Bobcats Making Headlines

The Marshalltown High School Bobcat Marching Band received its 17^th consecutive Division 1 rating at the State Marching Festival held on October 7 at Fort Dodge.
“Their growth this season is amazing and we are so proud of their hard work and dedication,” said MHS instrumental music director Brett Umthun.
Their last halftime performance of the season will be during the October 20 home football game. The band will also perform at the Band Extravaganza at 7 p.m. on October 16 in the MHS/Community Auditorium.

MHS Vocal Pops concert is Oct. 12
The MHS Vocal Pops concert is at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 12 in the MHS/Community Auditorium.
The concert will feature a 40th Anniversary tribute of songs to Elvis Presley, but will also feature 11 student solo/duet acts in the first part of the concert with popular songs from 2004 – 2017.
Admission is $5 Adults / and $3 for students K-8.  Activity passes will be honored.

Franklin Elementary School kindergarten students are pictured in the new playground made possible by a donation from the Ploeger family to honor past kindergarten teacher Carol Ploeger. Pictured standing with the children, are from left, current Franklin kindergarten teacher Amy Phillips, Jan Paper (Carol’s sister), Jeff Ploeger (Carol’s son), Franklin Principal Tim Holmgren, Dick Ploeger (Carol’s husband), Christine Cameron (Carol’s daughter) and Marshalltown Schools Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte.

When Dick Ploeger’s wife Carol passed away earlier this year, he couldn’t think of a better place to donate her memorial fund than to Franklin Elementary School.

After all, Carol had so many great memories of the school after teaching kindergarten at Franklin in the late 1960s and 1970s.

A Ploeger family donation was made which resulted in a new playground at the school and new classroom equipment for the same kindergarten classroom that Carol used to teach, which is now taught by Amy Phillips.

“She loved teaching kindergarten here,” Dick said of Carol. “We thought this (donation) should stay here.”

Franklin will have a small sign with Carol’s name out by the playground and a plaque made to display in the kindergarten classroom with Carol’s picture.

Carol Ploeger as a Franklin teacher

Marshalltown High School will host a brief groundbreaking ceremony for the Roundhouse Phase II project at noon on Thursday, October 12.

The event, which is open to the public, will feature brief remarks by district and project leaders.

The project is underway to build a wrestling room and auxiliary gym at MHS, led by the general contractor Ball Team of Urbandale. Nearly $3 million was raised by the Renovate the Roundhouse group for the project including a $1 million grant from the Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation.

The project is expected to be completed in late 2018.

Pictured is Payton Ruddock, a 2005 Marshalltown High School graduate who runs his own photography company known as Ruddock Visuals.

MHS graduate runs Ruddock Visuals in Texas

An engineer by trade, Payton Ruddock decided his future would come into focus in the field of photography.

The 2005 Marshalltown High School graduate is making a name for himself in sports photography as a commercial and advertising photographer, based in the Houston, Texas area. His company is known as Ruddock Visuals.

After his time at MHS, he attended Texas A&M with a focus on biomedical engineering, but fostered a love of photography. This eventually led to a full-time career in photography after several years in the engineering field.

“I think what I enjoy the most is the storytelling part of it,” Ruddock said of photography.

His engineering background helps him in photography as he works the technical aspects of his photo shoots and combines it with his creativity.

“I love creating a finished photo and getting to see people react to it and tell me what they see or how it makes them feel,” he said. “It’s awesome to show somebody a finished portrait of themselves or to work with a brand and help a vision they have for their product come to life in a way that they may or may not have even thought about beforehand.”

Ironman athletes and sports apparel companies are among his regular clients.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the top athletes in the sport of Ironman as well as some major brands like Lululemon, Adidas and Skechers,” he said.

Time at MHS
His said he has great memories of being a Bobcat at MHS. Among the fond memories include his time as a swimmer under coach Mike Loupee.

“The highlight would have to be taking third place at state my junior year or being present and cheering Matt Dahlke on to win his state title our senior year,” Ruddock said. “Both experiences were unbelievable to be a part of.”

Payton’s parents, Gina and Tom, still live in Marshalltown.

Loupee said Ruddock was dedicated to any task he was given and was a leader in and out of the pool.

“He was always well prepared and enjoyed challenges,” Loupee said. “In my opinion, he is an excellent example of what we hope to build in young people at MHS.”

Heroes on White
As part of a personal photography project, Ruddock has started what he calls “Heroes on White,” which are black and white portraits to celebrate the everyday heroes making a difference in the world. As part of the project, he has plans to profile several Marshalltown residents including a few MHS teachers.

For more on his work, visit www.ruddockvisuals.com

Photo by Payton Ruddock

Photo by Payton Ruddock

Marlene VanDiest, a potter from Nebraska, works the clay in a demonstration to Marshalltown High School pottery students on October 3.

A potter from Nebraska visited the pottery class at Marshalltown High School and worked clay into several pieces on October 3. Marlene VanDiest, of Sandhills Pottery in Dunning, Nebraska talked to the class about some tricks of the trade as she made pots, dishes and other items.

“I don’t make fancy stuff,” she told the students. “I make functional stuff.”

She has a connection to the school as she is the aunt of MHS teacher Carissa Lewis.

Even at the age of 81, Marlene stays busy as a potter, as she works with approximately 2,000 pounds of clay a year.

Some examples of Marlene’s pottery

Marshalltown High School Gear Up Coordinator Connie Gardalen is pictured with students who are holding their career dreams as part of a Gear Up project. Students pictured, from left, include Damonte Williams, Hector Yanez and Zach Bitker.

Marshalltown High School is celebrating its Gear Up program with special activities this week.

The school is one of 21 in the state involved in Gear Up, a federally-funded grant that promotes post-secondary options and career readiness for students.

“The whole point is for students to think about their future,” said Connie Gardalen, Gear Up Coordinator at MHS.

Many special activities are going on this week including students writing down their dreams as far as their careers and posting them on their homeroom doors and also posting paper T-shirts of the college they want to attend on their lockers.

Olivia Whaley

The MHS Bobcat Booster Club is selling these Bobcat yard signs to help spread school spirit.

The Marshalltown High School Bobcat Booster Club is taking orders now for metal yard signs to show school spirit as part of a club fundraiser. There are “M” and Bobcat mascot signs available as well as signs depicting sports and activities.

“M” signs and Bobcat mascot signs are $30 each. All attachments depicting various sports and activities are $10 each. All signs and attachments are metal and powder coated.

Signs will be available to view at the next home football game on Friday, September 29, the music concert on October 12 and various other school events.

If you would like to order signs or have questions, please contact one of the following Booster club members at their email addresses: Angie Kuehner at atkuehner@yahoo.com, Heather VanBuren at shvanburen@gmail.com or Renee Burnes at rrjburnes@mchsi.com.

The 2017 Marshalltown High School Homecoming Queen and King, Gretchen Benscoter and Lucas Duff.

Marshalltown High School has new Homecoming royalty after the coronation ceremony on September 21. Gretchen Benscoter was named queen and Lucas Duff the king for the festivities at the school. The event also included a pep rally featuring the MHS dance and cheerleading squads and music by the band.

Also on Thursday, a parade made its way through Main Street, with a nice crowd in attendance. Longtime Bobcat athletic public address announcer Butch Baer was honored as parade grand marshal along with his wife Mary Baer. Tying for first place in the float awards were the the junior class float and the art club float.

Homecoming continues Friday night with the football game vs. Newton (7:30 p.m. varsity kick at Leonard Cole Field). The Homecoming dance will be from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the MHS cafeteria.

For more photos from the Homecoming Thursday events, visit the Marshalltown Schools Facebook Page.

Parade grand marshals Butch and Mary Baer.

Art club float- tied for first place

Junior class float- tied for first place

These Back the Cats signs will be traveling around lawns in Marshalltown as part of a fundraiser for the Marshalltown Bobcat Booster Club.

Starting now and ending in late October, area residents might get a surprise in their front lawns.

The Marshalltown Bobcat Booster Club has several sets of “Back the Cats” Bobcat signs that will be placed on lawns unexpectedly. In order for them to be moved, a donation is requested to the Booster Club. Then, the signs can be moved to the yard of a friend, neighbor, family member or someone who likes to support Bobcat athletics.

Donations are not mandatory and phone numbers and more information will be attached to the signs to get them moved.

This past year, the boosters have provided more than $29,000 for Bobcat programs. For more information on the Booster Club, visit www.mhsbobcatboosters.com.

Dr. Ryan Wise, director of the Iowa Department of Education checks in on the work of Lenihan Intermediate School sixth grader Eddy Alcocer during a visit to Marshalltown on September 14. The State Board of Education toured Lenihan and Anson Elementary School during its visit to Marshalltown.

Iowa Department of Education Director Dr. Ryan Wise and the Iowa State Board of Education made a visit to Marshalltown Schools on September 14. The group toured Lenihan Intermediate School and Anson Elementary School and heard an overview of district programs from district staff.

The State Board of Education was in town for a regular meeting, which was held at Marshalltown Community College.