Watertown High School and Endeavor Charter School hosted an educational, emotional, and memorable Veterans Day Ceremony this morning in the WHS fieldhouse. The morning began with a breakfast for veterans and a mail call, where veterans read thank you cards sent by WUSD students. During the ceremony, students witnessed the presenting of the colors, Watertown FFA officers talked about the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance, local elected officials gave short speeches, and students learned about the The Wall - an 80% scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall that is being installed at Aero Park in Watertown.
It was a GREAT day to be a Gosling!
Tradition. Innovation. Transformation.
#WatertownWay!
It was a GREAT day to be a Gosling!
Tradition. Innovation. Transformation.
#WatertownWay!
The Watertown Unified School District Board of Education will hold two committee meetings this week. The Human Resources Committee will meet tonight (Monday, Nov. 10) at 5:30 p.m. The Fiscal Management Committee will meet this Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 5:30 p.m. Both meetings will be held at the Educational Service Center, 111 Dodge St. To view the meeting agendas, please click here: https://go.boarddocs.com/wi/watertown/Board.nsf/vpublic?open.

The Watertown Unified School District is honoring Veterans Day this week with three special ceremonies. This morning, veterans will be honored at Watertown High School by attending a breakfast and program. Tomorrow, ceremonies will take place at Riverside Middle School and at Schurz Elementary School. We thank our Watertown area veterans for their service. ❤️🤍💙


Children in the community need our support this winter 💙❄💙
We are collecting new clothing, non-perishable food, and personal essentials for WUSD students in grades 4K-12 at the Stuff the Bus Essentials Drive on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Bentzin Family Town Square, 1 W. Main St.
This special event, co-sponsored by the Watertown Park and Rec Dept., is taking place during Women's Only Weekend. To view the full list of needed items with sizes, scan the QR code or visit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mHw-PUpsmVmAFylJkiPqpmoQ7w1Lqp6FsxspwWd_jn4/edit?tab=t.0.

📣 CALLING ALL WUSD YOUTH WRITERS AND ARTISTS:
Students in grades 3–8 are invited to submit writing or artwork for the Southern Lakes Anthology. This year's theme is The Journey! 🚀
Categories Include:
Writing - Prose, Poetry, Expository (be sure to follow the rules on the website!)
Art - Art, Cartoon (black and white only, use a template from the website, please!)
Combo - Illustrative Writing (art + writing)
Submissions must show a clear connection to the theme and follow all rules and rubrics at https://sites.google.com/mywusd.org/wusdanthology/home . Deadline for submission is January 5.
Scoring:
Entries earning 36+ points (see rubric on website, 3 judges) → published in the local anthology
Top 24 scores (grades 3–8) → advance to regional judging
Regional entries scoring 42+ points → published in the regional Southern Lakes Anthology book and honored at the May award ceremony!
Start your journey today! #SouthernLakesAnthology #TheJourney #StudentWriters #YoungArtists
Please email anthology@mywusd.org with any questions.
Students in grades 3–8 are invited to submit writing or artwork for the Southern Lakes Anthology. This year's theme is The Journey! 🚀
Categories Include:
Writing - Prose, Poetry, Expository (be sure to follow the rules on the website!)
Art - Art, Cartoon (black and white only, use a template from the website, please!)
Combo - Illustrative Writing (art + writing)
Submissions must show a clear connection to the theme and follow all rules and rubrics at https://sites.google.com/mywusd.org/wusdanthology/home . Deadline for submission is January 5.
Scoring:
Entries earning 36+ points (see rubric on website, 3 judges) → published in the local anthology
Top 24 scores (grades 3–8) → advance to regional judging
Regional entries scoring 42+ points → published in the regional Southern Lakes Anthology book and honored at the May award ceremony!
Start your journey today! #SouthernLakesAnthology #TheJourney #StudentWriters #YoungArtists
Please email anthology@mywusd.org with any questions.

🌟 WUSD Student Art Showcase Nov. 19
This is always a great event - join us for the annual WUSD K-12 Student Art Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 5-7 p.m. at Watertown High School. The community is invited to view amazing student art, participate in FREE art activities, and more. 🎨🖌
Tradition. Innovation. Transformation.
#WatertownWay!
This is always a great event - join us for the annual WUSD K-12 Student Art Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 5-7 p.m. at Watertown High School. The community is invited to view amazing student art, participate in FREE art activities, and more. 🎨🖌
Tradition. Innovation. Transformation.
#WatertownWay!


🎉 Exciting news for the WUSD 🎉
Webster Elementary School has been ranked among the top 6% of elementary schools in Wisconsin for 2026 by U.S. News & World Report! Webster now ranks #76 out of 1,200 public elementary schools in the state (up from a ranking of #90 last year). To read more about the ranking and test scores at Webster, visit: https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/wisconsin/webster-elementary-225240.
Congratulations to our Webster staff, students, and families on this impressive achievement! We thank all of our teachers - all across the WUSD - for the care they provide our students and for striving for academic excellence everyday. 🍎💙
Webster Elementary School has been ranked among the top 6% of elementary schools in Wisconsin for 2026 by U.S. News & World Report! Webster now ranks #76 out of 1,200 public elementary schools in the state (up from a ranking of #90 last year). To read more about the ranking and test scores at Webster, visit: https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/wisconsin/webster-elementary-225240.
Congratulations to our Webster staff, students, and families on this impressive achievement! We thank all of our teachers - all across the WUSD - for the care they provide our students and for striving for academic excellence everyday. 🍎💙

Do you have questions or wish to learn more information about the Watertown Unified School District? If yes, join us for the next Burke's Briefing on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. at the Educational Service Center. A Burke's Briefing is a one-hour town hall-style meeting facilitated by Superintendent Dr. Jarred Burke. The community is invited to ask questions regarding any topic relevant to the WUSD.
We had a great turnout and discussion at our Oct. 22 Briefing. We look forward to another great discussion on Nov. 11. No pre-registration necessary.
We had a great turnout and discussion at our Oct. 22 Briefing. We look forward to another great discussion on Nov. 11. No pre-registration necessary.

The Watertown Unified School District Board of Education will hold two committee meetings this week. The Educational Services Committee will meet tomorrow morning (Tuesday, Nov. 4) at 7:30 a.m. The Planning Committee meets Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m. To view the meeting agendas, please click here: https://go.boarddocs.com/wi/watertown/Board.nsf/vpublic?open.

Today marks the start of National School Psychology Week. We are so grateful to work with five amazing school psychologists who give their all to the Watertown Unified School District. Thank you to Liam Champeau, Kendall Hazen, Stef Renner, Rebecca Roost, and Dana Sorensen for all that you do for our schools.

The month of October at Lebanon LEAP Elementary School was filled with fun and learning. The students enjoyed Homecoming festivities with a special visit by Watertown High Schoolers who are LEAP alumni, and celebrated Milwaukee Brewers' wins with peanuts and cotton candy. They also participated in an apple taste testing to determine which apples were the most sweet to sour, and visited the local fire station.
In addition, students and staff took a field trip to the Wisconsin Science Festival, enjoyed beautiful fall weather in the outdoor classroom, had fun with Halloween activities, and more.
Tradition. Innovation. Transformation.
#WatertownWay
In addition, students and staff took a field trip to the Wisconsin Science Festival, enjoyed beautiful fall weather in the outdoor classroom, had fun with Halloween activities, and more.
Tradition. Innovation. Transformation.
#WatertownWay






Information regarding the pause in SNAP funding was emailed to all WUSD families on Friday, Oct. 31. At the request of the Nutrition Services Department, we are also sharing information here regarding free and reduced lunch and the district's Angel Fund that helps support families in need in our school district.


Lincoln STEM Elementary School was the site of a very fun Trunk-or-Treat last night hosted by the Lincoln STEM PTO. In addition to trick-or-treating, Lincoln's Student Leadership Team organized and decorated the "Haunted Playground" and planned a scavenger hunt for all attendees to enjoy. The event was also a great opportunity for the students to begin publicizing their food drive to benefit the Watertown Food Pantry running now through Nov. 21. 🎃
The community is invited to help the students reach their goal of collecting 900 items for donation by dropping off non-perishable food products at Lincoln STEM Elementary School, 210 N. Montgomery St., during school hours (8 a.m.-3 p.m.) Monday through Friday.
The community is invited to help the students reach their goal of collecting 900 items for donation by dropping off non-perishable food products at Lincoln STEM Elementary School, 210 N. Montgomery St., during school hours (8 a.m.-3 p.m.) Monday through Friday.
Thank you to our Watertown High School National Honor Society students for hosting a fun and festive Trunk-or-Treat on Oct. 22 for area children and their families. 👻



🎃 So much fun - Schurz Elementary School hosted Trunk-or-Treat last night for students and their families. 👻
Thank you to the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce for partnering with our Riverside Middle School staff to plan another wonderful and successful Career Exploration Day for our 7th grade students. During this special event, students learned about different Watertown businesses and career fields through presentations and site visits!
Participating businesses included: Madison College Watertown, Pizza Ranch, Summit Credit Union, The Marquardt, United Electric, Inc., Watertown Park and Rec Dept., Watertown WI Police Department, Watertown Area YMCA, GLORY Global Solutions, Rosy-Lane Holsteins LLC, Watertown Regional Medical Center, Sheeley Executive Consulting, J & B Quality Roofing, and the Watertown Humane Society.
Tradition. Innovation. Transformation.
#WatertownWay!
Participating businesses included: Madison College Watertown, Pizza Ranch, Summit Credit Union, The Marquardt, United Electric, Inc., Watertown Park and Rec Dept., Watertown WI Police Department, Watertown Area YMCA, GLORY Global Solutions, Rosy-Lane Holsteins LLC, Watertown Regional Medical Center, Sheeley Executive Consulting, J & B Quality Roofing, and the Watertown Humane Society.
Tradition. Innovation. Transformation.
#WatertownWay!
Giving back with purpose 💙🛠️
Watertown High School National Honor Society members spent the day recently with Cornerstone Of Grace restoring sheds, raking leaves, and pulling weeds — helping to create a more welcoming space for the women and children the organization supports. NHS students said they are proud to serve our community and make a difference, one brushstroke and rake at a time. 🌿🎨
Watertown High School National Honor Society members spent the day recently with Cornerstone Of Grace restoring sheds, raking leaves, and pulling weeds — helping to create a more welcoming space for the women and children the organization supports. NHS students said they are proud to serve our community and make a difference, one brushstroke and rake at a time. 🌿🎨




The community is invited to attend a special Veterans Day celebration at Watertown High School on Monday, Nov. 10 from 8:30-10 a.m. We would love to see a great turnout to honor our veterans and to support our high school students who are helping to organize the event. ❤️🤍💙
Please register by Nov. 3 by calling (920) 262-7500 ext. 6801 or by clicking this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7YAPSgTVAL70MlwFXFgROBBnVCpTP5nvPWA8N5QwCSbetSA/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawNu8k5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFGdGI5ZDh4WmZQQjlnU05hAR48nJhIkqQ9O2Bu2imCDkLa8Yw95QvAv2lEiU2x88iPefl-z-HE0XlKJKehqg_aem_oKTYVKw07eTL0giDk1fFzg.
Tradition. Innovation. Transformation.
#WatertownWay!
Please register by Nov. 3 by calling (920) 262-7500 ext. 6801 or by clicking this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7YAPSgTVAL70MlwFXFgROBBnVCpTP5nvPWA8N5QwCSbetSA/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawNu8k5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFGdGI5ZDh4WmZQQjlnU05hAR48nJhIkqQ9O2Bu2imCDkLa8Yw95QvAv2lEiU2x88iPefl-z-HE0XlKJKehqg_aem_oKTYVKw07eTL0giDk1fFzg.
Tradition. Innovation. Transformation.
#WatertownWay!

The Watertown High School chapter of the National German Honor Society celebrated German Week starting on German-American Day, October 6. In addition to a daily trivia contest and finding "Hannah the Bear," NGHS also hosted a competition to guess the number of German candies in a jar. Mr. Diderrich and Mr. Mertens shared the prize by each guessing the exact number, 73!


The Watertown Unified School District Board of Education is seeking to gauge voter support for a potential future operational referendum through a survey that will be mailed to all school district households later this week.
The Board of Education has hired School Perceptions, an independent education research firm, to conduct the survey and to ensure all responses are kept confidential.
The survey has recently been emailed to WUSD staff members, and it will also be emailed to WUSD parents and guardians this week. If multiple members of one household would like to take the survey, additional copies can be obtained by contacting Lynn Linskens at (920) 262-1460 ext. 3202 or by emailing linskensl@mywusd.org. Each survey contains a unique confirmation code to avoid duplication.
The survey response deadline is Nov. 17. The Board of Education thanks the community for its support of our public schools and strongly encourages all voters in the district to complete the survey. For more information, visit: https://www.watertown.k12.wi.us/page/spring-referendum.
The Board of Education has hired School Perceptions, an independent education research firm, to conduct the survey and to ensure all responses are kept confidential.
The survey has recently been emailed to WUSD staff members, and it will also be emailed to WUSD parents and guardians this week. If multiple members of one household would like to take the survey, additional copies can be obtained by contacting Lynn Linskens at (920) 262-1460 ext. 3202 or by emailing linskensl@mywusd.org. Each survey contains a unique confirmation code to avoid duplication.
The survey response deadline is Nov. 17. The Board of Education thanks the community for its support of our public schools and strongly encourages all voters in the district to complete the survey. For more information, visit: https://www.watertown.k12.wi.us/page/spring-referendum.

