9/12/2006 7:25:00 AM A look at what's new in schools
By Kelly Westhoff
With another school year off to a start, here's a glance at what's new in school districts around Lake Minnetonka.
Hopkins School District
This year, the Hopkins School District unveiled a redesigned newsletter, a redesigned Web site and a redesigned logo.
In past years, the district published two parent newsletters. This year, those separate publications, Update and 270 Parent Extra, have been merged into one.
The unified newsletter will be called Update and will be published five times during the school year: August, October, December, February and April. The Update is posted on the district's Web site and mailed to homes in the district.
The district's Web site, www.hopkins.k12.mn.us, has been redesigned for easier navigation. In addition, the new site offers entrance into the Campus Parent Portal.
Parents register with the portal to obtain a user name and password. After registering, parents may access calendars, lunch menus, attendance data, fee information and more for their child's school. Parents can also sign up for a number of district e-mail lists.
Parents interested in joining parents organizations or volunteering for their child's class may contact individual schools.
Additionally, the district has unveiled a new logo. While the old logo highlighted the district's number, 270, the new logo drops any reference to the number. The new logo emphasizes the word "public."
Minnetonka School District
Students returning to the Minnetonka School District this fall will notice new faces among the faculty. The district welcomed over 50 new teachers, a new principal and two new assistant principals.
Plus, guidance and counseling services have been remodeled. There are more counselors with fewer students assigned to each so that attention can be more personalized.
Budget cuts in the 2005-06 school year eliminated some music instruction for sixth graders; however, this year, that teaching time has been restored. At the high school, enrollment in both the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs has increased dramatically for the coming year, according to the district.
The district upgraded many classrooms with new technology over the summer. More that 158 classrooms are equipped with SMARTBoards and full internet/audio/video integration, 150 classrooms have enhanced audio systems and six schools have full wireless capabilities.
Also, the district is unveiling a new online tool for parents. Parents may pay for school lunches and other activity fees online. They can monitor their child's grades, homework assignments and communicate with teachers by logging in to the Blackboard and Skyward pages on the district's main site at www.minnetonka.k12.mn.us. Parent passwords for these pages were mailed Sept. 5.
Parents interested in joining parents organizations or volunteering for their child's class may contact individual schools.
Westonka School District
This summer, Standard & Poor named Westonka as an "academic outperformer." Only 22 districts in the state received this recognition. Outstanding student achievement and effective school reform strategies earned Westonka the honor.
The district is launching several new curricula this year. Students in fifth grade will learn social studies via the "Social Studies Alive!" curriculum. Through role plays and props, students will participate in hands-on learning.
Plus, Spanish will be offered both before and after school at Hilltop and Shirley Hills. Middle school students will participate in "WEB: Where Everyone Belongs," a program that trains older students to serve as role models for incoming students.
Lastly, the district welcomed a new leader in July. Kevin Borg, former Grandview Middle School principal, assumed the role of superintendent. Christine Keeley-Zachow, the former middle school dean of students, is now the middle school principal.
Shirley Hills Primary School also has a new face. Principal Ann Swanson came from Waconia schools.
Parents looking to stay informed on district activities may sign up for Westonka.news, the electronic newsletter, by sending an e-mail to olsonb@westonka.k12.mn.us. Write "subscribe Westonka.news" in the subject line.
Parents interested in joining parent organizations or volunteering for their child's class should contact individual schools.
Wayzata School District
Students returning to classrooms in the Wayzata School District will notice changes this year.
Class sizes are smaller. The district hired 52 new full-time staff members over the summer - 43 of whom are teachers. New counselors and paraprofessionals were hired as well.
Last fall's successful referendum contributed to the district's ability to hire the extra hands. The successful referendum also helped the district upgrade computer labs over the summer.
Wayzata High School is implementing a program designed to help transition ninth graders into the building. Also at the high school, Mandarin Chinese classes will be offered this year.
The district purchased and installed automatic external defibrillators in buildings over the summer.
The district's newsletter, The Communicator, is published five times during the school year in August, October, January, March and June. It is mailed to homes in the district and posted on the district's Web site at www.wayzata.k12.mn.us.
Parents can sign up for an e-mail version of the newsletter at the Web site as well. Parents interested in joining parent organizations or volunteering for their child's class should contact individual schools.
Orono School District
Twenty-five new staff members join the Orono School District this fall. Most of them are teachers.
Over the summer, the school board approved the placement of an operating levy on the November ballot for district residents. The referendum would generate an additional $550 per pupil to be spent on instruction.
In addition, over the summer, the district received the What Parents Want Award from SchoolMatch, an independent, nationwide service that helps parents find schools that match the needs of their children. Only 16 percent of the nation's public school districts were granted this award.
The district newsletter, Spartan Spectator, is published four times annually. It is mailed to every house in the district and posted on the district's Web site at www.orono.k12.mn.us.
Parents with students in grades K-5 may get involved in the PTO by visiting www.oronopto.org. Middle school parents can find PTO newsletters and information posted on the middle school Web site. Orono parents can also join the Orono Alliance for Education. That group's Web site is www.oronoalliance.org.
