Inside
the Cat‘s Eye
Volume 27, Issue 2
For Employees of the Marshalltown Community School District
October 2015
Amanda‘s Journey
Fisher educator
takes the road
to better health
Do you want to be inspired?
Take a moment to talk with
Fisher Elementary School fourth
grade teacher Amanda Freiberg.
That‘s if you can catch her.
Freiberg has taken up a healthier lifestyle including eating better
and a whole bunch of running and
walking. As a result, she has more
energy and has lost 68 pounds.
Freiberg started out with walking
and advanced to jogging and running.
“The more I‘ve done it, the
farther I am able to go jogging and
the better times I have been getting,” she said.
See Road, on page 2
Fisher Elementary School fourth grade teacher Amanda Freiberg, right,
runs with her mom Jane Jech during a 5K in August to benefit the Fisher
Elementary PTO.
The Marshalltown Community School District Employee News is distributed as a project of the
District‘s Communications Office. Unless indicated, articles are written by Andrew Potter, Director
of Communications for Marshalltown Schools. Articles and story ideas may be submitted to the editor,
Andrew Potter, Central Office, 1002 S. 3rd Ave. Marshalltown, IA 50158. The Marshalltown Community
School District does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, sex, national origin, religion,
sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status or socioeconomic status. The District is an
Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Inquiries and grievances may be directed
to Matt Tullis, MCSD Equity Coordinator, at Central Office, or to the Director of the Region VII Office
of Civil Rights, Department of Education, Kansas City, Mo.
Page 2
Road
Continued from page 1
Amanda works out 2-5 times a
week, mixing walking and jogging.
Freiberg said it‘s important for
her to show her children and students what can be accomplished.
“I want to inspire others. I don‘t
want to go back to how I was. And
most importantly, I want to be a
good role model for my students
and my own children,” she said.
She also credited a product she
uses called Thrive to help with her
energy boost.
She would tell others wanting
to get healthier to start small and
don‘t expect changes to happen
overnight.
4
Inside the Cat‘s Eye
“Results do not always happen
right away. Often times there are
changes happening inside your
body that you can‘t see on the outside,” Amanda said.
Amanda also credits the support
of her parents, Kerry and Jane Jech,
during this process.
“I could not be doing this without them,” Amanda said.
Her mother Jane has been jogging with her and participating in
5K races with her as well, including
a recent Fisher Elementary PTO
5K.
“It gives me motivation to keep
training, ” Amanda said of signing
up for 5K runs.
questions with....
Brian Bartz, new Director of Business
Operations for Marshalltown Schools
What brought you to Marshalltown Schools?
Brian: Wanting to help children reach their potential.
What is something unique about you (hobby or activity)?
Brian: I like to exercise and hike 14,000 foot peaks with my
son.
What do you enjoy about working in the field of school
finance?
Brian: No two days are the same.
What‘s the best professional advice you‘ve received in
your career?
Brian: We learn much more from our mistakes than our successes.
October 2015
Hoglan staff excited
to meet former
Hawkeye kicker
Nate Kaeding
Former Iowa Hawkeye and National Football League kicker Nate
Kaeding visited Hoglan Elementary School to speak to students
on Sept. 10. Many Hoglan staff
members were excited to see him.
He is pictured with Hoglan Principal Amy Williams.
Kaeding has local ties as his
wife, Samantha (Gervich) is from
Marshalltown.
MHS band pasta
supper is Oct. 27
The MHS band is planning its
annual pasta supper, which is from
5 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 27 in the
MHS cafeteria. Tickets are $5 for
individuals.
Money raised from the dinner
will go toward the Fiesta Bowl trip
for the band this winter to Phoenix. To get a ticket for the dinner,
see Brett Umthun, Bret Lee or
MHS band students.
October 2015
Inside the Cat‘s Eye
Garringer-Klyn
Hilary Garringer
married Alex Klyn on
June 27, 2015 in Newton. Hilary is in her
third year as a kindergarten teacher at Fisher
Elementary and Alex
is a new fifth grade
teacher at Lenihan
Intermediate after
long-term subbing last
year. The bride now
goes by Hilary Klyn.
Wedding Bells
Wallace-Althaus
Jessica Wallace married Gavin Althaus on July 11, 2015 in Des Moines.
Jessica is a kindergarten teacher at Anson Elementary School and Gavin
is an eighth grade Project Lead The Way teacher at Miller Middle School.
The bride now goes by Jessica Althaus.
Page 3
On the trails in
Marshalltown
As I was putting together welcome
packets to give to the new teachers this
summer, I got to thinking about all the
great things Marshalltown has to offer.
All within a five-minute drive we
have a great library, aquatic center and, of
course, great schools.
It‘s funny as my
family rides around
Marshalltown that
our 3-year-old has
different highlights
he points out.
He always laughs
at those trucks with
the yellow and blue
hats on them at the Napa Auto parts store.
He absolutely loves driving by the farm
equipment store on Center Street. And if
there is a construction project in town you
can bet he perks up.
His typical query is: “Are they almost
finished with that?”
My family also loves the trails in
Marshalltown and throughout the county.
Crossing the suspension bridge at Three
Bridges Park near Le Grand is always
a feat (although less of one now after
they‘ve fixed some broken boards.) We
love the adventure of taking trails and
seeing what‘s around the next corner.
Sometimes that adventurous nature gets us
in trouble.
The aforementioned 3-year-old has a
habit of picking up sticks and throwing
them while walking on the trails. Well,
this past summer at Grimes Farm while
walking over a foot bridge he bent down
to pick something up - then realized it
was moving. He had grabbed the tail of a
snake! It put us all in shock and fortunately the snake didn‘t want much to do with
us either and wasn‘t very dangerous. Talk
about being “hand‘s on” with nature.
Here‘s hoping you get out and experience all the area has to offer. If it slithers,
leave it alone, though. That‘s always good
advice.
- ANDREW POTTER
Communications Director
Page 4
Spoo-Cutright
Inside the Cat‘s Eye
Megan Spoo married
Blake Cutright in an
outdoor ceremony at
Klein Creek Golf Club
in Winfield, IL on June
13, 2015. Megan is a
kindergarten teacher
at Rogers Elementary
School and Blake is
a physical education
teacher at Hoglan
Elementary School.
The bride now goes by
Megan Cutright.
Wedding Bells
Allen-Boliver
Nicki Allen married Justin Boliver at their home on Aug. 23, 2015. Nicki
is physical education teacher at Rogers Elementary School and Justin is
dean of students at Marshalltown High School. The bride now goes by
Nicki Boliver.
October 2015
Frohwein has
amazing
experience at
Belin-Blank
Marshalltown High School
English teacher Jocelyn Frohwein
spent five days this summer participating in the Belin-Blank Fellowship at the University of Iowa.
She went in
with a goal to
learn to better
connect with
higher end students and learned
so much more
than that.
“I looked at information from
multiple research studies on how
gifted students work best and
propel them to think about where
they want their education to go and
how to attain that goal, ” Frohwein
said. “I also got to work with the
most amazing and brilliant minds
in the area of creativity and gifted
and talented realm. I got to meet
Dr. Colangelo, Dr. Assouline, Dr.
Croft and so many more. One of
the friendships with another fellow
there started a research project
with Marshalltown High School
and a Secondary High School in
Istanbul, Turkey.”
Frohwein highly recommends
the fellowship to others.
“I was able to fall back in
love with learning and applying research to my classroom for
reflection and application. It was
an amazing experience and I hope
there are others that are interested
in applying this year,” Frohwein
said.
October 2015
Inside the Cat‘s Eye
Page 5
Hello babies!
Parker John Pietig
Chad and Angie Pietig are the proud parents of a baby boy. Parker John
Pietig was born at 1:30 p.m. on August 20, 2015, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. He weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19 inches in
length. Parker was welcomed home by his big sisters - Payton (6) and
Piper (19 months). Chad is a science teacher and cross country and track
coach at Marshalltown High School and Angie is a third grade teacher at
Franklin Elementary School.
Jason and Shea
Hill welcomed a
baby girl,
Ellena Ann Hill,
on April 3, 2015
in Marshalltown.
Elle weighed
8 pounds, 14
ounces and was
21.5 inches long.
Elle is one of the
youngest Cyclone
fans you‘ll find.
Shea is an eighth
grade literature
teacher at Miller
Middle School.
Ellena Ann Hill
Mylo
Willy
Large
Lynn and Jacy Large welcomed
Mylo Willy Large on June 4, 2015
in Marshalltown. He weighed 9
pounds, 1 ounce and was 20.5
inches long. Lynn is director of
food service with Marshalltown
Schools and Jacy is principal at
Miller Middle School.
Submit your news
Submit MCSD staff news such
as new babies, or grandchildren,
marriages, personal or professional
accomplishments to:
Andrew Potter,
Communications Director, at
[email protected],
or call 641-754-1000.
The next issue of Inside the Cat‘s
Eye is scheduled to print in November or December. Please submit
your items for that issue by Oct. 30.
Page 6
Inside the Cat‘s Eye
October 2015
Memorable trip to Japan for MCSD staff, students
Three Marshalltown Community School District staff members had a memorable trip to Japan this summer.
Carol Barlow (Franklin nurse, third from left), Debbie Harris (substitute staff member, far left) and Matt Tullis (Equity and Learning Supports director, far right) traveled with 10 students to Minami Alps, Japan, the sister city of
Marshalltown from July 27- August 1. They are pictured meeting Minami Alps Mayor Hirobumi Nakairi. The trip is
not a school-sponsored trip as it is through the Marshalltown Sister Cities Association.
“The 2015 Japan trip was an enormously positive experience in meeting new people, eating fantastic food and enjoying
Japanese culture. Both of my children had an exceptional time hanging out with Japanese families,” Barlow said.
Perin opens pumpkin patch on Rhodes farm
Teresa Perin has opened a pickyour-own pumpkin patch on her
farm.
The Marshalltown High School
English teacher operates Eden Hills
Pumpkin Patch at 3081 Canfield
Road in Rhodes.
The patch features lots of
pumpkins, hayrack rides, children‘s
activities and a market/gift shop.
“I have long dreamed of sharing
my farm with people because I love
the rural lifestyle and its beauty,”
Perin said. “This is a good way for
me to do it. I want to provide a service that is enjoyable for people.”
It is open every Saturday and
Sunday in October from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. She would like to offer a
Eden Hills Pumpkin Patch
10 percent discount on a pumpkin
to all Marshalltown Community
School District staff members.