Access Board Meetings Online: Community members can stay informed by watching every board meeting on our YouTube channel, MCPASD TV. In the recap below, we have provided timestamps for the various sections of the meeting. These will help you follow along and jump directly to the parts of the video that interest you the most.
1:16 – Recognition – Seal of Biliteracy Students
The Board recognized eight seniors who earned their Wisconsin Seal of Biliteracy. This achievement means that students have demonstrated high levels of biliteracy and bilingualism in English and a partner language. The Seal of Biliteracy also helps students stand out to future employers.
The following students were recognized for earning their certificates:
Jayda Mand – Spanish
Micah Hees – Spanish
Sofia Altuzar – Spanish
Lydia Sabat – Polish
Oskar Siemsen – German
Emma Cavazos – Spanish
Sophia Ynclan – Spanish
Sofia Ortiz-Lunyova – Spanish and Russian
MCPASD began offering the Wisconsin Seal of Biliteracy during the 2022-2023 school year. This reaffirms the District’s commitment to inclusivity and supporting multilingualism in our community.
8:17 – Election of Board Officers
During the annual election of board officers, Bob Hesselbein was nominated and approved to serve as President of the Board of Education. Catherine Kells was nominated and approved to serve as Vice President. Jim Coursey was nominated and approved to serve as Treasurer. Marni Ginsberg was nominated and approved to serve as Clerk.
28:20 – Superintendent’s Report
In her Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Dana Monogue began by congratulating the 72 graduating seniors from Middleton High School and Clark Street Community School who received scholarships during MCPASD’s annual Scholarship Night, hosted on May 14 with support from the MCPASD Education Foundation. She congratulated students for their academic and athletic excellence and shared appreciation for the community partners who provide the scholarships.
Dr. Monogue and Board members also shared highlights from the annual Retirement Dinner on May 15. They expressed gratitude for the dedication and hard work from each of this year’s 18 retirees and congratulated them on reaching this career milestone. They also praised the performance of Middleton High School’s Bristol Street singers.
29:37 – Student Services Update
Chris Mand, Director of Student Services, provided the Board with an update on the Student Services Department’s current services, key data trends, and efforts put in place during the 2024-2025 school year – including the department’s Multi-Layered System of Support (MLSS).
The Student Services Team includes 12 psychologists, 11 social workers, 23 counselors, six nurses, 10 health assistants and two intensive support specialists. The team’s framework focuses on social-emotional and mental health support; reducing barriers to learning; and partnering with families, educators, and community agencies to build inclusive environments for students.
Mand and her team shared some of their key findings, including:
161 MCPASD students were identified as experiencing homelessness and 21 students were identified as unaccompanied homeless youth during the 2023-24 school year. In the current 2024-25 school year (as of May 5, 2025), 118 students were identified as experiencing homelessness and 26 students were identified as unaccompanied homeless youth.
The most recent Dane County Youth Assessment (DCYA) from February 2024 revealed a slight improvement in students reporting anxiety at the middle school level, but showed no change at the high school level. Both middle and high school levels showed slight improvement in recent uncontrollable worries and unmanageable problems between 2021 and 2024. The number of middle school students seeking mental health support saw an increase, while the number of high school students seeking this support decreased.
The annual MCPASD Student Engagement Survey showed improvements across grade levels for students’ sense of belonging and connection with adults. Peer respect also grew, but shows more room for improvement.
The Social Skills Improvement System: Social Emotional Learning and Mental Health (SSIS SELb + MH) screener at grades 4, 7, and 9 helps identify students who may need intervention regarding social, emotional, and/or mental health concerns. More than 9% of students were flagged as potential for internalizing their concerns, while more than 12% of students were flagged as potential for externalizing their concerns. More than 87% of students showed competency or advancement in their SEL skills.
Following MCPASD’s universal trauma screening, 26 third-graders and 86 sixth-graders were recommended for specific trauma interventions. Outside therapists and a school Student Services team member often co-facilitate trauma groups in partnership with Journey Mental Health.
Preliminary data for the 2024-25 school year indicates the month of April had the highest number of completed Suicide Risk Assessments (SRAs), while during the 2023-24 school year, October and November had the highest number of completed SRAs.
MCPASD expanded its partnership with Children’s Wisconsin to all MCPASD schools for the 2024-25 school year, assigning five full-time therapists to the District. More than 180 students received school-based mental health services during the school year. 75% of students who meet with Children’s Wisconsin therapists at school are accessing these services for the first time.
The District creates systems for supporting students’ mental wellness by following the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Mental Health Framework. The MLSS is implemented throughout MCPASD schools and includes student services staff and educators who help students grow as individuals. Types of interventions include check-in/check-out and direct skill instructional groups.
The SEL Team has representation from each school in the District and creates school environments that are physically and psychologically safe, and works to increase students’ independence, relationships, and engagement in learning.
Health Services has seen an increase in office visits every year for the past three years, with the most recent data showing 16,084 visits during the 2023-24 school year.
Professional Development opportunities for Student and Health Services staff included improvements to interpretation and translation services, protocols for Mental Health Crisis Response, motivational interviewing techniques, awareness and prevention strategies regarding human trafficking, and prevention and intervention strategies regarding substance abuse.
1:06:15 – Youth Center Presentation
The Middleton Youth Center shared its Year in Review Report for the 2024 calendar year, including Spring, Summer, and Fall 2024. The Center served nearly 100 students in 2024 – 63% of whom were students of color, and 51% of whom qualified for free or reduced-price lunch.
The Youth Center’s After School Program met every school day at Kromrey Middle School until 6 p.m. for homework support, sports activities, mentoring focused on SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) skills, weekly mini-courses, monthly guest artist workshops, and more. Mini-courses throughout the year focused on topics including cooking, trivia, social justice, science and nature, art, Minecraft, and Dungeons & Dragons. Volunteer projects included a fall food drive, making holiday cards, and helping with the elementary school day camp program. There were also weekly field trips and pool days throughout the summer.
In 2024, students completed 121 hours of community service and 62 sessions of one-on-one mentoring. 63 out of 82 students who were assessed for SEL increased their score by two or more points.
Permanent staff, volunteers, tutors, and interns for the Youth Center come from groups including MCPASD, the City of Middleton, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Social Work Program. Funding comes from areas including MCPASD, the City of Middleton, Dane County, United Way of Dane County, and community donations.
1:25:04 – Approval of Employee Handbook
The Board unanimously approved updates to the 2023-25 Employee Handbook discussed during the meeting on May 12, 2025. Updates for the 2025-26 school year include:
Language addressing abuse of unpaid leave
Limits on consecutive general leave days
Transfer of health insurance language in the main handbook
Vacation progression for support staff and three additional paid holidays for 10-month support staff
Specific language for special education teachers
Clear language about online teaching compensation
1:25:43 – Approval of Ionic Lodge Parking Lot Agreement
The District renewed its agreement with the Middleton Ionic Lodge (located at 7409 Franklin Avenue) to provide additional parking for Middleton High School staff. The agreement is effective from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. It will renew automatically for additional three-year terms unless either party provides written notification 90 or more days before the expiration date.
This agreement covers 23 parking spaces between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on attendance days for Middleton High School staff. MCPASD is responsible for snow and ice removal during these times. The agreement only applies to staff, not students. Staff must display a parking sticker or tag in the dash area of their vehicle.
The District will pay an annual fee of $3,450 ($150 per parking space). Half of the fee will be paid on or before Sept. 1 of each year, with the remainder paid on or before Feb. 1 of each school year. MCPASD will also maintain the Middleton Ionic Lodge’s status as an additional insured under the District’s General Liability Insurance Policy.
1:26:30 – Appointment of Deputy Clerk and Board Secretary
Each year, the Board appoints a Deputy Clerk and a Board Secretary to assist in its operations. The Board appointed Jerrud Rossing, Assistant Superintendent for Operations, as the Deputy Clerk and the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent as the Board Secretary.
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