FROM OUR LEADERSGood Day, Aug Prep Families! I am Toni Shaw and I serve as the Director of Student Services at Aug Prep. I am excited to serve in this capacity grounded in more than 20 years experience. I have had the pleasure to serve the students and families at Aug Prep for the past four years. I am both excited and grateful for the opportunity to partner with you and serve your student. As the Director of Student Services, my role oversees schoolwide programs that assist children with special needs. These programs ensure that children of all abilities can learn based on their own unique set of skills and challenges. The special education model consists of academic support in English, math and/or speech that works inside the classroom as well as through small group intervention. I am blessed to complete this work with an amazing team of seven Special Education teachers and case managers who show initiative, competence and concern. As the Special Education Department aligns with the school’s vision, it is our mission to ensure that all students with disabilities learn. We support their growth into knowledgeable skills and confident citizens capable of succeeding in their work, personal and family lives into the future. The Special Education Department is committed to supporting parents and working together to Now Accepting School Applications for the 2022-2023 School Year!Recruitment has begun for the 2022-2023 school year! The Aug Prep team travels in person and virtually to several schools to share the outcomes of Aug Prep. We also hosted our High School Open House in September. As of today, we have welcomed nearly 450 prospective high school students from Milwaukee and nearby areas. The top left and right pictures are of Bruce Guadalupe Alumni (Kevin, Omar, Sarahi & Jorge) that attended the BGMS and UCC Acosta High School Fair. Sharing their high school experience inspired many upcoming freshmen to choose Aug Prep as their school of choice. In October, we continue our recruitment efforts and encourage you to take part in spreading the word about Aug Prep! Share your experience with family, friends, work colleagues and fellow church members who are looking for an exceptional school. Our school applications are now open for all grade levels. Interested families can begin their journey at Aug Prep by visiting our website at augprep.org/enrollnow or by contacting the Family and Community Engagement Department at families@augprep.org or by calling 414-810-1604. #YourCityYourSchoolAugPrep HONORING OUR NORTH STAR Each month we recognize team members who embody our North Star values of serving in love with courage, perseverance, integrity and respect. This month, we are featuring Ms. Golden, High School Interventionist. I am Emily Golden and I am a part of the amazing Social Studies team at Aug Prep High School. I received my bachelor’s in History at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and later added my teaching certification and Master’s degree in Education at Concordia University in Mequon. This is my third year teaching at Aug Prep. In addition to teaching, I also am on our all-school Faith Committee, where we work to align all schools with our North Star and our mission to equip our students to be tomorrow’s leaders not only academically, but spiritually as well. As a natural extension of my work on the all-school Faith Committee, I co-lead the High School Faith Committee with my colleague Kaitlin Grafmeier. I am particularly passionate about Biblical Integration, the process of aligning the curriculum with a Biblical worldview, as well as our growth as Christian educators in the Word of God. I love the Lord and I am so thankful that part of my job here at Aug Prep is to share that love with others and to help equip them to serve Him. I also am the advisor for the National Honor Society and was instrumental in establishing the chapter of NHS here at our school. Last year we had our first ceremony where we inducted 32 new members into the nationally recognized and prestigious organization. This is our first active year and I have been excited to work with the students on developing their leadership, character and service potential. We have begun a mentorship program where the senior and junior NHS members are paired with underclassmen as mentors. This program allows the NHS leaders to offer guidance and friendship to those in the lower grades and provide character-building leadership to help them navigate the rough waters of high school. We also are working on developing an NHS tutoring program, that would provide student-to-student tutoring and further develop those leadership skills. Some of the most important activities that we are working on this year in NHS are our Ruby’s Pantry service. These events, offered once a month on Wednesdays, are an opportunity for members of the community to purchase a share of food for the low cost of $22. The value of the typical food share is approximately $200. We are so thankful and blessed for this opportunity, for the students to serve others in love, for those in the community to be blessed with the food, and for all of us to grow together as a community. Here is a video of our first event. The NHS at Aug Prep is allowed to keep 10% of the funds raised from this event, and this money will be used for service projects for others in our school, the neighborhood, and even around the world. Our next event will be held on Wednesday, October 20, starting at 5 pm. Click here for more information. We are excited to see how God will continue to use us to be His hands and feet. I am so thankful and blessed to be able to love and serve the Lord through my job here at Aug Prep! PARENT TO PARENTMeet the Wiberg Family! Members of the Aug Prep Community since 2017, and proud parents of Joseph in 9th grade, Tayla in 7th grade. Four years ago I moved myself and my children from Kenosha County to Milwaukee so they could attend this wonderful school when it first opened its doors. I trusted the vision and mission of Aug Prep, and I have not been disappointed in the education and moral guidance they’ve received. My son is now in 10th grade and my daughter is in 7th. They’ve both participated in swimming and cross country, and my son plays on the high school basketball and baseball teams. I appreciate the fact that the school allows its students to engage in activities that build strong bodies and a sense of camaraderie, without creating an atmosphere of intense competition among peers. From our experience, teamwork, ethical play, and doing ones' best are emphasized over winning, and my children have made what will certainly be lifelong friends while participating in the athletic programs. In their four years at Aug Prep, I’ve watched my children grow into responsible, respectful, and resilient members of our family and community, and I give Aug Prep a great deal of credit for their positive development in this regard. If I were to give one piece of advice to other parents it would be to have faith in your children’s ability to succeed. I am in awe every day at what my children are capable of, and I give a great deal of credit to the guidance they’ve received at school. If they put in the hard work, they will have what they need to be on the path toward college and a successful future. CATCHING UP WITH ALUMNIMy name is Emilio Munoz. I am currently attending Marquette and studying Computer Engineering. I was able to obtain financial aid through All-In Milwaukee, Marquette University Educational Opportunity Program & the Kelben Scholarship. There was one main pre-college program that I participated in while at Aug Prep and that was the Marquette University Upward Bound Program. I was fortunate to have been able to participate in this program throughout my four years in high school. Being part of Upward Bound helped me familiarize myself with Marquette’s campus and resources. It also allowed me to be in an environment where I could relate to the people around me. My summer would be spent at Marquette doing various projects that would teach the importance of teamwork. As an incoming freshman, I participated in a project which required us to make a Rube Goldberg Machine. The following year we would be given the task to make a lotion and advertise it. Finally, as an incoming senior, due to COVID, we made podcasts at home. Upward Bound provided me with the resources such as tutoring and time to teach me public speaking skills needed to pass my classes at the time and communicate with others which is a lifelong skill. Being an Upward Bound student gave me another advantage: transitioning to college. I have access to financial aid, tutoring, counseling and many other things. TEACHER FEATUREMs. Garcia is a proud Milwaukee native who is dedicated to giving back to her community. She received her Bachelor’s Degree at St. Norbert College where she majored in sociology and minored in Spanish. As the Dean of Student Success, Ms. Garcia oversees students' grades, attendance, behavior, and graduation eligibility. Ms. Garcia works with students and their families to ensure that each student is successful at Aug Prep. SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
WELLNESS CONNECTIONBy Mr. Richards Hello Aug Prep families! This is my third year teaching at Aug Prep. I look forward to meeting all of you and to partner with you as we guide our scholars to grow physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. Some background about myself: I attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where I graduated with a bachelor’s of science degree in physical education and a minor in recreation. I am so excited to continue my Christian faith with Aug Prep and develop students to be tomorrow’s leaders. My teaching philosophy centers around creating a safe and welcoming environment that maximizes the potential of each student. My goal every lesson is to instill a healthy active lifestyle that promotes physical health and longevity. Along with providing students with the essential skills, knowledge and confidence to participate in any future fitness-oriented activity. While our physical health is imperative to living a long healthy life, so is our mental health. Nearly half of all teenagers experience some form of mental health challenge that causes disturbances in thinking, behavior, energy or emotion that make it difficult to cope with the ordinary demands of life such as work, school, eating and sleeping. As one of Aug Prep’s high school health teachers, my mission is to remind students that it is okay to not be okay. Reaching out for help does not mean that you are weak or sensitive but rather strong and courageous for seeking help in the first place. So how can you help others around you? Most importantly, showing individuals respect and acceptance helps remove any stigma or barrier that prevents successful coping of mental health challenges. Another way is advocating within our circles of influence: this helps ensure everyone receives the same opportunities and rights. Finally, learning more about mental health allows us to provide helpful support to those affected families and communities. Below are some helpful resources if you or someone you know may be facing some of these challenges:: The National Institute of Mental Health is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 24-hour helpline: Providing emotional support and crisis intervention. COPE provides a helpline, educational materials and programs. Calls are answered by trained volunteer listeners. All calls are anonymous and confidential. 262-377-2673 or (262) 377-COPE (2673) Hopeline: 24/7 Counseling & Support Text Line, Text “HOPELINE” to 741741 AUG PREP DEVOTIONALBy Ms. Hernandez Hello! My name is Neisa Hernandez and I am one of the 3rd grade teachers at Aug Prep. I graduated from Carroll University in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. I am currently attending Alverno College to receive a Master’s degree in Leadership and Administration. I have been at Aug Prep for five years and it’s been an amazing journey. Last year during Covid, many of us felt uncertain in many aspects of our lives and disconnected as well. I was given the opportunity to start a Bible Study group in the elementary school with teachers. This gave a space to connect with others through Jesus Christ and His Word. This year, we are going to be opening the Bible Study to the entire staff as a way to fellowship, grow together in Christ and grow deeper in our relationship with Him and each other. I look forward to what God has in store for us this year and for the strengthening of our faith as a school community. In our classroom community, we practice our Bible memory verse every day in order to encourage the students to hide God’s word in their hearts. Faith is at the center of our classroom and at the center of what we do. We show courage, respect, perseverance and integrity in our classroom choices to honor God. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 RESOURCESDownload the Rightnow Media App!Right Now Media is a great resource to a wealth of faith-based resources and it's FREE to Aug Prep Families! Click here to join. |