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M ESKWAKI S ET TLEMENT S CHOOL
V OLUME 10 I SSUE 4
D ECEMBER 2014
W INTER C ONCERT
Mark your calendars!
The K - 12
winter music concert is on Wednesday,
December 17th at 7 p,m. on the high school
stage.
Students should arrive in the high school
gym by 6:45 p.m. K-6th grade students will
have performances to share, so make sure
they are there to join their classes. 7th 12th grade band and choir students are
required to attend and perform at this
concert.
Come join us for the performances.
Relax and enjoy the talents of our students.
From left to right
Back row, 5th Grade Winners: 1st Place—
Shye Johnson, 2nd Place—Dayvin Guevara,
3rd Place—Lenore Pushetonequa.
Middle row, 4th Grade Winners: 1st
Place—Kalia Clark, 2nd Place—Donovan
Slick-Driscoll, 3rd Place—Araya Roberts.
Front row, 3rd Grade Winners: 1st Place—
Sitara Xaivong, 2nd Place—Sia Bear, 3rd
Place—Kalayna White.
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A C AUSE FOR C ELEBRATION
Meskwaki Settlement School was informed that the judges of the Jean
Seberg Student Art Competition awarded first place and $100 prize to the
Meskwaki Middle School/High School Art Department for its Collaborative
Weaving. This weaving features a wallhanging in Meskwaki Bucks team colors
of gold and green, plus white and brown yarn, hand-made beads, and a willow
branch that students harvested last spring. Photographs of Meskwaki Bucks
team members from the 1970s were sewn into the wallhanging, alongside a
photo of Jean Seberg, who contributed money toward the purchase of Meskwaki Bucks basketball uniforms and jackets.
Mrs. Bousum accepted the award at the Jean Seberg Festival on November 21 at the Orpheum Theatre. The weaving was placed at the Orpheum in a
grouping of Meskwaki Bucks memorabilia. All art work made for the festival
was on display throughout the Jean Seberg Festival in Marshalltown. Only
three schools were invited to compete in the Jean Seberg School Art Competition: Marshalltown High School, Marshalltown Community College, and Meskwaki Settlement School.
Approximately fifteen students helped with the weaving in some way. Those students will be invited to a
celebration at the school. Mrs. Bousum plans to display the wallhanging at the school throughout the year.
F ROM THE D ESK OF M R . H ENELY
Conferences: In late October and early November Meskwaki Elementary had Parent/Teacher Conferences. According to the statistics received from Kindergarten-6th grade teachers, 87% of students had at
least one parent or guardian attend conference for their child. Thank you for coming to conferences.
Holidays: December brings us to the shortest day of the year, the Winter Solstice, which is on December 21. The Winter Solstice is when a complete 24-hour day has equal amounts of darkness and sunshine; the
good news is that after that, each day will start having approximately 1 minute more of sunshine. After the
Winter Solstice we have Christmas break starting on December 24 until January 5. I wish all of you a happy
and peaceful holiday season.
Student School Attendance: After 63 days of school, we have 94.52% successful attendance at the elementary. If you look at the chart below, you can see what the percentages are for attendance at each grade
level.
Staff Professional Development: On November 21, 2014, all staff participated in half of a day of professional development. This year’s professional development will focus on a variety of topics such as curriculum
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development, using assessment information to improve instruction, developing a technology vision for our
school, and becoming proficient and excelling at using Google Docs as interactive collaborative tools for students and staff.
Again, have wonderful month of December and may your holidays be safe and peaceful.
Paul R. Henely
A THLETIC UPDATES @
http://www.iowastarconference.org
F ROM M R . B UTIKOFER ’ S D ESK
Recently, a new program was started for middle and high school students to help increase student
achievement. Below are the details associated with this program.
 Any student failing one or more courses on Monday will receive a slip saying they are required to attend
study table and the location they are to report to during lunch.
 The office will announce each day when students are to leave 5th hour to go get lunch.
 Students should immediately go to the commons and get lunch and then report to the study table location
that they are assigned. Students are expected to be responsible and make a reasonable effort to get to
study table in the shortest time possible (Failure to report in such a manner can result in detention, in school
suspension, and/or out of school suspension)
 Students who have requested a plate should go to the HS Conference room to eat.
 The expectation is that students are responsible for bring study materials with them to study table. You
will not be allowed to go get materials after entering the study table room. Please be respectful to other
students that are working. If you are causing a disruption that keeps others from completing work, further
action will be taken which can include detention, in school suspension, and/or out of school suspension.
 Students are expected to sit quietly away from other students throughout the lunch period. Students are
allowed to ask the teacher for help if they have a question related to school work.
 Students may not use any electronic devices unless it can be shown that is necessary to complete
work. Computer access will be granted when necessary to complete work.
 Once students are passing all classes, students will be released from study table and are allowed to eat lunch
in the commons and go to the gym at 12:30.
 Any student may choose to attend study table, even if they are not on the list. They may attend any location they choose, AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE ATMOSHPHERE OF STUDY
TABLE. If you become a distraction, you will be asked to leave study table. You must bring work to work on
or you will be asked to leave. Those students making the choice to attend may come and go as they please.
 Students will be released at 12:47 to return trays to the commons. That gives you 5 minutes to get to 6th
hour. The expectation is that you will be on time to your 6th hour class.
We have already started to see positive results, and we are looking forward to seeing even more in the
near future. If you have any questions concerning this program, please contact Mr. Butikofer or Mr.
Dale. Thank you
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Send labels to school with your student or drop off at the elementary front office.
R EMIND O UR C HILDREN TO
KI DO WI TA KO
The cold weather is here!! Please make sure your
children are dressed for recess outside. Our policy is that pre-k through 5th grades will go out for
recess unless the temperature is below 10°. Please
make sure your child has a warm coat, be ki ye a ni
(boots), me ne tti a ki ( mittens), wi de bi so ni
(scarf) and ma ko ga wi (hat).
K INDERGARTEN
L UANN S LINGLUFF , Y AMALA B ACCAM -L EE
During the month of November Kindergarten has been working very hard at learning letter sounds and
sight words. We have learned the new words go, to and see this past few weeks. The students have been
reading these sight words in our weekly sight words books. They are doing a great job of reading. The kindergarteners are beginning to start to sound out words that they want to write in our daily writing. In
Math we have been working on learning the numbers from 10-20. We have been practicing building these
numbers with our ten frames in the classroom. Please continue to practice the sight words at home. Your
work at home really helps your child in the classroom.
F IRST G RADE
A NDREA R UTLEDGE , L EIGH S ELL
In Reading our 3rd unit is on Ways to Have Fun! The students continue to read, comprehend and practice
reading fluently in small and large groups. We hope they are reading at home, especially over our long winter
break! Practice your sight words, too.
In Math we are working through Chapter 9:Measurement. The students continue to review addition and
subtraction problems.
Social Studies is focusing on Christmas Around the World. We will celebrate the holidays on December
23rd, with the Grinch! We hope that you all have a fun, safe and relaxing winter break! We will see you back
at school January 5th.
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S ECOND G RADE
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L ANA R OBERTS
In MATH, 2nd graders are busy learning double-digit addition and subtraction! We are becoming very
familiar with the term “regroup”. All students are doing well with the concept. We will keep practicing double-digits throughout the rest of school year. **P.S. Ask your 2nd grader about MAGIC 9’s! We have been
skip-counting every day by 2’s, 3’s, 4’s, 5’s and 10’s. After Christmas we hope to be moving on to 6’s, 7’s, 8’s
and 9’s. Skip counting will help us later on with multiplication and division. You can skip-count with your child
at home, before bed, in the car, etc…
T HIRD G RADE
C AMARA C OSGROVE , T OM L ARSEN
Thank you to those of you who were able to attend your child’s parent/teacher conference. Your interest
in your child’s education is appreciated. In Math the 3rd graders have been working on subtracting with regrouping, writing opinion pieces, continuing to increase their reading comprehension and fluency, as well as
finishing up our Science unit about the water cycle. As winter has seemed to arrive a bit earlier than normal
this year, please remind your child on a daily basis to bring necessary winter gear, such as hats, gloves,
boots, coats, and snow pants. If the wind chill temperature is 10 F or warmer, recess will be outside. Yours in
education—Mr. Larsen and Mrs. Cosgrove
F OURTH G RADE
J ENNA A REY , A LEX H AUNSPERGER
Mrs. Arey
December is our month for DIVISION facts. If your student does not know their multiplication facts,
they will have a hard time! Please study their facts with them every night, even for 5 minutes every night
can make a difference.
Remember to check your student’s planner for their homework assignments. A few students are still
forgetting to bring their homework, planners, and/or homework folders to school every day. They need all 3
to be organized!
We will start learning our states and capitals in Social Studies. Check your student’s homework folder
for their map that they can study at home. They will have 1 map for at school and 1 map for at home so they
can study.
Miss Haunsperger
Reading: We will be working on generating questions, drawing conclusions, and using graphic organizers
to generate the setting, characters, and plot of a story. We will also be working on fact and opinion and
cause and effect.
Spelling: We will be learning to spell words with silent letters, multisyllabic words, soft c and g, plurals,
and compound words.
Writing: We will be using correct subject-verb agreement, main and helping verbs, contractions, linking
verbs, and irregular verbs.
Social Studies: Chapter 4 is about The American People. We will be thinking like a geographer and asking
questions about our land and people. Chapter 5 is about rights and Responsibilities. We will be talking about
citizenship and how laws help us.
Math: We have moved on to double digit multiplication and we will continue working on that skill. We will
be learning how to do long division. We will spend a lot of time on these 2 skills.
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F IFTH G RADE
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B ARB M ASON , M ERIDITH T HOMAS
Mrs. Thomas
Wow! This school year is flying quickly. Our reading theme currently is “Using Your Wits.” This theme is
used in many stories fiction and non-fiction. It is easy to apply in our lives. Several of our stories have had
morals. I try relating our Meskwaki Creed as they related to the morals in the community. The class is very
talkative and involved in discussions. During writing time we are working on research writing. We are working
with the laptops for presenting that information to others. Currently, the students have picked animals.
Next, the students will pick historical events, or biographies. They want to “Google” everything. Therefore,
we are focusing on numerous way to obtain information and deciding which sources give accurate information. Over the different holiday breaks, please have your students read.
Mrs. Mason
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who attended parent/teacher conferences. It is
always wonderful to share great news about your child. Just a little information on what's happening in class.
Math continues to build upon skills, and students are currently working on division. They now realize how
important it was to get multiplication facts memorized. Reading: reading outside of the school setting will
benefit your child's fluency and comprehension. A note was provide for you explaining that your child is to
select a book they enjoy (from your own library or our school library) and complete a book report form.
They have two weeks to complete and turn it in . . . as it is part of their Reading grade. Language Arts:
students are nearing completion of their Personal Narrative writing and continue to use google docs through
out the editing process. They will be able to share with their peers, Mrs. B., and myself with feedback from
anyone chosen. They are finding this method most enjoyable in addition to having immediate feedback on
possible editing issues. Your child will be presenting their narratives to the class, and each time they are in
front of the class; the fear factor will lessen and self-confidence will increase. Science: plants, ecosystems,
and biomes will being investigated. Social Studies: learning about the early development of the colonies will
be supported with outside information as textbooks have a very limited Native American perspective.
Students will continue to explore and gather information on various topics using technology. The class truly
enjoyed their field trip to the Science Center in DesMoines and came back with a new appreciation about
dinosaurs through the use of many hands on activities and exhibits. The class was also excited after hearing
their door was one of the winners for the Red Ribbon Week door competition. Their slogan was "Wrap
Yourself Up in Your Goals... which supported the theme SWAG (Students Who Achieve Goals). Students and
adults alike are looking forward to the Harvest Meal and the family atmosphere shared by all. The amazing
aroma of turkey, rolls and all the trimmings will be lingering throughout the building. I appreciate your
taking a few moments to read our article and hope you know how much each and everyone of you is
appreciated. Please feel free to stop by; I am sure your child will have many things they would love to share
with you.
E LEMENTARY A RT
R ACHEL M ATLACK
Lately in elementary art, the 5th graders have been learning to draw three dimensionally using one point
perspective techniques. The 3rd and 4th graders made eagle and flag drawings that were displayed at the
veterans day pow wow, the 2nd graders finished their paper weavings, and the kindergarteners had a blast
making their roller coaster models!
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S IXTH G RADE
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J ANET L ARSON
A student teacher, Mr. Greg Lacey, will be with us until the end of December. We are enjoying having a
new teacher in the room.
The 6th grade class just finished the book, Tuck Everlasting, and will be starting Number the Stars.
They also work with Mrs. Thomas in their reading textbooks every day.
In math we are finding perimeters, circumferences, and the areas of various polygons.
In science we are learning about plant and animal cells. In social Studies we learned about the ancient
culture of Egypt.
We had a wonderful time on our field trip to the Des Moines Science Center on October 23rd. We saw
the dinosaur exhibit, went to the IMAX to see a film on flying dinosaurs, and saw a presentation in the planetarium on Iowa skies. All of the students were on their best behavior!
We had an assembly on Thursday, Oct. 30th for Red Ribbon Week and to go along with the Drug
Free theme: Our School Has SWAG - [Students Who Achieve Goals]–Drug Free. The presenters were
Deandra Navarro and Nina Seymour. Taurice Grant and Genesis Ramirez were chosen to read their essays on
how they were going to achieve their goals, drug free. Each class also danced for the assembly. The 6th
graders did an awesome Glow Stick dance. If you would like to watch it, the link is http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=CBoVYm13GUB. The 6th graders want to thank Mrs. Murphy for organizing the dance and for buying the Glow Sticks. We hope you enjoy it!
G IFTED & T ALENTED
M ARY F ITZGERALD
The Writing Enrichment Clusters are working diligently on their creative short stories. Each group, 1st4th grade, has studied the short story plot diagram. Now they are typing their stories based on the graphic
organizers they have completed. These young writers are anxious to share their stories with you, so be
sure to ask them to share their stories with you. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.
December will find us conducting a variety of experiments in Rm. 308 as we begin our five weeks of Science Enrichment Clusters.
E LEMENTARY P HYSICAL E DUCATION
S ARAH M URPHY
We’ve been very busy in PE! Our Dance Unit concluded at the end of October with each class doing a
stellar performance at the Red Ribbon Week Assembly on October 28. In November, we did our Bowling
Unit. The kids learned how to bowl, rules to follow at a bowling alley, and how to score a game. Although we
did not make it to an actual bowling alley, we turned the Elementary Gym into a Meskwaki Lanes. The kids
enjoyed the 2-day bowling experience. Next up is the Fitness Unit, which will last from December 1 until
Christmas Break. The kids will undergo a second round of fitness testing. I look forward to seeing each of
them improve!
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TTI MO NI
D INA K EAHNA
October 2014-2015
PBIS News:
 Warrior WoW Recipients: Kg: Damien D. 1st: Jaycene P. Devin H.; 2nd: Jayven R. 3rd: Sophie B.;Leticia W.;
4th: Stephen A.; Zaynah C.; Irene K.; 5th: Gilberto R.; 6th gr. Dontay B.
 Warrior Pride standings: This year 1st quarter Warrior Pride tickets are 509 Tickets. 3rd grade has the
most Warrior Pride Tickets earn with 179 and 1st grade is second with 137 total tickets.
 Warrior Pride Ticket recognition: KG: Gregory K.; Isabella Kapayou 1st gr. Chayton E.; Jaycene P.; Dorian V.;
Lane B.; 2nd: Daylene Y.; Kingston D.; Jayven R.; Inez D.; 3rd gr. Sophia K.; Sarayna P.; Teya M.; Leticia W.; 4th
gr. Donovan A.; Wyatt K.; Stephen A.; 5th gr.; Sarah C.; Rolando K.; Shye J.; Summer YB.; 6th gr.; Desmond K.;
Nina S.; Deandra N.; Daymon R. Outstanding Jobs Students, Keep it going!!!!
Celebration:
 Meskwaki Elementary celebrated their Red Ribbon Week with an Assembly. The Celebration of Red Ribbon
Week began in 1985 when a Drug enforcement agent got murdered by drug traffickers . This Drug Enforcement Agent was getting close to uncovering their identities when this occurred. Citizens of the agent began
wearing a red ribbon in honor of his death and the fight against drugs and what it does to individuals, their
families, their friends and the whole community. Please, Live a Healthy Life, If you Love Life, live it Drug
Free.
 This year’s theme was Meskwaki Elementary School has S.W.A.G. (Students Who Achieve Goals) – DrugFree. Therefore at the Annual Celebration, we had a different theme each day of the week for Drug-Free
to help every student/staff member to Live a Drug-Free Live, and Set Goals. During the Week we have a
door decorating contest and this year’s winners were for Upper Elementary 4th- 6th grades: Mrs. Mason’s 5th
grade class and the lower Elementary winners were: Mrs. Robert’s 2nd grade class. The winning doors received a fruit platter the following week for their efforts. Congratulations to All doors for participating
and all those that decorated them.
Drug-Free Assembly Speakers:
MCs: 6th graders: Deandra N. and Nina S.
Award Winning
Doors
Mrs. Robert’s 2nd
grade
Mrs. Mason’s 5th
grade
5 th
Taurice G.
Essay Speakers
“My Goals”
Gr
ade
Genesis R.
Levi P.
6 th G
Laila LS.
rad
e
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E LEMENTARY L IBRARY
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M ICHELLE P HINNEY
December in the library means stories about snow, holidays and family. So while the weather outside can
be frightful, reading can be so delightful and what better than to make reading part of your family time too!
Here are some fun tips for integrating reading into your daily or holiday family activities:




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
Read bedtime stories
Play a board game
Visit your local library
Read a recipe and cook something yummy together
Create a comfy reading space in your home
Put your child in charge of the grocery list at the store
Reading at home…
Can make a HUGE difference!
December’s educational website: www.funbrain.com
L IGHTS , C URTAINS , A CTION
Another first happen on November 21, 2014,
Meskwaki High School’s first drama production
“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was held on
the Meskwaki stage. The production under the
direction of Mary Fitzgerald and Julie Bousum
was a great start for the Drama Department at
Meskwaki. The cast of junior high and high school
student did an excellent job of representing Meskwaki in the production. As with any first it was a
learning experience for all involved. It was an exciting night as we were able to add another activity to the list of activities offered at the Meskwaki Settlement School. The drama department
and school administration would like to thank all
who came out to witness the drama day view and
would like to invite everyone to join us when we
once again say Lights, Curtains, and Action on
March 20 and 21, 2015.
Todd Dale
Activities Director
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7-12 I NDUSTRIAL T ECH
T ODD R OBBINS
TTI MO NI
Below & right: Eammon & Jeffrey taking a
swing at breaking through the foundation.
Middle: Eammon drilling a hole between old
& new crawl space.
Far right: Tile installed, waiting for back
fill.
7-12 A RT
J ULIE B OUSUM
Art I students visited the new sculptural archway at Pilgrim Heights. Many people contributed to the
construction of this piece of artwork: Meskwaki students made the clay leaves, teachers from all over the
state made the metal leaves, Pam Dennis led the young artists, and Ryk Weiss put the pieces all together.
Art I classes visited Pilgrim Heights on October 29 and posed for photos with the archway that they helped
to create. Here is one class.
Art I students have studied 8 ways to make good compositions
and the basics of color mixing. Those skills will be applied to painting on silk and making paste papers to be used in collage. Pottery
students are finishing Louise Nevelson sculptural boxes. Advanced
students applied slip-covered lace to wheel-thrown pots and made
wheel-thrown pots into animals. Both groups are working on coil
pots now. They are using the new coil extruder, a machine that
makes uniform coils in a variety of sizes.
7-12 C OMPUTERS & S OCIAL S TUDIES
C LAUDE S AMPSON
The Laser Graphics class continues to be busy engraving various materials and items. This year we will
again be engraving glass holiday ornaments. We have done ornaments in past years and the students were
pleased with the results. However the fragile nature of glass ornaments has resulted in some breakage plus
we will have some packaging challenges to get them to their final destinations.
Film Studies class has moved from our study of the films and filmmaking techniques of Alfred Hitchcock to taking a look at Film Noir. We have completed viewing “The Maltese Falcon” generally considered to
be the first film in the genre that would be known as Film Noir. The students in both sections of Film Studies Class have become curious about Humphrey Bogart, one of the screen’s greatest legends. We will be
taking a side trip away from Film Noir to view several Bogart films.
We will watch Casablanca (1942), To Have and Have Not (1944) and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
(1948) If time permits and student interest is sufficient, we will watch The African Queen (1951), the film
for which Bogart is awarded the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Charlie Alnutt, skipper of the
river boat African Queen.
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M/H L IBRARY
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B ILL W ILSON
The Meskwaki MS/HS Library has established a section of library shelving for the graphic novels. There
are many benefits for have a great selection of graphic novels in the MS/HS library including: Building important vocabulary with the support of images and simplified text; Offering differentiated instruction that
motivate students to explore content through a visually engaging, action-oriented format; Teaching academic
content in the core subject of Science, Math, and Social Studies; Helping students develop critical thinking
skills such as inferring and predicting, analyzing textual and visual information, interpreting meaning through
symbols and comparing and contrasting perspectives about a topic or theme. At the present time we have 112
graphic novels that are available for check-out. Graphic novels are a valuable addition to the curriculum for
all students.
An order for new library books has been submitted for consideration. Among the titles being ordered
there will be several award winning books, as well as books that have been recommended by both students
and staff from Meskwaki School. It is the goal of this library to have the latest books available to the MS/
HS students that will motivate them to check-out and enjoy reading thus helping them with their overall
school education.
Overdue book lists are produced just about every other week. It is so important that students with
these overdues act on them quickly before the book becomes lost. Thank you!
7-12 PE/H EALTH
C HUCK L YON
Physical Education
Both high school and middle school physical education classes have finished up with team collaboration
games. The students not only learned a couple of new team activities, but also worked on sportsmanship and
respect during the games. For the month of December the physical education classes are going to be learning about the game of badminton: introduction to the sport, rules, scoring, techniques, and strategies. Once
the students have a good understanding of the game they will be competing in either a singles or doubles
badminton tournament. I’m looking forward to this unit as I hope the students are as well.
Health
The High School Health classes are now working on a weight management and eating behaviors unit. In
this unit we will be covering how the body uses food, what a healthy weight range looks like, the dangers of
some weight-loss practices, and a healthy weight management plan. During this unit we will also be focusing
on eating disorders. Research shows this continues to be a major issue. Therefore, knowing what the disorders are, recognizing signs and symptoms, and knowing how to get help is something we will focus on for this
unit.
Middle School Health classes are currently working on a nutrition and health unit. The 7th and 8th grade
students will be looking at the website supertracker.usda.gov, not going quite into depth with this activity as
the high school students. Some of the topics we will be covering in this section are nutrition, essential nutrients, food labels, healthy eating habits, snacking, and balancing a personal diet.
7-12 S CIENCE
F RED G RIFFEN
The semester is just flying by. In science we have a few reminders. Students should bring to class every day, Textbook, Homework, Writing Utensil, Vocabulary Notebook, and planner. Biology will looking at how
and why we classify living organisms and doing a few experiments with DNA. Life Science will finish looking
at plant life, and start to examine animal life. Chemistry will continue to examine the periodic table, how it
works, and how atoms of different elements bond together to make substances we are familiar with. Remember if you have any questions or need any assistance please feel free to call. My extension is 710, or
email at [email protected]
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C ISKA U LUG - F OOD S YSTEM C OMMUNICATION C OORDINATOR
Hello! This is the first time the Meskwaki Food Sovereignty Initiative (MFSI) has submitted to Attimoni, which is a surprise because we have so much to say! Our work with the school consists of coming into
classrooms, developing culturally-relevant curriculum about local and traditional foods, working with the
Meskwaki Afterschool Program (MAP), and finding ways to get local food in the cafeteria. Here is a quick
update of ways MFSI has been working at the Settlement School this year.
Jean Daleske’s Foods classes provided us with a fantastic opportunity to teach students about local food
and the food system. We worked with her classes by bringing in a chef from Ames, leading an activity on
food miles, and facilitating a field trip to Red Earth Gardens. Jerry YoungBear also presented on traditional
corn, and demonstrated how to process it.
We currently work with two groups in the Meskwaki Afterschool Program, 1st & 2nd grade and 5th & 6th
grade. With a focus on food and agriculture, we either spend time in the garden, cook with fresh vegetables
in the kitchen, or lead activities about the food system in the classroom. While they sometimes think the
smoothies taste like grass (maybe they do), we have lots of fun with these groups and hope to stay involved
with MAP in the future!
In the month of November, we were able to work on that last objective through a Farm to School month
grant from the Iowa Department of Agriculture. On Friday November 7th, the school served a potato and
leek soup using potatoes from Red Earth Gardens! The school also procured local baby carrots, onions, and
spinach, which went into their salad bar.
Our current project is completing the Farm to School Chapter application for the Meskwaki Settlement
School. Once the application gets
approved, we will be an official
Farm to School Chapter! This creates many new opportunities, from
funding gardening projects, to connecting MSS with local producers,
and opening MSS to a network of
other schools across the state. If
you would like to be a chapter member, please get in touch with me at
[email protected].
There are always ways to get involved!
7-12 M ATH
T ERRY E YGABROAD
I would like to mention what curriculum that the math classes are covering.
 Quadratic Equations (Solutions and Graphing)
 Algebra 1: Applications of Algebra
 Pre-Calculus: Polynomials and Rational Functions and Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
 Statistics: Probability.
The students are doing a great job understanding the curriculum.
When the students come into the classroom they pick up their folders with their notes and homework,
pick up a calculator and their book. We want to start as soon as we can to utilize the class period. There is
study table from 3:30 – 4:30 on Monday through Thursday. Teachers are available for the students. Any
student can come in for extra help. The theme is to be safe, be responsible and be respectful.
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7-12 R EADING
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B ILL W ILSON
“The kind of pleasure you can get from reading is like
no other in the world.”
As excerpted from Wendy Lesser's “Why I Read”
This month I want to share some of the reading work being done in my two high school classes. In early
November, we celebrated a week with Sherman Alexie Jr. who is a member of the Spokane and Coeur
d’Alene Indian nations. Many of you are familiar with Sherman’s books but you may not be familiar with his
poetry compositions.
Sherman Alexie attended Washington State University where, initially, he had planned on becoming a
doctor of medicine but when he fainted in human anatomy class, that changed his mind. It was when he participated in a poetry workshop at WSU that Alexie realized his future. I have been able to shelve several of
his poetry as well as the novels that Sherman has published. Here are some of the poetry books that the
MS/HS students have access to: “The Business of Fancydancing,” “I Would Steal Horses,” “First Indian On
the Moon,” “The Summer of Black Widows,” and “One Stick Song.”
Some of the books that Sherman Alexie Jr. has published are also available for check-out to the MS/HS
students, they include: The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Reservation Blues, Indian Killer, Ten
Little Indians, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, and Blasphemy. Sherman has also written a
screenplay titled, “Smoke Signals” of which was made into a very popular movie by the same name. It has
been fun learning about author, Sherman Alexie.
Y EARBOOK
B ILL W ILSON
The 2014/2015 edition of the Meskwaki Settlement School Warrior Yearbook will be something that
every family is going to want to own. The High School Yearbook Staff is working hard every day developing
and constructing the pages that will be included in what will be a first class publication. That being said, we
are very proud to be associated with the Josten’s Company this year. Let me share some information about
this company.
In 1897 Otto Josten set out to repair people’s keepsake jewelry. He soon found himself creating a cultural icon. Through the Jostens class ring, generations have been empowered to share their unique stories
and connections to the people, traditions and experiences that define them. And in turn, these stories have
defined Jostens.
Over the last century, Josten’s has continued to innovate to provide unique, lasting experiences for everyone that comes to Jostens to share stories and celebrate achievements. With every custom item we create we’re passionate about what we do. Encouraging students to make a commitment to graduate with nationally recognized programs. Guiding yearbook advisers and staffs to tell their schools’ stories for all students
with yearbooks. Jostens has been a part of local communities since 1897, working with K-12 schools, colleges
and universities, teams and affiliation groups. Representatives from Jostens touch thousands of schools and
groups every day, working to make a difference with products and services that recognize accomplishments
and help people tell their stories.
Jostens also plays a constructive and substantial role in communities around the country and world. Currently, Jostens maintains 12 administrative, manufacturing and research facilities with over 3,500 full-time
employees and also employs seasonal workers at many plant locations.
With the assistance from Bob and Kristy, our Josten’s representatives, our Warrior Yearbook Staff is
confident that this year’s yearbook will be fantastic! Watch for details forthcoming on how you may preorder your Warrior Yearbook and save money doing it!
P AGE 14
7-12 M ESKWAKI L ANGUAGE & C ULTURE
A
TTI MO NI
M EDIKEA , N ATENIKEGA ,
M ATTINIKEA , N EMIOWA
The semester started out with our students reviewing the Meskwaki Alphabet and the basics of the language.
From there we went on to review the Body translating each part into Meskwaki
After that we discussed everyone’s family tree and got an idea of each other’s lineage and where everyone gets their Meskwaki family ties
In the 2nd quarter we have started using a series of Meskwaki Verb list and reviewing new words every
week
Every Friday in the week is craft day which usually consists of students beading are working on their
chosen item to create something that pertains to the course or is something personal to the student.
Towards the end of the 2nd quarter we will begin teaching winter stories and games such as bone dice,
moccasin game, etc.
7-12 M ATH
B RANDI W ESTERCAMP
Consumer Math is working on sales when they go shopping. Everything from finding out how much you
really save to what the total cost is. Pre-Algebra is working with fractions as ratios, and then using them to
solve story problems. Math 7 is working on writing equations, taking words and putting them into an equation
we know how to solve. Geometry is working on constructions being able to accurately create geometric figures. They will be copying and bisecting angles and creating a perfect square.
7-12 C OUNSELOR
M AGARET M ESSENGER
The middle and high school years are full of growth, promise, excitement, frustration, disappointment
and hope. It is the time when students begin to discover what the future holds for them. Secondary school
counselors enhance the learning process and promote academic achievement. School counseling programs are
essential for students to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set appropriate career goals and realize full academic potential to become productive, contributing members of the
world community. One way of helping students learn these things is through Classroom guidance lessons over
areas such as Academic skills support, Organizational, study and test-taking skills, Post-secondary planning
and application process, Career planning, Education in understanding self and others, Coping strategies, Peer
relationships and effective social skills, Communication, problem-solving, decision-making, conflict resolution
and study skills, Career awareness and the world of work, and Substance abuse education. As of this week I
have begun classroom guidance lessons with the 7th & 8th graders focusing on Cyber Bullying and working
with seniors submitting college applications. Second semester I will start guidance lessons with all of the 912 graders. The age of the students and needs of the school environment will determine what topics may be
important to address initially.
Important Dates:
 Monday, November 24th: DEMACC visit during lunch
 Monday, December 1st: Upper Iowa University visit during lunch
 Tuesday, December 2nd: Mount
Mercy visit during lunch
V OLUME 10 I SSUE 4
7-12 F AMILY & C ONSUMER S CIENCE
P AGE 15
J EAN D ALESKE
In our Jr. High & High School Foods classes, we have spent time cooking in the kitchens, but we also discuss nutrition, and the nutrients in food that keep our bodies healthy. One recent lesson was an “Energy
Balance Challenge”. We played a short balance game to start out our class time: 1) Balance on 1 hand & 1 foot.
2) Balance on 1 knee & 2 elbows. Just like we had to use different strategies to get our balance in the
game….we need to use strategies to maintain balance between the energy we put into our bodies (food) and
the energy we use during the day (activity/exercise). The next activity had students using “Energy-In”
cards to create breakfast, lunch & dinner meals & calculating the amount of calories in each meal. Then students chose “Energy-Out” cards: 1) Walking-204 calories/hr. 2) Basketball-225 calories/hr. 3) Bowling-155
calories/hr. Students tried to come as close to balancing the numbers as possible. We learned that in order
to maintain a healthy weight, the energy we put into our bodies, must be balanced with the energy used by
our bodies. Good advice for all of us as we approach the holidays. Let’s all enjoy the holiday foods & stay
active. Have a great Healthy Holiday Season!!
7-12 L ANGUAGE A RTS
B RIAN M URPHY
In Middle School English, we have just finished a poetry unit that forced students to think about reading/writing in a different way. We looked at different types/formats of poetry and created a variety of poetry on our own. The students finished the project with a Poetry Blog where they showcased their
knowledge and writing of poetry. After a few days off from school, we return to class in December to the
final assignment of the year: a Problem/Solution essay. For this project, students generate problems that
they have observed and develop possible solutions to those problems before proposing the “best” solution.
This process helps students learn to analyze issues, perform guided research, and evaluate ideas in an objective way.
In Communications, the 9th and 10th grade students have finished up their work on PSAs (Public Service
Announcements) before turning their attention to a short Storytelling unit. For this project, students select
a story that they will memorize and identify the “important” elements of that story. The challenge is to
shorten (and simplify) the story without affect the audience’s ability to understand the story. After the
short Storytelling unit, Communications will immediately be on to their final project of the semester: their
Historical Speech analysis. In this project, students will learn about specific rhetorical strategies that effective speeches use (repetition, imagery, etc.) and use that knowledge to identify a significant speech from
history of their choosing. This project will help them learn specific strategies for communication, performing historical research, and evaluating the work of historical figures.
In Native American Literature, we began reading Ceremony in the middle of October and finished up the
novel just before December. After completing the challenging task of finishing this novel, students were
asked to write a literary analysis of the book. This analysis required them to consider images or symbols
that are repeated throughout the novel and study how those elements relate to the story as a whole. With
that completed, Native Lit students will begin their final project: a Native Issues research paper. For this
project, students will read a number of articles written by influential Native authors such as Winona Laduke,
Joseph Marshall, and recent Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Dr. Suzan Harjo. Students will identify
an issue that they believe is significant in the lives of Native Americans (locally or nationally) and use research to back up their ideas.
V ISIT THE SCHOOL WEBSITE AT WWW . MSSWARRIORS . ORG
December 2014
Mon
1 Breakfast eggroll, potatoes
Tue
Wed
Thu
2 Oatmeal, toast
3 Scrambled eggs, tritator
Creamed chicken over
biscuit, veggie, apricots
Pork patty, mashed pota- Turkey tetrazzini, roll,
Lasagna casserole, green toes, mixed veggies,
carrots, pears
beans, rosy applesauce
pineapple
8 Biscuit & gravy
9 Cream of wheat, toast
10 Pancake on a stick
11 Bagel, yogurt
12 Breakfast bar
Goulash, Texas toast,
broccoli, cinnamon apples
Italian dunkers, beans,
apricots, cookie
Beef & noodle, roll,
mixed veggies, mandarin oranges
Walking taco, refried
beans, apple slices
Chicken sandwich, waffle fries, applesauce,
corn
15 Sausage biscuit
16 Oatmeal, toast
17 Waffle stick, sausage
18 Cherry/apple turnover
19 Cereal, banana
Fish sticks, fries, broccoli, mandarin oranges
Popcorn chicken, mac & Chicken noodle soup,
cheese, lettuce salad,
buttered bread, cheese
pineapple
stick, peaches
Sausage pizza, corn,
fruit cocktail
22 Scrambled eggs, hash 23 Breakfast pizza
browns
Hamburger, fries, cookGoulash, Texas toast,
ie, corn
green beans, fruit cocktail
24
4 Hash on toast
Fri
Tator tot casserole, roll,
pears
25
5 Breakfast burrito
Sloppy Joes, fries, peas
& carrots, tropical fruit
26