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Mason City Community School District

Mr. Hamilton's Headlines

DISCONNECT


Technology is part of modern life. Students, families, and educators need to balance the convenience of technology and the need to disconnect to be present. It is essential to ensure that needing to be connected at all times doesn't become a source of stress or hinder the overall well-being of our students. Taking breaks from technology can help students maintain a more balanced lifestyle.

Everyone knows social media and an ever-changing technology landscape will be around for a while. That being said, families need to weigh social media's positive and negative effects and our need to be connected. Now more than ever, we would all be better off if we took some time to disconnect.

Just a few reasons we shoud help our students understand the importance of taking time to disconnect are:

Time Management: Social media can be incredibly addictive, leading students to spend excessive time scrolling through their feeds instead of studying or engaging in productive activities.


Cyberbullying: Students can be victims of cyberbullying social media platforms, which can have severe emotional and psychological consequences.


Mental Health Issues: Excessive use of social media has been linked to mental health issues, causing anxiety, depression, and feelings of inadequacy. Constant exposure to carefully curated highlight reels of other people's lives can lead to negative self-comparisons.


Reduced Face-to-Face Interaction: Overreliance on social media can reduce opportunities for in-person social interactions, which are crucial for developing communication and interpersonal skills.


Negative Impact on Sleep: Late-night social media use can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to fatigue and decreased daily cognitive fuction.



Addiction: Social media is a genuine concern for students, as they may struggle to control their usage and prioritize it over essential activities.



Pat Hamilton

Superintendent of Schools

District News

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held for students in grades 7-12 at

John Adams Middle School and Mason City High School

on the following dates:

Thursday, October 19 - 4-8 PM

Tuesday, October 24 - 4-8 PM


Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held for students attending

Mason City Alternative School and Mason City Virtual Academy

at the MC Alternative School on the following dates:

Thursday, October 19 - 4-8 PM

Thursday, October 26 - 4-8 PM


Riverhawks Flying High Feature

Riverhawk Heroes is something the senior football players started last year. Each senior football player chooses a person who made an impact on their life while they have attended Mason City Schools. The student athletes presented their Riverhawk Heroes with a shirt and invitation to Senior Night on October 20. The Heroes will be honored that night by having their name announced and standing in the crowd for all to see. The student athletes also shared with their hero why they chose them. What a great way to honor those who have made a difference and share how they have impacted the lives of the students they work with!

Senior Aidin Askildson and bus driver Keith Reich

Senior Brody Lee and MCHS teacher Whitney Kading

Senior Alex Kenward and retired Lincoln Intermediate teacher

Paul Weitzel

Senior Ethan Solsaa and MCHS teacher

Andrea McGuire

Senior Noah Millsap and Jefferson Elementary Principal and Mom

Lindsey Millsap

Senior Caster Hanson and MCHS teacher and coach Chris Deets

Senior Greyson Brandt and Lincoln Intermediate teacher Lisa Hugi

Senior JP Miles and substitute teacher

Dennis Gerdom

Senior Austin Massawe and MCHS teacher

Bryan DeGabriele

Senior Ayden Mosley and MCHS Behavior Interventionist

Che Whitner

Senior Eric Farland and MCHS teacher

Sally Berding

Senior Reed Kruger and Lincoln Intermediate teacher Heidi Grafton

Senior Hale Rhodes and MCHS Associate Principal and Dad Dusty Rhodes

Senior Justyn Rivera and former MCCSD teacher Ashley Brodersen

Senior Brady Anderson and MCHS teacher Pat Kruger

Senior Logan Eide and MCHS teacher and coach Nick Trask

Senior Brayden Miller and MCHS teacher and coach Josh Reuter

Senior Max Dhabalt and

MC coach Roman Ott

Check out the video of the Riverhawks recognizing their Riverhawk Heroes!

Building News

Harding Elementary

Students in the preschool program at Harding Elementary are working on completing and engaging in adult-directed tasks and increasing independence. Each student has a different task that they are completing, differing to their abilities. This activity relates to multiple pathways by the level of activity and is determined by where the student is at developmentally. Also, the pace at which each activity is completed, depends on the child's pace.

Hoover Elementary

Hoover Elementary 2nd graders are finishing up their Animal Adventures unit by designing and building their own bird feeders. Students will discuss their designs and any of the issues they had creating them with their peers throughout the week. Check out some of the finished products!

Jefferson Elementary

In social studies, the 1st graders at Jefferson have been learning about what makes our community a special place in this world. They have learned how our community attracts people to live, work, and visit Mason City. As students learned about some of the special locations we have, they investigated how weather, climate, natural resources, and the goods we produce here can help our community to thrive. Jefferson 1st graders had the opportunity to visit three Mason City staples; Music Man Square, MacNider Art Museum, and the Mason City Public Library. Special thanks to Vist Mason City for coordinating such a special trip for our students and to the three locations for making it such a memorable afternoon. A big thanks goes out to the Jefferson PTO for providing ice cream while visiting Music Man Square!

John Adams Middle School

Students in Ms. Demuth and Ms. Petersen's 7th grade literacy class are reading to identify traits in charcters from their books. First they read their anchor text together, and then students apply that same thinking to their own books. This results in a variety of outcomes since students have voice and choice in their reading.

Lincoln Intermediate


Students at Lincoln Intermediate are working on basic transfer skills in art class. They are using their creativity to develop great designs.

Congratulations to all of the students who auditioned for the Opus Honor Choir.

Lincoln Intermediate is proud to announce that Olivia Bahr was selected to represent our school in Ames on November 16, 2023.

Congratulations on this very big honor, Olivia!

Mason City Alternative School

Last week students from the Mason City Alternative School took a field trip to Sukup Manufacturing Co. This was a great hands-on and educational manufacturing experience that engaged students while they learned all the intricacies of the modern manufacturing careers.

Mason City High School

Allia Yarrow, Emily Nannenga, and Allison Dalton received our loponics fishtank setup through an Iowa STEM ScaleUp Grant last spring. This system is a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics that is meant to be a self-sustaining appartus using various plants and aquatic life. They attended professional learning over the summer to learn more about how the system works and to receive the materials needed to get everything started. They have had plants growing since the beginning of the school year and just received the fish in mid-September. The fish are crucial to keeping the plants healthy with the nutrients in their waste. The students have been very excited to see fish in the classroom and being able to name them.


The teachers are looking forward to implementing loponics with many lessons throughout the year! In biology, they will use the fish in lessons about nutrient cycling; how certain elements are cycled within ecosystems, and relating it to how the aquaponics system works. They feel the students will benefit more in seeing an example of how this all works right in front of them, and make a sometime difficult concept a little easier. In Earth Science and Astronomy, as well as Environmental Science, they will apply loponics by using this setup along with similar practices to brainstrom ideas for solutions to human impacts on the environment and sustainable practices.


Ms. Yarrow, Mrs. Nannenga, and Ms. Dalton are very fortunate to have received three loponics setups for their own classrooms to help provide such a unique example to students that applies to so much in the classes they teach. They are really looking forward to watching the systems develop throughout this school year and beyond!

Several students at MCHS recently had the opportunity to tour Sukup Manufacting Co. in Sheffield and Stellar Industries in Mason City. These tours allow students to explore possible careers and see firsthand what types of industries are available locally.

While visiting Sukup Manufacturing Co., students were able to witness the manufacturing process and learn about job duties of different positions from welding operators/fabricators, tool makers, capital investment supervior, manufacturing maintenance technicians, vehicle fleet technicians, marketing, and human relations.

The students were able to tour the Stellar Industries Mason City location and learn about all the products they offer. Stellar manufactures work trucks and trailers, as well as service trucks and van accessories. Stellar Industries employees took time to explain and demonstrate their job duties to the MCHS students. They also answered several questions that the students had.


A huge shoutout and thank you to Sukup Manufacturing Co. and Stellar Industries for taking the time and allowing our students to be exposed to different career pathways available in our area!

The MC Virtual Academy 7th and 8th graders are taking their tech skills into the art field with Shapegrams. Students are given lessons on how to manipulate shapes in Google Slides or Google Drawings, including changing border widths and colors, layering shapes on top of each other, rotating shapes, and grouping objects in order to move them together to maintain scale. Students then have opportunities to apply these learned skills into other projects within the MCVA. Below are student created digital drawings the students are especially proud of!

Kenna Klemesrud-8th Grade

Payton Hjelle - 7th Grade

Devanie Mora - 8th Grade

Addison Sexton - 8th Grade

Pinecrest Center

Pinecrest Center students have the opportunity to attend PE at Harding Elementary this school year! Students ride a bus to Harding, enjoy a PE class with Ms. Furness, and then head back to Pinecrest. Students get the chance to walk and run around the first few minutes of class and then play sports, games, and other activities. The students have really enjoyed being able to do this so far this year!

Roosevelt Elementary

Each week, the students in Mrs. Bothwell's class read current event news articles and then particpate in a functional cooking group to prepare a recipe related to the article. So far this school year they have learned about Hispanic Heritage Month and made Little Havan Churros, NASA's Osiris REx Mission and made Asteroid Apple Smoothies, and Fat Bear Week and made Fat Bear Treats! Most recently, they learned about Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and made High Wire Hot Dogs. This is a co-taught class with Amy Sehi so that they can capitalize on functional life skills and functional communication. These students have learned so much, especially how to make some delicious food!

Keep up the great work students!

Employee Spotlight

Administrative Center


Admanda Sadler is the Educare teacher for MCCSD. This is her 22nd year of teaching. Amanda attended the University of Northern Iowa where she received her degree in secondary English education and an endorsement in special education. She loves how MC Schools works hard to try to support students who are struggling with a variety of issues. When a supportive team is in place, our students strive. A fun fact about Amanda is that she traveled to Sri Lanka for a religious convention. She enjoyed meeting the people there and experiencing the culture!

Harding Elementary

 

Melissa Martinez is a teacher in the 4-year-old preschool program. She has been with MCCSD for four years. She is a Mason City High School alumni and attended Buena Vista University. Melissa loves MC Schools because she loves being part of a team. She also loves working with the youngest Riverhawks and building their love of learning and watching how much they grow over the school year. Some fun facts about Melissa are that she enjoys spending time with her friends and family and enjoying the outdoors.

Hoover Elementary


Bobbijo Duncan is a behavior interventionist at Hoover Elementary. She has worked for MCCSD for 12 years. Bobbijo is a MCHS alumni. She loves MC Schools because we are a trauma-informed district and go out of our way to build relationships with even the most challenging students to ensure they have positive adult relationships. Some fun facts about Bobbijo are her and her dad share a love for trains. A long scenic train ride is on her bucket list. She also loves to craft and make things like shirts, tumblers, and many other projects.

Jefferson Elementary



Jamie Meyer is a Title Reading teacher at Jefferson Elementary. She started at MCCSD in 2007. She is a graduate of Bishop-Garrigan High School and the University of Northern Iowa. Jamie loves MC Schools because her coworkers are so fun and supportive. She gets to inspire students every day to believe in themselves and be the best they can be. A fun fact about Jamie is that this is her fifth year having a pumpkin patch. She started Plain Ol' Pumpkins in 2019. It's a pumpkin patch with many old fashioned activities to do, like climb haybales and find your way through the corn maze!

John Adams Middle School


Hannah Johnson is the Family Consumer Science teacher at John Adams Middle School. She started at MCCSD in January 2023. She is a graduate of Waverly-Shell Rock High School and Iowa State University. Hannah loves MC Schools because she has the best coworkers at JAMS and the entire community of Mason City is such a welcoming and supportive environment. Some fun facts about Hannah are that she traveled the country as a manager for the Iowa State Wrestling program in college, she has a weiner dog named Teddy, and her favorite drink is any flavor of Celsius!

Lincoln Intermediate


Phil Frenchick is the art teacher at Lincoln Intermediate. He has been with MCCSD for three years. He graduated from Iowa Falls High School and then the University of Northern Iowa. What Phil loves most about MC Schools is the age level of students he teaches and Lincoln's great staff. A fun fact about Phil is that he has been an avid scuba diver since 1997 and loves all things water sports!

Mason City High School


Sammie Bullington is the Culinary Arts teacher and oversees the MC Bakery at Mason City High School. The is her fourth year teaching, and her second year at MCHS. She is a graduated of West Des Moines Valley High School and Iowa State University. Sammie loves being able to work with students every day and seeing them learn new skills in the kitchen. A fun fact about Sammie is that she loves trying out new recipes and making baked goods, especially cookies...which are INCREDIBLE!

Roosevelt Elementary


Kassandra Chavez is a paraprofessional at Roosevelt Elementary. She is in her second year working for the MCCSD. Kassandra is originially from Estherville, IA. She loves working for MC Schools because of the great staff and she loves working with the kids! Kassandra really enjoys watching her four kids participate in all their activities, which include baseball, football, hockey, and dance.

Student Spotlight

John Adams Middle School had three students who participated in the Special Olympics Bowling tournament on October 11, 2023 in Fort Dodge. All of the JAMS Olympians received 1st place scores and will compete at State in November!

Congratulations to Autumn Cooper, Damarion Dozier, and Blake Hannagan.

MCHS also had several students compete in the Special Olympics Bowling tournament.

The following students placed:

Trinity Gould - 6th Place

Oliver Anderson, Brandon Borts, Claire Nelson, Taylor Steenblock - 2nd Place

Noah Becker, Asher Eppens, Caleb Helland, Scotty Inek, Tyler Jackson, Kaitlyn Mapvailo, Lauren Smith, Braden VanHorn, Evie Welch - 1st Place and advance to State in November


Congratulations to all our athletes on a job well done! Way to represent the Riverhawks with great school spirit and sporstmanship! We are so proud of you all!


MCCSD Virtual Backpack


Make sure to check out the Virtual Backpack website! Here you will find events, camps, and opportunities for students and their families from district and community organizations. 

Click HERE to check it out!

Athletics & Activities Announcements


Cross Country

*Varsity Girls won the Riverhawk Invite

Varsity Champion - Brogan Evans

Other medalists - Janae Hansen, Savannah Davis, Elise Dykstra, Paizlee Carter,

Peyton Bobolz, and Claudia Sewell

JV Champion-Nicole Brownmiller

Other JV medalists - Erin TerHark, Kate Kotta, Eve Askildson, Harley Trettin,

Claire Sewell, Leah Gerrietts, and Nettie Foat


*Varsity Boys Riverhawk Invite medalists - Ra'shaun Sinnwell, Henry Hansen, and

Ayden Lien

JV Boys medalists - Brady Wickering, Michael Johnson, and Ambrose Luong


Girls Swimming & Diving

*Aspen Cole won the 500 Freestyle and got 2nd in the 200 Freestyle at the

Marcussen Invitational (Cedar Falls)


Football

*9th Grade and Varsity defeated Waterloo East

Congratulations on your successes and achievements! #WingsUp

2023-24 School Calendars
Activities Calendar
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Mason City Community School District * 641-421-4400 * www.masoncityschools.org