin teacher librarian Jodi Duffy, Franklin Principal Tim Holmgren and Glenda Barton.

Friends and former co-workers of the late Ann Jass made a donation in her honor at the place where she impacted so many youth.

A donation of $600 was made to Franklin Elementary School in Ann’s honor from the group. Ann taught at Franklin from the late 1960s through 1996 and passed away last month. Former Franklin teachers Barb Vovos and Glenda Barton presented the donation to Franklin staff and students on April 9.

“Many of us taught with Ann and we wanted to do something in her memory as a contribution to the school,” Vovos said.

The money will be utilized in the school’s library.  

“Teaching at Franklin was Ann’s passion and we are thrilled to do this,” Vovos said.

Marshalltown High School senior Victoria Johnson displays the letter she received signifying her appointment to the United States Naval Academy.

MHS senior excited for future in military 

With every day she waited on a letter, Marshalltown High School senior Victoria Johnson thought her opportunity had passed for an appointment into the United States Naval Academy.

But, that fateful day finally came recently and she is now set to attend the academy in Annapolis, Maryland later this year.

“I was pretty excited,” Johnson said of receiving her appointment letter. “I had to read it twice to make sure.”

She said the Naval Academy has a 9 percent acceptance rate, so she wasn’t a shoo in even after being nominated by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley and U.S. Congressman Rod Blum. She plans to study nuclear engineering, and she has already completed several college science courses at MHS.

“It’s always been a field I’ve been really interested in,” Johnson said of nuclear engineering.

From band to athletics to the National Honor Society, Johnson has been involved in a wide range of activities at MHS.

“Victoria demonstrates a strong commitment in every activity that she engages,” said MHS Principal Jacque Wyant. “Whether it is in band, athletics or her academics, Victoria devotes extra energy to reach the highest levels.  When I learned that Victoria had been granted an appointment, I was not surprised. She is an outstanding choice and a model representative from Marshalltown High School. I am elated for Victoria and her family. She will proudly follow in her parents’ footsteps as a member of the armed services.”  

Her parents, Tim and Marsha Johnson, are both Army veterans and MHS teachers. So, no doubt, the question of  which is best Army or Navy will be an ongoing family debate.

“It’s kind of a nice rivalry going on,” Victoria said.

As part of her Navy experience, she is will serve for five years as a commissioned officer, but her thinking as of now is not to stop there.

“I plan to make it a career in the military,” she said.

She said military life appeals to her.

“You are working together on a team in an environment where everyone is expected to do their best and to help keep everyone safe,” Johnson said.

Victoria said school staff, people in the community and her family have helped her reach this goal.

“I would like to thank all of those who have helped me throughout the years,” she said.

This panel of community leaders held a discussion with students in the student leadership group Ricochet at Lenihan Intermediate School on April 5. From left, are Iowa Valley Community College Chancellor Dr. Chris Duree, Hy-Vee Store Director Ric Anderson, KFJB radio personality Kyle Martin, Mayor Joel Greer, Big Brothers and Big Sisters Director Lynne Carroll, Emerson’s Lynn Jensen, County Sheriff Steve Hoffman and School Board President Bea Niblock.

The Lenihan Intermediate School leadership group Ricochet held a community leaders panel discussion and a graduation ceremony on April 5.

Community leaders who were part of the panel included, Iowa Valley Community College Chancellor Dr. Chris Duree, Hy-Vee Store Director Ric Anderson, KFJB radio personality Kyle Martin, Mayor Joel Greer, Big Brothers and Big Sisters Director Lynne Carroll, Emerson’s Lynn Jensen, County Sheriff Steve Hoffman and School Board President Bea Niblock.

Students were able to ask these leaders questions about their various leadership experiences and had a chance to reflect on the connections they made between what they heard during the interview and their own leadership training they experienced during the school year.

After the interview session, a Ricochet graduation ceremony was held where 49 students received certificates for completing a year of leadership training and community service.  

Lenihan Ricochet graduates

Rogers Elementary School families work on a STEM project during the family learning center on April 5 at the school.

Rogers Elementary School hosted more than 60 people for a family learning center night focused on STEM on April 5.

Representatives from Iowa State University visited and talked with students and families about animals and their biomes. Students created 3-D animals using a variety of craft materials then shared what they made and where it would live.

Rogers students got to ask questions about what the Iowa State students are studying, what subjects they work the most on, and what job they are working towards. Each student picked a new non-fiction book to take home with them.

Rogers holds family learning center events twice monthly to provide time for families to come and learn together.

Marshalltown High School students participate in a team building event on April 4 during the Mentors in Violence Prevention group leadership summit.

The Marshalltown High School Mentors in Violence Prevention group held their second Annual Leadership Summit on April 4 at Marshalltown Community College. There were eight different sessions offered including: suicide prevention; cyber bullying/sexting/social media; bullying and character; Human Trafficking 101 and 201; MVP classroom strategies; MVP introduction activities; and MVP team building activities.

“All 64 students (MHS and Grundy Center) gave very positive evaluations of what was presented and what they learned, and it was very exciting to hear about their goals to be better, more effective mentors,” said MHS teacher and MVP facilitator Laurie Rink.  “MHS is very blessed to have administrators, teachers, and community members who support our students and give them many opportunities to be great leaders.”

Mentors in Violence Prevention trains students at MHS to serve as mentors for younger peers and to help provide support.

Cyber bullying discussion

The Iowa Heart Center Foundation presented a $3,000 check recently to Marshalltown Schools to pay for automatic external defibrillators in schools which don’t have one. Pictured, from left, Dr. Grace Ayafor of the Iowa Heart Center, Franklin Elementary School nurse Carol Barlow, Hoglan Elementary School nurse Megan Bell, Hoglan Elementary School Principal Amy Williams, District Director of Special Services Matt Cretsinger, Iowa Heart Center Foundation member Cindy Conroy and Marshalltown High School and district lead nurse Stacey Tool-Crawford.

Two separate donations will lead to automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in all schools in the Marshalltown Community School District.

The Iowa Heart Center Foundation provided a donation of $3,000 recently which was followed up by a donation of $2,780 from the Community Foundation of Marshall County. These donations have provided AEDs for those elementary schools which previously didn’t have one.

Since cardiac arrest can strike anywhere, anytime, one of the best defenses is to make sure the community is supplied with life-saving technology and is trained in its use.  AEDs are state of the art devices that when used in conjunction with effective CPR, assist in the resuscitation of a sudden cardiac arrest victim. AEDs do not require extensive medical knowledge to understand or operate.

“We are pleased to be able to have AEDs placed in each of our schools for the safety of all,”  said Stacey Tool-Crawford, district nurse and Marshalltown High School nurse. “We are grateful for the generous donations which made this possible.”

Pictured are three student actors from the upcoming MHS spring play “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon,” which is April 6 and 7. Pictured from left are Olivia Adams-Zmolek, Amanda Hoffman and Sammuel Wilder.

The Marshalltown High School drama department will present the spring play “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon” at 7 p.m. both Friday, April 6 and Saturday April 7 at the MHS/Community Auditorium.

The fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm are turned on their heads in this fast-paced, rollicking ride as two narrators and several actors attempt to combine all 209 stories ranging from classics like Snow White, Cinderella, and Hansel and Gretel to more bizarre, obscure stories like The Devil’s Grandmother and The Girl Without Hands. It’s a wild, free-form comedy with audience participation and madcap fun.

Directed by Grant Gale, the production features 16 actors taking on a variety of roles.

Admission at the door is $5 for adults and high school students, $3 for students (8th and below) and activity tickets honored.

Cast List

Amber Lawthers tries to club a shark.

Narrators Ashlyn Ruiz and Phoebe Osgood

Ana Nolasco and Lucas Thiessen