speaking-of-education

THANK YOU, MR. PORTER

10/21/20200 COMMENTS

October is National Principals Month! Please join us in celebrating Principal Mark Porter this month. Mr. Porter has dedicated 21 years to the Lake Holcombe School District.

During National Principals Month, we would like to show our appreciation for Principal Mark Porter. Thank you for being the smiling face we see each day and for inspiring us to be leaders. Thank you for the wisdom that you show us each and every day. Outstanding school leaders make for outstanding schools! National Principals Month honors principals for their significant impact on the success and well-being of our nation’s students.

We know firsthand the hard work and dedication it takes to be a successful principal.

Thank You Mr. Porter!

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SCHOOL SAFETY

3/9/20200 COMMENTS

​When it comes to school safety, we are proactive in the Lake Holcombe School District. Students in the Lake Holcombe School District participated in their annual required school safety drill on March 9. Our school safety team meets every month to discuss safety concerns in the Lake Holcombe School District. Our confidential safety plan is updated annually and our procedures are practiced. We are continually evaluating our processes and procedures. This year we implemented the ALICE program. The following are a few reminders that we would like you to discuss with your son or daughter:

Any threat, however conveyed, will not be tolerated. Always be aware of your surroundings and report anything that appears out of the ordinary.

Weapons of any kind are not allowed on school grounds or at school sponsored activities.

Threatening social media posts can lead to school discipline issues as well, especially if they are threatening in nature, in any manner towards students or staff.

Know what is in your son’s or daughter’s backpacks, on their person, or in their vehicles.

Know what your son or daughter is up to online. Who are they communicating with? What are they saying?

Please help us be proactive. Help us all have a safe environment where students can learn free from distraction. I close with this reminder, “If you see or hear something, say something.” 24/7-365, we will follow up.

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SCHOOL BREAKFAST WEEK

3/2/20200 COMMENTS

​They say that breakfast is the most important part of the day. For more than 30 years, School Breakfast Programs have contributed to the health and educational development of our state’s children by making nutritious breakfasts available in Wisconsin schools. The School Breakfast Program plays an important role in promoting healthy eating habits of children and combating childhood hunger.

Recent studies indicate that students who eat breakfast have improved mathematics grades and reading scores, enhanced classroom attentiveness, reduced absenteeism and tardy rates, fewer nurses’ visits, and improved psychosocial behavior. School breakfast programs can significantly enhance the students’ learning environment, allowing children to concentrate on graduating with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in the workplace or with further studies, a primary goal of the Lake Holcombe School District.

An increasing number of schools are offering the school breakfast program as a means

of better meeting community needs. School Breakfast Week is March 2-6, 2020. During School Breakfast Week, we pay tribute to the many concerned individuals involved in this program including state officials, school food and nutrition service professionals, school administrators, teachers, parents, local civic leaders, and many volunteers.

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JEFF ANDERS RECOGNIZED

2/12/20200 COMMENTS

Your Lake Holcombe School Board members: Jeff Anders, Matt Flater, Brian Guthman, and Debbie Readinger along with Administrator Kurt Lindau attended the 99th Annual State Education Convention last month.

While there, Jeff Anders was recognized for his 20 years of service as a board member to our district. Pictured with Jeff are John Ashley, WASB Executive Director and Brett Hyde, WASB President.

Congratulations Jeff and thank you for your hard work representing our students and staff of the district.

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GREAT AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

2/6/20200 COMMENTS

The Lake Holcombe School District has some amazing and successful programming in place. The After School Program is another example of the great things happening in the Lake Holcombe School. The Lake Holcombe School District’s After School Program is a “diamond in the rough” in Northern Wisconsin. The after school program is funded by a 21st Century Learning Center Grant. Kathleen Eddy and her program staff provide excellent after school programming. This is the type of after school programming that most districts wish they had.

The Program offers:

Interactive Hands on Activities

Reinforcement of School Day Learning

Standards-Based Curriculum and Instruction

Research Based Practices

Intensive Literacy Interventions

Family Nights/Student Showcase Nights

Social Emotional Learning

The after school program is open to all district resident children grades K-8. The program offers a safe environment for students grades K-8 during the after school hours. Transportation home is also provided for program attendees. Contact the district office to register today. Parents are the “Real Stars.” Without your continued support our program could not be as successful. Thank you for your continued participation.

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KEEPING US SAFE

1/27/20200 COMMENTS

alice-logo

The Lake Holcombe School District is updating its School Emergency Plan to include the ALICE program. ALICE training is designed to provide comprehensive preparedness in the event of a violent (armed) intruder. The Board of Education approved this plan in December 2019. Currently, hundreds of schools, businesses, universities, hospitals, and municipalities have adopted ALICE procedures.

ALICE procedures have been adopted and promoted by government agencies, law enforcement organizations, and associations such as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, The International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the N.Y.P.D. As of June, 2013, the U.S. Department of Education stated in their Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools, recommendations that schools need to plan beyond lockdown, and provide guidance for all options such as evacuation, barricade and counter, run, fight, and hide.

All teaching staff received initial training in January. Soon, all District students will receive training in a developmentally appropriate way. Such training will take place during the school day. Please contact us if you would like to see the curriculum materials used.

The concept of ALICE is:

ALERT: Use plain and specific language to Alert others to the danger.

LOCKDOWN: Barricade the room. Prepare to Evacuate or Counter if needed.

INFORM: Communicate the violent intruder’s location and direction in real time.

COUNTER: Create Noise, Movement, Distance and Distraction with the intent of reducing the shooters ability to shoot accurately. Counter is NOT fighting.

EVACUATE: When safe to do so, remove yourself from the danger zone.

With the ALICE method we will teach our students and staff:

1. Listen carefully to the location and type of event.

2. Get to and/or remain in a secure area until it is safe to evacuate.

3. Should an armed intruder/active shooter evade their area, apply skills to distract, confuse and gain control.

4. As soon as it is safe to do so, evacuate.

Safety drills are required annually. In April we participate in the annual Tornado Drill. The other will be our annual scheduled lockdown drill that will be scheduled after initial student ALICE training is complete, in a developmentally appropriate way, in cooperation with law enforcement. Please take the time to discuss with your child the District’s active shooter response. Ask them about the ALICE program and help them to feel comfortable with the response and drill. Please contact us with any questions. The ALICE program is one more component of the District’s safety plan that serves to provide a safe and caring environment for our students.

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LH FOUNDATION BANQUET

1/26/20200 COMMENTS

It’s Not Too Late!

It’s not too late to purchase tickets for the Lake Holcombe Education Foundation’s annual fundraising banquet. The banquet will be held of February 8, 2020 at Paradise Shores 4. Social Hour at begins at 5 PM with dinner to follow at 6 PM. There will be raffles, drawings, and silent auction items. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased on the school office or from one of the foundation board members.

The Lake Holcombe Education Foundation is a non-profit organization created in 1994 with its sole purpose of providing funds for educational projects and activities that are not covered b the school budget through fall and spring grants. Staff members can request grant funds through a spring and fall grant process.

Please come out and support the Education Foundation at this year’s banquet.

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BREAKFAST

1/12/20200 COMMENTS

grab-and-go

Did you know that students who eat a healthy school breakfast have significantly higher academic scores, increased attendance, improved behavior, and decreased tardiness?

Foodservice records in the Lake Holcombe School District indicate that less than 10% of middle and high school students eat school breakfast on a daily basis. Many of these students are eating nothing at all until lunch time. It is our goal for more students to eat school breakfast. We feel that there will be a positive impact on student achievement and overall student health.

Beginning January 27th we will be implementing a mid-morning “Grab and Go” breakfast option. Middle and High school students will still have the regular early morning breakfast option or the mid-morning “Grab and Go” option. Students on Free or Reduced lunch are eligible for one breakfast. If students were to choose both, the meal will be charged to their foodservice account.

We have surveyed our middle and high school students and there was positive feedback in regard to implementing a “Grab and Go” option. Students will have an option of “grabbing” a breakfast in the commons after their first hour class and reporting to their second hour class where there will be a ten minute mid-morning break from 8:44AM-8:54AM. Second hour will resume at 8:55AM. In order to implement this program the morning bell will ring at 8:00AM instead of 8:03AM and the end of the day bell will ring at 3:26PM rather than 3:22PM.

We look forward to this program change that will be beneficial to our students overall health and student achievement. Please contact me or Mary Kostka, Head Cook with any specific questions you may have.

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SUPPORTING ATHLETICS

1/6/20200 COMMENTS

Middle and high school basketball seasons are in full swing. This is a busy time of year for

student athletes. The following are some good reminders of how we all can be supportive of the Lake Holcombe student athletes. Our coaches and athletes need your positive support and encouragement.

Support Our Student Athletes-Help our student athletes achieve skill improvement and

good sportsmanship in every game.

Always Be Positive-While we are not participants on student athletes teams we all

contribute to the success experienced by students and their teams.

Be Enthusiastic and Supportive-Let student athletes set their own goals and play the game

for themselves.

Reinforce Positive Behavior-The best way to help student athletes achieve goals and reduce the natural fear of failure is through positive reinforcement.

Let Coaches Coach and Refs Ref-Coaches and referees volunteer their time to help make

our student athletes successful. Treat them and their calls fairly and respectfully.

I hope you will be able to take in an event at the Lake Holcombe School this season.

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END OF YEAR MESSAGE

12/19/20190 COMMENTS

​December is almost in the books and another Holiday Season is upon us. This is a time to reflect upon the past year and set some goals for the upcoming year. I believe the students and staff at the Lake Holcombe School had a productive 2019 part of their school year and are looking forward to the challenges of 2020. We again congratulate the students and staff on all of the successes that we have enjoyed together in the Lake Holcombe School District. The Lake Holcombe School District is a small school that makes a big difference in the lives of the students that it educates. Please make it a point to thank the educators and all of the staff members of the Lake Holcombe School District that tirelessly work hard for your son or daughter each and every day. There is a dedicated and committed staff at Lake Holcombe School.

Please use the Holiday break to talk with your son or daughter about their educational goals for the year 2020. Students only get one chance at a PK-12 public education. It is important to make the most of it.

I wish each and every one of you a joyous holiday season and a prosperous 2020.

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