Farmington School Reporter, Spring 2018

School Reporter FARMINGTON AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

www.farmington.k12.mn.us

INSIDE: Page 2 Book Battle at Akin Road MN Author Visit Farmington Elementary North Trail Students Build Bridges

Page 3 Water Challenge at Riverview Gateway Students Learn by Serving Boeckman Students Share Poetry

Page 4 Farmington High Senior Spotlights

Page 5 Athena Award Winner National Letter of Intent Signing

Page 6 Learning Through Movement at Meadowview Cardio Equipment at Dodge

Page 7 Dodge Pool Celebrates 20 Years FAEF Grants Early Childhood Grant

Page 8 FHS Band Director Honored Community Ed Director to Retire

ABOUT: Farmington School Reporter is a publication of Farmington Area Public Schools, ISD 192.

Please direct comments or questions to Sally McConnaughey at (651)463-5079 or smcconnaughey@farmington.k12.mn.us This publication was produced in partnership with SunThisweek Newspapers with support from area businesses. This arrangement allows the district to provide this publication for less than 4 cents per household.

School Board Melissa Sauser, Chair Steve Corraro, Vice Chair Jake Cordes, Treasurer Kristin Goodreau, Clerk Jacilyn Doyle, Director Julie Singewald, Director

Superintendent Jay Haugen

Follow Us Online Twitter: @District192 facebook.com/District192 YouTube.com/192VideoMagic www.farmington.k12.mn.us

MAY 24, 2018

Innovation Spaces Bring New Learning to District 192 Vertical Learning Spaces at FHS

Within every Farmington school, development is underway to create new flexible learning spaces for students of all ages. The District is revamping unused or underutilized areas in each building to install collaborative spaces that hold tables for group discussion, projectors and green screen walls for creative presentations, and seating for students to utilize for comfort and course work. In addition to these new innovation spaces, Farmington High School is adding an Athletic Flex Room that combines new equipment with a state-of-the-art concept.

Those are just a few of the many items being added to District 192 schools to engage students and enhance student learning.

Over the 2017 summer, administrators and teachers gathered at the high school and worked with architects to design new spaces for students to work together outside traditional classrooms. The spaces are meant to fit the school’s atmosphere and meet the needs of the students, who have voiced their opinions on what they want to see. They also help prepare kids for the flexible learning they will encounter as they get older and grow in the world. Construction began March 26 at Farmington Elementary School, North Trail Elementary School, and Farmington High School, while students were away from school on Spring Break.

Riverview Elementary, Meadowview Elementary, Akin Road Elementary, Dodge Middle, and Boeckman Middle School will all begin construction at the end of the school year.

Collaboration at the Elementary Level At Farmington Elementary and North Trail Elementary, construction is set to finish by June 1st. The old Multipurpose Room at FES, hardly used for anything multipurpose, is being transformed into a space complete with flat screen displays, a small group room with a white board table, and large windows to allow natural light to fill the space. Students and their teachers will be able to break off into small groups and work on their own individual projects or classes can come together and learn in a large group setting.

The space, however, won’t be used as just another classroom. “If there’s a group in here and they’re not in every spot, share it!” FES Principal Kim Bollesen commented.

Independant flexible learning is common at the high school while elementary schools have more structured school days. Students will mainly use the new space during classroom time. “It is different in elementary because that independance looks so much different, we have to guide it,” Bollesen explained. “But they have the creativity. We don’t want them to lose it.”

The FES Innovation Space will also include white board walls for students to write on, a projector for large scale presentations from students and teachers, and large Learning Steps that allow students to work in a more comfortable and relaxed setting.

On the second level of Farmington High School, a new innovation space will be making good use of an old locker bay.

With so many unused lockers, the area will be renovated into a space more beneficial to students with group tables, modular seating, and high top tables with charging stations for the students’ iPads. Additional seating for students is reflective of large, elongated stairs. “We know that one of the spots that kids like to go to is at the bottom of the stairs on those three [step] things,” FHS Principal Jason Berg explained. “It takes some of the architecture already in the building and incorporates that.” Two conference rooms will allow students to plan and create dynamic presentations.

Each conference room will have a television mounted on the wall. “If you’re doing a group project or something, you can just plug your iPad into the TV,” Berg described. “We can check it out if kids want to do group work ‘cause we really don’t have that for kids.”

North Trail will feature a green screen area and two different floor surfaces to allow robots to run smoothly on hard tile while students can stay comfortable on carpet. Time in this space to collaborate is meant to prepare students for more flexible time in middle school, which will prepare them for the responsibility of greater independence in high school.

Berg said the goal of this new space was to make it a new space for students to collaborate that fit their needs. “If we would’ve done this when the building was built, I don’t think it would’ve been nearly as effective because teachers hadn’t changed the way they do things. Students hadn’t thought about doing things differently,” he said. “So the spaces are going to be much more meaningful because we know why we have them and why we want them.”

Flexibility at the Middle Schools

A Flex Athletic Room

At the middle schools, walls are being torn down and paths are being laid to create a more dynamic working area for students. Dodge Middle School is taking apart a former teacher lounge and turning it into a new learning space to allow students to have an area to work that feels more relaxed. Couches and booth seating will be available for students at teacher’s discretion during work time, allowing them to be more flexible in their work environment.

In the Athletics Department at the high school, Physical Education Teacher Scott Meier, along with Adam Fischer, Head Coach of the Farmington High School Football Team, has developed a new Flex Athletic Room. “There really isn’t anything like this,” Meier said. At the meeting over the 2017 summer, Meier and Fischer were given an old storage room in the high school to work with that was full of “all [the] books we had brought over from the old building but we never used,” Berg explained. “Another huge space that was just being wasted.”

When developing the new space, Jennifer Krines, English teacher, and Lorraine Kennedy, Social Studies teacher, were told by architects that “the sky's the limit.” They had originally thought of building within the walls of the teachers lounge, but that evolved into eliminating the walls and expanding the design to utilize the whole space. Kennedy and Krines say they hope that when this space works well with students, similar spaces will be integrated throughout the building. The spaces will help students thrive in middle school and prepare them for more flexibility in high school.

With the ability to create something unique, Meier and Fischer researched many facilities to develop an effective design. “We were just trying to figure out the best way to maximize the space and get the most use out of it,” Meier expressed.

After deliberating the idea of a pull up rig system outside the weight room, their idea evolved into overhead bridges that connect the weight racks in the new Flex Athletic Room. This was done to

2018 Elementary Science Fair Winners!

Each spring, students from Farmington’s five elementary schools host their own unique science fairs. The winning students in grades 3-5 are qualified to enter the Southern Minnesota Regional Science and Engineering Fair at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Farmington Area Public Schools would like to extend a warm congratulations to all the elementary students who

Ribbon, CSET Achievement in Civil Engineering Award); Mikaya Lemke; Daisy Cammack (Purple Ribbon); Adia Lien (Purple Ribbon, Gold Level Trophy, Thin Film Scholar Award).

participated in this year’s science fair.

None of this would not be possible without the generous assistance of many volunteers. Thanks to those who lent their time and knowledge to make these events successful. Below is a list of the regional fair qualifiers from

story continues page 6

each school and awards they received there.

Riverview Elementary Third graders: Trenton Seegmiller (Purple Ribbon); Isaac Patsche (Blue

Fourth graders: Isaac Albrecht and CJ Hines (Purple Ribbon); Toluwani Fajolu; Teagan O’Connor; Tyler West (Purple Ribbon, Silver Medal, CT Wang Educator Award); Lily Running and Darby Dodson (Purple Ribbon, Bronze Medal); Nick Thompson (Purple Ribbon).

Fifth graders: Cole Wilcek; Sydney

story continues page 8

Page 2 | May 24, 2018

SCHOOL REPORTER | Farmington Area Public Schools

Battle of the Books at Akin Road At Akin Road Elementary School, Lisa Oberski and her students are turning regular reading assignments into a competitive sport with the Battle of the Books. Students are grouped by grade level and put into teams of four to six members. Teams build ammunition for their battles by reading and remembering details from a given list of 20 books. The book list, which is compiled by the national Battle of the Books program, changes every year.

Here’s how the battles work: Teams are each given 24 questions that must be answered in 30 minutes. No notes or books are allowed. Students must work together as a team to determine the book title and author that is being described in each question.

Correct book titles earn the team two points and the correct author earns an additional point.

The Akin Road Battle of the Books winning team gets their team name and members' names inscribed on a plate on the Gifted and Enhanced Learning Room Battle of the Books trophy.

In addition, winners for each grade level receive a commemorative pin and an additional fun prize that varies each year.

Ms. Oberski first got the idea when she taught middle school. “It was a way to keep kids reading challenging books while building collaboration skills and having fun! This is the second year I've done the Battle, and students seem to really enjoy it,� she said.

Battles take place in rounds. Each grade-level team with the greatest number of points goes on to the second round. During the second round the second grade winning team goes against the third grade winners, and fourth grade winners battle the fifth grade winning team. The totals of the second round also determine the school-wide winner. This year there are a total of 93 students on 18 teams competing at Akin Road Elementary.

Local Author Visits Farmington Elementary Local Minnesota author and illustrator, David LaRochelle, visited Farmington Elementary School to speak with all grades about his journey to becoming a published author of 30 books and counting! This visit helped to kick off the FES Readathon which happened in February. The purpose of the Readathon was to get students excited about reading, and encourage them to explore all the possibilities the world of literature opens up to them. Through different Readathon activities and events, FES staff raised money to provide experiences and opportunities just like this to students more regularly.

Each grade level sat down with Mr. LaRochelle for 45 minutes in the media center, as he shared his story to success with them.

He showed students the 198 rejection letters from editors he has received along the way, and gave them a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of his book, The Best Pet of All. From images of his at-home workspace and how he gets into the writing mindset, to finalizing the illustrations that brought his words to life, students and teachers saw first hand the hard work and dedication that goes into being an author.

Although the Battle of the Books is a nation-wide reading program, Ms. Oberski has put her own spin on it for the Akin Road students. To add to the challenge, second and third grade language arts enrichment students are reading books from the third-fourth grade book list, and fourth and fifth grade language arts enrichment students are reading books from the fifth-sixth grade book list.

Mr. LaRochelle worked with the students impromptu ideas to create a unique short story with each grade level, allowing them to collaborate as a class and teaching them the importance of detail and creativity. As they were encouraged to add to the storyline, LaRochelle guided the story by designing illustrations right in front of their eyes. Students and staff greatly enjoyed the visit and expressed gratitude to Mr. LaRochelle for his visit.

Building Bridges at North Trail Elementary North Trail Elementary School 4th graders received a special visit from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) this spring, as they began their bridges unit with Katie Bellmont.

Nicole Bartelt, STEM Education and Outreach Coordinator and Hydraulic Engineer for MnDOT, visited each NTES 4th grade science hour to teach students about the construction process of MN bridges and transportation systems.

After a quick Bridge UP! lesson, students were assigned roles on the project team, complete with a project manager, safety inspector, materials and supply team, and construction and deconstruction teams. They then worked as a class to build a 6-foot truss bridge — learning the purpose of each material and technique along the way.

MnDOT worked with Grand Rapids High School students to design and manufacture ten of these bridge sets that are now being used for interactive presentations around the state. They serve as a great way to introduce engineering to students, and familiarize them with MnDOT’s important work.

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SCHOOL REPORTER | Farmington Area Public Schools

May 24, 2018 | Page 3

Boeckman 8th Graders Share Poetry at Local Coffee House For the first time, 8th graders at Boeckman Middle School have taken their poetry outside the classroom and shared it with the community.

In addition to reading, writing, and sharing poetry in class, students were offered the opportunity to attend an

open mic at BlueNose Coffee in Farmington. “We've always had students read their poetry in class, but this was the first optional poetry reading outside of school,� Jenna Schlatter and Jennifer Logan Allen, 8th grade Language Arts teachers, shared in a joint statement.

Ms. Schlatter had the initial idea.

She contacted BlueNose and set up the event. “We wanted to have an opportunity for the students to showcase their beautiful work in a public format,� she said.

While the reading was completely optional, students from Lisa Rivera, Jenna Schlatter, and Jennifer Logan

The Water Project at Riverview The multiage classes at Riverview Elementary School have been learning about local water sources, specifically the Vermillion River, and about economics separately. However, these two topics together inspired them to look globally at how water is used. They discovered that water is abundant in some areas and scarce in others.

Students also learned about an impending water shortage in Cape Town, South Africa and struggles around the world with water. In the spirit of our Farmington Tiger community, they wanted to find a way to help. This led them to an organization called The Water Project which focuses on providing clean and safe water, by not only digging wells but also providing clean sanitation, for communities in Africa.

To take part in The Water Project, Riverview students challenged families, friends, and school leaders to participate in a “water challenge�.

Participants were asked to only drink water for two weeks. Money that would have been spent on other beverages would instead be donated to The Water Project. Students challenged people in the community by writing letters, creating videos, and designing electronic brochures. They also had a donation jar set out during conferences. By the end of the water challenge they had surpassed their initial fundraising goal of $1000 for a grand total of $1502.

Allen's 8th grade Language Arts classes were encouraged to attend in support of their peers. “We had roughly 14-16 students who read their poetry, several of whom read more than one poem. We also had a handful of other students who came to watch and support their friends. We also had family members attend,� the teachers said.

that many wanted to read more of their poetry and influenced others to then read their poetry too.� A microphone ensured the crowd could hear the students even when they were quiet.

Prior to the poetry reading, students wrote a collection of poems, chose the best, and workshopped them. They also read their poems aloud for the class. This prepared the students to stretch their comfort zones and to be confident in the poetry they read at the coffee house.

“Here at BMS, we have many passionate poets who are looking for a way to share their work with others. This was also a way to give students a chance to voice their thoughts and emotions in a supportive environment,� the teachers shared.

The event encouraged students to continue reading and writing outside the classroom. All involved consider the event a success and they hope to make it an annual event.

According to the teachers, “[The students] were nervous at first, but very excited and proud, so much so

Check out our district website (under News > What’s New) to read some of the student poetry.

Mental Health Help Kit Farmington High School counselors have created a Mental Health Help Kit to give students and staff a great resource for information on how to reduce stress, practice mindfulness, and start the difficult conversation about mental health. “As a counseling team, we have noticed an increased number of students suffering from mental illnesses like stress, anxiety, or depression,� said FHS counselor Alyssa Belko. “We wanted to give them a resource that they can turn to around the clock for help.�

time it is needed.

A link to the Help Kit automatically downloads to each ISD 192 issued iPad home screen, and provides links to other helpful applications that can be downloaded for free from the app store on any device.

Encourage your students to explore the Mental Health Help Kit on their iPad and check it out for yourself on the FHS website under Office > Counseling Office > Mental Health Help Kit. Happy de-stressing!

The counseling team has worked hard to create a supportive, welcoming space for all students to come to for guidance, but they realize students may not know where to turn after school hours or during school breaks. This website provides at-your-fingertips access to support any

Gateway Students Learn by Serving Students at Gateway Academy took the afternoon away from Smart Boards, iPads, textbooks and desktops to help those in need.

A few times a year, Gateway Academy students and teachers take part in a Service Learning Day as an opportunity to give back to those around them and learn about what it means to be a community member. Timothy Schlatter, a Learning Advisor at GWA, said that they usually try to have these days land around the holidays. “Instead of having a party or having students get each other things, we try to plan ways for students to give back to their community,� he said.

In the past they have done park cleanups around Farmington, played bingo with the residents of Trinity Care Center, helped the City of Farmington mulch areas around town, volunteered at Feed My Starving Children, and transplanted plants at Dodge Middle School. For this service day, GWA chose to join with The Sandwich Project MN, help pick up garbage and recycling through the Riverview Elementary School building, and assist with lunchroom cleanup.

The Sandwich Project was established with the purpose of feeding homeless people in and around Minneapolis. They make, donate, and

deliver hundreds of sandwiches each day to a number of shelters and sites. Today, thanks to generous donations of time and money, The Sandwich Project is helping to feed about 4,500 people per week through various shelters and food shelves!

Gateway Academy students worked together to decide how best to go about taking on this project. They created two efficient assembly lines, chose positions and workstations, and made and packaged 150 sandwiches to be delivered to a location in Apple Valley and later on dispersed to homeless people around the metro.

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Page 4 | May 24, 2018

SCHOOL REPORTER | Farmington Area Public Schools

2018 Farmington High School Senior Spotlights In honor of the 2018 Farmington High School graduation, we’re highlighting a few (of the many!) outstanding seniors from this year’s graduating class. These seniors were nominated by teachers, counselors, and school staff for their exemplification of the Farmington Tiger Spirit. You can read more about them on our District website.

Ileri Okikiolu Ileri’s eventful high school career has been packed with Track and Field, Concert Choir, New Dimension chamber choir, and Speech. She’s thrived in the theatre program, participating, and sometimes starring, in all the school musicals. She’s also acted in some of the One Act plays and Spring plays, and even helped direct some of the Spring plays.

As a Tiger, Ileri has really appreciated the abundance of activities that are available to participate in.

“Farmington has so many different programs and organizations that students join,” says Ileri. “I really enjoyed finding which ones I fit in and meeting new people.”

An experienced actress, Ileri has starred in two of the four high school musicals she has been a part of. Performing as Dorothy in Farmington’s 2016 production of The Wiz and as Belle in the 2017 production of Beauty and the Beast, Ileri has won awards for the talent she has displayed on stage. She has been recognized as one of the Top 24 musical theatre students in all of Minnesota. While participating in Spotlight Education with the Hennepin Theatre Trust, which showcases talented high school musical theatre students, Ileri has been honored for her Outstanding Performance in a Leading and Supporting Role as well as Honorable Mentions in a Leading and Featured Role. Her talent has led her to her current lead role as Lisa in the Children’s Theatre 2018 production of Corduroy. She does all this while still holding a part time job at Starbucks.

In the fall of 2018, Ileri plans to continue her acting career while working toward a college degree. Her dream would be to continue acting professionally, direct theatre, and review theatre.

Shannon Newman A student of many talents, Shannon has participated in Girls’ Swim and Dive, Track and Field, National Honors Society, and the Symphonic Band.

Swim and Dive has helped her work as a Lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor at Dodge Middle School and volunteer as an assistant coach for the Tigersharks Swim Club. Shannon has also excelled academically, receiving academic achievements for her GPA. Shannon’s school pride shines through, and she says that’s her favorite part of being a Farmington Tiger. She enjoys how welcoming the community is and how Farmington comes together to support the school.

Shannon’s graduation plans start with attending the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse in the fall to earn her undergraduate degree in Therapeutic Recreation, then to graduate school to follow her passion of becoming an Occupational Therapist. “I love helping other,” she says. “I want to help kids or adults achieve the goals that they set for themselves and encourage them to never give up.”

Percy Buckner

Claire Lentsch

academically. She liked many of her school classes and teachers at FHS. Hand in hand with the amount of time she devotes to the subject, Julia loves Choir with Mrs. Dimich. She also really enjoys Comparative Religions with Mr. Grove and any class with the FHS English faculty, “because they’re all pretty great!”

Claire stays plenty busy at FHS by participating in Speech, School Newspaper, Governor to Governor Tutoring, 6 school choirs (including All-State Choice and a competitive audition-based Chamber choir), Theater, Pep Band, Cross Country and Track and Field...just to name a few!

She also dedicates time to helping direct the middle schools musicals and is a member or Future Business Leaders of America and Tri-M Music honor Society.

Farmington has been a good fit for Julia, who says, “I really like the school and all the options we have to personalize our learning.

It’s the closest thing to college prep I think I’ve ever seen a school do.” Something, she says, helped her brother transition his time management into college.

As a new school year approaches, Julia will be attending the University of Northwestern--St. Paul to double major in English (Creative Writing) and Music Performance.

Sam Shockley During his time at FHS, Sam has been involved in soccer, where his team won 2nd place in sections, and Diversity Club. He has enjoyed taking graphic art classes at the high school to further explore his passion for designing a brand and has formed great relationships with Mrs. Duncan and Mr. Williams. You may also spot Sam working after school and on weekends in the produce department at Hyvee.

To Sam, being a Tiger means you are able to be strong and fast - attributes that he embodies in all areas of his life. “I want to achieve my goals and waiting does nothing. I am definitely a go-getter.”

Mr. Grove, Sam’s Comparative Religions teacher, said Sam’s attitude and curiosity is inspiring. “Sam may be a quieter student in class, but he brings such a wonderful amount of curiosity about this world and exemplifies true compassion for others.”

This fall, Sam will be continuing his education at Dakota County Technical College. There, he will study Graphic Design Technology for two years and hopes to earn his Associate of Science degree. Eventually, his dream is to own a company and be able to design a brand from scratch.

Erin Hoy During her time at FHS, Erin has been a part of National Honors Society Executive Board, LINK Crew, Youth Teaching Youth, 4-H Mentor Program and Web Genius. Erin also acts as the student representative for 360 Communities. One of her proudest accomplishments is the above 4.0 GPA she earned throughout her high school career, all while remaining active in after school work and activities! “It has taken quite a bit of studying—my friends can attest to this—but I am proud that I have taken the time to put my studies first,” said Erin.

Erin’s NHS instructor, Ms. Beckman, says she can tell Erin's spark is caring for other people. “She has a true passion for volunteering. She always goes above and beyond what is asked of her. I even remember in 9th grade whenever something needed to be done, I could rely on Erin and that has only grown over the past four years. I know that she is going to make a huge impact on the world with what she decides to do next,” said Ms. Beckman.

Percy has stayed active at FHS, participating in track and the diversity club. Barbara Walker, his school counselor, said he promotes diversity This fall, Erin will be heading to the University of Minnesota and inclusiveness. She nominated him Twin Cities to study biology. Her goal is to complete her studies in for the Senior Spotlight because he is pre-medicine, and then apply for medical school after undergrad. “most welcoming of new students” has a “strong moral code” and is “the strongest Simon Romero role model for peers.”

Freshman and sophomore year, Percy has enjoyed his time at FHS, Simon was on the soccer team for surrounding himself with people that FHS. Now he spends most of his time helped the school years “go by nice and hanging with friends, holding a partsmooth.” His junior year, Percy was time job at Home Depot and working nominated for Prom Prince. Six months later, he was nominated toward his passions. for and won Homecoming King. Recently, he was awarded Rotary One of Simon’s favorite parts about Student of the Month for April by the Rotary Club. Percy said he being a Farmington Tiger is the unique feels honored to be nominated for these positions. opportunities that are available to him As graduation approaches, Percy has decided to join the that he wouldn’t have been exposed to military. He’s headed to South Carolina to attend community elsewhere - like project based learning. college and complete Basic Training. “The military comes with This year Simon participated in a selfgreat benefits,” said Percy. structured project based learning class where he worked with a group of his peers, along with Principal Julia Ristow Berg, to choose a subject-base and create a curriculum timeline.

Simon’s group created a Rock and Roll History class that went so Since freshman year, Julia has stayed well they were asked to present to the Farmington School Board. active in school activities. Artistic at The Board was extremely impressed by the presentation and hard heart, Julia has been in three school work. They would like to offer the class to other students at FHS musicals, a teacher’s assistant for Mrs. in the coming trimesters.

Cherwinka’s AP Art Studio, and a Choir Officer. She’s also preparing the “During the process of this project-based learning experience, choreography for the Choir as they Simon was really able to find his spark and passion. It was really approach their end of the year medley. cool to watch,” said Mr. Berg.

Julia is especially proud of auditioning and being accepted into the 2017-2018 After graduation, Simon plans to dedicate a lot of time to working All State Choir. on a clothing brand that he started with his friend and hopes to eventually own his own record and clothing store.

Julia has also performed well

Ms. Weis, Claire’s previous math teacher and current TA supervisor, appreciates Claire’s hard working attitude and excitement for learning. “Claire works hard and puts her all into learning,” said Weis. “She loves to sing and enjoys public speaking.

She lights up whenever she talks about how she is making a difference in the world.”

Next fall, Claire will attend the University of Minnesota Twin Cities to pursue a major in Mass Communications and Marketing.

She is also excited to begin a mentorship program with a public relations firm in the Twin Cities and get an early start on learning more about combining marketing and communications into a future career. “I want to go to work every day and know that the work I am doing is really making a meaningful difference on a large scale,” she said.

Cameron Mager During his time at FHS, Cameron has been a part of the Video TV Club, Sage Club, Web Genius and eSports Club, which includes a tournament between all 50 states. He also spends time volunteering at Free Geek, which is an electronic recycling center that sells and gives computers to those in need.

One thing Cameron is very proud of is his participation with Web Genius, a student group started three years ago.

The club has worked to create FHS Guide, one of the first completely student-made websites used by a school. Jerry Pfau, Web Genius Instructor, said that Cameron tirelessly lends his unique talents to this innovative student-driven project.

“Cameron has taken the lead for the Web Genius team this year. In addition to working with website development, Cameron is responsible for recruiting and training new team members, and working with staff to coordinate the addition of website content.

This year, he helped our club to secure a $10,000 grant to purchase new laptops,” said Pfau.

After graduation in June, Cameron plans to begin applying for colleges and focus on traveling. This summer, he has set plans to venture to Washington with four friends. From there, he will join a friend and head to Vietnam and Germany for July and August, visiting his friend’s family.

Grace Lissick Throughout her high school career, Grace participated in a number of athletics including Track and Field, Cross Country, and Tiger Dance Team.

Outside of athletics, she is involved in National Honors Society, Yearbook/ Publications, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Farmington Faith Club.

“I am so blessed to have such wonderful peers, teachers, and staff members around me,” said Grace, “everyone is incredibly encouraging and I feel so enriched by everyone at Farmington. It feels like home and that we are all family!”

One of her biggest accomplishments was getting her first 4.0 in her PSEO and high school classes earlier this year. While Grace admits learning doesn’t naturally come easily to her, she has made an effort over the past two years to work extra hard. She started tutoring, stays late after school to get help from teachers, and studies far in advance for tests.

Mauri Deer, Grace’s French V teacher, has seen this effort first hand. "Grace is a model of perseverance, openness, and sincerity.

I know that she will handle the next steps of her education with tenacity, diligence, and heart!”

Next year, Grace will be attending the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Ryan Huling, Student Reporter, contributed to this article.

SCHOOL REPORTER | Farmington Area Public Schools

May 24, 2018 | Page 5

Athena Award Winner Congratulations are in order for Farmington High School senior, Eleanor Moser - she has been named the recipient of the 2018 Athena Award for Farmington!

The St. Paul Area Athena Awards program honors female high school seniors for their athletic achievements. Moser has been involved in Hockey and Tennis throughout her high school career and has served as the captain for both teams. Over the past four years she has received numerous awards and recognitions for her athletic performance including Hockey All-Conference (’15, ’16, ’17, ‘18 TBD) and All-State (’17, ’18 TBD). She has also attended the USA Hockey “Top 66” U18 Select Camp (’16, ’17) and was named the Star Tribune Prep Athlete of the Week this past January. Moser is also a 4-time FHS Varsity Tennis letterwinner and earned a South Suburban All-Conference Honorable Mention (’16).

are proud of all her accomplishments and believe she represents Farmington with true Tiger Pride.

All recipients of the 2018 St. Paul Athena Award were honored at a luncheon on Wednesday, April 25. For more information about the award, please visit www.stpaulathena.com

Moser has earned a scholarship to play Division 1 hockey at Bemidji State University beginning in the fall. Her teachers and coaches

National Letter of Intent Signing - April 2018 Girls’ Basketball: Sydney Blandin (Bethel University) and Ellie Clayton (University of Wisconsin Eau Claire)

Congratulations to all the Tiger studentathletes who signed a National Letter of Intent in April. These students have committed to continuing their academic and athletic careers post-high school.

Softball: Becca Silber (Bethel University), Korin Hall (University of Wisconsin Stout), and Tarah Decroock (St. Olaf College)

Football: Luke Kriesel (University of Wisconsin Stout), Charlie Korbein (University of Wisconsin River Falls), Avery Filipek (University of Wisconsin River Falls), and Sam Castillo (University of Wisconsin River Falls)

Boys’ Basketball: Caden Freetly (St. Mary’s University) and Zach Hedquist (Carthage College)

Girls’ Lacrosse: Kiley Braatz (University of Wisconsin River Falls)

Cross Country/Track: Josh Wilson (Gustavus Adolphus College)

Girls’ Tennis: Brooke Hapuku (University of St. Thomas)

Boys’ Soccer: Zach Berg (Augsburg University) and Cristian Collazo (Gustavus Adolphus College)

Girls’ Hockey: Lexi Budensiek (St. Mary’s University) and Emily Auge (Bethel University)

Baseball: Jackson McLain (William Penn University)

Girls’ Soccer: Belle Schaffer (Gustavus Adolphus College)

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Page 6 | May 24, 2018

SCHOOL REPORTER | Farmington Area Public Schools

Dodge Middle Adds New Cardio Equipment Thanks to a generous grant, Dodge Middle School was able to expand and improve their fitness room last fall. This spring they have added even more new features to better personalize learning. In the fall new weights, benches, mats, and more anaerobic equipment pieces were added. This spring it was time to add aerobic equipment for a well-rounded workout. The newest equipment includes 20 spin bikes, 3 ellipticals, and 1 full body hand bike!

“We are really excited for the hand bike,” he continued, “ There are students with disabilities who struggle to use their lower bodies, but will be able to get a great workout using their upper body. The hand bike was a huge part of us securing the grant, because it showed we wanted something for all students. Students who have lower body injuries will also be able to use the hand bike during class, instead of sitting and watching.”

“Our plan going forward is to utilize the cardio equipment along with our Heart Rate Monitors. The students will be able to bike/ elliptical while monitoring their heart rate, which will be projected on the TV's in the weight room.

All PE students will be on them multiple times per year,” said Physical Education Teacher Chad Olson.

The staff at Dodge are very proud of the fitness room and excited to see it benefit students for years to come.

New Innovation Spaces (cont. from Page 1) “keep the center open so we can do different stuff there,” explained Meier. “It’ll be an open feel in the middle even though there’s a few things there.”

from the Bengals, the Cincinnati Bengals, contact me.” The implementation of this room is a huge achievement for the Athletics department and for FHS.

Meier’s experience with developing this space reveals just how new it is. “I tried getting ideas from coaches all over the country about what we can do with this space. I didn’t really get any help from many people because nothing like this has ever been done.” This state-of-the-art facility inside FHS will open up opportunities for students they can’t find anywhere else. “Once it’s all in there, we’re going to get a lot of attention for this. I just had a guy, the Strength Coach

Each school’s unique learning environment will provide space for students to work diligently and engage with others. The District is moving toward more personalized learning experiences for students by implementing these dynamic areas into their school days. Farmington students and staff are excited to begin working in these rooms during the 2018-2019 school year!

Article by Ryan Huling, Student Reporter.

Learning Through Movement at Meadowview Joe McCarthy, a physical education teacher at Meadowview Elementary, uses a unique teaching style to bring deeper learning, purpose, engagement, and fun into physical education. His goal? To develop individuals who comprehend that a physically and mentally active lifestyle is the foundation for a balanced, healthy, and productive life.

“I love creating lessons that provide opportunities to challenge all students in meaningful activities, such as Movement & Math and Running With Letters,” said McCarthy.

Students are given activity choices during class to meet individual interest levels, master skills, and accomplish task challenges and goals to enhance their cognitive learning.

The benefits of McCarthy’s lessons reach far beyond the walls of MVES gyms. Not only are his programs designed to increase student fitness levels, strengthen motor skills, and improve movement patterns, but also help increase focus in the classroom and improve academic performance on assessments. Students understand problem-solving strategies to successfully complete daily objectives, learn to make decisions and take initiative, exhibit more responsible personal and social behavior, practice conflict management and listening skills, and keep journals where they create action plans for personal improvement.

“I believe physical education is such an important experience for our students, because we are teaching the whole child. On a daily basis we are touching on all domains of learning; physical, emotional, mental, and social.”

McCarthy has also implemented a variety of programs throughout MVES including before and after school Century Club, Recess Running Club, and Jammin Minute in the classrooms so students are enjoying movement regularly throughout the day.

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“It is essential students develop a passion for movement by themselves. I teach lessons that students can and want to replicate at home with their family and friends.”

McCarthy, who was awarded a monetary prize in 2012 by the Active School Acceleration Project to elevate his programs on state and national levels, serves on the MNSHAPE Board, and was named Elementary Teacher of the Year by the organization. He is committed to staying educated on best practices of instruction, assessment, classroom management, and technology. He attends local, state, and national conferences and connects with physical education teachers from the around the world via social media. He remains a constant advocate for physical education as an integral part of ensuring a healthy future, not just for our kids but for the country as a whole.

“Whether I am with my students performing a Jammin’ Minute in the classroom, jogging with them at Running Club during recess, or playing soccer with my friends I am a strong believer in the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. By the time my students leave me in fifth grade, they too will understand why it is important to move and how it will impact their sleep, focus, health, and academic success.”

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SCHOOL REPORTER | Farmington Area Public Schools

May 24, 2018 | Page 7

Dodge Middle School Pool – 20 years Serving Kids and Families Farmington Area Public Schools’ indoor pool, located at Levi Dodge Middle School, is celebrating 20 years this spring! The pool at DMS, which opened in 1998, is used by the physical education students at both Dodge and Boeckman Middle Schools, the girls’ and boys’ high school swim & dive teams, the Tigersharks Swim Club, and for Farmington Area Community Education Aquatics

Programs. Colm Griffin, Aquatics Coordinator since 2001, has taught, mentored, and employed over 150 lifeguard employees.

These are usually youth from the local community who have grown up in and around the pool. He estimates that approximately 18,000 swim, water safety, and lifeguard lessons have been taught to local children age infant-16, since the pool opened.

The outdoor pool managed by the City of Farmington for the last 47 years has been closed and demolished due to its age and condition. Heidi Cunningham, Farmington Community Education Director, Randy Distad, City of Farmington Parks & Rec Director, and Griffin have met and worked together to ensure swim lessons and recreational swimming opportunities continue to be offered to the community.

As a result of working together, extra sessions of swim lessons have been added to the schedule at the DMS pool and Open Swim hours have been increased. A special promotion has been created in conjunction with Dew Days and the Dew Days button program. For anyone with a Dew Days button attending Open Swim during Dew Days, June 12, 13, 14 and 15, a discount of $3.00 off admission will be honored.

The pool will be open rain or shine this summer and offer a variety of swim lessons, open swim, and pool parties. Swim lessons at Farmington Community Ed are taught using the American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety program. It provides parents and children with vital information about drowning prevention and water safety. Swim lessons include: a parent & child class called Aqua Kids, preschool classes Bobbers-1 and Bobbers-2, American Red Cross “Learn to Swim” levels 1 through 6, a springboard diving class, and American Red Cross lifeguarding.

Semi-private and adapted swim lessons are also available.

Open swim is offered most Saturdays during the school year from 1-3 p.m., on a number of non-school days (like MEA and spring break) from 12-2 p.m., and every day in the summer ( June 11th through August 12th) from 1-3:30 p.m. Seasonal passes will be available for the summer.

For more information about swim lessons, open swim, pool passes, and pool parties, go to www.farmingtonpool.com or call 651-4603200.

Early Childhood Programs Receive Grant VSA Minnesota, an organization that helps make the arts accessible to Minnesotans with disabilities, has awarded the Farmington Early Childhood Center with an exciting teaching grant! Students enrolled in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) and/or Wee Tigers programs had the opportunity to learn from Anna Grudzinski, a Teaching Artist and Music

Therapist provided by VSA Minnesota. Anna visited the 3-year-old classrooms twice a week for an 8 week period, this spring.

“We worked with VSA Minnesota to decide what type of interactions our students would most enjoy and benefit from,” said Cathy VanGrunsven, a teacher with ECSE. “Together,

we decided that we wanted to use this grant to incorporate music therapy into our classrooms.

By exposing children to different types of music, movement, and instruments, we are seeing each student bring their own unique artistic talent to the table, that’s what’s so great.”

This work is done through the Artistin-Residence Program, a subgroup of VSA Minnesota, and is specially designed by teaching artists and ECSE staff (with support from VSA Minnesota) with young students with disabilities and their peers in mind. Teachings through this grantwork are aligned with the Minnesota Department of Education Academic Standards in the Arts and/or individual student I.E.P. goals. The teaching artists provided to the classrooms are familiar with various disabilities and are trained in effective methods for adapting techniques and differentiating instruction to reach all learners.

Each session, Anna was able to thoroughly engage all students in the musical activities she

brought, while working with the children to enhance skills in many areas of early childhood development. Social skills were facilitated through performing as a group, patiently waiting for and anticipating an individual turn, and sharing and passing instruments to each other. Communication and cognitive skills were reinforced through the introduction and practice of language concepts and vocabulary as well as the exploration of different ways to make sounds with the instruments introduced. Motor skills were enhanced through the manipulation of the instruments and mallets to make different sounds as well as imitating motions during dance and movement activities.

The music therapy residency has shown to be extremely beneficial for all students and staff involved. ECSE staff hopes this program can be a yearly endeavor. This experience in the arts has enhanced each student’s personal growth, increased educational achievement, and enabled school success.

Farmington Area Education Foundation 2018 Grants The Farmington Area Education Foundation’s (FAEF) mission is to support and enhance innovative educational opportunities by fostering community involvement and financial support for students in ISD 192 by awarding grants to schools and programs within the district. The 2018 grants were recently announced and awarded.

Five separate funding awards were granted totaling just under $10,000.

Farmington High School will be enhancing their Makerspace Area.

This allows students to come to the Media Center and have staff support to utilize materials for a wide range of courses and activities.

Boeckman Middle School’s Garden Club will be adding bird and butterfly attracting flowers, bushes, and houses to their school gardens based on research completed by students.

Farmington Elementary will be purchasing Bloxels and Puzzlets that will be available to all classrooms. These supplies combine hands-on

play, logical thinking and technology and also help students learn code.

Riverview Elementary’s Makerspace area will benefit from the addition of a sewing machine, CO2 laser engraver, and circuit kits.

Finally, funds will be utilized to purchase books for the “One Book, One Farmington” initiative. Books would be available in school media centers and in bundled kits for teachers to use in classrooms.

The Education Foundation, founded in 1999, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization managed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is comprised of community members, parents, and school district representatives. The Education Foundation is designed to enrich and enhance the educational experience of students in the Farmington Area Public Schools. The Foundation is funded primarily through generous contributions from individuals, businesses, and community organizations.

SCHOOL REPORTER | Farmington Area Public Schools

May 24, 2018 | Page 8

FHS Band Director Receives Prestigious Honors The Tiger Band has become synonymous with Farmington athletic events, pep rallies, parades, and state competitions, bringing the halls of Farmington High School, and the community, to life. FHS Director of Bands, Erin Holmes, with help from Associate Director Bradley Mariska and former Director Jeff Gottwig, has spent the past 18 years building the Farmington High School band into the 300-student musical art form it is today.

“I am continually amazed by how hard these students work to create something beautiful. They bring their best to the table every single day and appreciate the work their peers are bringing as well. An ensemble mentality that makes this band so successful - an attitude that will translate far beyond the walls of this band hall,” said Ms. Holmes.

Ms. Holmes is dedicated to making sure each student walking the halls of FHS knows her passion for education and music. She hopes by seeing this spark, students will get a more authentic feel about what each of their teachers are doing every day. “I want to be consistent for them. On any given day, I want to be sure kids know I genuinely care about

Director Cunningham to Retire from District 192 Community Education Heidi Cunningham, Farmington Community Education Director, has announced plans to retire July 1, 2018. Cunningham has led Farmington Community Education as Director since 2007 and has seen the community grow and evolve over the past decade. With the growth in population and changing demographics, Cunningham has led and supported additions and changes in programming and staffing to continually serve the needs of our whole community. To this end she coordinated a strategic planning process in conjunction with the school

district. All of this has resulted in participant and staff numbers increasing every year.

Cunningham is a dedicated member of Minnesota Community Education Association (MCEA), serving on the MCEA Board of Directors and as the Board President in 2010. She has co-chaired two MCEA Conferences; one in 2003 and the National Conference in 2015. Heidi was chair of the National Community Education Admin Endorsement Committee, as well as a NCEA Fellow, and has been a mentor for pre-licensure Community Education Director

what I do and they consistently understand why I think any given topic or task is so important,” she said.

While the greater Farmington community might see and hear the band at sporting events and community celebrations most often, Holmes and her colleagues keep the Farmington program and its students focused on concert ensembles that hone the basics of classical and jazz music. The day to day rehearsals of these curricular bands – there are seven of them at FHS – are the nucleus of the program, and the reason why Holmes has recently received two major honors from state and national music organizations.

Last December, School Band and Orchestra Magazine (SBO) released their 2017 "50 Directors Who Make a Difference" list. Each year, this publication honors just one band or orchestra director from each of the 50 states for their contributions to school and community. This year, SBO presenters pored through over 880 nominations sent in by students, colleagues, band parents, administrators, and friends. Standing out among this crowd? Our very own FHS maestro, Erin Holmes -

representing the 2017 Minnesota honoree.

Adding still to her impressive list of achievements, Holmes has been asked to serve as the incoming Jazz Chair of the Minnesota Music Educators Association. In this role, she will serve a two-year term as the coordinator of the All-State Jazz Band program. She will be the first ever woman to hold this position.

“I love that females are beginning to find their stage in the jazz world. Playing the saxophone since 5th grade, I often found myself the only female in the many jazz groups I performed with. It’s inspiring to see that start to change as more women are being recognized for their music.”

When asked about her proudest moment as an educator, Holmes replied that moment has yet to come. “To try and define my pride of what we have created here in Farmington to one moment just isn’t possible. Each day brings a new experience that challenges my mindset, intellect, and emotions on such a wide-ranging scale. I am lucky to be surrounded by so much support and inspiration.”

candidates in Minnesota. She has also served on local community education review program teams throughout Minnesota.

Outside of work Heidi is active in the Farmington community as a member of the Rotary Club of Farmington and has held various leadership positions in other Farmington area organizations and her church.

When asked about Community Education and her time here, Heidi responded, “I have been blessed with a profession which enabled me to serve community members of all ages.

I look forward to transferring my skills into volunteer opportunities in the future.”

2018 Elementary Science Fair North Trail Kindness Retreat Seegmiller (Purple Ribbon, Gold Award); Victoria Hamilton; Brynn Asleson and Cara Askeson (Blue Ribbon); Audrey Iverson.

Farmington Elementary

In March, North Trail Elementary fourth graders participated in a Kindness Retreat led by Youth Frontiers, an organization on a mission to build school communities where students thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.

The entire grade level took part in various activities reinforcing the notion that no act of kindness is ever wasted. Each student was asked to be a leader in promoting inclusion, respect, courage, and friendship.

Students broke out into small groups, which were led by volunteer Farmington High School students. They used guided questions to start important conversations with their peers about what they would like to see improve in their school community. They

learned about ways to show Noah Hovden (Purple Ribbon); Kyle Baum (Red Ribbon); kindness, sang songs, performed Alex Carlson (Blue Ribbon); Maddie Johnson (Purple Ribbon); skits, and made commitments Tyler Wutchke (Purple Ribbon); Allison Deplazes. to spread kindness.

The NTES fourth grade teaching team was also there to learn. They broke into a small groups of their own, led by a Youth Frontier coach, to talk about how they can promote kindness in their students on a daily basis.

Ms. Gibart, a fourth grade teacher at NTES, said this retreat is an annual event for the fourth grade class at North Trail. “It is a great way to get kids talking about what is going on at school and gives them a chance to form relationships with students from other classes. They love talking to the high schoolers — they tend to open up to them more easily!”

Akin Road Elementary Third graders: Logan Smith; Ben Spano; Arial Castanga; Kayla Olson; Ty Alexander.

Fourth graders: Maia Childress; Hana Childress; Mohamad Sherkawi; Sonja Platt; Jack Budde.

Fifth graders: Abby Springer (Purple Ribbon); Audrey McLees; Joseph Larson; Makayla Tennant (First Place Trophy); Paige Vogel; Parker Samuell (Purple Ribbon); Gwyn Chmelik.

(cont. from Page 1)

Meadowview Elementary

Jacob Graham (Purple Ribbon); Abigail Olson (Purple Ribbon); Sophia Krchnavy (Purple Ribbon, First Place Trophy); Collin Lukkari and Jack Pearson (Purple Ribbon); Grant Peterson and Linden Dingmann (Purple Ribbon, Silver Medals).

North Trail Elementary Third graders :Audrey Johnson (Purple Ribbon and Silver Medal); Anna Schreffler (Purple Ribbon).

Fourth graders: Lucy Mathei (Blue Ribbon); Arbaaz Iqbal.

Fifth graders: Siham Azam (Purple Ribbon); Charlotte Barnett (Purple Ribbon); Aleeya Moes; Paisley Smith; Miranda Lythjohan and Abbie Suker (Blue Ribbon); Lara LeDuc and Jessica Ribelin (Purple Ribbon); Natalie Griffith (Purple Ribbon and Silver Medal).