Gibraltar School News - SPRING 2021

“Wisdom begins in wonder.” - Socrates

GIBRALTAR school news

SPRING 2021

Friends of Gibraltar and Gibraltar Area Schools

Co-Teaching During a Pandemic

BY JODI HOYERMAN & MARISSA NORTON, GIBRALTAR GRADE 1 TEACHERS

What do co-teachers do when a pandemic sets in and COVID restrictions are put into place? Pivot! We have collaboratively cotaught first grade for many years at Gibraltar Elementary. We’ve flexibly mixed students during instructional sessions, making two classrooms of students into one big family of learners. This year, the pandemic brought about new challenges for our instructional design. We contemplated how we could build a learning community and meet students’ needs when they are intentionally kept distanced and separated from one another. There were certainly obstacles to overcome!

In August, we designed a common schedule. We kept this daily framework consistent throughout the school year. First graders soon learned that at the top of each hour a new learning session began. This predictability was beneficial because our families and students knew what to anticipate throughout the day. As students slowly opted to return to school, this common schedule allowed for a seamless transition into a hybrid format.

During this pandemic year, a typical first grade day consisted of eight instructional sessions. Some sessions were taught to the whole group with one of us leading the instruction within a Zoom meeting and the other teacher casting on a display and assisting students. The technology department provided each Gibraltar classroom with a display board, web camera, tripod, and conference microphone which enabled students to interact and see their classmates regardless of where they were physically-at home or in the classroom across the hall. Other sessions were held on Zoom with mixed groups placed in breakout rooms. Mrs. Meyer and ProfeTomás joined our daily first grade phonics sessions, leading instruction to

INSIDE:

smaller groups of first graders. Teachers adjusted the lessons and the pacing based on their learners’ needs.

First grade was completely remote during the first trimester. To begin building a family of learners, we created a daily share time in which each student was spotlighted and encouraged to share. Students shared their pets, toys, creations, jokes, and family events. Another special highlight was our First Grade Holiday Talent Show, held the day before winter break. Students prepared for a week. They amazingly performed puppet shows, danced, sang, told holiday jokes, shared special holiday traditions, and even a few parents joined in on the fun. We laughed and sang together, creating a special first grade memory.

Midyear, students began to return to the school building and were placed in their designated classroom cohorts, while others remained at home. Although separated, our students continued to learn more about each other. We assigned a daily Roll Call Student who would check attendance. First graders had fun switching it up each day and asking their friends to replace the typical “Here” or “Present” with different responses such as: share your favorite holiday, favorite pet, favorite shape, or favorite number.

First graders love to celebrate their birthdays. The pandemic restrictions made us rethink our typical birthday traditions. We created a “Birthday Buzz” event. The birthday student listened to each student give a compliment, ask a question, send a birthday wish, or sing a song. The students loved it so much that we may continue this tradition post-pandemic.

PAGE 2

• Forest Days & Earth Day

PAGE 3

• Viking Voice Highlights

Parent Perspectives: “(My daughter) said she loved having both of you teaching her different things and likes that she gets to know more teachers this way. She said “its way better to have two teachers that you know because then that is just more options if you ever need help on anything”.

“I think this year has gone really well and (she) loves school. Even with all the changes you both have kept things so well organized and she enjoyed all of it. I don’t know how you managed with the day to day changes it seemed at times but we had nothing but a positive experience with both in person and at home learning.”

“My personal opinion is that the more teachers, teaching styles, differing formats of teaching and variety of learning that kids are exposed to as young children just helps to prepare them for relationships with future educators, bosses, friends and colleagues. I really like the co-teaching model for that reason.” “(My daughter) has loved her first-grade experience and my husband and I think that the more exposure for her to wonderful teachers, the better. We think the team teaching has been positive for her as well. Having observed some of the lessons while the kids were home on zoom, it’s clear that the two of you had team taught before, and it felt pretty seamless to watch you do so. I appreciated that you both were always organized and if there was a technological or other issue that arose, you had another teacher to address it with, rather than all the kids yelling whether or not they could see the screen etc.”

Our first-grade co-teaching design survived the pandemic with many technological and instructional adaptations. Students remained in their classroom cohorts and followed the safety protocols. Despite the pandemic restrictions, a family of learners emerged. Students had the added benefit of both of us teaching, observing, and conferring. We look forward to a new school year in which we will be able to reduce our screen time, flexibly mix students, gather for story time, play partner games, and return to table time learning. For now, we are celebrating our ability to pivot and provide our students with a strong educational foundation.

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• Art Awards

Hairpin 5K Run/Walk July 4, 2021

The Hairpin 5K Run/Walk is the longest running 5K in Door County, WI and it is a great July 4 tradition for runners and walkers of all ages!

This year Friends of Gibraltar will continue the Hairpin 5K Run/Walk as a hybrid event with options to participate in person and virtually on July 4.

Gibraltar students participate for FREE! Friends of Gibraltar Schools has hosted the Hairpin 5K Run/ Walk as a fundraising event for over 30 years with the proceeds providing all of the funding each year for field trips and enrichment experiences for students in grades K-12 at Gibraltar Schools in Fish Creek, WI. During the pandemic we continued a weekly virtual outdoor education program in partnership with the Ridges Sanctuary that got students outside exploring and learning about nature in their backyards. Students created artwork, poetry, writing, and videos to share their nature observations.

This coming school year more than ever students need experiential education to bring their learning to life and to strengthen their connections in our community. Thank you for helping us provide these programs by participating in the Hairpin 5K! Please contact vinni.chomeau@gibraltar.k12.wi.us for free Gibraltar student registration and if you would like to volunteer or be a sponsor for the 5K.

Fish Creek, WI HAIRPINRUN.COM

Friends of Gibraltar and Gibraltar Area Schools

SPRING 2021

FOREST DAYS The Ridges Sanctuary partnered with the Friends of Gibraltar to provide an entire school year of weekly nature videos for students in grades K-6! Each video was about 5 minutes long and packed with wonderful information about the natural processes taking place in Door County at the time of each video. The excellent education team from the Ridges, Sheryl Honig (grades K-3) and Anna Foster (grades 4-6), switched from outdoor in-person education at Gibraltar School to virtual weekly videos in March 2020, and they have created over 135 Door County nature videos for Forest Days! Video topics covered trees, plants, geology, the water cycle, erosion, map and compass skills, animal tracks, bees, wildflowers and so much more!

Anna and Sheryl also responded to each student’s response to their videos every week! This added up to hundreds and hundreds of questions answered and positive encouragement shared with students! Gibraltar School and the Friends of Gibraltar thank the Ridges Sanctuary and Anna and Sheryl for their excellent work and dedication to the students.

Forest Days - Tree Bud Experiment Students clipped a twig from a tree or bush with buds and put it in a cup of water to watch the buds open up close.

“I had a lot of fun with my tree bud experiment. My tree buds broke open on one of my branches! The leaves that came out were very pointy and bright green color. The terminal bud was the first to break open. I think the buds opened on the fifth day.”

“Yesterday I came home and I was looking at the twig with buds I cut and put in water for a while and they all bloomed and it was amazing, the beautiful green leaves. It was so cool. I never really paid attention to buds, leaves and all of those fun things. Thanks so much for the experiment. It’s amazing they all bloomed and sprouted!”

“I planted a Red Pine sapling and it is cool to think that this tiny stick-like thing will be a big Red Pine tree.”

“I picked a spot to plant my cedar sapling where the lawnmower never goes so the seedling won’t get destroyed. I wonder if one day the seedling will become big or will it eventually die?”

Forest Days – Nature Processes

Students shared every week how excited they were to be outside observing nature. They submitted artwork, nature journal entries, handmade nature maps of their backyards, poems, and lots and lots of amazing photos!

In Forest Days students learn about processes as they take place in nature in Door County so they can go outside and see first-hand how these processes work in their yard, school and community.

They learn about processes such as the water cycle and erosion, how trees make and move sap, and how flowers turn to fruit and seeds. They learn about the detailed parts of these processes and how they are interconnected with the seasons, soils, and ecosystems in which they occur.

“Today I looked through the fence and saw the first sign of beautiful spring. I saw flowers! I didn’t know what type of flowers they were but they were so vibrant and bright. I also noticed all the moss that was slowly growing on all the tall trees and the old rocks. I heard a seagull flying above me with its somewhat annoying bird call. I see leaves gently blowing in the wind. I see the sun just barely peeking out from behind a lump of clouds. I see a chickadee shyly hiding in the remaining leaves of a tree. I see the forest floor that has leaves in every spot. Thank You For Listening,” Margaret, Grade 3 “Hi Margaret! Your words are so descriptive that I felt I was looking through the fence with you! I don’t know what flowers you saw, but the first wildflowers that you will see in the forest are pink, white, or purple, and they are called hepatica. They are tiny. Keep your eyes on the forest flower, among the dead leaves.” Sheryl Honig, Ridges Sanctuary Rotary North became a major sponsor of the Forest Day program!

They donated time and funds to help provide this program and to give each elementary student a backpack filled with supplies for exploring the forest! Thank you, Rotary North!

The Forest Day program encourages students to learn from and in nature. We look forward to continuing the Forest Day program and expanding to include grades 7 and 8 in the 2021-2022 school year with a series of Door County Ecosystem field trips.

Forest Days – Sit Spots Becoming a good observer is an important part of learning about nature and we do this with sit spots. Students select to a spot to sit alone for about 10-15 minutes and observe nature. Students created sit spot at home when school was virtual and they observed so many amazing things right outside their door!

The Friends of Gibraltar and the Ridges Sanctuary are teamed up to sustain and expand Forest Days at Gibraltar School and we are looking for support. If you would like to help us by making a contribution to Forest Days please contact vinni.chomeau@gibraltar.k12.wi.us.

Today in my sit spot…

“I saw a pile of a lot of rocks and next to it a big tree with very long and tall shadows. I saw a lot of birds flying above me, maybe 10. I also a lot of snowflakes falling from the sky. The little tree we planted last fall is pretty big. I also saw a tree with white on it and it was smaller than all of the other trees.”

“I saw lots of sprouts in the ground. That made me happy because I haven’t seen new growth in a long time. So that got me excited.”

Here are a few

student observations: “I’ve noticed that in Ephraim they put rocks by the shore because they want to stop erosion. I have also noticed it on hills in Fish Creek. It looked like one of the pictures in the forest days video. The rocks were hovering over each other.

It also looked like mini cliffs.”

“I have never heard of Erosion before? I thought it was cool that it is sometimes how fossils and rocks can combine together. I thought it was cool that when you put sand in a container with sand it sorts out by weight.”

Forest Days - Spending Time Outside enhances learning and our ability to be resilient to stress and life’s challenges, and to observe closely how we are connected to all the living things around us! The students are so good at sharing this!

“Going outside during the pandemic has helped me because it distracts me from all the other bad things that have happened during it.”

“One of my favorite things we did for forest days was to go outside when it was nice and just sit in our sit spot hearing the birds chirping, feeling the soft grass, and feeling the warm air around me.”

“Outside on Gibraltar’s playground we found and identified four types of trees. I really enjoyed doing this because we were able to enjoy nature without the chaos of recces. I really enjoy the informational videos Ms. Anna from the Ridges puts together for Forest Days. I learn so much every day.”

“I didn’t know how cool trees could be till today. I have also seen greenish stuff under baby tree bark. I have not noticed the small tree buds. I did see spruce trees on the trails by my backyard.”

“I learned that trees are not what you think. It takes a lot for them to survive. Just like animals have fur to keep them warm the trees have many, many cells and many things to keep them warm. Trees are not what you think, in fact they are complex.”

“When my class and I where outside we saw amazing stuff like a Boxelder tree, a robin, a leaf called mullein, birch bark, the circles of a dandelion, a cedar leaf that was tiny and had circles layered on top of each other, the inside of a broken stick, a crane building a home (I think?), and we saw the outside and the inside of the birch bark.”

“Today when we were outside, we saw a Boxelder tree bud, light, flowers, leaves, black cherry tree bud, and a dark, small Honeysuckle tree bud. I think buds know when to sprout when it gets really hot and when the days get longer and when the nights get shorter. Leaves are important because they give us shade and somewhere to climb without being spotted.”

“It was snowing outside just a little bit and the weather was cloudy and not sunny. I saw some trees outside didn’t have leaves and some did. I saw lots of leaves outside on the ground and I want leaves on the trees. I have a question will dandelions be coming soon? I love the look of dandelions. It was cold outside so I had to wear a light jacket for spring I hope for sunny days soon. I saw lots of birds outside. I see a lot of red winged blackbirds and they’re cool.”

“I am growing a blueberry bush at my house. None of the blueberries have grown. I also love bees. I got a beehive and I let a bee go on my hand. It felt so funny.”

“I saw the new green buds open up and hopefully soon they will grow into beautiful green leaves. I also saw the last of the dead leaves on the trees. I noticed a daisy pop out of the dry leaves. I also noticed a hole that went deep into the ground. It looked small enough to be a mouse hole but I thought it might have been a snake. I also noticed it was very dark and cloudy outside.”

“I knew that butterflies can put pollen on different plants, but I didn’t know that there are male and female flowers. It was very fun to sit outside at school for the first time today in a very long time. There were so many things outside at school, I loved it. This was so fun, we should do this every day.”

The BIG Plant Thank you to the Climate Change Coalition of Door County and the Ridges Sanctuary for providing trees this spring for each Gibraltar student in grades 4, 5 and 6! Thank you again for providing trees this past fall for each student in grades K-3! This adds up to about 280 trees!

Each tree means something special to each student. Thank you, Ridges Sanctuary for providing excellent videos in the Forest Day program to support tree planting experience.

“I received a tree and I put it on my windowsill. I promise to make it thrive.”

“Today I picked a cedar tree to plant in my yard. I already have an idea for where to put it. We have other pine trees growing that we planted before so I want to plant it by them. I named it Kirishima after my favorite character in an anime story I read and watch. I am going to transfer the cedar to a bigger pot for about three weeks until it gets bigger.”

Friends of Gibraltar and Gibraltar Area Schools

SPRING 2021

VIKING VOICE AWARDS

I would like to share some good news about the Viking Voice. Each year we enter two issues and several individual articles in the WNA Foundation’s High School Better Newspaper Contest. Last year we were honored to receive a 3rd place General Excellence award, which evaluates the overall quality of the paper. This year we received the 2nd place General Excellence award along with a one-thousand dollar scholarship contribution to our newspaper fund! I would also like to recognize the following students who won individual awards: • Second Place, Feature Story – Theo Goode; Pros and Cons of Virtual Learning • Third Place, Public Affairs Reporting – Betsy Lecy; Dollar General Proposes to Locate on Egg Harbor Land • Honorable Mention, Public Affairs Reporting – Lily Sweeney; Door County Public Health Officials Beg Residents to Stay Home • Honorable Mention, Feature Story – Makena Murre; Performing Without An Audience

Every day is earth day.

Gibraltar Elementary students share some great ideas for ways to celebrate and take care of our beautiful earth!

The Earth is important, and Greenhouse gases aren’t helping. Nor is Deforestation.

We shouldn’t celebrate Earth Day once a year we should do it every day by not using so much paper and using bikes instead of driving cars. I can bike to a lot of places. I can walk or ride my skateboard to school instead of driving.

Spend time outside!

Celebrate the earth by sitting outside in your sit spot and enjoy nature.

Have a good time outside with your friends. Take your dog for a walk.

Plants and animals are losing habitat so build bird houses for birds. Build a bird nest in your front yard. Get birds to your backyard by giving them food and water.

Don’t destroy habitats.

Use leftover tupperware for a shelter for animals in need, and plant trees so animals can have homes.

Help ladybugs and other small creatures. Put up a worm feeder.

Turn off any electronics when you don’t need them, turn the lights on only after 6PM, and turn off the lights in rooms when you leave so you do not use more energy than you need.

There is way more trash than you think! The amount you make in a year is enough to fill a swimming pool!

Don’t use plastic bottles, plastic bags, or anything else that could harm the ocean. Buy a reusable water bottle to make sure that I don’t throw them into landfills.

Recycle all the things you can.

Pick up trash because it can destroy our earth and we’ve already done enough of destroying the earth.

Pick up trash in the wilderness so animals don’t assume it is food. Pick up cans and garbage from our roads and ditches.

If you have chickens put your food scraps in a bucket for your chickens to munch on.

These awards are a direct result of the hard work and dedication of the Viking Voice staff coupled with the support of our school staff, parents, and community. If you see any Viking Voice staff members over the next few weeks, please give them a virtual/distanced high five or pat on the back!

SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE VIKING VOICE: Pros and Cons of Virtual Learning

BY THEO GOODE

As summer came to a close with the COVID-19 pandemic still raging and no end in sight, one of the big questions that were being asked across the country was whether or not schools should open for in person classes or go virtual. The first priority of schools is to keep their students, teachers and faculty safe. However, to do that while maintaining an efficient learning environment that can help students succeed can be a difficult task.

Besides keeping everyone safe at home, virtual learning has many advantages. For starters, it is incredibly accessible and allows for extreme flexibility. Students and teachers alike can access virtual classrooms at any time of day and work at their own pace. This opens up a world of opportunities for students who want to revisit materials, online lectures, or who have difficult schedules. One of the other positive facets to an online learning environment is access to resources. With the entirety of the internet at their disposal, students have an unlimited amount of information and scholarly resources. This access to the entire world opens up a myriad of possibilities for teachers and students, including virtual school helpers like Google Classroom.

Should the Voting Age be Lowered?

BY BETSY LECY

The numbers of young people who have come forward to fight for a better world are growing exponentially. After the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, students gathered to campaign for changes to US gun laws. These students challenged the stereotype of American adolescents as languid narcissists who can’t seem to put down their smartphones. Instead, they set a meaningful example of peaceful, expressive protest. Sadly, when it comes to electing officials whose decisions determine the US gun laws and other issues, these students are feeling useless. This needs to change to ensure that their protests have a greater impact.

The federal voting age in the United States should be lowered from 18 to 16.

Consider the multiple countries like Argentina, Austria, Brazil and Scotland who all allow people to vote at the age of 16. In these countries, the voter turnout rate among 16 and 17 year-olds is notably higher than it is among older young adults.

Save water by turning the water off between shampoo and conditioner, and finishing the water you pour yourself to drink.

Similarly, this is also relevant in parts of the United States. In Takoma Park, Maryland, residents as young as 16 are permitted to cast ballots in municipal elections. As a result, the age group of 16 and 17 year-olds is twice as likely to vote than 18 year-olds.

Save water by turning off the water when you brush your teeth, doing this for one year saves enough water to fill an entire swimming pool!

A higher voter turnout is essential in 16 and 17 year-olds. Studies state that those who don’t vote the first time they’re eligible are less likely

Clean up better after yourself!

Donates a lot to good will and other stores that will take these things.

Buy more things not from recyclable stores instead of Amazon.

Borrow a book from a library instead of buying it online because it wastes paper and paper is made from trees.

Students are thankful for the earth and they have made the decision that they can make a difference taking care of our planet and by convincing others to join them in their efforts we can all be caretakers of the earth.

The proposition to lower the federal voting age to 16 is influenced in part by society’s outrage that those who are most vulnerable to school shootings have no say in how such cruelties are prevented. America should provide these students with more power than just their freedom of voice.

In 1915, Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland began an organization that was dedicated to crediting the achievements of Black Americans and people of African descent. In 1926, the group dedicated the second week of February to be National Black History Week. This week was selected because of the important birthdays that fall on it, including the birthdays of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. The week had grown recognition and in the late 1960s, it grew into a month of dedicated celebration. It is now celebrated by Canada and the United Kingdom in addition to the United States. Today this organization is known as the Association for the Study of African American Life.

Mrs. Olson’s Kindergarten class celebrated Earth Day by creating posters showing what they are thankful about the earth.

Recycle, reuse objects, don’t throw garbage on the ground, in the ocean, or anywhere except a garbage can. Make the earth more beautiful by planting flowers and making sure if you cut down a tree you plant a new one. Take care of animals. Turn off lights. Turn off water when you brush your teeth. Grow food so people won’t be hungry.

Furthermore, research proves that 16 and 17 year-olds have the necessary civics knowledge and education to vote in a sensible manner. A study compared the qualities correlated with voting (including civics knowledge, political skills and interest) among citizens 18 or older and citizens below 18. No significant differences were found between the two age groups. Additionally, determining how to vote relies on “cold cognition” which is the process used to describe information processing that does not have a direct impact on emotional responses. Research states that cold cognition matures by the age of 16 and does not advance as one gets older.

BY MAKENIZE KOEHLER

Gibraltar Kindergarten on taking care of the earth

In Mrs. Thomas’s kindergarten class wanted to persuade others to take care of the Earth so they thought of ways that people can help. They wrote and presented their ideas in the auditorium.

to vote repeatedly in the future. Taking into consideration that people between the ages of 18 and 24 have the lowest voter turnout rate in the United States, permitting people to vote at an earlier age at which they are more likely to vote could increase turnouts in future elections for all ages.

A History: Black History Month

Do a toy swap!

They are thankful for trees, butterflies, bees, animal homes, fish, dolphins, sharks, whales, grass, flowers, sunsets, ladybugs, the world, plants, food, forests, and air.

While the accessibility, personalization and safety of virtual learning is definitely helpful, there are also several disadvantages. First, virtual classrooms are entirely dependent on technology and the internet. There are countless students who have poor, unreliable or nonexistent internet access at home and this is a major problem for a learning environment that relies on WiFi connectivity. This complete dependence on technology can also be a problem for when computers and tablets break, or when servers crash for platforms that are needed for school. Even if all of the involved technology is working flawlessly, students and staff still need to know how to operate it. Students and teachers who have a low computer literacy and who don’t know how to operate the equipment that they need will have a far more difficult time trying to complete assignments.

The final problem with virtual learning is that there are some classes that just can’t be taught virtually. Science, technology and shop classes require hands-on learning environments so that students can truly learn the subject. No computer can ever replace the experience of working in a science lab or learning how to use machinery through trial and error.

Overall, virtual learning does a great job keeping students safe and offers countless possibilities for how to run a virtual classroom, but falls short in its reliance on technology and inability to satisfy all curriculums.

A half-century after slavery was abolished in the United States, Carter G. Woodson -- a historian who graduated from Harvard -- realized the lack of representation that was shown within the studies of American history.

Many historians saw African Americans as a tiny piece of America’s story, so Woodson vowed to write the true narrative of his people and honor what they had done for the country.

Every year since 1976, the President of the United States has pronounced the month of February as Black History Month. With this, every year the celebration is given a theme. For 2021, the chosen theme honors the African diaspora and the spread of Africans all over the world.

This year we celebrate the theme of “Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.”

Moderna and Pfizer Vaccine Comes to Door County

BY BETSY LECY

On Jan. 13, Public Health hosted its first COVID-19 vaccination clinic for health care workers in Door County. Following the clinic, roughly 1,450 first doses of the vaccination have been given to the majority of health care workers and long-term care residents who desired the vaccine, according to Door County Public Health, Door County Medical Center (DCMC) and local pharmacies.

All three services have collaborated to deliver the first wave, or Phase 1A, of healthcare employees and long-term care residents. The second doses are said to be given in three to four weeks.

work to catch up. The state is about halfway through vaccinating all those in the 1A category, Krebsbach said.

Local organizations aren’t in control of how many vaccines they’ll receive, when it will receive or even which vaccine they’ll receive. As of Jan. 17, both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been utilized in Door County.

The State Department of Health Services dictates who’s eligible for each phase of the vaccine rollout. Those directions must be obliged in order for the services to remain qualified to receive ongoing doses.

“We know that law enforcement and fire protection staff will be the next group eligible beginning Jan. 18,” Kresbsbach said. “We have seen a preliminary list of individuals who will be included in Phase 1B but we are waiting for specific eligibility criteria to be finalized. When we receive those directions, we will continue to work with those eligible to administer the vaccine as quickly as we are able.”

“Once we are given the direction of who is eligible, we work to determine the number of vaccines we need, and one or both DCMC and public health can request doses,” said Joe Krebsbach, Door County Health and Human Services Director. “Vaccine can be ordered weekly and must be used within the time frame designated by the state, generally less than one week.”

A vaccine campaign of this severity has never occurred before. “We want you to know that the partnership between Door County providers has been outstanding and we are confident we will continue to provide vaccines as efficiently and quickly to the community as we can,” Kresbsbach said. “We will try to provide a brief weekly update as we go.”

This process has slowed the vaccine rollout in Door County, said DCMC CEO Brian Stephens. Stephens said the hospital completed vaccinations for those eligible in Phase 1A almost two weeks ago, but has been awaiting authorization to enlarge its efforts as other areas of the state

DHS has an email newsletter addressing the COVID-19 response and vaccine rollout in Door County that will be sent via email every Friday. Register here: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIDHS/ subscriber/new?topic_id=WIDHS_578

Friends of Gibraltar and Gibraltar Area Schools

News from the Choir Room

by Mary Bondeson, Secondary Choir Director

ART NEWS

SPRING 2021

2021 Miller Art Museum winners from Gibraltar High School!!

Award of Excellence - Audrey Viste Grade 12 Honorable Mention - Sage Krause Grade 12

In-person attendance has grown significantly since early March, when it was made available to every student every day. This has greatly enhanced music making in the choir classroom. Thanks to the support of administration, students have been fit with special Singers Masks, designed to fit snugly around the sides of the face, but with a form in front that keeps it away from the mouth for full open singing without the usual sucking in of the mask. Removable filters add an extra layer of protection. Aerosol studies still indicate the need for choirs to sing for short periods and then clear the space for air exchange, so we are following this protocol during class rehearsals.

The H. S. Choir is still divided into three cohorts. We are preparing a Spring Virtual Choir Project, in collaboration with four other high school choirs from the Bay Area Music Association, our conference of area music programs. The singers are preparing a jazz piece and a modern piece, and Gibraltar will include a number of their own. Look for this release later this spring.

We are happy to be singing the National Anthem at Gibraltar’s outdoor graduation ceremony, to be staged at our football field, weather permitting. Check our school website for updates on this.

Things are very slowly returning to “normal.” Despite an outpouring of resources from our professional trade organizations in response to music teachers’ needs during the pandemic, singing and playing music together in person will always remain at the heart of the musical experience. There is no substitute for this, and that includes both how we learn, and the energy we receive and give during this incredibly rich, diverse exchange. I rise up in song daily and so look forward to when I will be sharing this and teaching this with my students.

Audrey Viste, Grade 12, pen and ink

Sage Krause, Grade 12, oil on canvas

Beyond the Border Inspired by Georgia O’Keefe, the Beyond the Border project is a mixed media art piece that explores the expansion of the main subject matter that is in the inner rectangle branching into the border around it-going beyond the border. The main subject should remain in color, but everything else turns black & white outside the main rectangle.

In song, Mary Bondeson

Under the Spotlight

by Lizz Thomas, Theater Director

Although it is true the Spotlight on our stage has been dimmer this year, next year it will burn even brighter than before. The 20212022 school year will bring new productions that will entertain and educate our community just as we have done in the past.

Nida Zukauskaite, Grade 9, mixed media

August Wisniewski, Grade 9, mixed media

Mosaic Zentangle Grid Portrait Drawings

Toren Bakken, Grade 9, mixed media

Artist Emulations

Our theatre productions have taken a new form this year due to this unprecedented year with technical obstacles in the way. Our original Virtual One Act, (which was written by the cast and Lilliana Sweeney) received many accolades at the State Theatre festival, including, Critics Choice, Ensemble Award, Director’s award, and Lexie Henkel and Audrey Viste both earned Outstanding Acting Awards.

Our cast included Wyatt Beaudot, Lexie Henkel, Mackenize Koehler, Bekka Porter, Carlos Torres, and Audrey Viste. They were a great ensemble and deserved all the recognition they received.

We had a very small but excellent duo in Forensics who both earned their way to the Virtual State Forensics Competition, Bekka Porter earned a silver medal for her very comedic solo-acting piece, Mindy in Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, and Lexie Henkel presented a poetry piece and an excerpt from Laughing Allegra which is an inspiring true story about a mother’s struggles and triumphs of raising a child with learning disabilities. Lexie earned a bronze medal for her speech.

Aidan Anschutz, Grade 10, sharpie pen

Taylor Chomeau, Grade 10, sharpie pen

Sculptures

Halleigh Lhost, Grade 12, Artist Emulation - Picasso

Last year, the pandemic cancelled our show, but not to be overcome we are producing a virtual Musical Revue entitled appropriately, “The Show Must Go On” which will launch via a link in June. Stay tuned for release dates. We have 9 very talented performers who will take you on a journey through the history of Musical theatre from the 1930’s to the present, including Wyatt Beaudot, Lexie Henkel, Mackenize Koehler, Emerson Lecy, Molly MCCarthy, Bekka Porter, Carlos Torres, Sawyer Wiesniewski, and Audrey Viste.

We hope to see you Under the Spotlight soon!

Virtual Field Trips

Karlee Kita, Grade 12, Seahorse, sculpture

Ellison Syers, Grade 11, Recycled Art Windmill, sculpture

CANvas: Make Your Mark - 6x6” canvases - Door County High Schools virtual display.

Make Your Mark/CANvas was put together by Nicole Herbst (Sturgeon Bay HS Art teacher) and the canvases were generously donated by The Artist’s Guild.

Mrs. Higginbotham, Ms. Krause, Ms. Daubner, and Mrs. Schleicher’s classes all enjoyed participating in the UW Madison virtual field trips arranged by FOG. Our field trip was called Finding Buried Treasure.

We had the opportunity to learn about digging up, cleaning, and displaying fossils. The students loved getting the chance to ask questions directly to scientists that complete this work. Thank you FOG for all of the wonderful experiences you provide for our students, even in a pandemic year!

Fractions

Wyatt Hertwig, Grade 12

Jacob Anschutz, Grade 12

Gwen Sohns, Grade 9

Friends of Gibraltar Annual Membership 2020-2021

Become a member/sponsor of the Friends of Gibraltar (FOG), a non-profit organization that has provided Gibraltar students with unique educational opportunities by working collaboratively with Gibraltar Schools and the community since 1982!

FOG Membership/Sponsorship: ___ Family: $30 ___ Business: $50 ___ Sponsorship: __________

Name: _____________________________________ Email: _____________________________________ Address: ___________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________

Sponsor FOG programs: ____ Sponsor outdoor education with the Forest Day program for any amount $_____. ____ Number of students you want to sponsor at $50/students for Forest Days $_____.

(Forest Days costs FOG & Gibraltar $50/student/school year).

Third graders in Mrs. LeRoy’s class have been learning so much this year about fractions! They can use pictures to represent fractions, they can compare fractions and identify the smaller and larger fractions, they can identify fractions on a number line, and they can find equivalent fractions too!

Fractions can be a difficult concept to understand, but these third graders are working hard and doing so well! Way to go, Fraction Experts!

____ Sponsor FOG Guest Speaker program at Gibraltar for $______.

Volunteer opportunities will resume in 2021-2022 school year! We miss our wonderful community volunteers and we look forward to working with you again in the future!

Please send to checks to: Vinni Chomeau Friends of Gibraltar, Gibraltar Schools 3942 State Highway 42 Fish Creek, WI, 54212 Thank you for your support! Friends of Gibraltar: (920) 868-3284 Ext. 205 vinni.chomeau@gibraltar.k12.wi.us