Our goal is to share the latest news, insights, technology and information that impact you as an employee of the Manitowoc Public School District.
August 2016
Message from Mark Holzman, Superintendent

With great enthusiasm and anticipation, I welcome you back and thank you for your committed, passionate service to our community youth.

In MPSD, our people are our greatest resource. After my first year as Superintendent, I am continually impressed by your dedication, and I value you and your efforts. We have much to be proud of at MPSD and can feel pride to work here and celebrate that "I am MPSD, you are MPSD, we are all MPSD." As as small token of our appreciation, we are offering polo shirts with the MPSD logo to all staff (thanks for giving your shirt sizes at the end of last year).   

I look forward to seeing you at the kickoff in-service on Aug. 29 in the Lincoln High School auditorium. Details are included in my welcome back letter and the in-service week schedule.

I hope that you were able to recharge your battery this summer and you are ready to join me in doing whatever it takes to help make Manitowoc Public School District the 'Best District in the Universe.' I can't wait to get started!

With MPSD pride,

- Mark
Upcoming Events

Aug. 29: MPSD Staff Kickoff In-service - see schedule
Aug. 31: Elementary Schools Open Houses
Sept. 1: First Day of School
Sept. 5: NO School - Labor Day
Sept. 30: LHS Homecoming Parade, Tailgate
Oct. 1: LHS Homecoming Game, Run and Dance

Full school events calendar

2016-17 annual district calendar

Superintendent Meet and Greets

Stay tuned in early September for dates and locations of my fall visits to each school. I value your input and want to have open lines of communication so I am scheduling time to visit all schools three times this school year. If your schedule allows you to stop and say hello, please do so. I look forward to your ideas and thoughts this year.
Welcome to our new class of teachers attending orientation.
We are MPSD! 
Coming soon: Join the Manitowoc Nation 
Show your #ShipsPride

The Manitowoc Public School District soon will be launching the "Manitowoc Nation," an effort to connect and engage with MPSD alumni, the greater Manitowoc community and all MPSD supporters.

We would love MPSD staff to join the Nation (it's free and completely voluntary) and build awareness of the Nation when talking with families, neighbors, local businesses and citizens.

What is the Manitowoc Nation?

It's an online hub for alumni and all MPSD supporters to connect and celebrate the good news of our current and alumni students and staff. Graduates can share class reunion and class notes information on the website. Increased community partnerships, such as youth apprenticeships and other job, career and networking opportunities, also can be shared.

Stay tuned for a Manitowoc Nation survey after Labor Day and the formal website launch the week of Homecoming. All year long when you have good news to share - about your students, your peers or yourself - please email Tiffany Gates at gatest@mpsd.k12.wi.us. Share your #shipspride!
HR Corner

Welcome to New Director
Please warmly welcome Joyce Greenwood-Aerts, our district's new Director of Human Resources. Greenwood-Aerts replaces Lori Miron who took the position of Executive Director of Human Resources at Oshkosh Area School District in July. 

"After a thorough interview process, we are very pleased that Joyce has accepted this position," Superintendent Mark Holzman said. "She will bring a diverse skill set to the district's administrative team."

Greenwood-Aerts comes to us from Felician Village, a Continuing Care Retirement Community located in Manitowoc, where she has served as the Director of Human Resources for more than 15 years. Prior to Felician Village, she worked for four years as the Assistant Director of Human Resources at Federal Mogul in Manitowoc. Read more

Payroll Schedule
Our teacher payroll is always the 6th of the month unless the 6th falls on the weekend. Then it is the Friday prior to the 6th. All other staff remain on the biweekly payroll and depending on when they work they will be paid either Sept. 2nd or Sept. 16th as the first payroll with the new school year.

Staff Resources

Our district website has a Staff Resources page with links to HR, Technology, Professional Development and Classroom and Assessment Resources. This is a good page to bookmark for easy access. 
eduCLIMBER Data Warehouse

MPSD will be working this school year with the eduClimber Data Warehouse to more easily access data sets and support the district's professional learning community (PLC) process. The implementation and subsequent utilization of the eduClimber Data Warehouse will allow all our professionals to spend more time analyzing data, discussing trends and action planning accordingly, versus collecting, inputting and correlating state, district and local behavior and academic data.

The foundation of any successful professional learning community, and ultimately improving student learning, is the ability to establish new structures, improve communication, enhance teacher learning and develop collective intelligence. A component of these aforementioned structures is the use of multiple local and standardized assessment data sets to set the stage for data-informed, student-driven conversations.

Educators will get an introduction to eduCLIMBER during their building meetings during the opening week in-service Aug. 29-31. 
Police and Firefighters Honored at Opening Football Game

Lincoln High School students, staff and community thanked local police and firefighters during special ceremonies during the Aug. 19 season-opener Ships varsity football game. Police, firefighters and their families received free admission to the game.

LHS Athletic Director Dave Steavpack said he organized the tribute to thank the many men and women who help keep our community safe, amid times of terrible tragedies across the country. There was a moment of silence for fallen police and firefighters killed in recent events. 
As local police and firefighters stood on Lincoln's field track, students wearing blue gave officers a standing ovation. Funds from the school's 50/50 raffle were donated to benefit Manitowoc Police Officer Katie Walters, who was injured in a July car crash and who joined fellow officers at the game ceremony. #shipspride
Summer work: All new sod replaces blacktop at Jefferson Elementary.
Thanks to our Summer School teachers.
Thanks for Your Generosity

Y Break - Community Donors
Did you know that community partners raised about $10,000 to provide scholarships to help 91 area youth ages 5 to 12 attend the YMCA's Summer Y Break program?

MPSD partnered the the YMCA to offer the program to 282 children this summer. The Y provided afternoon programming after the district's morning Summer School classes - and all-day programming after Summer School ended. This was Y Break's second year. Enrollment was up from 226 children last year, and there were wait lists to enroll and receive scholarships. Thanks to the Y and all who donated to help youth attend.

Bike Helmets - Firefighters Union

The Manitowoc Firefighters Union Local 368 donated 36 bike helmets to first- and second-grade students at Jefferson Elementary School who did not have helmets. This was paired with a $650 grant from Walmart to the school. Thank you, firefighters!

Books - First Presbyterian Church

Jefferson's library has 242 additional books for its birthday reading program, thanks to the First Presbyterian Church in Manitowoc's School Book Drive Team. We appreciate it!

Hope House - MEA

On behalf of the MEA, MPSD's Johanna Worley and Krista Schieldt presented a check for $725 to the Hope House homeless shelter in Manitowoc. Thank you, teachers!
LHS Student Elected Badger Boys State Superintendent

Congratulations to incoming Lincoln High senior Xang Hang for being elected as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction at Badger Boys State 2016 in June.

Hang, his parents, LHS Principal Luke Valitchka and Superintendent Mark Holzman are invited guests at a reception and at State Superintendent Tony Evers' State of Education Address in the Capitol on Sept. 15.

Badger Boys State is a week-long camp for high school juniors to learn how to run government and serve as leaders, friends, students, athletes and citizens. The nearly 900 boys who attend elect their leaders. Well done, Xang!
In the News

Stangel Student, 12, Named City Volunteer of the Year

Lia Halle, who founded the Hopeful Hearts Club that benefits children and families at the Hope House homeless shelter, was named the 2016 Tom Drill/City of Manitowoc Volunteer of the Year. Lia attended Stangel Elementary and will be a seventh grader at Wilson Jr. High this fall. She has helped raise $15,000 in cash and gift card donations to the shelter. Learn what motivated Lia

Wilson Jr. High Singer Performs at Carnegie Hall

Nylene Zabel, 14, was chosen to sing in June at Carnegie Hall in New York. The Wilson Jr. High student sang six songs, including ones in Spanish and Swahili, and also plays violin and piano. Watch WBAY-TV's story

Washington's Devin Argall Helps Firefighters "Fill the Boot"

Washington Jr. High student Devin Argall's latest service as an MDA Goodwill Ambassador is helping local firefighters raise funds in their August "Fill the Boot Campaign." Read all about Devin

Jackson Elementary K-Kids are Senior Pen Pals

Jackson students wrote letters to seniors at Felician Village and some met their pen pals in person. Read more in the Herald Times Reporter

99-Year-Old Alumnus Recalls 1934 LHS Graduation

Virginia Rosinsky, who will turn 100 in October, described her Lincoln Class of 1934 graduation in an interview with the Herald Times Reporter. The ceremony was the first one held outdoors in the LHS bowl. Read her story
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