Hawk Happenings || October 2025

Take Flight!

Liesa Klyn with Blue Angels — Liesa Klyn, the STEAM teacher at Hermantown Middle School, gets the ride of a lifetime with the Navy Blue Angels. Read more below under Flight with the Navy Blue Angels.

Superintendent Update

Dear Hermantown Community,

I bought my daughter a cell phone about 15 years ago so she could text me for a ride. Today the cell phones students carry are more powerful than my desktop computer was at that time. Students can have conversations with chat bots that give advice that may or may not share our values. AI can mimic someone’s voice or create images that are inappropriate and never actually happened which can lead to potential manipulation. This is a struggle for all of us as we work to help students navigate these quickly evolving challenges.

We believe education is more than teaching the core subjects —it’s also about preparing young people to think critically, act responsibly, and make safe choices in this rapidly-changing landscape. Technology is a powerful tool for communicating and learning, but it also comes with risks. Our responsibility as educators is to partner with families to help students develop the judgment and resilience they need to thrive.

I invite you to join us in this important work by having conversations with your child about how they are using technology, the difference between human interaction and a chatbot, invite conversations to encourage critical thinking and talk about the dangers of sharing. Let them know that if they ever get manipulated into something to talk with you about it – no matter how bad it seems. Together, we can ensure our children grow up not only tech-savvy, but also cautiously grounded in the values of respect, responsibility, and integrity.

Wayne Whitwam
Hermantown Superintendent

Key Dates

OCTOBER
10.13 || School Board Meeting
10.13 || Elementary Conferences
10.14 || Elementary Conferences
10.16 || NO SCHOOL - MEA Weekend
10.17 || NO SCHOOL - MEA Weekend
10.27 || School Board Meeting
10.31 || MS/HS End of Quarter 1
NOVEMBER
11.3 || NO SCHOOL - Staff Development Day
11.4 || NO SCHOOL (MS/HS) - Teacher Work Day

PLC Early Release Reminder

Hermantown Community Schools will have a 30-minute early release every Wednesday for Professional Learning Community (PLC) time during the 2025-2026 school year.

Teachers will use the 30-minute early release each Wednesday for collaborative work within their Professional Learning Communities. This allows teachers to collaborate on improving student learning through activities like identifying standards, developing assessments, and sharing teaching strategies.

Fall Musical: The Wizard of Oz

The Hermantown High School Drama Club is thrilled to present The Wizard of Oz! Performances will be held on November 13, 14, & 15 at 7 p.m. in the Hermantown High School auditorium. This production features 50 students in grades 7–12 working on stage and behind the scenes.

Elementary Book Fair

The Hermantown Elementary School Book Fair will be held Oct. 9-15 in the Elementary Library.

An easy was to pay is to create an eWallet account. Leave money for your child in an online account - it is simple and easy to use!

STEMpathy Career Fair

The STEMpathy Career Fair is an opportunity for K-12 students to explore a variety of career fields and recognize their contributions to our community. Professionals from our community will be at the High School, and our students will have an opportunity to visit and interact through short presentations. Click photo for more information.

Elementary Playground Update

We are very excited to be moving forward with two new structures on the front elementary playground. These two structures were purchased with funds raised by the PTO and a contribution from the school district. We will be installing these on October 8th, 9th, and 10th. We are hoping for good weather! After this phase is complete, we will be looking at purchasing new swings and a few additional structures to fill out the area. Our Glow Run fundraiser this year will continue to focus on raising funds for the additional playground equipment.

Complete Your Annual Forms

If you haven't already, we encourage you to complete the required annual back-to-school forms for your student(s) as soon as possible by logging into your parent portal account. CLICK HERE to login to Parent Portal. Click the MORE option from the left navigation, click ONLINE REGISTRATION PORTAL, then click 2025-2026 (Next School Year) Annual Forms Update and follow the prompts.

Don't have a Parent Portal Account? Can't remember your username or password? Email registration@isd700.org or contact your building secretary.

Hermantown Middle School Teacher Liesa Klyn receives award

Flight with the Navy Blue Angels

The Navy Blue Angels selected Hermantown Middle School STEAM teacher, Liesa Klyn, as a recipient of their Key Influencer Award. She was chosen base on her contributions to the Hermantown community in the classroom, through the Talons Robotics program and as the founder of the Duluth Motherpuckers adult women's hockey program. Part of the award included a 50-minute flight on board the C-130 Fat Albert of Blue Angels #7 Maj. Scott “Goldie” Laux.

As an educator and mentor, Liesa is deeply invested in shaping the next generation of problem solvers, innovators, and leaders. Her direct engagement with youth—both in the classroom and through extracurricular initiatives—aligns with the Blue Angels’ mission of promoting a culture of excellence and inspiring young people to set ambitious goals. By leveraging her role in education, she shares the Blue Angels’ values with her students and community, reinforcing the message that dedication, perseverance, and teamwork can lead to extraordinary achievements.

Being selected as a Blue Angels Key Influencer is an incredible opportunity to further inspire her students, demonstrating firsthand the power of hard work and the limitless possibilities available to those who strive for excellence. It offers a unique and motivating experience to bring back to her classroom and robotics team, reinforcing the values of discipline, innovation, and commitment that the Blue Angels exemplify.

Activities Update

Hermantown Homecoming Football Game 2025

Homecoming 2025

Hermantown High School celebrated its Homecoming Sept. 19-26 with dress up days, Senior Sunrise, powderpuff football, King & Queen coronation, pepfest, tailgate, the homecoming football game and the homecoming dance! In the game, the Hawks came up short against Grand Rapids, 34-20, despite getting 135 yards and two touchdowns from Martin Sleen. Homecoming Queen Merrilee Manion and King Quinn Andrews were recognized at halftime of the game along with the homecoming court.

girls cross country runners holding their awards

Girls Cross Country Stays Hot

The Hermantown Girls Cross Country Team had an impressive outing at the Roy Griak Invitational at the University of Minnesota on Saturday, Sept. 20, with the girls team placing third overall! The Hawks girls team also placed first at the Hibbing Rotary Cross Country Meet on Sept. 25 and at the Ely Cross Country Meet on Sept. 30.

Dig Pink Volleyball Match

The Hermantown Volleyball Team is set to host its Dig Pink match Tuesday, Oct. 14 vs. Cloquet at the Hermantown High School Gym. The event is part of a nationwide initiative that brings attention to the fight against breast cancer. In addition to the match, the event will l also feature a silent auction and raffle. Fans are encouraged to wear PINK! The JV match begins at 5:45 p.m. and Varsity is slated for 7:00 p.m.

1997 Hermantown Football Team Hall of Fame induction

1997 Hermantown Football Inducted into Hall of Fame

The 1997 Hermantown Football Team was the 2025 inductee into the Hermantown Football Hall of Fame. Members from the team were honored at halftime during the Homecoming football game vs. Grand Rapids on Sept. 26. That season, the Hawks went 11-1, which included an undefeated regular season and a Sea-Range Conference Championship, and made an appearance in the state quarterfinals. It was the Hawks' first appearance at the state tournament since 1986. Hermantown outscored its opponents 338-130 during the season, which included a 65-0 stretch in its three playoff games to make it to state.

Measuring Shadows

Students in Ms. Conklin's 5th grade science classes are studying how the length and direction of shadows change due to the position of the Sun in the sky.

Kindness in Chalk

In September, our elementary school community worked hard to review expectations for a safe school, build connections, and establish the routines and norms that help every child feel welcomed and secure. With that strong foundation in place, we’re ready to launch into October with a focus on Bully Prevention Month.

We will kick things off by participating in Kindness in Chalk—an initiative where students share positive and uplifting messages on our sidewalks, playground, and school building. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with our kids, encourage a month of inclusion, and stand together against the harm and trauma caused by bullying.

Throughout the month, we will also be teaching Bully Prevention lessons in grades 1–4. Be sure to check SeeSaw for the Home Connections letters and use them as a springboard for conversations with your students about the 3 Rs:

Recognize bullying when it happens
Report it to a trusted adult
Refuse to let bullying continue

Together, we can empower our students to be upstanders and build a culture of kindness and respect.

Hands-On Training Opportunities

Hermantown High School students recently spent a weekend working with the Hennepin County Medical Center assisting medical practitioners with ultrasound training. It marked the third year students have been involved with the program through HCMC. During that time, 45-50 Hermantown students have served as models for practitioners, and were also given the opportunity to use the ultrasound equipment and work along side medical professionals.

The opportunity arose when several rural hospitals in the Duluth and surrounding area were chosen to receive new ultrasound equipment and expert ultrasound training & education from High Quality Medical Education (HQMEDED) as part of a $6 million grant from the Hemsley Foundation. This included three hands-on events over the span of three years to teach rural Emergency Medicine doctors how to use bedside ultrasound in critical care settings with the goal of improving patient care and improving patient outcomes. The majority of the ultrasound instructors work or were trained through Residency and Fellowship programs at HCMC.