FOREST CITY
HIGH SCHOOL

Newsletter note: If there are arrows displayed in between story sections, click them to display the content.
 
FCHS PRIDE TRIBE PULSE              January 2017 Newsletter
Congratulations to the speech students! Forest City placed 1st at the Top of Iowa Conference Individual Speech Tournament on 12/3. 

District Large Group Speech will be held in Lake Mills on Saturday, January 21. There are more than 60 students who will compete in 11 large group categories and 13 individual categories. Good luck to all of the students and thank you to coaches Scott Bertelsen, Josh Sparrgrove, Ian Bartelt, and Troy Thompson.

Speech has been a big part of FCHS for over 45 years!
FCHS Welcomes Two New Faculty Members
kids_welcome.jpg

Christine Leichsenring will complete the remainder of the academic school year for the English position vacated by Erica Harms. Mrs. Harms left FCHS earlier this fall when her husband accepted a new position that took them from the North Iowa Area. Mrs. Leichsensring was a long-time educator for the Clarion-Goldfield Dows CSD.

Justin Putney will take over for Mrs. Howd in the Science Department. Mrs. Howd will be pursuing more time with her family in Georgia. Mr. Putney is a mid-year graduate from the University of Northern Iowa.

time_2_learn_vector.jpg

Can you believe mid-term of second trimester was on Friday, January 6, 2017?  Parent Teacher Conferences were held  Monday, January 9, and Thursday, January 12.


Along with mid-term comes the implementation of Study Table for students who are currently not being successful in all academic classes.  All students who are struggling are invited to attend Study Table to receive additional support for their academics. Students at FCHS who are currently involved in extra-curricular activities are required to attend two hours per week to maintain their extra-curricular eligibility.

Teacher Spotlight- Mr. Meyn

By: Abby Wirtjes

Mr. Meyn didn’t set out to be a teacher, but an internship in the Chicago Public Schools changed his career path from wanting to own a business to wanting to work with kids. 

Throughout the year, Mr. Meyn teaches students the vital skills that are needed to work in today’s business world. He teaches Accounting (I & II), Computer Apps (I,II &III), Business Law, Entrepreneurship (two classes), Personal Finance (I & II), Video Lab, Sales and Economics.

The Entrepreneurship classes that Mr. Meyn teaches are affiliated with NIACC and students can earn six credits upon successful completion of both classes. The classes focus around hands on experiences of owning a business. Marketing, design, and sales are emphasized. The students who take these classes design and market projects such as candles, pallet projects, bean bag games, and much more.  

Student Halle Jo Johnson acknowledged, “Coming into this class, I was very apprehensive. By no means did I want to start my own business but this class has taught me to think about all the planning and work that goes into making a simple product for the consumers. It has made me appreciate all of the things entrepreneurs do!” The classes gives high school students unique and important life experiences.  

Mr. Meyn has impacted many students who have taken his many specialized classes.  He expresses, “I love teaching all of my classes, but if I had to choose one favorite, it would be Personal Finance.”  What he loves the most about teaching is that everyday is different because of the kids.  

This is Mr. Meyn’s ninth year of teaching. He attended Boyden Hull High School, located in the western part of Iowa, and Northwestern College, located in Orange City, Iowa. He played baseball and basketball. Mr. Meyn is married to Traci and they have a six month old daughter, Isabel. At FCHS, Mr. Meyn is the varsity girls basketball head coach and also coaches junior high track. He also is the owner of Forest City’s FCTV YouTube channel.

Technology Corner 
computer_sky.jpg
It is increasing difficult for parents and educators to keep up with the ways our children are using new and ever changing technologies. In each newsletter issue, Forest City Schools Technology Director, Mike Van Oort, will share information on important digital citizenship topics. Contact Mike with any questions at 585-2324 or mvanoort@forestcity.k12.ia.us.  
 
Excerpt from commonsensemedia.org

How can you help kids avoid feeling pressure to send – or to solicit - sexts? Listen to one teen's explanation of why she sent a nude picture, and gain a more specific understanding of the legal consequences and what "counts" as sexting. 

Hello parents!

Hopefully everyone has had a wonderful start to the new year!  Considering one of the main goals of the counseling office is to ensure all students graduate from Forest City with a plan they are comfortable with and knowledgeable about, it seemed fitting to inform you about what Individual Career and Academic Planning tool the counseling office is utilizing to help students prepare for success in high school and beyond.
Derek Ziesmer
High School Guidance Counselor
641-585-2324
dziesmer@forestcity.k12.ia.us 

Meet Ms. Windish!

By: Ken Baker 

Ms. Windish is in her first year teaching at Forest City High School.  In an attempt to better introduce Ms. Windish, and other new faculty, I will highlight a new faculty person each month.  

Ms. Windish hails from Elmwood, IL and attended St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA.  Ms. Windish graduated from St. Ambrose with a BA in Secondary English Education and a minor in Theology.  After graduation, Ms. Windish joined the Peace Corps.  Ms. Windish served for two years in the Peace Corp where she was stationed in Indonesia.  Her assignment was to teach HS English in the village of Wringinanom for their public high school.

When asked what she likes to do when not preparing for her classes at FCHS, Ms. Windish stated that she enjoys traveling and reading.  Ms. Windish’s favorite destination to this point has been New Zealand.  As for her favorite authors, Ms. Windish enjoys reading the works of Jane Austen and J.R.R. Tolkien. 

To this point, Ms. Windish has enjoyed her teaching experience at FCHS.  She finds real excitement in teaching when her students develop their Language Arts and Communication skills.