Connecting the Elmbrook Schools Community June 2019
Inside this edition:
• Engaged in Excellence Award Winners • District Celebrates Excellence • Pilgrim Park Unveils Library • Comedy Show Benefits Elmbrook Hope Squad • District Recognizes Retiring Employees • Reilly Tiltmann – Journal Sentinel Girls Swim/Dive Athlete of the Year
Namitha Alexander – U.S. Presidential Scholar On May 7, Brookfield East Senior, Namitha Alexander, was named a U.S. Presidential Scholar for the state of Wisconsin. Namitha will be presented with a Presidential Scholar Medallion on June 23 at a ceremony sponsored by the White House. She is one of five students honored from Wisconsin, and was selected from over 5,200 candidates who qualified for the 2019 awards. Inclusion in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Namitha is the fourth Elmbrook student to be named a Presidential Scholar since 2017.
BEAST Robotics and WHMS GEarheads Recognized at FIRST World Championships The BEAST Robotics team (a Brookfield Central, Brookfield East co-op) and Wisconsin Hills’ GEarheads team advanced to the FIRST World Championships that took place in Detroit from April 24-27. The event included 17,000 students from 37 different countries competing with team-built robots to show their skills in innovation. Both teams were recognized for achieving excellence during the Above: BEAST Robotics
competition, with BEAST Robotics taking home the Entrepreneurship Award in the Daly Division, and The GEarheads winning the Project Research Award among 108 First Lego teams. Congratulations to the students and advisors of BEAST Robotics and the WHMS GEarheads!
Above: WHMS GEarheads
Message from the Superintendent Elmbrook Community, Each spring brings many accolades and awards to our students who are recognized for their Mark Hansen, Superintendent service, academic achievements, and sport or activity accomplishments. What often gets overshadowed is the community support required to help our students be successful. Three events in May at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center highlight the depth and breadth of this support. The Elmbrook Education Foundation hosted its 3rd Annual Circle of Friends fundraising event celebrating innovation across the District, and then was the title sponsor for the Engaged in Excellence Awards, a tremendous recognition gala for our employees, students and community. Finally, over 500 people supported the Elmbrook Hope Squad by spending an evening with comedian Charlie Berens. Thank you for the many ways you support each and every one of our students!
District Celebrates Engaged in Excellence Award Winners The Fourth Annual Engaged in Excellence Awards Red Carpet Gala took place on Monday, May 6, at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center. In addition to honoring retirees and staff achieving years of service milestones, over 46 individual and 6 team finalists were celebrated across 14 different award categories. Each of the evening’s award presenters, many of whom were students, were recognized for their own accomplishments during the 2018-19 school year including state medal winners, school Valedictorians, and elementary school volunteers! Hosted by Elmbrook’s Chief Strategy Officer, Chris Thompson, the show echoed the Academy Awards and the gala was generously sponsored by
the Elmbrook Education Foundation. The program also included a tribute by Forensics coach Stacy Stewart and students Karishma Santebennur, and Amoolya Selveraj, honoring staff member Helen Andrews who passed away this school year. Award recipients were selected from over 750 nominations submitted by students, families, and staff. Elmbrook Schools is grateful to all finalists, presenters, the Elmbrook Education Foundation, and the 550 attendees for their commitment to excellence in our community. Congratulations to the 2019 award recipients shown below!
Alumni Excellence: Deanna Singh – BEHS Class of ‘97
Alumni Excellence: Dave Hibler & Tyler Galganski (not pictured) – BCHS Class of ‘03
Excellence in Coaching or Advising: DJ Richlen, Brookfield East
Excellence in a Community Partnership: Elm Grove Kiwanis accepted by Lenny Johnson
Excellence in a Community Partnership: Milliman accepted by Brian Studebaker
Excellence in Leadership: Ben Westphal, Brookfield East
Service & Support - Individual: Christy Schmid, Central Office
Excellence in Service & Support - Team: Jen Beug-Hoffman & Karen Krzyzak, Swanson
Excellence in Student Services: Jennie Katrichis, Brookfield Central
Excellence in Substitute Teaching: Trudie Miller, Wisconsin Hills
Excellence in Teaching - Elementary: Dave Peterson, Burleigh Elementary
Excellence in Teaching - Middle School: Tom Freesmeier, Pilgrim Park Middle School
Excellence in Teaching - High School: Patrick Coffey, Brookfield East
Excellence in Teaching - New Educator: Hannah Ziesemer, Brookfield Elementary
Excellence in Teaching Support: Sue Robles, Tonawanda Elementary
Excellence in Volunteering: Joe & Stacy Coffey, Tonawanda Elementary
Oh, What a Night! ➊ BCHS Principal Brett Gruetzmacher, BCHS Class of ‘03 Dave Hibler, BCHS Senior Katherine Liu, Superintendent Mark Hansen ➋ PPMS students Anika Garg & Karishma Santebennur, BEHS Senior Nikhita Santebennur, BEHS Senior Namitha Alexander, BEHS Senior Arjun Shreekumar ➌ Tonawanda students Callum Mayne & Niamh Mayne ➍ Brookfield Elementary Principal Dan Westfahl and Dixon Principal Jeanne Siegenthaler ➎ Chief Strategy Officer Chris Thompson & Dixon student Casey Simek ➏ BCHS Senior Matthew Falvey ➐ Swanson student Paola Carnevalle ➑ BEHS Junior Ryan Reilly & BEHS Sophomore Tara Reilly ➒ Dixon students Emma Petersen & Emma Clark
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Pilgrim Park Unveils First Smart Library in Wisconsin The newly renovated Pilgrim Park Middle School Library celebrated its official grand opening on May 9. The open house event showcased Scanalytics, Inc.’s floor sensing product and software, which will allow students and staff to analyze traffic patterns and library usage throughout the year. “The use of Scanalytics’ sensors and analysis software to drive library decisions about book circulation, student engagement, and furniture placement, is the first of its kind in Wisconsin,” said Elmbrook’s Director of Library Services, Kay Koepsel-Benning. “We are grateful to Scanalytics for being a partner to our LAUNCH program and supporting a student project that helped to design and deploy its product in the Pilgrim Park library.” In addition to displaying its ‘Smart’ features, the open house celebrated the work of the Library Ambassadors (pictured above), student volunteers who helped prepare the library for its grand opening and who have been orienting visitors to the small and large group classroom spaces and multimedia features available to all library patrons.
Charlie Berens Comedy Show Benefits Elmbrook Hope Squad On May 10, Wisconsin comedian Charlie Berens of The “Manitowoc Minute” performed at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center to benefit the Elmbrook Hope Squad and Milwaukee’s Near West Side charity. The show packed the venue and raised over $10,000 for the two charities. Elmbrook’s Hope Squad offers a school-based, peer support program to promote suicide prevention and awareness. If you’d like to donate to the Elmbrook Hope Squad, please make checks payable to the Elmbrook Education Foundation and enter “Hope Squad” on the memo line. Mail to: Elmbrook Education Foundation, 13780 Hope Street, Brookfield, WI 53005. L to R: BEHS Principal Andy Farley, BCHS Psychologist Jennie Katrichis, BEHS Psychologist Aimee Schneidewent, Comedian Charlie Berens, Hope Squad member BEHS Junior Bridget Berens, Elmbrook Director of Student Services Tanya Fredrich
Join the Elmbrook Alumni Network Today at alumni.elmbrookschools.org
Retiring Employees – Thank You for Your Service Each year the District recognizes retiring staff members who have dedicated their careers to serving students. Many thanks to: Richard Bloede, Elizabeth Browne, Dan Brzezinski, Sandy Erdman, Jane Fleming, Lynn Goeden-Hough, Barbara Herdegen, Darlene Kadlac, Vicki Kain, Kara Keepers, Jennifer Niles-Burch, Robin Patin, Richard Rebholz, Beth Rindt, Shirley Smanski, and Micho Sucevic.
Picture courtesy of the Journal Sentinel
13780 Hope Street P.O. Box 1830 Brookfield, WI 53008 262-781-3030
Reilly Tiltmann Named Journal Sentinel Girls Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Year
Mark Hansen, Superintendent Kathryn Wilson, Board President Chris Thompson, Chief Strategy Officer Jill Kokta, Communications Coordinator Eric Hagen, Communications Assistant
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel hosted its 3rd Annual Journal Sentinel High School Sports Awards at the Pabst Theatre on May 7. During the event, Brookfield East sophomore, Reilly Tiltmann was named the Girls Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Year. After accepting her award, she met guest speaker and Olympic gold medalist, Michael Phelps, for a photo.
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