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COMMUNITY REPORT
VOLUME 9, ISSUE 4
District DECA Competition
Submitted by: Melissa Bahnson
The business department is proud to share our
results from the District DECA competition this
past Saturday at Kettle Moraine High School.
This was the largest competition in the history
of district competition with approximately 900
students competing in marketing, management,
and entrepreneurship events.
27 of our CHS students competed in all age
groups (freshman through senior). More than
fifty percent of our students received at least
one medal, those individuals were: Monica
Ceisel (Apparel & Accessories Marketing); Justin
Wermske (Automotive Services); Sam Colletti
(Business Finance); Cole Kuebler & Luke O’Neill
(Business Law & Ethics Team Event); Maddy
Artac (Business Services); Alyssa MacKinnon
(Food Marketing); Kennedy Clanton, Grant
Fischer, Leslie Abel, and Leah Blair (Human
Resource Management); John Dietz and Julia
Ziemlis (Principles of Marketing); Megan Scott
and Maddie Murphy (Restaurant Management).
Of those the following were finalists (which
means they were among the top 20% overall in
their event): Monica Ceisel, Justin Wermske,
Cole Kuebler, Luke O’Neill, Maddy Artac,
Grant Fischer, Leslie Abel, John Dietz, Julia
Ziemlis, Megan Scott, Maddie Murphy, and Heidi
Holmstrom.
Lastly, these individuals placed in their event:
Monica Ceisel - 3rd Place, Justin Wermske - 2nd
Place, Cole Kuebler/Luke O’Neill - 1st place,
FEBRUARY, 2015
Leslie Abel - 1st place, Julia Ziemlis - 4th place,
Megan Scott - 2nd place
Again we are so proud of these talented
individuals and we are excited to take the following
individuals to the state competition March 8 –
10: Cole Kuebler, Luke O’Neill, Leslie Abel,
Megan Scott, Justin Wermske, Julia Ziemlis, John
Dietz, Maddie Murphy, Grant Fischer, Maddy
Artac, Heidi Holmstrom, Kennedy Clanton, Mike
Krueger, Leah Blair, Monica Ceisel, and Alyssa
MacKinnon.
CHS Academic Decathlon Team Advances to 2015 KENOSHA NEWS
“TODAY’S TEEN”
Regional Competition
Submitted by: Maggie Meeks-Bosanko
Academic Decathlon Advisor
The 32nd season of the Wisconsin
Academic Decathlon began on November
10th with 104 teams and over 1000 students
participating in local competitions around
the state. The Academic Decathlon Team
at Central High School was one of 50
teams that advanced from this contest to
regional competition, which was held at
the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
on January 9th. The Wisconsin Academic
Decathlon is part of a national scholastic
competition for students in both public and
private schools.
During the local competition, Central
students were tested in seven academic
areas: art, science, economics, language and
literature, mathematics, music, and social
sciences. At regional competition in January,
team members were once again tested in
these academic areas. In addition, students
wrote an essay, presented an impromptu
and prepared speech and participated in a
personal interview. Eddie Korando and
Kelly Corkins earned 2nd place in speech in
their respective divisions. Congratulations
to Eddie and Kelly and congratulations to
the entire team for a great season!
REPRESENTATIVES
Westosha Central has selected the following 10 students to be
our school’s representatives for the Kenosha News “Today’s Teen”
feature which is now in its 39th year. Students do not have to be top
students or star athletes, but rather students who the student body
looks to for leadership or those that are able to provide valuable
contributions to society and community.
A photo of the student and their biography will be featured in
the Kenosha News over the next few months. Please join us in
recognizing these students. We are proud of their accomplishments
and look forward to reading about them in the Kenosha News.
Jonah Arbet, Brooklyn Carlson, Benjamin Graveley, Ben Keller,
Abigail Kimpler, Rebecca Lamp, Madeline Murphy, Maria Salerno,
Megan Sippy & Michael Yule
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Attention: CHS Parents
and Students
As part of Wisconsin’s mandated Balance Assessment
System, all 11th graders are required to take the ACT
exam on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 and the ACT WorkKeys
on Wednesday, March 4, 2015.
• Juniors must attend school on March 3rd from 7:30
a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and on March 4th from 7:30 a.m. to
12:00 p.m.
Team members from left include: Kelly Corkins, Jamie Voigt, A.J. Reeves, Alexander Hamilton, Christian Lamey and Eddie Korando. The
team is coached by Maggie Meeks-Bosanko
Central High School Laude System
The purpose of the Laude System is to recognize students for the rigor of their academic
program as well as their success in that program. This past fall Central High School implemented
a Laude system as the final component in a series of grade changes, which began during the 201112 school year. Visit the school website for a complete explanation of the Laude system.
www.westosha.k12.wi.us
• Breakfast will be provided for all juniors from 7:00
a.m. to 7:50 a.m., both days.
• Students in grades 9, 10, and 12 will be excused from
attending Central on March 3rd and 4th.
If you have any questions regarding this notice,
please contact Gail Netzer-Jensen, CHS Curriculum and
Assessment Director at 262-843-2321 ext. 263 or by
email at Netzer@westosha.k12.wi.us.
More information regarding this exam can be found
in Infinite Campus or on Central’s website at westosha.
k12.wi.us.
From the District Administrator…
Dear citizens:
This
is
the
fourth edition of the
Community Report
for the 2014-2015
school year. Already
with the start of the
January month when
Dr. R. Scott Pierce,
students and staff
District Administrator
returned from the
holiday break, we
had two days our students were out of school
due to the extreme cold. We hope that there will
not be any more days of school closings due to
inclement weather….but this is Wisconsin and it
is early into the new year.
As we communicated to our parents last
year when we had two school closings due to
inclement weather, we want to remind our parents
with information regarding school day make-up
for inclement weather. We have two days built
into our calendar. Any days beyond two, we have
two emergency days at the end of the school
year that we will use, if necessary. Let’s keep
our fingers crossed we are out of the severe cold
temperatures for this season. If days need to be
made up, parents and students will be notified so
you may plan accordingly.
Communications Audit- It was noted in a
previous edition of the Community Report that
CHS was going to conduct a Communication’s
Audit in the fall. We solicited interested citizens
who would be willing to participate in the Audit
to notify us. We had a number of citizens, parents
of CHS students, Administrators of our feeder
school districts, board members, students and
high school administration participate in the audit.
The board received a report from the person
who conducted the audit. The information was
beneficial to the district as it helps to define areas
where we are doing a good job in communication.
It also identified areas where we can do a better
job.
The board decided to continue moving forward
with this initiative by contracting with the
consultant to assist the district taking this Audit
to the next level and that is to identify a plan of
implementation. School district administration
and staff will be meeting with our consultant in
the coming weeks. Again, we look for interested
parents, citizens and others who may wish to
support and assist in the implementation of the
plan. An Executive Summary Report of the
Communication’s Audit is included in this edition
of the Community Report for your review.
Candidates for School Board- In my last
article I had highlighted the reminder of school
board candidacy and encouraging those citizens
who may wish to run for school board information
on what you need to do to file for candidacy.
Our three incumbent board members, Ms.
Cheryl Baysinger representing Paddock Lake,
Ms. Mary Ellen Pearsall representing the
District at Large Seat and Mr. Roger Runkel,
representing Wheatland are up for reelection.
Both Ms. Baysinger and Ms. Pearsall are running
unopposed. Mr. Roger Runkel who has serve on
our board for 38 years, chose to not run again.
Please see the separate article on Mr. Runkel’s
service to the board in the next edition of The
Community Report.
Running unopposed in Mr. Rukel’s seat is
Mr. Terry Simmons, a relative newcomer to our
community who has a daughter who is a Junior
at CHS and an 8th grader attending Wheatland.
We thank each of these board members for
their continued dedication and commitment to our
district. We also welcome Mr. Simmons for the
vacated board Wheatland board seat. Remember,
voting for these candidates will occur at the April
7th elections.
Energy Efficient Upgrades – Phase 2
The energy efficiency upgrades for the high
school will be entering phase 2 this coming spring
and summer as the board agreed to proceed with
the proposed schedule of work provided by their
consulting firm Nexus. At the January board
meeting, the board agreed to proceed with over
$4.6 million dollars in projects. This is part of
the $6.5 million dollars the board borrowed last
spring following notification of the public that
these energy upgrades were to take place.
This phase 2 portion of projects will include
significant upgrades to our technology education
area including a new roof and exterior siding,
electrical upgrades, classroom remodeling, the
addition of an elevator to make both levels of our
technology area handicap accessible and more.
In addition, there will be upgrades and
enhancements to our Science department including
improvements to our chemical storage area,
upgrades to our Chemistry room, better heating/
ventilation and air conditioning, relocation of our
Physics lab/classroom and more.
There will be a great deal of work during
summer school but we are assuring all students
and their parents that the summer school program
will not be interrupted due to the construction.
We look forward to this phase 2 part of these
energy efficiency upgrades for our high school
which will provide significant enhancements to
the overall quality of our instructional spaces. In
addition, the work will provide greater energy
efficiency. Once all work is completed for both
phases of the program, the district will have an
open house to invite members of the public to tour
the upgraded facilities.
Hwy 83 Bike Path Progressing
The final project as part of the 2009 facilities
referendum is progressing this coming spring with
the addition of the bike path that will extend along
highway 83 from the CHS tennis courts to the
corner of highway 50 and 83.
Bid opening for the contractor was conducted
at the Village hall for Paddock in late fall with
a contractor selected. Additionally, agreements
between the Village and the school district have
been developed, approved and signed by both
entities. As noted last spring, it is anticipated the
project will commence in mid-to-late spring with
a mid-July completion to the project. Again,
the school district wants to extend our thanks to
the Village for your cooperation and support in
this final phase of the 2009 referendum project.
Once this bike path is completed, it will connect a
significant portion of the bike trails that meander
along areas of our school district, Salem Grade
School District and ultimately will link up with
the Silver Lake Bike path that is already in place.
Editor’s Comment
Dr. Pierce wants to remind all citizens that he
is available at any time to answer any questions
or discuss any of your concerns regarding Central
High School. Feel free to contact him at 262843-2321. He will be happy to respond to any
questions you may have.
Financial Aid Night- On Wednesday, January
14th, the Student Services Department hosted a
Financial Aid Night for graduating seniors and
their parents. Ms. Kristina Klemens, a financial
aid counselor at UW-Parkside was the featured
speaker discussing financial aid programs, forms
and procedures from both the college perspective
and lending institutions. If you missed this
presentation, the entire power point can be found
on the main page of the school’s website or under
Student Services.
Course Selections for 2015/2016- During
the months of February and March, counselors
will be busy seeing students regarding their
course selections for the 2015/2016 school year.
Course selection is a very important process in
your son/daughter’s education. This process
influences post-secondary options and has major
effects on opportunities and possibilities. Please
review your child’s course requests and call their
counselor if you have any questions.
College Presentation- The counselors will
present to the parents of juniors information
regarding the college process during Parent/
Teacher Conferences on Thursday, March 12th.
Topics covered include: requirements, admissions
standards, sources of information, open houses
and preview days as well as timelines to each.
This presentation will be in the All Purpose Room
showcasing the career and college resources
available to students.
ACT Test- Juniors are reminded that they
should take the ACT test this semester if they are
four-year college bound. National test dates are
April 8th and June 13th. Central High School is
a test site for the June test date. Information and
registration sheets are available in the counselors’
offices. To register, visit ACT’s website at www.
actstudent.org/start . Juniors will also be taking
the ACT as part of the Wisconsin State testing.
The scores obtained from this test will also
qualify as official ACT test scores. This gives
students the option to forego National test dates.
In regards to test prep, Central will host the ZAPS
ACT workshop on February 18 and 19. You can
register online at www.register.doorwaytocollege.
com.
Seniors- Financial Aid, Scholarships, UW
Placement Tests & Housing Requests
Seniors are reminded to apply for Financial Aid
through the Federal Government with the FAFSA
form or online at www.fafsa.gov . Student Aid
reports will then be mailed out for review and
either acceptance or rejection.
Seniors are also encouraged and reminded to
check Central’s Scholarship List. The list can
be found on the school’s main webpage and is
updated bi-monthly. It is also e-mailed to all
seniors through their school Gmail accounts.
Seniors attending UNIVERSITY OF
WISCONSIN SYSTEM SCHOOLS are
reminded to register and take their placement test.
Information on times and location can be found at
www.uwhelp@uwex.edu. This is a separate test
from the AP and ACT tests, and varies among
institutions in regards to being required.
Lastly, seniors should be filling out and
sending in their housing request for next fall.
Many universities’ housing is limited and on a
first-come/first-serve basis, so apply early.
8th Grade Expo & Visit to CHS- 8th Grade
Expo took place on Wednesday, January 28th.
Counselors gave presentations the evening of the
expo to explain school and course registration
processes. 8th Graders visited the high school on
the morning of Friday, January 23rd, and received
information regarding various elective offerings
for them.
Student Assistance Programs / Support
Groups- Each year, the Central High School
Student Assistance Program offers groups for
students who may be facing a variety of problems,
concerns and stresses. The following is a list of
groups that are currently offered and when they
typically occur:
• Concerned Persons 1: This support group
is for students with someone in their lives whose
alcohol or other drug use is causing a problem for
them. This could be a family member or a friend.
(January/February)
• Concerned Persons 2: This support group
is for students who have completed Concerned
Persons 1 in the past. This group offers ongoing
monthly support to students.
• Changing Families: This support group is
for students whose families have experienced,
or are in the process of, separation or divorce.
(April/May)
• Eating Concerns: This support group is for
students who have concerns about body image
relating to food and weight. (April/May)
• Use/Abuse: This support group is for students
who are using alcohol and/or other drugs and are
open to learning more about the effects it may be
having on them socially and in other ways. This
group is offered on an as needed basis.
• Grief and Loss: This support group is for
students who have lost someone close to them
to death (recently or a long time ago). (October/
November)
• Young Women’s Issues: This is an
opportunity for female students to learn more
about issues such as sexual harassment, women’s
changing roles and other topics they may be
interested in. (November/December)
• Anger Management: This support group
is for students who would like to learn how to
manage their anger in appropriate ways. (January/
February)
• LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgender, and Questioning): This group
provides support, assistance, and advocacy for
all students in a comfortable group environment.
The group focuses on the unique and diverse
issues surrounding the areas of sexual orientation
and gender identity. (March or April)
Students can sign up for groups by seeing their
school counselor or completing the group survey
e-mailed to them at the beginning of the school
year and again in January.
COUNSELORS CORNER
Regular Attendance is NOT Optional, It’s the Law
It is proven there is a direct relationship between attendance
and academic success. In other words, students who miss school
tend to have lower grades and a greater risk of not receiving a
high school diploma. When students are not in school, they are
missing instruction and it’s this gap in learning that leads to lower
achievement. This fact is the primary reason why the State of
Wisconsin has state statue 118.15 which parents are required to
abide by and schools are required to enforce.
“…any person having under control a child who is between
the ages of 6 and 18 years shall cause the child to attend school
Provided quarterly to the residents
and neighbors of Central High School
District of Westosha in Kenosha
County, Wisconsin
ADMINISTRATION
regularly during the full period and hours, religious holidays
excepted, that the public, private, or tribal school in which the child
should be enrolled is in session until the end of the school term,
quarter or semester of the school year in which the child becomes
18 years of age….
…The school board shall require a child excused under this
paragraph to complete any course work missed during the absence.
A child may not be excused for more than 10 days in a school
year…”
Yes, it’s understandable that illness, a family emergency or an
unusual circumstance will cause an absence, so you can see; there
is flexibility, which allows parents up to ten days in a school year
to excuse a child from school. However, after the allotted ten days,
if a child is not at school, their absence is excused only through a
medical note or by the school administrator. If absences greater
than ten days are not cleared through these avenues, the absence is
considered unexcused, whether the parent calls in or not.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY REPORT
Dr. R. Scott Pierce....District Administrator
Lisa Albrecht...................................Principal
Peter Haubrich...............Associate Principal
Sean Leavy......................Associate Principal
Gail Netzer-Jensen.................Curriculum &
Community Education Director
BOARD OF EDUCATION
AREA OF REPRESENTATION
Charlene Brandes, President..................................Brighton
Steve Richter, Vice President......................................Bristol
Cheryl Baysinger, Clerk.................................Paddock Lake
Mary Anderson, Treasurer...........................................Salem
Dustin Beth.....................................................................Paris
Mary Ellen Pearsall.................................................At Large
Roger Runkel........................................................Wheatland
Published by Proforma Impact Promotions
& Graphics, LLC
Central High School Community Report / February 2015
VISIT CENTRAL’S WEB SITE
FOR DISTRICT
INFORMATION AT:
www.westosha.k12.wi.us
or
Turn to Cable TV Channel 14 for
District information
SCHOOL PHONE NUMBER:
262-843-2321
ATTENDANCE OFFICE:
262-843-3820
Nondiscrimination Policy. The Board of Education declares
it to be the policy of this District to provide an equal opportunity for all students-regardless of race; color; creed; pregnancy;
marital or parental status; physical, mental, emotional, or learning
disability; age religion; gender or gender orientation; ancestry;
national origin; place of residence within the boundaries of the
District; or social or economic background, to learn through the
curriculum offered in this District. All academic, vocational, and
extracurricular programs follow the District’s policies of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or
handicap. Any questions concerning Title IX of the Educational
Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the
basis of sex or injuries related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of
handicap, should be directed to: District Administrator, Central
High School District of Westosha, Post Office Box 38, Salem,
Wisconsin, 53168 Phone: (262) 843-4211 Fax: (262) 843-4069.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights (Office of Adjudication), 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll free (866)
632-9992.
Page 2
Regular Attendance is
NOT Optional, It’s the
Law - CONT.
When this occurs, truancy laws come into
place and the school will follow a series of steps
such as parent calls, in-person meetings, and even
municipal and county citations to bring students
into compliance. In addition to these measures,
we are also required to submit to the State of
Wisconsin the names of students who have five or
more unexcused absences in a semester, as then
they are defined to be a “habitual truant” by law.
The sad fact with all of this isn’t the extra
work the school needs to do to follow-up on nonattenders, it’s the loss of learning and the negative
pathway a student is creating which will have an
impact on their future.
Habits form quickly and they can be positive or
negative. Regular attendance is a habit that must
be formed and enforced. When parents start to
see the frequency of absences creep up, they must
step in and re-establish the expectations. Students
must be taught that we are no different than they
are. As adults, we will have days where we just
don’t want to go to work and could easily talk
ourselves into staying home. However, unless it’s
an acceptable reason, we push ourselves to go to
work because it’s the responsible and right thing
to do. If we didn’t, we know that we could easily
start a bad habit, talking ourselves into why we
need to stay home and a high amount of missed
work could jeopardize our continued employment.
Regular attendance is something that our students
need to realize is essential not only in their role
as a student today, but also, in their role as an
employee in the future.
Westosha Hosts Infinite
Campus Meeting
By: Aaron McTavish, Network Director
On Thursday, January 15th, Westosha
Central High hosted an Infinite Campus Systems
Administrator User Group Meeting. This is the
first such meeting ever in the state. It was the
idea of and organized by the IT Department at
Westosha.
Approximately 15 different school districts,
both large and small, from around the state were
in attendance. An Infinite Campus representative
along with a CESA representative were also there.
Since Westosha is a leader within the state for
utilizing Infinite Campus to its fullest potential,
we wanted to meet with other districts and help
them continue their implementation, solve the
problems they were having, and work together to
make recommendations for how Infinite Campus
continues to improve their product. It was a lively,
enlightening, and productive discussion.
Due to the fantastic outcome of this meeting
another one is already being scheduled to occur,
this time in Central Wisconsin.
CENTRAL UPDATE
From the desk of Principal Albrecht…
As I prepare my column for this edition of the
Community Report, students are finishing up their first
semester classes and preparing for final exams. This
marks the halfway point of the school year. Now is a
good time to sit down with your student and talk about
how first semester went. In September, every student
has the greatest intentions, vowing to do their best and
Lisa Albrecht,
be successful in their studies. The question that now
Principal
needs to be addressed, did they meet their goals?
Academic success and earning credit is essential
in the high school. First, a student must earn 24 credits to graduate and
second, the academic record that students create will largely impact their
opportunities after high school. For most students and their parents, this
Submitted by: Peter Haubrich, Associate Principal
conversation is occurring throughout the semester and while there may be
some ups and downs, which is perfectly normal, the focus is on reaching
their goal. For these students, they have the right recipe for success. They
take responsibility by transitioning their intentions to actions, persevering
through the challenges and embracing opportunities. Parents set high
expectations, maintain limitations and call students to task when things are
not getting done and frequently privileges are granted when responsibility is
demonstrated. However, I said “most” students, not all. Each year, at about
this time, sad and often panicked conversations occur because some students
fail to understand these simple principles and wonder what can be done
to “fix” things. None of us want to see any student fail to meet academic
standards, and I have never sat in a parent/student meeting where I heard,
“we don’t want academic success and by the way, a high school diploma
isn’t important”. So parents and students, now is the time to reflect and if
needed, make changes. It’s never too late to do the right thing!
Participation
At the first girls basketball game here at Central, I ran into Matt Hardy, an
old coaching friend of mine who is now a referee. We talked about the old days
and where his kids are now at the ages of 28, 25, and 23. I asked Matt how
many kids that he estimates were on his teams over his 20+ years he coached.
His answer was “hundreds.”
As a coach who did not work in the schools, Matt found a way to coach
his children as well as many others. He still coaches track to this day giving
up more time than the money he is paid is worth it. Why does he or any other
coach do it?
To answer this question you need to consider what any extra-curricular
activity offers to students:
1. The ability to become part of and represent the school.
2. The understanding of what it is like to be part of a team and to have
people rely on you.
3. The chance to perform or compete knowing that you have put forth the
highest effort and knowing that regardless of the result that you did the very
best you possibly could.
4. Learning that hard work pays off.
5. Meeting the academic and behavioral requirements required for
participation.
6. Developing friendships, relationships, and memories that will last forever.
Central High School offers the following competitions, clubs, and teams that
students can choose to be a part of: Academic Decathlon, Art Club, Aviation
Club, Baseball, Basketball -Boys and Girls, Battle of the Books, Botany Club,
Bowling Club, CSI, Cheerleading, Chemistry Club, Chess Club, Computer
Club, Cross Country, Dance Team, DECA, Drama Club, Environmental Club,
Equestrian Club, Homecoming, FBLA, FCCLA, Film Club, FMP, Football,
Forensics, French Honor Society, Geography Club, Global Awareness Club,
Golf, Gymnastics, Habitat for Humanity, Homecoming Court, International
Club, Key Club, Life of an Athlete Club, Marching Band, Math Club, National
Honor Society, Peer Helpers, Pep Band, Powerlifting Club, Skills USA Soccer,
Softball, Solo and Ensemble, Academic Bowl, Student Council, Swim Team,
Tennis, Track, Tractor Drivers –Homecoming, Trap Shooting Club, Tri-Music
Honors Club, Variety Show, Volleyball, Wrestling.
Give us a minute and I am sure we will add more. The point is that there
are many ways to become part of the school environment and it is estimated
by Athletic and Activity Director, Jonathon Lindh that 2/3 of the student body
was involved in some sort of activity this fall. The best way to ensure that your
child flourishes academically and has a positive outlook on their high school
years is to get them become involved in some way. Coaches and supervisors
know this and are committed to be a part of the school community. Thank
them when you get the opportunity.
Seeking Host Families for International Students
Brief Summer Homestays
Each summer, Central High School’s World Language Department brings
15-30 international students from Spain and France to stay in our community
through Intercultural Student Experiences based in Minneapolis. While
they’re here for just a few weeks, the connections and friendships that are
made can spark a legacy of cross-cultural connections that lasts for years to
come
Hosting international students brings the world to your doorstep. Your
family will learn about another culture while sharing your own with an
international student. You’ll provide an opportunity for the visiting student
to practice his or her English skills and to experience American lifestyle from
an insider’s perspective. It is preferable to have another child in the home,
but it is not necessary. We also need homes for the college-age leaders who
accompany the groups.
Plus, if you have a child who would like to travel to either France,
Germany, or a Spanish-speaking country during his or her high school career
at Westosha Central, by hosting, your child will earn a rebate or credit toward
the cost of that travel program of up to $250per hosting experience We have
students going to France this spring break for an immersion program who
have hosted three summers in a row. This reduced the price of the trip from
$2800 to $2050!
The students from Spain arrive the third week of June and typically stay
for 5 weeks. The French students arrive July 7 and depart July 29. The stay
can be divided between two families (for half of the rebate amount) so you
can host for as short as ten days. We have many experienced host families
in our community who could tell you about it and answer your questions.
If you are willing to open your heart and your home to a Spanish or
French teenager or one of the group leaders, please contact the World
Language Department at the high school: 843-2321. French coordinator:
Julia Price: pricej@westosha.k12.wi.us or Jim Getka:getka@westosha.k12.
wi.us, Spanish coordinator. Merci Danke Gracias Thank you!
Communication Audit Executive Summary of Results and Recommendations Prepared
December 9, 2014 for Central High School District of Westosha
Summary of Results
A communication audit was completed as
part of the district’s newly adopted strategic
plan. The two main purposes of the audit are
to assess the current state of communication
in the district and to present recommendations
to improve communication in the future.
Organizational communication can be viewed
through two lenses: external communication and
internal communication.
Several methods of research were applied to
gather information. Interviews, focus groups, a
review of the district’s current communication
tactics, and a community survey were the main
techniques used to gather information. After
analyzing the various data and surveying the
current communication tactics, there are several
key findings.
It is concluded that the district faces three
communication challenges. These are:
1. To improve communication between the
K-8 feeder schools and the union high school;
2. To continually focus on positive relationships
and reputation of the district in an era of open
enrollment; and
3. To focus on internal communication that
supports employee engagement.
Positive results were found in parent-teacher
communication and in recent activities geared
at involving the feeder schools in high school
activities. A recent effort to execute external
communication tactics is apparent in the District,
including updates to the Website, inviting feeder
schools to participate in the Homecoming parade
and staff-parent communication focus.
To address its communication challenges, the
district’s leadership team should first engage in a
process to better understand communication and
the role it plays in an effective organization. A
leadership workshop or series of workshops could
help clarify and create a shared understanding
of effective organizational communication. A
series of one-on-one, face-to-face meetings with
the feeder schools may help engage them in
improving communication long-term. Once the
leadership team develops a shared understanding
and sets communication goals, the district should
develop a time-bound specific communication
plan.
It generally takes 3-5 years to solidly establish an
ongoing, time-bound measurable communication
plan. While a long-list of recommendations is
provided, they are not listed in any particular
order. They should be evaluated by a district team
and organized into a comprehensive plan.
Summary of Recommendations
External Communication
1. Target audience: Parents/Students
Work with Facebook and seek clarification on
how to clean up the many accounts that can be
found when searching for Central High School
Westosha.
Establish an overall social media strategy to
celebrate the academic achievements and range
of opportunities available at Central High School.
Consider sharing content from the pre- K8 schools
to include them in the Central High School
community and ask the pre-K8s to share Central
High School content. Use
Facebook and Twitter to communicate with
parents and include other social media outlets,
such as Instagram, for students. This may
Central High School Community Report / February 2015
increase a sense of community between parents
and students of the feeder schools with the high
school.
Continue to sponsor activities that encourage
feeder school participation in
Central High School events. Create information
that can be distributed by the feeder schools to the
parents of students that showcases opportunities
at CHS. Distribute information electronically,
in-person, and in print. Develop a strategy to help
freshmen parents quickly learn about the high
school. Create electronic e-newsletters to increase
frequency of communication with parents. Create
an info-graphic or organizer of all the ways to
communicate with the schools.
2. Target audience: Community, future parents
and future residents. Train an additional person on
the website. Establish a way for the webmasters to
update the website remotely, such as during severe
weather. Continue to use the website as a hub of
information, develop a website content strategy
that provides the information visitors seek. “Push”
out content (communication) as well. Use methods
such as social media and news releases in West
of the I, as well as electronic newsletters, using
a software program such as Constant Contact.
Continue the Community Report. Revise the
content strategy to meet communication goals.
Use press releases, especially in West of the I.
Create a formal way to share Board of Education
decisions with the various representatives of
the villages and towns. Seek more non-parent,
non-staff involvement on committees and in the
schools.
3. Target audience: Leadership and staff of
pre-K8 schools. Use face-to-face strategies to
build relationships between the pre-K8s and
Central High School District leadership teams.
Approach the pre-K8s with an external customer
service focus. This might first take the shape
of inquiries to the schools to determine what
they need from Central High School. This can
be done in a variety of ways including one-onone meetings with each school, complemented
with a large group meeting/workshop style, etc.
The focus should be clarifying communication
expectations and generating ways to work together
for student achievement.
Internal Communication
Develop a workshop or series of events to help
the leadership team “get on the same page” to
clearly define internal communication goals.
This would include developing a more robust
understanding of leadership communication, and
seeking to develop communication strategies
and activities for employee engagement in
improvement efforts as well as task completion.
Devise strategies to address the four areas of
engagement communication are:
Employees know and understand the mission.
Employees know and understand how their job
helps achieve the mission.
Employees feel supported in their work to
achieve the mission.
Employees feel that their work is valued.
The communication audit executive summary of
results and recommendations was prepared by:
Dorreen Dembski
CESA 6 Director of Communication
ddembski@cesa6.org
920573-1425
Page 3
WINTER SPORTS
Girls Basketball JV2
Girls Basketball JV1
Girls Basketball Varsity
Boys Basketball JV2
Boys Basketball JV1
Boys Basketball Varsity
Gymnastics
Boys Hockey JV
Boys Hockey Varsity
Wrestling
JV Cheerleading
Varsity Cheerleading
Varsity Boys Swim Team
Marshall Gilbert signing his letter of
intent to play Baseball for John A. Logan
College. Congratulations Marshall!
FOR THEM
Hello, this is Cole Andrekus, a Westosha
Central alumnus from the Class of 2012. I
currently am attending St. Norbert College in De
Pere, WI, and am enrolled in the Army ROTC
program there. This coming August, my friends
Erik Stoltzner, Thomas Wolf, and I will be
participating in an event we titled “For Them,”
a voluntary 136-mile ruck march around Lake
Michigan. The march will consist of the three
of us walking from Wilmette Beach, Chicago to
South Haven Beach in Michigan over the course
of a week. We will be carrying only our living
and food necessities in our “ruck” sacks (similar
to backpacks with a frame).
This is all being done to raise funds and
awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project,
a foundation created to aid and assist injured
veterans of our nation’s Armed Forces. We
already have a strong start towards our goal of
$15,000, but we need your help! Please donate
and help us reach our goal; 100% of donations
will be sent towards this foundation to help those
who have sacrificed so much for our great country
get back on their feet. We all owe our freedoms to
these service members, and I can promise that you
will not donate to a more noble cause. Donations
may be done online at our website (below), and
we will have a Facebook page operating soon as
well. You may also contact me by email ( cole.
andrekus@snc.edu ) for any questions. Please
consider what your donation would mean towards
helping these heroes recover. Thank you.
Website:
https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/
group-fun…/forthem
Central High School Community Report / February 2015
Photo credits to Ciotti Photography
Weightlifting
Submitted by: Jeff Tracy, Weightlifting Teacher
The Weightlifting I class is now in their third
six week cycle. In this cycle the students have to
design their own workout pertaining to whatever
body parts they want to concentrate on. Some will
be designing workouts to lose weight and tone up
while others will be packing on the weight with a
more anaerobic approach. Either way the benefits
are endless.
Low weights and high reps burn fat and sugar
causing the body’s metabolism to rise; so many
students choose high rep workouts. Low rep
heavy weight workouts build bigger stronger
muscles and burn sugar at a very high rate; many
athletes choose these workouts. Both workouts
also help build a stronger skeletal system. When
your bones are healthy your whole body is
healthy.
GO FALCONS!
Page 4
Character
Awards
These students were nominated by a faculty member as going
above and beyond the expectations of responsibility, cooperation,
integrity and respect. Congratulations and keep up the good work!
Emma Slutsky, Madison DeBoer, Samantha Manis
Braden Beth, Lucas Wysiatko, Nicole Ginnow, Kayla Weidner,
Faith Howell, Jessica Vela
Devin Roenfanz, Alyssa Sokolski, Brianna Wolkober,
Kendra Proell, Mikayla Sellers
Cruz Garcia, Jarrett LaPlant, Jon Sattersten, Haley Hassett,
Emma Heller-Cavener, Katrina Rhodes
Nichole Hudrick, Lucas Andre, Malachi Wadas,
Marshall Gilbert
Youth Football Program
Submitted by: Tyson Mengel, Football Coach
Attention Future Falcon Football Players and
Families: I am excited to announce Westosha
Central is creating our own youth football
program. Currently, we have found the league that
will best fit our needs, the South Eastern Youth
Football Alliance (SEYFA). The SEYFA is made
up of many teams we play at the high school level
(Waterford, Union Grove, and Burlington). This
league allows for 1st-8th grade teams and is an
all play league. This means that all the members
of the team will play in each and every game.
The other aspect we found intriguing about this
league is the fact that it is broken up by grade
level only and not by weight. The arrangement
of this league will allow our players to develop
friendships and a rapport with their fellow future
Central classmates before their freshmen year of
high school.
The vision thus far regarding the program is
to limit practice time to three days a week, or 6
hours total. Games are played on Saturdays with
the furthest drive being to a school just south
of Milwaukee. Coaches will be taught proper
tackling form and technique that we teach at the
high school level. Such techniques have lowered
our injury/concussion rate by over 50% over the
past two years. Youth coaches will teach the
high school playbook and schemes on offense
and defense. Please email Coach Mengel at
mengelt@westosha.k12.wi.us for more details.
GO FALCONS!
CHS Girls Basketball
Submitted by: Jerod Boyd, Head Coach
The girls varsity basketball team has
experienced their high’s and low’s this year. We
are currently at 6-7 and have won all the games
that we should have. We started out with a big
victory against a Jefferson team that we shouldn’t
have beat. We have continued to grow over the
season and we are playing our best basketball
Welcome to Reality!
Submitted by:
Department Leader
Julie Eckhart, Business
The Business Department hosted its Reality
Store Event on Friday, December 5, 2014. All
students in the Personal Finance classes as well as
seniors were required to participate. The Reality
Store is a financial simulation where high school
students choose careers and make decisions about
their budgets and lifestyles. The activity is a fun
and effective way for students to learn about
personal accounting, financial responsibility
and life choices while interacting with business
professionals and community members.
A big thank you to all our volunteers! It was
your dedication and expertise that continues to
make our events a success!
Bear Realty, BMO Harris Bank, Community
State Bank, Cornerstone Construction, Goodwill
Industries, Hartnell Chevrolet, LMI Packaging,
National Guard, Safe, Harbor Humane Society,
Trottier Insurance, United Way of Kenosha,
Walsworth Publishing, CHS Administration and
Staff And Many Community Members
Our next Reality Store Event will be on Friday,
April 24, 2015. If you would like to volunteer,
please contact Julie Eckhart at (262) 843-2321
Ext. 317 or eckhart@westosha.k12.wi.us.
right now. Jaela McGill is leading us in points
and Madison Stancyzk is leading us in rebounds.
Defensively we are forcing a lot of turnovers and
making other teams work hard on the offensive
end. Mackenzie Meyers and Elaine Andersen
lead the defensive effort with tons of deflections
and steals. We hope to continue to get better as
the season progresses and get better as individuals.
Physical Education
Submitted by: Jake Morman, Physical Education Teacher
The freshman boys
Physical
Education
classes
continue
to improve in the
weight room using
the Bigger, Faster,
Stronger
program
(BFS). Throughout the
semester, all of Mr.
Morman’s
Physical
Education class’s lift
weights twice a week.
This was done in an
effort to put more of
an emphasis on fitness
based lifelong Physical
Education in addition to
the traditional team sports taught. While using this program the
students rotate between weight charts such as 3X3, 5X5, 5,4,3,2,1,
and 10,8,6, each week and work to break their own lifting records.
This is the same program that the Athletic programs are using here
at Central and it’s having a big impact on our students and athletes.
The program focuses on four main core lifts such as the bench press,
parallel squat, dead lift, and power clean. In the beginning of the
semester the focus was on weight room safety and the importance
of proper technique when performing the lifts. After a few weeks
of working technique and learning the lifts, the students have started
to see results of how successful the program can be as many have
increased strength, flexibility, and endurance dramatically in a short
period of time.
Central High School Community Report / February 2015
Social Media
Submitted by: Jon Lindh, Athletic Director
As we progress into the 21st century, technology continues
to produce many positive and negative consequences on
communication. For instance, one positive effect is the ability to
connect with somebody via social media from anywhere in the
world. Furthermore, you have the ability to connect with others
multiple times in a day without actually meeting them face to face.
Despite all the positive aspects of social media, there are also many
drawbacks to this new form of communication. Alex Delacruz was
a New York State Champion wrestler who staid “I like being able
to connect with people, connect with friends, but you have to be
careful. Twitter can help you, or it can destroy you.”
Currently, the two most common forms of social media are
Facebook with over one billion worldwide users and Twitter with
550 million worldwide users. Despite the large number of users for
both communication networks, teenagers also use such social media
networks as Instagram, Snapchat, and Tumblr.
“When Facebook become more popular with adults and when
their parents and grandparents got on Facebook it shifted for the
kids. It became the hangout your parents know about and could
monitor, so kids found a new more private space. Twitter is
becoming old hat, so teens are trending toward Instagram.”
Michael Gaio (eMedia editor for Athletic Business)
An appealing feature of social media networks for users, not
just famous actors and singers, is the ability to brand themselves.
Identity branding may seem like an innocent attempt to create
alternative online personas; however, these online personas may
have life changing effects. For instance, social media users may
post pictures of underage drinking or using profane language even
though the user doesn’t drink or swear. A 2012 Kaplan study found
that 27% of college admissions officials Googled the names of
applicants and 26% checks applicants Facebook statuses. Of the
posts the officials read, 35% of them included posts or pictures
that reflected poorly on the prospective student. Officials said they
were searching for inappropriate behavior such as partying photos,
illegal behavior, vulgar language and even references to cheating or
plagiarism (Burrell, 2014).
For student-athletes the ramifications of undesirable social
media personas may even be more destructive than other college
applicants. An example of the ramifications on student athletes
who have damaging social media personas is that of Yuri Wright
who was a prized high school football recruit and future member
of the Michigan Wolverines. Despite his tremendous athletic
ability the University of Michigan pulled Yuri’s scholarship after
he posted a racial tweet. Many college athletic departments employ
a full-time member to check the social media pages of current and
future athletes. Ron Whitcomb Jr., an assistant football coach at
Old Dominion, said he researches potential recruit’s social media
usage prior to even starting the recruiting process. Whitcomb said
he stops the recruiting process not only over questionable posts or
pictures but also over the frequency of updates. Whitcomb stated he
ended his recruitment of one player because of his excessive posting
habits. “Sixteen posts a day? He (the recruit) was on social media
too much. You have to question if he (recruit) is spending enough
time on the important stuff?”
In conclusion, not only athletes but all students need to realize
the long term impact social media may have on their future
ambitions, be it as a college student or as an employee of a business.
Before posting any material on social media outlets, users need to
ask themselves one simple question. Do I want this to be posted
publically and in view of my parents, grandparents, teachers, and
bosses? As soon as that post hits the internet, it is never deleted and
is floating in cyberspace for future reference.
Page 5
Go Pack Go!
Submitted by: Denise Laabs, FACS Teacher
Touch of Class students from Fashion & Design donated
“cheese” scarves to Brookdale Senior Living Solutions in Kenosha.
Residents and staff enjoyed wearing them while cheering for
the Packers. The Central connection is that Joyce Beam had
5 grandchildren graduate from CHS and currently has a greatgrandchild who goes here! Joyce is also grandma to Rachel
Stollings, CHS teacher aide.
Student Reaches Out to Children’s
Hospital of Wisconsin
Submitted by: Melissa Butler
Senior, Rachel Horst is a very creative student who has a passion
for developing movie scripts and creating cartoon illustrations. She
has successfully completed several elective courses at Central High
School in Family and Consumer Education as well as Art. At this
time, she is an active participant in Advanced Digital Video and also
Fashion, Design and Industry. Over winter break, Rachel used her
own time, talents and resources to make characters from her movie
scripts and cartoon illustrations come to life. She created several
stuffed dolls and fashion bracelets that will be donated to the Cleft
Lip and Palate Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin later this
month. Specifically, the dolls and bracelets will be given to female
patients undergoing facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the
Milwaukee Campus.
Take an Art class - Get 3 College Credits!
“Hey Mom and Dad, I just saved us a ton of $!” That’s correct.
Your student can earn 3 college credits taking AP Studio Art right
here at CHS.
Founded in 1900, the College Board is a not-for-profit
organization that prepares students for a successful transition to
college through Advanced Placement college readiness courses.
AP Studio Art is a college level course requiring a college level
work/time commitment. The College Board offers three Advanced
Placement Studio Art courses; 2D Design, 3D Design and Drawing.
As a student in AP Studio Art, you create a portfolio of collegelevel artwork which will be submitted to the AP College Board
Westosha AP Community
http://goo.gl/0QId02
Submitted by: Parisa Watson- Social Studies
Julia Price- World Language
Each year AP Human Geography students
team up with students from World Languages
to learn about various cultures. International
students, those who have spent a significant time
abroad, and community members are invited to
share their experiences with our students. Our
speakers this year included: Clément Abellard
for evaluation at the end of April. A qualifying portfolio score of
3, 4, 5 or 6 enables you to earn 3 college credits and/or advanced
placement status. Each year, successful Westosha Art students
earn college credit. Like last year, Garrison Asma for Loyola
Marymount in Los Angeles, Adam Delsi for UW-Stout and Kristen
Edgar for The Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD).
What we in the Westosha Art Department have done, has been
to align the curriculum of every art course offered at CHS to the
national standards set forth by the College Board. In other words,
every artwork is created with the goal of being included in that
student’s AP Studio Art portfolio to ultimately earn that individual
AP Studio Art: 2D Design
http://goo.gl/BdULHj
Central High School Community Report / February 2015
AP Studio Art: 3D Design
http://goo.gl/BFA56P
Culture Exchange
(France,) Mitchell Kirsch (Costa Rica), Julia
Williams (Costa Rica), Ben Graveley (Costa
Rica), Tyson Mengel (Germany), Daria Zellmer
(Russia), Shawn Voigt (Singapore) , Anneliese
Ceisel (Colombia), Irma Trevino (Mexico), Kasey
Lippman (Spain), Virginia Brown (Vietnam), Dr.
Sima Kreager (Iran), Syed Haque (Bangladesh),
Osmar Castillo (Mexico), Rheanna Pieroni (Italy),
and Dino Mujakovic (Bosnia).
Students really appreciated this event, and felt
college credits. This is a great opportunity.
For more information, contact Mr. Kuepper, visit the Westosha
AP Community and see what we are currently doing, and visit the
College Board’s AP Studio Art Course’s homepages. They are
full of information including suggested college majors and career
pathways.
Mr. Kuepper-kuepper@westosha.k12.wi.us \Westosha Art >
gplus.to/WestoshaArt
Ms. Blease-blease@westosha.k12.wi.us\Westosha Arts on
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/westosha/
that the opportunity to learn from people who were
from a different country or who had experienced
the culture first-hand, was an extremely enriching
experience. CHS Junior, Tanner Asplund said
it was great getting to ask questions and get
immediate feedback. Senior, Hannah Wesner
particularly enjoyed getting to see artifacts from
the countries. Sophomore, Will Cushman found
it fascinating that they have “sidewalk dentists”
in Vietnam.
AP Studio Art: Drawing
http://goo.gl/29VGp8
A big thank you to our guests who gave of
their time to help dispel myths and share new
perspectives with our students. If you are a
community member who has experiences to share
from travel or living abroad, please feel free to
contact us at the high school, so we can invite you
for next year.
Parisa Watson watsonp@westosha.k12.wi.us /
Julia Price Pricej@westosha.k12.wi.us
Page 6
ABS Father-Daughter Dance
Submitted by: Melissa Bahnson
The Association of Business Students (ABS) hosted their fourth
annual father/daughter dance on December 5th. Over 75 couples
attended this Frozen-themed event. Besides our highly talented
DJ, Corey Capelli, entertaining us with age-appropriate music, we
also had a bracelet making station, snowman building activity, and
a candy and punch table. We want to thank all who attended and
to encourage others to watch their calendars for next year’s father/
daughter dance that will also be held in December.
The father/daughter portraits can be found on http://
dylanclementsphotography.com/index.php/Westosha-CentralBusiness-Department/Father-Daughter-Dance-2014 Please feel
free to contact Dylan at dylan98c@gmail.com, list the photo name,
and he will send you the digital image.
These pictures and more can be found at http://www.dropshots.
com/abs200/date/2014-12-05
Salem School
Square 1 Art
Salem Grade School students, grades K-6, participated in an
art fundraiser through Square 1 Art coordinated by art teachers,
Brittany Stalker and Chanda Droske. All proceeds benefited The
Sharing Center, a local food and resource center in nearby Trevor.
Each student began by creating a unique piece of work in art class
which was then sent to Square 1 Art. In return, families were able to
purchase products such as bags, mugs, phone cases, tiles, and many
more items with their child’s artwork printed on them.
In total, 124 orders were placed for a profit of $1,357.03. Sharon
Pomaville, Executive Director of The Sharing Center, accepted
the check which will be used to purchase a variety of everyday
necessities to be distributed to families and people in need of items.
Pomaville said the donation is greatly beneficial and will go a long
way in providing services to the community.
Westosha Central NHS Students in Action!
Submitted by: Deirdre Reeves, NHS Advisor
The 2014-15 school year has been a busy year for the National
Honors Society members at CHS! Many students have met the
volunteer requirements (10 hours per semester) by becoming more
active in our community; serving meals, volunteering in shelters and
helping various groups. This wonderful group of students has not
limited their activities to outside of school! They have raised funds
to assist students within our school that have suffered losses as well
as performed random acts of kindness such as, notes on lockers
with uplifting, positive messages for the students and staff. Second
semester will bring about taking on a new project. In addition to
our tutoring program (every morning in room 132) NHS members
are going to Adopt a Highway!!!!! The exact location is still being
chosen, but the students are excited to begin this volunteer project.
The Drama Program Announces Spring
Dramatic Production
Our Take On Shakespeare’s
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Submitted by: Michael Klimzak, Drama Advisor
This spring, the Drama Program is presenting Shakespeare’s “A
Midsummer Night’s Dream.” This version of Shakespeare’s romantic
comedy is set in Hollywood and incorporates Shakespearean verse
with contemporary dialogue and film/video clips. The play has
three separate plots - movie stars lovers escaping the paparazzi; an
MOVIE STARS
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM: CAST LIST
THESEUS- Gerald Her
HIPPOLYTA- Olivia Matushek
HERMIA- Hannah Kunce
HELENA- Melissa Hauner
LYSANDER- Aaron Roloff
DEMETRIUS- Robert Her
EGEUS- Nicole Noble
PHILOSTRATE- Jerame Tooman
FILM CREW
amateur film crew making a movie; and the quarreling spirits of the
Silent Screen era that haunt the sound stages and studios that made
them legends that somewhat magically intwine in the Hollywood
hills amongst the chaos of a celebrity wedding.
The show will run March 20-22. Tickets go on sale March 1.
For more information, go to www.westosha.k12.wi.us and click on
the link under Monthly News.
PENNY QUINCE- Holly Schaal
NICK BOTTOM- Joe Cambroni
ROBIN STARVELING- Tori
Menken
FRANCIS FLUTE- Meg Walther
TOM SNOUT- Nashton Christiansen
SNUG- Colin Zinngrabe
SPIRITS
OBERON- Jaymes Gayhart
TITANIA- Raven Renje
PUCK- Kyle Racas
MUSTARDSEED- Katrina Cain
PEASEBLOSSOM- Natalia Vignieri
MOTH- Sally Windler
COBWEB- Emma Golm
HIPPOLYTA’S
ATTENDANTS
PRESS AGENT- Emma Goldberg
HAIR STYLIST- Alexis Moroniak
MAKE-UP ARTIST- Cassie
Schneider
PAPARAZZI
MEDEA MENDELSON- Kailey
Duval
CALLIOPE CACOPHONOUSKathy Durkin
ELECTRA STRATFORD- Vanessa
Tym
Salem School Board
of Education
The Salem School Board of Education appointed Parisa Watson
to fill the vacant seat on the Board once held by Kim MacLeod
who resigned the position due to health reasons Parisa will hold the
seat until new members take office in April following the Spring
Election. Here are some comments provided by Parisa to the Salem
Teachers and Staff after taking the Oath of Office:
“I am honored to serve on the Salem School Board for the next
several months. As a parent of two Salem students and a high
school teacher at Central, I have the highest regard for educators
and schools. I believe schools are the heart of the community,
and teachers, staff, and administrators are all crucial elements in
the success of the school. I'm excited to see the positive strides
the school has taken and look forward to helping in any way that
I can. Thank you for all that you do every day for our students
and our community.”
There will be three candidates vying for two seats at the
upcoming Spring Election. Each seat will be for a three-year term.
The three candidates are Robert Spencer, Incumbent Jack Niccolai,
and Shane Gerber. The names of the candidates will appear on the
ballot in this order
Town of Paris Fire
Explorers Looking
for New Members
If you are interested in learning about firefighting, the Town of
Paris Fire Explorers is the right place for you! The Explorers train
side by side with actual firefighters, to learn about the fire engines
and proper firefighting. The training is hands on and interesting.
The Town of Paris Fire Explorers will be holding a first nighter on
February 25th at 6pm; at the Town of Paris Fire Department; 16607
Burlington Rd, Union Grove.
CHS Webmasters Gain Opportunity in Redesign Project
Submitted by: Jessica Petersen, Web Design Teacher
This spring semester Central’s Advanced Web Design team will
be working on redesigning the Thompson Strawberry Farm website.
Thompson Strawberry Farm’s current website was created three years
ago by the 2011-2012 Advanced Web team. Due to the rapid advances
in technology, the team has decided to go with a responsive web
design that will adapt to any screen size on any given device. “The
use of mobile devices to surf the web is growing at an astronomical
pace, but unfortunately much of the web isn’t optimized for those
mobile devices. Mobile devices are often constrained by display size
and require a different approach to how content is laid out on screen,”
states a developer from Google.com. The students and I are excited for
this opportunity as real world experiences bring a whole new level in
Central High School Community Report / February 2015
learning such as communicating effectively with a client, understanding
our ideas may not be what the client wants or envisions, dealing with the
word “no” and not taking it personal, time and deadlines, and working
with a team to successfully create an end product.
The new Thompson Strawberry Farm website is planned to launch
sometime in mid-May just before the start of the strawberry season.
Thank you to Mr. Scott Thompson for allowing us the opportunity
to redesign your website. The team is confident, as they will work
with you, in creating something visually appealing for the customers,
provide the information customer’s need and make for easy navigation.
The Thompson Strawberry Farm website can be found online at
www.thompsonstrawberryfarm.com; Strawberry season is in mid-June,
Raspberries will be ready late August and Pumpkins can be picked and
bought by the carload in October!
Page 7
Advanced Marketing
T-Shirts, Posters, Stickers
Takes on New York City and A Whole Lot More!
Submitted by: Melissa Bahnson
The Advanced Marketing class had an
opportunity to once again visit New York City.
We had 17 students sign-up last May for this
amazing experience. We left Wisconsin very
early on November 5 and landed in New York
by 10 a.m. We stayed at the Sheraton Towers
just two blocks from Times Square. We utilized a
guide so that we can get as much in as possible to
show us the ropes of the city such as the subway,
restaurants and getting us to places on time.
The first thing we did was visit Radio City
Music Hall which has a wonderful history of
entertainment and sports—major concerts by
many successful artists have performed there,
the infamous Radio City Rockettes were actually
rehearsing while we were there, and the NFL
draft even takes place at this historic venue. After
Radio City Music Hall we visited Central Park,
rode one of the first carousels ever made and also
visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral. To end the day
we explored Times Square and went to the New
York Rangers game (they played the Detroit Red
Wings) and experience New Yorkers and their
loyalty to their hockey team. The students quickly
found out that something as simple as eating is a
crazy change of pace—for instance, it’s normal to
wait 20 minutes to place an order at a deli/burger
place and then stand while you are eating. You
always feel like you are in the way!
The next day we started our day with a
seminar from Alec Morrison who works for
Sports Illustrated in the Time & Life Building.
Alec talked specifically with our little group
about his schooling experiences, internships, and
career. The students loved hanging out in the
boardroom of Sports Illustrated and we all left
with a “hot off the press” copy of the magazine.
After Sports Illustrated, we took the subway to
Soho to visit The Hat Shop. There students were
mesmerized by Linda, the shop owner, and her
knowledge of running a small business in one of
the busiest cities in the world. She discussed a lot
about finding something you are very passionate
about and also world travel. The students really
enjoyed her personality and spunk. After Linda,
we spent some time looking, shopping and eating
in Soho. Some of the students discovered Joe’s
Pizza which is a place where many celebrities
have visited to get a NY slice of pizza. Then we
took the subway again to Yankee Stadium which
is in the Bronx. There we had a tour and got to
see box seats, stand on the field (which was set up
for the Navy and Army football game), check out
Submitted by: Garrett Pongratz, Graphic
Communications Teacher
the Hall of Fame and to just hear about some of
NY’s most memorable athletes and teams. That
night we took the students out for a formal dinner
so they could practice their table manners. We
went to B. Smith’s which is a famous steakhouse.
We had a three course meal and talked about how
you should act in a professional setting when at a
restaurant. To end our day we saw The Phantom
of the Opera on Broadway—what a phenomenal
show! The students absolutely loved it and talked
about it throughout the rest of the trip.
On Friday, we took a boat to visit the Statue
of Liberty, we even got to walk up the base of
her which proved to be a challenging task. We
then took the boat to visit Ellis Island where
the students were excited to see if they could
find their ancestors and see what those people
went through to come to this wonderful country
for a better life. We then toured Wall Street
and viewed the New York Stock Exchange, the
Federal Reserve bank, Trinity Church and also
the National September 11th Memorial. After
that we went to Olah Inc. which is a company
that sells jean fabrics and also designs jeans on
an international level, this was our last seminar
of the trip. They provided a glimpse into how
business is conducted internationally and also the
jean industry. The last part of our trip included
visiting the Empire State Building and some Fifth
Avenue shopping. The students really enjoyed
themselves and were absolutely exhausted by the
end of the trip; we walked on average 6 miles per
day throughout the trip.
Thank you to Laurie Krieger and Mary Sue
Lux for volunteering to chaperone this large
group with me. These ladies helped me so
much with this large group; we were constantly
counting heads and herding them through the
busy streets of New York. I look forward to
taking another group next year for this wonderful
business experience
Investing Team Finishes 4th in the
State- Sets New School Record
Submitted by: Brent Mansky
Learning, Earning, Investing and Economics
Teacher
Each semester, students in two courses:
Learning, Earning, Investing and Economics
participate in the Wisconsin Stock Market
Simulation sponsored by EconomicsWisconsin.
The simulation helps students learn the cost
and benefits involved in investing in the stock
market without the fear of using real money.
Student teams manage a hypothetical $100,000
investment portfolio as they compete against
Investing Team: from L to R-Cole Maier, Kyle
Florek, Sean Quist, Kamdyn Christiansen,
Christian Lamey, Jonathan Fonk, Melissa
Capra, Danielle Stachura (Not Pictured;
Karlie Schnider)
teams from across Wisconsin for a trip to New
York City to tour the New York Stock Exchange.
For the 1st semester competition, three Westosha
Central teams finished in the top 30 in the state.
This fall, 955 Wisconsin teams competed in
the ten week simulation. A team from Brookfield
Academy Middle School won the competition with
a return of 54.42%. The Central team consisting
of seniors Christian Lamey and Jonathan Fonk,
along with junior Kamdyn Christiansen placed
fourth in the State and set a new school record
with a portfolio return of 43.32%. In addition,
they placed first in the state in the High School
team division. For their accomplishments, they
have been invited to attend the Fall 2014 Awards
Banquet on Wednesday, February 4th in Delafield.
They are the second CHS team to ever be invited.
In addition, two Economics teams
finished in the top five all-time at Central. The
team of Melissa Capra, Danielle Stachura, and
Karlie Schnider finished with a return of 26.39%,
which is good for 2nd place all-time all time at
Central (19th place in the state this semester) and
the team of Sean Quist, Kyle Florek, and Cole
Maier finished in fourth place all-time at Central
with a return of 22.14% (29th place in the state
this semester).
The spring 2015 competition will run
February 9th through April 17th.
In the Graphic Communications course here
at Central High School, students explore the wide
and diverse area that is Graphic Communications.
Students learn to use professional design software
(Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign) and
use state of the art equipment to complete fun,
creative activities and create a large variety of
projects. Projects range from vinyl decals, screen
printed t-shirts, posters, coffee mugs, mouse pads,
notepads, business cards, laser engravings, and
too many more to list here! You can visit www.
Facebook.com/WestoshaGraphics to check out
what we are doing in the course and view photo
galleries of student work. Students also create a
physical portfolio of their work through the course
to be able to show off what they have done. Our
students do a great job, and it is nice to be able
to show off their work outside of the classroom
in these ways. There are also multiple levels of
the course, up to a fourth year. Students in the
advanced courses expand on what they already
know, and are exposed to new technologies and
techniques that are beyond the basics. They also
Fun in Graphics Class!
begin to work on projects from around the school
and community to gain some real life experience
in both designing and creating products in a more
“mass production” environment and in working
with customers. Career options are discussed, and
there are some you might not know about! There
are jobs in the field that are obvious like graphic
designers and press operators, but there are many
other jobs that can be done in this industry
like: project coordinators, account managers,
sales representatives, web developers, marketing
director, maintenance mechanic, and the list goes
on! Students have a great opportunity to turn the
fun they are having in the course into a fun and
rewarding career! The curriculum is also set up
to prepare students to earn industry recognized
certifications through certification tests that we
are working on implementing into the course.
They can add these skills and certifications to their
resumes and get a leg up on the competition. If
you have any questions or want to check out what
we do, go to the class Facebook page mentioned
above or email me at pongratz@westosha.k12.
wi.us. Hope to see your child in class next year!
Student printing a T-shirt
Principles of Engineering
Submitted by: Kan Pai, Science Teacher
Principles of Engineering is a newly formed
class this year and is formed through a unique
collaborative effort between the Science and
Technology & Engineering departments
at Central. POE is worth one full year of
science credit. Introduction to Technology and
Engineering (offered by the Tech&Eng. Dept)
students are offered the opportunity to learn
engineering and scientific principles in more
depth.
So far students have...
• Learned about teamwork and leadership
styles
• Optimized systems and put into practice with
the marshmallow challenge
• Memorized the eight steps of problem solving
• Learned about the “art” of an engineering
estimating and answered Fermi Questions
• Calculated free fall and applied it to an egg
drop challenge
• Participated in a luncheon and presentation
by ExxonMobil engineers at the Joliet refinery
• Used the principle of energy conservation to
solve for pressure, velocity and energy
Students with their polystyrene glider ready to
do a test flight
• Calculated wing area and wing loading and
built a polystyrene glider
• Understood the importance of ethics guiding
the hand of the engineer
• Constructed a GANTT and flow chart to
chart out a process from design to fabrication
• Performed a FMEA (Failure Mode Effects
Analysis) on various systems
• Learned about fluid power, calculated
mechanical advantage and built a hydraulic arm
On the horizon...
• Participate in a National Bridge Design
competition
• Design, create and analyze the forces on
trusses
• Build a homeless shelter out of cardboard (we
need tons of these, donations accepted!)
• Construct a trebuchet
• Work with electrical circuits
• Become a project leader
• Hone technical communication skills
If you realize that engineering is the future,
take this class and many others offered here.
More information can be found at the school’s
home page.
A team preparing their arm to compete
Central High School
COMMUNITY REPORT
VOLUME 9, ISSUE 4 • FEBRUARY, 2015
www.westosha.k12.wi.us