SDW Newsletter: Spring 2019

Thinking Outside the Box

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WAUKESHA, WI PERMIT #648

Preparing Students to be College & Career Ready 222 Maple Avenue Waukesha, WI 53186

Waukesha Engineering Preparatory Academy Seniors Clare Lewis, Nolan Karklus and Ben Premeau explain their finished product to Metal Era CEO/ President Tony Mallinger.

When you ask Waukesha students to think out of the box, they deliver. Waukesha Engineering Preparatory Academy Seniors Nolan Karklus, Clare Lewis and Ben Premeau were tasked with designing a new fixture for Metal Era engineers that would assist them in their assembly process.

Local manufacturers partner with the School District of Waukesha to provide hands-on, project-based learning of the trades through a program called Waukesha MADE. It is a collaboration among school district educators and business leaders that builds mutually beneficial relationships to promote student engagement and careers in the trades. More than 300 high school students interact with our MADE program annually.

“We work closely with our industry partners to identify needs so we can broaden and deepen our skills-based curriculum,” said Waukesha Superintendent Todd Gray.

The “fixture” that was used to hold a miter in place was a box. It could only handle 90 degree miters; it required two operators; and was ergonomically poorly designed. The students designed a fixture with an adjustable arm and magnets to hold the miter in place. Metal Era engineers did the fabrication. One of the seniors, Clare Lewis, came up with the idea, based on the music stands she uses in band.

The new fixture is versatile and can hold 45-180 degree miters, requires one operator, and allows for easily manipulating of all the components. Metal Era CEO/President Tony Mallinger was so impressed with the new design that he has inquired about building more.

Tech Ed Teacher Andy Weber said: “Our students are getting an experience that they can’t get in school.”

Summer School: June 17 - July 19, 2019

Registration Closes: April 18th No Classes: July 4th or July 5th Information available at https://sdw.waukesha.k12.wi.us/page/3004

Follow Us on Social Media @waukeshaschools

@waukeshaschooldistrict

To develop in our students the capacity and skills to become

Community, College, and Career Ready Volume 1, Issue 2

2018-19

Superintendent’s Message

All Around Excellence Academics, Sports, and the Arts

Congratulations!

Social Emotional Learning

Herb Kohl Award Excellence

Students Practicing Mindfulness

Thank you for your continued support of the School District of Waukesha. By saying yes to the referendum last fall, you placed your trust in us to build and maintain a financially strong district.

We also appreciate the support and collaboration of our school parents. As you know, we have endured winter weather that has made history with severe cold and snow. Through it all, our students, their families and our staff persevered to achieve award-winning results in sports, the arts, science, and overall academics.

In this issue of our community newsletter, I invite you to take a closer look at some of these achievements, as well as read a construction update.

2019 Principal Leader

We could not provide these high-quality educational opportunities without the continuing support of parents, our business and educational partners, and our community members.

Collectively, we are keeping our Waukesha Schools strong and robust.

Todd W. Gray, Ph.D

Superintendent School District of Waukesha

Facility Improvement Plan Update

Since passing the November 2018 Referendum, the District has been busy developing final plans for the projects to be completed over the next three summers. In 2019, we are preparing bid documents that will bring structurally secure entrances to eleven more of our school locations. The remaining security and renovation work will take place in 2020 & 2021.

To see more information (including bid documents) related to the work being completed, please visit our project webpage at: sdw.waukesha.k12.wi.us/facilityimprovements

Aida Cruz-Farin Principal Blair Elementary

Advanced Placement: There are 2,438 students enrolled in AP courses in the School District of Waukesha this year. This is an 8% increase over last year!

AVID Excellence: AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) practices continue to increase throughout the district. AVID is the nation’s largest college preparatory program available in schools across the country.

It is research-based with proven student achievement results.

• Superintendent Todd Gray was named to the AVID National Superintendents Collaborative.

• North High School hosted its first AVID Showcase, with more than 40 visitors from schools across the state.

Sports: Waukesha teams continue to dominate the sports arena. Here are some recent highlights: South Boys’ and Girls’ swim and dive won the Classic 8 Championship; West High School Boys’ Basketball and the Waukesha Wings Hockey Co-op competed in state sectional championships; and the Waukesha Gymnastics Co-op Team placed fifth in Division 1 competition. In addition, the District was well represented at both the Dance and Cheer State competitions in La Crosse, WI. Congratulations to all!

Art: Young artists in the District captured an astounding 43 awards in the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition, the nation’s longest running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. There were 11 gold key winners; seven silver key winners; and 25 Honorable Mentions.

Music: Waukesha North, South & West High School Orchestras have been selected to participate in the State Solo & Ensemble Festival held at UW-Whitewater on April 27th.

2019 Teacher Fellowship Jill Werner School Counselor Waukesha North HS

2019 Student Excellence Scholar Vinesh Janarthanan Class of 2019 Waukesha West HS

The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation has announced its 2019 awards for principals, teachers and students, and the School District of Waukesha is proud to announce a winner in each category!

Aida Cruz-Farin of Blair Elementary has won the Principal Leadership award.

She and the district will receive $6,000. She was one of 16 principals to win this award. Principal Leadership Award recipients are school principals who are being recognized for setting high standards for instruction, achievement, character, and creating a climate to serve students, families, staff, and community.

Jill Werner, School Counselor at North, has won the Teacher Fellowship award. She and the district will receive $6,000. She was one of 100 teachers to receive this award. Teacher Fellowship recipients are educators who have been chosen for their superior ability to inspire a love of learning in their students, their ability to motivate others, and their leadership and service within and outside the classroom.

Vinesh Janarthanan, a Senior at West, has won the Student Excellence Scholarship Award. He is one of 188 seniors around the state who will receive a $10,000 scholarship. Student 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.

Many schools in our district have chosen to build social emotional learning into their curriculums this year. Step inside these classrooms, and you will see students practicing mindfulness, a strategy once reserved for yoga studios.

Traditionally, schools have prioritized literacy and math and have embraced the idea that good instruction will automatically equate to high levels of engagement, thus limiting behavior problems and improving student growth and achievement. While literacy and math are still the priority, students of today need more coping skills to experience improved student growth. Their environments can be stressful. Daily life offers many more distractions than ever before. Developing social emotional skills at a young age can provide lifelong tools for these young learners.

One of our elementary schools that has integrated social emotional skills into its curriculum is Lowell Elementary.

“We are using two social and emotional curriculums, Second Steps to Respect and Zones of Regulation,” said Rachel Hermann, Principal of Lowell. “Twice a week for between 25 - 30 minutes, students get explicit instruction around social and emotional topics (identifying emotions, managing conflicts and finding resolutions, empathy, etc.). Every day, we’ve also built in ten minutes for each class to practice mindfulness. This can be a movement break, such as a Go Noodle, or yoga or deep breathing techniques. The development of these skills has shown overall positive results, including better academic performance, improved attitudes, behaviors and relationships with peers, as well as a deeper connection to school, fewer delinquent acts and reduced emotional distress (student depression, anxiety, stress and social withdrawal).

Superintendent’s Message

All Around Excellence Academics, Sports, and the Arts

Congratulations!

Social Emotional Learning

Herb Kohl Award Excellence

Students Practicing Mindfulness

Thank you for your continued support of the School District of Waukesha. By saying yes to the referendum last fall, you placed your trust in us to build and maintain a financially strong district.

We also appreciate the support and collaboration of our school parents. As you know, we have endured winter weather that has made history with severe cold and snow. Through it all, our students, their families and our staff persevered to achieve award-winning results in sports, the arts, science, and overall academics.

In this issue of our community newsletter, I invite you to take a closer look at some of these achievements, as well as read a construction update.

2019 Principal Leader

We could not provide these high-quality educational opportunities without the continuing support of parents, our business and educational partners, and our community members.

Collectively, we are keeping our Waukesha Schools strong and robust.

Todd W. Gray, Ph.D

Superintendent School District of Waukesha

Facility Improvement Plan Update

Since passing the November 2018 Referendum, the District has been busy developing final plans for the projects to be completed over the next three summers. In 2019, we are preparing bid documents that will bring structurally secure entrances to eleven more of our school locations. The remaining security and renovation work will take place in 2020 & 2021.

To see more information (including bid documents) related to the work being completed, please visit our project webpage at: sdw.waukesha.k12.wi.us/facilityimprovements

Aida Cruz-Farin Principal Blair Elementary

Advanced Placement: There are 2,438 students enrolled in AP courses in the School District of Waukesha this year. This is an 8% increase over last year!

AVID Excellence: AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) practices continue to increase throughout the district. AVID is the nation’s largest college preparatory program available in schools across the country.

It is research-based with proven student achievement results.

• Superintendent Todd Gray was named to the AVID National Superintendents Collaborative.

• North High School hosted its first AVID Showcase, with more than 40 visitors from schools across the state.

Sports: Waukesha teams continue to dominate the sports arena. Here are some recent highlights: South Boys’ and Girls’ swim and dive won the Classic 8 Championship; West High School Boys’ Basketball and the Waukesha Wings Hockey Co-op competed in state sectional championships; and the Waukesha Gymnastics Co-op Team placed fifth in Division 1 competition. In addition, the District was well represented at both the Dance and Cheer State competitions in La Crosse, WI. Congratulations to all!

Art: Young artists in the District captured an astounding 43 awards in the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition, the nation’s longest running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. There were 11 gold key winners; seven silver key winners; and 25 Honorable Mentions.

Music: Waukesha North, South & West High School Orchestras have been selected to participate in the State Solo & Ensemble Festival held at UW-Whitewater on April 27th.

2019 Teacher Fellowship Jill Werner School Counselor Waukesha North HS

2019 Student Excellence Scholar Vinesh Janarthanan Class of 2019 Waukesha West HS

The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation has announced its 2019 awards for principals, teachers and students, and the School District of Waukesha is proud to announce a winner in each category!

Aida Cruz-Farin of Blair Elementary has won the Principal Leadership award.

She and the district will receive $6,000. She was one of 16 principals to win this award. Principal Leadership Award recipients are school principals who are being recognized for setting high standards for instruction, achievement, character, and creating a climate to serve students, families, staff, and community.

Jill Werner, School Counselor at North, has won the Teacher Fellowship award. She and the district will receive $6,000. She was one of 100 teachers to receive this award. Teacher Fellowship recipients are educators who have been chosen for their superior ability to inspire a love of learning in their students, their ability to motivate others, and their leadership and service within and outside the classroom.

Vinesh Janarthanan, a Senior at West, has won the Student Excellence Scholarship Award. He is one of 188 seniors around the state who will receive a $10,000 scholarship. Student 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.

Many schools in our district have chosen to build social emotional learning into their curriculums this year. Step inside these classrooms, and you will see students practicing mindfulness, a strategy once reserved for yoga studios.

Traditionally, schools have prioritized literacy and math and have embraced the idea that good instruction will automatically equate to high levels of engagement, thus limiting behavior problems and improving student growth and achievement. While literacy and math are still the priority, students of today need more coping skills to experience improved student growth. Their environments can be stressful. Daily life offers many more distractions than ever before. Developing social emotional skills at a young age can provide lifelong tools for these young learners.

One of our elementary schools that has integrated social emotional skills into its curriculum is Lowell Elementary.

“We are using two social and emotional curriculums, Second Steps to Respect and Zones of Regulation,” said Rachel Hermann, Principal of Lowell. “Twice a week for between 25 - 30 minutes, students get explicit instruction around social and emotional topics (identifying emotions, managing conflicts and finding resolutions, empathy, etc.). Every day, we’ve also built in ten minutes for each class to practice mindfulness. This can be a movement break, such as a Go Noodle, or yoga or deep breathing techniques. The development of these skills has shown overall positive results, including better academic performance, improved attitudes, behaviors and relationships with peers, as well as a deeper connection to school, fewer delinquent acts and reduced emotional distress (student depression, anxiety, stress and social withdrawal).

Thinking Outside the Box

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WAUKESHA, WI PERMIT #648

Preparing Students to be College & Career Ready 222 Maple Avenue Waukesha, WI 53186

Waukesha Engineering Preparatory Academy Seniors Clare Lewis, Nolan Karklus and Ben Premeau explain their finished product to Metal Era CEO/ President Tony Mallinger.

When you ask Waukesha students to think out of the box, they deliver. Waukesha Engineering Preparatory Academy Seniors Nolan Karklus, Clare Lewis and Ben Premeau were tasked with designing a new fixture for Metal Era engineers that would assist them in their assembly process.

Local manufacturers partner with the School District of Waukesha to provide hands-on, project-based learning of the trades through a program called Waukesha MADE. It is a collaboration among school district educators and business leaders that builds mutually beneficial relationships to promote student engagement and careers in the trades. More than 300 high school students interact with our MADE program annually.

“We work closely with our industry partners to identify needs so we can broaden and deepen our skills-based curriculum,” said Waukesha Superintendent Todd Gray.

The “fixture” that was used to hold a miter in place was a box. It could only handle 90 degree miters; it required two operators; and was ergonomically poorly designed. The students designed a fixture with an adjustable arm and magnets to hold the miter in place. Metal Era engineers did the fabrication. One of the seniors, Clare Lewis, came up with the idea, based on the music stands she uses in band.

The new fixture is versatile and can hold 45-180 degree miters, requires one operator, and allows for easily manipulating of all the components. Metal Era CEO/President Tony Mallinger was so impressed with the new design that he has inquired about building more.

Tech Ed Teacher Andy Weber said: “Our students are getting an experience that they can’t get in school.”

Summer School: June 17 - July 19, 2019

Registration Closes: April 18th No Classes: July 4th or July 5th Information available at https://sdw.waukesha.k12.wi.us/page/3004

Follow Us on Social Media @waukeshaschools

@waukeshaschooldistrict

To develop in our students the capacity and skills to become

Community, College, and Career Ready Volume 1, Issue 2

2018-19