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Appleton schools get helping hands during American Education Week
Posted: 11/20/2009 2:39:16 PM
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WEAC President Mary Bell (top left) takes a few moments to talk with Appleton Area School District Superintendent Lee Allinger (top right) during her visit to Johnston Elementary School. Bell worked with Stacy Wiedenhaupt (working with students) and her kindergarten classroom as part of the Appleton Education Association’s Educator for a Day that took place during American Education Week. |
Thursday seemed like a normal day in Stacy Wiedenhaupt’s kindergarten classroom at Johnston Elementary School in Appleton - with one exception - Wisconsin Education Association Council President Mary Bell stopped by to volunteer.
Bell joined Appleton community leaders who not only visited, but assisted staff in classrooms during the Appleton Education Association’s American Education Week Educator for a Day celebration.
“We were so excited to have Mary with us today,” Wiedenhaupt said. “She just jumped right in to help the kids with their project. It’s nice to have an extra pair of hands. She’s been a big help and the students are very receptive to her. She did a wonderful job.”
Bell not only helped the students with an art project, complete with construction paper trees and turkeys, but did part of the class daily news where she informed the kids her favorite sport is football.
Bell also said one of her favorite things to do is visit classrooms.
“I invite people to get involved in local schools, and to see firsthand how you can support the important work happening there, because great schools benefit everyone,” she said.
Appleton Area School District Superintendent Lee Allinger also visited Wiedenhaupt’s class that day and echoed the importance of community members volunteering in the classroom.
“It sends a strong message to those kids about the importance of what they are doing in school,” Allinger said. “It doesn’t have to be spoken. It’s a visual.
“There is so much going on in our schools. Even though I am the superintendent I learn more about what’s going on in our schools during each visit,” he said.
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| WEAC President Mary Bell helps a kindergarten student check out a library book at Johnston Elementary School in Appleton during American Education Week. |
Wiedenhaupt’s co-teacher, Shawna Essler, who is an early childhood special education teacher, encouraged people to visit the district not only so that can see firsthand what’s going on but for the sake of the kids.
“It sends a good message to the kids when people visit the classroom,” Essler said. “It shows they care.”
Later in the day, the Franklin Elementary School gym turned into a circus with a “Clowning Around Concert.” The hallways were lined with colorful circus decorations, clowns, wagons, elephants and more. The students also donned various circus masks thanks to the efforts of Sara Wilda.
Mayor Timothy Hanna joined Principal Carrie Willer and second-grade students as the school’s music teacher, Dawn Christiansen, lead the group in a rousing dance to Hannah Montana’s “Ice Cream Freeze.”
“I don’t get to do that every day,” Hanna said as he walked from the gymnasium to Judy Welhouse’s math class. Welhouse teaches students with emotional and behavioral disabilities.
“I’ve always felt that that it’s important that I get involved in our schools,” Hanna said. “I have an open door policy because I think it’s good for the kids to know that elected officials are just people.”
