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Fall Musical: Once Upon a Mattress
Update Hopkins Public Schools
The community’s guide to the District.
Three Hopkins seniors named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists
Hopkins Public Schools is excited to announce three Hopkins seniors, Ivy Johnson, London Lowmanstone, and Maxim Peng, are among an elite group of academically talented students named semifinalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program. As semifinalists, they represent less than one percent of all U.S. seniors. Johnson, Lowmanstone, and Peng are among 16,000 nationwide vying for the reputable National Merit Scholarship.
Eisenhower and XinXing students participate in Timberwolves/Lynx day of service
Eisenhower and XinXing students became honorary members of the Timberwolves and Lynx staff on Sept. 21 as they participated in the organization’s all-staff volunteer day, along with U.S. Bank employees. Staff and students worked with an organization called MATTER to pack 1,500 box lunches that will create portable options for students whose only guaranteed meals are the school’s hot lunch and breakfast program. Each student who assisted with the packing left with a box for themselves and a box to give away to promote a spirit of generosity.
October 2016
Hopkins High School’s Royal Productions presents Once Upon a Mattress. Nov. 10-12, 7:00 p.m. High School Auditorium 2400 Lindbergh Dr., Minnetonka hhstheater.org
com m u ni t y Family Swim Saturdays!
Young People’s Concert
Make a splash with your family at the Eisenhower pool! $10 per family per session. Saturdays, Oct. 29-Dec. 17 1:00-3:00 p.m. Eisenhower Community Center, 1001 Highway 7, Hopkins
The Hopkins High School orchestras will perform a free concert for kids and families. Wear your pajamas, enjoy activities, an instrument petting zoo, and, of course, music! Tuesday, Oct. 25, 5:30-7:00 p.m. Hopkins High School 2400 Lindbergh Dr., Minnetonka
Finding Your Zen Stress management is a tool for student performance and wellness When Jane Kleinman graduated from Hopkins High School in 1983, Hopkins offered one AP calculus section. Now there are at least 10 sections offered in any given year. School is far more rigorous than it used to be, and kids are busier than ever. In an environment of high-stakes testing, college in the high school, and sports and activities, Hopkins High School has taken action by offering a stress management class to help students develop the life skills necessary to keep calm and carry on.
Students in the high school stress management class practice a breathing exercise.
from their diaphragms. It’s harder than you may think, but it’s also powerful. The act of breathing changes Kleinman, who is now a health teacher at Hopkins your physiology and your response to the environment. High School, and her colleagues decided to offer a Students can perform better on tests because they know stress management course eight years ago. The school how to eliminate the stress that is causing them to freeze noticed that more students experienced higher levels up or forget information that they actually know. In of stress, reflecting trends throughout Minnesota. In addition to improved academics, stress management can fact, according to the 2013 Minnesota Student Survey,* help students build coping skills that they 28 percent of males and 49 percent of can use for the rest of their lives. females statewide reported that they My goal is to “worry a lot.” Although the results are “I practice the diaphragm breathing every currently lower for Hopkins students provide a lot day,” said student Leah Stillman. “I am (26 percent of males and 34 percent of learning a ton of skills and how to manage of options for females), the statistic is still higher than it stress. Having it the last block of the day is a used to be. students. I want good way to relax and calm down.” The stress management class is an option them to leave with While the class draws an even split of for students who feel they need one genders, students take it for different more tool in their tool kit. It is offered tools that they reasons. Some enroll as sophomores so they four times each term and draws about can apply the strategies throughout their can use outside of 130 students. The syllabus comes from high school experience, and others make a college curriculum that focuses heavily class. it a priority during their senior year in on the application of stress management. preparation for college. Students are often encouraged to take a similar course their first year of college and pay a lot of money for it. “I thought this would be a good class to take at the beginning of high school,” said student Maggie Dosdall, “It’s important to offer this class before college,” said who is a sophomore. “There are a lot of good techniques Kleinman. “My goal is to provide a lot of options for that you can do in a school environment without students. I want them to leave with tools that they can anyone really knowing.” use outside of class.” A culture of wellness One of the most eye-opening things about the class is The concept of student wellness has spread to the when students are able to see what stress looks like in entire student body at Hopkins High School. At their bodies. Using a program called HeartMath, they the same time the stress management class was in are able to observe their heart and breathing patterns development, the high school started a committee while taking a test. The idea is for students to learn to dedicated to spreading awareness about all aspects of control those patterns by using the techniques offered student wellness. The group works in collaboration in the class. Each week of the course offers a new with the Hopkins One Voice Coalition, hosting several strategy by way of breath awareness, guided imagery, events throughout the year that promote different yoga, positive self-talk, exercise, and mindfulness. Guest wellness topics like chemical use, mental health, and speakers are brought in to address special topics, as well. suicide awareness. This fall, members are working on a distracted driving campaign and will continue to create Just breathe campaigns and events based on current student needs. Kleinman tells her students the one thing they must learn how to do is breathe — slowly, intentionally, and *At the time this article was published, the 2016 Minnesota State Survey Results were not available.
see Finding Your Zen on page 2