Watertown 4 Kids

How cute is this - students in Mrs. Christine Peters' 4K class at Webster Elementary School were treated to a Thanksgiving Feast where they tasted various Thanksgiving Day fare and rated which dishes were their favorites. The tastings consisted of turkey, stuffing, corn, mashed potatoes and of course, pumpkin pie. 🦃

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.

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.

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

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.

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 👻.

Last Thursday, while classes were not in session, Watertown Unified School District staff participated in a variety of professional development learning opportunities at locations all across the community. In addition to meeting in our public school buildings, staff training and collaboration also took place at Watertown Regional Medical Center, Madison College, and at The Collective. Staff development focused on Literacy training, Keys to Literacy Module Work, Data Review, aimswebPlus training, ASCA training, NVCI training, FERPA training for certified and paraprofessional staff, and more. In addition, CTE (Career to Technical Education) staff received a behind-the-scenes tour of WRMC’s Harvest Market and district clerical staff received training in Canva, a graphic design program. It was a great day for team building all throughout our school district! #WatertownWay

The Watertown Unified School District Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at the Educational Service Center, 111 Dodge St. Please note, a budget hearing will take place prior to the meeting at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend. To view the meeting agenda, please visit: https://go.boarddocs.com/wi/watertown/Board.nsf/vpublic?open.

How cute is this? To celebrate learning all 26 letters of the English alphabet, kindergarteners at Schurz Elementary School participated in an Alphabet Parade on this beautiful October afternoon. The students each held a letter flag and as a group walked around the block as parents, caregivers, friends and family members cheered them on. #WatertownWay

There are several Board of Education meetings coming this week and next week. View all the upcoming agendas and read past meeting minutes by visiting https://go.boarddocs.com/wi/watertown/Board.nsf/vpublic?open.

🎃 Join us for this special trick-or-treating event! 👻 The Watertown High School National Honor Society is hosting a Trunk-or-Treat and your children are invited! The event will take place on Wednesday, October 23 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. in the WHS student parking lot. Candy and treats available while supplies last. Costumes encouraged!

There are so many unique opportunities within the Watertown Unified School District for our students to always be learning something new. Pictured here are Tech Ed students at Riverside Middle School exploring and studying a variety of skills and applications, from hands-on wood lathe to digital 3D design and modeling. #WatertownWay

🎶 Congratulations to the Watertown High School Marching Band! 🏆 The band earned a 1st Place finish in Class Triple-A at the Red Hawk Invitational in Milton this past Saturday! The band set a school record high score of 70.35! Catch the band’s next performance on Friday at the WHS Varsity Football game as they prepare for their trip to the State Marching Championships on Saturday, Oct. 19 at UW-Whitewater.

We love seeing our students running, playing, and having fun with their teachers and classmates. Enjoy these photos from the recent Lincoln STEM Elementary School Panda Bot Boogie and the Webster Elementary School Wildcat Dash.

Why is Watertown High School’s mascot the Gosling? Find out the answer to this question, and learn other interesting aspects of Watertown history, during a special presentation on Monday, Oct. 21 called Watertown: Where History Takes Flight. The presentation will be led by Watertown Historical Society President Melissa Lampe. Organized by the Watertown Arts Council and the WUSD Art Department, the presentation will begin at 6 p.m. in the Community Room of the Watertown Public Library. In conjunction with this presentation, students and adult artists will decorate life-sized geese provided by the Arts Council, which will be formally unveiled on Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. at Watertown High School. The decorated geese will then be displayed throughout the city. The presentation is free and open to the public. For information contact Dave pawld@mywusd.org

Watertown High School seniors Aubrey Keddington, Sara Rodriguez Machado, and William Wrolstad have been selected as Watertown Rotary Club students for the month of October 2024. Keddington, Rodriguez Machado, and Wrolstad are being recognized for their academic achievements, participation in athletics and school organizations, and their contributions to the Watertown community. The students are invited to join the Rotary Club each Monday at its weekly luncheon meetings. About the students: Aubrey Keddington is the daughter of Holly and Richard Keddington. She has been involved in multiple activities while at WHS including Girls Swim, WHS Carolers, River City Rhapsody, WHS Musicals, and Athletic Leadership. Aubrey is also a member of: National Honor Society (Secretary), Tri-M Music Honor Society (President), and National Art Honor Society. Aubrey is currently acting as President of the INTERACT (Student Rotary) club and the Secretary of Ecology Club. Aubrey was also selected to participate in Badger Girls State this past summer. Aubrey is currently working as a head lifeguard and swim instructor, and plans on attending a four-year university to study Cellular Biology or Pre-Med. Sara Rodriguez Machado is the daughter of Zoraida Machado and Cesar Machado. Sara has been associated with National Honor Society, Tri M Music Honor Society, and the German Honor Society (Secretary). She has also been recognized for her score on the German National Exam and as an AP Scholar. When not at WHS, Sara is providing violin and piano lessons in addition to volunteering at a Bible study. After high school, Sara is looking to obtain her BBA in Accounting as well as becoming a certified translator. William Wrolstad is the son of Kristin Wrolstad and Jeremy Wrolstad. William has been a part of SkillsUSA as a member, an officer, and as the head of electrical engineering on the solar car. He has also been a member of Show Choir, WHS Carolers, WHS Musicals, Academic Decathlon, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and INTERACT (Student Rotary). Recently, William was recognized as a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist. After high school, William is looking to earn a degree in a STEM related field.

The WUSD Board of Education meets tonight at 6 p.m. Please note, the location for this meeting has been changed to the Library Media Center at Watertown High School. To view the agenda for tonight's meeting, please click here: https://go.boarddocs.com/wi/watertown/Board.nsf/vpublic?open