For the second school board meeting in a row, a student presentation and sweet drinks started out the evening’s agenda.
Wally Byrne, special education teacher at Fennimore Elementary School, was joined by two of his students, fourth graders Jack Horsfield and Gabe Elfgen, to show and tell the board members about the “rewards stand” run by the students in Byrne’s class.
The portable lemonade/hot chocolate stand is rolled out to the cafeteria usually every Friday and students at the elementary school can use their “eagle wings” they’ve earned to get either a lemonade during the warmer months, or a hot chocolate during the cooler ones.
“They learn to be committed to a workforce and also learn to pay attention,” Byrne stated about what the experience teaches his students. “We then hope those skills transfer back to the classroom.”
Jack and Gabe then told the school board members and administrators present at last Wednesday’s meeting about the different jobs they perform at the stand, including prepping the stand, mixing the drinks, passing out napkins, at times, delivering drinks to a classroom, with an emphasis on “walking them there, not running,” they both stated, and then clean up. That last part Byrne joked they hoped continued at home.
When asked what they “get out of” working at the stand, Jack responded, “I get to see different people than I usually do,” while Gabe replied, “This is something I’ve earned being able to participate at the stand.”
And then the two students showed their serving skills by giving out either lemonade or hot chocolate to those in attendance.
Administrative updates
Fennimore Elementary School Principal Hillary Day gave the board updates on recent happenings at the school.
The student council recently held their annual Kindness Week, in which Day reported that 1,770 recorded acts of kindness were performed that week by students at school, home, etc.
Day went on to say that since the annual event started in 2016, there has been 23,790 acts of kindness performed in total.
Students also had a purple day earlier this month for epilepsy awareness.
Day went on to say that the calendar is starting to fill up with end of the year field trips, and stated that some after school events were coming up such at Trivia Night at the library on March 6, and Fine Arts Night from 5 until 7 p.m. at the school on April 17.
Fennimore School District Dean of Students Alisha Richard gave the middle school update. Richard stated that the students recently had their first semester reward for positive behavior, which was a morning at the Blaine Theater in Boscobel watching movie.
She went on to say staff have been working on a “word of the month” to further promote positive behavior, with February’s being empathy and March’s will be perseverance.
Richard also recognized recent middle school students’ participation in SWAL Honors Band and Choir.
Likewise, Fennimore High School Principal Boone Tollefson touted the high school students who also participated in those events, as well as those who took part at Dorian, and the Dubuque and Tri State Honors Bands.
Tollefson also stated to the board that at last Tuesday’s home boys basketball game, the student council raised over $1,100 with various fund raisers for Special Olympics, and the council will also be taking part in the annual Polar Plunge in La Crosse on March 7.
Juniors will be taking the ACT test on March 10, and Laude graduates are being finalized and will be recognized at next month’s board meeting.
Tollefson also recognized the two boys and one girl state wrestling qualifiers, and the boys and girls basketball teams as they prepare for the playoffs.
Also recognized were the Speech, formerly Forensics, team who had all 42 members qualify for districts, the Future Business Leaders of America team who is sending 37 students to the State Leadership Conference after placing first as a team at regionals, and the FFA (who is celebrating FFA Week) is currently preparing for Sectional Speaking Contest next month.
Taylor Rosemeyer, Fennimore School District Special Education Director, further praised Mr. Byrne and his students for the rewards stand. Rosemeyer also gave kudos to Gabe and Jack as serving as mentors to the other students who help with the stand.
Rosemeyer also stated that this year’s Forward Exam results saw “incredible growth” from last year’s and she “couldn’t be more proud” of the job done by the students, educators, and paraprofessionals.
Lastly, Fennimore Schools District Administrator Jane Wonderling stated that 4K screening would be taking place March 5-6, and the district anticipates the incoming 4K class to have 50-55 students, up from this school year’s class size of 38.
Open enrollment is currently underway, going until April 30. Wonderling stated that so far, they have nine incoming students registered for next school year, with six of those in 4K.
Board member Adam Jackson commented after hearing all the updates, “All the positivity going around the school is awesome.”
Other business
The board approved two donations at the Feb. 18 meeting including the American Heart Association for three CPR and first aide kits that Claire Yanna, Fennimore School District Medical Assistant, brought to the district to partner with the health teachers; and $240 from St. Peter Lutheran Church to assist with families in need and their food service bills.
And with spring right around the corner, the board approved volunteer coaches for baseball, softball, and track and field.
The next meeting of the School Board of Fennimore Community Schools is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, at 6 p.m., in the cafeteria of Fennimore Elementary School.
