Hilgenberg Visits Sauk Prairie Schools

Rep. Steve Hilgenberg joins in the Pledge of Allegiance with the Black Hawk kindergartners.

Rep. Steve Hilgenberg found out firsthand how Governor Doyle’s proposed budget affects schools in his legislative district. Hilgenberg visited two of Sauk Prairie’s schools recently to see for himself what impact the governor’s budget would have on students and those who work in our public schools.

Hilgenberg started the day at Black Hawk Elementary School, a small rural kindergarten through grade 3 school about 12 miles west of Sauk City. Derek Haroldson, Sauk Prairie Education Association president and kindergarten teacher, proudly welcomed Hilgenberg to his school. Then Hilgenberg greeted students as they got off the school busses. He noted that the governor’s budget increases state funding for student transportation.

Next it was on to the lunchroom in which students got off to a good start for the day with juice, milk and healthy breakfast food. Hilgenberg remembered that Governor Doyle’s budget provides a 50% increase in state reimbursement for school breakfasts. Students chatted with Hilgenberg about Easter candy and two brothers’ grandparents who live in Hilgenberg’s hometown of Dodgeville.

As students filed into Haroldson’s kindergarten classroom, Hilgenberg and Haroldson discussed the importance of keeping class sizes low so that children get a strong foundation learning the basics and are better able to succeed throughout their school years. Black Hawk Elementary School is a SAGE school and receives state aid to keep class sizes low in grades K-3. Doyle has proposed an increase in the per-pupil funding of SAGE which hasn’t increased since the program was created.

Hilgenberg then tried his hand at leading the morning ritual, “News of the Day,” with Haroldson’s kindergartners. He found the kindergartners eager, active learners who love to learn. After saying goodbye to Haroldson’s class, Hilgenberg visited other classrooms and teachers in Black Hawk School.

Then Hilgenberg was off to Sauk Prairie Middle School. The visit included a lengthy stop in Kari Marquardt’s classroom to learn about READ 180, a 7th-grade class with self-directed, intense reading instruction using a variety of learning media. The class is made up of regular education, special education and English language learners in need of shoring up their reading skills. The 7th graders toiled away reading independently, using computers and books on tape to sharpen reading, spelling and vocabulary skills. The governor’s proposed budget helps continue innovative programs like READ 180 with an increase in state funding of special education and bilingual-bicultural education services.

Following his visit to Marquardt's classroom, Hilgenberg:

• Sat down with 6th-grade teachers at a teaching team meeting to discuss state funding of education, including increased aid for Sauk Prairie due to the governor’s proposed modification of the revenue limit calculation to provide relief for declining enrollment districts.
• Visited Shane Frey’s 7th-grade math class and spoke with Frey about Sauk Prairie High School graduation requirements in math.
• Took a tour of the Sauk Prairie Middle School guided by Scott Erlandson, assistant principal. The tour included discussion of the difficulty to continue funding art, music, physical education, technology education, family and consumer education and co-curriculars as well as the challenge of maintaining current computer hardware and software.
• Sat down with district Superintendent Craig Bender to discuss school funding, privatization, school referenda and cuts to staff and programs. Hilgenberg highlighted the help to school districts included in Doyle’s budget. Bender quantified cuts made in the past and those sure to occur in the future in Sauk Prairie schools.

Posted May 2, 2007