ISD 199: The State of the Schools

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Editor's note: The following contains a series of announcements from the Inver Grove Heights Community Schools. 

1) Inver Grove Heights Community Schools will host its second “Schools ‘Reading’ in the Community Night” of the school year on Wednesday, Nov. 14 from 5-6:30 p.m.

This event will take place in the community room at Salem Green Apartments. Any family living in Salem Green Apartments is welcome to attend. Seven more “Schools ‘Reading’ in the Community Nights” are scheduled throughout the school year. The “Schools ‘Reading’ in the Community Night” is part of a district priority that promotes literacy and builds school-community partnerships.

2) Yesica Mercado Munoz, a sixth-grader at Inver Grove Heights Middle School, has been selected as the Children’s Hospital’s Diabetic Ambassador on its Youth Advisory Council.

She is the youngest member on the Council, which is comprised of students from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. A Children’s staff member nominated Yesica for the position. Yesica will visit Washington D.C. in January to speak to legislators regarding diabetic school issues and funding. Children’s Hospital will send Yesica to Washington D.C. to speak to congress annually until she is 18 years old.

3) The National Youth Leadership Council selected two District 199 teachers to present at its National Service-Learning Conference in March. Jean White and Barb Burch—along with H2O for Life founder Patty Hall—will present on the terrific job Salem Hills Elementary School staff and students have done in educating the public about the global water crisis.

The trio will provide an overview of the crisis, provide a model service learning program that other schools can replicate, provide six STEM-related action activities focused on water, and provide a connection for U.S. schools with a school in a developing country.

4) Xcel Energy’s LivingWise Program has identified sixth-grade Science teacher Amanda Cook as an A+ teacher of the program. As a result, Inver Grove Heights Middle School will again receive energy conservation kits, books and digital content to use in the classroom.

Last year, the LivingWise Program helped reduce annual energy demand equating to: Removing 4,536 passenger cars from Minnesota roads or saving equivalent electricity needed to power 2,884 homes.

5) Former Simley head basketball coach Don Roberts was inducted into the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on October 28. The purpose of the MBCA Hall of Fame is to give special recognition to the people of Minnesota who have made significant contributions to promote high school basketball in the state via their achievements and service.

6) All three district elementary schools have been named award recipients in the Healthier US School Challenge. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizes schools that create healthier school environments through their promotion of good nutrition and physical activity. Many thanks to Cathi Krick and her Food Service staff for their efforts in achieving school lunch menu changes leading to these Healthier US School Challenge awards.

7) Simley High School is looking for business people to volunteer time to share their practice with high school students at Simley’s Career Fair on April 17. If interested or for more information, please contact Simley’s Work Experience teacher, Kim Sievert-DiSanto, at 651-306-7131.