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June 7 - Last Day of School for High School Seniors
June 8 - Last Day of School For JK (except Montessori)
June 9 - Last Day of School For K-11, all Montessori (half day)
June 9 - Wauwatosa West High School Commencement (7 p.m.)
June 10 - Wauwatosa East High School Commencement (11 a.m.)
June 12 - School Board Meeting (6 p.m.)
June 26 - School Board Meeting (6 p.m.)
July 10 - School Board Meeting (6 p.m.)
July 24 - School Board Meeting (6 p.m.)
Please note that graduates will be saluted with a brief fireworks display following each commencement ceremony.
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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. |
In May, the Division of Academic Performance established a framework for Project Charters, allowing the team to continue to make its work increasingly more visible to the community.
An assessment calendar for the 2023-24 year was drafted, including benchmark assessments in grades JK-English 10/Algebra II in both math and English Language Arts, perception surveys, and state accountability assessments.
The High School English team met with vendors and began piloting lessons in May. Teachers provided feedback on the different instructional resources that they have been trying out. A team of educators was selected to review current programing and curricular resources for elementary and middle school English Language Arts. This important work will continue through the summer months. High school science teachers continued to pilot and provide feedback on different curriculum resources throughout the month of May. Online supplemental math tools are currently being reviewed at the elementary level. Following the review, it is the goal to implement consistent tools across the elementary level beginning in 2023-24 for coherence and consistency within the student math experience. A review team that consists of teachers, coaches, coordinators, and administrators will review the data that is being collected and will engage in shared decision making processes to identify the supplemental tool(s) that will best fit the needs of our students. The Director of Curriculum has begun laying initial plans to begin responding to the Tech Ed Audit, with initial steps beginning in summer 2023. In collaboration with the Director of Curriculum, the 6-12 Math Curriculum Coordinator, and high school math coach continue to work on the development of common assessments in Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra II.
After reviewing data related to Human Growth and Development opt-outs, the Division of Academic Performance learned that a total of 5% of students had been opted out of all HGD lessons. The next step for the team will be to gain feedback from educators on how this year went and explore what can be improved. The opt-out data will also be analyzed further to see if either of the HGD committees (internal or external) need to reconvene to propose adjustments to the curriculum for future years.
The Director of Data Quality and Analytics met with building principals to review building data in relation to the Milestones. The Division of Academic Performance is working with building principals to track their school growth plan metrics in a more visual way. A School Growth Plan tracker will be shared with the public in the coming months. The team expanded the available information in EDIS (our data management system) tremendously since September 2022. In the last two months, the team has met with building principals, student services staff, coaches, and directors to learn what information is available in EDIS and how they are able to navigate the system. The data team also researched four different dashboard options and are in the final stages of creating sample dashboards to determine which will best support communication of our progress toward identified Milestones. The data team, in collaboration with the Academic and Career Planning Coordinator, has worked to identify the most efficient way to collect data for the four areas identified in Milestone 7 “Additional Advanced Coursework” and provide a summary of students who meet that milestone. The team anticipates sharing data related to this Milestone in August.
The Wisconsin Forward Exam Assessment window closed at the end of April. We are in the process of reflecting on our assessment window, schedules, and training that took place this year to make any necessary tweaks to ensure it sets students up for the most success. The results from these assessments will be made available once the Department of Public Instruction lifts the embargo (typically in late October/early November). PreACT results will be mailed to families in early June. ACT results were shared with individual families through ACT. Overall results by the building and district will be released by DPI in the coming months. The final STAR testing window was at the end of May. This is the first school year that all schools have taken the STAR assessment three times in grades 1-10. This year will serve as a baseline as we continue consistent testing next year. Students who took the STAR assessment in grades 1-10 will be bringing their results home in early June.
The data team supported the high school building leaders, counselors and assessment coordinators in completing ACT and PreACT testing on two separate days this school year. This testing schedule took away instructional time for the grade levels not involved in the testing. The Division of Academic Performance met with high school building principals to review the ACT/Pre-ACT assessment schedule, and connected with surrounding districts to better understand what success they have had and what that might look like in the 23-24 school year for Wauwatosa. After conversations and research, the Division of Academic Performance plans to administer the ACT/PreACT on the same day at the high schools beginning in 2023-24. This will minimize the number of instructional days lost due to test administration and support a more consistent testing environment.
The data team continues to clean up the data systems, identify inconsistencies and provide clarity to those who are inputting the data. The focus area has been on Infinite Campus for attendance, enrollment and behavior documentation. This summer, the Division of Academic Performance will meet with staff to review our behavioral and attendance codes to ensure consistency moving forward.
The Director of Instruction is continuing to work with stakeholder groups to articulate WSD’s instructional philosophy, and this work will continue into June. The Director of Instruction and Instructional coaches are revising our Instructional Look Fors based on feedback and learning from administrators and instructional support staff, and tracking growth in instructional practices across the District. In collaboration with coordinators and coaches, the Director of Instruction has also been planning summer professional learning opportunities. The Director of instruction is also collaborating with Coaches and principals to allocate coaching resources for the next year and continues to develop a coherent district-wide coaching model for staff.
In collaboration with the Division of Pupil and Family Supports, members of the Division of Academic Performance met with members of the Curriculum Development team about alternative programming options for students. Members of the team continue to learn and study the platforms that are being considered to support student learning. This work will continue into June.
In the coming month, members of the Division of Academic Performance will participate in teacher interviews, finalize professional learning plans for summer and next school year, continue course development, identify Principal Thought Partners for next year and update the process based on recent learnings, continue to develop the Instructional Framework and alternative programming options, analyze STAR results, select a supplemental math tool for elementary schools, participate in end of year impact sessions with building leaders, and develop grading and reporting project committees for elementary, middle, and high school.
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The Division of Human Resources continues to focus on staffing for the 2023-24 school year. In May, the Division of HR finalized an employment contract for Dr. Stephen Plank to serve as the principal of Wauwatosa East High School next year. A Meet the Principal reception will be held for the community on Monday, June 5 at 6 p.m. at Wauwatosa East High School.
Last month, the Division of HR hosted a celebration to honor retiring educators and those who’ve served for 25 or more years in the District. This is always a highly-anticipated event and an opportunity to recognize the staff members who have dedicated themselves to the service of our students.
In May, the Division of HR hosted a WSD Retirement Seminar to assist employees receiving post-employment benefits.
The Division of HR has conducted interviews for the Director of Human Resources role. The selected individual will provide technical support in the areas of hiring, contracts, data analysis, onboarding/orientation, etc. under the direction of the Chief of Talent. This position will allow for the Chief of Talent to engage more fully with District leaders and staff members related to our Goal 4 strategic priorities.
Importantly, in May, the Division of Human Resources partnered with the Division of Operations + Finance and the Superintendent to propose and finalize a salary increase of 12% for teaching staff. The Division of HR is extremely proud of this accomplishment and its ability to reward the high-quality staff members in the Wauwatosa School District. The Division of HR will continue to review and address compensation for other employee groups in the months ahead.
Additionally, the HR team will be reviewing and reporting on employee engagement survey actions, as well as reviewing and revising WSD's hiring guide and Employee Handbook.
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Late May and June continue to be key for legislative advocacy, which has been a primary focus for the Division of Operations + Finance this month. The Division of Operations + Finance expects to see an initial legislative school funding proposal released by the Joint Committee on Finance in the coming weeks.
The Facilities team secured bids for the summer 2023-24 facility maintenance projects at Eisenhower (playground replacements) and Jefferson (bus lane and curb replacements). All projects are on track both from a budget and timeline/logistics perspective to be completed this summer.
The District hosted a community budget meeting on May 31 to highlight the budget development process and alignment with the District’s strategic priorities. The presentation can be viewed here. A budget presentation will also be delivered at the School Board meeting scheduled for June 12, and the Board will be asked to take action on the proposed budget at the meeting scheduled for June 26.
In June, a key focus for the Division of Operations + Finance will be the continuing internal budget planning. The District's annual financial audit will begin in June with a preliminary review, and work will conclude in August.
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The Division of Pupil + Family Supports concluded the social-emotional learning mentoring programs with Be Inspired Works and My Sista’s Keeper in May, and Agape Yogastry will wrap up in the middle schools this month. Be Inspired Works will continue to work with students during the 23-24 school year. The team continues to refine programming to enhance the sense of belonging for non-white students for the 2023-24 school year.
Sense of belonging learning walks have been conducted in all schools so far, with the exception of East and West, which currently do not have DEIA Advocates. Each school created a specific focus area to enhance the sense of belonging within their buildings. The Director of Equity and Inclusion is in the process of conducting second learning walks our the buildings. The purpose of the learning walks is to bring awareness to the importance of each child feeling a sense of belonging in their school and provide data that will be utilized to establish equity evaluation tools for teachers and school leaders.
DEIA Advocacy training has been solidified for the 2023-24 school year, and the cadence is in development. The Director of Diversity and Inclusion and the Director of Curriculum and Instruction are in collaboration to create a tool that will be utilized by the DEIA committee to review curriculum materials through a culturally-responsive lens.
The School Culture and Student Success Committee met to discuss a template for the framework so administrators and key school leaders have a draft to reference for summer planning. A plan for PBIS summer training is underway and being communicated with building leaders.
The middle school SEL curriculum team completed a review of evidence-based programs using the competencies and skills prioritized in prior meetings as a guide. The Elementary Student Services team continued to plan how their role supports implementation of Second Step, our SEL curriculum. The team met with Second Step representatives to learn about the updated materials and implementation support.
The social emotional specialist role was reviewed with principals and social emotional specialists to plan for equitable distribution of support for the 2023-24 school year. Interviews for the open elementary student services positions resulted in contracts being extended to school social workers for Jefferson and Lincoln. Building a common understanding of equitable distribution of resources across the District will take time. The Division of Pupil + Family Supports will continue to share data and be transparent in decision making with stakeholders.
CPI Trainers are currently preparing for summer training. The Division of Pupil + Family Supports is taking steps to ensure that new staff who require CPI training will receive it prior to New Educator Week in August.
The team continues to have discussions about how to support attendance processes and interventions. The Health Department Youth Mental Health Social Workers have been a needed resource to notify and engage families in improved attendance. While significant work has been done for every school to send letters to notify families of attendance and truancy concerns, significant variance remains. Pulling together a large team to map all attendance processes in June will build clarity in how all parts of the system work together.
In regards to special education, the team held meetings with stakeholders to discuss plans for the 2023-24 school year. Building staff had the opportunity to provide input and ask questions regarding the process and decision points. The Integrated Abilities Resource Fair was held at Underwood in late April. There were more than 20 vendors present for the event, as well as staff throughout the District, parent liaisons, and community members. Additionally, a virtual learning opportunity was shared with families regarding IEP basics. Our parent liaisons have been introduced to staff, and a flyer to build awareness of their presence as a resource has been developed and shared with staff and families. Liaisons have begun receiving outreach for support, and they are building the District special education Facebook group as a resource for families. The Special Education Parent Committee continues to meet on the third Monday of each month.
Staffing is a collaborative effort between building staff and District administrators. This collaboration serves as an opportunity to discuss existing needs and aligning decisions to support service delivery moving forward.
The Division of Pupil + Family Supports, in partnership with the Division of HR, has hired for the school psychologist roles and the open speech language pathologist opening. The team has a strong candidate pool for the occupational therapy position allowing for a rigorous hiring process. The job opening for the Transition Coordinator is posted with a strong candidate pool, reflecting that Wauwatosa is a desired district in which to work.
A list of summer work including process development and onboard materials for new staff has been developed and will be executed upon over the coming months.
Finally, the team met with DPI regarding Specially Designed Physical Education. A process to align practices across the district in partnership with the physical education teachers will be a priority for the 2023-2024 school year.
In June, the Division of Pupil + Family Supports will focus on continuing to share information about the MEPA group and WSD Parent University, building the Equity Framework and audit, conducting final sense of belonging learning walks, building MLSS supports, mapping attendance processes, and making availability to serve as thought partners for principals, in addition to hiring for vacant positions.
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Rachel Kumferman, a school social worker at McKinley Elementary School, was recognized as a 2024 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year during a surprise ceremony on Tuesday, May 2. State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly, along with students and school staff, presented Ms. Kumferman with the honor.
Ms. Kumferman has worked for the Wauwatosa School District for 21 years, at Lincoln and McKinley Elementary Schools, and has served as the district homeless liaison since 2011. Although her training and background is in school social work, she is also a counselor, crisis team member, Wauwatosa School District McKinney-Vento coordinator, equity team member, PBIS Tier Two coach, and more.
Congratulations Ms. Kumferman, and thank you for all you have done for our students!
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Jessica Belich
Wauwatosa West High School
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Wauwatosa West art teacher Jessica Belich, was recognized as a Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Alumni. To celebrate one hundred years worth of awards, Scholastic Art and Writing decided to highlight stories of some of the program’s incredible alumni whose lives have been impacted by the Awards. Read about Ms. Belich's art journey here!
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Carly Joseph
Wauwatosa West High School
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Oreo fan, Gordon Ramsey-obsessed, culinary master Carly Joseph is the culinary arts teacher at Wauwatosa West. Ms. Joseph joined the WSD team this school year. She finds Wauwatosa West to be a positive environment, stating "I like the atmosphere because everyone is just so kind and nice. It's just a great school. Everybody talked very highly of it, and now I totally get why.”
Before she began teaching, Ms. Joseph attended Illinois State University and graduated with a degree in family consumer science teacher education. Her goal as a teacher is to be able to teach students how to make simple healthy foods, choose good food options, and learn how behind the country is in regards to the consumer industry.
Joseph wants her classroom to be a place to dive in and have fun. When brainstorming recipes, her students are able to send her ideas, and then her class actually makes those recipes! She states, “My students are super motivated and always try their best. They're super positive. They're hard working. They sincerely listen, and they want to learn.”
Joseph’s mindset as a teacher is, “It's okay to have fun. It's okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to be stressed out.” She finds her students are appreciative of this mindset, and find her positive attitude refreshing. Ms. Joseph realizes that certain dynamics do not work with today’s kids. In order to develop relationships with her students, she does not “bark” at her students, but rather leans on them. Ms. Joseph states, “It’s a stressful job, but it’s essential to get the good points out of it.”
This article was researched and written by communications intern Margaret (Daisy) Lehman.
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District Holds Public Budget Meeting |
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The Wauwatosa School District held a public budget meeting on Wednesday, May 31. Members of the Wauwatosa community are encouraged to view the presentation to familiarize themselves with the public school budget process. |
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Celebrate Pride Month in June |
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Pride Month started as a tribute to those involved in the Stonewall Riots in New York in 1969. Today, it is celebrated globally to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual and more (LGBTQIA+).
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District to Celebrate Graduating Seniors with Fireworks Display |
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On May 30, the City of Wauwatosa approved the Wauwatosa School District's request to salute graduating seniors with fireworks at our graduation celebrations. Please be advised that a brief fireworks salute will take place on June 9 at 9 p.m. and June 10 at 12:30 p.m.
Should the weather require the District to reschedule the event(s), updated information will be posted at www.wauwatosaschools.org.
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Reminder: Students Have Access to Sora Over Summer Months |
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This summer, all staff and students will have the ability to access Sora, our ebook/audiobook library.
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Wauwatosa West Student Awarded HAMP Scholarship |
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Congratulations to Steven Awve for being awarded the HAMP scholarship! The HAMP Foundation believes that higher education is the key to success in life. Annually, the foundation offers two full, four-year scholarships to the University of Wisconsin-Madison or the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. These scholarships may be used for tuition, room & board, fees & required class materials (books, supplies, etc.) at the indicated academic institutions. Steven plans to attend UW-Madison. Congratulations! |
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Washington Elementary First Graders Performed Bugz: A Musical Play for Young Voices |
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Over the past few months, the first grade students at Washington Elementary worked hard to put together a performance of Bugz: A Musical Play for Young Voices. Students rehearsed the songs in music class, created scenery during art class, and put together their own costumes at home. Parents and guardians volunteered to practice lines with students, developing their reading fluency and public speaking skills when performing on stage.
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In collaboration with the musical, first grade students also collected non-perishable food items for their bugs' picnic which ultimately was donated to The Gathering of Southeast Wisconsin - a local organization that provides meals and associated services to those who would otherwise go hungry. Then, first grade students assembled 116 lunches for the guests at The Gathering. Each lunch included a sandwich, applesauce, granola bar, snack, and water bottle all in a decorated brown paper bag! As an added bonus, an extra box of bread, peanut butter, jelly, snacks, and other shelf stable food was donated to The Gathering as well!
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Wauwatosa East Students Participate in Issue Fair |
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American Public Policy students at Wauwatosa East High School completed an issue investigation project during second semester. This project included identifying an issue, collecting data, writing an essay, creating a presentation, executing a civic action plan, and finally, sharing their information with the community. For their civic engagement, students created petitions and surveys and some even spoke about their issue at School Board meetings.
Volunteer community members served as judges during the fair as students presented on issues. Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, State Representative Robyn Vining, Alderman Sean Lowe, Dr. Means and Dr. Jessup-Anger also served as judges.
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Wauwatosa West HOSA Students to Attend International Leadership Conference |
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Congratulations to Lochlainn Whale and Colman Hanlon for being chosen to represent the state of Wisconsin in Dallas, TX at the HOSA: Future Healthcare Professionals International Leadership Conference. They will be competing against other schools across the nation in the CPR/First Aid event later this month. Congratulations! |
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Wauwatosa Public Library Foundation Leadership Luncheon |
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Since 2005, the Wauwatosa Public Library Foundation has held an annual event to present Leadership Awards to area high school students and to present the Arthur B. Kohasky Leadership Award to a citizen who has made a positive impact in our community. Wauwatosa West Student, Chloe Ellery and Wauwatosa East student Lauren Dapelo were both chosen to be presented the Leadership Award this year.
Congratulations, Chloe and Lauren!
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McKinley Family Literacy Night |
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McKinley Elementary School hosted its first Family Literacy Night after a month-long All School Read of Marion Jensen's "Almost Super." The Book Fair was heavily visited. Students made bookmarks, tried to guess the number of books in the library, listened to read alouds from Ms. Loechler and Dr. Hoffmann, participated in a book swap, received superhero code names, and got to dress up for a superhero photo shoot! |
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Wauwatosa East Band Student Received Exemplary Soloist Award at State Solo and Ensemble |
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Congratulations to Wauwatosa East junior Lily Knaack who received an exemplary soloist award at UW Milwaukee's State Solo & Ensemble. Lily is the lead Alto Sax player in the Wind Ensemble and Jazz I in the Wauwatosa East Band Program. Lily studies privately with local educator Jeff Gilchrist and already has many accolades to her name. Lily performs with many ensembles including the Wisconsin State Honors Band (2022, 2023), UWM's Youth Wind Ensemble and she is a member of MYSO. Lily was most recently selected as the concerto competition winner for the Waukesha Area Symphonic Band where she was featured at their Spring concert and is planning on attending the Interlochen Arts Academy's intensive Saxophone studies program this summer. Congratulations Lily!
The Exemplary Performance Recognition Project expands recognition of outstanding student performers at the WSMA State Solo & Ensemble Festival. State festival adjudicators identify exceptional performances at each of the state festival campuses. Students who are selected for the award receive a certificate from WSMA in recognition of their outstanding performance at the State Festival.
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PTA Council Holds Inclusion Resource Fair |
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The Wauwatosa PTA Council held an Integrated Abilities: Resource & Learning Night in late April. The event was full of learning and fun for students, staff, community members, and families. It featured refreshments provided by Inclusion Cafe, a calming corner and more than 20 community organizations serving individuals with disabilities. The event served as a great, immersive opportunity for all community members to learn more about individuals with disabilities and the organizations that serve them. |
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Senior Center Memberships are Heating up This Summer |
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Senior Center memberships are on pace to surpass last year's and get close to an all-time high set back in 2018! The membership continues to be a great way for community members ages 50+ to meet new people and develop lasting friendships. One membership allows for use at both Hart Park Center and the Civic Center. Some activities included in the membership are cards (bridge, sheepshead and rummy), Friday lunches at the Civic Center, a daily lunch program at Hart Park Center, speaker and special events, Friday afternoon at the movies, trips, book discussion, exercise classes and pickleball open play. Special thanks for the great work done by Kosta Zervas (Recreation Program Coordinator), Nancy Lohmiller (Hart Park Senior Center Program Coordinator), Donna Weingarten and Bob DeLeon (Civic Center Senior Club Program Coordinators). |
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District Holds Annual Recognition Celebration for Retirees and 25-Year Employees |
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On Wednesday, May 17, the Wauwatosa School District honored its employees who will be retiring at the end of the 2022-23 school year, and the employees who have dedicated 25 years of service to the District. The event was held at the Zoofari Conference Center. Employees celebrating 25 years of service received a framed print that articulates the time they have dedicated to our students. These employees include Kellie Christensen, Carolyn Curley, Michael Dahlquist, Kellie DeRango, Wendy Domena, Amy Dechac, Jennifer Engel, Mary Feil, Sarah Lichey, Joal Marinan, Pamela Niezgoda, Nicole Nowicki, Mike Trocchio, and Mary Westphal.
Retiring employees received a framed piece of artwork created by a Wauwatosa School District student and include Joan Anderson-Yuergens, Karin Awve, Jeanine Berggruen, Patty Brielmaier, Mary Kay Dellmann, Elizabeth Drake, Anna Foglia, Eleuteria Gonzalez-Dobbe, Paul Gouvion, Theresa Hamilton, Debra Hernday, Jean Hoffmann, Nick Hughes, Mary Johnston, Teri Kandel, Susan Merriman, Glen Slonac, Gail Stamsta, Meri White, and Lisa Winn.
Please join us in thanking these dedicated staff members for their commitment to students and their commendable work throughout their careers!
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Wauwatosa German Students and Staff Recognized for Achievements |
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The National German Exam (NGE) is administered each year to more than 15,000 high school students. The exam, now in its 62nd year, provides individual feedback, rewards students through an extensive regional and national prize program, and creates a sense of accomplishment. Exam results provide teachers a means of comparing students in all regions of the country, as well as programmatic data to help inform curricular decisions.
Students in Wauwatosa who scored at the 90th percentile and above - and earned gold medals - include Vivian Bauer, Douglas Hood, Matthew Jaworski, Eli Peik, Seoul Smith, and Avi Zarnowski. Jacob Garcia Vanburen scored in the 70th percentile and received a certificate for this accomplishment. Great job!
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In May, students were inducted into the German National Honor Society. This was a combined event between both Wauwatosa East and Wauwatosa West high schools. The Wauwatosa West Jazz Combo performed and the student officers, Carolyn Molter and Kosta Tourloukis spoke about the activities that took place over the past year. Four new students were inducted: Molly Cook, Marisa Leveille, Charlie Hannan and Louis Schauer. There were 16 returning members; 12 of which were graduating seniors. |
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And finally, each year the National German Exam is given across the United States to approximately 20,000 students of German. Students are recognized with cash prizes, medals, and certificates from all levels of the challenging exam. Wauwatosa’s level 4-6 AP German students participated in the DSSV essay contest by writing a five-paragraph essay on a specific topic in just 30 minutes.
Nineteen students from Wauwatosa West were recognized for their essays with cash awards including Steven Awve, Eliana Bauer, Aidan Connolly, Molly Cook, Ben Everts, Thomas Foesterling, Charlie Hannan, Eleanor Hannan, Lillian Kiracofe, Max Kuhn, Marisa Leveille, Henry Riordan, Alli Rogers, Louis Schauer, Emily Scott, Camille Socol, Julia Thompson, Skylar Weaver, and Robert Wilkerson. Students Carina Pelzek, Molly Frost, Anika Goodman, Mateusz Zielonka, and Carolyn Molter were also recognized with medals.
Ten students from Wauwatosa East were recognized for their exam achievement with significant cash awards and certificates including Annabel Biasi, Anna Guckenberg, Frey Hankes, Nolan Klippel, Alissa Novalija, Goran Novalija, Emilia Ruginni, Alex Symms, Miles Williams, and Dan Zello. The essays of Annabel Biasi, Frey Hankes, and Alissa Novalija were in the top 30 in the state of Wisconsin. Medals for achievement on the National German Exam were also received by Annabel Biasi, Nora Hankes, Nolan Klippel, Emelia Ruginni, Julius Ryan, Alissa Novalija, Goran Novalija, Alex Symms, and Dan Zello.
Wauwatosa West German teacher Ms. Karin Awve was also honored for her career contributions upon retirement and received the Wilma Giese Memorial Award, along with $500 cash.
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Roosevelt Elementary Students Place Third in State Battle of the Books Competition |
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Earlier this year, Roosevelt students participated in the Wisconsin State Battle of the Books elementary division online battle. The team consisting of Wylee Hamilton, Scarlett Clinton, Clara Ost, and Sophia Basile won 3rd place out of 217 teams statewide! Congratulations, readers! |
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Wauwatosa Montessori School Holds Family Literacy Night |
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Wauwatosa Montessori staff, students and families had a SUPER time at literacy night! Everyone learned their special superhero name upon arrival and could head to a superhero design studio to protect their identity by making a scratch off superhero mask or a popsicle stick superhero. After that, students practiced their acting in a reader's theater and got a workout in the superhero training room. After all that "flying," it was nice to take a break with a cookie at a superhero power station and finally put on a cape and snap a picture. |
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Wauwatosa East Student Wins Milwaukee Public Library's Poetry Contest |
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Malik Boyd, a student at Wauwatosa East, is one of the winners of this year's Milwaukee Public Library teen poetry contest! His poem, "Love, Unrequited," won the Teen Advisory Board Choice award.
To see a list of the winners, including Malik, click here!
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Underwood Students Spread Kindness |
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Underwood Elementary is going through the ABCs for the last 26 days of school. Wednesday, May 17 was the letter "K for Kindness," so third graders welcomed students into the school with encouraging signs that contained kind phrases. Way to go, students! |
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Wauwatosa East Students' Service Learning Project |
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For their Service Learning Project in Postsecondary Seminar, Wauwatosa East students visited Feeding America and were educated on the topic of food insecurity.
Special thanks to Ms. Roberts for joining and driving a school van, too!
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Wauwatosa West Students Participate in Workshop |
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A group of young men from Wauwatosa West participated in a workshop facilitated by Kwabena Nixon of Be Inspired Works. This program is geared towards young men of color and assists them in recognizing their value, increasing social and emotional learning skills, communicating effectively, instilling cultural pride, awareness, and self-identity. The workshop prepares students to have the ability to express their feelings effectively and learn healthy ways of addressing conflict in life. At the conclusion of the workshop, the students attended a field trip to the Black Holocaust museum in Milwaukee. Many prominent community members from Milwaukee attended this event and shared their journey of success with the young men of Wauwatosa West. The students are very thankful for this opportunity and have inquired about future sessions. |
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Teacher at Children's Wisconsin Recognized on Fox 6 |
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Wauwatosa School District staff member Michael Trocchio
was interviewed by Fox 6 about Children's Wisconsin's one-on-one bedside teaching program.
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Roosevelt Elementary Students Visit State Capital |
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Roosevelt Elementary fourth grade students toured the Wisconsin State Capitol on Monday, May 22. Students toured the Capitol to put their civics and citizenship curriculum to the test. How do the people of Wisconsin and the government interact? What rights, privileges, and responsibilities do people have in society?
Students met with Representative Vining on the visit to the People's House and learned more about the assembly. Representative Vining answered many questions from our students. Students rubbed the badger's nose, learned about the history of the Capitol, and met Old Abe.
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Wauwatosa Montessori Student Named a Star Student |
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Patch's Star Student on May 5 was Montessori's very own Hazel Pandya. Nominated by Ms. Kim Boettche, Hazel received this recognition due to the fact that she is a thoughtful, intelligent, and motivated student. She wants everyone to feel accepted, and people are naturally drawn to her warm nature.
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Jerry Awards Given to High School Theatre Students, Productions |
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We are proud to celebrate the members of our theatre programs who have received prestigious Jerry Awards for their spring 2023 performances of Seussical and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Wauwatosa West) and Singin’ in the Rain and Rock of Ages (Wauwatosa East).
The Wauwatosa West Theatre Program received several awards for its production of Seussical including:
- Spirit Award: Steven Awve
- Outstanding Lighting Design: Aaron Zimmerman
- Outstanding Costume Design: Andrea Loss
Awards received for the production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella include:
- Outstanding Musical - This award recognizes all aspects of the production as outstanding and is the 8th time West Theatre has won this award.
- Direction: Adam Steffan
- Music Direction: Alex Hunt
- Choreography: Nancy Visintainer-Armstrong
- Scenic Design: Dale Shively
- Lighting Design: Aaron Zimmermann
- Costume Design: Andrea Loss
- Wig Design: Katie Krause
- Make-up Design: Anna Thaney
- Sound Design: Scott Varga
- Outstanding Supporting Performance: Zachary Nowacek
- Spirit Award: Evan Sulik
The Wauwatosa East Theatre Program received several awards for its production Rock of Ages: Teen Edition, including:
- Outstanding Orchestra
- Outstanding Scenic Design
- Outstanding Lead Performance: Ray Thesian
- Outstanding Lead Performance: Nolan Zellermayer
Congratulations!
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Eisenhower Elementary Students Get Special Guest at Show and Tell |
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For show and tell at Eisenhower, student Jake Leffler brought his little brother Charlie so they could teach the class about wheelchairs. The other kids asked a lot of great questions, including whether Charlie is allowed to go through the McDonald’s drive-through in his wheelchair! |
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Jefferson Staff Serves Families at McTeacher Night |
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The Jefferson community came together at McTeacher night to enjoy each other's company as Jefferson staff served families and customers. There was also a surprise visit by the Jefferson Jaguar, Jacobus! Proceeds from the evening will be used to purchase spirit wear for all Jefferson students during the 2023-24 school year. |
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Lincoln Elementary Students Lead Morning Announcements |
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Each day, students at Lincoln Elementary are given the chance to lead the morning announcements at 8:20 a.m. Students share the breakfast and lunch choices, celebrate birthdays, and highlight important school information. This is a great way to continue to build a sense of community among students and practice public-speaking skills! |
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Madison Elementary Students Learn from Author and Illustrator |
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The Madison Elementary library hosted author and illustrator Jack Wong on Friday, May 5. Mr. Wong's poetic book, When You Can Swim, explored the experience of overcoming his fear of swimming. Along with reading his book aloud to the SK-2nd graders, he answered questions and shared how he draws his beautiful illustrations. Big thanks to the Boswell Book Company and Scholastic for providing this amazing opportunity for Madison Elementary students!
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McKinley Elementary's Green Team Educates Community |
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The McKinley Elementary School Green Team hosted a table at the Tosa Community Fair this spring. The Green Team is an after school club that is lead by a group of McKinley teachers. The club emphasizes the importance of helping the earth and educating others about composting, recycling and other important items. At the community fair, Green Team members taught attendees how to make a wreath. |
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Roosevelt's Raptor Rally and Pancake Breakfast |
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On Monday, May 1, Roosevelt Elementary School celebrated Principal's Day by holding an assembly in honor of their principal, Mark Supa. To show their appreciation, they surprised him with a poster that said "World's Best Principal!" |
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One of Roosevelt's annual community-building events is the Pancake Breakfast. This annual event allows families to gather and break "pancakes" together with their Roosevelt Family! Thank you to PTA for sponsoring this wonderful event. |
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Underwood Celebrates Bike to School Day, Students Receive a Visit from Alum and Author |
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Students and staff at Underwood Elementary School strapped on helmets and laced up their tennis shoes so they could bike to school on May 4 in honor of "Bike to School Day." This day emphasized the importance of biking and other forms of active transportation. |
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Mr. Jon Gaines is a former Underwood Firefly who played college football for UCLA and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals. Mr. Gaines visited Underwood and spoke to 3rd-5th graders about respect and sportsmanship. |
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The Underwood PTA hosted local children's author Dean Robbins, who delivered a funny, interactive, multimedia presentation for students. Mr. Robbins introduced the extraordinary figures in his new picture books Thank You, Dr. Salk!: The Scientist Who Beat Polio and Healed the World; You Are a Star, Ruth Bader Ginsburg; The Fastest Girl on Earth!: Meet Kitty O'Neil, Daredevil Driver!; and Mambo Mucho Mambo!: The Dance That Crossed Color Lines. He also revealed the secrets of how kids can become real-life heroes themselves. Mr. Robbins spent the day at Underwood giving several large group presentations, assorted small classroom visits, and book signings.
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Washington Elementary Students Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week |
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Washington Elementary School students worked in grade level groups to create a canvas for every staff member at Washington with the goal of celebrating that staff member's unique strengths! Students worked hard with art teacher Sam Loeck to collaboratively brainstorm a list of positive characteristics that described the selected staff member. The students then voted on the one characteristic they felt best described the staff member. Finally, the students decorated, drew, and painted each canvas - all taking turns to contribute and work together.
Then, students surprised staff members with their creations! Many student groups presented their canvases to staff members with a little background information on why they chose that specific characteristic for them. This project was such a lovely way for students to recognize Washington staff during teacher Appreciation Week!
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Wilson Elementary Students Support Girl Power Africa, Release Butterflies |
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Third grade girls at Wilson Elementary School learned about Girl Power Africa, a nonprofit organization in Liberia, Africa that raises money for girls to go to school and for women to start businesses. The students learned about what school is like in Liberia and some of the challenges students face. They listened to the co-founder of Girl Power Africa talk about being a leader, and then made encouraging posters to share with the Girl Power Africa students. |
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First graders at Wilson Elementary School had a great time bug hunting in the school's outdoor classroom and on the parkway. While hunting, they found butterflies but, of course, they released them back into their natural habitat. |
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Montessori Students Celebrate Arbor Day |
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Each year on Arbor Day, the City of Wauwatosa donates a tree to one WSD school. This year, the tree was donated to Wauwatosa Montessori in a celebration that was planned and managed by students in the Adolescent Program (AP) at Montessori.
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Longfellow Middle School Students Debate the Endangerment of Wolves |
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Should wolves be on the Endangered Species List in Wisconsin?
This is the topic that drove the argumentation in 6th grade science. Students prepared an oral argument of a real-world problem facing Wisconsin through the Wauwatosa Science Benchmarks. They dissected articles to completely explain why the evidence is important using accuracy that supports the claim and argument. They demonstrated a complete understanding of scientific principles, driving questions, and vocabulary. They created and interpreted the evidence correctly and identified patterns and trends in the data.
"It made me smile, and still does. I can’t decide what is more heartwarming and fun: the 6th grader wearing the cow costume, involving a student who isn’t chosen first as a partner, Maddie ripping the page off and the round of applause, or Nadia’s not-so-gentle removal of Henry, as the deceased bovine. I hope it brings you some smiles too." said parents John and Jenny Ruggini.
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Whitman Middle School Students Take a Trip to the Zoo |
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Eighth grade students in Whitman's Spanish program took a field trip to the Milwaukee County Zoo. The trip allowed students to meet the learning targets outlined in the Animals unit including identifying main ideas and details in both written and spoken form, write and present about animals, and ask and answer a variety of simple questions. |
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Wauwatosa East Students Take a New Approach to Learning |
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This week, Biology students at Wauwatosa East began a unit that the teachers are piloting as an option for a new curriculum. Students are engaging with a real world phenomenon: the drastically increasing population of African Buffalo in the Serengeti. After reviewing initial data, students were asked to write their own questions to explore. These questions are then displayed on a classroom Driving Question Board (pictured). Each day, the teachers design opportunities for students to hypothesize and find evidence to answer their own questions. Pictured below is a student sharing what his group learned from an assigned reading and data set that helped them answer the question, “What do buffaloes eat, and is there more of it for them to eat now?” |
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Wauwatosa West Students Create a Culinary Masterpiece |
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Each month, students in Wauwatosa West's Culinary Arts program can participate in food challenges through Prostart. Students Amanda Neikirk, Jenna Le, Ian Butenhoff, and Diego Santiago took on a recent challenge: creating an ultimate grilled cheese utilizing two types of cheese, and must include a description, name and photo of the finished product. There were over 125 submissions, and West's team won first place! Their creation was a garlic chicken grilled cheese that consisted of sourdough bread covered with a tasty garlic butter compote filled with creamy havarti, sharp cheddar, gouda cheese, crispy bacon, and breaded fried chicken. Please give these students a big congratulations! |
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Vel R. Phillips Students Highlight Important Issues |
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At Vel R. Phillips, administrators and teachers worked with the school counselor, social worker, special education coordinator to engage in a variety of activities on a Professional Learning Day that was held at Greenfield Park Pavilion. The day focused on Restorative Practices, in addition to fun outdoor team-building challenges. |
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Wauwatosa Virtual Academy's In-Person Sessions Prove Successful |
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Throughout grades 6-12 there were 541 student contacts at WVA's in-person sessions this year. At the in-person sessions, high school students who had completed classes early worked with middle school students to end the year strong. In this picture, Ricciya Ivy, a high school freshman is helping out Mia D., a middle school student, finish up her courses. |
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To assist all stakeholders, please use our Who to Contact webpage to determine who to call or email with questions about common topics within the District. On this web page, you will find a variety of topics along with the name and contact information of the staff member(s) who can address any questions or concerns related to that topic.
Wauwatosa School District | 12121 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53226
Ph: (414) 773-1000 | www.wauwatosaschools.org
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