51����

Virtual Backpack

51����’s Virtual Backpack provides an outlet for the district and community organizations to share events, activities, and resources with our families in one easy-to-access location. Materials and/or activities below may not be sponsored by 51���� or its personnel.

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Organizations or individuals who want to add an item to the Virtual Backpack must submit a at least 1 month prior to their event date. All requests must abide by the procedures outlined in Board Policy 1520. Note: Due to changes in accessibility standards, 51���� will no longer be posting images or PDFs on the Virtual Backpack.

Items that have expired or that are more than six months old will be removed to keep this page current. If items are removed, they may be resubmitted in alignment with the procedures above for review/consideration.

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Wisconsin Juniors Volleyball Free Clinic (Sept. 23)

-posted Sept. 14, 2026

In celebration of over 25 years of Wisconsin Juniors, we’re offering a FREE clinic for all first time players or young athletes who have yet to experience club volleyball! Learn the basics and have fun!

Join us on Wednesday, September 23 from 6:30 – 8:00pm at the Pleasant Prairie RecPlex.

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Kids Night Out at the Wisconsin Humane Society Racine Campus (Sept. 25, Oct. 23, Nov. 20, Dec. 11)

-posted Aug. 27, 2026

Join us at the Wisconsin Humane Society Racine Campus for Kids Night Out! What better way to end the week than by making friends with other animal enthusiasts and meeting animal guests? Kids Night Out is for kids in grades 1-6 and provides an opportunity for 51����s or guardians to enjoy a Friday evening to themselves while the kids have an awesome time at WHS. Themes and crafts are always changing, so even if you’ve attended before, there will be something new to enjoy!

Kids Night Out takes place one Friday each month from 5-7 p.m. at the Racine Campus, located at 8900 16th Street, Mount Pleasant, 53177.

Register:

Please reach out to racyouthprograms@wihumane.org or call 262-554-6699 ext. 6014 with any questions!

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Time to Fly Kite Fest (Sept. 26)

-posted Sept. 17, 2026

A community clean-up and kite festival are set for Saturday, Sept. 26, at Lincoln Park, 6900 18th Ave.

Meet by the Oribiletti Center on Martin Luther King Drive starting at 10 a.m. to pick up trash bags and gloves to clean up the park.

The kite festival follows from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Highlights include a free picnic lunch, free kites, kite flying contests and demonstrations.

Thank you to sponsors including Gift of Wings, the Mary Lou and Arthur F. Mahone Foundation, and the 51���� Kingfish.

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Fall Fun Fest at Pringle Nature Center (Sept. 26)

-posted Aug. 27, 2026

Pringle Nature Center’s Fall Fun Fest will be on Saturday, September 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Celebrate the beginning of fall with nature activities, live music, food, and community organizations.

Admission and all activities are FREE: you are invited to this family-friendly event to see all that Pringle Nature Center and our community has to offer!

More information:

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Support ITHSA Cheer with DeRango’s for Dinner (Sept. 29)

-posted Sept. 14, 2026

Join us at DeRango’s Restaurant & Sports Bar for an Indian Trail Cheer Booster Club fundraiser!

• 📅 Tuesday, September 29, 2026
• ⏰ 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• 📍 2135 31st Street, 51����, WI 53140

Grab some pizza, bring your family and friends, and help support our Hawks! 🦅💜 A percentage of all sales during the fundraiser will go back to the Indian Trail Cheer Booster Club, helping us support the Indian Trail Cheerleading Team throughout the season.

🍕 Great food
💜 Great cause
📣 Supporting our athletes!

Please spread the word! The more people who join us, the more we can raise for our cheerleaders! 💜🖤🤍 GO HAWKS! 🦅

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Embrace Grace 12 Week Program (Aug. 5 – Oct. 21)

-posted Aug. 13, 2026

The Embrace Grace 12 Week Program is a church based support group designed for single and pregnant young women 15-29 facing an unplanned pregnancy. It offers a judgment free, loving community where participants receive emotional, spiritual, and practical support to help them navigate this life changing journey.

The purpose is to love, encourage, and uplift single and pregnant women and their families, with hope, grace, and dignity, helping participants realize they can have their baby and their dreams too.

The curriculum is Bible based, focusing on God’s grace and love as a source of strength and healing. Week by week themes such as Introduction, Expect, Realize, Perceive, Trust, Reveal, Awake, Defend, Free, Transform, Grace Baby Shower, Princess Day, Celebration of Life. The 12 weeks program is from August 5, 2026, to October 21, 2026, from 6:00PM to 7:30 PM at the 51���� Emerging Leaders Academy (KELA), 2222 63rd Street, 51����, WI 53143. The baby shower is October 23, 2026.

To register go to: , Find a location: enter 51����. Click first group option: Embrace Grace at Lively Stone Church. Click: Join the group. It will take you to a section: Fill out the form to join a program. Here enter all your information and submit. Hope to see you there!

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October

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Chicago Blackhawks and 51���� Komets Try Hockey For Free (Oct. 3)

-posted Sept. 16, 2026

The Chicago Blackhawks, in partnership with AHAI (Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois) and USA Hockey, are hosting ‘Try Hockey for Free’ events on Saturday, October 3, at the 51���� Ice Arena with the 51���� Komets! ‘Try Hockey for Free’ is designed to help kids overcome the initial barriers to the sport and get them excited to come back for more.

Each child will receive a free hockey stick, street hockey ball, exclusive ticket offer to a Chicago Blackhawks game for the upcoming 2026-27 NHL season, and more!

Skate rentals will also be available on a first come, first served basis. Participants will be responsible for bringing their own helmet (e.g., bike helmet, hockey helmet, etc.)

– Saturday 10/03 9:45AM

– Saturday 10/03 10:45AM

Event Contact: 51���� Komets President, Roxanne Tatulli: president@kenoshakomets.com

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Indian Trail Cheer Culver’s Fundraising Night (Oct. 5)

-posted Sept. 4, 2026

Come hungry and help support the Indian Trail Cheer Booster Club & Indian Trail High School Cheer Team! 📣✨

📅 Monday, October 5
⏰ 5:00–8:00 PM
📍 Culver’s – 8124 Sheridan Rd, 51����

Grab your favorite ButterBurger, cheese curds, Concrete Mixer and more! 🍔🍟🍦 Culver’s will donate a percentage of sales back to Indian Trail Cheer!

🎟️ PLUS — we’ll have raffles and fun throughout the night!

Bring your family, invite your friends, grab some dinner and help support our Hawks! Every purchase helps! 💜🖤🤍

GO HAWKS! 🦅📣

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Power of Positive Parenting: Family Education Program (Oct. 6)

-posted Sept. 15, 2026

We invite 51����s and caregivers to join us for The Power of Positive Parenting – an effective approach to raising children that emphasizes the positive. It involves creating a family environment that is loving, supportive and predictable. Positive 51����ing reduces the stress of 51����ing, making it more rewarding and enjoyable. Whether you’re a new 51���� or have years of experience, this session offers valuable tools to support your 51����ing journey.

Free child care is available, and a meal will be provided. You do not need to be affiliated with 51���� to participate in family education programs—we welcome all members of our community!

Event Details:

• 📅 Tuesday, Oct. 6
• 🕑 5-7 p.m.
• 📌 Lance Middle School, 4515 80th Street
• 🖊️

Non-51���� families and community members: Community members who are NOT current 51���� students, families, or staff must join our to register for this event. Once you’re a member, you’ll receive information about and be able to register for future events without needing to rejoin the group.

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51���� Public Museum: Art for All Family Day (Oct. 10)

-posted Sept. 16, 2026

Come make some art at the 51���� Public Museum inspired by the artists of all abilities of the L’Arche Community. Explore the exhibit, meet the artists, and get your hands dirty with clay, printmaking and mixed-media sculpture.

October 10, 2026
12pm-2pm

More details: OR CALL 262-653-4140

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Support ITHSA Cheer with DeRango’s for Dinner (Oct. 13)

-posted Sept. 15, 2026

Join us at DeRango’s for an Indian Trail Cheer Booster Club fundraiser!

• 📅 Tuesday, October 13, 2026
• ⏰ 4-9 p.m.
• 📍 2135 31st Street, 51����, WI 53140

Grab some pizza, bring your family and friends, and help support our Hawks! 🦅💜 A percentage of all sales during the fundraiser will go back to the Indian Trail Cheer Booster Club, helping us support the Indian Trail Cheerleading Team throughout the season.

• 🍕 Great food
• 💜 Great cause
• 📣 Supporting our athletes!

Please spread the word! The more people who join us, the more we can raise for our cheerleaders! 💜🖤🤍 GO HAWKS! 🦅

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Special Needs Trick-or-Treat (Oct. 18)

-posted Sept. 15, 2026

Please join us for our annual inclusive trick or treat event open to the special needs community. No registration required just come for music, treats and fun!

• Sunday, October 18, from 5-7 p.m.
• Parkway Chateau at The Brat Stop

For the most up to date information, please follow our .

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51���� Public Museum: Kohl’s Wild Theater How Does Your Garden Grow (Oct. 31)

-posted Sept. 16, 2026

A novice gardener’s race to grow a prize-winning watermelon before the Stanley Fruit Cup Competition becomes an interactive musical adventure through gardening basics. Audiences learn the power of healthy soil from Captain Compost, the water cycle and the importance of water conservation from a pair of Vaudevillian performers, and the importance of pollinators from Buzz, the Rusty Patch Bumblebee. In the end, the Gardener learns an important lesson far more valuable than any trophy: by caring for the living things around us, we become part of something much bigger, and every garden, no matter how small, is a chance to care for the world we share. This musical performance is designed for children in grades K-2 but all are welcome!

October 31, 2026
1pm-3pm

More details: OR CALL 262-653-4140

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November

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51���� Public Museum: Native Plant Medicine With Misty Cook (Nov. 7)

-posted Sept. 16, 2026

In this illustrated lecture, learn from Misty Cook about the history of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans, their traditional Medicines, and how her people preserved them. Misty will focus on the Medicines utilized throughout the Winter months, discussing gathering, preserving, and implementation. After the talk, take home an herbal tea bag with hand-gathered and dried local medicines that Misty prepared.

November 7, 2026
1pm-2pm

More details: OR CALL 262-653-4140

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RecPlex Winter Hoops (begins Nov. 7)

-posted Aug. 27, 2026

• Saturday mornings from November 7 through January 30.
• Teams will practice 1x per week
• Grades: 1st – 6th grade
• 3rd – 6th grade will have evaluations November 2 and 3
• Boys and girls divisions available
• Registration closes Oct. 21
• Price: $110 members, $140 non-members

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Kindness Week Essay/Art Contest (Nov. 23 deadline)

-posted Sept. 15, 2026

This year’s Kindness Week theme is “Kindness Is My Superpower!” The deadline for all submissions is Monday, November 23, 2026.

Student entries (200-word essays, poems, art projects, videos) must be submitted electronically:

Submissions should address one of the following topics:

• ❓ Why is kindness a superpower?
• ❓How can you use your kindness superpower to improve our community?
• ❓What would happen if everyone in 51���� County used the superpower of Kindness?

Winners will be notified in December and invited to the Community Unity Awards Breakfast on January 16, 2027.

Questions should be directed to Teri Gamble – tgamble@bgckenosha.org or 262-653-7304.

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Indian Trail Cheer Culver’s Fundraising Night (Nov. 30)

-posted Sept. 4, 2026

📣🍔 CULVER’S SHARE NIGHT IS BACK! 💜🖤

Skip cooking and join us for another Indian Trail Cheer Booster Club Share Night! 🦅📣

📅 Monday, November 30, 2026
⏰ 5:00–8:00 PM
📍 Culver’s — 8124 Sheridan Rd, 51����

Come grab your favorite ButterBurger, cheese curds, Concrete Mixer and more while supporting Indian Trail Cheer! 🍔🍟🍦

💜 Culver’s will donate a percentage of sales back to Indian Trail Cheer!
🎟️ Raffles & fun throughout the evening!

Bring your family, tell your friends, grab dinner and help us support our amazing Hawks! Every meal helps! 🦅💜🖤

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING INDIAN TRAIL CHEER! 📣 GO HAWKS!

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December

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51���� Public Museum: Christmas at the Museums (Dec. 5)

-posted Sept. 16, 2026

Celebrate the Christmas season with the 51���� Public Museums! This dual event features activities for all ages at both the 51���� Public Museum and Civil War Museum, including performances, crafts, trades demonstrations, a hot cocoa bar, and a vendor market.

December 5, 2026
10am-3pm

More details: OR CALL 262-653-4140

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51���� Public Museum: The Schaeffer Mammoth Discover with Dan Joyce (Dec. 19)

-posted Sept. 16, 2026

Listen to the first hand account from the archeologist who led the excavation of the Schaefer Mammoth found in 51���� County. After about 18 months of painstaking work, he and his team of volunteers discovered the nearly complete remains of the oldest known mammoth believed to have been butchered by humans with tools east of the Mississippi River. Dan will share images, stories, and anecdotes as well as contextualize this important discovery in the 1990s and its legacy for the 51���� Public Museum as it enters its historic 90th year.

December 19, 2026
1pm-2pm

More details: OR CALL 262-653-4140

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Sylvan Learning – Free Assessment

-posted Sept. 14, 2026

Make Sylvan Learning of 51���� part of your student’s Plan for Success

If you suspect your child is struggling in school or not being challenged, take action now. Schedule a free skills assessment with Sylvan Learning of 51����. Reading, writing, math, study skills, and more…

Through a combination of grade-appropriate questions and topics, we can pinpoint your child’s exact academic level. The results of the assessment help us understand where your child’s strengths lie, where help is needed, and how they are performing compared to other students in the same grade. The process takes under an hour, complete with a plan for success, and we can get your student enrolled that same day! From there, we can begin to develop a personalized learning plan that’s tailored to your child’s exact needs and goals.

Schedule a free Sylvan Skills assessment at 262-694-6286.

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Connections Bereavement Program (Oct. – May)

-posted Sept. 14, 2026

Connections is a free bereavement program hosted by Hospice Alliance for children and teens who have experienced loss. The program runs the third Thursday of each month from October to May.

• Date: Begins October 15
• Time: 5 – 7:45 p.m.
• Location: Hospice Alliance (10220 Prairie Ridge Blvd., Pleasant Prairie)

Children and teens ages two to eighteen are welcome and each must be accompanied by an adult.

To learn more and register, please email bereavement@hospicealliance.org or call (262) 652-4400.

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Mathnasium of Pleasant Prairie – Build Math Confidence This School Year

-posted Sept. 4, 2026

Mathnasium of Pleasant Prairie is now enrolling students for the 2026–2027 school year!

Whether your child needs to catch up, keep up, or get ahead, our customized learning plans help students strengthen their math skills, build confidence, and succeed in the classroom.

🍎 School-Year Math Programs

• Customized learning plans based on each student’s needs
• Experienced, caring math instructors
• Homework help and school support
• Flexible school-year membership options
• Convenient after-school and Sunday hours
• Programs for students of all skill levels

🎯 Start with a FREE !
The assessment helps us identify your child’s strengths and learning gaps so we can recommend the school-year program that best fits their needs.

📍 Mathnasium of Pleasant Prairie
6935 75th Street, Suite D
51����, WI 53142

📞 262-484-4511
✉️ pleasantprairie@mathnasium.com

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Building Our Future Reading Resource Hub

-posted Aug. 27, 2026

The Reading Resource Hub connects families, educators, and community members with local programs and services that build reading skills at every age. From free to low-cost literacy programs, explore resources for children in 51���� County and connect with community partners dedicated to reading.

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Our Village Network – No Family Should Face Crisis Alone

-posted Aug. 13, 2026

Our Village Network is a 51����-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and families experiencing financial hardship, crisis, or other difficult circumstances. Currently, they can service up to 100 families per month.

Items include:

• Hygiene Kits – Essential personal-care and hygiene items for children and families who may not have consistent access to them.
• Birthday Kits – Birthday essentials that help ensure financial hardship doesn’t prevent a child from feeling seen and celebrated on their birthday.
• Empowerment Kits – Thoughtfully assembled kits designed to provide comfort, encouragement, and practical support to children and families experiencing difficult circumstances.

To request support, simply go to and click “Request Support”.

If you are able and interested in donating to help serve more families, you can go to their . Every donation goes directly to a family in need.

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English Language Learning for adults

-posted Aug. 13, 2026

Learn to read, write and speak English with Gateway’s ELL program. Our free ELL classes meet two days a week for six hours per week. You’ll start with an orientation that helps instructors find the best starting place for you.

Register for the orientation class on 51���� Campus at the Student Services Center, 3520 30th Ave, 51���� 53144. Open 8am-6pm Monday and Tuesday and 8am-4pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

For 51���� ELL call Debra Solomon 262-564-2496 or email solomond@gtc.edu. Learn more at

Se habla español.

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Sleep in Heavenly Peace Bed Resource

-posted July 14, 2026

Sleep in Heavenly Peace offers beds free of charge to children ages 3 to 17 who do not have a proper bed of their own. Beds are delivered complete with mattresses, bedding and pillows. No demographic or financial need documentation is required. Learn more or request a bed at

This resource is provided year-round as beds and volunteers are available.

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51���� County Needs More Local Foster Homes

-posted July 14, 2026

School can be the one constant in a child’s life during times of change. When children enter foster care, being able to remain in their home school or school district helps keep them grounded and connected to the teachers, friends, and support systems they know. These familiar connections can make a meaningful difference during a time of uncertainty.

Could your home be the one that helps a child stay connected to their school and community?

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Sports Physicals at 51���� Urgicare

-posted April 22, 2026

Contact Community Impact Programs Foster Care to learn more or begin your foster care journey today. Call: 262-654-1004, Option 3

We welcome any student who needs a sports physical for school sports.

• We are available for when students are unable to see their primary and/or do not have a primary care physician
• We do a general Physical that follows the school district’s guidelines (eye exam, vitals, physical ability, etc.)
• Paperwork for the physical is provided at the facility if needed by the patient

Availability for Physicals throughout the week:

• Mon-Thur: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Friday: 2-30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Sat: 10:30 a.m to 2:30 p.m.