The Week of the Young Child occurs nationally from April 6-12 to recognize the needs
of young children and their families while advocating for and celebrating early learning
and early childhood education.
The Decorah Community is extremely fortunate to have six collaborative preschool
centers who provide high quality four-year-old preschool programming–at no cost
through Statewide Iowa Quality Preschool Program funding–and a Head Start Preschool
Program licensed by the Department of Human Services. These programs provide a
foundation for lifelong learning across all development areas, including literacy, math,
science, social emotional, and fine and gross motor development while also inspiring
creativity, imagination, perseverance, and kindness.
Shanna Putnam Dibble, Decorah Preschool Director, remarked, “Read on to learn more
about the many wonderful preschool programs in Decorah and join us to celebrate young
children and early childhood educators at our Week of the Young Child.”
For more information on any of these preschool centers, check out the preschool
websites, call the centers to schedule a tour, or contact Decorah Preschool Director
Dibble at shanna.putnamdibble@decorah.school.
Head Start
Head Start embraces learning through play. They utilize the Creative Curriculum and
Positive Behaviors Supports (PBIS). Head Start is housed at West Side Early Childhood

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Center. They offer free before and after care for families who qualify as well as the
potential for summer programming. Phone: 564-382-4451
Kinderhaus
Kinderhaus is a Waldorf-inspired, outdoor preschool and kindergarten for 3-6 year-olds
that provides a warm and nurturing environment for young children in the community to
learn. Kinderhaus strives to develop the whole child: emotionally, socially, artistically,
and cognitively. Their goal is simple: To create an oasis in which children find the
security and the opportunity to develop into creative, imaginative, cooperative, self-
motivated learners for the future. Phone: 563-379-7303
Montessori
For 19 years, Northeast Iowa Montessori has been serving children as an independent
school, diversifying the educational choices of our vibrant community. Many families
choose NEIM for the Montessori curriculum, mixed-age classrooms, individualized
attention, and after-school childcare program. Montessori strives to create a peaceful
environment for nurturing resilient explorers, confident learners, and empathetic citizens.
Phone: 563-382-6491
Nisse Preschool
Nisse Preschool has a decades-long, rich history serving the families of Decorah. Since
their opening in 1968, they have maintained their mission to provide a safe and
developmentally appropriate learning environment, which fosters a child’s natural desire
to explore, discover, create, and become a lifelong learner. Nisse is located on College
Drive and offers programming for three- and four-year-olds. Phone: 563-382-4794
St. Benedict School
The preschool is a part of St. Benedict School, which has programming for students from
preschool through eighth grade and is accredited by the State of Iowa Department of
Education. The goal of St. Ben’s Preschool is to promote the development of each child’s
fullest potential as they develop emotionally, intellectually, physically, and
socially. Phone: 563-382-4668
Sunflower Child Development Center
Sunflower Child Development Center is excited to welcome the Preschool class of 2024-
2025 to their brand-new center. Along with Creative Curriculum units of study, they offer
Farm to School programming as well as the new Discovery Center set to open Fall 2024.
Children will have the opportunity to learn through play and interactions with others in a
safe and nurturing environment. Phone: 563-382-5717
West Side Early Childhood Center
West Side Early Childhood Center houses the Decorah Community School District’s
preschool classrooms. Preschool classes are taught by teachers who are certified in Early
Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education. Their curriculum is based on the
Creative Curriculum Model which focuses on all areas of development including social
emotional learning, physical, cognitive and language development. At West Side
educators believe that all children learn best through play and hands on experiences,
which is the basis of their instructional approach for teaching pre-academic skills. These

skills are infused into inquiry-based studies focused on student interests. The West Side
4-year-old program serves children in an integrated preschool setting. Classrooms include
some children with special needs and others who do not require special education
services, with all children benefiting from the many opportunities this environment has to
offer. Phone: 564-382-4451

Kinderhaus

Kinderhaus

Nisse

Sunflower Child Care Center

St. Benedict’s School

Head Start

West Side Early Childhood Center

West Side Early Childhood Center

On March 19th, several 8th grade Decorah Middle School students participated in the regional National History Day (NHD) competition held at NICC. Twelve DMS students were recognized as finalists in the competition and will participate at the NHD state meet in Des Moines on April 29th. This year’s theme is Turning Points in History.

Iowa History Award: Kate Pattison and Camryn Quandahl: Title IX

State Qualifiers and their projects include the following:

Individual Performance

Kaya Johnson: Virginia Hall: One Women’s Impact on WWII

Individual Documentary

Max Goodner: Navajo Code Talkers: A Turning Point in WWII and Native Culture Acceptance

Charlotte LaBelle: Katherine Dunham: A Turning Point in Dance History

Group Documentary

Leah Garcia-Pratts and Poppy Bellrichard: Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Individual Websites:

Matthew Burkholder: The Superbomb: Rising Tensions and Stakes

Stella Witt:Stonewall Riots

Group Exhibit

Evelyn Opheim and Liv Anderson: WASP: A Turning Point in Women’s Aviation

Group Website:

Frankie Kollasch and Raelyn Newhouse: Sergeant Stubby: A Turning Point in Police Dogs

Individual Paper:

Sophia McGee:Helen Taussig

All 8th graders who participated in the regional National History Day contest

Iowa History Awards winners (l-r): Kate Pattison and Kate Pattison and Camryn Quandahl for their project Title IX

Front row (l-r): Liv Anderson, Evelyn Opheim, Leah Garcia-Prats, Poppy Bellrichard, Sophia McGee, Frankie Kollasch, Raelyn Newhouse

Back row (l-r): Stella Witt, Kaya Johnson, Matthew Burkholder, Max Goodner, Charlotte LaBelle

Two events to promote literacy intersected recently in Decorah schools.

In February, Kelly Yang, the popular author of 11 middle-grade books, joined Decorah students in grades 4-6 on Zoom to answer questions about her book Finally Seen.Dragonfly Books donated copies of the book to teachers in each grade. They read aloud the book to their students to help prepare them to ask questions during the Zoom experience. Students were particularly excited about the next book in the series, Finally Heard, inspired by Yang’s daughter begging for a phone and the author’s desire to raise concerns related to social media. 

In March, the annual Reading Games was held for third and fourth graders at Carrie Lee Elementary and for fifth and sixth graders at Decorah Middle School. Organized by teacher librarians Michaela Seeman and Shannon Horton, the games involved 136 students and 29 parent and teacher coaches. Students were assigned a team and worked collectively to read all of the books on the list to prepare for a quiz at the final after-school event. Oneota Valley Literary Foundation donated 55 copies of Finally Heard to award as prizes at the Reading Games events. The Family, Educator, and Community Organization (FEC) donated the funds for pizza, and Pizza Ranch provided discounted pricing. 

Horton and Seeman remarked, “We appreciate the community’s support in helping to make reading fun and engaging.”

Members of a winning 5th-grade team with copies of Finally Heard

Students in grades 4-6 asking questions in a Zoom meeting with author Kelly Yang

Author Kelly Yang and the cover of her latest book

Students who read all 10 books at DMS were recognized

Students at Carrie Lee Elementary taking the final quiz on the books they read

Students at Carrie Lee Elementary taking the final quiz on the books they read

Three Decorah Home School Assistance Program (HSAP) students participated in the National History Day (NHD) district competition at NICC in Calmar on March 19. Two of these students qualified for the National History Day state competition which will take place in Des Moines on April 29th. 

This year’s theme is Turning Points in History: Events, Ideas, and Actions. Representing the HSAP program, state qualifiers and their projects include Eva Kriemelmeyer for her first-place performance titled “Amanda Theodosia Jones’s Vacuum Sealing Method: A Turning Point in Food Preservation,” and Dominic Wheeler’s “Kings, Cavalry, and Golden Apples: Jan Sobieski and the 1863 Siege of Vienna,” which received second place in the paper category.  Also participating in the district competition was Lucas Fankhauser with a documentary entitled “New Balance Trackster: Revolutionary Shoe that Opened the Door for Casual Fitness.” 

National History Day challenges students to research, develop, and present papers, exhibits, documentaries, websites, and performances about historical topics related to an annual theme.

Photo ID (l-r):  Dominic Wheeler, Eva Kriemelmeyer, and Lucas Fankhauser

During the month of December 2023, Decorah Middle School students initiated a fundraiser for the Decorah Community Food Pantry. They worked hard selling as many restaurant coupon cards as they could. A portion of all proceeds then went to the Decorah Community Food Pantry: the total amount donated was over $4,500. The 8th grade Decorah Defenders leadership group recently presented the check to the food pantry directors.

Photo ID (l-r): 

Pantry Director Matt Tapscott, Anna Knaack, Kate Pattison, Leah Garcia-Prats, Matthew Burkholder, Derek Hrdlicka, Oak Pasche, and Pantry Assistant Director Lance Wood

Throughout the month of March, Decorah schools and their supporters are celebrating the rich tapestry of music present at every level in the district.

At the elementary schools, students have been treated to “mystery singers” where both staff and students share their vocal talents. In addition, elementary music teacher Sarah Schacherer has been hosting “Kindergarten Informances” where parents/guardians are invited to attend music class to learn alongside the students.

The 6th graders are busy rehearsing for the 6th grade musical–the young performers’ edition of Bye Bye Birdie. Decorah Middle School vocal teacher Dean Beckman shared, “Volunteer parents met yesterday evening, and the search for poodle skirts is on!”

The high school band, orchestra, and vocal musicians are preparing for the State Solo/Ensemble Music Festival; many of them will be performing in more than one area.

The Decorah Music Boosters has been honoring music in Decorah schools by featuring alumni spotlights, benefits of music education, and videos of students rehearsing. 

Finally, the Decorah Community School District Board of Directors joined the mayor in declaring March as Music in Our Schools Month®.  They shared the following:

Resolution:

WHEREAS, for more than 30 years, March has been officially designated by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) as Music in Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®), encouraging communities across the nation to focus on music education; and

WHEREAS, music education is part of a well-rounded education for every student as outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act; and 

WHEREAS, the purpose of this celebration is to raise awareness of the lasting positive impact of music education on the academic, personal and professional growth of our students; and

WHEREAS, music education shapes the way our students understand themselves and the world around them, allowing for a deep engagement with learning; and

WHEREAS, Music in Our Schools Month® reminds us that school is where all children should have access to music; and

WHEREAS, music educators, students and communities throughout Iowa demonstrate the importance of quality music education programs to the lives of young people

WHEREAS, the state of Iowa joins our music students, educators and communities in celebrating the power of music education;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Board of Directors of the Decorah Community School District does hereby proclaim on as Music in Our Schools Month® and encourages our citizens to celebrate and acknowledge every day but especially in March that Music Education is an essential part of every student’s well-rounded education.

This resolution was signed by Board President Cindy Goodner.

Two members of Decorah High School’s golfing legacy were recently inducted into the Iowa Golf Coach’s Association Hall of Fame: a player and a coach.

Andrew Peter, class of 2010, was a four-year letter winner. In 2008 he was a state golf individual qualifier. In 2009 he placed first at the state meet and was named 3A State Player of the Year. He was also named first team All-State and was selected to the All-Tournament Team. In addition, he was given the honor of Iowa Junior Golf Association (IGA) Player of the Year.

During Peter’s senior year he placed second at the state meet and was again named 3A State Player of the Year. In addition, he was again named first team All-State and was selected to the All-Tournament Team.

Peter then played golf at Luther College. There he was named Third Team All-American by Golf Coaches of America and also named to Division III Ping All-American Third Team. He was also Luther’s number one player during the 2012-13 campaign. He was named the Iowa Conference MVP after winning the individual title at the 72-hole IIAC Championship at Finkbine Golf Course.   

Coach Rich Gaard remarked, “Andrew Peter was not only an outstanding golfer in high school and college but a great mentor to our younger golfers. He set a great example to our team members and was a very coachable young man.”

Coach Rich Gaard has a storied career as the boys’ golf coach at Decorah High School. During his time at DHS, fourteen different athletes earned top ten finishes 18 times at the State Tournament. Of those 18 top finishers, six individuals were state runners up, and Cody Schweinefus and Andrew Peter were each state champions, with Schweinefus winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. Other significant contributions by Coach Gaard include 18 Sectional Championships,12 District Championships, and 19 Conference Titles.

In 2007 Gaard was named National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of High Schools, National Coach of the Year from the National High School Coaches Association in 2008, and Coach of the Year from the Iowa Golf Coaches Association in 2010. He has been a member of the Iowa Golf Coaches Association for many years, has chaired the Academic All State Boys/Girls selection process, and has volunteered as a junior golf instructor for Decorah Parks & Recreation every summer.

Rich Gaard and Andrew Peter accept their Hall of Fame plaques

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has selected Anders Lovstuen, a multi-activity participant and exemplary student leader at Decorah High School, as the recipient of the 2024 National High School Heart of the Arts Award.

The National High School Heart of the Arts Award was conceptualized by the NFHS in 2014 and has since been utilized to honor those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of the arts and represent the core mission of education-based activities.

Few others personify the spirit of education-based activities more fervently than Lovstuen, a speech standout and integral part of the Decorah High School community who refuses to be defined by his physical limitations. However, there’s a very strong case that Lovstuen, who was born without fully-formed arms and legs, can be defined by another part of his body–his heart.

Intelligent, charismatic, and known for lifting up those around him, Lovstuen has risen to become captain of the DHS speech and Envirothon teams, as well as a go-to member of the robotics team and the school’s FFA chapter. He does all this while maintaining a 4.0 GPA that helped qualify him as a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist, a group of students comprising less than one percent of all high school seniors in the United States. 

Lovstuen’s extraordinary extracurricular talents show up first and foremost on the speech stage, where, as a four-year member of the team, he earned Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) All-State honors several times in both large group and individual speech. Last year, his Improvisation group claimed the IHSSA’s highest honor, the Critic’s Choice award, crowning them the best performers out of 566 teams statewide. Along the way to these lofty accolades, Lovstuen remained true to form as a role model, helping to organize DHS’s district contest and epitomizing for younger teammates what it means to act, dress, and compete with class.

Last year was also a memorable one for Lovstuen’s Envirothon team, which reigned supreme in every category (soils/land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, and wildlife) at the state competition. The team, known as “Decorah Nerd Republic,” went on to represent the state of Iowa at the North American Envirothon event in Canada hosted by the National Conservation Foundation, where their team took home a top-20 finish. As captain, Lovstuen leads the team’s study sessions.

For the robotics team, Lovstuen is both a participant and a coach, focused on developing ideas for the robot and coordinating the team’s tournament interview process. His guidance paid off recently as the team captured the Judges’ Choice Award at the league tournament and also won its super qualifier competition.

Lovstuen has served as FFA chapter treasurer and as Growing Leaders Division chair and has also been a part of several FFA committees. An active participant at the chapter, district, and state levels and an avid competitor at skills competitions, Lovstuen has earned awards in multiple disciplines throughout his high school career. Lovstuen is involved with 4-H as well and was a member of an All-Star Dairy judging team that took fourth place at the North American International Livestock Exposition.

Although he can’t compete on the field or the mat, Lovstuen has still found a way to be a key contributor to the Decorah football and wrestling programs. He has kept statistics for the football team for the past six seasons and attends every wrestling practice as a manager. During matches, he provides broadcast commentary on the team’s Facebook video streams.

In addition to carrying his perfect GPA, Lovstuen tutors fellow students who are experiencing academic difficulties and has competed in the High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling (HiMCM) in each of his four high school years. Two years ago, he was a part of the first team in state history to be HiMCM “finalists,” which placed them in the top seven percent of competitors in the country and clinched a berth in the International Mathematical Modeling Challenge.

On top of everything else, Lovstuen is part of the DHS Student Leadership Committee and the Decorah chapter of the National Honor Society. He also played a major role in organizing the “Viking Olympics” during Decorah’s homecoming week this past fall and functioned as a co-master of ceremonies for the all-school pep assembly.

Throughout his high school career, Lovstuen has worked with all of the speech coaches: Molly Holkesvik, Gabriel Twedt, Carrie Kauffman, Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, Lyra McKnight, and Annika Krieg. They remarked, “Anders is a true leader, working hard for every team he joins. His creativity and wit have served him and his teammates well in many speech events, and his leadership and steady demeanor have helped him collaborate with and lead his peers.”

Associate principal and athletic director Adam Riley added, “This award is a reflection of the collective efforts of family and community. Anders is outstanding in so many ways.”

Speech coaches Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, Annika Krieg, Gabe Twedt, Carrie Kauffman, Lyra McKnight, and Molly Holkesvik share in the celebration as Executive Director of the Iowa State Speech Association Stacy Hansen presents Anders Lovstuen his national award.

 DHS students form the shape of a heart in honor of Anders Lovstuen’s award.

Stacy Hansen, Executive Director of the Iowa State Speech Association, award recipient Anders Lovstuen, Allysen Lovstuen, Nick Lovstuen, Anya Lovstuen, and Lyla Lovstuen.

Front row – Coach Carrie Kauffman, award recipient Anders Lovstuen, and Coach Molly Holkesvik

Back row: School board member and board member of the IGHSAU Ron Fadness, DHS Principal Brad Hurst, Coach Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, Coach Gabe Twedt, Superintendent Tim Cronin, DHS Associate Principal and Athletic Director Adam Riley, and Coach Annika Krieg

Decorah Elementary Schools recently hosted a “Wild About Reading” Elementary Family Literacy Night. Nearly 400 participants joined for literacy games, animal-themed snacks, reading with certified dogs, art projects, animal artifact exploration, and a special visit from some very wild animals (sharks!).

Event organizer Shanna Putnam Dibble expressed gratitude to the Decorah FEC (Family, Educator, and Community Organization) for sponsoring the event and to the Luther women’s basketball team, Winneshiek County Conservation, Decorah Public Library, and Girls Scouts of Eastern Iowa for volunteering. Dibble remarked, “The partnerships between school, home, and community are essential in nurturing lifelong learners, and we are very grateful for the support of our families and community who came together for an engaging night of learning and fun!”

Putnam Dibble interacted with sharks from the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium

 Students created a variety of WILD animals at the Creature Creation Station

Students had the opportunity to read with certified dogs from the Decorah Public Library’s Dog Tales program

Students had the opportunity to read with certified dogs from the Decorah Public Library’s Dog Tales program

Rylee and Marshall Delaney enjoyed making WILD animal snacks, including tiger oranges

Families had the opportunity to explore lots of WILD animal artifacts with Winneshiek County Conservation

The Decorah Community School District Board of Directors wishes to inform residents of the district about a crucial aspect of the Board’s financial planning, particularly in light of the new Iowa Law called House File 718 and the upcoming budget publication deadline on March 15.

As mandated by Iowa law, school districts are required to submit their budgets by March 15 to the county auditor. However, the challenge currently faced is the absence of a set Supplemental State Aid (SSA) for the upcoming year. SSA, the per-pupil state aid for K-12 public schools, significantly influences the overall tax rate, a key component of the district’s budgetary considerations.

Although Iowa law requires the legislature to establish the level of SSA within 30 days of the governor releasing her proposed budget, that deadline has passed–without the level of SSA for the upcoming year being established. In light of this uncertainty, the Decorah Community School District has taken the responsible step of estimating the SSA at 3%, resulting in an overall tax rate of $12.37. This estimate aligns with tax rates of previous years.

However, should the legislature set an SSA lower than 3%, it will impact the overall tax rate. In anticipation of this, the district will submit a budget on March 15 using a conservative estimate–assuming a 0% SSA–leading to a tax rate of $12.55. This precautionary measure is taken to ensure compliance with the statutory deadline.

It is important to note that the School Board retains the authority to revise the budget after the SSA is established. In the event that the SSA aligns with the initial estimate of 3%, the Board has the capacity to pass a lower tax rate, reverting back to $12.37. The Board is only permitted to reduce the tax rate and is not authorized to increase it.  The Board has committed to revisiting the tax rate after SSA is determined and will set the tax rate within a range between $12.35-$12.40, consistent with recent history of tax rates.  

Superintendent Tim Cronin shared, “We acknowledge the potential impact of this on our community, and we assure you that this matter is entirely contingent on the timely setting of SSA by the legislature. We remain committed to transparency and responsible fiscal management. Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we navigate these budgetary complexities. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.”