February 28, 2021

   

KUDOS!!!

• When you see Suzanne Dunbar please congratulate her on being awarded a Herb Kohl Fellowship Award!  This award is given to select staff every year who go above and beyond for our students, staff, district, and community!  It is an award where the recipient is given 6,000 dollars and their district is given 6,000 dollars!  Congrats Suzanne!!!!!!!!  This is a prestigious award that not many obtain within the state!!!  

Reflective reminder in lieu of an article!

As we roll into the month of March there always seems to be an uptick in staff frustrations towards students, patience starts to go down, and our actions/words sometimes change with our students.  As we move into the month of March and into term four work to continue to show patience and grace for each other and for our students.  

Information/Reminders

• Monday, March 1 - Compensation Committee Meeting from 5:30-7:30.
• This committee has been developed to take a look at how we can better serve our teaching staff with a competitive and sustainable approach.
• Tuesday, March 2 - Unconscious Bias Presentation with Reggie Jackson for the community!  
• This presentation will run from 5:30-7:30 and is the same presentation BASD staff received a few weeks ago. HERE is the Zoom link if you would like to listen in to his presentation again that is available to the community. Please encourage others you know in the community to tune in!

• Wednesday, March 3 - BLT Meeting from 12:00-12:30 to discuss Forward Exam plans.
• March 9th is the end of term 3!!! 
• The grading window will close Thursday, March 11 at 3:30
• The district has been working for months with NEOLA (company that continually updates policies based on state/national changes) to assist BASD with updating all of our policies and administrative guidelines.  
• GREAT NEWS!!! The federal government has supported the need to provide additional funding to school districts to support expenses used for COVID related needs. Our district will be getting about 1.5 million dollars. This will assist with the offset of funds we have needed to use to support JEDI for over 200 plus BASD students this year, supplies purchased, hires needed, increase in subs needed, etc, etc. This is great news as it allows us to not need to dip into other district funds to cover COVID related needs!

COVID Information:

• The Central Racine County Health Department has shared a PRELIMINARY PLAN (dependent on CRCHD receiving the anticipated vaccine allocation) for current BASD Staff. 
• When?
• The CRCHD anticipates the 1st dose of vaccinations being available the second week of March. CRCHD will be able to vaccinate approximately 300 people on this single day. 
• At this time, the Burlington Area School District anticipates vaccination appointments on Wednesday, March 10 from 8:30a-4:15p. The second dose will be scheduled on or after Wednesday, March 31, dependent on the vaccine brand (Pfizer or Moderna).
• How?
• If you want to be on the list to receive a vaccination on March 10, PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM (link). Do not secure an appointment for the 1st dose if you cannot make the 2nd dose. This is not a guarantee, but it does help us identify who wants to pursue getting the vaccine through BASD’s arrangements.
• Where?
• Vaccines will be given at the CRCHD offices, 10005 Northwestern Avenue, Franksville, WI 53126. The vaccination process will take 30-45 minutes. If getting the vaccination through BASD’s arrangements with the CRCHD, staff will have up to 2 hours (on March 10 and tentatively March 31) to complete their appointment during the workday. It is expected that staff will work the balance of the workday. No mileage will be paid. BASD employees will need to bring their school IDs in order to be vaccinated.
• Which Vaccine?
• To date, CRCHD has received the Pfizer vaccine, though it is unknown which brand they will receive each week.
• Instructional Plans
• When this is CONFIRMED, THE DISTRICT will announce to families that March 10 and tentatively March 31 will be asynchronous virtual learning days. Lessons will need to be posted by 8 am. Teachers will need to report to work, with the exception of the two hours that they take to receive their vaccination. If you do not plan to be vaccinated on this day, you will be required to work your normal schedule.
• Other Information:
• Staff can make their own appointment to get vaccinated through a primary care provider or local pharmacy. This would not be considered district work time. If you make your own appointment, please work around your work schedule or take the appropriate paid leave time. 
• We recognize that some people have chosen to not get a vaccine.
• If you are interested, but not available on March 10, please email Jill Dreger. She will work with the CRCHD and Aurora to vaccinate anyone that was not able to book a time on March 10 at CRCHD.
• Due to a limited supply, March 10 is for BASD staff (we will work to arrange vaccination for substitutes, coaches, food service personnel, and bus drivers in the near future).
• IMPORTANT!
• The most important step right now is to complete the form so we know you are interested in receiving the vaccine through BASD’s arrangements.

6-8 2021-2022 Scheduling Information

• 2021-2022 6-8 student course selection sheets were due this past Friday, February 26.  
• Monday & Tuesday, March 1 & 2 all students in grades 5, 6, and 7 should be entering in their elective course requests directly into Skyward.  
• Use THIS document as it shares the step by step directions for inputing courses into Skyward.  
• By the end  of this week we should know the elective sections and will then build the schedule.  
• Week of March 8 - Determine student needs and schedule students to specific sections when it comes to co-taughts and interventions.
• Next 6-8 BLT Meeting will be (I think) March 9!  
• I say think because if we did not get as far as we needed to with scheduling then we will push this meeting back to after spring break. 
• Then we will... "push the button" and clean up sections in April/May!  

6-8 Budget/Supplies Information

• 2021-2022 Budget Information:
• Next year's budgets are due no later than Wednesday, March 10!!!  This is an adjustment by two days and I need time to firm up the building budget and meet with Ruth prior to spring break.  Therefore, March 10 is a FIRM date to submit your budget requests for the 2021-2022 school year.  
• Please stay very close or under what you were in terms of your budget for this coming school year.  
• The following departments can increase a little bit... 
• Art, STEM, Music, PE, Spanish
• All forms need to be completed using Google Docs.  
• Because everyone is in a different building than Kim Moss please send your forms to Kim via email once they are completed.  Kim will then take it from there!  
• When naming your budget documents please use this naming convention:  
• Last Name(21-22)Budget Worksheet Form   
• Example:  Botsford(21-22)Budget Worksheet Form
• Last Name(21-22)Budget Requisition Order Form

• Budget Worksheet Form 
• This form is what everyone needs to fill out for your entire budget.  This form indicates the total amount you need/will have for the 2021-2022 school year. 
• 6th grade staff... a few years ago we decided to make things easier for teachers (adjustment Karcher made) where you can put your funds in 411 (consumables) if you would prefer to order items as they are needed throughout the school year versus determining needs right now.  I don't know if you were used to listing everything you needed right now for later or not.  What I am saying is you don't need to do that if the things you need could be ordered via Amazon, picked up at Walmart in town, Menards, etc. the week prior to needing it during the school year.  This was a decision BLT/Kim wanted to try and is now the practice.  
• Basically... lets say you usually have 200 dollars for your budget.  You can just put down 200 dollars under 411 and submit that to Kim.  Then, throughout the school year you can spend the 200 dollars when you need to use it.  If this is not your preferred way of doing things then you would want to also submit the Budget Requisition Order Form that is below.  
• The above form is all Kim needs you to fill out if there are no items you need on your list prior to the start of the school year.  
• Budget Requisition Order Form
• This form should be used to request items that are needed for the start of the school year.  
• Kim also prefers you to locate the item you need online, turn it into a PDF, and then attach the PDF to your requisition order form ("attach" by including it as part of your form via email and/or inter school mail to Kim).  
• The why here is she has the ability to see exactly what it is you are looking for and then when she goes to order it for you in August she can see the exact picture of the item you want, etc.  
• Example Budget Requisition Form - if you can just print off a shopping cart list 
• It is preferred that all Amazon orders take place in August or later for the 2021-2022 school year as items requested now may not still be available in August.  
• Meaning... if you are listing things that you need for the start of the school year there might be adjustments to the cost or availability of the items come August.  If there is a discrepancy of what is needed to what is available Kim will contact you in August to sort it out. 
• Also... all online orders the goal is to use our BASD credit card account.  
• If you do not know your Function Number (Example:  English 122200) email or ask Kim and she will help with what your number is.  
• Please send your budget information to Kim no later than March 10!  
• BASD Supplied Materials for the 2021-2022 year
• Items that will continue to be housed at the warehouse will be THESE items (basically paper product related) 
• Starting in the 2021-2022 school year each individual school will be responsible for ordering other typical consumables needed for day to day needs. 
• I made an Excel so that Kim knows what items staff really use versus just sit in the cabinets to ensure the building budget is used properly.  
• 6-8 Certified Staff:  Please OPEN THIS EXCEL and put your initials behind each item that you would use/need at the start of the school year.  At the bottom of this Excel there is also space for you to list other items you use all the time and wish were part of the supplies in the main office.  No guarantee they will be included but curious what other items would be preferred! 

Pictures from this week at Karcher as I needed to stay at Karcher this past week everyday... good for you to see the level of engagement taking place at the elementary level.

3rd graders engaged in their book club books in Jessica Hardt's room with Ms. Bertelson as well!

5th graders in Trent Tonn's art class working on drawing creative animals!  

5th graders with Laura Whiteside and Jess Graziano working on their math in pairs!

February 20, 2021

  

KUDOS!

• Kudos goes to our BLT team (Kurt Rummler, Eric Sulik, Dawn Salbrieter, Jon Nelson, Stephanie Rummler, Patti Tenhagen, Andrea Hancock, Barb Berezowitz, Alyssa Riggs, Amanda Riggs, Melissa Miskell, Steve Berezowitz, Jess Maike, Jenny Trewyn) as they have been meeting weekly from 12:00-1:00 to flush out needs for the 2021-2022 school year and 6-8 needs!  
• Thank you to our 7th, 6th, and 5th grade staff for your willingness to support our students and their course selections for the 2021-2022 school year when it comes to their elective choices.  Your help is VERY appreciated!!!  

Video:  Blind spots: Challenge assumptions

As we continue to move forward we need to be intentional.  Intentional about everything we do in the world of education.  From your lesson planning, activities, body language, actions, and words throughout the day to both students and colleagues.  Be willing to push each other and support each other.  One phrase that I recall from Reggie Jackson's presentation was, "Instead of calling you out, I will call you in."  The best way for us to grow and improve is to work as a team.  A team that cares enough about each other to not call each other out for actions, words, or components of lessons that show bias but to call each other in - be helpful, strategic, and compassionate for each other as we all work to uncover our biases for the betterment of our students, colleagues, district, community, nation, and ourselves!

Information/Reminders

7-8 Staff:  

• The grading window will open tomorrow, February 22 and close on Thursday, March 11 at 3:30 - crazy term 3 is coming to a close soon!  
• Wednesday, February 24 - Building Level Meeting via Zoom from 11:00 - 12:00.  This is for all teachers.  
• Focus:  
• Winter iReady data analysis to determine iTime student group needs.  
• Forward Exam Plans and additional focus decisions for iTime based on Forward needs.  
• Window is March 22 - May 14 
• Cooper is testing the week of March 22 
• The rest of K-6 is testing the weeks of April 6 and April 12.  These are the suggested dates (from my lens) for 7-8 as well.  
• Then... Testing break for students would be the week of April 19 
• iReady testing (K-8) can begin April 26 with the completion goal being May 14 
• Please think this over and let me know if you see a better week to do things, etc.  
• Other questions you might have :) 
• Wednesday, February 24 - Special Education Department Meeting focus is department needs.  
• Friday, February 26 - ACCESS Testing Window Closes

7-8 Staff - 2020-2021 Budget Information  

• Your CURRENT budget funds need to be accounted for no later than March 5!  
• Some elective staff and/or staff that have talked to me can extend until March 12 but that has two be the final date.  The "why" for this as knowing what electives are taught next year might impact purchasing done with this year's budget.    

6-8 2021-2022 Information

• 2021-2022 6-8 student course selection sheets should be back in your hands no later than Friday, February 26.  Please hold on to them as we will be using those sheets to enter their requests into Skyward.  
• Thursday, February 25 - House Splitting Day 
• Jess Maike, Jenny Trewyn, Scott Staude, Brad Ferstenou, Mike Jones, and Kurt Rummler will be assisting with splitting our 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students into houses.  The house names will be 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 8A, and 8B for now as the goal is to involve the students next year to come up with house names.  
• The week of March 1st we should know the elective sections and will then build the schedule.  
• Week of March 8 - Determine student needs and schedule students to specific sections when it comes to co-taughts and interventions.
• Next 6-8 BLT Meeting will be (I think) March 9!  
• I say think because if we did not get as far as we needed to lean on you for support with scheduling then we will push this meeting back to after spring break. 
• Then... "push the button" and clean up sections in April/May!  

Budget/Supplies Information

• 2021-2022 Budget Information:
• Next year's budgets are due no later than Friday, March 12!!!  This is a FIRM date.  
• Please stay very close or under what you were in terms of your budget for this coming school year.  
• The following departments can increase a little bit... 
• Art, STEM, Music, PE, Spanish
• All forms need to be completed using Google Docs.  
• Because everyone is in a different building than Kim Moss please send your forms to Kim via email once they are completed.  Kim will then take it from there!  
• When naming your budget documents please use this naming convention:  
• Last Name(21-22)Budget Worksheet Form   
• Example:  Botsford(21-22)Budget Worksheet Form
• Last Name(21-22)Budget Requisition Order Form

• Budget Worksheet Form 
• This form is what everyone needs to fill out for your entire budget.  This form indicates the total amount you need/will have for the 2021-2022 school year. 
• 6th grade staff... a few years ago we decided to make things easier for teachers (adjustment Karcher made) where you can put your funds in 411 (consumables) if you would prefer to order items as they are needed throughout the school year versus determining needs right now.  I don't know if you were used to listing everything you needed right now for later or not.  What I am saying is you don't need to do that if the things you need could be ordered via Amazon, picked up at Walmart in town, Menards, etc. the week prior to needing it during the school year.  This was a decision BLT/Kim wanted to try and is now the practice.  
• Basically... lets say you usually have 200 dollars for your budget.  You can just put down 200 dollars under 411 and submit that to Kim.  Then, throughout the school year you can spend the 200 dollars when you need to use it.  If this is not your preferred way of doing things then you would want to also submit the Budget Requisition Order Form that is below.  
• The above form is all Kim needs you to fill out if there are no items you need on your list prior to the start of the school year.  
• Budget Requisition Order Form
• This form should be used to request items that are needed for the start of the school year.  
• Kim also prefers you to locate the item you need online, turn it into a PDF, and then attach the PDF to your requisition order form ("attach" by including it as part of your form via email and/or inter school mail to Kim).  
• The why here is she has the ability to see exactly what it is you are looking for and then when she goes to order it for you in August she can see the exact picture of the item you want, etc.  
• Example Budget Requisition Form - if you can just print off a shopping cart list 
• It is preferred that all Amazon orders take place in August or later for the 2021-2022 school year as items requested now may not still be available in August.  
• Meaning... if you are listing things that you need for the start of the school year there might be adjustments to the cost or availability of the items come August.  If there is a discrepancy of what is needed to what is available Kim will contact you in August to sort it out. 
• Also... all online orders the goal is to use our BASD credit card account.  
• If you do not know your Function Number (Example:  English 122200) email or ask Kim and she will help with what your number is.  
• Please send your budget information to Kim no later than March 12!  
• BASD Supplied Materials for the 2021-2022 year
• Items that will continue to be housed at the warehouse will be THESE items (basically paper product related) 
• Starting in the 2021-2022 school year each individual school will be responsible for ordering other typical consumables needed for day to day needs. 
• I made an Excel so that Kim knows what items staff really use versus just sit in the cabinets to ensure the building budget is used properly.  
• 6-8 Certified Staff:  Please OPEN THIS EXCEL and put your initials behind each item that you would use/need at the start of the school year.  At the bottom of this Excel there is also space for you to list other items you use all the time and wish were part of the supplies in the main office.  No guarantee they will be included but curious what other items would be preferred! 

Picture from this past week! 

8th graders dissecting an eye to understand how our eyes work with Donna Sturdevant! 

Students organizing their thoughts and ideas with in 7th grade ELA with Kailee Smith as they work to create a companion book to one they just read!

 

Here are some updated images of the new building! 

This is the back wall and ceiling of the reception area.  The  holes you see on the top are all the spots where lights will hang down.  This is the same wood that will wrap the science classrooms over looking the commons and the backs of all the benches/display cases in the building. 

This is the polished concrete floor of the music wing hallway!  

This shows the two projection screens that are in the gym!

 

February 7, 2021

 

KUDOS!

• KUDOS to our counseling department, Steve Berezowitz as it was Counselor's Week last week!  Steve has done a marvelous job stepping up and assisting any way he can!  Thank you also to Nicole DeLassus and Kristen Suiter who have been with Steve for parts of their day as they work on getting their counseling practicum hours!  
• A BIG thank you goes out to Dawn Salbrieter, Jon Nelson, and Amanda Thate for your continued willingness to support your colleagues when they are needing to teach from home due to quarantining - Legit GEESE!  
• Thank you to all of our elective staff for your efforts with putting together the course booklet (course descriptions) and the course proposals for the board.  We have 17 new courses going to the board (which sounds like a lot) but as are also moving from semesters to trimesters so that splits courses up into 3rds.  Thanks again to Dawn Salbrieter, Jennifer Pelnar, Rod Stoughton, Dustan Eckmann, Eric Sulik, Ryan Hoffman, Jon Nelson, and Hans Block for doing the bulk of the work!  
• Kudos to our 6-8 BLT team as they have done a nice job building consensus around some ins and outs for the new 6-8 building.  They continue to meet weekly until everything is flushed out!  Members:  Kurt Rummler, Stephanie Rummler, Barb Berezowitz, Andrea Hancock, Pattie Tenhagen, Jess Maike, Jenny Trewyn, Melissa Miskell, Amanda Thate, Alyssa Riggs, Steve Berezowitz, Dawn Salbrieter, Eric Sulik, and Jon Nelson.  

Article this week!  

Great reminder of ways to continue to build relationships with students!  Link :)))

Information/Reminders: 

• February is Black History Month!  
• Black History Art/Essay Contest!!! 
• BASD has partnered with BCDR for a student art and essay contest centered around Black History!  It would be AWESOME to see a strong participation rate for this! 
• The due date for grades K-6 will be February 18th by 3:00!!!
•  Due date for 7-12 will be February 19th by 3:00!



• Monday, February 8 - K-12 District Essential Skills (Grading Practices Team) meeting from 3:45-5:15 via Zoom.  The link will come from Annie Phillips.  
• Monday, February 8 - Seeking board approval of the use of trimesters and our new elective course proposals.  If you have interest in tuning in you can access the live-streamed board meetings from our BASD website under "district".  
• Depending on how the meeting goes we will then move forward with our course selection booklets for our current 5, 6, and 7 grade students to select their electives for the 2021-2022 school year.  
• Wednesday, February 10 
• 6-8 BLT Team Meeting from 12:00-1:00 via Zoom (Annie will share the link).  
• Special Education Staff Meeting - we will be meeting at 2:00 by the old orchestra room doors at old KMS to visually see the spaces at new Karcher (this is the music hallway by Rod/Dustan's old classrooms). 
• You might want to just park on Wainwright/Alice and come in the doors that way - but don't park in the recess area!  
• Friday, February 12 - 8:00-4:00 Inservice Day 
• ALL staff (certified & non-certified) are asked to be in the virtual attendance from 8:00-11:30.  Non-certified staff, you have hours for the 12th on your return to work notices but they were subject to change.  Therefore, wanting you to know the hours shifted a bit!  
• ALL Staff: 
• Both the 8:00 and 8:30 items will be delivered via Zoom.  Everyone will need their own computer as everyone will be going back and forth from whole group to breakout rooms!  So... please make sure you have a space and computer to do so!  
• 8:00-8:30  Welcome from Dr. Plank, Longevity Awards 
• 8:30-11:30  Reggie Jackson Presentation 
• 11:30 on... enjoy your afternoon off!
• Teaching Staff: 
• 11:30-12:30 Lunch on your own. 
• 12:30-2:00  Teacher work time.  
• This time for 7-8 teachers will be to purge and organize materials that are currently in old Karcher.  
• 2:30-4:00
• Building Level Time with our 2021-2022 6-8 grade team!  
• We will be meeting in the gym @ Karcher for our building level time.   
• We have shifted/switched the building level time and teacher work time so that we can be in the new building for a portion of our building level time! 

Pictures from this week!!!

Some of our 8th grade orchestra students enjoying their time with Mr. Eckmann.  

Students engaged in their book club books with Kurt Rummler and Alyssa Riggs. 

Students in Donna Sturdevant's iTime group working on combining like terms!

And... Burlington Demons has been added to the new gym - really pulls the space together!