Danceworks Mad Hot Rhythm

Teaching artists from Danceworks provide two weekly one-hour dance classes for 18 weeks—36 total hours of dance instruction for participating scholars who work together to create performing art. Each year, Mad Hot Rhythm culminates with a city-wide competition and school performances.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

Milwaukee Public Schools uses PBIS to promote positive student behavior. After years of use, districts across the country, MPS included, are reporting increases in student achievement, more positive school environments, and fewer classroom disruptions and disciplinary referrals.

PBIS uses a three-tiered approach. Tier one teaches expectations to all students and promotes collaboration and consistency in the classroom: Teachers and students co-design agreements and routines that align with school expectations. Tiers two and three provide structure, interventions, and follow up for students who need more support.

Turnaround Arts

Turnaround Arts is a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Turnaround Arts empowers high-needs schools with innovative visual art, dance, theater and music programs and integrates the arts across all subject areas. The program’s whole-school transformation goals include closing the achievement gap, increasing student engagement, and boosting attendance through a strategic use of the arts.

Urban Ecology Center

The Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP) engages classes through field trips to local green spaces that enrich the classroom curriculum. Urban Ecology Center educators engage students through hands-on activities, indoors and outdoors. Students may learn about local habitats, identifying plants, finding signs of animal life, or building forts with classmates! Rain or shine, snow or wind, every trip has a portion outdoors and is engaging for all students and parent chaperones. Urban Ecology Center has outerwear available to borrow so all participants may explore in any weather. There are three Urban Ecology Center locations; most schools partner with one less than two miles from their school.

Violence Free Zone

Violence Free Zone (VFZ) Youth Advisors build relationships with students. These Youth Advisors are mature young adults who are from the same neighborhoods as students in the school. These Youth Advisors can gain the trust and respect of the students they work with because they overcame some of the same challenges our students experience today. VFZ Youth Advisors serve as mentors, conflict resolvers, and positive role models inside and outside of school.