Thank you to all parents, guardians, students, staff members and community members who rose to Dr. Means' challenge and told us why you're #TosaProud! We were overwhelmed by the number of submissions, and we've included many of them in this newsletter. If you do not see your submission, please check next month's newsletter, which will be sent on May 1, 2023.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Please note that students in grades 9-12 will be required to attend classes on Monday, April 10, 2023.

April 7 - No Classes (JK-12); Schools and District Office Closed
April 10 - No Classes (JK-8); School Board Meeting (6 p.m.)

May 3 - Bike to School Day
May 6 - All City String Festival at American Family Field
May 6 - EFW's Black and White Gala
May 8 - School Board Meeting (6 p.m.)
May 22 - School Board Meeting (6 p.m.)
May 26 - No Classes (JK-8); Asynchronous Learning (9-12)
May 29 - No Classes (JK-12); Schools and District Office Closed
DIVISION DISH
Learn more about the activities that have taken place over the past month, and discover what each District division will be addressing in the upcoming months.
Academic Performance
March was a busy month for the Division of Academic Performance, as the following reports were presented to the Board of Education and the community:

  • Student growth and achievement; CIA (curriculum, instruction and assessment) Audit Response Plan
  • Grading and Reporting Audit 
  • Gifted and Talented Audit Response Plan
  • K-12 Science Audit
  • 6-12 Technology Education/Project Lead The Way Audit

The Division is now working to articulate next steps related to these reports.

Members of the Division of Academic Performance also worked to support building principals, participate in interviews for Montessori, Madison, McKinley and East principalships, and collaborate with high school principals to identify solutions for delivering the required number of instructional minutes.

Related to classroom instruction, the Director of Instruction continues to conduct learning walks with building principals and coaches, with a focus on aligning learning targets and success criteria. Instructional coaches also engaged in learning walks with curriculum coordinators to calibrate observations and feedback related to Math and ELA.

A variety of activities have taken place related to curriculum review and audit response. First, members of the Division of Academic Performance are working closely with the High School ELA review team to learn, plan, and evaluate resources to develop the future state of ELA within our high schools - particularly grades 9 and 10. The work that is established in these grades will become the center of the universal curriculum for all. Then, the team will begin to review electives and AP courses for revisions and/or the need for additional courses. 

Science educators reviewed the Science Audit and began to build consensus around the future state of 6-12 science education. The Division of Academic Performance will bring these educators together again in April to deepen the group's understanding of the Next Generation Science Standards/Wisconsin Science Standards.

The elementary math and ELA curriculum coordinators are developing curriculum for their content areas and aspire to have that in place by the beginning of the 2024-25 school year. 

The team also continues to work on the development of common assessments in Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra II. Further, they have conducted a meeting with all math teachers in grades 6-8 to provide learning and support around the PACE cycle

It should also be noted that the Division of Academic Performance has modified the curriculum review cycle to ensure that STEM programming will be reviewed beginning in 2023-24.

New opportunities for students are actively being explored. The Division of Academic Performance team has begun to meet with teachers to develop concurrent learning opportunities so students can earn both college and high school credit simultaneously. Progress has begun with Computer Science at West and Spanish at both East and West. The team is on track to implement these opportunities for the 2024-25 school year.

Additionally, student requests for the Start College Now and Early College Credit Program will be presented to the Board via the consent agenda in April. Also, the Division of Academic Performance will bring forward a request to offer Calculus III (contracted with MATC) to both East and West for the fall of 2023-24. This is the first time the class will be offered at both high schools. In the past, it was only offered at East, and any West student who wished to participate was required to travel to East.

The Division of Academic Performance staff met with World Language teachers about providing students an opportunity to earn a seal of biliteracy.

The Director of Curriculum and Director of Student Success have also begun to create an SEL curriculum development process for our middle schools.

Leaders within the Division of Academic Performance also continue to collaborate with the summer school principal in identifying and refining course offerings for summer school 2023.

ACT testing was conducted on March 8, and it went extremely well, with few students missing the testing date. The Data team is working to ensure that pre-ACT and Forward testing is conducted as seamlessly as possible.

The Division of Academic Performance is finalizing an additional reporting tool that will be used to identify areas of success and areas of improvement at each school. In the coming weeks, each principal will meet with the Director of Data Quality + Analytics to review their building's data within this reporting tool.

The Data Team continues to clean up data systems and provide clarity and training to those individuals who input data. The Division of Academic Performance met with the Division of Human Resources to discuss consistent training and practices for all office staff. The team also partnered with the Division of Pupil + Family Supports to ensure their team can monitor and review data regularly.

Also in collaboration with the Division of Pupil + Family Supports, the Division of Academic Performance has begun outlining a comprehensive plan related to professional learning for the 2023-24 school year.

In March, Associate Principals attended training related to two important topics: school safety and complex discipline. Training related to micro-slicing was also provided. Instructional coaches also provided training for educators related to PACE, curriculum review processes, Forward testing, running records, and JK-1 Foundational Skills, among other topics.

And finally, in collaboration with the Division of Pupil + Family Supports, the Division of Academic Performance continues to identify and explore alternative programming options for students.

During the month of April, the Division of Academic Performance will work to finalize professional learning needs and plans for summer and the next school year, revise summer school courses, develop courses for high school English, continue to exercise “Thought Partner” visits every 2-3 weeks, continue to develop the Instructional Framework to bring coherence to expected instructional practices throughout the District, continue developing alternative programming options in partnership with the Division of Pupil + Family Supports, engage in Project Management training through WCTC, continue to meet with EDIS to determine its ability to build our student portfolio system, attend the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching conference at the end of the month to learn about additional ways in which to improve the science of continuous improvement in the Wauwatosa School District.
Human Resources
The Division of Human Resources continues to work on the 2023-24 Staffing Plan and Report.

The team also completed interviews for the Wauwatosa Montessori principalship and presented the recommended candidate to the Board of Education in March.

The HR team hosted listening sessions with staff members and families to prepare for interviews related to the Madison Elementary, McKinley Elementary and Wauwatosa East High School principalships. Initial interviews were conducted and final interviews have been scheduled for Madison and McKinley.

Of the three interview teams involved in the Wauwatosa East interview process, one team did not feel confident that the candidates held the requisite skills to address the unique opportunities ahead of the next principal. To that end, the District honored the voice of the stakeholders and immediately reopened the application process. The District will make the following changes for this second approach: (1) advertise the vacancy with a regional search firm, (2) conduct a job fair for interested candidates, and (3) offer a bonus of $3,500 to any candidate who applies and is eventually offered and approved by the Board of Education for the position. It is expected that interviews for the Wauwatosa East principal will resume during the week of April 24.

Chief of Talent, Sarah Zelazoski, attended the National Summit on Educator Shortage hosted by the American Association of School Personnel Administrators. Mrs. Zelazoski continued to conduct "building hours," which involves scheduling a work day at each school in order to be accessible to staff members and visit classrooms. Also in March, Mrs. Zelazoski held teacher and support staff meet-and-confer sessions to learn more about the experiences of employees.

The Division of Human Resources submitted a budget request for additional items for the 2023-24 school year, including tuition investment for non-certified District employees to secure teacher certification and paid field experience and an employment bonus for student teachers.

Mrs. Zelazoski presented recommendations for teacher salary adjustments and teacher/support staff bonus payments for the 2022-23 school year to the Board of Education.

Less than a year after nearly tripling the annual financial allocation for teacher salaries, the Division of Human Resources is already pursuing another significant investment in compensation for employees in the Administrative Assistant, Custodial and Maintenance and Educational Assistant classifications. To that end, Mrs. Zelazoski also presented a recommendation for a new wage schedule for these positions for the upcoming school year.

Since this new compensation structure was recommended for our support staff, the Division of HR has received a number of requests to address compensation for the District's Select employee group. This is the most diverse group of employees in terms of positions and employment terms, encompassing hourly and salaried staff members across every division including Finance and Operations, Technology, Communications, Human Resources, and more. Just as the Division of HR met with teachers and support staff groups, Mrs. Zelazoski plans to meet with Select employees to gain a better understanding of their experiences with compensation, review comparables and bring forward recommendations to the Board of Education. It is anticipated that these meetings will begin after spring break, with a future BOE recommendation to follow.

The Division of HR is working with the Division of Academic Performance and elementary principals to expand co-planning time for grade level teachers for the upcoming school year and communicate that information to staff.

The Division also held the Health + Wellness Committee meeting, where Brown & Brown (benefits consultant) presented an overview of WSD's employee benefits.
In partnership with the Division of Finance + Operations, potential benefits enhancements have been identified for the 2023-24 school year. The Health and Wellness Committee will provide insights into priorities for future consideration.

The Wauwatosa School District will be hosting the CESA 1 Recruitment Fair on April 12 from 5-8 p.m. at Wauwatosa West High School, and the HR team will be putting significant time toward the coordination of that event.

In the coming month, the Division of HR will also prioritize the following:

  • Interviews and recommendations for elementary principal vacancies
  • Re-addressing the Wauwatosa East principal vacancy
  • Finalizing the 2023-24 staffing plan
  • Launching the 2023 employee engagement survey
  • Reviewing and revising WSD's Hiring Guide
  • Reviewing and revising WSD's Employee Handbook
Operations + Finance
The Finance + Resources Committee met in March to review budget planning scenarios, including the Wauwatosa School Board legislative platform scenario, the Governor’s budget proposal scenario, and 50% funding of the WSD platform. A placeholder has been created for the Joint Finance Committee scenario as soon as it is released. The Committee will meet again in mid-April to review budget projections and scenarios with varying revenue assumptions.

The Facilities team is securing final bids for the 2023-24 facility maintenance projects that were approved by the Board in November 2022. The bid results will be brought to the Board in April via the consent agenda. All projects are on track from a budget and timeline/logistics perspective, and are projected to be completed this summer.

Many members of the Business Office attended the annual Accounting Conference in Green Bay last month to learn about required changes to how DPI receives and processes financial data from school districts. This is the first time that most staff members have attended the conference.

April and May are the prime legislative advocacy months. The Division of Operations + Finance has worked in partnership with the Communications Department to finalize resources related to legislative advocacy. A full resource library can be found here. Members of the community are encouraged to view these materials and consider advocating for their position on April 5 at the Joint Finance Committee listening session at the Waukesha Expo Center. If you plan to testify on April 5, please note that registration begins at 6 a.m. and the hearing goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Chief of Finance + Operations, Mr. Keith Brightman, plans to meet with local legislators and attend Joint Finance Committee hearings as members start to discuss public education funding (likely in mid-May). The priority for this advocacy is: reasonable and adequate funding and 2023-25 budget planning aligned to the WSD legislative platform.  

An additional area of focus for the Division of Operations + Finance this month will be continuing internal budget planning processes and delivering updates to the Finance & Resources Committee.
Pupil + Family Supports
This month, the Division of Pupil + Family Supports solidified three programs to assist in increasing a sense of belonging among students of color. Be Inspired Works will work in three of our secondary schools to assist young men of color in becoming attuned with emotional learning skills, effective communication, self expression, healthy ways of dealing with conflict and more. My Sista’s Keeper will work with students at West to provide similar programming. And finally, Agape Yogastry will provide programming for both Longfellow and Whitman. This mentoring workshop will examine the fundamental concepts and techniques of yoga while also providing students with strategies and coping mechanisms that will prepare them to work through physical, mental and emotional challenges. 

The DEIA committee continues to develop the WSD Equity Framework, which will serve as a resource for students, staff, and families. The committee is working to ensure that this document is a valuable resource that will be utilized to assist all stakeholders as they seek guidance around DEIA work in the District. Proposals for DEIA advocate training are currently being reviewed. Training for the advocates will begin in August of 2023 and continue through the 2023-24 school year. Unfortunately, the two DEIA advocates that were assigned to the high schools resigned from their roles. We are working to replace these individuals as soon as possible.

The School Culture and Student Success Committee continued to develop its framework, and advisory work continues at each secondary school in broad themes including school culture, social-emotional learning lessons, grade-level specific needs, and academic and career planning. The Committee will brainstorm ways to recognize students, but is not yet positioned to review this, given the need to first articulate a framework.

Care Solace provided a utilization report that indicates since the mid-December kick-off there have been 149 “Warm Hand-offs” from school staff to Care Solace, 14 family-initiated cases, 61 total appointments into care, and 94 anonymous searches from individuals seeking care on their own without a Care Solace representative. We are pleased to see that our families and staff have found this resource to be valuable.

An Attendance Committee has been developed, consisting of Student Services staff. The Committee is working to develop recommendations to improve the attendance process. Administrative Assistants have been trained in running attendance reports in Infinite Campus, and the team will be working with administrators regarding attendance processes in the coming months.

There has been a significant amount of activity in the area of Special Education in March. The Director of Special Education met with the Core Special Education Advisory Committee to develop a mission and group name, which will be shared with the full committee for feedback. This team will be responsible for connecting families through a mentoring and support structure, as well as developing professional learning opportunities for families and staff. A community engagement session related to stages of development was held, and future planning meetings were held with high school special education department chairs and building administration. At this meeting, PACE structures and inclusive practices were discussed and planned. The Director of Special Education also worked to develop the 504 move-in process, which was shared with case managers, as well as the annual 504 process. The rate of special education referrals impacts the ability of the special education coordinator to be accessible for proactive skill development. Although this is common for all schools, working to manage the workload of these teams is a challenge.

The Pupil + Family Supports team worked with other divisions to develop staffing structures for the 2023-24 school year. These conversations included discussion related to allocation of speech pathologists, occupational therapists and specially-designed physical education teachers. Currently, there are 28 candidates for the psychologist positions for the 2023-24 school year, and initial interviews were held in mid-March.

The External Safety Committee was convened for the first time at a meeting facilitated by Chief of Pupil + Family Supports, Mr. Luke Pinion and School Safety Coordinator, Mrs. Laura Geisler. The Committee includes six external stakeholders who are invested in improving safety measures within the District. At this meeting, the Committee began drafting its mission. The Committee will meet monthly to prioritize and act upon the various safety items discussed by this group.

This month, the Division of Pupil + Family Supports will focus on meeting with student leaders from secondary affinity groups to seek their input on increasing a sense of belonging for the marginalized student groups, reviewing proposals and identifying the most appropriate organization to provide training, working with the School Culture and Student Success Committee, communicating about Care Solace supports, defining role clarity among the Student Services staff, seeking mentoring services for secondary schools, preparing to select a middle school SEL curriculum, expanding the Attendance Committee to include additional stakeholder perspective, finalizing 2023-2024 staffing needs with other divisions, sharing the Core Special Education Advisory Committee mission and name options with the full team, continuing to develop the 504 initial evaluation process for health care-related 504s, communicating the shift in 4K service delivery, hiring for open positions for the 2023-2024 school year, continuing to plan for the next External Safety Committee and ensuring there is a process for prioritization of the many desires and intentions of the group.
PHOTOS OF THE MONTH
Mrs. Sarah Zelazoski, Chief of Talent, and Dr. Demond Means, Superintendent, helped out in the office at Eisenhower Elementary School, giving the Administrative Assistants a much-needed break - and a good laugh!
McKinley Elementary School fourth graders attended the Wauwatosa West High School performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. The students thoroughly enjoyed their VIP experience as they got to meet characters from the show and even took pictures with Cinderella and the Prince! Pictured below is fourth grade teacher Mrs. Osman, who taught Faye Muma (Cinderella) and Milo Hagopian-Smith (Prince) when they were in elementary school!
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Travis Burns
Wauwatosa West High School
We asked for good news, and our community did not disappoint! One of the submissions we received was about Wauwatosa West scholar, athlete and musician, Travis Burns.

Travis is a committed student. This winter, Travis attended the State Latin Convention for the first time. There, he placed 4th in Greek vocabulary and derivatives among all Latin III students in the state of Wisconsin.

Travis is also a dedicated athlete and teammate. The starting center on West's varsity football team (and member of the varsity football leadership team) works out seven days a week, and recently set a new personal record of squatting 405 pounds. After learning that his football coach likes to see his athletes involved in multiple sports, Travis signed up for track to throw shot put and discus. And, with less than one week of track practice under his belt, Travis placed 6th in shot put at the Brown Deer High School meet.

Travis is an accomplished musician. He was selected for High School State Honors Orchestra in 2022 and 2023. Travis also had two pieces in this year's Solo and Ensemble, and he received a first rating on his Class A solo. He missed going to state by just one point on the solo!

According to Travis' mother, "Most of his success has been made possible within the context of educational opportunities offered by the Wauwatosa School District."

Thank you, Travis, for serving as a positive role model and inspiration to us all!

If you would like to see your child featured in an upcoming newsletter, please email your child's name, accomplishments and a photo to Sarah Ellis, communications director, at ellissa@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Ms. Rachel Kumferman, school social worker at McKinley Elementary School, was honored as a Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Teacher Fellow and will be awarded $6,000. Kumferman is one of 100 teachers to receive the recognition this year for inspiring students and fostering a love of learning, motivating others in the school community and demonstrating leadership and service both inside and outside the classroom. 
And Washington Elementary School Principal Mr. Joe Russell was selected to receive the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Principal Leadership Award. Mr. Russell was chosen for this $6,000 grant for setting high standards for instruction, achievement and character, and creating a climate to best serve students, families, staff, and community. As a result of this award, Washington Elementary School will also receive a $6,000 grant. 
DISTRICT NEWS
Celebrate School Library Month in April
Libraries play an important role in our lives, and they have long been considered the main center of children’s learning and development. School Library Month was created by the American Association of School Librarians (A.A.S.L.) and was first held on April 1, 1985. We also celebrate National Library Week from April 23-29. This is a time to celebrate our libraries and library workers and to promote library use and support. We are incredibly thankful for the work of our library staff to enrich our students' lives with books and encourage a love of reading and exploring!

Please join us in thanking our schools' library staff including: Beth Brodzeller, Jenice Carolan, Stephanie Cobb, Derek De Vinney, Tracy Eccles, Gail Salentine, Lisa Kern, Jane Klaeser, Emily Merkt, Katherine Mullenbach, Sarrah Oliver, Claire Pankratz, Lynda Peterson and Tracy Smith.
Celebrate Administrative Professionals Week
Administrative Professionals Week is celebrated from April 22-28, and Administrative Professionals Day is celebrated on April 26. Dedicated to recognizing and applauding the brilliant work of administrative personnel, these celebrations honor the work of our administrative assistants in our schools and at our District office.

Please join us in thanking: Melissa Adams, Heather Apel, Tiffany Bianchi, Andrea Brain, Laticia Campbell, Sue Flatley, Cassandra Foreen, Amy Hawley, Debbie Hoppe, Jeanne Jarecki, Diana Kozickowski, Joanne Kraetz, Sara Looker, Karen Manning, Jamie Martinez, Beverly McWilliams, Angela Mitchell, Janice Morgan, Charlene Murphy, Mary Neumann, Anna Palazzolo, Jennifer Pionek, Kelli Powell, Kimberly Purcell, Dawn Purpura, Angela Radaj, Alli Rice, Gabrielle Schram, Keegan Schrems, Lisa Schrems, Tina Shaffer, Natasha Stadler, AshLey Theres, Charlotte Vandoornik and Shari Weinstock.
Summer School 2023 Class Catalog + Registration
The class catalog for Summer School 2023 is now available! Registration for Summer School K-8 Enrichment classes will open on Monday, April 3 at 7 a.m. Please use the Infinite Campus parent portal to register for classes. If you are not currently enrolled in the Wauwatosa School District but you currently live in Wauwatosa, you must re-enroll through the parent portal in Infinite Campus before registering for classes. 

Registration is limited for many summer school classes. Though we attempt to honor all requests, we are not always able to do so. When classes and sections are at capacity, we run a wait list. In the event you are placed on a wait list, a summer school representative will communicate the availability of other classes. Registration submissions are time-stamped to determine the order of registration.   

Summer school will run two sessions: 

  • Session I: June 20 - July 7
  • Session II: July 10 - July 27

Classes are held Monday through Thursday from 8 to 11:55 a.m. Please note there are no classes on Monday, July 3 and Tuesday, July 4.  

We have three new offerings this summer:

Minecraft Math (grades 3-6)
3-D Design (grades 5-7)
Everything's a Mystery... until you solve it! (grades 3-7)

These classes will be offered in a three-week session and will rotate between our East and West campuses.  

Questions or concerns can be directed to Stephen Oliver (Summer School Coordinator) at 414-773-3201; oliverst@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us (Monday - Friday 8 to 11:30 a.m.) or Colleen McDonald (Summer School Administrative Assistant) at 414-773-3029; mcdonaco@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us (Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.). 
Wauwatosa Education Foundation Brings Bowling Back to PE; Grants $73,000 to School District Educators
Bowling is back! Thanks to a grant awarded this week by the Wauwatosa Education Foundation (EFW), every student in the Wauwatosa School District's 11 elementary schools will have a three-week bowling unit in gym class next year. Funding $7,800 of bowling equipment is one of nine grant amounts awarded for a total 2023 package of just over $73,000.

Focusing on student growth opportunities, the EFW also approved grants for communication technology for students with disabilities and sensory materials to help students physically and mentally regulate.

According to her proposal titled Fitness, Learning and Inclusion through Bowling, District physical therapist Tanya Jahr will use her grant money for bowling sets that will rotate throughout the elementary schools. Bowling is a lifetime sport that offers educational, health and social emotional benefits, she wrote. Her request cited several benefits, including that bowling meets the five standards for physical education.

In total, the EFW approved funding for nine projects that will be implemented next school year.

The first EFW grants were awarded in 1992 and have been given every year since. Despite two years of lagged fundraising, the 2023 total is a typical amount. The EFW awarded $72,000 to educators a year ago and $66,000 in 2020. All past grant info and grant process documents can be found here.
Coaching for Success in the Division of Academic Performance
The Wauwatosa School District is incredibly fortunate to have instructional coaches across our schools who help us provide students with an exceptional student experience and foster our core values. Coaches serve as professional learning resources to assist our teachers with instructional practices. So far this school year, 181 teachers have engaged in a coaching cycle with an Instructional Coach. Feedback from these teachers illustrates the positive impact that coaches have on teachers’ practice, student growth, and understanding and use of data to inform instruction.

In a recent survey of the teachers who have engaged in a coaching cycle, 77% of educators believe they have grown in their practice as a result of working with their instructional coach. Seventy one percent have seen evidence of student growth as a result of working with their instructional coach, and 77% of educators have improved their understanding and use of data as a result of working with an instructional coach.
It's Elementary! Everything You Need to Know About School Finance
On Monday, March 13, 2023, the Wauwatosa School District Board of Education approved its Legislative Advocacy Committee’s updated Legislative Priorities, which are aligned with Governor Evers’ biennium budget for 2023-2025. The priorities include requests for a predictable and sustainable funding model; established state funding for school safety and security; increased funding for high-need/high-cost students; an investment in future teachers; and a request for local control and accountability. 

In an effort to increase the community’s understanding of the complexities of school finance, the Wauwatosa School District has created a library of materials including videos, one-pagers and talking points. 

Division of Pupil + Family Supports Works to Expand Social-Emotional Learning
Members of the Student Services Teams at Longfellow and Whitman began working to expand a social-emotional learning curriculum into our middle schools. Director of Curriculum Mrs. Jessica Ebert facilitated this initial meeting. Mrs. Ebert used essential questions and student data to begin identifying the social-emotional competencies that must be prioritized when selecting an evidence-based curriculum. 

Pictured are Amber Ringstad, Mental Health Specialist; Kelly Corroy, School Psychologist; Michelle Marcou, School Counselor (Longfellow); and Mia Tatum-Crider, Mental Health Specialist (Whitman).
Wauwatosa East Theatre Presents Rock of Ages
This April, the Wauwatosa East Theatre presents Rock of Ages, the popular jukebox musical built around classic rock songs of the 1980s. The performance will take place April 14-22, 2023 and community members can purchase tickets later this month at www.tosaeasttheatre.org.
SRO Tracy Burbach Retires, Honored at School Board Meeting
At a March School Board meeting, Officer Tracy Burbach was honored for her years of service as an SRO in the Wauwatosa School District, primarily serving Longfellow Middle School. Officer Tracy has been a key figure in the District during her tenure, working to build relationships with families and staff members and support students throughout their educational journey. 
Next Steps Program Seeking Partner Job Sites
The Wauwatosa School District’s Next Steps program is looking for job sites including fast casual restaurants, nursing homes, fitness centers, etc. for young adults (18-21 years old) to grow and learn on-the-job skills in an actual workplace environment. If you are interested in speaking with someone about this, please contact Chris Jackson, Peggy Weiler or Tia Huppertz

Inclusion Resource Fair Scheduled for April 19
The Wauwatosa PTA Council is proud to present Integrated Abilities: Resource + Learning Night on April 19. This event will allow people of all abilities to learn more about the organizations in our community that serve people with disabilities and participate in fun breakout activities.

NAMI Basics Program Supports Caregivers of Children with Emotional, Behavioral Difficulties
If you care for a child who is experiencing mental health, emotional or behavioral difficulties, please consider attending the National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI) Basics Program. This free, six-session program beginning on April 13 is taught by a trained team with lived experience raising a child with a mental health condition. For registration and questions, please contact Adrianne Busch at abusch@namisoutheastwi.org or (414) 326-3461. 

All City String Festival Expands, Relocates to American Family Field
The Wauwatosa School District Orchestra Department will host its annual All City String Festival on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 2 p.m. at American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers. The event, previously held at venues such as Wisconsin Lutheran College and Brookfield East Field House, has relocated to the large Major League Baseball venue in Milwaukee due to its exponential growth in popularity and participation. 

The All City String Festival is seeking sponsorship commitments from organizations that can help offset the cost of the facility rental, audio/visual equipment, merchandise, and ticketing. Your sponsorship will allow us to offer this unique event to our students and their families at no additional cost. Sponsors will be recognized throughout the event and its promotion, and will have their company logo printed on event materials and apparel given to student musicians. Companies interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact Christopher Kuranz at Christopher.Kuranz@halo.com

Individuals who wish to support this one-of-a-kind musical event via a financial donation should visit Hometown Ticketing and select “Donation.” Community members interested in attending the event can visit Hometown Ticketing to purchase general admission tickets for $10 each, beginning on April 4, 2023 at 9 a.m. 

The Ability Center Hosts Public Meetings Related to Universal Park
​​The Ability Center is working to transform Wisconsin Avenue Park into America’s first universally inclusive park. More than just an accessible playground, Universal Park will be an all-inclusive park where everyBODY will be empowered to be fit, active and healthy, throughout the entirety of its 18 acres. Adults and children are welcome to attend upcoming public meetings on April 12 and April 17 to provide their feedback. In-person meetings will include a stickering activity for attendees, a 10-15 minute presentation and an Open House style program. The virtual program will have a short presentation and breakout rooms for attendees to give feedback on park related topics. For more information on the Public Meetings, please visit The Ability Center's website
#TOSAPROUD
Wauwatosa Students Recognized as Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Award Winners
Wauwatosa East High School Seniors Vivienne Andersen, Audrey Catlin and Olivia Close were awarded the Student Excellence Scholarship, and Wauwatosa West senior Fabiana Chacon Morales was recognized with the Student Initiative Scholarship. Andersen, Catlin, Close and Chacon Morales will each receive a $10,000 scholarship that can be used for college tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, technology and required equipment, so long as these items can be purchased through their college. The students are among 190 high school seniors recognized for demonstrating excellence and motivation to achieve in an academic setting, a display of varied activity and demonstration of leadership outside of school and an indication of a likelihood to achieve success in college and beyond. 
Wauwatosa East Celebrates 'Music in our Schools' Month
In March, the Tosa East Concert Orchestra was selected to perform at the Wisconsin State Capitol on March 7, 2023 in celebration of Music in our Schools Month. Only 10 groups were selected from applicants throughout the state.
Meanwhile, the Tosa East Band completed over 20 performances during the month of March throughout the community!
Students practiced their ensembles for their upcoming Chamber Concert by performing for 6th and 7th graders at Longfellow. In this photo, the 9th grade Woodwind Choir performed for Longfellow's 6th grade band.
Bandmates supported senior Lily Knaack as she made her debut as a featured soloist with the Waukesha Area Community Band. Lily was selected as the featured soloist through a rigorous audition process.

The Red Raider Marching Band performed for the community in the Bluemound St. Patrick's Day Parade, and the Jazz Ensemble performed for the Tosa East school community during their lunch in celebration of the first ever Tosa East Celebration Day.
The Wauwatosa East Band combined forces with the Wauwatosa West Band to perform at the Elementary Band Festival. The event ended with over 500 students performing the greatest Wauwatosa tradition, Let's Go Band!

The Wauwatosa East Jazz Ensemble I and II hosted American jazz double bassist Ron Carter for a jazz clinic, culminating in a concert featuring Mr. Carter, who has been coming to Wauwatosa East for more than 30 years. 

And finally, the Wauwatosa East Bands performed their 2nd annual Chamber Concert event at Wauwatosa East High School showcasing their small ensemble work.
Underwood Students Participate in Cereal Box Challenge
Students at Underwood collected unopened cereal boxes for a Cereal Box Domino Challenge sponsored by Do Good Wisconsin, a statewide non-profit organization. In total, more than 300 boxes of cereal were collected and donated to the Tosa Cares food pantry. Check out the fun video of the dominoes below!
West Senior Wins Coveted Bronze Medallion Award
While accepting the American Visions Award, Wauwatosa West senior Sky Greer (aka Evelyn Winter) was awarded the Bronze Medallion of Excellence. It is only given to one student each year, and it is a huge accomplishment!

A single artist within the state of Wisconsin is awarded the Bronze Medallion honor by the regional sponsor (in this case, the Milwaukee Art Museum) each year in recognition of the student's outstanding work. Each year, the recipient of the Bronze Medallion has demonstrated an advanced understanding of technical skill of their art form, originality, and personal voice.

Congratulations on this exciting accomplishment!
Wauwatosa East Student Recognized for Achievements
As part of WISN 12's special Black History Month coverage, the news organization teamed up with the Black Excellence Awards to celebrate students receiving the Louvenia Johnson Scholarship. One of those students is Wauwatosa East's very own Jacoby Stewart. In a video interview, Jacoby talks about his plans for the future, his inspiration and much more.

Elementary Basketball Athletes Learn Life Lessons
Congratulations to the Jr. Trojans 4th Grade Girls Basketball team - Gray! The team, coached by Erik Anderson, is comprised of students from Madison Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Underwood Elementary and Wauwatosa Montessori. This month, the girls qualified to play in the state tournament in Madison! Not only did they play hard throughout the entire season, but they learned about sportsmanship, teamwork, and, most importantly, friendship.
We 💙 Our Future Teachers
Wauwatosa East High School's Educators Rising Club had an amazing experience at the Wisconsin Educators Rising Summit at UW-Stevens Point! The club’s board members gained tons of knowledge and will be implementing some of their takeaways into upcoming meetings.

Educators Rising’s mission is to cultivate a new generation of highly-skilled educators by guiding young people on a path from high school through college and into their teaching careers.
Wauwatosa West Students use Virtual Cadaver to Learn about Nervous System
Students at Wauwatosa West's Anatomy and Physiology class had the opportunity to use the school's virtual cadaver system to learn more about the nervous system.

The virtual cadaver was funded by an EFW grant in 2021.
Wauwatosa East Student Named Senate Scholar
This year, Wauwatosa East High School junior Maddie Stencil was selected for the Senate Scholar Program to represent Wauwatosa East and the 6th Senate District!

The Senate Scholar Program is an intensive week-long educational program offered by the Wisconsin State Senate that provides a hands-on, up-close view of the Legislature's role in our democracy. Admission to the program is highly competitive and is limited to 33 academically exceptional high school juniors and seniors throughout Wisconsin. The application process includes getting multiple recommendations, taking a test about Wisconsin history, writing an essay, and more.

As a Senate Scholar, Maddie spent a week in Madison, met Senator LaTonya Johnson, and engaged in meet-and-greets with lobbyists, reporters, Supreme Court staff, and Supreme Court Justices! Senate Scholars also had the opportunity to serve as pages on the Senate floor, learn how to draft a bill, and put forth their own bill at a mock committee hearing. This year’s Scholars were even able to attend the State of the State Address!

Congratulations, Maddie, on this truly rewarding achievement and experience!
Wauwatosa East High School Honor Roll Released
Please congratulate the following students on achieving Honor Roll placement for the first semester of the 2022-23 school year. Students marked with an asterisk received a 4.0 GPA for the semester.

9th Grade
Oscar Agacki, Olin Andersen, Cora Anderson, Evelyn Antczak, Hailey Arthur, Ella Bartz, Lindsay Beaman*, Julia Bell, Deanna Bellini, Oliver Beutler, Mars Blakely, Louisa Bock, John Boomsma, Dot Breider, Alexander Broeckert*, Rashied Bullocks, Colin Burns, Margaux Burns
Isabelle Bye, Emma Cabino, Caden Carr, Kaeden Catlett, William Catlin, Emily Cicero*, Phinlee Clarkin*, Emma Close, Raven Collier, Elena Cooper*, Fallon Cortright, Simon Deal, Elizabeth Deprey, KyJon Derrick, Jack Dietlin, Laura Dietzler, Finn Dodd, Colin Donohoo, Annabelle Dunst-Pyasta, Samuel Enos, Sophia Erickson, Joy Farnsworth*, Fiona Finnerty, Claire Foley*, Bowie Funk, Elise Gardiner*, Gracie Gierach, Alex Gleesing, Anna Guckenberg*, Grace Guertin, Winter Hamilton, Elizabeth Hartnett, Sarah Heimerl, Lila Hicks*, Tyler Holton, Joemare Hood, Nora Hoppe*, Annie Hyland*, Maia Ihlenfeld, Elliana Johnson, Lydia Johnson, Lyndia, Kalumbula, Nolan Klippel, Sophia Koceja, Prior Koenig, Sofia Konkol*, Ellasyn Korb, Alexander Kotas, Aaron Kraft, Maxwell Krejcarek, Grace Kreklow*, Sadie Kubacki*, Liam Kuranz, Evelynn Lasse, Griffin Last, Miriam LaWall-Shane*, Liesl Liesch*, Mikaia Litza, Alexis Lockett, Luciano Lucente, Zoe Margerie, Sydney Marshall, Megan McCaffrey, Jonathan McClutchy-Gale, Liliana Medina, Lucia Meyler*, Joshua Millmann, Henry Nielsen, Samuel Nilles, Goran Novalija*, Ajax O’Neal, Joseph Pantuso, Alex Peplinski, Hanane Pokrandt*, Elinor Poulson, Leo Prowse, Nicholas Randall, Katherine Rea, Hailough Rickert, Emilia Ruggini*, Benjamin Ruzicka, Maria Sapida, Nathaniel Schwartz, Sophia Searing, Abigail Seizer, Audrey Sellinger, Skylyn Sirinek, Lucas Spadanuda, Delaney Stapel, Cecelia Stark, Clara Swalheim*, Callum Swider, Alexander Symms, Chase Taylor, George Terhune, Olivia Thom*, Meredith Thomas*, Axel Thommesen, Miles Thurs, Kennedy Tisdale, Basil Touzios*, Abigail Toyama*, Mary Vande Hei, Cassandra Vincent, Avery Viste, Han Vo, Molly Wakefield, May Wendelberger, Anthony Werstein-Aravena, Sadie Weske, Keira Westcot, Kyle Xiao, Joseph Zautner, Daniel Zello, Aldo Ziemer

10th Grade
Avery Aldrich, Michael Anderson, Quinn Assenheimer, Beau Baewer, John Bartkowski, Kassen Bartlett, William Beyer, Julian Biemann, Bria Blackburn, Malik Boyd, Luke Broeckling, Camarie Brown, Jacquelyn Brown, Brett Burr, Cassandra Burzynski, Meghan Cady*, Benjamin Carlton
Mousa Chaudhry, Avery Church, Nathan Close, Joseph Conway, Violet Copple, Julian Cortright*, Emma Cramton, Maya Day, Emma Desjarlais, Ava Dodridge, Grace Drewek*, John, Eash-Scott, Donovan Ehlen, Isabelle Erickson, Lando Evenson, Claire Fifarek*, Quinn Fitzsimmons, Julia Fossum, Shannon Fox, Felix Gilgannon*, Cora Glosson, Lucille Goodwin, Sylvia Gozdowiak*, Lucy Hamann, Qua’dir Harris, Jonathan Herriges, Madelyn Hinners, Tannar Hughes, Vida Hutchinson, Camryn Hyde, Kate Iding, Emma Janke, Olivia Jessup-Anger*, Micah Johnson*, Owen Johnson , Sheridan Joseph, Clare Kasdorf*, Caleb Kippert , Lucy Kirchner, Noah Kizewski, Peter Knutson, Nate Koch, Samuel Koss, Ryann Kremer-Goehner*, Charles Krueger, Lucy Laritson, Isaiah Leitner, Ava Lingnofski, Peter Litzau, Alexandria Loeffel, Kira Luccarelli*, Abel Lucio*, Olive Madden*, Grace Malone*, Ashley Manternach, Nicolas Martin, Colin Mayer, Pierce Mayer , Delilah Mellon, Isabelle Mikkelson, Autumn Morn, Padraig Oliver, Gabriella Osten, Lillian Owley, Maximillian Pastijn, Mariana Perez*, Natalie Perhach, Macy Persin, Jack Petroff, Tilly Petsch, Sophie Polinske, Evan Pollnow, Max Ranft, Nickolaus Rebholz, Mia Riofrio, Missouri Rodecap, Jillian Roter*, Lilliana Ruggini*, Maxwell Ryan, Sophia Saab, Cade Schueller, Eva Schultz*, Dariusz Sender, Gunner Sgarlata, Anna Stefanich*, Kimberly Steiner*, Sophia Stocco*, Katherine Storey*, Cayleigh Swinton, Aila Tambellini, Keenan Taylor ,Charlotte Thielke*, Savannah Torrence, Everett VanCuyk, Elsa Volland, Cameron Waier, Meliyah Watson, Sierra Weliky, Rain Wendel, Lillian Weseloh, Tessa White*, Jenna Wood*, Brian Xiao, Ellis Young, Sylvia Zautner*, Xander Zwart

11th Grade
Kyla Albertz, Stephanie Anderson, Kymora Artis, Sophia Artus*, Lillian Bartz, Samuel Bartz, Parker Beane, Claire Benthien, Amelia Beutler, Parker Blackman, Henry Blaney, Theodore Bock, Maxwell Bodart , Nina Bowser, Lillian Buer, Joseph Castagnozzi, Hannah Cates, Katherine Charlson*, Shaun Clark, Zoe Cole*, Max Comincioli, Franklin Cook, Sydney Cretton*, Lauren Dapelo, Madeline Delleman, Bryce Dispennette, Emma Due*, Madeline Erickson, Connor Farrell*, Vivienne Fensin, Eavan Finnerty, Isabella Fiorentini*, Ava Frazer, Lily Freistadt, Nathan Gendrich, Adeline Golatke, Zen Granger, Fischer Groom , Margarette Guran, Aidan Hanley, Abigail Hanson, Abigail Heffner, Melissa Henningsen, Andrew Holton, Alexander Howen, Nadya Hudson, Neenah Hughes, Anna Hull, Reece Jacob*, Tavaris Johnson, Hannah Jones, Hannah Juzenas*, Olivia Kaster, Cayleigh Kennelty, Carlos Klaus, Lillian Knaack, Nicholas Kotas*, Rachel Kraft, Daniel Kreklow, Andrew Laatsch, Hayden LaFave, Griffin Lampasona, Logan Landgraf, Madyson Lassa, Emerson LaWall-Shane*, Jewel Lee, Izabella Losinski, Kate Lough, Mela Luchini, Kylie MacIntosh, Nora MacKelly, Patrick Margerie, Claire Matthai *, River Matus, Katrina Maynard, Mya Mays, Charlie Meisinger*, Marilyn Meyer, Jack Meyler, Nolin Mielke*, Naomi Molina, Aleina Morehead, Harper Morn, Malcolm Murphy, Emerson Neldner*, Elizabeth Nielsen, Alec Noe, Alissa Novalija, Annabelle O’Brien*, Lydia Otto, Violet Pandya*, Kathleen Patterson*, Abby Penegor, Mary Peplinski*, Sarah Pessefall, Molly Piette, Kaito Pokrandt, Brendan Rea, Isabella Rizzo, Jillian Russell, Kayden Russell, Irene Ryan, Julius Ryan, Sebastian Santiago, Evan Scallon, Abbigail Schell, Madelyn Serio, Isabella Sholty, Olivia Small*, Sidney Smith, Corey Spadanuda, Madeline Stencel, Lillian StJohn, Samantha Summerfield, Samara Summers, Emma Terhune*, Tyler Thao, Ray Theisen, Steven Thomas*, Gavin Thompson, Steven Dave Tiru, Merin Touzios, William Usher, Tillie Vande Hei, Mason Viste, Ellery Wakefield*, Natalie Watry, Wesley Wilkens*, Grace Williams, Annabelle Wilson*, Carter Wooldridge, Cylah Young*

12th Grade
Nikita Adamov, Aaliyah Amundson, Vivienne Andersen*, Ona Anderson, Ella Bartkowski, Anna Beaman, Maydine Bellot, Justin Benthien, Addison Beutler, Evelyn Beyer*, Theodore Biebel*, Cameron Biggam, Avery Blachowski, Tayler Boeckeler, Brayden Boeding, Madelyn Brown, Jack Cady, Piper Carpentier*, Daniel Casey, Audrey Catlin*, Olivia Close*, Camden Cobb, Bryan Coleman, Nicolau Conim*, Sean Cortright, Sydney Cozzens, Colton Czubakowski, Henry Dizard*, Taylor Dorn, So’Myrah Dorsey, Chloe Eckdale-Dudley, Isabela Flores, McKenna Fox, Benjamin Fraley*, Isabel Freistadt, Amalia Galbraith*, Julia Gamroth, Lillian Gamroth, Eleanor Gardner, Emily Gastrau*, Retta Gebhardt, Kalia Glass*, Anthony Gomez, Zolbayer Granger*, Maya Gresk, Kalynn Griffin, Ella Hammen, Nora Hankes Mya Hansen* Audrey Hardman, Arianna Hensersky, Erynn Hertzfeldt, Amber Herzberg, Daniel Hickey, Lucy Hildebrand, Thora Holst, George Hoyt* , Grace Hoyt, Olivia Iding, Ella Ignatiev, Eamon Johnson, Nicholas Jolie, Malik Joos, Chloe Jordan, Grace Kasdorf, Maeve Kaufman, Gabrielle Kennedy*, Jack Kirchner, Maria Knaack*, Michaela Kobinsky, Elizabeth Koss, Keith Krause, Greta Krueger*, Jack Kubacki, Quinn Lanke, Madelyn Lessard*, Ashley Lindemann, Charles Lipscomb, Samuel Litzau*, Zoe MacDonald, Lex Marechal, Sean Martin, Katherine McCaffrey, Ray NcNulty, Gavin Miller, Luke Millmann, Jade Morgan*, Sara Murdock*, Richard Nickel, Lily Nikolic, Joseph Nink, Liam Nolan*, Dylan Nolte, Ana Oliver, Lydia Omernik, Samuel Ortner, Joshua Pantuso, Henry Paul, Tomas Pena, Luciana Perez*, Matthew Peura, Nadia Phillips, Katherine Pluta, Anastasia Pollnow, Haley Powers , Reaghan Powers, August Prigge, Maxwell Prigge, Josephine Pruhs, Adam Putzer, Madelyn Rehfeldt, Elliot Richer*, Colin Roberts, Micah Roby, Gwendolyn Roter*, Corine Rudella, Madeline Ruzicka, Lauren Schmidt, Stephen Searing, Ella Seaver, Madalena Sequeira*, Samuel Shenkenberg*, Ethan Sprague, Hope Stangel, Lauren Stapel, Carter Stefanich, Joshua Steiner, Joseph Stocco, Jove Stueber, Eric Swenson, Nicholas Szymaszek*, Hanna Tanel, Kathryn Tarrence, Eliza Thurs, Lilly Tome, Maxwell Tome, Chandler Tribble*, Morgan Tucker, Kayleigh Vajda, Samuel Vandre*, Miguel Villa*, Ricco Volpe, Isabel Waier*, Erin Welcenbach*, Chiara White, Madelyn Wojcinski, Anya Zydek
Wauwatosa West High School Honor Roll Released
Please congratulate the following students on achieving Honor Roll placement for the first semester of the 2022-23 school year.

9th Grade
Boluwatito Aderugbo, Henry Bachar, Alexandra Baker, Khalil Barki, Eliana Bauer, Henry Began, Amelia Benedict, Cricket Bock, Jeffrey Bolden, Noraa Boyle, Nicolas Brown, Zachary Brunow, Felix Bucaro, Ian Butenhoff, Miguel Carrillo-Leyva, Sebastian Christy, Gianna Clementi, Aidan Connolly, Maddison Connolly, Elaina Conway, Cameron Coraggio, Ian Crowther, Charles, Andrew Cruz, Valeria Cruz, Calissa Dahlgren, Carmine Day-Bedeau, Quinn Dorr, Jude Dunlop, Mina Dunlop, Dylan Dykstra, Andrew Ecklund, Jackson Eder, Cecilia Ellifson, Marshall Ellifson, Maren Fax, Anayah Foster-Aune, Rhys Fredin, Genevieve Gallion, Logan Gomes, Anika Goodman, Angelynn Gossett, Eliza Gray, Liyah Herbert, Liam Hess, Hunter Holz, Cyncere Hutchins, Brady Johnson, Mason Karras, Nina Klein, Nolan Krebs, Nya Larry, Evan Laserstein, Jenna Le, Phoenix Leonhardt, Roman Long, Jalia Lor, Derius Lucas, Amelia Luna, Aiden Maas, Alexa Malett, Marek Malinowski, Alexander McClusky, MaryEllen Millenbach, Oskar Miroslaw, William Moertl, Adrian Morales, Nyah Muhammad, Noah Ngo, Angel Nguyen, Avery Noerenberg, Kolby Oberdorf, Kaitlyn O'Reilly, Vicente Ortega, Angelina Palazzolo, Cayden Parker, Natalia Partee, Odin Peters , Joriel Peterson, Jayson Randolph, Aaron Rennick, Olivia Ridolfi, Aili Rogers, Jackson Sanders, Mia Sanfelippo, Diego Santiago, Gabriel Schneider, Jonathan Schuldt, Colette Shelnutt, Kira Simpson, Ryan Stamm, Alijah Thames Martin, Jessica Thompson, Evan Timmers, Marianna Tourloukis, Devin Townsend, Angelina Trotter, Easton Vang, Ethan Walls, Maisie Whale, AiJanaya Wiley, Brayden Williams, Kody Xiong, Willow Yang, Matthew Zuege

10th Grade
Noel Altoro, Tina Aserade, Ameya Bakshi, Rowan Bishop, Jack Blumenthal, Ryan Boekenhauer, Alyson Boers, Mahad Boulaleh, Josephine Canavan, LJ Carson, Nazaria Castillo, Brandon Collins, Molly Cook, Alanis Courseault, Carlyne Diogo, Mya Dobbs-McHale, Jake Ebertowski, Miyah Evans, Keira Fax, Sawyer Feist, Lia Fuerst, Adrian Gallardo Huske, Reagan Gerke, Veronica Golombowski, Maizy Good, Will Gulrajani, Milo Hagopian-Smith, Lincoln Halleen, Jema Hampton, Jack Hanks, Charles Hannan, Kennedy Hardrick, Caroline Henzig, Stella Holtz, Caleb Houghton, Caleb Hoze, Michael Hughes, Sofiya Jacobson, Nathan Jaimes, Benjamin Janowski, Hudson Keenan, Alexander Keene, Grace Kleier, William Krause, Stefan Marik, Chloe Matuszewski, Natalie Meyer, Kalliope Mirasola, Faye Muma, Davian Murray, Madeline O'Donnell, William O'Neill, Adam Onopa, Anna Pekkarinen, Iamia Perkins, Benjamin Perkins, Zachary Petersen, Matthew Piek, Ryan Pizur, Jamie, Plankers, Ella Radaj, Minayah Radke-Gray, Michael Reis, Alaina Roux, Joseph Rueth, Claire Sanfelippo, Addison Scharlau, Kinley Schmidbauer, Ava Schwantes, Danayah Smith, Emmett Strand, JourneyLove Taylor-Jones, Tehana Titus, Katie Varoski, Caiden Verrett, Si Nan Wang, Olivia Watters, Jack Weber, Zahrina Weimer, John Westmont, Jenna White, Niamh Wick, Robert Wilkerson, Benjamin Wozniak, Owen Xiao, Arianna Young

11th Grade
Brianna Alarcon, Kaylyn Antwi-Boateng, Nicholas Arneson, Elijah Baierl, Terrence Ball, Nicholas Barnes, Aidan Barney, John Batory, Jacqueline Beck, Tyler Boesel,Morgan Bosman, Addison Bott, Cordelia Christy, Anna Connolly, Brian Cook, Pablo Cortez, Claire Davis, Madeline Dee, Jasmine Martha Dequiña, Keira DiCastri, Lukas Dodulik, Chloe Ellery, Benjamin Everts, Sofia Farwell, Joseph Fimiano, Thomas Foersterling,, Rachel Fuller, Nora Gogin, Kamiyla Green, Parker Gugala, Alma Hagopian-Smith, Kayla Hampton, Vanessa Henderson, Sarah Ho, Marissa Hollander, Julie Hovhanessian, Cameran Ingbretson, Adeline Jaeckels, Lillian Jahr, Alexander Jaworski, Benjamin Jiang, Kevin Kauflin, Blake Kayzar, Ruby Kellner, Ava Kellner, Robert Kimpler, Lillian Kiracofe, Alexandra Kratochvil, Lauren Laserstein, Madyson Lassa, Tailor Lawrence, Eve Lazarski, Aaron Leckman, Savannah Leonhardt, Marisa Leveille, Griffin Long, Nico Long, Joy Lopez, Khaila Love, Annamaria Luna, Frances Malloy, Cambreon McCoy, Vincent McMurtry, Maura McVoy-Holtz, Addison McVoy-Holtz, Astryd Mendoza Rostran, Alexander Meyer, Delia Miller, Sophie Monagle, Morgan Mullen, Lauren Noerenberg, Hadleigh Ostrenga, Ayush Patra , Haley Perrin, Bennett Rasinske, Madison Reed, Jason Reetz, Jennifer Rennick, Tyra Rice, Duncan Rogers, Alexis Rogness, Emily Roy, Isabella Sanders, Emma Schickel, Eleanor Schiller, Myla Seabrook, Devonya Simmons, Sarah Simons, Tristan Smith, Andrew Sparacino, Ava Sproul, Riley Stern, Sydney Stinson, Charley Strobel, Taylor Tatum-Pace, Anthony Thames Martin, Julia Thompson, Isabella Townsel, Nia Townsend, An Tran, Toukeng Vang, Sawyer Vespalec, Travis Wagy, Si An Wang, Madalyn Weber, Mia Weber, Kelly Weber, Lily Weishaar, Mia Weithaus, Lochlainn Whale, Samuel Wirth, Mya Wollert, Gabrielle Wrightsman, Holly Yang, Mielat Zeray, Jacob Zielinski, Mateusz Zielonka, Mya Zollicoffer, Robert Zuegev

12th Grade
Mallory Baish, Eliot Began, Jahkai Bohannon, Margaret Brown, Salvatore Bucaro, Abigail Burgardt, Matthew Byrne, Sydney Chossek, Tanner Clasen, Nicholas Clementi, Julian Contreras, Lydia Cordova, Luke Denson, Lola Dwyer, Edie Eckblad, Ethan Espinosa, Logan Espinosa, Hope Ewerdt, Will Flierl, Isabela Flores, Kiara Fulton, James Gentil, Aidan Gmach, Tyler Goeckermann, Mariana Golombowski, Alexander Graham, Helene Hasselberg, Dylan Heater, Yadyshmar Henry, Elsie Hermanson, Thomas Hipke, Emily Hoffman, Kathryn Huitink, Richard Huynh, Jane Janiszewski, Josephine Jasmine, Nona Johnson, James Justham, Hannah Kabelowsky, Liberty Kaishian, Indigo Keith, Kira Kirby, Patrick Klein, Adam Klein, Celia Knutson, Mikaylah Koester, Olivia Konopa, Emily Kramer, Cerek Krug, Amyra Larry, Nicole Larsen, Maya Le, Jackson Liebenthal, Elijah Lovely, Amaia Magee, Skye Maim, Anthony Main, Mallory Malinowski, Alyssa McDougal, ZeVory McGee-Wright, Brady Metzner, Carolyn Molter, Jordan Nash, Grace Noerenberg, Charles Nortrup, Evan Olson, Emmet Pease, Carina Pelzek, Jackson Peterson, Cole Powell, Jeffrey Richardson, Ryder Rzentkowski, Alexandra Sanders, Amanda Schaefer, Keagan Schmitt, Rachel Schneider, Sloane Sewell, Angela Siefert, Josie Siefert, Aaron Silva, Luke Simmert, Charlie Skrade, Owen Smith, Camille Socol, Caitlin StClair, Alyssa Stewart, Annelise Strand, Aryana Street, Sophia Stremlau, Haley Thorstensen, Madalena Trotter, Olivia Veit, Harikesh Venkata Subramaniyan, Olivia Wagner, Dylan Watters, Connor Weishaar, Gaonou Xiong, Sophia Zimmerman

The following students received a 4.0 GPA for the semester and achieved High Honor Roll placement.

9th Grade
Jameson Boettcher, Evelyn Davis, Maximilian Decker, Connor Dee, Lucy Deutsch, Elliott Engbring, Peyton Goeden, Mariah Howell, Leah Ipock, Laila Jackson, Katrina Koenigs, Max Kuhn, Devin Long, Ella Lynch, Isabelle Mast, Natalie McCabe, Ella Mott, Amanda Neikirk, Benjamin Nowacek, Samantha Pelot, Rory Petitt, Leo Piontek, Henry Riordan, Henry Rommelfanger, Louisa Schmidt, Josie Schwake, Emily Scott, Pema Sherpa, Isabel Taormina, Madelyn Ullsperger, Emmersen Weber, Khai Weimer, Olivia Wilke, Benjamin Wooster

10th Grade
Calista Albert, Sophia Basaj, Gianna Benedict, Meghan Brandenburg, Xavier Crum, Eduardo Cruz, Nicholas Enters, Sean Gaez, Jake Hansen, Sadie Knie, Ellianah Koester, Daniel Korpela, Josephine Kubiak, Jennifer Liang, Mindi Macsurak, Isabella Miller, Connor Morrissey, Lilly Murat, Peter Neugent, Nora O'Tool, Jiya Patel, Thomas Phillips, Madelynn Sanchez, Louis Schauer, Sophia Sherry, Matthew Smith, Keely StClair, Ella Struve, Abigail Tank, Mikayla Timmers, Mae Torgerson, Joshua Williams, Ella Yoder

11th Grade
ReeseBertram, Ian Fleuchaus, Molly Frost, Jamie Garcia, Claire Guttormson, Mara Holzen, Melina Keenan, Vishisht Khare, Zoe Kunz, Margaret Lehman, Harrison Liang, Phoebe Mann, Jada Martin, Emily McCabe, David Miller, Andrew Olson, Connor Reynolds, Olivia Schmidt, Parker Schwake, Nadia Tyler, Rebecca Vertal

12th Grade
Max Almazan, Steven Awve, Sydney Badciong, Elijah Basaj, Sarah Cape, Nicholas Clementi, Gilian Frey, Colin Hanoski, Eliana Jones, Noah Kubiak, Connor Neikirk, Zachary Nowacek, Alexa Pitcher, Lucas Schilling, Nadia Starich, Konstantinos Tourloukis, Kyla Vang, Hannah Veenendaal, Leo Wang, Annabelle Wooster, Serenity Yang
Wilson and WSTEM Students Welcome Guest Author
Last month, the Wilson Elementary and Wauwatosa STEM library hosted author Gillian McDunn for an in-person visit with the 4th and 5th graders, and virtually with 4th and 5th graders from Roosevelt Elementary School. Ms. Dunn discussed the development of a main character who is curious, makes choices, and is determined during her writing process. She told students about the traits of a writer and how they can improve their own writing. Thank you to Boswell Book Company for their continued offerings of free author visits for our elementary students! 
Wauwatosa West Theatre Director Featured in Shepherd Express
Special shout out to Mr. Adam Steffan, theatre director at Wauwatosa West High School! Mr. Steffan was featured in the “Supporting Milwaukee Arts” article in the Shepherd Express!

MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Eisenhower Students Join Principal Advisory Committee
Principal Mansukhani announced the fourth and fifth grade members of the Principal Advisory Committee at Eisenhower Elementary School. Students wrote essays about how their leadership will help the school. Now, students will meet with Ms. Mansukhani during lunch to brainstorm ideas around school improvement.
Jefferson Community Day Brings Out Rainbow of Support
Jefferson Elementary School’s Community Day was a huge success! The event brought out the best in the Jefferson Jaguars, who worked together to complete the following:

  • Created 30 St. Patrick’s Day door decorations for Hart Park - Wauwatosa Senior Centers (Junior Kindergarten)

  • Put together 170 snack bags for The Salvation Army USA (Senior Kindergarten)

  • Developed 80 Blessing Bags for The Salvation Army USA (1st Grade)

  • Created 120 Snack Bags for Ronald McDonald House Charities (2nd Grade)

  • Made 20 fleece tie blankets for Ronald McDonald House Charities (3rd Grade)

  • Put together 150 bagged lunches for The Gathering of Southeast Wisconsin (4th Grade)

  • Sorted 5,000 pounds of food at Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin (5th Grade)

Thank you to all families whose donations helped make this day happen! Jefferson could not have achieved so much without its wonderful volunteers and teachers. The image above shows a hand project that each student completed to reflect on the day.
Lincoln Elementary's Junior Kindergarten Students Flex Their Imagination
Junior Kindergarten students at Lincoln Elementary School utilized stations in the classroom to work through activities including puzzles, Play-Doh, and coloring. When it was time to clean up, students who tidied their area quickly approached their friends to offer assistance cleaning up other areas. What a great group of engaged and kind children!
Madison Elementary Gets a New Principal (for a Day)
First grader Ayah experienced being Principal for the Day at Madison Elementary School! She earned this reward at Madison’s school dance in February and was able to complete morning rounds with Mr. Matthews! They visited each classroom and greeted students, and reminded them of Mr. Matthews’ three rules.

Ayah also joined Mr. Matthews for lunchroom supervision, recess duty, and afternoon rounds. Ayah dressed the part and was an excellent leader! 
McKinley Elementary Students Celebrate Wisconsin Through Art
In March, fourth graders at McKinley Elementary School worked with Artist in Residence Jordan Acker Anderson, their art teacher Jenny Leigh, and student teacher Sophia Tappa to create Wisconsin-inspired wall decorations for the McKinley Art Room. 
Roosevelt Elementary Students Celebrate Love of Reading with Mystery Readers, All School Read
During the month of March, Roosevelt 1st graders were surprised by "Mystery Readers" who read to the class and engaged in discussion. Students were exposed to a great variety of texts, anywhere from the reader's favorite from their own childhood, to nonfiction, folktales, and beyond.

Two of their mystery readers were Superintendent Dr. Demond Means (pictured left) and Ms. Catoya Roberts (pictured below with first grader Jordan Roberts). In honor of Women's History Month, but also in celebration of Black History and Women in Science, Ms. Roberts read The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes.
Continuing with a focus on literature, this year Roosevelt held its first All School Read in collaboration with Washington Elementary School, which was conducting its 5th All School Read. Each school's PTA bought a copy of the selected book, Nuts to You, for each JK-5 family. The schools held kick-off events, had daily reading assignments at home, and provided discussion questions and activities that could be done at school. To ensure that all students had access to the reading and could stay caught up, local celebrities (Mayor McBride, a public librarian, Dr. Jessup-Anger, the owner of Cranky Al's, Officer Tracy, and more) recorded chapters of the book, and students could watch at school if they didn't have time to read at home.
Classrooms were able to use the book to create activities highlighting character traits such as kindness, perseverance, and inclusiveness based on the storyline. It was also an opportunity for students to work on finding key ideas and details.

Students had fun reading together and were rewarded for their correct trivia answers by picking from the prize bins. Just like the squirrels in Nuts to You students learned lessons about friendship, family, teamwork, and grit.
Underwood Elementary Students Ask "Will You Be My Valentine?"
Underwood Elementary 2/3 USTEM students in Ms. Ruano's class decorated cards for the residents of the Oak Park Assisted Living Facility, through the Wauwatosa Police Department's "Will You Be My Valentine?" initiative. 

Although this activity took place in February, it's just too sweet to not share!
Washington Elementary Students and Staff Participate in All School Read
Washington Elementary School celebrated Read Across America Day by kicking off its All School Read this month! Every family and staff member received a copy of the book Nuts to You by Lynne Rae Perkins, along with trivia questions and a reading calendar. The book was revealed at an all school assembly where Mr. Russell read the first two chapters. Families and staff read the book together throughout the month of March. In school, follow-up discussions and activities were done during daily morning meetings. Also, traveling squirrels moved through the classrooms bringing activities such as STEM and art projects related to the themes of the book such as friendship, kindness and courage.
Wilson Elementary + WSTEM Students Learn About Fire Safety
Students at Wilson Elementary and WSTEM learned about fire safety with an engaging presentation with the Wauwatosa Fire Department. Students were able to see the equipment firefighters use, learn about how to stay safe, and practice skills in case of a fire.

Thank you to the Wauwatosa Fire Department for this important presentation!
Wauwatosa Montessori's New Principal Announced
On Monday, March 13, 2023, the Wauwatosa School District Board of Education approved Superintendent Dr. Demond Means’ recommendation to appoint Ms. Melissa Pallin (pictured) as Principal of Wauwatosa Montessori School, and to affirm Ms. Sumeera Mansukhani’s appointment as Principal of Eisenhower Elementary School. 

“We are so pleased that these two educational leaders have chosen to bring their talents to Wauwatosa,” stated Dr. Demond Means, Superintendent of the Wauwatosa School District. “The families, staff and students at Wauwatosa Montessori are firmly grounded in Montessori principles and philosophy, so the ability to leverage Ms. Pallin’s strong experience - as well as her passion and growth mindset - will greatly benefit this community. Ms. Mansukhani has excelled under the leadership of Mr. Mark Carter this year, and we are confident and excited about her ability to lead the Eisenhower community.” 

Longfellow Middle School Launches Birdcoin Incentive Program
This year, the building leadership team at Longfellow Middle School created an incentive program to promote a safe and successful middle school culture. Associate Principal Ms. Aleesha Gilbert had a desire to add more to Longfellow's PBIS (positive behavior interventions and supports) program, so the building leadership team decided to add the "birdcoin" program to the school bookstore.

With assistance from Principal Dr. Seth Larson; Ms. Bianchi in the office; Ms. Weishan, head of the PBIS team at Longfellow; and Jenny Engel, head of the bookstore at Longfellow, the team created a system in which teachers can award students a total of 5 birdcoins each week for being respectful to themselves, respectful to others, and respectful to the environment. Students can then use their birdcoins to purchase prizes including candy, soda, Gatorade, spirit wear (generously donated by the PTA), fidgets, squishees, jibbitz, Rocky Rococo's pizza certificates and pizza parties with friends. The PTA also donated $250 dollars to the program, which will be used for a pizza party in early May for those students who have received and saved 10 birdcoins.  

The program has been successful with student buy-in at all three grade levels. It was also promoted during the 5th grade open house event, and it was a huge hit with both future students and parents.  

The staff at Longfellow looks forward to continuing the program as they continue to foster a responsible and respectable culture.  
Whitman Students Spread Random Acts of Kindness
In March, Whitman Middle School held a Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Day! Students were encouraged to spread and share kindness using RAK and compliment slips. When students found two stapled RAK slips, they kept one and gifted the other to someone else as an act of kindness. Students then filled out their name on any slips they received and placed them in a RAK box to enter a raffle. What a fun way to spread positivity!
Wauwatosa East Orchestra Students Qualify for State Competition
This month, nearly 50 students participated in the annual Solo + Ensemble Festival. All students performed well, and the Wauwatosa East Orchestra Department would like to congratulate the following students who have qualified for the state solo or ensemble competition:

Richie Nickel, Elliot Richer, Chandler Tribble, Maeve Kaufman, Maydine Bellot,  Melissa Henningsen, Julian Cortright, Violet Copple, Lucy Hamann, Eva Schultz, Grace Drewek, Lily Ruggini, Daniel Zello, Elena Cooper, Ella Korb, and Miriam LaWall-Shane. 
Wauwatosa West Students Compete in Milwaukee Tool Challenge
In March, Wauwatosa West students participated in the Milwaukee Tool Challenge!
LAUNCH teams from Wauwatosa and Elmbrook worked with a mentor for nine weeks in an attempt to solve an industry problem. Then, students competed with their innovative designs. Here, students are pictured with a go-kart that they built as part of this challenge.
Wauwatosa Virtual Academy Student Impresses at Forensics Competition
Wauwatosa Virtual Academy student Samia participated in a forensics competition with more than 200 other students. Samia impressed her teachers and other attendees with her written piece, which is recorded here.

Congratulations, Samia!
Vel R. Phillips Students Get Insight from Local Photographer
Students at Vel R. Phillips School had the opportunity to learn from Ms. LaTasha Sangster Lux, who discussed her experience as a photographer working in portraiture and photo-journalism. Her mission is to tell stories accurately and not focus just on stories that involve violence.

Students explored the equipment Lux uses and viewed her images that covered a variety of subjects, such as protests, senior school photos and weddings, along with some candid work.

Throughout the activity, students engaged in discussions with Lux about how stories should be told, and about how she became involved with professional photography.
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Wauwatosa School District | 12121 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53226 
Ph: (414) 773-1000 | www.wauwatosaschools.org