Volume 1 Issue 1 | Winter 2018-19
Building Our Future Together: St. Francis Elementary School Breaks Ground On Monday, November 12, the addition and renovation project for St. Francis Elementary School (SFES) officially broke ground. With hard hats and gold shovels in hand, District leadership, school board members, St. Francis city officials, staff and students celebrated an exciting start to this project. Led by Superintendent Troy Ferguson and SFES Principal Ryan Johnson, approximately 350 attended the “first dig” for the district. Most of the crowd included 14 SFES classrooms, where students bundled up to witness the ceremonial groundbreaking. Approved in November 2017 as part of the District’s successful $80.06 million referendum, Building Our Future Together, this elementary school project focuses on enhancing educational spaces and improving physical facility needs with a focus on safety and security. This is an exciting time for St. Francis Area Schools as this construction will support both current and
future families. Components of this project include a 10-classroom addition, a new secured entrance, improvements to the facility’s drop-off and pickup zones, Media Center renovation to create a new commons area and physical facility improvements including mechanical, electrical and interior spaces. Johnson said, “Once completed, the ‘new’ St. Francis Elementary School will be on its way into and beyond the 21st century with a building befitting the world-class staff, students and families we are so fortunate to have at our school.” With substantial completion slated for August 2019, SFES will be able to continue to create an engaging learning environment for their students. “We are extremely thankful for the support from our community and stakeholders as we work on Building Our Future Together,” Ferguson said. For updated information and progress on all District projects, visit www.isd15.org/bond.
Bond Referendum Project Timeline see page 4
Message from the Superintendent Welcome to the first edition of Saints Quarterly. There are many exciting changes occurring this year in St. Francis Area Schools and this new publication is an important one. We have been anticipating this inaugural edition ever since we made the decision to transition from a community newspaper to a newsletter format exclusively highlighting St. Francis Area Schools. As part of our branding initiative, our Communications Department has been working diligently to make this a smooth transition while increasing communication opportunities for our stakeholders via eNews, social media and the district website. Speaking of exciting changes, on November 12, we held our first groundbreaking ceremony at St. Francis Elementary School (SFES). This marks the beginning of the major projects due to begin this school year. In addition to SFES, East Bethel Elementary School, St. Francis Middle School and St. Francis High School are all slated to begin major renovation projects in 2019. The design phases for the work at Cedar Creek Elementary School and the Lifelong Learning Center will begin sometime next summer. All this work was made possible through our community’s foresight and generous commitment in passing the largest bond referendum in the history of our school district. The $80,060,000 our voters approved will significantly impact our facilities by improving safety and security, upgrading accessibility for all and enhancing learning spaces that will increase options and opportunities for our students. Even in the early stages of our construction projects, significant, positive impacts have been made. A perfect example could be seen during football and soccer games at our high school stadium this fall. It was heartwarming to see for the first time ever in our stadium, our community members with mobility issues sitting in the stands where they’ve always belonged. These initial changes are only the beginning. When all the construction is anticipated to be finished in 2021, St. Francis Area Schools will look very different. We take the charge from our community to improve facilities very seriously and will continue to involve you and update you on progress. Visit www.isd15.org/bond and subscribe to bond updates. On behalf of our entire school district, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season. 2
Welcome to the first edition of Saints Quarterly We’re excited to bring you important school district news and announcements directly to your home. Saints Quarterly will showcase each of our school buildings, Community Education, news from across the district and more! If you’re a parent, you’ll find important school information. As a community member, you’ll see the great things that are happening throughout the district. We’re proud to tell our story through Saints Quarterly, but there is too much good news for one publication. We invite you to follow us on social media; find St. Francis Area Schools on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you or your child is an alumnus, we would love to hear from you! Share your accomplishments by emailing news@ isd15.org. Please type “Saints Quarterly alumni news” in the subject line. We hope you enjoy the inaugural issue of Saints Quarterly.
St. Francis Area Schools Transportation to the rescue! When a fire alarm caused the evacuation of Oaks of Lake George, a local senior community living center, St. Francis Area Schools answered the call for help. Uncertain if the residents would need to be transported away from the building, St. Francis Area Schools Transportation Department sent three buses to the location to assist in the evacuation. The buses were equipped with a wheelchair life, just in case anyone was using wheel chairs or walkers. “We had to send two of our mechanics, Rod Larson and Steve Tharp, and our route specialist Jeremy Bolles, due to not having staff in the building at that time,” said Lisa Vickstrom, Special Education route specialist. “We did put an all call out to our drivers and many of our drivers responded to the call to see if we needed them.” In the end only one bus was needed, and residents remained on the bus until the building was cleared. “They all wanted Jeremy to take them to the casino,” Vickstrom said. “They were sad when he told them he couldn’t take them, but he had a good time chatting with the residents.”
Saints Quarterly | Winter 2018
Veteran engages students at recognition celebration Major Mike Starr, (retired) North Dakota Army Reserves National Guard and St. Francis Area Schools school board chairman, has coordinated the veterans program for a number of years. The all-school assembly at St. Francis High School gives students an opportunity to learn about a veteran. This year, Dennis Berg shared his story. Berg, a 1963 St. Francis High School graduate and former Anoka County Commissioner, served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. In November 1966, Berg’s convoy of nine armored vehicles was ambushed by the 5th Viet Cong Division, 274th Regiment, which had over 1,000 soldiers. Berg lost two of his friends during the deadly attack. He also learned that another soldier in the 11th Armored Calvary, the Blackhorse Regiment, sacrificed himself to save Berg. Among the shock of losing
School Board Election Results At the November 13 school board meeting, the school board unanimously approved the canvassing returns of votes in the general election held November 6. Voters of St. Francis Area Schools were asked to select three candidates from a pool of seven. The three elected will be sworn in to serve a four-year term that begins the first Monday in January 2019. Canvassing includes the statement that the general election was in all respects duly and legally called and held. The total number of persons voting was 20,531 compared to the total number of persons registered to vote at 28,969; voter turnout Candidate Votes was at 70.87 percent. The Jill Anderson 5561 results of the Jake Humphrey 5292 election were Scott Schwarz 3846 certified to Barb Jahnke 3408 the county auditors of Renee Deibert 2952 Anoka and Marsha Van Denburgh 2802 Isanti counties. Keila Lopez 1582 Write-in 147
St. Francis Area Schools | www.isd15.org
his friends, Berg forgot the name of the soldier who saved his life. For over 40 years, Berg had nightmares, trying to forget the war, but one thing remained—he wanted to find the name of that soldier. Once Vietnam records were declassified in the 1986 Freedom of Information Act, Berg was able to search for him and found Russell Halley from Waterloo, Iowa. Berg continues to search for information for others and bring it forward, knowing the healing power it brings. At the Veterans Day program at St. Francis High School on November 12, Berg told students that he has since learned of two other classmates who died in Vietnam—Peter Hedlund, class of 1962, and Leslie Cowden, class of 1965. Berg hopes their stories will be researched and documented, so they will not be forgotten for their service to our country.
District begins process of searching for new superintendent With the announcement last April that Superintendent Troy Ferguson will resign from his position effective June 30, 2019, the School Board of St. Francis Area Schools entered into a search for a new superintendent. Consultants from School Exec Connect were contracted to assist with the search for a new superintendent. The School Board requested input from stakeholders in this process, which provided valuable guidance in the search for a new superintendent. In September, all stakeholders were invited to participate in a short survey to provide input. The position was advertised and School Exec Connect recruited candidates nationally from September 13 to November 16. On December 3, the School Board approved the candidates for the first round of interviews at a special school board meeting. The first round of interviews was conducted December 4. Interviews were scheduled December 11-13. After the last interview the School Board is to make a selection. The timeline shows the School Board acting on the new superintendent’s contract in January 2019. Visit www.isd15.org/search for up-todate information and future announcements. 3
Building Our Future Together: Update The first phase of construction in the building bond projects is set to begin at St. Francis Elementary School (SFES). The work will begin with the 10-classroom addition and renovation of interior classrooms. A groundbreaking ceremony was held November 12 to celebrate the start of bond-funded projects. City officials, school board members, district leaders, staff and students were invited to help
launch construction. Construction schedule and final plans will be presented to administration in the next month. In addition to SFES, major construction projects will also begin at East Bethel Elementary School (EBES), St. Francis High School (SFHS) and St. Francis Middle School (SFMS) in the spring of 2019. EBES went out for bid on November 20, and on December 3, was approved at a special school board meeting. SFHS and SFMS will go out for bid in January. Cedar Creek Elementary January 2018 School, Lifelong Begin construction at Learning Center
Bond Referendum Projects Timeline April 2019 Begin construction at East Bethel Elementary School.
September 2019 Complete construction at East Bethel Elementary School, St. Francis Elementary School and St. Francis Learning Center. June 2020 Continue phased construction at St. Francis Middle School and St. Francis High School. June 2021 Continue phased construction at St. Francis High School.
For more information, visit www.isd15.org/bond. Project timeline is subject to change. 4
St. Francis Elementary School.
June 2019 Begin phased construction at St. Francis Middle School and St. Francis High School. Begin construction at St. Francis Learning Center.
and St. Francis Learning Center project designs will begin in the spring of 2019 and will follow the parameters of the outlined bond goals. Please note that just because a building project is not starting until 2019 or even 2020, funding will not run out, and all projects will be completed as planned. All construction is slated for completion by 2021 (see timeline at left). The $80M bond referendum was approved by voters in November 2017 for funding the safety, security, accessibility and educational space needs across the school district. St. Francis Area Schools is grateful for the support of our district residents. We look forward to providing continued progress as we build our future together.
Superintendent Ferguson earns honor In November, Superintendent Troy Ferguson was awarded the 2018 Non-Native Administrator of the Year Award from the Minnesota Indian Education Association. He has collaborated with St. Francis Area Schools’ American Indian Parent Education Committee and brought real change to our students. Additionally, St. Francis Area Schools teacher Dennis Sargent was given the honor of being selected to the Minnesota Indian Education Association Board.
June 2020 Begin construction at Cedar Creek Elementary School and Lifelong Learning Center.
September 2020 Complete construction at St. Francis Middle School, Cedar Creek Elementary School and Lifelong Learning Center.
September 2021 Complete construction at St. Francis High School. Saints Quarterly | Winter 2018
Inclement Weather Reminders Winter (and in some cases, even late fall and early spring) brings the potential for inclement weather that could affect our school schedule, and the decision to delay or close school is never an easy one. So how do we decide whether we are going to close or delay school in St. Francis Area Schools? Our priority is to ensure the safety of our students and staff while maintaining the integrity of the school day. The decision to close or delay school ultimately is the superintendent’s. Superintendent Troy Ferguson consults with our Transportation Department, Grounds Department and other district administrators. In addition, Ferguson is in contact with neighboring school district superintendents to get a sense of the information they have and what they are considering. In the end, not all neighboring districts necessarily reach the same decision; each has to determine the best course of action for their own districts. St. Francis Area Schools consider several factors when making decisions affecting the school day: ■ What are current road conditions and to what degree are we confident of their condition throughout the day? This is particularly important in St. Francis Area Schools because the majority of our students and virtually all of our staff ride the bus or drive to school. This is different from some of our neighboring districts who have much higher numbers of students and staff who walk to school. ■ What is the current and predicted weather? Weather is often difficult to predict long term and with a high degree of confidence. Extreme cold and wind are very dangerous and we take it very seriously while making the decision to close or delay. Guidelines that are commonly accepted as dangerous include sustained air temperature of 25
degrees or greater below zero or even more dangerous sustained wind chills of 40 degrees or greater below zero. Though most of our students do not walk to school, a great number of them wait outside for their bus to arrive and even short-term exposure to those conditions can be dangerous. Though rare, it is possible that we close school due to extreme cold without any snow or sleet. We are concerned with maintaining the integrity of the school day without disrupting the learning of our students and inconveniencing parents. In addition, we want to avoid potential make-up days at the end of the school year. When possible, we will make a decision the night before and launch Campus Messenger phone call, email and text to families and staff no later than 10:00 p.m. In most cases though, a decision won’t be made until the morning. We make every effort to notify families and staff by 5:00 a.m. We have a short window of time due to many of our secondary routes leaving the bus garage at 5:30 a.m. In addition to Campus Messenger, we contact local TV and post the information on our district website at www.isd15.org and on our social media outlets. There will be no announcement if school is open as scheduled. Ultimately the decision to send your child to school is yours as a parent. If we hold school and you are uncomfortable sending your child to school due to weather conditions, please verify your child’s absence and we will count the absence as excused.
Beloved East Bethel Elementary School volunteer retires Helen Hanson has been part of St. Francis Area Schools supporting students and staff alike. She started in 2002 as a substitute and worked in Nutrition Services, the school office and as an educational assistant. In 2009, she became a foster grandparent at East Bethel Elementary School through Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota. Helen has volunteered her days, Monday through Thursday, working with children to help them learn their ABCs and 123s. Not only does she help our students learn how to read, write and do math, she organizes classroom projects, helps staff where needed and always has a homemade treat of some sort for staff to enjoy. At the age of 90, Helen has decided it’s time to say goodbye to the place she has made her homeaway-from-home for more than 16 years. It’s people like Helen who demonstrate the true meaning of giving, volunteering and community service. Thank you Helen, for all you have done for St. Francis Area Schools over the years. You will be missed. St. Francis Area Schools | www.isd15.org
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Saints Online Student Authors Trilogy Madeline Kleinman, a Saints Online 8th grader, continues her writing career. Maddy presented her first book, The Beginner’s Handbook of Chickens, to the school board last March. She now has a trilogy of young adult fantasy books, The Key Guardians series, featuring the adventures of Princess Renaye: “My name is Renaye, some people call me Princess Renaye. I live in a castle in a village named Ashbourne. Ashbourne is in a country called Opren. My father is King Cassius and my mother is Queen Cecilia. This is the story of the most exciting adventure I have had in my short, boring life of thirteen years.” The story continues with Renaye’s adventures with dragons, griffins and much more. It ends with an incredible unexpected twist. A must read for any age level.
In honor of Bully Prevention Month in October, Cedar Creek Elementary School held an assembly to learn the difference between mean, rude and bullying. They explored what to do if someone is unkind—Stop, Walk, Talk: tell the person to stop what they are doing; walk away from the person; tell an adult. They also held a Bully Prevention coloring contest and the winner from each grade visited the St. Francis Police Department, rode in the police car and participated in a pizza party at the police department. 6
Madeline is the daughter of Randall and Karen Kleinman of Seelye Brook Farms, a family farm located just outside of St. Francis. The Kleinman family had been homeschooling their children because they wanted the freedom and flexibility that homeschooling provides. Their students are able to work at their own pace and explore the topics that interest them most. “We felt this would provide them the opportunity to explore topics that interest them and be able to learn more through that exploration,” Karen said. “As the years progressed with each additional child, we found it was more and more difficult to accomplish that goal while teaching to so many different grade levels at one time. We wanted more time freedom within our education and our day-to-day.” “Two years ago we had some friends recommend Saints Online to us, and we decided to give it a try,” she continued. “It has been the best choice in education for our family. It is the perfect middle ground between traditional homeschooling and brick and mortar. Our three children who are currently in the program have the ability to work at their own pace independently, with all the benefits of having teachers who genuinely care for them and their education. We love Saints Online!” Maddy’s books are available at https:// seelyebrookfarms.com/key-guardian-series.
Cedar Creek Elementary School third-grade students are making mealtime a little brighter for some area residents. Students are helping the Meals on Wheels organization by decorating lunch bags for their clients. “Our clients really like the bags,” said Eileen Hafften from the Meals on Wheels organization. “For some of our clients the volunteer driver is the only person they see each day, and the personalized touch of decorated bags can brighten their day.” Students also decorate the bags for various holidays and birthdays so clients receive special bags on occasion. Saints Quarterly | Winter 2018
Aiming to increase literacy The staff at East Bethel Elementary School (EBES) are working hard to help students become better readers. Their goal is to have 80 percent of EBES students reading at grade level. Through professional development, staff designed a study group called Effective Literacy Block Instruction. Eightynine percent of staff participate in that study group. They’ve developed mini focus lessons plus Daily 5 (read to self, read to someone, listen to reading, work on writing and word work), which is used to help students become better readers. The staff are teaching students how to pick books that are a good fit, as well as different ways to read a book. They are also making it okay for students to recognize that learning to read is a process, and there may be things they can’t do yet. Parents are encouraged to help by reading to their child or asking to their child read to them. St. Francis Area Schools | www.isd15.org
Congratulations to SFHS Today for earning Best of Show at the Minnesota High School Press Association’s (MHSPA) State Journalism Convention. MHSPA, a division of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), provides journalism education training programs, publishes journalism education materials, provides recognition programs for members, provides information on developments in journalism and student media and provides a forum for members to communicate with others and share their work. Through these activities, MHSPA promotes the standards and ethics of good journalism as accepted and practiced by print, broadcast and electronic media in Minnesota. MHSPA recognizes excellence in high school media students at their annual state journalism convention. SFHS Today, the news site produced by St. Francis High School students, also earned best in show honors last year. You can view SFHS Today on their YouTube channel, SFHSToday Crier.
R Visit the St. Francis Area Schools website at
www.isd15.org — your first stop for school district information. R Receive monthly eNews and news alerts from schools and programs in St. Francis Area Schools. Visit www.isd15.org and click on District>News & Information>Subscribe to eNews R Follow St. Francis Area Schools on official social media outlets: Facebook (ISD15), Twitter (@ISD15) and Instagram (ISD_15)
Victory Garden has new home In early November, Crossroads School students worked with science teacher David Berger, the St. Francis Area Schools Maintenance and Gounds Departments and Anoka County Master Gardeners to relocate and rebuild the Crossroads School Victory Garden. The Victory Garden is an outdoor classroom that provides students a living laboratory to learn about healthy lifestyles and food production from seed to table. During construction, the team was able to assemble 16 garden beds, which will be planted with tomatoes, eggplants, cabbages, zucchini and many more vegetables by students in the spring.
Pictured a student makes sure all soil is evenly distributed.
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St. Francis Area Schools | www.isd15.org
❶ Cedar Creek Elementary School students collected an overabundance of food for those in need at Thanksgiving. Food was sorted, boxed and given to families in need. The boxes, donated by St. Francis County Market, also included a turkey donated by the St. Francis Lions Club. ❷ St. Francis High School Theatre presented Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream November 8-11. A fundraising performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is scheduled for December 8-9 at SFHS Performing Arts Center. ➌ St. Francis Learning Center student council wants to help make their school and community better by placing focus on helping others. They are hopeful that their actions will encourage others to follow and realize how rewarding it can be. Plans include encouraging students to maintain better grades and attendance, hosting a book drive and arranging help for families in need. (L-R) Ben Chamberlain, Tiana Charfauros, Jaylon Day, Hannah Axelson, Shayla Erickson, Lauren Knoop, Montrell James-Armstrong. ➍ Parents or other important adults in preschoolers’ lives attended Parent Day at Preschool Place 15 and experienced the day like their child does. They played with playdoh, built with blocks and listened to stories the “preschool way.” Parents also participated in discussion time where they learned why various activities/routines are part of preschool and how they could extend the learning into their homes. ❺ St. Francis Area Schools staff member Anna Carpenter enjoys dog sledding and last year she competed in the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon in Duluth. Carpenter brought some of her dogs to St. Francis Learning Center where students in the Restore Program had been reading The Call of the Wild. Students had an opportunity to interact with the dogs and learn about dog sledding. ❻ For the month of October, students and staff from East Bethel Elementary School had conversations about choosing kindness. Everyone has a choice to make another person’s day better and to create a kind environment. Students are encouraged to write acts of kindness they’ve witnessed around the school on one of the boards posted throughout the building. ❼ St. Francis Middle School students were given the task to perform an “archaeological” dig at home, finding a family heirloom or item with meaning to them. Taylor Hardie chose patches that belonged to his great-grandfather, who fought in WWII. ❽ St. Francis High School first trimester art show winners were announced. Megan Sullivan, Best in Show Grid Drawing. ❾ Mao Lee, “Moonlight Moon” People’s Choice. ❿ Sarah Vogel, Best in Show Acrylic Painting. ⓫ Connor Rekdahl, Best in Show Ceramic ⓬ Joseph Opsal, Best in Show Photography. 9
Principal sporting a new ‘do’ thanks to some hefty fundraising efforts St. Francis Elementary School Principal Ryan Johnson promised to dye his hair and be sprayed with silly string if students met their fundraising goal of $20,000. With $21,340 earned, not only did the students exceed the goal, they surpassed last year’s total by $5,000. On the day of the Boosterthon Fun Run, the entire school ran a total of 17,265 laps. A portion of the funds will be used to start a playground fund, and the remainder of the funds will go toward class field trips, school programs, school activities and more. The top two earners—Allison Nutz, who raised over $1,500, and Brylan Backsen, who raised over $1,100—were invited on stage to help dye Johnson’s hair. Both students were from Laura Hogue’s class, which was the highest earning class, in the school. Hogue helped dye Johnson’s hair as well. Following the hair dyeing, the top 20 student fundraisers were invited on stage to cover Johnson in silly string.
Social media & cyber safety With the majority of middle school-aged students having access to cell phones and mobile devices, keeping them safe online is a priority for St. Francis Middle School Principal Beth LaCoursiere and St. Francis Police Liaison Officer Jodie Black. According to a recent study from Pew Research, 59 percent of teens have reported being the victim of some form of cyberbullying or harassment. A recent presentation at the St. Francis Middle School aimed to help students learn social media etiquette and how to protect themselves online. After reviewing a video on the top ten things to do before you post, Officer Black talked to the kids about texting inappropriate photos and the consequences, both legal and social, for participating in those behaviors. Saints Academy agriculture program held a food drive November 5-23 for the North Anoka County Emergency (NACE) Foodshelf which works with our local community to help families in need. Students benefit from service learning because it enhances opportunities for personal and social skill development. Students gain increased knowledge of academic materials, their communities and themselves. (L-R) Peyton Addison, teacher Emily Trout, Chris Patterson, Logan Wines.
CLIMB Theater visits elementary school Actors from CLIMB Theater encouraged students at St. Francis Elementary School (SFES) to think about what it means to be a bully, how to own up to those actions and what to do when you’re the one being bullied, as they performed their play, Charmer. The SFES students learned resiliency through the mnemonic BOUNCE Breathe, Own your space, Use helper words, New position, Chin up and Embrace the positive (or Exit if you’re not safe.) Principal Ryan Johnson felt it was an important message to instill in elementary school students. “It is so very important that students know how to react to bullies as well as how to stand up for each other. Our hope is that our students can learn lifelong lessons through presentations like these as well as other programs offered at St. Francis Elementary School.” The presentations were funded by the St. Francis Elementary School Association of Parents & Teachers. 10
Saints Quarterly | Winter 2018
Focusing on positive behavior Cedar Creek Elementary School (CCES) is in year three of PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support). Critical features (practices, data and systems) come together to promote desired outcomes for students and educators in the classroom. Classroom PBIS practices include preventive and responsive approaches that may be effectively implemented with all students in a classroom and intensified to support small groups or a few individual students. Systems refer to the structures and supports district and school leadership teams provide to enhance teachers’ implementation of classroom PBIS practices with fidelity. Data are an active, dynamic part of decision-making in the classroom that allows educators to identify patterns of strengths and needs. Those patterns drive decision-making to continue, adopt or modify classroom PBIS practices and systems. Here are some examples of how PBIS is implemented at CCES. ■ All students received a Saints Pride T-shirt to wear on Fridays. It is wonderful to see staff and students unite. ■ A school pledge is recited every morning:
I am a Cedar Creek Saint and I am proud of my school. I will be respectful, responsible and safe and I will do my best today. Together we can change the world and peace begins with us. ■ Blue Saints Pride tickets are given to students who demonstrated being respectful, responsible and safe. ■ Classroom teachers have weekly blue ticket drawings. ■ Posters in the hallways and other locations state expectations. ■ Student of the Month celebrations (photo below) ■ Trimester Saints Pride celebrations ■ Saints Pride bingo ■ Second Step curriculum lessons taught in a variety of classrooms. What is Second Step? It is a curriculum where students work on social-emotional learning standards. This curriculum was purchased for every grade level as part of a PBIS grant. Students work on self regulation, problem-solving, empathy and calming their bodies down when faced with big emotions. CCES is working together with their PTO to create a school where students are respectful, responsible and safe.
Students at Crossroads School were able to learn more about ratios through an apple crisp project. Students from Cindy Thurston and Emily Patnode’s math classes have been learning about ratios and proportions and were able to apply their learned skills to create apple crisp for their peers and staff to enjoy. Students picked apples from a tree outside, peeled them and used them in a recipe. The focus on ratios came when students had to multiply the recipe by nine to ensure they had enough servings. Some accurate math was done as evidenced by the delicious apple crisp. A special thanks to the Bar None kitchen staff, who provided many ingredients and cooked the apple crisp for all to enjoy.
St. Francis Elementary School (SFES) students in grades 4-5 are enrolled in the STEM class in preparation for the 4th Annual SFES STEM Fair Exhibition December 18, held in the St. Francis Middle School cafeteria. Students worked with teachers and coach Darin Bourasa each Monday and Tuesday after school to research topics, analyze plans, create products and produce a visual display to present to the St. Francis community. Pictured are Bronson, Graycee, Louis, Madison, Isaac, Jackson and Leah. St. Francis Area Schools | www.isd15.org
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Future Farmers of America update The St. Francis Future Farmers of America (FFA) Chapter has had a busy fall. In September, five students attended a leadership rally in Chisago Lakes called Explore/Discover FFA. Students learned about different leadership opportunities available to them. In October, FFA members went to the University of Minnesota Fall Career Development Invitational where they participated in the soils contest. On November 14, FFA members traveled to Princeton to compete in the Small Engines Career Development Contest and the Poultry Career Development Contest. St. Francis FFA placed 8th and 12th as a team for small engines. There were eight high school students and three middle school students in attendance. Also in November, students were hard at work collecting non-perishable food items for the North Anoka County Emergency (NACE) Foodshelf. The National FFA Organization is focused on developing student leaders through their motto: FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. FFA members are encouraged to get involved at the local level and give
back to their communities as well. Students understand the importance of agriculture in their day-to-day lives and the importance of recognizing those who work effortlessly everyday to provide safe and affordable agricultural products to consumers. The National FFA motto, Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve, prompted students to handwrite thank you letters to local agricultural farms and businesses in the area.
2018-19 Saints boys basketball outlook St. Francis High School have put him on the radar of Saints boys basketball many D1 football programs team hopes to build on the after having a successful experience gained from last football season. Other players season. The team, which was that will look to contribute very inexperienced going into include guards Reid Benson last season, will have all but and Jacob Donahue. They two players return from last are both three-sport athletes year’s 9-man varsity rotation. and high character players Returning starters include that can play either guard point guard Zach Wald and spot. Eli Hylen and Jake Wald forwards Thomas Young and will need to take on bigger Wyatt Schroeder. Wald will roles if the Saints are going be counted on once again to to improve on last year’s protect the ball and facilitate record. Hylen, a state high the offense. He had the best jump champion, will provide assist-to-turnover ratio last SFHS with athleticism and season and does a good the ability to finish at the rim. job being the lead guard. Sophomore Jake Wald will Young has had an excellent be one of the best shooters in summer of growth and will the Mississippi 8 Conference. be a versatile player that can Wald’s shooting ability will not only play inside, but can help spread the floor for the step out and shoot the ball. Saints and allow them to have Schroeder will be back for his a very strong inside/outside Junior Wyatt Schroeder dunking when Saints played Tartan. third season and is improving game. The Saints finished each season. He’s a match-up nightmare in the paint for with five wins last season and look to be poised to break out other schools because of his ability to run and jump, and and improve on that number. Saints opened the season on his size and strength inside is something not all other teams the road versus Irondale on December 4. have. His 6'6", 220-pound size along with his athleticism 12
Saints Quarterly | Winter 2018
Saints football season recap The St. Francis High School football teams recently completed a competitive and successful 2018 season. The 9th grade team lost a few close contests and finished the season with a 1-7 record. The junior varsity team finished their season 4-3. The varsity team started a little sluggish Senior Cole Linson catches a pass and turns upfield when the but finished tied Saints played Rogers. The Saints defeated the Royals 24-20 for a for second in Homecoming victory. PHOTO COURTESY OF TONY HOGLUND the conference at 5-2. It was an exciting season with five of the officially ended their campaign with eight regular season games being the team banquet on November 13. decided by four points or less and Listed are some of the individuals two of those games being decided in recognized for their efforts during overtime. the season. With a balanced offensive attack, All District Honorable Mention the Saints were lead by a veteran Taylor Aho, Jacob Bergman, Luke offensive line that helped pave the Bonte, Zach Bonte, Riley Huebner, way for 1,356 yards rushing and 22 Justin Lian, Trevor Patterson, Carter touchdowns on the ground. The Pendergrass, Nick Pierce, John Saints were lead by senior QB Taylor Westling Aho’s 1,262 yards passing and All District completing 60 percent of his throws. Hunter Dustman, Nick Gerlach, Defensively, junior LB Andrew Aren Hjelm, Andrew Hoglund, Cody Hoglund paced the team in tackles, Kolb, Kyle Lindenfelser, Cole Linson, including 19 against Elk River, and Wyatt Schroeder senior LB Cody Kolb lead the team Special Teams District Player of with three interceptions. The special the Year teams unit featured All-Metro junior Hunter Dustman punter/kicker Hunter Dustman. Dustman averaged 40 yards per Academic All-District punt, 16 touchbacks on kickoffs, 7 Reid Benson, Ted Drevlow, for 10 on fields goals, including two Anthony Gerlach, Nick Gerlach, misses from 52 yards. Zach Graf, Max Jensen, Justin Lian, The Saints fell to the Andover Cole Linson, Joseph Lipinski, Hunter Huskies 28-14 in the semi-finals of Olson, Reed Pastwa, Grant Woodruff the section tournament to end the Team Awards 2018 season. They had a balanced Hunter Dustman, Cody Kolb, offensive attack and played great Kyle Lindenfelser, Nick Gerlach, team defense throughout the season. Luke Bonte With a number of key players Team Captains returning on offense, defense and Taylor Aho, Luke Bonte, special teams, the Saints hope to Kyle Lindenfelser, Cole Linson, continue the positive momentum of Nick Gerlach, John Westling 2018 into the 2019 season. The Saints St. Francis Area Schools | www.isd15.org
Signing day On November 14, National Signing Day, four St. Francis High School students signed a letter of intent to compete in athletics at the collegiate level. Students declare their interest and intent to attend a specific institution after high school graduation. This is usually accompanied by some type of scholarship for athletics (but not always).
Danah Ocsan: basketball at the University of Jamestown (NAIA)
Rileigh Vojta: golf at Colorado State University-Pueblo (DII-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference)
Nick Pierce: wrestling at St Cloud State University (DII-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference)
Eli Hylen: track and field at North Dakota State University 13
Native American dancers perform at Sandhill Sandhill Center’s Lunch Bunch participants celebrated National Native American Indian Heritage month with an educational performance that brought history and stories of Native Americans in Minnesota. The performance included Jerry Dearly, a Lakota Native American from Pine Ridge Indian Tribe, as narrator. The performance featured drumming, as well as grass, traditional and jingle dancers. Lunch Bunch, a Community Education program, meets once a month with each month hosting a different performance along with a lunch. For more information please call 763-7213-1640. The Native American performance was made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
Dearly also visited the high school earlier that day, providing a wealth of information about Native American people, culture and educational standards. Students were engaged in his storytelling and asked many great questions.
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The 2018 Fall Dance Team consisted of 46 students grades 7-12. This Community Education opportunity began mid-August and ran through mid-October. It is a wonderful way for students to explore dance and potentially prepare for the competitive winter season! Fall season focuses on performance, technique, strength and endurance. The team usually learns two or three dances and performs in several shows at surrounding high schools, as well as at all home St. Francis High School football games and Homecoming Pepfest. Congrats to Coach Sworsky, Coach Abraham and team for a successful season!
Youth Recreation completes fall season St. Francis Area Schools Youth Recreation Department just completed its fall season with 640 students involved in seven different activities. Those activities included flag and tackle football, soccer, volleyball, gymnastics and Mini-Saints dance clinic. Of our ten tackle football teams, five made it to their tier’s championship game. Third grade won the Tier 1 championship; 4th grade won the Tier 2 championship; 5th grade #1 finished runner-up in Tier 2; 5th grade #2 won the Tier 3 championship; and 6th grade #1 finished as the runner up in Tier 3. The 4-7 year-old soccer and grades K-3 flag football players ended their season in a special way this year. They participated in the firstever Night Under the Lights. Players were able to run drills and have a scrimmage under the lights at the St. Francis High School soccer complex. For information about all of St. Francis Area Schools Community Education departments visit www.communityed15.com.
Saints Quarterly | Winter 2018
Beat cabin fever with Early Childhood Family Education
Community Education Creates Opportunities!
St Francis Area Schools Early Childhood Family Education second semester classes begin in late January. With winter upon us, families with young children often want to find something new to do. Check out ECFE for parent/child classes that will get you out of the house where your child can play with other young children, and you can talk with other adults who have young children! Age specific classes for infants, toddlers as well as mixed age classes (birth to kindergarten) are available. Learn about new ways to discipline, helping kids understand feelings, encouraging cooperation and living with more than one child. Full registration details are available in Learn and Thrive or online at www.isd15.org/ecfe. If weekly classes are hard to fit into your schedule, try out Pop In and Play on Tuesday or Thursday mornings. No registration is required. All classes take place at the Lifelong Learning Center in Oak Grove.
Lifelong learning enriches individuals and creates opportunities. Our programs and activities offer something for everyone. Go to www.isd15.org and register today!
Early Childhood Early Childhood Family Education For parents and young children birth to 5 years, learn to play together and meet other families with young children. Call 763-753-7170. Early Childhood Screening Done after the child’s 3rd birthday, free check of child’s health and development, required for school attendance. Call 763-753-7187. Preschool Place 15/School Readiness For children 3 to kindergarten preschool program that provides a safe environment to grow and learn. Scholarships available. Call 763-753-7170. Just 4 Kids Child Care A year round, comprehensive childcare program which provides a safe, fun and nurturing environment for children 3 years to kindergarten. Call 763-213-1616.
Youth Programs
Family Guided Routines Based Intervention Model begins The St. Francis Area Schools Early Childhood Program is beginning to implement the Family Guided Routines Based Intervention Model (FGRBI). The Minnesota Department of Education and the Centers of Excellence selected the district team in the spring with work beginning in the summer. The team has attended many trainings and is excited to learn and help families learn more about this innovation measure. This is a five-year commitment that has brought human and fiscal supports to the Early Childhood team to implement FGRBI. The work Early Childhood will positively impact our Family Education and young students, families Preschool Place 15 is housed and teachers throughout at the Lifelong Learning Center, the district by enhancing located at partnerships between parents and teachers to 18900 Cedar Drive NW, increase learning for our Oak Grove MN youngest learners. St. Francis Area Schools | www.isd15.org
Kids Connection School Age Childcare A year-round, comprehensive childcare program which provides a safe, fun and nurturing environment for children kindergarten to 5th grade. Call 763-213-1616. Youth Enrichment Courses and activities offered after school, non-school days and summer for kindergarten to 8th grade led by qualified skilled instructors. Call 763-213-1616. Districtwide Youth Clubs offered to secondary students including ski and snowboard clubs, trap and fall performance danceline. Call 763-213-1640. Driver Education Classroom and behind the wheel instruction for high school students. Call 763-213-1640. Youth Recreation Sports opportunities for youth preschool to grade 8. Activities include basketball, football, soccer, gymnastics, baseball and more. Call 763-213-1810.
Adult Programs Adult Basic Education Provides adults with opportunities for GED test preparation, college preparation, English language skills and more. Call 763-753-7190. Adult Enrichment and Recreation Affordable, fun opportunities offered such as fitness, hobbies, cooking, art and more. Call 763-213-1640. Facility Rentals St. Francis Area Schools buildings and fields are available for use during non school times. Permit is required. Call 763-213-1598. For more information on these programs or to register please, visit www.communityed15.com. ISD15CommunityEd 15
St. Francis Area Schools Independent School District 15 4115 Ambassador Blvd. NW St. Francis, MN 55070
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage
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St. Francis, MN 55070 Permit No. 2
ECRWSS POSTAL PATRON
St. Francis Area Schools
School Board
Mike Starr Jill Anderson Sean Sullivan Rob Schoenrock Barbara Jahnke Amy Kelly Marsha Van Denburgh
Chair 763-300-9110 Vice-Chair 612-270-0415 Clerk 763-807-0010 Treasurer 763-232-7902 Director 763-753-6846 Director 763-744-8458 Director 763-753-6653
Email: schoolboard@isd15.org School board meetings are held at District Office, located at 4115 Ambassador Blvd. NW, St. Francis. Live streaming and video archives of school board meetings are available at www.isd15.org/sbvideo. Saints Quarterly is a publication prepared and distributed by St. Francis Area Schools Communications Department. Community Education Director Lisa Rahn 763-753-7048 lisa.rahn@isd15.org Communications Manager Kathleen Miller 763-753-7042 kathleen.miller@isd15.org Communications Coordinator Shawnda Schelinder 763-753-7033 shawnda.schelinder@isd15.org Graphics Coordinator Pat Johnson 763-753-7025 pat.johnson@isd15.org St. Francis Area Schools 4115 Ambassador Blvd. NW St. Francis, MN 55070-9368 www.isd15.org
@ISD15 ISD15 ISD_15
Upcoming Dates 12/24/18-01/02/19 No School - Winter Break 01/02/19 Show Choir Preview Night @ SFHS 01/03/19 School Resumes 01/14/19 Conferences @ SFHS 01/14/19 Conferences @ Saints Academy/Online 01/16/19 90-Minute Late Start 01/21/19 No School - Martin Luther King Jr. 01/22/19 No School - Staff Development 01/25/19 Winter One Act Play Performance @ SFHS 01/31/19 Grade 5 Musical @ SFES 02/01/19 Grades 4/5 Activity Night @ SFES 02/04/19 Conferences and Book Fair @ EBES 02/05/19 Conferences @ SFES 02/05/19 Conferences and Book Fair @ CCES 02/07/19 Conferences and Book Fair @ EBES 02/07/19 Conferences @ SFES 02/07/19 Conferences and Book Fair @ CCES 02/07/19 Conferences @ SFMS 02/11/19 Conferences and Book Fair @ CCES 02/12/19 Conferences @ SFES 02/18/19 No School - President’s Day 02/20/19 90-Minute Late Start 02/26/19 Kindergarten Registration @ CCES, EBCS & SFES 03/01/19 End of Second Trimester - 58 Days 03/04/19 No School - Grading Day 03/04-08/19 No School - Spring Break 03/11/19 School Resumes - Third Trimester Begins 03/14/19 All District Band Concert @ SFHS 03/20/19 90-Minute Late Start 03/23/19 Show Choir Post Season Show @ SFHS 03/28/19 Choir Concert @ SFHS
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