Community e-Newsletter

June 21, 2026

Find us at Marketfest!

District representatives will be back this summer at Marketfest, which runs Thursdays, June 18 - July 30 in Downtown White Bear Lake. Stop by the district’s booth for pencils, bear paw tattoos and fun conversation!

We'll sponsor Marketfest on June 25 for a White Bear Lake Area Schools Spirit Night. Fourth Street will be filled with district booths and activities. Please bring your friends and family, wear orange, and join us at 6:30 p.m. for the scheduled “Orange Out” photo!

In Photos: Bears on the Move

photo collage of white bear lake area school students enjoying various activities

Student News

Celebrations and Recognitions

Four Mariner Middle School students Marley Hopkins, Charley Ross, Lily Smith and Dessa Sowles placed fifth at the National History Day competition in the Junior Group Exhibit Category for their project "The Love Canal". As part of the experience, the group displayed their project at the Exhibit Showcase at the Smithsonian, where they got to interact with visitors to the museum regarding their topic and their research process.

middle school students pose for photos in front of a National History Day sign and their tri-fold board presentation

The district's 2025-26 retirees were sent off in style during an event in their honor. The celebration recognized the employees for their over 765 years of service to the district and community. Watch a video honoring this year's retirees.

group of former white bear lake area schools staff members stand outside in a line for a photo

In a recent edition of the White Bear Press, the speeches given at White Bear Lake Area High School’s graduation ceremony on June 4 by students Finnian McVeigh, Jensen Vadnais and Luke Hilgers were highlighted. Meanwhile, several seniors shared in a video what being a White Bear grad means to them before walking across the stage to receive their diploma.

screenshot of an article highlighting three speeches given by seniors during the 2026 White Bear Lake Area High School graduation ceremony

Community Connections

North Star Elementary fifth grader Sophie Johnson was interviewed by Press Publications after winning the Marketfest poster contest. Her winning entry, which features the pavilion in downtown White Bear Lake with a bear standing on the top step, was inspired by memories she has of her family's time at that spot.

A watercolor painting of a bandstand with sheep in the foreground is next to a smiling girl holding a poster of the artwork.

Speaking of talented students, Emil Schluender, a third grader at Lincoln Elementary, won this year's Manitou Days Button Contest!

Students in grades K-5 from area schools have the opportunity to submit their designs based on the theme. And Emil's rose to the top. Emil told the White Bear Press, he was inspired to enter the contest after learning about the theme because his younger brother Calvin started playing hockey at the Hippodrome.

Emil earned a pizza party and free ice cream for his class and rode in a float during the Parade June 19, handing out candy and buttons with his design on them.

screenshot of a photo of a button designed by a third grade student

Free Summer Meals are available for kids and teens age 18 and younger at four district locations: Area Learning Center, Central Middle School, Transition Education Center and Willow Lane Elementary. There is no enrollment and no cost. The healthy meals are based on USDA nutrition guidelines. For serving times and additional sites around the state visit: www.summereatsmn.org or download the Free Meals for Kids app.

screenshot of a flyer with information about free summer meal locations in the White Bear Lake community

Go Bears!

Two individuals from the Boys' Track & Field Team were highlighted by the White Bear Press for landing on the podium during the State meet. Senior Tomi Animasaun placed third in the 300 hurdles. He also finished tenth in the 110 hurdles and 17th in long jump. Senior Easton Miles took home the eighth place medal in long jump. Top finishers for the Girls' Team were Mabel Nethercut who placed 14th in the 1600 meter race and Madelyn Erickson who placed 18th in shot put.

two high school track and field athletes captured preforming their sports

WBLAHS Theatre students performed a 3 1/2 minute medley at the Spotlight Showcase, enjoyed seeing WBLAHS 2012 grad Dylan Rugh serve as a reception MC, and celebrated Eli Murphy being named one of four students to receive the New York Experience - a major prize offered by Hennepin Arts through its Spotlight Education program. During the all-expenses-paid trip to New York City, Eli will enjoy Broadway Shows, Masterclasses and Industry Networking.

photo collage of white bear lake area high school students and staff at the Hennepin Theatre Spotlight Showcase

Three White Bear Lake Area High School student-athletes competed at the State Class 3A Golf tournament at Bunker Hills. On the Boys' Team, Easton Fiddle tied for fifth place shooting a 143 total. He was also the Suburban East Conference champion this season and placed third in the section. On the Girls' Team, Maddy Vang placed 54th of 88 entrants and Adelle Blasing placed 71st.

headshots of three high school folders wearing medals earned during a competition

Activities Updates

The White Bear Press highlighted the final results of the Boys' Track and Field State meet where two individuals medaled in their respective events. Boys' Golf Team member Easton Fiddle tied for fifth place during the State Golf tournament. The White Bear Press recapped the event. For the Girls' Golf Team, Maddy Vang placed 54th of 88 entrants and Adelle Blasing placed 71st. Find more details in this White Bear Press article. Recent WBLAHS graduate Eli Murphy was named one of four students to receive the New York Experience - a major prize offered by Hennepin Arts through its Spotlight Education program.

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.

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.

Please contact the Communications Department (651-407-7695) to submit Student News for inclusion in future publications.

School Board News

School Board Student Recognition

During the June 8 School Board Regular Meeting, School Board members celebrated individuals from the Boys' and Girls' Golf Teams, Boys' and Girls' Track and Field Teams and the Girl's Flag Football Team who competed at the state-level along with three high school students who competed in the Make48 national competition and two middle school students who competed in a state-level video contest. Watch the student recognition video.

Two high school student's school photos are pictured in the foreground against a black background, with a large orange %22B%22 and paw print graphic on the left side.

Upcoming School Board Meetings

Past Meeting Highlights

Jun. 8 Regular Session

May 18 Work Session

May 11 Regular Session

School Board News stories

District News

General Information

Family Notices

billboard image with elementary students and enrollment text

Free Summer Meals - Free Summer Meals are available for kids and teens age 18 and younger at four district locations: Area Learning Center, Central Middle School, Transition Education Center and Willow Lane Elementary. There is no enrollment and no cost. The healthy meals are based on USDA nutrition guidelines. For serving times and additional sites around the state visit: www.summereatsmn.org or download the Free Meals for Kids app.
June 25 Spirit Night - Mark your calendar to stop by the district's Spirit Night at Marketfest on June 25 in White Bear Lake when we fill 4th Street with activities and student groups. AND - wear orange and join us for an "Orange Out" photo at 6:30 p.m. that evening.
Meal Account Balance Refunds and Transfers - Funds remaining in your student's account at the end of each school year will roll over to the next school year. If your student is graduating or moving out of the district please complete the Request for Refund form. If you would like money transferred to a sibling, please indicate so on the form. Requests can also be made through paper copies of the form.
2025 WBLAHS Graduation Rate - White Bear Lake Area High School's 2025 graduation rate is the highest in the area. The 2025 reported graduation rate at WBLAHS is 97.32%, topping the state rate by 12.38 percentage points and increasing by 0.80 percentage points from last year, according to data released today by MDE. This rate surpasses all neighboring districts – and even those traditionally ranked among the highest in the Twin Cities.
ParentVUE app - Synergy has a new StudentVUE and ParentVUE app available. Parents may get the message below when using the ParentVUE app on their phones. We added instructions for using the new app on the ParentVUE page on our website. The current StudentVUE and ParentVUE apps will be deprovisioned over the summer.
Calling all incoming 2026-27 kindergarten Bears! - Registration is open for students entering kindergarten in Fall 2026! White Bear Lake Area Schools offers strong neighborhood school programs, and district-wide options for International Baccalaureate (IB) and Elementary Spanish Dual Immersion.
2026-27 Preschool Registration - Registration for the district's 2026-27 preschool programs are open! We offer a safe and nurturing environment for a child’s first school experience away from home in our four star (highest possible rating) Parent Aware rated programs! Find more information on the Early Childhood page of the website.
New Registration System for Community Education & Recreation - As of December 1, registrations for White Bear Lake Area Schools Community Education & Recreation programs have moved to Arux, our new and improved system for account management, payments, and enrollment. Be sure to save our new web address: whitebear.arux.app.
2025 Annual Update - The 2025 Annual Update electronic was published on the district's website in December and is available in print at district buildings!
2025 Building Our Future Video - The 2025 update of the district’s Building Our Future facilities projects – made possible by our community’s support of the 2019 bond referendum – is now available on the district’s YouTube channel. This marks our sixth annual video update to the school community. This year’s video highlights work completed last summer at our middle schools and showcases ongoing construction that will allow the Early Childhood and Transition Education Centers to be housed at Sunrise Park beginning in Fall 2026.
Academic Calendars - At the November 10, 2025 Regular School Board Meeting, the White Bear Lake Area School Board approved the following calendars. More information on the decision can be found in this news story.
- 2026-27 Academic Calendar
- 2027-28 Academic Calendar
ParentSquare "Digest" settings - Are you overwhelmed with the number of emails, texts and app notifications you are getting from ParentSquare? Set your notifications to Digest and you will receive one email and/or one text and/or one app notification providing access to all ParentSquare information at the end of the day. Note: If you receive notifications by email, you'll receive a daily digest email from your district and schools separately if there are posts that day.
- Set Your Notification Method in a Web Browser:
  - Go to www.parentsquare.com and log in.
  - Click your name in the upper right and select Manage Account.
  - Click Notification Settings.
  - Select Off, Instant or Digest for each type of notification (Email, Text, App), and for each school or district if there is more than one.
- Watch an explanation video outlining this information and more.
Application for Educational Benefits - Has Your Family’s Income Recently Changed? Many families are feeling the impact of furloughs, job losses, reduced federal contracts, or cuts to SNAP (food assistance) funding as a result of the federal government shutdown. Families can apply or re-apply for educational benefits at any time during the school year.
While school meals are free in Minnesota, educational benefits may help qualify your family for discounts and reduced fees on:
- Sports and Activity Fees
- College Application Fees
- Driver's Training
- Internet Access and Utility Bills
- AP Test Registration Fees and more!
  Apply today! Visit the Educational Benefits page of our website or contact nutritionservices@isd624.org for more information.
Quarter-Century of Finance Awards for White Bear Lake Area Schools - White Bear Lake Area Schools has once again earned top honors for financial reporting, marking the 25th consecutive year the district has received both the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting. See this press release for more information.
2026-27 FAFSA Form is Live – Don’t Miss Out on Aid! - The 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form is now open. Completing the FAFSA form is a key to accessing federal, state, and institutional financial aid that can help cover the cost of college or career training. We strongly encourage all students to complete the form as soon as possible. The earlier you apply, the better your chances of maximizing aid. If you need help or have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your school counselor or college advisor.
Screen at Three - The District's Early Childhood Program has free "Screen at Three" screening dates available this spring and summer. This important step is required for all children and supports readiness for kindergarten while promoting health and development. Find additional information in this Screening flyer.
Bear Care Clinic - The Bear Care Health and Wellness Clinic is located at WBLAHS but available to all district families. Find more information about their services and to make an appointment.
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.
Stay connected! - Join White Bear Lake Area Schools' social media circles - Facebook, Instagram 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 and you may find your little one featured in District publications!
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.

Awards and Honors

Community Education

The WBLAS Community Education and Recreation Department provides a wide range of services and opportunities that enhance the quality of life for all members of ISD 624.

Community Education and Recreation Summer Catalog - The Summer 2026 Community Education Catalog is now available. The catalog highlights enrichment and recreation opportunities available for all ages. It also includes Bear’s Bulletin, which covers district news and updates.
Senior Center Summer Location - Due to parking lot construction at Sunrise Park, the Senior Center will be temporarily relocating this summer. Our temporary location will be the Normandy Park Education Center (2484 East County Rd F, White Bear Lake, MN 55110), from June 16 through August 19. Please note the Senior Center will be closed for moving on August 20 and 21. We look forward to welcoming you back to Sunrise Park in late August with improved parking!
2026-27 Preschool Registration - Registration for the district's 2026-27 preschool programs is open! We offer a safe and nurturing environment for a child’s first school experience away from home in our four star (highest possible rating) Parent Aware rated programs! Find more information on the Early Childhood page of the website.
New Registration System for Community Education & Recreation - As of December 1, registrations for White Bear Lake Area Schools Community Education & Recreation programs have moved to Arux, our new and improved system for account management, payments, and enrollment. Be sure to save our new web address: whitebear.arux.app. Find additional details here.
Seasonal Catalogs - Seasonal catalogs, with multiple opportunities for community members of all ages, can be found here!
Digital Backpack - The Community Education 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 Education & Recreation Department.

Senior Center Summer Location - Due to parking lot construction at Sunrise Park, the Senior Center will be temporarily relocating this summer. Our temporary location will be the Normandy Park Education Center (2484 East County Rd F, White Bear Lake, MN 55110), from June 16 through August 19. Please note the Senior Center will be closed for moving on August 20 and 21. We look forward to welcoming you back to Sunrise Park in late August with improved parking!
The Voice - Stay informed about the latest community offerings for seniors in the community through The Voice.
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.
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

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 at Sunrise - The Closet is open and available to all students and families in need. Clothing, jackets, shoes, etc. Families need to connect to a building social worker, psychologist, nurse, or principal who can assist the family! As a reminder, the Closet has moved to the new District Center at Sunrise Park: 2399 Cedar Ave. Find additional 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.

Partnership Updates

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 at Sunrise - The Closet is open and available to all students and families in need. Clothing, jackets, shoes, etc. Families need to connect to a building social worker, psychologist, nurse, or principal who can assist the family! As a reminder, the Closet has moved to the new District Center at Sunrise Park: 2399 Cedar Ave. Find additional 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.
Bear Care
- The Bear Care Health and Wellness Clinic is located at WBLAHS but available to all district families. The clinic also offers Nutrition Counseling. See a flyer for this new service here.

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

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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