January 2026 Academic Newsletter

Visual Design- This month, students will engage in a variety of two- and three-dimensional art projects designed to build technical skills, collaboration, and creative thinking. Units will include mosaic design, a collaborative group sculpture project, charcoal drawing techniques, printmaking processes, and a layered painting project. Through these experiences, students will explore diverse materials and methods while developing craftsmanship, problem-solving skills, and artistic expression.

Art Design — Over the next several weeks, students will design and create a variety of handmade items in preparation for their end-of-year craft booth. Emphasizing student choice, learners will select projects and media that align with their interests, such as candle making, crocheting, wood burning, rock and planter painting, and mirror etching. Throughout the process, students will develop creative and technical skills while also being introduced to foundational concepts of art entrepreneurship, including product planning, pricing considerations, and presenting their work for display and sale.

Ceramics and Sculpture — This month, students will continue glazing previously completed clay pieces while expanding their skills through new hand-built projects. The unit will include the creation of functional cups as well as an independent clay project that allows for personal choice and creative expression. As students apply and refine foundational hand-building techniques, they will build confidence in their craftsmanship. The month will conclude with an introduction to the pottery wheel, preparing students for upcoming wheel-thrown ceramic projects.

Mass Media: The yearbook class is hard at work on second-semester yearbook spreads, capturing important moments from throughout the school year. Students are taking lots of pictures at events and around school to document memories that will last a lifetime. Their creativity and teamwork help turn these moments into a yearbook everyone will cherish.

Business Skills: In January, students in the Business Skills class will learn the key features of Microsoft Office. They will explore programs such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to build practical, real-world skills. Understanding how to use this software is essential because it is widely used in many workplaces and careers. Learning Microsoft Office now helps prepare students for future jobs, college coursework, and professional responsibilities.

Personal Finance: Students in Personal Finance will be learning about the services provided by banks and credit unions and the different options and features they offer. This chapter focuses on responsible banking and how to choose and use accounts wisely. Students are also learning how to manage their accounts effectively. Emphasis is placed on the importance of keeping accurate financial records.

Accounting: Students are learning about starting a proprietorship and how it operates as a simple form of business ownership. They will explore how business transactions impact the accounting equation of assets = liabilities + owner’s equity. Students will practice identifying and recording changes to the equation as the business earns revenue, incurs expenses, and makes owner investments or withdrawals. They will also learn to classify accounts correctly as assets, liabilities, or owner’s equity to ensure accurate financial records.

FBLA: FBLA members are working hard and showing strong dedication as they prepare their projects for upcoming competitions. Students are competing in a variety of events, including Intro to Social Media, Sales Presentation, Impromptu Speaking, Broadcast Journalism, Visual Design, Journalism, and Graphic Design. They are researching, practicing presentations, and refining their creative work to meet event guidelines and scoring criteria. Teamwork, time management, and professionalism are key skills students are developing throughout the preparation process. The district FBLA contest will be held at the end of January, and students are excited to showcase their talents and hard work.

Integrated Science 9 (Physical Science) - Physical Science has two main components: Chemistry and Physics. Second semester will be the physics component of the class. Kicking off with motion and moving into forces during the month of January.

Chemistry - Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. We will review electrons in atoms and wrap up our discussions with electron configurations. This leads us nicely into the periodic table of the elements, focusing on the classifications, laws and properties of the respective groups.

Biology - Biology, or life science, will provide students with the knowledge of the nature of living things. The cell cycle, mitosis, and an introduction to genetics are on deck for the next few weeks. Expanding on previous knowledge by diving deeper into the "things" that make us!

Anatomy - Human anatomy is the study of the body, its parts and their locations. Our trusty class skeleton will be getting a workout this month as we continue our study of the skeletal system. Moving down from the skull, the vertebral column, pectoral girdle and upper limb bones are up this month.

Earth Science - Earth Science is the name for the group of sciences that deals with Earth and its neighbors in space. Earthquakes and tectonic plate movement is on deck for this month. This should be some exciting stuff since the New Madrid fault is in our state!

Pre-Algebra - We will be working on systems of equations and inequalities. We will learn how to solve these equations and when to use these in situations.

Algebra 1 (Soph.) - We are using the quadratic formula to solve quadratic equations.

Geometry - We are working on finding all of our centers of triangles and finding what special characteristics each one gives us.

Algebra 2 - We will be learning about logarithmic functions and how these help us solve exponential equations. Along with this, we will be talking about interest rates and how money relates to exponential functions.

Applied Math - We are working on making scale drawings. We are using the school as our model and working to make a scale drawing that will hang on every door with escape routes.

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 class now shifts to Research and the methodology behind it. Students will first look at basic issues of measuring devices, including objectivity, reliability, and validity. Students then explore the steps involved in the research process, focusing on types of hypotheses and choosing a research strategy. Finally, the unit investigates how to properly communicate the research, which consists of learning about the different sections (abstract, introduction, method, results and discussion) and what information goes into those sections.

Criminal Justice - The second semester begins with students learning about the court system and adjudication. This includes discussing the criminal court process, state courts, federal courts and the judiciary. Students will have an understanding about what each court type does, functions of judges, qualifications necessary for judges and different aspects of law that affect the judicial decision making.

Contemporary Literature - After spending the first semester reading, analyzing and writing poetry and short stories, students now begin to read contemporary novels. Every novel choice has a distinct theme and appropriate discussions related to said theme. Besides the reading, students have many projects to complete for each novel. Students will choose between the five following novels to read this semester: The Road, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Into the Wild, Jurassic Park and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The class will feature as many of the novels as time allows.

Psychology - Students begin the semester exploring different learning types. Three major types of learning students focus on are classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning. During this unit, students have the opportunity to listen to different movies and TV shows and theme songs from them. Students listen to the theme song and try to determine the type of movie/TV show it comes from. This drives home how students have been conditioned to "feel" certain ways based on what they hear. At the end of the unit, students will design a conditioning experiment. During this experiment, students need to develop a scientific question, hypotheses, and the procedure to conduct the experiment.

As we come back from Christmas, the freshmen in American History will be learning about socioeconomic realities of the turn of the 20th century as well as examining America's role in World War I. World History will also be beginning their discussion of World War I. We will examine the causes of the war as well as how its aftermath set the stage for later conflicts. A new group of Sophomores will be starting Sophomore Leadership so we will return to the basics of what leadership is. Current Events will get back to examining news stories from around the world.

Panther Band- The Panther Band is beginning to move into contest season. We have two pieces that we will be taking to contest this year. Students will also be participating in Solo/Small Ensemble Contest for the first time in several years. The Panther Band has 3 home basketball games it will be performing for as well. The first one for the New Year being CourtWarming on January 23rd.

Ag Science 1- Students are starting off the semester with information over FFA and closing out SAE's in the Record books. They will also start into the animal science unit along with conduct of chapter meeting unit this month.

Ag Science 2- Students are starting off the semester with information over FFA and closing out SAE's in the Record books. Once we complete that, we will move into career development events and then start into shop safety units.

Greenhouse Management- Students are starting off the semester with information over FFA and closing out SAE's in the Record books. Students will then finalize the plant Identification unit and continue into tools, pests, and disorders.

Ag Construction- Students are starting off the semester with information over FFA and closing out SAE's in the Record books. They will then learn about CAD programs (Computer Animated Drawings) and apply this information utilizing the PlasmaCam

Animal Science- Students are starting off the semester with information over FFA and closing out SAE's in the Record books. They will then move into the Beef unit along with some Agricultural Mechanics Curriculum

Ag Business- Students are starting off the semester with information over FFA and closing out SAE's in the Record books. We will then move into Farm accounting and Assets vs Liability problems including Non-Current and Current Inventory definitions and application.

Apparel & Textiles:

Super excited for this new class that I will be teaching this semester. We will be getting comfortable with the sewing machines for a couple weeks. They will then be designing a sweatshirt that they will sew on different graphics that they have cut out. I look forward to seeing their imaginations work with this project.

7th grade:

This will be a new class this semester. Students will be learning about FCCLA so they are familiar with this organization for High School. Our first unit after that will be about character and building self-esteem, basic communication skills, basics with friendships, and common courtesy towards those around them.

Child Development II:

This unit is studying the emotional and social development of children from ages 1-3. They will be able to list the 4 signs of a healthy relationship between parents and a child, describe specific emotions children ages 18 months to three years show, and list ways to help children develop social skills.

Foods:

We will be starting the semester off learning about sourdough. Students will be making the sour dough starter, naming it, and learning how to keep it alive and active. I look forward to using this for many fun and creative projects in the kitchen.

Nutrition and Wellness:

This semester we will start off with a chapter about keeping your kitchen area clean. Students will be able to explain how food becomes contaminated with pathogens. They’ll learn about different common types of foodborne illnesses, the symptoms of those, and how to prevent foodborne illnesses from occurring.

Interpersonal Relationships:

We will be learning about developing communication skills. Students will be describing the communication process, identifying different forms of nonverbal and verbal communication, and demonstrating effective speaking and listening skills. They will be using “I Statements” to send clear messages stating their point of view or way of seeing things.

Health:

Beginning with the introduction to health and wellness will include learning the four dimensions of Health through scenarios (Physical, Emotional, Intellectual, and Social). Students will learn to find websites online that are reliable sources of information. This will help students learn that you can’t believe everything you read online. Information must be reliable and credible. We will do an activity where we will set a SMART (realistic) goal for improving our health. They will list steps they can take to reach that goal and will monitor their progress throughout the week. We will discuss the importance of doctor appointments and regular checkups.

FCCLA:

Star Events is next week at Northwest Missouri State University. I have 11 students signed up to participate in those events. Top 2 gold winners will qualify for state competition at Springfield, MO in March. The regional officer tryouts will be the third week of January. We have one student trying out for office.

Freshmen will begin reading The Hunger Games, focusing on character development, theme, and the author’s choices related to identity and power. Students will practice close reading and write brief, evidence-based responses to analyze how characters are revealed beyond surface-level traits. We will also begin a collaborative research project with the Science Department and the Librarian, reinforcing skills in reading informational texts, organizing evidence, and clearly communicating claims rather than simply summarizing information.

Sophomores will begin reading The Great Gatsby, analyzing characters, symbolism, setting, and themes while practicing close reading and text-based writing aligned with Missouri ELA standards. Students will also complete an independent research project on the historical and cultural context of the 1920s, including two librarian-led sessions on research strategies and MLA formatting.

Juniors will begin reading Yann Martel’s The Life of Pi, practicing close reading and literary analysis. Students will explore themes of survival, faith, and human resilience while examining symbolism and narrative perspective. In-class mini-lessons and discussions on cultural, philosophical, and scientific contexts will deepen understanding, culminating in a text-based argumentative or synthesis essay that demonstrates comprehension and personal interpretation.

Seniors will explore The Mind at Work by Mike Rose, examining the intelligence, skill, and expertise required in blue-collar professions. Students will develop advanced analytical and research skills as they investigate careers in preparation for upcoming job-shadowing experiences. Through reading, writing, and presentations, students will connect textual insights to real-world applications, enhancing both academic proficiency and career readiness.

Strength & Conditioning - weights

Athletic Conditioning - Agility / Mobility / Stability

Freshmen:

Jazlynn Hale and Caleb Russell

Sophomores:

Elise Dudeck and Rennick Rader

Juniors:

Emma Russell and Heath Biermann

Seniors:

Ava Luna and Braylon Foster

Congratulations! And thank you for representing yourself, your families, and our school the right way in the classroom!

Local Scholarships for Seniors

-Seniors will have a scholarship meeting on January 15th where they will be given the Mound City local scholarship packet. The local scholarship deadline is March 2nd at 3pm unless otherwise specified.

2nd semester is officially here! I hope everyone had a great relaxing break! My family and I spent alot of time visiting with family and relaxing. After meetings with our staff on Monday, we are all very excited to get the 2nd semester started and missed seeing the students in the building! With 2nd semester, comes weather. I want to remind everyone that if there is weather that forces us to cancel school, Mr. Miles will include in the text if it is AMI (Alternative Method of Instruction) day. This means that students attendance will be taken based on the work they complete that has been assigned by teachers through their google classrooms. Some teachers will send packets home, and other will post things online. This is not our preferred method of instruction, but does help us moving forward and keeps us from falling behind when weather comes. With this also comes sickness. I would ask that communication with the HS office stay consistent, students must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school. Our Courtwarming night will be 1/23 with Coronation at 5:30 pm. The dance will be after the games and last till 11:30ish. Outside dance forms are on the table outside the office for students to fill out and are due back by January 16th. I wanted to give a shoutout to Mrs. Ebersold and Mr. Tenney. They have started practices for our very own HS Play. I'm super excited to see and watch our students participation in these activity. I know they are very excited. The 2nd semester is a very busy time so please utilize the newsletter and information provided on our app to stay up to date. If anyone has questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact the HS Office or email me at jake.shipman@mndcty.org. I hope everyone has a great month of January!

Email: jake.shipman@mndcty.org

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