Dear MMSD Families,

As we’ve seen previously this school year, situations which are occurring off-campus, outside of school and in the community, are being brought into our buildings and hallways. You may already be aware of this - yesterday there was a safety incident at La Follette High School. Our schools and community need to be safe for our scholars, and this matter is something our district takes seriously. 

School staff respond to situations like this quickly and safely. Our Standard Response Protocol, incorporated in the 2019-2020 school year, details what happens in different emergency situations. Staff are trained in scenarios and students receive age-appropriate instruction; drills also occur throughout the school year.

We realize there is a high degree of trauma that affects us after situations like the one yesterday. I encourage you to have strong conversations with your children (the National Association of School Psychologists has a great resource available for parents). Please make sure they are OK, and feel safe in our community. Support staff are available to have these conversations with students at their schools.

While incidents which have occured in our district and surrounding area should be taken seriously, the vast majority of our students continue to make good choices. The articles shared below highlight just a few of the amazing things happening at MMSD. Please enjoy the extended weekend, and we look forward to seeing our scholars on Tuesday, December 7.

Sincerely,

Carlton D. Jenkins, Ph.D.

Superintendent

Madison Metropolitan School District

MMSD Superintendent, Dr. Carlton D. Jenkins, addresses yesterday's incident with the Madison community in this video message.

Tips for Safe Holiday Celebrations

• Get vaccinated. Children and adults ages five and up should get a COVID-19 vaccine. Some groups of people are eligible for a booster shot. Visit your health department website for more info, or talk with your healthcare provider.
• Wear a mask. Wear a cloth or surgical face mask over your mouth and nose when grocery shopping or in other public indoor settings, or when serving food.
• Wash your hands before eating or serving food.
• Communicate in advance with guests about your COVID-19 ground rules and the precautions you're taking. Cancel plans if you are sick, and stay away from others.
• Safe travels. If possible, delay travel unless you are fully vaccinated. If you are traveling with unvaccinated family members, such as children who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated, take additional precautions. Avoid crowds, wear a mask, and get tested before and after your trip.

High School Opportunities: 8th Grade Virtual Family Night

High School is just around the corner for 8th graders, and they have many exciting decisions to make as they prepare for their high school experience. All 8th grade families and students are invited to join us on Wednesday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom to hear about several exciting ways your student can personalize their learning experience, hosted by the MMSD Department of Secondary Programs.

The following high school opportunities will be highlighted: Health Services Pathway Information, Technology and Communications Pathway, AVID, Dual Language Immersion (DLI), Capital High, Shabazz High. The event flyer (English Flyer - Spanish Flyer) has more information. Interpretation and closed captioning will be available during the webinar.

Current or Future High School Students - Design your Educational Experience with Personalized Pathways

In high school, you can attend classes traditionally or apply to a Personalized Pathway. In a Personalized Pathway, you’ll learn in a close-knit community, set academic goals, explore college and career options, and tackle challenging classes, all around a broad theme that’s connected to the world around you.

Attend an Information Session

The pathways application for current 8th grade students is now open. If you would like more information about Personalized Pathways, please register to attend a virtual information session.

Early College STEM Academy Application Now Open, 10th Graders Encouraged to Apply!

The Early College STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Academy is a partnership between MMSD and Madison College. As part of this dual enrollment program, students have access to college courses in STEM fields; coursework includes options for transfer to a four-year college or university. The Academy is designed to expand access to college STEM courses, and to increase opportunities for students to earn college credit in high school at no cost to them or their families.

Current 10th grade students are encouraged to apply, with a special emphasis on those who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM and STEM-related fields, including students who identify as female and students of color. The online application window is now open until January 28, 2022. If you or your student would like to learn more about this opportunity, please register for one of our online information sessions listed below. Registering will give you access to a login for the event. 

• Thursday 12/9/2021, 6 – 7pm, Online, Zoom Link
• Tuesday 1/11/2022, 6 – 7pm, Online, Zoom Link

New Year Celebration Lets Students Share Traditions in State's Only Hmong Bilingual Program

Students in Wisconsin's only Hmong bilingual program celebrated their culture and a chance to educate others at Lake View Elementary School.

The school put on a Hmong New Year celebration, which was a chance for the bilingual students to wear their colorful traditional dress — some with coins dangling from strands of beads done by hand. The school designed a way for all students to feel a part of the celebration through an arts and crafts activity where they could make money belts and money bags — an essential part of a traditional Hmong outfit — out of paper and wear those.

“It makes me feel happy,” third-grader Estella Thao said about wearing her traditional Hmong clothing. She said she was excited about the celebration and particularly liked doing the traditional ball-tossing game during the festivities.

Fourth-grader Russell Yang said he liked wearing his traditional vest and also was excited when he learned the school would be celebrating the New Year. He also enjoyed the ball tossing.

“We have worked diligently to ensure that our identity as a Hmong bilingual school is understood, shared, and celebrated among our school community,” Principal Nkaujnou Vang-Vue said.

Read the Full Article

The American Academy of Pediatrics Advises the Safest Home for a Child is One Without Guns

Did you know roughly a third of U.S. households with children also have guns? In fact, an estimated 4.6 million kids live with unlocked, loaded guns. Studies show children are naturally curious, even about a firearm they've been warned not to touch. The reality is having firearms in the home increases the risk of unintentional shootings, suicide, and homicide. 

Read more about the risks of having guns in homes and communities. 

MMSD Advanced Learning Advisory Committee Meeting

Thursday, December 9 • 6 to 8 p.m. - pre-register for the Virtual Event here

We are excited to continue partnering with our MMSD families and community to discover more about Advanced Learning opportunities. Join us virtually on Thursday, December 9 to hear from presenter Tammie Steward (Northwestern University's Talent Development programs) on scholarship opportunities. Dr. Donna Ford will assist with discussions and conversations surrounding Talent Development programming. 

We hope you can join us online for this amazing night of learning and planning. This flyer explains the agenda for the evening and parents and community members are welcome to both sessions.

Successful YouTuber Grew Videography Passion at Memorial High School

Memorial High School alum Beatrice Naujalyte, a successful YouTuber, blogger, podcaster, and author, devotes her work to sharing personal development and productivity tips. The multifaceted creator runs the popular YouTube channel The Bliss Bean, which currently has more than 261,000 subscribers.

Naujalyte grew her passion for videography during high school video and photo classes taught by Memorial Art Department Chair Joe Frontier, and as the editor of the Sword and Shield student newspaper.

“Her success is attributed to her hard work and dedication, but also to her willingness to put herself out there,” Frontier said. “Even if she screwed up, to take that risk is brave and rewarding at the same time.”

In a 2019 YouTube video, Naujalyte surprised her former teachers from Memorial and Spring Harbor Middle School, thanking them for their support.

“There are a lot of teachers who invested their time and energy into helping me be the best I can be,” Naujalyte said in the video.

Read the Full Cap Times Article

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!

• MMSD Nurse an everyday hero
• A four legged MMSD staff member is making a difference with high school students 
• Madison West students tackle climate change
• Capital High partners with UW-Madison to offer college credit course
• Volunteers bring good energy to East High School
• MMSD COVID cases fall to a semester low 

Help Protect Your Child, Your Family, and Others

The CDC recommends everyone ages five and older to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccine can help protect children ages five years and older from getting COVID-19.

• Vaccinated MSMD students do not need to quarantine if they are considered a close contact.
• Vaccinating children can help protect family members, including siblings who are not eligible for vaccination and family members who may be at increased risk of getting very sick if they are infected.
• Vaccination can also help keep children from getting seriously sick even if they do get COVID-19.
• Vaccinating children ages five years and older can help keep them in school and help them safely participate in sports, playdates, and other group activities.

Help protect your family and slow the spread of COVID-19 in your community by getting yourself and your children (ages five years and older) vaccinated against COVID-19.

REMINDER - MMSD COVID Testing Clinics

COVID Clinics are scheduled to start approximately 30 minutes before students start and 30 minutes after schools end.  

School / Hours MMSD COVID Clinic Open

• Memorial / Jefferson 7:30-5:00
• Black Hawk/Gompers 7:00 - 4:30
• Hawthorne 7:45-3:00
• La Follette / Sennett 7:30-5:00
• Lindbergh 8:30-4:30
• Lowell 7:00-3:00 (This clinic is currently indoors. If you are not a member of the Lowell community, please select an alternative site.)
• Toki / Orchard Ridge 8:00-4:00
• Whitehorse / Schenk 7:00-3:45
• Thoreau 7:45-3:45
• West 7:30-5:00

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.