TASD HOWL Newsletter: Fall 2021

Official Community Newsletter of the Tomah Area School District

OUR VISION

We will provide excellent academics

and co-curricular activities that develop life-long learning skills for all students

preparing them for our community and world wide experiences.

In this issue ...

Excellence in Activities & Athletics pg. 4

Staff Spotlight: Food Services Dept. pg. 6

TASD Distinguished Alumni Class of ‘21 pg. 8

MESSAGE FROM OUR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR

Hello, everyone! Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! We’re excited to have everyone back to school! I had the opportunity to visit each school building on opening day, and it was wonderful to see students and faculty!

Enjoy the Fall 2021 Edition of the Howl! We’re proud to celebrate the gifts and talents of our students and faculty through this publication.

This month we highlight our incredible food service team who provide nutritious foods year round fueling our student’s learning!

Engaging students with enrichment activities is a year round philosophy here at Tomah Area School District. My thanks to the administrators, faculty, and staff for putting together a wonderful summer enrichment program providing strong academic and STEAM related opportunities for students. Secondary students had access to credit recovery courses helping them stay on track for college and career readiness. Our teachers, aides, and administrators at all buildings create these pathways for success during the summer. Thank you all very much!

Congratulations to Linda Netsch, Robert E. Gutsche, Jr., and Rob Mubarak our 2021 Distinguished Alumni! We’re proud to honor their accomplishments during homecoming set for October 1st! You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about our distinguished alumni through their personal videos created by Mr. Kibby’s Link Crew. We’ll also recognize the recipients of this prestigious honor at homecoming activities and the football game.

We need your voice responding to an upcoming survey related to our long-term facility needs in the district. The Tomah Area School District is reaching out to all District residents, including parents and staff, in the next few weeks to gather input regarding educational facility needs with a community-wide survey.

We have hired School Perceptions, an independent educational research firm, to conduct the survey and ensure all responses are kept confidential. We are asking that all parents and staff respond to a survey that will be emailed out in the coming weeks from School Perceptions.

To ensure data integrity, each survey invitation/link code can only be used once. As such, you must access the survey through your email invitation, not a forwarded email or link. The survey access number will not identify you; it simply links you to the District’s survey. However, the software is able to track survey completion via the link code and encourage participation of non-respondents.

School Perceptions’ privacy policy guarantees your email address will not be used/shared for any purpose other than the contracted survey.

The survey will be open through October 8th at 5:00 PM. If you do not receive an email invitation to complete the survey please check your “spam/junk” folder and then contact me for assistance.

We’re honored to serve the children and families of the Tomah Area School District! Thank you for making our district a great place to learn and grow!

TOMAH SCHOOLS RECOGNIZED BY WISCONSIN RTI CENTER

The Wisconsin Response to Intervention (RtI) Center is a product of collaboration between the Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA) and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). The center’s purpose is to assist school districts in making the best decisions for student success. The RtI center provides professional development and assistance to help create consistency throughout our state by working together with DPI. The Recognized Schools Program has two purposes: to honor the progress schools are making and to identify what full implementation looks like. Full implementation includes behavior, reading, and mathematics. There are four levels of recognition: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. We are proud to announce that several of our schools have been recognized this year! We congratulate our students and staff for receiving these recognitions. Their hard work and dedication to student success does not go unnoticed.

• • • • • • • •

Camp Douglas Elementary (Behavior and Reading) LaGrange Elementary (Behavior and Reading) Lemonweir Elementary (Behavior, Reading, and Math) Miller Elementary (Behavior, Reading, and Math) Oakdale Elementary (Behavior, Reading, and Math) Tomah High School (Behavior, Reading, and Math) Warrens Elementary (Behavior) Wyeville Elementary (Behavior)

For more information, please visit https://wisconsinrticenter.org/educators/rti-in-action/recognized-schools.html

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W E ’RE BACK !

...to school

follow our story on Facebook: @TomahAreaSchool

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ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES

THS FFA Members Representing at State Convention: Advisors Emma Huber and Nelda Bailey, Cody Hall (Degree Awardee), Emily Powell (Degree Awardee), Addy Gerke, Brad Granahan, Cale Ollendick, Carisa Cleven, Carter Ollendick, Erin Perry, Josie Bailey, Kylie Moake, and Lucas Salzwedel

JOIN FFA!

FFA STATE DEG REES The highly coveted State FFA Degree is awarded at the WI FFA Convention each year to a select few and exceptional members. To earn this credential, young agriculture enthusiasts must first receive their Chapter FFA Degree. From there, they then move on to meet rigorous and specific instructional, ser vice, and leadership requirements to show their knowledge and dedicated involvement in the FFA organization and the agricultural community. This makes it the highest FFA honor at the state level.

Tomah was represented at the WI FFA Convention this July by ten Tomah High FFA members. Cody Hall, Emily Powell and Keith Clark were recognized and presented with their State FFA Degrees.

Congratulations to these three bright individuals; thank you for your hard work. We are so proud of you!

E m m a Huber@t o ma h . educ a ti o n N e ld a Bailey@t o ma h . educ a ti o n

TH S TRA P T E AM APPE A RS AT NAT IONALS The Tomah High Trap Shooting Team gave a remarkable performance at the WI State Trap Tournament on June 13th with a 15th overall ranking in the state. Bowyn, Gabe, Gavin, and Xavien represented Tomah at the High School Clay Target League Nationals on July 7th through 11th in Mason, Michigan. Over three thousand of the Nation’s best youth clay target athletes competed for the title of the National Champion.

While our Trap Team did not make it through the day-of qualifier, they gave an impressive effort and exemplified our community pride. Their talents and abilities are admirable and we can’t wait to see what the upcoming season holds for the team!

JOIN THE TRAP TEAM! t e r riwh ereat t06@ gma i l . c o m

N E W ! An online shop open to the Tomah community and beyond to order TASD merchandise. Customers can choose to have their order shipped directly to their home (with a flat shipping rate) or pick their order up at the High School (coordinated by the Booster Club) free of charge.

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S TATE AP P E ARANCES ▪ Hunter Neumann – Golf ▪ Hannah Wilcox-Borg – Girls Cross Country ▪ Austin Steinbrink – Boys Bowling ▪ Cadence Thompson – Girls Tennis Singles ▪ Deirdre Martin & Jenna Hausman – Girls Tennis Doubles ▪ Dylan Breitsprecher – Rodeo ▪ Sierra Steele – Rodeo ▪ Coy Nelson – Rodeo ▪ THS Girls Bowling Team - Makena Riedesel, McKenzie Abbott, Courtney Keller, Azrielle Swallow, Alissa Moake ▪ THS Girls Golf Team - Jayda Zhu, Maddie Ewers, Hannah Zhu, Sophie Pokela, Amelia Zingler, Brin Neumann

‘21 CAREER ATHLETES & WIAA SCHOLAR ATHLETES

▪ THS Dance Team – Halle Rezin, Sydney Wedemeier, Trinity Brach, Grace Rezin, Addison Berry, Livia Rezin

Alyssa Whaley

kade gnewikow

Want to see more highlights from the 20-21 seasons? Watch the full (virtual) Athletic Awards Ceremony on our YouTube channel.

TO M A H S C H O O L D I S T R I C T

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What was your favorite lunch served at school? You probably have an answer. Who was your school lunch lady/man? You can probably remember. Food Service workers are a caring and deeply dedicated group that always seem to have a lasting impression on students.

These individuals are the friendly faces and warm smiles offering students healthy and tasty choices to keep their minds sharp and nourished for the school day.

TASD’s Food Services Department is made up of twenty-two staff members. The team works together to prepare, deliver, and serve meals to fourteen sites throughout the Tomah area. Director, Jesse Bender, builds the school menus with great care and consideration of taste, cost, and nutritional value. Each meal is thoroughly curated as to meet the caloric, fat, and sodium standards set forth by the Food and Nutrition Service, a branch of the USDA. These standards are different for elementary, middle, and high school students. Food and supplies are received at the large kitchens at the Middle School and High School. The team works through the logistical puzzle of which ingredients (and how much) are needed at each of the twelve service sites. Deliveries are made to each site with meal preparation and cook time taken into consideration. The team at each building cooks the meals of the day, assembles the food line, and is ready for the students by lunch period.

The buzz of the lunch room is exactly how you remember it. Hungry students excitedly filling their plates and sitting down with friends to enjoy a meal and recharge. You can hear laughter and stories; you can see smiles and mouths full. As the steady line of incomers dwindle, and the last of the trays are returned, the food service team goes right in to clean up. For most of our elementary schools, the lunch room also serves as the gymnasium, giving the team limited time to reset.

We are so deeply appreciative of their commitment to the students. We ask our community to join us in celebrating our “School Lunch Heroes” for they are serving our students more than a meal (or two) a day.

They are serving students memories and stories that will last into their adult lives…with a side of fruit.

ON AN AVERAGE SCHOOL DAY: • 500 Breakfasts served • 2,200 Lunches served

ON A TYPICAL DAY: • Our staff walks over three miles in their kitchens!

13 S E R V I C E S I T E S Camp Douglas | LaGrange | Lemonweir | Miller | Oakdale Warrens | Wyeville | RKLC | TAMS | TMS | THS | Noah’s Ark Tomah School Childhood page | 6

O U R F O O D S E R V I C E S D E PA R T M E N T S TA F F Heidi Kemp (Camp Douglas); Beth Brummet and Annette VonHaden (LaGrange); Heidi Heding & Sheri Blount (Lemonweir); Kim Berg and Roxy Bell (Miller); Sandra Clemmerson (Oakdale); Amy Billiard (Warrens); Irene Miller (Wyeville); Kelli Eckelberg, Lisa Lueck, Lauri Waltemath, Karen Miller (TMS); Donna Karacson, Lauren Dunn, Pam Kirk, Vicky Foss, Sue Paulis (THS)

Lisa Lueck, a member of the Middle School Food Services Team, has been with TASD for 27 years!

THANK YOU TEAM! Join our team of School Lunch Heroes! www.tomah.education/employment

BANK FIRST & TOMAH CHAMBER PARTNER UP TO RECOGNIZE OUR TEACHERS The Tomah Area Chamber and Visitors Center partnered up with Bank First of Tomah to host their annual “Nominate a Teacher” program. Community members could make their nomination online for a teacher they felt most deserving of the prize - a $200 gift card. This program is a great way for the community to share their appreciation of the amazing teachers in our schools. Of the five teachers selected, four were TASD teachers! Bank First donated the $1,000 that was divided up amongst the five winners.

The five winners were announced on Monday, September 13th. Have a teacher you would like to nominate? Be sure to watch for this program again next year!

Congratulations to:

• Sommer Dean » 5th Grade Teacher at LaGrange Elementary • Nicole Krause » Special Education Teacher at Tomah High School • Amanda Braun » 3rd Grade Teacher at Warrens Elementary • Stephanie Kramar » 3rd Grade Teacher at Lemonweir Elementary

Thank you to the Tomah Chamber & Bank First for hosting this recognition!

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TASD DI S T I NG U I SHED A LUM NI

2021 CLASS OF INDUCTEES

One of our proudest Homecoming traditions is to honor the accomplishments and humanitarian efforts of selected alumni.

These individuals are nominated, selected, and inducted into our Distinguished Alumni program. This recognition spotlights positive

models for our students and instills pride in our community. Through this, we are given the opportunity to collectively celebrate their accomplishments and contribution to Tomah’s legacy of excellence.

This year, we look forward to inducting three individuals as our fourth “class” of Distinguished Alumni. These individuals are invited back to Tomah High’s Homecoming festivities to be formally placed on the “Wall of Honor ” with the other distinguished alum, to be introduced to our current students, and to ride in our Homecoming parade.

Join us in congratulating Dr. Gutsche, Ms. Netsch, and Mr. Mubarak and thanking them for their contributions to their specialized field and TASD’s enriched history. Join us October 1st at the Homecoming Parade and Football game to recognize our inductees.

Distinguished Alumni Committee:

Thank you to the committee members for your time, sincere consideration of the nominations and your thoughtful preservation of this honor. Current Committee Members: Mr. Aaron Lueck, Mr. Mike Gnewikow, Ms. Kim Voigt, Mr. Jeff Cram, Mr. Larry Scheckel, Miss Noelle Adler (THS Student Council President)

INTRODUCING OUR 2021 INDUCTEES: Dr. Robert Gutsche, Jr. THS Class of 1999 Robert is a leading scholar in the field of Journalism Studies where he applies critical/cultural theory to investigate issues of power in journalism. He is currently the Associate Professor in Critical Digital Media Practice at Lancaster University in the U.K.

Linda Netsch – THS Class of 1979 Linda is a US Air Force veteran, Harvard Law graduate, accomplished attorney with worldly experience, entrepreneur with collegiate professor experience to add. She currently resides in California where she is a member of a firm connecting legal services to technology companies. She credits her ethics and values to her family as well as her hometown.

Robert J. Mubarak – THS Class of 1966 Robert is recognized as a well-versed practitioner of law and an active member of the Tomah community to date. He currently resides in Tomah with his family after retiring from over forty years of service in the legal field in varying roles to include general practitioner, prestigious committee member, and a continuously requested presenter at legal seminars.

View all inductees, watch video interviews, and read more on our program at:

www.tomah.education/distinguished-alumni

W E AR E L O O KI N G FO R O UR NEX T IN D UCTEES ...

Do you know someone (living or deceased) who: • Is a graduate of THS or attended THS for at lease two years?

• Is a THS alumni of at least ten years?

• Has a record of outstanding achievement in his/her career field or fulfillment of personal potential?

• Has a history of outstanding leadership, character, and service to his/her community?

MA K E A NOMI N A TI O N !

nomination packet is available at: page | 8 www.tomah.education/distinguished-alumni

E LEME N T A R Y S T U D E N T S A S S EM B LE PC’ S Last spring, 4th and 5th graders across our district had the unique and specialized opportunity to assemble working computers during TECH class. Mrs. Renae Bullen, an Elementary Technology Skills teacher, walked students through the process of assembling a Kano PC kit. This computer, once assembled, is fully equipped with Windows 10, the Kano Studio software, and other applications to assist in the instruction of code art, exploring processors, binary sound, and touch. The kit includes a touch screen display, battery pack, plug-in speaker, wireless keyboard, and printed circuit board (PCB). The students were methodically instructed in small groups to maximize the learning opportunity of the various parts and their purposes, the concept of pixels, and how binary code is used to portray data.

the kits included magnifying glasses for a closer look at the intricate PCB

The kits were purchased with Title IV funds to improve the use of technology in our classrooms and deepen our students’ academic enrichment and digital literacy.

Title IV is a federal funding program to increase our capacity to provide a well-rounded education to our students. The kits were well-preserved so future classes can enjoy this experience as well.

THE RES ULT. . .

The building anticipation came to a climax when Mrs. Bullen excitedly instructed the students to “press and hold the power button”. The sudden quietness of the classroom was abrupt and brief as the PC’s screens illuminated with the “Kano” logo. Students gasped and cheered to see their work come to life. Through the clear acrylic backing on the device, students could see the fan running and lights flicker on the circuit board.

The energy in the classroom was electric (literally) and the students were sad to disassemble their masterpieces.

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WE CELEBRATE OUR OWN “MAGNIFICENT MIDDLE” March is declared “Middle Level Education Month” by the Association for Middle Level Education, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. This time is used to focus on students ages ten to fifteen and raise awareness of the unique opportunities and challenges this group faces. The National Association of Secondary School Principals called this group the “Magnificent Middle” and we couldn’t agree more.

The goal of this declared recognition is to share with parents the importance of their involvement in their student’s life, educating students on the effects a healthy body and mind can have on their quality of life, and guide them through crucial decisions that often occur at this age to set the foundation for a door-opening future.

In March of 2021, our TMS staff and students participated in a week-long celebration collectively. The week revolved around building a sense of community and belonging school-wide.

Faculty came up with a schedule of dress-up days, games, and class-building challenges to connect students with each other. The finale of the week was the canvas quilt pictured. Students were asked to depict themselves on a 3” square canvas. The theme was “This is Me.” Canvases were collected and assembled together to make a large quilt-like piece that is titled “This is Us.” The project shows students that we recognize their journey through learning how to express themselves as an individual, but at the same time they are part of our school community and they belong here. We hope through activities like these, our students will feel comfortable and at ease at school. This will lead to more classroom engagement and greater academic success. Thank you to the Related Arts teachers for setting aside time for the students to decorate their canvases. A special thanks goes out to Ms. Stroh for organizing this project!

This commonly misunderstood, misguided, and even maddening phase of life is truly magnificent. We are so proud to call these middle schoolers Timberwolves. This is Us. Left: The mural is made up of over 400 3” x 3” canvases; each one representing a TMS student.

Right: Ms. Hansen, a TMS Art Teacher, puts the finishing touches on the mural in preparation for it to be hung in the monumental stairway.

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DIS TR I C T B UI L DIN G & A DM IN ISTR A TION D IR EC TOR Y » TASD DISTRICT OFFICE

129 W Clifton St. Tomah, WI 54660 Dr. Mike Hanson, Superintendent 608-374-7004 Registration: 608-374-7009 Fax: 608-372-5087

» TRANSPORTATION

1550 Townline Rd. Tomah, WI 54660 Tom Dummermuth, Director 608-374-7377

» FOOD SERVICES

Jesse Bender, Director 608-374-7356

» ACTIVITIES OFFICE

Brad Plueger, Director 608-374-7976

» ROBERT KUPPER LEARNING CENTER 1310 Townline Rd. Tomah, WI 54660 Dr. Paul Skofronick, Dir. of Pupil Services 608-374-7011

» TOMAH HIGH SCHOOL 901 Lincoln Ave. Tomah, WI 54660 Robert Joyce, Principal 608-374-7358

» TOMAH MIDDLE SCHOOL 612 Hollister Ave. Tomah, WI 54660 Mike Chapes, Principal 608-374-7885

» TOMAH AREA MONTESSORI SCHOOL 1720 Academy Ave. Tomah, WI 54660 JoLynn Schmidt, Principal 608-374-5406

» CAMP DOUGLAS ELEMENTARY 81 Junction St. Camp Douglas, WI 54618 JoLynn Schmidt, Principal 608-374-7091

» LAGRANGE ELEMENTARY 600 Straw St. Tomah, WI 54660 Michelle Clark, Principal 608-374-7057

» LEMONWEIR ELEMENTARY 711 N. Glendale Ave. Tomah, WI 54660 Nina Swanson, Principal 608-374-7847

» MILLER ELEMENTARY

813 Oak Ave. Tomah, WI 54660 Justina Anderson, Principal 608-374-7026

» OAKDALE ELEMENTARY 217 S. Oakwood St. Oakdale, WI 54649 JoLynn Schmidt, Principal 608-374-7081

» WARRENS ELEMENTARY 409 Main St. Warrens, WI 54666 Tim Gnewikow, Principal 608-374-7800

» WYEVILLE ELEMENTARY 225 W. Tomah Rd. Tomah, WI 54660 Tim Gnewikow, Principal 608-374-7826

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608.374.7004 www.tomah.education 608.372.5087 Tomah Area School District @TomahAreaSchools

HIGH QUALITY STUDENT LEARNING.

EVERY CHILD. EVERY DAY.