DISTRICT NEWS

for families

September 11, 2025

2025-26 SY

Dear CSD Parents and Families,

The 2025-26 school year has started! Kicking off a new school year is always an exciting occasion. Seeing staff and students return to the buildings and working together is one of the highlights I look forward to each year. I hope you and your family have smoothly adjusted back to the school year routines.

One of my favorite events at the start of the school year is when the district recognizes and honors our CSD staff for their exceptional work in educating students. The district shows its appreciation for our outstanding staff through the Extra Distance and the Excellence in Education Awards. The Extra Distance Award is presented to any current CSD employee who has gone above and beyond to positively impact the lives of students, colleagues, and parents, whether through a single notable achievement or a consistent positive effort. This year’s nominees included Robin Carpenter (Westlawn), April Wagner (Parkview), Katie Kowalkowski (Thorson), and Dan Kniess (CHS).

The 2025 Extra Distance Award was presented to Webster Middle School’s Kristie Buss. Kristie is an outstanding educator and a magnet for students, leading in instructional innovation while fostering strong relationships with her students, where every student feels welcomed and challenged in her classroom. Congratulations on this recognition, Kristie!

The Excellence in Education Award is presented to a current CSD professional staff member who has shown outstanding performance in teaching and positively influenced student achievement. Specifically, this person demonstrates instructional expertise, creativity, and innovation in the classroom, making learning engaging, vibrant, and meaningful for students, while also supporting the instructional growth of colleagues. This year’s nominees were Natalie Hahn (Westlawn), Katie Janik (Parkview), Kelly Papke (Thorson), not pictured, and Taylor Schroeder (CHS).

The 2025 Excellence in Education Award went to Webster Middle School’s Patty Knudson. Patty’s steadfast dedication to her students, craft, and colleagues makes her deserving of this honor. She motivates those around her to aim higher, work harder, and believe in themselves. Her passion for teaching, commitment to innovation, and relentless pursuit of better student outcomes distinguish her as a truly transformative educator. Congratulations, Patty!

The Cedarburg School District is proud to have an exceptional group of educators, along with dedicated Information Technology staff and Buildings and Grounds teams who keep our schools clean and well-maintained while providing the technology needed for optimal learning experiences. Once again this summer, our IT and B&G teams performed outstandingly. Thank you, IT and B&G, for preparing CSD for the best school year yet!

CSD families, please take some time this month to recognize and thank one of the incredible teachers and staff members in the Cedarburg School District. Your support and involvement are essential to our students' learning experiences, and we sincerely appreciate everything you do.

Here's to a great start to the new school year,

Dr. Jeridon Clark, Superintendent

A Few Highlights ICYMI (in case you missed it)

If the first two weeks of school are any indication, it will be an EXCEPTIONAL school year!

Welcome Back, A Year of Possibilities

What an exciting first two weeks! The energy in our schools is truly something special. We are thrilled to welcome you back to a new school year! The most exciting aspect of a new school year is the fresh start, bringing opportunities, growth, and the ability to make a lasting impact on students. We eagerly anticipate the achievements our students will accomplish this year and value your collaboration in making it possible. Welcome back!

Governor Evers Connects with CHS Students

It was an honor to welcome Governor Tony Evers to CHS this past Monday as part of his statewide "Back to School" tour! The governor met with students, teachers, and administrators, toured the facilities, and visited three classrooms: AP Environmental Science, Principles of Engineering, and A Cappella Choir.

Superintendent Dr. Jeridon Clark and CHS Principal Casey Bowe, along with School Board members Laura Stroebel and Connie Kincaide and Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin, led the governor to Megan Acuna’s AP Environmental Science class, where he interacted with students during an outdoor lab activity studying the biodegradability of various fabrics. 

Next, Governor Evers met with students and educator Dan Kniess in Project Lead the Way Principles of Engineering, where students showcased their expandable tool designed to demonstrate how to safely transfer a delicate object like an egg.

He also spent time in Tony Mudra’s A Cappella Choir class, joining students in learning to sight-read music as they prepared for an upcoming fall concert.

Adding to the personal significance of the visit, Naomi Poss, an Advance Specialist on the Governor’s staff and a proud 2020 graduate of Cedarburg High School, was excited to return to CHS, tour, and especially reunite with her favorite teacher and swim coach, Mr. Amit Kaul. Overall, it was an incredible experience for our students to hear directly from a state leader and see how their education connects to real-world issues.

Westlawn Earns State Recognition

Earlier this summer, Westlawn Elementary was named a 2023–24 Wisconsin School of Recognition, highlighting its dedication to student growth and achievement. As one of only six schools in the state to receive awards for Achievement and Progress, this reflects the staff's hard work in supporting students daily. The school earned recognition in High Achieving and High Progress categories based on criteria like academic performance, student growth, and reduced achievement gaps, especially among economically disadvantaged students. “I'm incredibly proud of this award, as we're committed to growing each of our students at Westlawn. This recognition reflects the hard work of our entire community — including educators, families, and students,” said Principal Katie Ramos. For more, visit the Department of Public Instruction website.

Additionally, Westlawn was recognized as a Promising Practices School for its early success in improving student achievement. The district's ongoing PLC at Work implementation involves educator collaboration through inquiry and research to improve results. Recognized by Solution Tree, Westlawn is on track to become a Model PLC at Work school, in hopes of joining Parkview and Webster, which were recognized in 2022.

Brewers Grand Slam Teacher of the Month

Big congratulations to Parkview 4K teacher Lisa Gajafsky on being named the Brewers Grand Slam Teacher of the Month for September—a huge honor from the Brewers organization that recognizes exceptional educators in Wisconsin who do amazing work to inspire student achievement and make a real difference. As part of this special recognition, watch for Lisa as she will be featured on the Brewers’ official social media and invited to take part in a pre-game ceremony on Saturday, September 27, 2025.

From Local to Global: CSD Students Expand Horizons This Summer

This summer, Cedarburg students from our district embarked on a variety of incredible journeys, transforming classrooms into global stages and competitive arenas. These enriching experiences extend beyond traditional academics by fostering essential life skills, promoting cultural understanding, and providing a competitive edge for future pursuits. Learn More

National History Day National Competition University of Maryland

June 9-June 12

Robotics FRC State Championships Sheboygan, WI Jun 13-14 Worlds Championship Houston Apr 2025

Forensics Nationals Des Moines, IA June 15-20

HOSA International Conference Nashville, Tennessee June 18-21

HOSA International Conference Nashville, Tennessee June 18-21

Global Scholars 12-day tour Australia and New Zealand June 19-30

German American Partnership Program (GAPP) Student Exchange Dießen am Ammersee, Germany, and Cedarburg. June 16 - July 2, 2025

Nineteen CHS students, pictured with German host students, participated in the exchange with Ammersee School (Gymnasium) in Dießen, Bavaria, Germany. They stayed with host families, attended school, and went on cultural excursions. In 2026, Cedarburg High School will host a group of students and their teachers from Dießen as a continuation of this long-term relationship between our schools, families, and communities.

Webster Annual DC Trip Incoming 8th graders June 23-26

FBLA National Leadership Conference Anaheim, CA June 29-July 3

Envirothon National Competition Calgary, Canada, July 20-26

Thorson Jaguar Jumpstart

Last Friday, the Jaguar Jumpstart event marked the beginning of the new school year. Thorson's PBIS character trait for the month of September is "Responsibility." Throughout the month, students will be acknowledged for demonstrating responsible behavior, such as cleaning up their area, waiting their turn, being patient, helping others, and apologizing when wrong. These assemblies enable the staff to continue building a strong school community, help students develop critical character traits, and celebrate the positive things happening in the school.

Please note, with the length of the newsletter, there will be times when the following link is displayed at the end of the email: “[Message clipped] Click here to view the entire message.” and read the entire newsletter.

New Curricular Resources & Pilots

CSD is excited to launch the school year with a few new resources this school year. These resources went through a rigorous, year-long process last school year prior to being formally approved by the Board. The following areas are implementing new curricular resources this year:

1. German 1 will have a new textbook at both Webster and the high school.  
2. English 9, 10, and 11 will be implementing HMH’s “Into Literature.” This resource is currently being used at Webster Middle School and will allow students to transition to high school with the same resource. 
3. Webster Middle School will be using Franklin Covey’s "The Leader in Me" to support PBIS/ROAR lessons during their weekly homerooms. Webster families will receive additional information before the kick-off of this program in late Fall. 

CSD has a resource review cycle that puts all curricular areas on a 7-year cycle. This allows the district to constantly review each curricular area and make sure that there are proper alignments to standards and ensure students have the most up-to-date, relevant, and rigorous resources in front of them. As a result, Algebra 1 and Geometry began reviewing their resources in the Spring of last school year and will be piloting two updated resources during the first half of this school year.   

Pilots allow time for teachers to see how a resource supports their instruction and how students respond to the resource. Teachers in pilot years have a predetermined checklist of “look fors” that they monitor and provide feedback on. This feedback enables us to collectively make informed decisions before committing to a resource for a 7-year period.

Act 20 Early Literacy Screening

Last school year, the state of Wisconsin officially implemented their Act 20 law on early literacy. Act 20 has many components. One of the main parts of the law states that each child in grades 4K-3 will take an assessment called the aimswebPlus early reading screener to comply with WI Act 20. A screener is an assessment that quickly checks your child’s reading skills. Students in 4K-3rd grade will have their first screener administered no later than October 15th. Students in grades 5K-3rd grade will take the screener in the Fall, Winter, and Spring, while students in 4K will be screened in the Fall and Spring. Families will receive results showing how their student(s) performed on the screener after each administration. Additional information about CSD’s implementation of Act 20 can be found on our website.

Fall Assessment Dates

Fall assessments have kicked off!  Please note the dates for the following assessments.  Assessments in the Fall help to provide teachers with real-time information on where students are, what they know and don’t know, and provide a basis for goal setting for success.  

Upon completing the assessments, families will be notified by their building principal on how to access their child's performance results.  Please watch your emails for additional building-specific information and assessment days/times.

New Athletics Website

We're excited to announce that the CHS Athletics website has a new home! Over the summer, our athletics pages were fully redesigned and are now integrated into the main district website. The new site offers a more streamlined, user-friendly experience with all the information you need in one convenient location. You can now easily find:

• Sports calendar
• Team rosters
• Coaching staff bios
• Forms and all related information
• Hall of Fame news

Please take a moment to explore the new athletics section by visiting the high school website at https://www.cedarburg.k12.wi.us/schools/high/ and navigating to the Athletics page. We believe this update will make it easier than ever to follow your favorite teams.

Community Connections

Playground Project: A Community Success

We were thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of the new Parkview playground with a ribbon-cutting event! Creating this space was a true community effort, giving our students a place to make memories, build friendships, and stay active. More than just a playground, it's an inclusive area designed to be accessible for all children. Featuring a variety of fun, friendship, and physical activity options, this playground will be a key part of our community for years to come.

We sincerely thank our Cedarburg community, the Parkview PTO, and especially Lindsey Mongoven, whose relentless efforts in organizing, fundraising, and securing donations made this possible. Major donors include: Anvil Pub & Grille, www.birchwoodsnow.com, BCI Burke Playground Equipment, Cedarburg Family Dentistry, Cedarburg Lions Club (Cedarburg, WI), Cedarburg Overhead Door Co., Cedarburg-Grafton Rotary Club, Michelle & Seth Eatman, Peter L. Brandt, Factor LLC, Girl Scout Troop 8349, Grafton Orthodontics, Green Bay Packers Foundation, Honey Creek Orchard, Kwik Trip, LaBudde Group, Inc., www.Lawnscapers-inc.com, Lee Recreation, LLC, The Litt Family, Mary Lou McPhillips, NEWMAN CHEVROLET & Neumann Co., Out & Out, Phoenix Investors, Margaret & Gerald Radke, Sendik's Grafton, Duey & Laura Stroebel, Toast Cedarburg, Toss It Disposal LLC, and anonymous donors. Equipment sponsors are North Shore Eye Health and Wellness, Cedarburg Woman's Club, Mel's Charities, The Mama Crew, and the Smokinski-Byl families. Additionally, over $60,000 was raised by the Parkview community through three fundraisers and golf outings hosted by Parkview Dad’s Club. We deeply appreciate everyone’s dedication and all who contributed to making this vision a reality. Thank you!

Celebrating GCF 25th Anniversary

Join the Greater Cedarburg Foundation (GCF) for a free community celebration on Saturday, Sept. 27, from noon to 4 p.m. on the lawn outside City Hall and inside the Community Gym. All Cedarburg area residents are welcome to attend, with musical entertainment, family-friendly activities, and a nonprofit fair. The festivities will kick off at noon with a brief parade led by Mal Hepburn, one of GCF's original founders in 2000, and members of the American Legion.

At 1 pm, residents are encouraged to gather for a community-wide drone photo in the parking lot behind the Community Gym. To enhance the aerial photo, organizers recommend arriving early and wearing bright colors. The event is free and open to the public, featuring a range of family-friendly activities, including a Kids' Zone and a firetruck from the Cedarburg Fire Department. The Cedarburg Poms Dance Team will perform, along with musical entertainment by Whitney Clapper, a Cedarburg-based singer-songwriter, and Stephen O’Morrow. From 2 to 4 p.m., "Whole Yachta Love," a band sponsored by the Rotary Club of Cedarburg-Grafton, will play rock hits from the ’70s and early ’80s. Vocalist Alyson Harms is a Cedarburg resident. Food and beverages will be available for purchase throughout the afternoon. The public is welcome to bring lawn chairs.

The GCF is a philanthropic organization that uses private funds to support projects and programs aimed at improving the quality of life in the Greater Cedarburg community. Over its 25-year history, nearly $1.9 million in grants have been awarded to 55 nonprofit organizations. Notable projects funded by GCF include the bandshell in Cedar Creek Park, the community room in the Cedarburg Library, and the restoration of the Rivoli Theater.

Save the Date November 8, 2025

CEF presents Rock For Education

Join the Cedarburg Education Foundation for "Rock For Education" on Saturday, November 8th, from 5:30 to 11 PM at the River Club of Mequon. Tickets are now on sale using this link: Rock for Education Ticket Sales.

It will be an exciting evening filled with great food, fun, and fundraising—all to support innovation and excellence in the Cedarburg School District. You’ll have the chance to bid on an exciting selection of silent and live auction items and dance the night away with live music from Livin' The Dream. The CEF will also feature a 50/50 raffle and a variety of auction items. Be sure to follow them on Facebook for updates.

Audio Adventures Book Club Mondays 4-5 pm, Impossible Creatures Sept 15, Ages 7+

Teen & Young Adult Crafts After school on Thursdays, 3:30-5 pm

• Ribbon & Charm Bracelets / Book Placeholders Sept 18th
• Beaded Rearview Mirror Accessories Oct 9th

Family Bingo Sept 22, Oct 6 & 20, All Ages

Teen & Young Adult Book Bedazzling w/ Jaida Oct 13, 3:30-5:30 pm, Ages 14+

Genre Reading Challenge Sept 1 through Apr 2026, Grades 3-8

Check out all of CPL's events at https://cedarburglibrary.org/events/.

All meetings at 6:30 PM in the CHS IMC unless otherwise noted.

September 17 School Board Mtg

No School Teacher PD Day

October 10

First Qtr Ends

October 31

No School Teacher PD & Records Day

November 3

Thanksgiving Break

November 26-28