GHS Newsletter
Monthly Family Newsletter #4 | December 22, 2023
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Greetings and welcome to all guardians/parents, students, staff and other supporters within the Germantown High School Community. As noted in our initial edition in September, we have switched to the monthly format and away from the bi-annual format for our parent newsletters. The continued goal of these communications is to recognize accomplishments of our students and staff for academic and/or professional achievements and to do so each month within this newsletter.
As we close out 2023, I wish you all a peaceful and restful holiday season and break. We return on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, have a few weeks of classes and then transition into Final Exams on Wednesday, January 17-Friday, January 19. If you missed it, information about final exams was sent out via Skyward on December 11 and is also posted on our website. There are three pertinent documents, which include: 1) Semester One Exam Schedule and Exam Guidelines, 2) GHS Daily Tone Schedule for January 17, 2024 and 3) Exam Exemption Form. These all can be found HERE. Please note the dates/times for exams and the due date for exemption submission.
The December version our GHS newsletter is sponsored by the English Department, Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) and Music Department. We hope you enjoy the information provided by three of our departments and for various reminders, important dates and additional information. Our next installment will be sent out on Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
Sincerely,
Mr. Joel R. Farren
Principal
REMINDERS AND UPCOMING DATES
December 25-January 1 - Winter Break
January 2 - School resumes -Welcome 2024!
January 15 Holiday/MLK Jr. Day (No School)
Januaray 17-19 Semester 1 Final Exams
January 19 End of Quarter 2/Semester 1
January 22 Teacher In-Service Day (Students no school)
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Erin Dederich, Jordan Ely, Paul Erickson, Andy Kavanaugh, Tom Kujawa, Caitlyn Mikula, John Plaski, Samantha Richter, Jennifer Sroka, Stephanie Von haden, Heather Zvitkovits
As second quarter began, Critical Thinking & Writing students ventured into a new unit of reading the drama A Raisin In The Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry. Prior to the reading, the juniors and seniors were given broad statements to which they needed to either agree or disagree and provide reasoning. This was done digitally and anonymously through a Padlet activity. Without much context, students had to decide how they would respond to/feel about certain statements having to do with the play. These statements were tied to common themes in the play: stereotypical gender roles (“females do not belong in high-powered or affluent careers”), cultural norms (“We should think of the United States as a ‘melting pot’ in which people from many cultures leave their differences behind and only follow ‘American’ customs and traditions”), and societal problems (“In order for society to function, there has to be a ‘food chain’: someone has to be on top, some people have to be in the middle, and some people have to be at the bottom”). With Padlet, students type answers on anonymous digital “Post-It” notes that populate on the screen or SmartBoard displayed in class. They can read how their peers answered the same questions, and build discussions from these responses.
Taking this further, students also participated in “dramatic readings” of selected scenes from the play. Students were randomly assigned to groups, and chose parts to read and act out in front of their classmates. As plays are meant to be seen, students were to be expressive and embody their chosen character’s personality, so the class could see the play “come to life.”
Finally, students have started applying critical lenses or literary theories to characters or plot events in the play. These six literary lenses have been a focus for the entire semester, and the continued practice using and applying them has only helped to enrich literature and see the work from an entirely new perspective students may not have ever considered.
FAMILY CONSUMER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
Mary Bales, Diane Seramur and Bethany Thiede Wray
CHILD CARE SKILLS CLASS
Our semester began with a unit on infant growth and development. Students had the opportunity to take an electronic baby home for a weekend. Reflection essays proved that caring for a baby is not as easy as it looks.
Current topics include story time and developmentally appropriate activities. A field experience to the Germantown Public Library was enriching. Indoor play activities were introduced with participants aged 1 to 72. Bubbles, Bubbles, Everywhere!
INTERIOR DESIGN
Creativity is alive and thriving in the Housing and Interior Design course. Students explored the concept and uniqueness of metal silo style homes by designing and building their own home. Creating the home floor plan to a ¼ inch scale was required.
Creative, yet practical items are being sewn as part of a hand sewing and mending unit. Colorful mini felt ornaments, fluffy pillows and useful hot pads were constructed in time for gift giving.
FCS CO-OP
One overarching goal in the CO-OP program is to help our students recognize and apply their workplace readiness skills and talents. Co-op students work in a variety of industries. Transferable skills from various businesses are similar. Sharing real workplace scenarios add value because it helps the student workers problem solve if they run into a similar situation at work.
FOODS 2
Students in Foods 2 were studying about Spanish food culture here are some photos from our lab. We made a Spanish Omelet, Paella, Papas with Salsa Brava and Tomato Bread. Following up Spain/Mexico we did an Italian unit where students learned about food and culture in Italy and could compare that to Spain/Mexico. Dishes included antipasto, lasagne, stuffed shells, carbonara and cannoli. They’ve learned how to use spices, make stock and sauces and will be creating their own food truck when we get back from break. Thank you again to Regal Ware Brands-American Kitchen manufactured in West Bend for their donation to our program, you’ll see some of the pans in the photos of our students!
DIVERSIFIED HEALTH 1
Students in Diversified Health Occupations 1 were trained by Prevent Blindness Wisconsin.
This month they performed vision screening at all four of our local elementary schools along with District Nurse Cahlamar. Students are exploring careers in healthcare including insurance, history of healthcare, current trends/topics, what it takes to be a healthy worker as well as first aid.
DIVERSIFIED HEALTH 2
Students in Diversified Health 2 continue to explore healthcare careers and are working on learning medical terminology, what it will take to work with the elderly, and procedures in healthcare. They helped DHO1 with the vision screening, as they also have the 3 year certification. Both DHO1 and 2 are completing job shadowing for the semester getting to hopefully see some medical careers first hand. This class donated, prepared and shared a meal with families in Germantown this semester that are dealing with different health concerns. They plan to welcome in physicians from Frodert before the end of the semester to get a lesson on suturing.
HOSA
The HOSA-Future Health Professionals is in it’s third year as a chapter and has a record 72 students who will be competing in regionals this January. The chapter hosted guest speakers from the Community Outreach Clinic at Froedtert Hospital in Menomonee Falls. They shared what the clinic does, who they offer services to, as well as ways our students who are 16 and older could volunteer at Froedtert. Chapter members also sold Pura Vida Bracelets and raised $704 to donate to the HOSA National Fundraiser-Be The Match. Future guest speakers include former Germantown grads coming back to talk about their experiences in healthcare education-Ms. Grace Klubertanz, in her second year of pharmacy school at UW-Madison and Mr. Connor Cameron who is currently in Med School in Chicago. Any students can sign up for those speakers during resource!
Wisconsin HOSA is looking for competitive event judges for the Jan 13th Live Day. Interested? Any one that is associated with healthcare and willing to volunteer to help Judge HOSA Regionals can sign up!
SENIOR FOODS
It is an exciting time in Senior Foods, as the students are coming to the end of each student
preparing their very own meal for their whole “Family” lab group. Tasting many delicious dishes like barbecue pork mac n cheese, chicken alfredo from scratch, thai shrimp, veggies, and rice,
Moose burgers, venison chili and so much more. Our students have risen to the occasion to sharpen their culinary skills. They have had a great deal of fun in the process. Finishing up the semester they will share their presentations and research on a career in the food science industry. Pastry Chef, Dietician, Sports Nutritionist, Dairy Farmer, and Food Technologist are just several of the topics being explored. Our Germantown High School Senior Foods students have had so much fun this semester and have learned a great deal in the process. Bon Appetit!
FOODS 1
This semester our Foods One students have spent a great deal of time learning about all five Myplate.gov food areas. Fruits, Vegetables, Dairy, Grains, and Protein. They have made homemade ice cream in our dairy unit, fruit cobbler in our grain unit, veggie pizza in the veggie unit, and fruit smoothies in our fruit unit. To top our semester off they will make our favorite cinnamon rolls, and chicken stir fry. Our Foods One students have learned through exploring in the kitchen all the best methods for kitchen tool organization, food preparation and safety and sanitation. We were fortunate this semester to have Dr. Ruth Ann Belknap, Professor Emerita from Marquette University come and share her knowledge of raising chickens and canning. Foods 1 students will be set to move on to Foods 2 or Sr. Foods in the future if they choose to.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
Jonathan Brooks, Jonathan Bell, Andrew Stone
The music department has many ensembles that perform all over the school district, Germantown, Wisconsin, throughout the country and even internationally. The success of our programs happens in the day to day work of the students in the classroom.
Our classrooms work towards multiple goals.
Individual Player Technique. Although we review these daily in class, they are taught in individual and small group lessons. As you can imagine, checking each student individually takes time, but the reward is well worth it.
Music Theory and History. There is so much that goes into music, including being able to read the notes, rhythms, and music directions. The history plays a vital role in how to perform the piece. This year the choir is performing Gabriel Faure’s Requiem. They have studied Faure’s life, what is a requiem, and everything associated with the music.
Music Theory and Technology is an introduction to music theory and includes the technology of Digital Audio Workstations, soundboards, microphones, and sound editing
Leadership and chamber music. Putting students in charge of a music group, rehearsal, or section gives them ownership and a chance to make their own decisions.
The creation and beauty of music. Ask any musician about why they like music and the answer will include the chance to make and perform great music with others. By studying all the other aspects of music, we are able to perform at a high level. This includes all of our groups from Sol Town, the Wall of Sound, Pep Band, our concert groups, Tri-M ensembles, and when you hear any of our students perform.
In addition to our performance classes, we have three non-performance classes.
AP Music Theory is an in-depth study of how music is created. Students can take the AP test to earn college credit at the end of the year.
Music: The Soundtrack of Your Life is an introductory class that covers the history of pop music, how to play percussion, piano, and guitar, and the basics of songwriting.
The music teachers understand that COVID-19 caused havoc in the music classrooms. Any student who is interested in getting back into a performance class, can reach out to the teachers. Mr. Brooks (jbrooks@gsdwi.org) in the choir room and Mr. Bell (jbell@gsdwi.org) or Mr. Stone (astone@gsdwi.org) in the band room.
Germantown High School
Principal: Joel R. Farren
Assistant Principal (A–L): Andrew Rooney
Assistant Principal (M–Z): David Smith
Dean of Students: Alexzandra Fischer
Activities Director: Sara Unertl
Location: W180N11501 North River Lane, Germantown, WI, USA
Phone: 262-253-3400