Board approves new Strategic Plan draft
Engage.
Empower.
Achieve.
These are the words that summarize the district’s “beliefs in action.” They are the key concepts that members of the Strategic Plan team created in addition to the vision statement, strategies and objectives that will guide the district for the next five years or so. Strategic planners also validated the mission statement and belief statements that were written by previous teams.
School Board members approved the draft of the plan and will be asked to give formal approval when action steps are presented later in the spring.
Strategies of the plans indicate that the district will:
- Ensure rigorous, relevant curriculum and innovative instruction to support maximum achievement for each child;
- Engage and empower students, differentiate instruction and ensure continuous progress for each child by implementing quality assessment practices;
- Focus professional development on the knowledge and skills staff need as they educate students to thrive in an inter-connected, global community;
- Utilize effective communication practices to promote understanding, support and involvement of our families, community and staff;
- Create learning environments that nurture social and emotional development and respect for our diverse world; and
- Integrate and assess 21st Century skills in the areas of financial literacy, employability skills and technological literacy.
Action plans will be created for each of the strategies. Employees who are interested in joining action teams that will write specific steps to attain each strategy should contact Educational Services Director John Roubik.
Certified staff members will learn more about the new strategic plan at the March 27 staff in-service meeting.
High school receives Red Quill award from ACT
Hamilton High School was awarded the ACT’s Red Quill Award for the 2008-09 school year. The award recognizes high levels of dedication and focus in providing all students with exceptional opportunities to succeed.
ACT Red Quill Committee Chairman Phillip Daniel presented Principal Candis Mongan with the award. He said the school showed considerable growth in the four core content areas that the ACT measures. Mongan thanked guidance counselor Patricia Mitchell was instrumental in obtaining the award.
Hamilton is only one of only six Wisconsin schools that have been presented with the award which recognizes educational professionals who diligently analyze data and develop and enhance curriculum and instruction based on learning community needs.
Summer school plans approved
Planning for summer school is underway. Lannon Elementary School Principal and Summer Opportunities Program Director Richard Ladd gave details about its operation.
Classes for students in enrichment courses will begin June 22 and end July 17 Monday through Friday. Credit make-up courses for Templeton students will run from June 22 to July 31. The high school will have two sessions – June 15 – June 26 and July 6 – July17. No classes will be held on July 4.
New this year will be online registration. Families will receive postcards informing them about the new process along with information in the summer school brochure. Families who do not have computers and internet access in their homes will be able to use district computers to complete registration or fill out hard copies of a registration form.
Fees will range from $4 to $12 per class. Nonresident students will have an additional $50 tuition fee in addition to the course fees to offset the absence of state reimbursement for nondistrict students.
Curriculum revision in process
Instructional Services Supervisor Dee Bauman, Ph.D., updated the School Board on the curriculum process. The three curricular areas that were completed this year were reading, business education and marketing, and applied engineering and technology. Art and music are being revised, and fitness education and science will be revised next year.
School Board Member Dawn Van Aacken thanked Bauman for her leadership in curriculum revision throughout the years of her career. Van Aacken said the district has a solid curriculum because of the 5-year planning process that Bauman helped guide.
Students recognized
Templeton Middle School eighth grade social studies teacher Rhonda Watton and her students Aaron Konop and Maxwel Schwid were recognized for their success in the Wisconsin Stock Market Game. The two took third place in the statewide 2008 Stock Market Game fall competition. They managed a hypothetical $100,000 investment portfolio in the 15-week game. The pair ended the game with $108,200.71.
The Stock Market Game is sponsored by EconomicsWisconsin and introduces students to financial markets and institutions, how to choose and buy stocks, personal finance and budgeting skills and the value of investing for the future.
Hamilton students in Brenda Savic’s Personal Finance course were recognized for scoring in the top 25th percentile in the National Financial Literacy Challenge. The students who were awarded certificates from the U.S. Department of the Treasury in honor of their accomplishment were Michael Beaulieu, Emily Gabel, Erin Geszvain, Tyler Gilmore, Kaitlyn Gramz, Bryan Kristensen, Cameron Lange, Alexander Lutze, Steven Radcliffe, Alana Strait, Clayton Van Der Linden, Natasha Veal and Daniel Westbrook.
The challenge was developed by the Department of the Treasury in consultation with economists and the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, Junior Achievement USA, the National Council on Economic Education and the National Endowment for Financial Education
Four approved for early graduation
Four students met stated requirements and conditions and were approved for early graduation in January, 2009. They are Alane Boyle, Tyler Golimowski, Rachael Kolbeck and PaZong Lee.
Personnel news
In personnel business, the School Board:
- Approved the retirement requests of Dee Bauman, Ph.D., instructional services supervisor, and Thomas Daley, Lannon fifth grade teacher;
- Accepted the resignations of Lannon special services teacher Lori Obrenovich and Hamilton instrumental teacher Kathryn Tollefson; and
- Appointed Nancy Mason as a Marcy special services paraprofessional.