District Office Newsletter

Dear SSD Staff, Families, and Neighbors,

This month we turn our clocks back and anticipate seeing some snow flurries. Winter is coming and it’s time to review the District’s inclement weather procedures! Before we do that, I’d like to take a moment to recognize one of the many reasons why Excellence Means More in Shorewood: Valuing our diverse community.

World Kindness Day and Lessons from Mr. Rogers

Along with the many holidays we typically celebrate during the month of November, there is a less traditional one that has taken hold of late: World Kindness/Cardigan Sweater Day, November 13th, in honor of one of our country’s greatest examples of kindness, Mr. Fred Rogers.

I grew up watching Mr. Rogers Neighborhood in the 1970s. I’m not sure that I really appreciated the genius of the show and Mr. Rogers himself. Although his presence was very unassuming, the cadence of his speech purposefully slow, and the technology charmingly low-tech, Mr. Rogers possessed an uncanny ability to convey genuine caring for people through songs, skits, and puppets, and he knew how to address hard topics. He communicated in a way that was truthful, clear, and developmentally appropriate. Mr. Rogers made it okay to acknowledge feelings and talked about ways to manage them.

Perhaps this simple approach of being frank and calm while talking about difficult things was his most brilliant work of all. Mr. Rogers ended every show by telling viewers we were special and that he liked us “just the way we are.'' Those of us who grew up taking the trolley to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe were experiencing social-emotional learning before the field of education recognized or championed its importance. The lessons Mr. Rogers taught us continue to ring true in today’s world.

As adults, we can and should look to Mr. Rogers and his example of kindness, compassion, and the ability to have difficult conversations in ways that are healthy and productive. It is okay to disagree and engage in civil discourse when discussing complex topics and solving problems. One of the reasons Shorewood is such a special place is because we share these values and I see these practices taking place in our schools. As a community, we unequivocally support every student and their right to feel valued and respected, both in and out of school. We want students to be exactly who they are, we celebrate one another, and we believe that diversity strengthens our community.

Whether or not you decide to don a cardigan on November 13, we hope you will find some helpful information in this newsletter. There are several opportunities for you to learn and engage with us in November. I hope to see many of you at upcoming events.

Sincerely,

Laurie

When determining whether a school closure is necessary, the Shorewood School District monitors the estimated snow accumulation and the timing of the storm through the National Weather Service. If the District is considering closing school due to bitter cold and wind chill, it will do so if the National Weather Service changes a wind chill advisory to a wind chill warning (at -35 degrees).

In the event that the inclement weather occurs outside of school hours, the North Shore school superintendents conduct an early morning conference call (typically conducted between 4 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.) to compare information and to determine the impact on the snowfall in each local community.

In the event that the inclement weather occurs during school hours, North Shore school superintendents conduct an immediate conference call to compare information and determine the impact of the snowfall in each local community. When possible, the decision to close school will be made by 5:30 a.m. and to dismiss early by 11:30 a.m.

Ultimately, the decision to close the schools or to dismiss students early in the event of existing or predicted hazardous weather is determined by the Shorewood District Administrative team. When school is closed or dismissed early due to weather, school district-sponsored activities, athletics, and Shorewood Recreation Department activities are also cancelled.*

*If school is in session all day and inclement weather is forecasted for the afternoon and/or evening, the Recreation Department and the District Administration team will make decisions on the cancellation of after school/evening activities by approximately 2 p.m.

A new District calendar committee is forming, and we invite interested staff, parents/guardians and community members to participate. There will be two meetings and the first gathering is November 14 at 5:30 pm. Additional details and an RSVP form can be accessed here.

We are excited to start the school year with a focus on equity, growth, and excellence for all learners. Building on our curriculum and standards alignment work, we are excited to share some new programming that learners are experiencing in each building this year.

At the elementary schools, we have adopted a K-3 Phonics program (95% Phonics) that targets foundational reading skills in the early grades in order to build strong readers, as well as a K-5 Math program (Eureka Math2) that focuses on strengthening reasoning and critical-thinking skills. Both of these programs have been piloted by Shorewood teachers and have resulted in measurable growth for our learners. Support for teachers has included two days of professional learning in August led by Eureka Math2 curriculum specialists. Additionally, teachers are being supported in implementing these programs with Math and Literacy coaches who are assisting with the planning and implementation of these programs.

At the Intermediate School, 7th grade learners are engaged in a new Civics and Contemporary Issues course which aligns with updated Wisconsin Social Studies standards and Learning for Justice Social Justice standards. Lessons focus on engaging in civil discourse, critical analysis of information, understanding and explaining points of view, and supporting arguments with logical reasoning. We also added an Instructional Coach to support teachers at SIS in developing identity-relevant learning opportunities in classrooms for all learners. Finally, equipment and supplies have been added to the 3rd floor Makerspace and learners are engaging with project-based learning opportunities to increase STEM opportunities throughout the building.

Our social studies offerings at the High School have also been updated to include new courses in The Ancient and Medieval Worlds (offered in grades 10-12), The Modern World (grades 10-12), and Civics (grades 11-12). Additionally, we have added an AP Psychology course (grades 11-12) and Economics course (grades 11-12) in partnership with UWM which learners can take for college credit. These courses offer learners the opportunity to explore and learn about a variety of perspectives and engage in studies of contemporary issues focused on student advocacy and civic engagement. Read more about our Social Studies Curriculum in the latest issue of Shorewood Today.

Across the district, our Arts Departments (including K-12 music, art, and drama teachers) have updated their curriculums to align with the Wisconsin Standards for Art and Creativity. This was supported with $27,000 in SEED funding which has been used to repair and purchase new instruments, art supplies, and sheet music so that learners have the opportunity to innovate, create, and connect to engaging content in a variety of contexts and settings. We are excited to continue to innovate and engage students with these new learning opportunities!

We've created a community engagement series that offers presentations and Q&A opportunities about topics that are important to our families and community. Upcoming topics that have resonated for many are math education pathways, legislative advocacy/state funding for education; and the District's instructional framework and curriculum evaluation cycle.

As we continue to build upon our equity framework and foundations, one area that we continue to work towards is developing our systems for all learners to receive their “just right” instruction in the classroom. This can look different for everyone and means simply that we are providing the academic and behavioral support that each learner needs when and where they need it.

What does that mean for students where there might be a wider gap between where they are at currently and where we want to take them? Simply put, it means that we are working to provide services in an environment that is most comfortable for our learners and trying to minimize transitions across settings. Moreover, we want our school environments to be similar to all other environments that our students may encounter. Essentially, we want proportional representation of students with varying skills and abilities across all environments so that we don’t have classrooms where we have more or less students with diverse learning needs. Having an inclusive classroom benefits all learners in several different ways. Want to learn more? Check out these articles on inclusive classrooms and neurodiversity to learn more about the benefits of the work that we are already doing in Shorewood.

If you're interested in adaptive swim lessons, please email our recreation director at jbrooks@shorewood.k12.wi.us

Calling all parents of students with IEPs: We’d like to connect with you! Keep your eye out for some upcoming events with our parent liaisons, Cara Crafton and/or Jenn Maple, and district staff in early November. We are finalizing dates and times and will email you the details!

Did you know that Shorewood is a Parents United District? If you aren’t familiar with Parents United, here’s what you need to know. Parents United is a consortium of 27 different school districts who work together to provide free learning opportunities for parents and guardians as well as staff on currently relevant topics impacting our youth. Parents United was started by a small group of parents who were looking for more opportunities to learn about how to work best with their children and has expanded to a multi-district group of parents and educators working together to understand and improve upon everything that we do with our youth. Please use this link to check out the upcoming offerings or look for flyers in your child’s building. There are topics for everyone from special needs planning and transitions to drug addiction to anxiety and ADHD; and, most events are now conducted via Zoom which might make it easier to participate! All are welcome and we hope if you haven’t already checked it out that you make plans to join a future learning opportunity!

As you know, this year we are starting to use a new behavioral screener in order to help us better meet learner needs through our equitable Multi-Level System of Support (eMLSS). Data from this screener is used to determine what services we need to offer for both prevention and intervention, as well as instruction for all to ensure the academic, personal/social, and career development of every student.

We started this fall with screening our students’ social-emotional skills using the Social, Academic,and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS). This tool is a 20-item screener that students in grades 2-12 will complete about their social, academic, and emotional behaviors. This information, along with other data, (teacher input, grades, disciplinary and attendance data) will help our schools identify students who may be in need of academic, social-emotional, and/or behavioral support through our eMLSS system.

The first administration of this screener for grades 2-12 went well and the second window will occur in December/January. Overall risk levels for your learner(s) will be available in Infinite Campus. Should school staff recommend any additional learning opportunities based on these results, the student services staff from your child’s school will reach out to you directly.

In the world of our ongoing work with equity for the Shorewood School District, we often wonder, what does this mean for our kids?

This year, we are privileged enough to have four of our high school juniors attend the 2nd Annual United Justice Coalition Summit in New York City. The summit is a prestigious event that works to advance social justice work. The students will be able to broaden their horizons, work to empower advocacy, network with peers and adults, explore career development, and continue to be inspired as current and future leaders. While at the summit, our students will experience an art gallery that focuses on the art of storytelling with shared experiences. They will have access to mental health professionals, and close to 100 non-profit organizations that are advocating for social justice and equity in our world. The students will also attend three presentations that address various social justice issues.

Upon their return our students will come back and share with the community what they learned and how they can apply their knowledge to the Shorewood community and beyond. When we continue to allow students to advocate for their needs around their educational opportunities, we create a more socially just world for them to be engaged with and in. We are excited to learn more about how this experience creates a sense of community and belonging for our students.

If someone in your household tests positive for COVID, please follow the CDC Isolation and Exposure Calculator and communicate dates to the building health office aide and attendance office.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html

Caregivers should be routinely checking their child’s head for head lice and reporting any findings of nits (eggs) or live lice to the school health office aide.

For more information about how to check and when to treat, go to the Shorewood School District website.

All students were required to meet the minimum requirements for vaccination compliance by the 30th day of school per the WI Student Immunization Law. Students still out of compliance may face court action and/or forfeiture penalty should the Milwaukee Co DA’s office proceed with legal action. Please contact your child’s doctor’s office or the North Shore Health Department if your child is still missing required vaccines. A waiver may be placed on file to show compliance. More information can be found here:

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/immunization/reqs.htm

https://www.shorewood.k12.wi.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1030362&type=d&pREC_ID=1334055

Helpful Links

All Health Forms (HIPAA, Allergy Plans, Medication Form)

Keeping Sick Kids Home

Head Lice

Vaccinations

COVID Info

Vision Voucher Info - Prevent Blindness WI

As the fall athletics season is ending, we are gearing up for our winter athletic season! Girls Basketball, Girls Hockey, Boys Hockey, Gymnastics (Nov. 6th), Boys Basketball, Boys Swim, Wrestling (Nov 13th). Coaches Contact Information

To prepare for the upcoming athletic season, please complete your athlete's registration, including forms for necessary physicals, etc., here.

To ensure clearance for participation, students registering for Athletics must have a current physical examination on file or submitted to the Athletic office before the student is authorized to participate in practice/tryouts. Please schedule your physical now to ensure time to complete it before the season.

The Winter 2023 Activity Guide is coming soon, so be on the look out for it in your mailboxes! Online registration begins Tuesday, December 5, 2023 for residents. Non-resident registration starts on Thursday, December 7, 2023.

Seventh grade science teacher, Claire Bernatz, spent a week with her students coding the Hoan Bridge. Six student projects were voted on and selected to represent SIS. Special thanks to the families and community members who headed on in the rain to watch the spectacular light show! You can catch the light show in the links below:

Shine on Shorewood Part 1

Shine On Shorewood Part 2

Shorewood High School teacher, Jesse Perez, was the winner of the 2023 Award for Excellence in Civic Education. Jesse teaches the principles of the Constitution because it gives students "an opportunity to learn about their civic duties and responsibilities as citizens of America-and take them up with price."

Congratulations Jesse on winning this award!

Atwater Elementary school's Walk and Roll to School Day was a HUGE success! The weather was beautiful, the UWM Panther cheer team greeted all the students, and the band played on until Ms. Carter told them it was time go! Thank you to the Atwater PTO members for putting on an incredible event!

Students at Lake Bluff Elementary participated in their first Beagle Dash! The students, along with their class, ran, raced, walked, and danced while doing laps for 30 minutes. The event was hosted by a DJ and the kids had so much fun! Thanks to all volunteers and Lake Bluff PTO for a successful event!

Attending a sporting event or after school activity? We want to see your photos! There is a lot that happens in the SSD community, and we enjoy using photos of our students in newsletters and communication. You can email your photos to mcampbell@shorewood.k12.wi.us

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Please make note of these District wide dates. Please see your specific school for more specific information.

November

11/1: SHS Blood Drive Register HERE

11/2: Airplane! event hosted by the Shorewood Foundation

11/6: All District-No School

11/14: School Board Meeting; 7pm at SHS-LMC South

11/16: Let's Talk About...K-5 Math Curriculum; at Lake Bluff Elementary

11/22-24: All District-No School; Thanksgiving Break

11/28: School Board Meeting; 7pm at SHS-LMC South

December

12/3: Annual Athletics Booster Club Arts & Crafts Fair

12/12: School Board Meeting; 7pm at SHS-LMC South

12/25-1/1/24: All District-No School; Winter Break