On April 17, teachers took a representative position during the Albert Lea school board meetings.
President Al Helgerson of the Albert Lea Education Association (ALEA) and Vice President Janece Jeffrey will be taking turns during the spring and summer months sitting in during the regular school board meetings. They were chosen by their leadership positions in the ALEA organization which is the professional labor union that represents teachers in our school district. Helgerson and Jeffrey are the first teachers to sit on the school board.
There are teacher representatives from each of the schools that sit on the executive council of the ALEA. Once the 2017-2018 school year starts, Helgerson and Jeffrey will choose different teachers from the executive council to represent the teachers on the board.
Helgerson and Jeffrey are on the board to provide information to the public about what happens in the classrooms, school building or within the ALEA organization. They can also answer questions about what teachers think of the issues discussed during the school board meetings.
“Teachers are on the frontline of educating our students,” said Jeffrey. “The teachers are looking forward to the opportunity to represent themselves at the school board meetings. We think this can be a valuable way of building positive communication within the community.”

The Historical Museum project is to give my students a firsthand experience with research, making presentations and learning about the history of Freeborn County,” Jim Haney said.
Social 11 students, taught by Haney, will be at the Freeborn County Historical Museum to educate Albert Lea fifth graders on local history. Topics were assigned, researched, and ALHS students will teach elementary students. Topics include the school, church, health care, agriculture, transportation, stores, music and the kitchen.
“It gives my students a multi-generational project with as many hands-on activities as possible,” Haney said.

On April 28, students in band, choir and orchestra will be participating in the annual Big 9 Music Festival at Red Wing High School. School districts in the surrounding area will be participating. Each music group will perform a selection of music for audience. Attending judges will be there to give feedback on each performance.
The Albert Lea High School band will be performing “Yellow”, composed by Robert W. Smith; “O Magnum Mysterium”, composed by Morten Lauridsen and arranged by H. Robert Reynolds; and “Fortress”, composed by Frank Ticheli.
The choir will be performing “Hlohonolofatsa”, arranged by Daniel Jackson; “Only in Sleep”, composed by Eriks Esenvalds; “Prayer of the Children”, composed by Bestor/ Klouse; “Entreat Me Not to Leave You”, composed by Dan Forrest; and “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord”, arranged by Moses Hogan.
The symphony orchestra will be performing “Orion and the Scorpion”, composed by Soon Hee Newbold; “Overture to Nabucco”, composed by Giuseppe Verdi; and “Jazz Pizzicato”, composed by Leroy Anderson.
There will also be a select performance after Big 9 that will include students from each music class that is open to the public.

Few artists throughout history are remembered for who they are rather than what they created. In the case of the main character of “Is He Dead” has neither fame for his art or himself. The ALHS spring play follows the story of Millet/Daisy Tillou portrayed by junior Kyle Nelson. Millet being a struggling artist whose paintings are not selling well unsurprisingly.
“I’m excited and nervous to play Millet because I have to walk in heels,” explained Nelson.
In a last ditch attempt to gain recognition for his artwork, Millet fakes his death and masquerades as a woman to sell his pieces to made sure no one would recognize the supposedly dead artist. Soon Millet comes to find out faking your death isn’t all acrylics and watercolors.
“The plot is about unfolding his lie and how the other characters come to realize he’s not dead,” said junior Carine Rofshus who plays Madame Caron in the play. “It’s kind of secretive, very humorous though.”
This dark comedy is directed by Mr. Anderson and will be performed by the students from May 4-6.
“Expect to laugh until you cry,” said Nelson. “Prepare for awkwardness.”