Saturday, April 29, 2017

Herb Kohl Initiative Scholarship

On Saturday, April 29, senior Emilee Solberg received the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Initiative Scholarship in a ceremony at Middleton High School. The Initiative Scholarship is usually worth $5,000 and is given to 100 different high school students each year. Emilee was nominated by Mrs. Norton for overcoming significant obstacles and adversity, while demonstrating a high level of motivation and showing strong potential for college success.

While at the ceremony, State Superintendent Dr. Tony Evers announced that Herb Kohl was doubling the scholarship amounts for this year. Emilee will now receive a $10,000 scholarship! Mr. Kohl, who was in attendance, quickly received a standing ovation. Congratulations to Emilee! She will continue her education at UW-Milwaukee next year. Thanks as well to former Sen. Kohl for his generosity and commitment to education in the state!

Friday, April 28, 2017

Little Free Libraries

Linking two district initiatives in literacy and Project Lead the Way, Mr. Neumann's Advanced Trades classes have designed and begun constructing Little Free Libraries both on school property and out in the community. Eight new Little Free Libraries will be installed in Belleville in the very near future. Mrs. Alsteens and the National Honor Society are sponsoring a book drive to initially fill the libraries. For more information link to: https://littlefreelibrary.org/

Check out our students' designs and the start of their construction process!

Middle School Students-of-the-Month

On Friday, April 28, Belleville Middle School teachers recognized Students-of-the-Month for April. Along with core academic areas, students were also recognized in Band, Choir, and General Music this month. Students received a certificate and Catty Shack buck for the school store. New for this year, Mrs. Swenson also presented Wildcat chips created on a 3D printer. Following tradition, these students were able to put up and sign their handprint in the Middle School Commons. Congratulations to these 7th and 8th graders! 
Front Row: Cole Monroe, James Gustafson, Jack Nolden, Patrick Samon, and Trevor Syse
Back Row: Hunter Lindstrom, Christoper Dohm, Melanie Humke, Alyssa Caskey, Madalyn Renk-Kretlow, and Samantha Deery

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Sewing with Nancy

Today (4-27), some students involved in the 8th grade Quilts of Valor program at Belleville Middle School attended a taping session for the "Sewing with Nancy" show on Wisconsin Public Television. Jacob Keane, Adrianna Herritz, Erica Long, Raina Nicholson, along with Mr. Gentilli and Mrs. Schultz, went to the studio this morning. The teachers were allowed in the director's booth, while the students were in the studio. The episode airs on October 18. Stay tuned!

Dane County Dairy Promotion

Yogi Brown and the Dane County Dairy Promotion Committee invited the Belleville FFA to help with evening daycare in Madison last night (4-26). Mason Cribben, Kody Fahey, and Brian Hollis assisted but also enjoyed the face painting booth, interacting with the Madison Police Mounted Patrol, seeing draft horses up close.
"Batman" Kody Fahey

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Fine Arts Night

Belleville Middle & High School celebrated its artists, musicians, singers, and orators with Fine Arts Night on Wednesday (4-26). The event showcased our talented students as they wrapped up the year with State Forensics, the Capitol Conference Art Show, Spring concerts, and Jazz in the Park. Take a look at what our students have created! Can you guess which pieces came from our own Art teachers (Jon Benash and Abby Otteson)?

Isthmus Engineering & Federal Industries Field Trip

Mr. Neumann's Technology Education students toured Isthmus Engineering & Manufacturing and Federal Industries today. They were able to see and experience large, clean facilities with enormous robots manufacturing materials for companies like Mercury Marine and Tesla! Isthmus made the plaque below for the Belleville contingent on their visit. With the shop redesign over the summer, we hope to be able to duplicate some of these high-tech manufacturing processes.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Middle School Math Meet

On Tuesday, April 25, eight Belleville Middle School students participated in the regional Math Meet, sponsored by the Greater Dane County Advanced Learner Network (GDCALN). The Belleville Math Team, consisting of four 7th grade students and four 8th grade students, competed against nine other teams from area schools in the regional contest. The Belleville team placed fourth. Jack Nolden was the 2nd place overall individual winner, while Matthew Loshaw took 5th place overall.

Goals of the GDCALN Math Meet are to stimulate and encourage an interest in mathematics, identify and recognize exceptional mathematical talent, and provide a healthy, competitive academic activity.

Schools form teams that compete at regional meets. Winners from the regional meets advance to "Mega" meets. [Submitted by Sandy Walejko]
2016-17 7/8 Math Team
Front Row: Elise Medenwald, Lauren Bartels, Zach Thole, and Roxana Grunenwald
Back Row: Coach DuPree, Jackson Nolden, Jaxson Pier, Matthew Loshaw, and Melanie Humke

Wildcat Football Leadership Event

The Belleville Wildcat football team and the coaching staff attended a leadership event on Sunday that also served as a team-bonding activity. This was in coordination with the ROTC. The Wildcats are putting in time now for a successful season next fall!
Photo courtesy of John Remy

Monday, April 24, 2017

Campus Clean-up

With Earth Day landing on Saturday, April 22nd this year, students at Belleville High School put their Early Release Day to good use. Mr. Ziehr, the Student Council adviser, along with National Honor Society students, organized a campus clean-up of the Belleville schools this afternoon. Over 20 students assisted in this service time. By Mr. Ziehr's totals, they picked up nearly 25 pounds (24.8 lbs.) of trash in just a few hours. Thank you to these students for cleaning up our campuses. Mother Nature is shining down on you today!
The Start
 

The Finish

National Life Smarts Competition

The Belleville High School Life Smarts team competed in the national competition in Pittsburgh, PA, beginning on Friday, April 21, and ending today (4-24). The BHS squad took 27th in the nation as a team. Joey Sokol took 5th place in his individual Consumer Rights test. The Belleville team won the People's Choice award for their t-shirt design. Both Grace Przybyl and Grace Schulting won awards for their positive posts on Twitter at the conference.

Congratulations to Mr. Farrar and these Wildcats in the school's first-ever venture to this national competition!

Friday, April 21, 2017

Kiwanis Achievement Awards

Last night (4-20), the Kiwanis Club of Belleville held their Middle School Achievement Awards Banquet. This has been an annual event for the past 33 years. The Kiwanis presented awards in five different areas. This year's winners included:
Roxana Grunenwald - Language
Jackson Nolden - Mathematics
Regyn Jelle - Science
Emma Anson - Social Studies
Jacob Kean - Fine Arts
Congratulations to these top-notch students!

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

High School Students-of-the-Month

Congratulations to the Belleville High School Students-of-the-Month for March. Staff members from each department recognized an outstanding student with a certificate detailing the positive contributions that he or she has made to BHS. On Wednesday (4-12), students were acknowledged with a pizza lunch and movie passes donated by the Marcus Theater Student Motivation program. The BHS staff is very proud of this group of Wildcats!
From left to right:  Isaac Brummel, Lukas Freidig, Molli Schwoegler, Leah Blask, Treise Langhammer, William DeJonge, Erin Kittleson, and Jenna Shrader
Not Pictured: Amber Sies, Heidi Wegehaupt

BHS Blood Drive

The Belleville High School Student Council and Mr. Ziehr held their annual Blood Drive today (4-12) in coordination with the Red Cross. They filled all 50 slots for donors but were also able to take walk-ins. Thank you the class representatives, student donors, and other volunteers for helping out with this service event. It was great to see community members participating throughout the day!

Monday, April 10, 2017

School Board Representatives

Thank you to Maddie Bartels and Joey Sokol for serving the Belleville High School students as their school board representatives this year. Maddie and Joey met with Mr. Perry before each board meeting, attended the monthly school board meetings, and provided board members with updates on events and activities in grades 7-12 in Belleville. The board always appreciated their professional and well-prepared approach. We will miss these two seniors!

Saturday, April 8, 2017

State Science Olympiad Results

The Belleville High School Science Olympiad Team traveled to the UW-Milwaukee campus for the state meet on Friday and Saturday, April 7th and 8th. BHS students competed in 23 events against 45 other Wisconsin high schools. They placed 8th overall, increasing their medal count by one over last year! The following duos placed at this year's state event.

3rd Place

  • Joey Sokol and Trevor Thole in Remote Sensing 
4th Place

  • Otto Anson and Joey Sokol in Ecology 
  • Noah Niesen and Connor Theis in Electric Vehicle 
  • Noah Niesen and Gary Salmela in Robot Arm 
  • Britney Markhardt and Joey Sokol in Sustainable Energy 
5th Place

  • Jaden Kieler and Grace Przybyl in Mystery Design

CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH SMITH AND HER TEAM! This is quite an accomplishment in just the second year of the team's existence.

Other area finishers included Cambridge (10th), Verona (13th), Marshall (14th), Oregon (23rd), Middleton (25th), Mount Horeb (26th), and Waunakee (30th).

Friday, April 7, 2017

Cross-content Ethical Dilemma

Ms. Andrew and Mrs. Miller have been working on a cross-content unit between 7th grade English Language Arts and 10th grade World History. Today (4-7), juniors Kalin O'Rourke and Eve Palmer presented two ethical dilemmas from World War II based on a thematic unit and novels that the students have read. Kalin and Eve took the students through a problem-solving process taught to them at the Rotary Ethics Symposium. They then posed two ethical dilemmas to the students involving World War II around the Holocaust and the atomic bomb. It was fantastic to see our students in leadership roles, guiding our younger Wildcats!


Thursday, April 6, 2017

Platteville Engineering Expo

Belleville Middle School students visited UW-Platteville's Engineering, Mathematics and Science Expo on Thursday, April 6. It is a public open-house event where current college students and faculty share their projects through demonstrations, exhibits, and workshops. This included a presentation by current UW-Platteville student and Belleville High School graduate Emily Butters.
Students in grades 5-12 could attend the expo and take in over 50 hands-on activities (https://www.uwplatt.edu/expo/2014-exhibits), including the Concrete Canoe, Marshmallow Catapult, and Windy City Tower. Thank you to our parents and chaperones for making this learning experience possible!

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Dane County Youth Government Day


Belleville 8th grade Middle School students spent the day at the Dane County Court House and State Building as part of Youth Government Day. This event is sponsored by our local chapter of the American Legion. They learned about specific Dane County government positions including Sheriff, Clerk of Courts, Register of Deeds, Medical Examiner, District Attorney, Treasurer, County Clerk, and Executive.  The group also spent time with the county's K9 Unit, as well as law enforcement officers discussing cyberbullying.