North Branch Area Middle School

Students at Norse ALC are sponsoring a toy/food/supply drive for animals at the Northwoods Humane Society. For a detailed list of donation recommendations, you can check out their wish list here: https://northwoodshs.org/wish-list. If you would like to donate, please drop off items at the Norse ALC (Brooker Building) or the North Branch Area Education Center between April 1-15. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mindy Lattimore (milattim@isd138.org) at Norse ALC.

NBAMS eighth graders just finished a Scratchboard Animal project. Students chose their own animal idea for a reference and were challenged to emphasize the animal's texture and show a wide variety of values with a focus on the animal's face. This project is "unforgiving" since once you scratch away the black ink to reveal the color underneath, you cannot bring the black back. Students could choose between a white, silver or gold background. Proud art teacher is Lee Ann Falen.

Advanced Floral Class is offering our Spring floral arrangements for sale (flier pictured) for you to enjoy (or give as an Easter gift)! Please view the link below to see offerings; there are options and price points from $30-$50. When you purchase your ticket on GOFAN, you will be asked to provide a delivery/pickup option 4/17. These students prepare your arrangements with care to industry standards, and proceeds of this sale fund learning opportunities in the Agriculture program here at NBAHS, MS, and ALC. Link to view options: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17h8f_jpCA6lCfrLXl4F2f0jf0RWS8_qoYXG1k8OIet4/edit?usp=sharing Links to purchase are included in the slides.

Coming up in Community Ed! Improve Your Health at Any Age Virtual Workshop April 1 / 6 - 7:30 PM Scientific Lego Unit with Kidcreate Studio (Ages 5-12) April 2 / 3 -4 PM Learn the Sport of BMX Bike Racing April 3 / 5:30 - 7:45 PM Needle Felting April 3 / 6:30 -8:30 PM Beginners Clogging Ages 9 & Older April 3 / 5:15 - 5:45 PM Little Stomper Beginner Clogging Class Ages 3-8 April 3 / 4:45 - 5:15 PM Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

The NBAEF is hosting Designer Purse and Yeti Bongo on Sunday, April 27, at the Lent Town Hall, doors open at noon. This event is unlike other purse bingo events; the winner has the choice of purse, Yeti, cash, or combo! See flier for more details.

Come learn how to beat the drum and bounce in step for the third annual Drum and Dance exhibition on May 16. Practices are every Tuesday, 6 - 7:30 pm, at NBAHS. See flier for more details!

American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (AIPAC) March meeting will be held this evening (3/26/25) from 5:30-6:30pm at the North Branch Area Ed Center.

What a great time we had at the We Are All the Same Sockhop last Friday! Thanks to all the staff and families that make this event so special!

Coming up in Community Ed! Stamp-a-Stack of Cards March 24 / 7 - 9 PM JUST BREATHE! Techniques to Calm, Center, and Balance Virtual Workshop March 24 / 6 - 7:30 PM Instant Piano for Hopelessly Busy People Virtual Class Ages 13-Adult March 24 / 6:30 - 9:30 PM Instant Guitar for Hopelessly Busy People Virtual Class Ages 13-Adult March 25 / 6:30 - 9:30 PM Esports Ages 13 - Grade 12 Begins March 28 Tuesday Evening with Early Childhood Family Education - Flush the Fuss: Potty Training Made Easy - March 25 / 5 - 6:30 PM Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

This year's Book Fair is going to be epic! More Books. More Choices. More Fun. The book fairs will be taking place at SR and NBAMS March 24-31 during the school day and conferences. The fairs are also available online. Start exploring together on our school's Book Fair homepage: Sunrise River Elementary: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/sunriseriverelemschool North Branch Area Middle School: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/northbranchmiddleschool

Second grader Mattias Bigbear and his hoop dancing skills will be featured on WCCO Sunday Morning at 7 this weekend! Mattias will be part of the 7 am hour on Sunday, March 23, on TV and streaming on wcco.com. Way to go Mattias!!!!

Last chance to join us for a Patron Tour this school year! Interested in attending NBAPS' Friday, April 11 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 provided 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.

Spring break is a perfect time to check out the latest Community Ed Highlights! It has options for youth enrichment, early childhood, youth recreation, drivers ed, adult enrichment, and more. It also has info on the upcoming We Are All the Same Sockhop! Click here to give it a look: https://secure.smore.com/n/15ufn

Coming up in Community Ed! Squishy Squishmallows with Kidcreate Studio (Ages 4-9) March 13 / 9 AM - 12 PM DIY Pinball Machine with Kidcreate Studio (Ages 5-12) March 13 / 12:30 - 3:30 PM The Great Southwest March 17 / 6:30 - 8:30 PM Medicare 101 March 18 / 6:30 - 8 PM Little Lego Bricks with Kidcreate Studio (18 months-6 years) March 19 / 5 - 6 PM Floral Design of the Month March 19 / 6 - 7:30 PM Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

The Viking Newsletter - Feb./March is now available at this link: https://secure.smore.com/n/8pvxj Happy spring break!

🎮 Exciting News for North Branch Area Families! 🎮 Our North Branch Area Esports program was recently recognized at a school board meeting, where mentor and coach Darin Marcussen highlighted our talented team! Team members shared their experiences and the impact Esports has had on their growth, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. What is eSports? It's a structured, competitive gaming program that helps students develop teamwork, strategy, and critical thinking—all while having a blast! North Branch Area Esports is offered through Community Education, and registration is now open for students ages 13 and older to join the 2025 Spring Club! 📅 Important Dates: 🔹 Team Information Meeting: Monday, March 24th at 3 PM | HS Commons 🔹 Registration Deadline: Friday, March 28th 📢 Ready to join? Find more details and register here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/costoption/class_id/3894/public/1/sp/ Let’s game on! 🕹️

6th Graders Turn "Nothing" Into a Dragon Face in Art Class! Students in hex 4 of art class made symmetrical paint blobs and were challenged to turn them into a dragon's face by adding details. They learned how to draw twisted dragon horns and had to include at least one pair somewhere in the project. It took a lot of creativity to decide where the facial features would be and what the shape of the head would look like. One dragon was wearing a stocking cap, one was a cyclops and one even included the entire body and was sitting on a stool!

Coming up in Community Ed! Lakeside with Canoe and Lily March 5 / 6:30 - 8:30 PM Learn the Sport of BMX Bike Racing March 6 / 5:30 - 7:45 PM Drivers Education Zoom Class Begins March 10 / 3 - 6 PM Slime Lab with Kidcreate Studio (Ages 4-9) March 11 / 9 AM - 12 PM Anime Workshop with Kidcreate Studio (Ages 5-12) March 11 / 12:30 - 3:30 PM Registration here: https://northbranch.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/getprogram/ or call 651-674-1025.

Recently, FFA students participated in FFA Day at the State Capitol. During their visit, students met with representatives Max Rymer and Jimmy Gordon to advocate for FFA and Ag education, as well as taking the time to tour and learn about the state capitol!

Here's photos from FFA week at NBAHS (Feb. 17-21). Students celebrated with a daily trivia question with prizes for correct answers. Students also read books to Education Center students, participated in a medallion hunt with clues each day, and finished the week with Bingo at all the lunches on Friday! It was a huge success for the school's first ever FFA week!