West Allis - West Milwaukee School District

WAWM Schools Student Named State

ACT National Student Readiness Award Recipient

On Monday, May 6, 2013 Central High School Student Tre Nowaczynski was honored at the State Capitol in Madison by Governor Scott Walker and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers as Wisconsin's recipient of the 2013 ACT National Student Readiness Award Winner. This award recognizes college and career readiness throughout the United States. Tre will now represent Wisconsin at the National Level of this award.

Tre Nowaczynski Receives his ACT Award at the State Capitol Building on May 6, 2013

Celebrate National Teacher Week

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District would like to celebrate National Teacher Week from May 6 to May 10. National Teacher Day is on Tuesday, May 7. We would like to thank all of our Professional Educators for the work they do to help ALL children in the WAWM Schools achieve success.

WAWM School District Education Foundation

"Honor An Educator" Campaign

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District Education Foundation is providing away for our students, parents, and community to honor one of our professional educators through the "Honor An Educator" campaign. For more information please use this Link: Honor An Educator

WAWM Schools Receive Recognition Awards from Marquette University

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District is the recipient of two prestigious awards from Marquette University College of Education. The first award is the Public School Partner Award from the College of Education and the second is the Human Services Partner Award from the Counseling, Education, and Counseling Professionals Department.

The Public School Partner Award stems from the work we do forwarding the cause of PUBLIC Education. Marquette has recognized the District’s effort of striving to put ALL children first while focusing on building relationships, identifying relevance, and developing rigor and high expectations. This recognition highlighted our staff connections in accepting and working with pre-service education by accepting and developing student teachers and creating opportunities for internships.

In addition, our work in the area of promoting high quality math instruction was highlighted. This comes from the fact that we are working with Marquette University through a Department of Public Instruction Grant. This multi-year grant opportunity involves 35 of our secondary teachers and Marquette University professors focusing on problem solving and deeper learning tied to Common Core Standards in improving achievement and learning in math for our students.

Our partnership with Marquette University also includes our superintendent participating on their accreditation team, program evaluation, conversations on how to improve teacher preparation and on the College of Education Advisory Committee. This partnership has evolved into professional development discussions for practicing educators and administrators, as well as working toward growing the Administrative Leadership Program at Marquette University. It is a significant honor for the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District to receive this recognition from Marquette University, but it is also a great honor for us to call Marquette a partner with the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District!!!

The District also received the Human Service Partner Award for our Student Services Department’s work in social-emotional learning and college and career readiness. Our state-recognized student services curriculum was also recognized along with the great work of the Student Services Department by the Counseling Educators and Counseling Professionals Department.

Intermediate School Math Meet Held

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District recently held a Math Meet for our three Intermediate Schools. The meet was held at West Milwaukee Intermediate and there were awards given for the best overall team and the top three individuals. For the results please use this link: WAWM Intermediate Math Meet Results

WAWM Schools Named One of Best Communities for Music Education in the Nation

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District has been recognized by the NAMM Foundation as being among the Best Communities for Music Education in the United States. Only 307 school districts nation-wide received this award in 2013. For more information please use this link:

NAMM Music Award Information

4K & 5K Registration: February 6 to May 1

We would like to remind all parents/guardians that 4-K and 5-K Registration began on Wednesday, February 6, 2013.

The School District of West Allis - West Milwaukee offers a four-year-old kindergarten program that is optional and is a half-day program. The morning session meets from 8:25 – 11:10 a.m. and the afternoon session meets from 12:45 – 3:30 p.m. There is no early admission to the 4K program.

The School District of West Allis-West Milwaukee in conjunction with the West Allis - West Milwaukee Recreation Department, offers an extended day enrichment program for 4K students who would like to attend. This program is held at the Horace Mann Elementary School, Irving Elementary School, and Jefferson Elementary School.

Please print the necessary registration forms, fill them out and bring them along when registering. Please return them to the school office between 8:00 - 3:30 p.m. beginning February 6^th. Applications are processed strictly on a date and time basis. We advise you to register your child as soon as possible. It is not necessary that your child be present during the registration process.

Enrollment Form

4K Options Choices Form

Discover 4 Informational Flyer

4K-5K Information Form

Residency Form

Student Immunization Form

WAWM Schools Celebrate Digital Learning Day

February 6, 2013 was National Digital Learning Day!

In the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, each day is digital learning day for our students. WAWM professional educators work hard to innovate and create engaging personalized digital learning environments.

There are many new and innovative ways that we are integrating instructional technology into the classroom. Here is a video that you can view which highlights one of many WAWM Digital Learning Day accomplishments. It showcases how our District is moving forward with using eBooks in the classroom.

Digital Learning Video

Greenfield Avenue Bridge Construction Update

(January 15, 2013) We would like to remind all students, parents/guardians and community members that construction on the Greenfield Avenue Bridge over I-894 is set to begin on Monday, January 21, 2013. This will mean that both pedestrian and auto traffic will be detoured. For more information on this please use this link:

Greenfield Avenue Bridge Construction Letter

A Message From Superintendent Wachholz

Hello Parents,

This is Superintendent Kurt Wachholz and I want to deliver a brief message to you as a follow – up to the senseless school tragedy that occurred in Connecticut earlier today. I want to start by saying our thoughts and prayers are with the families and children involved.

I also want to reassure you that on a daily basis our District does everything possible to keep our schools safe and more importantly, your children safe. In response to various inquiries received today from parents to the district and at the school level I want to reinforce our commitment in this area.

Appropriate safety measures such as locking doors, buzzed in entries, visitors signing/checking into the school office first, personnel badges, etc… are practiced every day and it is important that they are adhered to by all as well as continued school emergency and preparedness planning. Our District also has a close working relationship with both the West Allis and West Milwaukee Police Departments to keep our children safe.

Over the weekend as children begin to hear more about the events surrounding the incident through the media you may choose to use the following to help your child process or understand what they are hearing. It is important to remember that children of different ages and levels of development will react differently to the news of the tragedy and safety. Below are some general recommendations/tips about how you might talk about this with your children, as well as some more specific considerations related to a child’s age:

Re-assure children that our schools and our students are safe
Allow and even encourage children to talk about their worries and fears
Let them know that it is normal, o.k. , and good to talk about their feelings with you
Teach children to always tell parents and grown-ups about people that are acting angry, unusual, or strange at school
Help children to understand that unfortunately bad things can sometimes happen to people, and to understand that parents and school will be there to protect them.
Help children to understand how important it is to always be serious, follow directions, and listen to teachers and principals during all of the emergency practice drills we have at school (e.g. Tornado, Fire, School Intruder)

Children Under 12

Wait for the child to raise the question or make a statement most experts suggest to consider shielding very young children, however if they bring up the topic do not avoid it
If children in this age range already know about the tragedy and are asking or talking about it, take the opportunity to let them do so, and stress to them that they are safe
They need to know that they are safe, and they’ll look to you for cues
If you’re overly upset, sobbing, angry, etc. they will sense this and this might affect how they process the tragedy
If you express sadness, concern, and empathy-they will come to see that it is o.k. to express these emotions
You should want them to talk to you about this
Ask them “How do you feel about this?”, and then it is important to support their feelings

Children Older than 12

With teenagers, you really want to engage them
Ask them why they think this happened
Ask them if they think anything could have prevented this
Have a real conversation with them and stress with them that they are safe
You might also be able to channel them to do some act of charity so that they believe they are taking positive action

Resources:

www.parenting.com

www.schoolcounselor.org

www.nasponline.org/

On Monday, at each level, K-12 each school will provide an opportunity for staff to talk with children to reinforce:

Their School is safe
They are safe while they are in school
What we do to stay safe

If you would like your school’s student service specialist or if you have any questions about the protocols at your child’s school, please contact your school’s principal.

Respectfully,

Kurt Wachholz

Superintendent

West Allis – West Milwaukee Schools

WAWM Schools Now on Facebook & Twitter

(November 19, 2012) The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District can now be follo

wed for updates on both Facebook and Twitter. You can access these links by clicking on the icons in the top left hand column of the web page. These are two more tools to help keep our students, parents/guardians, and residents updated and informed on what is happening in the WAWM Schools. We look forward to you following and liking us on both of these social media networks.

Fourteen WAWM Schools

Meet or Exceed Expectations!

(October 22, 2012) The first state-issued report cards for our schools have been released by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Each district school received its own report card that evaluates its performance based on multiple measures. The report card includes an overall accountability rating on a 100 point scale. The categories of ratings range from Fails to meet Expectations (0-52.9 points) to Significantly Exceeds Expectations (83 – 100 points). Fourteen West Allis-West Milwaukee Schools Meet or Exceed Expectations. The ratings are based on an analysis of student test scores from the 2011-22012 school year that takes into account a variety of factors including achievement gaps among groups of students, absenteeism and level of test participation. Report cards will be issued each year. Individual school report cards are available on each school’s individual website. Read more about the report card on the state Department of Public Instruction’s website at http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/acct/accountability.html. Other parts of the new accountability system for schools include new methods or evaluating teacher performance, a new student testing system with higher expectations for student achievement, statewide common core academic standards and new ways for students to earn college and technical credit in high school. For more information about the reform and accountability system, known as Agenda 2017, go to the Department of Public Instruction’s website at http://dpi.wi.gov/sprntdnt/2017_resources.html.

Four WAWM Schools Earn State Recognition

(September 6, 2012) - The West Allis – West Milwaukee School District has four schools named as “Wisconsin Schools of Recognition” for the 2012 – 2013 school year. These schools are Horace Mann, Jefferson, Longfellow, and Wilson Elementary Schools.

This is the sixth year in a row that the WAWM School District has had three schools or more receive this prestigious award. Since 2006 the West Allis – West Milwaukee Schools have been recognized 33 times. Wilson Elementary (6 consecutive), Jefferson Elementary for the fifth time, Longfellow Elementary for the fourth time, and the second consecutive for Horace Mann Elementary all received this award last year. This prestigious award recognizes schools for their consistent achievement over time and closing the achievement gap that these schools face in light of ESEA: No Child Left Behind. These schools must also meet certain additional academic and demographic criteria in order to qualify.

It is a great honor for our District’s schools to be recognized; in addition, it is a tribute not only to these schools but to ALL of our schools and ALL of our employees who continue to put children first with focus on student learning and achievement.

The four schools listed above represented our school district at the State Capitol building in Madison on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 and received their “Wisconsin School of Recognition” award.

For more information please visit this link: Wisconsin Schools of Recognition News Release

WAWM Schools Participate in

Mayfair Mall Education Event

(October 15, 2012) The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District participated in an event October 13 and 14, 2012 at Mayfair Mall called Celebrate Schools! This event was hosted by Mayfair Mall in conjunction with DonorsChoose.org and allowed the West Allis-West Milwaukee Schools to showcase their numerous achievements and talents. The West Allis-West Milwaukee Recreation Department had four dance teams and two musical groups perform along with artwork from various schools throughout the district. The groups that performed were: the Allegro Elementary, Allegro Junior Prep, Allegro Elite, and Allegro Senior Dance Teams along with the Ros’n Bows, and CH Ensemble musical groups. The various Allegro Dance Teams are made up of student from elementary through high school while the two musical groups are represented by student from the intermediate and high school levels. This was a great opportunity for the WAWM Recreation Department and the School District to show all of the great opportunities we offer our students and their families.

Celebrate Schools Event Photos

New Immunization Policy

(August 31, 2012) -The West Allis Health Department just received notification that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has changed its immunization policy. This change now prevents local health departments from using State or Federally supplied vaccine to immunize individuals whose insurance covers immunizations.

This change goes into effect on October 1, 2012.

Because of the pertussis outbreak going on, pertussis-containing vaccines are temporarily exempted from this policy change.

If you have any questions please contact the West Allis Health Department at 414-302-8600.

Immunization Notice

Upcoming Community Events

May 6 Teacher Appreciation Week

May 7 National Teacher Day

West Allis Farmers Market Opens For Season on Tuesdays Noon-6:00pm

Horace Mann Band/Orchestra/Chorus/Suzuki Concert 1:30pm & 6:30pm

Frank Lloyd Wright 6th Grade Band Concert 7:00pm

May 8 Franklin Spring Sing 9:30am & 2:30pm

Mitchell Spring Sing 1:30pm & 6:30pm

West Milwaukee Band Concert 7:00pm

Central Orchestra/Chorus Spring Concert 7:30pm

May 9 West Allis Farmers Market Opens For Season on Thursdays Noon-6:00pm

Frank Lloyd WrightOrchestra Concert 7:00pm

Lincoln Band/Orchestra/Chorus Concert 7:00pm

May 10 Hoover Spring Sing 9:00am & 1:30pm

Mitchell Band/Orchestra/Chorus/Suzuki Concert 1:30pm & 6:00pm

May 11 Nathan Hale Prom 5:30-11:00pm

June 1 Second Annual Morgan Grove Family Center Walk/Run at the West Allis

Athletic Complex 10:00am Click hear for more info: MGFC Flyer

For more District news stories click here!