Steinkamp's Scoop

The school will be singing Christmas carols tomorrow at 12:30, if you are able to make it!  Also, students are to bring a sack lunch.  I will be uploading pictures tomorrow of Code Day, Christmas Masa, ugly sweaters, Who-bilation, and I think that is it... So stay tuned!  Have a Merry Christmas!  P.S. "Home for the Holidays" items will be on sale starting Monday! Hurry out to get some great deals and help contribute to the 8th grade's auction item! 

I have been seeing Christmas stuff on sale already! Perfect time to grab great items for the auction basket at a discount!! Wednesday the 21st is the last day of school before break. It is a full day and still a mass day! The whole school will be singing Christmas carols after lunch on Wednesday!

A few reminders...  8th grade class shirts are $15.  The 8th grade is in charge of collecting toilet paper for the food pantry. This item can be brought to office where there is a bag your child can put the item in.  This Friday is a Spirit Day and it is also an optional sack lunch.  The auction basket is "home for the holidays". All Christmas items can be donated or we will accept monetary donations. The week after Christmas would be the PERFECT time to buy items since they will be on sale! All of the middle school kids did so great at the concert. I hope the band the teachers played in didn't steal the show. ;)  Last Thursday we participated in Code Day. In my room the students were coding games, songs, outfits, and dancing yetis. In Mrs. Cline's room we had the AEA bring a bunch of techy toys for the kids to try out like robots! Mr. Scar's room held the STEM activity. This year they had to make Christmas trees with t...

Hello Parents,  Just a few things and an update. This Friday is another Spirit Day. The 8th grade auction basket theme will be "home for the holidays". We are hoping to fill an old trunk or suitcase with anything and everything Christmas. Examples would be: CDs, candles, Christmas decorations, ornaments, dishes, books, movies, snowmen, Santas, etc... The best time to get these things would be right after Christmas when everything is on sale! If you would not like to donate an item, we will accept monetary donations as well. Next Wednesday is the school's Christmas concert at the High School at 6:30. We hope to see you there! Updates on students: The 6th grade just finished their unit 3 exam and EVERYONE did so awesome!! They will be moving into a poetry unit. There were a lot of groans when I said this, but everyone turns out to love this unit. (Probably because they don't have to read as much. 😉) They will take a break from this unit at the end of the mont...

The 8th grade ordered their class shirts and they are in! They are $15. You can make the checks out to Lora Pellman.

The 6th grade was the kindergarten's Mystery Reader of the week! I read "Naughty Little Monkeys" while the class acted out the book. It was a lot of fun and we heard a few giggles out of the kindergarteners. Thank you, parents, for letting your child bring props and their pajamas to school.    The 8th grade is working on contemporary art. They smashed pop cans and hot glued them to cardboard. Based off of the shape of the can, they are creating images. Some have created faces, other animals, and Keagan even made a minion. They are pretty neat! I will post a picture when they are all done.  The 8th grade is doing a mini unit on oral traditions such as tall tales, legends, etc... They wrote tall tales and then created a character. (seen to the right) They are all pretty creative. They headed to the hallway to listen to each other read their tall tales. I think they all turned out pretty good!

Hi All!  Tomorrow we will have a special guest attending mass, Bishop Pates! I am asking that all students spruce  up a little more than usual tomorrow in his behalf. I will not be here on Thursday or Friday. If you need to get a hold of me, I will check my email a few times while I am out. Please contact Sarah or the other middle school teachers if your child is absent. Friday is a Spirit Day. Your child can wear sweatpants if they bring $1. The 8th grade just wrapped up their debate yesterday. I was so impressed with their speaking skills. I feel like they performed beyond an 8th grade level. Way to go!! Today they started on their oral tradition mini unit. They will be learning about fables, legends, epics, and tall tales before heading into their poetry unit. The 7th grade learned multiple choice answering strategies and put them into use with a selection test over a story they read titled "A Crush". They ALL did AWESOME. They are working on one more assignment...

8th Grade Parents,  The 8th Grade's mass reception is this Wednesday, the 26th. We will be having a prayer service due to the fact that Father is out of the States.  Hope to see you all there! P.S. Don't forget tomorrow the 8th grade is going to SWCC for Career Day.

8th Grade Parents:  Below is the link that will bring you to the sign-up sheet for conferences on the 3rd of November. I also sent you an email with the same link.  www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F044DA8AC29A4FE3-miss1

Hi all! A reminder that there is a Spirit Day on Friday. Have your kids bring that dollar to wear their sweat pants. I will be sending home permission slips for all of the 8th grade parents to sign for their child to attend the Southwestern Community College Career Day on Tuesday the 22nd. We will leave school around 8:45 and return before 2. Also don't forget to bring your baked good for Spaghetti Supper this Saturday! You can bring an item for the carnival's cake walk OR for the dinner itself. The Spaghetti Supper starts at 5. I think we will have the students who volunteer for the carnival to be there at 3:30 to set up. 8th grade is finishing up their Sugar Skulls for the Day of the Dead, November 1st. I will post a picture when those are all done. Today they started reading an excerpt of The Diary of Anne Frank, the play edition. After that we will start on the procedures of having a debate. However, next week will take a little break for Halloween to do some fun a...

It feels like winter is on its way! And I love it, that means we are getting closer to CHRISTMAS! :) Just a reminder that we do not have school tomorrow, Oct. 14th, or Monday, Oct. 17th. Monday, October 17th, is just for St. Malachy. The public school still has school. NEXT Saturday, the 22nd, is the Spaghetti Supper. We are asking for each family to donate one baked good for either the Civics Club's cake walk or for the actual dinner. On October 25th the 8th grade will be venturing to SWCC to take a tour and learn more about what programs they have to offer students. We will leave here at 9 am and get back around 1:30 - 2:00. I will be sending permission slips home next Thursday. It feels like the kids are flying through their material, which is a great thing! The 8th grade wrote myths and are presenting today. They are also well underway on their Sugar Skulls for art. My beautiful babes.  Painting the "skulls"! I said, "Act normal". An...

Hey Parents,  Here are a few things:  Tomorrow is a Spirit Day so the kids can wear sweatpants for $1! Tomorrow is also an optional sack lunch day. Hot lunch will be provided if your child chooses not to bring a sack lunch. A run down on what we are doing in language arts: 8th grade just started on the theme of the story and how stories can contain symbols. We just reviewed through the first few units because the class felt confident in knowing the material, so did I so we moved on. Tomorrow they will be researching different authors and creating symbols to represent that author's life. In art, the 8th grade learned about sugar skulls. I bought some plaster and molds so they are whipping up some plaster to mold a "skull". I couldn't find a skull mold so it's just a face that they will have to transform into a skull. I am pretty excited to see how they turn out! They should be all ready for The Day of the Dead on November 1st. The plaster is drying in t...

Here are a few photos of our 8th grade leadership retreat to the St. Thomas More Center in Panora. The kids had a lot of fun! This year they got to go canoeing! I about had a heart attack, but it was fun! My "drivers". I got to sit back and relax as these two paddled me around. It was perfect! :)  Happy Campers! Attempting to take an entire class selfie. Being creepers in their rain jackets.  Of course they have to dab.  They were able to get everyone inside the square without touching the ropes! They did it pretty fast too! One of the leadership courses was to walk on a wire while trusting your teammates to get you to the other side.  Look at this gem! Garon found some sweet shades to add to his wardrobe.  Helping each other out to climb the wall. My babes!

Hi Parents,  Tomorrow is a TWO hour early dismissal due to the Homecoming parade, which starts at 2:00. Tomorrow is also a Spirit Day AND the students can bring a sack lunch, if they want to. If they choose not to bring a sack lunch, there will be a hot lunch available. Have a nice homecoming weekend! Go Panthers!

Instead of the change of clothes for tomorrow the organizer of the retreat would like the kids to bring raincoats since rain is in the forecast. Also, I forgot to include that the kids need to bring $5 for transportation costs. (I am sorry I didn't put this in the permission slip) THIS IS FOR TOMORROW THE 16th for the 8th GRADE FIELD TRIP.

Just a reminder that the 8th grade field trip to the St. Thomas More Center is tomorrow. We are leaving at 8:20 and will be back by 3:00. Your child will need to wear tennis shoes, bring an extra pair of clothes (they are canoeing), and a sack lunch (pop is okay to bring). I am still missing half of the permission slips. Tonight at 6:00 is the PTO meeting. I am sure the Color Run is on the agenda. So stop by if you can to find out more information on that! Reminder that on Monday we don't have school. Keep on checking out Google Classroom to see what the kids are up to! Questions? Feel free to email me. Happy Balloon Days!

Hi there Parents! Is everyone able to get onto their child's Google Classroom? If not, just shoot me an e-mail and I will help out. Tomorrow is a Spirit Day so kids are allowed to wear those sweatpants if they bring $1. ALSO they are encouraged to wear their support for their favorite team, Iowa or Iowa State. I am SURE I will have a class of black and gold. :) :) :) Go Hawks!! I am sending a permission slip home today for all 8th graders for their field trip next Friday to Panora. Please sign those and return. Remember this is a leadership retreat and they will need a sack lunch. I think that is all for now. Here is a picture to make you smile. The boys' first football game has them acting goofy. Goofier than usual that is... ;)

Hi All. Just a reminder that Wednesday is the 8th grade's mass. We would love to see you there! School pictures are on Thursday. A week from today, Monday, we do NOT have school due to Labor Day. Every year the 8th grade treks to Panora to CYC for a leadership retreat that they offer. We are looking at the date of September 16th, that's a Friday. I am hoping that date works. If that changes, I will let you know as soon as I do. The students will be back by 3 so they won't miss extra curriculars. I will be sending out permission slips once we nail down the date and proper transportation. Have a fabulous week. How could it not be? Saturday kicks off Iowa's football season! ;) ;)

This is only the 8th grade schedule. On Wednesdays they will have every class except for religion, in which they will have art.  Today is the first day we truly implemented the schedule. It seems good so far!  Have a great weekend.  

We survived our first day!  It was a pretty laid back first day back. We just went through procedures and schedules. We will continue to do this tomorrow. We plan on Friday having a normal schedule to get into the routine of things.  8th grade under the T.J. and Nate Frey Gazebo  The whole class and me. ;) Love them!!

Welcome back to school Parents and Students!!  As always, I am PRETTY excited for the new school year. I can't believe it is here already. There are so many changes coming to the middle school. Good changes!! Be sure to read all of the handouts at Open House tonight and any additional handouts coming within the next week or so. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to get a hold of me. REMINDER::: Tomorrow is a ONE hour early dismissal. This will be the ONLY one of the YEAR on Wednesday! All other Wednesdays are regular schools hours. See you all tonight!!

Dear Parents, It’s that time of year where we celebrate the next chapter in the 8th graders’ lives...GRADUATION! So, a few things for tomorrow night. Please have your child at church by 6:30 Pews will be reserved for immediate family. Parents please sit closest to the middle isle. This way it makes it easier for your child to find you during the parent recognition portion of the ceremony.   IF you are giving the kids a graduation present, there will be tables set up downstairs to put those presents on. Last year each child go their own table for that reason. (DON’T feel like you have to buy a gift, that was only an IF.) The reception is immediately following the mass. This is an opportunity for the whole class to exchange gifts and take group pictures. Questions? Call or e-mail me. Miss Steinkamp Graduation is Thursday the 26th at 7 pm at Holy Spirit Church. Hope to see you there!!

The 8th grade went on their field trip on Thursday to Principal Park to watch some ICub baseball. We had a blast! Here are some pictures documenting our trip. P.S. Don't mind my picture taking skills. It was bright out and I couldn't see my screen AND the kids weren't paying attention or blinking due to lights or my phone couldn't get everyone in. And we are off!  At the Iowa Historical Museum with the big mammoth and baby mammoth.  Loving the cool artwork! Eating at Buzzard Billy's with our fabulous chaperons!  The whole gang, and it actually shows all of us! Woo hoo Sorry Spencer... Sorry Payton...  The whole gang except Beau not paying attention.  Kara got a ball!  Ayden got a free hot dog from the hot dog gun!  Thinking they had to play on the jungle gym within the ball park.  Outside Principal Park! We had to get a picture with Cubbie.  The Cedar underpass!!! TH...