This week we turn the spotlight to our fantastic vocal teacher Mr. Josh Morphew. He has been a wonderful addition to our school and has taken the vocal program to a whole new level! We are very thankful to have him and his family as a part of our district!
Staff Spotlight - Mr. Morphew - Vocal Teacher
About Me -
Hi there! I’m Josh Morphew, our K–12 music teacher and assistant basketball coach living just outside of Centerville with my wife, Sarah, our two awesome daughters, Leah (9) and Audra (6), and a small zoo of pets. Ruby, our Great Pyrenees mix dog, who thinks she runs the place. Fluffy the cat, and another cat who was named in a quick-thinking situation by said 9-year-old. That cat, JARED, is just kind of along for the ride. We’re currently hosting my brother-in-law, Joe Ward, who is moonlighting as our live-in nanny with his recent move back to Centerville. I grew up in western Nebraska in a tiny school not unlike Centerville, so teaching in a small town feels like home, but with slightly faster internet. I graduated from Doane University in Crete, Nebraska with a Bachelor's in History, and sang in their world-class choir, where Sarah and I met. When I’m not wrangling kids, cats, or choir harmonies, you can find me on the basketball court yelling encouraging things at teenagers who pretend not to hear me.
Favorites -
My favorite color is gray. It really complements my personality. My favorite TV show is a tie between The Office and Parks and Rec. Yes, I believe Ron Swanson is a modern philosopher. Favorite animal? Any dog over 40 lbs. Let’s be honest, if a dog is under 40 lbs., it’s basically a cat. When it comes to hobbies, I collect vinyl records, SHOES (yes, that's a thing), and I enjoy hunting when I can find the time. The best food ever created is mac 'n' cheese, and my favorite drink is coffee, preferably drank before speaking to anyone.
Memory -
Two of my favorite memories from my time at Centerville has been our last two Pops Concerts. Watching students grow in confidence and fall in love with music has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my life these past four years. I also love how our middle and high school students connect with the elementary kids. As a parent of two young daughters, it fills my heart to see the “big kids” inspire and encourage the next generation. Even if that means my children now think teenagers are the coolest people on Earth. I’m trying not to take it personally...
Why Statement -
I choose to teach music, because where else does one get to turn a bunch of tired and hungry kids into a choir that sounds like magic? I teach music BECAUSE it's loud and messy. At least at first, anyway. And then with hard work, a little guidance, and trusting each other, it grows into something beautiful, emotional, and well worth the effort.
4/8/25: High School track heads to Scotland today to open up the outdoor season. Javelin starts at 10 am. Complete schedule attached. Good luck to Coaches and Athletes!
The elementary held their monthly awards assembly last Friday. Students were rewarded for their hard work in reading, writing, math, and character. Those students that were awarded the Character Counts award for the month were also treated to a treat at Pump N Stuff on Friday afternoon. Great work kids! Keep up the hard work!
Vote tomorrow in the new gym from 7 am to 7 pm.
Pictured are 8 gold medal and 2 bronze medal winners for the 3rd Grade Reading Olympics challenge last month. For the Olympics, the students were challenged to read a variety of genres. They had to complete all 10 Olympic events in order to win a gold medal. Fantastic job to this talented group of young people! Keep reading!
Don't forget to vote on April 8, 2025 from 7am to 7pm at the school gymnasium. A sample ballot is attached.
Upcoming election:
Let's try this one more time. We were notified this afternoon that tomorrow's rescheduled date for spring pictures won't work for them due to an overlooked conflict on their part . Spring pictures have now been rescheduled again. This time for WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9TH. Sorry for the confusion and inconvenience this may have caused.
There will not be spring pictures today due to the photographer not being able to get here due to road conditions. They have been rescheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, April 3rd.
Congratulations to the basketball players that made it on the Great Plains Conference Team!
You are invited to come out and watch as Mrs. Fischer and the spring play cast put on "The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza" in the Gold Gym. They will be presenting the play on Wednesday, April 2nd at 1:00 PM and on Saturday, April 5th at 7:00 PM.
3/29/25: 10 am Track will attend the Mt. Marty Indoor meet. Live results are at:
https://dakotatiming.anet.live/meets/43321
Watch @: https://www.gpacnetwork.com/mountmarty/
Centerville’s annual Early Childhood Screening is scheduled for Thursday, March 27th. There will be four sessions throughout the day, with limited spots available in each. To secure a time that works best for you and your child, please contact Candy in the office to schedule an appointment. Reminder there will not be Pre-School classes on March 27th.
Good luck to our power lifting team members Riley, Travis, and Coach Aaron. They head off to compete in the National Power Lifting competition which takes place in Appleton, WI.
A reminder that there will be NO SCHOOL on Thursday, March 20th and Friday, March 21st for Spring Break. School will resume on Monday, March 24th.
The Anatomy class traveled to USD's Anatomy Lab today for a full tour of their facility. They experienced hands-on, first hand learning about the human body, it's organs, and pathology. They were a fantastic bunch of kids who were very engaged, respectful to the presenters, and had great questions to strengthen their understanding of what was being discussed. Some Chic-Fil-A or Qdoba afterwards was a nice way to wrap up the trip!
Softball store now open. Support the girls as they start a new chapter at Centerville School:
https://dadesigns605.com/collections/centerville-softball-youth
LAST CHANCE to join HoopsMania to raise money for our Educators Rising Chapter members to attend National Conference in Orlando, Florida. $10.00 per ticket and you could win $1,000 in prizes! Visit our fundraiser page to contribute or learn more. Last date of ticket sales is Wednesday, March 19th.
Thank You!
https://www.charitymania.com/give/LF04B-9
Last week, the elementary had an awards assembly to recognize their hard work for the month of February. The winners of the Character Counts award were treated to ice cream and slushies with Mr. Fischer today. Keep up the hard work!
The Centerville Elementary took part in the Kids Heart Challenge put on by the American Heart Association. The students raised just over $3000 for this great cause. The student that raised the highest dollar amount in each class had the opportunity to spray some silly string on Mr. Fischer. Great work students!
