Dear MMSD Families,

This week, we congratulate our juniors (Class of 2023!) on taking the ACT. This is a huge milestone for our scholars as they work to achieve their greatest hopes and dreams. Meanwhile, our excellent MMSD administrators, teachers, and staff continue to uplift Goal One of our Strategic Framework (every child is on track to graduate ready for college, career, and community).

We witness the pursuit of equity and excellence in every classroom activity, and co-curricular or athletic aim. Throughout our learning spaces, both of these noble objectives are in the forefront. Therefore, our school staff work to provide students and families with the necessary well-being and social-emotional supports. As such, I would like to recognize our School Social Workers for their incredible and impactful efforts in service to our community, especially as we celebrate National School Social Work Week.

As we lean forward to address our challenges and take advantage of innovation and opportunities, we must take the time to reflect on the awesome potential of our great community. We produce incredible scholars, talented artists, impactful activists, resourceful entrepreneurs, and responsible citizens. The Madison community is indeed a special place!

Sincerely,

Carlton D. Jenkins, Ph.D.

Superintendent

Memorial Senior Awarded Bucks, Johnson Controls HBCU Scholarship

The entire Milwaukee Bucks arena burst into cheers when 17-year-old Antonio Thomas appeared on the jumbotron during halftime, waving courtside as announcers shared he was awarded the Bucks and Johnson Controls HBCU Scholarship. Thomas, a senior at Memorial High School, celebrated the honor alongside his little brother, and Black Student Union (BSU) peers at the NBA team’s inaugural HBCU Night on Feb. 28.

Thomas was one of two students selected state-wide to receive the renewable $4,000 scholarship, which will go toward tuition or room and board at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), in honor of his excellence throughout high school. The scholarship also provides recipients with mentors, and internship opportunities throughout college with Johnson Controls and the Milwaukee Bucks. 

“I was really surprised to be honest, I don’t know why but I didn’t think it would be me,” Thomas said. “I definitely feel more confident going into the next year. It’s a first step in the right direction that’s really going to help me out.”

While he weighs which HBCU to attend, Thomas knows he wants to study mechanical or civil engineering. At Memorial, he is a part of the football and track teams; BSU; Black Leaders in Plain Sight; National Honor Society; and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), a college readiness system in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County.

Read the Full Story Here

Middle School Scholars Compete in 'Battle of the Books' 

Middle school scholars across MMSD participated in 'Battle of the Books' this week, a reading competition that quizzes elementary, middle, and high school students on literary elements from a list of pre-selected books.

“The middle school librarians in MMSD collaborate to create a list of books for each grade that represents a cross-section of literature, including science fiction, nonfiction, historical fiction, and cross-cultural representation,” said Todd Hillmer, Toki Middle School Library Media Technology Specialist (LMTS).

For months, teams of two to four students read and studied each book, retaining information about plot, character, theme, setting, and more. School-wide Battles began late February, determining their school grade-level champions who then moved onto the district-wide Battle of the Books this week.

For the first time, MMSD held competitions over Zoom, where teams competed to answer 30 questions about the books, with 45 seconds to write the answer on a whiteboard. Each school’s LMTS tracks their team’s points, awarding five points for naming the correct title, and an additional three if they also name the author, Hillmer said. On Thursday, a team from Cherokee Heights Middle School finished in first place, with the Toki Middle School seventh grade team finishing second. The winning teams receive a traveling trophy for their school, and the top two teams per grade also receive a medal for each member of their team.

MSCR Summer Programs

Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR) is excited to release the Summer 2022 Program Guide. The Guide is filled with a variety of activities for all ages, such as arts and enrichment, boating, camps, fitness, paddling, sports, adapted recreation, swimming, and tennis.

Registration begins Monday, March 14, at 8 a.m. for Madison Metropolitan School District residents and Monday, March 28 at 8 a.m. for non-residents. Families can find the Camps Booklet in the center of the guide. Choose from a variety of camp options including Kids Kamp, Camp Tall Oaks, Creative You, Middle School on the Move, Soccer, and many more! Camps serve children age 3 through grade 9. Fee assistance is available. A Spanish version of the guide is available at mscr.org.

Please visit mscr.org or call 204-3000 for more information.

Coming Soon: MMSD Summer Arts Academy

MMSD K-12 students can access and gain exposure to a wide, vibrant range of out-of-the-ordinary arts experiences this summer! Community Arts groups, Teaching Artists, and MMSD staff are joining in this unique opportunity to create and lead Arts experiences for our students. This isn’t a standalone program - our goal is to encourage and build kids’ continued engagement and enrollment in the arts into the coming school year.

Opportunities in Music, Theatre, Dance, and Visual Art are in the works, with committed involvement from Overture Center for the Arts, Black Star Drumline, Madison Children’s Museum, and others. We will also have exciting options in active development with other arts organizations, as well as individual teachers and teaching artists from around the city, and far and wide!

Running in partnership with MMSD Summer Semester and MSCR’s offerings, MMSD’s Summer Arts Academy programming is geared toward self-expression, self-identity, and growing students' interests in arts experiences. The Academy will offer unique, inspiring learning opportunities, and provide improved access by ensuring all of our programming and transportation is free of charge for registered students.

More details are coming soon, and registration will be available for families as early as April 4, 2022. You don’t want to miss out!

Important Upcoming Calendar Reminders

• March 18: No School, Student and Staff Wellness Day
• March 25: End of 3rd Quarter
• March 28 - April 1: No School – Spring Break
• April 4: School Resumes, 4th Quarter begins
• April 8: Elementary School – Mid-day Release for Conference Planning, check this link for individual school release times
• April 12: Aspire Testing Grades 9 and 10 Only – No School for grades 11 and 12
• April 14: Elementary School – Mid-day Release for Conferences, check this link for individual school release times

2021-22 School Year Calendar

To the women and girls in the U.S. and across the globe: Thank you for your courage and using your voice. We celebrate and recognize women's achievements and contributions for a more equitable and inclusive world.

#InternationalWomensDay

School social workers, thank you for providing students, families, and schools with mental health, academic, and classroom support. You help make our school communities better and stronger with the important work you do. #NationalSchoolSocialWorkWeek

March is Youth Arts Month (YAM). YAM is a celebration of the visual arts, and encourages support for quality school art programs, as well as promotes art material safety. #YAM

Are You Interested in Becoming a School Nurse Assistant?

This free course is a great way for parents and community members to support our schools! It is designed to prepare the learner to assist the school nurse and/or the program support nurse in the integration of MMSD’s Vision of School Health Services into the running and maintaining of a School Health Office.

For More Information, Click Here

FREE ACT Preparation Course, March 21 - May 4

Registration Ends Today!

MMSD is excited to offer a FREE online ACT preparatory class for students in grades 9-12. The ACT is a standardized test commonly used in the college admissions process. This initiative stretches beyond the ACT test, as we know many of our students have experienced learning loss over the last year and a half due to challenges related to COVID-19. Additionally, the prep course allows students to learn test-taking strategies, and can help improve overall study skills.

Through this course, students will learn how to maximize test performance, extend vocabulary, increase comprehension of difficult passages, and learn how to write a position/support essay. Research has shown preparation and practice can significantly enhance how well scholars do on the actual test.

Register today for this free, online class!

Tech Savvy Conference for Students and their Parents

At UW-Whitewater, Saturday, April 30, 2022 | 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Tech Savvy 2022 is a one-day conference tailored for girls in grades 6-9 and their parent(s), designed to inspire and encourage them in STEM fields. Registration is also open to interested boys. The students who attend Tech Savvy will experience exciting hands-on activities led by professional women in STEM fields. Review this flyer for more information

For parents, there will be a program for adults to learn more about working in the STEM fields, encouraging their children in STEM, and helping them to prepare for college or technical school.



Limited to the first 125 students and 125 parents/mentors; 250 max.

News From Around the District 

In case you missed it, there were some great things happening in Madison Schools this week, with many being shared by local news partners. For a good read, click on these links and check them out!

• Lincoln Elementary School third-graders make piñatas for the premiere of “Calabasas Street”
• Alicia Pelton on Encouraging Female Athletes

Share the Amazing Stories Happening in MMSD!

Is there a teacher or staff member engaging students with innovative lessons? Do you know of a student who is making a difference or was recently recognized? Are athletics teams, co-curriculars or arts programs demonstrating excellence? Let us know — share your story here.