Riverside Newsletter School/Community Sports Schedules Dawgs’ Sports Music Kindergarten Open House Movies INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Riverside Community School Mission Statement The mission of the Riverside Community School District is to prepare students to meet the challenges of the future as responsible citizens in a global society. Striving to Provide the Highest Quality Education for the Communities of Carson, Macedonia, and Oakland. Postal Patron Non-Profit US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #4 PO Box 428 Oakland, IA 51560 Volume 19, Issue 10 May 2013 Newsletter Inside: Administrators’ Reports School News School Menu 2013-2014 School Calendar * Dr. James Sutton, Superintendent 712-484-2212 Central Office *Mr. Jamie Meek, Pre-K-8 Principal 712-484-2212 Middle School 712-482-6296 Elementary School * Mr. David Gute High School Principal 712-482-6465 High School * Don Graham Transportation 712-482-6215 Bus Garage The Riverside Community School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, socioeconomic status, or disability in its educational programs and activities and does not dis- criminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, socioeco- nomic status or disability in its employment practices, or as otherwise prohibited by statute or regulation. For more information or con- cerns regarding educational programs or activities, employment practices or information regarding the grievance procedure, contact Dr. James Sutton, Equity Coordinator, Riverside Community School District, 330 Pleasant Street, PO Box 218, Carson, IA 51525, 712-484-2212. Riverside High School Community Service Day is May 1, 2013 Kindergarten Open House MAY 8, 2013 3:30-5:30 pm at Riverside Elementary Registration for the 2013-2014 will be held on July 30-July 31 at the Middle School. See the June issue of the newsletter for details. BACCALAUREATE: SUNDAY, MAY 5TH AT 7:30 PM AT CARSON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CLASS NIGHT (SENIOR AWARDS NIGHT) MAY 15 AT 7 PM IN HS AUDITORIUM! GRADUATION IS SUNDAY, MAY 19TH AT 2 PM
Transcript
Riverside
Newsletter
School/Community
Sports Schedules
Dawgs’ Sports
Music
Kindergarten Open House
Movies
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Riverside Community
School Mission
Statement
The mission of the Riverside Community School District is to prepare students to meet the challenges of the future as responsible citizens in a global
society.
Striving to Provide the Highest Quality Education
for the Communities of
Carson, Macedonia, and
Oakland.
Postal Patron
Non-Profit
US POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT #4
PO Box 428
Oakland, IA 51560
Volume 19, Issue 10
May 2013 Newsletter
Inside:
Administrators’ Reports
School News
School Menu
2013-2014 School Calendar
* Dr. James Sutton, Superintendent
712-484-2212 Central Office
*Mr. Jamie Meek, Pre-K-8 Principal
712-484-2212 Middle School
712-482-6296 Elementary School
* Mr. David Gute High School Principal
712-482-6465 High School
* Don Graham Transportation
712-482-6215 Bus Garage
The Riverside Community School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, socioeconomic status, or disability in its educational programs and activities and does not dis-criminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, socioeco-nomic status or disability in its employment practices, or as otherwise prohibited by statute or regulation. For more information or con-cerns regarding educational programs or activities, employment practices or information regarding the grievance procedure, contact Dr.
James Sutton, Equity Coordinator, Riverside Community School District, 330 Pleasant Street, PO Box 218, Carson, IA 51525, 712-484-2212.
Riverside High School Community Service Day is May 1, 2013
Kindergarten Open House MAY 8, 2013 3:30-5:30 pm at Riverside Elementary Registration for the 2013-2014 will be held on July 30-July 31
at the Middle School.
See the June issue of the
newsletter for details.
BACCALAUREATE: SUNDAY, MAY 5TH AT 7:30 PM AT CARSON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
CLASS NIGHT (SENIOR AWARDS NIGHT) MAY 15 AT 7 PM IN HS AUDITORIUM!
GRADUATION IS SUNDAY, MAY 19TH AT 2 PM
Page 2
Have you joined the
Riverside Booster Club yet?
$10 for a single membership
$15 for a couple
There’s still time!
Immunization Requirements for 7th Grade Students for 2013-2014
Riverside was informed on January 16 that the Iowa Department of Public Health is requiring a Tdap vaccine
booster for all students entering, advancing, or transferring into the 7th grade.
This immunization change will be implemented at the beginning of the upcoming 2013-2014 school year. The change will require a one-time booster dose of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis-containing vaccine for 7th grade and above students, if born on or after September 15,
2000; regardless of the interval since the last tetanus/diphtheria containing vaccine.
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a very contagious disease that causes violent coughing fits that make it hard to breathe. Whooping cough is particularly dangerous for young babies. In 2012, there were 1647 cases of pertus-sis reported to the Iowa Department of Public Health, which is 417% more persons with pertussis compared to
the average in the past five years.
All students going into the 7th grade must have proof of having the Tdap booster shot unless the student has a Certificate of Immunization Exemption. Your child may have already received the vaccine and simply needs to
provide proof to the school.
There will be no grace/extension period for the implementation of this requirement. All students will need to show proof that they have received the Tdap or have a Certificate of Immunization Exemption before school starts. (Basically what this mean is if your child does not have the shot before the first day of the school year,
they may not start school until they have the immunization.)
Now is a great time for your child to receive the Tdap vaccine and beat the back-to-school rush by making an
appointment for your incoming 7th grader. If you have any questions, contact Vicki Palmer, RN.
Can You Help?
The Child Development Class is in need of diaper bags and
infant car seats.
These are to be used in the education of the "Real Care Baby Program." and infant
car seats!!!
Contact: Mrs. Susan Bentley at the high school: 712-482-6464 or email
May is National School Board Recognition Month in Iowa
Riverside School Board Members (Row 1): Phil Reed, Murray Fenn (Vice President), Mark Beedle
(Row 2): Dan Ives, Jeff Buckingham, Greg Hansen (President), Matt Bowen
The vision of Iowa school boards is to engage the community in setting the course to guide local
education, keeping student achievement as the primary focus. They are the key advocate on behalf of students and public education and build partnerships with others to support student learning. Iowa school board members are VOLUNTEER elected officials who donate their time to school board service. Each week, Iowa school board members donate thousands of hours in
service to Iowa students.
At Riverside, board members Greg Hansen, President; Murray Fenn, Vice President; Jeff Bucking-ham; Mark Beedle; Matt Bowen; Phil Reed and Dan Ives are dedicated to the students and pa-trons of the district in making decisions that best benefit our communities. They meet at least once a month, many times more, to conduct regular business, hear presentations of accomplish-
ments by students, review policies, and make important decisions affecting our district.
Please join staff and students in thanking these men for their service to Riverside.
Four Little Bulldogs Born
Three employees of the Riverside School District have added little
Bulldogs to our community.
Chris and Alyssa Hamilton had twin girls on February 24th. Ainslee Jo weighed 4 pounds 1 ounce and Tenslee Jo weighed 4 pounds 2 ounces. Ainslee loves long walks in the stroller and lounging in her swing. Tenslee loves cruising in her car seat and listening to her Snuggle Buddy. Both girls are enjoying being home after 33 days at the Meth-
odist Women’s Center NICU. Chris is an IT Manager for the district.
Brant and Angela Miller had a baby boy on March 6th. Braxton Jacob weighed 9 pounds 12 ounces and was 23 inches long. Braxton enjoys singing and dancing with his mom, watching TV with his dad, and doing tummy time on the floor with the pups. Angela is a Special Education
teacher at the Middle School.
Luke and Joni Houser had their second baby boy on February 23rd. Lincoln Lee weighed 6 pounds 15 ounces and was 20 inches long. Lincoln enjoys listening to his big brother Mason and watching the fish swim across the screen in his crib. Joni teaches math at the High
School. Congratulations to all!
Left to Right: Joni Houser and Lincoln Lee; Chris Hamilton with
Tenslee Jo (left) and Ainslee Jo (right); Angela Miller and Braxton Jacob
SAVE THE DATE: JUNE 2, 2013
“CELEBRATE RIVERSIDE”
Watch for Details!
OAKLAND AQUATIC CENTER OPENS SATURDAY,
JUNE 1, 2013
OPEN DAILY FROM NOON UNTIL 8 PM
Page 3
National Honor Society Inducts Nine New Members
The beginning of April should have ushered in spring and the beginning of a new season. The weather may not have fulfilled this desire for a new, warmer beginning but here are Riverside High School the National Honor Society (NHS) is bringing in a new season. On Sunday April 7, the NHS inducted nine new members. These new members, along with current members, must meet rigorous criteria in order to be invited. Once inducted NHS members must continue to maintain high achievement in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service and character. Members inducted included the following students: Taylor Frain, Hannah Hummel, Paige Kallsen, Sydney Raney, Sheyenne Smith, Bailey White, Tucker Bluml, Brady
Ryun and Bailey McCready.
This special ceremony also featured student speeches from Clay Harris, Ean Patrick, Kathe-rine Bertacini and Brittany Baumfalk. These speeches showcased the exemplary spirit of our NHS mem-bers and their dedication to school and community. We also had an inspiring guest speaker - Mary Stem-pel. Her words told a tale of her own experience in NHS, and also encouraged members to take advan-
tage of their opportunity to lead and serve.
Looking onward to the next year is looking onward to a new chapter for NHS. Next year, I will be the sponsor of Riverside’s National Honor Society. Of the four pillars of NHS (scholarship, leader-ship, character and service), I believe most in the pillar of service. Coincidently, this is also my biggest
selling point. I hope to work closely with NHS members and other staff to have a stellar year!
I would also like to congratulate graduating NHS members Brittany Baumfalk, Katherine Bertacini, Katie Biggs, Rachel Faga, Rebecca Hansen, Lexi Cleaveland, Dani Turner, Clay Harris, Christian Jorgensen, Ean Patrick and Ricky Williams. I may not have had the opportunity to get to know or work
with all of you, but I know you are leaving a legacy behind. Congratulations and good luck!
It is only May, but believe it or not, August will creep up on us!!
So, mark your calendars for Donia Day’s celebration of
“School, Family, Community…We are Riverside”
Saturday, August 17th.
Donia Day will have some new events this year such as a Pancake Feed, 5K Walk/Run, 3 on 3 Basketball, and even a Dunk Tank! Some of the annual
events are back such as the Bed Races, Silent Auction, and of
course, the annual Parade. There will be many other activities going on
throughout the day! We hope to see you there!!
If you are interested in the 5K Walk/Run be on the lookout for registration forms. All of Donia Day’s activities and registration forms for the 5K and
Bed Races can be found on Macedonia’s web page:
www.macedoniaiowa.com (look for them in June!). If you have any
The Top Dawgs for April were Marissa Rose and Jake Novotny. Jake is described as a good sport and works hard on his assignments while Marissa is also described as being a hard worker and goal-oriented. Teachers men-tioned that both Marissa and Jake are always wanting to do their best as well as being respectful in their classes. A reminder that as Top Dawgs, students received Preferred Parking for the month, being first in lunch line for the month, 10 extra credit points for a test in one class and a $1.00 a la carte ticket. Congratulations and we will have one more set of Top Dawgs next
month.
The 6th grade Wax Museum will be on Friday May 10, 2013 from 1:30-3:00. Family, friends, and public are invited to attend.
Page 4
Riverside High School Activity Calendar for May, 2013*
ACT Test Dates
June 8, 2013
Register by May 3, 2013
*May 4-17 Late Fee
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
*
Schedule
subject
To
Change
1
Riverside Commu-
nity Service Day
9:00 AM
Coed Varsity Golf
@ WIC Golf Meet
2
4:00 PM C MS TR @
JH WIC Track
4:30 PM B JV SOC@
Lewis Central
5:00PM G V Soc @ Harlan
5:00PM B V TR @ Red
Oak Tiger Relays
5:00 PM G V Track @
Griswold
6:15 PM B V SOC @
Lewis Central
3
MS/HS Progress Re-
ports
State Large Group
Music Festival (1A)
4
9:00 AM
BV SOC @
Creston Tourney
9:00 AM G V SOC @
Creston Tourney
5
Baccalaureate
@
Carson
Presbyterian
Church
7:30 PM
6 Softball Practice
Starts
4:00 PM C V Golf
@ East Mills
4:00 PM C MS TR
@ MV JH Track
4:30 PM G V TR@
Tri-Center Girls
Meet
7:00 PM HS Band/
Choir Spring
Concert
7 4:00 PM G MS TR @
Griswold JH Meet
6:15PM G V SOC @
Tri-Center HS
5:30 PM B V SOC @
West Central Valley
HS
7:15 PM B JV Socc
@ West Central
Valley HS
8
1:30 PM Early
Student Dismissal
Teacher PD
9
5:00PM
Boys Regional Track Meet
Girls Regional Track Meet
10`
Boys Sectional Golf
Meet
5:00PM G V SOC
Missouri Valley HS
7:00 PM B V SOC
Missouri Valley HS
11
12
13 Girls Dist Golf
Meet
5:00 PM B V SOC
Nodaway Valley
5:00 PM G JV SOC
@ Atlantic HS
6:30 PM B JV SOC
Nodaway Valley
6:30 V G SOC
@ Atlantic
14 5:00 PM G V SOC @
Underwood HS
7:00 PM B V @
Underwood HS
15
7:00 PM
Senior Night
(Class Night)
High School
Auditorium
16
Senior’s Last Day of
School
State Track Meet
6:30PM Pre School
Graduation
17
Boys District Golf Meet
State Track Meet
18
State Track Meet
19
2:00PM
High School
Graduation
@ John Reed
Field*
* In case of
rain, HS GYM
20
1st Competition
for Softball/
Baseball
Boys Substate
Soccer Tourney
21
5:00 PM
Girls V. SOC @
St. Albert CB
22
Boys Substate
Soccer Tournament
23
Girls Regional Soccer Tourney
(1A)
6:00 PM B JV Baseball @
Woodbine
8:00 PM B V Baseball @
Woodbine
24
Last of Day School
Boys State Golf Meet
6:00 PM B JV BB @
Griswold HS
6:00PM G JV SB @
Griswold
7:45 PM G V SB @
Griswold
8:00PM B V BB @ Gris-
wold
25
Boys State Golf Meet
Boys Substate Soccer
Tourney
26
27
Memorial Day
28 Girls State Golf
Girls Regional Soccer
(1A)
6:00 PM B JV BB
Tri-Center
6:00 PM G JV SB Tri-
Center
7:45 PM G V SB Tri
Center
8:00PM B V BB
29 Girls State Golf Meet
Girls Regional Soccer
6:00PM B JV BB
Treynor
6:00PM G JV SB
Treynor
7:45 PM G V SB
Treynor
8:00 PM B V BB
Treynor
30 Boys State Soccer Tourney
6:00PM B JV BB Stanton
6:00 PM G JV SB Stanton
8:00 PM B V BB Stanton
8:00PM G V SB Stanton
31 Boys State Soccer Tourney
Girls Regional Soccer
Tourney (1A)
5:30 PM B JV BB @ Missouri
Valley
6:00 PM G JV SB @ Missouri
Valley
7:45 PM G V SB @ Missouri
Valley
8:00 PM B V BB @ Missouri
Valley
Editor’s Note: Producing the Riverside Newsletter this past year has been a privilege and a learning experi-ence. There have been mistakes and I apologize. Technology sometimes has a mind of its own which makes it frustrating. This district has amazing students who are doing amazing things and the newsletter gets to share
these events, activities, etc. with Riverside patrons.
COMMUNITY SERVICE DAY
IS
WEDNESDAY, MAY I, 2013
Varsity Riverside Boys Baseball Schedule
Day Date Opponent Place Time
Thursday May. 23 @ Woodbine Community High Woodbine High School 8:00PM
Friday May. 24 @ Griswold High School Griswold Baseball Field 8:00PM
Tuesday May. 28 Tri−Center High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Wednesday May. 29 Treynor High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Thursday May. 30 Stanton High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Friday May. 31 @ Missouri Valley High School Missouri Valley Baseball Field 8:00PM
Monday Jun. 03 Audubon High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Wednesday Jun. 05 @ Underwood High School Underwood High School 8:00PM
Thursday Jun. 06 St. Albert High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Friday Jun. 07 AHST High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Monday Jun. 10 Griswold High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Wednesday Jun. 12 @ Tri−Center High School Tri−Center Baseball Field 8:00PM
Friday Jun. 14 @ Treynor High School Treynor Baseball Field 8:00PM
Monday Jun. 24 Missouri Valley High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Tuesday Jun. 25 @ CAM CAM High School (Anita) 8:00PM
Wednesday Jun. 26 @ Audubon High School Audubon Baseball Field 8:00PM
Thursday Jun. 27 Essex Community High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Friday Jun. 28 Underwood High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Monday Jul. 01 @ AHST High School AHST High School 8:00PM
Tuesday Jul. 09 Nishnabotna RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 8:00PM
Junior Varsity Riverside Baseball Schedule
Day Date Opponent Place Time
Thursday May. 23 @ Woodbine Community High Woodbine High School 6:00PM
Friday May. 24 @ Griswold High School Griswold Baseball Field 6:00PM
Tuesday May. 28 Tri−Center High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Wednesday May. 29 Treynor High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Thursday May. 30 Stanton High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Friday May. 31 @ Missouri Valley High School Missouri Valley Baseball Field 5:30PM
Monday Jun. 03 Audubon High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Wednesday Jun. 05 @ Underwood High School Underwood High School 6:00PM
Thursday Jun. 06 St. Albert High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Friday Jun. 07 AHST High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Monday Jun. 10 Griswold High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Wednesday Jun. 12 @ Tri−Center High School Tri−Center Baseball Field 6:00PM
Friday Jun. 14 @ Treynor High School Treynor Baseball Field 6:00PM
Monday Jun. 24 Missouri Valley High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Tuesday Jun. 25 @ CAM CAM High School (Anita) 6:00PM
Wednesday Jun. 26 @ Audubon High School Audubon Baseball Field 6:00PM
Thursday Jun. 27 Essex Community High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Friday Jun. 28 Underwood High School RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Monday Jul. 01 @ AHST High School AHST High School 6:00PM
Tuesday Jul. 09 Nishnabotna RHS Baseball Field (Oakland) 6:00PM
Page 5
Save the Date: June 2, 2013 “Celebrate Riverside”
Watch for details! Save the Date: June 2, 2013!
District News
Summer Plans at Riverside
By James Sutton, Ed.D.
This may be one of the busiest summers Riverside has seen in a long time when it comes to summer maintenance projects. In addition to the usual cleaning, waxing and shampooing --- in addition to painting several rooms and/or designated areas in each building, Riverside will be looking at repairs of the heating system at the high school, of the heating and cooling system at the Carson building, and a replacement of the HVAC system at the elementary. We also have roof issues to address. At the middle school, some of the leaks are a result of deteriorat-ing windows, so we are looking at replacing some of those. Though we’ve replaced several large sections of the roof at the high school, this summer we will only address specific leaks by patching them. We do, however, want to redo the north wall of the library. We are also looking at repairing or replacing some areas of concrete. Some of the sidewalks at the elementary were addressed several years ago, and more need to be addressed this year. We are also looking at ways to make the concrete at the front entrance of the high school safer and more presentable. At the middle school, we are looking at giving the storage garage to the east a face lift. All of the buildings need new signs to designate them. With all of this, we still must do some minor remodeling at the high school to prepare for the 7th and 8th graders, and all of the buildings will need some movement of materials, furniture and technology from one build-
ing to another.
Preparing for New Staff
Riverside is currently setting up/conducting interviews for several positions that need to be filled. Mrs. White, our Title I teacher at the elementary, will be retiring as will Mr. Wax, our middle school math teacher and district’s activities director. These are people who have worked many years for Riverside and before. It has been a pleasure to work with these two individuals, and we can only hope that they will remain active in our school system in one way or another. We have also accepted resignations from Mr. Shelangouski, our middle school English and reading teacher, and Mr. Zaruba, our middle school and high school vocal teacher. Though these two individuals have worked fewer years for the district, both of their contri-butions have been considerable. We wish them all the very best as they turn a page professionally in one way or another, and we thank them for all they’ve done for Riverside and beyond.
It is immeasurable.
Some Things to Consider
E-rate for Riverside. E-rate is a federal program that has been in place for about 15+ years. It gives us a discount on things like phones and internet connections that are used for commu-nication. The discount is based on the percentage of free and reduced lunch students, so our discount percentage has gotten bigger through the years. The paperwork is pretty intense, and we have outside experts do much of it for us, but the total estimated discount for 2013-14 for everything from our webpage to the 50 Mb line that comes into the high school for our
internet is almost $29,000.
Computers for the 7th/8th Graders. We have talked recently about some options for the 7th and 8th graders and technology (something we’ve been talking about most of the year). We are considering purchasing a type of laptop called a Chromebook. It is a simplified laptop that only runs Google Chrome and its applications but the cost is only $249 per unit. It could
possibly be a good intro for the 7th and 8th graders getting ready for their laptops in 9th grade. We’ve ordered a couple to see what they are like and what the pros and cons are.
Riverside on the Watch list. We took ITBS tests last week and are already anxious to see the results. Riverside Elementary got placed on the Watch List this year because of the scores from the ITBS of our low income subgroup. We were one of 336 schools that were placed on list this year. We have addressed it with an additional person helping our students in reading and some additional attention in math. We hope that our scores on the ITBS (tests given this week) will reflect positively as a result of that. I would also mention that the watch list is exactly what it says, a watch list, the lowest level of concern by the state department --- not to minimize this in any way, but higher levels of concern include Title I SINA (there are 5 pages of schools currently in this category), schools in need of assistance - SINA (there are 13 pages of schools currently in this category), and districts in need of improvement - DINA (there is 1 page of schools currently in this category). A lot of schools on those lists are very high quality schools. That's one of the problems with No Child Left Behind, the fact that it relies on one standardized test (in Iowa) to rate a school up or down. As time passes with No Child Left Behind, and the expectation continues to grow to 100% of students being profi-
cient in everything, the list of schools on all of these lists will grow. However, NCLB has caused us to push harder in reading and math, so that is a positive.
A Budget History
After reviewing the story of Sydney and their budget going up more than $7 next year, I decided to look at a history of our rates. I got on the Department of Management website
and went back eleven years. Here’s a graph of that info:
On May 1st the high school student body will be participating in a community service day in our 3 towns. Students will be helping in the town parks and at some com-
munity members’ homes. It is important to show the students the value and rewards of community service.
We are nearing the end of the year and we have had a great year the high school with many different activities participating at the state level and we still have golf, soccer and track to go. I wanted to take a moment to recognize the success we have experienced at the high school. We have a lot of things we need to be proud of
this year.
We started the fall by bringing home a 3rd place trophy in the boy cross country state championships in Fort Dodge. Our boys’ team had qualified for the past 3 years and did bring home
a trophy this year. Congratulations!
Our wrestling team sent 3 individuals to the state meet and competed admirably at this level. They also were one dual win away from qualifying as team at the state
duals. Congratulations!
The boys’ basketball team qualified for state for the first time in school history. They were defeated by the eventual runner-up and it was a very tight ball game half way through the
3rd quarter. The team finished 24-2 on the season. Congratulations!
The jazz choir qualified for the Iowa High School Jazz Championships for the first time in school history. They sang at Ballard High school and took home a 4th place trophy in class
1A. Congratulations!
We have had a great year overall at the high school and I hope we can keep the momentum going into next year.
Middle School Track (Photos submitted by Tami Skank)
Page 7
John Baker Competes at State Geography Bee
Riverside 7th grade student John Baker travelled to the DMACC campus in Ankeny on Friday, April 5th, to compete in the State Geography Bee. The 100 student finalists were randomly divided into five groups for the preliminary round of competition. There were 8 questions that students answered in the preliminary round. Only 4 students out of the 100 participants didn't miss any questions, and John was among several students missing only one question! This was quite an accomplishment! John went on to the tie-breaker to earn a spot in the 10 student finals,
but unfortunately just missed it.
John did an excellent job representing Riverside and showed he was among the very top students in the whole state of Iowa! Great job John! (article
and photo submitted by Mandie Reynolds)
The April OLWEUS theme at the middle school was conflict resolution. Students defined conflict and discussed what it looks like in their daily lives. They learned
how to appropriately solve a conflict. They practiced what they learned by performing role plays in their advisory groups. (article by Jana Hensley, photo by Tami Skank)
Middle School News
As we wind down to the end of the school year, some-thing to think about is the changes in weather. It is getting warmer, but the weather can also be unpredict-able. Students should dress appropriately. We will be practicing our tornado drill a couple times along with a
fire drill.
As always, do not wait until Parent-Teacher conferences to ask questions about your child’s progress in academics or maybe some behaviors that you are seeing at home that might be occurring at school. I have spent the year encouraging staff to call or email home as much as possible if they have a question or to just say how great your child is doing. Please feel like you can do the same. The more
staff and families are on the same page, the more successful a student will be.
Science Classes Study Ecosystems
Students in Mr. Ehlers 7th grade science class are studying ecosystems and then
they are creating their own versions.
Left:
Allison Reicks keeps us the
pace.
8th Grade Project
Riverside's 8th grade English class is taking old junk and making games and activities out of it. They started the project by bringing in old junk that their families didn't want anymore. Mr. Shelangouski is the teacher. They will have elementary students try
the games out on May 9.
Stay tuned for more info.
Blakely and Boot take off down the track for the Bulldogs,
Page 8
Junior Varsity Riverside Girls Softball
Day Date Opponent Place Time
Friday May. 24 @ Griswold High School Griswold Softball Field 6:00PM
Tuesday May. 28 Tri−Center High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Wednesday May. 29 Treynor High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Thursday May. 30 Stanton High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Friday May. 31 @ Missouri Valley High School Missouri Valley Softball Field 6:00PM
Monday Jun. 03 Audubon High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Wednesday Jun. 05 @ Underwood High School Underwood High School 6:00PM
Friday Jun. 07 AHST High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Monday Jun. 10 Griswold High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Tuesday Jun. 11 St. Albert High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Wednesday Jun. 12 @ Tri−Center High School Tri−Center SB Field 6:00PM
Thursday Jun. 13 Nishnabotna RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Friday Jun. 14 @ Treynor High School Treynor Softball Field 6:00PM
Monday Jun. 24 Missouri Valley High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Tuesday Jun. 25 @ CAM CAM High School (Anita) 6:00PM
Wednesday Jun. 26 @ Audubon High School Audubon Softball Field 6:00PM
Thursday Jun. 27 Essex Community High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Friday Jun. 28 Underwood High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Monday Jul. 01 @ AHST High School AHST High School 6:00PM
Tuesday Jul. 02 Corning RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 6:00PM
Varsity Riverside Girls Softball
Day Date Opponent Place Time
Friday May. 24 @ Griswold High School Griswold Softball Field 7:45PM
Tuesday May. 28 Tri−Center High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 7:45PM
Wednesday May. 29 Treynor High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 7:45PM
Thursday May. 30 Stanton High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 8:00PM
Friday May. 31 @ Missouri Valley High School Missouri Valley Softball Field 7:45PM
Monday Jun. 03 Audubon High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 7:45PM
Wednesday Jun. 05 @ Underwood High School Underwood High School 7:45PM
Friday Jun. 07 AHST High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 7:45PM
Saturday Jun. 08 @ Underwood Eagle Softball Tourney Underwood High School 9:00AM
Monday Jun. 10 Griswold High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 7:45PM
Tuesday Jun. 11 St. Albert High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 8:00PM
Wednesday Jun. 12 @ Tri−Center High School Tri−Center SB Field 7:45PM
Thursday Jun. 13 Nishnabotna RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 7:45PM
Friday Jun. 14 @ Treynor High School Treynor Softball Field 7:45PM
Monday Jun. 24 Missouri Valley High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 7:45PM
Tuesday Jun. 25 @ CAM CAM High School (Anita) 7:45PM
Wednesday Jun. 26 @ Audubon High School Audubon Softball Field 7:45PM
Thursday Jun. 27 Essex Community High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 7:45PM
Friday Jun. 28 Underwood High School RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 7:45PM
Monday Jul. 01 @ AHST High School AHST High School 7:45PM
Tuesday Jul. 02 Corning RHS Softball Field (Macedonia) 7:45PM
*****REGISTRATION FOR THE 2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR IS JULY 30-JULY 31. SEE JUNE ISSUE FOR DETAILS!*****
Page 9
Reminder: You can still buy a 2013 yearbook. Cost is $45 or 2 for $80. We have a few left. If you have any questions, you may
contact Mary Stempel at Riverside High School 712-482-6464 or email her at [email protected]
Anyone buying a 2013 yearbook will be entered in a drawing for a chance on a free 2014 yearbook.
This is an Amended Calendar which will be approved at the next
school board meeting.
BAND NEWS
This winter has a been a busy season for RHS Concert Band and Jazz Band. Following the December Holiday Concert the Concert Band began work on two classic works one, Invicta,
from James Swearengin and the other, Air For Band from Eric Osterling. These will be part of the literature for the formal spring concert and will be used at state contest.
High School Jazz Band competed at two events the WIC Jazz Festival and the SWIBA Jazz festival. Katie Biggs, Rachel Novotny, Paige Kallsen, Kyra Martens as well as Trae Kelly earned awards for their solo work with the band. Tunes included You Know What?, My Funny Valentine and Corona, a tune the
band developed their own adaptation of to supply more solo spaces.
Five RHS band students participated in the WIC Honor Band in March they were: Trae Kelly, Katie Biggs, Brianna Sayles, Caitlin Hughes and Carli Fenn. Middle School students in WIC Honor Band included: Lucas Wilber, Brent Pendgraft, Morgan Golden, Sara Conway, John Baker and Sydney Swope. The winter's work holds promise for a productive spring. Come and support the RHS and RMS bands at concerts and contests
this spring
WIC Weight Lifting Meet (Mitch Rice)
We had several of our high school students attend the West-ern Iowa Conference weight lifting competition on March 22. Our girl’s team took second overall and had two girls finish inside of the top ten. Taylor Frain finished 4th while Grace
Gleaves finished 9th in the individual standings. Our boys had
a 6th place finish as a team and we had a couple of boys finish just outside of the top ten. Zach Morris was our top boy finish-ing 11th. Our kids have really bought in to our new weight program. We had a great summer in the weight-room that has
carried over into the school year. As we are gearing up for
another strenuous off-season, these kids are chomping at the bit to get better. We expect nothing but improvement by these
kids with the future looking bright.
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Visits RHS
(submitted by Kristina Sturm)
It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was sitting comfortably in a 15 passenger van, adorned with government plates surrounded by ten strangers. It also doesn’t seem like much time has passed since this same group of strangers
and I tearfully said good-bye, and boarded planes bound for our very separate homes. Among the bag-gage of our adventures was an education award, nu-merous postcards, resume/application boosting experi-ence and a lifetime of memories. Any of my students could tell you that I often refer to my time in Ameri-Corps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). They will also tell you that I am a fearless recruiter, and
sometimes a little redundant.
When I discovered a NCCC team from the Vinton, Iowa campus would be living in Omaha and working with an Omaha based non-profit, it was no question to invite them out to Riverside! Maple 3 is working with Lauritzen Garden to remove invasive species from an underdeveloped section of the park and to correct some disturbances from a recent sew-age project. The team took a break from this project to visit Riverside. During lunch on Thursday, March 28, five members, of NCCC Maple 3 camped out in the high school lunch room to talk about this program. Many students, some baited with extra credit, took this
opportunity to talk to these service-oriented youth.
AmeriCorps NCCC is a team- based, residential, national service program. Corps members who are 18-24 years old, are based on one of five campus. These campuses are in Iowa, Colorado, California, Maryland, and Mississippi. Once on these campuses, members are moved onto teams of 8-12 members, and then they travel about their region working with local non-profits to better communities. In this program food, housing, travel and a living- stipend are paid, and once the program is completed, on top of all of the adventures and experiences, members also receive a $5,500
education award. This award can be used towards student loans, or upcoming student expenses.
The students had some really great questions and conversations with these admirable young people. More
for information on AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps NCCC can be found on their website at http://www.americorps.gov/.
The Art Department Wants Your Help!!
Student, Teachers, Staff and Parents, Please be on the look out this summer for the
following items that we can use for Art next year:
If you gather any of these items this summer please drop them off at any of the art rooms in the Fall. We have plenty of supplies to last us for the rest of this school year. Thank you everyone for supporting the Arts. Have a wonderful summer!
Kimberly Piro
K-12 Art Teacher
Riverside Hosts WIC Art Show
The Riverside Art Department hosted the WIC Art Show in April. Riverside students re-ceived 17 Honorable Mentions, one 2nd place, three 3rd places, two 4th places, and one 5th
place. Below are some of the students with their entries:
Above: Wes Young and Ethan Rankin receive a 4th place
rating for their sculpture entry.
Below: Ashlie Wagner,
4th place Colored Pastel
Above: Paula Struthoff, Honorable Mention in Mixed Media, Scratchboard, and
Below: Tina Perry, 2nd Place
Colored Pastel
Exploring Teaching Visits Children’s Square and Omaha South
(submitted by Lisa Putnam)
In March, the Exploring Teaching students visited Children’s Square in Council Bluffs and Omaha South High School. At Children’s Square, the students learned of the history of the facility which was originally called The Council Bluffs Home of the Friendless. It was founded in 1882 to help people in Council Bluffs and nearby areas who were devastated by a flood. It then became a refuge for children, adults, and the elderly who were in need of care and had nowhere else to go. Children’s Square has since grown into an organization that serves over 550 children and their families every day. Some of the services they provide include emergency services and shelter to children in crisis, early childhood care and education programs, residential treatment for children experiencing emotional disorders, and aftercare ser-vices for young adults who have aged out of foster care. The Riverside students were also given a tour of the Chil-dren’s Square campus. It was amazing to see all of the good things that go on there to help children in need. The Exploring Teaching students brought a bagful of toys for the children, and a couple of students are looking into volun-
teering at Children’s Square this summer.
(Left to Right: Alexandra Danker, Conner Rankin, Brittany Baumfalk, Luke Freeman, Katelyn Biggs Not Pictured: Cole Potter)
In the afternoon, a visit was made to Omaha South High School which has over 2,000 students and is spread out over five floors and two blocks. South High is a magnet school for the
visual and performing arts and for informational technology. It is also the only dual language high school in Omaha. If students wish, they can take half of their classes in English and the
other half in Spanish. The Riverside students were given a tour of the school which included walking up five flights of stairs, and then they spent time talking to Omaha South’s Exploring
Teaching class. They learned that it is easy to fit into a big school like South because of its diversity, but it is also easy to slip through the cracks because of the large student population.
The Riverside students came away feeling grateful for their small school education. An invitation was extended to the Omaha South students to visit Riverside sometime in the near
future. The class is taught by Mrs. Lisa Putnam.
Tractor Day at Riverside High School
Each year, the Riverside FFA chapter sponsors a “Bring Your Tractor To School “ day. Students bring all shapes and sizes and park them in the north parking lot at the high school. At the end of the day, the students drive them to the Elementary school for a mini parade for the elementary students. This year ‘Tractor Day’
was held Friday, April 19.
Above: Tractors at the High School (photo by Maddie West)
Right: Elementary students watch a parade of tractors on Friday, April 19.
(photo by Shelly Rhoten)
Riverside High School Holds Annual Prom
Riverside High School Juniors, Seniors, and their dates were treated to “ A Touch of Class” on Saturday, April 20, 2013. The festivities began with the Grand March in the Riverside High School auditorium at 5 pm. Students and their dates who opted to attend this event were introduced to a packed crowd. The coronation of the Prom King and Queen was also held at this time. Homecoming King and Queen Ricky Williams and Katherine Bertacini crowned Ean Patrick and Lexi Cleaveland as the Prom King an Queen. Students were then transported to the Carson Community building for the supper and the dance. Pictures were also taken here. A smoothie bar was available to the prom goers during this time as well. The dance concluded at 10:30 pm. Students once again boarded buses for the After-Prom at the high school. There the students were entertained by a hypnotist and finished off the evening with a Casino Night followed by breakfast. Tami Skank and Laura Lajko were the prom sponsors for this year’s prom. Thank you, ladies
and thanks to the all those parents and individuals to worked on the decorations and the After-Prom.
Above: Ladies dancing at the Prom
Left: Garrett Graves and Kyra Martens at the Grand March
The weather this spring has made it difficult for our athletes to compete; however, they are out there doing their best. We have included a few
photos of our Riverside Bulldogs
Christian Jorgensen
Left: Dylan Charlet
Above: Hannah Boruff
Above: Gabby Salais
Right: Max Farver
Riverside Elementary Celebrate Earth Day, Monday, April 22, 2013 (article and photos by Kerri Wede)
Riverside 2nd and 3rd grade students celebrated an early Earth Day on April 17. East Pottawat-tamie Soil & Water Conservation and East Pottawattamie 4-H teamed up to create the event. The youth combed through a ‘clean’ bag of trash to determine how much could be recycled. Then, the youth rotated through 4 stations. Jamie Meek, East Pottawattamie Soil & Water Conservation Educator, lead a session on soil to spoon for the 2nd grade, showing how our food stems from the soil. Each youth, then planted and took home cilantro to grow from seed, in a biodegradable pot. Kerri Wede, East Pottawattamie 4-H & Youth Coordinator, lead a station on creating wildflower seed bonbons using recycled paper, water, and wildflower seeds. Each student took home a few bonbons that they created to simply toss and grow. The teachers led discussion in this station on why wildflowers are important. Rebecca Branan, volunteer 4-H leader, led a community service activity through The Earth Day Groceries Project, http://www.earthdaybags.org/ . Each student created artwork on a paper grocery sack from Ruback’s in Oakland. The sacks were then returned to Ruback’s for Earth Day distribu-tion. The artwork was inspiring! Lindsey Barney, a forester with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, led active games that focused on conservation with the Trees for Kids curriculum. At the end of the day, 3rd graders each took home a Red Oak tree from the Trees for Threes program provided by the East Pottawattamie
Soil & Water Conservation District.
3rd Grade Polygons
Elementary News from Mr. Meek
As we wind down to the end of the school year, something to think about is the changes in weather. It is getting warmer, but the weather can also be unpredictable. This also means you need to send your child to school with appropriate clothes for the weather. If the weather man says there is a chance of rain, make sure they bring a coat that can keep them dry
while they may be waiting for the buses or loading for the buses. If there is a mist, we may still go outside and play depending on how sloppy the playground might be. We will be practicing our
tornado drill a couple times along with a fire drill.
As always, do not wait until Parent-Teacher conferences to ask questions about your child’s progress in academics or maybe some behaviors that you are seeing at home that might be oc-curring at school. I have spent the year encouraging staff to call or email home as much as possi-ble if they have a question or to just say how great your child is doing. Please feel like you can do the same. The more staff and families are on the same page, the more successful a student will
be.
Students in Mrs. Henderson’s pre-school class share the class
iPad with each other. Pre-schoolers in Mrs. Bierworth’s class have planted some seeds for a special project.
FFA parade of tractors for Riverside Elementary students on Friday, April 19, 2013.
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Music Students Learn About Chinese Culture and Music
Riverside Elementary music students had an opportunity to learn about Chinese culture and music on March 28 when Jirong Bai visits the music classes. Betty, as her American friends call her, is the future daughter-in-law of Pam Mass, who works at the elementary. She plays an instrument called a Guzheng, or Chinese zither, which she brought with her and performed selections for the students. Music is called the "universal language" and from this experience, students will have a deeper under-
standing of that idea, as well as exposure to a different culture.
Money, Money! Alison Henry First Grade (reprinted from April )
All year first graders have been learning about money. We have learned about coins and their values and how to count mixtures of coins. However, in our last unit we really wanted to dive into the financial aspect of money. How do we get money, and what are some spending choices? People make spending decisions all day every day without really
knowing it. I wanted this unit to expose my students to that challenge.
The kids all started the unit with $5.40. On the first day each student got to choose whether or not they wanted to go to college. College would cost them $4.00. After paying, or choosing not to, they decided on a profession in one of the two categories. College jobs paid more a day than non-college jobs. I wanted them to notice that in the long run they would make their money back. At the end of the day they got paid for their
jobs, but also had to pay for “expenses”. They paid for food, drink, clothing, and shelter.
On top of that, there were things for sale in our room. The first day of the unit the kids chose something they liked from the list of items for sale. They wrote about the item they wanted to save for and why. I wanted them to stick to their goal, but threw several tempting small price items their way every day. I wanted to show them directly what it is
like in real life. We all have things we are trying to save for, but there are always enticing items that cause hiccups in our plan.
During our unit we also talked about ways to earn money as children. There are things they want that parents might not necessarily agree with, forcing them to earn their own money for it. We brainstormed different ideas to accomplish this. Students came up with things like washing dishes, walking a neighbor’s dog, feeding the fish, shoveling the driveway, cleaning the house, making a lemonade stand, washing cars, etc. After we made this list we talked about another side to financials. There are some people who have the good fortune of having money to share with
others and in that case they may choose to donate. I introduced them to a way our class could try to make some money for a good cause.
My students started making greeting cards in class. They designed the card, adding phrases you would typically see on a greeting card and some of their own artwork as well. They sold them to family and friends 2 for $1.00. We used the money they made and chose three organizations in our area, one from each community, to distribute our money to. In Oakland we donated our money to the city pool. In Carson we donated to the Community Center and asked that our money be put toward parks and recreation, and in Macedonia we presented our money to the Grist
Mill Theatre. Thanks to anyone who purchased a card.
Overall, I am so impressed with how well my students did in this unit. Many of them stuck to their guns and didn’t stray from their savings plan.
Others veered from the path, but soon realized saving is hard, but it has its rewards.
Jana Hensley
Attention parents!
Summer is just around the corner! For many of you, this means your children will be eating all of their meals at home. Riverside participates in the Backpack Program through Food Bank for the Heartland. Weekly, they supply a “pack” of nourish-ing, easy-to-prepare meals and snacks for kids. This
is available to all families in our school district. We
have plenty of packs to distribute, so please don’t hesitate to accept this offer. If you would like your kids to participate in the backpack program
throughout the summer months, please
contact me soon at the Middle School.
484-2291. Thanks!
Being Awesome in the Library!
At the elementary school library we have implemented a program called "Caught You Being Awesome" Whenever students are caught doing something awesome: being helpful, picking up, etc.... they are given a free book and bookmark. Parents if your child brings home a book to keep, congratulate them for being Awesome in
the Library!
Riverside Elementary JUMPS over the TOP!
Riverside Elementary students went above and beyond for a GREAT cause in February raising
donations for The American Heart Association through Jump Rope for Heart!
Last year, Riverside Elementary raised just over $5,000, so we set our goal high this year choosing
$6,000 as our target. In great Bulldog fashion, the students raised a total of OVER $7,000!!!
The classroom that raised the most was Miss Vanderhorst's, totaling $945.00! As a result, her class will get an extra PE class in May. The student who raised the most was 2nd Grader Mackenzie
Olmstead raising $340!
Thank you to all the families that participated and helped! Way to show our Bulldog pride!!!
Riverside Elementary Art
Kindergarten Expressions
Registration for the 201-2014 year school will be July 30-31 at the Middle School. See details in June issue.
Check out the Riverside Links Web-site. They are constantly updating it with information about the Riverside communities of Carson, Macedonia,
and Oakland.
Website: www.riversidelinks.com
Riverside Youth Sports News by Rodney Pendgraft
Volleyball and basketball are over. We would like to thank Dawn Baldwin for organizing and coaching volleyball and Traci McCready for organizing and coaching basketball. Their time and
contribution are greatly appreciated.
Softball and baseball rosters are filled. We will be having a D team for softball. This is the 1st and 2nd grade
girls. This is great news. We have many coaches to help these girls to learn. Thank you to them.
T-ball information will be coming home with the preschool and kindergarten kids shortly.
We have gone from 3 baseball teams last year to 5 baseball teams this year. The 13U is joined with Avoca's
13U team. Make sure everyone makes it to the parks in Oakland and Carson to see the kids play.
If there are any persons who want to volunteer their time working at either concession stand please let one of the board members or let Kristi Thomford know. Kristi will be in charge of scheduling both concession
stands so if you'd like to help, please let us know and thank to Kristi.
Riverside Youth Sports is doing a fundraiser. We are making banners to hang at both concession stands that read "Proud Sponsors of Riverside Youth Sports" and below that your business name or family name will be posted. This costs $100 to advertise your name for one whole year at all RYS sporting events. Contact Rod Pendgraft or Dave Woods or one of the other board members for a sponsorship. The money is going to-ward equipment and to try to lower entrance fees for our youth. If this and other donations are a success,
we may be able to eliminate entrance fees all together.
We would like to put out a special thanks to A & M Greenpower for the donation of two pitching machines
and a special thanks to the Carson Legion for the donation of new baseball uniforms and caps.
We will be doing signups for the different sports a little differently next year. We will designate a place in Carson and one in Oakland on specific days for you to come sign up your child for that season’s sports. We will be inviting many other groups that hold youth events so you can see all options for your children. One sign-up will be in July for the fall and winter sports and one will be in January for the spring and summer sports. We hope this will get more people the information needed to get their child signed up for what they
want to do.
Page 14
Let’s Go To the Movies Dreamland Theater, Carson, Iowa
Reminder: Any 3D movies are $5 for both Adult and Student
May 3, 4, 5
42 Rated: PG 13 2 hrs. 8 mins.
May 10, 11, 12
Jurassic Park 3D Rated: PG 13 2hrs. 7 mins.
May 17, 18, 19
Oblivion Rated: PG 13 2hrs. 5 mins.
May 24, 25, 26
Iron Man 3 3D Rated: PG 13 1 hr. 49 mins.
May 31, June 1, June 2
Star Trek : Into Darkness 3D Rated: PG: 13 2hrs. 5 mins
Biology Project
Earlier in the semester, Biology students were discussing evolution. They finished the unit by creating a"fashion fish" evolution project. The student’s job was to create “fashion a fish” that is well adapted to an aquatic environment of your choosing. The project had to be a 3-D model and had to have minimum of 4 adapta-tions to their aquatic environment. At the end of the project, they explained their fish and the 4 adaptations to
their environment. Examples are featured below:
Mr. Casey Conover is the Biology teacher.
Seniors and Parents/Guardians of Seniors:
On Class Night, each senior receives a 10 x 13 white envelope with the student's name on the outside along with a sticker in red that reads: “IMPORTANT!!! MEDICAL INFORMATION ENCLOSED!” This is the Student’s Immunization Records, any Elementary/Middle School Certificates/Awards that they may have received AND any Elementary/Middle School Photo Record. The immunization records are most important because the school will no
longer have the student immunization record. Senior Ricky Williams qualified for the Drake Relays in
