Principal Thoughts
Thankful in November!
Recently the State of Wisconsin released the results of last year's Forward Exam to the public. This was a moment that the teachers and I have been waiting for since the last student hit the submit button on their exams last spring. We have been working so hard over the past few years to improve our core instruction in reading and math and we were confident that our score would improve. In addition Park Community staff have stepped up to the challenge of creating integrated units of study that teach state learning targets across all subject areas utilizing the unique resources of our community partners Kaukauna Utilities, 1000 Islands Environmental Center and the Historic Grignon Mansion.
Well the results are in and I am happy to say that our students performed well above the state average in both reading and math. In some areas we were also the highest performing school in the Kaukauna Area School District!
| Wisconsin Forward Exam 15-16 | ||
| Grade Level/Subject | Proficient /Advanced | State Proficient Advanced |
| 3- ELA (Reading) | 61.20% | 43.10% |
| 3- Math | 73.40% | 48.10% |
| 4- ELA (Reading) | 45.60% | 43.20% |
| 4- Math | 65.20% | 44.40% |
| 4- Social Studies | 60.80% | 52.60% |
| 4- Science | 65.20% | 51.20% |
Teaching definitely takes a team to help all students reach their potential. In addition to your child's homeroom teacher we have exceptional staff in Special Education, Music, Physical Education, Art and Library who weave literacy and mathematical skills into their work each day. Our educational assistants also play a key role in keeping our students composed and safe so that they are ready to learn.
Parents also play a significant role in our success as a school. Your efforts to support your child with homework are important. Your communication with staff about how their night went or what may be bothering them that morning is very helpful and appreciated. Children notice when parents are present at school events and your presence shows that you care about their growth. We look forward to seeing you at Fall Conferences November 15th (4:30-7:30) and November 17th (12:30-8:00).
Parents also play a significant role in our success as a school. Your efforts to support your child with homework are important. Your communication with staff about how their night went or what may be bothering them that morning is very helpful and appreciated. Children notice when parents are present at school events and your presence shows that you care about their growth. We look forward to seeing you at Fall Conferences November 15th (4:30-7:30) and November 17th (12:30-8:00).
Teacher Feature - Meet our 4th Grade Teachers
4th Grade—Mrs. Serwe
Where are you from? Appleton, WI
Where did you go to High School and/or college? Xavier High School, UW-Oshkosh
Total years in Kaukauna Area School District? Since 1980
What is your favorite thing about teaching your grade level or working in an elementary school? 4th grade is special because it is a transitional year between learning to read and reading to learn. I enjoy learning alongside my students as some of their questions push me to find information I was unsure of or hadn’t previously known. I really enjoy seeing children become confident, engaged learners as they improve their academic skills. Helping children see the connection in what they are learning in 4th grade and how that contributes to their success now and in the future is very important to me.
What makes Park Community a special school? Park has an amazing staff of wonderful, caring, hard-working people! We support each other and we learn from each other. Using Conscious Discipline has enabled our staff and students to grow in ways unimaginable before our adoption of it. When our charter school was just an idea, we wanted to make this a school where children felt valued and cared about. Conscious Discipline is giving us the tools to make that idea a reality. I am continually amazed by the growth in attitude and skills for showing caring and connectedness that our students and staff are learning. Partnering our strong academics with these important social skills will ensure our students are well prepared for the future.
4th Grade—Mr. Benson
Where are you from? -I’m from Kaukauna.
Where did you go to High School and/or college?
-I went to Kaukauna High School and college at UW-Oshkosh.
Total years in Kaukauna Area School District?
-This is my 4th year teaching in Kaukauna but I’ve coached basketball and golf here for several years.
What is your favorite thing about teaching your grade level or working in an elementary school?
-I love working in an elementary school because you make so many positive connections with the kids. It’s very rewarding to see all of them grow as students and people. I love teaching 4th grade because the Social Studies Curriculum has to do with Wisconsin History and I really enjoy learning about our state and teaching it is a lot of fun.
What makes Park Community a special school?
-This school is so special because everyone, students and staff, are so connected and it feels like one big family. Everybody in this building just cares so much and you can really feel that in all of the classrooms here at PCCS. It’s an awesome school to be a part of.
Musical Notes from Mrs. Krueger
The Kindergartners The kindergartners continued to work on their singing voices during October. They are learning the difference between talking, singing, and shouting. Some of the songs the worked on were: Proud Of Our Veterans, Jack-O-Lantern, This Is Halloween, and the Halloween Parade. The kindergartners also worked very hard at the concept of a steady beat. They enjoyed putting the beat in their feet as they marched around the room to the Halloween Parade.
The 1st graders The 1st graders worked on vocabulary words during October: Some of the words they learned include whole note, half note, quarter note, eighth note, and treble clef. They worked very hard on the concept of steady beat. The songs they worked on were: Proud Of Our Veterans, Jack-O-Lantern , The Halloween Parade, This Is Halloween, and their favorite-Skin and Bones which uses piano(soft), mezzo(medium), and forte(loud) to make the song more interesting.
The 2nd graders The 2nd graders worked on rhythm and vocabulary during the month of October. They also worked on the louds and softs of music: piano, mezzo, and forte. Some of the songs they worked on were: Proud Of Our Veterans, Skin and Bones, This Is Halloween, the Wacky Halloween, and The Halloween Parade.
The 3rd graders The 3rd graders worked very hard on rhythm and vocabulary during the month of October. They also worked on dynamics, the louds and softs of music: pianissimo, piano, mezzo piano, mezzo, mezzo forte, forte, and fortissimo. They learned what a round is and got to practice one with the song The Ghost Of John. Other songs that they worked on were Skin and Bones and Proud Of Our Veterans.
The 4th Graders The 4th graders got a good start to the recorder Karate program. They have already learned the first song and will have the opportunity to earn their white belt very soon. They also worked on the song Proud Of Our Veterans.
Artful Info from Mrs. Mueller
Check out our classroom blog at: http://www.parkartkingdom.blogspot.com and follow our Instagram to get notifications on new updates! park_art_kingdom
- Kindergarten learned about patterns and how shapes or lines have to repeat in order to be called a pattern. We created cows with spots that showed off our pattern skills!
- 1st Grade students reviewed their knowledge of the rainbow master ROY G BIV and created rainbow caterpillars. We added a background and practiced coloring the whole paper and it was a big paper!
- 2nd Grade students have been hard at work practicing their patterns as well. We practiced creating patterns that had at least two things repeating in them. We are also learning what a collage is and adding texture. We will have the coolest cats on the block!
- 3rd Grade learned about folk artist and how their art is different from the artist we study in museums. They created a landscapes that showed a lot of pattern and details.
- 4th Grade is “diving” right into the tough stuff! We learned about the color wheel and a new group of colors called the tertiaries. These are the colored we get when we mix together a primary and a secondary color. We often know these colors by their two color names like Blue-Green.
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| Jacksyn Thorpe 2nd Grade Mrs. Gardner |
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| Brock Diedrick 3rd Grade Nicholson |
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| Ian Kennedy 4th Grade Benson |
A message from Mrs. Vander Loop in the “FILLING STATION”
October was a great month for reading Fiction.
Kindergarteners - enjoyed stories that had a rhythm or beat. We tapped and clapped The Ghosts go Haunting and Old Devil Wind. The Monster Shop was told in rhyme so students supplied many of the ending words in a sentence.They were great opportunities to learn the meaning of Fiction.
First Graders - enjoyed a fictional tale about a squirrel. Then we decided to search for some facts about squirrels. They suggested that we start with the encyclopedia, then books. We will return to an online resource, but did need to take time for some Halloween fun. By the Light of the Halloween Moon was so much fun.
Second Graders - enjoyed a cute story about Little Hoot which was an ebook. Next we read a nonfiction ebook about owls and really added some “FUEL” to their mind. Ask them what they know about owls. We also learned about an awesome database on the Library Homepage. Facts4Me had information about Burrowing Owls. Ask you child about how dung is so helpful to this owl.
Third Graders - have been enjoying a different story each week. Each story has a witch character. Students need to look and listen to each story and then record specific information on a chart, about each witch character. They notice the clothes, the home, mode of travel, pets, problems, diet, magic, helpfulness. Note-taking is an important skill and this added some Halloween interest as well.
Fourth Graders - Melville Dewey invented the system for organizing the nonfiction section of a Library. Students have learned about the 10 catagories and they have actions to help them remember. Now students will need to locate a specific title using the given call number.
Donating a book to the Library is a very nice way of honoring someone. Call me if you’d like to sponsor a book from the new books I’ve added to the collection.
Physical Education with Ms. Weyers (left) and Mrs. Stratton (right)
October was a great month in physical education! Walk to School Day was a success. We had so much fun walking to school with Mr. Kortens, Mr. Duerwaechter, Officer Krueger, and Mr. Pig. At lunch time we also walked with Mayor Rosin, Mrs. Antoine, Mr. Pig, Fang and many of our teachers. Thank you to all who participated!
The 2nd, 3rd, 4th graders finished up their football unit, where we worked on our throwing and catching skills, route running, and playing defense. Students learned and applied the different football positions; Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Running back, Center (Snapper), and Cornerback. We even had a chance to practice our touchdown dances! The kindergarten and 1st grade students worked on underhand and overhand throwing. Students learned which leg to step with when throwing, and the difference between overhand and underhand. We are also working very hard on our catching skills!
In November, 2nd 3rd, 4th grade students will be finishing up disc golf and moving into volleyball; while kindergarten and 1st graders will be working on loco-motor movements (skip, gallop, hop, jump, and slide).
Careful News from the We Care Center - Mrs. Sundelius
Good vision is very important for a child’s learning. It has been estimated that as much as 80% of the learning a child does occurs through their eyes; reading, writing, chalkboard work and computer use are among the visual tasks that your child may perform daily. When a child’s vision is not functioning properly, their education and other activities such as sports can suffer.
Because vision may change frequently during the early elementary school years, regular eye and vision care is important. The Kaukauna School District does do routine vision screenings for all children in grades preschool, kindergarten, grade 2 and grade 4. If you child does not pass this screening you will receive a letter from the school nurse asking that you follow up with an eye care specialist to have your child’s vision further assessed. If you are not able to afford a visit to an eye care specialist, please contact the school nurse to discuss options for assistance in obtaining the needed care. Additionally if you have concerns for your child vision at any time please let the nurse know and a routine screening can be done at school.
Because vision may change frequently during the early elementary school years, regular eye and vision care is important. The Kaukauna School District does do routine vision screenings for all children in grades preschool, kindergarten, grade 2 and grade 4. If you child does not pass this screening you will receive a letter from the school nurse asking that you follow up with an eye care specialist to have your child’s vision further assessed. If you are not able to afford a visit to an eye care specialist, please contact the school nurse to discuss options for assistance in obtaining the needed care. Additionally if you have concerns for your child vision at any time please let the nurse know and a routine screening can be done at school.
Literate Thoughts from our Reading Specialist - Mrs. Keehan
Park Community Charter School Literacy Progress and Plan for Growth
Park Community Charter School Staff believe reading to be the cornerstone of learning and the key to school success. We are committed to the goal of all students reading at or above grade level by the end of each grade. We have created a literacy plan to reach this high goal.
Our goal is as follows:
Park Community students will be reading at grade level by the end of each year. Reading proficiency is being able to read grade level material fluently with high levels of comprehension.
The success of the above goal will be measured by pre and post test data as measured by TLA and MAP testing. Our school beginning of the year 2016 proficiency levels are as follows:
TLA/Guided Reading levels:
K= 71% at grade level (starting point for growth)
1= 38% at grade level (up 36% compared to last year)
MAP:
2= 57% at grade level (up 26% compared to last year)
3= 60% at grade level (same as last year)
4= 76% at grade level (up 24% compared to last year)
Park Community’s literacy program uses a balanced literacy model (Partnership in Comprehensive Literacy) that includes instruction in phonics, fluency, vocabulary, word study, and comprehension. What makes our charter special is that our reading and writing instruction integrates our science and social studies curriculum from our place-based learning platforms into our informational text units of study. This helps our students to see a real world application of all that they are learning at school.
From The Counselor's Office with Mr. Zamost
During the month of November, I will be visiting all of the K-4 classrooms and talking with students about Conflict Resolution and how to responsibly solve conflicts with each other! In each grade level we will discuss a problem solving methods in Conscious Discipline. One method is the Time Machine. When two students are willing to solve their disagreement they can use this step by step process which help them work through a problem on their own, often without any adult intervention required.
As another conflict solving tool, we will soon be utilizing our 4th graders who are trained in peer mediation. All classes will be developing their interpersonal skills to show good character! As always, feel free to call me at 766-6134 Ext. 3164 with any questions or concerns.
K-Kids Update!
On Thursday, November 10th we will be accomplishing our first service project! We will be teaming up with local girl scouts to have a food/supply drive for the local humane society as well as making both dog at cat toys for the animals. Please stay tuned as more information will follow how you can help the local animal shelter after our next meeting!
In Other News!
Veteran's Day Celebration
Once again we are honored to have hour students participate in the Veteran's Day Ceremony at Memorial Park across from school. Our students will be performing a song and our second graders will be presenting a check to help with maintenance of the park. The ceremony is from 11:00-11:30 and is open to the public. If you would like to contribute funds to the 2nd graders donation please contact the school office.
The Turkey Chase is Coming November 12th
The 3rd Annual Turkey Chase will be help on Saturday November 12th from 10:00 - noon on the school property. Students will be collecting pledges for the laps that they walk. Last year student raised funds from this event helped add another water bottle filling station to our building. Food will be grilling and a DJ will be on site setting the mood with great tunes.
Finding Specialists During Fall Conferences
Some of our staff at Park Community service more than one school or have other scheduling conflicts. In order for you to plan more effectively, the following staff will be available at Park Community during the following conference day/times:
- Mary Sundelius - Nurse: By appt. only
- Mary VanderLoop - Library: Tuesday, Nov. 15th 4-7:30 pm
- Amanda Mueller - Art, Tuesday, Nov. 15th 4:00-6:30
- Sheri Krueger - Music: Nov. 17th
- Danny Zamost - School Counselor:
Nov. 15th 4-7:30 & Nov. 17th 12:30-2:00
- Brooke Weyers - PE Grades K,1,2,4:
Tuesday; Nov. 15th 4-7:30 & Thursday Nov. 17th, 12:30-3:45
- Mollie Stratton - 3rd Grade PE: Tuesday, November 15th 5-6:00
- Deb Meredith - Speech: by appointment
- Reba VandeLoo - Special Education - Present both days
- Emily Haffley-School Social Worker: Thursday, Nov. 17th, 3-6:00
- Katie Opperman: Special Education: Present both days
- Shawn Cleveland - Autism Support: Nov. 12th by appointment
- Sara Hockers - School Psychologist; Tuesday, Nov. 15th; 4-6:00
If they are not available while you are here, please contact the office and we will get a message to the staff member to contact you.
Summer School 2017
KASD is already busy planning for summer school! Thank you to all the parents who responded to the survey following Summer School 2016. The combination of parent and staff feedback as well as a large amount of maintenance work to be done within the district this summer, the following decisions have been made regarding Summer School 2017:
Location- Classes will continue to be held at Kaukauna High School.
Dates- All courses will be offered in one session, June 13 – June 30, Monday – Friday.
- Classes will run five days a week
- Impact of the 4th of July
- Maintenance work that needs to occur this summer
Other valuable information –
- We will again offer an Open House prior to the start of summer school for families to become familiar with the location and rooms that classes will be taking place in.
- Busing/transportation will continue to be an option for families for a fee.
Old Christmas Tree Lights
Tis the season for trimming, decorating and getting rid of lights that so not work. Park Community Charter School will once again be collecting lights in our lobby. They will be recycled and any funds received will be donated to PAC.
Attendance Letters
Letters will be sent out monitoring attendance concerns. Please understand that family vacations, surgeries or a longer illness may have very legitimate impacts on your child’s attendance. However, the letters are sent out as part of our regular communication to families for any student who has 5 or more absences for the quarter.
Behavior Letters
Behavior letters are sent home weekly on Monday or Tuesday. If you child had a behavior incident the week prior this letter is documentation of the event. If you have any questions feel free to contact Mr. Kortens.
Picking Up Students Prior to Dismissal
Just a reminder when picking up a child early from school (for an appointment or other reasons), please send a note or email to your child’s teacher or call the office in the morning. Once you arrive, the office will call the classroom and have your child sent to the office. This eliminates children from waiting in the office in case you are delayed and allows them to participate in the classroom instruction until you arrive. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.
Weather Watch!
This is an unpredictable time of year weather-wise. Please be sure to send your child prepared for the worst Mother Nature has to offer. It is very important that the children go outside to play at recess; however, they need to be dressed for the weather. We do want to keep your child healthy. When the snow falls ALL students must have boots, in addition to snow pants if they play in the snow. If you have difficulty providing winter wear, please contact the office as we have donated items to share. It is also recommended that students keep a dry pair of socks and pants in their backpack in case clothing gets wet.
Some of our staff at Park Community service more than one school or have other scheduling conflicts. In order for you to plan more effectively, the following staff will be available at Park Community during the following conference day/times:
- Mary Sundelius - Nurse: By appt. only
- Mary VanderLoop - Library: Tuesday, Nov. 15th 4-7:30 pm
- Amanda Mueller - Art, Tuesday, Nov. 15th 4:00-6:30
- Sheri Krueger - Music: Nov. 17th
- Danny Zamost - School Counselor:
Nov. 15th 4-7:30 & Nov. 17th 12:30-2:00 - Brooke Weyers - PE Grades K,1,2,4:
Tuesday; Nov. 15th 4-7:30 & Thursday Nov. 17th, 12:30-3:45 - Mollie Stratton - 3rd Grade PE: Tuesday, November 15th 5-6:00
- Deb Meredith - Speech: by appointment
- Reba VandeLoo - Special Education - Present both days
- Emily Haffley-School Social Worker: Thursday, Nov. 17th, 3-6:00
- Katie Opperman: Special Education: Present both days
- Shawn Cleveland - Autism Support: Nov. 12th by appointment
- Sara Hockers - School Psychologist; Tuesday, Nov. 15th; 4-6:00
If they are not available while you are here, please contact the office and we will get a message to the staff member to contact you.
Summer School 2017
KASD is already busy planning for summer school! Thank you to all the parents who responded to the survey following Summer School 2016. The combination of parent and staff feedback as well as a large amount of maintenance work to be done within the district this summer, the following decisions have been made regarding Summer School 2017:
Location- Classes will continue to be held at Kaukauna High School.
Dates- All courses will be offered in one session, June 13 – June 30, Monday – Friday.
- Classes will run five days a week
- Impact of the 4th of July
- Maintenance work that needs to occur this summer
Other valuable information –
- We will again offer an Open House prior to the start of summer school for families to become familiar with the location and rooms that classes will be taking place in.
- Busing/transportation will continue to be an option for families for a fee.
Old Christmas Tree Lights
Tis the season for trimming, decorating and getting rid of lights that so not work. Park Community Charter School will once again be collecting lights in our lobby. They will be recycled and any funds received will be donated to PAC.
Attendance Letters
Letters will be sent out monitoring attendance concerns. Please understand that family vacations, surgeries or a longer illness may have very legitimate impacts on your child’s attendance. However, the letters are sent out as part of our regular communication to families for any student who has 5 or more absences for the quarter.
Behavior Letters
Behavior letters are sent home weekly on Monday or Tuesday. If you child had a behavior incident the week prior this letter is documentation of the event. If you have any questions feel free to contact Mr. Kortens.
Picking Up Students Prior to Dismissal
Just a reminder when picking up a child early from school (for an appointment or other reasons), please send a note or email to your child’s teacher or call the office in the morning. Once you arrive, the office will call the classroom and have your child sent to the office. This eliminates children from waiting in the office in case you are delayed and allows them to participate in the classroom instruction until you arrive. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.
Weather Watch!
This is an unpredictable time of year weather-wise. Please be sure to send your child prepared for the worst Mother Nature has to offer. It is very important that the children go outside to play at recess; however, they need to be dressed for the weather. We do want to keep your child healthy. When the snow falls ALL students must have boots, in addition to snow pants if they play in the snow. If you have difficulty providing winter wear, please contact the office as we have donated items to share. It is also recommended that students keep a dry pair of socks and pants in their backpack in case clothing gets wet.
Please Sign up for Parent Portal in Infinite Campus
Infinite Campus has the ability to make emergency contacts with parents regarding school closing or other information during the school day. If the superintendent would determine that district schools would be closing early for some reason parents will receive an automated message giving them details.
It is very important that your contact information in Infinite Campus is up to date. If you have questions regarding your contact information please call our school secretary Mrs. Tennessen to check. Click Here for Directions
Infinite Campus has the ability to make emergency contacts with parents regarding school closing or other information during the school day. If the superintendent would determine that district schools would be closing early for some reason parents will receive an automated message giving them details.
It is very important that your contact information in Infinite Campus is up to date. If you have questions regarding your contact information please call our school secretary Mrs. Tennessen to check. Click Here for Directions
PAC NEWS!
