Fall (No Pun Intended) Equalized Property Values

The Department of Public Instruction has just informed School Districts that the Department of Revenue (DOR) has released the fall equalized property values*.  The equalized property values are one piece of the Wisconsin school finance puzzle which effects the local levy and corresponding mill rate; in general the lower the equalized property value the higher the levy to raise a similar amount of taxes as the previous year (assuming the previous year had higher equalized property values)- the opposite is also true.  Unfortunately, Prairie Farm did not receive good news for 12-13.  Our equalized property values decreased from $97,905,240.00 in 11-12 to $92,162,287.00 for 12-13; clearly a loss of roughly $5.7 million in equalized property values will have an impact on the local levy.  How much this will effect the levy remains to be determined because the final piece of the school finance puzzle, our State aid amount, will not be released until October 15th, 2012.

*- I have been asked on numerous occasions by folks who wonder why in some cases they were told by an assessor that their property value has increased while the school and possibly other sectors of government claim property values have dropped.  The answer lies in the term "equalized".  The State utilizes "equalized property values" which are determined based on some fairly complex calculations and take more into account than just the assessed property values of the district.

Please check back for more information as it becomes available.

Next Generation Assessment Sample Questions

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium has just released some sample questions for Math and English- Language Arts (ELA) at:

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/sample-items-and-performance-tasks/

The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) plans to have the WKCE replaced and the new Smarter Balanced Assessment in place by the 2014-2015 school year.

2012 Speak Up Survey

Prairie Farm Schools will participate in the National Speak Up Survey for 2012.  

Speak Up, a national online research project facilitated by Project Tomorrow®, gives individuals the opportunity to share their viewpoints about key educational issues. Each year, findings are summarized and shared with national and state policy makers. Participating schools and districts can access their data online, free-of-charge

All schools have been pre-registered and do not need to go through the registration process. We encourage all students, teachers, and parents to participate in this survey to provide valuable data.

If you would like access to your school level admin password so that you can access data for your school beginning in February, please contact Craig Broeren at: broeren@prairiefarm.k12.wi.us

Why participate?

Receive free, online access to your survey results in Feb 2013. You can view results by school or district with national comparisons.

Obtain valuable data with national benchmarks, use the data to design or update programs, secure funding, support grant proposals, engage your business community in new initiatives, and learn what’s important to your students, parents, teachers & administrators.  Use this data towards the evaluation of technology programs and grant evaluation data.

Become part of the national movement to include the views of students, educators and parents in the national, state and local dialogue about key education issues.

Take the Survey!

Directions for accessing the survey are listed below.  The survey can be taken from any computer at any time starting October 3^rd through December 14, 2012.
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Students, Educators & Parents Speak Up!
Open October 3^rd – December 14^th, 2012

Get the pulse of your stakeholders about the use of technology for learning through Speak Up, a National Research Project.  The online survey is open to students, educators (including future educators) and parents; it’s quick and easy to get involved.

1. Go  to this link: http://www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2012
2. Click on the appropriate survey.
3. Follow the given instructions to access the survey and enter the school name to find your school.
4. Students will choose the grade level and enter the Secret Word below.
5. Administrators/Teachers/Media Specialists will choose the appropriate survey and enter the Secret Word below.
6. Parents will not need the Secret Word to access the survey.
   Complete the survey.

Your survey Secret Word is:  panthers
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Love and Logic Presentation for Parents

Love and Logic co-founder, national speaker, and author, Foster Cline coming to Wisconsin!

Join Dr. Foster Cline for a FREE 2 hour laugh and learn "stand-on-the-chair" presentation that will leave you with "go home and use 'em" Love & Logic tools and techniques for the most common challenges facing parents, grandparents and anybody who cares about kids! Visit dcpfy.org for more information. 

Where: Menomonie HIgh School Auditorium

When: Wednesday November 7, 2012 from 6-8

8 Player Football Information

Since the 8-player format is new this year, I felt it would be relevant to share the information we have been provided by the WIAA.

PROCEDURES FOR 8-PLAYER FOOTBALL JAMBOREE

1. SCHOOLS MAY ELECT TO PARTICIPATE IN 8-PLAYER FOOTBALL WITH THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS:

a. Enrollment average - a 3-year enrollment average of 200 or less for eligible schools to participate in the Jamboree.

b. Declaration deadline of May 1 for the 2012 season and thereafter schools must declare by February 1 for the following season.

c.  A 2-year commitment is required.

2. THE JAMBOREE PLAN IS AS FOLLOWS:

a. Jamboree will be scheduled during Week 11 (Level 3 of 11-player football).

b. The top four teams in the north will be paired with the top four teams in the south.

3. RULES GOVERNING PLAYOFF COMPETITION – ALL LEVELS

All specifications of Numbers 8 and 15 under SEASON REGULATIONS (pages 12 and 13) will apply.

4. 8-PLAYER JAMBOREE

a. Scheduling of Competition

The Jamboree will be held Saturday, November 3 at a central location.

(1)   The WIAA will contract 5-man crews to work all games.

(2)   Officials will be paid:

(a)   officiating Fee - $60. Checks and contracts will be issued by the host school

(b)   expenses - 40¢ per mile (round trip) for travel.

(c)   officials shall travel together with mileage paid to one official. If officials choose to travel separately, the mileage for the longest trip may be split between the officials.

(d)   There is no separate meal and/or room allowance.

b. Awards

There will be no awards for the 8-player football jamboree.

c. Finances

1.  As the WIAA is only facilitating the Jamboree and the Jamboree is not a WIAA tournament, the following will be used:

(a)   The host school will pay all fees and expenses.

(b)   Host school will retain 60% of receipts beyond expenses.

(c)   Participating schools will divide the remaining 40% of receipts equally.

2.  Ticket Prices

(a)   Ticket prices may be determined by the host school, not to exceed $4 per game.

3.  Admission Policies

(a)   Each school participating in a Jamboree game shall be allowed free admissions in the form of field passes for a party comparable to a normal traveling squad, in uniform.

8-PLAYER JAMBOREE SCHEDULE

#4 North v. #4 South - 10 a.m.

#3 North v. #3 South - 1 p.m.

#2 North v. #2 South - 4 p.m.

#1 North v. #1 South - 7 p.m.

8-PLAYER JAMBOREE LOCATION

Stiehm Stadium, D.C. Everest Junior High School, 1000 Machmueller Street, Schofield, WI 54476

Parking will be at the stadium and at the high school with shuttle busses to help with transportation from the high school parking lot to the stadium.

QUALIFYING AND PAIRING PROCEDURES

1. Qualifying and placement for the Jamboree is based on overall season record of the 8-player schools in 8-player competition.
2. The top four teams from the north will compete against the top four teams from the south.
3. The teams will be placed 1-4 in their geographic area.
4. Teams will be matched against like placed teams (ie:  #4 vs. #4, #3 vs. #3, #2 vs. #2, #1 vs. #1).
5. When ties exist, the following criteria will be used to place teams.

a.     Head-to-head result (when applicable)

b.    Result vs. conference champion

c.     W-L percentage vs. qualifying field

d.    W-L record vs. common opponents

e.     Defeated opponents (8-player wins only) overall W-L percentage

f.     Defeated opponents (all wins) overall W-L percentage

g.    Overall W-L percentage

h.     First half points allowed/per game average - through Week 9 (8-player)

9. Coin flip

RULES GOVERNING PLAYOFF COMPETITION – ALL LEVELS

All specifications of Numbers 8 and 15 under SEASON REGULATIONS (pages 12 and 13) will apply with these exceptions and additions:

Athletes who are ineligible during the WIAA Jamboree (for any reason) may not appear in uniform and participate in warm-ups.

Note 1: Lotteries, raffles, fundraising, contests, campaigns and solicitation are prohibited at WIAA Jamboree.

Note 2: At all WIAA tournament sites, the public address system is only to be used for announcements necessary for the administration of the contest.

a. Game Film Exchange:

Teams meeting in the Jamboree will exchange copies of their 2 most recent games by arrangement of the schools.

b. Rosters

(1)   A school may change its squad make-up from one game to the next.

Note: See reimbursement limitations under Tournament Finances Section in HANDBOOK.

c. Jersey Colors

The following procedure will be used. The first school alphabetically will wear light colored jerseys during the even-numbered years (2012, 2014, etc.), and the second school alphabetically will wear light colored jerseys during the odd-numbered years (2013, 2015, etc.).

d. Game Balls

       For the Jamboree, only Wilson footballs may be used.

e. Coin Toss

The team wearing dark colored jerseys shall be heads. The team wearing light colored jerseys shall be tails.

f.  Only the designated number of players, comparable to a normal traveling squad for a regular season game, will be permitted to enter the playing area and allowed to be on the sidelines during the contest.

g. Game management, with assistance from the WIAA, if necessary, will determine which school will use the home side of field as its sideline at the Jamboree.

h. Space for Teams’ Representative in Press Box/Communication Center

Space should be adequate to provide for (in order of priority):

(1)   Game management personnel, i.e., scoreboard operator(s), announcer, and spotter to assist the announcer.

(2)   One position for each participating team.

(3)   Space to accommodate media personnel that might be expected, i.e., radio, newspaper.

Have equal space available for both teams. It is not required that you provide field phones for both teams. If, for example, you have only one set, you may leave them in place for whichever team is assigned that bench or they may use their own. Ultimately the participating schools are responsible for furnishing their own field phones and filming equipment.

The host is responsible only for being certain both schools have equal “space” available from which to spot and/or film.

i.  Length of Half Time

The half time will be 15 minutes plus the 3 minute warm-up.

j.  Sideline Heaters

Sideline heaters are permissible if the participating schools wish to provide them themselves. They should not be allowed, however, if they cause the host school additional expense, pose any kind of safety problem, or block the view of spectators.

k. National Anthem

The host school decides which school will play the National Anthem. If both schools have a band present and wish to play, a coin toss will decide the school.

l.  Lotteries, raffles, fundraising, contests and solicitation are prohibited at WIAA Events.

m.   Jamboree game ball will be: Wilson GST

Note: For other details see 2012 Football Playoff Manual 

Ever's "Agenda 2017"

Some of you may be aware of the high number of State initiatives currently in the works at the Department of Public Instruction (DPI).  State Superintendent Tony Evers has unveiled his "agenda 2017" which contains initiatives that focus on nearly every aspect of public education: graduation rates, college and career readiness, next generation assessments, common core standards, educator effectiveness, school and district accountability, and school funding.  In short, the most comprehensive changes to public education in recent history.

Although many aspects of these comprehensive reforms are going to transpire over the next few years, it should be noted that the district is (and has been) putting in place all of the necessary components to make these initiatives successful for the benefit of our students.  Clearly, one can agree or disagree with any or all of these State led initiatives, but the current environment is calling for public school reform.  Rather than viewing these as things that have to be done, we are viewing them as things that should be done; this is not to say that our district is in 100% agreement with 100% of agenda 2017, but I do feel that we have the flexibility to institute these changes tailored specifically to our district to better meet the needs of our students.

For information regarding Agenda 2017, please visit:

http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sprntdnt/index.html   

Or feel free to contact me directly:

Craig Broeren
715-455-1683 ext. 119
broeren@prairiefarm.k12.wi.us

Exciting News and an Apology!

First, let me begin with an apology: I have broken a primary rule of blogging- Never leave a blog idle for several months; this is a sure-fire way to lose readers (however many there may be). So, I sincerely apologize for staying away for too long and pledge to do a better job during 12-13 with blog updates.

Now, on to the exciting news...

Many of you may be aware of the fact that the district has moved forward with the installation of a professional grade wireless network district-wide. This has allowed us to also move other technology based initiatives forward pending available funds. The exciting news comes in the form of some higher than expected revenues and lower than expected expenditures resulting in the availability of funds to be used for various district initiatives. In addition, the community approved a referendum in the fall of 2010 providing the district access to some additional funds. All of these factors came together this year to create an advantageous situation in which we could accomplish some district goals and meet community and student expectations. In this very blog, you can scroll down and see the posts regarding "creating a vision" as well as some older posts regarding what we wanted to accomplish with referendum dollars; in both cases there are multiple references to technology for student use and infrastructure improvements.

With that said, the district was able to purchase 100 laptop computers on 4 carts to be used at all levels, totally update the elementary computer lab, and purchase ipads for all staff members which can be used in an inter-active manner with the existing SMART boards installed in nearly every classroom. These additions will help move us closer to our goals of creating a 21st century school with ubiquitous access to technology for students and staff.

Where did this money come from? First off, we had nearly $65,000.00 in revenues which were truly not expected; approximately $30,000 came in the form of SBS payments from the federal government from the last few years (07-10) which is reimbursement for expenses incurred by the district involving medicaid over that time period. The other $35,000.00 came in the form of a transfer from the district's section 125 account back to our fund 10. This transfer is a result of accruing employee payments for health care premiums and other 125 eligible expenses into the 125 account which the district then reimburses itself for. In addition to these revenues, the district also saw a huge reduction in our LP budget due to the mild winter resulting in an additional $34,000.00. These factors came together and allowed us to move forward on these technology purchases.

This could not have happened at a better time as many districts (including those neighboring Prairie Farm) are moving to 1 to 1 computing models where every student is supplied with some form of computer. We were not able to move in that direction fully at this time, but have taken steps to get us there over the next 2-3 years. It should also be noted that we are making progress on nearly every item discussed in the referendum meetings and will have very positive news to share regarding that progress when we once again ask voters to approve a new referendum in the fall of 2013 to be levied beginning with the 2014-2015 school year when both of our current referenda expire.

Again, I apologize for the blog being silent as long as it was. Thank you for your support and encouragement as we strive to make Prairie Farm the best district in western Wisconsin.

Please feel free to contact me at any time with questions.

Craig Broeren
broeren@prairiefarm.k12.wi.us
715-455-1683 ext. 119