The District is excited to announce, after spending the past several months studying our gifted and talented programming and models for programming across the state, that we have developed a new Talent Development Plan to be initiated at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year.  The plan creates three levels of service for our students who are identified as gifted and talented in any one or more of five areas:  General Intellectual Ability, Specific Academic Ability, Creative Thinking, Artistic (Visual/Performing Arts), and/or Leadership.  

Jesse Domer, Technology Education Teacher at Watertown High School, has been named a 2014 Herb Kohl Fellowship recipient. Both Mr. Domer and the school will receive $1000 in grant money. A letter from former US Senator Herb Kohl congratulating Jesse Domer for his accomplishments stated that he was chosen from a group of many fine candidates for his skill as a leader, his actions as an agent for change and his "superior ability to inspire love of learning".   Mr. Domer has been honored previously.  He was selected as WTEA Teacher of the Year in 2013.

 Jesse Domer, in red, is shown at a recent ribbon cutting.  Domer has been named a 2014 Herb Kohl Fellowship recipient.

Riverside Middle School students will soon get out into the garden. Riverside was awarded a $4000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction - Team Nutrition, to put in a school garden.  More than 80 schools applied and Riverside was one of 24 to receive funding, which can be used for wood, soil, shovels, rakes, hoses, etc.,and curriculum development. Additional support has come from Zuern's Building Supply, which is providing lumber and construction materials at a discount, and delivering materials for free. Fisher-Barton donated $150 to help defray costs.

The first focus for teacher Peter Watts will be constructing 16 large, raised beds, providing more than 760 square feet of garden space, potentially on the southwest corner of the building, off of Hall Street. Thirty yards of soil and 13 yards of wood chips are on order.  Planting will happen in mid-May. Grade 7 students started sowing seeds in early April..

Students will learn sustainable food production. "We want them to be aware of where their food comes from, as well as our current agricultural practices," Watts explained, adding that most children who learn to garden become adults who garden.  Watts says he has big dreams for Riverside's garden, including an orchard, benches, and a shed.  

Watts is acting as Lead Teacher, Dr. Ryan Moston as chief curriculum writer, and Kristin Travis as the summer school course facilitator.