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Volume 40, No. 2
November 2015
The School District of Maple is looking at some different ways to bring online learning opportunities to it’s students and families! School leaders are researching different concepts and ideas, including making contact with companies that provide online curriculums. Our goal is to “reconnect” with students and families who are currently pursuing their learn-ing through online courses via virtual schools and other types of providers.
The School District of Maple and it’s individual “brick and mortar” schools have so much to offer. The one thing that is missing is providing the type of learning experience that makes homeschooling or open enrollment to state-wide virtual schools such an attractive…or in some cases, essential, option.
We realize that parents make the choice to homeschool or open enroll their children for a variety of good and well-thought out reasons. What we want to do is provide you with the same types of freedoms you currently enjoy but pro-vide you with the same or similar type of curriculum you are getting elsewhere. You would not have to do anything different from what you are doing, but by being reconnected to Maple schools, you would be able to take advantage of many services and programs you don’t necessarily have access to by being enrolled in a virtual school in another part of the state or by independent home-based education. Some of those things would include: on-site nursing services, career and college planning, participation in various clubs and activities, “blended” curricular opportunities.
We don’t have all the details in place, but we wanted to make you aware of the direction we are going as you make plans for the 2016-2017 school year. We will keep you informed as we gather information and develop our plans. Please feel free to contact Mark Carlson, Principal at Northwestern High School, at 715-363-2434 if you have any questions.
We hope to be able to connect or reconnect with those who are currently homeschooling or open enrolled to a virtual school in the far corners of the state. You can continue to enjoy all the freedoms you currently enjoy with the benefit of being able to take advantage of everything our various schools have to offer. Stay Tuned!!
Virtual Learning Coming to Maple!
School Closing Procedures
Occasionally, it is necessary to close or cancel school because of weather. The Superintendent makes the deci-sion to close school after consulting with the Director of Transportation, bus drivers and county officers regarding weather conditions. If school is canceled before classes begin in the morning, the announcement will be carried on the following local radio stations: KDAL (610 AM; 95.7 FM), WNXR (107.3 FM), WEBC (560 AM; 105.1 FM), and television stations WDIO-10, KBJR-6 and KDLH-3. It would be advisable for parents to tune in to one of these sta-tions as this procedure is followed for both district-wide closings as well as the closing of individual schools within the district.
If classes are already in session and it is necessary to close the schools or if individual schools must be closed be-cause of maintenance problems such as no water or no heat, the announcement of school closing will be made on the same stations.
Extremely low temperatures by themselves are not usually a reason to close school. School buildings are warm and comfortable, and a nourishing meal is available for children on such days.
Parents/guardians are urged not to call the school to ask if the school will close. This ties up the telephone line and prevents its use in case of an emergency.
You, as a parent, may decide that the weather is too severe to send your child to school (especially a younger child). Please send a note with your child stating that reason upon their return. Your decision in this mat-ter is respected by the school district administration.
If the school district is closed because of bad weather, all athletic, after-school and evening events are also can-celed.
Are you utilizing Family Access to view your student’s attendance, grades, schedule, food service balance, progress, assignments, and emergency information? Family Access is a free service operated through a secure internet-based website and is available to all parents with children enrolled in the district. As the School District of Maple continues it’s transition to being “paperless”, it is very important that you use Family Access to stay informed about your student’s progress in school.
If you have misplaced your login and/or password information for Family Access, please contact the district office at 715-363-2431.
FAMILY ACCESS
Minnesuing Acres Supports the
Middle School Peer Leaders Program
Twenty-four middle school students and nine (9) elementary students had the privilege of attending leadership training at Minnesuing Acres Lodge and Conference Center. The stu-dents were in training to be peer leaders in their
schools. The students spent the morning learning about leadership from high school DECA students Maddie Trautt, Journey Brown, and Michael Lindsay.
They also worked on activities for an upcoming anti-drug and tobacco week that will be celebrated in the
Where is WINSS?
Since fall 2000, the Data Analysis section of Wisconsin Information Network for Successful Schools (WINSS) has been an import ant data resource used by education stakeholders to help all students meet and exceed expectations. A wide variety of data about academic performance, attendance and behavior, staff and other school resources, and student demographics has been provided through WI NSS Data Analysis tools.
The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) implemented a new and updated public data analysis portal called the WISEDASH Public Por-tal, or Wisconsin Information System for Education Data Data Dashboard. At that time, WISEDASH began to phase out WINSS Data
Analysis (red box) with the migration of more recent years of data about WSAS, ACT, Advanced Placement Program (r) Exams, Att end-ance, and Demographics from WINSS Data Analysis to WISEDASH. The plan is to migrate all WINSS data topics to WISEDASH over time.
Over time, the topics on WINSS will be migrated into the new WISEDASH Public Portal. A topic will be migrated only after school district staff have worked with the data on their side and give suggestions for the best way to show it on public dashboards.
What is WISEDASH?
WISEDASH is a data portal that uses "dashboards," or visual collections of graphs and tables, to provide multi -year education data about Wisconsin schools. As a public reporting tool, WISEDASH is used by districts, schools, parents, researchers, media, and other communi-ty members to view data published by DPI.
What's in WISEDASH?
Each year, all Wisconsin school districts collect information about their students, staff, and courses based on federal and s tate require-ments. These data sets are submitted to the Department of Public Instruction where they're stored and linked in a data wareho use. WISEDASH gives you an interactive way to select and filter Wisconsin school data from the 2005-06 school year forward. Data are
re-quired to be published by the Department of Public Instruction, and are redacted to protect student privacy. Additional historical da-tasets from 1998 to present can be downloaded.
Who should use WISEDASH public version?
The WISEDASH Public Portal is the front door for parents and community members to discover all types of data about Wisconsin schools
and districts. Educators should send parents to WISEDASH for public data reports. Educators and school staff should use the WISEDASH
for Districts, a secure version that requires a username and password, for student-level analysis.
Why is WISEDASHimportant for Wisconsin citizens?
Education data is a primary tool to see how our students, schools, and policies are working. Over time, the data show the res ults of changes we make in schools, letting us track progress and make adjustments. As stated in Agenda 2017, the goal for Wisconsin is to help ensure every child graduates from high school prepared for both college and career pathways. WISEDASH is a key part of Agenda 2017's assessment and data systems emphasis to give parents and the public more timely, quality data to use for informed decision -making.
Where can I access WISEDASH?
Watch a 3-minute instructional video on how to use the portal at http://wise.dpi.wi.gov/help-videos.
Access at: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s webpage at http://wisedash.dpi.wi.gov/Dashboard/portalHome.jsp.
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WISE
DASH
Public Portal
(Wisconsin Information System for Education Data Data Dashboard)
Information courtesy of www.dpi.state.wi.us
REMINDER!
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium is creating next-generation assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English language arts/literacy and mathematics. Just as the CCSS describe the knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for college and career, the system of computer adaptive assessments—including summative and formative tests—will provide important information about whether students are on track, as well as resources and tools for teachers to help students succeed.
The revised 2015-16 school year State of Wisconsin required testing includes:
Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS), administered in the fall and spring for 4K through 2nd grade students;
The Wisconsin Forward Assessment, administered in grades 3-8 and aligned to the Common Core State Standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics and science in grades 4, 8 and 10;
ACT Aspire Early High School Assessment for 9th grade students will be administered in the Fall and Spring to assess readiness in Eng-lish, math, reading, science, and writing;
ACT Aspire Early High School assessment for 10th grade students will be administered each Spring to assess readiness in English, math, reading, science, and writing;
ACT Plus Writing test administered to 11th grade students in the spring for content areas of reading, English, writing, mathematics and
science, and
ACT WorkKeys Assessment System administered to 11th grade students in the spring for 1) Reading for Information, 2) Locating
Infor-mation and 3) Applied Mathematics.
The Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Assessment will be administered to students in grades 3-11 in English Language Arts and Mathematics. DLM will be used as the alternate assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities whose IEP team has determined that the stu-dent is unable to participate in the Smarter Balanced Assessment, ACT Aspire, Early High School Assessment, or ACT Plus, even with ac-commodations.
State of Wisconsin Required Testing
District Offers A Senior Tax Exchange Program (Step)
The Senior Tax Exchange Program (STEP) policy allows seniors an opportunity to volunteer in our schools and receive tax relief. The School District of Maple Board of Education recognizes and welcomes the many gifts and talents our senior citizens have to contribute to our school system including:
Any senior citizen 62 years of age or older who receives social security and has taxable property within the School District of Maple is eligible to apply. A STEP application indicates the type of work and amount of hours desired. This information is matched with a staff member’s
Reading to a child
Clerical work
Grounds keeping
Tutoring
Shelving books
Preparing bulletin boards
Assisting with computers
And much more
Diplomas to Veterans
In addition to issuing high school diplomas under the conditions outlined in district high school graduation policies, school boards now have the authority to award high school diplomas to veterans who meet specific requirements.
1999 Wisconsin Act 73, s. 118.33 (a) (1) which became effective April 26, 2000, allows a school board to award a high school diploma to a person who meets all of the following criteria:
is at least 65 years old;
attended high school in the district or attended high school in this state and resides in this district;
left high school before receiving a high school diploma to join the U.S. armed forces during a war period under s. 45.001 (5).
served on active duty under honorable conditions in the U.S. armed forces or in forces incorporated as part of the U.S. armed forces.
award a high school diploma to a person who received a high school equivalency diploma under s. 115.29 (4) after serving on active duty under honorable conditions if the person meets the conditions of par. (1) 1-3. (c) award, upon request, a high school diploma to a person who has died, but who, before dying, satisfied the conditions of par. (a) 2-4.
Headline
Activity Bus Guidelines
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th
Budget Hearing and Annual Meeting Held
The School District of Maple’s proposed budget and programs for the 2015-16 school year were explained at the Budget Hearing and Annual Meet-ing held on September 28, 2015.
The district's budget is developed according to the Wisconsin Uniform Financial Accounting Requirements (WUFAR) based on Fund Accounting. A Fund is defined as an account that has its own beginning and ending balance from which funds are received and expended.
Instructional staff for the 2015-16 school year includes early intervention services (EIS) and special education at the Iron River and Northwestern Elementary Schools (subsidized with flow-through dollars). The District is continuing with the 4-year-old kindergarten program using community partner sites as well as on-site programming at Northwestern Elementary School. The areas of art, music, and physical education will be staffed to support, maximize and balance elementary itinerant classes. Courses offered at the high school and middle school will remain basically the same as in 2015-16.
As part of the Wisconsin PI 34 requirements to provide highly qualified teachers in the district, a comprehensive and rigorous teacher-mentor pro-gram is conducted for all newly hired instructional staff. The propro-gram offers one-on-one assistance for the new teacher by a trained mentor within the school district. Five support seminars are conducted throughout the school year for the new staff on topics pertaining to student achievement, teacher performance and expectations, and other areas related to the daily routine and classroom management. In addition, staff development days are used to review, evaluate, and align curriculum to insure that the school district is meeting the new Accountability for Schools system as set forth by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) through the Wisconsin Student Assessment System testing.
The District has been implementing the new Educator effectiveness Evaluation requirements established by the Department of Public Instruction. The purpose is to improve professional practice in order to improve student outcomes through quality data, identifying areas of strength as well as needed growth, to target job-related areas of professional growth
opportunities.
In addition, the development of a 5-year Strategic Plan to establish a vision and goals for the School District of Maple is underway that involves board members, administration, instructional staff, support staff, parents and/or guardians, and area businesses and communi-ty members.
The total school budget was reviewed and it was explained that the dollar amount of the budget would increase approximately 5.29% over the 2014-15 budget. This will result in a tax levy increase of 6.41% from the actual amount levied in 2014-15.
Brandon Willger, CPA for CliftonLarsonAllen LLP of Rice Lake, Wis-consin, briefed the public with a summary of the audit as outlined in the 2015 Informational Booklet. He stated that the district received an “unmodified opinion” or highest audit opinion that can be earned for the 2014-15 fiscal year, explaining that the financial records of the District were very well maintained and that there were no issues or concerns presented with district funds, financial policies or pro-cedures, and that the manner in which the staff keeps and reports their financial records are exactly as it should be and the District’s finances have been well maintained for a number of years.
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1. Activity bus routes operate only on major highways with central drop-off points for each community for those students who do not live along the route.
2. NO fee will be charged to ride the activity bus.
3. All regular school rules and policies apply to after school transporta-tion on the activity buses.
4. Activity buses will run Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday only for the Fall, Winter, and Spring Sports season and other activities.
5. Beginning Tuesday, September 1, 2015 activity buses will depart Northwestern Elementary School at 5:40 P.M.; Northwestern Middle School at 5:40 P.M.; and Northwestern High School at 5:45 P.M. 6. Beginning Monday, March 7, 2016, activity buses will depart from
Northwestern Elementary at 5:25 P.M.; Northwestern Middle School at 5:25 P.M.; and Northwestern High School at 5:30 P.M.
L to R: Paul Staffrude, Director of Finance/Business Manager for the District and Brandon Willger, CPA and Manager at CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP of Rice Lake, WI review the 2014-15 completed auditor report in preparation for the Annual Meeting.
Access the Annual Fruit Sale
Order Form for
“Celebration 2016” at
Northwestern High School.
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DEFINED TOP SIX (6) AREASOF IMPROVEMENT:
1. Strategic Plan to Re-Evaluate Academic Rigor
Strategies:
Extra Classes for Students
Purchase books
Committee Steering Team to sort out and develop a stronger plan
2. System for Teacher Retention, i.e. Stop Burnout of Teachers doing too much
Strategies:
Professional Development
Provide Teachers Resources
Staff Development for New Teachers
Hire More Staff
Money
3. Differentiated Teaching
Gifted and Talented
Programming for Dyslexia and related curriculum
Strategies:
Staff Training for all employees
Class Track for Gifted and Talented Students
AP classes or classes at UWS, WITC, UMD, DBU, CSAS, LSC
Money for Curriculum Materials and Resources
Hire a Coordinator4. Partnership with Colleges for Credit
4 Year Technical Colleges
Strategies:
Contact Paul Kalin, WITC
5. One to One Plan to Become College and Career Ready
Strategies:
Meetings with parents and students to work on College Prep each year.
Have teachers available for On-Line Career-ready Courses
Staff Development for Guidance Counselors
6. Connect School to Real World
Life Skills Training
More Occupational Offerings – WITC; Use major companies i.e. Enbridge, Northern Natural Gas, Midwest Energy, Reuben Johnson, Inc., Frasier Ship Yards, Minnesota Power, Northwoods Paving, Northern Nature, Trans Canada, Northern Natura
Contact Dave Bretting of Bretting Manufacturing, they are working with Hurley High School in their vocational education department.
Contact unions: carpenters, iron workers, laborers, welders, machine shops, electricians, plumbers
Headline
School District of Maple
2015-16 Calendar of Events
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November 20 NHS Marching Band - Christmas City of the North Parade, 6:20 p.m. November 23 No School - Staff Development Day
November 24 No School - Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 25 No School
November 23-December 4 Annual Fruit Sale for “Celebration 2015” All-Night Graduation Party November 26-27 No School - Thanksgiving Break
December 5 Java Jive Concert, 6:00 p.m. – Patricia Luostari Theatre for the Performing Arts
December 14 School Board Meeting, 5:00 p.m. – District Conference Room #2270
December 17 Iron River Elementary School Christmas Concert, 1:30 p.m. December 14 Art Auction, 6:30 p.m. – High School Library/Media Center
Winter Choir Concert, 7:30 p.m. – Patricia Luostari Theatre for the Performing Arts
December 21 Winter Band Concert, 7:30 p.m. – Patricia Luostari Theatre for the Performing Arts
December 22 Northwestern Elementary School Christmas Program, 10:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.
December 24-January 1 No School
January 11 School Board Meeting, 5:00 p.m. – District Conference Room #2270
January 22 No School - Staff Development Day
February 8 School Board Meeting, 5:00 p.m. – District Conference Room #2270
February 13 Musical - Dessert Theatre, 7:30 p.m. – Patricia Luostari Theatre for the Performing Arts
February 14 Musical - Dessert Theatre, 2:00 p.m. – Patricia Luostari Theatre for the Performing Arts
February 24 Middle School Parent/Teacher Conferences – 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
High School Parent/Teacher Conferences – 5:30 to 9:00 p.m.
The Activities Calendar can also be accessed online here.
Access School Webpages!
The quarterly “News of Your Schools” District newsletter provides the public with information on the business aspects of the school district in-cluding current educational issues relating to the District and Board of Education inin-cluding mandatory public postings, new policy information, and educational mandates and programs. A link is provided on the District homepage at www.nw-tigers.org to access the quarterly newslet-ter.
Also, a friendly reminder that a link is provided for each school in the District for accessing information pertinent to each individual school in-cluding newsletters and student activities. Just click on the school listed below to access the building site.
· Iron River Elementary School
· Northwestern Elementary School
· Northwestern Middle School
Pertussis Information (Whooping Cough)
What is pertussis?
Pertussis is a contagious bacterial disease that affects the respiratory tract.
Who gets pertussis?
Pertussis can infect persons of all ages, but is most serious in infants and young children.
How is pertussis spread?
The bacteria are spread by contact with the respiratory droplets from an infected person through coughing. Exposure usually occurs after re-peated indoor face-to face contact. Household spread is common.
What are the signs and symptoms of pertussis?
In infants and young children, the disease begins much like a cold with a runny nose, possible low grade fever and a mild but irritating cough for 1-2 weeks. The illness progresses to spells of explosive coughing that can interrupt breathing, eating and sleeping and is commonly fol-lowed by vomiting and exhaustion. Following the cough, the patients may make a loud crowing or "whooping" sound as they struggle to inhale air (hence the common name "whooping cough"). The severe coughing spells can last for several weeks to two months or longer. In older chil-dren, adolescents and adults the symptoms are usually milder and without the typical whoop.
What are the complications associated with pertussis?
In infants less than 6 months of age, the most common complication is bacterial pneumonia
(17%) followed by neurologic complications such as seizures (2.1%) and encephalopathy (0.2%). Loss of weight from nutritional disturbance and dehydration is also a complication from the disease. More than half of the infants with confirmed pertussis require hospitalization.
How soon do symptoms appear after exposure?
Usually 7-20 days.
When and for how long is a person able to spread pertussis?
Pertussis is most contagious in the early stage of the illness before the onset of the explosivecoughing spell. The spread of pertussis may be up to three weeks or more after cough onset. The spread period can be reduced to 5 days after the initiation of an appropriate course of antibi-otics administered in the early stages of illness.
Is there treatment for pertussis?
There are four antibiotics recommended for the treatment of pertussis that will shorten the period of communicability. Your doctor may chose one of these antibiotics for treatment. The appropriate antibiotics include either a 5-day course of azithromycin, a 7-day course of clarithromy-cin or a 14-day course of either erythromyclarithromy-cin or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxozale (TMP/SMX). Persons with pertussis should be isolated from school, work or similar activities until they have completed at least the first 5 days of an appropriate antibiotic therapy. The remaining doses of antibiotics need to be taken as prescribed.
How can the spread of pertussis be prevented?
Treatment is recommended for well persons who are close contacts (especially household
contacts) of the case to prevent or reduce the severity of illness. Any untreated contacts of a case that develops a persistent cough should be tested for pertussis. Confirmed or suspected cases of pertussis that do not receive appropriate antibiotics should be isolated for 3 weeks.
Applications for Free and Reduced Priced Meals
The goal of the food service program is to promote healthy food choices to
make meals more nutritious.
Did you know that you are able to apply for free or reduced meals for your
children at any time during the school year and at any time your financial
sit-uation changes?
Did you know that you are able to file a confidential electronic application for
free or reduced meals for your student/family through the school’s Skyward
Parent Access software?
Would you like assistance in completing the strictly confidential application?
If yes, how can we reach you? Contact our office at 715-363-2431.
