Parent Update 2025
Watertown High School
WUSD Distinguished Alumni 2025
David Neil McMurray was a 1960 graduate of Watertown High School. He earned his BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1965. Following two years of Peace Corps service in Kenya, he returned to Madison for his MS and PhD degrees in Medical Microbiology. He then spent four years as a post-doctoral fellow at the Tulane University International Center for Medical Research in Colombia. In 1976, he was recruited to the Texas A&M University College of Medicine, where he taught immunology and microbiology to medical students for 41 years. He rose to the rank of Regents Professor and was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators in 2012. McMurray was also a founding member and former chair of the Intercollegiate Faculty of Nutrition at Texas A&M.
McMurray's research, funded by over $15 million in grants primarily from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), focused on vaccine-induced resistance to tuberculosis (TB). He published over 220 papers in peer-reviewed journals and mentored nearly 50 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. His expertise led to various international roles, including a 10-year consultancy with the World Health Organization (WHO) and travel as a technical advisor for US-funded TB research programs in Russia and other high-burden countries. McMurray was also a long-time member of the Tuberculosis and Leprosy Panel of the US-Japan Cooperative Medical Sciences Program and served on the Board of Directors for the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation.
Homecoming Week was a lot of fun and we were so glad to see kids participating in the dress up days and showing their Gosling spirit! This is just a gentle reminder that all dress code regulations will be back in place on Monday, October 6.
Please remind your student that hats and hoods are not allowed during the day -- this does include in the hallways between classes. The forecast is predicting weather in the 50s and 60s next week, so students will probably be wearing warmer clothes, but please remember that there should be no gap between shirts and bottoms. Additionally, undergarments should not be visible, so students wearing off-the-shoulder shirts should be careful that they aren't in violation of the policy.
Monday, October 20 (4:30 pm - 7:30 pm)
WHS will be hosting in person Parent Teacher Conferences on Monday, October 20 from 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm in WHS classrooms. Parents can register for Parent Teacher Conferences via Skyward Family Access starting on Monday, October 13 until Sunday, October 19 at 11:59 p.m.
With that in mind, families are welcome to call or email WHS teachers at any time. If parents or guardians would like to have a face to face meeting with teachers, but can't attend conferences, be sure to schedule an appointment with the teacher in advance. Teacher contact information can be found on the WHS website staff directory.
If you have any questions, please contact the WHS Student Services Office or Administration at any time. We look forward to partnering with families to ensure all of our students find success at WHS!
Chad Hayes - Dean of Students
High school students should check their email daily to stay updated on assignments, announcements, and important information from teachers and school staff. Regular email checks help them stay organized and avoid missing deadlines or events.
Please check out the Student Launch Page which gives information about student Chromebooks and how students can login if they don't have their student id card.
Friday, October 10
Senior Pictures
Current Junior Students/Parents
The Watertown Unified School District is participating in a the state program called Direct Admit Wisconsin. Direct Admit Wisconsin is designed to provide a place for all Wisconsin high school students to access a world-class public education by proactively offering them admission to the Universities of Wisconsin. Families will need to opt-in to this program in Skyward before the deadline.
Based on a review of your student’s 11th grade transcript (grade point average, math coursework, progression towards graduation), you and your student will receive an email in July, 2026 indicating which UWs are providing them direct admission, and the next steps they are to take in order to learn more about enrolling within the Universities of Wisconsin.
There are 10 UWs participating in Direct Admit Wisconsin for Fall 2026. They are UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior and UW-Whitewater. Please reach out to your student's school counselor for more information.
Watertown High School senior, Taija Garcia, has demonstrated strong involvement in both school and community activities throughout high school. Taija is the daughter of Lorenzo Garica and Karleen Long. Taija has been a four year member of HOSA (Future Health Professionals) currently serving as President as well as serving as Vice President for Student Council. She has also been a four year member of the Girls Swim Team and Track & Field. Taija is also currently active in National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Interact (Student Rotary), and Ecology Club. When not at WHS, she is volunteering her time with the Red Cross Blood Drives and working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. She plans to attend a two-year technical school in the Surgical Tech program and/or a four-year university on a pre-med track.
Ted Woelfel is excited to join the team at Watertown High School as a biology teacher. A native of New Berlin, he graduated from New Berlin West before earning his degree from UW-Whitewater. This is his first full-time teaching position, and he’s looking forward to bringing his passion for science into the classroom.
His interest in education began in high school, where he worked as a youth sports instructor at the New Berlin Community Center and spent several years umpiring little league baseball games. Inspired by his own high school teachers—especially his science teachers—he decided to pursue a career in teaching.
He is a big sports fan, specifically Bucks, Brewers, and Packers and he enjoys golfing with friends in his free time.
WHS Main Line: 920-262-7500
- Press 1 for Attendance Office
- Press 2 for Student Services/Requesting a Transcript
- Press 3 for Main Office (Administration/Athletics)
- Press 4 for Bookkeeping Office
- Press 5 for Nutrition Services
- Press 6 for WHS Health Room
WHS Attendance: 920-262-7537
- Please leave a message if no answers as messages are continually checked in the Attendance Office.
WHS Student Services: 920-262-7550
Watertown High School on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WatertownHighSchoolWI
Watertown High School on Instagram at www.instagram.com/watertownhighschoolwi
Watertown Unified School District on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WatertownUnifiedSD
Watertown Unified School District on Instagram at instagram.com/watertownusd