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.
1:35 - A Cardinals Journey Award - The Board of Education meeting began with the presentation of the Cardinal’s Journey Award, celebrating the Cardinal Mindset of being curious.
Being curious means having a strong desire to learn, explore, and ask questions to better understand the world around us.
From Park Elementary School, the Board recognized Silas Marshall, who was nominated by teacher Arwen Rosenberger. Arwen shared:
“Silas always has a story or fact to share. His eyes light up when he’s talking about whatever new subject he’s learned about, and he’s always excited to learn something new.”
Silas was unable to attend the previous Board meeting, Board members were thrilled to honor him this month.
5:20 - WASB Honor Roll - Next, the Board recognized four outstanding community partners whose dedication and generosity make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and staff.
Each year, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) honors local businesses and organizations through its Business Honor Roll, celebrating those who go above and beyond to support public education.
MCPASD is fortunate to have many strong community partnerships that enrich learning, strengthen family connections, and support the success of every student. This year, MCPASD proudly recognizes Fetch Rewards, Literacy Network, Edustaff, and Quality Resource Group as our 2025 WASB Business Honor Roll nominees.
Fetch Rewards
Represented by Will Kaufman
Over the past two years, Fetch has provided incredible real-world learning experiences for students in the Middleton High School Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) program. Their team has collaborated on client projects, hosted a private career panel with professionals in product management, UX design, art direction, and community outreach, and participated in fall interview day to help students practice professional skills.
In addition to mentorship and time, Fetch has shown remarkable generosity by providing food, beverages, and Fetch Points gift cards for every visit.
Literacy Network
Represented by Bex Fabrizio
A trusted partner for more than 20 years, Literacy Network has made a lasting impact by offering free community classes for adults learning English. These classes have transformed lives by helping participants build literacy skills, achieve personal goals, and fully engage in our schools and community. For parents and caregivers, this program also builds confidence and empowers them to play a more active role in their children’s education.
Edustaff
Represented by Nikki Kundert and Natalie Graham
Since partnering with MCPASD in July 2024, Edustaff has greatly strengthened our substitute staffing system. Their dedicated district services manager has built strong relationships across our schools while leading recruitment, training, and onboarding of high-quality substitutes. As a result, MCPASD’s substitute pool has grown to 291 individuals, and the District’s annual fill rate increased to 83%, providing greater consistency and stability in classrooms.
Quality Resource Group
Represented by Luke Doedens
Quality Resource Group plays an essential role in supporting our District’s communication efforts, from producing the District magazine to creating posters and print materials with precision and care. Their team helps deliver our magazine to more than 40,000 households, keeping families informed and connected to what’s happening in our schools.MCPASD also values their commitment to sustainability, using responsibly sourced paper and eco-friendly printing practices to minimize environmental impact while maintaining exceptional quality.
21:35 - Superintendent’s Report - In her report, Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue congratulated our student-athletes and coaches for their outstanding success in postseason play. She also recognized the efforts of Middleton Meals Matter, which held its first food drive of the school year with an excellent turnout. Dr. Monogue thanked the students and volunteers who continue to make a difference in fighting food insecurity in our community.
She also invited families and community members to attend the Adapted Sports League’s soccer game on Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 5:30 p.m. at Middleton High School, to show their support.
Finally, Dr. Monogue congratulated the Middleton High School Marching Band for earning second place at the State Championships. The band will be formally recognized at the upcoming Board of Education meeting on Nov.3.
22:45 - Approval of Sunset PTO Donation - The Board approved a $22,830.50 donation from the Sunset Ridge PTO for playground improvements, as required for contributions over $10,000.
23:25 - Wisconsin Student Assessment System Report - Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jan Chynoweth; Director of Elementary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Dr. MaryBeth Paulisse; and Director of Secondary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Ken Metz presented a detailed report on the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS).
The WSAS is a statewide framework that measures what students know and can do in core academic areas through assessments such as the Wisconsin Forward Exam, PreACT Secure, ACT with Writing, and Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM). The data provide valuable insight into student learning, school performance, and areas for continued improvement.
The report highlighted that MCPASD students continue to perform above the state average across most demographic groups on all major assessments. Middleton High School achieved the second-highest ACT composite score in Wisconsin with a score of 24, underscoring the District’s strong academic performance. The presentation also noted steady growth in proficiency levels across English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies compared to the previous year.
While celebrating these achievements, District leaders acknowledged that achievement gaps persist among multilingual learners, economically disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities. These disparities remain a key focus of the District’s continuous improvement efforts. MCPASD continues to rank among the top-performing districts in Dane County and remains committed to ensuring that every student experiences success.
To address areas for growth, the District has implemented the Vision for Teaching and Learning and Cardinal’s Journey framework across all schools. Each school has created an annual school improvement plan with goals centered on literacy, instructional practices, and culture and climate. The District is now in its second year of implementing the myView Literacy, miVisión Lectura, and myPerspectives curricula, alongside expanded Multi-Layered Systems of Support (MLSS) focused on reading interventions and the requirements of Act 20 for literacy assessments and reading plans.
Professional learning continues to be a priority, with focused training in specially designed instruction for students with disabilities and culturally responsive teaching and learning to better serve all learners. Additionally, curriculum renewal in mathematics is underway, and the District has introduced the Cardinal’s Academy at Sunset Ridge to provide personalized learning experiences for students.
Overall, the report reaffirmed MCPASD’s position as an academic leader both in Dane County and statewide, while emphasizing a clear and ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, equity, and excellence for every student.
55:47 - Board Adopts 2025-26 Budget and Certifies Tax Levy - The Board of Education approved the 2025–26 school district budget and certified the tax levy, which finalizes the financial plan for the upcoming school year. Each year, every Wisconsin school district is required by law to complete this process before Nov. 1.
Each year, MCPASD receives funding from two main sources: state equalization aid and local property taxes. Together, these two sources make up what is called our revenue limit, which is the maximum amount the District is allowed to collect in revenue from local tax payers and the State of Wisconsin through equalization aid. When state aid goes down, property taxes go up to keep the District at that same limit. This can be confusing and frustrating because a higher tax bill does not mean the district has more money to spend. It simply means the state is contributing less, and local taxpayers are covering more of the same budget.
This year, the state did not increase general school aid, which is the main way Wisconsin funds public education. Without that increase, school districts across the state, including MCPASD, have to rely more on local property taxes to maintain programs and meet normal cost increases like salaries, benefits, and classroom materials.
The state did allow districts to raise an additional $325 per student for the next two years, but those dollars did not come from new state equalization aid (funding). Instead, they come from local taxpayers, which shifts more of the responsibility for school funding to communities like ours.
Because local community property values have grown faster than the state average, the Department of Public Instruction reduced the amount of state aid the District receives. While this shows how strong and desirable the Middleton-Cross Plains communities are, it also means the state now views the District as having a greater ability to fund schools locally.
The total tax levy for 2025–26 is $101,150,743, with a mill rate of $8.62, slightly lower than last year’s $8.73. However, because property values went up by about 7%, many property owners will still see a higher total amount on their tax bill. It means the state is providing less and local taxpayers are making up that difference.
1:11:20 - WASB Delegate for State Convention - The Delegate Assembly is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Jan.21, 2026, during the Wisconsin State Education Convention. Each board is required to appoint one member to serve as its delegate. The Board has selected Bartlett Durand to represent MCPASD at the meeting.
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