GRADUATES RETURN TO THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS!!! Each year, Kettle Moraine graduates return to their elementary schools to reconnect with former teachers and encourage younger students. The visits give graduates a chance to reflect on how far they have come while elementary students enjoy meeting and learning from older students they admire. These traditions highlight the strong connections across the district and the spirit of One KM.
KASTNER HAS AWARD WINNING SENIOR YEAR!!! Huge congratulations to Will Kastner from Kettle Moraine School for Arts and Performance. In his four years at KM Perform, Will has been honored with six Outstanding Lead Performer awards and this year he has been chosen to represent Overture Center at the prestigious Jimmy Awards in NYC.
THANKS FROM KMMPA!!! KM Music Parents Association would like to express our sincere appreciation to all those who attended music events this year and donated generously to support our outstanding KM music programs. We raised over $5500 and awarded neary $4000 in grants to music teachers. Those grants included new music for KMMS Jazz, supporting KMHS Band travel to Washington, DC for Honor Flight and transportation to music festivals where our students performed – just to name a few. If you'd like to support KMMPA, you can donate at this link. Congratulations to all students on the amazing year of music at KM and especially to our graduating seniors! And remember to save the date for our 2026 Homecoming Chili/Mac N Cheese Dinner fundraiser on Friday September 25th.
PERFORM FILM THE WEB PUBLIC RELEASE!!! We have officially released The Web, a short film produced by Film Concentration students at KM Perform. This film was an Official Selection for the Teen Program at MKE Film Festival as well as an Official Selection for the WPL Film Fest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s9QsgahMeM
OUTDOOR POETRY!!! Recently, KM Perform students led outdoor poetry lessons for Hartland South fifth graders during Forest School Day. Our students loved collaborating with these young writers in their school forest to create nature-inspired poems.
PERFORM CENTERSTAGE!!! KM Perform welcomed kyah to Classroom Centerstage. She refers to herself as "an old soul musician based out of Lake Country and Milwaukee." Her jazzy/alternative style is highlighted throughout her performances and original music. Her video and interview will be on Centerstage soon at https://www.youtube.com/@KMPerformStudios. Thanks to Scott Curty for the photos.
CLASS OF 2026 GRADUATION MAY 30TH! Our KMHS Campus (Kettle Moraine High School, the High School of Health Sciences, KM Global, KM Perform, and KM Connect) will be celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2026 with a commencement ceremony on May 30th at 7:30pm on Vock Field at Culver's Stadium. Please make plans to join us as we celebrate these amazing young people, or watch the livestream at kmsd.edu/grad-livestream. There will be a fireworks display at 8:30 pm. We hope you enjoy the show and we apologize for any disturbance the noise may cause.
JERRY AWARDS – HELLO GIRLS!!! Kettle Moraine School for Arts and Performance receives numerous Jerry Awards, including the highest honor: Outstanding Musical for The Hello Girls. (Photo credits: Mark Frohna)
REGISTER FOR SUMMER ACADEMY NOW!!! Course registration opens at 8am on Monday March 16th. Students will be able to choose four courses per day (with the exception of Moving on to Kindergarten). To accommodate more families and staffing demands we will again run two separate sessions lasting six weeks total. Session one will run June 15-July 24 (no classes 7/3). Students can attend the full six weeks or one session only if preferred. Session two classes will be a repeat of content and activities from session one, unless noted in the course description. We encourage new students interested in "trying" KM and meeting friends to sign up for Summer Academy. Check out courses and REGISTER NOW at kmsd.edu/SA!
CABARET ONE NIGHT ONLY!!! Don't miss your chance to hear and see some of KM's best student talent. Cabaret night features vocal and dance performances of a variety of musical styles. Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.kmperform.org/event-details/cabaret-night-partner-event
CABARET ONE NIGHT ONLY!!! Don't miss your chance to hear and see some of KM's best student talent. Cabaret night features vocal and dance performances of a variety of musical styles. Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.kmperform.org/event-details/cabaret-night-partner-event
PRIDE & PREJUDICE MAY 1-3 AT PRISM ARTS CENTER!!! The KMHS 2026 Spring play is a new adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice! Full of distinct characters, sparkling wit and timeless romance that has never gone out of print, the story comes alive in a way old fans will love and those new to Austen will become fans. Join the story of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in the whirlwind world of the Bennet family and their friends; with definite "rom-com energy" and the fashion of Bridgerton this is a show you won't want to miss! The show runs May 1st and 2nd at 7pm and May 3rd at 2pm. Get your tickets now at https://kmstage.ludus.com.
KM ORCHESTRA TRAVELS TO NEW YORK!!! KMHS Orchestras travelled to New York City to work with award winning conductors and watch unbeatable performances. They saw Hadestown on Broadway and watched a performance by the New York Philharmonic. Students were also able to tour the best sites in the city, including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Radio City Music Hall, and many other locations! Students are looking to apply what they learned in New York to their own concert on May 12 at 7pm in the Prism Auditorium!
KM AMONG BEST COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION FOR 13TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR!!! The NAMM Foundation is proud to recognize the Kettle Moraine School District as one of its 2026 Best Communities for Music Education. Now in its 27th year, the award recognizes schools and districts nationwide for their leadership in expanding equitable access to music education. KM has won this distinction 13 times! Thank you to all of our talented educators, students, and parents who support and contribute to KM's exceptional music program.
KMHS BAND WELCOMES HONOR FLIGHT!!! A small group of KMHS band students (grades 9-12) concluded a trip to Washington D.C. on Sunday. Longtime supporters of the Milwaukee-based Stars and Stripes Honor Flights, the KMHS band welcomed Wisconsin Veterans upon their arrival to Washington D.C. on Saturday morning, the band performed at Dulles International Airport for the welcome celebration. Students then greeted the Veterans (including those from the Vietnam and Korean conflicts and two Veterans from World War II) at the WWII Memorial near the Washington Monument. Two trumpet players from the US Army “Pershing’s Own” band played alongside KM band students. The band also attended a wreath-laying ceremony and the playing of 'Taps' at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Following the ceremony, the band received a private Q&A session from Staff Sergeant Wilson Childress of the Pershing's Own band and Arlington ceremonial trumpeter. Other trip highlights included a concert and military parade at the historic U.S. Marine Barracks, a visit to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum, and a tour of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
PERFORM ECOLOGY IN ACTION!!! Jake Zuehl, a Master Naturalist from Landscapes for the Future, has joined our KM Perform Ecology in Action seminar as a Guest Artist. Over the next few weeks, he’ll be working with our 9th graders to unlock the secrets of the ecosystems right here on campus. Throughout the seminar, students will be analyzing aerial maps to see how land development impacts native plants, testing soil samples from various campus locations to sprout "hidden" seeds, and cultivating fungi. We recently kicked things off by collecting soil samples to see what’s hiding underground. So far, the microscopes have revealed a hidden world of teeny worms and tiny spiders! Thanks to Mr. Callies for sharing this story.
PERFORM CENTER STAGE!!! KM Perform welcomed Ryan McIntyre, also a KM Perform guest artist, to Classroom Centerstage this week. He makes music with a combination of tasteful, storytelling melodies and lyrics for fans of many different genres. Stay tuned after the performance for an interview with Ryan. You can watch the performance at https://www.youtube.com/@KMPerformStudios. Thank you to Scott Curty for the photos.
JOIN US FOR A FUN DAY ON THE GOLF COURSE THAT SUPPORTS ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AT KM!!! Register now at https://kmsd.edu/golf. KM's 1st Annual Community Golf Outing will take place June 8th at Western Lakes Golf Club! Hosted by the Kettle Moraine School District and the Kettle Moraine Education Foundation, along with presenting sponsor KJN Builders, this exciting event brings our community together for:
• 18 holes of golf (foursome scramble – all skill levels welcome!)
• Great food & refreshments
• Prize events and contest holes
• Raffle baskets, silent auction & 50/50 raffle
• Connection with friends, neighbors, and supporters
Your full-day registration includes cart, range balls, lunch, dinner, and prizes!
Best of all—every dollar raised supports Kettle Moraine students! Proceeds help fund:
• AP study & review materials
• AP curriculum enhancements
• AP exam fees
• Kettle Moraine Education Foundation Scholarship Fund
Interested in donating, volunteering, or creating a custom sponsorship? Contact Jackie Behling at behlingj@kmsd.edu or (262) 968-6300 ext. 5305. Thank you for supporting opportunities that make a difference for Kettle Moraine students—we can’t wait to see you on the course this June!
HELP SUPPORT KM'S INVESTMENT IN THE ARTS!!! We renovated our 30 year old auditorium to address concerns over safety, comfort, and production quality. The upgrades were extensive, providing a modern, quality venue for our students to expand their talents. As part of this program, we are still offering a wide variety of sponsorship opportunities to meet KM Music Parents and Perform Governance Council commitments to the venue. These opportunities, including a buy-a-seat campaign and founder's circle, as well as tiered sponsorships and naming rights. Please note that our founders' circle sponsorships remain intact from year to year, and that we will no longer be accepting members after June.
Tiered Sponsorships: Tiered Sponsors will be prominently recognized in all event programs.
Benefactor: $5,000+
Artist: $1,000+
Founder: $500
Buy a Seat Campaign: $300 Per Seat.
Seating Sponsorship is a one-time commitment with permanent recognition on a plaque. The campaign will be first-come-first-served and will expire when all seats are sold.
Sign up now at https://www.kmperform.org/fine-arts-fund or visit kmsd.edu/fa to learn more about these opportunities. These advertising/sponsorship opportunities are tax deductible and we appreciate the support of our KM Community as we commit to meeting the needs of our students for many decades to come!
Tiered Sponsorships: Tiered Sponsors will be prominently recognized in all event programs.
Benefactor: $5,000+
Artist: $1,000+
Founder: $500
Buy a Seat Campaign: $300 Per Seat.
Seating Sponsorship is a one-time commitment with permanent recognition on a plaque. The campaign will be first-come-first-served and will expire when all seats are sold.
Sign up now at https://www.kmperform.org/fine-arts-fund or visit kmsd.edu/fa to learn more about these opportunities. These advertising/sponsorship opportunities are tax deductible and we appreciate the support of our KM Community as we commit to meeting the needs of our students for many decades to come!
THREE KM PERFORM FILMS TO BE SHOWN AT MILWAUKEE FILM FESTIVAL!!! Three student short films were selected to be featured in the 2026 Milwaukee Film Fest's Youth Show on Saturday, April 25 at 10:45am, in the Downer Theatre's North Cinema. The films include: Gravedigger- Joe Tzougros, Anika Oakland, and Zoe Oakland; The Web - Erin Browning; and Too Many Anikas - Zoe Oakland. This is a tremendous honor, as only eight films were selected in total. This showcase of Milwaukee's young filmmakers proves that they are carrying the torch (with tons of talent) to bring light to our city. The festival is recommended for AGES 12+ and tickets are available on their website at https://mkefilm.org/films/69b8282f806dff10f20e5188/#film-details.
