November 2024 Newsletter

Staff Spotlight : Meet Our Teachers

Trent Benesh High School Art

Meet Trent Benesh, a beloved Art teacher at North Linn, who has been inspiring creativity for 22 years. With a deep appreciation for the artistic process, Trent thrives on witnessing students bring their imaginative visions to life. He believes in the transformative power of art, and his classroom is a space where ideas flourish and creativity knows no bounds. Trent's passion for nurturing artistic expression has made a lasting impact on countless students. Here’s to many more years of creativity at North Linn!

Kyle Kennedy High School Social Studies

Meet Kyle Kennedy, our High School Social Studies teacher! Kyle joined North Linn two months ago, bringing with him four months of student teaching experience at North Linn. His love for education started at Marion High School, where he was inspired by amazing teachers, helpers, and administration. Initially aiming to be a band director, Kyle’s passion for history became clear after some sight-singing classes, leading him to the classroom where he truly belongs. For Kyle, teaching has always been a calling, and now it’s all about sharing his love of history with students!

Tricia Williams Fifth Grade

Tricia Williams is a beloved 5th-grade teacher at North Linn with an impressive 30 years of experience. Tricia is deeply committed to making a difference in her students' lives, bringing passion and enthusiasm to the classroom every day. Her dedication to nurturing young minds and fostering a positive learning environment has left a lasting impact on generations of students. Here’s to celebrating three decades of inspiring growth and joy in learning at North Linn!

Nicole Voss First Grade

Meet Nicole Voss, a passionate 1st-grade teacher at North Linn, celebrating her sixth year in education! Nicole is driven by the joy of witnessing her students' excitement when they grasp new concepts. She loves being a trusted figure for her students, someone they can turn to for support and encouragement. Nicole finds fulfillment in the smiles and laughter of her students, making each day in the classroom a rewarding experience. Here’s to many more years of spreading joy and inspiration at North Linn!

Phil Corkery Industrial Technology

Introducing Phil Corkery, a dedicated Industrial Technology teacher at North Linn who has been inspiring students for 17 years. With a passion for hands-on learning, Phil excels at helping students develop practical skills that allow them to design, create, and bring their innovative ideas to life. His dynamic teaching approach fosters creativity and builds confidence, making the world of technology both accessible and exciting. Here’s to many more years of shaping future innovators at North Linn!

Amber McGrath 4-year-old Preschool

Amber McGrath has been a beloved part of the North Linn community for nearly 18 years, teaching 4-year-old preschool. While she jokes about becoming a millionaire when she retires, her true passion lies in her rewarding role as an educator. Despite the challenges that some days bring, Amber can’t imagine doing anything else. Her dedication to nurturing young minds makes a lasting impact on her students. Join us in celebrating Amber’s commitment to early childhood education!

Kaitlin Schlotfeldt Third Grade

Meet Kaitlin Schlotfeldt, a dedicated 3rd-grade teacher at North Linn, proudly in her fourth year. With a passion for both learning and teaching, Kaitlin enjoys helping her students discover new things while being a positive influence in their lives. She strives to create a nurturing classroom environment where every student feels cared for and encouraged to grow. Here’s to many more years of inspiring curiosity and fostering connections at North Linn!

What's Happening in English?

In Mrs. Schmidt's Communication in Society class, students are given the opportunity to have one-on-one Career Conversations with professionals in fields of interest. Students completed this semester's Career Conversations in November. Students research a field of their choosing, including education requirements, apprenticeships, benefits, and other career-specific criteria. This semester, we were able to connect students with professionals in eight different careers, including architect, tattoo artist, electrician, writer (UNI college professor), real estate agent, physical therapist, veterinary technician, and the manager of the Waterloo Bucks for sports management. Since the inception of this class in the Fall of 2021, we have been able to connect 63 students with professionals in varying careers. This has led to students making strong connections with professionals in fields that interest them. With the help of North Linn Alumni, I have been able to extend the reach of this class beyond our small community through connections Alumni have with numerous professionals in a wide variety of careers. Thank you everyone who has participated and helped me make connections for our students.

Greetings! We have had a busy 1st Semester in the North Linn High School English Department. Here is an update for all Mr. Huxford’s classes:

English 9: After beginning the school with a non-fiction unit centered on ‘survivor’ stories, we read the novel The Red Bandanna by Tom Rinaldi. This is the true story of Welles Crowther, a real-life hero who sacrificed his own life to save the lives of strangers during the 9/11 attacks of the Twin Towers in New York City. Recently we have been studying several short stories, and we will start another novel after Christmas break.

English 10: We have completed several writing-focused activities during this semester, including a unit on Six Word Memoirs and a personal experience essay focused on memories associated with colors. We read and studied the classic novel The Outsiders, with the students taking a test and completing a soundtrack project in which they chose a song to correspond with each of the 12 chapters in the novel. We are currently working on a Jack London unit that will take us into Christmas break.

Public Speaking: In the 3 years since this course has been reintroduced at North Linn, this is the largest class (20 students) that I have had, which is great to see. Besides writing and presenting their own speeches, we have been studying high-quality speeches and analyzing what makes them so good. The students have recently completed How-To and Motivational/Inspirational speeches, and we are currently studying Public Forum Debate. During the Debate Unit, the students will eventually get to choose topics that will be debated during class. Eventually the class will be broken up into 2-person teams that will actually debate another 2-person team on their chosen topic.

Responding To Modern Topics: We have covered many current event-themed topics throughout the semester during this course. Besides written reactions to what we are studying, most of the units are concluded with a project of some type. Some of the units that we have covered include the Olympics, endangered species, and the voting process in United States elections along with “battleground states” leading up to the 2024 Presidential Election. We are currently studying cold case murders in the state of Iowa, which is typically a favorite unit for students in this course.

Mr. Kress has his 8th grade students currently working on Persuasive Essays, where they choose topics that are meaningful to them and craft compelling arguments to support their beliefs. As part of the project, students will not only write a paper but also deliver a speech to present their case. For instance, one student is making a persuasive argument that farm-fresh eggs are a better choice than store-bought eggs, highlighting the benefits of freshness and quality.

Mr. Griffith's 7th-grade class has just completed a 5-paragraph essay on their 'Favorite Thing About Fall,' showcasing their writing skills. They are now preparing for their upcoming Book Conference interviews next week, in addition to their daily English activities.

Meanwhile, the 6th grade has just finished reading Legend by Marie Lu. For their end-of-book project, students participated in a mock election to select a new Elector and Vice Elector. Each group created a poster and a 1-minute propaganda commercial to persuade classmates to vote for their candidates. The students thoroughly enjoyed both the book and the fun, competitive election project!

What's Happening in the Elementary?

The Hallway Heroes award is a special recognition given to the class that demonstrates the best hallway behavior in the elementary school. Awarded by Principal Mr. Schott, this honor celebrates the class that walks through the hallways the quietest and most respectfully, setting a positive example for the whole school. It's a proud moment for students who take care to stay focused, maintain a calm atmosphere, and follow school rules as they move between classrooms. Each week, the class that earns this title gets a chance to shine as the Hallway Heroes, setting the standard for others to follow! Congratulations to Mrs. Schlotfeldt's third grade class on receiving this award.

The Golden Trash Can award is a prestigious recognition given to the class with the cleanest classroom at the end of the school day. Awarded by the janitor, this honor encourages students to take pride in keeping their learning space tidy and organized. It’s a fun way to motivate everyone to pitch in and make sure their classroom is spotless. Recently, Mrs. Schulte's 4th grade class proudly earned this award, showing their dedication to maintaining a clean and clutter-free environment. Congratulations to Mrs. Schulte’s class for setting a shining example of responsibility and teamwork!

What's Happening in FFA?

The North Linn FFA Chapter earned national recognition as a Premier Chapter at the National FFA Convention in late October. This prestigious honor is awarded to less than 0.01% of all chapters across the United States each year, highlighting the exceptional achievements and dedication of our chapter members.

What's Happening in FBLA?

Our FBLA and Business students had the unique opportunity to hear from Marcey Liebe, a local entrepreneur and owner of Dharma’s, who shared her journey from starting out in the industry to running a successful bar and restaurant. She provided an in-depth look at the business side of hospitality, discussing everything from financial management and budgeting to the logistics of ordering inventory and testing new menu items. Students gained valuable insights into the challenges and rewards of managing a bar, as well as practical advice on how to navigate the complexities of the food and beverage industry. Her talk not only highlighted the importance of financial planning but also offered real-world tips on how to succeed in a competitive and fast-paced business. It was an inspiring and informative session that left our students motivated to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams!

Notes from Nurse Ashtin

Parent's this is a friendly reminder of the health requirements for students. There is still time to get these in. If you aren't sure what your specific child is missing please reach out to me at aschmitz@northlinncsd.org. Thank you to those that have turned in papers already.

3rd Grade

A vision screening (either a completed vision screening certificate or a student vision card). I screen any students that don't have a form turned in by December. You will be notified if further testing is recommended.

9th Grade

Dental Screening certificate- dated within a year prior to the start of 9th grade or up to 6 months after the start of 9th grade.

Please reach out with any questions.

Thank you.

Nurse Ashtin

aschmitz@northlinncsd.org

319-224-3291 x1312