Bobcats Making Headlines

Several Marshalltown High School recent graduates and current students were honored recently with special recognition for scores they received on Advanced Placement (AP) exams taken this past May.

AP Scholar with Distinction
Recent MHS graduates Collin Krukow and Ryan McDaniel and senior Nicholas Summers were awarded AP Scholar with Distinction, after receiving an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of the exams taken.

AP Scholar with Honor
Recent graduate Elliot Weidenaar was named an AP Scholar with Honor for receiving an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.

AP Scholar
Recent graduates Ellyn Boland and Ian Buchwald, along with seniors Aspen Chadderdon, Ashley MacBeth and Juliana Osgood, were named AP Scholars after receiving scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams.

MHS AP offerings
MHS offers the following AP courses: AP US History, AP European History, AP US Government and Politics, AP Psychology and AP English Language and Composition.
Additionally, some students have taken the following AP courses through online or independent study enrollment sponsored through our Extended Learning Program led by Susan Fritzell: AP Comparative Government and Politics, AP Spanish, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Computer Science and AP Environmental Science.

Several events are being planned for families in advance of the start of the 2016-17 school year in the Marshalltown Community School District. The first day of school will be Tuesday, August 23 with a one-hour early dismissal that day. Marshalltown High School will not have early morning classes the first day.

A series of Back to School nights will be held throughout the district leading up to the first day of school for students and their families.

Miller Middle School
Miller Middle School will host an open house from 5 to 6:45 p.m. for seventh grade and from 6:45 to 8 p.m. for eighth grade, both on Thursday, August 18.

MHS
Marshalltown High School will host a ninth grade/new student orientation and open house from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 18.

All Elementary Schools
All elementary schools in MCSD will have a Back to School Night from 5 to 6 p.m. on Monday, August 22.

Lenihan
Lenihan Intermediate School will host a 5th grade parent orientation from 4 to 4:30 p.m. and a school-wide open house (meet the teachers) from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., both on Monday, August 22.

Students are encouraged to bring their school supplies for the year during these Back to School nights. The first day of preschool will be August 30 in the district.

For a listing of school supplies needed and other information on the 2016-17 school year, visit the MCSD website at www.marshalltown.k12.ia.us.

Spanish

Se planean eventos de Regreso a Escuela en las Escuelas de Marshalltown

Varios eventos se están planeando para las familias en avance al comienzo del año escolar 2016-17 en el Distrito Escolar de la Comunidad Marshalltown. El primer día de escuela será el Martes, 23 de Agosto con salida una hora más temprano ese día. Marshalltown High School no tendrá clases tempranas por la mañana (early morning) el primer día.

Se llevará a cabo en el distrito una serie de noches de Regreso a Escuela para los estudiantes y sus familias antes del primer día de escuela.

Miller Middle School

Miller Middle School celebrará una recepción para recibir el nuevo año escolar de 5 a 6:45 p.m. para el séptimo grado y de 6:45 a 8 p.m. para el octavo grado, ambos el 18 de Agosto.

MHS

Marshalltown High School celebrará la orientación para el noveno grado/nuevos estudiantes y una recepción para recibir el nuevo año escolar de 4 p.m. a 6 p.m. el 18 de Agosto.

Todas las Escuelas Primarias

Todas las escuelas primarias en MCSD tendrán la Noche de Regreso a Escuela de 5 a 6 p.m. el 22 de Agosto.

Lenihan

Lenihan Intermediate School celebrará una orientación para los padres de los estudiantes del 5º grado de 4 a 4:30 p.m., y para toda la escuela habrá una recepción para recibir el nuevo año escolar (conocer a los maestros) de 4:30 a 5:30 p.m., ambos el 22 de Agosto.

A los estudiantes se les anima a traer sus útiles escolares para el año durante estas noches de Regreso a Escuela.

En el distrito, el primer día de preescolar será el 30 de Agosto.

Para obtener una lista de los útiles escolares necesarios y otra información acerca del año escolar 2016-17, visita el sitio web de MCSD al www.marshalltown.k12.ia.us

With several new administrators starting their duties recently in the Marshalltown Community School District, the Board of Education is planning an open house for Tuesday, August 16 as a chance for the community and school staff to get to know them.

The event is open to the public and will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the team room at the Marshalltown High School Roundhouse (enter from south side).

The event serves as an informal meet-and-greet with new administrators including new Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte, Director of Instruction Dr. Lisa Stevenson, Director of Human Resources Anthony Spurgetis, Director of Buildings and Grounds Brett Purvis, Director of Business Operations Brian Bartz, Marshalltown High School Activities/Athletics Director Rollie Ackerman, Miller Middle School Principal Pat Rial, Miller Middle School Associate Principal David Glenn and Marshalltown High School Associate Principal Justin Boliver.

Light refreshments will be served.

Everyone is Welcome!

The Marshalltown Community School District plans to launch a redesigned district website the week of August 8, 2016.

The site will still be accessed at www.marshalltown.k12.ia.us and have several new features and a fresh look.

Among the features will be its increased ability to be viewed on smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. This will allow easier access of information from the site on these devices as well as via a computer.

The redesign also includes new school pages that allow for more photos and other information to be displayed.

“I’m real excited that this will allow us to better connect with the community and others who access our site and improve the face of the Marshalltown Community School District on the internet,” said Andrew Potter, communications director with MCSD.

Marshalltown High School Principal Jacque Wyant talks about the WISE School program on July 25. Also pictured is Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Roxann Ryan.

Marshalltown High School is part of a pilot program designed to increase the level of security via a dedicated Wi-Fi network.

The program known as WISE (Wi-Fi Internet for School Emergencies) School was announced on July 25 in the State Capital by Gov. Terry Branstad, Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Roxann Ryan and Marshalltown High School Principal Jacque Wyant.

Two other schools are part of the pilot project from Martensdale and Norwalk.

This Wi-Fi network will be a dedicated, private and safe system for public safety agencies and emergency responders to use when they are responding to incidents at schools.  First responders will be able to access critical IT assets and be able to upload and download information from the school while in their vehicles or patrol cars.

The WISE School system will allow first responders to connect to an access point and be able to view surveillance cameras at school districts that have IP-based surveillance systems before they arrive at the scene.  The Iowa Communications Network (ICN) is working with three Wi-Fi vendors: Aruba, Cisco and Fortinet for this project.

The existing ICN backbone structure already in place at all school districts across the state will allow for the WISE system to connect to the broadband fiber.  There is no cost to the school to assist with this pilot.  This system is secure and will only be made available to those authorized to access it.

“The safety of our children and educators in the state is a top priority and the WISE School pilot project is just one more way our state is working together with local and county officials to strengthen and ensure that our schools are safe,” said Commissioner Ryan.

If the field testing of these pilot projects is successful throughout the next year, the Iowa DPS hopes to expand the project to other schools across the state.

Pictured are from left, Deputy Tim Hungerford and Chief Jailer Joel Phillips from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, MHS Principal Jacque Wyant and MHS Associate Principal Deb Holsapple at the WISE School news conference on July 25.

Students begin building structures out of newspaper at the STEM camp held at Woodbury Elementary School on July 21.

The Marshall County Iowa State University Extension STEM camps are wrapping up for the summer as Woodbury Elementary School held its camp the week of July 18-22.

All Marshalltown Community School District elementary schools held a weeklong camp this summer to focus on science, technology, engineering and math. The camps are a partnership between ISU Extension, the Marshalltown Community School District, Marshalltown Regional Partnership, Marshalltown Business Education Alliance, Mid-Iowa Community Action and St. Francis School.

A special guest attended the camp on July 21 at Woodbury – new MCSD Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte. That day students were building structures out of newspaper and testing the strength of the structures and planting pumpkin and lettuce seeds in soil in cups.

“The amount of excitement we’ve seen with the kids has been great to see,” said Caleb Carver, Marshall County youth coordinator with ISU Extension. “They’ve had fun.”

Carver said they plan to have STEM camps return to the schools next summer.
“We’ve already started developing the curriculum for next summer,” Carver said.

ISU Extension STEM Festival July 22
Marshall County ISU Extension is hosting a STEM Festival on Friday, July 22 at the Emerson Innovation Center, 301 S. 1st Avenue in Marshalltown. The event is from 1 to 3 p.m., and is free and open to youth of all ages.

Woodbury Principal Anel Garza, right, talks to MCSD Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte at the STEM camp at Woodbury on Jul y 21.

The Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps & Color Guard will hold a rehearsal throughout the day on Sunday, July 17 at Marshalltown High School. The group is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

The Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps & Color Guard will make a rehearsal stop at Marshalltown High School on Sunday, July 17.

Times of the rehearsal will be from approximately 9 a.m. to 4 p.m with breaks during that time. The rehearsal is free and open to the public to view and will be located at Leonard Cole Field at MHS.

The Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps & Color Guard is an incorporated, nonprofit organization, operated for the betterment of youth and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The group performs at parades, festivals, and other events throughout the Midwest and the nation.

MHS Associate Band Director Brett Umthun is excited to host the group, which includes 100 students and 20 staff members.

“I think it will be neat to have them here,” Umthun said. “They’ve been established for a long time.”

The group will perform a show at Waukee High School the night of July 17 at 7 p.m. as part of the Celebration of Brass.

To view more information on the Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps & Color Guard visit the organization’s website at www.pioneer-corps.org.

The Community Olympics scheduled for July 22-24 in Marshalltown have been cancelled. The athletic events were organized by Marshalltown High School Student Senate members. They indicated low registration numbers as the reason for the cancellation.

The students would like to thank all of the community members who offered to volunteer and organizations which offered to sponsor the games.

Students in the STEM camp work on a project while visitors look on at Anson Elementary School on July 12.

With a focus on science, technology, engineering and math, summer STEM camps will draw more than 500 students to elementary schools in the Marshalltown Community School District this summer.

The weeklong camps are open to any youth kindergarten through fourth grade and have been led by Iowa State University Extension staff, who have partnered with the Marshalltown Community School District, Marshalltown Regional Partnership, Marshalltown Business Education Alliance, Mid-Iowa Community Action and St. Francis School. The camps are being held at all six elementary schools in the district at different times this summer.

After a STEM camp was held for youth at Marshalltown High School last summer, the idea came about to expand it to all elementary schools in the Marshalltown Community School District this summer, led by ISU Extension.

Amy Pieper, county administrator at ISU Extension, said this summer’s program has been a big success.

“Students are just having a ball,” Pieper said. “It’s fun to see the education going on.”

The camp held a special open house attended by several community members on July 12 at Anson Elementary School, where ISU Extension staff gave updates on the progress. In one of the classrooms, students were building projects to cushion a potato chip from being cracked during tests. The curriculum for the camps is provided by the College of Engineering at ISU.

“We’re really excited to see the large number of kids participating,” said Caleb Carver, county youth coordinator with ISU Extension.

Carver said Emerson/Fisher also provided staff so students can learn from real-life engineers. Pieper said the goal now is to continue to offer additional STEM programming during the regular school year.

“We see this as more than just a summer STEM program, but continuing the program through the school year,” Pieper said.

The camp was held at Rogers and Fisher schools June 13-17, Franklin June 20-24, Anson and Hoglan schools July 11-15 and will be held at Woodbury July 18-22.

David Barajas, CEO of the Marshalltown Regional Partnership, is a huge proponent of expanding STEM programming.

“It really enhances educational opportunities for all of our kids,” Barajas said.

Caleb Carver

Amy Pieper, right

Dave Glenn

Dave Glenn has been named the new associate principal at Miller Middle School.

Glenn has 20 years of experience in education, most recently as the assistant principal at Ankeny Centennial High School.

“I am honored and excited to join the administrative team at Miller Middle School,” Glenn said. “I hope to bring experience, passion and a relentless commitment to student success. I look forward to working with administrators, teachers, students and families in Marshalltown.”

Glenn has 16 sixteen years of teaching experience at the middle school level in Ankeny, Colo-NESCO, and Springfield, MO. He also served as an instructional coach at Northview Middle School in Ankeny.

He holds a master’s degree from Iowa State University in Educational Leadership and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa in Science Education.

Dave and his wife have four children and one grandchild. He enjoys spending time with woodworking projects as well as various home and garden activities.

Glenn’s appointment is up for approval by the school board during the regular meeting on July 18. Glenn replaces Pat Rial, who was promoted to head principal at Miller Middle School.