Through the Eyes of...

Through the Eyes of… Series

Our “Through the Eyes of…” series is a weekly spotlight designed to showcase the incredible learning, creativity, and school spirit happening across Verndale Public School.

Each week, a different classroom or department is featured. Teachers share a glimpse into what their students have been learning and experiencing, along with photos that bring those moments to life. From hands-on projects to everyday achievements, this series highlights the unique experiences that make VPS special.

The series will run for 30 weeks throughout the school year, giving our community a chance to celebrate the wide variety of learning and activities happening at every level of our school.

Follow along each week as we see Verndale Public School “Through the Eyes of…” our classrooms and departments!

 

The weeks will be updated as they come so you can find week one at the bottom of this page!

   

Week Four September 29th - October 3rd

Through the Eyes of… The Kitchen!

This week we’re stepping into the classroom with Our Kitchen Staff!

Here’s a peek at what students have been learning and experiencing:

Through the Eyes of...
“The Pirate Lunchladies Captain & Crew”
Written by: Kelsea Desrocher; Food Services Director
Every day in the lunchroom is its own swashbuckling adventure—full of tasty triumphs and the
occasional challenge to keep us on our toes!
This year, we’ve had the joy of welcoming our new Head Cook, Kimberly Hedlund, to the
galley! She’s brought a fresh wave of energy to our crew, along with a true passion for creating
meals that keep our Pirate students and staff well-fed and smiling.
At her side is our speedy and skilled Assistant Cook, Kim Kern, who cranks out nearly 800
meals a day with such lightning-fast efficiency that even the Tasmanian Devil would be left
spinning!
Anna Larsen, our salad bar extraordinaire, crafts a daily masterpiece of fruits, veggies, salads,
and a la carte items so colorful and fresh they’d make a rainbow feel self-conscious.
In the dishroom, the ever-optimistic Dorene Moe keeps things running smoother than a freshly
swabbed deck. She tackles mountains of dishes with a smile, a word of encouragement,
and—of course—a well-timed joke to keep spirits high.
And let’s not forget our fantastic student worker, Delaynee Stropko, who proudly serves
breakfast to her fellow Pirates each morning. With humility, heart, and a “let’s get it done”
attitude, she’s a shining example of what makes Lunchladyland so special.
Together, this crew keeps the kitchen shipshape and the lunchroom lively!

Week Three September 22nd-26th

Through the Eyes of… Our School Counselors

This week we’re stepping into the classroom with our counselors!

Here’s a peek at what students have been learning and experiencing:

The Verndale School Counselors, Mrs. Tackmann and Mrs. Lehmkuhl, support students in grades K–12 by guiding them through academic, social-emotional, and college and career development. They engage with students individually, in small groups, and through classroom lessons to build skills such as anger management, emotional regulation, healthy relationship development, and personal goal setting. Counselors also provide a safe, confidential environment where students feel heard and supported as they navigate challenges and everyday struggles.
In addition, the counseling department organizes a variety of college and career readiness activities throughout the school year. These experiences allow students to explore career pathways, participate in workplace and college tours, gain hands-on exposure to different professions, and engage in job shadowing opportunities.
This year, we are fortunate to have a school counseling intern, Miss Kraemer, who is completing her Master’s degree in Mental Health and School Counseling at the University of North Dakota and will graduate this May.

Week Two September 15th-19th

Through the Eyes of… STEM

This week we’re stepping into the classroom with Mrs. Wallin!

Here’s a peek at what students have been learning and experiencing:

The first few weeks of school have been a whirlwind of creativity, curiosity, and hands-on fun in the STEM room!
- 7th & 8th Graders in Hex kicked things off with kitchen safety—complete with colorful posters AND a tasty mac & cheese lab to prove they can cook safely.  They also zoomed into engineering by building Lego cars and racing them down ramps (the races were SO close, Mrs. Wallin had to use slo-mo on her phone to catch the winners). Plus, Hex Bugs got some wild new mazes designed just for them! 
- STEMtastic Class dove into the “S” of STEM (science) by experimenting with pennies, paperclips, and everyday liquids. They discovered how oxidation and chemical reactions work, and even tested surface tension by guessing how many drops of water could fit on a penny. (Spoiler: the back side holds more than you’d think!) Next up: the “T” in STEM—technology! Students will be coding animated name programs in Scratch. 
- Culinary Science students have been swabbing the decks  and getting their kitchens sparkling clean before diving into labs. Their reward? Brownie sundaes, of course.  Now they’re already investigating their first big question: “How can you make water boil faster?” 
- Upper Elementary STEM engineers have been busy building bridges and testing how much weight they can hold (and learning why some bridges have weight limits). Meanwhile, Lower Elementary STEM students are on the move—exploring transportation through fun, hands-on stations. 
- And our Trailblazers are taking STEM outdoors!  They’re learning how science, tech, engineering, and math show up in nature AND designing their own golf clubs and putters—crafted entirely out of newspaper, cardboard, and tape. 
STEM at our school = busy hands, big ideas, and LOTS of fun. 

Week One September 8th-12th 

Through the Eyes of…Visual Arts

This week we’re stepping into the classroom with Ms. Sucky!

Here’s a peek at what students have been learning and experiencing:

Lot's of creativity going on in the art room! The junior high is putting their color mixing skills to the test with 7th grade creating their own color wheels and 8th grade making color harmonies through pop art. The Foundations of Art class is learning about the art element of Space by making tunnel books. Art Appreciation students have started making their visual journals that they will use throughout the semester. Fiber Arts class is practicing embroidery, and will eventually be embroidering dish towels and a clothing item of their choice.