District reports early progress on 'Cardinals Journey,' three district goals

Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Superintendent Dana Minogue reported to the board that the district’s refreshed mission and the Cardinals Journey initiative are already shaping school practice and planning. "We have 3 overarching district goals: create a culture of learning and belonging, aligning our resources, and engaging our community," Minogue said as she opened the quarterly report.

Deputy Superintendent Jan Chenoweth outlined school-level continuous improvement plans in three focus areas — literacy, instructional practices, and culture and climate — and described monthly instructional walkthroughs to document promising practice and next steps. Chenoweth said principals are using walk-throughs and student-focus groups to set quarterly actions and that professional learning over the summer included restorative-practice training for administrators and responsive-classroom training for middle-school staff.

Chenoweth described instructional supplements and interventions the district is piloting or using now, including Magma Math, a formative online assessment tool, Wayfinder for social-emotional instruction in grades 6–12, and SIPs for reading intervention K–12. "Magma is not a replacement for core curriculum; it's a supplement that helps teachers differentiate," she said.

Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jared Rausing described operational changes tied to aligning resources: the district launched online student registration to replace paper intake, onboarded more than 100 new hires this fall and instituted building-level staff listening sessions led by the director of employee services, Barr Buffington. Rausing also reported around $1,000,000 in summer capital projects and said the district is tracking open-enrollment figures (about 270 students in, 185 out), which provide a net revenue boost.

The board asked about areas of resistance to change; Chenoweth said schools generally have been receptive because the initiative is coherent and visible across buildings. Minogue said the district will continue to track end-of-year KPIs tied to engagement and will return with deeper data later in the year. The board encouraged staff to share ongoing updates at community events and breakfasts where district leaders are seeking feedback.

The meeting proceeded to other agenda items after the report; the board did not take a formal action tied to the continuous-improvement report during this session.