Pierz Ag Students Are Future-Ready
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Healy Students Build Hydroponic Systems, Greenhouses, and More Future-Forward Agriculture
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Food without soil? Energy without pollution? Students in Mrs. Pat Tax's Agriculture classes are researching, designing and engineering the tools today's farmers are using as well as those that will be used for future generations.
Mrs. Tax has been imperative in bringing future-ready learning to Healy students: "The importance of recognizing where our food is coming from cannot be emphasized enough. These kids not only have acute awareness of that, but they are CREATING the food--through hydroponic gardening, seed germination, managing an entire greenhouse of plants and vegetables and nearly an acre of gardens from which they run a community Crop Sharing program. It's incredible."
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Pierz School Board is Moving Forward on Several Key Issues.
Addressing Facilities Needs
We’ve heard from the community through a survey, community meetings and a facilities committee. Community members urged us to consider a new plan that meets our facilities needs. Based on their input, the school board will meet Jan. 24 to consider a potential referendum on April 10.
Capping Open Enrollment
At a recent special meeting, the School Board asked the Superintendent to evaluate the optimum school size based upon an Elementary (Four Section) School model and create the policies and procedures that would cap open enrollment numbers to stay within that model.
Other Board Updates:
-Working with all the districts in our region to provide a consolidated, centralized Special Education facility for children whose disabilities require higher level settings.
-Continue the training of teachers and implementation of the Math Curriculum that has had dramatic impact on increased student engagement this year.
-Pursue participation in the ongoing regional partnerships that have allowed our students to access expensive manufacturing, medical and technical equipment through an equipment sharing program involving other school districts and supported through NJPA.
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Pierz Mechaneers have two teams that compete in VEX Robotics “In The Zone” 2017-18 challenge.
State competition is by invite-only and is held February 2-3, 2018 at the River’s Edge Convention Centre in St Cloud, MN. Pierz’ High School team qualified by being one of the finalists following league play at the St Cloud Technical College. The Junior High team only competed in the Sartell MS competition and ended that competition placing 14th of 42 teams!
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Kummet's Class Works with Electricity
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Students in Mr. Kummet's 9th grade science class worked with Snap Circuits, experimenting with how electricity travels and designing projects with basic engineering skills. Various projects include making a clock, LED lights and fans.
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Students design and plant the school garden that is 50' x 275'--"shares", in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables in the summer, are sold to members of the staff and community to ensure the garden's sustainability. We also learn to make centerpieces, corsages, bud vases and boutonnieres. In the spring, we add a landscaping unit where the students will learn the proper techniques for laying pavers and building a wall.
We use a digital laser to learn to level an area.
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** Meet the Team **
(an ongoing feature highlighting our hardworking and all-around awesome staff!)
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Pat Tax - FFA, Agriculture, Robotics
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Pat joined our Healy High team five years ago and has really focused on bringing her passion for agriculture to our school and instilling this passion and her knowledge in our students.
When she came to the high school the program was in a deteriorating state. In short five years she has turned that around. Pat has written and received grant dollars of nearly $60,000 to invest in resources to address the needs of the Ag department including, but not limited to a greenhouse (used year-round), community garden, and much more. All of these funds have benefited not only our Ag students, but all students within our school.
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Georgina Kowalczyk - Fourth Grade Teacher, Navy Sailor
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Ever since I can remember, I have loved to read, go to school and learn new things. This would explain why I became a teacher...I get to read, go to school and learn something new everyday!
"As an active duty military veteran who has also had a career in business and as an elementary teacher in a Spanish Immersion School, Gina brings a unique perspective to our students and staff. She has life, career, and teaching experiences that none of the rest of us have seen which brings a richness to our schools."
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Pioneer Elementary School News
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Fourth, Fifth Graders Work with Robotics and Sphero Balls
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Another TechMobile opportunity for both fourth and fifth graders exposed them to engineering concepts as they built functioning robots and engines. They also programmed Sphero balls using HTML codes as the robotic balls navigated the room based on the code produced by the students!
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T-Rex Visits Pioneer Students - Let's Make Bullying Extinct!
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The students were informed and entertained as T-Rex talked to them about grit and how it applies to all aspects of the school day.
GRIT:
- Determined to achieve goals
- Focused, disciplined, and optimistic
- Never quit, even when it's hard
- Challenge yourself
They also talked about bullying - what it looks like, feels like, and what to do if you see it or if it's happening to you.
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Class runs 7 weeks:
- Harding class: Thursdays, starting January 25 at Holy Cross Church, contact Gary Hebler (745-2565)
- Buckman class: Mondays starting February 12 at Buckman Parish Center, contact Ron Kahl (320-360-0986)
- Pierz class: Mondays starting February 12 at Pioneer Elementary, Experience Room contact Shelly Boser (320-360-1758)
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School Calendar Notice
- No School January 19-22
- Conferences for Elementary: January 30-31
- No School for Elementary: February 2
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Pierz Public Schools #484
District Office: 320.468.6458
112 Kamnic Street, Pierz, MN 56364
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