Pierz School District

Reminder that May 4, 2026 early release has been changed to May 11, 2026.

2026 4th Grade Math Masters Competition Results
@ Sartell Resource Training and Solutions, 4/28/26
20 teams, 100 individuals competing

Congratulations to all Pierz 4th grade math masters!
Individual Order of Operations Fact Drill
4th- Pierz Red - Arya Coughenour
5th- tie for 5th Pierz 4th Red - Jayden Young
9th- tie for 9th - Brenna Loxterkamp, Pierz Black

Individual Competition
11th - Owen Popp
15th - Emmett Britz
(Almost all were in the top 50 of 100)

Team Competition
tie for 8th- Pierz Black
tie for 8th - Pierz Red

4th Pierz Red
Jayden Young
Arya Coughenour
Edwin Wacker
Owen Popp
Oliver Erickson
1st Alternate: Noah Loidolt
2nd Alternate: Izen Evenson

4th Pierz Black
Brenna Loxterkamp
Kellen Athman
Abigail Kessler
Emmett Britz
Walker Schlieman
1st Alternate Bria Pohlkamp

Our 5th grade Math Masters brought their A-game to the competition April 24, 2026! We couldn't be more impressed by their hard work and teamwork. Thanks for representing Pierz Schools so well!
17 teams, 85 individuals
Order of Operations Fact Drill
4th- Cullen Herman
5th-Karter Schlegel
10th-Ben Britz
13th -Addy Loidolt
13th -Eastin Silgjord
Individual Awards
16th- Brantley Zupan
17th- Eastin Silgjord
19th- Ben Britz
Team Awards
4th-Pierz Red: Ben Britz, Avery Seppelt, Kaden Gunther, Brantley Zupan, Cullen Herman
(1st- Forestview Brainerd Alpha, 2nd- Forestview Brainerd Beta, 3rd- Henning)

X marks the Spot:
Students were given a treasure map with missions to complete throughout the day. Missions included: learning what jobs a pirate might have and writing about what job they wanted, adding numbers while trying not to fall off the plank, adding numbers for treasure maps, and designing their own treasure map.

Mr. Monson is teaching an introduction to archery unit in PhyEd this week. Our Pierz 5th and 6th Graders are learning their 11 steps and finding joy in a new activity! I spot some future Pierz Team Archers!

A bus full of students from Pierz Healy High School attended the Construct Tomorrow event on April 7, 2026, at the River's Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud. This statewide event is designed to introduce high school students to careers in the construction trades through interactive, real-world activities and connections with industry professionals. Throughout the morning, students engaged in hands-on demonstrations, learned about apprenticeship opportunities, and gained insight into a wide variety of skilled trades. Events like Construct Tomorrow help students better understand potential career pathways and provide valuable exposure to high-demand fields within the construction industry.

Enjoy the long weekend! There is no school on Friday, April 3 and Monday, April 6. Monday is teacher workshop day.

Over the past two weeks, our Kindergarten classes have been diving deep into the world of meteorology! 🌪️ From identifying cloud types to understanding the phases of the water cycle, these students are learning how the world works around them.

The highlight of the week? Storm Jars! This experiment allowed our little scientists to:
Predict outcomes
Observe the saturation point of a "cloud"
Count the drops needed to create a storm
We are so proud of their curiosity and hard work!

We had a fantastic hands-on learning experience in our Horse/Vet Science class this week!

A big thank you to Jess Walcheski for generously bringing in her horse tack and sharing her knowledge with our students. She walked us through the different pieces, explained their uses, and answered lots of great questions from our curious learners.

Opportunities like this bring learning to life and give students a deeper understanding of the real-world side of animal care. We’re so grateful for community members who are willing to share their time and expertise!

Pierz MHS is hosting its spring blood drive on April 8, 2026. Schedule your appointment by calling Jaime Strohmeier at 320-468-6458 ext 1426. The blood drive is held in the MAC gym, you can enter door 22.

Our young Art Aspire students learned to draw deer from our talented art volunteer instructor Mitch Becker! Thank you Mitch for sharing your talents with students at Pioneer Elementary!

Pierz Healy High School hosted a Career Expo on March 11, 2026, providing students with a valuable opportunity to explore potential career paths. Across two class periods, more than 80 students engaged with five industry partners of their choice for 10-minute presentations followed by Q&A sessions. This event allowed students and industry representatives to connect, learn about various careers, and plan for the future—creating a meaningful experience for all participants.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the 11 industry partners who made this event possible: AirBorn, Central MN Truck Academy, Knife River, Premium Concrete, Barrett Foods, Complete Grain Systems, Bob's Lumber, RD Floors, Farmers and Merchants State Bank, Pierz Villa, and Unity Bank.

Here is the link to the livestream of our Large Group Choir Contest in Albany. Our Concert Choir will perform at 10:30 AM tomorrow March 11, 2026.
https://www.youtube.com/live/fTVCRqHTCr0

Congratulations to our 6th grade Math Masters in their recent competition! They competed against 17 teams, 85 individuals.
Order of Operations Fact Drill
5th- Finley Virnig - Pierz tie
5th-Letty Woitalla - Pierz tie
Individual Team Tests
7th- Henry Kessler - Pierz Black
9th- Finley Virnig - Pierz Red
Team Test Results
3rd- Pierz Red - Jet, Letty, Landyn, Jackson, Finley
5th- Pierz Black - Henry, Evan, Gavin, Shayla, Noah

2026 6th Grade Math Masters Teams
6th Pierz Red
Finley Virnig, Jet Toops, Landyn Melby, Letty Woitalla, Jackson Bruse
6th Pierz Black
Henry Kessler, Evan Elstran, Gavin Krippner, Shayla Boser, Noah Bridewell
Alternates: Owen Britz , Oliver Landowski

Enjoy a few pictures from the Career Exploration Day at CLC! The entire 10th grade class attended, and there were lots of activities, candy, and freebies to go around. Students had the opportunity to talk with representatives from a variety of career pathways and get a hands-on look at different fields—from trying out dental tools and exploring anatomy models to learning about welding and even getting a look at what happens at the Crow Wing County Jail. It was a fun and eye-opening experience that helped students start thinking about future career possibilities!

Last week we celebrated National FFA Week at Pierz! 🌾🚜

Our FFA chapter has around 30 members, all of whom are currently enrolled in an agriculture class. Students meet monthly during Pioneer Time and can choose areas that match their interests, including Ag Mechanics, Companion Animal, and Floriculture.

FFA members stay busy throughout the year with competitions, gatherings, and leadership opportunities. They compete at events hosted by Central Lakes College, Staples-Motley, and Itasca, and Pierz recently hosted the Milk Quality and Dairy competition at Happke’s Farm. Members can also apply for scholarships through their FFA involvement.

Each fall, members also have the opportunity to travel to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. The week-long trip at the end of October gives students the chance to experience agriculture on a national level while also taking in some memorable activities. This year the group visited an apple orchard, a dairy farm, attended an Elle Langley concert, watched an Indiana Pacers game, and enjoyed several other stops along the way.

Closer to home, our students also give back to younger Pioneers by hosting a Spring Barnyard Day for elementary classes, and one of the most popular traditions is Drive Your Tractor to School Day coming up on May 6. 🚜

FFA members were also proud to take part in honoring those who served during our Veterans Day program, helping recognize the veterans in our community.

To wrap up the celebration, members held a pep fest last week to recognize National FFA Week and the many opportunities agriculture education provides.

If students are interested in getting involved or learning more, contact FFA President Katelyn Gotvald or Ag Teacher Brenda Gotvald.

On Tuesday, March 3rd, sixth-grade students at Pioneer Elementary and Holy Trinity were treated to a masterclass in local history and craftsmanship. Jeff Doty, a retired Industrial Tech teacher from Little Falls and the craftsman behind IceShantyGear.com, visited the classrooms to share the intricate art of decoy making.

Doty guided students through the evolution of decoys, explaining their dual roles as essential tools for the sport of spearing and as highly collectible works of art. The students were particularly captivated by the history of Native American techniques. Doty described how early hunters used pine branches and animal hides to create "dark houses" on the ice, using hand-carved moose antlers as decoys to lure fish within range of their intuitive, hand-crafted spears.

The visit wasn’t just a history lesson; it was a kickoff for an exciting week of outdoor education. Doty made a generous donation of decoys and fishing gear to support the annual 6th-grade fishing tournament and field trip, which takes place tomorrow, Wednesday, March 4th.

“Having a local expert like Jeff share his passion really brings our outdoor curriculum to life,” school organizers noted. “His generosity ensures our students are well-equipped for their big tournament tomorrow.”

For those interested in seeing more of Jeff’s work and exploring the world of carving, the annual Decoy Show is happening this Saturday, March 7th, at the Falls Ballroom in Little Falls. The event will feature many vendors selling every type of decoy imaginable.

You are invited to honor our wrestlers!

Huge congratulations to the Pioneer Wrestling Team on an extraordinary season and a powerhouse finale. Claiming two critical victories at the State Tournament to bring home the Class AA 3rd Place Trophy is a monumental achievement. We are so proud of the grit, heart, and dedication this team showed on the mat.

Let’s celebrate them! Healy High School will host a recognition event: 📅 Tuesday, March 3rd
🕘 9:05 AM
📍 in the MAC, enter door 22