Our academics focus on nurturing and knowledge because children learn best when they feel valued, supported, and seen.
“You have to greet a child with a smile and a kind word,” explains Hawthorne Principal Shantee Jude-Williams. “I just try to show every kid, every family, that we love their child, and we want them to be here. That is the bottom line, love, and kindness.”
Over time, students become learners and leaders who are as comfortable in the community as they are in school. Teachers bring creativity and technology into standards-based lessons. Students bring a natural curiosity and new knowledge to educational field trips. They explore the science and scenery of changing seasons through Nearby Nature Milwaukee and the Urban Ecology Center. They enjoy theater workshops and local productions through partnerships with nonprofits like Black Arts MKE.
Weekly art, music, and physical education classes help students grow as artists, athletes, and team players. In our Library Media Center, they learn you’re never too young to read and research.
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 masters 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
Through our Comprehensive Literacy Plan, K4 through fifth-grade students receive reading, writing, and oral language instruction for 90 minutes a day.
Math
We use district-wide standards and assessments in every grade to help students accumulate mathematical knowledge and skills that prepare them for success in middle and high school.
Gifted and Talented
Through the U.S. Department of Education Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program Grant, we seek to increase the representation of students from underrepresented backgrounds. Students receive individualized learning opportunities and support so they can reach their fullest potential.
Special Education
MPS serves all children with disabilities, including cognitive, physical, emotional, learning, hearing, vision, and speech disabilities. Our 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, or learn more about Specialized Services.