Groton Area School District

**Reminder of the SDHSAA Summer Moratorium July 1st - July 7th**

The SDHSAA Summer Moratorium rules prohibit school-sponsored activities and contact between coaches and student-athletes in grades 7-12 from July 1 to July 7 each year. This means:

- No team or individual practices, training, or lessons
- No open gyms, guidance, or supervision by school personnel
- No use of school facilities, equipment, or resources

However, student-athletes may participate in camps, clinics, or programs on their own initiative, as long as they are not organized by their school or involve school personnel.

Coaches and Athletes - We are impressed and proud of the time and commitment you put into your activities, but please use this week as a much needed break from sports to refuel and rest your bodies. Enjoy a week of summer vacation!

Positive Athlete is a national recognition leadership, and career development program for high school student-athletes. After going through more than 600 nominations from across the Mountain region (AZ, CO, ID, MT, ND, NE, NM, SD, UT, WY), Sophomore, Liza Krueger was selected as a Top 7 Award Winner in this year's Positive Athlete Mountain region program! The 7 theme stems from the number of traits of a Positive Athlete- Optimistic, Puts Team First, Encouraging, Respectful, Admits Imperfections, True Heart for Others, and Embraces Service that make up the How Do You O.P.E.R.A.T.E.? framework. Congratulations, Liza! What an amazing honor to receive!🤼‍♀️🐯🌟 #TigerPride #PositiveAthlete! @PositiveAthMountain

Groton Area HOSA would like to send a huge thank you to the businesses and community members that made their trip to the international leadership conference possible! To every single community member, friend and family: thank you! 🫶 We are grateful for everyone that has helped us make this first year one to remember - students had a great time learning, competing, networking, sight-seeing and line-dancing their way though Nashville, TN!

HOSA ILC Update! Students competing at the International Leadership Conference have been busy - our group from South Dakota has joined more than 14,000 students from around the world to learn more about healthcare. Completing their events were Elizabeth Fliehs in medical spelling, Rylee Dunker in health career photography and Talli Wright in job seeking skills. Tomorrow will wrap up competitions with Gretchen Dinger in medical math, Emma Kutter in medical terminology, Faith Traphagen in pathophysiology, Liby Althoff in persuasive writing and speaking and Emerlee Jones in family medicine physician. They will wrap up with an awards ceremony on Saturday!

Groton Area HOSA has arrived in Nashville! 👢🎵 Wishing them luck as they compete against students from other states and countries at the International Leadership Conference this week!

OST Billing Update – Week of June 1 OST bills for the week of June 1–7 have been posted and printed. You can find your statement in the student folders located in the commons area. Please be sure to review and stay current on your payments. Thank you!

📢 Summer OST Billing Update 📢 Hi Parents! 👋 Summer OST bills for the first two weeks (May 18–31) have been run and printed. You can pick up your bill in the Commons Area at your convenience. 💵 A quick reminder: Please plan to pay your OST bill weekly moving forward. This helps us stay organized. Thanks so much for your cooperation and support — we’re looking forward to a great summer! ☀️🌈

The first round of State Golf begins today! Groton's lone participant is Sophomore, Carlee Johnson, as she placed 6th at Regions to earn a spot at the State Golf Meet today and tomorrow! Carlee will be teeing off at 9AM in Madison at the Madison Country Club! We are cheering for you, Carlee! Play hard and have fun! Follow along on Golf Genius with GGID: 25SDGIRLSA

🌟4x400m Relay School Record is Broke Again🌟 - These four incredible ladies have done it again, as they capped off their season with an impressive 2nd place finish at the 2025 State A Track & Field Meet in Sioux Falls today! - Senior, Laila Roberts, and Sophomore team members, Taryn Traphagen, McKenna Tietz, and Kella Tracy recorded a solid 4:01.25 in the 4x400m Relay today, setting the mark even lower for the Groton Area School Record Books! 🐯 Congratulations on a spectacular race and season, ladies! 🤩🤍

The Tigers had a strong finish today at the State Track & Field Meet! Here is a recap of Day #3: - Laila Roberts, Taryn Traphagen, McKenna Tietz, and Kella Tracy secured an impressive 2nd place finish, with a season best and school record-breaking time of 4:01.25! - Laila Roberts, Kella Tracy, McKenna Tietz, and Taryn Traphagen secured a 5th place finish in the 4x200m Relay with a season best time of 1:46.80! - McKenna Tietz placed 7th in the Girls 300m Hurdles, with a time of 47.69! - In the 1600m Run, Jayden Schwan finished 10th with a personal best time of 4:33.17 and Ryelle Gilbert finished 19th with a time of 5:39.59! Congratulations to all Groton Area Tiger Track & Field Athletes and Coaches on an incredible season! You have made all of Tiger Nation very proud!!

🌟New School Record in the Girls 300m Hurdles!🌟 - Sophomore, McKenna Tietz, ran a school record breaking time of 47.46 today at the State Meet in Sioux Falls! The 48.04 record, was previously set by Diane Dohman (1986) and Katie Anderson (2002)! Congratulations, McKenna!!🐯

🌟New School Record for the Girls 4x400m Relay!🌟 - Laila Roberts, Taryn Traphagen, McKenna Tietz, and Kella Tracy ran a school record breaking time of 4:03.18 today at the State Meet in Sioux Falls! The 44-year old record of 4:06.83 was previously set by Abeln, Donovan, Gengerke, and Ackman in 1981. Way to go, Ladies!! Congratulations!!🐯

What another TERRIFIC day for the Groton Tiger Track Team at State! Here is a recap of Day #2: - McKenna Tietz placed 8th in the 300m Hurdles with a personal best time of 47.46. She qualified for finals tomorrow! - The Girls 4x200m Relay Team, consisting of Laila Roberts, Kella Tracy, McKenna Tietz, and Taryn Traphagen, finished 4th with a time of 1:47.47 - they will compete in the finals tomorrow! - The Girls 4x400m Relay Team, consisting of Laila Roberts, Taryn Traphagen, McKenna Tietz, and Kella Tracy, finished 2nd with a season best 4:03.18 - they will compete in the finals tomorrow! - The Boys 4x400m Relay Team, consisting of Blake Pauli, Jayden Schwan, Ethan Kroll, and Jordan Schwan, finished 19th, with a time of 3:39.57! - Keegen Tracy placed 9th in the 400m Dash with a time of 51.54! He just missed qualifying for finals. - Keegen Tracy finished 15th in the 200m Dash with a time of 23.08! - Blake Pauli placed 10th in the 800m Run with a personal best time of 2:00.16! - In the Girls 800m Run, Ryelle Gilbert placed 19th with a personal best time of 2:23.19 and Faith Traphagen placed 24th with a time of 2:26.89! - Jayden Schwan finished 13th in the 3200m Run, with a personal best time of 10:15.87! - Emma Kutter finished 21st in the Girls Shot Put with a throw of 32ft 2in! - Ethan Kroll finished 23rd in the Boys Triple Jump with a leap of 38ft 1in! Way to Go, Tigers! We are so very proud of you all! Competing tomorrow will be: - Girls 1600m Run - Ryelle Gilbert - Boys 1600m Run - Jayden Schwan - Girls 4x200m Relay - Girls 300m Hurdles - McKenna Tietz - Girls 4x400m Relay Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!

🌟New School Record for the Girls 3200m Relay!🌟 - Earlier this season, these four ladies broke the 37-year old school record and today they set the bar even lower! Their previous time was a 9:51.40 and today, at the State Meet, they ran a 9:48.65! Team members and school record holders are: Ryelle Gilbert, Taryn Traphagen, Kella Tracy, and Faith Traphagen! Congratulations, Ladies!!🐯

🌟New School Record for the Boys 1600m Sprint Medley Relay!🌟 - The team of Brevin Fliehs, Lincoln Krause, Keegen Tracy, and Blake Pauli broke the 45 year old school record today at the State Meet with a time of 3:38.49! The school record was previously held by Sippel, Everson, Gravatt, and Goehring in 1980 with a time of 3:38.95. Congratulations, Gentlemen!! 🐯

The Tigers had a great first day at the State Track Meet! Here is a Recap of Day 1: - The Boys Sprint Medley Relay Team consisting of Brevin Fliehs, Lincoln Krause, Keegen Tracy, and Blake Pauli finished with a 4th Place time of 3:38.49! - The Girls Sprint Medley Relay Team consisting of Makenna Krause, Taryn Traphagen, Laila Roberts, and Kella Tracy finished 8th Place with a time of 4:17.12! - The Girls 4X800m Relay Team finished with a 4th Place finish with a time of 9:48.65. Team members include: Ryelle Gilbert, Faith Traphagen, Taryn Traphagen, and Kella Tracy! - The Girls 4X100m Relay Team just missed qualifying for finals, as they placed 9th with a time of 51.42. Team members include: Laila Roberts, Rylee Dunker, McKenna Tietz, Makenna Krause! - The Boys 4X800m Relay Team finished 16th, with a time of 8:45.25. Team members include: Jayden Schwan, Jace Johnson, Ethan Kroll, and Tristin McGannon! - Makenna Krause finished 13th in the 100m Dash, with a time of 13.12! - Keegen Tracy finished 18th in the 100m Dash, with a time of 11.57! Congratulations, Tigers!! We are excited to see what you all accomplish tomorrow!

Rise and Shine, Tiger Nation - It is the first day of STATE TRACK! Wish these Tigers well as they compete in the State Track Meet in Sioux Falls today-Saturday! - SDPB Livestream Coverage: https://www.sdpb.org/state-track-streams-sdpb-state-championship-coverage Throw far, Jump Far, Run Fast, and Turn Left - You got this! GOOOOOD LUCK, GROTON TIGERS!

Congratulations to all of the following 19 athletes on qualifying for the State Track & Field Meet this Thursday (10am), Friday(9am), and Saturday(9am) in Sioux Falls at Howard Wood! Seniors: Faith Traphagen, Laila Roberts, Emma Kutter, Blake Pauli, Brevin Fliehs Juniors: Rylee Dunker, Keegen Tracy, JD Schwan, Lincoln Krause, Tristin McGannon Sophomores: Kella Tracy, McKenna Tietz, Taryn Traphagen, Ashlynn Warrington Freshmen: Ryelle Gilbert, Makenna Krause, Jace Johnson, Ethan Kroll 8th Grader: Jordan Schwan *The schedule attached highlights the events and times that our Groton Tiger Athletes will be competing! Please note that Saturday's finals events are TBD if there will be a Groton Athlete competing. - SDPB Livestream Coverage: https://www.sdpb.org/state-track-streams-sdpb-state-championship-coverage - NVC/JVT Special Events Channel 151 Good Luck, Groton Tiger Athletes! You have made us all proud!

OST Families: Just a reminder to get your swim passes purchased! Once you have done so, please send your pass number to Mrs. Jennifer Kunze. Thank you!

Good evening OST Families, I will be out of the office until June 1. OST billing will not be processed individually for the weeks of May 19–23 or May 26–30. Instead, both weeks will be combined into a single bill, which will be posted and printed on June 2. This bill will reflect charges from May 18 through May 31. I apologize for any confusion and appreciate your understanding. Please look for the bill on June 2. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me. Thanks, Brett Schwan