Blue Devil Bulletin
March, 2023
Lodi High School
Email: jelinjo@lodischoolswi.org
Website: https://high.lodi.k12.wi.us/
Location: 1100 Sauk Street, Lodi, WI, USA
Phone: 608-592-3853
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LodiSchoolsWI/
Twitter: @LodiHighSchool
From the Principal
March, 2023
Hello, Lodi High School Families -
It's hard to believe that are Winter sports and activities are wrapping up for the season and Spring is right around the corner. As I peered out of my office window last week noticing the sleet and cold conditions, I know I am, and I'm sure everyone else is, ready for some warmer and sunnier days ahead.
As you read through this month's version of the Blue Devil Bulletin be sure not to miss information about ACT testing next week, our new absence reporting system, inclement weather Virtual Learning Day, and Speak up-Speak Out, which is a new way for our students, parents, and community members to reach out anonymously if they have a school safety concern.
Have a great March, everyone!!
Joe Jelinek
Parent/Teacher Conferences
The high school will be conducting parent/teacher conferences on the evening of March 2. Families can choose virtual (google meet), in-person or telephone conferences. Please use the following link:
Click on the name of the teacher that you would like to meet with, then choose a 15 minute time slot that works best for you for a google meet, phone call or an in person meeting. If you choose to attend a conference via a google meet, information will be sent to you by the teacher.
As always, if this time does not fit into your schedule and/or you have concerns, please contact the teacher directly via email or phone.
New HS Absence Reporting
Starting on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, families will be asked to report an absence through the High School Attendance Form. Families will complete this Google form instead of calling school or emailing the office; however, if you have questions or are unable to complete this form, you can still contact the high school office via phone. The form is also accessible through the Lodi High School page with a link that says "Report an Absence".
Thank you for your patience while we transition to this new process.
Virtual Learning Day
On February 24 our superintendent, Mr. Breuing, shared with our families a plan for all of the schools if we had any additional inclement weather make-up days. This plan is linked in the document below.
Inclement Weather Instructional Make-Up PlanAt Lodi High School the expectations for students on a virtual day are described in the attached document. Please have your child review these expectations.
Staff and Student Expectations for a Virtual Day
Also, starting March 13 the high school will be adding 3 minutes to the beginning of the day to accomodate for any potential late start or early release days.
In summary, to meet the instructional minute requirement from the Department of Public Instruction, here is our current plan:
● Waive a third day of in-person instruction
● Change March 17, 2023 to an instructional day
● Change May 12, 2023 to an instructional day
● Change June 6, 2023 to an instructional day
● Add three minutes to the high school schedule starting March 13, 2023 to accommodate for any potential late starts or early release.
● If we have additional school closings/cancellations the District will move to a virtual school day if possible.
● If virtual day is not possible, the district will look to add minutes to current school days
ACT and Practice ACT - March 7
- 9th and 10th graders will be finishing the Practice ACT at around 12:00 pm and the 11th graders will be finished by around 1:10.
- During testing, snacks will be provided for all students, and a grab and go lunch will be provided at the conclusion of both the ACT and Practice-ACT.
- It is a paper test, so students should bring a pencil and a calculator. Students may not have a phone or smart watch in their testing room.
Seniors, and any freshmen or sophomores that did not sign-up to take the Practice ACT should not report to school on Tuesday, March 7th.
SPRING PLAY
The spring play “These Shining Lives” will open at the Lodi High School on Friday, March 10 at 7:00 pm. Other performances will take place on Saturday, March 11 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 pm. There will also be a senior citizen preview on Thursday, March 9 at 1:00 pm.
“These Shining Lives” was written by Melanie Marnich. This theatrical experience will bring to light some of the things that the Radium girls experienced in the 1920’s and 1930’s. These brave women changed the worker’s compensation laws in the United States of America, with the lawsuit against Westclocks and Radium Dial. This work is a beautifully written account of the bravery, friendship and heartbreak of four amazing women.
In this year's play, there are 25 students involved in the production, and they are working very hard to bring this historical play to the stage. According the director, Ms. Beanie Ludlum, the students have touched her heart and she hopes that the community will be as impressed as she is.
Please come and support their efforts on March 10,11 and 12.
TICKETS
The cost is $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for students and senior citizens.
Spring Jobs Fair Opportunity for Local Businesses - Reminder
If you know of a business that may be interested in participating this year, please reach out ASAP to Lodi High School Principal, Joe Jelinek via email - (jelinjo@lodischoolswi.org) to reserve a spot.
Senior Snippets
If you placed an order for your cap and gown and missed pick up day on Friday, February 24 please check the office for your order. If you still need to order, please contact Midwest Scholastic directly.
Free virtual SAT and ACT practice tests
ART STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Visual Arts Classic:
The following students will be participating in the Visual Arts Classic team regional and state competitions on March 8 and April 14th:
Kenny Chytrcek (12)
Whitnee Parsons (12)
Hannah Johnson (12)
Ember Schmidt (12)
Damien Wipperfurth (12)
Camila Becerril (STEAM Program) (11)
Olivia Tirrel (10)
Mayah Bonafield (10)
Adrianna Gonzalez (10)
Arrow Schilling (10)
Audrey Dallman (10)
Scarlett Reppen (9)
Charlotte Leu (9)
Annika Smith (9)
Alannah Moen (9)
Keleigh Bannach (9)
Congratulations to all of them!
Commonwealth Gallery in Madison Showcase:
Five Lodi students were selected to display their artwork at the Commonwealth Gallery in downtown Madison. Three of them were selected to have their pieces go to the state level at the end of March! Congratulations to Jester Smith, Vivian Beld, Charlotte Leu, Kenny Chytracek and Summer Rake.
Solo & Ensemble
Extra-special Congrats to the 14 events advancing to State: Breakfast Club, Vocal Jazz, Guys in Ties, Treble in Paradise, Woodwind Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, Bela Avila (musical theater solo), Natalie Haak (musical theater solo), Kyle Hoffman (vocal solo), Paul Lins (piano solo), Kait Meier (piano solo), and Sasha Rudnytsky (vocal solo, piano solo, cello solo).
State S/E will be held at the end of April, at UW-Whitewater.
Chamber Choir Performs with MSO
INDIVIDUAL STATE WRESTLING
Congratulations to all of them on their accomplishments this year!
Zane in the Finals!
Mason hugging his dad and coach, Beau!
Owen finishing up his successful senior year!
National Letter of Intent Signing Date
Lodi High School offered four signing dates during the 2022-23 school year for prospective student-athletes. The dates are determined using the initial signing date for each period as listed on the National Letter of Intent website This final date for this year will be April 12, 2023.
Please email Ms. Meffert at least one week prior to the date that you would like to have your signing. Signings will occur in the Lodi High School gym during intervention period (2:34-3:13pm). Student-athletes should invite any family, friends, teammates, and coaches that they would like to attend this special event.
Students of the Month - January
Students of the Month
The following students were selected as "student of the month" for January. Every month, staff from each department have the opportunity to nominate a student who has gone above and beyond in the past month. Award winners are presented with a certificate, enjoy some breakfast snacks, and receive a personal thank you note from the nominating teacher.
- Jon Wilken (Math)
- Jaden Gallagher (Social Studies)
- AJ Hernandez (Office)
- Keegan Fleischman (CTE)
- Chase Hunter (Spanish)
- Miranda Rischer (Music)
- Mason Yates (Science)
- Summer Rake (PE)
- Audrey Pierce (English)
- Kai Hall (Art)
Speak Up and Speak Out @ LHS
Here is the Link to our website so students and families can access this important resource if necessary.
Forensics
The Forensics Team is in the middle of their season earning numerous accolades. Some highlights:
Feb. 6: Capitol Conference Tournament: Lodi placed 2nd in Small Teams behind Luther Prep. There were six schools competing in the Small Team division.
Individual Conference Awards:
1st All Conference in Demonstration Speech: Maddy Berry
2nd All Conference in Poetry Reading: Jade Homewood
2nd All Conference in Prose Reading: Ember Schmidt
3rd Place in Farrago: Isabell Wipperfurth
5th Place in Impromptu Speech: Lily Strong
5th Place in Prose Reading: Natalie Haak
Feb 18: Lodi HS Forensics hosted eight schools at the Lodi Tournament. The team placed 2nd in Small Teams! In addition: Isabell Wipperfurth was the Tournament Champion (1st place) in Farrago, Talan Tamura earned 4th place in Impromptu, and Ember Schmidt earned 5th place in Prose.
Feb. 20: Sub-District Tournament at Waterloo HS. The entire team earned the required scores needed to advance to the District Tournament on March 13
FFA Update - February
After the LDE competition, attention turned to the Career Development Events coming up in March. We have four teams registered for the regional competition in Platteville. They are: Floriculture, Dairy Cattle Evaluation, Dairy Products, and Ag Technology and Mechanical Systems. Teams are practicing during scheduled intervention periods.
Finally, the last full week of February was FFA Week. While much of the celebrations were canceled due to weather, we still had a great time and we were able to attend an event at Portage High School on Friday, February 24th with the National FFA President! He gave a keynote address, presented a workshop, and then hosted a Q&A. It was a great way to finish off FFA Week. Thank you to all those who participated and who support us throughout the month!
Little Explorers and our Healthy Lifestyle class
STUDENT RECOGNITION
LHS sophomore Connor Skrum competed in the Wisconsin State High School Alpine Racing Association-Southern Conference for snowboarding. He earned an All Conference Medal and qualified to go to the state competition. In addition, he was awarded for Most Improved in the entire Conference due to more than doubling the amount of race points earned over the entire season compared to last year.
Connor competed at the State Conference on February 18, 2023 which was held at Mt. LaCrosse in LaCrosse, WI. The Wisconsin State High School Ski & Snowboarding Championship is the largest event of its kind in the United States. Connor finished in 34th out of 61 competitors from across Wisconsin.
German Exchange
Dear LHS families,
Thank you to all of the families that have so graciously opened their homes to host guests from Thailand in March and Germany in May. We are still in need of six families to host a German exchange student from May 4 - 22. These students from our partner school, the Schwalmgymnasium, are ages 16-18 and speak English fluently. While our guests are here, they will partake in numerous regional and local excursions as well as participate in LHS classes with their host partners. Please consider welcoming a guest in our community by participating in the German exchange. It is an amazing opportunity to explore a new culture and grow your global and cultural awareness within your own home. You can contact the program coordinator, Sarah Gleiss, at gleissa@lodischoolswi.org and/or find all program materials/applications on our district website Your participation and support will help to ensure that our students continue to have access to these unique international experiences. Thank you for considering!
- Sarah Gleiss
Food Service
Greetings from the Foodservice department!
Some updates for the month of March: Our new features will be our Harvest of the Month: Kiwi, Cabbage and cayenne pepper. Our Limited Time Offering will be Cacio E Pepe which is basically noodles, butter and parmesan. We will also be celebrating National School Breakfast Week March 6-10th where we will be featuring Wisconsin dairy throughout the week during breakfast and lunch. Watch for our other specials all week including ice cream as part of the lunch meal on Wednesday the 8th (comes with the full meal only). Look for our meatless options on Fridays during Lent!
As a reminder, please make sure to bring small bills when paying with cash. We are unable to break large bills at our registers. Thanks for your cooperation.
Thank you to the FFA department for all they do to help foodservice. Hopefully you enjoyed your FFA Week and your chocolate chip cookies!
Some of your favorites last month were chicken fajitas, shrimp poppers, soup, meatloaf and of course roasted red potatoes. Please feel free to give me requests and continue giving me feedback. It helps shape your menus the next month.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Yearbook
2023 YEARBOOK ORDERS
Not sure if you ordered a yearbook yet? Check here: 2023 Sales List
You can still buy a yearbook! The last day to order a personalized yearbook is Friday, April 14, 2023. Basic books cost $55 from now until the end of May.
To pay by debit or credit card, click here: Jostens Online Orders Payment plans are available online for orders of $30 or more.
To pay by cash or check, please print the Order Form through April 14, 2023, and send your payment with the student's name to the high school, c/o Renee Potter. Please make out checks to Lodi High School.
SENIOR RECOGNITION ADS
Parents: Purchase an ad to give a word of advice or encouragement to your senior for $40. To create your ad online, click here: Jostens Yearbook Recognition Ads. Jostens is managing our senior parent ad sales, so please do not contact or send materials to the school.
FINAL DEADLINE: May 1, 2023
QUESTIONS?
Email Renee Potter at pottere@lodischoolswi.org
School Nurse News
Risk Of E-Cigarette and Vape Pen Use Link
Helping prevent or stop your child from using E-cigarettes
Set a good example by being tobacco-free and ensure that your kid is not exposed to the secondhand emissions from any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
If you use tobacco, it’s never too late to quit. For free help, visit smokefree.gov
or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
Talk to your child or teen about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them. It’s never too late.
Let your child know that you want them to stay away from all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, because they are not safe for them. Seek help and get involved.
Set up an appointment with your child’s health care provider so that they can hear from a medical professional about the health risks of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
Encourage your child to learn the facts and get tips for quitting tobacco products at Teen.smokefree.gov
COVID-19 Procedure Changes:
Changes to the COVID-19 procedure were approved by the board on Monday, February 13th. Below are the updates:
● The District should highly recommend and encourage testing for students and staff who
have COVID-19 symptoms (this moves from required to highly recommend and
encourage). The District should continue to accept home antigen tests and PCR tests.
● The District should highly recommend and encourage masking for all individuals who
test positive for COVID-19 through day 10 until they produce a negative antigen test
(move from required to highly recommend and encourage).
● Continue to allow positive COVID students and staff to return to school after they have
been fever free for 24 hours and symptoms are significantly improved (same requirement
as other illnesses).
Link to flowsheet
Link school testing site
Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Janelle Sivam RN, BSN
School Nurse
Lodi High School 608-592-3853 Ext 4484
LES/OSC 608-592-3842 Ext 2103
Cell: 608-573-1851