Education News

Four Storm Lake High School 10-12 grade iJAG (Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates) students traveled to the Capitol Building in Des Moines recently. Students spent the day touring the capitol, walking in the underground tunnels, listening to Governor Reynolds speak about her support for iJAG, speaking with legislators, and sharing what iJAG has done for our lives. ...

After a lukewarm response from the staff at the elementary school, the Storm Lake Board of Education opted not to hire an assistant principal. Instead, the board agreed to add an additional student services director to the staff to help carry the administrative load...

You are invited to participate in the community-wide effort to provide scholarships for our graduating Class of 2021 seniors with a tax-deductible donation. Last year, members of the Storm Lake Dollars for Scholars Chapter of Scholarship America were pleased to announce the names of the 70 high school seniors who had been awarded scholarships totaling $50,275...

Two Storm Lake High School teachers have become STEM Innovator ® certified, giving them the tools and knowledge to effectively infuse innovation and entrepreneurship in their classrooms. Through the certification, teachers Leah Rekow and Will Swanson are more equipped than ever to engage students in solving authentic, community-driven and real-world problems by working in teams and collaborating with community partners. ...

Matt Doebel has been selected to serve as the next principal of Storm Lake High School. The Storm Lake Community School District Board of Education will consider the selection at its meeting on Thursday. Doebel is currently an instructional coach at SLHS, a position he has held since 2016...

St. Mary’s first grade teacher, Ms. Allie Wagoner was recognized with a McTeacher of the Month award on Monday afternoon from the Storm Lake McDonald’s. Ms. Wagoner received a beautiful plaque, $100 to use for school supplies, and a certificate for free McCafe beverages for a year...

More than 7,400 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa were named to the dean’s list for the 2020 fall semester. Sami Damanhoury of Storm Lake, IA [College: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Primary Area of Study: Informatics] Amanda Davis of Schaller, IA [College: University College; Primary Area of Study: Bachelor of Applied Studies]...

Storm Lake High School Art students, Zuliema Martinez and Jack Huss received Scholastic Art Awards. Scholastic Art and Awards recognize student achievement in the visual and literary arts in 28 categories, including architecture, painting, flash fiction, poetry, printmaking, fashion design, expanded projects, and more. ...

Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) is hosting several upcoming virtual orientations for western Iowa community members to learn more about foster care and adoption. Hundreds of Iowa children are currently in need of a foster family, but there are not enough foster homes in western Iowa available for them...

The Buena Vista County Soil & Water Conservation District will again be sponsoring the Dr. T.E. Shea Conservation Memorial Scholarship. A $1,500 scholarship will be presented to a Buena Vista County high school senior to be used for their first year of education on the college level; studying in any field of agriculture or natural resources. ...

Professionals who work with children and families can gain additional tools to help couples build healthy relationships during a virtual training in February. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering Healthy Relationship Education Training on Feb. 11 via Zoom. During the one-day program, professionals will learn how to use relationship education as a strategy to meet the safety, permanency and well-being needs of children...

Morningside College Vice President for Academic Affairs Chris Spicer recently announced the 402 students named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester of the 2020-21 academic year. The Dean’s List recognizes Morningside College students who achieve a 3.67 grade point average or better and complete at least 12 credits of coursework with no grade below a “C-.” Students that achieved a 4.0 grade point average are denoted with an asterisk (*)...

33 Morningside College students graduated with bachelor’s degrees and 78 students earned graduate degrees in December 2020. Morningside College awards general honors based on undergraduate work completed at the college and according to the grade point averages designated...

Since its founding in 1891, Buena Vista University and its people have endured—then thrived—as they worked to put crises like the Spanish flu epidemic (1917), the Great Depression (1930s), World War II (1941-45), and the Farm Crisis (1980s) in the rearview mirror...

Four Buena Vista University computer science majors earned first place in a computer hacking contest recently hosted by Taylor University of Upland, Ind. For one of the team members, Kelsey McConnaughy, the title represents a wonderful way to cap her BVU undergraduate career...

This fall, 2,001 students earned degrees from Iowa State University. The graduates were recognized in a virtual ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing a practice started last spring, Iowa State prepared graduation day gift boxes for all graduating students. ...

St. Mary’s Catholic PreK-12 School is approaching Christmas break with very minimal COVID-19 cases and wants to say thank-you to all the students, staff, and families for a great first semester. The students and staff at St. Mary’s have done a fantastic job following the new protocols and adapting to the new normal of wearing face masks, social distancing in the classrooms, and frequently washing hands...

Benjamin Peters of Storm Lake was named to the Wartburg College Fall Term Dean’s List. The college recognized 517 students for Fall Term. The list honors students who earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above in at least four course credits during the term. Three of the four course credits have to be graded with a traditional letter grade...

Local school districts Storm Lake, Alta-Aurelia, Newell-Fonda, Albert City-Truesdale and Galva-Holstein saw increases in enrollment this fall over 2019. Laurene-Marathon, Schaller-Crestland and Sioux Central were among the two-thirds of Iowa districts experiencing decreases in students...

Seith Monahan has resigned as Storm Lake High School Principal, effective at the end of the school year. Superintendent Stacey Cole said he has not accepted a new position, but plans to return to the Des Moines area, where he previously worked at Des Moines Lincoln High School as a teacher, grade-level coordinator an eventually administrator...

Minnesota State University, Mankato awarded 1,796 degrees to 1,753 students at the end of the fall 2020 semester, with this fall’s graduates celebrated through a special website with commencement videos that are now available. The University’s three traditional graduation ceremonies were scheduled but were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic...

Rachel Mouw gears up for final examinations in what may likely be her last “traditional” semester as a Buena Vista University undergraduate. Mouw, a senior elementary education major, will student-teach throughout the second semester, beginning in January 2021...

Storm Lake K-4 STEM Teacher Jacquie Drey has been named to Governor Kim Reynolds’ newly formed Computer Science Work Group. The work group, which will meet monthly, is responsible for making recommendations that improve computer science education throughout the state. It will also look to promote the importance of computer science to K-12 students and families. The group will submit its recommendations to the Iowa General Assembly by July 2021...