Education Policy

Spaghetti supper, service and quilt auction benefit LCS music students (03/17/10)
Le Mars Community School Music Boosters will hold its annual Spaghetti Supper and Auction Friday, March 19. The spaghetti supper will be served from 5-7 p.m. in the Le Mars Community High School cafeteria. On the menu is spaghetti with choice of sauce: red with meat or without, and alfredo, along with lettuce salad, garlic bread, ice cream and beverages...

MidAmerican customers may help finance nuclear study (03/16/10)
The 7,184 MidAmerican Electric Company customers in Plymouth County may see a monthly increase in their payment due to a proposed law. The increase would come if Iowa Gov. Chet Culver signs a bill to allow MidAmerican to boost electric consumer payments throughout the state by $15 million to study the possibility of bringing a second nuclear plant to Iowa...

Principals work on transitions for Kissinger students, staff (03/16/10)
Le Mars Community Schools elementary principals are preparing for Kindergarten Round-Up and the transition from Kissinger Elementary in Merrill to attendance centers in Le Mars. Dave Horken and Scott Parry gave an update to the school board of education members at last week's board meeting...

Optimist Club impacts 25 years worth of children (03/12/10)
Twenty-five years ago this week, a group of locals came together to make a difference for youth. Since then, thousands of young people in Le Mars have been reached by the Le Mars Optimist Club. "We've made an impact," said Jerry Haack, founding president of the club. "Over the past 20-some years, we've touched every kid in this town in a positive way."...

College information night set for juniors (03/12/10)
It's not too early for high school juniors to be thinking about college plans. Le Mars Community High School will host a post-high school information night Monday, March 22, to help students and parents fill in the blanks to their questions. A presenter from College Planning Center will be available to give students and parents pertinent information regarding the decision-making process for the student's future choice...

LCMS students bring musical 'Honk! Jr.' to Le Mars stage (03/10/10)
The Le Mars Community Middle School Vocal Department will present "Honk" Junior," at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday in the Middle School Auditorium under the direction of Nancy Ewing. "Honk! Junior" is a contemporary, comic adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Ugly Duckling."...

Plymouth County schools find ways to make cuts (03/10/10)
Editor's note: This is the second of two stories looking at budget cuts for Plymouth County schools. Plymouth County school districts are trying to figure out ways to reduce already lean budgets. Because Legislators haven't decided whether or not to cut the 2 percent allowable growth, each school district does not know yet if it will receive state funding...

LCS board will budget on anticipated allowable growth money (03/09/10)
Le Mars Community School Board of Education members gave their approval to a budget timeline that will culminate in a certified 2010-11 budget to be filed with the state by April 15, 2010. The board directed Superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt to develop the 2010-11 budget working under the assumption of a 2 percent allowable growth in state funding and a Cash Reserve Levy of $750,000...

Museum to preview all-school reunion (03/09/10)
"Decades of Excellence," a preview of the Le Mars Community High School All-School Reunion, will be 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14 at the Plymouth County Historical Museum. Carolyn Vance, director of the Le Mars Community School District's Alumni Association, will share details of the coming reunion. Some reminiscing by alumni is also planned...

Kessenich family calls Kissinger second home (03/08/10)

Plymouth County's lean school budgets may receive another chop (03/08/10)
Editor's note: This is the first of two stories looking at budget cuts for area schools. Lean school budgets throughout Plymouth County may receive yet another cut from the State of Iowa. And the possible cut -- taking away the 2 percent allowable growth -- would be deep...

Nominations sought for LCS Teacher of the Year (03/08/10)
The Le Mars Community School District Foundation and the Le Mars community School Alumni Association are seeking nominations for "Teacher of the Year." According to the two groups, the award is given to represent the many great teachers who exemplify the school districts and their educational goals...

Gehlen student removed from school after e-threat (03/04/10)
An 18-year-old Gehlen Catholic Schools student who allegedly authored a message threatening other Gehlen students was removed from the school immediately Thursday. The student, an 18-year-old female, sent the alleged message via an electronic communication, according to the Le Mars Police...

Local students excel at IE speech contest Saturday (03/02/10)
Le Mars Community High School and Gehlen High School students have advanced to the state level following competition in the Individual Event District Speech Contest Saturday. The district contest was held at Akron-Westfield High School in Akron, one of 16 sites in Iowa...

LCS Winter concert set for Tuesday (03/01/10)
The High School Vocal Music Department will present its annual Winter Concert in the Middle School Auditorium Tuesday. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for students and will be collected at the door. In addition, passes will be honored...

Work could begin in August on new Hinton elementary school (02/25/10)
Plans for Hinton Community School District's new pre-kindergarten through third grade elementary school are on track. "We would hope physical construction of the building would begin sometime in August with an eye for it being completed a year from then in August 2011," said Larry Williams, Hinton's interim superintendent...

Kids take the gold in Kissinger Olympics (02/24/10)
More than 1,350 miles away from the Vancouver Winter Olympics, another Olympic flame is "burning." The students at Kissinger Elementary School in Merrill are competing in their own Olympic games, complete with a torch made out of a lamp and construction paper...

LCHS dance exhibition Friday (02/24/10)
Dozens of dancers will light up the floor in the Le Mars Community Schools Dance Exhibition Friday. The exhibition will be held at the Le Mars Community High School Gymnasium. The show will include performances of the LCS dance team's dances from this year, a co-ed dance with boys from the high school, solos performed at the state solo contest, and dances from four other teams...

LCS board votes to close Kissinger, cut $1 million (02/23/10)
Kissinger Elementary School in Merrill will close its doors to students at the end of the 2009-10 school year, after school board members voted Monday night to close the school. The decision was part of a $1 million budget reduction for the 2010-11 school year...

Students' move saves R-U dollars, increases teaching days (02/22/10)
Remsen-Union middle schoolers' move more than a year ago has saved the district thousands of dollars. Middle schoolers moved from their three-story building on Fulton Street in Remsen onto R-U Community School's main campus, at 511 Roosevelt St., in September 2008...

Few comment at LCS public meeting on budget cuts (02/19/10)
Only a handful of the 40 people attending the public meeting on proposed budget cuts for Le Mars Community Schools spoke to the Board of Education members Thursday night. Board president Patrick Murphy opened the meeting by explaining the areas where cuts have been proposed to meet the board's goal of cutting $1 million from the 2010-11 school year budget...

Branstad says it's time to clean house, Iowa (02/19/10)
Former Gov. Terry Branstad is OK with ice cream for breakfast, but he's not OK with Iowa's government the way it is now. That's what he told the crowd at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in Le Mars Thursday morning on a campaign stop for the 2010 governor's race...

Fifth graders aim to help the world -- one penny at a time (02/18/10)

Merrill residents apprehensive on proposed Kissinger closure (02/18/10)
Final decision time is nearing on the question of whether to close Kissinger Elementary School in Merrill. The Le Mars Community Schools Board is holding a special meeting 7 p.m. tonight (Thursday) for public input and comments regarding proposed budget cuts, which include shuttering the Merrill elementary...

Teaming at LCS: What it is and what it will mean to lose it (02/16/10)
A concept that teams middle school teachers at Le Mars Community Schools may be in its last year, due to budget cuts. In 2002, the LCS middle school teachers switched to "teaming." That means the students are divided into teams and each team has its own set of teachers: one each for math, one each for science, etc...

Museum plans 'Spring Preview of Authors (02/16/10)
"Spring Preview of Authors" will put the spotlight on Kingsley during the Plymouth County Historical Museum's first 2010 program Sunday, Feb. 21. The book signing and program will begin at 2 p.m. in the museum's Music Room on the main floor. Doors to the museum will be open from 1-5 p.m...

LCS board plans public comment meeting Thursday (02/15/10)
The Le Mars Community School Board of Education will hold a special public meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, at the Education Service Center, 940 Lincoln St. S.W. The meeting is a time for the board to receive public input/comment on expenditure reductions recommended for 2010-11 budget...

Public employee bargaining: The reasons behind the raises (02/12/10)
(Editor's note: This story is the second of two stories taking a closer look at public employees' bargaining.) Le Mars City Employees Bargaining Unit: Pay freeze for six months, 3 percent raise starting in January 2011. Plymouth County Secondary Roads Bargaining Unit: 3 percent raise for each year of a three-year contract...

Fourteen and on the job: Le Mars schools implement career planning at eighth grade level (02/10/10)
I have a plan, a career plan. That's the goal for each eighth grader in Le Mars due to the State of Iowa mandate that all schools must have a career plan in place. To fulfill this mandate, the state requires Le Mars Community Middle School (LCMS) to implement a web-based program called IHaveaPlanIowa.gov to aid eighth grade students in their career planning for high school and beyond...

Vander Plaats ready to put government on chopping block (02/09/10)
Gubernatorial hopeful Vander Plaats thinks he has some answers for Iowa's troubled economy -- and the top one is shrinking the government. Vander Plaats spoke Monday to about a dozen people at the Le Mars Pizza Ranch during a tour hitting all 99 of Iowa's counties...

Snow days adding up for Le Mars Community and Gehlen Schools (02/08/10)

Steve King says time to stop spending (02/08/10)
U.S. Rep. Steve King thinks the biggest problem in government right now is overspending. He also doesn't believe President Barack Obama's $787 billion stimulus plan is working as it was set out to do. Neither does he favor a government-run national health care program...

R-U fourth graders go back in time to the Middle Ages (02/04/10)
Sometimes to understand why we do the things we do today, we have to learn about the past. That's exactly what the fourth grade Talented and Gifted (TAG) students at Remsen-Union Community School have been doing. TAG instructor Vickie Hemmingson feels it is important to immerse students in a subject as much as possible in hands-on activities...

LCS hosts State Large Group Speech Contest Saturday (02/03/10)
Le Mars Community Schools will host the 2010 State Large Group Speech Contest this Saturday. Nearly 450 groups from 82 schools will be competing, according to Sherri Permeswaran, LCS language arts teacher and speech coach who also serves as contest manager for event...

Students' book sale brings in $100s for for Haiti (02/02/10)
Donations of used books and movie videos and DVDs turned into dollars for the Red Cross last Thursday as a group of eighth grade students hosted a used book and movie sale. When it was all counted, the students presented a check for $643.50 to American Red Cross...

Got a hobby? 75 students present favorite activities (02/01/10)
What do Legos, hamsters and cake decorating all have in common? They are three of the many hobbies presented by 75 fourth graders at Kluckhohn Elementary School during their annual hobby fair. The hobby fair, now in its 13th year, is organized by Kelley Johnson, one of the fourth grade teachers who brought the idea to Kluckhohn. She has actually been doing the fair 17 years...

Gehlen opens Catholic Schools Week with special Mass (01/29/10)
A Mass at Gehlen Catholic Schools gymnasium at 8:45 a.m. Monday will kick off Catholic Schools Week under the theme, "Dividends for Life." The week will celebrate the life-long impact of a Catholic education. Catholic Schools Week is observed Jan 31 through Feb. 6 and is celebrated by the National Catholic Education Association and schools throughout the Diocese of Sioux City...

Gehlen speech groups advance to state (01/27/10)
Four groups from Gehlen Catholic School are advancing to the State Large Group Speech competition. They earned a spot at state after competing in Saturday's Large Group Speech District Competition at East High School in Sioux City. "It went real well, even though we missed a lot of practice for snow days," Coach Elizabeth Rogers said...

LCS sends 19 groups to State Speech contest (01/26/10)
Nineteen of 27 Large Group Speech entries from Le Mars Community High School advanced on to state competition in Saturday's Large Group Speech District Competition at East High School in Sioux City. "We had a very good day Saturday," said coach Erin Ohrlund...

A second stimulus could help local roads (01/25/10)
If there is a second federal stimulus, Plymouth County and Le Mars are lined up for a piece of the pie. Local planners found out last Thursday that, should the U.S. government approve a second stimulus bill, the Plymouth County roads department may receive $900,000 and the City of Le Mars $450,000 for road projects...

Gehlen kindergarten, TK round up dates set (01/25/10)
Plans are underway at Gehlen Catholic School to welcome the classes of 2023 and 2024. Catholic and non-Catholic parents of children who will be 5 years old by December 31, 2010, are invited to an information meeting on from 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, February 23 in the Gehlen Library...

Kissinger parents, teachers bring concerns to LCS board (01/22/10)
More than 80 people, including Kissinger Elementary parents, teachers and community members attended a public meeting on elementary class reduction Thursday at the school in Merrill. They addressed the Le Mars Community Schools Board of Education with comments, concerns and questions as they stressed the importance of keeping Kissinger Elementary open in their town...

Practice, practice, practice for LCS large group speech students (01/21/10)
The winter weather has not been kind to Le Mars Community High School's large group speech students. "Given the number of times we've had to cancel for weather, I feel the kids have come through wonderfully, stepping up and practicing outside of our time together," large group speech coach Erin Ohrlund explained...

Adults play BINGO, win prizes for library reading challenge (01/21/10)
BINGO: that's the name of the game for the second annual Adult Winter Reading Challenge, which begins Monday, Jan. 25 at the Le Mars Public Library. The challenge, which ends on March 28, is open to ages 18 and older. "We wanted to provide a challenge for people during the winter; we wanted to have them do something they don't normally do," said Sue Kroesche, Director of the Le Mars Public Library...

Public questions board about changes for elementary schools (01/19/10)
Approximately 60 people listened as Le Mars Community Schools administrators laid out information on the plan to cut a section of kindergarten, first and second grades for the 2010-11 school year. Currently, there are eight sections of those three grades. In the past two years, a section of third, fourth and fifth grades have been cut at Clark Elementary, with those students now attending Franklin and Kluckhohn Elementary Schools...

Pratt wins Ice Cream Days logo contest (01/19/10)
This year's Ice Cream Days logo winner is Gehlen Catholic freshman, Catherine Pratt. Catherine, the oldest daughter of Kevin and Ruth Pratt, of Le Mars, wanted to create a design for this year's logo of ice cream products other than cones or cups. She chose ice cream novelties...

Locals urge legislators to watch medical, school bills (01/18/10)
Plymouth County residents concerned with proposed Iowa laws impacting everything from school dollars to anesthesiology in rural hospitals spent Saturday morning bringing questions before the local legislators. At the Le Mars Public Library, Republicans Sen. Randy Feenstra and Rep. Chuck Soderberg held their first public forum of the year, outlining the beginning of the legislative session and hearing citizens' concerns...

Iowa students must give CPR to graduate (01/15/10)
Freshmen at Le Mars Community High School are learning how to save lives -- skills students across the state are now required to master to graduate. That mandate was handed down last year by the Iowa Legislature as part of the Healthy Kids Act. The requirement is effective for the graduating class of 2012...

Grade school students discover culture through music (01/15/10)
Thursday, Le Mars Community Schools elementary students listened to Lauren Pelon, of Red Wing, Minn., as she played a variety of musical sounds from many countries and cultures. Pelon's collection ranges from the ancient bone flute, gemshorn and lyre to a modern electric wind instrument and vocal processor...

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