McFarland School District News

McFarland School Board Receives Award

The McFarland School Board this week was honored for it vision and dedication to meeting the needs of gifted and talented students by the Greater Dane County Area Talented and Gifted Network. Board President Arlyn Halvorson and Board Clerk Tom Allen accepted the

Network’s “Making A Difference” award on behalf of their colleagues Kathy Siegmann, Don Schutt, and Jim Moeser at a breakfast held at the Bishop O’Connor Center on Tuesday, February 27.

The “Making a Difference” Award is presented biennially to individuals and groups dedicated to supporting the educational and social-emotional needs of gifted and talented children.

Chrys Mursky, Gifted/Talented Consultant for the State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), recognized the McFarland Board for its “awareness and acceptance of, and advocacy for gifted and talented students.”

“The McFarland School Board’s continued support has helped services grow in McFarland,” noted Mursky. “They have provided time and resources to realize the district mission of setting high expectations and high quality achievement for all students, ” she continued.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction states: “The term gifted and talented student means children and youths who give evidence of higher performance capability in such areas as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership, or in specific academic fields, and who require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the schools in order to develop such capabilities fully.”

While many other Wisconsin districts have sacrificed GT services in order to cope with diminishing resources, McFarland Board members have insisted that the district maintain its commitment to providing challenging educational programming its students. The Board recognizes that gifted and talented students require appropriate learning opportunities in order to fully develop their unique abilities.

According to the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG), a statewide advocacy

group, comprehensive services to gifted and talented students would include the use of differentiation, compacting curriculum, cluster grouping, social-emotional development groups, course extensions and enrichment opportunities, individualized planning, and accelerations.

In the mid-1990’s, a group of concerned parents, led by Rod Clark and Dr. Stan Livingston, organized the McFarland Gifted and Talented Parent Advisory Council. The Council researched the needs of GT students and presented A Comprehensive Set of Recommendations for Gifted and Talented Students, to the School Board. The Board then created a group charged with developing a Gifted and Talented Program Plan for the district. Susan Daniels, district GT Coordinator, facilitated the efforts of The Parent Advisory Council, teachers, students, and administrators. The McFarland School District Gifted and Talented Program Plan was adopted by the McFarland School Board in February of 1999.

The McFarland School District Gifted and Talented Program Plan guides the continued growth and development of service for students. It includes recommendations in six areas: Identification and Communication, Staffing Needs and Program Delivery, Staff Development, Curriculum, Social & Emotional Needs, and Resources.

McFarland School Board

Row 1: Kathy Siegmann, Arlyn Halvorson, President, Tom Allen, Clerk,

Row 2: Jim Moeser, Vice President, Don Schutt, Treasurer.

Tom Allen and Arlyn Halvorson

Press release submitted by Clark and Ver Kuilen

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