The HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) Fall Leadership Conference recently took place at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Attending from Watertown High School were HOSA officers: President Sophia Nieto, Vice-President Hannah Cookson, Treasurer Allison Howlett, Social Chair Taija Garcia, and Secretary Lydia Meyers. Thank you for representing WHS!
Hey Watertown – we need your help to make sure local students are warm and fed this winter! ❄️ On Saturday, Dec. 14 & Sunday, Dec. 15, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., help us Stuff the Bus full of warm clothing, non-perishable food, and holiday gifts for area youth in grades 4K-12 at the Bentzin Family Town Square. Thanks to the incredible generosity of Dousman Transport Co., a school bus will be parked at the Square both days and we are determined to FILL IT! Please see the list of suggested items to donate in the flyer below. This will be a fun, festive, two-day experience you won’t want to miss – be a part of giving something special this holiday season. 🎁
Stuff the Bus is organized in partnership by the Watertown Unified School District, the City of Watertown, WI - Government, and the Watertown Park and Rec Dept.
Discovery Academy students recently packed eight shoe boxes for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. Mrs. Meracle obtained the boxes last month during Ebert's Greenhouse Village's Fall Festival. Shoe boxes will be distributed to children in need around the world. Cheers to these students for helping to put a smile on other's faces! Discovery Academy is WUSD's alternative education program for upper-level high school students at-risk of not graduating in the traditional manner.
The Watertown Unified School District (WUSD) would like to announce that the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has released the State Report Cards for the 2023-2024 school year. These report cards provide valuable insights into the academic performance and growth of our district and schools, serving as a reflection of our commitment to educational excellence.
At WUSD, tradition, innovation, and transformation are at the heart of our mission. We are dedicated to serving our students by providing educational opportunities that promote academic excellence and a lifelong love of learning. This focus drives our efforts to honor our community’s traditions, embrace innovative practices, and transform educational experiences to meet the needs of every learner.
We encourage families to review the State Report Cards and celebrate the successes outlined within them, while also joining us in identifying opportunities for growth as we work together to ensure high levels of learning for all students.
Our district and individual school State Report Cards are now available to the public. Please take time to access this information via a link to the Wisconsin Department of Public on the WUSD website at https://www.watertown.k12.wi.us/o/wusd/page/district-accountability-reports .
Teams of Watertown Unified School District staff members have already begun digging into this data to understand areas for improvement and identify components to celebrate. This continuous improvement work coupled with the efforts currently underway in classrooms across our district will lead to improved learning experiences for each of our students.
Our district remains proud of the work that all staff members continue to do for and with students as we collaboratively prepare every learner for community, career and college readiness.
Congratulations to Melissa Prochaska, Lebanon LEAP Elementary School grade 2/3 teacher, for being named a Regional Leader Fellow for Green and Healthy Schools Wisconsin! The Regional Leader Fellowship program, coordinated by the Department of Public Instruction, builds capacity for local, place-based outdoor and environmental education to reduce environmental impact and to improve health and wellness in Wisconsin PK-12 schools. 🌿
WHS World History students recently wrapped up their unit on Ancient Rome. Check out these awesome class projects - such great work!
Watertown High School was the setting last night for a phenomenal showcase of student art from all across the Watertown Unified School District. In addition, the Student Art Showcase featured the presentation of more than a dozen life-sized goose decoys that were hand-painted and decorated by local artists. They were truly a sight to behold - so much talent and creativity flows through Watertown.
Riverside Middle School recently hosted Courage Day for its 7th graders – a special event designed to help students step out of their comfort zone, build resilience, bond with their classmates over fun activities (like silly-walking across the gym), and to gain confidence in standing up for themselves and others.
This is the fifth time Courage Day has taken place at RMS. It is run by Minneapolis-based Youth Frontiers (youthfrontiers.org/courage-retreat) who were assisted by Watertown High School juniors and seniors involved in leadership activities. The high schoolers set a great example for the younger students that day. 💙
Students participated in large group activities and small group discussions which encouraged them to face their fears, be respectful, stand up against bullying, and to be kind to others. The 7th graders were challenged to choose an “Act of Courage” to do as an individual that would have a positive effect on themselves and their school as a whole. It was a great day to be an RMS Panther and Future Gosling. #WatertownWay
The WUSD Nutrition Services Department was recently visited by past members of its leadership team. Sheila Price, supervisor of Nutrition Services, said it was a delight to have the former colleagues visit and to see the many changes the department has undergone – especially in terms of staffing. Pictured are (from left) Nancy Kopplin, current WHS production manager; Michelle Yelk, current administrative assistant for Nutrition Services; Joan Jaeckel, former supervisor of Nutrition Services; Joan Loomis, former production manager; Sheila Price, current Supervisor; and Jackie Walsch-McCabe, former supervisor. #WatertownWay
The Student Leadership Team at Lincoln STEM Elementary School recently coordinated a community-building scavenger hunt on its playground that incorporated movement and an opportunity for students to answer questions to get to know their "buddies" better. The leadership team is planning additional activities with its buddies program throughout the school year. Pictured are students in Mrs. Weinheimer’s 2/3 Class with their 4K buddies from Mrs. Theis’ class.
Let's congratulate Ms. Moulton’s 7th and 8th grade Riverside Middle School Healthy Living students who are now officially certified in Red Cross First Aid, CPR, and AED!
Thank you to RMS for providing the funds for the students' Red Cross certifications, and to the RMS PTO for granting funds for portable CPR breathing barriers.
These students are now equipped with the skills and knowledge to someday save a life!
A special Veterans Day assembly was held this morning at Schurz Elementary School. Our Tigers honored the Veterans in attendance by singing two beautiful songs and being on their best behavior. In addition, Watertown High School sophomore Braden Cronce was present to perform Taps on his trumpet. It was a perfect way to honor our nation's heroes. Thank you to the Schurz staff for organizing this wonderful program.
Riverside Middle School hosted wonderful and heartwarming Veterans Day ceremony this morning. Please enjoy these photos of our RMS Panthers honoring our local veterans.
Elementary schools across the Watertown Unified School District participated in elections of their own on Tuesday by casting votes to determine favorite cookie flavor and even to elect a school president, which was the case at Lebanon LEAP Elementary School. It was a close race at LEAP between resident hen, Henny Penny, and resident snake, Jack Tater. Jack Tater was the top-vote getter in the end. 🐍
Wellness Wednesday Spotlight: Sonya Garza
Join us as we welcome Sonya Garza, Community Relations Liaison for Rogers Behavioral Health in Oconomowoc, to our next Wellness Wednesday event, on Nov. 20, starting at 6 p.m. at the Watertown Public Library. Sonya connects providers, families, and patients with Rogers’ evidence-based mental health care. With her experience coordinating care and her passion for mental health, she’ll guide us through the levels of care Rogers offers and how these resources can support our community. This event is organized by WUSD Mental Health Coordinator Kenda Roman. For more information, email romank@mywusd.org.
Fourth-grade students at Webster Elementary School recently participated in their very own version of the TV game show Fear Factor for Halloween 🎃. Without being able to see what was in a variety of boxes, the students put their hands into witches eyeballs (grapes), goblin ears (dried apricots), monster tongues (banana peels) and more! The students had to guess what items they were feeling and the students who guessed the most items correctly won a prize. Pictured are the students who guessed at least four out of the six items correctly.
Look at these cute 4K students learning and growing together 🍎. They are pictured enjoying crafts, building projects, and even a fun game of BINGO! To celebrate Halloween, they read The Little Ghost Who Was A Quilt 👻.
Third-graders had a blast playing in the fallen leaves under a beautiful blue sky at Douglas Elementary School last week. 🍁
Please join us Thursday, November 7 from 6-7 p.m. to learn about Project SEARCH.
Project SEARCH is a 1-school-year internship program for adults with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 35. It is targeted to adults whose goal is competitive employment.
The program takes place at The Marquardt where total immersion in the workplace facilitates the teaching and learning process as well as the acquisition of employability and marketable work skills. Interns participate in three unpaid internships to explore a variety of career paths.
Interns work with a team that includes their family, their Project SEARCH instructor, Project SEARCH skills trainer, job developer, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and Long-Term Care partners to create an employment goal and to support the intern during this important transition from school to work.
The interns begin their day learning employability skills in a training center at The Marquardt. After this hour-long class, the interns move to their internship at The Marquardt where they work for approximately five hours. At the end of the day, interns return to the training room to reflect on their day, discuss challenges, and evaluate progress.
The goal of Project SEARCH is competitive employment for each intern utilizing the skills they learned during the program. We hope you can join us for Project SEARCH Information Night on Thursday, Nov. 7 from 6-7p.m. We will meet at the Towne Centre (at The Marquardt), 1045 Hill St., Watertown.
Was the brief power outage that affected much of Watertown today a trick or a treat for our high schoolers? 👻 Dozens of students, and even members of our Nutritional Services staff, are celebrating Halloween today by wearing some pretty amazing costumes to school! 🎃
