Connections Online Newsletter - November 2011
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June 16, 2011
On-Line Connections E-Newsletter
Dear Ross,
November is the month of voting, veterans and turkey.
We start the month by exercising our Constitutional right to vote, then
on Veteran's Day we celebrate and honor those dedicated military
personnel who have proudly served our country, and we end the
month with turkey, cranberry dressing and stuffing on Thanksgiving
Day.
For the rest of the month, students are actively working and learning
at all of our schools. Educators like Nancy Siefert are receiving awards
for their work, students like Jackie Ohman are earning the right to
perform on a national stage, and the Forest Lake FFA chapter
continues its excellent run of national awards and honors.
As always, to keep up-to-date on events and happenings in our
district, check out our website at www.flaschools.org.
FFA gets Two Star award at
national convention
The National FFA Organization selected the Forest Lake FFA, from a pool
of more than 650 candidates nationwide, as a Two Star winner in the
National FFA Chapter Award program. Fourteen chapter members and two
advisors attended the 84th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.,
from Oct. 19-22 where they were recognized for this honor.
In This Issue
FFA gets Two Star award at
national convention
FL School Age Care
educator named "Super
Scientist" by Fox 9 News
Ranger dancer chosen for
Macy's Thanksgiving
Parade
School Board Meeting
Summary
Quick Links
Our Website
School Calendar
District's Annual Report
Welcome to FLAS
Visit our
website!
Check out the "District
News" page on our
district website.
"District News" not
only lists all of the
news releases issued
by our school district,
but it also includes our
new feature, "Forest
Lake Area Schools in
the News."
This section lists some
of the top recent
stories about our
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Connections Online Newsletter - November 2011
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district that have
appeared in the local
news media.
Click here to
view our
"District News"
web page.
The award program is sponsored by John Deere as a special project of the
National FFA Foundation. The National FFA Chapter Award program
recognized FFA chapters for developing and conducting a detailed Program
of Activities (POA). Each activity provides opportunities for members to
excel in one of three areas: student, chapter, or community development.
The application was first evaluated by a state committee, where the Forest
Lake FFA was named one of Minnesota's Top Ten chapters, and then
advanced to national competition.
"This is an outstanding accomplishment for the chapter," said Ann Tauzell,
who is one of three Agricultural Education Teachers and FFA Advisors
within the program, "we are grateful for the support we receive from school
district leadership, community participation, and business partnerships to
assist us in carrying out activities that develop our youths' potential for
premier leadership, personal growth and career success."
Kathleen Miron, a 2009 Forest Lake High School graduate received the
American FFA Degree. Earning the degree means Miron is one of a select
group of individuals to be recognized for years of academic and professional
excellence. The American FFA Degree recognizes demonstrated leadership
ability and outstanding achievements in agricultural business, production,
processing or service programs. To be eligible, members must have earned
and productively invested $7,500 through a supervised agricultural
experience (SAE) program in which they start, own or hold a professional
position in an existing agriculture enterprise and serve 50 community
service hours. Recipients must also make it their mission to demonstrate
outstanding leadership abilities and community involvement. Each award
recipient received a Gold American FFA Degree key, and a certificate in a
blue leatherette frame. Of the 523,309 FFA members nationwide, Miron was
one of only 3,240 to be recognized in 2011.
Success Stories
online
The Forest Lake Area
Schools district
website has added a
new feature.
Success Stories is a
series of videos made
of recent and past
graduates of our
schools, as well as one
current student, who
have experienced
success in their
personal, academic
and professional lives.
Click here to see
biographical features
of some of the
outstanding individuals
who have graduated
from our schools.
Additionally, Forest Lake members competed in collegiate FFA activities at
the national convention and represented the University of Minnesota. Miron
was part of a team that placed second in debate, a parliamentary procedure
team which included Sarah Williamson (2010 graduate) and Erin Daninger
(2010 graduate) took third place honors, and Luke Daninger (2008
graduate) participated on the second place quiz bowl team. Students are
members of the FFA until the age of 21.
FL School Age Care educator named
"Super Scientist" by Fox 9 News
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Last month, nine Twin Cities educators were named by Fox 9 News as
"Super Scientists," and Forest Lake's Nancy Siefert was among them.
Siefert, the assistant coordinator of the
School Age Care (SAC) program at Forest
Lake Area Schools, was notified on Oct. 6
that she was selected for the award by the
local television station, which is recognizing
area educators who are inspiring students in
the areas of science, technology,
engineering or math.
All nine of the educators selected received
$900 for their classrooms and were featured
in a 30-minute segment on Fox 9 News that
will be broadcast throughout the fall and
winter.
Siefert and the other "Super Scientists" also had the opportunity to be
featured presenters at Fox 9's Girls & Science display at the Science
Museum of Minnesota.
On Oct. 15, Siefert gave a 30-minute demonstration on one of her favorite
classroom activities, which is called Paper Bridges. The experiment shows
how two 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper can be used to support a water cooler
filled with water.
Siefert has worked with Forest Lake SAC since the program began in 1989,
and she conducts science lessons for her students each week.
Ranger dancer chosen for Macy's
Thanksgiving Parade
Jackie Ohman, a senior at Forest Lake Area High School and co-captain of
the school's danceline team, has been selected to perform at the Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
Ohman will be one of more than 700 dance
team members and cheerleaders
representing Varsity Spirit, a national
organization that promotes cheerleading and
dance across the country.
This will be the 18th year that Varsity Spirit
has teamed up with Spirit of America
Productions to give this opportunity to the
dance team members and cheerleaders who
qualified at camps across the country. Spirit
of America hosts two featured performances
in the parade. Dancers and cheerleaders
from across the country are invited to perform
a nationally televised, showcased
performance LIVE on NBC each
Thanksgiving in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day
Parade, one of the most celebrated parades in the world.
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Outstanding dancers and cheerleaders include team captains and standout
performers who attended summer camp. All camp companies are member
organizations of Varsity, the largest cheerleading and dance team
organization in the world.
The group will spend the week before Thanksgiving in New York City
sightseeing and rehearsing for their performance on Thanksgiving Day. This
year's cheerleaders and dancers will show their spirit along the streets of
Manhattan from Central Park West and 78th Street down to 34th and
Seventh Avenue. The parade culminates in Herald Square with a televised
performance of the spirited routine they have spent the week rehearsing.
* Photo courtesy of TLC Digital Images
School Board Meeting Summary
The following is a summary of the November 3 meeting of the Forest Lake
Area School Board.
Presentations
The follow individuals gave presentations before the board:
• Fox 9 News presented School Age Care Assistant Coordinator
Nancy Siefer with her Super Scientist Award, which also included a
check for $900.
• Lino Lakes Elementary Principal Ron Burris gave a video
presentation about the school's new STEM program. Burris also
participated in a grant award presentation from ING. The $2,000
grant, named the Unsung Heroes Grant, was awarded to the
elementary school on behalf of teacher Diane Giorgi.
• Brad Ward, a science teacher at Forest Lake Area High School, gave
a presentation about the STEM program at the high school and
discussed his work over the summer during his fellowship with
Siemens.
• Jennifer Tolzmann, the district's director of teaching and learning,
gave a presentation about the district's new math curriculum.
Action Items
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The board took the following actions:
• Approved the new world language course Chinese I;
• Approved the new course, 8th grade Accelerated Science;
• Approved the deletion of the Integrated II math course;
• Adopted Mandated Reporting of Maltreatment of Vulnerable Adults
Policy #414;
• Adopted Mandatory Reporting of Child Neglect or Physical or Sexual
Abuse Policy #522;
New Business
The board considered, but did not take action, on the following items:
• Reviewed the superintendent's goals for 2011-2012;
• The first reading of proposed new health care courses;
• The first reading of the proposed Advanced Placement Calculus B/C
course;
• The first reading of Advanced Placement Spanish Literature course;
• The first reading of Policy #428: Family and Medical Leave
• The first reading of Policy #536: Student Disability Nondiscrimination;
• The first reading of Policy #421: Student Sex Nondiscrimination;
• The first reading of Policy #508: Physical Examinations;
• The first reading to consider discontinuance of Policy #506: Disorders
During the School Day or at Scheduled Activities;
• The first reading to consider discontinuance of Policy #310: Checking
Accounts.
For more information on items considered by the school board, please
check out the School Board Meeting Agendas page on the district website.
The complete minutes of this meeting are available online on the School
Board Meeting Minutes webpage.
Thank you for partnering with us to educate the children of our
communities.
Sincerely,
Ross Bennett
Communications Coordinator
Forest Lake Area Schools
Ross Bennett
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