Kewaskum District News
October 15, 2021
Message from the District Administrator
Happy October!
This past week, our district as well as a large number of other Wisconsin districts and municipalities experienced a network outage caused by damage to a network fiber line when they were putting in a water main in Madison. We are very grateful to the parents, students, teachers, and staff as they adapted their plans and activities without having an internet connection. We also want to thank our district IT staff for their hard work and effort in getting the district's internet back up and running after the fiber was repaired.
Last night the Board discussed changes to our Mitigation Plan based on a slight increase in the number of positive COVID-related absences for students and staff. The three major changes include:
- Staff will increase the number of times they disinfect the room from two times to three times each day.
- We have clarified the isolation timeline (10 days) for students who test positive for COVID-19 if the student's healthcare provider or the county health department is not contacted.
- Anyone who has a new loss of taste or smell or two critical symptoms (see the plan for list) will need to isolate for 10 days from the date of symptom onset. Students may return early with a negative COVID-19 test or a note from their doctor stating they can return to school.
The safety of our students and staff is a top priority for the district, and we will continue to monitor and respond as circumstances and conditions change. If you have any questions, please reach out to your building principal or our school nurse at kbocher@kewaskumschools.org.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mark Bazata
District Administrator
Upcoming Events
OCTOBER
10/18 Parenting Challenging Behaviors 4K - Grade 5, 6:00 p.m. KES Cafeteria
10/20 Unity Day
10/25-10/29 Red Ribbon Week - Elementary School Dress Up Days
10/25 Parenting Challenging Behaviors Grade 6 - 12, 6:00 p.m. KHS Cafeteria
10/25 Special Board Meeting 6:00 p.m. DO Conference Room
10/26 and 11/4 Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences
10/28 Middle & High School Parent-Teacher Conferences
11/11Veteran's Day Ceremony 10:40 a.m. KHS Fieldhouse
View all school calendars.
Communication
Follow us on Facebook to get a glimpse into the day of a Kewaskum student. You will see regular posts about what is happening in the classrooms.
Update your Contacts
We want you to reach the school and person you are trying to reach quickly and efficiently to best meet your needs. Please add our school phone number to your cell phone contact list.
Kewaskum Elementary 262-626-3101
Farmington Elementary 262-626-3102
i4Learning 262-626-3103
Middle School 262-626-3104
High School 262-626-3105
KSD Mobile App is Here
You can have everything Kewaskum, on your phone. Download the mobile app created just for KSD! Kewaskum Schools is launching a new mobile app that helps students, parents, and community members know what is happening on campus, right from their phones. We know that families are using smartphones as a primary means to communicate. That’s why we’ve created an app that is custom-built for mobile. On the app, you can quickly access, events, announcements/news, nutrition, Skyward Family Access, staff directory, and more.
You can download the app for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for Android!
Once downloaded, you can choose to select the district and multiple schools depending on your needs. If you do not see a quick link that you think should be there, please email your building secretary and they will be happy to check into it and see if it can be added. We will continue to make updates to the app as we move forward.
October is Bullying Prevention Month
Do your part to help stop bullying. You may ask, what is bullying? While there are significant differences between definitions, most include the following traits:
- Behavior that hurts or harms another person physically or emotionally, and
- An inability for the target to stop the behavior and defend themselves, and
- An imbalance of power that occurs when the student doing the bullying has more physical, emotional, or social power than the target, and
- Repetitive behavior; however, bullying can occur in a single incident if that incident is either very severe or arises from a pattern of behavior
Talk to your child to help them understand when their behavior may be considered bullying and help them to stand up for themselves and other students when they see bullying taking place. To report bullying or harassment students and parents can use this form Report Bullying and Harassment also found on our website.
Around the District
Bus Drivers - Johnson School Bus has also experienced staffing shortages this year. They are in need of regular drivers as well as drivers for after-school events. They offer flexible hours! To qualify to drive a school bus, an individual would need a CDL from the DMV to get a learner's permit. The $30 cost is refunded upon getting a license. A pre-employment drug screen and physical is needed (paid for by the company). Once a learner’s permit is received at the DMV, Johnson Bus has a trainer on-site to help them learn the process, and they have a third-party tester to give them the required test to get their license (paid for by Johnson Bus). Starting pay is $12/hour for charter work and $17.80/route, and they are currently offering a $1000 sign-on bonus. Interested individuals should contact Johnson Bus directly for more information at 262-626-4414.
Board Business - Just the Facts
Recognition
The Wisconsin Football Coach’s Association holds an annual Hall of Fame recognition each April to honor the accomplishments of elite football coaches throughout the state. Included in the Class of 2022 will be Coach Jason Piittmann - head football coach at Kewaskum from 2003-2018. Coach Piittmann led the Kewaskum football team to an overall record of 140-39 during his 16 years as head coach. His teams had a combined conference record of 88-24 and a playoff record of 23-13. The football team also posted 5 Eastern Wisconsin Conference championships and 3 East Central Conference championships during his tenure. Coach Piittmann’s focus was always much deeper than wins and losses. He focused on developing strong leaders, teammates, and positive young adults. Coach Piittmann continues to lead our athletic programs as the Athletic Director at Kewaskum High School. Please join us in congratulating Coach Piittmann on this high achievement.
The District is excited to share that we were awarded the 2021-22 Peer Review and Mentoring Grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for $25,000. We partnered with CESA 6 and Freedom School District to write the grant, and we will collaborate with them to implement the grant. The submitted proposal included an emphasis on mentoring new staff and the coaching of administrators in the area of feedback. Our desired outcome is to increase student achievement and close the achievement gap.
District Administrator Report
Dr. Bazata reported the KHS Coffee has been named by the students. The cafe will now be called K Town Coffee.
Enrollment, after the third Friday of September count, shows an increase of 36 students across the district since last school year. A recent population study shows the district enrollment will stay steady (between 822 and 849 students) over the next 10 years.
KHS received no Early College Credit or Start College Now applications for the spring. This may indicate our career pathway program is working, giving students more opportunities to take courses and experience career explorations before they graduate.
Business Manager Report
Ms. Thoreson provided year-to-date financials and stated the District is on track for a balanced budget. The tax and revenue anticipation note bids resulted in a 2 percent interest rate.
Student Learning Report
Mr. Flood reported on resources that are used to discuss current events in the classroom and gave an update on the recent professional development day for staff.
KHS Student Mentorship Programs
Mr. Stier discussed the various opportunities for KHS students to be involved in mentorship (of fellow classmates or undergrads). Peers 4 Peers, National Honor Society, English Learner Support, Athletic Leadership, and Teacher Aide were reviewed with the criteria needed to be considered for the program. He also discussed a group called Kewaskum Impact Crew (KIC) which is currently "under construction" with the goal of building relationships to empower the next generation of KSD students.
Items for Discussion and/or Action
The Board approved a community survey to assist them in determining how to best meet the needs of Kewaskum students and reflect the priorities of the taxpayers. A survey will be emailed and mailed to all enrolled families in the upcoming weeks. Please take the time to fill out the survey and return it prior to the due date of November 23 to ensure your feedback is considered.
Purchases over $5,000 for Discussion and/or Action
The Board approved the purchase of a convection oven for i4L to replace a failing unit.
Policy Updates
The Board had the first reading for New Policies - 0143.2 Board Member Information Requests, 5500.01 Conduct in Virtual Classroom, 6152.01 Waiver of School Fees or Fines. They also had the first reading on a number of revised policies with plans to bring all back for a second reading at the November regular board meeting.
Special Board Meeting: October 25, 6:00 p.m.
Regular Board Meeting: November 11, 6:00 p.m.
2021-22 Mitigation Plan
KHS School Store SALE
The KHS School Store is having a sale (ends October 18). Get your Kewaskum clothing ordered in time for Christmas gift-giving.
All orders are shipped directly to your home and are expected to arrive within 6-7 weeks of sale close.
Resource Links
Local organizations share events, registrations and information with families around the district. As information is received the Community Bulletin Board is updated. This month you will find information from:
Boltonville Firecrackers 4-H Club - Ice Cream Social October 19
Salem UCC Clothes Closet - clothes for those in need
Storm Drain Stenciling October 26
Veteran's Day at the 9/11 Memorial November 11