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Mason City Community School District

Mr. Hamilton's Headlines



Public Schools Week February 27-March 3


Public Schools Week is a time to celebrate and highlight the great work our teachers, para-educators, support staff, administrators, and school board members have done to support the students of Mason City Community Schools. Public schools in Iowa educate over 95% of the students who attend PK-12 schools in the state. In addition, 51 million students in the United States attend public schools. These numbers speak to our schools' vital role in our state and our nation.

The teaching and learning that happens in our schools impact our students, families, and the Mason City community. Public schools have the task of preparing students to succeed in an ever-changing world and is the great equalizer for children helping to build pathways for students to succeed after they finish their schooling.

Thank you to all the Mason City Schools employees who help support our students, and a special thank you to our community for supporting Mason City Community Schools. Public schools have been, and will continue to be, the backbone of our society.


Go Riverhawks!

Pat Hamilton

District News



Registration for the Mason City Community School District's 4-year-old preschool program is now open online. More information can be found by clicking HERE.


MCCSD is also offering transitional kindergarten for the 2023-24 school year. Click HERE to complete the online form for your child to be considered.

Mason City High School

Construction site progress continues!

Building News

Harding Elementary

You've Been Booked!! February is Black History Month. Students at Harding Elementary will have the chance to hear stories of black history, culture, and achievement. This is a fun way to introduce students to the variety of different books our library has to offer!

Hoover Elementary

Every month our 4th graders pick a service project to help someone. It can be anything; supplies, cards, food, etc. This even rings true when it comes to helping our little four-legged friends. The 4th graders are collecting supplies for the Humane Society of North Iowa. They collect blankets, food, toys, cleaning supplies, treats, and many other things for pets to be well taken care of while waiting for their "furever" homes. We never know what the next month of giving will be with our 4th graders, but it always makes the heart feel good!

Jefferson Elementary

At Jefferson Elementary, our school counseling program serves students through classroom guidance lessons, small support groups, and individual counseling sessions. With the increasing need for mental health awareness, social-emotional development and coping skills, all MCCSD K-4 schools implemented the Second Step program as their classroom guidance curriculum. The purpose of Second Step is to teach skills that are essential in promoting emotionally healthy individuals. As educators, we believe it is imperative that we do more to teach self-management, relationship building, cooperation, and conflict resolution and are taking positive, preventative measures to meet the needs of ALL our Jefferson students.


As part of the Second Step program, this year we have added the "Bullying Prevention Unit." This consists of several classroom lesson objectives, including:

  1. Identify safe and respectful actions and words that help students follow class rules.
  2. Identify bullying.
  3. Identify caring adults to talk to about bullying or mean behaviors.
  4. Differentiate between tattling and reporting.
  5. Demonstrate how to report bullying.
  6. Apply assertiveness skills to refuse bullying.
  7. Define "bystander."
  8. Demonstrate ways that bystanders can help stop bullying.


Although our school counselor, Mrs. Despenas, facilitates these lessons, all classroom teachers will complete the school-wide "Bullying Prevention Training Modules" to increase awareness and responsiveness to bullying situations at school. Parent and educators understand that a child's school isn't just a place to grow academically, it's a place to grow as a person. When children feel safe, supported, and connected to their school, they're better equipped to succeed academically and in life.

John Adams Middle School

Multiple groups helped JAMS to celebrate Black History Month. In iJAG, students created posters to highlight influential black leaders and wrote poems and raps. In Ms. Balluff's language arts classes, the students used their Riverhawks reflection activity to focus on black leaders. Mr. Stiles has been focusing on civil rights in 7th grade social studies classes. Ms. Brood and her student group also created displays to help celebrate black culture and leadership. A display of local black leaders was also created.

Lincoln Intermediate


Lincoln has been enjoying every bit of Black History month and all the events that took place for Random Acts of Kindness week. Recently, our honor choir had the opportunity to travel to Algona to perform. They did a great job captivating the audience. They also performed amongst their peers later in the same week. Moreover, our EL program has started to blossom in a phenomenal way. Mrs. Gerrard has started to offer a monthly newsletter in multiple languages for our stakeholders. We look forward to finishing the month strong!

#LincolnTogether

Mason City High School

They Yearbook Production class is working hard to meet its spring deadline. Students have been taking photos, practicing interview skills, and learning page design under English 9 and Journalism instructor, Stephanie Scholl. "We submit it to the publisher in March so it can be delivered before the end of the school year. We're super excited about the cover!" Students will spend the remaining part of the school year marketing and selling.

Planning for your Future Night was a great success! Several students and their families were able to visit with teachers and advisors regarding different opportunities that MCHS offers. There were also representatives from colleges to help students with post high school plans. Almost 9th Grade Night also took place for the current 8th graders and their families. A special thanks to Youth for Christ and several churches for providing a free meal for staff, students, and families! A huge shoutout to the MCHS Counseling Center for their work in putting together this incredible opportunity!

The Mason City High School Counseling Center has a lot of helpful information on their website. Please click HERE to check it out!

Pinecrest Center

Miss Day has added a music class at Pinecrest Center! She is now teaching one class per week with students in the SUN program. The students LOVE getting to move around, sing, and listen to music!

Roosevelt Elementary

On February 16, Roosevelt families were able to participate in a Family Skate Night at Roller City thanks to the Roosevelt PTO. There was a great turnout and lots of fun. Roosevelt's 3rd grade classes are currently studying embryology in partnership with Ag in the Classroom. Students will learn how the chick develops in the egg over time, and will observe similarities and differences between parents and their offspring. Each classroom has seven eggs that will be hatching in about two weeks!

Employee Spotlight

Administrative Center


Mary Etta Miller is an administrative assistant for accounts receivable and work comp at the Administrative Center. She started at MCCSD in April 2022. She is a graduate of Rockwell-Swaledale High School and Hamilton Business College. She loves MC Schools because of the community involvement. There are very special groups who make sure kids who are lacking lunch money are still able to have a hot nutritious meal or donate money for library books. No recognition is desired, they are just being Iowa nice and she loves that! A fun fact about Mary Etta is she married her husband, Bryan, on 11/11/11. She has 16 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Harding Elementary

 

Rachel Grimm is a 3rd grade teacher at Harding Elementary and is in her third year at MCCSD. Rachel graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2019 with a degree in elementary education and is currently pursuing her master's degree in school counseling from Upper Iowa. What makes her MC Proud is working with others who always do what is best for kids. They collaborate, are solution focused, and enjoy working together. A fun fact about Rachel is that she loves adventure. She has been skydiving twice, shark cage diving, and is hoping to visit her 18th country this summer!

Hoover Elementary


Emma Hanson is a 4th grade teacher at Hoover Elementary. This is her second year at MCCSD. Emma attended Waukee High School and earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from Wartburg College. She loves MC Schools because of the hardworking, dedicated, and amazing teachers she gets to work with every day. Emma loves getting to watch the students learn, grow, and have fun. She also enjoys being part of the Mason City High School volleyball program. A fun fact about Emma is that she loves to go hiking. She has hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up! (Down was optional, up was mandatory!)

Jefferson Elementary



Roberta Nolton is a kindergarten teacher at Jefferson Elementary. She has been with MCCSD for 22 years, where she began as an early childhood special education teacher before transferring to kindergarten. Roberta grew up in Forest City, where her and her husband, Tom, still live today. She attended Waldorf College and played volleyball as a setter, then transferred to Iowa State University. She added her special education endorsement at the University of Northern Iowa. Roberta loves MC Schools because of the opportunity to build relationships with the students and watch them learn and grow. Her grade level team is awesome to work with and she shares many memories with them. Coming to work every day is like a fun filled vacation, with surprises along the way. A fun fact about Roberta is that this year she became a grandma twice; to a granddaughter and grandson. Can't forget she is a die hard Iowa State fan!

John Adams Middle School


Jan Miller is in he 21st year serving as the IC paraprofessional at John Adams Middle School. Jan is originally from Greene and graduated from Greene High School, home of the Ramblers at the time. What makes Jan MC Proud is working with the students for many years and feeling good about having served in a variety of roles. Her favorite is working in the IC. In her free time, Jan enjoys cooking, watching football, and spending time with family and friends. A fun fact about Jan is that she loves to have fun and laugh at work. She is also incredibly proud of her granddaughter, Mya, who is a senior at MCHS this year.

Lincoln Intermediate


Teresa Gerrard is the 5th/6th grade EL teacher for Lincoln Intermediate. She attended Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Grace University in Omaha, NE, and Concordia University in Seward, NE. Teresa loves working with students and staff in Mason City because each of them are amazing and work really hard. She also loves seeing all the sports and musical performances. A fun fact about Teresa is that she tutors students in the evening and supports moms who want to teach their children how to read!

Mason City High School


Allison Dalton teaches earth science and astronomy and biology at MCHS. After graduating from Clear Lake High School, Allison went on to pursue her undergrad degree from the University of Northern Iowa and is currently working on her master's through Buena Vista University. This is Allison's fifth year with MCCSD. Her entire teaching career, including student teaching, has been with MCCSD. Allison enjoys getting to work with her students and colleagues every day. She also loves that the staff and administration are so supportive. Allison and her husband have a son and two dogs. A fun fact about Allison is that her grandpa, Tom Schultz, also taught at MCHS as a shop teacher.

Pinecrest Center


Jean Schultz is the nurse at the Pinecrest Center. She is a graduate of MCHS and the NIACC Nursing program. Jean is MC Proud because they are a family at Pinecrest and really help each other out. She enjoys keeping her co-workers and students safe and healthy. She also likes the students who attend Pinecrest. It is rewarding to see their progress and achievements. Some fun facts about Jean are that she loves sports, especially football and baseball. She has watched 27 years of her children participating in MCHS and college sports. Jean also loves warm weather and to go walking.






Roosevelt Elementary


Karen Jordan is a 3rd grade teacher at Roosevelt Elementary. She has a great passion for teaching and a big heart for her students. She has worked for MCCSD for 14 years. Karen enjoys building relationships with the families who are a part of Mason City Schools. It is an extra special treat when her class list includes a child from a family she has gotten to know before. A fun fact about Karen is that she hopes to visit all 50 states by the time she turns 50 years old...31 down, 19 to go!





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


*Girls wrestling finished in 12th place out of 157 schools at the Girls State Wrestling Tournament

*Varsity Girls Basketball defeated Charles City and Fort Dodge

*JV Girls Basketball defeated Fort Dodge

*Varsity Boys Basketball defeated Fort Dodge

*Girls Bowling All-Conference - 1st Team: Kylie Trappe

*Girls Bowling All-Conference - 2nd Team: Maggie Aricx, Kylie Novak

*Boys Bowling All-Conference - 2nd Team: Gage Juhl, Ben Ritzert

*Kale DiMarco placed 2nd at Boys Wrestling Districts and 8th at the State Tournament




MCCSD Dates for the Calendar

2022-23 School Calendars
Activities Calendar
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Mason City Community School District * 641-421-4400 * www.masoncityschools.org