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School Board Meetings ​ MonDAY, Septemb er 25, 2023 | 6PM Regular Board Meet ing IN-PERSON | Online 120 SOUTH HAWTHORN, ROYALTON ENTER DOOR #1 - ECC FOYER Zoom Meeting Link Passcode: 705846 WednesDAY, Sep tember 27, 2023 6:00PM-7:30pm Strategic Planning Committee M eeting IN-PERSON | Cafetorium 120 SOUTH HAWTHORN, ROY ALTON Enter Activities Entrance ​ ​ Meet our new staff NEW ENROLLMENT We are pleased you are interested in enrolling your child in Royalton Public Schools! Give us a call at (320) 584-4000 or use the link below. Enroll Our Mission Create a welcoming and safe environment where all students and staff are empowered and challenged to achieve their personal best. Mission & Vision Royalton's Voice Royalton's Voice is a forum for YOU to share your questions, concerns, compliments, and more. Each post is anonymous and will be reviewed by school personnel. If you'd like a response, just include your email address. We hope this will be an avenue to have greater communication with you long-term Share YOUR Voice Good things are happening. #RoyaltonRoyals STaff QUICK LINKS Employee Resource Center Skyward Gradebook Employee Email SMART eR Frontline (formerly AESOP) STAR Assessments Frontline (formerly VeriTime) ViewPoint Help Desk MCIS

district administrative Team Who We Are Joel Swenson Middle/High School Principal Write a bio for each team member. Make it short and informative to keep your visitors engaged. 320-584-4200 Email Tony Neumann Elementary Principal Elementary education is the foundation to instill a love of learning. Everyday we strive to be positive role models to get students what they need, when they need it while fostering individuality and creativity. 320-584-4100 Email Dr. Kristine Wehrkamp Herman Superintendent Write a bio for each team member. Make it short and informative to keep your visitors engaged. 320-584-4200 Email Amy Krueger Director Of Human Resources and Community Education My role as a Community Education Director affords me the opportunity to impact our learning community from our youngest learners in preschool to the most senior learners of our community. My work as a Human Resources Director supports the employees of our school community as they navigate employment and benefit election. Both of these roles are very important to me as they impact important members of our schools and aid our students in having a more positive school experience. 320-584-4200 Email David Lemm Director of TEchnology Write a bio for each team member. Make it short and informative to keep your visitors engaged. 320-584-4200 Email Kaitlyn Frenchick Activities Director/Dean of Students As the Activities Director, I encourage students to become active in Royalton's various activities. As the Dean of Students, I help students become positive community members. Seeing students connect with others through school and activities is one of the many highlights of my position. 320-584-4200 Email Linda Fischer Director of Transportation Write a bio for each team member. Make it short and informative to keep your visitors engaged. 320-584-4200 Email Tony Duevel Director of Buildings and Grounds Write a bio for each team member. Make it short and informative to keep your visitors engaged. 320-584-4200 Email

< Guidance Office new student information Welcome! We are pleased you are interested in enrolling your child in the Royalton School District. The forms below will need to be completed in order for us to finalize your child's registration. Click on the link to download the forms. Return the completed forms to the high school office. Enrollment Forms New Student Registration Packet Open Enrollment Form Supply List: PreK - Gr 5 Supply List: Gr 6-8

Transportation Office Contact Information Linda Fischer, Director ( 320) 584-4255 Email TRANSPORTATION Sign up instructions for Ride 360 NEW! All requests and annual "registration to ride" needs to be completed in Skyward Family Access. To ensure the safe and efficient transportation for all Royalton School District students, the following rules are in effect for all students and routes regardless of the type of transportation used. According to MN Statute 121A.59 BUS TRANSPORTATION IS A PRIVILEGE NOT A RIGHT, this state law notes that “Transportation by school bus is a privilege not a right for an eligible student. A student's eligibility to ride a school bus may be revoked for a violation of school bus safety or conduct policies, or for violation of any other law governing student conduct on a school bus, pursuant to a written school district discipline policy.” Registration is required for each student who will be riding the bus to and/or from school. To register a student, please complete the forms on Skyward Family Access for each of your students. Students are required to ride their assigned bus from their assigned bus stop only. If you would like your child to ride the bus to or from a location other than their assigned bus stop, we require a written note in advance to ensure we transport your child to the correct location. Please remember that we transport hundreds of students each day and we have each student listed at a specific bus stop or address. If a change is required, for any reason, we need written authorization from the parent/guardian before the scheduled bus time or your child will be picked up/ dropped off at their scheduled stop only. Please instruct your child to give the note to the school office who will then provide a bus pass to your child. In the event of a last-minute emergency, you can contact your child's school secretary to request a change for that day only. All school bus and van routes are scheduled to provide efficient and consistent transportation for all students. If your child is not going to be riding the bus, for any reason, we ask that the parent/guardian call Royalton Transportation at 320-584-4255 to notify us of the change. ​ To report a change of address, please go onto Skyward Family Access and make the change there. ​ ​ Walking Distances to School MN Statute 123B.88 dictates student eligibility for student transportation and therefore walking distances. In any district, the board must arrange for the attendance of all pupils living two miles or more from the school, except pupils whose student transportation privileges have been voluntarily surrendered or have been revoked. ​ ​ Walking Distance to the Bus Stop As nice as it would be to have bus stops within eyesight of your home or daycare, this is not always feasible. Bus stops are located with the safety of each student in mind, first and foremost. Bus stops are generally located so no student has to walk further than 3 blocks from their home or daycare. To help make the bus stop as safe as possible, we recommend that a parent or neighborhood volunteer waits with younger students until the bus arrives at the bus stop. Students that live in rural areas will be picked up at the end of the driveway unless the stop is .5 miles or greater in length. ​ Requirements to make a turn-a-round at the top of the driveway: - the driveway is a minimum of 12 feet wide - the driveway is built with a stable material such as class V gravel, asphalt, or concrete. - In addition, the driveway must be properly maintained. ​ An evaluation must be made by the transportation department before a turn-a-round is approved. BUS SAFETY State law and district policy make families and the school jointly responsible for transportation safety. Therefore, I ask you to join us in reviewing rules for the bus and bus stop with your child(ren) and insisting on their compliance with them. Additionally, we ask that you remind your child(ren) to observe these two (2) important safety precautions. When getting off the bus, stand well clear of it until it leaves. Never go to the mailbox until the bus is gone. A child could easily slip and fall beneath the wheels unnoticed, especially when it is icy. Never cross the road in front of the bus until the driver gives a hand signal indicating it is safe to cross. We have never had a serious accident or student injury. The school district and transportation department make every effort to prevent any type of accident or injury from happening. Our drivers do all they can to ensure a safe ride and road crossing. Please help them by reinforcing safe, courteous, and orderly behavior on the bus and at the bus stop. RULES AT THE BUS STOP Get to your bus stop five (5) minutes before your scheduled pickup time. The school bus will not wait for late students.​ Respect the property of others while waiting at your bus stop. Keep your arms, legs, and belongings to yourself. Use appropriate language. Stay away from the street, road, or highway when waiting for the bus. Wait until the bus stops before approaching the bus. After getting off the bus, move away from the bus. If you must cross the street, always cross in front of the bus where the driver can see you. Wait for the driver to signal to you before crossing the street. No fighting, harassment, intimidation, or horseplay. No use of alcohol, tobacco, or drugs. Remember that riding a school bus is a privilege; not a right. BUS RULES OF CONDUCT The bus driver is in full charge of the bus and the pupils. Pupils must obey the driver immediately and without question. Pupils will enter and exit the bus only at designated stops in single file order, through the front door. Under absolutely no condition will the emergency door be used for anything but emergency exits. Pupils are to remain seated facing forward while the bus is in motion. Talk quietly and use appropriate language. Classroom conduct is required. Unnecessary conversation with the bus driver is prohibited. Pupils are to assist in keeping the bus clean. Do not open a window without permission from the driver. At no time will windows be opened more than halfway. Keep all parts of your body inside the bus. ​ ​ ​​Pupils are to leave the bus only at their regular stops unless they have a written permission slip from parents or teachers, which is to be presented to the bus driver as they board the bus. Pupils need a note from parents in order to ride on a different bus. Pupils may be assigned seats by the driver. Pupils may not save a seat for another person. ​ Aisles must be kept free and clear at all times. Keep your arms, legs, and belongings to yourself. No fighting, harassment, intimidation, or horseplay. ​​ Do not throw any object within or out of the bus. ​ No eating, drinking, or use of tobacco or drugs. Do not bring any weapons, flammable items, animals, or dangerous or objectionable objects on the school bus. ​ Do not damage the bus. BUS DISCIPLINE The following procedures will be used when students fail to obey the district’s transportation rules of conduct: Upon the first report, the student will meet with the driver and school administration. Parents will be notified of the content of this discussion. Upon second offense the student will meet with the driver and the principal and will be removed from the bus for two (2) days. Parent attendance at this meeting is encouraged. Upon the third offense, the student will be removed from the bus for two (2) weeks. The fourth offense will result in removal from the bus for the remainder of the school year. ​ OTHER BUS DISCIPLINE Based on the severity of a student’s conduct, more serious consequences may be imposed at any time. Depending on the nature of the offense, consequences such as suspension or expulsion from school may also result from school bus/bus stop misconduct. ​ RECORDS Records of school bus/bus stop misconduct will be forwarded to the individual school building and will be retained in the same manner as other student discipline records. Reports of serious misconduct will be provided to the Department of Public Safety. Records may also be maintained in the transportation office. If you are new to the district, please call Linda at 584-4255. During the school year if a student is not going to ride the bus, please notify the driver prior to the pick-up time.

BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS School Report card Audit Reports Truth in taxation System Accountability Reports World's Best Workforce District Technology Plan Revenues and Expenditures Budget

Royalton Public Schools Volunteer Application I am a Parent Community Member Business/Organization Preferred Grade Level Opportunities Elementary School Middle School High School District Wide Opportunities Please mark all of the areas where you are interested in volunteering your time and talents Contact for all opportunities Math or Reading Helper Clerical/Data Entry Career Learning Center Coaching Special Events/Programs Library/Media Vision and Hearing Special Education Extra Curricular Advisor Availability: What days and times are you available to volunteer? Monday Morning Monday Afternoon Tuesday Morning Tuesday Afternoon Wednesday Morning Wednesday Afternoon Thursday Morning Thursday Afternoon Friday Morning Friday Afternoon References References are needed for volunteers who do not have children in Royalton Public Schools. Please provide two references who are not related to you(e.g., clergy, teacher, employer, neighbor, coach, etc.). The principals will verify all information provided, including but not limited to contacting references provided by the applicant. I certify, to the best of my knowledge, that all information given by me/applicant in this application and in any other forms I/applicant complete during the application process is true and correct. I understand that false or misleading statements made by me/applicant or consequential omissions of any kind in the application process are sufficient cause for not being accepted as a volunteer or for being dismissed if I/applicant am already a volunteer no matter when discovered. I authorize the Royalton Public School District to investigate all of the information contained in this application. Any persons or organizations named are authorized to provide information regarding my/applicant's employment, volunteer history, character, and qualification and they are hereby released from all liability for providing such information. Submit Thanks for volunteering!

HEALTH SERVICES Nurse's Office Contact Information Elementary ( 320) 584-4162 | Middle/High School ( 320) 584-4243 Emergency Contact Information Health Screenings Reporting Absenses Special Dietary Needs Is my child well enough to go to school? This is a common question by many parents, so here are some general guidelines that may help you decide: FEVER : Children with a fever of 100 or greater should stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal without the use of over the counter fever reducers such as Tylenol(acetaminophen) or ibuprofen. FLU: If your child was diagnosed by a physician with the flu, returning to school is the same as the fever restrictions listed above. VOMITING/DIARRHEA : Child should remain at home until 24 hours after the last episode. RASH: Check with your family physician before sending your child to school with a rash in which you do not know the cause. Children may return to school if the rash is diagnosed as non-contagious or once the recommended treatment for the rash has been received. Diagnosis of a rash CANNOT be made at school. STREP THROAT: Children may return to school 12 hours after starting antibiotics. CHICKENPOX/SHINGLES: Your child should remain home until ALL blisters have dried to scabs, which can take 6-10 days. HEAD LICE: your child may return to school once they have been treated with medicated shampoo or oil treatment and no live lice are found. PINK EYE: Symptoms of pink eye will often include sticky discharge from the eye and a pink tint to the white part of the eye. Contact your child’s physician for advice/treatment because prescription drops may be necessary. Your child may return to school if diagnosed with pink eye by a physician 24 hours after beginning the eye drop treatment. COUGH: Coughing that interferes with or limits their ability to participate in school activities should be evaluated by your physician. NASAL DRAINAGE: Thick, colored drainage may need to be evaluated by your child’s health care provider. OTHER: If having your child at school would significantly put others at risk of contracting your child’s illness. If a child exhibits these symptoms at school, parent/guardian will be contacted to take the child home. If the child’s parent/guardian cannot be reached, an emergency contact will be asked to pick up the child. School personnel CANNOT transport students home. Contact the attendance secretary if your child is staying home from school. Please feel free to contact the school nurse with questions or to update her of a child’s illness at 320-584-4243. Medication Policy Medications are encouraged to be given at home whenever possible. There are circumstances, however, when medication needs to be given during the school day. If it is necessary for a student to receive medication at school, there are requirements that need to be followed: ​ Parent/Guardian must provide a medication consent form (Form 1A) signed by the parent and the student's physician authorizing the administration of the medication at school. Parent/Guardian must provide prescription medication to the school in the original pharmacy container appropriately labeled for the student. Parent/Guardian must provide non-prescription medication to the school in the original container and provide a signed parent permission form. ​ Medications, prescription and non-prescription, are not to be carried by the student unless there is a written agreement between the school district and the parent and authorized by the student's physician. Immunizations Minnesota State Law - No Shots, No School! The State of Minnesota requires that all students must have received the required immunizations to enroll in or remain enrolled in a Minnesota Public School. Parents must provide the school with documentation indicating that the student has received the appropriate immunizations. Parents may file a medical exemption signed by a healthcare provider or a conscientious objection signed by a parent/guardian and notarized. Use the link below for information regarding Minnesota's Immunization Requirements and Immunization Record. Color-Coded Immunization Chart Locate a clinic near you to receive vaccines: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/immunize/vaxfinder.html Learn more at www.vaccines.gov Medication Forms Medication Authorization Form 1A Medication Authorization Form 1B - Medication Administration Medication Return Letter Form 1C Medication Authorization Form 2A - Over-the-Counter Medication for Elementary Students Medication Authorization Form 2B - Over-the-Counter Medication for MS/HS Students Medication Authorization Form 3A - Authorization to Possess and Self-Administer Nonprescription Pain Relief Medication Authorization Form 4A - Self Carried/Self-Administered Prescribed Medication Immunization Forms Student Immunization Form Northern Pines Northern Pines Children’s Therapeutic Support Services (CTSS) are counseling services offered in the school, home and community setting. The program provides a safe, convenient, and nurturing environment where the child and family can examine their difficulties, learn to recognize and utilize effective skills, and make corrective changes. The goal is to optimize family functioning to prevent out of home placement. Sessions are offered within the school day/hours, making it extra convenient for you and your student. LEARN MORE Interventions focus on Anger Control Problem-solving Decision-making Self-esteem Independent living Conflict resolution Communication Stress reduction Services Provided Diagnostic Assessment Therapy Individual Family Group Skills​ Crisis Assistance MS/HS Staff Amanda Kampa, MSW, LICSW Mental Health Professional Email Sadie Eiynk, LSW Mental Health Practitioner Email Elementary staff Mackenzie Gangl, MSW, LICSW Mental Health Professional Email Alyssa Young, LSW Mental Health Practitio ner Email Nicole Zierden, LSW Mental Health Practitio ner Email If you have additional questions or would like to place a referral to Northern Pines for your child, please call the call center at 320-639-2025, or visit our website at www.npmh.org . Health Screenings Vision and hearing screenings are conducted during the year as recommended by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). VISION: grades K-5, 7/8, 10/11 * 1st grade boys are also screened for color blindness HEARING: grades K-5, 7/8, 10/11 SCOLIOSIS: 6th grade girls. A referral letter will be sent home should the measurements exceed the guidelines set forth by the MDH. HEAD LICE: Per MDH recommendations, wide-spread lice screenings done by the school have not been shown to be effective. Lice screenings will take place upon request by parents/guardians and/or staff. If a student does not pass a portion of the first screening, a re-screen is performed at a later date. If the student again does not pass a referral letter will be sent home with the student recommending further evaluation and/or treatment. If at any time there are concerns about a student’s hearing and/or vision, please contact the nurse to arrange for a screening to be done. Health Screenings Reporting Absences Reporting Absences Absences must be reported to the school to be considered as an excused absence. Report your child's absence each day your child is ill by calling the attendance line at the school. Please report the child’s name, teacher/grade and reason for the absence. If your child is ill, report the symptoms and/or any diagnosed communicable condition. Please contact the school Health Office if your child has any injury or illness that will require modifications in his/her school day, prior to returning to school. If your child is absent and the school has not received notification of the absence, the school will attempt to call the home number listed on the Emergency Information Sheet to either speak with a contact or leave a message inquiring about the absence. SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS Some students have special dietary needs due to food allergies, food intolerances, or disorders affecting digestion. If your child has any special dietary needs due to a medical condition, the school can assist in meeting those needs. Please provide a doctor's order specifying the child's dietary needs or condition. Please notify the school of any food allergies that your child has. We need to be prepared to prevent an allergic reaction and to handle an allergic reaction if it should happen. If your child has an allergy, we will develop a Food Allergy Action Plan along with you and your child's physician. Student safety is our number one goal at Royalton Public Schools. It is important to us to maintain current information on a student's health information and emergency contact information. If a student gets sick or injured at school to the extent that it is necessary to contact parents, we use the information provided by you on your child's emergency contact sheet. This provides the school with phone numbers to reach parents, as well as alternate people that the school can contact and release a student to in the event that we are unable to reach the parents. We will not release a student to anyone that is not listed on the emergency contact sheet without verbal consent from a parent. Please complete the Emergency Information Sheet at the beginning of each school year and update it throughout the school year if information changes. EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

< Hall of Fame Leo Wenner Class of 1954 Inducted May 2011 Leo Wenner graduated from Royalton High School in 1954. He began driving bus for the Royalton School District in 1959 and in 2011, 52 years later you can still find Leo behind the wheel of a school bus. To put this in perspective, a senior about to graduate from RHS in 1959 at the age of 18 would most likely be retired today and would be looking forward to their 70th Birthday in the next few years! Leo has driven our busses as a route driver and has transported many teams and activity busses over the years. The average school bus route in the Royalton District is approximately 38 miles. If you average this route twice a day for approximately 170 days per year for 52 years, the mileage adds up to almost 672,000 miles in a Royalton school bus! Leo has transported his, and his wife Joan’s, children and grandchildren as students at RHS.

Donate or Volunteer We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has made a charitable contribution to our schools. Words cannot express enough how appreciative we are of your donation of time or money! Donate Make a Donation Single-Event Volunteers Single-event volunteers provide service to the Royalton School District, without compensation, for a single event which will be completed in one (1) to three (3) school days. Volunteer Volunteer Application ​ Volunteer Policy Short-Term Volunteers ​ Short-term volunteers provide a service to the Royalton School District, without compensation, on an occasional basis not exceeding two (2) weeks during a school year.​ Long-Term Volunteers Long-term volunteers provide a service to the Royalton School District, without compensation, from time to time throughout the entire school year. Said service is not necessarily performed on consecutive days. Instead, long-term volunteering occurs over a period of time exceeding two (2) weeks throughout the school year. IF YOU ARE A PARENT OF A CHILD ENROLLED IN ROYALTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS and would like to volunteer: Please contact the building principal where your child is enrolled.​ ​ IF YOU ARE A COMMUNITY MEMBER OR ORGANIZATION, interested in volunteering within Royalton Public Schools: As a community member the first step is to complete the Volunteer Application (click on the left-hand tab). When your application is received and approved we will work together to place you in the volunteer opportunity that best fits your skills. IF YOU ARE AN ORGANIZATION LOOKING TO PLACE VOLUNTEERS, please contact one of the building principals for more information. Thank you for your considering Royalton Public Schools as a beneficiary of your talents and skills!

ELEMENTARY MEDIA CENTER Welcome to the Royalton Elementary Media Center. The library has over 14,000 books. New books are added 2-3 times a year. Come check us out! LIBRARY CATALOG Pathfinder Links Award Lists K-2 Dictionary...with word activities Kids Infobits ...database Starfall Kindersite Primary Games Alphabet Resources Great River Library Kids Page 3-5 PBS for Kids Fun Brain Rhyming Words Spelling Fun World Almanac for Kids Phonics Tutorial Spelling Great River Library Kids Page Maud Hart Lovelace Nominees Star of the North Nominees Contact Kathy Popp kpopp@isd485.org or (320) 584-4148

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment May 2021 Student of the Month Amanda Waletski Royalton High School is proud to announce that Amanda Waletski was selected as Student of the Month for May. Amanda is the daughter of Dave and Judy and sister of Allyson. Amanda’s family has been her biggest support system and has helped her grow and learn, “My family has taught me to work hard and appreciate the small things. I love spending days on the boat with my mom, dad, sister, and cousins during the summer. My family is always there to encourage me whether it is a sporting event, school work, or even the little things that come up day to day.” Outside of school Amanda works at Jordie’s Trail Side Café in Bowlus, she enjoys water skiing, snowmobiling, walking and playing with her dogs; Maggie and Lucy and also volunteers at her church. At Royalton High School Amanda participated in volleyball, basketball, Student Council, Minnesota Honors Society and keeps stats for the softball team. Looking at all of her activities, Amanda says volleyball and basketball have been the most impactful, “ Basketball and volleyball have allowed me to meet new people that have become close friends. Sports have also taught me skills such as time management, commitment and teamwork.” “I’ve really enjoyed my time teaching and coaching Amanda these past 4 years. She is such a joyful person and helpful person, no matter the situation Amanda was going to lighten the mood or do whatever she could to help. I would also say she’s one of the toughest people I know, during her Freshman year, she missed the second half of the basketball season because of a leg injury, but she still stayed involved and worked her way back to playing again the following year. Then during one of our summer tournaments, she broke her jaw, but that didn’t deter her, she came back and played just as hard. Then this past season in basketball, while Amanda isn’t the biggest person, she wasn’t afraid of taking on girls that were much bigger and she would always go 100%. It was great to have her on our team and as one of our captains. I’m really excited to see what’s instore for her in the years to come!.”- Head Girls Basketball Coach and Social Studies Teacher Brad Baumann. Looking at her academics Amanda believes her English teacher Ms. Menden has played a large role, “My favorite teacher is Ms. Menden. She cares about us as students but also as individuals. Her classes have taught me many valuable lessons I will use in my future. Ms. Menden always has a positive attitude and encourages me to always work hard to do my best.” Amanda’s favorite high school memory came during this past basketball season, “My favorite memory from high school is when our basketball team upset Holdingford in the playoffs this year. My team worked really hard and I was proud to be a part of it.” Next year Amanda plans to attend North Dakota State University while she is not a 100% sure what she wants to major in, one possibility is drafting or construction management. In 10 years, Amanda would like to be living somewhere near the Royalton/Bowlus area so she’s close to family. She’s hoping to have a steady job in her career field, she would like to foster dogs and also do some traveling around the world. Amanda’s advice to high school freshmen is short but sweet “become involved in your school and attend events and sporting games because high school goes faster than you think.!”

< Middle/High School Academics District Calendar Guidance Office Media Center New Enrollment May 2020 Student of the Month Mackenzie Beam Royalton Faculty and Staff would like to announce that Mackenzie Beam has been named the Student of the Month for May. Mackenzie notes that her family has helped her get to where she is today in more ways than she can think of. They have shaped her into the person she is by always being there for her when she needs them most, and push her to always do her best. She states that she is grateful for her five siblings because they have helped her find her way through life and allowed her to follow in their footsteps. Her family has taught her to always go after her dreams and if it doesn’t work out, she will always have their support and her faith to get her through it. Mackenzie’s favorite classes this past year were STATS and English. These were her favorite because the class atmosphere was always high and energetic. Ms. Menden and Mr. Silbernick made their classes enjoyable to be in, which made the hour go by fast. She notes that her favorite teacher is Ms. Menden. Although she has only had her for one year of English 12, she has made a big effort to really connect and get to know all of the students in Mackenzie’s class. One of her favorite things is that Ms. Menden was always smiling in class and made everyday fun, exciting and full of energy. At RHS, Mackenzie has been involved in Y.E.S. Club, Spanish Club, Minnesota Honor Society, and Student Council. She explains that she joined all of these organizations to try and get out of her comfort zone and be more involved. Her favorite High School activity was Student Council, especially in setting up for Homecoming. It was one of her favorites because seeing all of the other students having fun, smiling, and laughing was a great reward for all the hard work they all had put into that week. Mackenzie believes that she gained some leadership skills and more confidence by being involved in these various activities. Chris Coppicus, Royalton High School Band Director, would like to highlight that, “Mackenzie is a quiet leader in the band. She comes to class with a smile on her face everyday and puts in the work. Now that we are distance learning I am finding that Mackenzie is a stronger clarinet player than I first thought and she will be greatly missed next year.” Outside of school, she is involved in 4-H through Benton County. In the Spring, she gets pigs and raises them until August when they are taken to the Benton County Fair to show. She has a lot of fun making memories with her cousins at the fair, as well. Mackenzie’s favorite High School memory was when the power went out this past Fall and all the Seniors gathered in the Lion's Den in a circle sang songs and made memories. Next year she will be attending the University of Wisconsin, River Falls, majoring in Elementary Education. She is planning to teach either first or second grade. Tammy Shaughnessy, Kindergarten teacher at Royalton Elementary School states, “Mackenzie has been a student intern in my kindergarten class since the beginning of the school year. She has always been very reliable, showing up every day prepared and ready to jump into action with the students. She spent a lot of time reading with the kindergartners, playing learning games, assisting with small-group activities, helping with writing, and countless other activities. The students loved having Miss Mackenzie come into our classroom and they always hoped they were the next ones who got to read with her. She has an extremely kind heart and is so respectful of all students and their unique needs. Even in our unprecedented situation, where students may be feeling bombarded with distance learning, Mackenzie reached out to me and asked if she could join the Google Hangout with the kindergartners. The kids were very happy to see that Miss Mackenzie was able to join us.” Her advice for High School Freshman is, “soak it all in because the time really does go by fast!”