Thursday, May 23, 2013
Because of a power outage in southern Racine, Elmwood Park and part of Mount Pleasant, students at Park High School and McKinley Middle School were released from school at 10:30 a.m., just as the power was restored.
More than 2,300 We Energies customers were without power in Racine, Elmwood Park and part of Mount Pleasant since 9:22 a.m. Thursday. But this made for a very short school day for some Racine Unified students. The power was restored by 10:30 a.m., said Brian Manthey, spokesman for We Energies. "A tree had fallen and came into contact with some wires," Manthey said. "But we got it all cleared up now." While the power has been restored to the area, students sat in the dark for over an hour and at about 10 a.m., Racine Unified officials decided to close the schools in the areas affected by the outage. Students at Park High School and McKinley Middle School were dismissed around 10:30 a.m., just as the power returned.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Bands, orchestras and choirs are performing in schools across the district, and we want to hear and/or see them. Share your videos and photos here.
Music is in the air across the Racine Unified district as bands, orchestras and choirs pull out their very best for parents and the community. We want to hear and/or see your videos and photos of concerts you might be attending so please upload them here. Don't forget to tell us the name of the school and the grades performing. The Washington Park High School band, wind ensemble and orchestra performed Thursday so we put together a little video of a tune we're sure you'll all recognize. Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Should Racine Unified follow in Beloit's footsteps and talk about getting iPads for every student to more fully prepare them for a future in the digital age?
Should the Racine Unified School District move away from traditional textbooks and paper assignments and more fully into the digital age? The Beloit School District Board of Education is exploring the question tonight at a special board meeting. Specifically, board members will vote on whether or not to spend $4 million over the next three to four years to purchase an iPad for every student in the district, the Beloit Daily News reports. Supporters of the move point to big savings by not having to worry about buying textbooks, contracting for technical support, and purchasing copier paper. Computer labs are expected to phase out, and the iPads could be re-sold for necessary upgrades, providing even greater savings. Some estimates put the …
Monday, April 29, 2013
Despite changes in benchmarks for Wisconsin statewide reading and math tests, Racine Unified students continue to perform significantly higher than the statewide norms.
Use Patch's interactive database to see the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations scores in Elmbrook and other area districts for the last three years. Students in the Racine Unified School District saw lower scores in statewide math and reading tests this year, but those changes are almost entirely due to tough new standards that kicked in this year. In Racine Unified, 21.5 percent of the students who took the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations (WKCE) in November 2012 scored at proficient or advanced in reading. That's compared to 68.8 percent who hit that mark in 2011. The 2012-13 results were released last week. In math, 27.8 percent of the Racine Unified students were proficient or better this year, compared to 61.2 …
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
In the aftermath of the shootings in Oak Creek and Sandy Hook Elementary School, Gifford Elementary students share their vision of peace in a school-wide writing and art project that is now being published.
After the mass shootings in Oak Creek and Sandy Hook Elementary, the students at Gifford Elementary School had a lot to say about peace and the absence of peace in a schoolwide art and writing project. The youngsters at the Caledonia school wrote about gun violence, divorce and being bullied. They wrote about how the world needed more love, kindness and respect. They wrote about finding friends, the value of peace and appreciating each others' differences. Now their work will now become a "Peace Book," said Samantha Thorson, the school's anti-bully coordinator. The idea of making a book about peace came from the book titled “A Million Visions Of Peace: Wisdom From The Friends Of Old Turtle” by two peace educators Jennifer Garrison and …
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Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Reading, math scores of voucher students in private schools are behind their counterparts in public schools, but choice advocates say the numbers don't tell the whole story.
Students who attend schools under Racine Unified's voucher program are not performing as well in statewide reading and math tests as those in the district's public schools, new data from the state Department of Public Instruction shows. The DPI on Tuesday released the results of the 2012-13 Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination, the state's standardized academic achievement tests. On those tests, 24.1 percent of the students who attended schools under the Parental Private School Choice Program were proficient or better in math. By comparison, 27.8 percent of RUSD students scored proficient or better in math tests. Both figures were significantly under the statewide proficiency rate of 48.1 percent. The reading proficiency rate for …
Saturday, April 20, 2013
See Racine Unified's most recent graduation and drop-out rates, and how they compare to the rest of the state and surrounding districts.
Graduation rates for Racine Unified high schools are below the state average, with just under 70 percent of enrolled students 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 RUSD high schools, 70 percent of students received diplomas, according to DPI data, and 21 percent dropped out of Racine Unified High Schools. By comparison, in Kenosha, the graduation rate was 80 percent, with 8 percent dropping out. Search above to see information about graduation rates in Racine Unified and other districts throughout the state. The search function is …
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Lolli Haws, the new superintendent for the Racine Unified School District, will be paid $200,000 a year. Some of the superintendents in the larger school district are being paid more, and some less. But is that salary too much?
The Racine Unified School District Board of Education approved a $200,000 salary for Lolli Haws, their choice for a new school superintendent, on Monday. Haws serves as an instructional superintendent for the District of Columbia Public Schools in a high-crime, high poverty area. She has also been a teacher, assistant principal and principal. Many have criticized the district for her salary. Here's what they said on Facebook: Melissa Young Schroeder "$200,000?!? Wow. Yet my kids can't play the recorder in music because there's no budget and I have to buy supplies for the art class because there's no budget. I could go on and on." Jason Bennett "Meanwhile classroom budgets are slashed..." Kathleen Marie Weber-Tiderman "How easy it is to …
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Racine School board members Julie McKenna and Don Nielsen voted against Lolli Haws contract for superintendent. Both said if her contract was approved, they would still show their support.
In a 7 to 2 vote, the Racine Unified School District Board of Education approved a $200,000 salary for Lolli Haws, their choice for a new school superintendent. Haws replaces current superintendent Ann Laing, who stepped in when James Shaw left the district. Haws is currently with the District of Columbia Public Schools in Washington, D.C. as an instructional superintendent. She issued the following statement: “It is a tremendous honor and privilege to be officially appointed as superintendent of the Racine Unified School District. I’m eager to join the smart and dedicated teachers, leaders and support staff in the important and challenging work of ensuring that Racine students achieve the goals of the North Star Vision,” according to the …
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Emergence, is the title of a new painting that hangs at Mitchell Middle School. The painting is the newest piece of public art.
Fred Fischer
9:47 pm on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The costs would come from property taxes more ›