Community e-Newsletter

In Photos: Trying Something New

photo collage of students enjoying various activities

Student News

New Year, New Opportunities

Kindergarteners at Lincoln Elementary rang in the New Year with a party in their multipurpose room. The excitement was highlighted in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". Their party Included a red carpet walk, dance party and a countdown complete with a ball drop to celebrate 2023. Students also had fun using the photo booth and their celebratory noise makers!

celebrating the new year

WBLAHS - North Campus Language Arts students are using the new year to master their interviewing skills. In class, students learned key components of public speaking, answering interview related questions, and writing resumes and cover letters. Students then took part in mock interviews with members of the community and school staff. 

mock interviews in a media center

High School band students are learning new lessons through a unique project, The Guest Artist Series. Students are taking master classes with local professionals who play their instrument which was featured in a recent video. This experience is giving students the confidence to try new techniques in class.

high school band students preform on stage

North Campus students were captured in this video challenging themselves with new lessons. Students in the foods and nutrition class, practiced their dicing and measuring skills to make chicken stir fry. While in a science class, students built chemistry gas traps with test tubes. The goal of the experiment was to trap hydrogen gas in the beaker. The more gas that was trapped, the louder the popping noise was when students sparked the gas.

cutting veggies and measuring liquids in science class

Bears Hard At Work

Student Ambassadors at Otter Lake Elementary worked on a service project last week, which was captured in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". They created four different art projects and donated their masterpieces to a local care center for others to enjoy. The students used different mediums to make penguins, snowflakes, mittens and polar bears. 

photo collage of art projects

Former district coaches and staff members recently toured through the newly-constructed three-story addition at WBLAHS - North Campus, the future site of the unified grades 9-12 high school. Ninth and tenth grade students will soon move into this new space so that renovations can begin on the existing building. Before that happens, students are working hard to put together a special Circle Back to North Campus event for students, families, graduates and community members that will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 18. Watch a video rendering tour of the new high school, which includes information about the Circle Back event, here. After celebrating the history of the building, guests are invited jump into the exciting future by checking out the Phase 1 spaces at a Community-Wide Open House event from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26.

wearing construction vests, invite to an open house and students discussions at a table

The winning fourth grade group from the Minnow Tank project at Willow Lane Elementary, presented their donation to their charity of choice. The event was captured in this video. The group selected H2O for Life, which connects youth with opportunities to help reduce water crises around the world. This project taught students how to work together towards a common goal while helping others.

group photo

Our elementary principals and building teams are busy mailing out Kindergarten Welcome Packets to some of our youngest Bears. After they're officially enrolled to begin as a Bear for the fall of 2023, incoming kindergarten students can look forward to getting special packets in the mail that include special "I'm a Bear" t-shirts. Find kindergarten enrollment information here, and email photos to us here and you may find your future kindergartner featured in District publications!

two kids wearing orange shirts with a bear on them

Fun With Food

The Senior Center's "Thank Goodness It's Foods" events are returning this year. The first delicious meal will be served starting at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 20. Meals are dine-in only and cost five dollars. Registration is required. Find more information regrading dining times, dates and the menu here. Learn about other events and activities happening for all ages through the Community Services & Recreation catalog. A limited number of catalogs are available at District Center and the Senior Center.

 

invitation to a community event

Before heading off for Winter Break, preschool students at Birch Lake Elementary invited their family and friends to their classroom for a performance. Students recited a poem about the gingerbread man and put on a short play. They also sang a song and decorated gingerbread cookies. 

kindergarten students making crafts

At Lakeaires Extended Day, students tried Mberry tablets which were donated. Mberry's mission is to make food taste good. The tablet adjusts your tastebuds for about 30 minutes. Students had so much fun trying lemons, limes, pickles, tomatoes, and ketchup and experiencing these foods in a whole new way. The limes and lemons were sweet but the ketchup and pickles were the biggest hits!

taste testing lemons and limes

In the Spotlight

Vadnais Heights Elementary Principal Sara Svir accepted the 2022 Watershed Partner Award from the Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization (VLAWMO) for the school's work in the "Bear's Backyard". The outdoor learning space features a forest, wetland trail and rain garden. Read the full article here. 

screenshot of an article

White Bear Lake Area High School grad Lleyton Roed was recently named CCHA Rookie of the Week. This is his second time earning the award. Roed plays forward for the Bemidji State Men's Hockey team. Read the full article about his achievement here. 

high school grad having successful college career

Central Middle School student Paige Downey was recently highlighted as a Spotlight Player in the Hendrickson Foundation's "I Am A Hockey Player" Minnesota Wild Deaf/Hard of Hearing Hockey program. Downey mentions being introduced the sport as a 2-year-old, then starting organized hockey at age 2 in a White Bear Lake Learn to Play Hockey Clinic. See the full interview here.

pair of photos of hockey player

 Activities Updates

The Bears Gymnastics Team placed sixth at the Minnesota Girls Gymnastics Officials Association meet with junior Gracyn Lehner placing fourth all-around. Find highlights here. The Girls Nordic Ski Team placed 42nd out of 57 teams at the Mesabi East Invitational. At the same meet, the Boys Nordic Ski Team placed 38th out of 56 teams. The Boys Hockey Team defeated Tartan 2-1 in a recent game. Read their article here. The Boys Basketball Team beat Woodbury in a recent game. Find highlights here. The Girls Basketball Team also won their matchup with Woodbury. Read their article here. 

This year White Bear Lake Area High School, along with every school in the Suburban East Conference (SEC) is going to online-only ticket sales for all varsity sporting events. All conference schools have partnered with Hometown Ticketing to make it easier for spectators. The easiest way to access our online tickets is by downloading the Hometown Ticketing App or you can access and purchase tickets to our home events by clicking here. An alternate way to view home games is by purchasing adult and/or student pass(es). 

Senior community members (age 65+) who live in the District are invited to participate in the Senior Activities Pass program and enjoy complimentary admission to most school activities. Find out how to receive your free pass here.

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

The Week in 62.4 Seconds

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Jan. 9 Regular Session

Dec. 12 Work Session

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