The month of July is in the books and the official start of school is only 3 weeks away. All new freshmen will report to school on August 21st and the entire student population will be in attendance on August 22nd.
Currently, the enrollment for JHS is 265 students which includes those served at Youth Dynamics. This will be the second consecutive year with a significant increase in enrollment. It is exciting to see the growth at JHS.
The teaching staff has been finalized with the recent hiring of Cassidy Parsons who will teach in the Family Consumer Science program. Cassidy has most recently worked in the Head Start program.
JHS is currently looking to hire a part-time math teacher to help offset class sizes due to the recent influx of students in the incoming freshman and sophomore classes.
A paraprofessional and custodian position is also being advertised.
Summer cleanup is winding down and the staff has done a great job readying the school for the upcoming year. The bleacher installation has been delayed and is slated to begin on August 7th. I will update the progress as it occurs. The exterior door near the district office will be replaced with new aluminum energy-efficient material similar to the new front entry installed last year.
Work is also underway to replace the clock and bell system so there is full synchronization with every room in the building. Also, upgrades have been completed in the kitchen and it now fully up to code. The business teaching lab has been updated and new math and chemistry curriculum will be in place for the start of school this fall.
A group of students attended the National Thespian Festival earlier this summer on the campus of the University of Nebraska. It was a great opportunity to see student productions from around the country and participate in a number of exciting workshops. Thanks go to Mike Hesford for making this trip a reality, and Sabrina Steketee and Samantha Humphrey for accompanying the students on this trip.
Kaela Rosenbaum attended the FCCLA National Conference in Nashville this past month, another great learning opportunity to learn and experience firsthand at the national level. Congratulations to all students who were able to participate in summer opportunities.
Another exciting JHS project is being led by current sophomore Henry Goehring. As part of the requirements for his Eagle Scout, Henry is going to construct a small putting green and tee box to be used by future JHS golf team members. Without a course, this project will allow for a scaled-down practice area. I look forward to the completion of Henry’s project.
I am excited for the beginning of the 2017-18 school year and look forward to seeing the school full of students and staff. Enjoy the rest of the summer.
