WLHS
ADVANTAGE SPRING 2016
This year, WLHS was runner-up in the state wrestling tournament and won the WIAA Sportsmanship Award.
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Principal Leyrer & Academic Expansion
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Commitment to Parents
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Girls Who Engineer
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Advanced Teaching in Action
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Students Let Their Light Shine
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Experience WLHS
Principal Leyrer Oversees Academic Expansion Beginning this fall, WLHS is implementing new initiatives designed to create academic advantages for its students.
About Principal Phil Leyrer
The significant changes next school year include: • Google Chromebooks® for each student • High school credit for qualified 7th-8th grade coursework • Dual credit courses with Bethany Lutheran College and Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC) “With the Chromebooks, our students will use technology for 21st century learning that encourages creativity, collaboration and communication,” explains Principal Phil Leyrer. “In addition, our enhanced credit system gives them the opportunity to explore more areas of study during their time at WLHS.” Incoming freshman can get a jump start on earning high school credits for Algebra 1, Geometry, Latin 1, German 1 and Spanish 1 classes by meeting specific test and grade criteria. Once at WLHS, students can simultaneously accumulate high school and college credits from WLC and Bethany. The credits will be accepted by each individual institution and can transfer to most other colleges and universities. For incoming freshmen, detailed information will be included in the xxx materials mailed in xxx.
Previously: Principal of Siloah Lutheran School in Milwaukee Education: Bachelor’s degree from Dr. Martin Luther College, Master’s degree from University of Wisconsin – Whitewater Family: Married to Beth, four adult children and four grandchildren Church: Attends Siloah Lutheran Church
Dual Credit Courses WLC Advanced Accounting Taught at WLHS by Jason Goede who has a Master’s degree in business and marketing education. Bethany Partnership Courses Taught online by Bethany instructors during fall, spring and summer semesters.
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WISCONSIN LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL || Spring 2016
American Government, College Algebra, College Writing 1, General Psychology, History of USA 1 & 2, Introduction to Fiction, Introduction to Mass Media, Music Appreciation, Statistics
A Commitment to Parents
“The cost of tuition is a concern for many families. That’s why we encourage parents to talk to us right away—even if your child is years away from high school. Come to us and we can develop a plan to make our superior, Christ-centered education affordable,” Brad Wetzel, director of admissions.
During the current school year, 75% of the WLHS student body received some type of tuition support—financial assistance, scholarships, MPCP or WPCP. If you are interested in sending your child to WLHS but are unsure of your ability to pay full tuition, please contact Brad Wetzel, director of admissions, at 414-453-4567 or brad.wetzel@wlhs.org. Financial Assistance and Scholarships • This year, WLHS awarded $756,000 in tuition assistance and scholarships. • The average amount of support provided per student was $3,818. Tuition Reduction with Scrip • Scrip allows current and future WLHS families, and their relatives, to purchase prepaid Scrip cards and accumulate thousands of dollars in tuition credit. • Grocery store and gas station Scrip cards are popular. • It’s easy to register, just call 414-453-4567, email scrip@wlhs.org or visit wlhs.org.
Milwaukee and Wisconsin Parental Choice Programs (MPCP and WPCP) • WLHS participates in two Parental Choice Programs. Students who qualify can have their tuition costs fully or partially covered by state aid. • For MPCP, students must live in Milwaukee. Students who do not live in the City of Milwaukee or the Racine Unified School District are eligible to apply for the WPCP. Tuition Tax Deduction • State law allows parents to deduct up to $10,000 in private school tuition per 9th-12th grader on their Wisconsin taxes. • If a student moves from 8th grade to high school in the same year, both tuition expenses can be claimed, up to $10,000. GUIDED BY FAITH. DRIVEN BY EXCELLENCE.
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Girls Who Engineer
For the first time, WLHS is offering an Engineering Camp for girls as part of its summer Viking Explorers program. The weeklong experience is an exciting opportunity for girls who are entering 7th-9th grade to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and math (otherwise known as STEM). “My goal is to encourage girls because they have just as much aptitude in STEM subjects as boys do,” says James Hahm, the WLHS instructor who is leading the camp. “The craft projects many girls do are just like the Lego sets boys build with. Both activities utilize engineering techniques and problem solving skills—they’re just in different mediums.” Hahm has a bevy of engaging hands-on activities planned. The girls will use 3D-CAD software to design an item and then produce it using the school’s 3-D printer. They’ll tackle basic computer programming to create a leaf and flower press and learn about electricity through welding equipment. Ultimately, they’ll fabricate their initials using metal stock. Hahm also plans to connect the girls with female engineers so they can envision their own career path. “Women are vastly underrepresented in engineering fields,” says Hahm. “We need to break the old stereotypes and instill girls with confidence in their God-given abilities and talents.”
The Viking Explorers summer program offers more than a dozen different camps. 4
4 Art (grades 3-5 & 6-8) 4 Boys & Girls Basketball 4 Boys Strength & Conditioning 4 Cheerleading 4 Chess 4 Coed Cross Country 4 Coed Soccer 4 Girls Engineering 4 Girls Volleyball 4 Robotics (3 different weeks) 4 Theater 4 WELS Band (overnight camp) 4 Wrestling WISCONSIN LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL || Spring 2016
A recent donation allowed WLHS to purchase Gas Metal Arc Welding equipment. The Trade & Technology department also has two new CNC machines and a 3-D printer, which will put current, real-world technology into the girls’ hands.
Advanced Teaching in Action
Visit any of Tanya Tranberg’s Spanish classes and you’ll see active learning.
Goal setting, differentiated learning and conversational exercises are just some of the tools Tranberg uses to accelerate her students’ understanding and competency in Spanish.
The dynamic environment is part of her teaching approach to help students master a second language more effectively. “I use a number of different techniques to engage my students with the subject matter,” explains Tranberg. “I’m especially concerned about their ability to transfer what they’ve learned into verbal communication.” To accomplish that, Tranberg has her students set goals at the beginning of each chapter so they take more ownership of their learning. Afterwards, they evaluate whether their goals were met and what they could have done differently. Technology also has a prominent role in her classroom. She uses Kahoot!, a game-based learning platform, to provide instant feedback and add excitement. She incorporates grammar web sites so students can work at their own pace and revisit material if needed. And, to evaluate pronunciation and delivery, she has them record vocabulary and sentences on Google Voice.
Teacher Tanya Tranberg is currently working on her master’s degree in high performance instruction at Wisconsin Lutheran College. “Conversational practice of a language is so important. We do different exercises like speed dating and three-way conversations to push their skills and put the lessons into a practical application,” says Tranberg. “My ultimate goal is to produce students who know and understand the Spanish language and are comfortable speaking it.”
GUIDED BY FAITH. DRIVEN BY EXCELLENCE.
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Students Let Their Light Shine
Share the Mission trips give WLHS students the opportunity to spread the Gospel message in foreign countries and throughout the United States.
“Teenagers have so many wonderful qualities that can be put to good use. They’re energetic, creative and eager to serve. We just need to give them the avenues to apply their talents,” says Karen Kilchenmann, a Spanish teacher who directs Share the Mission. Each trip is led by a WLHS teacher or chaperone and students tackle whatever needs to be done to support WELS churches, schools and outreach ministries. In many cases, the teens implement the Vacation Bible School programs that churches depend on for community engagement. “Share the Mission was a life-changing experience for me. It taught me how to share the Gospel in the real world. The impact that we had on the kids and they had on us was astonishing. And, every single person on my mission trip became a lifelong friend,” says junior Jon Bailey, St. Jacobi, Greenfield.
When traveling to a foreign country, the experience can be eye opening. Students who assisted Costa Maya Ministries in Mexico last summer served in the soup kitchen, did maintenance projects for the church and taught Bible stories to children who had never heard of Jesus.
Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth . . . You are the light of the world . . . In the same way, let your light shine before others.” “At the end of the trip, I gave my Spanish Bible to Sarah, a girl who was younger than me but was raising her little brother and sister because their mom wasn’t really around. My prayer is she’ll use the Bible to witness to her siblings,” says junior Gabby Steidl, St. Paul, Muskego.
Students on the Share the Mission trip to Mexico.
Nearly 500 WLHS students have participated in a mission experience since the program began in 2000.
Stay connected to WLHS! 6
WISCONSIN LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL || Spring 2016
During their Easter and summer break, students on Share the Mission trips are traveling to Grenada, Japan, Mexico and six domestic locations.
Experience WLHS
To help grade school students become familiar with WLHS, get to know its teachers and coaches and make connections with future classmates, the high school offers a robust Junior Vikings athletics program. Beginning in first grade, boys and girls can sign up for Junior Vikings Wrestling or Junior Vikings Cheerleading. Both programs have an open roster, meaning there are no tryouts. The football team, which is for 5th-8th grade boys, also has an open roster with a season that runs August to October. “Junior Vikings can benefit both kids and parents,” says Brad Wetzel, director of admissions at WLHS. “Kids can enlarge their circle of friends and improve their athletic skills while parents get to know and network with other adults who share their Christian values.”
This year, Junior Vikings has expanded to include baseball. Tryouts for the 2017 season will be held this summer in late July/early August for U8 to U12 teams. By the 2019 season, the program will extend to U13 and U14 teams. For more information on the baseball teams, contact Benjamin Nolte, the program director, at benjamin5646@yahoo.com or Andy Schwall, the WLHS coordinator, at andy.schwall@wlhs.org.
Grade School Opportunities
4 Baseball
4 Boys & Girls Basketball
4 Cheerleading
4 Children’s Choir
4 Soccer
JUNIOR
4 Grade School Band
4 Football
4 Viking Explorers Summer Camps
4 Volleyball
ATHLETIC
4 Wrestling
VIKINGS PROGRAMS
The Junior Vikings athletic programs exist to aid young athletes in developing their age-appropriate physical, emotional and intellectual athletic abilities in a Christian environment.
Visit wlhs.org for more information on each program.
V GUIDED BY FAITH. DRIVEN BY EXCELLENCE.
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330 North Glenview Avenue Milwaukee WI 53213-3379
For ticket information call 414-453-4567 or visit wlhs.org
Friday, May 20 • 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 21 • 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 22 • 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.