Demographics
Enrollment: 560 in District; parochial: 200
Free and Reduced Lunch: 38%
Home of the original state-wide volunteer pre-school program - NAEYC accredited
South Winneshiek provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere. 
The hallways and classrooms provide a rich environment for learning. It is proud of its lego league, one of the first in the state, which helps students become familiar with preengineering skills. This also prepares them for Project Lead the Way(PLTW) classes at high school. South Winn boasts an excellent FFA program with a membership over 75 future leaders in agriculture. The middle school has had a 1:1 initiative for the past five years with the use of Chromebooks. The intiatives for this school year include continuing the Professional Learning Communities where collaboration is key and analyzing data a focus. Another initiative is the successful implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) including assessment screening using the FAST tests. |
| College soccer player sign autographs for students |
South Winneshiek is in year seven of its Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program. Students earn Super Warrior Tickets for excellent behaviors to redeem at a school store. They credit their district success via partnerships. One partnership is with NICC (Northeast Iowa Community College) where concurrent classes are offered. NICC is committed to helping each student pursue an education that leads to a meaningful career. They also appreciate the strong partnership given to the district through the support of families.
are
committed to helping each student pursue an education that leads to a
meaningful career. - See more at:
https://www.nicc.edu/aboutnicc/#sthash.jhex10Cw.dpuf
are
committed to helping each student pursue an education that leads to a
meaningful career. - See more at:
https://www.nicc.edu/aboutnicc/#sthash.jhex10Cw.dpuf
It was a great time presenting to students grades 1 - 8 on "Don't Let One Thing Keep you from Making a Difference!" It began with a girl challenged to hold a boy in a chair with the use of a single finger. The "point" was that sometimes we allow one thing to keep us from making a difference in the lives of others. We heard the story of Veronika Scott who at the age of 24 started a business that sews coats for the homeless in Detroit, coats that can be converted into sleeping bags. Her business employs only the homeless so they can learn dignity not dependence. She created her business after being yelled at outside a homeless shelter with the words, "We don't need coats, we need jobs." Veronika could have allowed this one event to keep her from accomplishing her goal of helping the homeless. Instead, she used that one point to make a greater impact on her community. We also heard about Emily Kless, a Penn State student, who makes signs to post around campus with the words TAKE WHAT YOU NEED. Her tags include words like FREEDOM, SAFETY, LOVE, CARE... A very simple way to show others that everyone desires the same things in life. By the end of the day, some students were creating their own posters for their school providing words of encouragement for others.
After school, staff heard about my journey in education, and in the evening there was a presentation at Northeast Iowa Community College. John Maxwell is quoted as saying, "A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change a life. A word of encouragement from a spouse can save a marriage. A word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach his/her potential." Leader Barb Schwamann is one such leader and ahead lies great potential for South Winneshiek as it strives towards providing opportunities for continuous improvement for both staff and students. Thanks, South Winn, for a great visit!
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