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Pella High School Newsletter

February 2024

Pella High SchoolNewsletterFebruary 2024
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Things are rolling here at Pella High! I cannot say enough about what great staff and students we have. Kudos to you, parents, for sharing your outstanding children with us. February is going to be great!


Respectfully,


Josh Manning, Principal

Derek Schulte, Assistant Principal

Matt Fouch, Activities Director

Coach McKinstrey Inducted into IFCA Hall of Fame

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The Iowa Football Coaches Association has named Jay McKinstrey to the IFCA Hall of Fame Class of 2024.


A graduate of Maurice-Orange City and Northwestern College, McKinstrey has been head coach at Pella through one of the great runs in Iowa high school football history. The Dutch won three consecutive championships (2014-2016) and have appeared in nine semifinals and five finals games in his 27 years as head coach and co-head coach. His teams have gone 226-73 with seven undefeated regular seasons and 13 district titles.


“Pella High School is extremely proud of Coach McKinstrey and would like to congratulate him on his induction into the IFCA Hall of Fame. Coach McKinstrey has positively impacted thousands of student-athletes as the head coach of Pella Football. Aside from his incredible on-field accomplishments, Coach McKinstrey’s commitment to his values and morals in everything he does, along with his ability to teach quality life lessons on a daily basis, are what make him a true hall of famer.”

ACT Prep & Registration

As students plan for taking the ACT test, there are multiple ways to prepare. The course work at Pella HS through a student’s junior year includes much of the content on the ACT tests.

An ACT workshop is planned at Pella High School for March 25th & 26th. An instructor from the ZAPS company will lead students in a classroom setting workshop with tips and strategies for the ACT standardized test. It is encouraged for juniors to take the ACT test in April or June if they are anticipating attending a four-year institution. Visit the Doorway to College website for registration, study tips, and stats on the ZAPs workshop benefits.

The ACT registration website has all testing dates and deadlines for the Spring ACT testing dates.

There are also free online ACT test preparation options on the ACT website.

College Planning and Financial Aid

Pella High School will be hosting a Financial Aid Night for junior students and parents to gain insight on the college financial aid process. On Monday, April 15th, please join ICAN at 6:00pm in the PHS Auditorium to learn more.


The planning for post-secondary education greatly hinges on financial aid for families, especially as educational costs continue to rise. The regulations within the financial aid world are being updated and changed again. Families of seniors are allowed to apply for aid starting January 1st of senior school year. Visit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) website to begin.

The ICAN (www.icansucceed.org) organization is a fabulous resource for families.


It is a free resource in Iowa, for any assistance about the online filing process and policies, please contact them. Virtual appointments are available to assist with any questions or concerns in regards to your family's financial aid process. Junior families, the best time to schedule an appointment for assistance will be in the fall.

Parent-Teacher Conferences - Monday, February 12th 4:30-8:00 PM

Parent-Teacher conferences are soon approaching, and we welcome and encourage all high school students and parents to join us. This round will be “Open House” style with teachers available in their classrooms. We welcome all parents and families to the high school.


Conferences are an opportunity for both parties to understand and support your student’s needs and for teachers to answer questions. We value the connection of in-person conferences, and we greatly appreciate the partnership and your participation in your student's education.


Teacher contact information can be found under "staff" on the righthand side of the linked page if you would like to schedule something in advance.

2024-25 School Registration is opening March 1

All district families are encouraged to register all of their school-aged children for the 2024-25 school year starting March 1. Do you have a child turning four by September 15, 2024? We need you to register them for preschool, too! More details to come in the next few weeks about this exciting annual event, so watch your inbox! Questions about the 2024-25 school registration can be directed to Shayla Gift by emailing shayla.gift@pellaschools.org or by calling 641-628-9539.

Senior Bulletin

Please continue to check the Senior Bulletin for important dates for seniors and for local scholarship opportunities; the bulletin can be found on our school’s web page under the ‘Counseling’ link.

Transcript Requests

If you need an official transcript sent to an educational institution, you must submit a request. Transcript Request Form

Leader in Me: Habits to Home

Leader in Me: Habits to Home

Mission statements and goals were the focus of the iLead lessons in January. The students added two slides to their Future Ready Conference presentations, one for their personal mission statement and the other for their goal for the year. After a very disjointed start to our second semester (thank you snow, cold and ice!), setting a vision and having a clear path to get to where our students want to go has been a positive action for them to make sure they stay focused in the middle of all the chaos.


Mission Statements and goals have also long been a part of organizations to help them stay focused. They provide a clear path for what the organization wants to accomplish and how they plan to go about doing it. Yet, rarely does a family take the time to write a mission statement—and what organization is more important than the family? By establishing who you are as a family, how you want to be known, and how you plan to do it, you are practicing Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind. The process is a great way to practice all of the 7 Habits. This month’s challenge is to write your family’s mission statement and set some goals around that together. You can use the following as a guide to help you get started:


STEP 1: Ask yourself these seven questions:

How do we want our family to be known?

How do we want to treat each other?

What is most important to us as a family?

What are some of our talents, gifts, and abilities?

What makes us the happiest?

What makes us unhappy?

What kind of home do we want to invite friends to?


STEP 2: Write your Family Mission Statement. Keep it simple, one to two lines, so the youngest family members can memorize it and find it meaningful. Examples: “We are builders,” “No empty chairs,” “We love each other,” “All for one and one for all,” etc. Consider these four areas of life:

Body (health and physical wellbeing)

Mind (learning)

Heart (relationships)

Spirit (inspiration)


STEP 3: Stay on course. As parents, you are the role models. Keep smiling and getting back on track. The promise: By writing a Family Mission Statement, the message to your children is that your family is important. You know what you stand for and how you are going to work together to accomplish it.

Second Semester Calendar of Events

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Semester Two - High School Dates

February 5: No School - Professional Development

February 6: 3-week grades are due @ 9:00 am

February 12: HS P/T Conferences 4:30 - 8:00

February 14: 90-Minute Early Dismissal for K-6 conferences


February 15-16: No School

February 21: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

February 27: 6-week grades are due @ 9:00 am

February 28: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal


March 6: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

March 8: End 3rd Quarter

March 11-15: Spring Break

March 20: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

March 18: Begin 4th Quarter

March 25-28: ISASP Testing Week

March 26: 9-week (Midterm) grades are due @ 9:00 am

March 29: No School - Good Friday


April 3: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

April 10: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

April 16: 12-week grades due @ 9:00 am

April 17: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

April 20: Junior/Senior Prom

April 24: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal


May 2: Tulip Time - 11:15 Dismissal

May 3: Tulip Time - 11:15 Dismissal

May 7: 15-week grades are due @ 9:00 am

May 8: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

May 8: Senior Awards Night

May 15: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

May 16: Seniors Last Day

May 17: Graduation

May 29-31 (9th -11th) : Semester Assessment, Laptop Return, & Student Check-Out

May 31: Last Day of School - 12:30 dismissal


June 3: Teacher Work Day

School Closing or Dismissals due to Weather

It is that time of year again where we have the possibility of closing school, starting late, or dismissing early due to weather issues. We will continue to notify parents/guardians by phone, text, and email. Below lists other avenues to see if school is delayed or canceled.

  • Pella Community School District Website

  • KNIA/KRLS

  • KCOB/KRTI

  • KBOE

  • KCWN

  • WHO Radio

  • WHO TV: Channel 13

  • KCCI TV: Channel

  • LOCAL abc5 - We Are IOWA : Channel 5

To update your phone number and email address, log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal and click on the MORE tab. Your change request will sit in a queue until our staff can process your request.

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Follow Pella Schools!

Twitter - @pellaschools and @pellahigh

Facebook - Pella Schools

Instagram - @pellaschools


Website

www.pellaschools.org

Josh Manning
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