VIDEO: Hopkins School District Celebrates ‘STEM’

A new video shows off the district’s work on science technology engineering and math.

STEM—or science, technology, engineering and math—has become a big focus among educators. Officials say students need those skills for 21st Century jobs. Hopkins Public Schools is among those putting increased focus on STEM. The district created a video showing off some of the ways it’s promoting these skills. Check it out in the player above.   Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our free daily newsletter | Check out Patch’s Pinterest boards

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Hopkins School Enrollment Dips Below 7,000 Students

The ongoing decline is likely a result of changing demographics and open enrollment trends.

Hopkins school district enrollment dropped below 7,000 students for the first time in recent years—likely the result of demographics and a narrowing open enrollment gap. The Oct. 1 fall seat count fell 2.1 percent this year—a 151-student decline from 7,105 students in the 2011-12 school year to 6,954 in 2012-13, according to numbers discussed at Thursday’s School Board meeting. Much of that loss comes because more students are graduating than entering the district. The district counted 116 more high school seniors than kindergarteners. Those numbers likely reflect a larger trend called “aging in place.” Couples who might have once left their homes for smaller residences when their children left are keeping their homes longer. That makes it…

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PHOTOS: Hopkins Education Foundation Celebrates $2M Milestone

The organization hosted a celebration at Tuttle’s on Sunday.

Hopkins schools supporters headed to Tuttle’s on Sunday for discounted bowling, refreshments, door prizes, live music—and a celebration of an important milestone for the Hopkins Education Foundation. The organization, a non-profit that funds projects within the Hopkins school district, has awarded $2 million in grants since it formed in 1995. It took 11 years to reach the $1 million mark. With increasing community support, it raised its second $1 million in just six years. In all, the Foundation has awarded more than 300 grants. Not only did the foundation spread the word at Sunday’s "$2 million 2-gether Foundation Celebration." It also showed the ceremonial $2 million check at Homecoming festivities. *** Do you have photos of the $2 …

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Back To School Fashion: What’s Hot, What’s Not?

It’s in with the new and out with the old as students head back to school.

As the fall semester approaches, middle and high school students start to think about what they will wear on the first day of classes. Grade school students have it easy—they willingly wear whatever mom or dad lays out for them. But for teenagers, deciding what to wear—and what to buy at back to school sale—is a little more complicated. “Most high school students are very particular about what they like,” says Tania Richter, owner of Shop Karizma, a fashion boutique in Shakopee. “They wear what their friends wear, but they also want to be their own person and show who they are.” And middle-schoolers: “They look at what’s popular with the high school students and that’s what they wear.” Complicating the issue even further: the extremes of …

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Reasons to Participate

Reasons to Participate: Art, Preschool and 'Academic Milestones

A weekly look at happenings in your local government.

Learn what issues the art curriculum review will cover: Hopkins Public Schools is launching a review of its art curriculum, with the department scheduled to make recommendations during the 2011-2012 school year. At Thursday’s board meeting, school board directors will discuss what issues they’d like to see covered during the curriculum review process. Find out what’s ahead for Ready 4 K: The district’s Ready 4 K program helps low-income children and English language learners who have not had a chance to attend preschool prepare for kindergarten. The first class wrapped up at Alice Smith in the spring of 2010, and the district added a second program at Eisenhower Elementary this fall. School board directors will discuss the program’s …

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Bottom of the 12th

Bottom of the 12th: Graduation

I finally earned my diploma and finished my high school journey

This past week may have been the most eventful, exciting and satisfying weeks of my young life. I had my last days of school, found out my final grades of high school, had my graduation ceremony and party and attended the all-night senior party. Through my own baseball lens, the week went a little something like this. The back and forth game had me tired as there were highs and lows throughout the journey. There were close calls at the plate, homerun robbing catches and dazzling diving stops. These were the times that homework was not done the morning of class or when an assignment  had somehow been forgotten until late in the evening. These moments, although stressful, provided excitement and intrigue. More notably, it provided the great …

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Bottom of the 12th

Bottom of the 12th: Senior Sendoff

A weekend of 'lasts'

On this Memorial Day night, on a much appreciated day off from school, I will do the last homework of my high school life. When I scribble the last number onto my stats sheet, I will have finished the last of my after-school busy work. What a great feeling it is to finally be able to say that I am reaching the “lasts” of high school. I had my last Monday and Friday of school last week and will have my last full day Tuesday. This time next week, I will probably have been awake for a mere handful of hours with little worry greater than finding the most efficient way to prepare a meal. This week brought a lot of clarity to my final grades for the year as I finished up my final psychology project and took my Spanish Proficiency Exams. I have …

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Bottom of the 12th

Bottom of the 12th: Royal Reflection

The end of high school is so close.

Perhaps it's the fact that memorial weekend is this weekend, or maybe it's because I'm able to finally say it's the last Friday or last Monday of high school, but I have begun to reminisce about the experiences of my pre-collegiate schooling. When I think back to my first year at high school, I remember being intimidated by how large it was and how many people were there. I rode the bus to school every day because neither I nor my friends had cars yet and would move from class to class without making any stops to chat in the hallway. I was too afraid of being late to be social in between classes. I spent my evenings at home making sure all my homework was done and that I was prepared for the next day’s educational opportunities. I hung out…

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(VIDEO) Hopkins Education Foundation Awards $80,000 in Grants

The grants provide money for school programs and technology.

Hopkins students will be able to take advantage of a host of exciting programs and technologies thanks to $80,000 in grants that the Hopkins Education Foundation just awarded. The foundation provides money for programs and technology that the school district wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. It also accelerates pilot programs and provides new technology for the classrooms—including interactive white boards, college planning software and data collection devices. The foundation has given nearly $2 million to Hopkins schools since 1995. This year the organization awarded five grants. Expanding Elementary Classroom Libraries (Bonnie Hild): Increases non-fiction offerings and provides additional options for readers. Learning to Focus with …

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Bottom of the 12th

Bottom of the 12th: Finish Line

Graduation is only two weeks away, but I still have work to do.

For the past three years, my high school experience has been determined by the weekly wait for Saturday, the countdown to extended breaks and the last month before the annual summer reprieve. Now I am finally able to look not only look toward summer break, but also the final conclusion of my pre-collegiate schooling. I will have entire days to travel, read, spend time with friends, work to put away money for college and all the other activities I was unable to do during the school year. Unfortunately, the upcoming weeks will still be difficult. I need my grades to go up to meet my standards for academic success—for my own pride and to ensure I keep my scholarships and honors status intact. The next few weeks could prove very difficult …

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