The Board Brief

We’re excited to introduce The Board Brief, a new monthly video series where Superintendent Lehmann will take a few minutes to recap recent school board meetings, highlight important decisions and discussions, and share what they mean for our students, staff, and families.

▶️ Check out our first edition of The Board Brief below, and be sure to follow along each month for the latest update!

From Classroom to Cafeteria

The journey from classroom to cafeteria is looking a little greener at Forest City High School! Our Agriculture students have been putting their hydroponic growing systems to work, and the first batch of the year recently made its way to our Food Service team.

For the past several years, our Ag students have been learning about hydroponic growing by raising lettuce right here at school. With 102 plants currently growing in the system and approximately 10 pounds of lettuce harvested every two weeks, students are gaining hands-on experience with plant science, technology, and the process of growing food.

Now, students get to see the results of their hard work make a difference beyond the classroom. The lettuce they grow and harvest is served to their peers in the middle and high school cafeterias, connecting hands-on learning with a real-world impact.

Thanks to a recent Poet grant, the program plans to expand its hydroponic growing system, creating even more opportunities for students to learn through hands-on experiences.

From growing and harvesting to preparing and serving, this project connects agriculutre, science, and food service in a meaningful way.

Sypersma Leadership & Innovation Award

Congratulations to Computer Science Teacher Ryan Friederich, who was named the recipient of the Sypersma Leadership and Innovation Award at the Iowa Technology & Education Connection (ITEC) Conference in Des Moines this week.

Considered one of the highest honors in educational technology, the award recognizes Iowa educators who champion the innovative use of technology to enhance teaching and learning. It is named in honor of Jeff Sypersma, the retiring executive director of ITEC, and celebrates the leadership and innovation educators bring to their schools and students.

Ryan's recognition highlights the important role educators play in exploring new opportunities, integrating technology into education, and preparing students for an increasingly technology-driven world.

We are proud to celebrate Ryan and this well-deserved statewide recognition!

Homecoming Recap

We had a great Homecoming week! From spirited dress-up days, community parade, pep-assembly, crowning of our Homecoming royalty, and the induction of this year's Athletic Hall of Fame class, the week was full of school pride and celebration.

Those selected for the Homecoming Court include: Casey Buffington, Kiara Bina, Emerson Moore, Sophia Reese, Ashlen Kingland, Cooper Blaser, Peter Wilson, Aiden Frascht, Holden Reynolds, and Colin Thompson.

Congratulations to our Homecoming King Cooper Blaser and Queen Sophia Reese!

National Principal Month

October is Principal Appreciation Month, and we’re taking a moment to recognize the dedicated leaders who help make FC Schools a great place to learn, grow, and belong. Our principals lead with care, vision, and commitment—supporting students and staff, partnering with families, and helping create a positive school experience for everyone. We are grateful for the time, energy, and heart they bring to our schools each day. Thank you to our principals for all you do for FC Schools!

Veteran's Day Program

Griak Invitational

The Forest City Cross Country teams recently competed at the Griak Invitational, one of the region's premier cross country meets, and once again showed that school size does not define the impact a team can make. Competing against some of the largest programs in the field, the Indians recorded numerous personal records, strong individual finishes and several performances that moved runners higher on Forest City’s all-time lists.

The girls finished 8th out of 29 teams, an impressive result considering Forest City was roughly the 27th-largest school in the field. Adah Sharp, Brinley Blaser, Claire Weaver, Eva Sharp, Makenna Reese, Samantha Clouse and Sophia Reese all moved higher on the Forest City all-time performance list. Ashlee Aukes, Muren Sharp and Carmen Sharp also established meet records.

The boys finished 3rd out of 30 teams, despite being one of the smallest programs competing. Grant Gayther and Liam Weissenfluh both recorded personal records and moved up the all-time list, while Angel Ramirez, Daunta Berg, Dirk Zeman, Ezra Thompson, Kai Weaver and Tucker Walberg also posted personal records. Cooper Blaser established a meet record.

Grant Gayther finished 7th and Liam Weissenfluh 16th individually. The team also made its mark with the Gobble Up Award, recognizing runners who passed competitors during the race. Tucker Walberg and Kai Weaver each passed an impressive 13 runners, while Ezra Thompson passed four and Grant Gayther and Cooper Blaser each passed three.

With continued improvement, strong team depth and runners climbing the all-time lists, the Indians are building momentum as the season progresses.

High School Students of the Month

Congratulations to our FCHS September Students of the Month! They were nominated by their teachers for their strong work ethic, positive attitude, and commitment to learning. We are proud to celebrate these students and the dedication they show every day.

National Bullying Prevention Month

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time to reinforce the importance of a safe, respectful, and inclusive school community. Across our buildings, students are learning how to recognize unkind or harmful behavior, navigate conflict, include others, and speak up when something doesn’t feel right. In recognition of this, we will be acknowledging Unity Day on Wednesday, Oct. 21st. Each building will engage in a variety of activities promoting kindness and belonging. All students and community members are encouraged to wear orange that day to help promote this message. Creating a positive school environment is a shared effort. Every adult in our schools plays a role in supporting students, and we welcome families to be part of that team, too. 

How you can help support at home: 

- Talk regularly with your child about respect, inclusion, and how they are getting along with others.

- Encourage your child to speak up or seek adult help when they experience or witness a concern.

- Remind your child that everyone has a role in helping create a safe and welcoming school community.

If your child is navigating a challenging situation, please reach out to their school counselor for additional support.

PurposeFull People



Through the month of October, the emphasis at the elementary school is Responsibility -- taking action and understanding how our choices impact ourselves and others. For students, this can mean following directions, completing assigned tasks, making positive choices, and taking ownership when things don’t go as planned. 

You can help reinforce these skills at home by:

- Giving age-appropriate responsibilities that encourage independence 

- Helping your child plan for and complete tasks by breaking larger tasks into smaller steps

- Practicing organizing backpacks and other school materials 

- When mistakes happen, focusing on ownership and problem-solving: “What happened, and what can you do next?”

- Noticing and praising responsible choices, effort, and follow-through

Our first graders have been learning all about the human body through their CKLA unit and they put their learning into action by creating their very own human bodies!

Each student included five body systems in their creation: the circulatory, skeletal, digestive, muscular, and nervous systems. Through this hands-on project, students explored how each system works and how they all work together to help our bodies function.

As part of their CKLA learning, our second grade classes celebrated Fairy Tale & Tall Tale Day! Students dressed up as their favorite fairy tale and lumberjack characters and brought their stories to life while celebrating all they’ve been learning.

Students enjoyed Paul Bunyan’s famous flapjacks as they celebrated together with plenty of smiles, stories and fun.

Our third graders stepped into the roles of storytellers as they performed mini Reader’s Theaters from their CKLA Timeless Tales unit.

One of the stories they brought to life was The Wind in the Willows, allowing students to practice more than just reading the words on the page. Through Reader’s Theater, students worked on fluency, expression, character voice, and retelling as they collaborated with their classmates to bring the story to life.

Our third graders recently visited the Rockford Fossil and Prairie Center for a day of exploring, discovering, and connecting their classroom learning to the world around them!

Students had the opportunity to learn more about fossils, prehistoric life, and Iowa's prairie ecosystem while seeing firsthand how scientists and educators study and preserve the natural history of our region. It was a great day of hands-on learning and discovery!

Throughout August and September, a group of 4th graders served as Bus Buddies, helping our K-Prep, kindergarten and 1st-grade students safely get to their post-school plans—whether that meant the bus or parent pickup.

But they did more than help students get where they needed to go. Our Bus Buddies took the time to get to know their buddies, hear about their day, and build meaningful connections. Their kindness, responsibility, and leadership made a difference for our youngest learners! To celebrate their efforts, our Bus Buddies enjoyed a cookie and game party!

Eight Forest City Middle School students in 7th and 8th grade attended the North Central Conference Leadership Retreat last week, hosted by conference principals. 

Students connected with peers from 11 other conference schools while exploring the importance of self-reflection, self-acceptance, and leadership within their own school building. These experiences help students grow in confidence, strengthen relationships, and discover how they can make a positive impact in their school community. We are proud of them for stepping up, building connections, and representing Forest City Middle School well!

Our 8th-grade students worked together to create mind maps as they explored the Number Systems Unit. By organizing ideas, making connections, and discussing their thinking with classmates, students are developing a deeper understanding of how different number systems relate to one another.

Our elementary students recently celebrated their PBIS success with an all-school recess with our 8th-grade students! From playing games to running around and making friends, our younger students had a blast spending time with their older peers. Our 8th-graders stepped up as positive role models, showing what it looks like to lead through kindness, encouragement, and connection.

A big THANK YOU to our 8th-graders, Principal Sarah Leichsenring, and the middle school staff members who helped make this celebration possible. Their time, energy, and willingness to invest in our elementary students made this a memorable afternoon for everyone!

Chemistry students are developing their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills by working together to separate a mixture of salt, sand, iron shavings, and pieces of paper. Without using Google or AI, students must rely on their observations, knowledge of physical properties, and teamwork to develop a plan for separating each substance. Students are also learning to write like scientists by documenting their work, analyzing their data, and communicating their findings through a formal lab report.

Physical Science students are developing their scientific data and communication skills by investigating how temperature and water volume affect reaction rates. Students are recording qualitative and quantitative data, creating appropriate graphs, and writing CER conclusions supported by their results while identifying possible sources of experimental error.