Excited to take on a new role at Loyal Public Schools

I am excited to start the school year as the new 4K-12 principal in Loyal. This will be my 18th year in education. Previously I had the opportunity to work with the School District of Edgar for 13 years as their K-12 physical education and health teacher, until I transferred to Loyal where I have held that same role the past four years.

I am looking forward to collaborating with staff and community members to continue to provide quality education experiences for students throughout the district. Some of the items we have been working on to better meet the needs of our staff and students include changes to our school schedule to allow for collaborative time among staff. This time will be used to deepen the understanding of our students, as well as improve the quality and depth of student learning across the district.

We have also worked to modify the high school/middle school daily schedule in response to feedback from staff, students, and community members in order to better utilize our time and meet student needs.

This summer I had the privilege of attending the High Reliability Schools Institute in Iowa, along with seven other staff members, where we were guided in strategies to reach the goal of transforming education to ensure learning for all. This included several breakout sessions on specific topics, as well as inspiring keynote speakers. We are looking forward to using this information and guidance to help shape our school culture and student achievement.

Also new this year, we have updated our elementary English and language arts (ELA) curriculum to Amplify/CKLA. Staff will be participating in training to further their understanding of the new curriculum and how to implement it in their classrooms.

Please welcome these new staff members to the Greyhound family: Randi Rondorf – Special Ed. Teacher Sara Koller – Middle School/High School Science Alexius Simon – First Grade Kendell Waughtal – Kindergarten Justin Stoegbauer – Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Maiya McSorley – School Counselor Jason Belter – Middle School/High School Science Kira Kalepp – Second Grade Austin Albanito – High School Math Lindsey Mueller – Middle School/High School Secretary Katie Brand – School Psychologist I would like to extend my appreciation to our fantastic custodial staff for all of their hard work in cleaning and maintaining our facilities over the summer. They have put in long hours to make sure our staff and students have a quality environment to come back to at the end of August. Our teachers have also been putting in additional hours to work on their curriculum for their classes over the summer. Their dedication to their classes and students is what makes our district so fortunate.

We will be having an open house on Monday, Aug. 26. While this is something the elementary has had in the past, the middle school and high school will also be included this year as a district-wide event. The district-wide open house will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For elementary students and parents, this will be a time to meet their teachers, bring in any school supplies, and students will be able to have their school picture taken. For middle school and high school students and parents, this time will be for students to bring in their school supplies, sign up for clubs and organizations, and meet with their teachers.

Four-year-old kindergarten students and families will have a designated time (per registration sign up) during the week of Aug. 26-29 that they will meet with their teacher one on one for their introduction to the classroom. Their official first day of school will be Tuesday, Sept. 3.

Our district's School Kick Off dates of Aug. 27-29, which follow the regular school day schedule, are days dedicated to the students to participate in classroom activities and events to prepare them for the upcoming school year. It is highly recommended that all students attend these three days as they will be used for academic review and classroom community building, as well as important student daily procedures. Free breakfast and lunch will be provided for all students in attendance on these three days.

I want to thank all the staff and community members that have shown support so far in this new adventure. I am encouraged by the positive and constructive feedback I have already received. I’m looking forward to working closely with you all as we navigate this coming school year. Together we can achieve our mission of ensuring each and every student learns. #LoyalProud

Loyal 4K-12 Principal Angie Kollmansberger