WPS November 2013 Communicator by Wayzata Public Schools

November 2013

Excellence. For each and every student.

Communicator BOARD APPROVES FEBRUARY 25, 2014 REFERENDUM TO ADDRESS ENROLLMENT GROWTH

fter months of research, review and analysis, the Wayzata School Board voted unanimously to place two school funding questions before voters at a special election on February 25, 2014. • Question one will ask the community to vote on a $109.645 million bond referendum to expand Wayzata High School, build a new elementary school and upgrade safety, security and technology infrastructure. • Question two will ask voters to renew the district’s existing technology levy (called a “capital projects levy”), which will expire in 2016. The renewal would simply extend that levy - which funds technology equipment and support districtwide with approximately $2.7 million annually – for an additional 10 years. “A tremendous amount of work went into Continued on Page 2

A referendum will take place on February 25, 2014, to ask residents to add space to Wayzata High School and build an 8th elementary school to accommodate the district’s growing enrollment.

Wayzata Schools Has Much to be Grateful For

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” — Melody Beattie, author

t’s hard to believe it is already November and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. At this busy time of year, I am reminded of the importance to give thanks and express my gratitude for being a part of such a wonderful school community committed to students and families. We have much to be thankful for—students who come to school every day ready to learn and help others, parents who are active partners and staff who are dedicated to meeting the needs of each and every student. This issue of the Communicator is full of examples of our students thriving—academically, through sports and other activities and by giving back to our community through service learning. As superintendent, I am also thankful for the leadership provided by our past, current and future School Board members. These district residents have given their time, talents and valuable perspectives for decades to make the Wayzata Public School District what it is today. Wayzata Public Schools has always been known for excellence and we are fortunate that

we continue to be a school district of choice. The growth in our resident student enrollment is thanks to this reputation established by those coming before us. More information about the February 25, 2014 referendum to address our students’ needs for space, security and technology is featured in this month’s issue of the Communicator. Please join me in thanking School Board members Susan Drogemeuller, Susan Gaither and John Moroz as they finish their terms of service at the end of December. Their contributions are greatly appreciated and will be felt for years to come. On November 5, 2013, three new Board members were elected by the community and will begin serving at the January 13, 2014 regular Board meeting. Welcome Andrea Cuene, Sarah Johansen and Chris McCullough to the Wayzata School Board! And last but certainly not least, it is important to give thanks to all residents that support the school district, many of whom have graduated from Wayzata, have kids who have graduated, or who have worked for the district at some point in their lives. These connections are evident at special events such as the annual musical performance for senior citizens in our community. There was standing room only in

From THE SUPERINTENDENT

the high school auditorium November 6 for the special performance of Kiss Me Kate. As these seniors were greeted prior to the show, they were asked to stand if they had worked in the district and over a quarter of the audience stood. And half the audience stood when veterans were asked to stand—we have much to be grateful for. I would like to close with a quote from German philosopher Albert Schweitzer, “At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by the spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” I hope you enjoy time with family and friends in the coming weeks. – Chace B. Anderson, Ph.D. is Superintendent of Wayzata Public Schools

Continued from Page 1 this proposal,” said School Board Chair Sue Droegemueller. “We owe a great deal of thanks to the Community Task Force on Facilities, the Citizens Finance Advisory Council, the Board Facilities Committee and staff for their comprehensive analysis of the data, various options and the final recommendation. Our students – both current and future – need quality learning spaces, and these ballot questions will help provide just that.” “I am proud of the plans we have assembled and I think they are a great response to our students’ needs for space, security and technology,” shared Superintendent Chace Anderson. “We want the school district to continue being a solid asset for the communities that we serve and these plans are designed to deliver our programs with maximum efficiency.” The need to expand capacity at the high school, add an eighth elementary school and upgrade security and technology are being driven by: • More births and students moving into the district

• More housing — 1,200 new homes have been built in the district over the past four years and at least another 1,600 new homes are expected to be built in the next four years • More students already in the schools — most district schools are already at capacity, including the high school, and incoming classes from the district’s three middle schools increase each year • Projections for Wayzata High School to grow by as many as 900 students in the next 10 years • The State’s recent decision to fund all-day Kindergarten that will create the need for 14-16 additional elementary classrooms At the October 14 School Board meeting before the unanimous Board vote to proceed with the referendum, all seven Board members asked to speak. They each addressed the extensive amount of time and work that went into the recommendation, the questions they wrestled with and the confidence they had in the final recommendation being the right one to continue Wayzata’s tradition of excellence. “I am fully supportive of the

How was the high school expansion decision made? The recommendation to expand Wayzata High School rather than build a second smaller high school or other options was based on months of work in spring and summer 2013 by the Community Task Force on Facilities, the Citizens Financial Advisory Council, the School Board Facilities Committee, input from staff, and Board and administrative review of: • Enrollment data • Various grade configurations • Information on other large high schools • Case studies of one vs two high schools • Benefits and challenges of one vs two high schools • Impact of expanding current high school • Project cost comparisons • Operating cost comparisons After thorough review, the School Board was unanimous in its decision to expand the current high school over all other options. Reasons for expansion included: a wider range of opportunities available for all students, concern about disparities that would exist between one larger and one smaller high school, continuing the excellence in place at Wayzata High School, positive case studies of other successful large schools including Wayzata, maintaining community unity, better preparation for the transition to college and long-term operating cost efficiencies. Operating costs alone for a second high school would likely exceed an additional $12 million over the next 20 years. What if Q1 passes? If approved, construction will begin on the high school expansion in winter 2014/15, a search for elementary land will begin immediately and upgrades to the district’s security and technology infrastructure will begin in summer 2014. The high school expansion and new 8th elementary school should be open to students in fall 2016. What if Q1 fails? If defeated, all district schools – elementary, middle and high school – will continue to get increasingly crowded. The resident student growth is real and will continue to present space challenges. The district will need to develop a short-term plan to address crowding, as any long-term solution will be delayed by at least a year. After determining what the no vote meant, the district will need to return to voters with an updated recommendation to provide needed space for students. 2

recommended action,” shared School Board Vice Chair Jay Hesby. “The comprehensive administrative recommendation represents a thoughtful, timely and fiscally prudent response to our immediate and future

needs. It is consistent with our vision and ongoing commitment to excellence and is an appropriate investment with a modest tax impact that will serve district students and families exceedingly well for many years.”

Financially sound school district “We are fortunate to be on solid financial footing, due to excellent planning by this and past school boards,” said Finance Director Jim Westrum. “As the district’s tax base grows, the already low tax impact on homeowners for this project could go even lower.” The Wayzata School District is in a good financial position to consider issuing long-term debt through a bond request. • The school district has a very low debt load compared to many of its neighbors (ratio of what it owes to what it owns) • Current High School debt will be paid off in 2017 • AAA bond rating • Careful financial planning has positioned the District on firm footing This means the tax impact of adding more debt is less per homeowner than it would be if the homes were in a neighboring district. As more homes are built, the tax impact may actually decrease as the debt is shared across a larger tax base. The last time voters were asked to approve building bonds was in 1998. What is the tax impact to residents? If voters approve the ballot questions, the tax impact on the average Wayzata homeowner ($333,900 value home) would be approximately $10/month for the bond issue. There would be no tax increase for the technology levy renewal.

Learn More Visit www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/referendum, email referendum@wayzata.k12. mn.us or leave a message on the referendum hotline at 763-745-5050.

2013-14 WHS National Merit Scholarship Semi-finalists Named

eventeen students from Wayzata High School’s class of 2014 have been named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. This year’s semi-finalists are Max Anderson, Emily Chen, Anders Cornell, Sydney Farmer, Alice Hu, Jared Kaufman, Trisha Morrison, Samyuktha Narasimhan, Priyanka Narayan, Annelies Odermann, Apekshya Panda, Nicole Park, Zoe Tu, Monica Weimer, Sophia Zhang, William Zeng and Kevin Zheng. Students qualify for the National Merit Scholarship program by taking the preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. These students will continue in the National Merit Program and will be candidates to receive a scholarship from the program. The scholarships will be announced next spring.

Pictured from left to right and front to back are: Nicole Park, Apekshya Panda, Emily Chen, Sophia Zhang, Samyuktha Narasimhan and Annelies Odermann. Back Row is Trisha Morrison, Priyanka Narayan, Kevin Zheng, Zoe Tu, Sydney Farmer, Monica Weimer, Jared Kaufman, Alice Hu, William Zeng, Max Anderson and WHS Principal Mike Trewick. Not pictured is Anders Cornell.

Sunset Hill Elementary Turns 50 This Year S

unset Hill Elementary School in Plymouth will be 50-years-old in November and staff and parents held a celebration for the school on November 17. The event was a community open house and all-school reunion for both students and staff members. Student Council members provided guided tours of Sunset Hill and teachers/classrooms presented a tour of “Sunset Hill Through the Decades” celebrating 50 years of educational excellence. There was a program to celebrate the occasion with past staff and alumni being recognized. Plymouth storyteller Bob Gasch spoke and there was a musical performance.

WHS Student Named Semifinalist in Siemens Foundation Competition

mily Chen, a senior at Wayzata High School, was named a semifinalist in the Siemens Foundation Competition in math, science and technology. The semifinalists represent an elite group of only 331 students nationwide selected from a larger pool of almost 2,500 candidates. Chen studied Fanconi Anemia, a genetic disease characterized by bone marrow failure,

a much higher risk for developing cancer at a younger age, as well as various other abnormalities. In a person with Fanconi Anemia, one or more of the Fanconi Anemia proteins are mutated, which are important for DNA damage response. These Fanconi Anemia proteins are part of a complex process that plays a significant role in preventing DNA damage that occurs naturally during DNA replication.

Chen studied the interactions between these different proteins to further understand mechanisms important to control, as well as suppress, the risk of cancer. The possible implications of this project are far reaching. Finalists in the competition will be announced on December 10 and winners will be presented with scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. 3

CMS Student Places First in NUMATS

s an eighth grade student last year at Central Middle School (CMS), William Drew, currently a ninth grade student at Wayzata High School, earned two first place awards out of all eighth grade students who participated in the Northwestern University Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS). Drew took both the SAT and ACT as an eighth grader (usually taken by college-bound seniors) and he scored first place in multiple categories, which makes his achievement even more remarkable. Drew placed first in the math section of both the SAT and ACT and second place in reading on the ACT. He recorded perfect scores in the math sections of both tests. Drew was invited to Northwestern University to be recognized at a special ceremony in September. Approximately 30,000 students from an eight state area qualified and chose to participate in NUMATS. Of these 30,000, the top one to 1.5 percent were invited to attend the award ceremony. Drew was asked by NUMATS to nominate a teacher who has made a significant impact on his life. Drew chose CMS Vision 21 Teacher David Lutz. Together, Drew and Lutz were recognized in Evanston, Illinois. Drew will receive a scholarship to the Center for Talent Development through Northwestern University. Lutz will receive a one-year membership to the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented. Drew and several other Wayzata students who were invited to attend the NUMATS awards ceremony were recognized by the Wayzata School Board at a regular meeting this fall. The following Wayzata Public Schools students qualified in last year’s competition in the top one to 1.5 percent in NUMATS: • Seventh graders from CMS are Ian Colson, Samuel Peterson, Jason Weng

William Drew along with Central Middle School Vision 21 teacher David Lutz, were honored at a special ceremony in September for Drew’s perfomance in the Northwestern University Midwest Academic Talent Search.

and Andrew Zhou. • Seventh grader from East Middle School (EMS) is Shubham Singh. • Eighth grade students from CMS are William Drew, Samyak Jain, Christine Luo and Mina Yuan • Eighth grade from EMS is Ethan Glaser.

Wayzata High School Wins Class AAA Challenge Cup

ayzata High School won the 2012-13 Class AAA Challenge Cup by scoring 763 points and ending the five-year run by Eden Prairie High

School. Wayzata participated in 22 different post-season team and individual tournaments. The Trojans won championships in girls’ Nordic ski racing, girls’ soccer, boys’ tennis, and girls’ cross country running. They also had first-place finishers in girls’ golf, boys’ track and field (4x200-meter relay, 4x400-meter relay), and boys’ tennis (doubles). Other points came from the school’s adapted sports teams, its dance team, and the girls’ gymnastics, boys’ hockey, football, boys’ cross country, wrestling, girls’ track and field, baseball, boys’ golf, and girls’ and boys’ swimming and diving teams. Members of the debate team also contributed to the school’s success. Wayzata will be recognized at a ceremony this fall and presented with the traveling crystal Challenge Cup. Wayzata last won the Challenge Cup in 2007. Now in its 10th year, the Challenge Cup is a statewide, year-long competition among Minnesota high schools. Points are awarded to schools based on their success in section and state fine arts and athletic tournaments. The school earning the most points at the end of the year in each classification – Class A, Class AA and Class AAA – receives the traveling Challenge Cup. The award is sponsored by Wells Fargo, the Minnesota State High School League’s premier corporate partner.

Staff members from Wayzata High School received the 2013 Challenge Cup at a special ceremony during this year’s Homecoming game.

Eight WHS Students Competed in State Vocal Competition

ight soloists from the Wayzata High School Choir program competed in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) State Competition, held at St. John’s University in November. This upper-level competition is comprised of mostly college and university students, with some advanced level high school singers. It is adjudicated by college and university teachers. There are three levels of competition; including the preliminaries, the semi-finals and the finals. Six Wayzata singers advanced to semi-finals and three placed in the final round. They are pictured with Mary Fadden, staff accompanist at Wayzata High School, who rehearsed and performed with the students. Senior Shruthi Rajasekar took first place, senior Isaiah Cammon took second place and junior Cydney Chamberlain took fourth place. Semi-finalists were seniors Carly Hicks and Maggie Matejcek and junior Sarah Taft. Seniors Aaron Carlson and Billy Yancey also participated in the competition.

Eight WHS soloists competed in the NATS State Vocal Competition in November accompanied by Mary Fadden.

Birchview Students Learn About and Improve School Rain Garden

ourth grade students at Birchview Elementary School participated in a rain garden project this fall to improve the building’s existing rain garden that cleans and holds water runoff from the parking lot. Funded through a $5,800 grant from the Minnehaha Creek Watershed to Metro Blooms, the project involved an education component presented by Laura Hurley with Metro Blooms. Students learned how rain gardens function and why they are important for the environment and then had an opportunity to assist in the cleaning and replanting of the rain garden Birchview fourth grade students spent time in the classroom learning about the benefits and function of rain with help from volunteers with the gardens and then took their learning outside to help replant the school’s rain garden that cleans and stores water Minnesota Conservation Corps. runoff from the building’s parking lot.

Homecoming 2013

ayzata High School’s 2013 Homecoming King and Queen were crowned at a coronation ceremony October 2 in the high school auditorium. Senior Annika Halverson was crowned queen and senior Tanner Bedard was crowned king. The entire court includes seniors Ellie Anderson, Veronica Angell, McKenna Lorenz, Carly Noble, Andrea Polis, Bridget Sperry, Ali

Stottler, Danielle Whiteside, Abiye Agbeh, Max Anderson, Isaiah Cammon, Joe Dooly, Jack Iverson, Jonny Roberts, James Smith and Jake Strom. The royal attendants are Lauren Lagerquist and Riley Landy. The masters of ceremony for the coronation were Jack Garvey, Sophie Milstein and Alayna Sonnesyn.

Three WHS Students Earned Perfect Scores on the ACT Exam Wayzata High School seniors Mason Anderson and William Zeng, and junior Sruti Paladugu, have all earned perfect scores of 36 on the 2013 ACT exam. Mason Anderson said he studied from the ACT review book for one hour a week for the month leading up to his exam and earned his perfect score on the June 2013 test. He said his normal classwork helped a great deal in preparing him for the exam. Currently, Anderson is in Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry, AP Physics, Spanish 4 and Philosophy in Literature. Upon graduation he will have taken six AP courses at WHS. Outside of academics, Anderson is an outside linebacker on the WHS Football Team and runs the 800-meter and 1,600-meter events on the WHS Track and Field Team. He also volunteers at St. Bartholomew Church in Wayzata. His top three choices for college next year include the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Yale. He’s interested in majoring in engineering or a math-related field. William Zeng earned his perfect score the first time on the April 2013 exam and prepared for the test with the real ACT prep book and the ACT online course, which he found wasn’t as helpful. He said his normal classwork at WHS prepared him for the three portions of the exam through exposure in the related classes. Zeng is currently in the Post

Secondary Education Option Program and spends most of his day at the University of Minnesota where he is currently enrolled in AP Literature, a statistics class, Spanish 3 and a discussion class on the future of a physician. Upon graduation, Zeng will have taken seven AP courses and 13 AP tests. Outside of academics, Zeng is on the WHS Math Team, Science Olympiad and Science Bowl. He is also a Boy Scout with the rank of Life Scout and very close to earning his Eagle Scout rank. To achieve his Eagle Scout, Zeng is working to install a Chinese library section at Central Middle School that will include books that introduce students to the Chinese language and culture. He is also a member of The National Honor Society and volunteers at North Memorial Hospital. His top three choices for college next year include Harvard, Yale and Princeton and he is interested in majoring in pre-med or biomedical engineering. Sruti Paladugu earned her perfect score on her first exam taken this fall. She prepared for the test by using the ACT prep books over the summer and looking for example problems and taking practice tests. She said this helped a lot to show her how to approach problems on the exam under the time constraint. She said her normal classwork also helped prepare her for the exam. Currently she is enrolled in AP U.S. History, AP Language and Composition, AP Biology and AP Chemistry. Upon graduation, Paladugu expects she will have taken eight to 10 AP courses. Outside of academics, Paladugu is involved with the WHS Quizbowl Team, Science Olympiad, Science Bowl and WHS Math Team. She also volunteers at the Plymouth Library and North Memorial Hospital. As a junior she hasn’t yet identified a list of colleges, but is interested in majoring in a science or engineering field.

EMS Student Co-Champion in National Tournament

ndrew Tang, as an eighth grade student at East Middle School, was named a co-champion of the 2013 Barber Chess Tournament for grades K-8 in Madison, Wisconsin this past July. Tang tied with three other players with five out of six wins at the national tournament. He also won the State Scholastic Chess Tournament for grades K-9 in March and represented Minnesota in the Barber Chess National Tournament. He competed with 49 other state K-8 champions in his first national championship.

Gleason Lake First Lego League Team Gears Up for Competition

leason Lake Elementary has a new First Lego League (FLL) Team and the students have been gearing up since August for this year’s competition season. The team includes Ruby Bruce, Adrian Contreras, Andrew Dale, Grace Pucel, Charlie Hartman, Lilly Heimbach, Nathanel Mass, Joe Pickerill, Cecelia Roth, Ellie Schill and is sponsored by Boston Scientific. The team’s parent leaders include Mike Mass, a physics and chemistry instructor at Eden Prairie High School and Ken Pucel, executive vice president of operations, quality and technology at Boston Scientific. First Lego League introduces younger students to real-world engineering challenges by building LEGO-based robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface.

Volunteers Needed to Help Students Practice Reading

ayzata Public Schools is in need of volunteers for the District’s Literacy Volunteer Program, which pairs adults with third through fifth grade students that are struggling readers. Students read to the volunteers using a curriculum that is focused around award-winning children’s literature. Volunteer options include once or twice a week or every other week for a half hour at a time. Training is provided by the District’s language arts resource teacher and there is room to work around individual schedules. For more information, contact Charlene Barghini at 763-745-5208 or by email at charlene.barghini@wayzata.k12.mn.us.

Three WPS Elementary Schools Named Reward Schools

hree Wayzata Public Schools elementary schools were named reward schools for student performance by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) on the Multiple Measurements Rating (MMR) and the Focus Rating (FR) taken last spring. In February 2012, the US Department of Education approved Minnesota’s application for a waiver to create a new accountability system that emphasizes closing the achievement gap and promotes high growth for all students. Under this new system, this year three of Wayzata’s Title I elementary schools (Birchview, Gleason Lake and Sunset Hill) were named Reward

Schools. In this new system, the MDE created a Multiple Measurement Rating (MMR) and a Focus Rating (FR) for all public schools in the state. The MMR is the overall rating, which includes a combination of proficiency, student growth, achievement-gap reduction and graduation rate. The FR is the achievement gap rating, which combines the proficiency and growth of the seven subgroups for which there is an achievement gap (Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, Free/ Reduced Price Lunch, Special Education and English Learners). In addition to those ratings, MDE has also

established five designation categories for Title I schools. Title I schools are identified by the percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunch. The MMR and FR are used in the criteria for the five designation categories. Sunset Hill Elementary received its third recognition as a reward school and had a score of 99.38 percent on the MMR and 99.57 percent on the FR. In addition to Sunset Hill, Gleason Lake Elementary was named for its scores of 96.75 percent on the MMR and 97.70 percent on the FR, as well as Birchview Elementary for its scores of 84.14 percent on the MMR and 82.36 percent on the FR.

Sunset Hill Elementary Principal Karen Keffeler said, “We are very pleased with the success of our students.” She attributed the success to first and foremost, the relationships that are formed between teacher and student. “Being comfortable in a classroom allows students to take risks and persist in their learning,” she explained. Keffeler said, “Our teachers also have high expectations for each and every student, and do whatever they can to help them be successful.” Student success is also made possible in Wayzata Public Schools because the district’s teachers are passionate about their own learning, added Keffeler. “They continue to learn new and better strategies that allow students to share and apply their knowledge,” she added.

Birchview Elementary Principal Sam Fredrickson said, “We are thrilled to be recognized in this way, but even more excited to know that our efforts are paying off for our students. Birchview’s strong community is at the heart of these results. Our teaching community continues to strive for excellence for each and every one of our learners, our parent community is involved at every level of the school and our student community is focused on learning and getting along. Our teaching staff is passionate about learning – their own learning as well as student learning. Teachers and paraprofessionals are always on the lookout for new and better ways to do things – constant improvement is the norm.”

Gleason Lake Elementary Principal Mary McKasy said, “The staff at Gleason Lake consistently celebrate and build on each individual child’s strengths. Teachers and interventionists work diligently in teams to monitor data and then modify instruction so that every child is successful. Along with community partners, we aim to build rich connections with all families. We’re excited to see the results of our collaboration lead to increased student confidence and competence.”

Oakwood Hosts Successful Family Service Night

tudents and their families from Oakwood Elementary School attended the annual Family Service Night in November this year and completed a large list of projects to support those in need in the community. This year students completed the following projects: • 125 toiletry kits for People Helping People • 194 packaged food items for Prism • 16 haircuts for Locks of Love • 275 cat/dog toys for S.O.S. Relief and Adopt-a-Pet • 400 turkey and ham sandwiches for Marie Sandvik Center • 140 birthday bags for kids for Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People • 100 crafted door hanger decorations for residents at Cornerstone Commons

Students from Oakwood Elementary School participated in service projects to benefit members of the community at the annual Family Service Night.

Communicator

- Superintendent Chace B. Anderson

Nonprofit Org. US Postage Wayzata, MN Permit 43

We have much to be thankful for — students who come to school every day ready to learn and help others, parents who are active partners and staff who are dedicated to meeting the needs of each and every student.

The Communicator is published for residents and staff of Wayzata Public Schools. Contact Amy Parnell, director of communications and community engagement, at 763-745-5068 or amy.parnell@wayzata.k12.mn.us with questions or comments.

Excellence. For each and every student.

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

November 2013

Elementary Parents Invited to Experience WHS

e are Wayzata Schools, and whether your children are Grizzlies at Greenwood or Panthers at Plymouth Creek, we are all Trojans. Being a Trojan means there are opportunities for success in many areas including academics, athletics, arts and extracurricular activities! Wayzata High School (WHS) staff has planned several elementary parent nights to introduce parents to the opportunities waiting for their children in the future from 6:30-8 p.m. each night. • November 18: Greenwood and Gleason Lake Elementary Schools • December 2: Birchview, Oakwood and

Sunset Hill Elementary Schools • January 13: Kimberly Lane and Plymouth Creek Elementary Schools These evenings will provide elementary parents with the chance to meet and hear from high school students, parents and staff about their perspectives on the opportunities awaiting at WHS. There will be an opportunity to ask questions about life at the high school and understand what you and your children have to look forward to when they reach this level in their education. Student led tours are also scheduled. Free child-care with crafts, activities and a children’s movie will be provided at WHS on each

of the three planned nights for elementary-agechildren. This program is hosted by the WHS Y.E.S. Club students in cooperation with Wayzata Public Schools Community Education staff. Parents can begin dropping their elementary age children off at this program at 6:15 p.m. If you can’t attend your school’s planned elementary night at WHS, please join us for one of the other two nights. Preschool parents are also welcome to attend any of the nights. For more information, call Jen Landy at 763-745-6641 or email at jennifer.landy@wayzata.k12.mn.us.

Demystifying the High School Event Planned

iddle school parents are invited to Demystifying the High School on Thursday, January 9, 2014, in the Wayzata High School (WHS) auditorium. The Resource Fair begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by a Panel Discussion from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Many parents have questions and concerns when their child is preparing to start High School. Much of this anxiety is because parents don’t know what to expect. This Parenting With Vision discussion panel was designed by parents for parents. It will be

especially helpful for first time high school parents to become more informed about WHS. The panelists include high school staff, and current and past students and parents. The panelists will share prepared remarks and there will be a time for questions and answers.   Get the answers to these questions and more: 1. When and what are the key orientation opportunities for parents and students? 2. How does scheduling work and what does the school day look like?

3. What kind of support is available for students and parents? 4. What are the communication tools? 5. What do we need to know about the non-academics, like lunch, sports, clubs and activities? For more information, contact WPS Volunteer Coordinator Charlene Barghini by phone at 763-745-5208 or email at charlene. barghini@wayzata.k12.mn.us.