The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Board of Education reviewed student achievements, approved new principal appointments, and discussed updates on social-emotional learning during its meeting on April 13.
The meeting highlighted the district’s focus on academic excellence, community engagement, and student well-being. These priorities reflect ongoing efforts to support students from early childhood through high school, according to the official website.
Board members recognized several students for state-level accomplishments. Reed Falk was celebrated for winning the Division 1 190-pound title at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Individual State Wrestling Tournament after an undefeated season. Arthur Wang earned first place in the individual competition at the Wisconsin MathCOUNTS event and will advance to a national contest. Arnav Vempati was acknowledged as the first district student to qualify for the Scripps National Spelling Bee following his second-place finish at a state bee.
The board also honored recipients of A Cardinal’s Journey Award for collaboration, including Cate Cassata and Mallak Gadelhak from Middleton High School. Laurie Wood said: “Cate and Tvisha are co-presidents for our Best Buddies Club at MHS… They epitomize the qualities of A Cardinal’s Journey especially in the area of collaboration and I’m so proud of them! Thank you both for all that you do to support inclusivity and kindness at MHS and in our MCPASD community!” Melanie Moorehill said: “Mallak is an active collaborator within many clubs including Black Student Union, Model United Nations and National Honor Society… She embodies shared decision-making and emphasizes the benefit of diverse thoughts to generate viable solutions.”
Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue congratulated Middleton Meals Matter on receiving a youth philanthropy award after collecting nearly 70,000 pounds of food for WayForward Resources. The board approved donations exceeding $10,000 toward playground expansion projects designed to increase accessibility.
New leadership appointments were confirmed with Kirsten Andreoni set as Northside Elementary School principal starting July 2026 upon Sylla Zarov’s retirement; Josh Forehand will become Sauk Trail Elementary School principal following Chris Dahlk’s retirement in July 2026. Both bring extensive experience in education administration.
Other agenda items included approval of music department trips abroad during Spring Break 2027, annual updates from City of Middleton Youth Center staff about after-school programming serving diverse students—including those qualifying for free or reduced lunch—and a report on social-emotional learning initiatives across district schools using tools aligned with state competencies.
The board also agreed to continue participating in a cooperative purchasing agreement that helps member districts reduce costs related to nutrition programs by sharing procurement resources—a program operated by MCPASD as fiscal agent among several districts according to their official website.
According to their official website, Dr. Dana Monogue serves as superintendent while facilities support educational programs emphasizing literacy, math, social-emotional learning; recent years saw students achieve top ACT scores among public non-charter schools statewide; extracurricular activities foster leadership opportunities; efforts aim at preparing students for global challenges while drawing inspiration locally; services extend throughout Middleton and Cross Plains areas.
