Baraboo School District E-Newsletter
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UPCOMING EVENTS
For a complete calendar listing, please visit us here:
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.
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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.
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The School District of Baraboo would like to remind our families that per school district policy, face coverings will continue to be required while on school premises until further notice.
The District is requiring face coverings for students 5-years of age and older while on school premises. We ask that parents/guardians also wear face coverings while on school property when dropping off or picking up students.
Please note, the District is currently using the following definition of "face covering:"
"Face Covering" means a piece of cloth or other material that is worn to cover the nose and mouth completely. A "face covering" includes but is not limited to a bandana, a cloth face mask, a disposable or paper mask, a neck gaiter, or a religious face covering. A "face covering" does not include face shields, mesh masks, masks with holes or openings, or masks with vents.
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Baraboo Staff Receive Vaccinations During Mass Vaccine Clinic Event
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On March 9, more than 800 staff members from the School District of Baraboo and neighboring districts came to Baraboo High School to receive their first COVID-19 vaccine.
We would like to thank SSM Health and Sauk County Public Health for collaborating with our district; the Baraboo School District maintenance staff for setting up the vaccination stations; our school nurses for collaborating with SSM Health and administering vaccines; our district staff and volunteers for assisting to keep a smooth flow to the day; and our Baraboo students and families for their patience and flexibility as we work toward making schools as safe as possible during this pandemic.
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NF Students Chosen for Illinois Holocaust Museum Leadership Day
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Each year the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center (IHMEC) hosts Student Leadership Day, which is a day devoted to students who exemplify leadership qualities and advocate for change in their community and school.
On March 11th, three of Mrs. Shafer's fifth grade students at North Freedom Elementary School were invited to participate in a modified version of this event.
Riley Hudnell, Kora Clothier, and Bree Seiler joined a Zoom meeting with more than 200 other students from 40 schools in eight states to meet new people, discuss leadership qualities, listen to speakers and develop an action plan for change.
Students were given a virtual tour of the Make a Difference: The Harvey L. Miller Family Youth Exhibition as they learned about a young difference-maker from Pakistan: Malala Yousafzai. They also watched an inspiring presentation from author and former White House intern for President Obama, Derek Rhodes, who spoke to the students about how kids can make a change in their communities and how important it is for them to understand civic engagement.
For the final part of the day, Mrs. Shafer and her students were given time to create their own action plan to help their school or community. The action plan is still a work in progress, but the focus is on environmental education and taking care of the outdoor resources at North Freedom Elementary.
Very proud of these student leaders!
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Kindergarten Students Head Outside for Learning Fun in the Sun
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Mrs. Wolfe's Kindergarten class took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and went outside for some vitamin D last week. While enjoying the sunshine, the students worked on writing sight words, as well as writing numbers from 0-100.
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East Students Take a Ride
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Students at East Elementary School are getting their exercise, and what better way than with some fun on a bike! These students are learning lifelong exercise skills with the help of Mr. Kevin Catterson, Adaptive Physical Education teacher at East Elementary School.
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BELC Students Explore Pet Care
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4-Year-Old Kindergarten students in Ms. Amanda and Ms. Carolyn's classes at Children’s Day Center have been exploring ways to take care of pets. They have read several books including A Cat and a Dog by Claire Masurel and Bob Kolar and Sit, Truman! By Dan Harper. They have built animal homes in the block area, taken on roles as veterinarians and groomers in the class Veterinary Clinic, and even designed their own sign for the clinic!
The exploration included a video tour of Lodi Veterinary Care, who provided coloring books for students and new animal finger puppets.
We are thankful to Lodi Veterinary Care for sharing this special experience with us. It opened up exciting conversations about microscopes, scientists and different animal needs.The highlight of the tour was getting to see a horse!
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NF Staff Vaccinate Together
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North Freedom Elementary School staff members were very grateful to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. They would like to give a huge thank you to SSM Health and the School District of Baraboo administration team for making this possible!
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Superintendent Candidate Interviews Conducted
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Superintendent Candidate Online Interviews for Community Members took place on March 9th and 11th. Click the links below to view the interviews for each candidate.
The Baraboo School District Board of Education's intention is to select the next District Administrator at a special meeting of the School Board in mid-March.
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NF Students Travel Through Books
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Thanks to some amazing educators from across the country, Mrs. Shafer's 5th graders at North Freedom Elementary were able to celebrate Read Across America in a whole new way this year. Each day during the week of March 1st-5th, a new educator joined the class through Google Meet and read their favorite book to the class.
It all began with Mrs. Reeves from New York who read After the Fall, by Dan Santat. Then off to Washington with Ms. Anderson reading The Junkyard Wonders, by Patricia Polacco. The next stop was Maine where Ms. Marshall took the class on an Alaskan adventure by reading Danger the Dog Yard Cat, by Libby Riddles. From there, Ms. Abu-Rish joined from Virginia with a reading of Ruby Finds a Worry, by Tom Percival. The final destination was Colorado where Ms. Larson shared The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin, by Julia Finley Mosca.
In the midst of a pandemic, this quote by Mason Cooley is especially apt: "Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are."
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JYMS and BHS Summer School
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Dr. Mesmer Recognized by Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers
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The School District of Baraboo would like to congratulate Dr. Karen Mesmer for her recent recognition by the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers (WSST) for her outstanding life-long work with Science Education in Wisconsin.
The Ron Gibbs Award is given to honor a person who has made outstanding contributions in science education over a long and distinguished career in Wisconsin. The award consists of a plaque and a lifetime membership to the WSST. This is WSST’s most prestigious award.
Dr. Mesmer began her teaching career in Inupiaq villages in northwest Alaska. After 8 years, she continued her career as a classroom teacher for almost 30 years within the Baraboo School District. Through Mesmer Science Education Consulting, she continues to assist our district in implementing and integrating the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). She has worked as a Professional Development Facilitator for Activate Learning and for Wisconsin Educational Innovations, consulting in an additional 50 school districts across Wisconsin and in more than thirteen states.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Mesmer and giving a big THANK YOU for the work she continues to do with our students!
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BHS: Order Your Yearbook!
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Yearbooks are $50; order deadline is March 26, 2021.
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Community Blood Drive Set for March 23
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Time to Nominate: Teacher of the Year!
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The School District of Baraboo has announced the opening of nominations for the Excellence in Education Award (EIEA) and the Distinguished Elementary Teacher Award (DETA) programs for the 2020-'21 school year.
The EIEA award is sponsored by the BHS Graduating Class of 1956 and the DETA award is sponsored by Andrew Hauge, who grew up in Baraboo and attended Baraboo schools. The Class of 1956 and Andrew Hauge have established an endowment fund with the Greater Sauk County Community Foundation for the purpose of financing all costs associated with the award programs. The purpose of the award programs is to recognize and honor outstanding teachers in the Baraboo School District who have distinguished themselves as exemplary classroom teachers and who have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and dedication to the young people of the Baraboo community. The winners of these annual awards will be announced near the end of the current school year at a special award ceremony.
The winner of the awards, who will be chosen by a five-member Selection Committee of retired teachers, community members and school district officials, will receive a framed honorary certificate and a stipend of at least $1,000 to be used for a professional development or educational enrichment activity which will enhance the teacher's knowledge, skills and classroom effectiveness. In addition, the winning teacher's name for the EIEA, which is given to a secondary teacher in the Baraboo School District, will be engraved on a large bronze plaque which hangs in the Media Center of Baraboo High School. The plaque is inscribed with a tribute to the former teachers of the Class of '56 who, "taught, guided and inspired" them during their years at Baraboo Junior High and Baraboo High School.
To be eligible for these awards a teacher must be:
- Licensed and certified by the State of Wisconsin
- Employed as a full-time teacher by the District
- Planning to return as a full-time teacher in this District for the next school year
The Selection Committee will judge candidates based on the following criteria:
- Mastery of sound classroom instructional skills
- Use of initiative, creativity and innovation in teaching techniques
- Motivational and leadership skills with students and colleagues
- Involvement in school organizations and activities
- Involvement in professional organizations, seminars and continuing education
- Positive relationships with superiors, colleagues, students and parents
The School District is now seeking nominations for the Excellence in Education Award and the Distinguished Elementary Teacher Award for 2020. Nominations may be made by a teacher colleague, an administrator or a parent of a school student. Nomination forms may be obtained on the District's website: www.baraboo.k12.wi.us or at any district school building. Submitting a nomination will also require that the nominator write a letter in support of the nominee. Guidelines for writing such a letter will be included with the nomination form. Nomination forms, including letters of support, must be sent to Glenn Bildsten at Baraboo High School, 1201 Draper Street, Baraboo, WI, 53913 by Friday, March 12, 2020, to be valid.
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4K Online Registration Opens April 1
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The 4K registration for the 2021-22 Baraboo Early Learning Cooperative (BELC) program will begin online on April 1, 2021.
Reminders will be sent in March to all families currently on the district 4K contact list. If you are new to the area or if you have registration questions, please contact District Registrar, Kristine Snow, at ksnow@barabooschools.net or 608-355-3955.
During the online registration, parents are encouraged to have available immunization records, proof of residency, and a copy of your child's birth certificate (or another formal document citing the birth date of the child). Parents will have an opportunity to indicate their top preferences for possible 4K locations or sessions within the 4K registration process. Confirmation of the 4K location and timeframe will be mailed to parents around July 1st. The 4K registration process continues online throughout the spring and summer of 2021.
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Summer Kid Stop Information
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Kid Stop will continue to follow safety precautions for COVID-19 again this summer. Therefore a limit of 50 children in attendance will be permitted. The first 50 children registered with registration fees and the month of June tuition paid will be eligible to attend.
Any children enrolled after the 50 student limit will be placed on a waitlist and contacted if space becomes available. All elementary school children entering kindergarten through sixth grade in the fall will be eligible to apply for the 2021 Summer Kid Stop Child Care Program. Summer Kid Stop is located at Gordon L. Willson Elementary School and is available weekdays from 7:15 AM to 5:45 PM starting on Monday, June 14th and ending on Friday, August 13th.
REGISTRATION: Registration for the summer program begins on Monday, March 1st. Registrations received prior to March 1st will not be accepted until 3/1/21. Registration information may be found on the District website starting the week of February 22nd. Please know that there is no online registration available, so please print off the forms and either turn in at the GLW office, the East or GLW Kid Stop sites or scan your completed forms to the Kid Stop Coordinator at pgavin@barabooschools.net. Forms may also be found at all elementary school offices and at the East and GLW Kid Stop sites. ALL forms (including immunization information) must be completed each time you register for Kid Stop. One registration form per child please. If you would like to make your payments online, please request this option when submitting your paperwork.
FEES: Prior to attending - All overdue Kid Stop fees must be paid in full along with the June tuition and summer registration fee. Please consider paying your fees online in the parent portal in Infinite Campus.
- Non refundable registration fee - $15.00 per child
- June 14-30, 2021 tuition - $234.00 per child
- July 1-30, 2021 tuition - $360.00 per child (No Kid Stop July 2nd & 5th)
- August 2-13, 2021 tuition - $180.00 per child
- Weekly rate - $90.00/week/child + reg. fee
- (One week = Monday through Friday)
- NO DAILY FEE OFFERED
FAMILIES RECEIVING CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE: Families receiving assistance from the county must have an EBT account set up. Families will be charged the above fees and are responsible for the registration fee when submitting paperwork. Qualifying families may be responsible for copays depending on the rate of pay the county approves. Your monthly fee will be posted in Infinite Campus the first of each month and payment is due at that time. When notice has been received that an EBT payment has been made this will reflect your Infinite Campus balance. Your WIShares payments are made by calling the number on the back of your card. Please pay only the amount that is due for your child's Kid Stop services. You will also be responsible for completing, signing and returning a Provider/Parent Payment Agreement that must be kept on file at the Kid Stop Program. You will receive this form from the Kid Stop Coordinator to complete.
BARABOO SCHOOL DISTRICT SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM: If your child will be attending summer school at ABE and will need Kid Stop services in the afternoon, registration and Kid Stop tuition fees are required. Tuition fees will be the same as the listed amounts. Your child will need to be one of the first 50 students registered and fees paid in order to participate in Kid Stop.
FREE FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM: Starting Monday, June 14th through Friday, July 23rd: FREE breakfast (8:15-8:45) and FREE lunch (11:30-12:30) will be provided to ALL Kid Stop Kids as part of a federally-funded program.
- These meals will be served at GLW and Kid Stop kids are encouraged to take advantage of this free breakfast and lunch program.
- If your child/children do not participate, a sack lunch and beverage must be provided from home.
- Sack lunches from home will not be refrigerated or microwaved.
- This free breakfast and lunch program will end onFriday, July 23rd. A sack lunch and beverage will need to be provided for your child's lunch from July 26th until the end of Summer Kid Stop on Friday, August 13th.
- Milk is provided if participating in the free breakfast/lunch program. A milk or juice box will be provided with an afternoon snack at no charge. Milk will not be available to purchase this summer.
- If you would prefer to send a healthy snack from home for your child/children, please follow the district's healthy snack guidelines. See link below.
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Snack update 2020
DAILY PROGRAMMING AND ACTIVITIES: Children will be involved in a variety of activities including art, reading/library, computers, gym, music, and much more!
CLOTHING CHANGE/TOILETRY: If a Kid Stop child is in need of change of clothing or undergarments, a Kid Stop staff member will call the child's parent/guardian (or their designee) and request a change of clothes be brought to Kid Stop. Furthermore, parents/guardians (or their designee) are responsible for assisting the child in cleanup and changing if needed. The designee must be an authorized contact person who is listed on the child's registration form. Kid Stop staff are not responsible for assisting in toiletry or clothing changes.
SUMMER KID STOP OPEN SWIM AND SWIM LESSONS: To be determined. Please contact Heather Wood, Aquatics Director, at 355-4665 with questions.
MEDICATION/SPECIAL HEALTH NEEDS: If your child will be taking prescription medication during Kid Stop hours, please request an "Authorization to Administer Medication" form. If your child has special health care needs, a care plan or written instruction to provide care for your child's special health needs will need to be provided by your physician and reviewed by Kid Stop staff prior to attending the program.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES
Please click on the links below
Please read the Kid Stop Behavior Policy
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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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What's Happening at the Baraboo Public Library
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A Message from Hope House: Be An Upstander!
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For March, Hope House would like to share tips for students on how to be an upstander when they see bullying or harassment happening. As a parent, guardian or educator, you can share these ideas with your students and ask them which one(s) they would feel most comfortable doing.
Speak Out: If a student sees someone being bullied and they feel comfortable, they can speak out and say something. There are a lot of different ways someone could speak out and it really depends on how comfortable the upstander is. They could say, "I heard what you said and I don't think that is very nice." or, "How would you feel if someone said that about you?". They could also try clarifying by asking the person something like, "What did you mean by that?" or "Why would you say that to someone?".
Be A Buddy: Sometimes we don't always feel comfortable speaking out and that is okay. Students should never feel like they have to do something that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable. There are other ways to be an upstander! Students can choose to be a buddy and support the person they saw being mistreated. This could look like walking up to the person afterwards and saying, "I saw what happened and I'm sorry, that wasn't okay." Maybe they could even ask the student to walk to lunch with them or if they'd like to hang out at recess. Small acts of kindness make a huge difference in someone's day, especially if they have just been mistreated by someone else.
Interrupt: Maybe a student doesn't feel comfortable speaking out but they know they want to stop it while it is happening. Instead, they could interrupt by using distraction. For example, if you see someone being mistreated you could distract by saying "Hey! It's lunch time and there's pizza today, lets go get some!" or you could say directly to the person being mistreated, "Hey, I can't figure out where my science book is, would you help me?" Interruption that doesn't draw attention to what is happening but stops it from happening is a way to be an upstander as well!
Tell Someone: Another way to be an upstander is to tell a trusted adult like a teacher, school counselor, principal, coach or parent/guardian what you saw happening. Adults have a responsibility to make sure students feel safe at school. Students may worry about being perceived as a "tattle tale" but talking to them about empathy aka "putting themselves in other's shoes" is a helpful way of letting them know that they are helping someone and hopefully they'd want that done for them too.
Please know that Hope House is here for you and the youth in your life. If you or your child would like to talk to a Hope House advocate about not feeling safe, experiencing harassment, 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. You can also visit Love is Respect for helpful resources on healthy relationships, warning signs of abuse and how to support someone in your life.
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NBC15 Accepting Nominations for Crystal Apple Award
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The 2021 NBC15 Crystal Apple Awards is now accepting nominations! Nominate that special teacher, a mentor, someone who has made a difference in your child's life.
Teachers are just one of the many who stepped up this year, ensuring our children learn the skills they need to succeed. And now is your time to send in your appreciation.
The NBC15 Crystal Apple Award is an award that is given to five teachers in South Central Wisconsin in recognition of outstanding contributions to education.
There are three ways you can submit a nomination:
- Follow the link below to submit online
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Email your nomination to crystalapple@nbc15.com (Include your contact information and teacher's school information)
- Mail a nomination to the station
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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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Lamers Bus Lines is seeking additional school bus drivers!
This is a great opportunity for individuals looking for work before or after school. It's also a great job for parents of students in the District because:
- There are no nights or weekends for route drivers
- Drivers get summer vacation and snow days, just like the students
- If your child is in any sports or activities, you can get paid to cheer them on and support the team by driving the team bus.
Lamers Bus Lines will provide complete paid training, and teach you everything you need to know about driving a school bus.
Lamers is also seeking candidates to serve as Bus Monitors.
Bus Monitors ride the school buses to assist drivers in monitoring the afternoon shuttle routes.This is a great opportunity for individuals looking for work after school only.
Please spread the word to anyone who may be interested to help us ensure that our students get to school, sports, and activities on time each day.
Those interested should contact Lamers Bus Lines directly at (608) 448-4851 ext 2 or at 44groupsb@golamers.com.
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Make a positive difference today by becoming a guest teacher in your local schools! The School District of Baraboo is seeking guest (substitute) teachers for all levels (4K-12). Guest teachers have the benefit of a flexible schedule as you only accept assignments when it works for you. Rate of pay is $120/day with possibility of earning more for long term assignments.
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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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