Thomas the 3A State Coach of the Year, Staudt the Assistant Coach of the Year

The cross country season was award-filled for our teams, so it makes sense the coaches joined in on the fun once the season concluded.

It was announced on Thursday that both of our head coaches and boys’ assistant coach Troy Staudt were honored as award winners by the Iowa Track Coaches Association.

Staudt was the lone recipient of the Boys Assistant Coach of the Year award. Head boys’ coach Aaron Thomas was named the Class 3A State Coach of the Year, while girls’ head coach Laura Kautman was a 3A At-Large Coach of the Year.

A part of the boys’ program for seven years, Staudt has been alongside Thomas for three of the Tigers’ four state championships since 2014, including this season. Staudt earned the high praise through a nomination and vote by coaches from across the state.

“It’s a great honor for Troy,” Thomas said. “When he came in, he’d admit that he didn’t have a lot of knowledge about cross country, but he’s worked so hard to have a better understanding and he plays a big role in planning workouts, planning training, those things.”

Thomas says Staudt is key to the growth of the entire program.

“That (varsity) meet we go to at Boone at the end of the year that’s for our JV kids, that was his idea,” Thomas said. “He looks at the whole picture and does a nice job of thinking about what can we do for all 30 or 40 kids on the team and what’s best for them.”

Thomas earned his fourth Coach of the Year accolade, which he says is a reflection of the work the athletes put in throughout the season.

“It’s voted on by your peers, so it’s nice to be recognized by them,” Thomas said. “What the kids did this year, the award is a reflection of that.”

The boys’ team dethroned Pella in 3A to win the state championship. The Tigers also won 3A crowns in 2014, 2017, and 2018.

Kautman’s honor comes after a stellar season for the girls’ program as well. The Tigers were ranked No. 2 for the majority of the season, joined the boys as Raccoon River Conference and State Qualifying Meet champions, and completed the campaign with a third-place finish at state.

Congratulations to all three coaches on these awards. They are certainly deserving of the accolades.

On November 7, Gilbert Community School District voters will go to the polls to vote on a variety of things, one of them being the Bond Referendum offered by the school district.

The proposed $35 million bond would include a new elementary school, as well as additions and renovations to our other three buildings — the intermediate, middle school, and high school — as well as the addition of a new practice track and field to replace the old track currently at the intermediate.

There are a number of ways voters can find information on the Bond Referendum and have their questions answered, including by clicking HERE to view our Bond Information website.

In addition, Superintendent Dr. Christine Trujillo will host several community informational meetings leading up to the vote. Those dates can also be found by clicking HERE.

Stop us if you’ve heard this before — we have amazing educators here at Gilbert Schools, and we celebrate them every chance we get.

And this week, the entire state celebrated two of our own as well.

We are so happy and proud to inform you that Gilbert Middle School eighth-grade Language Arts teacher Lauren Stephens and district librarian Lynne Reid were both honored with prestigious awards from the Iowa Council of Teachers of English (ICTE) at the organization’s fall conference in Johnston on Thursday.

Stephens received the Middle School Teacher of Excellence Award, while Reid accepted the Friends of Literacy Award.

As you can guess, both were thrilled.

“Winning this award is an honor knowing it comes from a community of educators who have supported me in every stage of my career,” Stephens said. “I’m so lucky to have incredible students who challenge me to be a better version of myself and I’m so grateful for the excellent educators I get to work with every day.”

“This award means so much to me,” Reid said. “Gilbert Community Schools has given me the opportunity to create and implement new programs, the flexibility to work with students and teachers in all grades, and the encouragement to investigate other ideas and programs.”

The Middle School Teacher of Excellence Award presented to Stephens is given to a middle school Language Arts teacher who utilizes a carefully planned and rich curriculum, implements innovative philosophies in the classroom, and actively participates in professional collaboration.

Stephens actually nominated Reid for the Friends of Literacy Award, which is presented to a non-classroom educator who encourages exploration and engagement in literacy pursuits by removing barriers for students and providing resources to help them grow as readers and writers.

Congratulations again to both of our award-winning educators. Your dedication, hard work, and support of our students is noticed on a daily basis. And now educators from across the state understand what we get to see every day.

The 20s hit the stage inside the Gilbert High School Auditorium Tuesday night, and if you were in attendance then you know — it was indeed roaring!

Gilbert Middle School Music Director Chris Johnson hosted the spring choir concert in front of a packed house, as the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades performed a total of nine songs, including the final three with the entire middle school choir of more than 180 students!

It. Was. Amazing!

The songs performed included:

Sixth Grade
•Sweet Georgia Brown (1925)

Seventh Grade
•Charleston (1923)
•Nessun Dorma (1926)

Eighth Grade
•Exsultate Just in Domino (1627)
•Ozymandias (1820)
•Dynamite (2020)

Combined Choirs
•Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened (1727)
•Idumea (1826)
•Fascinating Rhythm (1924)

Members of the high school band stepped in to lend backing music, and members of a string orchestra were brought in for several numbers as well to strengthen what was already an unbelievable concert.

Mr. Johnson always does an amazing job with his students and this is showcased time after time with the middle school concerts. And accompanist Amanda Jennings is someone this district values a great deal for her talents and dedication to our students and music programs.

Thank you, Mr. Johnson, and thank you students for putting on another incredible concert … just another example of the talent that roams our hallways each and every day. Lastly, thank you to everyone who came out to support our students!