5/11/11 News from Ida County Courier

Courtesy of www.idacountycourier.com on-line edition

Excerpts:

FINAL CONCERT
The O-A/BC-IG High School Music Department presented its final concert of the year on May 5, under the direction of Linda Johnson and Eric Wells. The chorus and band each performed three songs during the concert. Graduating seniors and
their parents were also recognized.

OA-BCIG RETIREMENT RECEPTION
Please come and help us honor
JOAN SWENSEN           LINDA SIEBRECHT
LAURIE CURRIE
MONDAY, MAY 23, 2011
4:30 - 6:00 pm
Odebolt-Arthur Multi-purpose Room

SWENSON CLOSES BOOK ON TEACHING
 Odebolt-Arthur teacher Joan Swensen is retiring from the teaching profession at the end of the current school year. Swensen, Linda Siebrecht and Laurie Currie will be honored at a retirement party in the O-A multipurpose room Monday, May 23, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Swensen began her teaching career in the Webster City Community Schools. Before coming to O-A, she also taught in Taichung, Taiwan, and in Ida Grove. She has taught a total of 38½ years.

SIEBRECHT WILL MISS PRESCHOOL ENTHUSIASM
Linda Siebrecht, Odebolt- Arthur preschool teacher, is retiring at the end of the current school year. She has spent 18.5 years as a teacher, all at O-A, and several more years as an associate and substitute. Siebrecht said, when she left high school, she wasn’t sure what direction to head. She decided she liked working with children, so she went to Iowa State and started in elementary education. It turned out to be a wise choice. “I taught fourth grade language arts in the unitized elementary when I first came to town. Each year, I would have either third or fifth grade math and social studies, along with the fourth grade homeroom. The last 11 years have been with the pre-K program,” said Siebrecht

MATH RETIREE
O-A/BC-IG High School teacher Rick Blum is retiring from teaching at the end of the current school year. He has taught a variety of math, earth science and physics courses in his 21 years at Odebolt-Arthur and O-A/BC-IG.

WHITEY THOMPSON HIKE-BIKE-A-THON RAISES $66,595
The Whitey Thompson Hike- Bike-A-Thon broke records May 4 during its 17th annual fundraiser in Ida Grove. Sponsors were United Bank of Iowa and the O-A/BC-IG Dollars For Scholars Foundation, with all proceeds going to scholarships for O-A/ BC-IG seniors who apply. There were 619 participants from Battle Creek-Ida Grove and Odebolt-Arthur this year, up from 563 last year. A total of $66,595 has been raised with donations still coming in, compared to $61,179 last year.

ONRC SPEAKER
Sac County Conservation Board ranger/naturalist Rene Stroud gave an informative program on planting butterfly gardens during the Odebolt Nursing and Rehab Center volunteer luncheon April 11.