Weekly Update: March 26, 2021
Weekly Update: March 26, 2021
Dear Grinnell-Newburg Board of Education, Staff, Families, and Friends:
As I reflect on this week, I found myself grateful for the community in which I live. This week I witnessed a community that has come together to support a Tiger family as sadness overwhelmed them as we learned about the passing of Mason Sieck, a first-grade student at Fairview Elementary School. Mason will always be remembered for his bright smile and desire to serve others. Please keep your thoughts with the Sieck family during this difficult time.
If your student needs support or assistance during this difficult time, please contact your school’s guidance counselor, social worker, or principal for any resources that you may need to guide your student during this time of loss of their classmate.
Just a reminder:
April 2 and 5 will be our Spring Break long weekend:
Please know that the school buildings and district office will be closed on these two days to the public. The next weekly update will go out to families on Thursday, April 1, 2021.
Knocked Your Socks Off:
This week we celebrate those who have knocked their socks off and share their story! We are highlighting staff this week who work behind the scenes in our overall operations to ensure that the buildings are ready for students, students find their way through their schedule, concerns, or need additional support to be successful in our schools. Congratulations to the following who have gone above and beyond.
Larry Kline:
Larry Kline is the High School Day lead custodian for GHS. His nomination read, “Everyone who knows Mr. Kline or who has ever worked with him, quickly realizes that he is a worker in every sense of the word. He's constantly moving around the building, going from one task to the next, rarely sitting down or taking a break. Larry is a model of efficiency and hard work. He takes great pride in the job he does and holds himself and others to high expectations. His responsiveness to changes in schedules or issues that arise during the day is unmatched. He can quickly ascertain the cause of a problem and solve it before most of us have even realized the problem existed. Larry is approachable, dependable, and most importantly, an exceptional colleague in every sense of the word. I can't say enough about how humbled I am to work with him each day - his "can-do" attitude and positive demeanor make him a model for us all to emulate. We all look forward to seeing him every morning so thank you, Larry, for knocking our socks off each day with your commitment and hard work”! When I asked Larry what brings him joy in his work he shared with me it is the people he works with every day. “ I enjoy working with staff and kids and I have an amazing boss! We have a great team and I enjoy the people who are around me every day”. Way to go, daily Larry!
High School Counselors:
Amanda Pierce, Emily Hall & Cass Stubbs, knocked their socks off this week and they were nominated by a new colleague who stated she could nominate the entire district, but what she sees daily in the high school counseling office is inspiring. Highlights from the nomination stated, “On any given school day, you can find not only students but also teachers in and out of the counseling doors, not to mention the endless amount of phone calls and emails that are seeking their attention that flow into evenings and weekends. The counselors are constantly going above and beyond to help each student whether it be a scheduling conflict, a class question, just to purely say hello, to navigate more personal situations, to calm the anxiousness of all that 2020 has brought and poured into 2021, to encourage all those that enter and listen to not only students but all others that pass through their doors. It’s pretty amazing when a student leaves laughing after they entered and thought their world was crumbling to the ground. These three have a gift whether they believe they do or not. It takes a special person to do what they do, and they do it without thinking twice. They accept each challenge and although some are much more challenging or emotional than others, they work through them with such poise and grace. These three, I’m sure carry so much with them daily but they show up each day ready for whatever life has to offer. When interviewing the counselors I asked them what brings them “joy” to their work and they shared, “Building relationships and connections with students in a safe place. I specifically like watching students grow and working together to problem-solve to figure things out. I enjoy working with students and help them to develop goals so that they can get to where they want to be. I hope that I can fill in the gap and guide them to learn what makes them tick”. Way to go GHS counselors!
Mic Hoffstetter & Mike Arment: You Have Knocked your Socks Off too.
Our custodial crew at Davis was nominated by a colleague! The nomination read, “ Both Mic Hoffstetter and Mike Arment work tirelessly to ensure that Davis is well maintained and that our school sparkles from all of their hard work. Not only is our building kept clean, but both Mic and Mike are smiling throughout the day while they're working. They have such kind personalities and they are eager to help each one of us whenever a need arises. They don't need to be asked twice, with one request they get the job done, however large or small! We are very appreciative of all they do for our school and each of us”. What brings them joy to their work? The kids and the staff! “The teaching staff here is incredible. They are so kind and caring to our students. Many teachers are still here from when I went to school here at Davis! They have not changed a bit!” stated Mic. Mike stated that he enjoys making people laugh and smile. The people here are wonderful. “It is not a job when you enjoy what you do”. Way to Go Davis Custodial Team!
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Please continue to monitor the Virtual Backpack
Attention Teachers: Please look for the summer enrichment opportunities to teach a course this summer! For further information, please contact Lisa York or Brian Conway. We encourage you to offer a course this summer for our students! Join in the summer fun!
Have a safe weekend. I hope that you enjoy some sunshine coming our way!
Sincerely,
Janet