Ribbon-cuttings set for new MPS athletic fields

Rebuilt South Stadium, renovated Custer Stadium part of district effort to strengthen athletic opportunities

By Milwaukee Public Schools - Sep 9th, 2015 01:04 pm

The new South Stadium. Photo courtesy of MPS.

MILWAUKEE (September 9, 2015) – Milwaukee Public Schools student athletes, district leaders and community members will come together Friday to cut the ribbons at two new MPS athletic fields, celebrating new opportunities for student athletes that enhance the MPS experience.

The new football and soccer fields at the rebuilt South Stadium and the renovated Custer Stadium are a component of district-wide efforts to expand athletic programs, tied to MPS’ eight Strategic Objectives or “Big Ideas” to improve student success.

“We want to redefine the MPS experience for our students and making sure that our students have access to stronger extracurricular and athletic opportunities is a critical part of a well-rounded education,” MPS Superintendent Dr. Darienne Driver said.

Ribbon-cutting events are set for:

Approximately 5:30 p.m. (halftime of the 4:30 p.m. football game) at Custer Stadium, immediately southwest of MPS’ Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education, 5075 N. Sherman Boulevard, Milwaukee 53209; Rufus King International High School will be taking on North Division High School
Approximately 7 p.m. (halftime of the 6 p.m. football game) at South Stadium, adjacent to MPS’ Hayes Bilingual School, 971 W. Windlake Avenue, Milwaukee 53204; Pulaski High School will be taking on South Division High School

The two new fields feature synthetic turf to both improve player safety and help the fields handle a higher volume of games. Each stadium is the home field for multiple teams.

Custer Stadium is home for the football programs at Rufus King International High School, James Madison Academic Campus, Morse*Marshall School for the Gifted and Talented, North Division High School, Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education and Washington High School of Information Technology.

South Stadium is home for the football programs at Bay View High School, Lynde and Harry Bradley Technology and Trade High School and South Division High School. Each stadium is also home field for a number of soccer teams.

The stadium projects were funded through Qualified School Construction Bonds issued by MPS through the city of Milwaukee.

Other MPS efforts to strengthen athletic opportunities include:

Expanding student access to team sports: Three new varsity football teams are on the field for 2015-16 — North Division High School, Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education and Ronald Reagan College Preparatory High School
Expanding access to Certified Athletic Trainers in multiple sports, including a grant from the Green Bay Packers and the NFL for football trainers

About Milwaukee Public Schools

Milwaukee Public Schools is committed to accelerating student achievement, building positive relationships between youth and adults and cultivating leadership at all levels. The district’s commitment to improvement continues to show results:

More MPS students are meeting reading standards
The MPS Class of 2015 earned $39 million in scholarships; and
MPS is home to 7 of the state’s top high schools according to U.S. News and World Report and the Washington Post.

Learn more about MPS by visiting our website. More MPS news is available at mpsmke.com/news.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

Mentioned in This Press Release

People: Barack Obama, Darienne Driver, Harry Bradley, Rufus King

Buildings: South Stadium

Government: Milwaukee Public Schools, Washington High School

Neighborhoods: Bay View, North Division, Rufus King

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