Contributed Photo SANTA’S HELPERS: From left, Katrina Schroeder, Angie Cornette, Lynette Deveau and Jeff Molkentin are just a few of the Bonduel Elementary School parents helping out at the annual Santa Shop. Students get to come in and buy gifts for friends and family.
Contributed Photo BAKING FOR A CAUSE: Bonduel Elementary School eighth-graders work on a batch of the more than 3,500 cookies they baked under the direction of Judy Schmidt for a fundraiser. The students took orders to bake and decorate Christmas cookies to help fund a spring class trip to Washington, D.C.
Menominee Tribal School
On Dec. 9, the grades 5-8 language and culture classes visited the logging museum near Keshena to hear Sylvia Wilber discuss the effort that was taken to restore the Menominee Tribe to reservation status. The elders and presenters were impressed with the students who asked pertinent questions, were polite and personally thanked Mrs. Wilber.
Menominee Tribal School held a K-8 Family Night on Dec. 12. Parents and students made Christmas decorations for both school and home, frosted cookies and enjoyed a meal of hot turkey sandwiches, chips, veggies and dip.
The annual Christmas program was held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the school gym. The theme was “Welcome to the North Pole.” A variety of musical offerings and poems, such as “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “The Night Before Christmas,” were presented by grades kindergarten through eighth grade. K-4 classes also included songs in Menominee such as “Oh Christmas Tree.” They were led by their culture and language instructor, Sherrie La Chapelle. Between the movement of the classes onto the risers, third- and sixth-graders shared their “elvish” jokes and riddles.
Menominee culture and language classes have been focusing on The Restoration, celebrating its 40th anniversary. Through 19 years and over the terms of four U.S. presidents, Menominees and their friends fought against the federal government’s Termination Act of 1954. At last, on Dec. 22, 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Menominee Restoration Act, repealing termination and restoring sovereignty to the Menominee people. Events at the College of the Menominee and the casino will celebrate Restoration Day from 9:45 a.m.to 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Shawano Community Middle School
This is our last week of school before the holiday break. The holidays represent joy and cheer for many, but we also need to remember that there may be anxiety and stress as well. The staff here at SCMS will be pooling their talents for a special activity for students on Friday. Students were able to sign up for some activities to close the week out. Activities range from acting to crafts to sports. Some will be making Christmas presents for friends and/or family, and some will be participating in tournaments. We will have a special visit from Santa to deliver an iPad Mini to a winning student, as well!
As always, we are continuing to focus on respectful, responsible and safe behavior. Students have been seen practicing random acts of kindness toward each other, and we are also focusing on the Golden Rule this week (treat others as you would like them to treat you).
Please feel free to stop in with any curiosities. Please remember, we are all here to work together to help students experience success at SCMS.
Sacred Heart Catholic School
As the Advent season is upon us, we have many reasons and people to celebrate in our Catholic faith. Students shared their voices with parents and friends Thursday night. It was a great night to celebrate Advent and prepare for the coming of Christ. We ended the night with hot chocolate and Christmas cookies that the students baked last week. They made more than 700 cookies to share.
On Friday, Juan Diego, aka Father Luke (Ferris), visited with our students to share his story. He spoke of his experiences with the bishops in Mexico City after seeing the Lady of Guadalupe. This was a meaningful experience for our students and staff.
On Friday night, we had brave souls, parents and students, join in the Shawano Santa Parade. It might have been chilly, but the season certainly warmed our hearts, and we had fun! Many thanks to all the parents for putting the float together and coming out to support our school. Hopefully you were in the crowd to receive a school pencil or a basketball thrown out by Father Luke with our new logo on it.
In our final week of school before Christmas the 4K/5K class led our prayer service. They reminded us that in this season of gift giving that Jesus is the greatest gift! Students were also reminded of all that Jesus did for them to ensure that they will be with him forever in heaven.
Sacred Heart Catholic School, students and staff, would like to extend a very Merry Christmas to all and a safe and enjoyable break. Watch for information in the new year regarding enrollment for the 2014-2015 school year, or contact the office for more information.
Gresham Community School
Candy canes are being sold for $1 or three for $2 at lunch as a fundraiser for Student Council at Gresham Community School. Sales will continue until Thursday.
The Gresham FFA is also accepting donations for its Christmas is for Caring drive to help local families during the holiday season. Donations can be given to any FFA member or dropped off at school for the adviser, Jeff Zobeck.
There was a band concert on Dec. 12 for grades 6-12.
On Monday, grades kindergarten-12 had a choir concert.
FFA fruit orders arrive Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday, the middle school boys basketball team hosts Menominee Tribal Middle School. It is also parents night.
We start our holiday break on Friday.
Olga Brener Intermediate School
Our annual Morning with Mom was a huge success. More than 275 moms and grandmas joined our students for breakfast. It’s a great opportunity to spend some time with your child and to meet others in your child’s school community.
Having a hard time coming up with Christmas gift ideas? Some great ideas that your child would love and that will also nurture their education would be books, board games and building sets such as LEGOs, to name just a few. If you aren’t sure what reading level, don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher. Also consider a book that could be read as a family read-aloud. The gift of reading is a lifelong gift.
Upcoming: fourth-grade concert, Thursday; Christmas break, Dec. 23 through Jan. 1.
Wolf River Lutheran High School
The Wolf River Lutheran High School boys basketball team has had a great start to the season. In its Dec. 10 game versus Faith Christian Academy in Coleman, the team posted a 37-29 victory. In its Dec. 12 game at Rawhide Academy, the boys had a come-from-behind victory to go 2-0 on the season. Way to go, Silver Eagles; we are proud of you!
The WRLHS choir had a busy weekend, caroling on the school’s float during Friday’s 19th annual Shawano Santa Parade. Although the frosty weather made for chilly fingers and toes, students and staff enjoyed taking the music of the season to the streets of Shawano. On Sunday, the choir traveled to three area nursing homes, spreading Christmas cheer: Mason Woods Retirement Community, Cecil, Meadow View Care Facility, Bonduel, and Birch Hill Care Center, Shawano.
Seniors in the personal finance class recently had the opportunity to participate in simulated job interviews. In anticipation of these interviews, the students prepared their resumes, researched the target companies and selected professional attire. Special thanks to Gerald Schmidt, principal of St. Paul Lutheran School, Jeanna Matuszak, of Community Regional Hospital, Peter Schmidt, of Schmidt’s Ponderosa, and Kristi Wilhms, of Bonduel Subway, for coming to Wolf River Lutheran High School and interviewing our seniors.
The WRLHS school office will be closed from Dec. 23 through Jan. 3 for the Christmas break. Classes resume Jan. 6.
Hillcrest Primary School
Becky Arens’ second-grade class is studying motion in science. We are exploring rotational motion by making three things that spin: tops, zoomers and twirlers. We are investigating variations in design and the force (a push or a pull) they need to put them in motion.
Each student in Stacey Popp’s class wrote a letter to Santa after learning the five parts of a letter. In math we have learned addition strategies to help our brains calculate sums quickly.
Sarah Radke’s class is starting to work on telling time on both an analog clock and a digital clock. Students are working hard to distinguish the difference between the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand. They are also determining which things we do in the a.m. versus which things we do in the p.m.
We are preparing for the Christmas holiday in Karen Flunker’s class. We wrote letters to Santa and have been practicing for the holiday concert. We are also concerned about the cold temperatures and wrote how to bundle up for the cold Wisconsin winters. We are also learning about production workers in our community and how they play an important part in our community.
Jamie Kriewaldt’s class is studying fairy tales and folk tales during language arts. We are also focusing on many different spelling strategies to help us become better readers and writers. Soon we will be writing our own fairy tales and sharing them with the rest of the class.
Diana Wichlacz’s class has enjoyed its study of balance and motion. Students especially enjoyed the zoomers, twirlers and the marble runway. The marble runway was just like a roller coaster with many ups and downs and a wild loop.
Chris Kellett’s class is writing fiction short stories. We are using dialogue and conversation within our writings.
Jennifer Zoll’s students are working on developing reading, writing, math and behavior goals. They are working on these goals in order to get smarter.
Lori Schwecke’s class has been learning how authors try to persuade their reader to think a certain way. Now, as writers, we’re going to write a persuasive essay to get our classmates to read a beloved book.
Tigerton Schools
Tigerton Schools will not be in session from Dec. 23 to Jan. 1. We will be back in school starting Thursday, Jan. 2.