Last week Southwest 6th grade students had their own rendezvous! Blue Team represented the Ojibwe and Red Team represented the French. They came together to exchange manufactured goods for pelts and see who came away with more profit (French goal) or ability to survive with ease (Ojibwe goal).

Shoutout to Ms. Rothstein’s class at Lakeview! They’ve been working hard to explore fractions and equivalent fractions. I’m so proud of their effort and determination as they dive into a new unit. #CanDoKids!

Exploring the frontiers of biomedical research at the Hormel Institute: where curiosity meets innovation! A day of experimenting with germs, research tools, and the DNA of strawberries. #tigerpride

🎭 Opening Night Success! 🎭 The ALHS fall musical, Mean Girls, kicked off tonight with an incredible performance! 👏✨ Huge congratulations to the cast, crew, and everyone behind the scenes for bringing this hilarious and heartfelt show to life. 🌟 If you missed tonight’s debut, don’t worry—there are TWO more chances to catch the fun: 📅 Friday at 7:00 PM 📅 Saturday at 7:00 PM You won’t want to miss this amazing production filled with laughs, drama, and unforgettable moments. Grab your tickets and join us for an evening of outstanding talent and entertainment! 🎶🎤

Winter sports season is in full gear for our Southwest Students! Wrestling started this week, and our girls basketball team takes on Mankato East tonight at 4:30 here at Southwest!

Mean Girls opens Thursday! 3 shows all at 7:00pm Thursday-Saturday. Mean Girls wear pink on Wednesdays!

Our youngest scholars in the Outdoor Adventures Program are dressed for learning. They won't let a little rain stop them.

We would like to extend an invitation for all parents, guardians, and community members to join us for our first Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) meeting of 2024/25. This will be an informal Q&A session hosted by Sheila Riebe, Executive Director of Student Services, and our Special Education Due Process Leads that are in each school. We plan to meet Tuesday, November 19th from 12pm-1pm at Brookside Education Center, Room 234. More information about SEAC can be found here: https://www.alschools.org/df/student-services/special-education-advisory-council

On Thursday, 250 Southwest Middle School 6th grade students toured local manufacturers, Lou-Rich and Design Ready Controls. This exposure to two of Albert Lea's manufactures provides students with an up-close look at manufacturing opportunities here in our community. The tours are part of the Youth Skills Training program aimed at increasing student exposure and experience to manufacturing opportunities. Exposing students to manufacturing at an early age sparks curiosity and helps them connect their education to real-world opportunities. It broadens their understanding of diverse career paths, highlights the importance of skilled trades, and encourages them to consider high-demand fields they may not have previously known about.

Albert Lea High School Seniors and Parents/Guardians of Seniors-there will be a Financial Aid/FAFSA Informational meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 6:30 pm at ALHS in room D200. Please join us to hear important information about completing the FAFSA.

Halverson's fifth grade students earn special coupons for increasing their IXL scores during progress monitoring. Today the student earned Pajama Day for his class.

A HUGE shout out to Freeborn Mower Electric for coming to Halverson to support our 4th grades science learning about energy.

Lakeview 1st graders did an amazing job collaborating to sort digraphs with partners, and they even taught me a thing or two about digraphs! It’s inspiring to see their engagement in learning. #CanDoKids

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all veterans for your service and sacrifices. We are deeply grateful for everything you have done to protect and serve our country. A special shoutout to Post 56 and Greg Sundholm for being our honored guests at Halverson Elementary. Thank you for helping our students gain a deeper understanding of Veterans Day and the importance of honoring those who have served.

Students enjoying being Teachers and Principals for the day!

Hawthornes 1st grade team is collaborating with our Instructional Coach and MTSS Literacy Coach to do a deep dive lesson study with our new Wit and Wisdom curriculum! Productive PLC!

Another incredible college visit experience for students at Winona State University! Highlights of the trip included connecting with ALHS alumni and watching 3 of our seniors being accepted for admission. #tigerpride

Thank you to ALL the veterans across the country for your commitment to the United States. Your sacrifices have enabled us to have the freedoms we do in this country. Southwest is lucky to have two veterans in Mr. Burke Egner and Mr. Cory Alfson. Thank you for talking to Southwest students today about Veterans Day.

Hailey Deming makes it to state!!! Great job !!!

Shoutout to Lakeview’s 1st graders! They’re finishing up Module 1 in Wit & Wisdom and are so proud to share their learning. #CanDoKids