Superintendent Jenkins shares a special video message with the MMSD community. He discusses indoor masks, celebrates scholars’ and staff achievements, and previews what’s happening in the upcoming weeks.

Students across MMSD thanked staff members in this video for Teacher Appreciation Week! Visit our website to view more Teacher Appreciation Week Shout Outs.

Between now and graduation, we're spotlighting and celebrating our graduating classes. Visit our graduation page to see more!

Name: Isabella Yang

School: Memorial High School

Q: What advice do you have for incoming 9th grade students?

A: Trust your gut feeling. 

Q: Which MMSD staff member has positively impacted your MMSD experience?

A: I would say my AVID teacher, Mr. Luna. He has been with me for almost four years. He is always pushing me to do better. He makes me feel like I belong and I deserve everything I achieved. 

Q: What are your post-graduation plans?

A: I am going to take a gap year. I'm going to work and explore more. To see what I want to do. I want to try to put myself more out there. I know I want to start college next year. 

Q: Favorite quote?

A: Don't let bad people turn you into a bad person.

Name: Stephanie Moya Cruz

School: La Follette High School

Q: What advice do you have for incoming La Follette freshmen?

A: Throughout high school I have made mistakes, but I have been able to learn through these mistakes as well. A few pieces of advice that I would give an incoming freshman:

• Be yourself. When you are true to yourself you open many more doors to actually be who you are and prepare you for the future.
• Never be scared to ask for help. Everyone cares for you and wants you to become as successful as you see yourself.
• Lastly, have fun with what you do in high school, the 4 years are going to fly by, and when you realize it you are going to be walking the stage. 

Q: Is there a staff member who impacted your journey?

A: Mr. Neppl was very understanding, helpful and really went out of his way to make sure we learned and did well in his class. I also wanna thank Mr. Taylor for always encouraging me to do my best.

Q: Favorite quote?

A: Don't give up.

Q: What are you proud of?

A: My progress over the years.

No Changes to School Start Times for the 2022-2023 School Year

MMSD staff have been working with our transportation providers to determine school start/end times for the 2022-2023 school year. Due to ongoing bus driver shortages, we will  maintain our current start and dismissal times for next year. By maintaining the same schedules as this year, we aim to minimize disruptions in transportation service, provide consistency for families, and avoid any major changes. 

In July 2018, the MMSD Board of Education approved changing start times, with a tiered implementation over three years. Since then, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted schools nationwide, including causing MMSD to experience a delay in the original implementation timeline. Schools across the country (including MMSD) continue to face challenges due to driver shortages, which have caused disruptions to transportation scheduling.

To review your school’s start/dismissal times, please visit the MMSD website.

Construction is Beginning!

We are so proud to be a part of a community that believes in the value of providing an innovative, equity-driven educational experience for our students in well-maintained facilities for generations to come. We appreciate your patience as we begin our construction journey from the 2020 Facilities Referendum. 

Construction is beginning at our high schools, with activities phased through August 2024 completion. As construction begins, we want to remind our community that all high schools will be closed during the summer months to accommodate this construction. We understand this may cause inconveniences. Prior to each phase, we will share updates to keep our community informed.

For additional construction information visit our website. Thank you for your continued partnership in making our facilities Future Ready. Learn more about the updates included in the Referendum 2020.

Enrollment Open for the Madison Promise Online Program

Does your student thrive in an online learning environment? Madison Promise is a tuition-free online program for enrolled MMSD students. We offer rigorous academics that students can engage in from anywhere, provided by innovative teachers who prepare all students to be community, college, and career ready. For the next school school year, we will serve students in grades 4-10 with plans to add 11th grade in 2023-24 and 12th grade in the 2024-25 school year. Course enrollment is open to Advanced Learners, and students will have an opportunity to enroll in Advanced Placement courses.

The application window is open now through May 27. All students, including currently enrolled students, will need to complete the application process. Visit the Madison Promise webpage for up-to-date information, including the application and FAQs, available courses, and family information session registration. Questions? Email promise@madison.k12.wi.us.

Visit our website for more information and to apply.

Register for FREE Art, Music, Dance, and Theater Classes This Summer!

Calling all middle and high school students! The Summer Arts Academy offers amazing learning opportunities for MMSD students in several arts areas. The Academy offers robust programming in performing arts, digital music and media production, acting/drama and theater, and more. Take up African drumming, jazz band or learn how to play guitar; be a majorette - the dancers who perform with marching bands; or star in a licensed musical theater production this summer!  

Afternoon classes run June 20 through July 29, and depending on course may run one, two, three or six weeks. MMSD’s Summer Arts Academy programming is geared toward self-expression, self-identity, and growing students’ interests in arts experiences through unique, inspiring learning opportunities, and providing improved access.

The Summer Arts Academy is FREE for MMSD students, and includes free transportation. Classes are filling up, with spots available on a first come, first served basis - don’t delay, register today! Deadlines: Early registration ends May 6; extended registration through May 13; late registration through May 20.

Registration is now open, visit our webpage for more information and to view the Course Catalog.

In March, the Board of Education created a Safety & Student Wellness Ad Hoc Committee co-chaired by former board member ananda mirilli and current Student Senate president Gordon Allen. The committee held their livestreamed meetings on April 7 and 28. You can watch the meetings on the Board's YouTube channel or read more about the committee, including meeting summaries, on the committee's webpage. Initially, meetings will take place every other Thursday. The next meeting is scheduled for May 12 at 5:15 p.m. 

The committee is composed of 13 core voting members, three supporting staff members, six student alternates, and seven stakeholder group liaisons. Through the next several weeks, they will be seeking input from a variety of groups in order to create and implement a vision of Safety & Student Wellness through community engagement and action.

Student musicians at Memorial High School took center stage on Friday, April 29 for a benefit concert to raise funds for humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine. Check out this video for a highlight reel of the performers: You Got The Message, xxxyungwave, Latin Music Club, Claire McKenna, Carlos Brett, and Mambo No. 9. Students raised more than $260 for Ukraine support organizations! 

Don't Miss East High School's Spring Musical



Enjoy original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alexander Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, John Legend, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I., and a song by David Bowie, Tom Kenny, and Andy Paley. Additional lyrics are by Jonathan Coulton.

Show dates, times and location:

• May 5, 6, 7, and 13 at 7 p.m.
• May 8 and 14 at 2 p.m.
• Margaret Williams Theater

Tickets: Purchase Tickets HERE

• $5 students
• $10 General Admission

Spring Sports Update

The Madison Sports Hall of Fame Club revealed its 59th inductee class including Memorial Coach Chris Grainger, Brad Winchester, and Roy Boone. Congratulations on being inducted into Madison Sports Hall of Fame. Other award recipients include:

• Andringa Family “Rob Andringa Multi-Sport High School Athlete of the Year” award – Madison East senior Alessandro Malterer (boys soccer, basketball, baseball)
• McCone Insurance Madison Sportswoman of the Year award – Madison La Follette senior girls basketball player Demetria Prewitt.

Read the full article here.

Stay up to date with all the excitement - follow us on Twitter @AthleticsMMSD.

Big Eight Schedules

Busine$$ of Giving Summer Camp by CEOs of Tomorrow for 4th - 8th Graders

Is your student interested in learning how to run a business and help the community at the same time? Join CEOs of Tomorrow for two action-packed weeks of hands-on fun where you will learn and apply entrepreneurship skills to launching your very own business. Fun activities, games, and outdoor recreation are included in both weeks. Let’s get down to business!

• Homemade Cookie Making and Decorating Business Camp (August 1-5)
• Homemade Lotion Business Camp (August 8-12)

Camp Hours - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Location - Madison College South Campus *Scholarships are available 

An Entrepreneurial Internship Immersion for 9th-12th Graders

Want to have a fun summer while earning money? Spend your summer getting paid, growing your resume, and refining your entrepreneurial passion! As a “These Teens Mean Busine$$ Intern,” work up to 144 hours alongside a local entrepreneur PLUS gain 25 hours of in-class job-readiness skills. Use your experience to put you a step ahead in your career and education aspirations. Participants must have completed our Academy, Incubator, OR Innovation program. Students who have completed any business course at school OR participate in DECA Business Club may also apply.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Month raises awareness of trauma and the impact it can have on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of children, families, and communities. Mental Health Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans' lives, and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. We also give thanks to the dedicated mental health providers whose service and support improve the lives of so many Americans. 

Even before the pandemic, millions of Americans experienced stress, trauma, anxiety, and heightened levels of depression. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated those conditions, creating an unprecedented mental health crisis across our country. Mental health challenges among youth have also been particularly acute due to disruptions in routines, increased social isolation, and learning loss. 

President Biden, in this year’s State of the Union Address, outlined his vision for bolder investments to address our national mental health crisis. The President’s strategy includes actions that will broaden the pipeline of behavioral health professionals in areas of greatest need, integrate mental health and substance use treatment into primary care, and expand access through more virtual care options. The Surgeon General also released an Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health that underscored the growing harms of digital technologies — especially social media — on the mental health of youth.

Over the past 20 years, the Federal Government, the public health community, and the general public have made efforts to increase the importance of understanding both the prevention and treatment of mental health problems. These efforts have significantly improved the outlook for those affected by mental illnesses.

Mental Health Month gives all of us a valuable opportunity to celebrate the tremendous strides this Nation has made in promoting mental health, and increasing the public's knowledge that effective services and support are available.

To access resources related to mental health, please visit the National Center for Safe and Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE).

Visit our website for resources.

Covid Testing at Schools

• Hours at all sites will be 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Pre-registration is required through Wisconsin Covid Connect Pre-Registration link

Accelerated Clinical Labs has expanded COVID-19 testing services to the schools listed below in addition to the current sites. All sites are open Monday - Friday, hours vary by site.

• Anana
• Cherokee
• Emerson
• Jefferson
• Lincoln
• Lowell
• Wright

For additional information and the pre-registration link, click here.

News From Around the District 

In case you missed it, there were some great things happening in Madison Schools this week, with many being shared by local news partners. For a good read, click on these links and check them out! Follow us on Facebook for daily news from around the District @MadisonSchoolsWI.

• Barbershop class turns students into stylists, special ed assistant into instructor at East High
• Learning to cope: COVID-19 exacerbates growing youth mental health challenges
• MMSD will purchase two new literacy curricula
• Cherokee Heights Middle School Principal Dr. Anuradha Ebbe honored as Wisconsin Secondary Principal of the Year
• MMSD Ho-Chunk land acknowledgment ceremony 'just the beginning'
• Madison athlete blazing trails on the track and for the deaf community

Share the Amazing Stories Happening in MMSD!



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