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Dear Grinnell Newburg Board of Education, Staff, Family, and Friends:
Happy September! Students and staff are back in the swing of things, and the year has been off to a great start! The cool crisp fall mornings are just around the corner! Fall in Grinnell is my favorite time of year.
We celebrated the completion of the first phase of the Turf Project at our football opener this past Friday night! I would like to thank all of the sponsors and donors in our community for their efforts! Currently, we are working on installing power and conduit to the field for our band performances and planning for the completion of the high jump pit and long jump areas with contractors. I would like to especially thank Shawn Edelen, Chris Coffman, and Larry Kline for continuous efforts to ensure that contractors and construction management groups had assistance as needed to complete the project for the first opener. There were some all-night efforts and equipment fixes that prevented further delays for our student use! Hats off to you!
Above and Beyond:
The Grinnell-Newburg School District is grateful for the amazing support our staff, students, and community members provide that benefits our students! We want to recognize those who go above and beyond for our District. Please remember to nominate any community member, staff member, or student to be recognized at a board meeting. You can nominate someone by emailing aboveandbeyond@grinnell-k12. org and sharing their story!
New Warning System Installation Message from Emergency Management Agency:
Please see the included press release regarding the installation phase of the new Outdoor Warning Siren system for the county. The installation will begin the week of Sept 12th and last for 3-4 weeks. Please note that weekly siren testing will not be occurring during this time, but the sirens will still have the capability to go off for any warnings. Grinnell is scheduled for installation during
Week 3-Sept 26th Grinnell, Malcom, Searsboro.
Mental Health Speaking Series:
We hope you will join us for the next Mental Health Speaker this September 15, 2020. Take a look at the flyer below for further details.
Here is the link to reserve your spot now; https://forms.gle/ ZKnrXHFJ1BfpaHqU6.
Students and Staff practice safety drills!
This week students in our district have participated in a “Shelter in Place” drill. During this drill, teachers and staff members lock their doors, ensure all students are in the classroom, and carry on with school as normal. An announcement is made over the intercom to alert teachers and staff to lock doors and when it is clear and safe to unlock.
A Shelter in Place drill might be needed when there is an ill student in the hallway, medical attention is needed for a student or staff, or assistance is needed in a common area with a student.
Throughout the year, students and staff practice multiple drills; fire, tornado, shelter-in-place, and evacuation drills. This is to keep our students safe and staff sharp on the processes.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your building principal.
Helping Hands Sewing Project:
Fleece donations for the project flier below may be dropped off at the District Office until September 28, when the project to make the items will happen at Grinnell Eagles. The district office is open from 7:30-4:00 daily, Monday through Friday, except on Labor Day. We are happy to help be the collection spot to support this project for our students in need.
Board Agendas will get an uplift!
Over the next month, the Board will transition to a software program called “Board Docs.” A “Board Docs” link will be added to the website and sent out through the weekly update for easy access to board agendas and meeting updates. This software will enable anyone to search actionable items, review policies easily, and follow board business all in one place! We will keep you updated as to when this will go live. Our goal is to have the first meeting in October available through this software program!
Curriculum and DEI Director establishes strategic goals:
Brianna Maschman has been visiting with staff and getting to learn our curriculum here in Grinnell since she first joined us this past August. In a short time, she has listened and learned from many staff members in our school district. Brianna has established the first steps in assisting our
Staff to streamline our curriculum, establish priorities and focus on equitable access for all students. We will schedule a curriculum meeting with the Board Committee in the coming week. We will also schedule time for families and community members to engage in listening sessions. Please watch for further information in the coming weeks.
A few Highlight photos from this past week’s High School Activities:
Our student-athletes and Band Program are off to a great start!
Enjoy your weekend! Just a reminder that there is No School on Monday, as we are closed for Labor Day!
Sincerely,
Janet
