Racine Unified School District Explained

Racine Unified School District
Grades:K through 12
Superintendent:Eric Gallien[1]
Teachers:1,757 (approx.)[2]
Students:19,455 (approx.)
Location:Racine County, Wisconsin
Country:United States

Racine Unified School District (RUSD) is a school district serving the eastern portion of Racine County, Wisconsin. It encompasses a 100sqmi area, and serves the city of Racine and six other towns and villages, which had a combined population of 139,193 at the 2010 census. RUSD is the fifth-largest school district in Wisconsin. It has 31 schools, with a student enrollment of 19,455. The district employs 1,757 teachers and 171 administrators.

History

On June 26, 1961, the City of Racine school system merged with 24 schools in the surrounding area to form the Unified School District No. 1 of Racine. The issue had been put to a referendum earlier that year, on April 4, and all seven municipalities of eastern Racine County – Caledonia, Elmwood Park, Mount Pleasant, North Bay, Racine, Sturtevant, and Wind Point – voted in favor of the unification.[3] The district moved to desegregate its schools in 1975, in an effort which was regarded as widely successful and held up as a model to other cities.[4] A pair of referendums in 2015 asked residents of Caledonia and Sturtevant whether they wanted to secede from RUSD and create separate school districts. Both narrowly won, garnering majority of the vote.[5] [6]

Schools

Racine Unified operates 31 schools across eastern Racine County. One, the Racine Early Education Center, is a preschool serving children under the age of five. 22 are elementary schools, educating children between kindergarten and fifth grade. There are seven middle schools, for sixth through eighth grades, and five high schools, for ninth through twelfth grades.[7] Five of the district's schools cover more than one of these categories – Gifford, Jerstad-Agerholm, and Mitchell are combined elementary and middle schools, while the REAL School and Walden III are combined middle and high schools.

Elementary schools

Middle schools

High schools

In 2016 the district instituted block scheduling for high schools.[54]

Other facilities and programs

Administration

School board

The district's school board consists of nine members, each serving three-year terms, with three positions coming up for election every year. Officers are elected by a board vote every year. The board usually meets on the first and third Mondays of each month.

Superintendent

The superintendent of the district, whose role is to conduct the affairs and programs of the district, is employed by the school board. The superintendent of Racine Unified School District is Ladarla "Lolli" Haws,[76] [77] [78] who was hired in 2013.[54] She had previously been an instructional superintendent at District of Columbia Public Schools, overseeing 13 of the district's schools. Haws has worked in education since 1976.[79]

In 2001 Thomas Hicks became the superintendent. Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard replaced in him in 2008 when he took retirement, and subsequent superintendents were Jackson V. Parker III, James J. Shaw and Ann Laing.[54]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Superintendent . Racine Unified School District . April 7, 2018.
  2. Web site: Welcome to Racine Unified . Racine Unified School District. April 6, 2017.
  3. http://journaltimes.com/news/local/from-the-archives-voters-ok-unification/article_ac0a6086-1621-11e3-9e7d-001a4bcf887a.html "Voters OK ‘Unification’, Proposal Wins Majority in All 7 Municipalities"
  4. Tempas, Chris and Stephen Kercher. "The Pursuit of True Freedom: School Desegregation in Racine, Wisconsin". Oshkosh Scholar, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, 2011.
  5. Knapp, Aaron. "Caledonia, Sturtevant looking to ask voters’ opinion on leaving Unified". Racine Journal Times, January 24, 2015.
  6. Racine County Clerk. "2nd Unofficial Election Results 04-07-15".
  7. Web site: Racine Unified School District – Our Schools. Racine Unified School District. April 6, 2017.
  8. Web site: Spoto, Cara. Unified board to address vacant schools . The Journal Times. 2017-11-08. 2019-07-03.
  9. http://www.rusd.org/finearts/welcome Bull Fine Arts – About Us
  10. The United States Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Eminent and Self-Made Men, Wisconsin Volume. Chicago: American Biographical Publishing Company, 1877, p. 192.
  11. http://www.rusd.org/drjones/welcome Dr. Jones – About Us
  12. http://www.rusd.org/fratt/welcome Fratt – About Us
  13. "What's in a name: N.D. Fratt School". Racine Journal Times, December 16, 1997.
  14. http://www.rusd.org/giese/welcome Giese – About Us
  15. "LIST-school names". Racine Journal Times, February 19, 1995.
  16. http://www.rusd.org/gifford/2016-2017 Gifford – About Us
  17. http://www.rusd.org/goodland/welcome Goodland – About Us
  18. http://www.rusd.org/montessori Montessori Program
  19. Torres, Ricardo. "New Montessori classroom opens at Goodland Elementary". Racine Journal Times, September 13, 2016.
  20. http://www.rusd.org/janes/welcome Janes – About Us
  21. Burke, Michael. Year-round school at Janes Elementary remains hugely popular. Racine Journal Times, April 3, 2012.
  22. Burke, Michael. "Board approves end of year-round school at Janes school". Racine Journal Times, April 19, 2016.
  23. http://www.rusd.org/jefferson/welcome Jefferson Lighthouse – About Us
  24. http://www.rusd.org/jaes/welcome Jerstad-Agerholm – About Us
  25. http://www.rusd.org/johnson/welcome S.C. Johnson – About Us
  26. http://www.rusd.org/julianthomas/welcome Julian Thomas – About Us
  27. Wilford, Jeff. "'This hurts': Julian Thomas' death leaves hole in community". Racine Journal Times, April 7, 2003.
  28. http://www.rusd.org/knapp/welcome Knapp – About Us
  29. http://www.rusd.org/mitchell-es/welcome Mitchell Elementary – About Us
  30. Asiyanbi, Heather. "Mitchell School Fire: One Year Later". Racine County Eye, February 27, 2015.
  31. "What's in a name: North Park Elementary School". Racine Journal Times, December 8, 1998.
  32. http://www.rusd.org/rcla/welcome Racine Civil Leaders Academy – About Us
  33. http://www.vindustries.com/racine/0_cemeteries.shtml Cemeteries in Racine
  34. Sloth, Paul. "Winslow site to reopen in fall as new home of Mack Center". Racine Journal Times, June 12, 2007.
  35. Bullock, Lindsay. "New charter school contract finally gets Unified approval". Racine Journal Times, March 26, 2014.
  36. http://www.rusd.org/reec/welcome Racine Early Education Center – About Us
  37. http://www.rusd.org/redapple-es/welcome Red Apple – About Us
  38. http://www.rusd.org/roosevelt/welcome Roosevelt – About Us
  39. http://www.rusd.org/schulte/welcome Schulte – About Us
  40. "What's in a name?: Schulte Elementary School". Racine Journal Times, November 4, 1997.
  41. "Wadewitz Elementary School Raising Funds For New Playground". Racine Uncovered, May 17, 2016.
  42. http://www.rusd.org/wadewitz/welcome Wadewitz – About Us
  43. http://www.rusd.org/westridge/welcome West Ridge – About Us
  44. http://www.rusd.org/gilmore/principal Gilmore – About Us
  45. http://www.rusd.org/jams/welcome Jerstad-Agerholm – About Us
  46. http://www.rusd.org/mckinley/welcome McKinley – About Us
  47. http://www.rusd.org/real/welcome-0 REAL School – About Us
  48. http://www.rusd.org/starbuck/welcome Starbuck – About Us
  49. Bennett, Chris. "Glad You Asked: Half-staff flags and The Journal Times name". Racine Journal Times, August 19, 2006.
  50. http://www.rusd.org/walden/welcome Walden – About Us
  51. http://www.rusd.org/case/welcome Case – About Us
  52. http://www.rusd.org/horlick/welcome Horlick – About Us
  53. http://www.rusd.org/park/welcome Park – About Us
  54. Torres, Ricardo. "Board votes 6-3 to extend Superintendent Haws' contract". Racine Journal Times, December 19, 2016.
  55. http://gisweb.cityofracine.org/ArcGIS/rest/services/Zoning/MapServer ArcGIS Map
  56. http://www.rusd.org/alternative-education Racine Alternative Learning
  57. Killackey, Brian. "Alternative thinking; Racine Unified's dangerous students met with non-traditional approach". Racine Journal Times, February 19, 2006.
  58. http://www.rusd.org/alternative-education/partners-educating-parenting-students Partners Educating Parenting Students
  59. http://www.rusd.org/alternative-education/racine-alternative-education Racine Alternative Education
  60. http://www.rusd.org/alternative-education/special-education-options Special Education Options
  61. http://www.rusd.org/alternative-education/transitional-education-program Transitional Education Program
  62. Knapp, Aaron. "Sportsplex purchase approved". Racine Journal Times, April 19, 2016.
  63. https://www.john23educenter.org/ John XXIII Educational Center
  64. Bullock, Lindsay. "Unified’s new Turning Point Academy moves forward". Racine Journal Times, December 17, 2013.
  65. Bullock, Lindsay. "The end of the Mack Center -- Unified to create new program as part of a larger district revamp". Racine Journal Times, December 14, 2013.
  66. Torres, Ricardo. "REAL School construction approved by School Board". Racine Journal Times, March 22, 2017.
  67. Web site: Roberts, B. Lee. Memories for sale at Wind Point Elementary . The Journal Times. 2018-02-18. 2019-07-03. Some of Wind Point Elementary’s earliest students — who attended from 1966 to 1973[...].
  68. Web site: Fiori, Lindsay. Unified targets Wind Point Elementary School . The Journal Times. 2012-12-03. 2019-07-03.
  69. Web site: Fiori, Lindsay. Wind Point Elementary School closing . The Journal Times. 2012-12-17. 2019-07-02.
  70. Web site: Sadowski, Jonothon. Wind Point pressures Unified to demolish empty school . The Journal Times. 2017-06-05. 2019-07-03.
  71. Web site: Fiori, Lindsay. At Wind Point, truly the last day of school. Racine Journal Times. 2013-06-11. 2019-07-03.
  72. Web site: Spoto, Cara. Wind Point School transfer approved. The Journal Times. 2017-11-21. 2019-07-03.
  73. Web site: Mauk, Alyssa. Wind Point School contents to be sold in Sunday sale. The Journal Times. 2018-12-15. 2019-07-03.
  74. Web site: Rogan, Adam. Wind Point Elementary demolition. The Journal Times. 2017-11-21. 2019-07-03.
  75. Web site: Spoto, Cara. New residential development proposed for Wind Point School property . The Journal Times. 2017-11-18. 2019-07-03.
  76. http://www.i-dealprospectus.com/PDF/2_64139.pdf Official Statement
  77. http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=38828 Innovative Professional Development Community of Practice
  78. Bullock, Lindsay. "No. 8: Lolli Haws hired to lead Unified". Racine Journal Times, December 24, 2013.
  79. Haws, Lolli. Resume, 2013.