Franklin Elementary showcases student-led 'Kind Kids' projects to board

Franklin Elementary staff and students presented classroom and community work to the West Allis-West Milwaukee School Board at the May 12 meeting, highlighting instructional practices, school culture initiatives and the Kind Kids Club.

Principal presenters described the school’s “theory of action,” weekly progress monitoring, learning walks for staff, and work on teacher modeling and professional development. The school’s new vision — “belong here, grow here, and succeed here” — is played to students each morning, staff said.

Miss Fratke, Franklin’s innovation coach, described the Kind Kids Club, a once-a-month after-school group for kindergarten through fifth grade that currently enrolls 46 students. Club activities reported to the board included creating a “kindness quilt” displayed in a hallway, assembling care packs donated to a local nursing home and preparing roughly 325 recycled milk-carton planters that students planted with seeds and later distributed to neighbors during a May Day walk.

The presenters said the club also worked on Arbor Day tree plantings with the district forestry staff and that the mayor visited the school for a proclamation. Students and staff described follow-up notes from residents who planted the donated marigolds and returned photos months later.

A student described the club’s impact during a board Q&A: "To make the world a better place," and noted that delivering flowers and care packages gave students a sense of contribution to their community. Franklin staff emphasized that the club builds leadership, older students helping younger ones and stronger community ties.

Board members and staff praised the presentation and accepted a small sample of the students’ work to take from the room.