Raider Families and Staff,

I hope this update finds you and your family settling smoothly into your routines as we dive into 2025! Today’s update includes a recap of the recent school board organizational meeting, information about an upcoming in-person community collaboration event on February 19, and the usual calendar reminders to keep you informed.

School Board Organizational Update:

The annual school board organizational meeting takes place on the first Monday in January. During this meeting, officers are elected, committees are formed, the calendar is established, and a range of key decisions for the upcoming school year are finalized. I’ve included the highlights below:

Officers for the 2025 Calendar Year:

Chair: Carrie Tate

Vice Chair: Jessica Dressely

Clerk: Melissa Millner

Treasurer: Mark Zuzek

2025 Committees and Liaisons:

• Finance, Facilities and Joint Powers Committee: Mark Zuzek, Carrie Tate, and Melissa Millner 

• Community Collaboration Committee: Jenny Wiederholt-Pine, Matt Bruns, and Phil Biermaier

• Policy Committee: Jessica Dressely, Carrie Tate and Mark Zuzek

• Student Board Member Committee: Matt Bruns, Melissa Millner and Jessica Dressely

• ISD917 Representative: Mark Zuzek (3 year term)

• Relicensure Committee Representative: Phil Biermaier

• MSHSL Representative: Jenny Wiederholt-Pine

• AMSD Liaison: Matt Bruns

• Brightworks Liaison: Jessica Dressely

• Native American Parent Advisory Committee (NAPAC) Liaison: Matt Bruns

Board Calendar: 2025  - LINK

Community Collaboration Event - February 19th at 6pm: Mark your calendars. The next community collaboration event is scheduled for February 19th at 6pm in the high school lecture hall.  The topics will be shared in the near future. 

Community Engagement Tour: There are numerous initiatives and continuous improvement efforts going on in our district, and we’d love to share them with you! Consider scheduling a community engagement presentation for your club or organization, complete with time for questions and discussion. To arrange a presentation, call the district at 651-480-7013. We look forward to connecting with you!

Calendar Reminders

• Upcoming calendar reminders:

  • No School January 20

  • No School January 21 Teacher Workshop

  • No School January 27 Professional Development

• 24-25 School Calendar in its entirety

Raider Events

• Raider Athletic Calendar

• Raider Events Calendar  

Sincerely,

Dr. Tamara Champa
Superintendent, Hastings Public Schools

For nearly a decade, Sarah Anderson has started each day with smiles, laughter, and the eager curiosity of young minds ready to learn. As an Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) teacher, she plays a pivotal role in preparing the youngest members of our community for their academic journey and future success.

The ECSE program serves children from birth through kindergarten entry, providing specialized educational services to those who face developmental delays or medical conditions that impact their growth. Depending on a child’s age and needs, services are delivered in a variety of settings. Sarah values the collaborative spirit of the Tilden-based ECSE team, which includes teachers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and other support specialists. Together, they work to integrate their students into the enriching preschool programs offered within ISD 200.

“I love greeting kids as they come to school for the first time, meeting them where they are at, providing supports that are needed to help make every kid as successful as they can be, watching every one of them grow and learn. I love that a preschooler’s work is play. As the ECSE department lead, I am oftentimes a family’s first connection to the school district, and I take pride in making that a positive experience,” shares Sarah. 

A native of Prescott, Wisconsin, Sarah moved to Hastings in 2008 to be closer to family. After seven years working in a different district, she eagerly applied for a position in Hastings when it became available. “I love the sense of community here,” she shares. “The commute is easy, and we’re truly a family invested in the success of ISD 200. My husband, Brent, works as the Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds, and our two kids are students here. We enjoy living and working in the same community, and it’s always a joy to bump into past and present students and their families.”

Outside the classroom, Sarah enjoys cheering on her kids at their various activities—more Raider Pride!—as well as camping, solving puzzles, and spending time outdoors with her family.

Thank you, Sarah, for your dedication to our youngest learners and your continued support of our school community!

The Raiders on the Record Podcast is back out with another episode featuring senior Lauren Muhl. In the interview, she highlights teachers who had a positive impact on her like Ms. matzek, Mr. Mace, Mrs. Mulcahy, Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Benson, Mrs. Jonas, and Mrs. Koerner. 

In its inaugural season, the Hastings High School Raiders Archery Team competed in the NASP BULLSEYE Archery Tournament at the Faribault Falcon Classic, hosted at the Faribault High School!

The TEAM finished 7th out of 10 teams, and the Archers were excited about their first performance among well-established teams.

They also identified areas to focus on for improvement to become more competitive this season.

The HHS Raider's sister team, the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (SEAS) Patriots, also participated.

This marks the third consecutive year the SEAS TEAM has reached the podium at this tournament, with many INDIVIDUALS also earning podium spots.

Next, the HHS Raiders Archery Team will compete at its first-ever NASP/IBO 3D Tournament at White Bear Lake & LILA 3D Winter Shootout at Forrest Lake�s Lakes International Language Academy on Friday, January 10th with a FLIGHT TIME of 7 PM. It will be at the White Bear Lake & LILA BULLSEYE Winter Shootout at White Bear Lake High School Athletic Center on Saturday, January 11th, with a FLIGHT TIME of 3 PM.

The Raiders' competition season runs through the final weekend of March, with the MINNESOTA STATE NASP Bullseye & NASP/IBO 3D Tournaments in St. Cloud.

The season could extend into May if the team qualifies at the MN State Tournament for NATIONALS in Louisville, Kentucky, and into June if they qualify at Nationals for WORLDS held in North Carolina this year.