MPS and the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association are working together to create MPS Children's Week, which kicks off Sunday, April 22 and runs through Friday, April 27, with a series of events aimed at giving Milwaukee students a leg up.
Sunday launches with an ACT tutoring day for MPS 11th graders at two neighborhood churches: Ascension, 1236 S. Layton Blvd., and All Peoples, 2600 N. 2nd St.
Did you know MPS is the only district in the nation that requires all 11th graders to take the ACT? These tutoring sessions will help some of those students prepare for the big test.
On Monday, two first grade classes from Hi-Mount Community School will walk to nearby Washington Park Library to get their library cards as Children's Week partners with Next Door Foundation to get "Books in Kids' Hands." An after school event is slated for Next Door Foundation HQ, 2545 N. 29th St.
On Tuesday, MPS will honor a range of volunteers at a 10:30 a.m. event at Cass Street School, 1647 N. Cass St. The goal of the program is to encourage volunteerism in Milwaukee Public Schools.
There will be a rally in support of arts education Wednesday outside MPS Central Services, 5225 W. Vliet St., followed by a 4:30 p.m. family art event across the street at the MTEA offices, 5130 W. Vliet.
A trio of health and wellness events takes place on Thursday, beginning at Carver Academy, 1901 N. 1st St., at 8:30 a.m. – in partnership with Riverwest Co-op. Next Wisconsin Vision will offer free eye exams and glasses at L'Escuela Vieau, 823 S. 4th St.
The day wraps with a 2:45 p.m. event at Riverside High School, 1615 E. Locust St., spotlighting a cycling project organized by teacher Paul Zettel and his students. Word is that board member Larry Miller and MTEA president Bob Peterson will pedal along, too.
The week closes Friday with an event focusing on career readiness and the successes of students in career tech education at Bradley Technology and Trade High School, 700 S. 4th St.
Watch this space for more information as the week approaches. We'll have updates, photos and videos from the events, opinion pieces and more.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
