Four Marshalltown Schools staff members have received Employee of the Quarter awards. Pictured from left, are Jaime Davis, Renae DeVenney, Sally Jensen and Jocelyn Frohwein. 

Four Marshalltown Community School District staff members are the recipients of Employee of the Quarter awards for the second quarter of the 2016-17 school year. Below are the honorees who were presented awards on February 2 and 3 by Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte, Director of Human Resources Anthony Spurgetis and staff who nominated the award winners. A total of 35 employees were nominated by their peers for the award.

Jaime Davis

Jaime Davis is custodian at Fisher Elementary School. She was nominated for the award by Fisher paraeducator Mary Burns. Davis has served as a custodian in the district since 2005, starting at as a night custodian at Anson and Fisher then moving to daytime custodian at Fisher the last four years.

“I am very impressed with her ability to learn the names of both the children and staff who benefit from her service,” Burns wrote in her nomination. “She seems to know which children need that extra gentle touch and friendly smile.”

Renae DeVenney

Renae DeVenney is secretary at Lenihan Intermediate School. She was nominated by Lenihan teacher Leah Mattox. DeVenney has been a secretary in the district since 2000, starting at the former Anson Middle School before moving to Lenihan.

Mattox wrote in her nomination about how welcoming DeVenney is to visitors at Lenihan.

“The first person they meet is a professional, caring individual who can answer all the questions thrown at her,” Mattox wrote. “She is the heartbeat of our building coordinating all aspects so that Lenihan runs smoothly. You know when someone is everyone’s ‘go to person’ that they are special.”

Jocelyn Frohwein

Jocelyn Frohwein is an English teacher at Marshalltown High School. She was nominated for the award by fellow MHS teacher Naomi Musal. Frohwein has been at MHS since 2014.

“She is a student advocate who gives of her time and talents to support and help students no matter what,” Musal wrote in her nomination about Frohwein. “She is here early, stays late, goes to student events, and will listen to any student who needs a sympathetic ear.”

Sally Jensen

Sally Jensen is a special education paraeducator at Anson Elementary School. She was nominated for the award by Anson teachers Rachel Olson and Melissa Ulch. Sally was first hired as a substitute paraeducator in 2012 and later worked food service at Franklin Elementary before starting as an Anson paraeducator in 2014.

“Simply put, Sally is incredible,” Olson wrote in her nomination. “She is always ready and willing to help when things arise throughout the school day. Sally has incredible work ethic and always puts the needs of our students over her own needs. She is one of the friendliest people I’ve ever met.”

Marshalltown High School junior Jayden Woods, left, gets some advice on a milling machine from Chad Gile of Emerson/Fisher at MHS. Emerson/Fisher manufacturing programmers visit the machine metals class daily to mentor MHS students.

Marshalltown High School junior Jayden Woods wants to be a welder someday.

He doesn’t have to go too far to work with professionals in the manufacturing field. In fact they have been visiting his classroom daily as part of MHS teacher Chris Carroll’s machine metals class.

Emerson/Fisher manufacturing programmers visit the class daily to work with the students and bring in that real world expertise.

“It’s a good learning experience,” Woods said. “You learn from professionals.”

For valve manufacturer Emerson/Fisher, this partnership is not only a way to give back, it’s also a way to recruit workers in skilled trades, who are always in demand.

Steve Martin, director of human resources in manufacturing for Emerson/Fisher, said this is a way to recruit for their internship program and they also stress there are a variety of careers that go along with manufacturing, such as shipping, forklift operation, office staff and many other opportunities.

“Manufacturing brings all these opportunities for students,” Martin said.

Carroll said his students have been thriving as part of this partnership and are able to learn more about careers.

This partnership started this school year and Emerson/Fisher manufacturing programmer Josh Overstake has seen the growth in the students he mentors as a result.

“It’s neat to teach these kids a trade, have them working with their hands and show they can make a living at it if they choose,” Overstake said.

Marshalltown High School student Calvin Morrison, left, gets advice on an engine lathe from James Rasmussen of Emerson/Fisher.

Woodbury Elementary fourth grade students make a newspaper sculpture piece recently as part of art gifted to state legislators.

Students in Fisher Elementary and Woodbury Elementary art classes taught by Maggie Parks worked on art pieces, which were gifted to elected officials at the State Capitol recently.

Fisher kindergarten through fourth grade students made jungles, Woodbury first and second graders made underwater fish scenes and Woodbury third and fourth graders made recycled newspaper sculptures.

In all, 17 pieces of art were sent from Marshalltown to the state legislators.

“The task was very enjoyable for the students and they were highly engaged,” Parks said.

Parks said the project was part of an Iowa Alliance for Arts Education effort as part of Fine Arts Advocacy Day at the capitol. She partnered with another art teacher from West Des Moines on this effort.

“This year we decided to present each new legislator, and the House and Senate leaders with a gift of a work of art made by students in Iowa.” Parks said. “We want the legislators to remember the fine arts when they make education policy decisions. Each artwork had the targeted standards the students performed on the back to showcase the learning that takes place when making artwork.”

Woodbury art project

State Senator Jeff Edler displays a piece of art given to him from Fisher Elementary School.

Woodbury Elementary School second graders recite poetry in Spanish and English during the Hot Chocolate Poetry Hour held at the school on January 30.

Dual language program in action

Woodbury Elementary School hosted its annual Hot Chocolate Poetry Hour on January 30.

Second graders recited poems in English and Spanish as hot chocolate was served to guests in the Woodbury gym.

Woodbury teacher Becky Jacobson said there was a great turnout for the event and the students rose to the occasion.

“As teachers, we couldn’t be more proud of these kids,” Jacobson said.
“They gladly followed along through each step of the poetry genre and grew to learn the various poetry elements in both English and Spanish. Then, they became more comfortable with reading numerous poems in both languages, forming an opinion about each one and choosing one to share in front of a large audience.”

As an added bonus this year, Becky’s daughter and Marshalltown High School student Olivia Jacobson, a former student in the Woodbury dual language program, read a poem in Spanish to the group.

Olivia Jacobson reads to the group.

Juan Tejada, a 1991 Marshalltown High School graduate, is an officer with the Marshalltown Police Department.

For Juan Tejada, Marshalltown is home.

He can’t think of a better way to serve his hometown than work as a police officer with the Marshalltown Police Department.

Tejada, a 1991 Marshalltown High School graduate, spent 13 years working at the Maytag plant in Newton. When that plant closed, a career change led him eventually to the MPD, where he has worked for the past 8 years.

“I just wanted to help people and give back to the community,” Tejada said.

Tejada said he loves the “not to small,” and “not too large” feel of Marshalltown.

“The diversity is a bonus too,” Tejada said.

He loves the variety of his job and he loves catching criminals and helping people in tough situations.

Aside from his duties as a uniform police officer, Tejada also is a department Taser instructor, child safety seat technician, a field training officer and a member of the department’s tactical team.

“He does a great job of molding and training young police officers and serving as a community role model,” said MPD Chief Mike Tupper.

Tejada said there is a strong bond among staff members at the MPD.

“Being in stressful situations you have to put a lot of trust in each other,” Tejada said.

Chief Tupper said Tejada is a hard worker, a consummate professional and cares about his community.

“Juan represents the department and his community daily with pride and professionalism,” Tupper said.

Marshalltown High School food service staff are pictured in the MHS cafeteria next to a plaque honoring their former co-worker, Davette Anderson, who passed away recently due to cancer.

The memory of former Marshalltown High School food service worker Davette Anderson lives on in the minds of her former co-workers. Now, it also lives on at a wall in the MHS cafeteria.

Now on display in the school cafeteria is a plaque dedicated to Anderson, who passed away recently due to cancer. MHS food service manager Calvin Scales said Anderson was well respected, a hard worker and loved by the students.

Food service worker Jamie Wilson said Anderson always thought of others ahead of herself.

“She would do anything for anyone,” Wilson said.

This plaque honoring former MHS food service worker Davette Anderson is on display in the MHS cafeteria.

Students in the Lenihan Intermediate School Teen Outreach Program presented gift baskets to the Marshalltown Fire Department on January 27.

Staff with the Marshalltown Fire Department were presented with gift baskets from sixth grade students in the Teen Outreach Program at Lenihan Intermediate School on Friday.

The baskets, which were funded by a TOP grant, featured snacks, athletic equipment and more.

“We decided since you guys were working so hard you should have supplies,” Lenihan student Ryan Morris told the firefighters.

TOP meets weekly at the school and teaches skill building, community service learning, self esteem building and other qualities to the students.

This was a donation from the Friday TOP group. The Monday TOP group recently made a donation to the Animal Rescue League and House of Compassion after leading a penny war.

District English Learner Coordinator Rachel Inks, second from left, talks about English Learner programming at Marshalltown High School with visitors from Urbandale High School. Also pictured, clockwise from left, are Steven Pokorny of Urbandale, MHS Principal Jacque Wyant, Christine Kane-Finn of Urbandale and Keri Schlueter of Urbandale.

Representatives from Urbandale High School visited Marshalltown High School to explore program options for English Learners on January 26.

The group met with MHS Principal Jacque Wyant and district English Language Learner Coordinator Rachel Inks then visited nine classrooms to see MHS programming in action.

The group was especially interested in co-teaching at MHS, which has a content specialist working alongside a language specialist in the classroom to support the needs of English Learners.

“This gave us the opportunity to spotlight all the work the teachers at the high school have done to make co-teaching a meaningful experience for our students,” Inks said.

Chistine Kane-Finn, of Urbandale High School, center, talks with an MHS student during a classroom visit. 

Marshalltown High School senior Vanessa Ceren is pictured in the MHS Roundhouse Hall of Pride. Ceren, who is an active volunteer in the community, wants to be a physical therapist.

Student excels in school and
as a community volunteer

Sometimes good things can come from bad events in life. For Marshalltown High School senior Vanessa Ceren, her future unfolded from a tough experience in her life.

Vanessa tore the ACL in her knee during a soccer game in May 2014. After surgery, she went through 9 months of recovery and physical therapy at Sports Plus in Marshalltown. While working on her injury recovery, she met a physical therapist who would inspire her to want to work in that field one day.

“I’ve always wanted to help people in a certain way and have loved being a part of a team,” Ceren said.

The soccer and basketball player at MHS plans to study health science at the University of Iowa this fall in hopes of being a physical therapist.

Before becoming a Hawkeye, Vanessa has much more to accomplish at MHS first. She is a member of the 4-H Leadership Club, the National Honor Society, has volunteered at Mid-Iowa Community Action and at summer learning programs in the district, and also serves as a mentor weekly to young students at Hoglan Elementary School.

“I like to give back and it helps me to know I did something good for others,” Ceren said.

Ceren said several teachers have made a big impact on her at MHS and two that come to mind are math teacher Nancy Sills and social studies teacher Aaron Benscoter.

Benscoter said Vanessa is a delight to have in sociology class and has a great sense of humor and tons of energy. The teacher feels big things are ahead for Vanessa both in her professional life and the community.

“I am confident that Vanessa will thrive after high school and will be an asset to whatever community she ends up at,” Benscoter said.

As Vanessa looks forward to her future, she smiles with the anticipation of following her dreams at her next step at the University of Iowa.
“I think it’s exciting,” she said.

Marshalltown Community School District technology staff members Jeremy Fisher, left, and Michael Britt install new Chromebox units with monitors in a computer lab at Woodbury Elementary School on January 25. All six elementary school computer labs are being updated.

The Marshalltown Community School District is currently updating computer labs at all six elementary schools. The new labs were put in motion due to the needs of an English Language Proficiency test and the fact that updates were needed.

The new labs are currently in place at Anson, Fisher, Rogers and Woodbury schools with Franklin and Hoglan schools getting new labs later in the year.

In total, the labs feature 150 new Chromebox units with monitors.

District Director of Technology Josh Wesley said the new labs will feature faster and more user-friendly devices and a more inviting environment for students and staff.

“It’s an upgrade that will provide a better experience for our students and staff,” Wesley said.

School staff welcomed the lab upgrades.

“We are excited,” said Woodbury Teacher Librarian Sue Cahill. “They are so nice.”

The new devices supplement the already 800 Chromebook units in elementary schools in the district. There are more than 5,000 Chromebook units being utilized district-wide by students.