Sparta High School FBLA will host a Boxes for Basics for the SASD Food Pantry March 20-24. Non-perishable food items and personal items will be collected at each school. Each school  in the District will compete for the traveling trophy by collecting the most items. The trophy is currently housed at Meadowview Intermediate.

Fifth graders at the STEP program

With severe weather season this spring fast approaching, nearly 200 students at Meadowview Intermediate School learned March 21 how to be prepared to respond in the event of a disaster or emergency.

The students are participating in the STEP, or Student Tools for Emergency Planning, program for the first time. The statewide program teaches fifth graders how to be prepared for various emergencies and disasters, including blizzards, tornadoes, flooding and storms. The program also shows students how to put together an emergency kit and develop an emergency plan with their families.

“Emergencies and disasters can happen at any time to anyone with little to no warning, and that’s why we think it is so important to prepare our students,” said Joanne Hagen, a fifth grade teacher at Meadowview Intermediate. “We’re excited to bring the STEP program to our school and give our students the tools and knowledge they need to have confidence and respond appropriately in an emergency situation.”

Students heard from officials from Monroe County Emergency Management, Wisconsin Emergency Management and AT&T, as well as State Rep. Nancy VanderMeer, about actions they can take to be prepared in an emergency or disaster situation.

“Young people also need to know how to respond and act quickly when an emergency happens,” VanderMeer said. “The STEP program is a great way to educate students, get them excited about emergency preparedness, and encourage them to share disaster preparedness information with their families.”

The 2017 STEP program is supported by a $10,000 donation from AT&T and a $10,000 donation from the Wisconsin Wireless Association. AT&T has a long-standing commitment to disaster preparedness and business continuity, and is the first company in the nation to earn U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) certification for disaster preparedness. Since 2012, AT&T has provided $68,000 to support the STEP program in Wisconsin.

“We know how critical it is to be ready and prepared to respond in the event of a disaster or emergency,” said Scott T. VanderSanden, president of AT&T Wisconsin. “Not only are we proud that our network operations are state-of-the-art when it comes to performing during and after a disaster, but we are also proud to help prepare Wisconsin families to respond to emergencies through our support of the STEP program.”

Teachers are provided with all STEP materials at no cost to the schools, including instructor guides, DVDs and copies of student handouts. All students participating in the program also receive an emergency kit to take home, which includes a flashlight. The basic lesson is only one hour of instruction, but teachers can expand the lessons to cover eight hours of materials.

Wisconsin became the first state in the Midwest to teach the STEP program. More than 40,000 students have participated in STEP since the program began during the 2010-11 school year. Another 12,000 students are expected to participate in the 2016-17 school year in 160 schools around the state.

For more information on the STEP program, please go to http://readywisconsin.wi.gov/STEP/default.asp to view a STEP video and download a brochure.

The AT&T Wisconsin Innovation & Investment Award program provides funding to organizations and programs that improve the community by advancing education, enhancing the environment, promoting economic development, or delivering other community services.

Meadowview Intermediate School March 23 celebrated  5th grade Reading and Math Family Night. This was an evening for parents to come with their family to learn tips for helping their child in reading and math; it was designed to help parents and offer a time for asking questions about routines, homework, and reading and math subjects in general. This is an event MVI plans to offer parents and families each year.

With the retirement of Superintendent John Hendricks, the Sparta School Board is embarking on a search to find their next superintendent. The Board desires involvement of a representative group of community members and school staff to form an advisory committee who will interview the selected candidates along with the board. It is anticipated the advisory committee will be made up of eight to 10 members of the community and eight to 10 members of the district staff.

The board seeks names of community members and staff who would wish to serve on this committee. All members of the committee would need to be available for interviews on two consecutive evenings: Wednesday, May 17, 2017, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. and Thursday, May 18, 2017, from 5 to 7 p.m.

If interested or have questions, please email or call the Connie Baumbach, Assistant to the Superintendent, Connie Baumbach  at cbaumbach@spartan.org or 269-3151 ext 6300 to submit your name no later than the end of the day on Monday, April 10, 2017. 

The School Board will randomly select participation on this committee and will inform committee members before the end of the week of April 10.

Nine members of the Sparta Meadowview Middle School FFA Chapter attended the Wisconsin EDGE Conference March 24 and 25 at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center in Stevens Point, Wis. This is a personal development conference designed especially for Junior High and Middle School students in the FFA organization. Those student attending with Advisor Steve Schauf were (see photo) front: Nathaniel Witherow; Standing (L to R): Kaylie Tillman, Nick Gann, Christina Denton, Jenna Sagler, Kylee Kernan, Krista Williams, Faith Losic, and Elizabeth Jerry.

EDGE which stands for Experiencing, Discovery, Growth and Excellence is a personal development conference designed to help young students learn how they can develop and maintain a positive outlook on life; deal with negative peer pressures; and motivate themselves and others. EDGE provided students with the knowledge and skills needed to set and achieve goals in all areas of their lives. This year’s theme was “The Goals Experience.”

“EDGE is a conference designed to help younger students better understand who they are. Over 300 junior high/middle school members attended this conference which is designed to meet the needs of younger FFA members and it helps them realize their potential early on,” said Cheryl Zimmerman, State FFA Executive Director. “This conference brings out the very best in the students who participate. It really helps the students focus on who they are and what they can become.”

The Wisconsin Association of FFA offers their members a wide variety of leadership and personal development conference opportunities. These conferences help young people from junior high to graduates build upon important skills that will last a lifetime. EDGE helps enhance a student’s opportunity for growth beyond the school and classroom. From all across the state, FFA members come together for a fun learning experience.

EDGE is a conference presented by Rhett Laubach owner of YourNextSpeaker, LLC. Rhett works with associations, corporations and student organizations interested in developing leadership potential. Rhett is a professional keynote speaker and trainer, author, leadership expert, and a 2014 brain tumor survivor. This experience has added a multitude of profound and powerful lessons that few presenters have the opportunity to share. Rhett’s speaking career has taken him to 48 states, the Bahamas, Canada and to over one million audience members. Drawing from his 20+ years of speaking and training experience, Rhett’s ability to connect with his audience, whether students or professionals, and his unprecedented stage energy are second to none.

The Wisconsin Association of FFA is comprised of 250 local chapters preparing over 20,000 students in high school and junior high for careers in agriculture. FFA is making a positive difference in the lives of young people, today and in the future. If you have a student interested in joining FFA, contact the local agricultural education instructor in your school for details.

A representative of the firm hired to assist in the search for the new Sparta Area School District superintendent will be taking public input in the meeting room of Ginny’s Cupboard on Wednesday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m Members of the public are encouraged to stop by, enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee and share their thoughts about the search for a new district leader.

The following students were named to the third quarter Honor Roll at Meadowview Middle School. The Honor Roll is based on Term 3 Grade Point Average.

High Honor Roll

Graduation Year: 2021

Kelsey A. Baker

Braden S. Bauges

Caden S. Beamis

Bethany V. Bjerke

Morgan F. Brown

Viviana A. Campos

Ashley K. Courtright

Harley M. Filter

Hans M. Markgren

Savana M. Milkie-Rivas

Nathan J. Modjeski

Tobin E. Mohr

Samuel M. Murphy

Cade Pierce

Chloe C. Rhodaback

Jenah L. Sagler

Hannah N. Schmidt

Aidan M. Sprague

Kennedy I. Stuessel

Paige L. Winterton

Callahan E. Ziebell

Graduation Year: 2022

Maverick E. Allen

Emma L. Blackdeer

Ethan A. Brooks

Madison M. Brown

Shade M. Bunker

Colton J. Flock

Kalysta R. Foster

Kaylynn C. Hayden

Morgan R. Intihar

Nadia M. Laufenberg

Madison M. Matthiae

Michaela N. Pinter

Hannah M. Rowan

Zachary W. Stalsberg

Ryan J. Wells

Macie D. Wieman

Mahra I. Wieman

Graduation Year: 2023

Alli M. Austin

Scotlyn J. Baird

Alexis C. Bernett

Anna L. Blaha

Emmalee A. Carlson

Alana G. Clark

Jessica J. Dreier

Payton L. Eilers

Ella R. Guns

Ella A. Hemker

Madelyn F. Hoekstra

Brooke L. Johnson

Jordan C. Johnson

Macey Oswald

Jenifer Ramos-Ramos

Brandon L. Rand

Rylee J. Rebeck

Sophie J. Rose

Abigail M. Schell

Brianna M. Schmidt

Alyson K. Sprague

Madelyn J. Sprain

Hadley M. Thurston

Giovanni Valles

Logan L. Walley

Honor Roll

Graduation Year: 2021

Araceli Aguilar Sanchez

Dayden R. Alderman

Tristan J. Alexander

Christopher K. Andelin

Elijah R. Anderson

Jordyn L. Antonneau

Livianna C. Arttus

Matthew W. Biever

Quinn L. Cerda-Reyes

Marcus J. Cox

Abram I. Edie

Benjamin L. Evanson

Ethan W. Getter

Kylie M. Green

Serena A. Green

Gavin R. Haldeman

Wesley B. Halstead

Sage M. Hansen

Corbin N. Hauser

Dylan Hieronymus

Chloe Hoff

Joshua J. Hohlfeld

Savannah J. Holcomb

Lucas J. Johnson

Kylee J. Kernan

Matthew A. Klein

Libby A. Leis

Faith E. Losic

Chance E. Manke

Abigail Mcginnis

Ethan D. Mutschler

Carson D. Oneil

Cristalix M. Ortiz

Om Patel

Cade M. Pierce

Maelyn R. Pitsenbarger

Elizabeth J. Rettler

Soraya A. Rudd

Fabian C. Sanchez

Angeleeka R. Smith

Zoey A. Snyder

Emily Y. Sommers

Ellie F. Steinhoff

Brett J. Stuessel

Gracie J. Thelen

Kaylie R. Tillman

Austin J. Vach

Olivia G. Vieth

Evan D. Weiner

Megan A. White

Casey K. Whitehead

Graduation Year: 2022

Brianna J. Anderson

Jaydin L. Anglemyer

Tyler J. Baum

Olivia A. Blazek

Tyler J. Caudill

Savannah J. Clark

Kassidee R. Cortese

Hadley V. Deters

Amya J. Drayton

Alli M. Edie

Matthew B. Giovani

Jelyna K. Gonzalez

Fredy Hernandez Aguilar

Jordan S. Hone

Ivan Hurtado Pahuamba

Christopher J. Jacobs

Madison L. Janczak

Elizabeth Jerry

Olyvia R. Kenworthy

Darius A. Krueger

Antonio J. Lopez

Lindsey J. Lyons

Joel T. Martinez-Sherin

Anna E. Meyer

Xavier Moe

Dalton Morkrid

Trinity A. Nichols

Ashlee A. Norrid

Destiny N. Payne

Kaeli E. Rank

Vaughn T. Rice

Alexander W. Rigor

Brendan W. Rigor

Brooklyn E. Schreier

Mackenzie P. Schubert

Makenzie R. Schultz

Tucker A. Smith

Zoey A. Smith

Devin J. Stolpa-Zietlow

Carys M. Sullivan

Adam J. Thompson

Gavin B. Thompson

Joshua I. Tyrell

Benjamin Vantassel

Edith Velasco-Hernandez

Lily J. Wiegand

Willow-Mae M. Zahrte

Graduation Year: 2023

Edgar A. Aguilar

Kaleb B. Bebar

Layden J. Bender

Bradly H. Bohnert

Madisynn L. Bolen

Zoie L. Brokopp

Dylan R. Burden

Elijiah R. Deaver

Kayla J. Fabry

Danielle R. Fennigkoh

Serenity P. Fennigkoh

Alexis M. Gardner

Ella C. Halstead

Caitlyn J. Hamilton

Aubrianna P. Hendricks

Noah J. Hertelt

Abigael R. Hohlfeld

Alex M. Hoskins

Henry N. Jerome

Payton Johnson

Brooke R. Karper

Nathan H. Knoll

Carmen A. Lawrence

Jacob A. Lehrke

Kiley A. Lideen

Jaydon D. Lietzau

Ayden J. Lisowski

Zurisaday H. Lopez

Liberty J. Losic

Reece J. Mancl

Noeli N. Martinez

Mitchell C. Modjeski

Lesvid Monjaraz

Morgan R. Moore

Michael E. O’rourke

Soleda M. Ortiz

Samuel P. Parent

Emily A. Parker

Madelynn M. Pierce

Alana I. Ramirez

Lillian L. Robertson

Lizbeth R. Ruvalcaba

Kyler J. Salis

Jerusalem B. Schanenberger

Tyler P. Schendel

Eva L. Schreck

Haleigh M. Schwan

Joshua C. Smith

Kayla R. Stahl

Makaya R. Stanke

Morgann W. Steinhoff

Isabella R. Trevino

Francisco L. Vazquez-Treu

Devin T. Vian

Kendra M. Vian

Mya M. Vonruden

Macy S. White

Kimber L. Wohlhoefer

Joshua J. Young

The Sparta Archery Club participated in the Wisconsin State Archery in the Schools Program on March 31.

Conner Greeno, a fourth grade student at Meadowview Intermediate School, finished second out of 161 elementary male shooters. He qualified and plans to attend the National tournament May 11-13 in Louisville, Ky.

The team finished 12th out of 26 teams. Congratulations to Conner and the Sparta Archery Club!

The following 46 Sparta High School seniors were recognized April 26 at Scholarship Awards Night. Over $226,000 was awarded. “We are very thankful for the donors who have spent their time, efforts, and financial backing to our graduates. Our community and students are very thankful for their support of our graduates leading the way for a better future,” Principal Sam Russ said.

Maplewood representatives Angie Klass and Kathy Zay with State Superintendent Tony Evers.

Two Sparta Area School District elementary schools were recognized by State Superintendent Tony Evers for success in educating students from low-income families. Lawrence-Lawson and Maplewood elementary schools were among 178 schools state-wide to receive Wisconsin Title I School of Recognition awards for the 2016-17 academic year.

“These schools stand out for their efforts to educate our kids,” Evers said. “They are staffed by dedicated educators who work with parents, families, and the school community to support the needs of all kids through rigorous programming and attention to student needs.”

“It is with excitement to be a recipient of the school of recognition award. The school district of Sparta is dedicated to providing high quality professional development to staff which supports the academic successes of our students. Lawrence-Lawson has focused on data-driven decision making, family engagement and best practices in education which all contribute to being a school acknowledged for their vision of “Excellence for All: Whatever it Takes,” Principal Missy Herek said.

Lawrence-Lawson representatives Alyssa Haug and Melissa Schulz with State Superintendent Tony Evers.

“It is an honor and always appreciated to be acknowledged for our staff’s commitment to excellence. We set the bar high for success, and our entire staff is extremely dedicated to working collaboratively to meet the needs of all students. There are so many challenges that educators face on a daily basis, so it is rewarding to know that our dedication and efforts show up with this honor of ‘Beating the Odds.’ As an entire school district, we truly embody the motto, ‘Good people, great schools,’” Principal Pat Olbert said.

All award-winning schools receive federal Title I funding to provide services to high numbers or high percentages of economically disadvantaged children. During the May 1 ceremony at the State Capitol, the state superintendent recognized 21 High-Achieving schools and 21 High-Progress schools as identified by results from 2015-16 statewide assessments; nine schools were recognized for earning both High-Achieving and High-Progress honors. The Sparta Schools were recognized as Beating the Odds Schools, which puts them in the top 25 percent of high-poverty school in the state with above-average student achievement in reading and mathematics when compared to schools from similarly sized districts, schools, grade configurations, and poverty levels.

“In our data driven society, it’s easy to dismiss a school by looking at its demographic makeup. These schools would not be ‘expected’ to have the student academic achievement and gap closing results they have because of high levels of poverty,” Evers noted. “Their success is something to celebrate; it serves as an example of the importance of schools, families, and communities working together to ensure that every child graduates ready for college and careers.”

Kylee Anderson

A $10,000 Herb Kohl Educational Foundation 2017 Initiative Scholarship was presented to Kylee Anderson, student at Sparta High School, at a recognition luncheon hosted by Herb Kohl, Wisconsin philanthropist and businessman. Scholarship recipients had been informed in March that each would receive a $5,000 scholarship, but in a surprise announcement at the recognition luncheon, Kohl revealed that he had decided to double the scholarship amount from $5,000 per scholar to $10,000.

The Herb Kohl Initiative Scholarship recognizes students who have demonstrated a high level of motivation, have shown strong promise for achieving success in college and beyond, and have overcome significant personal obstacles or adversity.

“We are very proud of Kylee as she has put in a lot of time and energy to earn her accomplishments,” Principal Sam Russ said. “This is well deserved.”

The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation has been recognizing educational excellence since 1990 by annually awarding scholarships to 200 graduating high school students throughout Wisconsin. Since it was established in 1990, the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation has awarded $11.7 million to Wisconsin students, teachers, principals and schools.