Dear Shorewood Families,
Please see below for upcoming events and meeting reminders, as well as highlights from the most recent School Board meeting.
Upcoming Events & Meetings
There are two virtual Board linkages scheduled for March. The Advanced Learning linkage will be held on Monday, March 14, at 6:30 pm (meeting link here). The Families of Students with a Disability linkage will be held on Wednesday, March 30, at 6:30 pm (meeting link here).
Next week, there are three major concerts taking place for the District’s Music Department. Please be advised, the Music Department has made the decision to require masks for ALL attendees and performers at these three events due to the large crowds expected. Masking exceptions will only be made for wind players (who remove their masks while playing) and choir members while singing.
District Orchestra Festival - Tuesday, March 15, 7 p.m. (SHS Arena)
Band-o-Rama - Wednesday, March 16, 7 p.m. (SHS Arena)
SIS/SHS Choir Concert - Thursday, March 17, 7 p.m. (SHS Auditorium)
The next School Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 15, at 8 p.m. Please note, the meeting will begin an hour later than usual to accommodate those who would like to attend the District Orchestra Festival. All are welcome to participate virtually or you can attend in person at the SHS Library Media Center (LMC) located on the second floor of the high school administration building. If you choose to come in person, please note that current District COVID policy, requires visitors ages 2-up to wear a mask at all times while inside the building. You can find all Board packets and agenda items here.
Hope to see you there.
March 1st Board Meeting Highlights
Student Achievements Presentation
Shorewood Intermediate School Principal Mike Joynt gave an overview of the recent Youth Leadership Retreat that three SIS student clubs–Youth Rising Up, Student Advisory Council, and Lunch and Liberation–participated in at Hubbard Park Lodge on January 26.
With the help of facilitator Cameron Robinson from Public Allies Milwaukee, student representatives from each club spent the retreat working on their collaboration and team-building skills. Some of these activities included creating poems in small groups and presenting them to the whole group, as well as writing an original song all together and then performing and recording it with special music recording equipment.
Principal Joynt shared a video with the Board which shows some of the reflections that students and staff had following the retreat. The video can be found here.
COVID Protocol Updates
Dr. Sternke shared the steps the District is taking to modify its COVID-19 protocols moving forward, through the use of three phases. Phase One of these updates took effect yesterday, March 7, with revised masking guidelines in all schools and district programs. Masks are now recommended, but optional, for 5K-12 students and staff so long as the school positivity rates stay below 3% of the total building population. A school positivity rate equal to or greater than 3% of the total building population will require a two-calendar week masking period, beginning the next day. Masks continue to be required for all visitors, substitutes, 4K students and children ages 2-5 participating in programs located in District facilities, regardless of positivity rates. Guidelines for quarantine and isolation remain the same at this time.
Additional planned COVID-19 mitigation protocol modifications will be implemented in two phases over the upcoming weeks, as summarized in the phases chart. Phases 2 and 3 are contingent on maintaining our COVID positivity rates below the identified 3% rate. Layered virus mitigation measures continue to be priorities in all classrooms and school buildings. The additional protocol phases may be modified as needed.
If you have specific questions regarding COVID mitigation in the Shorewood School District, you can ask your question here.
I Love My Public Schools Resolution
For the sixth year in a row, the School Board and Shorewood teachers and administrators stood together in support of I Love My Public School week, which took place February 21-25. The School Board signed a Resolution of the Shorewood School District for I Love My Public School which can be found here.
I Love My Public School week is a grassroots, nonpartisan coalition to support Wisconsin public schools, and a statewide effort that encourages school leaders to share with legislators why public schools are so important.
Though the week has passed we are still encouraging District families to share what they love about our Shorewood schools and to visit the Wisconsin Public School’s Network’s website, where you can find many ways to advocate for Shorewood students.
Thank you and hope you have a great rest of your week!
Sincerely,
Paru Shah, Shorewood School Board President