#PointerNation News

Silver is sweet! A big congrats to our Dodge-Point Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams, and Johnny Robinson, for their SWC Conference Runner-Up finishes at Prairie du Chien Thursday!

The Boys finished 2nd with 46 points behind Richland Center/Ithaca (4th ranked in D2) with 41.

The Girls finished 2nd with 64 points behind Platteville (11th ranked in D2) with 51.

Individually, Johnny Robinson took Runner-Up honors for the boys with Avalee Langreck placing 3rd for the girls!

Other Top Ten individual finishes include:

- Boys: Leif Nelson 5th and Nolan Allendorf 10th.

- Girls: Payton Christopher 9th.

Fantastic job, everyone!

(Graphic uses photos taken by ann gorgen photography)

1st Graders read a story called "Gustavo the Shy Ghost" which is about a timid ghost who wants to make friends. Gustavo found a way to make friends by connecting to others that have similar interests. This in turn made him "glow" and be seen. Students then wrote about what makes them "glow!"

#PointerNation ventured to Southwest Tech for Ag Day filled with hands-on learning and exploration of agriculture!

Fun Facts:

-- Zander Simenson and Braeden Gallagher are both full time students in the Ag Power Program at SWTC for their Senior year at MPHS!

-- We also had Trent Culver, Isaac Schute, and Kam Schilling, who are in their 2nd year in the SWTC Ag Power Program (completed the 1st year in their Senior year) teach a rotation to our students!

Writer's Workshop is underway in 1st Grade!

Our #PointerNation students participated in Mentoring Day this week and capped off a great day with some treats at Culver's!

There’s nothing quite like the sound of laughter filling the playground.

Phy Ed enjoyed a fun trip to TopGolf in Monona to work on their skills with the help of modern technology!

Lennie Brunson put the last pieces in the Banned & Challenged Books puzzle during Banned Books Week where we celebrate our right to read!

Banned Books Week is an annual event launched in 1982 to spotlight the freedom to read.

Empowering student leadership in our school!

This week, members of our #PointerNation High School Student Council attended the SWAL Student Council Leadership Conference at Darlington High School. The event brought together student leaders from across the region for hands-on activities centered on leadership development, teamwork, and building positive relationships.

Students also had the unique opportunity to hear keynote speaker and NFL veteran Alex Erickson. Alex shared lessons from his football career and his work with The Erickson Foundation, emphasizing the power of servant leadership and making a meaningful impact in local communities.

Thank you to Darlington High School for organizing a fantastic conference for our future leaders!

Thursday night during a 3-0 win over Riverdale, Sophie Miller hit the 1,000 assist mark in her fantastic volleyball career. Congrats, Sophie! #PointerNation is proud!

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College recently teamed up with Sielaff Corporation, Cummins Inc, and Vortex Optics to show #PointerNation students firsthand about the variety of career opportunities and paths right here in our own backyard!

During this tour, students went behind the scenes to see high-tech manufacturing in action and heard real-life success stories from professionals who started right where they were, wondering what their future might look like.

During lunch, students heard directly from a current Southwest Tech student who has obtained his CNC degree and is now pursuing his Electro-Mechanical Technology degree, both high demand fields. Gary Bakken, Southwest Tech Welding Instructor also dropped in and explained what a career in welding could look like.

In addition, Megan McCarthy, Annual Giving/Donor Relations Coordinator at Southwest Tech; Cody Kletecka, Student Employee; and Jake Johnson, Workforce Development/Employer Engagement Coordinator at Southwest Tech, were present, as well.

Thank you to our amazing industry partners for investing in the next generation of innovators!

Look at these cool Kindergarten cats!

The Mineral Point Unified School District is excited to share we are the recipients of two mini-grants from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction!

1. Middle School ($1000) Student Council and Sources of Strength

Over half of the grant funding will support a school-wide presenter who will speak about resilience, mental health, and the importance of connection and support. This presentation will reinforce the work already taking place during homeroom and provide students with resources for belonging, empathy, and help-seeking behaviors. Student Council will organize quarterly school-wide events focused on teamwork, inclusion, and student engagement. These activities will encourage students to interact with peers outside of their usual social groups and create opportunities for all students to feel involved in the school community. Sources of Strength will lead awareness campaigns throughout the year, including Mental Health Awareness Month and Unity Day, while promoting hope, resilience, kindness, and positive peer support through posters, announcements, and student-led activities.

2. Options in Education ($1000)

The mini-grant funds will support opportunities that strengthen students attending Options in Education a sense of belonging, connection, and engagement within the community. Funds will be used for materials for community service projects that encourage students to give back and build positive relationships through meaningful activities. We will also focus on education and awareness activities that promote hope, help, and strength within the school and community, as well as community outings to help students feel more connected and engaged within our community. Participating in positive social activities gives students opportunities to develop confidence and experience a stronger sense of belonging both in school and in the community.

Congratulations, #PointerNation!

It's National School Bus Safety Week! We have outstanding members of our First Student transportation team dedicated to the safety of all of our Pointers! Take some time to #ThankABusDriver!

Alumni Alert! Check out this fabulous #PointerNation crew that participated in the Special Olympics 2026 Unified Bowling Tournament South Central Region 6 in Fitchburg on Saturday! Caiti McGuire, AJ Rury, Jacob Klein, Trevor MacGilvra, and Eli Klein.

Alumni Alert! Hudson Schroeder and Adam Cody both had the incredible opportunity to return to Field of Dreams to play again at this iconic site!

After playing as teammates with the Pointers this past spring in Dyersville, IA, the duo returned as University of Dubuque Spartans and faced Northeast Iowa Community College a week ago Sunday.

Tickets are now onsale for our high school's upcoming production of "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical" at the Mineral Point Opera House!

Performances are set for November 20 & 21 at 7 pm, as well as November 22 at 1:30 pm.

Snag your reserved seats at this link.

Mark your calendar for Homecoming 2027! The football game is set for the evening of Friday, September 24 vs. the Southwestern/East Dubuque Warcats. Please join us for the entire week's festivities celebrating our Pointer pride!

Battle tested and tournament ready -- the WIAA has released the Volleyball postseason brackets!

Kudos to #PointerNation for earning the #3 seed in our WIAA Division 4 bracket and a first round bye! MP will host the winner of #6 Wisconsin Heights/#11 Southwestern Thursday, October 22 in the Regional Semifinal.

Lucky 13! Let's hear it for our #PointerNation Football team which has secured a WIAA Playoff berth for the 13th straight season!

Mineral Point earned the #4 seed and will host #5 Potosi/Cassville Friday, October 23 at 7 pm for a Division 6 Level 1 contest.

Collision Specialists SSE stopped by with a generous gift from their annual back to school event where customers can choose to support a local school of their choice.

While we certainly don't wish auto damage on anyone, we're grateful for this silver lining!

They feel communities are built on schools and this year have given another $12,000 to area districts. Thank you so much!

Check out this fantastic turnout! The #PointerNation Class of 2006 had a memorable 20th reunion recently.

(Send your class reunion photos to joelle.doye@mp.k12.wi.us)

The SWAL Conference is currently accepting applications for its next SWAL Commissioner to begin July 1, 2027. The SWAL Commissioner is responsible for athletic and co-curricular scheduling for SWAL schools (Boscobel, Cuba City, Darlington, Fennimore, Iowa-Grant, Mineral Point, Riverdale, and Southwestern).

Other duties include: scheduling officials, conducting conference meetings, overseeing all-conference selection processes, and overseeing conference finances.

A high school diploma, technical college associate degree, or university degree is required. Athletic Director experience is preferred.

If interested, please submit a letter of interest, resume, and three references to:

Boone Tollefson

Fennimore Middle/High School Principal

510 7th Street

Fennimore, WI 53809

Application Deadline: November 30, 2026. The SWAL Conference is an equal opportunity employer.

The Mineral Point Unified School District is hiring! Come join the great place that is #PointerNation where our mission is educating and inspiring our students for a bright future in a big world!

Mineral Point Middle/High School is seeking a dependable kitchen helper. Schedule is 6 am - 1 pm, 5 days a week. Benefits included. Interested applicants should contact Kimmy Mumm, Food Service Director, at 608-987-0734 or email foodservicedirector@mp.k12.wi.us for more information.

Blue would look good on you!

Make plans to join us Wednesday, October 21 for the Middle/High School Fall Choir Concert in the gym at 7 pm! Students are excited to perform for you.

Join us for the annual Mineral Point Kiwanis /MPHS Key Club/ Mineral Point Historical Society annual Halloween Costume Party at Orchard Lawn Saturday, October 24 at 10 am sharp!

Again this year will be lots of fun games put together by our High School Key Club.

Come join the fun!

We're excited to invite you to join us for the Mineral Point Career Fair on Wednesday, October 28 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at Mineral Point Middle/High School.

This annual event brings together nearly 70 businesses, organizations, colleges, and professionals to help our students explore future career pathways.

We are looking for participants to host a booth where you can showcase your profession, organization, or industry to our students. This is a fantastic opportunity to inspire the next generation while connecting with our school community. Lunch will be provided for all participants.

In addition to booths, we are also assembling an Entrepreneur Panel. If you have started your own business and would like to share your journey, this might be the perfect fit for you!

If you are interested in participating, RSVP to Erika Brunson, School Counselor, by email at erika.brunson@mp.k12.wi.us or by phone at 608-987-0732.

Thank you for considering being part of this important day for our students. We hope you’ll join us in making this year’s Career Fair our best yet!

Middle/High School Family/Teacher Conferences will be held Wednesday, October 28.

Middle: 2:30 - 7:30 pm

High: 4:00 - 7:30 pm

This is a fantastic opportunity to discuss your child's progress.

A reminder there will be no classes in #PointerNation Friday, October 30 as it is a Teacher Work Day for the end of the First Quarter. Enjoy the long weekend!

Prepare for the brain strain! Test your knowledge at the 8th Annual Trivia Night (hosted by Mineral Point Boys & Girls Basketball) Sunday, November 1 in the MPHS Gym from 5:30-7:30 pm!

Cost is $10 per person with tables consisting of 4 to 8 players. Pre-registration is preferred (pay at door) -- email bret.mcgraw@mp.k12.wi.us or merrill.brunson@mp.k12.wi.us to sign up.

Join the fun!

Elementary School Family/Teacher Conferences will be held Wednesday, November 4 from 2:30-7:30 pm.

This is a fantastic opportunity to discuss your child's progress.

Plan to join us Wednesday, November 11 for our Veterans Day Programs -- Middle/High School will have theirs at 10 am and Kindergarten/5th Grade will perform at 1 pm. #PointerNation deeply thanks all who served our country.

It’s that time of year again–please consider nominating Mineral Point educators for the following Herb Kohl Awards. They are some of the most prestigious honors that can be earned in the state.

#PointerNation has seven Kohl winners currently on staff, which is incredible -- it all starts with a nomination!

The deadline for nomination is Friday, October 2 for principal awards and Friday, November 13 for teacher awards. Read more at this link.

#PointerNation events coming up this week -- join us!

Monday, October 19

-- Regular School Board meeting 6 pm. Agenda info

-- CANCELED: JV Football at Cuba City

Tuesday, October 20

-- WIAA Regional Quarterfinal Boys Soccer vs. Prairie du Chien 4 pm (game at Dodgeville High -- note the location change from Harris Park)

Wednesday, October 21

-- Early Release 2 pm (every Wednesday)

-- Middle/High Choir Concert 7 pm in gym

Thursday, October 22

-- WIAA Regional Semifinal Volleyball vs. Wisconsin Heights 7 pm. Livestream link

Friday, October 23

-- WIAA Sectional Cross Country at Monroe 4 pm

-- WIAA Level 1 Football Playoff vs. Potosi/Cassville 7 pm. Radio: 107.1 fm. Livestream link and Livestream link

Saturday, October 24

-- WIAA Regional Final Volleyball at Waterloo 2 pm. Livestream link

-- Kiwanis/MPHS Key Club/Historical Society free kids costume contest at Orchard Lawn 10 am

"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