School News

Most people can relate to sporting events that reach the “State” finals because small schools revolve around athletics. It can be harder to relate to the events that are outside of the athletic arena, but they are just as incredible.
Taylor Troyer and Ryan Shellady achieved “All State” status in individual speech and performed at the University of Northern Iowa on March 28, 2011.
To make it to this privileged event, students must first pass level one of try- outs. They are chosen to perform again at the “State” level where the competition becomes much more difficult. If selected, speech students then are chosen to perform at the “All State” level in performing or non performing status.
This is the highest level of performance and places the student with about five hundred other students selected statewide to perform.

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Theme for the 2011 Junior-Senior Banquet at Iowa Mennonite School was the Titanic, the British White Star luxury liner that sank April 15, 1912.

However, the IMS event echoed the earlier days when the ship first set sail by converting the school entrance into a first class lounge and the Celebration Hall lobby into an elegant dinning room.
This year the banquet featured a dance or, more properly, an English Country Dance whose origins date to the 1600s. Music was provided by a violinist and guitarist and dance instructions from members of the English County Dance group. In keeping with the theme, the gym was the Titanic’s ballroom. Many of the dancers removed their shoes prior to stepping out.
The “decorators” arrived at IMS at 5 p.m. April 15, completing their work by midnight, well in advance of the banquet’s opening at 6:30 p.m. April 16. The central chandelier went up in one piece with the help of a hydraulic lift.

Monday: G/B G vs. Winfield – Mt. Union @ Kalona 4 p.m.
Tuesday: JV/V BS v. Central Lee 5 p.m.
Wednesday: Prayers for IMS 7:30 a.m.; Paprobuitse Mir Cafe (Savor the World) Thai meal- 8:30 -9:15 a.m. Reservation required
Thursday: G/B T vs. Mediapolis @ Kalona 4 p.m.; G/B T @ WACO 5 p.m.
Friday: JV/V BS vs. Columbus 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: Children’s Drama; BS Tournament vs. Pella Christian 9 a.m.

Monday: 7/8 BT @ Regina 4:15 p.m.; GS vs. Regina 4:30 p.m.; Spring Break
Tuesday: 7/8 GT @ Regina 4:15 p.m.; FFA Meeting 7 p.m.; GG @ Linn Mar 12:30 p.m.; GS @ Mt. Pleasant 4:30 p.m.
Thursday: BS @ Highland 4:30 p.m. B/G T Drake Relays @Des Moines
Friday:; B/G T Drake Relays @ DesMoines: 7/8 GT @ Solon 4:15 p.m.; GS @ Washington 4:30 p.m.; GT @ Durant 5 p.m.

The Mid-Prairie High School Jazz Band placed second in Class 2A at the district jazz contest March 5, automatically qualifying it for the Iowa Jazz championships for the first time in school history. M-P jazz musicians had made it before in 2002, 2004 and 2005 as a “wild card” band.
They will compete for the championships Tuesday, April 12 in the Polk County Convention Center at 11 a.m. in the class 2A category. Admission fee is $10.
And there is more.
In January, five Mid-Prairie students auditioned for the class 1A-2A Iowa All-State Jazz Band with Amanda Kramer selected for the band and Amanda Stout first alternate. Both play trumpet.
The other three were Jordan Adam and Ashley Goll, tenor saxes, and Maggie Van Roekel, alto sax.
The All-State Jazz Bands perform Thursday, May 12, at 4 p.m. in the downtown Marriott Hotel, Des Moines. The students audition via CD recordings for a panel of jazz educator judges from the college and professional level.

Six out of eight of Mid-Prairie’s IHSSA Individual Events (IE) Speech entries received “1” ratings at the State level contest held March 12 at Vinton-Shellsburg. Receiving “1” ratings were Taylor Troyer (acting and solo musical theater categories), Ryan Shellady (acting and prose categories), Maggie Van Roekel (after dinner speaking), and Jasmine Fugate (radio news).
Monday, March 14 Ryan Shellady and Taylor Troyer were also nominated to receive All-State medals. Ryan will receive medals for both of his categories and have the honor of performing his acting piece. Taylor will receive a medal for and have the honor of performing her solo musical theater piece.
The Individual Events All-State Festival will be held Monday, March 28 in Cedar Falls at the University of Northern Iowa.

By Mary Zielinski
Judging from the measure of student achievement, including being one of the best high schools in the nation, ACT scores, AP standing, graduation rates and employee professionalism, 2010 was a good year for the Mid-Prairie School District.
In many cases, student achievement (proficiency levels) from primary grades to high school exceed the national rate for basics such as reading and math (45 and 47 percent compared to 41), an ACT composite average of 23.9, 120 students in Advanced Placement (AP) classes, 15 years of M-P teams qualifying for state competition, and professional staff development for both Mid-Prairie and Keota districts. Mid-Prairie and Keota share the services of the superintendent, business manager and technology director.
The board received a construction update from Rick Kaul of the Baker Group, project managers, regarding the $5.5 million heating, cooling and classroom improvement project. Kaul, who is the on-site project manager, outlined the schedule he has set up for regular meetings with contractors and subcontractors, all with the goal of completing the work by fall. With 35 years of experience, Kaul is one of the Baker Group’s most experience project managers. Work is expected to start in April.

The Mid-Prairie High School jazz band placed 2nd at district jazz contest and has automatically qualified for the Iowa Jazz Championships in Des Moines Tuesday, April 12. The jazz band scored higher than seven other bands in Class 2A. “This is an incredible accomplishment for this talented group of MPHS musicians,” said David Kunz, Mid-Prairie Instrumental Director.

Mid-Prairie’s IHSSA IE (Iowa High School Speech Association individual events) speech team went to District contest Saturday, February 26 in Tipton.
They competed in the categories of acting, spontaneous speaking, solo musical theater, radio news, prose, poetry, after dinner speaking, storytelling, individual improvisation and literary program.
Achieving “1” ratings and moving on to compete at State level Saturday, March 12 are Maggie VanRoekel in after dinner speaking; Jonah VanRoekel in individual improvisation; Brennyn Hawbaker in literary program; Jasmine Fugate in radio news; Ryan Shellady in two categories, acting and prose; and Taylor Troyer also in two categories, solo musical theater and acting.

In a joint All-Staff meeting Monday between Keota and Mid-Prairie School Districts, approximately 260 staff members converged on Wellman’s Parkside Activites Center. Radio Shack in Kalona gave each employee a certificate for 10 percent off any non-sale purchase as a way of saying thank you to the teachers and staff. In addition, Hills Bank donated the noon lunch and gave each employee a stapler. Jason Kotecki, creator of the Kim and Jason comic strip from Madison, Wisconsin, reminded employees about keeping a proper perspective to help reduce stress and make their jobs and lives more enjoyable. His visit was sponsored by Hills Bank’s Classroom Cash Program.

By Mary Zielinski
Wellman Elementary School will, in about two weeks, have an additional second grade. Monday, the Mid-Prairie Board, meeting in joint session with the Keota board, learned that about $260,000 is coming to Mid-Prairie from the recently enacted federal legislation to aid schools nationwide. The federal money is to help districts retain teachers.
Wellman has 32 second graders and initially was to have two sections meeting in the morning and all students in the afternoon session. However, with the new funding the board approve creating a new position and hiring an additional second grade teacher.
Superintendent Mark Schneider said that the district already has applicants, that the federal funding was anticipated. As a result, the second class should be in operation within two weeks.

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The following are the Mid-Prairie Middle School fourth quarter honor roll. Students must have a 3.0 grade point average or above to be on the honor roll.

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