EEA Student & Parent News
February 2022
A message from your Principal
Parents, guardians, and students,
Here we are in the middle of winter! We know this can be one of the most challenging times of the year with less hours of daylight, and less sunshine. On a positive note, we are headed in the right direction and the sun is setting later every day. Whew!
We have some special things scheduled next week that will hopefully change things up a bit in a positive way.
EEA Wellness Day
On Wednesday, February 16, we will have a Wellness Day for students.This is organized by our counselor, Ms. Rasmussen and supported by our school counseling interns, our Social Worker, Mrs. Nilles, some guest speakers and our entire team. It will be focused on looking at how we can handle things that are thrown our way in life with some positive coping skills.
Conferences
Thursday, the 17th is our February parent-teacher conference day. Remember that attendance at the conference is your child's attendance requirement for the day. If you are unable to schedule that conference on Thursday or before, then your child will be expected in all day Thursday. We have been running nearly 100% attendance on our conferences and really value the time with you all and hope you all can make it. Times will be available from 7:30 a.m. through 6 p.m.
Professional Development Day
Friday, the 18th is a professional development day so students will not have school, but staff will be in continuing our learning and planning together.
New Dive In requirements
Our new Dive In requirements are working well and students are choosing to arrive on time and get to work so that they will not be assigned a working lunch. As I reminded a couple of them, there are multiple ways to avoid having a working lunch. The first is to keep the calendar in the green to begin with by being here and working while they are here. If they do happen to fall behind and do not earn the 8:30 start, they need to show up by 7:45, get in Dive In right away and get some work done. It's really that simple! Their school day starts at 7:45, starting at 8:30 is and earned incentive, not a given. I think they are realizing that now. Our thanks to all of you for supporting what is best for them academically.
Enrollment
We have continued to enroll students all year. At the end of third quarter, any potential new students will complete their shadow with us in summer school. If you know of interested families, have them call Ms. Zarnke at 715-261-0636 to get the process started.
See you all at conferences,
Dr. Young
Important Dates
February 16th- Wellness Day
February 17th- Parent/Teacher conferences- No classes
February 18th- Staff Professional Development- No Classes
March 8th- ACT Testing- Juniors in attendance only- Virtual learning day for all other students
March 10th- Colleges & Career Fair (Wausau East)
March 21st-25th- Spring Break- No Classes
Daily School Schedule- 21-22
7:30-8:15- Yellow Bus Arrival, Breakfast
7:45-8:25- Dive In- Learning for assigned students (required) or Morning Cafe- Optional for students in green8:30-9:00- Morning Advisory
9:00-11:30- APEX and other classes
11:40-1:10- Lunch/ P.E./Reading block
1:10-3:10- APEX and other classes
3:15-3:30- End of day block (CNN10/Closing circle)
3:30- Dismissal
School Supplies Needed Daily
Supplies needed Daily:
Clear Water Bottle
Headphones (with microphone preferred)
#2 Pencil
Chromebook & Charger
Absence Guidelines
If your child is going to be out ill, please provide whoever answers the school phone the following information:
Do they have 2 or more symptoms of COVID or are they being quarantined?
Is it another medical condition?
Any idea of how long they will be out? Remember, if it is because of Covid symptoms, it is 5 days out and 5 days masked unless you provide a negative test before returning.
Do they have their Chromebook and charger?
If it looks like it might be multiple days, do they have things in their locker that they need?
Can you pick those things up or do you need them dropped off? If the whole house is quarantined we would be happy to porch drop what you need.
These instructions are for extended illness absences, not for parent excused days. We do not offer work-from-home options unless a student is quarantined, or has an extended illness.
Student work:
If well enough to work, students should log into APEX and work.
Students should submit assignments through Kami and message staff through GoGuardian or email.
Advisor emails are:
104 -Mrs. Kleiber akleiber@wausauschools.org
104- Mrs. Jashari ajashari@wausauschools.org
All rooms - Mrs. Block rblock@wausauschools.org
105 - Mrs. Winter-Leigh Rwinter@wausauschools.org
105 - Ms. Abreu jabreu@wausauschools.org
107 - Mr. Marsh jmarsh@wausauschools.org
107 - Mrs. Phelps nphelps@wausauschools.org
All rooms - Ms. Perkins sperkins@wausauschools.org
If students are quarantined, it is expected that they work. If they are symptomatic, then parents must let us know daily if the student is able to work that day or not.
Here is a summary of the recommended procedure for various Covid related situations. We know this can be very confusing, so please don’t hesitate to call and let us help you through the process.
Exposure to a positive case:
If NOT symptomatic - watch for symptoms, mask for 10 days when indoors, test on day 3-5. Quarantine is not necessary unless symptoms develop or the test comes back positive.
If symptomatic:
Notify the school as soon as symptoms begin and make sure staff know it is for 2 or more symptoms. We can assist with the screening questions if necessary.
Whether vaccinated or not - quarantine at home for 5 days and mask in public for 5 days. The 10 day period can be shortened if you have an alternative diagnosis or test negative for Covid via a Rapid or PCR test as long as symptoms are improving and the student is fever-free for 24 hours.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Congrats to our Driver's Ed Scholarship Recipients!
Alyson Johnson
Kaitlin Le
Benjamin Mathis
Hanna Connors
Wausau School District Referendum
On Tuesday, April 5, 2022, residents of the Wausau School District will vote on a referendum question.
If approved by voters, the $119,800,000 million referendum would lower the tax levy, while at the same time allow the district to address its most pressing facility needs. The district would move forward with safety & security improvements at all elementary schools, as well as, adding additional classroom space at Stettin, South Mountain, and Riverview elementary schools to address increasing enrollment and alleviate capacity concerns. The district is also moving forward with all work at its middle and high schools; addressing deferred maintenance and safety and security needs there. It will also make facility improvements at the Wausau School Forest, including a new Environmental Learning Center.
An approved referendum would have an estimated property tax impact of negative $0.43 on every $1,000 of property value in the school district. The owner of a home valued at $150,000 would see an annual tax reduction of about $64.50.
The solution the Board of Education is presenting on April 5 was created based on the input and feedback of our community. This effort included online surveys for community and staff members, three community engagement sessions, staff listening sessions at all schools, and engagement on social media. We have also communicated and gathered feedback through a facility needs webpage and via the local media.
We invite you to learn more about our district’s needs, how the board developed the proposed solution, and the question that will appear on the April 5 ballot at wausauschools.org.
Jobs for America's Graduates @ EEA
We have an exciting opportunity new to EEA. We have been chosen this year as a Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) school. This means that we now have a full-time JAG Career Specialist to work with students who enroll in the JAG program. This is an incredible opportunity for our students to work with this specialist on employability skills, job preparation, career exploration, and credit attainment and recovery.
There are still opportunities for students to enroll at this point. Students enrolling in this opportunity get classroom lessons, support on career exploration, opportunities to visit local businesses and hear from guest speakers while a student at EEA, and an additional year of support after graduation. So whether your child is a middle school or high school student, we feel this program is very valuable to long-term success and encourage you to discuss with your student about enrolling and completing the paperwork.
Our JAG career specialist will be available at conferences if you would like to sign your child up for this program. Once they apply (with parent/guardian signature on the application), they will have a short conversation with our JAG specialist to ensure it's a good fit for them right now. After that is completed, they are enrolled.
For more information on this offering, you can check out https://jag.org/about/.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions regarding the JAG program, syoung@wausauschools.org, bzelent@fsc-corp.org
Dive In and Cafe Explained
Cafe’: Monday - Friday 7:45-8:25, A social space where you can hang out until class starts
Coffee, Hot Chocolate will be offered for a cost of $0.10 (10 cents per cup) for hot chocolate and $0.25 (25 cents per cup) for coffee. Breakfast at 8am. Punch cards will be available for $1.00 each and will get you either 10 hot chocolates or 4 coffees.
Students earn this room by being “in the green”, meaning your calendar is all up to date, no missing assignments, having all required assignments done for your Friday class, and no major behavior issues that week.
Dive In: Monday - Thursday 7:45 - 8:25, A work room to get caught up on assignments
Students will be working on APEX or Friday class homework. Students are assigned to this room for the week until they are caught back up on their calendar, and missing assignments are caught up. Attendance is taken for students assigned to Dive -in.
Students will be assigned to DI if they have any of the following:
Overdue assignments in any of your APEX classes
Calendar is not clear for the week
Overdue assignments from Friday Teacher Led Class
Also, students who have an altered morning arrival schedule, who leave early each day, will use this time in the mornings to make up what was missed at the end of the day.
Please bring a set of headphones or earbuds.
UPDATED WSD COVID GUIDELINES
Students must stay home from school if they have the following symptoms
One of these symptoms:
❏ New or worsening cough
❏ Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing ❏ New loss of smell or taste
Two or more of these symptoms:
❏ Fever over 100.4/Chills ❏ Diarrhea
❏ Sore throat ❏ Runny nose/congestion
❏ Headache ❏ Fatigue
❏ Nausea/vomiting ❏ Muscle/body aches
If a student has symptoms, it is recommended that they immediately be tested for COVID, regardless of vaccine status.
The student may return to school with proof of a negative rapid or PCR COVID test from a medical facility (not a home test) or an alternate diagnosis from a medical practitioner. (Proof may be an email, text, or paper copy.) If a student returns to school without proof of a negative test, s/he will be sent home.
If parents choose not to have their symptomatic child tested, the student is presumed positive and must stay home for 5 days and then mask for 5 days, be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, and have improvement of symptoms before returning to school.
Return date: ____________
Parents are asked to notify the school if a student develops symptoms or tests positive for COVID. A positive home test will be accepted. A lab verified test is strongly recommended.
Parents may choose to quarantine the siblings of a positive student in the home based on the health department recommendation, and the absence will be excused.
If your child is identified as a close contact by the health department, follow the directions from the health department.
Contact the Marathon County Health Department with questions. 715-261-1900
WSD Covid-19 Testing Locations and info
The Wausau School District is now offering free Rapid and PCR COVID-19 testing to all students, staff, and even their immediate family members.
Testing is now available, on a limited basis in a mobile unit. Below you will find a schedule that shows where the unit will be and when.
Everyone who would like to receive that free test must fill out a consent form. The consent form for students is available below, it’s also available on our website.
It’s imperative that you know the District will not test students without parental consent. Instructions for registering your child to receive testing are below. Once parents and guardians fill out the consent form, they must return it to their child(ren)’s school.
All staff and immediate family members of students and staff who would like to receive that free testing, will give consent at the mobile unit.
You should also know this is all being done at absolutely no cost to the Wausau School District. In fact, the Department of Health Services is paying for it all -- including the testing of students, staff, and their immediate family members, along with paying for the staff who will administer the tests, the mobile unit, and the construction of Wellness Cottages.
Please follow this link for more specific info and testing release form: https://www.wausauschools.org/about-wsd/covid-19-information
WAVE- Virtual Learning Option for WSD
Any family interested in virtual learning for the 2022-23 school year needs to apply at WAVE- the Wausau School District's virtual charter school. The application to apply is linked here: WAVE APPLICATION and more information about WAVE can be found on the website: www.wsdwave.org
As a reminder, WAVE is the only option for virtual learning. New student WAVE applications will be accepted for next school year. The window for enrollment for this school year has now ended.
Student Services Information
The pupil service members at EEA are available to offer further assistance and services to your student. Our school counselor, school social worker, and school psychologist can assist students who may need additional academic, emotional, social, behavioral, and/or attendance support. If you would like to speak with someone able to help, please contact one of the following pupil service professionals:
Pupil Services staff:
School Counselor - Heather Rasmussen, 715-261-0626 ext. 23626, hrasmussen@wausauschools.org
School Social Worker - Sarah Nilles, 715-261-0668, snilles@wausauschools.org
School Psychologist - Matthew Mitchell, 715-261-0959, mmitchel@wausauschools.org
School Nurse - Julie Welch, 715-261-0713, jwelch@wausauschools.org
We are also excited to offer the opportunity for students to receive services from community counselors who partner with the EEA, and provide professional counseling to students onsite. Currently, our partner is the Bridge Community Health Clinic, please use this Mental Health Service form to notify us if you would like to refer your child, or feel free to give a pupil services staff member a call to get more information.
Enrich Excel Achieve Learning Academy
Email: azarnke@wausauschools.org
Website: http://eea.wausauschools.org/
Location: 2607 North 18th Street, Wausau, WI, USA
Phone: 715-261- 0636
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EEALearningAcademy