News from the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School Distric t
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the cardinal From the Superintendent
Dr. Brad Saron
As superintendent of the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District (CFAUSD), I occasionally get the pleasure of hearing from parents about their experiences in the school district. Frequently, these stories are about the strong connections students develop with faculty, coaches, Dr. Saron on vacation with his family. and directors. I hear about the life lessons that our students learn while in class, on the field, or engaged in service. I hear about the excitement of a new school year, including the trials and accomplishments of Marching Band, the sweat and motion of Cross Country, and the enthusiastic angst of beginning the school year with a new teacher.
Community Conversation CHIPPEWA FALLS AREA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Our faculty plays a vital role in the CFAUSD experience. The role of a teacher is not just a punch-in, punch-out position. It is a way of life based on a calling. Our faculty regularly connects with students, parents, and community members not only as teachers, but as advisors, coaches, chaperones, mentors, fellow parents and grandparents, and valued members of our great city. Take a moment as you walk the sidewalks outside our school buildings or as you peer down the hallways of our schools to note the faculty and staff as they walk toward the field, course, pool, court, or classroom. The passion, innovation, commitment, and talent of our faculty make up the energy that will propel us toward our school district’s vision of Educational Excellence for a Changing Tomorrow! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out. n
● We’ve refined our parent connections. This year we will
“AN UPDATE”
In February of 2014, the school district partnered with the community to hold a Community Conversation for Educational Excellence. Here, a diverse group of 140 community stakeholders developed a set of priorities for the school district. The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District has been working hard on these priorities. Here’s an update! ● The Board of Education has aligned its Results Policies with
the top themes from the Community Conversation. The Board will annually monitor for implementation of the policies. ● We’ve developed a Strategic Plan to effectively plan for the
deployment of these important priorities. ● We’ve hired a Career and Technical Education Coordinator.
This coordinator will help students access work-based experiences and will allow the district to better support students as they plan for future careers. ● We are in the process of implementing a Communications
Plan to strengthen communications between our schools and the community.
continue our Parent University program series, hold two districtwide parents meetings, support PTO involvement, and, for the first time, survey parents to better understand parent satisfaction with the school district. ● We are developing an assessment tool to gauge program
effectiveness for co-curricular programs, wellness opportunities, and life skills classes. ● We’ve hired Instructional Coaches to support excellence in the
classroom, including critical thinking and problem solving. ● We’ve expanded the One-to-One Laptop Program in
the high school to better support dynamic student learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom. Fueled by February’s Community Conversation, our goal is to advance our commitment to Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District’s vision: Educational Excellence for a Changing Tomorrow. This goal is so important to us that we have captured it in a tagline for this school year: “A Renewed Promise. A New Perspective.” This tagline epitomizes our strategic planning efforts, which are designed to give us a renewed sense of purpose and direction as we serve our students and families. With our exceptional faculty, our wonderful students and families, and our unbelievably supportive community, this strategic plan will propel us into a new golden age of education for the kids and community of Chippewa Falls! n
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Response to Instruction (RtI)
for Gifted Students by Jenny Starck, Director of Curriculum
READY TO READ!
by Dana Sommerfeld, Director of Assessment, Quality, and BB4C
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he leading research in emergent reading skills indicates that strong readers are grown from rich experiences with literacy, including thousands of hours of one-to-one reading and exposure to diverse vocabulary. However, we know that not all children have the same opportunities to develop a strong reading foundation. Our District’s preschool program, Building Bridges for Children (BB4C), is designed to encourage and support the early reading and writing growth all of our young students by providing literacy rich environments. A child’s year in BB4C provides hundreds of hours of listening and responding to read-aloud stories, developing and writing stories of their own, and being immersed in a world of rich and diverse vocabulary. Each day our children are given the opportunities and encouragement they need to travel further into their journey to become great readers! n
CHECK OUT OUR AWESOME VIDEO!
Click on SCHOOLS and the BB4C link under Pre-Kindergarten.
cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us
In Wisconsin, educational plans for gifted students are based on three major ideas: 1) intelligences are dynamic and fluid; 2) giftedness is inclusive; and 3) educational systems should be responsive to gifted students. With these premises in mind, the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District continues to work on developing educational options for gifted students through what is known as the Response to Instruction (RtI) process. The assumption of the RtI model is that each gifted student receives high-quality, research-based, and differentiated instruction from classroom teachers in our everyday classroom setting. This process includes implementing and sustaining efforts which ensure that students have access to differentiated curriculum, flexible pacing, cluster grouping, acceleration, and/or other universal interventions available to all students. In gifted education, rather than using remediation-based interventions, strength-based interventions and programming are used to engender tiered instruction, as described below.
TIER 1: Universal Classroom Instruction. This instruction utilizes scientificallybased curriculum and methods to teach critical elements of a subject. This is provided for all students and should meet the needs of 80 – 90% of gifted students.
TIER 2: Selected Instruction. This specific instruction, which allows students to grow in their learning. It is generally provided in small groups and may be year-long, as in guided reading groups or may be centered on select project-based learning.
TIER 3: Targeted Instruction. This instruction is provided for students at the most risk of not making progress and may include skipping specific grades or courses. The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District is still working to improve the RtI process for all students, and we continue to review research-based instructional strategies and interventions. Changes in accountability now demand that public schools demonstrate growth in learning as a result of instruction rather than simply meeting grade level benchmarks, as in the past. This requires more data collection and frequent feedback to ensure that students have grown in their learning as a result of the instruction provided to them. ________________
Resources: DPI, What is Giftedness?. Nekoosa School District Response to Instruction (RtI) Gifted and Talented Education Program Plan
CHIPPEWA FALLS AREA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Community Conversation Tuesday, February 3, 2015
1858
B The first school superintendent was hired who, in turn, hired the first teacher.
B The first district schoolhouse was built on the corner of Bay Street and Grand Avenue for students within the village of Chippewa Falls.
Watch for more information.
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
First High School 1858
cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us
B Rural districts grew rapidly as farms were established.
1924
B By 1924 there were 122 one-room rural schools.
News from the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District
SOUTHVIEW EXPANSION
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Beginning last February, an expansion and major renovation took place at Southview Elementary School. The building was originally designed for two sections per grade, but recent enrollment growth was pushing for a threesection building. Classes were split where they could be, but there was not one inch of unused space.
A 25,000-square-foot addition turned Southview into a three-section building. It also became the home of early childhood education. The rest of the facility was updated to include more modern-sized classrooms, more expansive technology integration, small-group and intervention space, adequate staff space, storage, and renovated restrooms. This renovation brings class sizes down to 21 students on average at Southview. Students and staff have been excited about getting acclimated n to their new space. Watch for information about our November 17th open house. RIGHT: Sara Denure, Principal at Southview Elementary, waits to be “buzzed” into the office at Southview’s new secure entrance.
SECURITY RENOVATIONS This summer, safety and security renovations were completed at the remainder of our school sites. For each school the secured entry includes an open foyer, where parents and community members can use a video intercom system to be buzzed into the office. From there, visitors must be “buzzed” through to access the school building. A separate entrance is used for students and staff. We strive to maintain the safest, most secure environment for our students, staff, and community. n
6th Grade Orientation
For 5th Grade Families! The Chippewa Falls Middle School will hold two 6th-grade orientation nights in February. Orientation will run from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the middle school auditorium. February 2, 2015: 5th-grade families who will be having their first child attend Chippewa Falls Middle School. February 3, 2015: 5th-grade families who are not new to the middle school and have had an older sibling attend previously. events include: n introduction to the school and the transition process
ABOVE LEFT: Carol Wilczek, Principal at Stillson Elementary, checks the new entrance of the school. ABOVE RIGHT: Stillson Elementary entrance
1870
B School attendance more than doubled.
n
explanation from the music teachers of performance options
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sign-up for 6th-grade classes
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self-guided tour hosted by WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) Leaders
The staff of the middle school is looking forward to seeing all 5th-grade families at orientation!
INSERT: Intercom at the front entrance for visitors.
-1889
High School circa late 1880s
B Chestnut School was built. B First Ward School, Second Ward School, and Columbia Street School were already
1882
addressing the educational needs of a rapidly growing community.
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Reasons to Choose CHIPPEWA FALLS AREA SCHOOLS Six conveniently located neighborhood elementary schools Teaching staff of 300+ (190 with Master’s Degrees) One-to-One Technology Program, at the high school (recently distributed 1,421 Chromebooks) We proudly partner with 8 local childcare centers to offer 4-year-old Kindergarten
SCAN FOR MENTOR PROGRAM WEBSITE
Awesome Alumni Association that supports students annually with scholarships You can communicate with us and get timely information through Facebook and Twitter Courses in Culinary Arts, Family Foods, and Foods of the World Over 2,500 nutritious breakfasts served each day Offer Division 1 options while still having a sense of community Student Emergency Response Team (SERT) qualified to respond to student emergencies at school Nationally recognized Wire Choir which performed in Beijing, China Community partnerships and internship opportunities for our students Chippewa Falls High School has 29 athletic teams and intramurals including everything from volleyball, basketball, football, and golf, to swimming, cheer/stunt, and equestrian sports Flags for the Fallen Team, which visited Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, to pay tribute to a Chippewa Falls High School graduate Opportunities to design and construct 3-dimensional products on 3-D printers 7 of 8 schools recognized for excellence in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Nationally recognized by the Healthier Generation for Schools Alliance Our middle school WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) Leaders Program
See our website for more reasons cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us
HELPING KIDS
through the Chippewa Area MENTOR
The Chippewa Area Mentor Program has been a part of the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District for 25 years. The program was started by a handful of motivated community members who had a desire to help kids succeed. The Mentor Program provides a one-to-one relationship between a caring adult and a student in need of additional support. Mentors commit to 30 minutes each week. They provide an effective way to help students build resilience and experience success, both in school and in their personal lives. Today, nearly 200 community members serve as mentors. Every year the Mentor Program serves, on average, 250 students throughout the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District. Mentoring is all about having fun while building social and emotional skills for the students involved. The Mentor Program is supported financially by the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District, United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley, Rutledge Charities, and donations from community businesses and individuals. n
HOW I CAN BECOME A MENTOR? The program is always in need of quality mentors to spend 30 minutes each week with students currently on our waiting list. If you have the time and interest, please contact Kayla Midthun, Program Director for the Chippewa Area Mentor Program, 715.726.2400, ext. 2474. ______________ Photo: Teddy Sande (right) and his mentor June Litscher, Chippewa Falls Middle School
New High School drawing, 1906
1887
B The South Side Schools
maintained a separate school system until it was incorporated into the city system.
PROGRAM
B The new Chippewa Falls Senior High School was built on the northwest corner of Bridge and Cedar Streets.
B In 1938, an addition was made at the back
1906 of the senior high school to house the vocational school.
News from the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District
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Cardinal MILE Initiative
NATIONAL PARTS DEPOT
and the CHI-HI AUTO CLUB
The automotive program at Chi-Hi has recently acquired a 1967 Ford Mustang for a project car. The car was purchased using funds generated from the Chippewa Falls High School car show and will be a long-term, student-centered project for the newly formed Auto Club. The club will be in charge of planning, designing, and restoring the car. Once the restoration is completed, the car will be sold as a fundraiser for the auto program.
When the Auto Club finishes the preliminary design idea, they will work with the Art Department to have students draw and design the final look of the car. The Auto Club will also be working with students in the Tech Ed (Technical Education) department – utilizing every skill from metal fabrication and welding to electronics and graphics. In addition to the multi-department student project, the Auto Club has support from local businesses and other well-known businesses in the industry. National Parts Depot and Thoroughbred GT, for example, have committed to providing most of the replacement sheet-metal parts needed for the project, and Summit Racing, JEGS, and Mustang Depot will provide discounts on many parts. n
The Chi-Hi Auto Club is interested in hearing from anybody who would like to help with donations and/or could offer any type of support for the project. For more information contact Mr. Travis Tainter at 715.726.2406 ext. 1313 or e-mail at taintetf@chipfalls.org.
1922
B The City Council, with Eugene O’Neil as Mayor, adopted
a resolution appropriating $175,000 for the construction of the new Bay Street Junior High School.
Unveiled at Chi-Hi For the 2014-2015 school year, a new learning initiative has been rolled out at Chippewa Falls High School. The Cardinal MILE (Mobile Integrated Learning Environment) is a teaching and learning initiative where each student receives a Dell Google Chromebook. The students will keep the Chromebook throughout high school to help them extend learning beyond the walls of the classroom. By implementing technology for all students we will be able to speed up the acquisition of knowledge, enhance and expand the ability to interact and collaborate and continue to eliminate place and time as limitations on education. Moving forward the mission of the Cardinal MILE is as follows: ● Chippewa Falls High School students will use mobile technology as a tool to enhance their ability to learn, selecting the appropriate technology for the task at hand. ● Students will be able to search, access and assess information, working with technology confidently and capably. ● Students will develop skills that will enable them to learn throughout their lives, including the ability to share the information and knowledge acquired in written, oral and multimedia formats. ● Chippewa Falls High School instructional staff will integrate technology with the curriculum, using it as a tool to enhance teaching, as a means of instruction and as a learning resource.
More information regarding the Cardinal MILE can be found on our district website at cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/district/1-1info.cfm
Chippewa Falls Junior High School on Bay Street, built 1922
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TECH SAVVY TEACHERS The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District has embraced the power of Google Apps for Education, which encompasses word processing, spreadsheets, presentation slides, and various other drawing and charting tools that include sharing capabilities and real-time collaboration opportunities. This allows students and teachers to work together to create and improve student work. In order to support teachers in leveraging the power of Google Apps for Education, the school district has provided opportunities for teachers to become certified as Google Educators. Teachers must undergo training and pass five to six challenging online tests generated by Google. Our district now has over 40 Google Educators. These teachers are very comfortable with many aspects of Google Apps for Education. When teachers know and understand technology tools, they are able to enhance educational practices. Five Google Educators from the middle and high schools spent last school year training other teachers both within the district and outside the district, continuing to study and use Google tools with students and speaking at conferences across the midwest. These Google Educators went on to apply to become Google Education Trainers.
Throughout the past two summers and the past school year, our certified Google Educators and Google Education Trainers have continued training other teachers in our district on Google Apps for Education in order to enhance the learning of students in our school district. n
Left to right: Cara Schueller, Pam Bowe, Julie Petersen,
Amy Ambelang, Candy Jenke, Michelle Stowell, Chad Burger, Jacey Lea, Kim King, Amanda Fay, Lorna Wells, Chelsea Anderson, Mary Jakel, Nicole Brown, Dawn Totzke, Amanda Turner, Wendy Exner, Katy Wolner, Rachel Arendt, Michele Nuttelman, Kate Fjelsted, Mary Baldeshweiler, Crissy Hanson, Kris Kolinski, Sarah Radcliffe, Jesse Pukrop
The
Chi-Hi School Store welcomes you back to another school year!
Each year the Entrepreneurship and Retail Management class at the Chippewa Falls High School opens the store called Chi-Hi School Store. The class does all of the planning, preparation, and final operation of the store, which is run out of the high school. Because the store is run by students it re-opens again at the start of the new school year. The students design new products and decide what is stocked in the store. It should be in full operation by mid-October. Our goal this year is to expand our hours of operation.
Chippewa High School, built 1906
High School Manual Training Department, circa 1920
We will include a few home games/sports events and other events and will continue to be open at the end of each school day from 3:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. We are also working on creating a new website, to give our products an online marketplace. This will allow our students an opportunity to learn about and experience first-hand all aspects of a fully operational e-tail business. n Any questions can be directed to Andrew Behnke, School Store Advisor, 715.726.2406, ext. 1410, or behnkeat@chipfalls.org.
B A new high school was built on Terrill Street. The old high school was demolished, but the vocational wing
1938 continued to serve the district for many years.
News from the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District
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We’re Listening
How to contact us Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District 1130 Miles Street Chippewa Falls, WI 54729-1923 Phone: 715.726.2417 Toll Free: 866.701.5864 Fax: 715.726.2781 n n n n n n n n
IMPORTANT CONTACTS
Jim Falls and Hillcrest Elementary Schools Receive Awards FOR
Superintendent
Leading Comprehensive Health, Physical Activity, and Wellness Efforts by Diane Rasmussen, Assistant Food Service Director
Dr. Brad Saron saronbg@chipfalls.org 715.726.2417, Ext. 1808
Business Services
Chad Trowbridge The Alliance for a Healthier Generation awarded 250 schools across the nation with the National Healthy Schools Award for improving nutrition, wellness, and physical activity programs and, transforming the school environment into a healthier place. Jennifer Sarauer, Jim Falls Elementary principal, and Rob Vanderloop, Hillcrest Elementary principal, represented the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District and received these awards at the Alliance’s 2014 Leaders’ Summit in Washington, DC, on September 13, 2014. The Alliance’s Healthy Schools Program has helped more than 24,000 schools increase quality physical activity, health education, and healthy eating; and this year, Jim Falls and Hillcrest Elementary Schools were the only two schools in Wisconsin who earned these awards. To earn the award, schools must demonstrate how they have improved nutrition, wellness, and physical activity programs to meet or exceed stringent standards set by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program. These two elementary schools made
changes that promote healthier eating and physical activity for students and staff in addition to other wellness efforts in the schools. Schools are powerful places to not only teach young people the academic skills they need to succeed but also help them to develop healthy behaviors. Studies show that healthy students perform better on tests, get better grades, attend school more often, and behave better in class. Bearing this in mind, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation launched its Healthy Schools Program in February of 2006 with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Program promotes a comprehensive approach by helping schools improve access to healthier foods; increase physical activity opportunities before, during, and after the school day; enhance nutrition education; and establish staff wellness programs to build a healthier school environment. As we move into the upcoming school years, other schools in our district will be making strides to create a healthier place to live, work, and play. n
trowbrcm@chipfalls.org 715.726.2417, Ext. 1806
Human Resources & Public Relations
Michelle Golden
goldenmr@chipfalls.org 715.726.2417, Ext. 1910
Pupil Services & Special Education
Christine McMasters mcmastcl@chipfalls.org 715.726.2785, Ext. 3003
Instructional Programs
Jenny Starck
starckjl@chipfalls.org 715.726.2785, Ext. 3000
Educational Technology
Scott Kowalski
kowalssj@chipfalls.org 715.720.3753, Ext. 3753
Assessment, Quality, and BB4C
Dana Sommerfeld
sommerdm@chipfalls.org 715.726.2785, Ext. 3004
Buildings, Grounds & Safety
Randy Knowlton
knowltrc@chipfalls.org 715.726.2417, Ext. 1904
Food Service
Susan Lang
To learn more about the Healthy Schools Program and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, visit HealthierGeneration.org.
L to R: Standing next to the cornerstone for the new high school are: Earl Mollard, Sever Remol, Florence Lunde, and Robert Halmstad. October 1957
langsr@chipfalls.org 715.726.2400, Ext. 2790
Chippewa Falls Senior High School, 1958
All photos courtesy of the Chippewa County Historical Society
8 CHIPPEWA FALLS AREA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Administrative Office
Board of Education BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS
Regular meetings are held monthly as designated on the board meeting calendar and are open to the public. All meeting dates are posted, and all meetings start at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise specified, in the District Office Board Room, 1130 Miles Street.
1130 Miles Street
n
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PA I D
EAU CLAIRE, WI PERMIT #1557
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
AGENDAS
Agendas are posted on the school district website under District and Board of Education. Hard copies are available in the District Office, library, and city hall.
MINUTES
The minutes are published on the school district website under District and Board of Education and in the Chippewa Herald.
ADDRESSING THE BOARD To address the Board sign up the night of the meeting on the sheet that is provided at the entry table. GOVERNANCE Governance for Excellence is a results-oriented framework used by the Board to
ensure a system focus on our school district’s vision and results policies. Both our school district’s vision and our results policies are based on authentic community feedback. Our Community Conversations have opened clear lines of communication with community stakeholders. We value community feedback and embedded it into our operational expectations and results policies. THE CARDINAL LINE published by the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District n DISTRICT OFFICE 715.726.2417 n E-MAIL cardinalline@chipfalls.org n n SUPERINTENDENT Dr. Brad Saron PUBLIC RELATIONS Michelle Golden LAYOUT/DESIGN Des Sikowski-Nelson
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cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us
Coffee with the Board
CHIPPEWA FALLS AREA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
9 a.m. – 10 a.m. 4:30 AM Coffeehouse Chippewa Falls DATES
Coffee with
November 12, 2014 February 12 and May 12, 2015
the Board
Jim Dimock President
Amy Mason Vice President
Staish Buchner Clerk
Pat Allen
Jerry Smith
Peter Lehmann
Treasurer
Board Member
Board Member
Ralph Coushman
PARENT UNIVERSITY
R
Mr. Coushman also serves the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District as the Pupil Services van driver, a role he has had for 6 years. His post high school education includes attending UW-Eau Claire. In 2009-2010, Ralph was recognized by AAA as the National Patrol Advisor of the Year. He has also enjoyed the past 35 years with the Optimist Club in Chippewa Falls. Ralph and his wife, Lucy, spend many hours with their two grandchildren. Ralph can honestly say, “Kids are my life!” Thank you, Ralph, for all of your hard work and dedication to the most important assets of our community – our children. n
Board Member
SAVE THE DATE
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
alph Coushman has assisted safety patrols in Chippewa Falls for 44 years. His safety background stems from serving 25 years with the Chippewa Falls Police Department, during which he sought funding to promote safety among youth by initiating a community support program called Officer Friendly, which taught all aspects of school bus, pedestrian, fire, and personal safety. When police department budget constraints reduced funding for safety education programs, Ralph unselfishly stepped up as a volunteer! He has been on the Safety Patrol Board since 1969. After retiring as County Sheriff, Ralph Coushman with a student Ralph continued to show his passion and commitment to Patroller at Parkview Elementary safety patrol by volunteering his time to organize “Safety Patrol Mini Camp”, which students attend prior to the start of the school year. During Ralph’s tenure, no incidents have occurred at any post covered by his safety patrollers. His commitment to the patrol program never waivers. He is present for every special patrol event and willingly puts forth his time to support patrollers in each of the local public and parochial schools. Without a doubt, the dedication and commitment Ralph puts into the program makes him one of Wisconsin’s leading advocates in community safety.
Melanie Sinclair-Schaller
Voyagers Community Learning Center Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District presents the second annual PARENT UNIVERSITY
Sunday, February 8, 2015 Keynote:
(Inclement weather date: February 15, 2015)
Corwin Kronenberg, “Teaching Kids to Be Responsible”
Corwin Kronenberg will present techniques for teaching children to be responsible. n Disciplining with Unconditional Love – The Foundation of Responsibility n
Making Rules and Delivering Consequences – That Teach Responsibility
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Implementing Restorative Consequences – The Key to Responsibility
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Dealing with Behavioral Con Games – The Child’s Attempt to Avoid Responsibility
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Holding Children Responsible – A Process for Teaching Responsibility
This presentation was scheduled after being requested through our Community Conversation. Watch the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District website for location/details.
cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/parentUniv.cfm Scan the QR code to access the website.