The Gazette offers a nine-month series about local education in the 21st century. Gazette reporter Frank Schultz will spend time in Amanda Werner's fifth-grade classroom at Janesville's Adams Elementary School throughout the school year and write about the challenges and changes of a modern classroom.
Students from needy families place burden on schools
By FRANK SCHULTZ - Sunday, April 28, 2013
JANESVILLE --
Janesville School District statistics show a huge increase in families that qualify for federal meal programs, nearly half districtwide, about 52 percent at Adams.
Janesville educators seek to stamp out bullying behavior early
By FRANK SCHULTZ - Sunday, March 31, 2013
JANESVILLE --
The Janesville School District is working with students to help them recognize the control bullying behavior.
Digital technology changing education, classrooms
By FRANK SCHULTZ - Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013
JANESVILLE --
Like Ms. Frizzle from "The Magic School Bus" series, Amanda Werner wants her students to get involved in learning.
Catching the good-behavior bug seen as key to school success
By FRANK SCHULTZ - Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013
A discussion in Amanda Werner's class got out of control last month. Children began chattering excitedly. Werner could have shouted. Instead, she lowered her voice.
Diversity takes no holiday in school
By FRANK SCHULTZ - Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012
JANESVILLE --
In Janesville, as in most of America, diversity has grown in recent decades.
Fall is time to get ready for state standardized exams
By FRANK SCHULTZ - Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012
JANESVILLE --
Teacher Amanda Werner’s fifth graders were among the students across the state in grades 3-8 and 10 who took the WKCE tests this fall.
Trouble with learning: Students with disabilities require extra help
By FRANK SCHULTZ - Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012
JANESVILLE --
Savannah Bennett's family sits down with her each school night to help her do her homework. If Savannah doesn't keep on top of things, she falls behind, said her father, Chuck Bennett.
Teacher: Expectations higher on today's kids
By FRANK SCHULTZ - Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012
JANESVILLE --
Michael Smrekar has seen the academic bar set higher and higher during his 15 years of teaching fifth grade at Roosevelt Elementary School.
Class is a microcosm of education's evolution
By FRANK SCHULTZ - Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012
JANESVILLE --
An old weather vane decorating Adams Elementary School features an iron boy and iron girl happily running, being pulled by an iron dog on a leash. Some things about kids haven't changed much since the vane was placed atop the school in 1939.
Teacher faces new year, tough demands
By FRANK SCHULTZ - Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012
The Gazette today begins a yearlong series of articles on teacher Amanda Werner's class at Adams Elementary School and how the school is doing its job.
