Decorah Schools will be CLOSED on Thursday, January 19th, 2023. Be Safe.
Decorah Schools will be CLOSED on Thursday, January 19th, 2023. Be Safe.
Author: Decorah Community School District
Decorah Schools will have a 2-hour late start on Thursday, January 19, 2023. No AM preschool.
Decorah Schools will have a 2-hour late start on Thursday, . No AM preschool.
Dream Week
An Hour of Service
Decorah Community School District students and families are invited to join us in an hour of service as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Who: All Decorah School District students, staff, and families.
*Preschool through 4th-grade students should be accompanied by an adult.
What: An hour of service – packing Birthday Bags for the Decorah Community Pantry and making spring decorations for local nursing homes
*a fun snack will be provided
When: Wednesday, January 18, from 3:15-4:15
Where: John Cline Elementary School Gym
*Families are welcome to bring an item to donate to the Food Pantry (it can be a Birthday related item such as cake mix or frosting or traditional items such as canned food, toiletries, etc.)
DHS presents ‘City of Stars’ January 29
Decorah High School will present “City of Stars,” a memorable evening of musical theater, jazz and popular music, and delicious food on Sunday, January 29 at 5 p.m. at DHS.
“City of Stars,” which is a change from the annual Madrigal Dinner, will be a star-studded, entertaining event featuring vocal and instrumental music as well as performances by Large Group Speech Musical Theater groups. The audience will enjoy a meal of rosemary focaccia, deviled egg with vegetable crudités in Louis dressing, chicken cutlet with a creamy five cheese pasta garnished with broccoli florets, and tiramisu with Bordeaux cherry. The meal was planned and will be prepared by Decorah Community School District Executive Chef Chad Elliott.
Advanced tickets are $25 each and are available online at https://decorahschools.ludus.com/index.php. To pay with cash or check, tickets can be purchased in the DHS office. Only 220 tickets are available and will be sold until noon on Wednesday, January 25 or until sold out. Tables will seat six people at each.
Direct questions to DHS vocal music teacher Jason Rausch at 382-3643, or email him at [email protected]
DHS Vocalists Chosen as Soloist and Solo-Finalists at Dorian Festival
The 2023 Luther College Dorian Vocal Festival was held January 8-9 with nearly 1000 high school juniors and seniors from Midwest schools participating. Each year at the festival a solo competition is held to select individuals to perform at the Festival Grand Concert.
This year four singers from Decorah High School advanced to the semi-final round: Jenna Hartz, Sally Laybourn, Ada Lovelace and Michael Njus.
From the twenty-five semi-finalists, five were chosen to perform at the Festival Grand Concert. One of the five was DHS tenor Michael Njus who sang “Die Forelle” by Schubert for a live audience of 1400 people. The concert was also streamed online.
Decorah Music Boosters and Decorah Community Schools Purchase New Concert Grand Piano
Through the joint financial efforts of the Decorah Community School District and the Decorah Music Boosters, a new grand piano has been purchased for use in the Decorah High School auditorium. The seven-foot Schimmel instrument will benefit for …
Decorah Schools will have a 2-hour delay on Thursday, January 5, 2023.
Decorah Schools will have a 2-hour delay on Thursday, .
DMS Mock Trial Team Wins State Trophy
Decorah Middle School teams had strong performances at the State Mock Trial competition, earning a trophy and two outstanding performance medals.
Decorah’s 8th grade team won the seventh-place trophy out of 32 teams that competed at State. Decorah was edged out by 4 points by the team that advanced to the semi-final round.
Decorah’s 7th grade team received the most nominations from participating teams to win the Critelli Award for outstanding “professional conduct, courtroom decorum, civility and sportsmanship.”
Two Decorah students were honored with All-State individual medals: Lulu Bellrichard and Jillian Volz for Outstanding Attorney. To earn this award, a student must be nominated by both judges as their top choice in a single round.
The two Decorah teams qualified for the State competition by placing first and second at the Regional competition in Waterloo. Decorah’s other two teams placed fourth and fifth. Over 125 teams compete in Regionals statewide.
This year’s case was a personal injury civil trial about a customer who fell down two flights of stairs in a restaurant during a busy lunch rush. For the competition, students write scripts as attorneys and witnesses and perform trials as plaintiff and defense against opposing teams.
“This was a very challenging case this year with four expert witnesses and many technical documents,” said teacher coach Carole Sand. “I’m very proud of our Decorah students. Winning the 7th place trophy, two outstanding performance awards, and the Critelli Award at State is a testament to the students’ hard work, talent, and commitment.”
Many Decorah participants were nominated or honored for outstanding performances as attorneys or witnesses at the regional and state tournaments, some by numerous judges.
Outstanding honors went to 8th graders Lulu Bellrichard, Spencer Christensen, Lawrence Christman, Emma Cline, Thomas Davis, Jackson Irwin, Naomi Kutz, Myla Leitz, Jayden Lundtvedt, Gavin Luzum, Teagan Menke, Olivia Rissman, Grace Stockman, and Jillian Volz.
Seventh grade outstanding performers included Poppy Bellrichard, Isaac Bentley, Matthew Burkholder, Pranav Caton, Leah Garcia-Prats, Max Goodner, Kaya Johnson, Kora Kelly, Sophia McGee, Shriyansh Patel, Kate Pattison, Nils Peterson, and Davis Walter.
DMS Mock Trial is part of the school’s Extended Learning Program. Coaches include Sand, Scott Boylen, and Sarah Zbornik. Supporting the program are volunteer expert mentors: attorney Sandra Benzschawel, Judge Marty Lingreen, Judge Linnea Nicol, Luther graduate Peter Stelter, and former Decorah student Jacob Stock. Decorah High School assistant coaches include Mara Branum, June Breitenbach-Dirks, Grace Blikre, Mikayla Hiner, Evon Leitz, Nora Lesmeister, Lily Sandhorst, Kamryn Steines, and Kaylie Wemark.
“We owe much of our success to all of the mentors, assistant coaches, and high school students who donate countless hours to work individually with our students,” said Sand. “We also appreciate Lisa Lantz at The Getup for donating clothing for our costumes.”
DHS Music department to present winter choral concert
The Decorah High School Music Department will present a winter choral concert at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, December 19 in the DHS Auditorium. The concert will feature Ninth Grade Bass Clef Choir, Ninth Grade Treble Clef Choir, Viking Chorus, and Concert Choir. Audience members will hear music by Rachmaninoff, Ramsey, Fox, Bray, and Gardner; songs in Hebrew–“Dodi Li” and “L’dor Vador”; a Native American piece– “Lakota Wiyanki”; and arrangements of familiar seasonal pieces–“Do You Hear What I Hear,” Barbra Streisand’s “Jingle Bells,” and “Here We Come A-Caroling.” The concert will conclude with Concert Choir and alumni singing Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” – a DHS tradition.
The DHS Madrigal Singers will perform carols in the auditorium beginning at 7:10 p.m.
The Decorah High School Music Department will present a winter choral concert at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, December 19 in the DHS Auditorium. The concert will feature Ninth Grade Bass Clef Choir, Ninth Grade Treble Clef Choir, Viking Chorus, and Concert Choir. Audience members will hear music by Rachmaninoff, Ramsey, Fox, Bray, and Gardner; songs in Hebrew–“Dodi Li” and “L’dor Vador”; a Native American piece– “Lakota Wiyanki”; and arrangements of familiar seasonal pieces–“Do You Hear What I Hear,” Barbra Streisand’s “Jingle Bells,” and “Here We Come A-Caroling.” The concert will conclude with Concert Choir and alumni singing Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” – a DHS tradition.
The DHS Madrigal Singers will perform carols in the auditorium beginning at 7:10 p.m.
Conductors for the concert are Jason Rausch and Dean Beckman, and collaborative pianist is Mary Beth Bouska. Guest percussionists are Liam Chamberlain, Kealy Hines, Alex McGohan, and Gerald Thompson. The public is warmly invited to attend this concert.
Boys’ Basketball Teams Give Back to their Respective Communities
When the JV and Varsity boys’ basketball teams from Decorah and Sumner-Fredericksburg met recently for the Achieve Scrimmage match, they accomplished much more than just the opportunity to compete against each other. Donations were collected for admission into the scrimmage, and they were split between the schools’ local food pantries. $200 was directed to the Decorah Community Food Pantry, and $200 went to the His Hands Food Pantry in Oran, Iowa.
The Decorah boys’ basketball team met with Matt Tapscott, director of the Decorah Community Food Pantry, to learn more about food insecurity in northeast Iowa and to present the $200 check.
