Family Newsletter | January 2015
In This Issue:
Vieau School first graders learn about the technology behind computers from students at Harry and Lynde Bradley Technology High School.
MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DRIVER

Dear MPS Parents and Families:

 

The New Year is always a time of promise and hope.  With this in mind, it is time to start thinking about where your children will continue on their educational path in Milwaukee Public Schools. Whatever school you select from the wide variety of choices offered by Milwaukee Public Schools, we commit to providing your child with the necessary tools to assure future educational success.

 

There are many reasons why families choose MPS for their children's education.  We provide our students with numerous opportunities to explore their interests including our engineering, robotics and biomedical sciences initiative Project Lead The Way, the award-winning language immersion and Montessori schools, International Baccalaureate courses, the arts, aquaponics and much more!

 

A great opportunity to learn about the district's offerings is the All-School Enrollment Fair that will take place on January 31.  It is being held at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, 2300 West Highland Avenue from 9 a.m. to noon.  During this event, you can find out more about the many programs unique to MPS and select those that best meet the educational needs of your child.  Staff from each school will be present, so this is your chance to talk with our teachers and principals to get additional details on what each site has to offer.

 

There's another reason to attend the All-School Enrollment Fair.  Attendees can complete and submit their applications prior to the official start of the Three-Choice enrollment period, which this year is February 2 through February 20.  As you know, families can enroll their children in MPS schools at anytime, but the greatest number of options is available during the Three-Choice enrollment period.

 

We continue to work diligently to improve student achievement, build positive relationships between youth and adults and cultivate leadership at all levels. I hope to see you at the All-School Enrollment Fair on January 31, but if you cannot make it, remember the Three-Choice enrollment period runs from February 2 through February 20.   

 

Thank you for your continued support of your children and MPS.   

 

Best,

 

Darienne B. Driver, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools
2014-15 MPS 
School Calendars
Great things are happening at MPS!
'Bring Your Parent to School Day' gets 
families engaged at Samuel Clemens School
Melissa Johnson helps her son, Kiyun Robinson, a 3rd grader at Samuel Clemens School, with a reading assignment.

To get more parents into school buildings, why not just invite them over?  That's what Toni Dinkins, principal at Samuel Clemens School, did recently when her school organized Bring Your Parents to School Day.

 

"We know we need to have better positive relations with our parents and we recognize when the school and parents work together as a team, it creates a framework for support to help kids succeed," Dinkins said.  Samuel Clemens is a K4-5 school in the Innovation Region.

 

Dinkins said about 100 parents registered for the event.  During the day, parents were shown around the building and observed classrooms while interacting with their children and teachers in class.

 

Among the parents who attended was Melissa Johnson, whose son Kiyun Robinson is a third grader at Clemens.  Johnson supports parents having active roles in their children's education and helped direct parents around Clemens during the event.

 

Johnson has been a Milwaukee Public Schools volunteer since her son started kindergarten.  She is now in her fifth year volunteering for MPS.

 

"I think it's important to help kids learn and it motivates them to do well knowing that their parents are involved," Johnson said.   She said a child's learning experience isn't limited to the classroom so parents should be engaged and ready to help their children succeed. 

 

"It just brings me joy to volunteer knowing that I added and helped in my son's education and knowing I can help other kids while I'm here," Johnson said. 
Reagan high school students qualify
for regional National History Day competition 

Nearly 60 Ronald Wilson Reagan College Preparatory High School students will take part in the regional National History Day competition in March, a record for the school in the competition. 

 

National History Day projects aligned with the 2015 theme, "Leadership and Legacy in History."  Students could select topics from any geographic area or time period.  Nearly 350 Reagan students completed projects. 

Reagan students take part in a National History Day competition.

Projects selected for the regional competition include topics covering aviator Amelia Earhart, inventor Nikola Tesla, artist Frida Kahlo, soccer player Pel� and nurse Clara Barton.

 

Students worked on their projects throughout the fall semester.  They had time in class to practice researching and to write their bibliographies.  The projects themselves, however, were assigned as homework.

 

The top five student projects in each category advanced to the regional National History Day competition, which will be held at UW-Milwaukee on March 1.  Read more.  
Two teachers receive national board certification
Sarah Walczak teaches at Rufus King International High School.

Two Milwaukee Public School teachers were named National Board Certified Teachers 

by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

 

Riverside University High School teacher Al Vey and Rufus King International High

School teacher Sarah Walczak both received National Board Certification in Social Studies - History/Adolescence and Young Adulthood. 

National Board Certification is among the most respected professional credentials available in education and provides numerous benefits to teachers, students and schools.  MPS now has 42 National Board Certified Teachers. 

Al Vey teaches at Riverside University High School.

 

Earning the designation consists of four components: written assessment of content knowledge, reflection on student work samples, video and analysis of teaching practice, and documented impact and accomplishments as a teaching professional.  Read more. 
Theater workshop engages Community High School students in reading, performing arts

The performing arts are helping to boost reading proficiency for students at Community High School.

Actor Justin Brill speaks to Community High School students.

A partnership with Milwaukee Repertory Theater brings actors into the school from shows at the theater to facility learning activities.  Justin Brill, a Broadway actor, who was seen in the production "Harvey," recently visited with students at William Harvill's language arts class.

 

The program aligns with curriculum by helping students become proficient in the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.  Students learn how to provide objective summaries of texts, analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text and analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work.  Read more. 
Students introduced to computer coding
Students from Harry and Lynde Bradley Technology High School show first graders at Vieau School the technology behind computers.

Even in today's technology age, it still can be helpful for younger students to get an introduction to computers from older peers.

 

Vieau School first graders were shown the basics of computer technology by students from Harry and Lynde Bradley Technology and Trade High School as part of the 'Hour of Code' initiative, designed to show the mechanics of how computers work.

 

Students took part in computer science tutorials and followed live as well as recorded web chats with prominent technology professionals including Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey.

 

Bradley Tech offers an array of computer science and digital media classes as part of its career pathways of information technology and computer digital media.  Students have the option of committing to the Bradley iTech Academy, which offers four classes matched to coursework at Milwaukee Area Technical College, allowing students to work toward obtaining 12 college credits while in high school for free.  Read more. 
MPS ramps up recycling in schools 

Milwaukee Public Schools has taken a proactive approach to reduce waste.  The district launched a program, in partnership with US Foods, Waste Management, The Carton Council and 

The MPS carton recycling program will help reduce the amount of trash sent to landfills by 158 tons every year.
Mount Mary University, to recycle milk cartons.  Estimates show the program will reduce the amount of trash sent to landfills by 158 tons annually, enough to save 2,688 trees each year.

The district uses about 10.5 million cartons annually.  The program will conserve natural resources, reduce waste and save the district money.   Read more. 
IMPORTANT DATES:

Traditional calendar

February 2: No student attendance - Teacher PD

February 16: Schools closed - Mid-semester break


 

Year-round calendar

February 2: No student attendance - Teacher PD

February 16: Schools closed - Mid-semester break 

 

Rufus King/Ronald Reagan calendar

February 2: No student attendance - Teacher PD

February 16: Schools closed - Mid-semester break