Westonka Public Schools
Westonka Public Schools

WESTONKA News ~ February 8, 2013  

The Westonka Edge: Small school advantages, big school opportunities, real-life success stories!™
This Week's News
Pinault Wins ExCEL Award
Senate Dodgeball Tournament
Vertnik Advances to Semis
Chilson Joins Ambassadors of Music Staff
Almna Wins Wilma Rudolph Award
Junior Hawkettes Dance Camp
Westonka in the News
Sports Highlights
Upcoming Events
Quick Links





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Pinault Wins ExCEL Award!--
For Excellence in Community, Education & Leadership

MWHS junior Leah Pinault has been awarded the Minnesota State High School League's ExCEL Award for 2013! 

 
ExCEL stands for Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership. The annual award recognizes high school juniors who are active in fine art and athletic activities, who show leadership qualities and who are model citizens in their communities. 

 

"I am so proud of Leah, but I must say I'm not surprised she's being recognized at the state level," band director Gretchen Chilson said. "She is exactly the kind of student who should be recognized by the MSHSL, and we're so excited that she's representing our programs and community."

Team Mat Rats is Dodgeball Champion--
Charity Event Raises Funds, Collects Food

MWHS Student Senate hosted a successful charity dodgeball tournament Jan. 28 and 30 during SnoDaze Week. A total of 22 teams participated in the tournament, with Team Mat Rats winning the championship match during the SnoDaze Pepfest on Feb. 1.

 

The tournament raised $2,000 in entry fees and ticket sales, which will be donated to the Feed My Starving Children MobilePack. Student Senate also collected dozens of non-perishable food items to be donated to the Westonka Food Shelf.
Vertnik Earns Wildcard Bid--
Advances to 'Jeopardy!' Semifinals
Mound Westonka High School senior Joe Vertnik paced his way through the viewing of his first "Jeopardy! Teen Tournament" appearance on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at Carbone's Pizzeria in Mound. Vertnik's $20,000 final tally in the opening round was good enough to earn one of four wildcard entries to the tournament semifinals, which aired Thursday, Feb. 7.
 
Vertnik's semifinal competition ended in an unprecedented three-way tie at $0 after all three contestants bet it all and lost in Final Jeopardy. As a result, no one from Vertnik's semifinal will advance to the final round.
Chilson to Represent State--
With Minnesota Ambassadors of Music

Gretchen Chilson, band director at Grandview Middle School and Mound Westonka High School, has been selected to join the staff leading the Minnesota Ambassadors of Music--a select concert band and choir made up of students from throughout the state. 

 

This group will represent Minnesota on a 16-day tour of seven European countries in July of 2014. 
Westonka Graduate Wins Wilma Rudolph Award--
For Courage and Inspiration in Sports
 
 
Westonka alumna Amy Gardner was among those honored at the 2013 Minnesota National Girls and Women in Sports Day award ceremony at the state Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 6.

 

Gardner, a 2005 graduate of Mound Westonka High School, received the Wilma Rudolph Award for Courage and Inspiration. Gardner played an integral role in bringing adapted sports to the Westonka School District while in high school. 
11th Annual Junior Hawkettes Dance Camp--
And Dance Spectacular

Girls in grades K-7 are invited to attend the 11th Annual Junior Hawkettes Dance Camp Feb. 25-28, in the Mound Westonka High School cafeteria. Participants will learn basic dance technique and a dance routine from MWHS Hawkettes dance team members. 

 

The week of camp concludes with a special performance at the Hawkettes Dance Spectacular on Friday, March 1. Visit junior-hawkettes.mwhs.westonka.k12.mn.us for more information. 
Westonka in the News
Westonka district prepares for facilities update

Construction officials hired by the Westonka Public School District will soon be searching for companies to carry out their first full summer of their facilities update project.

The Laker

Grandview Middle School takes home cities trophy
Grandview Middle School is now home to the Future Cities Championship Trophy after a team of young engineers won the state Future Cities Competition ...

Nine MWHS students selected for conference honor band
Nine MWHS musicians were selected for the second annual Wright County Conference Honor Band, which performed Jan. 12 in Hutchinson.

Boys hockey picks up three WCC wins

The Mound Westonka High School boys hockey team picked up three Wright County Conference victories in the past week ...

The Laker 


MWHS girls hockey wins six straight
The Mound Westonka High School girls hockey team pushed its winning streak to six games before losing to nonconference opponent North Wright County.

MWHS Nordic ski competes in conference championships
The Mound Westonka High School nordic ski team competed in the Twin Cities Nordic Ski Conference championships on Friday, Jan. 25 ...

Boys basketball loses to Jordan, beats Orono
The Mound Westonka High School boys basketball team lost to nonconference opponent Jordan High School before picking up another conference win ...

NSGA director honored for dedication to gymnastics
NSGA Director Deb Hertzenberg was inducted into the University of Minnesota Gymnastics Hall of Fame as a Lifetime Service nominee. 

Westonka Middle School Kids Win Future Cities State Title
By winning the competition, the four students and their coaches earned an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, DC to compete in the Annual Future Cities National Finals ...
Lake Minnetonka Patch

Lord Fletcher's January 2013 Feature Teacher: Krista Fisher
Krista Fisher has taught small group English and small group guided studies for 11 years at Westonka.

Lake Minnetonka Nordic Skier Selected for Junior National Team
In addition to being selected for the Junior National Team, Scott Harrison has also moved up to second in the state high school rankings ...

West school briefs: Students win state engineering contest
A group of Westonka students recently won a state engineering competition, sending them to Washington, D.C., to compete against students nationwide. 

Saturday Roundup: Title hopes dashed in overtime for Wildfire
Tied at two after three periods of regulation, Mound Westonka dashed the title hopes of Holy Family Catholic/Waconia ... 
Sports Highlights
Hawkettes Jazz Team--
Advances to State!
The Hawkettes are headed to the state tournament! The Varsity Jazz team placed second at the section tournament on Feb. 2. They will compete at the Target Center at 3:50 p.m. on Feb. 15. 

White Hawks Wrestlers--
Earn All-Conference Honors
The White Hawks wrestlers competed in the WCC Championships on Feb. 1. Winning conference titles were sophomore Sam Bennyhoff, senior Tyler Hebig and junior Bryan Tierney.



Girls U12B Hockey Team--
Brings Home Hardware 
The Mound Westonka Girls U12B team took home the second-place trophy in the Willmar Cardinal Classic Girls U12B Hockey Tournament Jan. 20. 
 
 
 
Two Westonka Skiers Heading to State!--
One in Alpine, One in Nordic
MWHS junior Alpine skier Willie Maahs placed ninth in the Section 5 State Qualifier on Feb. 7, advancing him to the State Tournament next Wednesday, Feb. 13, at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Minn. For the Nordic team, MWHS junior Scott Harrison finished third overall in Sections to move on to the Nordic State Tournament, also being held at Giants Ridge on Thursday, Feb. 14.   
 
Upcoming Events

Friday, February 8

Wrestling Invitational, MWHS gym, 5:00

Boys Hockey at Delano, 7:00

 

Saturday, February 9

ACT Test, MWHS, 8:00

Girls Hockey Varsity Sections, TBD

Boys Swim & Dive Conference Tournament, Hutchinson, 10:00

Girls Basketball at Glencoe-Silver Lake, 6:00

Boys Basketball at Glencoe-Silver Lake, 7:30

 

Monday, February 11

Nordic Ski at Wirth Park, TBD

Large Group Choir Contest, Buffalo, 3:00-8:00

4th to 5th-Grade Orientation, GMS, 7:00

School Board Meeting, ESC, 7:00

 

Tuesday, February 12

College Visit, Empire Beauty, MWHS Guidance, 1:30

Boys Hockey at Hutchinson, 7:00

Boys Basketball at Holy Family, 7:30

Girls Basketball vs. Holy Family, MWHS, 7:30

 

Thursday, February 14

MWHS Celebrations Assembly, gym, 9:50

Recruiter Visit, Army, MWHS Guidance, 11:30

Gymnastics sections at Delano, TBD

Nordic Ski State Finals, Giants Ridge, TBD

Girls Hockey Section Finals, Gustavus Adolphus College, 7:30

 

Friday, February 15

Dance Team State Tournament, Target Center, TBD

All-State Choir, Minneapolis

GMS Future Cities team goes to Washington DC to compete in National Tournament

Boys Hockey vs. Waconia, Mound Thaler Arena, 7:00

Girls Basketball at Litchfield, 7:30

Boys Basketball vs. Litchfield, MWHS, 7:30

 

Saturday, February 16

Dance Team State Tournament, Target Center, TBD

Wrestling Team Sectional Tournament, Robbinsdale, 9:00

All-State Choir final performance, Bethel College, 10:30

 

Looking Ahead

 

February 18

President's Day, no school

 

February 19

Teacher Workshop, no school

 

February 20

Hilltop Food Drive Begins

 

February 22

Shirley Hills Read-A-Thon

Hilltop Soiree

 

February 24

All-District Band Concert

 

February 25

Shirley Hills Book Fair Begins

 

March 1

No School, Teacher Workshop and Parent Conferences

Pop Singers Broadway Revue

 

March 5

Hilltop All-School Music Concert

 

March 7

Shirley Hills Music Concerts

Westonka News Contact

Feel free to contact me with suggestions or questions heistadb@westonka.k12.mn.us.

Becca Heistad, Communications Coordinator
Community Relations/Community Education  
Westonka Public Schools

5901 Sunnyfield Rd E   

Minnetrista MN 55364

952.491.8003 | www.westonka.k12.mn.us  
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