28 • The Community Spirit January 2013

28 • The Community Spirit
January 2013
The Community Spirit • 29
“Central Wisconsin’s Good News Newspaper”
News from the Tomorrow River School District
JANUARY 2013
Building Project Update
By LeAnn Chase, District Superintendant
With the passing of the building referendum, the district will now move into the
building phase. In preparation, the Board held a special meeting on Monday,
November 26, 2012 to create a Building Project Steering Committee. The focus
of this committee will be to oversee taking the plans from concept to reality. The
Board decided to create an eleven member team who will serve as representatives
on the steering committee. To date the following people have agreed to serve
on the steering committee: John Cowden, Deena Gordon, George Konkol, Rich
Stuczynski, Kelly Loken, Mike Turner, Bob Stuczynski, Robert Smith, Kathy
Garske, LeAnn Chase (Mike Toelle will serve as administrative alternate). The
final member is yet to be determined.
Plans are for the committee to expand membership temporarily when specific
portions of the project are discussed. For instance, when the committee begins to
focus on the cafeteria the food service staff, custodial staff, teachers and building
principals will be asked to provide input and representatives of these groups will
be invited to join the committee.
Since the proposed timeline (see on right) is for ground to be broken this spring,
NOTICE OF A SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE ELECTORS OF THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE TOMORROW RIVER
To:
Electors of the School District of the Tomorrow River
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a special meeting of the School District
of the Tomorrow River, Portage County, Wisconsin, will be held on
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2013. The meeting shall be held in the
District Board Room at 357 North Main Street, Amherst, Wisconsin
54406 and shall commence at 7:00 p.m. The meeting shall be held for the
following purposes:
(1) To authorize the School Board to acquire, by purchase, real
estate and structures and facilities pertinent to such real estate
necessary for school district purposes as set forth in Section
120.10(5m) of the Wisconsin Statutes; and
(2) To designate said sites for potential school district buildings and
to provide for the erection of suitable buildings thereon as set forth
in Section 120.10(5) of the Wisconsin Statutes.
The parcels being considered for purchase and designation as a school site
are the following: (i) a site of approximately 0.32 acres located at 136 School
Street, Amherst, Wisconsin, (ii) a site of approximately 0.26 acres located at
156 School Street, Amherst, Wisconsin, and (iii) a site of approximately 1.27
acres located at 166 School Street, Amherst, Wisconsin. A more accurate
description is to be attached to the ballot used at the special meeting and is
available in the School District office.
Dated this 10th Day of December, 2012.
BY ORDER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD,
Diana Bohman, District Clerk
Census Reminder!
Your response is very important in order for us to gather
the census information needed for the district. If you
are a resident of the Tomorrow River School District,
please complete the census form that was included in
the December’s issue of the Community Spirit as soon
as possible. The form can be mailed, dropped off at any
school office, or sent with your student attending Amherst
schools. If you need a form, please contact the District
Office at 715-824-5521 x 1.
Thank you!
District Office Staff
this committee plans to meet twice a month through April. The first meeting
was held December 4, 2012 and discussions centered on setting the committee
purpose, setting the project schedule, development of sub-groups and review of
the schematic plans and associated budgets. The next meeting of this committee
is scheduled for December 18, 2012 at 3:00pm in the District Board room.
Tomorrow River School District Project Schedule/Timeline
Design: ..................................................................
Investigation Phase....................................November 2012 – December 2012
Schematic Design Review:........................December 2012 – January 1, 2013
Design Development Phase:......................Decemver 2012 – January 2013
Construction Document Phase:.................January 2013 – March 2013
Project Bidding Phase:..............................April 2013 – May 1, 2013
Demolition:...........................................................
Demolition & Set-Up Phase:.....................July 2013
Construction:.......................................................
Construction Phase:...................................April 2013 – August 2014
Projection for Completion:........................August 2014
Emergency School Closure
The season of unpredictable and rapidly changing winter weather will soon be upon us. If for
any reason we have to start school late or not have school at all, the following radio stations will
be notified by 6:45 a.m. if possible.
FM Stations
92.7 WDUX; 94.7 WOFM; 95.5 WIFC; 96.7 WYTE; 97.9 WSPT; 99.9 WSAU; 101.9 WDEZ;
103.3 WGLX; 104.9 WKQH; 105.5 WRCW; 106.5 WLJY; 107.9 WBCV
AM Stations
550 WSAU; 800 WDUX; 1010 WSPT; 1320 WFHR; 1390 WRIG
TV Stations
WSAW TV 7 & WAOW TV 9 (and possibly WJFW TV 12)
Please listen to your radio as telephone calls to my home or to the radio stations only prevent us
from getting the announcement out on time.
LeAnn Chase, Superintendent
DECEMBER 2012
Student of the Month
Hans Waldoch is a junior
and is Amherst High
School student of the
month. Hans is involved
with many things in
the school; Basketball,
FBLA, Baseball, Band,
Quiz Bowl and Math
League. His teacher and
math league advisor
Ms. Massey says, “He
has gone all out for me,
excelling in class and
is always respectful inside and outside of class
when I see him. He is
very excited about math
league and reminds me
all the time of how we
can prepare. He is just an
awesome kid.” Thanks
Hans for setting such a
great example.
~ Hans Waldoch ~
30 • The Community Spirit
January 2013
Tomorrow River School Board Meeting Minutes
NOVEMBER 19, 2012
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MINUTES
1. Call to Order: The regular meeting of the Tomorrow River School Board was called
to order at 7:03 p.m. in the District Board Room by President Sandi Keener. In
attendance: Board members present included Kelly Loken, Diana Bohman, Sandi
Keener, Mike Turner, and Bob Stuczynski. Also present: LeAnn Chase, Mike
Toelle, Mark Luetschwager, Phil Tubbs, Becky Galvin, Pam Huston, Geoffrey
Bray, Scott Groholski, Marisa Loken, Sandra Lynne Schmutzler, Chamomile Nusz,
Shannon Korger, Tina Giombetti and Anne Abbott.
2. Pledge of Allegiance: President Sandi Keener led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Public Participation According to Policy #0167.3: No participation requested.
4. Informational Items
4.1 Set December Regular Board Meeting Date/s: Regular meeting date set and
confirmed for Monday, December 10, 2012. Copy attached.
4.2 January Board Meeting Dates: Regular meeting dates confirmed for Mondays,
January 14 & 28, 2013.
4.3 Building Referendum Official Results: Reviewed referendum results of 2,858
total votes with 1,824 yes and 1,034 no. Copy attached.
4.4 PTO Report: No PTO update. Copy of November 12, 2012 meeting agenda
attached.
4.5 Student Council Report: Marisa Loken reported student council will be
participating in Operation Bootstrap again this year. Other upcoming events
include folding American flags to send overseas to service members, Hoops
for Hunger, winter formal scheduled for January 26, 2013 and an “orange-out”
with proceeds going to the leukemia foundation.
4.6 Current Enrollment: Reviewed enrollment for October 2012 (1,029 students).
Copy attached.
4.7 Falcon Facts Athletic News Bulletin: Reviewed district athletic news
presented by Pam Huston, Athletic Director. Copy attached. Athletic News
Bulletin will be posted to the district website for those interested.
4.8 Report on AHS State Football Finals: Amherst defeated Lancaster 19-7 in
the WIAA Division 5 state championship game at Camp Randall Stadium in
Madison Thursday, November 15, 2012. The early release of students was
generally accepted positively with a few parent complaints.
4.9 Food Service Inspection Report: Report reviewed and no violations were
noted. Copy attached.
4.10 Notice of School Board Election April 2013: Reviewed notice of upcoming
school board election to be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 with Diana Bohman
and Sandra Keener listed as incumbents. Copy attached.
4.11 DPI 2011-12 School Report Card Summaries for District: Amherst
Elementary and High School both exceeded expectations with the Middle
School meeting expectations. Administrators are currently brainstorming
ideas, such as more specialized teaching, to raise the Middle School scores.
Copy attached.
4.11.1 Request for Additional MS Staffing: Phil Tubbs presented MAPS
(Measure of Academic Performance) testing results from the Middle
School which is being used as a universal screener for the RTI
(Response to Intervention) initiative. To better serve our tier 2 and 3
students, a 0.55 FTE teacher could be used for more specialized math
and reading instruction.
4.11.2 Request for Additional Elementary Staffing: Mike Toelle and
Karoleen Glenzer are requesting an additional certified teacher to
assist with Title 1 math and reading. This would allow for many more
students to get individualized instruction which will help them in later
grades. Copy attached.
4.12 Staff Holiday Party: This year’s annual staff party will be held at Central
Waters Brewery on Friday, December 14, 2012 from 4-8 p.m. Copy of
invitation attached.
4.13 Ford Drive One 4 UR School: FBLA hosted the Ford Drive One 4 UR
School fund raiser again this year and was able to raise $3,230 to support their
program.
4.14 Requested Report on Employee Travel Expenses for 2011-12: Reviewed
2011-12 employee mileage, hotel and meal expenses. Copy attached.
4.15 American Education Week: Staff bagel breakfast was held on Tuesday,
November 13, 2012 in recognition.
4.16 Report on Wisconsin Rural School Alliance (WiRSA) Fall Conference: Diana
Bohman, LeAnn Chase and Mike Turner attended conference on November 14
& 15, 2012 where they heard a report from Tony Evers regarding fair funding
for schools, new food service requirements and maintaining workplace morale.
4.16.1 Bohman Elected as Region 1 Board of Education Representative to the
WiRSA Board: Copy attached.
4.16.2 Bohman Nominated for the Wisconsin Rural Board of Education
Member of the Year Award: Copy attached.
4.16.3 Chase Selected as the 2012-13 Wisconsin Rural Administrator of the
Year: Congratulations. Copy attached.
4.17 WASB State Education Convention: Convention being held January 23-25,
2013 in Milwaukee, WI. Any Board Members attending should confirm
registration with Marilyn in the District Office.
4.18 Review NSBA/WASB Special Alert Regarding Request for Resolution to Stop
Sequestration: The special alert is asking for school board resolutions urging
Congress to stop sequestration. Bring back to the December 10, 2012 meeting
for possible resolution approval. Copy attached.
4.19 Report on the WASB Legislative Advocacy Conference: Diana Bohman and
Kelly Loken attended conference on November 10, 2012. Topics discussed
included marketing for elections, biennial budget and a presentation from the
WI Taxpayers Alliance.
4.20 Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin $750 Grant Award: The
Amherst After School Success Program received a grant in the amount of $750
to help sustain their tutoring program. Copy attached.
4.21 Charter School Update: Mike Turner moved, Diana Bohman seconded to move
agenda item before 4.1. The motion carried on a voice vote. Hired Chamomile
Nusz and Lori Barian as the planning grant coordinators. Currently working
with CWES (Central Wisconsin Environmental Station) as a possible location
to house the charter school.
5. Recommend Approval of Consent Agenda: Mike Turner moved, Bob Stuczynski
seconded to move item 5.3.1 (Co-Curricular Contracts) to the regular agenda. The
motion carried on a voice vote. Bob Stuczynski moved, Mike Turner seconded to
move item 5.2.1 (Approval of October 2012 Bills) to the regular agenda. The motion
carried on a voice vote. Bob Stuczynski moved, Mike Turner seconded to approve
remaining consent agenda items listed below as presented. The motion carried on a
voice vote.
5.1 Approval of Minutes
5.1.1 Regular Board Meeting of October 22, 2012
5.2 Financial Reports: Copies attached.
5.2.1 Approval of October 2012 Bills: Discussed check 47868 for door
replacement. Kelly Loken moved, Diana Bohman seconded to approve
bills as presented. The motion carried on a voice vote.
5.2.2 Review October 2012 Receipts
5.2.3 October 2012 Treasurer’s Report
5.2.4 Year to Date Budget Report
5.3 Personnel: Kelly Loken moved, Diana Bohman seconded to approve all cocurricular contracts as presented. Copies attached.
5.3.1 Co-Curricular Contracts: Jared Schroeder (Debate Team Advisor),
Jared Schroeder (First Year Mentor), Kelly Miskowski (Dance Team
Advisor), Michael Zblewski (Assistant Basketball Coach), Dan
Felckowski (Assistant Basketball Coach), Kirk Helbach (Junior High
Basketball Coach), Ryan Felden (Junior High Basketball Coach), Jay
Pitt (Head Basketball Coach), Lorraine Torrey (Assistant Basketball
Coach), Andrew Lind (Assistant Basketball Coach), David Peterson
(Assistant Wrestling Coach)
6. Discussion/Action Items
6.1 Moving Forward with Building Referendum: Geoffrey Bray presented
proposed project schedule and discussed selection process for creating a
project committee. Board will have a special meeting Monday, November 26,
2012 to plan the project committee. Copy attached.
6.2 Discuss and Possibly Approve the Development of a Charter School
Committee and Appoint School Board Member as Committee Chair:
LeAnn Chase recommended not forming a charter school committee, but
rather appointing a board member to attend all charter school meetings for
informational purposes. Mike Turner moved, Kelly Loken seconded to appoint
Diana Bohman as the school board representative to attend all charter school
meetings and report back the information. The motion carried on a voice vote.
6.3 Review and Possibly Accept Monetary Donation from Amherst Youth Football
Club and Falcon Sports Booster Club: Diana Bohman moved, Kelly Loken
seconded to accept the donation of $1450 from Amherst Youth Football Club
and $1450 from Falcon Sports Booster Club to go towards the purchase of a
John Deere gator for the athletic complex. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Copy attached.
6.4 Review and Possibly Approve Skyward School Business Suite Human
Resources Management System Proposal: Becky Galvin, District Bookkeeper,
explained money saving features of the proposed employee management
system and the paperless benefits this program will have. Mike Turner moved,
Bob Stuczynski seconded to approve the software purchase and installation at a
cost of $3,763 with an annual license fee every year after initial purchase. The
motion carried on a voice vote. Copy attached.
6.5 Report and Possible Direction on Exploration of Grade 5 Becoming Part of
Middle School: Phil Tubbs proposed a two year transition plan for the merging
of grade 5 into Middle School. During year one grade 5 scheduling would
remain the same as it currently is with all teachers and students reporting to
the Middle School Principal. During year two scheduling as a grade5/grade 6
unit would be phased in. Mike Turner moved, Kelly Loken seconded to phase
grade 5 in the Middle School with full implementation to begin for the 2014-15
school year. The motion carried on a voice vote.
6.6 Discuss and Possibly Approve Request for Multiple Extra-Curricular Positions
for Weight Room Supervision per Year: Reviewed proposal to split weight
room supervisor position into four seasons with a contracted employee for
each. Kelly Loken moved, Diana Bohman seconded to approve splitting
weight room supervision into four separate contracts as presented. The motion
carried on a voice vote. Copy attached.
6.7 Review and Possibly Approve Revised IMC Director Proposal for Library
Media Specialist Certification: Original proposal was approved October
8, 2012 for $29,640. This new proposal, which Jenny Ludeman has been
accepted for, will cost of $10,381 over the next three years. Kelly Loken
moved, Bob Stuczynski seconded to approve payment of educational/training
expenses for Jennifer Ludeman to attain library media specialist certification
from UW Oshkosh at a cost of $10,381 over the next three years and the
contract detailing length of employment and reimbursement requirements if
employment with district ends. The motion carried on a voice vote. Copy
attached.
6.8 Review and Possibly Approve Revised Facilities Use Policy per
Recommendation from the Facilities Use Committee: Policy was revised to be
more understandable and clear. Diana Bohman moved, Kelly Loken seconded
to approve proposed facilities use policy revisions with example changes for
group 3. The motion carried on a voice vote. Copy attached.
6.9 Discuss and Determine Response to Jensen Center Regarding Contract Usage
Fee: Committee recommends leaving the $600 bill in place for the Jensen
Center due to the signed contract. Mike Turner moved, Kelly Loken seconded
to send a letter to the Jensen Center detailing the outstanding payment due with
The Community Spirit • 31
“Central Wisconsin’s Good News Newspaper”
7.
8.
9.
10.
a copy of the revised facility use policy and fee schedule that will be in effect
from today and forward. The motion carried on a voice vote. Copy attached.
Items for Next Agenda:
• Referendum Report
• Charter School Report
• Channel 18 Report
Closed Session: Diana Bohman moved, Kelly Loken seconded to move to closed
session pursuant to State Statutes 19.85(1)(c)(e)&(f), for the purpose of considering
employment, compensation, performance evaluation of a public employee over
which the School Board has jurisdiction and exercises responsibility, job duties
and administrator request for consideration of salary increase, and district staffing
needs. Roll call vote: Kelly Loken-aye, Diana Bohman-aye, Sandi Keener-aye, Mike
Turner-aye, Bob Stuczynski-aye. Adjourned to closed session.
Return to Open Session: Bob Stuczynski moved, Mike Turner seconded to return to
open session. The motion carried on a voice vote.
A. Take Possible Action on Closed Session Items: Mike Turner moved, Bob
Stuczynski seconded to raise Phil Tubbs salary $5,000 for 2012-13 with letter
of agreement to include transitioning of grade 5 to Middle School and taking on
curriculum leadership, with an additional $5,000 upon full implementation for
2014-15. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Adjourn: Bob Stuczynski moved, Mike Turner seconded to adjourn meeting at 11:20
p.m. The motion carried on a voice vote.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012
SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MINUTES
1. Call to Order: The special meeting of the Tomorrow River School Board was called
to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Sandi Keener. In attendance: Board Members
present included Sandi Keener, Mike Turner, Diana Bohman, Bob Stuczynski and
Kelly Loken. Also present: LeAnn Chase, Mike Toelle, and Geoffrey Bray.
2. Public Participation According to Policy #0167.3: No public participation requested.
3. Discuss Building Project and Determine Project Committee: Community member
names were recommended to comprise an eleven member referendum project
committee. LeAnn Chase was given a directive to make direct contact to form the
committee.
4. Adjourn: Bob Stuczynski moved, Diana Bohman seconded to adjourn meeting at
8:32 p.m. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Respectfully submitted,
LeAnn Chase, District Administrator
Diana Bohman, School Board Clerk
Respectfully submitted,
LeAnn Chase, District Administrator
Diana Bohman, School Board Clerk
From the High School Principal, Mark Luetschwager
I hope everyone had a great holiday season. The time
away from school provides our students and staff with a
well-deserved rest. Now we are recharged and ready to finish the first semester, and attack second semester head on.
Parents, make sure you are checking your child’s grades
on Skyward Family Access to ensure that assignments are
being completed and any make up work is finished before
the end of the semester. The second semester starts January
21st and that brings the excitement of new classes for our
students. January also brings scheduling for the next school
year. We will begin the scheduling process for the 2013/14
school year the last week of January. This year we will have
informational scheduling meeting for parents. Parents of
student’s currently enrolled in grades 9-11 will meet Mon-
day, January 21th from 7:00pm to 8:00pm in the cafeteria,
parents of our current 8th grade students will meet the same
night from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the cafeteria. The registration process will be similar to what it has been in the past.
Students will be given materials to take home and share
with their parents about the course offerings for the 2013/14
school year. It is important to have a post high school goal
in mind when scheduling classes. You may ask yourself,
“Why do I need a goal, can’t I just take classes that are fun
and easy.” The answer is a much defined yes and no. Yes,
you should enjoy the classes you are selecting, but you also
need to think about what the class title will add to your transcript, and what the class experience will add to your education. The post high school world is becoming more and
Is your child too sick
to Go To School?
By Heather Schultz, School Nurse
Sometimes it can be difficult to
determine if you should keep your child
home from school. It is important for
children to attend school and missed
school for a child can mean missed work
for a parent or guardian. But when a child
is truly sick, they need to stay home and
be cared for by an adult so that they can
get well and prevent spreading illness to
other children at school. The American
Academy of Pediatrics suggests three
questions that you should ask to help
determine if your child should stay home.
1. Does your child have a fever of
more than 100 degrees? A fever is the
body’s way of fighting the germs that are
making it sick. Keep your children home
if their temperature is greater than 100
degrees and wait until they are fever-free
before letting them come back to school.
2. Is your child too sick to be
comfortable at school? A child with a
mild headache, earache, or sore throat
can remain in school as long as they feel
well enough to concentrate. A child with
mild cold symptoms including a cough or
runny nose that does not have a fever can
go to school. Many healthy children get as
many as 10-12 colds per year especially in
the early school years. But if a child has
severe cold symptoms including excessive
coughing or significant lack of energy, you
should keep your child at home as they
probably will not be productive in school.
3. Do you think your child has an
illness that can be spread easily to another
child or has he or she been diagnosed
with one? Children should stay home
if they can get other children near them
sick. Children with sore throats that are
diagnosed as strep throat should stay
home for at least 24 hours after starting
antibiotics. A child that has the flu should
stay home until their symptoms of body
aches, high fever, chills, congestion and
sore throat go away. Another common
easily spread infection in children is pink
eye. This is caused by bacteria or viruses
that make one or both eyes red. With this
there can also be drainage, itching and pain
or irritation. If a child has a lot of drainage
and is unable to resist rubbing their eyes,
they will need to stay at home or be sent
home from school.
Other reasons that children should
stay at home include if they are vomiting,
if they have diarrhea or if they have a
widespread rash. A child with a wide
spread rash should stay home until their
symptoms are gone and/or they have been
seen by their healthcare provider.
Children can and will spread a lot
of illnesses both in school and at home.
Remember that the single most important
thing that you can teach and reinforce with
your child is good hand washing. Good
hand washing can help prevent the spread
of infections and illnesses.
And lastly, don’t worry about always
making the right decision. If your child
gets sick at school, we will let you know.
For this reason, please make sure to have
up to date phone numbers and contact
information on file with the school offices!
more competitive each year. Students struggle to find jobs,
get into colleges, and entering the military is becoming
much more selective then it has been in the past. The transcript is now a document that helps set our students apart
from their peers. Class selection has become more than just
finding something fun to take, it is becoming a determining
factor for many post high school placements. Parents please
take the scheduling process very seriously and help your
children make good choices when it comes to their class
selections.
If you have any questions about scheduling contact me,
(Mark Luetschwager) at 824-5522, ext. 223
Winter on the Tomorrow
PHOTOS BY ALEX HELBACH
32 • The Community Spirit
January 2013
Members of AHS
Student Council
recently attended a WASC Region II
leadership workshop on the UWSP
campus.
My Journey to State
By Nicholas March
I was a sophomore on this year’s title team. I didn’t play
a whole lot in the playoffs (being on the JV team) but I was
an active participant in every practice this year and I was
along for the ride. This is what it was like to go to state.
Friday- We beat Colby 34-7 to advance to the state
championship game. Coach Lusic told us at half time that
Chris Zblewski would not be returning to the game. I knew
that we would be o.k. if our defense could hold them. We
ended up winning, I didn’t play but I felt great knowing we
were going to state;
Sunday- We practiced in the gym after lifting. We
worked on some Lancaster stuff. The mood of the team
was tired but excited.
Monday-Wednesday: We practiced each day on the
field under the lights. Wednesday we had a team meal at
Groshek’s, it was steak! Everybody got one. At team meal
guys were feeling a mixture between being excited and
nervous. It felt like Wednesday was the day of the game. I
felt that way the whole day.
Thursday- Game Day! When I woke up I felt like
FINALLY the day was here. Driving to school you could
see all the signs about us going to state, it was cool. When
we got to school we packed our stuff in our travel bags and
got everything ready to go. We had a pep rally at school
where Coach talked and we saw a slide show, everyone got
one last chance to wish us good luck at state. We ended
up giving everyone in the district a high five on our way to
the bus.
During the bus ride everyone talked until we got to
Goehrke field for practice. We practiced a “walk-through”
for an hour then packed up and went to Golden Corral for
brunch. I didn’t eat a whole lot at Golden Corral because I
was so nervous. After eating the bus ride was pretty quiet,
not much talking or laughing. We watched the movie
“Friday Night Lights”.
Mr. Lusic handed us a letter talking about what we were
going to do. It was kind of cool, it gave a history of Camp
Randall. When we got to the stadium we walked inside and
went to our locker room. We got in to the locker room and
everything was so nice and in a perfect order. The locker
room was like the ones you see in the NFL.
Then we went around the stadium until we got to the
indoor practice field (McClain Center) where we warmed
up for about 15 minutes. Then we were told we could head
over to the field; as we ran out on to the field you could hear
the fans yelling.
When Amherst scored you could hear the excitement
start to build. At half-time the coaches told us we had to
shut down the run and things would take care of them self.
When Lancaster scored on the double pass it felt like this
was our time to go. Amherst then went on to score 2 more
touchdowns. With 2 minutes left in the game I know that
we were about to be state champs. As the clock struck zero
we all went in to a crazy party on the side line.
Then they calmed us all down and gave us the trophy.
Then we got rushed off the field to the far end zone where
they took a team picture. Then we all went back in to the
locker room where we all took pictures with the trophy and
congratulated each other. We took our time getting out of
the locker room and when we got to the buses there was a
bunch of pizza waiting for us.
We all got back on the bus and started to head back to
Amherst. Everyone was talking loudly and having a good
time. We watched “Billy Madison”. We got a police and
fire truck escort from county B road to the high school. I
could not believe that there where so many people waiting
on the street to welcome us back. As we got back to school
we went up to the wrestling room where we unpacked our
bags. Then we went back to the gym where there were
hundreds of people waiting to congratulate us.
The Holiday Season
over the holidays, where you drink hot
wine punch and eat hot wine candy. In my
hometown there is also a “Santa” riding in
an electric sleigh above the market with the
Christmas is coming and I am looking “Christkind”, who is basically a little girl
forward to spending the holidays here known as Santa’s helper in Germany-like
in the US with my new family. Unlike to an elf but she also replaces Santa in some
most exchange students who are missing families. After every sleigh ride, Santa tells
their hometowns, I am very glad to be here. the story about Rudolph the red- nose reinBefore I came here I knew there were some deer. This is why many children love to go
differences between the American and to the Christmas market. You can also buy
German way of celebrating Christmas.
presents and Crepes there.
First of all, the people celebrate “Christmas
Furthermore we do have the “Advent
day” and not “Christmas Eve” in America. tradition” starting 4 weeks before Christmas.
You normally put your presents under the Every Sunday we light one candle of the four
Christmas tree (this tradition was invented our Advent wreath, which we place on our
in Germany) and share your happiness. table. While we are lighting the candle we
Likewise, you put the presents under the are singing a special song.
tree weeks before the 25th. In Germany
“Advent, Advent ,ein Lichtlein brennt.
we put the presents under the tree on Erst 1, dann 2, dann 3, dann 4, dann steht
Christmas Eve right before opening them. das Christkind vor der Tür.”
My family cuts their own tree because it is
This song basically translated means, that
family bonding time and we get to select the first one candle burns then two then three
perfect tree. Here in America a lot of people and at the end the fourth. After all of the
have a fake tree which is cool too.
candles burned, the “Christkind” will come.
Normally we have a Christmas market
Because we are having the Advent wreath,
By Betty Schaumberg
(German exchange student)
we do have an Advent calendar as well.
Beginning with the first day of December
you have to open a door each day. Mostly
you find chocolate in there.
We also celebrate the St. Nicholas Day on
December 6th, where you have to put your
cleaned boots in front of your room door
the night before St. Nicholas Day. The next
day you will find candy or little presents in
them to prepare you for Christmas Eve.
During the Christmas season we are
making cookies and other candy to share
with family and friends. We mostly bake
Gingerbread.
A week after the last Advent wreath candle
burned, Christmas Eve finally arrives.
There are other differences in tradition
as well. Some Americans have a meal on
Christmas Eve as well as on Christmas
day, where the usual menu is Turkey or
ham. After unwrapping our presents on
Christmas Day, we will drive to my host
family’s family, where we celebrate the day
together. In Germany, my family usually
eats kale on Christmas Eve, which is a
Northern Germany tradition, but most
of the Germans eat goose or sausage and
potatoes. When I was younger we always
drove to my grandma’s to celebrate the
holiday. Handing out the presents is usually
at 5:00 pm. Afterwards, we usually watch
Christmas movies together and call our relatives to wish them a merry Christmas Eve.
We keep the tree 2 weeks after Christmas
and put away decorations in the city 2
months after. It is always a good time and
I love sharing it with my friends and family.
My school usually has a party for the older
students (17-18 years old), which they have
to organize on their own. We normally buy
each other presents in class and cook part of
a Christmas meal, consisting of cookies and
cakes. On Christmas Day, we go to church
and wish other a merry Christmas.
I love Christmas and I am very happy to
spend the day this year with my American
friends and family. I know some exchange
students are homesick, but I am not. I have a
lot of fun making memories and new experiences happen all the time. I wish all a nice
holiday season and lots of love. “Central Wisconsin’s Good News Newspaper”
The Community Spirit • 33
Students
Compete
in Regional
Geographic Bee
On December 12, 2012, 8th grader Kyle Glodowski won the
Amherst Middle School Geography Bee, and 5th grader Alex
Lutz won the Amherst Elementary School Geography Bee. At
the middle school, Max Villnow received second place, while
Ursa Anderson and Nick Lea tied for third place. Christopher
Andersen won second place at the Elementary Geography Bee.
The contest is sponsored by the National Geographic
Society. First place winners will take a written test to qualify
for the State Geography Bee and will find out in March if they
qualify.
L to R: Elementary School Geography Bee Winners,
Christopher Andersen (2nd place), Alex Lutz (1st place)
The National Geographic Society will provide an allexpenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the state champions
and teacher-escorts to participate in the national championship
in May. The first-place winner will receive a $25,000 college
scholarship and a lifetime membership to the Society.
Congratulations to all geography bee participants on a job
well done!
Amherst
Elementary PTO
meeting
Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, 6 p.m. in the Elementary Art Room.
Treasurer report- Dawn Simonis advised that the account
balance is $12,070.27, which is after the deposits and payouts
from the pizza and decal fundraisers. Jennifer West advised
that there was a Scholastic book sale, so we gave approval for
Crystal Lutz to purchase 100 books for awards/door prizes for
the trivia night this coming spring for $100.
School nurse funding request – Heather Schultz has asked
us to fund sample hygiene packets for the 4th grade class. This
would be deodorant, sanitary napkins etc, and each child would
be sent home with a sample packet. The total cost would be
$103 and the group approved it along with offering suggestions
on how to get the supplies free in the future.
Fundraiser update, including pickup day details – Jessica
Wiesman advised that we sold 1371 pizzas (1574 last year),
237 decals and $1,250.00 in straight donations ($894.00 last
year). Total was $4,472.00 profit for both items. Pizzas come
in Thursday, December 13th, so there needs to be someone here
to help coordinate pickup from 2-6pm. Wiesman will put an
email together to be sent out to the distribution list for helpers,
4 people at all times will be needed. Reminder letters will be
sent home to the families about pickup and request that families
bring their own bags. Thank you notes were sent out to the
highest sellers of pizzas and decals, as well as the families that
gave straight donations. Wiesman will write a thank you for
the Community Spirit and put in some info on how the funds
are used.
Encouragement committee update for December – Jennifer
West emailed the committee to get some ideas on what to do
in December for the teachers. There was only one response,
which was a hot chocolate bar one day, which the group agreed
to. Jen called Scholastic books to check on gift cards and they
don’t offer them. It was discussed on doing Amazon gift cards,
gas cards, or Portage County gift certificates. It was agreed to
do this, approving $10 gift cards of some sort. Whichever is
easiest to get will be purchased.
Grant opportunities – Jess wrote up the Annie’s Homegrown
Grant and will be submitted shortly. Jennifer West will work
with Mr. Toelle on other grants that are pending.
Next meeting: Jan. 14, 6 p.m.
in the Elementary Art Room
L to R: Middle School Geography Bee Winners, Nick Lea (3rd Place – Tie), Kyle Glodowski
(1st place), Max Villnow (2nd Place), Ursa Anderson (3rd Place – Tie)
25 students participated in the Elementary Geography Bee.
26 middle school students participated in the Middle School Geography Bee.
34 • The Community Spirit
January 2013
Kindergarten Kapers
The Counselor Corner
By Ann Rasmussen
We have returned from winter break and our focus is on
communication skills in classroom guidance. Ask your
children these questions to learn about some of the activities
we did at each grade: What is a Lion Hunt? What is the
Guessing Game? How do you play the Wright Family?
What picture did you draw? What is an “I” Message and how
can you help yourself when you are stressed?
During the third quarter we will look at different disabilities
at each grade level. We will also look at Personal safety
and address the main themes: safety rules, support system,
appropriate touch and assertiveness.
The groups that students are participating in at this time, are
Friendship in grades 1 and 3 and Make Anger Disappear (M.A.
D.) in grades 4 and 5. New Hope will also be offered which
helps students learn how to cope with the loss of a loved one.
As always, letters are sent home before a group starts.
If you have a concern about your child and would like me to
see him/her, contact me at
715-824-5523 ext. 426 or e-mail me.
We have school supplies ready to give away to those in need.
All you have to do is let us know!
4K Welcomes
Winter!
By Jillian Hornick and Mrs. Toelle
4K Teachers
It has been a fun filled first half of the year.
Our little learners have grown so much! They
know how to write their names and are pros
at making new friends. We are working very
hard on letter and number identification and
counting to 20 or more. We continue to work
on identifying and drawing shapes and phonemic awareness.
January will be a busy month. Now that
the holiday season is behind us, we can focus
on new concepts. We will be learning about
bears, people around the world, and different kinds of weather. In our bear unit we will
learn about hibernation, habitat, and characteristics of different types of bears. During
our Around the World unit, we will learn
about traditions and different cultures. In our
weather unit we will study different the water
cycle, weather patterns, and their relationship
to the four seasons.
We hope you all had a blessed and peaceful holiday break. We hope Santa treated you
well. May 2013 be filled with good cheer and
good friends!
By The Kindergarten Team
We were busy as ever during the month of December discussing Our Sensational Five Senses.
We had a taste testing party where we were able to
taste many different types of foods. Some students
liked it all (including the baking chocolate!!), and
some students only liked a few items, but we definitely learned how important our sense of taste is.
We also used our sense of smell to try to decide
what was in a variety of smelly jars. It was fun trying
to decide what each scent was. Peppermint and cinnamon were favorites, while the onion and rubbing
alcohol were too strong for our tender little noses!
We were able to feel the texture of the paper mache when we made our cute penguins or ice cream
cone ornaments. Ask your child what their favorite
flavor of ice cream is. We heard different sounds
as we practiced for our annual Winter Concert. We
made a book called “I See Christmas”, and we talked
Welcoming
a new year
in 1st grade
By Jenna Govier, Kristi Doll, Malinda
Shanklin, and Lisa Disher
We are now returning to our normal
schedule after lots of holiday
excitement. Exciting experiments
lie ahead in our science unit, force
and motion. We are approaching the
start of our fourth theme in reading.
We continue to build our stamina
in reading and are learning to read
each day individually as well as with
partners. In math we are having
fun with patterns and shapes. The
students will soon be experiencing the
day it snowed a rainbow. It is sure
going to be lots of fun!
about all of the different colors that are around us
this time of year.
We had a very busy December and hope you had
time to enjoy your family during the busy season.
We look forward to the upcoming New Year of
2013!!
We couldn’t do what we do if it weren’t for the
many helpers we have throughout the year. A
special thank you goes out to Mrs. Lisa Cook and
students in her “Clothing Construction” class, who
assisted in making burlap banners for our parents’
Christmas presents. Her helpers included Rachel
Bandy, Bridget Pionkowski, Desiree Glodowski,
Veronica Major, Rebekah Peplinski, Kat Peterson,
Deanna Stransky and Adia Hoff. THANK YOU!!!
We need to also thank Mrs. Kim Borgen and Mrs.
Kim Andrich for putting the finishing “hand” touches on the banners and to Mrs. Carol Rudiger for her
photography skills in making our parent Christmas
cards. THANK YOU!! Happy New Year to all!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
By Kathy Garske
School is one place that gives everyone the chance to celebrate two New
Years. One New Year is the beginning of the school year and the other one
is the beginning of the calendar year.
Most the second graders are making the transition from learning how to
read to reading to learn. They will be putting to use some of the newly acquired reading strategies in social studies. They are learning about important
people in history. We have learned how to organize important dates of their
lives on a timeline. The teachers will model how to make a timeline when
talking about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The children will then take their
knowledge about timelines and create a timeline of their own life.
In math, we are continuing to work on subtraction. We will be subtracting two and three digit numbers with regrouping. We are also beginning
simple division.
We have been using our 6+1 Traits of Writing, and writing a variety of
winter stories and poems. We have been working on the traits of word
choice, organization, and presentation. We will start working on adding
voice and finding voice in books we are reading.
In Social Studies, we are working on the theme, We All Work Together.
During this unit, the students will understand how members of a community
depend on goods and services to meet their needs and how we use maps in
our daily lives.
As you can see, second grade is an exciting place to be.
From the Elementary School Principal, Mike Toelle
New Year’s Resolutions
By Michael Toelle
Elementary School Principal
I think all of us feel the pinch for time during the holiday
season. We all just seem to take on way too many tasks
and try and hurry and squeeze even more into an already
busy schedule. Students are often consumed by the thought
of the holiday and vacation time so it can be a big job for
staff to keep students on task. However, by the time this
makes the paper, vacation will be done and the students
will be back in school to finish the semester. Starting off
the “new year” right is important in order to set the tone
to finish the semester and school year on a positive note.
With the weather being cold outside often students don’t
have as many distractions so it’s really a good time to make
a commitment to change. In addition, January, February,
and March is our longest uninterrupted block of teaching
time during the entire school year which makes it an ideal
time to develop good school habits. New Year’s or “school
resolutions” can be an ideal way to make the change. I’ve
included an article this month which gives tips on making
school resolutions. Please take some time to read the
article and then take a few minutes to jointly plan out some
resolutions with your children. Taking the plan one step
further and writing out the “school resolutions” and posting
it in the kitchen, on the bathroom mirror, or even sharing
with a teacher would be great.
Let’s continue to work together in 2013 and make the best
use of the school resources to ensure we have a productive
and rewarding school year. As always, feel free to contact
me at any time with questions or concerns. In closing, I
would like to wish everyone a happy and safe remainder of
the Holiday Season.
STRATEGIES CAN HELP
YOUR CHILD ACHIEVE
‘SCHOOL RSOLUTIONS’
A new calendar year is a chance for a fresh start. It’s a
good time to talk with your child about how the school year
is going. Is she happy with the progress she has made? Are
there things she wants to change? New Year’s resolutions
can be a good way to make positive change. But resolutions
by themselves can’t lead to change. Here are some ways
your child can actually achieve the positive resolutions she
makes:
• Start small. Your child is probably not going to go from
doing 10 minutes of reading a week to finishing an entire
book each week. Instead, help her figure out smaller steps.
“How about if you read for 15 minutes before bed?” Each
small step builds her “reading muscles” for even greater
success.
• Think about the rewards. Suppose your child says she’d
like to change the grade she’s getting in math. Before she
makes her plan for how to improve, help her focus on the
rewards of getting a higher grade. Once she has a picture of
that success, it will be easier to make the changes.
• Plan ahead. If one of her goals is to watch less TV but
she always turns on the TV after school, help her think
about what she can do differently. Perhaps she can have a
snack or play with the dog instead.
• Celebrate successes. Change is not always easy. So
celebrate every success. If she only reads for 30 minutes a
day for four days this week, that’s still a lot more reading
than she was doing before!
“Central Wisconsin’s Good News Newspaper”
Students in Mrs.
Matson’s class
celebrated 12-12-12 with
a variety of activities. This
date will not come around for
another 100 years! It was also
Aaron Rodgers Day in Wisconsin
and many students wore his
jersey to support their favorite
quarterback.
Front row: Josh Bentley, Tucker
Swan, Dylan Werachowski and
Sawyer Stuczynski. Back row:
Haydn Czech, Noah Barz, Landon
Moe, Max Konkol, and Marcus
Prondzinski.
Another happy attendee at November’s
Chocolate Festival
-Marsha Haynes Photo
Picking out ornaments at the Tomorrow River
Christmas craft sale in December at the Jensen
Community Center.
-Marsha Haynes Photo
The Community Spirit • 35
36 • The Community Spirit
January 2013
To order your calendar by mail, send $22.50 per calendar which includes postage and handling to:
Jensen Community Center, 487 North Main St., Amherst, WI 54406 or call (715) 824-5202 for credit card orders.