by Jim Boyle

Editor

The Elk River Area School District’s operating levy renewal and a second question to add all-day everyday kindergarten, among other things, got a show of support this past Saturday at a candidates forum.

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Clik here to view.Four of the six candidates running for three open seats on the Elk River Area School Board turned out for the Elk River Area Citizens League-sponsored event. All four candidates in attendance — incumbents Sue Farber and Janelle Henry, as well as Jane Frazier and Tom McAuley — offered support of both questions.

“I’m absolutely 100 percent in favor both questions,” Farber stated, explaining if the first question doesn’t pass there will be a series of “major cuts.”

She’s also a proponent of the all-day, everyday kindergarten and technology upgrades.

“It disappoints me greatly that the state won’t fund it,” she said of the kindergarten program.

“We sell our kindergartners short by thinking they can only go one-half day every day or a full day every other day,”  Farber added. “These kids are craving learning.

“The technology and curriculum that (Question No. 2) would provide would be invaluable,” she stated.

McAuley also came out for the kindergarten portion of the second question.

“It’s an extremely efficient use of taxpayer dollars,” he said. “(It’s a case of) an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I absolutely believe that.”

McAuley also commented that the questions were related. The first levy has to pass in order for the second one to be able to pass.

“I do support both,” he said, noting that he wished the all-day everyday kindergarten component had been parcelled out.

Frazier said Question No. 1 is about sustaining the district’s current operations, and the kindergarten program can close a gap that exists at school.

“There are kids that are very advanced and kids that hardly know anything,” she said. “I’m thankful we can put it before the taxpayers. We’ll just have to see what they (decide).”

Henry said she supported the technology and curriculum components, which will aid students and teachers and shorten the time it takes to get new curriculum in front of students from 10-plus years to seven.

“We don’t have a large backlog of money to deficit spend,” Henry said. “Both of these are important to pass.”

Incumbent Holly Thompson and Dan Hunt were not at the forum held at Elk River City Hall. The event will be aired periodically on Cable Channel 12 up until the Nov. 6 election.

Each candidate at the forum had a chance to introduce themselves.

Frazier has been a Rogers resident for more than 18 years. Her four children have attended Rogers schools and she has been on the Legislative Action Team for the past two years.

She also has worked with youth at her church.

“I have a love for youth and a love for business,” she said. “To me this is a great combination.”

McAuley has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in business administration.

“I own a small business for which I pay a lot in taxes,” he said. “Most importantly I have two very small kids. I’m relying on this district’s decision-making to provide them with an education that they can use to compete in a world market.”

Henry, who lives in Albertville now, has lived in the Elk River school district for more than 20 years and her daughter is an Elk River High School graduate.

She herself has a bachelor’s degree in education. She has been involved in education for 30-some years, first as a teacher.

“Since I was in fifth grade I knew I wanted to be in education,” she said. “Being on the board is a continuation of that.”

She has been on the School Board for nearly eight years and says she has “enjoyed every minute of it.

“I would like to continue for another four … to continue working on the strategic plan and its rollout.”

Farber, who grew up in Otsego after her family moved to the district in 1970, has been in the district for 43 years.

She is an Elk River High School graduate, raised three children who are graduates of Elk River High School and now has three grandchildren living in the school district.

“I hope my grandchildren can (graduate from ERHS) too,” she said. “I am invested in this community.”

She said she has been involved with the Association of Metropolitan School Districts and has been involved with the Minnesota School Board’s Association delegate assembly in her time on the board.

Rogers High School students will experience a “Blast from the Past” Wednesday, Oct. 3, and the Elk River Area School District robotics program stands to benefit.

Students will dress up that day like teenagers from the ’50s and finish the day off at the ’50s-style Denny’s Diner in Rogers.

The homecoming committee proclaimed Wednesday, Oct. 3 as Blast from the Past Day.

The event at Denny’s has been arranged by Mark Durand, the head robotics coach for Elk River area schools and members of his robotics team.

“We like to try fundraisers that are different and unique,” Durand said, acknowledging the community already has its share of $1 candy bar sales for $2.

A portion of the proceeds at Denny’s will go to the robotics team, which will use the money to take part in a robotics competition. They hope the money will cover the cost of the kit needed to compete.

The robotics team did a build-your-own remote-control-car camp this summer and are selling the new LED light bulbs for less than you would pay at local retailers, Durand said.

Sam Nordstrom, an eighth-grade student at Salk Middle School, walked in the footsteps of U.S. leaders as part of his summer break from school.

He was one of more than 250 outstanding middle schools students from across the United States to take part in a leadership conference in Washington, D.C., themed Voices of Leadership: Reflecting on the Past to Create the Future. The Junior National Young Leaders Conference introduces young people to the tradition of leadership throughout American history, while helping them develop their own leadership skills.

During the six-day program, Nordstrom took part in educational activities and presentations and explored sites such as Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, W.Va. and Washington D.C.’s museums and memorials. In addition to examining notable U.S. leaders and historic figures, students studied the impact of leadership throughout critical periods of American history, including the Civil War and Reconstruction, World War II, the Great Depression and the Civil Rights Movement.

“The aim … is to inspire students to recognize their own leadership skills, measure their skills against those of current and former leaders and return home with new confidence in their ability to exercise positive influence within their communities,” said Dr. Marguerite Regan, dean of academic affairs for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, the sponsoring organization of Junior National Young Leaders.

For more information, visit www.cylc.org.

Rogers High School seniors vying for homecoming queen include Kaylin Robbins, Alicia Catton, Jenna Neis, Megan Sharp, Katie Meyer and Courtney McClay. King candidates include Kenneth Kalk, Erik Bremer, Gabe Martinez, Joshua Malin, Sam Spilles and Benjamin Bolduc. The pep fest/crowning will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday.

A PowderPuff Football game will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at RHS Stadium.

The Rogers High School football team faces Duluth Denfeld 7 p.m. Friday. A dance will follow the game. It starts at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $7.

by Jim Boyle
Editor

Students in K–12 across the Elk River Area School District are invited to participate in a free, one-day festival Saturday, Oct. 6 at the Zabee Theater at Elk River High School.

The festival, which has been dubbed “Sing Out: Let Your Voice be Heard,” is being co-hosted by the Land of Lakes Choirboys and the Command Performance Choirs, and sponsored by the Elk River Area School District.

The festival will be a day of choral experiences for kids in the Elk River Area School District. It is free thanks to a grant from the Three Rivers Community Foundation.

It will start at 9 a.m. and conclude with an hour-long concert open to the public at 5 p.m.

Interested singers can register online at: singoutmn.org. They are asked to do that by Oct. 1.

“We’re all looking to grow,” said Eileen Bowersox of Command Performance Choirs.

Bowersox says the Elk River festival is patterned after an annual event in the St. Cloud area.

That one is called the SCSU Cantabile Girls Choir and The St. John’s Boys Choir’s annual choral festival, where students gather together for a day of making good music and good friends.

It is the vision of Land of Lakes Choirboys and the Command Performance Choirs to offer the exact same thing in this area.  In addition, this festival is being co-sponsored by the Elk River Area School District.

“Research supports this program by reminding us those students who participate in outside arts experiences are more likely to participate in in-school arts programs than their counterparts (Burton, Horowitz, & Abeles, 1998),” the SingOut’s website states.

Command Choirs
Command Performance Choir is a premier choir organization that makes its home in Elk River. They offer six different choirs serving girls from kindergarten through 12th grade, and post-voice-change young men, generally around ages 14 and up.

Since its modest beginnings in 1995, the members of Command Performance Choirs have had the opportunity to compete in national competitions, winning silver and gold, perform at the U.S. Embassy in England and even perform with Mickey Mouse at Disney World.

Command Performance Choir teaches classical choral music through theater pieces using choreography. From Schubert’s Mass to “Phantom of the Opera,” choir members learn a full spectrum of skills in musical performance.

Studies show that music enriches the lives of young people, improving school performance and social skills, among other things, and they take great pride in helping to bring the joy of music to your child and through them, the community.

by Bruce Strand
Arts editor

Will Zimmerman and Rogers high schools eventually have an auditorium for plays and concerts like Elk River has?

That proposal was under discussion in public meetings  in Rogers Sept. 19 attended by about 130 people and in Zimmerman Sept. 27 attended by almost 90.    Parents of students in arts, some students, and staff in charge of arts activities, attended.

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“Annie,” featuring Reilly Hockert and Zack Rapf, was presented last November at Zimmerman in the cafeteria where all plays have been shown.

“The meetings had a positive flavor and were attended by a lot of very interested people,” said Charlie Blesener, director of community engagement for District 728. “We asked some questions for the groups to consider, and they broke into round tables for brainstorming.”

“The evening was very positive,” agreed Jon Palashewski, who directs plays for ZHS. “Great discussion and ideas came forth through this.”

Another meeting is planned for late October or early November for further discussion by about 20 people from Rogers and 10 from Zimmerman who volunteered to serve on  a committee. The School Board has an auditorium ad hoc committee headed by Jolene Jorgensen.

While Elk River has both Zabee Theater and Little Theater, no such facility  exists in the nine-year-old Rogers high school building or the Zimmerman middle/high school that was originally built as a junior high when students went on to ERHS.

Zimmerman has presented three plays per year for several years, along with choir and band concerts, in the cafeteria, with portable bleachers and no stage.

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A choir concert was held in the Rogers High School commons last year.

Rogers has been entering one-act play competitions the past few years by rehearsing in a classroom and presenting a sneak preview at Zabee before the sub-section. RHS has also presented spring musicals the past two years with a makeshift stage at the middle school cafeteria/auditorium. They have no fall play. Concerts are presented in the gymnasium or the commons.

Jorgensen welcomed the attendees at each meeting. A representative of Wold Architects spoke to both groups about various ideas for auditoriums. Dr. Mark Bezek, district superintendent, spoke to the importance of levy items on this year’s ballot needed to ensure that the district had the needed operating budget for existing programs.  Rep. Joyce Peppin told the Rogers group she felt that Legacy Amendment funds would  be well spent on such a project.

Attendees at the meetings were asked to ponder these points when they broke into round-table groups.

(1) What are your hopes for music/drama opportunities for the school and community?

(2) What community partners, such as business, Legislature, and organizations, could step up for financial support?

(3) What can you and I do to help?

Individuals were asked to jot down brief answers to these questions, which were transcribed by Blesener’s office for the record. The Star News reviewed the responses from Rogers (Zimmerman’s were not available yet) and compiled the following list of examples.

Regarding what the people hoped for:

•A venue for spring and fall musicals, debate, speech, plays, school concerts, Knowledge Bowl, music contests, art work shows, lectures, performances by professional acts, church group activities, science fairs and dance recitals

•Boost for community identity, more student involvement, helping to retain students, and helping develop lifelong appreciation for arts

•Amenities such as dressing rooms for plays (instead of bathrooms), more soundproof practice rooms, and ample seating for audiences.

Regarding how to make this happen financially:

•Sponsorships from large companies, corporate grants, Minnesota legacy fund, local business networking, naming rights, name bricks, city bonding, booster club fundraising, community groups, civic organizations, endowments, selling stocks (like the Packers), casino and fundraisers like 5K’s and car washes.

by Jim Boyle
Editor

What would possess an elementary school principal to let students duct tape him to a wall?

iPads.

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Twin Lakes Elementary School Principal Dan Collins was at it again. This time he let students tape him to a wall for a technology fund drive.

Twin Lakes Elementary School Principal Dan Collins challenged his students to sell at least 10 items during a recent fund-raising effort.

Every student who did so received a piece of duct tape to tape him to the wall. On Tuesday, Oct. 23, students excitedly watched as Collins was taped to the wall with more than 400 pieces of duct tape.

The fund drive raised enough money to buy  more than 50 iPads for the school.

The top-selling classroom received a pizza party and each top selling student from every classroom enjoyed a pizza party with Collins, who “stuck” to his word.

6TH GRADE 1ST QUARTER “A” HONOR ROLL – SALK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Tori Albrecht, Lily Anderson, Melaina Anderson, Jacob Ballenger, Zachary Bartlett, Cameron Bender, Tailer Benson, Anna Bergman, Tate Billman, Courtney Bissen, Olivia Bloom, Kelli Boe, Cade Bondhus, Anna Breuer, Ryan Bruner, Chloe Brunkow, Gabrielle Brunkow, Brock Burdine, Joseph Butterfield, Lars Byman, Grant Carlson, Annica Carr, Anna Charleson, Camryn Chouinard, Leanna Christen, Larkin Clem, Samantha Cooper-Szlavich, Patrick Coskey, Annabelle Czech, Anthony Dakis, Jacob Deal, Joseph Diamond, Brooke Dingmann, Hanna Dorff, Colt Dusbabek, Kevin Egbujor, Megan Ekman, Taylor Elliott, Kyle Esperum, Ryan Fordahl, Angel Fredin, Calvin Freiboth, Kyle French, Gavin Frost, Jason Frost, Marilyn Gago, Michaela Goad, Jacie Gordon, Jazmyn Gray, Benjamin Greni, Ava Grimm, Timothy Gruis, Samantha Halberg, MyKenna Haley, Jamie Hall, Zachary Hallman, Tyler Hanson, Camryn Heinen, Abbigail Heinen, Madalyn Hembre, Kayden Hendrickson, Abigail Holtz, Eric Hoskins, Samuel Hund, Nicholas Huspek, Maham Hussain, Jayden Iverson, Calista Jerome, Tanner Jess, Madeline Johnson, Megan Jung, Jarod Kafka, Bridget Kiemele, Mitchell King, Kelsey King, Madelyn Kotzer, Alexis Lane, Olivia Langevin, Noah Langlais, Abigail Langton, Mitchell Larson, Kiera Larson, Michael Lee, Sophia Leither, Mitchell Maass, Cole Martin, Gabrielle McDaniels, Ryan McMahon, Christian Meyer, Noah Meyer, Kallie Middleton, Grace Miller, Evan Miller, Madison Mitzuk, Noah Nelson, Selena Nelson, Shelby Novotny, Michael Nowotny, Jade Ochu, Joseph O’Connell, Zachariah Odegard, Malia Peacock, Aiden Pederson, Jackson Perbix, Julia Randall, Miranda Reierson, Garret Reinking, Joseph Robin, Alaina Rossum, Marcus Rothstein, Joshua Schlaman, Emily Schmitz, Jeg Schottenbauer, Zander Schultz, Charlee Sether, Afnan Siddique, Cody Simon, Thae Smith, Eli Smith, Raimond Snigur, Hannah Spaulding, Jared Stanke, Morgan Steinkamp, Harrison Stephens, Madison Stevens, Danielle Stewart, Pavel Strelchuk, Zacharie Strombeck, Sydney Thompson, Jordan Thorpe, Riley Thorson, Emily Tincher, Bailey Tobiason, Tess Trombley, Anneke Verhoef, Julia Vicioso, Matthew Vick, Alexis Wagenfeld, Brandon Wagenfeld, Talsi Wagner, Sarah Walters, Kaitlyn Walz, Branden Weber, Sophia Wetherille, Jack Wilson, Sophie Woessner, Izabella Yager
6TH GRADE 1ST QUARTER “B” HONOR ROLL – SALK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Nicholas Andrican, Ogechi Anyanwu, Lincoln Banks, Karly Boedigheimer, Jazmine Borreson, Mya Brockmueller, Tiffany Brown, Chase Buchert, Jasmine Canesi, Jacob Coz, Ryan Czech, Thomas Domer, John Dulmage, Gage Eidem, Ivy Enerson, Logan Enkhaus, Andrew Gale, Alexander Gerasimov, Nathaniel Gfroerer, Brennan Gilmore, Ryan Gromberg, Lucas Gustafson, Payton Hagen, Brady Hahne Rose, Fadumo Hilowle, Benjamin Hixon, Caden Holt, Susanna Hradynar, Parker Huber, Spencer Hughes, Spencer Johnson, Dalton Johnson, Paige Kallunki, Abbigail Karsten, Zackary Kenner, Alison Keoraj, Patrick Keskey, Katie Kolar, Kalee Krippner, Joey Kunkel, Austin LaRocco, Preston Lowe, Josiah Lundy, Maguire Lybeck, Anna Matter, Austin Miller, Dawson Mizejewski, Tess Nelson, Adam Nelson, Jacklyn Nelson, Jacob Nordquist, Carter Peterson, Destin Puchtel, Anthony Ragalie, Ella Robeck, Jacob Schilz, Wyatt Schimmelman, Ethan Schutz, Trent Soukup, Makenzie Stevens, Makayla Stroud, Jonathan Suchy, Jack Taylor, Cody Thein, Cole Tveit, Erin Uveges, Caleb Vermeer, Amber Weirauch
7TH GRADE 1ST QUARTER “A” HONOR ROLL – SALK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Noah Adams, Devon Adams, Nicolas Antilla, MaCartney Ascheman, Beau Babcock, Madisen Barthel, Katherine Bedbury, Eva Bednarz, Brooke Benolkin, Zachary Berg, Sydney Bever, Madison Bizal, Connor Bizal, Carolyn Black, Marguerite Boedigheimer, Ashley Boyd, Samantha Bray, Jenna Broman, Emma Brotemarkle, Maxwell Brown, Christian Bruno, Nicole Butterfield, Jacob Byman, Anna Charboneau, Dylan Chouinard, Carley Collins, Grace Crawford, Emma Dalton, Madison Dillerud, Alexandra Ditter, Brandon Dobosenski, Wyatt Dopp, Rachel Dorff, Addie Droen, Nikolas Elasky, Samantha Elsenpeter, Hannah Enstad, Andrew Fausone, Brittany Flander, Alexandria Foote, Jade Fredin, Clarice Froehlich, Lauren Gillquist, Noah Haaf, Olivia Hahn, Allison Hall, Claire Hanegraaf, Keegan Haus, Mollie Heinen, James Heinzen, McKenzie Herrboldt, Andrew Hess, Ander Hillebregt, Aviel Hradynar, Jill Humphrey, Eleanor Humphrey, John Ingham, Grace Jacobs, Ryan Jacobson, Mckensie James,  Rachel Jide, Emily Johnston, Samuel Kirscht, Michael Kohorst, Lauryn Kolles, Jacob Kovach, Ty Kovar, Zackery Kreider, Adam Kruger, Zachary Kruger, Sophia Kruger, Taiyo Larson, Jared LeClair, Lauren Lee, Tia Lerud, Madison Libor, Wilson Loftus, Camden Loth, Brooke Mackner, Taylor Masterman, Theresa Mbanefo, Matthew Melco, Kaja Montplaisir, Matisse Myles, Emily Nelson, Alyssa Nielsen, Lauren Nierengarten, Bruce Norton, Madison Odegaard, Hailey Odegard, Kendell O’Leary, Abigail Olson, Sabrina Onuma, Alayna Osterman, Helena Parranto, Amanda Patterson, Matia Person, Ashley Peterson, Derek Phommahaxay, Carson Pixley, Morgan Pool, Ashley Purcell, Spencer Rammer, Sophia Riebel, Zakari Sarkinen, Sophia Saxon, McKenzie Scheid, Lexis Schmidt, Madison Schmitt, Shayne Schoenfelder, Anthony Schreder, Megan Schroeder, Rachel Schroeder, Trent Schroedl, Sydney Schuster, David Schwappach, William Sibilski, Nicholas Sink, Jeremiah Smead, Jazlynne Smith, Mikala Springer, Kincaid Strain, Sydney Sullivan, Shelby Swenson, Matthew Syverson, Mitchell Thermos, Katherine Thorpe, Anna Trace, Chineng Vang, Sarah Vernon, Wyatt Vessey, Ryan Walz, Grant Warner, Hannah Warner, Jonathan Waters, Sydney Weisenberger, Jacob Wessel, Alicia Westover, Rachel Wojcieszak, Cameron Wyse, Kumxeeb Xiong, Iviee Yager
7TH GRADE 1ST QUARTER “B” HONOR ROLL – SALK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Caitlyn Aday, Yasmine Badio, Alena Barnett, Maryanne Beaudry, Brittney Boese, Kennedy Boysen, Abbey Brotemarkle, Jennessa Casey, Hannah Czech, Halie Dalzell, Nicole Dee, Nicholas Eull, Carson Fogg, Devon Garrison, Devon Gasswint, Lyndsey Geist, Brian Graves, Kaitlyn Gunderson, Jacob Hansen, Brock Haugland, Zachary Henning, Nathan Kolstad, Sherrod Kpahn, Jacob Lane, Grace Larson, Adam Larson, Benjamin Marohn, Eric Nichols, Daniel Olson, Olivia Osmundson, Mackenzie Parker, Slade Paulsen, Christian Porter, Logan Rademacher, Lucas Randall, Ryan Ritchie, Amanda Rupprecht, Robert Schiller, Morgan Schrom, Carson Simon, Nathan Sporre, Megan Starr, Albert Tarpeh, Katelyn Tentis, Nicole Thue, Nathan Toth, Marcus Tyra, Hannah VanEps, Scott Vnuk, Alexandra Weber, Thomas West, Philip Xiong, Griffin Young
8TH GRADE 1ST QUARTER “A” HONOR ROLL – SALK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Hayley Ackermann, David Akinola, Samantha Alexander, Holland Baker, Sadie Balken, Kyle Ballou, Brady Bartlett, Brandon Becklin, Kenedy Bentley, Hannah Bies, Tyler Billman, Kamilah Boedigheimer, Jordan Bosacker, Melea Bruns, Connor Bryan, Brianna Bye, Jacques Charboneau, Emily Charleson, Allie Christensen, Dylan Clausen, Annie Dalton, Luke Dickinson, Paige DoBrava, Rachel Dorff, Gabrielle Dose, Caitlyn Dunbar, Isabella Dusbabek, Joshua Ekman, Kory Esterberg, Aryanna Evans, Paige Evenson, Michael Fischer, Grace Fonder, Caitlyn Foote, Maxwell Friese, Logan Gacke, Cole Galbraith, John Garrow, Bradley Geist, Katelyn Gfroerer, Samuel Gibas, Jarod Gill, Madeleine Griffin, Gabrielle Haack, Michael Hall, Casey Hass, Trevyn Haus, Kaitlyn Hembre, Jack Hendrickson, Joseph Hinchcliff, Elizabeth Holby, Lauren Holzem, Nathan Horn, Joseph Huynh, Ryan Iverson, Calvin Jacobson, Mackenzie James, Julia Jerome, Kailey Johnson, Benjamin Johnson, Hadley Jordan, Owen Kallunki, Peightyn Karsten, Emily Kiemele, Jackson Kliewer, Erika Kovar, Spencer Larson, Gannon Larson, Cooper Lewis, Colin Lindgren, Benton Maass, Alivia Mars, Mary McAlpine, John McClay, Richard McCormick, Justin McDaniel, Amanda McDonald, Kathryn McMillen, Anthony Meister, Madalyn Meyer, Benjamin Meyers, Maxwell Michaelis, Rebekah Morrison, Jax Murray, Ellie Neilson, Lydia Nesser, Jalon Nielson, Samuel Nordstrom, Noah Odegard, Lewis Ogeto, Marcus Ogren, Marlys Oliver, Lauren Ott, Matthew Paavola, Macee Pearson, Justin Pearson, Nicklaus Perbix, Joshua Peterson, Alex Pipenhagen, Jessica Popehn, Josette Provo, Vinayak Rajesh, Haley Rasmussen, Miranda Rice, Baylee Riddle, Benjamin Schafer, Casey Schilz, Taylor Schroeder, Samantha Schwab, Emonei Shaw, Kaylee Shepard, Vytautas Soderholm, Austin Solors, Nicholas Sporre, Tyler Stordahl, Mark Swann, Mikayla Swigart, Mason Tegg, Tyler Thorson, Sarah VanCamp, Maxwell Waite, Emma Waller, Nicholas Walz, Kennedy Warner, Jeffrey Watkins, Sidney Wentland, McKenna Wesloh, Andrea Westgaard, Maxwell Wiczek, Alexander Wiczek, Rohan Willoughby, Connor Woolfolk, Zahng Yang, Aaron Yang
8TH GRADE 1ST QUARTER “B” HONOR ROLL – SALK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Dillon Ayers, Madison Baker, Colten Bakken, Sydney Bengtson, Cheyenne Black, Clarissa Buchite, Maria Corpe, Cole Daleiden, Abby Dwyer, Sean Finical, Garret Fraser, Alanah Garbe, Ashley Greenlun, Zachary Griffiths, Michael Hampton, Mikhail Henin, Zachary Hovda, Marium Hussain, Alyssa Karavitch, Owen Keskey, Molly Larson, Coleman Maegi, Reagan Mathis, Derek McMahon, Cy Musgjerd, McCabe Nelson, Jacob Nielsen, Hailey Pratt, Paris Pyles, Jason Radke, Ian Ross, Nicholas Samson, Paris Smith, Nicholas Stevens, Dawson Straus, Sergey Strelchuk, Skylar Sutton, Noah Swanson, MacKenzie Turner, Jerrik Walker, Jordan Wallace, Josey Wentland, Destani West, Benjamin Wirtz, Michaela Wirz, Austin Woessner, Morgan Yarke-Blood

A HONOR ROLL –
Grade 6 – Anna Alex, Michael Almich, Neely Anderson, Lafayette Bade, Cade Baldwin, Toni Baldwin, Michael Baron, Abigail Benson, Ella Berg, Kelsey Bielefeld, Janine Bury, Nicholas Byrne, Lindsey Carlson, Kyle Carr, Morgan Chambers, Chase Clay, Caitlin Corrow, Deanna Dokken, Grayson Dow, Brady Eastman, Gabrielle Eatherton, Charles Eldredge, Kayla Engebretson, Olivia Evers, Madison Fosdick, Joseph Foss, Carson Friestad, Carsyn Gatlin, Claire Gebhardt, Grace Gilbertson, Samuel Glasgow, Hannah Goede, Ally Gramstad, Samantha Gust, Hannah Hagglund, Alexis Hanson, Grace Hanson, Alyssa Heinkel, Julia Hendricks, Marlene Henry, Cody Hernandez, Drew Hightshoe, Riley Hogan, Dylan Hollom, Preston Holmes, Jessica Hortian, Alina Hrytskevich, Annabel Inman, Carly Jagodzinski, Michael Jarmoluk, Hannah Johnson, Madeline Johnson, Sarah Johnson, Sydney Johnson, Evan Kachinske, Riley Kaluza, Kelli Keyser, Breanna Kissel, Taylor Kline, Sydney Knopick, Elizabeth Konopa, Fay Konopa, Brandon Koziol, Anson Kozitka, Katarina Kraljic, Julia Kramer, Sarah Kring, John Krivich, Samantha Labatt, Anna Lambres, Aaron Larson, Madeline LaVallee, Dulcie Lawrence, Alexandra Lee, Sophia Lensing, Lauren Literski, Peyton Lorentz, Blake Lynch, Ryan Madsen, Riley Mathis, Autumn Mattson, Alicia Moening, Sophia Montgomery, Alivia Mosher, Mitchell Muniz, Kwamboka Ndege, Ethan O’Hara, Luke Orgon, Jacob Palm, Amanda Peterson, Sophia Petters, Julia Pierce, Tyler Powell, Sarah Rapp, Sydney Redepenning, Samantha Reiner, Sydney Reiner, Madison Ricksham, Sofia Rivers, Lee Roiger, Hunter Rudkin, Cole Schaal, Mason Schaal, Zayah Schleicher-Davis, Carter Schmitt, Samantha Schoen, Ethan Schultz, Katie Schwegman, Elana Sederholm, Brenna Soderstrom, Emma St George, Marlena Steenerson, Jayden Sullivan, Olivia Swigart, Katelynn Taylor, Sonja Tesdahl, Mackenzie Thom, Benjamin Truebenbach, McKenna Uphoff, Taylor Vanhoutan, Samuel Varner, Emma Vezina, Alexis Winberg, Mark Wood, and Sydney Zierden
Grade 7 – Colin Abress, Noah Aleckson, Kayla Andersen, Heather Anderson, Ronald Audette, Forrest Babcock, AdLai Bade, Ciara Bailey, Carter Baldwin, Belinda Beaver, Sarah Bense, Morgan Bianchi, Brianna Bocksell, Taylor Brandt, Nicholas Breuer, Jack Burger, Stephanie Carlson, Tristan Carlson, Thomas Chuba, Kristen Collins, Alexis Cunningham, Joshua Daniel, Britney Davies, Logan Davies, Kaitlyn Dhooge, Amanda Duitsman, Jared Eatherton, Shelby Fritz, Ethan Gardner, Gillian Greenberg, Megan Greenberg, Claire Grundman, Emma Hamlin, Kaleb Hammer, Mikayla Hansen, Olivia Hansen, Garrett Hanson, Samuel Hanson, Andrea Hawkins, Madison Hilyar, Kelsie Hoffmann, Addie Hohlen, Amanda Holmgren, Jessica Holmquist, Gavin Hopping, Bailey Horner-McAlpine, Benjamin Inman, Alexi Jacks, Evan Junker, Kyle Jussila, Carmen Kaelke, Noah Kirk, Tierney Klinker, Anna Kohout, Austin Kramer, Andrew Larson, Arina Lazareva, Kimlynn Le, Laura Lefebvre, Madison Leuthold, Ashley Lynch, Erin Mably, Ava Maki, Dylan Martie, Shauna Merry, Jackson Michener, Derek Monahan, Jacob Montgomery, Tanner Mueller, Mark Muzzy, Justin Nelson, Abigail Nesbitt, April O’Leary, Peyton Paaverud, Beryl Palmer, Mackenzie Perron, Ashley Peters, Rohana Pouliot, Madisen Rademacher, Malorie Rehbein, Cassidy Reichert, Lauren Rishovd, Elizabeth Rolfes, Rachel Schoenecker, Taylor Seifert, Lily Sharp, Caroline Silvola, Emily Sizen, Stoyan Slavkov, Ashley Smith, Reilly Springman, Lindsay Stiegler, Mary Stoutenburg, Mitchell Stroh, Elayna Torfin, Josephine Uche, Haley Ullrich, Thomas Wallace, Maxwell Weisberg, Isabella Wolcott, David Woyke, Haley Yoder, Hallie Yurich, Dominick Zappa, Vittorio Zappa, and Sage Zerban
Grade 8 – Joel Alfveby, Page Altman, Chi Asangwe, Sebrina Athey, Katherine Barschdorf, Cierra Beckerleg, Kaylee Benson, Kristina Blasius, Ryan Bouma, Elizabeth Brayden, Blaine Brenteson, Emmalee Breth, Maria Brown, Rebecca Caswell, Jamie Choate, Evan Christianson, Samantha Christianson, Kaitlyn Collins, Cameron Cotton, Matthew Dahlson, Julie Deschenes, Danielle Dokken, Halle Doro, Dylan Earl, Taylor Eastman, Kristina Erickson, Nathan Faust, Arthur Fosse, Charles Franz, Olivia Fromm, Caden Gatlin, Allissa George, Alec Germscheid, Lyndsey Graves, John Greniuk, Josie Hales, Tyler Hanson, Sidney Henry, Grant Hevey, Jacob Heyne, Connor Hogan, Emily Holmquist, Emily Holzknecht, Kayla Houghtelin, Maryna Hrytskevich, Evan Huntley, Emma Johnson, Nissa Johnson, Jamie Klang, Dylan Kline, Elona Komonash,Raelyn Korinek, Ava Kramer, Kaytlin Krivich, Danielle Lachmiller, Daniel Larom, Alexander LaValley, Christian Leonard, Trevor Loidolt, Alex Lozano, Christina Lysdahl, Dalton Maahs, Jonas Maher, Chase Marchand, Taylor Martin, Emily Mattingley, Brooke Mattson, Shae-Elle McLean, Maggie McQuown, Kennedi Mitchell, Davis Monahan, Alexander Morgan, Matthew Nelson, Ashley Nething, Jessica Nielsen, Dylan O’Connor, Samuel Olson, Zachary Olson, Nicholas Perron, Andrea Petrich, Caylee Piersak, Arieanna Poling, Kaitlyn Radke, Jessica Reckard, Abegail Reisinger, Nicholas Rice, Kaytlin Richter, Madeline Riebel, Logan Rodgers, Jordan Sakry, Grant Schmitt, Cassandra Schmitz, Skyler Schmitz, Bauer Schreckenghaust, Alyssa Schroeder, Jenna Schunk, Abby Severson, Hailey Stein, Iuliana Sterpu, Jordan Stone, Samuel Strack, Madeline Streifel, Tiffany Swift, Mackenzie Taylor, Cherish Thao, Victoria Tobin, Brady Trittin, Luke Tudor, Christopher Udalla, Ryan Weeks, Sidney Weeks, and  Jensen Zerban
B HONOR ROLL
Grade 6 – Misty Rose Allen, Grace Bednarchuk, Chloe Bengtson, Stephanie Blasius, Brooks Butalla, Jacob Doreo, Alexander Ettesvold, Dylan Fruth, Savannah Furstenberg, Marina Hales, Dakota Hamlin, Brock Hildenbrand, Wyatt Holland, Cory Hughes, Jacob Isaacson, Blake Jarvis, Aaron Jones, Madison Jones, Michael Kaufmann, Tyler Kniseley, Sophia Kolles, Nicholas Konietzko, Bryn Kopec, Tara Leshovsky, Tyler Leshovsky, Samuel Ley, Joshua Liebeck, Alyssa Lindquist, JT Lucas, Daneen Maretski, Carmen Mattson, Ann McCarty, Thomas Musselman, Kate Nelson, Ashley Phillips, Takoda Powers, Christina Quinn, Tyler Riffe, Reynaldo Roske, Noah Shenkle, Elizaveta Sterpu, Ryan Stigen, Madison Sumstad, Annie Wagenpfeil, Dylan Wanner, Wyatt Weber, Tyler Weinmann, Kelli Widhalm,Austin Yoraway, and Emma Zieba
Grade 7 – Dennis Bakken, Hunter Benge, Patrick Boland, Sheridan Christianson, Elias Clusiau, Claire Croteau, Luke Dahlheimer, Keith Daley, Jacob Edwards, Savannah Elphick, Evan Engstrom, Hunter Furstenberg, Jason Green, Alexea Hauge, Cody Heitzman, Morgan Ivesdal, Madeline Klein, Dylan Krueger, Faith Larom, Kylee Latterell, Katie Lind, Ashley Lingman, Michael Livingston, Callum MacArthur, Austin Marchand, Bennett Martensen, Breanna Martin, Freedom Martin, Lloyd Morin, Stone Mueller, Reese Norby, Kadden Olson, Jared Paulson, McKenzey Pavelka-Pierce, Brittney Peters, Natalie Remus, Sarah Rollings, Brett Santiago, Kenneth Schmitt, Jackson Sundt, Geoffrey Tatur, Nolan Thomas, Kate Torfin, Nicholas Utz, Lauryn Venne, Brett Wachtel, Alexander Wadzink, Jacob Walberg, Parker Weyer, and Brendan Wilson
Grade 8 – Shannon Allen, Nikolas Arnhalt, Hannah Babneau, Abraham Bade,  Kevin Carr, Trey Chilstrom, Sierra Dauphinais, Finian Edwards, Tanner Ellis, Ned Faircloth, Mitchell Feige, Darya Findorff,  Quinton Gilbertson, Grace Goodsell, Tony Greenwell, Tyler Greenwell, Dalton Hager, Alina Hansen, Benjamin Hookom, Hannah Jones, Nathan Kissel, Hunter Kivley, Matthew Krueger, Eliza Lopez-DelValle, Noemi Lopez-DelValle, Casey Lysdahl,Tate Nelson, Tate Nelson, Grace O’Konek, Isabel O’Konek, Crystal Palmborg, Tyler Paulson, Ariel Pope, Ryan Rapp, Sydney Scully, Kaytlin Sederholm, Laura Simcoe, Abbigail Slawson, Nicholas Swanson, Connor Thompson, Elizabeth Thompson, Madeline Tomlinson, Ellie Truebenbach, Samantha Voerding, Hunter Wiczek, August Wiitala, and Madison Zieba

by Jim Boyle

Editor

Katy Smith, 2011 winner of Education Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year, says the dramatic changes in childhood over the past 40 years are stripping kids of basic brain wiring that is necessary for learning in school.

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Smith

Smith will address parents and caregivers Saturday, Jan. 26 in Elk River on what they can do to ensure young children enter kindergarten ready to learn and be successful.

“I hope people walk away inspired to take a look at the best parts of their childhood and know that good stuff still works for kids today,” Smith told the Star News while boarding a plane for a talk in another state.

Her talk in Elk River is all part of a Getting Ready to Read and Write: School Readiness Begins at Birth seminar that will be held at the Handke Center.

It will start at 8:30 a.m. with a light breakfast and resource tables, followed by Smith’s presentations from 9 to 11 a.m. Resource tables will be available from 11 a.m. to noon.

Child care will be available. To register, call 763-241-3400, ext. 5528, by Jan. 24.  Walk-ins who do not need child care will be welcome on the day of the event, but RSVPs are encouraged.

The event is sponsored by the Elk River Early Childhood Coalition as part of an Initiative Foundation grant and is co-sponsored by the Elk River Area School District, District 728 ECFE and the Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network.

Smith’s diverse work takes her to schools, churches, community centers, businesses, conventions and conferences. She will make a case on Jan. 26 that between the vast array of technological advances and the harried pace of life and family schedules, children and families have been distracted away from some of the basics for success in life.

“Our tendency is to kind of microwave kids, and they really need to be a slow cook,” Smith said. “It takes a while and steady practice with routines, discipline and structure to get them ready and prepared for school.”

Smith plans to share some great stories and remind people of the importance of “hanging out with your family at the dinner table and talking”  or having a child sitting down on a lap with a paperback book.

“We do not want to be outsourcing that to an iPad too early,” she said. “It’s important to have that foundation laid down.”

Smith will also talk about the importance of uninterrupted play.

“When you’re a kid, your life’s work is to play,” Smith advises. “Take a look at the toys and fun that they have. The quieter the better so they celebrate their imagination rather than a toy maker’s imagination.”

Smith’s message will encourage slowing the pace of life down at times and ask parents and caregivers to pull back on the urge to have kids grow up too fast.

“We’re inviting them to a grown-up world when they’re not really ready for it,” she said. “We’re heck-bent on getting technology in front of them.”

Smith advises copious amounts of unstructured, unfettered time for children to do their life’s work

“Can you remember of a time your child got immersed in a toy and they played for hours and hours?” she asks parents and caregivers. “Instead of rushing to pick it up,  let  them explore that for as long as they can and make sense of their world through play.

“Sometimes we want our houses nice and it stresses us out when they’re not, but kids are really messy and they take really creative ways to get their work done.”

All this reading, playing and talking prepares students and lays ground work for all of the creative thinking they will need to do as an adult, Smith says. This 21st century global skill of creative thinking is wired in the first five to seven years, she adds.

Smith has a Bachelor’s degree in social work and teaching license in parent education from Winona State University in Winona and her Masters of Education from the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse. Smith lives in Winona with her husband and an old cat. Together, they raised three daughters.

The post Teacher of the Year to talk readiness appeared first on Star News.

by Dawn Feddersen-Poindexter

Contributing writer

Otsego Elementary School’s gym overflowed with great feats of strength at a recent event. But these feats didn’t involve lifting anything heavier than a playing card. Students and their families gathered in the packed gym to flex their math muscles and learn new ways to have fun together.

Nearly 500 students and family members spent an evening at the school for Deal Me In …Math Games. The event was a part of the school’s ongoing efforts to make math fun.

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Photo by Dawn Feddersen-Poindexter
Jessica Norton and her children, Tyler, 11, and Alexa, 5, were among nearly 500 children and adults to turn out for a math night at Otsego Elementary School.

“Playing games like these together helps build relationships within the family. And it helps students get to be where they need to be. It makes learning fun, too,” said Molly Engebretson, who teaches second grade at the school and helped organize the event.

Jane Greni brought her son, Connor, a kindergartner, to the event.

“This is a really cool deal,” she said. “I didn’t know what to expect but he loves math so this is perfect.”

Math games have been integrated into the school’s curriculum in the last few years, after the teachers spent a day learning from Mary Dank, a co-teaching consultant from St. Cloud State University.

Second-grader Ashley McClurg said her favorite game was Pyramid “… because I know it. I played it at school.”

McClurg played the game with her father, Dan, and her best friend, neighbor, and fellow second-grader, Kaileigh Hosking. McClurg’s older sister, Grace, a third-grader, sat nearby, playing the game with fellow older students.

Dank was on hand at the family event, teaching the group more than a dozen math games that can be tailored to the needs of any student at the kindergarten through fifth-grade school.

“She calls it stretching and squishing,” said Katie Johnson, a first-grade teacher, of Dank’s methods. “All of the games can be stretched to the higher grades or squished down for kindergartners.”

The school also hopes that by teaching these games to the whole family the fun will continue at home.

“You use regular playing cards so you don’t need all kinds of different materials. It’s something everyone has at home so it’s easy to do,” Engebretson said.

A family game night isn’t the only time for math games. Dank advocates integrating the fun into ordinary evenings.

She encouraged, “19 minutes of commercials are allowed in every 60-minute program that you watch. Think about what you could do if you hit mute every time those commercials came on and you did some math.”

The post Otsego students dealt math hand appeared first on Star News.

by Joni Astrup

Associate editor

When Scot Pfleghaar graduates from Spectrum High School this spring, he will have completed nearly two years of college.

And he never had to leave Spectrum to do it.

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Scot Pfleghaar

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Alyssa Spofford

Pfleghaar took advantage of Spectrum’s College in the Schools (CIS) program.

The program is a partnership between Spectrum, a public charter school located at 17796 Industrial Circle in Elk River, and Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids.

Seven teachers at Spectrum are qualified to teach some of the exact courses that are taught at Anoka-Ramsey, but they teach them at Spectrum through the CIS program. All of the Spectrum teachers who teach CIS classes have a master’s degree, according to Linette Holum, who works in admissions and guidance support at Spectrum.

“The big appeal for CIS classes is you don’t leave the campus of your high school so you do get to be with your high school friends still, and with the teachers,” said Pfleghaar, the son of Steve and Terry Pfleghaar of Elk River.

Plus, he figures the college credits he will have earned in high school at no cost would have cost $19,000 to $26,000 if he were a student at the University of Minnesota.

Spectrum’s CIS program began in the 2009–2010 school year with three classes. Ten CIS classes are offered this year including Spanish as well as math, science, literature and other classes. In total, 14 CIS classes are available at Spectrum, but not every class is offered every year, according to Holum and Brenda Schulze, who works in community development and partnership for Spectrum.

Additional college classes are available online or via interactive TV, including a calculus class where college credit is earned from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.

About 40 Spectrum students are participating in the CIS program. While there is no cost for students to take CIS classes, an identical three-credit class at Anoka-Ramsey costs about $500, Holum said.

Students who take enough CIS classes can graduate with enough credits to apply for an associate of arts degree from Anoka-Ramsey, she said.

“It’s just an exciting opportunity for our kids,” Holum said.

Spectrum’s CIS program dovetails with the school’s three-dimensional mission statement which includes college preparatory curriculum, a technology-rich environment and community-based outreach.

‘These credits are so valuable,’ student says

Pfleghaar took CIS speech communication fall semester and is taking CIS mass communications, astronomy and statistics this semester, as well as an online history class through the University of Minnesota-Crookston.

Last year, he said he took enough CIS classes at Spectrum to earn 26 college credits. That’s just four credits short of a full year of college.

He was drawn to CIS because he was looking for a meaningful educational experience, and something that would impact him long-term.

“I took a few CIS classes and it really felt like I was getting somewhere with my education because these credits are so valuable,” he said.

After high school he plans to attend Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis to pursue a degree in biblical and theological studies. He would like to do missions work through a nonprofit organization.

Alyssa Spofford, a junior at Spectrum, is also participating in the CIS program. She took CIS speech communication, Spanish and sociology fall semester. This semester she is taking CIS mass communications and statistics as well as an online class.

Spofford, the daughter of Craig and Kara Spofford of Zimmerman, would like to be close to finishing her associate of arts degree by the time she graduates from high school in 2014. She hopes to go to Northwestern College in Roseville. She would like to get to double major in nonprofit business and interdisciplinary studies concentrating on music, speaking and children and family ministry. Her goal is to help run Christian camps for children.

Spofford likes the challenge that CIS classes offer.

“It’s a chance to see what I can do and get a little bit of a head start in college so I can start working on my major earlier,” she said. Taking college-level classes in high school is definitely possible if you manage your time right, she said.

Like Pfleghaar, Spofford likes that she is able to take college classes without leaving her high school.

“You still get to be a high schooler while taking college classes,” she said. “It’s not like you’re trying to grow up too fast by going to college way early. We’re never going to be this age again. Why grow up too fast?”

PSEO offers college credit in high school

The CIS program is possible because of Minnesota’s Post Secondary Enrollment Option, or PSEO.

Students qualify for PSEO when they are in the top third of their class as juniors, or in the top half of their class as seniors, Holum said. New legislation also allows freshmen and sophomores in the top 10 percent of their class to participate in PSEO — under the guidelines of the college.

Students who meet those criteria can take an Accuplacer test, and if they get a qualifying score can go into Spectrum’s CIS program, Holum said. There also are a few other ways to enter the program, like a qualifying ACT score.

Once in CIS Spectrum students are also concurrently enrolled at Anoka-Ramsey Community College.

The post Spectrum students take college courses without leaving their high school campus appeared first on Star News.

by Jim Boyle

Editor

A mix of nearly 130 early childhood educators and parents showed up Saturday, Jan. 26 to hear Katy Smith share the latest rules and tools to bring about kindergarten readiness.

Much of what Smith had to say, however, hearkened her audience at the Handke Family Center back to their own childhood experiences and what worked to prepare them for school. And those with adult children were asked to think about how they prepared their own children, and what worked. She suggested bringing back some of the old in exchange for some of the new.

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Katy Smith

“Childhood has changed dramatically,” Smith stated. “It used to be the place that marched kids up to kindergarten with experiences that made them ready to be there.”

Nowadays, not so much, Smith says.

The first early childhood educator to be named the teacher of the year by Education Minnesota for 2011 goes as far to say modern-day childhood experiences are counterproductive. Most notably it says kids are being sapped of their ability to sit, settle down and focus.

“If they can do that, they can learn,” she said. “You can be the smartest kid in the room … but if you can’t sit down and concentrate and present that information, nobody knows you’re the smartest kid in the room.”

This ability to settle down and focus is a huge predictor of academic success, Smith states.

“Why isn’t anyone talking about this?” Smith asks.

Smith was invited to Elk River by the Elk River Area Early Childhood Coalition to speak on the topic of school readiness. The longtime educator held class for more than two hours as part of her Getting Ready to Read and Write: School Readiness Begins at Birth.

She talked about kids’ diminishing attention span and the ability to self-regulate before turning to kids’ increasing  use of media. She wrapped up by talking about violence in the media.

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Katy Smith, 2011 teacher of the year, talked about the importance of reading to children and not outsourcing to an iPad or other electronic device.

She encourages a low-tech upbringing for the first seven years of a child’s life — for a variety of reasons, in part to help give parents a fighting chance to raise kids with the ability to self-regulate.

Smith points to the Marshmallow Studies from Stanford University  that showed children 3, 3.5 and 4 years old struggling when faced with the decision to leave a solitary marshmallow on a plate for the chance at a second when an adult re-enters the room.

One-third of the kids studied failed miserably. Another third locked in and waited to be rewarded with a second marshmallow.

And the last third, the most fascinating of the whole bunch, were torn up inside. They wrestled internally with the dilemma, each applying their own strategy to the game in hopes of not eating the marshmallow staring back at them in their face. Some managed. Most did not.

Children’s ability to delay gratification is eroding, according to Smith.

She said growing up one of nine children in the 1960s and 1970s gave her plenty of experience self-regulating, but warned that these same type of experiences are vanishing from modern-day life.

She said her parents (unknowingly) worked on self-regulation techniques regularly at the dinner table, at church, in the car, when her mother was on the phone and when she was out visiting friends or relatives with her parents.

Her parents stretched out dinner. And yes, they couldn’t get up from the dinner table until everyone was done.

They expected their children to be quiet in church, and the adults in the pews around them held them accountable to this.

When mom was on the phone, they had to wait to talk. This was a time for adults, and kids were not invited. Same with the time spent with mother and father while visiting friends.

“We knew when we were in adult space, and when we were in kids’ spaces,” she said.

Car rides were not kids’ spaces. If they were long enough, goofy games were dreamed up to pass the time.

“Nowadays, everywhere you go there are toys for kids,” she said. “It’s like we’re uncomfortable if kids don’t have something to do.”

Smith remembers making the short trek to Target and seeing a mother she recognized from her school — sitting out on a lawn chair. The mother had put in a “Dora the Explorer” movie in a DVD player before they left, and the young child brought it to watch on the trip. The young girl refused to stop the movie until it was done.

“It’s a 12-minute ride,” she said. “The car is a fantastic place to self-regulate.”

There’s also a beauty in kids having to self-regulate, Smith said.

“Most kids get really creative,” she said. “If you get bored enough you wire your brain to think about something interesting. If you always have something to do, you don’t go there.”

Related Stories

• Parents’ new job: protecting children from the media.

• Busy parents create new at-risk group of readers.

• Reading to children wires important pleasure center.

The post Teacher of year suggests low-tech approach appeared first on Star News.

by Jim Boyle

Editor

The Kaiser Family Foundation, which studies the amount of media children consume on a daily basis, reports children are taking in an increasing amount of media and they have few rules to limit how much they take.

This disturbs Katy Smith, a well-known early childhood educator, who addressed an Elk River audience this past month.

“The world (protected me from the media) on my behalf as a child,” Smith stated at the Handke Family Center Jan. 26. “There wasn’t R-rated stuff on television when I was a kid.

“Two generations later, you can assume the media is not out there to protect your kids. It’s not. I know you have a lot of battles to fight, but this is a worthy one.”

Smith is a fan of studies done by the Kaiser Family Foundation, which found dramatic  increases in media consumption between 2004 and 2009.

The KFF found in 2009 that children 8 years of age (kids in second and third grade) were spending an average of about seven hours and 38 minutes a day with media.

And this is before the advent of the iPad, Smith notes.

As for high schoolers, they were averaging 10 hours and 45 minutes between television, video games,  iPods, texting and using their cell phone. In order to arrive at an accurate picture, surveyors had to re-configure the study because teens don’t take in just one medium at a time.

“I don’t know but I have a sense that’s one of the reasons they’re so disorganized,” Smith said. “They’re taking in a lot of information.”

Smith says other numbers she finds startling include the fact that:

•most six-month-olds have a television viewing schedule.

•Seven out of 10 kindergarten students have a television in their room.

And when the television is left on all night, part of their brain is assigned to that information, she said.

“At 4 years old they will choose to watch Dora, but at 14 I am pretty sure it’s not going to be Dora,”  Smith said. “I can give you study after study. Kids with a television in their room do not do as well in school.”

Smith suggested detoxifying children from television, especially before school starts. And even more important than that, she said, parents need to protect them from seeing violent images.

The advertisements for “CSI” that show four people getting killed in between football games on Sundays concern Smith.  Kids don’t process violence the same way adults do, she said. Everything they see is real until they are 7 years old, she adds

“I was teaching when 9-11 happened, and the kids would ask me why do planes keep crashing into buildings,” Smith said.

And now with Newtown, Conn.

“The last thing a child needs to hear before they go to school is “school-shooting-kindergarten-six,” she said. “The 24-hour news cycle has children hearing words like homicide and suicide at 4 o’clock in the afternoon.”

Smith encourages parents to embrace a low-tech existence for the first seven years of their kids’ lives.

As for video games.

“M is not for mature,” she said, noting parents who consider their children more mature than most. “It’s R.”

As for apps?

“They’re not even rated yet,” she said.

The post Parents have new job: Protect their children from the media appeared first on Star News.

(Editor’s note: Katy Smith highlights how reading to one’s child can be a wonderful experience. The aim, according to Raising Bookworms, is to continually reinforce the connection between reading and pleasure, while at the same time sending subtle cues about the value of reading throughout our lives. This book warns you may wonder at times if these messages are getting through, but rest assured, they are — and they’ll make a world of difference, the book states.)

There are two over-arching strategies:

1. Keep reading to — and with — your child. We’ve discussed this previously, but it is so fundamentally important that it’s worth reiterating!

2. Set a good example! It’s been said that one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is to show them what a happy adult looks like —and that fact is that parents who read regularly for pleasure are six times more likely to have kids who do the same.

•Provide a warm and inviting reading atmosphere, being especially attentive to visual or noise distractions.

•Cuddle while you read to reinforce the connection between reading and pleasure.

•Build reading time into your daily routine, at least once a day (but more is better!).

•Maintain a “reading ritual” — a gesture, expression, location or action of some kind that is connected with the pleasure of reading and cultivates joyful anticipation as you begin.

•Return to favorites as often as possible, remembering the words of Daniel Pennac: “To reread is to provide fresh proof of enduring love.”

•Keep letters and spelling games handy-in the tub, on the refrigerator, as puzzles, etc.

•Keep books everywhere.  A basket of books in the bathroom, kitchen, living room, playroom, and car ensures readiness for any reading opportunity that may arise, and makes a strong visual statement about the value of reading.

•Be sensitive to timing with respect to choice of material, staying away from darker or more challenging material at bedtime, for instance.

•Create a “Book Nook” or “Reading Corner” in your child’s room or playroom to invite comfortable, well-lit, and cozy reading time.

•Organize books attractively on shelves or in baskets, to make favorites easier to find and send a visual message about respect for books.

•Experiment with displays, such as rotating selections that face out, or organizing according to size, genre, theme, etc.

•Keep your child enrolled in a Book-of-the-Month-Club, to help build his or her library and underscore the connection between books and pleasure,

•Surprise your child occasionally with an impromptu book gift, to connect books with the joy of receiving affection.

•Never withhold books or use them as a threat. Words like “If you don’t behave, no before-bed reading tonight!” turn books into weapons and create negative associations where you are trying to build positive ones.

•Allow — make that encourage — reading in bed. Allow kids to stay up late, as long as they’re reading in bed. If they share a bedroom with others, give them a book light. Help them to discover the singular, sensual pleasure of reading in bed … and you will soon be hard-pressed to keep them from it.

One important caveat: Having a television or computer — especially one with Internet access — in your child’s bedroom is a surefire way to bump reading way down the list of preferred bedtime activities. I’m a big believer in limiting televisions and computers to common rooms in the house, and keeping bedrooms as the sanctuary they should be.

(Editor’s note: The following information was gleaned from: “Raising Bookworms, Getting Kids Reading for Pleasure and Empowerment” by Emma Walton Hamilton, Chapter 4, Elementary School: Nurturing the Budding Reader [2009].)

The post Regularly reading to your child wires a pleasure center in the brain appeared first on Star News.

Two local high school seniors have moved one step closer to being selected as National Merit Scholarship winners.

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Mathea Krogstad

Seniors Mathea Krogstad of Elk River High School and Erik Bremer of Rogers High School were notified this week they are advancing to the final round of the program.  The national winners will be announced in March.

Krogstad 17, has a 3.883 GPA half way into her senior year.  She is a full-time Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) student at Bethel University.  Krogstad is involved in her church with youth activities and music. Through her church she has established a relationship with the Manuelito Project in Honduras, a school for former street children. She enjoys studying psychology and looks forward to using this discipline to help people.  Krogstad is considering majoring in psychology at Bethel University or at the University of Minnesota Morris. In her spare time she loves to read, watch movies and care for her twin dwarf hamsters, Watson and Sherlock.

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Erik Bremer

Bremer, 17, is midway through his final year with a 4.038 GPA. He is involved in baseball, Student Council, Knowledge Bowl and National Honor Society. He is also a student liaison to the Elk River Area School Board. In 2012 he was one of two Rogers’ students to be nominated for the state ExCEL (Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership) award.  This year Bremer is one of two Royals to be nominated for the state Triple AAA (Academics, Arts and Athletics) award. Bremer also mentors and provides peer tutoring. He is considering majoring in Journalism, possibly at Northwestern University.

Each year, scholarship winners are chosen from approximately 1.5 million applicants nationwide. Krogstad and Bremer are competing for one of 8,300 final scholarships.

The National Merit^® Scholarship program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, a test that serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year, and by meeting program entry/participation requirements.

The post Krogstad, Bremer advance to Merit finals appeared first on Star News.

by Joni Astrup

Associate editor

A program designed to help students get prepared for college has been implemented this year at Spectrum High School in Elk River.

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Natalie Borg talked out a math problem during an A.V.I.D. tutoring session at Spectrum.

Called Advancement Via Individual Determination, or A.V.I.D., it is an international program designed to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success.

“It’s aimed toward the academic middle and helping these students who have potential — giving them the support they need to get prepared for college,” said Brenda Schulze, who works in community development and partnership for Spectrum.

“We are still learning a lot. We’re excited to see where it goes,” she added.

Eighteen students in grades seven and eight and 21 students in grades nine and 10 are enrolled in the program at Spectrum. The students had to apply and be interviewed to be accepted into A.V.I.D. The plan is to have A.V.I.D. in all grades at Spectrum in the future, Schulze said.

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Natalie Borg worked with tutor Samuel Scherer at Spectrum High School in Elk River.

There also is a school-wide initiative related to A.V.I.D. called Cornell Notes. It’s a method of taking detailed notes in class that is being implemented throughout the school, which has students in grades six through 12. Cornell Notes was developed in the 1950s by an education professor at Cornell University.

A.V.I.D., meanwhile, has a number of requirements for the students who participate, including:

•take an elective class that covers learning strategies, organization and critical thinking skills.

•participate in field trips to colleges.

•take at least one Advanced Placement or higher-level class.

•work with tutors.

The tutors include some Spectrum teachers as well as a couple of Spectrum graduates.

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Matthew Beaudoin

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Samuel Scherer

Matthew Beaudoin and Samuel Scherer are two Spectrum graduates now tutoring at the school. They graduated from Spectrum in 2012 and are students at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids.

Scherer, who wants to be either a high school science or math teacher, said the tutoring is giving him some experience.

“I like to work with kids. It’s one of my favorite things to do,” he said.

Beaudoin is exploring the idea of teaching as a possible career and he sees tutoring as a way to determine if that’s a good fit.

Both went through six hours of training. They tutor groups of students once a week for two hours in a variety of subjects.

About A.V.I.D.

•The program started in 1980 in California.

•A.V.I.D. is being used by 700,000 students in more than 4,900 schools and 28 postsecondary institutions in 46 states, the District of Columbia and across 16 other countries/territories.

•The program’s philosophy is to hold students accountable to the highest standards, provide academic and social support, and they will rise to the challenge.

Source: www.avid.org

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Science fair awards were presented to Salk Middle School students Tuesday, Jan. 15.

Select individuals have been chosen to represent Salk Middle School at regionals held at St. Cloud State University Feb. 28.

Top honors locally went to Dylan Clausen, Maxwell Brown, Nicole Butterfile and Michael Hall.

First-place honors went to Andrea Westgaard, Sam Nordstrom, Erika Kovar, Richard McCormick, Rachel Dorff, Anna Charboneau, Ellie Humphrey, Jill Humphrey, Mikhail Henin, Vytas Soderholm, Emily Johnson, Sydney Bengtson and Lauren Ott.

Second-place honors went to Anna Trace, Sabrina Onuma, Sophia Kruger, Kincaid Strain, Madison Bizal, Emma Waller, Mason Tegg, Michael Fisher, Jeffrey Watkins, Megan Debes, Katelyn Tentis, Hannah Czech, Megan Scroeder, Benjamin Schafer, Sarah Vernon and Madison Ofegaard.

And third-place honors went to Rachel Schroeder, Hayley Ackerman, Gabi Haack, Paris Pyles, Madeleine Griffin, Samantha Elsenpeter, Alexandria Foote, Olivia Hahn, Amanda Patterson, Ashley Purcell, Dylan Baer, Zachary Kruger, Jarod Gill, Cole Antilla, McKenna Wesloh, Kateyln Gfroerer, Spencer Larson, Gannon Larson, Emma Brotemarkle, Mckensie James and Mollie Heinen.

Miranda Rice, McKenzie Herrboldt, Maxell Waite, Sydney Schuster, Colton Hansen were winners of the teachers’ choice awards.

Seventh- and eighth-grade students at Salk Middle School participated in the annual science fair.  They created an experiment based on research and the scientific method and presented their findings to judges.

Many Elk River community members volunteered their time to support the students by serving as judges. These volunteers represented many local businesses and organizations including Cymbet, City Hall, RSVP group, Metal Craft, Sherburne County Fair Board, The Bank of Elk River, Sporttech, Anoka Technical College, Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, CDI, M&M Precision Machining, the Star News, the Elk River Area School District and many others.

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by Jim Boyle

Editor

Jessica Reckard walks but a few feet each morning to turn on the water for a shower. To grab a drink of water in the kitchen would only add seconds to her trip.

Millions of people in Africa walk miles and miles to fetch their water.

This and other stark differences between life in Elk River and just about any village in Africa are clearer to the 14-year-old Elk River girl and her classmates at VandenBerge Middle School thanks to National Geographic.

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National Geographic, with the help of the Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education, dropped off a giant map of Africa last week for a couple of days at VandenBerge Middle School. Students learned all about Africa as well as about America and themselves from studying it.

As part of National Geographic’s Giant Traveling Maps program, organized by National Geographic Live, VandenBerge social studies students spent parts of two days last week in awe of the faraway continent,  pouring over its rivers, deserts, rainforests and populations of varying densities while navigating a giant 26-foot by 35-foot map of Africa.

The map is designed as a geo-game board to introduce students to the power of maps and the diverse geography of Africa.  The map’s brightly colored, smooth vinyl surface accurately illustrates Africa’s oceans, seas, rivers, mountains, countries and capitals. The lessons offered students more than a glimpse into geography, which happens to be one of social studies teacher Cindy Sykes’ favorite subject.

“I once had a professor say that geography is the mother of all history,” Sykes said. “Where you live and its landscape defines how you live, whether you are protected from invaders, natural disasters or if you’re sitting on a natural disaster.”

Sykes’ students seem to grasp this better than ever before. That includes eighth-grade student Chris Udall, whose father hails from Nigeria, a country of 134 million people compared to the paltry 6 million people who live in Minnesota.

Udalla has visited three of the continent’s 50-some countries — making his first trek there as a third-grader and his second as a fifth-grader.

He has spent the last seven years of his life in Elk River. His first seven were in Blaine. He says like likes the feel of community in Elk River and adds he will likely go back  to Africa again someday. He desires to visit other countries there, too, that he has not previously visited.

“Life is a lot harder in Africa,” he said.

Designed for grades K–eight, the map comes with a trunk full of accessories, including interactive activities, props and photo cards that teach students about the physical characteristics of the continent as well as its history, wildlife and varied cultures.

Working in teams, students marked the equator with ropes to learn about climate and latitude. A relay race helped others learn all the countries; scavenger hunts and safaris introduce them to the continent’s famed wildlife and varied environments.

“Children have a whole new perspective on Africa after they’ve walked on this map,” said Dan Beaupre, director of education partnerships for National Geographic Live. “The hands- and feet-on experience brings the geography of Africa to life in a meaningful way and helps the students understand the connections between people and places.”

Dakota Bowers thought the map was cool and very educational. He paid particularly close attention to the border of the Sudan. He had an uncle stationed near there in Africa, and he someday plans to join the military in part to “travel the world.”

He was amazed at the closeness of the warring nations and marveled at how their proximity to one another must heighten the tension Africans living there must feel.

Dylan Kline would like someday to travel to South Africa to see first-hand the different lifestyles of people who live in places that are “not to so nice”
situated near places that are “incredibly nice.” The region’s history of racism is actually a draw for the youth.

Sykes’ students seem to have a desire to be of help to their peers around the world.

Reckard envisions entering a medical profession and someday working with the sick or injured on a missions-type experience.

Kaitlyn Radke said for her, the map only intensifies her interest in the world and her desire to travel it.

Aside from Udalla,  the farthest Bowers, Kline, Radke and Reckard had travelled was Florida or southern California.

“It was nice to study Africa,” Udalla said. “We’re always learning about what happens in America. It’s fun to learn about other places.”

The National Geographic map was first featured as a standard pull-out map in the September 2005 issue of National Geographic magazine, a special issue devoted entirely to Africa. National Geographic’s map division enlarged the map — the biggest map ever created by the society — for educational tours through National Geographic Live.

Since the introduction of the original Africa map in 2006, the program has expanded to include maps of Asia, North America, South America and the Pacific Ocean.

Each map measures 26 by 35 feet and is loaned to schools and other hosts with an assortment of activities. In the 2011–2012 school year it is estimated more than 450,000 students will interact with one of these maps.

Sykes’ students are now reading a book called “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park. It’s about the Sudan and the challenges its people face.

Students like Reckard already know how different and hard those challenges can be.

National Geographic offers up giant maps

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