Gwinn Area Community Schools Board Meeting Summary November 19, 2012

The following Gwinn Middle School students were named “Students of the Month” for October: Taylor Jancsi & Zane Anderson (6^th grade); Brenna Bruce & Noah McConnaughey (7^th grade); and Taylor Shelafoe & Alex Mayo (8^th grade).

Ms. Makayla Mayo was named Gwinn High School’s “Student of the Month” for November.

Claims in the amount of $366,631 were approved for payment.

District News

• Congratulations to the following Students of the Month: Andrew Hill & Miley Noe (Kdg.); Jessica Jerome & Adrian Roberts (1^st); Xander Luoma & Codie Erickson (2^nd); Olympia Moore & Kyla Sarasin (3^rd); Angel Griggs & Ethan Lemoyne (4^th); Hallie Roos & Zaida Pearson (5^th).

• Congratulations to the following “Golden” winners in October: Golden Whistle (Best Playground Behavior): Mrs. Girard, Mr. Gill, Ms. Sivula and Mrs. Dunham; Golden Spatula (Best Lunchroom Behavior): Mr. Langin and Mrs. Jancsi; and Golden Plunger (Neatest Classroom): Ms. Sivula; Mrs. Sather; Mrs. Goldsworthy; Mrs. Girard.

• Congratulations also to those classrooms who have won the new PTO “Spirit” Award: Mrs. Anderson (1^st grade) – October; Mr. Sandell (2^nd grade) – November.

• The PTO’s Fall fundraiser was a great success, raising around $4000. Fourth grader Jimmy Larson was the top fundraiser and got to ride the principal’s taxi. My chair was decorated with black and gold streamers, balloons, stickers and signs. I escorted Jimmy through the hallways to breakfast, to his gym class, and to the door to get on the bus. I think the other kids enjoyed seeing Jimmy get escorted even more than he enjoyed it.

• For our last PD session, we had a presentation on the “Active Shooter” emergency response training. It provided a great discussion and helped us generate practical ideas to prepare for such an emergency. I want to thank the Marquette County Sheriff’s department, especially Corporal Lowell Larson, and the NMU Public Safety officers who gave of their time to help us keep our kids as safe as possible.

• The Parent/Teacher conferences went well as did the Book Fair put on by the PTO. The PTO also provided a nice lunch/supper for the teachers after school on the first two days of conferences.

• Our Christmas concerts will be held as follows on Tuesday, December 11th: Kdg.-1^st grade at 9:00 am; 2^nd and 3^rd grade at 10:30 am; 4^th and 5^th grade at 1:30 pm.

KI Sawyer Elementary School

• Congratulations to the following Students of the Month: KayLynn Johnson, Caleb Sherman, & Donnie Jourden (Kdg.); Chase Harteau & Andrew Mattila; Elladiss Fuge & Conner Clouse Clayton (2^nd); Johnathon Johnson & Gavin Taylor (3^rd); Wyatt Iery & Jessica Barnes (4^th); Audrey Morford & Raina Bowling (5^th).

• Congratulations to our Students of the Week who each received a Subway gift card: Adia Gove (Mrs. Sheltrow), Tiffany Rininger (Mrs. Belpedio), Jordan Wertz (Mrs. Burbey), Madison Arnoldussen (Mrs. LaJoie), and Luke Abbott (Mrs. Wommer).

• Fourth grade students from Mrs. Paulsen’s classroom from the 2011-12 school year had quilts displayed at the Marquette County Quilter Association Quilt Fair this past weekend. Last year, each student wrote an essay on his/her hero, and then designed a quilt based on that hero. “Hero Quilts” was the central theme of this year’s quilt show. Our students were recognized during a special presentation on Saturday, which was attended by Mrs. Paulsen and Ms. Tufnell.

• Our Christmas concerts will be held on Tuesday, December 18^th at 9:00 am for grades K-1, 10:30 am for grades 2-3 and 2:00 pm for grades 4-5.

• We work hard to teach our students how to ROAR…how to be Respectful, Orderly have a positive Attitude, and be Responsible. SWIS is the database we use to keep track of our student discipline referrals. Thus far this school year, we have had 239 students that have NOT received a discipline referral! Of this 63 students that have, 44 have only received ONE referral.

• KI Sawyer teachers and paraprofessionals work hard to individualize student learning through small group instruction. This helps to assist the transitory nature of our student population. Thus far this school year, we have had 20 new students since the beginning of the year, while 13 students have left our district.

• We have been informed that our school will be featured in Section C of the Mining Journal this Wednesday for “Beating the Odds”. All staff members, collectively, make KI Sawyer School a very special place for learning!

Gwinn Middle School

• We have a new Americorp worker, F. Flynn Wyche, working with our students tutoring and helping them with their work as a part of the ICU program. Mr. Wyche comes to us with a wealth of teaching experience at the middle school level and is a welcome addition to our staff.

• On a daily basis, we are awarding the grade with the fewest assignments in ICU, by letting them go early to lunch

• Winter sports are beginning to gear up with our basketball teams and cheerleading squads getting prepared for their seasons.

• Kristy Gollakner was the GMS October Employee of the Month in for her great classroom work as well as all of the extra things she does for our middle school students.

• The GMS Fall Athletic Banquet will be held on Tuesday, November 27^th at 6:45 pm in the cafeteria.

Gwinn High School

• Congratulations to the following student athletes who have been awarded MPC honors for the Fall 2012 sports seasons:

  • Volleyball: Kaylee Sanderson – 1^st team, Katie Aho & Morgan Bruce – 2^nd team, Shelby Talsma – Honorable Mention, Daabii Reinhardt – All Defensive Team

  • Cross Country: Matt Moilanen: All UP Cross Country Team

  • Football: CJ Redfearn: 1st Team Defensive Tackle (Unanimous Selection), Steven Uhlbeck: Inside Linebacker Honorable Mention, Luke Sinnaeve: Defensive Back Honorable Mention, Owen Devooght – Fullback Honorable Mention, John Sicotte – Guard Honorable Mention, Mitchell Paris – Tackle Honorable Mention

  • Tennis: Lydia Asplund – Singles Honorable Mention, Brooke Luokkala – Singles Honorable Mention; Haylee Lakenen/Taylor Aho: Doubles Honorable Mention

• Congratulations to the following GHS students on their selection for the WSMA Menominee River District Honors Bands, to be held on January 18-19 in Niagara, Wisconsin. Honors Concert Band: Kerryn Winkler, Ben Barnhart, Brandon Sorensen, Makayla Peterson, Autumn Peterson, Bobby Proulx, and Erik Flinn. Honors Jazz Band: Matt Moilanen, Stephen Simpler and William Valentia.

• Meet the Modeltowners will be held from 7-9 pm on Saturday, December 1^st in the GMS/GHS cafeteria and gymnasium. Santa Clause will be our special guest for the evening, as we introduce our winter athletes to the community.

• The GHS Student Council will be sponsoring a can-a-thon to help local needy families during the holidays.

Superintendent Tufnell gave a brief update on various topics including: the recent article in the Mining Journal regarding the success seen with the ICU program at GMS/GHS, an upcoming meeting with Integrated Design, Inc., to discuss plans for a future bond proposal and/or sinking fund, and plans for the District’s upcoming holiday party for employees. Ms. Tufnell also presented the Board with minutes from the recent Finance, Policy and SEHAC Committee meetings, as well as minutes from the both the Parent and Youth Advisory Committees.

The Board took action on the following:

• Accepted the certified election results from the November 6, 2012 Board of Education election.

• Approved the continuation of 2^nd section of Public Comment at the conclusion of each Board Meeting.

• Appointed Collin Jenkins as the District’s representative on the MARESA Special Education Parent Advisory Committee.

• Passed a resolution calling for a special election on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 to continue to levy the current 18 mills from non-homestead properties in the District.

• Approved, as a first reading, changes to the following NEOLA bylaws and policies: Organization (0150), Nondiscrimination and Access to Equal Educational Opportunity (2260), Postsecondary (Dual) Enrollment Option Program (2271); Nondiscrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity (3122 & 4122), Personal Communication Devices (5136), Grant Funds (6110), Finances (6146), Purchasing (6320), Board-Owned Personal Communication Devises (7530.01), Staff Use of Personal Communication Devices (7530.02), Access to District Technology Resources From Personal Communication Devices (7542), and Criminal Justice Information Security (Non-Criminal Justice Agency) (8321).

• Approved, as a first reading, changes to the 7^th/8^th grade health curriculum.

• Accepted the resignations of the following personnel:

  1. Constance Joffee – English teacher, Gwinn High School, effective date of retirement – December 22, 2012

  2. Bruce Matson – Principal, Gilbert Elementary School, effective date of resignation – November 16, 2012

• Approved the employment of the following personnel:

1. Amy Runstrum – ECDD paraprofessional, KI Sawyer Elementary School, effective date of employment – October 24, 2012

2. Jim Finkbeiner – JV boys basketball coach, Gwinn High School, effective date of employment – start of the 2012-13 winter sports season

3. Dustin Luoma – wrestling coach, Gwinn High School, effective date of employment – start of the 2012-13 winter sports season

4. William Schiefel – 7^th grade boys basketball coach, Gwinn Middle School, effective date of employment – start of the 2012-13 winter sports season

• Approved the following student trips as Board-sponsored activities:

1. GACS Band – various trips to Wisconsin to participate in honors band and state festival events

2. GMS 8^th grade class trip to Great America – May 17, 2013

• Approved the change in date and location for the 2013 Junior Prom to April 27, 2013 at the Marquette Regional History Center.

• Accepted, with great appreciation, the following gifts and donations:

1. Bill & Elaine Roos – school supplies and backpacks donated to Gwinn High School

2. Gary & Linda Gidley­ – $100 cash donation to Gilbert Elementary School

3. Donor’s Choose – various crafting and office supplies (valued at $655.61) for the “Help Creativity Unfold in My Class: Handmade Poetry Journals” project for Amy Laitinen’s creative writing class at GHS

4. Extron Corp. – polevault/voice lift system (valued at $2,000) donated to KI Sawyer Elementary School

5. Gilbert Elementary School PTO, Larry’s Family Foods, Nyquist Convenience Stores, Sally Verpooten, Steve & Joni Peffers and Modeltown Express – cash donations for the “Girls on the Move” program for 5^th grade girls at Gilbert and KI Sawyer Elementary Schools

6. Best Buy of Marquette – school supplies donated to Gilbert Elementary School

• Changed the date of the January Board meeting to Monday, January 28, 2013.

The Board heard public comment from the following:

1. Ed Thompson – concerns about the available space in the GHS cafeteria for students during lunch time

 Source: Gwinn Area Community Schools

 

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