Prairie Ridge Middle School

🌍 A Special Farewell to Mrs. Chambers: 35 Years of Changing Lives 🎨

After 35 incredible years of teaching, Mrs. Jennifer Chambers is enjoying a well-deserved retirement! To thank her for the impact she has made on our school community, four talented students, Finley Ragland, Adelina Islamovic, Kenley Bush, and Maggie Herzmann, came together to create unique pieces of artwork inspired by the kindness, patience, and encouragement she has shown throughout her career.

🎨 Art from the Heart: The Student Tributes
Kenley Bush reflected that it was never just one big thing that made Mrs. Chambers so special, but all the "little things." From the fun games played in advisory to the constant guidance, love, and patience she showed every student, Kenley wanted to capture a difference that will never be forgotten.

Maggie Herzmann knew how much Mrs. Chambers loves plants, so she crafted a beautiful, handmade plant pot paired with personalized plant markers as a meaningful gift for a teacher who has always been incredibly kind and welcoming.

Adelina Islamovic created a plaque to honor the countless students Mrs. Chambers has encouraged and inspired over the decades. Adelina shared that Mrs. Chambers always offered second chances, helped students find the right path, and taught life lessons that will stay with her long after middle school.

Finley Ragland designed a beautiful world globe artwork, dedicated to "the finest global studies teacher," which perfectly expressed gratitude for a teacher whose influence spans far beyond the walls of her classroom.

Congratulations on a legendary 35-year career, Mrs. Chambers! Thank you for the difference you’ve made. We wish you a retirement filled with endless happiness, lots of new adventures, and plenty of time to enjoy the things you love! 🪴✈️❤️

🌟 Year 1 in the Books & Big Things Ahead for iJAG! 🌟

WOW, Prairie Ridge! The response to our first year of iJAG (Iowa’s Jobs for America’s Graduates) has been absolutely incredible. As we wrap up a phenomenal inaugural year, we are already looking ahead, and the excitement for the 2026-2027 school year is through the roof!

We have received over 160 student applications for next year’s program! While we love the enthusiasm, it means we have some tough decisions ahead, as we have a limit of only 30 seats per grade level for our 6th and 7th graders.

As our team carefully reviews these applications, we want to take a moment to celebrate what makes this elective course so vital and look back at the incredible skills our first-ever iJAG class mastered this year.

🚀 What is iJAG at PRMS?
iJAG is an immersive experience designed to help middle schoolers discover their passion and purpose, transition successfully to high school, and build the "durable skills" needed for the real world.

Our students didn't just sit at desks, they actively mastered key life competencies across these major areas:

Self-Understanding & Character Development: Students explored their personal values, learning styles, and aptitudes while discovering how to maintain a positive attitude and lead with integrity.

Communication & Negotiation: From learning how to differentiate fact from opinion to practicing conflict resolution and self-advocacy, our Jags learned how to use their voices effectively.

Organization & Study Habits: Students gained practical tools for time management, goal setting, and proactive decision-making to set them up for academic success.

"Dreamwork" & Career-Based Learning: Jags mapped out future career plans, learned the job application process, explored local resources, and even tackled real-world financial literacy like budgeting, earning, and saving!

🗳️ The Student-Led Career Association
One of the absolute highlights of the year was our Career Association. This student-led organization allowed our Jags to elect their own officers and take total ownership of planning civic awareness, leadership development, and community service-learning projects. Some of our talented leaders even got to showcase their skills in state-wide employability competitions!

A HUGE "thank you" is in order for Ms. Vandewater, our 6/7 Career Education Specialist at PRMS. Here are some photos from 2nd Semester. Enjoy!

"Student Spotlight: Olivia Dilling

One of the greatest things about teaching art is seeing students use their talents to show appreciation for people who have made a difference in their lives.

This spring, 6th grader Olivia Dilling created not one, but two special art projects for her favorite teacher, Jessica Booher, a digital artwork and a clay slab relief featuring orcas.

Olivia shared that she was inspired to create these pieces because Ms. Booher is such a kind, caring, and loving teacher. She had been waiting for the right opportunity to make something special for her, and when she learned that Ms. Booher loved orcas during our animal-themed art project, she knew she had found the perfect inspiration.

Earlier this school year, Olivia also nominated Ms. Booher for a teacher recognition award. As a result, Ms. Booher was featured on a recognition website and received a certificate honoring the positive impact she has made on her students.

It's clear that Ms. Booher has made a lasting difference in Olivia's life. The admiration, gratitude, and thoughtfulness behind these artworks are a wonderful reminder of the powerful relationships that teachers build with their students each day.

Thank you, Olivia, for sharing your talent and your heart. And thank you, Ms. Booher, for the positive influence you continue to have on your students." - Mr. McColley

"Some students just have that extra spark the last week of school

6th grader Jaxton Staebell came in during multiple study halls and even working lunches to create this incredible sushi + dumpling clay plate set complete with a soy sauce bowl. The attention to detail alone was a total jawdropper…especially with summer break only days away!

What made this project even better was the reason behind it. Jaxton had his mind set on creating something special for his favorite teacher at Prairie Ridge Middle School - Samantha Rottinghaus. His kindness, dedication, and effort throughout the process were awesome to watch.

Yesterday Jaxton surprised Mrs. Rottinghaus with the gift, and today she sent along this photo of the bowl already being used in action.

Nice job, Jaxton. Hope you have an awesome summer!" - Mr. McColley