Superintendent Update

Summer Academy is the district's professional academy for staff, where teachers are able to choose from a variety of learning opportunities, including Youth Mental Health, Working with Advanced Learners, and more! We appreciate everyone who has was involved in Summer Academy this year. Thank you for your commitment to lifelong learning!

The Whitewater Unified School District Inspiring Educator of the Year Award recognizes a teacher whose work exemplifies all of the district’s core values and the best practices in the field of education. This educator provides students with exceptional learning experiences and/or unique opportunities and also demonstrates a commitment to helping students achieve at the highest levels of their potential. This educator also routinely goes above and beyond in his/her role in service to the district, exhibiting enthusiasm, positivity, and contributes to a positive culture in the district.

Christine Hayes, Lincoln Elementary Music Teacher has been selected as the recipient for the 2022 Wisconsin Music Educators Association (WMEA) Michael G. George Distinguished Service Award. This award is given annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to music and music education over a sustained time period. “Mrs. Christine Hayes has made a significant contribution to the Whitewater students and families since 1988,” said Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty, WUSD Superintendent. “Her excitement and passion about reaching all students in the creative and musical realms is absolutely inspirational in the WUSD.”

• Lakeview staff and students finished their first full week of school with a school-wide assembly. Students participated in activities that connected with the new 7 mindsets platform and competed in Hispanic Heritage Kahoot!
  
• The Lakeview lego league team of 4th and 5th graders started building and working together on their innovation challenge and building challenges.
• Lakeview staff and students kicked off Hispanic Heritage month on the 15th. Staff and students were encouraged to dress in colors to represent a country’s colors. We will be celebrating throughout the month by playing school-wide Loteria (bingo), door decorations, hispanic mania music bracket, trivia, and learning about famous people and hispanic history.

• Lincoln celebrated with a Family Friday assembly and celebrated the great work our students and staff have done to start off the year.
  
• On Friday, September 16th, Lincoln kicked off Hispanic Heritage month with a movie in the gym. The movie was in Spanish with English subtitles. The celebration continues as the classrooms are playing Loteria (Spanish Bingo) and getting their item every morning during our announcements in Spanish and English.

• Washington celebrated the first week of school with an Eagle Celebration assembly on Friday, September 9th. New staff were introduced to music, celebrations were shared, and all students sang and danced together to the song, Que Sera.
  
• Washington kicked off its work on the 7 Mindsets with weekly lessons and will celebrate “Everything is Possible” on October 21st.
• Washington’s PATT hosted a successful Family Fall Festival on September 17th. Games, food, raffles, face painting, a silent auction and dunk tank with Washington staff and our School Resource Officer Michele Martin were a few of the highlights.
  

• During the first week of school the school staff focused on building relationships with students as well as explicitly teaching the academic and behavioral expectations of the Whippet Code. The week ended with a school wide assembly in the gym where they learned about the different clubs that are offered and then played some fun games.
  
• Students will have 20 clubs and 5 sports to choose from this year. The 7th and 8th grade Volleyball and the 6th-8th grade Cross Country seasons are underway. The coaches report that the athletes are working hard and improving every day. The Builders Club will be working the Annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast. Fifteen students have signed up to participate and will be setting up and taking down the event, serving pancakes, and greeting community members.

• Homecoming Week planning is underway by the Student Council and includes the following events: Sept 30: Hallway decorating, Oct 2: Parking Lot Painting and Lip Sync, Oct 3: Powder Puff, Oct 5: Lip Sync and Burning of the W, Oct 7: Circle Bash and FB game, and Oct 8: Dance.
  
• The HS will be sending student leaders to the Jostens Renaissance Student Leadership Conference at Waukesha Technical College on October 12th. Students will be presented with ideas for making a positive impact on our school's culture and climate.
• Congratulations to Randy Smith on receiving notification from Gateway Technical College that his Personal Finance course has been approved for Transcripted Credit! Over 100 students will receive Gateway credit for the 2022-2023 school year. In addition, our CTE teachers will be visiting Gateway's Kenosha campus on October 10th to meet with Gateway faculty to review course competencies and discuss potential Transcripted Credit Agreements for the 2023-2024 school year.

Each year the Whitewater Unified School District puts out an Annual Report which is full of information on the school district. There is a welcome from the Superintendent, information on our District including the School Board, our Mission, Vision, and Inclusion Statements, information on each of the five schools in the District, athletics, clubs, and activities offered to students, and District financial summary.

This is a great tool for those moving into our community as it tells our story and gives an insight to each of the schools.

The Annual Report is available in hard copy at the Whitewater Central Office located at 419 South Elizabeth St., Whitewater.