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December 2013
Tri-Center Newsletter
High School 485-2257 Middle School 485-2211 Elementary 485-2271
www.tri-center.k12.ia.us
Superintendent’s News and
Comments…Brett Nanninga
Tri-Center Community Schools Wishes You
and Yours
A Merry Christmas 2013 A Happy New Year 2014!!
* * PLEASE NOTE THESE DATES
FOR SCHOOL* *
School Dismisses at 1:30 on Friday,
December 6th
for Professional Development
School Dismisses at 1:30 on Friday,
December 20th
for Christmas VacationNO SCHOOL December 23rd
through 31st
NO SCHOOL on Wednesday, Thursday, or
Friday, January 1st, 2
nd, and 3
rd
* * School Resumes on MONDAY, January 6 th
(FULL DAY)**
NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 20th
due
to Professional Development
School Dismisses at 1:30 on Wednesday,
February 12th
and Thursday, February 13th
for P-T Conferences
NO SCHOOL on Friday, February 14th
NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 17th
due
to Professional Development
WINTER WEATHER ---POWER
ANNOUNCEMENTS Rapid
Notif ication *Part of
POWERSCHOOL**Please fill in or update your phone, cell
phone, or e-mail address via thePowerschool Link if you have not already
done so.
(Radio or Television)
**Please listen to T.V. or Radio before
calling the school**
With the arrival of another Midwest winter
the possibilities of late starts, early dismissals, andcalling school off are upon us once again. Please be
assured that the school has a calling system in place
and decisions regarding these items will be made ina timely manner so that families can adjust their plans accordingly. With upwards of 15 buses/vans
on daily routes in our district of 200 square miles,
the reality that everyone either drives or rides to
school tells us that we have a lot at risk everyday.Please keep in mind that we do live in the
Midwest where weather can be severe at times and
yet isolated in terms of area. It may be that part ofour district is in worse condition than another, so
please take this into consideration. If school is not
cancelled and conditions in your area are such thattravel is too risky, then please contact the schooland indicate that your kids will not be able to attend
on that day.
The media does an excellent job of keepingus informed of pending weather advisories, and we
have access to several satellite websites via the
Internet. Tri-Center Community Schools will act ina responsible manner, but we will try not overreact.
Although we live in a region where people
should know how to deal with snow, ice, and wind-
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chill, we must still do our best to proceed with
caution. By all means, please slow down and
encourage the members of your family to do thesame.
The POWER ANNOUNCEMENT Rapid
Notification (via the phone) will be used in theevent that school is cancelled, started late, ordismissed early; so please be mindful of this means
of communication. Also, please turn on the
television (KMTV, WOW, KETV) or the radio(WOW 94.1 FM, KNOD 105.3 FM, KMA 960 AM,
KFAB 1100 AM) and watch or listen for the
announcement as a backup.
BUNDLE KIDS UP - PLEASE SEND THEM
TO SCHOOL PREPARED FOR COLD
WEATHER
Make sure that your kids are ready for cold
weather — especially if they are exposed to the
elements while waiting for the bus. If a situation
exists whereby you cannot dress your childappropriately, then call the school and we will be
glad to help. It especially hurts to see little kids that
are underdressed during the winter months. Hats,gloves, boots, coats are a must---please send your
kids out of the house ready for winter.
6 of Life’s Puzzlers . . . excerpts from the book,
“WOODEN, A Lifetime of Observations and
Reflections . . .”
• Why is it easier to criticize than tocompliment?
• Why is it easier to give others blame than to
give them credit?
• Why is it that so many who are quick tomake suggestions find it so difficult to make
decisions?
• Why can’t we realize that it only weakensthose we want to help when we do things for
them that they should do for themselves?
• Why is it so much easier to allow emotions
rather than reason to control our decisions?
• Why does a person with the least to sayusually take the longest to say it?
5 More of Life’s Puzzlers . . .(Same source as
above)
• Why is it so difficult to realize that others
are more likely to listen to us if first welisten to them?
• Why is it so much easier to be negative than positive?
• Why is it so difficult to motivate ourselveswhen we know that results come only
through motivation?
• Why is it so difficult to say “thank you” to
someone when those are two of our own
favorite words to hear?
• Why do we dread adversity when we knowthat facing it is the only way to become
stronger, smarter, and better?
Have a Blessed Holiday Season! Enjoy
your Family, F riends, and the Festiviti es!
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From the Principal’s Desk
… Angie Huseman
“Arriving at one goal is
the starting point to
another.”
--John Dewey
Perhaps it is appropriate that I begin this
newsletter, the last one of the year and the last one
before semester tests, with a reminder of goodintentions. We all have them; the end of the year,
however, seems to be the time when we think moreabout what we have not done, but wish we had.
Obviously, the point I am hoping you all will make
with your children, is that it is never too late to
rededicate yourself to school. Now is not the timeto simply say, “It’s too late to make a change.”
Semester tests will be the week of December 16th
,
and I would appreciate your help in letting yourchildren know that the holiday break does not start
until their last class is finished on the 20th
.Additionally, I hope you will find the following
article by Michael Josephson from his April 6, 2006CHARACTER COUNTS Commentary a good
conversation starter for you and your child.
Strategies for TeenhoodOne of the toughest jobs in the world is
being a teenager. Everything is in transition.
Everything is intense — even apathy.Kids on the brink of adulthood have to cope with
inconsistencies and conflicts. A desire to be special
and different clashes with the need to belong and fitin. The desire for independence collides with anaversion to self-reliance and personal responsibility.
I want to suggest five strategies that can make the
journey through adolescence less painful and more
enjoyable:
One: Don’t run from responsibility; run
toward it. The sooner you become visibly
responsible, the sooner you will be authentically
independent and free to do what you want and be
what you want.
Two: Be yourself. You don’t need orangehair, a nose ring or tattoos to be special. Dressing
or behaving in extreme ways to stand out or blend
in can seem like a desperate demand for attentionDiscover your talents and build your character, andyou will be no only noticed by respected.
Three: Resist the seduction of selfishness
and short-sightedness. People who think only otheir wants and needs sentence themselves to a dark
and lonely dungeon. Don’t confuse pleasure with
happiness. Just because it feels good doesn’t makeit good. Don’t trade all your tomorrows for today.
Four: Don’t expect too much or settle for
too little. No one can make you happy, but you can
be happy. Hang out with people who bring out the best in you, and be the kind of person who brings
out the best in others.
Five: Control your attitudes and you wil
control your life. You can’t always control whahappens to you, but you can always control what
happens in you. Remember, pain is inevitable but
suffering is a choice. So is happiness.--Michael Josephson
The Power of Thank You
The following was a blog posted by Jon Gordon
on 25 Nov 2013 05:31 AM PST. I think it can
serve as a great reminder to all of us.In the spirit of Thanksgiving I’d love to share with
you the benefits and power of two simple words.
THANK YOU.They are two words that have the power to
transform our health, happiness, athletic
performance and success. Research shows thatgrateful people are happier and more likely to
maintain good friendships. A state of gratitudeaccording to research by the Institute of HeartMath
also improves the heart’s rhythmic functioningwhich helps us to reduce stress, think more clearly
under pressure and heal physically. It’s actually
physiologically impossible to be stressed andthankful at the same time. When you are grateful
you flood your body and brain with emotions and
endorphins that uplift and energize you rather than
the stress hormones that drain you.
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Gratitude and appreciation are also essential for
a healthy work environment. In fact, the number
one reason why people leave their jobs is becausethey don’t feel appreciated. A simple thank you and
a show of appreciation can make all the difference.
Gratitude is like muscle. The more we do with it thestronger it gets. In this spirit here are 4 ways to
practice Thanksgiving every day of the year.
1. Take a Daily Thank You Walk – I wroteabout this in The Energy Bus and The Positive Dog.
Take a simple 10-minute walk each day and say out
loud what you are thankful for. This will set you up
for a positive day.
2. Meal Time Thank You’s – On
Thanksgiving, or just at dinner with your friends
and family, go around the table and have each
person, including the kids at the little table, saywhat they are thankful for.
3. Gratitude Visit – Martin Seligman, Ph.D.,
the father of positive psychology, suggests that wewrite a letter expressing our gratitude to someone.
Then we visit this person and read them the letter.
His research shows that people who do this aremeasurably happier and less depressed a month
later.
4. Say Thank You at Work – When DougConant was the CEO of Campbell Soup he wrote
approximately 30,000 thank you notes to hisemployees and energized the company in the
process. Energize and engage your co-workers and
team by letting them know you are grateful for themand their work. Organizations spend billions of
dollars collectively on recognition programs but the
best and cheapest recognition program of allconsists of a sincere THANK YOU. And of course
don’t forget to say thank you to your clients and
customers too.
”As we express our gratitude, we must never
forget that the highest appreciation is not to
utter words, but to live by them.”
--John F. Kennedy
Counseling Comments…Tami Harman
Happy Holidays!!
Seniors:
With only a month left in semester one
seniors should be making decisions about post-secondary choices and completing applications
ACT or COMPASS tests, college visits, etc. The
main focus for second semester then is to finalize
plans and to apply for scholarships.I still have not met with all the seniors and their
parents to discuss post-secondary plans. Please call
the high school and arrange a time to meet todiscuss your son/daughter’s plans
Juniors:Juniors should have taken the ACT test at
least once already. There will be a John Baylor
Test Prep before the February 8th ACT Test date
The deadline for registering for the February test isJanuary 10, 2014. The website is
www.actstudent/org. Please call if you have any
questions about ACT testing.
Sophomores:
The Sophomores took the PLAN test in
October. The results are back and will I will begoing in to the classroom to give them their results
and explain how to interpret the results. This is a
pre-ACT test and will predict their scores for whenthey take the actual ACT their junior and senior
years.
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From the Elementary Principal
…Diane White
T-C Elementary DecemberHighlights
Dec. 6 1:30 Dismissal for In Service
Dec. 10 Christmas Program for Grades 3-5 at
2:00 and 7:00.Dec. 13 No Preschool today
Dec. 14 Old Fashioned Christmas in Neola
Dec. 15 MS/HS Christmas Extravaganza
Dec. 16 No Preschool today
Dec. 17 NWMSU Drama presents “Red vs. TheWolf” 1:15 and 2:15
Dec. 17 Student Council Mtg. 3:30Dec. 20 1:30 Out for Christmas Vacation
Dec. 21 thru Jan. 5 – No School for students
Jan. 2 & 3 Teacher InService Days
Jan. 6
Welcome back to school!
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Upcoming dates to mark on your
calendar:
Jan. 17 & Jan. 31 – No Preschool
Jan. 20 – No School – Teacher In ServiceFeb. 1 – 1:30 Dismissal for Teacher In Service
Feb. 12 & 13 – 1:30 Dismissal for P/T conferences
Feb. 14 – No School
TC Kids Wrestling – A note from Coach White
Please check your closets and drawers forTC Kids Singlets. If you find one, please drop it off
in Mrs. White’s office. If you have shoes that youhave borrowed or have shoes that you’d like todonate to our club, you can drop those off as well.
Thanks for your wrestling support!!!
…Julie Theulen
On Saturday, November 23, Elijah Bearley
competed in Special Olympics Bowling in SiouxCity. Elijah came home with first place and a gold
medal. Congratulations to Elijah!
The next competition for the SpecialOlympic team will be District Basketbal
on January 9 at IWCC.
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Tri-Center Middle School…Brian Wedemeyer
The last day of the first semester is
scheduled to be December 20th
, 2nd
Semester startsJanuary 6
th.
Middle School students will receive their
second semester schedules the first day of school on
January 7th in their first semester homeroom.MS students completed the Iowa
Assessments in November. We should have the
results back in late January or early February.
The JH girl’s basketball team and boyswrestling team will start practicing in January. All
students need to have a current physical to
participate. The girls basketball teams will becoached by Mike Larsen and Jerry Christensen and
the JH WR team will be coached by Mark Hazen.
*We have activity calendars in each officewith the winter sport schedules on them, if anyone
would like one you may pick one up in any office.
You can also check the schedules online at:
www.westerniowaconference.org
Rules that can work, taken from Fathers andMothers Improving the Lives of Young Children
Newsletter:Discipline is more than punishment for
misbehavior. It is the means by which we teach our
children good conduct now and for the future.
Every mistake a child makes can become anopportunity for new learning. Here are four rules
that can guide you:
Accentuate the positive
Minimize the negative
Explain your expectationsBe consistent
School Nurse Notes
…Jennifer McGee, R.N.
Frostbite…….. With cold weather nearing it is time to pullout all the winter gear! Warm coats, hats, mittens
scarves, snow pants and boots will help decrease the
chance of frostbite during the winter monthsTaking preventive action is your best defense
against having to deal with extreme cold-weather
conditions. By preparing your home and car inadvance for winter emergencies, you can reduce
your risk of health issues. Frostbite is an injury to
the body that is caused by freezing. Signs of
frostbite include redness or pain on the skin, a whiteor grayish-yellowish skin area, skin that feels
unusually firm or waxy, and numbness. A person is
often unaware of the frostbite until someone else
points it out because the frozen skin tissue is numb.If you notice someone with frostbite get them into a
warm room right away. If frostbite is on the feet or
toes, avoid walking-this increases the damageImmerse the affected area in warm (not hot) water
Instead of immersing in water, you can warm the
affected area using body heat. One can easily use
the armpit to warm frostbitten fingers. Do not use aheating pad, heat lamp, fireplace or heat of the stove
for warming. Affected areas are usually always
numb and can be easily burned.
Elementary Art News
…Liz Lyons
Art to Remember orders were sent
home on November 27th, so if you did not receiveyours, please let Mrs. Lyons know as soon as possible!
Kindergarten students are working with
patterns and lines. They will finish making Zebraswith directional lines and paint a clay Christmas
stocking with patterns in acrylic paint.
First graders are painting their Hokusa prints and printing poinsettias with sponges. They
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will also enjoy adding emphasis to their flowers
with glitter!
Second graders are working with symbolsand patterns to create ornaments that look like
Christmas presents.
Third grade students have finished learningabout the color wheel and monochromatic valuescale so now we are practicing color mixing with
expressive brush strokes!
Fourth graders have been working hard tofinish their toucan projects with new shading and
color blending skills in colored pencil.
Fifth graders are inspired by the abstractwork of Wassily Kandinsky as they mix and blend
colors to finish their compositions.
Elementary Music
Information…..Jessica Blakesley
Mark your Calendars!
The 3rd
, 4th
, and 5th grades at
Tri-Center Elementary Schools
Present:
“The Incredible Reindeer” Tuesday, December 10,
2013
T-C High School Gymnasium2:00 pm matinee
7:00 pm evening performance
As the story goes Santa Claus is facing atime old problem, a foggy Christmas Eve. His
usual solution – a certain red-nosed reindeer – has a
bad cold. If that wasn’t bad enough, Santa’s specialteam of Astronomer Elves has just determined that
an asteroid is hurtling straight for the North Pole!Certain disaster! Calamity! Chaos! Could things get
any worse? But wait! Just as all seems lost, enter our legion of superheroes: The Incredible Reindeer!
Can The Incredible Reindeer overcome the deadly
challenge of the asteroid, saving the North Pole andthe world from certain doom? Find out December
10th
, 2013, as the 3rd
, 4th
, and 5th
grade perform,
“The Incredible Reindeer.” Performances will beheld in the Tri-Center High School Gymnasium at
2:00 pm and again at 7:00 pm. We will be sending
out more information as the performance gets
closer. If you have any questions feel free tocontact us by email at [email protected]
[email protected] or by phone at (712) 485-
2271. We hope to see you all there.
T-C Dollars for Scholars
T-C Dollars for Scholars is officially
Tri-Center Scholarship Foundation
Inc. The name may have changed but the mission remains the same – to provide
scholarship monies to qualified Tri-Center High
School graduates for post-secondary education!
The decision to become our own non-profitcorporation was not an easy one, but group
members felt it was the right one. Within the last
few years many changes have taken place at
Scholarship America, the parent corporation ofDollars for Scholars. More and more requirements
were being imposed on chapters, and the cost of
remaining a part of the Dollars for Scholars groupwas continuing to go up. Scholarship
America/Dollars for Scholars advised chapters early
in 2013 that many more changes were coming and
that a new contract would need to be signed byJanuary 1, 2014, some of the terms of which were
not agreeable to the members of our chapter.
Last June T-C Dollars for Scholars made thedecision to disassociate with Scholarship
America/Dollars for Scholars and seek our own
non-profit status. With the help of CPA LindaAnderson and financial advisor Mary Herzberg, the
paperwork was prepared and submitted to the
Internal Revenue Service. Approval from the IRS
was received November 20 and was maderetroactive to June 1. Becoming an independent
non-profit ensures that all contributions made to the
chapter will remain with the chapter.
Tri-Center Scholarship Foundation, Inc.’snext fundraiser will be our Annual Theme
Luncheon, which will take place on March 29
Anyone interested in hosting a table for theluncheon should contact Kathy Mark, Secretary of
Tri-Center Scholarship Foundation, Inc., at 712-
485-2423.
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