Community e-Newsletter

In Photos: Exciting Happenings!

Student News

Inspiring Leaders

It's time once again to celebrate professional excellence as part of the White Bear Lake Area Educators’ Teacher of the Year program. The process begins with nominations from community members, parents, students and colleagues. Please take the time to nominate an exceptional teacher who goes above and beyond and who makes White Bear Lake Area Schools a great place to send our students every day. Nominations are open until 4 p.m. on Monday, February 9.

Matoska International first graders and Area Learning Center students collaborated on a reading project. The younger Bears read a book about different animals with their high school buddy! Then they played a fun game, working together to match words with the pictures that correlate together. Watch this activity come to life in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

Dr. Kazmierczak hosted members of the High School Student Advisory. During the lunchtime meeting, which was captured in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds", students participated in a taste-testing activity and engaged in conversation with the superintendent and other district leaders. High school and middle school advisory groups meet with Dr. K periodically throughout the year.

Mariner Middle School 6th Grade Earth Science David Lamwers recently added "Price is Right contestant" to his resume, which also included Middle School Tennis Coach and Week Without Wall Co-coordinator. In the game show episode that aired on Jan. 27, Mr. Lamwers can be heard doing a shout-out to the students and teachers of White Bear after he spun the game's giant wheel (just before the 14 minute mark of the video)!

Several Central Middle School staff members were among the hundreds of participants to plunge into White Bear Lake on January 31 as part of the Polar Plunge event which raises money and awareness for Special Olympics Minnesota. Funds raised will help provide year-round training and services to thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities across the state.

Taking Center Stage

First graders at North Star Elementary are learning about the solar system. To help remember the names of all the planets, students memorized a fun song that they sing every day and performed for the second graders. Listen to a snippet of their performance in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds".

Lakeaires Elementary fourth and fifth graders are enjoying a unique experience in their music class in partnership with the MacPhail Center for Music. They are learning how to play different West African drums from musicians Whitney McClusky and Fode Bangoura who is from Guinea. 

International Peace Poster Contest entries that were created by Central Middle School seventh graders were recently on display at the White Bear Center for the Arts (WBCA) Community Hall. In other art related news, WBLAHS senior Luca Ackerman was listed as an emerging artist in the White Bear Press for his love of music and theater. Ackerman is involved with band, orchestra, and drumline along with sound design and stage management for various student productions at the high school. 

The WBLAHS Wind Ensemble (Band) and Mariners (Choir) were selected to perform at the MN Music Education Association Convention on Feb. 13th. Unfortunately, the event was canceled. In lieu of that performance, the music department is planning a concert that evening from 7-9 p.m. at the WBLAHS PAC. This performance will highlight our talented students and honor the work they have put into their repertoire.  Please join us as we celebrate our student musicians! Find info in this event flyer.

STEAM Based Lessons

Preschoolers at Otter Lake Elementary had fun designing buildings. Their STEAM based lesson was highlighted in a recent video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". Students created blueprints using paper then built their creation using blocks. Preschool registration for the 2026-27 school year opens at 8 a.m. on Monday, February 2. You can find more information about enrollment and our programs on the Early Childhood page of the website.

Lincoln Elementary Extended Day students have taken advantage of the Minnesota winter and enjoyed a lively outdoor science experiment - they made volcanos in the snow using various materials. The students gathered round to watch the volcano erupt, which was the most exciting part!

Fifth graders at Lakeaires Elementary are learning about different mediums in their art class. Students are exploring fabrics through a felt sewing project where they are making mini pot tart pillows. They cut materials and learned how to thread a needle to sew the fabrics together. See their lesson come to life in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds". 

Mark Your Calendar

District Kudos

The White Bear Press was recently on hand to cover Mariner Middle School's acceptance of School of Excellence honors at a special event hosted at the school. Earlier this school year, Otter Lake Elementary celebrated their School of Excellence recognition during a playground opening event. 

The district’s Archery team honed their skills during recent practices, as seen in this video issue of "The Week in 62.4 Seconds", as they prepare for upcoming tournaments. The team supports archery enthusiasts of all ages, from beginners in 3rd grade to high school seniors, and is open to all area students that are interested in developing archery skills. Learn more about the program by visiting the Archery team's website. 

The WBLAHS Boys' Hockey Team had the special honor of participating in a Hockey Day MN game vs. Park on Jan. 21. With six seconds remaining in regulation, Nash Roed tied the score with an assist from Rian Marquardt. The game ended in a 1-1 tie in overtime. Find additional game highlights in this White Bear Press article. 

 Activities Updates

The Girls' Wrestling Team placed third out of 16 teams at the Pirate Classic at Park Center. Isabelle Kane and Dominique Demanou both placed first in their respective divisions. Find more tournament highlights in this White Bear Press article. The Boys' Wrestling Team won the Pirate Classic tournament with Indiana Kane and Gavin Nathanson both placing first in their respective divisions. Read more tournament highlights in this article. The White Bear Press highlighted the Wrestling Team's most recent win against Tartan High School. The Boys' Hockey Team defeated Mounds View 15-1 in a recent match up. Learn more about the team's success on the ice in this White Bear Press article. The White Bear Press also recorded game highlights from the Girls Hockey Team's win over Park. The Girls' Basketball Team secured a win over Goodhue during the MLK Classic Tournament. Find additional game highlights in this article. The Girls' Gymnastics Team landed their best score of the season during a recent meet against Park High School. Read more about their successes on the mat in this White Bear Press article. 

Hudl Ticketing is the exclusive provider of online tickets for all of our White Bear Lake Area High School home regular season athletic ticketing needs. Find games and purchase tickets 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.

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