News

UW-Whitewater Department of Music invites you to Be Instrumental

(University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Arts and Communication, Department of Music, submission) The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Music began a campaign in December inviting the public to donate their used instruments to the “Be Instrumental” campaign. The campaign comes as a partnership with the White House of Music and has a direct impact on each music education student. The initiative was designed to continue the outstanding preparation of the nationally-recognized Music Education program at UW-Whitewater.

To date, the department has received a myriad of donations, but is still looking for instruments. “The donations we have received to date are incredibly generous, but we are still in need,” says Mike Dugan, Chair of the Department of Music. “As a music educator, you have to be able to teach a variety of instruments to students. In the midst of this financially challenging year for businesses, we aren’t sourcing the same instrument donations we have in the past. We decided it was time to lean on and into our community to help our students. At this point, we are still seeking both monetary donations and instrument donations. Our department is still looking for Trombones; Alto Saxophone; Clarinet; Violin; Cello; String Bass; Oboe; Cornet/Trumpet; Horn; Bassoon, and Percussion Practice Pads and Stands.”

In partnership with the White House of Music, there are two options to engage in this unique program, listed below. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.

Donate Your Used Instrument

Donate your slightly used instrument and receive a letter verifying the donation as a gift. If your instrument needs slight repairs to get it into proper playing condition, the department hopes you may be able to make those repairs prior to donation. If repairs are unable to be made, the instrument would be examined for an appraisal of value. To make a donation, visit: https://www.uww.edu/cac/music/be-instrumental

Purchase an Instrument or Contribute Towards the Purchase of an Instrument

Purchase or donate through the White House of Music and a student-line instrument will be supplied to the UW-Whitewater Department of Music. White House will keep all donations segregated so any dollar amount donated can accumulate to the dollar value needed for a purchase. In addition, Chris White, President and CEO of White House of Music and 1993 UW-Whitewater alum, will add to this offer a full year of free service for any instrument purchased and donated to the Be Instrumental initiative.  A win-win offer we hope you will find enticing!  Follow this link to see a list of instruments we need with a donation tab to White House of Music: https://white-house-of-music-inc-uww.square.site/

“Our community is so supportive of the work we do – from attending concerts to their monetary donations and we hope they will take part in this campaign so Whitewater can continue its long tradition of being one of the best universities for Music Education,” says Dugan. If you are interested in making a donation, please visit the website at: https://www.uww.edu/cac/music/be-instrumental. For questions or more information, please contact uwwmusic@uww.edu.

Police Called for Domestic Disturbance; Dog Found Beaten to Death (Updated)

(From the Whitewater Police Dept. Facebook page) · At approximately noon on Thursday, January 28th, city police officers were summoned to a domestic disturbance in the 400 block of N. Tratt St. The officers immediately responded, separated involved persons and found a dog which had been beaten to death. The officers arrested the suspect (24-year-old Tyrone Williams). Williams has been charged by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office with several misdemeanors – including Disorderly Conduct, Domestic Abuse, Criminal Damage to Property and Intentionally Mistreating an Animal.

Banner notes: 1) Per Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, the defendant’s address is 467 N Tratt St #8. The usual disclaimer is provided: “This case has not been concluded. Unless a judgment of conviction is entered, the defendant is presumed innocent of all charges.” 2) Per a comment made by the police department on the Facebook page, “We sought a felony charge. The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office made the charging decisions.”

Update – Feb. 3 – Click here for an article in The Gazette.

WMS & WHS Now Offering “Homegrown” Virtual Instruction; 84% of WUSD Students Receiving In-person or Virtual Instruction from Whitewater Teachers

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
January 31, 2021

Highlights of the January 25 regular meeting of the Whitewater Unified School District include the following.

Students returned to in-person instruction on January 18. Middle School and High School students not wishing to return to in-person classes are now offered the opportunity to be instructed virtually by WUSD teachers. District Administrator Caroline Pate-Hefty reported:
78% of elementary school students have returned to the classroom.
73% of middle school students have returned to the classroom, and an additional 19% are participating in the “in-house” virtual model.
69% of high school students are back to in-person instruction, plus 18% in the “in-house” virtual model.
The Banner calculated that this equates to approximately 84% of the district students being instructed by WUSD teachers.

There were 45 contributions totalling $4975 to assist a district family whose home was destroyed by fire.

The board voted unanimously, with some reservation, to change the title for the chief executive officer of the district from District Administrator to District Superintendent. Research had indicated that the titles District Administrator and District Superintendent are used interchangably in the state, although the state licensure is for superintendent. Member Jim Stewart indicated that the title superintendent had been used in the district in the 1960’s. Caroline Pate-Hefty mused that this means that she is now the first female superintendent to serve WUSD.

Per the table below, district enrollment declined from 1808 to 1747 from September, 2020 to January, 2021, a net loss of 61 students. Almost all of the loss was at the middle and high school levels. Presumably the primary cause for the decline was students open enrolling to other districts that were offering in-person instruction during the first semester of the school year.

Per the table below, total enrollment in the district from September, 2019 to September, 2020 declined by 158 students. Combined with the loss of 61 students between September, 2020 and January, 2021, the decline of over 200 students apparently may result in a decline in State funding of over $1,000,000.


Roberta’s Art Gallery Hosts Winter Digital Photo Contest; Seeks Photographers to Share their Creativity

You can visit https://www.uww.edu/uc/things-to-do/robertas-art-gallery#warhawk-winter-photo-contest  for information and a list of contest rules. Roberta’s Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the James R. Connor University Center (UC) at UW-Whitewater. The gallery hosts multiple exhibits and workshops each semester by collaborating with the artists–both locally and regionally. Many of our events will be held virtually this semester.  For questions or further information, contact Roberta’s Art Gallery at (262) 472-3193 or ucart@uww.edu or visit  https://www.uww.edu/uc/things-to-do/robertas-art-gallery.
 
Thank you for your interest in the UW-Whitewater Warhawk Winter Digital Photo Contest! Please note that by submitting photos you are consenting to possibly having these photos shared publicly and being associated with you for awarding purposes. We can’t wait to see the sights and scenes you’ve created and captured!

(University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Roberta’s Art Gallery submission) Photos by Kim Adams (they will not be included in the contest.)

This Week’s City Meetings

City of Whitewater Common Council – Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m.
Agenda includes prohibiting smoking and vaping in city parks; authorizing electric scooter rentals in the city.
Due to Coronavirus Concerns, this will be a VIRTUAL MEETING. (not in person). Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join via computer, smart phone or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/94624357273?pwd=R2hiRnlhaVluM2RneTZOdkNTSzFZUT09
Passcode: 473820
Or Telephone:
Dial 1 929 205 6099
Webinar ID: 946 2435 7273
Passcode: 473820

City of Whitewater Landmarks Commission – Thursday @ 3:30 p.m.
Agenda includes landmark status for city water works
Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/350629397
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (224) 501-3412
Access Code: 350-629-397

Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 929 205 6099 Webinar ID: 946 2435 7273
Passcode: 473820

https://zoom.us/j/94624357273?pwd=R2hiRnlhaVluM2RneTZOdkNTSzFZUT09

Passcode: 473820

____________________________________________________________________________

Or iPhone one-tap :

US: +19292056099, *473820#

____________________________________________________________________________

Or Telephone:

Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

US: +1 929 205 6099 Webinar ID: 946 2435 7273

Passcode: 473820

WHS Grad Rebekah Schumacher Earns Spot on 2021 UW-W Women’s Basketball Roster

Photo credit: UW-Whitewater

(UW-W press release, 01/29/2021)– Rebekah Schumacher, a native of Whitewater, WI, and graduate of Whitewater High School, will compete for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team during the 2021 season, which begins next week.

Schumacher, a senior at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in elementary education.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team, the defending Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion, begins its eight-game regular season this Wednesday at UW-Stevens Point.

The Warhawks, who are set to embark on their shortest regular season slate in 50 years, claimed the regular season league title for the second time in three years in 2019-20. The team finished the campaign with a 23-4 record, including a 13-1 mark in regular season conference play, and reached the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in the last 13 years.

Head coach Keri Carollo returns for her 19th season. Since taking the reins of the program prior to the 2002-03 season, Carollo has led the Warhawks to six WIAC regular season championships, two conference tournament titles and 12 trips to the NCAA Tournament, including Final Four appearances in 2008, 2013 and 2014.

Four seniors lead UW-Whitewater into this unconventional season.

Senior center Johanna Taylor (Wauwatosa, Wis./East) led the WIAC and ranked among the top 35 in the nation with 62 blocks in 2019-20, the fourth-most in one season in program history. She garnered first team all-conference and WIAC All-Defensive Team accolades, averaging 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting a league-best 54.7 percent from the floor.

Guard Emily Schumacher (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha South) returns to the floor after a season-ending injury limited her 2019-20 campaign to nine games. She was a first team All-WIAC selection in 2018-19, when she averaged 12.0 points per game and made 58 three-pointers, second-most in the league.

Guard Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) averaged 6.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 27 games last season, including 17 as a starter. She ranked 11th in the WIAC with 15 blocked shots.

Guard Adriana Wood (Racine, Wis./Horlick) is also coming off an injury-shortened season, appearing in 13 games in 2019-20. She was named to the WIAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

Juniors Veronica Kieres (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection), Courtney Oomens (Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger) and Yssa Sto. Domingo (Streamwood, Ill./St. Edward) return after playing key roles in last year’s rotation.

Kieres, who started all 27 games, averaged 7.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per outing and tallied 36 steals. Sto. Domingo earned WIAC All-Defensive Team honors, leading the team with 43 steals and finishing with 3.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Oomens bolstered a deep frontcourt with 5.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest to go along with 15 blocks.

Sophomore forwards Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) and Abby Belschner (Grafton, Wis./Cedarburg) enjoyed strong rookie campaigns in 2019-20.

Grundahl was named WIAC Newcomer of the Year and honorable mention All-WIAC, finishing the year with 10.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. She shot 48.8 percent from the floor and ranked second in the conference with 66 offensive rebounds (2.44 per game).

Belschner appeared in 26 games off the bench and shot 50.5 percent on her way to 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game with 26 blocks.

Guards Lunden Alexander (Dolton, Ill./Thornwood) and Kailey Ketz (Clayton, Wis./Clayton) and forwards Abi Baumgartner (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) and Erika Simmons (Blair, Wis./Melrose-Mindoro) round out the sophomore class. All four appeared in at least nine games a year ago.

Newcomers to the program include freshmen Erin Adams (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South), Lydia Coatney (Sabula, Iowa/Eastland), Avery King (Lincolnshire, Ill./Stevenson), Kendall Roquet (Middleton, Wis./Middleton), Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) and Savannah Youngstrom (South St. Paul, Minn./South St. Paul).

The Warhawks’ schedule includes games played on Wednesday and Friday nights in February against consecutive WIAC opponents – UW-Stevens Point (Feb. 3/5), UW-Oshkosh (Feb. 10/12), UW-Platteville (Feb. 17/19) and UW-Stout (Feb. 24/26). UW-W will play at home on the 5th, 10th, 19th and 26th, and will be on the road for games on the 3rd, 12th, 17th and 24th.

Fans will not be permitted to attend games in person due to campus event protocols. All home games will air live on UWW-TV, which is available on channel 100.1 on campus, channel 989 for Spectrum customers in the area and online. All road games will also be streamed online, and links to the broadcasts will be posted on the UW-Whitewater women’s basketball schedule page when available.

The WIAC Championship is slated for the week of March 1. All eight conference teams will qualify for the tournament, which will determine the league’s automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament.

For more than 150 years, UW-Whitewater has provided students with the education and training to begin their careers with a solid foundation behind them. The UW-Whitewater is committed to the development of the individual, the growth of personal and professional integrity and respect for diversity and global perspectives. These are met by providing academic and co-curricular programs that emphasize the pursuit of knowledge and understanding and a commitment to service within a safe and secure environment.

Local Student Named to University of Delaware Dean’s List

About UD | University of Delaware

NEWARK, DE (01/25/2021)– Sophie Olson of Whitewater has been named to the University of Delaware Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester.

To meet eligibility requirements for the Dean’s List, a student must be enrolled full-time and earn a GPA of 3.5 or above (on a 4.0 scale) for the semester.

Attachments

#FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society: Old Main

It’s time again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society! This week’s photo features another wintery Whitewater scene from the past. Affectionately dubbed “Old Main,” this building stood as the flagship building for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus since the college’s founding in 1868, undergoing many expansions and renovations over the years.

As the result of a fire in February 1970, only the East Wing of Old Main still stands today and is now known as Hyer Hall. This image was probably taken in the 1950s or 1960s. Join us next week for more from the Whitewater Historical Society collections!

(3679P, Whitewater Historical Society)

The Whitewater Historical Society collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Whitewater and the surrounding area. Be sure to join us next week for more from the Society’s collections. Please “like” us on Facebook, and check out our website at whitewaterhistoricalsociety.org!​

Waelchli, Grall Nominated for FIRST Robotics Dean’s List

By Laura Masbruch
Whitewater High School Robotics Advisor, Banner Volunteer
lmasbruch@wwusd.org

Every dean’s list is about excellence, and the FIRST Robotics Dean’s List is no exception. The mentors working with each FIRST Robotics team may nominate up to two students in their sophomore or junior year to compete for this prestigious award named for FIRST Founder Dean Kamen. While the Dean’s List award is partially academic, the award in essence demonstrates how the applicant developed in the robotics community and their accomplishments within it. Nominated students are screened prior to a regional event using a mentor written essay. Once at a regional event, the students go through an interview process to see if they will make the FIRST Robotics Dean’s List. In 2021, candidates will participate in a virtual interview with two judges.

In the 2021 season, Ferradermis is proud to nominate sophomore Anderson Waelchli and junior Elijah Grall as our Dean’s List semi-finalists. Finalists will be selected from each region as defined by FIRST: 4 from the state of Wisconsin, and then 10 winners will be selected from the pool of finalists from all regions.

  • Anderson Waelchli
  • Elijah Grall

Anderson joined the team as a freshman on the day before the 2020 season kick-off and quickly became an integral part of the business team and also helped prototype and build the robot in the shop. He worked to help develop the Chairman’s Award presentation, preparing to put his drama talents to work for the judges prior to the suspension of the 2020 season by FIRST in March. As a sophomore, he is successfully leading this now fully virtual subteam of Ferradermis, now renamed the Administrative Team. Anderson has led the fundraising campaign for the 2021 season and is heavily involved in the development of the team’s project for the Innovation Challenge. He also completed one of the Rube Goldberg segments of the team’s winning entry for the Milwaukee Tool Hit the Nail on the Head competition and is the driving force behind the team’s newsletters, which are sent to sponsors of the team. Anderson’s enthusiastically energetic personality shines during each of his entertaining Google Meets for the Administrative Team, and motivates the members of his virtual team to get creative and do their very best for the team as a whole.

Elijah got his first taste of FIRST Robotics driving the robot in middle school while at the Makerspace in Ferradermis’ rookie year, and he was hooked. He has been an extremely involved member of the Mechanical Team since his freshman year, doing much of the CAD for portions of the 2020 and 2021 robot, taking on the role of Junior CAD Captain in his sophomore year, and CAD Captain in his junior year. Elijah served as part of the drive team during off-season competitions in the summer and fall of 2019 and was the back-up driver for the 2020 season. Throughout all of this, he has exuded a level head and deliberate effort to do his job well. In the spring of 2020, Elijah helped demonstrate our robot and gave driving experience to the young participants attending the State LEGO League Competition. Elijah is a deep thinker who stays quiet during design discussions until he has fully processed his ideas, and then eloquently shares his thoughts. He has a profound knowledge of everything mechanical and is always happy to help newer members learn the ropes. At regional competitions, you will find Elijah spending endless hours in the team’s pit, keeping the robot performing at peak levels.

Congratulations to Anderson and Elijah on their Dean’s List nominations! Ferradermis is proud to have you represent us!

City Eyeing Another Potential Redevelopment Funding Opportunity

By Al Stanek
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
January 29, 2021

The City of Whitewater appears to be moving forward to exercise an option to soon close all but one of its existing Tax Incremental Districts (TIDs) and temporarily “extend” the remaining TID for one year rather than allow it to stay open until 2027. TIDs are the mechanism for communities to utilize the popular economic development tool known as Tax Incremental Financing (TIF). The TIF tool is highly regulated by the State of Wisconsin and the City uses its financial advisory firm, Ehlers and Associates, to guide them through the process.

If the Common Council decides in favor of exercising the option an expected $2 million of funding would potentially be available to acquire land or infrastructure to enhance economic development. This would be the second major utilization of complex federal and state funding options to help reduce the city tax burden. The Council last month voted to use over $800,000 from a closed out economic development revolving loan program to help finance a proposed water tower project that will replace a 131-year-old water tower. The replacement is expected to expand water capacity to support future city development and resolve a reported water pressure problem on the city’s far west side.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our community to once again gain access to the TIF financing economic development tool,” said Cathy Anderson, the Whitewater Community Development Authority’s (CDA) Director, and lead economic development officer for the City of Whitewater.

At the January 28 CDA meeting Anderson and Ehlers and Associates TIF expert Greg Johnson recommended that the CDA pass a resolution urging the City’s Common Council to act next month to begin the process to exercise the option of close-out and one-year “extension.” They advised that communities are only allowed to have 12% of their property value designated as TID districts. The City’s existing six districts apparently reach that limit which has temporarily taken away the TIF economic development tool from the City. The CDA followed through on the recommendation after a lengthy discussion.

The WI Department of Revenue ‘TIF Manual’ defines TIF financing as “…a financing option that allows a municipality to fund infrastructure and other improvements, through property tax revenue on newly developed property. A municipality identifies an area, the Tax Incremental District (TID), as appropriate for a certain type of development.” “…as property values rise, the municipality uses the property tax paid on that development to pay for the projects. After the project costs are paid, the municipality closes the TID. The municipality, schools, county, and technical college are able to levy taxes on the value of the new development.”

Your property tax bill, although sent to you by the city, generates tax revenue for the county, school districts and the area technical college. The closed Whitewater TID districts would apparently mean greater revenue for the other units of government as that revenue currently goes exclusively to support development activities during the often 20-to-30-year life of a given TID. Most of the Whitewater TIDs were created over 20 years ago and could technically stay in place for several more years although many of the original projects in each of those TIDs have been completed or found to be unfeasible for one reason or another.

The one-year temporary extension of the city’s largest TID, an area roughly encompassing the Industrial Park and Downtown area, could generate some controversy as the other taxing districts would not be able to use the proceeds from that district for an additional year. A one-time option of temporarily extending the single tax district for a year would allow the City to use the proceeds in that year to take steps to make housing more affordable and potentially provide funding for housing rehabilitation. City Manager Cameron Clapper told the CDA that although the City would not need official concurrence from the other governmental units (county, school district and technical college) for the extension of the remaining TID, those agencies will be actively involved in advising how the use of the one year of the remaining single TID revenue would be used. He put forth the proposition that adding more city residents with children by enhancing the affordability of city homes would be a benefit to the school system and other municipal partners.