1. Mauston Teacher To Represent Wisconsin
Leah Lechleiter-Luke of New Lisbon, a Spanish teacher at Mauston High School, has
been named the Wisconsin representative to the national Teacher of the Year
program. A statewide panel of educators, parents, and community leaders selected
Lechleiter-Luke out of five Teachers of the Year named in September.
The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation will award Lechleiter-Luke $6,000.
Lechleiter-Luke has taught English and Spanish at Mauston High School, and at
Brookwood Junior/Senior High School in the Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District.
She holds education degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Viterbo
University in La Crosse.
"When I finished my student teaching assignment," Lechleiter-Luke says, "I received
a good-bye note scrawled in the sloppy handwriting of one of my boys in Remedial
Grade 12 English." The note said, "Just remember…we are not robots."
Lechleiter-Luke took this advice to heart. By remembering students' individuality,
she says, she helps them succeed academically and socially. Christopher Logue's
poem, "Come to the Edge," summarizes Lechleiter-Luke's approach of leading students
to the cliff-like edges of their comfort zones, then pushing them off and watching
them discover the ability to fly. "Students cannot be led to the opportunity to
fly, if they are treated as robots," she said.
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2. Elkhorn Principal Wins $25,000 Educator Award
A visit to Elkhorn Area Middle School from State Superintendent Tony Evers on
October 7 turned into a much bigger event as Principal John Gendron was named the
Wisconsin recipient of a 2009 Milken Educator Award. The $25,000 unrestricted cash
award is one of 50 given by the Milken Family Foundation to this year's Milken Educators.
Gendron was selected without his knowledge by a blue-ribbon panel and the Milken
Family Foundation.
"The admiration and respect John has earned among students, teachers,
administrators, and members of the Elkhorn community makes him worthy of this award
and one of America’s top educators," Evers said.
A former eighth-grade math teacher, Gendron has been at Elkhorn Area Middle School
for 16 years. He is recognized as a strong advocate for students, an exceptional
communicator with parents, and a skilled leader who nudges staff to strive for
continuous improvement.
One colleague says "if there is an educator who represents the best nationwide, I
firmly believe that [Gendron] fits this mold."
Gendron will receive his award during an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles,
Calif., in spring to participate in the Milken Educator Forum. He is also invited
to join the voluntary Milken Educator Network.
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3. Financial Literacy: Teach It! Website Unveiled
With Wisconsin the first state in the nation to adopt standards in financial
literacy, implementing them in the classroom requires some trailblazing.
To support educators in that effort, a new website provides resources and
professional development for teaching the state's Model Academic Standards for
Personal Financial Literacy. The multi-media site, called Financial Literacy: Teach
It!, will be released this week--in honor of Money Smart Week, which runs from
October 10-17.
Created by the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board (ECB), Financial
Literacy: Teach It! will feature 21 lessons taped in Wisconsin elementary, middle,
and high school classrooms, as well as interviews with the teachers in the videos.
There will be vetted lesson plans, a parent resource page, and a teacher forum.
Users will access an interactive map to see how districts around the state are
implementing the standards.
First Lady Jessica Doyle has praised the site, saying, "The activities include
effective classroom lessons and practical extensions to promote high student
achievement. The parent resources allow families to learn new skills and to
reinforce classroom learning."
Another helpful resource is the DPI's Guide to Planning Curriculum in Personal
Financial Literacy, also published this fall.
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4. Natural Playscape in Merrill
Subscriber Submission!
Staff at the Head Start/Early Childhood program in Merrill saw the value of play in
nature. On field trips to the woods, they noticed wonder and enthusiasm as students
ran up and down hills, turned over rocks, explored, and discovered. Children who
struggled with behaviors that impeded learning in the classroom asked questions,
demonstrated persistence, used more vocabulary, and smiled.
Three years ago, the program began acquiring funds to make this an everyday
occurence for their students--low-income and special needs 3- to 5-year-olds. With
the support of 28 public, private, and non-profit donors, Teacher Joan Krohn
dedicated a natural playscape on the school grounds last month.
The children named it "The Secret Path."
Here they explore the natural world and their senses in a pumpkin patch and among
trees, shrubs, and perennials. They learn sorting and self-confidence in a boulder
field. A bridge teaches visual and motor skills. They enjoy a masonry "gathering
circle," outdoor musical instruments, and a water trough perfect for dam-building.
By engaging students more fully, The Secret Path also offers increased
opportunities for negotiation, language building, and imaginative play.
As Krohn writes:
“Hey, it’s heavy”, “Let me try”, “Together”, “No, put it in the truck.” This
is the sound of creative problem solving.
A group of Head Start/Early Childhood students are working to get a big rock
to the top of a dirt hill. If you look closely you see the scientific process, math
skills, creativity, and team building.
This is learning through play.
This story was submitted by a DPI-ConnectEd subscriber! We are looking for your
news of exciting programs, promising practices, initiatives that could benefit from
publicity, or your questions about working with Wisconsin students. E-mail just a
sentence or two to benson.gardner@dpi.wi.gov, with "Story Idea" in the subject
line.
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5. Conferences: AWSA, Special Education
Some conferences are on the near horizon:
The Association of Wisconsin School Adminstrators Annual Convention takes place in
Wisconsin Dells, October 28-30, with the theme, "The Future of Education is Now!"
Thursday's keynote speaker is Neil Howe, a historian, economist, and demographer
who writes and speaks on generational change in American history and on long-term
fiscal policy. Howe is co-author of Millennials and K-12 Schools. Friday's keynote
will be presented by Steve Gilliland, a speaker, entrepreneur, business consultant,
and author of Enjoy the Ride: How to Experience the True Joy of Life.
The 25th annual State Superintendent's Conference on Special Education and Pupil
Services Leadership Issues takes place November 17-18 in Middleton (in the Madison
area). Keynoters listed on the tentative agenda are UW-Madison Psychiatrist David
Mays, an award-winning teacher and clinician and presenter on numerous mental
health topics; Dawn Matthias of the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil
Rights; and members of the Legal Services team at the DPI. Discounted room rate
deadline is October 16, and because the conference is the same week as the
Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) state football finals, area
hotels may sell out quickly.
More education events are listed on the Wisconsin Education Calendar.
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