K-9 search of DDHS parking lot comes up clean

The Walworth County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit came to Delavan-Darien High School today, Friday, Jan 27, for an unannounced student parking lot search.

It was the second time this school year the K-9 Unit came to DDHS for a drug sweep.

Proudly, we can say for the second time, the dogs came up with nothing. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

No drugs were discovered, and no suspicious objects or weapons were found, further demonstrating the effects of efforts school staff have made to make DDHS a safe school for all who go there.

On Nov. 9, drug-sniffing dogs and deputies searched all student lockers inside the school. Then, too, there was nothing found by way of drugs or suspicious or dangerous objects.

“There has been a string of good news coming out of this high school lately, and today’s search results just adds to that,” said Principal Mark Schmitt.

Schmitt referenced a few things…

• semester grades being up significantly compared to this time last year (example: sophomores have fewer failing grades compared to when they were freshman (down to 41 from 68), and this year’s freshman class compared to last year’s has significantly fewer failing grades (13 compared to 68));
• the DDHS wrestling team defeating Badger (40-21) in a tough matchup last night, and raising money for cancer research during the meet;
• a history-making band, orchestra and symphony orchestra concert held Monday night;
• a successful student-run La Union: Latino Night at DDHS that had about 150 from the community come in recently and learn about Latino culture from students in the Latino Literature class taught by Kelly Dennis;
• DDHS students teaching fourth and fifth graders about the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
• an email from Orchestra Director Jennifer Bayerl complementing our students for their role model-like behaviors at a recent field trip — “You should know how great the students were. We were in a balcony surrounded by other high school students and our group stood out as the quietest, least wiggly and most respectful bunch. They represented DDHS in an outstanding manner.”

Indeed, good things continue to happen at DDHS, and it’s great to see they’re happening in a drug-free environment.

Phoenix Middle School, Second Quarter Honor Roll 2011-12

Phoenix Middle School released its second quarter honor roll and high honor roll for the 2011-12 school year. Did you make the list? Someone you know?

Here they are:

 2^nd Quarter High Honor Roll

 6^th Grade High Honor Roll

Drinton Ademi, Kalynn Anditon, Lucas Anditon, Litzy Andrade, Destiny Bondowski, Racheal Bradley, Ethan Brinkmeyer, Anna Cano, Briahna Cardenas, Erika Colorado, John Corning, Liliana De La Cruz, Cassandra De La Vega, Rachel DeBow, Brock Deschner, Anayeli Esquivel, Jasmine Esquivel-Hernandez, Laura Farley, Catharine Gamble, Ybeth Gloria, Makayla Graham, Llunuel Hernandez, Payton Hintz, Israel Jaimes, Justin Johnson, Richard Karbash, Thomas Karbash, Melissa Krueger, Mitchell Lewis, Carol Lima-Coranado, Luis Lopez, Ana Martinez, Jenna McKinney, Johana Mendez, Skyla Meyer, Desiree Miller, Areli Montelongo, Ross Morgan, Tyler Nevala, Hector Padilla, Maria Perez, Suleimy Perez, Nora Ringelstetter, Elian Rodriguez, Dakota Roller, Meghan Roum, Barbara Rowe, Erin Sorg, Hallie Stirmel, Brisa Valadez, Hugo Valadez, Andrew Vaughn, Valentino Villarreal, Emilee Wellman.

7^th Grade High Honor Roll

Jared Amborn, Ariel Austin, Jacob Benzing, Harim Cano, Yesenia Cardenas, Ismael Coello, Abigail Even, Troy Feeney, Jesus Garcia, Emily Geffers, Alexandra Gonzales, Alyssa Gonzalez, Hunter Huber, Seth Kirsch, Madalyn Krablean, Samuel Ksycki, Jada Ludens, Dayne Ludlum, Emily Malvaez, Grace Maynard, Taylor McKinney, Israel Montelongo, Luis Nova, Julian Ochoa-Morales, Xavier Ortiz, Chandni Patel, Priyanka Patel, Jennyfer Perez, Jessica Pohl, Julien Riviere, Tamika Robinson, Robert Rowe, Nilda Ruvalcaba, Noah Smith, Jesus Solis-Sanchez, Xhevat Tahiri, Jose Valades, Jordan Ziolkowski.

8^th Grade High Honor Roll

Nicholas Anditon, Anthony Arias, Lynette Arreola, Kyra Brady, Monique Briand, Haley Brinkmeyer, Brittany Bruhn, Madison Cameron, Cole Castel, Lucas Champion DeLara, Pablo Cook-Lavariega, Marisol Cruz, Alexus Cuautle, Brody Cunningham, Zebidiah Dickman, Jarrett Forster, Katelynn Greidanus, Ahtziri Hernandez, Morgan Holmes, Erica Ivins, Andrew Johnson, Michelle Johnson, Nathan Johnson, Jacob Klewin, Arelis Laureano, John Loomer, Rodrigo Mendoza Jr., Brie Anne Mick, Danielle Mohr, Joshua Pickel, Amber Reed, Megan Rupnik, Jailyn Schroeder, Hunter Schwarz, Vanessa Valadez Olivares, Abbey Weisrock, Melonie Wright, Gage Wuttke.

2^nd Quarter Honor Roll

6^th Grade Honor Roll

Kevin Aguilar, Alexis Appell, Eduardo Arredondo, Patrick Briand, Jason Cano, Andrew Cobb, Williams Cook-Lavariega, Giovanni Cruz, Guillermo De La Cruz, Victor Echeverria, Alyssa Flores, Anai Fonseca, Aeryka Friemoth, Hunter Gebauer, Angeles Gomez, Enrique Gonzalez, Noah Grams, Emily Guzman, Dawson Hembrook, Ryan Hembrook, Lexus Hubbard, Lizbeth Huerta, Patricia Jansen, Reno Lewis, Michael Maldonado, Elih Martin, Ximena Morales, Ian Morgan, Ashley Ochoa, Lisbeth Ortiz, Susana Ortiz-Hernandez, Anthony Patarino, Abisai Perez, Alondra Perez, Jasmin Prado, Jaime Rodriguez, Luz Rodriguez, Alexander Rosencrans, Alisandra Sanchez, Zachery Torres-Raby, Karla Valadez, Michael Valadez, Abigail Valdez, Andres Vasquez, Ronaldo Velazquez, Claudia Zuniga.

7^th Grade Honor Roll

Carlos Altamirano, Cesar Arredondo, Alexia Avila, Jesse Brown, Kaitlyn Brown, Leslie Callejas, Nicholas Dangelo, Morgan Daniels, Morgan DeLara, Cassidy Dodge, Elvia Echeverria, Brandon Edmonds, Asdi Elguero, Stephanie Garcia, Quinn Gibson, Kristin Hardwick, Lisset Huerta, Tigrio Huerta, Michaela Hutchison, Emanuel Iniguez, Cristian Jaramillo, Kiana Jaramillo, Corinne Kastning, Samantha Grace Kropacek, June Lock, Guillermo Manriquez Villegas, Destiny Marshall, Erika McClellan, Giselle Medrano, Jordan Meinen, Dorian Miller, Maribel Nova, Zoe Obel, Paige Purcell, Seth Robers, Hannah Santeler, Autumn Schauer, Jarred Shepard, Gary Thomas Taylor, Cameren Torres, Guadalupe Valadez, Mariysa Valadez, Robert Zaratzian, Kaitlyn Zweifel.

8^th Grade Honor Roll

Christopher Aguilar, Kaitlyn Albright, Ryan Anditon, Jace Banasik, Uriel Barbosa, Clay Behm, Andrew Coty, Amy Encizo, Victoria Espino, Katie Flitcroft, Dallas Fritzinger, Clair Gamble, Haley Gilson, Angela Gomez, Lauren Hamell, Kaja Hebein, Stephanie Hollatz, Jose Lemus, Kellie Mathisen-Zihala, Haley Mueller, Ricardo Nova Jr., Oscar Nova, Carolina O’Brien, Brandon Ramirez, Rylee Reed, Uriel Reyes, Alesia Riley, Adeana Rodriguez, Estevan Sanchez, Jesus Sanchez, Aliyah Sanders, Johnathan Sorg, Sabrina Tegge, Ariana Torres, William Turigliatto, Samantha Valadez, Jasmin Velazquez, Rosa Venegas, Javana Villarreal, Kayla Yakes.

Bringing space down to earth in COAST Workshop

Click pic for more images in our gallery

Fifth and sixth graders in the Delavan-Darien School District enjoyed a day of Astronomy Exploration as part of a C.O.A.S.T.  (gifted and talented) workshop, held at Phoenix Middle School Jan. 24.

The workshop was led by Amy Bauer, a fifth grade teacher at Wileman Elementary School, and Barb Perez, a sixth grade math and science teacher at Phoenix Middle School.

Students learned how to find celestial objects in the night sky by using right ascension and declination. Later, they explored magnitude (or brightness) of various stars.

Students put these skills together to learn about the constellations that make up our night sky and finished off the day by making their very own indoor planetarium out of black plastic.

Teachers and students say day was a success, with lots of learning and fun.

Senior Class Photo Day is Monday, Feb. 6

At 9 a.m. sharp Monday, Feb 6, the Delavan-Darien High School senior class will have its annual class group picture taken in the Main Gym.

Order forms and instructions are available from homeroom teachers.

Seniors, don’t forget, if you want to order a picture, you must bring the order forms and money with you when the senior class picture is taken.

Questions? Contact Kerry Butitta by email at kbutitta@ddschools.org or by phone at 262-728-2642 ext. 4429.

REMINDER: DDHS opening doors to incoming freshmen Jan. 30

REMINDER: Mark your calendars, eighth graders. Freshman Welcome Night at Delavan-Darien High School is set for 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30.

The annual event is open to all area eighth graders, whether they attend Delavan’s Phoenix Middle School, area parochial or private schools, home school or another nearby school district.

Attendees will get an in-depth look at the school and be able to have questions answered by teaching and counseling staff, administrators, DDHS students and parents.

DOWNLOAD: Welcome Night Agenda

The evening will start off with a short presentation and school overview from DDHS Principal Mark Schmitt.

Following that, students and families are welcome to tour the school and visit a number of “breakout” sessions to learn more about the many different program options available at DDHS.

The sessions cover the school’s various academic areas and departments (English, Social Studies, Science, Technology and Engineering, etc.), Special Education, Fine Arts, the English Language Learners program, Athletics and Activities, Academic and Career Planning, and a special parents-to-parents session.

Parents and students will also learn about the new teaching methods and academic opportunities added at DDHS and the upcoming course selection day, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 6, at DDHS.

Immediately after the Freshman Welcome Night, parents and student athletes are welcome to stay for a free seminar on the realities of collegiate sports recruiting with expert Jack Renkens. (*NOTE: There will be time to attend the full Freshmen Welcome Night and this seminar.)

Renkens will present the “true facts about college athletic recruiting” in a straightforward, no nonsense and entertaining 60-minute presentation.

Parents and students considering playing sports beyond high school are encouraged to stay after the Freshman Welcome Night to attend this seminar, which starts at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the DDHS main office at (262) 728-2642.

Schoolhouse Rock, Jr., on stage at Phoenix Middle School

Click for more info on the show

Directors Jeanne Engerson, Tammy Fumall, Julie Ropers-Rosendahl direct a cast and crew of Phoenix Middle School performers in the musical “Schoolhouse Rock, Jr.”

The directors, the performers and the crew invite all to this free show, scheduled for  7 p.m. Friday, Jan 27, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan 28, in the Phoenix Middle School Auditorium.

This all-school musical features students from all grade levels and lots of enthusiasm.

“Schoolhouse Rock!” was conceived by a father, David McCall, who noticed that although his son knew all the words to the current rock songs, he was having trouble remembering his multiplication tables.

He decided to use music to help his son learn. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Phoenix Middle School show features reprisals of 10 of the original 37 episodes of School House Rock that aired on ABC television between 1972 and 1980.

In between the different episodes, we watch Tami, a nervous first-year teacher, become more confident about facing her first class with the help of the “Schoolhouse Rockers”.

***

Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr. is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.

421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019

Phone: 212-541-4684 Fax: 212-397-4684

www.MTIShows.com

January Rotary students are Hudson, Finley

Rebecca Finley, daughter of Deanna and Jim Finley, and Marcus Hudson, son of Terri Lawrence, have been selected as the Delavan Rotary Club students for the month of January.

Rebecca Finley

Rebecca is active in volleyball, basketball, track, FFA, FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and the foreign language club.  Rebecca volunteers at volleyball and basketball clinics as a coach and with the DDHS Booster Club food booth at the Walworth County Fair.  After high school, Rebecca plans to attend Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, majoring in business or nursing.

Marcus Hudson

Marcus participates in football, wrestling, track, FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and is secretary for the varsity club.  Marcus volunteers with the youth wrestling program, the Faith Baptist food pantry and with the DDHS Booster Club food booth at the Walworth County Fair.  After high school, Marcus plans to attend a four-year college to pursue a career in criminal justice, as well as play football.

As recipients of this award, Rebecca and Marcus were escorted by an administrator at DDHS, to the Rotary Club luncheon at Lake Lawn Lodge on Monday, January 23, 2012.

Congratulations to Rebecca and Marcus on receiving this prestigious award.

Wax Museum of Reading returns to Turtle Creek

Students listen and learn at a previous Turtle Creek Wax Museum of Reading. (File photo)

DELAVAN—Fifth graders at Turtle Creek Elementary School will give visitors personalized book reviews for just a few coins dropped in their buckets on Thursday, Jan. 26.

The school is once again presenting its “wax museum of reading,” an event that has students line the school’s halls and become characters from the books they’ve read. When a visitor drops a few coins in the students’ bucket, the student will come to life as a character from the book and do a short presentation or skit about it, without revealing the ending, of course.

The activity not only generates funds for the fifth graders’ annual field trip (this year a spring Milwaukee Brewers baseball game), it encourages them to read books, attain their yearly reading goals and practice public speaking, fifth grade teacher Michelle Minton said.

About 80 fifth graders at Turtle Creek participate. Some students who participate in forensics will use the skits at forensics meets.

The event is geared for parents and elementary school-aged students. Many kids who attend and see the skits leave with ideas of good books to read and will later check them out at their school or public library, Minton said.

Turtle Creek has been hosting the event for about a dozen years, Minton said. It has always been a popular event for students, parents and other visitors.

“The kids are always very prepared, and their skits are very well done,” Minton said, noting that all Turtle Creek fifth grade teachers are involved in the preparation. “Everyone has a lot of fun with this activity.”

The event runs from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Visitors are asked to enter through the main entrance at Turtle Creek Elementary School.

No match for Comet wrestlers at L-Cat Invite

Success at tournaments continues for the Delavan-Darien High School varsity wrestling team.

The Comets went 5-0 in duals Saturday at the L-Cat Invite in Lake Mills, winning easily in most of the team competitions. Only conference foe Westosha Central made it close, with a short-handed DDHS winning 40-30.

“We had to wrestle (the invite) without a couple of varsity starters,” coach Craig Lodahl said. “We were missing both Austin Schwarz and Lukus Dittner, who also missed Thursday against Union Grove with injuries. Both are expected to be back by the conference tournament in two weeks.

“Carter Schwarz filled in at 106 for us and Lee Schramski filled in at 145 for both Thursday and this weekend, and Steven Schultz at 132 Saturday, all went 3-2 on the day and filled in nicely for us.”

Undefeated wrestlers going 5-0 on the day were Zach Lazzeroni (138), Keifer Bennett (152), Kyndle Bennett (160), and Marcus Hudson (182). Diego Avila was 3-0 and Cody Peterson 2-0 at (170). Comet wrestlers who went 4-1 included Landon Schramski (113), Hunter Gramly (120), Cody Chelminiak (126), Steve Brower (195), and Reed Wuttke (220).

“The match of the day would have to go to Steve Brower at 195,” Lodahl said. “Even though he lost the match he wrestled a great match against Ryan Funk of Lake Mills, who is state ranke. Brower lost by 1 point and was leading up until the final seconds of the match.

“Steve has made some great strides here lately for being a first-year wrestler.”

The Comets have their final dual meet of the year at home Thursday vs. Lake Geneva Badger, a 15-2 team.

“It should prove to be a great test for our team coming into the tournament season in February,” Lodahl said.

 

Team Scores

DDHS, 81, Palmyra Eagle 0

DDHS 64, Waterloo 12

DDHS 40, Westosha Central 30

DDHS 75, Lake Mills 3

DDHS 59, Greendale 24

Muy Bueno! ‘La Union: Latino Night’ at DDHS a success

Click pic for more images in our gallery. (Photos courtesy of Ram Salas.)

About 150 community members of all ages and races came out to Delavan-Darien High School Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, for the first-ever La Union: Latino Night community event.

The event was coordinated by about 60 students in the Latino Literature courses taught by Kelly Dennis.

It was intended to “get our community united,” said DDHS junior Naason Cano, one of the event coordinators.

The event featured different booths, staffed by students, where visitors learned about many different facets of Latino culture. Some included hands-on activities and each had a connection to the things DDHS students have done or learned in the class over the first semester.

Student participation in organizing and being “experts” at the event counted toward their final exam grades, Dennis said. It was a truly an example of a real-world learning experience that had value not only for the students and their learning but for those in the community, as well.

“Latino night was really nice. The DDHS kids were informed, polite, looked great and extremely courteous,” said School Board Vice President Rick Heine. “I wish the whole city would have turned out.”

Dennis said she was proud of the work the students in her two sections of the class put into the event. She was also happy to see a great community turnout for a first-time event.

Kids of all ages attended, and many parents came to listen and learn about Latino culture. The most popular areas were the Salsa Dancing demonstration and lesson, tortilla-making station and the Mexican game Loteria (a game like B.I.N.G.O.), which had about 40 people playing at one point, Dennis said.

Check out some photos of the fun by clicking on the image above. (Photos courtesy of Ram Salas.)