Snow Days



Please Shop Locally

The community of Sioux Center and Sioux County are an aberration for rural Iowa counties.  Sioux County is one of just a few rural counties that are growing.  Strong economic development is a blessing in tough economic times.  Last fall I read in the Sioux City Journal that Sioux County was ranked eleventh in being resistant to the recession.  Our local businesses play a large part in keeping Sioux Center a vibrant community.

The Sioux Center District benefits greatly when people choose to frequent the local businesses.  The district has added ten new class rooms, a new high school roof, and new Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units at the high school.  These projects were funded by the State-wide Penny Tax.  A penny of every dollar spent in Sioux County goes to the schools of Sioux County for infrastructure.  In the 2009-2010 school year that was $758,702 for the Sioux Center Schools.  If an individual shops in another county in Iowa, the schools in that county benefit.  If a purchase is completed over the Internet, no schools benefit.

As you buy those special gifts this Christmas season I would urge you to shop locally whenever possible.  It is good for our school, our businesses, and our community. 

Inclement weather information

On days where the weather may create a change in the school day please listen to KSOU and KDCR radio for announcements.  The announcements will be on the school website also, http://www.sioux-center.k12.ia.us/. 

If you would like to receive text messages or e-mails regarding school announcements you can click on the link for Snowcap to register.  Please do not rely solely on Snowcap.  Snowcap is the service that the district uses for media notification.

According to the district calendar days missed due to weather will be made up in the following order.

November 22^nd                 President’s day February 21^st

Second day missed         Thursday of Easter Break April 21^st

Third day missed              Monday of Easter Break April 25^th

Technology Enhances Learning

As part of the construction and remodel of the Kinsey Elementary School and the Sioux Center High School over two hundred thousand dollars of technology hardware was purchased and installed.  This technology consists of smart boards (interactive white boards), LCD projectors, netbooks, instant response “clickers” and a security system. 

Technology is a tool that, when used appropriately, can enhance a student’s learning immensely.  The money invested in technology is too great to not maximize its usage.  Even with training, the use of the technology only touches the tip of iceberg as to what the hardware is capable of doing.  The world beyond high school will be very different from the world I found when I graduated from high school more than thirty years ago.  For example, there are more computer capabilities in today’s automobile than the lunar craft that landed on the moon in 1969.  The personal lives and professional careers our children will demand that the individual be a life-long learner that is adaptable to the ever changing world.

Twenty First Century Skills are one of the components of the Iowa Core Curriculum that is now mandated by the State of Iowa.  These twenty first century skills demand technical literacy.  Students as young as kindergarten experience interactive learning through the use of smart boards and Apple Ipads.  The facilities of the district now have wireless capabilities.  Several classroom sets of netbooks (laptop computers on a traveling cart) allow students to interact within any classroom.  Several teachers have begun to use Goggle Docs, an online process for completing homework and study group.  This process is becoming more the norm than the exception in many colleges today.

One of the keys to the success of the technology is staff training.  In order for a staff member to have a smart board the staff member must have had training.  The dilemma for training staff is that there are many different ability levels and technology aptitudes.  During the second semester, staff will be afforded the opportunity to receive training in various topics and areas of technology that will be taught by staff members that have taken the lead on technology within their own classrooms. 

The Sioux Center Community School District will continue to plan for future technology possibilities.  One study will examine the possibility of becoming a one to one school, a laptop for every student.  One to one schools can provide many opportunities for the students.  The key in the research will be whether the move to one to one has a positive impact on student achievement. 

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

Alvin Toffler

Weekly events

Monday, November 8

7^th/8^th Boys Basketball vs Rock Valley, 4:15 pm

            Both games here

High School Girls basketball practice may begin

Tuesday, November 9

Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4:30-8:30 pm

Wednesday, November 10

Early release/Power Hour, 2:05/2:15 pm

Thursday, November 11

Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4:30-8:30 pm

Friday, November 12

No school

Fall Musical, “Beauty & the Beast”, TePaske Theatre, 7 pm

Saturday, November 13

Fall Musical, “Beauty & the Beast”, TePaske Theatre, 1:30 matinee & 7 pm performance

Parent Teacher Conference are next week

Parent teacher conferences will be held next week on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4:30 to 8:30 PM. Parent teacher conferences are very important to establish rapport and communication between parent and the child's teacher. Here is a link to guide planning and attending the conference, as well as, followup to conference. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the office of the building(s) your child/children attend.

Make the Most of Parent Teacher Conferences

Work Session Cancelled

Due to the Sioux Center High School football team advancing in the state playoffs, the work session to be held by the Sioux Center Community School District Board of Education meeting scheduled for Monday evening November 1, 2010 at 7:00 PM has been cancelled.

District Playoff Information - updated on October 26

District Playoff Information - updated on October 26

The 1^st round playoff game is being hosted by Kuemper Catholic High School on Wednesday, October 27 at the Carroll Football Stadium.

Admission: $6.00 (K-Adult)

Location of Football field: Coming in from the north on Hwy 71 – turn left (east) on

180^th Street

(just past John Deere dealership on the east side of the road).  Turn right (south) on

Grant Rd.

  (Carroll High School is on this corner of Grant and

180^th Street

).  Turn east (left) to enter the stadium, between the Rec Center parking lot and the football stadium.

Sioux Center fans’ seating will be on the west side of the stadium.  Parking is available in the city park to the west of the stadium, the Rec Center to the south of the stadium or on the east side of the stadium.

Wednesday, October 27^th is a Power Hour day which means that Kinsey dismisses school at 2:05 PM and the middle school/high school dismisses at 2:20 PM.  School will be as scheduled on Thursday the 28^th. 

If we win on the 27^th our second round will be on Monday November 1^st at a site TBD.

Bus for Playoffs

New Life Reformed Church will be providing their greyhound bus as transportation to the High School playoff football game on Wednesday.  The cost to ride the bus will be $10.00 per person (this does not include a ticket to the game or food….just your ride back and forth).  The bus will be leaving the southeast church parking lot at 3:00 pm.  All students must be accompanied by an adult in order to ride.  If interested in reserving a seat for yourself,  you must call the New Life Reformed Church office at 722-3520.  They need at least 24 people to sign up to make the trip worthwhile (There are a total 47 possible seats). 

Weekly Events

Monday, October 25

Junior Auction, HS commons/gym, dinner served from 5-7 pm,

            Auction in the HS gym beginning @ 7 pm

Tuesday, October 26

Regional Volleyball, here, 7 pm Central Lyon vs Sioux Center

Wednesday, October 27

HS Blood Drive

, 8 am – 2 pm

Early release for Football Playoffs  2:05 @ Kinsey, 2:20 @ MS/HS

Sub-state Football at Carroll Iowa vs. Kuemper Catholic or at Lake City vs. South Central Calhoun, 7:00 pm

Thursday, October 28

End of 1^st Quarter

Friday, October 29

Early Release/Teacher Workday 11:15/11:30 am – note change from original calendar

Kinsey Pop Can Collection Day

Saturday, October 30

State Cross Country Meet @ Fort Dodge

The Sioux Center Community School Board believes in the value of each employee

Beauty and the Beast

Tickets for the HS musical "Beauty and the Beast" are available at the HS office beginning Monday, October 25.  Performances in TePaske Theatre are on Friday, November 12 at 7 pm, and Saturday, November 13 at 1:30 and 7 pm.  Evening tickets are $7/adults and $6/students.  All Saturday afternoon seats are $5.  Tickets will also be sold at the door.  Also, please note that "light-up roses" will be available for  purchase ($4) prior to and during intermission of each performance.  

Music Boosters will provide intermission refreshments.

Football Playoffs

The Sioux Center High school Football team has qualified for the playoffs.  The first playoff game will be on Wednesday October 27^th.  What we know for sure is that the team will be either the 3^rd or 4^th seed in district one and will travel to play either the 1^st or second seed from district 2.  The number one seed from district 2 will be South Central Calhoun of Lake City and the second seed will be Kuemper Catholic of Carroll.  Either way it is about 2 and one half hours to get to the game.

The 27^th is a Power Hour day which means that Kinsey dismisses at 2:05 PM and the middle school/high school at 2:20 PM.  Therefore, no change to the dismissal time will be necessary and school will be as scheduled on Thursday the 28^th.  If we win on the 27^th our second round will be on Monday November 1^st at a site TBD.

WAY TO GO WARRIORS!

Weekly events

Monday, October 18

9^th/JV Football vs MOC-FV, here, 5 pm

School Board Meeting, 7 pm

Tuesday, October 19

All-State Recital, Choir & Band Rooms, 7:30 pm

Regional Volleyball. West Lyon vs Sioux Center, here, 7 pm

Wednesday, October 20

Early release/Power Hour 2:05 @ Kinsey, 2:20 @ MS/HS

National FFA Convention @ Indianapolis

Thursday, October 21

District Cross Country Meet @ Unity, 4:00 pm

National FFA Convention

Friday, October 22

National FFA Convention

TK Field Trip to Pumpkinland

Varsity Football vs Spirit Lake, here, 7 pm

Saturday, October 23

All-State Band & Choir Auditions @ Storm Lake

National FFA Convention

Parent Power

The Sioux Center Board of Education believes that parents and the community are essential partners with the schools. 

Studies of successful schools report that parent involvement is a major factor in their outcomes, including closing the achievement gap between various groups of students. The President of the United States is asking that parents make education a priority and a legacy for their family.  The publication, Parent Power, provides useful information to parents on how this can be accomplished.  By adopting the principles explained in the book and taking the steps indicated for each age group, parents will be able to help their child learn at each step of the way and ensure success in school and in life.  The US Department of Education’s new publication, Parent Power, is available at the following link:

Parent Power

Thank You to New Life

Wow. New Life Reformed Church, what a wonderful place to gather and learn.  Today I am sitting in a professional development session with all of the teachers from the Sioux Center Community Schools and the Boyden Hull Community Schools, about one hundred and fifty people.  How blessed we are to live in a community with such beautiful churches that are great partners with the schools.  The support for education in Sioux Center is outstanding.

Professional Development Day October 8th

The Sioux Center Community School District Board of Education believes in the personal and professional growth of all people within our school district.

Tomorrow our teachers will be engaged in their own learning to improve and hone their teaching skills.  The main focus will be to clearly define what is being taught and how we assess what the students have learned.  Teaching is like any other profession in that, in order to be effective, collaboration and professional discussions are very important.  These skills will be carried over into the classroom to impact all students

Welcome to the the Sioux Center Community School District Blog

Every Monday morning around 7:45 AM KSOU radio in Sioux Center airs the Warrior Waves program.  Warrior Waves provides the weekly events of the district.  Originally the Warrior Waves show had guests who would provide information or thoughts about the happenings within the district that went beyond the calendar.  The purpose of this blog will be to provide more in depth information or news and to improve communication with the Sioux Center Community.  I hope you will check in often to see what is happening in our schools.