Community e-Newsletter

March 14, 2021

Student News

Celebrated students

WBLAHS Senior Gretel Tassah was recently announced as a 2020 State Winner for the MN Aspirations in Computing Award and received a National Certificate of Distinction. This is an incredible honor for Gretel, who is the only person from White Bear Lake Area Schools to ever receive the award.

At the March Regular School Board meeting, district middle school and high school students were recognized for state-level honors in the 2021 Scholastic Art Awards process. Students who were recognized include: Lynn Fastner, Ava Del Castillo, Mia Binsfeld, Margaret Petersen, Celia Fuhrman, Astrid Scharff, and Morgan Holmstrom. The recognition video can be found here.

thumbnail of Student Recognition video, student portrait artwork

A group of students earned the honor of represented WBLAHS at State contests. WBLAHS Nordic skiers Sage Durdle and Lauren Loppnow qualified for the State Nordic Ski meet and represented the district this week. Read the White Bear Press article about the students here.

Garnering attention

Students in Central Middle School math classes recently enjoyed a pi-related activity, making irrational bracelets that correspond with a longer version of 3.1415926535897. The students' bracelets had a special 3-prong bead to represent the "3", a clear bead to represent the decimal point, and a color chart that they used to complete the bracelet to represent a string of numbers in the widely known irrational number.

The White Bear Press recently published WBLAHS senior Tony Perfetti's letter the editor, which encourages community members to consider trying Nordic skiing.

pic of letter to the editor about trying Nordic skiing

The White Bear Lake Area Schools Career Pathways & and the Automotive Career Pathway are officially Round 4 recipients of the MN DLI Youth Skills Training grant for $100,000. See the governor's full press release about the grant here. WBLAHS students are offered an opportunity to participate in a program called Ford ACE, which allows students to complete dealership training, necessary to earn Ford certification, at the high school level. According to White Bear Automotive/ Motorsports Instructor, our contacts at AutoNation Ford recently shared that our school and students are number one for the Twin Cities area for Ford ACE. Our students have completed 382 modules, which is more than any other school in the Twin Cities.

The WBLAHS Ambassadors are participating in an Over the Edge Fundraiser in support of One Heartland, an organization that has a mission to improve the lives of children, youth and families facing significant health challenges or social isolation. For every $1000 they raise in support of the organization, one participant will be given the opportunity to rappel down a 24-story building. See the Ambassadors' fundraising presentation here.

Taking a break

On the eve of Spring Break, Dr. Kazmierczak (with some help from Bear) shared with all students a Spring Break video to wish them a good break. Among the nuggets of advice shared were: read, spend time outside, be kind and stay healthy.

With students returning to school after a week of Spring Break, White Bear Lake Area Schools recommends that families follow the MDH guidance regarding out of state travel. Please find the full MDH guidelines here. COVID-19 testing is important. Find your local testing sites here.

Additionally, the Bear Care Health and Wellness Clinic is now offering curbside COVID-19 rapid tests for all students and staff of the district with symptoms of the virus. Appointments are required and walk-ins are not available. A limited number of appointments are available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for Rapid Tests, which are only accurate for students and staff displaying symptoms of COVID-19. Appointments can be made here. Those who have questions can contact the Bear Care Clinic by email at BearCare@BearCareClinic.org or by phone at (651) 653-2923. Information can also be found on the Bear Care Facebook page.

In other news of breaks, students in Grades 6-12+ will not have school on March 18 & 19. The pair of days are Transition Days for secondary students, who will be offered in-person learning starting March 22. Elementary students will continue to have school as normal on March 18 & 19.

Those who are looking for something to do while taking a break could consider the WBLAHS Fall Musical “Songs for a New World,” which is available through early-May as a rent-to-view video performance. The rental functions just like renting a movie from Amazon Prime Video and other VOD Streaming Services. The movie can be found, rented, and viewed from our ShowTix4U Box Office. Find additional information about the opportunity here.

Activities Update

The Boys' Golf Team is hosting a fundraiser. See details in the "Support Our Students" section below. WBLAHS Nordic skiers Sage Durdle and Lauren Loppnow qualified and represented the district in the State Nordic Ski meet. See additional info here. The WBLAHS Ambassadors are participating in an Over the Edge Fundraiser in support of One Heartland. See their presentation here.

Please contact the Communications Department (651-407-7695) to submit Student News for inclusion in future publications.

The Week in 62.4 Seconds

Enjoy The Week in 62.4 Seconds videos highlighting weekly district activities throughout the school year.

School Board News

Upcoming Meetings

The March 22, 2021 School Board Work Session Meeting will be conducted in person at District Center, with social distancing measures being put in place.

The remainder of the 2020-21 School Board meetings will continue to be viewable via electronic means. Livestream links are available on the district's online calendar and will be posted on the Meeting Materials page the week prior to each meeting.

Past Meeting Highlights

March 1 Regular Meeting

February 22 Work Session

District News

General Information

Family Notices

Important updates - Along with other email updates, White Bear Lake Area Schools has recently shared a couple of important notices with families. Please see links to the messages below:
- Feb. 26 message - Secondary return to in-person learning March 22
- Feb. 23 message - School start and dismissal time discussion
2022-23 Calendar - The School Board recently approved the 2022-23 School Year Calendar. See the calendar here.
March 25 Mental Well-Being Series Event - The March 25 Mental Well-Being Series event is a White Bear Lake School/Community Cultural Well Being & Healing Event A Digital Intentional Social Interaction (dIZI). Find complete information on the Mental Well-being Page of the website here.
Travel Guidance from MDH - White Bear Lake Area Schools recommends that families follow the MDH guidance regarding out of state travel. Please find the full MDH guidelines here. If you travel, learn how to protect yourself and your family here. COVID-19 testing is important. Find your local testing sites here. Families can order a COVID-19 test in advance for use after travel through the Vault Health website. Find District Guidance to Families on Spring Break Travel compiled by our nursing staff here.
School Linked Mental Health Services - Find information about School Linked Mental Health Services available to our families here.
Support Hub - The District launched a Support Hub last spring in order to provide families with resources to address barriers & enhance well-being. This comprehensive resource gives families and community members access to information for essential services including crisis response, basic needs, mental health and wellbeing, physical health, social emotional learning and more.
Receiving district messages - District-level emails are being sent from the communications@isd624.org email address. If you are not receiving emails from this account, it is possible that the email address is currently blocked in your email account. Find instructions to unblock the communications@isd624.org email address in different email platforms here.
Distance Learning Meal Pick-Up Information:
- Free meals are available for all children ages 18 and under through June of 2021. Weekly pick-ups are available at locations throughout the district on Wednesdays, with both morning and evening time slots available, and on Friday mornings.
  - Meal pick-up times and locations are available here.
  - To take advantage of the opportunity, families should pre-order meals each week using the Meal Order Form for distance learning pick-up so Nutrition Services staff know what to prepare.
  - Menus are available online at https://isd624.nutrislice.com/
- Contact the Nutrition Services Department at NutritionServices@isd624.org or 651-407-7524 with any questions.
Free or Reduced Applications - Even though free meals are available to all for this school year, it is still very important that families who may qualify for free or reduced-price meals complete the meal application as soon as possible. The meal applications not only qualify your family for free meal benefits, but also provide additional benefits that may include discounts for: internet access, college application fees, sports/activities fees, and AP test registration fees.Please check out this flyer for more information. Contact the Nutrition Services Department at NutritionServices@isd624.org or 651-407-7524 with any questions.
COVID-19 information:
- Contact Tracing - In order to facilitate the district’s COVID-19 contact tracing, it is important that families and staff members let us know through this form of a COVID-19 diagnosis. Please also call your school’s attendance line (for students) or submit an absence in Skyward (for staff) if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
- Dashboard - The district's COVID-19 Info & Dashboard page lists the 14-Day Case Rate By County, District COVID-19 Cases Weekly Reporting, and Process for Individual Notifications. We have recently added local information to the dashboard, including by-school numbers of students and staff members who are confirmed cases of COVID-19 and who are quarantined as close contacts.
- Notifications - White Bear Lake Area Schools will continue to ensure that all who are directly affected are appropriately notified in accordance with health department guidelines and privacy laws. A close contact notification and request to quarantine will be sent to all identified close-contacts. A general notification of a positive case in the building will be sent to: all building staff (including traveling and classified staff members) and all students attending the same school.
- Bears Protect Bears - Find information about the White Bear Lake Area Educators’ “Bears Protect Bears Commitment” here. Remember the important steps of social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, and staying home when sick.
- Mail order saliva test information from MDH - The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has asked that we share that the state’s mail order pilot test is now open for anyone in Minnesota to access. Staff and families can use the mail order form to access the saliva tests. Testing is free for every Minnesotan, whether or not you have insurance. If you do have insurance, you will need to provide your information so your insurance company can pay for your test. If your insurance does not pay for COVID-19 tests or does not pay enough, the state will cover the cost. If you do not have insurance, the state will pay for your test. You will not receive a bill.
- Community Testing Sites - Find COVID-19 Testing Locations on the MDH website here.
Immunization Info from MDH - Health care providers in the state are ready to serve children for immunization services and get them caught up on vaccines they may have missed. Start by calling your primary care provider to request an appointment. If you have difficulty locating a provider for immunizations, please visit Where To Get Vaccinated to find locations where your child can get vaccinated. The Minnesota Vaccines for Children program offers free or low-cost immunizations for eligible children age 18 years and younger. Go to Free or Low-Cost Shots for Children to learn more and see if your child is eligible. See the full note from MDH in the district's Nov. 6 - Updates email to families.
Bear Care Health and Wellness Clinic Appointments - The Bear Care Health and Wellness Clinic located in North Campus (5045 Division Ave., White Bear Lake, MN 55110) is now offering online appointment scheduling. Use this link to schedule an appointment. The clinic is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2-6 pm. All health services are FREE and available to all children in the White Bear Lake Area School District.
- Call us at (651) 653-2923 or email BearCare@BearCareClinic.org. Click here to schedule an appointment.
- Available services include:
  - Health assessments and sports physicals
  - Influenza vaccines
  - Rapid strep throat testing
  - Ear infections and pink eye
  - Rapid mono testing
  - Urinary tract (bladder) infection testing
  - Mental health counseling
  - Teen health
  - Chronic illness management and referrals
  - Family health support
  - Curbside COVID-19 rapid tests (make appointment)
Staff & Community Mental Well-Being Series - District staff and families are invited to attend presentations sponsored by the district, in conjunction with district partners, that are focused on mental well-being throughout the school year. All of the presentations will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be streamed live with the ability for live participation. The sessions will also be recorded for later viewing.
- Upcoming sessions are scheduled for March 25 and April 22. Additional information about the district's Mental Well-Being program and the event series can be found here.
Equity Action Plan - The Office of Equity and Engagement is beginning year-long work on an Equity Action Plan this fall. See information here.
Chromebook Support - Families can find helpful information regarding Chromebooks in the resources linked below:
- Elementary Parent Chromebook Info One-Pager (Spanish version here)
- Elementary Parent Chromebook Info presentation
Preschool Registration - Spots are available at all of our Early Childhood locations. Please see the website or stop by Normandy Park Education Center to register for classes!
Many Faces - Check out Many Faces events that are happening this fall that will focus on building community through conversations.
Career Pathways Newsletter - Please enjoy the February 2021 Career Pathways Newsletter!
Requesting an interpreter - Find more information about requesting a call with an interpreter in the language your family speaks.
We Are Hiring! - White Bear Lake Area Schools is hiring for a variety of positions, offering both school-day and out-of-school-time hours. Full- and part-time options are available, and many positions offer flexible hours if needed to accommodate family schedules. The district is seeking paraprofessionals, community services and recreation staff and coaches, and more. Find the online application page here.
Stay connected! - Join White Bear Lake Area Schools' social media circles - Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Calling all baby models - We're looking for "Born to be a Bear" photos! Email photos to us here and you may find your little one featured in District publications!
Coffee with Dr. K - The next “Coffee with Dr. K” event will take place at 4:30-5:30 p.m. on April 6. Find details about the event on the district's online calendar as the date approaches.

Awards and Honors

Superintendent of the Year Keynote - Dr. Kazmierczak was the featured speaker last week at a virtual Minnesota Breakfast, an event held in conjunction with the American Association of School Administrators National Virtual Conference on Education. He was chosen for the speaking honor as the 2021 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year.
March Recognitions - The following March celebrations are ongoing/upcoming:
- March - National Nutrition Month, Music in our Schools Month, Women's History Month
- March 2 - Read Across America Day
- March 5 - Employee Appreciation Day
- March 8-12 - National School Breakfast Week, Spring Break

Please contact the Communications Department (651-407-7578) to submit District News, General Information, Opportunities or Awards & Honors for inclusion in future publications.

Community Services

The WBLAS Community Services and Recreation Department provides a wide range of services and opportunities that enhance the quality of life for all members of ISD 624.

Community Services Updates following the Governor's Executive Order can be found here.
Seasonal Catalogs - Seasonal catalogs are available now! The Community Services Catalog was mailed to residents in mid-January.
Digital Backpack - The Community Services Department distributes electronic flyers on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Flyers include announcements from the school district, as well as local organizations. Those who wish to request distribution of a flyer should email the files to Director Tim Maurer at tim.maurer@isd624.org.
Senior Program
- The White Bear Area Senior Center Craft Corner Spring Boutique will take place from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Friday, March 19 and on 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 20. See the flyer here.
- Check out the latest edition of The Voice.
- Stay informed about the latest community offerings for seniors in the community with these three guides:
Community Bridge - Check out opportunities this July through September in this Community Bridge Consortium edition. The Community Bridge Consortium is an adults with cognitive disabilities program supported by the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale, South Washington County, Roseville, White Bear and Mahtomedi School Districts.

Senior Program Updates

The White Bear Area Senior Center is a program of the White Bear Lake Area Schools Community Services & Recreation Department.

General Update re: Senior Program following Governor's Executive Order (see complete post here)
- Meals on Wheels will continue, following COVID-19 safety guidelines and social distancing measures
- Footcare Service & Driving Safety Training courses will continue, following COVID-19 safety guidelines and social distancing measures
- Social classes/clubs/gatherings suspended until January 4, 2021
Spring Boutique - The White Bear Area Senior Center Craft Corner Spring Boutique will take place from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Friday, March 19 and on 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 20. See the flyer here.
The Voice - Check out the latest edition of the The Voice to learn about exciting upcoming opportunities.
Resources Guides - Stay informed about the latest community offerings for seniors in the community with these three guides:
FREE Activity Pass for Senior Community Members (age 65+) - White Bear Lake Area Schools offer a variety of activities - home athletic contests, concerts, and theater productions to name a few. Join us! Please fill out this application and you will be sent the pass in the US Mail. If you have questions, please contact Rachael Markuson at 651-407-7563 or rachael.markuson@isd624.org.
Be a Bear! The district currently has many staff openings available! Find the online application page here.

Support WBLAS Students

Over the Edge Fundraiser - The WBLAHS Ambassadors are participating in an Over the Edge Fundraiser in support of One Heartland. See their presentation here.
Boys' Golf Team fundraiser - The Boys' Golf Team is selling the Minnesota Golf Card. This card is for 2 for 1's for golf at over 150 golf courses statewide and much more. The cost for the card is only $35. When you use the card once it is paid for already. You can use the card over and over throughout the year. If you are a golfer or want to gift it to a golfer, it's a winner. Contact Coach Nasvik if interested and he will make sure to get you a card. Email him at craig.nasvik@isd624.org
Visit the WBLAHS online store - The WBLAHS online store offers a variety of fun Bear Wear items for purchase, including apparel and accessories.
The White Bear Lake Area Educational Foundation (WBLAEF) is an independent, non-profit corporation promoting excellence in education in White Bear Lake Area School District 624 schools.
Be a Bear! - White Bear Lake Area Schools is hiring for a variety of positions, offering both school-day and out-of-school-time hours. Full- and part-time options are available, and many positions offer flexible hours if needed to accommodate family schedules. The district is seeking paraprofessionals, community services and recreation staff and coaches, and more. Find the online application page here.