Community e-Newsletter

Congratulations on the completion of a terrific 2022-23 school year, Bears!

The district's building and programs will be hopping this week with end of the year celebrations and graduation ceremonies. Find a listing of end of the year events and celebrations here

Enjoy the summer, Bears! And congratulations to those Bears at all levels who are celebrating a graduation!

Bear mascot holding %22Congratulations%22 sign

In Photos: Trying Something New

District Closed June 19 in observance of Juneteenth

Juneteenth (June 19) was recently signed into law as a State holiday. In keeping with the new law, all White Bear Lake Area Schools buildings will be closed on June 19, 2023. There will be no classes or programs, school board meetings, activities, athletic camps, practices, competitions, or other school-associated events hosted by the district on this day.

Individual schools and programs that had previously scheduled activities to occur on Monday, June 19 will communicate with program registrants to provide additional information specific to their activity.

Student News

Exciting Opportunities

WBLAHS - South Campus AP Psych students took a field trip to Mall of America to visit the new Museum of Illusions. The exciting activity was captured in this video. In class this year, students learned how the brain perceives the information the senses take in. Students where able to see that lesson come to life in this exhibit which uses psychological concepts to trick our brains into perceiving a distorted reality. 

Central Middle School eighth graders had an exciting opportunity to visit Washington D.C. last month. During their field trip, students explored the country's capital, visited historical structures and monuments, and toured several buildings.

White Bear Lake Area High School students joined the more than 4,000 high school students from across the country in participating in the VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. The contest began in 1979 to recognize up-and-coming artists and encourage patriotism in youth. Local place winners in this year’s competition were: Mattison McDaniel  (first place), Jordynn DelaMartre (second place) and Lila Guttormson (third place).

Kindergarteners at Lincoln Elementary ended their camping themed week with a special activity which was captured in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". Students grabbed their favorite book and snack as they practiced their reading skills by flashlight in their classroom!

reading with a flashlight

There will be opportunities to see District representation this summer at Marketfest, which runs Thursdays, June 15 - July 27 in Downtown White Bear Lake. Stop by the district’s booth on 3rd Street for pencils, bear paw tattoos and fun conversation! You can also check out performances by the Pep Band on June 15 at the 3rd Street Stage and the Drumline on June 29 at the Gazebo Stage. For those of you who are wondering what Marketfest is all about, find the city's description of it here, and find a fun video we pulled together to highlight the district's Marketfest booth a few years ago here!

Another opportunity students have to seeing fellow Bears this summer is to participate in the Free Summer Meals program sponsored by the White Bear Lake Area Schools Nutrition Services Department. Free Summer Meals are available for kids and teens, open to all children 17* and younger. There is no enrollment and no cost. The healthy meals are based on USDA nutrition guidelines. Learn more here.

Free Summer Meals logo

Creative Lessons

Oneka Elementary fifth graders hosted a Living History Museum for students, staff and family members. Students chose a person from the past or present that has had an impact or legacy in our world. Fifth graders researched their person, compiled reports, created display boards, and delivered speeches and facts about their person to those who visited the museum.

Sixth grade art students at Sunrise Park Middle School painted with a value scale technique last week. Students practiced tint and shading by adding white and black paint to make the color lighter or darker. See the lesson in action in this video.

Fourth and fifth graders in Ms. Robinson’s class at Birch Lake Elementary learned how to calculate volume for a fun project. Students measured the length, width and height of different sized boxes to find their volume. Using this data, they created the correct proportions to design large and small scale animals and figures which can be seen in this video

Bear Power!

Crews have been up on the roof of North Star Elementary these days, as they are starting to install an array of solar panels. The rest of the panels should be installed on the roof by the end of June, with the plan for the North Star solar power project to go live in the fall.

photos of rooftop solar panel project

The WBLAHS Adaptive Softball Team showed off their Bear power while participating in the State Tournament last weekend. The team qualified after an outstanding showing during playoffs. The Bears played and came up short on Friday in a game vs. Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville, the team that went on to become the Class A Champion. Way to represent WBLAHS, Bears!

The Class of 2023 is preparing for graduation. Last week, WBLAHS seniors picked up their cap and gowns. There are several graduation ceremonies happening this month to honor our graduates. Transition Education Center's ceremony will take place on June 6 at District Center, Area Learning Center's ceremony will happen on June 8 at WBLAHS - South Campus and WBLAHS' graduation ceremony will be on June 9 at Aldrich Arena. 

A fourth grade student from Lincoln Elementary was named the winner of the Manitou Days Button Design Contest. As part of his prize pack, Vinny received a pizza party with his class and the ultimate VIP treatment; a ride home from school in a Corvette convertible! His ride home was covered in last week's issue of the White Bear Press. See the article here.

Speaking of Manitou Days, the winners of the Manitou Days Writing Contest were recognized during a swimming party and pizza party prize and ceremony last week. This year’s theme was “A Century of Community”. The contest provides WBLAS students an opportunity to showcase their writing skills and learn more about our incredible community.

High school students acted out the ultimate mystery play, when they brought their production of "Clue", based on the iconic 1985 movie that was inspired by the classic board game, to the stage May 31-June 3. Audiences were captivated as they tried to guess who did it, with what, in which room. Get a behind the scenes look at rehearsals here.

The WBLAHS Boys' and Girls' Ultimate Frisbee teams have wrapped up fantastic regular game seasons. The Girls' team won the conference championship! The Boys' team also played well, taking home second place in their conference. Some highlights for the girls include a record of 17 wins - 2 losses, the East Metro Conference Championship title and heading into the state competition ranked #1 out of all Minnesota State High School girls teams.

Outdoor Adventures

WBLAHS - North Campus biology students stepped outside their classroom for a research project. Students ventured to the wetlands behind their building to estimate how many different types of plants they could find in a specific sample size. See their lesson come to life in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

Third graders at Oneka Elementary were visited by an expert from Wargo Nature Center. Students have been learning about adaptation and observation in their science class, so they used their knowledge to observe a turtle and insects they found near their school building. Students were seen in this video discussing what they noticed about the insects and what they think helps them survive in nature. 

The district's Community Services & Recreation Department hosted their first “Bear's Explore Outdoors” event last week. They partnered with BAZTEK whose mission is to create fishing opportunities for communities. Community members were able to explore what the outdoors has to offer them in the White Bear Lake Area.

adult and two children outside

Birch Lake Elementary Extended Day held a family night with the theme: Plants & Popsicles. Families and students worked together to decorate flower pots, plant some flowers and of course enjoy a summertime treat, popsicles!

Registration is open for summer Youth Enrichment classes! These activities will be taking place at two district sites: North Star Elementary and Matoska Int'l IB World School. Learn more about the classes being offered and how to sign up here.

 

In the Spotlight

The WBLAHS Robotics Team 2207 was honored with a Gene Haas Foundation Grant. The education based foundation supports the future of manufacturing  and students who are interested in manufacturing-based careers.

Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, WBLAHS junior Marshall Loeks, a new Minnesota National Guard recruit, was featured on WCCO in a story highlighting his family's tradition of service and the Guard's recruiting efforts. Watch the full story here

A recent Star Tribune article mentioned the District's participation in a Food to Hog program, which recycles school lunch leftovers to feed animals. Read the full article here.

Two high school sports teams are welcoming new coaches to their programs for the 2023-24 season. WBLAHS grad and longtime assistant high school hockey coach, Chris Anderson, has been named the new Boys Hockey head coach. Read the White Bear Press article here. Meanwhile, the Boys Basketball team will be coached by  Aaron Turner, who has coached several programs for the high school while serving in the school administration. Read the White Bear Press article here.

District experts will present and provide training on the use of Naloxone, a pharmaceutical that can save lives of those who have overdosed from opioids, this summer. The event, which will take place from 6-8 p.m. on July 12 at the District Center Community Room 112, is being hosted in partnership with Rotary Club of White Bear Lake. Participants will learn about the scope and breadth of addiction in youth and adults and will hear about efforts to help those in need and other community resources. Attendees will also receive a free Naloxone (Narcan) kit.

 

 Activities Updates

The Girls Track & Field Team finished fourth out of ten teams at the SEC Suburban East Conference meet. Top finisher was Katelyn Porter who placed first in the 800 meter. Find additional highlights here. The Boys Track & Field Team also did well at their SEC meet finishing fifth out of ten teams. The Bears won the 4x800 relay and Tolu Oyekunle was 110 high hurdles champion. Find more details here. A new head coach was named to the Boys Hockey Team. Learn more here. Learn more about the new Boys Hockey coach and Boys Basketball coach. 

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

School Board News

Upcoming School Board Meetings

School Board Regular Meeting Subscribe to Alerts
Community Room 112, District Center
School Board Regular Meeting Subscribe to Alerts
Community Room 112, District Center
School Board Regular Meeting Subscribe to Alerts
Community Room 112, District Center

Past Meeting Highlights

May 22 Work Session

May 8 Regular Session

Apr. 24 Work Session

group photo with Jim Galvin

Jim Galvin, long-time coach, teacher, and community member, has been honored by White Bear Lake Area Schools for his decades of service to the school community. The White Bear Lake Area School Board voted at its March 4, 2024 meeting to name the fully renovated White Bear Lake Area High School gymnasium “Galvin Court.”

White Bear Lake Area School District - ISD 624 Logo

At December’s Regular School Board Meeting, representatives from the Be SMART awareness campaign and local law enforcement leaders presented information about a program developed to bring together parents and all adults concerned about kids, guns, and safety. The White Bear Lake Police Department, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and White Bear Lake Area Schools are teaming up to share an important message about proper gun storage and safety.

Calendars approved

At the November 13, 2023 School Board Regular Meeting, the School Board approved the following calendars:

  • 2024-25 Academic Calendar
  • 2025-26 Academic Calendar
Board approves “Mariner Middle School” beginning Fall 2024

At the February 13, 2023 School Board Regular Meeting, the White Bear Lake Area School Board approved a committee’s recommendation to change the name of Sunrise Park Middle School when it moves from the Sunrise Park neighborhood to the current White Bear Lake Area High School - South Campus building in the fall of 2024. The new name, Mariner Middle School, is a nod to the District’s past.

Updated Strategic Plan Approved

At the August 8, 2022 School Board meeting, the Board heard an update of the District's Strategic Planning process and approved four updated strategies.

District News

General Information