Wales Elementary

FIRST WEEK OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!!! It is always exciting to welcome students back and introduce them to a new year of learning. This year, we are really leaning into a culture of One KM. We encourage all of our KM families to explore other schools, schedule tours, meet the staff, talk with families, and attend events at each of our locations. With over 90 square miles, our district is spread out geographically, making our schools feel somewhat isolated from the broader KM Community. As students transition to new schools, whether that be another elementary for 26-27 or to middle and high school, we want them to feel confident in their surroundings. Please visit kmsd.edu/restructure to learn more about the new elementary boundaries and find upcoming events at other schools.

YOUTH CHEER CLINIC!!! Hosted by the Kettle Moraine High School Cheerleaders, the clinic will take place Tuesday September 30th and Thursday October 2nd from 5:30 - 7:00pm with check in to begin at 5:15pm each day. The performance will be at the Varsity Football game on Friday October 3rd, 2025, with check in to begin at 6:30pm at the KMHS Varsity Softball Field - Adonis Fields Softball Complex. Athletes will receive a t-shirt, poms, and bow with their registration. Admission for the Varsity Football game on Friday October 3rd will be included for the athletes registered. Please see the sign up for further details! Registration is open NOW at https://givebutter.com/vGx6NE.

REGISTER FOR KM WRESTLING CLUB!!! Sign up now and gain valuable skills and experience https://kettlemorainewrestling.sportngin.com/register/form/481510218. All practices are held at KMHS in the wrestling room starting on November 17th for Intermediate and Advanced, regardless of grade. Beginner practices start on December 1st. Beginner Schedule: Monday and Wednesday, 5:30 to 6:30. Intermediate Schedule: K-4th Grade - Monday and Wednesday, 5:30 to 6:30, 5th-8th Grade - Monday and Wednesday, 6:30 to 7:30. Advanced Schedule: Monday through Thursday, 6:00 to 7:30. Note: Monday and Wednesday practices will start with a strength & conditioning circuit before practices begins at 6:30. Contact kmwrestlingclub@gmail.com or (262) 490-1140 to learn more about which group is appropriate or ask additional questions. The conclusion of the regular season is the first week in March. Post Season: Post season will continue through Wisconsin Team and Individual Youth State wrestling tournaments during the month of March. Fall Open Mat Nights: Fall Open Mat Nights are held every Wednesday starting on September 10th in the high school wrestling room from 6:30 to 7:30, and are open to all registered wrestlers 3rd to 8th grade. We'll have a structured session available, that includes conditioning, technique, live wresting and games. The SportsEngine mobile app is available for iOS and Android devices, and can be found on the Apple App Store and on Google Play. All wrestling club information, including changes to practices and/or available tournaments, will be managed through SportsEngine.

FIRST DAY OF 5K AT WALES!!! Principal Balzer greeted a very excited group of new kindergarteners yesterday as they arrived at school. These early start days give 5K, 6th, 9th grade, and new to KM 6-12 students an opportunity to get acclimated and experience their first half day in smaller cohorts. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at school on Tuesday September 2nd after the Labor Day weekend!!

ELEMENTARY BACK TO SCHOOL BASHES CELEBRATE ONE KM!! As the district plans to combine four elementary schools into three for the 26-27 school year, we have extended many events to all of our 4K-5 families district-wide! This will begin with our Back to School Bashes on August 27th. You can stop in at Magee and Cushing from 4:30 - 6:30pm and Dousman and Wales from 5:30-7:00pm. We hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to experience each of our KM schools, meet staff members, and make new friends! Creating pathways for students and families to transition gradually throughout the year will build confidence and ease the anxiety that often accompanies change. We also hope to cultivate a more connected KM Community and bring families together. To learn more about each of our schools, you can visit their websites using the school dropdown at kmsd.edu and use the events icon at the top of the menu to see what is happening throughout the year. We will also have a list of events for all of our schools on our restructure page at kmsd.edu/restructure!

EXPLORE PIONEERS GATHER TO PULL WEEDS AND MEET FRIENDS!!! The Pioneers came together to help get the Wales campus prepared for the fast-approaching school year. They had a lot of fun reconnecting with their friends, pulling the many weeds that have crept up, and enjoying an ice cream treat to celebrate their efforts. Explore is always looking for ways to better their environment and integrate student-led learning opportunities.

SIGN UP FOR CAMP INVENTION – JULY 28-AUGUST 1 @CUSHING ELEMENTARY!!! Give your child a summer experience that builds confidence, imagination and STEM learning! This program is presented in partnership with the Kettle Moraine School District Community Education office and registration is limited to KM Students. Register at inventor.org/camp or 800-968-4332 or contact us for more information sarahinmanlichey@gmail.com.

KM GIRL SCOUTS RECOGNIZED AT BOARD MEETING!!! Girl Scouts is thriving in our community, and several area students have had big achievements! Katie Flemming (HS^2) is one of only three students serving on Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast's (GSWISE) Board of Directors this year. On the Board, she helps influence policy regarding council goals and issues, strategic planning, financial oversight, and fund development. Two KM Global students have earned the Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouts in grades 9-12. To earn the Gold Award, a Girl Scout identifies an issue in her community, creates a plan to address a root cause, and leads a team of volunteers to implement it. Madeline Bruss (Troop 8329) addressed the issue of middle school students struggling with math by creating a tutoring program that offered personalized after-school math assistance. She trained her team of tutors from KMHS on effective tutoring methods, including how to explain concepts using examples, visual aids, and different approaches to problem-solving. The program will continue after Madeline's graduation, as she established the KMHS Math Tutoring Club. Sarah Marcheske (Troop 8329) improved the learning environment and quality of education of her church's Sunday school classrooms. Teachers observed that students had difficulty staying focused and retaining information. After learning how color impacts learning and mood, Sarah researched the best colors for different age groups and repainted and reorganized three classrooms. She also designed and painted a mural outside the classrooms to spark children's interest. Troop 12034 from Wales Explore has earned the Bronze Award, the highest award that can be received by Girl Scouts in grades 4-5. Lily A., Piper B., Alex D., Korynn G., Autumn H., Junia H., Mary K., Nora S., Kinsley S., and Trista S. saw a need to help provide access to books for children in our area. They created a little free library next to the outdoor learning center at Wales Elementary School, where children (and parents) can take and share books, encouraging literacy, recycling, and community connection.

JUNIOR LASERS BASEBALL TRYOUTS!!! The Kettle Moraine Junior Lasers Baseball Club is excited to announce its upcoming 2026 season tryouts in July! Our U7-U14 tryouts will be held at Wales Community park between July 19th, 20th, and 26th (please see attached flyer for specific dates and times for your age group). To register and learn more, please visit KMLasersBaseball.com/tryouts and be sure to register for tryouts by Tuesday, July 15th. The Kettle Moraine Junior Lasers Baseball Club is affiliated directly with the KM High School varsity baseball coaching staff to develop and prepare players for the high school program and is committed to developing skills, teamwork, and a love for baseball in a family friendly environment. We look forward to seeing your athlete on the field!"

Babysitting class is always a popular choice in Summer Academy. Students become certified babysitters by learning basic first aid, CPR, and emergency response. In addition, they practice feeding, diapering, basic baby care, child behavior management, and planning age-appropriate activities. Congratulations to all of these new babysitters!

KETTLE MORAINE 2026 FAST PITCH SOFTBALL TRYOUTS!!! Calling all athletes — your next big softball moment starts here! Tryout Date: Monday, July 21- Wednesday, July 23 @KMHS Adonis Field (see graphic for age-specific time slots). Register now: https://www.kmlfc.com or scan the QR code on the flyer! Questions? Contact Matt at kmfastpitch1@gmail.com. Let’s make this season unforgettable — we can’t wait to see you on the field!

STILL ON THE FENCE ABOUT WHERE TO ENROLL? WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KM? SCHEDULE A TOUR!!! We offer custom tours at all of our schools, and they are a great way for potential students and their families to explore the many wonderful options we offer academically, culturally, athletically, and socially! So visit our website at www.kmsd.edu and click the tour button, or if you are ready to commit to KM, click the enroll button at the top and get started. Remember, the DPI open enrollment application window reopens on JULY 1st. It is important to apply right away on that date to secure a spot, as enrollment is first-come, first-served and some choices may not be available!

ZOO CONCERT!!! Wales kindergarteners had the incredible opportunity of performing a concert at the Milwaukee County Zoo for family, friends, and zoo visitors. They tie-dyed shirts with their fifth grade buddies and drew their favorite zoo animals in preparation for the big event. Each student had a solo as they performed fun animal songs. The students also enjoyed a picnic with friends and some time observing the animals.

REGISTRATION CLOSES JUNE 2ND FOR SUMMER ACADEMY!!! Don't miss the opportunity to provide your student with the wonderful enrichment, credit recovery, and social opportunities of Summer Academy! We have so many amazing classes that are sure to appeal to every interest, from fishing to technology, animals, and even Harry Potter. Students can choose four courses per day (with the exception of Moving on to Kindergarten). To accommodate more families and staffing demands we will again run two separate sessions lasting six weeks total. Session one will run June 16-July 3 and session two will run July 7-July 25. Students can attend the full six weeks or one session only if preferred. Session two classes will be a repeat of content and activities from session one, unless noted in the course description. For open-enrollment students interested in "trying" KM, Summer Academy courses are available for a fee. Check out our course catalog and sign up NOW https://www.kmsd.edu/page/summer-academy!

Family Fun Night is THIS FRIDAY, May 16th! Here are some important things to know - **You can STILL preorder tickets through the end of tomorrow!! The ticket form is attached to this email. Pre-ordering gets you 5 free tickets for every 20 purchased. WE ACCEPT VENMO! **WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0C48A8A62CABFE3-walesexplore#/ **You can buy dinner (Culvers!) at the event It's a super fun night and a night that kids look forward to all year. Don't miss it!

ALICE IN WONDERLAND TOURS KM ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS!!! Cast members from the KMHS Campus Spring Production of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland dogged raindrops to visit Cushing, Dousman, and Magee Elementary Schools Thursday May 1. The day before, Wales campus students attended a similar performance at the KM Prism Arts Center. There were lots of smiling faces from the high school performers and younger students in the audience as they experienced the production. The performers answered many questions about how costumes are made, how long it takes to put together a production, and who from the cast attended each school. Come see the full production with complete costumes and set pieces this weekend! Performances are May 2 & 3 @ 7pm, and Sunday May 4 @ 2 pm. Run time is approximately 80 minutes including intermission. Tickets available at the door or in advance at kmdrama.ludus.com.

STILL ON THE FENCE ABOUT WHERE TO ENROLL? WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KM? SCHEDULE A TOUR!!! We offer custom tours at all of our schools, and they are a great way for potential students and their families to explore the many wonderful options we offer academically, culturally, athletically, and socially! So visit our website at www.kmsd.edu and click the tour button, or if you are ready to commit to KM, click the enroll button at the top and get started. Remember, the open enrollment window closes on 4/30. It is important to apply and secure a spot before it re-opens in summer, as enrollment is first-come, first-served and some choices may not be available!

WALES CAMPUS SCIENCE DAY!!! KM Global students presented scientific topics for Wales and Explore students at Science Day. Students really enjoyed learning about our native birds, identification tools, and migration from Brady Weston. Several community members also volunteered! A chef explained food on a molecular level with whipped cream and chocolate caviar and a veterinarian instructed students on how to perform physical examinations on canines. Retzer Nature Center gave a presentation on the sun, and students went outside to measure the sun's rays and took home color-changing sun beads. Global senior Adeline Bergoholz-Gleason co-directed the event with Rachel Schultz as her senior capstone. Thank you to everyone who contributed!

WALES FLIGHT GROUPS SUPPORT COMMUNITY INITIATIVES!!! Each month a staff member and a small group of students from Wales Elementary form a Flight Group that works together to coordinate an activity that improves our KM Community. This month, they cleaned up litter in celebration of Earth Day!