Contact Info - Grinnell

Spring 2014
Contact Info
Grinnell-Newburg School District Office
927 Fourth Ave
Grinnell, IA 50112
641-236-2700
Todd Abrahamson, Superintendent
todd.abrahamson@grinnell-k12.org
Lisa Johnson, CPA, Business Manager
lisa.johnson@grinnell-k12.org
Grinnell-Newburg High School
1333 Sunset Street
Grinnell, IA 50112
641-236-2720
Kevin Seney, Principal
kevin.seney@grinnell-k12.org
Heidi Durbin, Dean of Students
heidi.durbin@grinnell-k12.org
Jim Dunne, 7-12 Activities Director
jim.dunne@grinnell-k12.org
New Horizons Alternative Program
1333 Sunset Street
Grinnell, IA 50112
641-236-0513
Kevin Seney, Principal
kevin.seney@grinnell-k12.org
Lori Francis, Director
lori.francis@grinnell-k12.org
Grinnell-Newburg Middle School
132 East Street South
Grinnell, IA 50112
641-236-2750
Sara Hegg-Dunne, Principal
sarah.hegg-dunne@grinnell-k12.org
Kris Loschen, Behavior Interventionist
kris.loschen@grinnell-k12.org
Julie Zurcher, Behavior Interventionist
julie.zurcher@grinnell-k12.org
Bailey Park Elementary
210 Eighth Ave
Grinnell, IA 50112
641-236-2770
The Grinnell-Newburg Board of Directors approves
the 2014-2015 school calendar
Chris Coffman, Principal
chris.coffman@grinnell-k12.org
Davis Elementary
818 Hamilton Ave
Grinnell, IA 50112
641-236-2790
Jeff Kirby, Principal
jeff.kirby@grinnell-k12.org
Fairview Elementary
1310 Hobart Street
Grinnell, IA 50112
641-236-2780
Sarah Seney, Principal
sarah.seney@grinnell-k12.org
Curriculum
641-236-2704
Chris Coffman, Director of Curriculum
and Instruction
chris.coffman@grinnell-k12.org
Food Service Department
641-236-2700
Carrie Nachazel, Food Service Director
carrie.nachazel@grinnell-k12.org
Maintenance Department
641-236-2750
Don Lender, Maintenance Director
don.lender@grinnell-k12.org
Transportation
641-236-2715
Bill Ahrens, Transportation Director
bill.ahrens@grinnell-k12.org
Grinnell-Newburg School District Mission Statement
The Grinnell-Newburg School District, in partnership with the entire community, will
empower every student to become a lifelong learner who is responsible, productive,
and engaged citizen within the global community.
Administration
Professional Development: Not Just for Teachers
Submitted by Heidi Durbin, Grinnell High School Dean of Students
At the conclusion of the 2013-14 school year, over fifty
Grinnell-Newburg paraeducators will have participated
in six professional development days.
At the beginning of the school year, all returning
paraeducators renewed their CPI (Crisis Prevention
Institute) Certification, while the new paraeducators
earned their initial certification. CPI is an international
training organization committed to best practices
and safe behavior management methods that focus
on prevention. Through a variety of offerings, CPI
educates and empowers professionals to create safe and
respectful work environments. (www.aea267.k12.ia.us/
learning-supports/crisis-prevention-institute/)
New this year, the PK-2 paraeducators used their
professional development days to take two classes:
Every Child Reads and PBIS. Every Child Reads is a
statewide initiative led by the Iowa Department of
Education. The goal of the initiative is to increase the
capacity of educators to work with students in the
area of writing, reading, and language to enhance
literacy development. PBIS (Positive Behavioral and
Intervention Supports) is a set of strategies and systems
to help schools reduce school disruption and educate
all students, including those with problem behaviors.
(www.aea267.k12.ia.us/learning-supports/pbis/aboutpbis/)
In September, the paraeducators in grades 3-12 spent
their time working with AEA 267 staff members Melissa
Ford and Carol Sandholm on the topics of How to
Read an IEP, Information on Disabilities, and Ethics and
Confidentiality of a Paraeducator. In October, Ms. Ford
and Ms. Sandholm paired up again to work with the
staff on the topics of How to Support Inclusion and
Academic and Behavior Strategies to be utilized in
the classroom. In December, Dawn Jaeger, also from
AEA 267, had the paraeducators examine the Olweus
Bullying Questionnaire and Iowa Youth Survey Data
to gain an understanding of the student’s perspective
related to bullying/harassment in Poweshiek County
and Grinnell-Newburg Schools. They compared Iowa
Code 280.28 (the law related to bullying in schools) with
the Grinnell-Newburg School District Policy on bullying
and harassment. They reviewed the four components of
the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (school-wide,
classroom, individual and community) and the roles
students play in bullying situations by re-enacting the
Bullying Circle. Paraeducators also practiced on-thespot intervention skills and learned about the spectrum
of bystander actions that students may choose as a
response to bullying situations.
Tentative plans for the 2014-15 school year include a
pilot group of paraeducators earning their Paraeducator
Certification, developing a paraeducator mentoring
program, and participating in other sessions that help
paraeducators in their day-to-day responsibilities.
It’s Not Just School Lunch; It’s a Winner Every Time
Submitted by Carrie Nachazel, Grinnell-Newburg Food Service Director
There are many reasons why kids prefer school lunch. It
may be because most of their friends eat school lunch
or because they simply like the taste. In a recent online
survey of Iowa parents, 62% reported that their child
had eaten school lunch every day during the previous
week, and an additional 28% of parents said their child
eats school lunch between 1 and 4 times a week. Only
9.5% of parents said their child carries lunch from home
every day of the week.1
It’s not just that kids like school lunch, though. School
lunch is the smarter choice for many reasons, including
the lower cost, the time it saves you as a parent, and the
nutritional benefits. “It’s a scramble for any family to get
kids out the door in the morning,” says Carrie Nachazel,
Food Service Director. “It can be a huge relief for parents
to know their children can eat a healthy lunch at school.”
Check out how school lunch compares with lunch sent
from home.
COST
Hands down, school lunch is the best value for your
dollar. The average cost of school lunch in the GrinnellNewburg School District for a middle or high school
student is just $2.60 per meal. Compare that to a typical
lunch sent from home. Let’s say you pack your child a
turkey sandwich with a slice of cheese on whole grain
bread, a cheese stick, veggie pack, fruit cup, and milk
carton--a meal that meets the new USDA nutritional and
calorie requirements. Add all of the items together, and
you’re looking at about $3.02 for a sack lunch.2
And that’s just the cost of the food itself! Don’t forget
about the plastic sandwich and snack bags, lunch box
or paper bag, and/or plastic reusable containers also
needed to send lunch from home.
NUTRITION
We know a lunch from home is packed with love. But did
you know that compared to lunches from home, school
lunches contain three times as many dairy products,
twice as much fruit, and seven times more vegetables?3
School lunches also contain fewer added sugars and
fewer calories from fat.
Consider these facts the next time you’re trying to
decide between packing up that sack lunch for your
child and having him eat school lunch. You might be
surprised by how much you’ll gain!
University of Iowa Public Policy Center. (2013). Iowa parent school lunch survey: Formative research for communication about school meal pattern changes [White Paper].
1
School Nutrition Association. (2008). School lunch: Good for kids and good for your wallet.
2
http://schoolnutrition.org/uploadedFiles/School_Nutrition/102_ResourceCenter/MarketingYourProgram/PRToolkit/ValueofLunch08.pdf
3
School Nutrition and Fitness. “Bagged Lunch vs. School Lunch.” Available from http://district.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/sublettecsd1/files/Bagged_Lunch_Vs_School_Lunch_
combined.pdf
Video Games
Submitted by Matt Jacobson, Bailey Park and Fairview Elementary Counselor
It has become a passion of mine to discuss the possible
harmful effects of video games on students and our
society at large. As I meet with students who continue
to be aggressive with other students, this question
always enters my mind: How much can we expect
students to differentiate video games from reality? The
sad truth is I am not sure we can expect them to make
that distinction, especially when students’ brains are still
developing. My objective is not to deter people from
playing video games, but to create awareness of video
games and the impact they can have on our students.
Page 2
I grew up playing video games such as Madden
Football, NBA Live, and other sport games. However,
the games have changed significantly from when I was
a child. A continuous theme of violence and lack of
respect for women is depicted in many games today.
There are two main questions you need to ask yourself
as a parent. First, what impact is this game having on
my child? Second, what do I want my child to learn
from this game? I understand that many parents do
not let their children play these games, yet play the
games themselves while their children can view what is
happening. The graphics on games today are incredible
and make the game seem even more like real life, thus
adding to the problem of the student’s differentiating
between a video game and reality.
An additional difficult concept for children to
understand is that after they shoot and kill people in a
game, those same people are back and “alive” the next
time the game is played. How is a child supposed to
understand the finality of killing when the victim comes
alive again and again, each time the game is restarted?
While the idea of your child, or any child in our district,
actually killing someone seems unfathomable, this same
The Tiger Express
(641) 753-3317
(641) 236-7787
Provides a three-day overnight outdoor
education program for all fourth graders in the
Grinnell-Newburg school district to explore
nature and connect with the earth.
www.grinnell-k12.org
(641) 236-2790
Heart of Iowa Big Brothers Big Sisters *EHIP
(641) 753-6370
Provides children facing adversity with strong
and enduring, professionally supported oneto-one relationships that change their lives for
the better, forever.
(641) 236-2620
Provides children the opportunity to
participate in recreational activities no matter
age, ability or financial means.
www.grinnelliowa.gov
Davis Elementary School Fourth Grade
Camp *EI
www.stopdvsa.org
Grinnell Recreation Department *EH
Provides for lodging, food, or gas for people
passing through or stranded in Grinnell.
Grinnell Ministerial Association (641) 236-4136
Transient Fund *I
Provides instructional fundamentals in the
game of tee ball, baseball, and softball for
ages 4-14.
www.grinnelllittleleague.com (641) 821-0336
Grinnell Little League *EHI
(641) 236-7214
Provides a safe, supportive, and educational
environment for the healthy development of
children ages six weeks to fourth grade.
www.grinnelldaycare.org
Grinnell Community Daycare &
Preschool *EHI
www.girlscoutsiowa.org
(800) 342-8389
Builds girls of courage, confidence, and
character who make Grinnell and the world a
better place. Helps girls become leaders and
reach their full potential by discovering their
personal strength and abilities.
Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa *EH
(800) 270-1620
Provides domestic abuse and sexual assault
related services to victims of these crimes and
their families. All services offered are free and
confidential.
Crisis Intervention Services *EHI
Offers confidential and affordable family planning services, pregnancy testing, treatment,
and education to women and men. No one is
denied services due to ability to pay.
www.cifp.org
Central Iowa Family Planning *
EHIP
Responds to disaster with a network of
volunteers who are prepared to open shelters,
serve warm meals, and provide comfort to
victims.
www.redcross.org
American Red Cross, Iowa Rivers
Chapter *HI
* E = Education; H = Health; I = Income;
P = Poverty as it impacts education
Agency Focus:
Funded Agencies
(641) 236-7235
Offers innovative after school and summer
enrichment programs to youth.
www.galaxyinc.org
(859) 536-5561
Seeks to improve the lives of people in
Grinnell by addressing the self-perpetuating
social and economic problems of inequality.
www.segrinnell.org
Social Entrepreneurs of Grinnell *EHIP
(888) 616-4298
Assists elderly, disabled, lower income, and
general public in Grinnell maintain freedom
and independence through public transit
services. People Rides is available from
8:00a.m.-4:00p.m., Monday-Friday, for $2.50
a ride.
www.region6planning.org
People Rides *EHI
(641) 236-3923
Serves children and families in central
Iowa affected by the conditions of poverty.
Programs include Early Head Start, Head
Start, Women Infants and Children (WIC),
Maternal and Child Health, weatherization,
energy assistance, and family development.
www.micaonline.org/
Mid-Iowa Community Action *EHIP
(800) 532-1275
Provides free civil legal assistance and
education that protects the fundamental rights
of low income Iowans and ensures that their
basic needs are met.
www.iowalegalaid.org
Iowa Legal Aid *EHIP
Phone: __________________________
E-mail address: __________________________________________
$ _________________
Per Pay Period
Galaxy Inc. Youth Programs *EHIP
Payroll Deduction
One-Time Gift
_________________
$ ___________
Check
Total # of Pay Periods
$ ___________
Cash
I have enclosed the
following amount:
$ _________________
Total Gift
Pleasemakecheck
payabletoGrinnell
UnitedWay.
Spring 2014
Page 3
Signature: __________________________________________________________________________________
Employer:___________________________________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Name: _____________________________________________________________________________________
lack of remorse and accountability can be seen on a
smaller scale even on our own playgrounds. A child may
physically or emotionally hurt other children at school
without showing any evidence of remorse.
An even more troubling issue for me is the detail
video games display in the killing of others. It is not
enough anymore just to shoot a person, as in the day
of Contra on Nintendo. Now video games show blood
and extremities being lost in great detail, accompanied
by inappropriate language. I recently attended the
Iowa School Counseling Conference and was nearly
brought to tears when I attended a breakout session
about a video game in which the player can actually
choose to be a school shooter. The school is a secondary
school in British Columbia, Canada, where the player
enters the school and has a shootout with others in the
school. During the YouTube clip, I watched as the video
game showed the school banner multiple times, as
the shooter navigated around Port Moody Secondary
School. I left the session disturbed, and I felt compelled
to do something to start the conversation.
The video games today show many violent and
disturbing behaviors. However, what they do not show
is any remorse for the victims or their families and no
consequences for the player’s behavior, such as jail or
prison. The messages that are being reinforced in the
person who plays or watches these games are these:
(1) If I kill someone, I earn points or money, and (2)
The more painful and bloody the kill, the greater is my
reward. Is that the lesson we want to teach our children?
One important suggestion that I learned from the
conference is to make sure parents understand the
rating labels on video games. I would like to take this
a step further. We have all watched movies in which
the rating did not seem appropriate for the level of
content viewed. I have watched PG-13 movies that, in
my opinion, should have been given R ratings. The point
is that I am not going to let someone else determine
for me what is right for my students. I am going to ask
questions, I am going to do my research, and I would
encourage parents to do the same.
One alarming consequence of students’ wide use
of technology is that students are losing the ability
to communicate effectively and to use appropriate
social skills. Video games create isolation and allow an
individual not to have to communicate with others.
Instead, players connect with others by playing the
game against someone on the Internet, which is not as
harmless as it might seem. The online gamers could be
anyone, including child predators. Child predators are
gaming too and could be waiting for your child to play
against them. They will often let the child win and make
small talk about a great move or an awesome kill. Once
the child is engaged with this person and is building
a cyber relationship, the predator slowly changes the
conversation to where the child lives and what his/
her phone number is. If a child is engaged online with
another player, that child is more likely to share personal
information.
I want to reiterate that my point is not to deter you or
your child from gaming, but to create awareness of the
possible effects of video games. As a parent, you cannot
trust the video game industry to have your child’s best
interest at heart. It is your responsibility as a parent or
guardian to keep the control in your hands.
Read to Your Children
Submitted by Audrey Bierman, Fairview Title 1 Reading Teacher
Parents hear the phrase “read to your children” from the
moment they bring their baby home. They hear it again and
again during their child’s preschool and kindergarten years
and beyond. As teachers, we say it over and over.
New research indicates that children who consistently
read at home for 20-30 minutes a day will eventually earn
more income than peers who do not take advantage of this
opportunity.
When children hear stories, poems, and nonfiction selections,
their minds are programmed for all the learning to come.
Structures are created in the brains of children that will
accept new information with ease. This process allows school
to become easier and more fun than it is for students who
never hear the written word.
Children who read at home, or are read to at home, have
experienced millions more words than their peers who never
hear a story at bedtime. Society is discovering children who
read or are read to excel in school, and as adults secure
solid, well-paying jobs. This process may seem too easy,
but investing the time to share books with your child has
enormous positive outcomes.
Now is the opportunity to head to the library to surround
yourself and your child with books. Leave some books in the
car or in the bathroom, read to the kids in the tub, listen to
them read at the kitchen table, look at books in doctor and
dentist offices, and share magazines with your children.
Here it comes again: “Please read to your children every day.”
It is another great way to show your love and lay a foundation
for the lives of your children.
Elementary Schools
Mrs. Nelson is Back – Luckily for Davis Library She Never Left!
Submitted by Sherry Wallace, Davis School Librarian
Since retiring from her position as
Davis Library paraprofessional four
years ago, Fern Nelson has kept busy
promoting Davis Library and motivating
our students to read! Each month Fern
volunteers her time to create what
everyone at Davis has come to know
Page 4
as another one of “Fern’s Masterpieces”.
Her displays are beautiful and draw our
students’ attention to Davis Library’s
wonderful collection of books. Her
themes are many and varied and have
included Mysteries, Winter, Turkey
Football, Frozen! and Oceans. Each
display encourages student participation
by providing an activity involving
counting, organizing, predicting or
estimating.
Davis School Library loves you, Mrs.
Nelson!
The Tiger Express
Early Writing
Submitted by Andrea Zhorne, Grinnell-Newburg Preschool Teacher
Early writing is an essential skill for preschoolaged children to help prepare them for
school. A child’s ability to read and write
begins to develop long before he/she enters
kindergarten. Infancy through age eight is
the most important time in a child’s early
literacy development, as the child learns and
develops the skills needed to be successful in
school and later in life. The Iowa Early Learning
Standards address these skills under the area
of Literacy. Children need to engage in early
writing experiences starting at a very young
age. Children may attempt to write through
scribbling, drawing, and creating pictures that
may only have meaning to the child. Children
progress through several stages of writing and
utensil grips as they practice their emerging
skills. As children improve these skills, they
may also use letters, numbers, and letter-like
forms in their writing attempts. It is important
to remember that these attempts are the basis
for small motor muscle skill development.
Without developing small motor skills, writing
will be more difficult.
children can choose, depending on their stage
of development.
•
An important foundational step in helping
children develop motor and writing skills is
providing toys and manipulatives to build
strength. Listed below are examples of how
the Grinnell-Newburg Preschool provides
activities in the preschool classroom to build
small motor and writing skills. These activities
allow us to gather assessment information
for the children in our rooms. The skills are
tied to Teaching Strategies GOLD, the online
assessment we use in the classroom.
•
Children will learn to write more skillfully
if they have experiences with reading and
writing at the same time. As children start
writing, they build an understanding that the
written word is made up of sounds that convey
meaning. When they scribble on paper and tell
us what it means, children are beginning to
understand what writing is about. Adults can
model how we use writing to convey messages
by making lists, making signs, and writing
down our words.
•
In the preschool classroom, there are many
materials available to promote writing and
small motor experiences. These may include
a variety of writing tools, paintbrushes, chalk,
and paper. Teachers keep writing supplies
in each area so children can document what
they are making and write about it. There
are crayons, markers, and pencils from which
At ages 2-3, children may be using their fingers
and whole arm movements to explore objects.
We can provide the following experiences to
increase skills in this area:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Place shapes in shape sorter
Point at objects and poke bubbles
Release objects into containers
Use spoon and sometimes fork to feed self
Dump sand into containers
Unbutton large buttons
Rotate knobs
Tear paper
At ages 3-4, children are using more refined
wrist and finger movements. The following
experiences can help develop and refine these
skills:
•
Squeeze and release tongs, turkey baster,
squirt toy
•
Snip with scissors, then later cut along
straight line
•
String large beads
•
•
•
•
•
Use hand motions for “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
Turn knobs to open doors
Use eating utensils
Sew lacing cards
By ages 4-5, children are using small and
precise hand and finger movements. We are
providing opportunity for this development by
observing if children are using a correct scissor
grip, building with small Legos, cutting food,
and cutting simple pictures and shapes.
Parents are their children’s first and most
important teachers. Parents can help their
child develop literacy and writing skills at
home by providing a variety of materials
that encourage drawing and writing, such as
crayons, finger paint, and markers. Encourage
your child to describe or tell a story about his/
her drawing and write down the words. You
can provide experiences and toys at home to
build fine motor strength. Following are some
of these ideas:
•
Transfer toys with kitchen tongs
•
Repeat or sing fingerplays and rhymes
that isolate finger movement
•
Place raw spaghetti noodles in a colander
•
•
Shell corn by hand
Place Cheerios on a raw spaghetti noodle
•
Push craft pompoms into an empty water
bottle
•
Pound golf tees into foam
•
Use a paper punch to make confetti
Pour water into containers
Pound, poke, squeeze, and roll clay
Button, zip, buckle, lace
Bailey Park and Fairview Carnival
Save the date for the third annual Bailey
Park and Fairview Carnival. The carnival will
be held Saturday, April 5, from 11:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. in the Grinnell High School gym.
Once again, the Bailey Park and Fairview
Parent Teacher Organization will be hosting
Spring52014
Page
this wonderful event for fun and fundraising.
You can look forward to a delicious lunch,
fun new games, and the return of old
favorites, including inflatables, face painting,
dinosaur dig, a photo booth, plus a silent
auction and raffle.
The 2013 carnival was instrumental in
the purchase of $24,000 worth of leveled
reading books for both Bailey Park and
Fairview schools. The proceeds from the
2014 carnival will continue the PTO’s strong
support of our elementary schools.
The Tiger Express
Page 5
Extra Extra READ All About IT
Submitted by Emily Louden,
Bailey Park Paraeducator
Check out these Bailey Park students with
new reading glasses! During the month of
February, the Bailey Park library awarded
prizes to students to encourage them to
check out books from the library. What a
great way to spend a cold winter day, curled
up with a good book.
An Evening of Fun
Submitted by Sherry Wallace, Davis School Librarian
Davis teachers are anticipating a free and
fun night of reading on Thursday, April
17 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Camping
is the theme, and Davis families are the
focus. The teachers want everyone to
enjoy dinner, a scavenger hunt, book
walks, tents, flashlights, door prizes, and
our own Grinnell Middle School author,
Jaylene Hall. In addition, Buck Wilder,
author of many children’s books, including
The Salmon Stop Running, The Owls Don’t
Give a Hoot and The Squirrels Go Nuts will
join us for an evening presentation.
Davis families, mark your calendars. This is
an event you won’t want to miss!
January Reading Incentive Program at Davis
Submitted by Sally Smith, Davis School Fourth Grade Teacher
Each month the Davis third and fourth
grade students participate in a monthly
reading incentive program. Every night
the students are expected to be reading
and recording their minutes on their
reading log. For the students who meet
their reading goal, at the end of each
month a special activity is planned for
Page 6
them.
During the month of January, players from
Grinnell College men’s basketball team
came on several occasions to read to the
Davis students and promote reading. At
the end of the month, those who read
600+ minutes were treated to 30 minutes
of basketball and games in the gym
with the Pioneer basketball players! The
students had a lot of fun playing with
the Pioneer players, and everyone was
a bit tired and sweaty by the time they
were finished. A big thank you goes out
to Coach Arseneault, Jr. and his team for
helping to motivate Davis students to
read!
The Tiger Express
Book Swap
Submitted by Sally Smith, Davis School 4th grade teacher
On February 14, the 4th graders at Davis
Elementary held a voluntary “book swap”
in conjunction with the International
Book Giving Day. Students were asked
to find one of their gently used books
that had just been gathering dust on
a shelf. After checking with parents to
make sure the donation was acceptable,
they added it to their classmates’ choices.
Then each student was allowed to choose
a “new” book to take home for “keeps!”
All students participated regardless of
whether or not they donated a book from
home.
Wow! It was a successful “Book Swap!”
The participation made our Valentine’s
Day “hearts sing!”
There were even plenty of extra books
leftover, so students who want to donate
another book in the future could swap it
for different one in our collection... and
the love of reading will go on and on!
We want to send a huge thank you to all
the parents who helped make this book
lovers experience happen!
Readers, of all ages, are encourage to
participate in the holiday however they
can! Whether it’s by giving a book to a
friend or family member, leaving reading
material in a waiting room or on a park
bench, or donating your gently used
paperbacks to a local hospital, shelter or
charity.
Grinnell Middle School
A Capitol Accomplishment
Submitted by Bridget Brandt, Grinnell Middle School Fifth Grade Teacher
Grinnell Middle School fifth grader Brett
Crawford worked for over two months
before school and during recess to put
together an 800-piece 3D puzzle of the
United States capitol.
homeroom class. His determination and
dedication were appreciated by everyone in his class. The completed puzzle of
the United States capitol is on display in
Mrs. Brandt’s classroom.
During those two months he was assisted by other members of Mrs. Brandt’s
Brett Crawford
Spring 2014
Page 7
“Love a Book. Share a Book.”
Submitted by Margie Laehn, Grinnell Middle School Teacher Librarian
The Grinnell Middle School Library and
Second Mile are working on a new program, “Love a Book. Share a Book.”
On Tuesday, February 11, each middle
school reading teacher received a brown
paper bag to place in her classroom. This
brown bag provides an opportunity for
students to donate “like new” books for
Second Mile. These books should target
reading levels from the very young
through eighth grade. This is not a race
to see how many books an individual or
classroom gives. Instead, this is an opportunity to provide books that will give
others a chance to read books they may
not be able to access during the summer months. This is an ongoing project,
with the book drive continuing until the
end of the school year.
that children can take up to two books,
and they are not obligated to pay for
these books. They may return the books
to Second Mile to share with others, but
they are not obligated to return them.
These books will NOT be books for sale
at Second Mile, and they will NOT be
added to the collection of books that are
sold for 25 cents a piece. Instead, a separate section of bookshelves will be used
for this purpose. A label “Love a Book.
Share a Book.” by Grinnell Middle
School Students will be placed on each
book. This will help the volunteers know
This project will take place only during
the summer months, when some students do not have access to books to
read. The GMS library will continue to
support the Drake Community Library
and their summer reading program.
Ginny Cameron and Margie Laehn will
make sure the Second Mile shelves are
stocked over the summer months.
5th-6th Grade Honor Choir Festival
Submitted by Jill Harris, Grinnell Middle School 5th and 6th grade Choir Director
On Thursday, April 3, 2014, the South
Central District of the Iowa Choral Directors Association will sponsor a 5th-6th
grade Honor Choir Festival. That afternoon twenty 5th and 6th grade singers
will travel to Indianola Middle School to
rehearse with guest directors to prepare for an evening concert. The guest
director for the 5th grade choir will be
Jennifer Senne, Eason Elementary in
Waukee. Julie Hendrickson, Summit Middle School in Johnston, will conduct the
6th grade group.
The 5th grade students are preparing
“Dansi Na Kuimba,” “The Piper,” “Listen
to the Rain,” and “Galop” (from Solfege
Fifth Grade
Page 8
Suite). The 6th grade students are
rehearsing “Old Dan Tucker,” “Al Shlosha
D’Varim,” “The Rising of the Moon,” and
“For Now I Know.”
and pride that come from singing in an
honor choir. Ultimately the students will
take that sense of excellence and pride
back to their home choirs.
At the end of the concert, the two choirs
will collaborate on a gospel piece, “Feel
Good.” Approximately 200 students will
participate in each choir, representing
13 school districts from south central
Iowa.
The following students will represent
Grinnell Middle School: (5th grade) Lauren Bolte, Ellie Durr, Keelie Eitel, Beatrice
Geissinger-Cutchins, Olivia Harrington,
Brooks Latimer, Katie Lunk, Shivani
Subramaniam, Ben Topliff and Macie Van
Dekrol; (6th grade) Elizabeth Ashing,
Maddy Bolte, Theresa Crawford, Dallas
De Neve, Dani Ford, Abbi Furness, Anjali
Jones, Addy Petig, Aubrey Walters and
Katie Witt. Jill Harris is the director of the
5th and 6th grade choirs at GMS.
This opportunity further develops the
5th and 6th grade choral programs
through learning and performing quality choral literature with students from
other districts. This event also allows
the singers to achieve the excellence
Sixth Grade
The Tiger Express
Grinnell Middle School Art
Submitted by Josh Wardenburg, Grinnell Middle School Art Teacher
The Grinnell Middle School art classes
are having a busy semester. This semester, the fifth and eighth graders are
exploring art. The fifth grade students
have finished their first project, focusing
on space and overlapping. Each student first wrote his name in a specific
font, then had to think of ten hobbies
or things that he likes or enjoys. He
then had to represent those ten things
throughout his paper, taking up space
and overlapping. The students enjoyed
the project and did a wonderful job with The next step was to place the logo on a
their creations. The next unit for the fifth 3-dimensional object. This step allowed
graders will be a one-point perspective. others to view the project. The last part
of the project was to make an adverThe eighth graders are finishing up their tisement or commercial promoting that
graphic design project. For this unit,
logo to the public. The students had a
each student was instructed to think
great time taking video footage around
of a school activity, event, club, or class
the middle school, which they turned
for which he could create a logo. After
into movies. Every step of the project
drawing a logo, the student scanned it
was successful and allowed the students
into the computer and colored it using
to explore the different kinds of graphic
pixlr, an online photoshop program.
design.
8th Graders graphic design logos on a 3 dimensional object.
Karen Robbins’ 5th Grade Class working on their one point
perspective drawings.
March: Music in Our Schools Month
Submitted by Amber Bayer, Grinnell Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Choir Director
As a child, I spent most of my summers
in the backyard of our country home,
singing for the trees that made up a
rather large grove. I was a quiet kid, but
around music I came into my own. My
parents encouraged me to play the piano, join the band, sing in the choir, and
audition for the lead role in the school
musical. Young children who take music
lessons show different brain development and improved memory over the
course of a year, compared to children
who do not receive musical training
(Trainor).
pep band could be heard blasting “Louie
Louie.” We held annual winter pageants
in which the community choir would
sing and spring concerts in which the
jazz band might play Dizzy Gillespie’s “A
Night in Tunisia.”
music. Your understanding of art and
the world, and how you can think and
express yourself, are enhanced (Brown).
Each morning our Grinnell Middle
School music hallway is buzzing with
students coming to drop off their instruMarch is Music in Our Schools month. ments and students exiting from early
What a great time to reflect on our own morning rehearsals. Students at GMS are
music memories and remind people of
composing and creating arrangements
the role of music in our schools. Stuon Musescore and GarageBand prodents at risk for not successfully comgrams. They are rehearsing music using
pleting their high school educations cite their Smart Music program. Students
their participation in the arts as reasons are in practice rooms during their recess
for staying in school (Barry). There is a
conducting rehearsal sessions with their
Music in my small town school was a
massive benefit from being musical that peers. Our students are meeting up after
community event. Rural Iowa holds
we don’t understand, but it’s individual. school to learn tricks and wisdom from
memories of bands marching on the 4th Music is for music’s sake. The horizons
high school “band buddies.”
of July and football games at which the are higher when you are involved in
At GMS musicians are using new techSpring 2014
Page 9
niques in rhythm such as takadimi, and
they are sightreading using solfege
syllables. Band students are marching
in parades, led by Mr. Adam Van Arkel,
and they are competing in the first
“Scale-Off” in preparation for SEIBA
(Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association) honor band, led by Mrs. Emily Van
Arkel. 5th and 6th grade singers, led by
Mrs. Jill Harris, are humming in the halls
in preparation for ICDA (Iowa Choral
Directors Association) honor festivals.
Members of the honor choir, led by Mrs.
Amber Bayer, are making up their own
glee club ensembles to perform for
local community events.
We smile at all of these musical aspira-
tions and cheer for students’ ambition
and willingness to share their gifts.
Music is a legacy we share with one another. Music in our Schools is a chance
for our children not only to perform and
share, but it is also a chance for them to
learn and grow as students, musicians,
and future community leaders. Music is
for all, and all of us can share in music.
Grinnell Middle School Library Reading Contest Winners
Submitted by Margie Laehn, Grinnell Middle School Teacher Librarian
All GMS students had an opportunity to
participate in a reading contest by reading
from the 2013-2014 Iowa Children’s Choice
Award books and the 2013-14 Iowa Teen
Award books. Students were also required to
write a couple of sentences about each book
they read.
The top five winners are listed below.
1st Place: Maddie Schrack, 6th grader, read
10 books.
2nd Place: Beatrice Geissinger-Cutchins, 5th
grader, read 7 books.
3rd Place: Mikayla Hatcher, 6th grader, read
6 books.
3rd Place: Layla Reavis, 6th grader, read 6
books.
Each winner received a certificate and a gift
card to purchase books at the Pioneer Book
Shop. Every student that participated in the
reading contest received a prize.
First row left to right: Logan Spooner, Beatrice Geissinger-Cutchins, Maddie Schrack, Mikayla Hatcher,
Layla Reevis, Tristan Martinez, Max Loveall, Zacorah Triplett
Second row left to right: Shivani Subramaniam, Alana Ferguson, Brianna Townsend,
Zac Fillmore, Kassie Routier, Chris Lausier
Reading Time
Submitted by Robin Brierly, Grinnell Middle School Reading Specialist
These photos show Reading and Language Arts students reading books and using computers to take tests, read online books,
and locate general information.
Page 10
The Tiger Express
South Central Iowa Choral Directors Honor Choir
Submitted by Amber Bayer, Grinnell Middle School 7th and 8th grade Choir Director
On Tuesday, March 4, a select few students from
Grinnell Middle School traveled to Newton, Iowa, to
participate in the annual South Central Iowa Choral
Director’s Honor Choir. These students had rehearsed
a set list of music with their director, Amber Bayer.
They had the wonderful opportunity to sing with
students from other area schools and performed in
a 7:00 p.m. concert that evening at the Newton High
School. The students that attended this year in the
Treble Choir are: Kassie W., Brianna G., Emma GC.,
Rebecca C., and Michelle K. The students in the picture
are in the Mixed Choir.
back row: Ava D., Chloe B., Emma H., Lizzie B.
front row: Oswaldo A., Wes S., and Julien M.
Grinnell Middle School Winter Olympics
Submitted by Lexie Townsend, Grinnell Middle School Seventh Grade Student
The Olympic Winter Games began in 1929, but
here in 2014, this competition of strength, discipline, and athletics is still celebrated. This year, a
fan would not have had to travel to Sochi, Russia,
to witness these events. At Grinnell Middle School,
seventh grade students were able to participate
in their very own Olympics. The interesting names
of the countries, the cleverly portrayed events,
and the positive effect on the students made the
seventh grade Olympics a fun and exciting event.
Mr. Van Arkel’s students were loyal to New Ghana.
Mr. Dayton’s students belonged to the country
of Lacanada, and Schultzerland was inhabited by
Mrs. Schultz’s students. Mrs. Bayer’s class honored student Joe Simon with their country name
Joemerica, while Mr. Glenn’s Tiger Time honored
him by naming their country New Glennia. Mr.
Ellis’s class came up with a very interesting name
with their country of Zhlatovica, and Mrs. Moore’s
homeroom proudly represented the Penguin
States of Antarctica. Each Tiger Time also had to
The Olympics were held in the gym on odd days
create a flag for their country. Most of the flags
during recess, where students could watch, partici- were designed using a few solid colors with a main
pate, and cheer on their team, all without years
image and significant word in the center.
of grueling training. The students each signed up
for a maximum of three events, and if they passed With all the other aspects of the Olympic Games,
the qualifying round, they advanced to the intense we sometimes forget about the actual events.
The events in the seventh grade Olympics were
finals of their event. The opening ceremonies
standard: ski jump, hockey, snowboarding, figure
included each country walking their flag into the
skating, and speed skating, but the athletes did
mini-theatre and explaining its origin and colors.
not compete in the traditional ways. The events
The seventh grade choir performed an Olympic
song, a parody of a song called Sing, Sing. Overall, were cleverly adapted. Some events involved a
play on words, and others used household objects.
the opening ceremonies were a great success.
The bobsled event was a relay race across the
What is a country without a name? Students and
gym, with competitors riding on their “bobsled”
teachers from each homeroom came up with their towels, while being pushed by a teammate. The
own country name for their Tiger Time. Students in bobsled was won by Mr. Van Arkel’s Tiger Time.
Mrs. Pirkl’s Tiger Time hailed from the country New The ski jump contestants literally jumped over skis
Bazinga, a tribute to The Big Bang Theory, while
Spring 2014
held by their partners. Mrs. Moore’s homeroom
took the gold medal for the ski jump. Although the
teachers didn’t tell the athletes ahead of time how
the events would be adapted, it is clear now that
future events will probably include Tech Decks,
pool noodles, and shoe boxes.
The Olympics received positive reactions from
the seventh graders. They provided friendly, safe
competition, and students showed their enthusiasm for each event. The seventh grade Olympics
also provided a great opportunity for students to
learn about the Olympics. For example, students
learned that gold medals from Sochi actually contain 516 grams of silver. Students overall enjoyed
having some time to relax, overreact, and cheer for
their peers.
The state of New York may lead the United States
in athletes earning the most medals in the winter
Olympics, but in seventh grade Olympics, Grinnell
is the definite leader. The closing ceremonies
ended the Olympics, including a performance
from the seventh grade choir. The seventh grade
students would like to thank the entire seventh
grade team for organizing the Olympics and allowing the students to compete, cheer, and take pride
in their country.
Page 11
Grinnell High School
FCCLA News
Submitted by Bev Huebner, Grinnell High School Family and Consumer Science Teacher
On November 22 and 23, 2013, four FCCLA
(Family, Career and Community Leaders of
America) members and their advisor traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, for the National
Cluster Meeting held at the CenturyLink
Center. They were among 2600 students and
advisers from 16 states attending this event.
During the day on Friday students watched
competition events in the FACS (Family and
Consumer Sciences) Knowledge Bowl. The
national FCCLA officers led Friday evening’s
opening session. The guest speaker, Ashley
Rhoads-Courter, spoke about her experiences growing up in several foster homes and
how her strength has given her the ability
to embrace differences and turn pain into
power.
Saturday sessions focused on developing
leadership and promoting local chapter
activities. The closing session Saturday evening was highlighted with Johan Khalilian
speaking about growing up in a rough area
of Chicago and being told he would never
amount to anything because of his environment. He shared how he took on the
challenge to overcome this issue. Today Mr.
Khalilian is a motivational speaker, encouraging young people to dream and create
possibilities for themselves. The Grinnell
chapter members enjoyed meeting students
from several different areas and hearing
numerous speakers. The students were also
able to spend time in the Old Market area
of Omaha, enjoying the shops, art galleries,
and restaurants.
Local chapter Community Service continued
as members prepared and served a dinner
for the conference choir directors on November 19 and served refreshments for the
National Honor Society induction ceremony
on November 25. In December members
participated in the children’s shopping day
sponsored by the Christmas Share program.
Students helped children select gift items
for their parents and wrap the gifts to take
home. The chapter also sponsored a Christmas Share family of three, buying and wrapping gifts for each family member.
February 10-14 was National FCCLA Week.
The previous week members had presold
heart shaped cookies to be delivered during
seminar on February 12. To prepare for this
event, the members spent several hours
baking and decorating cookies! As part of
the week’s events, the chapter also sponsored two community service projects:
collecting useable shoes for Second Mile
and a cash donation for MICA food bank.
Daily trivia questions were announced and
were correctly answered by Jenna Steffen,
Naomi Veldboom, Maddie Tofliff, and Cecilia
Michelle, Tuesday, Kathryn, Jocelyn, Mrs. Huebner, Adviser, at the
FCCLA Cluster meeting in Omaha, NE
Mitchell. Thursday was “Wear Red Day” to
celebrate the official colors of FCCLA. On
that day members passed out a piece of
candy to any student they caught wearing
red. The members also made and donated a
child’s Easter basket to the Hoops for Hope
silent auction.
The members continue their monthly
visits to Windsor Manor. In December they
recruited a few choir and band students to
help sing carols for the residents. During the
week of February 10-14 members took heart
shaped cookies for Windsor Manor members
to frost and decorate. The students really
enjoy working with the residents and have
created some warm friendships with them.
The Grinnell High School FCCLA chapter will
attend the State Leadership Conference in
Des Moines on March 24 and March 25.
Jesemmy, Kathryn, Lauren, Alissa, Michelle, Tuesday, Yonu, Makayla,
Craig and Edward singing Christmas carols at Windsor Manor.
GHS Ag Ed Students and FFA Members Live the FFA Motto
Submitted by Ashley Wolfe, Grinnell High School Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor
“Learning to Do. Doing to Learn. Earning to Live.
Living to Serve.” Students involved in the Grinnell
FFA Chapter and the GHS Animal Science Class
have the opportunity to live up to the twelve
Page 12
simple words of the national FFA Motto. Students
“Learn to Do” in a classroom setting with engaging lessons and hands-on activities, and then
they have the chance to “Do” and “Learn” by ap-
plying those skills and knowledge in structured
youth activities.
On January 23, the Fifth Annual Iowa Pork
The Tiger Express
Congress Youth Judging Contest was held at
the Iowa State Fair grounds in Des Moines. This
contest allowed 22 students from the Grinnell
FFA Chapter and the GHS Animal Science Class to
apply the breeding and market swine evaluation
skills they have been building in class and team
practices. During the contest students evaluated
one class of market swine and two classes of
breeding swine, completed two written exams
focused on swine production and meat quality,
and scored ten pigs based on carcass traits such
as loin-eye area, backfat, and live weight.
Statewide there were 25 teams and two individual contestants involved in the Pork Congress
contest. Grinnell sent six teams, and five of these
teams finished in the top ten. Grinnell’s Team
1 (Megan Iverson, Taylor Long, Jessica Moyer
and Kayte Werner) placed 2nd overall. This team
was awarded a team plaque, and each team
member received a $200 scholarship. Grinnell’s
Team 3 (Sam Kibbee, Nick Thelen, Kyle Nisley
and Matt Spencer) placed 5th; Team 2 (Teirra
Long, Nik Lleverino, Nico Veverka and Christian
Graham) placed 7th; Team 6 (Bailey Moore,
Kenzie Ellis, Teal Puls and Tesla Ely) placed 6th;
Team 5 (Andrew Hanson, Mason Shuler and Matt
Wray) placed 8th; and Team 4 (Tatum Choate,
Skyler Foreman and Brent Butcher) finished 15th.
Grinnell also placed six individuals in the top ten:
Nico Veverka - 3rd overall; Kayte Werner - 5th
overall; Bailey Moore - 6th overall; Jessica Moyer
- 7th overall; Teirra Long - 8th overall; and Sam
Kibbee - 10th overall.
On February 7, the Grinnell Livestock Judging
Team members Megan Iverson, Taylor Long,
Jessica Moyer, Kayte Werner, Teirra Long, Nik
Lleverion, Alex Smith and Caleb Heinselmen
competed at the Minnesota State Spring Barrow
Show in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Judgers evaluated five classes of market hogs and answered two
sets of evaluation questions. Team 1 placed 3rd
overall, and Team 2 placed 4th overall. Individually, Alex Smith placed 5th overall, and Megan
Iverson placed 6th overall.
Without these activities, only “Learning to Do”
can take place. When the students have the
opportunity to “Do,” they further develop future
career interest and technical agriculture job skills
in order to “Earn to Live” and “Live to Serve.” GHS
students are fortunate to have the opportunity
to learn in the classroom and then apply their
skills in real life experiences.
Large Group Speech Contest
Submitted by Elizabeth Hanson, Grinnell High School Speech Coach
A record number of 17 entries featuring 55 GHS students
performed at the Iowa High School Speech Association’s
District Large Group speech contest on Saturday, February 8, at Linn-Mar High School in Marion. Another record
was set by the Grinnell High School entries: 15 performances received a division one rating of excellent at the
contest; 2 performances received a division two rating
of good. The following schools also participated in the
district contest at Linn-Mar: Montezuma, East Marshall,
BGM, South Tama, Newton, Pella Christian, Lynnville-Sully
and Oskaloosa. IHSSA does not classify schools according
to enrollment for speech contest competition.
Two of the three ninth grade entries, coached by GHS
seniors Sarah Etheridge and Nathan Smith, received
straight one ratings. The ninth grade readers theatre It’s
Not You, It’s Me by Don Zolidis was performed by Lucas
Chamberland, David Gilbert, Cara Klyn, Zac Loftin, Leah
Ramsey, Steven Sharpe, Maddie Topliff, Naomi Veldboom
and Sierra Whise and was coached by senior Sarah
Etheridge. The musical theatre entry from Cinderella,
featuring Cara Klyn, Leah Ramsey, Maddie Topliff and
Sierra Whise, was directed by senior Nathan Smith and
Roger Henderson. The musical theatre But, Mr. Adams,
performed by Lucas Chamberland, David Gilbert, Ean
Honeycutt, Zac Loftin and Steven Sharpe, received two
division two ratings and one division one rating for
an overall two rating. All musical theatre entries were
coached by GHS vocal music director Roger Henderson.
All three ensemble acting scenes received a division one
rating from every judge: Drugs Are Bad by Jonathan
Rand and performed by Sarah Etheridge, Leo Kalkbren-
ner and Adam Loew; a scene from Rabbit Hole by David
Lindsay-Abairre, performed by Kayla Jones and Grace
Morrison; and Watermelon Boats by Wendy McLaughlin, performed by Dana Brown and Cecilia Mitchell and
coached by Sarah Etheridge.
We Ain’t Gonna Take It, a choral reading adapted by
coach Linda Perrenoud from various authors, earned
straight one ratings. The cast included Jonah Benning-Shorb, Jacob Chamberland, Hayes Durbin, Lily
Hamilton, Bethany Jacoby, Makayla Kadner, Karina Ortiz,
Randy Paulson and Katrina Sieck.
The group mime scene It’s All in Your Head received
three division one ratings. Cast members were Alex Dill,
Jerry Megel, Kyle Cogley, Makayla Kadner and Yonu Cha.
The group mime was coached by Linda Perrenoud.
Earning all division one ratings from all judges were both
group improvisation teams: Josh Randolph and Allison
Neeley and another team of Blake Morrison and Jaimeson Hicklin. All improv teams were coached by senior
Amaris Bates.
Be Our Guest, a musical theatre entry from the GHS
musical Beauty and the Beast, earned three division one
ratings. The scene featured cast members Sarah Etheridge, Sarah Frischmeyer, Lily Hamilton, Josh Randolph,
Tyler Rezapour and Jonah Benning-Shorb. A second
musical theatre scene, Agony from the Broadway musical
Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim, was performed
by Colton Loftin and Nathan Smith and received straight
division one ratings. Coaches for the groups included
GHS alum Ben Stewart, Roger Henderson and Liz Hansen.
Benevolent Madness, a short film by Colton Loftin and
Patrick Armstrong, featured Hannah Grabinski, Adam
Loew and Blake Morrison and received a one and two
two’s for an overall division two rating.
The 2014 Television News team broadcast, KNOW
Channel #5 News You Need to Know Now, received two
division one ratings and one division two for an overall
one rating. Team members included Amaris Bates, Carter
Beals, Joel Baumann, Grant Cirks, Hayes Durbin, Brett Gable, Hannah Grabinski, Matt Guthrie, Sereina Hirsbrunner,
Anna Ivanov, Parker Klyn, Aaron Leonard, Jerry Megel,
Kate Menner, Hannah O’Polka, Josiah O’Polka and Chris
Sharpe.
The radio broadcast KWDC featured the talents of Joel
Baumann, Brett Gable, Matt Guthrie, Parker Klyn and
Kate Menner and received all division one ratings from
the judges. The television news and radio broadcasting
teams were directed by Liz Hansen.
The varsity readers theatre, The Most Massive Woman
Wins by Madeline George, was performed by Dana
Brown, Sarah Frischmeyer, Kayla Jones, Cecilia Mitchell,
Grace Morrison and Maria Peterson-Smith and received
all division one ratings.
The one-act play The Stonewater Rapture by Doug
Wright received division one ratings from all three judges. Performers included Amaris Bates and Nathan Smith,
and the crew included Anna Ivanov, Bethany Jacoby and
Katrina Sieck. Both varsity readers theatre and one-act
play entries were directed by Liz Hansen and Ben Stewart, GHS alum ’06.
GHS Library Receives Funds from Community Resources
Submitted By Chelsey Kolpin, Grinnell High School Teacher Librarian
This year, the Grinnell High School library received a
boost in funding from two valued community resources:
Grinnell College and Grinnell-Newburg Educational
Excellence (GNEE).
“As a Partner in Education with Grinnell High School,
Grinnell College is pleased to be part of this effort to
Spring 2014
support the Grinnell High School Library by increasing
the resources available for student readers,” stated Melissa Strovers, Program and Communications Manager of
Community Enhancement and Engagement at Grinnell
College.
For the fourth year, the Grinnell College Pioneer Book-
store donated 10% of its December sales to the high
school library, which resulted in a gift of $1,720. Besides
being Partners in Education, Cassie Wherry, manager of
the Grinnell College Bookstore and Pioneer Bookshop
added, “We want to support the Grinnell High School
Library so that it can provide the kinds of books young
people enjoy reading. We hope that young people will
Page 13
develop an early love of reading that they will have for
the rest of their lives.”
e-readers, and students would have had to come to the
library to check the e-readers out. This eliminates a lot
Half of the donation is offered on a gift card to the Pioneer Book Store, where the high school library can buy
books to add to the collection. The other half of the donation is given to the library fund to be used at librarian
Chelsey Kolpin’s discretion. This year, Kolpin plans to use
the gift card to replace books that are worn, damaged,
or lost, while continuing to add to popular series. She
plans to use the donation to the library fund to add to
the new e-book collection.
of the benefits of having an e-book versus a regular
book. So, even with the expense, e-books for libraries
were the best way for us to go, and the grant and
donation allowed us to get a great start on developing
our collection.”
Students will access the e-books through an e-resource
management system called MackinVia. The system
allows users to browse and read e-books and access
databases online, and an application downloaded to
student laptops, which is also available for other devices, allows students to read checked out materials when
they are not connected to the Internet.
For more information about MackinVia and how to use
it, one can access their website: www.mackinvia.com,
or the high school library webpage, under the e-books
tab.
The e-book collection was started this year thanks to a
$1,000 grant Kolpin applied for and received from GNEE.
Most of the funds will be used for nonfiction collection
development, which allows students doing research to
access books they need anytime and anywhere. Some
fiction reading materials will also be offered.
“Some may question why so much money is needed for
e-books,” said Kolpin. “E-books for libraries work very
differently from e-books that individuals might get for
their Kindle, Nook, or iPad. Publishers are much more
protective of rights for library e-books; therefore, library
e-books are generally much more expensive to purchase. Some books are not available in library e-book
format at all, even if they are for personal e-readers. If
we had gone with a more privatized version of e-books,
they would have been loaded on a maximum of five
Photo by Justin Hayworth
From left to right: Melissa Strovers, Cassie Wherry, Chelsey Kolpin, and Kevin Seney
Southeast Iowa Honor Band Festival
Submitted by Levi Dressler, Grinnell High School Band Director
On Saturday, January 11, 2014, approximately 800
students from southeast Iowa arrived at Fairfield High
School, hoping to be selected to participate in the
SEIBA Honor Band Festival. Each year, the Southeast
Iowa Bandmasters Association sponsors the auditions in
Fairfield. This year, there were 24 audition centers, with
approximately 400 students auditioning for two junior
high bands, over 300 students auditioning for the high
school concert band, and about 80 students auditioning
for the high school jazz band.
Congratulations to the following students selected from
Grinnell Middle School: Emma Harrington, flute; Dane
Edwards, tenor sax; Daniel Rebelsky, bari sax; and Robbie Shore, percussion. Congratulations to the following
Grinnell High School students for being selected: Evan
Cunningham, clarinet; and Ryn Van Cleve, tenor sax
in the honors jazz band. Students in junior high were
expected to prepare chromatic and nine major scales
and two assigned etudes. High school students had to
prepare two assigned etudes, chromatic and all major
scales, and a solo excerpt of their choice. Competition is
always very tough, and only about half of the students
auditioning are accepted. Grinnell Middle School band
students are under the direction of Mr. Adam Van Arkel
and Mrs. Emily Van Arkel. Grinnell High School students
are under the direction of Mr. Levi Dressler.
The SEIBA festival was held at Iowa City West High
School on Saturday, January 25. The students rehearsed
Left to Right: Robbie Shone, Emma Harrington, Danniel Rebelsky, Dane Edwards
Page 14
with guest conductors during the afternoon and
presented an evening concert. The junior high bands
were conducted by Christopher Strohmaier, director of
Valley Southwoods freshman band in West Des Moines
and Jim Colonna, composer and director of bands at
York College of Pennsylvania. At the concert, one middle
school band premiered a composition written for them
by Mr. Colonna. Both junior high bands were able to
experience the rehearsal styles and conducting of both
Mr. Strohmaier and Mr. Colonna. Guest conductors for
the other bands included the following: high school jazz
band - Geof Bradfield, Assistant Professor of Jazz Saxophone and Jazz Studies at Northern Illinois University;
and high school concert band - Dr. Richard R. Fischer,
Director of Bands at Concordia University in Chicago.
Evan Cunningham and Ryn Van Cleve
The Tiger Express
Fall Yearbook Contest
Submitted by Janet Ahrens, Grinnell High School Yearbook Advisor
Every year the Iowa High School Press Association
sponsors the Fall Yearbook Contest covering the areas
of layout design, cover, writing, and photography. The
association receives yearbooks from all over the state
for this competition; judging categories are based on
school enrollment. Students have the option of competing as individuals or as part of a staff team effort.
Reader Services (the index feature of the yearbook):
Honorable Mention
In the past, the Grinnell High School yearbook has received a few Honorable Mentions. The contest results for
the 2012-13 yearbook, Anything But Ordinary, included
numerous awards, which are listed below.
Staff Award for Sports Layout Design: 3rd Place to Morgan Ives, Anna Cunningham, and Callie Van Cleve for the
volleyball layout on pages 18-19
Staff Award: Morgan Ives, Anna Cunningham, and Callie
Van Cleve
Feature Writing: Individual Honorable Mention to Anna
Cunningham for the Freshman Student Life article
Academic Layout Design: Individual 3rd place to Morgan
Ives for page 62 layout
Staff Award for Cover Design: 1st place to Morgan Ives,
Anna Cunningham, and Callie Van Cleve
Morgan Ives and Anna Cunningham
with the 2012 - 2013 yearbook.
Science Bowl 2014
Submitted by Angie Richards, Grinnell High School Science Teacher
On Saturday, January 25, six Grinnell High School
students participated in the regional Science
Bowl, hosted by the United States Department
of Energy’s Ames Laboratory and Iowa State
University.
The regional Science Bowl is a rapid-fire, daylong
competition during which high school students
answer questions from a variety of topics: biology,
chemistry, mathematics, physics, earth and space
sciences, and energy. This is the second year
Grinnell High School has sent participants to the
Science Bowl.
ratory and ISU scientists and staff serve as judges,
moderators, timekeepers, and scorekeepers.
The Grinnell team left to right: Jon Rebelsky, Captain Chris Sharpe, Kirk Rudolph, Hannah O’Polka,
Zane Strawser and Edward Lopatto, prepared for
the event for months, guided by their science
teachers/coaches: Sally Kriegel, Chris Molitor, Angie Richards and Rochelle Wilkins. Grinnell College
faculty members generously provided additional
expertise: Robert Cadmus, Charles Duke, Leslie
Lyons, Lee Sharpe and Elizabeth Quethem.
The Ames Laboratory/ISU Science Bowl is one
of more than 69 regional competitions held
throughout the nation. The format is similar to the
National Science Bowl. The morning session is a
round-robin tournament, with the top 16 teams
advancing to the double-elimination competition
in the afternoon session. At the end of the match,
the team with the most points wins. Ames Labo-
Local Businesses Support GHS Yearbook
Submitted by Anna Cunningham, Yearbook Business Manager
Currently the 2013-2014 Grinnell High School yearbook
staff is producing another full color Grinnellian. It would
not be possible to produce our book without the help of
the Grinnell community and their donations. The contributions of area businesses help us to achieve our goal of
creating a book filled with memories for the students of
GHS. In order to accomplish this goal, we have had the
support of the following businesses:
Black Sponsors $155:
A&M Café
Bikes to You
Bill’s Jewelry
Brownells
B3 Technology
Charnetski, Olson and Lacina Law Office, LLP
Cirks Financial Services, LLC
Country Carpet Cleaners
Curt’s Collision Center
Danish Maid Bakery
Spring 2014
Dental Associates
Donaldson
Edward Jones
Family Dentistry
Family Medicine
Fareway
Farm Bureau Financial Services
German Plumbing, Heating and Cooling, Inc.
Great Western Bank
Grinnell Firestone
Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company
Grinnell Steakhouse
Grinnell Subway/I-80 Subway
Jensen Optometrists, P.L.L.C.
Jerry’s Cleaners
Key Cooperative
KGRN
Latcham Enterprises, Inc.
Lincoln Savings Bank
Mayflower Community
Medicap Pharmacy
Pagliai’s Pizza
Premier Printing
Serenity Salon and Spa
Southard Implements
T.L. Baker & Co., LLP
Taco John’s
Total Choice Shipping and Printing
University of Iowa Community Credit Union
Utech Chiropractic Clinic, LLC
Orange Sponsors $120:
ASI Sign Systems
Grinnell College
Grinnell Regional Medical Center
Grinnell Implement Store
Jostens
Loucks Buren Orthodontics
Mariposa Farms Inc.
Oakland Acres
Page 15
PRSRT STD
ECRWSS
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
EDDM
GRINNELL, IOWA
POSTAL PATRON
Yearbook sponsors from page 15
Roland & Dieleman
Wes Finch Auto Plaza
White Sponsors $80:
Awards Unlimited, Inc.
Bob Larson State Farm Insurance Agency
Cory Hall Photography
Grinnell Eye Care PC
Grinnell State Bank
R & C Industries Demolition Project
The demolition project is underway at
the former R & C Industries site. The contractor, Seaton Construction, has been
mobilized on site and is in the process of
demolition for two and half weeks. In addition, approximately seventy percent of
the building has been demolished, and
eighty percent of debris in the interior of
the building has been removed. Manatts
Construction is scheduled for mid-April
to be on site begin the removal and
crushing of paving and foundations. The
demolition project is scheduled to be
completed on or before July 31, 2014.
If you have any questions, please contact
the central office at 641-236-2700.
Grinnell Veterinary Clinic
Hy-Vee
McNally’s Super Valu
Monsanto Company
Phase 2 Consignments
Poweshiek Mutual Insurance
Ramsey-Weeks, Inc.
Total Rehab
Other Donations:
The Graphic Edge
We would like to give a special thanks to those above
who have already supported our yearbook with their
generous donation.
It is still not too late to contribute to the 2013-2014
Grinnell High School yearbook. There are three levels
of support: Black, Orange, and White. If you have any
questions or concerns, please call 641-236-2720, or
e-mail: janet.ahrens@grinnell-k12.org. We sincerely
thank you for your continued support of GHS and the
GHS yearbook.