Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The Port Washington-Saukville School Board met early Wednesday morning to decide on the partial lay-off of a German language teacher as enrollment in the program is down — but plans for more language opportunities are on the horizon.
Based on shifting student interests in the programs offered at local schools, the Port Washington-Saukville School Board approved a partial layoff of a German language teacher during an early morning meeting on Wednesday. "In balancing our budget and because of student enrollment, we are looking at a partial layoff," Superintendent Michael Weber said during the 5:15 a.m. special board meeting. "There will be no other layoffs in the district." The layoff will affect German Teacher Beth Brinkman, and her hours will drop to 60 percent of full-time employment. The approval allows for administrative staff to increase her employment to 72 percent if student enrollment levels change. "The changes of that layoff percentage going down is pretty …
Monday, May 13, 2013
The number of suspensions statewide have dropped consecutively for five years; find out what the low is now, and check out some local data.
A total of 47 students were suspended from Port Washington High School in the 2011-12 school year, a number that fits right in with statewide averages. The high school's suspensions equals 5.4 percent of the number of kids enrolled at the school; statewide, 5.21 percent of students were suspended at least once during the year. This is the lowest percentage since data was kept beginning in 1998-99, and the figure has dropped five consecutive years. The number dwindles with younger ages: 31 students were suspended at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, which is 4 percent of kids enrolled there. Though suspensions are less common at the elementary level — they do happen. Dunwiddie Elementary had a total of three students suspended. Lincoln …
Saturday, April 20, 2013
See Port Washington's most recent graduation and drop-out rates, and how they compare to the rest of the state and surrounding districts.
Graduation rates in Port Washington-Saukville School District are above the state average, with nearly all the 12th grade students enrolled in 2011-12 receiving a diploma, according to data from the state Department of Public Instruction. Statewide in 2011-12, 88.6 percent of enrolled high school seniors received diplomas, and 5.5 percent of students dropped out of school. That year in Port Washington, 96.98 percent of students received diplomas, according to DPI data, and .86 percent dropped out of Port Washington High School. Search above to see information about graduation rates in Port Washington-Saukville and other districts throughout the state. The search function is not available on mobile devices. See the DPI data on graduation …
Saturday, April 13, 2013
See how the number of students per staff member in Port Washington-Saukville stack 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 nonprofit 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 schools 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 …
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The Port Washington-Saukville School Board on Monday gave the final approval to end voting in the schools, one of several measures the group has taken to amp up security in district buildings.
Calling it part of the group's continued efforts to amp up security in Port Washington-Saukville schools, board members on Monday night approved the end of voting inside district buildings. "We don't want it to happen, but it's something we have to do for safety in our buildings," board member Brian McCutcheon said. Using the schools as polling places had once been considered an educational opportunity, however, the board members agreed the practice now offers more risks than advantages. Two buildings in the Port Washington-Saukville School District — Dunwiddie Elementary and Thomas Jefferson Middle School — have been used as polling locations during elections in Port Washington for at least the 27 years that City Administrator Mark Grams …
Thursday, February 14, 2013
The Saukville Chamber of Commerce gave a donation to Saukville Elementary school which will benefit its free breakfast program that is open to any student.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect a correction regarding Saukville Elementary's principal's name. Students at Saukville Elementary School will continue to be offered a free breakfast option thanks to a second donation from the Saukville Chamber of Commerce. The chamber donated $1,364 to the Free Breakfast Program that is open to any student in need of some grub. The money is a portion of the proceeds raised during the Saukville Scare 5K Run/Walk in October. "In keeping with our goal of connecting business, government and community, we decided to commit a percentage of our profits from this event to something benefitting the community," Chamber Executive Director Sherri Yandry said in an e-mail to Patch. "This year, we…
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
The decision comes as Port Washington-Saukville School Board members continue discussions on ways to make the district safer since the tragic Newtown, CT school shooting thrust the topic into the limelight.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect a clarification. Believing that voting in the schools is no longer an educational opportunity and focusing on making Port Washington and Saukville a safer place for kids, school officials are moving forward with putting an end to voting in the district's buildings. School Board members spoke highly in favor of ending voting in schools during a late January meeting, and a district committee has now recommended it be discontinued for "security reasons," according to an Ozaukee Press article. The discussion of improving safety procedures in the district has been ongoing tragedy shook an elementary school in Newtown, CT, in December. "For me, this (decision) is really easy," board member…
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Port Washington-Saukville School Board Personnel and Programs Committee offered support of a roughly $160,000 investment in the technology programs offered at Port High.
Port Washington-Saukville school officials are continuing their commitment to science and technology curriculum with plans for a roughly $160,000 investment to programs at the high school. The School Board Personnel and Programs and Committee met on Monday night to discuss the plans to hire an additional teacher in the tech department for the 2013-14 school year, as well as launch a biomedical sciences course, according to an Ozaukee Press article. Investments in technology upgrades as well as the cost of the teacher would add up to about $160,000, the article said, and the additional teacher will allow more students to take the class. The committee recommended approval of the plans; the School Board will likely take a vote at its next …
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Port Washington-Saukville School Board members during a meeting on Monday said mostly supported the idea of ending the use of district buildings as polling locations; readers were split on the idea.
A strong opinion from many Port Washington-Saukville School Board members that voting in school buildings is no longer a safe practice was met by a lot of mixed reaction from Patch readers. "If it doesn't need to be done at a school, why not move it?" Wendy Smith posted on Patch's Facebook page. "To have the mentality that (a tragedy) has never before happened therefore it won't isn't the best strategy in my book. Would hate to have it happen, and then be the person who made that statement!" Two buildings in the Port Washington-Saukville School District — Dunwiddie Elementary and Thomas Jefferson Middle School — are currently used as polling locations during elections in Port Washington. The fact that these buildings are wide open to the …
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Port Washington-Saukville School Board members discussed several ways to make the district safer during a Building and Grounds Committee meeting on Monday night — among them, supporting the end of using district buildings as polling locations.
Buildings in the Port Washington-Saukville School District will soon be using a camera and buzzer system for monitoring foot traffic through its schools as part of an effort to beef up safety and security after tragedy shook an elementary school in Newtown, CT, in December. The change from the currently unlocked front entrances is just one of several safety issues discussed during a Building and Grounds Committee meeting on Monday night. Board members and district administrators also discussed continued practice in responding to emergency situations — such as table top exercises and an increase in lockdown drills with students — and expressed strong concerns with continuing to use district buildings for voting days. Two buildings in the …
MDS
2:00 pm on Saturday, May 18, 2013
I suppose all of the wars were free, or paid for by bake sales? more ›