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INDOOR POOL
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CONNECT WITH US
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SHARE your school photos using our hashtag: 
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SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
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UPCOMING EVENTS
For a complete calendar listing, please visit us here:
Winter Break - No School
Date: Dec. 23 - Jan. 1
Note: Students return to buildings on Jan. 4
In-Person Students Return to Building Date: January 4 No School in Observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Date: January 18 Full Day - No Early Release Date: January 20 Note: This Wednesday will be a full day of school No School Date: January 22 Start of Second Semester Date: January 25 Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences Date: March 16 Time: 4-7 p.m. Place: TBD Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences Date: March 17 Time: 1:30-4 p.m. Place: TBD Spring Break - No School Date: March 29 - April 2 Memorial Day - No School Date: May 31 Last Day of School Date: June 7 Note: This will be a full day of school
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TO NOMINATE:
To nominate a student for the Baraboo High School Senior Spotlight, email a brief write-up with the student's first and last name and an explanation of why you are nominating the senior to Holly Henderson.
Submissions must include at least one photograph.
Please enter "SENIOR SPOTLIGHT" in the subject field of the email. |
COMMUNITY LINKS
The mission of Hope House is to prevent abuse and provide support to victims of domestic and sexual violence.
Toll-free 24-Hour Confidential Helpline:
1-800-584-6790
Street Address:
720 Ash Street
Baraboo, WI 53913
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday 8:00AM to 4:30PM
The Baraboo Public Library offers a safe and welcoming environment, providing area residents and visitors with confidential access to cutting edge, high quality resources.
Riptide is a summer swim program for ages 5 to 18.
Online registration. Ages 6-18. Certified, trained coaches. Spring and Fall seasons. Email BarabooSoccerClub@gmail.
com with questions.
Ages 9 and older. For more information, contact Ginger Clark at 608 963-8127.
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Baraboo School District E-Newsletter
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December 17, 2020
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 The School District of Baraboo has shifted to a district-wide all-virtual model. Students who have opted for in-person will return to instruction in buildings on Jan. 4.
The District created the Baraboo Virtual Hub to provide students and families with important information about access to learning and school staff members. Click here to access the virtual hub.
Virtual Material Pick Up
Material pick will occur on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Teachers will communicate with families whether or not there are materials to pick up. WEST/BELC families will receive communication about material pick up and times from their student's teacher.
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District In-Person Students Return January 4
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 Dear School District of Baraboo Families and Staff, We are reaching out to alert you that the Board of Education decided last night to return to in-person teaching and learning on Monday, January 4th, a departure from the initial communicated return date of January 11th. This challenging decision is primarily based on an
overwhelming concern for the mental health of our student population seeking to be physically back at school.
Families who opted for in-person instruction may begin sending students back to school on Monday, January 4th, five days a week with Wednesdays still serving as early release days. Families who opted for virtual learning will continue to engage with teachers and peers through our online learning. Those families participating virtually who need food service may pick up meals at Al Behrman Elementary (11:00 - 11:30am), Baraboo High School (BHS) (11:00 - 11:30am) and North Freedom Elementary (12:00 - 12:30pm). Meals must be ordered daily by 9:00am through the BHS Kitchen (355-3980). Students who were in-person during our time of minimal capacity will return to schedules and services previously provided prior to the shift on November 30th.
We recognize that this notice of change in the return date may cause disruption to planning for families. Please know that we will work to support each individual student, no matter the circumstance, to keep on pace with peers and targeted learning needs as we all work to get into this shifted routine.
The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority. We will continue to implement our safety protocols, including mandatory face coverings, to protect the health and safety of our students, staff, and families. Additionally, we ask that all families directly communicate with our schools and nurses and refrain from sending your child to school if you or your child is experiencing COVID-like symptoms, recently been tested for COVID, or tested positive for COVID.
We look forward to seeing our students in the buildings again soon. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Lori M. Mueller at 608.355.3950, x1010 or lmueller@barabooschools.net.
Always Onward,
Dr. Lori M. Mueller, District Administrator
School District of Baraboo
For a printable version of the letter, please click here.
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GLW Students Have Fun with Fort Day
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Ms. Grogan's fifth grade class at Gordon L. Willson Elementary School had fun with a Fort Day on Friday, Dec. 11. The students had the opportunity to build forts at their remote learning location, then attend virtual class from the comfort of their new digs.
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East Student Wins Art Contest
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East Elementary fourth grader Honore Bavlnka won first place in a coloring contest sponsored by Hartje Tire.
As a first place winner, her artwork will be featured on their holiday cards this season. She also received a $75 gift card and they donated $250 to the school.
Honore was one of 13 students from East Elementary who entered the contest. Entering was an optional/an out of school opportunity for them. Congratulations to all of our young artists, and congratulations to Honore on her first-place win!
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Indoor Pool Offers Pop Up Zumba Sessions
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For more information on the Baraboo Indoor Pool, including COVID-19 protocols, please visit our website here.
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Jack Young Middle School math teacher Ms. Toll took screenshots of her 6th graders during a synchronous Google Meet session. Students dressed in their favorite hoodies - perfect comfy gear for the colder temperatures!
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PHP Donates to Elementary Schools
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Just before winter break, Mr. Bill Harris and People Helping People donated classroom supplies, clothing items, blankets and school snacks for elementary students in the Baraboo School District.
Thank you to Mr. Harris & PHP for their continued support of families and students in need within the Baraboo area and region. We appreciate you!
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JYMS Girls Basketball Information
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 For complete information on JYMS Girls Basketball, please click here.
Parent Meeting
The parent meeting for 7/8th Grade Girls Basketball will be held on Zoom on Monday, December 21 at 7 p.m.
Online Registration You must register online in the Parent Portal before the date of the parents meeting. Once you log into the Parent Portal click here to locate where the registration can be found. Unfortunately, it is not very obvious where to find the registration.
You and your child will sign the Code of Conduct and Concussion forms electronically there. The participation fee of $30 can be paid at the parents meeting or in the JYMS main office. If you would like to pay online please contact Melissa Greenwood at mgreenwood@barabooschools.net in advance to have the fee added to your child's account.
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For more information on the Baraboo Indoor Pool, including COVID-19 protocols, please visit our website here.
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While the schools are in virtual mode, please continue to notify the nurse or attendance office if your student is ill with COVID-like symptoms, getting COVID tested or have been identified as a close contact of a COVID positive person. Also, please notify the school nurses know if your household is in quarantine.
The nurses are continuing to monitor our students to keep everyone as safe as possible when school reopens in January. The school nurses are also available to discuss any COVID questions, testing options for COVID, community resources, grocery options, and any other health-related matters during this time.
East, ABE, and North Freedom students: Please email Mrs. Christensen at rchristensen@barabooschools.net or call 608-355-3920, ext 4160.
West and JYMS Students: Please email Ms. O'Leary at loleary@barabooschools.net or call 608-355-3930, ext. 3535.
GLW and BHS students: Please email Ms. Brescia at kbrescia@barabooschools.net or call 608-355-3940, ext. 2217.
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Friday Folders Are Going Virtual
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 The School District of Baraboo's Friday Folders are going virtual for the 2020-21 school year!
Information from non-district entities, like club sports, library programming, parks and rec information, etc., can now be accessed in a digital Friday Folder by clicking here. Friday Folder submissions from previous weeks will be archived in this folder as well, so if you want to reference it you can go to that week's folder and view it again!
This is a safety measure for in-person students to limit the number of papers received from outside sources, and will allow students who are attending school via the Virtual Learning Model to access to the information.
Please note: Important school-related information directly from the School District of Baraboo will still come home in Friday Folders, and virtual teachers will provide this information directly to their students.
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Park and Rec Winter Guide
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BGC Offers Club Hub for Virtual Support
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In response to the Baraboo School District's decision to move to an all virtual model from November 30th until January 8th, the Boys and Girls Clubs of West-Central WI Baraboo/Sauk County will be open to support virtual learning throughout the day starting on November 30th.
Club Members attending Club Hub must be pre-registered and hold a current, active Club Membership. Club Membership is just $24.00 per calendar year and covers all after-school and drop-in hours.
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A Message from Hope House: Supporting Children and Teens During the Holiday Season
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 With the holiday season here, Hope House recognizes that this can be both a joyous time and a difficult time for some individuals. With the added layer of the pandemic, some children are experiencing new or enhanced stressors that they might not understand how to cope with. Below we share some thoughts and ideas on how to support your child during this unique holiday season.
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Be as honest as you can with your child/teen about why things might be different this year. If you are celebrating the holiday away from extended family, let them know it comes from a place of caring and wanting loved ones to be safe. Also, don't hesitate to be honest about your feelings as well. It might help them to see that they aren't alone in their feelings and validate how they feel.
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Focus on the meaning of the holiday for your family; the way you celebrate this year may be different but the meaning and values are not.
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If you have access to technology, try zoom calls and group chats! While it isn't the same as being in person, this connection can be extremely meaningful for not only your child, but the whole family. As a family, you can make the virtual visit interesting by eating a meal while each of you plays your favorite holiday song for everyone to listen to, do a scavenger hunt online, playing charades or having a dance party!
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If possible, find a way to make this year new and different, maybe coming up with a new tradition. Volunteer somewhere, wrap donated toys, help shovel a neighbor's driveway or send a card to someone you know who may be spending the holidays alone.
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The lack of control can be really hard so asking your child or teen one thing they might like to do can be a fun activity for you to brainstorm together.
For more helpful tips on supporting your child and yourself during this holiday season, you can visit The National Child Traumatic Stress Network at www.nctsn.org. Also remember that Hope House is here for you if you or your child would like to talk to a Hope House advocate about not feeling safe, experiencing trauma, or about our services. Our 24/7 confidential helpline is 1-800-584-6790. Learn more at www.hopehousescw.org or on Facebook and Instagram @hopehousescw.
Healthy Relationships Trait: Gratitude
At Hope House we often talk to students about what it means to be in a healthy relationship, whether with a friend, family member or dating relationship. Each month we will be sharing one trait of a healthy relationship with you and during this holiday season we have chosen gratitude.
Similar to other emotions, gratitude can be expressed differently depending on the individual. In a relationship, expressing gratitude for the other person in your life can help strengthen a bond and help the other person in the relationship feel respected and valued. It's important to have healthy communication in regards to our wants and needs, so if our friend, family member or dating partner isn't making us feel appreciated or valued it may be that they show gratitude differently than we do. Hopefully, you can have a conversation and find out what gratitude and expression of gratitude looks like to both of you. As a child, showing appreciation for all your parents do may be as simple as a "thank you", a card or maybe taking over a household chore for the day. In a dating relationship it could mean telling the other person how thankful you are to have them in your life or surprising them with a date night. Maybe you aren't in a relationship or just want to express gratitude for other things in your life. You can write down in your own personal journal things you are grateful for, do something kind for a stranger or a loved one to pass along the gratitude you feel for the positive things you have in your life. Don't forget the simple ways to show kindness and gratitude in statements like "I appreciate that." and "Thank you." To view activities to encourage your kids or teens practice gratitude, visit wideopenschool.org/student-activities/holiday-gratitude.
Hope House wants you to know that everyone deserves to be respected and valued in their relationships. If you have concerns about your relationship or about a loved one's relationship, you can contact Hope House at our 24/7 confidential helpline: 1-800-584-6790. You can learn more about our free services at www.hopehousescw.org or on Facebook and Instagram @hopehousescw.
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Free Weekly COVID-19 Testing
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New Medical Service Being offered at Baraboo School District
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The School District of Baraboo is partnering with Karen Ailsworth, MD, who is a board-certified pediatrician who has a special interest in pediatric mental health.
Dr. Ailsworth will be offering clinic visits both in person and virtually at Baraboo High School and Jack Young Middle School every week (hours to be determined) for students who are needing assistance with issues such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety. This allows students to attend appointments without having to leave school.
Dr. Ailsworth has a holistic approach; she believes environment, school and family all have a role in maximizing the mental and emotional well-being of children and youth. "I am excited about working in the Baraboo High School because of the proximity of school staff, which will make communication with school staff and students easier," Ailsworth said. "I work in the same part of the building as student services, so we really can work as a team."
Parents/Guardians will need to attend the first appointment with their student in person or virtually to sign paperwork and consent forms. Visits will include a medical evaluation and possible prescription assistance. Dr. Ailsworth's clinical model is based on Direct Primary Care. She strives to make her health care affordable. While she does not accept insurance, parents/guardians can ask about sliding scale payments.
If you would like to make an appointment, please contact Dr. Ailsworth directly at 608-477-2834 or one of the school nurses.
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DISTRICT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
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The School District of Baraboo is currently hiring for a variety of different positions, including Educational Paraprofessionals, Food Preparers, Custodians, Guest (Substitute) Teachers, and more. If you know of qualified candidates please encourage them to apply!
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E-NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK
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 Help us make our e-newsletter the best communication tool it can be. What do you want to see included in the newsletter? Have story ideas?
Know someone who'd be interested in Thunderbird Thursday updates? Forward them this email so they can sign up! T-Bird info right in your inbox every Thursday!
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