We are all keenly aware of the tragic events that occurred on Thursday at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa. As a district, we stand with and grieve with the students, staff, and community of Perry. Parents and students should never have to feel unsafe at school or worry if their kids will come home safe at the end of the day. As we continue to process this situation, we want to share some of the proactive measures we have taken over the last several years and continue to use to prevent and respond to such a situation. I've attached a letter outlining some of the steps and programs we have implemented to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
Please read the attached letter for more information. You can access a clickable version of the letter at the link below. That version will allow you to follow the links for more information.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AcpSZtPvDQ0FEj6JGJLYhjhj2jlqVxT2/view?usp=sharing
Okoboji Community School District stands with the students, staff, families, and community of Perry as they walk through this terrible tragedy. Educators in Perry and across Iowa work hard every day to make school a safe place for kids to grow and flourish. We will continue to offer our support in any way we can.
Hug your kids tonight and every night.
Two of our very own have been nominated to be University of Okoboji Winter Games Cheerleaders! Congratulations to Katie Luinstra and TJ Simington for being recognized for this awesome community honor! It is well deserved! Voting opens today and closes by 5 PM tomorrow!
https://www.uofowintergames.com/cheerleaders/
Final grades for the first semester have been released by Iowa Lakes Community College and once again, Okoboji students have done an outstanding job of taking advantage of dual credit opportunities! As you can see from the image, hundreds of OHS students have earned hundreds of college credits that can be used at ILCC or other community colleges or transferred to four-year schools like Iowa, Iowa State, or UNI, potentially saving them thousands of tuition dollars!
The dual credit program enables students to take college credit classes at no cost to them. Okoboji also provides the print and digital textbooks necessary to take these classes making them completely free to our students and families.
Just another way we are Pioneering Pathways for Every Student!
OMS Marketing Team Press Release -- Milking Memories: Jones Dairy Farm Field Trip Delights 5th Graders
https://www.okobojischools.org/o/oms/article/1346727
🎉 Congratulations, Okoboji Middle School! 🎉
We are thrilled to announce that OMS has been named one of the Top 10 (out of 700) middle schools for 2024 in the state of Iowa by the prestigious U.S. News and World Report. This incredible achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the educators, families, and students in Okoboji!
Your commitment to academic excellence, innovative teaching methods, and nurturing environment is admirable. This recognition is well-deserved, and we couldn't be prouder of this outstanding achievement.
Congratulations again on this remarkable accomplishment! 🎉🎓🌟
The Okoboji School Board recognizes that it takes a community to Pioneer our youth. Through two programs, Board Salute and Pioneer Student Recognition, we want to hear from you about those exceptional individuals who stand out. For November, please take a moment to honor those that go above and beyond! Below is the link to access the programs.
https://www.okobojischools.org/o/ocs/page/board-recoginition-programs
Thank you for your ongoing support for our school district!
We will have a send-off at ALL THREE buildings on Thursday afternoon to send our State-Bound Esports Team off in style and wish them luck! They will walk through the halls of OES at 2:40, OMS at 2:55, and OHS at 3:10 before heading for Des Moines! They will compete on Friday for a state championship! If any parents or community members want to join the send-off, please come to OHS via the main entrance before 3:10 on Friday!
We encourage all eligible voters in the Okoboji Community School District to cast their vote in today's election! Polls are open from 7 AM - 8 PM.
Congratulations to our swimmers on great performances at the state qualifying meet this weekend! Emily Quanbeck, Ella Kasperbauer, and Brooklyn Ferguson were part of the 5th place 200 medley relay which qualified for STATE. Brooklyn Ferguson got 2nd in the 50 freestyle and qualified INDIVIDUALLY for STATE. Emily Quanbeck and Brooklyn Ferguson were also part of the 3rd place 200 freestyle relay and 5th place 400 freestyle relay which also qualified for STATE. Ella Kasperbauer and Anna Quanbeck swam the 200 individual medley with Ella placing 10th and Anna placing 15th. Emily Quanbeck swam the 100 backstroke placing 11th. Ella Kasperbauer also swam the 100 breaststroke placing 11th.
State will be next Friday and Saturday in Marshalltown, IA. There is only one class in swimming and only the top 32 qualify in each event. This means that each state qualifier is within the top 32 in the state.
Congratulations to Okoboji High School Esports on qualifying for the Fall State Tournament as the second seed! They will get a first-round bye before heading into state competition!
Boys XC is state runner up and girls are 12th! Welcome back at OHS South Gym @ 4:30!
A reminder of our OCSD Board Candidate Forum tonight at 6:30 in the OHS Auditorium! This is your chance to hear from all of our board candidates this year. If you are unable to attend, a recording of the forum will be made and shared on our district social media tomorrow.
We will have a send-off at ALL THREE buildings on Friday afternoon to send our State-Bound Cross Country Teams off in style and wish them luck! They will walk through the halls of OES at 2:40, OMS at 2:55, and OHS at 3:10 before boarding the bus for Ft. Dodge! If any parents or community members want to join the send-off, please come to OHS via the main entrance before 3:10 on Friday!
Congratulations to both the Boys AND Girls Cross Country Teams on qualifying for the State Championship Meet in Ft Dodge! Individual qualifiers include Maryn Frein, Adison Frerichs, and Marli DeGraaf for the girls and Evan Osler, Akron Jostand, and Lane Larson for the boys! Special congratulations to Evan Osler who earned the individual district championship!
Look for big things from these teams and individuals at the State Championship Meet at Lakeside Golf Course in Ft Dodge next Saturday, October 28! 2A girls run at 10:30 and boys at 11:15!
Congratulations to OHS Senior Samuel Hoggard who has been named a Semifinalist in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program! Sam is one of 16,000 Semifinalists nationwide and only 155 in Iowa in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.
NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 320 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.
Sam is the son of Greg and Madelin Hoggard and plans to study political science and music after high school. Congratulations, Sam, and best of luck with the next step!
Congratulations to OHS Senior Keegan Rasmussen who has been named a Commended Student in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program! A Letter of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Program has been presented to him. This honor puts Keegan among 34,000 Commended Students nationwide who are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.
"Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success," commented a spokesperson for NMSC. "These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success."
Keegan is the son of Todd and Jennifer Rasmussen and plans to attend Iowa State University to major in Business. Congratulations, Keegan, and keep up the great work!
The tailgate for tonight's football game, sponsored by Central Bank and Central Insure, will be moved into the upper commons at OHS!
Congratulations to our September Pioneer Student recipient, Caleb Simington, for his outstanding work with youth. His commitment to helping them grow into confident individuals and his efforts to shape future generations are invaluable. This is a testament to Caleb's character and positive influence.
Congratulations to our September Board Salute recipients for going Above and Beyond. Brock Holman, Erin Clary, and Brenda Martin for their remarkable efforts that have not gone unnoticed for their pursuit of excellence, willingness to lend a helping hand, passion for students, and volunteering. They consistently exceed expectations and set a shining example for others to follow. Your efforts are recognized, valued, and deeply appreciated.
