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BECKMAN NEWS

January 2021 "Rejoice in hope, endure in aff l ict ion, persevere

in prayer. " Romans 12:12

UPCOMING EVENTS January 4 - Classes resume begin 2nd Semester January 31 – February 6 - Catholic Schools Week February 5 - Academic Awards Assembly - 8:30 FROM THE PRINCIPAL Happy New Year Happy 2021! While 2020 brought many unique circumstances, I think it’s safe to say that most of us are glad to see the year come to an end. May this New Year be a blessed year for all of you! Many people adopt New Year’s Resolutions as a way to symbolize this new beginning. We also start the New Year with a new semester. It’s a way to begin fresh with classes or to try something new with the remaining time of the school year. We also change our schedule in terms of when classes meet, so your son or daughter’s order of courses has likely changed. First semester report cards will be mailed in mid-January after all grades have been finalized. Due to COVID, we are allowing some extra time for grades, as students who were out for COVID-related reasons during finals will have time to make up those tests the first week of January. COVID Updates As of my writing of the newsletter in mid-December, prior to break, we have seen a decrease in virus activity both at school as well as in our area. Let’s pray that trend

1325 9TH St. SE

Dyersville, IA 52040 (563) 875-7188 phone

(563) 875-7242-fax Beckman Website Address: www.beckman.pvt.k12.ia.us

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continues! This has led to some modifications in the restrictions the governor has in place on activities. The mask mandate from Dubuque County does remain in effect until March of 2021. We are getting into the typical flu season where we traditionally see higher absence rates. COVID advice is also good advice for the flu. Please continue to stay home when you are sick, wash your hands/use sanitizer, avoid large gatherings, and wear a mask when you can’t social distance. We are also looking at ways to make adjustments to our schedule to bring back items we have in a typical year. We are finding the amount of time we set aside for lunch and passing between classes is longer than needed. As a result, we are bringing back Blazer Time at the end of the day with the start of the 2nd Semester by reducing some of that passing time and lunch period. In reviewing our data, we have noticed an increase in the number of students that would benefit from some additional assistance from teaching staff during the school day, and we also have students needing to leave early due to WD busing. Those students miss a significant amount of instructional time when Blazer Time is not utilized. 1st Semester Report Cards Grades for the first semester are due on Friday, January 8th. We extended the due date on these in the event we would have students needing to make up finals from first semester due to COVID-related absences. This year, we are going to try something new. Instead of mailing out report cards, semester grades can be viewed in Powerschool through the Parent portal. Once you’ve logged in, click on Grade History on the left side. This year’s grade will appear with Q1, Q2, and S1 grades showing. You can also review grades from any prior year by clicking on the tab for the appropriate year. If you would still prefer a paper copy of the report card, a request can be made by completing a form at: https://forms.gle/tY7CLHEFiou7pgrC9 Please submit your requests by January 15th. If you have more than one student, please submit a request for each student separately. Strategic Planning Update In the fall of 2019, we began work with Xavier Elementary and the Archdiocese on a multi-year strategic planning initiative. COVID put some of that work on hold, but in the past few months we have been restarting that process. We are at the phase where we will be asking representatives from various school groups to review data that has been compiled and to provide input and feedback on a variety of factors. This data will then be used to identify goal areas around which we will develop strategic initiatives. Watch for additional updates in the next few months and please consider participating if asked to provide input. NICC Spring Course Start Dates Students enrolled in NICC courses for the 2nd semester will begin those courses as follows:

• Psychology and Composition: Monday, January 11th • Public Speaking: Tuesday, January 12th

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SLU Courses taught by Mr. Digmann will begin on Monday, January 4th. Internet Use/Technology Use Policies Each year as part of the registration process, students and parents are asked to sign an acknowledgment regarding our technology use policy. A copy of that policy can be found at https://beckman.pvt.k12.ia.us/UserFiles/Servers/Server_69785/File/Beckman%20Catholic%20School/Parents/Technology%2011/Technology%20Use%20Agreement/Beckman%20Technology%20Use%20Agreement%202019-20.pdf If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback related to this policy, there will be a comment period at the January school board meeting on Wednesday, January 6th. Dress Code Reminders As we start a new semester, just a few reminders in regards to some appearance/dress items that are outlined in our student handbook:

• Facial hair is not allowed. (With the wearing of masks, this can be hidden more easily but it is still a requirement.)

• School uniform fleece is the only allowed outerwear to be worn during the school day. Sweatshirts/hoodies are not allowed and considered to be out of uniform dress, even if they are Beckman Catholic items.

• Extreme hairstyles and unnatural hair colors are also not allowed. Thank you for your help and cooperation with these items. 2020-2021 Tuition Assistance We will again be working with the FACTS Company to complete applications for STO assistance. Similar to prior years, those applying for STO assistance will be required to provide their current tax return and information as part of the application. This means you will need to have your 2010 taxes completed before you are able to file for STO. The application fee for this year is $31.00. If the application fee is an area of concern, please contact me or Mrs. Burchard in the business office as there is assistance available to cover the fee. Round 1 applications will be due on April 15, 2021. Any and all tuition assistance for the 2020-2021 school year will be available ONLY to those parents who complete an application for the Our Faith, Our Children, Our Future STO. Additional local assistance may be available, but it also requires you to complete the STO application first. All STO applications are processed by an independent company. Families interested in applying for tuition assistance will be able to obtain directions on how to complete the STO application toward the end of this month. I know many hesitate to ask for tuition assistance. However, many members of our community continue to be incredibly generous in designating Beckman as the recipient of their STO contributions. If your family income qualifies you for STO assistance, I strongly encourage you to apply. Also, if you know of any families who would like to send their children to Beckman Catholic but have not been able to afford it, please let us know and we will get STO information to them. As more information on the application process becomes available, we will let you know.

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Catholic Schools Week Catholic Schools Week is scheduled for January 31-Febuary 6. This year’s theme is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.” We are asking alumni to share their experiences and how Catholic schools have impacted their lives at Masses the weekend of January 30th and 31st. If you would be interested or know of someone who would be interested in speaking at your parish, please let me know. We know you have a choice in where and how to educate your children and that it requires sacrifices to choose Catholic education. Along with our faculty and staff, I am honored to be able to work with your sons and daughters and have the opportunity to educate the full person. We will have some additional activities during Catholic Schools Week including our annual awards ceremony on February 5th. The format of the awards ceremony may need to be adjusted and we will provide details as we get toward the end of the month. Host Families Needed We are looking for families to host foreign exchange students for the 2021-2022 school year. There are many students wanting to come to Beckman if we can find hosts. These foreign exchange students are English speaking, have medical and liability insurance, and receive spending money for their time here. We hosted three exchange students when I was a teenager and it was a positive experience for me and our family. The Beckman Board of Education has agreed to provide any host families a $500 tuition credit to make it more attractive to be a host. Please contact me if you are interested in this opportunity. Tuition Tax Credit As we start the new year, it’s also that time where we review expenses from last year to prepare to file taxes. Be sure to utilize the Iowa Tuition Tax Credit when filing your 2020 Iowa tax return. This tax credit is equal to 25 percent of the first $1,000 of tuition or eligible expenses charged at the school for each dependent claimed on your state return. In addition to tuition, the following items are eligible expenses to qualify for the credit:

o Books: books and other instructional materials used in teaching subjects legally and commonly taught in Iowa’s public elementary and secondary schools, including those needed for extracurricular activities;

o Clothing: “non-street” costumes for a play or special clothing for a concert not suitable for everyday wear;

o Driver’s Education: only if paid to the school; o Dues, Fees, and Admissions: includes those paid for extracurricular activities

such as activity fees, booster club dues, fees for track and cross-country, activity ticket or admission for high school athletic events, fees for a physical education event such as roller skating;

o Materials: includes materials for extracurricular activities, such as sporting events, speech activities, musical or dramatic events, awards banquets, homecoming, prom, and other school-related social events;

o Music: rental of musical instruments for school or band, music/instrument lessons at a school, sheet music used in a school, valve oil, cork grease, music books and reeds used in school bands or orchestras;

o Shop class and mechanics class: cost of required basic materials; o Shoes: football, soccer and golf shoes; cleats for football shoes; track spike

shoes;

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o Travel: non-travel fees for field trips if the trip is during school hours; o Uniforms: band, hockey and football uniforms.

The cost of the following items are NOT eligible for the credit:

o Books: yearbooks; o Clothing: clothes that can be used for street wear, such as T-shirts for

extracurricular events such as track and science; clothing for a play or concert that is suitable for everyday wear; prom dresses and tuxedos;

o Dues, Fees, and Admissions: sports-related socials; special testing such as SAT, PSAT and Iowa talent search tests;

o Music: purchase of musical instruments; cost of music lessons outside of school; sheet music for private use;

o Shoes: basketball shoes and other shoes suitable for everyday wear; o Travel: travel expenses for trips.

If you have any questions about this list, please contact your tax professional. School Closing Due to Weather So far we have not had much winter weather that has impacted school activities. However, we still have a lot of winter ahead of us. In the event of a delay or cancellation, Beckman Catholic High School will operate on the Western Dubuque Community School District schedule Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, we will make that decision and the notification will come only from Beckman Catholic since Western Dubuque is not providing transportation on Fridays through March. Be sure you are receiving School Messenger alerts via email and text. If that is not working for you or you need assistance, please contact the office. Notifications are also sent to local television and radio stations. Be sure to use Western Dubuque and Beckman Catholic as your school options if you choose to push notifications to your mobile device.

Submitted by Marcel Kielkucki, Principal CURRICULUM NEWS ISASP updates: Typically at this time, the 2020 ISASP results would be sent to each student by the end of this month. Last year due to Covid 19, the tests were cancelled. This year from March 15th to May 15th, the ISASP will test all students in grades 7-11 with tests in Math and English Language Arts. Additionally, students in grades 8 and 10 also tested in science. A link explaining individual student reports is found below… http://iowa.pearsonaccessnext.com/resources/reports/ISASP_InterpretiveInformationforFamilies101519.pdf Course Updates and College Credit Opportunities: The teachers and I have updated the 2nd semester course guide. Course guide updates will be shared with parents for a registration meeting on January 27th. Emphasis during our registration meeting on January 27th will be on discussion of graduation requirements, freshmen required courses and recent changes of new mandated courses (Financial Literacy). Beckman offers courses through NICC including: Composition I, Composition II, Macroeconomics, Public Speaking, Crop Science, and Psychology. Additionally,

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Beckman offers courses through St. Louis University in Theology 12 and Religions of the World. Beckman offers articulated courses in Welding and Animal Science. Beckman offers advanced placement courses in American History, Calculus, and Language. Students have the potential to earn college credit while at Beckman in all of these courses. The following website is helpful in determining the transferability of community college credit to any of the three Board of Regents school: http://www.transferiniowa.org/ This website provides useful information for colleges’ AP credit policies… https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/creditandplacement/search-credit-policies For any specific questions, it is a wise practice to contact a prospective college’s admissions department. The Pros and Cons of Incorporating Blazer Time (MTSS) Second Semester The administration team met in December and discussed the pros and cons of starting up Blazer time for the second semester. We also reached out for input from the faculty. Here is the list of pros and cons for Blazer Time that was collected in the last two weeks: Pros: -Extra help is needed for our Tier 1 and Tier 2 students. Blazer time would add time into the day for students needing more 1 on 1 attention with their teachers. -Extra time during the school day is needed for the following:

· Teachers to analyze local and state test scores to improve instruction. · Student band and music lessons. · Students and teachers to meet for clubs and sports. · Pep rallies and public acknowledgements for staff and students · Help for reading comprehension for our ELL students. · Faculty and department meetings · Common planning time is needed for staff.

-Blazer Time does not take away any academic time already in the schedule. -We have several students leaving early to catch their bus, this would allow the students not to miss any class time. Cons: -Keeping track of student attendance is a challenge at times during Blazer Time. -Some students do not utilize Blazer time for its full potential. Student Government: Student government representatives are busy planning for Catholic Schools Week. Catholic Schools Week is from January 31 to February 6. A schedule of events for Catholic Schools Week will be forthcoming!

Submitted by Steven Lueck assistant principal HEALTH NEWS COVID Recovery Iowa Provides FREE Resources for Iowans COVID Recovery Iowa is a statewide program to help Iowans recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19. These services are FREE to all Iowans who have been affected in any way by COVID-19.

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Counseling. Sometimes, it just helps to have someone listen. We offer FREE confidential counseling to all Iowans through several methods:

· Iowa Warm Line, 844/775-9276: connect with a peer counselor or request to be connected to a COVID Recovery Iowa counselor.

· Iowa Concern Line, 800/447-1985: provides 24/7 access to stress counselors and other resources, focusing on rural and agriculture topics, including legal issues. Language interpretation available.

� Spanish language line: 541/800-368. Answered Live in Spanish: Se responde en vivo en español.

Zoom Support Groups for Parents, Teens and Pre-Teens. For information or to register, contact Chelsea.Siefken@pathwaysb.org Tell Me a Story. A different story is presented each day on our Facebook page. Parenting in a Pandemic. Homework tips and a thought-provoking question of the day to ask your kids. Find us on Facebook. Vivo en Iowa. Resources and support for Spanish speakers. On Facebook. 30 Day Fitness Challenge. Positive daily physical activity for middle and high school students. Fitness Challenge is on Instagram. Stress Tips for Teachers. Join our Facebook group, Workforce Resources, for tips and resources to help teachers.

Submitted by: Jolene Bagge BSN, RN 2020 IPSWA All-State Football Teams 2nd Team Utility- Trent Koelker 3rd Team Tight End- Elliot Naughton Submitted by Mark Atwater BECKMAN DANCE TEAM The Beckman Dance Team earns a 3rd place finish at State in POM. At the 2021 Iowa State Dance/Drill Association’s state competition in Des Moines, November 18th, the Beckman dance team placed 3rd in Class VI Pom. The small but mighty, seven-member squad, “put their heart and soul in this competition this year and they left it all on the floor,” said Coach Kaylee Ungs. The squad is made up of two seniors and four juniors and one freshman, “I could not be more proud of their work ethic toward dance team competition. They represented Beckman well and all should be proud of this team” Coach Kaylee Ungs also shared. The dance team members are Annie Gulick, Paige Ungs, Melanie Lutgen, Emma Oberbroeckling, Leah Krantz, Valery Meyer and Izzy Lutgen.

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Leah Krantz and Paige Ungs also competed in the state Solo competition on the same day. Leah was awarded a Division I rating and 4th place in Class III solos. Paige Ungs was awarded a Division I rating and 8th place in Class III solos.

Pictured above: Melanie Lutgen, Leah Krantz, Paige Ungs, Val Meyer, Emma Oberbroeckling, Izzy Lutgen, Annie Gulick

Pictured above is Leah Krantz and Paige Ungs Submitted by Kaylee Ungs SCHOOL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT UPDATE Parent Registration Meeting Parents of high school students (currently in grades 8-11) are invited to attend an informational meeting on January 27th at 6:00 PM in the Beckman Library. Information regarding particular course offerings will be presented by the Associate Principal, Mr. Steve Lueck, and the School Counselor, Mrs. Mackenzie Atwater. Requirements for graduation, college admissions, and post-secondary classes will be discussed.

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As a parent, you may not feel a need to attend this course registration meeting each year. However, we believe that the information is particularly helpful to parents who have a student entering 9th grade next school year! Academic Awards Assembly The Academic Awards ceremony will be held on Friday, February 5th at 8:30 AM in the auditorium for those students receiving recognition. Due to the uncertain times, this event will be livestreamed for parents and other family members who wish to attend. Academic letters are earned using the following criteria:

Class Cumulative GPA 9 4.0 10 3.85 11 3.7 12 3.5

ACT: Resources for Independent Review The following website is an excellent online tutorial that students can use to prepare for the ACT: www.actstudent.org. Students are also welcome to check out ACT study flashcards from the counseling office. Virtual College Planning Night and Financial Aid Night for parents with a JUNIOR will be held on Tuesday, March 2nd in conjunction with Parent-Teacher Conferences from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. I will send the livestream event link out once I receive it. The College Planning portion will introduce the basics about preparation and admission to college, and the financial aid portion will focus on how to prepare and apply for financial aid. This event will be presented by the Iowa College Access Network (ICAN). I highly encourage all junior parents to attend as Meghan from ICAN has a lot of helpful information! Attention SENIORS! Grand Canyon University in Arizona is offering free 7 week online college credit courses in the spring for any senior interested. Seniors must have a 3.0 GPA to qualify. Students can choose one course to take from the following options below. Please reach out to Mrs. Atwater with questions.

- CWV-101 (Christian Worldview) - HIS-110 (World History Themes) - SOC-102 (Principles of Sociology)

COVID Recovery Iowa is a statewide program to help Iowans recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19 and the August derecho. These services are FREE to all Iowans who have been affected in any way by these crises. Please see Flyers for additional information and support groups.

- Counseling. Sometimes, it just helps to have someone listen. We offer FREE confidential counseling to all Iowans through several methods:

o Iowa Warm Line, 844/775-9276: connect with a peer counselor or request to be connected to a COVID Recovery Iowa counselor.

o Iowa Concern Line, 800/447-1985: provides 24/7 access to stress counselors and other resources, focusing on rural and agriculture topics, including legal issues. Language interpretation available.

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o Spanish language line: 541/800-368. Answered Live in Spanish: Se responde en vivo en español.

Service Project National Honor Society members and other Beckman students prepared care boxes and homemade cards for Beckman Alumni who are stationed overseas for the holidays. Thank you to all who donated to the cause! Parent Resources

• The College Scoreboard: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/ o This is a tool for the college planning and decision-making process.

College Scorecard now provides outcome data for individual colleges/universities by degree major, including earnings the first year out. It is a planning tool for analyzing the return on investment for a college or program

Submitted by Mackenzie Atwater, Guidance Counselor BAND NEWS Due to COVID restrictions and precautions, the Pep Band this year will be more limited than it has been in years past, but community members are welcome to play as long as they have a proper instrument mask! We welcome anyone and everyone, even if you haven't played in years! If you would like music ahead of time or have any questions, please email Mr. Denner at adenner@beckman.pvt.k12.ia.us. Call time for the first game is 5:10, since it is a double header. Please keep an eye out for updates and any schedule changes as we continue to adapt and take proper precautions with the ongoing COVID situation. Upcoming Dates Friday, January 8th: Pep band (double header) Call time 5:10, playing before both games. Tuesday, January 12th: Pep band, 6:40 Friday, January 22nd: Pep band, 6:40 Thursday, January 28th: Pep band (double header) Call time 5:10, playing before both games. Friday, February 5th: Pep band, 6:40 Tuesday, February 9th: Pep band, 6:40

Submitted by Adam Denner, Director of Bands BLAZER CAFETERIA NEWS I hope your students have enjoyed the first semester of lunch choices in the BCHS cafeteria. We have ham, turkey, and peanut butter sandwiches with string cheese daily as an alternate option to the main hot entrée. The grab and go salads, with fresh produce from Farmtek, have been popular with the students! We will continue those in January until the grant money runs out! The grab and go salad is included with the daily meal. We continue to have 2-3 choices of fruits on a daily basis as well. As a reminder, every student must take at least ONE fruit or vegetable option with their meal. They are allowed to take more, but must have at least one for it to be counted as a reimbursable meal. A la Carte Breakfast

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Did you know the cafeteria is open for breakfast? Students can purchase a variety of a la carte grab and go breakfast items starting at 7:30 a.m. daily. Many options available: Cereal, Cereal Bars, Granola Bars, Crackers, Fruit Snacks, Applesauce, Gogurt, Cheese Sticks, Beef Sticks, Apples, Oranges, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Milk, Apple Juice, Orange Juice, Grape Juice, Propel, and many more things! Pricing is anywhere from .25 cents to $1.25 per item. I am always open to suggestions for additions to the a la carte menu for breakfast and/or lunch. If you would like to see something offered, please let me know and I will look into it. Free lunched extended through the end of 20-21 school year We are pleased that the USDA has extended the Free Meal program through the end of the 20-21 school year. This means lunches will be at no cost to all families for the remainder of the school year. This extension will help facilitate streamlined access to nutritious meals, while minimizing potential exposure to COVID-19, for the duration of the school year. Doubles and a la carte items will still be charged to lunch accounts. If you would like to make any changes to your EFT amount for lunch as a result of this change, please contact us. All a la carte purchases require money in the student’s accounts. Any doubles or a la carte are IN ADDITION to the reimbursable lunch that is currently free for the 20-21 school year. Submitted by Emily Snyder, Director Food Services DEVELOPMENT Endowment The Beckman Endowment Corporation will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday, February 10. Three board positions are up for election. At Large Representative Jeff Schmitt is completing his first term and will be seeking reelection, St. Joseph Representative Lisa Maier and St. Paul’s Representative are completing their second term and are not eligible for another term. We need people from St. Joseph’s and St. Paul’s to replace these two individuals. If you are interested in running or have questions about the Endowment, please contact Larry Wilson, Development Director at Beckman 875-7188 or email lwilson@beckmancatholic.org. Heritage Society We would love to have you join the Heritage Society. You can join by establishing a Planned Gift to the Beckman Endowment Fund. A planned gift can be made by remembering Beckman Endowment Corporation in your will or designating Beckman as a beneficiary of a portion of your IRA or life insurance policy. The new year is a great time to review your estate plans. Submitted by Larry Wilson AFTER PROM NEWS Post Prom planning is underway even during these uncertain times. We are hopeful that Prom will take place on Saturday, April 24th, 2021. Dinners are being planned for both junior and senior classes. Juniors will be at the Social Center, and seniors at the Dyersville Golf and Country Club. Post Prom will take place in the Jasper Center at Beckman from 12:00 AM to 3:30 AM. Post Prom Entertainment will

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include GAMES and a HYPNOTIST, as well as FOOD, BEVERAGES and MULTIPLE PRIZES. More information will follow. Our goal is to provide a safe and fun environment for all the students. We have always had a great attendance in the past and want to continue that tradition. Any junior or senior parents willing to help out with Post Prom or Prom Dinners, please contact Lori Wessels, at lgwessels@yousq.net. or Julie Hageman, at tjhageman5@gmail.com Thanks, Post Prom Committee

Submitted by Lori Wessels

FROM THE RESOURCE ROOM Is your child struggling with a class? Do they not get their homework done and that’s what’s hurting their grade? Well, in the Resource room, we help keep students accountable with their work and try to find resources to help with the classes they are struggling in. We model and teach study skills, we help them see all missing homework in one place, and we work to build self-esteem. If your child needs some help with academics, this is the place for them. It’s a place for everyone. All students are welcome to come in and utilize the space and our resources. If you have any questions feel free to contact Mrs. Ahlers at dahlers@beckman.pvt.k12.ia.us

Submitted by Mrs. Ahlers Please save this for the January 2022 newsletter