Dialogue
Neenah Joint School District Newsletter - January 2024
Superintendent Search Process is Underway
The search has begun for a new superintendent to replace Dr. Mary Pfeiffer, who will be retiring on June 30 after 15 years of leading the Neenah Joint School District.
The Board of Education will lead the selection process, with assistance from the search firm of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates. The search process will include focus groups with students, staff, parents, local organizations and community members. These meetings help identify the characteristics and attributes the community prioritizes for the next superintendent. The focus group schedule will be posted on the District website as it is developed.
For more information about the search, including the timeline and process, please see our superintendent search webpage. The webpage will be updated throughout the process with details about focus groups, candidates, interview schedules and other relevant information.
Elementary Boundary Revisions Meetings Set for Jan. 24
Two informational meetings will be held on Wednesday, January 24 to present the proposed Neenah Joint School District boundary changes for the 2024-25 school year. A virtual meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m. and an in-person meeting will take place at 6 p.m. in the high school auditorium at 500 Rocket Way. The zoom link for the virtual meeting will be made available on the District website at the time of the meeting. The presentation for both meetings will be the same, so it is not necessary to attend both meetings.
The proposed changes are being developed through a process that included meetings in October and December where community members were asked for feedback and offered suggestions. The changes will be presented to the Board of Education for review at its February 6 meeting. The Board is expected to vote on the proposal at its February 20 meeting.
A page on our District website includes Frequently Asked Questions about the revisions process.
Middle School Music Areas Named for Shattuck Family
The music and performing arts areas of Neenah Middle School have been named the Shattuck Performing Arts Center (SPACE) in honor of the Shattuck family. The Board of Education made the decision at its January 9 meeting.
The auditorium itself will continue to be called Pickard Auditorium, but the encompassing music and performing arts area will be named in honor of the Shattuck family for their significant contributions to the District over its history. With Shattuck Middle School closing, the Board and administration believed it was important to maintain the Shattuck name in the District. S.F. Shattuck contributed most of the funding for the auditorium when it was constructed in 1972. The other facilities in the District named after Neenah individuals are all based where they made their contributions.
What's Happening in Our Schools
NHS Holds First Robotics Tournament
Neenah hosted 65 teams from across the state in its inaugural VEX robotics tournament. Teams from the high school and middle school levels competed in the high school gym and used the four-station gym for their practice and rebuilding area.
Hoover Students Hold Weather Fair
Fourth grade students at Hoover Elementary have been learning about weather and showed off their knowledge to students from other grades at the school with a Weather Fair.
Students Learn About Hmong New Year
Students and staff at Horace Mann and Spring Road Elementary learned about the Hmong New Year through displays in the school lobby. The displays feature traditional Hmong clothing as well as QR codes for festivities and activities during the Hmong New Year.
Clayton Holds Annual Wax Museum
Clayton Elementary fourth graders held their annual wax museum, dressing up as a favorite historical figure and sharing their research about the person with family members and other students.
Alliance Students Learn Dinner Planning
Spring Road Holds "Breakfast Bash"
Spring Road Elementary recently held a "breakfast bash" for its families and had over 350 people in attendance before the start of the school day. The event was designed to engage families with each other and within the school.
Board of Education Primary Set for February 20
Eight individuals will be running for three seats on the Neenah Board of Education this spring. A primary election will be held on February 20 to narrow the field to six candidates for the April 2 election. Incumbents Brian Epley and Kristian Sahr will be challenged by Alex Corrigan, Chari Long, Tom Hanby, Susan Garcia Franz, Jeb Pfeifle and Roxanne Schwandt-Knutson. Incumbent David Williams is not seeking re-election. Those elected will serve three-year terms.
The League of Women Voters will host a candidate forum on Thursday, February 8 at 7 p.m. at Neenah City Hall. The candidates will respond to written questions from those in the audience. The forum will be recorded and made available on the League of Women Voters website at lvwinnebago.org.
Summer School Dates Set for 2024
Summer school courses will take place from June 3-28, 2024. Registration will begin on Feb. 1 for high school families and on March 25 for elementary and middle school families.
All elementary enrichment courses will take place at Neenah Middle School. Elementary Academy (remedial support) will be made available through teacher referrals and take place at each elementary site. Fifth graders will participate in the middle school course offerings at Neenah Middle School.
Course catalogs will be available on the District website in early March.
Stompin' at the Savoy Jazz Event is January 20
Dance to the big band sounds of Neenah High School’s Jazz Ensembles as the Neenah High School atrium is transformed into Harlem's Savoy Ballroom - the "world's finest ballroom" of the swing era. The Stompin' at the Savoy is set for Saturday, January 20 at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available online and will also be available on the night of the event for $5 each.
Winter Drama "Charlotte's Web" Set for Feb. 1-4
Neenah High School will host four shows of its Winter Drama, Charlotte's Web on February 1-4. The shows will mark the debut of the high school's new black box theater. Performances will take place on Feb. 1-3 at 7 p.m. each night and Feb. 4 at 2 p.m.
A classic of children's literature, Charlotte's Web tells the story of a spider named Charlotte who spells words in her web to persuade a farmer to keep a pig named Wilbur alive. Tickets are available at rocketplayers.com or at the door before each show.
Literacy Tip of the Month
Supporting a child's oral language can be done in everyday conversations: While talking with a child, if the child says an incomplete sentence, "Light on," say the grammatically correct sentence back to him/her. Say, "Yes, there are lots of pretty lights on that tree."
Hearing the grammatically correct sentence helps develop his/her language. This not only supports his/her speaking, but it also supports, his/her reading as she/he will recognize what sounds right when reading or when writing how to write a grammatically correct complete sentence.
Upcoming Events at NJSD
Here's a sampling of some key events over the next month:
Jan. 20 - "Stompin' at the Savoy" Jazz Dance, 7 p.m. (NHS Atrium)
Jan. 22 - Girls Basketball vs. Oshkosh West, 7:30 p.m. (NHS Gym)
Jan. 23 - Fifth Grade Music Concert, 6 p.m. (Pickard Auditorium)
Jan. 26 - Boys Basketball vs. Kaukauna, 7:30 p.m. (NHS Gym)
Jan. 27 - Boys Basketball vs. Appleton North, 6 p.m. (NHS Gym)
Jan. 30 - Girls Basketball vs. Appleton East, 7:30 p.m. (NHS Gym)
Feb. 1-3 - Winter Drama, "Charlotte's Web," 7 p.m. (NHS Black Box Theater)
Feb. 2 - FVA Boys Diving Meet, 6 p.m. (NMS Pool)
Feb. 3 - FVA Boys Swimming Meet, 10:30 a.m. (NMS Pool)
Feb. 4 - Winter Drama, "Charlotte's Web," 2 p.m. (NHS Black Box Theater)
Click here for a calendar of NJSD fine arts events