The Wayzata High School Athletic Hall of Fame is proud to celebrate its inaugural induction class in the fall of 2024. Our purpose is to recognize and honor the accomplishments of the inductees and continue to develop pride in the rich athletic traditions of more than 100 years at Wayzata High School. Nominations are now being accepted in four distinctive categories including: Athlete, Coach, Trojan Award and W-Club. Learn more about the selection process and submit your nomination online on the Athletic Hall of Fame web page.
News & Information
The Family Newsletter is published weekly by Debra Lange. To submit an article request, please email whs.office@wayzataschools.org.
Parents/Guardians of current Wayzata High School students will automatically receive the Family Newsletter and other general information emails at the email address listed in Skyward Family Access.
News
Wayzata High School Headlines
Congratulations to the following Wayzata High School staff members who were recognized as November 2023 WPS Employees of the Month at this week's School Board meeting.
- Dave Droegemueller - WHS Math Teacher & Wrestling Coach
- Stephanie Ebert - WHS Family & Consumer Science Teacher and Career & Technical Education Coordinator
For the second consecutive year, Wayzata Public Schools has been recognized as the #1 Best Public School District in Minnesota by Niche as part of the publication’s 2024 Best Schools and Districts in America rankings. Wayzata High School ranked #1 among traditional public high schools in Minnesota.
District Headlines
The 2025 Scholars of Distinction Award has been granted to 10 Wayzata High School students by the Minnesota Department of Education. The award is one of the highest honors in the state with only 18 students statewide receiving it.
The 2025 Scholars of Distinction Award has been granted to 10 Wayzata High School students by the Minnesota Department of Education. The award is one of the highest honors in the state with only 18 students statewide receiving it.
The Scholars of Distinction Award program honors students for their outstanding self-direction, leadership and academic success. It celebrates student achievements in many fields such as computer science, cultural studies, environmental leadership, mathematics, science, social studies, and STEM.
The following students have earned the designation:
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Aman Goud: Computer Science Scholar of Distinction - "Riding the Virtual Rails: Tackling Cybersickness Through Motion Anticipation"
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Selina Wang: Computer Science Scholar of Distinction - "Inertial Measurement Units Based Figure Skating Training Assistant System using Deep Learning Neural Networks"
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Ariya Tikoo: Computer Science Scholar of Distinction - "Project CASSIE: A Chatbot system with Analytics-Driven Prompt Engineering for Personalized Blood Glucose and Insulin Management for Type 1 Diabetics"
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Sanjana Kollipara: Environmental Leadership Scholar of Distinction - "Meteorological measurement Mysteries: Quantifying the Variability of Precipitation and Snow Depth Based on Measurement Location and Wind Dynamics as it Impacts Flood Prediction Modeling"
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Shruti Kaza: Science Scholar of Distinction - "Regional Variations in Microglial Activation Following Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury"
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Aaratrika Mondal: Science Scholar of Distinction - "Differential Drug Responses to Dabrafenib and Lapatinib Based on Concentration of Fibroblasts in NSCLC Co-cultures"
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Kairavi Chandra: Science Scholar of Honor - "The Impact of Salinization on Lake Nutrient Dynamics and Cyanobacteria Productivity"
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Rahul Sai Billakanti: Social Studies Scholar of Distinction in Economics - "Liquidity Stress Index and Velocity of Money in Predicting Economic Recessions"
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Prohitt Ram Kumar: Social Studies Scholar of Distinction in Economics - "Sentiment, Social Media, and Stock Price Dynamics: Analyzing Investor Behavior Using Reddit Post Data"
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Mitaunshu Agrawal: STEM Scholar of Distinction - "Machine Learning the Constitutive Response of Cauchy-Born One-Dimensional Lattices"
Congratulations to our award recipients!
Ashley Farrington, principal of Birchview Elementary in Wayzata Public Schools, has been named Minnesota’s 2025 National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
Ashley will be honored this fall in Washington, D.C., for his visionary leadership, commitment to equity, and transformative impact on school climate and student achievement.
Ashley Farrington, principal of Birchview Elementary in Wayzata Public Schools, has been named Minnesota’s 2025 National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
Ashley will be honored this fall in Washington, D.C., for his visionary leadership, commitment to equity, and transformative impact on school climate and student achievement. Known for his belief that “every kid has a superpower,” Farrington has redefined Birchview’s culture around the message “You Matter,” boosting both belonging and academic growth.
Under his leadership, the school has seen a 7% increase in reading growth and launched several leadership teams to foster shared responsibility among staff. “Principal Farrington exemplifies what it means to lead with heart, vision, and purpose,” said Michelle Krell, MESPA Executive Director.
Congratulations, Ashley!
Andrew Hansen, head coach of Nordic skiing at Wayzata High School, was named Boys Head Coach of the Year by the Minnesota State High School Nordic Ski Coaches Association. Hansen has been with the Trojans for nine seasons, two as an assistant coach and seven as head coach. He has guided the boys' team to win state titles for two years in a row. Congratulations, Andrew!
Andrew Hansen, head coach of Nordic skiing at Wayzata High School, was named Boys Head Coach of the Year by the Minnesota State High School Nordic Ski Coaches Association.
Hansen has been with the Trojans for nine seasons, two as an assistant coach and seven as head coach. He has guided the boys' team to win state titles for two years in a row.
Hansen, a former four-year high school skier, and one-year college skier, said he appreciates the unique aspects of the sport.
"My favorite part of coaching is seeing and helping the development and improvement of athletes over their high school careers," Hansen said. "Seeing where athletes start as freshmen and then seeing where they finish as seniors is really rewarding. Whether that is having skiers become state champions or simply learning the skills for a lifelong sport, both are just as rewarding to see."
Congratulations, Andrew!