School Talk, spring 2021 by Mounds View Public Schools

SPRING 2021

New rules for schools

as students return to learn

Returning to learning “B

e prepared to pivot.” That was the frequently repeated phrase Mounds View Public Schools shared with families and staff when the 2020-21 school year began. It proved prescient. In response to soaring COVID-19 case counts in the community, all schools in the District moved to distance learning in late November. Then in late January, the state changed its guidance and allowed districts to welcome back kindergarten and elementary school students for daily, in-person learning. In late February, the District welcomed back middle school and high school students to blended (hybrid) learning, every-other-day at 50% capacity. A few weeks later, the state announced that schools could welcome back middle school and high school students for daily in-person learning as long as health guidelines were met. Mounds View Public Schools then announced it would begin collaborative planning to reopen all secondary schools for in-person learning at the end of March.

On the cover:

Administrative intern Aldo Cantellano uses his “King COVID” alter ego to offer gentle safety reminders to students at Valentine Hills Elementary School.

Welcome back Reopening classrooms to support up to 100% occupancy required elementary schools to implement an expanded series of updated health and safety measures. Some of these new rules for schools included distancing guidelines, personal protective equipment recommendations and more. In the elementary schools, this was the first time since March 2020 that any school in the District was open for

“ It was fantastic to see our teachers absolutely lighting up when they saw students coming down the hallway.” – Todd Durand, principal, Pike Lake Kindergarten Center 100% capacity of students. As a result, reopening schools presented a lot of unique challenges. “Timelines are routinely shifting, and the changes are pretty taxing,” says Todd Durand, principal of Pike Lake Kindergarten Center. “Through it all, our teachers and staff are doing a great Editors

Superintendent

Megan McKeen Colin Sokolowski

Designer Susan Abbott

Photographers Greg Helgeson Lifetouch Megan McKeen

Chris Lennox

2021 School Board Shauna Bock Heidi Danielson Jim DeMay Diane Glasheen Marre Jo Sager Jonathan Weinhagen Sandra Westerman

School Talk is published by Mounds View Public Schools, Independent School District 621. Send correspondence to School Talk editor, 4570 Victoria St. N., Shoreview, MN 55126, email megan.mckeen@moundsviewschools.org or call 651-621-6012. Para asistencia en traducciones ó ayuda como intérprete, por favor comuníquese con Angel Toro al 651-724-2854. Yog xa tau kev pab thiab hais ua lus Hmoob thov hu rau Mee Yang ntawm 651-724-0396. Haddi aad ubaahantahay faahfaahin dheerad ah ama turjumaad, fadlan kala soo xiriir Basima Mohamed, taleefanka 651-724-7482. Connect with us:

job supporting students and families. In the end, it was fantastic to see kids coming back and having our teachers absolutely lighting up when they saw students coming down the hallway.” For some returning students, there were even a few surprises. “When they left in November, all of our new construction was behind a plastic tarp,” says Lindsey Samec, principal at Valentine Hills Elementary School. “When the students came back,

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we had a whole new third of the school that had just been revealed to them. They were so excited!” At Valentine Hills, there’s a mantra: We can do hard things. “And this has been a hard thing,” says Samec. “Many of our students have become used to doing less than seven hours a day of learning. But we’re rebuilding the students’ stamina to jump back into learning and growing together, so that as they move forward into future grades, they’re not feeling that loss.”

First-grade teacher Michelle Krohn begins small-group instruction at Valentine Hills Elementary School.

Learning models About 34% of all students from kindergarten to grade 12 are in distance learning.

State guidance now allows all K-12 students to attend schools daily.

Blended learning has been suspended since late March.

DISTANCE

BLENDED (HYBRID)

IN-PERSON

• Students use Districtprovided laptops to participate in independent learning and online instruction daily from home.

• Students attend school at no more than 50% capacity.

• Students attend for in-school instruction every day at full capacity.

• Students have meaningful learning opportunities available every day. These may include activities like: – Recorded mini-lessons on content or the course – Teacher interaction with students using activities – Opportunities for peer-to-peer activities – Small-group meetings/activities throughout the day

• Middle school and high school students attend in a co-hort group either Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday. Fridays offer students additional inperson or online enrichment or support based on their individual needs. On days not in school, students participate in independent learning from home.

P S U S

D E D EN

• Schools enforce the state’s mask mandate and create physical distancing among students and staff.

For secondary school students, Fridays are “Learning Plus Days,” when students learn from home. • Schools create as much physical space among students and staff as possible, but cannot guarantee they can strictly enforce six feet of physical distance. • Schools enforce the state’s mask mandate.

• All students have an engagement activity with their teachers on a regular basis.

SPRING 2021

School Talk

Learning model satisfaction In early December, schools asked families to share how they thought the blended (hybrid) and distance learning models were working for their children.

“How satisfied are you that these schools are doing their best?”

86% of families

were satisfied that schools were doing their best to serve all students and families.

29%

57%

Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied

Distance learning satisfaction

87%

of families who chose

distance learning were satisfied.

Blended learning satisfaction

67%

of families who chose blended learning were satisfied with distance learning. These were families with students who were shifted into distance learning when COVID case counts soared.

of families who chose % 83 blended learning

were satisfied.

What’s working well? What’s working well? Live teaching and interactive activities. Live teaching and interactive activities. What’s challenging? What’s challenging? No ability to attend school in person.* Opportunities to interact with peers. * State guidance prevented daily in-person instruction at the time of the survey.

Safety measures in schools of families thought their school had the right amount % 85 of safety measures to keep students and staff healthy.

94%

of families thought the safety measures were easy for their child to follow.

School-specific survey responses are available at moundsviewschools.org/learningmodelsurveys. 4

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SPRING 2021

g year

engin ll a h c g in r u d ’ u o y hools say ‘thank

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For your sacrifice

For your suppor t. For your patience.

The following column was published during Thanksgiving week, when the community’s COVID case counts forced all schools to be closed.

ip. For your partnersh so very much. hools thank you Sc ic bl Pu ew Vi s We at Mound

en Jonathan Weinhag r School Board chai

Chris Lennox Superintendent

SPRING 2021

School Talk

What do in-person elementary schools look like? “In blended learning, distancing made it hard for students to have a conversation across six feet,” says Lindsey Samec, principal of Valentine Hills Elementary School. “Now that

Teachers regularly spread students out across the room, using desks and floor rugs to create as much separation as possible.

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SPRING 2021

we’re in-person and minimizing that to about three feet, it feels like kids can be kids. It’s more accessible for the learning they’re doing.”

Outdoor recess looks much the same. The Minnesota Safe Learning Plan requires students to wear face coverings during indoor physical activity or recess.

Although it’s not required, some staff choose to wear face shields along with their face masks.

Clear Plexiglass barriers are sometimes used during smallgroup interactions or instruction.

Most meals are located in cafeterias with students distanced from each other at tables.

SPRING 2021

School Talk

A CLOSER LOOK

l a c i p y t d n a

Supporting students in trying times Belonging. Connections. Support. Relationships. All of these factors are important to student success and well-being during a typical school year, let alone during one that’s unprecedented. “Ever since the pandemic began, we recognized a need for increased student supports,” says Jen Lodin, executive director of student support and engagement. “We want our students and families to know we’re here to help support and partner with them.” Strong relationships with students and families have always been central to the District’s work. A combination of recent efforts have been targeting students who need extra support during both typical and trying times.

New positions This fall, the District introduced three new positions to promote a comprehensive approach to students’ mental health and well-being through personalized support and consultation. Mental health specialist Julia Geigle provides support to students in Irondale High School and its feeder schools, while Carla Anton provides support to Mounds View High School students and its feeder schools. Both work closely with community partners, monitoring trends, creating comprehensive system supports and providing consultation for families and students. Chemical health specialist John Norwood supports and coordinates services for students with current or past substance use and students impacted by a loved one’s use. He also works closely with community partners and remains current on youth trends and treatment recovery models and protocols.

SPRING 2021

• Natalis Counseling & Psychology Solutions is a multi-disciplinary group of professional staff offering comprehensive behavioral health services. • Family Innovations provides counseling and mental health therapy services.

Connectedness strategies

• Personal “check-in” phone calls Julia Geigle, MSW, LICSW

• School spirit weeks • Google Hangout reading conferences • Elementary school virtual bedtime stories with teachers • Offering social and emotional lessons grounded in perseverance and grit • Reminding students about mindfulness techniques and modeling

Carla Anton, MA, LMFT

John Norwood, The District works closely with community chemical health partners to meet the ongoing needs that specialist students may be experiencing. However this year, the District is also increasing contracted services with four mental health providers in the community. These providers are co-located with regular presences in schools and in communitybased offices. All offer virtual tele-health services. Students and families can contact their dean to learn more about these services or visit moundsviewschools.org/studentsupport.

School Talk

• CLUES offers programs and services that engage and empower the community by connecting individuals and families to skills, resources and systems of support.

When schools were closed, distance learning challenged many students to feel connected to their schools, their teachers and their peers. Teachers and staff employed a number of strategies to combat the feeling of disconnection. These are only a few of the activities.

Contracted services

• Northeast Youth & Family Services is a lifeline for youth, adults and families in need of mental health counseling and community-based support services.

• Hosting virtual meeting groups with students • Coordinating virtual talent shows • Virtual “show and tell” • Continuing “Student of the Week” celebrations • Hosting virtual lunches with students • Continuing principal-hosted birthday lunches No matter the environment, Mounds View Public Schools is committed to ongoing systems of support that promote mental health, well-being and opportunities to connect families and students with needed supports and interventions. “We know that these are challenging times for our students, staff and community,” admits Jonathan Weinhagen, School Board chair. “This is a really critical body of work that was important before this crisis emerged and certainly even more so as we manage through it.”

Renewing the Equity Promise Community members, parents, students and alumni are rolling up their sleeves and coming together as part of a new oversight group called the District Equity Council (DEC). It’s one of a half-dozen strategies designed to update and renew Mounds View Public Schools’ Equity Promise, which states in part that programs and services will be in place at all schools to ensure that race, gender, class and disability will not predict students’ success in Mounds View Public Schools. “Some in our community believe we’re doing a good job, and some don’t believe the Equity Promise includes them,” says Jason Knighton-Johnson,

District Equity Council members “ We have some experts in this community that want to make a change to make things better in the community,” says District Equity Council leader Jason Knighton-Johnson. Wachen Bedell Anderson, parent Jessica Berc, parent Heidi Danielson, School Board Ruth Davis, parent Kalimba Edwards, parent Siobhan Ehle, parent Leticia A. Floyd, parent Robert Garrett, student Kara Genia, parent Nicole Hard, student Kate Harsh, parent Jaki Hurst, student Firdosa Hussein, parent J.J. Killins, parent Jason Knighton-Johnson, equity liaison Kayli Knighton-Johnson, volunteer Carmen Kurdziel, parent S. Rain Lawrence, parent Chris Lennox, superintendent Brian Lozenski, parent Yolanda Magee, parent Alyssa Miller, parent Jorannie Saryee, student Jo Saxton, parent Joanna Tzenis, parent Emily Voz, parent

equity liaison at Highview Middle School. “This council takes the community perspective and drops it into the center of our work.” Meeting monthly, the group will actively participate in the structuring, implementation and monitoring of the action steps of District equity work. The DEC also will serve as a resource in identifying areas for improvement, reinforcement and celebration related to student performance and the effectiveness of the Equity Promise. The DEC will partner in setting District goals as well as the measurement, tracking and public reporting of progress. Main areas of focus include:

• Creating an equity framework, including some immediate actions • Developing a long-term equity and integration policy • Establishing guidelines for staff professional development

“This is important work, and we want to make sure we’re engaging a diverse group of community stakeholders,” says Superintendent Chris Lennox. “Our community truly wants to partner with us, and Jason has been instrumental in moving this work forward. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead.” View the DEC progress at moundsviewschools.org/equitycouncil.

GOAL: Update and renew the District Equity Promise STRATEGIES: • Establish a District Equity Committee. • Improve and enhance supports for people of color and other underrepresented students with a focus on college and career planning. • Establish annual training for students and staff in the areas of anti-racism, implicit bias, equity and inclusion. • Redesign curriculum and materials to be more culturally relevant and to include absent narratives. • Review systems and structures for placement of students into courses. • Review District policies and regulations through the lens of anti-racism. • Increase the number of staff of color across our workforce.

SPRING 2021

School Talk

A CLOSER LOOK

The show goes on Creativity has fueled a variety of teaching and learning efforts during the pandemic. So it’s no surprise that the District’s performing arts groups also found creative solutions to share their talents in alternative ways . . .

ORCHESTRA District orchestra students featured in award-winning virtual performances Orchestra students from Irondale, Mounds View, Highview, Island Lake and Turtle Lake were featured in a virtual performance video that was featured on Schmitt Music’s Top 10 Minnesota Musical Moments for 2020. Mounds View students, along with hundreds of others from the Minnesota Youth Symphonies, came together virtually to play Beethoven’s Egmont Overture in honor of the composer’s 250th birthday. Another performance also made the list; to cap off their spring distance learning, hundreds of District orchestra students pulled off a tremendous virtual performance of And There Shall Be No Night, composed by Mounds View High School orchestra director Lucas Shogren. See the full list of musical moments and watch both performances at moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

Irondale orchestra performs annual Disney concert in person The Irondale concert and symphony orchestras played the seventh annual Disney concert in November, a popular community event in which students play songs from Disney films. This year, songs from Pirates of the Carribean, Beauty and the Beast and Pocohontas were included in the performance. While no guests were present due to COVID-19, many of the students were overjoyed to see each other in person for the first time since schools shifted to distance learning in March of the previous school year.

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Irondale Orchestra performs at senior living home On an unusually warm day in November, eight students from Irondale’s orchestra played for residents of Johanna Shores, a senior living home in Arden Hills. While some residents sat outside to enjoy the music, some enjoyed the performance from afar. “The students said they were moved to see the residents looking out their windows, on their balconies, some with tears in their eyes watching the students play. It was a moving and joyful experience for all,” said Rosa Glade Arnold, orchestra director at Irondale. From left to right: Dreena Kuto, Simon Alexander, Mia Tranowski, Maddie Parks, Lorena Gil-Mora, Phi Cu, Mahay Hsiung and Maryruth Darnell.

Irondale chamber orchestra practices in person In early February, orchestra students participated in the first in-person rehearsal for chamber orchestra since secondary schools shifted to distance learning in November. Watch their practice performance at moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

CHOIR

THEATRE

Pinewood’s performing arts club goes virtual

Mounds View livestreams fall play

To keep the love of music and performing alive, about 40 third- through fifth-graders at Pinewood Elementary School have been virtually performing their favorite songs from popular musicals. Once a month, students meet virtually to learn the new song, then submit a video of themselves singing the chosen song. Then, the videos are combined into a compilation video and are shared with the Pinewood community. The group has performed “Tomorrow” from Annie, “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music, and “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” from The Lion King. To view some of these performances, visit moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

As the pandemic continued into the fall, Mounds View theatre students faced new challenges as they planned their fall play, such as safety and social distancing, cleaning protocols, transitioning from a fall musical to a drama, live-streaming the show and more. Despite the challenges, students set out with a “can-do” mindset and created a unique fall play experience. In January, students performed the high school edition of Clue with phenomenal acting, technology and costumes. For the first time in Mounds View High School history of theatre, the performances were live streamed for audiences to view from home. With the same safety protocols in place, the student-run Shakespeare group will be performing Twelfth Night April 29 – May 1. For photos from the performance, visit moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

Irondale performs fall play outdoors

Top row: Jas Kumar Udaya and Naomi Shasky Bottom row: Tait Schabel and Abhishek Doddi

Irondale choir performs in-person

Irondale Drama transformed their fall play into a pandemicfriendly outdoor show in mid-October. Heaven Help the Po Taters was a light and comedic show complete with a hero, villain, romance and a drought. The fall play was moved up, typically performed in early November, in order to allow for an outdoor performance. Students rehearsed six days per week in order to get ready for the show, also deciding to forgo the usual fall musical and opt for a play instead. In November, the show was awarded The Hennepin Theater Trust Spotlight Education Program’s top honor of outstanding overall performance. For more about the Spotlight Education Program, including individual honors awarded to Irondale students, visit moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

Masked and socially distant students from Irondale’s choir were able to perform a short concert while students were in blended learning in October. Songs performed included the National Anthem, “We Shall Overcome,” “Love is Love is Love,” “We Are Marching” (a South African social justice anthem) and the Irondale Fight Song. After the District-wide shift to distance learning in November, choir students organized a virtual concert and shared it with the community. To view both of these performances, visit moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

Mounds View choir performs virtually While choir is not ideal in a distance learning format, Mounds View students have continued to make music at home. Students quickly adapted to new technology and performed a virtual choir concert in December. Watch the full concert at moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

SPRING 2021

School Talk

KEEPING PACE WITH SPACE

Virtual ribbon cuttings celebrate completed construction Thanks to support from voters, all of the District’s schools have added much-needed space to better serve students. This spring, construction will conclude at the final three schools to undergo improvements: Irondale High School, Sunnyside Elementary School and Valentine Hills Elementary School. The pandemic has complicated plans to host gatherings celebrating the completed spaces. But several schools that recently finished their final phase of construction have produced virtual ribbon-cutting ceremonies to share and celebrate their new projects. These include: Irondale High School Mounds View High School Chippewa Middle School Edgewood Middle School Bel Air Elementary School Pinewood Elementary School Sunnyside Elementary School Valentine Hills Elementary School

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To view their ribbon-cutting celebrations and take a tour, visit moundsviewschools.org/virtualribboncutting. The summer issue of School Talk will feature a multi-page pictorial of the entire District’s completed construction projects.

SCHOOL BOARD 2021 School Board In-person meetings In January, School Board meetings shifted from virtual to in person at the District Center. In addition to in-person meetings, all meetings are now streaming live and archived on YouTube: youtube.com/moundsviewschools.

2022-23 calendar approved Diane Glasheen, Heidi Danielson, Jonathan Weinhagen, Sandra Westerman, Marre Jo Sager, Shauna Bock and Jim DeMay.

Officers elected Every year at its first meeting in January, the School Board holds an organizational meeting to elect officers, make committee and school liaison assignments and settle other routine business. This year, the Board re-elected Jonathan Weinhagen as chair, Diane Glasheen as vice chair, Sandra Westerman as clerk and Shauna Bock as treasurer.

Audit report praised In November, a representative from the audit firm Malloy, Montague, Karnowski, Radosevich & Co., P.A. reviewed the 2019-20 audited financial statements and supplemental reports. During the presentation to the Board, the representative commended the District for its excellence in financial reporting and issued the highest level of audit reporting an auditor can give an organization. The audit report is available at moundsviewschools.org/finance.

Property tax decrease In December, the Board approved a resolution to certify the 2021 property tax levy. The final certification will be forwarded to Ramsey County for processing of the final property tax statement. The tax statements are being mailed in March. The property tax revenue will be available to the District for the 2021-22 school year. The total levy amount is $62,526,556 which is approximately 1% less than the 2020 tax levy. For more information, please visit moundsviewschools.org/finance.

At the February School Board meeting, the Board approved the 2022-23 school year calendar. The calendar contains no significant changes to traditional breaks including MEA break, Thanksgiving break, winter break and spring break. Visit the calendars page at moundsviewschools.org/calendars to see the current calendar and the next two school-year calendars.

Summer programs In February, the Board received an update on 2021 summer programming including preliminary plans for a comprehensive summer program that will include academic support, enrichment opportunities and student activities. To see all summer 2021 programs, visit moundsviewschools.org/summer.

Enrollment update In March, the District provided the Board with an update of the K-12 enrollment for first semester 2020-21. Enrollment totals at the end of first semester on January 27, 2021, were 11,366 as compared to 11,400 on October 1, 2020. For details and to view the enrollment report, visit moundsviewschools.org/boardagendas and find the summary from the March 9 School Board meeting.

Progress reports continue Each year, the School Board approves a series of goals and related activities on which the superintendent and cabinet will focus their work. This is known as the District Operational Plan (DOP). Progress reports are made regularly at School Board meetings. This year’s goals include: • Update and renew the District Equity Promise • Reopening schools • Construction management

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School Talk

EDUCATION FOUNDATION The Mounds View Schools Education Foundation works in collaboration with Mounds View Schools District leadership to identify programs that require funding to advance opportunities for students throughout the Mounds View District. For more information on the Foundation visit mvsef.org.

As students’ learning environments continue to evolve, so will our support By Erik Rasmussen, president, MVSEF Board of Trustees The Mounds View School District has a special place in the Rasmussen family. My daughters and I are all graduates of the District, and my mom taught in the District for more than 20 years. As a result, I have a deep appreciation for public education and what Mounds View Public Schools has to offer to the students in our community. The Mounds View Schools Education Foundation has a long history of supporting a variety of initiatives that have a meaningful impact on the students in our District. Examples of these programs include: the innovative funding of the ACT exam to juniors at no cost, increasing access to school-owned instruments, enhancing materials in STEAM labs and investing in the Equity Promise Scholarship Program. This past September, as a new school year began, the Foundation recognized the challenges distance learning posed for so many of our students and their families. Whether it was ensuring reliable internet access or supplementing the District’s Chromebook inventory, the Foundation was committed to supporting the students of the Mounds View School District. While we are encouraged that our support has provided more than 14

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Pictured left to right: Janelle Rasmussen, Erik Rasmussen, Barb Rasmussen, Becca Rasmussen, Dick Rasmussen and Kirsten Rasmussen. (Photo courtesy Rasmussen family)

250 families with access to reliable internet, we also know our funding for the second half of the school year is just as important. As the students’ learning environments continue to evolve, so will our support. For example, if fewer resources are required for distance learning, our commitment to programs like the music instrument program will broaden accordingly. Thank you to the generosity of those who participated in our annual giving program and the 2020 Rock the School House event. We have raised $25,000 of our $50,000

annual commitment to the District, which demonstrates we still have work to do. The Foundation’s commitment to our students spans over thirty years and at no time has our funding been more vital given the multitude of challenges confronting our school community. Please join me and other community members in supporting the students in our schools. Your contribution will help to provide an equitable education experience for all our students this school year. Visit www.mvsef.org for more information.

AROUND THE DISTRICT Mounds View supply drive To give back to the community and get students involved in volunteer efforts, Mounds View National Honor Society and SkillsUSA students worked together to organize a successful school supply donation drive in October. They collected school supplies as well as hand sanitizers, wipes and masks for families struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Collected items were then donated to Simpson Housing in Minneapolis.

Tricks and treats at Pike Lake Kindergartners bundled up to find tricks and treats during a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt at Pike Lake. Students searched for clues scattered around the nearby park to find festively painted pumpkins hidden in trees, under the playground and more.

High school students work to install solar panels on District buildings Mounds View Public Schools recently finished installing solar panel systems on the roofs of 13 school buildings. High school students led the process, which involved sending a petition to the community, engaging the School Board and drafting a resolution. The projects are estimated to save the district $1-2 million in electricity costs over the next 25 years, while also enhancing student education and helping the District meet its sustainability goals. Learn more about the project at moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

Melanie and Dylan Torres Ortiz pick up a few new books from Valentine Hills’ mobile library, the “CARES Mobile.”

Bringing the library to students As Valentine Hills students shifted to distance learning in November, staff used a school bus to create a mobile library and bring books directly to its students at a series of neighborhood stops. On Fridays in January, library staff filled up the “CARESMobile” with books and drove to different spots in the area each week, waiting for students to hop aboard and find some new books to enjoy at home.

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School Talk

AROUND THE DISTRICT New program connects orchestra students from different schools In the fall of 2019, junior viola player Lily Bronson participated in a side-by-side orchestra class with Mounds View High School and Valentine Hills Elementary School. Seeing how beneficial a District-wide orchestra community with students of all ages could be, she worked with other students to create a new orchestra mentorship program. Orchestra Buddies connects the District’s youngest orchestra players with older students through community, mentoring and virtual lessons. Bronson, now a senior, said she started the program to build and maintain orchestra connections across the District. “Orchestra is an opportunity for students to work together, collaborate and build each other up in the pursuit of making something beautiful, and having connections between students of different age levels means that this growth and community can extend beyond age and location.” To view a video about the Orchestra buddies program, visit moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

Chippewa music students hold fundraiser for food shelf Chippewa Middle School band and orchestra students held their annual food drive for the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf. Though this year’s fundraiser was virtual, students from band and orchestra continued to hold a friendly competition as each group tried to collect as many donations as possible. This year, the food shelf reported 2,627 pounds of food and $13,730 in donations as a result of this food drive. “Demand for food and other resources is at an all-time record high as our neighbors who have been negatively impacted by the events surrounding the pandemic try to make ends meet,” said Lisa Baker, food shelf manager.

Senior Lily Bronson watches fifth-grader Grayson play his viola during a virtual lesson through the Orchestra Buddies program.

Pinewood students experience virtual field trip Pinewood Elementary School’s PTA recently funded a virtual field trip from the Ordway Center titled “Step Afrika.” During the entirely virtual experience, Pinewood students participated in five days of interactive videos showcasing a professional dance company that uses the dancers’ bodies as instruments. Students were also able to meet the artists and learned a form of dance called stepping. When asked what she liked about the field trip, student Sofia Stevenson said, “I like how they showed us that you do not need a good singing voice to sing and that you can sing with your body. I also like how they inspired me to ask my mom for tap shoes!” 16

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Island Lake hosts virtual international cooking night In February, the Island Lake Elementary School PTA sponsored a virtual international night to honor and support students and their families as they learned about different cultures, foods, traditions and experiences that make up the Island Lake community. Dishes shared included Hong Kong pineapple buns, German Christmas stollen and Korean specialities to celebrate the Korean New Year.

Pinewood students and staff participate in a Hmong bilingual Lunch Bunch, a virtual opportunity for multilingual students to get together with other speakers of the same language.

Pinewood students celebrate their diversity

Julia and Louisa Choi smile before they enjoy their Hong Kong pineapple buns during Island Lake’s virtual international cooking night.

In an effort to highlight multilingualism in the school community, Pinewood Elementary School staff organize bilingual “Lunch Bunches,” a virtual meet-up where distance learning students can connect with others who speak their same language and talk about their shared experiences. So far this school year, Lunch Bunches have been hosted for students who speak Spanish, Arabic, Somali, Hmong and Swahili. Over 20 different home languages are spoken by Pinewood students and their families.

Mounds View seniors design clothes for class of 2021 fundraiser

Show your school pride with new spirit wear!

Finding ways to celebrate seniors during a pandemic can be tough. Mounds View students, parents and alumni-led local businesses have teamed up to sell clothes, yard signs and other “senior swag” to raise funds for celebrating the class of 2021. To learn more, visit: https://mvseniorparty.weebly.com/.

Find your school’s website at moundsviewschools.org/spiritwear

SPRING 2021

School Talk

AROUND THE DISTRICT Lunar New Year celebration

Cummins donates 1,000 masks Cummins, a filtration products manufacturer as well as a local employer for many families in the District, donated 1,000 face masks to Mounds View Public Schools. The masks, which are disposable, breathable and fluid-resistant, were produced at Cummins facilities and donated for use across the District.

Sunnyside students celebrate reading

Students at Island Lake celebrated the Lunar New Year in February by learning about the holiday and creating art pieces.

Sunnyside Elementary School students celebrated “I Love to Read Month” in February by completing a Bingo card filled with reading challenges. Prizes for getting a full Bingo included new books and bookmarks. At the end of the month, students celebrated with pajama day, reading time and snacks. Distance learners joined the fun as well; they were provided a digital Bingo card and tuned in virtually for reading time.

Join the RAMS adapted softball team Registration for spring softball through the RAMS Adapted Athletics Team is open now. The Rams are a co-ed Minnesota State High School League varsity team that plays soccer (fall), floor hockey (winter) and softball (spring) indoors each year as part of the Minnesota Adapted Athletics Association. The team welcomes co-ed students in grades 7-12 from the Mounds View and Roseville school districts. Those interested in registering can contact ian.porter@moundsviewschools.org.

Ms. Vessey’s fourth grade class celebrated “I Love to Read Month” in February.

Translation assistance To learn more about District programs and events featured in this issue of School Talk in Spanish, Hmong or Somali, please call Angel Toro (Spanish) at 651-724-2854, Mee Yang (Hmong) at 651-724-0396 or Basima Mohamed (Somali) at 651-724-7482.

School Talk

Haddii aad dooneysid faahfaahin dheeraad ah oo ku saabsan barnaamijyada lugu soo qoro School Talk, ee ka baxa Iskuulada Moundsview, fadlan la soo xiriis Basima Mohamed: 651-724-7482.

SPRING 2021

Para aprender mas sobre los programas del Distrito Escolar y de los eventos en esta edicion de School Talk, llame a Angel Toro al 651-724-2854.

Yog xa paub ntau tshaj nov txog peb lub District cov program thiab kev sib sau ua ke ntawm peb cov tsev kawm ntawv thiab niam txiv nrog rau me nyuam kawm ntawv uas muaj nyob rau hauv tsab ntawv School Talk no, thov hu rau Mee Yang ntawm 651-724-0396.

WITH HONORS Mounds View students named finalists in science fair

Track & Field Coach of the Year

Mounds View High School students Sydney Peng (senior) and Johnny Yue (junior) were recognized as ISEF Finalists, a top award from the Twin Cities Regional Science Fair. Over the past six months, they have been working on a dynamic network analysis of mutations in the phosphofructokinase-1 enzyme, which allowed them to analyze how and why the enzyme is upregulated in cancer cells. They will compete at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May, where they will present their research to international ISEF finalists and well-known scientists. To view the full presentation, visit moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

Ross Fleming was recently

Sydney Peng

Johnny Yue

Mounds View High School’s

named to the Class of 2021 Hall of Fame by the Minnesota Track & Field Coaches Association. Fleming has coached the Mustangs to eight state titles and nine other top three finishes, as well as 22 Section True Team titles. Fleming’s teams have won five state titles, nine relay state titles, and he has produced 22 individual state champions. In addition, his athletes regularly earn Academic All-State honors for performance in the classroom as well as in athletics.

Shoreview Human Rights poster contest Each year, the Shoreview Human Rights Commission hosts a poster contest to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and asks area fourth-graders to create posters that show people of different races and cultures interacting positively together. This year, the commission received 150 posters and awarded Island Lake fourthgrader Simon Olson first place for his poster. Eight additional Island Lake students received awards for their poster contributions as well. To see other posters from Island Lake winners, visit moundsviewschools.org/ schooltalkplus.

Above: Simon O., first place. Top right, Krisha D., ninth place. Bottom right, Tanishka P., seventh place

SPRING 2021

School Talk

WITH HONORS Mounds View students win collegelevel business plan competition Seniors Eric Feng, Savannah Guiang, Sanjana Pattanaik and junior Joey Tan placed first in the virtual nationwide DoorDash Case Competition, where they designed a student-focused meal plan for the food delivery company DoorDash. Although their competitors consisted almost entirely of college students, this team of high school students used practical and professional skills that they had developed from previous business and economics classes and competitions.

Left to right: Matthew Ryan (senior), Scott Davis (coach), Maria Johnson (senior), Xander Pichner (junior), Renee Olds (senior), Chris Hardwick (senior) and Michael Nguyen (junior).

Irondale robotics team wins tech award

Savannah Guiang (senior), Eric Feng (senior), Sanjana Pattanaik (senior) and Joey Tan (junior) participate in virtual DoorDash competition.

Mounds View DECA students receive top honors in virtual competition More than 25 Mounds View DECA students placed within the top four winners in their competition area in the Minnesota DECA virtual competition in January. Students from Mounds View, Irondale and other Minnesota high schools competed virtually in over 50 events in the areas of entrepreneurship, finance, hospitality, marketing and other related fields. The competition is designed to simulate and apply one’s knowledge to real-life business scenarios and test students’ academic understanding and skills development. To see a list of all student competitors and their categories, visit moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

School Talk

SPRING 2021

While most Minnesota Technology Association 2020 Tekne Award winners were multi-million dollar companies, Irondale High School’s KnightKrawler robotics team was awarded for its COVID-19 community response. When the pandemic hit last spring, the team mobilized safely to manufacture and deliver more than 15,000 face shields to area health care and public safety workers. Additionally, the students used 3D printing to print an additional 10,000 plastic shield parts to share with other local organizations that were manufacturing personal protective equipment.

Irondale DECA students advance to state competition

Irondale High School DECA students produced 13 first-place winners at the virtual district-level DECA competition. All participants placed in the top four of their competition category. The team will advance to the state DECA competition in March. To see a complete list of winners, visit moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

Edgewood students receive jazz honor Edgewood eighth-graders Lizzie Lockwood and Cy Treuenfels were selected to perform in the Minnesota Band Directors Association Jazz Honor Band. Lizzie and Cy were selected after submitting an audition video and performed in a virtual event in March.

Lizzie Lockwood

Irondale Drama named section champions for virtual show Irondale Drama was named the Section 4AA champion in the Minnesota State High School League’s One Act Play competition in February. This year’s performance, a virtual “whodunnit,” can be viewed in its entirety at moundsviewschools.org/schooltalkplus.

Cy Treuenfels

Irondale student participates in All-State Orchestra performance Sophomore Mahay Hsiung (viola) participated in the 2021 All-State Orchestra experience. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this event was held virtually in February.

From left to right, top row: Alec Cummings, Gabe Mullen, Sophia Haugen and Miles Collins. Middle row: Samantha Wiesner, Emmie Hinnenkamp, Barbara Danku and Ben Swanson. Bottom row: Carson Bockenhauer, Leo Koefod, Dreena Kuto and Ava Ericson

Highest ACT score The Mounds View High School students pictured here have received a composite score of 36 during the 2019-21 ACT administration, the highest score that can be achieved on the exam. Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some students who have taken the test will receive their scores after this publication date. As additional scores come in, students earning the top score will be featured here.

Lily Bronson

Angie Chen

Eric Feng

Deepta Jasthi

Leslie Kim

Not pictured: Matthew Walker Maxwell Ye

Leah Orman

Claudia Seyfarth

SPRING 2021

School Talk

SPORTS UPDATE

IRONDALE

MOUNDS VIEW Two Mustang seniors sign commitments to play sports in college Bill Ketola signs a commitment form to play football at Bemidji State University. Not pictured: Joey Bruggers, who will play football and basketball at Coe College in Iowa.

College signings Trenton Taylor commits to play football at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa. Taryn Tacheny commits to play volleyball at Dakota State in South Dakota.

Boys basketball In a recent game against White Bear Lake, Knight athletes Cooper Jorgensen, Noah Kiani, Gabe Kasper (22) and Drake Gomez (34) play defense.

Track co-curricular activities on your mobile devices. Search MOUNDS VIEW PUBLIC SCHOOLS in the app store. Find the Irondale Knights on Twitter @GoIrondale Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/IrondaleHighSchool For the most up-to-date news, visit the Activities and Athletics website at www.moundsviewschools.org/irondale.

School Talk

SPRING 2021

Track co-curricular activities on your mobile devices. Search MOUNDS VIEW PUBLIC SCHOOLS in the app store.

Find the Mounds View Mustangs on Twitter @GoMVMustangs Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/MoundsViewHighSchool For the most up-to-date news, visit the Activities and Athletics website at www.moundsviewschools.org/moundsview.

Track and field

Alpine skiing

Sophomore Elliott McArthur started off his 2021 track and field season with a personal record for his 1600m/mile (4:15.34 mile) at an outdoor showcase in Virginia this past January. In February, he set the school record with a time of 4:11:88 at the Adidas Indoor Nationals.

Left to right: Jack Simone, Via Schuette, Caroline Cavanagh, Alissa Zhao, Kaitlynn Badger, Samantha Moreno, Sam Simone, John McGann

Left to right: Claire Landberg, Via Schuette, Drew Mulligan, David Mushel, Tate Nelson and Coach Aliisa Marshall

Boys basketball

Wrestling

Boys basketball advanced to sections in mid-March with a 12-1 record.

The Mustang wrestling team has placed third in the Suburban East Conference final standings and was in the second seed in team sections, hosted at Mounds View on March 11.

Freshman Brady Swenson pins his competitor on the mat at a recent match.

Dance team The Viewettes dance team has advanced to the state championships in jazz and kick.

Senior guard Kyle Claybaugh rises up for a jump shot for the Mustangs.

SPRING 2021

School Talk

Mounds View PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Independent School District 621 4570 Victoria St. N Shoreview, MN 55126

SUMMER DAY CAMP

Art! Coding! Theater! STEM! Registration o pen March 22 at 9 a s .m. June-Augus t

In-person

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO 4112

New youth and adult classes

New Communit y Education clas ses have been adde d for youth and adults. Check back ofte n, as new online opportunities ar e added every da y. Adult offerings include gardenin g, personal financ e and more! Youth enrichmen t offerings includ e theater, art, codi ng, engineering and more! To learn more, vi sit moundsviewscho ols.org/ communityeduca tion

Full and half day camps starting at $99 Grades K-7

TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER, visit moundsviewschools.org/communityeducation QUESTIONS? Contact communityed@moundsviewschools.org