Our mission is to engage all of our students in rigorous and relevant learning to maximize their unique talents and abilities, and to prepare them for the challenges of the future.
September 2017
Come cheer on the Goslings at Homecoming Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. as they take on the Stoughton Vikings!
Dear Parents, Families, Students, Friends and Neighbors,

Welcome back to another exciting school year! All of our schools have enjoyed welcoming all of our students back to another great year of learning together. It has been a great week seeing our halls fill again with students eager to engage in their learning.

We have many causes for celebration over the summer including another terrific year of summer school and Camp Invention. The WUSD was a recipient of more than $120,000 in grants from the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation, including a grant for over $90,000 to transform how our students will engage in play at recess. 

Over this past school year, the WUSD received numerous state and national recognitions including:

  • Designation as a "Best Community for Music" by the NAMM Foundation.
  • A Silver Medal award to Watertown High School as one of the Best High Schools in Wisconsin and the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report
  • State recognition for Lebanon and Schurz Elementary Schools as Title 1 Schools of Recognition. 
  • For the first time ever, all of our elementary schools were recognized by the state in the past year as schools that either exceeded or significantly exceeded expectations. 

The WUSD is truly a place for educational excellence and opportunity for all of our students and families.

The WUSD is excited to be opening our doors this year to Lincoln STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) School. The WUSD will be transitioning Lincoln to a full STEM school over the next two years. This program will be similar to our project-based learning opportunities available through the RMS Academy and Endeavor High School at the secondary level. We are so excited to be able to offer our students and families this tremendous opportunity.

The upcoming school year promises to be another great one for our students and families as we continue to work toward our District priorities – enhancing teaching and learning for every child, every day; developing people and partnerships; and innovation. I look forward to seeing you at our many events and celebrations throughout the school year.


Sincerely,
Cassandra Schug
Superintendent of Schools
Upcoming Events
  • Sept. 24-29: Homecoming Week
  • Sept 29: Homecoming Game, 7 p.m., Goslings vs. Stoughton - in new Badger Conference
  • Sept. 30: Homecoming Dance, 8 to 11:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 11: PSAT Testing - optional for Juniors
  • Oct. 12-24: Parent-Teacher Conferences - days/times vary by school
  • Oct. 19-24: Webster Elementary Book Fair
  • Oct. 21: Lite Nite Hike - proceeds benefit WHS Music
  • Oct. 26-27: NO SCHOOL
  • Nov. 10-12: WHS Fall Musical
  • Nov. 22-24: NO SCHOOL

See WUSD calendars to find school events and 2017-18 district annual calendar
Enhancing Teaching and Learning for Every Child - Every Day
New Health Care School-to-Work Program Launched
Watertown Joins Project SEARCH

Seven WHS students with special needs began a work experience program Sept. 5 at Watertown Regional Medical Center through a school-to-work program known as Project SEARCH. This program allows students the opportunity to train and obtain employment at the hospital leading to a productive adult life.
 
Project SEARCH is a collaborative effort among many agencies. The program exists in 45 states and eight countries with a total of 435 programs. The Watertown School District provides the instructor, the Watertown Regional Medical Center supplies the on-site classroom and internships, and Bethesda Lutheran Communities provides the skills trainer. Trainers and instructors provide on-the-job training and support for each individual. We welcome instructor Abby Bamba and skills trainer Cody Kriewald and look forward to our first year of success!
 
We are proud to be able to offer this opportunity to our Watertown High School students and additional students from surrounding communities.
Discovery Academy Gets a New Location and Name
Discovery Academy (formerly the Alternative Learning Center or ALC) opened its doors Sept. 5 at a new location at MATC's Watertown Regional Campus, 1300 W. Main St. WUSD has been serving high school students needing alternative paths to graduation since 2003, and we are excited to house this program at a new location that can provide future opportunities for our students.

Programs offered at Discovery Academy include the Competency Based Program and the GEDO Option 2 Program. Each program meets the unique needs of students through personalized learning experiences that prepare them for life after high school. We are fortunate that our MATC campus was interested in working with us, and we will continue to work collaboratively to provide the best educational experience for our students. Students who enroll in the Competency Based Program or the GEDO Option 2 Program earn a high school diploma through the Watertown Unified School District.

Visit the Discover Academy web page for more information!
Innovation
NEW: Lincoln Elementary Adds STEM Program
Watertown Unified School District is reshaping curriculum at Lincoln Elementary School to prepare students to thrive in a global society by equipping them with important skills in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). STEM education is active and focuses on a student-centered environment that builds on young learners' curiosity about the world around them.

Our efforts in Watertown are designed to spark a lifelong interest in learning that can translate into increased performance in all subjects and build confidence in our students for the world beyond the classroom. This approach allows students the opportunity to become independent, self-monitoring learners, develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and understand the importance of striving for quality and excellence.

Lincoln Elementary STEM Will Strive to…

  • Cultivate each child’s potential

  • Develop confident, independent, self-motivated thinkers

  • Create an innovative learning environment that is engaging and challenging

  • Provide the opportunities and benefits of a multi-age setting

  • Foster positive relationships among children, teachers, parents and the larger community

Visit www.lincolnstem.org for more information!
New Playworks Grant Promotes Recess Play, Healthy Relationships
WUSD is excited to announce we received Playworks TeamUp!, a Changemaker Grant, from the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation. Students and staff at Douglas, Lincoln, Schurz and Webster Elementary Schools will be supporting active recess and social-emotional health as part of this grant.  Playworks is a national organization working with schools across the country to provide safe, fun, inclusive play for all students.  

The four elementary schools will work closely with our Site Coordinator, Coach Courtney, to actively supervise recess, promoting engagement in physical activity and positive interactions with peers. Students also will learn strategies for conflict resolution that they can carry with them for life. Students will have multiple opportunities for leadership, including the Junior Coach program. Junior Coaches at each site will receive training in leadership and problem-solving during after school sessions with Coach Courtney, and will lead active recess for younger students throughout the year.

The full staff at each building will be involved in decision-making and ongoing job-embedded professional development throughout the school year to build our capacity to facilitate active recess and further develop positive learning environments for all students.

Although we are at the very beginning of our journey with Playworks, we are already noticing great enthusiasm from our students and staff as we learn new games and strategies for actively engaging all students and staff in recess. We look forward to gathering data over the course of the year and sharing the positive impact on the learning environment and overall school climate across the district. Our future goslings are ready to play and ready to learn here in the WUSD! 
Developing People and Partnerships
Distinguished Alumni Award: Joseph E. Wimmer
1952 Grad served as Judge, Prosecutor and State Official

Judge Joseph E. Wimmer is our 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. He will be honored during WHS Homecoming Week Sept. 24-29.

Joe Wimmer was born and raised in Watertown. He attended Webster Elementary School and graduated from Watertown High School in 1952. He attended Badger Boys State where he was elected mayor of his city.
 
Joe served in the U.S. Army f rom 1954 to 1956. In 1959 he graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B.B.A. degree and a major in accounting. In 1961 he received his Juris Doctor degree from UW Madison.

His distinguished law career included service as a Waukesha County Assistant District Attorney, Assistant City Attorney for the City of Muskego, Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge and President of the State of Wisconsin Reserve Judges Association.
Joe also served the public through many endeavors including: International Director of International Director of Lions Clubs International; President of the Waukesha County Junior Bar Association; Senior Warden of his church; President of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Parent Association and State Representative in the State of Wisconsin Assembly. He also has served on numerous programs and committees and has been the keynote speaker at conventions in many states and several provinces of Canada. Joe has received many awards throughout his career.
 
Joe and his wife Sue live in Waukesha and have four married children and ten grandchildren.
Welcome to Our New Staff!
Welcome to our new WHS and District-wide Teachers!
New WHS and District-wide Teachers
Front Row Left to Right: Brian Gerike, Rebecca Stauffacher, Mary Barr, Lianne Davis, Larry Kempen. Back Row Left to Right: Megan Jakubiak, Abby Bamba, Cathie Schoenike, Angel Slawinski, Nicole Stangler, Kimberly Wiechmann, Danielle McDonald and Catherine O’Connor. Missing: Kerry Neimon

Welcome to our new RMS Teachers!
Front Row Left to Right: Jessica Moore, Cory Hamilton, Tori Price, Jennifer Tyjeski and Laurie Anderson. Back Row Left to Right: Mary Pat Boschert, Lauren Rutter, Marie Severing, Teri Yarbrough and Mary Barr

Welcome to our new Elementary Teachers!
Front Row Left to Right: Katy Mihalko, Elizabeth Gerike, Leires Ansel, Lauren Kell and Jenna Wendt. Back Row Left to Right: Marla Diestelmann, Caitlyn Schroeder, Jennifer Templin, Brandon Laabs, Jennifer Walter, Linda Wallace Allyssa Rotolo and Kristin Burke.
Support Staff Spotlight
Tricia Rickert

Share a little background about yourself.
I am the administrative assistant to the Directors of Teaching and Learning, a position I have held for the past year. I have been married to my husband, Corey, for almost 24 years. We have two children; Collin, a junior at UW-Green Bay, and Nathan, a freshman at Marian University.
 
What do you love most about your work at WUSD?
I enjoy working in the district office. The people are very supportive and fun to be around. I have always worked in a role where I have helped others and enjoy being a part of a team that does a lo t of great work for students.
 
Share a favorite school success story.
While I w as a secretary in a previous school district, I had a student who was having an allergic reaction and needed to have an injection with an Epi Pen. I was able to calmly give it to him and he turned out fine. It felt good helping out a child in need.
 
Share some facts about yourself.
I enjoy reading, hiking and traveling around the country. 
 
When your colleagues talk about you, what do you hope they would say?
I would hope that my colleagues would say that I am a hard worker who will do anything to get the job accomplished well. I like to think that I am a team player and someone who people enjoy coming to.
 
Any piece of advice?
Always be kind to others because one day they may be a friend you need to depend on.
Administrator Spotlight
Brittany Altendorf

Share a little background about yourself.
I am new to the district and started in August as the Director of Business Services. I have an undergraduate degree in Finance from UW-Milwaukee and a master’s degree in School Business Management from UW-Whitewater. I currently live in Richfield where I built a beautiful home four years ago for myself and my daughter, McKenna. McKenna is in first grade at Amy Belle Elementary in Germantown.  She recently celebrated her 7 th  birthday.
 
What do you love most about your work at WUSD?
I chose this profession because my father was a business manager in schools for almost 30 years and I grew up hanging out with him on weekends playing basketball in the school gym while he did some work. My passion is accounting, but I am not the type of person who can sit at a desk all day. Working within a school district allows me to visit schools, attend sporting events and read to students, while still allowing me to serve the schools with my background in accounting.
 
When your colleagues talk about you, what do you hope they would say?
When my colleagues think of me I would hope they say that I am a team player. It is important to get and give feedback to be successful. I am willing to listen and work with everyone to make the right decisions for the kids in our district. 
School Board Spotlight
Fran Milburn

Share a little background about yourself.
I was born in Wauwatosa, graduated from Wauwatosa East and attended Kalamazoo College in Michigan. When I decided on a career in teaching, I transferred to UW-Madison to complete my BS in education, including student teaching in England. Later I graduated from UI-Champaign/Urbana with a Masters in Ed Administration.

I taught middle school most of my career with stints in Hartland, WI; Mahomet, IL; Navajo Reservation in AZ; and over 20 years in Watertown at RMS. I retired in 2010. 

I am married to Lee Buescher, a former Watertown teacher, and have three sons - Richard (engineer), Nick (finance lawyer) and Joseph (Director of Sales for Keyence Corp). I have two granddaughters and one due in late September.

One of my most interesting ventures in retirement has been writing children’s serials for newspaper use. I have just completed my fifth. They have been published in about 35 newspapers around the country and are often used in schools. I do school visits.

If you could meet anyone, who would it be and why?
If I could meet anyone, I’d like to meet Martin Luther King. I admire his passion for equal rights and his ability to lead people in passive resistance which I think would be very challenging.

What is your favorite book?
My favorite children’s book is Charlotte’s Web. The idea of a pig and spider friendship was unforgettable as a child, and I see the message still relevant in my life today.

Why did you run for School Board?
I ran for School Board because I have walked in all shoes as a parent, community member and teacher and could understand all positions. Our current Board faces serious challenges, especially the shortage of state funding. We also are seeing a much greater rate of staff turnover in the last 10 years. In the years ahead, we need to keep pace with all the new educational tools available to keep up with changing society and still maintain our attentiveness to each and every child in our district.

I can easily see WUSD on the cover of TIME magazine demonstrating small town America at its finest while applying “cutting edge” practices. 
Watertown Unified School District | 920-262-1460 |  www.watertown.k12.wi.us