The Iowa-Grant community has a history of coming together dating back to 1959 with a vote of 630-129 to build a consolidated high school. The school is still the heart of the community. Parents, grandparents, and the community-at-large can be proud that the state ranks our schools as exceeding expectations, with the elementary school earning 5 star status year after year. Thanks to a strong partnership with the community, students at Iowa-Grant continue to succeed.

The challenge is that state-imposed revenue limits have not kept up with the true cost of maintaining our buildings and operating the district. Six of the past ten years the allowable increase in the revenue limits has been zero. The District is facing some expensive deferred maintenance on air conditioning units, kitchen equipment, sealing exterior masonry, replacing the gym curtain and gym entry doors at the elementary school. Some of the kitchen appliances came from the schools in Cobb, Montfort and Livingston. The Baird financial forecast model predicts the district will exhaust all reserves within two years.

By a unanimous vote of the Iowa-Grant Board of Education, voters in the Iowa-Grant School District will see the following question on the ballot for the November 5th general election.

Shall the Iowa-Grant School District, Grant and Iowa Counties, Wisconsin, be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, regularly by $1,200,000 beginning in the 2024-2025 school year to sustain educational programming, operations, and facility maintenance?

The referendum is for operations on a recurring basis and not for new facilities. The board of education has committed to phasing in the $1,200,000 ballot question over three or more years. The board of education has committed to phasing in the $1,200,000 ballot question over three or more years, so the estimated tax impact over what the levy would be without the referendum, was expected to be $266 on a $200,000 property. Since state aid has been certified, this number is now projected to be $159. This number should not be considered the actual amount taxes will go up because this will vary from taxpayer to taxpayer depending on recent reassessment in some of the townships and villages.

We have already reduced more than five positions by not replacing teachers and support staff when they retire or move for other reasons.

Our schools are the heart of our community. Now, it is our turn to decide whether or not our buildings are maintained and our district can continue in its mission of empowering all students to reach their full potential. We want to ensure that all voters have the information they need as they vote on the referendum. More detailed information is available on our district website. Please be an informed voter and vote with heart on November 5th.”

11/1 NO SCHOOL

11/2 2:00 PM Cross Country: Boys Varsity State Finals vs Multiple Schools @ Wisconsin Rapids

11/6 5:00 PM HS Volleyball Banquet @ IGEMS cafeteria

11/8 7:00 PM 2024 IGHS Musical Presentation - The Hunchback of Notre Dame

11/9 7:00 PM 2024 IGHS Musical Presentation - The Hunchback of Notre Dame

11/10 2:00 PM 2024 IGHS Musical Presentation - The Hunchback of Notre Dame

11/11 10:15 AM Veterans Day Program - IGHS Gymnasium

11/11 Girls Basketball and Gymnastics Practice Starts

11/11 6:30 PM Board Meeting

11/12 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM Parent / Teacher Conferences

11/13 5:00 PM HS Football Banquet @ IGEMS Cafeteria

11/14 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM Parent / Teacher Conferences

11/15 NO SCHOOL

11/15 5:00 PM Basketball: Girls JV Scrimmage vs Multiple Schools (Home) (IGEMS)

11/15 5:00 PM Basketball: Girls Varsity Scrimmage vs Multiple Schools (Home) (IGEMS)

11/16 Music Parents Pasty Making

11/17 2:00 PM National Honor Society Ceremony @ IGEMS Room 100

11/18 Boys Basketball, Wrestling, and Winter Cheer Practice Starts

11/18 6:00 PM Music Parents Meeting

11/19 7:30 PM Basketball: Girls Varsity vs Argyle (Away)

11/20 6:00 PM Financial Aid Night (IGHS IMC)

11/22 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM IGHS Blood Drive

11/22 5:15 PM Basketball: Boys JV Scrimmage vs Multiple Schools @ North Crawford HS

11/22 5:15 PM Basketball: Boys Varsity Scrimmage vs Multiple Schools @ North Crawford HS

11/25 6:00 PM Basketball: Girls JV vs Highland (Home)

11/25 7:30 PM Basketball: Girls Varsity vs Highland (Home)

11/26 7:30 PM Basketball: Boys Varsity vs Belmont (Away)

11/27 NO SCHOOL

11/28 NO SCHOOL

11/29 NO SCHOOL

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS! ON TO STATE!

The Iowa-Grant Boys Cross Country Team placed 1st at the Division 3 Sectional Meet in Prairie du Chien on Saturday, earning a trip to the state meet! The boys will race on Saturday, November 2 at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids at 2:00. Senior Bret C. was also the Individual Sectional Champion, crossing the line in 16:53! Congratulations to Bret, Noah, Jason, Angel, Will, Ubaldo, and C.J. for making Iowa-Grant history! #WeAreIG

Come one! Come all! The Hunchback of Notre Dame is almost here! Don’t miss your chance to see the musical at Iowa-Grant High School. The lives of the secretive bell-ringer Quasimodo and the imperious arch-deacon Frollo are turned Topsy-Turvy with the arrival of the brave soldier Phoebus, the mysterious Clopin, and the captivating Esmeralda. Our three performances are on November 8 at 7:00pm, November 9 at 7:00pm, and November 10 at 2:00pm. We hope to see you there!

15 IG Choir students went to the UWP Choral Festival for a fantastic day of music-making! They spent the day practicing with guest conductors and university students, and wrapped up the day with a terrific concert. If you'd like to watch some clips of the concert, click on the links below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-toGl6Bcrk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp5mPEbgWsI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr2lApGrOXs

Congratulation to the Top 5 Student Athletes for the 2024 Fall Trap Shooting Season! I-G Proud!

The Iowa-Grant LEO Club did roadside cleanup on highway 80 between Montfort and County IG on Sunday, Oct. 20. Nineteen students and Mr. Boland cleaned both sides of the highway in one hour due to all the help we had and collected over 15 bags of garbage. They even stopped at Grab a Cone afterward for a treat! Just one of the many community service projects that the IG LEO Club performs each year.

Middle and high school students from Iowa-Grant and Barneveld schools came together to participate in Sources of Strength training at Barneveld on Tuesday, Oct. 15th. These students were selected to be Peer Advisors for the Sources of Strength program that is being implemented district-wide. Sources of Strength is a mental health promotion and suicide prevention program designed to harness the power of peer social networks to create healthy norms and culture, ultimately helping to prevent suicide, violence, bullying, and substance misuse. The mission of Sources of Strength is to prevent adverse outcomes by increasing well-being, help-seeking, resiliency, healthy coping, and belonging.

The Iowa-Grant Construction class and Skills USA students built picnic tables for the Iowa County Fairground this year.

Students with disabilities from area schools participated in National Mentoring Day on October 17th in Platteville. The event is planned by members of the Iowa and Lafayette County Communities on Transition. This event is sponsored nationally by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).

National Mentoring Day is designed to enhance internship and employment opportunities for students with disabilities by bringing them together with employers from the public, private, non-profit and educational sectors for a day of job shadowing and other hands-on career exploration activities. This event helps educate employers about hiring people with disabilities and increases the confidence of students with disabilities in securing gainful employment. Students also had the opportunity to listen to speakers and engage in activities from various agencies throughout the day.

6 FFA members traveled to Indianapolis, IN to attend the 97th National FFA Convention and Expo. While in Indianapolis, students attended tours at Crave Brothers Farm🐄, McKay Nursery🌱 , Hunters Honey Farm 🐝 and Metro Plastics. Students attended Workshops and Sessions at Lucas Oil Stadium and built leadership skills, new friends and had a chance to speak with different colleges around the U.S. We had the privilege of listening to a presentation by Keynote speaker TEMPLE GRANDIN. Lastly, we spent some time bonding as a team while bowling, eating meals, shopping and in an Escape Room.

Quarter 1 Star Students for Zoology & Biology

Students that achieved a 90% or higher on a test, get awarded with Star Student on the Wall of Fame.

Congratulations to all of these Science Stars!

In this time of thanksgiving, I am thankful for all of the efforts the students, families, and staff put into Iowa-Grant Elementary Middle School. I am so thankful for all of the people who volunteer their time or resources to support our students in a variety of ways such as the PTC, Fire Department for fire safety, donations for supplies, Panther Packs, and pen-pals to name a few.

Many things are happening all around us. The boys have started middle school basketball and art club has been busy meeting. We are finishing up the first quarter with no school on November 1st. Parent-Teacher Conferences are on the evenings of Tuesday, November 12th, and November 14th with no school on November 15th. There will be a book fair with books available for purchase on both of those evenings. Please schedule your conference times using the links your teachers are providing. Please also remember that there will not be school from November 27-29 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

As always, feel free to reach out if you need anything, and have a fantastic season of gratitude.

This year Children’s Book Week is celebrating its 105th anniversary. It is our nation’s longest running national literacy initiative. In recognition of Children’s Book Week, I am sharing 5 tips from our partners at Ready4K for reading with young children at home:

#1 Kids Pick

• Let your child be in charge of picking out the book. Do they like reading about true facts and animals? You might try offering non-fiction books. Do they love adventures? Funny Books? Books that rhyme? Fiction books can be the start of many great adventures in reading. Need a book recommendation? Ask your school or public librarian for a tried and true favorite title or author for your young child.

#2 Ask Away

• As you read, ask questions along the way. You can start by showing them the cover and asking them what they think the book will be about. Keep up the questions as you read. Try questions such as, “What do you think will happen next? Why do you think the character did that? How is the character feeling? How would you feel if that happened to you?”

#3 Make Connections

• Find ways to link the book to your child. For example, mention ways your child is similar to the character or ways they are different. “That boy has a dog just like we do,” or “This character lives in a big city. We live in the country,” for example.

#4 Make it Extra Special

• Try giving your child a special job during the story. They might: turn the page, shine a flashlight on the words you are reading, be on the lookout for a special word (like THE) or wiggle their nose each time they hear that special word.

• Try reading in a fun spot: in a special chair, in a blanket fort, etc.

• Enjoy a favorite snack while you read.

• Read with a favorite stuffed animal or family pet.

#5 Move Along

• Try giving your child movement breaks if they need to move. Find ways to work movement into the story, too. For example, they could do certain actions along with the character or act out the page you just read.

As author Emilie Buchwald once wrote, “Children are made readers in the laps of their parents.” This sums up the powerful role parents play in establishing a love of reading in young children.

I hope to see you at Parent/Teacher Conferences on November 12 and 14th. If you’d like to schedule a time to meet with me on one of those dates, please contact our school office.

Shane R., an 8th grade student, is our first reading millionaire of the school year. Shane has read 17 books in the first eight weeks of school to accomplish reading one million words! Studies show that students who read one million words in a school year have better vocabulary, thinking skills, and perform better on academic tests.

The Panther Packs Program is supporting 29 students with a backpack of food each weekend to help ensure that they have healthy meals to eat when not at school. We are always looking for donations of individually packaged cereal, oatmeal, mac and cheese, chef boyardee, or other easy to make meals. We are also in need of fruit cups and snacks such as granola bars, fruit snacks, or crackers. Thank you for your generosity and for helping support the students of the Iowa-Grant district!

Amazon Wish List

Celebrate the season of giving by sharing your new or gently used toys (please no stuffed animals!) and books with the families of the Iowa-Grant School District! If your child has outgrown a toy or that toy they had to have last year has been sitting on the shelf for the last 6 months, now is the time to send it to a new home where it can be loved by another child! Please make sure toys are in good shape and have all their pieces! Toys and books can be dropped off at IGEMS from November 25th through December 6th. We also will accept things for our older students such as new blankets, jewelry, craft kits, sports equipment, card games, etc… If you are interested in sending in a monetary donation please make checks out to the Iowa-Grant School District and mark the envelope Toy Drive. This money will be used to fill some of the specific wish list items.

Any toys and books collected will be made available to families in the district who struggle financially to provide for their families during the holiday season.

Families who are in need of a Santa Sack can contact Darcy Breuer at dbreuer@igs.k12.wi.us to sign up your family before December 5th. Reminder: Santa Sacks are only for families who need assistance to provide gifts for the holidays. Please include the following things in the email: your name and the best way to contact you, child(ren)’s age and gender, and a wish list of 2-3 items for each child.

Staff members will make up a “Santa sack” for your family and you will be notified when your sack is ready to pick up at the school.

If you have any questions please contact Darcy Breuer at dbreuer@igs.k12.wi.us

Thank you for your generosity and for helping us bring the Christmas spirit to our community!