Wisconsin Education NewsSeptember 16, 2025A daily update of education news and events that are taking place around Wisconsin. Climate Catalyst Academy- NEW FALL DATES ADDED! This academy provides school leaders with the latest research and evidence-based strategies for cultivating a positive school climate and culture. Through interactive workshops, school leaders will learn how to gather and analyze school climate data, identify areas for improvement, and develop targeted action plans to address common behavior disruptions. SDR, NAMI Northern Lakes team up for mental health presentation The School District of Rhinelander Community Education Program is partnering with the Northern Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to offer a series of free presentations on NAMI’s mission and important mental health topics. While there’s no cost to attend, pre-registration is required by Sept. 18. To sign up, please visit the Community Education page on the School District of Rhinelander website: www.rhinelander.k12.wi.us/community/community-education-classes.cfm. OASD increases tax levy in tentative budget, but could still provide measure of tax relief OSHKOSH – Oshkosh Area School District’s tax levy is going up — but that may not lead to an increased tax bill for property owners. Despite seeing a 3.27% increase in its tax levy, the district’s tentative budget could still provide a measure of tax relief after the mill rate was lowered by 4 cents in the newly adopted bill. Green Bay school district hosts community roundtable for ideas to improve student safety GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Following last week’s incident at Preble High School, where a loaded handgun was found in a student's backpack, the Green Bay Area Public School District turned to the public for feedback during a community roundtable. “I really think getting community feedback and the administration’s collaboration is hopefully going to be helpful, and we get better answers,” said Kevin Garthwaite, a parent of GBAPS students. Parents speak their mind on Eau Claire Area School District’s potential consolidation plans EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - On Wednesday Superintendent Mike Johnson said the Eau Claire Area School District is discussing potential plans to consolidate elementary schools throughout the district. On Monday, parents spoke their minds urging the board to not follow through with those potential plans. This comes after reports of an 8.4% reduction in elementary students in the last decade. Parents and students from Flynn, Longfellow and Roosevelt Elementary Schools had lots to say. School lunch debts skyrocket in Wisconsin, up 70% in Madison MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - From pizza slices to chocolate milk, back-to-school season marks the return to the cafeteria, but the cost of those meals is becoming an increasingly heavy burden for many Wisconsin families. Public records requests filed across the state reveal a significant rise in unpaid lunch debt between 2023 and 2025. How MPS Got More Licensed Teachers Into Classrooms MPS superintendent Brenda Cassellius has made it a priority to have every classroom staffed this year with a licensed teacher despite an ongoing teacher shortage. She hopes to succeed where others have failed. In its 2024 budget, as Urban Milwaukee reported, MPS actually relied on under-funding fulltime teaching positions knowing that it would have to fill many classrooms with substitute teachers at a lower pay scale. Actually budgeting teachers at a lower amount was an admission that the district knew by June that it was unlikely to fill many positions by fall. Gov. Evers Wraps Up Annual Statewide Back-to-school Tour MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today wrapped up his annual statewide back-to-school tour, during which he visited K-12 schools in communities across the state to welcome students, families, educators, and staff back to school for the 2025-26 school year. As a former teacher, principal, superintendent, and state superintendent, this year marks Gov. Evers’ 49th back-to-school season. Throughout his back-to-school tour, the governor visited classrooms to talk with students, educators, and staff and highlighted his administration’s work to secure increased investments for Wisconsin’s kids and K-12 schools in the final 2025-27 Biennial Budget. Manitowoc School District Advisory Groups Finalizing Consolidation Plans Two committees in the Manitowoc Public School District are close to a recommendation involving the consolidation of schools. Superintendent Lee Thennes explained on WOMT’s Be My Guest program that a meeting was held last week between two facility advisory committees, with one being made up of MPSD staff and the other made up of residents. Medford School District breaks ground on high school expansion The Medford Area Public School District celebrated a historical moment on September 5 wth the formal groundbreaking for the high school renovation and expansion project. School board members, community leaders, residents and high school and elementary school students joined in the groundbreaking ceremony that was held where the new two-story addition to the high school will be built over the next year. The addition will house new science and family and consumer education classrooms and include the renovation of other classroom spaces in the high school. 2 MMSD referendum projects get Dane County Climate Champion awards Two Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) referendum projects — at Samuel Gompers Elementary/Black Hawk Middle schools and Sherman Middle/Malcolm Shabazz City High schools — have earned 2025 Dane County Climate Champion awards, receiving four-star recognition in the Building Design category. Green Bay schools receive over $42,000 in donations to help students get clear backpacks GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — The Green Bay Area Public School District (GBAPS) has received more than $42,000 in donations to help students get clear backpacks after a new policy was unveiled, according to a spokesperson with the district. Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius visits Marquette Law School Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Cassellius visited the Marquette University Law School Sept. 10 as part of the Lubar Center’s “Get to Know” series. Derek Mosley, director of the Lubar Center, hosted the discussion. Cassellius, who has led MPS since March, spent thirty years as an educator working in different roles and districts, most recently as superintendent of Boston Public Schools. Wisconsin school districts moving away from performance-based pay A new study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests a growing number of statewide school districts are moving away from compensation systems that at least partly pay teachers for performance, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. Twenty-four districts in the study have largely reverted to “step-and-lane” compensation systems, which only consider educators’ degrees and years of experience, fourteen years after a controversial state law gave districts the flexibility to pay teachers based on other factors. Kaukauna High School students take on $1.65 million project to revamp ‘Mount Misery' sled hill KAUKAUNA, Wis. (WFRV) – Kaukauna High School students are working to bring life to the city’s most popular sledding hill. Locals know the hill as Mount Misery, but Kaukauna High School’s Civic Engagement class is looking to turn it into much more. Tim Roehrig, who teaches the class, says the idea started a few years ago. Record 35 schools join Fox Cities Center Stage 10th Anniversary season APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – The Fox Cities, Performing Arts Center (P.A.C.) is celebrating a milestone year as its Center Stage High School Musical Theater Program kicks off its 10th anniversary season with a record 35 participating schools. Launched in 2016 with just 14 schools, the program has more than doubled in size, according to a release, offering opportunities for students across Northeast Wisconsin to showcase their talents while building skills in confidence, creativity and teamwork. Kimberly teacher talks teaching middle-schoolers to code and her cabin up north | Hallway Voices For this week's Hallway Voices column, we learned about how one teacher keeps up with changing technology — especially when it's her job to teach it. Aimee Knaus, a teacher at J. R. Gerrits Middle School in Kimberly, has taught computer science and coding classes for nearly three decades, "since email was just starting," she said. She also leads a Girls Who Code club and the school's computer club. She also was one of 100 Wisconsin teachers who received a Herb Kohl Teacher Fellowship Award earlier this year. Republican lawmakers to introduce new education bills MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WRN) — At the Capitol, assembly republican’s plan for the fall session includes several education focused bills. Sturgeon Bay Representative Joel Kitchens says his would overhaul the state’s math curriculum.
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