August 8, 2012 News

(Courtesy of the Ida County Courier, www.idacountycourier.com)

The Prairie Pedlar of Odebolt recently donated $445 to the Horn Memorial Hospital defibrillator project. The donation came from proceeds of its “give and grow” program. The Prairie Pedlar donated 10 percent of every purchase from customers who presented a Horn Memorial give and grow coupon.


Back to School for O-A/BC-IG Students

Odebolt-Arthur/Battle Creek-Ida Grove students return to classes Wednesday, Aug. 15.
 
O-A/BC-IG open houses are as follows:
Monday, Aug. 13
O-A/BC-IG High School—6 to 7:30 p. m.

Tuesday, Aug. 14
O-A Elementary and O-A/ BC-IG Middle School—6 to 7:30 p. m.

Students are encouraged to bring their supplies, find their rooms and/or lockers and meet their teachers.

New O-A/BC-IG superintendent Dr. Nick Ouelette said, “I am excited to get the year started and to see all of the kids back at school. The summer has been very busy getting ready for the start of the school year and getting acclimated to the new position. The playgrounds both in O-A and BC-IG are just about finished and will be a nice addition for the kids.

“All staff reports back on Monday, Aug. 13, with students having their first day on Wednesday, Aug. 15, with a 3:30 p. m. dismissal. There will be open houses for each building on either the 13th or 14th in the evening. We look forward to the start of another great school year providing an outstanding education to each and every student in the O-A and BC-IG communities.”

Odebolt-Arthur Elementary has a new principal, Neal Utesch. Utesch will also be serving as the curriculum director for the O-A/BC-IG School District. Other staffing changes at O-A Elementary include new physical education teacher Jeff Miesner, Kara Smith moving to kindergarten and Mistaya Hoefling teaching second grade this year.

The district has recently installed a new playground for the preschool program, which is located on the south side of the elementary building. This new addition includes a swing set, jungle gym with slides and a rubber surface.

Principal Utesch said, “I am excited to be a part of the O-A/ BC-IG School District and look forward to working with the community, teachers and staff as we continue to serve the students of O-A Elementary.”

O-A/BC-IG High School Principal Patrick Miller says there aren’t any big changes in policies or classes at the high school this year. “We have a few new staff members: Kim Van Wert, Spanish, and paraeducators Shaun Winkel and Susan Lund,” said Miller.

Tony Spradlin, O-A/BCIG middle school principal, reported David Winterrowd’s social studies room has been remodeled and there have been some renovations to Steve Walsh’s social studies room.

“We also have two new certified staff members in the middle school. Shawn Miller is the physical education and family and consumer science teacher. Brittany Alfredson replaced Pippa Fineran as the middle school reading teacher. Kelli Duff has been hired as the new O-A Elementary/O-A/BCIG Middle School secretary,” said Spradlin.


O-A/BC-IG Players Honored

Several softball and baseball players from O-A/BC-IG earned All Western Valley Conference and all-state recognition recently.

Baseball
O-A/BC-IG garnered three spots on the all-conference team. Making the second team was freshman Cash Wilcke. Honorable mention selections were senior Michael Grote and eighth grader Ben Dotzler.

Softball
Eight O-A/BC-IG softball players earned all-conference honors. The first team players include senior Cassidy Wilcke and sophomores Cheyenne Wilcke and Jensen Boger; second team junior selections Ciara Dotzler, Mallory Cates and Mariah Cates and honorable mention selections senior Erin Brown and junior Skye Schmidt.

O-A/BC-IG won the regular season conference championship with a 13-3 record.

Cheyenne Wilcke (catcher) and Jensen Boger (infielder) were named to the Iowa Girls’ Coaches’ Association (IGCA) class 3A second team all-state. Cassidy Wilcke (pitcher) was named to the third team. All three girls were also named all-district for western Iowa by the IGCA.

Cheyenne Wilcke was also named second team catcher on the class 3A all-state team by Iowa Sports Spotlight.