As we ring in 2026, we want to thank our students, staff, and families for an outstanding year. We're excited for all the possibilities ahead. Happy New Year, Hawks! 🎉
Wishing everyone in our Central Lee family a Merry Christmas! May your holiday season be filled with joy. ☃️
Our hearts are full 💛
This week, our Little Hawks shared joy by singing carols at local nursing homes, while our elementary students created personalized banners filled with love and encouragement—beautifully led by art teacher Ann Canida.
The smiles, happy tears, and warm welcomes from residents reminded us all that leadership starts with caring for others. Small acts. Big impact.
So proud of our Hawks for leading with kindness and heart.
#servicelearning #leadership #Proud2bCL
This week, our Little Hawks shared joy by singing carols at local nursing homes, while our elementary students created personalized banners filled with love and encouragement—beautifully led by art teacher Ann Canida.
The smiles, happy tears, and warm welcomes from residents reminded us all that leadership starts with caring for others. Small acts. Big impact.
So proud of our Hawks for leading with kindness and heart.
#servicelearning #leadership #Proud2bCL
5th and 6th grade SOAR Team members delivered holiday placemats to River Hills and the Montrose Nursing Home. As part of their service learning project, middle school students designed and decorated the placemats to brighten the residents' dining tables for the holiday season!
🎳 🏀 GAMEDAY AT CENTRAL LEE! 🏀 🎳
All four of our boys and girls basketball teams are back in action at home as they take on the West Burlington Falcons tonight! Good luck also to our boys and girls Bowling Teams as they compete at King Pins Bowling in a Burlington competition.
📅 Friday, December 19
🏀 🕥 JV Girls- 4:30, JV Boys and Varsity Girls- 6:00, Varsity Boys- 7:30
🎳 🕥 4:00pm
🎟️- $7 for all adults, $5 for students
📍 Central Lee High School, Livestream on HudlFan
Come out and support our Hawks as they compete and bring the energy to big matchups as we head into the Holiday Break!
All four of our boys and girls basketball teams are back in action at home as they take on the West Burlington Falcons tonight! Good luck also to our boys and girls Bowling Teams as they compete at King Pins Bowling in a Burlington competition.
📅 Friday, December 19
🏀 🕥 JV Girls- 4:30, JV Boys and Varsity Girls- 6:00, Varsity Boys- 7:30
🎳 🕥 4:00pm
🎟️- $7 for all adults, $5 for students
📍 Central Lee High School, Livestream on HudlFan
Come out and support our Hawks as they compete and bring the energy to big matchups as we head into the Holiday Break!
REMINDER: There is an early dismissal today at 12:00pm for the start of winter break. There is no school the next two weeks. Enjoy the time off, everyone! ❄️
🏀 HAWKS WIN AT THE RUMBLE ON THE RIVER! 🏀
Our Central Lee boys basketball team picked up a big win against Clopton High School (MO) at the Rumble on the River event held at John Wood Community College!
Leading the way was junior Carson Morrison, who poured in 28 points to help propel the Hawks past a strong Missouri opponent. An impressive team effort and a great showing on a big stage!
Our Central Lee boys basketball team picked up a big win against Clopton High School (MO) at the Rumble on the River event held at John Wood Community College!
Leading the way was junior Carson Morrison, who poured in 28 points to help propel the Hawks past a strong Missouri opponent. An impressive team effort and a great showing on a big stage!
🏀 Rumble on the River! 🏀
Our Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball teams travel to John Wood Community College to participate in the Rumble on the River, one of the most unique basketball competitions in the area. The Girls will play against Monroe City High School and the Boys will play Clopton High School, new opponents to Central Lee.
🕥- 4:30 and 6:00
🎟️- $7
LiveStream: https://youtube.com/@centralillinoissports?si=7Jc1ljUEkMd5u5OG
Good luck Hawks!
Our Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball teams travel to John Wood Community College to participate in the Rumble on the River, one of the most unique basketball competitions in the area. The Girls will play against Monroe City High School and the Boys will play Clopton High School, new opponents to Central Lee.
🕥- 4:30 and 6:00
🎟️- $7
LiveStream: https://youtube.com/@centralillinoissports?si=7Jc1ljUEkMd5u5OG
Good luck Hawks!
This morning brought some extra holiday cheer to campus! All three of our principals greeted students as they arrived at school, including Middle School Principal Kim Ensminger, who dressed as a very festive Elf on the Shelf! 🎄
We love the joy and school spirit our leadership brings to each day!
We love the joy and school spirit our leadership brings to each day!
🎶✨ Holiday Concert Extravaganza ✨🎶
What a wonderful evening celebrating the incredible work of Mrs. Heather Madsen, our elementary music teacher, and our Kindergarten through 3rd grade students! Her dedication, creativity, and heart were on full display as our adorable Hawks confidently showcased their talents.
We are also so grateful for our Specials Team: Ann Canida, Jessi Roth, Drake Drish, and Katie Koller for collaborating to support rehearsals and ensure students were set up for success. A big thank you as well to our grade level teachers who attended and cheered on their students. Your presence and encouragement truly mattered.
Also a heartfelt thank you to our audience members for the warm applause, encouragement, and flexibility as we hosted both concerts in one night. Your support created a positive, welcoming atmosphere that helped our students shine on stage.
This is teamwork, community, and love for kids at its very best. 💛🖤
#Proud2bCL
What a wonderful evening celebrating the incredible work of Mrs. Heather Madsen, our elementary music teacher, and our Kindergarten through 3rd grade students! Her dedication, creativity, and heart were on full display as our adorable Hawks confidently showcased their talents.
We are also so grateful for our Specials Team: Ann Canida, Jessi Roth, Drake Drish, and Katie Koller for collaborating to support rehearsals and ensure students were set up for success. A big thank you as well to our grade level teachers who attended and cheered on their students. Your presence and encouragement truly mattered.
Also a heartfelt thank you to our audience members for the warm applause, encouragement, and flexibility as we hosted both concerts in one night. Your support created a positive, welcoming atmosphere that helped our students shine on stage.
This is teamwork, community, and love for kids at its very best. 💛🖤
#Proud2bCL
💻✨ Computer Science in Action✨💻
Last week during Computer Science Week, kindergarten students in Katie Koller’s computer science class showed that coding isn’t all about screens—it’s about thinking, problem-solving, and storytelling!
After reading the book Have You Seen My Blankie?, students used Cubetto, a screen-free coding robot, to retell the story. By sequencing coding blocks, students programmed Cubetto to move through the story mat, matching events from the book step-by-step.
Through this activity, students were:
🧠 Practicing computational thinking
📖 Strengthening story sequencing and comprehension
🧩 Learning basic coding concepts like directions, order, and debugging
🤝 Collaborating and explaining their thinking
This is just one example of how we integrate Computer Science across grade levels in age-appropriate, engaging ways—building foundational skills that support literacy, math, and problem-solving from the very beginning.
Last week during Computer Science Week, kindergarten students in Katie Koller’s computer science class showed that coding isn’t all about screens—it’s about thinking, problem-solving, and storytelling!
After reading the book Have You Seen My Blankie?, students used Cubetto, a screen-free coding robot, to retell the story. By sequencing coding blocks, students programmed Cubetto to move through the story mat, matching events from the book step-by-step.
Through this activity, students were:
🧠 Practicing computational thinking
📖 Strengthening story sequencing and comprehension
🧩 Learning basic coding concepts like directions, order, and debugging
🤝 Collaborating and explaining their thinking
This is just one example of how we integrate Computer Science across grade levels in age-appropriate, engaging ways—building foundational skills that support literacy, math, and problem-solving from the very beginning.
December is Learn a Foreign Language Month, a great time for students to begin their language learning journey!
Being bilingual can offer academic, social, and career advantages. Students who speak more than one language often find it easier to connect with people around them.
We hope this month inspires you to dabble in a new language! 🌎
Being bilingual can offer academic, social, and career advantages. Students who speak more than one language often find it easier to connect with people around them.
We hope this month inspires you to dabble in a new language! 🌎
🏀🎳 GAMEDAY AT CENTRAL LEE! 🎳🏀
It’s a big night for Central Lee with multiple teams in action at home!
🏀 Basketball
Our Hawks take on the New London Tigers in a home matchup tonight!
Come out and support both our girls and boys teams as they battle in conference action.
🎳 Bowling – Tonight marks the FIRST-EVER home bowling meet for Central Lee as our girls and boys bowling teams host Davis County!
Help us pack the house and celebrate this exciting milestone for our bowling program.
It’s a big night for Central Lee with multiple teams in action at home!
🏀 Basketball
Our Hawks take on the New London Tigers in a home matchup tonight!
Come out and support both our girls and boys teams as they battle in conference action.
🎳 Bowling – Tonight marks the FIRST-EVER home bowling meet for Central Lee as our girls and boys bowling teams host Davis County!
Help us pack the house and celebrate this exciting milestone for our bowling program.
The Art Club celebrated the Christmas season with a festive holiday party at Swed! Students enjoyed pizza, cookies, lattes, and cocoa, along with fun games, snowflake crafting, and ornament making.
A wonderful way to kick off the holidays together! 🎨❄️
A wonderful way to kick off the holidays together! 🎨❄️
We are grateful for the voices of those who came before us. Last week, our Iowa History class welcomed Leonard Harvey, who shared powerful stories about growing up in Lee County and attending Hickory Grove schoolhouse, just north of Keokuk. 🏫
Our students recently studied one-room schoolhouses and the history of education in Iowa, making Mr. Harvey’s visit especially meaningful. His firsthand account helped bring the past to life in a way no textbook can.
Thank you, Mr. Harvey, for reminding us how valuable it is to learn from those who lived the history we now study. 📚
Our students recently studied one-room schoolhouses and the history of education in Iowa, making Mr. Harvey’s visit especially meaningful. His firsthand account helped bring the past to life in a way no textbook can.
Thank you, Mr. Harvey, for reminding us how valuable it is to learn from those who lived the history we now study. 📚
Join us in congratulating Dr. Leland “Lee” Morrison as a 2025 Central Lee Academic Hall of Fame inductee! 📚✨
Dr. Morrison began his Central Lee journey as a 6th grade teacher in 1975 and later returned as superintendent from 1992 to 1999. A lifelong advocate for education, he earned four degrees by age 35 and led meaningful district initiatives—including the Instructional Support Levy. His leadership has shaped schools across southeast Iowa and beyond.
The Hall of Fame Ceremony will take place on May 9, 2026, at 10:00am at Central Lee High School.
Dr. Morrison began his Central Lee journey as a 6th grade teacher in 1975 and later returned as superintendent from 1992 to 1999. A lifelong advocate for education, he earned four degrees by age 35 and led meaningful district initiatives—including the Instructional Support Levy. His leadership has shaped schools across southeast Iowa and beyond.
The Hall of Fame Ceremony will take place on May 9, 2026, at 10:00am at Central Lee High School.
Lunch menu for 12/15/25 -12/19/25:
🖤💛 CLES HAWKS OF THE MONTH 💛🖤
We are so proud to celebrate these students who showed what it means to Put First Things First! These students made smart choices, stayed focused, and followed through on what mattered most—learning, kindness, and doing their best each day.
Habit 3 reminds us to manage our time, take responsibility, and do the important things before the fun ones. Way to shine bright and lead the way, Hawks! ⭐️🦅
#Proud2bCL
We are so proud to celebrate these students who showed what it means to Put First Things First! These students made smart choices, stayed focused, and followed through on what mattered most—learning, kindness, and doing their best each day.
Habit 3 reminds us to manage our time, take responsibility, and do the important things before the fun ones. Way to shine bright and lead the way, Hawks! ⭐️🦅
#Proud2bCL
Central Lee CSD will use emergency bus routes tomorrow, Monday, December 15, 2025. Buses will run on hard surfaces only for both AM and PM routes.
Today's high school concert has been postponed until tomorrow evening with a start time of 7:30 p.m.
We will hold three concerts tomorrow.
5 p.m. - K-1 Concert
6:15 p.m. - 2nd-3rd Grade Concert
7:30 p.m. - High School Concert
It will be a BUSY night. We will post additional information regarding parking and arrival times tomorrow. High school parents should check their emails for an important message from Mr. Madsen.
We appreciate your flexibility as we navigate winter weather and concert season.
