School Athletics

Facility plan begins with look at elementaries, middle school (03/20/10)
Community residents started the process of prioritizing Spencer school district's future facility needs this week. As they attempted to preview what will be the most important facility needs through the year 2025, they focused on the system's K-8 buildings. Items such as a sixth-grade pod being built onto Spencer Middle School (SMS) and enhanced security at each of the elementary buildings ranked as tentative priorities for those attending.

Ruthven-Ayrshire still searching for CEO (03/12/10)
It's time to advertise for a superintendent to replace the retiring one. That's what Ruthven-Ayrshire (RA) school board members have decided. They'd hoped to share the services of Clay Central-Everly (CCE) Superintendent Monte Montgomery following the planned retirement of Ervin "Erv" Rowlands at the conclusion of the 2009-10 school year, but CCE board members met Monday night and unanimously voted against such an arrangement...

Celebrating Lutheran Schools Week in hats, with cake (03/06/10)
To mark the final day of Lutheran Schools Week, to honor its "For a Lifetime of Service" theme and to celebrate his 60th birthday, Principal Dewey Torkelson served birthday cake to staff and students at Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran School Friday afternoon. ...

Ruthven-Ayrshire considers sharing administrators (03/05/10)
When Ruthven-Ayrshire school board members began the process of replacing their retiring superintendent in November, they requested a lot of information from seven neighboring districts. As they've pondered hiring a full-time replacement, sharing an administrator with a neighboring district and sharing with another district further away, the board recently met with Sioux Central and Clay Central-Everly (CCE) administrators and tentatively narrowed down their decision to sharing with one of the two non-bordering school districts.. ...

Spencer preschool contingent on state funding (02/25/10)
In light of Iowa's budgetary situation this legislative session, Spencer school officials are rallying behind the scenes to make sure another preschool appears locally next year. They've also declared if state funding does not come forward they'll have a for-pay preschool in place for area 4-year-olds this fall. ...

Public's input sought on district facilities (02/25/10)
Local representatives believe the Spencer school district is in need of a new long-term facility plan. And, they're searching for a few people who'd like to offer their input on the matter. "The district needs to have a plan for how we handle our district facilities, what needs to be improved, what needs to be upgraded and for what the vision for the future with our facilities is," Superintendent Greg Ebeling told school board members Tuesday night...

Early-retirement package approved by school board (02/12/10)
As Spencer school board members approved offering a new early-retirement package to eligible teachers Thursday night, they stressed it will be a one-time offer that could help "make ends meet" if enough apply. The benefits authorized would give qualified teaching staff a severance payment of 30 percent of their 2009-10 teaching contract, to be paid in November, and single medical insurance coverage for a maximum of seven years, or until the applicant is eligible for Medicare. ...

District's dissolution plan approved overwhelmingly (02/04/10)
South Clay voters have overwhelmingly approved the questions of whether their school district should be dissolved and how its territory, assets and liabilities should be distributed among neighboring schools posed to them on a paper ballot this week.

South Clay constituents to vote on district's dissolution Feb. 2 (01/29/10)
South Clay Superintendent David Schulz is a bit nervous about the additional snow forecast to fall Monday. He hopes the weather will cooperate. But it's the fact that local school board elections generally don't have over 35 people turning ballots in that really makes him uncomfortable. The superintendent is hoping for a much better public turnout on Tuesday, when South Clay's 736 registered voters will be able to voice their opinions on the district's pending dissolution. ...

Girls hoops pairing released: three local teams land home games (01/23/10)
The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released its 2009-10 postseason pairings on Friday. Check out where your team is headed.

'Purple Monkeys' advise council on SMS safety issue (01/21/10)
Taken out of context, the fact that the Spencer City Council are looking to Purple Flying Monkeys to solve a perceived safety issue facing the Spencer Middle School might have residents questioning their decision at the voting booths. But during Monday night's council meeting, the "Monkeys," comprised of the middle school's female Lego League members, presented a study that demonstrated pedestrian dangers for students arriving at the middle school in the morning...

Brockshus named Flagfest Youth Ambassador (01/19/10)
Spencer High School senior Hannah Brockshus was named the 2010 Flagfest Youth Ambassador Sunday afternoon, and Carrie Cunningham and Emily Jones were named first and second alternates, respectively. The daughter of Todd and Barb Brockshus, of Fostoria, participates in individual and large group speech, Thespians, Key Club, band and soccer as a high school student. ...

Quail named essay contest winner (01/16/10)
Spencer High School sophomore Chayton Quail, the son of Joe and Anne Quail of Spencer, has been named the first-place winner in a Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest. The contest, which was sponsored by the Iowa Department of Human Rights, the Iowa Department of Civil Rights, the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and the Division on the Status of African Americans, challenged Iowa students to get involved and make a difference in their communities...

Grand opening at remodeled SMS (01/15/10)
The "familiar partners" who chose to collaborate in "unfamiliar territory" on Spencer's newest $5 million rehabilitation project officially celebrated their endeavor being completed "on time and on budget" Thursday in downtown Spencer. Those partners -- the Spencer school district, the Friends of the Auditorium group, Community Housing Initiatives (CHI) and the Spencer Area Activity Center (SAAC) -- gathered with other key participants and members of the general public to mark the grand opening of the Spencer School Apartments and the town's senior center in the former Spencer High School and Spencer Middle School building located at 104 E. Fourth St. ...

The unbreakable bond of friends (01/04/10)
Before South Clay, there was Gillett Grove Consolidated School. Four students from the former school's class of 1939 remain steadfast comrades to this day. They've also stayed avid supporters of the northwest Iowa community they grew up in. ...

Kibbie: Education to remain a priority in 2010 (12/24/09)
Sen. John "Jack" Kibbie told Spencer school board members this week that education will remain a priority in 2010. He also forewarned that state legislators will be looking at the possibility of more school districts sharing in order to save money. Incentives for them to share and discussions about more distance learning occurring will transpire this upcoming legislative session, he said Tuesday evening via a teleconference connection with board members...

Board members, legislators mull over upcoming legislative session (12/17/09)
Spencer school board members have received predictions, as well as advance warnings, from three area legislators in regard to what challenges the district's coffers and local taxpayers' wallets may expect in response to Iowa's budget shortfall and across-the-board cuts ordered by the governor. During a nighttime work session held this week, Sen. David Johnson, Reps. Royd Chambers and Mike May told the locally-elected representatives that the upcoming legislative session will probably be a "compressed situation" that will be "all about budget and very little about policy." ...

'Wow' wish list to go to SMU (12/01/09)
Spencer school board members have done as they were assigned by Spencer Municipal Utilities (SMU) board members -- and built consensus amongst themselves while compiling a wish list of potential "wow" projects. During a joint meeting between representatives from both parties on Sept. 28, Bruce Tamisiea, the gathering's facilitator, told those who'd gathered, "SMU is looking for our next what we call 'wow project.' That's something so big, so audacious that nobody thinks a town this size could take it on." ...

Dance teams gearing up for big December (12/01/09)
Fifteen Spencer Middle School girls have come together to form the Dance Force (above), while 20 young ladies from the high school, comprising "The Strutters" are preparing for their Iowa State competition on Friday at Veteran's Auditorium in Des Moines. ...

Spencer school CEO: No 'major budget reductions' anticipated this year (11/27/09)
As Spencer school board members were presented with district line item budgets from 1998-99 through this and next school year's budget estimates, they were told by the district's CEO this week that tough choices will need to be made. "But the message I want out there is we are not going to go through any major budget reductions this year," Superintendent Greg Ebeling also assured. "We are going to look at using attrition through early retirements as a possibility. But, there is not going to be any big, 'This is what we're going to do for budget cuts for the coming fiscal year.' ... A year from now, if we're in the position where we have to make reductions, we'll have plenty of time leading up to them, which will allow us to talk about the process, what we're going to do and how it's going to look."

The power of words (11/27/09)
Before dismissing for an extended Thanksgiving weekend, Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran School students divided up Wednesday morning to hear gender-specific messages from "local celebrities" about how their words can either hurt or build up other people. Devin van Holsteijn, who is pursuing music and business management courses as a Drake University freshman, relayed to the male IGLLS students, right, that he was very active and excelled as a swim team and band member while dual enrolled as a homeschooled and a Spencer High School student. ...

State cuts to create cash flow issue for Spencer schools (10/31/09)
School districts across Iowa are attempting to figure out how to deal with Gov. Chet Culver's 10 percent across-the-board cut, and what it means for their annual budgets which have already been set. Spencer residents were told this week that the diminished amount they'll be working to offset is $890,735. ...

Contested council race headlines Spencer ballot (10/31/09)
A newcomer who believes in term limits and a council member who has served the city for the past 28 years are both seeking the Spencer City Council at-large seat Tuesday as voters go to the polls. Randy Plagman and incumbent David A. Scott both met the filing deadline to appear on the Nov. 3 municipal ballot...

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...

'Precautionary' lockdown at SHS (10/30/09)
As a precautionary measure, Spencer High School students and staff members were advised to stay in their classrooms for approximately an hour Thursday afternoon. ...

Iowa football playoff pairings revealed (10/24/09)
Clay Central-Everly was the only team left standing in the local coverage area when the Iowa High School Athletic Association released the 2009 postseason football pairings late Friday night. The pairings included all potential matchups in bracket form, beginning with substate games and showing each postseason qualifier's road to "The Dome."...

School Board: CEO to speak on impact of state funding cuts (10/24/09)
When Spencer school board members meet Tuesday night, they're expected to hear insights from the district's CEO on how Gov. Chet Culver's across-the-board state cuts stand to impact the district's coffers, programs and staff. They'll also learn of a recent agreement reached between the city and the local school district on the old Spencer Middle School building. ...

OF NOTE: Postseason cross country meet called off (10/22/09)
The District/Regional Boys' and Girls' Cross Country Meet scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 22 has been postponed until 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, at the Spencer Municipal Golf Course. Due to the course being quite wet and with the forecast for more rain this afternoon, a temperature of around 40 degrees, winds at 20-25 mils per hour from the northeast, and a wind chill of 28 degrees, Roger Johnson, Spencer High School activities director announced that it was in the best interest of the student/athletes to postpone the meet until Monday.. ...

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. ...

SMU members offer advice to school board (10/01/09)

New board welcomed, $210,000 foundation gift presented (09/24/09)
Before three new board members were sworn in Tuesday night, retiring Spencer school board members David Schlichtemeier, Ed Ver Steeg and Barb Van Wyk were recognized for their years of service to the district and the community. Superintendent Greg Ebeling presented each with a plaque and then thanked the outgoing board members for their contributions...

Spencer to celebrate homecoming next week (09/22/09)
James Bond 009 will spring into action as Spencer students, residents and volunteers alike put their own spin on the fictional James Bond 007 spy character during this year's homecoming celebrations, which officially begin on Monday, Sept. 28, and last through Saturday, Oct. 3...

City, school collaboration on council agenda (09/19/09)
Sidewalks, ramps and street crossings in the area of Lincoln School would be improved as part of an effort to make walking routes safer for Spencer students. Members of the Spencer City Council will be asked to authorize a "Safe Routes to School" grant application as part of its 6:30 p.m. meeting Monday at city hall...

FAA program helping SHS students academically (09/12/09)
While some Spencer High School students were dismissed from classes an hour early Friday afternoon, others were required to stay until the normal dismissal time. Some, on their own accord, even chose to stay in the school building's classrooms until the day's final bell rang...

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 voters elect three new board members (09/10/09)
With 996 ballots cast, just over 11 percent of Spencer's total registered voters elected three new school board members Tuesday night. The men elected to serve four-year terms around the Spencer board table include: Bob Whittenburg, Bill Zinn and Dean Mechler. While Whittenburg earned 746 votes, Zinn garnered 698 and Mechler amassed 600 votes. The three men are expected to be officially seated during a Tuesday, Sept. 22, board meeting...

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...

Spencer voters elect three new board members (09/08/09)
With 996 ballots cast, Spencer voters elected three new school board members Tuesday night. The men elected to serve four-year terms around the Spencer board table include: Bob Whittenburg, Bill Zinn and Dean Mechler. While Whittenburg earned 746 votes, Zinn garnered 698 and Mechler amassed 600 votes...

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. ...

Teacher, student feedback received on draft 'religious liberty' policy (09/04/09)
***Community input to be sought on evening of Sept. 10

Nothwehr serving Denver youth, leading them to Christ (09/03/09)
Caleb Nothwehr may have majored in journalism at the University of Kansas, but he's found his calling as a mentor who shares good news. The Young Life staff member leads weekly programs at Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver where messages about Jesus are shared at the end of each session in a language that the students can understand and relate to. ...

High School Football Scores (08/29/09)
Adair-Casey 41, Farragut 8 ADM 24, Dallas Center-Grimes 14 Akron-Westfield 34, Elk Point-Jefferson, S.D. 0 Anita CAM 56, Essex 12 Ankeny 32, Waukee 29, 2OT Ankeny Christian Academy 56, Moravia 14 Aplington-Parkersburg 30, Dike-New Hartford 14 Starmont 9, East Buchanan 6...

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...

Write-ins may decide Sioux Central board seats (08/08/09)
The deadline has come and gone, but no one has offered to serve. The Sioux Central School Board has two of its five seats open in September, but no one has stepped forward to offer themselves as a candidate for either position. Announcing they would not seek re-election to the Sioux Central school board were standing board members, Kevin Ehlers and Sara Fassler. Ehlers had served three terms with the board, and Fassler was elected in the fall of 2006...

South Clay residents invited to attend public hearings (08/07/09)
Three public hearings are scheduled next week to address the South Clay school district's dissolution following the 2009-10 school year. The gatherings will serve as an opportunity for area residents to have their questions answered, as well as a chance to receive additional information about the six contiguous school districts their children and property are expected to fold into in 2010-11. ...

Clay County DARE teacher, student honored (08/01/09)
Of the several hundred DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officers in Iowa, Clay County Deputy Sheriff Dennis Linn was recently recognized as a 2009 DARE Officer of the Year by his peers during the annual Iowa DARE Conference in Altoona. Terry Dehmlow of the Denver Police Department was also named a 2009 DARE Officer of the Year...

Area school board candidates file papers (07/31/09)
The nomination papers have been filed, creating a four-person race for three seats around the Spencer school board table this fall. While Ruthven-Ayrshire currently has three people vying for three school board seats, the neighboring districts of Clay Central-Everly and South Clay will undergo a search for write-in candidates to fill positions around their board tables.

Supervisors visit with new 'Extension'regional director (07/31/09)
Cheryl Heronomous, the new Iowa State University Extension regional director, joined by Clay County Extension Council Chairperson Gary Johnson of Webb, and Clay County Extension Council member Theresa Stuben of Everly, visited with the county board of supervisors during a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday to update the elected officials on the status of their office...

South Clay dissolution process outlined for Spencer board (07/23/09)
As they look to dissolve their school district following the upcoming year, South Clay Community School District patrons have two primary factors to weigh. Those questions currently being placed before them include: Which of six contiguous districts would they most prefer their children to attend classes, and which district would they want their property and assets to transfer to...

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