Sun Thisweek Apple Valley 01-04-19

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Honored Fire department thanks volunteer

Apple Valley SunThisweek.com

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Jan. 4, 2019 • Volume 39 • Number 44

Established 1975

2018

Apple Valley celebrating golden anniversary

Year also brings student accomplishments, budget adjustments, new spaces

Events to highlight 50th anniversary throughout 2019

Year in Review

District 196 sees leadership changes in 2018 by Patty Dexter SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

by Patty Dexter

The RosemountApple Valley-Eagan School District had an eventful year in 2018, which included changes in leadership, students winning titles, walkouts to protest gun violence and new school spaces. As the district begins a new calendar year, here’s a recap of some of the news from 2018.

SUN THISWEEK DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

New leaders The district has some new faces in 2019 and others who have taken on new leadership roles in the district. In June, Jane Berenz retired as superintendent after a 31-year career in the district. District 196 staff members and the cities served by the district celebrated Berenz’s 36 years as a professional educator on May 15 during a retirement party at Apple Valley High School. Apple Valley Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland proclaimed May 15, 2018, “Jane Berenz Day in the City of Apple Valley.” The proclamation cited the 2013 levy referendum and 2015 bond referendum

Index Opinion

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Announcements 11A Sports

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Classifieds

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Public Notices

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Calendars

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File photo

Members of School District 196 and the cities it serves celebrated Superintendent Jane Berenz’s 36 years as a professional educator on May 15 during her retirement party in the Apple Valley High School commons. Pictured, from left, are Jane Berenz and Apple Valley Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland. as two of Berenz’s great accomplishments, and also lauded the success of students and teachers under her leadership. “I will always have a place in my heart for this district,” Berenz said in a previous interview with the newspaper. Then District 196

Special Education Director Mary Kreger was named interim superintendent for the 2018-19 school year. Kreger had been a part of the superintendent’s cabinet since 2005. The School Board voted to remove the word “interim” from her title in October when it unanimously authorized a

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subcommittee to negotiate a permanent contract with Kreger. The board approved a three-year contract for Kreger in November. “I just so value every single person in this district, and I’m just so honored to continue this work,” Kreger said during the Nov. 5 School Board meeting.

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The district announced in October that Mark Stotts had been hired as director of finance and operations to replace Jeff Solomon who is retiring this month, after a 30-year career in school finance, including the last 15 years with District 196. Stotts See Review, 10A

Apple Valley is celebrating a golden anniversary this year. While Apple Valley became a statutory city in 1974, the city and other entities are partnering to focus on celebrating 50 years from when the first Apple Valley village mayor and council members took office on Jan. 1, 1969. “Fifty years of growth matters. We’ve been successful at what we’re doing. (We’ve had) good leadership, stable leadership,” said Bruce Nordquist, community development director. According to the city’s website, Apple Valley’s beginnings stem back to the mid-1800s when it was then Lebanon Township. The Dakota County Board of Commissioners established Union Township on April 6, 1858 and later changed the boundaries to create Lebanon Township from part of Union Township on April 26, 1858. “The first town meeting was held on May 11, 1858, in a home near the area that is now Westview Elementary School,” the site’s history section states. “Lebanon Township remained much the same for its first century. The town’s population in 1881 was 252 and in 1960 was 585.” The city’s name of Apple Valley came when Orrin Thompson began building in the area and chose the name Apple Valley for several of his plats along County Road 42 in the southwest part of the city. He had apple trees planted at each home in some of the developments, the city said. Residents voted to incorporate LebaSee 50th, 9A


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