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Spring 2017
Dear Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School Families and Students:
Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School continues to be a leader in offering Advanced Placement, dual credit and college level courses for our students. We take pride in offering a wide variety of elective courses including foreign language, family and consumer science, business and IT, art, metals and manufacturing, woods and robotics, agriculture, and music. To enrich the experience of our students, our district has committed to a continuous improvement plan that aims to increase the focus on career and college readiness. We plan to do this through strategically planning an increased amount of experiences and exposure to a variety of post-secondary options. This includes an emphasis on job experience and Youth Apprenticeships. For more information on our Academic and Career Plan (ACP) , please visit our website //www.wittbirn.k12.wi.us/high/ACP.cfm.
Our school also continues to be recognized throughout the state for our commitment to Positive Behavior Supports and Interventions (PBIS). This systematic approach to teaching appropriate, responsible behavior has lead to a significant decrease of discipline referrals resulting in an increase in academic instructional time. This happens by individually and intentionally responding to student behavior needs while focusing on the root of the problem. Through the use of this system, we have found an increase in long-term, positive behavioral change. As part of our PBIS system, we at WBHS have placed an emphasis on employability skills. Seeing a need, we teach, model, and provide feedback to each and every student on their individual academic (employment) behaviors including people skills, productivity, and technology use. We use data on student behavior to determine what needs to be emphasized, taught, and re-taught throughout the school year.
One of the most concerning behaviors that we have found in the past few years is inappropriate cell phone use. Because of this, and all of the negative effects it has on learning, relationships, and behavior, we have chosen to implement a new cell phone practice starting in the 2017-18 school year. We encourage parents and community to support and reinforce this change. The expectation regarding cell phones will be as follows:
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Students will be asked to keep cell phones “off and in their lockers”. Consequences for having phones in the classroom or learning environment will include the following actions:
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Phones being taken by staff and brought to the office
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Phones brought to the office will require parent/guardian pick up
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If the inappropriate use of cell phones becomes habitual in nature, progressive discipline will be enforced resulting in detention, suspension, or recommendation for citation
Other expected changes for the 2017-18 school year will include an additional class period: moving from 7 course offerings to 8 with a reduced advisory time. As a result, students will now be able to take 8 periods of coursework each semester. The implementation of structured study halls will accompany this change along with a reduction of time allocated for our all-school advisory period. If your son/daughter would like to add a request to their previously completed course selection sheet, please have them email Mrs. Gruber or stop in the Student Services office.
We would like to wish this year’s Class of 2017 the very best. We will miss them, their energy, and diversity. They have made this school a great place. Good luck to each and every one.
Like always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call 715-253-2211 or email jsharp@wittbirn.k12.wi.us .
Sincerely,
Jill Sharp
High School Principal
~Striving for Excellence~
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