A Custodian's Dedication: The Heart of Nuestro Mundo Elementary

At the beginning of the 2023-24 school year, Capital High proudly opened its brand new school site. The new building brings together the school’s eastside and westside locations.

For Jorge Araujo, Nuestro Mundo Elementary is more than just a workplace; it's a family where staff, students, and families work together to build each other up. 

Thanks to the 2020 facilities referendum, Southside residents finally have an elementary school located right in their neighborhood.

Much like the athletes 16-year-old Anthony Miller passionately depicts in his artwork, he demonstrates that with hard work, practice, and patience, greatness is well within reach.

In celebration of Arts in Education week, music and art teachers from across MMSD captured the importance of art education in our schools.

Dr. Jeffrey Copeland, Principal of Sennett Middle, stepped up to help fill the bus driver shortage in the first week of the new school year.

More than a dozen Student Engagement Specialists from MMSD made home visits this week to connect with students and families.

When most people think of summer school, they think of more math and reading. This year MMSD added a variety of arts, from drumming to singing, dance to artmaking, and poetry. 

West Seniors of Color Barbeque was held at Hoyt Park to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates.

Students in Stephens Elementary Rainbow Unicorns pride club taught their peers about inclusivity and the LGBTQ+ community during the first-ever Rainbow Fair.
 

Shabazz High Senior Rowyn Kurabelis's advice for incoming freshmen is, "Just be yourself and don't be afraid to show yourself to the world".

MMSD's Project Soapbox is Mikva Challenge’s public speaking program that calls young people to speak out on issues that affect them and their communities.

On Thursday, May 4, 2023, All-City American Indian Graduation Celebration honored and recognized the Dane County graduates of kindergarten, 5th & 8th grade, high school, and all higher education degrees.

MMSD scholars joined students from across the state at the Alliant Energy Center and Madison Area Technical College to show off their skills in different career fields such as engineering, cabinetmaking, cosmetology, culinary arts, and more.

450 MMSD Scholars from our Elementary and Middle Schools traveled to the Discovery Building on the UW Campus this week to attend the STEAM Fair.

Serenity is involved in community development in the greater Madison area through Panels, Volunteer work, and peer mentoring at school. She is a two-time awardee of the MLK Young Person Award.

At Crestwood Elementary School, the students in Christine McMahon's first-grade classroom are focused on their reading.

With graduation around the corner, College and Career Coach Mackenzie Swanson is busy helping prepare students for their future success.

Yoanna Hoskins is a senior at La Follette High School. She will be attending Stanford University in the fall to study political science.

At Frank Allis Elementary, a former student is now a colleague. Lanita Jennings credits her former 3rd grade teacher, Camera Stovall, for inspiring her to go into education. Now, nearly a decade later, she's Mr. Stovall's assistant teacher in his 4K class.

During MMSD's annual Read Your Heart Out event, student athletes from Vel Phillips Memorial High School took time out of their day to read to the students at Orchard Ridge Elementary.

Mendota Elementary has been working on a 4th and 5th grade stepping group called the Mendota Stompers.

These awards recognize the outstanding achievement of MMSD staff, students, and community members, and those who work to ensure advancement in equity and support.

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The Academy is designed to expand access to college courses in science, technology, engineering and math and to increase opportunities for students to earn college credit in high school at no cost to them or their families.

Through the hallways of Midvale Elementary, students honored Martin Luther King Jr. as they held signs and sang "We Shall Overcome." In teaching students about the Civil Rights icon, students got a lesson in tolerance, inclusion and acceptance.

When Joie Tinberg was a student safety patrol crossing guard at John Muir Elementary School, she never imagined that decades later, she would be ensuring students like her younger self arrive at school safely every day.

Out with the old paper sign-in sheet and in with a new app developed for MMSD by MMSD. In collaboration with MMSD's Office of School Safety, Nicholas Pinzke and his team of programmers created the Student check-in application.

Christmas came early for more than a dozen Henderson Elementary students. Henderson is one of many schools throughout MMSD that received gifts from Santas Without Chimneys.

The Student Senate is a group that gives students the opportunity to connect directly with MMSD's Board of Education. Student representatives come from schools all over the Madison School District.

For the Girls Varsity Basketball team, Head Coach Marques Flowers uses the sport to build relationships and empower students.

Lisa Lawrence is the proud Mom and Village Builder at Lowell Elementary. In her new supportive role, Lisa helps uplift and provide social and emotional support for all students.

One MMSD nurse goes the extra mile to drop off tests for her extended MMSD family.

FutureQuest started in 2017, under partnership between the Dane County School Consortium (DCSC) and MMSD with a goal of providing better career awareness opportunities for middle school students in Dane County.

MMSD Scholars connected with area leaders and engaged in workshops on Cultural Sensitivity, Post-Secondary Options, Financial Literacy, Mental Health, and Restorative Justice.

Recently, educators, administrators, and students from across the state came together for a 'Unity in the Community' rally in an effort to encourage voters toward the polls to bring change to Wisconsin’s education system.

Through Findorff 's Youth Apprenticeship program, MMSD students like Owen Markofski are gaining hands-on experience and training in construction, while also getting a jumpstart on a future career in the construction industry.

MMSD Scholars reflect on why it is important to vote!

As the only Hmong bilingual program in the state of Wisconsin, Lake View Elementary is truly unique and special. Seeing students learn both Hmong and English languages is something Principal Nkauj Nou Vang-Vue is proud of.

Elementary, middle, and high school students share why celebrating Hmong New Year is important to them, their favorite food and drinks to enjoy during the celebration, and why others should know about this special time.

By dedicating days for teacher teams to do this work supports the regular cycle of planning, teaching, reflecting and adjusting needed for professional growth and student learning.

Like many MMSD staff, Dr. Ebbe has been fighting for equity in education. This commitment earned her Wisconsin's 2022 secondary principal of the year and she received a 2022 Herb Kohl Foundation Award. Under her leadership, Sherwood Hills Elementary was designated a national blue ribbon school for its academic achievement. 

MMSD Board of Education invests nearly $1.4 million to purchase new instruments for our school orchestra and band programs — a much needed infusion aimed at increasing equity of access to high-quality instruments for all of our scholars.

New MMSD staff member Anthony Cox has returned to his elementary school because of the impact current Principal Andrea Kreft made on him as a student.

Jeremy Thornton, class of 2004 East High School, special education teacher, as well as the head football coach at Madison East High School shares what it means to have Eastside Pride.