Ithaca School District

Ithaca Families! Don't forget that tomorrow, Wednesday, December 8th, is a scheduled Early Release day for all students. Elementary students will begin releasing at 12:15pm, and Middle and High School students will dismiss after the 12:36pm final bell.

The Passages Food Drive sponsored by the HS National Honor Society and Student Council is picking up steam! There's still time to help your class reach the top spot. See the flyer for needed items. Top classes to this point are: Kindergarten - 38 pounds, Third grade - 15 pounds, Second grade - 13 pounds.

The Ithaca School District parents, grandparents and caregivers have access to high-quality education resources for preventing youth substance use. No cost! Our community coalition, Partners for Prevention, hopes you find the materials to be helpful and supportive as you relate to the young people around you. ❤ Ithaca School District partners with the Richland School District to provide these services. Please see the link on the district website: https://www.richland.k12.wi.us/for_parents/your_choice For more information on the work of the P4P, please follow us on FB, Twitter, and Instagram. For the local network of care: https://southwestern.wi.networkofcare.org/mh/index.aspx Stay warm, safe, and healthy!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Dec. 7th, 2021 Today is a Day 1 Lunch for today: First Choice - Baked Ham, Second Choice - Grilled Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes, Strawberries, Dinner Roll, Dessert, Milk The schedule today for Band and Choir is: 6th Grade - Choir, 7th and 8th Grade - Choir, HS - Day 2 Schedule. Monday's winner of $50 in the Band Parents Calendar Raffle was Shawna Kitsembel, of Richland Center, with ticket #573. Thank you to all of the middle school and high school students in 8th hour study hall, who helped with moving band equipment down to the Commons for the concert last night. I really appreciated your help! Thank you to Mrs. Thompson and all of the students who helped set up before and tear down after the concert! Also, Thank you to Mr. Hess for narrating at the concert last night. You were awesome! Congratulations to Mrs. Behrens and the band students on a wonderful Christmas concert last night! FCA (Fellowship of Christian athletes) t-shirts are available. The cost of the t-shirts is $6.00. Please stop in the guidance office and see Mrs. Kershner for one. Attention 6th through 8th Grade. Middle school wrestling sign ups are on the school office window. Practice will start December 13th after school. There will be a parents meeting after practice on December 13th at 5:15pm. Parents with questions can call Coach Finnell at 608-475-9936 There will be a high school FFA meeting today during ATTACK in Mrs. Sprecher's room. We will be discussing a lot of important topics so please plan on attending. Did you know Rural Route 1 popcorn makes a great Christmas gift? The PTSO will be selling cash-n-carry popcorn in the school entryway by the office on Friday, Dec. 10 and Friday Dec. 17 during the boys and girls basketball games from about 6 PM to the end of the game. Most flavors available. Get 'em while they last! It's time to start the High School Forensics season! We're coming off of an award-winning 20/21 season and are ready to have a repeat! Join us for a brief meeting on Friday, December 10th in the LMC during ATTACK time. This will NOT conflict with the NHS meeting that day. Not sure if you're interested? Still stop in! If you have any questions, see Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Zorea, or Ms. Schmitt. There will be National Honor Society Meeting in the LMC during Attack on Friday, December 10th. The Ithaca third grade boys’ basketball team will begin practice on December 10th at the old community gym. Practice will be every Friday Evening from 6-7PM. The annual Ithaca FFA blood drive is on Tuesday, December 14 from 9 am - 2 pm in the old community gym. Students between age 16-18 years old who wish to donate must have a permission slip signed by their parents. See Ms. Sprecher for a copy. You can sign up on the door by Ms. Sprecher's room or at the link https://bit.ly/ithacadec14.Help give the gift of life during the holidays! The PTSO's 4th Annual Gingerbread House Fun Night will be Friday, December 10 starting at 5:30 in the Commons. The PTSO will provide frosting and graham crackers; house decorators can bring any candy you want to decorate your houses. Judging will be at 6:45 with prizes for the top 3 houses. Please start saving boxes - like pasta or mac n cheese sized - to use to build your house around as we are not using milk cartons this year. Hot cocoa will be served as well - hope to see you there! This Day in History: Pearl Harbor bombed. At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time, a Japanese dive bomber bearing the red symbol of the Rising Sun of Japan on its wings appears out of the clouds above the island of Oahu. A swarm of 360 Japanese warplanes followed, descending on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in a ferocious assault. The surprise attack struck a critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet and drew the United States irrevocably into World War II. Word of the Day: Ostracize AH-struh-syze verb Ostracize means "to exclude from a group by common consent."The Senator knew that he might be ostracized by his party, but he voted with his heart and against the party line, nevertheless. Birthdays: Elementary—no birthdays H.S./M.S.—no birthdays

The high school band had an excellent trip to Milwaukee on Saturday to play at the Bucks game. The student's represented Ithaca very well in both their performance and conduct. Lots of memories were made! Thank you to the parents and teachers who gave their time to chaperone. Mr. Klang, Mr. Mezera, Mrs. Burnley, Ms. Durkin, and Mr. Kelly - your help was invaluable! If you would like to see any pictures from the trip, go to the Ithaca Bands Page on Facebook.

The Winter Band Concert will be held tonight at 7:00 pm! Band students in grades 5 - 12 will be featured. Set up will begin at 5:15 pm for any students that are able to make it at that time to help.

The PTSO's 4th Annual Gingerbread House Fun Night will be Friday, December 10 starting at 5:30 in the Commons. The PTSO will provide frosting and graham crackers; house decorators can bring any candy you want to decorate your houses. Judging will be at 6:45 with prizes for the top 3 houses. Please start saving boxes - like pasta or mac n cheese sized - to use to build your house around as we are not using milk cartons this year. Hot cocoa will be served as well - hope to see you there!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Dec. 6th, 2021 Today is a Day 2 Lunch for today: First Choice - Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce, Second Choice - BBQ Rib, Green Beans, Pears, Breadstick Milk The schedule today for Band and Choir is: 6th Grade - Band, 7th and 8th Grade - Band, HS - Day 1 Schedule. The weekend winners in the Ithaca Band Parents Calendar Raffle were Daniel Starr - $50, Jacquie Raecker - $50, and Shelly Maxwell - $100. The Winter Band Concert will be held tonight at 7:00 pm. Band students in grades 5 - 12 will be featured. Set up will begin at 5:15 pm for any students that are able to make it at that time to help. The high school band had an excellent trip to Milwaukee on Saturday to play at the Bucks game. The student's represented Ithaca very well in both their performance and conduct. Lots of memories were made! Thank you to the parents and teachers who gave their time to chaperone. Mr. Klang, Mr. Mezera, Mrs. Burnley, Ms. Durkin, and Mr. Kelly - your help was invaluable! If you would like to see any pictures from the trip, go to the Ithaca Bands Page on Facebook. Did you know Rural Route 1 popcorn makes a great Christmas gift? The PTSO will be selling cash-n-carry popcorn in the school entryway by the office on Friday, Dec. 10 and Friday Dec. 17 during the boys and girls basketball games from about 6 PM to the end of the game. Most flavors available. Get 'em while they last! There will be a high school FFA meeting during ATTACK on Tuesday December 7th in Mrs. Sprecher's room. We will be discussing a lot of important topics so please plan on attending. Attention all HS and MS students! We have many staff working on decorating their doors, but it is time to show the student Holiday Spirit! Decorate your lockers this week to win a prize from the HS student council. It's time to start the High School Forensics season! We're coming off of an award-winning 20/21 season and are ready to have a repeat! Join us for a brief meeting on Friday, December 10th in the LMC during ATTACK time. This will NOT conflict with the NHS meeting that day. Not sure if you're interested? Still stop in! If you have any questions, see Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Zorea, or Ms. Schmitt. There will be National Honor Society Meeting in the LMC during Attack on Friday, December 10th. The Ithaca third grade boys’ basketball team will begin practice on December 10th at the old community gym. Practice will be every Friday Evening from 6-7PM. The annual Ithaca FFA blood drive is on Tuesday, December 14 from 9 am - 2 pm in the old community gym. Students between age 16-18 years old who wish to donate must have a permission slip signed by their parents. See Ms. Sprecher for a copy. You can sign up on the door by Ms. Sprecher's room or at the link https://bit.ly/ithacadec14.Help give the gift of life during the holidays! The PTSO's 4th Annual Gingerbread House Fun Night will be Friday, December 10 starting at 5:30 in the Commons. The PTSO will provide frosting and graham crackers; house decorators can bring any candy you want to decorate your houses. Judging will be at 6:45 with prizes for the top 3 houses. Please start saving boxes - like pasta or mac n cheese sized - to use to build your house around as we are not using milk cartons this year. Hot cocoa will be served as well - hope to see you there! This Day in History: 13th Amendment ratified. On December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, officially ending the institution of slavery, is ratified. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” With these words, the single greatest change wrought by the Civil War was officially noted in the Constitution. Word of the Day: Fomite FOH-myte noun A fomite is an object (such as a dish, doorknob, or article of clothing) that may be contaminated with bacteria or viruses and serve in their transmission. Everyday objects that are smooth, like our phones and credit cards, can be fomites. Birthdays: Elementary—no birthdays H.S./M.S.—no birthdays

Ithaca students organized a jersey day to honor Jackson Sparks, an 8-yr-old Mukwanago student who was one of the victims during a Christmas parade in Waukesha. Continued support from the Ithaca community goes out to those who are suffering in the wake of that tragedy. #JerseysForJackson

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Dec. 3rd, 2021 Today is a Day 1 Lunch for today: First Choice- French Bread Pizza, Second Choice- Philly Chicken, Broccoli/Cheese Sauce, Peaches, Dinner Roll, Milk The schedule today for Band and Choir is: 6th Grade - Choir, 7th and 8th Grade - Band, HS - Day 1 Schedule. Yesterday's winner of $75 in the Band Parent's Calendar Raffle was Sarah Stibbe, with ticket #593. Ithaca's High School Band auditioned and have been chosen to play as the Milwaukee Bucks Pep Band before their game against the Miami Heat on Saturday night. After their performance, they will stay and watch the game. Congratulations to the band students on being chosen to play! The Winter Band Concert will be held on Monday, December 6, at 7:00 pm. Band students in grades 5 - 12 will be featured. There will be an FCCLA meeting today in Ms. Stocks room during attack. The Ithaca third grade boys’ basketball team will begin practice on December 10th at the old community gym. Practice will be every Friday Evening from 6-7PM. The annual Ithaca FFA blood drive is on Tuesday, December 14 from 9 am - 2 pm in the old community gym. Students between age 16-18 years old who wish to donate must have a permission slip signed by their parents. See Ms. Sprecher for a copy. You can sign up on the door by Ms. Sprecher's room or at the link https://bit.ly/ithacadec14.Help give the gift of life during the holidays! There will be a popcorn sale today. Cost is 50 cents a bag, limit 2 bags per student please. Proceeds this week will go to the 1st grade class. Middle school students we will sell in your hallway by the elementary doors during your breakfast. High school we will sell in the hallway by the vending machine during your breakfast. The PTSO's 4th Annual Gingerbread House Fun Night will be Friday, December 10 starting at 5:30 in the Commons. The PTSO will provide frosting and graham crackers; house decorators can bring any candy you want to decorate your houses. Judging will be at 6:45 with prizes for the top 3 houses. Please start saving boxes - like pasta or mac n cheese sized - to use to build your house around as we are not using milk cartons this year. Hot cocoa will be served as well - hope to see you there! This Day in History: “A Streetcar Named Desire” opens on Broadway. On December 3, 1947, Marlon Brando’s famous cry of “STELLA!” first booms across a Broadway stage, electrifying the audience at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre during the first-ever performance of Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire. Word of the Day: Galvanize GAL-vuh-nyze verb Galvanize means "to cause (people) to take action on something that they are excited or concerned about."The council's proposal to close the library has galvanized the town's residents. Birthdays: Elementary—today: Laina Mani, Elijah Rosolowski, on Sunday: Emmett Barlow, Tylor Myers H.S./M.S.—on Saturday: Cole Dicken, on Sunday: Brianna Alt, Lucas Weitzel Staff—on Sunday: Cheryl Richards

There will be a popcorn sale this Friday, December 3. Cost is $.50/bag, limit two bags per student. Proceeds this week will go to the 1st grade class. Middle school students, we will sell in your hallway by the elementary doors during your breakfast. High school, we will sell in the hallway by the vending machine during your breakfast.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Dec. 2nd, 2021 Today is a Day 2 Lunch for today: First Choice - Pork Taco, Second Choice - Chicken Tenders, Coleslaw, Mandarin Oranges, Dinner Roll, Milk The schedule today for Band and Choir is: 6th Grade - Band, 7th and 8th Grade - Choir, HS - Day 2 Schedule. Yesterday's winner of $50 in the Band Parent's Calendar Raffle was Josh Kast, with ticket #311. Just a reminder, there is a Youth 4 Change meeting today during attack in the LMC. We will be choosing the coloring contest winners for elementary There will be an FCCLA meeting on Monday December 6th in Ms. Stocks room during attack. The Ithaca second and third grade boys basketball team will begin practice on December 10th at the old community gym. Practice will be every Friday Evening from 6-7PM. HS Band Students: There will be pep band for the wrestling meet today. If you are unable to make it, please let Mrs. Behrens know. On Thursday, December 2nd, Mr. Andresen will be holding the first math contest of the year in his room. It will be a pencil-and-paper test. Calculators will be provided. It will be given during 5th hour and Seminar. Prizes to all students who attempt the test, as well as prizes to the highest scoring student. For more questions, contact Mr. Andresen. The annual Ithaca FFA blood drive is on Tuesday, December 14 from 9 am - 2 pm in the old community gym. Students between age 16-18 years old who wish to donate must have a permission slip signed by their parents. See Ms. Sprecher for a copy. You can sign up on the door by Ms. Sprecher's room or at the link https://bit.ly/ithacadec14.Help give the gift of life during the holidays! There will be a popcorn sale this Friday, December 3. Cost is 50 cents a bag, limit 2 bags per student please. Proceeds this week will go to the 1st grade class. Middle school students we will sell in your hallway by the elementary doors during your breakfast. High school we will sell in the hallway by the vending machine during your breakfast. The PTSO's 4th Annual Gingerbread House Fun Night will be Friday, December 10 starting at 5:30 in the Commons. The PTSO will provide frosting and graham crackers, house decorators can bring any candy you want to decorate your houses. Judging will be at 6:45 with prizes for the top 3 houses. Please start saving boxes - like pasta or mac n cheese sized - to use to build your house around as we are not using milk cartons this year. Hot cocoa will be served as well - hope to see you there! This Day in History: Enron files for bankruptcy. On December 2, 2001, the Enron Corporation files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a New York court, sparking one of the largest corporate scandals in U.S. history. Word of the Day: Smarmy SMAR-mee adjective Smarmy means "behaving in a way that seems polite, kind, or pleasing but is not genuine or believable."Online reviews of the resort warned of smarmy street vendors when wandering from the tourist areas. Birthdays: Elementary—no birthdays H.S./M.S.—Brianna and Brooklynn Granger

The annual Ithaca FFA blood drive is on Tuesday, December 14 from 9 am - 2 pm in the old community gym. Students between age 16-18 years old who wish to donate must have a permission slip signed by their parents. See Ms. Sprecher for a copy. You can sign up on the door by Ms. Sprecher's room or at the link https://bit.ly/ithacadec14. Help give the gift of life during the holidays!

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Dec. 1st, 2021 Today is a Day 1 Lunch for today: First Choice - Mozzarella Burger, Second Choice - Polish Sausage, Baked Beans, Dill Pickle Spear, Pineapples, Dessert, Milk Allison Durst and Maggie Gschwind—Please see Mrs. Schoen at 8am this morning at her office. No TAs while Elementary is in the Red. Please report to the study hall that hour. The schedule today for Band and Choir is: 6th Grade - Choir, 7th and 8th Grade - Band, HS - Day 1 Schedule. Grade 6 - 12 Band Students: All unsold raffle tickets also need to be turned in to Mrs. Behrens. The Southwest Technical College Scholarship Application goes live today. If you have been accepted into a program, please take some time to fill out the Scholarship application form at www.swtc.edu/money. Seniors may check your email for a direct link. The annual Ithaca FFA blood drive is on Tuesday, December 14 from 9 am - 2 pm in the old community gym. Students between age 16-18 years old who wish to donate must have a permission slip signed by their parents. See Ms. Sprecher for a copy. You can sign up on the door by Ms. Sprecher's room or at the link https://bit.ly/ithacadec14.Help give the gift of life during the holidays! HS Band Students: There will be pep band for the wrestling meet this Thursday, December 2. If you are unable to make it, please let Mrs. Behrens know. Sorry for the late notice. Ithaca Youth Wrestling Sign up is December 6 at 530 pm at school. All Ithaca students in grades 2-6 are open to join On Thursday, December 2nd, Mr. Andresen will be holding the first math contest of the year in his room. It will be a pencil-and-paper test. Calculators will be provided. It will be given during 5th hour and Seminar. Prizes to all students who attempt the test, as well as prizes to the highest scoring student. For more questions, contact Mr. Andresen. FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) will meet this Thursday morning, Dec 2nd at 7:00am. All high school students are welcome! Enjoy a hot breakfast, a devotional message and fellowship. Bring your athlete Bibles. If you don’t have one…no worries… one will be given to you! Hope to see you… bring a friend! There will be a popcorn sale this Friday, December 3. Cost is 50 cents a bag, limit 2 bags per student please. Proceeds this week will go to the 1st grade class. Middle school students we will sell in your hallway by the elementary doors during your breakfast. High school we will sell in the hallway by the vending machine during your breakfast. The PTSO's 4th Annual Gingerbread House Fun Night will be Friday, December 10 starting at 5:30 in the Commons. The PTSO will provide frosting and graham crackers, house decorators can bring any candy you want to decorate your houses. Judging will be at 6:45 with prizes for the top 3 houses. Please start saving boxes - like pasta or mac n cheese sized - to use to build your house around as we are not using milk cartons this year. Hot cocoa will be served as well - hope to see you there! This Day in History: Rosa Parks ignites bus boycott. In Montgomery, Alabama on December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks is jailed for refusing to give up her seat on a public bus to a white man, a violation of the city’s racial segregation laws. The successful Montgomery Bus Boycott, organized by a young Baptist minister named Martin Luther King, Jr., followed Park’s historic act of civil disobedience. Word of the Day: derrick DAIR-ik noun A derrick is a tall framework over an oil well that supports equipment used in drilling. Areas of the desert have become fields of oil derricks. Birthdays: Elementary—no birthdays H.S./M.S.—Jonathon Hash

One Elementary class has been closed due to covid transmission. This also puts all Elementary and Middle school at RED. Masks are required at all times. (HS is Blue)

Dig in the back of your closet, dust off your ugliest Christmas sweater and join us for the sixth annual 2 mile Ugly Sweater Fun Run/Walk through the Lights on Campus and overlook the Rotary Lights in the park! If walkers are permitted in the Rotary Lights in the run/walk will go through the Rotary Lights in the park. Afterwards, warm up with a warm bowl of soup, your choice of two healthy soups and fixings. Start at Symons Recreation Complex (SRC) Check-In Starts at 4:00 pm at Symons Recreation Complex. Run starts at 5:30pm Walk starts at 5:40pm. See registration and flyer to register for a start time. Please help support our local Food Pantry by donating a non-perishable food item when picking up race packets, day of the race. Early Check-In on Friday December 3rd for pre-registered participants.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Nov. 30th, 2021 Today is a Day 2 Lunch for today: First Choice - Taco Soup w/Tortilla Chips, Second Choice - Ham Sub, Carrots, Applesauce, Dessert, Milk The schedule today for Band and Choir is: 6th Grade - Band, 7th and 8th Grade - Choir, HS - Day 2 Schedule. Grade 6 - 12 Band Students: All raffle tickets and money are due today to Mrs. Behrens. Football Calendar Raffle Winner for November 30th, Diane Teach -Congratulations! HS Band Students: There will be pep band for the wrestling meet this Thursday, December 2. If you are unable to make it, please let Mrs. Behrens know. Sorry for the late notice. There will be a student council meeting today during ATTACK in Ms. Sprecher's room The Youth 4 Change meeting scheduled for today has been moved to this Friday, December 3rd during ATTACK in the LMC. If you have any questions, see Mrs. Dickey. Ithaca Youth Wrestling Sign up is December 6 at 530 pm at school. All Ithaca students in grades 2-6 are open to join On Thursday, December 2nd, Mr. Andresen will be holding the first math contest of the year in his room. It will be a pencil-and-paper test. Calculators will be provided. It will be given during 5th hour and Seminar. Prizes to all students who attempt the test, as well as prizes to the highest scoring student. For more questions, contact Mr. Andresen. FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) will meet this Thursday morning, Dec 2nd at 7:00am. All high school students are welcome! Enjoy a hot breakfast, a devotional message and fellowship. Bring your athlete Bibles. If you don’t have one…no worries… one will be given to you! Hope to see you… bring a friend! There will be a popcorn sale this Friday, December 3. Cost is 50 cents a bag, limit 2 bags per student please. Proceeds this week will go to the 1st grade class. Middle school students we will sell in your hallway by the elementary doors during your breakfast. High school we will sell in the hallway by the vending machine during your breakfast. The PTSO's 4th Annual Gingerbread House Fun Night will be Friday, December 10 starting at 5:30 in the Commons. The PTSO will provide frosting and graham crackers, house decorators can bring any candy you want to decorate your houses. Judging will be at 6:45 with prizes for the top 3 houses. Please start saving boxes - like pasta or mac n cheese sized - to use to build your house around as we are not using milk cartons this year. Hot cocoa will be served as well - hope to see you there! Word of the Day: Hoitytoity hoy-tee-TOY-tee adjective hoitytoity means "pretentious, fancy, or pompous." The guidance counselor emphasized that students do not need to go to a hoity-toity college to achieve success. Birthdays: Elementary—Miley Brown H.S./M.S.—Maggie Kershner and Ryan Tourdot

The Thanksgiving Day Parade came to Ithaca! Mrs. Pulvermacher's 3rd Grade class read Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet, which tells the story behind the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and balloon floats. Students first decided what the float idea would be, then each had to individually draw the float. Collaborating with each other, groups planned the finalized design of the float. They then used balloons and construction paper to build their float. Once the floats were constructed, groups used the Bee Bots to code their floats down along a mapped out “parade route.”

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Nov. 29th, 2021 Today is a Day 1 Lunch for today: First Choice - BBQ Rib, Second Choice - Fish Sticks, Corn, Pears, Dinner Roll, Milk The schedule today for Band and Choir is: 6th Grade - Choir, 7th and 8th Grade - Band, HS - Day 1 Schedule. Football Calendar Raffle Winner for November 25th = Sharon Klang, November 26th = Mitch Ricco, November 27th =Chet Sumwalt, November 28th = Rod Klingaman , November 29th = Gregg Hilby - Congratulations! Grades 6 - 12 Band Students: The calendar raffle tickets and money must be turned in by Tuesday, Nov. 30th. All tickets are expected to be sold. If you cannot sell all of your tickets, please bring them in to Mrs. Behrens this week so that someone else can sell them. On Thursday, December 2nd, Mr. Andresen will be holding the first math contest of the year in his room. It will be a pencil-and-paper test. Calculators will be provided. It will be given during 5th hour and Seminar. Prizes to all students who attempt the test, as well as prizes to the highest scoring student. For more questions, contact Mr. Andresen. There will be a Youth 4 Change meeting during ATTACK tomorrow in the LMC. We will be choosing Red Ribbon Week coloring contest winners and working on our plans for the year. Contact Mrs. Dickey with any questions. FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) will meet this Thursday morning, Dec 2nd at 7:00am. All high school students are welcome! Enjoy a hot breakfast, a devotional message and fellowship. Bring your athlete Bibles. If you don’t have one…no worries… one will be given to you! Hope to see you… bring a friend! It is that time of year again! The HS student council is sponsoring Deck The Halls! Join in the fun by decorating your room, door, and locker for prizes!Awards will be given for the best teacher decorated door individual and the best teacher decorated door group. All MS and HS students that participate in decorating their lockers will win a prize too! Decorating must be complete by Friday, Dec. 3 at the end of the day. Judging will be the following Monday. But wait! There is more! The student council is also having the annual Passages Food drive for the month of December. Prizes to the top three classes that collect the most pounds of food! We will collect weekly for the first three weeks of December and announce the winners on December 22! Help support Passages with your donation! This Day in History: Despite strong Arab opposition, the United Nations votes for the partition of Palestine and the creation of an independent Jewish state. The modern conflict between Jews and Arabs in Palestine dates back to the 1910s, when both groups laid claim to the British-controlled territory. The Jews were Zionists, recent emigrants from Europe and Russia who came to the ancient homeland of the Jews to establish a Jewish national state. The native Palestinian Arabs sought to stem Jewish immigration and set up a secular Palestinian state. Word of the Day: Obfuscate AHB-fuh-skayt Verb Obfuscate means "to make difficult to understand" or "to be evasive, unclear, or confusing." The coach obfuscated his response as to whether he would retire at the end of the season. Birthdays: Elementary—Kaylee Ewing and Colton Straight H.S./M.S.—Dayton Scott

There are so many things to be thankful for. Ithaca Public Schools is thankful for our incredibly resilient students and staff, our supportive families and community, and the commitment to education that is shown by all. Happy Thanksgiving!