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.
2:21 - The board meeting started with A Cardinal’s Journey Award Recognition, honoring five students who exemplify the Cardinal Mindset of Self Aware.
Each month, the District celebrates students who embody the four Cardinal Mindsets and the four Cardinal Foundations. The Self Aware mindset highlights students’ ability to understand their thoughts, emotions, and actions, and how those choices impact others.
Kayla Cleaveland, Kromrey Middle School
Nominated by Jenna Peterson and Maria Pittner, Green Team Club Advisors
Kayla demonstrates strong leadership by taking initiative in Green Team projects both during and beyond meetings. She is mindful of her role in promoting sustainability, actively seeks out practical solutions she can implement, and inspires others to do the same.
Congratulations, Kayla!
Savannah Kellar, Middleton High School
Nominated by LaRon Ragsdale
Savannah, a sophomore at Middleton High School, exemplifies what it means to be a highly self aware student leader. She demonstrates strong emotional awareness, carries herself in a way that honors all students, and understands how her presence positively impacts the school community. Savannah keeps her values at the center of her actions and continually seeks opportunities for growth.
Congratulations, Savannah!
Riwaz Dahal, Northside Elementary School
Nominated by Heidi Adler and Sylla Zarov
Riwaz is an exceptional third grader who shows remarkable maturity by recognizing his strengths and areas for growth. He makes positive choices, encourages his classmates, and demonstrates empathy and responsibility throughout the school day. His kindness and thoughtfulness truly make a difference for those around him.
Congratulations, Riwaz!
Sara Sofia Davila Ramirez, Kromrey Middle School
Nominated by Madelynn Randel
Sara consistently demonstrates self awareness by pushing herself to try new things and persisting through challenges. She advocates for her needs, reflects on her learning, and encourages others to embrace a growth mindset. Her determination and self reflection are evident in her academic and social progress.
Congratulations, Sara!
Reece Blazek, Glacier Creek Middle School
Nominated by Kayla Strommen
Reece exemplifies the Cardinal Mindsets and Foundations through her kindness, compassion, and self awareness. She is respectful, hardworking, and always willing to help others. After transferring schools last year, Reece showed resilience and openness by building connections and making the best of a challenging transition.
Congratulations, Reece!
The Board congratulated all five students and thanked the staff members who nominated them for recognizing and uplifting student leadership across the District.
14:34 - Superintendent’s Report
In her report, Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue congratulated the District’s student musicians, along with the staff and families who support them, for their work during recent holiday performances.
Middleton High School’s Symphony Orchestra, 7 O’Clock Jazz, and Jazz Orchestra performed to a full house at the Performing Arts Center during The Nutcracker: Two Ways, featuring student ensembles, soloists, and guest musician Victor Goines of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Dr. Monogue also recognized Safety and Security Coordinator Asher Torbeck for his Safety and Security Night presentation on Dec. 10, which was well attended by families and included representatives from the Middleton and Cross Plains Police Departments.
She closed by wishing everyone a safe and restful winter break.
15:15 - Acceptance of the 2024–2025 Audit Report
Brian Anderson from Wipfli LLP presented the results of the District’s annual financial audit for the 2024–2025 fiscal year. He shared that the District received a clean audit, meaning the financial statements are accurate and the District’s financial practices meet all required standards. No significant issues, audit findings, or internal control concerns were identified.
The audit also confirmed that the District maintains a strong financial position, with adequate reserves to support day-to-day operations, manage unexpected costs, and plan for future needs. Overall, the presentation highlighted responsible financial stewardship, transparency, and accountability in how public funds are managed. The full audit report and presentation are included in the Board packet.
25:10 - Clark Street Community School Annual Report Presentation
Clark Street Community School Principal Nicki Victor presented the school’s Annual Report, highlighting the dedicated work of students and staff and the unique role the school plays within the District. Clark Street Community School is a public, tuition-free charter school within MCPASD that provides a highly personalized, student-centered learning environment.
The presentation showcased the hard work of students and educators through rigorous, interdisciplinary, place-based learning. During the past year, students participated in more than 200 real-world field experiences across four states, connecting classroom learning to their community and beyond. Students engaged in deep inquiry through project-based seminars and regularly shared their work with families and community members through public exhibitions.
Strong student voice and leadership were also highlighted. Students play an active role in shaping school decisions, welcoming new students, supporting community events, and presenting their learning publicly. Student survey data showed higher levels of engagement, relevance, and connection to school compared to national high school averages.
The report also emphasized the commitment of Clark Street staff, who design meaningful, personalized learning experiences and support students academically, socially, and emotionally. Graduates continue on a wide range of successful post-secondary pathways, including four-year colleges and universities, technical education, and direct entry into the workforce.
38:50 - Safety and Security Night Presentation
Safety and Security Coordinator Asher Torbeck provided an overview of the District’s comprehensive approach to safety and security, emphasizing preparation, prevention, and clear communication with families and staff. He shared how MCPASD continues to strengthen safety practices through training, collaboration, and consistent procedures across all schools.
The presentation highlighted updates for the 2025–2026 school year, including the District’s adoption of the Standard Response Protocol, which aligns MCPASD with other Dane County districts and more than 90,000 schools nationwide. Torbeck explained how the updated protocol provides consistent language and clear actions for students, staff, families, and emergency responders during a variety of situations, including medical incidents, weather events, and police-related situations.
Torbeck also reviewed ongoing safety efforts, including regular safety drills, role-specific staff safety training, and the work of Situation Response Teams at each school. These teams receive additional training and conduct scenario-based planning to ensure readiness. He shared how safety drills are conducted in a trauma-sensitive manner and are reviewed and reported as required by state law.
Additional highlights included the District’s Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) process, enhanced visitor management through the Visitor Aware system, and continued investment in emergency preparedness tools such as Stop the Bleed training and kits in every school. Torbeck emphasized the importance of collaboration with local law enforcement, emergency responders, and statewide safety organizations to continually improve practices.
The presentation concluded with an overview of the District’s approach to reunification planning and communication with families during emergencies. Torbeck reinforced MCPASD’s commitment to transparency, timely communication, and partnership with families to ensure student and staff safety.
Families were also reminded that a recording of the Dec. 10, 2025, Safety and Security Night presentation is available on the District’s Safety and Security webpage.
1:15:00 - District Logo Redesign Presentation
Director of Information and Public Relations Shannon Valladolid presented the District’s updated logo and walked the Board through how the refreshed design connects to A Cardinal’s Journey, the District’s updated mission and vision, and the vision for teaching and learning. She shared how the new logo reflects the District’s shift to the “Engage. Empower. Evolve.” framework and creates a more consistent visual identity across schools.
Valladolid was joined by CAPS student ambassadors, as well as Program Coordinator and Instructor Shane Leadholm and Public Relations Specialists Carrie Brooker, and Jenna Skarlupka. CAPS students spoke directly to the Board about their experience participating in the redesign process, what they learned about branding and design, and the importance of having student voices represented in something as central to the District as its logo.
The presentation highlighted the student-led design process, which took place over three meetings and included participation from School Board member Bartlett Durand. During this process, students learned about the District’s mission, vision, and branding goals; reviewed and discussed multiple logo concepts; provided structured feedback; and helped recommend the final logo to move forward. This work gave students hands-on experience with real-world design thinking, collaboration, and professional presentation skills.
Students also shared reflections on what the experience meant to them. CAPS student Izzy Frantz said, “Having a student voice in something as important as the District logo was really meaningful. It was cool to know our ideas actually mattered.”
Another student ambassador, Rohan Dileep, reflected on the deeper impact of the work, said, “This process made me think hard about who we are as a District and what we value. A logo really represents the whole community.”
A.J. Schleusner emphasized the importance of inclusion:, “I really hope the logo is something that connects with a ton of students, something that we can all see ourselves in.”
Mason DePauw highlighted the value of student voice: “It’s really great that students get to have a voice in something this big. Student perspective is important, and it’s cool to represent our peers.”
Looking ahead, CAPS students will continue to serve as ambassadors for the new logo by presenting the redesign process and final design to community groups in the coming months. This next phase will help build understanding, transparency, and community connection around the District’s updated brand identity.
1:36:30 - Approval of Emergency Crisis Plan
The Board of Education reviewed the District’s Emergency Crisis Plan, which is updated and approved each year. After review, the Board approved the plan.
1:36:50 - Approval of Two-Year Calendar Recommendation
During the Dec. 1 Board of Education meeting, Dr. Barb Buffington, director of Employee Services, and Shannon Valladolid, director of Information and Public Relations, presented the proposed calendars for the 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 school years. The Board approved both calendars, which have since been posted on the District’s website in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin.
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