A unique partnership between two Shawano parochial schools—Sacred Heart Catholic and St. James Lutheran-intends to bring learning into the 21st century with a five-year technology plan expected to cost $900,000.

Both schools learned in May that Microsoft had ended its technical support for its XP operating system, which debuted 12 years ago and was utilized by both schools.

A few months earlier, they had been approached by Greenlight Grants of Shawano, a firm started by two retirees who want to use their professional skills to find funds to benefit rural communities.

“There have been moments of divine intervention,” said Elisha Wagenson, principal at Sacred Heart. “We were in a precarious situation. … “We didn’t know how timely a windfall it was at the time it occurred.”

Greenlight Grants said it could find funds to help the schools.

“We were hesitant at first,” said Susan Longmire, principal at St. James. “They were looking for a place to start. It’s one of those things that sounded too good to be true.”

That hesitation soon turned into a full-fledged plan. The parochial school partnership meant better stewardship of sparse resources.

“We started dreaming and dreaming big,” Wagenson said.

Both schools have many needs, but they decided to focus initially on their most expensive need — technology.

“We did a lot of research ourselves,” Longmire added. “We felt it would benefit both of our schools. The bottom line is we will have a great learning environment that is technologically advanced.”

To begin the schools received an anonymous donation of $150,000, which is being used to install a robust wireless network this summer.

Google Nexus Tablets and Chromebooks have been purchased for use by staff and students. CESA 8 will provide professional development.

The next steps of the plan depend on whether Greenlight is able to secure grants from the many requests sent to various foundations.

“They recognized our commonalities before we did,” Wagenson said. “It could be a first of its kind of partnership in northeast Wisconsin. The long-term goal is that it is replicated in other communities.”

Greenlight Grants founders Jeff Bentz and Michael Thielke are both retired educators who help nonprofit organizations that can’t afford grant writer fees.

“My passion, as is Mr. Thielke’s, is to help rural schools wherever we can help out,” Bentz said.

Bentz said they wanted to help the two schools have the same advantages that public school students have and proposed that the two schools work together.

Longmire and Wagenson have been contacted by other interested parties, and their partnership has drawn the interest of foundations and boards of directors across the nation.

But, for now, the school leaders are focused on their teachers and students.

“It’s about the learning, not the technology,” Wagenson emphasized. “This is a big deal. We want to maintain our quality programs.”

“Our goal is to serve as many children as we can and give them a Christian education,” Longmire said. “It’s a different way of learning today. It’s a partnership all the way through.”

Shawano Community Middle School hosted a meet-and-greet Thursday to give area residents a chance to meet the school’s new administrators.

Principal Mary Kramer said the event was aimed at building relationships and helping open the door for more community involvement.

“I really want to start pushing out all of the great things that are going on, so we need more people getting involved,” Kramer said.

The event included snacks and refreshments as Kramer and Associate Principal Rod Watson mingled with parents, students and staff to discuss plans for the school year and to share their experiences.

“We want to get to know the community as best we can,” Watson said. “The stronger the relationship between the administration, the parents and the kids, the more we are going to be able to help the kids and the school.”

Shawano School District Superintendent Gary Cumberland said the event was a good way for people to meet the new administrators in a relaxed environment.

“We are developing a vision of what it means to be a Hawk and to live the Hawk Way in our district,’” Cumberland said. “As the administration and the staff grow and develop, it will reflect on the students.”

John Tierney, an art teacher who has been with the school district for 29 years, said the meet-and-greet was an excellent idea to help the school community to get to know Kramer and Watson.

“I think it’s great,” Tierney said. “It shows we have an open door and it helps people see what is going on with the schools.”

Kramer said her main goals this year are to track math and literacy goals for students on their standardized testing and to create personal goals for the staff to show exactly how students are learning.

“This is new for staff,” Kramer said. “We are focusing on taking away all of the extra things that don’t directly relate to improving the school.”

Kramer replaces Daniel Labby, whose retirement took effect June 30. Labby served the district as an administrator for 12 years, including the last nine as principal.

Originally from Wausau, Kramer brings 18 years of education experience to the job, most recently as associate principal at Oregon High School.

Kramer received bachelor degrees in Spanish and secondary education from St. Norbert College in 1996, and a Master of Education degree and a Gifted and Talented Endorsement from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.

Prior to working in Oregon, she was a bilingual associate principal at Green Bay Preble, where she was part of a Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s Focus on Attendance subcommittee. She also earned a director of instruction license at Viterbo University in La Crosse.

Watson was born in Freeport, Illinois, and has spent the last 10 years teaching in Elgin, Illinois, at an alternative school for at-risk youth. He has received four college degrees, the most recent of which was in curriculum instruction.

Watson, who was hired at the end of July, said he is focusing on supporting Kramer and learning everything he can about the school.

“I have to get to know the staff, what their strengths are, and how I can support them to try and make sure we don’t lose momentum along the way,” Watson said.

Cumberland said he is looking forward to the start of the new year.

“We want to go forward in a positive way,” Cumberland said.

For Kramer, she said she has been very pleased with the amount of participation and interest she has already seen on the part of residents.

“It feels like a great fit for me because every time I talk to somebody they want to go forward and they want to be involved,” Kramer said. “I have never had so many people say, ‘I want to participate.’ I feel so happy to be here.”

Thirteen Menominee Indian High School seniors will be prepping for college in a new way this fall.

The 4x4 pilot program is a partnership between the Menominee Indian School District and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.

During the 2014-2015 school year, the seniors involved in the program will attend MIHS in the morning and the NWTC Shawano campus in the afternoon.

“Students will take one general studies course at a time, and the course will be completed at the end of four weeks,” said Kate Mikle, Menominee model coordinator. “By focusing on one class, students will be exposed to the concept of college. Students will take six general studies courses and at the end of the program will complete a total of 18 credits that can be transferred to another technical college or university as they transition into their first year of post-secondary education.”

The students, who have to meet a set of criteria to participate in the program, will be supported by tutors, instructors and MIHS staff, and have access to all services at the NWTC campus.

“We want to make this a collaborative, hands-on learning experience that will prepare our students for success,” Mikle said. “That’s why we’re integrating guest speakers and area business tours into the curriculum so students can apply what they are learning to a real-life example.”

NWTC and other campuses participated in a 4x4 pilot program in 2012 and introduced it at the Shawano campus last year as a way to help high school graduates transition to college life.

Instead of the traditional juggling of several classes that meet two or three times a week over a four-month period, students can take courses through the 4x4 system in which they go to one class for four days a week over a four-week period, spending three hours each day learning one general studies subject.

“We’re excited for this opportunity for our students as it’s a chance for them to get a taste of the college setting before they finish high school,” MISD Superintendent Wendell Waukau said. “It’s a positive experience, and we’re happy for this partnership that allows our students to start earning their degrees one class at a time.”

The Bonduel School District will begin classes for the 2014-15 school year Sept. 2 for high school freshmen and students in grades 4K through sixth.

The remaining students will report for classes Sept. 3.

Starting and ending times at district schools will be as follows: 8:10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bonduel Elementary School, 8 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. at Bonduel Middle School and 8:10 a.m. to 3:17 p.m. at Bonduel High School.

All school buildings open at 7:45 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. Parents are asked not to drop children off at the schools prior to 7:45 a.m., especially in inclement weather.

All visitors are required to register at school offices upon entering the buildings.

Parents and students are also reminded of the closed campus policy. Students are not permitted off campus during normal school hours without a signed note from their parents.

Basic supplies for the school year include folders, notebooks, pens, pencils, scientific calculator, and loose leaf paper. A list of specific materials needed for each class is on the school website and will be available at registration.

Registration

New students can enroll in person at the appropriate school office from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. beginning on Monday. New students must be enrolled prior to Aug. 27.

Parents of 4-year-old kindergarten registrants are asked to bring their child’s immunization records and birth certificate when registering. No documentation is needed for any other new students.

Registration for all returning students in grades K-12 and students already screened for 4K is available online at www.bonduel.k12.wi.us.

Payment of student fees, parking fees and lunch accounts still must be made via mail or dropped off in the school offices. Online payments will be available later this fall, with information released via the district website and Skylert.

Elementary school

Classroom assignments for all elementary students will be available through Family Access online. If you do not have Internet access or are unable to use Family Access, call the Bonduel Elementary School office at 715-758-4810 for the information.

Students should report to their assigned classrooms when they arrive at school on the first day of classes. Parents can pay school fees and make deposits into their family food service accounts at the open house, which will be from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 27 at Bonduel Elementary School.

Middle school

Bonduel Middle School students can view their 2014-15 schedules online starting on Monday.

Copies of locker assignments and schedules will also be available during the middle school open house from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 27. Sixth-graders and their parents are invited to an orientation program at 5 p.m. in the commons during the open house. The program is primarily designed for parents new to Bonduel Middle School and will provide parents with information about changes to expect as their child transitions to middle school.

On Sept. 2, sixth-grade students will participate in the Where Everyone Belongs (WEB) program, which is designed to improve the transition from elementary to middle school.

High school

The Bonduel High School open house will be from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 27.

Students can review their schedules through Skyward’s family and student access after Aug. 28.

Registration will is available online through Family Access. If you do not have Internet access or need assistance, you may stop in the high school office to complete the online application process after Monday.

Parking passes may be purchased and picked up in the office on the following dates and times: seniors, 12:30-3 Aug. 26; juniors, 9-11:30 a.m. Aug. 27; sophomores, 12:30-3 p.m. Aug. 27.

On Sept. 2, freshmen will participate in the Link Crew Program to help each student transition into the high school.

Meal program

Daily elementary lunch prices will be $2.40. The middle school and high school daily lunch price will be $2.65. All payments for any food service programs, including a la carte items, will be deposited into a family or household account rather than into an individual child’s account. All meals and a la carte items purchased by children in the same family or household will be charged to the family account.

Although any amount of payment will be accepted, it is recommended that payments be in amounts equal to the expected monthly or quarterly meal costs. Additional charges will not be allowed whenever a household account is more than $10 behind in payments.

Menus are posted on the district’s website.

A salad bar will be available for all students as part of the regular lunch program. A la carte items have been changed to choices with fewer calories from fat. Vending machine choices have also been upgraded.

If students bring their lunches from home, parents are strongly encouraged to provide items with lower amounts of fats and calories. It is also recommended that any sodas should be sugar-free products.

Applications for free and reduced lunch rates were recently mailed to every family in the district. The application should be completed and returned prior to the first day of school.

All parents whose income qualifies are encouraged to complete the forms, even if their children may not participate in the food service program. District reimbursements for many grants and entitlement programs are based on the number of students qualified to participate in the free and reduced food service program. Reduced lunch rates are 40 cents per meal. Anyone having questions about the forms should call Melissa Trepanier in the district office at 715-758-4862.

A breakfast program is also available daily for all students. The price of the daily breakfast program is $1 for students in kindergarten through fifth grade and $1.50 for middle school and high school students. Students who qualify for reduced lunch prices will pay 30 cents for breakfast. Milk will be 30 cents per carton and will be charged to the family food service account.

School fees

Fees can be paid at any school office on or before Sept. 5.

Student fees are $15 for elementary students, $20 for middle school students and $25 for high school students.

Parking fees for high school students will be $20. All family vehicles are covered by one parking fee.

Students are strongly encouraged to use the district’s transportation system before and after school rather than driving their personal vehicles. Although school parking lots are carefully monitored, all accidents involving privately owned vehicles are the responsibility of their owners.

The music rental fee is unchanged at $40.

A student insurance plan is available at parent expense. The policy serves as a supplement for students who have minimal or no other insurance coverage. The basic plan covers all school activities with the exception of football. Insurance coverage for students playing football is also available. Students will receive a brochure outlining the type of coverage available through the plan at the open houses and from their coaches. Any questions about the student insurance program should be directed to Melissa Trepanier in the district office (715-758-4862).

Parents are reminded that the school district does not pay medical expenses for accidents or injuries that happen on school grounds.

Transportation

Students will be picked up at their regular bus stops. Buses, drivers and routes will be similar to those for the past school year. Anyone uncertain about transportation schedules should call Ken Banker, transportation director, at 715-758-4870.

Bonduel Elementary School

Bonduel Elementary received a grant of nearly $5,000 from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Institute for Learning Partnership to be used to purchase the LEGO robotics program. The program was ordered, and a group of teachers was trained on Aug. 21.

The program requires the kids to read and follow step-by-step instructions on how to build different items, just like a set of regular LEGOS. However, this program takes things a step further. The kids then need to do some programming on the computer. They need to program movements, sounds, speed and time to make their creation come to life. These are the first steps in learning engineering.

LEGO robotics will be used with our Gifted and Talented program and will be offered as a summer school class. We look forward to using it to keep challenging the kids in their thinking and learning!

Sacred Heart Catholic School

The school year is off to a great start! We are excited to share that we have 90 students enrolled in our school in grades 3K through eight. That is a total of 28 new smiling students in our classrooms and hallways!

We have also had four new staff members join our school family. Here is a little information about our newest two members:

- Hi, I’m Sue Simoens and I am the new art teacher at Sacred Heart Catholic School. I also work out of my home as a freelance graphic artist and photographer. I will be married to my wonderful husband, Scott, 27 years this month. We have two awesome sons. David is a biochemist in Madison, and Kevin is in his senior year at the University of Iowa. I am thrilled to be teaching, being able to combine my passion for art and children. I received my Bachelor of Art Education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. I am so blessed and excited to be a part of the Sacred Heart family and look forward to a great school year.

- My name is Scott Marohl and I am honored to introduce myself as a new member to the Sacred Heart family. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in May 2013 and began working in classrooms soon after that through summer school, substitute teaching and a long-term teaching position. All of this brought me to Sacred Heart Catholic School, where I now begin to instill the knowledge I have learned amongst the students. I married my wife, Tracy, in September 2012 and we reside here in Shawano with our 3-year-old lab and two cats. I am very grateful for the opportunity to teach and learn here at Sacred Heart Catholic School. Thank you very much for the opportunity to be a member of your family.

We are still taking registrations for our school. If you or someone you know would like more information regarding the programs we offer, please call the school office at 715-526-5328 or e-mail Carolyn Reuter, admissions director, at creuter@sacredheartshawano.org.

NASA-funded solar energy research at the College of Menominee Nation is generating useful information for home owners, businesses and organizations interested in renewable energy.

Lisa Bosman, the professor who wrote the successful grant request for the program, will present a public lecture on the research at 9 a.m. Sept. 15 in the CMN Trades Building on the Keshena campus, N172 State Highway 47/55.

“Shedding Light on Solar Energy System Performance and Valuation” will be followed by a brief walking-tour of research installations in the building.

Bosman said the research can aid a wide range of people, including home owners, real estate appraisers and sales companies, lending institutions, title companies and others.

The research will provide insights into the relative effectiveness of various types of installations given Midwest weather patterns and help determine long-term property valuation effects of solar paneling.

The three-year project, which involves other faculty and and a team of CMN students, is funded by a $413,000 Innovations in Climate Education grant from NASA. It expands on previous renewable energy efforts at the college funded by a Wisconsin Focus on Energy rebate program.

The college’s solar research facility has an array of 60 solar panels (16.1 kW) using both micro- and string-inverter technologies, a full weather station, and online monitoring for data collection.

CMN’s project includes an education component focused on advancing climate change literacy and preparing workers for renewable energy jobs. Along with NASA, the college is working in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, UW-Madison and the National Council for Science and Environment.

Bosman, who is a native of Gresham, holds a master’s degree from Clemson University and Bachelor of Science degree from UW-Milwaukee in industrial engineering. She earned her Ph.D. from UW-Milwaukee. In June, Bosman was awarded third place in a judged review of project posters at the doctoral colloquium of the Institute of Industrial Engineers’ annual conference in Montreal, Canada.

More than two dozen people attended a tour of the College of Menominee Nation’s solar energy facilities Monday.

The system was acquired through a $413,000 research grant from NASA in May to promote climate change literacy and prepare workers for renewable energy jobs.

Lisa Bosman, the engineering professor who wrote the grant request, said the study will provide insights into the relative effectiveness of various types of installations and help determine long-term property valuation effects of solar paneling.

It also gives CMN students an opportunity to study and evaluate solar energy and apply it to real-world situations.

During the tour, which was preceded by a lecture about the program, Bosman explained the steps of converting sunlight to electricity, including converting direct sunlight to DC electricity using 60 solar panels. The panels transmit the energy to an inverter box located inside the school, which converts it to AC current. Data collected from the inverter box provides information related to amount of electricity used within a facility at certain times.

“We are the only data collection site in northern Wisconsin,” Bosman said.

The presentation was the first in a CMN lecture series that will continue throughout the school year.

Sacred Heart Catholic School

Our school came together, just as many other Americans, to remember and celebrate the lives of those lost on Sept. 11. We realize that only a handful of our students were alive during the attacks on that day, but the significance is important to all of us. Our middle school students presented a special remembrance of what our freedom means to us. We sang together, prayed together and enjoyed learning what God’s dream is for all of us. We are extremely grateful to the members of the local vets association for presenting the color guard for us during our prayer service.

The parents of our Home and School had their first meeting and have some exciting things planned for our school family. They are welcoming new members, especially the over 20 new families that have joined our school. They will be hosting their first Bingo night Saturday from 5:30-8 p.m. in the church basement. Doors will open at 5:15 p.m. Refreshments and snacks will be available for purchase. Everyone from the community is welcome to come out and play no matter what your age!

Our school has gone through some exciting changes for this school year. We received a large grant to update our current technology and our entire campus has gone Google. Contact information has changed for all of our staff members at the school and the parish. If you wish to contact someone at Sacred Heart you can e-mail them at their first initial last name and then @sacredheartshawano.org. For example, Carolyn Reuter is creuter@sacredheartshawano.org. Please update this information, because our old e-mail addresses will be shutting down at the end of the month.

Olga Brener Intermediate School

The school year is well under way and off to a great start! Students at Brener started their school year with PBIS instruction from our guidance staff, educating the students on the behavior expectations here and how to Learn, Live and Lead the Hawk Way.

There are a few new faces here: Abby Behnke, fifth grade, Brittney Firari, fifth grade, and Hannah Molitor, fifth grade. Please take a moment to welcome them if you get a chance.

Olga Brener staff would like to see all students do well at school. It has been proved that poor attendance at the early levels greatly impacts the overall success of children. Please make sure to have your child at school and at school on time. Our starting time at Brener has changed to 8:10 a.m., please have your child here by that time.

Upcoming: Sept. 26, half day; Oct. 23, half day; Oct. 24, no school.

St. James Lutheran

The St. James volleyball A team took part in a tournament at Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Mosinee. The day was filled with six very well-matched teams. The morning games kept fans on the edge of their seats. The afternoon brought three more matches and three more wins! The Lady Saders finished the tournament undefeated at 6-0. What a great day! The girls received compliments from other coaches as well as the referees. They ended their day with prayer and thankful hearts to God, who has given them their skills and abilities. Way to go, girls!

Hillcrest Primary School

This summer a group of Hillcrest/LEADS staff members attended the Wisconsin PBIS Conference. Not only did we attend the conference sessions, our staff was also asked to present at the pre-conference with recognition of our culturally responsive practices.

In addition, we are proud to announce that we earned the School of Distinction award. There are approximately 1,100 PBIS schools in Wisconsin. Of those 1,100 schools, only 61 of them earned this award. The purpose of this award is to identify schools that exemplify best practices in the implementation of PBIS systems. These recognized schools may also serve as examples to other schools looking to implement PBIS.

What is PBIS? PBIS is Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. One of the foremost advances in schoolwide discipline is the emphasis on schoolwide systems of support that include proactive strategies for defining, teaching and supporting appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments. Instead of using a piecemeal approach of individual behavioral management plans, a continuum of positive behavior support for all students within a school is implemented in areas including the classroom and nonclassroom settings (such as hallways, buses and restrooms).

Positive behavior support is an application of a behaviorally based systems approach to enhance the capacity of schools, families and communities to design effective environments that improve the link between research-validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occurs. Attention is focused on creating and sustaining primary (schoolwide), secondary (classroom) and tertiary (individual) systems of support that improve lifestyle results (personal, health, social, family, work, recreation) for all children and youth by making targeted behaviors less effective, efficient and relevant, and desired behavior more functional.

What were a few of the ways that Hillcrest/LEADS staff members incorporated culturally responsive practices into the school? We invited a cultural consultant and author, Misty Cook, to a staff in-service and she presented different ideas for the staff to infuse Native American culture into their classrooms. We also involved our community in a variety of ways, including a powwow presentation and the collection of cultural artifacts to display in our school display cases. Native American musicians taught our students a variety of songs and dances in music class. A Menominee Tribal Enterprises guest presented at the Careers on Wheels event. A chef made a Peruvian beverage offered on the lunch menu. Our physical education teacher also incorporated cultural lessons in gym class, and our students were taught how to play many different games that students play in other cultures. To learn more about PBIS, visit www.pbis.org/school.

Sacred Heart Catholic School

The students of Sacred Heart Catholic School are very lucky this week. Our school family was the first to celebrate Mass in the newly renovated church. The project took over five months to complete. During that time we celebrated Mass in the school gym. This week our third-grade students led us in a Mass that focused on how and when to pray. The parish family will celebrate the first Masses in the new space this coming weekend. The entire Shawano area community is invited to the official ribbon cutting ceremony at 5 p.m. Oct. 8.

Our fourth- and fifth-grade students enjoyed the beautiful fall weather last week by participating in the Shawano County Conservation Day at Navarino Nature Center. There were more than 350 students learning about our environment, wildlife and conservation. The students learned from experts in their fields and also explored how they could chose a career to help our county.

Did you know that we have a newly designed 3K/4K program at Sacred Heart Catholic School? Corrine Salerno’s Shining Stars has 16 students who have become part of our school family. Her 3K friends come on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays for the morning hours. The 4K Shining Stars are in our program all five days for the whole day. They are working together to be great students and learn all about Jesus in their world.

Our Home and School Organization would like to thank everyone who came to enjoy a night of Bingo this past Saturday. It was a fun event that also helps our school. Mark your calendars for the next Bingo night on Oct. 18 in the church basement.

Gresham School

The Gresham Middle School girls volleyball team had a game against Menominee Indian. The sixth-graders won 2-1. The seventh grade lost all three, but played well. The eighth-graders won one and lost two. They had an exceptional comeback from 0-15 to come back to win 27-25. All of the losses came within two points.

Next week will be homecoming and Cystic Fibrosis week.

St. Paul Lutheran, Bonduel

“Know, Grow, Sow” is the theme for the 2014-15 school year. Students, staff and families will use what we know from the Bible to grow in our faith and sow the seeds of faith in our godly words and actions. To welcome in the new year, some physical updates to the building were made during the summer months. The school’s mission statement was painted on a wall near the entrance, coat shelves upstairs were painted by the lower grade teachers, and a large mural is in the works for the school entry area.

Another new addition to the St. Paul Lutheran School building is the Bonduel Community Food Pantry. A room has been rearranged to provide an opportunity to meet the needs of Bonduel area individuals or families that can use assistance in receiving healthy foods. The pantry had its first distribution of food last Wednesday. The food pantry hours will be from 4-7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. To qualify, families must reside in the Bonduel School District. Families should also be prepared to come with income and financial information in order to complete the application process. The pantry is located in the St. Paul school building at 240 E. Green Bay St. The school children will be making contributions to the food pantry as part of their chapel offerings the first Wednesday of each month. Anyone wishing to donate additional food or needs to the food pantry – or who would like to inquire if they can register to receive donations – should call the St. Paul church office at 715-758-8559 for information.

This has already been a busy week for us. Picture Day was on Monday and Tuesday, and this week students in grades 1-8 are writing letters to friends and families for our annual fundraiser, Race for Education. As a healthy fundraiser, we aren’t selling food or trinkets, but instead are going to spend an hour walking and/or running around the school grounds at the end of October. Friends and family are asked to sponsor the students as runners, and funds are used to assist in both budgeted and nonbudgeted school needs.

Gresham Community School

It is Cystic Fibrosis Week. Gresham Community School will be having a walk for Cody Pluger on Friday at 1 p.m.

This is also homecoming week at Gresham School. Dress-up day themes were the following: Monday, opposite gender day for high school and pajama day for elementary; Tuesday, dress like a teacher or nerd day for high school and crazy hat day for elementary; Wednesday, blast to the past for high school and silly hair day for elementary; Thursday, school spirit day for high school and elementary; Friday, color wars.

Gresham School will be playing homecoming games from 8-11:30 a.m. Friday. At 11:30 a.m., the high school will start the volleyball tournament. There will be a cookout at noon. After everyone is done eating, the Cystic Fibrosis walk starts at 1 p.m. After we are done walking, the high school will finish the volleyball tournament.

Congratulations to the junior varsity volleyball team on its win at Marion. The girls took first place in the tournament against six teams. Congrats, girls!

Also, congratulations to the varsity soccer team, which took first place at the tournament in Antigo against two other teams.

Sacred Heart Catholic School

Sacred Heart Catholic School of Shawano will host up to 350 students from other area Catholic schools Oct. 8 for a Fellowship and Field Day. The event will include a meet-and-greet activity and Christian speaker presenting “Celebrating You and Me in the Body of Christ.” Students will come together following the speaker for a group initiative aimed to help students process the speaker’s words.

Our Mass on Sept. 24 was planned by the third-grade students in Holly Mountoure’s class. The theme was “This Is How You Should Pray.” Students were able to offer prayers into a prayer basket, for which Father Luke Ferris said a special blessing. We were very fortunate to be the first group to celebrate Mass in the newly renovated worship space. The entire Shawano community is invited to the official ribbon cutting ceremony at 5 p.m. Oct. 8.

Sacred Heart Catholic School enjoyed a visit from Officer Scott Ruen as part of the Directed Patrol Program. An officer from the Shawano Police Department will visit us on a regular basis this school year. This program is aimed at creating positive relationships between youth and law enforcement.

Sister Kay Klackner, new assistant superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Green Bay, visited with Principal Elisha Wagenson to learn about all that is going on with our great school. She was very impressed with the presence of Catholic identity in our school.

Students in grades 6-8 are able to attend John Bosco Youth Day at Holy Hill near Milwaukee on Saturday. This one-day event for middle school and high school students features great speakers, praise and worship music, and Mass. A bus group from Sacred Heart will catch the diocesan bus in Appleton. If you are committed, please let Bailey Hansen, youth minister, know at 715-526-4108 or bhansen@sacredheartshawano.org as soon as possible.

St. James Lutheran

As part of their science unit, third-graders discovered where grass stains come from. Students learned about photosynthesis and the importance of chloroplasts and chlorophyll. They also learned that science can be fun and that you should always keep your fingers out of the way when using a hammer.

This weekend is the first Goal Keepers weekend of the school year. At all the worship services, we will be focusing on a portion of the St. James vision statement, “Growing,” with emphasis on Bible study and prayer. The St. James Ministry 40 Days of Prayer will begin Sunday, and sign-up/ information on Bible study opportunities will also be available that weekend. Please stop by the information tables in the Narthex (or the welcome area at Celebration Service) and also look for the bulletin inserts for more information on these two great “Growing Together in Faith” opportunities. There will be special music at all services including the students in preschool-eighth grade. Students are divided by their last names, so families can attend together; students with last names A-G will be singing at the Saturday evening service at 5:30 Saturday. Students with last names H-M will be singing at the 9 a.m. service Sunday. Students with last names N-Z will be singing at the 10:30 a.m. service in the gym. If your child can’t make their scheduled time, please have them attend at a different service. The goal is to have 100 percent participation from all of our students.

Shawano area students will join schools worldwide in celebrating International Walk to School Day on Wednesday.

Shawano County’s University of Wisconsin-Extension helped organize the event locally with collaboration from Shawano Pathways and the Safe Routes to School program, an initiative of the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.

The following local schools will participate in Walk to School Day: Hillcrest Primary School, Olga Brenner Intermediate, Shawano Middle School, LEADS Charter School, Sacred Heart Catholic School, St. James Lutheran School and Bonduel Elementary School.

“International Walk to School Day is both a far-reaching movement and a local event that encourages students, teachers, children and parents to come together as a community,” said Melissa Kraemer Badtke, regional Safe Routes to School coordinator. “On International Walk to School Day, people of all ages can help promote exercise, improve health, reduce pollution and create friendships in our East Central region.”

Olga Brener Intermediate School has participated in Walk to School Day since 2010. The school will offer prizes, including Subway gift cards, T-shirts, bracelets and reflective stickers, to encourage students to participate.

“The day originated to try to encourage parents and children who may drive to school to try walking for a day,” Principal Karen Smith said. “It’s a great opportunity for parents to bond with their kids.”

Susan Longmire, principal of St. James Lutheran School, agreed that the walk helps bring families together. The school has participated in the program since 2012.

“It gives the parents and students a chance to come together, because they don’t do that too often,” Longmire said. “It also promotes physical health.”

Bonduel Elementary School has ambitious plans for its first year of participating in Walk to School Day.

“Many people worked together to make this event happen,” Principal Peggy Jones said. “The Bonduel Police Department and Shawano County Sheriff’s Office will be supporting our walk. They will be present to help keep our streets safe.”

Students who usually arrive by car can be dropped off at the Bonduel Fire Station, where teachers and support staff will guide them to the school. The high school’s Bear mascot will participate, and students are encouraged to wear the school colors (blue and gold). Some of the high school athletes also might be on hand to guide and encourage the youngsters.

“We want to emphasize safety when walking on the streets, encourage students to make healthy choices and to have cleaner air,” said Jones, who hopes to see more than 200 students participate.

Sacred Heart Principal Elisha Wagenson hopes the entire school community gets involved for its second year in the walk.

“We are planning for 100 percent participation and are making time after the first bell so that all kids can walk some laps,” she said. “We hope the students continue to grow in their excitement and level of health consciousness as they develop lifelong healthy habits.”

St. James Lutheran School

The PK3 students are taking show and tell to a whole new level. IsaBella Kuhn and her parents brought her horse. On Thursday, Collin Olson’s grandpa brought a garbage truck and a plow truck. Wow! What a great experience for our young students.

All Shawano schools will recognize National Walk to School Day on Wednesday. The day helps to emphasize health, wellness and physical activity. Let’s get those feet moving! Every child who walks to school will be given a chain with a “foot” on it that they can attach to their shoe. They will be eligible for drawings for Subway cards and Walk to School T-shirts. Students who are bused or driven to school will also have the opportunity to participate. During recess students can do laps around the playground to qualify for the drawing. The drawing will take place right before dismissal at the end of the day. Let’s get moving!

St. James is sponsoring the Community Dinner at First Presbyterian Church in Shawano on Oct. 28. Help is needed from 1-8 p.m. Dan Braun is in charge of cooking, and it sounds like he really needs help at 1 p.m. with getting the food going. If you are able to help at all, please give back to our community by volunteering your time. If you can help, please contact April Black or Jennifer Halstead in the office.

Bonduel Elementary

On Sept. 29, the students at Bonduel Elementary School were visited by actor-educators from CLIMB Theatre. The actor-educators visited each classroom to teach 40-minute classes on the topic of responsibility.

The 4K students learned important information about taking turns and sharing. In this program, students were introduced to a young prince who had to learn how to share and take turns before being doomed to play alone forever.

Grade K-2 students learned how to be Peace Rangers while defining their own personal responsibilities, learning how to make responsible choices and showing the consequences of failing to show responsibility.

Grade 3-5 students brainstormed their responsibilities at school and at home, demonstrated what it means to be responsible and role-played a personal responsibility example.

The funding for the presentation was provided by the Bonduel Elementary PTO.

Gresham School

Gresham School had its homecoming last week. On Wednesday, the dress-up day theme was Blast to the Past. There was everything from Jesus, hippies, ’80s boys and girls, ’50s people, disco dancers. Parents’ letterman jackets were out that day. On Thursday, the theme was School Spirit Day. There were very few people in the school not wearing red. Friday’s theme was Color Wars. Freshman wore pink, sophomores wore green, juniors wore orange and seniors wore purple. The whole school looked good and colorful.

Friday afternoon, after the high school students participated in games, students listened to Ben Smith give a speech about his brother, Cody Pluger, who had passed away with cystic fibrosis. There were many tears shed during the speech. After the speech, Gresham hosted its seventh annual Cystic Fibrosis Walk in honor of Pluger and all people with this terrible disease. Elementary through high school staff and students participated in the walk around Gresham. The band led the walk, followed by school members and finally the community members.

Sacred Heart Catholic School

Sacred Heart Catholic School sent seven representatives to the Diocese of Green Bay Bishop’s Mass in Neenah at St. Gabriel’s Parish on Oct. 1. The students were chosen by their classroom teachers. Bishop David Ricken gave the students three simple ideas to follow: be friends with Jesus, make friends and then introduce these friends to Jesus. Our school sent a scroll with the names of all the students in our school family to the Mass. When they returned they brought back a scroll from Lourdes High School in Oshkosh. It is our mission to pray for their students as another school prays for us.

Monday was School Spirit Day! All of our staff and students enjoy the day to wear their new logo gear or wear our school colors of red, black and white. Spirit Day is the first Monday of every month.

Students in grades 3K-8 are busy learning about art concepts and creating projects inspired by their faith and love of God. Teacher Sue Simoens is looking ahead to upcoming projects and could use some of the following materials if you have them: wallpaper books, bottle caps, sawdust, plastic straws, tissue paper, old digital cameras and water colors. Items can be dropped off at the school office. Thank you.

Our students and families had a great time (despite the weather) at the homecoming parade. Superhero FL saved the children and the day. We are excited to be part of the Shawano community and we will continue to train the superheroes of tomorrow.

Our fourth- and fifth-graders enjoyed a visit from Lloyd Koeller, an Army veteran, and John Fuerst, a Navy veteran. The two men showed how to fold the flag and what each of the folds represents. They also explained how and when to hang the flag outside. The fourth- and fifth-grade students take care of the school’s flag each day.

Olga Brener Intermediate School

Elaine Buerman’s third-grade class had a special guest visit their class recently: Jenny Ballwahn, owner of Full House Realty. She brought a box of PVC piping cut in half and a few marbles to lead a community building activity. She then divided the students into three groups, handed out the piping and marbles, and then gave them instructions. The instructions were to take the pieces, totaling about 5 feet in length, and find a way to get the marble from one side of the room to the other side of the room without letting the marble hit the ground. The students worked on communication skills, critical thinking skills and teamwork while doing this. A great time was had by all. Thank you, Mrs. Ballwahn!

International Walk to School Day was just the first step for students at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Shawano.

The school, among seven in the area that participated in the annual walk Wednesday, also is taking on a challenge issued by Transform Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization that promotes healthy communities by providing grants and funding.

“The Transform Wisconsin program challenges each child in our school to walk 20 minutes per day, and each child is given a pedometer to track their steps,” Principal Elisha Wagenson said. “We are going to convert these steps into miles throughout the school year.”

Olga Brener Intermediate School, which has participated in Walk to School Day since 2010, also has extended its commitment to student fitness past the annual event through a walking club and other activities.

“Kids do not walk enough,” said Rose Thiel, who walked to Olga Brener on Wednesday with her fifth-grade son, Tyler. “They spend more time on the computer these days.”

Thiel and her son have participated in Walk to School Day for three consecutive years. She called it a step in the right direction.

“I walk all the time, so it is a very good idea,” Thiel said. “I think it is good exercise for the kids.”

Other schools participating Wednesday were Hillcrest Primary School, Shawano Community Middle School, LEADS Charter School, St. James Lutheran School, which is also taking the Transform Wisconsin challenge, and — for the first time — Bonduel Elementary School.

Principal Peggy Jones said about 170 students and 35 parents walked to school in Bonduel. Enrollment at the elementary school is 320.

Walk organizers recruited the Bonduel Police Department and Shawano County Sheriff’s Department to help ensure students’ safety. Students who usually arrive by car could be dropped off at the Bonduel Fire Station, where teachers and support staff guided them to the school.

The high school’s Bear mascot also participated. Students were encouraged to wear the school colors (blue and gold).

“Community support was crucial to the success of today’s walk,” Jones said. “There were many staff members who assisted in helping students cross the streets and walking along Mill Street to school.”

Shawano County’s University of Wisconsin-Extension office helped organize Walk to School Day locally in collaboration with Shawano Pathways and the Safe Routes to School program, an initiative of the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.

All students participating received giveaways such as bracelets, neon T-shirts, bicycle reflectors and Subway gift cards to promote healthy choices.

Nancy Schultz, UW-Extension family living educator, said she has seen participation in Walk to School Day increase over the years.

“I think that we have a lot more parents that are actively involved with their kids, including walking to school and biking to school,” Schultz said. “It is a real total community involvement.”

Fellowship and Field Day brought about 340 students to Sacred Heart Catholic School in Shawano on Wednesday.

The students were entertained by a Christian singer, played games and made new friends.

Sacred Heart Principal Elisha Wagenson said the students, amid the fun, were learning two key lessons: “It is for each student to recognize the unique quality that God has given them as an individual, and to recognize ways those qualities can be used to better themselves and the world around them in service.”

The event kicked off with a meet-and-greet for students from six area schools to establish common bonds and share stories of faith.

The goal was for students “to meet students from other Christian schools so that they can share their faith together and network with their peers,” Wagenson said.

The schools participating were Sacred Heart; St. James Lutheran, of Shawano; All Saints, of Antigo; St. Anthony’s, of Oconto Falls; St. Rose and St. Mary’s, of Clintonville; and Assumption BVM, of Pulaski.

San Francisco-based Christian singer Sam Kauffman, who got the students enthusiastically clapping and singing during her visit, was touched by their attitudes.

“The children were so wonderful to work with and they gave great answers, and I loved their singing,” Kauffman said. “So grateful for bringing together all of these schools so that they can get to know one another.”

The singer/songwriter/recording artist has been in the music industry for 22 years. She is known for her storytelling talents and has developed more than 50 theme-based programs based on Scripture.

Following Kauffman’s presentation, the school played a variety of games, including partner tag, where students paired up with a peer from another school; name-tag tag, where students greeted each other by name; a team game of rock, paper, scissors; and moon ball, during which students worked together to keep a beach ball in the air.

Sacred Heart athletic director Randy Panzer coordinated the games.

“This just allows kids to be silly and have fun,” he said. “As soon as they begin having fun, and being silly together, it is amazing how their communication opens up and how comfortable they are.

“The theme was to integrate and allow students to mingle with other schools and just use communication skills, meeting people face to face, and getting to know other students from the area.”

Wagenson would like to see the event continue.

“We are hoping that it will possibly become an annual event for the Catholic schools of the northern region of the Diocese of Green Bay,” she said.

Bonduel Elementary School

Tracy Albrecht’s kindergarten class has been learning about plants in science. We have learned all about the leaves, stem and roots and how they help plants. Our class has been out in the school forest to do some hands-on work and observation with many different kinds of plants. We took a look at a variety of leaves, and then we painted them and made our leaf print T-shirts.

Second-graders are busy reading, writing, and doing math. However, we also are busy with science and social studies. At the second-grade level, we incorporate many reading and writing activities into these subject areas, but we also do hands-on experiments and group projects. Some of our science topics include matter, weather, space, animals and habitats. For social studies, we look at maps, landforms, America’s history and study famous Americans. We use our Smartboards, iPod apps and Internet websites to research these topics further. Science and social studies are an important part of the second-grade curriculum.

Sacred Heart Catholic School

The students and staff of Sacred Heart Catholic School have been extremely busy. We enjoyed bringing together our fellow north Catholic schools for a day of fellowship, faith and fun on Oct. 8. We had more than 350 students and more than 40 adults on campus. We enjoyed team-building activities, prayer, lunch and a speaker. We are excited that we got to meet new friends, and we hope that we can see them again throughout the school year.

Friday afternoon we spent time as a whole school creating rosaries to represent our homeroom classes. Scott Marohl’s seventh-grade class made a rosary of the periodic table of elements. Holly Montoure’s third-grade class made a flower rosary and Carolyn Reuter’s fourth- and fifth-grade class made a states and capitals rosary. All the rosaries were unique, and they are on display at school for all to appreciate.

Monday was our fall day at Camp Tekakwitha in Shawano. The camp is part of the ministry of the Green Bay Diocese. Our students took part in the trees program, gym class and art class at camp. We had a lot of fun learning outside of the classroom. Our staff and students appreciated the great weather and the beautiful fall colors at camp. We look forward to enjoying our winter camp day in February.

Bowler Elementary School

Bowler Elementary fifth- and sixth-grade students were excited to meet and listen to a mystery guest who stressed the importance of doing their best in school while infusing his own life story living on the Stockbridge-Munsee Reservation.

Dan Terrio, a graduate of Bowler Schools, made it very clear to students that their education is very important and their journey starts now. Terrio’s inspirational talk emphasized respecting teachers - and each other - and doing their best in school. He recently completed his master’s degree in college.

Terrio told the students how he has been given many opportunities to serve youth and adults and has been fortunate enough to travel and serve on national boards. The students were amazed that he has been to all 50 states and has met and even danced with first lady Michelle Obama.

Terrio is the national education learning facilitator at Humana in De Pere. His presentation was coordinated by fifth- and sixth-grade reading teacher Jody Siahaan.

St. Paul Bonduel

This past weekend, the preschool, 4K, and kindergarten classes sang for the 10:15 a.m. worship service. After that, the evangelism committee sponsored a homemade lunch for those students and their families as a “thank you” for entrusting their children to our school for a Christian education. The Fellowship Hall was packed, and a good time was had by all.

This evening is a free performance of this year’s school musical, “I Love to Tell the Story,” written by our very own staff, seventh-grade teacher Peggy Buchholz and music director Lorraine Doell. Feel free to join the kindergarten through eighth-grade students and their parents for the 6:30 p.m. performance in the school gym for some all-time-favorite Bible story skits.

On Friday, we will celebrate another Grandparents’ Day! Following a chapel service, grandparents will visit classrooms and enjoy craft projects, SmartBoard activities and more. After the parents and PTL serve lunch to about 400 students, grandparents and staff, the final performance of the musical will take place. Students (and teachers) will be busy all week preparing for the special day.

St. James Lutheran School

The kindergarten class traveled to the Navarino Nature Center last week to enjoy some outdoor education in God’s beautiful creation. We were blessed with great weather and some awesome fall color.

The children learned about seeds and the different ways they travel. They also got to pick out some of those colorful leaves and do leaf rubbings. We walked along a prairie trail and hid in the tall prairie plants. We saw the bee hive and learned some very interesting facts about bees. We got to see and touch turtles and a corn snake, too! This weekend the nature center will be hosting a family weekend with wagon rides, face painting and other activities. For more information, call the center at 715-758-6999.

Some of Aesop’s fables and the Brothers Grimm will come to life this week as Shawano Community High School drama students present “Story Theatre” in three performances Thursday through Saturday.

The play will be shorter than some of the more recent SCHS plays and fit for all ages, whereas last year’s nonmusical selections were mainly appropriate for ages 13 and up. “Story Theatre” intertwines five treasured tales, including “The Master Thief” and “Henny Penny,” in a storybook read by a young girl.

“It comes back to her life every now and then,” said director Alexander Konen, who is taking the reins from Mark Otte, who left during the summer for a teaching position at Waupaca High School.

Konen found out in late summer that he would be in charge of directing the fall and spring plays, so he fell back on familiar material.

“It was something that I had read before, that I had done before, and I knew I’d have a little bit of help on how to do certain aspects of the show,” Konen said.

There are 14 students in the show, and most of them are playing multiple roles.

Julia Heup is finding the ability to juggle more than one role to be an interesting but welcome challenge.

“It’s a really interesting twist on most of the traditional fables you hear with all the horrible endings,” Heup said. “It’s really interesting to get into it with such shortened scenes, and it’s been fun to get into each character.”

The fables are tweaked to show happier endings after each one. Henny Penny, for example, manages to escape the clutches of the villainous Foxy Loxy. In the traditional tale, she and her friends get gobbled up.

Most of the actors are ready for opening night, according to Konen, and the remainder are on the cusp of being ready.

“By the time we open, things will look really well,” Konen said.

Dozens of grandparents returned to school Friday at St. Paul Lutheran School in Bonduel.

Grandparents Day included a church service, classroom sessions and a musical presentation.

Principal Gerald Schmidt said the annual event emphasizes the importance of education and involvement of grandparents in students’ lives.

“Grandparents love to see what their grandkids are learning in today’s world,” Schmidt said. “It helps the kids to see the importance of education and helps the grandparents to know a little bit when grandkids come over and talk about what they are doing in school.”

Jeff Rybacki drove from Green Bay to be with his three grandchildren — Brody, Riley and Cory Wussow — at the school. It was his seventh Grandparents Day.

“It is really a challenge to be in these small seats,” Rybacki said. “It is fun to see the grandkids and I enjoy helping them learn a little bit, so it’s pretty good,”

Rybacki’s day included working with Brody on a seventh-grade math project that involved toothpicks and equilateral triangles.

“It is fun to be around the kids, because it is fun to feel young again,” Rybacki said.

School secretary Audrey Marohl, who will retire after 40 years at St. Paul’s at the end of this school year, has enjoyed the day as a past participant and observer.

“My children and grandchildren came here, so I have seen a lot here,” she said. “These kids keep your mind flowing, and it is a wonderful experience.

“The grandparents are very supportive of their grandchildren.”

Gresham School

On Oct. 15, Gresham Culture Club Students attended a Career Fair in Oneida. The students had a chance to learn about a wide variety of jobs and the education needed for them. The students also talked to college representatives and learned about different colleges.

There was a FFA blood drive Oct. 15 at Gresham School, thanks to the American Red Cross. Twenty people volunteered to give blood, including students and staff members.

Tigerton Elementary School

For the sixth year in a row, Tigerton Elementary School was among 173 schools in the state that received Wisconsin Title I School of Recognition honors for the 2014-15 school year.

The schools were recognized Oct. 13 during a ceremony at the Capitol in Madison hosted by Deputy State Superintendent Mike Thompson.

Hillcrest Primary School

Bonnie Hilgenberg’s kindergarten class visited Birch Hill Care Center to recite the nursery rhymes they spent months memorizing. The performances included rhymes featuring Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty, Little Miss Muffet, Little Boy Blue, etc. The children performed their rhymes with props and much gusto. The residents laughed and enjoyed the children’s show so very much. Afterward, the students gave out flowers they had made in class to their new friends at Birch Hill.

Sacred Heart Catholic School

On Friday our students and staff gave time during their day for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. It is our opportunity to spend time in silent prayer for a few minutes during our day with the exposed sacrament in our worship space. Students are asked to spend this time reflecting and having a conversation with God. We learn that conversation is prayer in its simplest form. Adoration is scheduled for the third Friday of the month. Members of the Sacred Heart Parish and community are welcome to come any time during Adoration Fridays.

Our student council elections are complete, and we have student leaders who are ready to work with staff on making our school great: Adam Piantek, eighth grade, president; Henry Smith, seventh grade, vice president; Riley Tucker, seventh grade, secretary; and Aureliano Garcia, seventh grade, treasurer. Together, these four will be working hard to help coordinate school activities and service projects with staff. Each classroom of grades 4-8 also selected student representatives to serve on the student council.

Home and School had a successful Bingo night on Oct 18. The final game was a blackout game, and the winner walked away with $46. Mark your calendar for the next Bingo night from 5:30-8 p.m. Nov. 15. Snacks will be available for purchase, too. This is a family friendly event for all ages.

Sacred Heart Catholic School and Parish will be hosting its 31st annual citywide Halloween party from 3-5;30 p.m. Oct. 29 in the school gym. We will be offering a new preschool area for ages 1-4. The party will feature a haunted house, caramel apple nachos and many games. Screamin’ Nachos are available for purchase in the school cafeteria for dinner. We have sponsorship opportunities for businesses or families that range from $40-$150. If you have any questions about the Halloween party or you are interested in the sponsorship opportunity, call the school office at 715-526-5328.

St. Paul Bonduel Lutheran

Teachers at St. Paul will join other church workers from the North Wisconsin District at the end of this week in Weston for a Professional Church Workers’ Conference. The theme of this year’s conference is “Strengthened to Proclaim,” and St. Paul’s staff look forward to being strengthened and renewed for work in His kingdom.

The holiday season is approaching, and St. Paul students in preschool, 4K and kindergarten are again selling Christmas wreaths, garland and cemetery crosses. Profits will be used to benefit these students’ educational needs and for financial aid for families who might not otherwise be able to send their children to St. Paul Lutheran School. Order forms are available in the church/school office and in the church narthex. You may also call 715-758-8532. Orders and payment are due by Nov. 1; delivery to the school will be on Nov. 20.

The leaves are falling, and with autumn comes the inevitable job of raking, bagging, burning, hauling, etc. Let the eighth-grade class from St. Paul lend you – or a loved one – a helping hand. Please call eighth-grade teacher Jeff Wegner at 715-758-8532, ext. 226, to set up a time and date. A freewill donation towards the eighth-grade class trip to Washington, D.C., in May is appreciated but not required.

In addition, St. Paul’s eighth-grade class will be having a fundraising fashion show event at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, in the school gym. The eighth-grade students’ moms will be modeling fashions from Body Essentials, and eighth-grade students will be modeling sports apparel from Generations. Both of those businesses are located in downtown Shawano. Tickets are $10 per seat, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the class trip fund. The tickets are available from any eighth-grade student or the school office (715-758-8532).

Mark your calendars. The SPYRT Youth Group is again hosting a craft sale and lunch Nov. 8 at St. Paul Lutheran School, 240 E. Green Bay St., Bonduel. In addition to a variety of craft and other vendors, there will be a bake sale, silent auction and delicious lunch. Stop in between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to do a little early holiday shopping. Proceeds benefit the Youth Group activities, including expenses to attend the National Youth Gathering every three years.

For the first time in its 35-year history, this year’s Golden Strings concert will include audience participation.

The annual concert presented by the Shawano Community High School music department will include a costume contest at Friday’s performance. The show’s theme is “Halloween FUN.”

Audience members who wish to participate in the contest will need to pay $2. The audience will select the winner, who will receive $50.

The student musicians also will be in costume, and the music will emphasize the Halloween theme.

“This is going to be like no other concert we have done before,” said junior Simon Moesch, who plays the string bass. “We planned it out totally different, and it is going to be a super fun and entertaining concert.”

The juniors and seniors planned the concert, including the lighting concepts and special effects.

Music teacher Jill Sousek said the biggest challenges were combining the concert orchestra and symphony orchestra into one unit for the annual event and working with the Halloween theme.

“With the Halloween music, it is more difficult because of the special effects, to play for the audience,” Sousek said. “It took quite a bit of effort and we have all had to put in our own ideas and help outside of class.”

The program will also include some of the Golden Strings standard pieces.

Senior Kiahna Johnson will be performing in her fourth Golden Strings concert.

“It’s a great opportunity to see what we have offer,” Johnson said.

There will not be a costume contest at the Saturday performance, but it will include a raffle drawing for a heart necklace. Raffle tickets can be purchased Friday and Saturday nights.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the symphony orchestra program, which is purchasing new cellos and basses, Sousek said.

For the first time in its 35-year history, this year’s Golden Strings concert will include audience participation.

The annual concert presented by the Shawano Community High School music department will include a costume contest at Friday’s performance. The show’s theme is “Halloween FUN.”

Audience members who wish to participate in the contest will need to pay $2. The audience will select the winner, who will receive $50.

The student musicians also will be in costume, and the music will emphasize the Halloween theme.

“This is going to be like no other concert we have done before,” said junior Simon Moesch, who plays the string bass. “We planned it out totally different, and it is going to be a super fun and entertaining concert.”

The juniors and seniors planned the concert, including the lighting concepts and special effects.

Music teacher Jill Sousek said the biggest challenges were combining the concert orchestra and symphony orchestra into one unit for the annual event and working with the Halloween theme.

“With the Halloween music, it is more difficult because of the special effects, to play for the audience,” Sousek said. “It took quite a bit of effort and we have all had to put in our own ideas and help outside of class.”

The program will also include some of the Golden Strings standard pieces.

Senior Kiahna Johnson will be performing in her fourth Golden Strings concert.

“It’s a great opportunity to see what we have offer,” Johnson said.

There will not be a costume contest at the Saturday performance, but it will include a raffle drawing for a heart necklace. Raffle tickets can be purchased Friday and Saturday nights.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the symphony orchestra program, which is purchasing new cellos and basses, Sousek said.