"It’s a Good Day to Be an Adult and an Eagle." (Note: Due to circumstances that were beyond my control, I had most of the freshman English sections in 1998, and a colleague departed, I ended up getting most of the sophomores in 1999. In 2000, I had most of the Public Speaking students as juniors, and then when another colleague retired, I suddenly had several elective classes in 2001. Needless to say, I knew the Class of 2001 almost too well. Whether athlete or artist, cheerl

Student Council learns leadership through planning activities. Following all the excitement and pageantry of homecoming week, the student body is rudely greeted the following Monday with: “We now resume our regularly scheduled programming.” The routine of school can be a bit tedious, which is why decades ago, administrators realized the value of promoting student councils, who not only provide entertainment and a heavy dose of school spirit but also learn important leadership

Lewis and Moore represented Maple River on the National Stage. As an "Old Guy" covering youth sports, my inner cynic observes a student’s entire athletic career come and go like the lifespan of a cicada. 99% of the time, all the blood, sweat, and tears put into athletics ends in a sudden loss to JWP, BEA, or JCC. Career over. Let the tales of glory days begin. This past week, though, two former Maple River athletes not only took on Father Time but also battled the world in tw

"It's a Good Day to Be an Adult and an Eagle" NOTE: As a teacher, there were moments when I’d toss out a “hard” question during discussion meant to stymie the kids seeking shameless attention. For the class of 2018, they didn’t look down. Nope, they all turned their heads toward…Kayla Rigdon. Kayla never flinched in these high pressure moments and would maintain fearless eye contact as I scanned the room. Even if she wasn’t certain, she’d confidently tackle the question while

"Brad Lawson Demonstrates Excellence in Assisting" Life gives a person chances to lead as well as times to follow. For Bradley Lawson, his career at Maple River has given him plenty of both. As a middle school teacher, he is the captain of his own ship, guiding students through curricular and developmental lessons on a daily basis. In this regard, Lawson leads a hundred learners as he shepherds his flock from September to May. Yet Lawson has proven himself to be one of the mo

Homeschooling in the Maple River Community The month of September marks the beginning of the school year. For many students, it means new teachers, new lockers, new clothes, a new bus route, new, new, new… While so many head off to school, some students just stay…home! According to the Minnesota Department of Education, there were more than 29,000 students homeschooled in Minnesota during the 2023-2024 school year, which is a 10% increase from the previous year and 40% higher

This video features interviews with Bill Daly, whose father sold the land to the county, the current park manager, as well as a historical look at our local lake.

Head Custodian Nicole Quiram Keeps the Facility running year 'round. With the end of summer, students and staff return from the corners of Maple River to a familiar routine and building. Yet there are some staff members that never left, and in the early weeks of August, find themselves sprinting to a finish line: the custodians. Nicole Quiram is the leader of the custodial crew who organizes a deep cleaning of the entire building and then hastily puts humpty-dumpty back toget

"It's Good to be an Adult and an Eagle" NOTE: I have nightmares about the infamous “canoe disaster of 2012.” I know I looked right into the eyes of Jessica Landsteiner and the rest of my NHS kids and told them to NOT grab hold of any overhanging branches while canoeing the Blue Earth River. What does she do? Yep. A decade after we wrecked two canoes (turning one into a Z shape), Landsteiner looked back on that moment as one of her “fun” memories in school. Sometimes disasters