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► Senior Zach Gaugert protects the The ball in the game against Baraboo as the Warriors won 62-6 on Semptember urPle 30. The Warriors face rival DeForest P at home Friday with the conference championship on the line. Full story on page 13. SageVolume 10 • Issue 1 • October 12, 2011 Waunakee Community High School • Waunakee, WI District prepares for decreased state funding Taylor Mulcahey package,” explained Waunakee on the high school. “We didn’t money-saving approach this Reporter High School Principal Brian have money come out of the year by sending grade reports Kersten. Each employee has had building budget as a result of electronically, which will save By The Numbers A new school year always brings to contribute 5.8 percent of their the events last year, but we also $5,000-$6,000. Kersten said he The Budget haven’t seen any increases that wishes to use these types of changes, and for the 2011-2012 salary to the state retirement $1.8 million year, the changes are far greater system. This was previously paid way as well.” solutions to save money in the Amount the district’s state than a new backpack, locker for by the district but is now the So far the high school has had future. funding was reduced partner, or back to school clothes. responsibility of each individual. to operate within a finite amount Kersten stated, “What we’re This year the school district is This situation has both positive of money that has been the same doing right now is no new co- $1.5 million beginning to deal with the effects and negative effects. It helps to for about eight years. curricular programs per se, from Amount the district’s of the new Wisconsin Budget, make up for the loss in funding, However, the high school may an athletic standpoint or from a revenue cap was reduced which took effect on July 1. club and organization standpoint 5.8 A major change the district that would be cost-prohibitive.” Percent of income district is experiencing is a change in “In the past, my income was not used to However, the high school is employees must contribute contracts for teachers and school considering adding some new to their state retirement fund offset the cost of my health or retirement. courses: AP Chemistry, Advanced employees, most significantly, the $1.4 million loss of collective bargaining for Creative Writing and AP Language Now in the district, teachers, administrators Amount the district saves by these groups. and Composition. The courses and other employees are picking up that having employees contribute “They took away some state aid, would have to be added within the and they changed some things, but piece of their benefits package.” existing high school budget, and to their retirement they gave the ability to do new without increasing the number $5,000-6,000 contracts, so that kind of offset ►Brian Kersten, Principal of full time equivalencies that the Amount saved by sending that, so that the district could high school currently has. grade reports electronically manage its money a little better,” Right now, there is a lot of 85 said Waunakee School Board but hurts the teachers as they lose receive less funding following the uncertainty over the way things Percent of budget that new district budget, which comes will turn out following the new Treasurer Gary Epping. a portion of their salary in the goes to personnel One of the changes is district process. As Epping explained, out the beginning of 2012. “If budget. employees must now contribute “85 percent of the budget is we’re going to lose some funding There are significant changes, School District Superintendent more to their benefits package. personnel, so when they were within the framework of the state but “the district plans to work Randy Guttenberg. “In the past, my income was looking for cuts… there’s the budget, we’re going to have to take collaboratively with the teaching Many share the same goal as the not used to offset the cost of my other 15 percent, but there isn’t a look and be reflective and really staff whether it be through district prepares for the future. health or retirement. Now in the much you can take from that.” creative about how we’re going to collective bargaining or on Epping said, “We want good district, teachers, administrators This puts districts and teachers in continue to run the programs that elements that would be included teachers; we want to teach our and other employees are picking a difficult position. we have,” said Kersten. in a handbook or employee students. That’s what everybody’s up that piece of their benefits Kersten explained the effects The high school took a new, guidelines,” explained Waunakee here for.” Trending Now to help students gain real world skills at the end of this past school year, of her students to work four shifts Jenna McGowan and that he hoped to be able to in the school store, either during Reporter incorporate marketing students,” a study hall, before school, after A new storefront has recently said Meinholz. school or during a lunch period. graced Waunakee’s local strip mall. So far, marketing students “Working for Trending Now Trending Now is a store run by have not been too involved with would be a lot like working for local entrepreneur Larry Hooker, Trending Now, with the exception the school store. Larry and I who also owns RSS (Retail Sales of the school store managers who decided to have students work Solutions). have facilitated the transfer of for Trending Now so that they Trending Now has merged with products from Trending Now to would be able to gain a more real Breakout, a local clothing printing the DECA Warrior Corner (the life marketing experience,” said company. school store). Meinholz. In the past, DECA and In the future, Meinholz plans Though neither DECA nor marketing students have worked to have her students work at the school would receive any of with RSS. Business instructor Trending Now for class credit. Trending Now’s profits, students Sandra Meinholz and Mr. Hooker Students would transport would have the opportunity developed a school-to-career Sandra Meinholz hopes to have marketing clubs and classes work themselves to Trending Now to gain invaluable real world business relationship to give extensively with Trending Now. Breakout Apparel recently merged during a study hall block, where experience as a part of their class marketing students a more real-life with Trending Now. Photo by Lydia Dorn they would do work similar to curriculum. marketing experience. mutually beneficial relationship venue to do so. the work done in the school store. Meinholz and Hooker have not Both Meinholz and Hooker into the coming years, and hope “[Hooker] told me that he was With the current school store yet been able to orchestrate this hope to continue and grow this that Trending Now will be just the planning to open Trending Now system, Meinholz requires each merger. ► OPINION ►FEATURES ► ENTERTAINMENT How well do you know the See senior Brandyn twins of our school? Liebe’s top 5 stress “...doing nothing is not an Guess who’s who. relievers. INSIDE NOW option.” Kyle Connors on Page 8 Page 12 education reform. Page 4 ►► news Chris Pedersen, News Editor New state tests will replace WKCE in spring 2015 Brianna Murphy After years of criticism, the state Left Behind Act. It has been territories and the District of College and Careers (PARCC). Reporter of Wisconsin is looking to abolish around for more than a decade in Columbia in response to Obama’s Both groups hope to give the Wisconsin Knowledge and Wisconsin schools and attempts Race To The Top program, a teachers faster, more useful Concepts Examination (WKCE) to show whether or not a school competitive grant program “to feedback on student progress, and and provide a new state level or district’s students meet certain encourage and reward states take advantage of technologies assessment coming in the spring standards. that are implementing significant such as computer adaptive testing of 2015. “Standardized tests should tell reforms,” according to the (a computerized test presents This change will hold individuals us if we are on the right track Department of Education. different questions based on the and schools to a higher standard with what we are providing our Two main organizations are examinee’s performance). and also tie results to teachers and students for education,” said Tim attempting to design an assessment Since the NCCDS only deals sync with National Common Core Schell, director of curriculum for the new standards. Wisconsin with English and mathematics of Data Standards (NCCDS), a and instruction. The results are along with 30 other states form the it is unclear how Wisconsin will set of standards for English and compared to other districts, SMARTER Balanced Assessment test science and social studies mathematics skills. counties and states to gauge Consortium (SBAC). knowledge. W K C E i s W i s c o n s i n’s achievement nationwide. The District of Colombia and In addition to WKCE, Waunakee implementation of testing The NCCDS were created 23 states form the Partnership uses the MAP, EXPLORE and required under the No Child and approved by 48 states, two for Assessment of Readiness for PLAN tests. “I like it because it takes “Standardized test- “Standardized testing time from the day. It’s ing’s not always a is good at accomplish- really easy and just a valid representation of ing its task.