Mrs. Hutchcroft Teaching New Classes

By Chloe Groom

Recently, there have been many changes in the Potosi School District concerning the staff. One of these changes has been with Mrs. Hutchcroft who was previously our DAC (District Assessment Coordinator), she has stepped away from that role to focus more on her role as a teacher. She was given this opportunity because of the retirement of Mr. Jerry Downs, our former history teacher. 

She says, “I am ecstatic to be back in my classroom full time working with kids.”  This has been a very positive change for Mrs. Hutchcroft because she is back to doing what she loves. “I get so much energy from the kids and being able to work with the kids and help them to learn and grow.” She has previously taught government, geography, psychology, and sociology, and has picked up teaching world history. She is very excited to be teaching the history class again and very excited to use the skills she picked up from being the DAC and incorporate them into her teaching. “I get to use the insight that I learned being the DAC and know those areas that they have some weaknesses in, I can do some activities in my classroom.” 

By doing this she is hoping to help strengthen her students’ weaker areas when it comes to testing. This will not only help the kids better understand what she is teaching, but will also benefit them when they take the ACT. This change has not just affected Mrs. Hutchcroft; it has affected how she teaches, and how her students are preparing for the ACT. 

Another person that this change has affected is Mrs. Foote, our new District Assessment Coordinator. Last year, Mrs. Foote came to our school to be our counselor. This year, with Mr. Downs’ retirement and Mrs. Hutchcroft teaching new classes, Mrs. Foote has stepped in to be our DAC. With this year's junior class preparing to take the ACT, it will be interesting to see if things will be different than they have been in past years or if they will remain the same. “Being the School Counselor for grades 6-12 is still my first priority,” says Mrs. Foote. However, with this change, she may have to sacrifice some of her extra time to being the DAC. 

“Does being the DAC mean that I might have to work late some nights or come in on the weekends? Yep, but what education professional doesn’t today?” She is very dedicated to her job, and her team, which made this role change something that she was willing to do. “I don’t view being the Potosi School’s District Assessment Coordinator (DAC) as being positive or negative, but rather simply the role that I currently play. Being part of a school is being part of a team. You simply do what must be done to ensure that at the end of the day you have helped the team complete the mission.” 

“I’ve hit some snags this year such as elimination of some tests, the addition of some new tests, and the loss of our computer lab making testing accommodations trickier, but I keep telling myself that once I have a full year behind me, learn the new testing platforms, and get the kinks straightened out, I will get better and things will be smoother. I am happy to be a staff member at  Potosi Schools and am honored to serve my students and colleagues in whatever role helps.” Obviously there will be some ups and downs, but her dedication to her job and team will help her to stay motivated through it all. 

Though there have been many role changes in this School district in the past year, it has overall been a positive change for all staff and students. The adjustments have been a smooth process, because of the positive and team-like environment of Potosi. 

Mr. Lynn, World Traveler

By Ryan Kruser

Educator, business tycoon, globetrotter, and coffee connoisseur. These are some of the labels given to Mr. Zack Lynn, but when you ask him what he does outside of the classroom he’ll tell you he’s a Russian spy. 

As a child Mr. Lynn went on vacations with his family like a lot of other families. Unlike other families, the Lynns moved to Germany in 2006 just because the family thought it was the right thing to do at the time, and Mr. Lynn got his high school diploma from the International School of Stuttgart. Mr. Lynn came back to the United States in 2008 because the Euro/Dollar exchange was getting too expensive. Back in the States, Mr. Lynn attended college at Guilford University in North Carolina and then entered the transfer portal and ended up at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. After college, Mr. Lynn found a job as a business teacher at Potosi High School, where he currently is now. 

Growing up in large places wasn’t Mr. Lynn’s cup of tea, and that was why he moved to southwest Wisconsin. Living in a small area hasn’t kept him from traveling the world though. Mr Lynn has been to 20 different US states and 30 different countries. Traveling to places like Scotland and India has opened the world of food to Mr Lynn. As a quick go-to supper, Mr. Lynn will often eat curry and other domestic foods, but the food isn’t the only thing Mr. Lynn has picked up from the places he has been. Mr. Lynn also has currency from other countries and other memorable items. 

This past summer Mr. Lynn traveled to South Dakota, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and North Carolina, where he went to some museums, memorials, historical sites, and more. He started the trip by going to South Dakota where he saw Mt. Rushmore, the Crazyhorse Memorial, and the Presidential Wax Museum. From South Dakota, he went to Indiana where he visited the Buddhist Center of the Midwest and saw the largest collection of mechanical puzzles in America. The next stop was Ohio. In Ohio, he went to the Official Museum of the Airforce, the largest collection of neon signs in America, and a German villag,e which reminded him of his time in Germany. After Ohio, he drove down to West Virginia where he went to Point Pleasant, a city where, in the ’60s, a figure called the “Mothman” was seen by several eye-witnesses. In Point Pleasant, you can visit the “Mothman” statue and museum. While he was in West Virginia he stopped by Greenbrier Bunker, which was a massive bomb shelter for members of Congress in case of emergency years ago. To end the trip, he went to North Carolina where he visited some old friends. 

Even though Mr. Lynn has traveled to over 30 different countries, he can still pick his favorite place he has been to. Most people would say places like France, Ireland, or Fiji, but Mr. Lynn’s favorite place is the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia. The Czech Republic is a small country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west. The Czech Republic is known for its beautiful castles and medieval buildings, and that is why the small country of Czechia is Mr. Lynn’s favorite place. Mr. Lynn said, “The medieval buildings turned into coffee shops were really neat.” It isn’t surprising to hear Mr. Lynn say this, knowing how much he enjoys his coffee. 

This upcoming summer Mr. Lynn plans to travel to China and Mongolia, two countries he has never been to. He plans to fly to Beijing and go to the Forbidden City, a former Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty. He also plans on going to the Great Wall, which is one of the largest tourist destinations in the world. From China, he plans on flying to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In Mongolia, he will attend a Naadam Festival. A Naadam Festival is a festival with a bunch of games including wrestling, horse racing, and archery. After the festival, he will hire a tourist guide and travel into the wilderness of Mongolia. Another vacation he has planned for the near future is Russia, but that won’t happen until the summer of 2021. 

At this rate, Mr. Lynn will travel to every state in the US and every country (that is safe) in the world, and who knows, Mr. Lynn might even travel to the moon or even a different planet. 

Friday, September 27th, 2019

By Ty Dressler

7:00 am - An alarm clock goes off. A tired Potosi High School Senior wakes up and hits the snooze.

7:09 am - The alarm goes off again. The highschooler wakes up for good this time and starts the day. He showers, gets dressed, eats breakfast, brushes his teeth, and heads off for school. But today’s school schedule is different than every other day, because this is homecoming Friday. That means a half-day full of school activities and pep rallies. But first, the student must get through two class periods before the fun begins.

7:54 and 35 seconds am - The student flies into the school parking lot and rushes to his first hour class hoping to avoid a tardy.

7:55 - 8:43 am - First Hour - But actually 6th hour. The band is practicing for the pep rally and parade. Other students are in class. Some of the cool teachers let their students have free time or watch a movie, in the spirit of homecoming. Other teachers continue with lessons. 

8:46 - 9:34 am  - Second Hour - But actually 7th hour.  The band is still getting ready. The rest of the school is still in class. At this point, it is 47 minutes away from the homecoming activities, and not a lot is being accomplished in classes. Yet some teachers still persist with lessons… 

9:37 - 10:15 am - Pep Rallies - The entire school (K-12) is brought into the auditorium. Everyone is filled with school spirit. The football and volleyball coaches speak about the way their seasons are going. They call their players up on stage. When the names are called, elementary students erupt with cheers as their favorite players are brought up on stage. Senior Ryan Kruser described the feeling as, “being on top of the world.”

10:15 - 11:00 am - The Volleyball Games - 

Round one: the teachers vs. the senior girls. The Teachers dominate in every aspect of the game and come away with the win. 

Round two: the teachers vs. the very talented senior boys. The senior boys are predicted to win and are the clear fan favorites. Both teams battle very hard. However, with some illegal hits and some blown calls, the teachers come away with a win in a very controversial game. 

Round three: the senior boys vs. senior girls: practically a civil war as the 12th grade is split into two, as each side battles for its last chance at homecoming glory. The senior boys give it all they have, but since they are just coming off a hard-fought game against the teachers, they run out of steam quickly. The girls capitalize on the boys’ mistakes and come away with the W. 

11:00 - 11:45 am - The Powder Puff Football Game - Even on a rainy homecoming Friday, the girls still head outside for the annual powder puff football game. The senior/junior team comes out of the gates fast and the game looks like it could be a blowout. However the freshman/sophomore team gives a noble effort, and the final score is 24-8 to the seniors/juniors. Senior Justice Udelhofen said, “It was cold, but it was all worth it because we won.”

11:45 - 12:15 pm - Lunch and High School Dismissal

12:15 - 2:00 pm - Miscellaneous - The Freshman meet up in the shop to work on their float. Some students go home to catch a quick nap or do some homework. Others run off with their friends and do other shenanigans… 

2:00 pm - The Homecoming Parade - The whole school reunites in the St. Thomas Church parking lot to get ready for the parade. Final touches are put on floats, trucks are getting in line, and the football players are hopping on their bikes. The floats go through Maine Street and the whole town gathers to watch.

6:00 pm - The Football Game - Potosi/Cassville takes on the Pittsville Panthers. Kickoff is moments away. Players are warmed up and are now in the locker room waiting for Mr. Siegert’s pregame speech. Mr. Siegert enters the locker room, only to tell his players that there will be a 30-minute rain delay. Lightning strikes keep coming and the 30-minute delay keeps resetting. 

Roughly 7:00 pm - The Football Game - The rain and lightning stop, and the football game can begin. The Chieftains and the Panthers finally get to play. With all the rain, the nice grass field quickly turns to a field of mud within a few plays. The game turns into an old-fashioned brawl. Senior quarterback Ben Udelhofen said that the field conditions, “Really limited our game. Trying to throw the ball was like trying to nail jelly to a tree.”  Senior running back Ryan Kruser carries the ball a season-high 31 times for 165 yards. The Chieftains shut the Panthers out and win 16-0. 

10:30 pm - The Homecoming Dance - Due to the football game being delayed, the dance is also pushed back. Even with the delay, the Potosi High School student body is still able to have a good time. Homecoming King Trevor Pluemer said, “It was an awesome way to spend my Friday night, and all the dancing is a great way to stay in shape.”

12:30 am - Then the highschooler heads home, while thinking back on four years of homecomings. He thinks about all the houses he TP-ed over the years. He thinks about all the football games and all the dances. But most importantly he remembers all the memories with his friends. Then he smiles and crawls into bed.

ACT Insights from PHS Staff

By Justice Udelhofen

The ACT is mandated testing that covers four academic skill areas; English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning, used for college admissions in the United States. In Potosi, you take the ACT as a junior and, boy oh boy, is it stressful; at least it was for me. Some of the staff here at Potosi has explained how the ACT is approached in staff meetings, how they implement  ACT standards into their teaching, what the district goals are, how to meet those goals, and what the results have been.

Mrs. Foote is the new District Assessment Coordinator (DAC), taking on new roles this year, as our previous DAC Mrs. Hutchcroft returns to teaching full time, “which is something I love and want to do, so it somehow fell into my lap.” 

Mrs. Foote shared her opinion that teachers, “should be addressing [ACT standards] in how they assess their curriculum.” She explained that teachers have been looking closely at ACT standards during their inservice times, but she said, “It shouldn’t even be in inservices, it should be always!” Essentially Foote says that though the topic must be talked about during inservices, the teachers should always be assessing students through the tests they take, the way they learn, and so on.

Mrs. Hutchcroft talked about the changes she has made, personally, to her curriculum. Even though she is not a core subject, “I can do the reading, writing, and those activities, and strengthen.” She is all about, “what can I do to help our kids be better, and how can I be better?” The way that teachers are presenting their materials in class is aligned with the Common Core Standards, “which in theory are aligned with ACT standards,” said Mrs. Foote, to emphasize her point that every day, in everything a student does, teachers should be paying attention and adjusting their curriculum to better prepare the students for the upcoming ACT or the next level, such as college, or whatever lies next for the students.

The ACT standards, “definitely affect what I teach, but they probably affect how I teach more,” Mrs. Hucthcroft stated. For the most part, teachers must hit and teach certain concepts, but the way in which they deliver their content can make a huge difference to students. “I’m taking the ACT standards and looking at which ones I’m currently covering, and then I look at which ones are hit a lot on the test and how they mesh up, so I can make adjustments,” Mrs. Hucthcroft explained. Making adjustments in the classroom is a huge part of helping students be successful when it comes to taking big exams, such as the ACT. 

The school’s goal for the ACT is to have every junior to be at or above the state cut level the score that distinguishes between passing and failing. “Wisconsin tends to do very well on the ACT, so our state cut scores are always a little higher than the national cut scores,” Mrs. Foote states before sharing the results with me. The results for the testing class of 2018-2019 are as follows: 27 students were tested, and 52% of those met the college benchmarks for readiness in English. 52% of the people in the state also met this benchmark, so we were even with the state. For math, 33% of our students met the benchmark, and in the state, 31% met the benchmark. In reading, 37% of our students met the benchmark, and in the state, 38% met the benchmark. In science, 41% of our students met the benchmark and only 33% in the state met the benchmark. In our school, 22% of students met all of the benchmarks and in the state only 21% met all the benchmarks. “So if you just look at that figure, we’re doing okay,” said Mrs. Foote.  

Mrs. Foote claims, “Apparently Potosi’s high school kids need to read more! But couldn’t everybody stand to read more? It’s becoming a trend among everybody; we don’t read enough.” Reading benefits students in all areas of the ACT, so Mrs. Foote recommends reading more as a simple way to continue to improve scores.