Eye on ECCS

NOTE: Each week throughout the school year, we will visit a school across Eastern Carver County Schools. Some weeks the plan may be to stop in multiple classrooms by grade, or by subject. Other weeks it may highlight a certain specialist group. The purpose is to give families and our community a glimpse into the every-day learning environment happening in our buildings. A chance to spotlight the incredible work our teachers and staff do on a daily basis for our students, and to showcase the incredible work our students produce as well. So, keep your Eye on ECCS!

 

When Chaska Middle School West math colleagues Lani Grafelman and Eric Swanhorst shared a new approach to teaching with the Pioneer Ridge Middle School math group last spring, it didn’t take long for changes to happen.

“The entire team jumped on it immediately. They were using the new teaching method the next day,” Pioneer Ridge Middle School principal Amy Nelson said.

The new approach is the use of VNPS, or vertical non-permanent surfaces. But it’s more than white boards, it’s  getting students out from their desks and collaborating with one another. 

“In the past, there would be one question on the board. Everyone would be doing the same problem. Some would get done in a minute, others would struggle to figure it out. Now, working at the boards, students can go as fast as their group can go. Some days there are boards that will get four, five, or six problems done in the same amount of time we would have done one problem last year,” said Zac Huber, a math teacher at PRMS since 2011.

It is that peer interaction that teachers saw from those first lessons at the end of last school year that had the entire math team ready to jump all-in this school year.

“To me, the best part is the interaction of the students with each other and the opportunity for peer coaching. They are learning from each other, not just sitting and listening to a seminar or watching a video,” paraprofessional Steve Torp said.

“It’s been awesome to see math talk happening the entire math hour! Students are becoming better communicators (yes, speaking and listening to each other). I’ve witnessed a few students that were more reserved last year blossom into happy, smiling peer coaches explaining their unique strategies to solve problems in and environment that flourishes on learning from our errors. It is so cool to see the knowledge mobility,” Sheila Hessburg, a teacher at PRMS since 2021, said.

The list of positives in the learning shift is long for Ailee Reinhardt, a teacher in the district since 2009.

“Engagement and math talk, cooperation, sharing thinking, communication, ownership, engagement, getting to know all students in the class, working alongside students to encourage, problem solve, and promote thinking strategies, revisiting learning, holding one another accountable,” Reinhardt said.

When kids are learning from one another, the teacher has the ability to connect with each and every student.

“For me, it moves me into a facilitator role. This allows me to work and connect with each student in the room at various times. The ownership for learning is on the student and the required critical thinking lends itself to greater retention of the learning targets!” said Tara Jones, now in her second year at PRMS. “The ‘math talk’ and discussions are valuable and insightful. Students are able to share their wealth of knowledge and strategies. We can easily highlight students who normally would not get recognition for their skills!”

“As a beginning teacher, I have loved the chance to teach a curriculum that breaks out of the ‘sit and get’ method that never worked for me growing up and not only mobilizes the knowledge in the room but also teaches our students real life collaboration skills. It melts my heart every time I see students branch out from their comfort zone to teach each other! I love to watch their confidence grow. This has been a huge learning opportunity not just for the students, but me as well!” said Megan Simmons, in her first year at PRMS.

Students in the classroom agreed with their teachers. Some said they enjoy working with friends and classmates to find the answers. Another student said they found it helpful to have a group to brainstorm with.

“This is a perfect environment to build trust amongst peers as they help each other learn. I have seen confidence grow from both ends as well. Students that understand concepts now can stand up in front of their group or even the whole class and lead them,” Huber said. “Students who find math difficult now have the ability to enter into a situation where they may not know what to do, but they have their peers to help guide them until they can stand on their own.”

 

NOTE: Each week throughout the school year, we will visit a school across Eastern Carver County Schools. Some weeks the plan may be to stop in multiple classrooms by grade, or by subject. Other weeks it may highlight a certain specialist group. The purpose is to give families and our community a glimpse into the every-day learning environment happening in our buildings. A chance to spotlight the incredible work our teachers and staff do on a daily basis for our students, and to showcase the incredible work our students produce as well. So, keep your Eye on ECCS!

 

Two decades ago, Troy Smutka was called down to the principal’s office.  No, he wasn’t in trouble. He was asked by then Chaska Middle School West principal Sheryl Hough to head-up the still-very-new Veterans Day Ceremony.

The initial ceremony was the brainchild of Hough and teacher Dianne Strandberg.

“Dianne retired and Sheryl knew the personal connection I had (Smutka has dozens of veterans in his family tree). To be honest, being the point person, I was a little nervous. But I’m glad I said yes,” Smutka said. Smutka has been teaching social studies at West since 1993.

West honored veterans for the 22nd year on Friday, Nov. 10, in an all-school ceremony that began with a flag raising and 21-gun salute from the Chaska VFW Post 1791 and American Legion Post 57 Color Guard, moving indoors to the gymnasium for the program.

“It is so powerful to see our students, staff, families, and community members come together to honor our veterans for their dedication to providing us all of the rights we have in our country,” West principal Dr. Alicia Fischer said.

This year’s ceremony included music selections from the 7th Grade Band (“The Star Spangled Banner”), 7th and 8th Grade Orchestra (“Freedom Finale”), 6th Grade Choir (“Thank You, Soldiers”), 7th Grade Band (“Marches of the Armed Forces”), 7th and 8th Grade combined Choir (“We Honor You”), and eighth grade student Milo Pickford playing “Taps.”

Additionally, five students wrote speeches from the heart about what freedom means to them.

“Their speeches were so impactful that you could hear a pin drop in the audience,” Dr. Fischer said.

“(The ceremony) has always been student-led. There is more learning happening when students are involved. We teach them the history, what Veterans Day means, the freedoms that exist because of our veterans. We ask students if they know any veterans, some will raise their hand. They’ll go home and find out they know way more than they thought,” Smutka said.

 

Students often ask Smutka each fall when they are going to start preparing for the Veterans Day Ceremony. Students design posters for the school and gymnasium as well as personal “Thank You” postcards that were handed out to each veteran in attendance.

This year was also special in that Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Willie Jett joined in recognizing the contributions of our veterans.

“This was the first year we used both sides of the bleachers for seating,” Smutka said. With students, there were around 1,000 people in attendance. “Originally, we had 15 to 20 veterans attend. Most years, when the weather is good, we’ll have 50 to 70 veterans in attendance.”

Through the years, the West event has grown in significance and reputation and it is now recognized as one of the most impressive and meaningful Veterans Day celebrations in the area. 

“Unfortunately, some of the first people we connected with at the Chaska VFW and Legion have passed away. We have lost a lot of familiar faces, including Ralph Hanson, the post commander, who was just so amazing to work with. I think we’re seeing more active duty members, way more women. When we started, it was mainly Army veterans. Now we have all four branches represented,” Smutka said.

The personal connection to the ceremony grows for Smutka. His daughter Lindsay, a Chaska High School graduate, recently graduated from Officers Training. She has plans after college graduation to serve in the Army as a nurse. “She’s following in the footsteps of my wife’s sister,” Smutka said.

Thank you to all of those who made the ceremony possible: the West Parent Teacher Organization, principal Dr. Alicia Fischer, Chaska VFW Post Commander Rich Daniels, West media specialist Erinn Flowers, West music directors Eli Johnson, Tanya Gabel, Eric Songer, and Mari Jorgenson-Rathke, the CMSW Tech Crew, CMSW Student Council, CMSW Custodial Staff, and the Veterans Day Committee. A special thanks to all of the veterans for their service!

Watch highlights from the 2023 West Veterans Day Ceremony!

 

NOTE: Each week throughout the school year, we will visit a school across Eastern Carver County Schools. Some weeks the plan may be to stop in multiple classrooms by grade, or by subject. Other weeks it may highlight a certain specialist group. The purpose is to give families and our community a glimpse into the every-day learning environment happening in our buildings. A chance to spotlight the incredible work our teachers and staff do on a daily basis for our students, and to showcase the incredible work our students produce as well. So, keep your Eye on ECCS!

Friday Night Lights is more than a high school football game. It is a community event. Even more so when Chanhassen and Chaska meet.

It is an event that brings the district together, whether one is wearing purple or navy blue. Whether one cheers for the Storm or the Hawks.

There’s school bands, mascots, cheerleaders, student section themes, halftime performances, and hundreds of Chaska Chanhassen Football Association athletes tearing across the field with pride.

There’s a Tackle Cancer fundraiser before and during the game. Most years it hits too close to home. This year, Bluff Creek Elementary fifth grader Owen Macik was honored. Macik was diagnosed with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in May.

While Owen recovers at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, his Bluff Creek classmates came together at the football game to help the Chanhassen and Chaska teams raise money to both support cancer research and local cancer families.

The Macik Family is grateful that sharing Owen's story will help to bring greater awareness to childhood cancer. Those unable to attend last Friday’s game can still donate to #OwenStrong on Venmo. The fundraiser account is @Gridiron-Football. 

Owen’s mother, Kelly, works in the College and Career Resource Center at Chanhassen High School. 

LARGE CROWDS

Already this year at Chanhassen High School, more than 2,500 tickets were sold for home football games with Owatonna (Sept. 8), Waconia (Sept. 22) and Mankato West (Sept. 29). That number certainly would have been topped a fourth time if not for a large rainstorm that blanketed the state for much of two days last week.

Despite the light rain and windy conditions, a large crowd, including full student sections for both schools – some students arrived 90 minutes early for the best seats – filled much of the stadium bleachers.

“The Homecoming game with Waconia, that was the largest crowd I’ve ever seen,” Chanhassen athletic director Mike Bailey, a former head football coach in the program as well, said. “We ran out of parking for that one really fast.”

Chanhassen enters the post-season undefeated with an 8-0 record. The only other time the Storm accomplished a perfect eight-game regular season schedule came in 2016 (Chanhassen went 5-0 in a shortened 2020 season). This time Chanhassen is ranked No. 1 in Class 5A; the first time in program history the Storm hold the top spot.

Chanhassen claimed the traveling Jug trophy for a second straight year with a 21-0 win over rival Chaska. First-half scores from Dominic Castagnetto and Daxton Bush from quarterback Brayden Windschitl were too much to overcome for the Hawks (4-4).

For all of the action on the field, behind the scenes, though, are countless hours of preparation and then execution.

THE GAME PLAN

Betty Johnson in the athletic department office prepares for each game by mid-week. Rosters gathered from opposing schools and printed up. Signage for patrons as they enter the stadium are placed. She is in charge of making sure the ticket gate is staffed, not only for football, but for all varsity events that charge admission.

“We’re really fortunate to have a great group of people that sign-up. Occasionally there’s a game where I can’t find someone and I have to work,” Johnson said. Some are staff members, most are from the community. Their kids maybe once played, an opportunity to stay involved.

The gates open 90 minutes before kick-off, well before the teams take the field for warm-ups.

It takes a small village on Friday nights.

The work begins mid-afternoon as Bailey and evening coordinator Jackson Nash head out to the field to place the yard markers and end zone pylons. They put up tents for both teams.

“Teams have their Hudl instant replay TVs and they need to be out of any elements,” Bailey said.

They check the audio systems and make sure the concession stand is ready for the Storm Boosters to arrive and begin their preparations. 

Visiting teams receive a welcome letter from Bailey at the beginning of the week that details where buses should park and where the team’s locker room is. 

The pregame schedule from 5:30 p.m. to the opening kick-off is planned minute-by-minute

In the press box alone, there are five people. Denny Laufenburger, former mayor of Chanhassen, has been the voice of the Storm for more than a decade.

“I come back because I love the kids and their families. (It’s) fun to see younger siblings of former players and to watch them grow from scrawny middle schoolers to strong and confident leaders,” Laufenburger said. “I really enjoy the relationship with the guys in the booth with me. We laugh at and with each other. It’s a brotherhood built on enjoyment of the game and our collective desire to deliver quality and precise production of all elements of the game.”

Joining Laufenburger is a spotter that peers through binoculars to call out the number of the ball carrier or the tackler. There is a person on the scoreboard and another that works the game clock. Additionally, there is a statistician to record it all.

On the field, the “chain gang” consists of four people: one on each end of the 10-yard chain, another to place the clip in a certain position so that if the chains get knocked down, or a measurement is needed, shows exactly where the markers should be. A fourth person holds the down marker, showing whether it’s first-, second-, third-, or fourth-down.

“There’s about 10 guys that we rely on each year for these jobs. You can always count on them,” Bailey said.

While teams retreat to the locker room for halftime, Bailey and staff get no rest. The referees are escorted to their shed, hot dogs and warm or cold drinks depending on the time of the year, ready for their arrival.

On the field, the halftime show begins. The weather didn’t allow for a marching band performance, but CCFA youth players in attendance were able to scream across the field. The Storm high school cheer team was joined by youth cheer campers on the sidelines for the game.

On top of the concourse, the concession stand is hopping. The Storm Chasers Booster Club is in charge of staffing the many events each season. Volunteers from the Chanhassen volleyball team and StormHawks gymnastics team were serving up anything warm. Homecoming night the top seller in the concession stand was hot dogs – roughly 400 or so sold. This night, it’s all about the hot chocolate.

While Chanhassen held up the traveling trophy at the end of the night as winners, it was a night of celebration for everyone involved. It was a night where four communities came together as one to support one of its own.

A GLANCE AT ATHLETICS

• Fall Sports: 10

• Winter Sports: 11

• Spring Sports: 10

There are eight cooperative programs between Chaska & Chanhassen HS (StormHawks)

• Gymnastics, Boys Swim/Dive, B/G Alpine Ski, B/G Nordic Ski, Girls Hockey, and Wrestling

There are two adaptive sports programs (Southern Stars)

• Adaptive Softball and Adaptive Soccer

• Cooperative with Shakopee, Prior Lake, Chaska, and Chanhassen

BY THE NUMBERS

• 153: total teams between both high schools

• 230: total coaches

• 2,399: total contests between both high schools

• 774: number of students that participated on at least one athletic team at Chanhassen

• 789: number of students that participated on at least one athletic team at Chaska

 

NOTE: Each week throughout the school year, we will visit a school across Eastern Carver County Schools. Some weeks the plan may be to stop in multiple classrooms by grade, or by subject. Other weeks it may highlight a certain specialist group. The purpose is to give families and our community a glimpse into the every-day learning environment happening in our buildings. A chance to spotlight the incredible work our teachers and staff do on a daily basis for our students, and to showcase the incredible work our students produce as well. So, keep your Eye on ECCS!

 

Peter Potter was destined to be creative, to craft art. That he’s familiar with a pottery wheel is no coincidence, last name or not.

Art is an inspiration for him. So are young minds. That is why for many years, the first now in Eastern Carver County Schools at Victoria Elementary, Potter has been an elementary art teacher.

To see the reaction of Ms. Carroll’s first-grade class upon hearing they were going to work with clay last week was both refreshing and true.

The loud cheers to the idea of making a pinch pot brought great joy to the 25 or so students.

“We’re going to play with it. We’re going to squish it. We’re going to play with it some more. And then in the end, we’re going to make a pancake out of it,” Potter said.

Each student took a block of clay, created a center with their thumb, and began to pinch, pinch, pinch, until a pot began to form. When the first creation was completed, Potter challenged them to ball up the clay and try it again. The introduction of water to help smooth the outsides turned up the level of fun another notch.

Potter has grand plans to further introduce pottery across all grades. He’s hoping to get students working on pottery wheels as soon as they arrive at the school.

Today’s lesson was a mere introduction of pinch pots. Potter promised more pinch pots next time the class meets, with the end result of the student’s creation going home with them.

The students, of course, cannot wait until that day arrives!

NOTE: Each week throughout the school year, we will visit a school across Eastern Carver County Schools. Some weeks the plan may be to stop in multiple classrooms by grade, or by subject. Other weeks it may highlight a certain specialist group. The purpose is to give families and our community a glimpse into the every-day learning environment happening in our buildings. A chance to spotlight the incredible work our teachers and staff do on a daily basis for our students, and to showcase the incredible work our students produce as well. So, keep your Eye on ECCS!

 

It was only by blind luck that Judy and Steve Harder stumbled upon the learning garden at Chanhassen Elementary in 2020. They had just moved to town from rural Mountain Lake in southern Minnesota. 

Retired, they inquired about volunteering. Soon, they were leading the charge.

Thanks to their hard work and the work of other volunteers, the garden is now an extension of the classroom for all students at Chanhassen Elementary.

“Judy and Steve have brought the Learning Garden to life. It has been a true blessing to the school to have this outdoor classroom and as well to the community as we are all learning so much from them and loving what the Learning Garden has provided for all,” parent and Learning Garden organizer Erin Reisdorf said.

Judy, a Master Gardener through the University of Minnesota, developed a curriculum for the different grades. She even went back to school for one semester to take a course on soils last spring. Steve incorporated one of his hobbies, bird-watching, into the lesson plan. 

Each class had a chance to visit the Learning Garden multiple times in September. Oftentimes one part of the class would be with Steve in the raised beds section, while the other half was inside the garden with Judy.  Each lesson brought games and fun, scavenger hunts and exploration.

“That’s our mission - to have this relationship with nature and be one with it, and in it,” Judy said.

A sample of the lessons includes studying pollinators, soil and root systems, what is in a plant, what is around a plant, and the relationship we have with the environment, science of light, what we can learn from a tree and plant, and a compost system. 

When a large Ash tree was removed near the garden due to disease, the Harders asked for a section of the tree so students could study its history and its eventual demise.

“The kids are very excited to see all of the stuff in the garden and how it’s all grown over the summer,” Judy said.

The crops are seasonally-based to maximize the time when students are in school. Seeding began indoors and eventually the students were planting in the garden last spring. The late spring harvest turned out turnips, radishes, lettuces such as spinach, and peas.

The fall harvest includes tomatoes, red sweet peppers, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, and green beans.

Select classrooms will help harvest the vegetables after the first frost. The tomato vines were recently measured by students at 15-feet long.

The produce that is grown is available to the cafeteria when they can use it. Otherwise, students have a chance to try it when offered in the Learning Garden classes or there are opportunities for staff, students, and families to take some home.

“Everyone in the school, (principal Greg Lange), the teachers, they are all so supportive of what we are doing. It’s a great partnership that we hope to keep expanding,” Judy said.

LEARNING GARDEN MURALS

If you find yourself near the Chanhassen Elementary Learning Garden, make sure to check out the seasonal murals designed and drawn by students.

The students in third and fourth grade classes last school year entered a drawing contest for the mural design. The winners were Slyvia Cutler, Ayla Boudreau-Landis, Emma Woolsey, Hadley Murphy, and Matthew Villegas Garcia. 

“Their drawings and designs are featured on the Garden Murals. First they drew their designs on the primed plywood. Then students in third and fourth grades painted the drawings during their art class. There are three parts to the mural that change with the seasons,” Jean Ische, former art teacher at Chanhassen Elementary, now at Jonathan Elementary, said.

The seasons featured are spring, fall, and winter.

REAL-WORLD LEARNING

Across town at Bluff Creek Elementary, their school garden is also an integral part of the school community. Each May, the school partners with Carver/Scott County Master Gardeners, MN Ag in the Classroom, Lakewinds Food Co-op, and the Bluff Creek Elementary BCE PTO Garden Committee for Nature Plant and Play Day.

The school’s PTO provided the funding and manpower needed to rebuild the garden beds last spring.

“The Bluff Creek School Garden serves as an outdoor classroom to experience real-world learning,” Anna Edlund, Bluff Creek’s Gifted Services and STEAM Lab Facilitator, said.  Beyond connections supporting state science standards focusing on plants, the garden allows:staff to interact with children in a nontraditional classroom setting, often learning new gifts and talents about students.

For their part, children can deepen their understanding of natural resources and connect to prior learning about Native American traditions as part of their work in the school garden.

The Bluff Creek Elementary school garden has provided many benefits to students, said BCE Garden Committee member Julie O’Connell. “Not all kids get the opportunity to have their own garden. Together with our community partners, we are able to give each student the chance to!” 

Students are engaged through each step of learning how to grow a thriving garden from a seed.  

“This hands-on learning allows the students to develop connections between what they learn in class and nature. The Bluff Creek Garden teaches us all new things each season. We love to see the excitement, creativity, and knowledge that each student brings to our events,” O’Connell said.