Category: Luther College and Decorah Schools

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

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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.”

Decorah High School’s individual speech participants—coached by Molly Holkesvik, Gabriel Twedt, Carrie Kauffman, Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, Lyra McKnight, and Annika Krieg—competed Saturday, March 9th, at Hampton-Dumont High School. Out of Decorah’s 58 performances, 50 received I (excellent) ratings.

On Monday, March 11th, the following 14 Decorah students were selected as All-State performers for the Individual All-State Festival, which will be held at the University of Northern Iowa on Monday, March 25th.

Alex McGohan: Public Address 

Anders Lovstuen: Radio News Announcing 

Andy Kruger: After Dinner Speaking 

Caleb Johnson: Improvisational Acting 

Corina Timm: Spontaneous Speaking 

Ezra Vorvick: After Dinner Speaking 

Hayley Stowe: Acting 

Jensen Korsness: Reviewing 

June Breitenbach-Dirks: Solo Musical Theatre 

Libby Phillips: Solo Musical Theatre 

Lucas Hanson: Expository Address

Mikayla Hiner: Acting 

Natalie Goodner: Expository Address 

Simon Kutz: Radio News Announcing (Kutz has been named to the Individual All-State Festival in this category all four years of high school)

Results for Decorah State Speech Performers Grades 10-12

Receiving a I (excellent) rating:

Original Oratory: Kamryn Steines, Braunwyn Darrington, Klara Kelly

Public Address: Alex McGohan, Grace Blikre

Expository Address: Natalie Goodner, Lucas Hanson, Lily Sandhorst

Storytelling: Brynn Storhoff

Prose: Evynne Downing, Klaara Short, Luke Arendt

Poetry: Kathryn Kelly, Spencer Rix, Davis Coppola

Review: Bethany Hanson, Jensen Korsness, Elliana Brodbeck

Literature Program: Hannah Arendt, Evon Leitz

Solo Musical: Libby Phillips, Gwen Thompson, June Breitenbach-Dirks

Acting: Hayley Stowe, Julia Severtson, Mikayla Hiner

After Dinner Speaking: Greta Jones, Andy Kruger, Ezra Vorvick

Spontaneous Speaking: Gabriel Hiner, Corina Timm, Nat Roberts

Radio News: Simon Kutz, Anders Lovstuen

Individual Improv: Joe Stammeyer, Caleb Johnson

Receiving a II (good) rating:

Public Address: Faith Meyer

Literary Program: Annika Keefe

Results for Decorah State Speech Performers Grade 9

Receiving a I (excellent) rating:

Public Address: Thomas Davis

Prose: Grace Stockman, Emma Cline

Poetry: Grace Stockman

Review: Emma Cline

Solo Musical: Noah Potvin, Vivian Searcy, Colin Thompson

Acting: Margaret Hahn, Jillian Volz

After Dinner Speaking: Spencer Christensen, Noah Potvin, Olivia Volkmann

Radio News: Olivia Rissman

Receiving a II (good) rating:

Original Oratory: Ava Hanson

Radio News: Oskar Swanson

Storytelling: Isis Timm, Teagan Menke

Expository Address: Colin Thompson

Individual Improv: Thomas Davis

The coaches shared, “We are incredibly proud of our students. They continue to give great performances backed by hard work, talent, and focus. It has been a great season for our Decorah speech students.”

Coach Molly Holkesvik with Lucas Hanson, All-State in Expository Address

Coach Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks with Ezra Vorvick, All-State in After Dinner Speaking

Alex McGohan, All-State in Public Address with Coach Lyra McKnight

State Speech Participants Grace Blikre,  Kamryn Steines, and  Lily Sandhorst

State Speech Participants Spencer Rix, Braunwyn Darrington , Bethany Hanson, Evynne Downing, and Coach Molly Holkesvik

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Decorah Middle School 7th and 8th graders will present “A Night of Plays” on Thursday, March 14, at 7:00 p.m. in the Carrie Lee auditorium. The program will include several short plays and comedic monologues.

The public is cordially invited to attend this night of great fun. There is no charge for admission. 

Photo ID: 

Front row  (l-r): Keegan Joyce, Sofia Hageman, Veda Shimek, Emma Neebel, Kimberly Mejia Junech, Lailyn McGrath

Back row (l-r): Laylah Schissel, Nils Peterson, Xavier Ahrndt, Autumn Wagner, Nathaniel Crose, Claire Ko, Lula McAbee

Not pictured: Anna Severtson