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.
1:00 – A Cardinal’s Journey Award Recognitions
The Board meeting began with A Cardinal’s Journey Award Recognitions, honoring one student who exemplifies the Cardinal Mindset of Accountability and five students who exemplify the Cardinal Foundation of Communication.
Each month, the District celebrates students who demonstrate the four Cardinal Mindsets and the four Cardinal Foundations. Accountable students take responsibility for their decisions and the outcomes of their actions. They own up to mistakes or successes, follow through on commitments, and are trustworthy and dependable. Students who are strong Communicators use a variety of formats to clearly and effectively exchange ideas with others. They are active listeners who carefully consider dialogue, audiences, and messages, and build upon others’ voices to foster understanding.
Awardees:
Mason DePauw, Middleton High School (Accountable)
Nominated by Shane Leadholm and the MHS CAPS Team
In nominating Mason, Shane and the CAPS Team shared:
“Mason is empathetic, conscientious, and a self-starter. Mason displays maturity far beyond his years. He approaches every task with a ‘quiet confidence’ and a genuine curiosity that drives him to seek feedback, which displays his love for learning. Mason recently demonstrated this mindset as a key member of the District logo redesign committee. He provided valuable student perspective and feedback during the process, and successfully co-presented to the Board on Dec. 15th. We are so proud of Mason’s leadership and we are excited to see his future success!”
Congratulations, Mason!
Madeline Saidy and Reese Moon, West Middleton Elementary School (Communication)
Nominated by Alicia Rice
In nominating Madeline and Reese, Alicia shared:
“Reese and Madeline truly embody the Communication foundation. Madeline, a third-grade student with profound hearing loss, is new to West Middleton this year and new to formal schooling in the United States. Entering an unfamiliar school environment without the ability to hear could be overwhelming, yet she was welcomed warmly by her classmates. Reese has gone above and beyond to build a meaningful friendship with Madeline. As Madeline learns sign language, Reese has dedicated herself to learning it as well so they can communicate effectively. Each day they practice new signs together, celebrating the joy that comes when they understand one another. Reese has even shared that she hopes to become a sign language interpreter one day. Their friendship, rooted in determination and compassion, beautifully demonstrates the power of communication.”
Congratulations, Madeline and Reese!
Ainsley Theisen, Kromrey Middle School (Communication)
Nominated by Maria Pittner, Brian Stubbe, Jean Holman, Tim Davis, and Kasey McKinney
In nominating Ainsley; Maria, Brian, Jean, and Tim shared:
“Ainsley is friendly and willing to strike up a conversation with anyone. She is a leader in classroom discussions and forms positive, upbeat and caring communicative relationships with peers and adults. Ainsley shows strong skills in both talking to adults and relating to her peers. Her Block R core teachers are continually impressed with the leadership she shows with her communication skills.”
Additionally, Kasey shared:
“Ainsley's communication skills exceed those of a typical middle schooler. She takes initiative to reach out to staff at school to let them know of pre-planned absences and conflicts that might interfere with commitments, proactively asks for help in a timely manner, and among peers, she is willing to speak up and voice things she notices aren't right, and is willing to talk things out and problem solve, rather than just dwell on issues. She does all of this with kindness, giving grace to others, and assuming best intentions, even when conflict arises. Ainsley is an exceptional student and community member, and her strengths in communication highlight this.”
Congratulations, Ainsley!
Genesis Sotero Cayaxon, Sauk Trail Elementary School (Communication)
Nominated by Claudia Bakken
In nominating Genesis, Claudia shared:
“Genesis is a first-grader at Sauk Trail in our TWI program. When she started school here in kindergarten, she showed minimal communication with her AAC device or spoken words. This year, she has truly blossomed! She uses her AAC device and confident spoken words to communicate in both English and Spanish. Genesis has been working really hard on using her spoken voice to blend CVC words to practice her reading. Last year, she did not raise her hand to share during whole group lessons. This year, Genesis is using her strong spoken voice to share out and be heard in loud spaces. We are so proud of the communication growth Genesis has made!”
Congratulations, Genesis!
Noah Lucchesi, Middleton High School (Communication)
Nominated by Mike Kusch
In nominating Noah, Mike shared:
“Noah is a member of the MHS MENS (Men Empowering Nonviolent Strength) Club. During MHS Human Rights Week, Noah joined Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) in presenting. Noah captured the audience’s attention as he presented on challenging topics such as healthy relationships, healthy male masculinity, and preventing domestic violence and intimate partner violence in our community. These are hard topics for young men to speak on. He helped to design the presentation, and delivered the presentation in collaboration with DAIS.”
Congratulations, Noah!
Honor Moten (Kromrey Middle School), an Accountable Mindset honoree, and Miracle Aniekwenagbu (Middleton High School), a Communication Foundation honoree, will be honored and receive their awards at a future event.
16:23 – VFW Donation Presentation for Students’ Yearbooks
Five VFW 8216 representatives presented a donation to MCPASD for students to obtain yearbooks when cost is a barrier. The VFW’s support ensures that more students will have access to yearbooks, a treasured memento of their time in school.
The Board and Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue expressed gratitude to the VFW for its generosity and its support of students and the District. VFW representatives noted that their organization has made annual donations to MCPASD for more than a decade.
20:49 – Superintendent’s Report
In her Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Dana Monogue congratulated the cast, crew, and directors involved in Middleton High School’s recent production of Hadestown: Teen Edition. She also congratulated the Middleton High School Boys Swim and Dive team and coaches for winning their fourth consecutive state championship on Feb. 21. They are the eighth team in Wisconsin history to earn four state championships in a row.
21:27 – Approval of Donation for the Middleton High School Soccer Scoreboard
Per policy, the Board of Education must approve all donations over $10,000. The Board approved a donation of $20,000 for the soccer scoreboard at Middleton High School. The donation was made in loving memory of Jack Miller, a beloved student who passed in 2021. Miller’s family made the donation through the Madison Community Foundation in his memory. Miller was involved in Middleton High School athletics and activities and was the goalkeeper on the soccer team.
22:05 – Continuous Improvement Progress Report: Quarter 2
Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue, Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jerrud Rossing, and Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Jan Chynoweth shared the Continuous Improvement Progress Report for the second quarter of the 2025-26 school year. This report highlighted the key actions and performance indicators in the District’s three main goals: to create a culture of learning and belonging, to align resources, and to engage our community.
Milestones from the second quarter include:
Continued implementation of A Cardinal’s Journey through activities that are specifically tied to the Cardinal Mindsets and Foundations
The launch of the first Vertical Teaming Opportunity for most secondary and some K-12 staff
Completion of the Cybersecurity Review According to National Institute of Standards and Technology
Budget development work for the 2026-2027 fiscal year
The third year of the Community Connections Breakfast series
School funding presentations for the community
Middleton Chamber of Commerce presentation on ways to engage with students and support the MCPASD Education Foundation
Additionally, Dr. Monogue shared that student attendance levels through Jan. 31, 2026, increased at all schools from the 2024-25 school year.
Looking ahead to the third quarter, the District will continue to make the implementation of A Cardinal’s Journey a top priority, as well as deepening instructional practices across all levels, offering the next level of restorative practices to staff, heightening employee attraction and retention efforts, hosting engaging presentations for community groups, and more.
43:06 – Approval of Auditor from Auditing Services RFP
The Board approved a three-year contract with Baker Tilly to be MCPASD’s new auditing firm, following the District’s request for proposals (RFP) for its auditing services in November 2025. The District received two responses during the RFP process, and the Finance team reviewed each proposal and conducted interviews with each firm.
Director of Finance and Operations Erin Wheeler and Baker Tilly leader Paul Frantz shared a presentation on Baker Tilly’s involvement in the public sector and specialization in the industry as well as their collaborative approach to financial and single audit services.
MCPASD is required to have an annual financial audit and has earned clean financial audits for nine consecutive years. The audit involves all of the District’s funds and accounts. The auditing firm will also determine the adequacy of internal control systems for the District’s funds. In addition, MCPASD views the audit firm as a collaborative year-round partnership that will provide support to staff and help the District maintain its high level of financial accountability.
Baker Tilly’s contract runs from the 2025-26 through 2027-28 school years and has an option for a two-year extension.
53:14 – Approval of Budget Amendments for 2025-2026
Leaders requested approval of the District’s budget amendments for the 2025-2026 school year. These amendments are made several times throughout the school year across different funding categories including the general fund, food service fund, community service fund and more. The Board reviewed and approved these amendments.
53:40 – Approval of Capital Maintenance Projects for 2026-2027
The Board approved the Capital Maintenance Projects plan for the 2026-2027 school year, which Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jerrud Rossing shared during the Jan. 26 meeting. The projects fall under three categories: mechanical systems, architectural/interiors, and site improvements.
The projects include a chiller replacement at West Middleton Elementary School (also a step in MCPASD’s sustainability goals), carpet replacement on the first floor of Sunset Ridge Elementary School, and a fieldhouse floor replacement and bathroom remodel at Middleton High School. Additionally, site improvement projects will include concrete replacement and playground surfacing replacement. The total estimated cost of the capital maintenance projects for 2026-2027 is $1,210,000.
54:10 – Approval of Boundary Attachment/Detachment with MMSD
The Board approved an update to the 1999 Boundary Agreement with the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), which governs when certain lands are to transfer from MCPASD to MMSD, and from MMSD to MCPASD.
According to Wis. Stat. sec. 117.13, the boards of two school districts may order the attachment/detachment process if:
1) The assessed value of the territory is less than 7% of the equalized valuation of the school district from which the territory is proposed to be detached, and:
2) Less than 7% of the enrollment of the school district from which the territory is proposed to be detached resides in the territory proposed to be detached.
The update proposed the detachment of 13 parcels of land from MCPASD to transfer to MMSD, as well as the detachment of two parcels of land from MMSD to transfer to MCPASD. Additionally, the MCPASD Board of Education gave written notice of the proposed reorganization to residents and territory owners in said boundaries and gave them an opportunity to speak with the Board about the potential transfers. After review, the Board approved these transfers. MCPASD must also inform MMSD and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s School District Boundary Appeal Board of the transfer approval prior to March 1, 2026.
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