North Branch Area Public Schools

High school Spanish students just got home from an amazing 8-day trip to Spain! They had a great time exploring the cities of Barcelona, Zaragoza, Madrid, and Toledo, and immersing themselves in the language and culture. Highlights included touring the famous Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona, trying new foods such as "paella" and "tortilla española," and browsing the jewelry and swords in the famous Toledo sword shop!

Chisago County is hosting its first Fix-it Clinic on July 15 at the North Branch Library! Something broken? Bring it to a Fix-It Clinic! Whether it’s small appliances, clothing, electronics, toys, or other household items, volunteers will help you fix or mend your things for free. Funding for this event is provided by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Statewide Waste Reduction and Reuse grant. No pre-registration required. Items should be carry-in size for hands-on repair. First-come, first-served. Limit 2 items per household. Items accepted until 30 minutes before the event ends. See fliers for more details about the clinic, how to donate, and how to volunteer.

🎶✨ You’re Invited! ✨🎶 Join us for a vibrant Native American Dance & Drum Exhibition at North Branch Central Park on Tuesday, June 24! 🌟 Special Guest: Keith Secola – renowned Native musician bringing live music to life 🎪 Bouncy House | 🌮 Food Truck | 🌽 Farmers Market 🕕 6:00 PM – Dance Exhibition, food & fun kick off 📖 6:45 PM – Storytime with Books for Better MN 🎤 7:00 PM – Live Concert begins! This is more than a concert—it's a celebration of culture, community, and summer fun! ☀️ 📍 Central Park, North Branch 🎟️ Free & open to the public! 🎨 This event is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the East Central Regional Arts Council (ECRAC), thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. #ecrac #artslegacy

Coming up in Community Ed! Dungeons and Dragons Grades 6-12 starts June 24 / 9 - 11 AM Dungeons and Dragons Grades 6-12 starts June 26 / 9 - 11 AM Fidget Toys & Slime with Kidcreate Studio (Ages 4-12) June 26 / 9 AM to 12 PM Life of a Honey Bee Grades K-5 June 27 / 10 AM to 12 PM Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

On our last day in DC we visited the International Spy Museum, Smithsonian, and Ford's Theater. Look out North Branch, here we come. See you soon!

A Perfect Summer Kickoff! 🎶Thank you to everyone who came to the Summer Concert Kickoff at North Branch High School Viking Plaza! The evening was filled with joy, community spirit, and incredible music. 👏 A special shout out to the North Branch Area High School Band for opening the night with energy and heart—you made our hometown proud! 🎺 Thank you to the Minnesota State Band for bringing your talent and tradition to our community. It was truly an honor to host you. 👏 Thanks to the East Central Regional Arts Council (ECRAC) and the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund for making this event possible through their generous support. And finally, thank YOU—our community—for showing up with your families, your lawn chairs, your laughter, and your love for live music. Nights like these are what make North Branch so special. Be sure to join us at the North Branch Central Park next Tuesday, June 24 and experience the Native American Dance and Drum Exhibition along with musical artist, Keith Secola. #ecrac #artslegacy

Tuesday started with a DC traveler proud moment as our students were selected to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier! Students also experienced the National Mall, including the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and WWII Memorial, among many others.

A little mist won't dampen our spirits! Our 2025 DC travelers put Day One in the books Monday with visits to the Capitol, Iwo Jima, the Pentagon, and the 9/11 Memorial with many stops along the way.

Summer Concert Kickoff 📍 North Branch High School Stadium (Viking Plaza) 📅 Tuesday, June 17, 2025 🕕 Activities begin at 6:00 PM 📖 Story Time at 6:45 PM 🎶 Concert at 7:00 PM Join us for a fun, family-friendly evening to kick off the summer! This free event will feature: A special performance by the North Branch Area High School Band at 6:30 PM A concert by the renowned Minnesota State Band Sidewalk chalk fun A bouncy house A guest reader sharing stories with kids If it rains, the event will be moved indoors to the North Branch High School Auditorium, so you can count on a great night—rain or shine. This concert is made possible by a grant from the East Central Regional Arts Council (ECRAC) with funding from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, thanks to the voters of Minnesota. Bring your family, invite your neighbors, and help us start the summer with music and memories!

Liberty Kids & Lasting Lessons As the school year wrapped up, a 5th grade teacher shared a meaningful snapshot from the recent Fun Run. Inspired by their study of the American Revolution and the animated series "Liberty Kids," students chose a patriotic theme for their class flag—complete with American flag bandanas and hand-held flags. The image captures more than a moment; it reflects pride, unity, and a deeper understanding of freedom and sacrifice. The teacher noted that while we may not be on the front lines of war, we are on the front lines of preparing the next generation—and that teaching, guiding, and protecting students is one of the most important responsibilities we carry. A powerful reminder that love, sacrifice, and freedom are all deeply connected—and worth passing on. ❤️💙

At this year's Fun Run, Sunrise River School and North Branch Area Education Center together raised more than $70,000—thanks to the incredible support of our families and community! These funds will go directly toward enhancing student experiences. A heartfelt thank you to all the families who participated and contributed. We extend a special appreciation to our local businesses for sponsoring t-shirts for over 1,400 students—your generosity helped make this initiative a success!

Concerts in the Park kicks off on Tuesday, June 17, with a performance from the Minnesota State Band at NBAHS Viking Plaza! Story time starts at 6:45 pm, and the concert at 7. It's going to be a great summer of music!

Claire Patterson has been hired as the next head girls basketball coach for NBAPS. She will also be teaching math at the high school. Patterson grew up in Stillwater and graduated from Stillwater High School in 2017. She fell in love with basketball at a young age and played every chance she could get. Claire was a 4-year Varsity player at Stillwater, a captain her senior year, and continued her career at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona. She was again a 4-year player and 2 year starter and captain. As soon as she was done playing AAU she got involved in coaching and spent 5 years coaching with the MN Heat program as both an assistant and a head coach for the 7th-8th grade premier teams. Claire's most recently been an assistant JV and Varsity basketball and assistant softball coach the last 4 years in Wisconsin at Osceola High School. "I was so excited when I saw the job posting at North Branch for both high school math and the head girls basketball coach," said Claire. Jason Hehir is the next Northern Edge Head Boys Hockey Coach. The Northern Edge boys hockey program includes St. Francis High School (SFHS) and North Branch Area High School. Hehir brings more than 25 years of hockey coaching experience across all levels—from mites to high school varsity to junior hockey. He most recently served as an assistant coach for the Northern Tier Stars program as an assistant coach from 2022-24. Hehir has been an active member of St. Francis Youth Hockey for more than a dozen years, which includes coaching mites through U14 and serving as a board member since 2018. He has been a lead instructor with Sharpen Your Edge Youth Camp since 2017 and served as a head coach of a Hometown Hockey AAA Club (10U through peewee) since 2018. In addition to his coaching background, Hehir has been a dedicated employee with East Bethel Public Works for the past 26 years, demonstrating strong commitment and leadership in all he does. Welcome Claire and Jason!

Sunrise has a new addition to their playground thanks to the grant from the North Branch Area Education Foundation - a playground communication board! This is a simple tool that helps children who have trouble speaking express themselves while playing. The board shows pictures, symbols, or words for common things kids might want to say—like “I want to swing,” “let’s play,” “help,” or “my turn.” Children can point to the pictures to share their thoughts, feelings, or needs, making it easier for them to join in the fun and interact with others. It supports communication for all kids, especially those with speech or language challenges, and helps create a more inclusive and friendly play space. We are looking forward to seeing it positively impact our students for years to come! Thanks North Branch Area Education Foundation!

Please join us as we celebrate our Viking #Classof2025 in today’s #SeniorSpotlight! ❤️🖤 ▪️Zakary Zachrison ▪️Zoe Zachrison ▪️Emma Zarbok We're proud of our seniors. They are going to do AMAZING things! #Celebrate138 #VikingSeniorPride

Please join us as we celebrate our Viking #Classof2025 in today’s #SeniorSpotlight! ❤️🖤 ▪️Mairen Wisti ▪️Ava Wright ▪️Angela Xiong ▪️Diana Yang We're proud of our seniors. They are going to do AMAZING things! #Celebrate138 #VikingSeniorPride

Please join us as we celebrate our Viking #Classof2025 in today’s #SeniorSpotlight! ❤️🖤 ▪️Ben Elliott ▪️Hayden Humphrey ▪️Cassi Lorey We're proud of our seniors. They are going to do AMAZING things! #Celebrate138 #VikingSeniorPride

Please join us as we celebrate our Viking #Classof2025 in today’s #SeniorSpotlight! ❤️🖤 ▪️Nolen Volner ▪️William Warner ▪️James Weinkauf ▪️Violet Wendel We're proud of our seniors. They are going to do AMAZING things! #Celebrate138 #VikingSeniorPride

Congratulations to the Class of 2025! If you would like to watch Sunday's Commencement Exercises at 2 p.m., it will be livestreamed at this link: https://youtube.com/live/e5Vg066o6FA Enjoy!

The Viking Newsletter - May/June 2025 is now available at this link: https://secure.smore.com/n/np82q Have a great summer!