#PointerNation News

We are pleased to announce the Mineral Point Unified School District has again earned an "Exceeds Expectations" rating on the 2024-25 state report card.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's annual state report cards were released Tuesday, and you can find detailed information at this link.

Kudos to our students and staff for their hard work and dedication! As always, we are incredibly thankful for supportive families and community who help us maintain a high level of excellence.

We are #PointerNation proud and hope you are, too.

We were proud to have our middle/high school once again host an outstanding Veterans Day Program this year. It was a fabulous event! Thanks to all the speakers, musicians, and most importantly, veterans. We are forever indebted to you. Check out more photos at this link.

Kudos to our high school scholars for earning academic accolades during the first quarter! #PointerNation is proud of you and your commitment to excellence in the classroom! Read the list at this link.

Article and video from Monday's School Board meeting is now available at this link.

Veterans Day at our elementary school sure was special! Kindergarten and 5th Grade students did a great job with their songs and 5th graders wrote touching letters to veterans. Great job, all and thank you again, vets! Check out more photos at this link.

A big congrats to Maddy Kabat who has once again earned All-State honors from the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association!

This is the second year in a row she has been a First Team All-State selection and was also an Honorable Mention selection as a sophomore.

We are proud of you for this fantastic achievement!

Read more at this link.

Huge congrats to our amazing Middle School Quiz Bowl teams that competed at CESA 3 Friday!

- 7th Grade Team 1st Place: Mira McGraw, Mya Hoffman, Ezra Wilson, and Ned Weaver.

- 8th Grade Team 3rd Place: EJ Chapman, Cullen Palzkill, Peyton Raisbeck, and Griffin Soldner.

- 8th Grade Individual 3rd Place: Cullen Palzkill.

Your hard work, teamwork, and lightning-fast thinking really paid off. We’re so proud of your dedication and the way you represented our school with curiosity and class. Keep asking great questions and reaching for new challenges.

Results are in!

21 members of the Mineral Point Math Team competed in the 52nd Annual University of Wisconsin-Platteville High School Math Contest.

Each student completed two tests -- one individual and one team test. Competitors were divided into two levels: Level 1 for Freshmen and Sophomores, and Level 2 for Juniors and Seniors. Schools were also grouped into divisions based on enrollment size. This year, Mineral Point competed in Division 3, which included 18 teams.

We’re proud to recognize our individual award winners:

- Anthony Buleje Cadena, medalist for the Level 2 test

- Bryce Drury, medalist for the Level 1 test

Team scores combined both individual and team test results from Levels 1 and 2. Our Mineral Point Blue Team had an outstanding showing, tying for fourth place out of 18 teams!

Congratulations to all participants for their hard work and for proudly representing #PointerNation!

Our Options in Education students were very excited to once again welcome veterans and their families for lunch Tuesday! Thanks to all for joining us!

What a great Career Fair we had in #PointerNation! Over 50 different booths were available for our middle and high school students to visit -- everything from businesses, military recruiters, colleges, union/training programs, and more!

Thank you to all our exhibitors: AB Electric, Alliant Energy, Capri College, Careers in Education, Carey’s Seamless Gutters, Careers as a Nurse Anesthetist, Community First Bank, Compeer Financial, Department of Corrections, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Driftless Area Land Conservancy, Eilertsons, Express Employment, Family Advocates, Farmers Savings Bank, Fuse Fiber Optics, Hallada Motors, Heinrich’s Roofing, House on the Rock Attraction & Resort, Insight FS, Iowa County Humane Society, Iowa County Sheriff’s Department, Ivey’s Construction, Johnson Block CPAs, Lands’ End, Lundell Insurance, Marine Credit Union, McCon, MHTC, Mineral Point Public Library, Mineral Point Rescue Squad, Monson Septic Plumbing & Portable Restrooms, Mound City Bank, NICC, Reflections by Molly Gold, Renewed Brain Health, Rustic Country Gatherings, Southwest Health, Southwest Tech, United States Postal Service, University of Northwestern Ohio, Upland Hills Health Aquatic Therapy, United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Marines, United States Navy, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Vierbicher, Wisconsin Laborers.

High School Panel: Grady Finley, Christian Bigler, Kit Finley, Jadyn Schultz, Kalea Biddick, Annabelle Busch, Dane Hirsch, Ryley Reichling, Mallory Gould.

Entrepreneur Panel: Kelly Blotz, Becky and Dan Carey, Kelly Johnson, Chase Martin.

Alumni Panel: Mackenzie Aurit, Lexi Kinch, Isaac Lindsey, Lexi Pautz, Jordyn and Trevor Wendhausen, Cameron Wiegman.

(Pointer Media photos)

Ms. Brianna Bennett, Speech and Language Teacher, taught 1st Grade about communication and how we all communicate in different ways!

Many of us speak, use sign language, facial expressions, write, and some use a “talker” or device to communicate.

Thanks for this great lesson!

Our 4K students made some fantastic poppies for Veterans Day!

Mrs. Livia Doyle's 4th Grade students will be spotlighting the Mineral Point Opera House in their upcoming holiday ads! Students enjoyed a recent visit to learn more about their featured business.

Mrs. Carmen McDonald's Kindergarten students will be spotlighting High Street Sweets in their upcoming holiday ads! Students enjoyed a recent visit to learn more about their featured business.

Interested students had a great time at Southwest Tech's Graphic Design & Web Day! This crew learned how to design, print, and press their own t-shirts. They also voted on the next SWTC t-shirt design. Special shout out to Brock Ellingson (#PointerNation Class of 2023) who is in the Graphic Design Class at SWTC!

Our middle school students dove into the Law of Conservation of Energy with a creative experiment. They set up a ball on a string connected to a meter stick, released it from a specific height, and watched potential energy turn into kinetic energy right before their eyes!

The verdict? Energy doesn’t disappear - it just changes form! Proud of our students for exploring science with curiosity and excitement.

As part of our partnership with UW-Oshkosh for our Music & Culture class, students were able to visit the campus this week and meet with music instructors!

Thanks to:

- Dr. Ed Martin, Professor of Music, for allowing us into his Music Theory class

- Nathan Edwards, Professor and Director of Audio Production, for welcoming us into the studio. Nathan is a 2002 graduate of Dodgeville High School!

We are so lucky to have this great place just down the street from school! Thanks to Cummins Inc for welcoming many of our students for a tour -- your partnership is valued and very much appreciated.

Parachute time never fails to produce some wide-eyed excitement!

1st Graders read the book "Finding Winnie!" Students heard the true story of how Winnie the Pooh came to be, traveling across the Atlantic Ocean during WWI and becoming part of the military. They also explored England and saw important landmarks like: double decker buses, red telephone booths, and castles. English people LOVE their tea!

Our Musical Theatre crew enjoyed a fun Saturday in Madison at the Overture Center for the Arts for the Broadway tour rendition of "Some Like it Hot!"

Check out these brainiacs! Congrats to the champs of our 7th annual Trivia Night hosted by MP Basketball: Bret, Mira and Oakley McGraw, Joel and Beth Miller, Frank McGettigan, Joe Gevelinger, Jodi and Jason McGraw, and Parker Doney. Thanks to everyone who participated!

All is right in the world when Mr. Steger, Mr. Burreson, and Mr. Cool host one of their world-famous trivia competitions, and that's exactly what we had last week in #PointerNation! Brain muscles were flexed and fun was had.

Kudos to our #PointerNation Girls Basketball Team for starting out the season as an Honorable Mention Team to Watch in the Division 4 State Rankings this week! Read more at this link.

The cast and crew for our high school's upcoming production of "Seussical" at the Mineral Point Opera House is looking forward to performing for you!

Mark your calendars for November 21-23 and read more about the production and how to reserve your seats at this link.

A reminder -- no classes will be held in #PointerNation Wednesday, November 26 through Sunday, November 30 due to Thanksgiving Break. Enjoy the time off!

We'd love to have you join our sub pool! There will be a Substitute Teacher Training held at CESA 3 in Fennimore at 9 am on December 8.

This training is one of the requirements for a sub license in Wisconsin (including the minimum of an associate's degree).

Participants can register using this link.

Join the middle/high school choirs and bands for their Winter Concert Monday, December 8 at 7 pm in the middle/high school gym for some outstanding sounds of the season!

Elementary (grades K-5) students are getting excited to share their musical talents with you at their Winter Concert Thursday, December 18 in the high school gym beginning at 1:30 pm!

Alumni Alert! Andy Leuthold (#PointerNation Class of 1970) was featured on national news after his Badger Honor Flight from Madison to Washington DC this past weekend where he was greeted by former President Barack Obama -- check out more at these links and see if you can spot Andy!:

- Video link

- Article link

Alumni Alert! Congratulations to Whitney Reichling-Runde (#PointerNation Class of 2005) Reach Out and Read Clinic Coordinator for Southwest Health, who was awarded the 2025 Excellence Award from Reach Out and Read Wisconsin!

Whitney is the Clinic Coordinator for all five Southwest Health Reach Out and Read Clinics.

Her incredible passion and dedication to the program are palpable the moment you walk into any of their clinics. This is evident in every detail, from the meticulous book tracking and sticker system to the inviting waiting room spaces with wall activities and reading nooks. She spearheaded the creation of children’s areas, not only in the Family Medicine Clinic but also in the Women’s Health Department and Specialty Clinic, and is now focusing on the Behavioral Health area. She also has led the organization of a provider read aloud at the annual community Berry Fest for the past two years to grow community excitement and awareness around the importance of shared reading.

Where in the world is #PointerNation? Josie Dunn had the honor of being selected to perform the first movement of the Haydn Oboe Concerto with Dubuque Symphony Youth Ensembles! Josie placed 2nd in the Youth Concerto Competition last April and this performance opportunity was part of that prize. Congrats and great job! If you'd like to watch the video, you can catch it at this link.

#PointerNation events coming up this week -- join us! (Please note these schedules are always subject to change)

Tuesday, November 18
- Girls Basketball vs. Lancaster (JV 5:45 pm, Varsity to follow). Radio: 97.7 fm. Livestreams: https://www.youtube.com/@mptvpointers and https://www.youtube.com/@queenbradiosports
- MS Boys Basketball at Darlington 4 pm

Wednesday, November 19
- Early Release 2 pm (Every Wednesday)

Thursday, November 20
- Girls Basketball at Platteville (JV 6 pm, Varsity to follow). Radio: 107.1 fm. Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@plattevilleschooldistrict
- MS Boys Basketball vs. Dodgeville 4 pm

Friday, November 21
- HS Musical "Seussical" 7 pm at Opera House: https://mineralpointschools.org/2025/09/seussical-cast-crew-announced/

Saturday, November 22
- HS Musical "Seussical" 7 pm at Opera House: https://mineralpointschools.org/2025/09/seussical-cast-crew-announced/

Sunday, November 23
- HS Musical "Seussical" 1:30 pm at Opera House: https://mineralpointschools.org/2025/09/seussical-cast-crew-announced/

Please be aware of other companies claiming to livestream our games, especially if there are links different than posted above and ask for credit card and personal information -- these are scams. We will update this pinned post as available livestream information is relayed to us.

"Grounded by our history as one of the oldest publicly supported schools in Wisconsin, Mineral Point Unified School District is the heart of a small community that educates and inspires our students for a bright future in a big world."

Email: joelle.doye@mp.k12.wi.us
Website: mineralpointschools.org
Location: 705 Ross Street, Mineral Point, WI, USA
Phone: (608) 987-0740
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MineralPointSchoolDistrict