- Northwoods Community Secondary School
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Northwoods Community Secondary School 
"We're Building A Better World One Student At a Time"Address 511 S. Pelham Street
Rhinelander, Wisconsin, Oneida, 54501
United StatesInformation School type Public, Charter Opened 2003 Founder James Blackstone School district Rhinelander School District Superintendent Rodger Erdahl Administrator Terri Phalin Chief custodian Russ Loka Grades 6-12 Language English Hours in school day 7 Mascot Hodag Website http://www.rhinelander.k12.wi.us/ncss/index.cfm Northwoods Community Secondary School (NCSS) is an American charter school in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Founded in 2003, the school offers a project-based curriculum.[1][2]
In 2010, the Rhinelander School District had proposed that Northwoods Community Secondary School along with Rhinelander Environmental Stewardship Academy (RESA) be moved to Central Elementary or Rhinelander High School to meet budget cuts. That referendum passed, and NCSS is still open.[3] However, in 2011 RESA was moved to NCSS because enrollment had significantly decreased and the head teacher had resigned.
Contents
Curriculum
Northwoods Community Secondary School offers public enrollment to approximately 90 students from 6th to 12th grade. The curriculum is independent project-based learning, as an alternative to lecture-based instruction. Students are required to develop their own projects in order to meet the academic requirements of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The students work at their own pace to complete their work. Math and language arts seminars are held twice weekly. Students receive credits based on performance rather than grades.[4] Students are require to earn seven credits per year (700 hours of work, plus 25 hours of community service and 50 hours of physical education).
Extracurricular activities
Extracurricular activities for NCSS students include skating, basketball, softball, and soccer. Additionally, students may participate in any activity offered to the Rhinelander School District.
Student council
NCSS's student council members organize parties, project showcase nights, and help create rules and policies for the school. The council also oversees disciplinary action through the 'Red Slip' documentation of consequences for misbehavior and requires a misbehaving student to apologize and correct any wrong-doing.
Community service
Each NCSS Student is required to perform 25 hours of community service per school year.[5] Community service projects have included:
- Grace Lodge: “Adopt a Grand Parent”
- Operation Clean Up, or "OCU", where students rake and snow shovel for the neighboring houses
- Working at the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry
- Working at St. Joe's Thrift Shop
- Mural painting
- Senior Center: Helping the elderly
- Contributing to the Rhinelander animal shelter
- Department of Natural Resources: Cleaning the river front
- City Hall: Archive organizing
- Poetry contest for Carlson’s Funeral Home
- Rhinelander Historical House Tours during the Courthouse Centennial Celebration
- Community garden
- Veterans Day program
- Senior (citizen) Prom with the Kids In Need Foundation
- Tree Haven: “A Tree for Tomorrow”
Recognition
Cellular One contributed $5,000 for Operation Clean Up; Public Service: $1,000; Wal-Mart contributed $1,000. Adviser Darlene Machten won $1,000 from Office Max in the 2008-2009 School year. James Jarvis won the Best Teacher from Wal-Mart in the second semester of the same year.NCSS has been recognized as a model school through the Edvisions Foundation. Kristin Larsen was given Teacher of the Month award, by the then 100.1 WRHN radio station in 2009. NCSS was recognized in 2008 as class of the week by WAOW Newsline 9.
Gallery
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North Side of school
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Gymnasium
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References
- ^ Giles Morris "Northwoods Community Secondary School Gets National Attention", Wisconsin Charter Schools Association, 12 May 2009
- ^ "Northwoods Community Secondary School Home", School District of Rhinelander, retrieved 04=02-2010
- ^ Sarah Juon, "Board delves deeper into cuts", Rhinelander Daily News, 09 December 2009
- ^ Northwoods Community Secondary School Performance Rubric, Social Studies Connections, K-12 Energy Education Program, retrieved 04-02-2010
- ^ Natalie Sparacio & Jeannie Prescott, "Class of the Week Winner 9/26/08: Northwoods Community Secondary School", WAOW news, September 26, 2008
Categories:- Schools in Wisconsin
- Education in Oneida County, Wisconsin
- Charter schools in Wisconsin
- High schools in Wisconsin
- Buildings and structures in Oneida County, Wisconsin
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