If COVID-19 numbers remain steady, elementary students could return to full time in-person classes Nov. 10
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Students haven’t attended any in-person classes at any Stillwater Area Public Schools since the start of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic in March. Last week, students headed back to their buildings for in-person instruction.
The Stillwater Area School Board approved the termination of Kristen Hoheisel, SAPS director of finance and operations, on Sept. 3 following a closed session to discuss legal matters.
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Members of the Young Americans for Freedom placed 2,977 flags along the entryway to St. Croix Preparatory Academy in West Lakeland Township on Monday, Sept. 7, to commemorate the 2,977 victims who died during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
September has arrived and with it grey skies, crisp autumn air (oh, so crisp), and children heading back to school. School this year will look completely different from anything we’ve seen before. Some students will stay home and begin fully distant learning programs, while others head back …
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Students returned to Stillwater Area Schools for the first day of school on Tuesday, Sept. 8. It is the first time students have entered SAPS buildings since March when schools shut down for in-person learning due to of the coronavirus pandemic.
Allina Health’s teen mental well-being program, Change to Chill, is partnering with area middle and high schools that will receive support from Allina Health to implement the CTC program during the upcoming school year.
The school board voted to approve the hiring of 11 additional teachers to support students this year. This includes two teachers for elementary, seven for middle school and two for the high school. The board also voted to reinstate four custodian positions that were cut as part of last year’…
In June, Stillwater Area School District black students and alumni authored a letter to the school board addressing past racism in the district and advocated for new policies and programs that support diverse students currently attending school.
Three candidates who originally filed for the Stillwater Area School Board have withdrawn their names from the ballot. The Gazette reported on Aug. 14 that sixteen candidates had filed for the five seats; however, candidates could remove their name by filing a withdrawal affidavit within two…
As the start of the new school year is fast approaching, the Stillwater Area School Board has been holding several additional meetings to discuss how students will return with COVID-19 safety in mind.
After Stillwater Area School District assistant superintendent Dr. Bo McDowell announced that he had taking the position of superintendent of the Hastings school district, the ISD 834 school board needed to find a replacement. The board held a special meeting July 13 to select their pick.
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Following the separation agreement with the Stillwater Area School Board, superintendent Denise Pontrelli has left the district after five years in the role.
The 2020 election this fall could lead to a big shake up on the Stillwater Area School Board. During the July 9 meeting, boardmember Mark Burns announced his intention to resign from his spot on the board. Burns, elected in 2018, has two year left on his term. He joins board member Shelley P…
The Stillwater Area School Board voted June 30 to approve a contract with Afton-Lakeland principal Malinda Lansfedt to fill in as the interim superintendent until a permanent candidate is found.
A vacancy in the top position in Stillwater Area Public Schools has caused the school board to quickly look for a temporary replacement.
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The Stillwater Area Native American Parent Advisory Committee honors Superintendent Denise Pontrelli
Students, staff and elders of the Stillwater Area Native American Parent Advisory Committee (NAPAC) gathered June 22 to honor outgoing Superintendent Denise Pontrelli with a traditional ceremony. Pontrelli received a Pendleton blanket blessed with ceremonial incense and the well wishes of th…
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In a 5-2 vote, the Stillwater Area School Board voted June 11 to approve a separation agreement with district superintendent Denise Pontrelli. Pontrelli’s last day will be July 1.
District employees are showing their support for Stillwater Area High School Superintendent Denise Pontrelli through signed letters to the school board. Pontrelli and the district have had a tense relationship for the last two years. In July 2019, the board voted 5-2 to negotiate a separatio…
Students who missed out on many senior traditions this spring were honored during Stillwater Area High School’s first-ever virtual graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 30.
The Stillwater Area High School Class of 2020 was honored with a Pony Pride Graduation Parade on Friday, May 29. The parade started at SAHS before heading north into Stillwater before finishing up on Main Street at the south end of downtown.
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The transition from high school senior to high school graduate is one often filled with unknowns. For the graduates of Stillwater Area High School Class of 2020, this step is filled with even more unknowns and — unfortunately — sacrifices due to COVID-19 restrictions.
An employee of the Stillwater Area School District is claiming the district and the school board chair violated the Minnesota Open Meeting Law, the statute protecting whistleblowers and the Minnesota Data Practices Act in a lawsuit filed May 5 in Washington County District Court.
As the effects of COVID-19 continue to disrupt operations at Stillwater Area Public Schools, the school board and administration grapple with how to address the future impacts to schedules and finances.
The Stillwater Area School District may soon be unable to use its bus terminal in Lake Elmo.
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Residents in the Stillwater Area School District will see school spirit celebrated in May.
Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday ordered Minnesota schools to stay closed through the rest of the academic year amid the COVID-19 crisis.
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The Stillwater Area School District received support from the Lake Elmo planning commission for its plans to remedy the on-going issues with its bus terminal project.
Many of the activities and social opportunities eagerly anticipated by seniors each spring leading up to their high school graduation have been curtailed or eliminated entirely in response to COVID-19, but School Area Public Schools is working to ensure those students feel appreciated during…
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Students went back to learning Monday for the first time in three week as the spread of COVID-19 extended Stillwater Area Public Schools’ spring break. Unlike the traditional fall back-to-school season, students met with teachers in a virtual school system.
During the March 19 meeting, the Stillwater Area School board authorized an investigation into the district’s new bus terminal located in Lake Elmo.
In response to COVID-19 in Minnesota and Washington County, community television station Valley Access Channels (VAC) will be producing two roundtable discussions on the Stillwater and surrounding communities response to the virus.
The Stillwater Area School Board plans to make a switch in auditing firms at the end of this fiscal year.
After almost a year of planning, Chesterton Academy of the St. Croix Valley is set to open as an independent campus in Stillwater for the 2020-21 school year.
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Five years after voters in the Stillwater Area School District approved a $97 million facility bond, the board received a recommendation from its new facility community – this time with a larger price tag. The school board heard a list of capital improvements totaling $250 million during its…
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The Stillwater Area School Board is seeking more information about what the future demographics of the district may look like, and how they can use that information to make a future decision about the boundaries of the district’s elementary and middle schools. Due to growth in housing in Lak…
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After spending $2 million in improvements, the Stillwater Area School District may be kicked out of its new bus terminal by the city of Lake Elmo. The Lake Elmo city council voted Jan. 21 to deny a request by the district for an amendment to its conditional use permit, which could end with t…
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When did you first think about what you wanted to be when you grew up? Teachers and staff at Oak-Land Middle School are piloting a program that could help all students in the Stillwater Area School District start to think about post-high school education and career plan before entering high school.
The talent and creativity of St. Croix Valley area youth will be on display for the 12th annual Da Vinci Fest on Saturday, Jan. 25 at Stillwater Area High School.
Students across the Stillwater Area School District will be impacted by the work of local education fund, The Partnership Plan.
While other municipalities are looking at the end of the calendar year and planning out the next year’s budget, the school districts are only midway through its budget year. The Stillwater Area School Board discovered that its financial position is better than planned during a mid-school yea…
As the Stillwater Area School Distirct heads into the last year of it’s three-year strategic plan, the district’s World’s Best Workforce Community Advisory Committee works to give the school board its recommendations on how the district can meet state requirements.
Imagine you are going to your child’s school for the first time, waiting to meet their teacher and wanting to start the school year with all the right information to make sure your child is doing their best. When you enter the building, the signs are in a language you don’t understand well, …
Tensions ran high between the Stillwater Area School Board and the district’s secondary literacy teachers during the Nov. 14 board meeting.
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Administration of the Stillwater Area Public Schools is preparing to roll out a new way of helping high school students select elective courses, and presented their plan Nov.6 to one group of people they hope to impress — Stillwater’s business community.
This past summer, St. Croix Preparatory Academy students Ben Silvernale and Arian Tomar received sponsorships to participate in a week-long summer business, career, and financial literacy camp, Minnesota Business Venture (MBV). Andersen Foundation provided the sponsorship for the students to…
The Stillwater Area School Board voted to explore a possible expansion of the district’s Spanish immersion program.
Stillwater Area Public Schools (SAPS) taxpayers can expect a decrease in their 2020 property taxes.
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The Stillwater Area High School (SAHS) Theatre Department earned international acclaim at a festival this summer.
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The Stillwater school board shot down another attempt to pursue mediation with Superintendent Denise Pontrelli at the Sept. 12 board meeting.
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