Okoboji High School

A reminder of our OCSD Board Candidate Forum tonight at 6:30 in the OHS Auditorium! This is your chance to hear from all of our board candidates this year. If you are unable to attend, a recording of the forum will be made and shared on our district social media tomorrow.

We will have a send-off at ALL THREE buildings on Friday afternoon to send our State-Bound Cross Country Teams off in style and wish them luck! They will walk through the halls of OES at 2:40, OMS at 2:55, and OHS at 3:10 before boarding the bus for Ft. Dodge! If any parents or community members want to join the send-off, please come to OHS via the main entrance before 3:10 on Friday!

OHS Seniors and Families: Here are your October To-Do reminders from the Okoboji Guidance Department! If you need help with any of these things or have questions, stop and see Kizze!

Congratulations to both the Boys AND Girls Cross Country Teams on qualifying for the State Championship Meet in Ft Dodge! Individual qualifiers include Maryn Frein, Adison Frerichs, and Marli DeGraaf for the girls and Evan Osler, Akron Jostand, and Lane Larson for the boys! Special congratulations to Evan Osler who earned the individual district championship! Look for big things from these teams and individuals at the State Championship Meet at Lakeside Golf Course in Ft Dodge next Saturday, October 28! 2A girls run at 10:30 and boys at 11:15!

Congratulations to OHS Senior Samuel Hoggard who has been named a Semifinalist in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program! Sam is one of 16,000 Semifinalists nationwide and only 155 in Iowa in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title. NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 320 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence. Sam is the son of Greg and Madelin Hoggard and plans to study political science and music after high school. Congratulations, Sam, and best of luck with the next step!

Congratulations to OHS Senior Keegan Rasmussen who has been named a Commended Student in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program! A Letter of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Program has been presented to him. This honor puts Keegan among 34,000 Commended Students nationwide who are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. "Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success," commented a spokesperson for NMSC. "These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success." Keegan is the son of Todd and Jennifer Rasmussen and plans to attend Iowa State University to major in Business. Congratulations, Keegan, and keep up the great work!

The tailgate for tonight's football game, sponsored by Central Bank and Central Insure, will be moved into the upper commons at OHS!

Congratulations to our September Pioneer Student recipient, Caleb Simington, for his outstanding work with youth. His commitment to helping them grow into confident individuals and his efforts to shape future generations are invaluable. This is a testament to Caleb's character and positive influence.

Congratulations to our September Board Salute recipients for going Above and Beyond. Brock Holman, Erin Clary, and Brenda Martin for their remarkable efforts that have not gone unnoticed for their pursuit of excellence, willingness to lend a helping hand, passion for students, and volunteering. They consistently exceed expectations and set a shining example for others to follow. Your efforts are recognized, valued, and deeply appreciated.

Turning Point USA will be providing free admission for the first 70 veterans, active military, and first responders with valid ID into the last Okoboji home football game of the season on Friday, October 13th. Turning Point USA is a national, non-profit, non-partisan organization that strives to engage students to learn about the Constitution and government through non-partisan debate, dialogue, and discussion. Please come to the North East Gate, nearest the gym, to receive your free admission!

Please make plans to attend a public forum with candidates running for a seat on the Okoboji Community School Board. The forum will be held on Tuesday, October 26th beginning at 6:30 PM in the Okoboji High School Auditorium. Candidates will field questions read by moderator Brad Simington and have the chance to share their views, goals, and opinions. A recording of the event will be shared on the Okoboji Community Schools Facebook Page for those who are unable to attend.

Turning Point USA will be providing free admission for the first 70 veterans, active military, and first responders with valid ID into the last Okoboji home football game of the season on Friday, October 13th. Turning Point USA is a national, non-profit, non-partisan organization that strives to engage students to learn about the Constitution and government through non-partisan debate, dialogue, and discussion. Please come to the North East Gate, nearest the gym, to receive your free admission!

We are excited for our 2023 Homecoming Parade this afternoon at 2:15! Here is the map of the route! We hope to see you there! Bundle up and join in the fun!

Okoboji Schools has been recognized by the Iowa State Auditor’s Office for efficient use of public funds. Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand has announced the 2023 Public Innovations and Efficiencies, or PIE, Award recipients. Okoboji Community School District was recognized as the state-wide runner-up among Class 3A schools. The awards are given to schools and public entities that are implementing the largest amount of money-saving practices laid out in a 10-page checklist from the state auditor’s office. Created in 2019, the PIE program encourages public entities across the state to explore different ways to save public funds and allows the State Auditor’s Office to highlight local entities doing the right things across the state.

Congratulations to 2023 Homecoming King Nico Barba and Queen Lily Miller and the entire Okoboji Homecoming Court! Thank you to Grand Marshall Helen Alexander for sharing wonderful words with our audience at coronation last night. All are great representatives of our school and community!

We hope you can join us at 7:00 this evening in the South Gym for Coronation! We will celebrate our entire Homecoming Court and crown our 2023 Homecoming King and Queen! We will also hear from our Grand Marshall, Helen Alexander! Following Coronation, all are invited to stay to watch the championship match of Beefcake Volleyball and Powder Puff Football. It will be a great night to be a Pioneer! Come out and join us!

We had lots of BBQ Dads and Soccer Moms today for the second day of homecoming!

Congratulations to the following September nominees for Okoboji High School Student of the Month! These students have been nominated by OHS staff members for their performance, hard work, improvement, or just general awesomeness in class! They are: Brennan Baschke Kiley Hicks Scott Dorman-Heath Breanna Furman Rylee Feld Noah Sargent Bella Sandbulte Elliot Tuttle William Anderson Cody Beck Jayda Liechti Dillon Wittrock August Miller Aidan Gehrke Addison Johnson Jesse Hoffman Norah Juhl Harper Trosin Finn Jack Congratulations to all and keep up the great work!

Today is a special day as we honor and appreciate the individuals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure our schools are clean, safe, and conducive to learning. Happy Custodian Appreciation Day! Our custodians play an integral role in our school community. They are the first to arrive and the last to leave, dedicating their days and often nights to the upkeep and maintenance of our schools. Their hard work often goes unseen, but it is felt by all of us who enjoy the clean classrooms, shiny hallways, and well-maintained facilities. Their commitment to their work has gone above and beyond to ensure every nook and corner of our schools is sanitized and safe for all of us. Thank you, custodians, for all that you do! Your hard work, dedication, and commitment do not go unnoticed. You truly make a difference.

Reminder OHS will take school pictures tomorrow, Monday, September 25th. Bring your smile and check your email for more info!