FDCSD Names February Students and Employee of the Month

February 2, 2020, Fort Dodge, IA-  The Fort Dodge Community School District is pleased to announce its students and employees of the month for February.  This program recognizes one elementary, one middle school and one high school student, as well as one staff member monthly for exceeding expectations.

Mason Zuspann is the Elementary Student of the Month.  Emily Kloberdanz nominated him.  She stated Zuspann always strives to do his best. He listens during instruction and then creates masterpieces.  He is willing to explain his thinking, often volunteering to share his thoughts. Zuspann models good character throughout his daily activities. He is willing to work with anyone in the classroom and helps those who need it.  He treats everyone with respect and dignity.  He always does the right thing, even if others are not making the best choices.  Kloberdanz concluded by saying, “Mason has a heart of gold. He is kind to those who need it most. I can always count on Mason to be a leader in the classroom.” He is the son of Jerid and Allison Zuspann.

Aden Tjalsma is the Middle School Student of the Month.  Lexi Daniel-Lara, Amanda Ostrander-Lawrence and Terry Madden nominated him. They said Tjalsma is a valuable contributor to class discussions. He comes to class with enthusiasm and a positive attitude. They stated Tjalsma is a natural-born helper. When asked to help another student he does so willingly while coaching, guiding and offering praise. He is very considerate of his classmates and teachers.  They concluded by saying, “Aden makes school a priority. He puts his learning above all else while putting forth his best effort. He is able to share, listen, disagree respectfully and treat others kindly.” He is the son of Jon and Kristen Tjalsma.

Aiden Trimble is the High School Student of the Month.  Amy Hinders nominated him.  She shared that Trimble is intelligent, catching on quickly to new Spanish vocabulary and grammar concepts.  He answers with confidence and in sentence form when completing verbal activities. She shared that Trimble always has a smile and positive attitude.  He is helpful to the students he sits with, and can work with anyone in the classroom.  He is kind and non-judgmental when doing so.  Hinders concluded by saying, “Aiden just makes me happy when I see him come into class.  He is the type of student that makes my job easy and effortless.” He is the son of Joe and Jaime Plan, and Phil and Kristi Trimble.

Karine Fedderson is the Employee of the Month.  The Duncombe third grade team consisting of Lisa Reisner, Racquel Benegas, Jamie Harmon, Shannon Grossnickle and Erica Conley nominated her.  They said Fedderson brings a positive energy to every day. She has a passion for extending activities for students who have met their learning targets, often creating extensions or enrichments with real world problems to connect student learning to their everyday life.  They stated Fedderson has been a great addition to the school, not only because of her interactions with kids, but also looking at data and pushing the thinking of her coworkers on how to get students to their mastery of benchmarks. They concluded by saying, “Karine embodies the Fort Dodge mantra ‘Together We Rise’. She raises the bar for all students, helps close learning gaps and encourages students to do their best.”

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