AMBOY – Although it may seem like the 2023-24 school year just began for Amboy schools, it is either officially over or at the tail end.

The Amboy School Board meeting on Tuesday, May 21 made it clear the year was almost finished as all topics of discussion were about closing this school year and changes for the 2024-25 school year.

Amboy Junior High School Principal Andrew Full had plenty of positives to speak about during his principal report as he spoke about AJHS’ meeting with Anji Garza of the Regional Education Office about summer trainings, summer meetings, important 2024-25 dates, SEL, and social studies.

Junior high teachers met for transition meetings last week as the fourth grade teachers met with the fifth grade teachers and sixth met with seventh.

Awards were dished out to students of the month. Grace Zambrano and Blake Atkinson were the May fifth graders of the month. Alex White, Enrique Lara Alonso, and Kendyll Whitney were the sixth graders of the month. The seventh graders of the month were Kenzie Alletto and Shawn Thompson. The eighth graders of the month were Addison Blaine and Caylee Hummel. P.E. was Liam McBride and Sydney Noble.

The AJHS celebration ceremony where the awards were received took place Friday, May 24.

“I think it’s a really big deal for the students to receive awards. You recognize individual students for what they’ve done and for what they’ve contributed to the school,” Amboy Schools Superintendent Joshua Nichols said. “There is a wide variety of awards because so many kids do so many different things that are special and that we should recognize. It’s not just one group of kids. We try to stretch it out and recognize as many as we can. There is a lot of diversity, and a lot of good things are happening.”

Clipper P.R.I.D.E. was announced to Robert Bowman, Brandon Hanson, Thomas Keene, Makayla Phillips, Taytum Senn, Myla Zambrano, Leah Bonnell, Amelia Kant, Avarie Seier, Hannah Shoemaker, Hannah Whitman, Makayla Burt, Brenna Fields, Kolton Grevs, Jason Hemmen, Grady McLaughlin, Aden Spinelli, and Lily Yanez.

Staff Shout-Out winners were Sara Krabbenhoeft and Belinda Lewis.

Important fun days for AJHS included the fourth-grade tour day on Wednesday, May 15, VIP Day for the fifth grade on Friday, May 17, Goofy Games on Monday, May 20, a trip to Woodhaven Lakes on Tuesday, May 21, and Eighth Grade Day on Thursday, May 23.

Amboy Central School had events and people to celebrate also as Paisley Kant and Ruda Patel received IPA Student Leadership Awards.

Muffins With Moms brought mothers to school to have breakfast with their child. Wonka Week took place May 20-24 as each day had a different event. Monday was Fizzy Lifting Drink, Tuesday was Lollipop Pull, Wednesday featured Bubble Gum Competition, Thursday was Good Egg, Bad Egg, and Friday was Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory the movie.

Preschool screenings began Friday, May 24.

“It’s about establishing relationships and building with community. Bringing families and students in to show them school isn’t just about one thing,” Nichols said. “It’s how we establish positive role models and make connections with parents and students. We want the kids to be excited. It’s a lot of fun when you’re learning and doing all the fun events when they’re dancing and laughing.”

Outside of principal reports, the 2024-25 fee schedule and 2024-25 tentative amended budget were approved.

Brothers Flooring is going to replace carpet in the district office and Amboy High School library. Midwest Educational Furnishings is going to install library furniture at Central. Dreamscapes by Dennis, Inc. is going to landscape a border and mulch at Central for the new preschool playground.

Early graduation applications were accepted as well as the resignations of Central School head custodian Dean Weidman, AHS Spanish teacher and AJHS track coach Reaine Wilson, and AHS boys basketball coach Brad Dunlap.

Patty Kuper was hired as a paraprofessional at AJHS.