Raider Update
April 2, 2023
Message from the Superintendent
Good afternoon Raider Families,
It's hard to believe there are only 10 weeks of the school year left. That said, spring sports season is upon us, as well as spring plays and concerts. In addition, the HHS + HMS Art Show
will take place April 4 - May 22, at the Hastings Art Center.
We are on schedule with the school board informational and planning work with regard to the expiring levy referendum. You can expect to see and hear about the referendum during almost every board meeting moving forward, as the board will need to make some decisions by the end of July, and we will be populating a webpage to house related information.
Finally, a reminder that school is not in session this Friday or next Monday, the 10th, and the next scheduled day off is not until Memorial Day.
Bob McDowell, Ed.D.
Superintendent
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH SURVEY
In an effort to gather further community input, MSBA has created an anonymous public survey, which is now available, for all stakeholders to fill out between March 29th - April10, 2023. Please CLICK HERE to complete the Hastings Public Schools Superintendent Search Survey. The survey is available in both English and Spanish. Paper copies are also available in both languages at the following locations:
- Hastings District Office
- Tilden Community Center
- Kennedy Elementary School
- McAuliffe Elementary School
- Pinecrest Elementary School
- Hastings High School
- Hastings Middle School
Please return any completed surveys to the same location it was taken from by April 10th so they can be included with the online survey results.
Following the survey deadlines of April 10, MSBA will summarize and provide an overview of the responses for presentation to the School Board at an open meeting to be held at 6:00 PM on April 24th, in the Hastings Middle School Media Center. This meeting will also be available to watch through Hastings Community TV.
VIRTUAL QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION WITH MSBA
To ensure all district stakeholders have access to accurate information regarding search processes and expectations, MSBA will host a virtual Q & A with MSBA at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, April 4. The Zoom link can be accessed HERE at the time of the session and will be posted on the district website. All stakeholders are invited to attend the live session; however, to accommodate busy schedules as well as ensure access to search information, the session will also be recorded and made available on the district website for the remainder of the search.
Questions about the search process can be submitted anonymously in advance by clicking the following link: QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. The deadline to submit questions in advance is Tuesday, April 4th at noon. Questions may also be submitted during the session using the chat box in the Zoom meeting.
We hope you can join MSBA for this overview of the upcoming search process. If you are unable to join us live, please visit the district website to watch the recording at a later date. Please contact Barb Dorn, MSBA Director of Leadership Development and Executive Search, at 507-508-5501 with any questions.
Show Choir Nationals
Hastings “Riverside Company” finished their competitive season at Show Choir Nationals at the Grand Ole Opry against the best groups from across the country. Riverside Company did their best two shows of the year, earning them 4th place out of the top 6 finalists. This is the highest finish Riverside Company has ever had in their trips to Show Choir Nationals!
In addition to their 4th Place finish, Nathan Barker was awarded “Outstanding Male Performer” (chosen from the 11 performances in the preliminary round), and the Riverside Company stage crew was awarded “Best Crew”.
It was an awesome season for the 172 student-athletes that participated in a winter sport at HHS! Highlights include:
- Average team GPA of 3.32.
- Athlete survey positivity rate of 97% across all sports and all levels.
This is the sixth consecutive winter with an increase in this metric.
- Average multi-sport athlete rate of 60 %.
- Average program retention rate of 72%.
- Combined varsity team winning percentage in all games was 59%.
- Three sports finished in 2nd place in the Metro East Conference; girls basketball, boys swim/dive, and wrestling.
- Boys Alpine was Section 4 Runner-Up, missing state by 1/2 point.
- Wrestling was Section 3AAAA Champion and advanced to the state tournament for the 8th time in 9 years.
- Wrestling was MSHSL AAA State Champions, the 2nd wrestling state title in school history ('96) and 13th HHS state team championship.
- 22 athletes qualified for the MSHSL state tournament; five in alpine ski, one in nordic ski, four in girls wrestling, and 12 in boys wrestling.
- Three athletes were MSHSL individual state champions in wrestling; Trey Beissel (9), Blake Beissel (11), & Skylar Little Soldier (11). Blake and Skylar were both back-to-back repeat champions.
- 10 individuals were named All-State; Trey Beissel, Blake Beissel, Blake Clemons, Aiden Erickson, Rico Cooper, Josh Route, Skylar Little Solider in wrestling & Abbi Pelava, Aaron Herber, and Jackson Reents in alpine ski.
- Keagan McVicker (10) was named Metro East Conference Player of the Year in Girls Basketball.
- MSHSL ExCEL Winners (juniors) are Jaylen Hanson & Noah Quigley.
- MSHSL Triple A Winners (seniors) are Emma Hagen & Martin Onnen.
Hastings Public Schools
- Kennedy Elementary (K-4) 651-480-7221
- McAuliffe Elementary (K-4) 651-480-7390
- Pinecrest Elementary (K-4) 651-480-7280
- Hastings Middle School (5-8) 651-480-7060
- Hastings High School (9-12) 651-480-7470
- Hastings Alternative Learning Center 651-480-7690
- Tilden Community Center 651-480-7670
*If you need any assistance in translating the Raider Update, contact us at kgorr@isd200.org.
Website: www.hastings.k12.mn.us
Location: 1000 11th Street West, Hastings, MN, USA
Phone: 651-480-7000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hastingspublicschools