Roaring Roundup
November 7, 2025
🐾 September 25, 2026 🐾
📆 Upcoming Events 📆
October
- Oct 2 NO SCHOOL
- Oct 6 - Roarin' Run
- Oct 7 - Walk to School Day
- Oct 12 - NO SCHOOL for JK Students
- Oct 15 - NO SCHOOL - Conferences 12-8pm
- Oct 16 - NO SCHOOL - Conferences 8am-12pm
- Oct 19-23 - Book Fair
- Oct 20 - Picture Retakes
- Oct 30 - Character Parade 1pm
🚌 How do I find field trips in IC? 🚌
🌟 Teacher Spotlight 🌟
🎨 Celebrating Mr. Garfoot! 🎨
We are so proud to shine a Teacher Spotlight on our very own art teacher, Michael Garfoot!
This summer, Mr. Garfoot had two of his original works—The Hodag and The Beast of Bray Road—selected for the 2nd Annual Paint Wisconsin Exhibition, a juried exhibition featuring 73 artists celebrating the landscapes, people, and character of Wisconsin.
And we're thrilled to share that The Beast of Bray Road received the Viewer's Choice Award!
Inspired by the mysterious stories and sightings surrounding the legendary Beast of Bray Road near Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Mr. Garfoot's painting brings one of Wisconsin's most famous cryptids to life. The result is equal parts beautiful, mysterious, and just a little spooky.
We're especially excited to celebrate this achievement because our students get to learn from an artist who isn't just teaching about art—he's actively creating it and sharing his work with the world. What a wonderful example for our young artists!
Congratulations, Mr. Garfoot! We are so proud to have you as part of the McKinley Mountain Lion family—and we're pretty sure this Viewer's Choice Award is proof that your art has some serious ROAR behind it!
We love celebrating the many ways our students (and staff) shine—through their accomplishments, acts of kindness, creativity, perseverance, growth, and so much more. We look forward to highlighting and celebrating even more of our Mountain Lions throughout the year!
We invite you to share your child's accomplishments, special moments, or exciting milestones with us. Simply send a quick description and a photo to AshLey (theresas@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us), and we'll celebrate these wonderful moments together.
One Pride. One Purpose. One McKinley ❤️🖤
🏈 Tosa East Homecoming Parade 🏈
The time for Tosa East’s Homecoming is once again upon us — hooray! Homecoming Week is October 5–9, and we’re excited to bring back one of our favorite traditions: the Homecoming Parade!
Hart Park’s football field has been restored, which means we can parade once again! However, because HWY 181 can no longer be shut down, we’ve made a change to this year’s route. For 2026, the parade will begin in the Tosa East parking lot/on 74th Street and zigzag its way down to Hart Park, where the Raiders will take on West Allis Central.
The Red Raider Big Band will lead things off at 6:00 p.m., so come out, line the route, and help us celebrate our Raiders!
We look forward to seeing you there!
Go Raiders!
🪴 Going Green 🪴
🌎 DEIA Download 🌍
📖 The Library Lowdown 📖
The Boo-Boo Bureau: News from Nurse Pam
Fuel, Rest & Be Your Best!
Sleep: A Time to Recharge!
Sleep is more than just bedtime—it’s when growing bodies and brains get a chance to rest, recharge, and get ready for tomorrow! In Wisconsin, approximately 29.4–33.4% of children ages 4 months to 14 years were found to get insufficient sleep.
Children ages 6–12 should aim for 9–12 hours of sleep each night. Getting enough sleep can help children stay focused, improve concentration, and support academic performance.
How can you help your child catch those ZZZs?
Set a regular bedtime. Try to stick to the same bedtime—even on weekends!
Power down screens. Turn off tablets, TVs, phones, and other screens at least one hour before bedtime. This helps children fall asleep faster and get quality rest.
Create a calming bedtime routine. Reading, taking a bath, or listening to quiet music can help signal that it’s time to wind down.
Looking for a fun way to talk about sleep with your child(ren)? Check out the “I See the Animals Sleeping: A Bedtime Story” app that explores the different ways animals sleep while emphasizing why sleep is important (for both animals and children).
Breakfast: Start the Day with Brain Fuel!
What happens when kids start the school day with breakfast? Eating breakfast can positively affect school performance. Children who eat breakfast may have better concentration, memory, and attention.
Research has found that children who eat breakfast before a standardized test have significantly higher scores in math, spelling, and reading compared with children who do not eat breakfast.
How can you make breakfast happen on busy mornings?
Make time for breakfast. Whenever possible, give your child enough time to sit down and enjoy a meal before school.
Grab and go! If a sit-down breakfast isn't in the cards, keep quick, nutrient-dense foods ready to grab on the way out the door.
Think outside the box! Breakfast doesn't have to look like “breakfast.” If your picky eater isn't a fan of traditional breakfast foods, try offering something nontraditional. Make it fun!
Let us help! Breakfast is available at all our schools. For more information check out our website.
Fuel their bodies. Recharge their brains. Let them be their best!
Have questions? Contact the Wauwatosa School District nurses at nurse@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us
Health Questions?
Fran Kuglitsch, Health Aide
Pam Ziolkowski, School Nurse
Confidential Fax: 414.244.9036
Immunization Information
- School immunization record
- Fact sheets: For students in kindergarten–sixth grades, 7–11th grades, and 12th grades.
- Flyer: What parents need to know about immunizations.
Community Food Pantry
As the school year wraps up, we know that summer can sometimes bring unexpected gaps for families. Please remember that our Community Food Pantry is available all summer long for anyone who could use a little extra support. You can find it located on the east side of the school.
Want to help? We are always welcoming donations to keep our shelves stocked with non-perishable items! Donations can be placed directly into the pantry at your convenience.
Some great options include:
- Grains (rice, oats, pasta)
- Ramen
- Mac & Cheese Cups
- Dry soup (such as Bear Creek or Shore Lunch)
- Spaghetti sauce
- Canned fruits, canned vegetables
- Flour, salt, honey
- Peanut butter, sunflower butter, almond butter
- Granola bars, cereal, oatmeal packs, trail mix
- Crackers, individually packed snacks (Cheez-Its, animal crackers, etc.)
- Dry pet food
- Toilet paper, paper towels
- Toothbrushes, toothpaste
- Bar soap
- Feminine hygiene products
- Diapers, pull ups
- Manual can openers
- Plastic grocery bags (for packing items)
If you have any questions or would like to support the McK Community Pantry, please reach out to Lynn Meehan @ meehanly@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us
💖🖤McKinley - Stronger Together. When one of us thrives, we all thrive! 🖤💖
News from your School Social Worker-Ms. Kumferman
Welcome back to a new school year! I am really looking forward to starting my 25th year at McKinley and continuing my work with students and families. It has been so fun to welcome new and returning students. I am already starting to schedule bullying prevention lessons in SK-5th grade classrooms and our Student Support Team has been meeting to look at data and look at strategies and interventions to help support students. I look forward to another exciting school year, and as always, please reach out to any of us on our Student Services Team if you need anything. We are happy to help!
Did you know that homelessness affects students who attend Wauwatosa Schools?
As the District’s former Homeless Liaison, it has been eye-opening to many that there are students in Wauwatosa who meet eligibility under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Act. There are different definitions of ‘homelessness’ and each situation is reviewed individually. Numbers have grown on a yearly basis and are impacted by economic changes, ever-changing family situations, and a variety of other reasons. On average, student services staff identify and support about 140 students per year who are eligible. We have helped these students with various resources to provide stability in order to keep them in their school of origin. With all the changes an unhoused student/family may encounter, we know that this piece is essential.
If you have questions about the federal law and how it might apply, please feel free to reach out to me.
☺ SECOND STEP PROGRAM ☺
Second Step is a social skill building program developed by the National Committee for Children. McKinley started using this curriculum many years ago and it remains a teacher-led program to help support student social-emotional needs in all classrooms from JK through 5th grade. Lessons will be taught consistently throughout the school year.
The Second Step Program teaches skills that can help all children get along with others and do better in school. Its main purpose is to increase the student’s level of social competence by helping to develop empathy, problem-solving skills, and an understanding of their own feelings. It also teaches students how to build active listening skills. These concepts are taught throughout the school year by using: songs, puppets, role play and other activities. *Each year the concepts and skill-building remain consistent but is adjusted per grade level.
The SECOND STEP PROGRAM is divided into 4 main areas:
EMPATHY- Children will learn about feelings and ways to show understanding towards others.
PROBLEM SOLVING- Children will learn new ways to solve problems and practice skills such as apologizing, interrupting politely, and making new friends.
EMOTION MANAGEMENT- Children will learn to manage their emotions and learn how to positively express them in a safe way.
SKILLS FOR LEARNING- Children will learn techniques to build positive active listening skills such as focus and attention.
To learn more about SECOND STEP, please ask your child’s teacher, or go to www.cfchildren.org
BULLYING PREVENTION CURRICULUM
All of the elementary schools in the Wauwatosa School District utilize the Bullying Prevention Curriculum developed by the Committee for Children. This is a national, research-based curriculum that helps students Recognize, Report, and Refuse bullying behavior. It also teaches about the importance of Bystander Power. A main focus this year will be on Bystander Power in any situation…if you see or hear something, say something! These lessons in grades SK-5th are taught by me, the school social worker. Through use of videos and activities, it also focuses on promoting issues of diversity, inclusion, equity and empathy. While each grade level has different videos and lessons, the message remains consistent year to year.
Looking for gently-loved clothing items:
Our office is looking for some specific clothing items that are clean and in good condition. Please take a look at the following list and consider donating to the front office:
Boy’s and girl’s underwear-ALL SIZES (JK-5th gr)
Pants/leggings/sweats-neutral colors- ALL SIZES
socks-ALL SIZES
McKinley's Student Services Staff
Rachel Kumferman, Social Worker
Phone: (414) 773-1533 or Email: kumferra@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us
Hannah Wieczorek, School Psychologist
Phone: (414)-773-2438 Email: wieczoha@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us
Family Resources
🔔 Bell Schedule 🔔
Junior Kindergarten (JK)
- AM 8:20 a.m. - 10:55 a.m. (M,T,W,TH,F)
- PM 12:30 p.m. - 3:20 p.m. (M,T,TH,F)
- PM 12:30 p.m. - 2:20 p.m. (Wednesday)
SK through 5th grade
- 8:20 a.m. - 3:20 p.m. (M,T,TH,F)
- 8:20 a.m. - 2:20 p.m. (Wednesday)
The school office opens at 7:30 a.m. and closes at 4:00 p.m.
Don't Forget .....Every Wednesday is early release day!
