Chapter 220, multi-cultural report presented
Multicultural initiatives and involvement in the Chapter 220 Voluntary Integration Program help the district achieve its policy of nondiscrimination. Chapter 220 Program Coordinator Erica Bova-Brown described accomplishments of the 2003-04 school year.
A total of 109 students from Milwaukee attend the Hamilton School District through the Chapter 220 Program — designed to promote cross-cultural communication between district residents and Milwaukee-resident students and their families. Enrollment includes three at Maple Avenue, 11 at Woodside, 31 at Templeton and 51 at Hamilton. Marcy has the district’s most culturally diverse population and therefore no Chapter 220 students are enrolled there.
A dozen Hamilton students attend Milwaukee Public Schools with the majority enrolled in the German Immersion School, McDowell Montessori or the Milwaukee School of the Arts.
Bova-Brown described numerous multicultural initiatives in 2003-04 designed to foster respect and eliminate racism through education and expose to people of multiple ethnic heritages.
She said a highlight was growth of the English Language Learner (ELL) Program that grew from 110 students in 2003-04 to 153 students this year. She noted that reading specialists worked diligently to conduct language assessments early this year, the Hamilton Education Foundation provided a $10,000 grant for ELL resources and a new report card was implemented for ELL students providing grading rubrics that show greater learning movement.
All-school high school assemblies showcasing Martin Luther King’s birthday, world languages and physical disabilities were successful during the past school year. As was development of a Black History Program at the high school.
“Every year we have added another layer of understanding,” Bova-Brown said.
She also pointed to professional development opportunities for staff with diversity being an underlying theme in many in-services.
Board approves compensation for administrators, confidential support staff
Salary and benefit compensation increases were provided for two employee groups. Administrators received 4.5 percent total aggregate salary and benefit compensation and confidential support staff were given 4.6 percent salary and benefit compensation for 2004-05.
The compensation included concessions from both groups and adjustments for administrators.
Personnel matter approved
In personnel matters, the School Board:
- appointed Nancy Lorenz as Lannon’s early math support teacher and Margaret Brumley as the Woodside Special Services paraprofessional; and
- accepted the retirement requests of district payroll supervisor Ginny Olson and Woodside first grade teacher Theresa Joers, both effective at the end of the school year.