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OFFICIAL
NEWSPAPER FOR
NORWALK COMMUNITY
SCHOOL DISTRICT
Norwalk Warriors
Vol. 51 No. 40 Norwalk, Iowa 50211 USPS No. 395-120 Phone 981-0406 emaih news@norwalknewspaper.com Thursday, March 7, 2019
Mayor's
Moment
By Tom Phillips
As I sit here writing this column, we have just
gotten another four inches of snow. While I enjoy
seeing a nice blanket of white, like most of you, I'm
getting awfully tired of shoveling. I just keep
reminding myself that Spring is just around the
corner and the snow will soon be gone. Unfortunately,
I know we are probably going to have a few more
snow storms before winter is finally over. If you
haven't already signed up for the City's new text alert
system, I highly recommend you do. The City uses
this system to alert residents and business owners
when they activate and deactivate the Norwalk Snow
Ordinance. It has been getting a real workout this
winter too with all of the times we have had to use it.
This text alert system takes the guess work out of
knowing when the snow ordinance is or isn't in effect.
It's easy just text: NORWALK to 46986.
Budget: It's already budget time and City Council,
staff and I have been working hard to set next year's
budget. I'm happy to say our property tax levy is going
to remain the same as last year. We've been able to
expand the number of projects we're working on,
provide amenities that taxpayers have been
requesting, expand our public safety staff and
equipment, as well as working on some long overdue
street projects, all while keeping our levy steady.
Community Chat: The next community chat will
be Saturday, March 9th at City Hall from 9:00 to
10:30 AM. Everyone is welcome to attend at any point
during this time. Bring your coffee and questions or
concerns and join us for a conversation. It is very
informal but a great opportunity to ask questions or
bring an issue to our attention.
Meeting Cancelled: Please Note: Due to Spring
Break, the City Council meeting scheduled for
Thursday, March 21st is cancelled.
I hope you all have a great start to your spring.
Knights of Columbus
Fish Fry Dinners
The Norwalk Knights of Columbus will once again
offer Fish Fry Dinners on Friday evenings during
Lent. Dinners will be served March 8th, 15th, 22nd,
and 29th, and April 5th and 12th. The events will
take place at the St. John the Apostle Catholic Church
hall, 720 Orchard Hills Drive in Norwalk, from 5:30
p.m. to 7:00 p.m. each week.
The menu will include baked and fried fish,
macaroni and cheese, cheese pizza, baked potatoes
(while they last), french fries, cote slaw, and drinks.
Contact St. John's Catholic Church at 981-4855
with any questions, including information on cost of
the event. Please join us each week!
Kelli Harris Honored as Norwalk Chamber's
Kelli Harris was chosen as the Norwalk Chamber
of Commerce Teacher of the Year, and was honored
at the annual chamber banquet held at Echo Valley
Country Club.
Educator Kelli Harris has a different definition of
Pi, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its
diameter, often expressed as 3.14. TO Harris, the
number represents the day - March 14, 2012 - she
accepted the offer to teach mathematics for the
Norwalk Community School District.
Harris currently teaches Algebra 1 and Algebra 1
lab to eighth and ninth graders at Norwalk's
Eastview School. She also is the mathematics
curriculum lead for grades 9-12 for the district.
Harris's love of mathematics education has roots
in her family. She is a fourth-generation teacher. Her
mother Jill Bass was her own high school math
teacher in Boone and her grandfather Craig
Anderson was a school superintendent in Boyden-
Hull before his retirement. An aunt is a high school
English teacher and an uncle was president of the
Boone School Board and Iowa Association of School
Boards.
"Needless to say, education has always been a part
of my life and I'm lucky to have been surrounded by
passionate educators all my life," she says.
Her interest began early - in first grade - where
she stayed after school in Mrs. Gage's classroom in
Boone until her father, Chad Bass, could pick her
up. The teacher let her take the extra worksheets
from the recycling bin so, like many kids, she could
play school at home. "I knew then I wanted to be a
teacher," she says. "I was blessed with amazing
educators from K-12 through college and stayed very
active in high school and college in sports, band and
various organizations. I knew I wanted to share my
love of school and learning with others."
Harris graduated from Buena Vista University in
Storm Lake in 2012 with a degree in mathematics
and secondary education. In 2014 she completed a
master's in education in curriculum, instruction and
teacher leadership from Buena Vista. The curriculum
includes studies in learning, development and
motivation, leadership in a changing society,
cognition and instruction, curriculum design and
instructional leadership.
"My master's program provided me a well-rounded
experience that has continued to benefit me as a
teacher and curriculum lead," she says. "I learned a
great deal about how our brains develop and learn
which has allowed me to provide engaging learning
experiences for students. I also learned about
curriculum design and assessment which has been
beneficial when building units and during our
curriculum review process as a department."
Harris's commitment to teaching is reflected in
another aspect of her active life. She recently completed
200 hours of training to become a certified yoga
instructor and leads classes evenings and weekends at
Power Life Yoga in Des Moines. She also shares her
nergies with Norwalk students as assistant middle
chool cross country coach and assistant coach for
Varsity girls track as the throwing coach.
Her first paying job, teaching beginning swimming
lessons, combined her love of teaching with her love
of sports, convince the little kids to put their faces
in the water, I told them Dory and Nemo from the
movie were under the water," she says. "To my
surprise it worked. They all came up excited, saying
they saw them. That trick served me well."
Harris and her husband Justus built a home in
Norwalk in 2015 and love being part of the
community where they enjoy spending time with
their miniature Goldendoodle, going on walks and
trying new restaurants.
Harris, right, is shown receiving her award from
Eastview Principal Dr. Jody Ratigan.
Information for this article was provided by the
Norwalk Chamber of Commerce.
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Plan to attend City of Norwalk's
Community Chat
Held the 2nd Saturday of each month,
9-10:30 a.m. at City Hall, 705 North Ave.
Residents are invited to visit with
city representatives about a variety of topics.
City of Norwalk
Dog License Applications
A reminder that dog licenses in the City of Norwalk
are coming due for the year. You are required by law
to annually license all dogs six months or older.
Licenses are due by March 31st. On April 1st, a $10
per dog late fee will apply.
Please see the City of Norwalk website
(www.norwalk.iowa.gov) or call 515-981-0228 if you
have questions.
