Tuesday, May 21, 2024

As We End the School Year

It has been an exciting few weeks at Shenandoah Community School District. Our students performed exceptionally well in state athletic events, and it was fun to see the buzz of text messages on my cell phone. It was also a delightful and rewarding moment to congratulate the graduating class of 2024. They are a fine group of students who I am confident will make great contributions. I am looking forward to hearing about their successes.

Mr. Weinrich, our Activities Director, has proposed the idea of unifying our school under a single mascot to the School Board. This would mean that the district would adopt “Mustangs” as the official mascot, replacing the current use of “Mustangs” and “Fillies”. One of the key points he highlighted in his presentation was that we are one of 13 schools in the state that continues to use two mascots. He also emphasized the importance of honoring our past traditions while looking toward a unified future. You can view this proposal in detail here. The Board has not voted on this recommendation. They requested more feedback from the high school students and will fully consider the proposed change.

We are reviewing several changes in the Iowa Code and considering how best to implement them. One change is the new literacy law that requires schools to use the Science of Reading instructional practices.I want to assure you we are actively preparing to make this change. Our district aligns fairly closely with the Science of Reading, but we will need to make some adjustments. To support our staff in making these changes, we are sending a team of teachers to the Science of Reading conference this summer. We will also engage our PK -6 grade teachers in LETRS training provided by the Department of Education.

It has been a great school year. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with wonderful students, staff, and families. I encourage you to take advantage of the summer activities that are available for students. They are a fantastic way to keep students engaged in safe and healthy activities and have some fun, too!

Conversatons with the Board

Our leadership team attended the Fall Leadership Dinner at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. It was an excellent experience and an opport...