Schools

MIDDLETON–The garden at Elm Lawn Elementary has been a collaboration between parents, students, staff and the Plant Dane Native Plant Program, and now the space has been certified a Monarch Waystation by Monarch Watch.

Elm Lawn parent Nicole Westphal, and the PTO re-envisioned the space that first became a garden in the 1990s as a Girl Scout Gold Project. Over the years it was also a BSA Eagle Scout project and has fluctuated back and forth from being a vegetable garden to an ornamental garden, even sitting idle for a while. Now the space is home to vegetables, herbs and perennial, annual and native plants.

MIDDLETON–The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Board of Education reviewed the latest developments in the district’s planning for students returning to school in the fall. The board chose to have all grade levels begin school virtually, but will revisit the decision at its Sept. 28 meeting based on new data and experiences of schools that are offering in-person instruction.

Superintendent Dana Monogue said a shift to in-person instruction will be guided by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Public Health of Madison and  Dane County. She noted no guidance had yet been given from either agency specific to schools but is expected imminently. 

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Common Council tabled an agreement with the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) to provide police officers at Middleton High School (MHS) and Kromrey Middle School after voting to reconsider it. The agreement for the SRO (Student Resource Officer) program has come under scrutiny since its approval by the school board at the June 22 by community members, students, parents and alumni who are calling for suspending the program while it is reviewed. 

During the council meeting two members from the School Community Partnership committee presented a plan to suspend and review the program. School district administrators and Middleton police presented on the history of the program, its benefits and a review plan to be completed by January.

MIDDLETON–The Middleton-Cross Plains School District Board of Education unanimously adopted a plan to begin the year with a strictly virtual instructional model and pivot to full-time in-person instruction or a hybrid model later in the year based on local health data.

Superintendent Dana Monogue acknowledged the plan will please some families and disappoint others, but said the health and safety of students and staff is the district’s highest priority. 

“Schools have been placed in the middle of an impossible decisions, one where we must weigh the health and safety of our students and staff against concerns regarding the academic, social and emotional well-being of our students,” Monogue said.  

Monogue said under the current rate of COVID-19 infections locally staff or students would inevitably contract the virus. 

MIDDLETON–The Middleton-Cross Plains School District Board of Education unanimously adopted a plan to begin the year with a strictly virtual instructional model and pivot to full-time in-person instruction or a hybrid model later in the year based on local health data.

Superintendent Dana Monogue acknowledged the plan will please some families and disappoint others, but said the health and safety of students and staff is the district’s highest priority. 

“Schools have been placed in the middle of an impossible decisions, one where we must weigh the health and safety of our students and staff against concerns regarding the academic, social and emotional well-being of our students,” Monogue said.  

Monogue said under the current rate of COVID-19 infections locally staff or students would inevitably contract the virus. 

MIDDLETON–The Middleton Cross Plains School District (MCPASD) Board of Education reviewed and discussed the options district administration is considering for instruction in the fall. The options include a full return to in-person instruction, fully virtual and various hybrid models. The board meets on July 20 for a decision. Any plan approved by the board will need to meet the requirements and guidelines established by Public Health Madison Dane County (PHMDC) which have been delayed in light of emerging data on COVID-19 infection rates locally.

Superintendent Dana Monogue said the administration will have a final recommendation for the board and expect a vote at the July 20 meeting to give district staff as much time as possible to plan for fall.

MIDDLETON–Since canceling the traditional graduation slated for June, the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) is now planning to hold a Drive-Up Graduation Ceremony at Middleton High School (MHS) July 25.

The district is still working out details out for the event, but officials are hoping it will include:

• Assigned times based on last names of students to keep traffic from backing up. This iwould be similar to the cap and gown distribution in late May.

• Graduates having their name introduced as they enter the loop adjacent to Bristol Street.

• MHS principal Peg Shoemaker, CSCS principal Jill Gurtner and Superintendent Dana Monogue would be on hand to congratulate graduates and their families as they get their diploma.

• A digital sign courtesy of the City of Middleton to congratulate graduates.

MIDDLETON–Kids teaching kids! While many parents worry about online learning, these teens are embracing it. When Middleton High School students belonging to Wisconsin's BadgerBOTS robotics team learned that they would not have in-person summer classes, they decided to create their own two-week, online lessons in Photoshop, Java programming, and CAD for kids aged 13-18. Without a pipeline of kids learning STEM skills, FRC Team 1306 worried they wouldn’t have enough students interested in robotics to continue in competitions.

Course DescriptionsNo prior knowledge or experience required

CAD and 3D Printing 101, July 20-July 31:

MIDDLETON–The Middleton-Cross Plains School District Board of Education discussed the plans for students graduating and returning to school in the fall amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The final decision for graduation is expected on July 13 while the fall plan is to be determined on July 20.

While the final plan must be approved by Dane County and the health department, the district is planning for an in-person graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 at Breitenbach Stadium on July 25 at 7 p.m., or the same time the following day in case of rain.

Depending on the guidance from the county or the health department the district will hold either a full in-person ceremony with 500 plus graduates and up 2,600 attendees, split the ceremony into smaller groups and limit attendees, or have a drive by ceremony with accommodations made for those without vehicles. The event will be live-streamed and hosted on the district’s Youtube channel for those who cannot attend.

MIDDLETON–Middleton Cross Plains Area School District (MCPASD) officials still hope to hold an in-person graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 at Breitenbach Stadium on July 25 at 7 p.m. involving all 500-plus graduates, Director of Communications Perry Hibner said.

If there is inclement weather, the ceremony would be held on Sunday, July 26 at 7 p.m.

The capacity at the stadium is just under 2,600 so if a full in-person ceremony is held, Clark Street School (CSCS) and Middleton High School (MHS) will be providing a limited number of tickets to each graduate. The district plans to stream the event live for anyone who can’t attend, Hibner said, adding the video will also be available on the District's YouTube Channel after the ceremony.

In the event the Forward Dane plan doesn’t allow for a full in-person ceremony by late July, the district is planning a smaller in-person event along with a virtual ceremony, Hibner said.