Friday, December 21, 2018

8th Grade Farm Visits

On Friday, December 21, 8th grade students visited three local farms in conjunction with an English Language Arts unit around the book The Omnivore's Dilemma. Three different student groups visited the Fahey, Meier, and Paris family farms. They took tours, asked questions, and took notes. Then back at school, they shared out with their classmates who had visited different farms. The students were able to compare and contrast how the farms milk, utilize manure, grow crops, and rely on machinery.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Holiday Jazz Tour 2018

Mrs. Krueger and Mrs. Meir led the Jazz Band and Vocal Jazz group on the annual Holiday Jazz Tour on Thursday, December 20. Both groups performed for the students at the Elementary School before putting on performances at the Dane County Regional Airport, Sauk Gardens, and the Sugar River Senior Center. As usual, these Wildcats do a tremendous job spreading holiday cheer!

Middle School Market

On Thursday, December 20, Mr. Gentilli and Mr. Swenson hosted their first Middle School Market by 7th graders in the commons. The variety in products marketed and sold by the students was amazing! Products included t-shirts, crafts, and food items. Both students and staff enjoyed what the 7th graders had to offer. Now the 7th grade Social Studies classes can take what they learned today and apply it to this economics unit and how to improve their sales for two upcoming markets after the Winter Break.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

2018 Winter Choir Concert

On Tuesday, December 18, Mrs. Krueger hosted the Winter Choir Concert. The Middle School Choir, made up of more than 80 7th and 8th graders, performed four pieces. "This Is Me" featured soloist Averi Boyum. The Vocal Jazz Ensemble hit the stage next with three holiday classics. The Treble (or Women's) Choir followed with five songs, including "Text Me Merry Christmas" and Victoria Lancaster's solo. More than 110 high school students then took the stage! They performed four more songs, including "Baba Yetu." That piece featured soloists Miles Fahey, Jacob Kean, and Hunter Lindstrom, along with percussionists Jacob Kean (again) and Andrew Remy.

A special "thank you" to Kris Penniston for accompanying the performances tonight. You rock!

How does Mrs. Krueger do it with all of these students? She is truly amazing!
  
 

The Joy of Children!

Child & Family Studies' students began the first of five classes today (12-18) observing and assisting teachers at the Belleville Early Learning Center. The purpose of the visits is to allow students to apply their knowledge of child development by identifying milestones in children at different ages and to begin to develop the skills involved in raising and teaching young children. The bus ride back to school was buzzing with student stories and excitement about the experiences they had interacting with the children!

Thank you to Alyssa Kriebs, owner and director of the Belleville Early Learning Center, for continuing to welcome my students into her center for observations, internships, and employment (once they are 18). [Submitting by Mrs. Gartley, School-to-Career Coordinator]

Monday, December 17, 2018

Spreading Holiday Cheer!

Students in Child & Family Studies spent part of Friday morning, December 14, at the Sugar River Senior Center, decorating holiday cookies with senior citizens from the community. Because the high school students enjoy this project as much as the senior citizens who join them, it has become an annual holiday tradition!

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Young Politicians' Community Service

Belleville High School's Young Politicians Club does more than just research nominees for the Wildcat Wall of Fame and work the polls during elections. On December 15, Mr. Hodgson and a dozen Young Politicians Club members gave up their Saturday to make tie-blankets to donate to Heartsong Assisted Living in Belleville. It's the Wildcat Way to think of others besides yourself, particularly around the holidays!

Friday, December 14, 2018

Winter Band Concert

On Thursday, December 13, Mrs. Meir and the Belleville Middle and High School Bands performed for their Winter Concert in the auditorium. Almost 80 7th and 8th grade students played four pieces. "Diary of a Grumpy Elf" included narration by Mr. Gentilli. The Jazz Band, comprised of over 30 high school students, played three more pieces, with soloists Gina & Gary Salmela and Jacob Kean. Finally, the Symphonic Band performed another three songs. An additional 65 students make up this band. Featured soloists included Royce Clark, Mili Julian, Maddie Saeger, and Bryson Jelle. As always, Mrs. Meir and her Belleville bands proved that they are the best around!

Thursday, December 13, 2018

High School Students-of-the-Month

On Thursday, December 13, Belleville High School staff recognized Students-of-the-Month for November. Students were treated to a Tano's Pizza lunch and received a personalized certificate from their nominating teachers, along with movies passes donated by Marcus Theaters. This month teachers recognized students who showed leadership, exceptional work, and served as role models to others. Congratulations to these students for showing the Wildcat Way- safety, responsibility, and respect!
Jacob Kean, Tori Lancaster, Cecilia Grefsheim, Carson Heller, Jake Steele, Nicole Steele, and Ellie Gentilli
Not Pictured: Elizabeth Case and Ariana McDermott

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

PLTW Treat Machines

Mr. Neumann's  8th grade Project Lead the Way (PLTW) classes are engaged in constructing treat machines. Students are utilizing the STEAM lab and its equipment this week to assemble them. The 3D printer, router, and laser engraver are just a few of the tools and equipment that students are exposed to as part of this project. Students can personalize their projects, as seen in the photos below. The hope is that this "Gateway" course, along with Mr. Farrar's 7th grade (PLTW) Computer Science class, motivate more middle school students to enroll in dual-credit Project Lead the Way courses in high school that can lead to college credit and opportunities for careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. 

WIAA Sportsmanship Summit

On Wednesday, December 12, Mrs. Tretow and Mr. Fell brought ten Belleville High School sophomore and junior students to the WIAA Sportsmanship Summit in Stevens Point. They joined a record 800 students from 119 schools that meet at this summit every other year. Students were able to join in on five sessions:
  • The Coach and Participants Role in Sportsmanship
  • Obtaining Victory with Virtue
  • Sportsmanship: The Official’s Perspective
  • Peer Sportsmanship Leadership
  • Sportsmanship Student Roundtable Discussions
Our hope is to bring back positive leadership and new ideas in sportsmanship that can be shared with the rest of our student body and fan sections. We want our Wildcats to be the classiest fans in the state!

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Fabulous Farm Babe Visit

On Tuesday, December 11, students in Mrs. Schultz's classes had the opportunity to meet with Pam Jahnke, "The Fabulous Farm Babe." She produces the Farm Report for Mid-West Family Broadcasting.  Eighth grade students were able to meet with her, ask questions, and tour the broadcasting facility.  This is part of a unit around The Omnivore's Dilemma, a book about different types of food production.  This will lead into a tour of one of three local farms by all 8th grade students on Friday, December 21.  In the past, this English Language Arts unit has made students think critically about the food they eat and from where it comes.  Thanks to the Farm Babe for hosting these Wildcats!

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Tremendous Turnout for ACT Practice Test

On Saturday, December 8, 40 Belleville High School juniors participated in an ACT practice test from 8:00-11:30am in the library.  This represents 66% of the Class of 2020.  For the past three years, the state of Wisconsin has used the ACT and ACT Aspire as its state assessments for high schools.  This has forced schools to adapt, since the ACT had traditionally been used by post-secondary institutions to determine college readiness in comparison with same-age peers. Now the ACT comprises 80% of Belleville High School’s school report card score from the Department of Public Instruction.  In reality, the ACT exam that our 61 juniors will take on February 20, 2019, in a 4-hour time span, determines how our high school is viewed by the public and compared with other high schools in the area and around the state.   So, the stakes are extremely high!

In response, Belleville High School purchased access to Method Test Prep for all of its students two years ago.  Students access Method Test Prep as part of Career Cruising- a software program open to all secondary students statewide.  Method Test Prep can be accessed at any time online.  It features ACT preparation in the content areas of English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science.   Students can take 10-minute evaluations in each subject that provide an ACT predictor score for that sub-test.  Students can also create personalized quizzes within their weakest areas, as well as generate a list of ACT vocabulary terms that they have (or have not) mastered.  All of this generates data that teachers can access on individual students and the junior class as a whole.  Teachers can then plan lessons to address common skill deficiencies. 

Method Test Prep also offers a 20-week preparation program.  They tout an average increase of three ACT composite points for students that complete at least half of this program.  For the 2018-19 school year, BHS’s 11th grade core teachers have integrated this Method Test Prep program into their classes, with each teacher assuming one 20-minute lesson in their content area per week.  For all of the 2017-18 school year, BHS students answered 9,019 ACT prep questions.  With this new approach, students have already answered 18,282 questions so far this year.  Our hope is to increase students’ skills and familiarity with the exam to improve their individual ACT scores, thus raising Belleville High School’s overall average.  Belleville High School’s ACT Aspire predictor score for the Class of 2020 was 21.3.

This preparation also helps our students individually, as the ACT still represents a major factor in college admissions and in scholarships.  A rise in an ACT composite score of two to three points can lead to an increase in ten of thousands of dollars in scholarships to private schools!

Friday, December 7, 2018

Middle School Students-of-the-Month

On Friday, December 7, Belleville Middle School staff recognized Students-of-the-Month for November. Core teachers, along with Project Lead the Way and Art teachers, nominated students for their work and positive contributions in the last month. Students received a certificate, Catty Shack bucks for the school store, and a 3-D printed Wildcat keychain. Students also had the opportunity to put their handprint on the walls of the Middle School Commons. Congratulations to these Wildcats!
Front Row (L-R): Mason Krantz, Jordan Babler, Casey Hagen, and Jake Fahey
Back Row (L-R): Emily Swanson, Alora Spiegel, Lindsey Schadewalt, Mason Folkers, Tony Diaz, and Seth Dettwiler
Not Pictured: Emily Gomez

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Future Quest Career Planning Field Trip

Both 7th and 8th graders participated in Future Quest on Wednesday, December 5. The field trip to the Alliant Energy Center in Madison sponsored by the Dane County School Consortium allowed students to explore 800 jobs in 16 career clusters. Students had approximately 20 minutes in each of four zones to talk to employers and to engage in many interactive activities associated with the companies and organizations. Students had prepared for the day by completing a skills and interest inventory in Career Cruising and then selecting those businesses that they wanted to visit with in advance. We hope students came away with a clearer picture of jobs and careers for which they would be well-suited!


DECA Sports & Entertainment Marketing Conference

On December 5, nineteen Belleville High School DECA students attended the 2018 DECA Sports and Entertainment Marketing Conference held at the Fiserv Forum, the Milwaukee Bucks' new arena. Students attended a number of different workshops with topics ranging from how the Bucks market themselves to careers in the marketing industry. The day ended with the students taking in a Bucks' game versus the Detroit Pistons.

Math Team Results

The Math Team recently competed at the 2018 UW-Platteville Math Contest. There were 9 schools with 14 teams in our division. Belleville won 3rd place, earning the team a plaque.

Individual award winners were:
Hailey Butenhoff
Roxana Grunenwald
Matthew Loshaw
Elise Medenwald
Jaxson Pier
Zach Thole

The team also competed at the Fall Capitol Conference Math Meet. In the Capitol Conference South, the varsity finished 2nd, and the JV finished 3rd.

Overall Conference Individual Winners:
Jack Nolden finished in 4th Place at the varsity level.
Erin Przybyl tied for 4th Place at the junior varsity level.

Middle School Geography Bee

On Wednesday, December 5th, twenty-three Belleville Middle School students participated in the annual National Geographic Bee. Students qualified to be on stage for this competition through a preliminary round of tests. Students on stage were eliminated after two incorrect answers. After nine rounds, Annika Esselstrom, Brady Mousseau, Anthony Diaz, and Joshua Kean remained as finalists. Annika eventually won the competition, with Brady battling for the runner-up spot. She will take another qualifying test for the state competition in March. Congratulations to these globally-aware Wildcats!