North Branch Area Community Education

The Viking Newsletter - February 2024 is now available and can be accessed at this link: https://www.smore.com/wmn8j

SKOL! and congratulations to Vikings Libby Nielson (right) and Dakota Esget (left)! Dakota finished as the state All-Around champion and two-time Bars champion! She also finished 2nd on the Vault and 2nd on the Floor. Libby finished 7th on beam with a score of 9.15! Way to go!!!

Coming up in Community Ed! Drivers Education Zoom Class: Starts March 4 5-8 pm Vitamins & Herbs: Facts and Fallacies Virtual Workshop: March 4 6-7:30 pm Chili Night with your Instant Pot Virtual Class: March 6 6:30-8 pm ESSENTRICS: Resporative Fitness: March 6 6:30-7:30 pm Starting a New Garden - Chisago County Master Gardener: March 6 5-6:30 pm Toddler Sports Camp - Basketball Night Ages 2-4: March 7 5:30-6:30 pm Strawberries and Raspberries - Chisago County Master Gardener: March 7 5-6:30 pm Learn the Sport of BMX Bike Racing: March 7 5:30-7:45 pm Blue Window Acrylic Painting: March 7 6:30-8:30 pm Metal Art Welding and Fabrication: March 9 9am-12pm Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

Join us tomorrow for dinner and a treat! 🍦A portion of the proceeds help fund our We Are All the Same Sock Hop.

Coming up in Community Ed! De-Age Your Brain Virtual Workshop: Feb. 27 6-7:30 pm Beginner Scrapbooking Grade 3-5: Feb. 27 3-5 PM Board & Brush DIY Workshop: Feb. 29 5:50-8 PM Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

Take the Alexis Challenge! Miss Teen Minnesota Alexis Sway donated canned goods to the Viking Vittles program recently and now you can help too! Alexis and Supt. Paul are teaming up to ask you to take the "Alexis Challenge" and support Viking Vittles! What is Viking Vittles? For students PreK-5, Viking Vittles organizes a weekend food backpack program that provides a bag of food to any student who signs up. Every week, hundreds of students go home for the weekend with food thanks to this program. Viking Vittles also supports middle school, high school and Norse Area Learning Center students by providing access to Care Closets at each location There is more than one way for you to take the Alexis Challenge. You could attend the program’s upcoming Lenten Fish Fry fundraiser at Trinity Lutheran Church, happening every Friday, Feb. 16 through March 22, 5 - 7 p.m. Adults admission is $15, kids ages 5 - 10 are $5, and kids under 5 eat free! (See flier for details.) Or, stop by the Viking Vittles GoFundMe page and donate directly: https://gofund.me/defc8072. To learn more about Viking Vittles and the Alexis Challenge, see Supt. Paul's most recent School News column: www.isd138.org/page/contact-the-superintendent

NBAEF announces grant recipients! On Monday, Feb. 12, representatives of the North Branch Area Education Foundation (NBAEF) made their annual trip through the hallways of North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS) to deliver good news to staff - grants have been approved! This year the NBAEF, with a generous donation of $10,000 from ECMC Foundation (Educational Credit Management Corporation) Foundation, awarded nine grants to staff at the Sunrise River School, North Branch Area Middle School, the Norse Area Learning Center, and North Branch Area High School, totaling over $17,000. The 2023-24 NBAEF grants will provide a wide variety of opportunities for students, including a “Zen Den” calming room and Outdoor Adventures field trip at North Branch Area High School, a classroom set of ukuleles, and a set of Sphero Robotics at the Sunrise River School, a mentoring and leadership program and behavior incentive items at North Branch Area Middle School, exercise equipment at the Norse Area Learning Center, classroom “clickers” for classrooms K-5, and recreation and field trip opportunities for the Chisago County Schools’ Life Work Center. “We are so grateful, and so fortunate, to have the North Branch Area Education Foundation providing these incredible opportunities for our students and staff year in and year out,” said NBAPS Supt. Sara Paul. “Viking innovation is at the heart of how we become better every day, and the foundation provides the opportunity for creative ideas to be put into action!.” Since 2010, the NBAEF has raised over $509,000 and awarded grants over $231,300.

Coming up in Community Ed! An Introduction to Voiceovers…Getting Started in Voice Acting Virtual Class Ages 18 and older: Register and make an appointment Internet/Social Media Safety and Drug Information for Families: Feb. 20 6:15-7:15 FREE to attend Photo Organization- Print and Digital Virtual Class: Feb. 21 6:30-8:30 PM Toddler Sports Camp - Baseball Night: Ages 2-4 Feb. 22 5:30-6:30 PM BONUS! Children get their own squishy baseball to keep. Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

Interested in being an umpire? Do you have a passion for the softball game and want to stay involved? Join us to help grow our softball umpiring team. This 6 week Course will center around the basics of umpiring and why they play such an important role. We'll learn the rules and mechanics of the game. Ending the session with behind the plate action with live pitching. Upon completion of this session, all participants will have the connections to connect with assignors, have some fun and make a little money. This course is broken into 6 Sessions and are as follows: Intro to Officiating MN State High School League Rule Book Specific Rules Mechanics Get behind live pitches Register at https://isd2144.ce.eleyo.com/course/2162/winter-2024/umpiring-101

Coming up in Community Ed! Beginner Knitting: Feb. 12&29 6:30-8:30 Rubber Stamping of Cards: Feb. 12 7:00-9:00 PM 55 Driver Improvement Refresher Class: Feb. 13 / 5-9 PM Dine and Discover - Diagnosed with Dementia: Feb. 15 *This class is offered a variety of places and times, call for more information* Special offerings to fill your child’s non-school day Friday Feb. 16 Child and Babysitting Safety Grades 4-8: 9AM -12PM Coco Cut with Kidscreate Studio Age 4-9: 1-4 PM Home Alone Grades 3-6: 12:30-2:30 PM Labradoodle Love with Kidcreate Studio Age 5-12: 9 AM - 12 PM Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025. Good to know! Open Co-Ed Volleyball Age 18 & Older: All are welcome to join - no registration required. Pay at the door. $5 for the night or purchase a punch card good for 5 times for $15.

We Are All The Same Sock Hop is back this year! Check out the flier for the details of this great event, along with wonderful fundraising opportunities. T-shirt sales close February 13. Scan the flier QR or visit this website to order!: https://sockhopdance2024.itemorder.com/

Coming up in Community Ed! Learn the Sport of BMX Bike Racing: Classes start Feb. 1 5:30-7:45 PM Beginner Piano Lessons Grades K-5: Classes available on Monday’s, Wednesday’s or Friday’s. Call to schedule an appointment time. Classes beginning Feb. 2 Motion in Lotion: Feb. 3 10-11 AM Cute LIttle Bird with Hat Painting Ages 15 & Older: Feb. 5 6:30-8:30 PM Heart Health for Women Virtual Workshop: Feb. 5 6-7:30 PM Overcome Your Carbohydrate Cravings Virtual Workshop: Feb. 6 6-7:30 PM Instant Pot Basics: Feb. 7 6:30-8 PM Essentrics - Restorative Fitness: Feb. 7 6:30-7:30 PM Drivers Education Zoom Class: Starts Feb. 9 3-6 PM Adult/Child/INfant CPR with AED: Feb 9 5:30-8 PM Pediatric/Adult CPR and First Aid: Feb. 10 9 AM - 1 PM Primary focus on children Good to know! Open Walking Club - Just $3 This walking club is designed for those citizens who want to walk indoors. For security reasons, you need to wear a security badge when walking. Please stop by the community education office to purchase your walking badge. Please enter in Door #11 at the High School. Walking Club is available Monday - Friday 4-8 p.m. when school is in session.

The Viking Newsletter - January 2024 is now available! You can read it here: https://www.smore.com/21kg4

The North Branch Area ESports team participated in the 2023 Fall State Tournament hosted by the MN Esports Varsity League and Wisdom Gaming Studios at the MOA. This tournament consisted of 16 teams from around the state that qualified to play. North Branch players Moxy S., and Landon O. qualified for the state tournament in both MineCraft Bedwars and Rocket League. Although they did not place in their respective pools, this is definitely something they should be proud of in making the state tournament. Spring Esports League begins in February, if there are players interested in participating please contact the North Branch Area Community Education to register as soon as possible: 651-674-1025.

Coming Up in Community Ed! Winter Wellness Bowl Meal Prep Virtual Class: Jan. 31 6:30-8 PM Medicare 101: Feb. 1 6-7:30 PM Family Puzzle Contest Age 5-12 and Adult: Feb.3 10-11:30 AM Good to know! Fitness Center Members Available at North Branch Area Public Schools: All participants must pre-register and sign fitness center membership agreements. Call Community Education to register or questions 651-674-1025 Center Hours Monday - Friday 5:30-7 AM school days only Sundays, Jan. 28, Feb. 4, 11, 25 and March 3 from 1-3 PM

Interested in attending NBAPS' Friday, Feb. 2 Patron Tour? Patron Tours start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 12:30 p.m. Guests enjoy refreshments in the morning, tour every site in the district, and finish the half day with a lunch prepared by high school ProStart students. In between guests visit classrooms and talk with staff, students, and leadership. It's a great way to learn more about NBAPS from early childhood all the way through high school! To attend, contact Pat Tepoorten at 651-674-1018 or ptepoorten@isd138.org.

Coming Up in Community Ed! Youth Enrichment: Intro to Video Game Design with Nintendo Virtual Class Grades 1-4: Jan. 27 & Feb. 3 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Little Kickers Dance Camp Grades PreK-6: Begins Jan. 23 6-8 PM Strong Is The New Skinny! Total body strengtheners you can do at home virtual workshop: Jan. 22 6-7:30 PM Social Security Facts and Strategies: Jan. 25 6:30-8 PM Good to know!: Open Gym for NBAPS Students: Students come and enjoy a Sunday afternoon at our open gym, $2 per person per day. Grades K-5: Open Gym (HS North Gym) 1-3pm, Dodgeball (HS Multipurpose Room) 2-3pm *Adults need to accompany this age at all times and are invited to join in! Grades 6-12: Dodgeball (HS Multipurpose Room) 1-2 pm, Open Gym (HS West Gym) 1-3 pm Dodgeballs will be provided. Please bring your basketball. We will have some on hand. Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

The calendar for the 2024-25 school year has been approved! For future reference, school year calendars can always be found in the Parent/Student Resources pages at each school. You can go directly to the calendar here: https://5il.co/2cbt9

Join us at the Isanti arena for tonight's Mississippi8 matchup between the Northern Tier Stars and PC Dragons. The girls hockey co-op of North Branch/St. Francis/Cambridge-Isanti boasts an 11-4-1 record! More info on Sophie's Squad: www.stateofhockey.com/news_article/show/1198212

Jan. 15 - 19 is the NBAEF's Restaurant Week! Purchase specific items from Domino's, Merchants Cafe, County Market, Tailgaters, Kaffe Stuga, and The Full Moon, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the foundation and support educational at NBAPS! See flier for complete details.