Our school curriculum promotes critical thinking and actively engages learners. Staff members monitor student achievement throughout the school year and strive to accommodate all learning styles, ensuring that individual needs are met. Students master basic skills through innovative instruction integrated with technology to reinforce and enhance their educational experience.

Ambitious Instruction Plan

The Milwaukee Public Schools Ambitious Instruction Plan recognizes and celebrates that our students come from many cultures and backgrounds. This plan focuses on high-quality, culturally appropriate teaching and learning. Our goal is to ensure that every student develops reading, writing, and math skills in ways that are meaningful to their individual lives and experiences. Our staff works together to understand each learner and find appropriate ways to assess and improve their progress. We then make sure that students can apply what they have learned in productive ways in school and in their community.

Common Core State Standards

The curriculum in Milwaukee Public Schools is based on Common Core State Standards. These standards were developed with teachers, school administrators, and experts to prepare all children for college and the workforce.

Curriculum

Art, Library, Music, and Physical Education

Students engage in specials every week with full-time specialists. At Burbank, we offer sculpture, drawing, band, and guitar to our seventh and eighth graders.

Language Arts

At Burbank, we recognize the impact that well-developed reading skills have on a student’s education. To excel in all subject areas, students must have a strong foundation in literacy. HMH: Into Reading is the curriculum used for elementary reading instruction (K5–5), while middle schoolers (6–8) use HMH: Into Literature. Writing instruction features school-wide writing prompts and a focus on specific genres, ensuring that students can write in various styles for different audiences.

Mathematics

Burbank utilizes iReady for elementary students (K5–5) and Illustrative Math for middle schoolers (6–8). Teachers supplement the curriculum with constructed response items that require students to solve problems and explain their mathematical thinking.

Science

The science curriculum at Burbank teaches in-depth concepts using academic vocabulary, scientific methods, and hands-on investigations.

Social Studies

The social studies curriculum at Burbank includes five areas of study: Behavioral Sciences, Civics, Economics, Geography, and History.

Special Education

MPS serves all children with disabilities, including cognitive, emotional, hearing, learning, physical, speech, and vision disabilities. The school’s special education teachers, regular education teachers, school social worker, school psychologist, and administration work together to meet students’ needs.

If you think your child has special education needs, ask your child’s teacher or principal for an evaluation. For general questions about special education or specialized services, please call (414) 874-8493.