Iroquois, SD

Our electronic sign is finally in and running!! What a fantastic addition to our town. If anyone is coming our way from out of town, slow down a little and check it out. Some landscaping needs to be done yet but we have some gals trained on using it and following our annual Sports Day we’ll get the necessary downloads and it will be ready for community posting. Right now we’re using it to advertise the schedule for the Sports Day weekend, July 11, 12 and 13th. This sign is a direct result of our Horizons Study Circles and the assessment of community needs that resulted from that. Thanks to all participants in those Study Circles. Great things DO happen when people get together and discuss things.

As I am writing this, we are in the process of painting a house for a gentleman who is disabled. Volunteers are scraping the house, getting it ready to paint. One of our Community club members has a paint sprayer and has volunteered to paint it.
A beautiful cool evening last night allowed us to get a good start.
As part of our strategic plan, we want to beautify our little town, one house at a time.
Flowers have also been planted around town to help spruce up the town.
We want to have everything done in time for our sports day events that will be held in July.

The elementary students, along with their teachers and P.T.O. created literacy baskets to raffle off to raise money for the summer reading/writing programs as well as many other literacy activities throughout the year.  Each basket or container contained a book or books, along with items that go along with a theme.  Winners for the baskets were announced during the elementary awards program.  Preschoolers created a baking basket using “If You Give a Moose a Muffin.” Kindergarten selected a rainy day theme with “The Napping House” and activities and games to do on a rainy day.  First grade selected Junie B. Jones and a Hawaiian theme.  Second grade put together a western basket.  Third grade filled a wash tub with Laura Ingalls Wilder books and pioneer items.  Fourth grade used a bait bucket and filled it with fishing supplies.  Fifth grade created a tricksters basket filled with games and puzzles.  And P.T.O. filled their basket with chocolate! 

This fundraiser brought in over $250 for literacy projects.  Thank you, to all who donated items for the baskets and those who purchased chances on them. 

    Monday afternoon, the elementary students participated in the Summer Reading and Writing program kick-off. Student and teachers dressed as cowboys and cowgirls to go with the theme of the program. Barb Madison read to the entire group before the children were divided into teams. Each team rotated to five different stations including: singing songs around the campfire, branding and decorating their journal covers, making saddle bags, lassoing, eating s’mores, and running barrel races and playing horse shoes. Each child has a summer reading and writing goal to work toward. Children achieving their goal will earn prizes and the special opportunity to participate in fun activities at the beginning of the next school year. The elementary teachers plan a summer reading and writing program each year to help the children practice these important skills throughout the summer months.

Students at Iroquois School participated in this year’s South Dakota Reading Council contests and were chosen as Pony Hills Regional winners.  Their entries will advance to the state level.         

In the Young Authors contest, each grade was given a writer’s prompt.  Young Authors selected from the elementary were 2^ndgraders Makayla DeDeyne, Avery Shumaker, and Gracelyn Fast, in 3^rd grade, A.J. Royal, and Nikka Lamont, and in 4^th grade, Lacey Bich, Allison Bich, Emily Hanson, and Michael Hofhenke.  Young Authors selected from Iroquois High School were, 9^th graders, Brent Matter, Carrie Bornitz, Stephanie McNutt, Tanya Sutton, and Jacob Langland.  Tenth Grade winners were Brandi Blue, Dakota Tschetter, and Kendall Leichtenberg.  In Eleventh Grade Hillary Bohlander, Brittney DeJong, and Melissa Schortzmann were chosen.  And in Twelfth GradeShane Geyer, Chase DeJong, and Emily Lynch were winners.  As Young Illustrators, the students were asked to draw a scene from their favorite book.  Any art medium could be used.  Winners in this contest were from 2^nd grade, Kenzie Blue, Avery Shumaker, and Gracelyn Fast, in 3^rd grade, Hannah Wehlander and Tiffany Miller, from 4^th grade, Justin Maas, Allison Bich, and Michael Hofhenke, and from 5^th grade, Dana Wipf, Marshall Wallum, and Kelsey Blue.       

The Reading Challenge began last September.  Students kept track of the number of pages they read through March.  Pony Hills Reading Challenge winners were in 1^st grade, Colton Schweigert, Cassie Hofer, and Adam Keating, in 2^nd grade, Makayla DeDeyne, in 3^rd grade, Cauy Hofer, and Hannah Wehlander, in 4^th grade, Allison Bich, and from 5^th grade, Britney Moeller. 

        These Pony Hills Reading Council winners will be honored in Huron at the next meeting.  They will also be honored at the South Dakota Reading Council convention at Pierre in August.

Upcoming Events

April 9, Wednesday, UMW meets at the Trinity United Methodist Church at 6:00 p.m.

April 11, 12, 13, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, area students attend “Acquire the Fire” in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

April 11, Friday, No School            

April 12, Children’s Theater production of “You Look Marvelous” at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday in the south gym.

April 13, Sunday, Pancake Feed at the Legion for the Iroquois Heritage Museum.

April 14, Monday, School Board Meeting in the high school library at 8:00 p.m.

April 16, Wednesday, Sonshine Gang meets after school at the Methodist Church.

Growing up in a small town was a gift that as an adult I truly appreciate. When you’re in a small town everyone is watching out for you. Everyone is raising you. In Iroquois everyone is concerned about your well being and ready to lend a hand to those who need assistance. Growing up you have so many positive influences from the school, the church, the business owners and all the adults who serve as role models for the youth. Everyone is proud of the community and we need to keep working to make sure everyone who visits knows how proud we are of our small town. The activities and projects listed on this blog and in the Iroquois Strategic Plan will help ensure the continued success of Iroquois, SD.

Goal 1 of Iroquois’ Strategic plan is community enhancement.  Our objectives are to create murals within our community, plant trees and flowers, make park benches, complete the volleyball and horseshoe pits in the park, plan seasonal decorating, complete the electronic sign, and continuous updates of the town’s website.  Committee members planning these projects are: Megan, Marlys, Mary, and Donna. 

The Iroquois Area Community Club is sponsoring a fund raiser for the electronic sign that will be installed along Highway 14 this spring. On saturday, April 5th at 6 pm there will be a fun night of food and coed basketball and volleyball games. the 4th,5th & 6th grade teams will pair up and play a game, followed by the high school teams. The cheerleaders will perform at half time.
Concessions will be served.
come and enjoy a night and help support the community sign.

The elementary children have been busy saving, gathering, and contributing coins in support of the new electronic sign that will soon be placed along Highway 14.  Our first milk jug is filled.  The preschool and first grade classes will take the change to the bank on Thursday.  I wonder what the total will be for this first jug?  Our second jug is almost full!  Which classes will be the next to go to the bank?  We’ll let you know!