Comet CourierVolume 19, Issue 2 December 2015

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From the Office of the Superintendent:

Welcome to the beginning of winter and heading toward the end of the first semester! Winter brings cold weather and snow, but also indoor sports, music concerts, and speech (forensics). One of our strengths as a small school is the many activities each student can participate in. In larger schools, a student usually specializes in one or two areas whereas our students can be an athlete, but they can also participate in organizations like F.F.A., the fall musical, or other fine arts. That is what makes a well-rounded education for the individual student.

We recently added trap-shooting and our team just took first place in the conference this fall! Jack Jensen and Brandon Kinyon both ended up shooting in the top ten for the state of Wisconsin! Great job Jack and Brandon and to all of our young men and women who competed this fall. Thank you to Becky Hampton, John and Janet

Reding, and all of the conservation members who guided and supported our student athletes this year.

Our school business club lead by Mrs. Oswald has been connecting again all fall with our local tourism agency, businesses, Taliesin in Spring Green, and community organizations. The Mississippi Magic and Comet Nation Facebook sites are great resources to visit and they also showcase our great school and community. Thank you to all of our hardworking students, staff, and community members who make these connections possible! The year is going quickly. Even if the weather is cold and cloudy, the future is clear and sunny for our district. Enjoy the changing of the seasons, the upcoming holidays, and all of the great things happening here in Cassville!

Go Comets!Mr. John Luster

Season Greetings!

I’d like to wish all of you a very happy holiday season, and remind you to try and spend a little extra time with your family and friends during the next several weeks. It’s no secret that all of us have busy lives, but it’s important to slow down and to focus on who and what we have, cherishing all of the special memories that can be made this time of year, and giving thanks.

Our students had three fantastic performances of The Addams Family musical this year. High school, junior high and elementary students from Cassville and St. Charles schools created a great cast of actors. A huge thank you and congratulations go out to Ms. Dudley, Mr. Gile, Mr. McNett, and all of the students who performed or helped out in some way. Everyone put in many, many hours to create this delightful show--we are fortunate to have this talent in our schools!

I would like to thank all of our athletes, coaches, parents and fans for the hard work, sportsmanship,

dedication and support that was given during the football and volleyball teams this past fall. Wishing continued success to our basketball and wrestling programs this winter!

As a reminder, we have many great programs and activities to offer here at CHS, and I want to encourage you to participate as much as possible. The Cassville Community takes pride in this school and in our students, and we must continue to promote all of the wonderful things that we are accomplishing here! We welcome the use of our facilities whenever possible, so if you have any ideas and/or needs for you or an organization, please stop in or call the office and talk to Cindy Ritter or myself.

I hope all of you have a very happy, healthy holiday season, and wish safe travels for everyone throughout the winter months ahead.

Chad InfieldDean of Students/Activities Director

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Science! Continuing “Coins for a Cure”On behalf of the Cassville Public School and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Mr. Lavelle’shomeroom and multicultural groups would like to invite parents and community members to partner with our students in the battle against blood cancers. We are participating in a community service project called Coins for a Cure. In the spring, our students will be selling Find a Cure for Cancer shirts, and they are in the preplanning stages to develop a walk/run for a cancer cure (Watch for more information).

If you have ideas that you would like to share with us or if you would be willing to sponsor or donate to this worthy cause, please contact Mr. Lavelle at the high school.

Earth ScienceThe Earth Science students will be researching the characteristics of many different minerals. The students will be working in groups, which will consist of four students. The four students will work in a collaborative effort to collect specific data dealing with their 10 unique minerals. This information, as well as the information collected from the other groups will be used to complete their mineral chart.

Life ScienceThe Life Science class will be working with and examining plant cells in the very near future. The students will learn the proper skills and technique of handling the microscopes, slides, and slip covers. This project is an eye opening laboratory.

Environmental ScienceThe Environmental Science is currently working on and developing a short solution-orientated video connecting human population growth to one of the following global challenges: Deforestation, Public Health, or Water Scarcity. Students are competing for scholarship monies in this worldwide competition.

Biology IThe Biology I class is currently examining viruses and bacteria. The students will develop an understanding of the differences between viruses and bacteria. Focus diseases include, but are not limited to, the following: Ebola, Polio, Flu, Meningitis, Chicken Pox, Measles, Shingles, and HIV.

Biology IIThe Biology II class is currently researching specific digestive diseases in humans. The students will develop an authentic assessment paper that will be presented to the class as well as being placed in their portfolio.

Special NotePlans are in the works for The Legacy Project, which will be scheduled for early this spring. Several science classes will be involved in this project. Watch for details.

Social IssuesStudents in Social Issues shared information on the environmental challenges our world faces. Presentations were made for the 4th, 5th and 6th grade. There were positive comments from everyone who took part in this experience. The fourth grade students stated to their teacher Mrs. Boyum, the presentations inspired and impressed them.

High School News

Successful Giving Tree ProjectMrs. Bernhardt’s HONOR multi-age group raised $413 in its annual Giving Tree Project. The group comprised of seniors--Andrea Okey and Todd Haverland; junior--Skyla Kemerling Hyer; sophomore--Brooke Ploessl; 8th graders--Lydia Reynolds and Colin Johll; and 7th graders--Cam Schmitz and Lindsey Hudson raised the money by running three basketball concessions and selling ornaments to put on the school’s Christmas tree.

All money raised will be given to the Lioness Club, who will add their own donation. This year over $1,000 in the form of Okey’s gift certificates will be distributed to local needy families during the holiday season. Many thanks to all who opened their hearts in support of a great cause.

Comets Showcase Spelling SkillsCongratulations to Cassville School District Spelling Bee winners! Pictured below: 1st Place - Laura Walker, 2nd Place - Lyndsi Ross, 3rd Place - Lindsey Hudson, Alternates - Zander Hauk & Levi Hampton. (Note: Zander is too young to participate any further than the local spelling bee). Great Job to everyone who participated!!

Candy Cane Sales for Cancer AwarenessMr. Lavelle and his multi-age group--Generosity--organized a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society which was held December 7-15th. The fundraiser consisted of students selling candy canes in the shapes of hearts wrapped in ribbons and sold during their lunch hour for only $2 a piece. Students involved were: Keegan Morley, Brielle Baliff, Nicky Murray, Rick Lenz, Madelyn Nix, Melody Hampton, Logan Churchill, Cassidy Hyer, and Rebecca Fure.

Mr. Lavelle wants to thank everyone involved and greatly appreciates all donations and support to this very worthy cause! Any of the extra Candy Cane Hearts have been donated to the Municipal Building for the food drive and Orchard Manor in Lancaster!

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Students of the Month

November

Fine Arts Dylan Duvall & Payton Brinkman

Social StudiesAlly Clauer

EnglishMelody Hampton

Foreign LanguageBrianna Ploessl

Grant County Herald Independent Teen of the WeekAlly Clauer

December

Business & Information TechnologyBailie Becwar & Mason Infield

EnglishVictoria Schimming

Public SpeakingTiara Durns

Junior ClassWill Baliff

ScienceWalker Gotzinger

Grant County Herald Independent Teen of the Week Walker Gotzinger

� Business Club runs a small hot beverage shop called Comet Corner out of the Business Lab. Comet Corner sells hot cocoa, cappuccino, apple cider as well as bottled water and granola bars. It is open before school each day for students and staff. Students gain experience in customer service, inventory, ordering, and depositing money. The profits from Comet Corner go to Business Club.

� Business Club Students have been involved in taking photos at many community events such as Safe & Spooky Halloween, Christmas in Cassville, etc. and promoting those events through the Mississippi Magic Facebook page.

� Business Club is raising money & planning for a Chicago Trip in the spring to tour businesses and look at opportunities in business related careers.

� Students in Business Club plus Payton Brinkman and Danielle Ackerman attended Teen Leadership Training at CESA#3 in Fennimore—Our students rocked that day as leaders!!!!

� In the near future, students in Business Club will be working with the Cassville Car Cruise, Inc. on business cards, recruitment posters, and online promotion of their organization.

� Business Club/Intro to Business II students are coordinating the Taliesin Project! Please Read our article on page 5 to learn more!!!!

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� Business Club successfully sold all 250 Comet Pride Yard Signs! A big THANK YOU! to the community!

� Each week, Business Club members are posting a new Business of the Week to the Mississippi Magic Facebook page!

� As part of Business Club, Andrea Okey and Taylor Ploessl assisted Upper Mississippi Lodging in setting up a Facebook page and taking photos.

� Also as part of Business Club, Taylor Ploessl completed the Thursday’s Child newsletter for the non-profit organization.

Business Club News

Brinkman helps withMusic Program at St. Charles

One of Cassville High School’s talented music students—Payton Brinkman—was thinking to herself one morning at church this summer that she could possibly help out at the Catholic school she once attended just a few years ago. She had noticed that for the past two years that St. Charles Catholic school was unable to find a music teacher because not one person had applied. Over the summer, she approached Principal Mason about volunteering and then discussed with Mr. Luster about the possibility of one hour per day volunteering as a teacher her senior year. Finally Father John Meinholz agreed and it also had to be approved by the Diocese. When the 2015-2016 school year arrived and no applications were received for a music teacher, Payton was in!

Each day 3rd Hour Payton travels to St. Charles Borromeo school to teach music to two grade levels in that one hour. Every day different grade levels from 4K-8th Grade. Due to the fact that Payton is a minor and a volunteer, the Diocese required that the classroom teachers be present when she teaches. She has received help and ideas from Mr. McNett, a family friend who is a music teacher, and also gets many of her lessons from the internet.

Brinkman plans to major in Music Therapy next year at either Wartburg in Waverly, Iowa or Alverno College in Milwaukee. As Payton stated, “I never thought of myself as a teacher, but I enjoy it more than I thought I would!” She truly likes teaching grades 4K-4th Grade because they are so much more willing to try new things.

Taliesin Project:Downtown Revitalization Program

Cassville School District Business Club, Intro. to Business II and Art3D/Tech Ed. students are participating in a unique partnership called the Taliesin Project. The Taliesin Project is a joint venture between the School District of Cassville, the Community of Cassville, and the Taliesin School of Architecture. They are getting guidance and support from Southwest Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and UW Extension to assist with planning and developing of possibilities for downtown revitalizations. High school students will work with Taliesin staff and students to research and develop architectural renderings and improvement ideas that will be compiled into a portfolio by Cassville students and presented to the community. Businesses and the community of Cassville may utilizethis portfolio as a tool in moving forward toward the possible goal of revitalizing their downtown and/or riverfront.

Mrs. Oswald and Intro to. Business II students have many hours invested in the project already attending community and resource meetings, visiting Taliesin School of Architecture, hosting Taliesin Professors, and developing presentations to educate and inform students, school board, staff, and community members about the project. By December 23, the goal is to present to the rest of the Business Club, Mr. Beer & Art 3D students, and the School Board. Small community groups and clubs will then be presented to in January. Larger community forums will be held late in the school year.

Beginning second semester (mid January) Taliesin Professors Caroline and Floyd Hamblen will travel to Cassville each Friday to work with students on the project during 5th & 6th Hours. Some of the time may be spent out in the community and other times they will be in the classroom working on pulling together various parts of the project. Cassville School District & Highland Community Schools are the only two schools in the state of Wisconsin participating in such a project.

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First and Second Grade Thanksgiving FeastThe first and second grade students finished up their units on Native Americans and Pilgrims with a Thanksgiving Feast. The first grade students have been busy learning about the Pilgrims making their journey to America. The second grade students have been learning about Native American life. Both classes learned about how the Native Americans helped the Pilgrims. In sharing the feast, both classes ate some traditional Thanksgiving snacks and students demonstrated games that the Pilgrim and Native American children had played. Students also got to share what each are personally thankful for. What great hands-on learning of the first Thanksgiving!

1st Grade Studies U.S. SymbolsThe first graders have been studying symbols of the United States in Social Studies. They have discussed some famous songs and landmarks that represent our country. The symbols they have learned about include the bald eagle, the United States flag, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, The Washington Monument, Mount Rushmore, and the Statue of Liberty. They have learned that these symbols stand for strength, freedom, and independence. After each lesson, students were given the opportunity to draw some of these famous symbols. They did an amazing job!

Elementary News

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Elementary Physical EducationIn Physical Education, the students have been working on the following units the past couple of months: soccer, frisbee golf, bowling, basketball and fitnessgram testing. The students were working on foot/eye coordination, hand/eye coordination, endurance and non-locomotor movements. The following students have exceeded the physical education criteria.

Elementary Library-Media NewsWhat’s New in the Library? Student’s have been working very hard on reaching their 2nd quarter Accelerated Reader goals. We had a very successful 1st Quarter with 64% of the school reaching their 1st Quarter goal. The students have also been working on finding words out of the dictionary, story element graphic organizing, creating new art displays for the library, and learning about the call numbers on the backs of the books. These students have done a great job in the Library:

Fifth Graders Get PersonalThe fifth graders were working on writing personal narratives. They had to create an animal out of a toilet paper tube and then write a personal narrative about their animal. They did a really cool job. The animals are displayed in our library. If you get the chance, stop down to see them.

5K Readers!The 5K students have been using the skills they learned during first quarter to read books by themselves. In November the 5K students surprised their high school multi-age reading partners by reading a book to them. It was fun for the 5K students to be the readers instead of the listeners even though they still enjoy having their partners read to them each month

4K - Kiefer Kirschbaum & Rylee Schmitz

5K - Khloe Borcherding-Forbes & Lyric Bernhardt

1st Grade - Molly Roe & Walker Klein

2nd Grade - Grace Laufenberg & Jayden Johnson

3rd Grade - Ashton Revels & Ruby Roe

4th Grade - Braden Fishnick & Morgan Revels

2nd Grade - Lainey Riedl & Talon Rouse

3rd Grade - Veronica Breuer & Quintin Riedl

4th Grade - Skyler Miles & Shane Okey

5th Grade - Marissa Wieland, Andy Schwanz, & Xander Hauk

6th Grade - Robby Roe, Kyle Klein, & Miles Reynolds