Full Schedule 

10:15am Concurrent Round One

1. Advancing Student Achievement: Coherent Systems, High Expectations and a "Name-by-Face" Approach
Brett Stousland, Superintendent, Lauren Ward, Principal & Christine Voigtlander, Pupil Services Director, Gibraltar Area School District

The Gibraltar Area School District has undertaken a comprehensive redesign of its teaching and learning systems to ensure that every student is known ‚”by name and by face” and supported through intentional pathways for growth, acceleration, and achievement. We will share our district’s multi-year journey of building coherence across instructional practices, staff development, and academic pathways, all aimed at fulfilling ambitious Key Performance Objectives designed to raise achievement for every learner are the center of this work. These aims, supported by increasing early literacy and numeracy, redesign of our RTI model has created a clear and measurable vision for systemic excellence.

Spotlight Stat: The Gibraltar School District has been among the state’s most successful school districts for both attainment and growth over the last three years.

2. The Excellence Architecture: Scaling Excellence through Equity and Action
Becca Stein, Principal & Jessy Gamez, Instructional Coach, Van Hise Elementary School, Madison Metro School District

Guided by the Madison Metropolitan School District’s principles—Lead with Equity, Foster Belonging, Deliver Meaningful Learning, Improve with Purpose, and Embrace our Collective Impact—Van Hise Elementary is one of the highest-performing schools in both the district and the state. We attribute this success to our commitment to continuous improvement, even during challenging times in education. In this session, leaders will share the specific strategies driving our progress, including:

Literacy Excellence: Implementing new literacy resources and aligned assessments. Targeted Growth: Ensuring at least one year’s academic growth for every student through intentional goal-setting. Equity-Centered Co-planning: Fostering meaningful partnerships among staff through dedicated co-planning time. Data-Driven Change: Utilizing disproportionality data and research to guide instructional shifts within multi-disciplinary teams. Collaboration: Strengthening cross-grade level relationships to maximize collaborative planning.

Spotlight Stat:  Van Hise Elementary School has been among the state’s most successful elementary schools for both attainment and growth over the last three years.

3. The Power of Consistency: Investing in Educators Through Purposeful, Aligned Learning Systems
Mark Smullen, Principal, Stacy Judas, Reading Coach & Kelly Coles, Teacher, TJ Walker Middle School, Sturgeon Bay School District

Schools thrive when educators are supported through intentional, consistent, and aligned learning experiences. This presentation illustrates how targeted professional development, book studies, and shared unit planning structures can collectively drive instructional coherence. We will explore practical methods for embedding differentiation, data analysis, and writing strategies into everyday practice. A unified vision for educator development not only enhances teaching quality but also strengthens school culture and long-term student success.

Spotlight Stat: TJ Walker was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School in 2025 for high performance and gap closing and is proud of scoring 100% in student growth on the most recent state report card.

4. Title Here
Liz Hrodey, Principal, Wisconsin Heights High School 

Spotlight Stat: Wisconsin Heights has been among the state’s most successful high school’s for both attainment and growth over the last three years.

5. Building Learning Systems, Not More Initiatives: Continuous Improvement That Works
Joe Schroeder, Associate Executive Director & Yaribel Rodriguez, Director of Urban Leadership, AWSA

Many schools and districts are working harder than ever, yet struggling with initiative fatigue and uneven results. This session explores what it means to practice continuous improvement done right—doing less, better through disciplined processes, short improvement cycles, and a focus on high-leverage instructional practices grounded in local context. Drawing on evidence from systems across the state, participants will examine how Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles and learning-centered leadership can transform schools into learning systems. Leaders will leave with practical insights for reducing initiative overload while improving outcomes for all students.

11:30am Lunch

12:15pm Dessert Break

12:30pm Concurrent Round Two

1. The Ripple Effect: From District Priorities into Classroom Practices that Drive Results (Reading, Math, and Attendance)
Allison DeGraaf, Director of Learning & Innovation, Mark Holzman, Superintendent & Chris Medenwaldt, Director of Secondary Education, Janesville School District

Janesville (SDJ) translated reading, math, and attendance goals into a coherent, system-wide continuous improvement model. Key Shifts: Alignment: Goals drove all SIPs and teacher SLOs, ensuring focus from district-to-classroom. Metrics: Shifted to high-stakes Forward Exam/ACT results, aligning with state accountability. Process: Used 100-day cycles and sustained progress via quarterly K-12 leadership team data reviews and adjustments. Support: Invested in new curricula, rigorous PLCs with backward design, and intensive educator training (e.g., 60 hours K-5 reading). SDJ proved strong outcomes rely on a coherent system supporting educators with clarity and aligned professional practice.

Spotlight Stat: The Janesville School District has been among the state’s most successful school districts for both attainment and growth over the last three years.

2. How One Rural District Defies the Achievement Odds
Aaron Hilts, Principal, Katie Grooters, Teacher & Randi Anderson, Superintendent, Sevastopol Elementary School 

Sevastopol has defied the odds by being ranked in the top 10% or higher by outlets like US News and World Report and SchoolDigger.com and on the State Report Card. This was accomplished while having an Economically Disadvantaged population of approximately 35% annually. In 2018, Sevastopol School made a conscious decision to focus on our Economically Disadvantaged population. Sevastopol went beyond meeting basic needs for these students and did book studies, incorporating the tenants of PBIS, taking part in a poverty simulation and generally being more educated on the ways to best meet the educational needs of this sub-group and in turn our general population. 

Spotlight Stat: Sevastopol Elementary School has been among the state’s best elementary schools in both attainment and growth in serving economically disadvantaged students over a three-year period

3. From Systems to Students: Compassionate, Committed, and Comprehensive Approaches to Middle School Success
Nick Ryan, Principal, Jon Nelson, Wendy Lyon & Steve Berezowitz, Burlington School District

Karcher Middle School leadership and support staff discuss how a shared commitment to compassion has guided the development of comprehensive systems, effective team collaboration, and proactive Tier 1 strategies. Panelists will highlight successes in character education, social-emotional learning, and targeted student supports, demonstrating how intentional structures translate into meaningful outcomes for students and staff alike.

Spotlight Stat: Karcher Middle School was recognized as a 2025 Blue Ribbon School for exemplary gap closing. 

4. Transformational Learning Through a Commitment to Academic and Human Excellences
Andy Farley, Principal & Darcie Fellmeth, Associate Principal, Brookfield East High School, Elmbrook School District

Brookfield East High School is committed to moving beyond traditional metrics to create a transformational learning environment where academic rigor meets human excellence. This session highlights the leadership practices we are refining through systems-thinking and distributed leadership. Participants will explore how BEHS defines success, cultivates a growth mindset, strengthens school culture, and aligns instructional frameworks to support deep learning for every student. Join us as we talk culture, instruction and leadership as drivers of the Brookfield East and Elmbrook story‚ and how our daily commitment to being better today than we were yesterday shapes meaningful outcomes for all. 

Spotlight Stat: In 2023, Brookfield East High School was one of three high schools nationally to be awarded the National Blue Ribbon for student attainment and gap closing.

5.  Seven Systems of Highly Effective Schools
Meg Boyd, Principal, Lauren Cyr, Teacher & Marna Boltuc, Instructional Coach, Edgewood Elementary School, Greenfield School District

James Clear said, "You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” At Edgewood, we’ve built a series of systems and routines over the past decade that have enabled us to achieve high rates of student growth. Participants will learn about 7 of the interconnected systems we’ve built at Edgewood that have elicited significant student growth with a diverse student body and a majority of students who receive free and reduced lunch. Learn about our 7 Systems of Highly Effective Schools.   

Spotlight Stat: Edgewood Elementary was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School in 2025 for high performance and gap closing and is proud of scoring 100% in student growth on the most recent state report card.

6. Let’s Come Together: School and CESA Partnerships that Support Continuous Improvement
Dominick Madison, Agency Administrator, CESA 12, Heather Fish, Director of School Improvement Services, CESA 5 & Laura Veglahn, School Improvement Services Director, CESA 4

Wisconsin’s Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESAs) play a unique role in helping schools and districts strengthen continuous improvement, both through the statewide Technical Assistance (TA) Network for federally identified schools and districts and through locally responsive, fee-for-service continuous improvement programming. While service models may vary across CESAs, the Wisconsin DPI Continuous Improvement Process (CIP) Rubric is our shared anchor and equalizer, defining the essential elements of high-quality improvement work that leads to stronger outcomes for all students. In this session, participants will explore how CESA improvement teams’ partner with district and school leaders to use the CIP Rubric to assess current systems, identify priority needs, select high-leverage Evidence-Based Improvement Strategies (EBIS), and align professional learning supports to strengthen implementation. Learn through different examples how partnering with CESAs helps move improvement beyond compliance into a cohesive approach, where data, strategy, and adult learning work together to accelerate progress.

1:50pm Facilitated Team Time
Dedicated time to synthesize your key takeaways, expand your professional network, and collaborate with teammates. Identify actionable strategies to fuel your team’s journey of continuous improvement.

3:00pm Personal Time: Use this time to consolidate your learning, catch up on your email and phone calls.

4:30pm Reception

friday, june 26, 2026

6:45am Breakfast Buffet

8:00am Concurrent Round Three

1. District-Wide Student Growth- Moving from Average to Top Decile as a Team
Sauk Prairie Teacher Leaders, Sauk Prairie School District

Sauk Prairie's goal was to provide students the right level of challenge and the right support so that every student could experience at least a year's worth of growth in a year, every year. The results from a few years ago showed this was not happening. Fast forward to 2024-2025, and Sauk Prairie has student growth rates that are in the top 10 percent of districts in Wisconsin. How did this happen? Hear directly from the teacher leaders who led the work. This session will bring together teachers from several different schools and all grade levels to share the strategies that helped six schools accomplish one shared district goal.

Spotlight Stat: The Sauk Prairie School District’s continuous improvement efforts have driven dramatic growth in student outcomes PK-12. In 2020, zero of twenty-four district student subgroups met expected growth targets and by last year twenty-three of twenty-four met or exceeded expected growth targets on state assessments.

2.  Storms Don't Ask If You Are Ready: How Humility & Teamwork Can Turn Your Toughest Seasons into Your Proudest Growth
Michelle Simpson, Principal & Danielle Mikula, District Administrator and Director of Special Education, South Shore School District

Every school has their story - the sink-or-swim moments when they are faced with a series of difficult challenges they never predicted or asked for. The moments when you must decide if you are going to leave the profession, just survive, or somehow lead your team to strive for excellence in spite of the challenges. Over the past five years, South Shore has faced its share of storms. This session will explore our high leverage moves that moved us from a school of silos and isolation to a humble, collaborative team that is committed to pursuing excellence regardless of the challenges we face.

Spotlight Stat: South Shore Elementary has been among the state’s most successful schools for both attainment and growth over the last three years. 

3. The Little Things Still Matter
Santiago Navarro, Principal, Bruce-Guadalupe Middle School, United Community Center

We will demonstrate how our school culture is built on consistent positive actions, such as teachers greeting every student by name, ensuring clean learning environments, and making proactive, affirming calls home to parents. Furthermore, we will highlight the instructional nuances that drive achievement, including the practice of providing specific, timely feedback over generic grading, and utilizing effective questioning techniques with ample "wait time" to encourage deep critical thought. The presentation showcases how a constant, caring attention to details creates a stable, equitable, and high-achieving environment where students feel seen, supported, and challenged to grow.

Spotlight Stat: BGMS has been among the state’s best middle schools in both attainment and growth in serving economically disadvantaged students over a three-year period.

4. Commitments to Action: Courageous Conversations for Improving School Data
Emily Soley-Johnson, Principal, Williams Bay Middle & High School 

When being lucky is no longer working for your school, it’s time to stop using hope as a strategy and be honest. At Williams Bay Middle/High School, being "Present, Honest, & Solution-Oriented" helped shift our culture in just two years. By focusing on teacher clarity, minimizing initiatives, and being brutally honest, we were able to increase our state report card scores.  

Spotlight Stat: Williams Bay has been among the state’s most successful secondary schools for both attainment and growth over the last three years. 

9:15am Beverage Break

9:30am Concurrent Round Four

1. Climbing to the Top
Dr. Sara Andrus, District Administrator & Christine Lueck, Principal, Sharon J11 

Join us as we share how our team has put a practical, all-hands-on-deck approach to school improvement into action. There are no shortcuts and no magic wands, just steady, intentional work focused on student growth.  In this session, we’ll walk through the key strategies that have helped us make progress one percent at a time, from refining our RTI model and updating curriculum, to strengthening our commitments around how students and staff deserve to be treated. You’ll see how small, consistent changes can build a lasting culture of growth and excellence for all students.

Spotlight Stat: Sharon J11 School Report Card has grown from “meets few” to “significantly exceeds” between 2018-19 and 2022-23.

2. Connection, Collaboration, and Growth: The School-Wide Habits Behind Our Student Success
Scott Van Ess, Principal, Angie Wagner, Dean of Students & Robin Hanson, Teacher, Woodland Elementary School, Barron School District

This session will share the specific school-wide habits behind our success, including the collaboration structures, accountability routines, and relationship-focused practices used by our staff. Participants will leave with practical examples and replicable staff practices to strengthen team culture, improve problem-solving conversations, and support meaningful student growth.

Spotlight Stat:  Woodland has been among the state’s best schools in both attainment and growth in serving economically disadvantaged students over a three-year period.

3. From Intentional Practices to Measurable Results
Sherri Stengel, Principal, Nancy DeJong, Teacher & Allie Socher, Teacher, Oostburg Middle School 

Do you want to achieve strong student outcomes and clearly understand why? This session shares how intentional adult practices and continuous improvement drive measurable gains in student learning and school culture. Participants will examine growth and achievement data and see how targeted interventions and core instructional structures produce results. The session highlights adult behaviors that make the difference: vertical team alignment, clear learning essentials, high-impact instructional strategies, consistent feedback tied to student evidence, and trust-building practices. Attendees will leave with practical strategies that connect adult practice to student outcomes.

Spotlight Stat: School data (93.1 state report card) demonstrates that our continuous improvement efforts are working as Oostburg Middle School has been among the state’s most successful middle schools for both attainment and growth over the last three years.

4. From Confusion to Clarity: School Transformation in Action
Kimberly Koller, Principal, Nicole Vinopal, Associate Principal & John Samb, Associate Principal, Eau Claire North High School

Learn how one urban high school transformed from fragmented efforts to a focused, collaborative culture where students and educators thrive. This session will share practical tools, and leadership moves that participants can apply immediately in other contexts. Two years ago, North High School in Eau Claire, struggled with unclear expectations, inconsistent instructional practices, and a culture shaped more by confusion than collaboration. The turning point began with a commitment to clarity and a simple, but powerful framework that defined what strong teaching looked like across classrooms. With expectations and support, collaboration replaced isolation and collective efficacy grew.

Spotlight Stat: North High School’s Report Card improved nine points from 2023-24 to 2024-25 from “meets expectations” to “exceeds expectations”.

10:50 Team Time "Touch Base"

11:15   General Session: Governor Tony Evers (Invited)

11:45am Adjourn