News & Events

On Monday, October 28, the Whitewater Unified School District unanimously approved Dr. Jim Shaw as the District Administrator for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. 

The Whitewater Unified School District School Board held interviews with candidates and was impressed by Dr. Shaw’s extensive experience, commitment to public education and proven track record of strong leadership.  After Dr. Shaw’s appointment was approved he said, “I am honored to serve the Whitewater Unified School District and community.”     

Dr. Jim Shaw is the former Superintendent of the Menomonee Falls and Racine Unified School Districts. He also served as Clinical Professor and Director of the Wisconsin Idea Executive PhD program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He started his career as a social studies teacher. He is also a school psychologist, and worked as director of pupil services, director of curriculum and instruction, and school business manager in the Kettle Moraine School District. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Marquette University, a master’s degree from UW-Milwaukee and a PhD from UW-Madison.

Dr. Shaw is a former Wisconsin Superintendent of the Year, and was recognized by the Wisconsin and National Education Associations, the Public Policy Forum in Milwaukee, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his leadership and contributions to public education.

Casey Judd, Whitewater Unified School District School Board President, said, “We are excited to have Dr. Shaw lead our District for this school year. I hope our staff, teachers, parents, and the broader community will join me in welcoming Dr. Shaw to our exceptional school district.”

Dr. Shaw’s first day as District Administrator is Tuesday, October 29. There will be an event held in the coming weeks where all staff, parents and community members will be invited to meet him. 

Judd indicated, “The School Board will conduct a full search for a permanent District Administrator to lead our District as we work to fulfill our mission of inspiring and empowering students to achieve excellence in a safe, innovative and educational environment.”

A 14-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl were killed in a crash involving a Ford Excursion and a semi hauling an empty tanker trailer on US Highway 12 at Walworth Avenue in Whitewater Thursday evening, Aug. 1. The accident happened around 7:30 p.m.

None of the persons involved were reported to be Whitewater residents.

For more information from Fox6Now.com, click here.

With warmer weather and with regular rain, many of us are mowing our yards more often. It might seem like a great solution to simply blow the clippings into the street. Before you do that, consider either composting or leaving them to naturally break down in your yard (this is like free fertilizer!).

Grass clippings in the street often end up in the storm drains and sewers and are sometimes a hazard to motorcycles and cyclists (it also isn’t very attractive in our neighborhoods).

Storm drains lead to the storm sewer system — you can see the drains, but the pipes connected to the drains are underground. These systems are totally separate from “sanitary sewer” (what drains from your house). The water in storm sewers makes its way into our lakes and local creeks.

Grass clippings, leaves, and other debris have a tendency to “clump” in storm drains and in the sewers. As it builds up, this can cause the drains to back up since they’re not performing at their peak. This, in turn, can cause flooding or drainage issues in the street and our neighborhoods, and that’s something we’re all hoping to avoid!

When grass clippings remain in the street and get wet, they can become slick and hazardous to drivers, cyclists, and motorcycles. If you’ve ever slid on loose gravel, you can imagine how much more you’d slide on wet grass! This is definitely a safety issue and our friends and neighbors will thank you for helping keep debris out of the street.

Further, since our storm runoff ultimately ends up in public waterways, we have to consider the environment. Grass clippings contribute nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous, which can cause an unwanted and uncontrolled growth of algae and aquatic weeds. This can rob streams, rivers, and lake of precious oxygen. We’re having serious issues with algae and other plant growth in the lakes, and clippings contribute to that.

When mowing your yard, you might make the first few passes blowing grass away from the street or ditches. If you end up with grass in the street, think about blowing or sweeping it back into your yard.

Finally, per Whitewater Ordinance 12.08.010 – “No person….shall place, deposit, keep, or cause to be placed, deposited or kept in or upon any street, alley, gutter, sidewalk or public ground….any stone, earth….grass clippings or lawn debris….” The Neighborhood Services Officers are issuing warnings to property owners when they find clippings in the street, and if not resolved, that will be followed with fines.

Please help your neighbors and the whole city by not blowing/leaving grass or debris in the street!

Severe weather can appear quickly in Wisconsin, making it important to have reliable ways of being alerted to changing weather conditions. Having an emergency weather radio in your home or office could save your life.

During NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Awareness Day, ReadyWisconsin is encouraging everyone to make sure they have a working weather radio in their home and a portable radio in their vehicle. These radios can provide a 24-hour source of weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and non-weather emergency information from the National Weather Service and its parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“Having the ability to receive an early warning about danger in your area can help ensure you and your family can act quickly to take shelter,” said Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator Brian Satula. “By listening to the alerts broadcast on those devices, you have a much better chance of reaching safety during dangerous severe weather.”

NOAA Weather Radios operate with the help of the National Weather Service and the Educational Communications Board, which maintains the 28 NOAA transmitter stations around Wisconsin. “These partners provide a critical service when it comes to making sure the people in the state know when dangerous severe weather is in their area,” Satula said.

Weather radios come in many sizes, often have a variety of functions, and are typically battery-operated portables or AC-powered desktop models with a battery backup. They can be purchased at most electronic and home improvement stores. Portable weather radios are also an important item to take along when you are enjoying the outdoors. Many receivers can also be programmed to trigger an alarm only for hazardous conditions that affect the owner’s county.

Find more information on weather radios, including information on tower frequencies for your area, at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov/make-a-kit/get-a-weather-radio/.

Find additional tips on preparing for severe weather at https://readywisconsin.wi.gov. You can also follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ReadyWisconsin), Twitter (www.twitter.com/ReadyWisconsin) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/ReadyWisconsin).

From District Administrator Mark Elworthy:

All district schools will be closed starting at 6 PM on Tuesday, January 29 as well as Wednesday, January 30 due to a Wind Chill Warning. All after-school activities and athletic events for Wednesday are also cancelled. Please check the district website and media outlets for additional information.  

Todas las escuelas del distrito estarán cerradas a partir de las 6 PM el martes 29 de enero y el miércoles 30 de enero debido a una advertencia de viento frío. Todas las actividades extraescolares y los eventos deportivos del miércoles también se cancelan. Por favor, consulte el sitio web del distrito y los medios de comunicación para obtener información adicional.  

No School on Wednesday

All schools in the Whitewater Unified School District will be closed on Wednesday, January 23, due to the predicted snow and road conditions. All after school activities and events are also cancelled for Wednesday.