Curricula

Spencer High School Drama and Music Departments present "THE MUSIC MAN" (10/31/09)
A large cast comprised of young Spencer thespians and a live orchestra ensemble bring the famous story of River City, Iowa to life on the old Spencer High School Auditorium stage for two more shows, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Showtimes will be 7:30 p.m. Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee scheduled for Sunday...

Artists invite public to tour ART sites (10/02/09)
Work by Brad Travis, like the pieces on display at Arts on Grand will be on display at his Artisans Road Trip exhibit in Spirit Lake. The upcoming Artisans Road Trip (ART) is an opportunity for public to see working artists' studios that are located in Spencer and throughout the Corridor region. ...

Iowa second in nation for highest average ACT composite score (09/11/09)
Iowa students earned the second highest average ACT score in the nation in 2009, according to results released by ACT. The average ACT composite score for Iowa students this year was 22.4, which is the same as last year. Iowa has the second highest average composite score for states testing the majority of their graduating seniors. Minnesota is again first with 22.7 out of a possible 36...

Spencer's second religious liberty draft policy (09/10/09)
Any discussion of the place of religion in public education must be grounded in the principle of religious liberty, or freedom of conscience, particularly as embodied in this nation's First Amendment to the Constitution, which states that: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or...

SMS deemed a 'school in need of assistance' (09/08/09)
"We're in a watch year situation," Superintendent Greg Ebeling informed Spencer school board members. He followed this annual yearly progress (AYP)-related news up with information about what district staff has been doing to help Spencer students improve their academic achievement levels...

Spencer's second 'religious liberty' draft policy released (09/04/09)
Spencer Superintendent Greg Ebeling admits that portions of the district's second "religious liberty" draft policy have been taken from other sources and sample policies. The second draft's author also acknowledges it still needs some wordsmithing, which is currently occurring as feedback is being received from various groups throughout the community. ...

Dance joins list of SHS offerings (08/08/09)
As camps wrap up for the summer, one will still be logging 16 hours over the course of the next two days. No, it's not football, they wrapped up their week of daily two-hour sessions on Friday. No, these campers are working through three, eight-hour days to perfect their craft, battling through sore muscles and nagging injuries just like the participants in Spencer High School's more traditional athletic camps...

Spencer to tackle religion in the public schools (07/03/09)
Is there a place for religious expression in public schools? Should history be taught to students via the Bible and texts dealing with Darwinism in a public school district's classrooms? Spencer school board members, with hoped-for input from members of the public, are planning to address issues such as these with a draft religious liberty policy currently under consideration...

Plan to address school leadership structure change (06/12/09)
Classes may have dismissed for the summer, but some Iowa school officials still find themselves working to develop and approve new leadership structures for their districts. As requested by the Department of Education, the move marks one of the first requirements for the eventual statewide implementation of the Iowa Core Curriculum. ...

Schools to see rules on nutrition, physical activity (05/30/09)
When the rules take effect in July 2010, students across Iowa will see physical fitness standards, mandatory CPR classes and healthier food choices occur in their local school buildings. The Healthy Kids Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Chet Culver one year ago, was formulated to combat obesity...

School board expected to ratify agreements reached (05/23/09)
A portion of the Spencer school board meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening will have board members contemplating approval of tentative agreements reached with the district's teachers, administrators, non-union staff members and supervisors for next school year...

Districtwide summer remodeling projects given the go ahead (05/21/09)
Spencer school board members approved specifications and called for bids on a handful of summer remodeling projects during a special meeting held Wednesday morning. The four projects include a first floor remodel at the old Spencer Middle School (SMS) building, a Spencer High School (SHS) front entry remodel, a SHS reroofing project, and a parking lot expansion and drainage improvement project at Lincoln Elementary School. ...

New SHS dance team OK'd (05/02/09)
The formation of a financially self-supported Spencer High School dance team was sanctioned this week. The Spencer school board's authorization of the new program marks a different way in which extracurricular -- and possibly academic and co-curricular -- programs within the district may function in the future...

Elliott named Panorama superintendent (04/30/09)
Spencer Assistant Superintendent Kathy Elliott has been named the new superintendent at Panorama Community School District. Following a full day of interviews with board members and different focus groups, Elliott was offered a two-year contract for next school year and the following year by Panorama board members around 9 p.m. Tuesday night.

Spencer has been preparing for implementation (04/11/09)
The Iowa Core Curriculum is designed to raise student engagement, as well as change teacher behaviors to impact student achievement, through the infusing of more challenging and meaningful content into classroom instruction. Its mandated "essential concepts and skills" in literacy, math, science, social studies and 21st century skills will all have to be included in Iowa district curriculums.

Iowa Core Curriculum: A paradigm shift in teaching, learning (04/10/09)
Per Gov. Culver signing it into law on May 1, 2008, the Iowa Core Curriculum is a set of essential concepts and skills in literacy, math, science, social studies and 21st century learning skills -- including civic literacy, financial literacy, technology literacy, health literacy and employability skills -- that all Iowa students must know by the time they graduate from high school. ...

'The Miracle Worker' opens Friday (04/02/09)
Helen Keller (Liz Taylor) reacts as her teacher, Anne Sullivan (Anna Robison) attempts to give her some food in a scene from "The Miracle Worker." Spencer High School's Drama Department, under the direction of Larry Untiet, will perform the William Gibson drama, based on the true story, three different times beginning Friday at 7:30 p.m. ...

Spencer Sixth Grade Math Bee Team headed to state (03/27/09)
On Saturday, March 21, the Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency 8 held a Sixth Grade Math Bee in Pochantas. Twelve teams participated in the Math Bee. Participants in the bee completed 5 individual tests and one team test. The Spencer team, made up of Jordan Hansen, Adam Johnson, Cameron Geyer, and Jesse Woock, tied for first place with Algona Seton. ...

School board acts on contract terminations, adopts 2009-10 budget (03/25/09)
Spencer school board members adopted the $19.3 million certified 2009-10 budget presented to them Tuesday. It is based on a 4 percent allowable growth rate and sets the overarching statutory and taxing rate limits for next school year. With some board discussion about changing the Instructional Support Levy (ISL) state income surtax from the current 4 percent to a 5 percent surtax rate next year, specifically with David Schlichtemeier's concerns about making such a move, the board approved a 5 percent ISL rate.. ...

Patrick: The woman behind the productions (03/14/09)
Nancy Patrick is what you'd call a true artist. She's not only trained vocally, she's taken piano, organ, saxophone and dance lessons. Even so, she comes by her artistic, creative ways naturally. Patrick, the eighth of 13 children born to the late Sylvester Joseph "S.J." and NaDyne Patrick, was raised to value family, church and education. The native of Mapleton still holds those priorities near and dear today...

Spencer schools proposing to not change 2009-10 tax asking (03/11/09)
Spencer school board members have previewed preliminary budget numbers for next school year and scheduled a 5:30 p.m. public hearing on Tuesday, March 24 for residents to offer their feedback on the certified budget proposed for 2009-10. A second public hearing is set for the same time and date in regard to a budget amendment proposed for this year in the categories of instruction, total support services, non-instructional programs and total other expenditures...

Beaver named new children's librarian (03/04/09)
Sarah Beth (Fuchsen) Beaver has been named the new youth services librarian at Spencer Public Library. Monday, March 23 will mark her first official day on job. The 27-year-old daughter of Tom and Marianne Fuchsen, Spencer, is a 2000 Spencer High School alumna who also graduated from the University of South Dakota at Vermillion. Beaver is currently working to complete her master's degree in library science online from the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee this December...

Board makes final budget decision (02/27/09)
With a few tears shed, a handful of harsh words exchanged and plenty of emotional public input, Spencer school board members voted to keep nine items above the cut line for 2009-10 Thursday night. At a cost of $348,176, these included an elementary classroom teacher, a vocational agriculture instructor and FFA sponsor position, the debate program, the mock trial and boys swimming programs, a high school social studies instructor, two middle school basketball coaches' salaries, a $103,593 package tied to full-time benefits for 15 teacher and library associates, and Activities Director Roger Johnson's position.. ...

Spencer administration to take hit in 2009-10 budget cuts (02/25/09)
As Spencer school board members readjusted potential items and positions they plan to reduce next school year to keep the district's general fund balance in the black during a work session held last night, two people's positions -- a maintenance person and the activities director role -- and a portion of a third person's were dropped below the cut line. The moves, which followed feedback received during a public hearing held Saturday, would put potential reductions at the $700,000 mark...

Budget cuts concern district patrons (02/24/09)
Members of the Spencer School Board now have two hours of feedback to consider as they re-stack the priorities for another difficult round of budget cuts. Spencer School District Superintendent Greg Ebeling said the district needs to reduce its budget by about $700,000 due, mostly, to continued enrollment declines. He and the Spencer School Board identified 34 areas for potential reduction in a list handed out to district patrons at a public hearing Saturday morning...

Families work to save activities (02/24/09)
Youth music programs, the local Future Farmers of America chapter, the boys swim team, debate and mock trial were identified in a list of reductions as the Spencer School District tries to shave about $700,000 from the 2009-10 budget. The district held a public hearing Saturday that drew students and their families in an effort to keep their activities off the chopping block...

School board to act on 2009-10 reductions next week (02/21/09)
The Spencer Community Schools Board of Education will convene a special meeting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24 to make adjustments to potential 2009-10 budget reduction packages following feedback received during a 10 a.m. public hearing on the matter today...

CCE students advance to State Science + Technology Fair of Iowa (02/18/09)
Did you know that of the different types of music, classical music stimulates plant growth best? Another fact: Wood shavings and leaves combust better than cattle manure and bean meal. Forty-three Clay Central-Everly (CCE) seventh and eighth grade students showcased research projects such as these they've been working on since the start of second semester Tuesday afternoon in an annual science fair held in the Royal gym. ...

SHS students qualify for All-State festival for 34th consecutive year (02/11/09)
Drama students from Spencer High School competed against 92 other schools and an estimated 2,000 students at the Northwest Iowa State Large Group Speech Contest at Spencer High School on Saturday, Feb. 7. Spencer entered 15 different groups in the areas of one-act play, choral reading, readers' theatre, musical theatre, ensemble acting, group mime, solo mime, and group improvisation. ...

Area superintendents respond to lawmaker's proposed school mergers (02/11/09)
An Iowa lawmaker wants to speed up the consolidation of school districts in the state. State Sen. Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, says he will introduce a bill to force about two-thirds of Iowa's districts to merge. He wants to target districts with fewer than 750 students, and free up tens of millions of dollars in administrative costs that could be spent on teachers and students...

CCE students: Have business, will sell product (02/07/09)
Clay Central/Everly students in Liz Kardell's Introduction to Business class are learning what it takes to run a business from the ground up. They're evaluating and re-evaluating every decision they make, as well as staying accountable to one another...

School site visits deemed 'valuable process' (01/23/09)
A recent two-day Iowa Department of Education (DE) site visit to an area school district has its superintendent confidently proclaiming: "From all indications, things went real well for us as a district." For those district representatives who do not enjoy such visits, Ruthven-Ayrshire Community School District Superintendent Ervin "Erv" Rowlands added/assured, "For other communities, as this comes up, try to be a part of it. ...

Taylor to wave Flagfest banner (01/20/09)
After being interviewed, presenting a self-expression piece and answering an impromptu question, Liz Taylor, daughter of Steve and Lori Taylor, won the hearts of the judges and was chosen from among four seeking the opportunity to serve as the 2009 Flagfest Youth Ambassador...

Residents to start tackling school budget cuts Monday (01/17/09)
The 25 "additional" budget packages being offered for consideration by community residents at 7 p.m. Monday night (See "2009-10 Spencer School Additional Budget Packages" on Page 2) total a potential $823,000 worth of staff positions and programs which could be trimmed from Spencer school district's 2009-10 budget...

'We make No Apologies!' (01/09/09)
That's the shout made by many teenagers who will be returning to the 8th Annual No Apologies events scheduled for Jan. 20 and 21. No Apologies is a program for kids that "tells the life, love, and sex." It is sponsored and organized by Cherish Center, formerly known as Shepherd's Fold, for students, parents, and teachers. ...

Dance the night away (01/06/09)
Spencer and Clay Central-Everly (CCE) high school students are invited to put their dancing shoes on for a dance set to unite the two schools' youth. The dance, which will be held Friday night from 9 p.m. until 12 a.m. Saturday at the Clay County Regional Events Center, was initiated by several Spencer High School students who broached the possibility of having a dance this time of year -- between homecoming and Valentine's Day -- with Positively Spencer Youth (PSY) representatives...

Bhutan woman tells of transition from monarchy to democracy (12/17/08)
She may miss the mountains and her national dress of Bhutan, but Tashi Ongmo, a 20-year-old visitor at the Dr. Rick and Barb Wilkerson home in rural Spencer, is still a relatively happy person. But Ongmo should be happy. Like the approximately 700,000 other residents of Bhutan, she believes in the pursuit of Gross National Happiness, the country's overarching political philosophy which seeks to balance material progress with spiritual well-being...

Four days of holiday activities begin tonight (12/04/08)
Begin the holiday season by attending an Evening Gala Premier at Parker Museum, 300 E. Third St., from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4, where you're invited for a first look at 11 holiday-decorated rooms; and wrap up the weekend with the Festival of Choirs on Sunday afternoon at Sacred Heart Catholic Church...

Middle school music department gives taste of the season (12/03/08)
The Spencer Middle School Music Department performed during its band and vocal Winter Concert Tuesday night at the middle school gym. Members of the seventh grade band (above) under the direction of Paul Jepson, performed three holiday pieces. Jepson also directed the eighth grade band; while Denise Reit directed both the seventh and eighth grade choir performances before a packed set of bleachers in the gym...

Strand teaching ag, advising FFA at SHS (11/13/08)
A reputable, former Emmetsburg agricultural education instructor has accepted the half-time role of vocational agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Spencer High School. "I enjoy what I do and I'm looking forward to doing a lot here," Jerry Strand said Wednesday afternoon in his SHS classroom...

EXECUTIVE DEAN RESIGNS AT IOWA LAKES (11/13/08)
Several new faculty members at Iowa Lakes Community College met the members of the Board of Trustees at their meeting Tuesday afternoon in Estherville; and an executive dean stepped down. The executive dean of the Estherville campus of Iowa Lakes Community College has turned in her resignation and the trustees accepted it...

Corridor working to join students, industry (11/04/08)
The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation in collaboration with area high school Industrial Technology programs is working to connect students with local business and industry. A special event to expand on these efforts will be held on Monday, Nov. 10. "Where Are the Welders?" Instructional Forum and Career Fair will be held at the Spencer High School Industrial Tech building, from 6-9 p.m., free pizza and pop will be served. Students and parents are encouraged to attend...

2008 Spencer High School Drama Department Fall Production Up the Down Staircase (11/01/08)
Up The Down Staircase describes from the inside what goes on in a large metropolitan high school. With genuine warmth and shrewd comic touches, it shows what happens when a teacher's ideals run smack against the inadequate facilities, the lack of communication, the gobbledygook and pedagese, the trivia in triplicate - all that stands in the way of good teaching...

Iowa Department of Education releases state report card (09/19/08)
The Iowa Department of Education (DE) released the state report card for No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Thursday. The report shows a change in the state's proficiency targets, which is the percent of students across the state that must be proficient in reading and math...

ILCC wind tech students may transfer to UI under agreement (09/19/08)
The University of Iowa College of Engineering and Iowa Lakes Community College of Estherville, Iowa, have signed an agreement that will allow some Iowa Lakes students to transfer to either the UI Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering or the UI Department of Mechanical Engineering, effective fall semester 2009...

SHS Drama Department recognized for set design (09/18/08)
Spencer's Drama Department is the recipient of a fourth place honorable mention award in the National Set Builders Contest, sponsored by Sceno-Graphics Set Design Co. of New Wilmington, Pa. From the hundreds of entries in the contest, Spencer's entry was among the top 16 schools in the nation...

Student assessment data reviewed (09/18/08)
Local school administrators and teachers now have data from several different types of student assessments at their fingertips, allowing them to work toward the differentiated instruction of individual students. Spencer School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) members were presented with the latest reports this week. ...

Disney-mania sure to ensue with Corbin Bleu (09/13/08)
Corbin Bleu is best known for his role as Chad in "High School Musical" alongside Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale. While HSM is what shot him to fame, Corbin won his first leading role in "Catch That Kid" opposite Kristen Stewart. He has also worked with quite the list of big name actors like Kurt Russell, Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Stiller and Hank Azaria, among others...

2008 Clay County graduates score above national average on ACTs (09/02/08)
While average scores on the ACT college entrance exam dipped slightly for the high school class of 2008 as the number of students taking the exam on the national scene jumped by 9 percent compared to last year, students' composite scores increased slightly in Iowa...

Board hears Spencer 'in need of improvements' and in a 'watch year' (08/27/08)
As Spencer school board members learned that 2007-08 marked a second year specific groups of students have either placed the district's buildings "in need of improvement" or on a "watch year" list Tuesday night, Assistant Superintendent Kathy Elliott outlined part of an answer in a new professional development focus and a new monitoring and accountability plan, both of which have taken shape in 2008-09...

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