WSD – Latest News

In addition to a number of new principals, several WSD administrators have new titles and/or new responsibilities. They are:
Chris Budnik, former Principal at Hawthorn Hills Elementary has returned to East High as Assistant Principal.
Arrin Woller, former Interim Assistant Principal at West High has been names as Assistant Principal at the school.
Dan Hein, former Interim Activities Director as West High has been named as Activities/Athletic Director as the school.
Cherna Gorder, former Assistant Superintendent of Business is now the WSD Chief Finance and Business Services Officer.
Andrea Sheridan, former Grant Elementary Principal is now the Director of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership Integration.
Nell Anderson, is now the Director of Elementary Education
Thom Hahn is now the Director of Secondary Education.
Dr. Jeff Lindell, former Assistant Principal at East High, is the Interim Pupil Services Director.

School began on September 1st with several new principals at WSD schools. The District is pleased to announce the following new principals:
Jamie Boyd–Principal at Hawthorn Hills Elementary School. Boyd previously served as an elementary principal in Baraboo, Title I Consultant at WI DPI, Title I SES/Choice Coordinator with Washoe County (NV) School District, and 21st Century Program Administrator and Dean of Students at Roger Corbett Elementary School in Reno (NV).
Christopher Nyman–Principal at Grant Elementary School. Nyman previously served as Supervisor of Literacy Intervention for MPS, literacy consultant for the Gogebic-Ontanogon ISD in Bergland (MI), and as Title I Director, Reading First Literacy Coach, and elementary teacher in Watersmeet School District (MI).
Deb Heilmann–Interim Principal South Mountain Elementary School. Heilmann is a former fourth grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Wausau.
Michael Wridt–Principal at EEA Learning Academy, EGL Academy, and Wausau Area Montessori Charter School. Wridt formerly served as administrator of the Atlas Preparatory Academy in Milwaukee, Vice-Principal of Inland Seas High School (a University of Milwaukee charter high school), and as a lead instructor/math instructor at Maasai Institute High School (a City of Milwaukee charter high school.)
Julie Sprague–Principal at Horace Mann Middle School. Sprague returns to Horace Mann. She formerly served as principal at South Mountain Elementary School and as Seventh Grade teacher, Team Leader, Department Chair and Assistant Principal at the middle school level. Joining her as Assistant Principals will be Al Betry (former social studies teacher at Horace Mann) and Josh Ernst (former special education teacher at East High).
Kelly Halvorsen–Principal at Stettin Elementary School. Halvorsen served as the former Assistant Principal at Horace Mann and Interim Principal at Wausau Area Montessori Charter School, and kindergarten teacher.

For the third year in a row, both Grant and Jefferson Elementary Schools have been named as Wisconsin Schools of Recognition. The honor is eligible to Wisconsin Title I schools, that are in the top quartile of the state poverty rates as identified by free/reduced lunch percentages, have above-average scores on WKCE tests in reading and mathematics when compared to similar schools, and have met AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) indicators for the last two consecutive years. Teams from both schools will be recognized at a special ceremony at the Capitol in October.

On May 24-26, 2011, over 180 community members, parents, students, teachers, Board members, and administrators gathered for The Summit on the Future of Education in Wausau. Working together over the course of three days, Summit participants reviewed the District’s history, local, state, and world trends and their implications for education. Finally, participants developed a set of 8 Key Interests to propel the District to a positive future.
They are:
- Advance student learning, achievement, and success by keeping it at the heart and as the filter for all decision making.
- Utilize research-based curricula that reflects 21st Century themes and applications and are responsive to the needs and potential of all students, preparing them for a global society.
- Provide real-life, diverse learning opportunities with practical applications in the classroom and beyond.
- Inform and engage the community in shaping educational strategy and formulating responses to change.
- Attract, retain, and develop a high quality, divers, creative, and innovative workforce of leaders.
- Provide safe, secure, flexible, inviting, and well-maintained environments that nurture student well-being and enhance teaching and learning.
- Identify,integrate, and expand technology to foster adaptability and maximize learning for all.
- Foster mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations that expand learning opportunities and resources.
The WSD Joint Leadership Team, comprised of representatives from all WSD internal stakeholder groups, worked throughout the summer on these 8 Key Interests. These Key Interests will be presented to the Board of Education on September 12, 2011, for approval. Nearly all participants at the Summit indicated they would like to continue to be actively involved as the District develops the structures and framework to make each of these Key Interests the foundation of our educational and operational programs and processes in the future.

Wausau East High School is the recipient of a School Energy Policy and Education Grant from the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program at UWSP. The $5,000 grant assists schools in writing and implementing an energy plan that will help reduce energy costs and integrate energy education into the school-wide curriculum. WEHS is home to the District’s Renewable Energy Outdoor Learning Center. According to Lauren Ebbecke, Project Director and Science Teacher at Wausau East, “School buildings are an excellent resource for students to explore when learning about energy efficiency and renewable resources.” A task forces including Ebbecke, Thom Hahn, Dennis Wald, Eric Watson, and Joel Pataconi will oversee the project and work with a cross-curricular committee of teachers to write the education plan. When completed, this plan will not only improve the school’s operational productivity, reduce costs, and integrate energy education into the school’s curriculum, but will serve as a model for the entire District. The primary goal is to train 500+ teachers in the District about renewable energy, so they, in turn, can teach their students how to become more efficient energy consumers. The grant complements the Renewable Energy Outdoor Learning Center on the campus, which includes a Northwind 100 kWh turbine, a Bergey 10 kWh turbine, 2 kWh fixed photovoltaic solar array, and a 2 kWh tracking photovoltaic solar array.