Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Carrie, The Musical Opens January 20 and Runs Through 23



CARRIE The Musical Music by Michael Gore, Lyrics by Dean Pitchford, Book by Lawrence D. Cohen, Based on the novel by Stephen King. Jan. 20-23 at 7 pm, SWHS Mainstage Auditorium, click here for details

Here are the details:

Southwest High School's Unhinged Theatre Presents: 
CARRIE The Musical

Music by Michael Gore 
Lyrics by Dean Pitchford 
Book by Lawrence D. Cohen 
Based on the novel by Stephen King 

Jan. 20, 21, 22, and 23 at 7 pm
SWHS Mainstage Auditorium

online ticket sales start Jan. 4 , at  southwesttheatre.org, see "Tickets"

Set in Chamberlain, Maine, Carrie the musical focuses on Carrie White, an outcast teenage girl who is bullied by her classmates. Her lonely life is controlled by her religious fanatic mother; through her isolation, Carrie discovers she possesses supernatural telekinetic powers. Things seem to be to looking up for Carrie when she is asked to prom. After an elaborate prank is pulled on her, Carrie gets her revenge when she uses her powers to wreak havoc not only on her classmates but on anyone and anything in her path. 

Suggested for mature audiences. Strobe lights in use. 

CARRIE the musical is presented through special arrangement with 
R & H Theatricals: 




Monday, December 28, 2015

YogoFit Studios and Amazon Smile Support Southwest Students

 YogaFit Studios is the newest supporter of Southwest students through the Southwest Foundation.   Inform them at the time of enrollment that you are a Southwest parent (or family of) YogoFit will donate 5% to the Southwest Foundation.  Several convenient locations and one at 45 th and France in the Linden Hills area.

Amazon Smile donates a percentage of your purchase to the Southwest Foundation.
You register your charitable  recpient online with Amazon Smile.

Learn more about the Southwest Foundation
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthwestHSFoundation

Southwest Foundation Thanks You For Supporting Southwest Students



Please use your Red Card IF you shop at Target.  A portion of your purchase supports Southwest.  Please make sure that your donation is going to Southwest.  You have to return to the Target and Red Card online location to change your donation choice.  Taeget discontinues this service as on June, 2016.  We appreciate your support and that of Target


Kowalski's Markets support schools and other non-profit organizations.  If you shop at Kowalski's and use the Lyndale and 54th store, please place your shopping receipt in the box labeled Southwest.  Kowalski's donates a portion of your purchase but you must place the receipt in the Southwest box.

Thank you for your support.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Yoga and Family Fitness Benefit Southwest




Welcome to YogaFit to the community of supporters of Southwest students and programs through the Southwest Foundation.

YogaFit will donate 5% of the membership fee to the Southwest Foundation for support of the Arts, Academics and Athletic for all Southwest students.  Parents of Southwest students need to tell of their affiliation to Southwest when enrolling in YogaFit.

This is another great way to support Southwest and maintain a healthy life.   Thank you YogaFit and their owners in creating this exciting opportunity.

Ashok Dhariwal
YogaFit Studios
Memberships can be used at any of these locations:
Linden Hills
Northeast Mpls
Loring Park
North Loop
Uptown Mpls
Downtown East
St. Louis Park
Southdale Edina
Now Open
Now Open
Coming Soon
Coming Soon
Coming Soon
Coming Soon
Coming

Southwest is fortunate to have the support of several generous organizations:
Target Coop. - through June 2016
Kowalski Foods at 54th and Lynndale
Amazon Smile - must sign up and designate Southwest Foundation
Chipotle Mexican Grill - numerous special events of sport teams

Thank You for your support.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Out With the OLD and In With NEW



Seventy-four school days ago we came together and formed the Southwest Lakers of school year 2015-16.  There never was a group like this before and in another 100 school days there never will be another group like this again.  All of us taken together are one collection of unique and special individuals sharing this time, this place and these experiences.

When we arrived the school buildings were in disarray and dirt and dust and noise was a common experience.  We watched the confusion change to walls with bricks and windows.

As 1754 individual students and an adult collection of over 250 individual, this was its own collection of human construction pieces waiting to fit together and become something recognizable.

This first semester has been exciting, challenging, confusing and defining.  For many of us, the dream of a successful and rewarding high school year has come to be.  The plays, the concerts, the athletic contest have been great and thrilling.  Classroom work fell into place and with studies and support from teachers and friends the GPA is looking good.  For others the excitement became frightening and disappointing.   The promises of a fresh start didn't happen and one sense of failure followed another.  Two sets of conclusions vastly different resulting from one shared set of circumstances.

The winter break is a time to refresh.  It is a time to celebrate living and being.  It is a natural time of reflections and new resolutions.  How 2015 finished is not how 2016 should begin.  Maybe it is with new friends that I find a way to share study time.  Maybe trying new ventures will renew the interest in learning.  The two-week break can be the pause before starting the rest of your life.

We are Southwest Lakers.  We need to celebrate that we are here, now and together this year.  We must make the best of it because there never ever will be another Southwest Laker School 2015-16.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Southwest Stevens and Cozine at University Of Minnesota Clarinet Day



Sophie Stevens, U of MN Clarinet Director, and McLean Cozine

Sophie Stevens and McLean Cozine, Southwest clarinet students, attended the Clarinet Day at the University of Minnesota.

Thank you Mr. Wixson and University of Minnesota

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Windows Closing in the Addition


The windows at the Southwest new addition are almost complete.  The interior is enclosed - some permanent and some temporary. - and heated for workers.  The windows are almost completed installed and the workers are installing drywall and floor tile.

The section in the picture is the west side of the front of the commons with is a glass curtain wall and three story atrium.  The commons will hold over 700 persons with tables and furniture.  Will be a great lunch room, gathering spaces and common area for students and guests.

The center section will open in the middle of March 2016.  It will take three to four weeks to complete the movement of furniture and to open the main new kitchen.  The entire project is expected to be complete August 2016.

Southwest Scholar Athletes




























Southwest is proud of its rich tradition of academic excellence.  This chart definite demonstrates why so many young people want to be a Southwest Laker.  It is one thing to talk a good game.  It is another to produce the results.

The Southwest athletes are students first.  We play hard and we study.  Making the grade on the field, mats, courts is important.  Making the grade in the classroom is more so.

Long Stretch Of Dark Nights and Long Break


"Tis the Season" may be the cheerful news of commercials and ads.  For many this is a season of celebration and a festival of lights.  Many families are making plans for gatherings and travels.  Many families are shopping and preparing meals and gifts and celebrations and good times.

This same season and set of days over these two months are also disappointing and painful for many.  The days are shorter and the nights longer.  We travel to school and work in the dark and return home in the dark.  The weather is unpredictable and changing frequently.   Scheduled activities may need to change leading to more frustration and conflicts.

Not all families and individuals view this time of year with glee and joy.  Too many of our children, families and individuals do not have sufficient food.  Shelter is a problem for too many.  The concept of giving gifts and big meals and sharing with families and friends for many is a major disappointment and not part of their reality.

For teenagers the separation of two weeks might as well be summer break or even worse a lifetime.  School (thankfully) is a safe, warm place with friends and activities.  It is a place of freedom and becoming.  It is outside the confines of the home and the parent.  The separation is stressful.  The anguish is real for those teenagers and they need our support.

All of us at school are aware of the highly emotional happens yesterday and for the past several weeks in our state, country and throughout the world.  Words are shouted in hate and anger.  Emotions are intensified and we see hate and evil in uncommon places.  We are fearful and cautious.

We appreciate the "heads up" that our students and families share with us about happenings around the neighbor or over the dinner conversation.  We follow each lead seriously and evaluate courses of action.  The safety of our children, staff and families is vitally important to all of us.  At no time will we ever place anyone in harm's way intentionally.  We are cautious and careful.

We should not allow fear to limit and control our lives.  We do live in a fearful world.  There is good reason to be aware of potential problems.  We want to protect our families, our children and ourselves.  We do that by watching out for our neighbors.  We do that by supporting our friends.  We do that by not spreading false rumors and wild stories with little basis in fact.

The school is aware of the various behaviors and actions of our students.  We continue to promote a learning opportunity and balance being a child and growing into adulthood.  We are alert and concerned about the health and safety of all our children.  If you have questions or words to share, please call or email.  We want all of our children safe.

Have a good break.  School is closed starting December 21 and returning to school on Monday, January 4.

Friday, December 11, 2015

Spoken Work Thursday December 17



Spoken Word Club Thursdays 
December 17 at 3:30 in Room W203 
Guest Artist Workshop with Tish Jones Dinner provided

Auditions! "Guys and Dolls



Auditions! "Guys and Dolls,"  
December 15 OR 16 at 3:10 pm in the Auditorium. 
Callbacks are December 17 at 3:10 pm in the Auditorium.
Have a short song (16 bars) to sing a cappella, and be prepared to move.
No experience necessary! See Margaret Berg, Colleen Callahan or Nathan Knoll with any questions.


Orchestra auditions for"Guys and Dolls,"  

Will happen Dec. 16-18.  Interested students should get the audition music in the band/orchestra room.  Sign up for an audition time slot with Mr. Wixson.

Join Men's Swim Team



Boys Swimming Season Home Opener 12/16
Cheer on the Laker's Swimming and Diving team on December 16 during their season opener vs. Columbia Heights. The meet starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Southwest pool. Tickets are $6 at the door.  




              
Hit the Pool - Join the Boys Swim Team!

The SW Boys Swimming and Diving Team is accepting new members. There is a great team environment, including pasta parties before every meet. Refer a new team member and enter to win a $75 gift card (athlete must complete the season). The season is already getting underway, so SIGN UP NOW in the athletic office. 

Friday, December 18 is Southwest Wellness Day



Friday Dec. 18 will be a first-ever Wellness Day at SWHS! 

Funded by the Southwest Foundation, the event is student-run and focused on all aspects of wellness at SWHS, including mental health.  It will feature student-led discussions, honorary guests, yoga, a wellness fair, 

BLAST DAY activities, a film fest, live music, and performances by SW Dance and Theater Dept. on Black Lives Matter, Rape Culture, and GLBTQ. 

Volunteers are needed and parents will be welcome to attend guest lectures in the morning and the Wellness Fair in the afternoon.  

Please contact June Thiemann at 612-928-0639 or june@visi.com for more information.


Parents:  Are you wondering how to be a “safe” place for your kids?  

Please come to a conversation with Denise Williams of The Bridge for Youth on Wellness 
B.L.A.S.T. Day (Dec. 18th) for a Q & A during first period.  

R.S.V.P. to june@visi.com greatly appreciated.

Southwest Winter Concert December 14 Starting at 7:00 pm



Basilica Concert - Monday December 14th
Featuring the Wind Ensemble, Guitar Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Donne Voce Choir, Chamber Singers, and the Southwest Singers, the evening will include several wintertime favorites. Highlights of the program include Alfred Reed's "Russian Christmas Music," "Hope for Resolution" for Mass Choir, "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" arranged for classical guitar orchestra, and two works for mass choir and full orchestra culminating with the audience sing-a-long of the 'Hallelujah Chorus' from the Messiah. 

Tell us you’re coming on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/events/957786114281863/
Free will donation of $10/adults and $5/students to help support the efforts of the Southwest High School Music Department.

Guess what! You can even buy your Hot Notes tickets at the Basilica concert!

Complete this form & bring it, with your check, to the Basilica concert. (Or mail it to Hot Notes Tickets, c/o Arbor Group, P.O. Box 24386, Minneapolis, MN 55424)


Or Click here to Buy Your Tickets on-line  and register for Hot Notes with a credit card. (Remember, if you want to buy a table for yourself and friends, check out the sponsorship tab!)

Southwest BLAST Day Information


Special Blast Day Announcement!

As winter break quickly approaches, so does Wellness BLAST Day, which will take place on December 18th, the last day of school before break.  For those of you who have not heard of BLAST Day, it is a final celebration of a month long fundraiser that Southwest does for a charity of our picking.  For those of you who have not heard of Wellness Day, that’s because it’s a first this year!  Since “wellness" and "Be Loving And Sharing Together" (BLAST) go hand in hand, Wellness BLAST Day will be a blend of classroom discussions led by students along with visits from honorary guests, speakers, performers, and therapy dogs, all of whom will help us look at what it means to take care of ourselves and others.  As you read this, there are youth in Minneapolis who are homeless, depressed, hungry, and desperate, who need our help.  It is for that reason that Southwest has chosen to support The Bridge for Youth for this BLAST Day.

The Bridge is located at 22nd and Hennepin, right in our own community, and they serve over 1,000 youth in crisis every year.  With their walk-in counseling, family counseling, support groups, 24-hour crisis call and text line (612-400-SAFE(7233)), short term emergency shelter, and long term transition shelter, The Bridge helps Minneapolis youth ages 10-17 who are struggling with homelessness, family conflict, mental health issues and more get back on their feet.  Not only does The Bridge need our financial support to keep their services free to every and any youth who needs them, it also an amazing resource that we believe our very own student body should know about.  

We are asking for your support in our efforts to raise $30,000 for The Bridge to change thousands of lives.  You can follow this link, https://www.razoo.com/story/Southwest-Blast-Day-2015
to learn more about the Bridge, and to donate online.  We are also collecting funds in every English class, so please consider writing a check to send with your student.  Any amount helps, we are really excited to see how large of an impact we can have if we all come together. There is a competition between English classes, so if you donate online ask your student what English teacher and hour they have so you can dedicate your donation!

Thank you for your time and support,


Grace McEnery and Harper Svee (BLAST Day co-chairs)

Southwest Winter Dance Concert Friday December 11 at 7:00 pm


Southwest Winter Dance Concert
Friday. December 11, 2015
7:00 pm

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Minnesota Football Academic All-State Jack Walker


Jack Walker Minnesota Football Coaches Association -- Individual Academic All-State

Congratulations!!

Monday, December 7, 2015

Hot Notes for a Cold Night Jan. 30

Southwest High School performing arts has three great events coming up that will warm your winter evenings:
  • Dance Concerts - this Thursday and Friday, 7 p.m.
  • The Basilica Concert - Monday, Dec. 14th, and
  • Hot Notes on a Cold Night on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016!
Guess what! You can even buy your Hot Notes tickets at the Basilica concert!

Complete this form
& bring it, with your check, to the Basilica concert. (Or mail it to Hot Notes Tickets, c/o Arbor Group, P.O. Box 24386, Minneapolis, MN 55424)
 
Or Click here to Buy Your Tickets on-line  and register for Hot Notes with a credit card. (Remember, if you want to buy a table for yourself and friends, check out the sponsorship tab!)

See you at Hot Notes!Buy Tickets for Hot Notes!
 

 



SW Baseball Chipotle Fundraiser December 7 at 6:00 - 8:00 pm



Mark your calendars!
Our Chipotle fundraiser is set.
Show your team spirit by joing us for a fundraiser to support Minneapolis Southwest High School Baseball Boosters. Come in to the Chipotle at 3040 Excelsior Blvd in Minneapolis on Monday, December 7th between 6:00pm and 8:00pm. Bring in this flyer, show it on your smartphone or tell the cashier you're supporting the cause to make sure that 50% of the proceeds will be donated to Minneapolis Southwest High School Baseball Boosters.
Winter Training!
{2015-2016 School Year}
YWCA - Midtown
Saturday, January 16th: 10:00am-12:00pm
Sunday, January 24: 7:00-9:00pm

Batting Cages of Minnesota - Edina
Saturday, January 30th: 10:00am-12:00pm
Saturday, February 6th: 10:00am-12:00pm
Saturday, March 12th: 10:00am-12:00pm

CHS Saints Stadium - St. Paul
Saturday, February 27th: 9:00am-11:00am or 11:15am-1:15pm
*Boys will be split in to two groups, one group will attend the early session, one group will attend the later session.
Hit Dawg - Chaska
Saturday, February 20th: 5:00-7:00pm
Sunday, March 6th: 12:00-2:00pm
Saturday, March 19th: 12:00-2:00pm
To see all of our photos and galleries, click here.
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Our next Booster meeting will be held on Thursday, November 18 from 7pm - 8:30pm at the Linden Hills Rec Center.
Parents please join us!!!
Congratulations to our new captains and 2015 award recipients!!
2015-16 Captains
McLean Cozine
Paddy Mittag-McNaught
Riley Ward

2015 Awards
Varsity
Best Defensive Player:
Zev Larcoran
Best Hitter:
Jordan Kozicky
Best Pitcher:
Cole Williams
Unsung Hero:
Brennan Hawkins
Most Dedicated:
Joe Keiski
Jack Jagielski
Paddy Mittag-McNaught
Most Valuable Player:
Jordan Kozicky
Iron Man:
Jordan Kozicky

JV
Most Dedicated:
Daniel Opdahl
Unsung Hero:
Holden Platt
Most Valuable Player:
Niko Polydorou


C-Team
Best Attitude:
Reed Schwender
Most Improved:
Carter Roche
Sam Virnig
Best Defense:
Michael Mulrennan
Ari Bogen-Grose
Best Pitcher:
Will Villalta
Most Valuable Player:
Ari Bogen-Grose
Heavy Hitters

Our thanks to
financial consultant
Kay Dietz!



Special thanks to Dr. Hastad and the Institute for Orthopedics and Chiropractic.