Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Welcome to the ConnectEd Bulletin Board!
This is the place to find opportunities for further professional development, grant and awards opportunities, and much more!
- Upcoming Awareness Events
- Promoting Early Childhood Conference Final Days to Register
- DPI Trauma Sensitive Schools Spring Webinar
- Wisconsin’s Special Educator Induction Program Now Accepting Nominations
- Nominations Open for School Nurse and School Nurse Administrator Awards
- The Wisconsin School for the Deaf (WSD) Open House
- Registration is Open for Cool Choices!
- 29th Annual Wisconsin American Indian Studies Summer Institute
- The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) application is now open
- Roadmap For School Mental Health Improvement Video Available Now
- Save the Date: Summer Institute Transforming Systems for Innovation
- FAFSA Student Filing Status Available in WISEdash for Districts
- PBS Wisconsin Education Series Features Dungeons and Dragons
- Wisconsin Title 1 Association Spring Conference 2025
- Act 20 Model Promotion Policy Released
- Save the Date: Cultivating Connections: A Wellness and Farm to School Summit
- Apply for a Homegrown Grant from Herb Kohl Philanthropies
- March 16 - 22, 2025: Child and Adult Care Food Program Week
This week, we celebrate the Child and Adult Care Food Program and its vital role in combating hunger. Let's take this opportunity to have fun with snacks and meals while teaching young minds about the importance of healthy eating!
To all the incredible agencies participating in CACFP – thank you for your dedication of those agencies participating in CACFP for ensuring children and adults have access to nutritious meals. Read Dr. Jill Underly, Wisconsin State Superintendent's proclamation.
Promoting Early Childhood Conference Final Days to Register
Oshkosh Marriott Waterfront Hotel, Oshkosh WI
April 7-9, 2025
EC 2025: Cultivating Wonder & Resilience
Wonder and resilience nurture children's development and academic success throughout the early years. Join us to explore how the science of learning informs age-appropriate educational approaches across early childhood and elementary settings. For more information and to register to attend, view more on the Promoting Early Childhood Conference web page.
DPI Trauma Sensitive Schools Spring Webinar
Monday, April 14, 2025, 1:00pm – 2:30 pm
Cost: Free
Please join the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and author Arlène Elizabeth Casimir for the Trauma Sensitive Schools (TSS) spring webinar! Please read below or see the TSS Statewide Webinar flyer for more information. Register here
Wisconsin’s Special Educator Induction Program Now Accepting Nominations
The Wisconsin DPI is pleased to announce the continuation of Wisconsin’s Special Educator Induction Program in 2025-26. In partnership, each CESA will offer induction program opportunities for new special educators. The program will include professional learning, coaching, and a support network to increase staff retention. The induction program is designed for first or second year special educators and special educators holding a License with Stipulations. There will be no cost to the school district. In addition, continued coaching and support is available for participants who completed the first year of induction. Districts will receive a stipend per participant per year to offset the costs associated with the induction program. Participation in the induction program will not result in DPI licensure but is intended to supplement any Educator Preparation Program. Your local CESA will be sending a nomination and commitment form to each district in the near future. Please see the following webpage and one-page document or contact your local CESA for more information.
Nominations Open for School Nurse and School Nurse Administrator Awards
The nomination period for the Wisconsin Association of School Nurses (WASN) 2025 School Nurse of the Year and School Nurse Administrator of the Year awards is now open! This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize and celebrate the exceptional contributions of school nurses and nurse administrators within your district.
WASN encourages school administrators and staff to nominate a deserving candidate for these prestigious awards. Nominations close on March 28, 2025. Detailed information about the nomination process, eligibility criteria, and submission guidelines can be found on the School Nurse of the Year /School Nurse Administrator of the Year Awards website.
The Wisconsin School for the Deaf (WSD) Open House
The WSD is hosting an open house on Friday, May 2, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This open house is for any potential student and their families. They will have a campus tour, receive information on programs, and meet WSD staff. Please pass this information along to any students who may wish to attend WSD. Registration is required by April 21, 2025.
Registration is Open for Cool Choices!
Classrooms, schools, and districts can play the online Cool Choices game during the month of April. Cool Choices in Green & Healthy Schools seeks to make sustainable choices the norm by making them fun, social and easy through an online game that inspires and assists school communities to take actions to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Share with your school networks and encourage them to register by the March 26 deadline! Learn more here.
29th Annual Wisconsin American Indian Studies Summer Institute
The annual Wisconsin American Indian Studies Summer Institute is an active, highly participatory, week-long workshop designed to increase participants’ understanding of issues related to the histories, cultures, and tribal sovereignty of the American Indian nations and tribal communities in Wisconsin. The goals of the summer institute relate to both American Indian Studies and the education of Native American students. The summer institute aims to improve teaching and learning and to enrich student services, resulting in becoming more culturally responsive. Participants will learn how to adapt or develop new techniques best suited to their unique circumstances. Please see the flyer and event website for additional information.
This event is sponsored by the Wisconsin DPI American Indian Studies Program, the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, the Unity School District, and CESA 11. If you have questions please reach out to Kyle Polzin (kylep@cesa11.k12.wi.us) or questions about registration to Janelle Paulson (janellep@cesa11.k12.wi.us).
LINK TO THE FLYER & REGISTRATION
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) application is now open
The FFVP provides an opportunity for elementary students to try unique fresh fruits and vegetables that they might not otherwise get to taste. This exposure increases students’ fruit and vegetable consumption and positively impacts their health. For more information on the program, eligibility, and the application process, please visit https://dpi.wi.gov/school-nutrition/programs/fresh-fruit-vegetable. The application will close on April 11, 2025.
Roadmap For School Mental Health Improvement Video Available Now
The Wisconsin DPI Roadmap for School Mental Health Improvement video, features Wisconsin educators describing how they have used a continuous improvement process to build and sustain comprehensive school mental health systems (CSMHS). Share it with your colleagues, administrators, school board members and families.
The Roadmap for School Mental Health Improvement provides a vision for building more equitable, comprehensive, integrated, and formalized systems for promoting well-being in schools. It is designed to help Wisconsin schools improve their CSMHS, regardless of a school or district’s current school mental health infrastructure. Aligned with the Wisconsin School Mental Health Framework, the Roadmap provides a structured, continuous improvement process that moves schools from understanding key building blocks of a CSMHS to taking meaningful action. The Roadmap’s five stages – Commitment, Assessment, Planning, Implementation, and Reflection – guide teams in making small, sustainable changes that lead to system-wide improvements. Visit the Roadmap for School Mental Health Improvement webpage to learn more about the Roadmap and related tools.
Save the Date: Summer Institute Transforming Systems for Innovation
June 23-26, 2025 - Lowenwood Education Center in Land O' Lakes, WI
The DPI is sponsoring our second Summer Innovation Institute to provide guidance and support to districts. Hands-on activities, sessions, discussions, and networking will be provided to discover and develop pathways to innovation.
Continuous support for implementation will be provided throughout the 2025-26 school year via online sessions.
Share the Save the Date or the webpage with your networks!
Return to top
FAFSA Student Filing Status Available in WISEdash for Districts
Access to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion status for 12th graders is now available in WISEdash for Districts. The U.S. Department of Education gives states limited access to student level FAFSA application status data which allows designated staff (e.g., school counselors) and homeless liaisons to support students with filing the FAFSA. District FAFSA Data Sharing Agreements are required to access the data. An agreement needs to be submitted once to DPI and does not need to be resubmitted each year.
Below are resources to assist with submitting a Data Sharing Agreement and accessing the FAFSA filing status data.
District FAFSA Data Sharing Agreement
FAFSA Data Sharing Agreement for Districts Module
FAFSA Data Sharing Agreement Quick Guide
FAFSA Data Sharing Agreement PowerPoint
WISEdash FAFSA How to Guide
As of mid-January, 22% of Wisconsin seniors filed a FAFSA, down from the same time last year and below the national average of 23%. Additional resources to support students with completing the FAFSA and realizing their post-secondary plans, can be found on the DPI FAFSA webpage. The FAFSA Student Assistance Resources provides support to students as they navigate the FAFSA application and filing process. College Goal Wisconsin FAFSA Completion Events are being hosted on site and virtually. Students are encouraged to attend an event being hosted at their school or in a neighboring district.
Please reach out to Andréa Donegan, School Counseling Consultant at andrea.donegan@dpi.wi.gov, with questions about the Data Sharing Agreement or available FAFSA resource.
PBS Wisconsin Education Series Features Dungeons and Dragons
PBS Wisconsin Education is thrilled to share season two of The Look Back, a digital series that explores eras from Wisconsin history through artifacts—including a Dungeons and Dragons booklet from the role-playing game’s Wisconsin birthplace!
The collection, created for students in grades 4-6, features short episodes hosted by Wisconsin-based historians who share artifacts, ask questions, visit Wisconsin archives and museums, and make connections to our lives today. The most recent episode, Dice in the Dairyland: The History of Dungeons & Dragons, examines the origin story of Dungeons & Dragons right here in Wisconsin. From the first printing of the Dungeons & Dragons booklet in January 1974 to the beloved game played around the world, the hosts in this episode take educators and learners to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, as they learn about the history of the game, with plenty of role-play along the way.
Other artifacts featured so far this season include an airway beacon tower from the Kelch Aviation Museum; the Pottawatomie Lighthouse in Door County; tall-tale postcards that made the Midwest look plentiful; and circus artifacts from Circus World in Baraboo.
Explore The Look Back for free online at pbswisconsineducation.org/lookback/about/.
Wisconsin Title 1 Association Spring Conference 2025
April 3 · 8am - April 4 · 2:30pm CDT
45 Hillman Road, Wisconsin Dells
The Wisconsin Title 1 Association (WT1A) is a dedicated group of educators committed to promoting and enhancing the quality of Title 1 programs throughout the state of Wisconsin. The group is comprised of educational professionals from all corners of the state who are concerned with children who have learning difficulties. A conference is held each spring to keep members current on developments in the field and to share the latest state and federal updates.
For more information and to register, click here.
Act 20 Model Promotion Policy Released
Under Wisconsin Act 20, local education agencies must adopt a third- to fourth-grade promotion policy that takes into account students’ reading proficiency. DPI was required to provide districts with a model policy by January 31, 2024. Representatives from L&M team collaborated with members of a cross divisional workgroup to develop the model policy by the statutorily-set deadline.
The model promotion policy, which can be accessed on the WI Reads, Promotion Policy webpage, encourages districts to work with families to make decisions about promotion on a case-by-case basis and to emphasize reading supports rather than retention. It also provides guidance related to the good cause exception that the law allows to the retention policy for students who are multilingual learners and students with IEPs.
Save the Date: Cultivating Connections: A Wellness and Farm to School Summit
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction-School Nutrition Team is excited to announce Cultivating Connections: A Wellness and Farm to School Summit.
Who: Anyone interested in school wellness and farm to school, such as school wellness leaders, school nutrition staff, farmers, educators, and farm to school advocates.
What: Two-day summit featuring a local foods vendor show and educational sessions on innovative strategies that promote student health and knowledge of local food systems through educator engagement, policy implementation, and partnership opportunities.
When: August 5 and 6, 2025
Where: Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
More information and registration links to come!
Apply for a Homegrown Grant from Herb Kohl Philanthropies
Homegrown Grant proposals should focus on helping children and youth achieve their potential through education, building family well-being, helping families and individuals become financially stable and self-sufficient, or providing a direct, safety net resource or basic need. Collaboration with local partners is encouraged. The proposal or organization must:
- Invest in people - increase skills, abilities, knowledge, and/or well-being
- Engage people it serves
- Strengthen community connections and/or resources
Homegrown Grants of up to $5,000/year should be considered one-time grants. The Homegrown Grant Committee accepts and reviews applications on a rolling basis from July 1 - March 31. Each application is evaluated with emphasis placed on efforts that create the greatest positive impact through innovation and collaboration. For more information, please visit the Kohl Philanthropies Homegrown Grant web site.
News from Around the State
Press Releases from the Wisconsin DPI:
- DPI launches new webpage to track federal funding impact on Wisconsin schools, libraries
-
Applications Now Open for Grant Program Supporting Students With Disabilities
-
Wisconsin launches new resources to inspire creativity in schools
In the news:
DPI launches new webpage to track federal funding impact on Wisconsin schools, libraries via WSAW
A map on the site shows breakdowns from the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, showing the total amount of federal funds received, the number of full-time educators supported by U.S. Department of Education funding, and the percentage of federal funding relative to each district’s revenue limit.
Wisconsin graduation rates, absenteeism improve via Wisconsin Public Radio
Wisconsin high school graduation rates are the highest since the state started its current tracking system in 2010. Still, the four-year graduation rate varies depending on race and location.
Underly calls for more school funding to increase teacher pay in next budget via Center Square
“Wisconsin teachers are making less in inflation-adjusted dollars and only 26.1% of teachers remained at the same school for their first seven years of teaching, according to a new report from the state’s Department of Public Instruction. The average total compensation for teachers in the state is down $22,000 per year since 2010 in inflation-adjusted dollars.”
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University takes aim at statewide teacher shortage via Northern News Now
“The program will also show support after graduation, which is something Phillips sees as an important aspect of preparing educators. She said teaching can be stressful at times and wants LCOOU graduates to have the option to connect with experienced educators.“I hear other universities say, ‘Oh we have a 90% graduation rate,’ that’s good, I want to say the same, but I also want to say we have 90% future retention in the field,” said Phillips.”
Some Wisconsin school districts are turning to science of reading, despite lack of financial support from state via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“What the state didn’t provide, at least so far, is money. Greendale took a loan from a different state fund to pay for some of the cost of the new curriculum, with the expectation that part of the cost would be reimbursed from the $50 million approved under Act 20. The result of not getting that help is increased financial pressure on the district.”
Return to top
Return to main ConnectEd index