| Post-Secondary Enrollment is Up Collins-Maxwell students are signing up for Post-Secondary Enrollment Option classes in larger numbers this year. Students may attend classes on campus, in Ames or Ankeny, or take online courses. The classes are worth dual credit, so a student may earn both high school and college credits. The courses are paid for by the district, as long as the student finishes the class, and passes it. If the student drops the course, or fails, the parents will be responsible for paying the course fee. Any student who is interested may take PSEO classes during their junior and senior years, but TAG students are allowed to start early. We have had good sophomore participation for the last two years. Freshmen may also qualify, although their schedules are pretty full with required classes. If a TAG student chooses to take one PSEO class per semester, from their sophomore year on, he or she could graduate high school with six college classes completed. I think that's a great deal for three reasons: the students are taking courses that provide more challenge; they can save time in college by having some courses completed early; and they can save money by taking courses that are paid through the district. Please consult the student course catalog, Mrs. Nolin, or me for more info. |
| Mrs. Exline-Byrd's Collins-Maxwell TAG Showcase |
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| 6th Grade Service Project The sixth grade TAG students will be helping the Story County Food Pantry with the tree of giving again this year. Needy families submit requests for clothes or toys to the food pantry. Our students make festive tags to hang on the Christmas tree in the Maxwell State Bank lobby. Maxwell citizens then take a tag and pick up items on the list, and return them to the bank. Our students go to the bank, pick up the wrapped packages, and take them to a church, where they are distributed by the food pantry to the families. The requests are made using a code to identify the families, so their privacy is protected. We don't know who will receive the gifts. I think this is a positive and eye-opening experience for most of our students. They don't realize that there is need right in their own communities. Most of them are glad to think they are helping children who may not get any Christmas gifts, otherwise. |
| "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day." -Albert Einstein More Einstein quotes |
| Battle of the Books We have several avid readers in middle school TAG, and we are excited about entering Battle of the Books. The students will read from a list of 30 books, beginning in October. In March, there is a regional competition over the content of the books. The first two rounds are held at school. I will e-mail our results to the regional coordinator, and if we score high enough, we will travel to Simpson College for the semi-final and final rounds. This competition encourages students to read for pleasure, and for a purpose. It also encourages teamwork, and is fun for those who enjoy reading. Battle of the Books Reading List |