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APRIL 12, 2017
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WHITE BEAR/VADNAIS HEIGHTS PRESS
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SCHOOL BRIEFS
Two retiring Frassati Catholic Academy teachers, Jeanne Bennek and Patty Clauson, will be recognized with a special surprise at this year’s Frassati Catholic Academy Gala – Creating Positive Energy! 5 p.m. Saturday,
Sen. Chuck Wiger earmarked funds for a high school transition program in a bill he authored recently in the Legislature. The bill is for $500,000 in fiscal year 2018 for grants to high school transition teams to assist eighth- and ninth-grade students in successfully navigating the transition to high school. The program provides $250,000 for the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District, $100,000 for the Mahtomedi District and $150,000 for the White Bear Lake Area District. The funds were included in the Senate E-12 education bill that passed off the Senate floor earlier this month. The bill will now be discussed in a conference committee with the House. The funds would be used assist teachers and parents with mentoring students as they transition to high school.
H2O for Life poster winners announced Awards were presented to Ava Driscoll (first place) and Madeline Goewey (second place) in the annual H2O for Life poster contest this week. Ava won a $50 cash prize and Madeline won a $20 Amazon gift card.
Teachers receive environmental grants The White Bear Lake Area Educational Foundation awarded about $11,400 to E3 (Enhancing Environmental Experiences) Grant recipients. The grants provide funding to benefit students and educators in the White Bear Lake Area school district who focus on enhancing outdoor learning experiences. Projects include: • Principal John Leininger, Matoska Elementary – The grant will fund Investigation on the Water, a collaborative project between White Bear Lake Area Schools and Wilderness Inquiry. Students who qualify for summer school will be brought to a floating classroom by canoeing on a
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Students testified before the Senate this session in favor of a high school transition program bill.
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VOLUNTEERS WANTED Sunday, April 30th, 11-3 pm Vadnais Sports Center • Distribution of event signs • Registration check-in • Mascot fill in • Parking Attendant • Trash duties • Dome garage coordinator
Frassati Catholic Academy teachers Jeanne Bennek and Patty Clauson will be recognized at retirement celebrations this spring. The quote in the photo chosen to honor the two teachers, “A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind and touches a heart,” has an unknown author, according to Quote Garden.
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Retirement recognitions announced for two Catholic educators
Kindergarten through fifth grades at Frassati Catholic Academy participated in a residency from the Science Museum of Minnesota this month. It was a two-day mystery investigation called “Buster Goes Missing.” Students in each grade level learned about different techniques in forensic science (chemical analysis, clothing fiber analysis, track printing and UV/ blacklight investigation) and then used them to analyze the 16 pieces of evidence that were provided. Each grade level reported its findings to the group and solved the mystery by week’s end. In addition, sixth grade was part of the engineering design process by serving as a test group to pilot a new future program to be used by the Science Museum’s outreach program.
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The Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) is announced Heather Jacobs, a staff member at White Bear Lake Area Schools who works with students on the autism spectrum throughout the district, is one of five winners in the 2017 AuSM Educator Challenge. Educators in Minnesota and surrounding states were invited to share teaching strategies. Jacobs noted that she uses optical illusions, short films and puzzling photos to show how our brain can sometimes "trick" us. As a contest winner, Jacobs will attend and present her strategy during the 22nd annual Minnesota Autism Conference April 28. “I love what I do and am so very thankful to do it in our district,” Jacobs said. “I myself have a child with autism. People often ask me if I got into the ‘field’ because of him. Nope, I was an educator for children with special needs many years before I had my own child, who was identified (with autism).” Jacobs said having a child with autism has made her a better educator. “As a young educator, I remember thinking, why can't these families just implement what we are recommending? As a parent, I know there are only so many hours in the day. There are backpacks and lunch boxes to be unloaded, homework, sight words, spelling words, etc. Plus, outside therapy. Lots of therapy. Then there is sibling ‘therapy jealousy.’” For more information, visit www.ausm.org.
Students study forensic science with Science Museum
Senate bill would fund transition to high school
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Teacher wins autism educator award
local waterway while learning about biology, ecosystems and teamwork. • Teachers Tammy Reed, Marilyn House, Beth Lilja, Sandy Peters and Principal Chris Streiff, Willow Lane Elementary – This grant will provide garden supplies and microscopes to expand the learning in the existing Community Garden at Willow Lane Elementary. • Teachers Angela Bianco, David Bataglia and Christine Quinn, Matoska Elementary, and teachers Beth Lilja, Shane Whalen and Josh Maloy, Willow Lane Elementary – This grant will provide additional funding for the fourth-grade environmental learning camp at Camp Icaghowan in Wisconsin for both Matoska and Willlow Lane Elementary schools.
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White Bear Lake Area Schools teacher Heather Jacobs won a prestigious autism educator award.
April 29 at FCA in Kohler Hall. They will also be recognized at 5 p.m. Mass June 3 at St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church. A reception will follow at Kohler Hall. Bennek, a third-grade teacher, has taught at the school since she graduated from college in 1974. She taught her own three children and children of former students throughout the years. Clauson, a kindergarten teacher, has also taught at the school for about four decades. She describes the kindergarteners she has taught as “refreshing and very funny.” She was also a trained administrator of a school readiness test. For tickets to the gala, visit http://frassati.ezregister.com/. For more information, call 651-429-7771.
• Event guide distributor • Live stage helper • Photographers • Unloading Vendors • Escort Vendors to their Booth • Tear Down
All volunteers will receive complementary lunch and a free T-Shirt. Different shifts available. Contact Patty Steele 651-407-1213•marketing@presspubs.com