The Compass

In this Issue:

• Read The Compass & Win!
• Meet the Board of Education
• Board Briefs
• News to Know
• Upcoming Events
• Alumni Connections
• We're Hiring
• And More!

Thank you for reading The Compass! This is the first edition of the 2026-27 school year. There are three apples hidden in this edition (not including this apple picture example). Note, the apple may be a different color than pictured.

If you want a chance to win some swag, find the three apples and email HSSD Communications Specialist Kristin Rozek at krisroze@hssdschools.org by 11:59 p.m. today, September 24. In your email, be sure to include the location of each of the apples.

Everyone who finds the apples and sends in their email before the deadline will be entered to win. Three winners will be chosen at random and notified on Friday, September 25. We hope you have an amazing school year!

The HSSD Board of Education is made up of 7 elected members and two student representatives. The Board meets 1-2 times per month and Board members can often be found at HSSD events!

• President: Greg Klimek - Meadowbrook Representative
• Vice-President: Scott Jandrin - Lineville and Howard Representative
• Clerk: Chrissy Amtmann - Forest Glen Representative
• Treasurer/Deputy Clerk: Allen McGuire - Suamico Representative
• Director: Vanessa Moran - Bay View Representative
• Director: Amy Rubright - Bay Port Representative
• Director: Meghan Weycker - Bay Harbor Representative
• Student Representatives: Dhruv Bidari (2025-27) and Ava Vandenlangenberg (2026-28)

This year, the Board has three goals:

• Governance: Strengthen governance by improving Board processes, accountability, and public understanding of the Board's role.
• Advocacy: Strengthen the Board's role as advocates for public education and HSSD.
• Communication: Strengthen communication and community engagement through meaningful relationships and consistent messaging.

We are grateful for the steadfast commitment to students, staff, and the community that the Board of Education brings to its work! Learn more about the Board of Education on our website.

• The Board began the meeting by making a proclamation celebrating the beginning of the 2026-27 school year! The Board is united and steadfast in its commitment to students, staff, and the community.
• Superintendent Smith presented an update regarding the return to school, a referendum update, and a budget update.
• The Board approved the preliminary 2026-27 budget.
• The Board approved the following:
• EL-3: Treatment of the Public
• EL-10: Learning Environment and Treatment of Students
• GP-2: Governance Commitment
• The Board discussed its goals for 2026-27.
• The Board discussed the format for linkages. They will make decisions about linkages in October.

New Bay Port Marching Band Uniforms

The Bay Port marching band is a source of pride for our students and our entire community. Thanks to the Larry and Kay Ferguson family and the Howard-Suamico Education Foundation, we’ve already raised more than $88,000 toward new uniforms! Our current uniforms are more than 20 years old and have seen countless seasons of use. Now, we’re working to raise the remaining funds needed to reach our $120,000 goal and outfit the entire band. Every gift, no matter the size, brings us one step closer. New uniforms will give our students a fresh look and help them feel confident, connected, and proud when they take the field. Thank you for supporting the Bay Port marching band!

Concert for a Cause September 26

Join us for Concert for a Cause featuring Dancing Queen: An ABBA Tribute—an energetic evening of music, community, and purpose. Proceeds from the event will support youth scholarships, leadership development opportunities, and community service initiatives funded by the Packerland Sunrise Rotary Club Foundation. The event will take place at the Bay Port PAC on September 26 from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Use discount code BP2027 to reduce the tickets to $15 a piece at checkout. Learn more.

Pirate Preschool Invite

Bay Port Child Development students are learning how to provide a developmentally appropriate, hands-on learning environment. Do you have a child who is 3-5 years old? We'd love for them to be part of Pirate Preschool! This program takes place on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:10-10:20 a.m. from October 6 - December 22. This program is free and the child must be potty trained. Register here. Learn more.

TDS Most Valuable Educator Award Nominations

Know an outstanding educator that you believe deserves a special prize? Nominate the educator here. The winner receives a Green Bay Packers prize package (two tickets to a 2026 game and an opportunity to take a group of students to Lambeau Field for a tour with a Packers alumnus).

HSSD Champions Summer Champ Camp Highlights

Thanks to HSSD partner Champions for providing great summer care for our students and families at Bay Harbor, Lineville, and Forest Glen. Summer experiences included visits from the ice cream truck, planting gardens, learning sourdough making, kickball games, water days, field trips, and more. The average weekly enrollment was 140 campers, and the program served an average of 25 more children per week than last summer. Thank you!

Free Community Conversation About Digital Safety October 5

Learn about Digital Safety & the Dangers of Sextortion on Monday, October 5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Ashwaubenon PAC (2391 South Ridge Rd., Green Bay, WI 54304). Featured speaker John DeMay shares his family's story following the online exploitation and sextortion of his son, Jordan. He will provide guidance to help families recognize warning signs of online exploitation. The goal of this presentation is to help families keep young people safe online. More Information:

• Learn more and RSVP here. This helps event organizers estimate attendance.
• This event is hosted by a coalition of the following school districts: Howard-Suamico, Ashwaubenon, De Pere, Green Bay, Pulaski, and West De Pere.
• Sensitive content warning: this presentation discusses online exploitation. Students should attend with an adult. We recommend that children under 6th grade not attend.

• September 28 - Board of Education Annual Meeting & Budget Hearing
• October 2 - Coffee with Mark (7:30 a.m. at La Java on Cardinal)
• October 3 - Bay Port Homecoming
• October 5 - Bay Port Orchestra Concert
• October 9 - No School (Staff Professional Development)
• October 14 - The Giving Tree Food Pantry
• October 16 - Leadership HSSD Meeting
• October 22 - No School (4K)
• October 22 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (4K-12)
• October 22 - Bay Port Fall Play
• October 23 - Child Development Day
• October 23 - 24 - Bay Port Fall Play
• October 26 - Board of Education Meeting
• October 26 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (7-12)
• October 27 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (4K-6)
• October 29 - End of First Quarter (5-12)
• October 30 - No School (K12)

District and School Calendars | Bay Port Athletics Calendar

Sam Scherwinski, Bay Port 2017, helped contribute to the best University of Minnesota Women’s Gymnastics team season in program history as an assistant coach. The program’s record-breaking year included advancing to the Final Four and finishing fourth in the country! In addition, Sam and his team were named Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Assistant Coaches of the Year.

“Working in women’s sports has been especially meaningful because of the momentum and growth surrounding it right now,” said Sam. “It’s exciting to be part of an environment where female athletes are continuing to gain visibility, inspire the next generation, and prove what is possible through confidence, leadership, resilience, and hard work. Being able to contribute to that impact and help young women realize how capable they truly are is something I take a lot of pride in.”

Sam has always loved gymnastics, competition, and being part of a team, but he didn’t always know coaching would become his career path. After graduating from Bay Port, he attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. While completing his undergraduate degree, he began coaching at UWL and realized how much he enjoyed working with athletes in a leadership role. Sam continued his education through West Virginia University online, and earned his Master of Science degree in Sport Coaching.

Sam believes that Bay Port and the Howard-Suamico community played a major role in shaping who he is today. “I was fortunate to grow up in an environment that valued hard work, competition, teamwork, and involvement,” said Sam. “I also had coaches, teachers, and mentors throughout my time at Bay Port who genuinely cared about helping students grow, both academically and personally. Looking back now as a coach myself, I realize how influential those role models were in shaping the way I approach leadership and mentorship today.”

From Pirate to Gopher, we are rooting for you, Sam! #PiratePride

We are hiring an Aquatics Coordinator:

💲 $19/hour

⏰ Part-time, approximately 29.75 hours/week

✅ Apply today!

Current HSSD vacancies can be found here:

• Support Staff Postings
• Certified Staff Postings

Join Superintendent Smith for coffee at La Java this school year!

• Friday, October 2
• Friday, December 4
• Friday, March 5
• Friday, May 7

"This community gave me my start, so I wanted to give back and help those who helped me. It's great to work for the school district that I grew up in. This is even more meaningful to me now that my children are part of the district. Having my kids attend here has given me a whole new appreciation for the district that helped shape me. I get to hear about their experiences at school, meet the amazing people who are making an impact on their lives, and watch them create their own memories here."

• Access prior issues of The Compass on our website.
• Nominate a teacher, staff member, student, or alumni to be featured in The Compass.