The 2021 Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Wisconsin took on a new look this year to account for COVID-19 safety precautions. This year’s event was held at the Rock Snowpark in Franklin on February 28 instead of the usual plunge into an icy pool at the Zoo. Participants took their plunge just down a sledding hill! Participants did some tubing, took part in a cardboard box sled race or made a frosty snow angel. The district Team met the goal of raising $2,000. Since College Park Principal Kerry Owens met her personal goal of $500, she came through with her promise to work outside in the courtyard at the school. Also see the GSD Team page for more on how they participated this year. https://www.classy.org/team/340653 #PantherPride
Assembly Provides Strategies for Creating a Safe & Welcoming School Environment
On Wednesday, February 24, Greendale students in grades 6 through 12 participated in a virtual assembly entitled “Participating in a Multicultural Democracy.” Presented by Reggie Jackson, the presentation extended student learning from the social studies curriculum and reinforced strategies students could use to create a safe and welcoming environment to all students in our schools. The program was a mix of lecture, video, and the use of Menti to record student response data when Mr. Jackson asked engaging questions.
Immediately after the assembly, students were asked to complete a reflection form, which counted for the attendance for the day and will be used to help with follow-up discussions that will take place in their social studies classes. #WeAreInspiringMinds #PantherStrong
Greendale Grads Work In Service to The Community
These outstanding Greendale Schools’ graduates are working together to do great things for our community! Superintendent Kim Amidzich, Public Health Nurse Ashley Haas and National Guard Member Tom Ashley pictured at the February 10 Greendale Health Department's COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic.
District Launches Black History Month Learning with Community Circles
Everyone is welcome and included in Greendale Schools! Our schools launched the district’s celebration of Black History Month with Black Lives Matter week activities to honor the work that is needed to ensure that black lives are valued in our school community. We celebrate the Black lives that make up our culture from the past and present as we continue our work in making Greendale an inclusive community. The Greendale High School Student Equity Team and Maggy Olson, Director of Equity & Instruction, worked together to develop lessons and prompts that highlight the first principle of Black Lives Matter Week: Restorative Justice. In Greendale classrooms students had opportunities to participate in restorative circles using the following principles: Empathy building, Loving engagement, Diversity, Globalism with a reflection of the week.
Although Greendale Schools celebrates black history every day through our social studies curriculum, this month, our students will celebrate and pay extra attention to the history of African Americans, highlighting people who influenced our country and the events that shape our world today.
The fourth graders at Canterbury are creating a food truck as a culminating activity to their Economics unit. Students learned about food trucks and developed a business name, logo, and menu. They will be creating a model of their food truck. Thanks to Rich Busalacchi and Milk Can Hamburgers for bringing their food truck to Canterbury! The students asked great questions about running a food truck and even got a chance to sample their frozen custard. The Milk Can Diner will be opening in downtown Greendale in April 2021.
Greendale Schools Celebrates MLK Day
Greendale Schools staff celebrated the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday with a morning professional development program and a Day of Service. The morning program celebrated the district's work to create a more equitable, inclusive and anti-racist school community. District staff participated in a variety of service projects during the months of December and January to honor Dr. King's legacy by serving others and their communities. Take a peek at the slideshow videos shared on the district's YouTube channel to learn more about the projects they completed.
Students Skype a Scientist!
Recently, our 7th grade scientists met Dr. Madeline Colley through the Skype a Scientist Program. Dr. Colley is a chemist who focuses on using mass spectrometry to explain disease states in Alzheimer's disease. In addition to an engaging presentation, she discussed her experience as a first generation college student and her role as the first person in her family to study science. Her real-time demonstration of using lasers to conduct her research was impressive! Students shared Jambourd thank you notes with her following the presentation.
As they returned to learning after winter break, Mrs. Haertle's class asked to have a Business Professional Day. While their excitement level for this 'dress-up day' was a bit lower than on Pajama Day before the break, students thought it would be fun to have a dress up day to start off the New Year!
Our elementary students shared a Greendale/School Spirit Day before the Winter Break! You can see they proudly wear their Green! #PantherStrong #PantherPride
Learning is Going Well for Students in Childcare
Learning is going well for our digital learners enrolled in childcare. The students have fallen into their routines and have created comfortable learning spaces for their learning. Thanks to the Greendale Park and Recreation staff, and our paraprofessionals, for supporting these students each day. #WeAreInspiringMinds #PantherStrong
Staff and Students Share Treats and Thanks With Troops
Greendale School District staff baked cookies to be shared with our military personnel and their families this holiday season. The cookies were sent in along with cards of appreciation from College Park students. Greendale High School Buddy Club members and families also contributed over 100 cards of thanks. We support our troops and thank them for their service! #WeAreInspiringMinds #PantherStrong #PantherPride
Eighth Grade Historians Research Equality in the 1850's
In late November, 8th grade student historians at Greendale Middle School were engaged in a Seeds of History project. Working independently and collaboratively using Google Meet, they researched who wanted a revolution for equality in the 1850's and identified the obstacles and opportunities that stood between them and equality. The students used inquiry (they examined what life was like in the antebellum era), investigation (asked research questions and used primary and secondary sources), collaboration (compared their answers with team members), interrogated the Constitution and Bill of Rights etc. to see if their historical person had access to democracy, and finally, interpreted what it means to need a revolution, or complete change, in order to achieve the American Dream. They thought critically and creatively to complete their presentations. #WeAreInspiringMinds #PantherStrong
College Park Students Learn About Rosa Parks' Bravery
Today (12/1/2020) is the 65th Anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. College Park students learned about the bravery of Rosa Parks and how her actions ignited the Civil Rights Movement. Watch this video and learn more about Rosa Parks on the web.
Click on the photo to watch a video of the announcement to students.
Greendale's Digital Learners Are Working Hard
Greendale's digital learners are working very hard! Here is a shot of some 4th graders (from Canterbury and College Park) from Mrs. Hartmann. They were also showing off their red, white and blue on the Friday, September 11th spirit day celebrating our heroes, community and country. #WeAreInspiringMinds#PantherStrong
Welcome Back, In-person Learners
Elementary schools welcomed in-person learners back to school on Thursday, September 3. In keeping with district ReOpening schools practices, students wore face coverings entering the building and during the school day except when eating or engaging in physical activity outside. It was a great first in-person day! Click on the photo to watch a slideshow of drop off at our schools.
Trisha Kilpin Named 2021 Teacher of the Year
Greendale Schools' School Social Worker Trisha Kilpin was named a 2021 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year during a surprise video event with State Superintendent, Carolyn Stanford-Taylor on August 27. This honor recognizes the leadership that Trish has shown in focusing on research-based tools to proactively support students in feeling connected and a sense of belonging at school. She demonstrates her values of making sure students are seen and heard at school and come to know their voice matters.
As Wisconsin's Teacher of the Year, Trish will contribute to representing education at the state and national level throughout the year and continue to advance her important work focusing on community circles, restorative practices, Sources of Strength and other trauma sensitive, research-based practices.
Congratulations, Trisha!
Digital Learners at GMS Discover The History They Are Living
Greendale Middle School's social studies teachers worked together during the district's digital learning period this spring to create a Project-Based Learning experience for students. Their purpose was to help kids process their experiences during the pandemic by helping them to realize that they are living history. Each was given this information and assigned the prompt:
IMAGINE...
It is the year 2120. Your great, great grandchildren are digging and playing in the yard that used to be your home. They hit something hard. With a burst of energy, they continue digging until they uncover a case that has your name engraved on the outside. They hurry inside panting with excitement. With their mom’s help, they open the case and discover a treasure from the spring of 2020, one hundred years ago, from you, their great, great, grandparent.
What artifacts tell your story?
Students kept a journal of their experiences over the weeks school was closed due to the pandemic. Each ended the project by selecting an artifact as evidence of their experiences. From the collected artifacts, the teachers created a TIME Magazine about the Pandemic of 2020 for each level/teacher in the middle school.
Over 70 adult and youth community members gathered at Greendale High School over two days to review plans on how to make Greendale a more welcoming community. At GREENDALE WELCOMES DIVERSITY, the Greendale Coalition on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion presented its draft action on Friday to collect feedback from participants and then presented the final plan on Monday, after reworking the plan to include the comments and suggestions from the community members present. Read the action plan. To volunteer for Coalition on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion on a work team, contact the district office.
