Galloping Ghost Stories

Facilities Grand Opening, EQ turns 50, Teacher School, 1st Grade welcomes, and other celebrations!

Dear KASD Friends and Family,

I hope that you have been enjoying this summer season. We sure have been busy around the district the past couple of months, and are excited to share all the good things in store for us this year!

I am often asked "what does a school district do during the summer?"

Great question. The answer: a lot!

June is spent closing out the previous school year, launching summer school, hiring new staff, finalizing plans for professional development and catching up on vacations days. After the Fourth of July, we really get to work on planning for the upcoming school year; this includes hosting the Board of Education Retreat, an essential part of our continuous improvement process during which we focus on district goals, strengthening Board governance and building relationships. With August comes our two-day Administrative Retreat, staff professional development, new employee orientation, all-staff in-service and welcome days, and any additional planning necessary for the start of the school year.

You can see that our summer months are quite active around here, and this summer's added activities have included planning for the Grand Opening of the new Kaukauna High School Facilities and the 50th Birthday Celebration for Electa Quinney Elementary School. These are exciting times for the Kaukauna Area School District ... It's a great year to be a Ghost!

#KaukaunaStrong

Let's Celebrate!

Mark P. Duerwaechter, Superintendent

Want more? Follow me on Twitter: @MrDuerwaechter

CONNECT WITH US

Want to receive important information from the district? Or be able to access your student's grades, schedules, attendance records, calendars, fees and more?

Please take your opportunity to sign up for Parent Portal. This is the easiest way to ensure that you're getting the information you need - pushed directly to your mailbox, phone, or whatever communication method you prefer.

EQ HITS THE BIG 5-0

It's a big year for Electa Quinney Elementary School as we celebrate 50 years of growth and learning. You can read a little more about our school here, and be on the lookout for more information coming soon as we celebrate this golden year.

IT'S TIME

Come check out the ground-level views of this amazing facility and all of the opportunities it presents for our students. Celebrate with us!
Save the date: August 26, 2016. Keep your eyes peeled on social media for more information - coming soon!

TEACHER SCHOOL

Throughout the summer, our dedicated staff members attend and host a number of training sessions. We're very excited to have educators that believe so strongly in the importance of professional development and continuous improvement. Here are just a few of the trainings they attended:

PCL Summer Institute
The Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy conference took place in Wisconsin Dells this July. Teachers spent three days learning about designing a curriculum around and using resources for helping students use advanced literacy skills to acquire deeper understanding.

Conscious Discipline Summer Institute
In June, Park Community Teachers Jenny Cunniff and Jennie Gries were asked to present at the National Conscious Discipline Summer Institute Conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

In July, teachers from Park Community Charter School traveled to Orlando to gain first-hand knowledge of this behavior program from founder Becky Bailey.

NDLC Writers' Workshop
This unique workshop in July led to collaboration from districts throughout the state, in an opportunity to showcase and share training and Writers' Workshop curriculum and methodology developed by Columbia University and used in our schools.

Add+VantageMR® (AVMR)

This week, teachers are learning about Math Recovery ® assessment, and will focus on the learning continuum, addressing areas of need and making instructional choices that are appropriate for students' current levels of understanding. This two-course session is being taught at KHS by district Math Coaches Susan VandeHey and Sarah Nelson.

FIRST GRADERS RECEIVE EARLY WELCOME

On August 3, 2016, Victor Haen Elementary School held the first of two First Grade Transition Day events at school, as part of a new school-wide Title I grant received for the 2016-2017 school year. You can read more about this awesome opportunity here.

ACTIVITIES UPDATES

Fall Sports are just around the corner, and some have even started already. In fact, our first football scrimmage is this Friday, 8/12. And don't forget our first home game, along with the Grand Opening of our new Activities and Athletics Facilities on August 26, 2016.

If you want to find out more about our other Activities and Athletics, you can visit our updated Activities and Athletics page on the KHS website. You can find our Sports Calendars here or use the "Quick Link" on our district home page at any time.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Important dates are quickly approaching! You can take a look at our district's calendar here, or check your specific school's calendar on the website at any time, but be sure to mark the following dates on your calendars:

August

16 - RVMS - Registration, 12:00 - 7:00 p.m.

16 - RVMS - New Family Orientation, 6:00 p.m.

16 - NDLC - 4K Parent Orientation, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. or 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

17 - RVMS - Registration, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

17 - KHS - Registration in KHS Commons, 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

17 - Tanner - 4K Parent Orientation, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. or 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

18 - KHS - Registration in KHS Commons, 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

22 - Board of Education Meeting, 5:30 p.m.

25 - NDLC - One-on-one teacher visits (sign up)

30 - NDLC - One-on-one teacher visits (sign up)

30 - RVMS - Open House, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.