Author: Decorah Community School District

Today officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of over 16.000 Semifinalists in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, and two Decorah High School students, Justin Berlage and Diep Doan, are among those honored.  These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring.  

High school students entered the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which serves as an initial screen of the program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.

A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. 

Today officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of over 16.000 Semifinalists in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, and two Decorah High School students, Justin Berlage and Diep Doan, are among those honored.  These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring.  

High school students entered the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which serves as an initial screen of the program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title.

A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. 

NMSC, a not-for-profit organization, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

The Decorah Community School District was recently one of ten school districts in the state of Iowa to receive a Therapeutic Classroom Incentive Grant from the Iowa Department of Education.  John Cline and Carrie Lee Elementary Schools received $266,000 in grant funding for a therapeutic classroom and supports. The Therapeutic Classroom Grant is part of a statewide effort to increase mental health supports for children, youth, and families.

Therapeutic classrooms and resources are designed to provide support for any student whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs interfere with their ability to be successful in the current educational environment. 

Grant writer Shanna Putnam Dibble shared that the funds will be utilized for a variety of social, emotional, and behavioral health supports, including classroom and curriculum materials, professional development for staff, and family and community learning opportunities and engagement.

Putnam Dibble states, “Now, more than ever, our students and families need social, emotional, and mental health supports, and the earlier that we provide these supports and resources, the better for all involved.  This funding will enhance our efforts across our elementary schools to support the social and emotional needs of our students and families, ensuring all students have the skills and resources they need to be successful in school and throughout life.”

The Decorah Community School District was recently one of ten school districts in the state of Iowa to receive a Therapeutic Classroom Incentive Grant from the Iowa Department of Education.  John Cline and Carrie Lee Elementary Schools received $266,000 in grant funding for a therapeutic classroom and supports. The Therapeutic Classroom Grant is part of a statewide effort to increase mental health supports for children, youth, and families.

Therapeutic classrooms and resources are designed to provide support for any student whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs interfere with their ability to be successful in the current educational environment. 

Grant writer Shanna Putnam Dibble shared that the funds will be utilized for a variety of social, emotional, and behavioral health supports, including classroom and curriculum materials, professional development for staff, and family and community learning opportunities and engagement.

Putnam Dibble states, “Now, more than ever, our students and families need social, emotional, and mental health supports, and the earlier that we provide these supports and resources, the better for all involved.  This funding will enhance our efforts across our elementary schools to support the social and emotional needs of our students and families, ensuring all students have the skills and resources they need to be successful in school and throughout life.”

“All students need support and resources that meet their individual needs,” said Iowa Department of Education Director Ann Lebo. “The therapeutic classroom grants help schools build upon their great work to promote the overall well-being of students. I commend this year’s awardees and their community partners for their plans to grow and strengthen a continuum of therapeutic supports so that every student has the support they need to succeed.”

Students at Decorah High School are preparing for a week’s worth of activities to celebrate Homecoming 2022.  

Homecoming week activities will commence with the Viking Olympics on Sunday, September 11, at Decorah High School. Viking Olympics aims to develop camaraderie and encourage team building among students across all grade levels. Each of the ten teams competing will consist of two boys and two girls from each grade level. They will compete against each other in trivia, kickball, bags, and tug of war. Proceeds from the Viking Olympics will be donated to a charity of the students’ choice.  

The student body’s choice for Homecoming king and queen will be revealed at the coronation ceremony on Friday afternoon, September 16, in the Decorah High School auditorium. 

Queen candidates from the senior class include Rebecca Bruening, daughter of Keith and Amy Bruening; Sophia Christman, daughter of Robert and Victoria Christman; Ella Grouws, daughter of David and Jennifer Grouws; Ellen Rooney, daughter of Dave and Annette Rooney; and Annalise Skrade, daughter of Paul and Miriam Skrade.

King candidates from the senior class include Jaden Baker, son of James and Wendy Baker; Ethan Bockman, son of Jason Bockman and Tonyia Seiler; Erik Hjelle, son of John and Tracy Hjelle; Jackson Knoke, son of Fred and Amy Knoke; and Benjamin Wymer, son of Curt and Sarah Wymer.

Junior class attendants are Hayley Stowe, daughter of Haywood and Erika Stowe, and Peter Essa, son of Jared and Tracy Essa.

Representing the sophomore class as attendants are Leah Holland, daughter of Steve and Krista Holland, and Grant Zilka, son of Keith and Jessica Zilka.

Lauren Luzum, daughter of Brian and Jennessa Luzum, and Trevor Kuennen, son of Ted and Nicholle Kuennen, will represent the freshman class.

A pep rally will immediately follow the coronation. The Homecoming parade will start at 2:30 p.m. at the high school and follow the traditional homecoming parade route down West Water Street and River Street.

It will be a clash on the gridiron as the Decorah Vikings take on the Comets of Charles City on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. The Decorah freshman football team will play at 5:00 p.m. 

The Homecoming queen and king, their court, and their parents will be presented at halftime of the varsity game, along with a performance by the Decorah High School Pride of the Vikings marching band.

The Decorah Music Boosters will hold their annual chili supper in the high school cafeteria Friday, September 9 from 4:30-7:00 p.m. prior to the Decorah vs West Delaware varsity football game.  Tickets for the supper are $8.00.  Pre-school children may eat free. 

Tickets are available at the door or from high school band and choir members.  The menu for the meal includes chili (meat & vegetarian), crackers, hot dogs, carrots, assorted bars and cookies, milk and coffee. 

Proceeds from the chili supper support scholarships, activities and programming for music students in the Decorah Community School District.

John Cline Elementary School is looking for volunteers to serve as school-based mentors for kindergarten through second grade students.  Volunteers would serve as adult role models who would spend one hour per week engaging in fun activities with their student during the school day (such as art projects, reading, board games, eating lunch together, sports, and the like).  Those interested in applying should visit www.helpingservices.org/mentoring or contact Shanna Putnam Dibble at shanna.putnamdibble@decorah.k12.ia.us for more information. 

One person has the ability to change the course of a child’s life – volunteer and make a positive impact today!

Decorah schools are known for encouraging participation and involvement in activities, and they have created two ways to learn more about events in the schools.  First, the district has an Activities webpage to track events. From this page, users have quick access to additional information for all activities, links for the Northeast Iowa Conference, District booster clubs, the Activities social media, and the Decorah Apparel website.  This year the district also has available a Google Calendar that lists all the activities and the school schedule, including late start days, no school days, and other special events.  This calendar can be found under the district calendar link on the homepage of the website or at DCSD Google Calendar.  

Friday night the football team is playing Crestwood for the first home football game of the 2022 season. The Decorah Viking Athletic Booster Club will be hosting a community tailgate sponsored by Hy-Vee from 5:00-7:00.  Hy-Vee will provide free food and entertainment, including bouncy houses and a DJ.  All members of the community are welcome to attend this event. 

Decorah Middle School music teacher Dean Beckman is the recipient of the Outstanding Elementary/Middle School Choral Educator Award, presented by the Iowa Choral Directors Association (ICDA) at their annual Summer Symposium. Beckman is the first to receive the elementary/middle school award in the inaugural year of the Honors Program. The purpose of the initiative is to recognize work being done in every arena by the ICDA’s dedicated members and supporters. The ICDA is committed to celebrating the honorees, not only within the organization, but within their communities, the state, and the nation. The aim is to raise them up, demonstrating that they are seen and deeply appreciated.

Beckman began his teaching career in 1985 in Westby, Wisconsin, and has been teaching in the Decorah Community School District since 1988. Over the years he has had incredible success with a considerable number of students being selected into the Iowa Opus Honor Choirs. In several of those years, Beckman has had the most chosen by any teacher in the state. In the fall of 2021, he had a record-breaking 29 students selected. He spends hours outside of the school day working with the singers to prepare them for auditions. In addition, his work on the annual sixth grade musical and the 7th/8th Grade Pops Concert are performances the students take immense pride in and talk about for years beyond middle school. With both of these events, his goal has been to make as many students as possible feel like they are stars so they want to continue making music.

Outside of Decorah Middle School Beckman has been on panels and co-presented at the ICDA Summer Symposium. In 2013, he was honored to serve as the conductor of the Iowa Opus 7th/8th Grade Bass Clef Choir. Beckman is beginning his 35th year of teaching in the Decorah Community School District this week.

The ICDA is an organization of over 700 Iowa choral music educators that serves choral musicians in the state of Iowa by providing leadership, guidance and support, and continuing education opportunities, promoting excellence in the choral art through high-quality offerings and events, supporting growth beyond college graduation, and enriching and renewing the musical souls of its membership.

The Decorah Community School District is proud to welcome nine new teachers and fourteen new paraprofessionals.  The new teachers include Bethany Noble – Title I, Ashley Darling – 2nd grade, Beth Bodensteiner – 3rd grade, Erika Hinz – 3rd grade,

Hailey Vrzak – Special Education, Danyelle Kruse – 5-8 Technology, Bonnie Johnson – Home School Assistance Program (HSAP), Nick Hirka – high school English, and Doreen Fullhart, high school Family & Consumer Science.  Serving as new para educators for the district include Michelle Leibold, Maureen Hrdlicka, Kendall Reagan, Stephanie Folkedahl, Sonya Geenen, Karla Vargas, Lara Schissel, Cindy Maxa, Cora Syverson, Natasha Ryan, Maria Dimmer, David Grouws, Tom Wahlberg, and Montana Bohr.

Decorah Middle School 8^th graders have organized a series of writing contests open to all students at the school. In April, students in grades 5-8 wrote and submitted original poems and short stories. Winners were recently announced at the school’s final monthly assembly and include Natalie Holthaus, Jordyn Roberg, Leah Garcia-Prats, Harper Novak, Veda Shimek, Sofia Hageman, Kelbi Schuman, Lailyn McGrath, Keaton Nalean-Carlson, Naomi Pedlar, Nora Lesmeister, Grace Stockman, Jillian Volz, Isabelle Alley, Charlotte LaBelle, and Mara Baumann.

To honor their spring writing, all winners received a gift certificate to Whippy Dip.

Submitted by: Morgan Moen, Decorah FFA Reporter

The Decorah FFA sent eleven members to Hawkeye Community College to compete in four district FFA contests. Around 400 FFA members from Northeast Iowa competed in events in agronomy, floriculture, food science, and nursery landscape contests. Decorah FFA members who participated include Brooke Anfinson, Annika Brynsaas, Brody Courtney, Braunwyn Darrington, Rashell Lippe, Morgan Moen, Creed Monroe, Chezny Ryant, Hannah Schnitzler, Addison Wemark, and Mara Wyatt.

The team of Brynsaas, Courtney, Monroe, and Wyatt competed in the FFA agronomy contest. The students evaluated various crop production aspects, including hay quality, silage samples, seed quality, corn and soybean marketing, and identification of seed, plant, and insects. The students also took a fifty-question multiple-choice exam covering agronomic practices. The Decorah FFA team placed 8^th out of 30 teams.

The team of Anfinson and Darrington represented Decorah FFA in the nursery landscape contest. Students took a general knowledge exam, identified landscape plants, completed a landscape estimation problem, and discussed the proper safety and operation of a zero-turn lawn mower and chainsaw. Anfinson placed 8^th individually in this contest. A total of 18 teams competed in this contest.

Forty-three teams competed in this year’s district floriculture contests. The team of Ryant, Schnitzler, and Wemark represented the Decorah FFA chapter in this contest. Team members made a corsage, identified plants and flowers, answered production and management questions, completed problem solving questions, and took a general knowledge exam.

The team of Lippe and Moen competed in the food science contest. Members in this contest completed two sensory evaluations that include identifying various aromas and completing a triangle test to see the differences in products. Members also completed a general knowledge exam and took part in three practicums involving problem solving, food safety and quality, and customer inquiry. Twenty-four teams competed in this year’s district food science contest.