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Dr. Trixie Eakin from Essential Family Vision checks 4-year-old Tycen Goldensoph's vision at the DASD Early Learning Fair, held on March 8. |
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| For friends of the DeForest Area School District | March 2012 |
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Greetings!
Welcome to the 3rd quarter edition of DASD News. Businesses, organizations, agencies, groups, and individuals in our community play an important role in improving our schools, strengthening families, and increasing student success. There are many opportunities to be involved throughout the school year, but especially in the spring. Please consider joining us for one or more learning activities with students.
Volunteers needed for May 23 Reality Day
If you haven't had the chance to participate in Reality Day with our high school seniors, here's your opportunity to join in on this fun educational activity! We have openings for a few "stations". Visit the Reality Day web page to learn more, and contact me if you are interested in volunteering.
Older adults needed to share their life stories
The Digital Communications class at DeForest Area Middle School is looking for older adults to be part of a video documentary, with interviews on April 16 and 26. More information is available below.
Several activities are listed at right and on p. 8 of the newsletter.
Debbie Brewster
School/Community Relations Coordinator
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News from your school board
Board members meet with business leaders
The DASD school board recently sponsored an information gathering session with DeForest area business leaders. According to school board president Jan Berg, "Board members believe that the school district and business community share a vested interest in each other's success and in our area's quality of life. Their input is important in shaping a positive future for education in the DeForest area."
Board members used a unique format called "World Café," to facilitate the conversation, where business leaders could participate in several different meaningful conversations in a relaxed, casual atmosphere.
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School board members Mike Hirsch and Dan Choi speak with Abe Degnan and Jerry Grimshaw
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School board members wanted to know what was important to the local business people and what they valued about their schools and community. They asked them several questions including what they felt were the most important assets of the school district that must be preserved, how DASD can better serve or partner with businesses, what qualities do they most value in their employees, and more.
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Raising a child with food allergies -
one family's journey
Thank you to DASD parents Danielle and David Ogno, who are sharing their perspective about raising a child with food allergies.
The name food allergies can be deceiving. Food allergies are not like seasonal allergies where you get a runny nose or itchy eyes. Food allergies can result in life threatening anaphylactic shock. This is where the body attacks itself and the person can have difficulty breathing and can die if an epi-pen is not administered. Of those children with food allergies, 40-50% has severe reactions and each year more children are being diagnosed
with food allergies. In the past two years 25% of all life threatening food allergies happened at school and of those, 79% of those reactions occurred in a classroom.
Our journey with food allergies started when our son was eighteen months old. He was eating a yogurt at the dinner table and started to break out into hives and was scratching at his mouth and face. We had no idea what was happening to him and he could not tell us. Next thing we knew we were headed to the emergency room in an ambulance. Read more
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Bullying, Peer Conflicts, and Teasing . . . What's the Difference?
DeForest Area School District staff strive to develop a school environment where all students are valued and safe. A comprehensive pupil nondiscrimination study conducted this year affirmed that nearly all students perceive their school as a welcoming environment. Schools are using more terms to describe and report student behavior - and sometimes staff and parents have questions about the terminology used to describe these behaviors. Students, staff and parents have asked a number of thoughtful questions about bullying, some about how to differentiate between bullying and other peer conflicts and teasing. We have developed the following information to help. There are four main categories of bullying types of behavior: friendly teasing, hurtful teasing, peer conflicts, and bullying. Below are a few examples of these behaviors:
Friendly Teasing : One student comments to another student that he should turn his/her jersey inside out because his favorite team lost last night.
Hurtful Teasing : One girl comments to another girl that she looks chubby in the outfit she is wearing.
Peer Conflicts : Two students have a disagreement on the playground about which one will be the pitcher in kickball.
Bullying : One student repeatedly threatens another student that if he walks down a specific hallway he will get "beat up". Another example is one student repeatedly calling another student a name regarding his sexual orientation. Read more, page 2
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DASD Updates in Brief
- Morrisonville Elementary School (MES) Task Force
- Middle school schedule changes
- Employee Handbook development
- Employee health insurance
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DASD Staff Honors  Dan Curran, science teacher at DeForest Area High School, was recently chosen by the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers (WSST) as recipient of the Frank Zuerner New Science Teacher Scholarship. Curran teaches Physical Science at the high school. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from UW-Oshkosh, majoring in Broadfield Natural Science, with a minor in Biology and an emphasis in Chemistry. The scholarship award provides Curran with free membership to WSST for one year, plus two nights lodging at the WSST annual conference, held March 8-9. He was honored during the conference at their annual Milton O. Pella Banquet. 
Linda Bergh, School Counselor at Eagle Point Elementary School, has been named a 2012
Herb Kohl Foundation Fellowship recipient. Kohl fellows are chosen for their superior ability to inspire a love of learning in their students, their
ability to motivate others, and for their leadership and service within and outside the classroom. Bergh is one of 100 teachers throughout Wisconsin to receive the honor, which comes with a $1,000 award to the teacher and their
school.
Read more, page 3
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Staff learn from victim impact program
 On March 1 DeForest Area School District Student Services Director David Perrodin and Middle School Principal Paul Herrick visited Lincoln Hills School in Irma, Wisconsin. David and Paul observed a Victim Impact Restorative Circle of sixteen youth and also met with staff to explain the DeForest Schools restorative practices framework. Lincoln Hills School, operated by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, is the only male juvenile institution in the state. It has changed its programming to be more responsive to communities and the victims of crime as the juvenile system in the state of Wisconsin has embraced the framework of Restorative Justice. This paradigm not only focuses on the juvenile offender, but also looks at the victims of crime and the harm done to the local community. Read more, page 4
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 Older adult volunteers needed
The Digital Communications class at DeForest Area Middle School is looking for older adults to be part of a video documentary on
April 16 and 26 (a final project reception will also be held on June 1):
8:48-9:30 am
9:36-10:21am
2:03-2:48 pm
The first session on April 16 includes an interview about your life with a small group of 8th grade students. The second session on April 26 is a 45-minute follow up interview. And the final session on June 1 will be a group reception where students will share their video documentaries and thank the older adults for participating in the project.
If interested, contact Digital Communications teacher Laura Kruschek at lkruschek@deforestschools.org or 842-6134.
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Student Spotlight
Check out photos and information in this issue
of DASD News
Student wins video contest with anti-bullying PSA
March is Youth Art Month, student artists featured from MES and YES.
EPES students learn the "Magic of Kindness"
DAMS i-Dancing to fitness
"Shakespeare" visits DAHS
WES partners with Lake Windsor Country Club
DAHS Film Festival
 Stay connected with DASD
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Early Dismissal, end of 3rd quarter
April-May
Back-to-School Lunches for Grandparents & Older Adults - Schedule
April 2-6
No School - Spring Break
5-year-old kindergarten parent orientation meetings
April 17 - YES/MES
April 25 - WES
April 26 - EPES
April 25
Free Preview & Reception of "Alice in Wonderland" for Older Adults
4:00 pm, PAC
April 26-28
"Alice in Wonderland"
Performing Arts Center, 7:00 pm
April 26
Take Your Child to Work Day
May 1
Registration deadline for Summer Drama Camp (June 18-July 20)
May 8-11
FFA Plant Sale
May 10
DAHS Band Concert
7:00 pm, PAC
May 12
DAHS Prom
May 17
DAHS Choir Concert
7:00 pm, PAC
May 24
Community Mock Crash
High School Parking Lot, 7:00 pm
May 25
Early Dismissal, Staff Development
May 28
No School - Memorial Day
June 2
DAHS Graduation
June 7
Early Dismissal, end of 4th quarter
Check out these
DASD website links:
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| Thank you! |
Click here to download a PDF version of this DASD News issue (and previously versions). |
| Contact Information |
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can assist you in any way . . .
Debbie Brewster, School/Community Relations Coordinator
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