Jeff Simmons-Superintendent

Karter Kleeman-Jr./Sr. High Principal

Andrew Cook-Elementary Principal

Phone: 701-764-5877

Fax: 701-764-5648

Website: www.killdeer.k12.nd.us

Killdeer Public School Monthly Newsletter

October, 2020

IN THIS ISSUE *Principal News - Pg. 2

*Superintendent News - Pg. 3

*Art News - Pg. 4

*Homecoming Court - Pg. 5

*Gibson Award - Pg. 6

*October Calendar - Pg. 8

*October Menu - Pg. 9

DATES TO REMEMBER

Oct. 7th & 14th

Parent - Teacher Conferences

Oct. 22nd & 23rd No School

NDEA Conference

Oct. 28th

Early Out

1:30 PM

If your student is in any Vo-Ag Classes and/or participates in Sports please be

sure they have their fee paid for this year.

We Have An Online Payment Option Available On Our Website!

www.killdeer.k12.nd.us

Check It Out!

Direct Link:

https://smartpay.profitstars.com/express/Killdeer%20Public

Thank you to all of the people who donated school supplies and garden vegetables for the students of

Killdeer Public School! We truly appreciate your generosity!

The Fall Musical could use some more 7-12 actors.

Please come and show your tal-

ent. Auditions are after school in the

band room! See Mr. Housel for more

information!

Picture retake day will be October 28th. If you missed picture day in Sep-tember, please pick up a picture packet in the main office. Fall Sports and clubs will be taken this day as well. Even if you don’t want to order pic-tures, please get your picture taken for the yearbook . Mrs. Nowitzki is the coordinator for the newspaper club, yearbook club, and school pictures, so if you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Nowitzki at Nicole.nowitzki@k12.nd.us

Page 2

From the Desk of Mr. Kleeman Hope everyone is having an amazing fall. Several eligibility lists have come out for the last few weeks. Remember students that may

need extra help are strongly encouraged to participate in 8th Period, which is an after school program led by teachers and peer mentors.

This period is where students can come for additional help from 3:15pm to 4:00pm. Staff is also available in the morning to assist stu-

dents with their work. Make sure to check your child’s grades on PowerSchool. Log-in information can be received at the school office.

Remember to come support our kids in their extra-curricular activities. We are always in need of ticket takers and activity bus drivers. If

you would like to help out, please get in touch with Mr. Pittsley at 701-764-5877.

Parent/Teacher conferences are schedule for the two following Wednesdays, October 7 and 14 from 4-7 pm. This year conferences will

all be broadcasted over TEAMS or over the phone. The staff will be reaching out to parents through your children. Students will schedule

a time to meet with parents, relay that information to parents and make appropriate changes from there.

Quick dress code reminder to all of the parents: The administration shall have the prerogative of removing a student from school if the

student’s appearance is judged to be a distraction to the learning process or detrimental to the image of the Killdeer High School. Some

initial guidelines include: Tank – top straps need to be at least two fingers wide; no halter or spaghetti strap tops. Skirts, shorts, dresses

must be an inch longer then their fingertips. Holes in pants and shorts cannot be above finger length. Bottoms of shirt/tops must touch the

top of the waist line at all times. Students will not be permitted to wear clothing displaying liquor, drugs, tobacco, sexual slogans, or ob-

scenity during school or at any school sponsored activity. Caps or headwear of any kind must be taken off from 8:20-3:15. Hoods are not

to be worn at any time in school. Bandannas are not to be worn at any time during school hours unless they are for a school related cele-

bration such as homecoming. Leggings must be accompanied with some coverage (dress, skirt, long shirt, etc.) that goes past fingertip

length.

Also, one last quick reminder to monitor your student’s health before and after the school day. The days of coming to school and

“toughing it out” are behind us for now. It is better to be safe than sorry when dealing with illness in the school. All school materials can

be accessed online through the Schoology website, so students choosing to stay home due to illness will not fall behind.

Karter Kleeman, Secondary Principal

Elementary News As the weather turns cold, please make sure that your students are coming with adequate clothing for recess. We are past the time of year when a simple hoodie or sweater will suffice. We will have Parent Teacher conferences on October 7th and October 14th. Please be on the lookout for communication from your stu-dent’s teacher about a scheduled time to meet via telephone on one of those nights. We do our best to make sure that we accommodate families with multiple students, but it is not always possible to make everything work. Just as a reminder, if your students has a fever, please keep them home. The first quarter ends on October 21st and there is no school on October 22nd and 23rd.

Andrew Cook, Elementary Principal

Elijah Speers has won the prestigious and nationally recognized “Musicianship Award”,

which can be given annually to a student who shows exemplary promise, improvement

and skill in music.

Eli has accomplished this by learning a new instrument last year (bass guitar) to help out

the band program. He is also an accomplished flute player and vocalist. The

“Musicianship Award” is given out by the nationally prestigious “Instrumentalist Magazine”

and is second only to the “John Philip Sousa Award” and the “National School Choral

Award”. Congratulation Eli!

Page 3

From the Superintendent High School Building Update Although it may not seem like much is going on with the project, there is a tremendous amount of work going on behind the scenes. Since my arrival as your new superintendent there are daily phone conversations and phone conferences to keep the project moving forward. As many in the community know securing the land has been a bit tumultuous but the majority of that process is behind us. Planning and zoning, gathering permits, researching utility easements are all items that need to be taken care of as the county, city and school consider roads, streets and the building site. There are many conversations with the school attorney, city, county and school engineers to coordinate preliminary work that must be done to keep the project on schedule. In addition to keeping the actual construction timeline there are many conversations with the PFM. PFM is the company that has put together the sale of the General Obligation bonds that will generate the money needed to pay for the school. The Architects, Construction Manager and all of the subcontractors need to be paid. Preparing the paperwork for board approval and having it ready to be acted on at school board meetings requires attention and coordination. The work with PFM is critically important. There is an archeological study that is occurring with the county and potentially with the school. Soil borings are being scheduled for the actual school building site simultaneously with the archeological study. All of these events must be planned out and coordinated. We are trying to keep everyone on a tight schedule and not lose any time. There are routine building committee meetings and the architects, construction manager, board members and administration are working on the layout of the building. It is important to note that there is nev-er a quorum of board members at these committee meetings. We must be contentious of open meeting laws. Of all of the work that happens this is the part that seems to be the most “fun”. Having input on the layout of the building seems to make all of the work worthwhile. Before the next committee meeting we are working on putting together a group of staff and students to gather their input about what they think of the work that has been done so far. There have been two joint meetings with the County, City and School board since the first of September. The respective attorneys will review an agreement that has been drafted that spells out responsibilities to make this project a success. The school dis-trict is very appreciative of the cooperation and commitment of the City and County. Pedestrian Safety As parents we know that the safety of your children is paramount. Having said that, I was called by a local business owner recently because a delivery truck driver had a close call with a child near a loading dock. The student walked behind a truck that was backing-up. She asked if I would reach out to parents and remind them to visit about general safety for those students who walk to school. Please visit with your children about the obvious. Ask them to look both ways before they walk across the street. What seems like common sense to adults may have been missed by our students. Additionally and unfortunately the truck by-pass does not direct all trucks on an alternate route around our school community. Thank you for helping us keep your children safe.

Winter Weather and Winter Travel Prior to the start of the winter season, I believe a few reminders are in order: *Parents/guardians need to make sure emergency home/storm home information and contact numbers are updated. Please contact Jess, Janell, or Jenni at the main office!

*Parents/guardians – please ensure that your children have the proper winter clothing and this attire is worn when appropriate. *Extracurricular participants need to have proper attire when traveling on the bus. The Killdeer School District is over 850 square miles and we have 3 bus routes that operate outside our District bound-aries……..I do appreciate being informed of changing weather conditions, so please let me know when things are “getting ugly out there”. Please also understand that if the decision is made to send our students home early, it may take up to 1 hour to make all of the necessary contacts and get buses ready to load prior to dismissing students. It is a very tough call, but necessary because of our weather conditions.

Jeff Simmons, Superintendent

Page 4

Happy Fall! My name is Ruth Adams and I am the new K-6 school counselor at KPS. I was born and raised in South Dakota, and have made Harding Co. my home for the past 26 years. My husband manages a ranch in South Dakota as well as running our own livestock. We have 3 children, Abbie (Sean) Elkins, Megan (Garrett) Clark and granddaughter Charlie, and our youngest Sam, who is a freshman at DSU. Besides from meeting individually with stu-dents, I provide classroom guidance lessons on Social/emotional, physical and mental health development, positive choices, resiliency, career, school and relationship building skills. As I get acquainted with the community and the school, I am very excited to be part of this amazing group of people. Killdeer has been very welcoming, and I look forward to continu-ing to get to know everyone!

Ruth Adams

New Staff Spotlight

Attention grades 7-12 art students: Mrs. Papineau is seeking student artwork for the 50th Annual Badlands Art Show in Dickinson. This is a three-day event showcasing local artists, and it features many different media including drawings, paintings, mixed media, sculptures, and photography. There is a $1 fee for entering a student work. If you are interested, please see Mrs. Papineau by October 9th to get all the information you need. She will need your registration forms, fee, and entries by October 20th so they can be prepared and mailed in time for the deadline. This is the perfect opportunity to showcase the artistic talent of Killdeer Public School, so please consider entering!

The Killdeer Public School Jeans for Charity Committee reminds students who are pursuing a degree in education that the scholarship due date is November 1st. Applicants must be admitted to the field of Education at their respective college/university’s Department of Education (this generally occurs sophomore to junior year in college). Applications received after No-vember 1, 2020 will not be considered for funding this year. The scholarship value is currently $500.00, but is dependent on monies generated solely through the Jeans for Charity program at Killdeer Public School. Interested scholarship applicants should contact Business Manager Rose Hurt at Killdeer Public School for an application.

Art News

Mrs. Papineau, 7-12 Art Teacher

2020 Homecoming King Zack Andersen and Queen Esther Jaggi!

Back Left to Right: Jana Smith, Jeremy Jepson, Emily Vernlund, Grace Ford, Jessica Klym, Julee Gartner, Leeann Knutson, Brock Pittsley, Nick Klatt, Karter Kleeman Front Left to Right: Becky Buchmann, Shayla Candrian, Holly Schmidt, Angela Walker, Sandee Pittsley, Janell Smith, Becki Andersen Not Pictured: Shantel Lorenz and Jennifer McCormick

Jayden Hicks, Kelly Bang, Kostner Benz-Weber, Brandtly Klatt, Molly Nies, Madison Helfrich, Ean Larsen, Hannah

Benz, Zackary Andersen

Page 5

KPS Alumni Staff

Brendon Gibson, a senior at Killdeer Public Schools, has been nominated as a delegate to the Congress of Future

Medical Leaders. The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physi-

cians or pursue medical research fields.

Gibson, was recognized by Duke University talent program his sixth and seventh grade years, specifically honor-

ing academically advanced students. By seventh grade, Gibson completed both his SAT and ACT. Gibson is cur-

rently a Certified Nursing Assistant that works at Hill Top Home of Comfort, one of the higher COVID-19 con-

firmed cases locations, gained hours of help and experience working with the Killdeer Ambulance, who Gibson

praised as “helping me big time” as they have helped him nearly become a certified Emergency Medical Techni-

cian, only needing to take the test. Gibson was president of HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America)

during his freshman and sophomore years, was named the North Dakota State President, named the Killdeer Pres-

ident for two years, placed first for CPR and First-Aid. Part of the National Honor Society, part of Student Gov-

ernment, President of S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions.)

When asked what he likes to do for fun? Gibson replied, “I like to work for fun.”

Needless to say, Gibson, whose main goal is to one day become an anesthesiologist, earned the nomination.

“If I finish a task within an organization or I reached the pinnacle at which I believe I could go ... then I set it fur-

ther,” he said. “I just continue pushing and pushing until there I’ve actually reached the boundary there’s nothing

left. But so far, there is so many things I can do, and that’s what keeps me going.”

For the average senior, having a job, maintaining grades and focusing on college is one of the most difficult tasks.

But with Gibson, whose continues to find ways of working towards his dream of being a doctor, his full schedule

is full of motivation.

Among those that have helped him get to where he is, Gibson credited his family, and in God, for helping him get

to where he is today.

“Currently, Gibson has declared to attend Dallas Baptist University with $36,000 in academic scholarships. Gib-

son is planning on returning to North Dakota following completion of college to be a doctor in the state he now

calls home.

Article compliments of The Dickinson Press

The rewards of hard work and dedication are paying off for one Killdeer Public Schools senior as he a very select few received their nomination to become delegates in one of

America’s most prestigious programs for high achieving high school students.

Nobel Prize Recipient Honors Killdeer Senior With Prestigious Nomination

Page 6

2020

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Elem. GBB Home vs. Beach - 4:00 pm JH VB Home vs. Beach - 4:15 pm

2 Varsity FB Home vs. New Salem/Almont - 6:00 pm

3 Cross County @ Rugby

4 5 Elem. GBB @ Richardton/Taylor - 4:00 pm JH VB Home vs. Trinity - 4:15 pm JH FB @ Richardton/Taylor - 4:00 pm

6 ABC VB Home vs. Heart River - 4:30 pm Elem. GBB Home vs. New England - 4:00 pm

7 8 Varsity FB @ Dickinson Trinity - 6:00 pm

9 10 ABC VB @ Hazen - 3:00 pm Cross Country @ Parshall

11 12 JH FB Home vs. Stanley - 4:00 pm

13 Cross Country Home - 4:00 pm

14 ASVAB Testing - Wrestling Room 8:30 - 12:00 pm

School Board Meeting - 7:00 pm - Wrestling Room

15 ABC VB Home vs. Garrison - 4:30 pm

16 Varsity FB Home vs. Richardton-Taylor - 6:00 pm

17

18 19 ABC VB @ Beulah - 4:30 pm Elem. BBB @ Fairfield - 4:00 pm

20 ABC VB @ Hazen - 4:30 pm

21

End of 1st Quarter

22 23 24 Cross Country @ Jamestown

25 26 ABC VB Home vs. Mott-Regent - 4:30 pm Elem. BBB @ Beach - 4:00 pm

27 Elem. BBB Home vs. Beulah - 4:00pm

28 Early Out 1:30 pm Picture Retake Day - 8:00 am

29 ABC VB @ Hettinger - 4:30 pm

30 ABC VB @ Richardton/Taylor - 4:00 pm

31 Elem. BBB @ Heart River - TBD

State FFA Convention

October 2020 Menu

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

27 28 NO SCHOOL

29 Long Johns Juice, Milk Meatloaf Mashed Potatoes Gravy, Green Beans, Bread Milk

30 Cereal, Toast Juice, Milk Grilled Chicken Sandwiches, Bacon, Cheese, Fries, Fruit, Milk

1 Waffles Juice, Milk Sack Lunch

2 Cereal, Toast Juice, Milk Pizza Corn Fruit Milk

3

4 5 Cinni-Minis Juice, Milk Hot Dogs Baked Beans, Chips, Fruit Milk

6 Cereal, Toast Juice, Milk Super Nachos Fruit Milk

7 Biscuits & Gravy Juice, Milk Chili Cheese Fries Fruit Milk

8 Cereal, Toast Juice, Milk Chicken Alfredo Dinner Rolls Peas Milk

9 Scrambled Eggs Juice, Milk

Tomato Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Fruit, Milk

10

11 12 Cereal, Toast Juice, Milk Pulled Pork Sandwiches Chips, Fruit Milk

13 Sausage Links Juice, Milk (P5) Fajita Chicken Rice Tortilla Shells Nacho Cheese Fruit, Milk

16 14 Cereal, Toast Juice, Milk

Tater Tot Hot Dish Bread Cauliflower Milk

15 Oatmeal Juice, Milk Spaghetti Breadsticks Green Beans Milk

16 Cereal, Toast Juice, Milk Cheeseburgers Fries Fruit Milk

17

18 19 Breakfast Sandwich, Juice, Milk Lasagna Hot Dish Peas Bread, Milk

20 Cereal, Toast Juice, Milk Chicken Drumsticks Mashed Potatoes Gravy, Carrots Bread, Milk

21 Bagels w/ cream cheese, Juice, Milk Turkey or Ham Subs Chips Fruit Milk

22 NO SCHOOL

23 NO SCHOOL

24

25 26 Pancakes Juice, Milk Chicken & Rice Soup Breadsticks Dessert Milk

27 Cereal, Toast Juice, Milk Hot Ham & Cheese Hash Browns Fruit Milk

28 Mini-Donuts, Juice, Milk Cheese Ravioli Garlic Toast Fruit Milk

29 Cereal, Toast Juice, Milk Chicken Nuggets Fries Green beans Fruit, Milk

30 Funnel Cakes Juice, Milk Taco in a bag Fruit Milk

31

*Menu Subject To Change Due To Availability