White Bear Lake Area High School

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Public school in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, United States

White Bear Lake Area High School (abbreviated WBLAHS) is a high school in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, United States. The school was formed by merging White Bear High School (WBHS) and White Bear Mariner High School in the 1983–84 school year. It currently consists of two campuses and an alternative learning center. North Campus houses grades nine and ten, while South Campus serves grades eleven and twelve. The South Campus building also houses an expansion that is owned by Intermediate District 916 which contains a special education program separate from the high school. While WBLAHS is the only school in the state of Minnesota with grades 9–10 and 11–12 in different buildings, the two buildings will unify at the current North Campus site after a 396,000 S/F addition is completed for the fall 2024 opening.[2]

Campuses[edit]

North Campus[edit]

North Campus, the previous White Bear High School, is located in the north side of White Bear Lake, northwest of downtown White Bear Lake, and was built in 1964. The school houses students grades 9–10. The campus features some unique architectural design elements, including circular hallways.

South Campus[edit]

What is now known as South Campus was built in 1971 and opened late in the Summer of ’72 as White Bear Mariner High School. In contrast to North Campus, South’s floor plan was originally open, consisting of only minimal walls between classrooms. In 1983, upon merging with White Bear High School, the building was remodeled to hold grades eleven and twelve, and a more traditional design was achieved by adding interior walls throughout.[3] The building has since been expanded multiple times. In the early 1990s ten classrooms were added in the southeast corner of the building. A weight room and fitness center was added in 2005. The Mariner Theater stage was renovated in 2010, converting the space from a lecture hall/small stage theater to an acoustic venue.

The South Campus buiding houses a self-contained secondary special education school, operated and owned by Intermediate District 916 North East Metro School District. This facility was renovated in 2009.

In 2021, the Building our Future bond referendum called for two phases of expansion to the South Campus and future repurposing of the site to become the new location of Sunrise Park Middle. The phase one expansion provided for the construction of a gymnasium on the northwest corner. Phase two provided for a classroom addition on the east side of the building and moved the main entrance from the south side of the building to the east side, facing McKnight Road. [4]

In 2023, a school naming committee was formed to rename the building to be effective when Sunrise Park Middle Schools moves into the current South Campus in 2024. At the February 13, 2023 School Board regular meeting, the White Bear Lake Area School Board approved the committee’s recommendation to change the name of Sunrise Park Middle School when it moves from the Sunrise Park neighborhood to the current White Bear Lake Area High School – South Campus building in the fall of 2024. The new name, Mariner Middle School, is a nod to the District’s past. [5]

Area Learning Center[edit]

Housed in the former Golfview Elementary, a few blocks away from South Campus, is White Bear Lake’s alternative secondary program. This school houses secondary students grades 10–12 who are unable to participate in a traditional high school environment, including those who are not achieving to their potential, are parents, or have a day job. The building also contains the Insight program, a curriculum designed for students recovering from drug abuse and addictions.

Planned Merger[edit]

On November 9, 2019, with a 57.4 positive vote,[6] voters in the White Bear Lake School District approved a plan to provide renovations and construction to make changes to facilities in the district.[7] The project included expanding North Campus for it to become the district’s only high school. The South Campus would be repurposed as a middle school as Sunrise Park Middle School will relocate and open in 2024 as Mariner Middle School. Construction for this merger is in progress, and is projected to be completed for the opening of the 2024–25 school year.[8]

Curriculum[edit]

Through the Minnesota state Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program, students are eligible to take classes at state colleges and universities.

Athletics[edit]

[edit]

White Bear High School won the Minnesota State Class AA Football Championship in 1976. The team posted a 12–0 record and finished the season with a 14–13 overtime win over Cloquet. The team held opponents to an average of less than one touchdown per game. As the only undefeated large school class (AA) football team in Minnesota, the 1976 Bears received a ranking of No. 17th in the nation.[9]

Lacrosse[edit]

The 2007 boys Lacrosse team won the MBSLA State Championship with an undefeated season going 15–0.[10] The Bears outscored their opponents with a 199 to 46 goal differential.[11] 2007 was the first year that the Minnesota State High School League recognized Lacrosse as a state sanctioned sport leaving it up to the individual school districts to determine whether or not it was feasible to enter the MSHSL. Prior to the 2007 year each high school team played in the Minnesota Boys Scholastic Lacrosse Association (MBSLA), White Bear Lake Area H.S. officials cited budgetary issues as the reason for waiting to officially join the MSHSL in 2008. The Bears officially entered the MBSLA for competition in 2005. The Bears went to the MSHsL State semi-finals in 2013. The Bears went on to win the 2015 MSHSL State Championship.[12]

Archery[edit]

The White Bear Lake Archery team won the state tournament for Minnesota in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.[citation needed]

The White Bear Lake Archery team has competed in the National tournament held in Kentucky since 2004. The team ranked 40th of 192 high school teams in 2015.[citation needed]

Bowling[edit]

The White Bear Lake Bowling Team won the state title in 2005. White Bear Lake also posted a state championship in 2008. It had two top 6 athletes in the state in 2009.[13]

Other Activities[edit]

FIRST Robotics[edit]

The White Bear Lake FIRST robotics team #2207, the Bright Bears, was added as a school activity during the 2007 school year. Every year the team builds a single robot to compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition hosted at the University of Minnesota.[14] At the 2017 North Star Regional, in Mariucci Arena, University of Minnesota, the team was ranked 35 out of 60 teams competing, with 4 wins, and 4 losses.[15]

Drumline[edit]

The White Bear Lake Drumline took part in the 2018 Super Bowl parade held at U.S. Bank Stadium for Super Bowl LII.

Theater[edit]

The program involves White Bear Lake High School students of all grades in musicals and plays. In recent years, White Bear Lake has featured such musicals as Grease, Oklahoma!, Beauty and the Beast, Urinetown, West Side Story, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Addams Family, Nice Work If You Can Get It, and Mary Poppins. They have also produced plays such as Much Ado About Nothing, Twelve Angry Men, and Treasure Island.

Sister Schools[edit]

Hangzhou Foreign Language School

Notable alumni[edit]

Athletes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ [https://www.isd624.org/about/superintendent
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ Brief History of South Campus, White Bear Lake Area Schools, retrieved on November 5, 2006.
  4. ^ [2]
  5. ^ [3]
  6. ^ [4]
  7. ^ [5]
  8. ^ “Building Our Future Facilities Process – WBLAS – District Site”. www.isd624.org. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  9. ^ “High School Football Database – 1976 NSNS POLL”. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  10. ^ “2007 Boys’ HS State Champions”. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  11. ^ “White Bear Lake Bears, Minnesota High School Boys’ Lacrosse 2007”. LaxPower. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  12. ^ “When East Beats West”. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  13. ^ “Minnesota High School Top Bowlers”. Minnesota High School Bowling.
  14. ^ “My Webpage”. whitebearlakerobotics.com. Retrieved 2017-03-29.
  15. ^ “Team 2207 – Bright Bears”. The Blue Alliance. Retrieved 2017-04-13.
  16. ^ “Wazlawik, Ami”. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  17. ^ “Wounded Soldier Won’t Squander His Second Chance”. Press Publications. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  18. ^ “GENERAL Paul M. Nakasone Commander, U.S. Cyber Command and Director, National Security Agency/Chief, Central Security Service”. U.S. Department of. Retrieved May 14, 2020.

External links[edit]