Each month, the Battle Lake School celebrates staff and students that exhibit characteristics of the "Battler Proud" way. Students and staff have the opportunity to nominate anybody within the school they feel have exhibited specific character traits for that month.

For the month of November, the character focus was "Compassion." Congratulations to the following staff/students that were recognized for November:

Students

1st Grade: Autumn Thorlacious

1st Grade: Brooks Koep

2nd Grade: Del Sharpe

2nd Grade: Scarlet Anderson

3rd Grade: Alyssa Stans

3rd Grade: Jax Akerman

12th Grade: Jonny Fielding

Staff

Kindergarten Teacher - Jen Kerzman

4th Grade Teacher - Joe Mollberg

Physical Education Teacher - Steve Bradsteen

Check out the next edition of the newsletter to see the Battler Proud winners for the months of December & January!

The Knowledge Bowl program has a strong tradition here in Battle Lake, and it all begins with the junior high teams. They competed in three meets this season in Fergus Falls. The Battlers brought three teams to each meet, and all teams competed well and enjoyed testing their knowledge.

Knowledge Bowl is a competition in which three teams of five students are in a room and have questions read to them. The questions come from all academic areas, including math, history, English, science, and current events. The students can “beep” in when they think that they know the answer, and then they have ten seconds to discuss with their teammates before the spokesperson has to give the answer to the judge. Knowledge Bowl promotes teamwork, quick thinking, and overall knowledge in a wide array of subjects, and the young Battlers had a good season and had a lot of fun.

The junior high KB season runs from the middle of September to the middle of November.

The varsity season kicked off right before the holiday break in December at Concordia-Moorhead.

The varsity Battlers finished in first place!

Thank you for your support of the Battle Lake KB program.

The Battle Lake School Choirs had their first concert of the year on December 19th. Approximately 75 students sang in three choirs - Junior High Choir, Concert Choir, and Chorale. Students from each group played percussion and Mrs. Peterson's husband came in to play double bass on "Hope is a Hidden Star" with the Junior High Choir. Concert Choir sang in Spanish and performed a song in mixed meter. Chorale performed a piece that included body percussion at the same time as singing! Paul Malecha accompanied the choirs and played the piano fabulously. All choirs ended the performance together singing "Night of Silence." The next concerts are coming up on March 20th and May 8th.

This is held for the staff the last 12 school days before break in December. Each day has a theme and staff members can choose to dress according to that theme if they wish. This has been a tradition at Battle Lake School for around 10 years now. It began with wearing Christmas dresses on the last school day and now covers themes over the course of 12 days.

Aside from "sporting" some pretty awesome threds, other activities also take place during these 12 days of fun, including: a hot chocolate bar, staff potluck, Christmas sock swap, cookie exchange, and so much more!

Take a look at some of the fun that was had this year!

The Battle Lake School staff members participated in a food drive that ran from December 1 - 22 to benefit our area food shelf. Items collected included: Cereal, Shampoo/Conditioner, Macaroni and Cheese, Canned Fruit, Boxed Potatoes, Canned Tomatoes, Jar of Applesauce, Body Wash/Deodorant, Box of Crackers, Package of Rice, Package of Pasta, Spaghetti Sauce, Peanut Butter, Toothpaste/Toothbrush, Canned Vegetables, and Chicken Noodle Soup.

Battle Lake School held its annual Minnesota Honor Society (MHS) Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. MHS is built on the four pillars of leadership, scholarship, service, and character. We are so happy to induct students who exemplify these traits and stand as strong leaders in our school and community!

This year, the ceremony music entertainment was provided by our current senior MHS members and we were blessed to have Sandy Thigman back at our school as our special speaker!

A huge thanks to our students, parents, school, and community for all you have done and continue to do in the lives of our students!

Penny Wars is a fundraising competition where the 4th-12th grade classes collect pennies in an effort to get the greatest amount. Each grade is provided a bucket to collect their pennies and everyone has a week to collect. There are also sabotage buckets for each grade and anyone can put money other than pennies to take away the total from the number of pennies. The Battle Lake FFA Chapter puts on the fundraiser before Christmas for Toys for Tots and has been a good fundraiser for quite some time.

1st : 5th Grade $59.33

2nd: 9th Grade $31.89

3rd: 10th Grade $5.86

4th: 6th Grade $2.07

5th: 11th Grade $.28

6th: 12th Grade -$6.98

7th: 8th Grade -$8.93

8th: 7th Grade -$9.63

9th: 4th Grade -$17.99

The Battle Lake 542 Education Foundation granted a record amount of funds to Battle Lake teachers this year. The goal of the foundation is to support strategic learning programs in the Battle Lake School, which hone and enrich the skills of students. The foundation augments public funds to support learning beyond the basics. Teachers can apply for these additional funds every fall. These funds are raised by the foundation and serves as “over and above” the normal school budget.

The BL542EF raises funds via four main buckets:

1. Various Membership Levels
2. The Tastes, Toasts and Traditions Event
3. Sponsoring the 5k/10k Walk/Race during Wenonga Days
4. Alternative fundraisers such has Holiday Home Tours

Thanks to everyone who helped volunteer, participate, or sponsor these events!

On Dec. 19 th , the BL542EF presented the $31,381.79 check to the school. The teachers presented what dollar amount they were awarded, what was purchased, and how it will help them in their class.

Here are some of the items granted:

Document Camera, Flex Seating, Whiteboard, Sensory Path and Play Supplies, Reading Core and New Books, Laser Engraver and Cutter, Microphone and Amplifier, Mice for Chrome Books, Multiplication Wrap Ups, Math IXL, Generation Genius, Audio System for Choir, Studio Lightbox, Microscope Camera with Document Camera and Digital Balances, Welder and Welding Supplies, Nonfiction Books for young readers.

Make sure to check out our February newsletter to see our teachers and students in action using these items!

You can find out more about the Battle Lake 542 Education Foundation by visiting:

Web Site: https://542foundation.com/

FaceBook: Battle Lake 542 Education Foundation

Reach out to board members: Shari Prigge, Brooke Olson, Julia Demars, Boston Heaford, Rick Schaller, MacKenzie Barry, Jill Langren, Debbie Ness, Lisa Young, Amy Severson, Mike Iverson, and Jeff Skogen.

Each February, the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) has sponsored Minnesota School Board Recognition Week to recognize school board members for their commitment to Minnesota’s public school students.

In 2023, MSBA will devote a full month to Minnesota School Board Recognition Month for the entirety of February.

Check out our February newsletter for more on this!

BPA students received 35 awards at their Region 7 competition that took place on January 20, 2023.

Nineteen students competed and represented Battle Lake School well, with 15 students placing in 19 categories. The Battle Lake chapter brought home 35 awards with 14 taking first place!

The events & students that placed are as follows:

Administrative Support Concepts, Advanced Desktop Publishing, Basic Office Systems & Procedures, Computer Programming Concepts, Digital Communication & Design Concepts, Digital Marketing Concepts, Ethics & Professionalism, Extemporaneous Speech, Financial Math & Analysis Concepts, Fundamental Word Processing, Fundamentals of Web Design, Health Insurance & Medical Billing, Intermediate Word Processing, Legal Office Procedures, Management/Marketing/Human Resources Management Concepts, Meeting & Event Planning Concepts, Parliamentary Procedure Concepts, Payroll Accounting & Prepared Speech.

CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS!

Morgan Malone, Kailie Robinson, Cadence Hartman, Trevor Stans, Sophie Akerman, Kenady Cameron, Molly Durbin, August Wicklund, Aidan Heggem, Quinn Condiff, Kyleigh Shebeck, Madison Cameron, Janie Lhotak, Isabel Brandborg & Addison Maethner.

These students will now advance and compete in the BPA State competition scheduled to take place in March

The Battle Lake School Spelling Bee took place on Tuesday, January 24. The top spellers in grades 5-8 competed:

5th Grade: Elliot Heggem, Billy Bastyr, Grady Abram, Hannah Cameron, Tobias Laven

6th Grade: Tellef Klemetson, Laila Mattson, Cali Fleischauer, Cooper Dorn

7th Grade: Tegan Brandon, Ethan Sonju, Maeci Tandberg, Oliver Heggem, Gage Abram

8th Grade: Graycie Cameron, Brayden Meyer, Shane Severson, Delia Tebrugge, Carsten Brandon

Congratulations to our 2023 Spelling Bee Champion, Graycie Cameron!

Attendants were as follows:

Freshmen: Kenady Cameron & Peter Newark, Trinity Moen & Talyn Setterholm

Sophomores: Vivian Ness & Diego Oson

Juniors: Hailey Rasmussen & Emil Herrling

Seniors: Annika Lukken & August Wicklund, Eliana Cole & Owen Buehler, Anna Bellig & Declan Nelson, Eleanore Proctor & Drew Johnson

Kindergarten Prince & Princess: Cecilia Lee & Hayden Bussa

Congratulations to the newly crowned King & Queen, August Wicklund & Anna Bellig!

Click on a link below to get the athletic schedule for that week.

February 5 - 11

February 12 - 18

February 19 - 25

February 26 - March 4

March 5 - 11

March 12 - 18

March 19 - 25

March 26 - 31

February 6 - 10

Book Fair

Battle Lake School Media Center

Open 7:30-8:30am and 3:00-8:00pm

February 6

K-3rd Grade Concert

Battle Lake School Auditorium

7:00 pm

February 8

Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences

4:00 - 8:00 pm

February 13

School Board Meeting

Battle Lake School Media Center

February 20

No School

Presidents' Day

March 13

School Board Meeting

Battle Lake School Media Center

March 20

Choir Concert

Battle Lake School Auditorium

7:00 pm

March 23

High School Parent-Teacher Conferences

4:00 - 8:00 pm

Catch up on school updates - download the BL Schools' app today! With the app, you can access sports scores, cafeteria menus, news updates and even emergency notifications. Download the app on Android: http://bit.ly/2noE8Ec or iPhone: https://apple.co/30W2O4A.

Website: www.battlelakeschool.k12.mn.us
Location: 402 Summit Street West, Battle Lake, MN, USA
Phone: 218-864-5215
Facebook: facebook.com/BLSchools
Twitter: @BLSchools