Eye on ECCS

 

NOTE: Occasionally 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!

Judy and Steve Harder have led the way at the Chanhassen Elementary Learning Garden for a few years now. Judy, a master gardener through the University of Minnesota Extension Program, developed curriculum for students incorporating the learning garden.

(Read the Eye on ECCS from 2023)

Now the Harders are extending their reach in the district, working with students at Integrated Arts Academy and the district's grounds crew to plant trees at the District Education Center. The trees were purchased through a $2,000 grant from the Southwest Initiative Foundation.

Using bare root trees, which flourish if planted with care and expertise, and come at a lesser price than potted trees, the district was able to purchase 32 trees that will line the DEC driveway and add to the IAA garden area.

Judy has agreed to teach and work with both the students in the IAA and the grounds crew in how to plant and properly care for these trees. The large ash trees that currently line the DEC driveway are threatened by the emerald ash borer. 

The planted trees include sugar maples, lindens, chokeberry, hazelnut, and nannyberry.

"I welcomed Judy's donation and her teachings as we will need these techniques to combat the loss of our ash trees district wide," Jim Muenzenmeyer, Director of Buildings and Grounds for Eastern Carver County Schools, said.

 

NOTE: Occasionally 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!

Bennett Eriksrud is involved in many things at Chaska High School. He’s a state qualifier in DECA, a member of Key Club and National Honor Society. He’s a shining star academically. But when he’s in the technical education wing of the high school, his passion comes out.

“My brother (Max) was always into woodworking and when I was able to see what he was able to do, it inspired me to want to get into it. He’s been more of a furniture guy, while I’m more of a nick-nack guy. Making something I can hang in my room or practical stuff,” Eriksrud said.

Wanting to extend his talents beyond the standard cutting board or bird feeder projects in Woods class, Eriksrud went to work with Sam Porthan, the school’s new technical education teacher. Using a CAD (computer-aided design) machine that had primarily been used for the robotics team, Eriksrud took his vision of a map of the United States of America with engrainment of stars and stripes of the country’s flag and turned it into reality. 

He worked with one of his close friends, Gavin Moen, captain of the Chaska Robotics team, to learn to convert a 2D design into 3D, then how to cut out the project using a 3D rendering tool. 

Eriksrud was able to create a hand-held version during the first semester. Weeks into the second semester, he had created a much larger version of the work. “Once we had the small one programmed, there was a tool in the software to scale it up, so it was just about changing some bit sizes,” said Eriksrud, who figured it took the CAD about 30 minutes to cut out. “I really wanted to take the initiative to learn how to use the software. There is so much more creativity that can be done with that machine and this program.”

Classmates used the CAD to make cribbage boards in the early stages of the semester as well.

FOLLOWING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS
If the name Porthan rings a bell, it’s because Sam is a Chanhassen High School graduate, the Class of 2017, the oldest of four siblings. His parents, Janae and Tony, are teachers at Victoria Elementary and Chaska Middle School West. He worked at Waconia High School previously before coming back to Eastern Carver County Schools this school year.

“I’d say I really started being interested in becoming a teacher in high school. Being at Chanhassen High School, I loved the tech ed program with Mark Lacy and Peter Mommsen, who was there at the time. They kind of pushed me into that direction. I knew what the teacher lifestyle was with my parents. The positive impact they have had on so many kids throughout the district, I was really drawn to that,” Porthan said.

Porthan is currently teaching Introduction to Robotics, Design and Fabrication Metals, Know Your Car, and Design and Fabrication Woods. 

HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
Junior Ethan Roberts is in his first woodworking class this semester. He took Architectural Drafting 2 last semester with Mr. Porthan and came away impressed. The class designed a shed on the computer and then brought it to life in the shop, framing the walls, adding a door and windows, and finishing with a roof.

“We designed a miniature shed in a program called Revit and then we actually got a chance to build it, to set it all up. Going from square one to see how people would design it, then build it, then put it together; it was so important for me. It was so nice to be in the shop, learning how to frame a wall, and to learn the process after the architecture and drafting piece,” Roberts said.

Porthan believes the opportunities in his classes are important for all students to learn.

“This area is great for all students, whether they are interested in 4-year degrees, 2-year degrees or apprenticeship programs.  We want to show them there are many options for them to explore, wherever their passion lives,” he said.

Porthan and students presented examples of recent student work at registration night in January.

“It’s so useful,” said Roberts of technical education classes. “I learned how to frame a wall down here. Something I could actually use ahead of me in life. It’s so important to learn these skills. Why pay someone a ton of money someday to do some of these projects when I can learn to do them now?”

“Part of the (metals) class was learning how to weld. I was able to weld on a tangible thing I’ll be able to use in the future. When you have a project you need to get done, and the skill you’re learning will help you achieve that, you’re really wanting to get to work on it. I think Mr. Porthan is really good with not only the how, but the why behind his teaching,” Eriksrud said.

THE FUTURE
Porthan has enjoyed his first year being back in the district. He envisions adding more technical education classes in the future such as Building a Tiny House.

“I’m very excited for the future. I know next year I’ll be taking more wood classes and it will be fun to develop ideas for what my next projects could be, said Roberts, a junior. “The projects we’re working on right now are challenging for my level right now, but once I’m able to build these skills up, I’m excited to see what I could do in the future.”

“In my last job, we had a wide variety of students in my classes. It was students that wanted to try something they weren’t proficient at and wanted to learn some problem solving skills and build life skills. They’re actually doing a hands-on task. We had kids that were interested in being a plumber or electrician to someone interested in being an aerospace engineer all in one class. There’s a place here for everyone,” Porthan said.

 

NOTE: Occasionally 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!

Making a lasting impact in her school and school district was reason enough for Marissa Doerfler to take part in a new Youth Participatory Evaluation (YPE) group. A team of secondary students is being trained this year to conduct systematic research to improve their lives, their communities, and the institutions intended to serve them.

“I wanted to make a change. There are things with school that I’m very passionate about and I wanted my voice to be heard. I figured this experience would give me an opportunity to express those feelings,” said Doerfler, an eighth grader at Pioneer Ridge Middle School.

Doerfler is most passionate about the health and safety of students. She also wants students to have the resources – whether that’s proper nutrition, increased WIN time (What I Need) or coursework options – to get everything out of the school day.

Sriniketh Madhavan was president of the student council at Pioneer Ridge last year. Like Doerfler, he thought this opportunity could lead to bigger picture changes beyond his school, maybe all the way to the district level.

“I am hoping that kids get what they want. Even though they make requests that we can’t fully do, maybe we can see some of what they want. Like, instead of having a themed meal every day, we can see more variety in meals instead,” Madhavan said.

For Hadyat Charif, a Chaska High School junior, one of her life goals is “to make the world a better place.” One place she could start was at school.

“I've been in Chaska High School for three years now and although I love this school and all the teachers are wonderful, there were some factors I didn't quite like about our school system and there were factors I felt we need to change,” she said.

While using student voice in decision-making is already a common practice in ECCS, YPE takes it a step further by empowering students as researchers and changemakers. They’re the ones asking their classmates the important questions. 

“Being the one asking my peers questions feels intimidating and out of my comfort zone since usually adults would be asking these types of questions instead of students” Charif said. “I know I am getting accurate results since my peers are not intimidated or feel pressured to have to say something good when it's actually not how they feel. That's what I like about YPE. It's student-based and students are the ones doing the majority of the work and the adults are just monitoring.” 

Pioneer Ridge Middle School eighth-grader NaZyra Oku said gaining experience with interviewing at a young age will be an invaluable tool for her in years to come.

“(Students) definitely knew what they wanted to see changed,” she said.

Classmate Oliver Fauzie has also enjoyed the research part, which involved talking directly with fellow students.

“It was fun to interview students and hear what they want from school,” he said. “I wanted to have a role in how things are done in a school district. This is something that interests me.”

In the first research project for the YPE team, they looked into seven different areas of the school district budget and asked students about how they view the importance of transportation, energy, facilities, health and safety, nutrition services, curriculum and professional development, and salaries and benefits.

The students conducted more than 200 interviews, transcribing 32 pages of notes. They developed a survey to have respondents rank in order the importance of each of the seven budget areas with 281 of their fellow students responding. The highest priority areas for secondary students were health and safety, curriculum and professional development, and nutrition services.

Common themes within these priority areas included physical safety (bullying prevention, feeling safe during potential threats) and emotional well-being (student/teacher relationships, stress and anxiety related to home or school). Students also emphasized the need for more lunch options and larger portions, accessible transportation, and retaining passionate and motivated staff.

The YPE group presented their initial findings at the January school board workshop. “I was really excited to go up there and share how I felt,” Doerfler said.

“I think I pointed out some things that are not only a nationwide issue but also here in our schools,” Oku said.

“(It was) nice to see the people who make the decisions,” Madhavan said.

“It is very important that students’ voices are being heard in the district since this is a student-based industry and they are making a decision regarding us,” Charif said.

The YPE program is supported by principals and staff at each secondary school, including Travis Rother (Chanhassen High School), Susanna DeLeon (Chaska High School), Jen Larson (Pioneer Ridge Middle School), Amy Scharenbrock (Chaska Middle School East), and Rachel Alrick (Chaska Middle School West), as well as the district's Research, Evaluation & Assessment department, led by Dr. Khrisslyn Goodman (who has experience with YPE in another district) and Jason Pelowski. The initiative also benefits from the expertise of a national YPE consultant.

The YPE group will share their ongoing work at a school board work session in May or June.

 

NOTE: Occasionally 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!

Collaboration is among the five core values of Eastern Carver County Schools’ strategic roadmap. In Mary Larsen’s third grade class at Chanhassen Elementary, a recent project involving a Kamishibai storytelling box had students engaging, listening, and partnering with each other to learn.

“I like to get (the task) out there, explain everything, and then let them take it from there,” Larsen said.

Students, in groups of four or five, were working on a multicultural lesson on storytelling in other countries. Kamishibai is a traditional Japanese art form that combines illustrated paper cards with a scripted performance to tell a story. 

The classroom started the project by watching a video, Issun-bōshi or Little One Inch. Students were given the task of recreating the story through Kamishibai.

Some students shared their artistic talents by drawing the illustrations. Others wrote the script for an upcoming performance where each person was assigned a speaking role.

“The groups were chosen by the students themselves. Students considered their peer’s abilities, such as artistic ability, communication ability, and critical thinking skills. All of these considerations fostered a sense of teamwork and accountability,” Larsen said. 

Larsen, a teacher at Chanhassen Elementary since 2005, said she has used this lesson a few times, but not in recent years. Students said the project was fun, and they flourished in many ways. Some were leaders, some kept their eye on the clock to monitor how the group was progressing, and others showed off their typing and technology skills by printing off the script. Each group had their own creative take on what the illustrations and performance should look like.

“The end result, performing the Kamishibai box story, afforded the kids a sense of accomplishment. They also took great pride in being able to perform storytelling in a traditional Japanese storytelling method,” Larsen said. “As a teacher, incorporating different storytelling methods in the curriculum exposes students to a variety of cultures, helping them develop a deeper understanding of these different cultures.”

 

 

NOTE: Occasionally 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!

Students at Chaska High School and Chanhassen High School have a broad range of opportunities to challenge themselves academically as they explore and pursue their interests and passions. Some of these courses also offer students an opportunity to earn college credit while in high school.

In total, there are more than 40 advanced academic classes offered between Chaska and Chanhassen high schools. Integrated Arts Academy added AP Drawing for the first time this fall as well.

In the latest Eye on ECCS, we ventured into four AP classrooms to take a look at the learning.

AP CALCULUS BC

Yes, it’s as challenging as what you’d expect. AP Calculus BC is a continuation of AP Calculus AB, so the second-year calculus students in Sarah Roemig’s class at Chanhassen High School have a high level of understanding of the presented material. But it was a process to get there.

If you think about a math class, there is a problem, there is an answer, and in between there is show your work. In AP Calculus BC, it goes beyond that. There is a next question. There is a “why” is that the answer. 

“For the high flyers, this class might be the first time they’ve struggled. And that’s good for them to have that experience. They find out they might need to approach it a little differently than I have in the past,” Roemig said. “Most of them rise to the occasion. Some of them it takes a while, but they get there.”

Roemig said she’s made it practice before the first test to email all parents and guardians to prepare them for how their students may be feeling.

“I ask them to be supportive, and remind their student that even if they didn’t do as well as they’d like, they can do this. They just need to keep at it,” Roemig said.

With AP Calculus AB, four major concepts are studied: limits, derivatives, definite integrals and indefinite integrals. Skills are presented numerically, graphically, algebraically and verbally. 

AP Calculus BC covers the remaining topics of a one-year college course. Applications in physics, the calculus of power series, parametric functions and other topics specified by the College Board are included. The AP Calculus BC Exam covers the content of both AP Calculus AB and BC.

“Once they’re in BC, they know the drill. They know they’re signing up for a hard class. When they’re in AB, they know it’s going to be hard, but I think it’s more of a shock to their system,” Roemig said.

ENGLISH 10 PRE-AP ADVANCED

Among new classes for the 2024-25 school year is English 10 Pre-AP Advanced. This course has a high level of depth, rigor and independence aimed at students capable of performing several grade levels above average in language arts skills. Texts are more complex and students will be expected to analyze what is read with more depth and independence using the vocabulary of literary analysis in their discussions and writing. The focus will be on writers’ craft vs. reading comprehension. 

Visiting Jennifer Farrell’s class at Chaska High School, the lesson was centered around Marshall Davis Jones’ “Touchscreen” slam poetry. “Touchscreen” is described as a serio-comic poem about the ways in which technology is turning humans into zombies. Students first watched the video and were asked to describe Jones’s attitude and give examples of how they felt or what they thought before watching it a second time with text copy to circle or underline impactful words or phrases.

Students were then asked to think about the poem as an argument. What would the claim and evidence be?

Students reactions included:

• “(technology) has been removing our humanity by taking away the necessity for it.”
• “(technology) is deteriorating our humanity and making us more like machines.”
• “growing online presence and use of technology results in a lack of connection.”

Farrell said one of the focuses thus far this semester has been on the “value of virtue.”

CHEMISTRY+INTRO TO PHYSICS

Another new class at the high schools is Chemistry+Intro to Physics. The class covers all of Chemistry at a faster pace plus the essential Physics topics to be ready for AP Physics or AP Chemistry.

“We’ll get through the entire Chemistry curriculum by February, allowing us to get into Physics later in the year. The benefit of this class is that they are getting both in one school year. It puts their feet in the water in both, so they can decide whether they want to go into AP Chemistry or AP Physics in their junior year,” Chanhassen High school science teacher Ashley Flynn said.

Having an accelerated pace helps teach students study skills, Flynn said, as quizzes and unit tests are closer together. 

The latest unit test focused on metallic and hydrogen bonding, intermolecular forces, and chemical and structural formulas. Next up is moles. No, not the furry underground animal or dark spot on your skin. The mole is the base unit in the International System of Units for amount of substance.

AP DRAWING

Christina Keith looks at her role as more of an organized “theme facilitator or coach” for her AP art students at Chaska High School. 

Students, after multiple years in drawing and painting, are allowed space for experimental growth. Students have the opportunity to create more self-directed artwork. While some focus their work on abstract or landscape, others pull from within.

Summer, a senior student, is currently working on recreating a photograph of two family members.

“I love that there aren't any restrictions. In AP art, you have that creative freedom to create what you want. I’ve done a lot of stuff with my culture, Palestinian. I have a lot of pretty photos from when I was there, so I’ve tried to tie in my culture with some of my artwork. I feel like it tells a story, and I like to tell stories with my work,” she said.

Summer plans to do a landscape drawing of a city and a close-up picture of someone holding an olive, the native tree, in future works. While her current drawing is in pencil, she wants to use charcoal with some of her next projects.

Keith’s message in choosing works is subjects where students can sustain intent for nine months. Students create a digital portfolio of their work that will be submitted at AP testing time and may be used for College/Art School admission guidelines.

A complete list of advanced classes can be found on the district’s website.