Friday, November 20, 2015
Photo: Front row from left: Lucy and Dave Adams, with children Myles and Lydia; Dan and Nora Adams, with daughters Nadia and Ruby. Back row: Ronald and Joy Adams
MPS blue runs in the veins of Joy and Ronald Adams’ family. Joy believes that her grandparents attended MPS, but school records don’t date back to the 1800s to confirm. But her father and her sons are all proud MPS alums, and soon her granddaughters will be old enough to embark on their own educational journeys with MPS.
The Adams family’s engagement with MPS extends beyond getting — they proudly feel — great educations. Most of the family has given back to MPS through careers in teaching as well. Over the course of a 33-year career, Joy taught at Hi-Mount, Milwaukee Spanish Immersion and South Division. Her husband, Ronald, taught for 35 years at Boys Tech (Now Bradley Tech). Joy’s mother worked for MPS, as did her son, David, before taking a job with a West Allis-based construction company.
Both David and his brother Dan attended Milwaukee Spanish Immersion School, Milwaukee School of Languages and Rufus King International School and are graduates of the classes of 1999 and 2001, respectively. Both frequently use the Spanish language skills they honed in MPS in their jobs. Dan now works for Harbor District, Inc.
The Adams family daughters-in-law work for MPS too. David’s wife, Lucetta, teaches at Academy of Accelerated Learning and Dan’s wife, Nora, teaches ESL at Lincoln Avenue School and is an MPS alum.
Joy said that her sons frequently thank her for their MPS education. “We all received a very well-rounded education. They really value their multicultural experience and the life-long friendships they made in school. Our country was founded on public education. I really believe in the importance of a strong public education system,”
This story is part of a series appearing during American Education Week, November 15-21, highlighting the contributions made by alumni, community partners, school-based and secretarial staff, district support staff and families to help Milwaukee Public Schools in its mission to provide successful student outcomes.