The Weekly Update

January 22, 2025

District News

High School Athletic Conference Update

Starting this fall, our high schools will join the new Glacier Trails Athletic Conference for all sports except football, girls swim and dive, gymnastics, hockey, and lacrosse. Members of the Glacier Trails conference include East, West, Kettle Moraine Lutheran, Kewaskum, Plymouth, Port Washington-Saukville, and Sheboygan South.

To align football with most other sports, the Glacier Trails conference athletic directors requested to move several of the football teams, including East and West, from the North Shore Conference into Glacier Trails. The WIAA Conference Realignment Task Force approved a modified version of this football conference, recommending the inclusion of Grafton into Glacier Trails and leaving an eighth spot in the Glacier Trails Football Conference as a designated crossover game with a school in the North Shore Football Conference. Once finalized by the WIAA Board of Control on March 11, this will take effect in fall 2026.

STAR Results for Grades K-8 Now Available

In addition to a STAR Family Report (example) coming from the schools for each student in grades K-8, families can access results of the STAR assessments in Skyward Family Access. After logging in, go to the Test Scores tab, and scores will be listed under the test date of 06/06/25. If you have any questions regarding STAR, please contact your student's teacher or principal.

These assessments are administered three times per year and provide valuable information that helps to guide instruction in each classroom.

*K-3 students took their last STAR Literacy test for the 2024-25 school year. As previously shared, the new Wisconsin early literacy screener, aimswebPlus, is being administered this week and next and will be administered in spring as well.

4K Enrollment for 2025-2026 Opens on January 27

Enrollment for the West Bend School District’s 4K program for the 2025-2026 school year opens on Monday, January 27. The enrollment is completed online at WBSD4K.org. Learn more about the 4K program on the website.

Students currently enrolled in the 4K program this school year are automatically enrolled for WBSD kindergarten for 2025-2026. If a student is not enrolled in the WBSD’s 4K, they may be enrolled for kindergarten beginning January 27. Enrollment is completed online.

West Bend School District’s Outdoor Science Education Center Hosts 4K

The nature-based 4K program operated with the Kettle Moraine YMCA and currently held at Holy Trinity and Riveredge Nature Center in Newburg will be moved beginning in 2025-2026. The students will still attend two days a week at Holy Trinity. The other two days they will be at the West Bend School District Outdoor Science Education Center, located on the southeast corner of Decorah Road and River Road across the street from the high schools building in West Bend.

The other West Bend School District nature-based 4K program currently at Trinity Lutheran and Camp Silver Brook in West Bend will continue unchanged.

Facilities Improvements Update

Jackson Staff Discuss Planning for the New School

On Monday, January 20, the entire staff at Jackson Elementary reviewed potential features and layouts of the new Jackson Elementary School. The new school will be built after the community approved a facilities improvements referendum and is scheduled to open in fall 2027. It will have a student-centered design and be a facility that the community can use.

School Board News

Two Additional High School Sports Request to be Co-Ops

During its January 20 meeting, the West Bend School Board discussed a request from the East and West Athletic Departments to make wrestling and gymnastics co-op sports beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. A co-op sport means students from both East and West High Schools are on one team representing both high schools. Approvals for this change must come from athletic conference commissioners and the WIAA.

The other co-op athletic teams that include only East and West students are boys and girls swimming and diving, girls soccer, girls golf, Dolphins synchronized swimming, trap shooting, snowboarding, and winter guard.

Districtwide Open Enrollment Seats Established

The West Bend School Board approved the number of new available seats for open enrollment within the West Bend School District for 2025-2026. The list of open seats by grade is available on the website. Open Enrollment is a State of Wisconsin program that allows nonresidents of a school district to enroll in a school district of their choice if seats are available. The application period begins on February 3, 2025 and ends at 4 p.m. on April 30, 2025.

Students who are already enrolled in the WBSD with an approved open enrollment do not have to re-apply for open enrollment.

School-Year Calendar for 2025-2026 Approved

The board approved the West Bend School District 2025-2026 school-year calendar during its January 20 meeting. The calendar (which reflect all grades) is now available on the website.

Recap of January 20 Meeting

The West Bend School Board held a regular meeting on January 20. The board recognized the Badger/Silverbrook Robotics team. In the consent agenda, the board approved Minutes of the January 6, 2025 Regular Board Meeting and Executive Session, contracts, a retirement, monetary donation for weight room equipment, 2025-2026 Facilities Capital Projects, 2025-2026 Technology Projects, Enrollment Projections for Open Enrollment Seats, and certified staff salary ceiling.

After the Superintendent's Report, the board held a discussion of WIAA Cooperative Team Sponsorship for gymnastics and wrestling. Finally, the board took action on School Year Calendar 2025-2026, Municipal Financial Advisor, Underwriting Services, and Audited Financials for 2023-2024 Effective June 30, 2024 and Fund Balance Designation.

If you are interested in reviewing the details of the meeting, see this tutorial on how to access the agenda with links to the supporting documents. The video of the meeting is available.

Community Connections

Community Bulletin Board

There are various events and activities available on the WBSD’s Community Bulletin Board!

Events and Fundraisers:

Optimist Club Essay Contest for Kids

Kettle Moraine Geological Society Jr. Rockhounds Earth Science Showcase

East Dance Team Dancing with Our Stars Event

Kettle Moraine Symphony Appalachian Spring Event

MOWA Family Fun Events

Volunteer Center: Kindness Kits prep; Happy Hearts meal prep; Bowls of Goodness fundraiser; Nourish + Nurture meal prep

Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids' Sakes

Trails Aglow Evening Hikes at Riveredge Nature Center

Athletics:

Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest

Allenton Youth Org. T-Ball and Softball Registration

Richfield Youth Baseball and Softball Registration

West Bend Little League Registration

YMCA:

Party with a Purpose with Zack Baun

Winter 2 Programs

Nature Play Date

Swim Lessons for WBSD Students