By now, most of you are familiar with the District News link that you receive on Fridays, and you know that the first Friday of every month our McKinley Monthly comes out. This week’s District News has some important pieces, including a November 20th job fair for the district's many open positions. If you know of anyone looking for employment, do forward this information to them. Also, look for information about On Demand COVID testing and about an opportunity to serve on the district curriculum committee in this week’s news brief. Every week, the information found in that linked document is important for all families. I hope that you find this way of communicating easy and convenient. The information is also always available on the district website by following this sequence: Family Resources --> Communication --> Weekly Updates.

As we move into November and December, many people have been asking about the plan for winter concerts. Unfortunately, this year we are not able to offer live audience winter concerts. The music teachers are planning virtual offerings so that families can witness the wonderful musical experiences the children are having this year. You can expect further communication from us on how and when the performances will be recorded. Most likely the band, orchestra, and choir day will remain the same for recording purposes, but families may not receive the recordings until a few days later. General music performances will be recorded in the music classroom. Full details are still being worked out.

We also have taken the Open House/STEM night off of the calendar. I hope that we will be able to reschedule this for spring. Fingers crossed as we move forward with vaccination opportunities for 5-11 year olds! A few families have reached out to me asking if the district will provide vaccination clinics in the near future. At this time we do not have anything scheduled. If you are interested in having your child vaccinated, please reach out to your pediatrician to schedule an appointment or to get additional information about where to go.

I encourage everyone to have your children check the lost and found if you are missing anything. We have a large selection of masks, sweatshirts, lunch boxes, water bottles, coats, and more (see photo later in the newsletter). If you are missing something, there is a good chance that it is in the lost and found!

Have a wonderful November everyone. As always, November is a month of gratitude and despite some of the unpredictability yet with the pandemic-state of our reality, I couldn’t be more grateful for all of the wonders of this school year: in-person learning, in a beautiful new accessible and bright building, a dedicated hardworking loving staff, our families who support us in all aspects of our operations! There is so much that brings me daily joy. I really would not want to be anywhere else right now and appreciate being able to partner with all of you in the educational journeys of your children!

Dr. Hoffmann

Materials needed for upcycling in the art room!

Small cardboard boxes, paper board tubes, cardboard or plastic egg cartons, clean styrofoam produce trays, small plastic containers with lids, and any other material a student can make into a recycled piece of art!

Hello and welcome to fall! I have been getting into a few more classrooms to teach bullying prevention and some Zones of Regulation. It’s been nice to see the students as they practice their important skills for social-emotional learning! Did you know that these skills and interactions with peers/adults help to strengthen their mental health, too? Mental health is just as important as academic learning and physical health. We can do things that help to strengthen student mental health by asking them to identify and express their feelings in appropriate ways, as well as modeling good skills to resolve conflicts and encourage them to ask for help. When mental health issues are interfering with student learning, or interfering with our daily routines as adults, there are additional resources available. It’s okay to ask for help and this is a lifelong skill! Please see the graphic below and feel free to contact me kumferra@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us if you need additional resources/strategies. You can also contact the Student and Family Assistance Program at www.aurora.org/eap or 1-800-236-3231. This is a free, confidential resource that supports Wauwatosa students and families.

Join the Wauwatosa School District for a job fair on Saturday, November 20, 2021 from 8 - 11 am at the Fisher Building (12121 W. North Avenue). The district is looking to hire classroom teachers, classroom aides, special education assistants and substitute teachers. Interviews will be conducted on the spot! If you’re interested, please complete this Job Fair Interest Form and mark your calendar for Saturday, November 20.

This is an unprecedented and challenging time for us all. But together, we will get through this. Taking care of your mental health is equally important as your physical health during this time.

Student and Family Assistance Program: District students and their families have access to six free counseling sessions through our Student and Family Assistance Program. They are teleservice at this time. Learn more.

DHS Counseling Hotline: Call 1-800-985-5990 to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7 provided through the Department of Health Services.

DHS Coronavirus Resources

211 Info Hotline - Dial 211 for information about COVID-19 in Wisconsin

CDC Hotline - Get facts by calling 1-800-CDC-INFO

CDC Website

This is a rapidly changing situation and we will continue to keep you updated as information is shared.

For now, Stay Safer At Home and remember, we’re in this together.