Community e-Newsletter

November 5, 2023

Reminder of School Cancelation Notification Process

As the snow begins to fall, we want to remind families that if winter weather is so severe that schools need to close, alerts will be sent to families in three ways as soon as a decision is made:

A SchoolMessenger phone message and email will be sent to all guardians. A text message will be sent to those who have opted in to receiving texts from the district. (Instructions for opt-in here.)
A message will be posted on the homepage of www.isd624.org.
Messages will be posted on the District's Facebook and Twitter pages.

For school closings, early dismissals and late starts, call the School Closing Hotline at (651) 407-7540 or watch/listen for information on these media outlets:

In Photos: Innovative Learners

Student News

Collaborating

Students at Sunrise Park Middle School collaborated with their classmates on a variety of projects last week. Their lessons were captured in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". In courses such as robotics, manufacturing, orchestra and FACS, assignments included an element of working together to offer students a chance to learn while making connections with peers and teachers. Collaboration looked a bit different at District Center, when Central Middle School Student Supervisor Jesse Kelley visited Superintendent Wayne Kazmierczak dressed as Dr. K! The obvious next step was a photo to document the occasion.

Elementary staff members from throughout the district took part in an all-day training last week related to the district’s adoption of a new Elementary English Language Arts, LETRS curriculum officially adopted by the School Board in September. Their training was captured in this video. The curriculum was chosen because of its overall consistent alignment to our elementary literacy vision, local priority statements, and evidenced-based practices.

Lakeaires Extended Day students learned about Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 1. Dia de los Muertos is a vibrant and festive celebration of life and death, originating in Mexico but it now celebrated around the world. Students colored sugar skull masks to showcase their artistic abilities. Students also worked on their fine motor skills during a different project; crafting platypus themed bookmarks out of card stock and felt.

We continue to hire for variety of positions, offering full- and part-time options. Two areas we are focused on filling are bus drivers and Extended Day child care team members. We offer competitive wages, flexible work hours, and a chance to make a difference for kids in our community. Find job posting at isd624.org/employment.

Taking Center Stage

Step into WBLAHS fall musical, “Little Shop of Horrors”... if you dare. The comedy follows Seymour, a down-on-his-luck florist and his co-worker Audrey who find themselves in an epic battle that will determine the fate of the human race, after Seymour discovers a mysterious plant. Find a behind-the-scenes look at rehearsals here. Shows will be performed at 7 p.m. on November 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 and at 2 p.m. on November 11. Performances will take place at the White Bear Lake Area Schools Community Auditorium, as construction projects have taken the traditional Fall Musical location (the current WBLAHS - North Campus Theater) off-line this fall. Ticket information can be found here.

Speaking of performances, White Bear Lake Area High School choirs presented a concert series entitled “The Earth and Its Bounty” last month. One of their many rehearsals was captured in this video. Musical selections included a variety of pieces from around the world.

High school students produced and organized another Women Empowerment Seminar last week in the South Campus Theater. The event theme was perseverance, balancing commitments, self-care and getting rid of negativity. Students held an afternoon event for their peers and came back that evening to host an event that was open to the community.

Last but not least, Lincoln Elementary students recently took center stage for a night of impressive performances! Families packed into the gym to watch nearly 40 acts during Lincoln Idol. The talented students sang, danced, lip-synced and performed to a standing room only audience. The event took place in the Lincoln gymnasium, one of the many constructions projects that have happened throughout the district and were made possible by the community's support of the 2019 Building Our Future bond referendum.

Impressive Accomplishments

Both the boys and girls high school cross country teams are sending runners to the State tournament after an impressive showing at the Section 4AAA meet. The girls team placed third with senior Rosie Sommars, eighth grader Logan Bailey and junior Amelia Nachtscheim qualifying for State. The entire boys team advanced to the State tournament after they placed second at Sections, lead by senior Luke Williams who was the champion for a second year in a row. Find additional details on the girls and boys meets from the White Bear Press.

The WBLAHS Girls Swim & Dive team finished their regular season 2-7 and finished first, second and second at three separate invitational meets. This is the team's best conference and invite record in six years. The team is now preparing for their Section meet happening Nov. 9-11 at Stillwater Middle School.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jesse Schwab, a 2018 grad, was recently highlighted in The Citizen for his work in the Navy as a mass communication specialist aboard USS Kearsarge. Schwab credits his experience of growing up in Hugo with giving him the skills needed to succeed in the Navy, including seeing the value in the differences of people. Read more about his achievements here.

The WBLAHS Automotive Career Pathway Program was recently highlighted in the MN Department of Labor and Industry's Youth Skills Training (YST) Program's 2023 Fall Newsletter for accomplishments including 1000+ students exposed to the automotive industry, 500+ students enrollment in Transportation Pathway, and 31 students placed in paid summer work experiences (with many full-time opportunity offers).

WBLAHS alum Neveah Hughes was mentioned in an article in the The Brainerd Dispatch regarding the Central Lakes College Women's basketball team's preseason practices. Coach Krystal Brodeen commented extensively on her excitement over adding the sophomore transfer to her roster this year, going so far as claiming 'I struck gold there.'" Hughes previously played on the WBLAHS state tournament team and transferred from Rock Valley.

Meaningful Visits

Middle schoolers at Sunrise Park were visited by a number of local automotive industry partners during the annual Transportation Day event. Students participated in hands-on activities as they learned about different career options in the automotive industry. The experience is one of the ways our middle school students learn about the Career Pathways opportunities available to them throughout their time in the district and beyond.

Members of the WBLAHS girls' soccer team visited fourth graders at Otter Lake Elementary last week. Students cheered on and congratulated the high schoolers for their recent trip to the state tournament. The teammates also spent time answering questions about teamwork, perseverance and the hard work they put in to each practice and game to qualify for the tournament. The exciting visit was captured in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

Students in Ms. Johnsen's WBLAHS - North Campus class took a recent field trip to the Senior Center, which is run by the district's Community Services and Recreation Department. Students and patrons of the Center enjoyed playing games and completing puzzles together. In addition to hosting events such as this one, the White Bear Area Senior Program provides education, recreation, volunteer opportunities, and resource for older adults and their families.

North Star Elementary students were visited by a specialist from Wargo Nature Center. Students were excited and eager to explore the area around their building as they worked together to identify different plants and wildlife. Meanwhile, North Star families gathered together for a family event, where they were able to paint pumpkins, guess how many candy corn candies there were in the jar, and enjoy hot chocolate and hot cider together with their students!

The High School and Middle School Student Advisory members recently visited District Center for their first meetings of the 2023-24 school year with Dr. Kazmierczak. The students introduced themselves over a meal, then received updates and chatted with district leaders to provide important input and ask thoughtful questions. Topics of conversation included the WBLAHS vision, with planning underway for the unification of grades 9-12 at the current North Campus location happening next fall, and an update on the construction projects happening throughout the district.

students sitting around table watching presentation

Mark Your Calendar

The WBLAHS Wrestling annual pasta dinner fundraiser is happening from 4:30-7:30pm on November 13 in the South Campus cafeteria. Meal provided by Donatelli’s Restaurant. All proceeds benefit the team. Wrestlers will be serving meals during the event. Tickets are $9 and will be available during the event. Find additional details here.

Sign up today to become a part of the Sunrise Middle School Afterschool FLEX program. This program is designed by students, for students. It combines opportunities for homework completion, trying new activities and having fun with friends. More information can be found here.

Thursday, November 16 is Youth Hockey Night at WBLAHS Varsity Girls’ Hockey’s 7 p.m. game vs. Eagan, which will take place at the White Bear Sports Center. The WBLAHA Association is sponsoring all youth girls - 8U, 10U, 12U and 15U girls attendance, with special events and activities offered as we cheer on our varsity team.

Activities Updates

The Boys Cross Country Team is heading to the State tournament following a second place finish at the Section 4AAA meet lead by Luke Williams who was the champion. Find additional details here. The Girls Cross Country Team is sending three runners to the State tournament after they finished third in their Section meet. Read more here. Registrations are now being taken for the Nov. 29 & 30 WBL Cheer Basketball Season Youth Clinic. Find information 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

Oct. 23 Work Session

Oct. 9 Regular Session

Sept. 25 Work Session

District News

General Information

Family Notices

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.
Fall Musical - Tickets are now available for the WBLAHS Fall Musical "Little Shop of Horrors," which will be performed Nov. 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 at the WBLAS Community Auditorium. Find complete information here.
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.
Virtual Substance Abuse Awareness & Naloxone (Narcan) - The Rotary Club of White Bear Lake is partnering with the White Bear Lake Area Schools and Mahtomedi Schools to increase awareness and training of Naloxone as a life saving measure through a workshop to be administered via Zoom from 6:30-7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Attendees will have access to receive a free Naloxone kit by scanning a QR code at the end of the presentation. White Bear and Mahtomedi residents are asked to register for the virtual event at mahtomedi.ce.eleyo.com. See the flyer here.
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.
WBL Cheer Clinic - Registrations are now being taken for the Nov. 29 & 30 WBL Cheer Basketball Season Youth Clinic. Find information here.
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.
2024-25 Academic Calendars - Find the preliminary 2024-25 Academic Calendar 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

2023 AP School Honor Roll - White Bear Lake Area High School has been named a Silver member of the 2023 AP School Honor Roll, which recognizes schools for an AP program that is delivering results and broadening access for students. Schools can earn the Honor Roll recognition annually based on their ability to increase their school’s college-going culture, provide opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximize college readiness.
White Bear Lake Area High School - South Campus:

Achieved Silver status for college culture with 55% of the Class of 2023 experiencing 1 AP class before graduation.
Achieved Gold status by 37% of the Class of 2023 earning college credit with an AP Exam score of 3 or higher.
Achieved Gold status by creating opportunities for 11% of the Class of 2023 taking a total of 5 AP courses across their high school years, with at least 1 taken in 9th and 10th grade.

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

National Native American Heritage Month
Nov. 6-10 - National School Psychology Week
Nov. 9 - National Community Education Day
Nov. 11 - Veterans Day
Nov. 13-17 - American Education Week, Geography Awareness Week
Nov. 15 - Education Support Professionals Day
Nov. 16 - National Parental Involvement Day
Nov. 23 - Thanksgiving Day

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.
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

Fall Musical - Tickets are now available for the WBLAHS Fall Musical "Little Shop of Horrors," which will be performed Nov. 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 at the WBLAS Community Auditorium. Find complete information here.
Girls’ Hockey Youth Hockey Night - Thursday, November 16 is Youth Hockey Night at WBLAHS Varsity Girls’ Hockey’s 7 p.m. game vs. Eagan, which will take place at the White Bear Sports Center. The WBLAHA Association is sponsoring all youth girls - 8U, 10U, 12U and 15U girls attendance, with special events and activities offered as we cheer on our varsity team.
WBL Cheer Clinic - Registrations are now being taken for the Nov. 29 & 30 WBL Cheer Basketball Season Youth Clinic. Find information here.
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.