Monthly Archives: February 2018

Stoughton elementary schools use many tools to teach positive behavior

February 26, 2018Stand Up for Public EdRegion 12, Stoughton

Stoughton PBIS photo

ConnectStoughton.com: Monday afternoon, Sandhill Elementary School principal Jeff Fimreite was covered nearly head to toe in dripping pink slime his students had dumped all over him.

And he couldn’t have been more pleased.

These weren’t naughty kids gone wild – in fact, they were some of the most well-behaved students in the school. Fimreite was just “taking one for the team” by getting slimed as a reward for kids’ positive behavior so far this year.

To help teach all students good behavior, Stoughton Area School District staff began using the PBIS framework in 2012 to reinforce positive behavior, rather than focusing on negative ones. While it’s been in place for six years, PBIS continues to evolve.

The students love it, administrators say, and best of all, principals at all three elementaries say, it’s showing positive results in their behavior.

Kegonsa Elementary School principal Erin Conrad said in one year, the schools has cut our “major” behavior referrals by over half, and in some months they are down by 70 percent.

“Our referrals continue to go down,” she said.

Continue reading about the Stoughton Area School District’s PBIS program.

Waunakee students prepare for workforce

February 26, 2018Stand Up for Public EdRegion 12, Waunakee

Waunakee CTE photo

Waunakee Tribune: If you graduated from high school 20 years ago, it’s likely you were being prepared for college and anticipating choosing a career from there.

But today, emphasis on career preparation begins as early as middle school.

“The shift is, now in high school, even middle school, is when we start thinking about what we’re good at and interested in, and what we might do to make a living, and start looking at adding courses that support that,” said Michelle McGlynn, Waunakee High School’s Career and Technical Education Advisor.

February is Career and Technical Education month, and it’s a time McGlynn feels especially proud. Unlike many school districts, Waunakee is able to offer high school courses in all six areas of career and technical education. They include agriculture education, business and information technology, family and consumer science, health science, marketing education and technical education and engineering.

Several courses are offered under each umbrella of CTE, allowing students to begin thinking along those career pathways, McGlynn said.

Student organizations under each of those umbrellas allow them to use their classroom knowledge in competitive situations both at state and national levels.

Students following an agriculture or animal science career path can participate in FFA; business and information technology students can be active in FBLA.

“We’re pretty unique and lucky that at Waunakee, we offer all six programs under career and technical education and also offer career and technical education student organizations,” McGlynn said.

Continue reading the article on the Waunakee School District.

Kenosha Unified School District’s college tour can help close achievement gap, organizer says

February 19, 2018Stand Up for Public EdKenosha Unified, Region 13

Kenosha college toru image

Kenosha News: When Alvin Owens talks about the Spring Break College Tour, which takes mostly African-American Kenosha students on a whirlwind tour of colleges in the South and East Coast, he also isn’t afraid to talk about the elephant in the room: the achievement gap.

It refers to the academic gap that exists in the Kenosha Unified School District between black students and their white counterparts. It is considerable — Owens calls it the biggest in the country — and it bothers him.

“Our academic achievement gap is getting bigger. That is something we cannot accept or tolerate,” he said. “It’s up to us to close the gap.”

When he says “us,” he’s referring to parents and the larger community.

At a recent meeting with parents about the upcoming tour, he and Gary Vargas, student liaison at Bradford High School and an adviser to the African American Male Initiative, goaded parents to stay on top of their children’s academics, telling them they need to be checking school websites, perusing online grades and meeting with guidance counselors and teachers to learn of opportunities for their children.

Horicon elementary school becomes Blue Zones approved

February 19, 2018Stand Up for Public EdHoricon, Region 10

Horicon Blue Zones award image

Daily Citizen: Van Brunt Elementary in Horicon has been recognized as the newest Blue Zones Project Approved school in Dodge County. This designation reflects the school’s commitment and focus on not only building a stronger and healthier community, but also making well-being a priority for young learners to prepare them for a lifetime of better health.

“The Blue Zones Project initiative at Van Brunt is changing the culture of our school in a variety of positive ways. We are bringing awareness to healthy choices for our students including being active, eating right and being mindful,” Assistant Principal Cynthia Borgstorm said.

Van Brunt Elementary enhanced the school environment by removing unhealthy advertising and vending machines. They also incorporated Go Noodle brain breaks into classroom time. Students made their own homemade pizza through a Kids in the Kitchen class, providing an opportunity to gain a hands-on understanding of food. Meanwhile, parents were given ideas of non-food alternatives, activities and other recognition for classroom birthday celebrations.

In addition, the school wellness team chose to make this the year to incorporate a school fun run as a school fundraiser. The fundraiser was a huge success, creating a positive and healthy way to move naturally for students.

Read the complete article on Horicon elementary school award.

Menomonee Falls School District gets moment in national spotlight on cover of Education Week

February 9, 2018Stand Up for Public EdMenomonee Falls, Region 15

Menomonee Falls image

Journal Sentinel: The Menomonee Falls School District’s success in “continuous improvement” has made it the subject of a cover story in a national education magazine.

Education Week published a story on the district’s schools and how the district’s work in continuous improvement is helping it to be successful.

“This is just one more way our district has been recognized nationally and internationally for the work our staff and students do each and every day,” said Superintendent Pat Greco. “We started our continuous improvement journey nearly a decade ago, and in that time we’ve moved from a district in need of improvement to a district that leads in cutting-edge continuous improvement.”

Education Week’s story focuses on the district’s work from the superintendent down to 4K classrooms, and how those efforts have helped the district succeed despite the challenges facing it and other districts. Those include a highly competitive workforce, budget reductions and fluctuating enrollment.

“The work done in this district at all levels impact student success,” said Corey Golla, district director of curriculum and learning. “Their deep commitment to being better every day shows in this piece from Education Week. We hope our district can be a beacon for other schools looking to make the same incredible improvement.”

Read the complete article on Menomonee Falls.

Two Altoona schools win titles at the Super Bowl

February 6, 2018Stand Up for Public EdAltoona, Region 4

Altoona Fuel Play 60 photo

WQOQ.com: Two Altoona schools came home from Super Bowl weekend with thousands of dollars in grants.

The NFL’s Fuel Play 60 invited Altoona Middle School and Altoona High School to its “AdCap” competition on the Saturday of Super Bowl weekend.

Physical education teacher Greg Emerson got a team of seven girls together. They had some prep time to come up with a project to keep kids healthy at their schools, and present it “Shark Tank” style in 60 seconds.

They were judged by CEOs, the COO of the NFL and even Vikings QB Case Keenum.

The middle school students’ proposal was an on-site smoothie bar called “Snack Shack.”

“So, what they want to do is open up, to have healthy foods, before and after school,” Emerson said. “With that, they’ll make smoothies, and they’ll have smoothie machines and stuff. They can sell them for lower cost than what stores would do, because we’ll make them right here.”

College Park Elementary Nominated For Blue Ribbon Schools Program

February 5, 2018Stand Up for Public EdGreendale, Region 11

Greendale school Blue Ribbon nominee image Greendale Patch: Greendale’s College Park Elementary School is one of eight public elementary schools in Wisconsin that was nominated for the 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. District officials say they’re honored, while also an affirmation that goes beyond the numbers.

“I think what College Park and all of our school do very well is celebrate unique nature of every child,”Dr. Gary Kiltz, Greendale School District Superintendent told Patch.com. “College Park celebrates the unique gifts that each student brings, and it carries through … that’s not a challenge for us, it’s an opportunity and a gift. We can learn a lot for each other and it brings a richness to our community.”

Blue Ribbon Schools recognizes schools with some of the highest student academic achievement in the state or those that demonstrate dramatic gains in closing achievement gaps. According to the recent state report card data, College Park is among the top 10 elementary schools in the State of Wisconsin and ranks third of all elementary schools in Milwaukee County.

DC Everest student literary magazine, Point of Convergence, wins top national award

February 5, 2018Stand Up for Public EdDC Everest, Region 3

DC Everest lit mag cover image

Wausau Daily Herald: A D.C. Everest student publication, Point of Convergence, was named the Most Outstanding High School Literary Magazine for 2017 by the American Scholastic Press Association.

Point of Convergence also earned ASPA’s 2017 First Place with Special Merit award. The publication was recognized with ASPA first-place awards in 2015 and 2016 as well. Also in 2016, Point of Convergence earned an award from the National Council of Teachers of English.

Point of Convergence features poetry, fiction and nonfiction writing, and the cover is selected from student photography or artwork. It is an authentic start-to-finish publication opportunity for D.C. Everest students. They write, read, edit, design, market and sell the publication.

Students celebrated the premiere of their fall issue Jan. 18 with live readings from newly published authors, student musical performances and a student art exhibit.