• We are nearly to March and are starting to see the light at the end of the winter tunnel.  We've gotten some much needed moisture and I'm certainly ready to see my front lawn again - even if it means mowing the lawn.
• Since the tragic events at Newtown in December, we've spent a great deal of time evaluating our emergency management plans and making adjustments from what we've learned.  On Tuesday, February 19th, we held class meetings for all students in grades 6-12 to discuss with them what their actions should be in the time of crises.  We followed up our class meetings with a lockdown drill on Thursday, February 21.  Please take the time to have an age-appropriate conversation with your children about this very important topic.  Our students need our support and advice about these very difficult situations.
• During the next couple of weeks, students in grades 8-11 will have the opportunity to register for classes for the 2013-2014 school year.  I hope you'll have an opportunity to visit with your children about their course selections and how their current course selections can impact their post-secondary plans.  The curriculum guide book is a good resource for students and parents and can be found on my SharePoint site, http://js274.k12.sd.us.
• The SharePoint site also gets regular updates with daily announcements and other important documents for parents and students.  If there is something that you think might be beneficial to add, please let me know.  I'd also like to invite you to sign up to receive electronic newsletters on a regular basis.  You may do so by following the links on the Groton Area Homepage or by following the direct link http://eepurl.com/u3Lov
• Congratulations to all of our athletes, musicians, debaters and students for the hard work and commitments they've made to their school work and activities.  The hard work has paid off and will continue paying dividends long after you've left GHS.
• Submitted by:  Joe Schwan, MS/HS Principal
• Sincerely,
• Joe Schwan
•
• Introduction to Agriculture - Mr. Franken
• The freshmen class has been learning how to evaluate market and breeding livestock.  They are identifying which traits are the most important and how to visually evaluate them on an animal.  The students will also be working on giving oral reasons on how they judge the animals.

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