1. American Education Week Message
This is American Education Week, and State Superintendent Tony Evers has released a message observing the occasion. Here are some excerpts:
- "Wisconsin is making significant changes to education in our state, changes that will make our educational system better and ensure it serves every child. We are raising academic standards in reading and mathematics so they will be rigorous, clear, and aligned for college and career readiness. We are phasing out the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations in favor of assessments that provide information to educators, students, and their parents so intervention is targeted and timely. We want common sense accountability. And, recently signed education bills will strengthen our state’s efforts and complement federal goals for education....
- ... our students deserve a school funding system that doesn’t result in program cuts year after year. The cost of education should not pit young families against elders, home owners against business interests. We will all benefit from an educational funding system that is stable, fair, and sustainable.”
Back to Top
2. Project-Based Learning Network Honored
The Department of Public Instruction has won the Platinum "Charter School Innovator of the Year” award from the Wisconsin Charter Schools Association for developing the Wisconsin Project-Based Learning Network.
Project-based and inquiry-based learning puts students and teachers in collaborative roles: students learn actively through long-term, cross-disciplinary projects. Tied to the state's academic standards, the experiences help them develop research, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills as they complete tasks that help them learn academic concepts.
Students in schools using project-based learning have higher levels of engagement in their own learning and develop learning partnerships with their teachers, local experts, and other students that improve the school climate. Schools using project-based learning have experienced improved student attendance and graduation rates. Most teachers report improved job satisfaction when they employ project-based learning in their classrooms.
The Wisconsin Project-Based Learning Network connects charter schools using these methods. The focus is to facilitate collaboration between members and to guide continuing innovation in these schools.
Seven schools were instrumental in creating the network. At least 30 additional schools will be exploring inquiry-based or project-based approaches through charter school planning grants.
The award was presented at the Wisconsin Charter Schools Association's annual awards banquet in Milwaukee.
Back to Top
3. School Breakfast Funds Awarded
State Superintendent Tony Evers announced grant awards to 65 public and private Wisconsin schools to start a school breakfast program or to increase participation in an existing program.
"A hungry child cannot concentrate on learning," Evers noted.
This is the eighth year Wisconsin has received funding under a federal school breakfast grant program championed by U.S. Senator Herb Kohl. More than $500,000 in federal funding, in grants ranging from just under $500 to $29,000, will help schools serve breakfast at 149 buildings where a total of 67,000 students go to school. The funds may be used to purchase equipment or for recurring costs such as labor, training, travel, outreach and publicity.
In Wisconsin, 1,690 sites are offering school breakfast this year, reflecting a rise of 10.5 percent from last year. The number of sites serving school lunch—2,598—is 5.0 percent higher than last year.
"Providing school breakfast can be part of a comprehensive healthy school initiative for students and educators," added Evers. "It also helps foster a positive learning environment and teaches students life-long healthy eating habits."
Back to Top
4. 4K Launched in Waukesha
Subscriber Submission!
This year, the School District of Waukesha launched its four-year-old kindergarten (4K) program, dubbed Future 4 Waukesha, joining a trend of growth in 4K programs throughout Wisconsin.
4K was “a major focus” last year when the district identified innovations for the future, says Debbie Wells, who coordinates 4K curriculum and instruction at the district. The success of two small, related programs—kindergarten readiness and Spanish-speaking preschool--helped inspire interest.
On April 8, the Board of Education gave the go-ahead for the first phase of 4K, using a community approach.
Fourteen community partners met the district’s standards for high-quality four-year-old classrooms. Staff at the district and community partners worked together on a "massive" and "thorough" public registration event, Wells says. Over the summer, educators crafted the curriculum, working with the Wisconsin Early Learning Standards published by the DPI in partnership with the departments of Children & Families (DCF) and Health Services (DHS).
On September 1, 510 children attended the district’s first day of 4K, in 35 classrooms at community sites in the area.
And thus the district joined a statewide trend: the number of Wisconsin districts offering 4K has mushroomed from 166 to 335 over the last seven school years (aided in part by state grants). The number of children served has more than doubled.
This story was submitted by a DPI-ConnectEd subscriber! We are looking for your
news of exciting programs, promising practices, initiatives that could benefit from
publicity, or your questions about working with Wisconsin students. E-mail just a
sentence or two to benson.gardner@dpi.wi.gov, with "Story Idea" in the subject
line.
Back to Top
5. Water, Money, Art, Disability Contests for Students
Here are some opportunities for students:
Any team of four middle or high school students may participate in the financial literacy contest, LifeSmarts. They first compete on-line, before January 26 (high school) or February 15 (middle school). Qualifying teams compete in person in Milwaukee in February (high school) or March (middle school). Nationals are in Miami Beach, April 24-27. Travel costs are underwritten.
A Water Conservation Poster Contest, sponsored by the Wisconsin Rural Water Association and local water utilities, invites artwork from students in grades 1-6. Winners will receive prizes and have a chance to earn a prize for their school. Enter by March 5, following the guidelines.
Artists with disabilities are invited to enter VSA Arts of Wisconsin's Call for Art. A jury of arts professionals will look for creativity, originality, and craftsmanship. Ten artworks will join a traveling exhibition, while every artist will be represented in a month-long public exhibit in March. Submit by February 3.
The Minnesota World Affairs Challenge, open to schools in Western Wisconsin, happens March 6 in St. Paul. Register by December 15 to avoid late fees. Financial assistance is available. (The DPI first announced this via Friends of International Education, one of the agency's e-mail lists.)
Back to Top
|
|
