School Talk, Spring 2014

School Talk sPRing 2014

On the way to all-day K

Also: VoTERs APPRoVE lEVY •

sTudEnT nEws & honoRs

Next fall, Mounds View Public a no-fee, all-day, every day kind The program expansion is part Promise – a District-wide comm that all students will be prepared success regardless of race, class or It’s been a long time coming.

For some time, Mounds View has wanted to expand its kindergarten program by offering a full-day experience with no fee for families. But the cost of such an initiative and the space available prevented action. Until now.

“The time is right,” says Superintendent Dan Hoverman.

“We’ve made significant strides in preparing our oldest students for postsecondary success. It’s time to do the same for our youngest students and get them all to the starting line with the same opportunities.”

Months before state legislators officially approved state-wide funding for all-day kindergarten last spring, Mounds View’s School Board took On the cover:

Valentine Hills Elementary School kindergartner Alex Bremseth tells teacher Carrie Malette about the self portrait he worked on during a class.

action to make the full-day program a reality.

“It’s all about equity in education,” says School Board member Amy Jones.

“Providing a full-day experience for all kindergarten families really levels the playing field.”

For years, Mounds View had provided a half-day kindergarten program while offering a fee-based option for an extended day experience.

About half of all kindergarten families participate in the “K +” program. Next year, Mounds View expects more than 90 percent of all kindergarten families will take advantage of the no-fee, fullday program.

“My family and I are super excited about my daughter going into full-day

Editors

Superintendent

Rachel Gutierrez Colin Sokolowski

Designer Susan Abbott

Photographers Vicki Burns Rachel Gutierrez Greg Helgeson Lisa Stone Submitted photos

Dan Hoverman

2014 School Board Bob Helgeson Amy Jones Greg Madsen Marre Jo Sager Lisa Sjobeck Jon Tynjala Sandra Westerman

School Talk is published by Mounds View Public Schools, Independent School District 621.

Send correspondence to School Talk editor, 350 Highway 96 West, Shoreview, MN 55126, e-mail rachel.gutierrez@moundsviewschools.org or call 651-621-6012.

To learn more about District programs and events featured in this issue of School Talk in Spanish, Hmong or Somali, please call Isabel Morales-Lizano (Spanish) at 651-621-7117, Mee Yang (Hmong) at 651-621-6743 or Ayan Esse (Somali) at 651-621-7116.

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“I really believe she’s going to be able to pick up reading and writing much faster.”

– Mark Jansen, incoming kindergarten parent

kindergarten,” says Bel Air Elementary School parent Mark Jansen. “The cost alone is going to save us hundreds of dollars a month. And I really believe that she’s going to be able to pick up reading and writing much faster.”

Studies show there are significant benefits to a full-day kindergarten program, especially when students’ educational momentum can be sustained into elementary school.

To ensure students are progressing, first-grade teachers will be involved in helping kindergarten students successfully transition into first grade and beyond. The full-day kindergarten program will feature a standards-based curriculum structured with clear learning targets based on a comprehensive set of grade-level expectations for student achievement.

Led by licensed kindergarten teachers, the full-day program will provide the

Schools will introduce dergarten program. of The Equity mitment ensuring for post-secondary disability. foundation for students to develop academically, socially and emotionally.

“Kindergartners come in every day ready to learn,” says Island Lake kindergarten teacher Mary House.

“They are knowledge-seekers. They take in everything we put out there for them, and then they’re eager for more. ‘All day’ allows us to do lots of extending and enriching and having time to meet with kids one-on-one.”

Kindergarten centers To make room for this expansion, and to address capacity issues at some elementary schools, Mounds View is locating kindergarten centers in two

Kindergarten students Jeevan Ghale, Cody Dagogo and Luke Roemer listen carefully as teacher Carrie Malette explains next steps in a group art assignment at Valentine Hills.

existing District sites. Students who live in the Island Lake and Turtle Lake Elementary School attendance areas will attend kindergarten centers at Snail Lake Education Center in Shoreview.

Kindergartners from the attendance areas of Bel Air, Pinewood, Sunnyside and Valentine Hills Elementary School will attend kindergarten centers at Pike Lake Education Center.

Enrollment projections fluctuate, but a total of about 750 resident students

Kindergartner Justine Ewald practices her scissors skills at Turtle Lake Elementary School.

are expected to enter kindergarten next fall, with 18 classrooms at Pike Lake Education Center and 14 classrooms at Snail Lake Education Center. Class sizes are anticipated to mirror current ranges of 23-26 students. The District’s six elementary schools will now serve students in grades 1-5.

Elementary school principals will have direct oversight of their kindergarten program and will have an ongoing presence at the kindergarten centers and the home elementary schools. Staff will include a program administrator at each building to oversee daily operations for all kindergarten centers within the building.

“Any support service that a student would receive at the elementary school will also be available at the kindergarten centers,” says Lindsey Boumgarden, kindergarten program administrator at Pike Lake Education Center. Services include on-site before- and after-school care, health services, special education and English language learning support.

All resident full-day kindergarten students will receive bus transportation at no fee, and all students can enjoy SPRING 2014

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a fee-based breakfast and lunch program daily, with the opportunity to receive free or reduced-price meals based on need.

Hundreds of families attended Kindergarten Roundup events in February, but registration for fall 2014 continues throughout the year. Later this August, families can attend open houses at the new kindergarten centers and receive on-site tours of classrooms and facilities.

“I’m sure to some people, full-day kindergarten seemed like it was always inevitable,” says Superintendent Hoverman. “But it’s taken a lot of thoughtful planning to do this at the right time and in the right way. It’s quite an undertaking, but the rewards will be great for students, families importance of this 10 and our entire community. TheSHOREVIEW expansion goes beyond kindergarten. It’s our latest effort in Turtle Lake delivering allSchool of our students.”

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350 Highway 96 West Shoreview Jill Arendt, program administrator

EDUCATION FOUNDATION supporting the Foundation that supports our schools The Mounds View Schools Education Foundation works in partnership with Mounds View Public Schools leadership to identify programs that require funding to advance District priorities and innovations that reach students throughout the entire District. The Foundation has helped turn community support into more than $1 million in grants to teachers, classrooms, projects and educational initiatives for the District’s elementary, middle and high schools.

Community events, support from local businesses and the Foundation’s Annual Giving Campaign are a few ways that MVSEF supports District schools with funding.

Partnering for Education The Mounds View Schools Education Foundation (MVSEF) hosted the 3rd annual Partnering for Education luncheon at the North Oaks Golf Club in February. Parents, business leaders and community members heard from Robert H. Bruininks (pictured), President Emeritus of the University of Minnesota. Superintendent Dan Hoverman discussed the importance of early childhood education and talked about how early childhood opportunities impact students’ success throughout their educational career.

The second annual Rock the School House event brought together hundreds of parents, educators and community leaders for a fun night of music, dancing and fundraising in November.

Thanks in part to many volunteers who helped make the event a success, the 2013 Rock the School House event raised more than $34,000 for the Foundation and the schools it supports.

save the date MVSEF’s 3rd Annual Rock the School House

fundraising event is slated for Saturday, November 15, 2014, at Vadnais Heights Commons. For more information, or to help with volunteer efforts, please contact mvsef@moundsviewschools.org.

Annual giving campaign The Annual Giving Program was created to recognize donors who support the Foundation with an annual philanthropic gift. Annual supporters are offered numerous benefits and, most importantly, they have an ongoing impact on the lives of Mounds View Public Schools students. Visit www.moundsviewschoolsef.org for more information and consider making an investment in classroom enhancements for Mounds View Schools students through the Annual Giving Program.

Country Financial invests in Mounds View schools Supporting the local community is just part of doing business at Country Financial, a Bloomington, Ill., based financial servicescompany. With more than 100 employees working in Arden Hills, Minn., Country Financial is focused on making a difference in local communities by supporting organizations and projects that promote financial literacy, specifically in single parent households. That focus includes a partnership with Mounds View Schools Education Foundation that has been ongoing for the past three years. This school year, a $3,500 Country Financial grant has provided Mounds View and Irondale High School students with a variety of experiences to promote financial literacy.

The Country Financial grant has given students at both District high schools the opportunity to get hands-on experience with the stock market through Best Prep’s Stock Market game, and has offered students an opportunity to participate in an online personal finance simulation. Students also took a field trip to the Minneapolis Federal Reserve and met with a Country Financial consultant. Previous grants have funded the development of a high school level Financial Literacy course. This hybrid curriculum, which was initially piloted at the District’s Area Learning Center, now helps students District-wide to understand the fundamental principles of personal finance and money management skills.

To learn more about how your organization can partner with the Mounds View Schools Education Foundation, please contact Mindy Handberg at mindy.handberg@moundsviewschools.org.

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Around the district Voters renew levy, elect School Board On Election Day 2013, voters in Mounds View Public Schools approved an eight-year, $11.5 million levy renewal request by a margin of 72 percent in favor to 28 percent opposed – one of the largest margins of support in the metro.

Specifically, 7,442 residents voted in favor of the renewal, while 2,899 voted to reject the request.

As promised, the levy will play an important role in maintaining current class sizes and programs.

“Voters have trusted us to spend the money wisely, and we will continue to do so,” says Superintendent Dan Hoverman.

In addition, voters re-elected residents Greg Madsen, Marre Jo Sager and Jon Tynjala to seats on the School Board. Polling details and School Board election information is available at www.moundsviewschools.org.

Pinewood principal to retire

2014 School Board

Front row: Amy Jones, Marre Jo Sager and Lisa Sjobeck.

Back row: Sandra Westerman, Jon Tynjala, Bob Helgeson and Greg Madsen.

Marvin Sims named 2014 Bush Fellow Marvin Sims, dean of equity services at Mounds View Public Schools, is among 24 recipients of a 2014 Bush Fellowship from The Bush Foundation. The Bush Fellowship is designed for people who have already demonstrated exceptional leadership abilities, but who feel they could accomplish even more for their community with focused, intensive leadership development.

In February, Pinewood Elementary School principal Bill Book announced he will retire in June. He has served Mounds View Public Schools for 20 years in principal positions at Island Lake Elementary School, Pike Lake Elementary School and Pinewood. In 2008, Pinewood was recognized as a Minnesota School of Excellence, and last year the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association recognized Book with the 2013 MESPA Division Leadership Achievement Award. The search for a replacement began in early March. Later this spring, the District plans to name a new principal who will begin July 1.

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As a dean at Irondale High School, Sims created Students Together Respecting the Importance and Purpose of Education in Schools (STRIPES), a mentoring program that partnered with teachers, parents, community members and business leaders to create a safety net for students. The program has since expanded to Mounds View High School and the District's middle schools as well.

In making its announcement, The Bush Foundation explained, “Marvin Sims wants to level the playing field for all disadvantaged students. Marvin will use his Fellowship to earn his Ph.D. and create a comprehensive program that ensures all kids use education as the gateway to their dreams.”

Nearly 400 people applied for the 2014 Bush Fellowship.

Translation assistance To learn more about District programs and events featured in this issue of School Talk in Spanish, Hmong or Somali, please call Isabel Morales-Lizano (Spanish) at 651-621-7117, Mee Yang (Hmong) at 651-621-6743 or Ayan Esse (Somali) at 651-621-7116.

Culture Clubs Nearly 200 students participate in school culture clubs District-wide.

Mounds View Public Schools integration and equity liaisons lead culture club meetings and organized events at schools throughout the District.

Not only are integration and equity liaisons active in schools promoting cultural events and clubs, they also serve as a resource to families and are available for parents who need translation assistance.

Yog xa paub ntau tshaj nov txog peb lub District cov program thiab kev sib sau ua ke ntawm peb cov tsev kawm ntawv thiab niam txiv nrog rau me nyuam kawm ntawv uas muaj nyob rau hauv tsab ntawv School Talk no, thov hu rau Mee Yang ntawm 651-621-6743.

Para aprender mas sobre los programas del Distrito Escolar y de los eventos en esta edicion de School Talk, llame a Isabel Morales-Lizano al 651-621-7117.

Haddii aad dooneysid faahfaahin dheeraad ah oo ku saabsan barnaamijyada lugu soo qoro School Talk, ee ka baxa Iskuulada Moundsview, fadlan la soo xiriis Ayan Esse: 651-621-7116.

Edgewood Middle school’s culture club hosted a unity event in early February. students from the school’s Culture Crew hosted an event that included a face painting and henna booth, and a cultural foods booth, which featured foods from the Middle East, Ethiopia, india and China. Pictured are shilung lor, Trinity Yang, gaoFang hang, glory shanalingigwa, shamira walker, dolapo okanlawon, Fisseha, Ashanti Best, isabella Angwenyi-ojeda, Rachel Taye, Kaylen griesy, loveness shanalingigwa, Erica Mechah, shianala Vang, Mezeker Fesseha, Kyalie Taylor, Julie lor and Mariam Adewale.

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Exchange program brings students to Mounds View With coordination from a non-profit exchange program and local families who serve as host families, Mounds View High School welcomed Marta Rodriguez of Spain and Heather (Jiahui) Qiu of China to the 2013-14 school year. Both Rodriguez and Qiu attend Mounds View High School through the CCIGreenheart exchange program. To find out about opportunities for hosting exchange students this summer or to learn more about school-year hosting opportunities through CCIGreenheart, contact Manel Renshaw, area coordinator at 763-370-8516, or email Manel.CCIGreenheart@q.com. honoring CCigreenheart’s mission to give back to the communities visited, Rodriguez and Qiu spent time volunteering in the community planting trees, packaging meals for those less fortunate, and working with animals at Petco.

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Around the district

new to Mounds View Public schools?

Early Childhood screening

If you have recently moved into the District and have preschool students who may one day enroll in Mounds View Public Schools, it’s important that you contact the Early Childhood staff to have your family information entered into the District’s data system. This will insure that you are notified of important dates and information regarding preschool screening, parent information nights and the kindergarten enrollment process. Please contact the District’s Early Childhood Department at 651-621-7420 or at susan.stoner@moundsviewschools.org.

Please include the following information:

Rapid learning and growth takes place in the early years of your child’s life — from birth to the start of kindergarten. Early Childhood Screening is a free, quick and simple check of how your child is doing. It is best to have your child screened between ages 3.5 and 4.

Screening identifies possible learning or health concerns so that your child can get the needed help before starting school. Early Childhood Screening is required for entrance into kindergarten and is offered throughout the year.

Call 651-621-7420 to make your child’s early childhood screening appointment today.

•

Parent full legal name(s) •

Address/City/Zip •

The full legal name and birth date of each child •

Contact home or cell phone number

district makes College Board’s honor Roll Mounds View Public Schools is one of only seven school districts across the state of Minnesota to be honored by the College Board recently by being placed on the Annual AP Honor Roll for significant gains in Advanced Placement® (AP) access and student performance. The College Board’s Annual AP Honor Roll recognizes school districts across the country that simultaneously increase access to AP course work while maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of three or higher on AP exams. For details, visit the news page at www.moundsviewschools.org.

inspiration in Motion Oak Grove High School students talked about goals, careers and the path to success when a local artist, Mark Rivard, visited the school in October.

Rivard, who has contributed to internationally known art projects and is well known for his skateboard art, is the creator of “Inspiration in Motion,” a program that focuses on motivating young minds through the use of art and modern culture.

Zosia wasienski, samantha herman, Amber McKinney, Peter Molitor and dai Quawn smith used skateboard art as a way to illustrate how environments and circumstances can be tools in realizing dreams and working to accomplish goals.

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holiday food and toy drive brings aid to more than 900 children The Ralph Reeder Food Shelf collected more than 3,000 gifts this holiday season during its annual Operation Joy Campaign that benefits Mounds View Public Schools families. Thanks to more than 75 community volunteers and donations from area churches, schools, businesses, clubs, individuals and Toys for Tots, 935 children (ages birth to 12th grade) received gifts this year. Qualifying families who registered with the Food Shelf were invited to the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf in December to pick out gifts for each of their children. Pike Lake Education Center, in New Brighton, hosted the “Toy Shop” which helped make the holiday season a little brighter for more than 400 District families.

In addition to the District-wide Operation Joy toy drive, many schools throughout the District hosted food drives to help bring food to the Mounds View Public Schools community during the holidays. In December, District schools collected more than 4,000 pounds of food, $620 in monetary donations, $500 in gift cards along with age-appropriate toys and gifts to benefit low-income families who live in the Mounds View Public Schools area.

To learn more about how you can help, visit Ralph Reeder Food Shelf ’s website at www.moundsviewschools.org.

World record holder inspires Highview students Katie Spotz, who holds the world record for the youngest person to row solo across the Atlantic, visited Highview Middle School in December. Spotz talked to students and staff about her experiences on the Atlantic, and shared her story of raising more than $150,000 for safe water projects in Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Kenya. In 2011, Katie visited water projects and saw the results of the funds raised through her adventures. Highview students were inspired by her message and have since raised more than $740 to put toward providing a new water well to Angodingod Primary School in Uganda.

Mounds View high school juniors Ayuub osman, somchai linthalath and nawaz Khan created their own holiday giving campaign in december. The three friends pooled their money to buy blankets for families less fortunate. They delivered the blankets to local homeless shelters.

schools to help fight hunger during Foodshare Month

March is Minnesota FoodShare Month, the largest food drive in the state.

FoodShare Month is led annually by Minnesota FoodShare to promote hunger awareness and engage communities in the fight against hunger and poverty.

This year’s campaign, “Be the hero. Fight Hunger,” challenges organizations and individuals to make a donation to help restock supplies at food shelves across Minnesota. In honor of FoodShare Month, many District schools will host food drives to replenish the shelves at the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf. Minnesota FoodShare will match a portion of all dollars and pounds received at the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf between March 1 and April 4, 2014.

here is how you can help: Make a cash, check or food donation to the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf between March 1 and noon on April 4. Donations will qualify for a partial match through Minnesota FoodShare.

The Ralph Reeder Food Shelf brings aid to individuals and families in the Mounds View Public Schools attendance area.

In 2013, more than 390,000 pounds of food were distributed to an estimated 16,000 residents. The success of the Food Shelf is largely dependent on community support. To learn more about the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf please visit www.moundsviewschools.org/comm_edu/food_shelf.asp or call 651-621-7450.

To set up an appointment to receive aid, please call 651-621-7451.

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Around the district Plan your stay at Laurentian Environmental Center Planning a family reunion or group event? Consider Laurentian Environmental Center (LEC) in Britt, Minn. The Center can accommodate small and large groups year-round with 160 beds, five large classroom buildings, a lodge and a dining facility that seats 175. LEC offers access to hundreds of acres of wilderness with trout streams and diverse wildlife habitat. The environmental center’s property includes access to a 100-acre pristine lake and hiking/ski trails that connect with the Big Aspen hiking and ski trails.

LEC maintains a 12-station Challenge Course, a 32-foot outdoor climbing wall, a dogsled yard and trails, an archery range, canoes and rowboats, a sauna, an outdoor campfire theater and a large playing field. The on-site dining facility serves healthy, home-cooked meals from menus developed by a dietician. Call 1-888-749-1288 or visit www.laurentiancenter.org for more information.

Food for thought Turtle Lake Elementary School fifth-graders took a closer look at food production, food access, food choices and food safety in a project their teacher Joanne Bell called “Food Force: Problem Solvers Bringing Healthy Food to All.” Students worked together in groups of two to six to interview a wide range of experts who are working to solve problems regarding food. Interviews with experts at the University of Minnesota, The Minnesota Department of Health, The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and more, offered students an opportunity to gather information and research the issues of access, production, choice and safety pertaining to food. Students presented their findings to parents at an evening school event in November.

Summer Camps YOUTH HUNTING CAMP Laurentian will host Forkhorn hunting camps June – August.

Visit www.laurentiancenter.org for more information.

SENIOR CAMP Summer camp isn’t just for kids!

Adults 50 and older are invited to participate in the “senior camp” experience at Laurentian Environmental Center September 2-7. A mix of indoor and outdoor activities include hiking, archery, canoeing, crafts, nature tours and more. Singles and couples are welcome. Call 1-888-749-1288 for details and early registration discounts.

shelby scott, Alex Catrine, Caleb laBerge, and gwen Allison (not pictured) examined some live bees and learned about the importance of bees to food production from dr. Marla spivak, award winning Professor of Entomology, College of Food, Agricultural and natural Resource sciences at the university of Minnesota.

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Hour of Code In honor of Computer Science Education Week in December, Valentine Hills students had the chance to participate in the “Hour of Code.”

Technology specialist and math teacher Joan Wolf worked with second- and third-graders on an Angry Birds themed puzzle that required students to put blocks of pre-written code in the correct order. Designed for children ages five to adult, the National Hour of Code is part of Computer Science Education Week and an ongoing effort to raise awareness of importance of computer programming, one of the fastest growing sectors of the technology industry.

Pictured: leo Martinez-Alonso, Alan sanchez and Jayme gesumwa.

Top performance at state At the Minnesota High School League’s One Act Play Festival in February, Irondale High School performers received a “starred” performance ranking, the highest ranking a school can receive for a performance at the state level.

Irondale’s performance of The Actor’s Nightmare was directed by Janet Paone and was performed at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium on the campus of Saint Catherine University in St. Paul. Irondale administration honored the students’ accomplishments with a celebration on February 27.

left to right: Bottom row, obiora obikwelu, Anna Matthes, sarah wika, Allison Aabel, Katie deutsch, Katie sondrol, director Janet Paone.

Back row, Principal scott gengler, Activities director Ron Broberg, Ryan Bockenhauer, Vishnu namboodiripad, will hensley, Matt Vanbruggen, set and Costume designer John A woskoff and superintendent dan hoverman.

students raise nearly $10K for American heart Association

second-grader Jerome Floeder helped Turtle lake Elementary school raise nearly $9,945 for the American heart Association during a Jan. 28 Jump Rope for heart event.

The national Jump Rope for heart program encourages students to ask for pledges in exchange for jumps.

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Around the district students build model engine with local engineers Irondale High School students visited Cummins Power Generation in Fridley recently to get a feel for what a typical work day as an engineer at Cummings is really like. A yearlong partnership between Mounds View Public Schools and Cummins Power Generation has allowed students to explore interests in science and discover potential college and career concentrations in engineering by introducing students to company engineers and exposing them to handson work opportunities. high school senior Austina Kling (pictured) and 19 of her classmates put together a ¼ - scale lEgo model of the Cummins QsK95 engine in just 90 minutes. As Kling prepares for college next year, she says she is considering a career as a biochemist or chemical engineer.

Middle school students isaac her, Marina sinniger and nathan Bigelow got to experience the work of an engineer when Cummins engineers visited Edgewood Middle school this winter. Eighth-graders worked together to assemble the lEgo model QsK95 engine.

Promoting connectedness The focus on CARES (Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy and Self-Control) and student connectedness is a priority at Valentine Hills Elementary School.

This fall, students participated in a “passport” tour led by staff that provided a visual demonstration of the school’s behavior expectations. Throughout the school year, daily reminders, activities and a common language promote CARES and

students Apollo Ashby and sarah Mutamba in the library at Valentine hills where many of the posters are on display.

create a school-wide theme of connectedness. To help promote these expectations, as well as ownership in their own learning, students helped narrate a video titled, “We are Valentine Hills” which focuses on site expectations for learning and behavior. To learn more about CARES and to watch the “We are Valentine Hills” video, visit the school’s website at www.moundsviewschools.org/valentinehills.

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high school Economics Club talks money with kindergartners Students from Mounds View High School’s Economics Club volunteered in two K+ classrooms at Valentine Hills in November and December, teaching five sessions of Junior Achievement’s “Ourselves” curriculum. Kindergartners learned about the types of money, the importance of saving and working together.

Partnership gives students real-world work experience Chippewa Middle School seventh-graders had the opportunity to experience what really goes into city planning and development recently. As part of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) curriculum, Chippewa students collaborated with personnel from Ramsey County, City of Arden Hills, Rice Creek Watershed District, Bay West and the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce (SPACC) to create designs for the redevelopment of the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP). Applying skills from multiple class lessons, students made decisions about land use, road placement and environmental issues. Researching the history of the property, organizing student focus groups, meeting with representatives from Ramsey County and SPACC, and working together to problem-solve gave students some real-world work experience and incorporated various STEAM subject areas.

Mounds View high school Economics Club students pictured with laura Pankonin's kindergarten class.

Timberwolves visit island lake Island Lake Elementary School students who participate in the YMCA School Age Care program were visited by Robbie Hummel and Ronny Turiaf of the Minnesota Timberwolves recently. Nearly 100 students gathered to visit with the players

and talk about the importance of being active and physically fit. Students participated in stretching exercises and drills and even learned CPR taught by a representative from the University of Minnesota.

students received a camp T-shirt and water bottle, photos and autographs from the players and the team mascot Crunch.

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Around the district

Patriotic performance Miah Pearson, Alexandra Bergman, Lorena Gilmore, Roxy Caballero, Aiden Wilmet and Tenzin Gendum (pictured) were among the fourth-grade students who participated in this year’s patriotic performance at Bel Air Elementary School. In what’s become an annual tradition at Bel Air, music teacher Roxanne Britz hosted the event in celebration of Presidents Day for the eighth year. Students were also invited by Senator Barb Goodwin to perform in the Rotunda at the State Capitol on February 27.

Summer programs

Registration is open now for academic courses, enrichment classes, youth programs and community education camps. Visit www.moundsviewschools.org/summerprograms to find information about summer classes and programs.

Elementary music ensemble performs at national convention

In November, Turtle Lake Elementary School’s African Music Ensemble, under the direction of Sowah Mensah and Kathy Crockett, performed at the Orff Schulwerk National Convention in Denver. In preparation for the performance the group of 50 students in grades three to six rehearsed from 4 – 6 p.m. every Sunday afternoon for several months. Highview Middle School band director Andy Schmidt helped coordinate and chaperone the event along with other staff members and 20 parents. The 30-minute performance included African flutes, drums, gourds, xylophones, singing and choreography.

Turtle Lake’s African Music Ensemble directors taught a session for teachers at the convention called “Building an African Music Ensemble.” More than 80 music teachers from around the nation attended this session.

Top row, left to right: grace Pitsenbarger, henry Boyer, Johnny Yue, Alex siechen, Ainsley Arnold, will schavee, Eva Barsness, Elena Pierson, Eden Comer, samantha gaynor, Mary Termaat, neha sriham. Marit swenson, laney Vinyon. second row: shelby scott, sofia Bostrom,Ashley solheim, grace Farmer, Alyssa lebow, Megan Polance, luna Towle, olivia Chen, luke Zscheile, Raj singh, Taylor Towle, Brooke Voytilla, Ashwin wariar, Matthew Martinson. Third row: lisa wright, silje Erickson, gracyn delaune, sophie Richter, Emma lu, Emily Feng, Eric Feng, Zach schulte, Ashley su, Morgan dahl. Bottom row: Jadie Pang, Ashley Arnold, Anna grace hottinger, Brynne Kelly-dixson, Amy Xing, Valerie heideman, ian Tsai, Jessica wasson. not pictured: Ella stucky, leah geschke and will Conlin.

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Hero breakfast To kick-off National School Breakfast Week in March, Sunnyside Elementary School hosted a Hero’s Breakfast event. Law enforcement officers and other special community members joined students for breakfast before school on March 3. The Hero’s Breakfast is one of many events and activities Sunnyside hosts throughout the school year to encourage healthy eating and positive influences for students. sunnyside cook Candy Mchale and officer Bob Jacobson, of the new Brighton Police department, visited with sunnyside second-grader gabriel hart during the hero’s Breakfast.

district Art show and new Mosaic fundraising event This year’s annual Student Art Show will include a new event hosted by the District’s art department, in collaboration with community education’s service learning department.

Mosaic Art Fundraiser and district Art show opening Irondale High School, April 29, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Mosaic – A Community of Art Against Hunger will involve students and teachers at schools throughout the District. Students will create original art on 6×6˝ canvases to be sold on the opening night of the District Art Show. Paintings will sell for $10 per canvas and all proceeds of Mosaic will benefit the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf.

Mounds View student Art show Irondale High School, April 29 – May 5

Students’ works-of-art will start displaying at schools throughout the District in March before becoming part of a Mosaic display that will be available for sale to the public during the annual District Student Art Show. The Mosaic fundraiser is taking the place of the Empty Bowls event staged over the past few years at Irondale High School. Unlike Empty Bowls, there will be no food offered for sale at this fundraiser.

Chalkboard Capers 30th Anniversary Show Teachers of the Mounds View Education Association will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Chalkboard Capers this school year with an April variety show performance to benefit graduating high school seniors. The Chalkboard Capers variety show is presented annually by the teachers and District staff to raise money for student scholarships given to graduating seniors from Irondale High School, Mounds View High School, Oak Grove High School, Area Learning Center, and Adult Basic Education. Each scholarship is for $621. The number of scholarships awarded depends on the financial success of the show. The 2014 Show is slated for April 2 – 5 at Irondale High School. For more information, please visit www.moundsviewschools.org/chalkboardcapers.

6th annual oak grove golf Tournament May 17, 2014

Register

10:30 a.m. silent auction 12:30 p.m. shotgun start Cannon Golf Club in Cannon Falls, Minn.

Deadline is April 25, 2014. Registrants can sign up as a single or bring a foursome. To register, call 651-621-7912 or 651-621-7903 or e-mail wendy.wild@moundsviewschools.org.

$99 per person includes: • 18 holes of golf • Golf cart • BBQ buffet dinner • Door prizes

$40 per person includes: • Social hour • BBQ buffet dinner • Door prizes

Oak Grove High School Oak Grove offers a special education program for approximately 60 students in grades 9-12 from Mounds View Public Schools and several surrounding districts. Students who attend require services for severe emotional and behavioral disorders.

All proceeds support Oak Grove’s work readiness programs, work internships, scholarships and the Random Acts of Kindness fund.

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SPORTS ROUND-UP state gymnastics champs

At the state gymnastics meet in February, irondale high school’s Jordana Brady placed sixth on vault and third on the floor exercise. Mounds View high school’s Anna house placed fifth on the floor exercise.

IRONDALE KNIGHTS Jacob wielinski broke two

Irondale boys swimming records this school year in the 500 Free and 200 IM, and qualified for state in both events.

Eriq smith signed with the

University of Minnesota Duluth where he received a scholarship for football. Eriq also qualified for state in wrestling.

Triple A winners The Triple A award is sponsored by the Minnesota State High School League and goes to one female and male high school senior for their accomplishments in academics, arts and athletics.

laura Jankowski and noah Espeseth are the recipients of the Triple A award for irondale high school.

Andre hessini and Ellie northrop are the Triple A award recipients for Mounds View high school.

 sam donovan (pictured on left) was named

a semifinalist for the 2014 Ms. Hockey award and is the Minnesota Coaches Association All State Hockey Player. She has committed to Brown University where she will play hockey.

Veronica wold (pictured on right) will be going to St. Cloud State on a softball scholarship.  Tony grabowske

signed with North Iowa Community College on a Baseball Scholarship.

Mattie watts finished first in 

the Nordic ski sections and is the Nordic State Ski Champion.

She was also named a member of the U18 National Nordic Ski Team where she competed in Finland this past January. In addition, she was selected as a semifinalist for the ASPIRE Athlete of the week award in February. She will go on to ski at the University of Vermont on a Nordic ski scholarship.

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Rachael norton was named All-State

Honorable Mention in soccer.

Alex Toupal and Adam Ruff were named as All-State soccer players. Toupal was also named to the Minnesota Coaches All State Academic Hockey Team, and Ruff is the Northeast Youth and Family Services Award winner for his commitment to youth and volunteer services.

MOUNDS VIEW MUSTANGS

section 5AA champions Mounds View High School’s girls hockey team won the section 5AA championship title in February after defeating Blaine.

Also in girls hockey news: Bella sutton (pictured at left) accepted the All-Tournament Team award and the Herb Brooks award. In addition, she was named one of the 10 finalists for the Ms. Hockey 2014 award.

The Mounds View Mustangs boys basketball team was awarded the second seed for section 4AAAA. Swimmers Alec Martini, sasha safonov and Andrew wang qualified for state.

Tanner day, Karl Keeler, Jack o'Brien, Vincent Belsito and Jimmy Kaiser qualified for state in wrestling.

The girls alpine team qualified for state.

nordic skiers steve hokanson and dalton Pauly finished in first and second place at the nordic ski sectionals.

Mounds View senior captains Erika Johnson and Molly hancuh have committed to play soccer at the collegiate level. Johnson, a goalkeeper, has committed to play for the University of Nebraska.

Hancuh, a central midfielder, is headed to the University of Minnesota Morris. Johnson and Hancuh helped lead Mounds View to the 2013 5AA Section title, 2013 SEC Conference title and No. 1 ranking in the state in the final coaches poll.

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With honors district teachers recognized as TiEs Exceptional Teachers Mounds View Public Schools teachers Kris nelson,

shane wood, david Parent, Amanda Rick, Mike lundberg and Katie greene were recognized as TIES

Exceptional Teachers at the TIES 2013 Education Technology Conference at the Minneapolis Hyatt Regency on December 17. They were among 91 teachers from 48 districts.

Physics teachers Kris Nelson, Shane Wood and David Parent were recognized as Exceptional Teachers for improving the learning environment for all Irondale High School students with the use of technology. They have successfully implemented technology as the primary driver of student learning. Through the use of webcams, Vernier probes, cosmic ray detectors and other online tools the students are able to access real time data from around the world to deepen their understanding of how nature works.

Fifth-grade Island Lake Elementary School teachers Amanda Rick, Mike Lundberg and Katie Greene were named Exceptional Teachers for working collaboratively as lead learners in the District’s flipped instruction implementation. They have successfully integrated Moodle and Google Apps for Education to gather student data to inform and individualize instruction.

The collaborative efforts have resulted in increased achievement, engagement and accessibility to content across the entire grade level.

National DECA scholarship finalist Irondale senior olivia Kinney has been named a finalist in four different National DECA scholarships. The sponsoring donors include Walgreens, Marriott, Harry A. Applegate, and Otis Spunkmeyer. These corporations seek to support the development of leaders and entrepreneurs that will be successful in a global economy and will be their company’s employees and leaders. Kinney serves as Irondale DECA co-president and was an international DECA competitive event qualifier as a high school junior. DECA is a not-for-profit organization that works with colleges and high schools around the globe to prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.

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Students earn National Enterprise Certification Irondale student and school store manager lauren guse and classmate Jared Brenny, District 4 DECA president, achieved Gold Level SchoolBased Enterprise (SBE) Certification and are eligible to attend the SBE Academy and competition at the International DECA Career Development Conference in Atlanta in May. The certification program was developed to provide recognition for outstanding achievement by school-based enterprises. It provides standards for model school store operation in human resources, selling, channel management, promotions, product/ service management, pricing, market planning, management information systems, operations and financial analysis.

A school-based enterprise (SBE) is an entrepreneurial operation in a school setting that provides goods/services to meet the needs of the market. SBEs are managed and operated by DECA students as hands-on learning laboratories that integrate National Curriculum Standards in Marketing, Finance, Hospitality or Management. SBEs provide realistic and practical learning experiences that reinforce classroom instruction.

island lake wordMasters Island Lake Elementary School’s WordMasters team achieved Highest Honors in the recent WordMasters Challenge™— a national vocabulary competition involving nearly 150,000 students annually. The fourth grade team scored 174 points out of a possible 200 in the first of three meets this year, placing sixth in the nation. Competing in the Gold Division of the WordMasters Challenge™, students from Island Lake Elementary School who achieved individual outstanding results in the first meet include fourth-grader Cameron dolbow. Island Lake WordMasters coaches are Sharon Rode and Kathie Dahl.

The WordMasters Challenge™ is an exercise in critical thinking that first encourages students to become familiar with a set of interesting new words (considerably harder than grade level), and then challenges them to use those words to complete analogies expressing various kinds of logical relationships.

Chippewa students selected to perform with state honor Band Chippewa Middle School eighth-grade saxophonist Andy Peterson was selected for the second year to perform with the Minnesota Band Directors Association (MBDA) State Honor Jazz Band. He will perform with the Honor Band at the MMEA Music Convention on February 14 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Seventh-grade clarinet player Michael Cao and seventh-grade flute player grace su were selected for membership in the MBDA Honor Band for grades six to eight for the 2013-14 school year. They were selected from 313 auditioning students from 79 schools across the state. The Honor Band will perform at Edina High School at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 27.

The Minnesota Band Directors Association sponsors two honor bands annually to provide the opportunity for select students to immerse themselves in an environment of musicmaking under the direction of a distinguished guest conductor. A committee of qualified adjudicators select students from across the state of Minnesota to participate in the MBDA Honor Band.

Irondale students perform with Honors Orchestra Irondale high school ninth-graders Courtney swanson and Rachel skunes (pictured with Irondale orchestra teacher Rosa GladeArnold) were accepted into the Minnesota String & Orchestra Teachers Association (MNSOTA) Middle Level Honors Orchestra.

Both violinists performed February 15 at the Minneapolis Convention Center during the Minnesota Music Educators Association Mid-Winter Clinic. They were chosen among many to be part of the ensemble after auditioning in October.

Mounds View musicians honored Mounds View High School clarinet player Kaylee nielsen, flute player devina Chatterjee, saxophonist Abbey witham and trumpet player Peter Kennedy were accepted in the Central Minnesota Band Director Association (CMBDA) regional honor band that performed in January.

In addition to her CMBDA appointment, Kaylee Nielsen was also selected for membership in the MBDA Honor Band for grades 9-12.

Marching band makes top 10 at nationals The Irondale Marching Knights placed eighth in the nation at the Finals Super Regional Competition in St. Louis, MO, in October. The band’s “Dark Tales from the Grimm Forest” was among the top performances in a competition that included 64 national groups. led by band director Bill sucha, 120 district high school students are members of the irondale Marching Knights.

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