Wolf Way Wednesday

Hello! We are glad you are here reading the Wolf Way Wednesday. This publication will come out every other Wednesday with the goal of informing stakeholders of what is going on in the IKM-Manning School District. Feedback is always welcome and can be directed to Rachel Merkel, School Communications, at rmerkel@ikm-manning.k12.ia.us

On November 7, IKM-Manning residents will be asked to vote on an $18.6 million bond issue that, if approved, will finance a series of expansion and improvement projects and allow the district to operate in one location. Please click the button below to visit the IKM-Manning Bond Website to find out more information about the November 7 vote. Renderings of what the building could look like are on the webpage and provided by 10Fold Engineering and Architecture.

This election also includes voting on school board members.

• Jeremy Puck, at-large candidate will run unopposed.
• Bridget Gore and TJ Sterk are running for District 1
• Incumbent Dave Heller is running against Emmalie Rasmussen for District 2
• Incumbent Zach Meiners is running against Mike Blum and Sara Ferneding for an at-large spot

The school board invites you to a candidate forum where all candidates have been invited to speak. This will take place on Monday, October 23 at 6:30 in the high school auditorium. The public is encouraged to ask questions and those can be submitted at www.tinyurl.com/ikmmforum

This year, IKM-Manning Elementary is starting their Fridays with an all school assembly. During this time, the morning announcements are read, the Pledge of Allegiance is recited together, and character awards are given for the week. This is also a time for Principal Christensen to talk with students about important issues going on at the school. Bus safety and expectations have been discussed since the beginning of school but the main focus for the elementary is creating caring relationships for each other. This is a time for the whole student body to come together to celebrate accomplishments and to continue discussing how to make the elementary a safe and happy place to be.

Below are pictures from various Friday assemblies.

This summer Sarah Finn wanted professional development she knew could benefit her 4th grade students for years to come. With the new computer science standards rolling out in Iowa, she found a free week long training at the University of Northern Iowa. Put on by AEA Computer Science Consultants, this was a chance for Iowa teachers to learn more about how to incorporate computer science into their classrooms. She attended individualized trainings put on by computer science companies such as Boot-Up and Code Joy. She learned how to use the specific computer science equipment that was gifted to her through these training sessions. She was able to walk away with 20 Micro:bits, a Hummingbird, and a Finch thanks to the wonderful sponsors of the training.

Already this year she has shown her 4th grade science students how to code and program the Hummingbirds to make them rotate. They then built windmills in a cross-over project about learning the different types of renewable and non-renewable energies that are available. This was also in part of a grant Mrs. Finn received through the Carroll County Farm Bureau. She plans to add computer science to her geometry math unit on angles near the end of the year as well as a few other ideas she is working on in science.

“The students have been extremely receptive to learning about the Hummingbirds and problem solving when coding and programming changes need to be made. I anticipate as the year goes on and we as a whole grade learn more about the coding process, the students will gain more confidence and I will become more of a guide and they will be teaching me new things,” says Finn.

Below are pictures of the windmill project done in Mrs. Finn’s science class this fall.

The Special Olympics have held a special place in sponsor Beth Hagedorn’s heart for many years. She started volunteering with the program over thirty years ago when she began her career as a special education teacher at IKM. At that time she had five down syndrome students who loved attending the events and she has been an advocate for the program ever since. The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

When the schools combined, she wanted to continue this tradition at IKM-Manning and she has had many memorable experiences since.

“My most memorable event, and there have been a lot over the years, was getting a phone call from the state Special Olympics CEO telling me that Coby Fineran and Carter Irlmeier were selected to attend a Special Olympics event in Orlando, Florida,” Hagedorn says. “ There would be athletes from all over the US attending and these two boys were chosen. Irlmeier and Fineran were going to be helping a team design (with the help of the Disney artists) the logo for the 2022 USA Special Olympic Games. The two young men rode on a float one night in the Disney parade. This dynamic duo did a lot of cool things during their high school days. Coby made the Des Moines Register Special Olympian of the year. He didn't win it that night but got to see Shaquille O'Neal!”

Beth also mentioned that getting the Unified Sports up and running was another exciting memory for her. The Unified Teams partner athletes with volunteers in the school to make a unified team. In 2018 Emily Powers and Caitlin Lahr were the first from IKM-Manning to go to the Special Olympics Unified Bowling event. This year three unified teams qualified for the state bowling tournament which will take place on November 17 at Maplewood Lanes in Omaha.

"Why do I do this? It is a passion of mine,” she said. “Special Olympics is always a happy place! The athletes love it when our IKM-Manning students are cheering them on at a track meet or at the bowling alley. I think I can safely say that we have had many students surprised at what they really learn when they attend a Special Olympics event as a volunteer. It just makes my heart happy and proud to see these IKM-Manning students work with all of the different abilities at an event.

When I leave an event that our students have helped with, you can't believe the wonderful comments I receive from other teachers, organizations, and staff from the bowling alley. We have some pretty neat students here at IKM-manning."

The IKM-Manning school and communities are lucky to have someone like Beth who has dedicated her career to making a difference with the Special Olympics!

We want to wish Brian Lamp, Jayden Bunker, Keegan Dille, Tristan Jons, and Austin Halbur best wishes at state bowling. Go Wolves!

The IKM-Manning FFA is doing their annual fundraiser of selling a variety of different foods. This years sale consist of fruit, Butter Braids, cheese spreads, nuts, cheeses, and silver dollar beef jerky. The deadline to order is November 6. Contact an FFA member or Advisor Ben Booth today to order!

Email: rmerkel@ikm-manning.k12.ia.us
Website: www.ikm-manning.k12.ia.us
Location: 209 10th Street, Manning, IA, USA
Phone: (712) 655-3771
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikmmanningschools