Community e-Newsletter

December 3, 2023

In Photos: Important Connections

Student News

Going Above and Beyond

WBLAHS - South Campus leadership is preparing to host Winter Wonderland December 11-15. Students made posters, created props and established theme days for the week including polar express day and festive Friday. Get a sneak peak in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". They are also encouraging their classmates, staff and community members to donate toys, winter gear and essential items for various charities. Items can be dropped off in the main office.

Fourth graders at Willow Lane Elementary held a gratitude gathering for several special guests. Students invited their Minnow Tank Project coaches to their school to say thank you for their leadership and guidance while planning their projects. Fourth graders read thank you letters to their guests and shared how happy they were to have worked with them. The empowering service learning project teaches students about leadership, confidence, kindness and teamwork skills. The winning group selected the Minneapolis Heart Institute as their charity.

Members of the White Bear Lake Retired Teachers Association went above and beyond to help those in need. The group was recently highlighted in the White Bear Press with a picture they took during a volunteer shift at Every Meal, packing bags of food for students to take home. They helped pack over 4,700 bags.

At Vadnais Heights Elementary, students learned how they can make a difference in their own lives by being active. The elementary students enjoyed a visit and an assembly to get excited about health and fitness with Minnesota Wild Mascot Nordy and former Minnesota professional hockey players. They helped students learn about “ The Faceoff For Fitness School Program'' which emphasizes the game of hockey, physical fitness, nutrition and healthy choices. Two students also participated in a hockey drill, with Nordy in the net. At the end of the hockey drill, the students learned Vadnais Heights Elementary gets to keep the floor hockey set to continue to engage in activities to be active.

Lastly, the Bears Varsity Cheerleading team stopped by Willow Lane Elementary. They attended the all-school summit to generate team spirit and taught the younger bears some cheers. Students had so much fun showing off their school spirit and getting to practice different “Go Bears!” chants.

In The Spotlight

The White Bear Lake Area Schools' Middle School Wrestlers took home a second place trophy after competing at a recent tournament. It was the first competition for many of the Bears athletes. Coach Josh Machado mentioned "The fight and grit these kids had to pull this off was amazing! Proud of this group and can’t wait to see how we finish the year. "

As we kick off Inclusive Schools Week, the District was honored with the Outstanding Disability Employer award from the Minnesota Organization for Habilitation and Rehabilitation (MOHR). The district was nominated by PAI, a disability employment service provider based in White Bear Lake that helps place employees in roles in school cafeterias throughout the district. District staff were on hand at Otter Lake Elementary to receive the award which was also featured in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

WBLAHS Hockey standout Nolan Roed was named a potential front-runner for the 2024 Mr. Hockey award in a "The Rink Live" article. Roed is a St. Cloud State University commit. According to the article, he has scored 95 points over two seasons thus far and scored 13 points in 16 games while playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL) for players age 16-21.

Preschoolers who attend the Lakeaires program were featured last week in the White Bear Press, answering the question "How do you cook a turkey?" Some of their answers included, "With cheese bites. You put the cheese in there and make it into real cheese." "With an oven. First take it out and then eat the turkey." "You make his body first, then his wings and his head and his eyes and his mouth. And his feet." See the fun highlight here.

Student Exploration

Central Middle School seventh graders are wrapping up their lesson on ecology and anatomy with a worm dissection. Students paired off for the hands-on activity, working together to identify different parts of the worm. During this unit, students also studied ecosystems and food webs learning about how everything is interconnected and works together.

In physical science, WBLAHS - North Campus ninth graders examined three different metals and their densities. Students used the scientific method to see if there was a pattern among metal groups within the periodic table of elements. Their lesson was captured in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

At Lakeaires Extended Day, staff encourage student voice including excouraging students to plan and lead different clubs together. Some examples include Lego Club where students built bridges to see how many pencils they could hold. Students also created the Best Friends Club where they make dog and cat toys for an animal shelter of their choosing using materials such as felt and t-shirts.

WBLAHS - North Campus geography students were visited by Princess Kay of the Milky Way last week. Emma Kuball spoke to students about Minnesota’s dairy farming and agriculture industry and her experiences growing up on a dairy farm in southern Minnesota. The Princess also touched on the nutritional benefits of dairy and dairy farmers’ continual commitment to environmental sustainability through hands-on activities. Her presentation was in relation to a recent classroom lesson on the State’s agriculture industry. See the lesson come to life in this video.

Central Middle School counselors conducted a lesson with sixth graders who are learning about self care and calming strategies. Students listened to a presentation before they rotated through different self-care stations which included playing with play-dough, breathing exercises and writing down a gratitude list among others.

Mark Your Calendar

Parents who have a child(ren) in middle school are invited to attend an information event at 6 p.m. on December 12 at Central Middle School. Jenn Funk, a licensed alcohol and drug counselor in our district, will lead a discussion related to drugs and teens. Find registration information here.

Keep your eyes peeled for the Community Services & Recreation Winter/Spring Catalog! The catalog will be available online starting December 15 and will be sent to homes throughout the district over winter break which is taking place Dec. 21-Jan. 1.

Activities Updates

The Bears Wrestling Team defeated one of the State's top teams, Forest Lake, in a recent matchup. Find additional details here. The Girl's Hockey Team also found success with a win over East Ridge. Read more here. The Girls Basketball Team started their season off with two wins. Learn more here.

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

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

School Board News

Upcoming School Board Meetings

Past Meeting Highlights

Nov. 27 Work Session

Nov. 13 Regular Session

Oct. 23 Work Session

District News

General Information

Family Notices

BEAR Legacy Breakfast - The BEAR Legacy Breakfast fundraiser will take place from 8-9 a.m. on Friday, January 26 at WBLAHS - North Campus. This event is free. Tours of the newly renovated building will also be offered for all who attend. Find more information here.
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
Holiday Angels - Each holiday season, the White Bear Lake Area Educational Foundation offers a special opportunity for families, students, school district staff, and community members to honor an educator, administrator, support staff, or community member with a donation to the Angel Fund. For more information on how to participate here.
Asynchronous E-Learning - Find information about the Communication and Student Responsibilities that would take place in the situation that an Asynchronous E-Learning day must happen at the bottom of the Emergency School Closings page of the district website.
DHS Announcement: Re-Enrolling in Health Care Coverage - The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that the Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare (Medicaid eligibility) renewals, which were paused post-pandemic, are now restarting the final timeline for annual renewals in public health care programs. View the full timeline. Please visit DHS's Renew My Coverage communications toolkit for resources in multiple languages.
SchoolCafé Automatic Payments - With school meals free to students this year, automatic payments through SchoolCafé have been removed in order to avoid unwanted charges from those families that used the automatic service in the past. If a family would like to set up automatic payments for extra entrees or ala carte purchases, they will need to log into School Café and re-set up that information. Instructions to do so can be found here. Those who have questions may contact the Nutrition Services Office at nutritionservices@isd624.org or 651-407-7515.
School Resource Officer (SRO) program resumes - The White Bear Lake Police Department (WBLPD) has resumed the SRO program that had been suspended in our secondary schools. The continuation of the program has come after the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General provided a revised opinion related to a new law passed by the 2023 legislature that placed certain restrictions on safety interventions school employees and agents, including SROs, can use when intervening with students. We value the relationship we have with our local law enforcement agencies and appreciate the work they have done to partner with us to keep students and staff safe. We recognize that the step of providing additional clarification about the new law is a short-term solution and that only through legislative action will this issue be permanently resolved.
Youth Enrichment Fall Catalog - White Bear Lake Area Schools students searching for new opportunities for exploration, discovery and growth should check out our Youth Enrichment classes happening this fall. Click here to learn more.
2023-24 Annual Notifications - Click here to find a variety of annual notifications, including notices related to: pest management pesticides, asbestos, indoor air quality and lead-in-water.
Bears Boards and More - Bears Boards and More is a student operated school-based business selling customized cutting boards and tumblers housed at the district's Transition Education Center. Find examples of student work here. Information on how to order can be found here.
Application for Educational Benefits - Our school offers healthy meals each day. We are a part of Minnesota’s Free School Meals Program, which means that all students can get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school. Although no application is required to receive this free meal benefit, filling out the Application for Educational Benefits is still important because children may qualify for other benefits such as reduced sports/activity fees, reduced internet access and utility bills, reduced AP test registration and college application fees, reduced drivers training and more! Complete the Application for Educational Benefits online at www.schoolcafe.com/isd624. Paper applications can be requested by contacting Nutrition Services at 651-407-7515.
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.
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.
Community Services & Recreation Fall Catalog - Registration is open for a variety of different fall activities and programs through White Bear Lake Area Schools Community Services & Recreation. Find more details here.
Bear Care Clinic - The Bear Care Clinic offers no-cost health services to all children in the district. Find additional information about the clinic here. Call, email, or make an appointment online!
School Linked Mental Health Services - Find information about School Linked Mental Health Services available to our families here.
Support Hub - The District's Support Hub provides 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.
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!
Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan - The health and safety of our school community is a top priority. White Bear Lake Area Schools will continue to partner with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for guidance and planning regarding COVID-19. To maintain a healthy and safe environment for all, the following protocols will be implemented for the 22/23 school year: The details of our plan can be found at isd624.org/programs/health-services. As required by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, school districts who received funds as part of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds must maintain a Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services plan through the 2023-24 school year. Every six months, the district must review and revise as necessary. If you have any questions or comments that you’d like to share, please do so through this form.

Awards and Honors

Outstanding Disability Employer Award - the District was honored with the Outstanding Disability Employer award from the Minnesota Organization for Habilitation and Rehabilitation (MOHR). The district was nominated by PAI, a disability employment service provider based in White Bear Lake that helps place employees in roles in school cafeterias throughout the district.

Upcoming Recognitions - The following celebrations and holidays will take place in December:

Dec. 4-8 - Inclusive Schools Week
Dec. 22 - Jan. 1 - Winter 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.

Seasonal Catalogs - Seasonal catalogs are available now! The Community Services Fall Catalog, with multiple opportunities for community members of all ages, can be found here.
- Keep your eyes peeled for the Community Services & Recreation Winter/Spring Catalog! The catalog will be available online starting December 15 and will be sent to homes throughout the district over winter break which is taking place Dec. 21-Jan. 1.
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
- Check out the latest edition of The Voice.
- Resources Guides - View our updated Resource Guides: Senior Services and senior housing; The Directory.
- Community Bridge - Check out opportunities here. 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.

The Voice - Stay informed about the latest community offerings for seniors in the community through The Voice.
Resources Guides - View our updated Resource Guides: Senior Services and senior housing; The Directory.
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

Bears Boards and More - Bears Boards and More is a student operated school-based business selling customized cutting boards and tumblers housed at the district's Transition Education Center. Find examples of student work here. Information on how to order can be found here.
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.
- We are in need of volunteers to assist at The Closet. If you are a parent that has a flexible schedule and would like to help our district families in need, please contact info@wblaef.org. More information about The Closet can be found HERE.
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.