February 2026 Academic Newsletter

Visual Design – This month, freshmen will explore a variety of printmaking processes along with a layered painting project, creating one-of-a-kind mixed media artworks designed to build confidence and creative skills. In addition, students will design and construct an independent sculpture of their choice, selecting materials that best support their artistic vision.

Art Design — Over the next several weeks, students will plan and create a range of handmade items in preparation for the end-of-year Fine Arts Night. With an emphasis on student choice, learners will select projects and media that reflect their individual interests, including candle making, wood burning, and ceramics. Throughout the unit, students will strengthen both creative and technical skills while gaining an introduction to art entrepreneurship through product planning, pricing considerations, and preparing work for professional display and sale.

Ceramics and Sculpture — This month, students will engage in independent project work, creating functional and sculptural pieces such as coasters, miniature self-figures, bowls, cups, photo holders, tic-tac-toe boards, jewelry dishes, and kitchen utensils. In addition, students will begin working with the pottery wheel, developing foundational skills in wheel-thrown ceramics.

Business Skills: Students are currently learning how to properly write business letters and professional emails, with a strong focus on correct formatting and clear communication. Students are developing skills they will use in real-world workplace situations. Students will focus on tone, structure, and professionalism in written communication. In addition to strengthening writing skills, students are preparing to transition to Microsoft Excel content. Beginning in early February, the class will start a Microsoft Excel unit focused on building essential spreadsheet and data management skills.

Mass Media: The yearbook class is actively working on their yearbook spreads. Students are busy taking photos during courtwarming activities and other school events.

Personal Finance: Students are preparing to begin a checkbook packet. During the next couple of weeks, they will learn how to properly write a check and complete deposit slips accurately. Students will also practice recording transactions and reconciling a bank statement to ensure their balances are correct. Instruction will include an introduction to online banking and how digital transactions impact account balances. After completing the checkbook packet, students will begin a new chapter, The Role of Insurance.

Accounting: Students are learning the fundamentals of accounting, including how to use T-accounts to track financial activity. Instruction focuses on understanding debits and credits and how they impact different accounts. Students are also practicing accurately journalizing transactions as part of the accounting cycle.

FBLA: Fifteen FBLA members are currently preparing to compete in upcoming FBLA contests, showcasing their skills and dedication. FBLA Week will be celebrated February 9th–13th with several fun and engaging activities planned. Events include a member breakfast and an ice cream social to recognize and celebrate student involvement. Members will also show their FBLA pride by wearing their FBLA shirts throughout the week.

District FBLA Contest Results:

Introduction to Social Media Strategy- 1st place (advancing to state) Adya Messer, Daelynn Yocum, and Sophie Biermann

Event Planning- 1st place (advancing to state) Elise Dudeck, Elena Gillenwater, and Danica McDonald

Broadcast Journalism- 3rd place Graison Gegen, Miranda Rieger, and Nichole Brammann

Website Design- 3rd place- Nichole Brammann

Public Service Announcement- 3rd place- Rayla Hufford, Kaleah Messer, Destiny Panning

Customer Service- 3rd place- Adya Messer

Sales Presentation- 5th place- Graison Gegen, Ava Luna, and Destiny Panning

Job Interview- 5th place- Kaleah Messer

Visual Design- 5th place- Grady Knapp

Integrated Science 9 (Physical Science) - Physical Science has two main components: Chemistry and Physics. In our second semester we are in our Physics Unit. Throughout February we will study motion and forces, including Newton's Laws of motion. Physics concepts will be solidified visually in the lab, where we will look at and explain Newton's Cradle.

Chemistry - Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. We are deep diving into the periodic table of the elements. Our focus includes classifications, laws and properties of the respective groups, atomic radius and ionization energies.

Biology - Biology, or life science, will provide students with the knowledge of the nature of living things. Now that we have laid a foundation in cells, their parts and how they grow, we will be studying genetics. Looking at the work of Gregor Mendel, punnett squares and meiosis. We hope to spend some more time in the lab this month as well.

Anatomy - Human anatomy is the study of the body, its parts and their locations. Our class skeleton got a workout the last couple of months, so we will give him a break this month. The integumentary system is up next, that includes the skin - the largest organ of the human body. There is a special project for this unit - students will create a 3-D model of the skin and present their learning on a unique skin condition to one of their teachers!

Earth Science - Earth Science is the name for the group of sciences that deals with Earth and its neighbors in space. At the end of January we started our study of the oceans. We are going to be investigating waves, tides and currents.

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 will start working with quadrilaterals and other polygons, using what we learned with triangles to solve more complex shapes.

Algebra 2 - We will begin to work with trigonometric functions and learn about our polar coordinate system.

Life Skills - We will be covering how to change a tire and jump start a car. We will start to learn some home maintenance things as well.

Stats/Research - Students will be discussing ethics. They will have an opportunity to learn about their own code of conduct, ethics in a variety of fields, and the ethics involved in research - what does it mean, when it applies, and special circumstances to consider.

Criminal Justice - Students will use the knowledge they have learned about court cases and trials and will participate in an interactive simulated trial online. They must hear all the evidence and eye-witness testimony to become each key player in a trial. After participating in each facet of the case, they will determine the outcome of the trial. Students will then shift focus to the scientific principles used in crime scenes.

Contemporary Literature - Students will finish the novel The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King. Once completed, they will use several writing topics to analyze key themes. The unit culminates with a project that finds students either mapping out the Appalachian Trail or creating a survival manual - both of which are key elements of the story.

Psychology - After completion of the unit on learning - focusing on classical and operant conditioning - students use the related knowledge to create their own experiment highlighting one of the two techniques. These experiments are designed to be a fun example of the conditioning technique in question.

This month in World History we will be discussing the specifics of World War I and its long term impacts on Europe and the rest of the world. The American History Class just wrapped up their discussion of the progressive era and will next move to the Great Depression. The Sophomore Leadership Class has begun planning its service project as well as learning about various qualities of strong leadership. Lastly, Current Events continues to examine news events from around the world as they hone in on finding reliable information from trusty sources.

Panther Band- The Panther band is working diligently preparing for the large group band contest in Tarkio on March 10th. They had a guest clinician come in at the end of January who gave them some valuable feedback.

A handful of Panther Band students are preparing solos and small ensembles to take to a festival on March 21st in St. Joe.

Ag Science 2- Students will be starting shop and tool safety units in February with hopes of entering the shop by the end of the month to learn how to weld and work with metal.

Greenhouse students will be prepping for our plants that come in in February to start prepping for the greenhouse sale in April or May

Ag Construction students are learning how to use the computerized plasma cutter along with working on personal shop projects.

Animal Science students have started our animal breeding and reproduction units. They will also learn about farm maintenance practices in this class.

Ag Business students are learning about running Agricultural Business with an emphasis of personal finance. Currently we are exploring variable vs fixed cost in the business world along in personal lives relating to future bills and cost.

Foods:

We will be making different potato dishes. We will also make breakfast items for the FCCLA teacher breakfast that will happen during FCCLA week. Towards the middle of the month we will start a cupcake wars lesson, where students will come up with a flavor and design, then prepare the cupcakes for the contest.

Interpersonal Relationships:

We are watching “The Ultimate Gift”. Jason Stevens (Drew Fuller) lives a life of wealth and privilege. When his grandfather (James Garner) dies, Jason expects to receive a hefty inheritance. Instead, however, Jason must set out on a journey of self-discovery to earn the true gift his grandfather meant for him to have. Along the way, Jason befriends a dying girl (Abigail Breslin) and her mother (Ali Hillis) and learns what is really important in life. We are learning about building relationships with the community around us.

Health:

We are talking about different risk factors of your health, whether it is behavior, genes or environment. They will be able to explain the relationship between health and life expectancy, also students will be able to determine how health and wellness relate to quality of life. And finally, they will be able to describe the three categories of risk factors (family history, modifiable risk factors, non-modifiable risk factors). Towards the end of month, we will be looking at choosemyplate.gov and visually seeing what should be our daily intake for each meal.

Nutrition and Wellness:

We will be making different casseroles and crock pot meals that have few ingredients but still a tasty meal the kids will feel comfortable making at home by themselves. Students will also be helping me get breakfast foods ready for FCCLA week for the teachers and members.

Child Development:

We will continue to learn about the development of children from ages 1-3.

8th Grade:

We will start a lesson over Child Development. Students will learn the basic concepts, but go into what it looks like to be a babysitter.

Apparel & Textiles:

Students will continue sewing their patchwork sweatshirts. Their designs have really impressed me.

FCCLA:

We had 3 individual competitors and 2 group competitors qualify for state in the STAR Events competition that was held at Northwest Missouri State University in January. They will move on to Springfield in March and compete at the state level. Emma also auditioned for a Region officer position and was awarded the Region 1 Vice President position for next year! They also decided on what to make for the teachers breakfast that Wednesday morning of FCCLA week.

Freshmen will continue 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 continue 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 have chosen to read The Great Gatsby. 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 continue reading 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: Kaysten Livengood, Brody Killen

Sophomores: Brooklyn Brouhard, Seth Oswald

Juniors: Graclyn Brandon, Cobi Panning

Seniors: Destiny Panning, John Oswald

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

Good Morning,

I hope everyone had a great January. I'm excited to get into February. We are 1 month closer to warmer weather thank goodness. While on the weather topic, I wanted to clarify some AMI expectations. Teachers will provide work via google classroom. Students are expected to complete the assignment during this day. If for some reason difficulties arise, we of course will make exceptions when we feel it is justified. Failure to complete these assignments will result in 0. Along with an unexcused absence for that hour. For students having trouble with assignments, please reach out to the specific teacher's email with questions.

We also just ran our first grade check of 3rd quarter. I want to remind everyone that we run grades every 2 weeks. If a student has a (D+,D, or D-) they are on probation and are required to attend tutoring for 2 Wednesday's after school but can still participate in extra curriculars. If a student has an F in any classes, they are ineligible and still requiring them to attend tutoring but also making them ineligible for extra curriculars and events during the school day. This is to help hold everyone accountable and keeping the main focus on their academics.

Other things happening in the month of February are: FBLA Districts at NWMSU on February 5th (results above in HS Business section), FCCLA/FBLA week (February 9th-13th), FFA week (February 16th-20th), FFA Farm show on February 20th. On February 12th we will have group/class pictures along with any make-ups that still need to be taken. We are very busy with organizational competitions starting up along with athletics. Please make sure to be checking Lumen to help our students stay on top of their academics. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns you might have. You can reach me by email or calling the office @ jake.shipman@mndcty.org or 660.442.5429.

Go Panthers!

Email: jake.shipman@mndcty.org

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