December 2013 - Mount Vernon High School
Transcription
December 2013 - Mount Vernon High School
PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN ACADEMICS, ARTS, AND ATHLETICS www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT MUSTANG DISTRICT NEWS DECEMBER 2013 Learning is DELICIOUS!! Sundaes with Superintendent Dr. O’Malley 2X4=8 3 X 9 = 27 Fourth grade students have been ea ng their way through mul plica on facts. Each week, fourth grade students take a 2 minute mul plica on ming. To promote fact automa city with mul plica on facts, students were encouraged to prac ce at home to see growth on the mings. Students who scored 100% on their 2 minute test had pizza with principal Ms. Jones and sundaes with Superintendent Dr. O’Malley. Students who were able to get 70-79 problems correct on the 2 minute test had tacos with Mr. Trui . Students who showed the most growth had donuts with Mr. Doug. Students who were able to get 20-50 correct out of 80 received a sucker, 51-70 a lunch buddy or ac vity with Mr. Thomsen. 8 X 7 = 56 Donuts with Mr. Doug Pizza with Principal Ms. Jones 5 X 6 = 30 Tacos with Mr. Trui IN THIS ISSUE Learning is Delicious!..................................................... 1 Great Things Happening ................................................ 2 Help Us Be Idle Free ...................................................... 2 Don’t Forget .................................................................. 2 Founda on Fall Campaign ............................................. 2 P.R.I.D.E. Magazine Sales Update. ................................. 2 MS Students Volunteer in the Community. ................... 2 Preparing For Bad Weather. .......................................... 3 K - 4 Singing Volunteers Needed ................................... 3 InTouch Online Payments .............................................. 3 From the HS Ac vity Director Desk ............................... 3 Fine Arts Associa on Members ..................................... 4 MVHS Students Chosen For All-State ............................ 4 MV Students Chosen For OPUS Honor Choir................. 4 NEIBA Honor Band......................................................... 4 Booster Club Members.................................................. 5 Press Associa on Awards .............................................. 6 Wedding Ceremony of Q & U ........................................ 6 Lengwin Competes at State Swimming & Diving ........... 6 Lantern Walk ................................................................. 6 Congratula ons! ............................................................ 6 4th & 5th Graders Compete in Computer Quiz Bowl .... 6 HS Art/English Trip Fundraiser....................................... 6 Thank You! ..................................................................... 7 Get Your Mustang Gear ................................................. 7 Red Ribbon Week .......................................................... 7 “You CAN” Drive a Success ............................................ 7 Celebra ng Veteran’s Day.............................................. 7 HS Guidance Info for Students & Parents ...................... 8 ACT Informa on ............................................................ 8 Booster Club .................................................................. 9 WETAP ........................................................................... 9 P.R.I.D.E.......................................................................... 9 Cornell Success Lab ....................................................... 9 Save the Date ................................................................ 9 December Breakfast & Lunch Menu ........................... 10 Robo cs First Home Tournament a Success ................ 10 Archery Off to a Great Start......................................... 10 Ideas For Parent .......................................................... 11 Founda on Dona on Form ......................................... 11 Ways to Donate This Holiday Season .......................... 11 Thank You! ................................................................... 11 Author Brings Indonesia to Washington Elementary .. 11 December Ac vity Calendar ........................................ 12 Mustang Madness & Cancer Awareness Night............ 12 Reminder.... December 7: Mustang Madness & Cancer Awareness Night December 11: Early Out December 23 - January 3: No School - Winter Break M C D V S 525 Palisades Road SW Mount Vernon, IA 52314-1761 Non Profit Organiza on U.S. Postage P A I D Mount Vernon, IA Permit No. 3 2 Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS -ALUMNI QUOTE- "So many teachers I had at Mount Vernon Schools provided lessons I could not fully realize unƟl I was gone from school. A few examples were the English department: Gladys Rife, Sandra Bolton, Ruth Michaud and Donna Jacobs. Each steered me toward a love of reading, creaƟve wriƟng and expression that has been my compass. Poets, choral reading, yearbook, journal wriƟng, public speaking and essays all came to life in high school. As technology has evolved, all those skills are sƟll used and have enhanced new ways of communicaƟng through social media, blogs, and media presentaƟons. My English classes unlocked the creaƟvity and fun that can be had puƫng informaƟon forth in the world. Mine has not been the predictable road life that I thought would happen. Instead I have taken many unpredictable roads. I first explored Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” in a MVHS class with Gladys Rife. I’m proud to be from Mount Vernon Schools, and give thanks to the teachers and the community for helping me on my many roads. I’ve got a few more to go... can’t wait to see where they lead! CAROL DOLEZAL’81 -DISTRICT NEWS- This district newsle er is published 10 mes per year for parents and residents of the Mount Vernon Community School District. Addi onal copies may be obtained by calling 319-895-8845. Views are those of the authors. Any ques ons about educa onal programs or school events should be directed to the Superintendent’s office. Ar cles can be submi ed via email or CD. Materials due by the 15th of every month. No permission is necessary to reproduce contents unless otherwise noted. Clearly label the material with your name and phone number and send it to the Administra ve Office by email or drop if off to the district office to: Amy Weber 319-895-8845 or [email protected] Mount Vernon Community School District -DIRECTORYADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE Superintendent Office ................................. 319-895-8845 525 Palisades Road SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314 Superintendent: Dr. Gary O’Malley [email protected] Superintendent Secretary: Amy Weber Bookkeeper: Carol Woods Business Manager: Ma Burke Communica ons & Alumni: Kathy Staskal Founda on/Grants: FOR ALL BUILDINGS ........................................895-8843 Grounds & Buildings: Roger Pitlik Informa on Technology Admin: Sean Flockhart Systems Administrator: Tim Larson Nurses: Melissa Hauser & Linda See School Lunch Program: Marcia Purington Transporta on: Dennis Gross (895-6205) Homeless Educa on Program Liaison: Jason Pershing Equal Opport. & Level I Inves gator: Bldg. Principals ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Main Office/A endance ......................................895-6251 615 5th Ave SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314 Principal: Kate Jones [email protected] Building Secretary: Denise Havill Building Secretary: Lori Arnold Guidance Office: Heidi Hassen ELP: DeAnn Scearce Early Childhood: Erin Whitehead & Jo NowakThompson Media Center: Mary Priske Kids Club: Maura Arnold ..............................560-2958 MIDDLE SCHOOL Main Office/A endance ......................................895-6254 525 Palisades Road SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314 Principal: Bob Haugse [email protected] Building Secretary: Chiara Burke Building Secretary: Pa y Mote Athle c Director: Aaron Trui ELP: DeAnn Scearce Guidance Office: Jennifer Holub Tischer Media Center: Suze e Kragenbrink HIGH SCHOOL Main Office/A endance ......................................895-8843 731 Palisades Road SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314 Principal: Steve Brand [email protected] Ac vi es Director & Assistant Principal: Joe Wallace [email protected] Ac vi es Secretary: Val Binsfield Building Secretary: Stephanie Timm Registrar & Building Secretary: Vicky Wieseler ELP: Guidance Office: Mick Angel Media Center: Suze e Kragenbrink Alterna ve Educa on: Jason Pershing BOARD OF EDUCATION DARRIN GAGE, President DR. MARK WELDON, Vice President LORI MERLAK, SHERRY GRUNDER, TARA BROKOVICH, VIRGINIA ROUDABUSH, SHANNON AMUNDSON, Members MATT BURKE, Secretary Treasurer (895-8845) “Promoting Excellence in Academics, Arts, and Athletics” GREAT THINGS HAPPENING AT MVCSD! The December newsle er provides numerous examples of our work with ac vi es, academics, the arts and athle cs. We appreciate the many volunteers who support our schools by celebra ng the accomplishments of our students, and dona ng their me and energy to improve our educa onal and ac vity programs. Special thanks to parent group leaders: Jackie Morrical of P.R.I.D.E., Kent Streicher of Booster Club, Angie Cannon of WETAP and Jo Nowak-Thompson of MVFAA who con nue to demonstrate service over self. Enjoy the pictures in this publica on! Our newsle er features informa on about the fall Founda on Campaign, P.R.I.D.E. magazine sales, the lantern walk, the computer quiz bowl, weather alerts, and ac vity events. Congratula ons to our All-State musicians, Opus Honor Choir members, the NEIBA Honor Band, Press Associa on journalist award recipients and fall athletes in cross country, swimming and volleyball. Thanks to those who donated me and resources to the MVFAA, WETAP, MVCSD Founda on, Booster Club, “You Can” food collec on, and Cornell Success Lab. Congratula ons to all par cipa ng in Robo cs, Archery, and Mustang Madness. Yes! This newsle er celebrates a collec ve effort to work together on the behalf of others. Thank you for your kindness, generosity and gra tude in support of the children in the Mount Vernon Community School District. Best wishes. Gary O’Malley, Superintendent HELP US BE IDLE FREE! Mount Vernon Community School is excited to be a part of Linn County Public Health’s “Idle Free” project to do our part for cleaner air for all to breathe, especially for our students! The Idle Free program has been in effect since the start of the 201314 school year and many drivers are doing a great job of helping to keep our students healthy Idle Free signs are posted by shu ng off their vehichles. around each of the school However, we can all do a be er parking lots to remind people to turn off their job! engines. The exhaust from idling vehicles and school buses poses a health risk for children, drivers, and the community at large. Unfortunately, one of the areas where unnecessary idling occurs most o en is at schools, where parents or caregivers in car rider lines wait to pick up their children. This is one hazard that can be easily prevented and we are commi ed to be part of the solu on. MVCSD has partnered with Linn County Public Health to promote idle free school campuses. Did you know… • Children are more suscep ble to air pollu on because their lungs are not fully developed and they breathe 50 percent more per pound of body weight than adults. • Vehicle exhaust may exacerbate asthma symptoms. Asthma is the most common chronic illness among children. • Just one vehicle dropping off and picking up one child at school puts about three pounds of pollu on into the air per month. • Working together, we can make a difference and reduce air pollu on from vehicles. Mount Vernon Schools are commi ed to reducing idling in our vehicles and on our property, and we ask that you join us. Along with our teachers, staff and delivery drivers, please help us protect the health of our children and make our air cleaner by following the 10 Second Rule: Turn off your engine if you will be wai ng for more than ten seconds to pick up your child a er school or school ac vi es (weather permi ng, of course). The simple step of turning the key will improve air quality at our school and will help us all breathe easier. Please join us in spreading the message: Turn the key and be Idle Free! Thank you for your support in making Mount Vernon Schools an Idle Free district! www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us FOUNDATION FALL CAMPAIGN The Founda on's fall dona on campaign has arrived! If you have not already received your le er or postcard, watch your mailbox. Mount Vernon schools have a tradi on of offering unique experiences to students, allowing them to be successful in their careers, communi es and personal lives. The Mount Vernon Community School District looks to the Founda on for support of these educa onal opportuni es. A dona on to the Founda on makes a difference in the educa on and lives of our students. As the calendar year draws to a close, it is an excellent me to consider making an investment in the poten al of all students by dona ng to the Founda on. All dona ons are tax deduc ble to the fullest extent of the law and can be made in any form. Dona on ideas include Endow Iowa tax credits (through the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Founda on,) and many employers sponsor matching gi programs for any charitable contribu ons made by their employees. All contribu ons can be made payable to the Mount Vernon Community School District Founda on. See page 11 for a dona on form. P.R.I.D.E. MAGAZINE SALES UPDATE Mount Vernon P.R.I.D.E. would like to thank all the Middle School students, parents, teachers, administrators and community members who helped support the magazine fundraiser this year! This is P.R.I.D.E’s only fundraiser. Your support is greatly appreciated! To date, students have reached over $21,000 in sales. Fortyfive percent of this money goes directly to P.R.I.D.E. to be used on behalf of our middle school. Throughout the magazine sale, students were able to earn prizes, as well as addi onal rewards at the end of the Mr. Monkey was out and about in the Middle School to sale. At different grade get students fired up to sell levels, students either magazines! entered the Cash Cage for 10-20 seconds of cash grabbing fun or earned lunch and a trip in a limo! A new incen ve this year allowed students to donate a chicken (for every 3 orders) to a developing na on to eliminate hunger. If you did not get a chance to order during the month of the sale, it is not too late! You can s ll order and our school will get credit for the order. To place an online order, please follow the instruc ons below: Step 1: Go to gaschoolstore.com. Step 2: Register to receive a Student Online ID Number. To complete registra on, you will need our group number: 2619732. Step 3: You will be issued a Student Online ID Number and provided with easy to use email campaign tools. The Student Online ID Number will ensure your child receives credit for each magazine purchase made. Step 4: Shop and support Mustang P.R.I.D.E! MS STUDENTS VOLUNTEER IN THE COMMUNITY Mount Vernon Middle School students were helping the community recently. Each year, middle school students volunteer their me to help clean up the commun y. This year, sixth grade students cleaned 2 ditches that they have adopted. Seventh grade students raked leaves for community members who are not able to do yard work. Thank you Middle School students for giving back to our community! DON’T FORGET... Each week MANY jackets, hats, gloves, backpacks and lunch containers are le on our school buses. Please help the bus drivers find the correct owner of these items by labeling your students items. This easy step will help keep the items in lost and found to a minimum! Thank you in advance for your assistance. Above: 6th grade ditch cleaners Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us PREPARING FOR BAD WEATHER WEATHER DELAYS, CANCELLATIONS OR CHANGES SCHOOL MESSENGER ALERT SYSTEM Decisions concerning early dismissals, delays and school closings are made in the interest of the health and safety of Mount Vernon Schools students. Closings will be reported to the media as early as possible. Freezing rain, fog, dri ing or heavy snow, extreme cold or heat, and ability of the country crews to clear roads are all factors in the decision to close school. We have good, experienced drivers with wellmaintained buses, each equipped with two-way radios capable of transmi ng thirty to fi y miles. If we have a problem with a vehicle on a regular or special educa on route, or on most ac vity trips, we are able to respond in a reasonable amount of me with assistance. Our primary method to report school closings and delays will con nue to be local television and radio sta on announcements. The School Messenger system is a secondary public announcement. See below the full list of radio and television sta ons. Media Notiϐication The following radio and television sta ons are called when school will be delayed, dismissed early or canceled. KCRG - TV-9 KGAN - TV-2 KWWL - TV-7 KZIA-102.9 FM KHAK-98.1 FM KDAT-104.5 FM WMT-600AM ! SNOW DAY! The Mount Vernon Community School District uses the School Messenger no fica on system to call, text or email parents regarding changes to the school day. Parents are automa cally signed up to receive no fica ons. To make changes to your parent account follow the instruc ons listed below. PARENT -- You need to first create a new account. From the home page of the district website: www.mountvernon.k12.is.us - click on “Alerts & Informa on” in the le hand box. Click “Parent-Create New Account.” This will allow you to create a log in and password for School Messenger. Once logged in, you should be able to see your informa on that is pulled from PowerSchool. You can then edit HOW you want to be contacted -- email? phone? text? Any me your contact informa on changes, please use your log in to update the School Messenger system AND contact your building secretary with your current numbers and email addresses to ensure you receive important informa on. Grandparents, community members and alums also have the op on to receive these no fica ons. Please note that when you sign up for the no fica ons you will be receiving ALL changes. Some of the phone calls may be as early as 6 am for a delay or cancella on. Follow the instruc ons below to sign up. COMMUNITY MEMBERS, GRAND PARENTS, ALUMS: From the home page of the district website: www.mountvernon.k12.is.us, please select “Alerts & Informa on” and then “Create New Account or Make Changes.” If you want to add phone numbers, change email, etc, please do so by clicking on this same link or email [email protected]. ia.us. This system enables us to no fy you by phone, email and text message within minutes to provide informa on about early dismissals, late starts, school or ac vity cancella ons, or other emergencies and news that may be important to you. HARD SURFACE ROUTES Messy winter roads are just around the corner so be prepared for those days when our buses may only run on Hard Surface Routes. Hard Surface Routes will only be in effect for the morning pick up of students. A ernoon drop off will be normal bus routes. If weather condi ons warrant hard surface routes for a ernoon drop off, a SchoolMessenger communica on will be sent to all parents and guardians. Hard surface route maps were distributed in late October by bus drivers to students that ride the buses. Addi onal ques ons regarding hard surface routes may be directed to Transporta on Director Dennis Gross at (319) 895-6205. 3 K ǧ 4 STUDENT SINGING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Washington Elementary Choir teacher, Mrs. Keast, is looking for students in grades Kindergarten - 4 that would be willing to volunteer their me to carol at Magical Night. Magical Night is an annual event held in downtown Mount Vernon to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season. This year Magical Night will be held December 5 from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Carolers will be singing in the First Street Community Center gym beside the art display. Students would be caroling from 5:15 pm - 5:30 pm. Any student interested in par cipa ng should see Mrs. Keast or parents may contact her at (319) 8956251 or via email at [email protected]. INTOUCH ONLINE PAYMENTS Mount Vernon Community School District provides a convenient way to pay fees online. Deposits for lunch, day care or student fines may easily be paid online using the InTouch payment system. InTouch accepts VISA, MasterCard, or Discover credit or debit cards. InTouch accepts payments over the internet 24/7. InTouch, a na onal processor, allows us to provide a secure site for making payments. Remember - there are no convenience fees to use InTouch. Payments are processed within the hour to keep your student accounts up to date! To access InTouch follow the instruc ons below: • www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us • Select the “InTouch” link on the le hand side • User Name: Enter your student’s ID number • Password: Enter your student’s last name (capitalize the first le er ONLY) • Select “SHOP” from the top of the page • Choose the building your student a ends • Choose the items for which you would like to add money • Once you have entered all of the items, select “Check Out” and enter your payment informa on. Any ques ons regarding the online payment system may be directed to Amy Weber in the District Office at (319) 895-8845 or via email at [email protected]. FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITY DIRECTOR’S DESK The WAMAC Conference Honor Band Fes val was held at Central DeWi . The following students par cipated: Kimberly Schroeder - 1st Flute Lyz Erlandson - 2nd Flute Kelsey Shady - 1st Bassoon Leah Arnold - 2nd Clarinet Mikalya Flockhart - 2nd Clarinet Laura Player - 3rd Clarinet Chealsea Wallace - 3rd Clarinet Regan Kelly - Bass Clarinet Jojo Jiacinto - Bass Clarinet Jenna Brannaman - 1st Alto Sax Kate Elsbury - 2nd Trumpet Jenna Baumler - 4th Horn Ian Bootsmiller - Tuba Owen Egolf - Percussion Aubrey Lyon - 1st Flute Renny Klein - 2nd Flute Val Stensland - Oboe Kenzie Maurice - 1st Bassoon Laurean Adams - 1st Clarinet Nicole Margheim - Bass Clarinet Cory Brannaman - 1st Alto Sax Sean Herrmann - Tenor Sax Paul Chihak - 3rd Trumpet Kate Bumler - 2nd Horn Nat Klein - 4th Horn Bea Thornton -1st Trombone Evere Thompson - 2nd Trombone Alex White - Tuba Joe Wallace (319) 895-8843 Ext. 4005 [email protected] On Twi er: #GoMVStangs CONGRATULATIONS!! • • • • • • Mount Vernon-Lisbon Girls Cross Country finished 5th at State. Coach Sue Diebner awarded WAMAC Cross Country Coach of the Year. Mount Vernon-Lisbon Boys Cross Country finished 8th at State. Volleyball team advanced to the second round of the State Tournament. Talented group of actors perform the fall musical, “AIDA.” MV hosts first-ever Robo cs Tournament. See more details on page 10 UPCOMING EVENTS: December 7: Mustang Madness & Cancer Awareness Event Mount Vernon girls and boys basketball teams will be hos ng North Cedar for an all-day basketball event. Freshman girls will p off at noon (see calendar on page 12 for addi onal game mes.) Each year the MV Booster Club hosts Mustang Madness to kick off the basketball and wrestling seasons. This year the Booster Club will host 2 separate events. The first will be held December 7 during the girls & boys basketball games. The second will be held on January 4 during the wrestling tournament. The MV Booster Club will have a soup supper star ng at 5. Mustang merchandise will be available for sale. This year, the December Mustang Madness will also be held in conjuc on with Cancer Awareness Day. Both the girls and boys teams will be raising money to support cancer awareness. Come out and support the our athletes, cancer awareness and the MV Booster Club! December 14: Mount Vernon Wrestling Invita onal @ 10 am December 15: High School Choir Winter Concert @ 2:30 pm December 16: High School Band and Orchestra Concert @ 7:00 pm The Thespian Fes val was held at UNI. The following students par cipated: Trevor Baty Kate Baumler Cory Brannaman (Iowa Thespian Board of Directors member) Jenna Brannaman Emma Conroy (compe ng in solo and duet musical theater) Lucy Conroy (compe ng in duet musical theater) Simon Crocker Kelsi Dohndt Stacey Jaeger Lance Lineburg Aubrey Lyon Nicole Margheim (compe ng in duet musical theater) Luke Moran Gretchen Oelrich Sydney Pra Rehanna Rexroat (compe ng in duet musical theater) Cassidy Steines David Taylor 4 Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us 2013-2014 Fine Arts Association Members As the busy holiday season approaches, we would like to thank all of the parents who helped with the volleyball and football concessions during the past couple of months. Their efforts helped raise funds to support the arts programs in all of our schools. In addition, our private donations still continue to come in – so please consider making a contribution, if you haven’t already! Thank you to those who have made donations thus far: Diamond Members $1,000.00 Plus Mount Vernon Bank & Trust Company The Intermec Founda on Platinum Members $500.00 - $999.00 Ann M. Niehaus Gold Members $250.00 - $499.00 Mark & Sarah Benesh Steve & Robin Brand Mark & Laurie Zaiger P & A Niehaus Farms Jeff & Julie Wenzel Frey Pet Hospital Kara Beauchamp & Jeff Walberg Dee Ann Rexroat & Imran Farooqi Darrin & JoAnn Gage Tom & Vicky Wieseler Doug & Crystal Shannon Eric & Virginia Roudabush Mike & Suze e Kragenbrink Sherry & Doug Grunder Silver Members $100.00 - $249.00 Jody & Sandra Kolker Doug & Lisa Greif Todd & Lisa White Andy & Beth McCollum Mike & Julie Lynch Neil & Lisa Rud Heidi & David Ryan David & Barbara Vig Family Tom & Ka e Stephens In Memory of Melvin Edaburn - from Pat Edaburn Bronze Members $10.00 - $99.00 Janet Griffith Mark & Erin Krob Sco & Diane Carson Mark & Kim Erlandson Todd & Melody Lineburg Melanie Wilch & Family Randy & Sandy Jaeger Sco & Julie Golberg Rick & Beth Alger Dan & Sheila Deininger Jeff & Kim Sherman Alan & Lori Arnold Barney & Tina Conroy Hans & Denae Steine Tori Barnes-Brus & Andy Brus Jen & Loren Hoffman Beth & Preston Johnson Mike & Lori Cranston Rich & Tara Hall Dan & Teresa Cox Naeve Family Jeff & Laura Friedman Heidi Niehaus & Mark Whitley Ma & Amy Rechkemmer Ed & Stephanie Timm Greg & Stephanie West The Mark Anton Family Dave & Kathy Lyno Sarah Fitzgerald & Tony Plaut Cur s & Debra Hicks John & Jana Klein Wade & Krista Squiers Gordon Klein & Sherry VerPloeg Catherine Quehl-Engel & Craig Engel Darin & Charlene Vig Michael & Karla Steffens-Moran Ma & Sue Margheim Kranig's Diana & Mitch Corcoran Don & Judy S ne Paul & Kris n Reimann Sco & Marianne Taylor Dee Clark & Mark Winder Steve & Susan Pisarik Duane & Leigh Ann Jordan Julie & Jay Delancey Dan & Denise Brannaman Tara Brokovich May you all enjoy a safe and wonderful holiday! FIVE MV STUDENTS CHOSEN FOR OPUS HONOR CHOIR MVHS STUDENTS CHOSEN FOR ALLǧSTATE Five students at Mount Vernon High School have a ained the highest individual honor available to Iowa High School musicians by being selected as members of the 2013 Iowa All-State Chorus and Orchestra. Nat Klein - 1st violin in the orchestra Katelyn Baumler - Chorus Mackenzie Maurice - Chorus Rehanna Rexroat - Chorus Kai Walberg - Orchestra Emma Conroy - 1st alternate for the orchestra. This is the first selec on for each of the students involved. Thad Wilkins is the director of the Mount Vernon High School Choir and Tabitha Rasmussen is the director of the Mount Vernon Orchestra progam. The 2013 Fes val will celebrate the 67th anniversary of this pres gious event. District audi ons were held Saturday, October 26, at Storm Lake, Hampton, Manchester, Harlan, Indianola and Fairfield. Approximately 17% of the students who registered were selected for membership in the All-State ensembles. Par cipants will rehearse in Ames on Friday and Saturday, November 22 and 23, and the Fes val Concert will be presented to the public at 7:30 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum, Iowa State University, Ames, on Saturday evening, November 23, 2013. Tickets are $18 and available through the Iowa State Athle c Ticket Office or Ticketmaster. The concert will be recorded by Iowa Public Television for broadcast. Please check the IPTV website (www.iptv.org) for any changes and addi ons. This program is under the auspices of the Iowa High School Music Associa on and the Iowa Music Educators Associa on. Nat Klein (12th) Katelyn Baumler (11th) Mackenzie Maurice (11th) Rehanna Rexroat (10th) Kai Walberg (10th) Emma Conroy (12th) Sam Krapfl, Ethan Wenz, Mar n Benesh, Emily Friedman, and Katheryn Opperman were recently selected for par cipa on in the twenty-eighth annual Opus Honor Choir Fes val. Over 3,400 students were nominated by their directors for 700 posi ons in the four Opus Honor Choirs. Selec ons were made by means of a recorded audi on. Guest conductors of the choirs include Michelle Swanson, 5th & 6th Grade Elementary Honor Choir; Dean Beckman, 7th & 8th Grade Bass Clef Honor Choir; Jill Anderson, 7th & 8th Grade Treble Clef Honor Choir; and Adam Orban, 9th Grade Mixed Honor Choir. The 2013 Opus Honor Choirs will perform at 4:00 p.m. November 21st in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium in the Iowa State Center in Ames. The Opus Honor Choir Fes val is under the auspices of the Iowa Choral Directors Associa on, Inc. Sam Krapfl (9th) Ethan Wenz (9th) Mar n Benesh (8th) Emily Friedman (8th) Katheryn Opperman (8th) NEIBA HONOR BAND NEIBA Honor Band will be held on December 7 for 8-12th select band students. This event is held in Oelwein. Students will work on music for the concert throughout the day. The 8th Grade concert will be held at 5:00 pm and the High School concert is at 7:00 pm. The students selected for this year’s NEIBA Honor Band are Quincy Chihak, Clarissa Player, Lauren Adams, Renny Klein, Sean Herrmann, Nicole Margheim, and Bea Thornton. Watch for more informa on in the upcoming January newsle er. Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us 5 2013-2014 Booster Club Members TITANIUM BOOSTER ($1,000 & up) John McVay Airplane Club Mount Vernon Bank & Trust PLATINUM BOOSTER ($500 & up) A Father & Son Pain ng, LLC Brown Plumbing Gary’s Foods Hills Bank Kelly Concrete Co Koppenhaver & Associates, PC Richardson-Hanson Insurance Agency Neal’s Water Condi oning Dan & Leslie Petrie Rubicon Photo.com/Jeff Schma Dan & Cathy Stoner GOLD BOOSTER ($250-$499) Bridge Bank Iowa Physical Therapy Mount Vernon Insurance Agency Skillet Café The Sun Mark & Sue Anton & Family Steve, Robin, Nolan, Summer, Kaleb & Kameron Brand Nick Klinkhammer Dave & Jo Kutcher Transforma on Fitness Whitetails Unlimited SILVER BOOSTER ($100-$249) Ace Hardware Barnyard Screen Printer Bauman’s Chameleons Cherry Ridge Assisted Living/ Hallmark Care Center Dairy Queen Dance Arts Iowa Douglas Easker, DDS Ellio ’s Fitness Center, Inc Envisage Frey Pet Hospital Gordon Lumber Hertz Farm Management, Inc Investment Centers of America Ken Pospisil Pain ng & Decora ng, Inc. Kroul Farm Gardens Lange’s Sinclair Lee’s Town & Country Lynch Chevy/Ford M&K Dust Control MercyCare Community Physicians Mount Vernon Construc on Mount Vernon Driver’s Educa on, LLC Mount Vernon Lisbon Community Development Group Mount Vernon Eye Clinic Mount Vernon Family Den stry Mount Vernon Veterinary Pearson & Associates, PC Photo Image/David Thackery Polly Ann’s An ques Right Frame of Mind Sargent & Fortmann, LLP Scorz Bar Shepley Pharmacy Subway UnityPoint Clinic Mick & Cathy Angel Paul & Jaime Bentley Eric & Leann Briesemeister Fred Burke Bill & Wendy Burkle Dan & Lisa Cannon Mike & Ruth Clark Lori & Mike Cranston James Erickson Tim & Kim Fall Ed & Karen Fordyce Darrin & JoAnn Gage John & Avis Gee Sco & Julie Golberg Cur s & Debra Hicks Jilovec Farms Jody & Sandra Kolker Mike & Suze e Kragenbrink Joy Kuntz Tim & Diane Legore Dave & Kathy Lyno Steve & Lisa Maddocks Family Ma & Sue Margheim Morgan Melchert Family Fred & Ann Niehaus SILVER BOOSTER ($100-$249) CONT... Brandon & Tammy Pitlik Catherine & Craig Quehl-Engel Jon & Joan Rasmussen Carol & Jim Rebhuhn Eric & Virginia Roudabush Neil & Lisa Rud Dave & Heidi Ryan Mike & Shirley Ryan Kacey & Andrew Schmit David & Beth Smith Hans & Denae Steine David & Jo Ann Stoner Kent & Aimee Streicher Kori & Connie Swart Jeff & Julie Wenzel Kevin & Becky Whitman Tom & Vicky Wieseler Rae & Jerry Zahradnik BRONZE BOOSTER ($25-$99) Duraclean by Rick Alger Helios S tches & Stuff Kluver Chiroprac c Shear Madness Laura Friedman Dennis & Darlene Allard Ma & Kim Alles Shannon Amundson Ma & Emily Appleton Alan & Lori Arnold Gordon & Bev Behrens Brent & Suzanne Belding Michael & Linda Bigley Bob & Polly Blythe Sheila & Dean Borg Mary Boudreau Bill Bowers Jr Cheri & Richard Bragg Dan & Denise Brannaman Brent & Ann Brase Steven Carpenter & Mary Magner Bryce & Kelli Chapman Ron & Dawn Chapman Dee Clark & Mark Winder John & Kathleen Cochrane Mitch & Diana Corcoran Dan & Teresa Cox Alan Craig Dan & Sheila Deininger Julie & Jay DeLancy Tim & Deb Dever Becky Dietrich Lance & Sarah Dickson Jus n & Cara Dix Kathy & Minor Dix James & Gail Drahos Brad Dunford & Terry Tolson Cindy Edge Jeremy & Carrie Ellio Mark & Kim Erlandson Kelly, Courtney & Taylor Franck Stephanie Frantz Mark & Judy Goetschius Doug & Lisa Greif Janet Griffith John & Mary Hale Tara & Rich Hall, Mitchell & Ma hew Jamie & Jennykaye Hampton Patrick & Amy Lou Haney Robert & Jaimie Hanson DA & DK Happel Mike & Ka e Heeren Dennis & Sandra Helgeson Dave & Toni Hof Loren & Jen Hoffman Randy & Cheryl Hollingsworth Wayne & Jodi Hormann Ruth Horton Jeremy & Lindsey Hotz Ron & Amy Jackson Kyle Jilovec Mitchell Jilovec Duane & Leigh Ann Jordan Bob & JoAnn Kintzel Suzy & Sco Ketelson & Family Richard Kohl Ann Koppenhaver & Mike O’Brien Don & Margaret Koppenhaver Brian & Melinda Kranig Mark & Erin Krob Glen & Jennifer Kuntz Tom & Judy Lass Marsha & Vance Light Todd & Melody Lineburg Keith & Anita Lowe Pa y Lynch Mike & Mary Mar n Andy & Beth McCollum BRONZE BOOSTER ($25-$99) CONT... Jeremy & Jen McCollum Lonny & Lori Merlak Ma & Kris Meyer Richard & Babs Moore Jay & Lori Morgan Andy & Jackie Morrical Kevin & Pa y Mote Kevin Murray Naeve Family Kim Nicodemus Randy & Sheri Nicol Heidi Niehaus & Mark Whitley Loren & Renee Nydegger Duane, Kathi, Kyli & Marcus Orr Randy & Sarah Rife Pa en H&B Plathe Jerry & Pam Perry Joe & Beth Peters Ron & Nancy Pisarik Steve & Susan Pisarik Terese Pisarik John & Cindy Pospisil Ma & Amy Rechkemmer Greg & Deb Reiman Kris n & Paul Reimann Ryan & Nicole Rentschler Mike & Kathy Rice John & Thelma Rife Dave & Stacy Roe Dennis & Jill Roloff Brad & Amy Russell Ed & Denise Ruth Jason & Erin Salier Jim & Kim Salzbrenner Doug & Crystal Shannon Kim & Jeff Sherman Tony & Kim Shultz Chad & Ka e Simpson Bob & Sue Smith Craig & Jean Smith Don & Judy S ne Darin & Angie Swartzendruber Sco & Marianne Taylor Sandra & Rick Thorington Ed & Stephanie Timm Hilarie & Aaron Trui Paul & Deb Tuerler Darin & Charlene Vig Brandi Viter-Pitlik Jeff & Jen Volesky Hollis & Natalie Weber Todd & Lisa White Marj Whitley Ryan & Tasha Whitman Melanie Wilch Family Nathan & Maggie Willems Lori Winder Wischmeyer Family Dave & Donna Wolter Carol Woods & Terry Boren Warren & Barbara Worlein Mike & Carmen Wycoff Steve & Mary Young MUSTANG BOOSTER ($1-$24) Allen & Becky Ahrens Tom & Shelli Ash Jeff, Julie & Bob Axtell Heath & Amber Barrow Jessica & Ma Bartelt Mike & Lynn Bergman Mark & Valerie Binsfield Rita Blessing Kerry Bostwick Dee Brecht Howard Carpenter Laurie & Tim Cooper Chad Conrad Lori & Tim Culbertson Michael & Margaret Czarnecki Blue & Twyla Dahstrom Tony & Jill De Laubenfels Tim & Jennifer Dougherty Kevin & Marcia Driscoll LeRoy Dunn Denis & Jean Duppong Ross Du on David Emig Jim & Jackie Engelbrecht Fisher Family Mike & Teresa Flockhart Todd Gehrke Francis & Cindy Grochala John & Ann Gruber-Miller Wayne Gugler Alec Sco Hancock Judy & Doug Hansen MUSTANG BOOSTER ($1-$24)CONT... Mark Hess Doug Hanson/Sue Deibner Roger & Diane Hoffman Don & Deb Hommer Kraig & Pam Hunter Mr. Jones Joe & Karen Kladivo Annamae Baker & Ed Koehn Koffron Family Kara Krapfl Adam Krapfl Wendy & Craig Kruger Joe Kruth Daniel Kumley Ami & Jeff Leonard Hugh & Sue Lifson Gail Logan Craig & Trista Lynner Wieslaw Machnowski Bob & Jan Majors Karen Mar n Kari Mar n Mark Mayer McClellan Family Gary & Pa y McCool Chuk McLaughlin Robert Meeker LaVonne Meyer Andrew & Deanna Mlynarczyk Bill Mulholland Steve Neal Jim & Carolyn Newman Cindy Niehaus Dennis & Be y Northland Nic & Devon Olberding Randy & Chris Osborn Crystal Carmer Osborn Bernard & Angeline Paulson Tom Petersen Ginny Randall Ron Randall Alvin Reif Judy Reilly Adrian Ringold Mallory Roudabush Dick & Judy Rundle Joel Carl & Janet Scharnberg Mark & Amber Simmons Tom & Beth Simon Jeff & Mary Spicer Cindy Strong & Marty St Clair David & Teresa Staab Mason S ne Ronald & Linda Swanson Sco & Michelle Triggs Walsh Family Eric & Karen Watson Karen Weber John Wellso Deb Werderman Eric, Cheryl & Emily Wery Greg & Stephanie West Marty & Kim Williams Joe Wolfe James Bonewald & Lori Wunder Cheyenne Yonkovic Bob & Mary Zinkula Thank you for your generous support of our student athletes! 6 Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS PRESS ASSOCIATION AWARDS Above: Laura Deininger placed second in the design contest Ten student journalists from Mount Vernon High School joined over 500 students from across the state in a ending the Iowa High School Press Associa on Fall Conference in Iowa City. Junior Wya Swartzendruber placed second in the on-the-spot photography contest, and senior Laura Deininger placed second in the design contest. The Mustang Moon staff also received a second place wri ng award for the IHSPA Spring Newspaper Contest Sweepstakes. www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us CONGRATULATIONS! Above: Wya Swartzendruber received second in on-the-spot photography Congratula ons to the Mount Vernon Cross Country boys and girls teams and the Mount Vernon Volleyball team for their advancement into the state tournaments! We are proud of our student athletes! Above: MVLXC team members celebrate qualifying for state. The Wedding Ceremony of Q and U Le : Volleyball players get ready to recieve their trophy at the state tournament A day to remember.... Madison, our flower girl Kenzie with our bride Leuie with our groom The special couple is off to Queensland, Australia for their honeymoon... ~ Mr. and Mrs. QU! ~ Chocolate “kisses” of course… Kaylee with the happy couple The friendly community of Bucketville saw them on their way… Ezekiel was our special helper! Congratulations, Q and U! Mrs. Moore‛s Kindergarten class celebrated the marriage of Q and U. Mrs. Moore used this unique event to help her students remember that “Q‛” and “U” always go together. LENGWIN COMPETES AT STATE SWIMMING & DIVING Flipping and spinning from the 1 mtr springboard, Mount Vernon junior Mikaela Lengwin dove to a 14th place finish in the State Swimming and Diving Meet. She made it through two cuts into the finals at State Diving to finish 14th out of 30 divers from across the state. Since Mount Vernon does not have it’s own diving program, Mikaela travels to Linn-Mar to compete. Divers have to perform a set number of dives according to established requirements, including somersaults and twists. Divers are judged on whether and how well they completed all aspects of the dive, the conformance of their body to the requirements of the dive, and the amount of splash created by their entry to the water. Mikaela not only qualified for State compe on in diving, she also anchored the Women’s 200 Medley Relayat the State Meet. Swimming a 26.15 split, she helped the team to a 22nd place finish. LinnMar finished 17th overall. Mikaela was the only female swimmer in the state of Iowa to qualify for the State compe on in both diving and swimming. Congratula ons on a great season! LANTERN WALK On Friday, November 8, thirty-two preschool families gathered as the sun went down to par cipate in a Lantern Walk as the culmina on of the preschooler's autumn ac vi es. The children made lanterns at the workbench during class, and many of the parents made lanterns at a parent night. Everyone gathered to light the lanterns and then enjoyed a night walk through the meadows and woods out at Mrs. Nowak's farm. The children sang their lanterns songs, shared apple cider they had pressed, and roasted marshmallows around the bonfire. The days may be ge ng shorter, but there is fun to be had, even when it's dark! 4th & 5th GRADERS COMPETE IN COMPUTER QUIZ BOWL Sixteen fourth and fi h grade Mount Vernon students competed Friday, November 8th in the Thinking Cap Quiz Bowl. The online Quiz Bowl consisted of 100 challenging ques ons from all curriculum areas. The team scored 1125 out of a possible 1500 points and answered 74 out of the 100 ques ons correctly. Teams from all over the state of Iowa were involved in the compe on. Fi h grader Lillie Hawker said, “I liked how we worked together to do the quiz bowl and how we used what we knew to answer the ques ons.” Academic Coach DeAnn Scearce said, “This was a new Quiz Bowl Compe on as the Great Auk is now ex nct for the second me. The students rose to the occasion and did be er than I expected.” Fourth grader Anna Hoffman said, “We did awesome. Our goal was 750 and we got 1125. We did great!” Full bonus is given when the students are able to answer the ques on correctly within five seconds. Students get 10 points for answering correctly on the first try and an addi onal 5 points if they get it correct within 5 seconds for a total of 15 points. “The more we progressed, the more we got full bonus points.” said fi h grader Naomi Maudsley. Fourth grader Trenton Pitlik added, “ I was in charge of sta s cs and our team got 27 fi eens.” Fi h grader Anna Nydegger said, “I am glad we all used teamwork and coopera on. It was really fun.” Students on the team included Team Captains- Robert Petrie, Anna Hoffman, Aden Grudzinski, and Megan Baumler. Readers- Vance Arnold, Aliya Keaton, Kai Yamanishi, and Lillie Hawker. Sta s cs- Trenton Pitlik, Naomi Maudsley. Anna Nydegger, and Macy Eskelsen. Keyboarding- Jayden Meeker, Ben Binder, Mark Liberko, and Owen Brase. Fourth grader Mark Liberko commented, “Being keyboarder was hard because everyone was shou ng out and B, D, and E all sound the same.” Fi h grader Robert Petrie said, “It was a good me for kids to work together and feel like they were a part of something big.” PURCHASE YOUR TOTE BAG, GROCERY BAG, AND WRIST LANYARD TODAY! HS Art-English Trip Fundraiser $5 $7 $5 OR purchase one tote bag and one grocery bag together for $10 All proceeds will help individual students pay for their trip to London and Paris. If you would like to purchase any of these items, contact sponsor Tawnua Tenley, [email protected] (319) 895-8843 Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us THANK YOU! Thank you to alum Dave Van Metre ‘55 and his wife Carole for their generous dona on to the Middle School and High School weight rooms. The Van Metre’s donated nearly $14,000 in equipment for the two schools. The Middle School received 6 - 45lb Olympic Bars, 3 - 25lb Olympic Bars, 12 - 10lb Rubber Plates for Olympic li ing, 6 - 25lb rubber plates for Olympic li ing, 6 - 45lb plates for Olympic li ing, and 1 Weight Bench. The High School equipment was recently delivered and installed. It will be available for student use soon. The High School received a 9’ Power Rack, a 9’ Half Rack, a 6’ X 8’ Olympic Li ing Pla orm with Insert, 1 Mul -Angle DB Bench and 2 Glute Ham Benches. Strength and condi oning is very important to the health and well being of all of our students. The dona on from the Dave & Carole will be used by many students for years to come. Thank you! 7 RED RIBBON WEEK Each year Washington Elementary celebrates Red Ribbon Week. This is the USA's oldest and largest drug preven on campaign. Red Ribbon Week provides an opportunity for communi es to take a stand for the hopes and dreams of children through a commitment to drug preven on and educa on, along with individual commitments to live healthy, drug free lives. The ul mate goal is a drug free America. This year’s Red Ribbon Week theme was “Make Healthy Choices!” Students and teachers worked together to create doors that represented healthy choices. The winning classrooms doors earned an addi onal PE session with Ms. Jones and Ms. Hassen. It is important to teach elementary children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, because this is when they form Mr. Nichol's room (Amy important opinions and beliefs. Unfortunately, if we wait un l Mochal's room): Haunted House themed door middle school to address these issues, it is o en too late. As part of the Red Ribbon campaign, general educa on about making healthy choices was incorporated into lessons. A website for informa on about having age-appropriate discussions with your children is: www.childrennow.org/ index.php/ learn/twk_drugs For addi onal informa on about Red Ribbon Week or drug and alcohol preven on and educa on, please contact Washington Elementary School Counselor, Heidi Hassen, at (319) 895-6251. Winning Doors From Each Grade Level Get Your Mustang Gear! Complete your order and mail to: Booster Club c/o Amy Weber 847 Hwy 30 W Mount Vernon, IA 52314 Make Check payable to: Mustang Booster Club Addi onal merchandise may be viewed and ordered online at www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us, Mustang Store, Mustang Apparel TITANIUM ROPE NECKLACE Color: NFL, NBA, NBL, Mustang, Cornell, Iowa, Iowa State, UNI and many more colors combina ons available! $ 10 Qty________________ DRI FIT SHORT SLEEVE TEE SHIRT Color: Maroon or Grey Youth Sizes: S - L Adult sizes: S - 3XL DRI FIT HOODED SWEATSHIRT Color: Maroon or Grey Youth Sizes: S - L Adult sizes: S - 3XL $ 20 $ 45 Size_______ Size_______ Color_________________ Color_________________ Early Childhood Mini Mustang: We’d Be Nuts Not to Be Healthy Team/Color Combo Mrs. Wade's 2nd Grade: Dare You to... Dig Into Nature _____________________ YOUTH BASEBALL DRI FIT LONG SLEEVE TEE SHIRT Adult Color: Maroon or Charcoal Grey Adult sizes: S - 3XL Youth Color: Maroon or Silver Grey Youth Sizes: S - L Size____________ $ 25 Color_______________ Mrs. DeVries' 1st Grade: Hung Up on Healthy Choices Mrs. Maddock’s 3rd Grade: Don’t Let Drugs Cloud Your Dreams Mr. Thomsen’s 4th Grade: Keep Being Boo-Ɵ-ful, Say No “YOU CAN” DRIVE A SUCCESS! LADIES ADULT Mrs. Hawker’s Kindergarten: On the track to choo-choochoosing wisely NEW! BASEBALL CAPS & LADIES FIDEL HAT One Size Fits All $ 18 Style__________________ Color__________________ Name ______________________________________________________ Phone______________________________________________________ Email ______________________________________________________ Mustang Booster Club Supporting Mount Vernon Athletics Mount Vernon senior Cory Brannaman recently conducted the “You CAN” driver to collect food for the Southeast Linn Community Center. With your help, 1,707 items were donated. This food drive truly made a difference in the lives of many. Cory would like to thank everyone who helped make the “You CAN” Drive a success! CELEBRATING VETERAN’S DAY Each year students at Washington Elementary invite family members or friends who are veterans or are currently serving in the military to celebrate Veteran’s Day with them. This year they welcomed past and present members of the military. Lieutenant Chris Smith, son of Washington Elementary Associate Sue Smith, two grandfathers of students and Rich Wirfs, parent in the district, were in a endance. 8 Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS HS GUIDANCE INFO FOR STUDENTS & PARENTS Senior Individual Guidance Conferences Throughout the first semester, High School Guidance Counselor, Mr. Angel is conduc ng individual conferences with each member of the Senior class. One main conference topic is the status of high school credits, progress toward mee ng all high school gradua on requirements and culmina ng the student’s 4-year high school academic plan. A second primary focus is post-secondary school and career planning for each student. In addi on, items such as the college applica on process, choosing an appropriate post-secondary school or job, and the importance of making campus visits are discussed. In some cases, results of interest and ap tude tests are reviewed and ed to making decisions about plans a er high school gradua on. One thing that is stressed in the conference is the importance of each student taking responsibility for following up on any guidance news or communica on received via announcements, classroom handouts or the guidance bulle n board. Students are encouraged to stop by the guidance offices any me with ques ons or requests for services/informa on/materials. Likewise, parents are asked to call Mr. Angel (319-895-8843, ext. 4119) at any me with ques ons. Parents, ask your high school senior or junior to share with you the material that he/she has received from the guidance offices. Printed versions of Senior and Junior Planning guides as well as Senior-Year and Junior-Year Planning Calendars are on the guidance page of the school’s website. Also, Mrs. Timm includes a link to the high school’s guidance page as part of the weekly main office newsle er sent electronically to high school parents. Middle School parents and guardians are now able to view grade level team websites to see their students’ upcoming assignments and tests. It is great feature to keep you updated on your student(s.) To locate this informa on, follow the steps below: 1) Go to the main web page: www. mountvernon.k12. ai.us 2) Select “Our Schools” 3) Select “Mount Vernon Middle School” 4) On the le hand side of the page select either 5th grade team, 6th grade team, 7th grade team or 8th grade team Scholarship Informa on The guidance department con nually receives informa on on a variety of scholarships for post-secondary educa on. Many scholarships are either na onal in scope / very compe ve or are very specific to a par cular school or career area. In all cases, students are encouraged to check the Scholarship data base maintained online at two loca ons: 1) On the high school’s guidance web page: www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us (click on “Our Schools,” then choose Mount Vernon High School. Next choose “HS Guidance”) 2) On the school’s newspaper web page: www. themustangmoon.com Announcements are periodically made to encourage students to follow up on scholarship opportuni es. The Guidance Bulle n Board in the hallway outside the guidance office displays materials on some of the latest scholarships available. As each scholarship is entered into the data base, students may link to online applica on forms or, in some cases, may access scanned copies of the scholarship applica on at the same site. Updated informa on and forms on numerous local scholarships will not be available un l February or March. Applica ons for those awards will be made available at that me. The guidance department is sponsoring a Financial Aid Informa on Night on Thursday, December 5, beginning at 6:30 pm in the High School Commons. Parents of seniors and juniors, along with students, are encouraged to a end. A main topic to be presented will be the FAFSA (Free Applica on for Federal Student Aid) --- the form required to apply for any federal and/or school aid. Addi onally, other scholarship sources, applica on me lines and resources/contacts for parents in search of more financial aid will be discussed. The FAFSA form is typically not made available online un l early-to-mid December and the FAFSA itself is not to be submi ed un l a er January 1, 2014. In preparing to complete the FAFSA in a mely fashion, parents are encouraged to finish their income taxes as early as possible because those documents are very helpful in comple ng the FAFSA form. Most post-secondary schools have March 1 as a priority deadline for receiving students’ FAFSA forms. Currently, almost all FAFSA forms are completed online. Families can prepare to file the electronic FAFSA by applying for a personal iden fica on number (PIN) online. Go to: www.pin.ed.gov to apply. Both the student and parent must have a separate PIN number to “sign” the electronic FAFSA. One last word about scholarships --- the best thing students can do right now to help in the process of seeking scholarship money is to be sure all school applica ons and related paperwork are completed by the end of the first semester. No post-secondary school will prepare a financial aid package for a student un l that student has completed an applica on for admission and has been officially admi ed to the school. ASVAB Test Available The Armed Services Voca onal Ap tude Ba ery (ASVAB) will be available to juniors and seniors this year --- tenta vely scheduled for the morning of Wednesday, February 26, 2014. The ASVAB test results may be used for career and educa onal planning. No special interest in pursuing a military career is required for any junior or senior who wishes to take the test. The test is designed to measure a student’s ap tudes (a person’s abili es to do certain things well or to be trained to do certain things well). The ASVAB is used by all branches of the military to determine appropriate job placement and can effec vely be applied to career counseling in the civilian job market as well. Its results provide marvelous and extensive career planning informa on for all students. Mr. Angel will help each student interpret the test results. The ASVAB is actually a ba ery of ten separate tests that assess areas from paragraph comprehension to electronic informa on and from math knowledge to auto & shop informa on. Results can tell a student his individual strengths and weaknesses and can be ed to careers that would allow that student to use his strengths successfully. Any student who takes the ASVAB will have a follow-up session www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us where ASVAB results are distributed and interpreted. Student ap tudes (skill strengths) as measured on the ASVAB are ed to student interests and work values and then the whole package is linked to career choices and post-secondary educa onal planning. ASVAB results become part of each student’s cumula ve school file, but are not included on transcripts that are sent out. The test is FREE and does not e the student to any obliga on to the military or to military recruiters. Want to know more about ASVAB? Go to: www.asvabprogram.com. Career Pathways and Your Student One of the goals of the high school guidance program is to build student awareness of career opportuni es available a er high school. During the 2013-14 academic year, all freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors will take part in career explora on ac vi es using an online program called I Have A Plan – Iowa. Students will study and discuss six Career Pathways and go through a series of related ac vi es (different for each grade level), called Career Guideways. A Career Pathway is a cluster of occupa ons that are combined together because many of the people in them share similar interests, abili es and values. The 6 recognized Career Pathways are: 1. Arts & Communica ons 2. Engineering & Industrial Technologies 3. Agriscience / Natural Resources 4. Business / Marke ng & Informa on Management 5. Health Services 6. Family & Human Services For more informa on, check out all of the resources available at: www.ihaveaplaniowa.gov or contact the guidance office. Parents --- it is par cularly important that you take an ac ve part in your student’s career and post-secondary educa onal search. You can go online with your son/daughter and look together at all kinds of op ons related to the student’s personal interests, values and abili es. This year, approximately half of all high school students are scheduled to complete the Career and Post-Secondary planning unit delivered via I Have A Plan – Iowa just prior to Christmas break. Students will spend at least two class periods working in the high school computer labs focusing on career planning ac vi es. Some me in January, all remaining high school students will complete similar ac vi es. Parents with ques ons are encouraged to call the high school guidance office. Ge ng Ready for the ACT Test ZAPS is a private company that specializes in presen ng test review seminars for students planning to take either the ACT test or the SAT test. In January, ZAPS will be offering a test prepara on seminar to help students get ready to take the ACT. The ACT prep seminar will be held on the evenings of January 29 and 30 from 6:30 – 9:00 pm in the Mount Vernon High School library. Registra on fee is $49. For more informa on or to sign up in advance students may go to: www.zaps.com and pay by credit card or call toll free at (8770 927-8378. The seminar helps students become more familiar with the ACT test. Prac ce tes ng and techniques using strategies to analyze various ques on types are emphasized. Feedback from students involved in previous seminars has been very posi ve. Students may also stop by the high school guidance office to check out ACT test prep books that include numerous prac ce ques ons and complete prac ce tests, along with sugges ons as to how to best a ack ques on types. Addi onally, all high school students have accounts on a career planning website at: www.IHaveAPlanIowa.gov and can access free ACT and SAT test prep/test review ques ons there. Finally, students may go to the high school guidance web page and look under the general heading of “College Prep” to find a list of web site addresses that specifically show test prep and study skills designed to help get ready for the ACT and SAT test. Ul mately, experts say that, when preparing for the ACT or SAT tests, there is no subs tute for students taking a complete and rigorous curriculum in all core areas of course work throughout high school. Parent Resource about Financial Aid and other Topics Take a look at the web site: www.icansucceed.org. The site has a wealth of informa on for students and parents --- all related to educa on and careers --- and the planning required to mesh the two. Click on any of the links, but especially take me to explore the “Students/Parents” link. Check it out! ACT INFORMATION Test Date December 14 February 8, 2014 April 12, 2014 June 14, 2014 Registra on Deadline November 8 January 10, 2014 March 7, 2014 May 9, 2014 Late Fee Required Nov. 9 - Nov. 22 Jan. 11 – Jan. 24 March 8 – March 21 May 10 – 23 Registra on materials are available in the high school guidance office. Follow Us On MVCSDMustangs www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us BOOSTER CLUB MINUTES: October 3 were approved. TREASURER’S REPORT: Submi ed for record with final balance of $21,826.26. Football concession sales down considerably due to 3 nights of only 1 game. Not close to the $10,000 sales of most seasons. and this will be split with Fine Arts. OLD ITEMS: • Winter Concessions - Wrestling covered by Streicher and Light. Basketball parents/players mee ngs were Nov. 10 for girls and Nov. 17 for boys. We hope to iden fy a lead person to cover those 2 sports with staffing, opening and closing the stand. Suzie will con nue to do the ordering. • The extra propane tanks have been given away. More are available for dona on if anyone needs them. NEW ITEMS: • Football Concession Clean Up - Was held Sunday Nov. 17 at 1 pm with cleaning, inventory and moving product. • Water heater for FB concessions - Kent Streicher has 2 water heaters and a parent is offering to research ge ng a larger capacity heater or an on-demand water heater. This will be checked for ac on before the next season. • Dec. 7th - Mustang Madness & Cancer Awareness Night - For the basketball Mustang Madness night, students want to do a raffle with their prizes and benefit for cancer awareness. This will feature 6 games from noon to 9 pm. For this soup supper and the one Jan. 4, Tom Wieseler will provide bars, relish trays, paper service and soup/crackers if there are no donated soups. Merchandise trailer will be available for both of these events. • Ericka Johnson Benefit - The RCRail coordinator will have a benefit at U of I Credit Union in North Liberty Saturday Nov. 9. Agreed to donate $150 including appropriate merchandise and possibly gi cer ficates for Lincoln Café and Wine Bar. • AD request - Mr. Wallace presented a list totaling $1,889. Women’s basketballs were handled by Coach Roloff. Soccer uniforms are an out of cycle purchase but state has changed rules on home uniforms plus there was a good deal from Mon cello Sports. Expenses were approved. Fall sports teams successes were reviewed. Offering a bus to state volleyball for 7-12 grade students was discussed. With $8 purchase and minimum of 25, we will send a bus. Mr. Trui reported on Chili Cook Off bags contest and we may receive $100 from this tourney. Football equipment travel bags were received late and not used for this season. Mr. Wallace will bring one to our next mee ng for display. • Thursday, Nov. 14 will have a 6 pm mee ng at HS on home side bleachers, with op ons from full install to use of sweat equity to help install. Looking for firm figures of what this will cost with goal of implemen ng before next fall. • Val Binsfield brought up purchase of water bo le fill up sta on at the high school like P.R.I.D.E. purchased for the middle school. Due to the price, (MS unit was $2,500) this was put on hold. • Tom Wieseler sent out 273 membership reminder le ers. About a dozen were returned, unmailed. Over the next month, we will see about new memberships to gauge whether this is a worthwhile endeavor or not. NEXT MEETING: Next mee ng set for December 4, 7 pm in the High School Commons. WETAP Washington Elementary Teachers & Parents The Art Apprecia on program, sponsored by WETAP, is con nuing and is in need of volunteer presenters. WETAP's Fall Family Fun Night was recently held. "The Really Big Science Show" was presented by the Cedar Rapids Science Center. WETAP is providing an ice cream party to the winning classroom's in the first collec on of Labels for Educa on. The winning classrooms were Mrs. Kramer and Mrs. Maddock Old Business: A final review of WE Walk indicated deposits of $17,790.15. The follow-up and reward ac vi es also received posi ve reviews. The fall book fair yielded a deposit of more than $2,200. It was noted the further need for volunteers for the spring book fair. Addi onal enrichment ac vi es are s ll under discussion for ming and specific events. WETAP Family Night set for Friday, Nov. 15. “The Really Big Science Show” start me is 7pm at the Middle School gym. It was noted the Archery Club is having chili supper that night at the high school and WETAP is hoping families will take advantage of both. Approval of a by laws amendment allowing up to $150 funding request for exec approval. New Business: Gently Used/Fully Func onal Toy Drive - Families Helping Families- We will collect the toys a er Thanksgiving. Should students help volunteer? They could make flyers, or help collect the toys. Ms. Jones shared there is a 4th grade group that could help. Each toy with pieces need to be kept together. We will make it for children in need and not focus on foster care. The following Funding Requests were approved: 4th Grade Team Mul plica on Facts Pizza Party(Thede- 80 facts in 2 min.); 4th Healthy Snacks (Thede- Nutri on Lesson $100); Labels for Educa on- Supplies and Incen ves - $80; Listening Sta ons - $3,000 total approved for combina on of CD Players, mul -sta on jack headphone sets, headphones, pricing explored through outlets and Grant Wood AEA. The CD players will be compa ble with Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS WETAP CONT.... new technology such as iPADS, etc.; Cameras for each grade level team and specials teachers- one camera and memory card will be purchased, up to $120; 2nd field trip fund for Ms. Jones approval ($2,500) spent by reimbursement- Ms. Jones would like a field trip fund for every class to go on an extra field trip so they can be planned it a mely manner; Color cartridges for school printer ($1,200), teacher use only. Also under Funding Requests, the subject of an author visit via the library was discussed. Tim Green visit (Children’s Author fee of $1,500- you buy his book, “New Kid” with that money to give to children.) He writes a lot of books about sports. Appropriate for grades 3-5. With many details of target age, dates available, etc., it was decided the topic would be tabled to the next mee ng. Open Discussion: Mustang Swap Meet was held November 19. Sports gear and mustang clothes were donated for the swap meet. P.R.I.D.E. Mount Vernon Middle School Teachers & Parents Treasurer’s Report: The most recent financial report was distributed and reviewed. We discussed income of $17,288 from magazine sales and dona ons. There was also $547 in revenue from concession stand sales this month. Expenses since the last report included $9,808 for the cost of magazines sold, $155 for the second conference meal, and $91 for the cost of concession supplies. There is approximately $8,000 available for spending this year. Teachers, staff, and parents are welcomed to make sugges ons! Business: Mr. Haugse shared many posi ve comments on the water bo le filling sta on P.R.I.D.E. purchased last month. School staff also signed a thank you card for P.R.I.D.E. to show apprecia on for the purchase. The following funding requests were approved: • $76.89 for pond de-icer and skimmer net for leaves - requested by Rob Hanson • $500 for Kids in Need fund administered by school nurse Missy Hauser • $500 for Archery Club to cover facility rental and transporta on costs • Up to $100 for an addi onal microwave for student use The group discussed a funding request from the You Ma er. We Need You project to purchase tshirts for all students/teachers in the district. While P.R.I.D.E. supports the goals of Thrive Mustangs, there were concerns with giving shirts to all students/teachers in the district. If the tee shirts are offered for purchase and students indicate an interest in a shirt but cannot afford to purchase one, P.R.I.D.E. would financially support scholarships to students in need. Volunteer Opportuni es: Boys Basketball games will start in January and P.R.I.D.E. will be looking for volunteers to help in the concession stand. Recogni on: P.R.I.D.E. would like to thank Lori Merlak for her work on the successful magazine sale this year. CORNELL SUCCESS LAB Cornell students are volunteering their me to support MV Middle School students with a study lab! The main focus of the Cornell Success Lab is to provide a place for middle school students to work on homework with or without help, learn and develop effec ve study skills, and become stronger learners. If students are interested, Cornell students will also help develop and complete community service, and some mes simply have a li le fun! Cornell Success Lab will be held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 3:15 - 4:30 pm, in Mr. Jaspers' room (6th grade classroom). Students may a end 1, 2, or 3 days a week - it's up to the student and their parent(s). The Cornell Success Lab is FREE! Evening hours go by quickly, and can be BUSY! Cornell Success Lab will be a place where students can get some or all of their homework done. They can then go home ready for some "down me." Ques ons may be directed to Middle School Guidance Counselor Jennifer Holub Tischer. SAVE THE DATE: DECEMBER 5: ICAN will be presen ng a Financial Aid Night. This event is geared primarily for seniors and their parents. The event will take place in the High School commons and will begin at 6:30 pm. Contact Mr. Angel in the High School Guidance Office with ques ons at (319) 895-8843. DECEMBER 7: First Mustang Madness to kick off the Girls and Boys Basketball season. This is a great night of food, fun and amazing prizes. It is also a great opportunity to pick up some Mustang gear to help complete your holiday shopping! JANUARY 4: Second Mustang Madness to kick off the Wrestling season. Again, the Booster Club will provide a night of food, fun and amazing prizes. JANUARY 17: Annual Middle School Ski Trip to Chestnut Mountain in Galena, IL 9 MUSTANG PARENT GROUPS W.E.T.A.P Contact: Angie Cannon, President [email protected] (319) 432-3118 All parents, future parents, and guardians of Washington Elementary students, as well as teachers and school staff of the Washington Elementary School are members of WETAP. WETAP meets on the 1st Monday of each month. Next Mee ng: December 2 7pm Washington Elementary Art Room FINE ARTS ASSOC Contact: Jo NowakThompson jnowak@mountvernon. k12.ia.us (319) 895-8338 Provides support for all fine arts programs in Mount Vernon schools. MV Fine Arts Assoc. meets on the 1st Tuesday of each month. Next Mee ng: January 7, 2014 7 pm High School Room 217 P.R.I.D.E. Contact: Jackie Morrical [email protected] (319) 895-6135 Promotes the posi ve aspects of Middle School life. All parents of Middle School students and staff are members of P.R.I.D.E. P.R.I.D.E meets on the 3rd Monday of each month. Next Mee ng: January 20, 2014 7 pm Middle School Library BOOSTER CLUB Contact: Kent Streicher strikeforce921@yahoo. com (319) 560-7081 Offers financial and volunteer support for all athle c programs at Mount Vernon High School and Middle School. The MV Booster Club meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month. Next Mee ng: December 4 7 pm HS Commons Pres - Kent Streicher VP - JennyKaye Hampton Sec - Tom Wieseler Treas - Becky Whitman 10 Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us DECEMBER BREAKFAST & LUNCH MENU MONDAY 2 TUESDAY WEDNESDAY BREAKFAST: Muffin Cereal & Toast Juice Choice & Fresh Fruit Milk 3 BREAKFAST: Breakfast Pizza Cereal-MS/ES, Muffin-HS Juice Choice & Fruit Milk LUNCH: Italian Grilled Chicken on WG Bun Savory Rice Broccoli Mandarin Oranges HS Alt: Beefburger LUNCH: Corn Dog Baked Beans Glazed Carrots Melon Pineapple HS Alt: Egg Salad Sandwich LUNCH: BBQ Pork Sandwich on WG Bun French Fries Cole Slaw Applesauce HS Alt: Veggie Wrap 10 BREAKFAST: Breakfast Pizza Cereal-MS/ES, Muffin-HS Juice Choice & Fruit Milk 11 BREAKFAST: Sausage, Egg, Cheese on a Bagel Yogurt Juice Choice & Fresh Fruit Milk 9 BREAKFAST: Muffin Cereal & Toast Juice Choice & Fresh Fruit Milk LUNCH: Breaded Chicken on WG Bun Sliced Tomato Green Beans Fresh Baby Carrots Pineapple HS Alt: Mozzarella Cheese Stick w/Marinara Sauce THURSDAY 5 4 BREAKFAST: Pancake Wrapped Sausage Cereal Juice Choice & Fruit Milk BREAKFAST: Cinnamon Roll Yogurt Juice Choice & Fresh Fruit Milk LUNCH: Shrimp Poppers Cheesy Potatoes Peas Fresh Apple Mandarin Oranges Chocolate Cake HS Alt: Chicken Caesar Wrap LUNCH: Popcorn Chicken Bowl Mashed Potatoes Shredded Cheddar Cheese Corn Chicken Gravy Mixed Fruit Dinner Roll HS Alt: Grilled Cheese Sandwich LUNCH: Chicken & Spinach Alfredo Pasta Iceberg & Romaine Lettuce Sliced Cucumbers Bread Stick Peaches HS Alt: Meatball Sub MS Alt: Honey BBQ Rib Sandwich 17 BREAKFAST: Breakfast Pizza Cereal-MS/ES, Muffin-HS Juice Choice & Fruit Milk 18 BREAKFAST: Pancakes/Syrup Yogurt Juice Choice & Fresh Fruit Milk LUNCH: Orange Chicken Brown Rice Broccoli & Carrots Pineapple Animal Crackers HS Alt: Chili Crispito LUNCH: Pig in a Blanket French Fries Cauliflower w/cheese sauce Grapes Mixed Fruit HS Alt: Turkey Burger LUNCH: Fajita Chicken Wrap Lettuce-Cheese-Salsa-Sour Cream Black Beans Corn Watermelon Peaches HS Alt: Grilled Ham & Cheese LUNCH: Cheese Pizza-ES & MS Sausage or Cheese Pizza-HS Iceberg & Romaine Lettuce Cherry Tomatoes Fresh Baby Carrots Pears NO ALT at HS 23 24 WINTER BREAK 30 25 26 WINTER BREAK WINTER BREAK LUNCH: Lasagna Romaine & Spinach Salad Cherry Tomatoes Garlic Toast Orange Wedges Pears HS Alt: Chicken Cheese Quesadilla MS Alt: Fish Sandwich 13 BREAKFAST: Breakfast Bagel Muffin Juice Choice & Fresh Fruit Milk BREAKFAST: Muffin Cereal & Toast Juice Choice & Fresh Fruit Milk 16 BREAKFAST: Apple Pastry Muffin Juice Choice & Fresh Fruit Milk 12 BREAKFAST: Cheese Omelet Cereal & Toast Juice Choice & Fruit Milk LUNCH: French Toast Sticks Sausage Links Potato Triangle-ES/MS Hash Browns-HS Scrambled Eggs HS only Diced Peppers & Onions-HS only Orange Juice Banana NO ALT at HS 19 BREAKFAST: Sausage Patties Cereal &Toast Juice Choice & Fruit Milk LUNCH: Soft Shell Taco Lettuce-Tomato-Cheese Sour Cream-Salsa Refried Beans Celery w/Sunbutter Fresh Strawberries Pears HS Alt: Fish Sandwich FRIDAY 6 WINTER BREAK 20 BREAKFAST: Breakfast Egg Roll Muffin Juice Choice & Fresh Fruit Milk LUNCH: Macaroni & Cheese Meatballs Peas Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookie HS Alt: Honey BBQ Rib Sandwich MS Alt: Chili Crispito 27 WINTER BREAK 31 WINTER BREAK WINTER BREAK Variety of milk offered daily. Salad/Sandwich Bar offered as alternate lunch choice at middle school and high school daily. ROBOTICS FIRST HOME TOURNAMENT A SUCCESS! The two Robo cs teams from Mount Vernon High School competed in an FTCIowa qualifying tournament held in Mount Vernon. Out of the 24 teams compe ng, only 4 earned a spot at the upcoming state tournament. Two of those spots went to Mount Vernon's teams and each received a major award from a panel of judges. A er the qualifica on matches were completed, Mount Vernon's Team 458 and 3549 were in 1st and 5th place respec vely. The top 4 teams choose alliance partners, Team 458 selected team 3549 to be their alliance partner and that team swept through the semis and finals to win the championship! As captain the of winning alliance, Team 458 qualified for state. Due to finishing 2nd in the Inspire Award, Team 3549 also qualified for state. Team 458 also won the pres gious Rockwell Collins Innovate Award. Mount Vernon Robo cs Team Rosters: FTC Team 458 Ac vate Go Ini a ve! Paul Chihak, Macon McInnes, Jarred Jackson, Alex White, Josh Lynch, Robert Banwart, Kai Walberg, Katlynn Elsbury FTC Team 3549 Born To Be Wired! Drew Keller, Evere Thompson, Gage Lochner, Tony Kraus, Laura Player, Isaiah Exley-Schuman, Nathaniel Barnhart, Mackenzie Smith, Adam Gage, Ma Hermson White, Chris Cripe, Joe Godfrey 458 Ac vate Go Ini a ve! Robo cs Team Mentors: Dave Keller, DeAnn Scearce, Lisa White, Gary Sco , Chris Lyon, Dave Cripe, Hunter Lind Major Sponsors: Mount Vernon First Presbyterian Church, Amy Rose Photography, Gary's Foods, Mount Vernon Bank, Hills Bank, Lochner Construc on, Intermec Founda on, JoAnn Scearce, Jeff & Julie Wenzel, Jeff Walberg. Rockwell Collins Innovate Award: The Rockwell Collins Innovate Award celebrates a team that not only thinks outside the box, but also has the ingenuity and inven veness to make their designs 3549 Born To Be Wired Robo cs Team come to life. This judged award is given to the team that has the most innova ve and crea ve robot design solu on to any or all specific field elements or components in the FTC game. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness, and ‘out of the box’ thinking related to design. Inspire Award: This formally judged award is given to the team that truly embodied the ‘challenge’ of the FTC program. The team that receives this award is chosen by the judges as having best represented a ‘role-model‘ FTC Team. This team is a top contender for all other judging categories and is a strong compe tor on the field. The Inspire Award Winner is an inspira on to other teams, ac ng with ROBOTICS CONT.... Gracious Professionalism™ both on and off the playing field. This team is able to communicate their experiences, enthusiasm and knowledge to other teams, sponsors, and the Judges. Working as a unit, this team will have demonstrated success in accomplishing the task of crea ng a working and compe ve robot. In past seasons, the winner of the Inspire Award at each tournament level has received an automa c invita on to the next tournament level. Once a team has won an Inspire Award at a Championship, they are no longer eligible to win the Inspire Award at addi onal championship tournaments they may a end. Similarly, once a team wins an Inspire Award at a Qualifying tournament, they are no longer eligible to win the Inspire Award at subsequent Qualifica on tournaments within the same region. Congratula ons to all of the compe tors on a great tournament! ARCHERY OFF TO A GREAT START MV Archery registered a record 127 students in grades 4 - 12 for this season. Prac ces are under way and the team is looking forward to upcoming duals and tournaments. There are 36 - fourth and fi h graders, 65 - sixth through eighth graders and 26 - ninth through twel h graders par cipa ng. Coaches for this season are Head Coaches: Tom Wilkinson, Ron Lochner, and Laurie Keller. BAI Cer fied Coaches: Beth Johnson, Carolyn Lochner, Chris Hallier, Chuck Hallier, Darin Snedden, Dave Garrelts, Dave Hof, Dave Tanberg, Doug Shannon, Heidi Ann Godfrey, Jeff Friedman, John Maddocks, Kevin Conley, Lea Snedden, Marcia Barnhart, Paul Bevans, Rich Hall, Sandy Tanberg, Todd Vlasek, and Keith Woods. The team begins tournament compe on in January. Plan to cheer on the Archery Team January 4 at the Small Mul -Sport Center at Cornell College. Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us 11 WAYS TO DONATE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Are you looking for a way to donate to the school this holiday season? There are many opportuni es for dona ons to be given. One op on for dona on is the Opera on Backpack program. Opera on Backpack is a program through HACAP (Hawkeye Area Community Ac on Program), SE Linn, and Mount Vernon School District. There is no cost to the program and no obliga on for students to par cipate. Each week, shelf-stable, kidfriendly, and healthy foods are sent home. Most of the foods are easily prepared and can be consumed when parents are working and unable to prepare meals for their children. The food pack items are intended to supplement the families’ grocery items. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack items are included. Food packs are distributed to students and then carried home in their regular school backpacks. A second op on for dona on is the school district’s Kids in Need program. The Kids in Need program provides many types of assistance to our students and their families throughout the year. During the holidays, Kids in Need works with several agencies, the school staff, and individuals to support students & their families with meals and gi s. Finally, Joy, our Professional Therapy Dog eats A LOT. She consumes 1 large bag of food every 3 weeks. If you would like to help teacher Gina Becthold with some of Joy’s expenses, a gi cer ficate from Pet Smart would be appreciated. Please contact nurse Missy Hauser with any ques ons or to make a dona on to the Opera on Backpack or Kids in Need programs. She may be reached at (319) 895-6251. To make a dona on for Joy, please contact Gina Becthold at gbecthold@ mountvernon.k12.ia.us. THANK YOU! F MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT O “FulfillingU the Promise N of Excellence D inAAcademics,TArts, andIAthletics”O When you donate... N M ount Vernon Community School District has a long standing tradition of nurturing well-rounded students in academics, arts and athletics. Our teachers and staff know they have a tradition to uphold -- an ‘excellence’ that must be achieved for all generations of students. Because of this challenge, the Foundation has become an integral part of helping our students. We would like you to be one of the many Mount Vernon friends and alumni who provide annual support to the Foundation on behalf of our students. ...you help Please return the gift card below along with your check. Thank You for supporting the Mount Vernon Community School District Foundation! 2013 GIFT CARD GIFT CARD: CLIP, FILL OUT, AND MAIL IN WITH YOUR DONATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH! Name(s) and address (if not on check) _____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Phone__________________________Email ________________________________________________ Enclosed is my contribution $___________ Check payable to Mount Vernon CSD Foundation Honorary or Memorial Gift: ❏ in memory of ❏ in honor of (name)______________________________________________________________________________ Send acknowledgement of this tribute to __________________________________________________ Their address/city/state/zip ______________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 525 Palisades Road SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314 319-895-8845 www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us Thank you to everyone that donated photos for the December issue of the newsle er: Kate Jones, Richard Scearce, Laurie Keller, Heather Plathe, Mary Priske, Jennifer Holub-Tischer, Emily Stamp, Mark & Jennifer Lengwin, JoAnn Gage, Jan Moore, Jo Nowak-Thompson, DeAnn Scearce, Heidi Hassen, Gina Becthold, Jackie Morrical, Lainey Johnson, Gabby Kolker, Hannah Wieditz, Laura Deininger, and Ashley Ruden. AUTHOR BRINGS INDONESIA TO WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY On December 11 author Jaime Teahen Sanders will be bringing her book “Adrian’s Adventures in Indonesia” to Washington Elementary. Ms. Teahan Sanders will read her book to elementary students and host a discussion about Indonesia. About the Book: “Adrian’s Adventures in Indonesia” is a 40 page picture book that teaches children about the culture and natural beauty of Indonesia. Join Adrian on an adventure that will take you from lunch with the hairy orange orangutans in the jungles of Borneo, to surfing the giant waves of the Balinese waters, and racing from fiery volcanoes on Sumatra. With colorful pictures and exo c places every child is sure to enjoy this story. Find out what wild and wonderful things Adrian encounters on his journey. About the Author: Jaime Teahen Sanders lived in Indonesia for two years while working at the United States Embassy in Jakarta. She is originally from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and currently lives in Des Moines. She will always call Iowa home, although she spends most of her me traveling and living in countries all over the world. In this book she shares her love of travel and helps children experience faraway lands without leaving their homes, opening their eyes to the world outside their own. Jaime is married and has two adventurous children. Jaime wrote this book a er no cing that there are almost no travel books for children. This book is factually accurate, providing children with real informa on about Indonesia, but is wri en so even the youngest children will enjoy the story. Books will be available for sale and Ms. Teahen Sanders will donate a por on of the proceeds from her book to support the fight against child trafficking, an epidemic affec ng all countries, including Indonesia. What an exci ng day for our elementary students! 12 Mount Vernon Community School District DECEMBER 2013 NEWS www.mountvernon.k12.ia.us Mustang DECEMBER 2013 ACTIVITY Calendar SUN MON 1 2 9 • 7GB, Anamosa, H, 4:15 pm • 8GB, Anamosa, T, 4:15 pm • School Board Meeting, HS Media Center/ Library, 6:30 pm 16 • 8th Grade & HS Winter Choir Concert, District Auditorium, 2:30 pm • 7GB, Dyersville Beckman, T, 4:15 pm • 8GB, Dyersville Beckman, H, 4:15 pm • HS Band & Orchestra Concert, District Auditorium, 7 pm 22 2 23 3 WED 3 4 10 11 THURS • MSW, Independence, T, • Booster Club Mee ng, 4:15 pm HS Commons, 7 pm • HSBB, Center PointUrbana, H, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow • HSGB, Center PointUrbana, T, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow • 7GB, Maquoketa, H, 4:15 pm • 8GB, Maquoketa, T, 4:15 pm • WETAP Mee ng, ES Art Room, 7 pm 8 15 TUES • HSBB, Solon, T, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow • HSGB, Solon, H, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow 18 24 25 5 • 7GB, Clear CreekAmana, T, 4:15 pm • 8GB, Clear CreekAmana, H, 4:15 pm • HSW, Jesup, T, 6:30 pm • ICAN Financial Aid Night, HS Commons, 6:30 pm 12 Early Out 12:30 pm 17 • HSBB, Dyersville Beckman, H, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow • HSGB, Dyersville Beckman, T, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow FRI • 7GB, DeWi , H, 4:15 pm • 8GB, DeWi , T, 4:15 pm • HSW-V, DeWi , T, 6 pm 19 SAT 6 • MSW, Clear CreekAmana, H, 4:15 pm • HSBB, Western Dubuque, H, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow • HSGB, Western Dubuque @ Epworth, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow 13 • MSW, West Delaware @ Manchester, 4:15 pm • HSBB, Independence, T, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow • HSGB, Independence, H, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow 20 • HSBB, Grinnell, T, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow • HSW - V, Solon, T, 6 pm • End of 2nd Quarter • HSBB, Benton Comm., T, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow • HSGB, Benton Comm., H, 9th @ 4:30, JV @ 6 pm, Varsity to follow 26 27 7 • NEIBA Honor Band for select students, Oelwein, 8th grade @ 5 pm, HS @ 7 pm • HSW-JV, Belle Plaine, T, 8:30 am • HSGB, North Cedar, H, 9th @ 12 pm, JV @ 3 pm, Varsity @ 6 pm • HSBB, North Cedar, H, 9th @ 1:30 pm, JV @ 4:30 pm, Varsity @ 7:30 pm • Mustang Madness & Cancer Awareness Day 14 • HSW - JV, Marion, T, 9 am • HSW - V, Mount Vernon Invita onal, 10 am 21 • HSW - V, Regina, T, 9 am • HSW - JV, Wilton, T, 9:30 am 28 WINTER BREAK - NO SCHOOL (SCHOOL OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED) 29 30 SAVE THE DATE: 31 • HSGB - High School Girls Basketball • HSBB - High School Boys Basketball • 7GB - 7th Grade Girls Basketball • 8GB - 8th Grade Girls Basketball • MSW - Middle School Wrestling • HSW - High School Wrestling WINTER BREAK - NO SCHOOL (SCHOOL OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED) The Middle School Ski Trip is scheduled for Friday, January 17, 2014 at Chestnut Mountain Ski Resort in Galena, IL. Ski trip informa on/student permission slips will be sent home with students in early December. Addi onal informa on will be provided in the January newsle er. MADNESS COURAGE MUSTANG FIGHT AWARENESS SURVIVOR CURE MUSTANG MADNESS & CANCER AWARENESS NIGHT BELIEVE CANCER Mustang Merchandise will be available for Christmas shopping! Saturday, December 7 All Day Boys & Girls Basketball vs. North Cedar First Game at Noon Food! Fun! Prizes! Soup & Sandwich Supper $ 5.00 per person 5:00 - 7:30 pm