Home » News » Clintonville News » Building girls? self-esteem

Building girls? self-esteem

The “You Grow Girl!” (YGG) program is entering its third year of empowering girls to develop their social, emotional and physical health within the Clintonville Public School District.

The program began under the guidance of Lynette Edwards, who has volunteered her time to help build the program into what it is today. Four other volunteer coaches are also involved with the program, including Linda Gehrke, Jody Peterson, Megan Jo Meyers and Cassy Englehardt.

“YGG is entering its third year. Sessions run twice each year, so this is our sixth group,” said Edwards. “Each session ends with the group completing a 5K.

“We had 12 girls in our first session back in fall of 2011,” continued Edwards. “This fall, we had 26 girls register, with many returning. In fall sessions, we have traveled to Madison to participate in the Dane County Girls on the Run (GOTR) 5K. This year we will be going to Milwaukee’s GOTR 5K.

“YGG has planned and hosted two spring 5Ks. This past spring, we doubled our participants to over 150, with the help of the Longfellow Running Club and Wise Guys. The 5Ks have served as fundraisers for the program and we’ve received great support through volunteers and sponsorships. We are planning for the spring 2014 5K to be an evening called “You Glow Girl!” which will be held on May 10.

“On Saturday, Nov. 9, we will be hosting a day-long event called “Hey Girl!” which is open for all women and girls ages 10 and up,” Edwards said. “Activities will include a guest speaker, self-defense class, body image discussions, and Zumba. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Local business women will have promotional booths and tables set up. It’s an opportunity for other women and girls to experience what YGG is all about.”

Edwards said the program has earned over $10,000 in grant money, with funds coming from the Wolf River Area Healthcare Foundation ($1,500), an anonymous donor ($1,000), Clintonville Area Foundation ($4,000), Women’s Fund of the Fox Valley Region ($1,000), Little Rapids Corporation ($1,000) and Evening Bridge Marathon ($325).

“Our original plan was to raise enough money to join with the Girls on the Run program, but we have elected to remain as a local group for the time being,” said Edwards. “We plan to continue YGG for as long as we can because girls keep telling us things like: ‘YGG teaches me to be me’; ‘We learned about having good emotions, our beauty, and ourselves’; YGG helped me to be beautiful inside and out – no matter what you are’; and ‘YGG taught me that everyone is beautiful and you should always feel good about you.’”

To learn more about YGG or to register for upcoming events, email [email protected].

Middle School Academy

Amy Bindas, director of teaching and learning, presented information on the Middle School Academy.

“The purpose of this class is to equip students with the attitudes and skills they will need to increase academic achievement and reach their full potential both in the classroom and the community,” said Bindas. “Students will go through a curriculum based on three critical components: student-owned learning, higher level thinking and learning strategies, and collaborative relationships.”

Board member Ben Huber asked if this was a graded class, and Bindas said it was graded on a pass/fail basis.

“Kids see education as something that’s being done to them,” said Bindas. This class is not graded like other classes because we want students to be intrinsically motivated. Right now, the class is required for students in seventh and eighth grade, except for special education intervention students. The class takes place at different times throughout the day.”

“The curriculum looks great. This will be very positive going forward,” said Superintendent Tom O’Toole. “There are several students at the middle school and high school level that would have benefitted from this class if it had been in place in previous years.”

School report cards

The board reviewed the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) School Report Card for the district. A more in-depth story on those results will be printed later this month in the County Post East.

Grant money

The board was informed that the Longfellow Running Club has been awarded an ING Run for Something Better grant in the amount of $1,000. The club, under the direction of advisor Karen Petermann, has over 60 participants at the elementary level and over 15 at the middle school level.

Homecoming

Student Council representative Ana Huber reported to the board regarding events that will take place during Homecoming, which is being celebrated from Monday, Sept. 30, through Sunday, Oct. 6.

In other business, the board approved the following items:

• Hiring Zach Schroeder as a JV boys basketball coach;

• Hiring Lyle Trautmann as the FBLA advisor;

• Changing Evvi Hall’s assignment from Para II, MS ISS, to Para II, HS ISS;

• Changing Lori Poppe’s assignment from Para II, HS ISS, to Para II, MS ISS;

• Changing Laura Wilber’s assignment from Para II, HS ISS, to Para II, MS ISS;

• Early graduation requests from two students

• An out-of-state student trip for the FFA students to attend the National FFA Convention in Louisville, KY from Oct. 29 through Nov. 2, 2013;

• New board policy 5141.61 – Epinephrine – non-student specific. This will allow an epi-pen to be used when certain symptoms are exhibited by students or staff members at any school related events.

The board adjourned into closed session to discuss personnel items, but took no action upon returning to open session.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14, in the middle school IMC.

Scroll to Top