High School Baseball

Payne escapes prison time in conviction (08/27/08)
Despite an emotional appeal from the victim and her mother in court Monday, Kyle Dean Payne will serve no prison sentence for his conviction on three crimes related to an incident in which he partially stripped an unconscious fellow Buena Vista University student, photographed himself fondling her body, and later installed the images and video on his computer...

AREA SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES PROFILED - South Clay board write-in tackles Q-and-A (08/27/08)
Three positions with the South Clay school board are up for grabs in the upcoming Sept. 9 election. Board members Amy Burkhart, Mike Hildebrand and Troy Mayland have all formally expressed an interest in retaining their positions around the South Clay board table...

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...

AREA SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES PROFILED - CC/E candidate answers questions (08/26/08)
One position with the Clay Central/Everly school board is up for grabs in the upcoming Sept. 9 election. Clay Central/Everly candidate Brad Phelps, of 209 S. Washington in Everly, is featured today. The one-term board member has filed nomination papers for another one-year term for the District 2 seat he currently holds...

Board to commit financially to SMS auditorium design study (08/23/08)
The Spencer Community Schools Board of Education will convene its monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26 in the board room of the central administrative offices, located at 23 E. Seventh St. Approval of consent items, including minutes from the July 24 and Aug. 13 board meetings, bills, student open enrollment applications, and personnel recommendations will be sought...

'Safe Routes to School' study underway (08/22/08)
Public reaction to recommendations to occur Sept. 17-18

Laboranti taking the helm of CC/E High School (08/16/08)
As soon as he begins speaking, it's easy to tell that the new Clay Central/Everly High School principal is a native of Massachusetts. Albert "Al" Laboranti's accent is a bit different than that of a native northwest Iowan's. While his desire to cultivate strong students and teachers is on-target with that of other administrators nationwide, it's Laboranti's truly motivational outlook on life, and achieving success in all areas of it, that make him so likable. His enthusiasm is catchy...

City of Spencer safe routes to school program (08/14/08)
The City Council of Spencer is committed to enabling and encouraging children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school. They aspire to make walking and bicycling to school safe and more appealing, and to facilitate the planning and development and implementation of projects that will improve safety, and reduce traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution in the vicinity of schools...

SMS auditorium talks underway (08/14/08)
As Spencer school board members, Friends of the Auditorium representatives and a Sioux City architect met Wednesday morning to broach the topic of what will be done with the auditorium area of the old Spencer Middle School at 104 E. Fourth St., they negotiated costs and responsibilities, and, in the end, reconnected as potential partners in restoring the "gem" to its original historic state and making it a better-functioning facility...

Spencer district welcomes new staff (08/13/08)
New Spencer Community School District staff met with administrators and board members Tuesday noon. They include, front row from left: Brian Sand, a Transition I teacher at Lincoln Elementary, Stephanie Anderson, a reading teacher/assistant elementary principal, and Teresa Goehring, a teacher assistant/guidance counselor at Johnson Elementary. ...

Lakeside Lab expands service for water testing (08/08/08)
By Caroline Rusk Special to the Daily Reporter Water testing in the Iowa Great Lakes region just became quicker, easier and more accessible for residents. Iowa Lakeside Laboratory and Regents Resource Center (ILLRRC) and the University Hygienic Laboratory (UHL) celebrated their new partnership to expand water quality services during a ribbon-cutting ceremony and program on Friday, Aug. ...

Pettitt birdie clinches sudden death title (08/05/08)
There were really two stories at work Sunday as the 87th Annual Northwest Am Golf Tournament entered the final 18 holes of play in the championship flight. Could Wade Pettitt and Trent Peterson continue to battle stroke-for-stroke for another round in the humid weather, with a heat index topping 100 degrees?...

New educators to greet Spencer students Aug. 19 - 20 (07/29/08)
As Spencer high school and middle school students commence the 2008-09 school year on Tuesday, Aug. 19, they'll be greeted by a handful of new teachers, including Nicole Stauffer and Amy Metcalf. Elementary students, who'll mark a day of parent-teacher conferences that day, will meet up with new teachers Stephanie Anderson, Teresa Goehring, Brian Sand, John Hansel and Laura Van Otterloo in their respective classrooms on Aug. 20th...

Ideas offered to trim district's transportation budget (07/25/08)
The Spencer school district's new transportation director presented several recommendations Thursday night aimed at trimming the district's transportation budget and combating high fuel prices. As Julie Nemmers reported to board members that Spencer's in-town bus system is often referred to locally as "a glorified taxi service," she then encouraged eliminating 16 of the over 140 bus stops within city limits...

Board to ready for 2008-09 school year Thursday (07/23/08)
Following a two-hour work session designed to review the new superintendent evaluation form, the Spencer Community Schools Board of Education will convene its monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 24 in the board room of the central administrative offices, located at 23 E. Seventh St...

Weekend poker ride nets ILCC scholarship dollars (07/22/08)
Over 200 participated in the sixth annual Iowa Lakes Foundation Scholarship poker ride. Saturday's event traversed from the college's Algona campus to its Emmetsburg, Spencer, Spirit Lake and Estherville campuses. "We raise anywhere from about $7,000 - $10,000 from this; so it's a nice fundraiser for us," said Shan Ray, Iowa Lakes Community College's executive director of institutional advancement. ...

Spencer native earns Buffett teaching award (07/15/08)
Initially, William "Bill" Scarborough believed the call notifying him that he was being honored with a prestigious teaching award was a joke. "I didn't believe it. I thought it was a joke because it's such an outstanding award for a teacher or an educator to receive," the physical education instructor at Burke High School in Omaha said of the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award for 2008 he received recently...

Around Campus (07/14/08)
Augustana College's Dean's List for the 2008 spring semester cites the academic achievements of 520 students. Full-time students with grade point averages of 3.5 or higher are eligible for the Dean's List. Among them: Elizabeth Marie Davis of Spencer...

Celebrate and remember cancer survivors at the 5th annual Relay for Life (07/10/08)
When a doctor mentions "cancer" the world seems to come to an abrupt halt. Cancer, the second leading cause of death in this country, affects individuals at all ages and has no remorse. On July 12-13, the fifth annual Dickinson County Relay for Life will join cancer survivors with supporters and community members at the Okoboji High School Track. ...

Local soldiers to return home Friday (07/10/08)
After nearly a year on a peacekeeping mission to Kosovo, local soldiers are scheduled to come home Friday. With several local members of the military set to return to the area, parents, husbands, wives and children of soldiers are looking forward to having their loved ones home again...

School board filing period begins (07/08/08)
Candidates can begin filing for open seats on their local school board, but changes in Iowa law may affect how long they stay in office. The state moved away from holding school board elections annually following legislation passed in the 2008 session. Under the new law, school board elections will be held only in Septembers of odd-numbered years...

Iowa Lakes soccer coming to Spencer (06/07/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff "When" is only half the story for local soccer fans: Starting in the fall of 2009, Iowa Lakes Community College will field mens and womens soccer programs. "Where" is a first for the college. The Lakers will play their games at the Spencer Soccer Plex, which is along 10th Avenue East near the site of the current Spencer Middle School...

Supervisors race features six candidates (05/31/08)
By Russ Mitchell Daily Reporter Staff Republicans have a choice on the ballot as the party tries to find two nominees for a pair of available seats on the Clay County Board of Supervisors. Incumbent Del Brockshus of Spencer is near the end of his fourth term. He has filed to run again...

Ambassadors thank board members for their efforts (05/29/08)
Spencer school board members Dean Mechler, Ed Ver Steeg, Barb Van Wyk and Les Zobrist, seated from left, along with Superintendent Greg Ebeling, back row far right, were appreciated Tuesday evening by members of the Spencer Ambassadors. "We're here to appreciate you for the thankless job you do," Tom Nelson told the volunteer board members. ...

One last celebration (05/27/08)
With an alarm blaring in the background, senior Abby Salton said the words that the class of 2008 had been waiting 13 years to hear one last time, "Class dismissed." Sunday afternoon, during commencement exercises in The Fieldhouse, the Spencer High School graduating class of 2008 shared a few laughs, some final tears and a resounding cheer as they launched their caps high into the air, signifying the "freedom" that only a high school graduate can understand...

Local athletes competing in Special Olympics Iowa games (05/23/08)
The Special Olympics of Iowa (SOI) will be holding its State Summer Games May 22-24 in Ames. Opening ceremonies, which commenced Thursday night in Hilton Coliseum, had Iowa State University President Gregory Geoffroy speaking, along with Special Oympics Global Messengers Tyler Leech and Shannon Hickey...

Iowa Lakes president makes Spencer stop (05/22/08)
Iowa Lakes Community College President Harold Prior said his institution's role in an emerging industry could be an economic development boost in the region. His remarks, about wind energy, came as part of a presentation Tuesday to the Clay County Board of Supervisors. Iowa Lakes has campus locations in Estherville, Spencer, Emmetsburg, Spirit Lake and Algona. Prior said he makes periodic stops to keep the region's five county boards of supervisors informed about the progress of the college...

Ruthven-Ayrshire mints 26 graduates (05/20/08)
Family members and friends joined Ruthven-Ayrshire High School faculty and administration Sunday afternoon to celebrate commencement exercises for the senior class of 2008. Twenty-six students were handed diplomas and shifted tassels -- marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives...

Meetings 5-20-08 (05/20/08)
The Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees will meet at 8 a.m., today in the conference room of the Administration Building on the Estherville campus. The board is scheduled to accept a retirement, and designate board authority to signs checks and contracts...

Iowa's Lighthouse Study: Improving student learning from the school board table (05/19/08)
What role does a school board play in improving student achievement? Spencer school board members have been exploring the answers to that question as participants in Iowa's Lighthouse Study this school year. The Lighthouse Study is the research done in Iowa that defines what school boards do in districts that have increased student achievement. Provided below are two important things that the Spencer school board is doing to have a positive effect on student learning...

Meetings 5-17-08 (05/19/08)
The Spencer City Council will hold a Committee of the Whole session at 5:15 p.m., Monday, May 19 in the conference room at City Hall. On the agenda: City Manager evaluation. --- The Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees will meet at 8 a.m., Tuesday, May 20 in the conference room of the Administration Building on the Estherville campus. The board is scheduled to accept a retirement, and designate board authority to signs checks and contracts...

Spencer school retirees to be honored this afternoon (05/14/08)
Twelve Spencer school representatives have announced their decisions to retire at the end of the 2007-08 school year. With the upcoming departures of Macrina Tesch, Betty Brennan, Becky Dettmer, Noreen Meyer, Mick Ketchum, Maggie Nicks, Alan Pierce, Joe Enderlin, Penny Goedicke, Jan Johnson, Jo Ann Merrill and Pat Morisch, the school district will lose 301 years worth of service...

Spencer instrumental music department completes three days of performances (05/09/08)
Students of the Spencer Community Schools Instrumental Music Department recently completed three days of performances and contests, which they capped off with Division I ratings. The series of concerts, tours and contests involved over 300 band students ranging grades from five through 12...

School board members 'helping students reach new heights' (05/09/08)
Volunteer school board members serve thousands of hours each year working to ensure every Iowa student receives a solid education. School Board Recognition Week, May 11-27, is an opportunity to say thanks to the more than 2,000 men and women who govern Iowa's public education system. ...

Keeping the memory of a hero alive (05/08/08)
Dayton Peters, a third grade student at Fairview Elementary in Spencer, has spent hours gazing at the 945 football, baseball and a few Star Trek trading cards he recently received from the mother of a fallen hero. Dallas Cowboys cornerback Issiac Holt, Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Tim Irwin and punter Harry Newsome, and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell rank among his favorites...

Input needed to make Spencer routes to school safer (05/06/08)
The public's help is being sought in order to accomplish a two-part goal: To get more elementary and middle school students walking and/or biking safely to and from their schools, and to identify ways to make it safer for them to get to and from their Spencer school buildings...

Around Campus (05/05/08)
Amy Lawson of Spencer is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the 2007-2008 school year. Lawson, a senior majoring in business administration, is a point guard on the women's basketball team...

Meeting 4-29 (04/29/08)
The Clay Central/Everly Community School District board of directors will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30 in the superintendent's office in Royal. Agenda items include a telephone interview with a principal candidate, a contract and field trip...

Around Campus (04/28/08)
Nolan Goeken, a graduating senior at Spencer High School, has been named one of approximately 560 semifinalists in the 2009 Presidential Scholars Program. The semifinalists were selected from more than 3,000 candidates on the basis of superior achievements, leadership qualities, personal character, and involvement in community and school activities...

D.A.R.E. role models (04/28/08)
Hello, my name is Dennis Linn. I am a member of the Clay County Sheriff's office. I am also a School Resource Officer for Clay Central-Everly and South Clay schools. I have taught D.A.R.E. at these schools for the past 15 years. During those years I have gotten to know the kids and experience what I believe each of the classroom teachers feel about their classroom students. ...

2007 Citizen of the Year Nomination Letters (04/03/08)
NOMINATION: TOM & WENDY VAN TASSEL This may be somewhat overdue, and I know it will not come close to including all they are involved in and what they have done for Spencer, but I will give it a try anyway. This nomination is actually for two of Spencer's finest and most deserving couple. ...

2007 Citizens of the Year - Tom and Wendy Van Tassell named Citizens of the Year (04/03/08)
-Pair united in their mission to help others- One child. One family. One smile at a time. The 2007 Citizen of the Year honorees, Tom and Wendy Van Tassell, have worked to improve this corner of the world since joining the Spencer community in 1997 as co-pastors of First Congregational Church...