Weekly Update: September 20, 2019
Weekly Update: September 20, 2019
Happy Friday! I hope that this weekly update finds you well. This past week Melissa Strovers, Program and Communications Manager at Grinnell College and I shared the Grinnell Education Partnership Program to the Grinnell Lion’s Club. This presentation was adapted from a talk given at the International Town and Gown Association’s (ITGA) annual conference held last May at Penn State University. We were fortunate to accept the ITGA Presidential Excellence Award on behalf of the Grinnell Education Partnership. If you are interested in learning more about the partnership program, please feel free to reach out to us. We would enjoy sharing the details of this program with your group or organization.
Facilities Ad hoc update:
This past Wednesday the team from CMBA met with the administration team, and later in the evening the ad hoc facilities committee, to begin the schematic facility design process. The focus was to identify current goals and educational practices, identify community amenities and partnership possibilities and required space needs. The next meeting of the ad hoc group will be on October 8, 2019 at 6:00 PM in the high school media center.
Board Meeting Update:
The Board of Education will meet next week on September 25, 2019 to discuss and approve the following State required reports that were submitted: Certified Annual Report, Annual Transportation, Special Education Supplement (SES) Balance, make requests for the special education and ELL allowable growth/costs, approve building goals that were reviewed by the SIAC committee, and to approve the broker agreement.
Superintendent’s Meeting:
This week I had the opportunity to attend a portion of the SAI meeting with all of the state superintendents. The discussions on innovative practices to meet the needs of our mental health students was the kick off discussion among this group. It is evident that the majority of the state superintendents are concerned with meeting the needs of our students with significant mental health concerns and lack of funding. We will continue to advocate support from our legislators and find ways to support our teachers with specific instructional strategies for our students. We recognize that schools can not do this alone and will continue to find solutions to serve our students with mental health needs.
Bailey Park Welcomes Tigers:
High School Seminar Activity:
Last week, seminar students were asked to answer one of the following questions.
Freshmen - What is respect?
Sophomores - What is high school?
Juniors - What is leadership?
Seniors - What is life?
This week, they took those answers and created signs based on the answers. It required collaboration to both brainstorm answers and create the signs.
Kites Over Grinnell Prep Work!
Rotarians assist students at Davis Elementary School to build their kites for the September 27 Kites Over Grinnell Event located at Ahrens Park from 10:00-4:00 PM. We hope students will come out that day to fly their kites, and watch professional kite fliers. Family fun for all! Free food will be available too. Thank you to our Rotary members for donating all of the materials to build the kites. Students in grades K-6 will have an opportunity to build a kite.
Take a look at the Virtual Backpack!
Upcoming Events:
Friday, September 20
4:45 9th Grade Football @ Home
7:30 Varsity Football @ Home
Saturday, September 21
TBD Varsity Girls Swimming meet @ Marshalltown
9:00 9th Grade Volleyball Invitational @ South Tama
Monday, September 23
4:30 8th Grade Volleyball @ Oskaloosa
4:30 7th Grade Volleyball @ Home
6:00 JV Football @ Case Field
Tuesday, September 24
4:00 JV/V Cross Country
5:30/7:15 Girls HS Volleyball Dig Pink Night @ Home Pella Christian
Thursday, September 26
4:30 8th Grade Volleyball @ Home
4:30 7th Grade Volleyball @ Knoxville
Have an awesome weekend! Go Tigers!
Janet