Latest news with #StillwaterAreaHighSchool
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
AED installed at Stillwater field where teen nearly died during football practice
An automated external defibrillator at Stillwater Area High School helped save sophomore Keegan Hawke's life last fall after he went into cardiac arrest during a Tuesday afternoon football practice. Fortunately, the school was unlocked and certified athletic trainers were on hand to administer the AED, said Craig Dowdle, the president of Teddy's Heart, a nonprofit that educates and advocates for AEDs in public athletic parks and places. 'They got it from inside the school,' Dowdle said. 'If it had happened an hour later, or two hours later, or on the weekend, it would have been a different outcome – because the school would have been locked.' Craig and Emily Dowdle, of Cottage Grove, created Teddy's Heart as a way to honor their son, Teddy Dowdle, who collapsed and died of sudden cardiac arrest in 2022 after going up for a rebound while playing basketball with his older brother and friends at Woodridge Park in Cottage Grove. He was 22. Teddy's Heart last week dedicated a new SaveStation AED device near the turf practice field where Keegan, 16, collapsed on Sept. 24, 2024, the day before his 16th birthday. 'We thought this was the best place for the first one,' Dowdle said. 'A lot of soccer tournaments are held here.' The Dowdles hope to raise enough money to install a second SaveStation AED this fall at a location closer to the baseball fields at Stillwater Area High School, Dowdle said. Each device costs about $8,000 with installation. The one dedicated last week was the 22nd paid for by Teddy's Heart; the Dowdles hope to hit 30 by the end of the year, Craig Dowdle said. 'We want to make sure other families don't have to go through what our family went through,' Dowdle said. 'Hearing what happened to Keegan and the outcome is unbelievable, and that's what we want to happen every time. With having AEDs available, it's happening more often.' Keegan Hawke's cardiac arrest has been linked to Torsades de Pointes, a type of heart-rhythm disorder, and he has had defibrillator implanted under the skin in his chest to monitor his heart rhythm and deliver electrical shocks to correct life-threatening arrhythmias, Katie Hawke said. He will undergo an ablation later this month at Minneapolis Children's Hospital, she said. Related Articles Katie Hawke said she is grateful for the AED and people who restarted Keegan's heart and saved his life. 'He would not have survived if all of those people and equipment weren't in place,' she said. Installing an AED is for one of those 'high-risk, low-frequency events' that may never occur, she said. 'The hope is that they are an expensive piece of equipment that never has to be used, but when you need it, it needs to be there, and it needs to be ready and you need to know how to use it,' she said. A plaque on the SaveStation AED at Stillwater Area High School Practice Field No. 2 notes that it was installed to honor both boys. 'Always and forever in our hearts,' it reads.
CBS News
30-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Life-saving AED installed at Stillwater high school after near-death experience
A lifesaving gift is now just steps from a high school football field in Stillwater, Minnesota. "The fast action, as we all know, saved Keegan's life," said Nate Cox, Stillwater Area High School athletic director. On Sept. 24, Keegan Hawke went into cardiac arrest and collapsed during football practice. Two athletic trainers acted fast and started CPR while preparing the Automated External Defibrillator (AED). The AED did what it was supposed to, restarted Hawke's heart as he was rushed to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. Katie Hawke credits the quick use of the AED for saving her son's life. Tuesday, an outdoor AED was installed just steps away from the very field where Hawke collapsed. In partnership with Teddy's Heart Foundation, a nonprofit created to honor Teddy Dowdle who passed away from sudden cardiac arrest in 2022. There was no AED nearby. The Dowdle's made it their mission to ensure no one died because an AED is out of reach. One year after they lost their son, they installed the very first outdoor AED unit in the park where Teddy collapsed. "We've done 22 of them and we plan on doing 50," said Craig Dowdle, Teddy's father. A device that stands as a tribute to both boys and constant reminder that there is no waiting when life is on the line. "We hope it never has to be used, but we are grateful and relieved it is here when it's needed," said Hawke.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Four Stillwater teachers suspended for cheating on training program
Four teachers at Stillwater Area High School have been suspended for 10 days without pay for allegedly cheating on a training course required for all elementary and special-education staff who teach literacy. District officials say the incidents of cheating ranged from looking up answers on Google to sharing answers to having another teacher complete their assessments. The actions taken by the four teachers 'represent a serious breach of professional and ethical responsibilities, and are contrary to the expectations of our district,' Superintendent Mike Funk said. The training course was a response to legislative action aimed at improving reading scores in the state. The Minnesota Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act, approved by the Minnesota Legislature in 2023, stipulates that by the 2026-2027 school year, each school district in the state must provide research-backed reading instruction rooted in phonics and other foundational skills. The Minnesota Department of Education expects most elementary and special-education educators to be trained in these 'science of reading' methods by this summer. Teachers who support literacy instruction, but are not directly involved, are to be trained by summer 2027. Stillwater Area School District officials selected LETRS, or Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, as the district's training program, and entered into a contract with Massachusetts-based Lexia to provide the training and assessments. Teachers must successfully complete the LETRS training program, which takes about 80 hours to complete, and achieve a minimum score of 80 percent on assessments to obtain their certification in the 'science of reading.' Additional days were added to the district's professional development calendar for teachers to complete the LETRS training, which is 'equivalent to four graduate-level courses and requires extensive coursework and rigorous evaluations, including multiple assessments throughout the program,' according to the district. Teachers who obtain certification can earn a district stipend of $1,140 or earn 12 graduate credits that will apply to a 'lane change,' an incremental movement across the salary schedule that increases the teacher's pay. It takes 15 credits to qualify for a lane change, according to the district. In January, officials from Lexia contacted district officials to inform them 'that some teachers had completed their literacy certification assessments in an unusually short amount of time,' district officials said in a statement. 'The implication was that the teachers may have cheated on the assessment.' District officials began an investigation that included reviewing electronic records and interviewing 78 teachers. Four teachers ended up being suspended for 10 days without pay for cheating on the LETRS course, district officials said. One teacher received an email from colleagues on Sept. 30 with answers to LETRS assessments, district officials said. The teacher 'subsequently completed the LETRS training in less than 20 percent of the recommended amount of time,' officials said. 'Additionally, (she) created a Google Drive folder that contained the answers to the LETRS assessments. She then shared the Google Drive folder with seven colleagues. (She) also used a colleague's login credentials and took the LETRS Unit-4 assessment for the colleague. Finally, (she) violated a directive not to talk to colleagues about the district's investigation. The district had issued this directive to preserve the integrity of the investigation.' Another teacher Googled the answers to the Unit-I and Unit-2 LETRS assessments, district officials said. Additionally, a colleague reportedly gave her access to a Google file folder containing answers to LETRS assessments, and the teacher viewed the answers and downloaded them, but 'did not complete the training,' officials said. 'Instead, she gave her username and password to two colleagues. The colleagues used (her) username and password to complete the training for (her). … (She) acknowledged that she knew this was wrong, but she did it anyway.' Stillwater schools make leadership changes K-12 schools must sign certification against DEI to receive federal money, administration says Faculty accuse UMN leadership of censorship over Gaza Como Planetarium to celebrate 50 years at April 17 'star party' Charges: Woodbury HS student had replica gun in backpack, ran from school A third teacher accessed a Google Drive folder containing the answers to LETRS assessments and spent less than two hours on training for Units 3 and 4 – training that should normally take 15 hours to complete, officials said. She also provided her username and password to a colleague who completed several assessments for her. During her investigative interview, the teacher 'provided conflicting accounts of what had occurred,' district officials said. The fourth teacher used the learning platform Quizlet 'to look up answers when taking LETRS assessments,' district officials said. 'He also had access and viewed a Google Drive folder containing answer keys for LETRS assessments. In addition, (he) offered to take LETRS assessments for colleagues. He subsequently used the username and password of two other teachers in the district and took LETRS assessments for those teachers.' During his investigative interview, the fourth teacher stated that 'he did not take the training seriously and believed it was acceptable to take shortcuts to get through it.' A local union official said there could have been better communication about expectations. Teachers were told that the LETRS training was 'open book, open note,' and that the tests could be taken collaboratively, said Tony Klehr, president of the St. Croix Education Association, the union that represents teachers in the Stillwater Area School District. The union 'doesn't condone the behavior of a small group of educators,' but does believe discipline could have been avoided 'had we had some more and better communication around the expectations and norms for the professional development that we went through,' he said. District officials said the LETRS program provides instructions around assessments that includes the use of the participants' notes from online learning, in-person sessions, etc. 'There is a distinction between using one's notes and textbook and using an answer key,' district officials said Thursday. 'Teachers are also encouraged to collaborate to learn the material, this does not include taking assessments with the answers in hand or sharing login credentials so one teacher can take a test for another.' Education Minnesota knows of no similar disciplinary cases against educators in other Minnesota school districts, spokesman Chris Williams said. The Minnesota Department of Education did not provide information about whether it was aware of similar cases. The Stillwater district, the teachers' union and the four teachers have entered into a memorandum of agreement regarding their discipline. The memorandum contains a final warning and a directive that states that for the remainder of the teacher's employment with the district, the teacher must not engage in any act of dishonesty or deception, and that if they violate the directive, the district will take action to discharge the teacher. Stillwater schools make leadership changes Woodbury attorney disbarred after being convicted of swindling client Charges: Woodbury HS student had replica gun in backpack, ran from school Forest Lake 'career offender' gets 12½-year prison term for swindling businesses, homeowners Report of student with gun at Woodbury HS leads to search, apprehension 'While this situation is deeply disappointing, it reinforces our commitment to accountability and to the high standards of our community,' Funk said. 'We remain focused on maintaining the integrity of our education programs, repairing the harm that has occurred, and maintaining our expectation that all staff uphold the values that define our profession.' The vast majority of teachers in the district have approached the LETRS training with the 'utmost of integrity,' Klehr said. 'While early, what we are seeing out of the students and their results is generally positive, and most teachers are appreciative of this training and are reporting that it is quality professional development.'
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Yahoo
Youth for Youth fundraiser — formerly Empty Bowls — set for March 4
The Youth United Way of Washington County-East is hosting its annual Youth for Youth fundraiser on Tuesday at Stillwater Area High School. The event — formerly known as Empty Bowls — is intended to raise awareness for the challenges faced by local youth. Attendees buy a meal of soup, bread and dessert, receive a hand-crafted bowl by local artists, and can purchase raffle tickets and bid on auction items. The money raised is allocated to local agencies to benefit youth programs, said Kristin Kroll, executive director of United Way of Washington County-East. 'This event is more than just a fundraiser — it's a way to bring our community together in support of local youth,' Kroll said. 'Through Youth United, students are not only raising funds for critical issues like mental health and safe relationships but also learning the importance of philanthropy and giving back. It's about empowering the next generation to make a meaningful impact.' Tickets are $10. The cost for children 5 and younger is $5. All attendees are encouraged to bring a pair of new or gently used mittens to be donated to families in need through St. Andrew's Community Resource Center in Mahtomedi. For more information, go to or call 651-439-3838. News | Plans for new Stillwater hospital advance, with groundbreaking possible by this summer News | 'It's a miracle': Bayport man home after surviving Toronto plane crash News | Washington County man found dead in Hastings identified as missing person William 'Ike' Eickholt News | Funeral service set for Woodbury teen killed in car accident News | Bayport man describes 'mass chaos' of Delta plane crash in Toronto
