Anna F. Doerfler School offers two instructional programs: a bilingual Spanish/English option for children from Spanish-speaking backgrounds, and an English-only program.
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.
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 life and experiences. Our staff works together to understand each learner, find appropriate ways to assess and improve their progress, and make sure that students can apply what they have learned in productive ways in school and in their community.
Reading/Language Arts
Reading is a priority at Doerfler School. Students in Grades K4 through 5 are taught reading, writing, and oral language for 90 minutes a day, and students in Grades 6 through 8 are taught for 60 minutes daily.
Our teachers use a variety of methods to teach reading in the classroom and in smaller groups, and they tailor lessons to each child. Students are encouraged to read together and read at home with their families for 20 minutes each night.
Math
At Doerfler, we build stronger problem-solving skills. Teachers determine monthly whether students need more instruction to learn their math skills.
Integrated Arts
We are a creative community that works together to promote high academic achievement through arts integration. At Doerfler, you will see students learning through arts-enhanced lessons that our teachers develop and plan in partnership with local arts organizations and artists.
Special Education
We have bilingual special education teachers, bilingual speech/language pathologists, and bilingual paraprofessionals on staff. Our special education teachers, regular education teachers, school social worker, school psychologist, school support teacher, and administration to 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, or learn more about Specialized Services.