Finally, I’d like to once again thank everyone who donated gift cards and showered staff with treats on March 15th. Your thoughtfulness and generosity means a great deal to staff. We are so thankful to have such a wonderful group of families that support us.

As always, please let me know how we can support you and if you have any questions.

Mikki Smith

Principal

East High School Social Worker, Sara Lennertz, has been chosen to lead the Wisconsin School Social Work Association (WSSWA) due to her leadership, kindness, advocacy, and family-centered lens. Sara Lennertz, current WSSWA Legislative Chair will be taking over as WSSWA Board President in November 2023. Sara joined the WSSWA board in 2018, and since joining the board she has fulfilled many roles for the organization. She has served on the legislative committee and became chair of that committee in November 2022; has represented WSSWA at the SSWAA Delegate Assembly and Legislative Institute in Washington D.C.; and has served in the Awards and Nominations role since Spring of 2022.

Sara brings almost 15 years of experience as a school social worker to her role at East. Sara graduated from UW-Madison with a Masters Degree in Social Work in 2008. She started her school social work career in Milwaukee Public Schools and has experience working in urban, rural, and suburban schools throughout her career, but says she has a passion for working in urban settings. Sara also speaks Spanish and has experience working at bilingual and dual language immersion schools. "I have a passion for moving equity work forward and being more involved in legislature to make changes at a macro level that will benefit students and their families and practices in education," Sara said

Assistant Principal Patrice Hutchins who oversees the staff in the Student Services Department said, "Sara is hands down one of the best social workers I have ever had the privilege of working with. With the level of care, support and advocacy that she gives to our school, students and families, I know she will bring the same to this role! Social Workers across WI are lucky to have her in this leadership role!"

Michelle Yun, the Senior Manager of Strategy and Electrification at Alliant Energy said, "Meeting a diverse attorney or judge from our community allows young people to see themselves as a lawyer in the future and helps them realize there is room at our legal table for them.” Sarah Elmore, a School Counselor at East added, “Tipping the Scales is such a valuable program because it provides students with the opportunity to hear from legal professionals of color. The participating lawyers are underrepresented in the field of law and serve as role models for the students and encourage the students to follow their dreams.”

Read more about the program in this article by Mary Bartzen, Community Partnerships Director at the Madison Public Schools Foundation,

East's very own "31 Days" Black and African American student art show is having a second opening on Friday, April 14th from 6:00-8:00pm at Communication, a DIY art and music space at 2645 Milwaukee St.

Student artists included are:

2D Art - Yaya Allen, Kadjata Bah, Alaina Coleman, Elise Dismuke, Leilah Glass, Anthony Gray, J’lene Green, Kayla Harris, Kevyn Jones, Queen Manjang, Madina Ouane, Kahindo Matabishi, Jashiya Maynard, Fatima Samba, Maty Sarr, Shay Richardson, Secret Scott, Keyandre Simmons, Shaun Wallace, JayVion Washington, Yhamor Whitson, and Naya Williams

Ceramics - Kadjata Bah, Rasheed Faouzi, Xavier Pulliam, Naquoya Tessman, Hayden Moseberry, Honna Branch, Jashawn Franklin, Jonah Makwinja, Shaun Wallace, Pashun Gooch, Tavon Hill, Taequan Lomack, Jacoby Favors, and Mustapha Manneh.