The Rocket September 2013 - School District of Spencer
Transcription
The Rocket September 2013 - School District of Spencer
FALL 2013 THE ROCKET SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWSLETTER 2________________________ Rookie Rocket Child Care PAGE PAGE 3________________________ SHIP / New Staff PAGE 4_______________________ Kindergarten, First and Second Grade News PAGE 5______________________ Third and Fourth Grade News 6_____________________ Fifth Grade News PAGE PAGE 7____________________ Enrichment Courses Blast Off PAGE 8___________________ What’s Cooking? 9__________________ Music Department Upcoming Events PAGE PAGE 10_________________ Amanda Pupp Benefit Middle School Counselor’s Corner PAGE 11__________________ 2013 Madrigal PAGE 12________________ Spencer Youth Recreations Bus Transportation Update PAGE 13________________ Thank You Burnstad’s & Brad Bauer Memorial 14________________ High School Counselor’s Corner PAGE If you are not moving forward you are falling behind!” Welcome back for another exciting year! The district held a meet your teacher night on August 29th and I enjoyed getting reacquainted with current students and meeting new ones. One recurring theme for the majority of those that I talked to was the parents were ready for school to start and the kids weren’t. I agree summer does get long and it is difficult to keep kids motivated. I too am glad that the school year is underway. I have always appreciated the instant change in energy as kids start milling around the building once again. Seeing the kids also is a great reminder of the work that lies ahead of us. The State has mandated several initiatives that go into effect at various times. We need to have an RTI (Response to Intervention) system set up by December 1st of this year. A Department of Public Instruction approved evaluation system for our teachers needs to be fully implemented by the 2014-15 school year. The use of data needs to be utilized in making educational decisions for our students. This has been the focus of our staff in preparing for the school year. As a district we have chosen to take a proactive approach to the timelines and are integrating these mandates immediately. I have always agreed with the statement, “If you are not moving forward you are falling behind”. Never in my 20 plus years in education has this been more prevalent. I am thankful to have the staff that is hardworking and willing to do what is best for our kids. School started September 3rd but the parking lot was full for the better part of August. I think the teachers were as excited as the parents to get the school year started. I look forward to hearing from you throughout the year. Please keep an eye out for information on Spencer Speaks Part 5 and take a look at our webpage at www.spencer.k12.wi.us for various information. We have also started an email messenger alert system the will be utilized in the event we need to get a quick message to parents for situations like inclement weather etc. Please verify your email with your student office to make sure we have the correct address on file. As always, I appreciate the support of the community for our kids and look forward to continuing our positive relationship. Board of Education Meeting Notice Effective October 2013, the School District of Spencer School Board will meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday monthly at 7pm in the High School library (changed from Mondays) -Mike Endreas, Superintendent/Elementary Principal PAGE 15_________________ Stratford Continuing Education PAGE 16_________________ Fall Sports Schedules Spencer Public Schools 300 N. School Street PO Box 418 Spencer, WI 54479 www.spencer.k12.wi.us [email protected] Superintendent/Elementary Principal, Mike Endreas Middle School/High School Principal, Jerry Zanotelli District Office Phone (715) 659-5347 High School Office Phone (715) 659-4211 Elementary Office Phone (715) 659-4642 WE ARE BACK AND READY FOR 2013-2014 I would like to commend and thank a number of the staff members for all of the time they spent during the summer months getting us ready for the 2013-2014 school year. This past summer we had several staff members volunteer their time for us to get ready for our RTI (Response to Intervention)/Enrichment time and our PLC (Professional Learning Communities). RTI is a state and federal mandate for schools to find a way to incorporate extra time for students who are struggling in core skill areas. This is a great opportunity for any student who needs additional practice or help in any core area to get that help in a small group setting. We wanted to offer these services to all students without having that student lose instructional time in other classes. So this year’s schedule has a built in 30 minute RTI time for all students. The issue with that is, what do you do with the other 280 kids during that time that do not need or want help? This summer the staff designed our enrichment classes which run in conjunction with the RTI time. Each day staff members will be running a 6 week mini-class dealing with the standards, critical thinking, or life skills in many different areas. These classes will run for that 30 minute period on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Wednesday is now set aside for our Launch Pad/House groups in our advisor/advisee program which was started last year. The RTI time is a great opportunity for students to get extra help in areas they feel, or the teacher feels, there is a need. This will also give teachers the ability to present their educational material in a different way to the students. Some of the enrichment classes that are being offered the first six weeks are: Forensic Science, Critical Thinking, Relaxation, Problem Solving, Our America, Book Club, WWII. We had 58 different offerings for the students over those 4 days/6 weeks of enrichment in grades 7-12. There was also another group of teachers that volunteered their time to complete a book study on grading and the different affects grading can have on learning. This book study looked at how they can enhance their grading system to better reflect the actual knowledge the student has in that subject area. They looked at their assessments (tests), what they grade, the percentages of emphasis on the different area, and many other factors. There is a group of staff members that will implementing what they have discussed to determine if it is a better indicator of a true representation of a student’s knowledge. I have always been very proud of how we at Spencer Schools have looked each year on how we can enhance the educational process for the students here. In the last 5 years we have implemented new things each year to give the students here more opportunities to help them have a better chance of success after their years here. Thank you again for your continued support of our school system and we will continue to push ourselves professionally to always look at ways to move ahead to enhance the experience for students here. -Jerry Zanotelli, MS/HS Principal ROOKIE ROCKET CHILD CARE A big welcome to all of the children and families registered in our program for the 2013-2014 school years. We are happy to have you join us. We also invite anyone else interested in learning more about us to stop in and check us out. Each day after school we offer a healthy snack, activities, fun and games. We also offer each day, a quiet learning environment where the children can do their homework with the aid of experienced adults. The RRCC is looking for individuals who enjoy working with children to complement our current staff. Our need is for someone to be available as an on call for subbing. If this interests you please contact Sheri at 715-659-2409 ext. 156 or e-mail [email protected] SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS Everyone is welcome to attend the Spencer School Board meetings. They are held the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the HS Library. If there is a change in the date or time it will be posted on the doors outside the HS Office, at the Heritage Bank and at the Village Hall. Information regarding the meetings is also printed in the TRG Newspaper and archived meetings are available for viewing at www.spencer.k12.wi.us under the District links tab. Dawn Reckner, President • Eric Zenner, Vice President Jerry Wienke, Clerk • Jim Krasselt, Treasurer • Jordan Franklin, Director Check out the school website (www.spencer.k12.wi.us) for school contact information. The deadline to submit items for the next issue is, January 12, 2014. You may drop off items in newsletter mailbox in the Elementary Office, or you may e-mail them to [email protected]. It will then take 2-3 weeks to get it put together and mailed out. If you have any questions, you may e-mail that same address or leave a message by calling school and asking for extension 100. Thank you!! PAGE 2 Advisors, coaches, faculty, and staff of the Spencer Public Schools have submitted the articles printed in this Publication. Announcements are a community service. Mike Endreas, Editor in Chief The School District of Spencer shall not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, political affiliation, sex or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, color, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. To report an alleged violation regarding discrimination, contact Mike Endreas, District Administrator, Spencer School District, 715-659-5347 Welcome Back to School! We have had a great start to the school year! I have been enjoying getting to know the students of the elementary. The energy and enthusiasm they bring to school every day is contagious! Here are some changes you may hear your child talking about this year: New math series – we are staying with the same company but have upgraded from the 2004 edition to the 2012 edition. The content of the 2012 edition matches with the Common Core State Standards that have been adopted by the state of Wisconsin and 44 other states in the nation. Daily 5 – the elementary teachers worked hard over the summer to adopt the structure for reading called “The Daily 5”. This structure is based on best reading strategies and will be used in different ways throughout the elementary. Don’t be surprised to hear your child talk about building stamina as they read! Keyboarding – a stronger emphasis on keyboarding has been initiated for grades 3-5 to help prepare the students for the Smarter Balance Assessment that will start in the 2014-2015 school year. The Smarter Balance will take the place of the WKCE state test and will be done completely on the computer. During the students’ library time they will get a half hour of keyboarding practice and the classroom teachers will get them one additional practice time each week. New Faces – We have several new faces in our elementary this year. Andrew Dillenburg – elementary music, Justin Rayburn – phy.ed/health, Shannon Malone – Early Childhood, Jenn Luepke – paraprofessional. We are excited for the new faces and the new ideas that come with them! Welcome to the Rocket Family! Facebook – stayed tuned, the Spencer Elementary Facebook page will be premiering soon! We know that this is a connection to the outside world maintained by many of our students’ parents. This page will include announcements, event updates, video clips, and photographs (no student names will be included on this page as their privacy is very important to us). Upcoming Dates to be Aware of: MAP Testing for grades 3-5: Sept. 25, Oct. 1, Oct. 3, Oct. 7 Oct. 17 – Parent Teacher Conferences 1:00-5:00 and 6:00-9:00 pm Oct. 18 – no school Oct. 29-Nov. 29 - WKCE (state testing) dates - your child will test 2-3 days during this window but the exact dates have yet to be determined Nov. 1 – No School – teacher in-service Nov. 6 – end of the first quarter -Jill Schulz Elementary Principal/ Assessment and Curriculum Coordinator SHIP (Spencer Homework Program) SHIP (Spencer Homework Program) will set sail for this school year on October 7th! We are again serving students in 2nd -5th grades, Monday - Thursday from 3:15-4:00, meeting in the Elementary Library. Our goal is to boost their study skills and get them in the habit of completing homework right after school. This is a FREE program offered through the Spencer Kids Group. Students may be referred by a teacher or parent, and forms can be found in the Elementary Office. Enrollment is open throughout the school year. This year we need community volunteers more than ever! If you are interested in helping out, even just one night a month, please contact Rene Gerstner for more information. If you want to help but can’t be there to volunteer, please consider a donation of cash for supplies or healthy snacks for the students. Front Row: Tiana Manthe-Schultz (FACE), Shannon Malone (Early Childhood), Jennifer Sanasac (6th Grade) Back Row: Justin Rayburn (phy.ed/health), Andrew Dillenburg (elementary music), Noah Werner (student teacher in Tech. Ed) missing from the photograph Katie Wolff (student teacher HS math) THE ROCKET Rene Gerstner SHIP Coordinator 715-207-1189 [email protected] PAGE 3 4 Year-old Kindergarten NEWS Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom! We have a new batch of 4k students in our room! We are off to a great start and are ready to learn. This year our 4k program is made up of 24 students in the Monday/ Wednesday class and 21 students in our Tuesday/Thursday class. We are learning the rules and routines of a typical school day and are making new friends along the way. fall colors, go on a scavenger hunt, make a few crafts, play games, and of course have a snack! Some of our 4k friends predict that we will see a bear, a deer, or even Big Foot! Whatever we encounter, we are bound to have a great time! - Submitted by4 Year-old Kindergarten Teacher: Janet Wolf We are looking forward to our first fieldtrip at the end of September to the School Forest. While we are there we will enjoy the beautiful Welcome all to Kindergarten!! It has been a busy month for us as we are getting back into the routine of coming to school. The students are progressing very well with the new kindergarten routines. We have also been working hard on printing our names and recognizing them in print all around us. We are looking forward to learning about apples, pumpkins, ourselves, patterns, counting and numbers 1-10, and soooo very much more. We also will be having our first kindergarten field trip and visit to the Tack Center for a special performance of “Peter Pan.” We are off to a great start to the new year!! - Submitted by the Kindergarten Staff FIRST GRADE NEWS The First Graders are already busy and are getting acquainted with their 57 classmates. They have been working hard at remembering number quantity and letter sounds, proper letter formation, and LOTS of cutting, gluing, and coloring. We hope that you’ve seen some fine examples of first grade work come home with your little ones or have seen their work hanging in the halls or in their classroom. We’ll soon be taking our first trips of the school year. In early October we’ll be visiting the School Forest to check out the beautiful fall colors, and in November we’ll each take a turn to visit St. Joseph’s Hospital for their pediatric orientation. - Submitted by the First Grade teachers: Mrs. Pankratz, Mrs. Aerts, Mrs. Kolstad SECOND GRADE NEWS Welcome back! We are so excited to be back to start another year with new smiling faces. We have had a great start to our school year (Just a little hot!). We are getting to know each other and the routines of the school and our classrooms. We just finished up our DIBELS testing and CBM math testing. We are so excited because we will be attending 4 plays at the LuCille Tack Center this year. PAGE 4 In Oct. we will be going on our first fieldtrip to the planetarium in Stevens Point. More information on our trip to follow. Let’s have a great year! - Submitted by the Second Grade teachers: Mrs. Bissonette, Mrs. Guenther, Mrs. Anderson THIRD GRADE NEWS The third grade class is getting back into the school routine. This year we have new Everyday Math books which are correlated to the state standards. We are reviewing how to use math tools, place value, and reading and writing larger numbers. Students have begun to learn the lowercase, undercurve cursive letters. In science we are studying the different types of plant life, and recently examined and compared grassroots and radish root systems. In social studies we will be learning about large and small communities across the United States and the world. In reading, we are looking for clues to determine the setting and characters as well as how to locate information in the text. We are also reading books and taking tests on the computerized Accelerated Reader program available to us over the internet. This year we will be working hard to improve our reading skills. We are also learning keyboarding skills to better prepare us for taking standardized tests on the computer in the future. We will soon be tie-dying our t-shirts, so please watch for our vibrant new class colors! - Submitted by the Third Grade teachers: Mrs. Farrell, Mrs. Reckner, Mrs. Payant FOURTH GRADE NEWS We have 50 students in grade 4 this year. They are great students and we know this will be a wonderful school year. We will be adding pictures to our website throughout the school year so please take time to check out all the great things going on in fourth grade at Spencer. This fall the students will be learning about Geometry in math and designing some great abstract art using straight edges, compasses, and protractors. In science we will be studying life science. We will be learning about cells and how they work together. We will be classifying plants and animals and learning how they all co-exist in the environment. In social studies we will be studying the different regions that make up our great country. Language class in 4th grade is a lot of fun as well. We will be doing quite a bit of writing this year. Helping your child proofread and edit their drafts is always helpful. Be sure to point out things to improve, but let the student fix the mistakes. Typing final drafts is always nice and encouraged, but is never required unless done at school. In reading we are starting the Daily Five. This program focuses on students reading all the time! Each night, your child’s reading assignment is to read for the time the child has chosen. We will be administering two major tests, the WKCE and the MAPS tests. The MAPS test helps to define areas of weakness in our educational process. This way changes can be made to help improve the instructional process or where more instruction is needed. We will keep you posted on our progress throughout the year. - Submitted by the Fourth Grade teachers: Mrs. Fischer, Mrs. Szymanski, Mrs. Miller hello! After graduating from Spencer High School in 2007, I am thrilled to return to the community. Spencer has given me many opportunities in my youth and it is only fitting that I return here with yet another opportunity, this time to give back what I’ve learned over the past six years and to continue learning from the wonderful staff and students here. It is my goal to keep students engaged in learning, see growth in student knowledge, and my own, and to have fun! Together, we will be successful! Insurance Collision • Rust Repair • Loaner Cars With Repairs Ask if you need work on deductible adjustments! Always, Andrew Dillenburg, Music Teacher, Spencer Elementary 715-384-8809 • 9251 Heritage Drive • Marshfield THE ROCKET PAGE 5 NEWS FROM GRADE 5 The school year is off to a great start in fifth grade. The kids are settling into a routine and are eager to learn. We encourage you to check your child’s assignment notebook each night to be involved in the learning process. This year we have a bit of a unique set up. During the morning grade 5 enjoys small class sections with the duties of teaching split between Math with Mrs. Buss, Reading with Mrs. LeGrand, and Comm/Language with Mrs. Miller. We are so excited about this arrangement as it will benefit all learners. During the afternoon Mrs. Miller will be joining the fourth grade to teach their Language Arts classes. The students have adjusted quite well to this split design. Afternoon classes bring the challenge of Social Studies with Mrs. LeGrand and Media with Mrs. Buss. Each section will experience Science with the homeroom teacher. We look forward to lots of learning this year!! Our classes are jammed packed with many learning targets. We are happy to announce that we are implementing our updated Everyday Math curriculum. Hopefully our Rocket mathematicians will soar to new heights. Currently we are focusing on factors, divisibility rules, square numbers, prime vs. composite numbers, and prime factorization. Please encourage your children to practice math facts consistently. Media class offers the opportunity to work on laptop computers. The kids will learn keyboarding skills to apply in their educational endeavors. We look forward to learning games as well as upcoming projects on the computers. We will explore Power Point, Word Processing, Picasa Photo Collage creation, and much more. Science will focus on discovering how living things are classified as well as exploring what cells have to do with our lives. We will investigate the human body systems and also study plants and ecosystems. In social studies we will be studying United States history and geography. The fifth graders will become members of Native American tribes, become sailors on ships exploring the New World, and part of a colonizing group. They will also ‘fight’ the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. In reading class we will be focusing on building our reading stamina, and working on reading skills as we read some varied literature. In Communications (Language) class we are writing, writing, writing! Feel free to offer advice and suggestions on your child’s writing, however, allow them to make the changes. Encourage proofreading many times to catch mistakes and make it wonderful. We look forward to working with this great bunch of kids throughout the school year. Please contact grade 5 staff if you have any concerns or questions. - Submitted by the Fifth Grade teachers: Mr. Toufar, Mrs. LeGrand, Mrs. Buss READING SERVICES FOR SCHOOLWIDE TITLE I As we begin another school year, it is my goal as the Reading Resource teacher at Spencer to ensure that students receive reasonable and appropriate intervention options when needed to experience success in educational opportunities that are available. Again this year, I will implement the Leveled Literacy Intervention program to those students having the skills and strategies necessary to benefit from this intense, well-paced teaching method. The lessons provide support for teaching, suggestions for practice, and links to additional resources that are required for children to read successfully. In addition, I will continue to work collaboratively with teachers to develop quality interventions for students whose needs are currently not being met in the classroom. After identifying concerns, every effort will be made to help negotiate strategic plans that include determining who will be responsible for the (plan) implementation, VALUE MENU 1 $ 29 Open Daily at 10:30am - Drive Thru 715-384-7600 1409 S. Central Ave. - Marshfield 715-423-8820 1330 W. Grand - Wisconsin Rapids www.chipshamburgers.com PAGE 6 each! Corn Dog • Junior Chicken Regular French Fry 5 Piece Mini Tacos 3 Piece Chicken Strips Small Soft Drink Junior Shake • 2 Pies (Apple or Chery) monitoring progress, and collection of data. Evaluation will be ongoing to determine the effectiveness of the goals set forth, as well as the progress of the student(s). Because we are a Schoolwide Title I program, if time is available, every child who is determined to need additional help per classroom teacher / test results / academic performance at any time during the course of the school year can receive additional help without prior parent authorization. Therefore, a parent wishing to refuse additional services for their child(ren) should contact the appropriate classroom teacher to express their right to refuse help. Please go to my webpage for information updates throughout the year. This can be found on Spencer’s Homepage. - Submitted by Connie M. Schroedel Reading Resource Teacher [email protected] MIDWAY AUTO Since 1995 H3985 Highway 13 - Colby Wisconsin WE BUY SALVAGE VEHICLES WE ALSO BUY: ALUMINUM CANS, ALL METALS WE ALSO SELL: QUALITY USED VEHICLES & AUTO PARTS phone: 715-223-2444 cell: 715-573-4624 HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 7:00-5:00 CALL FOR SNOWPLOWING! Distance Learning Continuing in Popularity The first semester has Spencer students enrolled in over 15 Distance Learning courses. Several seniors are earning college credit in English 102 from UWMWC. Other students are studying Medical Terminology and Criminal Justice from Chippewa Valley and Northcentral Technical Colleges. Again this year, the Spanish I-IV classes are popular. Courses originate from Loyal and Eleva-Strum. Spanish instructors will be making bimonthly visits to Spencer. On these day the instructors will be teaching from Spencer to their home schools. Other Distance Learning classes include Vietnam, Accounting, and French I and II. -Submitted by Joy Messerschmidt Distance Learning Coordinator/Facilitator Enrichment Courses Blast Off Enrichment courses have arrived at Spencer High and Junior High schools. A new class period has been added between 3rd and 4th periods in which students can choose to learn more about the subjects they enjoy. Part of the new mandates No Child Left Behind require all public schools to offer extra time during the day to help students who do not meet basic standards, or “benchmarks” on standardized tests. In addition, it is expected that schools will offer more challenging, indepth material for students who meet or exceed those benchmarks. In an effort to meet these mandates, the enrichment period was added. Teachers and administrators wanted to extend the core learning for all students beyond the requirements of the Common Core State Standards, creating more in-depth study, specific topic study and alternative methods of learning. At the same time, students who need more help in core areas (English, Math, Science and Social Studies) will be able to work in small groups with the core teachers. Spencer High School and middle school staff attended numerous training sessions during the 2012-2013 school year to prepare for these changes. Having considered many options, the staff and administration chose to add the extra enrichment period to the school day. Students were able to sign up for one of the 50 offered enrichment courses during the first week of school. Options for the first six-week period include: Theater Improvisation, Syria: Are we going to War? Should we be?, Yoga, Advertising and Media, The Value of Play, Forensic Science, UW-College Applications, Pop Bottle Rockets, and Numbers in Sports. Each enrichment course provides an extended real-world learning opportunity to apply knowledge from core and elective courses. Students and staff alike are excited about the new addition of enrichment courses. It’s an energizing and interest-Sbuilding break in the day. Teachers have the opportunity to show what really makes their field of study exciting, and students can try new ideas, explore career options and apply classroom knowledge to real life. -Submitted by Kristin Lohrentz English 9-12 B&IT Instructor Connie Schauer Writes EConomic State Standards In September, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction released the new state standards for Career and Technical Education (CTE), which includes Agriculture, Technical Education, Family and Consumer Education, Marketing, and Business & Information Technology (B&IT). The goal of the new standards is to provide CTE students with relevant, rigorous, and authentic learning experiences that meet their needs and future ambitions. Additionally, these state standards are intended to prepare students for the 21st Century and help them become college and career ready while still in high school. Mrs. Schauer, along with thirteen other B&IT instructors from around the state, was selected in the fall of 2011 to serve on the Wisconsin Standards for Business and Information Technology Leadership Team. During this almost two-year process, she wrote the state standards for Economics. The standards that she wrote were evaluated by an advisory committee of representatives from higher education and business and industry for implementation by B&IT teachers around the state. Congratulations to Mrs. Schauer! music fundraiser almost underway! Monday, October 7, Spencer Middle and High School musicians will begin taking orders for RADA Cutlery. RADA Manufacturing Company has been making kitchen knives and helping fundraising groups since 1948! Over 135 million RADA knives have been sold, all of which are 100% “Made in the USA.” The company began with just three knives in its catalog and now has a complete line of kitchen knives, utensils and cutlery sets, as well as stoneware cookbooks, soy wax candles and quick mixes. This wide variety THE ROCKET of items means everyone will be able to find something they want and need to support the cause of music education in our school. The sale runs through Monday, October 21. Contact any musician, call 715.659.2409 x117 or email [email protected] to place your order. And remember, cutlery makes GREAT holiday gifts for almost everyone on your list! Order NOW! -Diane Veale Choral and General Music Grades 6-12 PAGE 7 What’s cooking? As the temperatures outside are cooling off, the students in our Foods Lab are heating up. Today students participated in their Safety & Sanitation Lab. Students are evaluated on proper prevention for common kitchen accidents as well as desirable food safety procedures that prevent foodborne illness. Here’s what students had to say about today’s experience… Purpose in the lab: You have to make sure you are safe in the kitchen, especially when you are working with others. Something to work on for the next lab: We are going to measure ingredients more accurately. Students enjoyed Beefy Taco Dip. Recipe below. - Tiana Schultz Family & Consumer Sciences Best part of lab: This was a lot of fun, even though we were really busy. Beefy Taco Dip Ingredients • 1/2 package (4 ounces) cream cheese, softened • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) sour cream • 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise • 1/2 pound ground beef • 1/2 envelope taco seasoning • 1/2 can (4 ounces) tomato sauce • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese blend • 2 cups shredded lettuce • 1 medium tomato, chopped small • 1/2 small onion, chopped small • 1/2 medium green pepper, chopped small • Tortilla chips Directions In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise until smooth. Spread onto a serving dish. Refrigerate. In a saucepan over medium heat, brown beef; drain. Add taco seasoning and tomato sauce; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Cool completely. Spread over cream cheese layer. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onion and green pepper. Serve with chips. Yield: 8-10 servings. © Taste of Home 2013 The SHS Music Department will present its Fall Concert in the LuCille Tack Center for the Arts, Monday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m. Junior and senior high bands and choirs, and the high school handbell ensemble will perform. Please join us and share a nationally recognized method of helping high school students raise their ACT scores —SCHOOL MUSIC! Spencer Proudly supporting Spencer Schools since 1908 212 South Pacific (715)-659-4911 Phillips 175 Chestnut (715)-339-4404 ON THE WEB AT WWW.HERITAGEBANKWI.COM www.harnsfurnitureandwaterbeds.com Member FDIC Monday-Saturday 10:00am - 6:00pm • Sunday 1:00pm - 5:00pm PAGE 8 SPENCER MUSIC DEPARTMENT - UPCOMING EVENTS FALL CONCERT Monday, October 21, 2013 • 7:30 p.m. • LTCA The crunch of leaves, the smell of wood smoke and…the sounds of music fill the autumn air! Join Spencer Junior and Senior High School Musicians as they present their first performance of the school year. MARAWOOD ALL-CONFERENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL Tuesday, November 5, 2013 • 7:00 p.m. • LTCA Outstanding choral and instrumental musicians from across the Marawood Conference will spend the day rehearsing with their two illustrious guest conductors, before presenting a Grand Finale Concert that showcases their creative accomplishments. Their performance will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the LuCille Tack Center for the Arts and in open to the public free of charge. The festival is being hosted by Spencer High School Music Department. ‘Tis The Season MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013 • 7:00 p.m. • LTCA The Spencer Music Department will present ’TIS THE SEASON, a concert of holiday choral and handbell music from many traditions and centuries, beginning at 7:30pm Monday, December 16 in the LuCille Tack Center for the Arts. Take advantage of this opportunity to get in the holiday spirit. After sixty minutes of seasonal music in the comfort of the Tack Center and you will definitely be in the mood! There’s no admission charge. 2013 WINTER BAND CONCERT Monday, January 20, 2014 • 7:30 p.m. • LTCA It may be chilly outside, but the Spencer Junior and Senior High Bands and Jazz Bands will warm up the night with performances of their first semester repertoire. This is no admission charge! Ask us how to automate your home today! 715-591-1314 Custom Cabinets 1-877-269-5024 www.gotvivint.com THE ROCKET Kitchen, Bathrom, Entertainment Centers, Fire Place Surround Custom Finishing Color Match, Staining, Varnishing 10885 Tropy Lane - Marshfield, WI 54449 PAGE 9 Benefits for Amanda Family and friends are reaching out to the community to join together in support of a young Spencer woman who is undergoing treatment for an aggressive form of skin cancer. Amanda (Verkilen) Pupp is 28 years old and lives in Spencer with her husband Jesse Pupp , 6 year old son Kolton and 10 month old daughter Lydia. Amanda’s parents, Cindy and Mark Fischer also live in the Spencer area. Cindy is a 4th grade teacher at Spencer Elementary School. Amanda has two brothers, Adam and Ben Verkilen. In July, Amanda was diagnosed with stage III melanoma. Since being diagnosed, Amanda has had two surgeries to remove the tumors. Still, the cancer has spread to her lung. On August 30, Amanda started immunotherapy. She will be going through a very extensive treatment in the days to come and will not be able to work. Amanda’s family and friends are organizing two events to raise money that will help with some of her expenses. Spencer High School volleyball team will be holding a benefit cookout on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 starting at 4:30 pm, selling t-shirts, and will have raffle items at their volleyball game. Please show your support and come to this event. If you have any questions, please contact Stacy at 715-207-5278. A Benefit Auction will be held on Saturday, October 26th, 2013 at the Unity Memorial Hall in Unity, WI. Items available for viewing at 11:00 am and bidding to start at 1:00 pm. Food will be available for purchase starting at 11:00 am. With the assistance and donations of the RJ Stockwell Auction Services and the Unity Hall Board, many items will be auctioned off, with all of the proceeds to be deposited to Amanda Pupp’s mortgage lender to provide an account to be used solely for their monthly mortgage payments. Mark and Mike of Spencer have volunteered to provide a collection and storage site for the donated items. If you are willing to donate an item for the auction, you may contact Mark at 715-613-8804 to arrange drop off time. Of course, everyone is invited to attend the auction on Saturday, October 26th, 2013 at the Unity Memorial Hall in Unity, WI. Independent money donations can also be made directly to the Heritage Bank in Spencer and Marshfield to “Amanda Pupp Benefit Account”. Please help Amanda and her family with your love and support during this difficult time. Elementary/Middle School Counselors Corner Community School Supply donations make a big difference. Many students are off to a great start with school supplies in hand thanks to our generous community. Once again Spencer area organizations and individuals came through for us with an abundance of supplies. It’s wonderful to have items on hand when students stop in concerned that they’re unable to get what they need. Their problem is instantly solved and they walk away with a sigh of relief feeling ready to learn. Thank you Trinity Lutheran of Spencer, Spencer United Methodist Church, Hope Lutheran of Edgar, Dollar General of Spencer, Marshfield United Way and many anonymous donors. Students, families and our staff truly appreciate your generosity! ACT to Stop Bullying After our classroom guidance unit, third grade students are ready to ACT to stop bullying. Students learned many ways they can help keep bullying away by being friendly and respectful. Students take Action by speaking up for themselves or others in a calm assertive way when they hear or see bullying. When caring bystanders speak up, bullying almost always stops. Caring comes quite naturally to our student as they check to see if others are ok, invite kids to play and give compliments. Students learned Telling is not tattling. Part of the “Rocket Way” is respectfully listening the first time when someone says “Stop it.” If they don’t stop, the next step is to report to the nearest adult. Watch for beautiful ACT illustrations around the elementary created by third graders. They felt proud to share their strategies with younger students. Welcome Wagon Visits New Students Fifth grade students enthusiastically volunteered to be on the Welcome Wagon crew. PAGE 10 The Welcome wagon visited new students in the first few weeks to officially welcome them to the Rocket family. The whole class joined in for a cheer and our fifth grade leaders gave each new student a welcome kit. Small Counseling Groups available for 3rd-5th grade students Starting in early October, small counseling groups will begin for students who would like support or skill practice with Ms. Roewe. Groups provide a place for students to be heard, to share their thoughts and feelings, to learn new skills and to build a support network. Students act as a great resource for each other as they work on similar issues together in a confidential manner. Groups offered based on student need are: Family change, Chillin’(calming skills practice), Tools of the Trade (study skills), & Standin’ Up (assertiveness training). Students have a chance to sign up for groups. If they show interest in a group, a note comes home indicating their interest. Groups for K-2 students will start second semester. Feel free to contact me if you are interested in small group or individual counseling for your child. I’m happy to support students and work together with you to help them do their best in school. Joann Roewe PK-7 School Counselor (715) 659-4642 ext. 123 [email protected] THE ROCKET PAGE 11 Spencer Youth Recreations, Inc. has been quite busy. They held their 9th annual golf outing on Saturday, July 27th. Despite the unseasonably chilly weather, 21 teams enjoyed the Scramble Tournament with Rocket spirit. This fundraiser was extremely successful and raised $8,000 which will be used to make improvements to athletic facilities at Spencer School. A&B Process Systems AE Business Solutions American Auto Arnie’s Barbershop Associated Sales & Leasing B & B Specialties Bear Creek Canvas Brostowitz Lettering & Sign Burnett Transit Burnstad’s Market CDW Central City Credit Union Central Manufacturing Corp Citizens State Bank of Loyal Commvault Cut Loose Hair Studio LLC Dan’s Outdoor Furniture Dennis Cole Derek & Dave Buse El Mezcal FBC Industries, Inc. First Choice Recycling Gosse Chiropractic Hansen-Schilling Funeral Homes Harn’s Furniture Heritage Bank Hildebrandt Custom Cabinets Hitachi Data Systems Hughes Transport Jensen Motors JJ’s WoodChuckers LLC K&S Landscaping These funds will enable SYR to complete the new concession stand and dugouts at SPREC Softball Field behind school. SYR has also made a $1,000 donation to the Spencer High Volleyball Program to provide volleyballs and a new net system. We are proud to serve the community and look forward to future endeavors. Kristy Kakes Kwip Trip Lamont Nienast, Oak Grove Terrace, Inc. Life Like Creations Taxidermy Life Tributes Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Inc LuCille Tack Center for the Arts M & S Sales and Service Mark and Chris Frey Marshfield Insurance Maurer’s Mini Storage McDonalds McNeely Insurance Midwest Nutrition and Feed, Inc Modern Insulation Netech Northside Computer Nutz Deep II Palo Alto PC Doctors Premier Printing, Inc. Prince Corporation R & R Flooring Red Top Auto RiverEdge Golf Course Shutterbug Photography by Rhonda Sports Scene Subway Team Sporting Goods The Sud Shop Car Wash Bus Transportation Update With the beginning of the new school year now upon us, we are glad to announce that for the first time in many decades students up to 8th grade will be allowed to ride a school bus home to their residence located within the village of Spencer (with the exception of those students located within walking distance of the school, or in other words those students that live north of County Hwy C or east of Hwy 13). For the last several decades, for students who lived in the village of Spencer, only those students in 4th grade or younger have been allowed to ride home on the school buses for the afternoon routes. Now we are making that service available to students who are 8th grade or younger. The morning routes for the village have not changed – any students of any age are allowed to ride the buses in the morning. Should you have a student(s) who wish to ride the bus in the afternoon but haven’t in the past because they were too old, they are welcome to begin riding the bus as soon as a transportation application is on file with our office. Please remember that they must be in 8th grade or younger. If interested please contact Burnett’s Service for a transportation application which we must have on file if your student(s) is going to be riding a school bus. Without an application on file we cannot allow a student to ride the bus. Bus stops that are scheduled for the village of Spencer are listed on the back of the transportation application. You must choose a bus stop for your student(s) when filling out the application. A student cannot ride different buses – only one stop can be chosen on one bus route. If a student that is in high school wishes to ride the bus home in the afternoon, we may be able to grant this request. However, there must be a legitimate reason for the request. An example of a legitimate request would be a high school student who must ride the afternoon bus home to babysit for a younger sibling. Please contact Burnett Transit (715-659-4391) for an application or should you have any questions or concerns. - The Burnett Transit Staff FURNITURE • APPLIANCES • ELECTRONICS Family owned & operated for over 70 years! “Where service is more than jus a word.” Free delivery to Central WI (on purchases $499 and up) Mon-Wed 8-6 • Thur & Fri 8-8 • Sat 8-5 • Sun 11-4 Please visit our new showroom located in the office at Red Top Auto. Wide selection of furniture for your Living Room • Kitchen • Bedroom • Office Wide selection of Electronics • Washers • Dryers Ranges • Dishwashers • Freezers Refrigerators • Microwaves 6 Months Free Financing With Approved Credit! 715-659-5128 • www.custom-cab.com 715-387-8605 171 S. Central Ave. • Marshfield We Design, Build and Install PAGE 12 Call for details. www.mittensfurniture.com In-Store Service for Furniture, Appliances & Electronics A HUGE Thank you to Burnstad’s Market!! All of the elementary students received a very generous gift when during the Welcome Back Assembly on the first day of school. Burnstad’s Market prepared a bag for each of our elementary students – 325 in total!! The bags were reusable grocery bags and inside were a variety of goodies, from folders to vitamin water, and even a loaf of bread! Derek Burnstad from the Burnstad home office was on hand to help hand out these bags as well as several employees from our local store. Mr. Burnstad had this to say about the event, “The event was an idea that we started to think about a few months ago with attempts to not only give back to the Spencer community (which is part of our mission/goal each year) but also to help promote healthy eating/lifestyles. We wanted to find a community event where we could accomplish both objectives……. so we dug deep and created BURNIE’S BACKPACK PROGRAM. Since this is a new event for us we wanted to start it off in Spencer only to see what kind of reception it would have…..needless, to say, we are now considering this to be an annual event for us! Spencer Elementary exceeded our expectations!” Event Sponsors: Burnstad’s Market Coca Cola Wenzels Farm Steve Gilboy, former Spencer grad and Burnstad’s employee, on hand to help out. Derek Burnstad, greeting our Spencer students and handing out the bags. Old Dutch Kemps Bernatellos Pizza Klements Pan O Gold Baking Company A group of 5th graders displaying their new bags! Brad Bauer Memorial Fund Contribution The School District of Spencer would like to formally thank the Brad Bauer Memorial Fund for its generous donation of $3000 to support our: Elementary School Book Room, High School RTI/Enrichment time, books for our High School English area and equipment for our distance learning room. We are appreciative of the outstanding support we have gotten as they have been a positive contributor to our programs in the past and continue to keep the School District of Spencer in their thoughts. Thank you for all you do for our kids. $1.00 OFF Breakfast SPENCER 715.659.5159 302 • S. Pacific Street LOYAL MARSHFIELD 400 N. Main St. 103 W. McMillan Street, Suite 1 715.255.8526 715.486.8151 Loan Decisions Made Locally THE of $5 or more NEILLSVILLE GRANTON 715.743.7494 2 Boon Boulevard 715.238.7169 110 Maple Street Visit us online at www.csbloyal.com ROCKET 715-659-4333 * Dine in only One coupon per order PAGE 13 High School COUNSELORS CORNER Welcome back to another very exciting school year! You can follow Spencer High School Counseling on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/pages/Spencer-High-School-Counseling-MrsEisfeldt/472623696127487 or on Twitter @KatrinaEisfeldt. SENIORS - Seniors should be working on their technical school or college applications. I am meeting with all of the students who are filling out the UW Application during enrichment time on Mondays. If your student is filling out a technical school application I will meet with them during English. They also have the option of meeting with me individually to go over the application and to make sure that they are on track for graduation. If you want to be involved in the meeting, please let me know that as well. In February, I will hold a financial aid completion workshop for parents and students to attend. Parents, the best thing you can do to start the financial aid process is to file your taxes as early as you can in 2014 so you have your return before we meet in February. There will be scholarships coming out soon so seniors should get into a regular practice of checking their email or checking for them on the scholarship wall in the commons. Currently, there is one scholarship available from the Elks. JUNIORS - Juniors should be thinking about when they are going to take the ACT test or the Accuplacer. The ACT is the college entrance exam and the Accuplacer is the technical college entrance exam. I suggest that they take whichever exam they are going to do at least two times. For the ACT the best time to take the first test is around February or April and then the second time in June. The FREE practice website for the ACT is www.knowhow2gowisconsin. org. All juniors know about this website and they should be using it to prepare for testing. I receive a report each Monday on who is using the site! Watch throughout the year for ACT prep dates as well. Juniors can pick up the ACT packet in the school counseling office or register on-line at www.actstudent.org. The cost of the ACT is $36.50 without the writing portion and $52.50 with the writing portion. If this is a financial strain, please let me know and I can send in a fee waiver for you based on your financial status. The following are the tests dates and deadlines to register: Test Date Registration Deadline (Late Fee Required) Sept. 21, 2013 August 23, 2013 August 24–September 6, 2013 October 26, 2013 September 27, 2013 September 28–Oct. 11, 2013 December 14, 2013 November 8, 2013 November 9–22, 2013 February 8, 2014* January 10, 2014 January 11–24, 2014 April 12, 2014 March 7, 2014 March 8–21, 2014 June 14, 2014 May 9, 2014 May 10–23, 2014 I will be meeting with the juniors during enrichment time to go over basic ACT information. We will have a “practice ACT test” on March 28th from 12:15-6:00p.m. More information will be sent home as I finalize the details. The Accuplacer will be offered right here at school once in the fall and again in the spring. I will send a letter home when test dates are finalized. The cost of the Accuplacer is $20. In addition, the accuplacer can be taken any time at the NTC campus in Spencer. You just need to call to set up a time. I will be offering the PSAT which is an 11th grade prep test for the SAT. Although most of our students take the ACT, I offer the PSAT, as it is good practice for students to take multiple tests before the actual ACT/SAT. The test will be administered at Spencer High School on Oct. 16, 2013 beginning at 8:15a.m. The cost to take the test is $14.00. Students should sign up to take the test in the high school office and bring their money with them at that time. PAGE 14 SOPHOMORES - To help our high school students continue to improve their ACT scores all sophomores will participate in the PLAN, which is the Pre-ACT test. The PLAN test will be administered to all sophomores’ right here at school this spring. I will be sending a letter home closer to the test day. The district pays for the PLAN test as part of our assessment program. Individual Planning Conferences (IPC’s) with all 10th grade students and their parent(s) also will start in the spring of 2013. At the IPC, which lasts approximately one-half hour, we will discuss high school courses, graduation requirements, go over all of the information your son/ daughter has done on WisCareers and look at what future plans might entail for your son/daughter. In February I contact each of you to set-up a time to meet. FRESHMEN - I will be offering the EXPLORE test to all freshmen at Spencer High School. The EXPLORE test is the pre-test to the PLAN and the PLAN is the pre-test to the ACT. Since most of our students, as juniors, take the ACT college entrance exam instead of the SAT, we have decided that this is a great way to prepare for and improve our students ACT test scores. The EXPLORE will be administered at school in the library in the spring of 2014. There is no cost to take the EXPLORE as the district is covering the cost. I will be sending a letter home closer to the test day. Also this year the freshmen will continue to work on their WisCareers individual learning plan. This was the plan we started during the 8th grade individual planning conference last year. 8th GRADE - I will be starting developmental guidance in the 8th grade health classes. Internet safety, mental health issues, suicide, alcohol and drug prevention and education planning (including knowledge of career and college opportunities) are among the many issues covered. The tool that we use to cover career and college opportunities is WisCareers. The website for WisCareers is http:// wiscareers.wisc.edu. Your son/daughter has a user name and password that he or she can share with you if you would like to see what they are working on. If they cannot remember their information you can contact me. We will also be starting girls/boys groups in October. Brian Abel, our physical education/health teacher, will lead boys group during health time and the girls come with me! We will again be doing 8th grade Individual Planning Conferences in order to adequately prepare your son/daughter for transition into high school. In November I will contact each of you to set-up a time to meet. FOR EVERYONE - At some point during the school year, your student will again take part in the Wisconsin Online Youth Risk Behavior Survey sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The survey will ask about the health behaviors of 6th thru 12th grade students. The survey will ask about behaviors that result in unintentional and intentional injuries, tobacco use, and alcohol and other drug use. It will also ask questions about dietary behavior and physical activity. Students will be asked to fill out a computer-based questionnaire that takes about 25 minutes to complete. They will take the survey during the school day. If you do not want your child to take part in the survey, please contact either myself or Joann Roewe. Please check out my webpage on the school website. There is a calendar there where important events will be able to be found. As always, please feel free to contact me at school or email me at [email protected] - Katrina Eisfeldt STRATFORD CONTINUING EDUCATION: fall 2013 Class Schedule Location key: SHS = Stratford High School COURSE TITLE SES = Stratford Elementary School EMS = Edgar Middle School DAY TIME WEEKS FEE START/END 9/6/13 NOTES LOYAL Zumba® Erika TH 5:45 - 6:45pm 10 $40.00 9/26 - 12/12 Trinity Fellowship Hall Zumba® Erika M 5:45 - 6:45pm 10 $40.00 9/30 - 12/9 Trinity Fellowship Hall Chris T. M 5:30 - 6:40pm 12 $52.00* 9/16 - 12/2 Good Shepherd Church T 9:30 - 10:30am 12 $48.00* 9/17 - 12/3 Chestnut Center Ballroom Interval Cardio & Power Randy W 5:30 - 6:30pm 12 $45.00* 9/18 - 12/4 Grant School Gym Vinyasa Flow Yoga Josiah W 6:45 - 7:45pm 12 $45.00* 9/18 - 12/4 Grant School Gym Zumba® Maria M 5:30 - 6:30pm 12 $48.00 9/23 - 12/9 First Presbyterian Gym Zumba® Maria M 6:45 - 7:45pm 12 $48.00 9/23 - 12/9 First Presbyterian Gym Zumba® Samantha TH 5:30 - 6:30pm 11 $44.00 9/26 - 12/12 Melody Gardens 15/15/15 Becca TH 5:30 - 6:15pm 10 $31.00* 9/26 - 12/12 Good Shepherd Church MARSHFIELD Mindful Yoga Yoga/Meditation Yogatone Josiah TH 6:30 - 715pm 10 $31.00* 9/26 - 12/12 Good Shepherd Church Vinyasa Flow Yoga Kathy Becca F 9:00 - 10:00am 11 $41.50* 9/27 - 12/13 Good Shepherd Church 15/15/15 T 5:30 - 6:15pm 11 $33.00* 10/1 - 12/10 Good Shepherd Church TH 6:15 - 7:15pm 10 $38.00 10/3 - 12/12 St. John’s Fellowship Hall T 6:30 - 7:30pm 10 $40.00 10/8 - 12/10 Olde Town Hall T 7:45 - 8:45pm 10 $40.00 10/8 - 12/10 Olde Town Hall Zion Family Center Becca SPENCER Gentle Yoga Stacy Zumba® Chris R. Intro to Line Dance Chris R. STRATFORD Zumba® Jessica M 6:15 - 7:15pm 11 $38.50 9/23 - 12/2 Yogatone Becca W 5:45 - 6:30pm 10 $31.00* 9/25 - 12/4 TBA Zumba® Jessica W 6:15 - 7:15pm 11 $38.50 9/25 - 12/11 SHS Gym; Door #1 15/15/15 Becca W 6:45 - 7:30pm 10 $31.00* 9/25 - 12/4 TBA Zumba® Jessica SA 8:30 - 9:30am 9 $31.50 10/12 - 12/14 SES Gym *Supplies required NOTE: You can join a class up to 2 weeks after the start date. There is no discount in the fee. Questions: Email Linda at [email protected] Visit us on the web: http://www.stratfordclasses.com/ • Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/StratfordContinuingEducation J TO REGISTER for Marshfield, Spencer : Go to our online sign up sheet at: : http://www2.mysignup.com/winter2013-marshfield J TO REGISTER for Athens, Edgar, Stratford : Go to our online sign up sheet at: http://www2.mysignup.com/fall2013-athns_edgr_grnvly_loyal_spencr_stratfrd Deluxe Rocket Stadium Chairs for Sale Great for all sports! $45.00 Please make checks payable to Spencer Girls Basketball - Contact Kelly Lawrence @ 715-207-8597 if interested Reserve your spot in the next edition of Solutions through Service. Proud to SSupchoopolrts! Spencer THE THE ROCKET Newsletter! CONNECT WITH US - 715.486.0603 www.premierprintinginc.com www.facebook.com/PremierPrint @premierprintinginc ROCKET Premier Printing Deadline for the next issue: September 13, 2013 - limited space available PAGE 15 School District of Spencer 300 N. School Street PO Box 418 Spencer, WI 54479 Standard Presort U.S. Postage PAID Permit #3 Spencer, WI 54479 SCHEDULES SPORTS COME OUT AND SUPPORT YOUR ROCKETS! SCHEDULES SPORTS COME OUT AND SUPPORT YOUR ROCKETS! SC FOOTBALL VOLLEYBALL Sep 26 7:15PM vs. Augusta Oct 1 7:15PM vs. Gilman Oct 3 7:15PM @ Loyal-Granton Sep 27 7:00PM vs. Altoona Oct 4 7:00PM @ Pittsville Oct 11 7:00PM @ Osseo-Fairchild Oct 5 Tournament 9:00AM @ Stratford Oct 18 7:00PM vs. Fall Creek Oct 8 7:15PM vs. Owen-Withee Oct 10 Dual 7:15PM @ WI Val. Lutheran @ Beell Stadium CROSS COUNTRY Sep 26 Oct 3 Oct 8 Oct 19 Oct 25 Nov 2 4:15PM 4:30PM 4:15PM 10:30AM 4:00PM TBA @ Colby Home Meet (Frey’s) Auburndale (@ Frey’s) Conference (@ O-F ) @ Wausau (9 Mile) State GO ROCKETS Current middle/high school schedules can be viewed anytime on our website homepage www.spencer.k12.wi.us - Athletic Calendar link Be comfortable in every season! www.centralstateservice.net 24 Hour Service • Residential • Commercial