That's a Wrap!

That's a Wrap!
Posted on 06/02/2016

The community of the School District of the Menomonie Area (SDMA) can be very proud of the accomplishments of our students during the 2015-2016 school year. On Saturday, May 28, 2016, a graduation ceremony was held in the new gymnasium at Menomonie High School, during which 252 graduating seniors were presented diplomas by members of the SDMA Board of Education. 

In addition to recognizing the many accomplishments of our graduates, parents and community members can also be proud of the growth and achievement of our students in grades 4K-11. Schools in our district have been recognized by the state for notable student achievement in the areas of reading and math, and there is a plethora of examples of how our school district’s well rounded approach to education has provided students with valuable experiences in areas such as career and technical education, music and the fine arts, community service, and athletics. Students and staff members in the School District of the Menomonie Area should be commended for a job well done!

Even though the 2015-2016 school year is now complete, learning opportunities for the children in our community are ongoing. Once again our school district will partner with the City of Menomonie to offer many academic and recreational summer learning opportunities. Hundreds of students will be involved in swimming lessons, academic enrichment classes, sports camps, online programming, and other exploratory offerings.  This summer, the school district will build upon the success of last year’s “Pirate Boot Camp” and offer an “Art Camp” as well as a “STEM Camp” focused on skills associated with science, technology, engineering and math. These “camps” and other summer learning opportunities are a great way for students to extend their learning, avoid regression often referred to as the “summer slide”, and have fun being active with their peers in a healthy and safe environment that is both structured and supervised.

Other suggestions for avoiding the “summer slide” mostly focus on being active, practicing math skills, and reading every day. The NFL Play 60 program recommends that children should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, and SDMA math specialist Michelle Dupree suggests that math skills can be extended through playing popular games such as “Set”, “Tenzi” or “Blokus”, and utilizing free websites such as youcubed.org, summer.gregtangmath.com, and splashmath.com/summer-math-program/parent.

According to Scholastic.com, parents should not only encourage children to read something every day, but taking some time to read aloud “benefits all children and teens, especially those who struggle”. The Menomonie Public Library has posted summer hours of 9:00 am-9:00 pm on Monday through Friday, and is also open on Saturday from 10 am-5:00 pm. The library’s website has more information about recommended book lists, reading rewards, and summer reading programs available for children and teenagers. 

Should school stakeholders have any questions about the 2015-2016 school year, or if parents would like additional suggestions for minimizing the “summer slide”, I invite you to visit the Administrative Service Center on Pine Avenue or contact me at 715-232-1642.  More information about our schools can be found on the school district website (www.sdmaonline.com) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sdmaonline).