Thursday, November 8, 2018 • Vol. 54, No. 25 • Verona, WI • Hometown USA • ConnectVerona.com • $1.25
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Verona Press The
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Verona Area School District
Emergency protocol meetings set for next week District switched to ‘options-based’ ALICE response SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
Photo by Kimberly Wethal
Center, “rocketship” Ian Larsen, 6, walks down the sidewalk during the Main Street Trick or Treat event on the afternoon of Wednesday, Oct. 31.
A night of frights Veronans had two chances to go trick-or-treating on Wednesday, Oct. 31, once during the Main Street Trick-or-Treat event and the other during city-wide trick-or-treating later that night.
On the web More Verona Trick-orTreat photos:
ConnectVerona. com
Parents and community members will have a chance to learn more about the Verona Area School District’s new incident response plan at a pair of upcoming meetings. VASD officials will hold public information meetings Wednesday, Nov. 14, and Thursday, Nov. 15, to discuss its new “optionsbased” approach to emergency incidents like an active shooter or other emergency. Both meetings will be 6:15-7:30 p.m. The Nov. 14 meeting will be held at Stoner Prairie Elementary School, 5830 Devoro Road, and the Nov. 15 meeting
If You Go What: Emergency response protocol meetings When: 6:15-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14; Thursday, Nov. 15 Where: Stoner Prairie Elementary School, 5830 Devoro Road, Fitchburg (Nov. 14); Badger Ridge Middle School, 740 N. Main St. (Nov. 15) Info: verona.k12.wi.us will be at Badger Ridge Middle School, 740 N. Main St. The school board approved the new response mechanism in May to “empower staff and students to make decisions they feel are necessary and appropriate to increase
Turn to Protocol/Page 14
Board votes to start Club, teacher open food pantry at VAHS next school year Aug. 23 ‘Little actions can make big On the Web Verona Area School District
Find out more about VAHS Wildcats United:
facebook.com/VAHSWildcatsUtd/
SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
Three years ago, Verona Aid formed as a Verona Area High School club focused on helping however it could with the Syrian refugee crisis and around Dane County. Now, it’s got a new name – Wildcats United – and it’s brought some of its efforts within the VAHS walls. Those students and social studies teacher Jason Knoll opened a schoolbased food pantry last month, feeding more than 50 people over the weekends since.
“It’s an amazing way for us to help kids that are with us every day,” junior Colleen Quinn told the Press. The boxes of cereal, cans of tuna and bags of Rice-a-Roni are collected on shelving in the corner of Knoll’s room throughout the week, and the students on the group’s executive board gather Friday mornings at 7:30 to fill up the needed backpacks. Those are then given to a social worker at the school, who gives them to the students in need to take home. The
Verona Press
Turn to Pantry/Page 12
Change for 2019-20 needs DPI waiver, staff contract OK SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
The 2019-20 school year will start Aug. 23 in the Verona Area School District, pending two remaining approvals district staff expect to come through. The school day will also be five minutes longer at all levels, with that time added at the end of the school day.
The Verona Area school board approved a school calendar for next year and 2020-21 Monday night to give families time to plan. The early start next year would allow school to end May 29, 2020, to give more time for construction crews working on renovations to the existing high school and K-Wing related to the 2017 referendum and school shift that fall. The existing high school is expected to become a middle school site, and the
Turn to VASB/Page 11
Verona Area Performing Arts Series Atlantic City Boys
presents
Four dynamic lead singers who are Singing ‘60s rock-n-roll hits of The Drifters, The Beach Boys, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
Sat., Nov 10, 2018 • 7:30pm VAHS Performing Arts Center 300 Richard St., Verona
Tickets available at www.vapas.org, State Bank of Cross Plains-Verona, Capitol Bank-Verona or call (608) 848-2787
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impacts,’ students say
The bags include food for all members of the family, and the group has different things to include for families of two to four people and those with five or more. So far, it’s been about four families each week, Knoll said, but he knows there are more in need. Last year, Verona Area High School had 387 students considered economically disadvantaged – measured by those who qualify for free or reduced lunches. There also were more than 100 homeless students districtwide two years ago, Knoll said. “Food security is important,” Knoll said. “It just drives me nuts that there are children who don’t have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food.”