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Meeting Date:
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8/31/2017 - 6:30 PM
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Category:
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Awards and Commendations
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Type:
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Info
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Subject:
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2. Excellence in Education Award - Vincent High School Agricultural Sciences Program
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Strategic Plan Compatibility Statement:
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Goal 2 Student, Family and Community Engagement
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Attachments
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File Attachment:
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Background:
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Each month, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors recognizes an outstanding school/program, student, staff member, parent, or community member for a display of excellence, achievement, and innovation that may serve as an example to our school district and the entire Milwaukee community.
This month, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors is pleased to posthumously present the “Excellence in Education Award” to:
Vincent High School Agricultural Sciences Program
The Vincent High School agricultural sciences program is now in its sixth year, after a two-decade absence, and has made exceptional strides in a very short amount of time. Last year the district announced the school’s transformation into the Vincent High School of Agricultural Sciences, where every student would receive agricultural education.
Vincent is now one of the largest agriculture schools in the state of Wisconsin, with five dedicated agriculture teachers and a sixth teacher dedicated to culinary arts, which has been folded into the overall agriculture program. Students can choose from six pathways, which include animal science, horticulture (plant) science, food science, environmental science, agribusiness and entrepreneurship, and culinary arts.
The school has made significant advancements in recent years: a steering committee of MPS, business, postsecondary, and community partners has been established to advance and improve program outcomes. The school has also received significant support from UW-Madison’s Molly Jahns, Professor of Agronomy at UW-Madison, and Gail Kraus, a full-time staff member dedicated to supporting the program. A partnership with the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences has resulted in further curriculum development and improvement.
The program’s progress is evident in the many events and community-building opportunities in which it has participated over the past several years. These include:
• visits from local dignitaries such as Mayor Tom Barrett; Wisconsin’s Secretary of Agriculture, Ben Brancel; State Senator Lena Taylor; representation from US Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office; and Alderwoman Chantia Lewis;
• the Wisconsin Idea Seminar tour, which included 40 UW-Madison staff who learned about innovative ideas in Wisconsin education;
• the opening of the Vincent Fresh Market, a café selling goods such as eggs, lotions, beeswax candles, lip balm, plants, fresh salads, and other items, all of which were grown, raised, or made in the program;
• students’ exhibitions of market lambs at the Wisconsin State Fair;
• the Ag Spring Showcase, which included numerous exhibits from classroom projects, business and college representatives, and sales of goods from the program and was attended by the community, Vincent students, and selected 8th-grade students from area schools.
The enthusiasm for the agricultural program continues to build: Three feeder schools have been identified, and Vincent is working closely with each in an effort to create a pipeline through which students interested in agricultural education may enroll at Vincent.
We congratulate Vincent High School, the dedicated teachers and school administration, and all of the partners who have played significant roles in what the agricultural program has become, with an eye toward more exciting progress in the coming years.
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Fiscal Impact Statement:
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Implementation and Assessment Plan
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Recommendation:
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Approvals:
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Recommended By:
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Signed By:
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Dr. Darienne Driver - Superintendent
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