McKinley Monthly
June 2020
Let's start with a note from Ms. Leigh
The final art lesson for this school year is a group piece asking students and/or families "What makes you happy, laugh, giggle or brings you joy?"
This art lesson was created prior to societal events that have further sobered and complicated our current situation. It may seem like a BIG or even lousy ask right now, when it's possible these emotions may not be at the forefront of your and your children's heart and mind.
The intent of this art making is to help us focus on the positive; that even in the darkest of times we have the capacity to find the light and share it with each other. When we express our joy we share our love and goodness with others. This sharing can create empathy and possibly healing. When we look at our current situations, we may not see joy, but I hope you can help your children find something from within that gives them joy and have them share it with their McKinley Community to positively connect us all.
To make it simple here is a link https://flipgrid.com/leighjoyful for students to create their expression of joy.
Dear McKinley Families,
Well, this is not at all the way we envisioned the end of this year. It seems we are all working on our flexible thinking skills this spring! I am definitely learning to take things one little bit at a time and avoiding getting too far ahead of myself, given the rate of change that we have had this last trimester. Someone asked me what my last memory of a normal gathering before the pandemic changed our lives. It was the McKinley 90th Birthday Party recalling the wonderful memories of past generations of students and staff.
This week Friday, at 3:00 we will have the “official” groundbreaking ceremony for the new McKinley. This virtual event can be watched on the Wauwatosa School District’s Facebook page. The event flyer says 3-3:30, but the actual live event will be shorter--best would be to plan to tune in 3:00-3:10-ish. If you miss it, the video and photos will be posted after. If you have not seen the school lately, you will definitely want to take a look. Things are changing! Construction has begun.
As a staff we discussed wanting to preserve the wonderful memories of the past and also look to the new. We decided on a slogan to take us through this next year: McKinley--the future starts here! We know that we cannot predict what fall will bring us, but we are dedicated to making the best of whatever we face next.
Speaking of honoring the past and looking to the future, I want to give you an update on our staff. We were not able to give proper goodbyes to our retiring and moving employees, so I want to honor them here with a big thank you for the years of love and dedication given to our students:
- Karen Lonski, School Psychologist, with 31 years in the Wauwatosa School District,
- Julie Gunderson, Special Education teacher, with 21 years
- Mary Beth Setzke, 1st grade teacher, with 15 years in Wauwatosa.
Others who we will miss:
- Karen Mott, Junior Kindergarten teacher, will teach JK at Madison next year
- Suzanne Graber, 4th and 5th grade music teacher and choir teacher, will be at Washington and Montessori next year
- Katrina Madden, Math Coach, will be in South Milwaukee next year
- Jen Funk-Collins, Special Education Assistant, will be looking for a full-time SPED teaching position for fall
- Jeanette Nelson, 3rd Grade teacher who replaced Mrs. Petri in February is looking for a full-time teacher job for fall
New faces at McKinley this fall:
- Shana Callahan returns after a few years away--welcome back Mrs. Callahan!
- Cristina Zeppos will join us as a 2nd grade teacher
- Niki Merbler, Special Education teacher at Lincoln and Jefferson, transfers to McK
Finally, I want to share a few words about closing out the year. For the safety and wellbeing of all, following Department of Health guidelines for schools the district is asking that we not hold parades or other events that encourage gatherings. It is true that we do not get to have the kind of end that we would like, but I know that our teachers are reaching out in different ways to offer closure. I want to thank all of you for your patience and support this last trimester as we navigated unfamiliar territory, dipping into virtual learning, trying to find the balance of supporting children and honoring families in all of their varying situations. We appreciate all of you so much and know that we cannot do this alone!
Wishing everyone a safe and healthy summer and we hope to gather again on August 26th at our opening day ceremony!
Mrs. Hoffmann
Upcoming Dates
June 1-5 - Field Week
June 2 - New Parent Orientation at 6 p.m.
June 5 - Virtual Groundbreaking Ceremony - 3-3:30 p.m.June 8 - Curbside Drop Off of Library Books & Instruments and Yearbook Pick-Up
June 11 - SchoolKidz Supply Sale ends
June 12 - 5th Gr Virtual Completion Celebration at noon. Zoom link to follow for 5th gr families.
June 12 - Last Day of Classes
Aug 26 - Back to School Celebration
Sep 1 - First Day of School
McKinley Field Week 2020
This week is McKinley Field Week. The PE lessons for this week are our field week activities. All of the activities are simply one minute challenges, using equipment you'd most likely have at home.
McKinley's Virtual Talent Show!
Enjoy the talent of our McKinley students. They did a great job!
Library Book & Instrument Return, and Yearbook Pick-Up
The flyer above includes information about returning library books and district-owned instruments. McKinley will receive all district-owned instruments and library books on June 8th from 11AM-1PM AND 4-6PM.
Families that have purchased yearbooks can pick them up during this time as well. If you did not purchase a yearbook but would like to, you may purchase directly from VIP at the end of June. More information on this will be sent out at a later time. Yearbooks that are not picked up on June 8th will be mailed.
All drop offs will be "no contact" on 90th Street. Cars should travel north, coming into the hug and go area and can line up around the block, Meineke heading west and 89th heading south if necessary. Cones will indicate each stopping point. Our staff members will be wearing masks. Instruments or books should be in your trunk. As you pull up to the designated spot, please open the trunk or hatch so that we can access instruments and library books. Have a sign with your last name on it for yearbook pickup.
Special message for 5th grade families only: You can pick up memory books on 89th Street near the McKinley sign during these same times. See details from 5th grade teachers.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping this to run smoothly.
Welcome Back, Mrs. Callahan
Hello, McKinley. My name is Shana Callahan, and I am thrilled to be joining the amazing First Grade team!
I was born and raised in Wauwatosa. I am a proud graduate of the Wauwatosa Schools, graduating across town, from Wauwatosa East. I went on to ultimately obtain my Masters in Education, pursuing my true love, which is teaching and learning alongside children.
Hard to believe, but this will be my 20th year teaching. I was lucky enough to teach at McKinley for several years in Third Grade. Since that time, I have found a new love in teaching First Grade, and have grown tremendously as an educator.
My husband and I live in Wauwatosa with our four children. Caroline will be a sophomore at Wauwatosa West, Ceili will be an Eighth Grader at Whitman, and our two youngest boys, Danny and Patrick, will still be attending school at McKinley.
Although I look forward to a summer filled with time outside, running, boating, biking and gardening, I am most grateful that my journey has led me back home to McKinley.
J.K. Rowling and "The Ickabog"
Including an illustration competition: https://www.scholastic.com/site/illustrationcompetition.html
Welcome Niki Merbler, McKinley's new special ed teacher
Hello! I am so excited to be joining the McKinley team in the fall as a special education teacher! I received a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota and a Master’s in Inclusive Education from Cardinal Stritch, where I received my teaching licensure for both general education and special education. I grew up in Gurnee, Illinois, just a few minutes from 6 Flags Great America. Now I live in Tosa with my two adorable Australian Shepherds named Dyno and Renn. We love to play outside and go for walks around the neighborhood. I also love to spend time at home doing all kinds of creative things. My favorite activities are drawing, painting, and lots and lots of baking! I can’t wait to get to know everyone at McKinley this year!
Welcome, Cristina Zeppos, McKinley's New Second Grade Teacher
Hi McKinley! My name is Cristina Zeppos and I am so excited to be joining the 2nd grade team at McKinley! I was born and raised in Brookfield, WI and moved to Nashville, TN in 2010 to attend college at Vanderbilt University. After earning a degree in Elementary Education and my Master’s degree in Reading Education, I taught 3rd and 4th grade in Metro Nashville Public Schools. I am so excited to return to Milwaukee and be closer to my parents, sister and nephew-a soon to be freshman at UW-Madison! I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember, and there is even a picture of me in 1st grade dressed up as a teacher for career day! I have a passion for sharing a love of reading and books with my students, and I always strive to make their learning engaging and meaningful. One thing you might not know about me is that basketball is my favorite sport! I played basketball for 8 years and my dad and I would try to attend as many Milwaukee Bucks games as possible. We collect signed NBA basketball shoes! I also love to spend time in the kitchen, and try to spend as much of my free time baking cookies or trying a new recipe. I am so excited to join the McKinley community and be back in my home state!
EFW Walk/Run
The Education Foundation of Wauwatosa (EFW) will be hosting a virtual Rush for Education event. Normally, the EFW holds a fun run family event as a fundraiser for the yearly grants given to district teachers. Due to the current restrictions, the in person event was canceled.
Please consider supporting the EFW this spring through the virtual Rush for Education event.
Here are the details:
- The Rush for Education will be a virtual event!
- Register by June 15th to be guaranteed a t-shirt and home delivery of student/family packets!
https://runsignup.com/Race/WI/Wauwatosa/RushforEducation
- Participate by July 12th!
- Tag EFW at @EFW and use the hashtag #RushForEducation to be featured
- Cost is $15 per person, and includes an event t-shirt and a finish line tape
- Follow EFW on Facebook and Instagram to win prizes
- Visit tosaefw.org to download your own race bib to color!
Thank you! Please email questions to rush@tosaefw.org.
School Kidz Supply Kit Sale
Every year McKinley offers families the option of ordering all of their school supplies online. Especially in our current climate, we feel this will be very beneficial to our families. This is not a fundraiser for McKinley - just something we do to assist our families getting ready for a new school year.
Once again, this year we are partnering with SchoolKidz to offer you a chance to order school supply kits online. The sale is available only online. The sale ends on June 11. You will not be able to order kits after this date. This year supply kits will be sent directly to your home in August.
Order here: www.shopttkits.com Code:94632
Please be sure to order the correct grade level kit for your student - order for the grade level they will be in next year - 2020-2021. You can also order backpacks, lunchboxes, and beverage containers.
When ordering please note the 'components/description' section, which lists additional items the teachers have requested, that might not be available online or that are not required for the entire class.
Please use your child's legal first and last name when ordering - no nicknames.
Contact Charlotte Garder at garderch@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us with any questions.
Elementary Report Card
As we approach the end of the school year, we would like to provide information on Trimester 3 progress reports. As you may recall, a communication was shared in April indicating that Trimester 3 benchmarks would not be scored, but rather they would include narrative comments for Math, Reading, Writing, Art, Gym, Music and Spanish. Elementary teachers are currently preparing reports cards for students in this fashion.
Trimester 3 progress reports will be accessible online through our student information system, Infinite Campus. Progress reports will no longer be printed and mailed as we have done in the past. To view your child’s progress report, you will need to ensure your Infinite Campus parent portal account is activated. This account will also be needed as we plan to migrate all school forms and fees to Infinite Campus in the fall.
To activate your account, you will need your unique access code. This was sent to all families in September 2019. If you need this code, please submit a ticket to our technology help desk. You do need a help desk account to submit a ticket. Here is a link to set-up a help desk account. If you have this code, you can find information on how to begin below:
Click here to access the Infinite Campus parent portal.
Click here to access account setup instructions.
If you have an account, but have forgotten your password, please submit a help desk ticket. Do not create a new account.
We will provide further communication regarding how to view progress reports through Infinite Campus in the coming days.
Thank you,
Teaching and Learning
Right at School Summer Camp
Right at School will be moving forward with running summer camp at Roosevelt beginning June 22.
https://rightatschool-roosevelt-elementary-wi.jumbula.com/#/summer-camp-2020
Pop-Up Food Pantries
Dear Wauwatosa Families,
As seen in a recent JSonline article there are several pop-up food pantries located at Wauwatosa schools to assist families during this unprecedented time.
Pop up food pantries can be accessed at any time and are monitored regularly for continued needs.
Please share what you can and take only what you need.
Pop up food pantries are available at the following locations:
- Jefferson Elementary School - 6927 Maple Terrace
- Lincoln Elementary School - 1741 N. Wauwatosa Avenue
- Roosevelt Elementary School - 2535 N. 73rd Street
- McKinley Elementary School- 2435 N. 89th Street (bin on the corner of 90th and Meineke)
- Montessori School - 12121 W. North Avenue
In addition to the pop-up food pantries, the district continues to provide free breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday. For details, see link below.
In addition, three Wauwatosa West students have organized a food drive. Please see the flyer below for details.
Lastly, you can also call 211 or visit https://www.impactinc.org/impact-2-1-1 for a complete list of food pantries in your area.
Stay Healthy,
Wauwatosa School District
Anti-Racism, Social Justice and Diverse Book Lists
Children's Book List for Anti-racist Activism
E-book/digital sources with diverse books from Diverse Book Finder blog.
Family Resources
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.
211 Info Hotline - Dial 211 for information about COVID-19 in Wisconsin
CDC Hotline - Get facts by calling 1-800-CDC-INFO
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.
JK Registration
Kindergarten Registration is underway! Children who are currently enrolled in our Junior Kindergarten (4K) do not need to register for SK as they are already enrolled in the district.
We are also offering an online registration option for NEW students via our student information system, Infinite Campus.
Registering online can be done here.
A step by step guide on how to register online can be found here.
Information about documents required to register can be found here.
You will need to upload the required documents when prompted or you can complete all the registration information online and bring in the documents to your child’s school for verification.
Registration is not complete until all required documents are submitted.
*** Please share this info with your friends, family, and neighbors. ***
* * Tosa Cares * *
Mt. Zion Lutheran Church is closed. Food will be distributed by drive-thru only. Due to the logistics of organizing such an event, appointments will be required.
Please call, text, or email to leave a message to schedule a food pick up. Appointments will be scheduled over several weeks. We will be happy to provide your household with a food box.
Call: (414) 258-0456 x 410
Call or text: (414) 861-4725
E-mail: tosacares@gmail.com
Visit: https://www.tosacares.org/post/tosa-cares-and-covid-19 for more information.
Let’s kick READING into...
OverDrive is a free library collection for all elementary students to check out ebooks and digital audio books on personal devices.
It’s as easy as 1,2,3
1. Visit https://wsdlcwi.libraryreserve.com/ or open the app
Sora on any smartphone, tablet, mp3 player, e-reader, or computer. Choose Wauwatosa School District from the dropdown.
2. Login: Library card number is your school username
(same as logging onto your chromebook)
Pin is your password (same as logging onto your chromebook)
3. Read in your browser or download the epub/kindle book!
Happy Reading!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:
Meegan Archambo, Elementary Library Media Services Coordinator
Right at School at Home
Wauwatosa Avenue
Office Max / Office Depot Gives Back
McKinley contact info
Website: https://www.wauwatosa.k12.wi.us/McKinley
Location: 2435 N 89th St, Wauwatosa, WI, United States
Phone: (414)773-1500