FALL - 2015
THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW 2________________________ 2015-2016 Terrific Start - Mrs. Schulz
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3_______________________ Title I & Early Childhood Special Ed.
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PAGE 4______________________ RRCC & Pre-K News PAGE 5______________________ Kindergarten & 1st Grade News
6_____________________ 2nd, & 3rd Grade News
In thinking about how to approach this letter I came to the realization that I have to be considered or even determined “old” I could feel the blood rush from my face when I came to the conclusion that this year’s senior class was not born when I started at Spencer. This coupled with the fact that we will be celebrating 100 years of the School District of Spencer in 2016 and thinking between my adolescent and adult life have spent almost a third of that time here allowed me to reminisce on where we came from and where we are now. When I started here one of the big discussions was to figure out how to train the staff in the use of email. Today we are implementing a 1:1 initiative into our high school. The integration of technology into our PK – 12 classrooms are at its all-time high. Computers are just another tool used by educators as a venue to create a positive learning environment for our kids.
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PAGE 7____________________ 4th & 5th Grade News PAGE 8___________________ Elementary Counselor’s Corner
9__________________ Hello from Ms. Bartlett!
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PAGE 10_________________ RTI Initiative
11_________________ Welcome New Rocket Staff!
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H.S. Counselor’s Corner PAGE 13________________ S.H.S. Launches New Technology
I was all excited when I was handed my very own pager that would allow people to leave me a message in addition to that I was given a cell phone to use that was about the size of a mini loaf of bread. Today communication is running rampant venues such as twitter, Facebook and Instagram to name a few are utilized to promote and communicate all the great things happening on a day to day basis. Not to mention our school webpage www.spencer.k12.wi.us which gives the public a small look into the world of our teachers. It is interesting to think of how things have progressed or changed throughout the years but just as important to think about how things have stayed the same. Our school district still cares about each individual child. We still understand and strive to build relationships with our students. We understand the importance of working with parents side by side in making good decisions for our kids. And, it is still a day maker to get a high five or a hug from a smiling kindergarten student. Welcome back for another school year. As a district we are here to support our parents and community in providing our future with intelligent problem solving adults that genuinely care about the well-being of others. I look forward to working with you and encourage your input as we move forward to accomplish this feat.
The Rocket News is now online!
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Spencer Youth Recreations PAGE 15_________________ Stratford Continuing Education PAGE 16__________________ Fall Sports Schedules
Mike Endreas, - District Administrator
Check it out and share with family and friends today!
www.therocket.news
THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR IS OFF TO A TERRIFIC START!! Sept. 1, 2015 marked the beginning of our new school year, a new chapter in the lives of our students and staff, and new chances for all to grow into the best version of themselves possible! Whenever a new year begins there is excitement, anticipation, and even some nervousness whether you are a student, teacher, administrator or part of the professional staff! All members of the staff spend weeks getting ready for the new school year and the students and parents spend days (maybe even weeks!) getting prepared for their new year. All of the preparedness has definitely paid off – we had an absolutely incredible start to the school year. The excitement was palpable as the students entered the building and came into the gym for our Welcome Back Assembly. This excitement and positive energy has continued throughout the opening weeks of school.
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Here are a few of the changes you may notice at Spencer Elementary this year:
Dates to be aware of as we move forward:
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Most importantly – new faces! You will meet Mrs. Carmen Schweiger and Mr. Riley Thomas. Mrs. Schweiger is the new K-12 art teacher and Mr. Thomas is our new physical education teacher. We would also like to welcome Mrs. Danielle Schmidt; she is a new paraprofessional working in the elementary school and Mrs. Melissa Schmidt is a new paraprofessional working with our special education students. We are also thrilled to welcome 21 new students to our Rocket Family! Reading Wonders – Reading Wonders is our new reading series for kindergarten through fifth grade. We spent the 2014-2015 school year reviewing the many options available to us. After many hours of review, talking to neighboring districts, and curriculum representatives we felt that Reading Wonders would best meet the needs of our students. This series has many options built into the program and this will allow us to better differentiate to meet all of our student needs. Look for more information in the future as we will be scheduling a parent information night to share more about this program.
Increased technology – We were very fortunate to inherit over 50 laptop computers from the high school (because of the “one-to-one” initiative). These computers are now being put to good use in both 4th and 5th grade. We were also able to redistribute computers in K-3rd grade to increase the availability for our younger students. Simply increasing technology doesn’t enhance education but with this increase we can begin to redefine how we structure what we do with our students. We need to work with all of our students in building their toolbox of “21st Century Skills”, some of which are; creativity and innovation, problem solving and critical thinking, communication and collaboration. These skills, along with others, will work together to prepare our students for the future.
Oct. 12 and 15 - Parent Teacher Conferences – sign-up will be done as it was last year online at the Sign-Up Genius website. Information was sent home with your child about this process; if you are unable to sign-up online please send a note to your child’s teacher with time preferences and we will see that you get signed up. Oct. 16 – Student Day Off Oct. 30 – Student Day Off Nov. 5 – Last Day of First Quarter Enjoy your fall, Jill Schulz - Elementary Principal/Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator
ELEMENTARY PHYSICAL EDUCATION NEWS The elementary physical education classes have a couple of new faces this year. Mr. Abel has been teaching at the middle and high school levels. He is teaching the 3rd and 4th grades. A new teacher to the district, Mr. Thomas, is teaching our 1st and 2nd grades. Mrs. Rehm continues to enjoy her time teaching in The deadline to submit items for the next issue is tentatively January 22, 2016. You may drop off items in newsletter mailbox in the Elementary Office, or you may e-mail them to newsletter@spencer.k12.wi.us. It will then take 2-3 weeks to get it put together and mailed out. If you have any questions, you may e-mail that same address or leave a message by calling school and asking for extension 100.
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Thank you!!
the elementary and works with the Kindergarten and 5th grade classes. Please stop by to get to know us during the upcoming Parent/Teacher conferences. - Submitted by Elementary Phy. Ed. Teacher, Mrs. Rehm
Advisors, coaches, faculty, and staff of the Spencer Public Schools have submitted the articles printed in this Publication. Announcements are a community service. Mike Endreas, Editor in Chief
The School District of Spencer shall not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, political affiliation, sex or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, color, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. To report an alleged violation regarding discrimination, contact Mike Endreas, District Administrator, Spencer School District, 715-659-5347
FALL - 2015
TITLE I – READING Another school year is off and running. Great to be back! I would just like to remind everyone to look on our school website for information about all the wonderful things happening at Spencer. The theme for our Reading Incentive program this year is ‘Catch a Dragon by the TALE’. This program will run from October through March. Students will be encouraged to reach their classroom goal for reading in order to be in the drawing for prizes at the end of every month. A list of monthly winners will be posted on my webpage under Documents. Please mark THURSDAY NOVEMBER 5TH (5—6:30 P.M.) on your calendar. This is the date for Spencer’s annual Family Fun Fest.
The past several years we have held it in May. Because the end of the school year is always super busy for everyone...parents included...we’re trying something different this year. Information will be coming home with your child in mid-September. Watch for details… I look forward to helping every student / teacher needing my assistance this year. It’s always a pleasure working with such a wonderful group of people. - Submitted by Mrs. Connie M. Schroedel - Reading Teacher
HAVING FUN & MEETING NEW FRIENDS In the Early Childhood Special Education classroom the children are learning how to be a kind friend, follow the routine of the morning, and practice classroom rules to stay safe. More importantly everyone is having FUN playing and meeting new friends! Upcoming themes will focus around apples, fire safety, pumpkins, and Nursery Rhymes. - Submitted by Early Childhood Special Ed. Teacher, Mrs. Malone
SCHOOL DISTRICT OF SPENCER
ANNUAL NOTICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRAL AND EVALUATION PROCEDURES Upon request, the Spencer School District is required to evaluate a child for eligibility for special education services. A request for evaluation is known as a referral. When the district receives a referral, the district will appoint an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team to determine if the child has a disability, and if the child needs special education services. The district locates, identifies, and evaluates all children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in private (including religious) schools, elementary schools and secondary schools located in the school district. A physician, nurse, psychologist, social worker, or administrator of a social agency, who reasonably believes a child brought to him or her for services is a child with a disability has a legal duty to refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides. Before referring the child, the person making the referral must inform the child’s parent that the referral will be made. Others, including parents, who reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability, may also refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides. Referrals must be in writing and include the reason why the person believes the child is a child with a disability. A referral may be made by contacting Rob Toepel, School Psychologist, Spencer School District, at 715-659-4642, or by writing to him/her at 300 School St., Spencer WI 54479.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS Everyone is welcome to attend the Spencer School Board meetings. They are held the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the HS Library. If there is a change in the date or time it will be posted on the doors outside the HS Office, at the Heritage Bank and at the Village Hall. Information regarding the meetings is also printed in the TRG Newspaper and archived meetings are available for viewing at www.spencer.k12.wi.us under the District links tab. Dawn Reckner, President • Jim Krasselt, Vice President Jerry Wienke, Clerk • Eric Zenner, Treasurer • Dave Post, Director Check out the school website (www.spencer.k12.wi.us) for school contact information.
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PRE-K NEWS There is a lot to be excited for in Pre-K this school year. We will be making a trip to the Spencer Fire Department, Spencer School Forest, Gordy’s, and Wildwood Park and Zoo. We also look forward to seeing some wonderful performances at the Lucille
Tack Center for the Arts and having some fun at the Family Fun Fest in early November. Although we are large in numbers, I have high hopes for a fantastic and successful school year!
ROOKIE ROCKET CHILD CARE We have had a super start to another school year in the RRCC room. We have a super group of 3 and 4 year olds spending their day with us, along with the wonderful school age children we see before and after school. The 3 & 4 year olds are already in the swing of learning the routine of being in school. It’s always a joy to see how much they learn and amazing to see how much they grow. We spend our days with learning, activities and fun. From learning to write their name to finger painting fun, and everything in between, there is so much to do at the Rookie Rocket Child Care. The school age children have gotten into their routines as well and many of those who come to us after school are choosing to take advantage of our daily homework help. If you are interested in learning more about our program please contact Sheri at sschuh@spencer.k12.wi.us or 715-659-2409 ext. 156.
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FALL - 2015
KINDERGARTEN NEWS The Kindergartners have now put in two weeks of school and we are starting to learn the routines. We have been trying out the activities in our various centers and playing with our new friends. The children are working hard on writing their first and last names and learning some important phonemic skills and beginning sounds for emergent reading. As you walk by, you will also see the kindergarten students counting up a storm and writing their numerals. We are also getting better at remembering how to do things “The Rocket Way” in our classroom, the hall, and on the playground.
We are eagerly awaiting our annual field trip to find “The Great Pumpkin”, ride on a hay wagon through the colorful leaves, and adventure through a corn maze. The kindergartners will also be learning about apples with Johnny Appleseed’s birthday approaching. We are looking forward to “jumping into fall”! - Submitted by the Kindergarten teachers: Mrs. Bezlyk, Mrs. Tomke, Mrs. Zuelke
FIRST GRADE NEWS The first graders are already busy and are getting acquainted with their 47 classmates. They have been working hard at remembering number quantity and letter sounds, proper letter formation, and LOTS of cutting, gluing, and coloring. We hope that you’ve seen some fine examples of first grade work come home with your little ones or have seen their work hanging in the halls. We’ll soon be taking our first trips of the school year. In early October we’ll be visiting the School Forest to check out the beautiful fall colors, and in November we’ll each take a turn to visit St. Joseph’s Hospital for their pediatric - Submitted by the First Grade teachers: Mrs. Pankratz, Mrs. Aerts, Mrs. Kolstad
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Return your order form by mail or in person to the Music Department, Spencer High School. Please enclose your remittance (checks payable to Spencer Public Schools). All tickets are $16. There can be no refunds given for unused tickets.
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SECOND GRADE NEWS Welcome to another fantastic school year. Despite the heat we are having a great time. We have been busy getting back into the school routine. The second graders are looking forward to four Tack Center presentations this year. Thank you to the sponsors for the donations that make 2 of these shows free of charge. They are a wonderful experience for our students. This fall we will be going to the UWSP Planetarium and Museum.
program. The expectations have increased so the children will need your help with the assigned passages. In Math we will be working on counting money, telling time, number sequences, and addition and subtraction facts. We are looking forward to another great school year. We have so much to learn and so much to do! - Submitted by the Second Grade teachers: Mrs. Bissonette, Mrs. Guenther, Mrs. Anderson
It will take some time for all of us to adjust to the new Reading
THIRD GRADE NEWS The third grade class is getting back into the swing of things. In math, we are reviewing how to use math tools, place value, reviewing basic math facts, and reading and writing larger numbers. Students have begun to learn the lowercase, cursive letters and can already write a few words containing undercurve letters. In science we are studying the different types of plant life, and recently examined and compared grassroots and radish root systems. In social studies we will be learning about large and small communities across the United States and the world. In reading, we are excited to begin the year with, Wonders, a new reading series which is filled with the latest ideas in learning how to read. We are also reading books
and taking tests on the computerized Accelerated Reader program available to us over the internet. This year we will be working hard to improve our reading stamina and comprehension skills. Mrs. Roehl has come into our rooms and taught us lessons in bullying prevention. We will soon be tie-dying our t-shirts, so please watch for our flamboyant new class colors! - Submitted by the Third Grade teachers: Mrs. Farrell, Mrs. Reckner, Mrs. Payant
FOURTH GRADE NEWS 4th grade is blasting off into a great year! We have been so impressed with the wonderful behavior and attitudes. In 4th grade we begin some switching classes, and this year we switch for Math with Mrs. Fischer, Science with Mrs. Szymanski, and Social Studies
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with Mrs. Miller. All students have their homeroom teacher for Reading/Language/Spelling. Mrs. Fischer brought in several interesting caterpillars and we’ve been watching them turn into butterflies. It is the most amazing Continued on next page...
FALL - 2015 ...continued from previous page metamorphosis!! We all go outside and ooo and ahhh as they take off in flight for the very first time. Beautiful! Remember our Madison field trip to our state capitol is May 5th. It is totally funded by the can cage out in the South teacher’s parking lot, so please DONATE CANS. Thank you. - Submitted by the Fourth Grade teachers: Mrs. Fischer, Mrs. Szymanski, Mrs. Miller
FIFTH GRADE NEWS The school year is off to a great start in the fifth grade. The kids are settling into a routine and are eager to learn. We encourage you to check your child’s assignment notebook each night to be involved in the learning process. Please take the time to “like” our Spencer Elementary Fifth Grade” Facebook page. So many announcements and reminders are provided through this communication tool. You will certainly enjoy our Wacky Wednesday posts, too. We look forward to lots of learning this year!! Our classes are jammed packed with many learning targets. Working together in cooperative groups is stressed a great deal in our grade level. We continue to utilize our Everyday Math curriculum. Hopefully our Rocket mathematicians will soar to new heights. Each student has an SRB textbook which should come home on a regular basis. This text will provide helpful tutorials for homework. Currently we are focusing on factors, divisibility rules, square numbers, prime vs. composite numbers, and prime factorization. Please encourage your children to practice math facts consistently. We are all set up on the free web-based program called Xtramath to help build fact power. Check it out! Media class offers the opportunity to work on laptop computers. The kids will learn keyboarding skills to apply in their educational endeavors. We look forward to learning games as well as completing upcoming projects on the computers. We will explore Power Point, Word Processing, Picasa Photo Collage creation, Animoto videos, Movie Maker shows, and much more. We will be offering some great opportunities using new online resources, too. Later this year our kids will have the privilege of email on the school’s system. Science will focus on discovering how living things are classified as well as exploring what cells have to do with our lives. We will investigate the human body systems and also study plants and ecosystems. In Social Studies we will be
studying United States history and geography. In Reading class we will be focusing on building our reading stamina and working on reading skills as we read some varied literature. In Communications (Language) class we are writing, writing, writing! Feel free to offer advice and suggestions on your child’s writing; however, allow them to make the changes. Encourage proofreading many times to catch mistakes and make it wonderful. We look forward to working with this great bunch of kids throughout the school year. Please contact Grade 5 staff if you have any concerns or questions. - Submitted by the Fifth Grade teachers: Mrs. Buss, Miss Sauer, and Mr. Toufar
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A CARING CULTURE WHERE WE KNOW OUR STUDENTS As a parent, there are multitude of things to worry about and protect you child from both in and outside of school. We want you to know our motto, “Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be safe” is much more than a pretty poster on the wall. It is truly what we believe in, teach and strive for every day with our students. Developing a caring, safe culture starts right away. Kindergarten and 1st grade students are taught to notice their classmates feelings by looking at expressions on their face and know that the Rocket Way means we have empathy for each other. Second and third grade students learn to speak up for others when they hear something mean. They know they have the power to help because they hear it first. They remind each other of the Rocket Way in a calm friendly way. Fourth grade students lead cooperative games at recess reminding kids to check that their friend is ok if they accidentally knock them down.
In the middle and high school, House and Launch Pad time ensure that every student is known well by a staff member and supported by students in other grades. We can tell when a student is having an off day, and care enough to check on them. This caring culture we develop is no accident. It is deliberate, planned and monitored. We know that your child’s safety and well-being at school is your highest priority and it’s ours too. Please join us in celebrating our caring school culture in early October as we “Stomp out Bullying” and spread “Kindness in Chalk”. Watch for fliers and check Facebook for K-12 caring culture events. Joann Roehl (Roewe) PK-7 School Counselor (715) 659-4642 ext. 123 jroehl@spencer.k12.wi.us
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MRS. SCHWEIGER’S ART ROOM UPDATE! This year is off to a great start as I get to know amazing students and the wonderful school district I get to be part of. I look forward to an exciting year of new art projects, introducing the students to art history, and helping them develop methods of problem solving and innovative thinking that come with the creation of art! You can look forward to regular art displays around the school, the Elementary Art Exhibit during the Holiday Concert and the Middle/High School Art Exhibit this spring. Like us on Facebook! (search “Spencer Art Class”)
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FALL - 2015
HELLO ROCKET FAMILY! My name is Daisy Bartlett and I am the new 8th grade language arts teacher. I am so excited to be a part of the Rocket Family and I am loving my time here so far! I am proud to have been trained in Responsive Classroom techniques and I am implementing the component of “Morning Meeting” daily with my language arts sections. Morning Meeting has three components: Greeting, Sharing, and a Game/Activity. The first component of ‘greeting’ consists of a handshake in orderly fashion around a circle. It takes up to a whole week to teach students how to properly execute an appropriate handshake with eye contact. We do this daily and the goal is to build a sense of respectful community. Research shows that students who engage in class-led greetings are less likely to bully or be bullied later on in the school day (Edutopia.org, 2013). The second component of ‘sharing time’ helps facilitate discussions based off of questions dealing with our curriculum, and sometimes the sharing is lighthearted personal information that gives all students a chance to be heard. Hearing from students about their personal life also helps us to get to know one another better. The third component of Morning Meeting is a class ‘game/activity’. This is a fun time for students and they look forward to it. Sometimes the goal of the game is to teach interpersonal skills, direction following, and sometimes the goal is just to have fun and build a sense of belonging in the classroom. - Submitted by Eighth Grade Language Arts teacher: Ms. Bartlett
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EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY, THE ROCKET WAY! Response to Intervention (RTI) is a state-mandated initiative you’ve probably heard about by now. RTI has helped schools focus on need-based improvements within the school system by using local data to drive decisions. The ideas behind RTI make a great deal of sense since we know there is no one-size-fits-all plan for school improvement that can work in every school. RTI is not just about improving academic success though, it is a two-prong process that encompasses both academics and behavior. The first priority for schools when RTI went into effect was to use local academic data (a.k.a. student test scores) for making decisions about academic instructions and then to come up with a tailored plan, or many plans, that would improve the academic success among all students. The second prong of RTI requires that schools repeat this process, but this time they use local behavioral data (a.k.a. detention records, incident reports, etc.) in order to set goals and develop a plan that will help to reduce undesirable behaviors and lead to an overall positive school climate for everyone.
parents. Classes had multiple chances to discuss scenarios, ask questions, express concerns, and offer ideas. Students practiced the expectations by visiting locations around the school and demonstrating what “The Rocket Way” looks like. From walking on the right side in the halls to having a classroom discussion using “table talk” voices, kids learned the standards inside and out. The PBIS plan is largely based on positive reinforcement, and, though there are still detentions, students have even more opportunities to earn individual rewards when they are meeting behavior expectations. As the year goes on, school celebrations such as organized games and movies will happen when we reach our improvement goals as a school.
Last spring the Spencer Middle School Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Team formed and went to work developing our local plan to improve the school climate at Spencer Middle School. The team is led by internal coaches Joann Roehl and Rob Toepel and an external coach, Cheryl Post, from Marathon County Special Education Services. Teachers serving on the team include Tracy Busse, Heidi Much, and Jennifer Sanasac. The group worked through the summer to develop the PBIS plan, rollout the ideas to the middle school staff, and prepare the plan for use with students at the kick-off of the new school year. The entire PBIS plan is tied to the school’s motto, “Every student, every day, the Rocket way. Respectful. Responsible. Safe.” During the first two weeks of school, students in grades 6-8 received clear instructions about the behavior expectations they must meet and the consequences for those who do not. Each student received a written copy of the expectations and took it home to share with
On Friday, September 11, the Spencer Middle School kicked-off the new PBIS plan with a whole-school celebration. Students enjoyed a group format of Jeopardy that showcased their knowledge of the behavior expectations.
BACK FOR THE 2015-16 SCHOOL YEAR!
Smiles 4 Life licensed professionals will be back for the 2015-16 school year to provide oral care for students right at school! We are proud to say through the support of Spencer staff and families in the 2014-15 school year Smiles 4 Life provided ongoing preventative oral care for 29 students in the district and sealed 75 teeth to prevent future cavities. Please watch for the Smiles 4 Life information at the start of the school year to enroll your child for the 2015-16 school year.
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FALL - 2015
DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS (LACK OF A) COVER! You may have already heard the sighs of relief from middle school students since they discovered they will have fewer books to carry again this year. For the past three years, Spencer Middle School students have utilized an online math curriculum, and now the English Language Arts and Science curriculums will also be onlinebased. Students will be using the highly regarded McGraw-Hill product known as StudySync to fulfill their Language Arts needs. Science classes are converting to an online product (along with their lab books) from Pearson Education known as Interactive Science and consisting of reading inquiries such as personalized webs and digital components like virtual simulations.
We know that by ensuring all students have access to rigorous content and varied offerings, we will help to build motivated and independent learners who can succeed beyond high school. When we look at the diverse needs of all learners in a single classroom, it is not difficult to see why we must take advantage of the easily tailored and multi-faceted programs that are only possible through the use of electronic textbooks. Not only will this new technology offer a variety of choice and an always-modern look that appeals to students, but reading levels and work within the same assignment can be customized from student to student based on their individual abilities.
DEAR MS. SANASAC AND CEDAR HOUSE STUDENTS‌ We have received your generous gift of 2 fleece blankets. Thank you so much for thinking of our residents here at Atrium Post Acute Care (formerly Marshfield Care Center). We have two gentlemen who like to be warm and are very grateful. Ted Kuzma and Edward Brock want to thank you from the bottom of their hearts. We hope you enjoy the pictures of them with their new blankets. As a facility, we thank you for giving back to the community. Again, thank you for thinking of us!
WELCOME NEW ROCKET STAFF! Pictured to the right: Back row L to R Danielle Schmidt (Elementary Paraprofessional), Beau Lasiewicz (Technical Education), Melissa Schmidt (Special Education Paraprofessional) Front row L to R Carmen Schweiger (K-12 Art), Daisy Bartlett (Grade 8 Language Arts), Riley Thomas (Physical Education)
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SOME NEW LOOKS AT SPENCER SCHOOLS As more and more technology is infused into the curriculum at Spencer Middle/High School the need for more computers as become a great challenge. Over the past few years we have used lap top carts which hold about 25 computers per cart for staff to use in their classroom. In the last few years it is exciting that more and more teachers have been using the lap tops, however, that also creates an issue with accessibility. Also in the past few years textbook companies have been moving away from standard textbooks and have been offering electronic books and a large amount of supplemental materials which are all computer based. In grades 6-12 in the last 3 years we have moved to a more computer based curriculum in Math, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies. As we looked at how to most efficiently utilize technology at the best economical price the 1:1 initiative became more and more evident. This 2015-2016 school year all students grades 9-12 will be receiving a Dell Chrome book for educational purposes. It is the believe of the school district that if each student has their own device we will better embrace the technology demands, there will be less down time for unused devices, and the cost of a Dell Chrome Book is about ¼ to ½ the price of lap top. The entire teaching staff at Spencer High School is excited with the new development of our technology and the opportunities for growth that it will present to the students here at Spencer. We are also looking at expanding the program in the 2016-2017 school year to grades 6-8, so our entire MS/HS will be at a 1:1.
The other new additional is in our announcement system to students. We have gone to a LED TV system in the hallways that displays the announcements to all students. This system gives us the flexibility to do only MS announcements in their hallway and HS announcements in the HS. It also lets us update information at any time to the system. We feel this is a more efficient way to get information to students and the students have responded well to the system. We all here at Spencer Schools are looking forward to another spectacular year. We greatly appreciate your support and welcome you to all of our school events.
Jerry Zanotelli - MS/HS Principal
HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS CORNER Welcome back to another very exciting school year! You can follow Spencer High School Counseling on Facebook at www. facebook.com/pages/Spencer-High-School-Counseling-MrsEisfeldt or on Twitter @MrsECounseling.
state testing date in March. There are many free downloadable ACT Apps for smart phones that enable students to practice the ACT anywhere they go. The two main website for practice are www. actstudent.org and www.knowhow2gowisconsin.org.
SENIORS: Seniors should be working on their technical school or college applications. I have enrichment with all seniors either Tuesday or Wednesday to work on college applications. The expectation is that all college applications should be complete at the end of this six week enrichment cycle. On February 10th and February 25th, I will be holding financial aid completion workshops for parents and students to attend. Parents, the best thing you can do to start the financial aid process is to file your taxes as early as you can in 2016 so you have your return before we meet in February. There will be scholarships coming out soon so seniors should get into a regular practice of checking the school website or checking for them on the scholarship wall in the commons. Currently, there is one scholarship available from the Elks.
I will also be offering the PSAT which is an 11th grade prep test for the SAT. Although most of our students take the ACT, I offer the PSAT, as it is good practice for students to take multiple tests before the actual ACT/SAT. The test will be administered at Spencer High School on Oct. 14, 2016 beginning at 8:15a.m. The cost to take the test is $15.00. Students should sign up to take the test in the high school office and bring their money with them at that time.
JUNIORS: The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is entering into a partnership with ACT®, Inc. to comprehensively assess Wisconsin high school students: 11th grade students will take The ACT® Plus Writing and the ACT® WorkKeys® Assessment System this Spring. To prepare for this test, we will be doing a practice ACT test for ALL juniors this winter in the high school library. Further preparation will include ACT prep during enrichment which is built into their normal school day. If your college-bound student is not happy with their March ACT score they should plan to take the ACT in June. The deadline for registering is at least one month prior to the test date. They are also welcome to take it prior to the
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8th GRADE – I will be starting developmental guidance in the 8th grade health classes. Internet safety, mental health issues, suicide, alcohol and drug prevention and education planning (including knowledge of career and college opportunities) are among the many issues covered. The tool that we use to cover career and college opportunities is Career Locker. The website for Career Locker is http://wiscareers.wisc.edu. Your son/daughter has a user name and password that he or she can share with you if you would like to see what they are working on. If they cannot remember their information you can contact me. We will again be doing 8th grade Individual Planning Conferences in order to adequately prepare your son/daughter for transition into high school. In December I will contact each of you to set-up a time to meet. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me at any time. - Submitted by: Katrina Eisfeldt
FALL - 2015
SPENCER HIGH SCHOOL LAUNCHES NEW TECHNOLOGY This year the high school has made the jump to a one to one initiative. This means that every student in the high school has the ability to use a Dell Chromebook both during the school day and at home. Students and teachers are working side by side to hone their technology skills. Students have received training during Launch Pad for the first two weeks of the year. Teachers are also receiving additional training during their Professional Learning Communities time. While there have been a few bumps along the way, the launch of the new technology has been a relative success. In order to help this movement a group known as 21 S (21st Century Students) has been formed. These students will be involved with troubleshooting, training, and implementing various things related to technology. The high school will also be using Canvas (check out the app!) as their new learning management system. This is where grades can now be checked for high school students. Parents, if you would like to sign up for an observer account to check your student’s grades please check Mr. Gorst’s homepage on the school’s website. Feel free to check in on the website for additional new in regards to technology integration in Spencer High School.
Signing Up For A Canvas Observer Account?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Go to canvas.insturcutre.com Click for a new account Sign up for a parent account Have your son or daughter sign in to theirs on that screen Check your email and link the accounts
FALL CONCERT Monday, October 19, 2015 • 7:30 p.m. • LTCA
The crunch of leaves, the smell of wood smoke and the sounds of music fill the autumn air! The SHS Music Department will present its Fall Concert in the LuCille Tack Center for the Arts, Monday, October 19 at 7:30 p.m. Junior and senior high bands and choirs, and the high school handbell ensemble will perform. Please join us!
ELIZABETHAN CHRISTMAS DINNERS ANNOUNCED
Hear ye, hear ye! Begin your holiday season by attending the Spencer High School Music Department’s 2015 Elizabethan Christmas Madrigal Dinners Saturday, December 5 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 6 at 12:30 p.m. in the Spencer School Dining Hall. Announced by brass fanfares, a sumptuous five-course feast will be served amid continuous entertainment by wandering minstrels, players, and the festive carols of the Oriana Madrigal Singers, with brass and handbell ensembles also performing in beautiful Renaissance costumes. The castle hall, hung with banners and lit by candles, will take you back to a time of lords and ladies, of court jesters and gallantry. The cost of the performance and feast is $16. Tickets must be purchased in advance and will be available beginning November 2 until they are gone. Call 659.2409 x 117 or email dveale@spencer.k12.wi.us for more information.
’TIS THE SEASON
The Spencer Music Department will present ’TIS THE SEASON, a concert of holiday choral and handbell music from many traditions and centuries, beginning at 7:30pm Monday, December 21 in the LuCille Tack Center for the Arts. Take advantage of this free opportunity to get in the holiday spirit.
2016 WINTER BAND CONCERT
Monday, January 11, 2016 • 7:30 p.m. • LTCA
It may be chilly outside, but the Spencer Middle School and Senior High Bands and Jazz Bands will warm up the night with performances of their first semester repertoire. There is no admission charge.
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SYR has been very busy helping to improve the athletic facilities in our Spencer Community. We held our 11th Annual Golf Tournament on July 25th at River Edge Golf Course. This is our biggest fundraiser and it was another huge success. 23 teams enjoyed a great day on the course and feasted on a meal after the event. Our raffles and silent auction were prosperous and SYR is happy to announce that we made a profit of over $10,000. All funds will be used to continue our mission to serve Spencer’s youth. SYR is very appreciative of all the donations given. Many gave their gifts of time, talent, and monetary resources. We look forward to planning our next major event which is the Annual Basketball and Volleyball Alumni Tourney. You may have received a survey from Ben Bauer hoping to collect input on a new date and potential ways to improve the Alumni Tournament. The response to this survey was fantastic and there was an overwhelming response suggesting to change the date to March 26th, 2016. This is the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament so we believe we can add inject some new energy in to the event. If you’d like to help in the planning of the Alumni Tournament weekend, please conatct Ben Bauer (benjaminjbauer@ outlook.com) or any other SYR board member. SYR hopes to make this endeavor even more fun for our former Rockets.
SAVE THE DATE!
A LU M N I
Spencer Youth Recreations, Inc. includes the following board members:
TOURNAMENTS
President: Tim Buss Treasurer: Colleen Bauer Secretary: Mary Buss Vice President: Derek Buse Other members: Jim Bauer, Jason Gorst, Greg Oestreich, Brian Abel, Ben Bauer, Todd Hildebrandt, Kyle Schultz, Dean Baehr
MARCH 26, 2016
FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES The school year is in full swing and so is our kitchen! With the incorporation of our new technology this year, we were able to shave off a week of our safety unit by flipping lessons. This allows us to engage in hands on learning activities even more than before while sharpening our problem solving skills and addressing real life questions in discussion. We are excited to keep up with fun things we’ve done before like culinary competition and take and bake meals for staff while incorporating new things like a weekly bar
sale called “Raising the Bar” where we prepare a different flavor of bar each week to excel in food safety and measurement skills while tackling issues like cost control. We also look forward to doing a mock restaurant experience second semester. More details to come. The room is going through a bit of a makeover this year so please check us out on facebook to see the updates! https://www. facebook.com/shsfcs
LAS CLASES DE ESPAÑOL All high school classes are using ConnectEd Así Se Dice, Level 1, 2, or 3. Students have access to all material in both book format and online format by using their ConnectEd site on their Chromebooks. Additionally, however, they also have access to audio, review activities, newspapers in Spanish, study tools, and many other tools that a book alone simply cannot provide.
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The middle school survey classes take 6 weeks of Spanish. For first semester, I have one group of 7th graders every six weeks. For second semester, I will have one group of 8th graders every six weeks. - Submitted by Jackie Pickett
FALL - 2015
STRATFORD CONTINUING EDUCATION: WINTER 2015 CLASS SCHEDULE COURSE TITLE
8/30/15
INSTRUCTOR
DAY
TIME
WEEKS
FEE
START/END
NOTES
Cathy T
W
8:30 - 9:30am
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$49.00*
9/16 - 12/9
Good Shepherd Church
Aimee
W
5:30 - 6:15pm
12
$35.00*
9/16 - 12/9
Grant School Gym
Yoga 4 Everybody**
Phil
TH
5:30 - 6:30pm
12
$45.00*
9/17 - 12/10
Good Shepherd Church
Vinyasa Flow Yoga
MARSHFIELD Yoga 4 Everybody** Interval-ocity
Cathy T
F
9:00 - 10:00am
12
$45.00*
9/18 - 12/11
Good Shepherd Church
Zumba®
Maria
M
5:30 - 6:30pm
12
$48.00
9/21 - 12/7
First Presbyterian Gym
Zumba®
Kristen
T
6:15 - 7:15pm
12
$48.00
9/22 - 12/8
Belvedere Supper Club
Zumba®
Julie
W
5:30 - 6:30pm
11
$44.00
9/23 - 12/9
TBA
Vinyasa Flow Yoga
Lori
SA
7:30 - 8:30am
11
$42.00
9/26 - 12/5
Good Shepherd Church
Bridget
TH
6:00 - 8:30pm
1
$40.00
10/1
Chestnut Ctr. Terrazzo Rm
Yoga Body Bootcamp
Hannah
TH
7:15 - 8:00pm
9
$35.00*
9/24 - 11/19
Town of Green Valley Hall
Zumba®
Kristen
M
6:15 - 7:15pm
10
$40.00
10/5 - 12/7
Town of Green Valley Hall
Hannah
TH
6:00 - 6:45pm
9
$35.00*
9/24 - 11/19
Town of Emmet Hall
Erin
T
6:00 - 7:00pm
11
$44.00
9/29 - 12/8
Trinity Fellowship Hall
Nicole
T
6:30 - 7:15pm
10
$35.00*
10/6 - 12/8
Town of Day Hall
Lori
M
6:15 - 7:15pm
10
$38.00
9/28 - 11/30
St. John’s Fellowship hall
Vinyasa Flow Yoga
Monica
W
6:30 - 7:30pm
11
$38.50*
9/23 - 12/9
SHS Gym
Legs, Bums & Tums
Nicole
W
6:30 - 7:15pm
10
$31.00*
9/30 - 12/9
TBA
Kimi
TH
7:00 - 9:30pm
1
$40.00
10/8
Zion Family Center
Let’s Paint *New GREEN VALLEY
.
HALDER Yoga Body Bootcamp LOYAL Zumba®
.
ROZELLVILLE Legs, Bums & Tums SPENCER Vinyasa Flow Yoga STRATFORD
Paint Away Workshop
TO SIGN UP FOR A CLASS: Marshfield: www.mysignup.com/fall2015-marshfield Athens, Green Valley, Halder, Loyal, Rozellville, Spencer, Stratford: www.mysignup.com/fall2015-athn-grnvly-haldr-loyal-rozell-stratfrd Questions: Email Linda at stratfordclasses@gmail.com • Course descriptions: www.stratfordclasses.com
Reserve your spot in the next edition of
SPENCER
THE ROCKET Newsletter!
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MARSHFIELD
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Boxholder Spencer, WI 54479
ROCKETS FOOTBALL Oct 2 Oct 9
Spencer Volleyball
7:00PM vs. Altoona
Oct 1
7:15PM
Neillsville
Oct 1
4:30PM
@ Osseo-Fairchild
7:00PM vs. Edgar
Oct 3
9:00AM
@ Reedsburg
Oct 6
4:15PM
Oct 6
7:15PM
@ Greenwood
@ Auburndale (Frey Field)
Oct 8
7:15PM
Medford
(Columbus Homecoming at Beell Stadium) (Spencer Homecoming)
Oct 16 7:00PM @ Osseo-Fairchild
Oct 10 TBD
@ Colby
SPENCER ROCKET
Oct 10 9:00AM
@ Altoona Tourney
Oct 17 10:30AM
Spencer High School
Oct 13 7:15PM
@ West Site
Oct 23 4:00PM
@ TBA
ATHLETICS
Oct 15 7:15PM
@ West Site
Current middle/high school schedules can be viewed anytime on our website homepage www.spencer.k12.wi.us - Athletic Calendar link
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