S
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
potlight
Summer 2017
196
#
District196.org Volume 57

Number 4
Graduation rates increase and gaps decrease for nonwhite students
The overall graduation rate for
s­ tudents in District 196 high schools
increased from 90 to 92 percent from 2015
to 2016 and the gap in graduation rates
between white and non-white students
decreased for all but one subgroup of
­students, according to data released by
the Minnesota Department of Education.
Of the 2,058 District 196 seniors
i­ncluded in the state’s 2016 graduation
data, 1,890 or 92 percent graduated,
defined by the state as completing high
school in four years. Of the students who
did not graduate, 6 percent were continuing school and 2 percent had dropped out .
The statewide graduation rate in 2016 was
82 percent , the same as 2015.
The state’s goal by 2020 is for school
districts to have a graduation rate of at
least 90 percent for all students and at
least 85 percent for each subgroup of
students. In 2016, District 196 met the
state goal for all students and four of
the eight subgroups, including Asian/
Pacific Islander, white, black and Hispanic
­students.
The following comparisons show the
change in graduation rates for all eight
subgroups of students in District 196:
•
American Indian/Alaskan Native
­students decreased from 80 percent
in 2015 to 71 percent in 2016, 18 percent higher than the statewide average
of 53 percent;
•
Asian/Pacific Islander students
increased from 90 to 95 percent ,
11 percent higher than the statewide
­average of 84 percent;
•
Black students increased from
78 to 85 percent , 20 percent higher
than the statewide average of
65 ­percent;
•
Hispanic students increased from
72 to 86 percent , 21 percent higher
than the statewide average of
65 percent;
•
White students remained at 93
percent , 6 percent higher than the
statewide average of 87 percent;
continued on page 6
Three School Board
seats up for election;
filing opens August 1
Three of the seven at-large positions
on the District 196 School Board are up for
election in the Nov. 7, 2017 General School
Board Election. The terms of Art Coulson,
Gary Huusko and Mike Roseen expire
Jan. 1, 2018. The term of each open position is four years, from January 2018 to
January 2022.
The two-week filing period for School
Board candidates will open Tuesday, Aug. 1
at 7:30 a.m. and runs through Tuesday,
Aug. 15, at 5 p.m. All candidates must file
during this two-week period in order to be
placed on the ballot .
The School Board is responsible for
developing policy to ensure the proper
care, management and control of discontinued on page 5
District focuses spending
in the classroom . . . . . . . . . p.2
Apple Valley wins third hoops title in five years
Members of the Apple Valley High School boys’ basketball team celebrated after defeating
Champlin Park to win the Class AAAA state championship March 25 at Target Center. It
was Apple Valley’s third state basketball title in the last five years; the previous two were in
2013 and 2015. For names and more information, see p.12
Free summer meals for
children at four sites . . . . . . p.7
Three schools will have
new principals . . . . . . . . . . p.8
Educating our students to reach their full potential
District News
State data shows district continues to focus spending in the classroom
District 196 spent $714 per pupil less
than the average of the 10 largest districts
in the state last year while targeting a higher percentage of available resources on
regular classroom instruction, according to
statewide data on school district expenditures for fiscal year (FY) 2016.
Each spring, the Minnesota
Department of Education makes available financial data for all public operating
elementary and secondary independent
school districts in the state. There were
328 districts in the 2015-16 school year and
District 196 remained the fourth largest in
the state.
Comparable expenditure data for FY
2016 shows that District 196 spent less per
pupil than the averages for the state, metro
area and 10 largest districts in four of the
10 general fund expenditure categories,
including operations and maintenance,
­student transportation, pupil support
­services and district-level administration
(see table). Conversely, in the category of
regular classroom instruction, District 196
spent approximately $400 more per pupil
than the averages for districts in the Twin
Cities metro area and statewide.
Independent School District 196
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan
Public Schools
3455 153rd Street W.
Rosemount , MN 55068
651-423-7700
651-423-7717 (TTY)
651-683-6969 (voicemail)
www.District196.org
Spotlight is a quarterly publication mailed
to every household in District 196 to inform
parents and other residents about district news.
Send comments on Spotlight to
[email protected]
District 196 does not discriminate in employment
or in any of its programs and activities, including
vocational opportunities, on the basis of race,
color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital
status, status with regard to public assistance,
familial status, membership or activity in a local
human rights commission, disability, sexual
orientation, age or genetic information. District 196
provides equal access to designated youth groups. The Director of Human Resources, Tom
Pederstuen (651-423-7859 – tom.pederstuen@
district196.org) has been designated to respond
to employment-related inquiries regarding the
non-discrimination policies. The Director of
Elementary Education, Sally Soliday (651-423-7782
– [email protected]) and the Director of
Secondary Education, Dr. Mark Parr (651-423-7712
– [email protected]) have been designated
to respond to student-related inquiries regarding
the non-discrimination policies. The Director of
Special Education, Mary Kreger (651-423-7629 –
[email protected]) has been designated
to respond to inquiries concerning the rights of a
student with a disability. The mailing address for
all directors is 3455 153rd Street W, Rosemount ,
MN 55068.
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
Expenditures Per Pupil for Fiscal Year 2016
Expenditure Category
Metro
Average
10
Largest**
Average
District
196
State
Average
Regular Instruction
$5,565
$5,147
$5,178
$5,694
Special Education
2,328
2,182
2,082
2,409
Operations, Maintenance & Other*
698
890
839
856
Student Transportation*
531
668
655
686
Instructional Support Services
611
622
610
714
School-Level Administration
540
463
449
483
District-Level Administration*
379
498
515
452
Student Activities & Athletics
294
318
304
223
Pupil Support Services*
263
352
350
427
Career & Technical Instruction
183
158
135
162
$11,392
$11,298
$11,117
$12,106
TOTAL
General Fund Operating
Expenditures
* Category where District 196 spent less per pupil than the averages for the state, metro area and 10
largest districts.
** The 10 largest school districts in Minnesota in FY 2016 were, in order from largest: Anoka-Hennepin,
St . Paul, Minneapolis, District 196, Osseo, South Washington County, Rochester, Elk River,
Robbinsdale and North St . Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale.
“We continue to spend a higher percentage of available funds on teachers
in the classroom and less on district
administration and support services,” said
District 196 Superintendent Jane K. Berenz,
who noted that expenditure comparisons
for FY 2016 are similar to previous years.
“Our teachers make the biggest difference
in what we do for students and that is
where we will continue to focus our efforts.”
District recognized for financial reporting
For the 15th year in a row, District 196
has earned the Certificate of Excellence in
Financial Reporting from the Association
of School Business Officials International
(ASBO).
The certificate of excellence is the
highest recognition of school district
financial operations offered by ASBO, a
professional organization with more than
6,000 members. The program reviews and
critiques district accounting practices as
represented in the comprehensive annual
financial report , and recognizes school
districts that meet or exceed the program’s
high standards for financial reporting and
accountability. Fewer than 1,000 school
districts nationally apply for the Certificate
of Excellence each year.
This year’s Certificate of Excellence
in Financial Reporting recognizes the
­preparation and issuance of the district’s
comprehensive annual financial report
for fiscal year 2016. The report is available
on the Finance Department page of the
­district website at District196.org, along
with financial reports and annual budgets
for the current year and previous nine
years.
Si usted habla español y tiene
preguntas, favor de llamar
al teléfono (952)431-8993.
HADDI ADD SOMAAALI TAHAY
OO AAD QABTID WAX SUAAL
AH FADLAN LA SOO XIRIIR
FAISAL MADAR (952)769-7625
If you speak (Spanish/Somali/Arabic) and have questions, call… .
2
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
Superintendent’s Message
Learning continues through the summer
By Jane K. Berenz, superintendent
A
s the end to another great
school year nears, we look
forward to a summer filled with
activities, vacations and relaxation with
family and friends. I also want to encourage parents to continue their children’s
learning all summer long. Research shows
that summer learning loss affects children
nationwide and varies by income and
grade level.
•
Parents, here are some simple ideas
you can use at home to keep your children
engaged in learning this summer:
•
Establish a summer reading list and
routine of reading with your child for
15 to 30 minutes each day;
•
Purchase a journal or set up an online
blog for your child and select a daily
topic to stimulate the creative writing
process, and
•
•
Help build your child’s math skills
when shopping together, eating out or
balancing your account , or access any
number of free online math programs
like Kahn Academy that offer practice
problems by grade level and course.
In addition to learning at home,
District 196 offers a variety of summer
opportunities for students of all ages.
•
•
Bridge to School: For students
who will be entering kindergarten in
the fall. Students become familiar
with their new school environment ,
­teachers, classmates and routines of
the day. Parents have the opportunity
to join their child on their first day
to help make entrance to school a
­success. Bridge to School will be held
at all elementary schools Aug. 14-17.
Camp Propel: For students in grades
1-5, Camp Propel provides daily
instruction in reading, writing and
math that aligns with upcoming units
of study in science and social studies. Students have opportunities to
­develop study skills, critical thinking
skills and social skills in a fun and
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
challenge their academic and creative
needs. Students explore new ideas,
develop concepts and share experiences with like-minded peers. The
­program will be held July 24-28, 9 a.m.
to noon, at Falcon Ridge Middle
School.
engaging way. Camp Propel will be
held Monday through Thursday, July 24
to Aug. 10 at Cedar Park, Glacier
Hills, Greenleaf, Highland, Pinewood,
Rosemount , Thomas Lake, Westview
and Woodland elementary schools.
•
•
Nature’s Engineers Day Camp:
For students currently in grades 1-4
in the district’s Gifted and Talented
and Young Scholars programs. Day
camp is five full days of enrichment
activities based around the themes of
science and nature. Each grade level
studies a specific area of nature and
connects it to the engineering design
process. Camp will be held June 19-23
at Oak Ridge Elementary School of
Leadership, Environmental and Health
Sciences.
Adventures in Learning: A week-long
camp for English Learners in grades
3-5. Students participate in academic
adventures on and off campus to
help them improve language skills,
make connections to past and future
learning, and develop relationships
with each other and their community.
Students qualify for this program by
meeting state and district requirements. Adventures in Learning will be
held June 19-23, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at
Rosemount Middle School.
Summer Academy: For students in
grades 6-8 needing to improve their
literacy and math skills. This program
is especially helpful for incoming 6th
graders in making a smooth transition
to middle school. Students qualify
by meeting state and district requirements. Summer Academy will be held
at all district middle schools, Monday
through Thursday, June 19-July 20, from
8 a.m. to noon.
•
Credit recovery classes: For high
school students who need to make
up credits. Students qualify through
­referral by their school.
•
Enhanced classes: For all high
school students who want to stretch
their learning during the summer.
These non-credit , fee-based classes
are available at all district high
schools.
•
Special Education services: For
­students of all ages with special learning needs. Extended school year
services are aligned with general
­education scheduling and curriculum,
but provide extra support through
special education staff and services.
•
Community Education Youth
Enrichment: Fee-based classes in a
variety of interest areas are offered
for children ages 2-18 throughout
the summer. Children can pursue
their interests, expand their abilities
and improve their social skills in an
­informal, fun and safe environment .
There is something for every child,
including martial arts, dance, arts and
crafts, languages, gymnastics, sports
and more.
District 196 is committed to the
s­ uccess of each student . We can accomplish this goal together by providing
learning opportunities that engage and
challenge our children throughout the year,
including the summer months.
Summer Academy for
Academically Talented Students:
For gifted and talented students in
grades 6-8, this intensive half-day
enrichment program is designed to
3
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
District News
Jobs available for
2017-18 school year
District 196 has job openings for the
2017-18 school year for quality individuals
who enjoy working with children. There
are positions open for substitute nurses,
bus drivers and chaperones, and food
service associates. For more information about specific positions and to apply
online, go to District196.org and click on
the “Employment” tab on the bottom right
side of the banner.
The substitute school nurse pay
rate is $22 per hour. Applicants must be a
licensed LPN or RN (preferred), be available weekdays during the school year and
attend a substitute nurse orientation.
Part-time bus driver and chaperone
positions are available. The district prefers individuals who are available for both
morning and afternoon routes. Applicants
must enjoy working with ­children. Bus
­driver applicants must also have a valid
Minnesota driver’s license with a good
driving record. The district provides training to obtain necessary licensure. The
wage is $16.70 per hour for bus drivers and
$13 per hour for chaperones. Benefits are
available to employees who work 23 or
more hours per week.
Three- to five-hour a day regular and
substitute positions are available as food
service associates in schools. Applicants
must be able to safely lift up to 40 pounds.
Responsibilities include food preparation, meal sales and service, cashiering
and clean-up. The wage is $15.40 per hour
($13.20 per hour starting wage for substitutes) plus a complimentary meal each
shift .
District 196 Foundation
seeking donations
The District 196 Foundation raises
money to support students in two important ways.
The first is by funding the purchase
of weekend bags of nutritious food for
students who otherwise might go hungry
on the weekends. For just $130, a child in
need can get a bag of food each weekend
throughout the school year. The other
focus of the foundation is purchasing
books to give to students who are at the
greatest risk of losing literacy skills during
the summer months.
To donate, mail a check to: District 196
Foundation, 3455 153rd St . W., Rosemount ,
MN 55068.
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
Eagan Legion donates books about the flag
The Eagan American Legion Post 594 donated enough copies of “F is for Flag” to distribute
to each 1st grade classroom in the district . Pictured (from left) are Post 594 Commander
John G. Flynn, Superintendent Jane K. Berenz, Director of Elementary Education
Sally Soliday and Post 594 Adjunct Wayne Beirman.
Board members have 106 years of service
District 196 employees and residents
recognized School Board members for
the work they do on behalf of children
and the community during School Board
Recognition Week in February.
“We are extremely fortunate to have
incredibly knowledgeable, committed
and caring School Board members in
District 196,” said Superintendent Jane K.
Berenz. “It takes strong schools to build
a strong community and these board
members are devoted to making sure our
schools are helping every child learn.”
The School Board is responsible for
developing policy to ensure the proper care,
management and control of district affairs,
and supporting the mission of educating
students to reach their full potential.
Jackie Magnuson
Gary Huusko
Joel Albright
Bob Schutte
Art Coulson
Sachin Isaacs
The seven current members have
a combined 106 years of service on the
board:
•Chairperson Jackie Magnuson, 28
years;
• Vice Chairperson Gary Huusko, 6
years;
•Clerk Joel Albright, 13 years;
•Treasurer Bob Schutte, 24 years;
•Director Art Coulson, 9 years;
•Director Mike Roseen, 26 years, and
•Director Sachin Isaacs, who joined
the board in September 2016.
School Board Recognition Week is set
4
by the Minnesota
School Boards
Association to build
awareness and understanding of the vital
function an elected
school board plays in
our society.
Mike Roseen
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
District News
Election . . . . . .
continued from front page
trict affairs, and supporting the district’s
­mission of educating our students to reach
their full potential.
•
•
•
•
Any person may be a candidate who:
is eligible to vote;
would be at least 21 years old upon
assuming office (Jan. 1, 2018);
is a resident of the school district for
at least 30 days before the election,
and
is not registered as a convicted sex
offender.
Affidavits of candidacy will be
available during office hours (7:30 a.m.–
4 p.m., Monday through Friday) in the
Superintendent’s Office of Independent
School District 196, 3455 153rd Street W.,
Rosemount . Completed affidavits of candidacy must be filed at the Superintendent’s
Office by 5 p.m. Aug. 15, along with a $2
filing fee or a petition with at least 500
signatures of eligible voters in place of the
filing fee.
Five or more voters may also draft a
candidate by filing an application on behalf
of the candidate. The candidate must
indicate his or her willingness to serve by
signing the application. The same filing fee
requirements and timeline apply.
Persons considering running for one
of the three open positions may also call
the Superintendent’s Office at 651-423-7844
for more information or to schedule an
informational meeting.
Reach parents with
ad on district website
Local businesses interested in ­reaching
potential customers in the state’s fourth
largest school district are encouraged to
partner with District 196 by ­purchasing an
advertising sponsorship on the district
website.
Three sponsorship options are available, ranging from $1,000 to $1,500, and are
prorated from the start of the school year.
All three options include a logo ad that
rotates on the front page of District196.org
for the entire school year and a larger ad on
a dedicated sponsor page with links to the
sponsors’ websites.
For more information, go to District196.
org/District/Departments/Advertising. To
place your ad, contact Communications
Director Tony Taschner at 651-423-7775 or
[email protected].
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
Outstanding in their fields
This year’s Outstanding Service Award recipients in District 196 were recognized at the
Partners in Education banquet held at Eagan High School in April. They are (from left):
Pam Stevens, literacy coach, Diamond Path Elementary School of International Studies;
George Beran, physical education teacher, Greenleaf Elementary School; Miles Haugen,
principal, Deerwood Elementary School; Mark Warweg, building chief, Oak Ridge
Elementary School of Leadership, Environmental and Health Sciences; Mark Kesti, building chief, Eagan High School, and Sarah Gustafson, kindergarten teacher, Pinewood
Community Elementary School.
District earns Meritorious Budget Award
For the second year in a row, the
District 196 Finance Department has
received the Meritorious Budget Award
from the Association of School Business
Officials (ASBO) International.
The Meritorious Budget Award
­ rogram promotes and
p
recognizes excellence in
school budget presentation. The award is conferred
only on school districts that
have met or exceeded the
program’s stringent criteria,
following a rigorous review
by professional auditors.
Last year, District 196 was
one of only two districts in
Minnesota and 150 nationwide to receive
the Meritorious Budget Award. This year’s
award, which runs through June, is for the
2016-17 budget year.
“The budget is a fine document ,
which includes a wealth of information in
graphic and narrative form,” the reviewers ­commented. “It is user-friendly for the
­average taxpayer with lots of data presented in different forms to meet the needs of
varied users. It demonstrates the district’s
commitment to fiscal transparency.”
The preliminary and
final budgets for 2016-17 are
available on the Finance
Department page of the
District 196 website at
District196.org/Finance, along
with budgets and finance
documents for the previous
nine years. The Meritorious
Budget Award is based on the
district’s preliminary budget .
The District 196 Finance Department
has also received ASBO’s Certificate of
Excellence in Financial Reporting for 15
years in a row for the preparation and
­issuance of the comprehensive annual
financial report .
Did You Know?
Of the 20 Minnesota cities (population 20,000-plus) with the lowest total
net tax capacity rate in 2016, six are part of District 196: Eagan, lowest;
Rosemount , third lowest; Apple Valley, fourth; Lakeville, 10th; Burnsville,
13th and Inver Grove Heights, 17th. Source: League of Minnesota Cities.
5
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
In the Schools
More than 2,000 students will graduate from district schools this year
More than 2,000 students are
scheduled to graduate from District 196
schools during commencement ceremonies s­ cheduled for late May and early
June. The estimated diploma count of
2,026 includes 428 from Apple Valley High
School, 516 from Eagan High School, 550
from Eastview High School and 532 from
Rosemount High School.
The high school totals include 206
seniors from the School of Environmental
Studies, 23 from the Area Learning Center
alternative high school program, 42 from
the Transition Plus Program that serves
young adults ages 18-21 with special needs
and 75 adult learners who will graduate
from Community Education’s Adult Basic
Education (ABE) program.
At right is a complete schedule of
­commencement ceremonies in the district .
Information about location changes due to
weather conditions will be available on the
Graduations on video
Most of the graduation ceremonies will be recorded for streaming
on the district website and playback
throughout the summer on District 196
TV Channel 189 on the Charter cable
system serving residents in Apple
Valley, Lakeville and Rosemount;
Channel 19 on the Comcast system in
Burnsville and Eagan, and Channel 20
on Town Square TV in Inver Grove
Heights.
school websites the day of the event .
•
•
Adult Basic Education – Thursday,
May 25, 7 p.m., at Dakota Ridge
School
Area Learning Center – Thursday,
June 8, 4:30 p.m., in the multi-purpose
room
•
Transition Plus – Wednesday, May 31,
noon, at the Rosemount Community
Center
•
School of Environmental Studies
– Thursday, June 1, 7 p.m., at the
Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater
(weather permitting)
•
Apple Valley High School –
Saturday, June 3, 6 p.m., in the
­stadium (weather permitting)
•
Eagan High School – Saturday,
June 3, 2:17 p.m., in the stadium
(weather permitting)
•
Eastview High School – Saturday,
June 3, 7 p.m., in the stadium
(weather permitting)
•
Rosemount High School – Saturday,
June 3, 7 p.m., in the stadium
(weather permitting)
Graduation rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
continued from front page
•
Students receiving English Learner
services increased from 72 to 81
­percent , 18 percent higher than the
statewide average of 63 percent;
•
Students receiving special
­education services increased from
62 to 72 percent , 11 percent higher
than the statewide average of 61
­percent , and
•
Students receiving free or
­reduced-price school meals
increased from 75 to 83 percent , 15
­percent higher than the statewide
average of 68 percent .
The graduation gap for American
Indian/Alaskan Native students increased
from 13 percent in 2015 to 22 percent in
2016 and the graduation rate of Asian/
Pacific Islander students exceeded white
students by 2 percent . The gap between
the graduation rate of white students
and all other subgroups of students in
District 196 decreased last year:
•
By 7 percent for black students, from
15 to 8 percent;
•
By 14 percent for Hispanic students,
from 21 to 7 percent;
•
By 9 percent for students receiving
English Learner services, from 21 to
12 percent;
•
By 10 percent for students receiving
special education services, from 31 to
21 percent , and
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
•
By 8 percent for
students receiving
free or reducedprice school
meals, from 18 to
10 percent .
After seeing graduation rates dip slightly
from 2013 to 2015,
early last school year
Superintendent Jane
K. Berenz asked the
district’s high school
administrators what
they needed to be
more intentional in
identifying and supporting seniors who
were at risk of not
graduating on time. The Rich Grounds, a campus security specialist at Eagan High
district provided the
School, worked with a student earlier this year as part of the school’s
high schools with some
targeted efforts to help students at-risk of not graduating on time.
additional funding to
support their efforts,
otherwise might not have graduated on
which included credit-recovery courses
time or at all,” Berenz said. “We are proud
during and after school and in some
of the increases achieved last year among
cases on Saturdays, as well as one-on-one
all groups of students and have continued
tutoring and work completion support .
our targeted efforts this year with seniors
Teachers were also encouraged to give
and juniors who were not on track to
grades of “incomplete” instead of Fs to
­graduate in four years.”
give more time to students who were close
Graduation rates for the district’s four,
to completing the required coursework.
four-year high schools were as follows:
“The focused and intentional efforts
Apple Valley, 93 percent; Eagan, 96 percent;
of our caring administrators and teachers
Eastview, 97 percent , and Rosemount ,
paid off for many of these students who
92 percent .
6
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
In the Schools
Purchase optional
transportation for
2017‑18 now and save
Fee-for-service transportation will
again be available next school year for
families of students not eligible to receive
free bus transportation to and from school
based on current service distances.
The annual cost of this optional transportation service is $275 per student , with
a $550 family maximum. Families whose
children qualify to receive free or reducedprice school meals receive the service for
a discounted rate. Families who register
for the service before Aug. 1 receive an
approximate 10 percent discount .
Learning to give and serve
The Garcia family – (from left): Liv, Audrey, Stella, John and Leo – shared their thoughts
on kindness during Northview Elementary School’s service learning family fun night in
February. Several nonprofit organizations participated in the event , where families had the
opportunity to make and donate items for the organizations and could sign up to volunteer.
The goal was to promote kindness and inspire families to do service together.
Free summer meals for children at four schools
Free breakfast and lunch will be available for children of all ages this summer at
four District 196 elementary schools: Cedar
Park and Westview in Apple Valley and Oak
Ridge and Thomas Lake in Eagan.
Children do not need to attend these
schools to receive the free summer meals
and there is no income eligibility requirement to participate in the Summer Food
Service Program, which is funded by the
USDA.
at Cedar Park, Oak Ridge and Thomas
Lake (starting June 26). Breakfast will
also be available at Cedar Park, Thomas
Lake and Westview July 24-Aug. 10 when
Camp Propel summer school is in ­session.
Breakfast serving times will be 8 to
8:30 a.m. at Westview and 9 to 9:30 a.m. at
Cedar Park and Thomas Lake. Adults may
also eat during these times; the cost is
$2.25 for breakfast and $4 for lunch (cash
only).
Lunch will be served Monday through
Friday, June 19-Aug. 10, 11:30 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. at Westview and noon to 1 p.m.
For more information, call the
district’s Food and Nutrition Services
Department at 651-683-6957.
Oak Ridge Elementary School to celebrate 25 years
Current and former students, ­parents
and staff of Oak Ridge Elementary School
of Leadership, Environmental and Health
Sciences in Eagan will celebrate the
school’s 25th anniversary on Thursday,
May 25. Oak Ridge opened in fall 1991 as
the 16th elementary school in District 196
and transitioned to a magnet school last
year.
The anniversary celebration will begin
in the morning on May 25 with Leadership
Day, highlighting student leadership in
Oak Ridge’s first year as a Leader in
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
Me School. There will be a reception
for ­former ­students and staff from 4 to
5:30 p.m., which will include the opening of
a time capsule that was filled and buried
by students 25 years ago. There will also be
tours of the school and an opportunity to
see progress on a building addition that is
scheduled to open this fall.
Following the reception, current Oak
Ridge students and their families will
­participate in the school’s the annual PTO
Spring Fling. For more information, call
Oak Ridge at 651-683-6970.
7
Minnesota law requires districts to
provide transportation for students living
two miles or more from their school and
for students who receive special education
services and require transportation as part
of their individual education plan, regardless of how far these students live from the
school they attend. State law allows districts to charge a fee for any transportation
provided within two miles from school,
except transportation for individuals with
special needs.
Many districts, including District 196,
have chosen to offer better service than
required by state law. The district’s current
transportation policy sets one mile from
school as the starting point for elementary
bus service and one and one-half miles for
secondary students. Students living within
these distances from their school are not
currently eligible for free transportation,
except those who would, if they were to
walk to school, need to cross a railway or
roadway defined by district regulation as
hazardous.
For more information about the feefor-service option and to register, visit the
Transportation Department website at
District196.org or call 651-423-7685.
Did You Know?
The district is planning to build a
transportation hub at the southwest corner of Johnny Cake Ridge
Road and 147th Street in Apple
Valley. When complete, the hub
will allow the district to save up to
$500,000 per year in reduced fuel
costs, driver time and fewer contracted bus routes.
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
In the Schools
Deerwood, Shannon Park and Rosemount Middle will have new principals
Three district schools will have new
principals when the 2017-18 school year
begins this fall.
Rosemount Middle School Principal
Mary Thompson is retiring at the end of
the school year after a 30-year career in
District 196, including the last 14 as principal at Rosemount Middle. District leaders
were in the process of hiring her replacement when this issue of Spotlight went to
press.
Erik Davis will
become the new principal at Shannon Park
Elementary School
in Rosemount on
July 1. He will replace
Michael Guthrie,
who is retiring at
the end of the year
following a 29-year
career in the district , the last 17 as principal at Shannon Park.
Davis has worked in the district for
20 years, the first 10 years as a 2nd grade
teacher and team leader at Pinewood
Community School. In 2007, Davis
accepted a job as instructional technology
coordinator and assistant administrator at
Falcon Ridge Middle School and since 2011
has been the assistant administrator at
Dakota Hills Middle School.
“I am excited to join the Shannon Park
team and build on the school’s tradition of
excellence,” said Davis, who has two sons
currently attending Shannon Park.
Davis earned a bachelor’s degree in
elementary education from the University
of Minnesota Duluth, has a master’s
degree in teaching and learning from St .
Mary’s University and a specialist degree
in educational leadership from Minnesota
State University Mankato.
Jeremy
Sorenson will
become the new principal at Deerwood
Elementary School
in Eagan on July 1.
He will replace Miles
Haugen, who in
November was hired
to become principal
of the district’s new East Lake Elementary
School that is scheduled to open this fall.
“It is rewarding to be returning to
District 196,” said Sorenson, who was a
special education teacher at Apple Valley
High School between 2006 and 2010. “I am
excited to join the Deerwood team and
eager to meet the students, staff and families that make Deerwood such a wonderful
school.”
Sorenson has been principal at
Sunnyside Elementary School in Red Wing
since 2014. Prior to that , he worked for the
Minneapolis Public Schools from 2012 to
2014, first as a school improvement specialist and then as an elementary school
assistant principal. In addition to teaching
at Apple Valley High, he also taught special education for the South Washington
County Schools and Hastings Public
Schools.
Sorenson has a bachelor’s degree in
special education from the University of
Wisconsin-Eau Claire, earned his master’s
degree in educational leadership from
Concordia University, and received his
principal and superintendent licensure
from Hamline University.
District students qualify for national business competitions
Thirty-two District 196 high school
students had top finishes at state business
competitions in March and qualified for
national competitions this spring.
Twenty-one students from
Rosemount , Eastview and Apple Valley
high schools had top-four finishes at the
Distributive Education Clubs of America
(DECA) state competition March 19-21
in Minneapolis and qualified for the
DECA International Career Development
Conference in Anaheim, Calif. April 26-29,
after this issue of Spotlight went to press.
DECA individual-event qualifiers from
Rosemount are Sydney Hansen, first
place, hotel lodging; Tanya Ramesh, first
place, employment interview; Anna Wise,
third place, human resource management , and Paige Zemke, fourth place,
Did You Know?
All four District 196 high schools
were ranked in the top 40 high
schools in Minnesota in US News
and World Report’s 2016 Best
High Schools report .
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
apparel and accessories marketing. DECA
team-event qualifiers from Rosemount are
Elizabeth Johnson and Anna Peterson,
first place, hospitality; Brynn Tonn and
Katie Turner, first place, buying and
merchandising; Alli Peterson and Erin
Smith, second place, marketing communication; Jake Smith and Alex Wood, third
place, sports marketing, and Gigi Freking
and Ellie Sprouls, fourth place, sports
­marketing.
DECA individual-event qualifiers from
Eastview are Haley Chinander, first place,
food marketing; Osman Monsur, first
place, business finance; Patrick Gibbons,
third place, business finance, and Michele
Uchenik, third place, apparel and accessories marketing. The Apple Valley team
of Ford Friedel, Tayla Rawdah and
Carleen Olson also qualified with a firstplace finish in the service area marketing
plan event .
Eleven students from Eastview and
Eagan high schools had top-five finishes
at the Business Professionals of America
(BPA) state conference March 23-25 in
Minneapolis and qualified for the BPA
National Conference in Orlando, Fla.
May 10-14, after this issue of Spotlight went
8
to press.
BPA individual-event qualifiers
from Eastview are Suhail Rizvi, first
place, extemporaneous speech; Tyler
Hernesman, third place, advanced
spreadsheet applications; Kevin Ly, fourth
place, fundamental spreadsheet applications, and Jacquelyn Peterson, fifth
place, business law and ethics. Qualifiers
from Eagan are Lauren Markowski,
second place, entrepreneurship; Subha
Ravichandran, third place, human
resource management; Amrit Sanal, third
place, economic research, and the team of
Olivia Crutchfield, Aishwarya Mankala,
Lauren Moy and Atulya Reddy, first
place, website design.
DECA is an international association
of high school and college students and
teachers. The organization helps prepare
students for careers in marketing, finance,
hospitality, management and other business areas through a variety of activities
and competitions. BPA is a cocurricular
organization for students pursuing careers
in business management , office administration, information technology and other
related career fields.
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
In the Schools
Eastview dance team
sweeps state again
For the second year in a row and
the third time overall, the Eastview High
School Lightning Dance Team won the
Class AAA state championships in both
jazz funk and high kick at the state dance
team tournament in February. Eastview
earned perfect scores from the judges in
both competitions and received standing
ovations from the Target Center crowd.
This is Eastview’s 10th state title in
high kick and fourth in jazz funk. In the 18
years that dance competition has had section qualifying tournaments, Eastview is
the only Class AAA school in Minnesota
to qualify for state in both jazz funk and
high kick every year. Eastview has also
advanced to the finals in both competitions all 18 years.
Members of both the state champion
jazz-funk and high-kick teams are Irene
Boese, Nina Boguslawski, McKinley
EspindaBanick, Shelby Graupmann,
Taylor Hallum, Ellie Hebig, Katherine
Hebig, Sophia Hedlund, Claire
Kenney, Abby Kisch, Grace Kisch,
Caliea Koelher, Mikayla Koles, Brooke
Lamkins, Jillian Lamkins, Lauren
Peterson, Morgan Peterson, Hanna
Schroeder, Jenni Terry and Libbie
Yung.
Other members of the state champion high-kick team are Tessa Cockerill,
Amber Fleck, Natalie Hanson, Jenna
Hegarty, Jordan Heruth, Carly Huyber,
Delaney Johnson, Tess Matalamaki,
Hayley Miller, Emma Pollei, Kaitlynn
Stearns, Brigette Stucker, Carly
Swanson, Emily Tracy, Carolyn
VanMeter and Iszy Vevea.
Student managers are Ainsley
Bollom, Ryan Calvert , Mike Franchino,
Favor Okolowore and Ingrid Sulistyo.
The head coach is Jenny Raiche and
assistant coaches are Toni Balliet , Taylor
Campbell, Shelby Feddema, Shannen
Jilek, Ellen Kenney, Jessica Padget and
Tina Range.
Did You Know?
Each year, approximately 90
percent of District 196 graduates
indicate plans to continue their
education at a 2- or 4-year college
or university.
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
Mathematical minds
Students in Kristin Moore’s 4th grade class at Thomas Lake Elementary School placed
in the top 15 out of more than 160 4th grade teams in the country that participated in the
Perennial Math competition this spring. Six of Moore’s students placed in the top 10 percent
individually out of the more than 3,000 students who took part in the competition. They are
Leila Dunfee, Kian Farooq, Alex Kapaun, Chloe Larson, Connor McCord and
Grace Rauner.
Apple Valley wrestlers make it 12 in a row
The Apple Valley High School wrestling team won the school’s 12th straight
team title and junior Gable Steveson
captured his third straight individual title
at this year’s Class AAA state tournament
in March.
Apple Valley defeated Anoka 30-24 in
the championship match of the team competition, following wins over Minnetonka
and Hastings in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. The Eagles ended the season
ranked 28th in the nation by InterMat and
Steveson was named the nation’s top wrestler in the 285-pound weight class.
This was Apple Valley’s 25th state
wrestling team title in 34 state tournament
appearances all time. Along with Steveson,
other members of the state championship team are Jalen Thul, Tanyi Besong,
Kyle Rathman, Regan Schrempp,
Martin Stewart , Dylan Anderson, Adam
Mickelson, Peyton McLagan, Brady
Gross, Sebas Swiggum, Nate Larson,
Michael Mattison, Arthur Quinones,
Devin Roberts, Tony Watts, Jonah
Johnson, Carlos Jimenez and Tyler Kim.
Schrempp and Steveson were named
9
to the Class AAA All-Tournament Team.
Student managers are Maddie Stanton,
Ana Omana and Stephanie Jobe. Dalen
Wasmund is the head coach and assistant coaches are Josh Barlage, Jamell
Tidwell, Rudy James, Nic Barclay, Tony
Abbott and Don Cheney. Wasmund was
named Head Coach of the Year by the
Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association.
A total of 17 District 196 students
qualified for the individual competition at
state, including 11 from Apple Valley, four
from Eagan High School and two from
Eastview High School. State runners-up
included Apple Valley’s Schrempp at 106
pounds and Thul at 170 pounds; thirdplace finishers were Rathman of Apple
Valley at 138 pounds, Alex Lindstrom of
Eastview at 170 pounds and Mike Delich
of Eastview at 195 pounds; Apple Valley’s
Mickelson finished in fourth place at 113
pounds; fifth-place finishers included
Apple Valley’s Gross at 120 pounds and
Besong at 220 pounds, and sixth-place
­f inishes went to Apple Valley’s Larson at
145 pounds and Johnson at 182 pounds.
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
In the Schools
Students win eight video
production awards
Students representing the journalism
and video production programs at Apple
Valley and Eastview high schools won eight
of the 24 Crystal Pillar Awards presented
at the regional Student Production Awards
ceremony in March.
The Student Production Awards are
sponsored by the Upper Midwest Chapter
of the National Academy of Television
Arts and Sciences. Apple Valley and
Eastview students won four Crystal Pillar
Awards each. The award winners, listed by
­category, are as follows:
Middle school musical
Eighth-grader Sydney Dixon performed the final scene of Scott Highlands Middle
School’s spring production of “Hairspray, Jr” in April. Seventy-six students participated in
the musical as members of the cast and tech crew. The show was directed by staff members
Matt Knutson and Ryan McMurchie-Pasch.
•
Newscast: EaglEye, Apple Valley High,
“Newscast #151,” EaglEye crew.
•
News General Assignment-Serious:
Apple Valley High, “One of Ours: Jack
Forrey,” Maddi Bahm, Micah Nelson
and Shannon Kelly.
•
News General Assignment-Light:
Eastview High, “iPads become tools,”
Jack Kohaut and Bailey Strasser.
•
Public Affairs/Community Service:
Eastview High, “Voter Turnout ,” Alex
Baker and Dan Lekah.
Instrument donations needed to make ‘Band for All’
•Editor: Jack Kohaut , Eastview High
If you have a gently used musical
instrument that is no longer being used,
please consider donating it to the district’s
Band for All program. This year, more than
530 students are participating in band with
an instrument donated to Band for All.
•
Approximately 250 additional instruments are needed to meet the needs of
next year’s 5th grade students who would
like to participate in band but do not have
an instrument to use. All gently used band
and orchestra instruments are accepted
and used.
Instruments can be dropped off
at Oak Ridge Elementary School of
Leadership, Environmental and Health
Sciences in Eagan or Scott Highlands
Middle School in Apple Valley ­during
school hours. Include your name, address
and phone number on a piece of paper
inside the instrument case if you would
like to receive a donation letter for tax
purposes.
Band for All also accepts monetary
donations to repair donated instruments.
Monetary donations can be sent to
Valley Middle School of STEM, c/o Cindy
Hanson, 900 Gardenview Dr., Apple Valley,
MN 55124. Checks should be made payable
to Valley Middle School of STEM and write
“Band for All” in the memo line.
Magnet schools receive national recognition
Two elementary magnet schools have
once again been selected for recognition
by Magnet Schools of America, which
advocates for high-quality instructional
programs that promote choice, equity,
diversity and academic excellence for all
students.
Glacier Hills Elementary School
of Arts and Science is one of only 89
magnet schools in the nation and five
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
in Minnesota selected to receive a 2017
School of Excellence Award and Cedar
Park Elementary Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math (STEM) School
was named a School of Distinction this
year. Glacier Hills is also one of only five
finalists in the nation for the Dr. Ronald P.
Simpson School of Excellence Award,
which was announced after this issue of
Spotlight went to press.
10
•Talent: Matt Kolan, Apple Valley High
Video Essay: Eastview High, “Trainer
Connects with Athletes,” Kevin
Gunawan and Ben Sammon
•Writing: Matt Kolan, Apple Valley
High
Staff advisors are Cliff Dodge and
Drew McCluskey at Apple Valley and
Nick Fornicoia at Eastview.
Eastview is an ACT
Exemplar High School
This spring, Eastview High School was
named an ACT Exemplar High School for
2017 for their work in preparing students
for college and career readiness.
The criteria for this recognition
includes student growth toward ACT
­college- and career-readiness standards;
support structures in place for students,
particularly those from underserved populations; participation in dual or concurrent
enrollment programs, internships and
other career navigation opportunities, and
leadership opportunities for students to
develop collaborative problem-solving,
responsibility, self-knowledge and careerexploration skills.
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
In the Schools
Students qualify for national speech and debate
Thirty-four District 196 high school
students have qualified to compete at the
National Speech and Debate Association
tournament June 18-23 in Birmingham, Ala.
Students earned spots for the national
tournament based on their performance at
separate qualifying events that were held
this winter and spring.
Eagan High School has 18 students
who earned 14 qualifying spots: the team
of Jenna Herbrand and Joshua Drucker
in duo interpretation; Tram Nguyen
and Joshua Groven in original oratory;
Benjamin Pankow and Jason Scheller
in domestic extemporaneous speaking;
Jack Bechard in humorous interpretation; Emily Albert-Stauning and Paul
Filonowich in oral interpretation; Elsie
Goren and Rachel Standal in informative speaking; the team of Raj Purohit and
Rylee Smith in public forum debate; the
teams of Aaron Lutz and Gregory Quick,
and Linnea Stanton and Elizabeth
Sabel in policy debate, and Nautica
Flowers in congressional debate.
Apple Valley High School has 12
students who earned 11 qualifying spots:
the team of Claire Doty and Zakkiyah
Sanders in duo interpretation; Jane
Michaelson and Rickey Williams in
original oratory; Arianna Rotty in dra-
matic interpretation; Sydney Schliesing
and Uzoma Ngwu in oral interpretation;
Trinity Ek, Sarah Grambo and Emilia
Galchutt in informative speaking, and
Kenan Anderson and Henry Dikeman in
Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Eastview High School’s Ross Abram
and Osman Mansur each earned qualifying spots in international extemporaneous
speaking and the Rosemount High School
team of Andrew Sauvageau and Michael
Stefanko qualified in policy debate.
At the 2016 national tournament ,
Apple Valley and Eagan were two of 10
Schools of Outstanding Distinction based
on the number of rounds of competition
completed by their students during the
tournament . Individually, four District 196
students advanced to the final round (top
six) in their categories of competition and
two won national titles, including Sarah
Grambo of Apple Valley, who qualified to
defend her title in informative speaking
this year.
Eagan High School 2017 Summer Community Theater
Sixteen seniors named
National Merit finalists
All 16 District 196 seniors who were
selected semifinalists in the 2016-17
National Merit and Achievement scholarship programs last fall have been named
finalists and are eligible for the approximately 7,500 merit scholarships totaling
more than $33 million which are being
awarded this spring.
The National Merit finalists from
District 196 are Chase Rapp of Apple
Valley High School; Elizabeth Bartlett ,
Arunima Bhattacharya, Bryce Collison,
Jonathan David, Lauren Kalina, Lauren
Markowski, Benjamin Pankow, Raj
Purohit , Rylee Smith and Rosella
Stower of Eagan High School; Ryan Chen
and Athena Hatfield of Eastview High
School, and Isabel Edgar, Trevor Liggett
and Dominic Voto of Rosemount High
School.
National Merit and Achievement postsecondary scholarships are awarded by the
National Merit Scholarship Corporation,
businesses, and colleges and universities
nationwide.
Students are selected for the National
Merit and Achievement programs each fall
based on their scores on the Preliminary
Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit
Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/
NMSQT), which they take as juniors.
Students who score in the top 1 percent
of students nationwide are selected as
semifinalists and can then submit additional information to be considered as
a finalist . Students who score in the top
5 ­percent of students nationally are named
­commended students; 32 District 196
­students earned commended status last
fall.
Did You Know?
AUDITION INFORMATION
Adults and current 8th-12th graders • May 30, 31 and June 1, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Callbacks for specific roles on June 2 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Children’s Choir (ages 8-14), Adult Choir and dance • May 31, 4 to 6 p.m.
Eagan High School east entrance
PERFORMANCES
July 13 (senior preview) and July 14-29, 2017
Eagan High School Auditorium
Tickets go on sale beginning Wednesday, June 21 • Go to www.eagan.k12.mn.us
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
11
It costs just $130 to help a child
facing hunger issues right here
in District 196. For $130, a child
in need receives a nutritious bag
of food to take home every weekend during the school year. To
donate for the 2017-18 school year,
write a check to “District 196
Foundation” and mail it to: ISD
196 District Office, 3455 153rd St .
W., Rosemount , MN 55068 (write
“Sheridan Story” in the memo
line).
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
Achievements
Congratulations!
A sampling of recent student and staff achievements throughout District 196
Eastview High
School senior
Catthy Trinh won a
national gold medal
in the 2017 Scholastic
Art & Writing Awards
competition for
her digital artwork,
“Breezy.” As a gold
medal recipient ,
Trinh is invited to attend a ceremony in
New York City in June and her artwork
will be displayed at the Parsons School of
Design in New York.
Teresa Grunklee of Rosemount
High School was one of 32 high school
juniors statewide selected to receive a 2017
Excellence in Community, Education and
Leadership (ExCEL) Award. The ExCEL
Awards recognize juniors who are active in
fine arts and athletic activities, who demonstrate leadership qualities and who are
model citizens in their community.
Eagan High School senior Lauren
Markowski was selected as the Section
3AA female nominee for the 2017
Academics, Arts and Athletics (Triple A)
Award. Sponsored by the Minnesota State
High School League, the Triple A goes to
nominated seniors with a 3.0 or higher
grade-point average who participate in
athletic and fine arts programs, and exhibit
exemplary citizenship and the highest
standards of sportsmanship and conduct .
Each high school in the state can nominate one senior boy and girl for the award.
Four state winners were selected from the
section nominees, one boy and girl for
Class A and Class AA schools.
Joni Anker of Eagan High School
was one of five finalists for the National
Speech and Debate Association’s Educator
of the Year Award.
Apple Valley High School won the
Class AAAA boys’ state basketball championship in March. It was Apple Valley’s
third state title in five years. The Eagles
avenged their only two loses of the regular
season by defeating previously unbeaten
Champlin Park in the title game and Maple
Grove in the semifinal round. Members of
the team are Josh Arnold, Justin Firpo,
Ely Hendrickson, Tre Jones, Patrick
Kelehan, Mohamed Kone, Zach Korba,
Michael Kromer, Josh LaFave, Nathan
Macho, Luke Martens, Mason Morse,
Michael Nelson, Mark Possis, Spencer
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
Rolland, Ethan Thomas, Michael
Thomas, Kevin Totusek and Logan
Wangerin. Jones, Kone and Martens
were named to the Class AAAA AllTournament Team. Student managers are
Ellie Kuchera and Julia Running. Zach
Goring is the head coach and assistant
coaches are Dave Edison, Jadee Jones
and Greg Olson.
The Eastview High School girls’
basketball team took third place in the
Class AAAA state basketball tournament
in March. Megan Walstad and Rachel
Ranke were named to the Class AAAA AllTournament Team.
The Northview Elementary School
Lego League team qualified for the state
competition in February. Members of the
team are Kaylie Valiga, Natalie Valiga,
Courtney Bumpers, Maggie Sitowski,
Cabrini Fouts and Sophia Resendez.
Four middle school students qualified
for the state geographic bee this spring:
Noah Jackson of Valley Middle School
of STEM, Felix Prose of Scott Highlands
Middle School, Carter Sikorski of
Rosemount Middle School and Aiden Van
Beck of Falcon Ridge Middle School.
Pam Cady
Wycoff, long-time
speech and debate
coach at Apple
Valley High School,
was selected this
spring to receive the
National Speech and
Debate Association’s
Distinguished
Service Award – Sixteenth Honors for her
years of service to the organization and
betterment of the speech and debate community. She is one of only two coaches to
earn this high honor since it was established in 1925.
Eagan High School’s Izak Hofstad
finished in sixth place in the boys’ state
alpine ski tournament in February. Renee
Boldus of Rosemount High School was
the top finisher from the district in the
girl’s alpine tournament , in 40th place.
The Apple Valley High School
rocketry team was the only team from
Minnesota to qualify for the Team America
Rocketry Challenge national finals, which
was held May 12-13 in Washington, D.C.,
after this issue of Spotlight went to press.
12
Woodland
Elementary School
Principal Lisa
Carlson was selected
one of three finalists
for the Minnesota
2017 National
Distinguished
Principal Award
presented by the
Minnesota Elementary School Principals
Association. The recipient was scheduled
to be selected in early May, after this issue
of Spotlight went to press.
Riddhi Suresh of Scott Highlands
Middle School was one of 49 students who
qualified for the metro-area spelling bee in
March.
Brian Fendrich, a math teacher at
Rosemount High School, was a candidate
for 2017 Minnesota Teacher of the Year,
sponsored by Education Minnesota.
The district’s Developmental
Psychology program was selected to
receive a 2017 Public Health Achievement
Award from Dakota County for its work in
promoting a healthy, drug-free lifestyle to
middle school students.
Fifteen members of the Eastview
High School chapter of Family, Career and
Community Leaders of America qualified
to participate in the state conference. They
are Allie Pugmire, Tyler Hendrickson,
Jade Sole, Grace Florin, Binh Nguyen,
Maia Drkula, Maria Granada, Kaitlyn
Ferris, Katy Hedges, Namita Nair,
Aurelia Sudjana, Hannah Fromm,
Madilyn Frisk, Becca Schiffman and
Mekenzie Peterson.
Eight young women representing
all four District 196 high schools were
recognized for their computing-related
achievements in this year’s Aspirations in
Computing Awards program, which encourages young women to pursue careers in
­technology. This year’s state winners are
Marie Pena of Apple Valley High School,
and Anna Peterson and Victoria Pierce
of Rosemount High School. Honorable
mention winners are Emily DeBoard of
Apple Valley, Grace Hansen of Eagan
High School, Priya Kumar of Eastview
High School and Laura Rietveld of
Rosemount . Atalanta Stoeke of Apple
Valley was recognized as an honorable
continued on next page
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
Achievements
Congratulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
continued from previous page
mention winner in this year’s national
­program.
Patrick Acton of Eagan High School
finished state runner-up in the boys’
Nordic ski tournament in February. Eagan
finished in eighth place in the team competition and Eastview High School finished in
12th place in the girls’ tournament .
The Dakota United Hawks won the
consolation championship in the physically
impaired (PI) division of the state adapted
floor hockey state tournament in March.
The Hawks lost their opening-round game
in double overtime but rebounded with
a pair of wins to capture the consolation
championship trophy.
The Eastview High School girls’
hockey team participated in the Class AA
state tournament in February.
Scott Highlands
Middle School
Science Teacher
Ted Siefkes was
one of 60 educators
nationwide selected
to participate in
NASA’s Microgravity
University for
Educators activity
April 10-14 at Johnson
Space Center in Houston. Participating
teachers worked with NASA engineers and
scientists to test student-developed satellite launching experimental devices on
NASA’s precision air bearing floor, which
simulates microgravity. Scott Highlands’
students were able to watch the tests via a
videoconference connection.
Eagan High School swimmer Jasper
Appleton had two third-place and two
fifth-place finishes at the boys’ swimming
and diving Class AA state tournament
in March. Appleton, Mike Kehoe and
Colin Kehoe earned third-place medals
as members of Eagan’s 200- and 400-yard
freestyle relay teams. Noah Baum was
the other member of the 200-yard relay
team and Caiden Kuehn was part of the
400-yard relay team. Appleton also took
fifth place in the 50-yard freestyle and
100‑yard butterfly. Three other district
swimmers made it to the finals in their
event . Sam Pekarek of Eastview High
School earned a second-place medal in the
100-yard breaststroke and took sixth place
in the 200-yard individual medley, Stephen
Satnik of Rosemount High School was
seventh in 1-meter diving and Quenton
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
Apple Valley’s Jones named player of the year
In March, Apple Valley High School
junior Tre Jones was named the 2016-17
Gatorade Minnesota Boys’ Basketball
Player of the Year and was a finalist for
national player of the year.
The Gatorade Player of the Year
program annually recognizes one athlete from each state in 12 high school
sports for their athletic excellence,
academic achievement and exemplary
character demonstrated on and off the
court . Jones is the fourth Apple Valley
basketball player to receive the award in
the 32-year history of the program; his
brother, Tyus, won three years in a row
from 2012 to 2014, Gary Trent , Jr. in 2016
and Bob Martin in 1988.
This season, Jones led Apple Valley
to a 26-2 regular-season record and the
Class AAAA state championship title.
The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 23.3 points,
10 rebounds 7.4 assists and 3.6 steals per
game during the 28-game regular season. A three-year varsity starter, Jones
was selected a member of the All-State
Tournament Team all three years and
was a member of the USA Basketball
Under-16 team that won the 2015 FIBA
Americas U-16 Championship.
Off the court , Jones maintains a
Steffen of Eagan finished seventh in the
100-yard breaststroke.
Seniors Amy Breckner of Apple
Valley High School, Gabrielle Orr of
Eagan High School, Natalie Snodgrass of
Eastview High School and Gabby Sprang
of Rosemount High School were selected
by their schools as 2017 Athena Award
recipients. Athena Awards are given each
year to the outstanding senior female athlete at more than 50 Twin Cities-area high
schools for their excellence and achievements in individual and/or team sports. All
recipients were recognized at a banquet in
April.
Rosemount High School junior Josie
Schlie placed ninth and Eagan High
School senior Megan Harrold 19th in
the all-around competition of the state
gymnastics tournament in February. Eagan
freshman Teagan Ramboldt took fifth
place in floor exercise and Eastview High
School junior Bailey Davidson finished
10th on balance beam. Eagan Head Coach
13
3.57 grade-point average and volunteers as a youth basketball coach, in
an elementary school literacy outreach
program and through his church youth
group.
As player of the year, Jones was able
to select a youth sports organization
to receive a $1,000 grant as part of the
Gatorade Play It Forward program.
Shelly Eklund was named Coach of the
Year by the Minnesota Girls Gymnastics
Coaches Association.
Jane Michaelson of Apple Valley
High School won a first-place gold medal
in original oratory at the state speech tournament . District 196 students won 27 of
the 104 total medals awarded at this year’s
state tournament , which was held April 21
at Apple Valley High.
Steve Olson, band teacher at
Parkview Elementary School, received a
2017 Music Educator of the Year Award
from Schmitt Music.
Cheer teams from Eagan, Eastview
and Rosemount high schools participated in the National High School
Cheerleading Championships in February
in Orlando, Fla.
Isabella Huerta of Eastview High
School was one of only five soloists selected to perform in the final concert at the
Dorian Vocal Festival at Luther College.
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
Just the Facts
Asbestos removal projects scheduled at two schools this summer
The District 196 Office of Health and
Safety has completed surveys confirming that all asbestos-containing materials
in district buildings are in good physical
condition and therefore do not indicate a
hazard or require immediate removal. The
district’s asbestos management plan and
related records also passed review.
The asbestos management plan,
which includes information about the
asbestos-containing materials, was developed following an inspection of all district
buildings in 1988. Buildings constructed
or leased since 1988 are inspected before
opening.)
The 16 buildings where asbestoscontaining materials exist are Apple Valley
and Rosemount high schools, Rosemount ,
Forms needed for
students transported
to or from a daycare
Parents of elementary school ­children
who will be attending a daycare site in
the 2017-18 school year that is ­eligible
for ­transportation services must submit the appropriate form described in
Administrative Regulation 707.5.2AR,
Transportation for Elementary School
Students in Daycare.
Go to District196.org/district/­
schoolboard/policies/700/707.5.2AR.pdf
for submission deadlines and the appropriate forms, which are also available on
the website.
2017-18 calendar
available online
The district calendar for the 2017-18
school year is available at District196.org.
The calendar for next school year
is similar to this year, with 171 days of
school for middle school and high school
students, and 169 days for elementary
students. The elementary calendar also
includes two days for scheduled student
literacy assessments Aug. 22-23.
School will begin the Tuesday after
Labor Day (Sept . 5), winter break will run
from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1, spring break is set
for March 23-30 and school will end the
first full week in June.
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
Scott Highlands and Valley middle schools,
and Cedar Park, Diamond Path, Echo Park,
Greenleaf, Highland, Northview, Parkview,
Rosemount , Southview, Thomas Lake and
Westview elementary schools.
Each school has a list of the
location(s) and type(s) of asbestos-containing material found in that school. That
list and copies of the district’s asbestos
management plan are available for public
review in the office of the building chief at
each school. The plan is also available at
the district’s Facilities Department , 14445
Diamond Path W., Rosemount .
The district plan calls for systematic
removal of some of the asbestos-containing materials. Last summer, asbestos
removal projects included abatement
work at Rosemount High and Echo Park,
Northview, Thomas Lake and Westview
elementary schools.
Asbestos removal and repair projects are scheduled this summer at Valley
Middle to abate vermiculite from the
exterior wall cavities, floor tile in two storage rooms and spray-on insulation; at
Southview Elementary to abate pipe insulation, and minor repairs at other buildings
as needed.
For more information or questions
about the district’s asbestos management
plan or scheduled removal projects, call
Health and Safety Supervisor Christopher
Pint at 651-423-7735.
Recruiters can request data; parents can opt out
Under state and federal laws, military
recruiters and institutions of higher education can request from school districts the
names, addresses and home telephone
numbers of students in grades 9, 10, 11
and 12.
is available at all middle school and high
school offices. This is the same form parents and guardians may use to deny the
release of specific directory and yearbook
information about their child. For more
information, contact your child’s school.
Parents of students in these grades
have the option to refuse the release
of this information by completing form
505.2.4.3P, “Denial of Release of Directory
and Yearbook Information,” checking the
appropriate boxes and submitting it to
their son or daughter’s school. The form
State law prohibits armed forces
recruiting personnel from further distributing this student information. State law
also requires that school districts provide
­information to the requesting military
recruiter within 60 days of receiving the
request .
Reimbursement for nonpublic transportation
District 196 residents may request
reimbursement for a portion of their costs
for having transported their child during
the 2016-17 school year to a nonpublic
school to which the district does not provide transportation and does not have a
comparable nonpublic school available
within its boundaries.
Requests for reimbursement for nonpublic transportation must be submitted
prior to June 30, 2017 to: Independent
School District 196, Director of Finance and
Operations, 3455 153rd St . W., Rosemount ,
MN 55068. For more information or
to obtain a reimbursement form, call
651‑423‑7715.
Homeschools are required to report to district
Families living in District 196 who
plan to homeschool their children for the
2017-18 school year must submit a completed Compulsory Instruction Report to
the director of Community Education by
Oct . 1.
Information about the report and
other programs and services will be
addressed at an orientation meeting
Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m. at the District Office,
14
3455 153rd St . W., Rosemount . Families that
homeschooled this year and those who
will be new to homeschooling this fall are
encouraged to attend.
Homeschool packets will be available at the orientation meeting and are
also available on the district website at
District196.org/cewww/HomeSchool/Index.
cfm#packet . For more information, call
651-423-7722.
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
Just the Facts
Immunization requirements for students to attend school this fall
To enroll in child care, early childhood programs and school in Minnesota, children must show they have had the immunizations listed
below or file a legal exemption. Parents may file a medical exemption signed by a health care provider or a conscientious objection signed
by a p
­ arent/guardian and notarized.
This information must be on file with the school nurse before the first day of school on Sept . 5, 2017. Students will not be
able to attend school until they have shown proof of vaccination or legal exemption.
To read the chart , find the child’s age/grade level in one of the columns and read down to determine which immunizations are
required and how many doses, shown by the number of check marks. Each column is meant to be read separately; do not add up the rows
of checkmarks for each vaccine.
If you have questions, call the nurse at your child’s school or call the district’s Health Services Coordinator Deb Mehr at 651‑423‑7909.
Birth to Age 4
(Early Childhood programs)
Ages 5-6
(Kindergarten)
Hepatitis A
√√

Ages 7-11
(Grades 1-6)
Age 12 and older
(Grades 7-12)
___
___
___
Hepatitis B
√√√
Hepatitis B
√√√
Hepatitis B
√√√
Hepatitis B
√√√
DTaP/DT
√√√√
DTaP/DT
√√√√√
Tetanus and Diphtheria
containing doses
√√√
Tdap
√
Polio
√√√
Polio
√√√√
Polio
√√√
Polio
√√√
MMR
√
MMR
√√
MMR
√√
MMR
√√
Hib
√
___
___
Meningococcal
√ and booster
___
___
___
Varicella
√√
Varicella
√√
Varicella
√√
Pneumococcal
√√√√
Varicella
√
‚
ƒ
„
…
ƒ
ƒ
†
‡
ˆ

‚
ƒ
First graders who are 6 years old and younger must follow the polio and DTaP/DT schedules for kindergarten.
„
…
†
‡
Fifth shot of DTaP not needed if fourth was after age 4. Final dose of DTaP on or after age 4.
ˆ
One dose is required beginning at grade 7. The booster dose is usually given at 16 years but timing depends on when the first dose
was given.
Not required after 24 months.
If the child has already had chickenpox disease, varicella shots are not required. If the disease occurred after 2010, the child’s doctor
must sign a form.
Fourth shot of polio not needed if third was after age 4. Final dose of polio on or after age 4.
An alternate two-shot schedule of hepatitis B may also be used for children age 11 through 15 years.
Proof of at least three doses of diphtheria and tetanus vaccination needed. If a child received Tdap between ages 7 and 10 another
dose of Tdap is not needed. Td does not meet the Tdap requirement .
Looking for records? For copies of your child’s vaccination records, talk to your doctor or call the Minnesota Immunization
Information Connection (MIIC) at 651-201-5503 or 1-800-657-3970.
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
15
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
Independent School District 196
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools
3455 153rd Street West
Rosemount , MN 55068
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Rosemount , MN
Permit No. 1
School Board
Jackie Magnuson, Chairperson
Gary Huusko, Vice Chairperson
Joel Albright , Clerk
Bob Schutte, Treasurer
Art Coulson, Director
Sachin Isaacs, Director
Mike Roseen, Director
Jane K. Berenz, superintendent
Time Value Material
Please Deliver Promptly
Tony Taschner, communications director
Community Education
j
engage • inspire • enrich this summer!
Understanding our cultures
Join us to learn more about the many diverse cultures in our community. Enjoy
one or all of the presentation and discussion nights presented by our District 196
cultural family advocates: Monday, June 12 – Native American/African American;
Tuesday, June 13 – Latino/Hispanic, and Wednesday, June 14 – Somali. Registration at
District196.org/ce is not required, but encouraged. No cost to attend. Meets criteria
and is approved for 1.5 CEUs in diverse educational settings.
Early Childhood Family Education
summer family fun
We offer educational, fun and affordable programs for parents to attend with
their children ages birth through prekindergarten. Our summer schedule provides a
sample of the classes available throughout
the year, including free baby classes to
District 196 families, age-specific and topic
classes for mixed-age groups. Classes are
held days and evenings, Tuesdays through
Thursdays, July 11-Aug. 3, at Dakota Valley
Learning Center. Visit District196.org/ecfe
or call 952-388-1953 for more information.
Register by June 20 to be included in the
lottery.
The pool is cool this summer!
Meet your family and friends at the pool
for wet fun! Visit District196.org/swim or
call the swim hotline at 952-431-0030 for
convenient times and locations. Ages 6 and
older are $7, 4 and 5 year olds are $6, and
3 year olds and under are free! Purchase a
wristband to challenge yourself to the traditional northwoods pastime of logrolling!
Summer Bridge to School
offered to incoming kindergartners
August 14 -17
We are excited to invite incoming kindergarten students
who are enrolled in District 196 an opportunity to ease their
transition into school this September. Bridge to School
will help children become familiar with their new school
environment, teaching staff, classmates and routines of
the day. Parents are invited to attend with their child
on Monday, Aug. 14 for the first hour and a half for
­interaction and an information session on parenting
their kindergartner. Register online at
http://bit.do/BTS-2017; begin by selecting your
child’s school from the list and click “Enroll Now.”
Adults learn English and prepare for the GED exam!
English Learners will study speaking, pronunciation, reading, writing and grammar
this summer; beginning to advanced classes are available.
Are you interested in earning a Minnesota GED diploma? Prepare for the GED tests
in our classrooms with our patient, licensed teachers this summer. At our classes, you
can pre-test and study to pass the GED electronic exam.
Classes are offered Monday through Thursday mornings and evenings, July 10-27.
Email [email protected] or call 952-431-8316 for more information.
j
Visit District196.org/ce for more!
Providing quality lifelong learning opportunities for all residents. • District196.org/ce • 651-423-7920 • 15180 Canada Avenue, Rosemount, MN 55068
Spotlight
• Summer 2017
16
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools