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2004-05 News StoriesYouth Service Project Wins High-Five AwardArea Learning Center (ALC) Youth Service Project won a 2005 Mayor’s High-Five Award for making a difference in the lives of veterans and their families through volunteer service at the VA Medical Center. For the past 11 years, students in the Second Look Program at the ALC Wilson have been involved in a Youth Service Project at the VA Medical Center. The students decorate the main dining room, several waiting areas and the Day Activity Center during eight different holidays throughout the year. Awards were presented at the June 23 WWWFest opening ceremony and Lemonade Concert on the campus of St. Cloud State University. 6.17.05 Sixth Grade GraduationsOur elementary schools graduated sixth-graders June 8. Westwood Elementary, for example, graduated 88 sixth-graders. View Westwood's sixth-grade slide show. 6.9.05 Thank You 2004-05 RetireesDistrict 742 salutes the women and men who retired during 2004-05. Forty-seven retirees, some of whom labored more than 35 years, leave our service, but not our hearts. We deeply appreciate their work on behalf of children. View our Retiree Wrap publication. 6.3.05 Talahi Opens Sixth Grade AdditionStudents and teachers set up classrooms in the new addition at Talahi Elementary June 2. Barb Searles, Mark Scholer, Angela Mitchell and Maren Stewart moved their sixth-grade classes to the addition, which is attached to the west side of the school. It has exits facing west and south and two interior hallways that connect to the original structure, which was built in 1990. New sidewalks are in place, but some landscaping remains to be done. View the photos: south exterior | west exterior | classroom. 6.3.05 Wellesley Speaker to Discuss Power and PrivilegeRegistration deadline is June 20 for a presentation by Dr. Peg McIntosh, an expert on the roles power and privilege play in schools and the workplace. McIntosh's June 29 presentation at Apollo High School is sponsored by District 742 and United Way of Central Minnesota. McIntosh is founder of the Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity Project on Inclusive Curriculum, which helps educators examine the gender inequities in textbooks and curriculum. McIntosh is a faculty member at Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass. View the flyer and registration form. 6.2.05 Adult Basic Education Graduates 40Central Minnesota Adult Basic Education (ABE) graduated 40 students June 1 at Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School, Sauk Rapids. The more than 300 people in attendance heard students speak, including Alice Sefkow, an 86-year-old graduate profiled on KARE-11 television. District 742 is the fiscal agent for ABE, which has 15 learning sites in 13 school districts. 6.2.05 Our Academic Top TenDistrict 742’s brightest senior scholars were recognized May 31 at the Top Ten Reception in Council Chambers, St. Cloud City Hall. The Top Ten at Technical High School are Jonathan Cheng, Ashley Corrigan, Chelsey Gerads, Kristen Johnson, Heather Laudenbach, Brian Olmanson, Amy Saupe, Amanda Schmidt, Lisa Wagner and Lori Wolter. Apollo High School’s Top Ten are Emily Chen, Jenna Hammerberg, Andrea Jakubowski, Amanda Kern, Dan LaFountaine, Maily Nguyen, Kelle Parsons, Jonathon Podvin, Emily Schnobrich and Amy Steffes. Read the full story. View the photos: Apollo Top Ten | Tech Top Ten. A video of the reception is airing on Channel 6 through June 10 at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Channel 6 is available on the Charter and Astound cable systems. 6.1.05 Talahi Hosts History TableauxTalahi Elementary's fifth-grade teachers helped history come to life -- well, sort of. On May 25 and May 26 four classrooms were wax museums in which costumed students portrayed famous people in American history. Students created what the French call a tableau vivant, a group of people arranged in a dramatic scene. Daniel Schaefer, Vicky Olston-Smith, Sara Eibes and Dick Miller worked with their students to create tableaux about the Revolution, westward expansion, early explorers and U.S. immigration. View the photos: 1 | 2 | 3. Read the full story. 5.25.05 Gargoyles and Grotesques Guard TalahiFour glass-covered display cabinets at Talahi Elementary house hideous creatures with fantastic features. Peggy Eigen, art teacher, taught the clay project to sixth-graders. Gargoyles and grotesques carved of stone are found on medieval-era cathedrals throughout Europe. One theory suggests they were meant to keep evil away from a building and its occupants. Eigen's students wrapped a coil of clay around a wad of newspaper, put a slab of clay on top of the newspaper and went to work. The newspaper was removed from the back of the completed gargoyle/grotesque prior to firing in the kiln. View the photos: 1 | 2. 5.25.05 ALC West Wins E-Mail Trivia CompetitionALC West won the E-Lympics e-mail-based trivia bowl May 18, beating 35 teams from alternative schools throughout Minnesota. The Pacers correctly answered 35 out of 43 weighted questions during the all-day event. Coaches were Jim Dubsky and Cyndi Simson. The event was sponsored by the Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs. View a photo. 5.19.05 Students Succeed in Stock Market CompetitionsJoey Schmidt, a sixth-grader at Westwood Elementary, placed first in the Investment Research part of the Stock Market Game. Joey Sa and Brad Norman, students at ALC Wilson, won second place in the Take Stock in Minnesota Game, a Minnesota-specific version of the game. The trio was honored May 11 at the Best Prep 29th Annual Recognition and Awards Luncheon in Brooklyn Park. Best Prep is a Minnesota-based business education non-profit that serves 75,000 students and teachers in grades four through 12. Best Prep teams with the New York-based Foundation for Investor Education to enable students to invest a hypothetical $100,000 in a real-time portfolio. 5.12.05 Prairie Burn Succeeds in Super WeatherMore than 40 volunteers and near-perfect weather helped Guy Schafer burn the Oak Hill Elementary prairie May 10. "That's the biggest chunk we've ever burned," said Schafer, a second-grade teacher and steward of the 11-year-old prairie planting. "We've never had this much help before." Northern tallgrass prairie and northern hardwood forest are preserved on the eastern border of the school's campus. A third of the prairie is burned each spring to discourage non-native species such as Brome grass, Witch grass and Quack grass. View the photos: photo 1 | photo 2 | photo 3 | photo 4 | photo 5. Read the full story. 5.11.05 Apollo Orchestra Concert May 18A Classics to Jazz concert featuring Apollo High School's Sinfonia, Chamber and Symphony orchestras is set for 8 p.m. May 18 in the school auditorium. The concert marks one of the final appearances of a heralded group. Orchestra members earned superior ratings at the Region 8AA contest, performed in the all-conference orchestra and toured Chicago. Andrea Jakubowski, cello, and Laura Dahl, violin, were named to the Minnesota All-State Orchestra. Dianne Brady directs Apollo's orchestra program. Read more about our string musicians. View a photo. 5.12.05 Sam's Club Names Teacher of the YearJanet McPhee, a teacher at Kennedy Elementary, St. Joseph, is a regional winner of the SAM'S CLUB Teacher of the Year award. The award recognizes outstanding teachers in areas of the United States where the Walmart subsidiary has stores. Over 3,000 awards are given each year. The school received $1,000. McPhee received a vest, certificate and flowers. 5.10.05 Forum Brings Teens and Seniors TogetherAdam Savolainen's Global Affairs class at Apollo High School and local senior citizens discussed "The New Challenges of American Immigration: What Should We Do?" in a May 5 forum at Whitney Senior Center, St. Cloud. The forum was sponsored by National Issues Forums (NIF) and made possible by a grant from the Kettering Foundation. Ideas from the forum will be included in a national report. NIF is a non-partisan network of locally sponsored forums on public policy issues. View a photo of the students. 5.6.05 Discovery Marks Cinco de MayoDiscovery Elementary students and staff celebrated Cinco de Mayo in the gymnasium May 5 with games, crafts, food and more. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla, the crushing defeat of French invasion forces near Mexico City on May 5, 1862. The day is a cultural touchstone for many Mexican-Americans communities in the United States. The event was sponsored by the Waite Park school's English as a Second Language staff. View our link list. View the photos: photo 1 | photo 2 | photo 3 5.5.05 District 742 Rates Well in Bill Before LegislatureDistrict 742 meets the 65 percent classroom funding test in legislation currently before the Legislature. Rep. Karen Klinzing, R-Woodbury, and Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, are sponsors of legislation which would require school district superintendents to annually certify the percent of operating expenditures intended for classrooms. Gov. Tim Pawlenty is supporting the bill, which he says could shift $214 million from school district administration to classrooms. District 742 ranked 48th out 343 school districts with 63.5 percent of its 2004-05 spending going to the classroom, according to Minnesota Department of Education figures. 5.4.05 Junior High Schools Beat Odds with Better Test ScoresScholastic success at District 742 junior high schools may be Central Minnesota’s best kept secret. The 650 student North Junior High School, for example, has produced rising test scores in the face of massive student population changes, declining enrollment and budget cuts. During the last decade the number of North students living in poverty has doubled, the number of students of color has tripled and the number of special education students has increased dramatically, according to Pat Welter, principal. Yet, Basic Skills Test (BST) scores have risen thanks to the work . . . read the full story. 5.2.05 Board Adopts $5.5 Million Budget Adjustment PlanThe Board of Education unanimously approved budget reductions and revenue increases totaling $5.5 million at its April 28 meeting. The administration-recommended Budget Adjustment Plan for 2005-06 passed with two changes. Some funding was restored to band and choir at Tech and Apollo high schools. Some orchestra funding at Tech and South Junior High was restored. View a summary of music staffing adjustments. A recommendation to close swimming pools at South and North junior high schools was tabled pending funding discussions with the City of St. Cloud. "We continue to have ongoing dialogue with the city," said Superintendent Bruce Watkins. "We won't give up on it. We'll continue to pursue it." 4.29.05 Students Enjoy State and National SuccessIt's been a whirlwind winter and spring for students and staff participating in academic and athletic activities. Visit our News Archive for details about success in competitions such as Titan Business Challenge, Future Problem Solving, United State Academic Triathlon, State Speech Tournament and Knowledge Bowl. View Activity Director Bruce Hentges' winter activities slide show. 4.29.05 Hands-On Science Class Has Hair and BloodJenny Borgstrom peered into her microscope at a human hair on the glass slide. “Oh! I see it,” she said. “Whoa. That is so cool.” Borgstrom and her classmates were comparing hair samples during an April 21 lab in Brian Baloun’s Forensic Science class at Area Learning Center Wilson. The quarter-long class features guest lectures, labs, activities and research assignments. Read the full story. View the photos: photo 1 | photo 2 | photo 3 4.22.05 Tech JA Teams Place in Titan Business ChallenegeTech High School teams placed fourth and seventh in the regional Junior Achievement Titan Business Challenge April 20 at Best Buy headquarters, Richfield. Chilly Whilly (Nate Host, Tony Baltes, Chris Koenig, Kennon Kleinke) was fourth. Illusion Tech (Tobi Peter, Justin Meyer) was seventh .Titan Business Challenge is an interactive web business simulation that introduces students to the economic and management decisions necessary to run a manufacturing company. Junior Achievement educates young people about business, economics and free enterprise. 4.21.05 Apollo and Tech Place at State Knowledge Bowl MeetApollo and Tech high schools took ninth and 23rd places, respectively, in the state Knowledge Bowl meet April 19 and 20 at Cragun's Resort and Hotel on Gull Lake. Tech's team members were Jonathon Cheng, Brenden Ormsby, Amanda Schmidt, Esther Skeldon and Dane Wallinga. Apollo's team members were John Curtis, Corey Daubanton, Brandon Gruba, Steven Nei and Ben Peterka. Amy Saupe, Tech, represented our region as computer operator. There are about 400 high school Knowledge Bowl teams statewide. In Knowledge Bowl competitions teams of students compete in written and oral rounds by answering questions that test recall, problem solving and critical thinking skills. View photos of the Tech team: photo 1 | photo 2 4.21.05 Eisenreich, Rogers Among Community Award WinnersThree community leaders and Bremer Bank were recognized at the 2005 Community Light Awards April 20 at the American Heritage National Bank, St. Cloud. The Safe Schools Healthy Students (SS/HS) partnership acknowledges unsung heroes as part of its mission to promote safety, wellness and learning through family and community partnerships. Mark Sakry, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota, and Bob Hanks, SS/HS, presented the awards: 4.21.05
Three Teams Succeed at USAT State MeetTeams from Westwood Elementary, South Junior High and Oak Hill Elementary placed first, second and fourth in their respective meets at the United State Academic Triathlon (USAT) state meet April 16 in Minnetonka. Westwood took first and Oak Hill took fourth in a nine-team meet of fifth- and sixth-graders. South took second place in two six-team meets involving seventh- and eighth-graders. USAT participants recall facts, solve problems and test the effectiveness of solutions via performance. View our USAT season round-up document. 4.17.05 Apollo Lands Double First in Speech TournamentApollo High School's Matthew Simpson and Jonathon Podvin won gold medals at the State Speech Tournament April 15 in Bloomington. They were among five District 742 students who earned top-10 finishes in Class AA of the Minnesota State High School League event. Simpson successfully defended his 2004 original oratory title with a selection entitled Time Machine Mentality. Podvin was first in the discussion category. Fola Gazal, Tech High School, finished second in original oratory. Apollo's David Christle took fifth in discussion. Tech's Emily Dokken was sixth in great speeches. View the results. Read more about student success in regional, state and national activities in our News Archive. 4.16.05 Basic Skills Test Scores Surpass State AveragesDistrict 742's passing percentages on the reading, math and written composition portions of the Basic Skills Test (BST) exceed state averages, according to Dr. Bernice Berns, associate superintendent. Berns told the Board of Education April 28 that the test results were achieved despite the fact our percentage of children eligible for free or reduced school meals and our percentage of children with limited English proficiency are higher than state averages. The BST is a series of reading, writing and math tests students must pass to receive a diploma. The tests were given in January and February. View a results summary below. View the full test results, which include comparisons with area school districts. 4.15.05
Speak Up! Contest WinnersThe top public speakers from our fifth- and sixth-grade classrooms competed in the 22nd Speak Up! contest April 12 and April 14 at North Junior High School. The event sponsor, St. Cloud Optimist Club, awarded gold, silver and bronze medals. View the list of winners. View photos of some of the participants: photo 1 | photo 2 | photo 3 4.15.05 Board Terminates Teacher ContractsThe Board of Education terminated 67 teacher contracts at its April 13 meeting at Oak Hill Elementary. Another teacher was placed on unrequested leave. The actions mark the first step in a Budget Adjustment Plan for 2005-06. The employees' contracts end June 30, 2005. View the details. The board eliminated 43.86 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions at its March 31 meeting. Declining enrollment is a chief reason for the reductions. Administration is projecting 59 fewer elementary students and 127 fewer secondary students for 2005-06. View the FTEs resolution. 4.14.05 Tech Students Compete in Business CompetitionSix Tech students will represent District 742 in the regional Junior Achievement Titan Business Challenge April 20 at Best Buy headquarters, Richfield. Competing are Nate Host, Kennon Kleinke, Chris Koenig and Tony Baltes for the Chilly Willy team and Justin Meyer and Tobi Peter for the Illusion Tech team. Titan Business Challenge is an interactive web business simulation that introduces students to the economic and management decisions necessary to run a manufacturing company. Junior Achievement educates young people about business, economics and free enterprise. View the press release. 4.14.05 742 Participates in Business After HoursDistrict 742 had a booth at the April 12 Business After Hours at the Kelly Inn, St. Cloud. Business After Hours is a monthly networking and promotion opportunity of St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. Our booth was staffed from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. District staff handed out brochures, showed videos about District 742 and shared sample test questions from the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment. View sample test questions and answers. 4.12.05 Track Athlete is CLC Performer of the WeekBecky Wipper was named Central Lakes Performer of the Week for for the week of April 4-8. Wipper, a pole vaulter, won her event at two indoor events. 4.11.05 North, Westwood, Apollo Score at FPS State MeetApollo High School, North Junior High School
and Westwood Elementary placed at the Future
Problem Solving (FPS) state competition April 9 in Plymouth.
Apollo High School won the Community
Problem Solving competition, senior division. North took fourth
in the middle division's team
competition, finishing behind teams from Roseville and Lino
Lakes. Westwood captured fifth in the junior division's team
competition, finishing behind teams from Edina, Wayzata and
Roseville. View a District 742 Academic
Achievement news release for oral- and written-round breakdowns
and names of participating students. FPS stimulates critical- and
creative-thinking skills and encourages students to develop a vision Tech Girls Win Conference Track MeetThe girls' track and field team at Tech High School won the Central Lakes Conference (CLC) indoor meet April 9 at St. Cloud State University. The Tigers defeated eight teams, including Sartell-St. Stephen, Sauk Rapids-Rice, Rocori and Apollo. Apollo finished ninth. Among Tech's event winners were Becky Wipper, pole vault, and the 4 x 400 relay. View the girls' results. Tech's boys' team finished fifth. Apollo's boys finished ninth. View the boys' results. Visit Tech High School's Track & Field/Cross Country web site. 4.9.05 Governor to District 742: Keep the FaithGov. Tim Pawlenty brought a tough-love message to District 742 April 8 during a visit to Discovery Elementary School, Waite Park. Dressed in cowboy boots, faded Carhart jeans and a casual shirt, the governor told a gathering of local officials, "Keep the faith. It will get better." He said the two-year, five-percent increase in per-pupil aid to public schools, currently before The Legislature, could help ease budget problems caused by declining enrollment. But he also urged district officials . . . Read the full story. 4.9.05 Pawlenty Charms Discovery CrowdSpeaking without a microphone, Gov. Tim Pawlenty visited with Discovery Elementary students gathered in the gymnasium April 8. Pawlenty was everywhere, tying shoes, directing Thea Stockinger's North Side Sixth Grade Orchestra, dropping pop culture references to SpongeBob SquarePants, visiting with Superintendent Bruce Watkins, signing autographs, and chiding the boy in the front row for wearing a Green Bay Packers shirt. The parent of two elementary-aged daughters, Pawlenty urged students to do their home work when they get home. "It's really, really important that you try your hardest in school," he said. View the photos: photo 1 | photo 2 | photo 3 | photo 4 4.9.05 Media Services Staffers Win AwardJason Vander Eyk and Sue Doering won the Minnesota School Public Relations Association's (MinnSPRA) Silver Star Award for a video about our first- and second-grade curriculum. The video will be recognized at the April 29 MinnSPRA Spring Conference. District 742 has won several MinnSPRA awards, including a 2004 Silver Star Award for isd742.org. Vander Eyk and Doering work in the Media Services building north of Tech High School, St. Cloud. 4.8.05 Tech Students Continue Blanket ProjectTech High School students are making no-sew fleece blankets for area shelters with help from Clay Aiken's Bubel/Aiken Foundation and Youth Service America. The south side St. Cloud school received $1,000 this school year -- a continuation of last spring's ABLE to SERVE grant. Students supervised by Jennifer Lecy, special education teacher, and members of the Youth Service Club have teamed up through the school year to make the blankets. Blankets are distributed to Salvation Army, Anna Marie's and Place of Hope. Diane Gurda is District 742's youth service coordinator. View the blanket-making: photo 1 photo 2 photo 3 4.8.05 Four Schools Send Students to State USAT MeetTeams from Oak Hill, Talahi and Westwood elementary schools and South Junior High School will compete in the April 16 United States Academic Triathlon state meet at Minnetonka High School. read the full story. 4.5.05 Fourteen Teams in State Future Problem Solving MeetDistrict 742 will send fourteen teams, including
three from North Junior High, to the Future Problem Solving state
meet April 9 at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School, Plymouth. Peer Teaching Physics at WestwoodForty-four Apollo High School physics students are teaching Westwood Elementary second-graders about balance and motion. Activities March 23 included spinning eggs, juggling balls, balancing potatoes on forks and using weights and fulcrums to find a balancing point. The juniors and seniors, who are in Chris Ann Johnson’s physics classes, returned to Westwood April 5 to help build balance mobiles. This service learning project is made possible through a grant from U.S. Bank. Lynn Hanson coordinates service learning for District 742. View a photo. 4.5.05 LEAF Nets $25,000 at Annual FundraiserThe April 2 Night of the Stars benefit for District 742 activities packed the lower level and partially filled the balcony at the Paramount Theatre. Night of the Stars, is sponsored annually by Local Education Activities Foundation (LEAF), a non-profit organization that has given District 742 activities more than $100,000 since 1996-97. This year's event collected nearly $25,000 for activities and the LEAF endowment. A video of the variety show airs on Channel 6 daily at 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., through April 22, except when pre-empted by Board of Education broadcasts. View photos: photo 1 | photo 2 | photo 3 | photo 4 4.2.05 Tech Speech Students Bound for PhillyFive Tech High School speech students will attend the National Forensic League (NFL) national tournament June 13-18 in Philadelphia. The students are Fola Gazal, Lisa Dooley, Casey Schmoll, Cory Dahl and Elizabeth Bendix. Dooley and Schmoll qualified in duo interpretation. Dahl qualified in U.S. extemporaneous speaking. Bendix qualified in dramatic interpretation for a fourth time. Gazal is a two-time qualifier in original oratory. View an explanation of NFL events. Head coach of Tech's NFL group is Blake Bakken. The quintet qualified at a March 10-12 district meet at Itasca Community College, Grand Rapids. Apollo High School participates in its district meet April 22-23 at Normandale Community College, Bloomington. 3.22.05 Triple A Winners: Apollo's Kern and LaFountaineAmanda Kern and Dan LaFountaine are among four Minnesota seniors to receive the Triple A Award from the Minnesota State High School League. The Apollo High School students were honored at a March 19 banquet in the Radisson Plaza Hotel, Minneapolis. Triple A recognizes seniors for achievements in academics, arts and athletics. Each winner receives a four-year $1,000 scholarship. View a photo of LaFountaine and Kern. View a press release. 3.21.05 Lincoln, Talahi Place in Regional Math Masters MeetTeams of sixth-graders from Lincoln and Talahi elementary schools placed first and third, respectively, in the March 18 Math Masters regional competition in Sauk Rapids. Lincoln’s Ankan Ganguly took first place in the individual problem-solving competition. Seven of the 28 participating teams were from District 742. The competition consisted of a timed, individual, fact-drill round, four timed, individual, problem-solving rounds and three timed, team, problem-solving rounds. Read the full story, including team details and individual results. View a photo of the Lincoln Math Masters team. 3.19.05 Slapshots Take Third in State TournamentThe St. Cloud Area Slapshots defeated Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound-Westonka 8-6 March 19 at Stillwater Area High School to earn third place in the Minnesota CI Adapted Floor Hockey Tournament. The Slapshots lost 4-3 earlier Saturday to the eventual champions, Winona. Chris Kacures and Justin Doyle of the Slapshots were named to the all-tournament team. 3.19.05 Apollo and Tech Advance to State K-Bowl MeetDistrict 742's high schools took the top two spots in the March 17 Knowledge Bowl regional meet. Both teams advance to the state meet April 19 and 20 at Cragun's Resort and Hotel on Gull Lake. Apollo High School took first place and Tech High School took second place in the AA competition at Celebration Lutheran Church, Sartell. Apollo team members are John Curtis, Corey Daubanton, Brandon Gruba, Steven Nei and Ben Peterka. The Apollo coach is Cliff Grosberg. Tech team members are Jonathan Cheng, Brenden Ormsby, Amanda Schmidt, Esther Skeldon and Dane Wallinga. The Tech coach is Jennifer Doom. 3.17.05 Tech Student to Compete in National Math CompetitionTech High School junior Jean Huang will represent District 742 at the 30th American Regions Math League Competition June 3 and 4. The competition is held annually at Pennsylvania State University, the University of Iowa and San Jose State University in California. Huang was one of four District 742 students who finished among the top 64 at the March 14 Minnesota State High School Mathematics League tournament at Eagan High School. Math questions covered topics ranging from algebra to pre-calculus. Also placing were Corey Daubanton, Apollo; Jon Cheng, Tech; and Alex Grossman, Tech. Tech is coached by Bob Boatz. Apollo is coached by Jean Michael and David Funk. View the tournament results. 3.14.05 Students Compete in Junior Achievement Business ChallengeLocal Junior Achievement (JA) students from Tech, Apollo, and Area Learning Center are learning valuable skills about free enterprise, business and economics through their participation in an exciting online program called JA Titan. They will test their skills against other high school students in the JA Titan Business Challenge on April 6 at Resource Training & Solutions. Visit the Titan Business Challenge demo site. View the press release. 3.14.05 Pig Kissing Promise Produces Cash for Blood Cancer FightNorth Junior High students raised more than twice what they expected for the Pennies for Patients campaign, fueled by a promise that staff members would kiss a pig. Roger Lahr, social studies teacher, was one staff member who delivered on that promise, puckering up with a pig during a Feb. 24 school assembly. North's fundraising goal was $600. Students will send $1,285 to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a White Plains, NY, organization that is seeking cures for blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma. 2.25.05 Apollo Fifth in State Dance TournamentApollo High School's high-kick/precision dance team placed fifth in the Minnesota Class AA Dance Team Tournament Feb. 18-19 at Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul. St. Cloud Cathedral won the Class AA title. Tech High School's high-kick/precision team danced in the Class AAA tournament, but did not place in the top six. Faribault won the Class AAA title. Sue Arnold is Apollo's coach. Tech is coached by Jodee Esser. View the high kick/precision results. 2.20.05 Tech Boys' Hockey Ends Post-Season RunTech High School lost to Roseau 5-4 in overtime Feb. 19 in an 8AA boys' hockey tournament semi-final game. The game was played at Roseau Memorial Arena, a scant 10 miles from the Canadian border. Senior goaltender Paul Popilek played part of the game for the injured Charlie Doth. Tech finishes the season with a record of 18 wins, seven losses and one tie. The team is coached by Chad Hommerding. Learn more about girls' and boys' hockey at techhockey.org. View a photo of the 2004-05 boys' team. 2.20.05 North Students Advance to State Future Problem Solving Meet North Junior High School's Future Problem Solving (FPS) teams took first, second, and third places at the Feb. 17 regional meet in St. Cloud State University's Atwood Ballroom. The teams will compete in the April 9 state tournament at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School in Plymouth. The students are: Missy Meyer, Caleb Stellmach, Ashley Watkins, Brent Schoepf, Andrew Humbert, Julia Kuebelbeck, Shelby Pederson, Kylie Carlson, Samantha Botz, Tim Krippner, Cole Lundell and Spencer Frie. FPS stimulates critical and creative thinking skills and encourages students to develop a vision for the future. 2.18.05 North Runs Awesome Radio SpotsNorth Junior High School is running advertisements on local radio stations the week of Feb. 21 through Feb. 28. The ads, which focus on the school's "Awesome Opportunities, Proven Results" theme, use student and staff voices. Stations include WJON, KISS 96 and Mix 94.9. Listen to a 60-second spot (MP3), featuring students Lynne Chung and Samantha Barth. 2.17.05 Talahi Collects Food in the 100sTalahi Elementary has collected hundreds of food items for the needy as part of its 100 Days food-collecting drive. Each grade at the southeast St. Cloud school collected 100 or more items of a particular food type. The donated items are being counted and prepared for delivery to Catholic Charities. View a photo of fifth-graders Hannah Hoppe, Alyssa Brumbaugh and Kacey Winkelman with stacks of collected food. The activity also helped celebrate the 100th day of school, a benchmark counting activity for younger students. The food drive ended Feb. 14, the 100th day of the school year. 2.15.05 The World Eyes Oak Hill's Weather DataComputers world-wide gained access to live weather data from Oak Hill Elementary Feb. 10. The south St. Cloud school's automated WeatherNet station began serving 27 weather readings to KSTP-TV's kstp.com web site. The readings are also streamed to users of the popular WeatherBug software on Windows-based computers. A 10-foot, roof-top, weather mast collects the data. Oak Hill joins Apollo High School and more than 7,000 other WeatherNet stations developed by Maryland-based AWS Convergence Technologies, Inc. Read more in the upcoming issue of 742 & You, in mailboxes beginning March 10. 2.10.05 Four Winners Advance to Feb. 23 Spelling BeeKatie Paulson and Jayson Curtiss of South Junior High School advance to the Feb. 23 Regional Spelling Bee at St. John's University, Collegeville. Joining them will be elementary students Nicholas Grossman, Talahi, and Andrew Kendall, Oak Hill. The foursome earned their berths in the big bee with superlative spelling in the Feb. 1 District 742 Spelling Bee at South. At the regional level students in grades five through eight compete against each other. View a photo. Read more. 2.2.05 Silent Auction Raises $400 for Tsunami ReliefThanks to bidders at the Jan. 28 Tech High vs. Apollo High boys' basketball game, a silent auction sponsored by Apollo's Youth Service raised more than $400 for victims of the Indian Ocean tsunamis. The Dec. 26 tsunamis killed more than 200,000 people across 12 nations. Among the hardest hit countries were Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Youth Service is an extracurricular activity sponsored by District 742 Community Education. Students learn about local needs by volunteering in the community. 1.28.05 Knowledge Bowl Season EndsTeams from Clearview, Lincoln and Oak Hill captured the top three spots in the season-ending Knowledge Bowl meet Jan. 6 at Lincoln Elementary, St. Cloud. Elementary Knowledge Bowl is an interdisciplinary academic activity for fifth- and sixth-graders, sponsored by District 742 Academic Achievement. Questions test recall, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Teams compete in written and oral rounds. There were 14 teams from four elementary schools in attendance. The winning teams were: 1st place: Clearview
1 - Brandon Ehni, Casey Hayden, Travis Haus, Kyle Thorson, Josef
Wieber Three Schools Awarded Art GrantsGrooters Leapaldt Tideman Architects awarded Lincoln Elementary and Apollo and Tech high schools mini-grants through its Architects for the Arts program. Architects for the Arts supports fine arts education for young people and encourages business support of the arts. Each school received between $250 and $500 at a Jan. 6 awards ceremony. View the press release. 1.7.05 742 Staffer Reappointed to Human Rights CommissionLynn Hanson, a District 742 service learning coordinator, was reappointed Jan. 3 to the City of St. Cloud Human Rights Commission. Hanson chairs the commission. Her term expires in 2007. She is joined on the 10-member commission by District 742 administrator Dan Anderson. 1.4.05 Board Reorganizes, Elects LeadersJerry Von Korff is the Board of Education's new chair. Von Korff was elected by fellow board members at the board's annual reorganization meeting Jan. 3 at the District Administration Office, St. Cloud. Sigrid Hedman-Dennis is vice-chair. Carol Lewis is clerk. Jerry Plachecki is treasurer. Learn more about our board members. 1.4.05 Celebration Salutes Outgoing SuperintendentBoard Room A at the District Administration Office was jammed with well wishers Dec. 17 as staff and community members celebrated with Dr. Jim Lee, who retires as superintendent Dec. 31. Among the former staff members who attended were past superintendents Ron Jandura and Kermit Eastman. Bruce Watkins, superintendent, was also in attendance. View a photo of the four superintendents. Party sponsors were SJA Architects, Mahowald Insurance Agency, Jennings Insurance Agency, Kern DeWenter Viere Ltd. and Rajkowski Hansmeier Ltd. 12.18.04 Host Wins Kennedy Knowledge Bowl MeetKennedy Team 1 took first place in the Dec. 14 elementary Knowledge Bowl meet at Kennedy Elementary School, St. Joseph. The wizards of Westwood Elementary took second and third places, continuing a streak of dominant performances. The 12-team meet also included teams from Discovery and Madison schools. Elementary Knowledge Bowl meets are interdisciplinary academic contests for fifth- and sixth-graders. Questions test recall, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Teams compete in written and oral rounds. The winning teams were: First Place - Kennedy 1: Hannah
Friedrich, Josh Wood, Jake Braegelmann, Emilians Cofell 742 Serves 427 Future TeachersDistrict 742, in cooperation with area universities, placed 427 college students in classrooms and educational programs during fall trimester. Mark Mortrude and Kristi Wilger are the teachers on special assignment who coordinate District 742's student placement program. From field experiences, to Explore Books experiences, to student teaching, students pursuing education degrees learned about public education while providing volunteer service to District 742. 12.9.04 Clearview Teams Excel at K-Bowl MeetClearview Elementary students captured first and third places at the Dec. 9 elementary Knowledge Bowl meet. A Talahi team won second place. The 14-team meet, which was hosted by Clearview, also included teams from Lincoln, Talahi and Oak Hill schools. View photographs from the meet: 12.9.04 Godspell at Apollo Through Dec. 5Students at Apollo High School will present Godspell Dec. 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the school's auditorium. The two-act musical focuses on a roving band of lost souls who come together in a junkyard to form a community. In the first act they re-enact parables from the Book of Matthew. In the second act they re-live the last seven days of Jesus Christ's life. "This is a family oriented, family friendly musical," said Deb Bendix, director. "It's a high-energy show." Tickets, which are available at the door, are $5 for adults and $3 for students. To reserve seats call 253-1600 x-2628. Read the full story. 12.01.04 Westwood Continues Winning WaysWestwood Elementary dominated the second elementary Knowledge Bowl meet in as many weeks, taking first and second in a 12-team event at the west St. Cloud school Nov. 30. Westwood students captured second and third places at the Nov. 23 meet at Madison Elementary. Elementary-level Knowledge Bowl meets are interdisciplinary academic contests for fifth- and sixth-graders. Questions test recall, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Teams compete in written and oral rounds. Read the full story. 11.30.04 Westwood Takes Two in K-Bowl MeetWestwood Elementary took two of three top spots in a 12-team elementary Knowledge Bowl meet Nov. 23 at Madison Elementary. A Discovery Elementary team took first. Westwood teams placed second and third. View the full story. 11.23.04 Tech Vocal Ensembles Record AnthemThe vocal ensembles at Technical High School have a long and honored tradition of singing the Star Spangled Banner at local events, particularly those involving Tech sports teams. That tradition entered the Digital Age Nov. 18 when the national anthem's stirring words and soaring notes were recorded in our Media Services studio. Listen to the MP3 recordings: 11.18.04 Schools Split Knowledge Bowl Meet Talahi, Oak Hill and Clearview elementary schools each placed a team in the top three at the Nov. 18 Knowledge Bowl meet for fifth- and sixth-graders. The 12-team, four-school meet was hosted by Oak Hill. View the full story. The winning teams were: 1st place: Talahi 2 - Breanna
Hanks, William Meyers, Kareem Rios-Dominguez, Sadie Olson, Josh
Hasbargen, Tanner Baker Discovery Celebrates Mickey's BirthdayStudents at Discovery Elementary marked Mickey Mouse's 75th birthday Nov. 18 by wearing Mickey Mouse apparel. Fourth-grader Kally Clubb drew rave reviews for her natty tux-and-ears ensemble. Prizes for the best outfit were awarded at lunch. Birthday cake was served to students and staff. Mickey Mouse debuted Nov. 18, 1928 in Walt Disney's seminal animated film Steamboat Willie. 11.18.04 Westwood Pride Rocks GymnasiumA gym jammed with children, staff, school officials and community members paid tribute to Westwood Elementary School Tuesday during an hour-long Westwood Pride assembly. John Reichl, sixth-grader, summed up the event: “It means students are proud of their school and they like to learn.” Read the full story. 11.16.04 American Education WeekJoin us in celebrating American Education Week (AEW) Nov. 14 through Nov. 20. Our schools mark this annual celebration with events and activities. Westwood Elementary, for example, hosted a Westwood Pride assembly Tuesday with cheers, testimonials, awards and a slide show featuring children and staff. Contact your school for details about AEW activities. View the National Education Association's AEW web page.. 11.14.04 Talahi Dominates Knowledge Bowl MeetHost school Talahi Elementary took two of the three top spots at the Nov. 11 elementary Knowledge Bowl meet. Third place in the 12-team meet went to a Clearview Elementary team. View the full story. 11.11.04 Westwood Starts Strong in Knowledge Bowl CompetitionWestwood Elementary School placed two teams among the top three at the first elementary Knowledge Bowl meet of the 2004-05 school year. The 12-team meet, which was Nov. 4 at Discovery Elementary School, included teams from Discovery, Madison, Kennedy and Westwood elementary schools. Read the full story. 11.04.04 Apollo Yearbook Earns Silver MedalThe Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) has awarded a silver medal to Apollo High School's Odyssey for outstanding yearbook journalism. Among other categories, the 2003-04 Odyssey received high marks for its photographic coverage of school groups. The Odyssey advisor is Mary Barron-Traut, a language arts teacher. CSPA is owned by Columbia University, New York City, and is operated by Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism. It annually awards gold, silver and bronze medals for newspaper, magazine, yearbook and video journalism at the middle school and high school levels. 11.3.04 Oak Hill Receives Energy Savings AwardStudents and staff at Oak Hill Elementary School teamed with the Schools for Energy Efficiency™ (SEE) program to earn recognition as an ENERGY STAR school. The south side St. Cloud school received its award at the Oct. 28 Board of Education meeting. Read the full story. 10.29.04 Community Sponsors Fifth-Grade ConcertsThe opening trill of Richard Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries grabbed their attention. The skeleton puppets dancing on stilts during Camille Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre had them talking excitedly in the lobby afterward. In between Oak Hill Elementary’s fifth-graders were treated Oct. 28 to a spooky Young People’s Concert at Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis. Read the full story. 10.28.04 Staff Members Receive AwardTwenty District 742 staff members were recognized for educational excellence at the Leadership in Educational Excellence Awards. Read the full story. 10.27.04 FluMist Study BeginsA study of FluMist™, an FDA-approved nasal flu vaccine, is expected to begin late October in District 742. The study will try to determine if the FluMist™ vaccine can reduce rates of illness, usage of medication and visits to medical providers. It also will measure the vaccine’s impact on school and work attendance. Read the full story. 10.25.04 Behavioral Health Partnership ExpandsFor the first time District 742 staff members will work on an outpatient basis with depressed or suicidal children 11-years-old and younger. Veteran special education teachers Harvey Maki, Ethelyn Gadway and Peg Beck begin teaching Oct. 25 in Clara’s House, a new CentraCare behavioral health center for children and adolescents at 1564 County Road 134, St. Cloud. Read the full story. 10.18.04 District Seeks Input on Budget ReductionsDistrict 742 will be making $600,000 in budget reductions for the 2004/2005 school year. If you have realistic ideas about how the budget could be reduced, click here and submit those ideas via e-mail to any District 742 administrator. View our budget. 10.6.04 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Speaks at Apollo High SchoolCraig Kielburger, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, will share his vision of youth as active participants in improving the quality of life. He will speak from 7 p.m to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 26 in the Apollo High School Auditorium. He will also share his life story, which led to the formation of an international group called Free the Children. The event is free and open to the public. 10.6.04 Mobile Wellness Center Receives Award NominationSafe Schools/Healthy Students’ Mobile Wellness Center, which provides mental health assessments for children, has been nominated for the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) program of the year. In addition, Elisabeth Lodge Rogers, Ph.D., has been recommended for the SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services Directors Award. SAMHSA is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Read the press release for details. 10.6.04 Apollo High Students Net $58,000 for Activities and SportsApollo High School students raised some $58,000 for 2004-05 sports and activities by selling $20 raffle calendars. The school's 26 sports and 25 activities scrapped their individual fundraisers in favor of a joint, school-wide fundraiser Sept. 20-27. The Giving Calendar sale grossed about $70,000. After subtracting about $12,000 in production costs and raffle prizes, each activity and sport will receive a portion of the $58,000 profit. View the list of prize winners. Read the full story. 9.30.04 Parent-Student Diversity Seminar Oct. 7Students in grades five through nine, and their parents, are invited to Diversity in Our Community a seminar 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 7 in the Brickyard Room, Atwood Center, St. Cloud State University. Registration is limited to the first 50 parent/student pairs. Call 529-6500 ext-6204 to reserve spots. Dinner is provided. Sponsored by Minnesota Higher Education Services Office, Central Minnesota Community Foundation and District 742 Non-Public Guidance. 9.29.04 Thank You Clearview Playground ContributorsThe $38,000 playground at Clearview Elementary is the result of teamwork between the school and the Clear Lake and Clearwater communities. Except for a $6,000 contribution from District 742, the following individuals, service organizations and businesses made the new playground happen. View a photo of volunteers installing the playground. 9.27.04 Two Phy Ed Teachers Honored for ExcellenceDeb Johansen and Rick Rentz were honored this fall for teaching excellence. Johansen, who teaches at Roosevelt Early Childhood Center, is set to receive the Teacher of the Year award Oct. 15 from the Minnesota Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Rentz, who teaches at St. Cloud Children's Home, received the Allen Burton DAPE Leadership Award. DAPE is Developmental Adapted Physical Education. The state organization, MN DAPE, honored Rentz Sept. 23. 9.27.04 Girls Conference on Non-Traditional Careers St. Cloud area girls in grades six through eight are invited to Reach for the Stars, a conference on non-traditional careers. Women have long been underrepresented in careers such as architect, firefighter, construction worker, psychiatrist, conservation officer and politician. Reach for the Stars will encourage girls, through education and inspiration, to see past traditional employment barriers. The conference is 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 5 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4310 County Road 137, St. Cloud. 9.27.04 Students to Tackle Peace and Justice IssuesSome 250 junior high and high school students are expected to delve into peace and justice issues at the Oct. 26 Social Justice Conference with Youth. Sponsored by District 742 and the Center for Service-Learning and Social Change, the fifth annual event is 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church, St. Cloud. Read the full story. 9.23.04 Teachers Accept 2003-05 Contract OfferThe St. Cloud Education Association voted Sept. 23 to accept a 2003-05 contract offer from the Board of Education. Read the full story. 9.22.04 K-12 Enrollment ChangeAs of Sept. 17, District 742’s K-12 enrollment was 9,688. That represents a drop of 152 students compared to the same period in 2003 and a difference of nearly 1,500 fewer students from 1998’s 11,186 student total. The bright spot is the rise in elementary school enrollment, which increased 11 students over the same period in 2003. View more enrollment figures. 9.20.04 Gruska Makes Apollo Tennis HistoryCongratulations to Apollo senior Alex Gruska. Gruska defeated Alexandria's Laurie Verant in straight sets 6-0, 6-0. The win gives Gruska more career victories than any Apollo tennis player, girl or boy. 9.17.04 Enrollment Campaign Begins with Sidewalk SignsOur campaign to boost student enrollment has begun. 742 for you! is both the slogan and the logo for the campaign. Apollo and Tech High School students painted the colorful logo on sidewalks at several schools. 9.14.04 Tech High Athletic Hall of Fame Honors Sixteen Sixteen women and men will join Tech High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame Sept. 24. Among the honored are Jack Toftey, long-time coach and athletic director; Mary Pat Cumming, swimmer, gymnast and current associate principal at Stillwater High School; Ed Johnson, athlete and administrator; and Lori Fish, multi-sport athlete and current women’s basketball coach at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Read the full story. 9.8.04 Oak Hill Nominated for School Excellence Award Oak Hill Elementary is one of seven primary schools nominated for the 2004-05 Schools of Excellence Award from the Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association (MESPA). The award is presented annually to schools whose principal, staff, students and community successfully complete a systematic program of school improvement. Read the full story. 9.8.04 Challenging Reading Program Recognizes 24 Students At the August 26 Board of Education meeting, 24 students were recognized for their participation in the Challenging Reading Program. Students who read and completed 8 or more book reports were invited by the Board of Education to a special recognition event and reception. Click here for information about the Challenging Reading Program. 8.30.04 497 Subgroups in District 742 Make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) In District 742, test scores for all groups have continued to rise since 1998. However, there is still significant work to do in closing the achievement gap. Out of a possible 519 subgroups identified by the federally mandated No Child Left Behind Act, 22 subgroups have been identified as needing additional effort to improve test scores for next year. Visit the Minnesota Department of Education to view school report cards. Click here for more information about District 742 test scores. 8.26.04 Local Students' Good Deeds To Be Recognized KARE 11 television will honor will local students with an "Eleven Who Care" award 9 p.m. Sept. 10. Oak Hill students John Sloan, Colin Esmay and Eli Kelley started Kids Against Cancer in 2001. What began as a way for three boys to earn money, turned into a large group of students who have raised over $6,000 for area cancer victims and their families. Read the full story. View the photos: Jefferson School Sold At a special meeting on August 19, the District 742 School Board agreed to sell Jefferson School to the St. Cloud Christian School for $815,100. A purchase agreement will be the next step in finalizing the sale. Board Members may continue their discussion of the sale of Washington during their September 8 regular board meeting. The September 8 meeting will be held at Apollo High School at 7:30 p.m. 8.20.04 Update on Sale of Washington and Jefferson SchoolsBoard of Education members rejected all of the current offers for the two former elementary school buildings at their August 11 meeting. Board members approved a new process that will involve negotiating the sale price with interested parties. Attorney Gordon Hansmeier and Director of Financial Services Kevin Januszewski will negotiate the sales by August 19, followed by a Board vote on August 26. 8.12.04 Sale of Jefferson and Washington SchoolsAt the July 22 Board of Education meeting, board members decided to gather additional legal information before making a decision about the sale of Jefferson and Washington school buildings. Board members discussed criteria at the meeting. Sale of the buildings will be discussed by the board on or before their August 26th board meeting. 7.23.04 Tech Junior One of the Best High School Hockey Players in U.S.Michael Sauer, 16, skated this week at the U.S. National Select 17 Festival at the National Hockey Center, St. Cloud. A defenseman on the orange-jerseyed Minnesota team, Sauer was one of 240 teenagers brought to St. Cloud by USA Hockey. He skated last season for Tech High School, St. Cloud. Visit the Select 17 web site for details, scores and standings. 7.16.04 |
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