April | 2025

SCHEDULE NOTES

• April 17: 1:50 p.m. ELEM and 2 p.m. MS/HS Dismissal
• April 18: No School Good Friday

We have used five of the eight eligible e-learning days in the 2024-25 school year.

As of this publication, we are on target for the last day of school to be as published on our school year calendar, May 30.

On May 30, there will be an early dismissal at 11 a.m. (Elementary) and 11:10 a.m. (Middle School/High School).

Introducing Forest City’s new FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America) Club! FCCLA functions as an integral part of the Family and Consumer Sciences education curriculum and operates within the school system. Through participation in competitive events, becoming involved in community service opportunities, student leadership, and attending leadership conferences, members develop real-world skills, explore career pathways, and become college and career-ready.

The newly formed chapter is led by officers Gavin Lichtsinn, President & Silas Gann, Vice President. Other officers include Degan Moore, Secretary, Hunter Harms, Treasurer, Max Dewhurst, Social Media, and Bella Karalius, Snacks. They have 19 current members and hope to compete in events beginning next fall. 

"We wanted to create a space where students could explore their passions and develop skills that will benefit them throughout their lives," says Tammy Lambert, Club Advisor. "FCCLA provides a unique opportunity to combine learning with hands-on experience, and we're excited to see what our members accomplish."

Benefits of Joining FCCLA:

• Career Exploration: Discover potential career paths through projects, workshops, and competitions.
• Leadership Development: Enhance your leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.
• Community Involvement: Make a difference in your community through service projects.
• Personal Growth: Develop confidence, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
• Competitive Opportunities: Showcase your talents and skills at regional, state, and national competitions.
• Networking: Connect with students and professionals who share your interests.

Whether students are passionate about cooking, design, community service, or simply looking to develop their leadership skills, FCCLA has something for everyone. The club meets every week on Mondays. For more information, contact Tammy Lambert at tlambert@forestcity.k12.ia.us.

This month we continue to highlight our staff members completing their first and second year of teaching at our district. Get to know these new faces and learn more about them below!

Congratulations to students Evelyn Slater (4th grade) and Adelynn Francis (5th grade) for winning 2nd place in their grade levels in the Iowa Firefighters Association Fire Prevention Poster Contest!



Their creative work and important safety messages stood out among entries from across the state. These students will be honored at a special recognition luncheon in late April, where they will also receive a $50 monetary award.

Great work, Evelyn and Adelynn!

The power of teamwork! Our third-grade students recently learned about teamwork in guidance class and the qualities and skills good team members possess. The focus of this activity was positive communication within their groups. Everyone focused on his or her part of the team to be as successful as possible. When disagreements and adversity come, how can the team solve and do what is best for the group?

Forest City students hosted a Game Jam event with students from GHV, St. Ansgar and Osage!

Students created games on Scratch (a programming website) about the theme Outplay Hunger, which aligns with three of the United Nations' sustainability goals (zero hunger, quality education, and responsible consumption and production).

They presented their projects to judges and there were awards for Best Presentation, Best Programming, Character Design, and Best Fit to Theme. Students had two hours to develop their game prototype and prepare their presentation!

The Game Jam was made possible by a grant provided by Games For Change. 

Congratulations to Olivia Eastvold, Riley Smith, Spence Jefson, Elle Lewis, and Max Aitchison on qualifying for the State Envirothon Event for the second year in a row!

Iowa Envirothon is an environmental and natural resource conservation problem-solving, team-building, and leadership experience and competition for 9th-12th grade students across the U.S. It challenges students statewide to hone critical thinking skills and create inventive solutions to the complex local environmental and natural resource issues facing Iowans today.

Our students took the regional test, which consisted of aquatics, wildlife, soils, and forestry, and received an 8th place finish in the region. They will be preparing to do more testing around these topics and issues as well as preparing a visual presentation over the next several weeks.

They will compete at the State competition at Jester Park Nature Center in Granger, IA on April 28th for a chance to return to the National FFA Convention!

Host an Exchange Student

Are you interested in hosting an exchange student? Check out some of the bios of students who are looking to visit!

You can contact Tami McInroy at the High School at 641-585-2324 or tmcinroy@forestcity.k12.ia.us for more information.

Students come with their own spending money and our local AFS chapter pays for school fees and school lunches. Host families provide a bedroom, closet/dresser space, and other meals. Families can choose to host for a semester or for the school year.