Stoughton

A special supplement to the Stoughton Courier Hub and Great Dane Shopping News
July 23 and July 29, 2015

2015-16

Top, a Fox Prairie student is busy at work in the classroom. Above, a Stoughton High
School student senator shares a love of reading with a Kegonsa student. Right, a
River Bluff Middle School student builds a solar-powered car to race in an upcoming
Engineering Expo.

We look to build upon our successes

Thank you.
You have probably heard
that from me many times
since I came here five
years ago, but I cant say
it enough. Your support is
one of our school districts
most important assets and
has been central to our success the last few years.
The work done by our
students and staff during
the 2014-15 school year has
laid a strong foundation for
this next school year. Some
of the themes we want to
build upon in 2015-16:

Innovation
Last school year, we
ushered in our Innovation
Grant program. Our educators applied for competitive grants that could
be used to fund new and
creative ways to engage
students in the classroom.
We awarded four grants
for 2014-15 to explore
the link between student
movement and academic
performance, use scientific
concepts in cooking, pilot
one to one technology
and further incorporate
new science standards into

the classroom.
Some of our staff also
engaged in innovation
outside the grant program.
At Fox Prairie, a staff member organized an Invention Convention that challenged students to use
science and technology to
solve a problem and then
present their idea to parents and students. At River
Bluff Middle School, the
Library Media Center provided a makerspace that
students could use during
lunch. At Sandhill Elementary, our principal converted an Ice Bucket Challenge
into a literacy challenge for
her students.
Were looking forward to
even more innovation this
year.
Im pleased to announce
that we awarded twice as
many Innovation grants
for the 2015-16 school
year. Our educators will
use the grants to explore
personalized learning,
expand the use of technology, create new interactive
educational programs and
extend outdoor learning.
Im excited to see what

these initiatives will bring.

Student Engagement
Student engagement is
vital for learning. That is
why we take time to devise
creative ways to make
students feel connected
to their school. Student
engagement has always
been a priority for us,
but last year our schools
launched several initiatives to deepen that connection.
River Bluff Middle School
instituted a 212 Degrees
of Engagement Day,
where for one afternoon
a month, students could
choose from a slate of
activities and clubs organized by school staff and
community members.
Stoughton High School
celebrated a PBIS Palooza to reward students for
positive behavior.
Educators at Kegonsa
and Fox invited guests to
their classrooms to read
aloud or to talk about
other countries. And Sandhill students finished in
the top six of 150 Wisconsin schools in a statewide

fitness and wellness challenge.

We are looking to continue those kinds of creative initiatives this year as
we seek to become a premier school district in the
State of Wisconsin.

Partnerships
Partnerships constitute
one of the pillars of our
strategic plan. Partnerships with local businesses, service organizations,
churches, foundations,
families and even area colleges have produced student learning opportunities like our health science
classes at the high school
and our annual History
Interviews at the middle
school. Our students and
staff also try to pay it back
to those stakeholders by
volunteering in the community.
One of our most successful partnerships has
been the state-of-the-art
Fab Lab at Stoughton High
School. This lab was built
just a few years ago at little
taxpayer expense thanks
to generous donations

from local businesses, service organizations, foundations and community

members. Last school year,
we started opening the
lab up to the community
through a series of family workshops. This Fall,
we plan to start expanding
that access.

more opportunities to give

us feedback. We took a big
step last year to improve
communication when we
redesigned our website to
make it more a more visually appealing and userfriendly gateway to our
schools and our community. It is safe to say that
communication will always
Communication
be one of our priorities for
One of our key goals our district.
both last year and again
Those are some of our
this year is increase our
communication and out- areas of focus as we prereach to all of our stake- pare to embark upon a
holders our students, new school year. I hope
families and community. I get a chance to see you
Last year, we implemented at one of our community
new initiatives like a Fall events, but if you cant
Newsletter that we mailed make it, please do not hesout to households in our itate to contact my office if
district, collaborated with you have a question to ask
the City of Stoughton and or an idea to share.
Thank you again for all
the Chamber of Commerce
to promote Stoughton and that you do for our kids
continued programs like and our community.
our Lunch n Learn for busiTim Onsager
nesses and our Coffee with
District Administrator
the Superintendent.
Stoughton Area
We want to expand
School District
those programs this school
year with more Coffees
and more newsletters so
that our stakeholders have

Courier Hub/Great Dane

July 23 & 29, 2015

Back to School

Board of Education
2015-16 Members and Committees
The Stoughton Board of Education meets the first and third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Administrative and Educational Services Center, 320 North St., Room 200. All meetings are open to the public. Agendas
are posted in each school, the AESC building (320 North St.), City Hall and the Stoughton Public Library prior to
each meeting. It is also accessible by visiting stoughton.k12.wi.us.

President, Liz Menzer

Treasurer, Brett Schumacher

Term ends 2017

Brett.Schumacher@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Finance, Employee Relations,
Strategic Planning Team

Term ends 2017

Liz.Menzer@stoughton.k12.wi.us
City Planning Commission Rep.,
Ex officio of all committees

Scott Dirks

Vice President, Donna Tarpinian

Term ends 2018

Scott.Dirks@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Employee Relations, Finance, Strategic
Planning Team, WASB Rep, Communications

Term ends 2016

Donna.Tarpinian@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Legislative Issues/Dane Co. School Board
Consortium Rep., Employee Relations,
Communications, Policy, District Strategic
Planning Team

Yolibeth FitzGibbon

Term ends 2018

Yolibeth.FitzGibbon@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Finance, New Teacher Induction Steering
Committee

Clerk, Bev Fergus

Term ends 2017
Bev.Fergus@stoughton.k12.wi.us
CESA Delegate, Policy, Facilities,
Culture and Climate

Joe Freye

Term ends 2016

Joe.Freye@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Facilities, Strategic Planning Team

Deputy Clerk, Allison Sorg

Wanda Grasse

Term ends 2018

Allison.Sorg@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Facilities, Calendar, Culture and Climate

Term ends 2016

Wanda.Grasse@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Policy, Culture and Climate, Kohl,
Communications

ConnectStoughton.com

From our School

Board President
People are the
We are so fortunate to be a
most influential element in a part of community that cares
s c h o o l d i s t r i c t s deeply about its children and
success. All the
supports our schools in so
exceptional programs and facilimany ways.
ties will not produce successful
students without
hard-working students.
the right people in place
Welcome back to our
students, parents, staff, returning students, families
and community volunteers and staff. To those new to
focused on the well-being of our school district and comStoughton learners.
munity, we are delighted
We are so fortunate to you have chosen Stoughton
be a part of community Schools! And we wish our
that cares deeply about its recent alumni much success
children and supports our as they continue their eduschools in so many ways.
cation, start careers, or serve
In addition to essential our county.
information families need
Heres to a great school
to get the school year off year!
to a great start, were proud
to feature people that are
Liz Menzer
making a difference in our
President
school community our
SASD Board of Education
top-notch faculty and staff,
our engaged families, our
highly supportive community partners, and our bright,

Notices

District nondiscrimination statement

It is the policy of the
Stoughton Area School
District that no person may
be denied admission to any
public school in this District or
be denied participation in, be
denied the benefits of, or be
discriminated against in any
curricular, extra-curricular, pupil
services, recreational, or other
program or activity because of
the persons sex, race, national
origin, ancestry, creed, religion,
pregnancy, marital or parental
status, sexual orientation, or
physical, mental, emotional, or
learning disability as required by
Wis. Stat. 118.13.
The District also prohibits
discrimination on any basis
prohibited by applicable state
or federal law, including Title IX
of the Education Amendments
of 1972 (sex), Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 (race and

national origin), and Section

504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 (handicap). In addition, the
District prohibits discrimination
on the basis of transgender
status including gender
expression, gender identity and
gender non-conformity.
All vocational education
programs follow the Districts
policies of nondiscrimination.
In addition, arrangements will
be made to ensure that the
lack of English language skills
is not a barrier to admission or
participation.
The District encourages
informal resolution of complaints
under this policy. A formal
complaint resolution procedure
is also available to address
allegations of violations of the
policy in the Stoughton Area
School District. The informal and
formal complaint procedures

are outlined in Series 600 of the

Board Policies.
Any questions concerning
Wis. Stat. 118.13, Title IX,
or Title VI of the Education
Amendments of 1972, which
prohibit discrimination, should
be directed to:
Director of Human Resources
Stoughton Area School District
Stoughton, WI 53589
(608) 877-5021
Inquiries related to Section
504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, which prohibits
discrimination on the basis of
handicap, should be directed to:
Director of Student Services
Stoughton Area School District
Stoughton, WI 53589
(608) 877-5041

Talented and Gifted program

Talented and Gifted (TAG)
programming has its foundations within classrooms. The
basis of effective education
in Stoughton schools is rigorous classroom instruction,
a positive learning environment and school-wide support. All students are expected to receive instruction that
meets state standards and
district benchmarks (goals).
Classroom teachers recognize that each child learns at
a different depth and pace,
which may require curricular
adaptations.
Differentiation of instruction is a tool used by teachers to meet varying student
needs. In most cases, differentiation strategies are integrated throughout the curricular areas rather than occurring as special events.

Our Talented and Gifted

model is grounded in the
State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instructions
(DPI) Comprehensive and
Integrated Model for Gifted
Education, also referred to as
the Pyramid Model. This model grew out of Wisconsins
Standard (t) legislation which
outlines compliances for K-12
gifted education that all public school districts must meet.
For more information about
the Talented and Gifted program, visit our website or
contact:
Judy Singletary,
Director of Curriculum
and Instruction
608-877-5031
Judy.Singletary@Stoughton.K12.WI.US.

Annual notice of special education referral and evaluation procedures

Upon request, the Stoughton Area
School District (SASD) is required to evaluate a child for eligibility for special education services.
A request for evaluation is known as
a referral. When the district receives a
referral, the district will appoint an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team
to determine if the child has a disability,
and if the child needs special education

services. The district locates, identifies,

and evaluates all children with disabilities
who are enrolled by their parents in private (including religious) schools, elementary schools and secondary schools located in the school district.
A physician, nurse, psychologist, social
worker, or administrator of a social agency
who reasonably believes a child brought
to him or her for services is a child with a

disability has a legal duty to refer the child,

including a homeless child, to the school
district in which the child resides. Before
referring the child, the person making the
referral must inform the childs parent that
the referral will be made.
Others, including parents, who reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability may also refer the child, including
a homeless child, to the school district in

which the child resides.

Referrals must be in writing and include
the reason why the person believes the
child is a child with a disability.
A referral may be made by contacting
Dr. Peter C. Wilson, Director of Student
Services, Stoughton Area School District,
at 608-877-5041, or by writing him at 320
North Street, Stoughton, WI 53589.

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Back to School

ConnectStoughton.com

July 23 & 29, 2015

Courier Hub/Great Dane

Names, Dates & Numbers

SASD Contact
Information
District Administrator
Tim Onsager
608-877-5002
Tim.Onsager@Stoughton.k12.wi.us
Athletics/Activities
Mel Dow
608-877-5621
Mel.Dow@Stoughton.K12.WI.US
Buildings and Grounds
Calvin Merath
608-877-5071
Calvin.Merath@Stoughton.K12.WI.US
Business Services
Erica Pickett
608-877-5011
Erica.Pickett@Stoughton.k12.wi.us
Curriculum and Instruction
Judy Singletary
608-877-5031
Judy.Singletary@Stoughton.k12.wi.us
Facility Reservation Request
Amy Lemoine
608-877-5622
Amy.Lemoine@Stoughton.K12.WI.US

Food Service
Michelle Madden (Taher)
608-877-5419
Michelle.Madden@Stoughton.K12.WI.US

Pool
Sally MacLaren-Meuer
(608) 877-5626
Sally.Maclaren-Meuer@Stoughton.K12.
WI.US
Student Services
Pete Wilson
608-877-5041
Pete.Wilson@Stoughton.k12.wi.us
Transportation
Rob Riley
608-877-5060
Rob.Riley@Stoughton.K12.WI.US

Athletic pass information

The price of a Student Athletic Activity Pass is $40. This
pass allows your student to gain
admittance to all home nontournament athletic events.
This pass may be purchased
during central registration. A
decal will be placed on your
students I.D. card indicating
that a pass has been purchased.
Students who purchase an Athletic Activity pass will receive
their pass at the same time they
receive their student I.D. card.
Please note if your student has
purchased an athletic pass and
wants to attend a sporting event
prior to the first day of classes

Central
Registration
Thursday, August 13
from 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Tuesday, August 18,
from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Both at Stoughton
High School

his/her name will be on a list to

gain admittance.
The Family Athletic Activity
Pass may be purchased from the
High School Athletic Department or at Central Registration. Families may purchase a
20-event punch card for $50
or a 10-event punch card for
$30. These cards are valid for all
home athletic events, excluding tournaments. This pass is
non-refundable if lost or stolen.
Non-tournament event fees are
$4 kindergarten-adult without a
pass.
Call 877-5622 for more information.

Reminder to Athletes!
The 2015-16 Athletic
Registration/Kick-off Night is
at 5 p.m. Sunday, August 2, at
Stoughton High School.
This is a very important
meeting for ALL athletes and a
Parent/Guardian to attend.

Healthy Living with Diabetes

This researched and proven workshop is
designed to help adults with type 2 diabetes
or pre-diabetes learn skills and increase their
confidence in managing their diabetes. It is
for adults who have diabetes or pre-diabetes
or are living with someone who has diabetes.

St. Ann School

Healthy Living with Diabetes does not replace

existing treatments, but rather compliments
the treatments a participant receives.
September 8th through October 13th (six Tuesdays)
$20 per person for the series and includes
book, snacks and instruction. All participants
who complete the workshop will receive a
$20 Pick n Save gift card. Registration is
required. To register, contact Sonja at (608)
873-2356. Space is limited, please call soon.
5:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Stoughton Hospital
900 Ridge Street, Stoughton
This series is sponsored by Stoughton Area
Arr Senior Center,
Stoughton Hospital & Safe Communities

Educating the mind.

Inspiring the heart.
Shaping leaders for tomorrow.

A school with an inviting, compassionate, positive Christian climate.

A teaching staff who prepares lessons that are interesting, challenging

and diverse to meet the needs and abilities of the students and who interacts with every child, supporting and nurturing them regardless of age
and grade level.

Students who feel safe, loved and challenged.

Parents who feel support and gratitude when they send their precious
children into our capable care.

St. Ann School is now enrolling students for the 2015-16 school year.
Contact us now to learn more about the exciting things happening at St.
Ann School or to schedule a tour.

~ 3-year-old Pre-Kindergarten (2 mornings/week

and 4 mornings/week)
~ Kindergarten through Grade 8
~ Financial plans available
324 N. Harrison St.

stoughtonhospital.com

Stoughton, WI 53589 608-873-3343

email: stanns@stanns-school.org
Website: www.stanns-school.org

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Information Technology
Paul Vande Hei
608-877-5051
Paul.Vandehei@Stoughton.k12.wi.us

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Human Resources
Becky Fjelstad
608-877-5021
Becky.Fjelstad@Stoughton.k12.wi.us

Courier Hub/Great Dane

July 23 & 29, 2015

Back to School

ConnectStoughton.com

Our Schools
Elementary

Fox Prairie

Sandhill

Kegonsa

1601 West South Street

1920 Lincoln Avenue

1400 Vernon Street

Main Number: 877-5100

Principal: Krista Huntley Rogers

Phone: 877-5101
Krista.HuntleyRogers@Stoughton.K12.WI.US
Attendance: 877-5100, then press 1

Main Number: 877-5200

Main Number: 877-5400

Principal: Don Charpentier

Phone: 877-5201
Don.Charpentier@Stoughton.K12.WI.US

Principal: Cheryl Price

Phone: 877-5401
Cheryl.Price@Stoughton.K12.WI.US

Attendance: 877-5200, then press 1

Attendance: 877-5400, press 1

Stoughton High School

River Bluff
Middle School
235 North Forrest Street

Main Office Number: 877-5500

Co-Principal: Trish Gates
Phone: 877-5501
Trish.Gates@Stoughton.K12.WI.US
Co-Principal: Fred Trotter
Phone: 877-5503
Fred.Trotter@Stoughton.K12.WI.US

600 Lincoln Avenue

Attendance: 877-5500, then press 1

To report a student absence: 877-5600, press 1

Principal: Mike Kruse

Phone: 877-5601
Mike.Kruse@Stoughton.K12.WI.US

Main Office Number: 877-5600

Four-year-old
kindergarten

People You Know & Trust - We Are Your Neighbors

The Stoughton Area School District provides a four

and five-year-old kindergarten program, which supports the way a child develops in their early years of
development.
The Stoughton Four-Year-Old Program is based on
a community collaborative approach. The district has
partnered with organizations such as St. Ann School,
Martin Luther School, Pumpkin Patch Preschool,
LaPetite Academy and Head Start to offer the program.

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The Stoughton Area School District has

partnered with Jefferson Eastern Dane Interactive
(JEDI) consortium to offer students who reside
in the district a comprehensive K-12 virtual
curriculum that includes core, elective, and
enrichment coursework.
For more info visit www.JediVirtual.org or email
Julie.Speth@Stoughton.K12.WI.US.

Back to School

ConnectStoughton.com

Elementary (K-5)

High School (9-12)

Middle school (6-8)

Adult

Breakfast: $1.60
Lunch: $2.45
Milk: $.40

Courier Hub/Great Dane

Early Childhood Special Education services

Meal, milk prices for 2015-16

Breakfast: $1.45
Lunch: $2.30
Milk: $.40

July 23 & 29, 2015

Breakfast: $1.60
Lunch: $2.50
Milk: $.40
Breakfast: $1.50
Lunch: $3.75
Milk: $.40

For more information

on our schools visit
www.stoughton.k12.wi.us

The district uses the

Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), a tool that
will allow parents to check
their childs development.
Answers from this
assessment will help show
a childs strengths and any
areas where a child may
need support or more
practice.
Results from the questionnaire will provide
parents with information
in the areas of: communication, gross motor, fine
motor, personal-social
and problem-solving skills.

Results will be shared with

parents as well as additional activities and/or
services provided by the
district. All families who
live within the SASD may
request an ASQ for children ages two months
60 months. Please contact
Mindy at 877- 5403 if you
are interested in completing a questionnaire.
The SASD staff will also
be available to distribute
ASQs throughout the
school year.
More information
regarding these locations

and specific times will be

available soon.
If, after further screening, significant concerns
are noted in any of the
developmental areas, a
referral by school staff,
parents, physicians, nurses, psychologists, social
workers, early care and
education providers for
an Individualized Education Program (IEP) evaluation may be made if they
believe a child may have a
disability.
This component, called
Child find, is a requirement

of the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement

Education Act (IDEA 2004)
that requires school districts to identify, locate,
and evaluate all children
with disabilities who are in
need of special education
services within their attendance area. This includes
children attending private
schools in the district, as
well as children that are
homeless.

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2384 Jackson St., 608-877-9548

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Courier Hub/Great Dane

July 23 & 29, 2015

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ConnectStoughton.com

Above, a Kegonsa student dives into a book in the cafeteria during a Summer Sizzle Swap before school let out for the summer. Top
right, students practice setting a splint during Stoughton High Schools Emergency Medical Responder class. Right, a middle school
student works with a Cummins engineer on a LEGO challenge during a visit to the research and development campus.

2014-15 provides strong foundation

The Stoughton Area

School District has often
hosted visits from other
school districts and the
state and federal government to learn more about
its award-winning inclusive
teaching practice and its
state-of-the-art Fab Lab.
That continued last school
year, when Stoughton High
School hosted visits from a
delegation of state lawmakers and later Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.
On April 9, more than a
dozen state legislators visited SHS and local partnering
businesses to see how our
inclusive teaching approach
prepares students with disabilities for the workforce.
It was exciting to see
such a successful, community-based model right
here in Wisconsin that is

Sandhill students
rise to challenges
Last year, Sandhill challenged its students to read
up and stay healthy. The
students answered both of
those challenges.
Principal Cheryl Price
underwent the popular Ice
Bucket Challenge in the
summer of 2014 and then
challenged her students to
collectively read 400,000
minutes. The students met
the goal, and as a reward

got to see Price go through

the Ice Bucket Challenge
again on a frigid day in
December.
Next semester, the students geared up for a
statewide wellness challenge for schools. The kids
spent the next couple of
months eating healthy and
exercising. When the Driven to Better Health contest
was over, Sandhill finished
in the top six of 150 Wisconsin schools that participated, narrowly missing
out on a visit from Packers
legend Donald Driver.

Benedict, Wendt win

Kohl recognition
A Stoughton High School
educator and student both
followed in their fathers
footsteps last year when
they received Kohl awards.
Eric Benedict, a chemistry teacher who has taught
here since 2005, won a Kohl
Fellowship as an educator. His father taught social
studies in Appleton and
won a Kohl Fellowship 19
years ago.
SHS senior Jessica Wendt
(Class of 2015) won a Kohl
Excellence Scholarship. Her
father, recently retired SHS
Agriculture/FFA teacher Jerry Wendt, won a Fellowship
as an educator in 1999.

212 raises student

engagement
A key initiative at River
Bluff last year was the creation of 212 Degrees of
Engagement days, where
once a month, students
could choose from a pool of

more than two dozen activities in which to engage.

The event is inspired by
the book 212: The Extra
Degree, by Sam Parker,
which shows how even a
little extra effort can have
a big impact on results.
The 212 refers to how
water is hot at 211 degrees
but begins to boil at 212
degrees.
The program is part of
a strategy to engage students and foster a sense of
belonging at the middle
school, which can help
them perform better academically. School staff and
community organizations
help provide activities for
students every month.

Kegonsa builds
young readers
In the summer of 2014,
Kegonsa implemented a
summer reading program
to help students keep their
literacy skills sharp.
The school followed that
up during the school year
with more initiatives like
a Read-a-Thon and fifthgrade Battle of the Books
to pique student interest in
reading.

Convention showcases
Fox Prairie inventors
Fox Prairie fourth-graders
learn about Ideas and Inventions as part of their science
class, but last year they got
to take it a step further with
an Invention Convention.
The activity challenged
them to identify a need or
solve a problem by developing an invention, then

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Legislators visit SASD

producing the kinds of

outcomes we want for our
students with disabilities
while meeting the needs of
businesses, said Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, the chair
of the Assembly Education
Committee. We should be
looking to replicate all educational success stories like
this one throughout the
state.
Wisconsin Lt. Gov.
Rebecca Kleefisch followed
up with a visit to Fab Lab
Stoughton on June 3. She
was able to talk with students about their final projects and learn about how a
private-public partnership
helped build the lab and
provide access to the community.

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Last year, we hosted visits from state lawmakers,

implemented initiatives to
increase student engagement and literacy and celebrated successes by our
students both in and out of
the classroom. It was a busy
year, and it laid the foundation for a strong 2015-16
school year.

present that invention to

other parents, teachers
and students during a convention in December. The
students ended up inventing everything from a selfcleaning litter box to board
games to the perfect desk.

SHS students expand

horizons
Stoughton High School
students have taken the
district national and even
international over the last
year.
Stoughton High School
band students visited New
Orleans over spring break
to see some sights and perform at venues like Washington Artillery Park and
Preservation Hall. They also
underwent a music clinic by
Loyola Universitys Joseph
Hebert, the schools professor of Music Education,
Coordinator of Wind and
Percussion activities and
Director of Bands.
SHS choir students then
performed with the allfemale Norwegian choir
Cantus, known for performing the opening musical
number to Disneys Frozen. The performance
included a selection of Norwegian folk music by Ola
Gello and Knut Nystedt and
Vuelie.
Our Norwegian Dancers
then visited Norway in June
and put on almost a dozen
performances while attending workshops and touring
the country.
A total of 22 SHS students traveled to Germany
this summer to immerse
themselves in the German language and culture.
The kids stayed with host
families in our sister city of
Greven for two weeks and
then traveled Munich and
Berlin through the German

American Partnership Program (GAPP).

Health science grows

Health science is a growing field, and Stoughton
High Schools health science programs also grew
last year.
An Emergency Medical
Responder was added to
the fold through a partnership with Madison College,
formerly Madison Area
Technical College. Participating students received
training in multiple aspects
of emergency medical care
required at the scene of
an accident or in sudden
illness. The class includes
instruction and skill practice in anatomy and physiology, patient assessment
and treatment, basic airway
management, critical thinking, documentation, and
communication; an overview of the terminology
and the protocols used at
the scene of an emergency;
and practical skills like CPR
(cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and splint-setting.
SHSs Health Science program now includes Human
Development, Introduction
to Health Careers, Sports
Medicine, a Certified Nursing Assistant class (also
through Madison College)
and Medical Terminology.

SHS advances top-flight

scholars, athletes
This year, SHS celebrated
23 Top Scholars students
who maintained a 4.0 grade
point average through seven semesters in high school
come springtime.
The school also celebrated 22 seniors who will continue to be student-athletes
at the collegiate level.

For more information

on our schools visit
www.stoughton.k12.wi.us

ConnectStoughton.com

Back to School

July 23 & 29, 2015

Courier Hub/Great Dane

Ready for more innovation Community

access expanding
at the Fab Lab

We awarded eight innovation grants for the 2015-16

school year -- twice as many
as last school year.

Blended learning
Fox Prairie Elementary
School educators Amanda
Redalen, Kathi Oettel and
Chris Steinke will use their
grant to develop a blended
learning approach through
a Collaborative Learning Center. The center will
include square tables with
markerboard tops that can
be moved into larger group
arrangements or divided to
provide small group spaces.
In the Library Media Center, desktops that were
scheduled to be replaced
will instead be replaced with
Chromebooks and possibly other devices. Students
will be able to use webcams
for video conferencing so
they can connect with other
students in the district or
experts in different fields.

Cultural engagement
Molly Grotenhuis, also of
Fox Prairie, will use the art
of storytelling to help students develop a sense of
identity in themselves and
others, to increase sociocultural engagement and
to teach and think critically
for increased accessibility to
social justice and awareness
of biases and misconceptions in the classroom, community and world.
A Fox Prairie student raises her hand to answer a question during math class. The stand up desk is
part of a 2014-15 Innovation Grant project with Fox Prairie fourth- and fifth-graders that explored
how motion can improve student learning. Twice as many Innovation Grants have been awarded
S a n d h i l l E l e m e n t a r y for this school year.

Sensory toolbox

School educators Amie

Rivest and Kate Heinecke
and their colleagues will create a sensory toolbox (foot
fidget, hand held fidgets,
ball chair, weighted lap or
shoulder pad) for each grade
level classroom, including art
and music, to be used by all
children as needed to promote improved attention
and alertness by managing
sensory needs. One of the
grants awarded to Fox Prairie educators for 2014-15
school year found that similar objects can help increase
students learning stamina.

i-Create
Kegonsa Elementary
School educators Nancy
Beszhak, Tim Jarmuz and
James Young will use their
grant so that students
in grades kindergarten
through fifth can experience
an i-Create time as part of
their weekly activities.
In an I-Create program,
time is set aside so students
can pursue topics of personal interest and engage
in problem-solving activities. The Kegonsa library will
also allow students to check
out I-Create kits for continued learning and growing

at home, and books will be problem-solving and 21st

purchased that students can century skills.
check out on innovation,
creation and do-it-yourself LMC makerspace
projects.
Mande Shecterle, River
Bluff Library Media Special21st Century learning
ist, will create a makerspace
Fourth-grade teacher Tina in the River Bluff LMC that
Stokes and her colleagues students could access durat Kegonsa will update the ing lunchtime, before school
learning environment of or after school so that they
their classrooms to a 21st can explore a variety of doCentury learning space. it-yourself projects and interInstead of just one central ests, possibly in areas like
focal point in the classroom, computer coding, video anithe room will be set up to mation and creation, robotprovide a more collaborative ics and music creation.
Once a month after
learning space to encourage
student creativity and flex- school, district staff and
ible grouping.
community members also
will be invited into the makComputer curriculum
erspace to lead students
Chris Maedke, River Bluff through a specific project so
Middle Schools Business our kids can learn skills from
Education teacher, will inte- a variety of experts and comgrate Raspberry Pi mini- munity members have the
computers (low cost, credit- opportunity to work with
card-sized computers that our students.
plug into a computer monitor or TV, according to the Outdoor classroom
Stoughton High School
product website) into his
computer curriculum. This science teacher Amy Herwill allow for more hands- manson will create a multion work with technology, content, fully inclusive outincorporate more work with door classroom.
computer programming
The classroom will feature
and develop critical thinking, areas to display and work

SHS students help with research

for veterans memorial
Stoughton High Schools History and
Archeology Club has helped re-enact
Civil War times and visited archeology fairs. Now, the club will play a role
in a planned Stoughton Area Veterans
Memorial Park.
The club is helping out with research
needs for the planned memorial park,
which is to be situated on a 2.38-acre parcel at the corner of County B and Country Club Road. The memorial park is a
cooperative effort between Stoughtons

American Legion Post 59 and VFW Post

328 and will include the names of around
5,000 Stoughton area veterans who have
served in the military since the Civil War.
The SHS students compiled quotes from
veterans of the various conflicts that the
memorial organizers can use to put on pillars that will line a memorial pathway.
The park is expected to contain a black
marble monument with veterans names,
as well as educational plaques, benches, a
centerpiece and flags.

on art projects, benches and

bird houses made by woods
classes, herbs and some vegetables for culinary classes,
paths designed and built by
landscaping class and students and metal sculptures
made in welding class. The
vision is an outdoor classroom that would be created
and used by multiple content areas.

In the 2014-15
Our Partners
school year, we
Bryant
Foundation
began opening
Cummins Foundation
up our Fab Lab to
Nelson Global Products
the community
Stoughton Area Community
through a series
of family workFoundation
shops.
Universal Foundation, Inc.
This coming
The Wahlin Foundation, Inc.
school year, we
Stoughton Trailers
will be taking
Placon Inc.
that access to the
Alliant Energy
next level thanks
to the support of
our partners.
families. Many of these
In the Fall, we will start same organizations helped
providing adult workshops build and equip the lab
for which members of the several years ago.
community can sign up
At Fab Lab Stoughton,
at no charge, said Mike science, technology, engiConnor, a retired Cum- neering, art and math all
mins engineer who helped come together. The lab
spearhead creation of the houses a three-dimenlab several years ago and sional (3D) printer, vinyl
now helps out at the lab.
cutter, Epilogue laser cutLater in the school year, ters/engravers, a milling
we will transition to open machine and a computerlabs for the community, guided router.
Connor said.
The lab opened to stuThe Stoughton Area d e n t s i n t h e 2 0 1 3 - 1 4
School District has been school year and began
able to expand community opening up to the commuaccess to the lab with the nity last school year.
financial support of local
Stay tuned for more
industries, foundations, details about the adult
service organizations and workshops.

Weve got lots

more going on
Visit
www.stoughton.k12.wi.us
Sign up for e-News
Visit our Facebook page
Follow us on Twitter

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8 - The Courier Hub and Great Dane Shopping News - Back to School - July 23 and 29, 2015

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