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DPI VISTA: Current Sites and Projects


Current Sites and Projects


LINKs Go to the Project Description


For more information on our VISTA project, please check out our Google Page.

Ashland
Vaughn Public Library

Fond du Lac
Fond du Lac Public Library

Green Bay
UW-Green Bay/Green Bay School District

Madison
Department of Public Instruction

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Education Outreach and Partnerships

Madison Metropolitan School District

Wisconsin Educational Opportunity Program (WEOP)

Madison Public Library

Milwaukee
Parents Plus

Oshkosh
Washington Elementary School

Racine
Racine Public Library

Rhinelander
School District of Rhinelander

Shiocton
Shiocton Public Library

Spooner
Lakeland Family Resource Center

Wausau
Wausau Early Childhood Program

Wausau School District

West Allis/West Milwaukee
West Allis School District

Wisconsin Rapids
Grove Elementary School

Summer 2009 VISTA Associate Program
Sites

Current Sites and Projects

2008-2009 Promising Partnership Practices
Submitted by VISTAs

Name: Colleen Douglass
Site: Vaughn Public Library
Site Location: Ashland
End of Service Date: 8.21.10
Email: vistacdouglass@gmail.com
Work Number: 715-292-0444
Supervisor: Shirley Miller

Brief Description of the Site
The Vaughn Public Library (VPL) is located in Ashland, Wisconsin on the corner of Vaughn Avenue and West Main Street. The city of Ashland is located on the shores of the Chequamegon Bay on the largest fresh water lake in the world, Lake Superior. VPL serves a local population of 8,500 and a service population of approximately 16,000.

Current Projects
Assignments for Colleen include the establishment of partnerships with organizations, businesses, individuals and schools to develop and facilitate services and programming to assist the unemployed, underemployed and their families. Part of the project for Colleen, involves the recruitment of volunteers. The areas of focus are: employment and job skills training, financial planning, health and nutrition, education, and home foreclosures and housing assistance.

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Name: Sara Byrnes and Josh Cowles
Site: Fond du Lac Public Library
Site Location: Fond du Lac
End of Service Date: 8.21.10
Email: byrnes@fdlpl.org and cowles@fdlpl.org
Work Number:(920)929-7080 ext. 155 or 156
Supervisor: Ken Hall

Brief Description of the Site
The Fond du Lac Public Library strives to serve the Fond du Lac community by promoting literacy, lifelong learning, and diversity through customer-friendly access to services that inform, entertain, and inspire. Over the past year, the library has seen use of the library go up, as circulation statistics rise and more patrons are coming into the library to use public computers for job searching purposes.

Current Projects
Our VISTA members are developing programs to address unemployment and economic recovery in Fond du Lac County for both adult and young adult populations. One of the services we are looking at is turning the library’s main training room into an Opportunity Center, where computers will be available for extended use for people seeking jobs. Volunteer staff will be available during open hours to assist job seekers in using Microsoft Office, as well as provide support in internet job searching and resume/cover letter writing. We are also working to schedule workshops and classes in both the FDLPL and in libraries across the county to provide additional information on such topics as resumes, interviewing, job success, etc. We also plan on working closely with the United Way to help establish support groups for the unemployed to come and discuss their experiences.

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Name: Erica Spurgeon
Site: UW-Green Bay and the Green Bay School District
Site Location: Green Bay
End of service: 8.23.10
Work Number:920-465-2851
Email:spurgeoe@uwgb.edu
Supervisor: Juliet Cole and Darryl Buck

Brief Description of the Site
The Phuture Phoenix Program helps at-risk children from Northeast Wisconsin believe that a college education is in their future. The Phuture Phoenix program starts in fifth grade where the students have a chance to come to campus and experience the university. Throughout middle school and high school, Phuture Phoenix students are mentored and tutured by UW-Green Bay students. The Green Bay school district has many resources, effective community partnerships, strong after-school programs and a firm commitment to family and community involvement. Families are the first source of learning, so parent involvement is key.

Current Projects
Our VISTA is currently working on strengthening parent outreach in four schools. She is also working to strengthen the relationship between the schools, parents and community by developing and implementing an action plan with the schools to reach out to parents and the community. In doing so, she is working on grants to fund these opportunities. Our VISTA is working closely with the Phuture Phoenix program to implement community and parent involvement.

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Name: Penny Bruskin, VISTA Leader
Site: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Site Location: Madison
End of Service: 8.24.10
Work Number:608-261-6332
Email: penny.bruskin@dpi.wi.gov
Supervisor: Betsy Prueter

Brief Description of Site
The DPI is the seat of the VISTA Project. The Community Learning and Partnership Team which supports the VISTA Project incorporates the partnership idea into nutrition, early childhood education, service-learning, AmeriCorps, and community education as well as VISTA.

Current Projects
We currently have 19 members serving across the state of Wisconsin. Having completed Pre-Service and DPI Orientations in August, new and continuing members are hard at work building partnerships in their schools and communities. To help them achieve their goals we are working to increase and improve communication between the DPI and all of our sites. We have done this through regular teleconferences and online WisLine web meetings. We are also working on ensuring that each site receives the most up to date partnership research findings and training materials from the National Network of Partnership Schools. This involves site visits with the VISTAs, on-site trainings, and regular communication between the VISTAs and the Project Coordinator. We're all excited about the VISTAs' projects and are looking forward to seeing how their service unfolds!

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Name: Abby Churchill
Site: University of Wisconsin-Madison Education Outreach and Partnerships
Site Location: Madison
End of service: 8.21.10
Work Number: 608-262-4477
Email: churchill@wisc.edu
Supervisor: Jennifer Lord

Brief Description of the Site
Education Outreach and Partnerships (EOP) is a center for the exchange of educational information and ideas. It brings together UW-Madison faculty, professional staff, and other educational leaders with teachers, administrators, counselors, artists, child-care providers, home schoolers, children and adolescents, and parents. Together they explore current educational issues pertaining to precollege and adult learners.

Current Projects
Some of the projects that the VISTA will be working on include: organizing a Spring Pre-College Fair, submitting a proposal for a pre-college program about youth gardening, recruiting tutors for WCATY (Wisconsin Center for Academically-Talented Youth), establishing connections and partnerships with various schools in Dane County and Beloit, and creating a consolidated PTO/PTA contact list for all of Dane County.


Name: Becky Smith
Site: Madison School District/Leopold Elementary School
Site Location: Madison
End of service: 8.21.10
Work Number: 608-204-4334
Email: rsmith1@madison.k12.wi.us
Supervisor: Teresa Carranza

Brief Description of the Site
Leopold Elementary School is the largest elementary school in the Madison Metropolitan School District with approximately 675 students in grades K-5. The size of the school as well as its diversity of families and students makes it a unique and exciting place for a VISTA. This year Leopold began a Dual Immersion program in three Kindergarten classrooms and continues to support many Spanish/English bilingual classrooms as well.

Current Projects
The VISTA will be working to increase family and community partnerships and help expand the opportunities for parent engagement in their children’s education. She will be implementing an Action Team at the school, helping to organize Bilingual Family Literacy and Math Nights, and working towards establishing a Family Resource Center within the school. Her work focuses on the needs of bilingual families and students particularly in the Dual Immersion program.


Name: Dustin Young
Site: Madison Metropolitan School District/Midvale Elementary School
Site Location: Madison
End of service: 06.05.10
Work Number:608-204-6767
Email: youngdus@gmail.com
Supervisor: Teresa Carranza

Brief Description of the Site
Midvale Elementary (K-2) and Lincoln Elementary (3-5) are partners in elementary education on Madison's near-south side. The Midvale-Lincoln partnership serves the same diverse population of students, but in two separate neighborhoods. This provides unique challenges for the VISTA project as each school strives to improve family and community involvement. Midvale-Lincoln is in the process of implementing MMSD's Dual Language Immersion program, along with a number of equity-focused projects, in order to become more responsive to their students and families.

Current Projects
The VISTA at Midvale-Lincoln will be focusing on making family and community involvement opportunities more equitable. He will improve and strengthen family and community involvement practices as Midvale-Lincoln moves toward implementing DLI. This will include mobilizing an Action Team, developing a stronger minority volunteer/mentor network, researching funding sources for an Intercambio program, and improve availability of resources for families.

Name: Ellen Carpenter
Site: Madison Metropolitan School District/Sennet Middle School/Nuestro Mundo Community School
Site Location: Madison
End of service: 11.20.10
Work Number:608-204-1948
Email: ecarpenter@madison.k12.wi.us
Supervisor: Teresa Carranza

Brief Description of the Site
Nuestro Mundo Community School is a Spanish-English dual-language immersion charter school that operates within the confines of Frank Allis Elementary School on Madison's east side. The philosophy of NMCS’s dual language immersion is to develop literacy in both languages, preparing students for success in an increasingly global economy, and to promote acceptance and understanding of cultural differences and strengths. Next year, the 5th graders of Nuestro Mundo will be moving on to attend Sennett Middle School. Sennett offers a uniquely designed program to address the developmental needs of a diverse population of students through the multi-age House system. Of it's seven Houses, one will be made into a dual-language immersion class, eventually composed of 6th, 7th and 8th graders from Nuestro Mundo.

Current Projects
The VISTA will be working to increase family and community partnerships and help expand the opportunities for parent engagement in their children’s education. She will be implementing an Action Team at the school, helping to organize Bilingual Family Literacy and Math Nights, and working towards establishing a Family Resource Center within the school. Her work focuses on the needs of bilingual families and students particularly in the Dual Immersion program.


Name: Brittany Williams
Site: Wisconsin Educational Opportunity Program
Site Location: Madison
End of service: 12.05.09
Work Number: 608.267.1058
Email: brittany.williams@dpi.wi.gov
Supervisor: Alexis Anderson-Reed

Brief Description of the Site
The Wisconsin Educational Opportunity Program seeks out, in the Wisconsin high schools and communities, students with college potential and encourages them to go on to higher education. It also provides students with educational counseling to raise their career aspirations and confidence to succeed.

Current Projects
The work the VISTA will develop and implement – a strong parental/family and community component within the GEAR UP / EIP Program will have a lasting positive impact on the program. The positive and constant involvement, support and motivation of the community, family members, and parents have proven to be a leading predictor in a child’s future decisions and opportunities. The legacy of the VISTA will therefore be to empower disadvantaged students and family members to believe in education and break the cycle of poverty in the community. The VISTA will have institutionalized a significant and lasting plan, that will have an impact on individuals, schools, the community, and the ability of the WEOP Programs to continue to serve and organize people in the Madison area that need it most.


Name: Jim Handorf
Site: Madison Public Library
Site Location: Madison
End of service: 09.24.10
Work Number:
Email:handorf@uwalumni.com
Supervisor: Tana Elias and Lisa Mettauer

Brief Description of the Site
Madison Public Library has 8 branches and a downtown headquarters. The purposes of my work involve increasing communication between branches about volunteers and community partnerships, using these community partnerships to provide job assistance to library patrons, and assisting with teen literacy efforts. Although Lisa is my main supervisor, I will be working closely with the head of reference, Carol, the web resources coordinator, Tana, the youth librarian, Krissy, and the teen librarian, Jesse. Lisa is our library’s outreach coordinator.

Current Projects
Compiling user-friendly database to manage volunteers (over 100 currently), building a working relationship with the Dane County Job Center, forming partnerships with community centers and Madison Metro School District to increase teen buy-in and programming at the Library, providing joint programming for non-English speaking parents and young children at branches and throughout the community, grant-writing.

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PARENTS PLUS, MILWAUKEE

Brief Description of Parents Plus
Parents Plus is a Wisconsin parent information and resource center. The mission of the organization is to support the development of positive parenting skills and to increase parental involvement in Wisconsin schools for the purpose of improving student achievement. This mission is carried out through several services such as Action Team training and assistance, Parents as Teachers, Poverty Training and more.

Current Projects
As VISTAs, our roles are to work with schools in the Milwaukee area to establish an Action Team, help connect resource centers with the school in their neighborhood and set up parent groups within schools in hopes of increasing the parent participation. We do this by visiting the schools and resource centers and figuring out their needs and how we can meet them. Having the 8th highest poverty rate of large cities in America, about one in four of Milwaukee residents live in poverty. With numbers as staggering as those, being a VISTA in Milwaukee means looking at how the education system can be changed in order to improve the quality of life for children and their families.

Name: Sarah Glassman
Site: Parents Plus and Maple Tree Elementary School
Site Location: Milwaukee
End of service: 8.21.10
Work Number:414-755-8710
Email: s.glassman@parentspluswi.org
Supervisor: Patrice Knox

Name: Angela Rumsey
Site: Parents Plus and Milwaukee Public Schools
Site Location: Milwaukee
End of service: 8.21.10
Work Number:414-755-8719
Email: a.rumsey@parentspluswi.org
Supervisor: Yvette Dobbs and Patrice Knox

Name: Casey Burns
Site: Parents Plus and Milwaukee Public Schools
Site Location: Milwaukee
End of service: 11.20.2010
Work Number:414-755-8720
Email: c.burns@parentspluswi.org
Supervisor: Yvette Dobbs and Patrice Knox

Name: Hannah Schulz
Site: Parents Plus and the Indian Community School of Milwaukee
Site Location: Milwaukee and Franklin
End of service: 8.21.10
Work Number:414-755-8712
Email: h.schulz@parentspluswi.org
Supervisor: Patrice Knox

Brief Description of the Site
The Indian Community School, located in Franklin, WI, is an intertribal school servicing American Indian children from the Milwaukee area, age 4 through 8th grade who are enrolled Native American tribal members or descendents of enrolled tribal members. The school was founded in order to address the needs of native students, emphasizing not only the workings of the mind, but of the body and spirit as well. At ICS, all of the teachings incorporate seven core values: bravery, love, truth, wisdom, humilitly, loyalty, and respect. ICS believes that students who incorporate these values into their lives will be successful in school, as well as life.

Current Projects
As ICS's first-time VISTA, I have the opportunity to work with many different people in many different areas of the school. With increasing parental involvement as my main goal, I will be working closely with the Parent Teacher Community Council (PTCC) to plan programs and events to get parents to the school and involved in activities. Having a home base in the Family Resource Center (FRC), I get the opportunity to work with families served by the Indian Community School who participate in parenting classes and support groups. I will also get the opportunity to work closely with the FRC's Parents as Teachers (PAT) and Families and Schools Together (FAST) programs. ICS is the only school in the United States certified to provide FAST Baby, Early Childhood FAST, Elementary School FAST and Middle School FAST programs.

Name: Robyn Krimke
Site: Parents Plus and U.S. Grant Elementary School
Site Location: Milwaukee
End of service: 2.07.10
Work Number: 414-755-8708
Email: r.krimke@parentspluswi.org
Supervisor: Patrice Knox

Name: Cara Slingerland
Site: Parents Plus, Urban Day Head Start, and the School for Urban Planning and Architecture (SUPAR)
Site Location: Milwaukee
End of service: 8.21.10
Work Number:414-755-8707
Email: c.slingerland@parentspluswi.org
Supervisor: Yvette Dobbs

Brief Description of the Site

Urban Day School
Founded in 1967, Urban Day School is the oldest Choice School in Wisconsin. Through the Head Start program, the school provides free preschool and kindergarten for low-income families, as well as health, nutrition, and parent involvement services. UDS has two Milwaukee campuses to better serve its population. In addition to Head Start, UDS also provides K-8 schooling.

School for Urban Planning and Architecture
The School for Urban Planning and Architecture (SUPAR) is a charter high school through Milwaukee Public Schools. The charter status allows this unique school to operate differently than other schools. By employing project-based learning, SUPAR students become agents of their own learning. SUPAR also has a partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning, which provides students with further learning opportunities and introduces them to the skills and professions involved in planning, designing, and transforming communities to create a better future.

Current Projects

Urban Day School
As a school with a first-year VISTA, the skills and needs of the parents are being assessed to match with the needs of the school. Throughout the year, the VISTA will lay groundwork for community, school, and parent partnerships, while also recruiting volunteers and donations. These partnerships will form the basis for an Action Team to best serve the needs of the UDS community and further increase parent involvement at home and at school, while linking school and parental objectives with student learning. Finally, the parent website will continue to be maintained and condensed into bi-monthly mailing.

SUPAR
SUPAR is in its second year of having a DPI VISTA. The VISTA will continue on the groundwork laid by the first-year VISTA by retaining community partnerships and continuing the practice of sending a newsletter home. SUPAR is participating in the Teen FAST (Families and Schools Together) program. Since the FAST program shares many of the same partners as the ATP, after the program is over, it is going to evolve into an ATP. The VISTA will partner with the other schools in the building to increase parental attendance at workshops and other events.

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Name: Tracy Steffens
Site: Washington Elementary School
Site Location: Oshkosh
End of Service Date: 8.21.10
Work Number: 920-424-7597 ext. 133
Email: teresa.steffens@oshkosh.k12.wi.us
Supervisor: Erin Kohl

Brief Description of the Site
Washington School prides itself in serving a diverse student population. The individual needs of students are better met by offering differentiated instruction and other support programs. The high expectations established by parents and staff continue to be realized, as Washington Elementary School has qualified as a Wisconsin School of Promise in 2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009.

Current Projects
At Washington Elementary, the VISTA is working with the Lighted School House after school program started in 2004. We work with students from high poverty areas and provide homework help and bring in partners during enrichment hour, such as Master Gardeners, the YMCA, and UW Oshkosh Math Education Department. The other portion of the VISTA duties include working to encourage family and guardian participation in education. We are looking to start Family Literacy Nights and other events that students and families can be excited about.

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Name: Lizzy Lowrey
Site: Racine Public Library
Site Location: Racine
End of Service Date: 8.21.10
Work Number:262-636-9248
Email: elizabeth.lowrey@racinelibrary.info
Supervisor: Jessica MacPhail

Brief Description of the Site
The mission of the Racine Public Library is to enhance our community's quality of life by providing information, ideas, and creative works. The library includes a location on the shore of Lake Michigan in downtown Racine along with a mobile library with 20 stops throughout the community Besides providing books, video, Internet access and audio materials, the library also hosts a wide range of activities and programs for both children and adults.

Current Projects
At 17.1 percent, the city of Racine has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. Our VISTA will be focusing on economic recovery in the area. By increasing partnerships with community organizations, promoting programs to help job seekers and defining barriers to service, the VISTA will increase access to local resources for economically depressed neighborhoods. The VISTA will also develop an Advisory Council at the library in order to increase sustainability of projects implemented during the year of service.

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Name: Anna Morgen
Site: School District of Rhinelander
Site Location: Rhinelander
End of Service Date: 8.21.10
Email: morgeann@rhinelander.k12.wi.us
Work Number:715-365-9160 ext. 4162
Supervisor: Martha Knudtson

Brief Description of the Site
Located in the beautiful Northwoods of Wisconsin, the School District of Rhinelander serves nine surrounding townships and the City of Rhinelander. The district serves approximately 2,800 students in its three elementary schools, middle school, high school, elementary charter school, secondary charter school, and environmental academy. A secondary alternative education program and a variety of virtual opportunities are offered to the students, and the district has developed partnerships with those families who have chosen home-school education for their children.
The schools offer area students exceptional academic programs, as well as athletic, cultural, and community opportunities. As a result of an active community, outstanding staff, a comprehensive curriculum, and an emphasis on technology in the classroom, the School District of Rhinelander is proud to provide educational excellence to its youth.

Current Projects
Anna is focusing on increasing family involvement in the literacy education of district 4K-3rd graders at three schools: Northwoods Community Elementary School, Pelican Elementary School, and Crescent Elementary School. Another goal is to create sustainable partnerships between the school district, families, and community members. A district-wide Action Team has been established to assist with these goals. This team gives more responsibility to school district staff and families, as well as encouraging them to voice their opinion and participate in decision-making.

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Name: Heather Knops
Site: Shiocton Public Library
Site Location: Shiocton
End of Service Date: 8.21.10
Work Number:920-986-3933
Email:heatherknops@yahoo.com
Supervisor: Becky Rickel

Brief Description of the Site
The Shiocton Public Library is the center of community life, offering opportunities for people of all ages to learn, know, gather and grow. The library is a dependable source of reliable information and of challenging ideas that enlighten and enrich, and of materials in many formats that enhance leisure time and expand knowledge of current events. The library encourages the love of reading and the joy of learning, and offers the assistance people need to find, evaluate, and use electronic and print information resources that help them live successful and rewarding lives.

Current Projects
Our focus in Shiocton is Community. We will be working to strengthen our community by creating a chamber of commerce and a web presence. Strengthening children’s body and minds by proper nutrition, experiencing nature through outdoor activities, helping to enforce family values, teaching proper reading and study habits, and promoting our community through volunteerism.

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Name: Sara Hubin
Site: Lakeland Family Resource Center
Site Location: Spooner
End of Service Date: 8.21.10
Work Number:715-635-4669
Email: sarahubin@hotmail.com
Supervisor: Patty Cummings-Reinert

Brief Description of the Site
Spooner is located about 1 1/2 hours north of Eau Claire. A yearround playground for campers, boaters, antiquers. Spooner boasts several fun-filled family weekends for ex: Jack Savage Pine Days, Washburn County Fair, Jack O Lantern Festival to name a few. Our center is located in the heart of Spooner in an old church filled with stain-glass windows to let the sun shine through.

Current Projects
As the first VISTA to be utilized in the family resource center I have my work cut-out for me. I am building bridges with a new school district and expanding partnerships with 2 others. I am involved in programs for families and the schools to build relationships on and excited about getting the resource centers' name out there. As I forge this new path I am humbled and really excited about the course that I will be taking.

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Name: Sylvia Sedrak
Site: Wausau Early Childhood Program
Site Location: Wausau
End of Service Date: 8.21.10
Work Number: 715-261-0265
Email: ssedrak@wausau.k12.wi.us
Supervisor: Julie Burmesch

Brief Description of the Site
The heart of the Wausau School District preschool program is its strong developmentally-appropriate curriculum delivered by caring, talented teachers specifically trained to teach young children. The experiential instruction prepares children for the opportunities and challenges of kindergarten and beyond. Our Early Childhood Program serves children between the ages of three and five years who exhibit developmental delays. The District's Community Collaboration Program for 4-year-olds provides integrated language, problem solving and decision making, and literacy instruction for four-year-olds throughout our community. Children are able to participate in these programs at the A.C. Kiefer Educational Center, several WSD elementary schools, or at a variety of partner childcare sites across the District.

Current Projects
Our VISTA is working to coordinate training for the childcare community on infant and early childhood mental health, screening and intervention strategies. She is also working to conduct the Strengthening Families Through Early Care and Education inventory and develop and implement an action plan for all WSD Early Childhood and Pre-K programs to reach out to parents, help them network and prevent child abuse and neglect. Our VISTA is working closely with the community-wide Pre-K PTO/Site Council to implement the NNPS plan for parent and community involvement with the WSD Collaborative Pre-K and EC programs.

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Name: Kristine Nadolski
Site: Wausau School District
Site Location: Wausau
End of Service Date: 8.21.10
Work Number: 715-261-0581
Email: knadolsk@wausau.k12.wi.us
Supervisor: Nancy Cedar

Brief Description of the Site
The Wausau School District is working hard to increase student achievement and close the achievement gaps of our economically disadvantaged students. Our school improvement plans have a clear, unified focus incorporating the research-based framework of the 6 types of involvement: parenting, volunteering, learning at home, decision making and collaborating with community.

Our district has many resources, effective community partnerships, strong after-school programs and a firm commitment to family and community involvement. Families as the first source of learning are one of three key areas of focus for the Wausau School Foundation. We have had VISTA's serving at individual sites, which led to the creation of our Parent Partnership Coordinators, currently at four sites, funded by Title One.

Current Projects
Kristine will be developing a Family University Network (F.U.N.) for the school district this year. The program includes workshops and seminars for parents in the district on topics they would like more information on. A district wide action team (including parent partnership coordinators, teachers, community members and community agency representatives) is working to launch the program at the Title I schools this year, with the goal of launching it district wide next year.

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Name: Stephanie Dorman
Site: West Allis/West Milwaukee School District
Site Location: West Allis
End of service:7.31.10
Work Number:414-659-4158
Email: dormans@wawm.k12.wi.us
Supervisor: Tami Frana

Brief Description of the Site
The mission of the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District is to partner with families and the community “to provide challenging curriculum and engaging instruction so that every student may attain academic success.” The district, which serves about 8,600 students, has seen an increase in diverse demographics in recent years. Our VISTAs are located at Longfellow Elementary School, Lincoln Intermediate School, and West Milwaukee Intermediate School.

Current Projects
Our VISTA will work to increase family and community partnerships and programming in order to strengthen academic success by listening to school, community, and family wants and needs. She will be implementing Action Teams at her schools, increasing participation in the Preparing for School Success family support program at the elementary schools, as well as expanding the program to the intermediate schools. In addition, shewill increase Spanish translation services available to parents, strengthen two-way communication between schools and families, and expand opportunities for family participation in the schools.


Name:Nicole Stachurski
Site: Grove Elementary School
Site Location: Wisconsin Rapids
End of service: 12.5.09
Work Number: 715.422.6136
Email: nicole.stachurski@wrps.org
Supervisor: LeeAnn Schmidmayr

Brief Description of the Site
Our K-6 elementary schools have a curriculum that emphasizes literacy skills. Teachers work to provide a strong basis in reading and writing to insure success at the secondary level and beyond. Critical thinking, creativity, communication skills, and technology integration are woven throughout the language arts, math, science and social studies areas. In addition, students receive art, music and physical education classes weekly.

Current Projects
Our VISTA will be working to assist in the identification of further needs in our Grove families including working with our ESL staff to continue and expand our ESL parent group, assisting our social worker in establishing a parent support and education group for families at risk, organizing and advertising student enrichment clubs such as, Art Club, Game Club, Health Club, and intramural activities, establishing positive family connections through the expansion of our publication, Grove Family News, assisting in maintaining our Homework Club, and assisting classroom teachers and other specialized staff as we develop an intervention block at each grade level to address the needs of students who are not achieving specific grade-level SMART goals and Essential Learning Outcomes.

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Summer VISTA Associate Program
Term of Service: 6.18 through 8.14


The Department of Public Instruction, in collaboration with the Corporation for National and Community Service and President Obama's United We Serve initiative, sponsored a Summer VISTA Associate program to engage 19 individuals in intensive community service in Wisconsin schools, libraries, and non profits. These 19 VISTAs committed 8 weeks to fighting poverty, mobilizing volunteers, and developing sustainable community partnerships. They worked in public libraries in Racine, Ashland, Shiocton, Madison, Milwaukee, Woodville, Sheboygan and DPI's Reference and Loan Library. Non profits and schools involved included Parents Plus of Wisconsin, National Alliance of Mental Illness in Milwaukee, Children's Outing Association (Milwaukee), South Madison Health and Family Center, Howe Neighborhood Family Resource Center (Green Bay), Arbor Vitae Woodruff Elementary School, Wisconsin Educational Opportunity Program (Eau Claire), and Urban Day Head Start (Milwaukee). DPI's Summer VISTA's kicked off their "summer of service" experience on Monday, June 22nd with orientation and training to coincide with the beginning of the United We Serve initiative. All DPI Summer VISTA sites promoted local volunteer opportunities in hopes of engaging the greater community in the mission and vision of AmeriCorps VISTA.

Check out United We Serve's blog for three stories of summer service from our VISTAs! These stories were selected from hundreds submitted from across the country to showcase the kind of impact VISTAs have on their communities.

Casey Gauthier

Reid Anderson

Kevin Layde

For more information, contact

Betsy Prueter, Project Coordinator
Phone: 608-267-7290
betsy.prueter@dpi.wi.gov

Or dial 800-441-4563, and request the above extension


For questions about this information, contact Jane L. Grinde (608) 266-9356

Last updated on 2/1/2010 2:42:42 PM