Lester Prairie Second Graders Learn About Plants

Second graders at Lester Prairie Elementary School participated in all kinds of activities that taught them about plants. They read the books The Tiny Seed and Ugly Vegetables in reading class, which taught them the conditions that must be met for a plant to grow as well as how tasty a garden can be.  In science class, they planted and observed the growth of marigolds and beans, making sure the plants got enough sunlight and water to grow.  Writing activities included making a circle book showing the life cycle of a bean plant.  When folded properly the pages turned over and over making it a never-ending book—just like the life cycle.  When opened up, the book formed a big circle. They also made a diagram book that described the job of each part of the plant. To top it all off, the second graders had a visit from members of Holasek’s Flower Power Greenhouse, who taught them all about plants and sent a plant home with each of them.  All of these activities were part of the Minnesota second grade standards for science education.

READING COTPS

We are fortunate to have Minnesota Reading Corps at Lester Prairie School.  Ms. Bonnie Fries is our Minnesota Reading Corps Member.  As a full-time member, she completes about 45 service hours each week.  The service year began in August 2016 and ends in June 2017, for a total of 1720 hours.  She attended a three-day training in Minneapolis at the beginning of the school year to learn specific reading interventions to help our students become more fluent readers.

Ms. Fries provides tutoring in reading for Kindergarten through third grade students.  She works with a caseload of 15 students, tutoring the students individually for 20 minutes every school day.  Ms. Fries has an on-going support system from her Master Coach, Jeana Wibstad from Minnesota Reading Corps, and Krystina Peterson, Title I Instructor at Lester Prairie School.  Together as a team they decide which reading strategies Ms. Fries will use, and progress monitor the students’ growth each week.  Minnesota Reading Corps has been a beneficial program at Lester Prairie School to help our students become proficient readers.

Lester Prairie School is in the process of recruiting one full-time Minnesota Reading Corps Member to complete 1700 service hours during the 2017-2018 school year.  Interested candidates may inquire more information by contacting the Lester Prairie School Principal, Nathaniel Boyer, at 320-395-2521 or boyer@lp.k12.mn.us.  Additional information and applications are found online at www.MinnesotaReadingCorps.org.

Krystina Peterson - Title I Teacher

Birkholz Receives Award

Saturday April 1, Adam Birkholz of the LPHT Football staff received the Butch Nash Assistant Coach Award at the Hall of Fame banquet in front of 400 FB Coaches, wives, and family members.

The Butch Nash assistant coach award is awarded to those coaches who demonstrate total loyalty, coaching competency, outstanding rapport with players and fellow coaches, integrity beyond reproach, and many years of dedicated service.

“I am very pleased Adam was selected for this prestigious award” stated Head Football Coach Joe Scoblic. “He is very deserving and has worked very hard to earn it”.

LP/HT Drama Department Presents Buckshot and Blossoms!

Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity Drama Department proudly presents Buckshot and Blossoms, by Tim Kelly and directed by Julie Olson, on Friday, April 21, and Saturday,  April 22, 2017 at Lester Prairie School. Admission for adults is $6, and $3 for students. Wear your cowboy boots and cowboy hats because the audience becomes part of the cast!

This is a rip-roaring spoof of the old west! This west is not only wild, it’s hysterically funny! Down at the Trail Dust Hotel, the villainous Whip of the Whip Lash Gang is concocting nasty schemes to rob citizens while his partner-in-crime, Pearl of Pecos, deals marked cards. Meanwhile, the town has a new sheriff, our hero Johnny Wright, also known as “The Fastest Gun in the West.” Alas! The lovely Annabelle Rawlins, owner of the mine that Whip is trying to claim as his own, turns up with her campaign against guns inside town limits. She favors blossoms over bullets. The Durango Kid, the meanest gunslinger alive, and the Sheriff play High Noon in the hotel lobby … without a single shot being fired!

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

Produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Service, Inc., Denver, Colorado.

Written By - Ms. Olson 

4th Grade Journal Writing

Every day, the fourth grade class gets a chance to write in their writing journals. In these journals, they get to write about anything they want. They can write about what they did over the weekend, they can write a poem, or they can even write a fictional story. It is a great chance for them to be creative and practice using new and exciting words. In the picture below, from left to right, you can see Edwin and Derek working hard in their writing journals. The students enjoy the opportunity to write and share their ideas with each other. 

Mr. Oie - 4th Grade Teacher

GREAT STATE FAIR

The Lester Prairie fourth grade students have been working hard to prepare for the upcoming Great State Fair!  With an open house coming up on Friday, April 7 from 1-2:30 in the Lester Prairie School Library the fourth grade students have been working to prepare their projects. 

Each student chose a state that they would like to learn more about.  After researching using multiple resources, each student wrote and then typed a report about their findings.  When students finish their reports, they begin to work on a board that will showcase their state at the Open House. 

Students also have the option to complete a slideshow to share their information. It is a great opportunity for students to use technology.  They have learned to do research online, type on chromebooks, and find pictures to go with their information.  It has been an awesome learning experience.

This is a big project for these fourth graders.  It takes a lot of dedication and effort to pull off this type of presentation.  Please come support Lester Prairie’s fourth grade students at the Great State Fair!

By: Petra Montagne– 4th Grade Teacher

Pennies For Patients

The Lester Prairie School recently participated in the 2017 Pennies for Patients Campaign. Our school goal was to raise $2017.00. We exceeded our goal and raised $2099.38 for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society! The money was raised by classroom/grade collections, selling suckers at home sporting events, dress up days, and of course by bidding to pie a teacher/staff. Way to Go Bulldogs!

 Picture 1: from Lt to Rt: Front: Jamie DeBruyckere, Kaylee Scheevel, Hope Feltmann, Jenna Dolezal, Middle: Brooke from Pennies for Patients, Elizabeth Krienke, Chase Engelke, Arlene Nowak, Renee Ahlbrecht, Back: Leighton Buhr, Andrew Jackson, and Kayla Weinzierl

 Picture 2: 5th Graders Angel Diaz and Robert Medina pie their teacher Ms. Carmine

 Picture 3: 5th Grader Emma Eckstein gently pies 4th Grade teacher Mrs. Montagne

 Picture 4: A group of 7th grade girls pied Social Studies teacher Mrs. Amundson

Picture 5: 2nd Grader Kaison Walstrom got the privilege of pie-ing his dad, REACH Teacher Mr. Walstrom