August News 09

Exciting New Staff
Angela Halsten is the new secondary math teacher for the coming year. Angela has an Associate in Arts from Southwestern Community College, a Bachelor of Arts from Graceland University, and a master in Arts in Teaching from Drake University. A native of Creston, Angela wanted to take a job in southwest Iowa.

Matt Peters will be the new Junior High Mathematics and sixth grade teacher. Matt is currently on staff at Hamburg, but is loaned to Farragut for this school year. This is an exciting opportunity to have an experienced teacher on staff for our students.

Exciting New Programs
Virtual School
New this year is the South West Iowa Virtual Academy housed at Farragut CSD. Students from area schools will be able to take classes in a 3 period block or by class for credit recovery. Over 50 courses are housed online. This is the first kind of this type of school in our area.

Mobile Computer Lab
In the technical age we live in, teachers have asked for a mobile computer lab. This summer a “netbook” mobile computer lab has been purchased. K-12 teachers will be able to check out the lab for their room.

Business Room and Elementary Computer Lab
The business classroom and the elementary computer lab both have had major updates over the summer. Stop by anytime or during back to school night to see how they have been updated!

Promethean Boards
The SWI grant was used to install Promethean boards in all reading and math classrooms. As you may remember we started last year with two boards and had increased to four boards by January. With the addition of 8 more boards, students K-12 will be learning with a state of the art “smart board” in the classroom. Watch the newsletter for more information on Promethean boards!


Resolution of Election
The Farragut Board of Education has approved a resolution that puts a simple yes or no question on the ballot for the school board election on September 8, 2009. The measure that will be on the ballot is listed below this article. This resolution allows reduction of board members and at-large director status to happen at the next general election that will take place in 2011. Due to state statutes, at that election in 2011, three of the four board positions will be open for election. In the 2013 two of the three board positions will be elected.

Shall the following public measure be adopted?

_____ Yes
_____ No

To change the number of directors on the Farragut Community School District Board of Directors from seven directors to five directors and to change the method of election of directors from director districts to at large.
Exciting Goals Met!
Each year goals for reading, math, and science are developed and sent to the Iowa Department of Education. This year all three goals were met. Not only did students move from being non-proficient to proficient, but the percentage of students that moved from proficient to advance increased as well! Here is a summary of the goals based on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and Iowa Test of Educational Development

Reading Comprehension
The percent of students non-proficient in reading during the 07-08 school year in grades 6-7 that have been in school for a full academic year and their learning is not guided by an Individualized Education Plan will decrease by one percent non-proficient in the 08-09 school year in grades 7-8. GOAL MET! There was a fifteen percent decrease in students that were non-proficient and an increase of eight percent of students that are in the advanced category.

Math
The percent of students non-proficient in math during the 07-08 school year in grades 9-10 that have been in school for a full academic year and their learning is not guided by an Individualized Education Plan will decrease by one percent non-proficient in the 08-09 school year in grades 10-11. GOAL MET! There was a five percent decrease in students that were non-proficient and an increase of eight percent of students that are in the advanced category.

Science
The percent of students non-proficient in science during the 07-08 school year in grades 6-10 that have been in school for a full academic year, their learning is not guided by an Individualized Education Plan and do not receive free or reduced lunch will decrease by one percent non-proficient in the 08-09 school year in grades 7-11. GOAL MET! There was a one percent decrease in students that were non-proficient and an increase of eight percent of students that are in the advanced category.

What we learned in Preschool and Kindergarten: Share…Share…Share
Over the past six years we have shared many programs, teachers and students. In these dark economic times it only means we must share more to provide quality programs. Below I have included a list of what we are planning to share next year as of 4-27-09. Students are still registering for classes and more talks continue, so please watch the website to see any additions in the near future!

Hamburg
• Business Manager
• Superintendent
• Human Resources
• Transportation
• Director of the Physical Plant
• Guidance Counselor
• Librarian
• Family Consumer Science
• Industrial Arts and Agriculture
• Auto-Technologies
• CAD
• Upper-Level English and Math
• College Prep Writing
• Health Occupations (CNA Cert.)
• Technology Director (with Nishna-Valley)

Sidney
• Elementary and Secondary Music/Choir
• CAD
• Industrial Arts and Agriculture
• Auto-Technologies
• Upper-Level Science
• Spanish
• Junior High Football

Shenandoah
• Boys’ junior and high school wrestling, golf and Tennis
• Girls’ cross country, golf and tennis
• Auto-Technologies



Your source for school news, calendars, grades, attendance, purchases, and much more!

www.farragutschools.org

Back to School Night & 7th Grade Orientation
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for August 18th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. for Back to School Night!

Elementary students are always excited to see their classrooms the night before school. This is a great chance to lower the anxiety of a new school year.

Speaking of anxiety, remember your first day of junior high school? Mr. Swenson will have orientation for 7th grade students and any junior or senior high school students new to the district. Parents are always welcome!

“In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.” – Eric Hoffer, Writer/Psychologist