School districts start engagement programs
The Wauwatosa and Waukesha school districts are starting programs to engage their communities, both inspired by a program in a northeastern Wisconsin school district.
The Community Leader Academy in Wauwatosa is for “interested community members to become more involved, informed, and given the opportunity to establish meaningful relationships with District leaders,” according to a district news release.
There will be eight 90-minute sessions held monthly for Wauwatosa’s academy. There is no cost. Half of the sessions will run from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and the other half from 6 to 7 p.m. to meet the schedules of a variety of community members. Each session will cover a different education-related topic, including an overview of the district; school and community relationships and partnerships; district governance; district and state budgeting and funding; pupil and family supports; human resources; district operations, facilities and technology; academic performance; and the district vision of a graduate, strategic planning and “where do we go from here?”
The Wauwatosa School District has received more than 55 applications, according to district communications coordinator Sarah Ellis. The maximum number of participants for the first class will be 25; that academy will start this fall. The district will start a second academy in January.
Applications for the current program have closed. Ellis noted the district would “re-engage” the community for future academy classes.
Wauwatosa Superintendent Demond Means said the program’s goal is for people to be more informed about how the school district works.
“It’s important for the citizens to know: How does their school district function? What are the rules, what are the structures, what are the systems that we use to make decisions on how to use taxpayer dollars? How we are maintaining the public’s greatest investment — that’s the facilities, the schools —and how are we serving the community’s richest resource, which is children,” Means said.
Waukesha program aims to ‘deepen knowledge’
The Waukesha School District is starting a similar program, Discover SDW, “designed to provide community members the opportunity to deepen their knowledge regarding the mission and strategic priorities of the School District of Waukesha.” Similar to Wauwatosa, the purpose of Waukesha’s program is “o build capacity and connection throughout our school community.”
“Throughout this nine-month program, participants will obtain a foundational understanding of district operations, leadership principles, and governance, as well as becoming more active participants in our schools,” the district said on its website.
Sessions are scheduled monthly until May from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the district’s Blair Administration Building, 301 Hyde Park Ave., Waukesha. The program’s first session is scheduled for Sept. 29, and will be an overview of the district and community relations.
The other sessions will discuss district/state budgeting and funding; district governance and legislation; teaching and learning; student services and special education; technology; district facilities, safety and security; human resources and program highlights: early learning, dual language and Waukesha MADE.
Each session will feature networking opportunities, district leaders’ presentations and breakfast.
Applications are being accepted through Aug. 31. There is no cost to apply. Visit sdw.waukesha.k12.wi.us/page/learn-more-discover-sdw to apply.
Howard-Suamico inspires local districts
Means said the inspiration for Wauwatosa’s Community Leader Academy came from a community engagement program held by the Howard-Suamico School District, just northwest of Green Bay.
“My commitment to community engagement, hearing how this really worked well in the Green Bay area, and so we moved forward with it,” Means said.
Waukesha School District Superintendent James Sebert said his district also modeled its new program after the Howard-Suamico program.
“Their superintendent (Damian Lacroix) and I both grew up in Fond du Lac, so we’ve known each other for a long time. He is a great man and was eager to help those of us who wanted to try something similar in our own communities. It’s a great example how we work together in education,” Sebert explained.
The Howard-Suamico program has been around since the 2021-22 school year. The nine-month program hosts meetings once a month. Discussion focuses on topics such as school finance, communications, human resources and organization development, governance and others. According to the district’s website, the program hosted 34 participants in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Most participants are recommended and invited by former classes of the program, but anyone can apply during the application window between June and July of each year, according to an email from HowardSuamico Director of School and Community Relations Kimberly Uelmen.
“I think the big question really is how do you create a critical mass of invested stakeholders within your community who have an acquired knowledge base that helps to really bend the trend post-COVID back toward the positive in terms of the value and importance of having a school system that’s high functioning and working well in the best interest of students, families and community,” LaCroix said in an interview.
“Many of our community members do view this as a networking opportunity, as well, because we’re taking the leaders of our communities to educate them. They’ve got great networks themselves, so we give them that opportunity to network over breakfast,” Uelmen noted.
The group uses the book “Schools Cannot Do It Alone,” and has discussion based on the chapters read at that point. From there, a department leader leads discussion on the month’s main topic.
Lacroix said he hopes the program can be a “catalyst” for community cohesion.
“I think that’s the big goal; let’s have this great conversation, and let’s come together and stay together as a community. Nobody wants to talk about COVID, but we saw some stress fractures that got created through that experience, and I think we learned some lessons. At least, to me, committing on this program is one way to not insulate against getting fractured again, but it’s helping in the healing process that’s underway as we speak,” Lacroix said.