|
Congrats to Cedar Falls Volleyball on making it to the state tournament!
|
The first round state tournament game for the Tigers will be Tuesday, November 10, 2 p.m. when the Tigers take on Cedar Rapids Kennedy at the US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids.
A pep bus will also be provided for students. Pep Bus costs will be $16, which includes the bus ride and game ticket.
Student Pep Bus Sign Up
The High School will be selling advanced tickets. All tickets are $10.
Tickets can be purchased during regular office hours: 7:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.
|
|
Congrats to Women's Swimming & Diving on making it to state!
|
Swimming state meet is Saturday, November 7 at the Marshalltown YMCA/YWCA.
|
|
Congrats to the Cedar Falls Men's Cross Country Team on 2nd Place at state!
|
|
|
See all the Halloween fun from our schools!
|
|
|
|
School Finance - Currents Up Close Episode
|
This Currents Up Close episode takes a look at school finance, including six things you need to know about district finances, how enrollment affects budgets, categories of funds, per pupil spending, as well as property tax impact.
|
|
Enrollment Update
|
|
For the seventh consecutive year, the number of students has increased in the Cedar Falls School District. The official count taken Oct. 1 shows there are 5,286 kindergarten through 12th-grade students being educated in the district's nine schools,
174 more than last year. Numbers had to be certified with the state Oct. 15.
The district's budget enrollment also surpassed 5,000 students, a marker it hasn't reached since fall 1991.
|
|
Great things are happening in and out of our classrooms!
|
North Cedar Elementary has a new buddy bench. It was planned and painted by 2nd graders. A parent donated the plain bench that the students then decorated.
The Tiger Hi-Line staff published a record-setting 24-page edition of the weekly newspaper. You can read it online
CFHS cheerleaders were
Large Varsity Champs and overall Grand Champions at the
U of I Spirit Spectacular.
A NEW CFHS MUSIC DEPARTMENT RECORD
The selected students will participate in the 69th annual All-State Music Festival held in Ames Thursday through Saturday, November 19-21.
Special congrats to Isaac Smith: 4 years accepted on trumpet for all-state. Less than 1% of all HS students in state achieve this honor.
Peet Junior High student Keiran Reynolds was selected to meet with Astronaut and two time NASA Space Shuttle Pilot Colonel James Kelly. She also was part of the flag raising ceremony with Colonel Kelly at Doerfer Companies. Over 50 Cedar Falls students toured Doerfer's manufacturing facility, saw demonstrations and heard Colonel Kelly speak about NASA's latest Deep Space program and planned mission to the planet Mars.
Holmes Junior High students attended Taking the Road Less Traveled a career exploration conference by
Women in Science & Engineering at Iowa State University Students gain an increased awareness and understanding of career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
|
|
Veteran's Day Events
|
The
Cedar Falls High School student body and faculty will welcome area veterans and the public in honoring veterans during a program at
10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11 in the school gymnasium.
Guest speaker and honorary veteran is Vietnam veteran Steve Wikert, who served as a naval support facility police officer in Da Nang, South Vietnam, in 1970-71 and later as a teacher in the Allison-Bristow and Waterloo school districts.
Holmes Junior High will hold an all-school Veteran's Day assembly in the new gym on Thursday, November 12, from 8:10-9:30 a.m. They will recognize local veterans WW II, Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan who have served. Holmes Alum and U.S. Navy Veteran Taylor Morris will be the featured speaker as they view his TED Talk "Improve Your Situation".
|
|
Cedar Valley Family STEM Festival, November 12
|
|
The third annual Cedar Valley Family STEM Festival will be held Nov. 12 at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center.
The festival, from 4 to 7:30 p.m., is free and open to the public. The convention center is located at 200 West Fourth St.
The goals of the festival are to promote, inspire and engage youth in science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities and to introduce children and parents to related careers in their communities.
More than 70 organizations throughout the Cedar Valley and across the state will feature interactive STEM exhibits and activities for all ages.
Families can drive a robot, use a welding simulator, conduct amazing science experiments, learn about small animals, explore the nursing field and much more. In addition, the festival will showcase STEM programs from local schools and offer engaging STEM shows throughout the evening.
|
|
Dick Marcussen Retirement Party
|
|
In recognition of his service and dedication to Cedar Falls swimming, a retirement party will be held on Sunday, November 15, at Holmes Junior High cafeteria from 1-4 p.m. There will be a brief program starting at 2 p.m.
The public is invited to attend.
For those unable to attend, cards/memories may be sent to the following address:
Dick Marcussen
Cedar Falls High School
1015 Division St.
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
|
|
Congratulations Hansen Elementary!
|
|
|
Hansen Elementary Blue Zones
School Assembly |
This award reflects Hansen's commitment to overall student well-being. Hansen is fourth school in Cedar Falls to become designated joining Lincoln, North Cedar, and Cedar Heights.
Tara Estep, Principal at Hansen, is excited about the changes this year. "We intentionally and thoughtfully are offering healthful opportunities for our Hansen students! This year we have started a Run/Walk Club for any K-6 student prior to the beginning of the school day. In addition, we are working with UNI and the City of Cedar Falls to promote healthy living through a Walk to School program for kids. This year our wonderful PTA has built/planted garden beds that our student body is helping to sustain. Our parents are also leading the way with our new Farm to School program where Hansen students taste and learn about produce grown by local farmers. Along with these opportunities we have worked to eliminate the waste in our lunchroom and have joined with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank in giving back to our community. I am so proud of our students, staff, and families in their dedication to living a healthy lifestyle."
The Blue Zones School Pledge helps optimize the school environment so that students are encouraged to eat better, move more, reduce sedentary screen time, increase healthy social interactions, and increase mindfulness. It also introduces programs that schools can implement to promote both the physical and emotional health of students. Achieving designation sends a message to students, school staff, parents, city leaders, and the community that your school is committed to doing its part to provide the best possible environment for students to learn and grow.
|
|
Congratulations to these outstanding teachers!
|
Susan Langan Named 2015 Educator of the Year
by Iowa Safe Schools
Susan Langan has been a school counselor at Cedar Falls High School for over twenty years. In her role, she has worked tirelessly for all students including those who identify as LGBTQ. Susan is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa.
Executive Director of Iowa Safe Schools Nate Monson said of Susan in her award nomination, "Susan advocates for every single student at Cedar Falls High School no matter the issue. When trans* students needed an ally to fight for them, Susan was there. When students who questioned their identity needed someone to talk to, Susan has been there. She embodies what it means to be a school counselor and sets the bar high."
Susan received the 2015 Educator of the Year at the Spirit Awards on Friday, October 30th in Des Moines. The Educator of the Year Award is presented to an educator in the state of Iowa who has done exemplary works to protect LGBTQ youth in their school and community.
At the Iowa Family and Consumer Sciences Educators Conference, Holmes Junior High teachers, Maxine Barrows and Tammy Knox, received the award BEST in Iowa. BEST stands for Belong (Professional Membership, Professional Leadership, Professional Committees, Community/School Involvement), Excel (Mentoring, Honors/Awards, Presentations, Published Articles), Study (Graduate Credits, Workshops, Certifications), and Travel (School Visits, Business Internship, Business/Industry Visits, Conference Attendance).
This award is sponsored by the Iowa Family and Consumer Sciences Educators for Progress.
|
|
Trunk or Treat Winners
|
Congratulations to the Trunk or Treat winners!
1st Place Junior Leadership Star Wars Trunk
2nd Place Velda - Meredith Standing's Trunk
3rd Place Viola Finding Nemo Trunk
The community brought in 511 cans and $274.65 cents for our Student Food Drive!
|
|
Foundation Awards Teacher Excellence Grants
|
Thanks to its many generous donors, the CFCS Foundation has awarded six Teacher Excellence Grants for the 2015-2016 school y
ear.
Grant award decisions were based on scoring by a review committee, which included retired elementary and secondary teachers and elementary and secondary administrators. For m
ore details, visit the
Foundation's Excellence Grants page.
Congratulations to this year's recipients!
- Sphero Robots for STEM Skills: Peet math, science and technology: Eric Rosburg, Andy Beland, Stephanie Pickett
- Art Is All Around: Hansen K-6 art: Allyce Trusheim
- Engaging Science with Data Peet science: Jan Mord, Jennifer Schultz, Renee Beneke, Hilary Iehl, Andy Beland, Amelia Buskohl
- Programming with Dash Robots Southdale/Orchard Hill STEM/STEAM: Lisa Freese
- Readers Are Leaders Orchard Hill reading: Jessie Switzer and Kelly Valiev
- Reading Club Orchard Hill reading: Amy Kohlhaas
|
|
Foundation Recognizes Floyd Winter
|
Floyd was the Principal of Cedar Falls High School and the Director of Secondary Education for Cedar Falls Schools, but that's just the beginning of this story. Even though retiring almost 15 years ago, he still makes an amazing impact on our education in Cedar Falls Schools as the President of the Cedar Falls Community Schools Foundation, a volunteer position he holds and covets. It would be difficult to find someone who cares more about Cedar Falls Schools than Floyd Winter. He shows it in true action, working tirelessly linking our alumni and the Foundation and our schools. He is a man of many talents. He works in quiet, unassuming, humble ways, never expecting to be recognized.
Floyd was honored, for under his leadership the Foundation recently reached its $1,000,000 milestone of received gifts and is launching the
$5 Million 'Beyond Great' Campaign. For more information on the Cedar Falls Schools Foundation, visit
http://www.cfschools.org/foundation
.
|
|
Open Positions
|
|
The District is in need of substitute bus drivers,
substitute para-educators and food service workers.
|
|
Board Brief
|
|
The next Cedar Falls Schools Board of Education meeting will be November 9, at 7 p.m.
Agendas, documents and materials for all board of education meetings can be found on the Cedar Falls Schools
website
. Watch previous meetings on the District's YouTube Channel.
|
|
District's Social Media & Blog
|
|
Did you know Cedar Falls Schools are on social media and has a blog? See all the social media channels under 'Stay Connected' at the bottom of this email.
|
|
