Aug 2015 - Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District

Back to School
Newsletter
WITTENBERGWITTENBERG-BIRNAMWOOD
HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
August 17, 2015
From Mrs. Sharp’s Office -
Inside This Issue
August 10, 2015
Page 2-3
Page 4
Dear Parents/Guardians and Community:
During the upcoming school year WBHS will be adding a second component to our 8th period Advisory
hour called Academic Seminar. Currently, our Advisory system focuses primarily on supporting student’s
academic skills (understanding and comprehending curriculum). The next phase to this system is to incorporate the teaching of learning behaviors so that all students can be successful inside the classroom and
out. Learning behaviors can be defined as those behaviors necessary for students to be successful, confident, independent learners. The focus of our instruction will be on things such as persistence to a task
(stick with itness), test taking skills and strategies, mindset, study habits, prioritizing, seeking and receiving
help, and advocating for oneself. These behaviors are skills that must be taught, modeled and reinforced.
You may also notice that many of these skills are the same skills students need to be successful in the
working world. As always, we strive to prepare students for achieving at school as well as beyond high
school. This new system aims to expose students to strategies and habits that will grow these behaviors.
These lessons take only 15 minutes and will be taught universally to all freshman students the first month
of school. After the lesson, students resume study time as normal during Advisory.
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If you have further questions about the Academic Seminar implementation, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Striving toward Excellence!
Jill Sharp
“Striving for Excellence”
Temporary Exclusion
Lunch Payments
Campus Visit
Page 7-8
Attendance Works
Page 9
College Application
Page 10
Pillars, Spanish Class
Page 11-12
Grading Reform
Page 13-15
Guidance News
Page 16
Sleepy Hollow
Page 17
School Policies
Page 18
I am excited about the impact that a greater focus on behaviors will have on our school, staff, and most
importantly, our students! Thanks to the Wisconsin PBIS Network and the Wisconsin RtI Center, this
program is being developed cooperatively with our school administration and staff.
School Insurance
Page 6
Just as in academics, students with significant struggles in learning behaviors will require intensive, targetPage 19
ed, and proactive supports at the beginning of the school year. These same students may require differentiated supports to succeed in the general classroom while better behavioral habits are built. If a student Page 20
is struggling with learning behaviors, he/she can be referred to our grade level teams for further evaluation. If the student is found to have a need that requires more intense support, then a series of responses
may occur, including placement in an interventions setting 8th period where re-teaching, practice, and
close monitoring will occur. It is important to know that interventions are not permanent. Once a student demonstrates proficiency in the targeted skill(s), he/she may be placed back into their originally assigned Advisory. Monitoring of the learning behavior(s) will continue by all staff to ensure maintenance of
progress throughout the school year. As always, we do this to ensure your child is successful, but also to
ensure we are doing the utmost possible to guarantee high levels of learning for all.
This process will support our efforts in creating a positive culture in our school where pro-social, prolearning behaviors are priorities, taught, modeled, reinforced and re-taught (when necessary); a process
through which we can provide direct support for learners.
Notices
WBHS Homecoming
Color Run
Dates to Remember
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WBHS NEWSLETTER
HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
This year’s WB High School Newspaper is going digital! The link will be
available on the high school website. More details coming soon.
**NOTICE TO PARENTS**
Per state statute, the WB Board of Education has approved
adoption of the common core state standards for ELA and
math and the Wisconsin Model
Academic Standards for all other disciplines.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to the Wittenberg-Birnamwood FFA Chapter, because this year
it is celebrating its 75th year of history, tradition, and change? Thank you to everyone who
has helped make the Agriculture Department and FFA Chapter possible! Your support has
touched the lives of thousands of students throughout its 75 years; the program would not
be possible without you! As we celebrate our 75th, there are many things that are changing
in the Agriculture Department. Since the FFA’s Charter in 1940, if you haven’t yet, make
sure to stop by and check out the Ag room. A few things are different, such as the classroom, the shop, AND the teacher. This year we welcome Ms. Leeann Hitsman, who will be
serving as the Agricultural Education Teacher and FFA Advisor. The FFA has been hard at
work throughout the summer. Members have been busy attending the WI State FFA Convention, helping out at the Shawano County Dairy Breakfast, the Alumni Corn Roast, preparing and participating at the WI Valley Fair, performing at WI State Fair in the State FFA
Band, and their continuous work on their Supervised Agricultural Experiences. If you
would like to know more about what the FFA is up to or what’s going on in the Ag department, please check out their individual websites, which can be found on the WBHS website.
This year, we are celebrating 75 years of tradition and heritage. If you have any questions
or would like to find out how you can be a part of the celebration, please contact Ms. Hitsman.
“Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve.” -FFA Motto
WBHS NEWSLETTER
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2015-2016 Witt-Birn School District Athletics
Check out the website; http://www.wittbirn.k12.wi.us/high/athletesummerinfo.cfm to print out all the forms
you may need. The forms are: Physical or Alternate card, Co-Curricular Code, WIAA Form, Concussion Law 2011, and Emergency sheet. All forms need to be turned in BY the first day of practice. You
can also find the coaches letters and calendars on the webpage.
Fall starting Dates
Middle School Football – August 20th @ WMS 9:00 am
Middle School Volleyball – August 24th @ WMS – 3:30 pm
*If you are unable to make it to the first day of practice, contact the head coach ASAP.
Check out the website for the sport schedules: http://www.centralwisconsinconference.org
- click on Wittenberg-Birnamwood for the school’s calendar.
A.L.I.C.E Information Sessions
(Alert - Lockdown - Inform - Counter - Evacuate)
Information sessions for the new school intruder alert
system will be held September 30th and October 5th in the
High School Auditorium at 6:00 pm.
All parents should attend.
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WBHS NEWSLETTER
WBHS NEWSLETTER
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Temporary Exclusion Guidelines for Ill Students
**Key questions for exclusion: Is the student able to comfortably participate in school?
Does the illness pose risk of spreading harmful disease to others?
Does the student require more care than staff can safely provide?
Exclusions: (These are general guidelines and are not all inclusive.)
Fever- (body temperature equal or greater than 100 degrees, orally) with behavior change or other signs and
symptoms of illness (examples: sore throat, rash, vomiting, headache). May return to school when fever free
for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
Diarrhea- 3 or more loose stools in a 24 hour period. May return to school when without diarrhea for 24 hours.
Vomiting- 2 or more episodes in 24 hours or one episode of vomiting that also includes other complaints or
signs of illness (example: diarrhea, fever), vomiting following a head injury or vomit that is green or bloody.
May return to school when without nausea or vomiting for 24 hours.
Abdominal pain- constant pain or pain that comes and goes along with other signs or complaints of illness.
May return when able to comfortably participate in school or per above guidelines.
Rash- with fever, behavior changes or a rash that is spreading rapidly. If concerned rash is contagious, may
return when a health care provider has determined it is not a communicable disease. Mild, localized rashes
with minor discomfort do not require exclusion from school.
Open sores- that are weeping fluid, are on an exposed surface that cannot be covered or student cannot maintain hygiene. May return when sores are dry or able to be covered and has begun required medical treatment.
Pink eye- if unable to avoid touching eyes or maintain hygiene or if other exclusion factors present. Parent requested to contact health care provider if child has thick eye drainage.
Specific conditions:
Head lice- exclude at the end of the day. May return after treatment.
Impetigo- exclude at the end of the day if lesions can be covered. May return after treatment has started and
lesions are covered or are dry.
Ringworm- exclude at the end of the day if able to cover or student can maintain hygiene. May return to school
if lesions are covered or treatment is started.
Strep throat- exclude for 24 hours after start of treatment and until without fever
References:
Aronson, S., and Shope, T. (Eds.). 2013. Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools. Elk Grove
Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2014). W isconsin Childhood Communicable Diseases wall chart
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WBHS NEWSLETTER
SCHOOL LUNCH
Parents: Please do not combine checks written for
fees with lunch account payments. Checks for lunch
account payments should always be written
separately.
Free/Reduced Lunch Applications: Attached at the end of this newsletter
if you receive it by mail or, the form is available on the W-B website.
Campus Visit
All 2014-15 WBHS juniors and seniors had the opportunity to visit UW Eau Claire and UW Stout over spring
break. During this visit, the students learned about the colleges and the admission process. They had the chance
to ask students questions about the college and college life and tour the campus. It was not very well attended but
the students that did come said it was a great experience and want to visit more.
Campus visits are a very important part of college and career planning. Campuses become home to students
while they are there and it is important to find the right fit. What draws people to certain campuses and not others
is sometimes unexplainable. Each year WBHS students are given the opportunity to visit campuses all over Wisconsin helping them find their right fit. Students regularly share with us what they liked and disliked about campuses. What is most exciting is when a student says, “I don’t know what it is, but I love it here.” Honestly it is one of
the best parts of this job! We love watching students find a place that they feel passionate and excited about!
Once a student has found a right-fit campus, we encourage them to plan an additional visit with their family and
take an even closer look. This helps them learn more about what it will feel like to live and study at a particular
place. Many schools even offer a student shadowing program where students can go and attend classes and
sometimes even spend the night on campus. Parents can learn a lot too! Please encourage your student to take
advantage of these meaningful opportunities.
Hey Seniors:
Want to know how to
apply for College?
Ms. Spiegelberg and Mrs.
Barke are inviting you and your
family to a College Application
Information Session!
College Application Information
Session 2015
Presented by:
UW-Stout ETS and Wittenberg-Birnamwood High
School
Contact Information:
715-505-6385 or
715-253-2211
Monday, August 31, 2015
Location: Wittenberg-Birnamwood High
School Library
Time: 6:30—7:30
Come and learn about:
*How and when to apply for college
*Application tips
*How to choose a college
WBHS NEWSLETTER
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WBHS - PILLARS OF EXCELLENCE
WELCOME
BELIEVE
HELP
SUCCEED
IT’S
WE
REACHING
EVERYONE
IS
NEVER TOO
LATE
SUPPORT
OUR
EACH
GOALS
VALUED
TO LEARN
OTHER
HERE
Spanish Foreign Language Class Activities
¡Hola!
I strongly believe that in order to motivate students to learn Spanish, the classes
must have fun activities with hands and tasks such as reading, writing, listening and speaking. In order to
speak, the students must listen and pronounce Spanish, and what a better way than singing every day.
It is very rewarding to hear the students every day, “¿Cantamos hoy?’ (Are we singing today?)
I wished my English teachers would have used music and/or movies to teach me English.
This is a summary of fun activities we did in the last quarter of the last school year:
All the Spanish classes worked very hard in order to win “The class singing competition.” I selected “Si te
acuerdas de mi” de los Mitos de España y “Me puedo programar” de Virus de Argentina because in
both songs there are many reflexive and boot verbs that the students had been learning. In this competition, each class sang both songs, and the first four places had a fiesta.
The Spanish I classes read the novel “Pobre Ana” de Lisa Ray and Baine Ray, and the Spanish III and
IV class read “Adiós papá de Oscar Tosal y “El libro secreto de Daniel Torres” de Rosana Acquaroni.
The Spanish I and II classes watched a second movie that I was working on. The Spanish III and IV students had been watching many movies in Spanish during the school year, and they had been singing
more than any other class.
As one of the last assignments, all the classes made a video related to a grammar structure where the students used their creativity and singing or acting skills in order to explain or teach their grammar structure.
WBHS NEWSLETTER
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August 3, 2015
Dear Families and Students of Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School,
During the 2015-16 school year the WBHS staff will be working toward changing some of their current grading and reporting practices. This letter is intended to help you learn along with us. It is our intention to provide information and guidelines as we work through these changes together.
Background:
The WBHS staff committed to four overarching beliefs that we call the ‘WBHS Pillars of Excellence’. These
pillars are intended to represent our vision for the future and drive decision making about next steps in creating a school environment that is supportive, fair and grounded in student achievement at all levels. One of
the pillars reads Believe: It’s Never Too Late to Learn. What this pillar says is that grades should reflect
learning and that learning is continuous. In order for this to happen, we must create structures and shift
thinking so that our students know that learning is the ultimate desired outcome.
What:
The focus of instruction is learning. Our goal with this reform is to report as precisely as possible what your
child knows and is able to do in relation to the content being taught. Ultimately, when it comes down to it,
grades have to be about the learning.
Why:
We have traditionally infused multiple measurements into the grading process, such as work completion,
extra credit, behavior, and so on. This information confuses the lines of communication about what our students know. We know now that “the primary purpose of grades is to communicate student achievement to
students, parents, school administrators, post-secondary institutions and employers.” If we include things
such as group grades, extra credit for bringing in a signed syllabus, behavior, etc., then we confuse what we
are communicating and nothing is clear.
This does not mean that we do not value behaviors such as work ethic, assignment completion, participation
and other academic behavior. In fact, we value it so much that we believe it is necessary to report that information to families and students separately. Adding a component to our grade report that gives families and
students feedback on grade level behaviors like those listed above is essential to reporting out on the whole
child.
Goal:
There are five focus areas of grade reform that our staff will work toward this school year, they include:
1. Student behavior will not be included in grades (unless clearly outlined in the course standards)
2. Extra credit &/or use of bonus points will not be included in grades
3. Group scores will not be included in grades
4. Clear descriptions of achievement expectations and learning outcomes will be provided for each
course
5. Zero’s will not be used in grade determination when evidence is missing or as punishment (however,
zero’s are appropriate if they represent learning outcomes)
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WBHS NEWSLETTER
What you can expect:
At the start to the school year, each instructor will have learning outcomes clearly articulated in their course
syllabus. Please take the time to read through them. Also, please know that homework is not optional.
Teachers assign homework to help students learn. If the child does not do the work, the teacher does not
have evidence of the learning. Therefore, the use of Incompletes or “I” will be reported. What this means is
that the teacher does not have sufficient evidence to report a final grade at this time. The student is responsible to make sure that the evidence (homework) is provided to the teacher in a timely and complete fashion. Lack of evidence may result in the student earning a failing grade.
To support the learners with these changes, staff will communicate timelines and options for students to
meet learning outcomes in each course.
For those of you who would like more information about researched based best practices in grade reform,
here are some resources that we are using in our study:
Grading Smarter, Not Harder by Myron Dueck (https://myrondueck.wordpress.com/ )
On Your Mark by Thomas Guskey (http://www.schoolimprovement.com/experts/thomas-guskey/ )
A Repair Kit for Grading, 15 Fixes For Broken Grades by Ken O’Connor
(http://www.oconnorgrading.com/ask.php)
Thank you for supporting our staff as we work toward excellence in teaching and learning.
Sincerely,
Jill Sharp
Jill Sharp
High School Principal
WBHS NEWSLETTER
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From the School Counselor’s Office~August 2015
Mandi Spiegelberg, Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School Counselor
715-253-2211 ext 1201 [email protected]
Fall “To Do List” for Seniors
*If you plan to retake the ACT, the deadline to register for the October 24th exam date is
September 18th. More information can be found at www.actstudent.org and/or
www.actparent.org.
*If you will be applying to a Wisconsin 4-yr university, the schools start processing application on September 15th, you can submit them as of September 1st. You can currently access the UW-Systems on-line application at https://apply.wisconsin.edu/.
* If you will be applying to a Wisconsin 2-yr technical college, please note that the application processing start date varies depending on which tech you are applying to. You can visit
the tech college’s website to find out when your school will start accepting applications.
Keep in mind that some university and technical programs fill up quickly, so it is important to apply as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact me with any questions
about the application process, as it can be overwhelming.
*WBHS is hosting an informational session about the college application process. The
presentation is scheduled for Monday, August 31st at 6:30. It is being held in the high school
library.
*Once you have applied, please let me know, so I can send official high school transcripts to
the schools you have applied to.
*If you are still undecided about what you are doing after graduation, please stop by the
school counselor’s office to get some help with the decision process. We can work to get you
in contact with an admission representative, coordinate a school visit, and/or set up a job
shadow with a place of employment that best fits your interests.
*Local scholarship information will be coming out later this school year, but Senior students should be aware of the more general (state/nationwide) scholarship opportunities
that are being offered. Scholarship updates will be posted in the daily announcements.
Fall “To Do List” for Sophomores
*In the past, all 10th grade students were required to take the Wisconsin Knowledge & Concepts Examination in early November. Due to the state’s new assessment schedule, the
state is no longer requiring 10th grade students the Wisconsin Knowledge & Concepts Examination. More information will be coming out later in the year about the new assessment
schedule.
*Don’t be afraid to ask questions; learning to communicate with your teachers is a great
skill that will be extremely beneficial in high school, as well as in college.
*Study hard and continue to be aware of your current grades and your GPA.
Fall “To Do List” for Freshman
*Stay organized! Use your agenda/handbook and follow teacher recommendations for organizing classroom materials.
*Remember…..your grade point average (GPA), which is used for college and scholarship
applications later in your high school career, starts now! It is very important that you are
aware of your current grades and remember that every grade counts (core classes and electives).
*Get involved in extracurricular and volunteer activities here at WBHS and the surrounding communities.
Odds and Ends
*Whether you are entering college right out of high school or returning 10 yrs after your
high school graduation, if you are a student with a documented disability, you can receive
accommodations to help support you while you are earning your university or technical college diploma. Each university/college has a disability services office that can assist students
with setting up the appropriate accommodations. Please note that it is the student’s reasonability to notify their university/college that they have a documented disability and to
provide that school with the appropriate documentation, so it is a very good idea to keep a
copy of that most current IEP. Feel free to contact the school counseling office for more information.
*Students should also be checking with the university or technical college they will be attending, because there are some great scholarship opportunities available through the individual universities and colleges. Most of that info can be found by visiting the individual
financial aid websites of the different schools.
Fall “To Do List” for Juniors
*Start thinking about what you want to do when you graduate high school. If you are
planning on attending a university or technical college, research the admissions requirements for the school you are interested in. The admissions requirements vary, so it is very
important that you start planning early to ensure you are on track for acceptance.
*Sign-up and attend the WI Education Fair at UW-MC, on Wednesday, September 16th.
WBHS will be taking a group of students to this event. The WI Education Fair provides
prospective students the opportunity to browse freely and meet with professional staff
members from approximately 100 postsecondary institutions in one central location. There
are a variety of different education institutions included in this fair, so it is a great way of
getting a ton of useful information in a short time. You can visit http://www.wefs.org to
learn more about the WI Education Fair and to access a list of participating education institutions. I will be getting out more information to the Junior class, during the first few
weeks of school.
*Along that same line…..start investigating admissions assessments/exams. The 4 yr colleges require either the ACT or the SAT exams, the 2 yr colleges in Wisconsin (depending
on the college) will require either the ACT, Accuplacer or the Compass, and the Armed
Forces require the ASVAB. You can find study guides to each of these exams on-line or by
stopping by the school counselor’s office. Please note that the PSAT and the ASVAB will be
offered to the WBHS students during 1st semester. I will be getting out more information to
the Junior class about when each assessment will be offered.
*Go on some college visits and/or job shadows to get a better idea of what path you might
take when you graduate from WBHS. See me if you need help setting up a college visit
and/or job shadow.
*Take on leadership roles in clubs and organizations, and continue to involve yourself in
extracurricular activities and community service.
*If you are looking for more information about the different post-secondary options in the
state of WI, please visit the following website for some useful information.
- http://www.uwhelp.wisconsin.edu/
(WI 4-yr public)
- http://www.waicu.org/home/
(WI 4-yr private)
-http://www.witechcolleges.org/
(WI 2-yr public)
-http://knowhow2gowisconsin.org/
(general information about college planning in the state of WI)
Friday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m.
Everypersonthatisinvolvedinthemusicalplaysanimportantrole!Ourshow
needsactors,singers,stagecrewmembers,andtechcrew(lighting/sound)members.
Auditionswillbeheldthe irstweekofschool.
Pleasevisittheschoolwebsite(MusicalinfoislocatedintheHSactivitieslist)for
detailsregardingauditionsandcastlist.AllWBHSstudentsarewelcometoaudition!
WBHS NEWSLETTER
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WBHS NEWSLETTER
&
REGISTRATION FORM
5K Color
Name:
_________________________
Email:
_________________________
*Race packets will be emailed to this email address
Participant Names:
T/Shirt Size(If registered before September 1st)
___________________________
_________
___________________________
_________
___________________________
_________
___________________________
_________
Race Fees:
____ Individual $30
____ Student $10
____ Family ($50/family of 4, $5 for each additional person)
*All fees increase $5 after September 1st
**Fees increase $10 after September 15th
Submit Registration Form and Fees to:
Wittenberg/Birnamwood High School
Attn: Color Me Registration
400 W. Grand Avenue
Wittenberg, WI 54499
Questions can be directed to the high school office at 715/253/2211 or
Ken Matsche at [email protected]
WBHS NEWSLETTER
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SAVE THE DATE!
Aug. 26- Freshman Orientation 7-9 PM
Sept. 11 - Football/Cheer Parents’ Night
At FB Game
Oct. 6 - Volleyball Parents’ & Senior Night
Oct. 16 - Football/Cheer Senior Night
Oct. 30/Nov. 1 - High School Musical
Nov. 9/10 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
4:30-8:00 pm
Important Dates to Remember
August 26 - Freshman Orientation
September 1 - 1st DAY OF SCHOOL
September 7 - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day
September 21 - HS Picture Retakes
September 25 - NO SCHOOL
Sep. 28- Oct. 2 - Homecoming Week
October 14 - PSAT Exam (Juniors)
October 22 - Class Ring Ordering (Sophomores)
October 24 - ACT National Test Date
November 5 - End of 1st Quarter
November 6 - NO SCHOOL
November 9/10 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
Check out the WW-B Website for all sport schedules and other important information
Non-Discrimination Policy
It is the policy of the Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District that no person may be denied admission to any public school in this district or be denied participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any curricular, extra-curricular, pupil service, recreational, or other program or activity
because of the person’s sex, race, color, national orientation, or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability or handicap as required by S.118.13 Wis.
Stats., political affiliation, arrest or conviction record, membership in National Guard, State Defense or Reserve Component of the Military forces of the United States or State of Wisconsin. This policy also prohibits discrimination as defined by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (race and national origin), and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
The district encourages informal resolution of complaints under this policy. A formal complaint resolution procedure is available, however, allegations of
violations of the policy in the Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District should be directed to:
Superintendent of Schools
Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District
400 W Grand Ave
Wittenberg WI 54499
(715) 253-2213