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December 12 - School Board Meeting (7 p.m.)
December 23-30 - No Classes; Winter Break
January 2 - Classes Resume
January 9 - School Board Meeting (7 p.m.)
January 16 - No Classes (JK-12)
January 21 - JK/SK Enrollment Party at Underwood Elementary School (10 a.m.)
January 23 - No Classes (JK-12); End of First Semester
January 23 - School Board Meeting (7 p.m.)
January 28 - JK/SK Enrollment Party at Lincoln Elementary School (10 a.m.)
*The 2023-23 school year calendar is currently in development and it is anticipated that the Board will review in February 2023.
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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 alignment to strategic objective 1.1 and 1.5 of the Strategic Plan, the audits initiated earlier this year continue as planned with upcoming focus groups around grading and reporting as well as K-12 Science. Surveys will soon be deployed to support the Technology Education audit.
In regards to high school English, the 6-12 ELA Coordinator and Director of Curriculum met with high school English teachers to engage in the next steps of the review process. They further crystalized their beliefs around English instruction at the high school level anchored by the Wauwatosa School District vision, mission, and core values. They also began preliminary discussions around course pathways.
Through learning facilitated by our Elementary ELA Curriculum Coordinator and our Elementary ELA Instructional Coaches, elementary teachers re-grounded themselves in defined structures and instructional practices that we aim for all of our classrooms to replicate for equity in literacy.
Two leading documents were shared with teachers and administration in support of our collective work towards the development, implementation, and monitoring of a shared vision for literacy instruction in our classrooms SK-1 and grades 2-8. These tools will be used alongside the WSD Learning Walk Look Fors to develop an understanding of what it looks like/sounds like to facilitate teaching and learning within a Workshop Model for grades 2-8 and within an SK-1 Literacy Block, as well as inform the types of feedback provided to teachers following their principal's classroom visits. These frameworks will also be used by Instructional Coaches in partnership with teachers to guide goal setting, instructional planning, observation, professional learning, and feedback/reflection.
In the coming months, the Division of Academic Performance will present a gifted and talented audit response plan to the Curriculum Council as well as the Board of Education. The audit was conducted in the spring of 2022, and a presentation was made to the Board in September. The Director of Continuous Improvement and her team are working on finalizing the response plan. This work connects to strategic objective 1.3.
To support strategic objective 1.4 the Chief Academic Officer, Superintendent, Chief of Pupil and Family Supports, and Director of Continuous Improvement have been meeting with their respective principal partner during “Thought Partner” visits every 2 to 3 weeks. During that time, district and building leaders review progress around the school growth plan and visit classrooms. The purpose of these visits is to provide support and coaching to building principals as they work to execute their growth plans. At some schools, the Director of Instruction visits on the opposite week to assist principals in maintaining an active pulse on instruction.
In support of strategic objective 1.5 building leaders will be sharing their growth plans with their school communities in the coming weeks. In connection to this, the month of November launched Impact Sessions in the District. Administrators from the Division of Academic Performance, Division of Pupil and Family Supports, and the Superintendent met with building teams to learn about their school growth plans and provide feedback. Based on the feedback, building leaders will make revisions, and the final initial Impact Sessions will conclude in early December. The next round of Impact Sessions will take place beginning in February 2023. During this meeting, schools will have the opportunity to highlight their successes and discuss how they are navigating their continued areas for growth. This is in alignment to strategic objective 1.3.
The recent deployment of our District-developed custom assessment will also provide information about students' proficiency in ELA and Math in grades 1-8. These assessments are very short, targeted assessments, and this information will keep us informed about the impact of the work around strategic objectives 1.1 and 1.4 specifically.
To support strategic objective 1.2, the Director of Data Quality + Analytics is leading the Division through the development of internal report cards for each of our schools. While these will be internal documents at first, there is intent to make them public-facing before the 2023-2024 school year.
This month, the Division of Academic Performance will also be preparing for the 2023-24 school year as well as summer school 2023. Updated course guides for middle and high school will soon be before the Board of Education prior to student registration, which will begin in January.
And finally, the Division of Academic Performance will bring Action to Approve a Board Resolution to Start School Before September 1, 2023 to the Board of Education at the December meeting.
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In November, the Division of Human Resources completed work updating the 2022-23 Staffing Plan. With the Division of Finance + Operations, efforts will quickly transition to developing enrollment and staffing projections for the 2023-24 school year. Staffing discussions with principals will begin after winter break, followed by ongoing updates to the Staffing Plan throughout February and March. It is the goal of Human Resources to finalize the Staffing Plan in March 2023 and initiate hiring for the upcoming school year.
The first day of our fall Career Fair was November 29. WSD hired an Educational Assistant for Jefferson Elementary School and our new contracted cleaning service provider had a steady stream of interested applicants to keep our school shiny and bright. Our next Career Fair date is December 7. Click here for more information.
The substitute teacher shortage continues to affect schools in Wisconsin and across the nation. EduStaff, Wauwatosa School District’s substitute staffing contractor, is actively working to increase the number of subs available to our schools. Our substitute teacher compensation continues to put the Wauwatosa School District at the top of lists in terms of competitive compensation for substitutes. Our subs at Longfellow, Underwood, Washington, Whitman and Wilson will be eligible for the daily rate of $160 to increase our fill rates. Teachers who retired from the Wauwatosa School District are eligible to earn $150 per day, and long term subs (20+ consecutive days in the same assignment) earn $160 per day. For Monday and Friday assignments accepted after 10 pm on the day prior, subs earn a high-demand rate of $150 per day. We continue to offer substitute incentives and perks for 2022-23 which include free lunch and an opportunity to receive a bonus of up to $1,000 with our Daily Substitute Bonus program. An individual with a valid Wisconsin DPI teaching license may sub in any grade level or subject. An individual with a BA/BS may apply for a Substitute Teacher license from DPI and WSD/EduStaff will support their request. Subs for educational assistant positions will need to apply for a Special Education Program Aide license from DPI which will be sponsored by WSD/EduStaff. There is no required licensure for administrative assistant substitutes.
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The Division of Finance + Operations is pleased to announce that the School Board approved its recommendation to partner with GSF for facility cleaning. GSF's expertise in school facility cleaning has helped the company build a large presence in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois, and they have recently started moving in to the southeastern Wisconsin market. The contract will take effect on January 1, 2023. As presented to the Board, key benefits of working with GSF include:
- Green cleaning protocol and products. In fact, the Division of Finance + Operations will be working with GSF over the 2023 calendar year to achieve a formal green certification for the district.
- >$600k investment in all-new cleaning equipment including robotics. This equipment is similar to what is used in retail and hospital environments.
- Partnering with an employee-focused company with higher retention than generally seen in their industry. This is attributed to offering mostly full-time positions with benefits, frequent training, and advancement opportunities.
- Cost effective solution. GSF's proposal came in at the lowest cost with a full $500,000 savings over the next most competitive bid over the duration of the initial 2.5 year contract.
Over the next two months, the Division of Operations + Finance will onboard GSF and support their hiring processes. GSF expects to supply approximately ⅓ of the needed staff from current GSF employee capacity, ⅓ from our previous vendor’s workforce, and ⅓ from new hires.
In November, the Board of Education reviewed items related to Strategic Objectives 6.1 and 6.2, including the external enrollment study proposal and the working draft of the long-term facility planning process. The Board of Education approved our recommendation for the completion of an enrollment study. In March 2023, we will deliver a report to the Board that contains enrollment projections for the next ten (10) years. These projections will help the Finance Department more accurately develop budget projections. We continue to develop our long-range facilities plan, which will be finalized and presented to the Board in early 2023. This robust plan will incorporate the longer-term enrollment projections, ongoing school maintenance needs, and future learning environments.
The Board has also approved the recommended facility maintenance projects for the 2023-24 budget within the context of a five-year schedule of prioritized maintenance projects.
This month, the Board established the Finance + Resources Committee which will begin meeting monthly in December. This committee will review the various budget inputs as we start the 2023-24 budget planning over the next few months. Future facility maintenance recommendations will also be discussed at the Committee level to help with that planning.
Our Facilities team has been working with the Washington community to help communicate next steps and final designs for the playground project. This project is planned for summer with a completion date in early to mid August 2023.
December is a month of up-front budget planning/preparation focus. The Finance + Resources Committee can expect to see detailed budget planning starting in January. The Division of Human Resources has been building a full 2022-23 staffing FTE reconciliation and this process is now complete. The next steps will be to reconcile the staffing FTE with the approved budget to give administration and the Board a validated starting point for the 2023-24 and future budget planning discussions.
The State Legislature is reorganizing following the November elections. We can expect to hear a budget recommendation from Governor Evers in late January and then a proposal from the Joint Finance Committee by early March. This will be a challenging budget cycle, and we are preparing legislative talking points to help explain the legislative platform as well as a video to help explain key funding needs (Revenue Limits and Special Education Aid) and mental health and teacher pipeline trends.
The Board will hear an annual update from the Recreation Department at the December Board meeting.
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The Division of Pupil and Family Supports has been working diligently around strategic plan goals. We have spent many collaborative hours with the Division of Academic Performance as several of the “buckets” of strategic plan goals intersect heavily between these two divisions. It has been a pleasure getting to know our colleagues through this work as we develop a shared understanding of the avenues through which we will accomplish our goals.
This month, we hosted our first Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility committee meeting. We are excited about the group of internal and external stakeholders that will work together to address the deliverables in Strategic Goal #2.
Our School Safety Committee met and reviewed the committee’s vision and purpose statement, the Dale Brietlow Safety Resolution, the BeSmart Program, overall goals of the committee, and safety onboarding for new staff.
In the coming months, we will continue to work closely with the Division of Operations + Finance to "unpack" our existing budgets, which were designed prior to the development and approval of the current strategic plan. As part of this process, we are identifying leverage items that will be prioritized in the next budget cycle.
We will also continue to work closely with administrators as we develop and refine systems for supporting all students. We, along with all school administrators, received training from our legal counsel regarding special education behavioral strategies, student discipline, and school safety. Student Services teams from each school also received training on developing behavior intervention plans. We continue to focus on ensuring staff members are regulating themselves in order to be their best selves for students - particularly when students need assistance with their own regulation. We participated in intentional learning this month with all staff to better build their confidence and capacity related to the largest areas of development.
We want to recognize December 2 as Special Education Day, and give a special THANK YOU to all of our special education teachers and aides in the district. Your commitment to students with special needs is valued and appreciated.
And finally, please note that the school choice lottery will be opening on February 6, 2023. Additional information can be found below in the District News section.
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Wilson/WSTEM celebrated Veterans Day with a special program on Friday, November 11. Students and staff were honored to recognize so many members of the school community during this program. Students created art to honor our veterans, and the students even had a guest speaker share the many hats he wore during his years of service. |
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Toni Davis
Division of Human Resources
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Ms. Toni Davis is the newest member of the Division of Human Resources! Ms. Davis joined the team as an HR Specialist last month, but has a total of 15 years working as a Human Resources professional in various industries. She chose to work for the Wauwatosa School District because she wanted to be part of an organization that makes a difference - especially in the lives of children. In her first weeks on the job, Ms. Davis appreciates the opportunity to interact with a variety of different people, which ensures she's always learning. She also shared wonderful remarks about her colleagues, stating that they are "a pleasure to work with."
In her spare time, Ms. Davis, who is a published indie author of three books, enjoys roller skating, listening to music, volunteer work, and writing. She is married, and she has one biological daughter and one "bonus" daughter.
Next time you stop by Human Resources at the Fisher Building, be sure to say "hello" to Ms. Davis and welcome her on board!
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Have You Heard? Our Choice School Lottery is Quickly Approaching! |
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The Wauwatosa School District is proud to offer several alternative/choice programming options for students, including Wauwatosa Montessori, Wauwatosa STEM (WSTEM) and Underwood STEM (USTEM), as well as STEM programs at both of our middle schools (MSTEM). Enrollment into these programs is done via lottery.
The application period for the 2023-24 school year lottery will open on February 6, 2023 and will close on February 24.
Students must be enrolled in the Wauwatosa School District prior to submitting a lottery application.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: Families with students currently enrolled in Wauwatosa Montessori, Wauwatosa STEM or Underwood STEM must complete a lottery application for their younger children if they wish for those children to attend Wauwatosa Montessori, Wauwatosa STEM or Underwood STEM. |
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Department of Public Instruction Releases Annual District and School Report Cards |
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As a learning community, the Wauwatosa School District maintains a commitment to continuous improvement. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) report card is one resource we use to assess and reflect on our strengths and areas for improvement. The report cards are intended to help schools and districts use performance data to celebrate successes and improve their efforts to prepare students for the future. All public report cards can be found on DPI’s website, and report cards have been added to each school website as well.
Superintendent Means sent a message to the community regarding the report cards, which included five key takeaways and an action plan to address areas for improvement.
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District Partners with Wraparound Milwaukee to host Behavioral + Mental Health Info Session |
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Please join the Wauwatosa School District and Wraparound Milwaukee for a virtual info session on December 12 from 5:30-6:30 pm. Maria Castillo will talk about programs and services to support youth between the ages of 5-23, who are in need of support with behavioral and mental health needs. Christina Malone, Youth Substance Abuse Counselor for Wraparound, will provide psychoeducation on different substances commonly used by youth, warning signs that parents should look out for, ways for our youth to cope with stress instead of using, and resources.
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Advance Tickets Required for High School Athletic Events |
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To create a more meaningful, positive event experience for attendees and student-athletes, tickets for all Wauwatosa high school athletic events must now be purchased online, in advance of the event. Our Athletic Departments will be using HomeTown Fan to manage ticket sales.
Events are posted on each high school's athletic website, and tickets can be purchased online or via the HomeTown Fan app.
If you have any questions, please contact your high school’s Athletic Department.
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Celebrate Human Rights Day on December 10 |
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On December 10, 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which is a milestone document that proclaims 30 inalienable rights to which everyone is entitled as a human being, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Available in more than 500 languages, it is the most translated document in the world!
Women, led by Eleanor Roosevelt, played an important role in the development of the document. If you would like to learn more about that, click here.
Children’s books are a great way to learn and begin conversations about human rights. A few that are available in our Wauwatosa school libraries are:
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The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles - Ruby must confront the hostility of white parents when she becomes the first African American girl to integrate Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans in 1960.
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For the Right to Learn, Malala Yousafzai’s Story by Rebecca Langston-George - Tells Malala Yousafzai's harrowing story of standing up for girls' education against the Taliban, being shot in the head, and surviving to continue the fight
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We are all Born Free by Amnesty International - About the basics of human dignity as elaborated in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
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Waiting for BiblioBurro by Monica Brown (author) and John Parra (illustrator) - Inspired by the real-life story of Luis Soriano, who started a mobile library with donkeys carrying hundreds of books over long distances for children in rural areas of Colombia.
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WSD Staff Participates in Professional Learning |
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In partnership with the Division of Pupil and Family Supports, the Division of Academic Performance led a variety of professional learning opportunities to support the District’s efforts in building towards the goals of the Strategic Plan. Learning opportunities were individualized based on content area and grade level bands. The resounding feedback from our educators was overwhelmingly positive, and district leaders look forward to seeing the learning that transpired in action in our classrooms.
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December Engagement Session: Division of Finance + Operations |
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The Division of Finance + Operations has planned a Community Engagement Session for December 19 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Fisher Administration building. Mr. Keith Brightman, Chief Financial + Operations Officer, and other members of the Finance + Operations team will deliver a 30-minute presentation on the current work focus of the Division, and then provide ample time for questions and discussion. One of the key topics will be the importance of legislative advocacy as it relates to current and future school funding by the State of Wisconsin.
A virtual option will be available via Zoom.
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Wauwatosa School District to Host Junior and Senior Kindergarten Enrollment Events |
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The Wauwatosa School District is pleased to announce that it will be hosting two Junior and Senior Kindergarten Enrollment Parties in January 2023!
Families with children who will be four (JK) or five (SK) years old on or before September 1, 2023 are invited to attend a fun event featuring kid-friendly activities, a school tour, live musical entertainment and more!
Families on the west side of Wauwatosa within the attendance boundaries of Eisenhower, Madison, McKinley, Underwood should attend the event on Saturday, January 21 from 10 am to 1 pm at Underwood Elementary School.
Families on the east side of Wauwatosa within the attendance boundaries of Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Washington and Wilson should attend the event on Saturday, January 28 from 10 am to 1 pm at Lincoln Elementary School.
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Recreation Department Conclude First Ever Flag Football and TackleBar Leagues |
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In partnership with the Wauwatosa Blazers Youth Football, the Recreation Department successfully ran the first Flag Football (1st-3rd grade) and TackleBar (4-5th grade) leagues this fall. Everyone - including all the new volunteer coaches - are looking forward to future seasons!
TackleBar is a limited contact football game that bridges the gap between flag football and tackle football. Players wear full pads and learn all of the traditional fundamentals of the game in a limited contact setting. This approach is providing players with an authentic football experience that decreases injuries and increases participation in the sport. Outside of 2 HS teams using for practices we are one of the first in SouthEast WI to offer for Youth.
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Tosa West Sophomores Host Movie Night for Elementary Students |
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The Wauwatosa West Sophomore Class is hosting a movie night for kids 5-10 years old on Friday, December 9 from 5:30 to 8 pm at Wauwatosa West High School. Admission is $15 per child and includes pizza, snacks, and a fun movie experience!
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Elementary Library Shifts from OverDrive to Sora for eBook and Audiobook Access |
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On December 1, 2022, the classic OverDrive website and app will no longer be available. It will be discontinued and the URL will redirect to soraapp.com. Download the Sora app today or access it from any laptop or Chromebook to find your next ebook or audiobook.
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Wauwatosa East Student Recognized as Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Semifinalist |
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Chandler Tribble, a senior at Wauwatosa East High School, has been named a Semifinalist in the 2022-2023 Coca-Cola Scholars Program. Only 1,557 Semifinalists were chosen among 91,000+ applicants this year because of their outstanding leadership, academic achievements, and dedication to their community.
Tribble will now complete a second application that includes information about school, community, volunteer, and employment activities; multiple written responses; a recommendation; a secondary school report; and a transcript. In January 20023, 250 regional finalists will be selected, and regional interviews will take place in mid-February. Following the regional interviews, 150 Coca-Cola Scholars will be selected in early March.
Congratulations, Chandler, and best of luck on this journey!
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Postsecondary Seminar Students at Wauwatosa East Receive College Acceptance |
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Five Wauwatosa East seniors enrolled in Postsecondary Seminar have been accepted into at least one college or university already! Congratulations to:
Aaliyah Amundson - MATC; intended major/focus: nail technician
Colton Czubakowski - UW-Milwaukee; intended major/focus: nursing
So'Myrah Dorsey - Prairie View A&M University; intended major/focus: undecided
Chloe Jordan - Carroll University; intended major/focus: nursing
Kayleigh Vajda - Milwaukee Career College; intended major/focus: veterinary technician
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Students at Madison Elementary Celebrate World Kindness Day |
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World Kindness Day 2022 was November 13, and the students at Madison Elementary School celebrated by collecting kindness mustangs!
For three weeks in November, when a class was respectful or kind, their teacher gave them a tally. When the class earned five tallys, they got a mustang! Mustangs were placed on the Kindness Challenge Chart. At the end of the contest, the results were:
1st place - Mrs. Lameka's 1st grade class with 33 Mustangs
2nd place- Ms. Fitzgerald's 3rd grade class with 30 Mustangs
3rd place (3-way tie) - 2nd-grade classes (Torres, Yoder, Zanzucchi) with 29 Mustangs
4th place - Mrs. Lamer's 5th grade class with 28 Mustangs
5th place - Ms. Trueur's JK classes with 27 mustangs
Students in each of these classrooms will receive a small treat as their prize, and to celebrate the efforts of all students, Madison had an an all-school pajama/comfy clothes day.
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Students Celebrate German Heritage Month, Explore Careers that Utilize German Language Skills |
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Students from both Wauwatosa West and Wauwatosa East attended a career day sponsored by Deutscher Sprach und Schulverein (DSSV) and the Goethe House WI.
Representatives from businesses and universities across southeastern Wisconsin shared their German connections. They also talked about study and career opportunities for young adults looking to utilize their German language skills after graduation.
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Division of Pupil + Family Services Partners with District DEIA Advocates |
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The Division of Pupil and Family Supports has been working toward Strategic Objective 2.3 to identify, train, and house DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility) Advocates in every building. In this photo, a few DEIA advocates are engaged in professional learning in the Fisher Administration Building specific to access and inclusion. During our very first DEI Advocate meeting, each building representative completed a SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, threats) analysis for their school to help determine the greatest area of need. This analysis will assist us in providing support to our students, staff and families. This is a very dedicated group of professionals and they are passionate about DEIA work!
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Wauwatosa Teachers Present at Music Conferences Across the Country |
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Music teachers Mr. Mike Hayden and Mrs. Lauren Roznowski Hayden presented at the Wisconsin Music Education Association conference in Madison last month. Their presentation was titled Personalized Learning in the Large Ensemble Classroom. Approximately 100 attendees from all over the state came to watch the presentation and learn from the Haydens.
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Music teacher Mr. Will Ulrich also presented two sessions in Winston Salem, North Carolina for the North Carolina State Music Teacher Convention. Mr. Ulrich was sponsored by West Music.
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Wauwatosa West Theater Closes Out Successful Seussical Run |
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Here's a big THANK YOU to the Wauwatosa West cast, crew and pit orchestra of Seussical the Musical for creating such a totally awesome and SOLD OUT production! And, of course, amazing series of performances would not have been be possible without the dedicated volunteers, parents and production team providing support.
Bravo to everyone who helps to make it all happen!
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Eisenhower Eagles Show Their True Colors |
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The students at Eisenhower Elementary School have participated in so many fun activities lately! The Eagles have been showing the Eisenhower Way each and every day, so they earned a school-wide COLOR day, where classes enjoyed the day dressing up in their chosen grade-level color!
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Jefferson Students Honor Veterans |
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This month, Jefferson students spent some time learning more about the significance of Veterans Day. The staff and students of Jefferson Elementary School would like to thank all of our Veterans for all that they do and have done to keep us safe!
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Lincoln Elementary School Earns #1 Ranking |
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The Department of Public Instruction released its annual school report cards in November and Lincoln Elementary School's score earned the school the accolade of #1 traditional elementary school in the state of Wisconsin! With an overall score of 97.2, Lincoln is also ranked as the #4 K-12 public elementary school in the state.
Congratulations, Lincoln, on this exciting achievement!
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Madison Students Hold Fundraiser to Help Students in Florida |
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Fifth graders at Madison Elementary have been reading nonfiction articles about Hurricane Ian and learning about the effects that it has had on kids and schools in Florida.
Many schools in the Lee County District have been completely destroyed. Staff and students at Hector A. Cafferata School lost their entire building in the hurricane, so all students at the school were moved to two different schools in the district.
Madison's fifth graders wanted to send school supplies and an Amazon gift card to help staff and students replenish some of their lost supplies so they organized a very successful Penny War fundraiser to support Hector A. Cafferata School in Lee County, Florida.
As students worked on their journalism unit, they watched first hand accounts of Hurricane Ian, summarized main ideas, practiced writing their own news articles, and counted the money that was collected for the fundraiser.
The students were extremely empathetic and passionate about helping others! This was also a great opportunity for our fifth graders to help some of our younger students and continue to build a sense of community.
In just two weeks, our generous school community raised $1,002.53 to directly assist Hector A. Cafferata School.
And a big THANK YOU to fifth grade teacher Mrs. Lamers for facilitating this amazing fundraiser to help other students in need.
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McKinley Students Enjoy Visit from Guest Author |
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Students and staff at McKinley Elementary School were excited to welcome Sherri Duskey Rinker, author of Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site and Steam Train, Dream Train. Mrs. Rinker spent time with McKinley's SK-2nd grade students. During this time, she shared her love of reading, and even read her newest book, Construction Site: Farming Strong, All Year Long.
Mrs. Rinker's message to the students was to remember that "Reading Makes Everything Possible!"
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Roosevelt Students Share Their Love of Reading |
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The Roosevelt library held a storybook tissue box contest. Students were tasked with sharing their love of reading by decorating a tissue box to reflect a book.
Two winners were chosen by student and staff vote, including second grader Xavier, who chose to decorate his tissue box like the book The Hallo-Wiener; and 4th grader Elliott, who made his box look like the book Who Would Win? Tyrannosaurus Rex vs. Velociraptor. A final winner, first grader Ryan, was chosen as the Staff Pick. Ryan decorated his tissue box like Gerald from the Elephant and Piggie series.
And, of course, a big shout out to all the students at Roosevelt for taking this fun opportunity to share their love of reading!
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Underwood Student Takes on Role of Principal (for a Day) |
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On Friday November 18, third grade student Nalon Cunningham became "Principal for the Day."
He shadowed Principal Abdelmawla and learned the many responsibilities involved with the job. Principal Nalon also had the opportunity to join 4/5 USTEM to provide feedback on the final trimester projects recordings.
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Washington Fifth Graders Create Newspaper |
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Washington Elementary fifth grade teachers Mr. Pinn and Mrs. Di Meo recently launched a journalism unit with students. The kids have been hard at work perfecting their craft! They even created a digital 5th Grade News publication, which contains a variety of articles written by the fifth grade class.
Be sure to take a look at the article titled Enraged Principal: Missing Clipboard on page one, and continued on page eight.
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Wilson Elementary School and Wauwatosa STEM Students Give Back on 6th Annual Service Learning Day |
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Students at Wilson and Wauwatosa STEM participated in their 6th annual Service Learning Day on Wednesday, November 16.
Students in JK decorated bags, made sandwiches and packed lunches for individuals overcoming homelessness at Guest House.
Students in SK visited elderly residents of St. Camillus. The group did crafts together and sang songs.
First graders partnered with USO to create care packages and cards for families of deployed soldiers.
Second grade students collected, cleaned and repaired used bikes to donate to the community through the organization Dream Bikes.
Third graders collected pet food and supplies - and made toys as well - for pets at the Wisconsin Humane Society.
In fourth grade, students visited Guest House and Fisher House to clean, participate in food preparation activities and do crafts.
And finally, fifth graders visited the Milwaukee Rescue Mission to sort donations and clothing.
We also must give a very special shout out to all the parent/guardian volunteers who donated their time and patience to support our students, staff and community on Service Day.
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Wauwatosa Montessori Students Hold Bake Sale |
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As part of Girls on the Run, students from Wauwatosa Montessori participated in a community impact project: a bake sale to buy school supplies for their teachers.
The Girls on the Run team would like to give a huge THANK YOU to the Wauwatosa Montessori community for supporting the bake sale. The team was able to raise $240 to support the purchase of school supplies!
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Longfellow Students Celebrate Successful Run of Who Killed Elvis?
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Congratulations to the cast and crew of Longfellow Middle School Theater's production of Who Killed Elvis? Over 100 students participated in pulling this entertaining production together, and the laughter and applause from the audience was a testament to the great show they presented. Plan to join them in May 2023 for their next production, Disney's The Lion King, Jr.
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Whitman Students Participate in Kindness Challenge |
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Students at Whitman Middle School accepted the 31 Acts of Kindness Challenge from Principal Dianich. A kindness board was posted right in front of the main office, and students had the opportunity to write an example of how they have been kind on a sticky note. The advisory with the most acts of kindness received a special treat from Principal Dianich!
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Wauwatosa East Students Horse Around |
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Volunteers at MKE Urban Stables engaged eight students from Wauwatosa East High School in activities with their horses. The activities helped promote and build confidence, communication, and emotional-awareness. Horses are sensitive to human emotions and have the ability to mirror feelings. Students interacted with the horses through grooming and led horses through obstacle courses.
The group wants to give a special thank you to Nancy, Patti and the volunteers for such an amazing experience!
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Wauwatosa West Recognizes Veterans |
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On Veterans Day, Wauwatosa West students recognized our very own veterans who served in the military: Mr. Chad Mateske, Mr. Robert Dusel and Mr. David Keech.
In addition, students are raising funds for The Honor Flight and are hoping to present the money to the organization on December 7, which is Pearl Harbor Day.
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Students at Vel R. Phillips Practiced Self-Care |
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Students at Vel R. Phillips School focused on self-care and learned how to support their bodies on the inside and outside in Ms. Hodgkins class. Students followed recipes and tasted the finished product - smoothies that included fruits and veggies! The kitchen cart used for this activity was funded through a grant from the EFW. |
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Wauwatosa Virtual Academy Celebrates Spirit Week |
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Staff and students at Wauwatosa Virtual Academy had a fun spirit week from October 31 to November 4. From Sports Day to Tie Tye Day, the staff and students had a great time showing their school spirit and building a sense of community. |
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Wauwatosa School District | 12121 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53226
Ph: (414) 773-1000 | www.wauwatosaschools.org
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