Understanding Your Adolescent
Girls Golf Tournament at Turtleback
The Girls Varsity Golf team travels to Rice Lake for the Varsity BRC Tournament at Turtleback Golf Course.
Last week the team scored a team total of 196 placing them second behind River Falls. Along with Paige Hillman, who placed second overall with a score of 41, Molly Nelson scored a 45 which placed her third overall.
The current conference standings by team are:
- River Falls – 1st Place
- Hudson – 2nd Place
- Eau Claire Memorial – 3rd Place
- Menomonie – 4th Place
- Rice Lake – 5th Place
- Eau Claire North – 6th Place
- Chippewa Falls – 7th Place
Houlton Celebrates Art Bench Project
The Houlton Art Bench project began several years ago with a request from the Phipps Center for the Arts, asking Houlton Elementary to participate in the St. Croix River Art Bench Trail. Hundreds of hours later, there is now a community “gathering place” in the St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail Trailhead, located across the street from Houlton Elementary School.
The process began in 2017, with representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, St. Croix County, Phipps Center for the Arts, Township of St. Joe, St. Croix Valley Bike and Pedestrian Trails Coalition, and Houlton Elementary School brainstorming what this Art Bench could become. As part of the Trailhead, it was envisioned to be the keystone “bench” on the Art Bench Trail. The idea of an Art Bench expanded, and soon it became a gathering space that would hold 20-25 people on terraced stone seating, to redefine a local place for the redesigned Houlton community.
An artist, Hudson architect John Kalmon, was selected and began to meet with Houlton 4th and 5th grade students the fall of 2018. Background knowledge had been built, aligned to grade level social studies standards, so students were aware of the cultural, historical and natural resources of the area. This was an integral part of the project, as its purpose was to represent the area in some way. Kalmon brought over 60 students through the design process, with monthly meetings for brainstorming and refining their ideas. Careful synthesizing of the students’ vision resulted in a semi-circle of stones with a stage-like area, where community groups could come together to meet. Student groups identified a symbol that represented their learning, and these images have been incorporated into the space by being etched into the stone seating. In addition, our Hudson High School students made steel images that are set into cement pavers throughout the space. Houlton students created a scavenger hunt that included their images and what each represented.
Once the design was finalized, Willow River Landscape was hired to work with the students to build the 20-foot diameter space. Pavers were made, trees, shrubs and plants planted, and mulch spread. The result, Houlton Hawks Landing, will be officially unveiled on the morning of September 21st. It has truly been a labor of love, by the hands of the Houlton students and community.
Donations and support were gathered, sometimes by pure luck, and the project wove together the resources and services of many community members and businesses. Grant funding was received from the Friends of Perch Lake, Hudson Daybreak Rotary, Hudson Education Foundations, Hudson Home and Garden Club, Houlton Elementary Parent Association, St. Croix Bike and Pedestrian Trails Coalition, St. Croix County, St. Croix Valley Foundation, Thrivent, the Town of St. Joseph, the William H. Phipps Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board. In addition, there was strong community support from Rivard Stone, Hartman Homes, St. Croix County Historical Society, St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, St. Croix Valley Master Gardeners, and the Hudson High School Tech Ed Department.
We invite the Hudson community to share our gathering space as you explore the St. Croix River Crossing Loop Trail. The Houlton students think you will find it to be a beautiful place to land, if just for a moment!
EP Rock Students Develop Tree Trek
EP Rock 5th graders are partnering with the Hudson Urban Forestry Board to create a Tree Trek. The Tree Trek will be a self guided tree identification trail around the school. Students in Mrs. Shimon’s class began by learning how to identify tree types based on their leaf type, leaf shape, and a variety of other attributes. Students will work with a publisher to create a Trek Post with the description of the tree, its benefits to wildlife and humans along with other unique facts. Each post will have a QR code so people can read more information if they choose.
We hope to launch our trail this spring.
National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists
Congratulations to our Hudson High School students who have been named National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists! #WeAreRaiderProud
- Pictured front row left to right: Aspen Richter, MacKenzie Korent, Elizabeth Collinson
- Pictured back row left to right: Elizabeth Smith (School Counselor), Maya Neuenschwander, Lewis Holmberg, Amanda Ichel, Alexander Weaver, Jessica Sile (School Counselor)
Getting Active with Parachutes
Students is Ms. Everson’s Physical Education classes started the year with parachute games.
Developing Art Skills
Students in Mr. Dyer’s art classes are working on self-portraits this week.
Annual Meeting Highlights
Monday’s Annual Meeting of the Board of Education opened with Dr. Ouellette presenting highlights of the District’s achievements and the Board’s focus areas. Click here to view Dr. Ouellette’s presentation.
Presentations were also provided by Board Treasurer Heather Logelin and Tim Erickson, Chief Financial and Operations Officer. Together, they covered the 2019-2020 proposed budget and levy, budget challenges and assumptions, and the impact on property taxes.
Budget Challenges:
- Address reduced state funding levels.
- Address instructional needs for all learners including: staff professional development, curriculum adoption, resource materials, and services to meet student needs.
- Maintain student to teacher ratios within class size guidelines.
- Sustainable funding for long-term maintenance and capital improvement plan for all facilities.
Budget Assumptions:
- State equalization aid is projected to be $836,000 less or 3.8% lower than last year and per pupil categorical aid has been increased by $88 per student under the first year of the biennial state budget or a $496,000 increase over last year.
- The estimated mill rate of $10.35 is down 1.54% from last year’s $10.51. Overall property valuation is estimated to increase 10.09% compared to 3.7% last year. The state average is 6.0%
- Total under levy stands at approximately $3,300,000, which is direct tax relief for property owners in the Hudson School District.
- Salaries and benefits are budgeted to increase $1,830,000 or 4.0% over last and include new staffing, staffing reductions, Teacher Salary Structure, Support Staff Compensation System, Hudson Lead Salary Structure, and Board approved increase of 2.5%
Below is the Annual Meeting Booklet
Studying Geodes – Science is Fun!
On the first day of school our Willow River 3rd graders studied geodes.
Volleyball Takes First Place in Quad
Last week the Raider Volleyball team traveled to Marshfield for a quad tournament. The team took first place. The Raiders defeated Wausau’s Newman Catholic 2-1, Marshfield 2-0, and Pulaski 2-0.
The team was led by returning seniors. Sara Hoffman had 15 kills, Shay Wassman had 14, Noelle Kiltie and Abby Richardson had 10 kills each, Jenna Hallen had 7, and Maddie Matuke had 5. Kaitlyn Zignego and Liz Collinson had 30 & 22 set assists respectively. Ariana Zins led the team defensively with 27 digs. It was a good start to the season and satisfying to the see the girls play well in their first competition of the year. This is the first year Hudson defeated Wausau Newman in this quad tournament. It was a fun and tough match with each team trading the lead with Hudson finally winning the third set 15-13.
Over the weekend, the team competed in the two day UW-Stout sponsored Sprawl tournament in which Hudson placed 18th out of 40 teams. On Friday, the Raiders went 2-2 in match play, defeating Eau Claire Regis and Prairie Farm both 2-0. The team lost to Stevens Point and Osceola both 0-2. On Saturday, the team went 2-1 in match play, defeating Rice Lake 2-0. Then up against Wausau Newman for the second time in a week, the team again won in three sets 2-1 with the first set going to 32-30 in Hudson’s favor. The second set was 23-25 to Newman, and then Hudson ran with some real momentum to take the third set 15-6. The Raiders finished the day with another super fun match against Mosinee, losing 22-25 and 24-26.
According to Coach Saathoff, “This was a really fund weekend, especially the last two matches on Saturday with the scores being so close and all the girls really played with a lot of heart and emotion. They gave it their all right to the last point. It was very satisfying to me as the coach and for all the parents there watching the team have so much fun and playing so well.”
For the weekend, Hoffman, Wassman, Kiltie, Richardson and Hallen again led the way offensively. Abbie Matuke followed next with 9 kills, Jade Sharretts added 6, and Carly Tersteeg had 1 and a couple of blocks. Zignego and Collinson again led the setters with Carolyn McMahon adding to the mix. Zins led the defense and Belle Blakey alos played well defensively with 16 digs and a service ace.
Next the team is on the road playing Chippewa Falls.