News & Events

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Unified School District.

The Wisconsin Association of School Boards has designated October 3-9 as Wisconsin School Board Week as a
time to build awareness and understanding of the vital function an elected school board plays in our communities.
Whitewater Unified School District is joining all public school districts across the state to celebrate Wisconsin School Board Week to honor local school board members for their commitment to Whitewater and its children.

“It takes strong schools to build a strong community, and these men and women devote countless hours to making
sure our schools are helping every student, every day, in a unified way,” Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty said.
Dr. Pate-Hefty said the key work of school boards is to raise student achievement by:
● Creating a vision for what the community wants the school district to be and for making student achievement
the top priority
● Establishing standards for what students will be expected to learn and be able to do
● Ensuring progress is measured to be sure the district’s goals are achieved and students are learning at
expected levels
● Being accountable for their decisions and actions by continually tracking and reporting results
● Forming partnerships with others in the community to solve common problems
● Focusing attention on the need for continuous improvement by questioning, refining and revising issues
related to student achievement
“School board members give the Whitewater citizens a voice in education decision making. Even though we make a
special effort to show our appreciation in October, their contribution is a year-round commitment.”

The members serving our district and their years of service as follows:
Casey Judd, President – 12th year
Thayer Coburn, Vice President – 11th year
Steve Ryan, Clerk – 11th year
Jim Stewart, Treasurer – 27th year
Jennifer Kienbaum – 3rd year
Larry Kachel – 1st year
Maryann Zimmerman – 1st year

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

Highlights of the WUSD School Board meeting of September 27:

In other business:

• John Houwers was congratulated for having been selected as the Inspiring Educator of the Year.
• The Board approved a proposal to move Digital Life Skills from the Middle School to younger pupils, and convert the Middle School curriculum to both Family Consumer Science and Technology Education.
• The “Third Friday Count,” which is used for revenue limit purposes, showed enrollment of 1881 students, an increase of 77 students compared with last year’s 1804. It was indicated that this year’s enrollment includes 35 newcomers from Nicaragua. In 2019 the Third Friday Count was 1962. The Third Friday Count includes only students who are present on that day or the day before/after.
• Although it was indicated that some of the students who open enrolled out of the district last year have returned, this year there are 289 open enrollments “out” versus 264 last year. At a cost of $8161 per student, enrollments out will reduce the district’s revenue by approximately $1.9 million. Elkhorn Area School District is the biggest beneficiary. Open enrollments “in” totaled 56 versus 62 last year.
• Third Friday Enrollment per school is shown in the table below.
  

School	2019	2020	2021	Difference ’20 to ’21
Lakeview	210	162	163	+1
Lincoln	386	361	374	+13
Washington	341	292	320	+28
Middle School	394	406	430	+24
High School	604	560	570	+10

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Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Unified School District.

The Whitewater Unified School District (WUSD) has teamed up with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UWW) Early Childhood Education Program and PremierBank to create free enrichment sessions for children ranging from birth through age five.  We are extremely excited about this new opportunity!  The enrichment sessions, or Partners in Play, are open to any children birth through age five and their caregivers, from all of our surrounding areas.  The curriculum for these sessions was created and will be taught by WUSD staff and the Early Childhood Education Program faculty and students from UWW.  

There will be two sessions/week offered for birth to two year olds and two sessions/week offered for two and half to five year olds.  The sessions for the younger children  will be 30 minutes long.  The sessions for older children will be 45 minutes long. The sessions will run for eight weeks.  Parents/guardians will stay with their child during the sessions.  Sessions will be fun and interactive for all involved. All sessions will be in English and Spanish at the University Community Engagement Center (1260 W Main St).  

Fall Sessions begin September 28 and run through November 16.  Sessions for children birth to two years old will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.  Sessions for the children ages two and a half to five will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.  Sessions are now full and we have a waitlist available.  If families sign up and a spot becomes available, families will be notified.  To sign up, please go to the Whitewater Unified School District’s website at wwusd.org and click on Partners in Play on the top of the screen.  We will be having a spring session and sign up will be available in January for that session.  

The weekly themes are as follows:

Week 1: Rainbow of Foods  (exploring healthy foods by color)

Week 2: Crunch and Munch (exploring healthy foods by texture)

Week 3: If You are Happy and You Know It (exploring emotions)

Week 4: Moving and Grooving  (big body movements)

Week 5: Roll Baby Roll (exploring things that roll)

Week 6: Into the Light (light and shadow explorations)

Week 7: Cool as a Cucumber (relaxing our bodies)

Week 8: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (body awareness)

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the Whitewater Police Department.

The Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group (WILEAG), has once again accredited the City of Whitewater Police Department (WPD) following a rigorous, on-site assessment of the police department in June of 2021. It is the seventh time the department has been accredited through WILEAG, one of the most of any law enforcement agency in the state of Wisconsin.

“The WILEAG team examined all aspects of the Whitewater Police Department’s policies, procedures, management,
operations and support services,” Police Chief Aaron M. Raap announced. “Verification by the WILEAG team that the
Whitewater Police Department meets the Board’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain
accreditation – a prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.”

WILEAG exists to “promote excellence and professionalism in policing” which, for the WPD Department, included 230 standards. The WILEAG Governing Board met last month to conduct a review of the on-site
assessment and to review feedback from the Whitewater community and professional associates. The Board voted
unanimously to reaccredit the WPD for a three-year period.

The WPD follows their Mission Statement: We strive to be leaders in policing for our community and models of character, honor, service and excellence. We resolve to develop a creative and problem-solving workforce dedicated to innovation and meeting the challenges of tomorrow. In times of crisis, we strive to defend public safety, maintain order and restore a sense of personal wholeness. Our goal is to protect and serve our diverse and dynamic community with integrity, dignity and respect. Central to the WPD’s mission, is a set of values that guide their work and decisions which allow them to make significant contributions to improving the quality of life in Whitewater; those values are: Commitment to Service, Leadership, Justice, Compassion, Partnership and Pride.

“This most recent re-accreditation, combined with the actions and interactions we are engaged in today will further define the character and reputation of our Department and the effect that we have on reducing crime and disorder in our community for years to come,” Chief Raap said. “I am very proud of the men and women of the Whitewater Police Department and grateful for being able to serve such an incredible community.”

This weekend is the annual FFA/Nelsons Bus Service Stuff the Bus food drive at the Walmart parking lot. Please come help us support those in need if you can. Friday, noon – 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the governor’s office. The Banner reached out to Tami Kou, Generac Director of Marketing Communications & Public Relations, to inquire as to what facilities expansion and/or job creation might be expected in Whitewater. Her reply was simply, “Generac Power Systems currently has about 400 job opportunities available across Wisconsin at its plant locations. The Company is hiring assemblers, machine operators and material handlers.”

Gov. Tony Evers, together with Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes and Generac leaders, announced on September 28 the company is expanding its presence in Wisconsin by investing an additional $53 million in its facilities across the state and creating more than 700 new jobs. Based in Waukesha, Generac is a global leader in the manufacturing and design of energy technology solutions and other power products. “This is fantastic news for southeast Wisconsin and our entire state’s continued economic recovery,” said Gov. Evers. “Generac is a great example of a Wisconsin brand known across the globe, and their decision to further expand in our state is a reminder that Wisconsin continues to be a leader in advanced manufacturing and forward-looking businesses.” WEDC is assisting the project by authorizing an additional $9 million in Enterprise Zone tax credits if the company meets its capital investment and job creation goals by 2024. “Generac’s commitment to creating innovative, sustainable energy products for the next century makes it a true powerhouse,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes. “WEDC is pleased to be investing in Generac because Generac is investing in Wisconsin—and in our global future.” The company’s additional $53 million investment includes the recent expansion of its corporate operations into the Village of Pewaukee with the purchase of a new building, plus the creation of 700 new manufacturing and office jobs throughout the state by the end of 2024. While the company’s global headquarters will remain in Waukesha, the new Pewaukee office at W236N1402 Busse Road will house 300 employees, allowing the company to continue expanding its research and development and headquarters functions to support significant global growth across multiple product lines. “Generac is experiencing phenomenal demand and growth as the combination of an aging grid and extreme weather are resulting in more frequent and longer-lasting power outages,” said Aaron Jagdfeld, president and CEO of Generac. “We are proud to continue to expand our presence in Wisconsin as we work to meet the incredible market demand. This new facility and our new agreement with the state will allow us to continue to grow Generac to best serve our customers, partners, and our people.” Founded in 1959 in Wisconsin, Generac introduced the first affordable backup generator and later created the category of automatic home standby generator—a market in which nearly eight of 10 generators sold is a Generac. Today, Generac provides a range of advanced power grid software solutions, backup and prime power systems for home and industrial applications, solar battery storage solutions, virtual power plant platforms, and engine- and battery-powered tools and equipment. “Generac has a 62-year track record of investing in people and production in Wisconsin,” said Tom Pettit, chief operations officer of Generac. “This announcement affirms the company’s continued commitment as we continue to serve our customers with essential power solutions.”

Editor’s note: The following information was provided by the UW-Whitewater Dance Team.

The UW-Whitewater Dance Team Pom Pon Kids’ Clinic will be taking place on Saturday, October 9^th!

Kids ages K-8^th grade can come and dance with the UW-W Dance Team during halftime of the Warhawk Football Game!

The clinic is $15 and includes a snack and t-shirt and will take place in the Dance Studio located in the Williams Center.

The clinic is from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. with registration happening the same day.  Please pay with cash or check.  Checks can be made out to UW-Whitewater.

The clinic starts out with registration from 9-9:30 a.m.  The kids then learn the dance and will perform for their parents at 10:45 a.m.!

The football game is at 1 p.m.

Masks are required inside the Williams Center during the clinic.

Questions, please contact Therese Kennedy at kennedyt@uww.edu or call (262) 472-1145.

Go Warhawks!!!