#PointerNation News

Libby Dunn

Ryley Reichling

Jaydee Woerpel

Joss James

Morgan Palzkill

Some days all you need is a beach towel, a book, and a buddy!

As a culminating activity to their insect unit, Kindergarteners had to create a bug with all the right parts. They were rather delicious, too!

Our Middle/High School Musicians put on great concerts last week! Check out more photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=MineralPointSchoolDistrict&set=a.941534017948481

Our Pointer Baseball team is currently leading the SWAL Conference! Check out some photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=MineralPointSchoolDistrict&set=a.938675528234330

Our Pointer Softball team is currently leading the SWAL Conference! Check out some photos here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=MineralPointSchoolDistrict&set=a.940801464688403

Marla (Hanson) Martin, Elementary Instructional Assistant

MPHS Class of 1972

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- We had one of the best music programs in southwestern Wisconsin. Also, a very supportive faculty.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- Helping other Mineral Point students achieve success.

Judy (Meylor) Pelton, Middle School Instructional Assistant

MPHS Class of 1975

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- They gave me the opportunity to work with students in different classrooms.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- I know a lot of family members from different generations! I believe I have walked more steps in the halls of the Mineral Point Unified School District than anyone in Mineral Point! I just love everything about MP!

Mo May Grimm, Pointer Kids Club Director

MPHS Class of 1980

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- Top-notch business classes, as well as other classes, have served me well throughout my career.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- I like the opportunity to make a difference in little lives at Pointer Kids Club.

Sue (Leuthold) Gollon, Middle/High School Library Assistant

MPHS Class of 1983

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- I had some amazing teachers who went on to some great accomplishments as well as stayed on teaching. Then Mrs. Gundlach, was the Mr. Cool in my time, went on to be Iowa County Judge. Mr. Getman and Mr. Ruppert were so patient teaching me math, and to this day I still struggle, but appreciate how they went that extra mile to help me. Mr. Bauman was also someone I admired and respected in high school and was great giving me feedback when I was in track. He always gave me the greatest pep talks when I was preparing for State Track.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- It has been fun seeing kids, and now grandkids, of people I went to school with. My first day here I called someone out (Sadie Owens I believe) and said "You have GOT to be an Eggers of some kind..." but now it is grandkids!

Jill (Walsh) McGuire, Kindergarten Teacher

MPHS Class of 1983

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- I think going to a small town school I learned a lot of values first and foremost. Values like study or work hard and you will be rewarded, respect others and their opinions, kindness is free, notice everyone, look people in the eye when you are talking to them, and many other qualities that cannot be explained. On the other side, we had great educators who cared deeply about their subjects and their passion for teaching us was unbounded. I recall the first student computers in Mr. Getman’s classroom and how he so wanted all of us to know how to write software programs. He was always so passionate about mathematics and programming. Mrs. Esch, Mr. Ruppert, Ms. Fiedler, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Evans, and Mrs. Kenyon (May) were just a few who I feel influenced my life in great ways.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- Serving my alma mater is a great privilege and I am proud to be here! I feel as though the district just goes on serving me. My position as a teacher in this district has allowed me to stay here in Mineral Point and raise my own family. I was able to be close by as my parents and other relatives grew old and passed away. I am able to teach children every day - children of friends, children of those I taught years ago, and those who are new to our community. I hope I am helping to instill those great values that I learned from those ahead of me, along with providing kindergartners with a fun, loving, learning filled environment they will remember for years to come!

Denise (Brown) Gorgen, 2nd Grade Teacher

MPHS Class of 1985

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- Teaching students information in a way they will remember and put to use is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give to another person. I have many "gifts" from my elementary, middle, and high school teachers. Mr. J's daily quotes (written on a chalkboard) still resonate with me today.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- I strive to foster a sense of community and pride in my students' educational journey. I thoroughly enjoy reconnecting with fellow alumni and sharing experiences that have created a meaningful bond. The members of the Class of '85 will always hold a special place in my heart.

Carmen (Wessel) McDonald, Kindergarten Teacher

MPHS Class of 1989

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- I had the best teachers, who not only taught their subject areas well, but also taught life lessons, and how to handle real word situations. My teachers taught me above anything else, your relationships are so important and it's truly the people in our lives that make a difference.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- It is great knowing the families and feeling that sense of community!

Lynn (Budzinski) Ross, 4th Grade Teacher

MPHS Class of 1990

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- I attended Mineral Point Schools from kindergarten through high school. As a student, the teachers always pushed everyone to do their best. Mineral Point Schools provided me with a strong foundation for success through its dedicated teachers and diverse learning opportunities. These opportunities gave me a love for learning, critical thinking skills, and the confidence to pursue my dreams. I am very grateful to all of my former teachers for the education and experiences that shaped my future.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- What I love most about teaching at Mineral Point is the sense of community and connection. Being able to teach in the same place where I grew up allows me to give back to the community that shaped me. I feel very fortunate that my own children have attended school here and have had similar experiences to what I had while growing up in a small-town community. I also cherish the relationships with my 4th grade students and their families, hoping that I'm making a difference in their lives just as my teachers did for me.

Gina (Galle) Dochnahl, Elementary Instructional Assistant

MPHS Class of 1993

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- I developed relationships with people I am still very close with today.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- So proud to be raised in a community that I continue to love and support.

Kyle Carey, Middle/High School Tech Ed Teacher

MPHS Class of 1999

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- It offered the classes and had the staff to guide me in every direction.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- I know most of the community and they know me.

Morgan (Potterton) Burris, EC/4K Teacher

MPHS Class of 2002

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- From elementary all the way through high school, MP Schools provided me a loving, caring environment. The schools and teachers had high expectations but made learning fun. I also had many teachers that instilled a strong work ethic and pushed me to do things out of my comfort zone. I went into teaching because of the teachers in Mineral Point.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- I love working and living in my hometown. I get to touch the lives of students just like my teachers did for me. I love watching students grow up in our community and watching all of their accomplishments. Mineral Point is truly a special place to live and work in and I'm honored to be able to teach here.

Jayne (Fuller) Lindsey, School Nurse

MPHS Class of 2004

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- Like most high schoolers, I was searching for where my passions and strengths lie. I was lucky to attend Mineral Point High School where I could take advantage of a wide variety of educational and extracurricular activities from AP courses for college credit, woodworking, art classes, year round sports, band, choir, musicals, and academic clubs. Because the school offered so many opportunities led by committed staff, I was challenged to reach for my fullest potential and developed a passion for a variety of activities I continue to enjoy today. I also learned the importance of prioritization and time management that has continued to serve me into adulthood in my personal and professional life.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- What I enjoy most about working for the Mineral Point Unified School District is the sense of community I feel when I come to work each day. I feel supported by, and connected to, those I work with and a sense of pride in the collaborative efforts to keep our school a safe, healthy, and inclusive educational setting. I feel like I belong here, that we are making a difference in our students' lives, and that our school community and beyond continues becoming a better place through the commitment of our wonderful staff, students, and families.

Danielle (Yager) Miller, Bookkeeper

MPHS Class of 2008

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- I learned the importance of having a supportive community, and that was one of the many reasons why we wanted to come back and raise our family here.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- There is so much pride and commitment to working in the district I not only grew up in, but also the schools my girls attend.

Carrie (Graber) Brinkman, Middle School & Middle/High School Athletic Administrative Assistant

MPHS Class of 2012

How did MP Schools help prepare you for a successful future?

- Showed me that doing the hard work does pay off.

What do you enjoy most about serving your alma mater?

- I enjoy that I work with some of my teachers from when I was in school and getting to have a different relationship than just a student/teacher one.