for week ending OCTOBER 08, 2021 Tomah Area School District @TomahAreaSchools
H e l l o , TA S D Fa m i l i e s !
Enjoy this week’s PAWS as we highlight student academic and cocurricular activities. We’re grateful to our exemplary faculty for providing our students powerful and enriching experiences along their educational journey. The Wisconsin Associated School Board established October 3rd through October 9th as Wisconsin School Board Week where we recognize and thank our school board members for their leadership and service to our community of learners. While we set aside this week to celebrate their service to our students, families, and employees, we are grateful for their commitment to education each day. Our board members spend countless hours of study and work with all stakeholders leading our district forward. Academic achievement, human resources, fiscal, curricular, health and safety, policy, legislative advocacy, and facility planning are just a few of the many educational leadership activities addressed through their roles as elected school board officials. Please join me thanking Aaron Lueck, Pam Buchda, Gary Grovesteen, Michael Gnewikow, Susan Bloom, Spencer Stephens, and Rick Murray for their dedicated leadership and service to the Tomah Area School District! We have the best transportation team in the nation dedicated to excellence and service to students and families! As we noted earlier this year, our team is providing bus service under circumstances beyond anyone’s control. Their dedication to your child’s transportation needs is unwavering as they navigate and flexibly plan for many external conditions affecting and disrupting bus routes. I want to thank you for understanding that our route structures and timelines may change. If your child rides the bus to school, we ask that you frequently monitor your email, text messages, and district media platforms for changes to bus routes. Thank you once again for your understanding. Friday October 8th at 5:00 p.m. is the end date to submit your Facility Community Survey! Thank you so much for the many surveys already returned electronically or via regular mail. Your voice matters! Data from the survey will be presented at an upcoming board meeting. Survey results will play a vital role in the next step of the facility planning process. Please feel free to contact the district office if you have any questions.
Have a great weekend! - Dr. Hanson
THS STUDENTS WALK FOR INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVORS
In honor and remembrance of Indian Boarding School Survivors, Tomah High School Hoocąk Language students and Title VI Indian Education students held a Walk of Remembrance during first hour on Sep 30, 2021. “May, 2021 a mass unmarked grave was found at the Kamloops Indian Boarding School in British Columbia, Canada. 215 bodies were found; as of June 2021, over 1,500 graves have been found at six Canadian Boarding Schools. These findings sparked investigations into all Native American Boarding schools in Canada and most recently, the United States. June 22, 2021, U.S. Secretary of Interior, Deb Haaland has called for investigations into more than 350 U.S. Indian Boarding and Day schools that were operated for more than a century. The investigation seeks to gather information on the decades of institutionalized, federally funded, cultural assimilation that has led to a multitude of negative outcomes for the survivors and their families; including loss of native languages and cultural identity.” - Ms. Bonnie Bird, THS Title VI Indian Education Coordinator
Ms. Bird shared with students how this story connects to Tomah’s history as well as her family’s in her opening remarks. Ms. Bird’s parents were present along with several community members who walked with THS students. More information on Indian Boarding Schools can be found at:
Memo of Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative (DOI)
National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition NBC News Article
Washington Post Article
H i g h Q u a l i t y St u d e n t L e a r n i n g . E v e r y C h i l d . E v e r y D a y.