Thank you for choosing Wisconsin Youth Company’s Middle School U (MSU) program!
Please note: Families are varied and the use of the word Parent(s) refers to the adult(s) who are responsible for the student.
Please carefully review all tabs on this webpage prior to your student’s first day of MSU
Middle School U Madison | Shorewood Hills Elementary | 1105 Shorewood Blvd., Madison
Middle School U Verona | Badger Ridge Middle | 300 Richard St., Verona
MSU Cell Phone | 608-577-2566
MSU Hours | Monday-Friday | 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Drop-off takes place between 8-9 a.m.
- Pick-up takes place between 4-5 p.m.
- Morning courses run from 9 a.m.-noon
- Afternoon courses run from 1-4 p.m.
- All-day courses run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Please note, MSU is closed Monday, July 3 & Tuesday, July 4
Meet the Staff
- Director | Rita
- Assistant Director | Adam
- Instructors | Victoria, Josh, Ali, Joe, Celeste & Eamon
- Youth Leaders | John (B) & Celeste
All staff have education and/or experience related to working with youth. They receive training prior to the start of the camp season and are certified in first aid and CPR.
Health & Wellness at MSU
Please monitor your student for possible illness at home prior to arriving at MSU each day. If your student has a fever greater than 100° F or other illness, please keep your student home for the day and contact our administrative office regarding their absence.
Wisconsin Youth Company follows CDC COVID-19 guidelines as well as standard communicable disease policies. If your student tests positive for COVID-19, please let us know right away by emailing info@wisconsinyouthcompany.org. Families will be notified of COVID-19 exposure and other communicable diseases through signage posted at program.
Wisconsin Youth Company programs follow current CDC, Public Health and Department of Children and Families guidelines in regard to face coverings at program.
Upon arrival, directors will complete a visual wellness check before students enter MSU.
Where to Park
- MSU Madison | Limited parking is available in front of Shorewood Hills Elementary. Additional parking is available along Shorewood Blvd., enter through the main school entrance.
- MSU Verona | Parking is available in the main school parking lot, enter through Door #5 near the theater and natatorium entrance.
Arrival Procedure | MSU students are authorized to arrive to program independently. After entering the school building, an MSU staff will direct your student to the main MSU program area, where your student can sign themselves in to program. Each course will have a designated space as well, and course instructors will take their groups to those areas when courses begin. You may join your student in the sign-in process, however it is not required.
Medications, Sunscreen, and Insect Repellent | If your student has medications, sunscreen or insect repellent, please bring these on the first day of their attendance. All items should be labelled with first and last name. Wisconsin Youth Company does provide sunscreen and insect repellent. Students are not required to bring their own.
What to Bring
Please only send your student with following items. All items should be labeled with your student’s first and last name:
- Sack lunch (nut-free) that does not need to be refrigerated or microwaved (if your student is enrolled in an all-day course)
- Gym shoes or sandals with a heel strap (no flip flops)
- Water bottle labeled with child’s first and last name
- Extra set of clothing, as needed
Picking Up Your Student
When to Pick-up | Students should be picked up during the designated pick-up timeframe following their course. Students only attending MSU for morning courses may stay for the lunch period (noon-1 p.m.), but must be picked up or depart by 1 p.m. when afternoon courses begin. If you need to pick up your student during a course time, please coordinate that directly with the MSU director in advance.
Departure Procedure | MSU students are authorized to depart independently when their courses conclude for the day. Students should gather their belongings and sign themselves out of program prior to departure. Many parents ask their students wait to depart until they have arrived to pick them up, and staff can release students via a phone call or text message, if you prefer. If this is your preference, please communicate directly with your student. Parents are also welcome to enter program space to pick up their students. Students should still sign themselves out of program, even if Parents are coming into program to pick them up at the end of their day.
Absences
Please call the 24-hour attendance message line, 608-276-9898, if your student will be absent. Please call before 8:30 a.m. if the message pertains to that day.
Course Groups
Each student will be in their chosen course group for the week long course. Each group will have a designated classroom space for use during the day. Courses will have no more than 16 students.
- Groups will change with each session throughout the summer.
- Each course group will have their own set of materials that will be cleaned and sanitized when used frequently.
- Each student will have a designated space within the program to store their belongings. Students should only bring essential items for the day.
Snack & Lunch
It’s important students start each day with a good breakfast prior to MSU, and bring a nutritious and satisfying lunch. Sack lunches must not require refrigeration or microwaving; milk is provided. A morning and afternoon snack will be provided. Some students have life-threatening allergies (like a peanut or tree nut allergy). For this reason, WYC requests that students bring a nut-free lunch. All snacks served at MSU are nut-free.
- Students will have a lunch period from noon-1 p.m. to eat lunch and relax between course times. Students will not be allowed to leave and return during this time. Students enrolled in a single morning or afternoon course can attend the lunch period.
- All students must wash hands with soap and water before and after eating.
Off-Site Courses & Activities
Some MSU courses will take place at off-site locations this summer, and others will contain an off-site component on one or more days. Please refer to the course description for details on off-site locations or talk with the MSU director for off-site course days.
- If your student is enrolled in an off-site course, please ensure they arrive to MSU 10 minutes prior to the course start time to help with a speedy departure to the course destination.
Keeping MSU Clean
We understand the need to keep MSU clean is more important now than ever before. Because of this, we are implementing the following practices:
- Students and staff will be required to wash hands often and thoroughly.
- Staff will clean and disinfect program materials on a regular basis.
- Facility staff will clean high traffic areas within the building including bathrooms.
- All disinfecting will happen in a room that is not accessible to students. Disinfecting of group spaces will only happen when students are not present.
- For cleaning, staff will use a detergent/soap and water solution.
- For disinfecting, staff will use EPA-approved products.
Spending Time Outdoors
Instructors will be encouraged to take their courses outdoors as much as possible. Students will have water, sunscreen, and shade available to them while outdoors. Please send your child dressed for the outdoors, every day.
Parent Contact Information
It is important that Parents can easily be reached throughout the day. Please verify your contact information in your parent portal and contact the administrative office if changes need to be made.
In the event that camp staff contact you requesting that your student be picked up for illness or other reasons, we ask that you do so immediately. If you are unable to pick up your student immediately, please arrange for emergency pick-up individuals. These individuals must be listed as authorized pick-up persons on your account.
Changing Account Information
Written notification is required to make any changes to your account information (i.e. phone numbers, pick-up persons, emergency contacts, etc.). An email from the email address on-file is sufficient. Your account password is required to make changes.
Additional Program Information
Additional program-related information can be found in the program handbook.
No Program Days
There is no camp Monday, July 3 or Tuesday, July 4, 2023
Contact Wisconsin Youth Company
Summer Program Director, Nate Peterson
npeterson@wisconsinyouthcompany.org
Wisconsin Youth Company Administrative Office – Mailing Address
733 Struck St.- 45620
Madison, Wisconsin 53744
Phone: 608-276-9782 ext. 0
Fax: 262-547-0394
24-Hour Attendance Message Line: 608-276-9898
Email: info@wisconsinyouthcompany.org
Use the above address, fax, email and phone number for payments, registration and billing inquires, and other general information. You may also access your account online through the Parent Portal.
Q: Who can drop off and pick up students?
A: Middle School U students are authorized to arrive and depart independently.
Q: What happens if my student gets sick while at MSU?
A: Middle School U has a designated space available to use in the event that a student gets sick. While in this space, they will remain supervised by staff. Staff will call for immediate pick-up. Please ensure that your student is picked up as soon as possible.
Q: Can I pick up my student from an off-site location?
A: Pick-up from an off-site location is an option when needed by families, although is not preferred. Please coordinate specific details with the Middle School U director. Please note off-site pickup is not always an option. Trips are pre-determined and will not be altered to accommodate pick up or drop off for students.
Q: Do I need to provide sunscreen and insect repellent for my student?
A: Wisconsin Youth Company provides sunscreen and insect repellent for all students attending summer programs. WYC uses Rocky Mountain brand 30 SPF lotion sunscreen and Cutter DEET-free insect repellent. Families may provide their own sunscreen and/or insect repellent.
Q: How do I update my student’s swim level?
A: The easiest way to update your child’s swim level is to contact the administrative office at info@wisconsinyouthcompany.org for Dane county families and waukesha@wisconsinyouthcompany.org for Waukesha families. You can also fill out necessary paperwork at your child’s camp location, but due to the volume of changes and the workload of camp staff, it is preferred that you contact the administrative office. Please note changes are not immediate.
Welcome to Middle School U!
Hello MSU Families! Welcome! Adam and I have been working hard to get everything ready for you to have fun this summer! We are so excited to have you all with us and have a lot of awesome courses in store. See you soon!
-Rita, MSU Program Coordinator
This Week’s Courses:
All Day: Bus Stops Here with Josh
AM: Biking with Eamon
AM: Fishing with Billy
PM: STEAM with Eamon
PM: Rock Climbing with Boulders
Off-Site Transportation:
- Bus Stops Here, Fishing, and Biking are student-led courses and students will work with their instructors to decide where their group travels for the day. Our staff team will do our best to keep you updated with their decisions, however some decisions are made day-of.
- Rock Climbing takes place at the East Boulders location. Students will travel to Boulders via WYC van.
Commons Activities:
This week we will have a lot of fun choices for students to participate in during commons time. Some activities include a Staff Facts game, Bags tournament, making popsicles, and Getting to Know You games
Reminders:
- Please enter through door number one (the main front doors). There is street parking available.
- Students should bring a nut free lunch and a water bottle labeled with their name.
- Snack options will be provided in both the morning and afternoon.
- Parents are always welcome to come in to our program space, but students are responsible for signing themselves in and out.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please call our site phone at 608-577-2566.
Welcome to Middle School U!
Hello MSU Families!
We’re so excited to be into our second week of programming! We’re excited for the outdoor adventures the students will embark on for our off-site courses & thrilled to see what photos our photography students will capture.
-Rita, MSU Program Coordinator
This Week’s Courses:
All Day: Bus Stops Here with Josh
All Day: Wisconsin Rocks with Wander Wisconsin Adventure Trip Leaders
AM: Photography with Ali
PM: Aldo Leopold with Aldo Leopold Nature Center & Rita
Off-Site Transportation:
- Bus Stops Here: students will take time on Monday w/ their instructor to plan & map out destinations they plan to travel to for the week. Families please be prepared to sign consent forms/waivers depending on their chosen itinerary. We thank you in advance!
- Wisconsin Rocks:
- Monday | Cave of the Mounds and Blue Mounds State Park – Please bring a sweatshirt for inside the cave and comfortable closed-toed shoes.
- Tuesday | UW Geology Museum
- Wednesday | Gibralter Rock State Natural Area & Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area
- Thursday | Devil’s Lake State Park- Please bring clothes for both hiking and swimming, as well as a towel.
- Friday | Picnic Point & Goodman Pool- Please bring good walking shoes, swimsuit and towel.
Commons Activities:
Staff have prepared a variety of fun, simple, activities that students may choose to participate in during break periods & lunch.
Reminders:
- Please enter through door number one (the main front doors). There is street parking available.
- Students should bring a nut free lunch and a water bottle labeled with their name.
- Snack options will be provided in both the morning and afternoon.
- Parents are always welcome to come in to our program space, but students are responsible for signing themselves in and out.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please call our site phone at 608-577-2566.
Welcome to Middle School U!
Hello MSU Families! Get ready for a variety of fun, learning opportunities through the engaging courses we have running this week! We are excited to keep the momentum of summer going and get involved in some water fun, art, strategic chess gameplay & more! I hope you are all just as excited as we are.
There will be no summer programming on July 3 & 4.
This Week’s Courses:
All Day: Chess with Joe
AM: Watercolor Painting with Ali
AM: Escape Rooms with Eamon
AM: Model Rockets with Adam
PM: Water Fun with Adam
PM: Anime & Magna with Finn
Off-Site Transportation:
- Escape Rooms: The group will travel to Escapology in Verona on Wednesday, July 5.
- Water Fun: The group will visit the Goodman & Middleton Pools as well as various splash pads around Madison.
Commons Activities:
Staff have prepared a variety of fun, simple, activities that students may choose to participate in during break periods & lunch.
Reminders:
- Please enter through door number one (the main front doors). There is street parking available.
- Students should bring a nut free lunch and a water bottle labeled with their name.
- Snack options will be provided in both the morning and afternoon.
- Parents are always welcome to come in to our program space, but students are responsible for signing themselves in and out.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please call our site phone at 608-577-2566.
Welcome to Middle School U!
Hello MSU Families! We have a few all-day courses this week that will challenge creativity, strategy, critical thinking, teambuilding, and more! We hope the students can either learn or develop a skill during this week’s courses.
-Rita & Adam
This Week’s Courses:
All Day: Claymation with Josh
All Day: Hiking, Swimming & Kayaking with Wander Wisconsin Adventure Trip Leaders
All Day: Board & Card Games with Joe
Off-Site Transportation:
- Hiking, Swimming & Kayaking:
- Monday | Rutabaga Paddle Sports & Esther Beach Park
- Tuesday | Brittingham Boats & Picnic Point
- Wednesday | Devil’s Lake State Park
- Thursday | Wingra Boats & Beach
- Friday | Log Rolling at Lake Wingra & Henry Vilas Zoo
Commons Activities:
Staff have prepared a variety of fun, simple, activities that students may choose to participate in during break periods & lunch.
Reminders:
- Please enter through door number one (the main front doors). There is street parking available.
- Students should bring a nut free lunch and a water bottle labeled with their name.
- Snack options will be provided in both the morning and afternoon.
- Parents are always welcome to come in to our program space, but students are responsible for signing themselves in and out.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please call our site phone at 608-577-2566.
Welcome to Middle School U!
Hello MSU families! Welcome to round 2 of STEAM where fun challenges await. Students will challenge their critical thinking and problem-solving skills with Strategy Games and enjoy a variety of fun, cooperative and teambuilding activities with Outdoor Sports!
-Rita & Adam
This Week’s Courses:
All Day: Strategy Games with Joe
AM: STEAM with Eamon
PM: Outdoor Sports with Eamon
Off-Site Transportation | No travel off-site for any courses this week.
Common Activities:
Staff have prepared a variety of fun, simple, activities students may choose to participate in during break periods and lunch.
Reminders:
- Please enter through Door #1 (main front doors). There is street parking available.
- Students should bring a nut-free lunch and a water bottle labeled with their name.
- Snack options will be provided in both the morning and afternoon.
- Parents are always welcome to come in to our program space, but students are responsible for signing themselves in and out.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please call our site phone at 608-577-2566.
Welcome to Middle School U!
Hello MSU families! Welcome to Week 6 of MSU programming! We have a busy, active, fun-filled packed week. Students will bring fantasy to life through roleplaying games, create art with nature, create stories through comics & more!
-Rita & Adam
This Week’s Courses:
All Day: Roleplaying Games with Joe
All Day: Aerial Adventures with Wander Wisconsin trip leaders
AM: Comic Drawing with Ali and Josh
AM: Babysitter Training with Annissa
PM: Nature Arts with Josh
PM: TikTok Dances with Adam
Off-Site Transportation:
- Babysitter Training will visit Camp of the Lakes on Friday at Crestwood Elementary
- Aerial Adventures will travel to the following locations:
- Monday | Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area
- Tuesday | Bigfoot Ropes Course and Wisconsin Ducks
- Wednesday | Ripley’s Believe it or Not
- Thursday | International Crane Foundation
- Friday | Log Rolling & Henry Vilas Zoo
Common Activities:
Staff have prepared a variety of fun, simple, activities students may choose to participate in during break periods and lunch.
Reminders:
- Please enter through Door #1 (main front doors). There is street parking available.
- Students should bring a nut-free lunch and a water bottle labeled with their name.
- Snack options will be provided in both the morning and afternoon.
- Parents are always welcome to come in to our program space, but students are responsible for signing themselves in and out.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please call our site phone at 608-577-2566.
Welcome to Middle School U!
Hello MSU families! We are excited to continue our summer programming at our Verona location: Badger Ridge Middle School. We have a busy and packed week with a total of 10 courses running this week.
-Rita & Adam
This Week’s Courses:
All Day: Fencing with Joe
All Day: Pottery & Ceramics with Josh
AM: 3D Printing with Eamon
AM: Baking Cakes & Cupcakes
AM: Bee Keeping with Celeste
AM: Woodcarving
PM: Decorating Cakes & Cupcakes
PM: Disc Golf
PM: Steam with Jeff
PM: Woodburning with Eamon
Off-Site Transportation:
- Bee Keeping will travel to various hives and orchards around Madison.
- Disc Golf will visit various parks around Madison.
Common Activities:
Staff have prepared a variety of fun, simple, activities students may choose to participate in during break periods and lunch.
Reminders:
- Please enter through Door #5. This door is located near the large parking lot.
- Students should bring a nut-free lunch and a water bottle labeled with their name.
- Snack options will be provided in both the morning and afternoon.
- Parents are always welcome to come in to our program space, but students are responsible for signing themselves in and out.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please call our site phone at 608-577-2566.
Welcome to Middle School U!
Hello MSU families! Welcome to Week 8 of summer programming, our second week in Verona. We are excited to offer our popular Role Playing Games again as well as Outdoor Sports, and excited to nourish our tastebuds with Cooking 101 and Community Cooking.
-Rita & Adam
This Week’s Courses:
All Day: Role Playing Games with Joe
AM: Cooking 101 with Eamon
AM: Outdoor Sports with Josh
PM: Community Cooking with Eamon
PM: Archery with Josh
Off-Site Transportation | All courses remain on-site this week.
Common Activities:
Staff have prepared a variety of fun, simple, activities students may choose to participate in during break periods and lunch.
Reminders:
- Please enter through Door #5. This door is located near the large parking lot.
- Students should bring a nut-free lunch and a water bottle labeled with their name.
- Snack options will be provided in both the morning and afternoon.
- Parents are always welcome to come in to our program space, but students are responsible for signing themselves in and out.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please call our site phone at 608-577-2566.
Welcome to Middle School U!
I cannot believe it’s our final week of summer programming! We’ve had a lot of fun this summer with all our middle schoolers, and we can only hope they have had as much fun with us this summer. We’re going to end our summer strong and enjoy our last and final week!
-Rita & Adam
This Week’s Courses:
All Day: Fencing with Joe
All Day: Larping with Deeplight LARP
All Day: Summer’s End with Wander Wisconsin trip leaders
AM: Cooking on a Budget with Eamon
AM: Babysitter Training with Anissa
PM: Chef’s Challenge with Eamon
Off-Site Transportation | Off-site travel plans for Summer’s End as follows:
- August 14: Milwaukee County Zoo, Milwaukee
- August 15: House on the Rock, Spring Green, Wis.
- August 16: Cave of the Mounds, Blue Mounds, Wis.
- What to bring | Closed-toed shoes, sweatshirt for inside the cave
- August 17: Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee
- August 18: Noah’s Ark Waterpark, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
- What to bring | Swimsuit, towel
- A lunch is included in the park fee for the day.
Common Activities:
Staff have prepared a variety of fun, simple, activities students may choose to participate in during break periods and lunch.
Reminders:
- Please enter through Door #5. This door is located near the large parking lot.
- Students should bring a nut-free lunch and a water bottle labeled with their name.
- Snack options will be provided in both the morning and afternoon.
- Parents are always welcome to come in to our program space, but students are responsible for signing themselves in and out.
- If you have any questions or concerns, please call our site phone at 608-577-2566.
Photo Gallery
Middle School U courses are enrollment dependent. All courses listed below are confirmed to run. Please contact the administrative office with any questions: info@wisconsinyouthcompany.org.
Course Schedule
June 19 – 23
Bus Stops Here
Biking Madison
Fishing
Rock Climbing
STEAM
June 26 – 30
Bus Stops Here
Wisconsin Rocks
Photography
Aldo Leopold
July 5 – 7
Chess
Escape Rooms
Model Rockets
Watercolor Painting
Anime & Magna
Water Fun
July 10 – 14
Board & Card Games
Claymation
Hiking, Swimming & Kayaking
July 17 – 21
Strategy Games
Outdoor Sports
STEAM
July 24 – 28
Aerial Adventures
Role-Playing Games
Comic Drawing
Babysitter Training
TikTok Dances
Nature Arts
July 31 – August 4
Fencing
Pottery & Ceramics
3D Printing
Baking Cakes & Cupcakes
Woodcarving
Decorating Cakes & Cupcakes
STEAM
Woodburning
Disc Golf
Beekeeping
August 7 – 11
Role-Playing Games
Cooking 101
Outdoor Sports
Archery
Community Cooking
August 14 – 18
Fencing
Summer’s End
Babysitter Training
Cooking on a Budget
Chef’s Challenge
Larping
