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CENTERVILLE LAKE: Guess what day ice will be out PAGE 6
Centennial’s long-range plan: What’s next BY MADELINE DOLBY EDITOR
The Centennial School District continues to shape its long-range plan. The plan, referred to as Centennial Forward, will ensure that schools within the district remain vibrant, safe and ready to meet the needs of current and future students. The plan also focuses on balancing educational priorities, fiscal responsibility and long-term stewardship of district resources. Centennial School District Superintendent Chris Holmberg provided an update to the school board about where the plan currently stands, feedback received from community stakeholders and what the next steps are in the planning process. “One of the things that really stood out in our long-range plan work was the focus on the desired daily experiences … Those desired daily experiences for staff, students and families are very difficult to do in our current educational environment,” Holmberg said. Some of those experiences include the ability of students to have flexible learning and activity choices that meet their academic needs, access to technology to support educational needs and positive interactions and relationships with students and staff. Parents have asked to receive consistent communication from their child’s teacher, school and district and want their child’s school to be welcoming, safe and inclusive. Staff asked that they receive timely and cohesive communication and the necessary support to be successful.
MSHSL | CONTRIBUTED
Avery Wagner fires the puck into the net against Holy Family Catholic in an 8-2 win.
Cougars 2nd in state after strong finish BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR
Centennial/Spring Lake Park (CSLP) entered the state girls hockey tournament as one of three teams who had been ranked No. 1 and all seemed to have an equal chance of winning the title. The Cougars wound up as the runner-up. They beat Holy Family 8-2 in the semifinal round, then lost to Hill-Murray, 4-3 in the finals,
previous runner-up finish, as Centennial, in 2018. The strong finish ended a stretch of post-season frustration for the program. The Cougars are 76-10-3 the last three seasons, but with upset losses in the first round of state in 2025 and section finals in 2024.
although not before a thrilling three-goal rally in the last two-anda-half minutes. “Those three goals at the end really showed our character and resilience as a team,” said Katie Ball, senior co-captain, “so I’m super proud of everyone for fighting until the end.” The Cougars, coached by Sean Molin, finished 26-4-1. Hill-Murray (H-M) was 26-3-1 repeated as champion. The Cougars had one
SEE GIRLS HOCKEY, PAGE 11
SEE LONG-RANGE PLAN, PAGE 12
Press Publications hosts 41st annual Wedding Show in March BY MAYA BETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Press Publications and the White Bear Country Inn are set to host their 41st annual Wedding Show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 15. The event brings together top local vendors in a low-stress setting, giving brides and their guests a chance to explore everything from venues to cupcakes without
Up to 25 vendors will be on hand, including longtime favorites like Unreal Arrangements, Midwest DJ and Creative License, as well as newcomers, such as two balloon décor companies. Attendees can browse offerings from photographers, florists, DJs, venue coordinators, bakers,
the crowds or high fees of big city shows. Patty Steele, general manager at Press Publications, says the show is especially appealing to first-time attendees. “First-timers are looking for an easy, convenient show that has a lot of good local vendors,” Steele said. According to Steele, the Wedding Show offers just that.
SEE WEDDING SHOW, PAGE 2
FILE
Brides can get information from a variety of wedding vendors on Sunday, March 15 at the Wedding Show.
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