News

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Unified School District.

Monday, September 25, 2023
Whitewater School Board – Regular Meeting
Whitewater High School Library
534 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, Wisconsin

6:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m. via Zoom Online

• URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81002410083?pwd=b1lYMzU1eFhaM2ZUNm5GNzVjNjh2dz09

– Passcode: 231234

• Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
• Webinar ID: 810 0241 0083

– Passcode: 231234

Closed Session

7:00 p.m. via Zoom Online

• URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86260403948?pwd=VFZROUlGemNOaEppS0s4UHNEcmFldz09

– Passcode: 214996

• Dial-in: 1-312-626-6799
• Webinar ID: 862 6040 3948

– Passcode: 214996

PUBLIC NOTICE: The meeting will be live streamed via Zoom for those Board members and individuals
unable to attend in-person. If you require special accommodations to fully participate, please notify the
School Board Secretary by phone (262) 472-8702 or in writing at least 24 hours prior to the meeting time.

The time estimates noted for agenda items are for informational purposes only and may not be
reflective of actual discussion during the meeting.

1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL (6:30 PM)
2. ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION
   A. Adjourn into closed session, pursuant to the provisions of 19.85(1)(c), Wis. Stats., considering employment, promotion,
   compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or
   exercises responsibility; specifically, to review the Superintendent evaluation. (Action Item)
3. OPEN SESSION (7:00 PM)
   A. Reconvene into open session, pursuant to §19.85(2), Wis. Stats., for possible action on any matter discussed in closed
   session. (Action Item)
4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA (Action Item)
6. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RECOGNITIONS – 5 MINUTES
   A. Wisconsin School Board Week Proclamation – October 1-7, 2023
7. STUDENT REPORTS – 5 MINUTES
   A. Whitewater Student Council Report – Andrea Alcala and Emilia Houwers, Whitewater High School
8. PUBLIC COMMENTS
   A. NON-AGENDA ITEMS: Citizens may speak regarding items not on the agenda under Public Comments, but no School
   Board action will be taken. Issues raised may become a part of a future agenda. AGENDA ITEMS: Citizens may speak
   regarding specific issues on the agenda at the time the Board discusses that item. Participants are allotted a three minute
   speaking period.
9. SPECIAL REPORTS AND/OR ACTION
   A. Annual Multilingual Services Programming Update – Melania Argueta Borchert, Multilingual Services Coordinator – 15
   MINUTES
   B. Phone Purchase – John Houwers, Director of Technology (Action Item) – 15 MINUTES
10. PERSONNEL REPORT (Action Items) – 5 MINUTES
    A. Resignation – CERTIFIED – Science Teacher, High School
    B. Transfer – SUPPORT TO CERTIFIED – Science Teacher, High School
11. SUPERINTENDENT REPORTS – None
12. BUSINESS OFFICE REPORTS – 10 MINUTES
    A. Report of Preliminary Third Friday of September Student Count and Enrollment
13. CONSENT AGENDA (Action Item) – 5 MINUTES
    A. Minutes Approval of Regular Meeting – August 28, 2023
    B. Minutes Approval of Whitewater Aquatic & Fitness Center Negotiations Joint Meeting with the City of Whitewater Common
    Council – September 11, 2023
    C. 2nd Reading of Policies: 251, Job Descriptions; 445, Student Interviews with Outside Agency Personnel; NEW – 445-Rule,
    Student Interview with Outside Agency Personnel Procedures; 521.1, Board-Staff Communications; 751.1-Rule (2), Unusual
    Hazards Transportation Plan; 870, Public Complaints; 870-Rule, Public Complaint Procedures
    D. Voucher Approval – August 2023
14. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None
15. NEW BUSINESS (Action Items) – 10 MINUTES
    A. Donation of $1,000 from Schenck Process LLC for Ferradermis
    B. Donation of $1,500 from Walmart for Ferradermis
    C. Donation of $2,000 from the UW-Whitewater Community Optimist Club for the Family Emergency Fund
    D. Donation of $2,500 from MicroPrecision for Ferradermis
16. BOARD MEMBER REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
17. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS
    A. Board Engagement Opportunities
18. ADJOURN

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Roberta’s Art Gallery at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. 

Roberta’s Art Gallery is honored to host “The Wall: Witness to the War in Ukraine” by Iva Sidash, which features photos of buildings now scarred by full-scale war in Ukraine. In each image lies memories of the past, bringing awareness of the families, friends, and stories of what these now destroyed walls once held. Sidash’s work has been part of group exhibits in Kyiv, Paris, Berlin, and elsewhere, but this will be her first solo exhibit. 

The exhibit opens on Sept. 25 and will be on display until Oct. 20. There will be an artist reception on Sept. 26, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., which includes an artist talk with Sidash, an audience Q&A, and an open house with refreshments.    

“The Wall: Witness to the War in Ukraine” is a collection of photographs taken in Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. These photographs depict burned homes and fragments of walls. This exhibit invites the audience to reflect on these scorched remnants and what they once represented. Sidash’s photographs are symbolic of what has been done to the people who lived within the walls. Sidash says, “Now all Ukrainians are like those walls, burned by war, covered with scars, and forever changed.”   

Sidash is a Ukrainian documentary photographer based in Lviv who has been covering the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine since its beginning in 2022. Before the invasion, Sidash was a finalist in the International Fujifilm Moment Street Photo Awards, and her work has been exhibited in France, Germany, and Spain. Sidash uses her own visual language to connect viewers with the trauma of war in Ukraine. Sidash says, “I found this language in a series of artistic photographs. I believe it is necessary to talk about the war in all possible languages.” 

Sidash will participate in a UW-Whitewater History Department public event on Monday, Sept. 25, with visiting photography scholar Abigail Lewis of the University of Notre Dame at 7 p.m. in Summers Auditorium in the University Center. On Tuesday, Sept. 26, Lewis will introduce Sidash at the exhibit reception at Roberta’s Art Gallery. 

Roberta’s Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the James R. Connor University Center at 800 W. Main Street, Whitewater, Wis. The gallery collaborates with campus departments, student organizations, and community artists in coordinating and sponsoring exhibits. During the academic year, the gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday. Roberta’s Art Gallery is closed on Saturday and Sunday. 

At Roberta’s Art Gallery, we pride ourselves in providing free and open exhibits to the public, and attending certain events can earn students class credit. If you are interested in being featured in the gallery, please contact us for a proposal request. Reach us at ucart@uww.edu or 262-472-3193. Visit our website for any questions or inquiries and follow our Instagram at uww_rag.  

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Public Library.

Chad Lewis will visit the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library on Tuesday, October 3 at 6:30 p.m. to tell the Bizarre History of Wisconsin. Filled with strange deaths, ghosts and spirits, sea serpents, peculiar people, medical anomalies, oddities, psychic phenomena, and UFOs, this presentation will certainly change the way you view the good ol’ days of Wisconsin. Adults and teens are welcome to attend this free event.  

Chad Lewis is a paranormal researcher and author for Unexplained Research. Chad holds a Master’s of Science degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Chad had trekked across the world in search of the paranormal. From tracking vampires in Transylvania and chasing the Chupacabras in Puerto Rico, to searching for the elusive monster in Loch Ness, and pursuing ghosts in Ireland’s castles, Chad brings over 18 years of research experience to his presentations. 

The library is located at 431 W. Center Street in Whitewater. There is no cost or registration to attend. Contact Sarah French with questions or accommodation requests at sfrench@whitewater-wi.gov or 262-568-2782. 

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Tom Kraus.

The 6th Annual Southern Lakes Conference Sports reunion will be held at 11:30 September 29th at Someplace Else in Elkhorn. This year it as been extended to include Classes 1954 to 1962. It is for anyone who played any sport those years (FB, BB Golf etc). If you have any former teammates please invite or bring them along. We need some kind of running total of attendees so please text John at kilkenny@fontier.com. Conference: Mukwonago,Burlington, Delavan, East Troy, Lake Geneva, Wilmot, Whitewater and Elkhorn. Also you can call me Tom 262-215-9985 or text gatortom57@yahoo.com. It is a cash bar and food. So “PLEASE” come and meet some of the guys who maybe put a hit on you or blocked one of your shots again.

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Whitewater FFA Reporter Katie Gillette.

On July 24th, the Whitewater FFA officer team kicked off their annual officer trip excursion.

Our trip started out with a scenic drive from Whitewater to Monroe, WI. Our first stop was Alp and Dell Cheese Factory. Our amazing tour guide gave us much knowledge about the history and process of how cheese is made. Alp and Dell can make up to 38,000 pounds of cheese in just one day! We all enjoyed the opportunity to eat 23-year-old cheese.

Our journey continued to Yellowstone Lake State Park. Along the way, we saw many different areas of agriculture, endless acres of crops, and many species of wildlife. After settling in our team hit the water. We all enjoyed skiing, tubing, and swimming. We also saw many species of fish.

On July 25th, our team made a short trek to Belmont, where we enjoyed a scenic lookout. Throughout our trip, we enjoyed the vast Amish and Mennonite communities, along with the different groups and departments of agriculture. Our next adventure took place at Crystal Lake Caves in Dubuque, IA. We were given the amazing opportunity to go down over 45 feet and explore the caves. We learned the history and artifacts behind the caves that first originated in 1868. The atmosphere was incredible. Oohs and Ahhs could be heard throughout the cave.

Following our cave adventure we headed to the heart of Dubuque. We arrived at Eagle Point Park to enjoy some sightseeing of the majestic Mississippi River. We continued later that evening with more water fun and team bonding.

On July 26th, our trip concluded with our FFA team working together on our yearly planning and discussions which will be the foundation for the upcoming year.

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Historical Society.

The public is invited at 1 p.m. on Sunday, October 1, 2023, when the Whitewater Historical Society holds its fall program. The Special Guest will be Kristina Koslosky of Kreative Solutions, Inc. She will be discussing her work with the new Whitewater Historical Society website. Working with the historical society, she was responsible for the creative redesign and the technical process to make the website more user friendly to both historical society personnel and the general public. Along with Carol Cartwright, who will talk about the content of the website, Ms. Koslosky will talk about how she updated this important communication tool for the society.

The program will be held at 1:00 p.m. in the Cravath Lakefront Building, Whitewater Street, in Whitewater. The building is located at in Cravath Lakefront Park right behind Me and My Pets (147 W. Whitewater Street, just go under the arch).

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Patty Harmon.

Dine In and enjoy the Monday Night Campus & Community Free Spaghetti Meal! Whether you dine in or take out, beginning September 18, from 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., we will be serving fresh spaghetti pasta, choice of Marinara or Alfredo sauces, 2 Italian meatballs, with Parmesan cheese, Italian spices and a slice of garlic bread. All are welcome to partake in the meal at the Congregational UCC Church, 133 S. Franklin Street, Whitewater WI. The meal is coordinated by the Congregational UCC and First English Lutheran Church, Whitewater.

“If we serve only one person, we take comfort knowing that that one person did not walk away hungry.”

El 18 de septiembre, la espera ha terminado… ¡La Cena de Espagueti Gratis de los lunes por la noche es para sentarse y cenar en el lugar! ¡Ven a cenar y disfruta de la Cena de Espagueti Gratis para el Campus y la Comunidad de los lunes por la noche! Ya sea que comas en el lugar o para llevar, a partir del 18 de septiembre, de 5:00 p.m. a 6:00 p.m., estaremos sirviendo espagueti fresco, con la opción de salsas Marinara o Alfredo, 2 albóndigas italianas, con queso parmesano, especias italianas y una rebanada de pan de ajo. Todos son bienvenidos a participar en la comida en la Iglesia Congregacional UCC, en la calle 133 S. Franklin, Whitewater, WI. La comida está coordinada por la Iglesia Congregacional UCC y la Primera Iglesia Luterana de Inglés, Whitewater. “Si solo servimos a una persona, nos reconforta saber que esa persona no se fue con hambre.”

Editor’s Note: The following was provided by the Whitewater Public Library.

Community members are invited to attend the “Love. Family. Freedom.” presentation by Kim Simes at the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library on Monday, October 2 at 5:30 p.m. This presentation will provide an overview on LGBTQ+ families and the current environment in which we’re living. Simes is the Chief of Staff, People and Culture for Family Equality, a national non-profit organization that exists to create a world where everyone can experience the unconditional love, safety and belonging of family. As a leader in the LGBTQ+ movement, Simes credits her success to putting relationships and connections with and among people first, while working to make inclusive, positive changes for all members of the LGBTQ+ community. Simes has degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in Communications (undergraduate) and Counseling (masters).

The presentation is cosponsored by Whitewater Pride and the League of Women Voters of Whitewater Area. Ellen Penwell, President of the League, states that the organization is “proud to partner with the Irvin L Young Memorial Library in support of programming that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, which align with the League’s policy and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in principle and practice.”

There is no cost or registration to attend. The Irvin L. Young Memorial Library is located at 431 W. Center Street in Whitewater. Contact the library at 262-473-0530 with questions.