Panther Pride Newsletter

Welcome to our spring newsletter! Springtime is a season of renewal and rejuvenation, a time when nature awakens from its winter slumber and bursts forth with life and vitality. Similarly, within our school community, this season offers a wealth of opportunities for growth, learning, and connection. From academic endeavors to extracurricular pursuits, together, we embrace the spirit of spring and the boundless possibilities it holds for our students' growth and success. I am so thankful for your unwavering support and commitment to the education and well-being of our students. Together with you, we continue to Empower our Students to Achieve Without Limits!

Ashley Hoyer was recently named principal at Lincoln Elementary and Salem Elementary starting the 2024-2025 school year. Ashley currently serves as an elementary instructional coach in MPCSD, a role she has been in for the past three years. Her classroom experience includes five years as a 4th grade teacher in Mount Pleasant, and four years as a 3rd grade teacher in Fairfield. Ashley holds a Bachelors of Elementary Education from the University of Iowa, a Masters in Teaching, Leadership and Cultural Competency from the U of I, and is completing her Education Specialist degree from Drake University. Congratulations on your new position, Ashley!

On Wednesday evening, February 21, approximately 40 students, parents, teachers, administrators and School Board members gathered together in the HS Media Center for the second School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) of 2023-2024. The work of the SIAC has been to develop a Portrait of a Graduate (PoG) for Mount Pleasant Community School District. The PoG descriptors describe what competencies we want all our graduates to have when they graduate from our District. The SIAC developed six competencies:

1. Resilience/Perseverance
2. Integrity
3. Compassion
4. Responsible/Accountable
5. Effective Communicator
6. Problem Solver/Critical Thinker

A second round of community surveys will be coming in the next few weeks and the SIAC team will meet on May 8 to finalize the list and continue the Portrait of a Graduate work.

The transition to grade-alike elementary buildings in Mount Pleasant is moving forward at a steady pace. Phase 3 of the planning wrapped up at the end of January. Recently, attention has been focused on the details of the move, transportation, and master schedules. Meetings have been held with Chad Venghaus, Director of Buildings and Grounds, to discuss packing and other move logistics. Ted Carlson, Director of Transportation has been working on the details of what moving students to different buildings is going to entail. Much progress is being made. Look for a transportation survey later this spring that will include opportunity to request shuttle services between school buildings.

Here are the grade levels that will be served in the elementary buildings starting the Fall of 2024

• Harlan Elementary: pre-kindergarten and kindergarten
• Lincoln Elementary: first and second grade
• Van Allen Elementary: third, fourth and fifth grade
• Salem Elementary: kindergarten through fifth grade

The wintry weather in January caused some cancelations and disruptions to the school schedule. At the February 12 meeting, the MPCSD School Board voted to approve changes in the calendar to hopefully avoid school going into June with students. Currently, if there are no more delays or cancelations, the final day for students will be Thursday, May 30. May 30 will be a regular school day in length, with dismissal at 3:30pm.

On January 5, 2024, MPCSD closed the real estate transaction to purchase the former Iowa Wesleyan Central Campus buildings. The purchase included the Howe Activity Center, Student Union, Chapel, PEO Building, Old Main and Pioneer Hall. The cost of the purchase was just over $1.1 million, and was made from the balance of MPCSD's capital projects fund. The District is focusing on two buildings initially; the Howe Activity Center and the Chapel. Good progress has been made on the Howe, and we hope to have it ready for use by mid-April. On Monday, February 26, the School Board approved a contract for Chapel repairs. Carl A. Nelson Construction Company will be undertaking the work of repairing the roof truss system. Their timeline includes a mid-March start date, and a construction period of about 8 weeks.

MPCSD is currently working with an architect on the design and development of a new set of buildings at the address of 1515 East Monroe. The East Monroe site will eventually be home to a new transportation building, buildings and grounds facility, and central receiving. The project is estimated to cost between $2.5 and $3 million. Funding for the project will come from the balance of the District's Capital Projects fund, and the Physical Plant and Equipment fund. Bids for the project will go out later this spring, with a July start date for construction.

The 2nd Annual Family Fun Fair was held at Mount Pleasant Middle School on Tuesday, February 27, from 4pm - 7pm. The event showcases regional resources available to help support our families and students. Optimae Life Services, Iowa State Extension, Community Action, Henry County Public Health and Elevate Mobile Crisis are just a few of the organizations that took part in the event. Free pizza and hotdogs were available, and a bouncy obstacle course was fun for all ages. Thank you to our major sponsors: Henry County Health Center Foundation, First United Methodist Church, and St. Alphonsus Catholic Church. Thank you, as well, to Martha Peterson! Martha is MPCSD's Student and Family Advocate and she organized the event.