WESTONKA News ~ February 6, 2015  

The Westonka Edge: Small school advantages, big school opportunities, real-life success stories!™
This Week's News
Borg Report
Paraprofessionals Week
MMEA Midwinter Clinic
Hilltop GeoBee
Rotary Interact Club ShelterBox Fundraiser
Prairie Fire Theatre's 'Snow White'
Westonka in the News
Sports Highlights
Community Ed. Classes
Upcoming Events
Quick Links



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Four Westonka Educators Selected--
As Minnesota Teacher of the Year Candidates
Staff Kevin Borg Superintendent
It is with great pride that I announce that four of the 123 candidates for Minnesota's top teaching award in 2015 are members of the Westonka School District team. 

Grandview Middle School teacher Ali LaLonde, Mound Westonka High School teacher Sarah Morinville Smith, Shirley Hills Primary School teacher Karen Olaussen and Hilltop Primary School teacher Craig Schmidt were recently selected as candidates for Teacher of the Year, a program that celebrates the tradition of excellence in teaching in Minnesota.

Please read the Borg Report to learn more about Westonka's remarkable team of educators.

[Borg Report]

Heroes Among Us--
Westonka Paraprofessionals Recognized
In a message to staff at Grandview Middle School last week, Principal Christine Zachow wrote, "On the nightly news, you can hear about the actions of courageous people all the time. Heroes, they say, run toward the trouble, while the rest of us run away from it. I think our paras are much the same."

Westonka Schools recognized and celebrated the work of the district's 60 dedicated paraprofessionals during Paraprofessional Recognition Week, Jan. 25-31. 

[Thanks, Paras!]

MWHS Concert Choir to Perform Thursday--
At MMEA Midwinter Clinic
The Mound Westonka High School Concert Choir is less than a week away from its biggest performance of the year, the Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Clinic on Thursday, Feb. 12.

MWHS was chosen to perform at MMEA Midwinter Clinic by recorded audition last summer. "This is a huge honor. It is, you could say, our state tournament," choir director Kate Larson said. "I'm so proud of these students!"

[MMEA Concert]

Ryall Wins Hilltop Geography Bee--
Competes for Spot at State
To walk in Lisbon's Alfama district and to stay at a beach resort in the Algarve, you would travel to what country? The first successful airplane flight, at Kill Devil Hills, is commemorated on the quarter of which state?

If your geography knowledge is a little rusty, try asking Campbell Ryall, a fourth-grade student at Hilltop Primary School, who won the Jan. 30 school competition of the National Geographic Bee.

[Bee Queen]

Rotary Interact Club Raises Funds--
For ShelterBox Supplies
 
The Rotary Interact Club at Mound Westonka High School hosted a winter field day event Jan. 31 to raise funds and awareness for ShelterBox, an organization that provides shelter and lifesaving supplies to families across the world impacted by natural disasters and humanitarian crises.  

The students raised $2,000 in all, including a matching grant by Rotary District 5950. Those funds will be used to purchase two complete ShelterBox kits.

[Giving Shelter]

Westonka Thespians Star--
In Prairie Fire Theatre's 'Snow White'
Join Westonka Community Education and Services and Prairie Fire Children's Theatre for two performances of "Snow White" Feb. 6 and 7 at Mound Westonka High School. 

Tickets are available at the door and are $5 for adults and $3 for students grades K-12. Children under age 5 are admitted free.

[Snow White]

Westonka in the News
Westonka School Board talks budgets; A possible change in state funding is the biggest unknown

Swim dive team breaks records in pool
The Orono Mound Westonka Boys Swim Dive Team is off to a fantastic season with two dual meet wins over Watertown/ Mayer-Delano and Richfield. 

Tiger girls seeded No. 4 for 5A playoffs
The tough brackets of the Section 5A girls hockey tournament will be attacked this week, with all games again taking place at the Parade Ice Garden ... 

'Band Geeks' Earns Outstanding Performance Nod
After a successful run in November, the Mound Westonka High School 2014 fall musical production, "Band Geeks," was awarded Outstanding Overall Performance ...

Dragon boys out-shoot MW to victory
The Litchfield boys rode a hot-shooting night to a 61-51 conference win - their second of the season - over Mound Westonka on Friday night. 

Alumna in the News: Ohio State, Gophers tie in women's hockey
Taylor Kuehl's second goal of the game, with 3 minutes, 16 seconds to play, enabled visiting Ohio State to tie the No. 2 Gophers 3-3 on Friday night ...
Sports Highlights


Hawkettes Sweep Sections, Advance to State!

For the 10th time in the last 11 years, the Mound Westonka Hawkettes are headed to the state dance tournament. The Hawkettes swept the Section 3AA Dance Competition for the second year in a row, placing first in both the jazz and high kick divisions and advancing to state.

 

[Section Sweep]

 

Nordic Competes at Sections, Abegglen is State-Bound

Mound Westonka High School junior Samuel Abegglen is headed to the state Nordic ski meet after finishing sixth in the section competition Feb. 5. The White Hawks boys Nordic team finished fifth out of 13 teams in the Minnesota Section 2 Nordic Skiing Championships.

 

[State-Bound Skier]

 

Two Skiers Advance to State Alpine Meet

Mound Westonka High School juniors Anson Kuznik and CJ Hoffman are headed for the state alpine ski meet after strong performances at Sections. Kuznik finished second in the section meet Feb. 5, and Hoffman finished 13th.

 

[Stately Skiing] 

 

Wrestlers Win Big on Senior Night

The White Hawks wrestlers had another busy week, competing in five dual meets and an individual tournament. The highlight of the week was a dominating 64-13 victory over Robbinsdale Cooper, which capped off a night honoring White Hawks seniors.

 

[Senior Night]

 

Disappointing Conference Start for Girls Basketball 

Westonka girls basketball had a disappointing start to the conference schedule, putting up an 0-4 record. The closest game came against Glencoe-Silver Lake on Jan. 23, when the White Hawks ended up losing 32-30 in the last 90 seconds.  

 

[Conference Challenge]

 

Bennyhoff, Ham Inducted Into Wrestling HOF

Former Mound Westonka High School wrestlers Kevin Ham and Dave Bennyhoff were inducted into the Mound Westonka Wrestling Hall of Fame on Jan. 30. 

 

[Famed Wrestlers]

 

Bantam A Brings Home Another Trophy

The Mound Westonka Bantam A hockey team set a goal at the start of the season to peak at playoffs. With district playoffs starting next week, that strategy appears to be paying off.  

 

[Hutch Tourney]

 

Upcoming Community Ed. Classes 
Check out the Westonka Community Education classes starting next week!

For more information, visit www.westonkace.org or call 
(952) 491-8040.

2/10
Chocolate Truffles - Shirley Hills (grades 1-4)
2/11
Chocolate Truffles - Hilltop (grades 1-4)

Angry Birds Art Class with Kidcreate Studio - Shirley Hills (grades K-4)
2/12
NEW Cook-a-Meal: White Chicken Chili
2/13
NEW Mini Pops Camp & Performance (grades 3-5)

School's Out Valentine's Day Celebration (grades K-7) 

NEW Junior Pops Camp & Performance (grades 6-8)
2/14
ACT Prep Class

Wendy's Wiggle, Jiggle and Jam! ECFE
2/15
Winter Training Soccer Academy at Shirley Hills - Session III (grades 3-6)

 

   

Upcoming Events

Friday, February 6

10th-12th Grade Distinguished Student Breakfast

Shirley Hills Read-a-Thon Kick-Off

Leopold-Haglund Wrestling Invitational, 5:00

Prairie Fire Theater's Snow White, MWHS, 7:00

Girls Hockey vs. Princeton at Parade Ice Garden, 7:30

 

Saturday, February 7

ACT Test, MWHS, 8:00

Wrestling at Dassel-Cokato, 10:00

Prairie Fire Theater's Snow White, MWHS, 1:00

Boys Hockey at New Ulm, 3:00

Boys Basketball at Coon Rapids, 7:00

Sunday, February 8

Omelet Breakfast Fundraiser for WeCAN

 Mound American Legion, 9:00-12:00

 

Monday, February 9

Nordic Ski at Como Park, TBD

Hilltop PTA Meeting, 4:00

Hilltop Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-8:00

School Board Meeting, ESC, 7:00

 

Tuesday, February 10

Grandview, Shirley Hills Parent Conferences, 4:00-8:00

Boys Basketball at Academy of Holy Angels, 7:00

Boys Hockey vs. New Prague, Thaler Arena, 7:00

 

Wednesday, February 11

Alpine Ski State Tournament at Giants Ridge

 

Thursday, February 12

Nordic Ski State Tournament at Giants Ridge

MWHS Concert Choir MMEA Clinic Performance, Central Lutheran Church, 2:15

Parent Teacher Conferences at All Schools

Boys Hockey at Litchfield, 7:00

 

Friday, February 13

NO SCHOOL - Parent Conferences

Gymnastics at Breck, TBD

Boys Basketball vs. New London-Spicer, 6:00

Boys Hockey vs. Delano-Rockford, Thaler Arena, 7:00

Girls Basketball vs. New London-Spicer, MWHS, 7:30

 

Monday, February 16

NO SCHOOL - Presidents' Day

 

Tuesday, February 17

NO SCHOOL - Teacher Workshop

MWHS Parent Teacher Conferences

Looking Ahead 

 

February 23

Grandview, MWHS Food Drives Begins

MWHS Large Group Choir Contest

Shirley Hills Culver's Family Night

School Board Meeting

5th-Grade Orientation

 

February 24

Hilltop Grade 2 and 4 Concerts

Shirley Hills PTA Meeting

 

February 27

Shirley Hills Read-a-Thon

 

February 28

Sadie Hawkins Dance

 

March 1

All District Band Concert

 

March 2

Hilltop Food Drive Begins

Large Group Band Concert

 

March 13

Stuff the Bus Food Collection

 

March 16

All District Choir Concert

 

March 27

NO SCHOOL - Workshop Day

 

March 30 - April 3

NO SCHOOL - Spring Break

 

Click here for the full 2014-2015 Westonka School District Calendar 

 

Westonka News Contact

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

Becca Neuger
Communications Coordinator 
Westonka Public Schools

5901 Sunnyfield Rd E   

Minnetrista MN 55364

952.491.8003 | www.westonka.k12.mn.us 
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