Wausau School District Newsletter May 2020

WSD NEWS Kohl Scholar Recipients

May 2020

Rescheduled Graduation Dates • Wausau East High School - Tuesday, August 4 • Wausau Area Virtual Education (WAVE) - Wednesday, August 5 • Wausau West High School - Thursday, August 6 • Enrich, Excel, Achieve (EEA) Learning Academy - Friday, August 7 • Alternative High School - To be determined

Virtual Summer Learning Alexis Thao

Caleb Vandenberg

Congratulations to East High School senior Alexis Thao and West High School senior Caleb Vandenberg for being named a 2020 Kohl Initiative Scholar and a 2020 Kohl Excellence Scholar respectively. Each received a $10,000 scholarship through the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation.

Initiative Scholarship recipients, chosen by their schools, have demonstrated exceptional initiative in the classroom and have shown strong promise for succeeding in college and beyond, but have not yet received other academicbased scholarships.

Excellence scholarship recipients have demonstrated excellence in the academic arena and high motivation to achieve, have displayed a broad range of activity and leadership outside the academic setting, and have shown strong promise for succeeding in college and beyond.

Thao and Vandenberg were to be personally recognized by Herb Kohl at a special luncheon in Eau Claire. Because of the COVID-19 health emergency, they can expect to receive a check in the mail!

The Wausau School District’s Summer Learning Program will be offered virtually for five weeks beginning on Monday, June 15.

Classes will be held Monday through Thursday, from June 15 through July 16, with information forthcoming.

Whole Child-Whole Wausau

Even though COVID-19 forced our schools to close prior to 4th quarter, we remain committed to Whole Child-Whole Wausau, our 4-year strategic plan.

Links to our monthly short-cycle reports can be accessed by each of the plan’s five strands.

Open Enrollment Extended to May 29

If you or someone you know lives outside of the Wausau School District attendance boundaries and wants to attend Wausau Schools, please direct them to the Pupil Services Department at 715-261-0570. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has extended open enrollment to May 29, 2020, at 4:00 PM.

2019-2020 Schools of Recognition

Congratulations to the students, families, and staff from John Marshall Elementary and Thomas Jefferson Elementary for receiving Title I Schools of Recognition awards from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

John Marshall is recognized as a High-Progress school and is in the top 10 percent of schools experiencing student growth in reading and mathematics.

For 11 consecutive years, Thomas Jefferson is recognized as a High-Progress and Beating-the-Odds school for being in the top 10 percent of schools experiencing student growth in reading and mathematics while being in the top 25 percent of high-poverty schools in the state.

Our Mission . . . To advance student learning, achievement, and success.

Reinventing Our Future Wausau School District

To achieve our mission of advancing student learning, achievement, and success, we must optimize our resources to support the academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and safety needs of our students. On April 23, 2020, Administration proposed a bold plan for optimizing a fundamental resource – our schools.

After completing a Master Facilities Plan – which analyzed enrollment, building capacities, and educational framework – ideation sessions and surveys were conducted to understand community priorities. From the data and the feedback, came a bold plan to reinvent the future of the Wausau School District. A plan that includes equalizing enrollment by school, updating learning spaces, and addressing maintenance postponed under recent budgets while keeping taxes flat.

The plan being considered was guided by our District Mission and developed as a result of significant feedback from community engagement events and independent public opinion surveys.

79% believe District does a good job involving community

78% believe District spends dollars effectively and efficiently

The plan outlined on the next page is focused on reinventing our K-8 facilities to: Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Ensure our schools are safe and supportive for all students Provide all students with the same learning opportunities Enhance safety, security, and technology Districtwide Create healthier learning environments Focus our resources for consistent staffing at each school Maintain fiscal stability while investing in strategic priorities

59% support balancing class sizes

57% support providing all students access to same programs

53% support merging While this plan does explore improving Thom Field Stadium, moving the Alternative High School, and creating an Environmental Learning Center at the Wausau School Forest, the recommendation is to take additional time to review the complex needs at the two high schools and address them in phase two of the plan to reinvent our future.

Learn More 1- Process & Plan Overview information is outlined on the next page.

2- Community Conversations will be held online using a tool called Thought Exchange. Invitations to participate will be sent via email and social media.

3- District Website will be updated with details throughout the community engagement process, including a Q&A section with a link to submit questions.

Elementary Schools Results of phone survey conducted in October 2019

What is being considered?

HOW WE GOT HERE: At the end of 2018, the School Board and District Administration invited community members to help develop a strategic plan with clearly defined goals.

SPRING 2019 Strategic Planning 1 Finalized the strategic plan (Whole Child-Whole Wausau) and goals which included optimizing our resources.

SUMMER 2019 Facilities Planning 2 Assessed the conditions at each facility, evaluated the educational spaces, analyzed boundaries and demographics, identified ways to use existing facilities, and support educational priorities.

FALL 2019 3 Community Engagement Surveyed staff, facilitated focus groups (with staff, students, and community), identified needs and priorities.

WINTER 2020 School Board Review 4 Presented facility planning & community engagement data, discussed District-wide facilities options, and asked to develop a potential referendum plan.

SPRING 2020 Reinventing Our Future 5 Proposed a facilities plan to the School Board April 23, and outlined a fiscallyresponsible approach to optimize our current facilities.

THE GOALS

THE RECOMMENDATIONS

Elementary School Optimization Ÿ Better support improved student performance, behavior, and social emotional well-being Ÿ Focus resources where needed as well as provide our pupil services and encore staff with a consistent home and team

Create Seven Elementary Schools Ÿ Serving students in grades K-4 Ÿ Leaving 4K Academies as they are Ÿ Providing full pupil service teams at every school Ÿ Improving learning environments to provide flexible, exploratory, and larger group spaces

STETTIN ELEMENTARY

RIVERVIEW ELEMENTARY THOMAS JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY

HAWTHORN HILLS ELEMENTARY

SOUTH MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY

GD JONES ELEMENTARY JOHN MARSHALL ELEMENTARY

Move Wausau Area Montessori Charter School out of Horace Mann

Create a permanent home for Wausau Area Montessori Charter School

Middle School Optimization Ÿ Provide developmentally appropriate programming Ÿ Balance boundary and overcrowding issues Ÿ Ensure programming equity for all students

Reconfigure Middle School Grades Ÿ Creating one Intermediate School at John Muir to serve ALL students in grades 5-6 Ÿ Creating one Middle School at Horace Mann to serve ALL students in grades 7-8

District-Wide Optimization Ÿ Enhance safety and security Ÿ Create healthier, more efficient facilities

Building Systems & Technology Ÿ Improving entrance security Ÿ Upgrading technology Ÿ Updating HVAC and alarm systems

Next Steps | MAY & JUNE 2020 1- Convene a Community Task Force to get feedback on the proposed plans, review all options, and make recommendations to the School Board.

2- Collect public feedback through phone and online surveys.

3- Present Task Force recommendations and community feedback to School Board for review and consideration to move forward with a November 2020 referendum.

West Senior Marc Sippel Named Scholar Athlete Finalist Congratulations to Wausau West High School senior Marc Sippel for his selection as one of 32 finalists in the statewide 2020 WIAA Scholar-Athlete Program.

Sippel’s selection is testimony to the excellence he has displayed in the classroom and as an athlete. This is the highest award a high school student-athlete can receive in the State of Wisconsin for both academic excellence and athletic success.

This is the 37th consecutive year for the WIAA Scholar-Athlete awards. A webcast recognizing Sippel as a 2020 WIAA Statewide Scholar Athlete Finalist will be available at the WIAA website and broadcast throughout Wisconsin at various times this summer on Fox Sports Wisconsin.

District Promotional Videos

Supporting Students & Families During Health Crisis Since the closure of schools, the Wausau School District Nutrition Services Department, Blessings in a Backpack, and the Boys & Girls Club have supported students during this health crisis by providing free meals to all children in the community 18 and under. The Nutrition Services Team prepares lunches and breakfasts for weekday distribution at seven locations across the District. They also accommodate special diets.

For families that cannot travel to the meal distribution sites, First Student yellow buses deliver a week’s worth of meals and milk to families each week on Tuesday.

In April, more than 31,000 meals were provided through the District’s distribution sites and home deliveries to families.

First Student yellow buses also travel to the District’s meal distribution sites each week with hygiene products, household products, clothing, and school supplies. These items are made available from generous donors, the Wausau School Foundation, and the Community Relief Response Fund.

415 Seymour Street w P.O. Box 359 w Wausau WI 54402-0359 w 715-261-0500

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