The eNews is the official electronic newsletter of Mahtomedi High School. |
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December 19: MAEF Post-Secondary Scholarships Application Opens
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December 24 - January 2: Winter Break - No School
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January 19: MLK Jr. Day - No School
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January 20-22: MHS Finals
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January 22: End of 2nd Quarter
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January 23: Teacher Professional Day - No School
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January 31: Snowcoming Dance
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This Issue's Top Highlights |
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It's almost time for Winter Break! We will not have school from December 24th-January 2nd. The Mahtomedi High School staff wishes all of our MHS students and families a wonderful break! We'll see our students back in the building on Monday, January 5th. |
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If you’re planning to extend Winter Break on either end, please take a moment to enter student absences into Infinite Campus. Adding them ahead of time really helps us keep attendance running smoothly—thank you! |
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1st Semester Finals will take place January 20–22. Please make sure students are present and try to avoid any absences during this time. Thank you for your cooperation. |
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Principal's Spotlight on Learning |
Each month, Principal Justin Hahn spotlights learning happening at our school.
This month, the Principal's spotlight focuses on Community Impact. |
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Last week, a group of MHS students gathered with Superintendent Barb Duffrin to discuss our Portrait of a Graduate. Part of our Strategic Plan, the Portrait of a Graduate outlines the skills, mindsets, and competencies students need to thrive now and in the future. During the meeting, students identified areas of strength and growth for our district as we develop the implementation of the Portrait. This month, as I reflect on the leadership and impact our students are making in the community, I think about the many ways they demonstrate the Portrait, including the skills of collaboration, self-awareness, and self-direction.
Individual leadership, in terms of community impact, is evident when a student has a strong sense of self and balances when and how to lead versus when to be a team player. Matthew Studenski (Class of 2026), Mahtomedi’s School Board student representative, has created opportunities for other students, such as Ruby Stembridge and Julian Cisek (both Class of 2026) to speak during staff recognitions and represent student voices at School Board meetings. Aidan Hastings (Class of 2027) was named one of the top 13 filmmakers in Minnesota and has not only brought his own filmmaking skills but has also collaborated with his cohort peers since September on a statewide filmmaking project. Students are also making a lasting impact in our elementary and middle school buildings. Gannon Hamen (Class of 2027), who earned his Eagle Scout award by building a Gaga Pit at Wildwood Elementary School, collaborating with school leaders, facilities staff, and peers throughout the project. Class of 2027 students Delaney Dumermuth and Isabella Bixby teamed up this year and organized their peers to do tutoring through their Peer Assistance for Tutoring and Homework Help (PATH) at O.H. Anderson Elementary School and Mahtomedi Middle School.
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Impacting our school community has also taken shape through leadership demonstrated in group efforts. Most recently, we saw our school contribute and work collaboratively for the Zephyr Service Project. Students and staff raised more than $2,000 in gift cards for teens, including over $500 collected by the girls basketball team through a friendly competition. Throughout the process, our DECA students have helped market the project and have participated in districtwide presentations to educate others. The final phase of our service project brings the Student Leadership Council together to organize and wrap gifts, supporting gift assistance for 140 Mahtomedi students this year. Impact in groups extends beyond our school community, and one recent example is the efforts of Mahtomedi’s Girls of Active Leadership (GOAL) club, which is currently conducting a district-wide supply drive for the Alexandra House, a Minnesota-based non-profit organization supporting women and children who are victims of domestic, sexual, and relationship violence. Whether through individual initiative or collective action, I am proud to see Mahtomedi students work together, lead with purpose, and make a meaningful impact in our community and beyond. |
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Please submit an absence request in Infinite Campus for each day your child is sick. When submitting the absence request please indicate the symptoms your child is experiencing. The health offices need to track illness rates and report to the MN Department of Health if illness rates reach a certain threshold so it is important that families report illness information when submitting the absence request.
Your child must stay home from school if they have any of the following:
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- If your child has a fever of 100°F or higher, they must stay home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.
- If your child has vomited or has diarrhea, they must stay home for 24 hours after the last episode.
- If your child has any rash of unknown cause, check with your family physician before sending your child to school.
- If your child has been diagnosed with Strep Throat, they must stay home for 12 hours after antibiotic treatment has started.
- If your child has an uncontrollable cough that prevents them from engaging in learning, your child must stay home.
- If your child has tested positive for infectious disease such as influenza, RSV, or COVID-19, they must stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours, and feel well enough to participate in school. Please contact the health office for further direction for any diagnosed communicable diseases.
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CLICK HERE
to enjoy the latest edition of the MHS Zephyr Press.
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Substitute Teachers Needed |
Mahtomedi Public Schools partners with Kelly Education to provide substitute teachers throughout our district. If you or someone you know is interested in supporting our students and classrooms as a substitute teacher or paraprofessional, Kelly Education would love to connect with you.
To learn more or start the application process, call 800-713-4439 or visit the Kelly Education website
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Mahtomedi Students Earn State & Midwest Regional Honors |
Elianah Jespersen (Class of 2026) SSAA Regional Honor Choir, representing Mahtomedi among thousands of singers across the Midwest! Elianah will perform in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Emerson Buckley (Class of 2026) was selected to the prestigious Minnesota All-State SATB Choir. Emerson will perform at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis on Saturday, February 14, 2026.
9th & 10th Grade Honor Choir: Tegan Evans (Class of 2028) SATB Mixed Choir, April Nelson (Class of 2028) SATB Mixed Choir, Quinlan Nettleton (Class of 2028) SATB Mixed Choir, and Mia Weinberger (Class of 2029) SSAA Treblechoir. These four students were selected from over 1,000 auditions submitted by singers from across the state! Their performance will take place at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Saturday, February 14, 2026.
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AVID Students Experience Goldy's Early Access Pass |
AVID students attended Goldy’s Early Access Pass at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities on October 24 (grades 11–12) and November 19 (grades 9–10). During the event, students learned about the university and the financial aid process, heard from a student panel, enjoyed a meal in a campus dining hall, and took a campus tour. |
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Inside the Classroom: Biology Food Label Projects |
Over the past week, biology students in Mr. Jim Lane’s and Ms. Kelly Shafer’s classes at Mahtomedi High School explored how various food industries affect the environment. They were tasked with designing a simple food labeling system that could clearly illustrate to consumers a food's environmental footprint, including how that product affects the four major matter cycles: water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Working in groups, students researched a food industry of their choosing, and presented their findings and label designs to their classmates. This project offered an insightful experience, where students began to connect classroom learning to real-world issues. “It helped me learn about how everyday foods affect the environment,” remarked Class of 2028 student Annika Johnson. To ensure the students gained the most out of this project, Mr. Lane and Ms. Shafer used an AVID strategy called WICOR. “WICOR is an acronym that stands for writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading,” shared Mr. Lane. “In this project, students had the opportunity to apply both the writing and collaboration components through meaningful feedback forms with sentence starters, which helped engage students in deeper thinking and stronger teamwork.” Written by Norah Jansen, Class of 2028 student at Mahtomedi High School and Mahtomedi Public Schools Communications Intern |
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Congratulations to Mahtomedi High School student Amelia Barron, who was recently named 916 Student of the Month! Each month, 916 celebrates and honors one student from each of its 17 programs as a Student of the Month. A Student of the Month is characterized by the professional skills of leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, engagement, and communication. Amelia Barron (Class of 2027) is part of the Cosmetology program and was nominated by her teacher, Ms. Seufzer, for being kind, helpful, and considerate of others. Students enrolled in Northeast Metro 916 Career and Technical Center courses attend at 916 for 105 minutes and spend the remainder of their day at Mahtomedi High School taking their required core classes. The coursework allows students to explore passions and careers while gaining professional skills, certifications, and in some cases, college credit. |
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Congratulations, Mahtomedi Theatre! |
Mahtomedi’s Into the Woods cast, crew, and staff earned state-level honors from the Spotlight Education Program, including Achievement in Musical Theatre and Outstanding Technical Production from Hennepin Arts! This is considered the State Competition for Theatre in Minnesota. This means our Zephyrs are among Minnesota’s top 25 theatre productions! The cast will perform a medley at the 2026 Spotlight Showcase, and our technical crew will be featured in a statewide video. Photo: Kara Salava Photography |
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Throughout the school year, MHS hosts opportunities for our students to visit with representatives from a variety of colleges, universities, trade/technical schools, and branches of the U.S. Military.
CLICK HERE to view Mahtomedi High School's upcoming College & Career visits.
Questions about post-secondary options? Stop by the Counseling Office to make an appointment with your MHS Counselor.
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Questions about post-secondary planning?
Please reach out to your MHS Counselor.
Ms. Erickson - Students with Last names A-D
Ms. Cole - Students with Last names E-K
Mr. Miley - Students with Last names L-Q
Mr. Akins - Students with Last names R-Z
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Career Day Volunteers Needed |
The 2026 Mahtomedi Middle School Career Day will take place on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The event is intended to foster career awareness for students and support them in learning from local professionals.
The commitment for career presenters will be 12:45-2:40 pm on Thursday, March 26, 2026. Volunteers will present their career slideshow to three different sessions of students, each lasting approximately 25 minutes, including time for student questions. More guidance will be provided closer to the event.
If interested, please fill out this form by December 19th. If there are more volunteers than spots, presenters will be randomly selected through a lottery system. All volunteers will receive an email by early January. Questions? please contact Counselor, Christian Kolb, at christian.kolb@isd832.net
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The School eNews contains information about our students, staff, and programs. The School eNews is published once a week and archives are available at www.mahtomedi.k12.mn.us/page/enews |
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