Weekly Update: March 25, 2022
Weekly Update: March 25, 2022
Dear Grinnell-Newburg Board of Education, Staff, Families, and Friends:
April is just around the corner, and we all know how time flies after Spring Break. I hope that this weekly update finds you and your family well and ready for Spring! There are many activities ahead to look forward to in the coming months as we stretch to the close of the 2021-22 school year.
Math Curriculum at District Office for Public view:
The Grinnell School Board approved the 9-12 Math Curriculum for public display. The materials are available on the counter at the district office for review. We will ask the Board to adopt the texts to support our 9-12 math program at the April 13, 2022 Board meeting.
March 23, 2022 Board Meeting:
The Board approved the sale of the 4th/6th avenue property for $660,000 to the City of Grinnell. A closing date will not occur until the City completes its site assessments. We will keep you updated.
The Board approved the Certified budget and transfer of Homeschool assistant's dollars to the flexibility account. The majority of our homeschool assistant's money comes from the general fund. Students have access to computers, materials, equipment, and supplies.
We will send a letter and the summer packet to all of our homeschool families this June to register as we do on an annual basis. At that time, we will have identified a meeting date for families to provide input, explain the registration options, process, and generate an understanding of the need for materials. The meeting location will be determined. It was recommended that we ask representatives from the homeschool assistance program to come together for feedback to discuss how we can better assist our families. Please watch for further information in the upcoming months.
Teachers or Staff who did not qualify under the Governor's plan for the retention incentive should have received an email from Jill Haacke this past week and must complete the form by March 31, 2022, at 3:00 PM to receive the retention dollars.
I would like to thank the Grinnell-Newburg Board for the support of our staff members during challenging times.
Lunches for 2022-2023 School Year:
School districts have been notified that current USDA school meal waivers allowing all districts to serve breakfast/lunch meals free of charge to students is set to expire on June 30, 2022. The current budget negotiations at the federal level do not include an extension of this waiver. This is important for all parents/guardians to be aware of for the upcoming 2022-23 school year, as breakfast/lunch meals will once again be charged to your family meal account.
The Iowa Application for Free and Reduced Meals will be available for families to complete when the form is released sometime in July. The district encourages families to complete the application. If a family qualifies based on the income guidelines, the qualification will allow for reduced or free fees including book rental fees, breakfast/lunch meal fees, driver education fees, etc.
Grinnell Middle School Choir Performance:
Congratulations to our 5-8 grade choir students and director Mrs. Sharp on your performance this past Tuesday! A gym full of parents and students attended the event, and the concert closed with a unique selection performed by all 5-8 grade choir students! Thank you to all of our Music staff and Theresa Smith for a fantastic performance that supported our students.
April is Military Support Month:
Did you know that for over 30 years, the Department of Defense has recognized military youth during April? Check out the virtual backpack for how you can participate!
Legislative Coffee News Release
Our legislators are busy looking at the bills that have made it through the final funnel week. The last Legislative Coffee of this session will be on Saturday, April 2nd, from 9 to 10 AM via Zoom. The event will be moderated by Liz Hansen, who will be conveying questions supplied by the audience.
Representative Dave Maxwell (House District 76) will make a brief remark and then answer questions on the legislation being debated. Senator Dawn Driscoll (Senate District 38) has declined the League's invitation to participate in the Coffees this year.
If you have not registered for a Coffee this year, please register in advance for the coffee using this link (also available at the Grinnell League of Women Voters Facebook page): https://us02web.zoom.us/
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you registered for a previous Coffee, you are already registered for this Coffee, and your Zoom link will work for this Coffee.
We encourage you to submit questions in advance to GrinnellLWV@gmail.com. The deadline for submitting questions via email is 10 PM on the Thursday before this event so that the moderator has time to organize the questions. Questions will not be shared with anyone before the Coffee. Attendees will also be able to post questions in the Zoom chat while the event is underway, but priority will be given to questions submitted in advance.
Legislative coffees are sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce to provide residents the opportunity to learn about current legislative proposals as well as to ask questions and raise concerns.
The event will be recorded. The recording belongs to the LWV, and we respectfully ask that others not record the event.
I hope that you enjoy a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Janet