Ordean East Middle School News

If your child went on the field trip this week, please review their attendance for any errors. If there has not been any changes made by Monday, April 14th, please email ordeanattendance@isd709.org for changes to be made. Thank you for your patience!

~Ms. Lovera

MCA Reading testing begins April 15 in English classes. Make sure your student's Chromebook is charged each night, they get a good night's sleep, and eat a good breakfast! Remind them to bring wired headphones/earbuds as bluetooth/wireless headphones are not allowed. There will be some available to borrow if needed. Math testing will be April 22 - 24 and 8th graders will test in Science April 29 - May 1.

Exciting News!! WEB is Coming to OEMS!

WEB, which stands for "Where Everybody Belongs" is a middle school orientation and transition program that welcomes 6th graders and makes them feel comfortable throughout the first year of their middle school experience. Built on the belief that students can help students succeed, the program trains selected mentors from 8th grade class to be WEB Leaders. As positive role models, WEB Leaders are mentors and student leaders who guide the 6th graders to discover what it takes to be successful during the transition to middle school and help facilitate 6th grade success.

More and more studies show that if students have a positive experience their first year in middle school, their chances for success increase dramatically. WEB provides the structure for 6th/7th graders to receive support and guidance from 8th graders who have been through the challenges that middle school poses and understand that the transition to a larger school can sometimes be overwhelming.

WEB also acts as an anti-bullying program by providing it with a cadre of student leaders who look for bullying behavior and help stop it. WEB gives older students permission to be aware of and report any negative behavior they see, creating a safer school for everybody.

WEB is a yearlong transition program with four components that contribute to its success:

• Middle School Orientation - WEB Leaders and 6th graders start building the mentor relationship and receive information about how to be successful in middle school

• Academic Follow Ups - WEB Leaders support 6th grade academic success and character development through classroom visits

• Social Follow Ups - WEB Leaders and 6th graders connect outside the classroom at social events to increase student engagement and promote positive school climate

• Leader Initiated Contacts - WEB Leaders connect with their 6th graders on a more individual basis

Middle School Transition Program Increases Student Achievement

The goal of WEB, Boomerang Project's middle school orientation and transition program, is to provide schools with a structure in which students make real connections with each other thus increasing school safety and reducing incidence of bullying. Through this program, students learn that people at school care about them and their success. WEB is the middle school transition program that will increase student achievement, enhance character development efforts and create an anti-bullying environment at your school.

This last week, current 7th grade students had the opportunity to apply to be a WEB Leader for the 25-26 school year! Acceptance Letters will go out to students and their families after Spring Break!

We are so excited for this opportunity for OEMS and our students!!

If you want to know more information about WEB please feel free to contact one of the following coordinators: Ms. Costley, Ms. Wolff, Mr. DeMeyer, Mr. Konietzko or Ms. Latscher!

The Advanced Orchestra attended MnSOTA Middle Level Festival in April and performed in Bemidji and with an award of Superior with Distinction, they were invited to perform at Orchestra Hall! The Orchestra is sending out appreciation to the cafeteria crew for making all of the lunches for our trips, the OEMS staff for supporting the students on this journey, Mrs. Grochowski for all of her assistance in paperwork and phone calls, to all of the chaperones that helped keep the students safe and focused during the trips: Mrs. Zenor, Mrs. Hnatek, Mrs. Janzen, Mr. Broman, Ms. Reller, Mrs. Solokava, Mr. Klyn, Mrs. Anderson, and Mrs. Kamben, and special appreciation goes out to all of the parents for your continued support in music and OEMS success. Thank you!!! This was an amazing journey.

Congratulations to band students Kellen Austin, Andrew Froehle, AJ Nisbet, Sawyer Freundschuh, Camile Nikkola, Atley Collins, Kellan Huot, Eli George, Amelia Sundin, Briggs Aschemann, Luke Johnson, Kai Olson, Mason Wirz, George Bateman, Henry LaCore, Sofia Kraft, Oliver Shaw and Logan Maxim. They participated in the NEMBDA honor band festival in Hibbing Minnesota yesterday. They all played very well and it was an awesome concert.

The 8th graders went on field trips this week! These are some photos that were taken during their adventures.

(More photos will be shared in next week's newsletter!)

6th grade students studied Surface Area and Volume of prisms by creating buildings out of geometric prism solids. After doing the math, students colored and constructed their building. We had a lovely group that stayed after school three times to put all of the buildings together into a city. Enjoy the photos and stop by the Ordean library to check out the building in person! We even have a "search and find" list. Can you find all 5 trash cans in the city? Can you find the yellow flowers?

Thank you to Maurices and all our individual donors for supplying our Ordean East Middle School Kids Closet with clothing items and supplies for our students who may need a little extra help! Maurices came through with much needed women-sized shirts! Thank them next time you are in their store!

Would you like to help too? The OEMS Kids Closet could use sweatpants of all sizes, but especially adult M, L and XL. Drop off any donations to the main office!

I’m a proud College of St. Scholastica grad who took the scenic route back to Duluth. I left Minnesota for the Arizona sun, wandered into the Colorado mountains, and finally made my way home (turns out you can go back again, especially if you miss real lakes and decent bond fires.

I coach football, run the high school weight room, and balance all that intensity with skiing, hiking, and very chill walks… with my cat. And dog. (One of them enjoys it. The other just tolerates me.)

May 6th - New Student Open House

Spring 2025 registration is OPEN! If you have already registered your child, great! If you have not registered them yet, please click the link to learn more - https://www.gotrmn.org/programs

Track practice started this week!

Please note that if you have not turned in your track payment yet you must do so before Friday.

History Day Club will continue to meet after school Thursdays in Mrs. Vang's room 3133.

The program is for ages 10-18 and allows them to come into the facility for free Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3:30-6pm. It is staffed and there’s a snack provided.

Children aged 10 & 11 would need to stay with the Teen Thrive staff (unless in the pool with the lifeguard supervision), but 12+ can feel free to utilize the facility on their own!

https://www.duluthymca.org/programs/family-and-community/community-programs-duluth-area/thrive

On the last Friday of each month, YMCA hosts Teen Night at their Hermantown location for ages 10-18. This event includes concessions, games, open swim, and more—a great way for teens to have fun in a safe and welcoming space.

Email: ordeaneast@isd709.org
Website: https://ordeaneast.isd709.org/
Phone: 218-336-8940