Madison Reporter

The recent meeting of the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Board of Education covered various topics, ranging from sports achievements to updates on nutrition services and engagement surveys.

Dr. Dana Monogue opened the session by recognizing the Girls/Nonbinary and Boys Ultimate Frisbee teams for their state championship victories. She praised team members Megan Borseth and Mika Stockner for being named First Team All-State and acknowledged Coaches Megan Sokup, Dayna VandenAvond, Ryan Natzke, and Nik Brunow.

In her Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Monogue highlighted several Middleton High School teams as conference champions, including Girls Softball and Boys Golf. She also celebrated senior Matthew Arnold's first-place finish in the 300M hurdles at the WIAA State Track and Field Championships. The Class of 2025 was congratulated on their recent graduation.

Staff appointments were approved, including Barry Holloway and Bill Richardson as associate principals at Middleton High School. A list of full-time teacher contracts for the upcoming school year was also confirmed.

The Board approved an international trip to Taiwan in summer 2026 for students in the Chinese Department to explore cultural heritage sites like Taipei's National Palace Museum.

Erin Wheeler and David Montag provided a Food & Nutrition update, noting meals served across district schools and emphasizing local produce purchases. The program maintains a positive fund balance supported by federal, state, and local funding sources.

Engagement survey results were presented by district directors highlighting mixed but generally positive trends among students, families, and staff. Efforts to address identified areas for growth include enhanced leadership visibility and expanded professional development.

A compensation proposal was outlined by Jerrud Rossing, Erin Wheeler, and Barb Buffington recommending budget increases for support staff, administration, and supervisors with a focus on equitable pay structures.

Enrollment projections indicated a decline in overall student numbers but noted increases at certain elementary schools. The Board will continue monitoring these figures over the summer.

Finally, financial institutions were designated as official depositories for school funds in the coming year, additional open enrollment seats for 4K were approved due to available space, and Cheryl Janssen was recognized for her service upon retirement.

The next steps regarding some proposals will be discussed at the upcoming June 23 meeting.