MTSD Momentum Newsletter

Well, it’s more than officially winter in Wisconsin! As you likely are aware, when inclement weather occurs, school officials monitor the situation closely to determine whether our schools should be closed due to safety concerns. This includes collaboration with local area superintendents and weather professionals and consultation with our transportation partner and maintenance teams.

As you know, in the span of just one week (on January 9 and 12, 2024), school closures were implemented in response to the forecasted weather. As a result of these school closures, we want to bring your attention to two points of information:

• At this time, the Flex Day scheduled for Friday, April 26 will be an instructional day for Homestead High School students only. Our elementary and middle schools still have enough instructional time built into their calendars to use the Flex Day as a No School Day for students and an Inservice Day for staff. If future inclement weather days occur before April 26, we will re-calculate the instructional time at the elementary and middle school levels and provide an update as needed.

• Should future inclement weather days occur at any point this school year, Homestead High School will need to make up instructional time in addition to the April 26 Flex Day. To do this without extending the school calendar any further into June, Homestead has revisited a plan to implement the use of virtual learning days. More information will be provided regarding virtual learning days at the high school level as planning is finalized.

Though much of the winter season lies ahead, we hope that further disruptions to the school year calendar will be kept to a minimum.

Per one of the goals included in MTSD's Strategic Plan, we work to produce meaningful communication and engagement opportunities with all stakeholders to build strong relationships and trust across the school community. One of the methods used to engage stakeholders and gain input to inform decisions includes the use of surveys.

To understand perceptions of our schools’ and our district’s climate and culture, we annually invite MTSD parents and guardians to participate in a Climate & Culture Survey focusing on seven categories including: Student Relationships, Learning Environment, Safety & Well-Being, Physical Environments, Contracted Services, Family Engagement, and Overall District Quality. Schools and the district use these results to enhance the educational experience for all students and families while monitoring progress toward strategic goals.

The survey was open Monday, December 18, 2023 through Friday, January 5, 2024 and was administered using Qualtrics. In total, 685 survey responses were provided representing approximately 19% of all students in the MTSD. We are pleased to report that overall responses were positive, with MTSD families recording a Net Promoter Score of 50 (excellent), and reflecting satisfaction with the overall quality of MTSD, most notably our wonderful educators and staff members. Thank you for your participation in this very important feedback opportunity!

The MTSD Board of Education is working in collaboration with District administrators to address MTSD’s budget crisis. Despite the finalization of what was described as a “historic” 2023-25 State Biennial Budget, the state of Wisconsin continues to provide school districts with inadequate, sustainable funding and MTSD does not stand to benefit substantially from state funding as a lower-spending, property-rich community. School districts around the state are forced to do more with less to provide the programming and resources students deserve and meet the expectations of their communities.

Mitigating budget deficits is not new for MTSD, and over time, the District has taken several proactive initiatives aimed at decreasing expenses and increasing revenues to mitigate the impact of revenue limits and budget challenges in addressing MTSD’s funding gap. However, the current reality is that our student’s academic and social-emotional needs are exceptionally high, and our financial support is historically low, with historic budget deficits projected now and throughout the foreseeable future. To address this unprecedented financial crisis, MTSD must find ways to increase revenue streams while reducing operating expenses.

In 2023, the Board approved a legislative platform topic on public school funding and the Board and MTSD administration actively advocated for increased public school funding during the development of the 2023-25 Wisconsin State Budget. Further, the Board charged the MTSD administration to form a Community Task Force to consider and recommend possible solutions to increase revenue. The Task Force’s recommendation culminated in a “bundled approach” using the options of a possible operating referendum, philanthropic giving campaign, and use of the District’s fund balance.

Based on discussions held by the Board during their January meetings this year, the MTSD administration will move forward on a timeline that will allow the Board to consider an operating referendum ballot question for the November 2024 election. Updates will be provided to all stakeholders as this work progresses.

MTSD is using Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) to build the 24-25 school year budget. ZBB is a budgeting approach where organizations start the budgeting process from scratch rather than rolling over prior budget history. In this method, every expense must be justified and approved, and budget allocations are based on the actual needs and costs of each activity rather than historical spending patterns. Unlike traditional budgeting, which often involves incremental adjustments to existing budgets, ZBB requires a thorough review and justification of all expenses, fostering cost-conscious decision-making and resource optimization. ZBB aims to ensure that every dollar spent contributes directly to organizational objectives, promoting efficiency and accountability in financial management.

During the 2023-24 school year, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is hosting a series of Strategic Planning Community Engagement Sessions throughout the state of Wisconsin. During each session, DPI staff will engage in facilitated conversations to gather additional perspectives within various communities. With the support of the Mequon-Thiensville School District, the Department of Public Instruction wants to hear what you think is important for schools and public libraries at an upcoming community engagement event at Homestead High School!

Date: January 29th (Tuesday), 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Location: Collaboration Zones, Homestead High School, 5000 W Mequon Road, Mequon, WI 53092

Register here: https://widpi.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6m0QqEZvcfKpvcW

Use the registration form to let us know if you would like childcare or if you would like ASL or language interpretation during the event.

Each year, MTSD holds a designated pre-registration window for four-year-old kindergarten and five-year-old-kindergarten (5K eligible students who did not attend 4K this year in MTSD). The purpose of pre-registration is to get an idea of 4K and 5K enrollment projections to develop class rosters and determine staffing needs. 4K families can also indicate their morning or afternoon class preference, and gain other useful information about the program. Online pre-registration for 4-year-old kindergarten and new-to-MTSD 5-year-old kindergarten students will begin on Wednesday, February 14. Please feel free to share this information with any families in your networks with 4K or 5K students new to MTSD.

Looking for an enjoyable indoor family event to escape the cold? The Homestead High School's Music and Theatre Departments present Rodgers' and Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA! in the James Barr Performing Arts Center February 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at 7:00 P.M. and February 4th at 1:00 P.M.

Adults - $15

Students - $10

For more information about the cast, pit orchestra, sponsors, and to purchase tickets, click here! Want a sneak preview of the show? Check out the promo video below!

Have you heard? Tickets for the Mequon-Thiensville Education Foundation (MTEF)'s Mardi Gras Bash are now on sale! There will be no "Off to the Races" event this year, so this is your big chance to support the MTEF while having an amazing time!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Shully's Watermark in Thiensville. Festivities kick off at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, entertainment, a silent auction, and raffles. Dinner begins at 7 p.m., followed by the Fund-A-Grant paddle raise and dessert. Music will be provided by Joe Wray, with additional entertainment provided by some of our very own Homestead students and musicians!

Whether you attend the bash, become a sponsor, donate to the auction, or are able to join the Mardi Gras committee, every bit of support directly benefits MTSD students. Visit the MTEF website for details and to get your ticket today!

Check out the Summer Academy course offerings through the Mequon-Thiensville Recreation Department! Summer Academy is taught exclusively by MTSD educators with classes for students entering Grades 4K-9.

This year, Summer Academy will offer two sessions:

Session 1: June 17th–21st, Monday-Friday

Session 2: July 22 - Aug 1st Monday - Thursday

Registration opens on February 1. Visit our website at www.mtsd.k12.wi.us/departments/rec/summer-academy to see all of the fun and enriching options we have planned for Summer 2024!

Though the school year is well underway, opportunities for employment at MTSD are ongoing! We encourage all community members to regularly check our certified and support staff listings on WECAN. Current highlighted positions include:

• Facility Coordinator (Lake Shore)
• Long-term Special Education Teacher (Lake Shore)
• Various Coaches (Lake Shore, Steffen, and Homestead)

Throughout the school year, be sure to check out the great things going on at your school building by following your school's page on Facebook, as well as the MTSD Facebook page, MTSD Instagram account, and by finding us on LinkedIn.

Please note: The accounts linked above are the only official social media presence managed and moderated with support from MTSD Communications.

Wisconsin DPI Community Engagement Session

Monday, January 29 @ 5:30 p.m.

Homestead High School Collaboration Zones

Click here to register for the event

Summer Academy Registration Opens

Thursday, February 1

Click here to check out the course guide!

HHS Winter Musical: Oklahoma!

February 1-3 @ 7:00 p.m.

February 4 @ 1:00 p.m.

James Barr Performing Arts Center, Homestead High School

MTSD Board of Education - Working Meeting

Monday, February 5 @ 6:00 p.m.

Range Line Community Center

4K and New-to-MTSD 5K Pre-Registration Window Opens

Wednesday, February 14

NO SCHOOL - Grades 4K-8 ONLY (Parent/Teacher Conferences)

Thursday, February 15

NO SCHOOL - Grades 4K-8 ONLY (Comp. Day)

Friday, February 16

NO SCHOOL - All Grades (Staff Inservice)

Monday, February 19

MTEF Mardi Gras Bash

Saturday, February 24 @ 5:30 p.m.

Shully's Watermark - Thiensville

MTSD Board of Education - Regular Business Meeting

Monday, February 26 @ 6:00 p.m.

Range Line Community Center