Changes to 6th Grade

Changes at Lester Prairie Schools:

Lester Prairie Schools are kicking off the 2018-2019 school year with a great start! There are some new changes happening within the building, one including the elementary side of the building growing by one grade level this year. 
The 6th grade class has officially made the transition out of the high school side of the building and moved into the elementary hallway.
With 41 students this year, Lester Prairie now has two 6th grade homeroom classes.
Jay Rogotzke and Anna Willems are departmentalizing subjects throughout the day in order to support all 6th grade students in their academics. This also ensures that students are able to make efficient transitions from class to class. With this schedule, students are provided transitions between the two 6th grade rooms twice a day, as well as going to band and/or each day with the rest of the Junior High students.
Now that students are a part of the elementary, the 6th grade teachers are also able to add more time for core subjects such as reading and math.

Pictured: Students have been working in collaborative teams to complete various activities in different work areas around the classroom.

CHOIR NEWS

If you think back to any team or organization you have ever been a part of, you will likely recall some people were leaders. Sports teams have leaders. Some of these leaders are team captains, some are coaches. Some people become leaders based on their energy and focus. Energy and focus are characteristics that describe the 2016-2017 Lester Prairie Varsity Choir, a group filled with leaders.

In the spring of 2016 The LP Varsity choir, made up of singers from grades 9-12 performed Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody”. It was a monuments work that gained a well deserved standing ovation. The soloist Logan Groff remarked, “Bohemian Rhapsody focused the choir.” And yes, it did. Logan’s performance and vocal abilities were a great source of this focus. When you speak of leadership, his leadership is one of inspiration. It’s the kind of leadership that is game changing.

Fast forward 10 months and the Lester Prairie Varsity Choir found itself performing in it’s first Large Group Vocal contest in 20 years. The song they brought to the Watertown Performing Center was ‘Shut De Do’, a traditional American spiritual. The song has a great deal of energy and excitement. Director David Rue comments, “This song demands a lot, you’ve got to have the right singers and soloists to pull it off. The great thing about this year’s choir is their ability to focus. And, I’m proud of what they gave to this song.” The LP Varsity Choir came out of Watertown with three ‘Excellent’ ratings. Alysha Curtis remarked “It felt great to be recognized. We worked hard.” 

Building on the success Mr. Matthew Abernathy, a New York born music director at the Minnesota Opera, came out to work with the Varsity Choir. Lauren Trittabaugh states, “It helped us. It was fun and interesting.”

Things continue to look up for the LP Varsity Choir. This year’s spring concert features both ‘Shut De Do’ and a contemporary piece by Jake Runestad called ‘Nyon Nyon’. The song is the choir’s most challenging by far. But, as with every song, new leaders are emerging. Ruby Lezama puts it this way, “It’s not easy that’s for sure. But, it’s fun and challenge to over come.” True words from another of the Lester Prairie Varsity Choir’s many leaders

Visiting Musician Mr. Matthew Abernathy from the Minnesota Opera

Some suggested for summer Math Resources for 6th – 8th grade students.

             by Amy Smith, 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade math teacher at Lester Prairie Schools

First of all….math in the summer?  Yes!  Just a little bit of work will help boost your child’s learning for the fall.  There are many skills to learn.  However, even just keeping up on your basic facts will be a plus.  6^th graders should have their math facts polished.  7^th graders have learned operations (add, subtract, multiply, and divide) with negative numbers so keeping these skills fresh in their mind would be helpful, along with fraction operations.  8^th graders need to be very comfortable doing operations with negative numbers and fractions. 

Lots of math facts sites or apps are available to solidify your child’s basic math facts.  Some suggestions are the flash cards at aplusmath.com, some of the games at funbrain.com, or just regular old-fashioned flash cards. The Dollar Store has lots of them. 

If you are interested in other math practice check out IXL.com – it is free for 20 practice problems or you can get a monthly membership for your child.  There are many lessons, math and other subjects, available for your child to practice over the summer. 

Khan Academy.com has informative instructional videos on many math topics.  This is a good resource to use both in the summer and throughout the year if your child needs math help. 

In case you are going camping or someplace where there will be no cell service a good non-technology option is to purchase a workbook.  Many books stores have a variety of good workbooks with 6^th grade, PreAlgebra, and Algebra topics.  Purchase one and take your child away from their electronic device to work on their math skills.  They will be so happy!   J  

Whatever you decide, just helping your child keep their math skills over the summer will give their learning a boost for classes in the fall.  Looking forward to another great year!

LPHT Drama Success with Buckshot and Blossoms!

Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity Drama Department presented Buckshot and
Blossoms, by Tim Kelly and directed by Julie Olson, on Friday, April
21 at 7pm, and Saturday,  April 22 at 7pm at Lester Prairie School.
Audiences enjoyed this fast-paced, western/melodrama and the students
enjoyed performing for them. This west was not only wild, it was
hysterically funny!
The cast for this rip-roaring comedy:
Cactus Kate … Kaylee Scheevel
Mrs. Juniper … Emilie Berry
Letty … Brooke Heimerl
Miss Gray … Sydney Sheehan
Gabby Ways … Grace Jeurissen
Alibi … Delaney Sebora
Hopalot … Trisha Nyberg
Whip Lash … Andrew Jackson
Pearl of the Pecos …Jamie DeBruyckere
Saddleblanket Rawlins … Nick Sponsel
Sally Sutton … Gerri Williamson
Minerva … Ellen Guggemos
Mrs. Norton … Hannah Hollister
Mayor Norton … Rodrigo Medina
Johnny Wright … Logan Groff
Henrietta Geyser … Erynn Amundson
Dolly Roger…Hope Feltmann
Annabelle Rawlins … Olivia Sanders
Judy Ford … Zoe Edlund
Nellie Rectangle… Paige Heimerl
The Durango Kid … Cody Roush

                                                                   Cast and Crew

 Ellen Guggemos, Andrew Jackson, Rodrigo Medina, Grace Jeurissen, Kaylee Scheevel, and Jamie DeBruyckere

Kaylee Scheevel, Brooke Heimerl, Sydney Sheehan, Emilie Berry

Andrew Jackson, Rodrigo Medina, Logan Groff, Jamie DeBruyckere, Kaylee Scheevel, and Hannah Hollister

Zoe Edlund, Olivia Sanders, Logan Groff, Andrew Jackson

Para Professionals at LP

According to the MN Dept. of Education, Paraprofessionals may work in a variety of positions in a school district including, but not limited to, instructional assistants, pupil support assistants, special education paraprofessionals, job coaches, lunch room and playground assistants, hall monitors and media center assistants. Many teacher assistants work primarily or exclusively with students who have special educational needs. Their duties vary according to the needs of the student from physical assistance and care to behavioral management and academic assistance.  In Minnesota, paraprofessionals must meet specific locally developed requirements depending on the role and duties they are assigned.

In the Lester Prairie School District, we have 8 paraprofessionals that work with our students.  They are a group of kind, compassionate men and women that assist our students with whatever they may need throughout the day.  Many of our paraprofessionals go above and beyond to ensure the students have a great educational experience each and every day!  They are all extremely cooperative and don’t hesitate a minute when we have to make changes to the schedule or if someone else needs assistance.   Many, many thanks to each and every one of you for your giving spirit, friendly smile, and big heart!  We all appreciate you and what you bring to the students and staff of Lester Prairie Schools!  J

From Cathy Scoblic, Lester Prairie Schools.

LITTLE LEARNER PRESCHOOL TAKES FIELD TRIP

Lester Prairie Little Learners Preschool took a field trip to Pinwheel Play the last week of March! Pinwheel Play is located in Chanhassen and opened in August of 2016 so it was a fun new place for the preschoolers to visit. There were plenty of fun costumes for the children to dress up in and a small stage if they wanted to perform and show off their skills. A separate room was devoted to art with supplies including sequins, dobbers, glue sticks, paper and scissors so that the children had lots of options when making a project. The preschoolers loved getting creative in the art room!

For those children who had some extra energy to burn, they could go in the large motor “sport court” area where there was a soccer net, hoola hoops, hopscotch mat, and balls. They could also head over to a room where they could walk on the zig-zag, straight, and curvy tape lines on the floor or play with legos and other games with smaller pieces. There was also a climber with slides, telescopes, a steering wheel and an open area underneath for the children to play in. Around the main room students could be found playing with puzzles and wooden blocks, reading, or walking on the balance beam and shaky bridge. Many of the children chose to play in the mini kitchen area that was equipped with shopping carts, play food, dishes, and a doll house.  They loved playing grocery store with the shopping carts. The final room the student could play in was an interactive game area with multiple games the children could play on the floor. A projector would shine the gam down on the floor so that the children would play using their bodies. There was also a really neat light table in the room. Highlights for the students included looking for letters hidden around the play areas, finding the fairy doors, and spending time with their friends and parents/grandparents, and taking a bus ride. 

Mrs. Lester - Preschool Teacher

BAND GETS NEW INSTRUMENTS

The band program has had a very exciting year adding and upgrading new instruments to their inventory. The first new purchase was a set of four copper bottom timpani that replaced a very aged set of three that dates back from the 1960’s. This was purchased with the help of the banner program, the Lester Prairie Booster Club and the Lester Prairie Parent Teacher Organization. The most recent instruments were made possible through the Foundation for Education’s Bulldog Bash on April 8th. They were able to raise over $6,000 for the band program alone to purchase a brand new tenor saxophone, a set of quad toms and a marimba. All of the new instruments can be seen in action at their next concert on May 18th at 7:30pm.

Mrs. Schuft-Helland