Family Friday Newsletter May 1, 2026

Teacher Appreciation Week

May 4–8, 2026

During Teacher Appreciation Week, thank a teacher! Milwaukee Public Schools appreciates all our teachers, who work hard so students can learn and succeed.

From May 4–8, thank a teacher for their dedication to students. We encourage all our families to browse MPS social media posts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and share your appreciation for a teacher!

News and Updates

Free Medical and Dental Care

Ascension will host Medical Mission at Home! Free services will include:

Medical exams
Medication access
Physical therapy
Breathing care
Dental screenings & fluoride

No insurance is needed.

Saturday, May 2, 2026

9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

St. Margaret Mary Catholic School

3950 N. 92nd St.

Milwaukee, 53222

Download a flyer for more information.

Join Us for the Biennial Music Festival

Don't miss this Milwaukee tradition! MPS will host the 51st Biennial Music Festival on May 6–7. MPS student musicians will take the stage to perform in bands, orchestras, choirs, and more. It's free to attend!

Mark your calendar!

May 6–7, 2026

UWM Panther Arena

400 W. Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53203

Find out more about the Biennial Music Festival!

MPS Reads

Each month, MPS provides a list of recommended books for preschool through grade 12 that allows students to see themselves, explore other cultures, and discover more about the world in which they live.

Help ignite a passion for reading! Access the monthly book list on the MPS Reads page.

Summer Academy—Register Now!

Summer Academy is for all students who want to have fun learning and start strong in fall! The summer session runs July 6–30, 2026. Summer Academy is recommended for all students, especially those who want to strengthen reading skills.

K5–grade 8 will strengthen skills and expand knowledge through hands-on activities and specialty programs.

Middle and high school students can catch up on credits or get ahead.

Specialty courses are available for grades 1–12 to explore interests such as music, art, crochet, sports, and sciences.

Visit mpsmke.com/summeracademy for all the details and to register.

Milwaukee Summer Jobs

Check out these opportunities for summer jobs!

Milwaukee Recreation is hiring full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions such as instructors, leaders, field attendants, coaches, umpires, and referees who support programming at school and community locations throughout the city of Milwaukee. View current job openings with Milwaukee Recreation.

Milwaukee County Parks hire seasonal employees with many different skill sets to serve the community. Visit the Milwaukee County Parks website to find positions that offer training and work experience in your area of interest.

The Campus Parent Portal gives parents/guardians access to student information 24 hours a day. By logging in on a computer or in the app, a family member can:

Check daily attendance
View report cards
See messages from teachers and school staff
Communicate directly with a student’s teacher
Be better informed about a student’s progress or needs
Stay up to date about events in schools

Sign up for your Campus Parent Portal account! To receive a login and password, visit your child's school or MPS Central Services, 5225 W. Vliet St. A photo ID is required.

MPS Is Hiring!

Visit Our Career Fairs!

MPS seeks exceptional individuals to join our team! The district is hosting monthly fairs to help job seekers explore careers and learn more about working in MPS.

Each job fair seeks specific positions; contact our recruitment coordinators to find out what jobs will be offered by emailing mpscoordinators@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.

Districtwide Teachers: Wednesday, May 6, 2026, from 5:00–7:00 p.m.

Bradley Tech High School, 1700 S. 4th St., Milwaukee, 53204

Classroom Support: Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 5:00–7:00 p.m.

MPS Central Services, 5225 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee, 53208

Classroom Support: Wednesday, May 27, 2026, from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

MPS Central Services, 5225 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee, 53208

Milwaukee Health Department

Vaccine Clinics

Free immunizations are available for children who are uninsured or have Medicaid or BadgerCare. Friday morning visits are now offered from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. by appointment at the Northwest Health Center, 7630 W. Mill Rd., Milwaukee, 53218.

Walk-in immunizations are also offered at the Keenan Health Center and the Southside Health Center. Find all locations and the complete schedule at milwaukee.gov/VaxClinics.

Every Day Counts!

Spring Into a Strong School Year

Spring is here, so use these warmer months to maintain good habits, get to school on time, and finish the year strong. Students can look forward to nicer weather to walk to school or a bus stop!

If your family needs support to get to school on time every day, talk to the school counselor or parent coordinator at your child’s school. Help is available!

Families: Remember that you can check attendance by logging in to the Campus Parent Portal at mpsmke.com/parentportal. If you need assistance, scroll down in this newsletter for contact information.

District Weekly Highlight

MPS Student Job Fairs

Offer Career Pathways

In March and April, MPS juniors and seniors took a leap forward on their career pathways by attending MPS Student Job Fairs hosted at UWM. About 1,000 teens and 120 employers connected during the two events, where students learned about careers in healthcare, emergency response, trades, hospitality, and more. They also had options to apply for part-time and summer work including festivals, restaurants, recreation, lifeguarding, and landscaping. Employers are now in the process of hiring our students.

MPS Budget Seeks to

Increase Resources to Schools

Milwaukee Public Schools is addressing a large deficit while continuing to direct resources to students as it continues to build its budget for the 2026–27 school year. Recent updates to the budget include an increase in hours (up to 40 hours) for paraprofessionals. Compensation for children's health assistants is also being looked at for adjustments. Modifications for other school-based roles are also being considered.

Learn more about new developments in the budget process.

In case you missed it . . .

Katie Loss of Lloyd Barbee Montessori School Is Wisconsin Elementary Principal of the Year

Congratulations to Katie Loss! The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation surprised Katie at her school to announce that she is the Foundation's principal of the year! Each year, the Foundation honors exceptional Wisconsin teachers and principals.

Improving Finances and Explaining the Budget Deficit

Many people are asking how the MPS 2024–25 budget resulted in a $46 million deficit. MPS and its auditing teams have been working to reveal the causes and develop solutions that will maintain a focus on teaching and learning along with student and classroom supports.

Read about progress that will result in a stronger district moving forward.

Seniors—Apply for College Scholarships!

MPS scholarship information is available to students in Xello and through the MPS Scholarship Google Folder. The folder includes event flyers, scholarship applications, presentations, and the 2025–26 MPS Scholarships & College and Career Opportunity list. All materials can be viewed online, downloaded, and printed at any time.

Families are encouraged to visit the MPS Scholarships webpage for additional resources on college affordability and to connect with their student’s school counselor or College and Career Center advisor for one-on-one assistance.

Direct Admit Applications Are Open!

MPS high school juniors: Apply to 12 Wisconsin colleges and universities in less than 10 minutes!

Direct Admit is a set of streamlined applications that connect your MPS academic records directly to the schools of your choice. Fill out a simple form with your student information.

Apply to 10 University of Wisconsin campuses, MATC, and/or Alverno College
Application is free
No attachments or transcripts are needed
No essay or letters of recommendation!

What happens next?

Accepted candidates will receive offers and will need to officially accept the offer of their choice and complete forms required by the school they select.
Students must graduate from high school in spring or summer of their senior year.
Start college in Fall 2027!

Learn more at mpsmke.com/directadmit!

Apply now! Deadline is June 1, 2026.

Need Money for College? Fill out the FAFSA!

The first step in finding money for college is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The application is now open for students who will start college in Fall 2026. Students who apply early might have more money available to them because some funding is limited.

MPS high school seniors: Remember that the FAFSA is a graduation requirement. Please complete your FAFSA no later than one month before graduation to ensure that your school records are updated correctly. Families who cannot complete the FAFSA may request a waiver.

This application is free and will reveal what loans and grants might be available to students. Read more about FAFSA. Help is available to students through MPS College and Career Centers.

Where's the Bus?

Download the App!

Student safety is a top priority in MPS. District families have access to an exciting app to help track their child’s bus—WheresTheBus! This app allows families to track their child’s bus in real time.

The app is free! Families can access WheresTheBus from any internet-enabled device—smartphone, tablet, PC, or iPad. Apple iOS and Android apps are available.

To access WheresTheBus, families must have a Campus Parent (parent portal) account with a login and password. These can be set up two ways:

At each child’s school during regular school hours; an ID is required; OR
At MPS Central Services, 5225 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee, WI 53208, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; an ID is required

Learn more and read how to access the app on the MPS website at WheresTheBus.

Get important district and school messages sent to your phone!

Opt in by texting Y to 67587. This can be done for any mobile phone. For questions or assistance, please contact the Department of Communications and Marketing at comm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.

Stay Connected!

Campus Parent Portal Technical Support

Live Campus Parent support is available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To recover a username/password: Parents or guardians should email parentportal@milwaukee.k12.wi.us. Include the parent or guardian name, child’s name, birth date, and a contact number. If you do not receive a phone call or email within 24 hours, please call (414) 475-8159 for further assistance.

For assistance setting up a new Campus Parent account: Parents or guardians may call (414) 475-8159 or email parentportal@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Milwaukee Board of School Directors

Upcoming Meetings: May

If you'd like to follow the meetings of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors, visit the Milwaukee Board of School Directors page to find the meeting schedule, agendas, and links to watch or listen to live meetings. Instructions for public testimony are also offered on this page.

Committee on Strategic Planning & Budget: Thurs. May 7, 5:30 p.m.

Special Board Meeting: Tues. May 12, 5:30 p.m.

Committee on Student Achievement: Thurs. May 14, 5:30 p.m.

Committee on Strategic Planning & Budget: Tues. May 19, 5:30 p.m.

Committee on Finance and Operations: Thurs. May 21, 5:30 p.m.

Committee on Strategic Planning & Budget: Tues. May 26, 5:30 p.m.

Regular Monthly Board Meeting: Thurs. May 28, 5:30 p.m.