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Public commenter urges Winneconne board to allow CTSO and other honor cords; board keeps current policy
Summary
A community member asked the Winneconne board to permit CTSO, apprenticeship and other earned honor cords at graduation; after discussion about where to draw a line and concerns about non-school-sponsored groups, the board decided not to change the existing policy.
A public commenter urged the Winneconne Community School District board to allow students to wear honor cords and medallions earned through Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) and similar programs at graduation.
"These cords are not participation trophies. They are earned through rigorous standards, official recognition, and measurable success," Tracy Lifus told the board, noting that the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recognizes CTSOs such as SkillsUSA and FFA. Lifus said the cords "represent late night studying, early mornings working, hours of service, and the courage to lead" and asked the board to start the change with the graduating class of 2026.
Board members thanked Lifus for speaking and reviewed the district's existing policy on honor cords and medallions. Several members acknowledged students’ accomplishments in FFA, SkillsUSA, youth apprenticeship and other programs but raised practical concerns about expanding what counts as an allowable cord. One board member said opening the policy could make it difficult to regulate non-school-sponsored awards, citing examples such as 4‑H and other outside groups.
The board did not adopt a policy change at the meeting. "So we will not make a change to the policy at this point," the presiding member said after discussion, adding that the district has previously reviewed the policy on multiple occasions and that the board wanted to avoid diluting the ceremony’s academic recognition.
The public comment and subsequent discussion took place during the meeting's public-comment and policy-review portions; board members encouraged continued dialogue and thanked the student speaker and community members for their input. The board did not direct staff to prepare a specific policy amendment at this session.
What happens next: The board indicated no immediate change; members and administration suggested stakeholders may continue to raise the issue for future consideration. If a formal proposal is submitted, it would return to the board for policy review and any required vote.
