CONNECTION - Middleton Cross Plains Area School District

MIDDLETON-CROSS PLAINS AREA SCHOOLS
School-Community-
CONNECTIONJune 2012
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Madison, WI
MCPASD
7106 South Avenue
Middleton, WI 53562
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RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER
Education Foundation has
some big gains to announce
The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School
District Education Foundation has received
a number of generous gifts over the past
few months.
HR Imaging pledged
to give the Education
Foundation $6,000 a
year for a minimum of
three years and up to
five years. HR Imaging
is based out of Ottawa,
Ill., and handles
student photography
services for the school
district.
In late May, the
Madison Gas and
Electric Company
Foundation pledged
$10,000 over the
next two years. MGE
contributed $5,000
to the endowment
this year, and will
contribute $5,000
more in May 2013,
according to Lynn
Hobbie, a senior
vice president and a
director on the MGE
Foundation board.
In late May, J.H.
Findorff & Son, a
Madison construction
firm that has worked with the school
district on more than a dozen projects over
the past 15 years, pledged $10,000.
The foundation launched its inaugural
staff giving campaign this spring and staff
contributions will be close to $20,000 by
the end of December. The foundation
also received a gift from the Sauk Trail
Elementary PTA in April.
“This is wonderful,” Board of Education
president Ellen Lindgren said of the Sauk
Trail gift. “It shows how our parents really
understand the value of having this
endowment in our district.’’
The first 12 members of the Education
Foundation’s board of directors were
approved this spring. They are: Shawna
Bertalot, Brenda Delabarre, Leeanne
Hallquist, Anjie Harris-Ostrem, Don
Johnson, Tom
Kobinsky, Gene
Kussart, Ellen
Lindgren, Stephanie
Mueller-Moen, Bill
Reis, Charlie Saeman
and Courtney Ward-
Reichard.
The operating
guidelines allow
for up to 18 board
members so anyone
interested in
learning more about
the foundation
should contact Perry
Hibner at 829-9014.
The foundation
also held a logo
contest in January.
Nearly 50 entries
were submitted.
The winning entry
came from Jason
Warholic, a parent
with two children in
the district.
“It is truly
special and we are
fortunate to have it
as our logo,’’ Hibner said.
A foundation representative was
scheduled to speak at the Get Middleton
Moving morning meeting in June and
there are plans to host a breakfast for
retired MCPASD staff in the fall so they can
learn more about the foundation.
The foundation also is holding focus
groups with area business representatives
this summer to gauge interest and support
for a donor recognition program. Finally,
the foundation is putting together a
proposal for the Board of Education about
possible naming rights at MCPASD schools
and other venues.
Congratulations to the MHS Class of 2012!
The Middleton High School Class of 2012 took part in commencement exercises on Sunday,
June 10 at the Alliant Energy Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum. More details inside.
REFERENDUM INFORMATION INSIDE
Learn about the proposed referendum on the back page of this newsletter.
Below are other ways you can learn more about the District’s facility needs and
proposed referendum:
2012-13 enrollment expected to increase
All indications point to this fall’s district
enrollment being the highest it has
ever been. The total K-12 school-based
enrollment was at 6,076 as of early June,
Assistant Superintendent for Educational
Services George Mavroulis said.
For comparison, the K-12 enrollment in
September 2011 was 6,018. It was the first
time district enrollment had passed the
6,000 mark.
The numbers at the elementary and high
school levels are the highest they have
ever been and the only time they have
been higher at the middle school level was
2010-11, he said.
The open enrollment period has closed
and the district had fewer than 60 district
residents who wanted to open enroll out to
another school district. Meanwhile, there
are 473 students who want to open enroll
into MCPASD next year even though the
district isn’t adding any new students in
our buildings other than siblings of current
students, Mavroulis said.
The district has also enrolled nearly 300
4K students so far for 2012-13.
“We’ll keep monitoring closely up
through September,’’ Mavroulis told the
Board of Education recently. “We usually
get a lot of new student enrollments
during the summer so we are running
ahead of recent trends.’’
Visit our WEBSITE for more information.
Go to www.mcpasd.k12.wi.us and
click on “Future Facility Plans”.
REVIEW the extensive work of the
Long Range Planning Committee
on our website.
Middleton Cross-Plains Area School District
CALL Superintendent Don Johnson
at 829-9004 or Community Relations
Specialist Perry Hibner at 829-9014 if
you have specific questions.
VISIT the Future Facility Plans page on
the district website and click on the
SUBMIT FEEDBACK link if you have
specific questions. A response will be
provided within 24 hours.
SCAN this QR code
with your smart phone
for a direct link to more
information.

Middleton Cross-Plains Area School District
2012-13 school calendar dates
Monday, Sept. 3
Labor Day - No School
Tuesday, Sept. 4
First Day of School (see special schedules)
First Quarter/First Trimester begins
Wednesday, Oct. 24 CRT Early Release/no MCPASD 4K*
Thursday, Oct. 25 No School
Friday, Oct. 26
No School
Friday, Nov. 9
End of First Quarter
Monday, Nov. 12 Second Quarter begins
Friday, Nov. 16
No School - Parent Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, Nov. 21 CRT Early Release/no MCPASD 4K*
Thursday, Nov. 22 No School - Thanksgiving
Friday, Nov. 23
No School - Day after Thanksgiving
Friday, Nov. 30
End of First Trimester
Monday, Dec. 3
Second Trimester begins
Friday, Dec. 21
Last day of school before Winter Break
Winter Break – Saturday, Dec. 22 through Tuesday, Jan. 1
Wednesday, Jan. 2 Students return to school
Monday, Jan. 21
No School - Teacher Inservice (MLK Day)
Friday, Jan. 25
Second Quarter/First Semester Ends
Monday, Jan. 28
No School - Teacher Work day
Tuesday, Jan. 29
Third Quarter begins
Tuesday, Feb. 12 CRT Early Release/no MCPASD 4K*
Friday, Mar. 8
End of Second Trimester
Monday, Mar. 11 Third Trimester begins
Thursday, Mar. 14 CRT Early Release/no MCPASD 4K*
Friday, Mar. 22
Last day of School before Spring Break
Spring Break – Saturday, March 23 through Sunday, March 31
Monday, April 1
Students return from Spring Break
Friday, April 5
End of Third Quarter
Monday, April 8
Fourth Quarter begins
Tuesday, April 23 CRT Early Release/no MCPASD 4K*
Monday, May 27 No School - Memorial Day
Friday, June 7
Last Day of School/Fourth Quarter ends/
Second Semester ends/Third Trimester ends
* During CRT days, elementary students are dismissed at 11 a.m. Elementary students
will be able to purchase sack lunches. Middle school students are dismissed at 11:25 a.m.
and high school students are dismissed at 11:30 a.m. Middle and high school students may
purchase sack lunches to go. MCPASD 4K will not be in session.
MCPASD receives Triple A rating
The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School
District found out in late April it once
again received a Triple A debt bond rating
from Moody’s Investor Service, Assistant
Superintendent for Business Services Tom
Wohlleber said.
MCPASD is one of only six school
districts out of more than 400 in the
state to have a Triple A rating. The others
are: Elmbrook, Madison Metropolitan,
Mequon-Theinsville, Glendale Nicolet and
Wauwatosa.
In today’s market, there is an average of
a 4 basis point spread between each bond
rating (Aaa, Aa1, Aa2, Aa3), said Lisa Voisin,
a public finance director for Robert W. Baird
& Co. Interest cost would increase by about
$350,000 on a $60 million bond issue if
the district were one notch lower in bond
rating, Voisin said.
“This is great news for the District and its
taxpayers,’’ Wohlleber said.
The Aaa rating applies to MCPASD’s
$4.975 million general obligation
promissory notes. Moody’s also has
affirmed the Aaa rating on the District’s
The Middleton-Cross Plains Area
School District hit the $2 million mark in
cost avoidance in energy savings in May.
The district implemented the cost
avoidance program in 2004, District
Energy Manager Neal Bickler said at a
recent Board of Education meeting. The
district paid about $8.7 million during
that time and would have spent more
than $10.7 million without the program.
Bickler believes the district will save
$300,000 this year. That works out to
about a 19 percent savings.
Bickler works with building staff to
drop the temperature in the buildings
and make sure lights aren’t on over
school breaks, Assistant Superintendent
for Business Services Tom Wohlleber said.
“There’s more staff buy-in. They know
what they need to do and they believe in
it,’’ Bickler said.
MCPASD is one of only six
school districts out of more
than 400 in the state to have
a Triple A rating
outstanding general obligation debt.
The District will have $35.6 million of
outstanding general obligation debt
post-sale.
In its report Moody’s said the Aaa rating
is based on the District’s large tax base,
a growing population and favorable
location, sound financial position with
healthy reserve levels, and a manageable
debt structure with rapid payout.
The District tax base is currently valued
at a $5.7 billion and has been growing at
an average annual rate of 1.5 percent over
the past five years. The District’s population
grew by 27.7 percent between the 2000
and 2010 census and over the last five
years the district’s student population has
averaged 2.2 percent annual growth.
District hits $2 million mark in energy savings
All 10 school buildings have earned
Energy Star certifications. Fewer than 10
school districts in the state can make that
claim, said Bickler, who is still waiting to
find out how many MCPASD schools will be
named Energy Star for this year.
“This doesn’t just happen. It takes the
district dedicating resources to make it
happen,’’ Wohlleber said.
The goal continues to be to create
increased awareness and understanding
of the program, Bickler said. A second
goal is to further engage students, staff
and community in energy-saving and
conservation practices.
Wohlleber said the sustainability
committee will reconvene in the fall and
wants to establish a mini-grant program.
MHS was also highlighted in a cover
story in the June-July edition of WASB’s
Wisconsin School News magazine.
Mark Your Calendar!
Student information dates
August 9
MHS
Prepaid Only
Clark Street
Community School
August 10
MHS
Prepaid Only
Clark Street
Community School
Prepaid Only
August 13
MHS non-paid and
students who haven’t
registered*
August 14
Glacier Creek
Middle School
Park Elementary
Sunset Ridge Elem.
West Middleton Elem.
August 15
MHS
Kromrey
Middle School
Elm Lawn Elementary
Sauk Trail Elementary
Northside Elementary
August 20
MHS
August 23
MHS
August 29
MHS
September 4
Elementary schools
Glacier Creek
MHS
September 5
All Schools
Kindergarten
Grade 9
8:30-11:30 a.m.
Grade 9
8:30-11:30 a.m.
Grade 11
8:30-11:30 a.m.
Grade 11
8:30-11:30 a.m.
Grade 10
1-4 p.m.
Grade 10
1-4 p.m.
Grade 12
1-4 p.m.
Grade 12
1-4 p.m.
8:30-11:30 a.m. 1-4 p.m.
Grade 6
8-10 a.m.
2-6 p.m.
2-6 p.m.
2-6 p.m.
Grade 7
10 a.m.-noon
closed 12-1
• Closed between
sessions
• Closed between
sessions/Register
at CSCS
• Closed between
sessions
• Closed between
sessions/Register
at CSCS
• Closed between
sessions
Grade 8
1-3 p.m.
New student registration 9 a.m.-12 p.m.*
Grade 7
8-10 a.m.
2-6 p.m.
2-6 p.m.
2-7 p.m.
Grade 6
10 a.m. to noon
New student registration 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
New student registration 9 a.m. to noon*
Freshmen/New student orientation
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. PAC/Fieldhouse
Any grade
level
3-5 pm *
Grade 8
1-3 p.m.
All elementary school parents/students have a special
information session at their school (parents/students attend)
First day of school for 6th Grade only
All new-to-district students and ninth-grade students
should report for the morning; all students should report
for the afternoon.
Students attend school
Kindergartners attend a special schedule (every other day)
for the first week.
New to the District? Register first with the District before going
to your designated school’s information day
All new students need to register at the District’s Registrar ‘s Office
at the District Administrative Center, 7106 South Ave. first before attending information
sessions at their school. Necessary forms are available on the website at
www.mcpasd.k12.wi.us. For questions, call the Registrar’s office at 829-9031.
MHS STEM area to undergo renovation
Middleton High School will undergo a
renovation this summer.
The Board of Education earlier this
spring approved a plan to remodel the
engineering and technology education
areas in the northwest portion of the first
floor.
The renovation of the science,
technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) area will provide more space
for physics and Project Lead the Way
programming.
The total cost of remodeling and
relocating the woods and powers
classrooms is $149,019 and would cover
about 7,000 square feet. The lighting
in these areas will also be upgraded for
improved lighting levels and energy
efficiency. Portable dust collection systems,
totaling approximately $5,000, will be
utilized for the materials and processes
program. The proposal is recommended
to be funded partially from the recently
approved bond, and also from fund
balance.
In April, the Board approved up to
$700,000 in borrowing for the STEM
project and the district plans to refinance
and get an interest rate of no higher than
2.5 percent.
The total STEM project cost is around
$783,000.
The project cost includes updating the
HVAC (ventilation) and electrical systems
to current code requirements and to
accommodate the relocated equipment for
the programs. These updates will address
safety issues that have been a concern.
J.H. Findorff & Son will be the
construction firm for the project, while
Bray & Associates did the architectural
drawings. The remodeled area will be
available before the start of the 2012-13
school year.

Student Achievements
MHS art students win record number of scholastic art awards
A record 13 MHS art students were
honored at the Wisconsin Scholastic Art
Awards competition om early February in
Milwaukee.
Seven MHS students -- Meron Aydiko
Matt Giroux, Margo Farrell, Lauren
Parquette, Katie Sauer, Heather Soukup
and Conor Sullivan -- received gold awards.
Sullivan won two gold awards in the digital
art category.
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Program is conducted nationally by the
Alliance for Young Artists and Writers,
Inc., and is the major competition for
students in grades 7-12. In Wisconsin, a
jury of 23 artists, educators and other art
professionals selected 270 gold key and
118 silver key awards from 1,497 entries
from around the state.
Regional judges selected a photograph
by Aydiko as a nominee for the national
American Visions Award. Only five artworks
are nominated from the state and each
artist received a special trophy at the
ceremony.
The list of MHS winners include: Rob
Bolduc: Honorable Mention (Photography)
Tyler Anlauf: Honorable Mention (Digital
Art) Meron Aydiko: Gold & American
Visions (Photography) Jenae Everson:
Honorable Mention (Digital Art) Margo
Farrell: Gold (Photography Portfolio) Matt
Giroux: Gold (Digital Art) Mark Jansky:
Honorable Mention (Digital Art)
Jorge Lara: 1 Silver Key and 2 Honorable
Mention Awards (Drawing) Lauren
Parquette: Gold Key (Drawing) Katie Sauer:
Gold and Silver Key (Drawing) Heather
Soukup: Gold Key (Drawing) Alex Stephan:
Honorable Mention (Digital Art) and
Conor Sullivan: 2 Gold Key Awards and 1
Honorable Mention (Digital Art).
Spelling Bee winners
It took four hours, but eight students
were declared winners of the District
Spelling Bee held on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the
Middleton Performing Arts Center.
The winners were:
1st place: Meghna Datta (Sunset Ridge)
2nd place: Heather Levy (Kromrey)
3rd place: Celia Mayne (Kromrey)
4th place: Rachel Matejka (Kromrey)
5th place: Cheryl Lim (Northside)
6th place: Anaka Srinivas (Sunset Ridge)
7th place: Alex Warholic (Kromrey)
8th place: Russell Kjorlie (Glacier Creek)
Lim and Srinivas were fourth-graders and
Datta was a fifth-grader.
MHS athletic winter/spring teams have strong seasons
Middleton High School varsity athletic
teams had a very successful winter and
springs sports season.
• The girls basketball team won its
sixth consecutive Big Eight Conference
championship and advanced to the
WIAA Division 1 state tournament for
the fifth straight year. The Cardinals lost
to Milwaukee King 78-73 in the state
semifinals in the highest scoring game in
tournament history. Middleton was 21-6.
• The gymnastics team advanced to
state for the fifth time in six years and
finished sixth at the WIAA Division 1 meet.
Sophomore Aryn Skibba finished third
in the floor exercise and fourth in the allaround.
The Cardinals won the Waunakee
sectional and the.
• The boys basketball team tied for
second in the Big Eight and lost in
sectionall semifinals to Sun Prairie. The
Cardinals finished 16-8.
• The boys hockey team finished second
Sunset Ridge students and staff
collected more than two truckloads worth
of supplies to help U.S. soldiers stationed
in Afghanistan.
“The troop is ecstatic and just amazed
at how much was sent,” said Elena Neider,
a special education teacher at Sunset
Ridge whose son-in-law is stationed in
Afghanistan.
The school adopted approximately
175 soldiers in the 287th Military Police
Company out of Fort Riley, Kan.
The soldiers were deployed in late
December and are expected to remain in
Afghanistan for the year. The foot lockers
they packed with personal items are lost
and it’s unlikely that they will ever arrive.
The Middleton-Cross Plains Area
School District had a significantly higher
percentage of 2011 graduates who were
Advanced Placement Scholars than the
state and national averages.
MCPASD had 103 AP Scholars in 2011
out of 452 graduates, which works out
to 22.8 percent. According to the Eighth
Annual AP Report to the Nation, 19.4
percent of 2011 graduates in Wisconsin
earned a score of three or higher on AP
exams, which allows students to receive
credit in that subject at most colleges and
universities. That’s 1.1 percent higher than
behind Verona in the Big Eight and lost to
the Wildcats 4-2 in a sectional final. The
Cardinals finished 17-5-2.
• The MHS Ski and Snowboard teams
qualified for state competition. MHS Boys
Ski team and Boys and Girls Snowboard
teams qualified for state. Individual Girl
Skiers also competed.
• The baseball team was third in the Big
Eight behind top-ranked Sun Prairie and
Janesville Craig. MHS advanced to the state
tournament and lost in the quarter finals.
• The boys tennis team won its fourth
straight Big Eight title and won the
Baraboo sectional to advance to the WIAA
state team tournament for the fourth
straight year. The Cardinals lost to eventual
champion Milwaukee Marquette in the
Division 1 quarterfinals.
• The boys golf team finished second in
the regular season in the Big Eight, won
the conference tournament and advanced
to state for the fourth straight year.
Sunset Ridge students/staff donate supplies to soldiers
The drive at Sunset Ridge began on
Jan. 24. The school held a Coin Drive to
help cover the costs of shipping the items
and raised $731 in three days, said Sunset
Ridge physical education teacher Tara
Franklin, who is an adviser for the Student
Leadership Team at the school and helped
coordinate the program.
Several area businesses made
contributions, including Lands’ End, The
Shoe Box, Raven Software and Chase Bank.
“What you are doing is significant,
and will have a huge impact,” said Alyssa
Neider, a 2002 MHS graduate and director
of sports at Fort Riley who spoke to the
students on speakerphone at an assembly.
“The soldiers are very, very grateful.”
Higher percentage of MHS grads are AP scholars
in 2010 and nearly 9 percent higher than
10 years ago.
Nationally, 18.1 percent of 2011
graduates earned a score of three or
higher.
Advanced Placement is a high school
academic program with courses in
more than 30 subject areas over 19
disciplines that culminate in college-level
assessments. Exams are graded on a scale
of one to five. According to the College
Board, earning a score of three or higher
on an AP exam is a good predictor of a
student’s ability to succeed in college
academic studies and graduate.
Fifth-graders showcase technology
West Middleton Elementary teacher
Pernille Ripp and her fifth-grade students
were one of eight schools that participated
in a statewide virtual showcase of
exemplary uses of technology in education
with State Superintendent Tony Evers as
part of the state’s observation of the first
Digital Learning Day Showcase in February.
Ripp’s students blog regularly with
students around the world, and had a
nearly six-minute presentation. Ripp and
her students demonstrated their blog
project using the webinar software and
their web camera. The students also talked
about how they blog and shared some of
their experiences.
“By integrating technology into our daily
lives these students are true global citizens
being equipped with the skills they need
When it comes to math, MCPASD
students rock.
MCPASD teams took first and second
place at the Mitchell Regional Math Meet
for grades 7-8 in late April. MCPASD teams
swept the top three places at the Mitchell
Regional Math Meet for fifth- and sixthgraders
the day before at the DAC.
Students from Sun Prairie and Verona
Area also competed at the regional.
MCPASD students also took three of the
top five individual places in grades 7-8:
2nd place: Lew Blank (Kromrey)
4th place: Edward Larson (Kromrey)
5th place: Akash Pattnaik (Kromrey)
MCPASD students also took five of the
top six individual places in grades 5-6:
1st place (tie): Claire Matsumura (Glacier
Creek) and Ben Scher (Elm Lawn)
4th place: Athena Olszewski (Kromrey)
5th place (tie): Pranay Dhondi (Sunset
Ridge) and Jason Yang (West Middleton)
Members of the first-place team in
grades 7-8 were: Allen Chang, Kirby Heck,
Four Park Elementary students recently
used their imaginations to create an
experience they’ll remember for a lifetime.
Julia Anderson, Amanda Johnson, Alicia
Houck and Teresa Postle teamed up to
take second place in the fourth- and fifthgrade
division at the State DestiNation
Imagination (DI) competition on April 14
at UW-Stevens Point. The girls advanced
to the DI Global Finals on May 23-26 in
Knoxville, Tenn.
“For our first time in it, we were thrilled,’’
said Marty Gustafson, a Park parent who
served as the team manager. “I don’t think
any of us expected to do this well.’’
Park had an all-school assembly on April
19 where the team was presented with its
state trophy and medals.
“We are so proud of our Park girls,’’ Park
Principal Monica Schommer said. “I want
to thank the parents who have spent
Middleton Cross-Plains Area School District
Third-graders present “Trunk Full of History”
Elm Lawn third-graders in Ms. Friedland's and Mrs. Gundlach’s classes presented “A Trunk
Full of History” a play about Middleton's history, adapted by Middleton's own Mrs. Lorena
Gordon. Lorena has authored a wonderful book about Middleton and volunteers at "Middleton
Area Historical Society Museum" and was the honored guest at the performance.
to be successful citizens,’’ Ripp said. “They
are not afraid of technology but know how
to use it to its best capabilities, and also
when technology is not needed. These
students are ready for what may come in
the future and that makes me proud.’’
As part of a national effort to celebrate
and highlight practices that make learning
more personalized and engaging for
students, Evers proclaimed Feb. 1 as
Digital Learning Day. The other schools
that participated in the showcase were
Algoma, Hudson, Janesville, Menasha,
Oconomowoc, Racine and Sun Prairie.
Ripp’s students also use Skype, Flip
video cameras, Livescribe pen, Global Read
Aloud, Animoto and other various websites
in their presentations.
MCPASD students excel in area math meets
Four Park girls compete at DI Global Finals
Lew Blank, Ally Hujanen, Sam Inman,
Edward Larson, Tammy Zhong and Ryan
Shaw. Members of the second-place team
in grades 7-8 were: Ryan Dunk, Michael Xie,
Katy Jurgella, Max Raisleger, Eddie He, Alex
Kushner, Akash Pattnaik and Allie Yan.
Members of the first-place team in
grades 5-6 were: Ben Scher, Jack Eggert,
Abby Mangas, Pranay Dhondi, Claire
Matsumura, Sam Mickelsons, Alex Warholic
and Athena Olszewski.
Members of the second-place team
were: Michelle Chi, Sam Spellman, Alex
Teodorescu, Nate Burkard, Jackson Pagel,
Nicholas Spevacek, Tucker Dalrymple and
Jack Wilson.
Members of the third-place team in
grades 5-6 were: Sam Gessler, Jason Yang,
Tyler Kalscheur, Alton Yan, Peter Opitz,
Noah Pollard, Kirstin Yu and Derek Waleffe.
Scher also took third at the mega-meet
at UW-Madison. Students from 25-30
school districkts in Dane County and the
surrounding area competed.
endless hours working with our team, and
the girls who have spent endless hours in
preparation and competition. You’ve done
an outstanding job and should be proud.’’
The girls advanced to state by finishing
second at a 16-team regional on March
10 in Waunakee. There were 20 teams at
the state competition. More than 1,000
teams and 18,000 students competed from
elementary to university level at the global
finals. The team finished 17th out of 56
teams in its category at the global finals
and even beat the state champion.
Destination ImagiNation, Inc. is a
non-profit organization that provides
educational programs for students to
learn and experience creativity, teamwork
and problem-solving. More than 125,000
students in the United States and 30 other
countries participate annually in DI.

Middleton Cross-Plains Area School District
Clark Street Community School to open
Clark Street Community School (CSCS),
the district’s newest charter school, is set
to open this fall and will offer an innovative
model for learning
for area high school
students. CSCS will be
located at 2429 Clark St.
in the same building as
the current Middleton
Alternative Senior High.
“Clark Street takes
the best of what
MASH provided –
personal attention and
support, engaging and
individualized instruction
– and enhances it in a
way that serves a wider
variety of students and
learning styles,” principal
Jill Gurtner said.
The district received
a $225,000 planning
grant for a new charter
school early in the 2011-
12 school year and from there a team of
staff, school leadership and interested
community members developed the
school’s vision is to be a leader in
democratic, place-based and projectbased
education. The Board of Education
approved the charter for the school in early
January.
CSCS will teach the same core curriculum
as a traditional classroom, but uses the
surrounding community as the “real world”
It’s been an exciting year for the Project
Lead the Way programs at MHS.
The engineering and biomedical
sciences programs received certification
earlier this spring, said Terri Tessmann,
a teacher at MHS who heads up Project
Lead the Way and the Global Academy for
the school.
The engineering program was awarded
certification even though it is a first-year
program at MHS. It received the honor
based on the strength and success of the
program at MHS.
This is the first year that biomedical
science classes were offered at MHS,
although students have been able to
access the classes in prior years as part
of the Global Academy offerings at other
schools. The certification team was also
impressed with students’ work in this
program, Tessmann said.
MHS currently offers four biomedical
courses, which means students can earn
12 college credits before graduating. MHS
also offers Introduction to Engineering
and Principles of Engineering and each
course is worth three college credits. MHS
will offer four engineering classes starting
next year. The credits are accepted at such
schools as UW-Madison, Minnesota, Drake,
setting for project-based learning. Projects
help teach concepts in ways that can be
applied immediately, which can lead to
greater engagement,
understanding and
retention.
The projects students
do – with a high degree
of attention, support and
accountability provided by
instructors and advisors –
are specifically designed
to build vital workplace
skills and lifelong habits
of inquiry and learning.
Examples might include
designing a website
or mobile application;
studying land use or water
quality or wind energy; or
helping a local organization
with a marketing or
fundraising campaign.
Most projects are created
in partnership with local
businesses or non-profit organizations.
Approximately 120 students registered
for CSCS although a few openings are
still available. General and registration
information is available at www.
clarkstreetcommunityschool.com.
“We continue to be excited about the
great work the planning team is doing to
create CSCS,” Board of Education president
Ellen Lindgren said, “and we’re very excited
to see the new school become a reality this
August.”
School Board pesident Ellen Lindgren and MHS teacher Terri Tessman present white coats
to MHS students Elizabeth Zeker and Sarah Sindberg at a Board of Education meeting in May.
Paige Gundrum also attended the ceremony and received a coat. The three students were
honored for being the first graduates from the MHS biomedical program.
Exciting year for Project Lead the Way
Marquette and MSOE.
Project Lead the Way is a non-profit
organization that promotes critical
thinking, creativity, innovation and realworld
problem solving skills in students.
More than 400,000 students in more than
4,200 schools across all 50 states and the
District of Columbia are currently taking
PLTW courses.
Meanwhile, Sarah Sindberg, Paige
Gundrum and Elizabeth Zeker were
presented with white coats for being the
first graduates from the MHS biomedical
program.
“They are three amazing ladies,”
Tessmann said. “They made a
commitment to the program and have
exceeded it.’’
The students attend class at Madison
Memorial two hours every day. They
will earn 12 college credits through the
program by the time they graduate in
2013, Tessmann said.
Finally, the district is pushing
ahead with plans to remodel parts
of MHS to create more space for its
science, technology, engineering and
mathematics curriculum (STEM). The
remodeled area will be completed before
the start of the 2012-13 school year.
4K graduates at Middleton Baby and Childcare celebrated graduation with a family gettogether
in June. More tham 320 students participated in the 4K program in 2011-12.
4K program a wonderful success
The second year of the district’s 4K
program appears like it will be an even
bigger success than the inaugural year.
By April, nearly 300 students had
enrolled for 4K in 2012-13, Assistant
Superintendent for Educational Services
George Mavroulis said. Last year it was at
290 in September, he added.
There were more than 320 students
enrolled in the program by the second
semester, 4K Principal Kari Gault said.
Gault said three of our sites (Pooh
Bear Childcare and Preschool, Little
Red Preschool, and Middleton Baby
and Childcare) were showcased at the
Preserving Early Childhood Conference
earlier this year. This involved each
site hosting a tour for educators from
around the state where they were able to
showcase the MCPASD 4K partnership.
All of our current partners will remain
with us next school year and some will be
taking on a second session, she said. All
of the sites are using a common report
The process to implement the Common
Core State Standards (CCSS) is underway in
Wisconsin along with 44 other states.
The standards are written for Englishlanguage
arts and mathematics, and
are believed to be more focused, more
rigorous and provide more grade-level
specificity and clarity than previous state
standards.
The CCSS were developed through
a state-led effort coordinated by the
National Governors Association and the
Council of Chief State School Officers
and were adopted by Wisconsin State
Superintendent Tony Evers on June 2, 2010.
Previously, each state had its own
standards. This initiative seeks to provide
a common set of standards for students
regardless of where they live. This should
benefit families who move between states
and ensure that all students have access to
high-quality curriculum.
The standards also are aligned with
college and career expectations so
students should be well prepared for postsecondary
education and work. Finally,
the CCSS have been benchmarked against
standards from other high-performing
countries to make sure the United States
can compete and succeed in a global
economy.
As a result, Wisconsin also needs
to develop a new state assessment.
Wisconsin is one of 30 states working
with the SMARTER/Balanced Assessment
Consortium (SBAC) to develop the new
computer-adaptive assessment. This will
replace the Wisconsin Knowledge and
Concepts Exam (WKCE) starting in the
2014-15 school year. Students in grades 3-8
and grade 11 will be tested.
card and feedback from parents has been
positive. The staff was trained on pre-K
literacy assessments in December. In
addition to this all staff received training
in Early Numeracy instruction and
assessment and Handwriting without
Tears. Every kindergarten teacher will now
have a portfolio of every student who has
been enrolled in the 4K program in our
school district.
The plan is to look at the results of
literacy and math assessments and other
testing to see who is making progress and
where there are gaps, Gault said. Mavroulis
added the plan is to compare where our
4K students compared with previous
kindergarten students who didn’t have 4K.
As a result those children may not need
any or fewer interventions once they go to
elementary school, Gault said.
“It’s so rewarding and awesome,’’ Gault
said. “The kids are amazing. You can see the
difference week by week. The partnerships
are working.’’
Common Core State Standards underway
The Middleton-Cross Plains Area
School District has spent considerable
time studying the CCSS and planning
for implementation. During the 2010-11
school year, administrative and teacher
representatives on the K-12 English
Language Arts and Literacy Committee
have been reviewing and working with the
CCSS. They also researched best practice
and piloted materials that will support
the CCSS. Implementation of the English
Language Arts CCSS will begin this fall,
with the roll-out of a new writing program
in grades K-8 th , as well as a new 9 th grade
English curriculum that is based on the
new standards.
In math, the district implemented the
CCSS version of Everyday Mathematics in
grades K-5 in 2011-12. Next year, the CCSS
version of College Preparatory Math (CPM)
will begin to be implemented in grades
6-12.
There are some differences between
the new model and the existing Wisconsin
Model Academic Standards. One
change in English-language arts is the
increased focus on reading non-fiction
and informational text. Students will
also be expected to read more difficult
texts sooner. In math, there are content
standards and standards for mathematical
processes that proficient math students
need to exhibit. Some examples include:
making sense of problems and persevere
in solving them; reasoning abstractly
and quantitatively; constructing viable
arguments; and critiquing the reasoning of
others.
You can learn more at http://
corestandards.org/about-the-standards/

2012 Graduation Ceremony
A crowd of more than 3,000 watched
more than 420 seniors participate in
the Middleton High School graduation
ceremony at the Alliant Energy Center
Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Sunday,
June 10.
After a brief welcome by class president
Sarah Collins, three students – Adaeze
Okoli, Quinn Buchanan and Andrew
Gilchrist-Scott – spoke to the crowd. The
commencement address was given by
MHS English teacher and track coach Isaac
Mezera.
Board of Education pesident Ellen
Lindgren thanked the students for
inspiring, challenging and empowering
everyone in the school district.
The lone standing ovation came during
the presentation of diplomas when Matt
Meinholz, who was diagnosed with a brain
tumor in August 2011, was announced. The
students and most of the administrators
and teachers at the ceremony wore pins
honoring Cole Bougie, an MHS senior who
died earlier this year.
Tthe 1-hour, 40-minute commencement
included a number of uplifting speeches.
“We have one thing in common,’’ Collins
said. “We put up with each other. … It took
us four years to figure out where we fit in.
What makes us unique? What we’ve been
through.’’
Okoli reminded her classmates of the
importance of mottos. One of her favorites
was from track to run fast and go left. She
also told them of one she learned from
her grandmother to do everything in
moderation. Okoli felt that was important
because it means taking the good with the
bad.
Buchanan told a story from E.B. White
and encouraged her classmates to
remember all of the good things from the
last four years. She reminded them that
MHS has been the source of their light that
allowed everyone to shine.
“The real world isn’t a far-off living land;
we’ve been living in it all along,’’ she said.
“This is your life, enjoy the show.’’
Gilchrist-Scott drew lots of laughs from
the audience. He often reminded the
crowd what his speech wasn’t going to
include.
“This is not my story. This is our story,’’
he said. “I have faith not it what others
prepared us to do but what we are
prepared to do.’’
Mezera (photo right) also focused on
track and talked about the challenges a
400-meter race presents. He compared
it not only to the four years the students
spent at MHS but to life itself.
Middleton Cross-Plains Area School District
“Take a second to
reflect on this race
you’ve just run,’’ he
said.
BOE members
Lindgren, Annette
Ashley and Bob
Green handed out
diplomas to the
graduates.
More graduation photos are available on
our Facebook page (Search Middleton-Cross
Plains Area Schools)
Sarah Collins Adaeze Okoli Quinn Buchanan
Andrew
Gilchrist-Scott
2012 Scholarship Recipients
• Audrey Kelley:
Adam Phillips Memorial Scholarship
• Erica Remondini:
Adonis Seiser McLain Memorial
• Caoilfhionn Roche:
Cardinal Booster Club
• Samuel Acker:
Cardinal Booster Club
• Heidi Wallenfang:
Cardinal School and Community Service
• Lyndsey Adkins:
Cardinal School and Community Service
• Alexandra Nelson:
Cardinal School and Community Service
• Abby Diamond-Tumbush:
Clarke Tanner Memorial Scholarship
• Brandon Acker:
Cross Plains American Legion Flag
• Allison Kraus:
Cross Plains American Legion Flag
• Katherine Griswold:
Cross Plains Optimist Club
• Genevieve Hoopes: CUNA Mutual
"Growing in the Right Direction"
• Randall Roberts:
Drew "Goldberg" Utterback Scholarship
• Trisha Yelk:
Erin Elisabeth Rice Memorial Scholarship
• Kendall Clay:
Friends of Middleton Library
• Nicole Dower:
Friends of the Performing Arts Center
• Samantha Biatch:
Friends of the Performing Arts Center
• Nicholas Juris:
Fritz Kaumpf "Just Ducky" Scholarship
• Andrea Schwabe:
Fritz Kaumpf "Just Ducky" Scholarship
• Emily Mader-Walker:
George Solner Memorial Scholarship
• Clare Trainor:
Gilsie Techam Memorial Scholarship
• Allison Trainor: Holo Art Scholarship
• Emery Day:
Howard A. Morey/FOMA Scholarship
• Yining Dai:
Joe Kuehn Memorial Scholarship
• Jenae Everson:
Julie Zdeblick Memorial Art Scholarship
• Shelby Wagner:
Kiwanis Club of Middleton
• Andrew Bonlender: Kiwanis Club of
Middleton/WI-UM District Foun
• Sara Nonn:
M&I James Smith Scholarship Fund
• Kirsten Gunderson:
MEA Ralph Christensen Memorial
• Jacob Svenson: MEA Scholarship
• Olan Munson: MEA Scholarship
• Anna Bauhs:
Merlin Voss Bluebirds Scholarship
• Ryan Michlig:
Merlin Voss Bluebirds Scholarship
• Hattie Bestul:
Middleton Fire Department Scholarship
• Eva Fourakis:
Middleton Ionic Lodge Scholarship
• Katherine Meyer:
Middleton Ionic Lodge Scholarship
• Valerie Wagner: Middleton Jaycees
Community Leaders Scholarship
• Abby Opsal: Middleton Lions/Brian
Koontz Memorial
• Jenna Hanson: Middleton Lions/Laurie
Bakken Memorial
• Lydia Schalch: Middleton Optimist Club
• Natalie Williams:
Middleton-CP Retired Educator's
• Erin Nolden:
Middleton-CP Retired Educator's
• Claire Simpson:
Middleton-CP Retired Educator's
• Callie Olson:
Middleton-CP Retired Educator's
• Jake Raffel:
Mike Eller Memorial Scholarship
• Jenna Hershberger:
Monsanto/Agracetus Scholarship
• Christina Disser:
Nancy Backus Memorial Scholarship
• Kathryn Baker: Nel Ferstl Scholarship
• Amber Rodriguez: Nick Butzek
"Race to the Finish Line"
• Sara Schnelle: Paul Kinne,Gingras,
Cates & Luebke Attorney
• Sarah Collins:
Sam Clay Memorial Scholarship
• Eric Hagstrom:
Scott Ingham Golf Scholarship
• David Van Den Brandt:
Senior Class Scholarship
• Tyler Stone: Senior Class Scholarship
• Clare Morrisette-Clavert:
Senior Class Scholarship
• Samantha Springer:
Senior Class Scholarship
• Bianca Bellissimo:
Sertoma Club of Middleton
• Julia Carey: Sertoma Club of Middleton
• Matthew Meinholz:
Sertoma Club of Middleton
• Claire Sallstrom:
Standard Imaging Scholarship
• Avery McClain:
State Bank of Cross Plains
• Zane Boyd:
Steve Hurd Memorial Scholarship
• Douglas Wassarman:
The Burke Smile Scholarship
• Nivedita Nair: UW-Health Middleton
• Quinn Buchanan:
UW Credit Union Scholarship
• Hunter Koeshall:
UW Credit Union Scholarship
• Nicole Ringdahl: UW Provisions
• Grace Newton: West Towne Rotary
Robert Jones Memorial

Middleton Cross-Plains Area School District
MHS musicians shine at solo & ensemble festival
Fourteen MHS students received
Exemplary Soloist Designations at the State
Solo & Ensemble Festival in April at the
University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
More than 120 MHS musicians qualified
for state. Students performed solo settings,
chamber music of small ensembles, and
larger groups of brass choirs, woodwind
choirs, madrigals, and chamber orchestras.
Each adjudicator is only allowed to give
two Exemplary Soloist Designations from
the 40-plus performances that they hear
the entire day, Schneider said. The MHS
students to receive the honor are:
Senior Hattie Bestul (clarinet)
Junior Liza Couser (soprano)
Senior Eva Fourakis (euphonium)
Allison Clussman, an eighth-grader
at Kromrey Middle School, received a
volunteer award from the United Way of
Dane County on April 26.
More than 600 people attended the
luncheon and ceremony, which was held at
the Madison Concourse Hotel & Governor’s
Club. More than 100 people were
recognized, including Allison. Ten special
awards were also handed out.
Allison attended the event with her
mother, Laura Clussman, and Kathleen
Nieber-Lathrop, a Kromrey staff member
who nominated Allison for the award.
“It was very inspiring,’’ Laura Clussman
said.
Clussman has been a member of the
Kromrey Builder’s Club the past three years.
This year the club made blankets and took
them to the Dane County Humane Society.
Sophomore Eden Girma (piano)
Junior Alex Goodsett (alto sax)
Senior Kazuki Hanado (cello)
Junior Michael Hoot (alto sax)
Senior Alex Rezutek (timpani)
Sophomore Emily Schmidt (cello)
Senior Samantha Springer (flute)
Sophomore Chance Stine (alto sax)
Senior Deborah Thompson (piano)
Junior Sonia Urquidi (clarinet)
Freshman Michelle Xie (piano)
The 14 students will be considered to
perform for the prestigious recitals during
the music convention in October, MHS
band director Brad Schneider said.
“These students certainly represent the
best of the best in musicianship, talent,
and poise,” he said.
Kromrey student recognized by United Way
School lunch to expand array of choices
You may notice some new fresh new
changes to next year’s hot lunch program.
School Nutrition Services Coordinator
Susan Peterman plans to continue offering
as many fresh choices of locally produced
fruits and vegetables as possible.
Each hot lunch offered will include the
choice of an entrée item or a sandwich
and additional choices of two or more
vegetables and/or fruits.
“We find students enjoy having an array
of choice within their lunch selections
even though they are not required to take
all items offered,” Peterman said.
To accommodate the new USDA
requirements for school lunch, the
MCPASD menu will be published one
week at a time with the current week
plus the next week on the website to
allow students and parents to plan their
selections.
Peterman and her nutrition staff will
continue to improve school menus by
increasing offerings low in fat, lower in
added sodium and rich in whole grains.
Whenever possible, the school district
purchases local produce.
The school district’s hot lunch program
is considered one of the best in the state,
and its policies and menus are often
replicated at other school districts, said
Peterman.
This past spring, Peterman sought
feedback from parents and fifth-graders
through a survey about the hot lunch
program, and her staff is working to make
changes to improve.
Based on parent feedback, all milk
offered to students will be continue to be
rBGH-Free.
Although meal prices for breakfast
and lunch will rise slightly for the 2012-
13 school year, the Board also approved
offering lunch at no cost to students
eligible for the meal at a reduced price.
About 69 percent of reduced-eligible
students currently eat school lunch
each day, Peterman said, although she
expects that number to rise with the new
approach. Students currently pay 40 cents
They also worked on the school garden
and gave some of the fruit and vegetables
to the Middleton Outreach Ministry (MOM)
and are selling flowers from the garden for
Mother’s Day. She plans to join the MHS
Key Club next year.
Both organizations are sponsored by the
Middleton Kiwanis Club.
“She was my most active member,’’
said Nieber-Lathrop, who also added that
Clussman won a Builder’s Club state essay
contest in the sixth grade. “She’s great.’’
Clussman also has done service projects
through Girl Scouts, which she has been a
member since kindergarten. Some of those
projects include cooking for the Ronald
McDonald House, collecting food for MOM,
and hosting a family through MOM every
Christmas. She also volunteers as a server
at her local church.
for each meal so the financial impact to the
district would be less than $2,500 per year,
she said.
The Board of Education approved
the meal prices in May. Peterman
recommended several small price increases
after a careful study of revenue and
expenditures and a comparison of other
like-sized districts.
Breakfast and lunch at the six elementary
schools will increase by 5 cents to $1.40
and $2.45, respectively. Breakfast and lunch
at the middle schools and high schools will
rise by 10 cents. Middle school breakfast
will cost $1.70, while high school breakfast
will cost $1.95. Lunch at the middle schools
will cost $2.75 and it will cost $3.05 at
MHS reflecting three complete choice at
the middle school level and five complete
choices each day for MHS.
2012-13 school
lunch highlights
* Lowering sodium content of
foods offered
* Increased choices of fresh,frozen
and canned vegetables/fruits
* Continuing our emphasis on
Whole Grain bread items
* Continue to follow our Wellness
guidelines as well as USDA
requirements for 30% or less calories
to total fat and 10% or less to
saturated fats
* Continue our policy of 0 trans
fatsContinue to offer rBGH-Free Milk
to meet the health expectations of
our families
* Lunch free to families eligible for
reduced lunches (NEW)
* Two-week menu cycle rather than
the historical month at a glance
Glacier Creek students significantly cut lunch waste
Glacier Creek students lost nearly 100
pounds a day over the last two-plus
months of school. That’s 100 pounds of
lunch trash.
The reduction in trash was part of an
Earth Week Challenge the school instituted
beginning on April 16, said Jonathan
Daugherty, a Spanish teacher at the school
who also supervises the cafeteria during
lunch hours.
“There have been lots of little highlights,’’
he said. “It’s been exciting having kids
come up to me in passing periods and say
they didn’t have any trash that day or they
learned something else about recycling.
Or having teachers say they’d like us to
start composting next year. It has started a
conversation school-wide.’’
Before the challenge, Glacier Creek
students produced 180 pounds of lunch
trash each day. Now before students dump
anything in the two trash containers, they
can put any unused food in a bin that
fellow students can take from or another
one that goes to the Middleton Outreach
Ministry (MOM). There also is a TerraCycle
for non-recyclables such as chip bags. That
program up-cycles the bags and turns
them into new products.
Students also are encouraged to empty
Sunset Ridge one of eight to be nominated
for National Blue Ribbon Schools award
Sunset Ridge Elementary was one of
eight Wisconsin schools to be nominated
for the 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools
award in January.
Sunset Ridge is the second school in
the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School
District to be recognized since the program
began in 1982. Middleton High School
was nominated in 2005. More than 6,000
schools in the United States have received
the honor, including 305 this past year.
“It is a great honor to have Sunset
Ridge Elementary School nominated
for the National Blue Ribbon Program,’’
Principal Todd Mann said. “Our entire staff
is committed to the achievement and
success of all students in our school. It is
a very special recognition and reflects the
dedication of our entire school community
on behalf of our students.’’
The Blue Ribbon Schools program
recognizes schools striving to achieve
excellence. Wisconsin is allowed to
nominate up to eight schools a year. To be
recognized a school must fall into one of
two categories:
Exemplary High Performing Schools. To
be eligible, schools must score in the top
15 percent on state assessments in reading
and mathematics. High-performing
Middleton High School was one of
three state schools to be named a Green
Ribbon Schools award winner by the U.S.
Department of Education in April.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan,
together with White House Council on
Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley
and Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator Lisa Jackson, announced
that 78 schools received the award.
“Middleton High School is an exemplar
of efforts across the district to be energy
efficient, engage students in relevant
environmental curriculum, and provide
a healthy place to learn,’’ MCPASD
Superintendent Don Johnson said.
“The students and staff of MHS are the
foundation of our collective success. We
are clearly proud of all, and celebrate this
well-deserved recognition!’’
The other state schools honored were
Dimensions of Learning Academy in
the Kenosha School District and Purdy
Elementary School in the Fort Atkinson
School District.
The recognition program recognizes
schools that save energy, reduce costs,
their milk cartons before recycling them.
Has the program worked? Daugherty
was hoping to cut waste by one-third. The
students obliterated that goal.
In the first week, seventh-graders cut
their waste by 50 percent, sixth-graders
by 54 percent and eighth-graders by 62
percent. The net result was 100 pounds
less of trash every day. The students were
still cutting waste by about 50 percent in
the second week.
“There are some students who don’t
buy in and are a little hesitant but the
overwhelming majority are excited and
are happy to do it even if it does take a
little more time,’’ Daugherty said. “I’ve
been surprised to be on the receiving end
of high-fives from students.
“It’s pretty cool.’’
schools also must have met the state’s
adequate yearly progress objectives for
the previous two years. Up to five schools
nominated can come from this category.
Exemplary Improving Schools. To be
eligible, schools must have at least 40
percent students from disadvantaged
backgrounds and must dramatically
improve student performance on state
assessments. At least three of the eight
schools nominated must come from this
category.
Sunset Ridge was nominated as a high
performing school. More than 98 percent
of fourth-graders at Sunset Ridge were
proficient or advanced in reading and
mathematics on the 2010-11 WKCE test.
Nominated schools must complete an
application from the U.S. Department
of Education by March 2 that focuses
on results and scientifically based
instruction. The federal education
department reviews applications and
will announce Blue Ribbon Schools in
September. Schools earning the award
receive a plaque and flag signifying
their status as a Blue Ribbon School. A
principal and teacher also will be invited
to attend a recognition ceremony in
Washington, D.C., in November.
MHS awarded Green Ribbon Award
feature environmentally sustainable
learning spaces, protect health, foster
wellness, and offer environmental
education to boost academic achievement
and community engagement.
The program, which was announced on
Sept. 29, 2011, should also increase STEM
(science, technology, engineering and
mathematics) skills and ensure students’
college and career preparedness.
MHS applied for the award in early
February and Debra Weitzel was the main
author of the application. Each state was
allowed up to four nominees. MHS found
out it was a finalist in late March.
“It’s the culmination of a number of years
of effort,’’ Assistant Superintendent for
Business Services Tom Wohlleber said at a
Board of Education meeting.
MHS Principal Denise Herrmann and
MHS teacher and Ecology Club co-advisor
Leah Williams attended a ceremony
honoring the winners in Washington, D.C.
in early June. Duncan, Sutley, Jackson and
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin
addressed the honorees and congratulated
them on their exemplary practices.

District celebrates best of employee milestones
Nearly 50 staff members were honored
at the annual Employee Recognition
Breakfast in May at the Hilton Garden Inn.
“Aside from having students come in
front of the board ... this is the event I
most look forward to every year,” Board of
Education president Ellen Lindgren said.
Seventeen district employees who will
retire at the end of the school year were
honored along with staff members who
have worked 20, 25, 30 or 35 years in the
district. In all, 47 staff members received a
certificate.
Lindgren said she added it up and
more than 1,000 years of experience in
the district was represented by those staff
members being honored.
“I see people who toil behind the scenes
and make everything work,” she said.
After a brief welcome from
Superintendent Don Johnson and a
few remarks from Lindgren, building
administrators introduced honorees in
attendance and had some brief remarks
about any retirees at their building.
“With all the challenges we face in public
education, we have something special
going on here,” Johnson said. “We care
about one another and I want to thank all
of you for that.’’
Other BOE members in attendance
were Annette Ashley, Bob Green, Leeanne
Hallquist and Diane Hornung.
Retirees
Sharon Brown: Northside; teacher
Tom Cabalka: Northside; teacher
Deborah Diamond:
West Middleton; teacher
Steve D’Onofrio: Sauk Trail; teacher
Cheryl Hoff: MASH; teacher
Linda Josheff: Kromrey; para-educator
Diane Kulis:
Glacier Creek; para-educator
Joan McGovern: DAC; coordinator
Sharon Miller:
Sunset Ridge; para-educator
Redgy Nelson: Northside; teacher
Heidi Notbohm: Sauk Trail; teacher
Nancy Riesch: Kromrey; teacher
Doug Rykal: West Middleton; principal
Cindee Schuetz: Kromrey; social worker
Barbara Vater: Kromrey; LMC
Jeff Wilson: Glacier Creek; teacher
Claire Zeitlin: West Middleton; teacher
20 years
Linda Armas: Sauk Trail; teacher
Chris Bauman: Elm Lawn; teacher
Diane Boles: West Middleton; teacher
Dan Brabender: DOC; maintenance
Connie Finnegan: MHS; teacher
Bill Frederickson: MHS; custodian
Julie Kauper: Sauk Trail; teacher
Jeff Kind: MHS; teacher
Jodi Klare: Park; teacher
Diane Matzke: Park; teacher
Board President Ellen Lindgren presents Tim Statz with a plaque. Statz was honored
or serving on the Board of Education for 27 years.
George Mavroulis: DAC; administrator
Mike Meeteer: Kromrey; teacher
John Niesen: MHS; teacher
Roxanne Piller: Kromrey; teacher
Amy Pophal: MHS; teacher
Lori Rubin: MHS; teacher
Larry Stephens: MHS; teacher
Matthew Swartout:
West Middleton; custodian
Dennis Wade: DOC; maintenance
Randy Zander: Transportation; mechanic
Cynthia Zocher: Kromrey; teacher
Anne Zucker: Northside; teacher
Thirteen staff members who planned to retire at theend of the 2011-12 school year were able to attend a recognition breakfast in May.
Front row from left: Barbara Vater, LMC Director, Kromrey; Sharon Miller, LMC para-educator, Sunset Ridge; Cheryl Hoff, social worker,
MASH; Nancy Riesch, band teacher, Kromrey, Deb Diamond, 2nd grade teacher, West Middleton; Heidi Notbohm, Speech & Language
therapist, Sauk Trail; Redgy Nelson, kindergarten teacher, Northside; Doug Rykal, Principal, West Middleton. Back row from left: Linda
Josheff, para-educator (Health), Kromrey; Cindee Schuetz , social worker, Kromrey; Tom Cabalka, physical education teacher, Northside;
Steve D’Onofrio, 4th grade teacher., Sauk Trail; and Sharon Brown, 1st grade teacher, Northside.
Not pictured are: Diane Kulis, para-educator, Glacier Creek; Joan McGovern, Fiscal Services Manager, DAC; Jeff Wilson, science teacher,
Glacier Creek; and Claire Zeitlin, 4th grade teacher, West Middleton .
Board welcome new members;
honors Rossmiller and Statz
Incumbent Leeanne Hallquist along
with newcomers Anne Bauer and
Terrence Metzger won three-year terms
on the Board of Education in April.
Bauer defeated Sylvia Sinclair for
the vacant seat in Area V in the only
contested race. Bauer, 4521 Ellington Way,
Middleton, and Sinclair were vying to fill
the vacant seat held by Stuart Rossmiller,
who did not seek re-election.
Hallquist, 1353 Boundary Road,
Middleton, ran unopposed in Area IV.
Metzger, 4010 St. Francis St., Cross Plains,
ran unopposed for the vacant seat in Area
II. That seat was held by vice president
Tim Statz, who did not seek re-election.
Their terms began on Monday, April 23.
Meanwhile, Rossmiller and Statz were
recognized at the April 9 regular meeting.
Board president Ellen Lindgren
presented Rossmiller, who left the Board
after two terms, and vice president Tim
Statz, who left the Board after 27 years,
with a plaque and a certificate. Rossmiller
was thanked for his financial background
and his knowledge as a former
teacher. Statz was thanked for always
putting the focus on the children and the
insight he has provided.
“It’s been a wonderful experience,’’
Rossmiller said. “I’ll treasure our debates
and our differences and agreements.
Even though we disagreed on things, it
Middleton Cross-Plains Area School District
25 years
Tim Barsness: Glacier Creek; teacher
Janet Coughlin: Northside; teacher
Kevin Green: Kromrey; teacher
Joan Sholdt: Northside; para-educator
Steve Stekelberg: MHS; custodian
Joanne Toennies: Elm Lawn; teacher
Sharon Wirtz: Park; teacher
30 years
Janice Meinholz: Transportation;
bus driver
35 years
Nancy Reisch: Kromrey; teacher
didn’t stop us from
interacting and
cooperating and
remembering we are
here for the kids.’’
“I have a
tremendous amount
of respect for all of
you,’’ Statz said. “Our
purpose is to make
education better.
Terry Metzger
You’ve meant a lot to
me. I got far more from this district than I
gave back. I’ve been very fortunate to be a
part of a great board.’’
Lindgren admitted she a little
intimidated by Statz at first and said it took
her awhile to get comfortable working
with him on the Board.
“You have been a true supporter of the
schools and everyone benefitted from your
passion and focus on children,’’ she said.
LEFT: Tim Statz (above) and Stuart Rossmiller (below) each receive a plaque from Board president Ellen
Lindgren at the Board of Education meeting on April 9. Rossmiller served two terms on the School Board, while
Statz served 27 years.
Anne Bauer
Leeanne Hallquist

Understanding the Potential Referendum
Middleton Cross-Plains Area School District
School Board Considering Referendum Question for November Ballot
Why We Must Act Now
In an effort to address overcrowding at the
elementary school level and facility problems
at Kromrey Middle School, the Middleton-
Cross Plains Area School District Board of
Education is considering placing a referendum
question on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.
After repurposing some rooms to create
more classroom space after the failed 2009
referendum, the district’s estimated capacity
at its six elementary school buildings is
2,371. This year more than 2,660 students
are in those schools. The district is expecting
enrollment to grow by 1-2% over the next
decade, which means in just five years that
number is expected to climb above 2,800.
Kromrey has multiple issues
The rooms are smaller than an average
middle school classroom.
The lift that we use as an elevator for
children with disabilities isn’t compliant.
The elevator has broken numerous times,
A Brief History Lesson
It’s been 16 years since the Middleton-
Cross Plains Area School District built a new
elementary or middle school.
Glacier Creek Middle School and Sunset Ridge
Elementary opened in 1996. There were fewer
than 5,000 students in the District’s 10 schools
at that time. In 2011-12, there were 6,018
students in kindergarten through 12 th grade.
There have been four school referendums
since 1996:
1999: A new alternative high school and
high school remodel and expansion fail.
2000: A new alternative high school and
high school remodel and expansion pass.
2005: A new K-8 school at Pope Farms fails.
Additions to Northside, Sauk Trail and West
Middleton elementary schools pass.
2009: A new K-5 school at Pope Farms,
a rebuild of Kromrey Middle School and
additions to Park Elementary and Glacier
Creek fail.
In 2003, the Long Range Planning Committee
(LRPC) was formed to look at the facility needs
of the District and how to best handle longterm
growth. The committee has been made
up of community members, administrators
and staff members.
The LRPC reconvened in December 2010.
It looked at more than 20 options before
narrowing that list down to eight and,
eventually three.
All three options included moving fifthgraders
to the middle schools to alleviate
overcrowding at the elementary level. Two
options would have involved a remodel of
Kromrey, while a third suggested a rebuild.
An overwhelming majority of the LRPC
recommended to the Board of Education in
September 2011 that Kromrey be rebuilt.
The District hired an architect (Bray &
Associates) and a construction firm (J.H.
Findorff & Son) early in 2012 and has been
fine-tuning the Kromrey rebuild and Glacier
Creek addition since last fall.
most recently in May, and is currently unoperational.
There are limited outlets in classrooms, so
electrical cords are often all over the floor,
which can be a safety issue.
The walls between rooms are thin, which
means noise can be an issue.
The district’s estimated
capacity at its six elementary
school buildings is 2,371.
This year more than 2,660
students are in those schools.
In September 2010, the District had to
delay the opening of school for six days
due to mold in Kromrey. The school district
also must keep Kromrey closed throughout
the summer and run more than a dozen
large dehumidifiers to keep the mold from
returning.
The cost to maintain Kromrey over the next
5-7 years is $5-7 million. The District’s capital
Listening Session Set for June 25
The Board of Education wants to hear
from you. A special listening session
will be held prior to the regular board
meeting on Monday, June 25 at the District
Administrative Center, 7106 South Ave.,
Middleton. The session will begin at 6:30
p.m. and is scheduled to last 30 minutes.
maintenance budget for the 2012-13 school
year is $850,000. That means most, if not all,
of that budget would be used on Kromrey,
which would leave very few dollars for our
other nine schools. This fix only maintains the
building and does not solve the mold issue.
One of the options under consideration,
which originated with the district’s Long
Range Planning Committee, is to rebuild
Kromrey, expand Glacier Creek and move
future fifth-grade classes to the larger middle
schools. While this would mean change for
fifth-grade students, parents and staff, it is
simpler and less expensive than the options
presented in the 2009 referendum and will
allow additional program opportunities. It is
important to note that under this option, the
elementary and middle school boundaries
would remain unchanged.
The Board will continue to gather feedback
from community members in preparing for a
July or August vote on placing a referendum
question on the November ballot.
Community members are encouraged to
attend and offer feedback or ask questions
about a potential referendum in November.
The District held five engagement sessions
in May and about 100 people attended. The
District plans to hold more open houses
and informational sessions in the fall.
District Enrollment & Work Done to Address Facility Needs
The elementary
strings class at
Sunset Ridge
Elementary is
currently held in
the storage area.
There are three essential reasons why the
District must address its facility needs now.
1. Money is being wasted: The district
expects to spend $5-7 million over the next
five to seven years just to maintain Kromrey
Middle School. After that time, we will still have
an old building in need of more maintenance.
In the long run, it is less expensive to replace
the building altogether.
2. Enrollment continues to increase:
Our elementary schools are at 99 to 110%
capacity. Our elementary enrollment has
grown by more than 440 students in just nine
years, an average of over 2% a year.
At that rate of growth, our elementary
enrollment would be nearly 3,200 students by
the end of the decade. While the district staff
has worked to make the most of the existing
space, growing class sizes will make this
impossible in the future.
3. Building now is less expensive: The
fact is that as a result of the economy, it is
more affordable to purchase building supplies
now than it will be in the future. Interest rates
are also lower. The Board of Education wants
a referendum question that is less costly in
capital and operational costs than the one in
2009. The final numbers aren’t available yet,
but there is a good chance the tax impact
from this referendum will be 40% less than it
was in 2009. This solution also would provide
capacity for 100 more students than the
option presented in the 2009 referendum.