Empowering the next generation of leaders!
The 2026–27 IJAG elected officers recently gathered at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines for the state-wide Leadership Development Conference (LDC).
Our student leaders spent the day diving into leadership training, building essential skills, learning the ins and outs of their respective roles, and kicking off their plan of action for this year’s Service Project.
A huge shoutout to our 2026–27 officer team:
President: Jaisee Johnson
Secretary: Anabelle Rosales
VP Civic Awareness: Max Ambriz
VP Leadership Development: Gustavo Herrera
VP Career Development: Laelynn Howe
VP Social Awareness: Lainey Bucy
VP Social Learning: Isabella Avalos
We are so proud of the work these students are already doing to lead in their classrooms, schools, and communities!
#iJAG #LDC2026 #StudentLeadership #FutureLeaders
November Update from Clarke Middle School
We have a fun and busy week ahead at Clarke Middle School! There are a few special events happening, and I wanted to make sure everyone has them on their radar.
Some Special Things Happening This Week!
**Tuesday, November 10 – 6th Grade Field Trip to Drake**
Our 6th graders are headed to Drake University for a field trip! We are excited for them to have this opportunity and look forward to hearing about their experience.
**Wednesday, November 11 – Veterans Day Assembly**
We will be holding our Veterans Day Assembly at 10:15 as we take time to recognize and thank those who have served our country. We are also asking students to help us show our school spirit by wearing the following colors as much as possible:
- 6th Grade – Red
- 7th Grade – White
- 8th Grade – Blue
I also want to give a special thank-you to the Clarke staff members who have served in the military. We appreciate your service and the sacrifices you and your families have made.
**Thursday, November 12 – Fiddler on the Roof Sneak Peek!**
This is something I am especially excited about! All middle school students will have the opportunity to watch the final dress rehearsal of *Fiddler on the Roof* on Thursday at 12:30.
I cannot wait to see the show! The rehearsals have been amazing, and I know there has been so much time, effort, and talent put into bringing this production together. What a fun opportunity for our students to get a sneak peek before the show!
A Quick Reminder About Getting to Class
We have also started doing randomly scheduled tardy sweeps throughout the building. During these sweeps, administration and our success coaches will be checking hallways and bathrooms to make sure students have made it to class.
If a student is found out of class without direct permission from their teacher, we will be making a phone call home to let families know their student was not where they were supposed to be.
Our expectation is that students are in class, ready to learn, and making the most of their time. We understand that things happen, but being in the right place at the right time is an expectation we need everyone to take seriously. Repeated issues may result in lunch detention or before- or after-school detention.
Thank you for helping us reinforce this expectation at home. We want to protect instructional time and make sure our students are getting every opportunity to learn.
As Always...
Thank you for sharing your kids with us each day. There is a lot of good happening at Clarke Middle School, and I am excited for the opportunities this week brings. I hope everyone has a great week!
Breakout is an important part of our students’ daily physical activity, and with Iowa requiring a certain amount of physical activity for students, we want to make sure we are providing those opportunities whenever conditions allow.
I apologize for not getting this information out earlier in the week, and I appreciate everyone’s understanding as we keep our expectations consistent across the district!
Aunque en la escuela secundaria llamamos Breakout al tiempo de recreo para mantener la coherencia con las expectativas de nuestras escuelas primarias, seguiremos las mismas pautas de temperatura para las actividades al aire libre.
El tiempo de Breakout es una parte importante de la actividad física diaria de nuestros estudiantes. Como Iowa requiere que los estudiantes realicen cierta cantidad de actividad física, queremos asegurarnos de brindarles estas oportunidades siempre que las condiciones lo permitan.
Les pido disculpas por no haber compartido esta información a principios de la semana. ¡Agradezco su comprensión mientras trabajamos para mantener expectativas consistentes en todo el distrito!
Need a little extra help with homework or classwork? MS Study Table is a great opportunity to get help, ask questions, and build confidence!
📅 Tuesdays & Wednesdays: 3:30–4:30 p.m.
📅 Mondays: 7:00–7:30 a.m. (must be scheduled ahead of time)
Take advantage of this extra support and start building those skills!
Photo credits: Middle School Yearbook
It’s Rivals Week! We have a fun and busy week ahead as Clarke takes on Chariton in several events. Rivalry is about school spirit, competition, and bringing the energy — but most importantly, it is about representing Clarke with pride and respect.
📸 Picture Day — Monday, September 21
Don’t forget! Picture Day is tomorrow. Students will have their pictures taken during the school day. Please remind students to bring their best smiles!
🏐🏈 Rivals Week: Clarke vs. Chariton
We have several opportunities this week to cheer on our Clarke athletes:
Tuesday: MS & HS Volleyball vs. Chariton — Home
Thursday: MS Football @ Chariton
Friday Night: Varsity Football vs. Chariton — Home at Clarke
Friday Night: Heroes Night — we look forward to recognizing and celebrating our local heroes!
🏆 Rivalry = Competition, NOT Disrespect
As we celebrate Rivals Week, please help us remind our students that good sportsmanship always matters.
Cheer loud. Cheer proud. Cheer for Clarke.
Students are expected to:
Compete hard without putting others down.
Keep chants and comments respectful.
Treat players, coaches, officials, families, and opposing fans with respect.
Follow directions from coaches, staff, and event supervisors.
Represent Clarke positively — both at home and when we travel.
Remember that our 4 A's apply everywhere: Attend • Achieve • Act Responsibly • Advocate.
We can have a great rivalry, bring the energy, and still be good humans. That's Clarke Pride! ❤️
🗓️ No School for Students — Friday, September 25
A reminder that there is no school for students on Friday. Staff will be participating in a Professional Development Day focused on student data, reflection, and planning for instruction.
We hope everyone has a great week, and we’ll see you Friday night for Clarke vs. Chariton and Heroes Night!
Go Clarke! 💥
Students investigated how speed and mass can affect the amount of damage in a collision. Using carts on tracks, they conducted experiments by increasing the speed for one variable and increasing the mass for another.
We love seeing our students get hands-on with science, test their ideas, and learn through investigation! Great work, eighth grade!
Can you believe we are already heading into Week 4?! It has been such a great start to the school year, and I continue to be so impressed by our students. They are learning, growing, building relationships, and showing us more and more each day what makes Clarke Middle School such a special place.
A Big Week for Clarke Athletics!
We have some exciting football events coming up this week!
Thursday, September 17 — First Middle School Home Football Game
Clarke Middle School vs. Creston
4:30 PM
Clarke High School Stadium
Come out and support our middle school athletes as they take the field for their first home game of the season!
Friday Night Lights with the Back Alley Guys
Clarke vs. Grandview Christian
7:00 PM
Clarke High School
Friday night is always a special time to come together as a Clarke community. We would love to see our students and families there cheering on our teams and showing that One Tribe spirit!
A Couple of Middle School Reminders
Please keep Needoh, squishies, and similar fidgets at home.
We know these are fun, and they can be great sensory tools. Unfortunately, we have had several of them pop and create quite a mess in classrooms. Thank you for helping us keep these items at home so our classrooms can stay focused and learning-ready!
Energy drinks are not allowed at school.
Middle school students should not have energy drinks at school at any time, including during the school day or at activities connected to the school day.
As a reminder, water is the only beverage option in classrooms. Thank you for helping us reinforce this expectation at home.
Most importantly, thank you for sharing your kids with us every day. We truly love having them here. Middle school can be a wonderfully messy, funny, exciting, and sometimes challenging season, and we are so grateful to be part of it with your families.
Thank you for your continued partnership, support, and trust in Clarke Middle School. We are off to a fantastic start, and I cannot wait to see what this next week brings!
Go Clarke!
Dr. Kelly
Principal, Clarke Middle School
We are officially heading into Week 3, and I have to say that I am so proud of how our students have jumped into the middle school year! There is always a lot to learn when you’re the new kid on the block, and our students are settling into routines, expectations, and what it means to be part of the Clarke Middle School One Tribe.
A few important reminders as we head into the week:
6th Grade iPads
At this time, 6th graders should NOT be taking their iPads home. We are intentionally giving our 6th graders some time to get into the groove of middle school and learn the routines that come with having a school-issued device. We will communicate when that changes.
7th & 8th graders should be taking their iPads home each night and are expected to bring them to school fully charged every day. If charging or bringing the iPad becomes an issue, I will work with students individually to help them get into a successful routine.
Arrival Reminder
The middle school building opens at 7:40 a.m. There is no supervision available before 7:40, so please plan accordingly.
Friday Early Out & Activities
Just a reminder that Friday is an early-out day!
We also have a busy Friday night:
🏐 First Middle School Volleyball Game – 4:30 p.m.
🏈 Friday Night Lights – Away at I-35
Come out and support our students if you can!
And finally… Homecoming!
Homecoming is officially in the books, and I could not be more proud of our students. They showed up, participated, had fun, and represented Clarke Middle School so well. A special shout-out to the students who helped pick up the ENTIRE student section. That kind of ownership and pride in our school is exactly what we want to see. That was a pretty awesome way to end Homecoming!
Thank you for continuing to partner with us as we build routines, expectations, and a strong middle school culture. This work is hard, this work is important, and we are one day closer to high school!
Have a great Week 3, Clarke families!
Dr. Kelly
Clarke Middle School Principal
What a GREAT job today by all of our middle school students during Lunch & Breakout! 👏
New systems always come with a little learning curve, but I am SO proud of how our students handled today. They listened, adjusted, helped one another, and kept things moving. That’s what One Tribe is all about! ❤️
The image below is a simplified menu for tomorrow, but please take a moment to bookmark Nutrislice, which can also be found in the Lunch Menu section of the Clarke App.
🍕 Take a look tonight and decide what sounds great for lunch tomorrow! Knowing your choice ahead of time will help us keep the lunch line moving and make the most of our lunch time.
Great work today, Clarke Middle School! We’re off to a GREAT start! 🙌
— Dr. Kelly
👕 Dress Code: Please review the dress code image for details. This includes no strapless tops, clothing being worn as intended (no pulling shirts up or sagging pants), and ensuring all clothing provides appropriate coverage.
💧 Beverages: For middle school students, water is the only beverage permitted in classrooms. Energy drinks such as Alani Nu, Monster, Red Bull, etc. should not be brought to or consumed at school at any time.
Thank you for partnering with us and helping our students start the year strong! We appreciate your support!