Iron County School District

Cool science! South Elementary's PTA set up a interactive science day in the school's gymnasium recently. Activities for the students included looking at slides and other items through a microscope, viewing their skin, nails and hair through an easi-scope, creating harmonicas and learning about sound waves, and simple coding with ozobots. The students also learned how animals adapt to their environment. Students immersed their hand in ice water to experience the cold and then covered their hand in lard and immersed it again to experience how blubber keeps an animal warm in colder environments.

Launch High School students listen to Leon Logothetis of the Kindness Diaries. Student Mel Earl worked with the Southern Utah University A.P.E.X. program to bring him to Cedar City. Logothetis stayed with the Earl family during his kindness trip around the world. Logothetis also spoke with students at Southwest Tech and SUU. He will be at the Cedar City Library at 7 p.m. tonight, March 9. Traveling on a vintage motorcycle, with no money, no food and no place to stay, he documented the help that others gave him along his journey. He spoke to the students about courage and speaking their truth. Speaking your truth requires bravery, he said. Taking that bravery and adding the courage to act on it leads to a magnificent life, he said. “It’s not easy to be brave,” he said. “It’s not easy to speak your truth. It’s not easy to live your best life.”

The annual third-grade pioneer program in Parowan did not disappoint. Students performed for teachers, students and parents "Westward Ho The Wagons" with third-grade teachers Rex Burton, Emily Contrys, and Sidney Adams leading the production. Two members of the Summit community — Shirley White and Carlisle Hulet — were honored for their influence and contributions to Iron County. Students sang, danced, memorized personal histories of White and Hulet, as well as performed skits and stories that depicted the history and heritage of Parowan and Iron County.

A visit from Ballet West kept students on their toes as they watched six visiting dancers stretch, demonstrate different dance positions and perform a shortened version of "Sleeping Beauty." The company's education and outreach program brings the ballet dancers to schools with a performance that is as much about education as it is entertainment. Students learned that being a ballet dancer is a full-time job with company members practicing more than six hours a day, five days a week, not including the actual performances. They also learned that the story is told through motions, not words.

Parents unable to attend the open house for new elementary math curriculum can view the top vendors until Feb. 28. Materials will be on display in the upper hallway at 2077 W. Royal Hunte Dr., during office hours. Scan the QR code to give feedback

Valentine's Day was the perfect setting for "Love Your Bus Driver Day" in Iron County School District. Bus drivers and transportation staff were treated to lunch and other treats. How much do you love your bus driver? Years of service were also recognized, with each receiving a token of thanks. Those honors are as follows: Five years — John Webster, Lynn Smith, Rose Rood, Sarah Pine, Ralyn Jessup, Thomas Bemis, Ricki Mumford, Wendy Sherman, Bruce Blackner and Larry McDonald. Ten years — Aubree Larson, Robert Espinoza and Marlys Nunez. Fifteen years — Trisha Ashworth, Kori Barker, Kenda Mortensen and Laura Wright. Twenty years — Daniel Petty. Twenty-five years — Ricky Sanderson, Lois Melling. Thirty years — Steven Johnson and Debra Nelson.

Are you smarter than a fifth-grader? These fifth-grade students showed off their knowledge of the United States in patriotic programs for the school and parents. From singing about all the U.S. presidents to reciting the Gettysburg Address, their learning was impressive. Featured are photos from the programs at Iron Springs and Three Peaks Elementary school.

As forecasts call for continuing snow, Iron County School District reminds parents of the procedures the district will use when considering an altered schedule due to weather conditions. The decision to alter the schedule due to weather conditions will be made by the Superintendent by 6 a.m. If a change is made, parents will be notified via text message to numbers in the PowerSchool system. No contact will be made if the normal schedule is followed. Any change to the schedule will also be posted on social media and school websites. Please note, it is very rare that the weather in Iron County is so severe that action would need to be taken by the school district. The District will work closely with city and county officials as well as reliable weather information prior to making a decision to alter the schedule. Read more on the district website at https://bit.ly/icsdweather

Parents and teachers are invited to review four elementary math curriculum proposals. The finalists will present their curriculum at 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17, in the district office boardroom.

Considering a different school next year outside of your boundary school? The deadline to apply for open enrollment is approaching. Access a request form at https://www.irondistrict.org/page/register-enroll

Cedar High's McKayla Plewe is the Utah Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) New Teacher of the Year. Join us in congratulating her for this amazing achievement. ACTE will recognize her at today's Mid-Winter Conference. Plewe has revived the agricultural education program at Cedar High School during her four years there. She is also an adjunct professor at Southern Utah University and regularly invites clinical students into the classroom. In the nomination it states: "She has a knack for using what is provided and has created a horticulture program using an underutilized school courtyard to instill a love of plants and landscaping in the newly formed Courtyard Club." Congratulations McKayla Plewe!

Registration for Iron County School District's dual immersion schools is now open. Incoming first-grade students can apply to attend dual immersion Spanish classes at East Elementary or Chinese classes at Fiddlers Elementary. The deadline to apply is March 31. Parents can access the registration form for East at http://bit.ly/3l2KQNT and for Fiddlers at http://bit.ly/3WTy7tV.

Wendy Stoker, owner of Cedar City's Arctic Circle, knows students cannot learn if they are hungry. Thanks to her generosity, 302 students no longer have delinquent lunch accounts. Through Arctic Circle's Arctic Cares program, she donated $952.80 to cover lunch needs.

Students from around the Iron County School District enjoy the music and teachings of bluegrass band Sister Sadie at the Heritage Center. Thanks to Cedar City Music Arts about 700 students participated in a matinee performance where they also learned about music writing and how different instruments add to the overall composition.

It may seem like students just went back to school, but today marks the 100th school day for ICSD students. Elementary students know how to celebrate the day with many donning rollers and silver hair and walking with canes as they try to represent centenarians. Learning activities throughout the day also emphasized the number 100. Brooke Bali's first-grade students practiced counting to 100 by 10s with a stack of ice cream scoops, read about a wolf who tries to fatten a chicken by feeding her 100 pancakes and enjoyed a few pancakes as well. Happy 100 days ICSD!

The Board of Education of Iron County School District may consider a policy outlining the parameters for RDA requests. Board members also heard a request to be the authorizer for a new charter school. Read more about the work meeting held on Jan. 17 in this edition of Board Briefs at: https://5il.co/1nlz1

Show of support! Two families took center court Wednesday evening at Canyon View High School as the recipients of proceeds from the Steve Hodson Cancer Classic invitational basketball tournament. Family members of Payton Higgins and Cashdyn Brindley accepted checks for $5,500 from Canyon View administrators. The school hosted the popular tournament between Christmas and New Year's in memory of Steve Hodson, a former basketball coach who died of cancer in 2008. Proceeds from admission sales, concessions and registration fees are donated to help selected individuals in the community who are battling cancer.

The Cedar Reds Boys Basketball team took their skills to a different court recently as they interacted with students in the 4H program at North Elementary. Coach Tyler Monks said his varsity team worked with the students for about an hour on skills and team building. Then each clinic participant received a basketball. Big thanks to the team for being wonderful examples and helping the youth of our community.

We want to offer our heartfelt thanks to the many who have reached out offering counseling services and other supports to students, teachers and staff in our schools. We are privileged to be a part of this caring community. Thank you!

Explore the possibilities at Launch High School during the upcoming parent meetings and student workshops. See why students choose Launch High School. Enrollment requests are due Feb. 14. Learn more at launch.irondistrict.org.