Dear Parents, Students, Friends and Neighbors,

This spring comes to us under remarkable circumstances in education, in our state, in our country and in our world. I know I can speak for all in the WUSD when I say that we miss our students and our families, and we cannot wait for the opportunity to see you all again soon. We are hopeful that distance/virtual learning has been productive for your children over the past few weeks. Please know that we will be making all of our very best efforts to continue to provide quality learning experiences during our school buildings closure.

As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, I am proud of the efforts our staff have made to continue to educate and engage their students. Even in these challenging times we have some wonderful celebrations to share. We are excited that WUSD was recognized nationally as a Best Community for Music by the NAMM Foundation for the 8 ^th consecutive year, while Schurz School was again recognized as a Title 1 School of Recognition for Beating the Odds .

We are thrilled to also report that WHS has been honored again as a “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report . At WHS we hosted our second annual Gosling Career Fair attracting more than 80 local businesses and educational institutions. This was a great opportunity and collaboration between the WUSD and our local business, education and manufacturing community.

We encourage all of you to frequent our COVID-19 website for the most up-to-date information on how COVID-19 is impacting our schools and a list of FAQ for families. We have rescheduled WHS graduation to Friday, August 14 to recognize our 2020 seniors (see details below), and we are working on options for prom so that our students can still enjoy these important and meaningful traditional events despite current conditions. 

Additionally, many of you have been asking about picking up personal items from school. Please know that your building principals will be reaching out to you with details for pickup times at each of your sites. Many of you have also been inquiring about summer school, and please also know that we are working on how to offer some opportunities to our students and families over the summer. While we do not think we can offer a traditional summer school experience, we will work to provide some learning experiences to support our students and families.

I hope that you are all staying healthy and well. We are counting the days until we can see all of our students again! Please take care of yourselves and one another. And please do not hesitate to reach out to any of your building principals or directly to me with any questions or concerns. While we may not be able to have an open door at this time, we are responding to all phone calls and emails to help ensure our families have all the support and information that you may need during these uncertain times.

In closing - check out our newest video highlighting WUSD and some of the innovative, diverse and future-forward opportunities that we are so grateful to offer our students! After all - It’s the #WatertownWay!

Cassandra Schug

Superintendent of Schools

Watertown High School Graduation has been set for Friday, August 14 at 7:00 p.m. at WHS Landsverk Stadium, with a rain date of August 15 at 10:00 a.m. Please note that our ability to hold a traditional ceremony in a face-to-face setting will depend on where we are at in the phasing process along with guidance from health officials.

For planning purposes, this will be a ticketed event with each graduate being allocated four (4) tickets. This is being done to ensure social distancing protocols, should they still be in effect at that time. We will re-evaluate our ability to have a face-to-face graduation no later than August 3.

We are also exploring other options should conditions prevent us from gathering together in the stadium for a traditional ceremony. This alternate format would follow the August 14 at 7:00 p.m. schedule. More details will be shared as the planning process unfolds. We appreciate your patience and support as we navigate through this process.

We are so incredibly proud of our #WatertownWay seniors! Check out our district Facebook page where we are recognizing each senior. Show your support by adding a frame to your Facebook profile image. We have created two frames for you to choose - " I Love a Senior - WUSD Class of 2020" and " We Are In This Together - #WatertownWay." See our National Signing Day  photos and video showcasing where our seniors are headed after graduation. Go Goslings!

Please join us in congratulating Kayla Wendt who will be serving as the new Schurz Elementary School Principal beginning in the 2020-21 school year. Mrs. Wendt has served in the WUSD as a teacher, dean of students at Douglas School, and most recently, at Lincoln STEM and Lebanon Schools.

Mrs. Wendt has been nothing short of outstanding in each of the roles she has taken on in the WUSD, and while we know that the students, staff and families at Lincoln and Lebanon will greatly miss her leadership, Schurz will be gaining an excellent principal. Mrs. Wendt brings strong skills in literacy, collaboration, behavior management, innovation, and building climate and culture. We know that she will bring all of those skills to Schurz while she continues to grow and expand her leadership and her impact. Congratulations and welcome back to Schurz!

Our WUSD students and staff are doing amazing things! Here are just some of their many accomplishments in recent months:

Enhancing Teaching and Learning for Every Child - Every Day

Who would have thought we'd be finishing the last few months of the 2019-20 school year engaging in virtual or distance learning from home? We know this has put pressure on our families and parents, many of whom are also working from home while trying to help their children navigate their school studies with their teachers.

But we have been so impressed with our staff and students for stepping up and learning new things every day, including new digital platforms to connect with teachers!

YOU'VE GOT THIS! Keep it up! We are so proud of you, WUSD students! Thank you parents!

True WUSD Heroes: Our Nutrition Services Staff has prepared many thousands of breakfasts and lunches for our community’s children distributed at WUSD meal pick-up sites. Thank you for continuing to work tirelessly each day to provide nutrition to the children during this time of school closure. We are so very thankful for you!

Innovation

The WUSD is excited to launch yet another learning opportunity for K-12 students through our eCampus Academy Charter School beginning in the Fall of 2020! This innovative virtual charter school supports local and statewide enrollments and is an excellent option for students seeking a full time online or blended educational experience . All students can work at a pace that makes sense for them, to meet diverse and personal learning needs. 

🎓 Want to save on college tuition while your student is in high school?

🎓 Want your student to be ready for the 21st century workforce and beyond?

🎓 Check out our 10 pathways including the newly added IT Cybersecurity Specialist.

Learn more about this incredible program at ecampusacademy.org and enroll here.

Developing People and Partnerships

The WUSD would like to take the time to thank Board Member J. Mark Holland for his 18 years of service to the students, families, staff and community members. Mr. Holland has served with distinction and dedication while representing and promoting the best educational interests of our students. Please join us in wishing Mr. Holland all of the best.

The WUSD welcomes our newest Board Member, Rebecca Iverson, elected in April 2020. Iverson was born in Green Bay and spent most of her childhood in Stevens Point, graduating from SPASH (Stevens Point Area Senior High) in 1994. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication with an emphasis in Public Campaigns in 1999 from Carroll College (now Carroll University) in Waukesha. She worked in an agency and did corporate advertising before feeling called to enter seminary.

Iverson attended The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 2001. During seminary she completed a one-year parish internship in Arlington, VA, followed by a one- year Clinical Pastoral Education Residency at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. She graduated with a Master of Divinity in May of 2008, and was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) in late May 2008.

Iverson served as pastor of one parish in Tomahawk, WI, from June 2008 until December 2012 when she and her husband, the Rev. Todd J. Iverson moved to Watertown so he could serve as pastor of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, ELCA. Iverson stayed home with her daughter, born in 2013, while her husband was deployed most of 2014 with the U.S. Navy as part of Operation Enduring Freedom with the NMCB-25. She went back to work as a hospice chaplain for a Madison-based hospice in 2015; and her position was terminated in late March 2020, due to the economic downturn—just in time to take on the important role of member of the WUSD School Board. Iverson has over 2,000 hours of clinical training and experience, and countless hours of continuing education focusing on grief, bereavement, trauma-informed care and spirituality at the end of life.

While Iverson has no teaching background outside of religious education, she is passionate about strong schools and education for all children and supporting teachers and staff in the extremely important work they do. She is a life-long learner and hopes to bring her skills, passion, and support to the position she now holds on the Board.