Thursday, February 1, 2018 • Vol. 53, No. 37 • Verona, WI • Hometown USA • ConnectVerona.com • $1
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Verona Area Community Theater
Getting close VACT prepares for first show at its new theater KARL CURTIS Verona Press correspondent
Photo by Jeremy Jones
Former Verona Area High School athlete Claudia Kepler is a senior co-captain for the UW women’s hockey team ranked No. 1 in the country. Kepler leads the team with 17 goals.
Finishing strong
Kepler wraps up collegiate career as top scorer on No. 1 Badgers JEREMY JONES Sports editor
Claudia Kepler has scored 50 collegiate goals, but the leading scorer for the top-ranked women’s hockey team in the country still remembers her first with an infectious smile and a laugh that’s hard not to share. “I was in the high slot and about to change, but for some reason I stayed on the ice,” the 2013 Verona Area High School graduate recounted to the Press at LaBahn Ice Arena in
Madison earlier this month. “One of my teammates passed me the puck, and I just shot it. I think I pretty much whiffed on the shot, but somehow the puck went five-hole on the goalie.” In retrospect, that goal has only become a fonder memory than she ever thought at the time, not because of how it happened, but against the team it happened against. The Badgers. Kepler said she had received little interest coming out of high school by perennial NCAA title contender
Wisconsin, just up the road from her hometown of Verona. So in her freshman season, Kepler found herself wearing the grey and scarlet at Ohio State University, rather than Wisconsin cardinal and white. Four years later, Kepler returns to Columbus for the final time Saturday and Sunday as the Badgers (26-11 overall, 17-0-1-1 WCHA) look to sweep her former team. “I mean, going back to Columbus,
Turn to Kepler/Page 11
Verona Area School District
Survey, focus groups part of five-year plan ‘Community’s’ document could define achievement, equity goals SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
Most of the long-term planning in the Verona Area School District over the past couple of years has revolved around building
the new high school and its other buildings. This spring, the district is broadening the conversation about its future by producing a five-year plan to outline broad priorities for education, facilities and budgets for the district. This strategic planning process started last month and is expected to run through May. “ We k n ow w h a t o u r building’s going to look The
Verona Press
like in three years,” school board vice president Meredith Stier Christensen said. “But the really important educational, foundational work is going to come from this plan.” That could mean defining goals for student achievement, equity, community outreach or personalized learning, among other things. District director of instructional equity and
bilingual programming Laurie Burgos said it would be important to reach out to underrepresented communities among the district’s population. That’s especially true given the document’s expected focus on equity, she added. “That’s going to be the driver of the decisions that the board has to make in terms of what are the …
Turn to Plan/Page 12
The Verona Area Community Theater put on its first show in 1992, but its next production, “Bus Stop,” will also qualify as the group’s debut performance. That’s because “Bus Stop,” the 1955 play written by William Inge, will be the first performance VACT will put on in its new, 148-seat theater at 103 Lincoln St., starting Feb. 16. Most shows are still being held at the much larger Verona Area High School’s Performing Arts Center, but occasionally, the VACT theater will have the right atmosphere. “The new theater is the perfect size for a play,” said “Bus Stop” producer Dee Baldock. “The small theater creates a sense of intimacy you can’t always
If You Go What: Verona Area Community Theater performance of “Bus Stop” When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16-17, 22-24 and 2 p.m. Feb. 18. Where: VACT theater, 103 Lincoln St. Tickets: $15.75 ($10.75 students and seniors) Info: vact.org
get in a bigger space.” Dale Nickels, another longtime VACT member and the director of “Bus Stop” agrees. “Having an intimate environment for the show will be a treat for the audience,” Nickels said. “They are right there, close to the actors. It is almost like you are part of what is going on.” This particular show
Turn to VACT/Page 16
Verona Area School District
12 teachers receive national certification Largest number in state follows 2015 salary schedule changes SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
The Verona Area School District had more staff members achieve National Board Certification in 2017 than any other district in Wisconsin. That 12 teachers here decided to put in the “overwhelming” amount
of time in the one- or twoyear process to receive the certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards isn’t really a surprise. It’s exactly what a 2015 change in the district’s salary schedule was designed to encourage. “That was one of the goals of our compensation model was to incentivize (that certification),” Gorrell said. For some of the teachers, that was exactly the motivation. “ I t wa s j u s t h u g e l y
Turn to Boards/Page 12
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February 1, 2018
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Guest artist Emida Roller judges this bovine submission to the City Banner Art Project.
Photos by Alexander Cramer
Judging for E. Verona Ave banners Guest artist adds expertise to panel ALEXANDER CRAMER Unified Newspaper Group
On Thursday, Jan. 25, volunteers with the Verona Area Education Foundation (VAEF) gathered at the district office to judge submissions in the City Banner Art Project. Of the 111 submissions, nearly 40 will be selected to
hang as banners on East Verona Avenue. The theme is once again “Hometown USA,” and judges reviewed submissions ranging from a cow with a curious smile to elaborate drawings of flowers and Verona-area buildings. Joining the judging this year was guest artist Emida Roller, a local muralist who was an artist-in-residence at Stoner Prairie Elementary school in 2013. The judges walked around four long tables arranged in a square, examining
This drawing of the library is up for inclusion as one of the banners to adorn East Verona Avenue. Winners will be announced in mid-February.
the colorful submissions and jotting notes on clipboards. There will be an awards dinner for student winners and their families, and their banners will be available for purchase, even printed on tote bags. Proceeds will go to the VAEF, which has awarded more than $100,000 in innovation grants to local classrooms, according to a press release. Winners will be announced in mid-February. Contact Alexander Cramer at alexander.cramer@wcinet.com.
Leigh Schmidt, left, Emida Roller, and Ken Behnke judge the submissions for the City Banner Art Project. Cow #176 awaits her turn to be judged as part of the City Banner Art Project.
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February 1, 2018
Verona ‘not immune’ from increasing number of car thefts SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
The City of Verona has seen nearly three times the number of car thefts over the past two years as it had the two prior. Verona Police Department Lt. Dave Dresser told the Press in an email the city has not been “immune” from a car theft problem that has most significantly shown up in Madison and Fitchburg, which had 67 car thefts in 2017, according to data from the Fitchburg Police Department. The Fitchburg department held a press conference last week on behalf of the Dane County Chiefs of Police Association outlining the growing problem. In Verona, the department investigated eight auto thefts after
investigating nine in 2016. That was more than double the four in 2015 and the two in 2014, according to the email from Dresser. He added that the department has already investigated one car theft this year, and that car has not been recovered. The process by which thieves have stolen the cars, Dresser said, is “consistent with how cars are being stolen throughout the country.” “Small groups of individuals will target a neighborhood after dark, walking from car to car, looking for unlocked vehicles,” Dresser wrote. “Once an unlocked vehicle is located, they will rummage through the vehicle and take any electronics, money, guns or anything else of value. If the keys are in the ignition, or located elsewhere in the car, they will take the entire car.” Dresser said the thefts can be unpredictable, and there aren’t necessarily patterns to the incidents other
than cars being unlocked. “We don’t know what night of the week they are going to strike, and when they do strike, we don’t know what neighborhood they are going to target,” he said. “They typically wear dark clothing and walk in the shadows, so they are difficult to see.” Many of the groups, Dresser said, include juveniles, and he mentioned that one stolen car was recovered in the parking lot at the high school. He also noted the department’s participation in the Madison Police Department’s “#LockItUp” campaign on social media, which encouraged everyone to keep their cars and houses locked at night to prevent thefts. “The thefts are crimes of opportunity,” he said. “If opportunity is removed the occurrence of crime is reduced.” Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
Verona involved in 40-agency military exercise ALEXANDER CRAMER Unified Newspaper Group
Dane County will host a large-scale military communications exercise next week that will feature dozens of regional agencies using advanced communications and search-and-rescue equipment like Blackhawk helicopters and drones in a simulated disaster situation. The exercise will be held Feb. 6-8, and Verona is hosting one of the five communications branches. The main incident command post is at the Fitchburg Fire Station No. 1 on Lacy Road. The Statewide Interoperable Mobile Communications Exercise, or SIMCOM, focuses on getting emergency personnel who don’t normally have a chance to work together to communicate effectively, Wisconsin State National Guard spokesperson Capt. Joe Trovato said in an interview. It rotates to various sites each year. “Basically, they’re going to simulate a disaster scenario that requires all these agencies to handle all this simulated radio traffic, textbased communications, software, and computer system interoperability,” Trovato said. Verona Police Lt. Dave Dresser said the exercise will probably have “zero impact” on the public, but he said they shouldn’t be alarmed to see increased military
still communicate with the governor or that another vital organ of the state can maintain its data connection, for example. “When you lose communications – think of hurricanes down south – when that happens, you have to move in these mobile platforms to establish communications,” Dresser said. “This is a test of those systems.” Each communication branch has a manager in charge. In Verona, the fire department will manage the first day of the exercise and the police department the second. Though it’s not certain, it looks like VPD’s manager will be Dresser. The challenge arises with the complicated tasks they’re being asked to perform, as well as with the varied tools the branch managers will have to work with, Dresser said. The communications equipment “could be a trailer, a truck, it could be private HAM operators, or it could be the military,” he said. This exercise will help prepare for a larger SIMCOM event in the spring called Dark Sky that will simulate a long-term power outage, Dresser told the Press. Ready for worst case “It’s going to be an interE a c h c o m m u n i c a t i o n esting learning experience, branch – with two in Fitch- just to get a flavor of it,” burg and one each in Verona, Dresser said. Oregon, and Oshkosh – will be presented with “as many Getting familiar SIMCOM is a joint effort as 12 and as few as four” communications platforms, between the Wisconsin Dresser explained. National Guard and WisThey will be required to consin Emergency Manageperform certain tasks, like ment, both of which are in making sure City Hall can the Wisconsin Department of
aircraft and vehicles, especially in the McKee Farms Park and McGaw Park areas in Fitchburg. Fitchburg Fire Department Lt. Rob Kunze said there might be increased activity around Savanna Oaks Middle School in Fitchburg, but he didn’t mention a time. In addition, there is a drone moratorium from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7 in Fitchburg. “They don’t want amateur drones flying around when we have Blackhawk aircraft flying around, maybe a Coast Guard helicopter, and a lot of public safety drones,” Kunze said. There might be some traffic slowdowns as well, with Mutchler Road and Lacy Road looked at as possible sites for a short-term shutdown, Kunze said. These exercises are a rare opportunity for first responders to practice on such a scale and work out potential problems, Trovato said. “In a real-world scenario, we all bring our own communication equipment … based on what organization you are from. SIMCOM is an opportunity to deconflict these sorts of issues,” Trovato said.
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City of Verona Mayor Jon Hochkammer, right, speaks about the city at a Tuesday morning forum in Madison that included six mayors from around Dane County.
Hochkammer talks Verona at Madison chamber forum Among six mayors on panel SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
The City of Verona was among the six municipalities represented at a Tuesday morning mayor’s forum in Madison. Mayor Jon Hochkammer, joined by mayors from Madison, Middleton, Monona, Stoughton and Fitchburg, told a crowd of about 100 about what makes Verona special. “Most of the people, when I knock on doors and ask them why they moved to Verona, it’s because of the school district,” Hochkammer said. “The first sign of a failing community is when a school district starts failing.” The event was organized by the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce and asked the mayors to discuss transportation, developing and attracting a workforce, encouraging affordable housing and collaboration among municipalities. City of Fitchburg Mayor Jason Gonzalez pointed to collaborations like the Verona Road Business Coalition, which has “built a sense of community among the businesses along that corridor” during the five-year-long reconstruction project. Hochkammer said he expects the need for collaboration to increase in the coming years. “I believe in the future much more collaboration will have to occur not only with municipalities but with the private sector,” Hochkammer said. He pointed to FitchRona EMS – which serves the Town and City of Verona and the City of
Fitchburg – and the Madison Metro bus line to Epic Systems as examples of what those partnerships can create. “None of us, independently, could provide that level of service at the cost that we do without that collaboration,” he said of the EMS district. Hochkammer made that point while sitting next to Gonzalez, whose city has commissioned a study about the possibility of splitting the district and creating a separate department. Hochkammer also stressed the importance of quality-of-life features such as walking and bike paths to attract a younger workforce and the companies that would want to locate near those employee bases. Mayor Paul Soglin said those types of amenities were a major component of Amazon’s search for a new headquarters, which Madison applied for but was not chosen as a finalist. Hochkammer said Verona has planned to spend $1.3 million this year on bike and pedestrian paths in the city. Describing the city as “vibrant” and “growing,” Hochkammer said the success of the city will be measured over the next five to 10 years with a continuing “exceptional school district,” use of regional resources like the UW System and low crime. “A lot of just an extension of where we are today,”
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Military Affairs, headed by Wisconsin’s adjutant general Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar. Originally held at the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs in Dane County, the exercise moved around the state once it outgrew its space. Changing locations helps ensure different agencies from different regions know how to communicate with each other in the event of a crisis. “We’ve worked diligently to conduct the exercise in different regions of the state ... so we can build these relationships – exchange business cards, if you will – in a low-intensity situation,” Trovato said. SIMCOM is an annual event in its 11th year, and the Fitchburg Fire Department is “taking the lead” as this year’s host community, Kunze said, which means hosting dignitaries and establishing the incident command post which will act as the main a base of operations. Of the 40 participating agencies, 32 are bringing communications equipment “rang(ing) from Army and Air National Guard units, first responders, law enforcement, and state and federal agencies to amateur radio operators and Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)/ Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) organizations,” Trovato said. “We’ll be one small piece of the puzzle, but we’re looking forward to it,” Dresser said. Contact Alexander Cramer at alexander.cramer@ wcinet.com.
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February 1, 2018
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Opinion
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Election letters policy Unified Newspaper Group is proud to offer a venue for public debate and welcomes letters to the editor, provided they comply with our guidelines. Political endorsements and other election letters must be submitted about two weeks before the relevant election. Only one endorsement letter will be accepted per author. For the upcoming spring election on April 3, general election letters need to be submitted by March 19 and will be printed by March 22. Letters will be printed as space allows. Other special rules apply during election season. Letters should be no longer than 400 words. They should also contain contact information – the writer’s full name, address, and phone number – so that the paper may confirm authorship. Unsigned or anonymous letters will not be printed under any circumstances. The editorial staff of Unified Newspaper Group reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity and appropriateness. Letters with libelous or obscene content will not be printed. Unified Newspaper Group generally only accepts letters from
writers with ties to our circulation area. Language, quotations, facts and research that are contained in a letter but come from another source should be attributed. Plagiarized material will not be published. Letters to the editor should be of general public interest. Letters that are strictly personal – lost pets, for example – will not be printed. Letters that recount personal experiences, good or bad, with individual businesses will not be printed unless there is an overwhelming and compelling public interest to do so. Letters that urge readers to patronize specific businesses or specific religious faiths will not be printed, either. “Thank-you” letters can be printed under limited circumstances, provided they do not contain material that should instead be placed as an advertisement and reflect public, rather than promotional interests. This policy will be printed from time to time in an abbreviated form here and will be posted in its entirety on our websites. For questions on our policies, please contact editor Jim Ferolie at veronapress@wcinet.com.
Send it in! We like to send reporters to shoot photos, but we can’t be everywhere. And we know you all have cameras. So if you have a photo of an event or just a slice of life you think the community might be interested in, send it to us and we’ll use it if we can. Please include contact information, what’s happening in the photo and the names of people pictured. You can submit it on our website at ConnectVerona.com, email to editor Jim Ferolie at veronapress@wcinet.com or drop off electronic media at our office at 133 Enterprise Drive. Questions? Call 845-9559.
Thursday, February 1, 2018 • Vol. 53, No. 37 USPS No. 658-320
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Community Voices
Right wing doesn’t represent all evangelicals A cartoon showed Jesus walking into the packed sanctuary of a church. An usher greeted him at the door and said, “And you are?” The cartoon is a stinging judgment alleging that much of what passes for Christianity today would not recognize Jesus if it saw him. Let us take evangelical Christianity as a case in point. The so-called evangelical voter is never absent from the airwaves, and we will be hearing more about them Yurs and their voting preferences the closer we get to the 2018 mid-term elections. Time and again, these folks get portrayed as representing the Christian point of view. But they do not. To be generous, they may represent a single Christian point of view; but they don’t define Christianity. They do not represent my point of view, at any rate, even though I think of mine as one falling within the rubrics of evangelical Christianity. I want to be careful here, for evangelical is a slippery term, variously defined. An NPR piece some years ago called the term “squishy,” for the way it resists a single, solid meaning. One of my seminary professors, the noted and highly regarded theologian Donald G. Bloesch, wrote a two-volume work considered a standard, especially in doctrinally conservative seminaries, “Essentials of Evangelical Theology.” One of the first chapters, “The Meaning of Evangelical,” is several pages long, suggesting the term is complicated to define. The evangelical Christianity I am leveling my aim against is the kind made prominent by the
pollsters, politicians and pundits. It is almost wholly secular in outlook and speaks of evangelicals as a voting bloc. They are, in the main, conservative Christians who are anti-abortion, opposed to same-sex marriage and advocates for prayer in public schools, as well as other overtly Christian behavior in the public sphere. Because they are many and vocal, they receive much press and not a little pandering. But I am suspicious their ethics might not be consistent with biblical Christianity. Franklin Graham is this kind of evangelical Christian. But he speaks disparagingly of Muslims. Tony Perkins, who heads the Family Leadership Council, is this kind of evangelical Christian. But instead of standing up for family values, he gives the president a “mulligan” over his extramarital affair with a former porn star. Vice President Mike Pence is this kind of evangelical Christian. But he says his Christian values lead him necessarily to support Israel in the Israeli/Palestinian debate over land. I do not doubt the faith of these men. But I question the Christianity of their ethics. I wonder about the Christlikeness of their moral stances. No doubt they think they are thinking biblically and faithfully, but I wonder if there are not significant parts of scripture they are missing. My preference is for another kind of evangelicalism. It does not get the same press or receive the same amount of pandering as the Graham-Perkins-Pence kind. To give it a face, I mention people like William Barber, Bill Moyers, Traci Blackmon, Jim Wallis, Jimmy Carter and even Pope Francis. This other kind of evangelical begins with scripture, too, and it
understands that the term evangelical is not limited to conservatism but rooted in the Greek word evangel, which means good news. The liberal evangelical, and I classify myself as one, appeals just as strongly to scripture as the others do and seeks to stand just as squarely on the basic principles of biblical faith. With thinking that keys off such passages as the one in Luke 4, where Jesus announces that his purpose is to proclaim good news to the poor, the sick, the captive and the oppressed, the liberal evangelical follows a Christian ethic that wants to address poverty, ensure adequate health care for all, protect the environment and advocate for civil rights, women’s rights, the rights of immigrants and for other matters of social justice. The liberal evangelical does not make excuses for the head of state, but openly challenges the head of state whenever that head of state overreaches or abuses power. The liberal evangelical does not disparage other religions, but confesses it does not know everything and always seeks to learn what it can where it can. The liberal evangelical does not side with any current regime, but seeks to hold all regimes accountable to the highest ideals it understands. The liberal evangelical understands that the highest call is to descend in service to others out of love and respect. As you hear about the thoughts and opinions of evangelicals in the coming months, please remember they are not the sum total of Christianity. There are others of us out here thinking and following another evangelicalism that seeks good news for the poor and the oppressed. The Rev. Dr. Mark E. Yurs is pastor at Salem United Church of Christ.
See something wrong? The Verona Press does not sweep errors under the rug. If you see something you know or even think is in error, please contact editor Jim Ferolie at 845-9559 or at veronapress@wcinet.com so we can get it right.
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February 1, 2018
Verona Area School District
Nurtured Heart class begins Feb. 13 SCOTT GIRARD Unified Newspaper Group
Residents of the Verona Area School District can spend four weeks learning about a positive-themed approach to student behavior that’s becoming prevalent in district schools. The Nurtured Heart Approach, which was introduced here four years ago and is one of four approaches written into a recent policy, will be the subject of a free class meeting Tuesdays Feb. 13, 20, 27 and March 6. The classes will run from 6
to 7:30 p.m. at Sugar Creek Elementary School. According to a post on the district’s website, the class is directed at “caregivers, parents, grandparents, babysitters, teachers and anyone who wants to learn more about NHA in VASD.” NHA asks authority figures, including teachers, to reinforce the positive behaviors children display rather than focusing on the negative interactions. The goal is to act in a way that “helps all children flourish in relationships, life and the classroom,” according to the website.
The initiative, which has been combined with the federally funded Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports, among other techniques, drew some criticism when it was initially implemented that it did not do enough to punish bad behaviors and that it enabled students to be out of control. Anyone interested can register at form.jotform. com/73376144034958. Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
If You Go What: Nurtured Heart Approach class When: 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 13, 20, 27; March 6 Where: Sugar Creek Elementary School, 410 Church Ave. Cost: Free Registration: form.jotform. com/73376144034958
VRBC hosts Verona Road info meeting Feb. 7 AMBER LEVENHAGEN Unified Newspaper Group
If You Go
Anyone interested in learning about What: Verona Road construction the Verona Road construction project meeting can attend an informational meeting When: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7 looking ahead to the project as it proWhere: Holiday Inn and Suites, gresses through 2018. Badger Room, 515 W. Verona Ave. Hosted by the Verona Road Business Coalition, the meeting is schedInfo: projects511wi.gov.veronard or uled for 4:30-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, veronaroad.com Feb. 7, at the Holiday Inn and Suites, Badger Room, 515 W. Verona Ave. VRBC is a volunteer group of Verona Road businesses and citizens with the mission to “minimize the disruption to businesses over the five year
period,” according to its website, veronaroad.com. The project advances to stage 2 this year and is expected to be completed in 2019, weather permitting. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in fall 2020. A narrated drive-through simulation video of this stage can be viewed at the Department of Transportation website for the project, projects. 511wi.gov/veronard. Contact Amber Levenhagen at amber. levenhagen@wcinet.com.
The Verona Press
5
‘It can happen here’ Active shooter training event Feb. 6 AMBER LEVENHAGEN Unified Newspaper Group
An active shooter and violence training program next week will cover workplace and community situations, such as if a shooting were to occur at a mall, movie theater, church or workplace. The Town of Verona, in partnership with the Dane County Sheriff ’s Office, will host the program, “It can happen here,” at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the Verona Town Hall community room, 7669 County Hwy. PD. Dane County deputy
If You Go What: Active shooter training program When: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6 Where: Verona Town Hall community room, 7669 County Hwy. PD Info: town.verona.wi.us Josalyn Longley will lead the training program, which is designed for adults. There is no cost to attend. For information, visit town.verona.wi.us. Contact Amber Levenhagen at amber.levenhagen@wcinet.com.
Art showcase honors Black History Month AMBER LEVENHAGEN
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To honor Black History Month, the Sugar River Art Gallery at Verona Area High School will host a Black Student Union art gallery through February. The gallery will be open to the public from 4-6 p.m. Wednesdays Feb. 7 and 28, and 5-6 p.m. Feb. 21, at the high school, 300 Richard St. Andrea Bonaparte, school social worker and one of the faculty advisers for the BSU group, helped collect art pieces from students and other people connected to the high school. The Verona BSU exists “for the development of student members with a primary focus on the black community and issues related to black society and culture,” according to the VAHS website. Black History Month, or National African American History Month, is an annual celebration of black Americans and their central role in American history. It has been recognized annually in the United States during the month
What: VAHS Black Student Union art showcase When: Open to the public: 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7; 5-6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21; 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 Where: Sugar River Gallery, Verona High School, 300 Richard St. Info: 845-4400
On the Web For more information about Black History Month, or National African American History Month, visit:
history.com/topics/ black-history/ black-history-month. of February since 1976. For more information about the gallery, call 8454400. Contact Amber Levenhagen at amber.levenhagen@wcinet.com.
Get Connected Find updates and links right away. Add us on Facebook and Twitter as “Verona Press” Photo by Kate Newton
VAHS Prom Fashion Show is Feb. 11 raises money for dance AMBER LEVENHAGEN Unified Newspaper Group
Students in both high school and elementary school will once again walk down the red carpet during the annual VAHS Prom
Fashion Show. The fashion show will give students a chance to see the styles of the season while raising money to help plan a “safe and fun 2018 prom,” according to a news release. VA H S s t u d e n t s w i l l
model formal dresses and students K-12. For more information, tuxedos, and younger children are invited to wear visit verona.k12.wi.us. their favorite princess, prince or fancy attire. Contact Amber LevenhaFunds will be raised gen at amber.levenhagen@ through ticket sales, a bake wcinet.com. sale and silent auction. Tickets are $10, $5 for
It’s Show Time! ROCHESTER AREA BUILDERS
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Aaron Young and Courtney Shorter are all smiles while modeling their outfits at last year’s event.
February 1, 2018
The Verona Press
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Coming up
Churches
DIY Valentine’s Day card People can learn to make a beautiful card for their special Valentines from 6:30-8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, at the library. Jamie Statz-Paynter from Stampin’ Up will provide all the materials and demonstrate how to make personalized and high-quality Valentine’s Day cards. Class is limited to 15 participants and registration is required. To register, call 845-7180.
Sharpen your positive edge Tina Hallis, Ph.D., will discuss how people can choose to notice more of the good in life from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the library. She will share strategies designed to make that choice easier in this program and in her book “Sharpen Your Positive Edge.” The result is more happiness, less stress and a higher quality of life. Books will be available for sale and signing. To register, call 845-7180.
boundaries with preschool and elementary school age children from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, at the library. Sara Kind, a licensed marriage and family therapist and counselor of Kind Therapy will present how to support children with respecting the boundaries of others, why talking about “stranger danger” is not enough and introduce resources of children’s book recommendations for discussing personal safety with their children. Statistics show numbers as high as 1in 4 girls and 1in 6 boys experience sexual abuse by the time they turn 18, and the abuser is often someone that children and families already know. For information, call 845-7180.
Concert to benefit Feed My Starving Children
A night of live 1980s music with the Alan Halverson Parsons project will be held at from 6:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7291 County Road PD. Body safety, healthy boundaries People will enjoy favorites by JourPeople can learn about how to ney, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Rush, Phil discuss body safety and healthy Collins, Pat Benetar and Ratt. They
can dress Izod shirt, AquaNet hairspray, prom dress or letter jacket. Tickets can be reserved through a donation to Feed My Starving Children and at the door. The cost is $10 and all proceeds will go to the organization. For information, visit give.fmsc.org.
Young Life Trivia Night Verona Young Life will hold their annual Trivia Night fundraiser from 6-9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, at Wyndham Garden Hotel, 2969 Cahill Main, Fitchburg. The night will be 1980s and 1990s trivia theme. There will be a silent auction and information about Young Life’s impact on youth. The entrance fee and silent auction bids help to close the gap between the local annual budget and any other funds that may be donated or raised locally in the community. All financial contributions, including the entrance fee, sponsor donations and silent auction bids and contributions are tax deductible based on the organization’s non-profit status. To register, visit verona.younglife.org.
Community calendar Thursday, February 1
Badger Room of Holiday Inn and Suites, 515 W. Verona Ave., veronaroad.info
Monday, February 5
• 4-5:30 p.m., Anime and Manga club (grades 6-12), library, 8457180 • 6:30-7:30 p.m., Body safety and boundaries presentation about children for parents, library, 845-7180
• 4-5:30 p.m., Anime and Manga club (grades 6-12), library, 8457180 • 6:30-8 p.m., DIY Valentine’s Day card workshop, library, 845-7180
Tuesday, February 6
• 3:45 p.m., Dessert club: Chocolate creations (ages 8-2, registration required), library, 845-7180 • 5:30-6:30 p.m., Preparedness for active shooter and violence, Community Room of Verona Town Hall, 7669 County Hwy PD, 977-1300 • 6:30-7:30 p.m., Health talk about stress and mindfulness, library, 845-7180
Wednesday, February 7
• 4:30-5:30 p.m., Verona Road Business Coalition annual meeting,
Thursday, February 8
Friday, February 9
gratitude, senior center, 845-7471 • 6:30-8:30 p.m., Adult coloring club, library, 845-7180 • 7 p.m., Common Council, Verona City Center, 111 Lincoln St., ci.verona.wi.us
Wednesday, February 14
• 4-5:30 p.m., Minecraft Club (grades 1-6), library, 845-7180
Thursday, February 15
• 4-5:30 p.m., Anime and Manga • 10-11:30 a.m., Young and the rest- club (grades 6-12), library, 845less (ages 0-5), library, 845-7180 7180
Saturday, February 10
• 6:30-9 p.m., Concert to benefit Feed My Starving Children, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7291 County Road PD, give.fmsc.org
Monday, February 12
• 1-3 p.m., The art and science of
Monday, February 19
• 1-3 p.m., The art and science of gratitude, senior center, 845-7471
Thursday, February 22
• 4-5:30 p.m., Teen gaming, library, 845-7180
What’s on VHAT-98 Thursday, Feb. 1 7 a.m. – Natural Pain Management Pt. 1 at Senior Center 8 a.m. –Zumba Gold 9 a.m. – Daily Exercise 10 a.m. – Active Shooter at Senior Center 2 p.m. – Zumba Gold 3 p.m. – Daily Exercise 4 p.m. – Kat Trio at Senior Center 5 p.m. – Bahama Bob at Senior Center 6 p.m. – Salem Church Service 7 p.m. – Accordian Music at Senior Center 8 p.m. – Daily Exercise 9 p.m. – Old Time Fiddlers Senior Center 10 p.m. – Rising Star Cave at the Historical Society Friday, Feb. 2 7 a.m. – Kat Trio at Senior Center 1 p.m. – Old Time Fiddlers Senior Center 3 p.m. – Verona ‘91-’92 Boys Basketball 4 p.m. – Bahama Bob at Senior Center 5:30 p.m. – 2016 Wildcats Football 8:30 p.m. – Verona ‘91-’92 Boys Basketball 10 p.m. – Natural Pain Management Pt. 1 at Senior Center 11 p.m. – Active Shooter at Senior Center Saturday, Feb. 3 8 a.m. – Candidate Forum
from 01-17-18 11 a.m. – Verona ‘91-’92 Boys Basketball 1 p.m. – 2016 Wildcats Football 4:30 p.m. – Rising Star Cave at the Historical Society 6 p.m. – Candidate Forum from 01-17-18 9 p.m. – Verona ‘91-’92 Boys Basketball 10 p.m. – Rising Star Cave at the Historical Society 11 p.m. – Active Shooter at Senior Center Sunday, Feb. 4 7 a.m. – Hindu Cultural Hour 9 a.m. – Resurrection Church 10 a.m. – Salem Church Service Noon – Candidate Forum from 01-17-18 3 p.m. – Verona ‘91-’92 Boys Basketball 4:30 p.m. – Rising Star Cave at the Historical Society 6 p.m. – Candidate Forum from 01-17-18 9 p.m. – Verona ‘91-’92 Boys Basketball 10 p.m. – Rising Star Cave at the Historical Society 11 p.m. – Active Shooter at Senior Center Monday, Feb. 5 7 a.m. – Kat Trio at Senior Center 1 p.m. – Old Time Fiddlers Senior Center 3 p.m. – Verona ‘91-’92 Boys Basketball 4 p.m. – Bahama Bob at
Senior Center 5 p.m. – 2016 Wildcats Football 9 p.m. – Hindu Cultural Hour 10 p.m. – Natural Pain Management Pt. 1 at Senior Center 11 p.m. – Active Shooter at Senior Center Tuesday, Feb. 6 7 a.m. – Natural Pain Management Pt. 1 at Senior Center 10 a.m. – Zumba Gold 9 a.m. – Daily Exercise 10 a.m. – Active Shooter at Senior Center 2 p.m. – Zumba Gold 3 p.m. – Daily Exercise 4 p.m. – Kat Trio at Senior Center 5 p.m. – Bahama Bob at Senior Center 6 p.m. –Resurrection Church 8 p.m. – Accordian Music at Senior Center 9 p.m. – Old Time Fiddlers Senior Center 10 p.m. – Rising Star Cave at the Historical Society Wednesday, Feb. 7 7 a.m. – Kat Trio at Senior Center 1 p.m. – Old Time Fiddlers Senior Center 3 p.m. – Verona ‘91-’92 Boys Basketball 5 p.m. – Candidates Forun from 01-17-18 7 p.m. – Capital City Band 8 p.m. – Verona ‘91-’92 Boys Basketball 10 p.m. – Natural Pain
Management Pt. 1 at Senior Center 11 p.m. – Active Shooter at Senior Center Thursday, Feb. 8 7 a.m. – Natural Pain Management Pt. 1 at Senior Center 8 a.m. – Zumba Gold 9 a.m. – Daily Exercise 10 a.m. – Active Shooter at Senior Center 2 p.m. – Zumba Gold 3 p.m. – Daily Exercise 4 p.m. – Kat Trio at Senior Center 5 p.m. – Bahama Bob at Senior Center 6 p.m. – Salem Church Service 7 p.m. – Accordian Music at Senior Center 8 p.m. – Daily Exercise 9 p.m. – Old Time Fiddlers Senior Center 10 p.m. – Rising Star Cave at the Historical Society
All Saints Lutheran Church 2951 Chapel Valley Rd., Fitchburg (608) 276-7729 allsaints-madison.org Interim Pastor Sunday: 8:30 & 10:45 a.m.
Paoli Sunday: 9 & 11 a.m., St. Andrew, Verona Daily Mass, Tuesday-Saturday: 8 a.m., St. Andrew, Verona
Fitchburg Memorial UCC 5705 Lacy Rd., Fitchburg (608) 273-1008 memorialucc.org Interim Pastor Laura Crow Sunday: 8:15 and 10 a.m.
St. James Lutheran Church ELCA 427 S. Main St., Verona (608) 845-6922 stjamesverona.org Pastors Kurt M. Billings and Peter Narum Office Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 8 a.m.-noon Wednesday Saturday Worship: 5 p.m. Sunday Worship: 8:30 a.m. & 10:45 a.m.
Good Shephard Lutheran Church ELCA (608) 271-6633 Madison: Raymond Road & Whitney Way, Madison Sunday: 8:30 & 10 a.m.. Verona: Corner of Hwy. PD & Nine Mound Road, Verona Sunday: 9 & 10:30 a.m. & 6 p.m.
Salem United Church of Christ 502 Mark Dr., Verona (608) 845-7315 salemchurchverona.org Rev. Dr. Mark E. Yurs, Pastor Laura Kolden, Associate in Ministry Sunday Worship: 9 a.m. Fellowship Hour: 10:15 a.m.
Damascus Road Church – West The Verona Senior Center 108 Paoli St., Verona (608) 819-6451 info@damascusroadchurch.com, damascusroadonline.org Pastor Justin Burge Sunday: 10 a.m.
Springdale Lutheran Church ELCA 2752 Town Hall Rd. (off Hwy ID), Mount Horeb (608) 437-3493 springdalelutheran.org Pastor Jeff Jacobs Sunday: 8:45 a.m. with communion
Memorial Baptist Church 201 S. Main St., Verona (608) 845-7125 MBCverona.org Lead Pastor Jeremy Scott Sunday: 10:15 a.m.
Sugar River United Methodist Church 415 W. Verona Ave., Verona (608) 845-5855 sugar.river@sugarriverumc.org, sugarriverumc.org Pastor Gary Holmes 9 & 10:30 a.m. contemporary worship. Sunday School available during worship. Refreshments and fellowship are between services.
The Church in Fitchburg 2833 Raritan Rd., Fitchburg (608) 271-2811 livelifetogether.com Sunday: 8 & 10:45 a.m.
Redeemer Bible Fellowship 130 N. Franklin St., Verona (608) 848-1836 redeemerbiblefellowship.org Pastor Dwight R. Wise Sunday: 10 a.m. family worship Resurrection Lutheran Church – WELS 6705 Wesner Rd., Verona (608) 848-4965 rlcverona.org Pastor Nathan Strutz and Assistant Pastor Timothy Priewe Thursday: 6:30 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. St. Christopher Catholic Parish St. Andrew Church 301 N. Main St., Verona St. William Church 1371 Hwy. PB, Paoli (608) 845-6613 stchristopherverona.com Fr. John Sasse, pastor Saturday: 5 p.m., St. Andrew, Verona Sunday: 7:30 a.m., St. William,
West Madison Bible Church 2920 Hwy. M, Verona (608) 845-9518 www.wmbiblechurch.org Pastor Dan Kukasky Jr. Sunday Worship: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School: 10:45 a.m. Zwingli United Church of Christ Hwy. 92 & G, Mount Vernon (608) 832-6677 Pastor Brad Brookins Sunday: 10:15 a.m. Zwingli United Church of Christ Hwy. 69 & PB, Paoli (608) 845-5641 Rev. Sara Thiessen Sunday: 9:30 a.m. family worship
Three Blessings “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” —Psalm 103:2 NIV Modern psychology often confirms ancient wisdom. Much of the advice that has been empirically verified by the field of Positive Psychology echoes ancient philosophers, including the wisdom of the Bible. Oneof the clearest examples of this is the advice to be thankful and count your blessings. Researchers at the Positive Psychology Center at Penn have confirmed that the simple exercise of writing down three things that went well at the end of each day will improve the quality of your life. You will feel less depressed simply by focusing on the positive things in life, and by thinking about why things went well you set the stage for a more positive future. One easy way to do this is to start a journal, or even just start a document on your computer. You might title this journal or document “Three Blessings,” or “Three Good Things” if you want a more secular title, and then simply list the three good things that happened to you (or which you did) and answer the question why for each one. The question as to why it happened is important because it forces us to reflect on the causes of these good things and helps us to repeat them. – Christopher Simon
Support groups • AA Meeting, senior center, Thursdays at 1 p.m. • Caregivers Support Group, senior center, first and third Tuesday, 10 a.m. • Healthy Lifestyles Group meeting, senior center, second Thursday from 10:30 a.m. • Parkinson’s Group, senior center, third Friday at 10 a.m.
430 E. Verona Ave. 845-2010
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The Verona Press
Besley Family Dentistry We’re growing…come meet our great team.
Even as we continue to grow, we always welcome New Patients. * Premier Provider for the state Delta Dental plan
109 E. Verona Ave., Verona • 608-497-1490 www.besleydentistry.com
and to date they have sold more than 100 million units between albums and singles, according to their website, richardandkarencarpenter. com. Berting Brett and her accompanying band will perform classic Carpenters hits, such as Superstar,” “Top of the World” and “Close to You.” Tickets are available at vapas.org, the State Bank of Cross Plains-Verona,
Enjoy while you can Madison Winter Festival features frosty fun this weekend While winters haven’t always been the same for the past 14 years, one thing that has been a constant is the Madison Winter Festival, a family-friendly event that returns to Elver Park, just outside Verona 1250 McKenna Blvd., Feb. 3-4. Established in 2005, the festival “promotes outdoor sports, recreation, the arts and maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout the winter,” according to a news release from event organizers. The event features 14 different events including a 5 km running race, free kids run, free ski clinic, snowshoe run, recreational candlelight ski and snowshoe tour. Have a snow fort battle, carve a snow pile igloo, play a mini
If You Go What: 14th Annual Madison Winter Festival When: Feb. 3-4 Where: Elver Park, 1250 McKenna Blvd., Madison Info: Email info@ winter-fest.com, call 3858864 or visit winter-fest. com ice golf, try cross-country skiing, do some winter “painting” on the ice canvas. The national snow sculpting champions will also be there to show off their skills. Rentals of sleds, skates and skis will be available at the park. For information, email info@winter-fest.com or call 385-8864. – Scott De Laruelle
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What: Carpenters Remembered performance When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 Where: Verona Area Performing Arts Center, 300 Richard St. Tickets: $32, $30 senior over 65, $10 students 18 and under Information: vapas.org
T
The duo that sold more than 100 million records in just over a decade will be honored with a cover performance at the Verona Area Performing Arts Center. We’ve Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered will perform a 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at the center, 300 Richard St. Michelle Berting Brett will take center stage, accompanied by her fourpiece Nashville band directed by Harry Sharpe, according to a news release from the Verona Area Performing Arts Series. In addition to re-creating the Carpenter’s original sound, Berting Brett will share stories directly from interviews of those who knew Karen and Richard Carpenter both personally and professionally. The Carpenters claimed their fame in the 1970s,
If You Go
Capitol Bank Verona, or by calling 848-2787. Prices are $32, $30 seniors over 65 and $10 for students 18 and
1,
Unified Newspaper Group
Y EN A , s R OD DIO room T U ed ST 3 B 2,
VAPAS show honors the Carpenters Feb. 17 AMBER LEVENHAGEN
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Photo by Mark Brett
The Verona Area Performing Arts Center will host “We’ve Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered” Feb. 17.
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February 1, 2018
The Verona Press
ConnectVerona.com
Photo submitted
VAHS hockey teacher appreciation
The Verona Area High School boys varsity hockey team held its third annual Teacher Appreciation Night Jan. 12. Teachers were honored on the ice with the following address: “Respect and teamwork are not only developed on the ice but cultivated from role models, like you, who touch our lives on a daily basis. Your high expectations and belief in us to strive to do our best has helped guide our success. Our team is proud to show you the gratitude you deserve and to publicly say thank you for your guidance and devotion. May you leave tonight knowing that you are appreciated for all your effort and hard work.” Teachers recognized were: Jennifer Glassford, Justin Scanlon, Kabby Hong, Rick Boehm, David Fidler, Andrew Larson, Doug Waddell, Katelyn MacKay, Andrew Riley, Michael Ray, Annelies Howell, Haley Stoecker, Phil Smith, Melissa Oftedahl, Doug Steiner, Matt Tiller, Megan Wenn, Emily Harris, Laura Hughes, Cory Walsh, Jason Knoll, Chris Hoel and Laura Jeidy-Brown.
Photos submitted
VAHS softball volunteering
The Verona Area High School varsity softball team volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House on Saturday, Jan 6. The girls baked and decorated cup cakes for the kids and families staying at the house. They also had the opportunity to meet a teenage boy who had surgery to remove a tumor on his leg and made him a special double chocolate chip cupcake. The team will also volunteer at Badger Prairie Needs Network on Feb. 10.
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Jeremy Jones, sports editor
845-9559 x226 • ungsportseditor@wcinet.com
Anthony Iozzo, assistant sports editor 845-9559 x237 • sportsreporter@wcinet.com Fax: 845-9550
Sports
Thursday, February 1, 2018
The
Verona Press For more sports coverage, visit: ConnectVerona.com
Boys hockey
Earning respect on the ice Verona defeats sixthranked SPASH
Big Eight
Sports editor
What’s next Verona (15-3-2 overall, 10-1-0 conference) travels to Janesville Ice Arena on Thursday for a 7 p.m. game against the Bluebirds (4-13-0, 3-5-0).
Photo by Jeremy Jones
Sophomore Cale Rufenacht (center) celebrates his second power-play goal 20 seconds after his first in the third period Friday against Madison West. Verona won the Big Eight Conference game 7-4. and doing some things on the defensive end.” The Wildcats have two conference games remaining on the road against Janesville (4-13-0, 3-5-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday and at Madison Ice Arena at 7:30 p.m. Saturday to face Madison Memorial (10-8-2, 5-6-0) at 7:30 p.m. Verona finishes out the regular season 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9 at home against nonconference Arrowhead (13-6-1).
Verona 7, Madison West 4 Freshman Cale Rufenacht scored two late power-play goals Friday to help the Wildcats ice Madison West in big 7-4 conference win. The victory kept Verona one game ahead of Sun Prairie in the conference standings. “Cale had two point-blank shots in the first period that hit the goalie square in the head on the exact same play,” Marshall
said. “I told him put the puck on the ice, just hit the net. If you hit it hard enough it will go through. “Surprisingly, a high school kid listened and scored on two similar plays.” Junior defenseman Jake Osiecki and freshman forward Walker Haessig each scored in the first eight minutes of the third period to give the Wildcats a 5-2 advantage. Haessig’s goal proved to be the game-winner for Verona. “It was just a fast break,” Haessig said. “Graham looked up and saw me. Cale was driving the net. I just shot to the near-side post and it went in.” Madison West cut into the
Turn to Hockey/Page 11
Cats pull away from Regents in second half Assistant sports editor
Creating turnovers and scoring in transition helped the Verona girls basketball team take a lead into halftime Friday and eventually pull away for a 59-35 win at Madison West. The Wildcats (8-9 overall, 8-5 Big Eight) started the second half on a 16-6 run. Senior guard Chandler Bainbridge led off the run with a steal and a layup, and junior guard Bre Penn later scored inside after a steal by junior guard Rayna Briggs, making it 38-22 Verona. Senior forward Josie Mueller later made a spin move inside for a basket, and Bainbridge added two more baskets inside to build a 44-25 lead. “In the first half, we didn’t really communicate and it kind of showed because we weren’t up by as much as we should have been, but in the second half, we really picked up our communication,” Bre Penn said. “And staying quick on our feet and keeping our hands up really helped with the steals and getting good looks in transition.” Bre Penn found Bainbridge inside, and Mueller followed with a couple of free throws. Bainbridge,
From Jan. 23-30
Name: Cale Rufenacht
Girls basketball
ANTHONY IOZZO
Player of the week
Team W-L-T Points Verona 10-1-0 20 Sun Prairie 9-2-0 18 Madison West 8-3-0 16 Middleton 5-5-0 10 Memorial 5-6-0 10 Janesville 3-5-0 6 Beloit 2-10-0 4 Eastside Lakers 0-10-0 0
JEREMY JONES
T h e d eve l o p m e n t o f t h i s year’s crop of underclassmen has gone hand in hand with the growth of this season’s Verona boys hockey team. After knocking off sixthr a n ke d S t eve n s P o i n t A r e a Senior High and Big Eight Conference rivals Madison West and Sun Prairie last weekend, the Wildcats should gain a lot more respect over the final month of the season. “As far as getting some love from the rest of the state, these are those types of games,” coach Joel Marshall said. “Does it mean anything in the grand scheme of things? No. But it’s a nice little reward for these guys as far as getting that recognition they want from the rest of the state.” The Wildcats (16-3-2 overall, 11-1-0 conference) are listed as an honorable mention on the WisconsinPrepHockey state poll and sixth on United States High School Hockey Online p ow e r r a n k i n g s . S PA S H i s fourth on the USHSHO list. Junior forward Mason McCormick returned to the ice for the first time in more than a month last Friday against West, getting one assist in that game. “Mason looked great in practice this week,” Marshall said. “His conditioning was a little off, which led to a little frustration not being able to do what he normally can but he picked things up stealing some pucks
9
Position: Forward Highlights: Rufenacht scored a pair of power-play goals 20 seconds apart Friday as Verona defeated Madison West 7-4 Honorable mentions: Alex Ritter (boys swimming) finished third in the diving competition with 339.45 points at the Middleton Invitational Gwen Parker (girls hockey) made 24 saves on 27 shots for the Metro Lynx in a 3-1 loss to Black River Falls last week Co-captain Vanessa Wagner (gymnastics) led the Verona/ Madison Edgewood team with an 8.0 on the uneven bars Saturday at the Spartan invite Chandler Bainbridge (girls bb) scored 22 points Friday in a win over Madison West Grant Kelliher (boys bb) finished with 19 points in a win over Madison West Saturday and added 10 points in a loss to fourth-ranked Madison Memorial Ben Grandau (wrestling) earned a pin over Belleville co-op’s Brian Hollis Friday in a regular season finale
Rozeboom finishes sixth at Middleton Invitational
Team W-L Sun Prairie 11-0 Madison East 10-2 Middleton 8-4 Madison Memorial 8-4 Verona 8-5 La Follette 6-7 Janesville Craig 5-8 Janesville Parker 4-9 Madison West 2-10 Beloit Memorial 0-13
JEREMY JONES Sports editor
What’s next Verona travels to Middleton at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and hosts Madison La Follette at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Turn to Girls bb/Page 11
Sport: Hockey
Boys swimming
Big Eight
who had 22 points, capped her night with a 3-pointer, and Bre Penn capped her performance with a steal and a layup to make it 55-34.
Grade: Freshman
Photo by Anthony Iozzo
Senior forwards Sydney Rae (left) and Josie Mueller (right) attempt to trap Madison West’s Serenity Jackson-Branch Friday in a Big Eight Conference game. Rae and Mueller eventually forced a bad pass that was stolen, leading to a score a few seconds later. The Wildcats beat the host Regents 59-35.
Construction led the Verona Area/ Mount Horeb boys swimming team to join a new late-season meet Saturday as the Middleton Invitational replaced the long-time Madison Invitational normally held at the UW-Natatorium. The UW-Natatorium was unavailable to host the meet this year because the old swimming facility has been torn down to make way for a brandnew one. Verona Area/Mount Horeb again had the most season-best times of any team at the meet (28 out of 36 individual swims), even though most boys did not swim the events they will swim at conference next week. The Wildcats finished eighth out of 10 teams with 118 points. Top-ranked
Turn to Swim/Page 11
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February 1, 2018
The Verona Press
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Wrestling
Cats aim for medals at Big 8 meet Deep field features many unheralded wrestlers
Last week’s results
ANTHONY IOZZO
Verona wrestling hosted nonconference Belleville/Monticello/New Glarus Friday and lost 40-36. Junior Jeremy Grim (160) pinned Holden Latsch in 2 minutes, 58 seconds, and freshman Ben Grandau (126) pinned Brian Hollis in 1:59. Seniors Lance Randall (195) and Wyatt Breitnauer (220) and sophomores Caleb Burkhart (182) and Nick Grassman (170) all won by forfeit. Verona forfeited at 106 and heavyweight.
Girls hockey
Belleville co-op 40, Verona 36
Assistant sports editor
Verona wrestling comes into the Big Eight Conference meet Saturday at Madison La Follette with high hopes for all of its wrestlers to have a chance to place. Seniors Jono Herbst (120) and Lance Randall (182) each have 20-13 records, and freshman Ben Grandau (126) is 17-14 this season. Those three are looking to be at their best Saturday. “I think the great thing about all three of them is that if they wrestle to their potential, I think all three of them can do really well at our conference tournament,” co-coach Jason Ott said. “It depends on how mentally ready the guys are and what version of themselves they bring with them on Saturday.” Grandau is expected to have two all-conference honorable-mention wrestlers in his bracket – Madison West’s Robert Cooper and Janesville Parker’s Brett Perkins – but wrestlers tend to change weights as the brackets begin to take shape. And while Herbst and Randall are in brackets without any ranked individuals, Ott said the Big Eight tournament is deeper than usual this year, with quality wrestlers that can make state runs but aren’t recognized statewide yet. “In the past, (the conference has) had really good kids and a big fall-off,” Ott said. “I don’t think we have that big of a fall-off as years past, and it will lead to a lot of really good matches, especially in the last couple of rounds for the tournament. That will make for an exciting finish.” Senior Wyatt Breitnauer (195), juniors Jeremy Grim (160) and Nathan Feller (132) and sophomores Nick Grassman (170) and Chris Garcia (138) will also be competing at conference. And all will have a shot to place if they can clean up some habits, Ott said. Breitnauer has wrestled at 182 and 220 as well as 195 this season and had to figure out new strategies when facing bigger opponents. Ott said he showed improvement in the last month. Feller wrestled at 138 for most of the season, and he will be going down to 132 for conference, which Ott said will be beneficial for him. Feller, like Breitnauer, was giving up size to most of his opponents this season. Grim might have to wrestle in a bracket where quality opponents from 145 and 152 wrestle up to avoid Sun Prairie’s Drew Scharenbrock (145) and Middleton’s Kevin Meicher (152), both of whom are ranked first in the state. “If that happens, it will give Jeremy good experience against good
If You Go What: Big Eight Conference meet When: 10 a.m. Where: Madison La Follette
Photo by Mary Langenfeld
Vivian Hacker (20) prepares to pass the puck Thursday evening against the Rock County Fury at Madison Ice Arena. The Fury won 6-0 to claim the Badger Conference crown.
Big Eight rankings 126: HM, Robert Cooper (Madison West); HM, Brett Perkins (Janesville Parker) 132: HM, Nate Ellis (Janesville Craig); HM, Tyler Nelson (Sun Prairie) 145: 1, Drew Scharenbrock (Sun Prairie); HM, Ethan Smith (Janesville Craig); HM, Kaden Reetz (Madison Memorial) 152: 1, Kevin Meicher (Middleton) 195: HM, Linzell Burks (Beloit Memorial); HM, Dion Huff (Middleton) 220: HM, Mason Smith (Sun Prairie) HW: 3, Keeanu Benton (Janesville Craig) competition,” Ott said. “He has the ability but just needs to work on little things to help him finish and do a little bit better.” Junior Zakh Kalifatidi (145) and sophomore Caden Page (152) might not go at conference or might move up or down, but they will be back for regionals at 145 and 152, respectively. Freshman Ryan Porter (220) is out for the rest of the season with a broken arm he suffered at the Verona Duals. Sophomores Zak Morrison, Nick Heinzen and Caleb Burkhart all had experience on varsity this season but will wrestle in the JV conference tournament this season. Sun Prairie, Middleton and Janesville Craig are expected to compete for the conference title. Sun Prairie and Craig each have three ranked wrestlers. Middleton has two. Sun Prairie won the regular season dual meet title.
Lynx shut out by first-place Fury JEREMY JONES Sports editor
The Madison Metro Lynx hosted the first-place Rock County Fury on Thursday and were shut out 6-0 inside Madison Ice Arena. Maggy Henschler had two goals, including the first of the game on a penalty shot, and one assist for the Fury. The Fury took the first two penalties of the game 27 seconds apart in the first period but then scored seconds into the second period when Henschler was awarded a penalty shot after being tripped by Metro Lynx defenseman Ally Conybear. Henschler buried the shot nine minutes into the period and added a second goal on the power play five minutes into the second period to extend the Fury lead to 3-0. Anika Einbeck scored twice and Dani Heitsman added a power-play goal and an assist to cap the win. Cammi Ganshert set up three goals for Rock County. The Metro Lynx (6-13 overall, 4-4-0 Badger) were shut out 5-0 by the Fury (172-2, 9-0-0), ranked fifth in the state by WisconsinPrepHockey, back on Dec. 12.
Gymnastics
Badger Conference Team W-L-T Pts Rock County 9-0-0 18 Cap City 5-2-0 10 Metro Lynx 4-4-0 8 Viroqua 3-5-0 6 Icebergs 3-5-0 6 Lightning 0-8-0 0 Sydney McKersie made turned away 33 of 39 shots on goal and McKaylie Buescher stopped all 25 shots she faced.
B.R. Falls 3, Lynx 1 The Metro Lynx allowed two short-handed goals through 2 ½ periods Saturday at nonconference Black River Falls and were unable to recover in a 3-1 loss. The Metro Lynx went on the power play just over two minutes into the first period only to watch Khloe Spors pop in a short-handed goal. Black River Falls teammate Grace Engebretson added an even-strength goal four minutes later for a 2-0 lead at the end of the first period. Black River Falls (10-6-1)
What’s next The Metro Lynx host the Icebergs (3-5-0) at 8 p.m. Friday inside Madison Ice Arena and the Cap City Cougars (5-2-0) at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. added a second short-handed goal three minutes into the second period before Sierra Berg scored the Lynx’s lone goal midway through the second period. Gwen Parker made 24 saves on 27 shots for the Metro Lynx, while Josie Mathison finished with 16 saves for Black River Falls.
Arrowhead 3, Lynx 1 The Metro Lynx traveled to nonconference Arrowhead on Tuesday and lost 3-1 despite outshooting the Warhawks 27-18. Arrowhead scored twice in the second period and again early in the third to take a three-goal lead before Claire Wischoff got the Lynx on the scoreboard with 10 minutes remaining. It would be at close as things got, however.
Boys basketball
Wildcat/Crusaders vault to sixth place at Spartan invite Cats knock off Sauk Prairie JEREMY JONES Sports editor
Senior co-captain Vanessa Wagner led the Verona/Madison Edgewood gymnastics team to a sixthplace finish in the White Division of the Spartan Invitational on Saturday. Wagner placed fifth on the uneven bars to pace the Wildcat/Crusaders in the White Division inside Madison Memorial High School, scoring an 8.0. Verona/Madison Edgewood finished sixth out of eight teams with 118.35 points. The team’s best round came on the vault where they scored 32.625 points. Madison West won the invitational with 127.6 points. Waterford (127.275) and Waterford (125.3) rounded out the top three. Ve r o n a / M a d i s o n E d g ewo o d ’s Janina Bruhn was the team’s top all-around finisher, taking 12th place with 30.4 points. Bruhn also
What’s next Verona/Madison Edgewood travels to Janesville Craig at 7 p.m. Thursday and to the Middleton invite at 10:15 a.m. Saturday. finished 10th on the uneven bars with a 7.45 and finished in a three way tie for sixth place on the vault with an 8.45. The Wildcat/Crusaders once again struggled on the balance beam, with Annie Maher leading the way with a 13th-place finish with a score of 7.75. Senior Emelia Lichty matched the finish on the floor exercise with a 7.975. Madison United senior Tyra Turner won the floor exercise with a 9.35 and the vault with a 9.475 and was crowned the White Division allaround champion with a combined
36.375 points after the completion of all four events. Wa u p u n s o p h o m o r e I s a b e l l a Doege (9.025) won the balance beam and uneven bars (8.90) to finish second overall with a 35.525. Defending state champion Franklin/Muskego/Oak Creek/Whitnall scored 147.025 points to win the Green Division. Second-ranked Burlington/Badger/Wilmot/Union Grove was a distant second with 140.4 and Middleton took third with a 134.6. Middleton senior Allayah Lane tied FMOW junior Elizabeth Missiaen for first place on the floor exercise 9.45. Missiaen also won on the vault with a 9.4. Junior Krystal Nelson won the balance beam (9.4) FMOW junior Holli Anderson won the uneven bars with a 9.475 and was crowned all-around champion in the Green Division, scoring a combined 36.875 points.
Turn to Gymnastics/Page 11
ANTHONY IOZZO Assistant sports editor
The Verona boys basketball team won its second straight game Tuesday, 64-57, over Sauk Prairie The Wildcats (9-7 overall, 6-7 Big Eight) jumped out to a 27-19 lead at halftime and did enough in the second half to hold on. Senior guard Bui Clements finished with 20 points, and senior guard Grant Kelliher and junior guard Reagan Klawiter also scored in double figures.
Memorial 52, Verona 37 The Wildcats hosted Madison Memorial Thursday and lost 52-37. The Spartans, which are ranked No. 4 in Division 1,
Turn to Boys bb/Page 11
Big Eight Team W-L Sun Prairie 12-1 Madison Memorial 11-2 Madison La Follette 10-3 Madison East 7-5 Middleton 7-6 Verona 6-7 Janesville Craig 6-7 Beloit Memorial 3-9 Janesville Parker 1-12 Madison West 1-12
What’s next Verona travels to Middleton at 7:30 p.m. Friday and to Elkhorn at 3 p.m. Saturday.
ConnectVerona.com
February 1, 2018
The Verona Press
Hockey: Cats beat West
Boys bb: Wildcats complete season sweep over Regents
another banner at the rink, we needed to come back out and play the final 17 lead 11 minutes into the minutes like we played the period on a Marcus Mack’s first period,” he said. even-strength goal to make the score 5-3 before Verona 6, SPASH 5 Rufenacht had the shift of The Wildcats struggled the game, scoring a pair of to stay out of the box Satpower-play goals 20 sec- urday, giving up four powonds apart as the Regents er-play goals, but they took a pair of tripping pen- managed to hold off a late alties. rally by the sixth-ranked Verona finished 3-for-5 SPASH Panthers. on the power play, while The victory was arguWest went 1-for-7 with a ably the biggest win of late goal by Dean Furh- the season for a team that mann. hasn’t lost a game in the Garhett Kaegi allowed state of Wisconsin since two goals in each of the Dec. 7. final two periods and finMarshall called Verona’s ished with 18 saves to pre- stretch of games against serve the win for the Wild- We s t , S PA S H a n d S u n cats. Ian Hedican stopped Prairie over the five days 18 shots on goal in relief a dress rehearsal for the o f A d a m B u e n c a m i n o , playoffs. who sat the game out with “We have the offense for an injury. sure to make another deep The Wildcats dominated playoff run,” he said. “It the first period, outshoot- comes down to defense. ing Madison West 11-3. Everyone, even our forFreshman forward Leo wards need to own up a litR e n l u n d a n d f r e s h m a n tle bit defensively.” defenseman Nate Jurrens Baker, who has been on each scored in the first 11 a tear as of late, scored 1/2 minutes of play, and four goals through the first sophomore Brockton Bak- 35 minutes against the er added a power-play goal nonconference Panthers with 21 seconds remaining inside Verona Ice Arena. in the period. That ran his total to 10 The Wildcats’ offense goals and three assists in was held scoreless in the the last three games. second period, and Sam The Panthers (19-3-0) Loving and Drake Baldwin rallied with three goals, each scored in the final however, including two on four minutes of the period the power play, over the to pull the Regents within final 12 minutes to nearly 3-2. Fuhrmann and Bald- tie the game. win each had a goal and an Verona extended its lead assist for West. over SPASH to 6-2 just 13 “I think we stepped back seconds into the third peria little bit, and West out- od on a power-play goal worked us for sure in the from Baker. second half of that second The Panthers struck five period,” Marshall said. minutes later and then addThe message to the team ed power-play goals by during the second inter- Devon Bleas at the 9-minmission was simple, Mar- ute mark and a man-advanshall said. tage goal by Eli Haas four “We were still up a goal minutes later to cut the and if we wanted to win a Verona lead to 6-5. conference title and add
Continued from page 10
Continued from page 9
Slawek added nine. Junior guard Cade Ellingopened up a 26-18 lead at son had 14 points for Memohalftime and almost dupli- rial, and junior forward Nick cated that score in the second Caropreso added 13. half. Verona 59, West 51 Kelliher finished with 10 Verona bounced back points, and junior guard Tyler
Saturday with a 59-51 win at Madison West, completing a regular season sweep over the Regents. The Wildcats, which needed double overtime to beat West in the first meeting, trailed by four at
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halftime before outscoring the Regents 31-19 in the second half. Kelliher had 19 points, and Slawek chipped in 12. Clements added 11. Junior guard Cliff McCray had 18 points for West.
Girls bb: Bainbridge scores 22 in victory Continued from page 9 Briggs scored inside again before the starters went to the bench. She and Bre Penn each had 10 points. Mueller finished with seven. Bre Penn said that the Wildcats wanted to work better as a team to get ready for
a tougher part of the schedule down the stretch – with games against Middleton (106, 8-4), Madison La Follette (10-7, 6-7), Madison East (12-4, 10-2) and Sun Prairie (14-1, 11-0). “It is obvious we are not the tallest, and we are underrated for that reason because we are so quick and work
on fundamentals,” Bre Penn said. The Wildcats trailed 15-9 in the first half before Bre Penn, Mueller, Bainbridge and Briggs all scored to put the Wildcats up 22-15. Madison West senior guard Kate Carlson had 14 of her 23 points in the first half and no other Regent had more
than four points. West fell to 4-11, 2-10. Bre Penn said it is a good feeling to know one person doesn’t have to do everything for Verona. “Everyone can share, and we can all pass,” she said. “We have such high trust, and we are really close on this team.”
Gymnastics: Verona/Edgewood splits Big Eight duals Continued from page 10
Parker, V/ME (n/a) The Wildcat/Crusaders hosted Janesville Parker in a Big Eight Conference make-up on Tuesday at Glacier Edge Elementary School. Results were unavailable by the Verona Press’
L i c h t y w a s Ve r o n a / Tuesday deadline. Go to ConnectVerona.com for full Madison Edgewood’s top performer on the balance results. beam, taking fourth with a Sun Prairie 131.075, 7.65. She matched the finish on the floor exercise with a V/ME 118.225 7.825. Wagner was the only The Wildcat/Crusaders other competitor to crack hosted the Sun Prairie Car- the top five for the Wilddinals in a Big Eight Con- cats, finishing fourth on the ference dual Thursday and uneven bars with a 7.75. fell 131.075-118.225. The Cardinals had the
top four all-around scores, led by juniors Abigail Nowicki’s 33.7 and Amelia McDermott’s 33.125. McDermott won the balance beam with a 9.1 and the floor with an 8.75, and Nowicki took the uneven bars titles with an 8.275. Sun Prairie freshman Elena Studier secured the vault title with an 8.3.
Swim: Verona finishes in top four at JV conference Continued from page 9 Madison West won the meet by 35 points over Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Ill.) High School, 434-399. Madison Memorial was third with a 343. Senior Shane Rozeboom showed up to race, moving up from the 12th seed in the 100 butterfly and 15th seed in the 100 backstroke to finish sixth in both races. Rozeboom posted a 54.33 in the fly and a 55.34 in the back. Freshman Alex Ritter finished third in the diving
competition with 339.45 points. Madison Memorial senior Sam Smith won the event with a 403.6. Sophomore Kyle Hoppe, senior Torbin Kittleson and Kaleb McMillan and freshman Ben Wellnitz took sixth place on the 200 free relay in 1:35.47. Senior Ryan Stewart, juniors Aidan Updegrove and Rozeboom and Hoppe added a seventh-place finish on the 200 medley relay (1:43.89). Rozeboom, Updegrove, Stewart and Wellnitz came in eighth in the 400 free (3:25.14).
What’s next Verona Area/Mount Horeb travel to Beloit Memorial High School at 1 p.m. Saturday for the Big Eight Conference meet. Top-ranked Madison West is a heavy favorite to win. The conference diving meet is at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Middleton. Sophomore Owen Rothamer won the most exciting race of the day, touching out Owen Strong from Madison Memorial by .11 seconds to win his heat and finish 16th overall in the 500 free
(5:18.66). Caulden Parkel had substantial time drops in his two races, cutting three-and-a-half seconds in 200 free and more than 10 seconds in 500 free.
Kepler: VAHS grad returns to Wisconsin after a stint with Ohio State Continued from page 1 I’ll be the one on this team that’s the most used to that rink, that’s for sure,” Kepler said. “It will be great just to see the school again and relive some of the memories I had with the girls there.”
Quick start for OSU Those memories began six games into her freshman season back at OSU with her first goal 28 seconds into her first shift Nov. 2, 2013, against the same Badger team she now plays for. “It was my first game here in front of my entire family, so that was a pretty cool experience,” Kepler said. “My family went nuts. You could hear them all in the stands. I was really nervous and expecting the worst to happen, and the best possible thing happened on my first shift.” Kepler had always wanted to play for UW, but she said there was no sense of wanting to stick it to the Badgers for recruiting other players and not her. “It was more so about me wanting to play a good game in front of my family,” she said. “I respect the players that come here. You’ve got two or three going to the Olympics right now. One was with the national team for a long time. “Each year, as women’s hockey grows, it’s harder and harder to land a spot on a team.” Kepler knew her best chance of
playing following high school was at Ohio State, where she stepped on the ice right away and led the Buckeyes in goals all three seasons she played in Columbus. As a freshman, she appeared in all 37 games for the Buckeyes and led the team with 13 goals. She was the first freshman to lead OSU since the 2009-10 season. “I think my game grew a lot just by getting experience on the ice, whereas at UW I didn’t know how much I would play,” she said. Always a player who could find the back of the net, Kepler had a five-game goal scoring streak from Jan. 19-Feb. 1 that season (scoring six goals over that stretch). The scoring streak tied the second-longest in Buckeye history.
contact other schools about the possibility of transferring. In addition to UW, she also reached out to Boston University and Minnesota, but they weren’t great options because of the cost of tuition. “When you’re a transfer, you don’t know if you’re going to get any tuition or not,” Kepler said. “If UW didn’t want me, I would have had to go somewhere else.” Fortunately for Kepler, things escalated quickly following a few emails with the Badger assistant coaches. A few days later, she found herself on the phone with coach Johnson. “I just remember him telling me that they were excited to have me, and I had the biggest smile on my face,” she said.
Coming home
Attitude of gratitude
Kepler recorded 48 more points (25 goals, 23 assists) over the next two seasons, but after inheriting a third coach in as many years, she began to wonder if she was better off playing somewhere else. “When you’re getting recruited, you expect to have the same coach all four years,” she said. “Having two coaching changes, I said, ‘You know what? I’m coming home.’ I knew what coach (Mark) Johnson was about. I played seven years with his daughter, and I grew up around Madison.” Once she signed a permission-to-contact letter, Kepler had to
The change from Columbus was more than just a homecoming for Kepler, who practiced with the Badgers last year but was unable to travel to games, as she sat out the season because of NCAA transfer rules. “The first thing you realize when you come here is coach Johnson wants you to have fun,” she said. “That’s what our program is based off, having fun and working hard. It’s simple. It’s to the point, and it’s what makes us successful. “We have a lot of expectations but at the same time, we all come on the ice with smiles on our faces.” Having never worn the cardinal
and white for the Badgers in a game before this season, she nevertheless was voted a team captain. “I mean, I’m not going to lie. I was pretty nervous,” Kepler said. “To be voted a captain by my teammates, that just makes you feel good, knowing that they respect you and that they want you here.” She said although she didn’t know the exact reason her teammates picked her, she knew what she expected of herself. “I wanted to have a good attitude and work hard. I guess that’s what did the job,” she said. “What made it easy was the girls on the team and the coaches. They were the ones that made me smile every day.”
Dominant team Kepler and the Badgers have had plenty to smile about this season, extending their home unbeaten streak to 26 games, five behind the longest streak in program history, with a sweep of St. Cloud State last weekend. One of three seniors for UW this season, Kepler leads the team with 17 goals – seven more than anyone else. But she’s as quick to redirect the attention away from herself as she is making a shot past an opposing goaltender, crediting the players she’s surrounded by at UW. “They make me better, and I try to make them better every day,” Kepler said. “It just goes hand in hand. When you’re on an amazing hockey
team, you’re going to play well.” Rather than individual accolades, Kepler said what’s she’s most proud of this season is the way her team has come together. “If you look at our roster, we have eight freshmen and eight sophomores and we just had the best first half in program history. Being able to say I was part of that is unbelievable,” she said. Despite what Wisconsin has done so far, the four-time national champions (2006, 2007, 2009, 2011) are always on the hunt for more. “What we’ve done in the past doesn’t mean anything for our future,” Kepler said. “Obviously, our end goal is to make it to the Final Four and win a national championship. That’s always been in our mind. “It would hurt to be knocked out of the postseason, just like it does for any team, but I’m proud to say I will be able to look back no matter what happens and be happy with what we’ve done.” No matter how this season ends for the Badgers, it’s unlikely Kepler will be hanging up her skates anytime soon. “I’m not ready to give up hockey cold turkey yet,” she said. “I think I am going to play a couple of years overseas and use it as an opportunity to go explore the world.” After that she said, “I think my major goal is just to be able to give back, and somehow help grow the game.”
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February 1, 2018
The Verona Press
ConnectVerona.com
Boards: Change in district compensation model spurred educators to seek out more training Continued from page 1 important to me to do everything I can possibly do while I am teaching in this district to increase my salary,” said Sarah Greenlaw, a special education teacher at Verona Area International School. “Knowing in my head that I have done everything I can possibly do, yes, that is worth it.” That change created four categories of salary ranges. Larger annual raises are available for those with a master’s degree, and there’s an even bigger one for a “Master Educator,” which required receiving the national certification or a similar one from the state Department of Public Instruction. Teachers in that category get a $900 raise each year, with a salary range from $48,777 to $90,177. While the increase was exciting for the staff members, the board certification also offered an opportunity for the staff members to be more “reflective” of their teaching practices. “I think that it’s reinforced the idea that teaching isn’t just delivering a curriculum,” said Stoner Prairie Elementary School English Learners teacher Elizabeth Folberg. “It’s all of the reflective decisions you make every moment of the day. You’re always analyzing the work you see from students and making decisions based on that.” Sugar Creek Elementary School teacher Teresa Hoffman, who worked on the certification with her co-teacher Ramona Doberstein, said the high number of teachers achieving the national boards sent a message about the district. “We’re a district that values professional development and supports
Berndt
Bremmer
2017 certified staff Julie Berndt, VAHS Melissa Bremmer, Glacier Edge Debra Breunig, VAHS Amy Cartwright, Sugar Creek Angela Davis, Stoner Prairie Ramona Doberstein, Sugar Creek Elizabeth Folberg, Stoner Prairie Sarah Greenlaw, VAIS Teresa Hoffman, Sugar Creek Kabby Hong, VAHS Stephanie Symes, Savanna Oaks Teresa Voss, VAHS professional development,” Hoffman said.
Long process H o ff m a n a n d D o b e rstein spent many weekends together over what for them was a two-year process. The boards require teachers to submit various written analyses and video recordings of themselves in the classroom, all of which are limited to a certain word count or minute length. Reaching the standards set by the boards typically takes several hundred hours of work. “We couldn’t have done it without each other,” Doberstein said. “It was so time-intensive.” “The coffee shops made a lot of business off us during that time,” she added with a laugh. All 12 teachers reported a similar experience of having to find plenty of time for the extra work. “You have to try to juggle this on top of trying to be a
Breunig
Cartwright
Previously certified teachers Erin Barnard, Savanna Oaks Kathy Collier, district wide Emily Harris, VAHS Andy Kruger, VAHS Molly Kruger, Country View Jen Murphy, Savanna Oaks Rita Mortenson, VAHS Amy Schiefelbein, Stoner Prairie Jason Strauss, VAHS good teacher and do all … of the other things you try to do on a normal day and try to have a personal life, as well,” said Verona Area High School teacher Kabby Hong. “As teachers, we use our weekends a lot of times to grade, and I had to use it not only for grading but working on National Boards.” None knew whether their work had been worth it until they got the notification late last year. Once their pieces were submitted to the National Board, it was out of their hands. “I’ve never quite been through something so intense and not so sure how it would go,” said Savanna Oaks Middle School teacher Stephanie Symes, who completed the boards in a single year. “It didn’t ever feel like that guarantee that it would happen.” Greenlaw, a single mother, had to wake up early to fit the work into a window from 3:30 to 5:30 a.m. five days a week and another four hours each weekend morning. “I had to take everything off my plate that wasn’t about being a mother, my job, or National Boards,” she said. “Everything in my life,
Davis
Doberstein
Four components
New process
Content knowledge
The National Boards process changed in 2016, and of the four components teachers had to complete, only three were available at the time. That left almost all of the teachers in VASD taking two years to complete the process after waiting for the final component to become available. Teachers had to use data, videotape themselves teaching and write about their practice to achieve the certification. The certification requires a $75 registration fee and $1,900 to complete. The district covers up to $1,800 every five years for graduate-level coursework or the National Boards.
Computer-based assessment that asks for demonstration of content knowledge and pedagogical practices for a teacher’s content area.
Differentiation in instruction
literally, had to go on sabbati- that there are a lot of Verona cal except those three things.” teachers that see themselves in this profession for quite a Finally finished bit of time.” All of that time they conGreenlaw said she felt “really, really good” once it tinue in the profession will was over and she knew her include more of the reflection and data work they did application was successful. “It really is like that Iron- through the National Boards, man tattoo,” she said, com- Doberstein said. “It was such an intense paring it to completing the intense fitness race. “I did do process, you don’t turn that it, and it was a hell of a lot of part off,” Doberstein said. work. I am proud of myself “It’s ingrained in you: What and us because I know what can you do better?” Symes said parts of the it took for all of us, and anyone who wants to do it I am certification process were 100 percent there to support reflective of VASD’s own practices with its students. and talk to people.” “I am just grateful for the All seven of the teachers who spoke with the Press direction the district has agreed that they would rec- moved toward personalized ommend the process and learning,” Symes said. “Havhelp support any colleagues ing the family contact days to who decided to go through start the school year, having it themselves – a number the Epiphany (personalized expected to grow in the com- learning plans software) … ing years with the compensa- so much of best practice is becoming the practice in tion system. Hong said that’s a posi- Verona. “A lot of the things that the tive sign for the profession, which has seen turnover National Boards expects out increase around the country. of teachers, Verona is starting “When you look at the to expect from teachers.” National Board … it’s sort Contact Scott Girard at of a declaration that you see ungreporter@wcinet.com yourself in this profession and follow him on Twitter for quite awhile,” Hong said. @sgirard9. “It’s really heartening to see
Folberg
Greenlaw
Hoffman
Hong
Candidates gather and analyze informat i o n a b o u t i n d iv i d u a l students’ strengths and needs and use that information to design and implement instruction. Requirements include a written commentary to analyze instructional choices and submitted work samples.
Teaching practices and learning environment Video recordings of interactions between teacher and students, as well as a written commentary reflecting and analyzing teaching and interactions with students.
Effective and reflective practitioner Demonstration of effectiveness and reflectiveness in developing a n d a p p l y i n g k n ow l edge of students, use of assessments to plan for and positively impact student learning and collaboration to advance students’ learning and growth. Type(s) of information submitted, sources of that information, and how a teacher uses it differs based on subject area and the characteristics of their students, school, district and community
Symes
Voss
Plan: Spring planning process will outline broad priorities for education, facilities, budget Continued from page 1 main objectives,” Burgos said. But Stier Christensen and school board president Noah Roberts told the Press in a wide-ranging interview this week they don’t want to “taint” what the plan includes or what the community has to say. “If I was sitting on a focus group, I would have opinions,” Stier Christensen said. “It’s not the board’s document, it’s the community’s.” Those focus groups are part of the district’s planned outreach, along with a new committee and a community survey, all taking place this month. Stier Christensen and Roberts, both of whom joined the board in April 2016, said they’ve been hoping to have a strategic plan to guide decision-making in place since they began their service. “It isn’t an option,” Stier Christensen said. “This is a necessary step we need to take.”
Guidance for all District public information
officer Kelly Kloepping, who has experience with strategic plans in her past role with the Special Olympics of Southern California, said she’s excited to have more guidance through a plan. “You really need to have that concrete plan at a higher level that really everyone in the district can understand,” Kloepping said. Seattle-based consultant Mary Fertakis will be paid $100 an hour up to $30,000 to help guide the process, something she said she’s “thrilled” about. Fertakis, who spent 22 years a school board in Tukwila, Wash., before finishing her tenure in November 2017, went through strategic plans three times during that time. She said her “heart and passion” in the process has become “incorporating an equity lens” into the planning process. “We can’t just be doing things the way we used to, because we are serving a different population,” Fertakis told the board by telephone at its Jan. 22 meeting. “Both our students and our communities are changing.”
Roberts told the Press that Fertakis’ involvement, especially in the focus groups with staff and students, will be key to the “integrity” of the process, allowing staff and students to speak more candidly than they would with their boss or teacher asking the questions. He and Stier Christensen said they look forward to the document providing a base for future board members to understand past decisions and help guide their future ones. “Without a cohesive plan, we’re scattering our energy into the wind,” Stier Christensen said. “It holds everyone accountable for what they’re doing,” Roberts added. Roberts acknowledged that not all of the feedback will be positive, but said that’s fine with him as it will provide a “healthy part” of how the district can get better. “It’s also recognizing where we can improve,” Roberts said. “That’s extremely critical in any organization that’s trying to improve what they do, especially
in education we should always be looking at how can we improve our service to our students and our staff.”
Input opportunities Within the month, much of the data to help create the plan will be gathered. That will include focus groups, perception survey results and technical data. Focus groups will feature students in grades 6-12, staff Pre-K through 12th grade and parents Pre-K through 12th grade. Fertakis will host those during an in-person visit the week of Feb. 19. The community survey will be sent out to families and will include questions about behavior initiatives, personalized learning and community outreach. “Your community is going to have a voice in what’s coming to the table before decisions have been made,” Fertakis said. Data will include enrollment and demographic trends, as well as policies and practices already in place. The planning group is expected
t o h ave 2 0 - 3 0 p a r t i c i p a n t s , including parents, district staff, two school board members and students. “As the representatives of the community, we decided it’d be best if we empowered our community to take ownership over this plan,” Roberts said. “It’s critical that students and staff are involved.” Burgos said that the continuous improvement process the board has put in place at school sites around the district over the past two years will work well with having a strategic plan in place, as each school will be equipped to take on the work involved in carrying out a plan. “The timing is perfect for the district,” Burgos said. ”Having a strategic plan will really be an anchor and it will help define the kind of tight-loose relationship between the district and the sites.” Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.
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The Verona Press
Pakistani cooking class People explored the flavors of Pakistan at the library on Jan. 13. Huma Siddiqui, cookbook author and founder of White Jasmine, demonstrated how to cook sajji shrimp, sautéed orange peppers, Zucchini and a Mediterranean couscous salad.
A dish of sautéed orange peppers was cooked by Huma Siddiqui at the library.
Photos submitted
Pakistani seasoning displayed at the cooking class.
Photos by Amber Levenhagen
Scott Westphal participates in firefighter training Monday afternoon.
Learning the ropes Scott Westphal, a new firefighter with the Verona Fire Department, participated in training Monday afternoon. He learned how to raise the 105-foot-tall ladder attached to the fire truck and how to stabilize the vehicle, with the help of fellow firefighter Andrew Jensen. Jensen explained the importance of anchoring the firetrucks when raising the ladder. He said it ensures the truck isn’t going to roll away, providing security for the firefighter on the ladder and everyone surrounding it.
Scott Westphal lowers the ladder on the fire truck.
Sugar River Euchre League
Verona’s teams head in opposite directions in second half The Pipe Benders were pumped going into Thursday night’s match against 5th Quarter after fitting in their first win of the half the previous week, but the 5th Quarter Shufflers overran John Ott and Mark Losenegger’s 114 points to fully expose the plumbers by 17. In the other match held in Verona, two It’s Time couples: Leo and Mary Humphrey, and Curt Herfel and Bruce Milestone scored 114 points locking up a Mounties win, the first of the half for the Mounties, as they surrounded the J&M River Rats by 21 points. – Stan Hook
Standings 5th Quarter: 3-1 Hooterville Express: 3-1 Kleeman’s: 3-1 Norsk Cowboys: 3-1 Eagle Heights: 2-2 J&M Bar: 2-2 Norsk Pranksters: 2-2 Jones’ Plumbing: 1-3 It’s Time: 1-3 S’wisco Taphaus: 0-4
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February 1, 2018
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POLICE REPORTS
Photos submitted
CKCS Geography Bee
Sixth-grader Johnny Bie, center, took first place in the Core Knowledge Charter School geography bee. Eighth-graders Ryan Ochowski, right, and Aaron Berry took second and third place, respectively.
CKCS Spelling bee Ryan Ochowski, right, finished in first place in the Core Knowledge Charter School spelling bee Jan. 25, with Nicholas Fauble finishing runner-up. Ochowski will take part in the regional spelling bee in Stoughton Feb. 6.
Send it here If you have news you’d like to share with readers of The Verona Press, there are many ways to contact us. Our website accepts story ideas, community items, photos and letters to the editor, at ConnectVerona.com. Births, engagements and anniversaries can also be sent to the website. Several types of items have specific emails where they can be sent directly.
Obituary Advertising inquiries veronasales@wcinet. com Business announcements ungbusiness@wcinet. com College notes/ graduations ungcollege@wcinet. com
Joseph K. Stamm Joseph Kent Stamm “Joe” 63, of Verona, died Dec. 31, 2017, in Richland Center, Wis. Joey was the third of four sons born to William and Lynn Stamm. Joe was a U.S. Navy Veteran. Joe is survived by his brothers, Doug Stamm, Jack Stamm as well as nieces Jessica Stamm Christianson, Sara Pennell, Arienne
Stamm, Marika Melville and nephew Jason Stamm. Joe was preceded in death by his brother Greg and parents. A memorial gathering will be held from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, at the American Legion Post 385, 207 Legion St, Verona. The Pratt Funeral and Cremation Service is assisting the family with their arrangements. Online Condolences may be made at prattfuneralservice.com.
Reports taken from the Vero- on the south side. na Police Department log book. 9:48 a.m. Having been tipped off to the presence of a “rogue Nov. 17 cow” on the 500 block of Whis2 : 5 0 a . m . A w o m a n pering Pines Way by a posting crashed into a parked car on social media, officers’ invesand was arrested for her first tigations turned up no cows in OWI and prohibited alcohol said residence, and confirmed concentration after leaving the posting was a joke. an area bar. Her BAC was .16, double the legal limit. Nov. 22 7:51 p.m. Officers discov12:49 p.m. Officers assisted ered a concealed handgun the Dane County sheriff’s office and arrested two people after in arresting a Madison woman pulling a vehicle over for hav- for strangulation and her boying a defective headlight at the friend for multiple outstanding corner of E. Verona Ave. and warrants in Dane County. N. Jefferson St. The Beaver Dam woman who was illegally Nov. 23 carrying the gun was arrested 6:09 p.m. An Argyle man and booked into jail, as was a was charged with his third male passenger, who was ar- OWI after police received two rested for a parole hold. complaints of a vehicle driving all over the road. After the Nov. 19 vehicle pulled into an apart12:11 a.m. A 31-year-old ment complex, officers perBrooklyn man was cited for formed an intoximeter test. his first OWI, first offense pro- The Dane County Sheriff’s hibited alcohol concentration, Office released the man to a non-registration, not having responsible party. insurance, having open intoxicants in the vehicle, pos- Nov. 24 sessing drug paraphernalia 1:59 a.m. Police charged a and possessing marijuana. man with his sixth OWI after Officers searched the vehicle they saw him parked at the after a K9 sniff, and his BAC pumps of a gas station on E. was .12. He was released to a Verona Ave. He told them he responsible party. was “waiting for business to Thieves entered six unlocked open,” which would happen vehicles and one unlocked about three hours later. His home in the overnight hours vehicle was parked on the next between Nov. 18 and 19, mak- block and he was taken to jail. ing off with electronics, credit cards, cash, car keys and a Nov. 25 garage door opener. The four 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. At least locations are part of the Gate- seven unlocked vehicles were way Estates neighborhood and rummaged through in four Kettle Creek area and are within different incidents, all within a half-mile of each other. one mile of each other. Nothing major was reported stolen, and Nov. 20 several of the vehicles were in 6 a.m. Officers issued 74 garages at the time. The four warnings on the south side of residencies are within one the city, marking the official block of Main Street, and span start for winter alternate-side from the 400 block of Matterparking regulations. horn Dr. in the north to the 200 6:57 p.m. A 2013 KIA Opti- block of N. Jefferson St. in the ma was stolen from the 1100 south, including one house on block of N. Edge Trail some- the 800 block of N. Edge Trail. time between 5:30-6 p .m. The One of the residents reported key fob was in the vehicle and seeing two males in her gathe doors were unlocked when rage who then fled into a white it was taken. vehicle. The Fitchburg police contacted VPD about one of Nov. 21 the robberies, asking for more 6 a.m. Officers reminded the information because they had city that alternate-side parking reports of a similar crime in regulations had started the day their jurisdiction. before, issuing 78 warnings on the north side and another 27 – Alexander Cramer
Legals STATE OF WISCONSIN, CIRCUIT COURT, DANE COUNTY, AMENDED NOTICE TO CREDITORS (INFORMAL ADMINISTRATION) IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF DIANA DORIS WADKE, D.O.D. NOVEMBER 6, 2017 Case No. 17PR795 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: 1. An application for Informal Administration was filed. 2. The decedent, with date of birth May 15, 1985 and date of death November 6, 2017, was domiciled in Dane County, State of Wisconsin, with a mailing address of 308 Edward Street, Verona, WI 53593. 3. All interested persons waived notice.
4. The deadline for filing a claim against the decedent’s estate is April 27, 2018. 5. A claim may be filed at the Dane County Courthouse, 215 S. Hamilton Street, Madison, Wisconsin, Room 1005. Danell Behrens Deputy Probate Registrar January 18, 2018 Terese M. Hansen Hansen Law Office 111 E. Verona Ave. Verona, WI 53593 608-772-3939 Bar Number: 1000988 Published: January 25, February 1 and 8, 2018 WNAXLP
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*** NOTICE OF ABSENTEE VOTING IN RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILITIES CITY OF VERONA, DANE COUNTY, WISCONSIN Notice is hereby given that absentee voting will be administered at the following locations on Wednesday, February 7, 2018 during the hours of 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Willow Pointe Memory Care, 1125 N. Edge Trail, Verona, WI 53593 Four Winds Manor, 303 S. Jefferson St., Verona, WI 53593 Four Winds Lodge, 309 Schweitzer Dr., Verona, WI 53593 Noel Manor, 471 Prairie Way Blvd., Verona, WI 53593 Special Voting Deputies appointed by the City of Verona will be administering absentee voting for the residents of these facilities for the February 20, 2018 Spring Primary Election at the above time and place. Any qualified elector who is unable or unwilling to appear at the polling place on Election Day may request to vote an absentee ballot. A qualified elector is any U.S. citizen, who will be 18 years of age or older on Election Day, who has resided for at least 10 consecutive days before the election in the ward
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or municipality where he or she wishes to vote. The elector must also be registered in order to receive an absentee ballot. Only observers from each of the two recognized political parties whose candidates for governor or president received the greatest number of votes in the municipality at the most recent general election may accompany the deputies to each facility where absentee voting will take place. The observers may observe the process of absentee ballot distribution in the common areas of the home, facility or complex. Each party wishing to have an observer present shall submit the name of the observer to the clerk or board of election commissioners no later than the close of business on the last business day prior to the visit. Family members of residents may be present at the time of voting. If you have questions, please contact: Ellen Clark 111 Lincoln St., Verona, WI 53593 608-848-9947 ellen.clark@ci.verona.wi.us Published: February 1, 2018 WNAXLP
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NOTICE OF ABSENTEE VOTING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the special voting deputies from the Town of Verona will conduct absentee voting at the Badger Prairie Health Care Center, 1100 E. Verona Avenue Verona, WI 53593 on Thursday – February 8, 2018 at 10:00 AM for the Spring Primary to be held February 20, 2018. Will adjourn from 11:00am till 12:00pm. Return at 12:00pm for a second time opportunity to vote. DONE in the Town of Verona This 1st day of February 2018. Tammy Dresser Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Town of Verona Published: February 1, 2018 WNAXLP *** TOWN OF VERONA REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018 6:30 P.M. TOWN HALL/COMMUNITY CENTER 7669 COUNTY HIGHWAY PD VERONA, WI 53593-1035 1. Call to Order/Approval of the agenda 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Public Comment - This section of the meeting provides the opportunity for comment from persons in attendance on items not listed below over which this governing body has jurisdiction. Comments on matters not listed on this agenda could be placed on a future meeting agenda. 4. Discussion and Approval of Minutes from Dec 28th and Jan 2nd. 5. Discussion and action re: Resolution 2018-1 Updating the Verona Elections Board 6. Reports and Recommendations A. Plan Commission: i. Update on comprehensive plan B. Public Works i. Review of 2018 roadwork plans ii. Review of capital equipment prioritization * Discussion and action re: purchase of a Hotsy portable hot water pressure washer C. Ordinance Committee i. Discussion/possible action to update the list of required stops in the Code of Ordinances Chapter 5–Traffic Regulation by proposed Ordinance 2018-1.
ii. Discussion of special and seasonal road weight limit restrictions including possible repeal of Resolution 2007-02 Providing for the Special Weight Limits on Town roads. iii. Discussion of obstructions within the Town road rights-of-way. D. EMS Commission i. Correction to term for Terry Schnapp E. Town Chair i. Discussion of accomplishments and goals for each committee ii. Discussion of upcoming second strategic planning retreat. F. Supervisors G. Clerk/Treasurer: i. Discussion of options for revaluation H. Planner/Administrator: i. Report on attorney feedback on charges for services (snow plowing and development review) 7. Approval of Payment of Bills 8. Adjourn Regular board agendas are published in the Town’s official newspaper, The Verona Press. Per Resolution 20162 agendas are posted at the Town Hall and online at www.town.verona.wi.us. Use the ‘subscribe’ feature on the Town’s website to receive agendas and other announcements via email. Notice is also given that a possible quorum of the Plan Commission and/or Public Works, Ordinance, Natural and Recreational Areas, and Financial Sustainability Committees and could occur at this meeting for the purposes of information gathering only. If anyone having a qualifying disability as defined by the American with Disabilities Act needs an interpreter, materials in alternate formats, or other accommodations to access these meetings, please contact the Town of Verona Clerk @ 608-845-7187 orjwright@town. verona.wi.us. Please do so at least 48 hours prior to the meeting so that proper arrangements can be made. Mark Geller, Town Chair, Town of Verona. Posted: January 30, 2018 Published: February 1, 2018 WNAXLP ***
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EXCLUSIVELY ROSES is seeking drivers for Valentine's Day deliveries February 11th, 12th and 13th. Routes go to Chicagoland. $200/ Route + Gas. Drivers must use their own vehicle. STRICTLY LIMITED to minivans and cargo vans. For further inquiries, please contact us at (608) 877-8879 FAIRWAY AUTO AUCTION hiring parttime detail/shop help. Apply in person. 999 Hwy A across for Coachmans. FAIRWAY AUTO AUCTION hiring parttime Drivers. Great for retirees Apply in person: 999 Highway A, across from Coachmans. JOIN EXCLUSIVELY ROSES in Valentine's Day bouquet production February 3rd- 10th in a bright, energetic working environment! We offer flexible shifts, days, evenings and weekends. $12/hour + potential bonuses. For more information, contact us at (608) 877- 8879. NEED COOKS, WAITRESSES, DISHWASHERS. Apply at Koffee Kup, 355 E Main St, Stoughton NEED SNOW removal 350 ft uphill driveway. Stoughton Can use our 2 stage 26" snowblower or your plow. Rest of season or occasional. 608-873-3636
750 Storage Spaces For Rent
GREENWOOD APARTMENTS Apartments for Seniors 55+, currently has 1 & 2 bedroom units available starting at $795 per month, includes heat, water, and sewer. 608-835-6717 Located at: 139 Wolf St., Oregon, WI 53575
720 Apartments ROSEWOOD APARTMENTS for Seniors 55+. 1 & 2 bedroom units available starting at $795 per month. Includes heat, water and sewer. Professionally managed. Located at 300 Silverado Drive, Stoughton, WI 53589 608-877-9388
554 Landscaping, Lawn, Tree & Garden Work SNOW PLOWING Residential & Commercial Fully Insured. 608-873-7038 or 608-669-0025
602 Antiques & Collectibles COLUMBUS ANTIQUE MALL & CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS MUSEUM "Wisconsin's Largest Antique Mall"! Enter daily 8am-4pm 78,000 SF 200 Dealers in 400 Booths Third floor furniture, locked cases Location: 239 Whitney St Columbus, WI 53925 920-623-1992 www.columbusantiquemall.com
606 Articles For Sale 2000 CHEVROLET Silverado Pickup truck 4 wheel drive. Guns, 30-30 rifle with scope, 22 rifle with scope. Beautiful dresser, TVs, tools, clothes dryer. Phone 608-882-4202
646 Fireplaces, Furnaces/Wood, Fuel DRY OAK and Cherry Firewood For Sale. Contact Dave at 608-445-6423 or Pete 608-712-3223
THE Verona Press CLASSIFIEDS, the best place to buy or sell. Call 873-6671 or 835-6677.
NOW HIRING! Full Time NOC & PM Resident Assistants $2/HR NOC Differential! Other shifts also available. We offer a fun working atmosphere, competitive wages, excellent shift differentials diffe and more!
Sto op by 519 Commerce Drive in Madison or apply at alllsaintsneighborhood.org.
548 Home Improvement
RECOVER PAINTING currently offering winter discounts on all painting, drywall and carpentry. Recover urges you to join in the fight against cancer, as a portion of every job is donated to cancer research. Free estimates, fully insured, over 20 years of experience. Call 608-270-0440.
OREGON SELF-STORAGE 10x10 through 10x25 month to month lease Call Karen Everson at 608-835-7031 or Veronica Matt at 608-291-0316
CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE IS Noon Friday for The Great Dane and Noon Monday for the Verona Press unless changed because of holiday work schedules. Call now to place your ad, 873-6671 or 835-6677.
Call 608-243-8800 fo or more information!
VERONA DRIVERS WANTED
Call: 608-255-1551
Apply Locally at: 219 Paoli St., Verona, WI E-mail: Jobs@BadgerBus.com Call: 608-845-2255 or Go Online: BadgerBus.com
Apply in Person: 5501 Femrite Drive Madison, WI
Support Staff Substitutes The Verona Area School District is seeking support staff substitutes for the remainder of the 2017-18 school year. Hourly pay rates: office/secretarial, ed. asst. - $11.71 custodial - $13.75
RASCHEIN PROPERTY STORAGE 6x10 thru 10x25 Market Street/Burr Oak Street in Oregon Call 608-520-0240
Let us know how we’re doing.
UNION ROAD STORAGE 10x10 - 10x15 10x20 - 12x30 24 / 7 Access Security Lights & Cameras Credit Cards Accepted 608-835-0082 1128 Union Road Oregon, WI Located on the corner of Union Road & Lincoln Road
Your opinion is something we always want to hear. Call 845-9559 or at connectverona.com
801 Office Space For Rent OFFICE SPACES FOR RENT In Oregon facing 15th hole on golfcourse Free Wi-Fi, Parking and Security System Conference rooms available Kitchenette-Breakroom Autumn Woods Prof. Centre Marty 608-835-3628
802 Commercial & Industrial For Lease OREGON- 2,500SQ/FT for lease General office/business space. Can build to your specs or divide 1250/side. $10gross. Nice building and location. 600 Pleasant Oak Dr. Jon 608-848-5157 or Jon@DrGardocki.com
883 Wanted: Residential Property WE BUY Homes any condition. Close quickly. Joe 608-618-1521 jssrealestate@ tds.net
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RETAIL PREP DEPARTMENT FLEX PART-TIME POSITIONS ON BOTH FIRST AND SECOND SHIFTS limited positions available
RENT SKIDLOADERS MINI-EXCAVATORS TELE-HANDLER and these attachments. Concrete breaker, posthole auger, landscape rake, concrete bucket, pallet forks, trencher, rock hound, broom, teleboom, stump grinder. By the day, week, or month. Carter & Gruenewald Co. 4417 Hwy 92 Brooklyn, WI, 608-455-2411 CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE IS Noon Friday for The Great Dane and Noon Monday for the Verona Press unless changed because of holiday work schedules. Call now to place your ad, 873-6671 or 835-6677. CLASSIFIEDS, 873-6671 or 835-6677. It pays to read the fine print.
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Experience with students with special needs and/or Spanish fluency is preferred. For more information and to apply online, visit our website at www.verona.k12.wi.us
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696 Wanted To Buy WE BUY Junk Cars and Trucks. We sell used parts. Monday thru Friday 8am-5:30pm. Newville Auto Salvage, 279 Hwy 59 Edgerton, 608-884-3114
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990 Farm: Service & Merchandise
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NORTH PARK STORAGE 10x10 through 10x40, plus 14x40 with 14' door for RV & Boats. Come & go as you please. 608-873-5088
DEER POINT STORAGE Convenient location behind Stoughton Lumber. Clean-Dry Units 24 HOUR LIGHTED ACCESS 5x10 thru 12x25 608-335-3337
STOUGHTON- NO more farm chores or snow shoveling! This no maintenance 2 bedroom, 2 bath top floor condo is in a SECURITY BUILDING with underground parking. Includes all appliances. $875. 608-695-2565
516 Cleaning Services
A&B ENTERPRISES Light Construction Remodeling No job too small 608-835-7791
C.N.R. STORAGE Located behind Stoughton Garden Center Convenient Dry Secure Lighted with access 24/7 Bank Cards Accepted Off North Hwy 51 on Oak Opening Dr. behind Stoughton Garden Center Call: 608-509-8904
STOUGHTON, 4 Bedroom, Duplex, 2 car garage, Appliances/Laundry, $1450/ month 608-628-0940 or Silas2100@hotmail.com
DISABLED WOMAN has a wheelchair needs help. Can transfer in and out of car. Rides to medical appointments, errand running and misc. 608-873-3636
TORNADO CLEANING LLC We will clean your house Faster than a Tornado. Veteran Discount. 608-873-0333. www. garthewing.com Visit us on Facebook@ Tornadocleaningllc Talk to you soon.
ALL SEASONS SELF STORAGE 10X10 10X15 10X20 10X30 Security Lights-24/7 access BRAND NEW OREGON/BROOKLYN Credit Cards Accepted CALL (608)444-2900
Stoughton- 129 West Street. 2 bdrm available. 1st floor, appliances, water, A/C, heat, ceiling fan, on site laundry, well kept and maintained. Off street parking. Next to park. On site manager. $825 a month. Please call 608-238-3815 or email weststreetapartments@yahoo.com with questions.
434 Health Care, Human Services & Child Care
CHERYL'S HOUSEKEEPING Stoughton, Oregon. No job too big or too small. 608-322-9554
FRENCHTOWN SELF-STORAGE Only 6 miles South of Verona on Hwy PB. Variety of sizes available now. 10x10=$60/month 10x15=$70/month 10x20=$80/month 10x25=$90/month 12x30=$115/month Call 608-424-6530 or 1-888-878-4244
The Verona Press
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February 1, 2018
The Verona Press
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VACT: New 148-seat auditorium has intimate setting, food and drinks Continued from page 1 was chosen with the intimate theater in mind. “Bus Stop” features eight characters holed up in a small diner during a blizzard. “The actors are close together the entire time,” frequent VACT performer Craig Heuer, who plays Carl the bus driver in the show, said. “The audience is really going to feel like they are sitting in a booth at the diner with us waiting for the storm to let up.” In addition to adding a sense of intimacy, the new theater allows the group to use more advanced lighting and practice with it weeks ahead of time, avoid deconstructing and reconstructing set pieces and serve food and drinks, including alcohol, at performances. “This is our first show in the new theater,” Baldock said, “but the future is wide open. I truly think people will be impressed by what we can do here, and in the long run our little theater will become a jewel in the community.”
Floor-level stage One element they hope will enhance the sense of closeness in productions like “Bus Stop” is the stage itself. It is at floor level, and all seats are either at equal height to the drama or looking down on the players who are performing only a few feet away. At the PAC, site of every previous VACT production since the early
1990s, the stage is raised and people in the closest seats are looking up at the show. “I’m not sure I fully appreciated the difference the floor-level stage makes until I began watching this group rehearse,” Nickels said. “It gives an interesting perspective. With a raised stage you are looking up at the performers, as if they are on a pedestal. There’s a sense of distance. In the new theater it is like the expression, ‘to be a fly on the wall.’ You feel as if you are right there.” Nickels, who serves as the sound man for VACT shows at the high school, was quick to point out the intimate setting benefits more than the visual parts of the performance. “There’s no need to mike the actors,” he said. “The audience will be plenty close enough to hear everything. The acoustical treatment above the audience is really good, and the set acts as a natural choir shell.”
Getting close While this intimate setting will be a plus for the audience, it also creates a challenge for the performers, set builders and costume creators. “We typically operate on the 30-foot rule,” Baldock said, referring to a wellknown theater axiom that states if the audience can’t see something at 30 feet, its fine. For example, a costume may have mismatched buttons or a small tear, but because the
Photo by Karl Curtis
Lighting director Steve Nickels looks over the Verona Area Community Theater stage from the technical booth above during a rehearsal for “Bus Stop,” which will be the group’s first performance at its new 148-seat theater. audience is too far away to see it, it doesn’t affect the enjoyment of the performance. “The people in the new theater are going to be a lot closer than 30 feet,” Nichols added. “There’s no room for hasty costume making, and we have to pay more attention to the set. The audience will be able to see all the nooks
and crannies, now.” One veteran VACT actor in particular will have an interesting moment on the new stage. Marsha Heuer’s character, Cherie, is called upon to make an on-stage costume change. “On the raised stage, there always seems to be a place to hide,” Heuer said with a smile. “On this new stage, not so much. We’re going to need to think a little harder about this one.”
Under the lights
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Photo by Karl Curtis
Dee Baldock pours a drink during a rehearsal of “Bus Stop” on While the audience will Monday, Jan. 29. VACT for the first time has been approved to quickly notice these things serve beer and wine from the lobby concession stand. about the intimate little theon the same stage they will ater, perhaps it would be best to convey.” perform on starting from if the niftiest enhancement Their own space the very first rehearsal. All at the new space went unnoEveryone involved with of us involved with buildticed. “Our new stage lights at “Bus Stop” agrees being ing the set and setting up the VACT theater are state- in their own space will be a the tech can take our time to get everything just right, of-the-art color-changing boon to the show. Until now, VACT perform- and our cast can spend more LED fixtures from Electronic Theater Controls in Middle- ers would rehearse, build sets time rehearsing with the set, ton,” VACT lighting special- and create costumes at the lights, sound, and other techist Steve Nickels explained. old “barn” on Bruce Street, nical aspects that they will be “Unlike the older lights we but they would have to move performing with.” use at the Verona PAC, which their entire operation to the Pluses and minuses can only be colored with a high school for performancOne additional benefit to single color for a show, each es. This would involve “load of our lights can create what- in,” where big set pieces working in their own space ever color I want, at any time would be disassembled, is VACT will be able to sell placed on trailers or pick-up refreshments during “Bus during a show. “While I still enjoy work- trucks, and transported to Stop,” including beer and ing with the older lights at the high school where they wine. The lobby is set up with the PAC, these new lights in would need to be re-assema concession area, and Balour facility give me a huge bled. Because load-in could only dock has put in a request amount of flexibility to create many different scenes happen a week before a show with the City of Verona for and moods on stage without opened, it left limited time to an alcohol permit for this practice at the PAC. Lighting show. having to add more lights.” “Being able to have food It is a subtle difference and sound setup had to comNickels believes will enhance pete for time and space with and beverages in the theater will add to the ambiance,” the feel of each performance. dress rehearsals. If anyone else needed the Baldock said. “I think it “To be honest, hopefully the audience won’t notice high school stage for some- will feel more like a night much at all, other than that thing like a dance recital or out on the town when you each scene of the show looks all-school assembly, it made come to the show.” While there are many great,” he said. “If I do my things more complicated. “I can’t begin to explain benefits, having your own job well enough, the audience should get drawn into how much easier it is not theater also creates extra the show they are watching having to do load in,” Bal- concerns. “If it snows, we have to and not have their experience dock said. “At most we have disrupted by an inconsistent to move set pieces a few feet, be sure the walks are clear,” not ten city blocks. Not only Dale Nickels noted. “If peoor unexpected look. “With the older lights, it is it less stress, we can put ple’s wet boots and shoes make a mess in the lobby, can sometimes be harder to the extra time to good use.” “With our own facility, we we need to get on it right get a scene to look just the way I want it to, because I have access to the perfor- away. It’s even our respononly have so many lights and mance space for weeks, even sibility to be sure there is colors I can utilize. With the months ahead of the open- soap and toilet paper in the new lights, I have more flex- ing,” Steve Nickels added. restrooms. There is going to ibility to get the color just “Depending on scheduling, be work involved in hosting right for the mood I’m trying the cast may be rehearsing our own shows, too.”