$3.4 Millions Approved for Laptops for Teachers, Baseball Fields, Labs, Gym

The board approved expenditures that ranged from $1.25 million to $96,975.

The Wauwatosa School Board approved expenditures of more than $3.4 million on four initiatives, reported Wauwatosa Now. The following funding was approved: $1.25 million: constructing two baseball diamonds with artificial turf infields at Breitlow Field $1.66 million: updating middle school and high school science labs  $413,360: 610 laptop computers for teachers $96,975: replacing the 50-year-old gym floor at Whitman Middle School Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter    

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Student-Staff Ratios in Wauwtosa and How They Compare

See how the number of students per staff member in the Wauwatosa School District stacks up against nearby districts and the state.

One thing that always comes up when districts talk about laying off staff, is the student-staff ratio. In general, according to the non-profit group Class Size Matters, a lower ratio is considered good, providing for smaller class sizes and giving students more opportunity for attention from teachers.  There were 870,470 students enrolled in Wisconsin public and charter school in the 2011-12 school year. Those schools employed 3,497 administrators, 31,532 aides and support staff, and 65,446 licensed staff members. (All employment numbers are full-time equivalents, meaning two half-time staff members would count as one.) Average staff-student ratios are as follows: 249 students per administrator, 28 students per aide/support staff, and 13 …

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Washington Elementary Teachers Put EFW Grant to Work

Their program is designed to improve the reading and writing skills of kindergarten students.

3rd Year of Science Recommended for High School Graduation

An audit reveal that Wauwatosa School District is underperforming in science compared to other school districts. The School Board is scheduled to vote Monday on possible curriculum changes.

Incoming Wauwatosa high school freshmen will need three years of science to graduate if the School Board approves recommended curriculum changes at its meeting Monday. An audit revealed that Wauwatosa students have the lowest ACT science scores among eight area districts, almost two points lower than leader Elmbrook. The audit also identified that Wauwatosa’s one-semester classes for freshman and sophomore foundational subjects — physics, biology, and chemistry — represent an outdated model. The new model would offer one-year classes at either regular or advanced levels, followed by one-year AP classes plus other electives. Students need only two science credits to graduate now. The new standards apply to freshmen entering this fall. The …

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Wauwatosa School Board Modifies Calendar for Early Summer Break

The Wauwatosa School Board changed the 2013-14 school calendar by having summer start earlier.

The Wauwatosa School Board approved a modified school calendar with an earlier summer break by adding two extra school days to the year. The original approved calendar had classes beginning Sept. 3, the day after Labor Day and end June 17, 2014. The modified calendar will have classes end June 13, 2014, while adding two class days October 24, 2013 and March 17, 2014 within the school year. The district has planned 180 days of teaching. An additional 12 days would be used for snow make-up days and teacher in-service days. 

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Wauwatosa Schools Closed Wednesday

The city is in a snow emergency.

The Wauwatosa School District canceled classes on Wednesday due to the snowstorm. The city remains under a snow emergency. If you have snow photos or video, share them on Patch or on our Facebook page.

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Tosa Community Offers Suggestions to Improve School Traffic

Wauwatosa community members continued to discuss ways to make traffic safer in school zones.

Parents, teachers, city officials and school administrators addressed traffic issues around Madison Elementary School and along Center Street corridor where West High, Whitman Middle and Eisenhower Elementary. Last year the city and school district agreed to each pay half the cost of hiring Ayres Associates, a firm with specialists in traffic engineering, to look at ways to improve safety in those zones. During the public forum last week a consultant from Ayres said that conflict lied mostly in pickup and drop-off periods where there is high traffic volume, high speeds, children leaving cars and crossing streets, reported Wauwatosa Now. It was even said that parents also present a danger.  Last year the Wauwatosa School Board approved …

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Betty Rubble

9:49 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013

A round-about would be ideal at 114th and Center. If not, then enforce a right-turn only policy.   more ›

School Board Hears Safety Presentation Following Knife Incident

A presentation was given by a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater professor about how to address school safety a few days after a second-grade student bought a knife to school.

  The Wauwatosa School Board heard a school safety presentation soon after a second-grade student brought a knife to school, reported Wauwatosa Now. The pupil brought a knife to Washington Elementary School on at least two days before it was taken from him. The knife was taken from the student Thursday, Jan. 24. Principal Anthony Bonds sent an email Friday, Jan. 25  to parents notifying them of the situation.  But a number of parents were upset by the way the situation was handled, in particularly with the timing of the notification. By the time Bonds sent out the email some parents had already heard about the situation from their children. Some of the children told parents they were threaten. Wauwatosa Now reported that Trish Lipscomb …

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Wauwatosa Schools Have 192 Scheduled Days in 2013-14

Board members said parents expressed concern over the longer schedule. One board member voted against the planned school calendar.

Wauwatosa Schools will have classes beginning Sept. 3, the day after Labor Day and end June 17, 2014. The Wauwatosa School District approved the 192 scheduled days 2013-14 school calendar on Monday night at their board meeting, with one vote against the calendar.  State law does not allow school districts to begin school before Labor Day, a popular weekend for tourism. In 2011, there were 32.1 million travelers during Labor Day holiday period, according to AAA. The district has planned 180 days of teaching. An additional 12 days would be used for snow make-up days and teacher in-service days.  Elementary school conferences will be held Oct. 10 and Oct. 15. Middle school conferences will be held on Oct. 15 and Oct. 23. And high school …

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Betty Rubble

8:16 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013

This is ridiculous. In the past two years, one snow make up day was built into the schedule. I don't think they were used so the students got an extra day off before Memorial Day. I hope the school board members, who seem to be a bit out of touch with the real world, will at least be smart enough to putthe 12 extra useless days in June, allowing the school year to end at a reasonably earlier date…   more ›

Wauwatosa Schools Might Start Right After Labor Day

The Wauwatosa School Board is considering the proposed 2013-14 school calendar that has 180 days of teaching.

Wauwatosa Schools might have classes being September 3, the day after Labor Day. The Wauwatosa School District is reviewing the proposed 2013-14 school calendar  State law does not allow school districts to begin school before Labor Day. Labor Day weekend is a popular weekend for tourism. There was 32.1 million travelers during the 2011 Labor Day holiday period, according to AAA. Wauwatosa Superintendent Phil Ertl expressed frustration at the state law, according to a Wauwatosa Now report. The district has planned 180 days of teaching. An additional 12 days would be used for snow make-up days and teacher in-service days. The board will review the report at their Monday meeting.

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