Thursday, March 24, 2016
February-March Board update: 88th Street School site renamed to reflect expansion of Milwaukee Spanish Immersion School
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee Public Schools students will need to take two units of world language and one credit of an Advanced Placement, Career and Technical Education, International Baccalaureate or Project Lead the Way course in order to graduate from high school, under new requirements approved by the Milwaukee Board of School Directors.
“This is a key component of our ongoing efforts to reimagine high schools by ensuring our graduates are college, career and life ready,” MPS Superintendent Dr. Darienne Driver said. “Rethinking High Schools” is one of the district’s eight strategic objectives aimed at improving outcomes for students.
The graduation requirements will take effect with students entering 9th grade in 2017 and were approved by the Board at its February meeting.
At its March meeting, the Board approved a charter contract that will result in all four campuses of the high-performing charter school network Milwaukee College Prep being a part of the MPS family.
Milwaukee College Prep’s 38th Street and Lloyd Street campuses are already authorized by MPS. Now, MPS, Milwaukee College Prep’s original 36th Street campus and its newest Lola Rowe North campus will join them. All four campuses serve students in grades K4-8. The MPS charter contract with Milwaukee College Prep covering the four campuses runs through the 2020-2021 school year.
In other action Thursday, the Board approved a name change for the former 88th Street School site to reflect that the building will a part of the expanding Milwaukee Spanish Immersion School (MSIS) beginning in the fall. The expansion allows the high-performing school to serve more students.
All MSIS students in grades K4 and K5 will attend school at the new “lower campus” at 3575 S. 88th Street for 2016-17 and 1st-grade students will be served there in 2017-18. Older students will continue to attend the “upper campus,” the existing school site at 2765 S. 55th Street.
Photo: MPS' Class of 2015 valedictorians and salutatorians