EASD Annual Report 2022-23

Moving On... To the next adventure

The staff members retiring this year have been with our district ranging from 16 to 32 years, and each of them leave a legacy of caring hearts and dedication to our students and families.

As we say, “Farewell” to the 12 staff members retiring from our Herd, we send them off with our best wishes for their next adventure. They’ll always have a place in our heart.

Welcome... To the Herd!

In August, the district welcomed new professional staff members at their New Educator Orientation. Support staff were trained in sessions tailored to their positions as well. Growth in the district continued thoughout the school year, resulting in several other new faces throughout the school year (not pictured in the above photo).

We welcome all our additions to the Elkhorn Herd and are proud to have them as a part of our tradition of excellence. Please say welcome to these familiar-by-now faces when you see them in our community.

Paul Schneider Teacher

Cheryl Neinfeldt Teacher

Deenna Aske Custodian

Front Row l-r: Laura Hoffman; Kayla Bennewitz, Stephanie Chapman, Carmen Ledger, Cailee Beisswanger, Melissa Difazzio, Kaela Harteau, Alison Smith, Alyson Collins, Carrie Lyga, Alyssa Caliendo, Haley Johnson, Kaitlin Steffen, Mackenzie Ferstenou, Daniel Vaccaro, Carli Fell, Ryan Radtke; 2nd Row l-r: Luke Steffen, Beau Ash, Michelle Buelow, Rebecca Soldner, Hope Murra, Kari Todd, Katie Meyers, William Sargeant; 3rd Row l-r: Thomas Hilker, Daniel Mike, Paul Jacobson; Not pictured: Anne Mannelli, Alyssa Paoli, Benjamin Steck

Matt Belanus Shipping & Receiving

Years Sandy Jenkins Administrative Assistant

A Legacy of Caring...

Barbara A. Fischer

Elkhorn Area School Board

2006 - 2022

In December 2022, the Elkhorn Area School District lost a beloved friend and School Board member. Barbara (Barb) Fischer graduated from Elkhorn Area High School in 1973. While caring for her husband and three children, Barb also served her community as ClerkTreasurer of the Town of LaFayette, raised funds for various organizations and events, as well as supported the Elkhorn Area School District as a parent and alumni. Barb’s passion for lifelong education led to her election as an Elkhorn Area School District School Board Member in April 2006. She served as board member and Vice President of the School Board. Barb’s optimism and growth mindset helped her navigate her way through the issues presented. She often brought her delicious homemade cookies to district meetings to share her love of baking with those around her.

The Elkhorn Area School District would like to thank Barb and her family for all of the time she spent engaging with community members, fund-raising for the district, attending school events, ensuring needs were met for countless students, teachers, and faculty members. May Barb’s legacy of caring continue in our district.

As we are remembering Barb, we also want to remember the students that have left our “herd” this year. They and their families will forever be in our hearts and memories.

Elkhorn Area School District School Board

Please Join Us: Elkhorn Area School District

Annual District Meeting

When: Monday, July 24, 2023

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Where: Elkhorn Area High School

TRADITION

Jason K. Tadlock From the Superintendent

Dear Members of our Community,

The 2022-2023 school year embodied our core values of Tradition, Innovation, and Distinction. As you peruse our annual report, we invite you to share in our delight over the achievements of our students, staff, and community. Student accomplishments continued to soar, and we were once again acknowledged as one of the leading high schools nationwide by US News and World Report, topping the charts in Kenosha, Racine, Walworth, and Rock counties. Our Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program for student development expanded and flourished. Moreover, our Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs, including Project Lead the Way, HOSA, Skills USA, FFA, Culinary Arts, Autos, Metals, and Machining, received recognition at the national and state levels. Our partnership with Gateway has expanded, providing our students with new and exciting dual credit options. We have achieved these milestones while operating on one of the lowest per-pupil spending amounts in the state.

Although this report offers a glimpse of the highlights, it fails to capture the entirety of our endeavors. We encourage you to follow our schools’ Facebook pages for a more comprehensive understanding of our district and individual schools. They do an excellent job of sharing the remarkable work taking place on a daily basis.

To continue providing an exceptional education and fulfill our mission of challenging every student to constantly improve and excel as respectful, responsible, and productive members of society, we rely on the support of our community members, engaged families, and exceptional teachers and staff who nurture the educational process. We consider ourselves fortunate to have the love, trust, and backing of all our stakeholders. Please know that without your support, our accomplishments would not be possible.

Warm regards,

Jason Tadlock Superintendent of Schools

Auditorium

Board Member Heather Recklies Board Member

Emma Williams 2022-2023 Student Representative

Abigail Kolton 2022-2023 Student Representative

Adam Andre Board Member

Kevin Gahart Treasurer

Jenny Ray 2022-23 Clerk

Paul Martell 2022-23 Board Mamber

Thank you to Paul Martell and Jenny Ray for their years of service to the EASD School Board. We value the time, commitment, and care that you’ve given to the students of Elkhorn Area School District and our community.

Julia Ingersoll Vice President

Ed Scaro Clerk

Matt O’Donell President

TRADITION

Parent Connections 4K BIG Library Event

Fantastic Fossils & Dynamite Dinosaurs

On one Wednesday every April, the 4K team takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary at the EASD Parent Connections-sponsored 4K BIG Library Family Event. This year’s theme was DINOSAURS! 4K families descended on the Matheson Memorial Library, where all of their 4K teachers awaited. Jurassic Park theme music was heard as families entered the lobby of the library, each child received their paleontologist dino crown, and the fun began! Twelve dino-mite stations awaited the children, manned by their favorite 4K teachers. Activities ranging from virtual reality exploration, making fossils in clay, melting a dino out of the ice age, to digging for real fossils in a dino dig were at preschool family fingertips. Families were all smiles trying to navigate a dino stomp obstacle course, and partaking in a dino dairy ice cream treat. In addition, special appearances were made by the Milwaukee Public Museum and an elusive T-Rex rider who wandered the library. Fun was had by all...Gigantic and small. To find out what the 4K team cooks up for April 2024, watch the EASD Parent Connections Page on Facebook.

Book “Tasting” Night

Jackson Elementary

Jackson Elementary’s annual Book “Tasting” Family Night was held on Thursday, February 2nd. Staff, students and families were excited to attend this in-person event, as the event was modified into an athome Bookflix event during COVID. This year, families were invited to visit different “cafes” centered around themes or authors. After entering their Book cafe, families sampled a theme-related snack, and read together a story of their choice.

Over 500 family members attended the evening, including 180 Jackson students. Older siblings participated with their younger brothers and sisters, recognizing previously read books and savoring new ones. The connections made through stories read, smiles on faces, and partnerships built between parents and staff members highlighted the evening.

Everything’s Coming Up T-Shirts!

Options Virtual Charter School

T-Shirts from Options Virtual Charter School have been spotted all over Walworth County...and beyond! Each year, Options Virtual Charter School creates a new T-shirt that students and families have an opportunity to wear. Families are asked to send in pictures of the places they’ve worn their Options T-shirt. Where can you spot an Options T-Shirt?

100 Days Smarter

Jackson Elementary

Jackson Elementary’s first grade LOVES to celebrate the 100th day of school! In recognition of being 100 days smarter, the students and teachers dressed as if they were 100 years old. This tradition is in its seventh year....let’s see if they can make it to 100!

National Night Out Career & College Academy

Students at the Career & College Academy (CCA) continued the annual tradition of volunteering at the National Night Out, held at the Walworth County Fairgrounds each August. National Night Out is an event that brings county-wide local first responders together with families and neighborhoods to promote a true sense of community. The students wear their CCA shirts and help set up/ tear down for the event, hand out water, run various booths for kids such as face painting or the bouncy house, and empty garbage. If you watch carefully, you may even see a pink unicorn who has a day job teaching Social Studies at CCA!

The CCA students and staff are proud to work alongside the organizations in Walworth county who work to keep kids and families safe. To find out more about National Night Out 2023, go to treehouseforkids.net/events/national-night-out-788/

A Bright Future EAHS Seniors

The 2023 graduating class started a new tradition this year: Senior Sunrise. Members of the Senior class gathered at the EAHS football field to start the first day of their last year together. A great way to start the year!

Some Like it Hot!

EASD Chili Cook-Off

For the past 10+ years, Elkhorn Autism Support Team (EAST) has raised money for special education and Autism programs in the district. What began as a benefit walk has evolved into a popular chili/soup cook-off that has grown with each passing year. Local and district chefs hone their recipes to compete for the honor of winning the most votes from those attending for the best chili and soup. In addition, there is a silent auction and pie sale. Over the years, the benefit has raised over $25,000 to fund scholarships, Autism related consultants/speakers for EASD staff and the community, and to buy Autism resources such as sensory supplies and communication apps. If you haven’t yet attended, watch Facebook next January so you don’t miss it!

AgVentures

Elkhorn Area High School FFA

Elkhorn agriculture students teach other students about the agriculture industry through the AgVentures program. Elkhorn FFA started a “Food For America” program in 1996, working with district 4th grade classrooms to teach students about agriculture. That program has evolved into a multiple grade program we call Elkhorn FFA’s AgVentures Program. Currently Elkhorn FFA members work with 4K programs, Kindergarten classes, 1st grade classes and 3rd grade classrooms across the district. 4K and Kindergarten classes learn about plants. 2022 offered the first chance for 1st grade classrooms to learn about forests in the Market Street School Forests. The 3rd grade classrooms learn about animal agriculture when they visit the high school agriculture department. Approximately 50 Elkhorn FFA members will work with more than 600 elementary children this year as part of the AgVentures program.

Tradition of Champions EAHS Girls Basketball

In December, the EAHS Girls’ basketball team continued its tradition of excellence by welcoming home our 1997 Girls State Basketball Championship Team. The team, along with 1997 Head Coach Jim Henriott, was honored with a ceremony during half-time. Most of the 1997 team were able to reunite on their home court to relive highlights from their championship season and honor their coach both before the game as well as during the half-time ceremony.

In addition to the festivities courtside, former coach Jim Henriott spent time with the 2023 girls team giving pointers and encouragement to them prior to the special game. The two teams continue to demonstrate the excellence of character and persistence that the Elkhorn Area School District sports program personifies.

Junior Elks Peer Model Play Group

EASD Early Childhood

The district-wide Junior Elks Peer Model Play group began in the 2022-2023 school year and is hosted at Jackson Elementary. The program was designed based on research that shows children with and without disabilities perform better academically and socially when participating in inclusive classrooms.

The play group consists of five students with special needs and five typically developing students who meet twice a week for two hours a day. The program exposes all students to play-based learning that incorporates literacy, social emotional, gross and fine motor, and language development activities. This model allows for enrichment for all children who participate in the pre-school program as well as collaboration amongst the special education team (teacher, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and speech therapist.)

The Junior Elks team received the WCASS ( Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services ) Region 2, Integration Team Award and were honored at an awards ceremony at CESA 2 in Whitewater on May 19, 2023 for their innovative work in this area.

Please reach out to Jill Kitzmiller at kitzji@elkhorn.k12.wi.us for more information on this award-winning, exciting new program.

4K-5K Montessori Program Options Virtual Charter School

Options Virtual Charter School introduced a new 4K/5K program within Options in the 22-23 school year. This multi-age classroom has a Montessori hybrid approach which includes three days of in-person learning, and two days of at-home learning. Montessori is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. Montessori education recognizes that children learn in different ways, and accommodates all learning styles. Students are free to learn at their own pace, each advancing as he or she is ready, guided by the teacher and an individualized learning plan.

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

EASD Elementary Buildings

Physical Education class at our elementary schools (Jackson, West Side, and Tibbets) offers a variety of activities to improve student physical and cognitive abilities, such as the heart obstacle course, ninja jump roping wall, and partner balances. The heart obstacle course highlights how the two halves of our heart pump oxygen to the body and the brain. The ninja jump roping wall encourages students to set goals and challenge themselves to work for higher ninja belt colors. Lastly, partner balances provide the students with the chance to work together as small groups to complete various partner balancing skills.

Jackson Sharing Library Jackson Elementary

The Jackson Elementary student council wished to provide the Elkhorn community with another way to obtain books, so they raised money for and installed a sharing library. The sharing library officially opened on April 14 in front of Jackson Elementary. Student council members filled the library with brand new books. Families may exchange a book or two at any time with new or gently used, appropriately leveled elementary books, so that the library will have a continuous supply of books for students to enjoy.

S’more Understanding

Career & College Academy

Elkhorn teachers strive to give their students the infomation they need to succeed in their studies. This can require some creative instruction. A student from another country struggled to understand an assignment related to a story about S’mores. After several of her classmates and teacher attempted to explain a S’more, it became apparent just how culturally American S’mores are. The teacher showed a clip from the movie, Sandlot, after which the entire class made S’mores.Karyme not only enjoyed a new treat, but had the context for her assignment as well!

Elkhorn Young Athletes

EASD Parent Connections

Elkhorn Young Athletes provides a unique opportunity for families with children ages 2-7 to have family fun and build self-confidence while targeting large motor skills such as walking, running, balance, trapping and catching, throwing, striking, kicking, and advanced sports skills. It is an inclusive program where students with special needs can play with and have fun with general education peers. The program is run in station-rotation format, with five stations for families to visit per session. Each station lasts eight minutes, then families rotate on to the next station, until all stations have been explored. The fantastic thing about Elkhorn Young Athletes is that ALL schools proudly welcomed the program and its families into their buildings. Each school in the district (Jackson, Tibbets, West Side, Middle School, High School, Options AND Lakeland School) hosted one of the 8 sessions of Elkhorn Young Athletes. This gave the surrounding community an opportunity to see schools that they were curious about, and solidified the fact that we truly are 1 HERD.

The last session of Elkhorn Young Athletes was a Grand Finale held at the high school grounds, where students participated in an opening ceremony, a kaleidoscope of nine wacky sports stations and a celebratory closing ceremony. Special guests like the American Legion Post 45 and the Elkhorn Cheer Team were there to join the cacophony of cheering for our little Elks!

The program’s first year was a huge success ending with 77 registered students, and sincere gratitude for the cornucopia of fantastic Elkhorn families, students, and staff stepping up to volunteer at each session.

If you missed checking out Elkhorn Young Athletes this school year, no worries, it will return October of 2023 with even more family fun and, as always, plenty of smiles!

Giving

Students a Voice West Side Elementary

Energy CLASS Prize Winner

Elkhorn Area School District

The US Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced Elkhorn Area School District has been selected, along with 24 others, to lead the charge for creating healthier, more sustainable, and energy efficient learning environments for students and staff. As part of the inaugural “Energy CLASS” program, the district will receive advanced training on energy efficiency, as well as site assessments and planning assistance with a contracted DOE consultant in the creation of a districtwide Comprehensive Energy Plan. Training will explore a variety of topics from indoor air quality, health impacts, cost savings, and stakeholder engagement. The highlycompetitive federal award also came with a $100,000 cash prize, which will be used to support small-scale facility improvements and planning efforts in the coming year.

EASD is one of eight rural school districts from around the country selected by the DOE to showcase how even the smallest of districts can make energy efficiency improvements to create better facilities and improved learning for children. Alongside teams from urban school districts like Detroit, San Antonio, Baltimore, and Cleveland, the “Energized Elks” team will work to balance improvements with a budget to create a path forward for the most healthy, cost-effective future of district facilities. This initiative is part of the DOE’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs’ new “Renew America’s Schools” two-part, five-year federal funding opportunity available through the Bilateral Infrastructure Law. The Energy CLASS assists with creating individualized efficiency strategies, while a larger $500M grant is also available to districts nationwide to implement needed facility improvements. District grant writer Katie James is looking for participation in this program as an opportunity to create a stronger application for those large-scale infrastructure improvements in coming years. “It’s really hard for smaller districts like ours to be considered for this type of federal funding when competing against larger school systems like Los Angeles County and New York, or even Madison or Milwaukee schools. We all need help. But winning this grant puts a GIANT star next to our name and hopefully elevates our status, not only with the Department of Energy, but with other state and federal agencies too.”

Upon completion of the Energy CLASS program in May 2024, the district must present their findings and strategic plan directly to the DOE for review. Successful presentations will receive an additional $50,000 to begin implementing those identified improvements.

Students with significant communication needs have big feelings and big ideas but may struggle tremendously with language. Augmentative and/or Alternative Communication (AAC) devices help children see and hear individual words in sentences as well as express their wants/needs. However, learning any AAC system is similar to learning another language. This year, EASD’s speech pathologist, Hope Murra, has been working exceptionally hard on training staff and families at West Side Elementary on the theory and use of the LAMP (Language Acquisition through Motor Planning) AAC system because of its use of word association over categories. She has held modeling sessions for whole classes and grade levels to help eveyone understand: why a peer might have a communication device, how to use it to connect with them, and to gain empathy for the time and energy it still takes to answer questions with an AAC device vs. your voice. Currently we have seven students that benefit from the use and modeling of AAC devices. Inspiring changes have taken place with these students because of the AAC devices and we can’t wait to see how these students continue to learn and grow! Page 4

College, Career &

JA BizTown

This year, 6th grade students took a different kind of field trip to a unique town. JA Biztown combines in-class learning with a day-long visit to a simulated town. Students connect the dots between what they learn in school and the real world.

While visiting JA BizTown, each student becomes a Town Citizen and assumes a job in one of the town businesses. Students experience economics firsthand by producing and/or selling products, receiving a paycheck, working as a member of a business team, repaying a business loan, shopping, and managing a personal bank account.

Mock Interviews

Aligning to our Academic and Career Planning process and new this year, juniors at Elkhorn Area High School prepared resumes and took part in mock interviews in English 11. The interviewers consisted of district staff and Walworth County employers/business owners. Academic and Career Planning is part of our overall vision for every student to graduate ready for further education and the workplace. Having students participate in mock interviews helps to build skills that will be necessary in any post-secondary path a student pursues. The questions students answered were behaviorbased and provided them with an opportunity to practice, receive feedback, improve their skills, and ease nerves that many experience before an actual job interview. Students who already participated in a mock interview in English 11 develop a pre-screening interview video in Personal Financial Literacy to further their skills.

ElkWorks: E arning - L earning - K nowledge

ElkWorks was launched to consolidate career-ready programming in the district. ElkWorks is a career-connected learning model that helps students gain transferable skills, stackable credentials, and experiential learning to ensure they are posthigh school ready.

The centerpiece of the model is the EASD Career Pathways. The pathways walks students on a clear route to connecting their academic courses to their potential careers. Most career pathways end with the

student earning an industry-recognized credential. Pathways all feature the four predictors of post-high school success: dual-credit course enrollment, gaining industry-recognized certification, co-curricular participation, and work-based learning engagement.

EASD students in Youth Apprenticeships can head straight from the classroom to the workforce after graduation. ElkWorks has partnered with several local school districts to maintain a job board for students and community members seeking employment. Visit wijobboard.com to search local listings, get career advice, and access other resources.

Senior Presentations

This was the inaugural year for the senior ePortfolio Presentations at Elkhorn Area High School. All of the students in the graduating class of 2023 participated in building an ePortfolio and highlighting their Academic and Career Planning (ACP). ACP is a student-driven, adult-supported process in which students create and cultivate their own unique and information-based visions for post-secondary success.

The process is intended to equip students and their families with the tools necessary to make informed choices about postsecondary education, training, and careers. This allows students the best chance of creating a realistic picture of the actions needed and which routes to take in order to achieve their dreams.

During their time at EAHS, students have been given opportunities and experiences to determine who they are, where they are going, and how they get there through intentional lessons and activities. The EASD college and career readiness system has developed opportunities for students to make the most of high school through Start College Now, Advanced Placement courses, Career and Technical Student Organizations, Clubs, Athletics, Early College Credit Programs, Dual Credit Courses, and Industry Recognized Credentials all geared to create experiences to help students determine their career path.

The presentations give students a chance to reflect on how they have grown and the experiences that led them to their career path as they take the next steps on their post-secondary path.

AVID Showcase

In March, EAMS and EAHS hosted an AVID Showcase for forty teachers from over twelve different school districts in three states to observe how teachers drive student success through engaging, rigorous, and student-centered learning environments. EAHS and EAMS were named AVID Demonstration schools last year and two years ago respectively and now serve as teaching and learning centers.

Over the past several years, the district has partnered with AVID to build school cultures committed to best teaching practice that ensure high levels of learning for all students and allow them to master the knowledge and skills necessary for postsecondary education and workforce competency. Collaborative systems have been designed to impact student achievement and maintain a positive school culture. Adults engage in specific and supported behaviors to ensure all students get what they need for college and career readiness.

The visitors had a chance to learn about the readiness schoolwide system at both schools. They learned the key components of and catalysts for improvement and saw how AVID instructional strategies impact instruction across content areas by observing classrooms. In addition, the guest teachers met with panels of staff and students to ask questions about learning experiences and opportunities to grow skills that are necessary to be successful in high school and beyond.

Life Readiness

Keeping Active EAHS Activity Center

Present Colors!

American Legion Post 45 Color Guard

American Legion Post 45 Color Guard presented the colors at every EASD football and soccer home game this fall. In addition, Post 45’s Color Guard also attended three boys and three girls basketball home games, as well as the boys baseball Senior night. We look forward to making this an ongoing tradition that not only honors our country, but the men and women that have served to protect our freedoms.

Each Wednesday at 11:00 a.m., while Elkhorn Area High School students are eating their lunch, the school’s activity center is not quiet. Seeds of Hope—a learning and social community for adults of varied abilities, VIP Industries—programming for individuals and families with deveopmental disabilities, and Walworth County’s Lakeland School make use of the facility’s downtime to engage in various sports and games to keep their students/attendees active during the cold winter months. EASD facilities benefit not only our students, but all members of our community.

Pay it Forward Jackson Elementary Staff

Jackson Elementary staff members turned an in-service day into a time of service by using funds raised through their staff soda machine to pay it forward in the Elkhorn community. Staff members were divided into groups of four, given a cash envelope and told to travel to an Elkhorn food/drink establishment, buy themselves a treat and then pay it forward and buy a community member a treat. In addition, they were to take a picture to share.

Staff members and community members alike enjoyed coffee, soft drinks, and smiles as they spread goodwill throughout Elkhorn. Many community members at the library, CarriBean, Friends On the Square, Love’s Gas Plaza, Kwik Trip, and Speedway were pleasantly surprised with either a drink or a gift card from Jackson Elementary.

Great Give Back Elkhorn Area High School

The Community Engagement/EAHS “Great Give Back” (formerly Day of Action) is held annually and provides community service support to non-profit and governmental agencies in need of assitance within the Elkhorn area.

High School students meet on the designated Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. for a short orientation, and then small groups are assigned to the predetermined locations that have requested assistance with projects. The items to be completed range from painting, moving furniture, cleaning, landscaping, weeding, and organizing. Students are provided shirts in order to be identified within the community. This spring students completed projects for Open Arms Clinic, New Beginnings, Elkhorn Food Pantry, Seeds of Hope, Matheson Memorial Library, The Children’s Tree House, and some outdoor painting for the Elkhorn Area Middle School.

The purpose for the event is not only to serve our community that so generously supports our schools, but also to engage students in understanding that it is important to give back to your community. Students experience first hand the feeling of pride and the smile you receive from giving to others. We are fortunate to have partners like Durham Bus Company and the Nicolas D. Sergi Foundation. We are excited for the next Great Give Back in the Fall of 2023.

Automotive Night

Elkhorn Area High School

Elkhorn Area High School Automotive students planned and implemented an “Automotive Night”, a two night course on basic automotive maintenance and repair, for members of our community. Skills addressed included fluid checks, roadside tire change, tire plugging, locating vehicle information, tire pressure, and how to jumpstart a car. Students designed the course, set up the teaching stations and taught community members how to perform the above tasks. EAHS Senior, Alyssa Aday, supervised and organized the entire program. Those who registered for the event learned new skills and valuable information to help them with their vehicle maintenance.

Taking Care of Each Other

EAHS FCCLA

Elkhorn FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) members prepare meals monthly for the Spirit of Hope Homeless Shelter. This community service project has been in place for several years. Students plan the menu, grocery shop, and prepare the items from scratch. Clients of the shelter have complimented the students on their delicious creations.

Santa’s Helpers EAHS Child Develpment Class

Students in Elkhorn Area High School’s Child Development class came to Santa’s aid when they helped respond to letters written to Santa by Tibbets Elementary School first graders. As “Santa’s elves,” the high school students were able to write back and deliver the letters, reading them aloud with the first grade students and sharing the holiday spirit.

ElkWorks Noon Whistle

EAHS YouTube Channel

In November 2022, a new live-streamed event was launched called the ElkWorks Noon Whistle. Mr. Jon Anzalone, EASD Community Engagement Coordinator, and Mr. Chris Trottier, EASD Director of School-to-Work Opportunities, host live-streamed, 15-20 minute interviews with EASD alumni, teachers, staff, business and community partners. Providing the audience with information about career-connected learning experiences is the goal of the program. Guests have included EASD Superintendent Jason Tadlock, Governor Tony Evers, students from the EAMS Hope Squad, WIAA Scholar Athletes, community members and local business leaders.

If you haven’t had a chance to listen yet, a new episode airs every Tuesday at (you guessed it) 12:00 noon on the EAHS YouTube Channel, the EASD Community Engagement Facebook page, or you can access it through the EASD webpage under ElkWorks. Listen this week and tell your friends to listen in too!

Snack In a Pack EASD School Buildings

“Bee-ing” Kind Jackson Elementary

The Snack in a Pack program, which provides weekend snacks for EASD elementary students, expanded to middle school families this year. Snack in a Pack assists over 100 students a week throughout the school year, while protecting student and family privacy. The program is funded by donations. Volunteers pack and distribute the bags that go home with the students each week.

In focusing on “BEE-ing” kind this school year, Jackson Elementary created a Beehive of Kindness. Every student participated in creating the Beehive of Kindness and worked hard on spreading kindness throughout the year. Page 8

A big THANK YOU to all the volunteers and the community members who have donated time, money, and food this year! To learn more about the program, contact Senta Holmes at (262)-741-9146 or you may email her at holmse@elkhorn.k12.wi.us.

DISTINCTION

Herb Kohl 2023 Education Foundation Awards

Dr. Kelly Demerath &Maggy Green

Each year, the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation recognizes Wisconsin educators, principals, students, and schools through its educational award program. We are very happy to recognize two people in our district who are recipients of an award this year.

Principal Leadership Award

Career and College

Academy(CCA) Principal, Dr. Kelly Demerath, received one of 16 Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Principal Leadership program awards. Dr. Demerath’s leadership and innovation has helped to expand the the CCA from 70 to over 200 students. Her efforts in grant writing and program innovation have procured the YouthBuild project, as well as various mental health resources and apprenticeship programming.

Teacher Fellowship Award

Maggy Green, Senior Skills teacher and program coordinator at the Career & College Academy, received one of 100 Herb Kohl Educational Foundation 2023 Teacher Fellowship awards. Ms. Green’s high expectations for students have them graduating with a career-based learning experience, an apprenticeship, or service to the community. In addition to this, Ms. Green assists students in successfully completing Gateway Technical coursework.

WI Energy Educator of the Year

Dave Kruse

Agriculture teacher, David Kruse, has been named a 2023 Wisconsin Energy Educator of the Year by the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP). Mr. Kruse was recognized for his effort to make energy education a priority in his teaching and outreach initiatives. Mr. Kruse was given $1000 (payable to the high school) to further his energy education efforts. Mr. Kruse will be recognized formally in November of 2023 at KEEP’s Celebration of Excellence Awards Banquet.

VFW Teacher Award

Katie Sperle

Each year, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) selects elementary, middle, and high school teachers to participate in the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher program. This year, our local VFW Post 6375 selected Katie Sperle, EAMS Social Studies teacher. Mrs. Sperle was selected for her dedication to promoting civic responsibility and patriotism in the classroom.

EAHS Scholarships

EAHS Scholarship Foundation

WI ProStart Educator/Year

Jenny Wehmeier

Jenny Wehmeier, Culinary Arts Educator at EAHS, received the 2023 Wisconsin ProStart Educator of the Year from the Wisconsin Restaurant Association in February. The nomination and selection are made by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and are based on outstanding Culinary Arts/ProStart programs throughout the state.

On Honors Night, the EAHS Scholarship Foundation awarded over $277,000 through 231 scholarships to Elkhorn graduates. In addition, 11 post graduates received a total of $8,000 in post graduate scholarships. Since 1986, the Foundation has given out over $4,554,000 in scholarship monies to 3,117 EASD graduates.

From

the Athletic Director John Handel

We just finished up another exciting year of Athletics and acitivities at Elkhorn Area High School! Education based athletics/activities continue to be the front porch to our school district, and provide learning opportunities for so many of our students. This year we joined forces with Champions 101, a sports performance and leadership program for athletes, coaches, and sports parents.

As we move forward, we will continue to focus on relationships and growth, and teaching lifelong lessons to our students.

Elkhorn was fortunate enough to have state champions in Girls Tennis (Parker Christensen), in Powerlifting (Jessica Haggerty), and in Esports - Smite (Trenton Hodges, Adam Nicewarner, Jaylyn Palenshus, Riley Novotny-Martin, and Ben Harvey).

Gymnastics Team

Elkhorn

Area High School

The EAHS Gymnastics team finished the year with a third place finish at the State Gymnastics Championships. Individual accomplishments include: Gabby Dixon - 6th on Bars; Kaylee Frank - 2nd on Bars, tie for 2nd on Floor Exercise, and 3rd All Around; Jenna Heindselman - 5th on Floor Exercise. The State team included: Takiyah Bolton, Gabby Dixon, Kaylee Frank, Jenna Heindselman, Kate Krauklis, Rachel Pena, Maci Skala, and Ava Zepezauer.

SkillsUSA

Elkhorn Area High School

The Elkhorn Area High School SkillsUSA Chapter took 13 students to the State Conference in Madison to compete in six different events. These consisted of Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair, Robotics - Urban Search and Rescue, Culinary Arts, Cosmetology, Related Technical Math, and Team Engineering Challenge.

The hands-on portion of the Culinary Art competition took place prior to the State Conference, and was held at Waukesha County Technical College. EASD Silver Medalists include: Eleanor Campbell - Culinary Arts; Lucy Rudolf & Luke Degraer (Robotics Urban Search and Rescue team). Judy Rodriguez earned a Bronze Medal in Cosmetology.

The WIAA Scholar Athletes nominees from Elkhorn this past year were Ray Beilman (Boys) and Ella Storlie (Girls).

We also had four teams qualify for State this year: Girls Tennis, Cheer (Non Tumble and Game Day routines), Gymnastics, and Esports, as well as Southern Lakes Conference Championships in Boys Soccer, Girls Tennis, Gymnastics, and Softball.

We had well over 150 students participate in State Competitions this year in Athletics and Activities.

We look forward to seeing everyone out at a game this Fall. Homecoming is scheduled for Friday, September 29th.

John Handel

Activities/Athletics Director

Elkhorn Area High School

Cheerleading Team

Elkhorn Area High School

Elkhorn Varsity Cheer team qualified for State in both the Game Day Large and Large Non Tumble events. They placed 2nd place in Large Non Tumble, making them State runner up! Way to go Elkhorn Cheer!

Track and Field Elkhorn Area High School

The Boys and Girls Track teams took seven members to the State Track and Field Championships. Congratulations to Owen Backus, who placed 6th in the 400m dash.

Forensics

Elkhorn Area High School

EAHS had two top finishers at the State Forensics Meet in April, both first year competitors. Freshman Ramsey Bonneville earned a gold medal and Sophomore Jillian Rule earned bronze. Congratulations to each of these talented students!

BRAYDEN ZOELLNER

WrestlingState Qualifier

JESSICA HAGGERTY

PowerliftingState Champion

PARKER CHRISTENSEN Tennis- State Champion. Finished a perfect season with a 34-0 record.

HOSA - Future Health Professionals

Elkhorn Area High School

The Elkhorn HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) group had 25 members qualify for the 2023 HOSA International Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas. HOSA is a student-led organization whose goal is to educate students about career paths in the health industry, and to empower students to be future leaders.

Students at HOSA Leadership conferences compete in events that focus on leadership, professional, and technical skills. Students can compete as individuals or as a team, and the event can be a competitive or a recognition event. Students who place 1st through 3rd at State qualify for HOSA Internationals.

Competitive Events

Elkhorn had students place 1st in two team events and four individual events at State. Two of those teams earned top placements internationally. The Public Health team consisting of Jacob Mertes, Lucy Woolever, and Lily Hamilton finished in the top 27 teams in the world after qualifying for round two of their event. The Medical Innovations Team of Rhianna Pena and Peyton Williams finished in the top 38 teams in the world with their Splinter Sucker innovation.

In the new Anatomage Anatomy Tournament event during the State HOSA Leadership Conference, we had three teams place first, second, and fourth. This event tests students’ anatomical

Esports: Communication & Strategy

Elkhorn Area High School

knowledge using a virtual anatomage table. This is a State only event, and so these teams did not compete at the International Leadership Conference.

Recognition Events

The Elkhorn HOSA Chapter was celebrated at the International Leadership Conference for raising over $1000 for Be the Match! This was more than any other chapter in Wisconsin. In Dallas, eight students received the Barbara James Service Award for over 100 hours of service to their community. Those students were: Abby Kiel, Maddy Klopfer, Sienna Reece, Jacob Mertes, Brighton Stringham, Mackenzie Petrasek, Rachel Pena, and Anna Binstock. Congratulations to all of the students who competed at both State and Internationals.

Our EAHS esports teams continue to grow and inspire. This year, we had three teams qualify for State, with all three placing in top three postions. In the Fall, the Smite team placed first at the State championships. Led by Senior Trenton Hodges, the team of Riley Novotny-Martin, Ben Harvey, Jaylyn Palenshus, and Adam Nicewarner finished the regular season undefeated and were crowned the Wisconsin High School State Champs at Madison College.

The Smash team also competed in the Fall State Championships and were State runner up this year after coming in a close second to Fort Atkinson.

The League of Legends team competed this Spring at Carthage College and brought home third at State. Both Smite and League of Legends are very team oriented, with communication being key to success.

Top Tech Challenge

Elkhorn Area High School

EAHS Automotive students competed in two different Universal Technical Institute Top Tech Automotive Challenges. Two teams competed at each competition. Teams had to first pass a written ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) style skills test before qualifying for the hands on portion in the shop. At the competition in Lisle, IL, Dylan Carstensen and Alex Werfelmann took 3rd place, each winning $5000 scholarships and $1800 in tools. At the competition in Appleton, they took 6th place, each winning a $1000 scholarship. Alyssa Aday and Collin Jasper also competed well at each competition.

WI State Honors Band

Elkhorn Area High School

In April, Savanah Giebel was selected to be a member of the 2023 Wisconsin State Honors Band through the Wisconsin School Music Association. More than 1250 of the most advanced band students around the state of Wisconsin completed a rigorous audition to compete for spots in the State Honors Music Project ensembles. Savanah and the other students around Wisconsin who were selected will attend a summer camp to learn the music together, and then will perform in October at the Wisconsin State Music Conference in Madison. It is a great accomplishment to be accepted into this elite ensemble. Congratulations Savanah!

Our “One in a Million” Authors & Illustrators

Southern Lakes Anthology Project

Each year our students in grades 3-8 have the opportunity to participate in the Southern Lakes Anthology Project sponsored by the Southern Lakes Advanced Learners Network. This enrichment activity is an oportunity for students to become published authors or illustrators as they write poems, prose, or expository pieces. They can also choose to create cartoons or illustrations that embrace the annual theme of the book. This year’s theme was One in a Million. Elkhorn Area School District had 21 students honored at UW Whitewater for their achievement this year in having their work selected by area judges for publication. Congratulations to our young authors and illustrators!

National Blue Ribbon Honors

Tibbets Elementary

In Spring of 2022, Elkhorn Area School District Superintendent

Jason Tadlock and Tibbets

Elementary Principal Bryan Frost received notification that Tibbets would be nominated as a Blue Ribbon School. Following an intensive application process, in September 2022, Tibbets Elementary was named a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School. Tibbets was one of eight schools in Wisconsin and one of 297 schools in the nation to receive this honor this year.

National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation. Tibbets Elementary is recognized as an “Exemplary High-Performing School”, indicating that they are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.

Members of the Tibbets School Staff and District Administration were invited to Washington, D.C. where each school was honored by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona at an annual awards ceremony. Each school received a plaque and flag to signify its national achievement. A “Blue Ribbon” Celebration Ceremony was then held on November 18, 2022 at Tibbets Elementary. Students, staff, parents, current and past principals, district administration and state representation gathered to celebrate the honor.

CCA Awarded YouthBuild Grant Career and College Academy

In April, the students and staff of the Career and college Academy were awarded the YouthBuild grant from the US Department of Labor. Among the 68 total recipients, Elkhorn is one of only two public school districts in the nation to receive the federal award.

This is the second YouthBuild grant that CCA has been awarded. The previous award funded the successful construction of an affordable single-family home in Whitewater and provided construction and employability skills education for over 50 students. Students were supported by a team of dedicated professionals, including a construction manager, career coach, local professionals and employers, and other strategic partners to become career ready.

The new grant will partner with Habitat for Humanity in Walworth County and the Walworth County Housing Authority to construct two homes within the next four years. Each cohort of students will earn industry-recognized certifications in OSHA, First Aid, AED, CPR, National Center for Construction Education and Research Certification (NCCER), SNAP-On Certifications, and the “Bring Your ‘A’ Game” Work Ethic Certification from the National Center for Work Ethic Development. The Elkhorn YouthBuild Program is certified as a Wisconsin Department for Workforce Development PreApprenticeship Program.

The first cohort of students will begin July 2023. To learn more about this program, go to cca.elkhornschools.org.

Clockwise from top left: Options Virtual Charter School, Tibbets, Jackson, West Side.

Middle School students who participated in the Southern Lakes Anthology.

Work-Based Learning Program

Elkhorn Area High School

The Elkhorn Area High School WorkBased Learning Program, which includes our Youth Apprentices (YA) and State Certified Co-op Students, has long been recognized in our Southeastern Wisconsin Consortium as the leader in making connections between education, training, and employment. As we continue to strengthen our partnerships with community businesses, our students become more informed of careers in the workplace and receive the necessary training and exposure to a wide variety of industries and the jobs they offer. A few of the career fields our students can choose to explore include: health care, manufacturing, trades, and agriculture. Our students are able to incorporate real world experience as part of their school day, earn credit, and receive a paycheck. Most importantly, students experience what it’s like to work in a field of their choice.

Returns on their investment include determining if the specific occupation is a good fit, networking with professionals developing and refining the ever-soimportant employability skills along with the occupational skills in their specific industry. As each year goes by, more and more students are finding out about work-based learning and how beneficial it is toward developing their career pathway. And, a round of applause for all of our community business partners who, without their support and investment in our students’ futures, we would never be able to make these learning experiences happen!

PLTW STEM Grant Options Virtual Charter School

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Wisconsin RtI Center District Recognized Schools

Each year the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recognizes schools for successfully building a school-wide equitable, multilevel system of supports aimed at closed achievement gaps. This year, the Elkhorn Area Middle School was recognized for its implementation in all three areas of Reading, Math, and Behavior at the Gold level. The Elkhorn Area High School was recognized for its implementation in Math and Reading at the Gold level. We also congratulate Jackson Elementary and Tibbets Elementary for earning Silver recognition in Reading and Math implementation. Tibbets School earned bronze recognition and Jackson School earned Silver recognition for Behavior/PBIS implementation.

National research shows that full implementation of a multilevel system of supports increases consistency of effective instruction for all students, building staff knowledge and skills to support all learners, using data to more quickly identify and provide support for students, and shifting to a proactive culture that supports stronger relationships with students, their families, and our community.

Congratulations to the students and staff! To learn more about the Wisconsin RTI Center’s recognized Schools Program, visit www.wisconsinrticenter.org/faq/

The Options Virtual Charter School (OVCS) received a $100,000 grant from the Project Lead the Way non-profit organization. This grant will allow OVCS to expand STEM opportunities at all grade levels. Part of the grant dollars were used to offer some new technology based classes available to our middle school and high school students. One of those classes, The Essentials of Engineering class is offered to our high school students. The course introduces students to engineering concepts that are applicable across multiple engineering disciplines and empowers them to build technical skills through the use of a variety of engineering tools, such as geographic information systems (GIS), 3-D solid modeling software, and prototyping equipment. Another class that we are able to offer to both middle school and high school students is the STEM App Creators class. This class exposes students to computer science as a means of computationally analyzing and developing solutions to authentic problems through mobile app development, and conveys the positive impact of the application of computer science to other disciplines and to society. Options students are attending these classes in the building and working in small groups with our trained teachers. This is the first year using the PLTW curriculum and it has been a great learning experience and opportunity for our students!

DECA

Elkhorn Area High School

Elkhorn DECA sent four students to the 2023 DECA International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida in April. Luke Dupont qualified in Accounting Principles,while the team of Grace Alderman, Lauren Vorpagel, and Madison Osborn qualified in their Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan project. This team made it to the finals (top 10 Nationally) for their String Things project at the DECA International Conference. Their project was a creative design for hoodie strings that were designed not only to break away for safety, but also used interchangeable strings with fidgets, pacifiers (for babies), decorative items, or standard ties.

Budget Overview

Meeting Students’ Needs

The annual budget is a financial plan to implement educational programs for the year. The Elkhorn Area School District is committed to meeting students’ needs, while managing resources wisely to provide the best possible return on investment for the community.

The district’s solid financial position was recently reaffirmed by Moody’s financial rating agency by maintaining an excellent Aa2 credit rating.

The EASD Board of Education has approved a preliminary budget for the 2023-2024 school year, representing a 2.77% increase in expenses and includes a tax levy of $22,428,068, with an estimated tax rate of $7.70, down from $7.71 in 2022-2023. The proposed levy will increase $645,712, or 2.96%, from the 2022-2023 tax levy.

The district’s student head count enrollment increased slightly in 2022-2023, with status quo projected for 2023-2024.

The chart below shows expenditures per student for Elkhorn, as well as comparable districts in the state of Wisconsin. Student expenditures include activities directly dealing with the teaching of students or the interaction between teachers and students, as well as overall operational costs over the regular school year, such as transportation of students, building maintenance, salaries, etc. If you would like to know more about the district’s financial information, please visit our webpage.

Source: WI Policy Forum

Elkhorn Area School District

3 N. Jackson Street

Elkhorn, WI 53121 ∙ 262-723-3160

www.elkhorn.k12.wi.us

Mark Your Calendar Looking Forward

Jul. 24 Elkhorn Area School District Annual District Meeting

6:00pm Elkhorn Area High School Auditorium

Aug. 24 By Invitation, Kindergarten Open House

4:30pm - Jackson, Tibbets and West Side Elementary Schools

6:30pm

Aug. 28 Middle School 6th Grade Open House

4:00pm - Elkhorn Area Middle School

7:00 pm

Aug. 28 By Invitation, Kindergarten Open House

4:30pm - Jackson, Tibbets and West Side Elementary Schools (2nd Date)

6:30pm

Aug. 28 High School Back to School Night

5:00pm - Elkhorn Area High School

8:00pm

Aug. 29 Middle School Open House - Grade 7/8

4:00pm - Elkhorn Area Middle School

7:00pm

Aug. 29 Grade 1-5, Elementary Open House

5:00pm - Jackson, Tibbets and West Side Elementary Schools

6:30pm

Sept. 5 First Day of School 2023 - 2024

BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS: Held bi-weekly, Mondays at 6:00 pm in the 1887 Administrative Service Building Board Room. Videos are posted online for viewing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Your first stop to find information about policies, events, news, and every school is www.elkhorn.k12.wi.us

Also, remember to check out EASD on Facebook and Youtube, and follow us on Twitter.