South Washington County SchoolsIndependent School District #833

In February the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) named Kari Lopez, principal of Woodbury Middle School, Minnesota Middle Level Principal of the Year. They recently selected Lopez as the Minnesota representative at the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), which makes her a nominee for the NASSP National Principal of the Year.

To help celebrate the Class of 2020, we asked high school principals to identify exemplary seniors to be profiled for our Class of 2020 Senior Spotlight series.

This is not the year that anyone expected. All of us will remember 2020 and the many challenges we faced together – most recently, the events in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd, the worldwide pandemic, job losses, school closings and the loss of a traditional graduation.

To help celebrate the Class of 2020, we asked high school principals to identify exemplary seniors to be profiled for our Class of 2020 Senior Spotlight series.

South Washington County Schools will continue providing meal options for families in our community this summer, including meal pick-up sites and food delivery.

To help celebrate the Class of 2020, we asked high school principals to identify exemplary seniors to be profiled for our Class of 2020 Senior Spotlight series.

South Washington County Schools appreciates the feedback from families following the announcement that trimester three grades will not be included in the cumulative grade point average (GPA) calculations.

To help celebrate the Class of 2020, we asked high school principals to identify exemplary seniors to be profiled for our Class of 2020 Senior Spotlight series.

Earlier this month, we shared a survey with seniors and their families about their preference for graduation.

Read a message from Superintendent Keith Jacobus, discussing the plan for grading during distance learning.

To help celebrate the Class of 2020, we asked high school principals to identify exemplary seniors to be profiled for our Class of 2020 Senior Spotlight series.

Every year, all fifth grade students in South Washington County Schools participate in an end-of-year track and field meet.

To help celebrate the Class of 2020, we asked high school principals to identify exemplary seniors to be profiled for our Class of 2020 Senior Spotlight series.

South Washington County Schools is preparing for the end of the school year and wanted to share important dates and expectations with families, as well as some changes to distance learning.

To help celebrate the Class of 2020, we asked high school principals to identify exemplary seniors to be profiled for our Class of 2020 Senior Spotlight series.

3M recently donated $270,000 to South Washington County Schools to support our distance learning and emergency response to COVID-19.

To help celebrate the Class of 2020, we asked high school principals to identify exemplary seniors to be profiled for our Class of 2020 Senior Spotlight series. Hear from East Ridge High School senior Hermoine Joseph.

Today, Governor Tim Walz announced that school buildings will remain closed through the end of the school year.

South Washington County Schools is excited to announce this year’s Athena Award winners.

Read a message from Superintendent Keith Jacobus, asking for patience after the first week of Distance Learning.

South Washington County Schools is requesting feedback from families about their child's distance learning experience.

The State of Minnesota has ordered Distance Learning for schools to begin on Monday, March 30 and to continue through at least Monday, May 4.

Following the closure of all schools in the state of Minnesota, South Washington County Schools is opening Emergency Child Care at no cost to families who qualify.

South Washington County Schools is sharing a number of community and online resources available to families in response to COVID-19.

South Washington County Schools is working to continue distributing meals next week to families in need during the statewide school closure.

Beginning Thursday, March 19, all school buildings and district educational sites will be locked and closed to the public without an appointment.

South Washington County Schools is preparing for the possibility of Distance Learning if a longer-term school cancellation is necessary. Our goal is for each middle and high school student to have access to a device and internet during Distance Learning.

This week, staff has been planning for Distance Learning in the event that longer-term school cancellations are needed due to COVID-19. Become familiar with our distance learning plans in this article.

Our goal is for each middle and high school student to have access to a device and internet during Distance Learning. If your grades 6-8 child does not have a device to access Schoology while learning from home, please plan to check-out a district-issued Chromebook from your school during the following schedule.

South Washington County Schools will be providing grab and go meals to anyone under the age of 18 or those enrolled in our Next Step program.

South Washington County Schools is opening Emergency Child Care at no cost to families who qualify.

Following the closure of all schools in the state of Minnesota, South Washington County Schools is opening Emergency Child Care at no cost to families who qualify.

Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order on Sunday, March 15, 2020, to close all schools in the state of Minnesota to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, known as COVID-19.

South Washington County Schools continues to respond to the latest guidance regarding the prevention of COVID-19 from spreading in our communities.

South Washington County Schools is taking the next step to ensure our schools are ready for students when they return from spring break. Spring break will now be extended by one day. Classes will resume on Wednesday, March 18.

On March 12, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) provided new guidance for schools on limiting crowds or large gatherings to help prevent the spread of the disease.

Though we do not have any cases of COVID-19 in our school communities, South Washington County Schools continues to plan and prepare for the possibility. We are in close communication with the Minnesota Department of Health and will follow all guidelines of local health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

During the March 5 board meeting, district administrators shared an update regarding negotiations with the United Teachers of South Washington County (UTSWC).

The four-year graduation rate for South Washington County Schools continued its upward trend with 93.3 percent of students in the district graduating on time. The 2019 graduation rate is 1.2 percentage points higher than in 2018.

South Washington County Schools has hired Abby Baker as the new Assistant Director of Human Resources.

The Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) named Kari Lopez, principal of Woodbury Middle School, Minnesota Middle Level Principal of the Year.

Superintendent Keith Jacobus addressed ongoing contract negotiations between South Washington County Schools and the United Teachers of South Washington County (UTSWC) during the Feb. 20 school board meeting.

Erin Walsh, a speaker and expert in digital media and its impacts on youth and families, is returning to South Washington County Schools.

East Ridge, Park and Woodbury High Schools announced the selection of the female and male nominees for the Minnesota State High School League’s (MSHSL) Triple “A” Award.

Three South Washington County Schools teachers are nominated for the 2020 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

During a meeting on Jan. 23, South Washington County Schools and the United Teachers of South Washington County (UTSWC) discussed how to move forward after UTSWC members voted not to approve a tentative contract agreement.

South Washington County Schools has refined its winter weather plan to better reflect potential cancellations and program changes during inclement weather.

Several changes for the 2020-21 school calendar are currently under review by the School Board.

Three new District 833 School Board members were sworn into office at the Jan. 9 School Board meeting.

Six South Washington County Schools students have been nominated for the Minnesota State High School League’s (MSHSL) ExCEL Awards.

South Washington County Schools is getting ready to welcome the Class of 2032 to school next fall.

In South Washington County Schools, the safety and well-being of our students and staff is a top priority, which is why we are launching a new Tip and Information Portal, or T.I.P., an easy, confidential way for secondary students to report issues and other important information to schools and the district.

South Washington County Schools has hired Pepe Barton as the new Director of Communications and Community Relations.

Families who are looking to open enroll in 14 District 833 schools can now apply.

CBOYZ, a music group from Woodbury, performed their song “No Time To Waste” for students at Bailey Elementary School’s Growth Mindset Assembly on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

Middleton Elementary School Art Specialist Paul McNamee was awarded KS95’s Teacher of the Week award on Wednesday, Nov. 20.

Seven students from Lake Middle School were selected to sing in American Choral Director Association Minnesota State Honor Choirs, out of the nearly 700 students who participated in blind auditions across the state.

Armstrong Elementary School celebrated its 50th anniversary on Thursday, Nov. 21 with a schoolwide celebration.

Second-grade students at seven District 833 elementary schools learned about the power of science from 3M Visiting Wizards on November 18 and 19.

District 833’s Thunderbolts adapted soccer team won the cognitively impaired state championship tournament on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Stillwater High School defeating the Southern Stars 3-1.

Woodbury High School held its third annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities Fair on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

This year, the Woodbury High School Red Cross Club raised $1,500 by selling soda and water during Woodbury Days.

Fifteen band students from Lake and Woodbury Middle Schools participated in the Minnesota Junior Winds Honor Band Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9 at South View Middle School in Edina.

Fifteen seniors from South Washington County Schools signed letters of intent to play inter-collegiate athletics next year on Wednesday, Nov. 13

District 833 voters filled three open School Board seats in the November 5 election.

Community members and families were welcomed to the new building for Nuevas Fronteras Spanish Immersion Elementary School at a grand opening celebration on November 2.

The annual state school bus inspection by the Minnesota Department of Transportation resulted in a perfect score of zero defects on every one of South Washington County School’s vehicles.

Lake Middle School eighth grade student Alexis Casner won the 2019 Maurice R. Hilleman Essay Contest offered by the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

East Ridge High School senior Sujay Garlapati has been elected to the position of Vice President of Development for Minnesota Business Professionals of America.

Community members had a chance to learn about cultures from all over the world from current and former students of the Great Rivers Adult Education Consortium.

Starting in the fall of 2019, District 833 will begin to use a new visitor management system to provide an additional layer of security for our schools.

District 833’s graduating class of 2019 once again outperformed the state on the ACT.

Park High School is honored to announce the fifteenth class for induction in the Park High School Hall of Fame.

The Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce recently announced Brooke Clevenger and Andrea Kleoppel, teachers at Oltman Middle School, as the winners of the 2019 Educator of the Year Award.

Chris Dease, an art teacher at Woodbury High School, has been selected as an “Excellent Educator” by WCCO.

Hundreds of students, parents, school staff and community members took part in the first-ever Woodbury Middle School Food Truck Fest on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

Woodbury High School will host more than 1,000 students for the Suburban East Conference (SEC) Music Festival on Monday, Feb. 3, 2020.

Twelve seniors from District 833 schools have been named semifinalists in the 65th Annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

U.S. Congresswoman Angie Craig and State Senator Karla Bigham greeted students on their first day back at Park High School.

The Woodbury Middle School 8th Grade Band has been selected to perform at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Clinic on February 14, 2020.

South Washington County Schools continues to surpass state averages in five areas measured by the Minnesota Department of Education’s North Star Accountability System.

Over the summer, the district purchased 10 new buses with shoulder seat belts to replace older buses.

Lake Middle School Principal Molly Roeske recently received the Advocate for Choral Excellence Award from the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota.

This summer, families connected over dinner and activities through Community Education's Summer Skoolie initiative.

Ten candidates have filed for three open District 833 School Board seats.

This summer, more than 40 AVID students from Park and Stillwater Area high schools worked together to create and explore visual arts.

South Washington County Schools is pleased to announce that Tony Mosser will be the new Principal of Woodbury Elementary School.

District 833 has been awarded with the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting.

South Washington County Schools is pleased to announce that Connha Classon will be the new principal at Valley Crossing Elementary School.

The District 833 School Board has three seats open for election on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. All three members will be elected to the School Board for terms of four years each.

Third-grade students at Liberty Ridge Elementary School finished fourth place in “Read to the Final Four."

Outgoing Minnesota Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius visited students at Newport Elementary School on Friday, Jan. 4.

Woodbury High School’s Hmong Club organized and hosted a district-wide Hmong New Year Celebration

Royal Oaks Elementary School fifth-grader, Kaden Longworth, and his family received a special surprise on December 19.

Two South Washington County Schools seniors have agreed to play collegiate football for the 2019-2020 school year.

Six South Washington County Schools students have been nominated for the Minnesota State High School League’s ExCEL Awards

Sixteen students from Cottage Grove and Lake middle schools have been selected for American Choral Directors Association state honor choirs. Four District 833 students have also earned spots in national honor choirs, in addition to their spots in the state honor choirs.

Two Woodbury Middle School robotics teams were finalists in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competition in Eden Prairie on December 8.