Board of Education Recap

April 21, 2026

As we prepare to round the corner into May, there are many important decisions needing the Board of Education's consideration. Another responsibility for any Board is rewarding and recognizing people who make a difference throughout the organization, and that is where they began last night's meeting.

Hailey Tomjanovich, a fifth grader, was nominated by her teachers as April's Showcase Student! Hailey embodies the spirit of a Mount Horeb Viking through her exceptional kindness and dedication to our school community. Her teachers describe her as a compassionate and responsible leader who is a genuine friend to everyone, consistently treating both her peers and younger students with the utmost respect. In the classroom, she is a diligent worker who participates enthusiastically, while in art, her creativity shines alongside a constant desire to go above and beyond. Most impressively, she is always looking for ways to be helpful, frequently asking what more she can do to support her teachers and classmates.

Pictured with Hailey are her mom and dad, Brittany and Tyler Tomjanovich, little brother Mason, nominating teacher Alison Winters-Hanson, Intermediate Center Principal Katie Hauge, Board liaison to the IC Carly Fisher, and me.

In addition to honoring April's Showcase Student, the Board took a moment to recognize a few amazing student athletes - many of whom were also recognized for their academic prowess as well. Congratulations to the:

• Regarding the gymnastics team, we don't take their regular appearance for granted. They have qualified for state 15 years in a row (both in Division 1 and 2) and were both the WIAA Sectional and WIAA State Runner-Up this season! Not to mention many of these athletes were named "Academic All -State" by the Gymnastics Coaches Association;
• The boy's basketball team won the Badger Conference for the second straight year in a row and for three years in a row were the WIAA Regional Champions. Individually, senior Josh Manchester became the 69th player in state history to score over 2,000 career points. He was also a finalist for the prestigious WBCA Mr. Basketball in the state of Wisconsin (first time ever for a Mount Horeb student for both);
• The Mount Horeb/Barneveld wrestling program reached heights we’ve never seen before. For the first time in school history, we are coming home with TWO Individual State Champions in the same season!

We, again, congratulate:

• Harper Hendrickson - 4th Place Beam finish
• Eli Leonard (190 lbs) – State Champion
• Hunter Stevens (150 lbs) – State Champion
• Not only did these two break a 10-year championship drought for the Vikings, but they led a dominant charge at the Kohl Center alongside four other podium finishers:

• Eli Maier & Easton Kammerud – Both finished as State Runners-Up after incredibly hard-fought championship matches.
• Amelia Soltis & Leland Havens – Both battled through the state's best to secure 5th-place finishes.

The Mount Horeb Kindergarten-5th Grade Parent/Teacher Organization (MHK-5PTO) has a long tradition of helping our youngest learners experience success at school. Learning starts at home, and having such a robust partnership has paid big dividends for our young people. This year's president, Annie Gillaume-Gantz, was on hand to accept the award on behalf of so many (please see the picture below).

When considering recipients for this award, we considered who and how many people are impacted by the leadership shown. Past recipients include the Mount Horeb Family Pharmacy, the Wisconsin Office for School Safety, and the Mount Horeb Public Library.

When Board member Joel Craven announced that he would not be seeking re-election, an audible gasp permeated the meeting room. Joel has served the community, students, and staff for the past three years, the last two as the Board's treasurer. During his tenure, his hallmark has been compassion for those he serves and analytical, insightful questions. He is leaving a positive imprint on the total operations of the District. As a small token of the Board's appreciation, they provided Treasurer Craven with this lovely plaque.

Thank you to our community for recognizing the outstanding efforts demonstrated by Board member Jessica Arrigoni. On April 7, Jessica was elected to her third term. During Jessica's tenure, she has helped guide the District through COVID, addressed financial/operational needs, and advocated for a solution to our brick and mortar needs. Her background in educational research has also proven helpful as we sought solutions to complex issues (ie. evidenced-based grading; student mental health and wellbeing). In fact, Jessica has embraced several opportunities to partner with other Dane County school boards to ensure quality experiences occur throughout the region.

Elizabeth Grabe's addition to the Board will complement a very high-functioning team. Many know of Liz's contributions to our community, including her time as a Cross Country coach. More recently, she has led the community's "Green Team" initiatives - along with input from our students. She has been an active member of the Mount Horeb Rotary Club for the past several years. Next year, Liz will serve as the Club's president.

Below are a few pictures commemorating this auspicious occasion. Thank you to Board Clerk Leah Lipska for administering the Oath of Office to Jessica and Liz during last night's meeting.

On April 7, the Mount Horeb Area School District celebrated a historic milestone, officially breaking ground on an elementary school project that will serve the District’s youngest learners for generations to come. The event represented more than the start of construction—it reflects the strength, generosity, and shared vision of the Mount Horeb community. The Mount Horeb Area School District extends its sincere gratitude to its families, staff, Board of Education, community members, and partners, whose ongoing support has made this project possible and will continue to shape a bright future for its students. Here are several pictures taken throughout the program; however, the picture below brings me great joy!

Last night's meeting also permitted our construction partners, C.D. Smith and Bray Architects, to provide a few additional updates:

• Last Monday afternoon, there were several drones circling some of the District’s properties. C.D. Smith needed to take some pre-conditioning footage of our Primary Center, Intermediate Center, and Middle School.
• C.D. Smith’s trailer is now staged in the west parking lot, next to the PC’s gymnasium.
• On Wednesday of last week, we began transitioning students to the temporary bus pick-up/drop-off process along 2nd Street. New signs (“Please no parking, standing, and stopping”) have been placed along the eastern side of the street. This newsletter was sent to families last Tuesday.
• Next up: C.D. Smith will be creating a new pathway for the children to the playground, as much of the current pathway will be used for construction staging.

You can keep track of all our construction happenings via our website.

Recently, the Board heard about MHASD's favorable retention rate (MHASD has the 2nd highest teacher retention rate in Dane County). This month, the focus of our report is centered on staff compensation, insurance, and retirement offerings.

On the health insurance front, the District experienced a 24.9% health insurance renewal quote. Anticipating this might be coming, the Board hosted seven employee meetings and two surveys to learn of staff priorities and study ways to bring down costs. This was accomplished through consumerism and a change in plan design. Of course, no one wanted this to happen, and we are not immune to the medical trends your employers/own businesses are experiencing.

During the last negotiation cycle, the Mount Horeb Area Education Association emphasized to the Board that they wanted increases in their take-home pay. Here's where we could use your help: please join with us in advocating with the state legislators and governor to use some of the state's $4 billion surplus to fulfill their commitment to fund special education. The state promised 42% in special education reimbursement this year. We have gotten 35%. For each percent, the District receives approximately $50,000. A 7% increase would net the District approximately $350,000. Imagine what could be done with that?

We could:

1. Even better support our beautiful children AND

2. Use money we locally spend on special education mandates to backfill increases in wages and benefits

In the event our advocacy efforts fall short, the Board has already taken steps to adjust language in our Employee Handbook to provide greater flexibility in leave time usage. As you know, our staff is deserving of much more, and we appreciate your efforts in advocating.

The Board approved our planned purchase of Chromebooks before they increased in price by $80 per unit. This permits the District to maintain its Chromebook replacement plan.

The Board also approved our continued participation in the Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative. Participation in the "group purchase" of many commodities permits savings that can be passed on to our families. This is at least the 10th year our District has participated in the cooperative.

The Board followed up on the recommendations of their Education Committee to make a few High School course changes. As our International Baccalaureate program continues to take off, there is a need to add an IB English class; sharpen our English Language Foundations skills (I and II); and remove the elective Social Problems.

The Education Committee's work also included a recommendation for the passage of revisions to Board Policy #853 "Military Recruitment." Approval of this policy was provided.

I am proud to be a Viking, and I hope you are too!