Norski Nine features DASD grads 
Graduates of the DeForest Area School District are highlighted in this new feature on the DASD website.
Graduates answer nine quick questions about their educational and career paths, and give advice to current students.
DASD GRADS - WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Answer the nine questions here.
|
|
District begins comprehensive enrollment & facilities study
The DeForest Area School District is committed to providing excellent educational programs for all students and regularly reviews practices so improvements can be made. As with other growing school districts across Wisconsin, DASD must take a look at facilities.
In September, the Board of Education engaged in an initial discussion about establishing guiding principles for district space needs. Guiding principles are created to help inform future decisions. Space needs will be anlayzed using these established guiding principles.
The Board directed staff to proceed with an enrollment and facilities study, gathering facts and data on current demographics and conducting a comprehensive study of current district facilities.
In late September, a Request for Proposal was sent to six architectural/educational planning firms who have done similar business in Wisconsin. Four proposals were submitted to DASD by the October 11 deadline. Superintendent Dr. Sue Borden and Director of Business & Auxiliary Services Diane Pertzborn reviewed the proposals and made a recommendation to the school board at their October 14 meeting.
Plunkett-Raysich staff, together with school district officials, started October 24 conducting an instructional utilization walkthrough of each school building. They have also met with principals to share input collected from staff. PRA is now scheduling mechanical/structural walkthroughs for early November, and will provide district staff a preliminary report in mid- to late-November.
Enrollment & Facilities Study Updates
Under the District drop-down menu,
Choose "News/Communication"
Scroll down to Enrollment & Facilities Study
|
Board establishes tax levy
At the October 28th meeting, the Board of Education acted on final approval of the local tax levy. After the annual meeting in July, three pieces of
information were still needed before the final budget and tax
levy could be approved: enrollment, state aid, and property values.
- Enrollment increased slightly over the annual meeting estimate.
- State aid increased nearly $380,000 over the annual meeting estimate due to late changes to the aid formula.
- Property values increased slightly (.27%) ending a three-year decline
- in local property values. The increase occurred in the Town of Windsor.
The Board of Education adopted a tax levy of $20,290,546 to support
students and educators of DASD. This represents an increase of only $32,237 over the prior year. This tax levy results in a slight reduction of the mil rate. The equalized value of each municipality will determine the effect on an individual's property taxes. The current budget approval reflects
the following:
- increase in the revenue calculation which is controlled by state legislation ($75 per pupil)
- increase in state aid over the prior year ($ 764,819)
- additional per pupil in special adjustment aid ($75)
- increase in property value ($4,902,641)
No changes were made to individual budget center allocations but additional
budget centers were established to address the district's commitment
to school safety and Educator Effectiveness initiatives.
Other budget modifications were made to address the costs of long-range planning for instructional and capital projects. The annual meeting report and presentation is available on the DASD News Blog.
|
DASD Updates In Brief
DASD establishes sister-school in China
DeForest has established a sister-school relationship with Shijiazhuang Foreign Language Schools (SFLS) in China. As part of that relationship, twenty Chinese students will be visiting DeForest Area Schools in early February. Please watch for the opportunity to host a Chinese student in your home for 4-6 days or contactsborden@deforestschools.org for more information.
Snow Days 101
Visit the DASD website to learn about how decisions are made to close or delay school and how they are communicated. www.deforestschools.org District> School Closings/Bus Delays
What is Common Core?
Common Core State Standards have been in the news recently. What are they? And how do they relate to what's taught in the DeForest Area School District?
Changes in report cards
Students and parents/guardians of our high school and elementary schools will notice a change in how student achievement ("grades") are communicated on report cards beginning this year.
Safety enhancements
On behalf of the District School Safety Committee, thank you to students, staff, parents/guardians, and the community for your support and cooperation as we implemented new safety features and protocols in our schools.
|
Community holiday gift giving program looking for sponsors 
The DeForest Area Clergy Association, in conjunction with the DeForest Area Needs Network, Joining Forces for Families (JFF), and DeForest Area School District are again organizing the annual Holiday Gift Giving Program, helping deliver holiday cheer for children from low-income families in the DeForest Area School District. The group helps identify needy families with children in the school district who are then matched with sponsors who purchase the family gifts.
Businesses, individuals or groups interested in adopting one or more families may contact DeForest Area Needs Network President Darlene Scafe at 846-8826. The group is also looking for volunteers to help with gift distribution, which will be held on Wednesday, December 18, from 1:00 to 7:00 pm at the DeForest Area Public Library Community Room (203 Library Drive, DeForest).
|
 Students earn college credit while in high school
Many students at DeForest Area High School take advantage of the opportunities to earn college credit before they even head off to college! Why are students doing this? |
New high school initiatives seeing positive results
At their Octover 28, 2013 meeting, school board members heard a status report from Principal Machell Schwarz and Assistant Principals Nate Perry and Doug Crowley about some high school initiatives that staff have been working on the past couple of years. These include: PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports), Professional Learning Communities (PLC's), Learning Labs, Common Assessments, grade checks, re-take policies and Norski Mentors for incoming freshmen.
|
Seventh grade students learn "moral courage" at annual retreat
Seventh grade students at DeForest Area Middle School participated in a Courage Retreat October 17 and 18. Courage Retreat leaders from Youth Frontiers, Inc. facilitated several activities that challenged students to think critically about how they treat themselves and others, accept people for who they are, resist following the crowd, and act with moral courage despite their fears. According to Assistant Principal Kim Christian this dynamic and meaningful program is offered to students each year to help create a more positive school community. More information about the Courage Retreat is available at www.youthfrontiers.org.
|
Student Spotlight
EPES students learn at Big Hill
 Students in Karen Vian's 4th grade class were engaged in hands-on learning activities this fall at the school district's school forest, the Big Hill Environmental Learning Center. Pictured at left: students mix plaster to make casts of animal footprints.
Thousands of students connect through one book
Students in two elementary school classrooms are connecting with over 140,000 other students around the world through one book. Through the Global Read Aloud program this year, students in Allie Bradish's 4th grade class at Yahara Elementary School and Gina Buettner's 3rd/4th class at Morrisonville Elementary School are reading "Out of My Mind" by Sharon Draper. The book is about a young girl (Melody) with Cerebral Palsy who is literally stuck in her own mind, she cannot communicate. According to Bradish, the book has allowed students to discuss disabilities and friendships. They write in a journal every day about their thoughts and feelings regarding Melody and her struggle. Students are discussing the book with students in other classes throughout the United States and Canada using a blog and Skype.
 | | Third & fourth graders in Ms. Buettner's class use a blog to discuss the book with other students in the U.S and Canada. |
 | | Students in Ms. Bradish's class discuss the book with others in Connecticut using Skype. |
|
|
|
|
(page 7)
Upcoming events in the Madison area pp. 6 & 7
November 11
No School for students
Parent-Teacher Conferences,
12:30-7:30 pm
November 21
Online Safety Presentation
6:30 pm - DAHS PAC
November 26
End of 1st Trimester for elementary schools
November 27-29
No School
December 3
DAMS Winter Band Concert,
7:00 pm - DAHS PAC
December 5
DAHS Winter Instrumental Concert,
7:30 pm - DAHS PAC
December 7
DeForest Music Parents Craft Fair, at YES
8:00 am
December 12
DAHS Winter Choral Concert,
7:00 pm - DAHS PAC
December 16
DAHS Jazz/Swing Choir Concert,
7:00 pm - DAHS PAC
December 17
DAMS Choir Concert,
7:00 pm - DAHS PAC
December 19
MES/YES 3rd Grade Concert,
7:00 pm - DAHS PAC
December 23-
January 1
No School (Winter Break)
More at:
Check out these
DASD website links:
|
|
