Despite the fact that Cook County Schools are facing budget cuts, staff reductions, and a levy referendum in the fall, good things continue to happen at Sawtooth Elementary, Cook County Middle School, and Cook County High School.
Lorelei Livingston’s third graders achieved great success with a fundraiser initiated by Minnesota Reading Corps/AmeriCorps volunteer Heather Kemp.
Students were challenged to read a combined total of 10,000 minutes outside of class during the month of February, raising funds for the Cook County Senior Center along the way. Students found people willing to pledge money to be paid if they met their individual reading goals. Theywere trying to raise $400 for the purchase of Wii sports (interactive TV games) to encourage fun, socialization, and exercise.
The students surpassed both of their goals. Theyread more than 14,000 minutes and raised over $1,100. With the extra money, they also purchased a new TV and left the seniors with additional funds for more games.
Emma Smith: essay
winner
Third grader Emma Smith was named one of 30 third grade finalists in a PBS KIDS GO! essay contest. Submissions were made by 5,112 students from 40 schools around the region. Her essay is entitled TheRace.
History Day state finalists
Four eighth graders will be heading to the state History Day competition to be held May 1 at the University of Minnesota. Advancing to this next level are Alex Jones and Joey Chmelik for an exhibit entitled The Camera:
Changing How People View the
World;
Jessica Berg-Collman for a documentary entitled Dogsledding;
and Megan Lehto for a webpage entitled Sputnik: The Beginning of the
Space Race.
Math Masters fare well
Ten sixth graders competed in a regional Math Masters competition March 12 in Superior. One of two local teams finished seventh out of 30 teams, and the other finished third. Individually, Joe Rauzi came in third out of 152 competitors.
Wolf Ridge conservation
award
Sawtooth fifth graders enjoyed a three-day late winter adventure at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Ely. While they were there, they won the Conservation Challenge, the highest conservation award given at Wolf Ridge. They earned the award by demonstrating good conservation practices such as putting all recyclables in their appropriate containers, keeping windows shut, and turning off lights and faucets as they left rooms. They earned more than a perfect score by picking up trash along trails as well.
School lunch analysis
A review of school lunch menus indicated that the school has been meeting all nutritional requirements in its K-5 lunch program. The menu for grades 6-12 was just outside the acceptable range in three areas. More iron, Vitamin A, and calories need to be added to that menu.
An in-person analysis by USDA School Meal Initiative reviewers will take place in April.
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