WAUWATOSA SCHOOL DISTRICT EVENTS
MARCH
3/5 -- High School Evening Conferences , 4:30-8:00 p.m.
3/7 -- Middle School Evening Conferences, 4:30-8:00 p.m.
3/11 -- School Board Meeting , 7:00 p.m., Fisher Administration Bldg. 12121 W. North Ave. Rm C Live Stream Link
3/12 -- Raising Achievement & Cultural Excellence Parent Network , 6:00-7:00 p.m., Eisenhower Elementary School
3/15 -- **THIS IS A SCHOOL DAY FOR ALL STUDENTS ** (Inclement Weather Make Up Day previously scheduled as No Classes )
3/25-3/29 -- NO CLASSES - Spring Break

APRIL
4/1 Classes Resume & School Board Meeting , 7:00 p.m., Fisher Administration Bldg. 12121 W. North Ave. Rm C


REFERENDUM UPDATE
School Board Approves First Design Phase of New Lincoln and Underwood Elementary Schools
The Wauwatosa School Board unanimously approved the Schematic Design - or first phase of design - for the new Lincoln and Underwood Elementary Schools during its meeting on Monday, February 11.
 
The Board’s vote on the drawings follows three months of planning and  significant community input  including three neighborhood meetings at each of the two schools, staff feedback, and input from parents, community members via an online engagement tool regarding the exterior aesthetics of each building.
 
“It has been remarkable how much the feedback has influenced our designs. The designs have evolved because of the feedback and the designs are better because of it,” said Nick Kent, lead project architect with Plunkett Raysich Architects, during his presentation to the Board.
 
Schematic Design is just the first step of three phases of design. It defines the general direction of design or the big picture; the number of rooms, the general organization of rooms, and the exterior aesthetic.

Moving forward, the project team will further develop systems within the buildings and turn their attention to the interiors in the second phase of design, Design Development.
 
“We’ll be looking at what goes into the rooms, placement of windows, doors, writeable surfaces, etc.,” Kent told the Board.

Neighborhood Meetings Scheduled to Gather Input on McKinley and Wilson/WSTEM Design Vision
While construction on the second set of schools to be reconstructed via the referendum won't begin until next summer (2020), the District and its architect are beginning the community engagement process regarding the design vision for McKinley and Wilson/WSTEM Schools.

Three meetings per school will be held over the next three months, beginning in March.

Neighborhood Meeting # 1- Artifact Scavenger Hunt
This first meeting will be active as we ask participants to go on a scavenger hunt to identify elements of the current design that they appreciate. The group will share out its findings.

  • March 19th @ 5:00pm - McKinley Elementary
  • March 20th @ 5:00pm - Wilson/WSTEM

Neighborhood Meeting #2 - Site Design Charrette
At this second meeting, neighbors will participate in interactive group exercises regarding the site plans, per the parameters of each site and the requirements that must be met.

  • April 17th @ 6pm - Wilson/WSTEM
  • April 18th @ 6pm - McKinley Elementary

Neighborhood Meeting # 3 -- Design Presentation & Neighborhood Feedback
At this last meeting, the architect will present a preliminary design to the neighborhood for feedback, based on the input from the first two meetings.

  • May 14th @ 6pm - Wilson/WSTEM
  • May 15th @ 6pm - McKinley Elementary
DISTRICT NEWS
REMINDER: How to Manage Your Communication Preferences
As a reminder, the Wauwatosa School District utilizes email, automated phone calls, and text message alerts in the event of an emergency and for notification of school closures. We also use email to communicate important school and District information throughout the week.

We encourage all District families to have a phone number on file. If you have a mobile phone on file, you will receive text alerts. However, you can opt-out of text notifications, if you choose.

Below is a reminder of how you can do so:

Users can opt out of:
  • Phone calls: Call the Blackboard Phone Hotline at "855-502-STOP (855-502-7867)".
  • Text (SMS) messages: Reply STOP to any Blackboard system text or to "60680" for non-emergency messages. Reply STOP to "54968" to opt out of emergency messages.
  • Emails: Click the unsubscribe link from any email they receive.

Users can opt back into:
  • Phone calls: Call the Blackboard Phone Hotline at "855-502-STOP (855-502-7867)" from the phone line that has been opted out.
  • Text (SMS) messages: Reply START to "60680" from the phone line that has been opted out for non-emergency messages. Reply START to "54968" for emergency messages.
School Board Recognizes Students for Participation in Leadership Training
The Wauwatosa School Board recognized seniors Christopher Ashley, Javion Graham, and Emmanuel Spence during the Board's February 11 meeting for the student's participation in the African American Male Initiative (AAMI) Leadership Training.

The Initiative seeks to support young African-American men in obtaining higher academic achievement in high school. AAMI was birthed through the Closing the Achievement Gap Consortium, which is a partnership between nearly 30 school districts in the area and Concordia University. The Wauwatosa School District was one of the early partners.
 
All three Wauwatosa students have participated in the African-American Male Initiative for the past four years, including its Summer Institute at Concordia University. Most recently they were selected for the AAMI’s Leaders in Training program. They were also recognized during a recent luncheon celebrating the AAMI at Concordia University.
Wauwatosa Teacher Selected as 2019 Early Childhood Special Education Teacher of the Year
Wauwatosa’s Kristin Rymer has been selected by the Wisconsin Division of Early Childhood (WDEC) as the 2019 Early Childhood Special Education Teacher of the Year.

Recipients are selected from a pool of colleagues nominated because of the “outstanding contributions they make to the lives of young children and their families.”

Kristin helped plan and lead the implementation of the Tosa Tots program, which is a partnership with the Rec Department to provide Early Childhood Education for students with disabilities within an inclusive preschool program with other early learners of the community.

“Kristen is a talented Early Childhood teacher who demonstrates a commitment for outstanding learning opportunities for our youngest learners. Families frequently share positive feedback and appreciation for the opportunities their children have at Tosa Tots,” said Supervisor of Special Education Therese Kwiatkowski. "She is so deserving of this award and I am thrilled she was selected!”

Kristin will be honored during an awards luncheon on March 13 th  in Madison .  #tosaproud
Wauwatosa School District Represented at National Conference on Education for Work Related to Closing the Achievement Gap
We're  #tosaproud  of Superintendent Dr. Phil Ertl who was one of the presenters at this year's AASA School Superintendents Association 2019 National Conference on Education.

Dr. Ertl presented on behalf of the Closing the Achievement Gap Consortium, which the Wauwatosa School District is a member of, about the Consortium's African-American Female Initiative that is now in its second year. We're thankful for a leader, a school board, and staff who are committed to increasing equitable opportunities for ALL students.
TOSA TIDBITS
Tosa Student Recognized for Community Service Work by Foundation of Former Badger Hockey Coach
Wauwatosa East High School Senior Parker Esswein was recognized for his commitment to community service during the Wisconsin Coaches Association Dinner on Wednesday, February 27.

The Coach Sauer Foundation selected Esswein as the recipient of this year’s Jeff Sauer Award, named after the legendary former UW-Madison mens ice hockey coach and U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Jeff Sauer. The goal of the annual award is to encourage community service among girls and boys high school hockey players in the state. Esswein plays for the Brookfield Stars hockey team - a co-op team of area schools. He was recognized, in part, for his more than 200 hours of community service over the past four years! We’re #tosaproud.  

Wauwatosa West's Austin Ertl Medals at State Wrestling Tournament
Wauwatosa West High School Senior Austin Ertl took 4th Place at the WIAA State Wrestling Tournament in the 285 weight class on Saturday, February 23rd. His accomplishments this year include Greater Metro Conference Champion, Regional Champion and Sectional Champion. In addition, Austin was selected 1st Team All-Conference. Congratulations Austin!
EFW's Rush For Education Registration Discount Ends March 2
The always popular EFW Walk/Run has a new name, new location, and new competitive 5K added to the day! Register before this Saturday, March 2, to take advantage of discounted registration fees!

Join us Saturday, May 4 for a morning of fun and fitness in support of Wauwatosa’s public schools. Register at tosaefw.org.  
Recreation Department Offers An Evening of Learning for Adults
Learning isn't just for your children - the Wauwatosa Recreation Department has an incredible night of learning planned for ADULTS!

The Learning Never Ends evening on Thursday, April 9 offers an opportunity for every adult age group. For $10, you can participate in two mini sessions that are 75 minutes long, learning about a topic of your choice.

Whether you want to maximize a college visit, get the inside scoop on what college admissions officers are looking for, learn how to better understand Dementia and memory care, learn tips for enriching your dog's life, or how to best remodel your home, there are plenty of options to choose from. Register today to reserve your spot!

WSD Students Named All-City Read Writing & Visual Arts Contest Winners
Congratulations to the following Wauwatosa School District students who took home awards in the Wauwatosa All-City Read 2019 Visual Arts and Essay Contests! Both contests invited entrants to create original pieces based on the books Station Eleven and City of
Ember.

Visual Arts Contest 
Elyse Ost – Roosevelt Elementary

Writing Contest
High School:
  • First Place: Madison Sveum – Tosa East High School

Middle School:
  • First Place: Annabelle Wilson – Longfellow Middle School

Elementary:
  • First Place: Liliana Torres – Roosevelt Elementary
  • Second Place: Jack Sill – McKinley Elementary

Elementary Honorable Mentions:
  • Reda Fensin - Roosevelt
  • Winter Hamilton - Roosevelt
  • Cate Carney - Roosevelt
  • Evelyn Etter - Roosevelt
  • Oliver Deutsch - McKinley

The All-City Read is a project of the Wauwatosa Neighborhood Association Council.The Visual Arts entries are on display in the hallway connecting the Library and City Hall in the Civic Center.

Wauwatosa Public Library Wants Your Input
Increasing growth and achievement in reading isn’t reserved for the classroom. Our readers grow when reading is a family affair.

That’s why we’re grateful to have an awesome public library through the City of Wauwatosa and we want to help them as they work to develop a strategic plan to best serve the community and YOU! They want to hear from you. You can share your input via a brief 10 minute survey through March 18. 

City Hiring Crossing Guards
Are you or someone you know interested in helping our kids walk safely to school?

The City of Wauwatosa staffs  34 crossing guard locations , and the company they contract with needs more guards. The best guards come from the community, particularly those that have a relationship with the school community.

This position pays up to $10/hour plus a $150 sign-on bonus. Schedule an interview by calling Wisconsin Personal Protection Services: (414) 328-0208.
STAY CONNECTED
Wauwatosa School District | 12121 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53226  
Ph: (414) 773-1000 | www.wauwatosaschools.org