Spartan Scoop October 30

State volleyball information, including fan bus information, will be shared soon.

Members of DECA presented to staff during the recent professional development day to promote their upcoming fundraising event, Ryan's Roundup.

This is the 2nd annual event with proceeds going to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The students' goal this year is to bring more awareness to muscular dystrophy by educating MHS students during an upcoming advisory.

The event will conclude during the boys and girls basketball games on December 1st and 5th with Ryan and his family in attendance.

All five members of the student services team attended a 3-day training to become Teen Mental Health First Aid instructors. Soon they will be teaching this curriculum and the life-saving skills to all MHS students. Congratulations to Beth Canfield, Jackie Guenther, Adam Rosencrans, Andrea Quella, and Zak Sprenger.

Midterm - end of first quarter. Grades will be posted on November 13, 2023.

• No school - staff professional development day
• Opening night of Legally Blonde - The Musical 7:00 PM. See flyer above for ticketing information.

Legally Blonde - The Musical 7:00 PM

Legally Blonde - The Musical final performance 2:00 PM

Reality Zone for all juniors (8:30 am - 11:00 am) - this is a requirement for graduation.

All-school assembly - AODA Guest Speaker - more information to follow

Senior photos can be expensive. If there are financial barriers to having senior photos done the way you'd like them, please consider the following opportunity:

MHS has partnered with John Maniaci, a parent within the district, for several years to help offer free senior photos for students. John is a staff photographer at UW Hospital and does great work. We will be hosting senior pictures here at the high school on Friday, November 3rd. Please email Mr. Sprenger directly at sprengz@mcfsd.org if you are interested in having your senior photos taken with John that day. I will need to know by Tuesday, November 2nd, at the latest, so we can get a plan in place as to how long we'll need him here and what order we will go in. Once I have our full list, I'll email each student individually with more details including what time their session will be.

Thanks for considering and taking advantage of this awesome opportunity.

All questions or concerns regarding attendance/absences should be directed to Carli Cherek at cherekc@mcfsd.org or 608-838-3166 x4762.

There are three ways to report your student's absence, appointment, leaving early/arriving late:

1. Enter your request directly into IC. (Instructions) -
   • If you are concerned that the office staff is not receiving your IC absence request, please make sure you allow notifications for the Infinite Campus app on your phone. Once the IC request is processed you will get a notification.
2. Call the attendance line directly at 608-838-4657 and leave a message. These are sent directly to our email, so we see them in real time.
3. Email mhsattendance@mcfsd.org

During the school day, 7:55 am - 3:15 pm, all school entrances are locked. Please use the main entrance (Door A), press the silver button on the wall next to the office entrance, and a staff member will slide the glass window open to speak with you.

If you are....

• dropping off an item for your student or need to speak with them face-to-face, the staff member will either take the item from you or call your student down to meet you in the vestibule. You do NOT need to sign in to Raptor for this type of visit.
• picking up a student at anytime during the school day, please let the office know ahead of time. Staff will get the student a pass, and they will meet you outside. You do not need to come in to get them.
• entering the building for a meeting or volunteering, you will need to sign in through the Raptor system. For this process you will need your driver's license or state-issued ID. The Raptor system is mounted on the wall in the vestibule to the left of the office window. You will need to scan the back of your ID and follow the on-screen instructions. Once the Raptor system screening is successful, a badge will print in the office, and you will be asked to push the silver button on the wall to enter the main office .

Bridging Brighter Smiles will be back at MHS on Tuesday, November 14th to complete visits missed last week, but It's not too late to enroll! Must re-enroll every 2 years.

See flyer information for more details and how to enroll.

We are approaching the time of year when weather conditions may cause school to be delayed, canceled, or dismissed early. Details about weather decisions and communications can be found HERE.

Summary from the 10/23/23 School Board Meeting and Annual Meeting-Budget Hearing:

In addition to their regular duties of approving minutes, staffing, and expenses, here are some highlights from the meeting:

• MHS students Valery Vayserberg and Nadia Schwedrsky from the MHS Connect Club provided a report from the MHS student body.

• Action items that were acted upon included:

• Approving budget changes for the 2023-24 school year

• One of the McFarland School Board’s biggest responsibilities is to set policy for the District. The October 23rd meeting included discussion and approval regarding a policy that was recommended for revision.

Information about the budget of the McFarland School District and outcomes of the Annual Meeting-Budget Hearing can be found HERE.

COMING UP:

The next School District of McFarland School Board meeting is scheduled for November 6, 2023 at 7 p.m.

Click HERE for a link to the McFarland School Board agendas and minutes.

Click HERE for a link to the McFarland School Board meeting recordings and upcoming YouTube live streams.

In this fast-paced digital era, our children are growing up surrounded by technology and the vast opportunities it brings. While this presents incredible potential for learning and growth, it also raises important concerns about their safety in the online world. In today's society, ensuring our children are equipped with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital landscape safely has become more critical than ever. On average, kids with a smartphone received it by age 8, and those without one can expect to receive it by age 13 (FOSI Online Safety Across the Generations, 2018).

• Technology agreements. It is important for adults and kids to agree on how personal devices and technology will be used to ensure safe behavior and a positive online reputation. The Family Online Safety Institute offers helpful resources and talking points for families when establishing guidelines for device and internet use in the home.

• Family Online Safety Agreement: Ages 13 and under

• Family Online Safety Agreement: Teens

• Familiarize yourself. Among our student community, the most commonly used apps include Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. However, the landscape is constantly evolving with new apps and games emerging regularly. If you have reservations about a particular app or game, take the time to research and perhaps even test it out firsthand before reaching a conclusion. Included below are a variety of resources to delve into when assessing whether an app or game aligns with your child's needs, along with discussion points regarding digital citizenship and online safety.

• Common Sense Media

• Entertainment Software Rating Board

• Family Online Safety Institute

• See something, say something. Lastly, should you or your student come across any possible threat or safety issue on social media, we urge you to promptly report it. You can do so by informing a school staff member, reaching out to law enforcement, or utilizing this provided link, even if you feel it may not be that serious or may have already been reported.

The FEC is a group of caregivers who meet at least monthly in the evening with Aaron Tarnutzer, District Administrator, and Brittany Brazzel, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Coordinator. These meetings are an opportunity to lift the voices of our current students and families by providing the district with direct feedback and collaborating to increase feelings of belonging. If you are interested in attending future meetings please reach out to Brittany Brazzel at brazzeb@mcfsd.org

McFarland Chamber Scarecrows in the Park Competition

Chamber and community members will vote for their favorite scarecrow via QR code as they walk through the park from October 20-October 31 at 4:00 p.m.

Volleyball: CONGRATULATIONS TO VOLLEYBALL FOR WINNING THE SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND ADVANCING TO THE WIAA STATE TOURNAMENT. They had great wins over Edgewood and Sauk Prairie on Thursday and Saturday. State volleyball information, including fan bus info, will be shared soon!

Cross Country: CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM AND HANNAH KIRCH FOR COMPETING AT THE WIAA STATE CROSS COUNTRY MEET. The boys team took 7th. The boys team consisted of Isaac Ewing, Spencer Alf, Henry Piec, Westin Fisher, Brock Spiegel, Blake Doolan, Lucas Grossman.

Boys Soccer: Had a great run in the WIAA tournament, and really played well but came up a little short vs. Sugar River on Thursday. Congratulations to the players and coaches for a great season.

Football: Had a great run in the WIAA tournament, and really played well but came up a little short vs. Monroe on Friday. Congratulations to the players and coaches for a great season.

Girls Swimming: Performed well at the Badger Small Conference meet on Saturday and took 5th place. The team is getting ready for the WIAA sectional meet next Saturday. A HUGE shout out to Stu Schaefer, Kayla Eliason and Jessica Garvey for all the hard work in planning the Badger Small Conference meet.

Dance: Congratulations to all the dancers that performed at the Edgewood Dance Invitational on Sunday. This kicks off their competition season.

October is...

Bullying Prevention Month

• Standing up and speaking out is one way for all of us to build a happier and safer community for all.

LGBTQIA+ History Month

• Let's learn about the wonderful people and moments that have contributed and impacted our diverse society.

Physical Therapy Month

• This is a time to celebrate the physical therapy profession, spotlight the many benefits of physical therapy, and show how those in the profession can help anyone make changes to improve their quality of life.

October 31 Halloween

• Stay safe this Halloween! If you are heading out, make sure you have a grown-up with you, watch for traffic, and stick to well-lit streets.

November is...

Native American Heritage Month

• Wisconsin is home to 11 federally-recognized Native Nations and one federally unrecognized Nation. Let's remember the historic sacrifices and great cultural values these Nations provide to the State of Wisconsin.

National Homeless Youth Awareness Month

• This is a time to acknowledge and support those experiencing homelessness.

Veterans & Military Families Month

• Thank you to the families, caregivers, veterans and current service members for your strength and sacrifices. This month we honor their dedication and bravery.

Dia de los Muertos

• Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time to remember and celebrate loved ones who have passed.

Hmong New Year

• Hmong New Year is celebrated at the end of harvest season between October and December. It is a time to celebrate the harvest, rejoice in community, and thank ancestors for their sacrifices. The Madison celebration will take place on the 4th and 5th.

* Wisconsin Public School Observance Days