2022 Spring WAFLT Voice

The VOICE of

WAFLT

Spring 2022 Volume 49 Number 1

The VOICE of WAFLT

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Table of Contents WAFLT Executive Board Contact Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 From Your President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Tess. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 From Your Fall Conference Co-Chairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linda Havas & Cathy Stresing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Pedagogy, Methodology, and Policy Unite and Bridge Understanding for All Stakeholders Through Advocacy . . . . . . Pablo Muirhead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Reflect, Release, Renew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pam Delfosse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 A Tribute to Patrick T. Raven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 2021 WAFT Discover Languages Student Postcard Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2021-22 Contributor Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2021 Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victoria Carter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2021 Wisconsin Language Educator’s Speech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jody Reif Zeimann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 WAFLT Annual Meeting Minutes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Affiliate Organization Newsletters The National Network for Early Languare Learning - NNELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Wisconsin Latin Teachers Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Wisconsin Association of Chinese Language Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 American Association of Teachers of French - Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 American Association of Teachers of German - Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Wisconsin Association of Teachers of Japanese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

WAFLT Mission: The purpose of WAFLT shall be to promote, strengthen, and facilitate the teaching and life-long learning of world languages and cultures in schools and communities to meet the needs of our increasingly interdependent world.

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WAFLT Executive Board & Contacts for Wisconsin Association For Language Teachers President

Finance Committee Chair

Professional Development Chair

AATG-WI President

Dan Tess Brookfield Central High School president@waflt.org

Cathy Stresing Fond du Lac School District stresings@aol.com

Jamie Gurholt Stateline Community Foundation, Beloit/French Alliance, Milwaukee

Melanie Lasee Ashwaubenon High School mlasee@ashwaubenonk12.org

President-Elect Victoria Carter Onalaska High School awards@waflt.org Past-President Linda Havas Greendale Schools linda.havas@greendaleschools.org Secretary Brian Wopat Onalaska High School wopbr@gmail.com Treasurer Kellie Villalobos Muskego High School treasurer@waflt.org DPI International Education/ World Languages Consultant Pamela Delfosse pamela.delfosse@dpi.wi.gov NNELL Representative Jessica King Fox Point-Bayside School District jking@foxbay.org Fall Conference Program Committee Co-Chairs Linda Havas Greendale Schools

Communications & Publications Julie Horvath Beloit Memorial High School Chair profdev@waflt.org Lauren Rosen University of Wisconsin webmaster@waflt.org

Danielle Chaussee Member Services Subcommittee Oconomowoc High School Chair chausseed@oasd.org Victoria Carter Jenny Piorkowski Onalaska High School piorkowj@aosd.org carvi@onalaskaschools.com Mentoring/Leadership Project The VOICE of WAFLT Vacant Subcommittee CoChairs/Editors MOPI Training Coordinator Katy Dueppen Jodi Ziemann Middleton High School jziemann@berlin.k12.wi.us Kelly Miller Sauk Prairie School District Summer PD Chair voice@waflt.org

Iva McLean Academies of Racine at Park High Advertising Subcommittee Chair School iva.mclean@rusd.org Josh LeGreve Green Lake School District Language Association advertising@waflt.org Representatives Public Relations / Advocacy AATF-WI President Committee Chair Dan Tess advocacy@waflt.org

WLTA President Nate Kolpin Wauwatosa School District kolpinna@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us OWL Vacant WACLT President Yongyan Liu Milwaukee yongyan.liu85@gmail.com AATSP-WI President Jessica Santiago New Berlin West High School jessica.santiago@nbexcellence.org

Cathy Stresing Fond du Lac School District

presidentAATFWI@gmail.com

Vacant Grants & Scholarships

program@waflt.org

Vacant

Vacant

Magara Maeda UW-River Falls magara.maeda@uwrf.edu

Discover Languages Contest Coordinator

Cathy Stresing Fond du Lac School District

Local Arrangements/Exhibits Sub-Committee

HS Guests Subcommittee Chairs

WiATJ President

The VOICE of WAFLT appears twice annually, in the spring and fall, with copy deadlines of January 1 and May 15. Manuscripts describing world language pedagogy as well as study and travel opportunities and experiences are always welcome, and, if accepted, generally will appear in the next issue. Submissions for publication should be saved as a Google document or Microsoft Word document and sent as an email attachment to voice@waflt.org. Any photos or graphics must be sent as separate attachments in a .jpg format.

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From Your President ... ver since methods classes in college, many of us are hard wired to reflect on our practice. And many of us still keep a journal or diary and pursue a more relaxed daily reflection not necessarily tied to our professional practice. Of course simply enjoying a minute on one’s porch or stoop lends the perfect opportunity to think back and make some plans for the future.

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While I am thankful for any moment of peaceful reflection in between all the frenzy that a life with younger kids entails, I have become extremely grateful for moments that give just a quick pause to appreciate anything.

The knowing look of the eureka moment when a student finally understands a concept. The lyrics of the song which reach a surprising profundity in the context of life and serve as sudden personal soundtrack.

The memorized bits of poetry of years ago which reach new meaning as experience creates new facets of understanding.

These all seem to exist in a mental vacuum, just brief occasions of ephemeral satisfaction. However, there is the possibility that these moments get a second life, if you get the chance to share these with others.

That same smile when your students figured something out returns to your face when you write it down and share it with their parents, and when you tell your family how great your day was. It would seem that reflection is a prime avenue towards that joy borne of gratitude which has permeated the educational and wellness world the past few years.

A particularly satisfying moment for me goes back to a WAFLT board meeting. Pre-pandemic, I was sitting down with some colleagues for the end-of-year lunch following our meeting, and we commenced talking about what our own kids were up to and how it mirrored some of our own experiences growing up. As language teachers the talk veered to studying and living abroad. We had the chance to reawaken some fond memories of our own adolescence, and we tried to imagine a world where study abroad in the target language would be a requirement or just an assumed part of K-12 or K-16 education. What would be the point? Of course we rattled off a million reasons why such a system would be beneficial, but the thought that sticks with me even after 4 years of being removed from this conversation was what the professor shared about her own daughter’s reflection on living and studying in Japan. She said something to the effect of, “Bottom line, I really think I can do anything.”

There’s a fearlessness, grit, and confidence which language learning is uniquely poised to deliver. We praise our Olympians for these qualities, we encourage our own children to be fearless, and we try to muster our own courage every single day. But what this student had figured out was that she had the tools to succeed and she was positioned to see her ambitions through. It’s the overarching standard, and is infused through all the other “I can” statements: Fighting fear is the invisible (or some would argue completely obvious) resolve which is fueled by risk-taking (bullet trains and Glühwein) and furthered by

Dan Tess

appreciation for other languages and cultures. Yes, language learning can further your own success, but it can also create the context whereby we are mutually enjoying our momentary glimpses of satisfaction.

Continue to look for regular monthly offerings from WAFLT and our regional and national organizations.

Sometimes it’s a brief power hour check-in on a Thursday night. Of course longer format forums like Summer Institute and Fall Conference will give us plenty of time to reflect on our methods and make plans for the next semester. I look forward to sharing these moments with you, not only for the time together but for bolstering our resolve.

Dan Tess

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From Your Conference Program Co-Chairs ... he 2022 WAFLT Fall Conference will be held November 3-5, 2022. This year's conference theme is Level Up: Embracing Change, Empowering Learners. We hope to return to an in-person conference in 2022 as conditions allow. Regardless of the conference format, though, one thing is certain: we want you to be a part of it!

C How do you motivate your students to take ownership of their learning?

C Verify with your school district that email from waflt.org is not blocked.

C How do you help your students see and control their progress?

C Fill in all parts of the online form for a successful proposal submission.

C How have you successfully integrated technology into your classroom?

C Enter the name, position, and school/company/organization for all session presenters as they should appear in the conference program.

In order to receive notification when the pre-conference booklet has been posted to the website, your membership must be current. Please head to our website at waflt.org and take a moment to renew your membership and ensure your account information is correct.

Please also update your safe sender list to ensure that messages from backend@waflt.org and noreply@waflt.org make it to your inbox.

Finally, please be sure to visit the website throughout the year to learn of the many opportunities your WAFLT organization offers.

Presentation Types: We invite you to consider submitting a presentation in one of three categories: Friday Workshop (3 hours), One-Hour Conference Sessions, and Electronic Poster Session.

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The true strength of WAFLT is its membership. Over the past few years, we have especially learned the value of collaborating with our colleagues.

Think about your many successes in the classroom. We invite you to share your best ideas with your colleagues by submitting a proposal to present at the 2022 WAFLT Fall Conference.

Here are some ideas to further guide your proposals: C What strategies (TPRS, CI, incorporating authentic resources, etc.) do you use to move your students to higher proficiency levels?

C How has teaching during the pandemic reshaped your instructional practices?

C What practices, activities, and assessments that you use would be especially helpful to new teachers?

What is a Poster Session? A Poster Session is an opportunity to informally share an idea, a project, a strategy, or a bit of research in a small group personal Q & A session. During a 60minute period, presenters are located at tables in the exhibit area, allowing attendees to simply wander by and explore with you what you are working on. This is a great option if you want to share something interesting that you are working on in your classroom, your school, your district, or your state. This presentation format is informal, conversational, and in a more intimate atmosphere than a traditional conference session. You can get direct feedback and ideas, field questions, and even develop a network of interested collaborators.

The deadline to submit proposals is April 1, 2022. As you submit your proposal, be sure to: C Verify that your account information is current and contains an email address you can access year-round.

WAFLT communicates only via email.

C Select one person as the primary presenter and ensure that they are a current member of WAFLT. Important note: Even though all presenters must be WAFLT members and register for the conference, only the primary presenter will receive information about proposals. In addition, only primary presenters will receive free registration to the conference and an honorarium.

C Verify that your session has been submitted by logging into your WAFLT account and clicking on “My Proposals.”

It is your willingness to share and collaborate that powers the WAFLT Fall Conference each year. We look forward to your joining us at the 2022 Fall Conference! Should you have any questions, please contact us at program@waflt.org.

Linda Havas & Cathy Stresing

Call For Proposals Due April 1, 2022

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Unite and Bridge Understanding for All Stakeholders Through Advocacy

by Pablo Muirhead, Ph.D., Instructor of Spanish and Teacher Education, Milwaukee Area Technical College ur society has become incredibly divided over issues ranging from pandemic responses to what books kids should read. It’s truly mind boggling. Sadly, education has never been immune to politics and it’s now in our faces every day.

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However, we are in such a wonderful profession, one in which we can help unite and bridge understanding. Our work as world language educators invites students into new possibilities, spaces in which they can become more globally competent and multilingual.

The many hats I wear speak to my advocacy for education. A proud member of WAFLT since the 90s, I am in my 27th year of teaching Spanish which I have done at the middle and high school levels before moving to the college levels. As my three-year term on the ACTFL Board came to an end, I joined the Joint National Committee for Languages: National Council for Languages and International Studies (JNCL-NCLIS) [languagepolicy.org] Board where I continue my advocacy at the national level. At the state and local levels, I am in my second term on my local school board where I have forged relationships with our state leaders to advocate for education.

In this piece, I would like to invite you to consider things you can do, and should know about, at the local, state, and national levels. Let’s continue our focus on our work while keeping an eye on the political landscape.

Local Ideas The more we can establish ourselves as relevant and integral to the curricular experience of all students, the more we can spread the importance of global competence and multilingualism. Below are some thoughts for ways to have an impact in your school and/or district.

1. Toot your horn! Invite your administrators into your classroom to see some of the great things you are doing. They are struggling with this pandemic as well, and a few minutes in your classroom may give them a boost of energy.

2. Look at curricular requirements in your school. Work to make sure that world languages are a requirement.

3. Join other Wisconsin districts and get your school to join the national movement behind the Seal of Biliteracy as well as Wisconsin’s Global Scholars Program.

State Impact Governor Evers proposed a budget that was arguably the best education budget Wisconsin had seen in a generation. However, the Wisconsin State Legislature and Senate, decimated it to the point that there was a $0 increase on per pupil expenditure. And there was no increase in special education funding, keeping us last among all 50 states.

These issues clearly have a negative impact on public schools including world languages. If you have seen small pay increases, slashes to programs, or had your own program decimated, then you know what is at

stake. Keep in mind that what the state does not cover for special education comes from districts’ general education fund. Yes, that means programs get cut and salaries don’t increase at the rate they should.

You might be scratching your head wondering why education has not been prioritized, especially given the fact that Wisconsin’s general fund is at an all-time high of $3.8 billion (see Legislative Fiscal Bureau Memo from Jan. 25, 2022). The original forecast had been a $1 billion surplus.

Many educational advocacy groups within the state, ranging from the Wisconsin Public Education Network to local school boards, are asking for the state legislature to convene a special session to address these funding gaps.

In a nutshell, apply any pressure through your networks (unions, boards, schools, etc.) to call for this special session. Stay abreast of these changes and always vote!

National Impact Recent reports (ACTFL and AAAS) conclude that our country’s language capacity has reached a critical breaking-point with implications for business and government as well as military, diplomatic, and intelligence services. Much of this has to do with the national teacher shortage which also impacts world language classrooms.

WAFLT is a proud member of JNCL-NCLIS. Yearly, a delegation from Wisconsin heads to Capitol Hill to advocate for issues related to languages along with delegations from

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the other 49 states. We are in our second year of doing this virtually due to the pandemic. JNCL-NCLIS has built a strong network that helps us advance causes more effectively at the federal level.

By the time you read this, our delegation consisting of Dan Tess, Janet Rowe, and myself, will have met with the offices of Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson as well as those of Representatives Mike Gallagher, Scott Fitzgerald, and Gwen Moore.

5. Support authorization and funding for the Native American Language Resource Center Act (S.989/HR 2271).

6. Join the Congressional America’s Languages Caucus.

For more detail on the background and rationale behind all of these pieces of advocacy visit this link.

Conclusion Advocacy is important work that we are already doing by virtue of helping our students become global citizens equipped with multilingualism. Let’s continue our important work while keeping an eye on broader issues that can negatively impact what we try to do. Advocacy is critical at the local, state and national levels. Do what you can. Stay informed. Vote. And most of all, thank you for the vitally important work that you do for our students.

The following areas of action were part of our ask: 1. Support providing at least $15 million for the World Language Advancement and Readiness Program (WLARA) in FY22 Appropriations.

2. Support forthcoming World Language Education Assistance Program (World LEAP) legislation which would establish a new world language program in the Department of Education.

3. Support passage of the Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act (HR 2940/S.1453), to reauthorize International Education Programs under Title VI of the Higher Education Act, as part of the United States Innovation and Competition Act – USICA (S.1260).

4. Support passage of the Biliteracy Educational Seal and Teaching (BEST) Act (S.680/HR 1731) that will provide federal funding for equitable implementation of programs to allow every student in America the opportunity to achieve a Seal of Biliteracy.

WAFLT Statement on Equity and Inclusion As the state language teachers' association, WAFLT values inclusion, compassion, open-mindedness, unity, peace, and hope in our increasingly interdependent world.

So much of our work is predicated on our commitment to these values. We stand united with our BIPOC colleagues and students as we continue to work together to achieve a global society that ensures equity and justice for everyone.

We see you. We support you. We stand with you.

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Reflect, Release, and Renew

by Pam Delfosse, DPI World Languages & Global Education

ith every new year, new season, and new experience comes the opportunity to make meaning from our lives, our relationships, and our work.

At the end of each calendar year, as winter shifts to spring, and as each school year draws to a close, it is often helpful to make time for reflection, release, and renewal. This process helps me sustain my commitment and service to our profession, as I hope it will for you.

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Reflection is to think deeply about something including its origins, significance, and impact. Reflecting can help us put things into perspective and see our role in response to experiences. When I reflect on something, it often results in learning and a level of awareness that informs future choices and actions.

Release is one of the behaviors I am trying to practice. Our personal and professional lives are better served when we allow ourselves to let go of stressors with origins out of our sphere of influence. We can act with consciousness and commitment without carrying responsibility for actions that are not ours to own.

Renewal blossoms in this space created by the process of letting go. It restores energy needed to rededicate our passion and values to action within our roles, responsibilities, and relationships. Wisconsin’s students and communities need our sustained leadership and collective service to language, intercultural, and global learning. The global perspective we

nurture is needed at the local level.

Local efforts, aligned with global issues, are needed within our interdependent global community. Our work is truly global, if we design it to be.

Here are some guiding questions to support the reflection, release, and renewal process. What have you learned through your lived experience this year? What will serve you, your work, and students well into the future? What can you set down to create space for what better serves and sustains you in this important work? How will you choose to improve language, intercultural, and global learning within your school community? With whom can you collaborate to sustain this effort?

WAFLT is our professional community of practice and professional family for mutual support. Professional conversations, with WAFLT colleagues, often result in reflection, release, and renewal. Let’s lean into ongoing opportunities through WAFLT for professional collaboration, co-learning, and co-leading for change.

When times are tough, or your resilience is low, pause to recall why you chose to become a world language teacher. What experiences led you to pursue this life work?

Remember a few, of the many, students whose lives you have impacted. What will that impact translate to in their lives and for those with whom they interact? These are the fingerprints and footsteps of language, intercultural, and global education. As a teacher, you pave the

Pam Delfosse

way to more than words, or grades, college, or careers. You invite students to learn about the world and whom they choose to be within it. That invitation and opportunity is a gift that keeps on giving. ÌÌÌ Thank you. pamela.delfosse@dpi.wi.gov

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A Tribute to Patrick T. Raven isconsin’s language teaching community bid farewell to a legend in August 2021 when WAFLT Past President and former CSCTFL Executive Director Patrick Raven passed away after a brief illness.

Throughout his remarkable career in the classroom, as a world language consultant in educational publishing, and finally as the CSCTFL Executive Director, Patrick was an ardent advocate for the ongoing professional development of world language teachers.

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After teaching German for one year at St. John Cathedral High School in Milwaukee, Patrick served as a teacher and curriculum coordinator in the School District of Waukesha for 22 years. In 2018, Joyce Cupertino wrote, “I met Patrick in 1991 when he was the Foreign Language Department Chair for the Waukesha Public School District. As we talked, I realized how dedicated he was to the promotion of foreign language in the school district. During our department meetings, he showed a lot of eagerness to any ideas that we teachers shared. He had a gift of bringing out the bes t in his teachers and making sure that foreign language was an essential part of the Waukesha curriculum.”

Even after Patrick left the classroom, his enthusiasm for language teaching and learning was still plainly apparent to anyone he met. Friends and colleagues alike remember him fondly for his eye for detail, his commitment to excellence, and his tireless work ethic. Patrick embodied the concept of servant leadership. His dedication to the CSCTFL organization was extraordinary, managing the board, the exhibitors, the hotels, and anyone else involved with a finesse that made his countless hours of work seem effortless to outside observers.

In supporting Patrick’s nomination for the CSCTFL Founders Award in 2018, Emily Spinelli stated, “He has worked tirelessly to help improve world language education in Wisconsin and throughout the Central States region. His outstanding directorship of CSCTFL, his numerous presentations and workshops, his scholarly activity, and his ongoing commitment to the professional development of teachers attest to his worthiness.”

Over the course of his career, Patrick received several awards for his teaching and service, including the WAFLT Distinguished Language Educator Award, CSCTFL Founders Award, and Excellence in Publishing Award from Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Longtime friend and CSCTFL colleague Sarah Shackleford states, “His foremost priorities were always our profession’s common cause and the support and empowerment of others rather than himself.”

Complementing these qualities were his rich sense of humor and his stalwart devotion to his wife Mary, his children, Elizabeth and Thomas, and his six grandchildren.

Before he passed away, Patrick requested that donations in his memory be directed to WAFLT. To honor Patrick’s legacy and his commitment to professional development for all language teaching professionals, as well as his deep connections to both WAFLT and CSCTFL, in September 2021 the WAFLT Executive Board established the Patrick T. Raven CSCTFL Professional Development Scholarship. This scholarship reimburses the registration fees for two qualified WAFLT members to attend CSCTFL each year.

WAFLT is proud to honor Patrick Raven's zeal for professional development and continued learning through this scholarship in his name. Through his service and his loved ones' generosity, his legacy will be intertwined with WAFLT and CSCTFL for many years to come.

Sources: https://csctfl.wildapricot.org/resources/Documents/The2018Fo undersAward.pdf https://www.jsonline.com/obituaries/mjs048753

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Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers & Discover Languages Wisconsin Student Postcard Contest 2021 Discover Languages Student Postcard Contest Theme: Connect, Shape, & Grow with Languages!

This contest was open for students enrolled in world language classes in Wisconsin in these categories: Elementary (PK-5) ~ Middle School (6-8) ~ High School (9-12) ~ Post-Secondary (Undergraduate) Discover Langauges is the national campaign to raise public awareness about the importance of language learning and the understanding of cultures.

Students designed postcards that depicted the WAFLT Fall Conference Theme: Connect, Shape, & Grow with Languages!

The following students are the 2021 Middle School Postcard Winners: Congratulations to all of you!

Isabel ~ Grade 6 Sauk Prairie Middle School

Brinley ~ Grade 7 Sauk Prairie Middle School

Liesl ~ Grade 8 Sauk Prairie Middle School

The following students are a showcase of some of the 2021 high school postcard winners.

Alexis ~ Grade 9 Onalaska High School

Zach ~ Grade 10 Onalaska High School

Alanah ~ Grade 12 Onalaska High School

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Thank You, Contributors!

WAFLT thanks the following individuals for their contributions in 2021–22.

General Endowment Fund Linguiphile ($100+)

Contributor ($1-24)

Donna L. Clementi

Anne Chartier (in memory of Jim

Benefactor ($50-99)

Danielle Chaussee Kelly Ferguson Katelynn Jensen Pablo Muirhead Deborah Paprocki Kelsie Pattillo Cathy Stresing Deana Zorko

Paul Sandrock Sponsor ($25-49) Justin Gerlach Lynn Sessler Neitzel

Oakley)

Patrick T. Raven CSCTFL Professional Development Scholarship ACTFL Sue Atherton Michael Becker Mary Blickle Jaci Collins Bryan & Robin Dworak Mary Ellen & Michael Fletcher Linda Havas Bridget Geboy-Helfenstein Margaret L. Gilster Greg Griepentrog Horseshoe Bay Golf Club Sandy Karkossa Henry & Jean Kranendonk Julie Kreckow

Mary & Wayne Novak Susan Otto Karen Ralston Dan & Barb Rank Ryan & Sarah Scott Sarah Shackelford Nancy Smetek Steve & Judy Straus Judy Sweeti Robert Terry Kevin & Patti Van Kampen Beth Vogel Stephen & Diana Voitek Shawn Yakich

Professional Development Scholarship Fund

Student Travel Scholarship Fund

(Honoring Dr. Roma Hoff, Dr. Connie Knop & Dr. Irène Kraemer)

(Honoring O. Lynn Bolton)

Linguiphile ($100+)

Contributor ($1-24)

Benefactor ($50-99)

Contributor ($1-24)

Donna L. Clementi

Anita Alkhas Kelly Ferguson Katelynn Jensen Pablo Muirhead Kelsie Pattillo Deana Zorko

Deborah Hoem-Esparza Peter Hoff

Anita Alkhas Kelly Ferguson Katelynn Jensen Pablo Muirhead Kelsi Pattillo Deana Zorko

Benefactor ($50-99) Deborah Hoem-Esparza Peter Hoff Karen Luond Fowdy

Sponsor ($25-49) Kristy Albrecht Anne Chartier (in memory of Jim Oakley)

Sponsor ($25-49)

Justin Gerlach Deborah & Juvencio Esparza

Anne Chartier (in memory of Jim Oakley)

Melissa Dalton Justin Gerlach Sy Kreilein Michelle Nielsen

Your Contributions Are Appreciated!

Please consider contributing to one or more of these funds for 2022-23. You can do this online at waflt.org – log into your online account, and click “Endowment Contributions” on the top of the page to make your contribution, or mail your check to P.O. Box 1493, Appleton, WI 54912, noting to which fund(s) you would like your donation assigned.

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2021 Awards/Grants

by Victoria Carter 2021 WAFLT Distinguished Language Educator Each year, WAFLT honors one of its members as the Distinguished Language Educator. This award recognizes excellence in language teaching and/or administration, long-term achievements, and service to WAFLT and the language profession at the local, regional, and national levels.

WAFLT is proud to present Dr. Jody Reif Zeimann as the 2021 WAFLT Distinguished Language Educator honoree.

Jody is a Spanish instructor in the Berlin Area School District, where she has taught Spanish since 1980. As her multiple nominators state, her passion for teaching is apparent. She is wholly committed to ensuring that her students learn beyond the mechanics of the language, expanding their experience to recognize their roles as global citizens. Jody serves as an example for her students with her own commitment to lifelong learning which culminated in her PhD in Philosophy in Curriculum Leadership at Marian University in 2016.

Her former students, some of whom have become her colleagues, state what an impact Jody has made on all of them, through her passion for the language and culture, her passion for lifelong learning, and the travel experiences she has given them.

Jody is constantly giving back to her own community of students as well as to the community of world language educators on a local, state, regional, and national level.

Dr. Jody Reif Zeimann

Jody’s contributions to WAFLT, including serving currently as the MOPI Training Coordinator, as well as to her colleagues, and especially to her students embody the very best of the WAFLT Distinguished Language Educator Award.

WAFLT is proud to announce this year’s recipient of the Anthony J. Gradisnik Award, Dianne Seyler, the La Crosse–Epinal Sister City Committee Chair. For over 30 years, the La Crosse–Epinal Sister City Committee has fostered an exchange between the cities of La Crosse, WI and Epinal, France. Originally started as a cultural exchange as a result of Trane Company being based in La Crosse and having a factory in Epinal, it has grown into an annual student exchange program, official government delegation visits, and athletic and music exchanges. What is most impressive about this committee is that even though the official exchange is between the city of La Crosse, members have always included French programs from Holmen, Onalaska, and Aquinas High Schools.

2021 Anthony J. Gradisnik Award Each year, since 1998, WAFLT has had the honor of presenting the Anthony J. Gradisnik Award, which commemorates Mr. Gradisnik’s exceptional enthusiasm and advocacy for language education. Mr. Gradisnik, who began his career as a Spanish Teacher after World War II, was a foreign language curriculum specialist for Milwaukee Public Schools from 1959 to 1979. This award is presented to an individual or group—especially from outside the world language teaching profession—in such areas as international education, early language learning, and creative initiatives in language education.

Dianne Seyler

As stated by the nominator: Dianne, in her role as Committee Chair of the La Crosse–Epinal Sister City Committee, has helped promote the mission of promoting a deeper cultural understanding between the two cities. The presence of the sister city relationship is ever present

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around the city of La Crosse and in Epinal, France. Epinal’s official symbol can be found in a fountain in downtown La Crosse and, within Riverside Park of La Crosse, there is a French section within the International Gardens. On the other side of the Atlantic, one will find the Native American statues in a park that honors Epinal's sister cities.

One of the most important aspects of Dianne and the La Crosse–Epinal Sister City Committee is the high school student exchange program.

Each summer, one group of young adults from one city travel to the other city and stay with a host sibling for three weeks. It is truly an immersive experience where students from Epinal come to the Coulee Region and are able to live “the American Dream,” and the following summer, our students are able to travel to Epinal to live “à la française.” Over the 30 plus years of exchanges, there have been at least 600 students from both sides that have participated in the exchange and have had the invaluable experience of learning another language and culture through this immersive cultural exchange.

It is important to note that the La Crosse–Epinal Sister City Committee receives no funding from the city of La Crosse. Dianne has put in countless hours and effort into fundraisers in order to keep the exchange moving forward. In addition to fundraising and hosting government delegations each year from Epinal, the committee also provides students participating in the exchange with scholarships to help offset the cost of travel. The work that Dianne and her committee do is truly remarkable and makes a difference in the lives of students on a global scale.

2021 Frank M. Grittner New Teacher Award The Frank M. Grittner New Teacher Award is presented to a new member of our profession who has shown excellence in teaching and has provided leadership in service to school, community, and professional organizations. The award honors Frank Grittner, a tireless promoter of high standards for language teacher preparation in our schools as the Wisconsin State Foreign Language supervisor from 1961 to 1991.

This year, WAFLT is proud to award the Frank M. Grittner New Teacher Award to Rebekah Krenz.

extra time to meet with each student to help them through concepts and understanding.

As her principal states: Rebekah is a talented teacher in her department.

She has shown immense creativity in her lesson design and in her execution of standards-based, activity-driven learning. She believes that students have the ability to master the language and provides the right mix of challenge and support for her learners. He also states that she has personified excellence in her teaching and has promoted the value and virtue of pursuing the study of world languages.

2021 WAFLT Teacher of the Year Each year, WAFLT nominates one of its members for the ACTFL Foreign Language K-12 National Teacher of the Year (TOY). This year’s nominee Deborah Hoem-Esparza.

Rebekah Krenz

Rebekah has taught Spanish for three years at Oregon High School. As her nominator states, Rebekah is an independent thinker who desires to collaborate with others. She approaches her work with dedication and innovation, which elevates all of her colleagues’ work in creating lessons and developing curriculum.

Rebekah is the epitome of the caring educator. She is a selfless advocate for students and learning. She has made a concerted effort during online learning to connect with her students to help them achieve success and builds in

Deborah Hoem-Esparza

Deborah is a Spanish instructor at Milwaukee Area Technical College.

As stated by her nominator, she is a tireless and effective advocate for world language education. She is passionate and effective at making language and culture come alive for her students, and she is creative and effective at making her department’s vision a reality. The world language department at MATC is very much

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alive because of the seeds that Deborah was able to sow over a decade ago. She masterfully took a program from the brink of elimination to what is today a strong and cohesive team, 20-plus strong. She did this by modeling excellent pedagogy, motivating students, inspiring colleagues, and winning the case of the value of second language education to administration.

In her teaching, Deborah embraces the challenge of naturally integrating language and culture. She places a high premium on getting students to not only know “how to say what,” but, as our National Standards suggest, to knowing “how, when, and why to say what to whom.” It is safe to describe the students that leave her classroom as possessing a great deal of curiosity for becoming more culturally competent as well as being able to communicate on a variety of topics in Spanish. Deborah continues going well beyond the call of duty and never stops dreaming.

Deborah will represent Wisconsin in March 2022 at the virtual Central States Conference (CSCTFL). WAFLT is exceedingly proud to have such a deserving candidate!

2021 Recognition of Merit Awards The Recognition of Merit is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in teaching or who have made significant contributions to the language teaching profession. This year the awards committee is pleased to present this award to the following remarkable recipients.

Jessica King, Stormonth Elementary School Jessica, who teaches Spanish at Stormonth Elementary School in Fox Point, WI, goes above and beyond not only for her students, but also for the world Jessica King language teacher community. As stated by her nominator, Jessica works to help teachers and students professionally through her participation in AATSP WI, NNELL, and the WAFLT Board. In her position as NNELL Representative for WI, Jessica is pivotal in planning and putting on the annual FlesFest in our state. She also provides opportunities for her students to participate in language learning advocacy each year by giving them the opportunity to participate in the WAFLT Postcard Contest and the AATSP Poster Contest, both of which help build her program and early language learning in our state and nation. Jessica recognizes the need for teaching languages at an early age and works to help teachers build their program and to network with other teachers of early language learners.

Kellie Villalobos, Muskego High School Kellie, who is a Spanish teacher and World Language Department Chair at Kellie Villalobos Muskego High School, is a dedicated world language educator who creates positive relationships with her students and other teachers, and is involved in

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countless ways both within her school district and within the state, including serving as the WAFLT Treasurer. As her nominator states, Kellie is always willing to take on additional teaching responsibilities for the good of the department. As a colleague, she is always willing to share ideas, lesson plans, technological resources and insights into what is working well in her classroom. She is also continually seeking to learn from her colleagues and is excited to hear about new resources or activities that she could use in her classroom. She has a positive attitude and a good rapport with her students. In all of her roles, she advocates for the importance of learning a world language.

2021 Certificate of Professional Service The WAFLT Professional Service Award is presented annually to recent retirees who have served both the profession and their students in providing quality world language education.

John Pustejovsky, Marquette University John, who recently retired from Marquette University, has made an incredible impact in the field of world language John Pustegovsky education and beyond. As stated by his nominator, John is a catalyst for growth for his students and for language teachers not only in Wisconsin but also on a national level. He has been influential to all of his students, current and past. A few of his many accomplishments throughout his career include 25 years as a Fulbright Program Advisor, 23 years serving as

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Chairperson of the Esther Hudgins Scholarship Committee to honor his former teacher and colleague through which he helped to grow the fund to $500,000 so that $20,000 worth of scholarships could be given annually to German majors. He has presented multiple times at WAFLT, hosted professional development workshops for middle and high school teachers, collaborated with others from WAFLT and ACTFL, and in 2007, his course, Modern German Short Story Seminar was named one of the 25 best world language courses at U.S. Colleges and Universities by the ETS Benchmarking Project. In his 37 years in education, John has done invaluable work for all languages at Marquette University, within the state, and on a national level.

2021 Future Language Teacher Award Devin Pettys graduated from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and completed his student teaching Devin Pettys in French at Onalaska High School. As his nominator states, Devin’s strongest asset is his ability to build positive relationships with students. He is able to dissect course content and help students make deeper meaning of the material by making connections. Additionally, Devin creates a classroom

environment where students respect each other, work well together, and continue to meet his high expectations for learning. He is enthusiastic and ready to become a member of the greater learning community. Devin is currently in his first year of teaching French at Onalaska High School.

As we celebrate the 2021 Award Honorees, please consider nominating a colleague, student, or friend of language education for a future WAFLT award.

More information can be found at waflt.org.

WAFLT Honors in Language Study Awards (Top Student)

WAFLT Excellence in Language Study Awards (All Levels)

The Honors in Language Study Award is conferred on students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in and commitment to their school’s language programs. High school and university students must be enrolled in the highest level of study of their programs.

The Excellence in Language Study Award may be conferred on students who have demonstrated great achievement and progress in language study and who exhibit great potential for achievement in the language.

Student

Language(s)

Nominator

Student

Language(s)

Nominator

Jennifer A. Cassandra C. Sophonisba F. Joseph K. Katie K. Michaela K. Kurtis N. Madeline P. Emma S. Mariana T. Ella W. Madeline W.

Mandarin, Spanish Spanish German German German Spanish French Spanish German French Spanish Spanish

Quihong Zhang Jody Reif Ziemann Mark Wagner Carley Goodkind Jeffrey Dyer Josh LeGreve Ellen Onsrud Ellen Onsrud Bobbette Leu Timermann Charlotte Wichert Deanah Downey Catalina Cabello

Cecilia B. Katie D. Ben F. Gabe M. Julia S. Ruby S. Anna Z.

Spanish German German German Spanish German Mandarin

Jody Reif Ziemann Michael Koch Jeffrey Dyer Carley Goodkind Catalina Cabello Bobbette Leu Timermann Quihong Zhang

National Board Certified/Recertified Teachers (as of December 2020) Honoree

Language

School District

Danielle Chaussee Brian Wopat Marta Yedinak

Spanish French Spanish

Oconomowoc SD Onalaska SD Ripon Area SD

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WAFLT Distinguished Language Educator Speech Delivered by Jody Reif-Ziemann at the 2021 WAFLT Fall Online Conference isconsin Association for Language Teachers Awards committee, Executive Board members, WAFLT members, family, and friends. I am honored to be here this evening to accept this award as the WAFLT Distinguished Educator of the year. To look at those who have come before me as recipients of this award is to truly see some of the best of the best in the state of Wisconsin. I am humbled to be included with them.

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Confucius once said “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” What a wild ride my years in the field of education have been. I had no idea when I began my career that I would ultimately earn three degrees, spend 43 years (and counting) teaching in Menasha and Berlin, Wisconsin, organize 20 student trips to Mexico, Spain, Peru, and Guatemala, present and co-present sessions at state, regional, and this year, national conferences, and become involved with foreign language education and leadership on the local, state, regional, and national level. Oh, and then add a pandemic in to spice things up! I have been abundantly blessed with teachers and professors, talented, dedicated mentors and colleagues, loving family members, supportive friends from around the globe, and a cherished spouse who has supported and encouraged me through every endeavour I tackled, no matter how crazy it might have appeared at the time. I recall the time I came home beyond excited to take my husband, Dave, along with me on a “long weekend trip to Mexico to spend some

time in cemeteries.” I am forever grateful to each and every one of them.

As a life-long learner of Spanish, I have been asked numerous times what it was that led me down this career path. Most of my friends and family thought I was destined to become a band director since my junior high and high school years were filled with flute and organ lessons and classes. As with many of us, it was an influential teacher at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh who saw something in me that I hadn’t even realized was there and pointed me in the direction of foreign language education. I am thankful that I was able to express my appreciation to him many years after I graduated.

While there is a certain amount of effort and work in every job, my years have primarily been filled with relationships, laughter, and the excitement of sharing the Spanish language and culture with my students and watching them grow in their proficiency and ability to communicate with one another. The fulfillment and satisfaction I receive from this profession are the reasons that I have not considered retirement yet. In the future, I look forward to helping prepare a new generation of language teachers as I hope to transition into higher education and work with student teachers and those who are new to the profession.

The first, and in my opinion, most important component of my personal teaching philosophy is that educators need to teach students, not just subjects. While I am passionate about the cultures and dialects of Spanish-

speaking countries, ultimately helping students grow to be healthy, happy, kind, responsible, and compassionate young adults is of the utmost importance. The following quote has been attributed to Maya Angelou: “People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” How true this is for all educators in communicating with others.

Getting to know students in and out of the classroom and showing them you care about them as people is truly a personal goal of mine every year.

Attending athletic events and drama and musical presentations and then recognizing students’ achievements and efforts go a long way in creating relationships with students and fostering a caring atmosphere in the classroom.

Including students’ interests, extracurricular activities, families (when appropriate and comfortable for students) in warm-up conversations demonstrates to students that you really see them as valued individuals. It is easy to forget that the safe and friendly classroom atmosphere might be the most supportive time in a student’s day.

Along the same lines, sharing information about yourself with your classes allows students to see another side of you beyond the classroom walls.

My students can attest to my enthusiasm for international travel and all that it has to offer. I have played in the pit orchestra for musicals for 11 years to support our student vocalists.

Students see me in another supportive role and are always appreciative of my participation and the interactions from these productions create some special memories and bonds with students, some of whom I have not ever had in class.

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Furthermore, I believe that a teacher should model life-long learning. I shared parts of my PhD journey with my students. I continue to share workshops I give and take to show my classes that learning doesn’t just end when you graduate. We all need to do things to be our best self whether it be classes, seminars, conferences, or just reading a book or watching a movie that opens our eyes to new perspectives. The relationships I have made with other educators from around the globe at national conferences and workshops have helped make me the teacher I am today. It is also important to demonstrate to students that you are doing your part to help them learn and that this often requires the teacher to learn new teaching techniques and create updated materials. Teaching is a career that is never “completed.”

There is always something new to try or create. It is exhilarating and sometimes exhausting but always satisfying to the craft of and passion for teaching.

I have made it my mission to lead students to look outside of their comfort zone in a small rural community to the possibilities of “What else is out there?” in the world. Many of my students have never been on a plane before to say nothing of having visited another country. Their study of Spanish has introduced them to other peoples and ways of life and promotes speculation on why things are the way they are. It has also given them insight into music, art, foods, and simply daily routines of other countries. Creating relationships and friendships throughout the world will serve our students well in their future. I saw somewhere that making international bonds with people is one step towards ending wars; you are less likely to declare a war on friends in other cultures.

To be a foreign language teacher is to be a part of a body of educators that is unlike any other group. I defy teachers of any other subject matter to demonstrate the extent of passion and dedication to future generations of children that language educators show. We are unique in our encouragement and support for one another. We build our colleagues up and celebrate the large and small successes of one another. We know that our state organization is one of the most active and supportive and I would encourage all of you to get involved and share your expertise with others. Since educators more than many workers “stand on the shoulders of giants,” participation in language organizations is an important part of growing and learning from those who came before us. As teachers of elective subjects and often the only teacher of that subject, language educators can often be isolated from what is going on in their own school, to say nothing about the language profession on the state and national level. Active participation in language organizations allows teachers to embrace what is happening outside of their classroom. Collaboration on and celebration of our craft renews teachers. Whether it be through attendance at conferences, taking online or face-to-face seminars and workshops, or acknowledging successes of others, supporting one another contributes essential parts of what shapes effective teachers.

In closing, I would like to leave you with these words that have served me well over four decades of language teaching: Love what you do and dedicate yourself to doing it well.

Education is not a 9:00 to 5:00 job that ends when you turn out the lights for the afternoon. Passion for interacting with students and sharing in their lives

and educational journey should be what we embody as teachers. It is my sincere hope that your years in teaching will fulfill you and continue to inspire future generations of learners.

Good night and thank you all again.

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WAFLT Annual Meeting Minutes Saturday, November 6, 2021 (Meeting was conducted virtually) I. Greetings – Dan Tess II. Fall Conference Committee Program Committee – Shaniya Stengl C Conference Overview: 165 attendees, nearly 30 pre-recorded sessions, 5 workshops, and 40 live sessions.

C Watching the recorded sessions after the conference – All can watch on Hopin through the Replay tab through Sunday, after that, please be patient as we transition the videos from Hopin to another platform that will be able to be shared to all attendees and members.

C 2022 Theme: Level Up: Embracing Change, Empowering Learners Local Arrangements – Lee Belanger-Gonzales III. Secretary’s Report – Brian Wopat MOTION: Kellie Villalobos moved and seconded by Victoria Carter to dispense the reading of minutes and accept as written. The motion passed.

IV. President’s Report – Dan Tess C Emailing members to fill vacancies has resulted in only a few spots filled.

Your word of mouth and personal connections to colleagues makes more of a difference than an easily-deleted email. If you have colleagues who are ready to add WAFLT leadership to their CV, now is the time.

C Save the date! Power Hours (11/18, 12/16, 1/20, 2/17, 3/10, 4/21, 5/19) V. Treasurer’s Report – Kellie Villalobos Note: EB Stipends went out on 11/3/21. Please email me if you don’t receive it within ten days.

MOTION: Victoria Carter moved and seconded by Shaniya Stengl to dispense the reading of the treasurer’s report and accept as written. The motion passed.

VI. DPI World Language and Global Education Consultant’s Report – Pam Delfosse VII. NNELL Report – Jessica King C Save the date for FLESFEST 2022 on Saturday, February 19, 2022. The conference will be FREE and held virtually. The theme is Enhancing Connections, Confidence, and Communication in our Interdependent World. For more information about previous conferences, visit wi-nell.org.

C Join NNELL to support and advocate for early language learning and teaching.

VIII. Professional Development Committee – Jamie Gurholt Career Changers – Seeking someone energetic to step into this role.

Virtual PD – Jamie Gurholt & Julie Horvath C Currently we are supporting the virtual Power Hours each month (run

by Linda Havas). Upcoming, there is a possible virtual December Share Fair (Anita Alkhas) and a definite (date TBD) spring Share Fair in the Fox Valley area (Zoe Witzeling). Lastly, the ACTFL conference is again virtual on November 19-21, sessions will be available for view beyond the conference, until February 28, 2022.

They also have ongoing virtual professional development options.

IX. Summer Professional Development Committee – Danielle Chaussee and Jenny Piorkowski Summer Institute – Danielle Chaussee & Jenny Piorkowski C Currently seeking 2022-2023 Leaders.

MOPI – Jody Reif Ziemann C MOPI not held the past 2 years.

C Considering several sites for possible 2022 training.

X. Grants, Scholarships, & Awards Grants & Scholarships C Two Grants will be voted on via email.

C December 1: Deadline for Special Projects Grant, Student Travel Scholarships, and CSC Extension Workshop Grants.

Awards C No report until December meeting.

C Reminder to all to nominate their colleagues and students for the many awards.

High School Guests C This was not held this year, so no updates.

C We’re excited to hold it again next year (in person).

XI. Public Relations Committee State advocacy: Still seeking State Advocacy Co-chair. One teacher has been contacted.

National level advocacy: C Pablo Muirhead and Dan Tess attended Language Advocacy Day virtually February 3-5, 2021. Janet Rowe was a CSC representative.

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C See [languagepolicy.org/advocacy] to view the constantly expanding resources from JNCL-NCLIS. Language Advocacy Day will be a virtual event this year (Feb. 3-5, 2021). Please continue to reach out to your legislative representatives as you learn about action alerts through JNCL-NCLIS.

eVoice – Lauren Rosen/Kara Torkelson C We are also always looking for high tech/low tech articles. If you presented at this conference and want to write up a short article, non-research based we would love to have it.

C Please contact webmaster@waflt.org to volunteer and/or write an article for us.

Discover Languages – Justin Gerlach C Possible replacement officer being sought for 2022.

21st Century Committee – C We currently have over 1000 followers on FB and if you aren’t already following us please do so. You will see content about all things language educator oriented.

C Twitter has over 1700 followers and typically echoes much of what is on FB, so please consider following us there as well.

C We have been wanting to get an Instagram feed going so if you are an Instagram fan and would like to help us out with that, please contact 21stcentury@waflt.org.

XII. Communications & Publications Committee – Lauren Rosen VOICE – Katy Dueppen and Kelly Miller C The Voice of WAFLT is a biannual publication that seeks the voice of its members. Please consider writing an article pertaining to effective instructional practices, assessment, or initiatives to promote language learning and interculturality in your school.

C We are seeking articles for our Spring edition from the entire WAFLT membership.

C January 1 – Spring edition deadline C Send articles to voice@waflt.org Microsoft Word or Google Docs preferred.

C Affiliate organizations: January 1 deadline C Provide a current list of all officers (name, school, and email, if your organization lists that information).

Please check your verb tenses and dates when writing about past and future events. (Pay close attention to the publication date.)

C Photos are welcome and encouraged.

C Please send photos separately as .jpg, .jpeg, or .png files.

C Please include photo captions in your article and name your photo files to correspond with captions.

Advertising – Josh LeGreve C Due to not having a physical conference program and an abbreviated Fall Voice of WAFLT without a pre-conference program, advertising sales were suspended this fall. They will begin again in spring.

Website – Lauren Rosen C I appreciate any feedback you have on our website so feel free to send comments to webmaster@waflt.org.

XIII. Announcements / Other Business, etc.

Please be sure to sign up for the drawing for one of two WAFLT memberships on the Google form in the chat.

XIV. Adjournment MOTION: Cathy Stresing moved and seconded by Kelly Miller to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed.

Professional Development Opportunities Wisconsin Association For Language Teachers (WAFLT) Fall Conference | November 3-5, 2022 | Information: waflt.org American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Conference | November 18-20, 2022, Boston, MA | Information: actfl.org Join a Language Leadership Listserv : join-languageleadership@lists.dpi.wi.gov Join Your Language Association: Go to waflt.org/about-waflt/language-associations for a list of all organizations. Reach out to learn how to join their listserv.

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Wisconsin Representative to NNELL Jessica King Fox Point-Bayside School District jking@foxbay.org FLESFEST Co-Chairs Carley Goodkind Jody Schneider

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Central States East Regional Representative to NNELL Kathy Olson-Studler Minnesota kathyolsonstudler@gmail.com Wisconsin Website: wi-nell.org National Website: nnell.org

Wisconsin Latin Teachers Association President Nate Kolpin Wauwatosa School District kolpinna@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us

Secretary Michelle Bayouth Madison West HS mbayouthicloud@gmail.com

Webmaster Treasurer Mark Krause Daniel Tess Brookfield Central High School krausemg1@gmail.com tessdanielp@gmail.com

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Wisconsin Association of Chinese Language Teachers President Yongyan Liu Milwaukee yongyan.liu85@gmail.com

Secretary Yuzhou Wu Middleton Cross Plain Area School District ywu@mcpasd.k12.wi.us

ACLT wishes Wisconsin teachers all the best with your work, and a healthy and prosperous year of the Tiger!

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2021 WAFLT Fall Conference On November 6th, the board members met virtually at this year’s business meeting during the WAFLT Fall Conference. Due to the use of a new meeting platform, not all the members were able to join. The participants approved the following motions:

Treasurer Remya Sarma-Traynor UW-Stevens Point rsarmtr@uwsp.edu

C The 19th annual Wisconsin Chinese language speech contest was held in a virtual format. This was the third online Chinese language speech contest since the beginning of the pandemic. Encouraged by the previous year’s success, all Chinese teachers welcomed this new online format so more students would be able to participate.

C All three board members — Yongyan Liu, Yuzhou Wu, and Sarma-Traynor Remya — will continue to assume their current responsibilities with WAFLT. The board invited the fellow teachers to consider the leadership roles for next year.

WACLT monthly sharing event - Jan 22, 2022

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American Association of French Teachers-Wisconsin Chapter President Cathy Stresing Fond du Lac School District

presidentAATFWI@gmail.com President-Elect Andrew Irving presidentelectAATFWI@gmail.com

Secretary-Treasurer Brian Wopat Onalaska High School treasurerAATFWI@gmail.com Past President Kara Torkelson Wausau West High School pastpresidentAATFLWI@gmail.com

Concours Oral concoursoralAATFWI@gmail.com AATF Regional Representative Tom Sapp tsapp@loy.org

AATF-WI website: aatfwi.org Join us on Facebook: AATF-Wisconsin AATF website: frenchteachers.org

Une très bonne année 2022 à tout le monde, vec ce nouvel an, arrive une nouvelle présidente de AAFT-WI, et c'est moi. Je voudrais tout d'abord me présenter un tout petit peu. Je suis mariée à Chuck depuis 24 ans. Nous avons deux enfants, mais en fait je dois dire “deux adultes” parce que notre “petite” fille vient d'avoir 18 ans en novembre. Elle essaie de choisir une université en ce moment ce qui n'est pas du tout évident comme vous devez bien savoir. Notre fils aura 20 ans en février. Il est gérant assistant dans le département de revêtement de sol à Menards. Il travaille des heures innombrables certaines semaines mais il trouve toujours des moyens de se reposer.

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Professionnellement, je suis depuis trois ans dans deux collèges à Fond du Lac. Il m'a fallu un petit moment pour convaincre à mes élèves que cela ne veut pas dire “Foot of the Lake.” (au moins littéralement) C'est ma 33ième année d'enseignement! Des fois il semble beaucoup plus et des fois bien moins. Dans ce temps, je suis passée

par de petites aux grandes écoles, des petits aux grands élèves aussi.

Je ne cesse d'apprendre tous les jours et ça c'est en fait mon but comme présidente. C'est d'apprendre de vous et de vos expériences et de partager ce que je peux des miennes.

J'espère que vous avez pu vous reposer et vous recharger pendant ces vacances. Je vous souhaite un bon janvier et plein de chance et de courage pour la fin de semestre. À ce propos, avez-vous des idées ou des stratégies à partager au sujet d'examens? Comment trouvez-vous le niveau de vos élèves? Comment donnez-vous un peu de contrôle à vos élèves pour qu'ils se sentent confiants et capables dans leur apprentissage de notre belle langue, LE FRANÇAIS? Envoyez-les-moi et je les passerai à nos membres. Tout sera apprécié! À la prochaine fois, Cathy

A very Happy New Year to everyone, With this new year comes a new president of AAFT-WI, and it's me. My name is Cathy Stressing and I would first like to introduce myself. I have been married to Chuck for 24 years. We have two children, but actually I have to say “two adults” because our “little” girl just turned 18 in November. She is trying to choose a university at the moment which is not at all obvious as you know well. Our son turned 20 in February. He is assistant manager in the flooring department at Menards. He works countless hours some weeks, but he always finds ways to rest.

Professionally, I have been at two middle schools in Fond du Lac for three years. It took me a little while to convince my students that it doesn't mean “Foot of the Lake.” (at least literally) This is my 33rd year of teaching! Sometimes it seems a lot more and sometimes a lot less. In this time, I have been in small to large schools, from small to big students too.

I keep learning every day and that is

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actually my goal as president. It's learning from you and your experiences and sharing what I can of mine.

I hope you were able to rest and recharge during this break. I wish you a happy January and lots of luck and strength at the end of the semester.

Speaking of which, do you have any ideas or strategies to share regarding exams? How do you find the level of your students? How do you give your students a little control so that they feel confident and capable in their learning of our beautiful language, FRENCH? Send them to me and I will pass them on to our members. Everything will be appreciated!

Until next time!

Cathy Stresing

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American Association of Teachers of German – Wisconsin President Melanie Lasee Ashwaubenon High School mlasee@ashwaubenonk12.org

Past President Jeffery Dyer Oregon High School jmd3@oregonsd.net

Vice President Derek Schaefer Slinger High School derek.schaefer@slingerschools.org

Secretary Sarah Seidler-Halwas Ripon High School seidlers@ripon.k12.wi.us

lowly, but surely, we are emerging from what has definitely been the two most interesting, yet challenging years of teaching for most of us. Hopefully we are all getting back to some sense of normalcy. When I reflect on the past two years, I have to admit that it hasn’t been all that bad. Maybe I could equate it to childbirth. It was really painful while we were living it, but now that it is somewhat behind me, I find myself focusing on the good rather than the bad. I can’t help but sing the song by Kelly Clarkson, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger…” (You’re welcome for the Ohrwurm!! :) I can definitely think of more positives as the fog lifts. In a very short amount of time, we all became “Virtual Teaching Wizards.” My tool box has changed quite a bit, has increased quite a lot, and has the latest IOS update (insert laughing/crying emoji). In all seriousness, I have learned more about being a virtual teacher than I ever thought I would. I can honestly say it’s not really my favorite. I much prefer face-to-face teaching, but there are quite a few things that have made my job go a little smoother. I can’t even imagine what the past 2 years would have been like, if this would have happened 20 years ago.

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I hope everyone had a great New Year and a great fall semester. WI-AATG started the year off with a few new officers. I would like to welcome to the executive board Derek Schaeffer from Slinger High School as our new vice president and David Coury from UW-Green Bay as our new treasurer. I would like to thank Jeanne Schueller for serving on the executive board for the past six years and I look forward to working with our new executive board.

Thank you to Sarah for serving a second term and to Jeff for continuing as our past president and serving his final two years on the executive board.

I have some big shoes to fill and I won’t be able to do it without you!

We also have other exciting news to share. Our membership has so many amazing examples of what excellence in education means. I am so proud of the work all of you do every day. I would like to celebrate our colleagues around the state who were awarded for their accomplishments this past year.

Each year the Wisconsin Chapter of AATG bestows upon one of its members the Distinguished German Educator Award. Recipients of this award have demonstrated over their careers excellence in the teaching of the language and culture of the

Treasurer David Coury UW-Green Bay couryd@uwgb.edu

German-speaking world, advocacy for teaching, learning and professional development, professional contribution to the profession, fostering positive relationships, and service to the organization.

This year's recipient has been an enthusiastic and passionate German language teacher with more than 31 years of experience teaching high school and middle school German. Her advocacy for the teaching of German has been critical in maintaining German programs and her participation in and contribution to the organization, in particular, her significant involvement in the and legacy of the WI-AATG German Speaking Contest. Among her accolades are the WAFLT Recognition of Merit and twice a Duden Award recipient. This year's recipient of the Wisconsin-AATG Distinguished German Educator Award is Sabine Beirold.

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As you may have already read, Dr. John Pustojovsky was awarded the WAFLT Professional Service Award.

This award may be presented annually to recent retirees who have served both the profession and their students in providing quality world language education. Thank you for your service to our profession and congratulations on your retirement!

Mark Wagner was awarded with the Goethe Institut/AATG Certificate of Merit. This award honors achievement in furthering German teaching in the US. German teachers may be recognized for outstanding teaching, creative and successful activities promoting German, innovative curriculum and successful course design, successful interdisciplinary cooperation, and/or significant contributions to the profession.

Dr. Jonathan Wipplinger was named as this year’s recipient of the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation Teacher Award.

This award recognizes outstanding teachers of German in the US who strengthen intercultural understanding.

Jeffrey Dyer was awarded this year by AATG and the Goethe Institut for the Outstanding GAPP Coordinator Award.

This award recognizes outstanding German educators for going above and beyond to provide opportunities for students at their schools to study abroad on short-term exchanges to Germany through the German American Partnership Program (GAPP).

If you have any great news to share with us, please email Jeff or I and we will feature it in our Infoschorle Newsletter. If you aren’t familiar with it, click this link and check it out.

Email updates are sent through our AATG membership database. If you are not a member, please join! It is so important to support our professional organizations. It’s the best way to stay current and get active.

You can also join us on Facebook. (facebook.com/groups/wiaatg/) There has been a lot going on around the state. In February, we participated in the 25th annual German Immersion Weekend. The topic was “Was wollen wir lesen?” – Kinder- und Jugendliteratur in allen Stufen. We learned a ton from one another and had a lot of fun too! Look for information on the 26th Immersion Weekend at our business meeting during the WAFLT Fall Conference. I guarantee it will be well worth your investment! There were also FLES Fest, speaking contests taking place around the state in March and April, German Day on the UW-Madison campus on April 7th, National German Exam and the DSSV essay contest.

For information on all of these and more, visit the Infoschorle.

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone for believing in me and electing me to be your president. I wouldn’t be where I am in this organization, had I not ventured out to the German Immersion Weekend back in 2005. I cherish every one of the friendships I have made since. I would also like to wish you all a great end of the 2021-22 school year and a summer of relaxation and rejuvenation! mit freundlichen Grüßen!

Melanie Lasee

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Wisconsin Association of Teachers of Japanese President Magara Maeda UW-River Falls (715) 425-3121 magara.maeda@uwrf.edu

President Ex-officio Takako Nakakubo UW-Madison (608) 262-3473 tnakakubo@wisc.edu

President-Elect Patricia Breun Madison Country Day School pbreun@madisoncountryday.org

Secretary/Web Page Editor Shinji Takahashi UW-Milwaukee (414) 229-5650 takahash@uwm.edu

Activities Director Yuko Kojima-Wert UW-Milwaukee (414) 229-5650 kojima@uwm.edu

Treasurer Yu Kitamura Wisconsin Virtual School Kitamurayu2017@gmail.com

Membership Information: aatj.org/membership WiATJ website: wisconsinatj.wordpress.com WiATJ Facebook: facebook.com/wiatj

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e hope that everyone is having a great spring semester!

WAFLT Fall Conference 2022 The WAFLT Fall Conference will be held on November 3-5 this year.

WiATJ is hosting a Share Fair during the conference. Please let the WiATJ president know if you are interested in presenting/sharing for the Share Fair.

The WiATJ Business Meeting is scheduled immediately after the Share Fair (date/time is TBA). Please join us to connect, reconnect with fellow Japanese teachers and anyone who is interested in Japanese language education. Everyone is welcome!

News Across Wisconsin Three Wisconsin high schools participated in the 2022 Virtual MN J-Quiz on February 12, 2022. This was the first time for these schools to join the Minnesota competition and we look forward to collaborating with the Minnesota Japanese language educators/J-Quiz organizing committee in the near future.

Members Activities Update Publication With leadership from Lauren Rosen, Magara Maeda, along with her Collaborative Language Program colleagues, contributed to a chapter in the book called “Handbook of Research on Effective Online Language Teaching in a Disruptive Environment.” The chapter title is “How Reflective Practice Informs Blended and Online Language Instruction.” For more information, please visit this link.

2022 Advanced Leadership Training C WiATJ president and vice president, Maeda sensei and Patty sensei, participated in the 2022 AATJ/JFLA Virtual Advanced Leadership Training.

They are currently working on an action plan to empower/enrich the WiATJ community.

C This is the first Advanced Leadership Training that is organized by the American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ) and the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles (JFLA) involves a series of 2-day virtual

workshops: (1) November 6-7, 2021; (2) February 2022 (mid-term reporting of an action plan); and (3) July 2022 (final reporting of the action plan). Since 2008, AATJ/JFLA has conducted an annual Leadership Training in order to prepare teachers who advocate at the regional, state, and national levels for Japanese Language and Culture education. Due to the pandemic, leadership training has been offered virtually since 2020. For this first Advanced Leadership Training, selected individuals who, over the past five years, have either participated in the previous trainings or have been J-Leap program lead teachers were invited.

The goal of the Advanced Leadership Training is two- fold—to enable participants to deepen and extend their work with fellow world language teachers and to foster a high level of leadership among leaders of Japanese language education in the U.S.

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2022 Virtual AATJ Annual Spring Conference (March 17-19, 2022) We would love to hear from you!

Please share your/your program’s updates, events, activities, and awards with us!

Magara Maeda

Moved recently? Changed jobs? Changed names?

Update your WAFLT profile! Your profile information is the main vehicle for WAFLT to keep in touch with you and pass on information about what is happening in our organization.

Verify/update your own information today: 1. Go to waflt.org and click on “Login” from the right end of the menu bar at the top.

— Don’t remember your password? Click on “Forgot Password” and retrieve it using your email address or login ID. 2. Type in your login ID or email address and your password to enter.

— Still can’t login? DO NOT create a new login! Instead, contact webmaster@waflt.org for assistance.

3. On the left click account information.

4. Click edit at the top to make changes. Don’t forget to save!

— If possible add a personal email address in addition to the school one as some schools block waflt.org.

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American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese President Jessica Santiago New Berlin West High School jessica.santiago@nbexcellence.org

Secretary Alix Madden Pittsville School District maddeale@pittsville.k12.wi.us

Past President Kathy Varda JEDI Virtual School k.m.stenlund@gmail.com

Treasurer Catalina Cabello Pacelli Catholic High School, Stevens Point ccabello@spacs.k12.wi.us

President Elect Bridget Geboy-Helfenstein Nathan Hale High School

Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica Nicole Thompson New Berlin High School nicole.thompson@nbexcelle nce.org

Concurso Oral Coordinator Barb Olsen Kettle Morraine High School barbara.olsen@kmlhs.org

Join us on Facebook: NSE Coordinator tinyurl.com/AATSP-WITeach Victoria Carter ers Onalaska High School carvi@onalaskaschools.com

Webmaster Josh LeGreve Green Lake School District joshlegreve@gmail.com

¡Saludos!!

ATSP-WI would like to introduce you to our new board members: We are excited to welcome Bridget Geboy-Helfenstein to our executive board as president-elect. Bridget teaches Spanish at Nathan Hale High School in West Allis. Thank you for your willingness to join our team.

We’re lucky to have you!

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Thank you to Erin Nienas for her years of service to our team in her role most recently as past-president.

A complete list of your 2022 AATSP-WI board members is above.

Are you interested in becoming involved? Next fall we’ll be looking to fill the following positions: C Concurso Oral Representative (January 2023-December 2024) C Webmaster (January 2023-December 2025) C SSH Representative (January 2023-December 2024)

A glimpse into our events from this year: Fall 2021 WAFLT Conference This year due to COVID our attendance numbers were lower than a typical year for our AATSP-WI Networking session on Saturday morning at the virtual WAFLT, but it was still a great event. Thank you to everyone who attended, presented, and promoted this session. We had a great presentation by Catalina Cabello and Josefina Cabello. Please consider attending in the future.

Concurso Oral We hosted the 2022 Concurso Oral virtually February 20-March 5, 2022.

Please check out our website for the selections and more information. We hope you will consider offering this excellent opportunity for your students in the future. Many teachers hold a “regional-type” oral assessment/ audition beforehand to determine which students earn the privilege

of performing at the STATE level. We need judges in future years. Judging is a lot of fun!

Did you know that AATSP-WI also rewards senior scholarships every year for Concurso Oral?

Wisconsin and National Poster Contest AATSP-WI Poster Contest submissions were due to Bridget Geboy-Helfenstein, AATSP-WI President Elect and Poster Contest Coordinator by Friday, March 4, 2022.

This year's theme was “Valorando nuestras raíces y construyendo nuestro futuro”/“Valorizando nossas raízes e construindo nosso futuro.”

The contest was open to all students of AATSP members from grades K-12.

There were several different categories for the competition: K-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12 (hand-drawn), and 9-12 (digital). If you would like more information about the contest, please contact Bridget at gebob@wawmsd.org.

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WAFLT Awards, Scholarships, and Grants: Details & Forms available @ waflt.org WAFLT Distinguished Language Educator Award: WAFLT's highest recognition, may be conferred annually on an individual of the language teaching profession who has demonstrated long-term achievement and service to WAFLT and to the profession locally, statewide, regionally, and/or nationally. Nomination Deadline: March 15 Anthony J. Gradisnik Award: May be conferred on an individual or group especially from outside the world language teaching profession who shares Mr. Gradisnik's enthusiasm and advocacy for language education in such areas as international education, early language learning, and creative initiatives in language education. Nomination Deadline: March 15 Frank M. Grittner New Teacher Award: May be conferred annually on an individual new to the language teaching profession with one to three years experience who has demonstrated excellence in teaching and leadership in the promotion of language learning and international understanding; has given service to school, community, and state organizations; and has shown commitment to regional and national organizations. Nomination Deadline: March 15 WAFLT Excellence in Language Study Award: May be conferred on students who have demonstrated great achievement and progress in language study and who exhibit great potential for further achievement in the language.

Students currently enrolled in a world language course offered at their school. Elementary, middle school, high school, and post-secondary students are eligible. Nomination Deadline: March 15 WAFLT Honors in Language Study Award: May be conferred on students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in and commitment to their school’s language programs. Students currently enrolled in the most advanced world language course offered at their school; high school and post-secondary students are eligible. Deadline: March 15 WAFLT Future Language Teacher Award: May be conferred annually on students in teacher-training programs who have shown exceptional promise and potential to become outstanding world language educators. Students currently enrolled in a teacher-training program are eligible. Nomination Deadline: April 1 Donna Clementi Award for Excellence in World Language Programs: Recognizes one school and/or district that promotes language learning through quality programs.

WAFLT Professional Service Award: May be presented annually to recent retirees who have served both the profession and their students in providing quality world language education. Recent retirees with a minimum of ten years’ experience as world language educators and who have been members of WAFLT a minimum of five years within the past ten years are eligible. Nomination Deadline: May 15 WAFLT Recognition of Merit: May be presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in teaching or who have made significant contributions to the language teaching profession. Nomination Deadline: February 15 WAFLT Student Travel Scholarship: Designed to help Wisconsin pre-collegiate world language students to participate in language and cultural immersion programs, this scholarship was established in 1999 to honor O. Lynn Bolton, a Spanish teacher in the West Allis-West Milwaukee school district. Nomination Deadline: December 1 WAFLT Scholarship for Professional Development: Designed to help world language educators in Wisconsin improve their classroom teaching skills, this scholarship was established in 1995 to honor Professor Roma Hoff as she retired from the Department of Foreign Languages at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The fund was expanded to honor Professor Constance Knop who retired from the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1996, and again in 2005 to honor the memory of Professor Irène Kraemer who served in many capacities at Carthage College. Nomination Deadline: April 15 WAFLT Scholarship for Tomorrow’s Teachers: Designed to offer financial assistance to attend the WAFLT Fall Conference for up to 20 college-level students preparing to become language teachers. Deadline: September 25 WAFLT Special Projects Grants: Designed to support research efforts, exchange initiatives, special programs, and projects that clearly demonstrate an ability to benefit a broad constituency of world language educators and students in Wisconsin. Deadlines: April 15 and November 15 WAFLT Central States Extension Workshop Grant: Designed to offer financial support for two WAFLT members to attend the Central States Extension Workshop each spring.

Recipients of the grant are expected to work together to present a WAFLT Extension Workshop at the Fall Conference in Appleton. Deadline: December 15

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WAFLT Katy Dueppen & Kelly Miller, Co-Editors WAFLT Membership Service PO Box 1493 Appleton, WI 54912

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PRSRT STND US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT19 GREENVILLE WI