Rocket Times

ECHO Charter School

PO Box 158          101 Rocket Avenue          Echo, MN 56237

Phone: 507-925-4143        Fax: 507-925-4165

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Many Items in This Week’s Issue of the Rocket Times

*Soup Supper    *School Carnival    *Music Department/Concert    *Prom Fund Raiser    *BB Banquet    

   *Reward Trip Clue #4    *Dinner Theatre    *Ski Trips   *Kids Against Hunger    *BB Fund Raiser  

* ReadNex    *February: “I Love to Read Month”    *Firearms Class    *Drivers Ed Class

 

Soup Supper Meets Usual High Expectations

    The Soup Supper held last Friday drew around 440 people.  Since the supper was instituted 13 years ago it has been highly revered as one of the highlights of the long winters; this year was no exception as it too met those expectations.

    This event is always anticipated by those who wish to satisfy their appetites for the delicious, warming soups, as well as to “warm the cockles of their hearts.”  The soups, of course, covered the former need, while the latter was met with the camaraderie of the large group of area people in attendance.

    Rounding out the evening’s events were the Fair of Fairs featuring Core Knowledge displays of the elementary and junior high students, the three bands (fifth grade-high school) playing a variety of tunes, and the Scholastic Book Fair.

    Senator Gary Kubly and his wife joined the group for the evening’s fare.  The Senator spoke with Mr. Schueler and offered a few words to the audience, as follows in part: “I’m taking this opportunity to say congratulations to you, Larry and all the staff for the fine job.  The kids speak for themselves with the quality of education they have.”

 

More Festive Gatherings Upcoming at ECHO

See Related Articles for Details

    Following on the heels of the very successful Soup Supper are four more opportunities for people to get together to enjoy each other’s company and some good food and music to boot.  Coming to ECHO this month are these fine events:

· School Carnival – Friday, March 12

· Band & Choir Concert – Monday, March 15

· Dinner Theatre – Friday & Saturday, March 19 & 20

Basketball Fund Raiser – Tuesday, March 26.

   

~~ School Carnival ~ 4:30-7:00 p.m. ~ Friday, March 12 ~~

No admittance charge!  Tickets for activities will be sold for 25c each.

· Activities – Games of all sorts;

· Jail – The infamous jail (as it has become known) always brings rounds and rounds of laughter, as well as a sizeable amount of money;

· Food – What evening would be complete without some food to fill the tummy and to refuel the energy for even more excitement;

Picnic Table – Plan to purchase several tickets for the picnic table at $2 each to increase your chances at the drawing during the Carnival.

 

~~Booster Club ~ 5:00 p.m. ~ Monday, March 8~~

 

 

 

Snow Make Up Days: March 19 & April 12   

    The following days have been designated as snow make up days for ECHO Charter School:

· Friday, March 19 (school in session in a.m. only, with dismissal at 12:30)

Friday, April 12.

 

Two Skiing Trips Planned This Month

Re-Scheduled Andes Tower Hills Ski Trip: Thursday, March 11

    The re-scheduled ski trip to Andes Tower Hills is set for Thursday, March 11.  The bus will leave school at 8:15 a.m. with plans to return between 7:00-7:30 p.m.  The cost of the trip is $25, including ski rental, lift, and bus transportation.  Registration forms and information in office.

    Students are reminded that this is a school day; therefore, in order to take part they must have teacher approval, which includes academics, attendance, and behavior.

Mt. Kato Trip: Sunday, March 7

    Rock Valle and Grace Lutheran churches are planning a ski trip to Mt. Kato near Mankato on Sunday, March 7.  They are inviting others to join them on this adventure.  The cost of the trip is $16, which includes ski rental and the lift.  Call Bonnie Preuss at507-938-4348 for information.

   

Congratulations to Last Week’s Student(s) of the Day:

Katy Faugstad, Patience Harris, Jossie Huseby, Nick Pingel

 

Music Department Has Busy Schedule

Formal Concert Set for Monday, March 15

    Mr. and Mrs. Kopperud and their junior and senior high music students are in the midst of several engagements, including the many practices, of course.  In addition to upcoming events, the band and choir also entertained at some of the home basketball games and the three bands provided dinner music at the recent Soup Supper.  Read on to see their busy schedule!

Note-Worthy News from the Music Department!

      Last Friday two of our ECHO students were invited to attend the Mankato State Honor Band.  Tim Gjermundson and Taylor LaVoy participated in a day-long rehearsal and program.  The band consisted of approximately 80 students including college students from the music program.  It was a great day for our students and one they will remember.

    Wednesday of this week Heather Boyum (saxophone), Tony Knutson (clarinet), Lyv Bartz and Maddie Bernardy (sopranos) attended the Luverne Music Festival in Luverne.  Rehearsals started at 8:30.  The day ended with a concert for parents and friends at 2:00.  It was a pleasure having these students represent our school!

Choir and Band Concert on Monday, March 15

    The choirs and bands will be presenting a concert beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 15.

The bands will include the 5^th grade, the 6^th-8^th grades, and the 9^th-12^th grades and the choirs will include the 7^th-8^th and the 9^th-12^th.

    The bands will be performing songs from the past and also new selections for your entertainment. Pep band songs will end our program.  The choirs will be doing 50's music, Phantom of the Opera selections and Danny Boy. 

    It should be a great concert to attend and enjoy.  We hope you will all come and support our students on Monday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m.  There will also be an all-school concert at 9:30 a.m.

    Just a reminder, 5-8 students must wear black pants/skirts with white shirts.  Seniors may dress up, while all others in 9-12 wear red, black or white dress clothes.

 

Glasses!  Glasses!  Glasses! Are You Missing Yours?

Anyone who is missing a pair of glasses should check in the school office.

ReadNex Use Music and the Spoken Word to Captivate Students

    Students of ECHO Charter High School had a unique experience this week when a group of Hip-Hopping, Rapping poet/musicians captivated the students at the After School Program.  The four men and one woman combined music with the spoken word to bring an uplifting message to the teens.

    The name of the group is, appropriately enough, ReadNex (read as in the past tense of read).  They also have some intriguing names to go along with the title: Decora, FreeFlowin, Jarabe Del sol, Latin Translator, and DJ H20.

    The high school After School staff deemed the event as successful, adding that it pushed the students “out of their comfort zone.”  They said the students got very involved during the workshop portion and were writing poetry by the end of the session.  The students, themselves, described the evening as: “Coolness,” “Boss,” and “Fantastic.”  One comment was “I never heard anything like that before.” 

    The ReadNex came to ECHO and other area schools through the PACT 4 consortium.

 

Girls’ & Boys’ Basketbal Banquet ~ 6:00 ~ Tuesday, March 16

 

Dinner Theatre Set for March 19 and 20

    Want to enjoy a full three course dinner replete with crystal and white linen?  Want to see an old-fashioned evening with live actors on stage?

Your Answer: The Annual Dinner Theatre – It’s Only Two Weeks Away 

Soon all of the above will be rolled into one evening of dining pleasure with the on-stage presence of local, amateur thespians giving their “all for the call.”   

“Dirty Work in High Places” – A “Mellerdrammer”

    The name of the play, “Dirty Work in High Places,” is under the direction of Mr. Bryan Runck and Mr. David Schueler and features the raw talents of ECHO High students.

    The production is an old-fashioned “mellerdrammer” (or mellow drama) with a side-splitting twist.  It

features a villain (“the meanest man in town”), a heroine (in distress, of course), and the hero (dauntless,

no doubt), who come together to battle good against evil.  Play-goers should watch for such action as

wild chase scenes, comic hand-to-hands, and – of all things – a smog machine.

Dinner Theatre ~ Friday & Saturday, March 19 & 20

The cost for such an evening of entertainment: a mere $15.

Doors open at 5:30, serving begins at 6:00, the curtain “goes up” at 7:00.

Tickets $15 ~ Get Your Tickets Soon!

 

February: “I Love to Read Month”

Thanks to Parents for Volunteering                                                    

    ECHO Charter School would like to thank each of the parents who volunteered their time each Wednesday afternoon during February: “I Love to Read Month.”

    Children become good readers by reading. These five parents gave the first grade students this opportunity by coming to listen to them read.  The teachers say to the volunteers, “Thank you so much for your time and the attention you gave to these budding readers.”

“If You Can Read This, You Can Thank a Teacher”

    A recent newspaper guest commentary, entitled, “If you can read this, you can thank a teacher,” is reprinted here, in part:

    “If you can read this, you can thank a teacher. . .“If you can do basic math, you can thank a teacher. . .”  Although the commentary goes on with more of these “you can thank a teacher” phrases, the gist of the article is that we can thank teachers for the innumerable ways they have helped children to learn and grow and learn and grow some more.  Thanks also to the parents who have worked so faithfully with the teachers as volunteers and at home, simply as parents.  Parents, after all, are number one just before teachers in the education of their children.

 

Fund Raiser in Progress for Prom

Tickets for Picnic Table Available From Juniors

    This year’s prom, “After Glow,” is set for Friday, April 23.  The Junior Prom Committee is at the task of raising funds to help defray expenses by selling tickets for a drawing.  Ticket sales at $2 each are now in progress for the attractive, well-constructed picnic table, which was made by the welding and woods classes,.

 

Reward Trip Clue #4

1)      Date: Wednesday, March 31,

2)      Needs: each person must take $20, 

3)      Transportation: we will be taking a bus, maybe 2,

and now THE NEXT  CLUE

4)      The Direction: We will be traveling EAST!

 

ECHO Takes Part in Kids Against Hunger

    Approximately 35 ECHO students and others from the area took part in a Kids Against Hunger event at Olivia on Saturday.  The goal of the group was to package 285,120 meals in the 212-Highway to Haiti Corridor to help the people in that country.

 

Girl Scout Meetings

Girl Scout Cookies: $3.50 – Call 507-829-6280

    Reminder: Girl Scouts meet after school at Grace Lutheran Church in Belview on the first and third Wednesdays of the month.

 

Firearms Safety Class Coming in April

    A Firearms Safety Class will be conducted beginning on April 6 in Belview.  The session will start at 6:30 p.m.  Students must be 11 years old. 

    Pre-registration is necessary by calling Rich Sullivan at 507-938-4272.

 

Drivers’ Training Classes Begin in March

    Students interested in drivers’ training may enroll now for classes beginning in March. 

    Registrations may be made by contacting Paul Knapper at pknapper@rcw.k12.mn.us or 320-329-3949.

    The sessions will run from 3:00-6:00 p.m. beginning on Monday, March 8 at high school room 104 at Renville.  The training will last about 2½ weeks at a cost of $95.  Students must be 15 years or older.

 

Calendar of Events

Monday, March 8—

Booster Club, 5:00

Thursday, March 11—

School Board – changed to March 18

Friday, March 12—

School Carnival

Monday, March 15—

Band & Choir Concert, 7:00 (5-12)

Tuesday, March 16—Girls & Boys Basketball Banquet, 6:00

Thursday, March 18—

School Board, 5:00 (changed from march 11); K-6 Conferences; end of 3^rd quarter

Friday, March 19—

Snow Make Up Date; School in Session in a.m. only, dismissal @ 12:30

Friday & Saturday, March 19 & 20—

Dinner Theatre

Friday, March 26—

             Basketball Fund Raiser, 6:30

Thursday-Monday, April 1-5—

Easter break

Thursday, April 8—

School Board, 5:00

Monday, April 12—

Snow Make Up Date; School in Session

Friday, April 16—

Mr. Potato Head Feed

Friday, April 23—

Prom; no school, Student-Teacher Work Day

Monday-Wednesday, April 26-28—

Spring trip to Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center (6-8)

Wednesday, April 28—

Mid-term conferences, 7-12; ’10-’11 registration

Thursday, April 29-Wednesday, May 5—

Spring trip to Washington, DC, 9-12

Thursday, April 29—

Spring Concert, K-6

Friday, April 30—

No school, Student/Teacher Work Day

Monday, May 10—

Booster Club, 5:00

Thursday, May 13—

Track & Field Day, School Board, 5:00

Friday, May 14—

No school, Student/Teacher Work Day

Sunday, May 16—

Senior Banquet

Monday, May 17—

Track & Field rain date

Friday, May 21—

Graduation; Early out, 12:30

Thursday, May 27—

Last day of school; Awards Day; no lunch; dismiss @ 12:00