Amber Whiting

Pulaski paper

The community of Pulaski has some amazing opportunities to offer. When I got married
and moved to Lena we began to become familiar with the city and school district of Pulaski.
While I was student teaching I had heard teachers and family members talking about this area
with admiration. What makes this school district so great? The school, community, and student
body are all made up of caring individuals. The positive attitude fosters more positive attitudes.
The lack of negativity leads to a general happiness and pride. I have found that when students are
proud of their school and the school is proud of the students, great things can happen. The
relationship between the school and the community is one that could be used as an example for
other districts. I am not familiar with the history of Pulaski but the leaders of the school and
community must have been strong. It takes strong, positive, and caring leadership to develop a
district like this. I will discuss some of the great resources the community has for my students.
The resource that I am most excited about is Pulaski Area Community Education
(PACE). The director is Dan Heck. This is one of best ideas that I ever seen. The PACE program
was set up in the 1930s. It is similar to a parent teacher organization but on a grand scale. This
program provides summer school activities, swimming lessons, health and fitness classes, and
recreational activities for students. The community is involved with classes for senior citizens.
They can volunteer at the school and in return they can get property tax relief, brilliant! I could
not imagine a better way to make community members happy than to give them a tax break. This
benefits the school in that you have seniors working with children and they have a lot to offer.
The children might be happy to see grandparents or neighbors at school. When the students feel
that others value education they will put a high value on education. The PACE program offers
classes for anyone in the community such as dog obedience classes, dance classes, sewing, food
preservation, etc. The program gives students lists of tutors or other places to go for help.
The PACE program also sets up fun activities for the students. The program sets up
tailgate parties for the students and families before football games. These activities and ones that
are similar bring the community and school close together. It can benefit all students and their
families but can be especially meaningful for people who may not get to experience these
activities outside of the school setting. I think that it would be most important for students from
low socio-economic status. The PACE program provides trips throughout the state to different
venues. The website has a picture of a Milwaukee Brewer game. They provide holiday parties
and gatherings. These things could be invaluable to my students who may not have the means or
ways to experience this at home.
This outreach program is such an outstanding program because it has something for
everyone. It provides services and activities for the oldest senior to the youngest infant. There are
very few types of programs that can encompass the whole community. I think that a lot of other
schools have opportunities for athletes but the PACE program gives opportunities to everyone. It
is so great to get seniors involved in the school community. Senior citizens offer a different

perspective and life experiences that cannot be duplicated. There is a reciprocal benefit for the
senior also. There has been research that people who stay busy will keep mental capability
longer. Being active as one ages is great for their health.

The next two organizations provide help and a variety of services to the city of Pulaski.
The Pulaski United Foundation and Tri-City Optimists are philanthropic organizations.
These are non-profit organizations that provide things that make the community nice. Most of
them are centered on the basis of doing good or bringing people together. The Pulaski United
Foundation would do activities such as pancake breakfasts, brat fries, and other social gatherings.
Many times this organization would be the one to organize benefits for families in need after a
crisis or tragedy. The community pulls together for people who may have had a fire or if one of
the family members has become very ill. It is one of the best parts about the school and
community relationship. I would anticipate that this organization may help needy families during
the holidays. At my husbands school the school makes gift boxes and does fundraiser for
families that need help at Christmas. Pulaskis version of this would be done by the Pulaski
United Foundation. They may sponsor hearing screening, vision screening, or other health
related programs. If I ever have a student who needs a pair of glasses I will contact this
organization. I would also anticipate them working with the school to provide a after school
snack program or something similar.
The Tri-County Optimists would provide different programs most of which would be
community based. The website mentions car shows, craft shows, Easter Egg hunts etc. These
activities bring the community together and give people something entertaining to do. These
provide great opportunities for students to be social settings and to learn how to interact with
others. This type of group would allow the school to set up fundraisers at their events or may
donate money from the events directly toward the school. I know that the last few years the
Pulaski High School marching band has performed at major parades. One year they went to the
Rose Bowl Parade and another they went to the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. This takes a
lot of funding and this organization would be able to help with financing. They provide
scholarships (quote) which means money goes directly to students. I would contact the TriCounty Optimists if I wanted to take my class on field trip or if I needed money to develop an
incentive program. The Tri-County Optimists provide funding for T-Ball and various other
sports. I firmly believe that sports benefit all students. Sports teach students cooperation,
teamwork, and maintain a strong work ethic. The benefit may be tri-fold for special needs
students. Sports provide an outlet for pent up energy and gives them socialization in a different
setting. Many students who struggle in school often build self-confidence in sports. They can
find their own niche with their peers and sports can really help them.
The Pulaski Community Library is also a great resource the offer many exciting activities
for Families. They have a jigsaw puzzle exchange, ladies night out, and classes to help you with
computer skills. I think that this is a great resource for families because many people need help
with computer skills and if you take a class with the library it is one on one and free. The great

thing about the library is that so many of the services they offer are free. It is a great time to
spend with your family by looking at all the great programs the library has to offer.
The Pulaski Community School District is located in Pulaski, WI and includes 7 schools
that serve 3,835 students in grades PK through 12. The Pulaski Community School District
spends $9,868 per pupil in current expenditures. The district spends 60% on instruction, 36% on
support services, and 5% on other elementary and secondary expenditures. The Pulaski
Community School District has 15 students for every full-time equivalent teacher, with the WI
state average being 15 students per full-time equivalent teacher. The Pulaski Community School
District had a grades 9-12 dropout rate of 1% in 2009. The national grades 9-12 dropout rate in
2007 was 4.4%. In the Pulaski Community School District, 13% of students have an
IEP (Individualized Education Program). An IEP is a written plan for students eligible for
special needs services. The Pulaski Community School District serves 1% English Language
Learners (ELL). ELL students are in the process of acquiring and learning English Language
skills.
The Pulaski Community School District is really a wonderful place to work and I feel
very lucky to have an opportunity to be part of all of the wonderful things they do. The district
has a reputation of being one that truly is involved with the community, as well as, the
community being involved with the school. This helps foster good communication and
participation from parents as well as the community. This creates a foundation for academics and
involvement from the students which then increases student learning and successes.

Works Cited
pulaski.k12.wi.us. (n.d.). Pulaski Community Schools. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from
http://www.pulaski.k12.wi.us/