Knights Of Columbus Crown Free Throw Champions
Eleven boys and girls from the area, ages 9 to 14, were named local champions of the 2019 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship and have earned the right to compete at the district level. St. Ann’s Council #2587 sponsored the local competition at the Murray County Central high school gym on January 13th.
Tristn Thompson of Slayton won the 9 year old boys division and Katherine Miller of Balaton won the 9 year old girls division. Wyatt Thompson of Slayton won the 10 year old boys divison, while Erynn Rohrer won the 10 year old girls division. Carter Hanson of Slayton was the 11 year old boys winner and Kelli Miller of Balaton was the 11 year old girls winner. Hudson Schryvers of Slayton was the 12 year old boys winner and Jayda Hellewell of Balaton was the 12 year old girls winner. Christian Tentinger of Avoca was the winner of the 13 year old boys division and Karissa Hurd of Slayton won the 13 year old girls division. Tanner Graphenteen of Hadley won the 14 year old boys division. Each contestant was allowed 15 free throw attempts in the contests. Ties were settled by successive rounds of five free throws per contestant until a winner emerged.
Each of these winners will compete in the district competition on January 27th in Slayton with an eye toward moving on to the Regional and State levels. Good Luck to all our local winners!
Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council Awarded Youth Skills Training Grant
The Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council was one of five applicants awarded a $95,000 Youth Skills Training (YST) grants to develop and implement paid-learning opportunities for students 16 years of age and older. Thirty-three partnerships throughout the state applied for this second round of grants.
The grants are part of a Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (YST@DLI) program, which was signed into law in 2017 with bipartisan support, to create and provide employment training for student learners ages 16 and older in high-growth, high-demand occupations. “These grants allow high schools, businesses and community organizations to work together to train students and create skilled workers for their communities,” said Ken Peterson, DLI commissioner. The YST@DLI program develops partnerships at a local level to provide students with classroom instruction, safety training and paid learning opportunities in industries such as advanced manufacturing, agriculture, automotive, health care and information technology.
The Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council will grow and facilitate training and paid learning opportunities through a position titled “Career Pathway Navigator” devoted to the partnerships and providing a sequenced continuum of career development activities and experiences for students addressing Career Awareness, Career Exploration and Career Preparation accomplished through a series of related credit bearing classroom instruction and employer supported paid experiential learning work opportunities.
The Navigator facilitates this work to provide more comprehensive skill development including: Career Awareness activities designed to promote awareness of careers, workplace norms and employer expectations, as well as personal interests and aptitudes. These activities incorporate the technical skills components and are industry specific. Career Exploration activities promote a deeper understanding of potential careers, and provide opportunities for students to investigate a particular industry or occupation of interest. In the workplace, Career Exploration includes Informational Interviews, Job Shadowing and Workplace Tours. Career Preparation & Training Career Preparation activities give an in-depth discovery of a particular career and the development of the skills and understanding of the education needed in a particular industry or occupation. In the workplace, Career Preparation activities include work-based skills training, internships, paid work experience and apprenticeships. The student is held to the same expectations as all employees and is evaluated by the workplace supervisor.
High-quality work-based skills training will be designed, supported and structured to meet specific learning outcomes, be educationally rich, and build awareness of the business, its industry sector, its role in the economy and the career options it provides. For more information about how your company or school can be involved, please contact Eriann Faris at 507.476.4053.
Get Your Think On at the Murray County Historical Society’s Trivia Night THINK OFF:
Register your team Today!
Put on your thinking caps and join the Murray County Historical Society for a friendly trivia competition! No history degree necessary! The Think Off will take place on Saturday, February 9 at the Hadley Community Center (150 S Main St., Hadley) starting at 7pm. Registration for teams is $25 for 3-5 people per team. Advanced registration is required. First prize winning team gets a percentage of the pot. A BBQ Sandwich Supper open to everyone will be served from 5-7pm for a free will offering. Drinks available at Hadley Liquor Store. Proceeds from the meal and trivia go towards the Murray County Historical Society’s preservation efforts for the historic Dinehart-Holt House and Murray County History Museum. Bring your team to enjoy food, drinks, and the chance to win money, or come as a spectator to watch who will become Murray County’s Trivia Champs . Deadline to sign up a team is February 1 by contacting the Murray County Museum at 507-836-6533 or museum@co.murray.mn.us.
Former Dovray Native’s Sister And Brother Publish Books
Sheldon Schmitt and Pamela Bastien, brother and sister, grew up and their roots are from Dovray. They are two of eight children of parents, Dolores and Bob Schmitt, both deceased. Their love of reading came from both parents. Bob received 8-9 newspapers and read them avidly, and Dolores read every book she could get her hands on. The brother and sister dreamed of writing books and getting published someday. Their dreams finally came true.
Bush Blues is Sheldon Schmitt’s first book and is based on his years of experience working in Alaska as a police officer, fisherman and other jobs out in the bush. He recently retired from the position of the Chief of Police in Sitka, Alaska. Schmitt graduated from Minnesota State University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, and later received his Masters of Justice Administration from the University of Alaska. He also completed the National Academy at Quantico. “I cut my teeth as a cop working out in the villages. I have a real love for the people and the life out on the edge.”
Chief Snow is a young police chief in the remote Alaska bush village of Togiak. After a plane crash strands him in the frozen bush, he begins investigating a suspicious suicide of a man in the local village. Bush Blues is stark, realistic, and humorous look, not only of the life of a police officer out on the edge of civilization, but also of the people who live ‘off the grid’. A portion of the proceeds go to the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka, Alaska.
Counselor of the Beach is Pamela Bastien’s first book. Pamela Bastien is retired from a career in the office arena and is a non-combat veteran serving four years in the U.S. Navy as a hospitalcorpman, and seventeen years in the Minnesota Army National Guard. She and her husband spent many years in Naples, Florida, managing condominiums. Her husband was a Vietnam combat veteran and died in 2015 from exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. She now spends time traveling, reading and spending time with her three children and their mates and seven grandchildren. She also volunteers for the Brainerd International Speedway CRA and for the Veterans.
Counselor of the Beach features Minnesota Psychiatrist Bethany Wade who retires and moves to the peace and supposed quiet of Naples, Florida. But she soon finds that her work is not done, and people now look to her for free advice. Bethany becomes their wacky life-of-the-party girl, complete with her love for tequila, cigarettes and food. In her pursuit of finding happiness, she finds that she can also lead others to that special place of love, friendship and joy. And by helping them, she in turn finds love again. Portions of the proceeds go to Homeless and Wounded Warriors.
Both books are available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble. Visit their websites SheldonSchmitt.com and Counselorofthebeach.com for previews.
Paraprofessionals: Integral to Student Success at MCC
In every school throughout the nation there are many people involved behind the scenes to make the educational experience a successful one for each student. Everyday children attend school in pursuit of an education that will help them be successful throughout their lives. Who attends to the special needs of our students? Who provides playground and/or lunchroom supervision and all the critical operational duties in the school district? It is the paraprofessionals that fill all of these roles and so many more. The paraprofessionals are educational support staff that provides key services to meet all the needs of our school-aged children. In the Murray County Central School District, our paraprofessionals total 27, 20 at the elementary level and 7 at the high school level.
Federal law several years ago expanded the qualifications required to become a paraprofessional, as well as the duties paraprofessionals are permitted to carry out. In general, paraprofessionals work in support of the teacher. Having certified, enthusiastic, well-prepared paraprofessionals can make an enormous difference in the efficiency of a child’s classroom and the implementation of a child’s Individualized Education Plan.
Paraprofessionals can and do wear numerous hats throughout the school day. They work with students with special needs in a small group or one-on-one situations, they assist the classroom teachers with ensuring the needs of the students are met, they supervise the playground during recess, they monitor the cafeteria, they help run the media center, assist in the library, etc. This list could go on and on. One thing is certain; they are necessary for our students and teachers to help ensure learning success. They are also essential to the smooth operation of a school. We certainly do appreciate the work they do, and they support the student population that needs more help to be successful in school. Speaking on behalf of the administration, we are very fortunate to have a talented group that really cares about students. That’s a combination you look for, no matter who works in your school.
Paraprofessional Recognition Week in Minnesota is being held January 21-25, 2019. There are over 25,000 paraprofessionals working in Minnesota schools and educational programs. Without these important members of our staffs, the day-to-day operations of our schools would look significantly different. Paraprofessional Recognition Week is January 21-25, but Paraprofessional Appreciation is every day.
On behalf of the Administration and Board of Education at Murray County Central Schools, I extend our appreciation for everything that our paraprofessionals do for our schools. We will be celebrating Paraprofessionals Week at MCC with a staff luncheon and certificates of commendation. I ask that you would join us in recognizing the work of our dedicated paraprofessionals and thank them for helping meet the ongoing needs of our students and our system. It is through their support that we are able to continue providing high quality programs and services for all students.
