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.
2:23 — A Cardinal’s Journey Award Recognitions
The meeting began with A Cardinal’s Journey Award recognitions for students and staff who exemplify the Cardinal Mindset of Curious.
Last school year, the Board began recognizing students each month who demonstrated the four attributes of the Cardinal Mindset as well as the four Cardinal Foundations. October marks the first set of awards for the 2026-27 school year as well as the first set of awards that includes staff.
Students and staff who are curious have a strong desire to learn, understand, and explore new perspectives and ideas. They seek out answers, ask questions, and engage with the world around them. This curiosity strengthens personal growth and often encourages others to step outside their comfort zone and be lifelong learners.
Student Awardees:
Lucas Gille (Middleton High School)
Nominated by MCPASD’s Communications Team
In nominating Lucas, the Communications Team shared:
“Lucas has been a leader in the CAPS program, recently rebranded as ‘SOAR,’ at Middleton High School and served as one of the District’s first student content creators for social media. He demonstrated curiosity in learning how to create social media posts, from choosing an event to cover and capturing photos to writing captions and managing the approval process. As a student content creator, he put the spotlight on SOAR/CAPS events and shared his perspective on the program with a community-wide audience. In addition to being eager to learn new concepts, Lucas is accountable and takes responsibility for his work. Finally, his friendly and outgoing personality helps Lucas easily connect with others. He showed tremendous growth his junior year, and we’re excited to see what he’ll accomplish during his senior year and beyond!”
Congratulations, Lucas!
Arina Makarova (Middleton High School)
Nominated by Middleton High School Teacher Ms. Rachel Gilbertson
In nominating Arina, Gilbertson shared:
“Arina is a ninth grade student at Middleton High School this year. This is her second year in our District, and as a ninth grade student, she has been the most inquisitive student! She is in my study hall class and we often spend 30 minutes or more talking about current events, how high school and college work in the United States, and anything else on her mind. Her English teacher reports the same, that she is always asking deeper questions. As a multilingual student, she has an extensive background in other cultures and ways of living, and she brings that knowledge into the classroom to make connections that other students are not able to consider. She truly has a bilingual superpower!”
Congratulations, Arina!
Leo Reardon (Glacier Creek Middle School)
Nominated by Glacier Creek Middle School Teacher Ms. Chase Connors
In nominating Leo, Connors shared:
“Leo is one of those students who is always asking questions and wanting to know more. He regularly raises his hand to ask thoughtful, sometimes really complex questions that go beyond what we’re learning in class. He is genuinely interested in new ideas and is not afraid to dig deeper when something catches his attention. Even better, Leo’s curiosity helps those around him, as he often gets his classmates thinking and helps them work through challenging concepts. He brings a great sense of curiosity and excitement to science class!”
Congratulations, Leo!
Jacob Roepe (Glacier Creek Middle School)
Nominated by Glacier Creek Middle School Teacher Ms. Kelly Kliefoth
In nominating Jacob, Kliefoth shared:
“Jacob is a fifth grade student who is naturally curious and an eager learner! Whether it is asking the ‘why’ regarding a rule of grammar, wondering if the definition of a word is the same in different contexts or subjects, or wanting to know more about his classmates and teachers, Jacob is always asking questions. He does so with sincerity, and in a way that makes others curious, too. I enjoy having students like this in my classroom because they raise the level of learning not just for themselves, but for everyone, and are the foundation of building a community of thinkers!”
Congratulations, Jacob!
Bennett Nai (Sunset Ridge Elementary School)
Nominated by Sunset Ridge Elementary School Teacher Mr. Chris Rago
In nominating Bennett, Rago shared:
“Bennett is constantly seeking out new information and is always asking questions daily, which helps make our classroom an exciting place to be. His joy for learning is contagious to each and every one of us. He shares his background knowledge on many different topics and always keeps us thinking of different possibilities and ideas when many think there might just be one answer. Bennett is not afraid to explore new things and make connections within different ideas. I am thankful for Bennett’s curiosity and am looking forward to learning from him throughout this school year.”
Congratulations, Bennett!
Staff Awardees:
Ms. Tanya Zempel (Kromrey Middle School)
Nominated by MCPASD Parent Lisa Schwartz
In nominating Zempel, Schwartz shared:
“Because of Ms. Zempel's seventh grade science class, my daughter is now excited to learn more about science in the future, even saying she will go on to college for it and find a related field to work in. Ms. Zempel made learning engaging, and sparked their curiosity. She made the subject feel accessible to the kids, and really showed individual interest in the students’ success. She remains my daughter's favorite teacher at Kromrey, and they make a point to say hello to each other every morning (even though my daughter is now in eighth grade)!”
Congratulations, Ms. Zempel!
Ms. Elyse Grothaus (Park Elementary School)
Nominated by MCPASD Parent Kelly Unger
In nominating Grothaus, Unger shared:
“Ms. Grothaus showed curiosity about our child even before the school year started, reaching out to us parents to talk about our hopes for our child in the coming school year. Throughout the year she connected with us often, even outside of the weekly newsletters, to check in and see how things were going from our point of view. She connected with our child's interests and offered additional ways we could engage with those interests, and she connected with other staff to help our child when needed. Her curiosity about and enthusiasm for her students is inspiring.”
Congratulations, Ms. Grothaus!
Mr. Scott Jones (Clark Street Community School)
Nominated by Clark Street Community School Teacher Mary Lee Mckenzie
In nominating Jones, Mckenzie shared:
“Scott is an English teacher by certification, but at Clark Street Community School we teach interdisciplinary courses. Scott has been curious on how he could incorporate math into his course, Mockingbirds and Melting Pots, a look at the richness and complexity of classic American literature. Together, we designed activities that have students deepen their understanding of statistics in relation to how statistics can support an argumentative writing piece. Students amplify their arguments with data displays and interpretation to connect the literature with moral and ethical dilemmas. Scott exemplifies this curiosity through asking questions, encouraging wonderings in his classroom and continuing to grow in his own learning of math.”
Congratulations, Mr. Jones!
Ms. Anneliese Cannon (Glacier Creek Middle School) and Mr. Steve Kurr (Middleton High School)
Nominated by Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue
In nominating Cannon and Kurr, Monogue shared:
“Anneliese Cannon and Steve Kurr received Fulbright Teacher Exchange awards from the U.S. Department of State. Anneliese teaches seventh-grade literacy and social studies at Glacier Creek Middle School, while Steve serves as an orchestra conductor and Fine Arts Department instructional leader at Middleton High School. As part of the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms program, they will complete online coursework during the fall semester and attend a symposium in Washington, D.C., in February. Through this process, they will develop final capstone projects and explore what they’ll bring from their travels to their students. Receiving a Fulbright Teacher Exchange award is an incredible accomplishment and a wonderful example of a Curious Mindset. Both Anneliese and Steve are taking their passion for learning beyond the walls of their classrooms, seeking new perspectives and experiences that will ultimately enrich the learning of our students and our entire District.”
Congratulations, Ms. Cannon and Mr. Kurr!
17:27 — WASB Honor Roll Recognitions
The meeting continued with recognitions of three community partners whose generosity and partnership make a meaningful difference for MCPASD students and staff.
Every year, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) honors local businesses and organizations for their strong support of public education through the Business Honor Roll. MCPASD is grateful for all of its community partners for their work to enrich student learning and success, and proudly recognizes Luke Whitburn at VESSEY, the Middleton Chamber of Commerce, and UW Credit Union as our 2026 WASB Business Honor Roll nominees.
Luke Whitburn with VESSEY
Luke Whitburn is Senior Vice President and Shareholder at VESSEY as well as a 1993 graduate of Middleton High School. In addition to his leadership role at VESSEY, he also serves on the Advisory Committee for SOAR, formerly known as MHS Center for Advanced Professional Students (CAPS) program. Luke has made several valuable connections for our students and staff to professional organizations such as Feastables, Hy Cite, Kwik Trip, and the Wisconsin State Patrol.
The connections Luke has made have provided our students with valuable real-world learning opportunities and exposure to a variety of careers.
Middleton Chamber of Commerce
Represented by Executive Director Kristen Parent and Board Chairman Terry Murawski
The Middleton Chamber of Commerce has a major impact on professional learning opportunities for our high school students within the SOAR and Career and Technical Education programs. Chamber members provide students with youth apprenticeships, internships, and more connections within the greater local business community. Additionally, they serve as speakers and mentors at MHS and provide MCPASD with software that makes internship connections more efficient for students. The Chamber’s continued investment in our students and schools will have a long-lasting positive impact.
UW Credit Union
Represented by Erin Bykowski
UW Credit Union is another strong supporter of the SOAR program, partnering on a variety of student opportunities including a Mock Interview Day as well as corporate office visits to receive valuable feedback from professionals. In addition, Erin Bykowski, Financial Inclusion and Education Manager at UW Credit Union, serves on the SOAR Advisory Board. Erin and the rest of the UW Credit Union team play important roles in helping our students build job skills and life skills that will help them succeed.
42:51 — Superintendent’s Report
In her Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Monogue expressed appreciation for the community members who attended MCPASD’s referendum presentations on Sept. 17 and Sept. 30. She also encouraged people to attend the next three meetings, which are open to the public, on Oct. 19 at Pope Farm Elementary School, Oct. 21 at Park Elementary School, and Oct. 22 at the Middleton High School Performing Arts Center. MCPASD’s referendum web page has a full meeting schedule as well as several resources to learn more about the operational referendum.
Monogue also congratulated Middleton High School’s Marching Band and Color Guard on recent competition wins in Waukesha and Stoughton, as well as the Girls Tennis and Girls Golf teams on their conference championships and wished them good luck in the postseason.
46:19 — MCPASD Education Foundation Update
MCPASD Education Foundation Executive Director Annemarie Ketterhagen Engdahl shared a report on the Foundation’s support of students and community members and emphasized the need for donations to fund essential programs and services.
The nonprofit works in collaboration with MCPASD and the Board of Education. The Foundation funds Inspiration Grants for teachers and has awarded 185 grants worth a total of more than $185,000 since 2013. These grants provide funding for innovative educational experiences that inspire curiosity and engagement in students, but half of teachers’ requests are unfunded due to limited program donations. The average teacher grant request is for $1,000.
In addition to teacher grants, the Foundation provides essential items such as food, clothing, and personal hygiene items to students in need and funds the Weekend Food program. In the 2024-25 school year, the Foundation provided 7,700 meals for students to take home. Ketterhagen Engdahl emphasized the importance of these services and noted more than 1,200 MCPASD students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Student scholarships are also a large part of the Foundation’s work to increase students’ access to college, technical training, and career pathways. The Foundation awarded $122,000 in scholarships to the Class of 2025. Ketterhagen Engdahl shared that approximately 60% of student applicants are not awarded scholarships due to limited donations.
Ketterhagen Engdahl expressed gratitude to all partners and collaborators who support the Foundation’s work and invited community members to consider making donations. Visit the MCPASD Education Foundation’s website to learn more.
53:13 — Annual Comprehensive Staffing Report
Director of Employee Services Dr. Barb Buffington shared MCPASD’s annual comprehensive staffing report, which shows encouraging progress in staff diversity and bilingual capabilities as well as opportunities to strengthen retention strategies for support staff.
Dr. Buffington shared that MCPASD has 1,185 staff members, with women comprising 73% of the workforce. Additionally, 63% of the District’s certified staff bring more than a decade of experience, which provides stability in our classrooms. The Employee Services team successfully onboarded 99 new staff for the 2026-27 school year, more than 25% of whom are staff of color. 16% of all MCPASD staff are people of color, marking a 2% increase from 2025. MCPASD’s percentage of bilingual staff also rose to nearly 9% overall.
The overall staff retention rate is at 86.5% for all staff, and 89% when excluding retirees. Dr. Buffington noted that the District’s priority focus areas for staff retention are among custodians, bus drivers, and food service workers. Exit survey data across employee groups showed that personal reasons are the primary factor in departure, as well as retirement, relocation, career advancement, and pursuit of higher education. Substitute fill rates increased more than 5% from last year, rising to 99.65%.
The District’s newest staff members are primarily coming from school districts in Dane County and throughout Wisconsin, as well as from Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan, Missouri, Washington, and China. As of Sept. 30, MCPASD’s job vacancies increased slightly among support staff and decreased for certified staff in the past year. Vacancies are posted on a variety of job boards, partner organizations, and digital media channels.
MCPASD’s need for recruitment events also has changed. With a larger teacher applicant pool, the teacher career fair did not continue. MCPASD’s July 2026 Drive a Bus Event recruited new bus drivers. Additional recruitment strategies include climate and culture surveys, Employee Services listening sessions, MCPASD’s Grow Your Own and Employee Referral programs, the Employee Health and Wellness Clinic, and more.
Moving forward, Dr. Buffington reaffirmed the District’s commitment to strengthening the experience levels and diversity in its workforce as well as boosting retention among support staff.
1:03:35 — Official Third Friday Enrollment Count
Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jerrud Rossing presented the annual Third Friday Enrollment Count, taken on Sept. 18, 2026. This annual count takes place on the third Friday of September and provides a closer look at our total student population, which is critical in determining the amount of funding our District receives from the State of Wisconsin.
Rossing shared that the District’s total enrollment for grade levels 4K–12 is at 7,248 students, an increase of 20 students from the Third Friday Count taken in the 2025-26 school year. Rossing also shared that MCPASD has nearly 350 open enrolled-in students and 173 open enrolled-out students for the 2026-27 school year, maintaining MCPASD’s status as a positive netted school district in terms of open enrollment.
Official Third Friday Enrollment Count Breakdown for the 2026-27 School Year | |
|---|---|
Level | Enrollment |
Elementary (4K—4) | 2,537 |
Middle Schools (5—8) | 2,203 |
High Schools (9—12) | 2,508 |
Total (K—12) | 7,003 |
Total (4K—12) | 7,248 |
The Third Friday Count is crucial for our District every year because it directly impacts the amount of funding we receive from the State of Wisconsin and helps guide planning for classroom sizes, programs, and resources in the year ahead, as well as determining student-to-teacher ratios.
1:12:53 — Review of After School Care Lease Agreements
Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jerrud Rossing reviewed the After School Care Lease Agreements with the Board.
MCPASD has historically partnered with private, outside agencies to provide after-school childcare on-site at the District’s elementary schools. Returning providers include Wisconsin Youth Company, i9 Sports, and Kid SAFE. One new provider is Play On Afterschool. The providers previously went through the District’s facility rental process, which typically focuses on more short-term purposes. District leaders decided to change this to lease agreements because the providers are in schools for long-term periods.
The Board will vote on approval of these agreements during the Oct. 26 regular meeting.
Next Board Meeting
The Board of Education’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at 7 p.m. at the District Services Center at 7106 South Ave. in Middleton.
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