2011 04 April Communicator

April 2011

Communicator Strategies considered to balance budget

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Students at Gleason Lake Elementary School use their student response devices to answer questions during a math lesson on fractions.

Student Response Devices answering the challenge of modern education

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nervous voice quietly utters the incorrect answer to the teacher’s question as a wave of laughter erupts around the classroom.

The embarrassment, and even the wrong answer are no longer part of the equation in classrooms with Turning Technologies latest contribution to education in Wayzata Public Schools.

On the student side of the device, the Student Response Device (SRD) or “clicker” as it is commonly referred to, allows for anonymity among students when answering questions in the classroom, which guarantees every student will answer and participate, right or wrong.

On the teaching side of the equation this device allows instructors to accurately measure responses from every student in the class in order to determine if the class is ready to move to the next subject. Sara Eickhoff, a fourth grade teacher at Gleason Lake Elementary School, said if she sees that 80 to 90 percent of the class understand the material after administering a quiz with the SRD, she can move on.

However, if the students aren’t understanding the concept, she can look at the percentages based on what the students are having trouble with and split the class into individual or small groups to address their specific needs. The class can then move on in the same session, compared to a traditional classroom model in which a teacher wouldn’t have the results until the next day when another concept needs to be taught.

Wayzata Public Schools technology integration specialist Belinda Hartzler said the SRD is

another powerful tool helping students to learn and educators to teach. Using this technology to determine if students are ready to move forward is being referred to as agile teaching. Hartzler said this has been a very valuable technique because it allows teachers to know if students are stuck without facing embarrassment and to address the problem quickly before it carries over into another lesson. “It’s still about the effective teacher,” added Hartzler, meaning the tool just helps the teacher be effective but more quickly than traditional methods.

The use of SRDs takes some of the workload away from the teachers, freeing them up to spend more time helping students understand concepts.

The SRD automatically records student responses and the software grades tests and enters the results in the district’s data warehouse where it is used to track student progress and improve instruction.

More time teaching and active learning among students are great benefits from a tool that only costs approximately $35 per unit. Hartzler said Wayzata Public Schools will be adopting a user-owned model for the technology when it is launched district-wide. Currently, the technology is being used in all of the district’s buildings and across the curriculum, but beginning next year, the devices will roll out to all students in grades three through 12 with each student keeping their device throughout the year and using it in almost all classes.

The devices will be owned by students but paid for and maintained by the district for a three-year term. The district has committed to using this technology for three years and will then examine the results as well as the marketplace to see what tools may exist at that time.

s part of its annual budget development process, the school board and administration of Wayzata Public Schools is in the process of identifying strategies that will lead to a balanced budget for the 2011-12 school year.

The district is currently projecting a budget gap of about $2.5 million in the district’s general fund budget, which could increase or decrease slightly depending on action taken by the 2011 Legislature.

The district receives about 68 percent of its funding from the state and state aid for schools has not increased for three years. The state is currently dealing with a $5 billion budget deficit. While the state has not been able to increase funding for schools, there have not been significant direct cuts in funding for public education.

“While it is necessary for our district to make some adjustments to the 2011-2012 budget, we are in a relatively good position to manage Budget continued to page 2

Facilities study completed this spring

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he facilities study of Wayzata Public Schools’ buildings that began nearly a year ago is expected to be completed and presented to the school board later this spring.

The district administration has been working with Wold Architects and Engineers to examine almost every component of its 11 schools, Central Services Facilities, the district administration building and outdoor facilities.

The facilities study is critical to the short and long term planning by the administration and for possible facility improvements, additions and upgrades. The study addresses student enrollment, curriculum, facility equipment, systems and infrastructure. Health, safety and security of students was also studied as well as optimizing the student learning environment while minimizing the impact on operating costs.

The scope of the study included: • Energy conservation opportunities • Mechanical system upgrades • Electrical distribution systems • Plumbing and water distribution systems • Building automation systems • Outdoor athletic facilities • Indoor athletic facilities • Safety and security issues including building entrances • Storage, deliveries and refuse/recycling staging • Instructional spaces • Image/first impression areas including landscaping and entrances • Kitchens, cafeterias and serving areas • Facility maintenance including flooring, painting, doors and hardware, lighting and controls upgrades • Building temperature and ventilation controls The report will also include recommendations for use of space in the district such as the adequacy of facilities for their intended purposes.

Engineers examined athletics areas, office space, instruction space and storage space to determine if these facilities meet the needs of their intended use. Data has been compiled in all of these areas by district staff and engineers and the completed report will be submitted at a future board meeting.

Wayzata Public Schools serves more than 10,000 students in eleven schools. The district has more than 1.6 million square feet of buildings on more than 400 acres of district-owned property. The district’s buildings range in age from 14-years to 61-years-old.

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Artist

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esidence Local artist in the classroom

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ayzata High School students in the drawing 2 class spent a week from March 7-11 with artist-inresidence Elyse Michaelsen to learn pen and ink techniques.

Michaelsen taught lessons on drawing self portraits focusing on specific techniques. Students learned how to draw using value and form, focusing on contrast and proportions of the human face. Michaelsen also demonstrated brush and pen handling techniques including washes, hatching, cross-hatching, contour-hatching and scumbling.

To create the image of their face, the students put their faces and hands onto the photo copy machine to produce a high contrast image. Then they carefully drew their face onto larger paper using proportions and contours. They then filled in areas using washes and a gray-scale to range from light to dark using a brush. On top of this, they developed mark-making to blend and add further details and textures.

Students focused on specific techniques with washes, hatching, cross-hatching and more using pens and brushes to learn how to draw using value and form to develop contrast and proportions of the human face. Pictured at lower left, artist-in-residence Elyse Michaelsen demonstrated various techniques to students in the class. Smart phone users can scan the code to the left to view a gallery of photos from the artist-in-residence opportunity at WHS.

Budget Continued from Page 1 through these difficult economic times,” said Superintendent Chace Anderson. “Our overall student enrollment remains strong, which helps tremendously in maintaining our financial health. We are also benefitting from many years of solid financial stewardship from our current and past school boards.

“It is also important to note that the budget balancing strategies we recommended to the board do not have a direct impact on the quality of learning opportunities that we deliver to students,” Anderson said. “We will be able to cover this budget gap using strategies that maintain the integrity of our instructional program.”

The following strategies were presented to the board by the district administration, and are under consideration as steps to cover the $2.5 million budget gap for the 2011-2012 school year: • Eliminate contributions to severance and OPEB (other post-employment

benefits) funds -- $500,000. The severance and OPEB funds are fully funded to cover future obligations so the district can suspend payments into these funds and still be adequately covered for the future.

• Use portion of building and categorical budget carryovers -- $500,000. The district currently has some budget funds that have carryover or surplus amounts, which can be used to balance the budget without harming current programming.

• Transfer amount from capital operating fund -- $500,000. For the past three years, the legislature has allowed districts to transfer funds from the capital fund to the general fund to assist in budget balancing. Wayzata made some of these transfers, but has not until now used part of these funds to balance the budget.

• Combine integration, special education and regular transportation -- $300,000.

The contracts for these three areas of district transportation are expiring, which gives the district an opportunity to combine all three

areas under one provider. Using one company to cover all three areas will result in a savings to the district.

• Increase in resident student enrollment referendum amount -- $210,000. The district is experiencing an increase in the number of resident students who attend district schools.

Resident students generate about $1,500 per student more than open enrollment students.

This change generates more revenue for the district.

• Shift cost of bus garage lease to capital fund -- $170,000. The district currently leases a bus garage facility and pays for this cost from the general fund. Shifting this cost to the capital fund will mean a savings to the general fund.

• Use a portion of the federal jobs allocation -- $150,000. Two years ago, the district received $600,000 in stimulus funds from the federal government. In August 2010, the district received $750,000 in federal jobs money. The $600,000 in stimulus funds is expiring, which leaves a net amount of

$150,000 that can be used to balance the budget.

• Save utility costs with energy retrofits -- $100,000. Last year, the district issued bonds to complete several energy retrofit projects such as window, lighting and boiler replacement. These retrofits will bring significant savings in energy costs, which comes from the general fund.

• Increase high school activity fees or other savings -- $70,000. The fees charged for students to participate in activities at Wayzata High School are currently below many other metro area districts. A small increase in these fees would bring the district closer to the metro average and generate additional revenue.

• TOTAL -- $2.5 million The board will finalize these budget adjustments as part of its budget approval process. State law requires school boards to approve the budget for the next school year by June 30.

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Columns

Actively engaging in the legislative process is key part of district planning

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hether we like it or not, planning and implementing the operations of a school district have become inextricably linked to the legislative process. A large portion of the funding for K-12 schools comes from the state, which means individual districts must closely monitor what is happening at the legislature to determine how to appropriately plan and respond.

The 2011 legislative session is what is called a “funding year.”

Every two years, the funding levels are set for school districts by the legislature and we learn how much – or how little – revenue is coming to our district. By the end of this legislative session, the district will know its funding amounts for both the 2011-2012 and 20122013 school years. Because we will likely not find out what our 20112012 funding level is until at least late May of this year, it makes it challenging to establish budgets for the coming year.

Our administrators, principals and staff members are currently in the process of developing school and department budgets for next year.

This process usually starts in early

winter and continues throughout the spring and wraps up when the board approves the budget by June 30 as required by law. This is very challenging this year because we are setting our revenue budget without fully knowing what revenue will be in place. Our administration does a great job of monitoring the legislative process and in establishing budgets that are reasonable and that can be adjusted depending on legislative action.

When the 2011 legislative session began, we were anticipating a “bestcase scenario” of flat funding or no additional increase in revenue from the state. Minnesota districts are currently in the third consecutive year of flat funding and we assumed that this would continue given the state’s projected $5 billion budget deficit. As I write this, the education bills being considered by the legislature actually provide a small increase for our district. We are, however, a long way from the final solution and there is no guarantee on how schools will ultimately be affected.

Along with the funding provisions to be decided by the legislature, there will also be several changes

Board Chair’s Column

in state law that will affect local school districts. One of the things that the “Our administration Wayzata board always does a great job supports is legislation of monitoring the that allows greater legislative process flexibility in local and in establishing control of issues and budgets that are financial matters that reasonable and that affect our schools. can be adjusted ...”

Rather than having —Pat Gleason the legislature put Board Chair further restrictions on how we operate as a district, we believe it is better to allow make it more difficult to deliver a local school boards, in consultation quality education for our students. with their community residents, to We monitor these issues and make these decisions. One of the regularly communicate with our most significant issues around local legislators to share how these ideas control from this legislative session might impact our district. has been a proposal to impose a Spring is always a busy time of two-year statewide salary freeze for year in a school district, but we all school employees. Our board believe that paying close attention and Legislative Action Committee to the legislative session is an (LAC) opposed this provision important part of our job. Working because we believe these decisions with our Wayzata Legislative Action are best made at the local level.

Committee, we will continue to During the legislative session, monitor legislative activity and there other provisions that arise advocate on the behalf of our district during the session that would and students. negatively affect our district and

Proposed alternative facilities legislation would benefit our district

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ayzata Public Schools’ administrators have been working with local legislators on legislation that would allow the district to qualify early for the state’s alternative facilities bonding and levy program. Qualifying for this program would be a great benefit for our school district.

The state’s alternative facilities bonding and levy program allows qualifying school districts to raise funds through local levies or bonds to cover the cost of certain building maintenance and repair projects.

Voter approval is not required on alternative facilities levies or bonds.

Funding from alternative facilities levies or bonds can only be used to repair or maintain existing buildings. Qualifying projects would include roof repair or replacement, parking lot repair, replacement of air quality equipment, or similar projects. Funding from alternative facilities levies or bonds cannot be used to build or upgrade existing facilities. These funds are meant to allow districts to maintain existing facilities.

To qualify for the program, districts must have over 1.85 million square feet of building space and an average age of buildings of 15 years or older; or 1.5 million square feet of space and an average age of 35 years or older. Wayzata has approximately 1.65 million square feet of building space and a current average age of about 31 years.

Senator Terri Bonoff is sponsoring the Senate version of the bill and Representative Connie Doepke is sponsoring the House version.

We want to thank Senator Bonoff, Representative Doepke and all the legislators who represent our district for supporting this provision and for helping us guide it through the legislative process.

Over the past several years, other districts have sought and been granted early eligibility into the alternative facilities program. Our district is seeking early eligibility at this time for four major reasons.

First, today’s economy presents a tremendous opportunity for the district. Interest rates and construction costs are low, which would allow the district to complete

Superintendent’s Column

pending projects at a lower cost. This would translate into direct savings to local “Qualifying for this taxpayers. program [alternative Second, there is no facilities legislation] financial impact for the would be a great state in this legislation. benefit for our school The funds for Wayzata’s district.” participation in the —Chace Anderson, alternative facilities Superintendent program would come entirely from the local levy.

Third, the district is currently using a small portion of our general fund and safety, and general maintenance budget to cover the cost of annual projects. This amount would be capital expenses, which could be shifted to pay for similar projects covered by the alternative facilities covered under the alternative levy. The ability to access alternative facilities program. The cost to local facilities funds will free up dollars taxpayers would be the same as it is in the general fund and allow our currently and we would be able to district to more effectively manage accelerate repair and maintenance its budget during these difficult projects. financial times.

With the help of our local Finally, our participation in legislators, we are hopeful that this this program would not increase provision will be included in a larger property taxes for local residents. bill that will be passed during this The district currently levies about legislative session. $3.2 million annually for health

4 Seven WHS students place well on 2011 National German Exam

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our students from Wayzata High School have scored at the 90th percentile or above on the 2011 National German Exam and an additional three students placed as state winners scoring above the 80th percentile.

The national winners are: junior Rachel Mohr and sophomores Akash Batra, Gretchen Struckmeyer and Kallan Swenson.

The state winners are: junior Zachary Barenburg and sophomores Shai Ann Cain and Katie Corwin.

The students are taught by Barbara Melbye Janssen and Karen Nickel.

WHS student honored with 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Award

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ayzata High School Junior Peter Larson was chosen as one of Minnesota’s top two volunteers and honored as a 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community recipient.

Larson was nominated by staff members at WHS for sleeping outside in the frigid lateautumn air for more than 300 nights over the past six years to raise more than $275,000 to help prevent homelessness in the community.

When Larson was in first grade, his Cub Scout pack heard a presentation by the man who had started the “Sleep Out,” and learned that for every $500 raised, he could help keep a needy family in their home for one month.

“When I heard that number, it just clicked in my brain,” said Larson. “It was as if someone told me this is what I should do.”

For the next several years, Larson slept outside one night each year with his scout pack to support this cause. “By fifth grade, I knew I could do more, so I asked my parents if I could sleep out for the entire five weeks of the Sleep Out,” he said. Since then, he has spent each night of the annual November-December Sleep Out in a cardboard box behind his house, sometimes enduring temperatures as low as 20 degrees below zero. Through media interviews, mailings, website appeals and speeches to church, scouting and school groups, he asks people to support him by making donations to Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners, which provides affordable housing and financial assistance to families in need. Larson also has persuaded local restaurants to pledge part of their profits from one day of his Sleep Out. “This is what I was called to do,” said Larson, “because if I don’t do it – who will?”

As a state honoree, Larson will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip in May to Washington, D.C., where he will join the top two honorees from each state and the District of Columbia for several days of national recognition events.

Ten of them will be named America’s top youth volunteers for 2011 during the national recognition. The top 10 students will receive an additional $5,000 award, gold medallions, crystal trophies and $5,000 grants from the Prudential Foundation for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.

Wayzata Public Schools’ 2010-11 elementary Destination ImagiNation teams celebrated their successful year at an annual party held at Central Middle School.

Four teams advance to Destination ImagiNation Finals

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our teams from Wayzata Public Schools are advancing to the Destination ImagiNation Global Finals in Knoxville, Tennessee on May 25-28 following the state competition held on April 16.

The following teams will be competing at the Global Finals: • The Permanent Markers from Oakwood Elementary took first place in the elementary level for Challenge C, Triple Take Road Show and were state champions – Team members are Duffy Davidson, Ali Gabler, Conor Greenberg, Mara McCollor, Elizabeth Page, David Sandall and Erica Svendahl; team managers are Jeff Page and Pete Sandall • Psychedelic Hippie Kaleidoscopes from Central Middle School took first place in the middle level for Challenge D, Mythology Mission and were state champions – Team members are Justin Greenberg, Maia Miller, David Mo, Arman Shah, Abby Trouth and Leighton Zhao; team managers are Robb Greenberg and Diane Miller • Six DIgrees of DImagination from Oakwood Elementary took second place in the elementary level for Challenge B, Spinning a Tale – Team members are Christopher Caryotakis, Abby Kassmir, Elizabeth Mack, Derek Rosenberger, Ellie

Shaver and Claire Weiss; team manager is Paula Caryotakis • The DInamites from West Middle School and Oakwood Elementary school took second place in the middle level challenge for Project Outreach – Dynamic Networks – Team members are Simran Chugani, Kyle Eckman, Frank Fetrow, Hannah Hagen, Madeline Tapper, Isaac Polum and Lucas Waskosky; team managers are Holly Tapper and Kristin Tollison Two third place teams will also be alternates and may be invited to attend the Global Finals if a first or second place team is unable to attend. The following teams are the alternates: • The JK’s from West Middle school took third place in the middle level for Challenge B, Spinning a Tale – Team members are Kate Bernhardt, Katie Erdahl, Jacob Hoffner, Julia Hoffner, Jack Stetler and Kira Stetler; team managers are Angela Bernhardt, Jason Erdahl and Jim Stetler • The Razzle Dazzles from West and Central middle schools took third place in the middle level for Challenge C, Triple Take Road Show – Team members are Griffin Caryotakis, Caroline Davidson, Andy Gabler, Melanie Hoof, Tess Kehne and Adam Tapper; team manager is Tricia Davidson

WPSEF 2011 From Excellent to Exceptional grants awarded

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our proposals for the From Excellent to Exceptional Grants awarded by the Wayzata Public Schools Education Foundation (WPSEF) have been selected as winners of the 2011 grant process.

These four curriculum-based projects in the areas of special education and literacy were chosen from 10 projects that were submitted to the foundation for consideration. The selected projects will receive more than $8,000 in grants as part of nearly $18,000 in total funding for 2011 programming.

Following are the 2011 grant recipients: • The Sensory Approach to Learning: This program, to be led by Jennifer Brady-Johnson and Adrienne Crook, will allow the professional development and training of five district staff in specific sensory strategies for use in three pilot classrooms at Oakwood Elementary School, Central Middle School and Wayzata High School. The sensory techniques will facilitate intervention support for students with learning disabilities, behavioral and emotional problems, motor incoordination, attention problems and other developmental issues. The goal is to eventually roll out these techniques to all district schools, and to better arm general education teachers with classroom strategies that improve the school performance and general attentiveness of students of all learning styles.

• Closing the Summer Set Back Reading Gap of Economically Disadvantaged Students: This summer reading program, submitted by Laurel Johns, will help struggling readers in first through fourth grades at Plymouth Creek Elementary. Qualified students will receive appropriately leveled reading materials and additional reading support with the goal of increasing reading proficiency in the areas of accuracy, fluency and comprehension, and to close the current achievement gap.

• 21st Century Literacy: This program will be facilitated by Jodi Spohnholtz and will fund the purchase of 15 eReaders and a library of digital grade-level novels and audio books at West Middle School. The goal is to enhance the literacy learning of all reading levels, especially those who will benefit from the auditory and visual capabilities enabled by this technology.

• Integrating iPads in Special Education Programming: WPSEF facilitated district funding to provide two iPads and customized applications to be used at Oakwood Elementary School. The iPads will enable children with special needs to utilize technology to learn through visual, auditory and kinesthetic modalities. This project will be led by Michele Mader and Victoria Horberg.

Since 2007, WPSEF’s ‘From Excellent to Exceptional’ Grant program has provided more than $95,000 to projects in the Wayzata Public Schools.

5 Greenwood students raised more than $8,000 for cancer research

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reenwood Elementary School students exceeded the school’s goal of $6,090 by raising $8,193.23 for cancer research through Pennies for Patients during the month of March.

The goal was established by setting an expectation of $10 raised per student in the building. The outcome was achieved through an incredible effort on the part of the fifth grade Kids in Community Kare and Service (KICKS) team, parents and staff members.

Theme days including Stick it to Cancer, Team up against Cancer, Jam out Cancer and Cap out Cancer helped motivate students to raise money for the cause.

Students rallied around the fundraiser to support fellow fourth grade student Matthew Buff who is now in his second year of remission. The effort became a more tangible activity by seeing cancer through a friend’s eyes and experiences.

In addition to the theme days, a sign was placed near the building’s entrance that said “Making Leukemia Disappear.” With each $761 raised, one of the letters was removed from the sign until it was gone from the wall.

Toward the end of the fundraising period, the fifth grade class held a competition between boys and girls in fifth grade that raised $1,300 Greenwood ranked in the top 10 schools in the state for schools with more than 500 students in the Pennies for Patients program with this year’s donation. The donations include 406 pounds of coins totaling $3,566, $2,078 in cash, $333 donated by Jimmy Johns, $651 in checks and $1,566 donated online. The students chose to donate the money to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Central Middle School continued its fundraising effort this year for Pennies for Patients and collected $15,560.75, taking third place in Minnesota this year.

Over the past 10 years, CMS students have raised almost $100,000 for Pennies for Patients.

Two WHS students named U.S. Presidential Scholar semi-finalists

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Greenwood Elementary fifth grade students Alex Bach and Ethan Epland fill donation buckets with change collected for this year’s Pennies for Patients fundraiser.

ayzata High School seniors Rohit Agrawal and Lauren Urke were named semi-finalists in the U.S. Presidential Scholar program and are two of nine semi-finalists from Minnesota.

They were chosen based on their accomplishments in many areas including academic and/ or artistic success, leadership and involvement in school and the community and represent excellence in education and the promise of greatness in America’s youth.

Agrawal and Urke were two of six students nominated from WHS for the honor including seniors Samantha Carter, Rebecca Dryer, Michael Neaton and Amy Wen. Finalists in the program will be named in early May. In April, the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars will review the applications of all semi-finalists and select up to 121 academic scholars and up to 20 arts scholars. All scholars are honored for their accomplishments during the national recognition weekend, held in June in Washington, D.C. During this trip, Presidential Scholars are guests of the commission and enjoy an expense-paid trip to meet with government officials, educators, authors, musicians, scientists and other accomplished people. Scholars have the opportunity to visit museums and monuments and to attend recitals, receptions and ceremonies. To commemorate their achievement, the scholars are awarded the Presidential Scholars medallion at a ceremony sponsored by the White House.

Two WHS students advance to national SciMent competition

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ayzata High School juniors Evan Chen and Naveen Jain were named to an elite group of five students advancing to the national SciMent Science Research competition following the 43rd annual North Central Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Bloomington on March 19-20.

Chen and Jain were competing against 70 students in grades 9-12 from Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Chen received the tri-state competition’s second place award which includes a $1,500 scholarship and advancement to the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in April in San Diego, California. Jain received fourth place and will also advance to the national competition.

Chen and Jain were two of ten Wayzata High School juniors and seniors who took top awards at the Twin Cities Regional Science Fair held earlier in February and competing against a field of 450 participants.

The following students received awards at the regional science fair in February:

• Ishmam Ahmed - top ribbon qualifying for state competition • Evan Chen - society for In Vitro Biology, certificate to the most outstanding 11th grade student in the area of plant or animal in vitro biology or tissue culture; qualified for state competition; research paper competition finalist qualifying for the North Central Tri-State Junior Science and Humanities Symposium • Hari Ganti – I-SWEEEP finalist; Minnesota Space Frontier Society Recognition of outstanding research; U.S. Army award for exemplary research; U.S. Navy office of Naval Research Medal; Mu Alpha Theta Award for the project demonstrating the most challenging, original, thorough and creative investigation of a problem involving mathematics; National Society of Professional Engineers Award; qualified for state • Naveen Jain – Joel Wagner Caring Bridge Award; qualified for state competition; research paper competition finalist qualifying for the North Central Tri-State Junior Science and

WHS Science Bowl team takes first place at state

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eam one of Wayzata High School Science Bowl teams won the 2011 Minnesota Academy of Science’s Minnesota State Regional Science Bowl for High School Students held at Macalester College on January 21.

The team will continue on and represent Minnesota at the national tournament held in Washington, D.C., April 28-May 3.

WHS Science Bowl team two took

fourth place in the tournament and team three tied for eighth place.

Members of the state champion team include: seniors Rohit Agrawal, Larry Lee, Ganesh Ramen and Gaurav Singh; and junior Duligur Ibeling. Members of team two include: senior Brian Tu; and juniors Ishmam Ahmed, Xun Liu, Ivan Poteryakhin and Alec Spencer. Members of team three include: freshmen Lydia Boike, Anders Cornell, Trisha Morrison, Priyanka Narayan and William Zeng.

Humanities • Ganesh Raman – Minnesota Chapter of American Fisheries Society Sponsor Award; Minnesota Space Frontier Society Award; qualified for state competition • Rishi Sinha – qualified for state competition • Alexander Spencer – Yale Science and Engineering Association, Inc., for most outstanding 11th grade student in computer science, engineering, physics or chemistry; qualified for state competition • Bo Sun – Mintahoe Hospitality Services Corporate Sponsor Award; qualified for state competition; Research Paper Competition Finalist qualifying for the North Central Tri-State Junior Science and Humanities Symposium • Lesley Sun – research project recognition and research paper recognition • Amy Wen – Stockholm Junior Water Price, certificate and eligible to enter the state competition; Ricoh Sustainable Development Corporate Sponsor Award; qualified for state competition

2011 WHS Athena Award winner named

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ayzata High School senior Lauren Urke is the 2010-11 Athena Award winner.

Urke has earned a total of six varsity letters including three in soccer, two in track and field and one in hockey.

She was a member of three girls’ soccer teams at WHS that advanced to the state tournament, including the 2009 team that won the Class 2A state championship and the 2010 team that finished in second place. Urke was voted the hardest worker by soccer teammates all four of her years at WHS. Urke was also part of a 4x400 meter relay team during her freshman year that

earned All-State honors by placing fourth at the state meet.

Off the field, she has been a violinist for the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony for nine years and started her own volunteer mentoring program to provide lessons to struggling violin students. She is a semi-finalist for the United States Presidential Scholars program, a National Merit Finalist, Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction and a member of the National Honors Society. She earned a perfect score on the ACT exam and has been named Academic All-State in both soccer and track and field. Urke plans to play college soccer at Harvard.

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14 WHS students win Scholastic Art awards

Savannah Belcher

Brittni Birkeland

Emma Bitterman

Sarah Porter

Laura Swartz

Gabby Temple

Elizabeth Haas

Arlo Hanson

Anjelica Martino

Claire Elkin

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ourteen students from Wayzata High School won 2010-11 Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards with two students taking top honors.

In the category of digital art, senior Sarah Porter and junior Savannah Belcher earned Gold Key awards for individual entries. Porter also earned a Silver Key award at the national level. A Silver Key award in this category was earned by freshman Maggie Scanlon and honorable mentions were awarded to senior Maddy Wahl and freshman David Tehle.

In the category of ceramics, Silver Key awards were

earned by senior Arlo Hanson and junior Elizabeth Haas. Hanson also received an honorable mention in this category, along with senior Keather Lindman.

In the category of jewelry, Silver Key awards were earned by seniors Brittni Birkeland, Emma Bitterman, Claire Elkin, Anjelica Martino and Laura Swartz; and junior Gabby Temple.

In the category of photography, honorable mentions were awarded to Martino for both an individual entry and portfolio entry.

The Scholastic Art Awards were designed to foster creative expression by secondary students and to

Maggie Scanlon recognize and encourage achievement in the creative arts by offering visibility and scholarships. Gold Key awardwinning work is automatically entered in the national competition in New York, where panels of prestigious members of the arts and education communities judge the entries for technical proficiency, originality and emergence of personal style or vision.

Smart phone users can scan the code to the right to view a photo gallery of all winners.

Legislative visit to ECFE

Eight WPS students take top awards at state MathCounts

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State Representative Connie Doepke visited with students in Wayzata Public Schools Family Learning Center in February.

Doepke was given a tour of the facility and had a chance to participate in activities with students like group time, pictured.

wo teams from Wayzata Public Schools competed in the state MathCounts competition on March 26 and earned top awards.

The teams, from Central and East middle schools, were made up of four students each that competed against the top 126 “mathletes� from 42 schools across the state.

The CMS team took first place in the team competition event and includes team members Leighton Zhao and Jenica Zhong, both eighth grade, and David Mo and Daniel Qu, both seventh grade. The team is coached by Katie Tanke.

The EMS team took third place and included team members: Jiho Cheon, eighth grade; Seri Choi, seventh grade; Anirudh Sharma, seventh grade; and Dhruv Methi, sixth grade. The team is coached by Kathy Simson.

In addition to the team awards, CMS students Daniel Qu won a first place individual award and Jenica Zhong won a third place individual award.

Both of them will represent Minnesota at the 2011 national MathCounts competition on May 5-8 in Washington, D.C. EMS student Seri Choi took sixth place at state and is an alternate for the national team.

As the coach of the winning school team, Tanke will coach the Minnesota state team for the national competition.

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In Brief 2011 WPS retirees The following 19 staff members have announced they will retire at the end of the 2010-11 school year: • Dory Borscheid, paraprofessional, CMS • Jill Bowman-Cashman, music teacher, WMS • Dale Dunnigan, teacher, WHS • Carol Ann Giesmann, paraprofessional, Birchview Elementary • Barb Gruidl, Culinary Express, EMS • Corinne Guddal, Culinary Express, Kimberly Lane Elementary • Steve Gustafson, teacher, Kimberly Lane Elementary • Sandra Heltemes, culinary express, CMS • Tom Koch, principal, Birchview Elementary • Jan Leuer, teacher, Sunset Hill Elementary • Janelle Mattson, teacher, Kimberly Lane Elementary • Bonnie Max, Culinary Express, WHS • Steve Mumma, associate principal, WHS • Donna Ness, teacher, EMS • Janet Pearson, teacher, Kimberly Lane Elementary • Elizabeth Schumacher, paraprofessional, EMS • Leslie Swiggum, teacher, WHS • Susan Veaderko, paraprofessional, WMS • Jeff Watkins, teacher, WHS • Carolyn Wilhelm, teacher, Plymouth Creek Elementary

Summer preschool The Wayzata Family Learning Center is accepting online registration for the Barefoot in the Grass summer preschool program.

Classes are either four or eight weeks in length and run 9-11:30 a.m. for 2-year-olds and 8:45-11:45 a.m. for 3- to 5-year olds.

Parents may choose a Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday class. To be eligible, children must be 2- to 5-years-old as of September 1, 2010, and have not yet started kindergarten. Session I is June 6-30 and Session II is July 11 to August 4.

Parents can also register children ages 18-months to 5 years for one morning (8:45-11:45 a.m.) or afternoon (noon-2:30 p.m.) per week of BLOCK Time, the center’s high quality child care option. BLOCK Time is prepaid for a full session of four weeks, the same dates as Barefoot in the Grass.

Limited financial assistance is available for qualifying families. Registration and additional information is online at www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/ces. Registration forms are also available at the Family Learning Center at 305 Vicksburg Lane North, in Plymouth.

For more information, call 763-745-5290.

Home Base registration online Registration for Wayzata Public Schools’ Home Base before- and after-school daycare program is now available online.

The registration period for 2011-12 fall priority (for students currently enrolled in Home Base, new kindergarten and Bright Start) registration is April 15-21. Open registration for all families not currently enrolled in these programs is April 29-May 5.

To register online, visit www.wayzata.k12. mn.us/ces

WHS math team wins fourth straight state championship

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he Wayzata High School math team won its fourth straight state championship tier I title on March 14 at the 26th Minnesota Mathematics League State Tournament at South Saint Paul High School.

This is the seventh time in the last nine years the WHS math team has won the state title. The WHS math team competed in the Southwest Suburban division and finished the season with 597 points – the top score in the state.

The WHS math team finished the state tournament with a score of 117 points which put them in first place. WHS seniors Rohit Agrawal, Gaurav Singh and sophomore Abram Sanderson were the top scorers at the state meet. Agrawal has had perfect season records (70 points i.e., all 40 questions correct) for the past three years, and Singh the past two years.

Last year, Agrawal was the first student ever to have a perfect season score and

a perfect tournament score in the same season. Also, in the 27-year history of the state math league in its current form, only four students have won the season scoring title multiple times including Agrawal and Singh, and only 12 students have had perfect seasons including Agrawal and Singh.

This year’s state tournament participants were: seniors Agrawal, Kelly Chen, Larry Lee, Singh and Brian Tu; juniors Duligur Ibeling and Sahiba Singh; sophomores Miri Choi, Jacob Kautzky, Abram Sanderson and Roy Zhao; and freshmen Priyanka Narayan, Apekshya Panda and William Zeng.

The team is coached by head coach Thomas Kilkelly and assistant coach William Skerbitz.

In addition to the win at the state tournament, the team also placed third out of 181 teams across the nation on the Mandelbrot team competition. This is a

contest in which groups of four students work together on a series of proof-style questions. The students write out their explanations to the successive parts, which build upon one another to develop a mathematical result. The team play lasts one hour and student responses are mailed to a panel of graders for evaluations.

The team also tied for second place internationally on the American Regional Mathematics League (ARML) Power Contest. The team scored well with 136 points on the year’s ARML local competition. WHS had 14 students score high enough on the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) to participate in the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME). Of those 14 students, Agrawal and Singh qualified for the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO) tam, while Sanderson qualified for the Junior USAMO.

Board committee structure and appointments for 2011 approved

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t its first meeting of the year, the school board of Wayzata Public Schools elected board officers and approved the 2011 committee structure and appointments.

The board elected Pat Gleason to the position of board chair, Carter Peterson as vice chair, Jay Hesby as treasurer and Linda Cohen as clerk.

Standing committee appointments are as follows: • Teaching and Learning: Linda Cohen (Chair), Pat Gleason and Carter Peterson • Finance and Business: Jay Hesby (Chair), Sue Droegemueller and Susan Gaither • Human Resources: Linda Cohen (Chair), Susan Gaither and Pat Gleason • OPEB Trust: Jay Hesby (Chair), Sue Droegemueller and Susan Gaither • Policy and Regulation Review: Sue Droegemueller (Chair), Linda Cohen and Susan Gaither • Negotiation Teams: Pat Gleason and John Moroz • Superintendent’s Evaluation/Compensation: John Moroz (Chair), Sue Droegemueller and Jay Hesby • Facilities Development and Long-Range Planning: Carter

Peterson (Chair), Susan Gaither and Jay Hesby • Equity Leadership: Susan Gaither (Chair), Linda Cohen and Pat Gleason • Technology Committee: Susan Gaither (Chair), John Moroz and Carter Peterson • Association of Metropolitan School Districts: Sue Droegemueller, John Moroz, alternate • Citizens Financial Advisory Council: Jay Hesby, Sue Droegemueller, alternate • Communities in Collaboration Council: Linda Cohen, Susan Gaither, alternate • Community Education Advisory Council: Carter Peterson, Susan Gaither, alternate •District Liaison Committee: rotation of all board members • Intermediate District 287: Carter Peterson • Legislative Action Committee: John Moroz, Sue Droegemueller, alternate • Minnesota State High School League: Sue Droegemueller, Linda Cohen, alternate • West Metro Education Program: Pat Gleason, Sue Droegemueller, alternate

Important School Board Election Dates for 2011 August 9, 2011................................... First day to file as a candidate for school board August 23, 2011................................ Last day to file as a candidate for school board August 25, 2011................................ Last day to file affidavit of withdrawal

as a candidate for school board October 19, 2011............................... First day absentee ballots must be

available to voters November 8, 2011............................. Election Day

EMS holds annual People of Prominence Day

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WHS coach named a Minnesota Coach of the Year

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yan Johnson, Wayzata High School’s strength and conditioning teacher/coach, has been named the Minnesota National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) 2010 High School Strength and Conditioning Professional of the year.

In Johnson’s 10 years at WHS, the Trojans have captured 21 team state championship titles and in 2007 were crowned the Minnesota Challenge Cup Champions. In addition to the coach of the year award, Johnson will become the state director of the NSCA after serving on the Minnesota Advisory Board and as assistant director for the past four years. The state award makes him a candidate for the National High School Coach of the Year title, which will be presented at the national convention held in Las Vegas, Nevada in July.

Employees of the Month Four employees have been recognized as Employees of the Month since the previous edition of the Communicator.

They are: • January 2011 — Deb Kimlinger, school counselor at East Middle School •February 2011 — Mary Anderson, sixth grade teacher at West Middle School • March 2011 ­— Jim Hebeisen, third grade teacher at Plymouth Creek Elementary • April 2011 — Carol Talus, health paraprofessional at Kimberly Lane Elementary

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Eighth grade students at East Middle School participated in the school’s fourth annual People of Prominence Day on February 4. Students, dressed as prominent historical characters, performed a “living” timeline in the gym for the public. For this project, students learn a basic introduction to research, write a formulaic five-paragraph essay and learn the essential skills of public speaking.

The Communicator is published for residents and staff of Wayzata Public Schools. Contact Bob Noyed, director of communication, at 763-745-5068 or robert.noyed@wayzata.k12.mn.us with questions or comments.

Communicator

Wayzata Public Schools 210 County Road 101 N. P.O. Box 660 Wayzata, MN 55391-0060

April 2011

WHS hosts Empty Bowls fundraiser

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ayzata High School’s annual Empty Bowls fundraiser is set for Thursday, May 19, from 5 - 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. All of the proceeds from this fundraiser benefit Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners. The suggested donation for the event is $10.

For the suggested donation, each bowl chosen by the patrons, is filled with steaming soup and a piece of bread.

Students, alumni, district administrators and local city officials work with donated clay throughout the year to craft approximately 1,000 bowls.

Patrons of the event have always found the bowls to be collectibles and the students inscribe the bowls with the

artist’s name and the date of the event.

Last year, the event has raised more than $8,000 for the IOCP to directly benefit the fight against hunger in the Twin Cities.

Tickets can be purchased at the IOCP office in Wayzata, the WHS activities office, the second floor office at WHS and the CES office at Central Middle School, as well as at the door on the evening of the event.

Smartphone users may scan the code above to see the Empty Bowls Blog site for more information and photos.

Three WHS students science talent search semi-finalists

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ayzata High School seniors Rohit Agrawal, Julia Sun and Lewin Xue were named Intel Science Talent Search semi-finalists.

The Intel Science Talent Search (Intel ISEF) is the nation’s most prestigious pre-college science competition.

Alumni of STS have made extraordinary contributions to science and hold more than 100 of the world’s most coveted science and math honors, including seven Nobel Prizes and four National Medals of Science.

Requirements for early entrance into WPS

Smart phone users can scan the code above to view more information on current and past employees of the month.

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innesota law states that children must be five years of age by September 1 of any given year in order to enter kindergarten. Wayzata Public Schools offers an early entrance option for children in the district with birthdays between September 2 and October 15.

Children who demonstrate superior intellectual ability and advanced social/emotional development can be considered for early entrance to kindergarten. This acceleration through early entrance is a way to provide for the educational needs of a small number of decidedly more capable children.

If you would like your child to be considered for early entrance to kindergarten, contact Gabriel Lofton, director of academic excellence and equity, at 763-745-5094, or email Gabriel.Lofton@wayzata.k12.mn.us by May 6, 2011, for more information and to request an application.

Students under consideration will be interviewed in June and a decision will be made by June 30. The state of Minnesota does not provide funds for this assessment. If you choose to proceed with this process, the fee is $250 payable at the time of application. Financial assistance may be available.