Schools

MIDDLETON–On December 9-11 at 7:30 p.m., Middleton High School (MHS) Theatre will present its production of “Sense & Sensibility,” adapted by Kate Hamill. The performance will be the first full length production in Middleton High School’s new Black Box theatre and is directed by Katrina Brunner.

MIDDLETON–The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) will not have to eliminate busing students living less than two miles from a school as enough parents have opted out of district-provided transportation, Superintendent Dana Monogue said on Nov. 15.

Due to a chronic shortage of bus drivers, district administrators last week asked the school board to change the walk zone policy that buses students living 1.1 miles from a school to two miles, effective in Jan. 3.

Board members found the timing to be disruptive to families and asked administrators to poll them about opting out of having their children bused to school. Also, if there was any interest in becoming a bus driver.

The response this past week was “gratifying and overwhelming,” said Monogue, as families of a combined 907 students have opted out of taking the bus,“ plus, there was significant interest in driving a bus route.

WHITEWATER–On the weekend of Oct. 16-17, the Middleton High School (MHS) Marching Cardinal Band placed second at the marching band state championships. The competition took place at UW-Whitewater and hosted approximately 30of the best marching bands from around the state of Wisconsin. Middleton returned to their competitive marching band program in 2016 for the first time since 1992. At their state championship debut in 2018 they placed sixth, followed by fourth in 2019. 

“We couldn’t be more proud of this achievement by the students. After all the difficulties they have been through the last year including a season off due to covid, we’re so happy for all of our students and the legacy our seniors will be leaving behind,” said band director Eric Rothacker.

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Common Council approved a $1.2 million TIF agreement for a 54-unit apartment which will include 45 subsidized units for people earning less than the area median income (AMI). The council also got a first look at a new long-term plan from Madison Metro for bus service and approved funding for the design of an asphalt bicycle pump track part of the city’s newly expanding bike and cross country skiing park. 

The affordable housing project, which is part of Tribeca Village, located at3 725 Tribeca Dr., was originally approved by the council in late 2019. The project, titled 38ten and proposed by JT Klein, a local developer specializing in Section 42 tax credit projects, consists of two three-story buildings with a combined total of 125 multi-family units in the Tribeca Village development between Parmenter St. and Tribeca Dr. Ten units would be market rate while the rest would be income-restricted for a period of 30 years.

MIDDLETON–The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Board of Education voted unanimously to approve a COVID-19 vaccine and testing mandate for all district staff. Staff must provide proof of vaccination by Nov. 15 or be tested weekly. 

Superintendent Dana Monogue explained to the board that the vaccine and testing mandates announced by President Joe Biden on Sept. 9 applies to businesses with more than 100 employees but does not include school districts.

Monogue said with no news of a mandate for school districts on the horizon it is up to school boards to approve mandates for their districts. Monogue’s recommendation to the board is that all district staff be required to provide proof of vaccination or rationale for a religious or medical exemption by Nov. 15 or be required to be tested weekly.

School Board Review Start of Year

MIDDLETON–The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Board of Education met for the first time since the start of the new school year and reviewed the successes and challenges while continuing to operate under COVID-19 safety protocols and staffing shortages.

Superintendent Dana Monogue said the year is off to a great start, but many students are needing more support, love, attention and guidance as they transition back to a structured schedule. 

“Our educators are being patient and kind while they help anxious students acclimate while they are also dealing with the realities of the ongoing pandemic,” Monogue said.

MIDDLETON–Students and staff of the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) will be required to wear face masks indoors at district facilities, on school buses and at as spectators at indoor athletic events, the Board of Education mandated Monday.

In-person instruction will begin Sept. 1, five days a week with about 100 students participating in the district’s fully virtual program.

The mask mandate was made retroactive to August 2.

Superintendent Dana Monogue said it is “our ethical and moral obligation to continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, care for our most vulnerable students and staff, and keep everyone as safe as possible.

“Our operations will likely be able to continue largely without interruption if we continue to require masks in all of our schools,” Monogue told the Board.

Some parents asked the board not to impose the mask mandate and questioned their authority to do so absent an emergency public health order.

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Cross Plains Area School District Board of Education reviewed a presentation and recommendations from the School/Community Partnership which was formed to find ways to create a more equitable school district.

Superintendent Dana Monogue explained to the board that the School/Community Partnership is an open working group which began in January 2020 to respond to and prevent hate and racism. The working group had broad participation from district staff and parents as well as city staff and officials, Monogue said.

Five action teams were formed to address five topics including: raising next generation of change leaders; deepening and strengthening curriculum; attracting, retaining and developing staff; developing an incident response system; and examining police in schools.

MIDDLETON–After nearly two years in the making, the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) Board of Directors passed a sustainability resolution prompted by Middleton High School (MHS) junior Daphne Wu and a small group of students. 

Wu, a student representative on the City of Middleton Sustainability Committee said she wanted to initiate a resolution after learning about other districts in the area drafting similar documents.

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) Board of Education discussed changes to the instructional model for all students in the fall. District administration presented a preliminary recommendation which would provide five full days if in-person instruction alongside a fully virtual option at all grade levels.

Deputy Superintendent Sherri Cyra explained to the board that families will need to select the fully in-person or fully virtual option by the end of the May. Cyra said the board will have to decide whether families will be allowed to change models at the end of the first semester or commit to their choice for the year.

Communication will begin going out to families the third week of May to gage interest in the different options. The board will review the feedback before voting on the model change at its next meeting on May 24.