From the Desk of the Superintendent...
October 23, 2021
NOVEMBER 2021 DISTRICT DISPATCH
With November here, we know that winter weather conditions are just around the corner. Please start to make plans now regarding late starts, early dismissals, or school cancellations due to hazardous winter weather conditions. Tune into radio or television stations KMA (960 AM), KFAB (1110 AM), KNOD (105.3 FM), KMTV (Channel 3) WOWT (Channel 6), or KETV (Channel 7) and make arrangements with your spouse, friends, relatives, and/or our latch-key program regarding where your child or children will go when the weather turns bad. In addition, our school district subscribes to the JMC Instant Parent Contact System. This automated telephone broadcast service enables school personnel to notify all households and parents by telephone within minutes of an emergency, an unplanned event, or a winter storm that causes a late start, an early dismissal, or a school cancellation. If you have not signed up for this service and are interested in participating, please contact the principal’s office where your child or children attend. Please note that there will not be breakfast on days that we have a two-hour late start, and all practices are cancelled whenever we have a two-hour early dismissal because of incoming bad weather.
Can two strangers find love at IKEA? Find out by attending this year’s fall play, Lost & Found in IKEA by Gary Ray Stapp, at Underwood High School in the performing arts center at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 19, 2021, and Saturday, November 20, 2021. This romantic comedy, under the direction of Jennifer Weaver, focuses on a budding relationship that is interrupted by numerous hilarious distractions. Tickets may be purchased at the door. Adults will be $5.00 and K-12 students $3.00. Thank you for your support of the Underwood High School Drama Department. We look forward to seeing you on November 19th and/or 20th!
I would like to extend a special “thank you” to Mary Fischer for all of her efforts as a master gardener around our elementary building. Mary completed master gardener training through Iowa State University ten years ago. Iowa State describes master gardeners as “people who are passionate about serving their communities and sharing best gardening practices.” After completing their training, master gardeners share their time as volunteers with ten hours of continuing education and twenty hours of service annually. A few years ago, Mary began helping in the elementary garden. She devotes her time to weeding, pruning, watering, and planting flowers. Mary believes that the garden is a delightful instructional opportunity for teachers and a fabulous learning opportunity for students. This past year, the garden has expanded to the front of the school building where different flower and grass combinations are being tried out. Mary notes that her husband, John, is an excellent helper in the gardens and welcomes help from other interested volunteers. You do not need to be a master gardener to assist. If you have plants to share or suggestions, please let her know. Thank you, Mary and John!
Looking ahead to December, the members of the Underwood Dollars for Scholars organization will be having their annual fundraiser dinner featuring sloppy joes in the high school commons from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 3, 2021, during the basketball game against AHSTW. You need not attend the game to enjoy the meal. In addition to sloppy joes, the meal will include baked beans, potato chips, ice cream with candy toppings, and a drink for $8.00 per plate. All proceeds will help fund college scholarships for students graduating from Underwood High School. It is the goal of the Underwood Dollars for Scholars organization to help as many students as possible make their dreams of attending college a reality.
November always brings with it thoughts of Thanksgiving. At Underwood, November also brings thoughts of Grandparents’ Day! This annual event is always held the Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving in our middle school gymnasium. Our elementary music teacher, Sonya Schiphoff, and our elementary students have been working very hard on their musical numbers for this extremely popular event. We are looking forward to another huge turnout. Don’t forget that we have a 1:30 p.m. dismissal that day. Best wishes to each of you for a great Thanksgiving holiday!
