Greetings WGSD Families,
It's been an excellent start to the 2022-2023 school year. These past months I have had the privilege of meeting so many of you. If I have not had the pleasure of meeting you, please reach out and set up a time to talk. This month WGSD is spending time reflecting on what we are thankful for. I am personally thankful for our hard-working staff and students. Our administration across the district has also been reflecting and is proud to have a supportive community and the strong and meaningful relationships we have with our parents. It's because of your partnership that we can continue our mission to ensure a safe and respectful environment that promotes continuous growth through collaboration and active engagement. Wishing you the best during this season of thanks!
Tony Spence, Superintendent
Safe & Healthy Schools
Waterford Graded is in Partnership with Parents United of Wisconsin
Children learn best when they are healthy, but they also learn best when they are in school. So, when your school-age child complains of not feeling well on a school day, a decision must be made as to whether the child should stay home or go to school. Please use the information in this document to help you to decide whether or not your child should stay home from school.
Waterford Graded is in Partnership with Parents United of Wisconsin
Parent United is a non-profit consortium providing parents with educational community service opportunities. Check out their offerings and feel free to register for any of the presentations/workshops!
30-Day Gratitude Challenge
Our Student and Family Assistance Program (SFAP/Advocate Aurora Health) has created a 30-day gratitude challenge for families to foster a gratitude practice. This is a great challenge for families to do with their children to help focus on the people and positive things in their lives to develop the habit of being more grateful. If you’d like to access additional resources and support, click here to visit AAH SFAP’s website or call 800-236-3231.
Curriculum and Student Learning
Academic and Career Planning Community Outreach
Following our WGSD mission of “Ensuring a safe and respectful environment that promotes continuous growth through collaboration and active engagement”, our Academic and Career Planning Team recently met with community members. On October 27th community, business and school learned came together to discuss how our district and community can partner together. Great ideas were shared and a follow-up meeting to discuss the next steps is set for February.
Interested in learning more? Contact Madison Sabel,
msabel@waterforduhs.k12.wi.us
Continuous Improvement
As you walk into all buildings at WGSD, community members can see how each school is working towards our District's Strategic goal of having 100% of all students on track for college and career readiness. Posted are goals towards reading, math, and others. Stop over at each building and take a look.
Social Studies Informational Night - November 16th
As part of our district process for curriculum development, our social studies team has been working hard to review and select future classroom resources. The team narrowed their selection of social studies materials by studying teacher resources, assessment resources, student resources, and home-to-school resources found within multiple social studies programs. We have narrowed down the choice to McGraw Hill’s Voices and Perspectives Early Years for middle school and Wisconsin: Our State our Story for 4th Grade. A general presentation will be made on Wednesday, November, 16th from 5:30-6:30 pm at Fox River Middle School where we will share more information about McGraw Hill and Wisconsin our State our Story.
Fox River's 10th Annual Veterans Day Assembly
On Friday, November 4th, Fox River Middle School celebrated its 10th annual Veterans Day assembly in the new gym facility. Because of Covid, we were not able to bring in crowds for the past 2 years. We did, however, celebrate within our classrooms. This year, we also hosted the I Am Not Invisible art show from the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center. 6th graders watched the documentary of the Honor Flight Movie and created cards and letters for veterans. 7th graders had a visit from Murphy, a Racine County Sheriff's K9, and his partner Dave Fisher, to explain the relationship between the dog and its handler. They then watched the movie Max about a military K9 with PTSD. The 8th graders had three rotations of speakers: veteran women, veteran men, and current military. They then wrote letters to veterans in another rotation. To culminate the day, students participated in a short assembly at the end of the day to explain "Clash of the Cash". Since 2012, Fox River students have raised $35,500 for the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. This organization takes veterans to Washington DC to visit their memorials for free. We are hosting a fundraiser until Friday, November 11th- Veterans Day! We will present the proceeds to an SSHF board member the following week. If you feel so inclined, you may donate to the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. It is a tax-deductible donation.
Big Dream
Student Feature
Noah Rebollar
8th Grader at Fox River Middle School
Fun Fact: I'm really good at basketball.
Favorite Class: My favorite class is math. I find math really fun.
What do you like most about Waterford?
I like Waterford because the teachers and the people are very cool. They are nice and funny and provide a lot of support when I need it!
Operational Items
The annual meeting was on October 17 at 6 pm. During this time residents led the meeting and approved the budget for the 2022-2023 school year. You can review the financial presentation by visiting this PowerPoint link.
Waterford Graded School District's school board recognized Reads by the River Books and Gifts, LAB Midwest, and Milwaukee Woodworks as being nominated as a Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) business honor roll member.
Library
Students in Kindergarten through 8th grade receive age appropriate lessons about being safe, responsible and respectful digital citizens. Lessons and learning opportunities come from a variety of sources and support the Wisconsin DPI Information Technology Standards, the CASEL standards, and the AASL Library standards.
Digital Citizenship week was celebrated in our schools, along with schools around the world during the week of October 17-21. While we strive to model and guide students every day to be successful, positive digital citizens, this special week allows us to put a spotlight on the skills and concepts involved in being a good digital citizen. Students read stories, watched learning videos, and participated in learning modules and reflection around topics such as being safe while using technology, finding balance in digital use, understanding how to interact with others through technology, understanding how we feel when using technology, and knowing when technology can be used for good and have an impact.
Digital citizenship is an ongoing conversation that we continually have, both as staff and with students. If you would like to learn more about digital citizenship, please check out Common Sense Media, then click on the Family Resources tab. This is one of the many resources we use to guide our classroom conversations.
Waterford Recreation
2nd Annual WinterFest
Click here for more information/sign up for pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus
Waterford Recreation Department is holding its 2nd Annual WinterFest on Friday, December 9th from
5:00 pm - 8:30 pm at Fox River Middle School.
30+ craft/food vendors, activities for the kids, bounce houses, pictures with Santa Claus/Mrs. Claus & SNOW MUCH MORE!
Santa's Calling - SIGN UP HERE (open November 14th)
Santa Claus & his elves were able to schedule a time to call Waterford Graded School District Students! You will be able to sign up your child on the Waterford Recreation Website between November 14th-November 28th - no cost!
Current/Upcoming Programs
ADULTS
Pickle Ball - Mondays & Thursdays @ Fox River Middle School from 6-8 pm
Men's Basketball - Wednesdays @ Fox River Middle School from 6-8 pm
Yoga with Nora Kubacki - sessions started but may attend and pay a drop-in fee
YOUTH
Santa's Workshop Challenge Event at Trailside Elementary on December 19th
