Hitting the Road Running...
Welcome back to another great learning experience
Our Philosophy
What Does PACE Look Like at the Intermediate Schools?
The goals of the PACE program remain the same throughout K-12 education. Organizationally, there are several differences: In addition of being the coordinator of the program, I teach classes at the middle school (roughly 50% of my time is spent there) and I am resource teacher and classroom support at both of the intermediate schools. The principals and I have worked hard to find a way to give students what they need, when they need it.
The KASD has adopted challenging new curriculum in literacy and math over the past several years. Throughout the school year, your child's teacher will provide intellectually demanding tasks along with differentiated enrichment and extension activities to support and challenge your son or daughter in literacy and/or math classes. Additionally, your child might be pulled out of his/her regular classroom to work on differentiated activities in small flexible groups. Schedules, class offerings, staffing, and student needs determine how often small group activities will take place. Through these approaches, we are striving to meet the needs of all learners.
Here is my schedule for the year:
Quarter 1:
- Sept. 21 - Oct. Oct. 9: mornings at WDL, afternoons at JRG
- Oct. 12 - Nov. 13: mornings at Mapleview, afternoons at JRG
Quarter 2:
- full-time at JRG
Quarters 3 + 4:
- Mondays and Wednesdays at Mapleview
- Tuesdays and Thursdays at Woodland
- Fridays at Gerritts
I am looking forward to collaborating with your daughter's/son's classroom teacher and continuing to explore his/her unique needs and talents.
Feel free to contact me should you have questions or concerns. Thank you in advance for your support of our PACE program. I look forward to an exciting year of learning!
20 Years in Kimberly
Some of you have known me for a while but others might wonder who that lady is with a strange looking name. Let me introduce myself: My name is Ulrike Balistreri and I am the PACE/Gifted and Talented Coordinator for the intermediate schools and the middle school. This is my 20th year working with gifted students and their teachers in the Kimberly School District. Before that, I taught for several years in the regular classroom. In addition to a teaching degree from Austria and one from Wisconsin, I earned well over 40 credits beyond a master's degree (Educational Leadership with emphasis in gifted education). In 2008, I earned National Board Certification, which is an achievement that less than 1% of Wisconsin teachers have merited. In addition to that, I earned several teaching awards, including the Kohl Teacher Fellowship. As a parent of high ability children (all grown now), I understand the challenges, joys, and frustrations that are part of your daily experiences. I know that parents love and know their child best, and I am always happy to discuss your child's needs with you.
Email: ubalistreri@kimberly.k12.wi.us
Phone: 920-788-7905
On Making Mistakes...
~Frank Wilczek, Nobel Prize Winner in Physics