Community e-Newsletter

August 25, 2024

Two Important Notices!

Bear with backpack and #BackToSchoolBears information

When we begin school in September, families, staff and community members are invited to share back-to-school pictures (along with why they are excited for the school year) on Facebook with a #BackToSchoolBears hashtag for a chance at being featured in a September Community e-Newsletter. Photo entries may also be emailed to us at communications@isd624.org.

Join us for a Community Open House event from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, August 29 at White Bear Lake Area High School (formerly WBLAHS - North Campus).

Stick around that night for our season opener football game, which will kick off at 7 p.m. It’s the perfect opportunity to see the new facilities and cheer on our Bears!

In Photos: New Opportunities

collage of photos showing adults and students enjoying different activities

Student News

Exciting Happenings

Two more Willow Lane Elementary students have been named as recipients of the Minnow Tank Effect Scholarship. Staff members surprised Averie Lo and Dylan Elizalde Manuel to share the wonderful news with their families present. The Minnow Tank Effect Scholarship will be awarded to fifth graders from Willow Lane over the next four years who demonstrate the Minnow Tank values of service to others, teamwork, gratitude and perseverance.

Middle school and high school fall sports teams and activities are in full swing! Many athletes are preparing for their first few meets and games of the season, including the Girls' Soccer Team who won their season opener at home against Centennial. Read game highlights here. Registration is still open for several fall sports teams. Find more information here.

Find game times and locations for all teams and activities on the Activities page so you don't miss out on an opportunity to cheer on all our Bears! Don't forget, you can cheer on the Bears Football Team at the high school Stadium on Thursday, August 29 at 7 p.m. following the Community Open house event from 3-6 p.m. 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 school activities. Find additional information here.

high school divers and soccer players pose for a group photo

Check out this beautiful sight, which was captured earlier in August! Oneka Elementary was the perfect backdrop for this photo of the northern lights.

northern lights over an elementary school building

Members of White Bear Lake High School and Mariner High School's Class of 1974 gathered for a 50th reunion last week. Those in attendance took a tour of White Bear Lake Area High School, which is opening to grades 9-12 this fall. Community members are invited to walk through the building during our Community Open House event from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, August 29. Find additional information here!

community members take a tour of white bear lake area high school

White Bear Lake Area School District received a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The McKinney-Vento Act is designed to address the challenges that children and youths experiencing housing instability have faced in enrolling, attending and succeeding in school.

School Year Preparations

New educators came together for a 2-day orientation that included time at their buildings, sessions with district leaders to get to know White Bear Lake Area Schools, and (of course) an opportunity to practice their "Go Bears!" Welcome to White Bear, new educators!

new school staff members pose for a group photo

We continue to hire for the 2024-25 school year. We need substitute teachers, paraeducators, Extended Day staff members, licensed school nurses and more! We offer competitive wages, flexible work hours, and a chance to make a difference for kids in our community. Find more information on the employment page of the district's website.

flyer depicting information for employment opportunities

It's that time of year when students are thinking about being back in school, so our Nutrition Services Department recently mailed a postcard to families to remind students of important information including: free breakfast and lunch, the Application for Educational Benefits, practicing student PINs, lunch menus and deposit instructions.

Meanwhile, back to school information, including School Supply info, ParentVUE information and calendars can be found at the Back to School page of the district’s website.

First page of the PDF file: 2024NutritionServicespostcard

First page of the PDF file: 2024ApplicationforEducationalBenefitsFlyer

Activities Updates

Registration is open for the Fall Sports Season for middle and high school students. Find additional details here. The Girls' Soccer Team opened their season with a win at home against Centennial. Find additional details here. Meanwhile, the Boys' Soccer Team ended their season opener with a tie against Centennial. Read 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.

School Board News

School Board Student Recognition

Join us in celebrating White Bear Lake Area Schools students for state and national-level honors. Our Student Recognition video from the August 12, 2024 School Board Meeting celebrates students who have represented the district in various activities including members of the Speech team who competed at the state and national-level and members of the Fishing and Trap and Skeet teams who participated at the national-level. Watch the video here.

high school student honored for state and national speech team participation

Upcoming School Board Meetings

Past Meeting Highlights

Aug. 12 Regular Session

July 8 Regular Session

June 10 Regular Session

View All News

District News

General Information

Family Notices

ParentSquare - Please note that district- and building-level communication will soon be sent through the use of ParentSquare, a communications tool the district will be launching in phases throughout the school year.
Community Services and Recreation Fall Catalog - Registration for Community Services and Recreation classes is now open! Enjoy activities and events for Bears of all ages from arts and crafts to youth sports to STEAM based learning opportunities. Find more information here.
WBLAHS Open House - Those who are interested in touring the renovated White Bear Lake Area High School are invited to mark their calendars for a Community Open House event from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, August 29. Find additional information here!
Early Childhood Program - 2024-25 Early Childhood Family Education classes are now accepting enrollments! Find registration information and view class options here.
Enrollment Info - We are still accepting enrollments for the 2024-25 school year. Find enrollment information here.
Nutrition Services Updates - Find important information about Nutrition Services in the following publications:
- Informational postcard (Spanish version here)
- Application for Educational Benefits flyer (Spanish version here)
Bear Care Clinic - Find information about the Bear Care Health and Wellness Clinic, located at WBLAHS but available to all district families, here. Bear Care now also offers Nutrition Counseling. See a flyer for this new service here. See a new Bear Care flyer here.
Calendars - The district's 2024-15 Calendar will arrive in families' mailboxes very soon. The simple Academic Calendars approved by the School Board can be found below:
- 2024-25 Academic Calendar
- 2025-26 Academic Calendar
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.
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.
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!

Awards and Honors

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.

Early Childhood Program - Registration is open for Early Childhood Family Education. Find registration information and view class options here.
Seasonal Catalogs - Seasonal catalogs, 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

2024 Homecoming Week begins Sunday, October 6. A week of festivities will lead up to Friday's game against Roseville and Saturday's "Red Carpet Gala" semi-formal dance.

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.
- The Closet will be closed from June 6 - August 15. Find more information 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.

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

Partnership Updates

Bear Care
- See an updated Bear Care flyer here. Additional language versions: Hmong, Somali, Spanish.
- Bear Care School-Based Health Center has extended their hours! Find information about the Bear Care Health and Wellness Clinic, located at WBLAHS - North Campus but available to all district families, here.
- Bear Care now offers Nutrition Counseling. See a flyer for this new service 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.
- The Closet - 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.
  - The Closet will be closed from June 6 - August 15. Find more information here.
We are Hiring! - White Bear Lake Area Educational Foundation is now hiring for a part time office administrator. Learn more: https://www.wblaef.org/career.

ISD 624 does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX, including in employment. Complete information in SB Policy 522.

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