2019-20 RUSD Community Report

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Learning & LeadingMiracle Holmes thought it was a harmless prank.“When I was a freshman I thought it would befunny to pull the fire alarm,” Holmes recalled. “Assoon as I did, I knew I had made a mistake. I startedto run and I was almost arrested.”Fast forward a few years. Miracle is now a seniorat Park High School. And these days she is seenas a student leader. She even heads The Real Talk,a group that gives students an outlet to cometogether, handle conflict and talk about things thatare important to them.She attributes this turnaround, in part, to OfficerJerome King, Park High School’s full-time SchoolResource Officer and Miracle’s friend.“I was in a bad place when I pulled the alarm,”Holmes remembers. “But, the officers here,especially Officer King, they have helped me dealwith so much. They listen, they care. Honestly,they’ve changed my life.”In 2016, RUSD implemented the CommunityOriented Policing philosophy in partnership withthe Racine Police Department, otherwise knownas the COP Model. Now, we have developedadditional relationships with the Mt. Pleasant,Caledonia and Sturtevant police departments toplace full and part-time officers in RUSD’s threehigh schools and the middle schools. They get toknow students and work to build trust and respect.Since its inception, RUSD has seen a 25 percentdrop in calls to police and a 43 percent drop in arrests and citations.“It’s not because we’re not holding our kids accountable it’s because we’re providing the necessarysupport to make sure that those mistakes don’t repeat themselves and our officers are very involvedin that,” said Jeff Miller, Park High School principal.“Every day Iwork to buildrelationshipswith our studentsso I can betterunderstand themand they canunderstand me.”Officer Jacob Smetana, Racine Police Dept.At Horlick, Officer Jacob Smetanawalks the halls as more than justthe school resource officer. He’s afriend, a confidant and also an alum.“I know this school, I know thiscommunity and I know these kids,”Smetana said. “Every day I workto build relationships with ourstudents so I can better understandthem and they can understand me.”“This partnership has builtconsistency and transparency withour students,” Horlick PrincipalAngela Apmann added.
Community + Schools = SuccessKnapp Elementary Community School has seen its fair share of changes. In 2015, they cut the ribbon to a brand-newbuilding. In 2016 they welcomed new administration. And, over the last four years, they’ve seen test scores go up, studentachievement numbers rise and are currently celebrating four consecutive years of growth on the state report card.What’s their secret? We asked…“The Community School model has changed Knapp Elementary School,” Principal Rich Wytonick said. “In the last four years,we’ve seen a higher level of engagement. We’ve formed partnerships with community members and our families. We’vebrought back trust between parents and staff.”In 2015, Knapp Elementary Community School was born in partnership with theUnited Way of Racine County. Community schools, by definition, unite schoolsand community resources to create one neighborhood hub. They engage students,parents, staff and community members in programs and services that strengthenneighborhoods and improve health, educational and financial stability outcomes.In the Knapp community, 98 percent of students live within six blocks of the school.Adam Bilgo and his daughter Helena live a block from the school.“I try to help spread the word about the great things happening at Knapp,” Bilgo said.“It’s important for everyone in this community to know that there is help here andthey should take advantage of it.”In 2018-2019, Knapp had a 37 percent decrease in office referrals and suspensions anda 35 percent increase in Community Night attendance.“People want to behere – staff, parents,administration -everybody is on thesame page.”Principal Rich Wytonick, Knapp Elementary“People want to be here – staff, parents, administration - everybody is on the same page,” Wytonick said. “We have beenable to build something that will outlast us.”Anisa Diaz, Principal at Julian Thomas Elementary School, is hoping she will see similar results. Julian Thomas ElementarySchool officially became the District’s second Community School this fall. So far, all signs point to positive.“Word is spreading! We’re asking our families what they need so we can support them the best that we can,” Diaz said.“Our partnership with United Way has allowed us to open our doors to the community and make them feel welcome onmany different levels.”“The vibe and feeling of the school feels different,” Mekeda Gilmore, a parent of two children at Julian Thomas added. “Mykids are excited about going to school. They love their teachers and I love that I know I have an active role in my child’seducation.”Creating Community Schools in RUSD is just one example of how we’re Raising Racine, together.
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2019-20 RUSD Community Report

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