proud to be one - Okoboji Community Schools

OKOBOJI COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
PROUD TO
BE ONE
Okoboji Elementary School is one of
only 5 Iowa schools nominated for the
prestigious 2013 National Blue Ribbon
Award. Nominations are based on
exemplary high performing schools
criteria, which include the most recent
state assessment scores. Okoboji
Elementary students scored in the top
15% of all Iowa schools.
We are PROUD TO BE ONE of the top
schools and recognize the efforts of the
students, staff, parents, and community.
The winner will be announced in the fall
by the Department of Education.
Rob Olsen, OES Principal
We will prepare each learner with the
knowledge and skills necessary for a
productive life in a changing world.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
ISSUE #2 / 2013
Okoboji Elementary has been nominated
for the Blue Ribbon Award in education.
Pictured is OES student Grace Fisher.
PROUD TO BE ONE
Spotlight On Excellence
Highlighting excellence in students, teachers, and education.
THE MIDMESTER ACADEMY CREATES NEW WAYS OF LEARNING
Students in 7th and 8th grade had a wonderful opportunity this past January to engage in a new style of
learning through our Midmester Academy. The Midmester Academy was a ten day experience in projectbased learning. Five separate courses were offered for students to choose from; each had a driving question
the students answered to demonstrate their learning. To answer this driving question, students uncovered
important content as they looked for relevant ways to apply their knowledge.
The overall theme of the project-based learning experience was to focus on helping students develop the
important skills they will need to be productive citizens in a changing world. These skills included teamwork,
oral presentations, and creativity. Also, each course focused on students serving the community as a part of
their learning. The student teams selected the best audience for their service and carried out service projects
for their chosen audiences. While this was only our first attempt into immersive project-based learning, the
students responded well, with over 95% of students expressing a desire for more learning experiences like
the Midmester Academy in the future. If you would like to see more information describing the Midmester
Academy, visit our website at http://goo.gl/ZkR99. Ryan Cunningham, OMS Principal
DID YOU KNOW?
• Retiring nurses Connie Bjornstad and Donna Chozen had
aapproximately 86,000 student office visits in the past 20 years.
• The district’s property tax rate dropped from $8.31 (per $1,000
aassessed value) to $7.59 for the 2013-14 fiscal year.
• 47% of our teachers have worked at Okoboji for ten or more years and
a47% also have masters degrees.
active learning
stimulates growth
in the smart room
Stimulating and Maturing through
Accelerrated Readiness Training.
Kaydence Doran
From birth to age six, people go
through a specific process in
development but sometimes that
normal process doesn’t occur.
This leaves a child with readiness
skills deficits in neurological and
physiological areas. These deficits
affect reflexes, visual efficiency,
perceptual acuity, and auditory
processing which creates an
immature sensory system.
Through a variety of SMART
activities, the dendrites in students’
brains develop and mature. Some
of the activities within the SMART
room include a balance beam,
rebounders, overhead ladder,
spinning, and auditory, visual, and
fine motor activities.
OHS VIDEO
RECEIVES NATIONAL
RECOGNITION
Sara Deitering, OES Teacher
avenues of
opportunity
This building houses Avenues of
Opportunity, a program designed
to meet the needs of students
whose circumstances require more
flexibility to succeed.
Both full-time and part-time
students are selected into the
program which uses Education
2020, a self-contained, highly
flexible, and easily modified
computer program.
David Hackbarth, OHS Teacher
The prize-winning video of the
Digital Media Production class
received first-place in the state
and was selected as one of the
top eight nationally in the Lights,
Camera, Save! video contest held
last November.
Northwest Bank of Milford, the
local sponsor, submitted the video
to the competition. Students
were required to produce a video
encouraging teens to save and
manage money wisely.
Students in Mrs. Nissen’s class
each received a cash prize, and the
school was awarded $250 to put
toward technology.
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=zudiwEa8TvU
Katie Nissen, Technology Teacher
GREATNESS INSIDE
OUTSIDE THE CLAS
THE GPA CONNECTION
Studies have long shown a connection between
extracurricular participation and higher achievement
in school. Active students miss less school, have higher
grade point averages, fewer failing grades, and higher
graduation rates.
# of
ACTIVITIES
Avg.
Cum. GPA
% 3.0 or
Higher
Avg
class rank
0-3
4+
2.39
3.53
14%
95%
34
15
OHS data shows dramatic evidence of this correlation.
This table compares students’ level of involvement with
students’ GPA. The average of one full point higher GPA
and a class ranking twice as high are earned by the most
active students.
Brian Downing, OHS Principal
Alec Harmening
Samantha Wuebker
pride and prejudice takes stage
In April, the OHS theater students presented Pride and Prejudice,
a play set in the 1700’s based on a novel by Jane Austin. Thirty
students tackled the challenging piece of literature with beautiful
costuming and the wonderful dialogue of the 1700’s.
Ann Williamsen, OHS Play Director
Stage set from fall 2012 musical production.
E AND
SSROOM.
7 qualify, set new
wrestling record
A 2nd place finish in conference
duals, along with a school record of
7 district qualifiers, highlighted a
great wrestling season for OHS.
Jon Mitchell, Brady Jones, Ryan
Bolster, Noah Bouse, Justin
Richardson, Kaleb Vanderpool, and
Taylor Cody were the qualifiers.
jazz band earns honors
OHS Jazz Band earned second place among Class 2A schools April 18 at the Iowa Jazz
Championships. In addition, Sydney Boeckholt and Brittany Kolbeck received outstanding
soloist awards. For 19 out of the last 20 years, Okoboji has finished as one of the top bands
in their division (first place 4 times and second place 4 times).
Mr. Greg Forney, OHS band director, credits his wife Julie, OMS band director, for her part
in the band’s success. “We team teach and work together on our 5-12 program. She puts in
many unpaid hours assisting the high school band.” Greg Forney, OHS Band Director
The team of upper and lower
classmen persevered through early
morning runs and brutal practices
by captains Taylor Cody and
Cameron Arnold. They are already
looking forward to attending
summer wrestling camp and lifting.
Nate Dau, Coach
All-School Art
23 art students were recognized
and five OHS art students won
awards this spring in the All-School
Art Show at the Pearson Lakes Art
Center.
A Blue Ribbon Judge’s Choice
Award went to Olivia Albright (10th
grade) for her sharpie drawing;
Red Ribbon honorable mentions
went to Derek Patton (12th), Chris
Albright (12th), Weston Burgeson
(12th) and Kenny Olson (10th).
Laura Turner, OHS Art Teacher
boji voices
Okoboji jazz choir, Boji Voices, took
third in first-time competition at
the Iowa Vocal Jazz Championships
this March. Only eight choirs from
Iowa’s 2A schools were chosen
from video auditions to compete.
Erin Orness, OHS Vocal Director
Weston Burgeson
PROUD TO BE ONE
Greatness outside the classroom
Okoboji students excelling outside of class.
strong finish for okoboji girls
The 2012-2013 girls basketball varsity squad finished 3rd in
the Siouxland Conference with a 17-7 overall record. Skylar
Hansen finished her basketball career as the 12th all-time
scorer and 7th all-time rebounder in Okoboji girls basketball
history. The team set a record shooting percentage of 65.5%
from the charity stripe, and three girls were named to
the Siouxland Conference All-Conference Teams: Megan
Peschong, 2nd team; Abby Taylor, 3rd team; and Skylar
Hansen, honorable mention.
The 9th and JV squads were also successful, with JV
finishing with a 9-4 record and the Freshmen with a
7-3 mark. Trust, teamwork, adversity, commitment, and
believing: words to describe these girls who proudly say
they are PROUD TO BE ONE.
Abby Goodlaxson, OHS Basketball Coach
the 6th man club
helps students stay
involved
A new club on campus this year, the 6th
Man Club, succeeded in its goal to promote
The boys basketball team goal this year was to imrove daily so
their best play came at the end of the season. This was highlighted
by the Varsity’s come-from-behind thriller at Hartley in the first
round of the district tournament. Ryan Paulsen, OHS Basketball Coach
Students got their “membership” by
purchasing official club t-shirts and
wearing them to home contests. Each
night they attended a game, club members
were entered into drawings for great prizes
which included cash, apparel, and more
donated by the game’s sponsors.
Drexler initiated the club and worked with
At the end of the season, a grand prize
drawing was held for a new iPad. This year,
the grand prize winner was Dani Dunn
(11th). The 6th Man Club wants to thank
all the great businesses that supported the
program and made it possible.
local businesses to secure sponsors for prizes.
Brian Downing, OHS Principal
grades 5-12 attendance and enthusiasm
during the winter sports season. OHS
student council members Shaelyn Adams,
Cory Hoffman, Jake Dodge, and Dallas
PROUD TO BE ONE
ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Okoboji has long been noted for its legacy of accomplished students.
For full alumni interviews, visit www.okoboji.k12.ia.us/alumni.
ROD SIMONSON
Rod’s home-grown enterprise, Land Mark Products,
manufactures food products sold to convenience stores
under Piccadilly Pizza and Day ‘N Night Bites. The
company has grown to over 1,000 locations with multiple
distribution centers. Rod’s humble, entrepreneurial roots
began in 1980 after opening a restaurant in Milford. He’s
involved in many community projects and is a shining
example of what you can achieve in a small community
with hard work and persistence.
JILL HEMPHILL
After graduating in 1987, Jill attended UNI and then
the University of Minnesota Law School. After 17 years at
PricewaterhouseCoops LLP, she joined General Electric
as a tax counsel where she travels worldwide. She credits
an excellent educational experience at Okoboji as laying
a foundation for her success. “I had the good fortune of
having coaches and teachers who set high expectations
and provided encouragement and guidance along the way.”
THE
greenhouse PROJECT
Thank you to the organizations below for their generous support
of Okoboji community schools. Their contributions made the
construction of our greenhouse possible.
Titterington Inc. (Pioneer Sales Agency/DuPont Pioneer),
Okoboji FFA, and Okoboji GM Toyota
okoboji.k12.ia.us
712-338-4757
1205 7th St., Milford IA 51351
THANK YOU TO
OUR SPONSORS
PROUD TO
BE ONE
WHY ARE YOU PROUD TO BE ONE:
“I am proud to be one because I get to play football when
I grow up.”
Griffin Kasperbauer, Kindergarten
OKOBOJI
SCHOOL BOARD
Laurie Simington / President
Deanna Wermersen / Vice President
Joe Conover / Director
Brad Droegmiller / Director
Mark Hale / Director
Katy Sporrer / Secretary/Business Manager
Gary Janssen / Superintendent
Brian Downing / OHS Principal
Ryan Cunningham / OMS Principal
Rob Olsen / OES Principal
Blink Marketing / Design
Web Graphics / Printing
“I am proud to be one because I love my school and I like
the projects we do.”
Mya Whiting, Kindergarten
“We love our school. Our whole grade is together and
competitive together and it makes us one. We can be
bigger than ourselves when we all work together.”
Alli Harms, 6th
“When your team works as one to get the job done.”
Hannah Butler, 6th
“It means being a part of an amazing school district
where we see all sorts of kids getting along. Being one
means being a part of the proudest and strongest school
district in the area.”
Dallas Drexler, 12th
BLINK26.com
WEBGRAPHICSINC.com