| E-Newsletter October 2009 |
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Welcome to the Wauwatosa School District's electronic newsletter. By subscribing, you will receive the latest district news delivered right to your email. Comments about this newsletter should be directed to the district's Communication Office, 12121 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa WI 53226 or at (414) 773-1020.
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Wauwatosa High School Graduate Named 2009 Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry
Thomas Steitz, a 1958 graduate of Wauwatosa High School, is one of three winners of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work describing the structure and function of the ribosome, the protein-making factory key to the function of all life, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced today.
Steitz, who is a Sterling professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and professor of chemistry at Yale University and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, shares the $1.4 million award with Venkatraman Ramakrishnan of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom and Ada E. Yonath, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. All three used a technology called X-ray crystallography to map the position for each and every one of the hundreds of thousands of atoms that make up the ribosome. While the work began as a quest to answer basic questions about the makeup of ribosomes, knowledge of its structure has created targets for a new generation of antibiotics.
After graduating from Wauwatosa High School, Steitz received his bachelor’s of arts degree from Lawrence College in 1962 and a doctoral degree in molecular biology and biochemistry in 1966 from Harvard University. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard in1966-67 and at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, England from 1967-70. He joined Yale as a faculty member in 1970.
In 2007, Steitz was one of four recipients of the Gairdner International Awards, joining his wife, Joan Steitz, Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University, as a recipient of the prestigious award. Other awards given to Steitz include: Lawrence University Lucia R. Briggs Distinguished Achievement Award, 2002; Frank H. Westheimer Medal, Harvard University, 2004; Keio Medical Science Prize, 2006; and George E. Palade Award, 2008.
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West Students Earn Honors from National Achievement Scholarship Program
Two students from West High School have earned honors from the National Achievement Scholarship Program, which recognizes outstanding Black American high school students.
Senior Adam Fisseha has been named a semifinalist in the 2010 National Achievement Scholarship competition. Senior Rebecca Harrell has been named a 2010 National Achievement Program Outstanding Participant.
About 1,600 high-scoring participants in each year's National Achievement Scholarship Program are designated Semifinalists. To ensure that academically able Black American students throughout the nation are included in the pool, semifinalists are named on a regional representation basis. Semifinalists are the highest-scoring program participants in the states that constitute each region. Semifinalists will be notified in January if they have been named finalists.
Each year, approximately 3,100 outstanding National Achievement Program participants are brought to the attention of about 1,500 four-year colleges and universities in the United States after being named Outstanding Participants. In late September, a roster of these students' names, high schools, and tentative college majors is sent to higher education admission officials.
The National Achievement Scholarship Program is an academic competition established in 1964 to provide recognition for outstanding Black American high school students. Black students may enter both the National Achievement Program and the National Merit® Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) and meeting other published requirements for participation.
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Tosa Students Named AP Scholar Award Winners
Fifty-two students from East and West high schools have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program (AP) provides motivated and academically-prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performances on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the nearly 1.7 million students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at sufficiently high levels to also earn an AP Scholar Award. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP Exams.
Two West High School students, Charlotte Kissinger and Kelly Ledoux, qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
Sixteen students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. The students from East are: Chantal Cyr, Julia Egan, Leslie Halverson, Brian Hoettels, Lauren Hoffer, Victoria Hughes and Paul Runge. The students from West are: Matthew Berggruen, Kristen Goulee, Eric Haas, Ali Hassan, Stephen Koepp, Heather Ledoux, Andrew Minkley, Madeline Schlederer and Ella Stutz.
Nineteen students from East qualified for the AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a five-point scale on all AP Exams taken and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. These students are: Julia Badding, Elizabeth Baker, Ellen Blaser, Mary Buckingham, Theodor Ceci, David Covell, Neal Covell, Claire Enders, Lilian Hovel, Abigail Joranger, Nathan Kolpin, Lance Mielke, Laura Moorhead, Nicholas Mussatti, Joanna O’Brien, Madeline Olsan, Elaine Schertz, Sara Shirey and Charles Smith. Fifteen students from West qualified for the honor. Those students are: Adam Bernstein, Emily Crowe, Hugh Dales, Aaron Krahn, Sean Kundinger, Peter Marheine, Mary Olukotun, Makenzie Plonka, Alexandra Port, Alison Port, Laurel Poston, Julie Richter, Melissa Ruggles, Mark Schulz and Scott Wanless.
The College Board is a not-for-profit membership organization whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity.
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Roosevelt Teacher Honored for Dedication and Commitment to Students
Roosevelt Elementary fourth grade teacher Barb Check was honored for her dedication and commitment with a surprise from Office Max.
Check, who has been a teacher at Roosevelt Elementary for 25 years, was one of over 1,000 teachers across the country that were selected by their school’s principal to be recognized as part of the Office Max, “A Day Made Better,” nationwide surprise event on Oct. 6.
“It is just such an honor,” Check said. “For me, this is a moment that will always be marked in my career as one of the most touching moments.”
During an all-school assembly, Check was surprised by representatives from Office Max who presented her with a box of classroom supplies. The box included over $1,000 in school supplies such as paper, pencils, pens, glue sticks and much more. Check also received a new office chair for her classroom desk.
“Barb, from the first day that I met her, has always talked about improving her practice every year,” Roosevelt Principal Frank Calarco said. “She has agreed to mentor many new teachers at the fourth grade level and has taught a range of students with passion while all along inspiring them to succeed.”
The surprise, in-school ceremonies were part of the office supply retailer’s campaign to eliminate teacher-funded classrooms, especially during this time of extra economic burden on school districts across the nation. According to national studies conducted by the National Education Association, teachers spend nearly $1,200 out of their own pockets each year for basic classroom supplies – adding up nationally, to about $4 billion a year. In a move to provide some economic relief to teachers, hundreds of Office Max associates – working behind-the-scenes with local high school principals to ensure the element of surprise – honored these teachers with donations of much-needed school supplies.
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High School Students Become Members of Teen Health Crew
Six Wauwatosa high school students have been named members of the 2009-10 Children's Health Education Center Teen Health Crew. East juniors Tom Krug and Alexandra Hoppe and West sophomores Carra Gaines and Amanda Porter and seniors Andrea Bretl and Amy Matzen are part of the crew.
Teen Health Crew is a nationally recognized youth development initiative of Children's Health Education Center. Health Crew members are trained as peer educators to deliver health education programs to children of all ages. Accompanied by professional health educators, teens facilitate programs for addressing nonvoilence, bullying, healthy decision-making and relationships.
For more information about the Teen Health Crew, visit www.bluekids.org.
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Where in the World is EFW?
Do you have a photo of yourself or someone you know wearing an Education Foundation of Wauwatosa (EFW) Walk/Run t-shirt? You could win a fabulous prize.
Send your photos to the EFW for a chance to win prizes. Photos will be divided by local, traveling and most unique. Send your photo and your name, address and phone number to info@tosaefw.org or mail it to Education Foundation of Wauwatosa, P.O. Box 13022, Wauwatosa WI 53213. The deadline is November 1.
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Openings Still Available for Workshops
There is still time to register for Learning Never Ends...An Evening for Adults which will be held Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 6:45-9:30 p.m. at Wauwatosa West High School. Registration, at $10 per person, allows participants to register for two 75-minute workshops. Space is still available in a vareity of interesting and informative sessions.
Detailed information about the 22 workshops and registration forms for Learning Never Ends are included in the Fall Activity Guide from the Recreation Department. To register for any of the interesting, informative and fun workshops offered at Learning Never Ends, call the Wauwatosa Recreation Department at (414) 773-2900, visit www.tosarec.com, or stop at the office located at 11324 W. Center St., at the southeast corner of Wauwatosa West High School. The registration fee is $10 per person.
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Children's Theatre of Wauwatosa Presents 2009-10 Series
Season tickets are available through all Wauwatosa public and parochial schools and the school district's Recreation Department for the 2009-2010 series of live theatre productions presented by the Children’s Theatre of Wauwatosa.
The group offers a series of six productions at Wauwatosa East High School, 7500 Milwaukee Ave., and Wauwatosa West High School, 11400 W. Center St. All performances begin at 2 p.m., although the box office and auditoriums are open at 1:30 p.m.
Season tickets are $18. Individual single admission tickets are available the day of each performance for $4. East and West series tickets are valid for all single performance shows. The full 2009-2010 schedule for the Children’s Theatre of Wauwatosa is as follows: Alice and Me: - October 24-East; A Christmas Carol: - December 19-East; Beauty and The Beast: January 16-West and January 23-East; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown: February 13-East and February 20-West; The King’s Rabbits: March 13-East and March 20-West; Green Eggs & Ham: April 17—East.
The Children's Theatre of Wauwatosa is sponsored by the school district's Recreation Department. The Theatre offers a variety of performance opportunities for students, as well as drama instruction and exposure to live theatre. For additional information about the theatre series or other Children's Theatre activities, contact Lois Weber at (414) 476-6311.
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Series of Shows Offered at Planetarium
Learn about the latest in astronomy at the Gary E. Sampson Planetarium! A variety of topics will be presented—International Space Station Update, Space and Astronomy News, Upcoming Events and November Skies—on November 3 and 4 at 7 p.m.
The session is the first in a series of presentations held each month during the school year.
Each presentation features a discussion of an object prominent in the night sky during the current month, followed by a star show highlighting constellations, stars or astronomical events visible or publicized in the news that month.
Reservations are required and can be made by calling (414) 773-3390. There is no admission charge, but donations will be accepted to assist in supporting public programming.
The Gary E. Sampson Planetarium is located at the southwest end of West High School, 11400 W. Center St. Enter from the doors at the south end of the parking lot. The planetarium is fully accessible for guests with limited mobility, including two spaces for wheelchairs.
The December show, “’Tis the Season,” will be shown on December 15, 16 and 18. For more information, visit www.wauwatosaschools.org and go to Resources/Planetarium.
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How to Keep Your Teens Safe
Parents and guardians are invited to an informative meeting, "How to Keep Your Teens Safe from Becoming the Victim of a Sexual Crime," on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. at East High School in Room 280.
Miriam Faulk, a prosecutor for the district attorney's office, along with an officer from the Wauwatosa Police Department will present ways parents can protect their children from becoming the victim of a sexual predator in their neighborhood, community or on the Internet. East principal Nick Hughes will be available to tell what safety measures the school has in place.
This meeting is sponsored by the East High School PTA and is open to all parents and guardians in the district.
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Find Us on Facebook and Twitter
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