Welcome Back!

Welcome to the start of the 2023-2024 school year! The staff has had a fantastic week of professional learning and preparation for the arrival of our students. It was a powerful week of speakers and training that benefited our team. It was also great to see the turnout at an open house. The energy and excitement for tomorrow were evident; I look forward to having our students back on campus.

We do have several new staff members this year. Becoming acquainted with them in the interview process and working with them more closely this week has been an immense pleasure. They are fantastic additions to our team. They are talented and passionate about teaching and learning.

Additionally, the District is thrilled to introduce David Erickson as the new Student Resource Officer (SRO). I enjoyed having him attend the open house on Monday night. Watching him interact and engage with the staff, students, parents, and guardians in attendance was terrific. I am confident he will look out for our students and staff's best interest and safety. Some have asked what types of support an SRO provides in a school setting. SROs actively engage with students, parents, guardians, and school administrators, offering educational programs and mentoring initiatives to promote character development and social responsibility. Officer Erickson will embody a proactive and community-oriented style of policing while fostering positive connections with students to build trust and understanding. This position will bring a lot of value to the system.

I am eager to invest my time working with our students, staff, and families this year. There are great opportunities that lie ahead, so let's do the work together to make this one outstanding school year! 

They Overcame the Challenge

I felt immense pride and joy seeing our students walk the line and receive their diplomas at graduation this weekend. The Class of 2023 experienced many good times and has made excellent accomplishments. Some students in this class have earned National AWS Certification for welding,  A+ Networking Core 1 Certification, Avenue Scholar Scholarships, participated in internships, succeeded in activities, and were awarded over $150,000 in scholarships toward post-secondary education and other significant honors. They also have learned to overcome challenges such as the COVID shutdown and adjusting to what school would be like when they returned. They chose to thrive versus be defeated by such changes. We can all learn from them, knowing they have demonstrated strength, were resilient, and did not give up.  

Good Work and Staff Recognition

Our leadership team is working on an action plan to improve school safety using the information from the security audit completed in December. Adding a school resource officer is one component of the plan that will enhance security. We are currently working with the City of Shenandoah to secure this position. The City Council approved the initial 28E agreement this week; the School Board will review this at the May school board meeting. In addition, to security personnel, we are looking at advanced ways to use technology to improve how we manage access to buildings and enhance emergency communication. We are also considering some additional training for our staff. Taking the time to evaluate the existing plan has been a good yet arduous process to go through. We have learned a lot and know that the work being done greatly benefits everyone.

On a different note, I enjoyed hearing Matt Mickel, the Alumni of the Year, and Shelley (Rabel) Riley, the keynote speaker, share their experiences at the Shenandoah Iowa Education Foundation (SIEF) Excellence in Education Banquet. Their confidence, success, and leadership in their chosen professions were energizing and motivational. Angela Hunter, Lindsey Lundgren, and Andrew Lynes, three of our current staff members, were given the new Spirit award by SIEF that evening. Each of them is a fine representative of our staff and deserves recognition.

Angela Hunter, MS Science

Lindsey Lundgren

Andrew Lynes

Finding Teachers

In recent years, a nationwide teacher shortage has increased difficulty in finding qualified teachers in rural areas. The need has left many districts in a difficult situation and, in many cases, required existing staff to be stretched thin. Noting the concern, the district has invested heavily in our recruiting and staff retention efforts. It has taken time and effort to make some shifts in our process, but I am pleased with the progress that has been made and the results we are having. I want to share some of the teaching staff we have hired and have in place for the start of the 23-24 school year!

Amanda Dye will be teaching middle school special education. She is joining our staff from Savannah Middle School in Savannah, Missouri, where she has been teaching special education. She is familiar with Shenandoah through extended family and other staff members. It will be great to have her on our team.

Noah Bielby has accepted a middle school science and family consumer science position. He is joining us from St. Joseph, Missouri, where he taught middle school science. Noah was referred to the district by staff at Shenandoah Medical Center. We most certainly appreciate the referral; it helped the district meet a need in two critical curriculum areas. 

Clare Conley is joining our staff from Dowling Catholic High School in Des Moines. She currently teaches agriculture. She has accepted the 8th-grade science and agriculture position at the Middle School. She is an Iowa State graduate who student taught in Southwest Iowa, so we are glad to see her return to the area.

Stacy Lihs has accepted the 8th-grade language arts position. She has been teaching in Stanton, Iowa, and is from the Clarinda area. We are looking forward to having her on our staff.

Jordan Nuttall will be joining our staff to teach High School Chemistry. He is currently a middle school science teacher who has studied and speaks Spanish. Jordan and his family will be relocating to Shenandoah from the great State of Idaho. However, they have some family connections in the Des Moines area, so we are delighted to see them identify Shenandoah as the right place to bring their family.

Kerra Ratliff is a long-term member of our staff who has been an associate, home liaison, and coach for the district. We are pleased she will serve as a teacher in our Special Education department next year. She is in the process of completing her studies at Morningside in their Strategist II MAT program. We are very pleased that she has advanced to this position.

Patty Roberts has been a long-term district employee as a bilingual associate and cheerleading sponsor. She is in the process of completing her degree and is currently student teaching in Shenandoah. She has accepted an elementary teaching position for next school year. It is quite rewarding to see a member of our existing staff advance themselves through continuing education.

Hunter Thomas will be graduating from Nebraska Wesleyan this spring and is from Fort Calhoun, Nebraska. He will be teaching health and physical education at the high school. We are excited to have him join our staff this next school year.

I am very excited to have these professionals join our team and become part of the Shenandoah Community School District. Please join me in welcoming and inviting them to be part of the district and the broader community.

 

Thoughts About Conference Realignment

There have been ongoing conversations about whether or not Shenandoah CSD is best suited as a member of the Hawkeye 10 conference for a number of years. There are some great school districts in the conference that add a lot of value to our athletic, activities, and academic programs. However, some member districts' general size and enrollment take the competition to a much higher level.

Derek Martin’s recent blogs have suggested it is time for Shenandoah to leave the Hawkeye 10 and consider other options. The article by Jeff Linder and published by the Cedar Rapids Gazette has indicated that many schools across the entire State need to realign. One recommendation Linder made was for Shenandoah and other Hawkeye 10 schools (Red Oak, Clarinda, and St. Alberts) to join the WIC. These are points well taken; members of our leadership team are open and receptive to the ideas presented. Our leadership team is engaging in conversations about conference alignment and is committed to doing what we believe will be best and what the Board of Education will support. We would be remiss if we were unwilling to consider the input and be open to the conversation. This stated, it is important to note there is no simple answer because the decision is not solely in the hands of one district. A district can easily leave a conference if they follow the conference bylaws, but they need to realign with a new conference willing to accept them. Some conferences require supermajority votes of the existing membership and supporting school board votes for new districts to join.

So, where do we go from here? What will happen next? We must examine and analyze this from different perspectives and be willing to engage in courageous conversations about improving our standings. I have made it clear we are having internal discussions. I will acknowledge that I have recently met with members of the WIC and with the members of Hawkeye 10 separately to discuss Linder and Martin's articles, the district's perspective, and consider what alternatives may exist. This communication is important and is only fair to all districts involved. Shenandoah would expect the same in return.

While the conversations about conference realignment are not easy, they align directly with the district's commitment to Reach, Revamp and Reconnect the High School activities and athletic programs. Our leadership team is willing to have difficult conversations about this because, in the end, the decision to stay, leave, or do something different will be well thought out, communicated fairly, and in the best interest of our students, staff, and district. 

 

Winter Thoughts

I had a plan, and a tightly scheduled plan, for how I wanted to spend winter break this year. However, the weather has disrupted how I intended to spend my time. Somehow, I couldn’t bring myself to get in the car to run errands and finish last minute shopping for the holidays when the temperature and windchill were so frigid. So instead, I spent a quiet day at home, drinking coffee and reading a good book. I set my list aside and just took the day to relax. 

While I didn’t finish my task list, I think having a restful day is precisely what I needed. It allowed me time to reflect on what is essential rather than focus on all the things I have allowed to claim my time and energy. As a result, I woke up this morning feeling refreshed and ready for a new day. I looked at my “list” with fresh eyes and eliminated a few things that were not so important. In addition, it was good for me to take the time to recognize that my family celebrations and holidays that I celebrate will be a beautiful time without my “list” being complete. So it was a good day and helped me center my thoughts a bit.  

I thought I would share some recent events that may be of interest to you. The Board held its annual reorganization meeting in December. This is the meeting where officers are elected, and other appointments are made. Jean Fichter was reelected as the President, and Adam Van Der Vliet was reelected as the Vice President. Their ongoing dedication and commitment to service are much appreciated. At this same meeting, the Board approved the purchase of new stage curtains and an LED lighting project. Both projects will be notable improvements once they are complete. Several policies were read for the second time. Most of the policy changes are related to making the curriculum and instructional resources used in the classroom more transparent.

 

The new equipment for the weight room has started to arrive. It is an exciting transformation to watch! This has been a long overdue project. I am very pleased that our student athletes will be able to have access to such high quality equipment.

Our Middle School TAG students recently participated in an online quiz bowl competition called the Thinking Cap Quiz Bowl. This is a nationwide quiz bowl. The 5th and 6th grade TAG students joined together to form a team. They won 2nd place out of 130 teams in their division! Their work was quite impressive; they won 2nd place! The 7th and 8th grade TAG teams also performed well. The 7th grade team came in 4th, and the 8th-grade team came in 10th in their respective divisions.

Many great things are happening in the District, and I am proud to be part of this great system. I look forward to seeing you next year! I am confident that 2023 will bring good things.

The Great American Education System

American Education Week is celebrated the third week of November each year. It is a tradition that recognizes the powerful effect of public education, the teachers and support staff that dedicate their talents and time, and student learning. I am a strong supporter of public education; I recognize the importance of providing all students with an opportunity to learn, grow and maximize their potential to be successful in society. It is why I have chosen my profession and am passionate about working with educators.

My passion for education stems from the understanding that learning isn't always an easy process or necessarily a given; it requires effort and is sometimes a struggle. This is why students are taught to ask questions, formulate their opinions, and validate their thinking. They are also encouraged to apply their learning in new and different situations.

Watching a dynamic educator set the stage for students to engage in learning is powerful. When students are engaged and can see the value and relevancy of their work, their motivation level is high, and they are more persistent and eager to accept challenges. At times students need clarification, direction, and feedback about their learning. And yes, sometimes they need the opportunity to “redo” and try again. It is how they refine their work, improve their product, and determine how to embrace new challenges. Teachers are quite masterful at creating this type of environment and instilling the desire for students to become lifelong learners.

I am being too philosophical for a Wednesday afternoon. Still, it is good to take time to reflect and think about the impact we make as public educators and the influence we have on student learning. It also prompts me to publicly thank all of our staff who dedicate themselves to our students and being part of the great American Education system.