The Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association has recognized Decorah High School Principal Kim Sheppard as the 2021-2022 Administrator of the Year.
During her 21 years in her leadership role with the district, Mrs. Kim Sheppard has helped lead and guide Decorah High School to unprecedented success both academically and in activities. In 2011, DHS was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the Department of Education and since 2010, has been ranked in the top five high schools in the state of Iowa by US News and World Report including top rankings in 2013 and 2020.
In the activities setting, Decorah has achieved great success with Sheppard’s support and guidance to all students, families, and staff. 120 Conference or District titles have been earned in 18 sports, along with 12 State Championships in 6 sports. This success has come with a constant willingness to help in tasks ranging from general supervision and management of events, to running a basketball score table, to offering mentorship and guidance for coaches and staff members in both victory and moments of defeat. Additionally, Sheppard has been a passionate supporter of student success and expression in both the performing and visual arts. She has also has played an active role in work with fellow administrators to work together in finding ways to support and grow program offerings through development of new programs including bowling and robotics.
Mrs. Sheppard has been an outstanding supporter and administrator for the activities program of the Decorah Community School District and the Northeast Iowa Conference throughout her 21 years as the Principal at Decorah High School. Her commitment to excellence and service to students, coaches, and their families has been second to none.
Katy Dane, Luther College class of 2003, has been named the 2022 recipient of the Music Educator Award by The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS).
Each year, the award goes to an educator who “gives students the opportunity to learn and participate in the joy and power that music education brings in uplifting the human spirit and fostering the wellbeing of society.” Dane currently teaches music at Benold Middle School in Georgetown, Texas. According to the BHS, “Dane’s impact on music students in the Georgetown Independent School District extends across multiple ensembles and schools, including choirs, a cappella ensembles, orchestras and vocal soloists. Colleagues praise her high quality instruction and the breadth of opportunities she provides students through festivals and trips.”
Dane was honored in a surprise presentation on Feb. 2.
“I was absolutely blown away by this recognition from NAfME and the BHS,” said Dane. “Apparently the surprise had been in the works for over a month! My symphony orchestra students and I were rushed out of the classroom by our assistant principal for what we thought was an evacuation drill! For a while, none of us knew what was happening, and then we saw the flowers, balloons and a plaque.”
As for what sets Dane apart, it goes beyond notes and harmonies. She focuses on creating a positive culture that supports a sense of belonging and helping students achieve individual success.
“When kids are successful, they are engaged and more motivated. We share good things and affirmations daily, we try to mix up our warm-ups, add in team-building, and I try to make connections to their other subjects. Half of the battle these past couple of years has been showing up for people and being a steady, positive impact in their life,” said Dane.
Dane has been particularly inventive in developing virtual learning environments made necessary by the pandemic. Her students remained engaged while at home and received personally tailored instruction online.
Dane is widely recognized throughout the barbershop community as a teacher, director and leader. She has directed the BHS men’s A Cappella Texas Chorus since 2017 and the Sweet Adelines International A Cappella Unlimited Chorus since 2011. She is president of SING! Texas, a non-profit arts organization providing a cappella education and performance opportunities for youth and young adults across the state of Texas, and is a clinician for vocal arts events in Austin and the surrounding communities.
When asked how her time at Luther College shaped her career as a music educator, Dane replied that while pursuing a double major involving her two passions (string instruments and vocal music) she felt supported and challenged by her professors and peers. Her hard work, passion and drive ultimately allowed her to graduate in four years with two degrees and countless experiences.
“I am forever grateful for the ensemble experiences I had at Luther, the trips and tours we were able to take together, the cross-curricular education and the breadth of music we were exposed to at Luther. I can’t tell you how many times I have used Weston Noble’s quote from our choral methods class and Messiah rehearsals, ‘All music must dance!’ Between all of my rehearsals each week, it is something that everyone ‘gets’ and feels, it transfers between generations and all ensembles,” said Dane.
After graduating from Luther, Dane went on to get her Masters of Music in Choral Conducting at Texas State University-San Marcos with Dr. Joey Martin.
About Luther College
Luther College is home to about 1,800 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our 60+ academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.
Thursday Crafternoons 3:30-4:30 pm at Decorah Public Library
Join us for some crafty fun. All ages welcome. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
Preregistration required please use form below to register.
3/17: Rainbow Mobile 3/24: Paper Flowers 3/31: Wiggly Worm Marionette 4/7: Thumbprint Dandelions 4/14: Watercolor wooden eggs 4/21: Earth Day Seed Bombs 4/28: Paperbag Kites 5/5: Salt Dough and Seed Garden Art
What to expect: This program is designed to be informal and fun. Participants can come for part or all of the allotted time and work at their own pace. We understand that in a multi-age setting that attention spans will vary and welcome you to participate at the level that feels appropriate.
At 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25, the Luther College Center Stage Series presents “Right in the Eye,” a multimedia production celebrating the films of George Méliès.
“The silent films of Georges Méliès are quirky and surprising,” said Kristen Underwood, director of campus programming. “Add live, original music and they become magical and profound. Young and old will appreciate the experience on different levels but everyone will be moved and entertained.”
Méliès was a cinematic pioneer in the late 1800s and early 1900s. As a French illusionist and film director, he is famous for his innovation in the early days of cinema. He popularized the use of special effects, substitution splices, time-lapse photography and other production elements still used today.
“Right in the Eye” features 12 of Méliès’ highly imaginative works and pairs them with a live score of original compositions performed by three musicians on 50 instruments. Audience members will be completely immersed in the playful, poetic experience as inventive music brings wonder-filled silent cinema to life.
This performance is sponsored in part by Decorah Bank and Trust. For the safety of the community, guests will be asked to remain masked throughout the performance.
The highly creative and talented chefs on the Norse Culinary Team invite you to partake in the Center Stage Dinner Series before the show. The dinners feature a multi-course menu to complement each performance. A separate ticket is required. All meals begin at 5:30 p.m. in Peace Dining Room on the second floor of Dahl Centennial Union
Both dinner and show tickets are on sale through Luther’s Ticket Office and online at tickets.luther.edu, by emailing [email protected], or by calling (563) 387-1357.
About Luther College
Luther College is home to about 1,800 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our 60+ academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.
Decorah High School has named Nolan Jacobsen as the recipient of the Norman C. Bradish Scholarship for the 2021-2022 school year. Norman Bradish created a scholarship to be awarded to a male graduate of Decorah High School who possesses high academic ability and curiosity, is liked by peers and adults, and displays high standards of character. The recipient must agree to attend a non-religious college outside the state of Iowa. In addition, the student must remain unmarried until finishing his studies.
Jacobsen is currently still deciding where he will attend college, but he plans to major in aerospace engineering. He has been very active at Decorah High School and in the Decorah community. He has successfully completed numerous college credit and AP courses. He was selected as a member of the Iowa All-State Honor Choir during his junior and senior years and has contributed to top honors awarded to choir groups. Jacobsen has also participated widely in the DHS speech and drama program, performing for musicals and variety shows as well as participating in the Iowa All-State Large Group Speech contest his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He was a member of the boys’ tennis team his junior year and plans to participate again his senior year. Jacobsen was also a part of the boys’ cross country team his senior year and is a member of the DHS chapter of National Honor Society.
Nolan Jacobsen is the son of Kathleen and the late Kalen Jacobsen.
The Decorah High School junior/senior robotics team, the Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men, competed in the Super Qualifier event in Norwalk on Saturday, February 12. The team members–seniors Kolten Gossman, Tyler Shedinger, Weston Everson, Grant Timm and juniors Aiden Burroughs, Ethan Stravers, Justin Berlage, Nathaniel Myers, Junior Battle–played six qualification matches throughout the morning and afternoon, including posting a team high score of 230 when playing with team Still Under Development from Black Hawk County during one of the matches. They finished the qualification matches in 8th place, securing their spot at the state championship Friday, February 18 and Saturday, February 19 at the Xtream Arena in Coralville. In the playoff rounds the team was paired with two alliances, CrossFire from Valley Lutheran High School and the Shells Bots from Waverly, but they lost in the first round to the eventual championship team from Waukee, the Enginerds.
Earlier in the season, both the junior/senior and freshmen/sophomore robotics club teams competed in the League Championship competition on Saturday, January 29 in Cedar Falls. The freshmen/sophomore team, the Treads of Terror, climbed from 12th place to 8th place during the competition. A highlight for the team was when an all-freshmen driving team of Jerald Thompson, Kellen Roffman, and Mason Myers won their first match together this year.
The junior/senior team held steady in 2nd place throughout the competition, despite the collapsing of the inspection table with their robot on it, leading to the replacement of many bent parts. This allowed them to continue into the playoff rounds and “draft” their alliance partner, team 9968 Crossfire from Lutheran Valley High School. Together, they defeated the 3rd and 1st ranked alliances, winning their final match 214 to 182. They were awarded the League Champion trophy and the Judges’ Choice Award for being highly rated in all categories of the competition.
Coach Brett Wilker remarked, “I am extremely proud of both of our teams this year as they have learned and accomplished so much throughout our season. The students have spent over five months designing, building, and programming their robots, and that hard work and dedication paid off by helping them earn high rankings in our league. The students have learned a lot about engineering, coding, and robot design as well as team work and persistence in the face of all of the challenges they’ve faced. We are all excited to be the first robotics team to represent Decorah at the Iowa Championship this weekend, going up against the best teams in the state.”
Both teams pose for a picture after winning the League Championship in Cedar Falls Both teams preparing to compete in a qualification match as alliance partners
The Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men get ready on the queuing table at the Super Qualifier competition in Norwalk
Monday evening, the Board of Directors will set a date for public hearing regarding the proposed 2022-2023 Academic Calendar. Like the past two years, the proposed calendar is an hours of instruction-based calendar and is similar in structure to the past two years. The board will approve the final calendar after the public hearing at their March regular meeting. Those interested can review the draft 2022-2023 academic calendar at the link below.
Approximately 150 Decorah High School students participated in the Northeast State Large Group Speech Contest hosted at Decorah High School on February 5. DHS speech students are coached by Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, Molly Holkesvik, Carrie Kauffman, Gabriel Twedt, and Lyra McKnight.
Judges at the state contest selected eight of Decorah High School students’ performances as outstanding; these performances are honored with the coveted All-State Speech nomination. The DHS students comprising these groups will travel to the Iowa State University campus in Ames to perform at the All-State Festival on Saturday, February 19th. Complete results and programs can be found on the IHSSA website at www.ihssa.org.
The directors shared, “We are so deeply proud of the work, time, and excitement these students bring to the speech program. They set the bar high every year, and it is a privilege to help them meet their goals. We continue to look forward to the rest of the speech year with individual speech already in progress.”
DHS speech groups receiving a nomination as an All-State Honoree include one readers theater, one solo mime, one group mime, one musical theater, one radio broadcasting, two television news, and a short film.
Cast lists for those groups performing at the All-State Festival are as follows:
Readers Theater “Puffs” was directed by Gabe Twedt and Carrie Kauffman.
Participants include Brielle Buresh, Karen Henriquez, Rebecca Anderson, Junior Battle, Michael Njus, Carter Kowitz, Sydney Kipp, Jensen Korsness, Anders Lovstuen, Ramsey Zilka, Abbie Valkosky, Henry Weis, Nadia Johnson, and Bella Bishop.
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Solo Mime “Steaming Hot” by Rebecca Anderson was directed by Molly Holkesvik, Gabe Twedt, and Carrie Kauffman
Group Mime “The Daydream” was directed by Molly Holkesvik, Carrie Kauffman, and Lyra McKnight.
Participants include Leslie Campbell, Liz Clement, Sally Laybourn, Hayley Stowe, and Grace Neal.
Musical Theater “Hadestown” was directed by Gabe Twedt and Carrie Kauffman.
Participants include Haywood Stowe, Drew Chamberlain, Ada Lovelace, Alex Kane, Nolan Jacobson, and Dylan Muhlbauer.
Radio Broadcasting “KCTS” was directed by Gabe Twedt and Carrie Kauffman.
Participants include Drew Berns, Morgan Dlhy, August Witt, Sylvia Sandhorst, and Nat Roberts.
TV News “Iowa Adventures: Haunted Road Trip” was directed by Molly Holkesvik and Gabe Twedt.
Participants include Brynn Storhoff, Sophia Christman, Paige Lange, Braunwyn Darrington, Kailyn O’Gara, Annaleissa Arnold, Simon Kutz, Caden Branum, Chloe Chyle, Bella Bishop, Easton Luzum, Thea Schissel, and Paige Werner.
TV News “Breaking Barriers” was directed by Molly Holkesvik and Gabe Twedt.
Participants include Evynne Downing, Natalie Goodner, Leah Holland, Annika Keefe, Caleb Krieg, Andy Kruger, Beau Newhouse, Kamryn Steines, Amelia Wadsworth, Margret Zook, Chloe Sheffield, Maran Martin, and Rylin Sibley.
Short Film “Until You Can’t” was directed by Molly Holkesvik and Lyra McKnight.
Participants include Koryn Bakken, Drew Berns, Brielle Buresh, Drew Chamberlain, Liz Clement, Annika Franzen, Mara Holland, Wyatt Hackman, Ellie Luzum, August Witt, Amelia Dugger, Landan Folkedahl, Anya Lovstuen, and Elizabeth Pritchard.
The Decorah High School chapter of the National Honor Society inducted 63 new members during its annual induction ceremony Thursday, February 3, at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium
This year’s program included speeches by the NHS officers: Ruby Sullivan, Anya Lovstuen, Ellie Luzum, Mikiah Krieg, and Haywood Stowe. Music featured included an orchestra ensemble and a performance by the Madrigal Singers.
In order to be inducted into National Honor Society, a student must have maintained a 3.5 grade point average and is selected by a committee of faculty members on the basis of leadership, scholarship, character, and service to others.
The new National Honor Society senior inductees for this year are Melia Kruse, Kendall McCain, Sage Wedmann, and Riley Wilson.
The new National Honor Society junior inductees include Julia Alberts, Rebecca Anderson, Kyleigh Batterson, Justin Berlage, Lange Betts, Isabella Bishop, Ethan Bockman, Hailey Bohr, Hailey Bower, Rebecca Bruening, Lydia Caddell, Leslie Campbell, Sophia Christman, Amelia Dugger, Bryar Duwe, Ella Grouws, Sydney Hageman, Nev Kairi Harper, Jenna Hartz, Dahlyn Headington, Madison Heim, Erik Hjelle, Ethan Holthaus, Grace Hoyland, Amy Jensen, Alexandra Kane, Jackson Knoke, Brinley Krivachek, Sally Laybourn, Franklin Lesmeister, Ada Lovelace, Jacob Magner, Britann Mettille, Rachel Mikkelson, Morgan Moen, Sami Mount, Nathaniel Myers, Grace Neal, Michael Njus, Kortni O’Connell, Kylie O’Hara, Julia Phillips, Mya Redenius, Chloe Reiser, Ellen Rooney, Autumn Schaller, Thea Schissel, Carter Schmelzer, Hannah Schnitzler, Mairi Sessions, Annalise Skrade, Daniel Skrade, Ethan Stravers, Gareth Sweet, Jaden Weis, Addison Wemark, Paige Werner, Max Wilson, and Emma Wold.
The current National Honor Society members are Grace Bachelder, Koryn Bakken, Drew Berns, Brielle Buresh, Emily Carolan, Andrew Chamberlain, Elizabeth Clement, Isaac Cooper, Morgan Dlhy, Izaak Eichinger, Dylan Elsbernd, Landan Folkedahl, Kaia Franzen, Grace Gerleman, Kolten Gossman, Wyatt Hackman, Abby Halverson, Arlo Hayes, Dalton Hemesath, Karen Henriquez, Kaya Hines, Joseph Hjelle, Mara Holland, Bradyn Hook, Emma Humpal, Brendan Hunter, Nolan Jacobsen, Lauren Johnson, Mikiah Krieg, Paige Lange, Anya Lovstuen, Ellie Luzum, Connor Maki, MiKenna Martin, Miranda Miller, Dylan Muhlbauer, Simon Mumford, Thomas Ostlie, Mara Pankow, Allison Pavlovec, Jacob Pipho, Ashley Schneberger, Tyler Shedinger, Larsson Shockey, Hogan Smith, Alexandra Stammeyer, Kassidy Steines, Emmit Stemper, Haywood Stowe, Ruby Sullivan, Keenan Tyler, Drew White, Addae Whitsitt, and Brody Young.
Liz Fox and Shannon Horton are the faculty advisors of the Decorah chapter of the National Honor Society at Decorah High School.
Front row (l-r): Lange Betts, Justin Berlage, Kyleigh Batterson, Rebecca Anderson, Julia Alberts, Riley Wilson, Sage Wedmann, Kendall McCain, and Melia Kruse
Second row (l-r): Amelia Dugger, Sophia Christman, Leslie Campbell, Lydia Caddell, Rebecca Bruening, Hailey Bower, Ethan Bockman, and Isabella Bishop
Third row (l-r): Ethan Holthaus, Erik Hjelle, Madison Heim, Dahlyn Headington, Jenna Hartz, Nev Kairi Harper, Sydney Hageman, Ella Grouws, and Bryar Duwe
Fourth row (l-r): Jacob Magner, Ada Lovelace, Franklin Lesmeister, Sally Laybourn, Brinley Krivachek, Jackson Knoke, Alexandra Kane, Amy Jensen, and Grace Hoyland
Fifth row (l-r): Kylie O’Hara, Kortni O’Connell, Michael Njus, Grace Neal, Nathaniel Myers, Sami Mount, Morgan Moen, Rachel Mikkelson, and Britann Mettille
Sixth row (l-r): Mairi Sessions, Hannah Schnitzler, Carter Schmelzer, Thea Schissel, Autumn Schaller, Ellen Rooney, Chloe Reiser, Mya Redenius, and Julia Phillips
Last row (l-r): Emma Wold, Max Wilson, Paige Werner, Addison Wemark, Jaden Weis, Gareth Sweet, Daniel Skrade, and Annalise Skrade
