The Inland Seas School of Expeditionary Learning Charting a new course with a crew-based curriculum
Above Students build their floating dock in the parking lot of ISSEL. Above Right Casey Twanow tests water samples with her students in the classroom at ISSEL. Right Students launch their floating dock into the KK River right behind ISSEL. ~Photos courtesy ISSEL
By Carl Engelking
W
inning the state championship. Starring in the high school musical. Going to prom. These nostalgic images enter many conversations about favorite high school memories. Future graduates of a growing charter high school on the west bank of the Kinnickinnic River, however, may someday tell stories that are a bit more adventurous. Bill Nimke is the founder and executive director of the Inland Seas School of Expeditionary Learning (ISSEL). Since 2005, the school has provided a unique blend of education emphasizing strong community through marine-centered educational programs. Last year, after completing a $1.2 million renovation, it moved to its current location at 2156 S. Fourth St. Students at ISSEL receive education in typical subjects like math, science, and English. However, they also undertake numerous projects such as water testing for the KK River and even building a lake-worthy boat from scratch in the school’s boat shop. Nimke has also incorporated what he calls “Intensives” courses into the curriculum. Students and faculty collaborate to organize marine-related projects that are completed by student groups. Last year, for example, 11 students traveled to northern Wisconsin to study Ojibwa resource management. Students in another group built their own floating dock with limited assistance.
Students of the Inland Seas School undertake numerous projects including testing KK River water, building a lake-worthy boat from scratch in the school’s boat shop, traveling to northern Wisconsin to study Ojibwa resource management, and creating a bilingual documentary on their water research.
“Intensives” are a privilege at ISSEL, and students who are falling behind in their studies stay behind during these trips to receive extensive one-on-one attention. Casey Twanow is a first-year teacher at ISSEL and really enjoys the curriculum, especially since she focused on science in her college education. “Anything you want to do with the students, the administrators want to make it happen,” said Twanow. “We’ve got canoes for water testing, bikes, and a bus, so we can do quite a bit.” A robust curriculum challenges ISSEL students academically each day, but they are also taught to work together as a community on a small and large scale. “At this school we’re about crew; no one is just a passenger,” said Nimke. ISSEL is quite small, enrolling just about 80 students (Nimke wants to bring in about 70 more students). Students are split into smaller units called crews that are responsible for a number of jobs at the school. They help serve lunch, clean the lunchroom, vacuum, and even take out the garbage. Every crew has a role to play, and every student has a responsibility. Students and faculty are also working together to put the final details into the new school. “We’re still getting settled in right now and it’s been a lot of hard work,” said Nimke. “We even have our students working on building bookshelves right now that will be used for years here.” ISSEL has also done extensive work within the Milwaukee community. The school received a grant from the Urban Rivers Conference to create a bilingual documentary on their various water testing projects. Students will be presenting the final documentary at locations around the south side. Nimke hopes to open the school to the Bay View community and offer numerous educational opportunities for children and adults. This summer, his Real Apprenticeships For Teens (RAFT) program will offer unique opportunities. In RAFT, teens enroll in a six-week program that emphasizes boat building, bicycle maintenance, or environmental awareness. Successful students would be eligible for an apprenticeship to take their skills to an advanced level. For example, Nimke is working on a partnership with the local police to allow his students to possibly take over maintenance of their bicycle fleet. “One of my goals is that the facility will have open doors to our neighborhood, people will feel welcome here,” said Nimke. “We will be a source for information and education about everything from the KK River to public boat building programs.”
A Charter School Charter schools like ISSEL are funded through public and private funds and are run like nonprofit businesses. In order to keep the school running, Nimke must earn roughly 25 percent of the school’s funding through private donations and fundraising. Each student receives the same state funding as traditional public school students. This covers most of the other costs. Recently, the school received a $100,000 challenge grant from an anonymous donor. The donor will match anything the school raises this year, up to $100,000. To foster innovative education, charter schools are freed from many rules and regulations that apply to public schools; in exchange, charter schools are held to some other type of accountability standard that ensures academic results. “There’s no longer a one-size-fits-all model for education,” said Nimke. “Our charter school status allows us to be more entrepreneurial in our educational format than other educators.” Every charter school in Milwaukee must go through a lengthy application process. An authorizer reviews a potential school’s financial stability and their academic robustness. Robert Kattman is the director of charter schools for UW-Milwaukee, which authorized ISSEL. Kattman said the state has granted numerous institutions the right to authorize a charter school. The city of Milwaukee, UW-Milwaukee, MATC, and MPS all can exercise this right. “As authorizers, we are responsible for evaluating schools and making sure students are making progress,” said Kattman. “The Inland Seas curriculum is very unique. It’s a big reason why we approved their application.” ISSEL is currently enrolling students for next fall, with limited space for new ninth and 10th graders. Anyone interested is invited to visit or call Mrs. Henderson or Ms. Diaz for enrollment information. More info: learntheseas.org or (414) 933-9713.
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