Photos

Above: Sawtooth Elementary School in Grand Marais was abuzz with kids returning to school—or coming to school for the very first time, like these kindergarteners in Dena Schliep’s class. While these kindergarteners worked they had lots of questions for Mrs. Schliep.

Left: Mrs. Schliep shows her very eager and highly attentive students the correct way to use a scissor. There was an abundance of happy energy in Mrs. Schliep’s class as students began their long, and hopefully forever boisterous, academic journey.

When Birch Grove Elementary School reopened as the Birch Grove Community School in 2005, part of the celebration of the community’s efforts to keep its local school included the ringing of an old school bell, donated by Jerry Loh of Tofte. Since then it’s a tradition at Birch Grove Community School to start each new school year by ringing a bell. And everyone—teachers and students—gets to take part in the annual “Ringing of the Bell.” Among the new students were two new teachers—Lacey Smith K-1st grade and Leta Miller 2nd – 3rd grades. They join Nolan Chenevert who now teaches 4th – 5th grades and Saplings Preschool Teacher Cheryl Martinson.