G-R Happenings January 2012

G-R Happenings    

Happy 2012!

One of the things that is going on this time of year is calendar development for the next school year.  Over the past couple of years the four schools associated with the Western Outreach Center, WOC, have worked to have similar calendars.  Looking at the 12-13 school year, we believe it’s time to commit to a virtually common calendar for all four districts.  This is necessitated through the sharing of instructors at the WOC and between districts; G-R shares an English teacher, Miss Wagner, with Grundy Center.  Currently classes at the WOC are held based on the teacher’s schedule.  So, students from the other schools might need to attend even when their school doesn’t have classes that day.  And, students might not have class, because their teacher is at in-service, or on a break, when their school is in session.  A truly common calendar would eliminate these issues.

Another benefit of a common calendar is the ability for our staffs to collaborate during professional development time.  This would be especially helpful for high school teachers.  Currently our districts have one, or two teachers in any given curricular area, by having common professional development days it creates the opportunity for four to eight teachers of the same subject to collaborate on lessons.  It would also give us the ability to pool our resources in bringing in training for our staffs.  The North Iowa Cedar League has had a common professional development day for several years and teachers report a great benefit in the time to work with their peers from other districts, but once a year isn’t enough to get the maximum benefit.

Currently the districts are looking at a calendar very similar to our current one for the 12-13 school year.  The superintendents will be meeting in the near future to work at finalizing a proposal to take to our boards.  One thing we’ll be considering is moving the start date back to after the State Fair.  In order to accomplish that we would need to move graduation back to Memorial Day weekend, and/or shorten/eliminate Spring Break.

In the 13-14 school year we are considering a different format for our calendar.  The draft we are working off of at this point starts on August 28, 2013.  First trimester would end on November 22^nd, with the week of Thanksgiving being a break.  Christmas break would be December 23rd-January 3^rd.  Second Trimester would end on March 7^th, with Spring break March 10^th-14^th.  The Third Trimester would then on June 11^th, graduation would be June 8^th.  The thinking behind this calendar is that it would provide some breaks at the end of each trimester for students and staff to recharge prior to the next round of classes, as well as shorten the break over the summer to some extent, when we see significant decline in academic skills for many kids.  There would be some professional development time built into the breaks for teachers to work collaboratively between districts throughout the year.

I welcome feedback from patrons on the start and end dates for the 11-12 school year, as well as the possibility of a different calendar in 13-14.  Please feel free to email your thoughts to me at:  tim.kuehl@gr-rebels.net, or call me at:  319-345-2712.

Sincerely,

Tim Kuehl, Superintendent

January - February K-8 Newsletter

Gladbrook – Reinbeck K-8 Newsletter

January and February 2012

Gladbrook Campus News – Mr. Parker

Happy Holidays!  It seemed strange as I typed the date above to put in the year 2012.  That we are passing into another New Year gives us reason to look back and ahead to the many things we have to be thankful for. 

Thank you to everyone that came out December 5^th for the Winter Concert.  The students were amazing, the show was outstanding, and the crowd was fantastic.  We have very skilled students that took direction well from our talented music department teachers, and are supported at home and school from very involved parents, grandparents, and friends.  We also appreciate the support you gave the Book Fair held in conjunction with the concert.  While many Christmas gifts were purchased for December 25^th, the support you gave also added books to the classrooms and library here in Gladbrook.  Thank you all for the support of our school programs.

I was watching a conversation with Derek Jeter the other day and he talked about growing up, and how his parents had his siblings and him sign a contract at the beginning of each school year with the expectations for grades and behaviors at school all laid out.  It stated that it helped him later in his life to set guidelines and establish goals.  While the contract idea is a little different, the point is that he became the person he is now because of the help he received from his parents and what they saw was important.

We are quickly approaching the end of the second quarter and first semester of school.  Report cards will be sent home on January 13^th.   Most students are in a routine and are working hard to do their best.  There are still a few students that could step up and work better.  We are very fortunate to have students here at GR that are Great kids.  Please continue to work with your child and establish those guidelines and expectations that are needed to help your child be successful.  

From all of the staff and students at the Gladbrook campus, may you all have a safe and happy Holiday Season!

Reinbeck Campus News – Mr. Kuehl

It has been a fun and productive first part of the year, although it isn’t quite technically the midpoint, it always seems to be the halfway mark for the school year.  It is amazing to look at all the quality learning taking place in our classrooms, whatever building your child happens to attend.  Students are using technology in ways that I wouldn’t have dreamed of, even a year or two ago.  The staff is demonstrating a strong commitment to helping each child grow in their academic, social, and emotional knowledge.  Thank you to our parents and community for all the support they give to our students and staff.

As we move past the excitement of the Holidays and into January, February, and March, we often hit a lull in the excitement each year.  Your support in keeping your child motivated and working hard at school is much appreciated.  Teachers and staff will also be working to keep the students engaged and challenged by exciting opportunities in class.

Please travel safely over the Holidays and enjoy this special time of year with family and friends.  I’m looking forward to a great 2012!

End of December/ January/February Calendar of Events

Dec. 22                        Teacher In-service, early dismissal 12:35/12:45

Dec. 23 /Jan. 2             Happy Holidays: No School

Jan.    3                        School Day:  Classes resume

Jan.    5                        JH WR @ Denver

Jan.    6                        End of 2^nd Quarter and 1^st Semester for MS and Elementary

                                    JH BB vs DNH : Boys @ GB; Girls @ Dike

Jan.    9                        District Advisory Committee Meeting in RB @ 7:00 pm

Jan.  10                        JH BB vs West Marshall: Girls @ GB; Boys @ State Center

Jan.  12                        JH WR @ Hudson

                                    JH BB vs AGWSR: Girls @ GB; Boys @ Wellsburg

Jan.  13                        Elementary and Middle School Report Cards go home

Jan.  16                        No School (Possible Snow Make-up)

Jan.  17                        JH BB vs. BCLUW: Boys @ GB; Girls @ Union

                                    K-2 Midyear DIBELS Testing this week

Jan.  19                        JH BB vs S. Hardin: Boys @ GB; Girls @ Hubbard

Jan.  20                        JH Wr @ Dike -NH

Jan.  23                        IMPACT/PTO Meeting in RB @ 7:00 pm

Jan.  24                        JH BB vs East Marshall: Girls @ GB; Boys @ Gilman

Jan.  26                        JH WR @ Wapsie Valley

Jan.  30                        JH BB vs A-P: Girls @ GB; Boys @ Aplington

Feb.   1                        Teacher In-service: Early Dismissal 12:35/12:45

Feb.   2                        JH WR @ RB  4:15

Feb. 10                        Midterm for Middle School – 3^rd Quarter

Feb. 20                        No School (Possible Snow Make-up)

Feb. 27                        IMPACT/PTO Meeting in GB  @ 7:00 pm

G-R Happenings, 11-21-11

G-R Happenings

Technology:

G-R has made a commitment to equipping our staff and students with modern technology in order to improve instruction and prepare our students for success after their academic careers here.  Take some time and visit with your student about how they are utilizing technology in school.  Our students use a variety of technological resources, including desktop computers, laptop computers, iPads, and iPods.  I’m not going to attempt to list the software and websites that are utilized by our students, but that would be a good topic to visit with your student about. 

We are also working to utilize technology in communicating with parents, alumni, and patrons.  Hopefully you are aware of my blog, the link is at the bottom right of the G-R website.  Parents of middle and high school students have access to their students academic progress via JMC.  Some newer items on our website include a Twitter feed along the right hand side, and a G-R Facebook page.  The Facebook page is being maintained by the Student Technology Committee at the high school.  We’re hoping this will be an effective way parents, patrons, and alumni to stay in touch with G-R.  I invite you to check these items out at www.g-r.k12.ia.us.

Cedar Valley West:

Last spring a group of about 40 people, 10 each from Gladbrook-Reinbeck, Aplington-Parkersburg, Grundy Center, and Dike-New Hartford had their first meeting.  Two primary goal areas came forth from that meeting.  The first is to establish a productive school-to-work program for students of the districts.  The goal is to create the opportunity for seniors to explore careers by working with an area business.   The students will work for either a half, or whole day for up to 12 weeks.  This program is being piloted currently and a full-scale rollout is planned for the 12-13 school year. 

The second goal is to gain regional recognition for our area.  The Cedar Valley West, CVW, name came from this work.  A sub-committee is working on marketing our four districts and the communities that comprise them.  We believe we live in a fantastic area to work, live, and raise a family.  We will be working to make sure that people coming to the area hear about us too.

Unspent Balance:

The graph above shows the Unspent Balance history for G-R and the estimated unspent balance at the end of this year, FY 12.  As you can see the Board’s diligent work to keep expenses in line with revenues has paid off over the last few years.  But, we will need to remain fiscally conservative in order to maintain a reasonable unspent balance.  The district will continue to monitor class sizes K-8 and course enrollment 9-12 to ensure efficiency in staffing.  Maintaining an unspent balance of approximately $1 million leaves the district in a strong position in the event of another across the board cut from the State level, or in case of an emergency need within the district.

Enrollment:

District revenues in Iowa are driven primarily by student population.  The above graph represents the enrollment history at G-R, down 228.4 students, on the certified enrollment, over that time period.  The loss of 19 students for the FY 13 budget represents a loss of approximately $114,000.  For this reason the district will need to continue to work to control expenditures.  I anticipate our enrollment stabilizing at about 580 students.  At the current level of funding, about $6,000/student, the drop of 48 students, 628 to 580, represents an additional $288,000 in lost revenues over the next two years.

So, how is G-R doing?  I can honestly say I’m more confident in the long-term future of G-R than I have ever been.  While we will need to continue to be frugal, we are in a stronger financial position than we have been in a number of years.  Our students are receiving a truly great education.  The G-R staff is committed to working with each child to achieve academic and personal success.  Our Board has shown a commitment to fiscal responsibility, and to offering our students the resources for an exemplary educational experience.  While these are challenging times in education and for G-R, they are truly exciting times!

Educationally yours,

Tim Kuehl, Superintendent

The Iowa Blue Print

The following response is from Dr. Trace Pickering.  While not my writing, it is very informed and thoughtful.  I hope it sparks some thought for you and would welcome your comments.  In the link click on "Response to Blueprint", it will open a pdf file.

Tim

Dr. Pickering's Response

November Newsletter

Gladbrook – Reinbeck Community Schools

K-8 Newsletter for November and December 2011

Gladbrook Campus News – Mr. Parker

We begin our newsletter this time with some sad news as we are saying good-bye to Carla Goettsch.  Mrs. Goettsch has been the secretary here in Gladbrook for over eleven years.  She is leaving us to take a job in the Marshalltown School District.  We would all like to wish Carla well in her new position and thank her for the many years of dedicated service to the GR School District.

In the same respect, we would like to welcome Brooke Mahr.  Mrs. Mahr will be joining the district as the secretary in the Gladbrook building replacing Mrs. Goettsch.  She has been in working this past week with Carla learning the various aspects of her new position.   Mrs. Mahr and her family live in Lincoln.  Pictured above, Mrs. Goettsch is helping Mrs. Mahr learn the system and how she has done things to keep things running smoothly.

The first quarter has come to an end and we would like to thank all the parents that came to Parent-Teacher Conferences, or are still meeting with teachers about their children because they could not get in during scheduled times.  It is through these face-to-face meetings that we can share with you what we see and maybe gain some insight into what really works with your child.  Grades are a piece of the puzzle, but there is so much more we need to know to be able to work successfully with the students.  Since I mentioned grades, we had 103 middle school students make the A or B Honor Roll this first quarter.  Great job students on your hard work!

Technology, Technology, Technology:  If you haven’t heard from your child, or seen for yourself, we are very actively involved in the use of technology in our teaching, both at the elementary and middle school levels.  In the elementary level, students use computers and IPADS for both reading and math.  In the middle school, we have students using presentation software, making pod casts, submitting schoolwork and journaling through their district emails.  We are also using the computer labs and laptop labs for working on our math skills and researching materials for projects in class.  We are trying to move from so much paper and pens work to be more productive and less repetitive.  The best part is going from the teachers using technology to teach, to having the students using the technology to learn. 

We just finished MAP testing and right around the corner we are staring the Iowa Assessments, formerly known as the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.  The kids worked really hard during MAP testing I really just us an honest effort.  We have been working to improve student skills in the areas of reading and math during homeroom time and hope that what we have done will show when we take the Iowa Assessments in early November.

Last year we challenged the students to do their very best on the ITBS and they really responded.  It takes two years of improvement to get off the school in Need of Assistance List and we accomplished meeting the goal last year in reading, our first area of concern.  With the target for improvement rising each year, this was an amazing accomplishment.  If we can meet the goal again this year, we can accomplish something very few schools have done – reverse the trend and be removed from the SINA list in reading.  If we do it, it will be cause for a celebration!

We found out this year that one of our subgroups in math is now listed on SINA, so we will have to also raise the flag and move to improve that area also.  It can be done and we have the kids that can do it and aren’t afraid of the challenge.  Right now all we can do is continue to ask our students to give us their best and let the scores reflect our progress. 

The K-2 students went up to Reinbeck and heard renowned author “Buck Wilder.”  Buck kept the students enthralled with the stories he wrote and told about nature.  Several of the students took the opportunity they had to purchase his books and are preparing to read them now.  It was an awesome presentation and we would like to thank the Hardy Reading Council, IMPACT, and the PTO for giving our students the chance to hear him speak.

While throwing out Thank Yous, we would like to thank the many members of the Lincoln and Gladbrook Fire Departments that came to the Gladbrook building during Fire Safety Week and worked with the students.  Our volunteer fire departments are very dedicated and give a lot to our communities, so please thank them for sharing their time with your child/children.

Reinbeck Elementary News:  Mr. Kuehl

I would also like to thank the Reinbeck Fire Department for coming and presenting to our students during fire safety week.  Along with the presentation to all K-4 students, the fire truck ride for the kindergarteners is a big hit each year.  The service of our fire fighters throughout the district is much appreciated and the presentation to our students is much appreciated.

Buck Wilder’s presentation to the kids was entertaining and informative.  The students had the opportunity to purchase books and have Buck sign them.  It was an exciting time.  I encourage parents to take some time to read a book or two with their children.  The Buck Wilder series is available in the school library for check out by all students.

I would like to thank the family of Julie Knaack for the generous donation they are making to the G-R music department.  The money will be used to purchase instruments for the elementary music students use in music class. 

Our students and staff continue to work and have fun learning each day.  The classes are utilizing technology in the rooms in more and more ways.  Students are using iPads, iPods, laptop computers, as well as the computer lab to help with their learning.  Please take some time to visit with your child about how they are using technology in their learning.  We have some really exciting things going on in our classrooms!

The Reinbeck Elementary music program will be held on December 12, in the high school gymnasium.  The concerts are a great time for our kids to showcase their talents and hard work.  The large crowd that comes for these events is much appreciated and a great show of support for our students.

Parent-Teacher Conferences wrap up on October 27.  If you were unable to attend, your child’s teacher will be contacting you to reschedule, or conference over the phone if another time can’t be established.

Students recently completed the MAP testing and will have the Iowa Assessments coming up the week of November 7.  While these tests are a snap-shot of our students’ performance, they are a critical component of how our school is judged by the State.  We will be working to ensure that the tests give the most accurate picture of our students’ achievement.  Your support and encouragement of your students is appreciated, as always.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s education/school experience, please contact your child’s teacher, or me.  By working together we can ensure a positive experience and success for each of our students.

Sincerely,

Mr. Kuehl

Events for November and December 2011

Nov.  7             ITBS testing begins

                        Advisory Committee Meeting  @ GB  7:00 pm

Nov. 14           JH Wrestling and Basketball practice begins

                        School Board Meeting @ RB  6:30 pm

Nov. 23           NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

Nov. 28           Middle School 2nd qtr. Midterm

                        JHWR @ Hudson

Dec.   1            JHBB: Boys @ S. Hardin (Hubbard); Girls @ GB

Dec.   2            JHWR @ N. Tama (Traer)

Dec.   5            Gladbrook Campus Winter Concert

                        K-2 & 5-6 @ 6:30: JH @ 7:30 pm

Dec.   7            12:35/12:45 Early Dismissal; for Teacher In-service

Dec.   8            JHBB: Girls @ East Marshall (Gilman); Boys @ GB

Dec.   9            JHWR @DNH (New Hartford)

Dec. 12            RB Elementary Winter Concert 7:00 pm

Dec. 13            JHBB: Boys @ BCLUW (Union); Girls @ GB

Dec. 15            JHWR @ SH/BCLUW (Eldora)

                        JHBB: Girls @ Grundy Center; Boys @ GB

                        School Board Meeting @ GB

Dec. 19            JHBB: Girls @ GMG (Garwin); Boys @ GB

Dec. 20            High School Winter Concert 7:30 pm

Dec. 22            12:35/12:45 Early Dismissal; for Teacher In-service

                        Students begin Christmas Vacation

Jan.   3             Classes Resume – Welcome back and Happy New Year!

We've Got To Be That Light

Here's a cool music video that reminds us that education is not just about test scores.  School/learning should be "fun", for both students and teachers.

National Test is a Flawed Measure of Iowa Students

I find this article interesting.  It has some little publicized facts about the development of the NAEP assessments that are used to judge schools across the nation.

Des Moines Register Article

Iowa, Did you know?

July 25, 2011 G-R Happenings

 

G-R Happenings

Start of the 11-12 School Year:

Families will be receiving registration packets in the mail the week of July 25.  If you don’t receive a packet, or have any questions, please call the district office at 319-345-2712.

Third grade orientation will be on August 15 at 6:00 p.m. in Reinbeck Elementary.  We are running it separate from Open House in the hopes of reducing conflicts for families. 

Open house for all buildings will be August 16 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

• Orientation for fifth graders will be at 6:00 p.m. at the middle school that evening. 
• Freshman orientation at the high school that evening will be from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• The 1:1 Initiative kickoff at 7:00 p.m. in the high school gym.

The first day back to school will be August 17^th.  I’m excited for the start of the new school year.

Budget:

A few critical budget numbers:

Unspent Balance:              FY 11:  $1,112,061                                    FY 12:  $866,276 (estimated)

Tax Rate:                          FY 11: 13.59115                                    FY 12: 12.14356

Enrollment:                        FY 11:  668.7                                                FY 12:  647.7 (estimated)

The Board has worked diligently to increase the district’s unspent balance (extra spending authority) over the past three years.  We’re pleased to say that it has grown to an estimated $1,112,061 on June 30, 2011.  We anticipate cutting into it during FY 12.  We will need to seek out spending cuts and revenue sources moving forward in order to maintain the unspent balance in the future.

The tax rate will be going down significantly in FY 12.  This is due to several factors.  First of all our property valuations have increased, thereby reducing the rate needed to generate the required dollars for the school budget.  Also, the district had increased its cash reserve levy for FY 11 in order to compensate for the across the board cut we endured, as well as the under funding built into the FY 11 budget.  We are now able to lower the cash reserve levy in FY 12, reducing the property tax rate.  The district has also lessened the rate for Drop Out Prevention Modified Allowable Growth.  This also lowers the property tax rate.

Enrollment is the single biggest factor in school budgets.  G-R has been dealing with a declining enrollment for a number of years and will continue to do so for at least two more years.  We will have graduating classes in the mid sixties in 2011 and 2012.  At the same time we are bringing in kindergarten classes of around forty students.  Each student generates about $6,000 in funding for the district.   So, if our enrollment is down 25 students, our revenue will be down about $150,000.

The district has addressed this problem through staff reductions and by controlling expenses.  We have also worked to maximize our supplemental weighting.  G-R receives supplemental weighting for sharing a transportation director with Grundy Center and for the dual-enrollment courses offered to high school students.  This year G-R was credited with approximately 30 students due to supplemental weighting.

Summer Projects:

It’s busy as usual around the buildings this summer.  The custodial is completing the usual cleaning, painting, waxing, etc. that happens each summer in preparation for the new school year.

There are some additional projects going on in our buildings too. 

• A new boiler system is being installed at the Gladbrook Campus. 
• New wiring for the computer network is being installed at the Gladbrook Campus. 
• New carpeting was installed in the third and fourth grade classrooms at Reinbeck Elementary. 
• New fluorescent lighting is being installed in the Reinbeck Elementary gym/lunch room. 
• Sidewalks are being replaced at the Gladbrook Campus and the High School.
• New computers for High School students, K-8 teaching staff, Middle School mobile labs, and elementary mobile lab are being imaged and set up.

If you have questions about the information presented here, please contact me.  Office phone:  319-345-2712, email: tkuehl@g-r.k12.ia.us

Educationally yours,

Tim Kuehl, Superintendent

Motivation!?

The following video gives educators some serious reason to consider how we motivate students to be "thinkers".  

 

 

Miss Erickson's Tech Tips Site

Great resource!

21 Things that will be Obsolete by 2020

Article here.

1:1 Article-"A Talk to Parents: Why laptops?

Article Here

Final 10-11 K-8 Newsletter

 Gladbrook – Reinbeck K-8 Newsletter

Remainder of the School Year - Late April through May 2011

Gladbrook Campus News – Mr. Parker

Well, the robins that came back have now had their tail feathers dusted
with snow three times which is supposed to signal the arrival of spring. Tulips
and daffodils are up and open so hopefully the arrival of some nice weather
should be at hand.

A Very Important Announcement: Next Tues., April 26 from approximately
12:15 until the end of the school day, the Gladbrook campus will be without any
network services due to maintenance work that needs to be done in the building.
This means that we will have no Internet and email services for the afternoon.
We will have to rely on the old standard, the telephone, if you have messages for
your child. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Thank you to everyone that attended Parent-Teacher Conferences. As
usual the elementary grades had outstanding attendance (100%) while at the
middle school about 72% of the parents came. I know that with JMC it is easy to
keep up with your child’s grades, but there is still that information gained when
parents and teachers talk that we really miss when people don’t come in to
conferences. WE appreciate the effort of all the parents that came or contacted
teachers.

Kindergarten Welcome was held early in April as we prepare for next year.
We had 16 students attend Welcome this spring in Gladbrook. On May 11, we
will be aging all the grades K-7 and running them through what we expect next
year to look like. Informational notes with more details on the day will be
coming home with the students as we get closer to May 11.

Mrs. Weber has been working with the 8th grade students on their four–
year plans laying out an idea of their journey through high school. Mr.
Teckenberg and Mr. Reisner will come to the Gladbrook building on May 6 to
visit with the 8th graders about what they can look forward to next year and the
options that they will have for classes in high school. Mrs. Weber will be sending
home information with the 8th grade about I Have A Plan Iowa. The parents of
8th grade students will be invited to create an account in I Have A Plan Iowa.
I Have A Plan Iowa is the web portal used by the 8th grade students in Careers
class. By creating an account in I Have A Plan Iowa parents will be able to
view and approve their child's 4-Year Plan for coursework in high school.

The month of May will be a very busy month. Please look at the calendar
of events for concert dates, track meets, field day, awards programs, and believe
it or not, the last day of school. It seems like it has been a long time since we
actually got out on the originally scheduled day.

Reinbeck Elementary News – Mr. Kuehl

Parent-teacher conferences and Kindergarten Welcome were both recent
successes. As Mr. Parker said above, thank you for attending. The importance of
school and home working collaboratively on our students’ development cannot
be overstated.

Several fun, learning activities are scheduled during these last few weeks of
school. On May 11 students will spend the morning in their grade for next
year. This opportunity helps students to feel familiar with the teachers and
activities for next year. It’s especially helpful for third and fifth graders as they
transition between buildings. On a related note, we’re planning a parent
orientation night for third grade parents next fall on August 15. This
evening is intended to ensure that parents understand how third grade looks with
all the students at one site, allow parents the opportunity to meet one another,
and answer any questions parents might have.

On May 19 and 20 our fourth grade students will be attending 4th Grade
Camp. This is a much anticipated, overnight trip. A parent meeting was held
recently, but Miss Erickson can answer any questions you might still have. This
trip should be a highlight of the year for our fourth graders.
On May 26 the students will be participating in the Track and Field day at
Reinbeck Elementary. This is a great time for kids to socialize, exercise, and have
a great experience.

The Reinbeck Elementary staff is also planning an awards ceremony and
talent show, with the date to be determined. Check the classroom newsletters for
the date in the near future.

It’s been a fantastic year at Reinbeck Elementary and the G-R Schools in
general. I’d like to express my thanks to parents, students, and staff for the work
and positive attitude they put into our children’s educational experience.

Upcoming Events:
Apr 21 4th Quarter Midterm: Grades due April 26
Apr 22 No School – Good Friday
Apr 25 School in Session – Snow Make Up Day
Apr 26 JHTTR - G-R Relays (H) @ Conrad 4:15 pm
Apr 27 Spring Map Testing Ends
May 02 IMPACT/PTO Meeting in RB at 7:00
May 03 National Teacher Day
3rd Grade to Farm Safety Day in Grundy Center
1st Grade to Grime’s Farm
JH Girls Track @ BCLUW Relays
May 04 Early Dismissal 12:25/12:35pm: Teacher In-service
Board Meeting/Work session at 6:30
May 06 JH Boys Track @ BCLUW Relays
May 09 JH Track – GR Relays @ Conrad 4:15 pm
May 10 Reinbeck Elementary Concert @ 7:00pm
May 11 National School Nurse Day
Run-thru for next year at Elementary and Middle School (am)
May 13 JH Track – Conference Meet @ S. Hardin (Eldora)
May 16 End-of-Year DIBELS Testing K-2
May 19 4th Grade Camp
School Board Meeting in RB
May 20 4th Grade Camp
May 23 Gladbrook Campus Music Concert
K-2 & 5th/6th @ 6:30 pm: 7 th/8 th @ 7:30 pm
May 26 Elementary Track and Field Day @ Reinbeck
K-2 in am; 3rd-4th in pm
May 27 Last Day of School for 2010-2011
Gladbrook Campus Awards Day – TBD

Gladbrook campus administrator Bill Parker is shown receiving a check from the
Monsanto Fund for $2500.00 from Jason Paper, Kevin Ficus, and local farmer
Trent Wentzien. Mr. Wentzien was the Tama County winner of the Monsanto
America's Farmers Grow Communities Program. The program recognizes
the vital role that America's farmers play in caring for the land, growing our
economy, as well as helping to grow their local communities. Mr. Wentzien
donated his winning to the Gladbrook building. The check will be used to
purchase some more IPADs and other things to be used in the building.

G-R Happenings 3-28-11

 G-R Happenings

Technology:

The G-R staff has spent a lot of time in the past two years learning about and incorporating technology into their classrooms.  The district took a huge step forward when the Board of Education approved a proposal for the district to implement a 1:1 initiative at the high school, beginning this fall.  Each student in grades 9-12 will have their own computer.  This will allow our students and teachers to better utilize technology in the classroom.  Access to information and resources will be tremendously improved, as well as the ability to dialogue electronically with teacher, classmates, students at other schools, and experts from around the world.  There are a growing numbers of schools utilizing 1:1 in Iowa.  There are about forty schools this year and over one-hundred are expected to be 1:1 in the fall of 2011.  G-R is excited to be a part of this innovative group of schools.  There will be an orientation for students and parents prior to the first day of school next fall, to explain policies and get the computers into students’ hands.

The increased use of technology is not just for high school students, however.  Along with the 1:1 laptops we will also be purchasing two mobile labs, of 25 computers each, for the Gladbrook Campus, laptops for K-8 teachers, and 30 iPad 2’s, to be used in the K-4 classrooms.  These machines, along with the mobile lab currently at the high school, the desktop lab, currently at the high school, and the K-8 teacher machines will tremendously increase the connectivity of G-R students in grades K-12.

The new machines will be purchased on a four-year lease to own plan.  The costs of the machines will be paid from the State Penny (SILO) fund. 

There is information on 1:1 on my blog, you can find the link at:  www.g-r.k12.ia.us, Mr. Kuehl’s Blog in the lower right hand corner.

Budget:

The budget hearing for Fiscal Year 2012 (FY 12), ending June 30, 2012, school year will be held on April 6^th at 6:30 p.m. in Gladbrook.  A few critical numbers:

Unspent Balance:              FY 11:  $1,112,061                               FY 12:  $866,276

Tax Rate:                          FY 11: 13.59115                                    FY 12: 12.14595

Enrollment:                        FY 11:  668.7                                       FY 12:  647.7

The Board has worked diligently to increase the districts unspent balance (extra spending authority) over the past three years.  We’re pleased to say that it has grown to an estimated $1,112,061 on June 30, 2011.  We anticipate cutting into it during FY 12.  We will need to seek out spending cuts and revenue sources moving forward in order to maintain the unspent balance in the future.

The tax rate will be going down significantly in FY 12.  This is due to several factors.  First of all our property valuations have increased, thereby reducing the rate needed to generate the required dollars for the school budget.  Also, the district had increased its cash reserve levy for FY 11 in order to compensate for the across the board cut we endured, as well as the under funding built into the FY 11 budget.  We are now able to lower the cash reserve levy in FY 12, reducing the property tax rate.  The district has also lessened the rate for Drop Out Prevention Modified Allowable Growth.  This also lowers the property tax rate.

Enrollment is the single biggest factor in school budgets.  G-R has been dealing with a declining enrollment for a number of years and will continue to do so for at least two more years.  We will have graduating classes in the mid sixties in 2011 and 2012.  At the same time we are bringing in kindergarten classes of around forty students.  Each student generates about $6,000 in funding for the district.   So, if our enrollment is down 25 students, our revenue will be down about $150,000.

The district has addressed this problem through staff reductions and by controlling expenses.  We have also worked to maximize our supplemental weighting.  G-R receives supplemental weighting for sharing a transportation director with Grundy Center and for the dual-enrollment courses offered to high school students.  This year G-R was credited with approximately 30 students due to supplemental weighting.

Legislation:

Probably the most critical decision our legislators still need to make is setting the Allowable Growth for FY 12 and FY 13.  Allowable growth impacts the amount of funding allocated to districts on a per pupil basis.  Typically this number is established a year in advance, but FY 12 was pushed back last spring, and is still undecided this spring.  If the legislature takes no action allowable growth for FY 12 will be 0%.  On the State level this will increase property taxes, due to more districts being on the budget guarantee.  On the local level, where we are on the guarantee, a higher allowable growth will lower our tax rate.

Other interesting bills include a bill, which would change the required instruction time from 180 days to 1080 hours.  This is an interesting concept, which would provide more flexibility to schools, but would also create some challenges with staff contracts.

Another bill, of particular interest to G-R, would allow G-R, Grundy Center, A-P, and D-NH to pay a portion of the lease for the Western Outreach Center out of our Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, PPEL, funds.  Currently, only Grundy Center can, as the site is in their district.  Our students are gaining tremendous opportunities through this collaborative agreement and being able to pay the lease from PPEL over the next three years is critical.

If you have questions about the information presented here, or would like contact information for our local legislators, please contact me.  Office phone:  319-345-2712, email: tkuehl@g-r.k12.ia.us

Educationally yours,

Tim Kuehl, Superintendent

February - March K-8 Newsletter

Gladbrook – Reinbeck K-8

School Newsletter for February and March 2011

Mr. Parker’s Newsletter

Well, we avoided much of the really bad weather for a long time.  Compared to the East Coast this year and other parts of Iowa, we have still been very fortunate.  It is February already though and Phil, the groundhog, has told us spring is on its way early this year!   The beautiful day we had this past Saturday shows we can lose the white cover as quickly as it came.  This recent storm does mean that we will be having school now on February 21 and April 25.

With the huge piles of snow we have right now, I thought it would be a great time to remind people to be especially carefully while out driving the streets.  Children having fun sliding down the hills and playing on the huge piles are not always watching out for traffic.  With this being our first real winter storm this year, we need to be mindful of driving and keep our eyes open for dangerous situations.

On Friday, February 11, we will be halfway through the third quarter of the school year.  It also means that the annual basketball game between the faculty and the Middle School PE Tournament Champions is at hand.  It will be played on February 11 at 2:00 in the MS gym.  Either the staff is getting a little older or the kids are getting much better, but the past couple of years the outcome has been in doubt right down to the wire.    Come join us Friday afternoon and see if this is the year the inevitable happens!

Speaking of sports, the Middle School basketball and wrestling programs have completed a very successful year.   Coaches Keller and Mohlis (Girls BB), Luethje and Buskohl (Boys BB), and Rickert (Wrestling) have done a wonderful job in helping our student – athletes learn proper fundamentals, team play, and skills that will help them develop further as players.  Please be sure to let them know how much you appreciate their effort with the middle school students.

As hard as it is to believe, it is time to start thinking of next year already.  Kindergarten Welcome will be held the first full week of April.  The Parent Meeting will be held in each building on April 4 at 6:30 pm.  The future Kindergartners will come on Thursday, April 7, and Friday, April 8.  We will be looking to send out Kindergarten Information packets later this month.  If your Kindergarten age student is in pre-school in the district, we probably have them on the mailing list already.  If you are new to the district, or did not send your child to pre-school here, please contact Carla (641-473-2875) or Candi (319-345-2822) at the elementary office.  Remember, to be eligible for Kindergarten next school year your child must be five years old by September 15, 2011.

I am working on an article about the technology being used by the students in the classroom at the Gladbrook campus.  The term technology has so much more meaning than just the using of a computer in today’s education.  Watch for this article on the district website and area newspapers!  I think you will be amazed at what our students are doing!

Important Announcement for this summer’s Driver’s Education Students

Eighth Grade students planning to take Drivers Education class this summer need to sign up in the MS office by March 10.  There is a mandatory meeting that night from 7:00-9:00 pm with the summer Driver’s Education teachers that evening.  Reinbeck students will meet in the High School auditorium with Mrs. Doughan, and Gladbrook students will meet with Mr. Youell in the Middle School gym.   You must be 14 by June 1, and have your Learner’s Permit before classes start.  The cost is $275.00 and is payable prior to the start of class.

From Mr. Kuehl

Mr. Parker has covered a lot of the important information.  The third and fourth graders will be attending the basketball game in Gladbrook on Friday, but the K-2 have elected to stay in Reinbeck for the day.

Plans are being made for Fourth Grade Camp.  We are planning for the students to go to camp in Boone on May 19 and 20.  This is an exciting and educational trip for our students each year.  Information will be coming home about the trip in the next month or so.

Traffic in the parking lot seems to have been better of late.  Thank you for your consideration for the safety of our students and demonstrating courtesy to others using the parking area.

Our staff and students have been doing an excellent job.  Many classrooms have implemented the Daily 5 and are seeing some real benefits to this structure for literacy learning.  Technology usage has also increased with students using programs/websites for math, spelling, etc.  As we work our way through February and March we appreciate your continue support of your child’s education. 

Calendar for February, March, and early April 2011

Feb.  8                                    K-2 to Gallagher –Bluedorn

Feb.  9                                    Elementary “Be Fit” Assembly @ RB Elementary 9:00 – 10:00 am

Feb. 11                                    3^rd Quarter Midterm

                                    Faculty versus Middle School Basketball Tournament Champions 2:00 pm

Feb. 17                                    3^rd Grade to Gallagher – Bluedorn @ 10:00 am

School Board Meeting @ GB 6:30 pm

Feb. 21                                    Yes, we do have school today!

Mar.  7                                    PTO/IMPACT Meeting @ GB 7:00 pm

Mar.  8                                    Parade of Bands @ Reinbeck High School  7:00 pm

Mar. 10                                    Required Summer Driver Education Meetings

                                    RB students in RB Auditorium 7:00-9:00 pm

                                    GB students in MS gym 7:00-9:00 pm

Mar. 11                                    End of 3^rd Quarter

Mar. 14-18                  Spring Break 

Mar. 21                                    Start of 4^th Quarter

                                    Advisory Committee Meeting in GB  7:00 pm

Mar. 24                                    &th & 8^th Grade Vocal Spring Concert

Mar. 29                                    One Hour Early Dismissal (2:25 & 2:35)

Parent – Teacher Conferences 4:00 – 8:00 pm

Mar. 31                                    One Hour Early Dismissal (2:25 & 2:35)

Parent – Teacher Conferences 4:00 – 8:00 pm

Apr.   1                                    No School – P/T Conf. Comp. Day

Apr.   4                                    Kindergarten Welcome Parent Meetings @ 6:30 pm

                                    Reinbeck parents in RB Elem MPR; Gladbrook Parents in GB Elem Library

Apr.  7-8                  Kindergarten Welcome for future Kindergartners

                                    No School for this year’s Kindergartners

Iowa Future Website

The following link has some tremendous information about the transformation of schools.  I highly recommend it.

http://www.iowafuture.org/

G-R Happenings, 1-31-11 (updated)

The numbers in the chart are different than the article in the paper.  As I looked at final numbers on Unspent Balance from the Iowa Department of Management, I discovered that our unspent balance ended higher than anticipated, due to increased miscellaneous income.  I apologize for not having the final numbers in the original article.  In this case the change is a pleasant one.

G-R Happenings

Legislation impacting the funding of K-12 education and education in general has been a hot topic in the news lately.  I would like to take this opportunity to speak specifically to the impact of 0% allowable growth for FYs 12 and 13 on the G-R district.  The information I’ll be presenting deals with Spending Authority, which impacts only the General Fund, as opposed to PPEL and State Penny Sales Tax funds, which can be used exclusively for infrastructure type expenditures.  As I’ve mentioned in the past, you can think of this as a credit card limit.  It sets the maximum amount that a district can spend and is primarily driven by allowable growth, which is established by the legislature, and student enrollment.

The primary figure that I’m going to reference is “New Money”.  This is the dollar amount assigned to the change in Spending Authority from one year to the next.  In FY 11 G-R’s New Money was -$68,953.  Due to the budget guarantee and the addition “student” generated via supplementary weighting, from our increased utilization of dual enrollment courses at the high school, we will have a small amount of New Money in FY 12, regardless of Allowable Growth.  FY 12 New Money = $41,201.  Where we’ll see the impact of the low allowable growth is in future years.  The charts below will compare our projected allowable growth based on enrollment predictions and various Allowable Growth rates.

Unspent Balance is the carryover, or extra allowable growth the district has at its disposal.  This numbers are also based on a 3% increase in expenditures annually.

Impact of 0% Allowable Growth

Fiscal Year	Enrollment	Allowable Growth Rate	New Money	Unspent Balance (Projected)
FY 11	688.4	2%	-$68,953	$985,217
FY 12	679.7	0%	$41.201	$907,743
FY 13	639	0%	-$52,832	$741,973
FY 14	598	2%	-$185,335	$448,171
FY 15	578	2%	-$161,817	$181,522
FY 16	578	2%	-$89,835	-$15,248
FY 17	578	2%	$73,406	-$50,916

Maintaining 2% Allowable Growth

Fiscal Year	Enrollment	Allowable Growth Rate	New Money	Unspent Balance (Projected)
FY 11	688.4	2%	-$68,953	$985,217
FY 12	679.7	2%	$41.201	$905,564
FY 13	639	2%	$29,543	$817,398
FY 14	598	2%	-$109,081	$595,461
FY 15	578	2%	-$168,269	$318,118
FY 16	578	2%	-$93,465	$113,391
FY 17	578	2%	$76,296	$76,202

The prediction of 2% allowable growth is a conservative one.  Education organizations, Iowa Association of School Boards, and School Administrators of Iowa, advocate for a 6% Allowable Growth rate in order to maintain Iowa schools.  If the economy gets on stronger footing and we would get 4% Allowable Growth in FYs 15, 16, and 17 G-R would maintain an Unspent Balance of $160,537, never going into the negative.

So, what do we do?  School Boards and administrators around Iowa will be advocating for a positive Allowable Growth Rate.  As you might predict we are often seen as self-serving in this endeavor.  Any support that our constituents can provide is much appreciated and well received by our legislators.  Locally, the G-R administrative team and Board will continue to seek out opportunities to increase our Spending Authority and also limit expenditures.  From a staffing standpoint the district is at a point where nearly any reductions mean a loss in programming for our students.  We will continue to reduce sections at the elementary level as class sizes dictate and utilize early retirement incentives when prudent. 

I can report that through careful management of resources and by generating increased supplementary weighting through increasing dual enrollment courses and sharing a transportation director, the district has increased its Unspent Balance the last few years, from $429,745 in FY 09 to the anticipated $985,217 in FY 11.  We will almost certainly need to tap into these reserves over the next few years.  But, it is critical that we maintain a positive unspent balance.

If you have questions about the G-R general fund, how Allowable Growth impacts our budget, or would like contact information for our local legislators, please contact me.  Office phone:  319-345-2712, email: tkuehl@g-r.k12.ia.us

Educationally yours,

Tim Kuehl, Superintendent