FOREST CITY HIGH SCHOOL
PRIDE TRIBE PULSE
Fall Issue 2019
Issue note: Different email clients have different displays. If you see a small box with dots in it, please click it and it will expand to view all of the articles .
 
PRINCIPAL UPDATE
Dear parents and guardians:

November is approaching quickly! Holy cow! The school year is off and running at an ‘exceeding the speed limit pace.’ Mid-term has come and gone and at FCHS we are beginning to gear up for the end of the first trimester. 

Finals are on November 13 and 14. Please continue to monitor your student’s progress as finals approach. As a reminder, any student may attend Study Table for a little extra assistance with their school work. Study Tables will continue to be held up until the week of finals.

As the first trimester winds down, students are reminded to meet with Mr. Ziesmer or myself if their second trimester schedule needs some work or tweaking. 

At FCHS, student involvement is important and is recognized as an indicator of academic success. The vast majority of students involved in the arts, activities, or athletics achieve higher academically than those students who are not involved. Please encourage your son or daughter to consider getting involved!

Winter activities include: Speech (Large Group & Individual), Show Choir, Pep Band, FFA, & Archery Club to name a few. Athletically, the following teams will be cranking up very soon: Bowling, Wrestling, Boy’s Basketball, Girl’s Basketball, and Cheerleading.

Principal Ken Baker
It's exciting to know that plans are being finalized for the HS gymnasium remodel!

Due to the scope and size of this project, the work will begin in the spring. Therefore, we are planning alternative locations for all activities (PE, events etc.) that normally take place in the HS gym.

Two of the larger events are Prom and Graduation. For Prom, the Grand March will take place in the Boman Fine Arts Center auditorium and the Prom dance will take place in the upper mezzanine of the Boman Fine Arts Center. For graduation, we are evaluating a few locations including the middle school gym, the Boman Fine Arts Center and the HS Football field (if the weather cooperates).

We will keep you posted as the year progresses.

In a press release issued October 30, 2019, from the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa's average ACT composite score is tied for first.
  • November 9 & 10: Fall Musical
  • November 11: Veteran's Program
  • November 14: End of 1st Trimester
  • November 15: No School
  • November 28&29: No School (Thanksgiving Break)

See complete list of events on the Forest City CSD app (calendar) or on www.forestcity.k12.ia.us
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN NOVEMBER 9 &10
Photo credit Grace Zaplatynsky, The Summit Tribune
More than 80 FCHS students are busy preparing for the fall musical, "Singin' In The Rain." The musical will be held at the Boman Fine Arts Center on Saturday, November 9, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, November 10, at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $5 each are available online at https://www.bomanfineartscenter.org/events/

Online ticketing via the Boman Fine Arts Center website is new this year. The FCHS office will no longer have the paper tickets or paper seating charts in the high school office.

Tickets may also be purchased at the Boman Fine Arts Center one hour prior to each performance. Stop into the high school office if you need assistance ordering online or if are using an activity pass toward a ticket.

Directors for the musical are Josh Sparrgrove and Stacie LaMoore. Annika Andrews is the Musical Director and this year's choreographer is Molly Schrade.
THANK YOU STUDENT COUNCIL
Hat's off to the Student Council organization for doing an amazing job planning and implementing all of the various activities for Homecoming this year!

You may not know all of the tasks that Student Council takes care of. The students, and Advisor Anna Stene:

  • Work with administrators the year before to plan dates and times for events 
  • Design, sell, and distribute homecoming t-shirts
  • Decide dress-up days and create posters 
  • Get float ideas approved and plan float decorating 
  • Create an outline for coronation, decorate, and MC it 
  • Order and pick up flowers for coronation 
  • Sell parking spaces to chalk during homecoming week 
  • Advertise, plan, and implement community night 
  • Plan and implement he-man and powderpuff  
  • Ask people to drive various floats in the parade 
  • Create the parade line-up and make sure everyone is in place the day of 
  • Decorate and clean up for the dance
Pep band and cheerleaders get the crowd fired up during community night
Coronation at the Boman Fine Arts Center
Seniors took the crown for he-man volleyball and powderpuff football
Homecoming parade
WELCOME TO FCHS!
Join us in welcoming these faculty and staff members to FCHS!
Faculty
Tom Clarey joins the high school this year as a Physical Education and Study Skills teacher after serving for three years as the Physical Education teacher at the Elementary.

"I had the opportunity to move to the High School and work with young adults everyday and I couldn’t pass that up! Helping young people figure themselves out and be the best version of themselves is what I am most passionate about in education, and Forest City High School does a great job of this," said Clarey. 

Clarey also coaches High School football and Middle School boys track.

His wife, Angel, is the High School Secretary and they have three children: Rhett (5) Porter (3), and Blakely (1). In his free time, he enjoys being outdoors, introducing his children to sports and the outdoors in general, wood working, and outdoor cooking.  
Annika Andrews is the 6-12 Vocal Music Teacher. She's also serving as the musical director for the fall musical.

She said she entered education for a lot of reasons, but the most simple one is that it's something she always wanted to do. She loves the people she gets to meet and the students she gets to work with.

She loves shopping the dollar section at Target, singing, playing the piano and watching Netflix.
Tara Millard joined the English faculty.

"I have always had a desire to serve people in my community and enjoy connecting with people in a meaningful way. The world is ready for new ideas, and I'm passionate about teaching youth how to express themselves creatively through communication," said Millard.

Millard enjoys spending time with her three children attending various events. They all love outdoor activities. She also enjoys crafting and interior design projects and has participated in craft shows as well as led workshops about some of her projects.
Larry Vold isn't a new face around Forest City High School. He is serving as the interim agriculture teacher and FFA instructor.

Larry taught at FCHS for 33 years before retiring in 2012. He taught a variety of classes; however his real passion is agriculture.

"I really appreciate the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of young people," said Vold.

In his free time, he enjoys gardening and being outdoors on the acreage he shares with his wife, Kathy. They have two children and three grandsons. He also likes to read and would like to travel...as soon as he's officially done teaching!
High School Office Staff
A ngel Clarey, High School Secretary
Stefanie Zeman
Shared High School and District Office Secretary
Angel and Stefanie are the new high school office secretaries. They replace long-time secretaries Kathy Jerome and Deb Honken. If you've been in the high school office, you know how many tasks these ladies juggle in any given day!

Angel and her family moved to Forest City three years ago. Angel ran an in-home daycare prior to joining the high school staff. "She said, "When the opportunity came, I was excited and eager to get started in this new venture. I have enjoyed getting to know everyone these last couple of months and look forward to continuing to form relationships with the high school students and families." Angel and her husband, Tom, who is a high school PE, study skills teacher and coach, have three children. They enjoy spending time together and especially enjoy anything outdoors.

Stefanie has been part of the school district for the last four years as an associate in the high school and elementary school. "I really enjoy working with faculty, staff and students. Being in both offices offers the opportunity to get to know other members of the community too," said Zeman. Stefanie and her husband Mark have lived in the area for about 15 years. They have three children in the district. She enjoys fitness, boating with family and friends, and backyard family football.
SCHOOLMESSENGER
FAQ
Hopefully, you know that we rolled out a new communication app over the summer called SchoolMessenger!
 
Here are links to a couple of communications that have already been distributed about how to sign up as well as some frequently asked questions about the app.
 
We encourage you to contact Kristin Heidemann, Communications Director, with any questions so we can ensure you are not missing important messages:

kheidemann@forestcity.k12.ia.us
641-585-2323 x2207
 
In addition to this app, we have another new app (look for it in your app store...it's called Forest City CSD). This app has the daily calendar, staff directory, lunch menus and more!
 
Click here for a comparison of the two apps... you need both!


NEW MENUS!
New! The Forest City Community School District has partnered with Nutrislice to bring you much more information about our breakfast and lunch menus! 
There are three ways to view the new menus:
1) Click here  forestcity.nutrislice.com/menu
2) Download the Nutrislice app and search for Forest City Community SD. 
3) Click on  Menus  in our new Forest City CSD app. Download the Forest CIty CSD app from your app store.
FROM MR. Z
Click to learn more!
During the month of October, FCHS students participated in National Bullying Prevention month to help reduce bullying and increase students empathy, inclusion, kindness and acceptance of others. 

October 23 was especially fun as it was “Unity Day” where multiple students and staff wore Orange to show support for Anti-Bullying. We tried to focus on what we can do to improve moving forward, versus what has happened already.

Here are some of the Advisor/Advisee (held each Wednesday from 1:34-2 p.m.) activities students engaged in:
“Unity Day” door contest- winning Advisor/Advisee group won an Ice Cream Social- INCLUSION, AWARENESS
Empathy Map- Helped students “put themselves in another person’s shoes” to think about what someone may be feeling during a given situation.-ACCEPTANCE, PERSPECTIVE, EMPATHY

  • “If You Really Knew Me…” sheets- students got the opportunity to anonymously write down what people would find out if they truly knew them.-KINDNESS, EMPATHY
  • Diversity and Inclusion Video with discussion- INCLUSION, ACCEPTANCE, KINDNESS
  • Waldorf Student Panel for Juniors and Seniors discussing, respect, perspectives and kindness on October 23
  • Student Council led activities for Freshman and Sophomore on October 23
If you would like to learn more about how you can help reduce bullying or support a student in need, please see one of the following websites:



If you think your son and/or daughter are getting bullied or harassed, please do not hesitate to contact the school for support.
DIGITAL DRAMA
Check out this article that talks about "Digital Drama"

Excerpt From Common Sense Media

Facebook, Instagram, and Social
How can I help my kid avoid digital drama?

To adults, digital drama and cyberbullying may seem one and the same. But to kids, there's a difference. Unlike cyberbullying , which involves repeated harassment of someone, digital drama is the everyday tiffs and disputes that occur among friends or acquaintances online or via text message. A guy may change his relationship status to "single" immediately after a fight with his girlfriend to make a statement. A teen may post a comment about someone else knowing that people will see it, friends may chime in, and people will talk about it. In the same way that the word drama describes a performance, kids usually engage in online drama with an audience in mind.