MPS Families, please join us Saturday, February 25^th at Washington High School for our Health & Wellness Family Forum! Located at 2525 N Sherman Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53210.

We know the busy schedules of our families can make it difficult to focus on our health. Let’s come together from 8am-1pm to celebrate health and wellness with enriching tips and activities on how to live healthier lives. The forum will feature a welcome by Dr. Driver, a resource fair, workshops and lunch. RSVP today at mpsmke.com/familyforum

Rationale
We are proposing to change Groppi High School for 2017-18 to focus on students in need of behavioral support and school-age parents. The school will serve 250 students and add on-site day care services. Current students will stay to complete their program.

1. Will there be increased support to handle the incoming behavioral students in the form of school psychologists, school social workers, school safety and classroom support staff? What type of services will be provided?
A standard of care will be developed to ensure that we are providing the proper support to meet the needs of the students.

2. Will the staff be provided two-way radios?
No, the district does intend to provide two-way radios to instructional staff.

3. Will behavioral training provided to staff?
Yes, the district will work to provide appropriate training to staff.

4. Will there be anger management groups provided for students?
The district is committed to providing needed supports for staff and students.

5. Will there be alchohol/drug support groups provided for the students?
Yes, this would be provided based upon need.

6. How will the special education component in the school be configured?
The school will offer the same of standard of care regarding specialized services as is provided throughout the district.

7. Does the district anticipate that the staff number at Groppi will remain the same?
Yes we anticipate the same staffing, pending the budget process.

8. Will we receive more information regarding the changes prior to the staff exchange process? Can the principal interview teachers to see if they want to be at Groppi now that it is going to be a behavioral site?
Employees will have the opportunity to participate in the staff exchange process this spring to obtain a new assignment. The timeline for the staff exchange process was published in February 2 edition of Thursday Updates.

9. Will Groppi keep teachers with behavioral training?
Yes, Groppi teachers with specialized training will have the opportunity to stay.

10. Can the behavioral student remain at Groppi after the required time if they choose to?
If students are finding success and want to stay, we will work with the student and their families.

11. Why would a day care be placed a behavior site?
We as a district are committed to meeting the needs of the school-age parents.

12. Is there a way to put a “cap” on the number of seats?
The proposal caps the number of seats at 250 students. Current students have the option to stay in the school?

13. What grading method will be used and how will grades be tracked as students transition?
All MPS high schools assess using standards-based grading and document through the use of Infinite Campus.

14. Will Groppi maintain 9-week terms?
Yes, we intend to maintain the school’s 9-week terms.

15. Who will run/staff the proposed day care program?
We will work to make a decision that is the best interest of students after reviewing options.

16. Will there be an attendance requirement
Yes, students are expected daily.

17. Will Groppi be penalized if the behavioral students do not meet the attendance requirement?
Our goal is not to penalize, however the students, staff and the school are share the responsibility of student attendance.

18. Will students receive hot lunch?
Yes, we are working to provide hot lunch to the school.

19. Should the students who are at Groppi participate in Three-Choice if they do not want to stay at Groppi?
Students interested in a traditional school option can participate in Three-Choice and students interested in other at-risk high school options should contact the Department of Student Services.

Catch Up. Keep Up. Get Ready. Join MPS students from across the district every Saturday for Breakfast Club: A Saturday Academy.

Breakfast Club is held each Saturday at Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning (1017 N. 12th Street) and offers students the opportunity to learn from expert staff, study together to prep for AP/IB exams or receive individualized teacher support for their credit recovery.

• Free hot breakfast @ 8:30 a.m.
• AP/IB support sessions with expert staff @ 9 a.m. (courses rotate weekly) OR credit recovery sessions with individualized teacher support @ 9 a.m.
• Free lunch @ noon
• Free transportation (bus tickets are provided at end of session)
• No registration – just stop in!
• For MPS students currently enrolled in AP, IB & Credit Recovery

 For more information or to view the current schedule, visit mpsmke.com/breakfastclub.

 Download the AP/IB flyer or the credit recovery flyer.

MILWAUKEE (October 12, 2016) Milwaukee Public Schools is no longer required to participate in the Opportunity Schools and Partnership program, according to a letter released today by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

The letter issued today informed MPS it will not have to participate in the program because the district is no longer in the bottom category in the state school report card. Only school districts in the lowest category of the state report card for two consecutive years are required to participate in OSPP.

“While we are energized by the progress we’re making, we still have significant work to do,” said Dr. Driver. “We are working with students, staff and dozens of community partners to better prepare all of our young people for success, particularly at the secondary school level.”

MPS has committed to rethinking high schools by expanding college-level Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes as well as career and technical education offerings. This year, 21 percent of all MPS high school students are taking a college-level class. The district also added more than 350 students to a culinary arts program as it expands career and technical education options.

While the details of the state report card will not be released until next month, MPS’ local STAR assessment data shows growth in student achievement and signs that the district is closing achievement gaps:

• Literacy is improving across all grade levels.
• The number of students on target for proficiency in reading improved last year by two percent.
• Early reading skills increased significantly, with 51 percent of all K5 and 1st grade students on target at the end of the school year compared to only 43 percent on target at the beginning of the school year.

“We are heading in the right direction. Our collective focus as a community must be on working together to support our young people,” said MPS Board President Mark Sain. “If we continue to do the right thing for our students, we will not fail.”

Last year, the Wisconsin Legislature made changes to the school report card to improve transparency and authenticity. That included weighting school performance to account for student poverty rates, student disabilities and the length of time a school has had to influence a student’s academic progress.

Explore your high school options at the MPS Early High School Admissions Information Fair.

Saturday, October 8
9:00 a.m. – Noon

Milwaukee High School of the Arts
2300 West Highland Avenue

Visit mpsmke.com/highschool to see an open house schedule and enroll.

Join us! MPS Superintendent Darienne B. Driver, Ed.D. invites you to attend her October Family Forum to learn more about how families can take leadership roles in schools. All MPS families and staff are welcome!

Family Forum

Saturday, October 1, 2016 • 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Bradley Tech. High School
700 S. 4th St., Milwaukee, WI 53204

RSVP – mpsmke.com/familyforum

We will have child care available for children ages 3 and up.

Lunch will be provided. Accommodations and interpreting services are available upon request. RSVP today!

Family Forums are full-day events that encourage learning, discussion and collaboration between MPS staff and families. These events are planned in partnership with family representatives from the District Advisory Council and will have a variety of workshops geared toward both families and staff. Additionally, each forum features an opportunity for discussion with the Superintendent around current issues facing MPS.