Board Recognitions

The Clear Creek Amana Community School District and Board of Education recognize the outstanding work of its students and staff. Each month, school and district leaders have the ability to recognize students who have excelled in the arts, academics, athletics/extracurriculars and community service. 

Pictured on left: School Board President Kara Prickett, Abe Banwart, Logan McMorran, Cade Mineart, David Zorn, Superintendent Dr. Corey Seymour, and School Board Member Allison Momany.

Pictured on right: School Board President Kara Prickett, Lindsey Shaull, Katie Wilford, Superintendent Dr. Corey Seymour, and School Board Member Allison Momany.

CCA esports Rocket League team. 

For those that don’t know, Rocket League is a video game that is essentially soccer with flying cars. This past February, the esports team went to Marshalltown to compete in the Iowa High School Esports Association state tournament. They won the tournament, taking home first place in the entire state. They played a best out of 5 total games of Rocket League per series. The series started with defeating Liberty High 3-0, then Waukee NW by 3-1 and finally defeating Waterloo East High by 3-2.

Through it all they remained undefeated for their entire season. This is CCA esports’ 1st State Championship victory, and their second time to the tournament in just two years as a program.

Katie Wilford a Math Educator at CCAHS

"Katie is an amazing educator.  Our AP calculus students have scored incredibly well in the past two years. Their average score is in the top 30% nationally with the vast majority scoring a 3 or better.  What is really impressive about her teaching is the fact she can skillfully teach her math lessons in 2 languages without missing a beat.  It is really something to experience.  CCAHS is very lucky to have an educator that has these special skills that can meet the wide range of needs that our students have."

Lindsey Shaull an Interventionist at Clear Creek Elementary

"Lindsey is always positive and ready to support students in all situations. She puts others' needs before her own and is quick to jump in and help, whether it's a student, a colleague, or a family in the community. Lindsey's natural leadership makes our school a friendly and collaborative place. You will not find a heart bigger than Lindsey's. She truly enhances the spirit of Clear Creek Elementary!"

Pictured: Hayden Davis, Deeksha Sekhar, Matthew Charbon, Melina Ramirez-Dominguez, Superintendent Dr. Corey Seymour, Board Member Gabe Schaapveld, Board Member Jenn Bollers.

District MLK Oratory Competition

The 2nd Annual MLK Oratory Competition was held February 8. This year's competition included students from grades 3 - 6.  The students competed in grade level and building competitions before advancing to the district competition held in the Performing Arts Center at the High School. All students did a fantastic job and with us here tonight we would like to recognize the 2024 winners. I’ll introduce the students, we’ll take a photo and return for Deeksha to share her speech with the board.

3rd Grade
Winner- Melina Ramirez-Dominguez, Tiffin Elementary

4th Grade
Winner- Deeksha Sekhar- Oak Hill Elementary

5th Grade
Winner- Hayden Davis, Oak Hill Elementary
Over all winner for elementary grades 3-5 is Deeksha Sekhar, 4th grade from Oak Hill Elementary

6th Grade
Winner-Matthew Charbon, CCA Middle School

Pictured: Leigh McIntosh, Iden Tiedt, Hadley Collingwood, Board Member Jennifer Downes, Superintendent Dr. Corey Seymour, and Board Member Shaun Kukukze.

Iden Tiedt, Leigh McIntosh and Hadley Collingwood from Amana Elementary

Both Iden and Leigh demonstrate amazing qualities in student learning.  Both take their learning very seriously and continue to work hard and achieve at high levels.  Iden and Leigh's greatest strengths are how compassionate and friendly they are to everyone they interact with.  Both include any student in a game, at lunch, or during learning activities.  

Hadley is another shining example of what a true friend and leader is. Hadley is always willing to come in early to help First Grade Teacher Mrs. Sandersfeld along with her mom, Mrs. Collingwood, to help set up for the day for the First grade classroom. Hadley's name can be heard shouted out by many of our younger students followed by the most welcoming hug! 

Hadley along with Leigh and Iden are friends to everyone at Amana Elementary. All three exemplify compassion through their words and actions. All three extend empathy and support to everyone around them.

Pictured, Oligar Guerra, Board President Kara Prickett, Kelly Wallace, Tracy Wolfe, Superintendent Dr. Corey Seymour, Vice President Abdouramane Bila

Tracy Wolfe, a District Induction Coach

It's clear that Tracy Wolfe is an exemplary individual who goes above and beyond in her role, working collaboratively with new teachers and dedicating many extra hours to improve the educational experience. Tracy's initiative to build a math center tool to support teachers is commendable and demonstrates a commitment to saving time and enhancing the teaching process. Tracy’s  commitment to supporting teachers not only in their professional development but also in their well-being and mindset helps to create positive and supportive environments for students and staff. Such dedication and innovation can indeed make a significant impact on the educational community, aligning with the idea that "it takes a village" to provide the best possible education for students.

Oligar Guerra, a Building Engineer at Tiffin Elementary

Tiffin Elementary had some new students start in Kindergarten who were English Language Learners and this was their first experience being in a school.  Needless to say, they were overwhelmed.  Oli helped out by speaking to the students in Spanish and explaining what was going on.  Oli made sure he was at the front of the school every morning for those first few weeks of school to check in on the students, help them get their breakfast, and then make sure they got down to their classroom.  Now that the students are thriving, he still makes time to check in with the students.  It is because Oli built that trusting relationship with the students and their families that they are being successful in Kindergarten.  Oli has also been helpful with some other English Language Learners in the building.  He helps to translate when a student is struggling to get their message across.  He is calm and gentle with all students. Thank you, Oli, for going above and beyond your duties as our building engineer to ensure that a handful of students, who were new to this country, felt safe and welcomed in their school.  You truly make a difference everyday at Tiffin Elementary!!!

Kelly Wallace, a Substitute Teacher

Kelly Wallace is an incredible teacher. She's not just a substitute; she's a great team player who brings positivity to everyone around her. She communicates effectively and handles challenges gracefully. Kelly always steps up to help, even when she doesn't have to. What makes her special is that she prioritizes building strong relationships with her students. She's a fantastic educator and a valuable member of any team.

School board member Matt McAreavy, Olivia Hancock, Superintendent Dr. Seymour, School board member Eileen Schmidt.

Our school board recognition tonight is Middle School Student Oliva Hancock.  Olivia was recently recognized by KCRG as their Student of the Month for already making a huge impact at her school at the age of 12.  Olivia was nominated by Middle School Dean of Students Kyle Forness. Olivia is involved with many clubs at the middle school and is a founding member of the group CCA Gives Club. CCA Gives has a goal to make school and community a better place. The group helps people, animals, and classes. She personally made over 300 origami butterflies to help decorate for the high school prom. The club also supported the “I’m glad you stayed Project” focused on suicide prevention and Olivia made many buttons of positive affirmations focused on suicide prevention. 

It’s easy to see why Mr. Forness stated Olivia is kind, considerate and very mature and that she puts 100% into everything she does. She puts 100% into her school work too, and even though Olivia is getting straight A’s and high academic achievements in her classes, she says, “while grades are important, life is about how you treat other people so be kind to everyone.”

Congratulations Olivia you are making your school and community a much better place!!

Pictured: Board President Kara Pricket, Sam Pettinger, Quinton Tran, Olivia Romero, Raya Baxter, Board Vice President Joe Burns, and Superintendent Dr. Seymour. 

School board member Matt McAreavy, Board President Kara Prickett, Seth Graesser, Tyler Hibbs, Superintendent Dr. Seymour

Tyler Hibbs & Seth Graesser submitted by David Graesser, the Middle School Building Engineer
I just wanted to express my gratitude for the awesome teamwork led by Tyler Hibbs and Seth Graesser. They helped in the Wrestling Building-Golf Net Project, with getting tables from the HS and getting chairs to Amana for the Swim Meet.

Tyler and Seth are longtime residents and graduates of CCA, they both have a great deal of pride in the Clear Creek Amana School District. There are many things that take place out of normal view that are required for the district to function, Tyler and Seth are the focal point of making much of this happen. They do this without wanting any recognition or fan fare, just the desire to do their jobs safely, efficiently and professionally. 

School board member Matt McAreavy, Board President Kara Prickett, Melissa Fuller, Superintendent Dr. Seymour

Melissa Fuller is North Bend Elementary’s Music Teacher... and last-minute interpreter! To say she is an amazing and fun and energetic music educator is an understatement, but in addition to that, she has stepped in to help our non-English speaking students and parents. From Day 1, she has graciously shared her gift of dual languages to help us through some otherwise difficult situations. She has greeted parents, helped when a student is sick, taken a phone call, and helped us navigate Google Translate. She has helped our new students & families feel even more welcome and helped our NBE staff communicate better! We are so thankful for her sharing her gift! 

School board member Matt McAreavy, Board President Kara Prickett, Miranda Kral, Superintendent Dr. Seymour

Miranda Kral is the former Teacher Librarian at North Bend Elementary and is currently the Teacher Librarian at Clear Creek Elementary.
North Bend Elementary, unfortunately, started the school year without a Teacher Librarian but even with nobody currently in this position the school is making all things happen because of the work Miranda had done getting their Library set up for the school year: she made sure each student had a card, made sure the system was set up correctly, made sure there were easy step-by-step instructions to follow for those having to keep it moving forward! She has been open to several emails and phone calls to help the NBE staff when needed.

Miranda has stopped by North Bend Elementary to help with whatever they need... and she has done it with a smile! NBE is so APPRECIATIVE of her generous heart!

Speech

Three Speech groups were nominated for All-State Performing. The groups were Musical Theatre, Choral Reading and Ensemble Acting. Seven of the students qualified in two events.
In addition to the student recognition, Tracy Williams wrote the choral reading piece entitled “Robin”.
At the IHSS All-State Large Speech Festival, The CCA Musical Theatre Group was selected as “Outstanding All-Stater”. This was a first in CCA History.
Musical Theatre (Come From Away): Audrey Bell, Andrew Cartier, James Cavanary, Sydney Emmel, Lily Schloss, Brock Sherman, Natalie Stewart and Charlotte Watson.
Coaches Tracy Williams and Chrissy Berlin

Ella Chatham (ensemble acting
Natalie Stewart
Audrey Bell
Charlotte Watson
Brock Sherman

Volleyball
The CCA Volleyball Girls returned to the State Tournament for the first time since 2014 and were the 4A State Runner-up for first time in program history.

Head Coach Jackie Clubb and Assistant Coach Rachel Berkland
Silvana Kabolo
Bliss Beck
Meg Berkland
Sam Schrage
Kenadi Wood

Girls and Boys Cross Country
The CCA Girls placed 2nd and the Boys placed 3rd at the 3A Regional Meet. This qualified both teams for the Cross Country State Championships. This was the first time in school history both teams qualified in the same year. At the State Meet, the Girls placed 9th and the Boys placed 14th. Haidyn Barker received All-State honors by placing 13th as an individual.

Head Coach Ben Robison, Assistant Coaches Megan Miller and Paige O'Brien.

Girls Qualifiers:
Haidyn Barker
Kira Barker
Sara Kinzenbaw
Eva Leighton-Dick
Kiera Rogers
Harper Tecklenberg
Raegan Wyant

Boys Qualifiers:
Jamie Hayes
Brock Hilsman
Logan Kafer
Cameron Kimm
Isaac Sorensen
Peyton Stadler
Thomas Stiltner

Board member Shawn Kukukze, Board member Jennifer Downes, Suzanne Schloss, Emmaline Hines, Superintendent Dr. Seymour

Emmaline Hines, 3rd Grade Student at Amana Elementary

Congratulations Emmaline Hines, 3rd grade student at Amana Elementary. Emmaline was chosen as the winner of the University of Iowa Flash Writing Contest for Grades 3 and 4.  The judges read submissions from 25 other states, Washington DC and as far away as India!!  Emmaline's writing and more about the contest is on the Write Now website! 

Suzanne Schloss, Building Secretary at North Bend Elementary

Suz is being recognized for always being upbeat and having a smile and a can do attitude.  There is nothing Suz won't take on and figure out how to make it work or make it better.  Her laugh is contagious.  She is there for every single member of the North Bend family. Suz goes above and beyond every single day!

Annie Trumpold, Anita Reihmann, School Board member Jen Mooney, School Board President Kara Prickett, Superintendent Dr. Seymour

Anita Reihmann, Instructional Coach
Anita goes above and beyond for students and staff each and every day. If there is a student that needs extra instructional help, Anita always finds a way to get them extra time. She comes in early and stays late to provide extra instruction for those that need it. She even instructs in a fun way walking students back to their classroom- not a minute is wasted. Anita is also a tremendous resource for the teachers at Amana Elementary. She digs through data and research and develops procedures that make instruction easier for teachers to deliver. Anita touches those outside of her building as well. She is an instrumental part of our district instructional coach team by discussing and developing instructional practices best for students and modeling them for any adult that needs them.

Amana Church/Food Bank (Recognition Accepted by volunteer Annie Trumpold)
The Amana Church is recognized for going above and beyond to help provide essential food and other household needs to the community of Amana and specifically to the families of Amana Elementary.

Katie Rowe, Board Member Shaun Kukuzke, Board Member Jennifer Downes, William Aydelotte, Superintendent D. Seymour, Matthew Wu.

William Aydelotte, a Freshman at CCA
William was recognized for going out of his way to make CCA a better place!!  Each day, William walks from the High School to the Middle School after school. From the first day and each day after that, William has picked up garbage all the way from the high school to the middle school.  He then throws away, some days arm fulls, of garbage at the middle school. Principal Fox said, “He's definitely doing his part to make our schools look better!”

Katie Rowe, Teacher Interventionist at Tiffin Elementary
While helping to run the Tiffin Elementary car line at the end of the day, Katie noticed an elderly gentleman in their parking lot who was acting suspicious.  Katie approached the man and found out that he was disoriented and did not know where he was or where he was going. He became very upset but Katie stayed with the man, calmed him, and called for help.  She convinced the man to stay in the parking lot and not get back on the road again as he was driving a very large truck/trailer. The man was going through a diabetic emergency.  Kathy Campbell, Director of Health Services for the district, also came out to help with the situation.  She provided medical help until the ambulance could arrive.   Had this man continued to drive out of the Tiffin Elementary parking lot and get on the road, there is no doubt that it would have ended in tragedy.  

Matthew Wu, a Senior at CCA
Matthew recently earned the status of National Merit Semifinalist. Students are entered for the National Merit Scholarship program by taking the PSAT and meet the program participation requirements. The semifinalists are the highest-scoring entrants in each state. Students are notified through their schools and given the materials explaining the requirements to advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarship. Students who fulfill the requirements will be notified in February if they are a Finalist. Good-luck Matthew!