News & Events

Unified Strength, Shared Progress: Celebrating Success WUSD

WHITEWATER, WI – At the heart of every successful school district is a team that believes in its mission and supports one another. Over the 22-23 school year, the teachers, staff, and administrators of the Whitewater Unified School District demonstrated their incredible commitment, and we are proud to take a moment to share all we accomplished together.

Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, we collectively committed to working in Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s). PLC’s are an ongoing process in which we work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students we serve. This work improved our outcomes! According to a recent survey initiated by the WUSD School Board, hosted by a third party, a staggering 99 percent of our staff agree or strongly agree their work holds purpose and 93 percent feel in control over the manner in which they perform their duties. This speaks volumes about the sense of empowerment and purpose that is pervasive across our schools.

Utilizing PLC’s, our elementary staff worked very hard last year to implement a new math curriculum, Bridges. During professional development days, our teachers met, worked on their practice and adjusted the way we taught math. The students have demonstrated exceptional improvement following these changes. The Forward, Wisconsin’s measure of academic progress, tests grades 3-5 in Math at the elementary level. We moved from a combined average of a 36 to a 45.4 in Grade 3 on the Forward, from a 34.7 to a 35.9 in Grade 4 and from a 30.5 to an astounding 50.8 in Grade 5, outperforming the state. While this is cause for celebration, we will not settle in; this year, we are taking on reading at the elementary level.

At the high school level, our educators have pivoted their focus towards tangible student achievement. We have seen a significant increase in students earning college credit through collaboration with Gateway Technical College and UW-Whitewater. This allows our students to earn college credit while still in high school, an exciting opportunity for them to get a jump start on higher education. Additionally high school student enrollment in Youth Apprenticeship opportunities is increasing which allows for students to explore future careers. Meanwhile, the introduction of additional career, technical education and agricultural courses has broadened our students’ horizons, equipping them with valuable life skills and career exploration opportunities. Lastly, we have adopted a new program to assist with academic skill development for the 23-24 school year, aiming to provide our students with the tools they need to put their best foot forward on the important college entrance exam. Last year, 49 WUSD students at WHS went to state in their respective sports and clubs. They represent the “best of the best” in Wisconsin.

All means all. All of these outcomes are while servicing the highest population of students with needs connected to language, needs connected to disability and need connected to poverty in the region. Our dedication is to ensure that WUSD is the best it can be, and we will never stop striving towards that goal. We are emboldened by our progress and are committed to building on our success, driving ever forward in pursuit of educational excellence. Every step we take is a step towards a brighter future for our children, our community, and our district. Every student, Every Day, in a Unified Way.

Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty is superintendent of the Whitewater Unified School District.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

A 2019 graduate from Delavan-Darien High School, Jinchao “Patrick” Wei, 22, is accused of receiving thousands of dollars from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for providing sensitive military information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). According to the Pentagon, Wei, a Navy sailor, sold the Chinese secrets about war exercises, naval operations, and other critical technical information. Wei, who was born in China, was in the process of applying for U.S. citizenship when first approached by the officer. Now a citizen, Wei is being held without bond. If convicted he could face as much as life in prison.

In court in San Diego on August 3, prosecuting attorney John Parmley said Wei’s only U.S. relative is his mother, who lives in Wisconsin. Parmley alleged that she knew what he was doing and told him to continue, adding that when he was done with the U.S. Navy he could go work for China, ABC News reports.

According to the Times of San Diego, “Wei pled not guilty on August 3 to espionage-related charges. U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said…that per the indictment, Wei was approached by a Chinese intelligence officer while his application to become a U.S. citizen was pending.

“Wei admitted to his handler that he knew this activity would be viewed as spying and could affect his pending citizenship application,” Grossman said. “Whether it was greed or for some other reason, Wei allegedly chose to turn his back on his newly adopted country and enter a conspiracy with his Chinese handler.”

According to Voice of America, quoting ABC News, Wei was denied bail on August 8 at his pretrial detention hearing as the judge ruled him a flight risk and a danger to the community. He is next due in court on August 21.

The following is posted to the Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice website. (The second servicemember is from California.)

In two separate cases in the Southern and Central Districts of California, two U.S. Navy servicemembers were arrested for transmitting sensitive military information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

“These individuals stand accused of violating the commitments they made to protect the United States and betraying the public trust, to the benefit of the PRC government,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to counter threats from China and to deter those who aid them in breaking our laws and threatening our national security.”

“These arrests are a reminder of the relentless, aggressive efforts of the People’s Republic of China to undermine our democracy and threaten those who defend it,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The PRC compromised enlisted personnel to secure sensitive military information that could seriously jeopardize U.S. national security. The FBI and our partners remain vigilant in our determination to combat espionage, and encourage past and present government officials to report any suspicious interactions with suspected foreign intelligence officers.”

United States v. Jinchao Wei, Southern District of California

A U.S. Navy sailor, Jinchao Wei, aka Patrick Wei, was arrested yesterday on espionage charges as he arrived for work at Naval Base San Diego, the homeport of the Pacific Fleet. He was indicted for conspiracy to send national defense information to an intelligence officer working for the People’s Republic of China.

The indictment, unsealed this morning, alleges that Wei, was an active-duty sailor on the amphibious assault ship the U.S.S. Essex stationed at Naval Base San Diego. In his role as a machinist’s mate, Wei held a U.S. security clearance and had access to sensitive national defense information about the ship’s weapons, propulsion and desalination systems. Amphibious assault ships like the Essex resemble small aircraft carriers and allow the U.S. military to project power and maintain presence by serving as the cornerstone of the U.S. Navy’s amphibious readiness and expeditionary strike capabilities.

According to the indictment, in February 2022, Wei began communicating with an intelligence officer from the PRC who requested that Wei provide information about the U.S.S. Essex and other Navy ships. Specifically, the Chinese intelligence officer tasked Wei with passing him photos, videos and documents concerning U.S. Navy ships and their systems. The two agreed to hide their communications by deleting records of their conversations and using encrypted methods of communication.

At the request of the intelligence officer, between March 2022 and the present, Wei sent photographs and videos of the Essex, disclosed the locations of various Navy ships and described defensive weapons of the Essex. In exchange for this information, the intelligence officer paid Wei thousands of dollars over the course of the conspiracy.

The indictment further alleges that in June 2022, Wei sent the intelligence officer approximately 30 technical and mechanical manuals. These manuals contained export control warnings and detailed the operations of multiple systems aboard the Essex and similar ships, including power, steering, aircraft and deck elevators, as well as damage and casualty controls. The intelligence officer confirmed with Wei that at least 10 of those manuals were useful to him. For passage of those materials, the indictment alleges that Wei was paid $5,000.

In June 2022, the intelligence officer requested that Wei provide information about the number and training of U.S. Marines during an upcoming international maritime warfare exercise. In response to this request, Wei sent multiple photographs of military equipment to the intelligence officer.

In August 2022, Wei sent an additional 26 technical and mechanical manuals related to the power structure and operation of the Essex and similar ships. The manuals contained warnings that this was technical data subject to export controls and that it was deemed “critical technology” by the U.S. Navy.

The indictment further alleges that in October 2022, Wei sent a technical manual to the intelligence officer describing the layout and location of certain departments, including berthing quarters and weapons systems. Specifically, Wei sent a weapons control systems manual for the Essex and similar ships. This manual contained export-controlled data that could not be exported without a license from the U.S. government. The indictment alleges that Wei knowingly violated the International Traffic in Arms Regulations by transmitting this manual to the Chinese intelligence officer without obtaining a required license. 

The intelligence officer continued to request information in 2023, including information about the overhaul and upgrades to the Essex. Specifically, he requested blueprints, especially those related to modifications to the flight deck. Wei provided information related to the repairs the Essex was undergoing, as well as other mechanical problems with similar vessels.

During the alleged conspiracy, the intelligence officer instructed Wei to gather U.S. military information that was not public and admonished him not to discuss their relationship and to destroy any evidence regarding the nature of their relationship and their activities.

“We have entrusted members of our military with tremendous responsibility and great faith,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. “Our nation’s safety and security are in their hands. When a soldier or sailor chooses cash over country, and hands over national defense information in an ultimate act of betrayal, the United States will aggressively investigate and prosecute.”

The FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigated the case.

Editor’s note: The following press release was received from the Whitewater Arts Alliance.

An update to the Art of Exploration reception: On August 5, 2023, over 60 visitors attended the reception to both meet Dawn Hunter, artist, and purchase her work. Hunter gave a brief speech around 1:45 p.m. talking about her artistic process and background. She is a retired elementary educator which led to her delving into acrylic, collage, and assemblage-working manipulation of a variety of materials since 2002. During this reception, Hunter sold over 15 of her pieces.

The show will continue to viewable in-person and online until August 27. The Cultural Arts Center (CAC) – located at 402 West Main Street, Whitewater, WI – is open Thursdays through Sundays, 12:00 p.m. (noon) to 4:00 p.m. The show is free to attend.

Hunter will be giving a free workshop for the public to attend on August 17 from 12:00 (noon) to 3:00 p.m. at the CAC. At this workshop, attendees will be making art greeting cards that they can give to their friends and family. All supplies will be provided, and no registration required.

To learn more about Dawn Hunter, the workshop, and the exhibition itself, go to the WAA website: https://www.whitewaterarts.org/dawn-hunter-exhibition-2023.

Who’s ready to welcome back one of our favorite Concert In The Park Events THIS Thursday…???

We are very excited to welcome back the Palmyra-Eagle Community Band this Thursday at 7 p.m. The band will be bringing 50 members for a fantastic evening of wonderful music. This is a Thursday you won’t want to miss!

Thank you to our sponsor, Whitewater @TDS

Limited Spots Available
Powerful Tools for Caregivers
Education Series
Offered by Rock & Jefferson Counties

Feeling Stretched as a Caregiver?

The Aging and Disability Resource Centers of Rock and Jefferson Counties are pleased to offer Powerful Tools for Caregivers, an educational series designed to provide family caregivers of someone with dementia the tools needed to take care of themselves. The class will run for 6 weeks beginning on Thursday, September 21, 2023 from 5:30-7 p.m. This series will be offered virtually.

The Powerful Tools for Caregivers program helps family caregivers reduce stress, improve self-confidence, improve communication, balance their lives, increase their ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources. Interactive lessons, discussions and brainstorming help caregivers to choose tools and put them into action.

Registration is required. Class space is limited. For more information or to register, contact Tonya Runyard at the ADRC of Jefferson county 920/675-4035 or tonyar@jeffersoncountywi.gov or Karen Tennyson at 608-741-3615 or karen.tennyson@co.rock.wi.us.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is owned and managed by Iowa State University of Science and Technology.

Editor’s note: The Banner has been told that Walworth County residents may be accommodated if space is available. Readers not living in Jefferson or Rock County should call a number shown above to inquire about this possibility.

 
The Greater Whitewater Committee (GWC) is set to host Kim McDarison as guest speaker at its upcoming monthly meeting in August. Kim McDarison, who recently created a new online news source for the Whitewater community: WhitewaterWise.com, also is the publisher of Fort Atkinson Online, which continues to cover Whitewater’s neighbor, Fort Atkinson. 

The GWC’s upcoming monthly meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 10th at 7 a.m. at 841 Brewhouse: 841 E Milwaukee St. Kim will be discussing the future plans for WhitewaterWise and its features. An RSVP is required to attend. To reserve your spot, contact Jeffery Knight at: jpk@knightpublicaffairs.com or 920.728.0662 by Wednesday, August 9th. 

WhitewaterWise.com is an online news site covering the city of Whitewater and stories of broader local interest in Walworth, Jefferson, and Rock counties. WhitewaterWise.com is an online property of Fort Atkinson Online LLC, which also publishes FortAtkinsonOnline.com. 

“We are very excited about WhitewaterWise’s new venture”, said GWC President Jeffery Knight, “and we can’t wait to hear Kim’s vision on the future of this news outlet.” 

About Kim McDarison: Raised in New England and a 1986 graduate of Western Connecticut State University, Kim McDarison wanted to be a journalist from the time she was nine. While in college, she earned a bachelor’s of business administration (BBS) degree, with a concentration in MIS (management information systems), and a minor in journalism. After working in journalism in the Connecticut and St. Louis, Mo., areas, McDarison arrived in Walworth County where she raised her two daughters full-time until they started school, returning to journalism in the early 2000s as the editor of the Whitewater Register. She has since worked as a freelance and staff reporter for such news agencies as the independently published Edgerton Reporter, CSI News (Walworth County Sunday), Southern Lakes Newspapers, Hometown Newspaper Group, with its network of papers surrounding the Madison area, and Adams Publishing Group. Her stories have appeared across the Walworth, Jefferson and Rock county region, in such papers as the Janesville Gazette, Daily Jefferson County Union, Watertown Daily Times, Milton Courier, Cambridge News and Deerfield Independent, DeForest Times-Tribune, and Lake Mills Leader, among others affiliated with each of the broad ranging consortium publishing networks. In February of 2021, McDarison became an independent publisher, launching FortAtkinsonOnline.com. The publication has branched out recently to include the newly launched WhitewaterWise.com. 

 About the GWC: The GWC is an action-oriented group committed to working with citizens, elected officials, and policy makers to identify, craft, and implement a pro-business agenda. Its goals are to advance the economic, educational, and social policies required to energize and secure the Whitewater area’s economic future, as well as protect Whitewater’s quality of life.

Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia slowly destroy a person’s memory and diminish communication skills.  This is deeply frustrating for caregivers.  Here are some tips that may help.

Avoid “elderspeak.”  Persons with dementia may not be able to formulate their thoughts but they are very aware when they are being spoken to like a child.  Speaking loudly in a high pitched simple baby-talk tone is recognized as not being the way normal adults speak to each other and can seem condescending.  Speak in a normal adult voice but do modify your content.  For example, avoid open-ended questions like “What would you like for dinner?”  Instead ask “Would you like pork chops or a cheese omelet?”

Be aware of your body language.  The reality of brain change is that while cognitive process declines, emotional intelligence is still working.  Persons with dementia can read your moods and manners quite well.  Be sure your attitude and body language express love, concern, good humor, caring and friendliness.  Even if you don’t always feel that way.

Change your approach as the disease progresses.  Don’t make assumptions about the person’s ability to communicate based on a diagnosis.  Keep talking to your loved one, practice your friendly loving demeanor and adjust your expectations as time goes by.  The Alzheimer’s Assn. offers an excellent list of communication strategies broken down by the stages of decline.  Click here for more information.                                                 https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/daily-care/communications

The National Institute on Aging has resources on communication and other issues in dementia.  Click here  https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-caregiving-changes-communication-skills

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This article submitted by Dementia Friendly Community Initiative, a program of Whitewater Seniors in the Park to help inform the community about dementia and to support patients and caregivers.  New members are always welcome!  Contact jfrench@whitewater-wi.gov or call Jennifer French at 262 473 0535.  More resources for caregivers:

https://www.co.walworth.wi.us/376/Aging-Disability-Resource-Center

https://www.jeffersoncountywi.gov/departments/human_services/aging_and_disability_resource_center/index.php

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/benefit-specialists/ebs.htm

ADRC of Walworth County Offers Walk With Ease Program

The Walworth County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is offering Walk With Ease starting September 6 at Lake Geneva Public Library. Walk With Ease—a program from the Arthritis Foundation—is a structured walking program that teaches participants how to safely make physical activity part of their everyday lives. The program is designed to help people living with arthritis better manage their pain and is also ideal for people without arthritis who want to make walking a daily habit.

Walk With Ease offers support, information, and tools to help participants develop successful exercise routines. The six-week group series is led by certified instructors Chetney Blaszczyk RDN, CD, and Rebecca Way MSW, APSW. During the program, participants learn proper stretching and pain management techniques; they also build stamina and walking pace. The program can be modified to meet the needs of individual participants so that each person can develop an exercise routine that fits
their unique goals.

“Research shows that walking is not only good for joints, but also helps improve the health of the heart, lungs, and bones,” said Blaszczyk. “Walking can also help with weight management, which can reduce one’s risk for arthritis in the knee, heart disease, and diabetes. If you can be on your feet for 10 minutes without increased pain, you will most likely have success with Walk With Ease.”

The information and strategies taught in the program are based on research and tested programs in exercise science, behavior change, and arthritis management. Updated and evaluated by the Thurston Arthritis Research Center and the Institute on Aging of the University of North Carolina, Walk With Ease is shown to increase balance, strength, and walking pace, as well as reduce the pain and discomfort of arthritis. The program is also shown to build participant confidence to be physically active and improve overall health.

Walk With Ease will be held every Wednesday, September 6 to October 11, from 1 to 2 p.m., at Lake Geneva Public Library, 918 West Main Street, Lake Geneva. Pre-registration is required. This workshop has a suggested contribution of $10. For more information, contact Chetney Blaszczyk at (262) 741-3309. Always check with your physician before starting any exercise program.

About the ADRC of Walworth County: The ADRC provides information and assistance to older and disabled adults, their friends, family, caregivers, and the public. We can assist by evaluating your current needs and providing options available to meet the needs of your situation. Learn more at www.co.walworth.wi.us/376/Aging-Disability-Resource-Center.