January 2013
COMMUNICATOR
New logo symbolizes district’s commitment
to excellence for each and every student
W
ith the new year
underway, Wayzata
Public Schools is
excited to unveil
a new logo that
honors its rich past
and represents is
mission and vision
for the future.
Just as other areas of the district are crafting
and implementing innovative new initiatives that
are in alignment with the new Strategic Plan,
adopted in December 2011, district leadership
felt it was time to update its visual identity.
“The new image is a visual reminder that
our district is dynamic and moving forward
with the changing times, that we are looking
to a future that has no boundaries,” explained
Superintendent Chace Anderson. “We are proud
of our rich heritage here in Wayzata, but we are
not standing still and resting on our laurels. Every
day, we are working to nurture excellence and
The logo story
to support each and every student to thrive and
excel in an ever-changing global society. This new,
contemporary logo is a fresh reminder of that
commitment.”
You can expect to see the new logo gradually
integrated into all district communications over
the next several months. For more information
about the district logo, contact Amy Parnell,
director of communications and community
engagement at 763-745-5068.
The new Wayzata School District logo was designed to reflect the
district’s commitment to excellence and supporting each and every
student to thrive and excel in an ever-changing global society. The
symbolism inherent in the various design elements is outlined below:
Abstract Laurel Wreath: In classical literature, the laurel wreath is a
symbol of love, honor and glory forever. Today, the laurel continues
to be a symbol of athletic victory and academic achievement. The
expression “looking to one’s laurels” encourages an individual or
community to take inspiration from past achievements to conquer
new frontiers.
Eight Leaves: The eight leaves on the laurel remind us that the
district is deeply connected to and receives nourishment from each of
the eight communities it serves. As a design concept, leaves are warm
and friendly and suggest an organic, growing, nurturing environment.
Open-ended Circle: The open-ended circle symbolizes a welcoming
and dynamic environment that is moving forward and changing with
the times, all the while surrounding students, families and staff in the
district and holding each and every student in its steady embrace.
The Classic Serif Face: The font is a classic serif face that echoes the
font on the Wayzata high school building, another nod to the legacy
of Wayzata excellence.
New Elementary Additions Underway
L
ast spring, the Wayzata School
Board approved additions
to Greenwood, Oakwood
and Sunset Hill Elementary
Schools to meet the needs of
our growing resident student
population.
The following work has begun on the additions with
completion scheduled in time for the 2013-2014 school
year.
Greenwood Elementary
The addition at Greenwood will consist of: four new
classrooms, expansion of the cafeteria and a new
gymnasium. CM Construction has been chosen as the
contractor for this project. The School Board and City of
Plymouth have approved the project and the contract is
in place. The plan has been submitted to Bassett Creek
and Elm Creek Watershed Districts and a building permit
will be issued when approval has been received from the
watershed district. The contractor has most of the water
and sewer pipe in the ground and has switched over to
the new pipe system. Excavation for footings began in
January.
Oakwood Elementary
The addition to Oakwood will consist of: three new
classrooms, remodeling of five classrooms, a new media
center and expansion of the cafeteria. Ebert Construction
has been chosen as the contractor. The School Board and
City of Plymouth have approved the project. Currently,
the district is waiting for approval by the Minnehaha
Creek Watershed District before a building permit will
be issued. The water main for the building was rerouted
during the winter break and new fire hydrants were
installed as part of the project. The fiber optic line was
also rerouted.
Work on additions at three of the district’s elementary schools has begun with plans waiting for approval by the
associated watershed districts. Various utilities have been rerouted to accomodate the construction areas at each
building.
Sunset Hill Elementary
The addition at Sunset Hill will consist of: four
new classrooms and expansion of the cafeteria. Kue
Contractors has been chosen as the contractor for this
project. The School Board and City of Plymouth have
approved this project and the district is currently waiting
for the Bassett Creek Watershed District to approve the
plans. A building permit will be issued once the plans are
approved. The construction fencing and mobilization for
the project is complete. Kue rerouted the water main for
the building during the district’s winter break. Excavation
for footings and foundation walls began in January.
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2013 will be a busy year
W
here did 2012 go? I am finding it hard
to believe that 2013 is already here and
wondering where half the school year has
gone. It has been a busy school year so far and we are
looking forward to many exciting initiatives to come in
the new year.
This issue of the Communicator is full of updates of
the progress we are making toward our goal of meeting
the needs of each and every student as outlined in our
strategic plan.
Community Engaged in Elementary
Attendance Area Process
Much of 2012 was focused on balancing our growing
resident student enrollment with the space available
in our schools. The process to study elementary
attendance areas was the perfect example of what makes
our district great. Over 800 parents and community
members participated in one of three meetings to
share their thoughts about various scenarios that were
developed. Online feedback was also received and
considered as scenarios continued to be refined prior
to the School Board taking final action on December
10. Families affected by the attendance area changes
have been personally notified and we look forward to
welcoming students into their new schools next fall.
New Elementary Additions Underway/High School
Addition Being Considered
An important part of balancing student enrollment
and the long-term district facilities plan is underway
with additions being put on at Greenwood, Oakwood
and Sunset Hill Elementary Schools. The additional
classroom and instructional space will be done in time
for the 2013-2014 school year when the elementary
attendance area modifications also go into effect. More
information about these additions can be found on
the front page of the Communicator. We will also
be determining what action is needed to address our
growing secondary student population. Enrollment
is expected to grow by 500 students in the next seven
years at Wayzata High School.
MyWay Launched in January
The MyWay for Student Learning initiative launched
in January with the first iPads being distributed to
students in grades 6-8 on a 1:1 ratio and to students
in grades K-2 on a 3:1 ratio. MyWay is the longterm effort in the Wayzata Public Schools to make
sure that each and every student is prepared to thrive
today and excel tomorrow in our ever-changing global
society. Learn more about MyWay on page 7 of the
Communicator.
New Logo Debuted…Updated Web
Site Coming Soon
We are excited to debut our new district logo on the
front page of the Communicator! The new image is a
visual reminder that we are proud of our rich history of
excellence and that our district is dynamic and moving
forward with the changing times. The new logo will be
gradually integrated into all district communications
over the next several months and will be featured on
the newly updated district web site that will be debuted
this spring.
School Safety is a Top Priority
The tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut have
caused us to take a closer look at what we are doing
to keep our students and staff safe. Wayzata Public
Schools has always placed a high priority on safety. The
District has long-time relationships with the Wayzata
and Plymouth Police Departments and we continue
to work together closely with both departments to be
proactive and prepared.
Starting in January, greeters will be positioned at the
main door of each elementary school to monitor the
Superintendent’s
Column
“This issue is full of
updates of the progress
we are making toward
our goal of meeting the
needs of each and every
student as outlined in our
strategic plan.”
— Chace Anderson,
Superintendent
flow of visitors in and out of the school. The exception
to this is Gleason Lake since they have a physical layout
in place that channels visitors through the main office.
Greeters are also already in place at Central, East
and West Middle Schools, and visitors are currently
channeled through a secure main entrance at Wayzata
High School.
As part of the current facilities planning, a full
review of the district’s security and safety systems is
in the process of being completed. Initiatives under
consideration include: redesigning school entrances
and traffic flow to limit access by channeling visitors
directly into the main office, as well as investigating
new security systems and additional safety training and
support for school staff.
2013 Will be a Busy Year in the Wayzata Public
Schools!
Watch for updates on our progress in upcoming
issues of the Communicator.
Eighth grade honor choir students from all three district middle schools rehearsed and preformed alongside Wayzata High School choir students on January 10 in the 21st year of the district’s Middle School
Choir Festival.
E
WHS hosts eighth grade honor choir
ighth grade choir students from Central, East
and West Middle Schools were invited to the
high school to participate in a festival where
they were paired with Wayzata High School choir
students on January 10.
Middle and high school students enjoyed making
connections with students from other buildings as they
rehearsed in a mass choir of 120 singers, conducted
by Jeff Dahl at WHS. Prior to the event, eighth grade
students worked with their directors: Ben Henschel,
Chris Larson and Mary-Lynn Rhodes to prepare the
music. Now in its 21st year, the festival has been a
Wayzata tradition since 1992.
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Wayzata High School announces 2012 AP scholars
W
ayzata High School has announced
its 2012 AP scholars. Based on the
results of AP exams taken during the
2011-12 school year, there were 33
National Scholars (an average score of at least 4 on all AP
exams taken and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of
these exams), 110 AP Scholars with Distinction (an average
score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and scores of 3 or
higher on five or more of these exams), 50 AP Scholars with
Honor (an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams
taken and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these
exams) and 101 AP Scholars (a score of 3 or higher on three
or more AP exams). The lists below include students who
graduated from Wayzata High School in June 2012 because
the AP tests were given during the 2011-12 school year.
The following students earned recognition for their
scores:
National Scholars
Aneesha Ahluwalia, Alexander Aronovich, Iain Brooks,
David Bye, Evan Chen, James Chen, Connie Dong,
Nirupa Galagedera, Kevin Hansen, Naveen Jain, Jacob
Kautzky, Kelly Knudsen, Avi Kumar, Jenny Lai, Xun Liu,
Syshane Lu, Joseph Neary, Carlee Nelson, Apekshya Panda,
Mahati Pidaparti, Ivan Poteryakhin, Carolin Qian, Keegan
Radke, Rishi Sinha, Alexander Spencer, Catherin Sun,
Frederick Sutton, Amy Xiong, Bojana Zecevic, William
Zeng, Jeff Zhang, Ziwei Zhang, Roy Zhao
Scholars with Distinction
Aneesha Ahluwalia, Ishmam Ahmed, Ellis Andrews,
Alexander Aronovich, Alexander Bahls, Kieran BallsBarker, Akhil Bhargava, Ayesha Bhatia, Ian Block, Jeffrey
Braun, Iain Brooks, John Bruer, Katherine Bryson, David
Bye, Evan Chen, James Chen, Silvia Choi, Danielle
Coopersmith, Katie Cornille, Mitchel Croal, Bradley
Dawson, Connie Dong, Jennifer Douty, Daniel Dvorak,
Samantha Ezrilov, Christian Fagre, Fatima Fareed, Bruce
Forrest, Nirupa Galagedera, Christina Gu, Smita Gurram,
Greta Hallberg, Emily Hannigan, Kevin Hanson, Maxwell
Hanson, Andrew Harrison, Cosette Haugen, Elisabeth
Hawthorne, Megan He, Alissa Heiring, Hannah Hwang,
Timothy Isdahl, Naveen Jain, Anna Jeide, Elise Johnson,
Summer Johnson, Haley Johnston, Jacob Kautzky, Ryan
Kluck, Kelly Knudsen, Filip Kostanecki, Avi Kumar, Jenny
Lai, Kyle Li, Kelvin Liu, Xun Liu, Alex Lo, Syshane Lu,
Jack Mallaro, Samantha Meyer, Rachel Mohr, Faroz Mujir,
Vikram Nagarajan, Partha Naidu, Priyanka Narayan,
Joseph Neary, Carlee Nelson, Rebecca Nielsen, Katherine
Pak, Lindsey Palasek, Apekshya Panda, Mahati Pidaparti,
Yevgeniya Polukeyeva, Ivan Poteryakhin, Caroline Qian,
Maxwell Radermacher, Keegan Radke, Arsalan Radmehr,
Shraddha Raghavan, Diego Rayas, Abram Sanderson,
Derek Schindelman, Kelly Schiro, Lauren Schmidt,
Samantha Schmidt, Corey Schroer, Rishi Sinha, Ryan
Skajewski, Meredith Smith, Alexander Spencer, Jack
Sullivan, Catherine Sun, Lesley Sun, Frederick Sutton,
Joshua Thorson, Ryan Tisthammer, Nathan Volkmann,
Arthur Walther, Zachary Wilde, Matthew Wilson, Amy
Wu, Amy Xiong, Karen Yu, Bojana Zecevic, Orien Zeng,
William Zeng, Jeff Zhang, Ziwei Zhang, Roy Zhao, Sophia
Zhou
Scholars with Honor
Morgan Alexander, Mark Berquist, Gordon Blake, Jayant
Chaudhary, Mi Ri Choi, Benjamin Cote, Carol Coutinho,
Maura Cullum, Hannah Devens, Kira Engebretson, Jenna
Fantle, Elise Gehling, David Gerbuz, Aditi Goel, Katherine
Haakana, Oliver He, Anna Hedlund, Stephanie Heiring,
Taylor Houseman, Yu Iizuka, Nicole Illikainen, Casey
Jedele, Laura Johnson, Jessica Kay, Garrett Knapp, Eric
Knutson, Quinn Labowitch, Jason Lee, Kyle Louwagie,
Houston MacIntyre, Gillian Mangan, Amy Namur, Nathan
Parks, Daniel Piering, Griffin Rahm, Nicholas Reath, Evan
Schnetzer, Jordan Sell, Soobin Song, Samuel Marquart,
Hettie Stern, Ann Sticha, Thomas Strommen, Emily Wen,
Alexander Westby, Nathan Wong, Kuake Ye, Teresa Yuan,
Anvita SinghJenica Zhong
Scholars
Marie Adam, Allison Agre, Elise Bailey, Akash Batra, Gleb
Belyaev, Julia Bevington, Vince Biaggio, Eric Birkholz,
Kyle Blackley, Martin Branyon, Dustin Britton, Sarah
Brooks, Will Cady, Bradley Carlson, Raju Chaduvula,
Christopher Chao, Emily Chen, Chaitanya Chittineni,
Catherine Christian, Caroline Close, Adam Cope, Anders
Cornell, Briana Cullimore, Miles Death, Ejeb Dema,
Mara Dougherty, Ayman Elmubark, Elsa Ericson, Ashley
Fellows, Molly Fisher, Benjamin Francis, Alyssa Gause,
Varshita Goduguchinta, Benjamin Gooley, Abigail Guidera,
Kaitlin Hackett, Connor Hagen, Mara Halvorson, Carolyn
Heal, Kaitlin Heidelberger, Matthew Hendrickson,
Dustin Herbert, Jamie Hochmuth, Marcus Hoof, Jason
Kabarowski, Doyeon Kim, John Kornaherns, Kerem Kose,
Laura Krause, Alexandria Kristensen, Michael LaCanne,
Eric Lacey, Megan Langer, Adam Lifland, Andrew
Lindberg, Rebecca Liu, Kaitlin McCuskey, Ryan Mc Innis,
Bridget McNiff, Abigail McQuillan, Jackson Moench,
Nikhil Mogalapalli, Paolo Montenegro, Elizabeth Moy,
Rishi Murugesan, Sibi Murugesan, Varun Murugesan,
Austin Musliner, Asiyah Nathani, Courtney Oare, Atiya
Oberoi, Rahul Parhi, Ashna Patel, Elise Path, Prakash Paul,
Ana-Cristina Plansky, Alicia Poplett, Shreya Ramanujan,
Elizabeth Reding, Garrett Rhodes, Ryan Ricker, Sara
Rodriguez, Ruth Schaefer, Charles Scheitlin, Kallie Schmit,
Anthony Secord, Scott Sippel, Meghna Sohoni, Pardis
Stenoien, Summer Stewart, Evan Stuempfig, Kara Taft,
Anne Thompson, Ashley Unekis, Daniel Woo, Andrew
Wyffels, Zachary Yan, Allison Young, Daphne Yuan,
Benjamin Zhang, Jacob Ziegler
Plymouth Creek
Community Service
Night planned
P
The Wayzata High Schools Girls’ Soccer team won the 2012 State Championship in November by defeating White Bear Lake
Area High School 2-0. This is the team’s third state championship in the past four years.
T
WHS Girls’ Soccer wins state championship
he Wayzata High School Girls’
Soccer team won its second
consecutive state championship
on November 1 after defeating White Bear
Lake Area High School by a score of 2-0.
This is the team’s third state
championship in the past four years along
with a state runner-up title in 2012. The
team has won seven state championships
and earned state runner up five times.
Members of the team include seniors
Mara Dougherty, Isabelle Anderson,
Summer Johnson, Katie Schulz, Casey
Jedele, Margaret Rocca, Madeline Eklin,
Olivia Musser, Kylie Schwarz, Elizabeth
Moy, Erika Grinde, Marika Kelly, Britta
Hageness and Kiana Nickel; juniors Megan
Geppert, Sophie Leininger, Hannah Sturtz
and Katie Yeager; sophomores Megan
Schwarz, Julia Lettenberger and Erin
Svensson; and freshman Ruby Stauber.
The team is coached by Head Coach
Tony Peszneker, Assistant Coaches Becky
Merkey and Stewart Jump and managed
by Student Managers Allison Dugan and
Nicole Palsgrove.
lymouth Creek Elementary is hosting a
Community Service Night on Tuesday,
January 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. for families
to participate in projects to make a difference for
people in need.
The event is an opportunity for classmates,
families, teachers and staff to participate in
various projects that include the following:
• Packing 1,000 lunches for Sharing and
Caring Hands
• Creating blankets for hospitalized
newborn babies
• Writing letters for troops overseas
• Donating books to Reed Indeed
• Donating blood
The event is being organized by the PTA.
Organizers have been collecting donations since
January 7 to fund the event, which includes
food items for the lunches that will be packed.
Each grade level is responsible for a different
food item for the packed lunches. Monetary
donations are also being accepted. Donations
can be dropped of in the school’s lobby.
Mariel Kieval selected for
MacPhail Center for Music
String Quartet
Marie Kieval, a junior cellist at Wayzata
High School, was selected for the 2012-13
MacPhail Center for Music String Quartet.
The quartet is coached by the Parker
Quartet, the 2011 Grammy Award winners
for Best Chamber Music Performance and
one of the 2010-2011 McKnight Fellowship
winners.
4
Session I Only
The College Search & Application
Process - Advice for Parents
Are you wondering how you can help your student
in the college search process? Attend this session
and learn the basics of conducting a good college
search and, ultimately, making a wise college
choice. Learn about the admission process, how
admission decisions are made and hear an overview
about financial aid and scholarships. Brian Peterson,
Senior Associate Director of Admission, Hamline University
A Free Parenting Forum & Marketplace
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Wayzata Central Middle School
305 Vicksburg Lane
• • • • • • • • • • •
Sponsored by Wayzata Community Education,
Wayzata Schools’ PTAs/PTOs and PTSO,
Wayzata Liaison Committee, Wayzata Communities
in Collaboration Council and Wayzata Public Schools
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
9:30 - 1p.m.
10 - 11a.m.
11:30 a.m. - 12:30p.m.
“The State of Wayzata Schools” — panel discussion and Q & A
Dr. Chace Anderson, Superintendent of Wayzata Public Schools
Jim Westrum, Executive Director of Business and Finance
Dr. Jill Johnson, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning
Amy Parnell, Director of Communications and Community Engagement
Wade Phillips, Director of Technology
Marketplace Open
Session I Workshops and Speed Sessions
Session II Workshops and Speed Sessions
Ready, Set . . . KINDERGARTEN!!
What does my child need to know before
kindergarten? When should I start “working” on
getting my child prepared? What about summer
birthdays? Is preschool necessary? Renée has
worked with Wayzata School District kindergarten
teachers and knows what children need to be
ready for kindergarten. Recommended for parents,
teachers and caregivers of 3-5 year olds.
Renée Lach, School Readiness Manager, Wayzata Family
Learning Center
Calm Your Chaos: How to Eliminate Paper Files
Despite the recent trend of going paperless, you
still encounter paper every day – bills, junk mail,
magazines, children’s artwork and soccer schedules,
receipts, etc. – and that doesn’t include what’s
already in your filing cabinets! With simple
systems and helpful tools, you will know where to
put and find all papers!
Andrea Hayft, Household Management Specialist
New to the Parenting Forum
New this year there will be eight abbreviated 15-minute information sessions called Speed Sessions
offered in the media center. You can attend up to three Speed Sessions during the hour-long Sessions I
or II. Or, you can choose from one of more than 10 “traditional” workshops that focus on a single topic. Virtual Neighborhoods: Operating
Speed Sessions are designed to quickly provide information to families about a variety of district topics. Responsibly Online (Elementary Parents)
More and more, our children are provided
CEU (Continuing Education Units) information is available in the Marketplace.
opportunities to use digital tools for learning,
communicating, creating, gaming and much more.
Come learn how you can help keep them safe and
Childcare Available
operate responsibly in this virtual world.
Childcare is available for children ages 2 through 12 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Central Middle
David Zukor, Technology Specialist, Wayzata Public Schools
School for a nominal fee of $3 per child or $6 maximum per family. Childcare reservations are
required and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call 763-745-5271 to make your
reservation. On the day of the forum, please allow 10 minutes to register your child. Please call with
cancellations so room can be made for others.
Interrupting the Anxiety Loop: Parenting
Interventions that Support Calming and
Marketplace
Competence (Middle and High School Parents)
The Marketplace has some exciting changes this year! In addition to being open for the entire Parenting Normal developmental experiences of adolescence
Forum, Marketplace will now offer the opportunity to learn more about Wayzata Public Schools’
challenge middle and high school-aged kids
activities and organizations. Stop by the “Culinary Café” to sample fresh, nutritious and tasty choices
by demanding increasingly more sophisticated
offered to your kids every day from Culinary Express. Take a stroll down the “Shoppes of WPS” and
coping methods for managing stress and anxiety.
check out a variety of district student groups and activities offering their items for purchase.
Successful management of stress builds selfconfidence whereas stress that overwhelms a teen’s
capacity to cope can lower self-esteem and increase
General Questions
anxiety. This workshop will provide specific tools
Call Karen Arkesteyn at 952-475-9348 for more information. Smart phone users can scan the code to
that teach parents how to help teens identify and
the right to view more information on the Community Education Website.
“rally” the strengths and resources they need for
healthy stress management. Judy Hoy, LICSW
Wayzata Central Middle School is handicap accessible
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Wayzata Public Schools Parenting Forum & Marketplace Guide
Session II Only
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Interrupting the Anxiety Loop: Parenting Interventions that Support
Calming and Competence
Stress and anxiety are unavoidable experiences that all children must learn to
tolerate and effectively manage at each stage of their development. Sometimes
it is difficult for parents to discern when stress is “normal” and when it may be
overwhelming a child’s capacity to cope. This workshop will provide specific
tools to help and how to determine when to seek professional help. Judy Hoy,
Virtual Neighborhoods: Operating Responsibly Online (Secondary
Students)
Our children are provided opportunities to use digital tools for learning,
communicating, creating, gaming and much more. Come learn how you
can help keep them safe and operate responsibly in this virtual world.
LICSW
Teen Dating Safety & Healthy Relationships
Teenage and young adult dating violence is a big problem, affecting youth
in every community across the nation. Learn the warning signs of abusive
relationships and strategies to help prevent teen dating violence. Get the
facts and important information about dating violence/safety and how to be a
resource for your child. Judi Nelson, BSW, Sojourner Project
Calm Your Chaos: How to be More Efficient in Life and at Home
No matter how busy you are, there are some areas of your life that don’t stop:
appointments, incoming mail, meal planning, laundry and so on. With simple
systems in place, you can have more time and more energy for what’s most
important to you! Andrea Hayft, Household Management Specialist
David Zukor, Technology Specialist, Wayzata Public Schools
Session I & II
Hooking Up is Not Just About Jumper Cables: Teen Sexuality & the New
Dating Scene
Join educators from myHealth for Teens and Young Adults for an open
discussion about love, dating, sex and relationships in the 21st century, and
learn how to guide and support teens as they navigate through these milestones.
This sharing of collective knowledge will help you identify your own family’s
beliefs and values, as well as key messages around sexuality and the best ways to
communicate them to your teen.
Nina Johnson, Community Education manager, myHealth for Teens and Young Adults
New Moms: How to Keep “You” While Navigating Motherhood
Come learn about the common post-partum changes that new mothers
encounter and how to face them head-on while keeping the essence of you.
Learn about typical postpartum body changes, potential new mom medical
issues, normal postpartum blues, and when treatment may be indicated for
depression. Our speaker is not only an OB-GYN, but a mom herself.
Dr. Sherry Paulson, North Clinic
Parenting, Marriage, and Stress....Oh My!
Parenting styles are defined and playfully named after the four dog breeds: the
kindly Golden Retriever, the attentive Border Collie, the relaxed Afghan, and
the orderly German Shepherd. This model describes the private dilemma of
parents who strive for happiness while unwittingly generating conflict, stress and
marital discord. Paul Buckley, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
If Only They Had Come With a Manual
Love & Logic is a way of working with children that puts parents and
teachers back in control. It teaches children to be responsible and
prepares young people to live in the real world with its many choices and
consequences. Lynne Frederickson, Love and Logic Facilitator & Judy Anderson, Emerging
Advantage
CPR & AED Training
Participants will be trained on how and when to perform hands-only CPR
and learn the use of an automated external defibrillator. These techniques
increase survival chances for sufferers of a sudden cardiac arrest.
Russel Carlson, Plymouth Rotary Club
Managing Time and Organizational Skills for Kids
Help your student stay organized and learn to manage their time to optimize
learning. Ronda will introduce tips on how to teach children how to
manage their time and develop time awareness. She will also talk about
organizational skills for your child. Ronda Gjestvang, Wayzata Kindergarten teacher
Boys and Girls are Different!
Boys and girls learn differently, communicate differently, and parents/
educators can benefit both for themselves and the child by learning a few tips.
Marcia Treno, Family Learning Center
Speed Sessions
1. District Welcome Center
An overview of the services offered in the new District Welcome Center
at CMS that provides information and assistance to families new to a
school or the district.
2. Skyward & Family Access
This web-based application is available 24/7 and is designed to provide
parents and students with classroom and school district information.
3. MyWay for Student Learning
Hear an overview of the new district initiative that provides iPads to
students to optimize the personalized student learning experience.
4. Transition to Middle School
A principal will share information on how middle school is structured to
address the specific needs of young adolescents and how parents can
engage in the process of transition from elementary to middle school.
• Caring for Kids Initiative
• Hennepin County Library
• Children’s Dental Services
• Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners
• LDA Minnesota
• League of Women Voters
• Plymouth Fire Department
• Plymouth Police Department
• Plymouth Park and Rec Department
• Relate Counseling Center
5. Community Education
Information on the wide variety of stimulating programs and classes
available in the district for learners of all ages.
6. ECFE & Family Learning Center
Learn about the outstanding parent education and support programs
available to families with young children, as well as opportunities for
creative time with your children.
7. What to get out of parent/teacher conferences
Candid advice from an educator and a parent on how to get the most
out of your teacher conferences from the elementary grades through high
school.
8. Extra-Curricular Opportunities at WHS
Find out the resources available to find the club, sport or activity that is
right for your student.
Marketplace Participants
• Wayzata Communities in Collaboration Council
• Wayzata Community Education and Adult
Programing
• Wayzata Family Learning Center
• Wayzata LAC – Legislative Action Committee
• Partners In Prevention
• Wayzata School Board
• Wayzata Special Education Advisory Council &
Bead Crew
• MyHealth – West Suburban Teen Clinic
• Wayzata Wishes
• Ridgedale YMCA
• CONECT
• Culinary Express
• Wayzata Spiritwear
• Business Professionals of America - WHS
• Huntington
• Mathnasium
• Que’ Tal Language Program
6
Sunset Hill Family Project Night
Families at Sunset Hill and volunteers in the Wayzata High School Youth Extending Services (YES) Club
participated in Sunset Hill Elementary School’s Family Project Night on December 7.
7
MyWay for Student Learning began in January
In Brief
Board committee structure
and appointments
for 2013 approved
At its first meeting of the year, the school
board of Wayzata Public Schools elected
board officers and approved the 2013
committee structure and appointments.
The board elected Sue Droegemueller to
the position of board chair, Jay Hesby as
vice chair, Susan Gaither as treasurer and
John Moroz as clerk.
Standing committee appointments are as
follows:
Teaching and Learning: Linda Cohen
(Chair), Carter Peterson an Susan Gaither
Finance and Business/OPEB Trust: Susan
Gaither (Chair), Carter Peterson and Cheryl
Polzin
Human Resources: Linda Cohen (Chair),
Carter Peterson and John Moroz
Stakeholder Relations: John Moroz
(Chair), Linda Cohen and Cheryl Polzin
Negotiation Teams:
Teachers – Linda Cohen and Jay Hesby
Home Base – Cheryl Polzin and Carter
Peterson
Superintendent’s Evaluation/
Compensation: Jay Hesby (Chair), Susan
Gaither and Cheryl Polzin
Facilities Development and Long-Range
Planning: Carter Peterson (Chair), Susan
Gaither and Cheryl Polzin
Association of Metropolitan School
Districts: Cheryl Polzin and Susan Gaither
Citizens Financial Advisory Council:
Susan Gaither and Carter Peterson
Communities in Collaboration Council:
Rotation of all board members
Community Education Advisory Council:
Carter Peterson, Susan Gaither, alternate
District Liaison Committee: Rotation of
all board members
Intermediate District 287: Carter Peterson
Legislative Action Committee: Cheryl
Polzin, Sue Droegemueller, alternate
Minnesota State High School League: Sue
Droegemueller, Linda Cohen, alternate
West Metro Education Program: Sue
Droegemueller
Minnesota School Board Association:
Cheryl Polzin, Carter Peterson, alternate
Caring For Kids Initiative: Cheryl Polzin
Wayzata Clinic: Cheryl Polzin
Partners in Prevention: Jay Hesby
Q-Comp: Sue Droegemueller, Jay Hesby,
alternate
WHS ninth grade fall KMO
team takes first place
The 9th grade Knowledge Master Open
(KMO) team was the top team in the
nation for the fall competition.
They placed 1st out of 73 schools
competing across the world.
Members of the ninth grade team are
Drew Allen, Emma Baldry, Neha Bhatt,
Michael Cai, Griffin Caryotakis, Rishav
Dasgupta, Derek Feriancek, Griffin Folven,
Andy Gabler, Cody Goedderz, Stewart
Hagen, Wes Heal, Parker Hlavacek, Alex
Honke, Cody Hou, Pooja Kandikonda, Ben
Kautzky, Denis Kornberg, Mark Moses,
Edward Mu, Lakshu Periakaruppan, Brielle
Pizzala, Kevin Qian, Daniel Qu, Jennifer
Radermacher, Gayathri Rao, Gowri Rao,
Emily Short and Ryan Wang.
Students at all three district middle schools began receiving their iPads as part of the MyWay for Student Learning initiative
in January. Pictured above, sixth grade students at Central Middle School work their way through the process of receiving and
setting up their iPads as part of the check-out process. Staff members from the district attended each iPad distribution night to
assist students and families with the set-up of each iPad. For more information about MyWay, visit the district website at www.
wayzata.k12.mn.us/myway.
Bob Dai and Ishita Kamboj, sophomores at Wayzata High School, are teammates that won the finals of the Novice State Championship in Debate in December.
WHS Debate Team wins Novice and JV state tournaments
W
ayzata High School Debate
Team students won both the
Novice and JV State Debate
Tournaments held December 16.
The WHS teams defeated the Blake
School to win the finals of Novice State
and defeated Minneapolis South to win the
finals of JV State.
The Varsity team is preparing for the
Varsity State Tournament as well as the
Berkeley Tournament in San Fransisco,
California. This is a major national
invitational tournament that will be held in
February.
Family Project Night
Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Wayzata, MN
Permit 43
The Communicator is published for residents and staff of Wayzata Public Schools. Contact Amy Parnell, director of communications
and community engagement, at 763-745-5068 or Amy.Parnell@wayzata.k12.mn.us with questions or comments.
COMMUNICATOR
Wayzata Public Schools
210 County Road 101 N.
P.O. Box 660
Wayzata, MN 55391-0060
January 2013
Families gathered December 7 at Sunset Hill Elementary for a Family Project night. Working with volunteer Wayzata High School Youth
Extending Services (YES) Club members, students and their parents created various crafts projects. See page 6 for more photos.
8
Oakwood International
Night set January 24, 2013
O
akwood Elementary School’s eighth annual International Night Celebration has been planned for Thursday, January 24, 2013, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
International Night is a unique opportunity to celebrate diversity and become familiar with traditions and customs throughout
the world. More than 20 different countries will be represented as
Oakwood families with an international heritage share displays and
food from their countries.
Students experience different cultures at booths stationed
around the school’s gym and have their “passport” stamped at each
booth. Students are also encouraged to wear a national costume for
the international parade.
The evening is open to all families with elementary-age children
in Wayzata Public Schools and admission is free.
Employees of the Month
Three employees have been
recognized as Employees of the
Month since the previous edition
of the Communicator.
They are:
• December 2012 — Susie Hatch,
physical education teacher at
Oakwood Elementary School.
• January 2013 — Mark
Ludvigson, team teacher for ninth
grade math at Wayzata High
School.
• January 2013 — Dave
Droegemueller, team teacher
for ninth grade math at Wayzata
High School.
Smart phone users
can scan the code
above to view more
information on
current and past
employees of the
month.
Young Scientist Roundtable planned February 5
A
Young Scientist Roundtable will be held
Tuesday, February 5, 2013, at 7 p.m. at Central
Middle School. Dr. Bethanie J. Hills Stadler
with the University of Minnesota will present “Magnetic
Nanobots.”
Stadler is an associate professor with the electrical and
computer engineering department at the University of
Minnesota.
Following the presentation at 8:10 to 8:40 p.m., a Teen
Roundtable will be held where students will have the
opportunity to ask in-depth questions.
The Young Scientist Roundtable is free for students
in grades K - 12 and their families and no registration is
required.
School Closings or Late Start Information
I
f inclement weather forces Wayzata Public Schools
to close, start late or dismiss early, one of the three
following announcements will be made:
1. Two-hour late start: All K-12 schools will open two
hours later than regular start times. Morning kindergarten
classes will be cancelled. All Family Learning Center (FLC),
Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), Peppermint
Fence, Care for Kids programs and community education’s
morning classes and activities will be cancelled. Home Base
programs will open two hours later than regular start times.
All after-school and evening classes and activities will meet
as scheduled.
2. No school: All K-12 schools will be closed for the
entire day. All FLC and ECFE classes, activities and
athletics will be cancelled for the day. All community
education after-school activities including Home Base
programs will be cancelled. Evening community education
and ECFE classes will also be cancelled.
3. Emergency early dismissal: All K-12 schools will close
early and students will be sent home. If school is dismissed
early, the buses will pick up students in the following order:
• Dismissal #1 – Wayzata High School, Greenwood and
Oakwood Elementary Schools
• Dismissal #2 (will begin about 55 minutes after
dismissal #1) – Central, East and West Middle Schools,
Holy Name, St. Bartholomew, Redeemer Lutheran and
FAIR School shuttles
• Dismissal #3 (will begin about 45 minutes after
dismissal #2) – Birchview, Gleason Lake, Kimberly Lane,
Plymouth Creek, Sunset Hill Elementary Schools and
Blake-Highcroft
FLC and ECFE classes and activities for the remainder
of the day (afternoon and evening) will be cancelled. All
community education after school and evening classes will
also be cancelled for the balance of the day.
If possible, a decision to close or delay the start of school
will be made by 5:30 a.m. School closing or late start
announcements for Wayzata Public Schools will be on
WCCO 830 AM radio; WCCO-TV, Channel 4; KSTPTV Channel 5; KMSP/FOX-TV, Channel 9; KARETV, Channel 11; and posted on the district’s website at
www.wayzata.k12.mn.us. Phone calls and email and text
messages using the district’s emergency notification system
will also be made to all parents and staff members.