Greetings All,

I want to take this one last time to say thank you for the opportunity to serve this great community. I have been blessed to be part of the Duluth Public School for 37 years and I will always cherish the people that I have met along the way. When I started in education as a young teacher I had no idea how children would profoundly change me and teach me lessons that I didn’t even know I needed. Thank you for sharing your children in the great times, the good times and the times that may have challenged me - all of those times were worth it!!

At the end of this fantastic career there is one thing I will be eternally grateful for and that is for the opportunity to have shared in your child’s educational journey!

With ends come new beginnings….Ordean East will have a new lead principal next fall and I hope for nothing but great things for all of you-please read on for your first message from Principal Kennedy-Anderson.

Go Huskies!!

Sue Lehna

Wife, Mother & Nana

Dear Ordean East Middle School Community,

I hope this message finds you enjoying a well-deserved summer break. I am thrilled to reach out to you as I begin my journey at Ordean East Middle School. As I begin this exciting journey in Duluth, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for the warm welcome I have already received. My family and I are truly excited to relocate to such a beautiful city, and we look forward to learning all the wonderful things Duluth has to offer. I am eager to get to know each of you and work together to continue making OEMS a place where all students feel safe, valued, and empowered.

Summer is a time for rest, reflection, and rejuvenation, but it is also a time to look ahead with anticipation. I am excited about the upcoming school year and the opportunities it brings. Together, we will continue to build a positive, inclusive learning environment that honors the diversity of our students and fosters their academic and personal growth.

I believe in the power of community, and I am committed to working closely with families, staff, and students to ensure that every child has the support and encouragement they need to succeed. As we plan for the year ahead, I look forward to collaborating with each of you to create an engaging and nurturing environment for all.

In August, you will receive more information about the start of the school year, upcoming events, and ways you can get involved. I encourage you to stay connected and to share your thoughts and ideas with me—your feedback is essential in making our school the best it can be.

In closing, I leave you with the words of Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” I’m excited to partner with you all as we work toward another successful year at Ordean East Middle School.

Wishing you all a relaxing and enjoyable summer!

Warm regards,
Kristen Kennedy-Anderson

For those involved with W.E.B training, please add this event to your calendars!!

When: August 20th, 2025

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Where: Ordean East Middle School Gym

ORDEAN EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION DAY

WHEN: THURSDAY, AUGUST 28TH, 2025 FROM 12:45- 2:30

WHERE: ORDEAN EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL GYM

Just wanted to thank everyone for the great run here at OEMS - what a fantastic group of people to work with!

There is a whole cart of books in the third floor workroom for replenishing the Little Free Library / Art Gallery, left by Polly Tracy. Please encourage kids to make art for it as well! UMD's art students even contributed some this past year.

Our Adam Swanson Garden Mural near the FACS room was created with input from many content areas, and has teaching tools built in - it could be used to 'show what you know' digitally for anything from 3 Sisters to Pollinators to the shipping industry in the Twin Ports, to the Homegrown Music Festival (yes, the inclusion of the chicken came from the Music staff!). If you're newer to the building: it was meant to show what you'd see if there were WINDOWS on that wall, and celebrated the newly-keyed exit there to that garden door. Former OEMS students at East HS were involved in building the greenhouse!

Best to you all and thanks for the memories!!!

~Debra Hannu

Please read the following community resource guide if you need additional support over the summer.

Facilities will be scheduling a parking lot reconstruction the week of July14th or 21st (Date TBD)

The parking lot and Greyhound Ave. will be closed for 1 week to do the job

August 20th - W.E.B Training Day

August 28th - OEMS New Student Orientation Day

Dear parents of future Fall student athletes:

Please watch your Parent Square for announcements in August for cross country and volleyball registration. We have cross country for 6th-8th graders and volleyball for 7th and 8th grade girls.

Please spread the word and check your email in August!

We will continue to meet throughout the summer! We meet Mondays at 9am in the school garden (one hour). If any parents or students want to volunteer in the garden we would appreciate it! Contact danielle.vang@isd709.org for questions.

Camp GOTR 2025 combines all the best of the Girls on the Run program with all the fun of camp! Join us July 21 - 25, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Duluth YMCA - Harbor Highlands for an amazing week of Camp GOTR. Open to all incoming 3rd-6th grade girls (fall 2025 grades). Girls will have fun exploring friendships with activities designed to discover what makes a good friend and how to be a good friend to others. Girls will build, create, write, discuss, connect, and laugh all while participating in games and activities that will leave them feeling confident and appreciated by their teammates. All abilities and backgrounds are welcome. Generous financial aid is available, and space is limited so register early.

This year’s Summer Reading Program runs from June 1st - August 15th and all ages can participate! Log your reading time, complete activities, or attend library programs to earn prizes. Any reading counts — including e-books and audio-books.

Read or be read to for 20 hours and earn a FREE book and an entry into our grand prize drawings! Keep reading beyond 20 hours for additional chances to win.

Click this link to get registered today: https://duluthlibrary.beanstack.com/reader365

This summer the greyhounds are hosting a baseball camp for 7-14 year olds.

The ultimate goal of our summer program is to provide the players within our program a great basketball experience at a low price. We strive to improve the fundamentals of each player in the program by working on footwork, ball handling, finishing, shooting, and overall defensive skill. These are essential components in becoming a better basketball player. When it comes to building a basketball player, there is NO more important time! We need our kids in the gym!

The Link Center at UWS Superior is launching a new educational camp for the summer of 2025. These programs are thoughtfully crafted to offer middle and high school students a mix of learning and recreation, fostering personal growth and career exploration. To learn more, visit https://www.uwsuper.edu/community-engagement/youth-and-high-school-programs/educational-summer-camps/

If you have any questions, please contact the Link Center at link@uwsuper.edu.

UMD will be hosting its Annual Football Youth Camp this year on July 10th - 11th from 9am-4pm each day. Please see below for the flyer and link for registration.

UMD will be hosting its Padded Development Camp for incoming 8th and 9th graders on July 10th-11th. Please see below for the flyer and link for registration.

If you would like to learn more about summer programs and activities through Duluth Public Schools, please see the link below.

Kids will create their own, unique beaded bracelets. Many different beads to choose from!

Additional supply fee of $10 paid to instructor at class

Class # 1875-A Tue 6/17 2:30-4PM

Class # 1875-B Tue 6/24 2:30-4PM

Class # 1875-C Thu 7/17 2:30-4PM

Class # 1875-D Thu 7/17 2:30-4PM

Register here: Beaded Bracelet Making

This is a fun class to learn how to combine mixed media layers to create a zine. You will pick from a variety of different tools and art supplies to experiment with color and texture to create one of a kind designs. Then we’ll learn how to fold and assemble your creation into a mini zine. We will talk about ways that you may want to use text, pictures, embellishments, or artwork to fill your zine. Additional supply fee of $5 due to the instructor at class.

Class # 2272 Friday, Jul 11

Register here: Create a Mixed Media Zine

Instructor: Stephanie Brenning
Students will explore a variety of media during this camp. Projects can include clay, print, fiber, paint and more! Projects in session A and Session B will be different. Section C is for students who would like to attend both sessions.

Class is for students age 10-14

Class #7051 Mon Jul 7 - Thu Jul 10

Class #7052 Mon Jul 14 - Thu Jul 17

Register here: Summer Art Camp

Please see the flyer below if you would like to learn more about YMCA's summer opportunities for kids and families.

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