Friday, May 26, 2017

This is the last edition of This Week in Our Schools for the 2016-17 school year! Select the image below to see what our students and staff have been learning this final week of school!


Featured this week:


  • Colorado Elementary: Mrs. Hines' Kindergarten Class.
  • Colorado Elementary: 4th Grade MPW Energy Poster Contest Winner.
  • Franklin Elementary: Honey Harvest!
  • Grant Elementary: Grant Named Lighthouse School!
  • Jefferson Elementary: Top Raffle Winners!
  • Madison Elementary: Madison Leaders.
  • Madison Elementary: Miss Shelangoski, Mrs. Middagh, Mrs. Kesten, and Ms. Shepherd's Students.
  • Madison Elementary: 3rd Grade Metric Field Day.
  • Madison Elementary: 4th Grade MPW Energy Poster Contest Winner!
  • Mulberry Elementary: Mrs. Evans' Kindergarten Class.
  • Mulberry Elementary: 4th Grade MPW Energy Contest Winners.
  • Mulberry Elementary: Mrs. Hill's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Class.
  • Mulberry Elementary: End-of-Year Aquatic Center Adventure!
  • Mulberry Elementary: Mulberry's School Cheer.
  • Mulberry Elementary: 5th Grade Graduation!
  • Central Middle School: Jazz Band Mini Tour.
  • West Middle School: 6th Grade Kick-Ball Tournament.
  • West Middle School: Ms. Matteson's 6th Grade ELA Classes.
  • West Middle School: Mr. Yerington's 6th Grade Science Classes.
  • West Middle School: Student Artist Portrait of Dundee.
  • West Middle School: Miss Hogenson's 7th Grade Math Classes.
  • Muscatine High School: Mrs. Koch's and Mr. Schmelzer's Work Experience Students.
  • Muscatine High School: Tyler Olson Finished 4th in the 800m Run in 4A State Competition.
  • District-Wide Staff: Grant Staff Participate in Leader in Me Symposium.
  • District-Wide Staff: Elementary Instructional Coaches Retreat.
  • District-Wide Staff: Grant Principal(s) Participate in Lip Sync Event.
  • District-Wide Staff: Grant Staff Celebrate LIM Lighthouse Achievement.
  • District-Wide Staff: Matt Rivera Awarded VFW's Teacher of the Year Award!
  • District-Wide Staff: Madison Celebrates Karen Woods Retirement with Special Guest.
  • District-Wide Staff: Food and Nutrition Staff.

Friday, May 19, 2017

This Week in Our Schools: May 15 - 19, 2017

Select the picture below to see our students and staff in action This Week in Our Schools!


Featured this week:


  • Colorado Elementary: Mrs. Hines' Kindergarten Class.
  • Colorado Elementary: Ms. Schumaker's Kindergarten Class.
  • Colorado Elementary: Ms. Phillips' and Mrs. Smith's 2nd Grade Classes.
  • Colorado Elementary: Mrs. Yahn's 3rd Grade Class.
  • Franklin Elementary: Miss Harder's Kindergarten Class.
  • Franklin Elementary: 4th Grade Field Trip to Wild Cat Den!
  • Grant Elementary: Outdoor Education Day at Wild Cat Den!
  • Jefferson Elementary: Mrs. Loos' 3rd Grade Class.
  • Madison Elementary: 4th Grade Madison Student Leadership Team.
  • McKinley Elementary: Mrs. Bloomquist's School-wide Reading Challenge.
  • Mulberry Elementary: Mrs. Evans' Kindergarten Class.
  • Mulberry Elementary: PBIS Picnic Lunch.
  • Mulberry Elementary: Special Guest Visitor - Miss Muscatine!
  • Mulberry Elementary: Mrs. Mergen and Mrs. Haag's 1st Grade Classes.
  • Central Middle School: Reading Challenge Winners.
  • West Middle School: 8th Grade Band Concert.
  • West Middle School: Mrs. Plemmons' Students.
  • West Middle School: 6th Grade River Bandits Game.
  • West Middle School: Annual Teachers vs. Students Volleyball Game.
  • West Middle School: Published Poet Kiley R.!
  • Muscatine High School: Muskie Band Awards Banquet.
  • Muscatine High School: University of Iowa Steel Band Performs for MHS Band.
  • Muscatine High School: Sophomore Gifted/Talented Tours University of Chicago.
  • Muscatine High School: MHS Hunger Banquet.
  • Muscatine High School: MHS Science Club.
  • Muscatine High School: Mrs. Kramer's Chemistry Class.
  • Muscatine High School: Sophomore Gifted/Talented Northwestern and University of Chicago Tours.
  • Muscatine High School: Transition and Work Experience Students.
  • Muscatine High School: Class of 2017 Graduation Practice!
  • District-Wide Staff: WMS Honors Retirees.

Monday, May 15, 2017

This Week in Our Schools: May 8 - 12, 2017

Select the link below to see our students and staff in action This Week in Our Schools!


Featured this week:

  • Race for the Schools!
  • Parents as Teachers: Learning and Fun with Home Visits.
  • Colorado Elementary: Mrs. Hines' Kindergarten Muffins for Moms!
  • Colorado Elementary: Mrs. Coss' Class.
  • Colorado Elementary: Mrs. Yahn's 3rd Grade Class.
  • Colorado Elementary: Mrs. Truitt's 5th Grade Class.
  • Franklin Elementary: Student Leadership Team.
  • Franklin Elementary: 1st and 5th Grade Trip to University of Iowa.
  • Franklin Elementary: Mrs. Fick's 5th Grade Class.
  • Franklin Elementary: All School Carnival.
  • Franklin Elementary: 5th Grade Recognition Luncheon.
  • Grant Elementary: Mrs. Newhall's Preschool Class.
  • Grant Elementary: Kindergarten Girl Scouts.
  • Grant Elementary: Mrs. Dusenberry's 1st Grade Class.
  • Grant Elementary: Grant School (3rd -5th grade ) Read and Feed.
  • Madison Elementary: Preschool and Kindergarten's Muffins for Moms.
  • Madison Elementary: 5th Grade Field Trip.
  • McKinley Elementary: Mrs. Franklin's 5th Grade Class.
  • Mulberry Elementary: Mrs. Story's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Class.
  • Mulberry Elementary: Mrs. Evan's Kindergarten Class.
  • District-Wide Middle School: Ms. Blanchard's Orchestra Students.
  • District-Wide Middle School: Gifted and Talented Students.
  • Central Middle School: 6th Grade Ricochet Leadership Group & 7th ELA Honors.
  • Muscatine High School: 2017 Academic Awards Assembly!
  • Muscatine High School: Mr. Long and Mr. Truitt's General Resource Math Class.
  • District-Wide Staff: School Nurse Day!
  • District-Wide Staff: Grant Staff Attend Leader in Me Training.








Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Board Briefs for Monday, May 8, 2017 Regular Board Meeting

The Muscatine Schools' Board of Education met in regular session on Monday, May 8, 2017 at 7 p.m. at City Hall. Members present: Directors Bower, Dabeet, Finn, Mather, and Wildermuth. President Drawbaugh was absent. Also present: Superintendent Riibe and Director of Finance Tom Anderson.

  1. The board recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
  2. Vice President Wildermuth welcomed visitors and the media.
  3. Saul O'Campo, MHS Student Council Rep, provided a student council update to the Board. 
  4. Kris Gladwell, Sarah Manjoine, Jeanne Petersen, Kelly Gillespie, and Gina Schliesman were honored for receiving the Employee Recognition Award for May.
  5. Superintendent Riibe honored the board as part of School Board Recognition Month.
  6. No one spoke during Citizens Speak.
  7. The consent agenda was approved which included:
    1. Minutes of April 10, 2017 Regular Session and Minutes of April 24, 2017 Work Session.
    2. Employment Recommendations:
      1. New Hires for 2017-18
        1. Joshua Day - MHS Ag
        2. Haley Denton - CMS 7th & 8th ELA
        3. Noelia Espinal-Lujan - Early Childhood SPED
        4. Craig Johnson - MHS Industrial Tech
        5. Jodi Jones - Grant Early Childhood SPED
        6. Megan King - CMS 7th Pre-AP & 8th ELA
        7. Angela Pautz - CMS 8th Grade Science
        8. Alicia Schmitt - Franklin Guidance Counselor
        9. Nathan Swartzendruber - WMS Vocal Music
        10. Luke Turelli - MHS At Risk Science
        11. Derek Zabranskky - WMS 8th Math
      2. Resignations - Certified Staff
        1. Ashley Enabnit - Franklin 5th Grade
        2. Sandra Eversmeyer - McKinley TAG
        3. Bryce Giesmann - Colorado Art
        4. Blayke Lawrence - Madison Kindergarten
        5. Cynthia Machael - Franklin 3rd Grade
        6. William Mayer - MHS Industrial Arts
        7. Teresa Newhall - Grant Special Ed
        8. Crystal Pottebaum - MHS Spanish
        9. Dan Ramos - MHs Social Studies/Instructional Coach
        10. Danielle Reagle - East Campus English/Language Arts
        11. Savannah Skidmore - Franklin Title I
        12. John Vonderhaar - Franklin 4th Grade
        13. Shannon Walker - MHS Physics, Chemistry, Earth Science
        14. Derek Weber - Madison 5th Grade
      3. Leaves of Absence: Kari Morton - Grant 2nd Grade (2017-18 school year)
      4. New Hires - Certified Administrators: Susan O'Donnell - WMS Principal
      5. Resignations - Certified Administrators
        1. Jan Collinson - WMS Principal
        2. Brian Walthart - CMS Assistant Principal
      6. New Hires - Schedule C:
        1. Karey Hawkins - MHS National Honor Society
        2. Carolyn Hurlbut - MHS Color Guard
        3. Rachel Hansen - MHS Curriculum Coord - Social Studies
        4. Betsy Hirschfield - MHS Curriculum Coord - Mathematics
        5. Karey Hawkins - MHS Curriculum Coord - Guidance
        6. Jeff Heid - MHS Curriculum Coord - Fine Arts
      7. Resignations - Schedule C:
        1. Jayme Steffen - MHS Assistant Volleyball
        2. Sally Echelbarger - WMS Track
        3. Heather France - MHS National Honor Society
        4. Elizabeth Thomas - MHS Student Council Co-Advisory
    3. Student Teaching Agreements with: Iowa Wesleyan, UNI, and St. Ambrose.
    4. Bills and Claims against the district dated May 8, 2017.
  8. Approved the MCSD Strategic Plan.
  9. Approved the tentative list of graduates of the Class of 2017.
  10. Reviewed and approved the administrative procedures for policy 900.9 Nutrition and Wellness Program.
  11. Approved the scheduled laptop replacements for teachers and administrators not to exceed more than $463,230.
  12. Approved a two-year contract for tenured administrators (admin who are starting their 4th year at MCSD).
  13. Approved the salary adjustment for administrators and non-union classified professionals to follow the Chapter 20 guidelines of May 1, 2017 (1.97%).
  14. Authorized the district to move forward in developing plans for the next phase of the MHS Construction Project.
  15. Held a second reading on policy 403.19 Notification of Arrest, Criminal Charges, or Child Abuse Complaint.
  16. Jeff Miller updated the board on summer projects for district facilities.
  17. April financials were presented.
  18. Thanked the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust for providing the Excellence in Education Awards for the past 30 years with over $1.2 million dollars given to students at MCSD.
  19. The following announcements of upcoming meetings and events were made:
    1. May 16, 2017: Senior's Last Day
    2. May 21, 2017: Class of 2017 Graduates at 2 p.m. at MHS
    3. May 26, 2017: Last Day for Students; 2-hour early dismissal
    4. May 29, 2017: Memorial Day
    5. May 30, 2017: MCSD Retirement and 30 Year Celebration; Last Day for Teachers
  20. The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
  21. Next meeting: June 12, 2017 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
For more in depth information about this meeting, go to the Board Book.

Friday, May 5, 2017

This Week in Our Schools: May 1 - 5, 2017

Select the image below to be taken to this week's edition of This Week in Our Schools!


Featured this week:



  • Colorado Elementary: Environmental Day.
  • Colorado Elementary: Mrs. Hines' Kindergarten Class.
  • Colorado Elementary: Mrs. Schumaker's Kindergarten Class.
  • Colorado Elementary: 1st Grade Tiger Cub Scouts.
  • Franklin Elementary: 2nd Annual Culture Fair.
  • Franklin Elementary: Miss Clemens' Kindergarten Class.
  • Franklin Elementary: Mrs. Henderson's 2nd Grade Class.
  • Grant Elementary: Mrs. Morton's 2nd Grade Class.
  • Jefferson Elementary: Mrs. Zitzow's 1st Grade Class.
  • Madison Elementary: Character Matters Musical.
  • Madison Elementary: Mrs. Swailes' Preschool Class.
  • McKinley Elementary: Mrs. Spratt's Kindergarten Class.
  • McKinley Elementary: Grades 1-5 Physical Education Fitness Record Breakers!
  • Mulberry Elementary: Mr. Carlson's 3rd Grade Class.
  • Mulberry Elementary: Mrs. Steele's 5th Grade Class.
  • West Middle School: WMS Library's Second Annual Poetry Contest Winner!
  • Muscatine High School: College Decision Day.
  • Muscatine High School: Congrats to Tyler Wilson - 4th Place at Drake!
  • Muscatine High School: 2017 CAPE Car Winner!
  • District-Wide Staff: Mr. Gehret's May 4th Tribute.
  • District-Wide Staff: School Lunch Hero Day!
  • District-Wide Staff: May Employee Awards!