Lake Denoon Timberwolves
February 26, 2021
A Message from Our Principals
In the article “35 Gifts Your Children Will Never Forget,” the author mentions discipline, saying, “Children need to learn everything from the ground-up including appropriate behaviors, how to get along with others, how to get results, and how to achieve their dreams.” You can see how all of those things are connected and lead to success.
We have a school team that has spent time considering what is most necessary for the 800 of us at LDMS to live and work together productively. Please take a moment to review this school-wide behavior matrix with your child. Ask them which of these they do well? Which are hard for them? Why is it important to follow through on these, even when they are hard? What questions do they have about any of these? What do they value the most? Together, we can have a strong and successful last half of the school year for all of our students.
Important Dates, Events and Activities
March 5: Parent Insight Sheets Due
March 22: Virtual PTO Meeting 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
April 13: WI Forward Exam (8th Grade Only)
April 20: WI Forward Exam (Tentative)
April 22: WI Forward Exam (Tentative)
News and Announcements
RESET MindBody: Mindfulness
Here is the weekly lesson for students to help students focus and manage stress to support achieve and other goals in our Vision of a Graduate.
Week of February 22: Week 6
Youth Art Month
The Muskego Art Department is excited to share this year’s K-12 Youth Art Month with the Muskego Norway Community digitally this year. Please help celebrate Youth Art Month during the Month of March by viewing the digital Youth Art Month on the District’s website. The Muskego Norway Art Department would like to express our gratitude to Alyssa Meyer for placing the k-12 student art pieces in a digital slideshow for the community to view. Thank you Alyssa we could not have done this without your help.
Parent Insight Sheet
The 2021-22 school year is just around the corner and we are preparing schedules for students. Many factors are considered when scheduling, including class size and balance, your child's electives, etc., with that said, we are not able to honor requests for specific teachers. We would like to find a great fit for your child. One way to assist us in this process is by filling out the "Parent Insight Sheet". There are a few questions you can answer about your child that we may need to know when putting them with a teacher. Please follow the link below to access the form.
Wisconsin Forward Exam
Tentative dates: April 13, April 20 and April 22
Wisconsin Students in Grades 3-8 will be participating in the WI Forward assessment during the March 22 - May 14, 2020
testing window. Our school is tentatively scheduled to take the exam on April 13 (8th grade only), April 20 and April 22.
Our students will be tested in the areas of English Language Arts and Math. Our 8th graders will also be tested in Science and Social Studies. One or more subtests may be administered during the identified time frame and it is very important that your son or daughter be in school during this time. Students not in school on the scheduled testing days will be scheduled for a make-up test prior to the close of the testing window.
The WI Forward assessment measures the knowledge and skills your student(s) should have acquired by the time they reach each grade level. You can find more information in this family brochure. Their performance on the assessment will not affect any of their current grades. Please encourage your son or daughter to take the test seriously and do the best they can. The results of these tests will be used to help school staff make determinations or placement in classes to best support your child(ren).
If you have any questions, please contact Linda at 262-971-1820 x 7001.
Outstanding Balances in Infinite Campus
As we move towards the end of the year, please allow this to be a friendly reminder to check your student's fee assignments, via your Infinite Campus portal, for this year (and any previous years) and bring any settlement up to date.
Payments can be made:
-via your Infinite Campus Parent Portal (ACH or credit card only)
-paid directly at the main office (cash or check/money order only)
Muskego-Norway School District Covid-19 FAQs & Resources
Please make sure to review the Parent FAQ frequently to find answers to the most commonly asked questions. Updates are highlighted in blue. Our school psychologists have also created a presentation to provide resources on how to help your children cope with mental health during these challenging times.
Please complete the COVID form below if your child...
- Experienced the symptoms of COVID-19
- Diagnosed with or tested positive for COVID-19
- Had CLOSE CONTACT with a person that has been diagnosed with COVID-19
- If already in Quarantine and the quarantined person receives a positive test
- If already in Quarantine and the quarantined person experiences symptoms
- If a household member of someone in Quarantine or Isolation becomes symptomatic
- If a household member of someone in Quarantine or Isolation receives a positive test
Student Services
From the Desk of your School Psychologist
One of the many responsibilities we have in student services is addressing students’ mental health needs. Our district has adopted several universal approaches to teach our students how to regulate their emotions and work through challenging times. Mindfulness lessons are occurring across all of our schools and classrooms at Muskego Norway, based on a grant we wrote for and were awarded. Extensive research has found evidence that mindfulness practices increase positive affect (feelings) and decrease anxiety and negative affect. (In sum, it helps us feel better, more grounded, and more in control of our thoughts and feelings.) But why are we, as a district, committed to teaching mindfulness?
What we are finding is the level of stress our students are experiencing is increasing, and with that, the number of students experiencing anxiety (diagnosable conditions) are on the rise as well. Given we are seeing this influx, it is important to distinguish between stress and anxiety. The table below applies to any aged person.
Everyone has stress in their lives. Stress is situational and comes and goes. Anxiety, on the other hand, is pervasive and chronic, and can have debilitating effects on overall functioning. (This article presented the differences in an easily understood manner). When students come into student services, our approach is to help the student learn how to identify their stress (or anxiety triggers), and practice techniques that help them gain control over these persistent negative experiences. We try very hard to not become the person that “saves” the student from their anxiety. This only results in the student becoming reliant on an adult to help them through their anxiety--and it actually makes them less confident in the future to even attempt to use their coping strategies on their own.
To support our efforts, we are asking that you consider remembering the following to help your child manage their anxiety:
The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety, but to help a child manage it
Don’t avoid things just because they make a child anxious
Express positive - but realistic expectations
Respect feelings, but do not empower them “I know you’re scared, and that’s ok. I’m here, and I’m going to help you get through this.”
Do not ask leading questions (that further amp up anxiety, e.g. “Are you afraid that x is going to happen?”)
Do not reinforce a child’s fears
Encourage the child to tolerate anxiety (habituation curve)
Try to keep the anticipatory period short
Think things through with the child (Plan ahead, when child is calm)
Try to model healthy ways of handling anxiety (Do a talk-aloud)
Over 33% of adults are diagnosed with anxiety, and 26-38% of adolescents have anxiety. Since the prevalence is so high, and there is so much to share about how to help a young person manage their anxiety, this will continue into next week……
In solidarity,
Dr. R
What's Happening at Lake Denoon
Book Club
Literacy teachers used their non-student work days to learn about running effective book clubs in the classroom. The students in this book club have developed group norms and included a student who was joining them virtually. Even in a crazy pandemic year, we are looking for ways to be better for students.
5th Grade - Ms. Singer's Class
Today in Team Time 5th grade made cards for Senior Citizens in the community! They turned out great!
5th Grade - Ms. Goelz
Take a look at how the 5th graders applied their decimal, fraction and measurement skills to make Math Monsters!