District Partners with City, County and Area Schools to Encourage Regular School Attendance; Mayor Signs Proclamation

Representatives of Council Bluffs area schools, the City of Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County joined in a news conference on the first day of school to announce a year-long effort to raise the awareness in the community of the need for all adults to make sure children are attending school every day unless they are ill. Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan signed a proclamation to signify the 2010-11 school year as one to focus on increasing attendance.

Recognizing the need to increase the average daily attendance from the current 91%, Superintendent Martha Bruckner invited leaders of the Lewis Central Community Schools, St. Albert Catholic Schools and Iowa School for the Deaf to join forces to promote the importance of students attending school every day. Together, they serve more than 12,000 students. 

Police Chief Ralph O’Donnell and Assistant County Attorney Dawn Landon also pledged their support of the effort, recognizing the benefits to a community when children are in school rather than on the streets.

Under Iowa Law, students who are at least six and less than 16 years of age on September 15th must enroll in school for the entire school year. The parent, not the child, would be reported to the county attorney if the child is repeatedly absent without an approved excuse.

Free and Reduced Meal Application

The Free and Reduced Meal Application is now available on the Nutrition Services website or by clicking this link.

Student Driver Education Training

Drive Tek will be providing driver education training for students of the Council Bluffs Community School District.  Drive Tek will be offering classes during the school year and the summer. Click here for the schedule and prices.

Tucker Center HOSA Students Receive Oustanding Chapter Award;

Alex Dixon Named a National Finalist

Thirty students and three advisors represented Council Bluffs Schools and the Tucker Career & College Center at the 33rd Anual Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) National Leadership Conference June 21-28, 2010 in Orlando, FL. Students who placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in competitions at the Iowa state conference qualified to attend and represent Iowa.

More than 6,000 students from 48 states participated in the Conference. The Tucker Center HOSA chapter was recognized as an "Outstanding HOSA Chapter" through documentation completed in a scrapbook submitted by Jessica Frank, senior from Abraham Lincoln H.S. Also placing as a national finalist was Alex Dixon, senior from ALHS in Medical Photography. 

        Alex Dixon             Jessica Frank

AL's Anna Jo Cowan Receives the 2010 Youth Leadership Award

Anna Jo Cowan’s efforts prove that 4-H not only makes individual youth better citizens and communicators, but it also can create a powerful group of children and

teens to influence state and national leaders.   

Cowan, a nine-year 4-H member and a senior at Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs, received the 2010 Youth Leadership Award on May 4. Mari Culver, the first lady of Iowa, presented the award at the Youth and Shelter Services Risky Business Conference in Ames. “Anna Jo’s community has truly benefited from her endeavors, her efforts and her advocacy and service,” Culver said. View the complete article.

     Thomas Jefferson Musicians Combine Music and Fun

The Thomas Jefferson High School band, orchestra and several choir members traveled to Disney World in Orlando, Fla., to perform and have a little fun.  Click here for the complete Nonpareil story.

Bloomer Students Lend a Helping Hand

Enrichment students at Bloomer Elementary recently donated 86 pounds of pop tabs to the Omaha Ronald McDonald House. The students researched the Ronald McDonald House and developed a power point presentation to explain how the Ronald McDonald House provides support to families outside of the Omaha area. They presented their power point projects to the classrooms at Bloomer and together were able to generate this sizable donation.

TJ's Courtney Ruff Named Outstanding Female Scholar Athlete

For more than fifteen years the Greater Omaha Sports Committee has honored Outstanding Scholar Athletes in the Omaha Metro Area. These students are judged not only for their accomplishments on the field but for their scholastic achievements in the class room. This Fall, Courtney received the "Fall Scholar Athlete" for her outstanding accomplishments in Cross Country and academics. She has now been selected, from all of the previous award winners, as Outstanding Scholar Athlete of the Year. This distinguished honor is given to only one male and one female student athlete in the Omaha Metro Area each year. Congratulations Courtney, on this prestigious honor.

Abraham Lincoln vs. Harlan Pre-Sale

Pre-sale tickets will be available for any adult and student to the A.L. vs. Harlan football game at CB Stadium this Friday, Sept. 3rd at 7:30pm. Adult tickets are $5 and student tickets are $3.00  They can be picked up anytime between 7:30 and 4:00 in the Main Office between now and Friday.

Abraham Lincoln vs. Des Moines North Football Game

We will have a fan bus to the A.L. vs. Des Moines North football game on Sept.10.  The bus will leave the parking lot at 4:45 and return that evening.  The cost is $20.00. Contact the school for more details.

Eat at BWW and Support YMCA Afterschool Programs in Our Schools

Enjoy some wings and support the YMCA! 

Go to the Council Bluffs Buffalo Wild Wings on Wednesday, September 1st anytime 5-9pm for a YTeen Fundraiser.  Bring in ‘ticket' (click here for PDF version of ticket) and a percentage of your purchase will be donated to YMCA Teen Mentoring and After School Club at Kirn and Wilson Middle Schools. Money raised will be used for supplies and field trips.

Thank you for your support and hope to see you there!

Students Meet Bridge Sculpture Artist Albert Paley

High School art students had the unique opportunity Thursday to visit with artist Albert Paley, who designed the newly installed "Odyssey" mixed metal structure artwork on the 24th Street bridge over I-80.

Monticello's Regiment Drum Majors Reign at Band Camp

TJHS Senior Drum Major James Greise and Junior Drum Major Sabrina Fox were named Grand Champions at this summer's Marching Auxiliaries Band Camp held on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University. They were awarded the trophy for their final performance, conducting to "Carry on My Wayward Son" by Kansas. In addition to being named Grand Champions, they were awarded the 110% plaque and both were awarded numerous Superior and Outstanding student ribbons for their work throughout the four-day camp.

ALHS Dance Team Recognized at NDA Camp

The Abraham Lincoln dance team girls performed well this year at the National Dance Association (NDA) camp.  The camp was held at Lake Okoboji, June 29- July 2.  Nine teams participated in the camp from Iowa and Nebraska.  Coached by Kerri Jo Watts, the team earned a Superior ribbon and choreography award.  Many of the girls received individual awards such the Leadership award, All-American award, and Superior Showmanship.  Congratulations on all of their achievements!

Congratulations 2010 Summer Graduates

Congratulations to the nine students who graduated July 1st during a consolidatedl ceremony at Thomas Jefferson High School.  Graduates include three students from Abraham Lincoln and six from Thomas Jefferson.

Washington Students Team Up with Kanesville Gardeners

Students from Carol Mattox’s 5th grade TAG class teamed up with students at Kanesville Alternative Learning Center community garden.  Students Maricecy Zavala, Mason Cuttings, Matthew Brunson and Josue Lopez all assisted in replanting various, fruits, vegetables and flowers from seeds that they donated to the garden.  The Washington students also held a can drive which raised $37 to help in purchase containers for the harvest of the vegetables.  Everyone involved can’t wait until fall to enjoy their hard work.

Three AL Teams Recognized for Academics

The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) has recognized three Abraham Lincoln High School Teams for Academic Achievement.  The following Teams were acknowledged: 

*Basketball Cheerleading - Excellence in     Academic Achievement (3.08 GPA)

*Boys Basketball - Excellence in Academic Achievement (3.22 GPA)

*Swimming - Distinguished in Academic Achievement (3.30 GPA).

TJ Students put Physics in Motion

The TJ Physics students' final project was to create a Rube Goldberg machine that would turn on the on the room's projector. Each class was responsible for certain tables that later were combined to reach one final goal.  Click the link to see if they were able to turn the projector on.

AL's Colpitts and Ebertowski - State Track Champs

This past Thursday, just four days after participating in her graduation ceremony, Chelsea Colpitts represented Council Bluffs and Abraham Lincoln High School in the Class 4-A discus event at the State Track Meet.  She earned the state title with a 148-foot, 8-inch throw, topping her career-best and breaking the Abraham Lincoln High School record by nearly three feet. Congratulations to you, Chelsea, for this outstanding accomplishment!

Abraham Lincoln Junior Austin Ebertowski earned the Class 4-A state title in the 100-meter sprint this past Saturday with a time a 10.99 seconds. He became the first individual boys track champion from Abraham Lincoln since 2006 and the school’s first athlete to win this event.  As if this accomplishment wasn’t enough, he went on to earn second-place in the 200-meter race at the State meet.  We are proud of you, Austin, and are eager to see what you can do next year!