The Bullying Experiment

Lester Prairie Schools has been working on a bully-free school and environment.  We utilize the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) and coordinate this program with PBIS, which is a positive behavior intervention program that promotes positive behavior.  Here is a video sent to area principals from Ian Graue from Pact4Families, a local affiliate that represents families and works to help members of McLeod and Meeker counties make positive choices and providing resources.  The video demonstrates exactly what OBPP teaches our students which is to stand up to bulies.  We have talked about this in classrooms and programs with students within our school and look for the bystanders to help us put an end to bullying.

Bullying Experiment Video-

http://youtu.be/EisZTB4ZQxY

Sophomore Career Exploration

Three local professionals spent an hour discussing their unique career experiences with sophomore students at Lester Prairie as part of a unit dedicated to the exploration of careers, colleges and training programs. Helen Lester, an early elementary and parent educator, shared her experiences in job shadowing that helped get where she is today. She extended the offer to job shadow her to any students with an interest in elementary or early elementary education. MerriLea Kyllo spoke to students about careers in the health care field, and shared her experiences as a registered nurse in various settings, including business, hospital, nursing home, clinic, and public health. Mrs. Kyllo also discussed the various training programs available for people seeking a career in health care.  Barry Kyllo shared his experiences as a Naval officer who spent 8 years on a submarine. He also discussed his experience in the information technology field and as a compliance officer for a financial company. Mr. Kyllo encouraged students to find something they love to do every day, and conceded that it may take them several years and a few different careers before they settle on one that makes them happy. Sophomores this year are doing in depth research on two separate career paths, and calculating the cost of training or college for several schools that offer training in their desired program or major.

Logan Krone Participates in Regional Spelling Bee

SW/WC Service Cooperative’s Regional Spelling Bee was held on Tuesday, February 11 at the Redwood Area Community Center in Redwood Falls.  Twenty-eight students, who were local winners, competed against each other through a written test and three preliminary oral rounds.  The scores for those two events were added together and the 17 students with the top scores advanced to the afternoon’s spell-down.  After fifteen intense rounds, Alyssa Boynton of Murray County Central Jr. High was declared the champion.  Other winners included Asa Ulferts (Yellow Medicine East Jr. High – second place), Cadence Dove (Dawson-Boyd – Stevens Elem. – third place), Michaela Bosveld (Marshall Middle School – fourth place), and Daniel Bauer (Holy Redeemer, Marshall – alternate).  The top four students advance to the Multi-Region State Spelling Bee on February 25 at Fergus Falls with the winner from that event going on to the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.

Logan Krone, grade 6, from Lester Prairie School participated in the Regional Spelling Bee.  All students received certificates with the top four students also receiving trophies.

Schools in the eighteen county service area were invited to participate in this academic enrichment activity sponsored by the Southwest/West Central Service Cooperative.  The Multi-Region State Spelling Bee is sponsored by the following Minnesota Service Cooperatives:  Lakes Country Service Cooperative, Northeast Service Cooperative, Northwest Service Cooperative, Resource Training & Solutions and the Southwest/West Central Service Cooperative.

Sponsors for student activities provided by the SW/WC Service Cooperative include Title Sponsors:  Southwest Minnesota Workforce Council (for Career Expo), The Schwan Food Company (for Culinary Skills Challenge) and Southwest Minnesota Arts Council (for Young Artists).  Program Sponsors include Blue Cross Blue Shield, Great River Energy, Junior Achievement, Lyon-Lincoln Electric Cooperative, Inc., Marshall Radio, Minnesota West Community & Technical College, Southwest Minnesota State University and SW/WC Service Cooperative.

Second Grades Love to Read

Second Graders Love to Read

February is “I Love to Read Month” and Mrs. Roth’s second graders at Lester Prairie Elementary School celebrated with a reading party.  Students could choose from stories, comics, jokes, poems, search and find, or baseball cards to read with their classmates. They could read in big groups, small groups, or alone.  The party was enjoyed by all and showed that second graders really do love to read.

SCIENCE FAIR

On Thursday January 30, 2014 Lester Prairie Schools hosted the annual Science Fair.  26 projects from students in grades 3-6 were displayed.  Projects covered a wide variety of topics from conducting electricity and how water affects plant growth to diaper absorbency and carpet cleaners.  19 volunteers from the Lester Prairie and Winsted communities acted as judges for the event.  Awards will be presented to the participants on Tuesday Feb. 4^th at 2:30 p.m. in the gym at LPHS.

TITLE I and ELL FAMILY NIGHT

Last night, Title 1 and ELL families gathered together in Lester Prairie cafeteria for a fun evening together. Over the course of the night, we had a meal together, played games, learned a little bit about the Title 1 and ELL programs and enjoyed each others company. Some highlights were the cultural dishes brought in by Title 1 and ELL families for the potluck, a large world map where students could place a sticker to show their country of origin, and the fun door prizes of books, coupons for free ice cream and more! The second annual Title 1/ELL Night was a success, and we hope there are many more to come!