September 2025 Academic Newsletter

Art Design- The Art and Design class is learning how to successfully launch a small crafting business. Students will develop skills in brainstorming craft ideas, sourcing and ordering materials, creating products, and budgeting for a craft booth.

Visual Design- The freshmen class will revisit the fundamental elements of art and design, with a focus on techniques involving colored pencil drawing and stippling. Additionally, students will begin exploring three-dimensional art through the creation of cardboard relief sculptures.

Ceramics & Sculpture- The Ceramics and Sculpture class will discuss foundational techniques including pinch pots, coil pots, relief sculptures, and paper mache. Additionally, students will begin learning about pottery tools and essential safety practices in the studio.

Our Mass Media class is kicking off the school year by brainstorming creative ideas for this year’s yearbook theme. Students are also preparing to sell business ads to help fund the yearbook and connect with the community. Together, we are exploring new ways to enhance the yearbook, ensuring it captures the best memories of the school year.

In Coding class, we are starting the school year by exploring the history of computers and how technology has evolved. Students are learning the basics of debugging to fix errors in code and strengthen problem-solving skills. We are also beginning to write code to create simple web pages, laying the foundation for future projects.

Personal Finance students are being introduced to the foundations of financial literacy and why it is essential in everyday life. They are exploring the evolution of credit and consumerism in America to better understand today’s financial landscape. The class is also highlighting the importance of managing money wisely to build strong financial habits for the future.

Dual Credit Computers and Information Systems students through Northwest Missouri State University are learning the importance of file management to stay organized and efficient. They are also exploring how proper digital organization supports success in both academic and professional settings. In addition, students are being introduced to the dangers of phishing emails and how to recognize and avoid them.

Integrated Science 9 (Physical Science) - Physical Science has two main components: Chemistry and Physics. Students will gain a clearer understanding of matter, energy, and the physical universe. Physical Science components covered in this course include matter and its interactions, motion and stability: forces and interactions, energy, waves and their applications in technologies for information transfer. In the coming weeks, we will delve into the chemistry component of the course by examining the properties and states of matter.

Chemistry - Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. Students will develop a foundation of chemistry concepts including matter and energy, atoms and elements, chemical reactions, and chemical bonding. Students will begin laying the foundation for the calculation requirements in the coming semester and investigating the properties and changes of matter.

Biology - Biology, or life science, will provide students with the knowledge of the nature of living things. Students will develop an understanding of the relationships between living organisms and their environments. Life Science components covered in this course include From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes, Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics, Heredity: Inheritance and Variations of Traits, and Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity. Students are beginning to learn the patterns and chemistry of life, including the nature of matter, properties of water and chemical reactions and enzymes.

Anatomy - Human anatomy is the study of the body, its parts and their locations. We will not cover physiology in this course. This course will cover all major body systems, including integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. Students will use inquiry-based activities and labs (dissections) to apply their knowledge. We will continue to lay the foundation of anatomical terms and begin to deep dive into our first major body system - the integumentary system.

Earth Science - Earth Science is the name for the group of sciences that deals with Earth and its neighbors in space. The goal is to provide students with the knowledge of Earth's structure, composition, processes, and evolution, as well as the life it supports. Students will develop an understanding of how humans and nature impact the planet, and the need to manage Earth’s resources carefully. Earth Science components covered in this course include geology, oceanography, astronomy, weather, and climate. We have begun exploring the components of Earth Science and mapping. Soon we will learn about Earth's materials and the sculpting of those materials.

Algebra 1 - We start off the year by going over solving equations with one variable.

Geometry - We talk about proofs and how in geometry we can’t go by the way things look. We have to be able to prove it.

Algebra 2 - We will start by working with graphs and learning how to describe a graph with different qualities of the graph.

Life Skills - We will start off the year by going over some general car care items. This includes checking the oil level and other fluids along with checking tire pressure and filling up a tire with air. We will also be covering how to change a tire and jump start a car.

Stats/Research - The students are currently learning to read and create a variety of tables, charts, and graphs. Some examples include a pie chart, Box-n-Whisker, Frequency Distribution, and Histogram. Students will then learn about basic statistical measurements, including those of central tendency (mean, median, mode, and midpoint) and those of dispersion (range, standard deviation, and variance).

Criminal Justice - Students begin the year learning about background information and the beginnings of policing. Such topics include laws and government agencies involved with criminal justice, historical policing efforts, and how policing policies and practices began and expanded in the United States.

Creative Writing/Contemporary Literature - Students begin the semester with a creative writing poetry unit. They learn about several poetic devices, forms and types of poetry, and common foreign words and expressions found in poetry. The class learns how to scan poems to find rhyme schemes and meter. After completing the introductory section, we begin reading, analyzing, and writing poems found in specific categories (death, love, friendship, whimsical, crises, and time).

Psychology - Students take some time learning the different types of psychologists and fields where psychologists work. The first project deals with creating an Ad brochure for a new psychological clinic the students will be opening. They must include three different types of psychologists, and then they must describe all the services those psychologists will provide. This Ad is then created and must be decorated, and it must include a name for their clinic, office hours, and an address.

The freshmen in American History will begin the year learning about the causes, events, and outcomes of the American Civil War. The sophomore World History class will spend its first few weeks learning about the Renaissance as well as the protestant reformation. Sophomore Leadership will be getting into the numerous aspects of their class, including learning what quality leadership is, planning their service project, and learning about digital citizenship. The Current Events class will begin looking at news stories from around the world while learning how to examine the reliability of sources as well as synthesizing information effectively.

We have hit the ground running this school year in all of our class.

Ag Science 1 has started to learn about the importance of Agricultural Education and FFA along with learning about the History of FFA. Along with this, they will start to present the FFA creed in the coming weeks as many FFA members before them have.

Ag Science 2 has started their plant science unit. They will learn about many things including root systems, differentiating plants and animals, vascular bundles of plants and so much more.

Greenhouse management has started working in the greenhouse updating our watering system and Asexually propagating plants.

Wildlife management has started to learn about the history of our Nationals wildlife uses. With this, they will learn the importance of carrying capacity and responsible hunting practices.

Ag Construction has started to learn about shop safety in a metals and woods shop and will continue to learn about safety and the proper use of shop tools.

Plant Science has started the year learning about careers in plant science, education levels required for some jobs, along with the many questions they should ask themselves when selecting a future career whether that is in a plant science career path or another field.

Housing:

Students will start by decorating my classroom for Fall. They will be learning about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid. Knowing this can help them in any phase of their lives, but especially learning about housing needs. Physical, Safety, Love & Belonging, Esteem, and Self-Actualization must be met in that order for a person to succeed and excel. We will then move on to the development of housing throughout the years (natural, portable, permanent shelters).

8th Grade:

We are working on finding our place in the world by learning about personality traits we might find in friends or acquaintances. The students will learn how their heredity and environment have a big factor in their personality. We will play some fun team building activities outside as a whole class to help us better understand how to handle different personalities.

Child Development II:

We will be starting a chapter over Physical Development of Infants. Students will be able to identify the four major influences on an infant’s growth and development and how a baby typically grows in the first year. They will be able to explain how to safely hold a baby, meet the baby’s nutritional needs, bathe a baby and understand why checkups are important for babies.

Foods:

Students are organizing the two new pantries Mrs Farr got with her grant money. They will choose what salsa recipe they’d like to make to then enter into the Holt County Autumn Festival contest. This is held by the South Holt FCCLA organization. I am hoping they are also able to enter bread of some kind. This month will be focusing on getting comfortable in the kitchens and keeping the spaces clean and organized with each lab.

Nutrition & Wellness:

This year I have the freshman altogether as one class. This will be an adjustment for me as I have always had this class as a split class. I look forward to teaching these students about nutrition and how their diet and health are related. Hopefully they will be able to really think about the choices they make about the foods that they are eating and whether it is a healthy choice or not. This class is also going to enter cookies into the Holt County Fair this year too.

Interpersonal Relationships:

This small, quaint class is going to be so fun this year. We will identify how each of our lives have a unique pathway. Students will be able to relate major developmental tasks of the teen years to future changes and they will learn the steps in preparing for change in their near future. We will touch on how environmental factors can impact personal identity, growth and development.

Health:

Half of the Sophomores are taking this class this semester and the other half will next semester. Mrs. Dougherty will be implementing the lessons for the first quarter while Mrs. Farr is coaching JH volleyball practice last hour. Students will do a Monday mental health journal the first 15 min of the week each week. They are starting with learning just what the terms health and wellness mean along with the four main aspects of well-being. Students will be able to analyze how physical, emotional, intellectual, and social aspects of wellness are interrelated. They will be able to identify the difference between disease and disorder and what the four main causes of disease are and how they impact their wellness.

FCCLA:

We had our back to school BBQ that we shared with the FFA and FBLA chapters as well. We had 32 members say they wanted to join FCCLA and I am anticipating more to sign up in the coming weeks. We have not decided on our fundraiser for this year, but the officers are meeting soon to discuss this. They will also decide on a tshirt design for the chapter and discuss the meeting we will hold this year. I am looking forward to taking the whole chapter to the Regional Meeting in Maryville this October since they weren’t able to go last year. Students will be choosing their STAR event category soon as well.

Freshmen: Students have started the anchor text The Call of the Wild by Jack London. They will be writing their blended narrative and expository paper following the themes of The Call of the Wild.

We are focusing on the following Missouri State Standards:

ELA.9-12. RL.1.A. Theme and central ideas

ELA 9-12.RL.1.B. Textual evidence and inference

ELA.9-12.W.2.A Follow the writing process while blending narrative and expository writing.

Sophomores: Students have started the anchor text To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. They will be writing a persuasive paper focused on the same themes as TKAM.

We are focusing on the following Missouri State Standards:

ELA.9-12. RL.1.A. Theme and central ideas

ELA 9-12.RL.1.B. Textual evidence and inference

ELA.9-12.W.2.A Follow the writing process to write their first persuasive essay. Focus on

development and organization.

Juniors: Students have started the anchor text The Best of Poe by Edgar Allan Poe. They will be writing an argumentative paper focused on the same themes as The Fall of the House of Usher.

We are focusing on the following Missouri State Standards:

ELA.9-12. RL.1.A. Theme and central ideas

ELA 9-12.RL.1.B. Textual evidence and inference

ELA.9-12.W.2.A Follow the writing process to write their first argumentative essay. Focus on

development and organization.

Seniors: Students have started their anchor text Nickel and Dimed and Scratch Beginnings. They have started The Hannah Project.

We are focusing on the following Missouri State Standards:

ELA.11-12.RI.1.D. Relate how the central ideas of the text connect to the human experience.

ELA.11-12.RI.3.A Analyze two different texts including what is emphasized or absent in each.

ELA.11-12.W.1A Conduct research to answer a question or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; gather multiple relevant, credible sources.

Civil war and reconstruction

Lifetime Sports - Volleyball / Spike Ball

Strength & Conditioning 3rd Hour - Weights

Strength & Conditioning 5th & 7th Hours - Agility / Mobility stations

• September 5th: Deadline for Seniors to sign up for the October 28th ACT. All Freshmen. Sophomore, and Juniors will be taking a version of the ACT. Any student that wants to Opt Out will need to do so by September 5th. See Mrs. Radley for a flyer or more information.
• September 5th: Stuco is sponsoring 5th Quarter (9pm-11pm) after the first home football game
• September 24th: Juniors will take ASVAB in the morning at school. ASVAB is a graduation requirement by the state of Missouri.
• October 1st: State Mandated Sexual Abuse presentations with Northstar Advoacy Center for grades 6th-12th
• **Check weekly for current updates from the Counseling Department on the Panther App under HS Announcements (these announcements are also given to students daily, twice a day!)

Parent Resources

ACT College Knowledge Webinar for 9th-12th grade parents: https://tinyurl.com/2eee9rhr

EMPOWER ED August and September webinars for Parents & Students

Gap Funding Solutions for College

August 12 @ 10am / August 29 @ 3pm / Sept. 3 @ 1pm / Sept. 12 @ 12pm

Register: https://mohela.zoom.us/meeting/register/ko9sMW3vTq-MZ5_aH1osFA

Navigating Student Loan Repayment

Sept. 23 @ 10am / Sept. 29 @ 2pm
Register: https://mohela.zoom.us/meeting/register/qlWmc0omQNujFM9WA0NkGw

Becca’s Branch: Financial Aid & Literacy Drop-In Hours via Zoom

August 12 @ 11am / August 20 @ 12pm / August 28 @ 3pm

Sept. 3 @ 2pm / Sept. 18 @ 3pm / Sept. 23 @ 9am / Sept. 29 @ 1pm

Register: https://mohela.zoom.us/meeting/register/k4YlfhG7RgOZS3fVpvX7KA

All EmpowerED sessions are listed on our MSLF website under “Programs”.

Greetings!

For those who are new to High School or Mound City R-2, I'm Jake Shipman. I'm the High School Principal and Athletic Director. This is my 6th year in the district and 14th year overall in education. I hope everyone had a great summer! My wife Morgan, school nurse at Carden Park Elementary, and my two sons Jack and Jett, made some great memories over our summer break. I'm very excited for this school year! I have a great feeling about our High School students and what they are capable of. Our students will do great things, due to both you as parents and our awesome Staff! We have one new teacher at the High School, Mr. Tyson Jackson will be teaching K-12 Music/Band for us. We are very lucky to have him and I'm excited to see what he can do with our students! We just finished school pictures on August 22nd. Retakes will be on October 14th. The first 2 weeks have flown by. We have gotten all our students set with solid schedules and look forward to a great 1st semester. I truly appreciate all the support with the big changes we have made moving into this school year. Your students safety and education is our top priority here! My office is always open and all are welcome to come up and visit. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call or email. Thank you!

Go Panthers!

Email: jake.shipman@mndcty.org

Website: https://www.mndcty.k12.mo.us/