News Website: www.ellsworth.k12.wi.us • Find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/ellsworthdistrict A Publication of Ellsworth Community Schools • An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer fall 2014 Ellsworth Schools to Begin Tuesday, September 2, 2014 T he Ellsworth Community School District announces that school will begin on Tuesday, September 2 for all grades, 4K-12. Lindgren Early Learning Center will be serving Early Childhood students and fouryear-old kindergarten students. Prairie View Elementary and Hillcrest Elementary will be serving students K-4th grades, the Ellsworth Middle School will be serving students 5th-8th grades, and the Ellsworth Senior High School will be serving students 9th-12th grades. New students. Any student not previously registered in the Ellsworth School District may register during the summer at the District Office, or at their respective schools starting August 20. School specific enrollment forms can be found on our website (www.ellsworth.k12.wi.us). All new students 4K-12 will need to supply the school with their immunization records and proof of residency. School telephone numbers: Hillcrest...................................... 715-273-3912 Prairie View............................... 715-792-5285 Lindgren Early Learning Center..................... 715-792-2424 Middle School........................... 715-273-3908 Senior High School.................. 715-273-3904 District Office........................... 715-273-3900 OPEN HOUSE dates: Lindgren.................August 21, 2014 (4-6pm) Middle School....... August 21, 2014 (5–7pm) Hillcrest.........August 26, 2014 (3:30-7:30pm) Prairie View............August 26, 2014 (4-7pm) High School.......... August 27, 2014 (5–7 pm) Middle School Orientations: • 5th Grade & Transfer Student Orientation August 19 6:00 - 8:00 pm • 6th - 8th Grade Schedules/Fees August 20 8:00 am-4:00 pm August 21 11:00 am-7:00 pm High School Orientations: • 9th Grade & New Student Orientation August 18 7:00 pm - HS Cafetorium August 20 9:00 am – HS Cafetorium School day. The 4-year-old kindergarten school day will run from 8:45-11:45am and from 12:25-3:25, operating 5 half days/week. For Hillcrest grades K-4, school will start at 8:30 a.m. and will dismiss at 3:40 p.m. MonFri. For Prairie View grades K-4, school will start at 8:25 a.m. and will dismiss at 3:35 p.m. Mon-Fri. For Middle School grades 5-8, school will start at 7:35 a.m. and will dismiss at 2:50 p.m. For High School grades 9-12, school will start at 7:35 a.m. and will dismiss at 2:50 p.m. Panther Kid’s Club. At Hillcrest and at Prairie View, before and after-school kid’s clubs operate from 6:00-8:30 a.m. and 3:30-6:00 p.m. on school days, and from 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. on scheduled nonschool week days for students 4K-5th grades. Parents interested in enrolling their 4K-5th graders in this program should contact the Panther Kid’s Clubs at (715) 273-3912 (Hillcrest site) or (715) 792-5285 (Prairie View site). Fees are $3.00 per hour on school days and $22 per day for non-school days. Homework help is included in the programming at both sites. Note: 5th grade students can ride the bus to the MS in the mornings and back to the elementary PKC programs in the afternoon for either site. After-school programs are offered at the Ellsworth Middle School Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00–5:00 throughout the school year. Homework help is provided and study time available until 5:00 on these days. Various clubs are offered. Parents are responsible for picking up their students from the after-school programs. Transportation. Bus routes will be designed to facilitate the transportation of all students to their respective schools in as short a time as possible, with the goal of all routes being less than one hour. High School / Middle School routes run from 6:30-7:30 a.m. and elementary routes run from 7:30-8:30 a.m. All children should be at the road early the first morning. If any children miss the bus, parents should take them to their respective schools, and school officials will make certain that they return home on the proper bus with correct bus and route information. The number to call in regard to transportation schedules is 715-273-3917. 4K Transportation: Students in the morning 4K program will ride to Hillcrest in the morning with the Hillcrest bus routes. A 4K aide will assist students to the Lindgren shuttle and ride to Lindgren with them. The noon bus route will deliver students to their homes / day cares in the Hillcrest area. Students in the Prairie View attendance area, and some students in the Hillcrest area, will be picked up between 11:45am and 12:15 pm and taken to Lindgren for the afternoon 4K session. Students will be shuttled to Prairie View at 3:20 where an aide will meet them and take them to their home bus. Specifics on busing will be available at the open house. Please note the “Ellsworth School District School Bus Rider Policy” and “What to do if your child will not ride the bus today” articles elsewhere in this newsletter. School Lunch Program. School breakfast and lunch will be served at Prairie View, Hillcrest, the Ellsworth Middle School, and the Ellsworth High School starting on Tuesday, September 2. The cost for lunch at the Middle School and High School will be $2.70 per meal. Students in grades 5-12 may purchase additional entrees. The cost for lunch at the elementary schools will be $2.50 per meal. Adult meals will cost $3.70. The breakfast program will be available at all school sites and will cost $1.90 for grades K-12 and $2.10 for adults. The food service program is computerized and each student is assigned a numbered account. Money can be put into a student’s account at each school office. Computer access to your account. Please monitor your student’s account to be sure it is up to date and money is available for your child to eat breakfast/lunch. Accounts can be checked by calling Food Service at 715273-3910 or online through your Infinite Campus login. All parents are assigned a login password and are able to view lunch transactions and account balances for children in all of our schools. Ellsworth Community School District News • Page 2 Open House Lindgren Early Learning Center Thursday, August 21 • 4-6pm Hillcrest Elementary Tuesday, August 26 • 3:30-7:30pm Prairie View Elementary Tuesday, August 26 • 4-7pm Ellsworth Middle School Thursday, August 21 • 5-7pm Ellsworth High School Wednesday, August 27 • 5-7pm Ellsworth Community School District Welcome from Superintendent Cain I would like to personally welcome back our students, parents, and community as a whole to another school year. Our schools are a central part of any community and I know that we greatly appreciate the support that we continually see from our community members. Through the course of our school year, many of our community members enter into our buildings for a wide variety of reasons. Of course, the education of our children is the most important function of our schools. At the same time, our schools will house many sport and extracurricular events, community education classes, daycare programs, community meetings, open houses, swimming lessons and various community events. All of these events add to our community member’s lives in some way and often become a key ingredient in building a quality community. Phone: 715-307-1718 Email: [email protected] Our staff is continually building on the academic successes of our students and schools as a whole. Our main focus is on providing a quality education that meets the individual needs of students. Through continually examining our curriculum, teaching strategies, and overall environment, we can achieve our goals. We will continue our progress on our strategic plan as we enter into year four of the five year plan. At the same time we will be focusing on communicating with our public regarding the best avenues to address our budgetary and facility needs. • Dan Kaler Thank you again for the support of our schools! School Board Members • Rick Kornmann Phone: 715-792-2872 Email: [email protected] • Kurt Buckner Phone 715-307-2191 Email: [email protected] • Jeff Stockwell Phone: 715-273-5337 Email: [email protected] • Doug Peterson Phone: 651-212-8999 Email: [email protected] • Susan Langer Phone: 715-977-1222 Email: [email protected] • Susan Beck Phone: 715-273-7775 Email: [email protected] Infinite Campus I n the fall of 2013 the Ellsworth Community School District began using Infinite Campus for our Student Data Management software. Teachers are able to utilize the software as their gradebook, planning lessons, and communicate with parents. The district also uses Infinite Campus for our emergency notification system (school closures, special announcements, etc). If you have moved or your phone numbers changed, please contact your child’s building secretary so that all your contact information can be updated. As parents you are able to log on and track your child’s academic progress, lunch balances, fee charges, and attendance. If you received a log in last year, it will remain the same. You created your own password. The district is unable to retrieve what you set. We can reset it to a generic password if you contact the district office. Your child’s building secretary or principal are unable to do the resetting of the password. If you are new to the district, you will receive a letter explaining how to access your Parent Portal to Infinite Campus. Please follow the directions in that letter and you will be connected quickly. Contact the district office if you have any problems with your log in. The links to the parent portal can be found on the school district website! A Year of Implementation B eginning this school year the State of Wisconsin has implemented a new standardized testing system. Below is the new testing information as well as state testing opt-out options. In late October 2014, the State of Wisconsin will again be testing students for their achievement in science and social studies standards in grades 4th, 8th, and 10th grades. The PALS Reading Readiness Assessment will be given at 4YK, Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 two or three times during the school year beginning in the fall. Each elementary school will notify parents of the exact dates. New SmarterBalanced Assessments will begin in late March at grades 3 through 8. Students will be tested in the areas of Math and Reading/Language Arts. This will be a computerized assessment and it is adaptive to the ability levels of the students. New ACT Aspires assessments will be given to Grade 9 in the fall and spring. They will be given to the 10th graders only in the Spring. The full ACT and ACT Workkeys will be given to Grade 11 in March. This ACT is the actual ACT that can be used for college entrance requirements. Every student in the state of Wisconsin in Grade 11 will be taking the ACT on March 3 and Workkeys on March 4. There is only one make up day allowed and that is on March 17 for ACT and March 18 for Workkeys. It is required that every 11th grader takes this test. Please plan around these dates when planning appointments or vacations. Based on the Fall 2013 tests, all of the schools in the Ellsworth Community School District made adequate A.Y.P. (Annual Yearly Progress). Congratulations to all the students, parents, and teachers who worked together to make this happen! State Testing Opt-Out Options By State Law, a parent is allowed to opt-out of testing under the following conditions: Q. When is parent/guardian opt-out allowed? A.When a parent or guardian requests that the student be excused from participating in the WSAS, this request must be honored at grades 4, 8, 9-11, per Wis. Stats. 118.30(2)(b)3.. This request may come at any time during the testing window. All students excused by parent opt-out are marked as “not tested” students in school and district reporting determinations. Ellsworth Community School District Foundation Making an impact on education in Ellsworth It was the goal of the Ellsworth Community School District Foundation when it was formed to “enrich and enhance educational opportunities through the use of private revenues.” To this end the Foundation has done a remarkable job, especially in light of the limited funding provided by ever shrinking budgets. An average of $9,000 per year has been provided to numerous requests ranging from Smart Boards to music compositions to elementary writing composition. The board of Directors and the membership of the Foundation have put on major fund raisers each year to provide the funding for the requests. Anyone interested in becoming involved in the Ellsworth Community School District Foundation should contact Sue Hinck, Foundation president, at 715-273-3242. Q. How does a parent/guardian request an opt-out for their student? A. A parent must submit a written request for student opt-out to the principal or the school board. Per Wis. Stats. 118.30(2)(b)3., if the student is in grades 4, 8, and 9-11 the request must be granted. However, if the student is not in the above mentioned grade levels, the decision to grant the request is at the discretion of the school board. If you are parent of a child that falls into one of these categories and wish to have your child not tested, please contact Paul Uhren, Director of Teaching and Learning, at 715-2733900 at least 1 month before the testing window in order to ensure School Board action, if necessary. — H E L P WA N T E D — Substitute Teachers The Ellsworth Community School District is in need of substitute teachers. If you are a certified teacher or hold a bachelor’s degree and are interested in serving as a substitute, please call the district office at (715) 273-3900. AESOP The Ellsworth Community School District uses the AESOP (Automated Substitute Placement and Absence Management) service for placing all substitutes. Please contact Sue Murphy at the Ellsworth District Office for information on how to sign up as a substitute for the Ellsworth Community School District. Substitute Teacher Aides, Bus Drivers, Custodians, and Food Service Personnel The Ellsworth Community School District is in need of substitute teacher aides, custodians, bus drivers and food service personnel. If you are interested in serving as a substitute, please call the district office at (715) 273-3900. Ellsworth Community School District News • Page 3 2014-15 Wisconsin State Testing Ellsworth Community School District News • Page 4 Ellsworth Community School District School Bus Rider Policy Policy on riding & walking distance 1.All students (grade K-12) of the Ellsworth Community School District are eligible to ride school buses, provided they obey bus rider rules and qualify under the walking distance policy. 2.Special transportation is furnished as needed to any Special Education student living within the district. This service will be door-to-door whenever feasible. 3.For school bus riders of regularly scheduled routes, the maximum walking regulations will be determined by the distance and the presence of any safety hazards, not by the type of road. All distances are measured from the house, regardless of the type of road. 4. Maximum walking distances are: A. Grades 6-12, not more than .5 mile. B. Grades 1-5, not more than .3 mile. C. Kindergarten is door to door for the first month; after that, not more than .2 mile. 5.Students may be asked to walk, according to the above regulations, when the bus must back track. 6.The above distance will hold only if the road and turn-around are adequate. (To be determined by bus driver and transportation supervisor). If the road and turn-around are inadequate, as determined by the bus driver and transportation supervisor, a student may be asked to walk farther than stated above. Bus Riders’ Rules and Regulations School bus passengers shall comply with any lawful order given by the driver in carrying out his/her responsibility to transport passengers safely. Students, who do not follow bus riding rules and become disciplinary problems, may have their riding privileges suspended. Previous to Loading 1. Be on time at the designated school bus stop. 2.Stay on the shoulder of the road at all times while waiting for the bus. Pupils obliged to cross a highway shall wait for a signal from the driver and cross at least 10 feet in front of the standing bus. 3.Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before attempting to enter the bus. 4.Bus riders should not be permitted to move toward the bus at the school loading zone until the bus has been brought to a complete stop. 5.Bus riders will conduct themselves in a safe manner while waiting for the bus. While in the Bus or Vehicle 1. A driver has the authority to assign seats. 2. Riders shall conform to the same standards of conduct that are expected of them at school. 3. Go to your seat without disturbing or crowding other students. Seating should be in the front seats first, and progress toward the back of the bus. No one should sit in last two rows unless bus is full. 4 Remain seated while the bus is in motion, except when going to your seat after getting on or when going to the front of the bus before getting off the bus. 5. Riders shall not extend head, hands, or any portion of the body out of a window or door at any time. Nothing should be thrown out of the vehicle. 6. Scuffling, horseplay, or fighting will not be permitted on or around the bus. 7.Profane or indecent language or gestures will not be tolerated. 8.Smoking or tobacco products may not be in school vehicles. Their use and possession is prohibited on all school property. 9.No alcoholic beverages or controlled substances (drugs) will be used or transported in school vehicles. 10. No loud talking or undue noise will be tolerated. 11. There must be absolute quiet when approaching a railroad crossing. 12. Animals or pets are not allowed on the bus. 13.Leave no books, lunches, or other articles on the bus. 14. No littering on the bus! Help keep the bus clean, sanitary and orderly. Books, musical instruments, coats, and other objects must be kept out of the aisles. 15. The rider and his/her parent or guardian will be responsible for the costs of any damage to the seats or other bus equipment. 16. In case of a road emergency, students are to remain in the bus. 17. Elementary students must be assigned front seats away from the older students on high school routes. 18. Riders are expected to obey the bus driver promptly. Refusal to obey the bus driver may result in the suspension of bus riding privileges. After Leaving The Bus 1. Be alert to a danger signal from the driver. 2. Students obliged to cross the road (highway) must wait for a signal from the bus driver, and cross at least 10 feet in front of the standing bus. 3.The driver will not discharge riders at places other than the regular bus stop at the home or school unless provided with a note from parent or school official. Extra Curricular Trips 1.The above rules will apply to all trips under school sponsorship. 2.Students will comply with any directions given by the chaperon appointed by the school. 3.Students must return from the trip on the same bus they went on. Denny Langer, Transportation Director W hat should a parent do if their child gets sick overnight or for some other reason the child will not be riding the bus today? This is a question we often are asked. Many parents remember what it was like in their school days when the bus was an “island” with no contact to the outside world once it left the garage. Well, we have greatly improved upon that situation in the last several years. Every bus is equipped with a two-way radio and is in constant contact with the bus garage and other buses. The following three methods can be used to notify the bus if your child will not be riding (which will reduce backtracks for children who are not riding and enable the drivers to keep their unproductive mileage to a minimum, thus saving the taxpayers money on fuel): 1. Call the bus garage at (715) 273-3917; tell us what bus your child rides and your childs’ name. Or... 2. Call the home of the student who gets on the bus before your child and ask that student to tell the driver that your child will not be riding. Or . . . 3. If you know in advance that your child will not be riding tomorrow, write a note for your child to give to the bus driver. One other riding situation exists which we can also handle in a similar fashion to the “not riding” plan outlined above. If your child usually does not ride the bus but will occasionally ride, we can radio the driver to stop when he/she needs a ride. Just give us a call at the bus garage, (715) 273-3917, before the bus would go past your residence and tell us which bus and your child’s name. In this way we can provide you with the service you need and save the extra mileage on the other days when your child does not ride. We want to make the bus riding experience enjoyable for every student and driver. With your help we can accomplish this goal. High School Late Start Schedule 7:15-8:15 a.m. Collaborative Team Time (no student classes) 8:20-9:49 a.m. First Block Classes 9:55-11:14 a.m. Second Block Classes (no homeroom after 2nd block) 11:14-2:50 p.m. Normal Student Day Schedule 2014-2015 High School Late Start Days • September 16 • October 14 • November 18 • December 9 • January 13 • February 24 • March 24 • April 28 Tobacco Use Prohibited: According to 1989 Wisconsin Act 209, effective September 1, 1990, the use of all tobacco products on premises owned by, rented by or under the control of the school district is prohibited. All Ellsworth Community School District property is “tobacco-free” property. Thank you for your cooperation. Bullying and Other Forms of Aggressive Behavior The Ellsworth Community School District is committed to providing a safe, positive, productive, and nurturing educational environment for all of its students. The Board’s bullying policy (# 5517.01) can be accessed on the district website: www.ellsworth. k12.wi.us/district and clicking on the link School District Policies. The Board encourages the promotion of positive interpersonal relations between members of the school community. Aggressive behavior toward a student, whether by other students, staff, or third parties is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. This prohibition includes physical, verbal, and psychological abuse. The Board will not tolerate any gestures, comments, threats, or actions which cause or threaten to cause bodily harm or personal degradation. Aggressive behavior is defined as inappropriate conduct that is repeated enough, or serious enough, to negatively impact a student’s educational, physical, or emotional well being. Bullying is defined as a person willfully and repeatedly exercising power or control over another with hostile or malicious intent. Specific examples of the school board’s definitions of behaviors included in this policy can be found in policy #5517.01. Any student that believes s/he has been or is the victim of aggressive or bullying behavior should report the situation to a teacher, counselor, the building principal, assistant principal, or Superintendent. Retaliation against any person who reports a complaint is prohibited and will not be tolerated. All complaints will be investigated, and if the investigation finds an instance of aggressive or bullying behavior has occurred, it will result in prompt and appropriate remedial and/or disciplinary action. This may include up to expulsion for students and up to discharge for employees; individuals may also be referred to law enforcement officials. This policy applies to all activities in the District, including activities on school property or while traveling to or from school and those occurring off school property if the student or employee is at any school-sponsored, school-approved, or school-related activity or function, such as field trips or athletic events where students are under the school’s control, or where an employee is engaged in school business. Ellsworth Community School District News • Page 5 What to do if your child will not ride the bus today... Ellsworth Community School District News • Page 6 PROGRAM NEWS The mission of the Ellsworth Community School District, as the leader of an engaged learning community that challenges all students to excellence, is to produce individuals who will continue to learn, compete, and contribute in an ever-changing global society, by providing a safe, innovative, and adaptive learning environment; demanding personalized academic programs and co-curricular activities; and inspiring community involvement, while cultivating our students’ natural desire to learn throughout their lives. Ellsworth Academic Curriculum Ellsworth teachers and staff have been working together to ensure that our locally approved curriculum is preparing our students to meet the challenges and rigor of the Wisconsin Academic Standards and to be College and Career Ready by 2014, as outlined by State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Tony Evers. Our curriculum can be found on our school website: http://www.ellsworth.k12.wi.us (click on Build Your Own Curriculum found under Quick Links). Professional Learning Communities Our professional learning communities provide teachers the time to work together to evaluate our programs based upon student data, identify what is working well, identify what needs improvement, and collaborate to develop solutions to help all students succeed. Time is set aside for teachers to work together in each building as well as district-wide. High school teachers use late starts for common planning time. Middle school and elementary teachers have common planning time built into their schedules. 12 times throughout the school year, teachers have an additional 1 hour 45 minutes added to their work day to provide opportunity for collaboration within the PLC model. This is uninterrupted time after the school day. Interventions and Progress Monitoring Ellsworth teachers have developed assessments that are used quarterly, at the minimum, to assess how students are progressing toward mastery of essential learnings in each subject area / class. These essential learnings are related to the state standards. When the assessments indicate that students need additional time / work to master an essential learning, interventions are provided to help each student gain mastery. This process of monitoring student progress and providing interventions is ongoing throughout the year. All schools will be providing intervention time. Middle School Alternative Education Program The Ellsworth Community School District will continue to offer its Alternative Education program at the Middle School, now in its fifth year of existence. This program provides additional intervention programming at the Middle School through a full time teacher resource and two full time teacher assistants. If you feel that your child needs additional intervention, please contact the Middle School Principal, Jon Dodge, regarding the availability of these services. Our goal is that all students will master the state standards through the use of our locally approved curricular standards. High School Alternative Education Program The Ellsworth Community School District continues to offer its High School Alternative Education program for students who need an alternative path for completing their high school diploma. If you are interested in this program, contact the high school principal, Mark Stoesz for additional information. STEM Programming STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. STEM education has been identified as having a “critical role in enabling the U.S. to remain the economic and technological leader of the global marketplace of the 21st century.” (http://www. stemedcoalition.org) The Ellsworth Community School District continues to offer a variety of STEM experiences throughout its courses. LEGO curriculum is used at 4th grade to teach concepts of engineering related to simple machines. The Principles of Engineering – LEGO class offered to all 5th grade students continues the LEGO curriculum applied to compound machines. The Robotics class offered to all 6th grade students continues the LEGO curriculum combining electronics and programming with LEGO robots. Seventh grade students continue to explore technology through the Tech Ed exploratory class. Eighth grade offers students an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of technological systems in manufacturing and transportation, as well as digital technology (video game design, etc). Project Lead the Way Our high school Project Lead the Way (PLTW) programs continue to offer Intro to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering, Digital Electronics and the Engineering Design and Development (PLTW capstone course). Students can earn 3 credits at the Milwaukee School of Engineering for each of the PLTW courses successfully taken at Ellsworth High School. A Human Growth and Development Advisory Notice Specific guidelines from the state statute related to “age-appropriate” and “medically accurate information” were reviewed. A pamphlet has been developed which outlines all human growth and development curriculums K-12. The curriculums and instructional materials can be reviewed by a parent or guardian at any time. Please make review requests in writing to the building principal. Character Education Character Education includes a large range of concepts such as positive school climate and culture, moral education, caring and just school communities, social-emotional learning, positive youth development, civic education, and service learning. All of these approaches promote the intellectual, social, emotional, and ethical development of young people, and share a commitment to help young people become responsible, caring and contributing citizens We ultimately want students to reach their full potential. Schools with high quality character education are places where students, teachers, and parents want to be. They are places where young people do their best work because they are places where students feel safe, appreciated, supported, and challenged. Ellsworth Community School District Foundation Grants Several programs will benefit this year from grants provided through the Ellsworth Community School District Foundation. Many thanks to all the staff, students, and community members involved in developing and promoting these program initiatives. Choosing Non-Participation In Programs Or Activities a) Parents have the right to request that a student’s name, address, and telephone listing not be released to military recruiters or institutions of higher education without prior written parental consent. A secondary student or parent of such student may make this request by submitting such written request to their school office. b) Parents/guardians may request reasonable accommodations for their child with regard to examinations and other academic requirements based on their child’s sincerely held religious beliefs. c) Parents/guardians may request that their child not participate in instruction in human growth and development or instruction in certain health-related subjects (physiology and hygiene, sanitation, the effects of controlled substances and alcohol upon the human system, symptoms of disease and proper care of the body). A written request that the student be exempted from these subjects should be given to the building principal. d) Parents/guardians may request that their child not participate in any survey administered or distributed to students in schools that reveals information concerning any of the following: • Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or the student’s parent • Mental and psychological problems of the student or family • Sex behavior or attitudes • Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior • Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom students have close family relationships. • Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers • Religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent, or • Income, other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program. e) Parents may inspect, upon request, any survey containing items related to any of the above information and any survey created by a third party, as well as any instructional materials used in connection with any such survey. Notice: The Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey will be given to middle and high school students in March during the 2014-15 school year. Information about this survey can be found on the Department of Public Instruction website @ http://www.dpi. state.wi.us/sspw/yrbsindx.html f)Parents may request that modifications be made to their child’s curriculum including the academic program, options for work training, and alternative program options per guidelines in state statute 118.15 (1)(d). Parents/guardians shall make any of the above requests, in writing, to the building principal or designee. All requests will be judged individually based upon state and federal guidelines. The principal or designee shall respond to such requests in a timely manner. Teacher Qualifications As a parent of a student in the Ellsworth Community School District, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teachers who instruct your child. Federal law allows you to ask for certain information about your child’s classroom teachers, and requires us to give you this information in a timely manner if you ask for it. Specifically, you have the right to ask for the following information about each of your child’s classroom teachers: • Whether the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has licensed or qualified the teacher for the grades and subjects he or she teaches. • Whether the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has decided that the teacher can teach in a classroom without being licensed or qualified under state regulations because of special circumstances. • The teacher’s college major; whether the teacher has any advanced degrees, and if so, the subject(s) of the degrees. • Whether any teachers’ aides or similar paraprofessionals provide services to your child, and if they do, their qualifications. If you would like to receive any of this information, please send your request in writing to Sue Murphy, Personnel Specialist at the Ellsworth Community School District–Box 1500, Ellsworth, WI 54011. Indoor Environmental Quality Management Plan Annual Notice: The Ellsworth School District would like to inform staff, students, parents, and the public of the district’s indoor environmental quality (IEQ) management plan. The plan was initially developed in 2013 and is reviewed as necessary. The plan was developed as deemed appropriate for the district. Questions and concerns should be directed to the IEQ Coordinator, Denny Langer. Copies of the plan are available at the district office for a fee. The district office is located at Ellsworth School District, 300 Hillcrest Street, Ellsworth, WI 54011. Ellsworth Community School District News • Page 7 2014-2015 School Year Notices Ellsworth Community School District News • Page 8 2014-2015 School Year Notices Ellsworth Community School District Directory Information N OTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that Ellsworth Community School District pursuant to the U.S. General Education Provisions Act declares the following as “directory information” as provided in said act, and that information relating to students may be made public if said information is in any of the following categories: Parent’s name, address, telephone listing; student’s name, address, telephone listing; date and place of birth; major field of study; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weights and heights of members of athletic team; dates of attendance; date of graduation and awards received; the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student; photographs. The purposes for which such directory information will be made available are Parents Club membership recruitment, class rank, graduation, yearbooks, postsecondary recruitment, media coverage including district website and awards and recognitions throughout the year. This public notice is required by law before such information can be placed in yearbooks or student directories. Parents and eligible students may refuse to allow the Board to disclose any or all of such “directory information” upon written notification to the Board within 14 days after receipt of the District Administrator’s annual public notice. If parents and eligible students do not submit such written notification to the Board, directory information may be utilized by the District Administrator in District-wide publications, on the cable television, educational access channel, or on the District’s website. The directory information used will be properly verified and approved by the District Administrator. Notice of Child Find Activity and Referral T he school district must locate, identify and evaluate all resident children with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools, regardless of the severity of their disabilities. The school district has a screening program to locate and screen all children with suspected disabilities who are residents of the district and who have not graduated from high school. Upon request the school district will screen any resident child who has not graduated from high school to determine whether a special education referral is appropriate. A request may be made by contacting Mary Zimmerman, Director of Special Education, Ellsworth School District, at 715-273-3911, by writing to her at P.O. Box 1500, Ellsworth, WI 54011 or by email at zimmermanm@ellsworth. k12.wi.us Annually the district conducts developmental screening of preschool children. Each child’s motor, communication and social skills are observed at various play areas. The child’s hearing and vision are checked. The information is used to provide the parent with a profile of their child’s current development and to provide suggestions for follow-up activities. Parents learn about community services available to them. The information from screening is also used to determine whether a child should be evaluated for a suspected disability. When school staff reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability, they will refer the child for evaluation by a school district Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. 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 report the child to the school district in which the child resides. Before referring the child, the person making the referral must inform the child’s parent that the referral will be made. The referral must be in writing and include the reason why the person believes the child is a child with a disability. Others who reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability may also refer the child to the school district in which the child resides. A referral of a child residing in the Ellsworth Community School District will be sent to Mary Zimmerman, Director of Special Education at the contact information above. Screening/Child Development dates at Lindgren: September 17, 8am-4pm November 14, 8am-4pm January 30, 8am-4pm March 25, 10am-6pm April 17, 8am-3pm 4K/5K Registration dates at Lindgren: January 30, 8am-4pm March 25, 10am-6pm April 17, 8am-3pm A s a result of federal legislation (Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act AHERA), each primary and secondary school in the nation is required to complete new inspections for asbestos and to develop a plan of management for all asbestos containing building materials. Ellsworth Community School District has a goal to be in full compliance with this law and is following the spirit, as well as the letter of the law. As a matter of policy, Ellsworth Community School District shall continue to maintain a safe and healthful environment for our community’s youth and employees. In keeping with this legislation, all buildings (including portables and support buildings) owned or leased by the school district were inspected by EPA accredited inspectors and samples were analyzed by an independent laboratory. Based on the inspection, the district prepared and the state approved a comprehensive management plan for handling the asbestos located within it’s buildings safely and responsibly. The Ellsworth Community School District has completed its AHERA 3-Year Reinspection requirement. Federal law also requires a periodic walk-through (called “surveillance”) every six months of each area containing asbestos. Also the law requires for all buildings to be reinspected three years after management plan is in effect. This will be accomplished under contract by CESA #10. Short-term workers (outside contractors - i.e., telephone repair workers, electricians and exterminators) must be provided information regarding the location of asbestos in which they may come into contact. All short-term workers shall contact the lead maintenance person before commencing work to be given this information. In compliance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), this is notice that the Ellsworth School District has an Asbestos Management Plan at the school district office. The plan has a list of the location(s), type(s) of asbestos-containing materials found in that school building and a description and time table for their proper management. A copy of the Asbestos Management Plan is available in the school office for inspection by the public, parents, and district employees. Copies are available at 15¢ per page. Questions related to the plan should be directed to the district office, who will establish contact with our Account Manager under contract with CESA #10. Find us on Facebook! The purpose of this page is to keep students, parents, alumni, and community residents up to date on the latest happenings in our district. You can find us (and “Like” us!) at “Ellsworth WI Community School District” or at facebook.com/ ellsworthdistrict. Reviewing Instructional Material A parent has the right to inspect, upon request, any instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum for his/her student. This request should be made to the building principal or designee in writing. Arrangements will be made for the parent to review requested materials within 2 weeks (10 days) of the request. Ellsworth Community School District Student Record Policy Student Records (Sec. 118.125, Wisconsin Statutes, To Be Published Annually) A student’s records must be provided to the parent or guardian of a minor, judge, law enforcement officers who are individually designated by the school board and assigned to the district, faculty member, or courts when subpoenaed. Keep in mind that under state law, school districts are required to make student records available to district employees who are required by the DPI to hold a license, law enforcement officers who are individually designated by the school board and assigned to the school district, and to other school district officials who have been determined by the school board to have legitimate educational interests, including safety interests, in the records. Contents will include all records relating to an individual student other than notes or records maintained for personal use by teachers or other certified personnel which are not available to others, and records necessary for and available only to persons involved in psychological treatment of a student. All behavioral records will be destroyed one year after the date the student graduated from or last attended the school unless the parent or guardian gives permission that the records may be maintained for a longer period of time. Progress records are kept for at least 5 years after a child graduates. Transcripts are kept indefinitely. Pupil records must be transferred to another school or school district when written notice is received from an adult pupil or parent or guardian of a minor pupil that the pupil intends to enroll in another school or upon written notice from the other school or school district that such pupil has enrolled. All requests for inspection or for transfer to another school or school district should be directed to the building principal or designee. Parents/guardians or adult students have the right to seek amendment of the student’s education records that the parent/guardian or adult student believes to be inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights. Requests for such amendment should be directed to the building principal or designee. The School Policy (#8330) regarding school records may be reviewed at the School District Office or on the district website, at www.ellsworth. k12.wi.us/district. A copy will be provided when requested. Complaints regarding student records may be made to the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605. Ellsworth Community School District News • Page 9 2014-2015 AHERA Notification Ellsworth Community School District News • Page 10 Non-Discrimination Statement T he Ellsworth Community School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, sex, including transgender status, change of sex or gender identity, disability, age (except as authorized by law), military status or physical mental, emotional, or learning disability in any of its student program and activities (Policy 2260). All Career and Technical Education programs are open to all students. The District also complies with the requirement to reasonably accommodate a student’s sincerely held religious beliefs with regard to examinations and other academic requirements. Equal Educational Opportunities Discrimination Complaint Procedure If any person believes that the School District or any part of the school organization has inadequately applied the principles and/or regulations of Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 and the ADA or in some way discriminates on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, parental or marital status, sexual orientation, or physical, learning, mental or emotional disability, that person may bring forward a complaint to the Affirmative Action Officer: Barry Cain Superintendent; Ellsworth Community School District; 300 Hillcrest St.; Ellsworth, Wisconsin 54011; telephone - (715) 273-3900; email: cainb@ ellsworth.k12.wi.us. Informal Procedure The person who believes he/she has a valid basis for complaint shall discuss the concern with the Affirmative Action Officer, who shall in turn investigate the complaint and reply to the complainant in writing within five (5) school/business days. If this reply is not acceptable to the complainant, he/she may initiate formal procedures according to the steps listed. Formal Grievance Procedure Step 1: A written statement of the grievance shall be prepared by the complainant and signed. This grievance shall be presented to the Affirmative Action Officer within five (5) school/business days of receipt of the written reply to the informal complaint. The affirmative action officer shall further investigate the matters of the grievance and reply in writing to the complainant within ten (10) school/business days. Step 2: If the complainant remains unsatisfied, he/she may appeal through a signed, written statement to the Board of Education within five (5) school/business days of receipt of the affirmative action officer’s response to Step 1. In an attempt to resolve the grievance, the Board of Education shall meet with the concerned parties and their representatives at the next regular Board meeting or within fifteen (15) school/business days of the receipt of such an appeal. A copy of the Board’s disposition of the appeal shall be sent by the Board Clerk to each concerned party within ten (10) school/business days of this meeting. Step 3: If, at this point, the grievance has not been satisfactorily settled, further appeal may be made within 30 days to the Department of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707. Also, a complaint may be made to the Office for Civil Rights; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 233 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 240, Chicago, IL 60601. Grievance Procedure Special Education Discrimination complaints relating to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of free appropriate public education of a child with exceptional educational needs shall be processed in accordance with established appeal procedures outlined in the district’s board policy. For more information, see the school district website (www.ellsworth.k12.wi.us) and click on School District Policies. Homeless Child or Youth By law, the Ellsworth Community School District must enroll a homeless child or youth immediately upon request and provide needed transportation. Homeless children/ youth are entitled to equal access to free and appropriate public education and comparable services as all children in the district. For information regarding enrolling a homeless child or youth, please contact the district’s homeless liaison, Jessica Wiskow at Ellsworth High School, 715-273-3904 or [email protected] Season Athletic Tickets At the Gate: Adults: $5.00 • Students: $4.00 Adult ATHLETIC PASSES • $20 for 5-event pass • $45 for 15-event pass • $35 for 10-event pass • $40 for Senior Pass (65+ yrs) STUDENT PASSES: • $30 for 30-event pass Pass for Parents of Athletes: • $25 for 15 event pass Parents that have paid a high school activity fee of $75 can purchase this card for athletic and music events. Tickets are only available for purchase at the High School Office. *These passes are valid for all home events and do not include WIAA sponsored tournament events. *Activity tickets can be purchased at the high school office or at the event. Newsletter Issues The purpose of this newsletter is to inform the public about district wide issues. It will be distributed to every household in the district. Since the district covers several mailing zones, it is possible that some residents may not receive a copy. Please call the school district office at (715) 2733900 if you know of any district resident who did not receive a newsletter. The Pierce County Herald will continue to be the official newspaper for the school district. Although some legal notices may be duplicated in this newsletter, the Pierce County Herald will continue to be the official source for all school district information that is required by law. When there is an issue that should be discussed with school personnel, residents are encouraged to contact the school employee most closely involved. For example, if there are questions or concerns about a child’s school performance, parents should contact the student’s teacher for that course. When in doubt about who to contact in a school, please contact the building principal. In some situations, it may not be clear who should be contacted about a school issue. The following list is an attempt to direct the public to the school employee who can answer questions about a specific topic: District Wide Barry Cain, Superintendent (715) 273-3900 Fax (715) 273-5775 Curriculum, Assessment Coordinator, Teacher Effectiveness Coordinator Paul Uhren, Director of Teaching and Learning (715) 273-3900 Fax (715) 273-5775 Senior High Mark Stoesz, Principal Ellsworth Senior High School (715) 273-3904 Fax (715) 273-6824 Jason Janke, Assistant Principal Ellsworth Senior High School (715) 273-3904 Fax (715) 273-6824 Middle School Jon Dodge, Principal Ellsworth Middle School (715) 273-3908 Fax (715) 273-6834 Tim Conway, Assistant Principal Ellsworth Middle School (715) 273-3908 Fax (715) 273-6834 Hillcrest John Groh, Principal Hillcrest Elementary (715) 273-3912 Fax (715) 273-6838 Prairie View Mary Zimmerman, Principal Prairie View Elementary (715) 792-5285 Fax (715) 792-2068 Lindgren Mary Zimmerman, Panther Pre-School Administrator Lindgren Early Learning Center (715) 792-2424 Fax (715) 792-5420 Special Education Mary Zimmerman, Director Special Education Office (715) 273-3911 Fax (715) 273-3909 Health and Free/Reduced Lunch Sharlene Kreye, School Nurse (715) 273-3911 Fax (715) 273-3909 Maintenance, Transportation and Safety Denny Langer, Director (715) 273-3917 Food Service Dee Rasmusson, Director (715) 273-3910 Technology and Computer Services Eric Jacobsen Geoff Pogorelski (715) 273-3904 Summer School Paul Uhren, Director (715) 273-3900 Athletics and Pool Ann Anderson, Director (715) 273-0754 or (715) 273-3908 School Closing Announcements During inclement weather and other emergencies, the Ellsworth Community School District will announce school closings on radio and T.V. stations. Also, the Messenger system will be used to notify parents (primary contacts) of school closings and other major announcements. Families need to make sure that schools have current phone numbers and email addresses in order to receive these messages. • KCUE 1250AM • KSTP Ch. 5 • KARE Ch. 11 • WCCO Ch. 4 • KMSP Ch. 9 Red Wing Mpls/St. Paul Mpls/St. Paul Mpls/St. Paul Mpls/St. Paul Ellsworth Community School District Website Information The Ellsworth Community School District website is located at www. ellsworth.k12.wi.us. School calendars, announcements, individual school pages, individual teacher web pages, classroom resources, athletics, and community events can be found at this site along with lots of photos of happenings in the district. General information about the district, curriculum, enrollment forms, medical forms, lunch menus and many other items can be found on our website as well. Parents and students: If you do not want a sample of your student’s work (story, poem, artwork, etc.) published in the school newsletter or on the school website, please contact your child’s school office and inform them of your wishes. Comments, suggestions, or concerns about the district website can be directed to andersonmi@ellsworth. k12.wi.us. Ellsworth Community School District News • Page 11 School Employees To Contact ECRWSS POSTAL PATRON LOCAL BOX HOLDER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID ELLSWORTH, WI PERMIT NO. 6 Calendar 2014-2015 First day of school for students Feb. 16 No School - Teacher Inservice High School Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:30-7:30pm Sept. 29 High School Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:30-7:30pm Feb. 19 M.S. Grade 5 Parent Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7:30pm Oct. 9 Middle School Gr. 5-8 Parent Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7:30pm Hillcrest/Prairie View Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-8:00pm Oct. 10 No School Oct. 14 Middle School Grade 5 Parent Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7:30pm Feb. 26 M.S. Grade 5-8 Parent Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7:30pm Oct. 31 End of 1st Quarter Early Out - Staff Inservice (H.S./M.S. 12:20pm, Elem. 1:10pm) Lindgren/Hillcrest/Prairie View Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-8:00pm March 5 Lindgren Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-8:00pm Nov. 6 Lindgren/Hillcrest/Prairie View Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-8:00pm March 9-13 Spring Break - No School March 31 End of 3rd Quarter Nov. 13 Lindgren/Hillcrest/Prairie View Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-8:00pm April 2 Early Out - Staff Inservice (H.S./M.S. 12:20pm, Elem. 1:10pm) Nov. 14 Early Out - Staff Inservice (H.S./M.S. 12:20pm, Elem. 1:10pm) April 3 No School Nov. 26-28 No School (Thanksgiving Break) April 6 No School Aug. 25-28 District Inservice Sept. 2 Dec. 4 Dec. 11 Dec. 24-Jan. 2 Jan. 5 Jan. 16 Jan. 30 April 7 High School Parent Teacher Conferences 4:30-7:30pm April 30 Middle School Grades 6-8 Parent Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7:30pm May 7 Christmas Vacation May 22 School resumes May 25 End of 2nd Quarter Early Out - Staff Inservice June 5 (H.S./M.S. 12:20pm, Elem. 1:10pm) June 9 Early Out - Staff Inservice (H.S./M.S. 12:20pm, Elem. 1:10pm) June 10 June 11-July 1 No School - 1st Snow Makeup Day High School Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:30-7:30pm M.S. Grade 6-8 Parent Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7:30pm Graduation 7:00pm Memorial Day - No School Last day for 4K Lindgren Last day of School- Early Out (H.S./M.S. 12:20pm, Elem. 1:10pm) Staff Inservice or 2nd Snow Makeup Day Summer School
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