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Homestead High School is proud to announce that seniors Lauren Anderson and Benjamin Levin were recently honored as Herb Kohl Education Foundation Student Excellence Scholars. Student Excellence and Initiative Scholarships of $10,000 are awarded to 187 graduating high school students across Wisconsin who have demonstrated academic excellence and initiative and have displayed a broad range of activity and leadership in their community. 

Award recipients are selected by a statewide committee composed of civic leaders and representatives of education-related associations and the program’s co-sponsors: The Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, regional Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA), the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, and the Wisconsin Homeschooling Parents Association.

"I was thrilled to hear that Lauren and Benjamin were recognized as Herb Kohl Foundation Scholars. Their dedication to academic excellence and strong commitment to serving their community exemplify the very best of what it means to be a Mighty Highlander,” said Eric Ebert, principal of Homestead High School. “This achievement reflects their drive and the supportive environment that we foster here at Homestead. We commend them for their remarkable accomplishments and are confident they will continue to make a positive impact in their future endeavors."

At Homestead, Lauren Anderson has been very involved in several clubs and activities, such as GEMS (Girls Enjoying Math and Science) and DECA, and especially the student council, where she serves as vice president and is involved in planning the annual blood drive, prom, and toy drive. She has also enjoyed being a part of the Homestead orchestra for all four years. Outside of school, Anderson is a competitive Irish dancer who has traveled globally for competitions. She works as a teacher at her dance school and loves working with young dancers to help them improve and reach their goals. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking, and paddleboarding. After graduation from Homestead, she plans on majoring in biomedical engineering. 

Benjamin Levin has participated in Homestead Robotics for four years, has played for four years on the Homestead Tennis JV and Varsity team, and is a leading member of Homestead's Soliloquy Club, working to create a student-driven literary magazine. Additionally, he leads the Mequon Jewish Preschool Alumni group, facilitating events from fundraisers to games for preschoolers, their parents, and the broader Jewish community. Levin plays the double bass and serves as bass principal of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra's (MYSO) Senior Symphony and the Homestead Chamber and Symphony Orchestras. He has enjoyed competing in the MYSO concerto competition, WSMA Solo and Ensemble, and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) Stars of Tomorrow. He has especially enjoyed playing at local senior homes and other community events, creating inspiration through music. He spends his free time cooking, experimenting with new food and flavors, especially carrying on family Jewish food traditions, reading, playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends, and exploring new places with family. After graduation, he plans to major in physics.

The Kohl Foundation award program was established by Herb Kohl, former U.S. senator, philanthropist, and businessman who died late last year on December 27, 2023. Since 1990, the foundation has awarded nearly $38 million to Wisconsin educators, principals, students, and schools. For more information on the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation, visit KohlEducation.org.

On Thursday, March 21, the Cedarburg School District announced that Ms. Alli Rudich, current principal of Lake Shore Middle School in the Mequon-Thiensville School District, has been selected to be its next Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment. Rudich has been serving the Mequon-Thiensville School District since 2011 when she began her tenure as the principal of Donges Bay Elementary School. After six years at Donges Bay, Alli transitioned into the role of principal at Lake Shore Middle School beginning in the 2017-2018 school year.

“The decision to leave the Mequon-Thiensville School District was a difficult one for me due to the amazing 13 years I have had in the district,” said Rudich. “It has been an honor and privilege to work at both Donges Bay and Lake Shore. The staff, families, and students I have gotten to know and love over the years have a very special place in my heart. MTSD is an amazing place to learn, grow, and work.” 

Rudich also has previous experience as an elementary school principal in the Waukesha School District. She is excited to advance her career in her home district of Cedarburg, where she has two children enrolled in the school district.

“Under Ms. Rudich’s leadership, the Lake Shore building culture has strengthened and become a place of inclusivity and camaraderie, where every student feels valued and supported,” said Dr. Matthew Joynt, MTSD superintendent of schools, “Alli has cultivated a balance between high expectations for academic achievement and boundless compassion, ensuring that each student receives not only the tools for success but also the encouragement to reach their full potential. Her advocacy extends beyond the student body, as she continuously champions the needs of her staff members, recognizing their invaluable contributions to the school's collective success. I am grateful for Alli’s vision and support in enhancing the middle school experience at MTSD. Her leadership and resiliency will be missed.”

MTSD leaders will now begin the process of working with school district stakeholders in selecting two new middle school principals, as this announcement comes on the heels of the news of the retirement of Dr. Deborah Anderson, longtime principal of Steffen Middle School. Postings for both principal positions are now listed on WECAN. Staff members and families will be updated as the selection process progresses.

Dr. Deborah Anderson, principal of Steffen Middle School in the Mequon-Thiensville School District (MTSD) has announced her intent to retire at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. Dr. Anderson’s retirement was approved by the MTSD Board of Education during their regular business meeting on Monday, February 26, 2024. Dr. Anderson has been with the MTSD since July 2002. With 22 years of experience in the role, she holds the distinction of the longest-serving principal of Steffen Middle School.

Dr. Anderson began her educational career in the Mequon-Thiensville School District in 1991, spending eight years as a physical education teacher at Range Line Elementary and Lake Shore Middle Schools. In addition, she coached at the middle school level and in the girls basketball program at Homestead High School. She then transitioned to the Nicolet Union School District where she continued building her skills as an associate/assistant high school principal before returning to MTSD as the Steffen principal in 2002.

“Dr. Anderson defines what it truly is to be a lifelong learner and leader,” said Dr. Matthew Joynt, MTSD’s superintendent of schools. “Throughout her time in our district, Dr. Anderson has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of lifelong learning and building meaningful relationships with all students. I am grateful for Dr. Anderson’s leadership and thoughtful camaraderie as part of the MTSD administrative team.”

During Anderson’s tenure, she cultivated a culture of collaboration and mutual respect among her fellow educators, as well as active student engagement and interaction through the use of proven instructional strategies. Dr. Anderson’s passion for cultivating meaningful relationships with students has been a truly valuable asset in supporting the academic, social, and emotional development of all middle school learners that have passed through Steffen throughout the years.

“The twenty-two years I have served as principal of Steffen Middle School have been an incredible honor,” said Anderson, “I bear witness each and every day to amazing professional educators who inspire and cultivate a love of learning and community with our students. I plan on making each and every day count for the remainder of the school year.” 

The Mequon-Thiensville School District is proud to announce that fifteen student artists received accolades for their visual artwork through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Under the direction of teachers Melinda Plamann (Steffen and Lake Shore Middle Schools), Kat Hustedde, Katie Nowak, and Gina Ruchalski (Homestead High School), students from Lake Shore & Steffen Middle Schools and Homestead High School received five Gold Keys, four Silver Keys, and sixteen Honorable Mentions.

The Scholastic Art Awards are given annually to students whose work breaks from convention, blurs the boundaries between genres, and challenges notions of how a particular concept or emotion can be expressed. Entries must demonstrate use of techniques to advance an original perspective or a personal vision or voice, and show skills being utilized to create something unique, powerful, and innovative. Other award criteria include working with an authentic and unique point of view and style.

“We are happy to showcase our district's incredible talent through this competition,” said Homestead art instructor, Kat Hustedde, “It truly represents not only the caliber of Visual Art instruction across grades K-12, but also our students' drive for excellence and self-expression. We are excited to celebrate with students and families at the Milwaukee Art Museum! Students often find it surreal seeing one's work hanging in the same space as master artists, and it is quite a confidence boost for them.”

Gold Key Winners include:

• Ana-Lucia Aleman, Grade 12
• Meghan Eckl, Grade 11
• Elsa Heinrich, Grade 11
• Meredith Niedfeldt, Grade 11
• Angela Vang, Grade 12

Silver Key Winners include:

• Liam Aicher, Grade 11
• Addison Drumm, Grade 10
• Cassandra Sklarz, Grade 12
• Angela Vang, Grade 12

Honorable Mentions include:

• Liam Aicher, Grade 11
• Addison Drumm, Grade 10
• Meghan Eckl, Grade 11
• Elsa Heinrich, Grade 11
• Mia Lind, Grade 8
• Riley Meskin, Grade 11
• Clare Pepke, Grade 12
• Olive Ramsey, Grade 12
• Jade Sondag, Grade 12
• Hannah Willis, Grade 12
• Angela Vang, Grade 12
• Kalel Vang, Grade 8

More than 3,000 artworks from grades 7-12 were submitted in this year’s regional competition, for Gold Key, Silver Key, Honorable Mention, American Voices Nominee, and American Visions Nominee awards. Categories include: Architecture, Ceramics & Glass, Comic Art, Design, Digital Art, Drawing, Fashion, Film & Animation, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture.

Over 300 award-winning student artworks will be featured in the Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Museum running from February 24 - April 7th. Awards are presented to students along with celebration ceremonies at the museum on March 2nd. All Gold Key recipients’ work goes on to the National competition.

National Medalists and their educators are honored with a formal ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City. To see the work of MTSD Scholastic Art Winners digitally, please click here.

Early in the fall of 2023, Homestead sophomore Brandon Liao was selected as a Junior National Team member representing Team USA in the Short Track Speed Skating Junior World Cup, Series 1 and 2. During the competition, held at the end of November in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, Liao achieved a personal record in the 500-meter race and placed 25th in that event.  

The two series competitions involved more than 200 athletes between the ages of 15 and 18, representing 34 different countries. Team USA was comprised of four boys and five girls who collectively competed in the 500m, 1000m, 15000m, and relays. Though Liao was one of the youngest competitors at the event, his performance was strong.

“I feel extremely honored to be selected as a member of Team USA to start my world debut in Leeuwarden, Netherlands,” said Liao. “I have competed in both independent and team races for the U.S. I got my personal record in the 500m and always strive towards my best during the relays.”

When he was just eight years old, Liao started to learn to skate at the Ozaukee Ice Center, then was encouraged to start speed skating by a figure skating coach he was working with. From there, Liao began taking speed skating lessons at the Pettit National Ice Center and decided it was something he would like to seriously pursue. Now, Liao not just competes, but volunteers to teach kids during tryouts and different short track speed skating events at the Pettit. 

“I love speed skating and share my love for this sport with my friends and family. I feel fortunate that I started as my coach’s first student and now we are a community of over 50 skaters,” said Liao. “All of us share the same passion for speed skating. I hope more and more people will join this sport so that we can continue to grow the community.

Earlier this year, Liao earned second place at the National Age Group Championships and is currently ranked in 6th place among all junior skaters nationwide. For this success, Liao’s family credits not just his clear athletic talent and drive, but the supportive environment provided by Homestead High School.

“I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the school's role in providing accommodations for Brandon's needs in training schedules, so he can pursue his love in this sport without sacrificing the academic endeavors,” said Brandon’s father, Qian Liao, “The guidance of his counselors, Mrs. Navarre and Mrs. Schaefer, and the overall encouragement has been invaluable.”

During a working meeting of the MTSD Board of Education on Monday, December 4, two co-chairs from the District’s 2023 Community Task Force presented the task force’s recommendation for mitigating budget shortfalls. The Community Task Force was convened in October following a charge from the MTSD Board of Education to evaluate the top alternatives from a recent analytical process and suggest prioritized revenue-generating solutions for current and future budget deficits. The Task Force was comprised of eleven individuals representing a diverse range of perspectives related to the school district and community and was co-chaired by MTSD parents and local business professionals, Joe Nelson and Katie Ott. 

The Community Task Force came together for four meetings over the course of six weeks and worked with external facilitators from the Donovan Group, a school communications and engagement firm, to draft and complete a final report and recommendation for the Board of Education. During the final Task Force meeting on Tuesday, November 28, the report was finalized with unanimous approval from Task Force members.

On Monday evening, co-chairs Nelson and Ott presented the Board with the recommendation of pursuing a November 2024 operating referendum as part of a “bundled approach” combining the three potential solutions outlined in the Board’s charge; philanthropic giving and continued exploration of reducing expenses while using Fund 46/Fund Balance, or the District’s “cash on hand,” if needed. As it relates to a recurring versus a non-recurring referendum, the Task Force favored a non-recurring referendum. 

During the presentation, co-chair Joe Nelson noted that the Task Force “did not relish the idea of going to an operating referendum” but that it appeared to be the only realistic option given the scope of the Board’s charge and the challenging timeframe. 

“As we considered the bundled approach, the timing of the deployment of each of those strategies was really what became important to us,” added co-chair Katie Ott, “Short-term use of the Fund Balance we felt would be okay, long-term deployment of a philanthropic giving campaign could be fantastic, but probably won’t happen overnight; and we certainly don’t want to duplicate the efforts of the Mequon-Thiensville Education Foundation. So that really left us with, in order to effectively and immediately-ish address the budget needs, that leaves us with a referendum - within the scope that we have been charged with.”

In addition to the recommendation presented in alignment with the Board’s formal charge, the Task Force noted three additional “parking lot” items that the Board should consider as additional recommendations. Those items included managing outflows and reducing operating expenses, continued advocacy related to public school funding in Wisconsin, and robust communication of cost containment measures that the District has implemented over the last five years.

As a next step, the Board will continue discussions regarding the recommendation of the Community Task Force and additional school budget considerations at their regular business meeting scheduled for Monday, December 18 at 6:00 p.m. in the Range Line Community Center Conference Room. All Community Task Force meeting minutes and a video recording of the recommendation presentation can be viewed at www.mtsd.k12.wi.us/task-force. 

MTSD encourages members of the community to follow the work of the MTSD Board of Education and administration by attending Board meetings, reviewing news posts on the MTSD website, and taking note of periodic mailed updates from the District. Learn more and view the Board of Education meeting schedule at: www.mtsd.k12.wi.us/board

The Mequon-Thiensville School District has achieved a ranking of “Significantly Exceeds Expectations” on the 2022-2023 District Report Cards issued in November 2023 by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) with an overall score of 83.5. The district's ranked score is the 8th highest score or in the top 2%, among 367 K-12 public school districts in the state. MTSD has significantly exceeded expectations all nine years that the District Report Cards have been produced.

As part of the state accountability system, the DPI produces report cards for every publicly funded school and district in Wisconsin. ​​Though the DPI warns against comparing outcomes longitudinally in that how scores are arrived at has changed from year to year, the report cards are a useful resource that the District uses to reflect on our strengths and areas for improvement. They provide a helpful point of comparison against other comparable Wisconsin public school districts. 

At the foundation of the Wisconsin District and School Report Cards are four priority areas. Schools and districts receive a score for each priority area:

• Achievement - proficiency in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics on the annual state assessments
• Growth - year-to-year progress in ELA and math achievement
• Target Group Outcomes - outcomes for students with the lowest test scores: the Target Group
• On-Track to Graduation - reliable predictors of how successfully students are progressing toward completing their K-12 education

For the report cards most recently released, the DPI has shared that multiple years of data impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are used throughout the report card in most of the priority area scores:

• Both the Achievement and Growth scores use up to three years of data including (2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23) for those school districts that have it.
• The graduation, attendance, and absenteeism components in On-Track to Graduation use lagged data (from 2021-22) and absenteeism scores may use up to three years of data (including 2020-21 and 2019-20).
• Target Group Outcomes is based on lagged data as well as multiple years of data.

All six schools in the Mequon-Thiensville School District exceed or significantly exceed expectations on this year’s report cards. Districtwide scores on the MTSD School Report Cards can be found on our district website. Some notable data points include:

• MTSD’s overall Achievement score registered in the top 4% of all public school districts in our state
• Each MTSD school’s overall student achievement score registered in the top 8% of schools in their category (grades K-5, 6-8, 9-12) across the state
• MTSD’s overall Growth score was in the top 5% of all K-12 schools in the state
• MTSD scored in the top 6% for Target Group Outcomes and the top 3% for Target Group Achievement compared to other K-12 school districts in Wisconsin
• MTSD’s overall Achievement scores compared to all K-12 school districts in the state ranked in the top 2% for English/Language Arts and top 3% for Mathematics
• MTSD registered the 3rd highest rate of Advanced Course Completers compared to all K-12 school districts in the state

Read more information, review notable highlights, and points of improvement, and review all district and school report cards on our district website.

The Mequon-Thiensville School District (MTSD) Board of Education voted to certify the tax levy and with it, approved the final 2023-24 school year budget during their regular business meeting on Monday, October 30, 2023. Per Wis. Statutes 120.12(3)(a) and (c), a school board must determine if the tax approved at the District’s Annual Meeting is sufficient to operate and maintain schools for the upcoming school year on or before November 1. Taxes must be certified to municipalities on or before November 10 each year.

Included in the recommendation put forth during Monday’s meeting by Sarah Viera, MTSD’s Executive Director of Business Services and Operations, was an additional levy amount of $1,717,828 into Fund 39, the District’s Debt Service Fund, utilizing an increase in School Levy Tax Credits from the state budget to impose little to no additional tax impact on taxpayers, smoothing tax volatility now and in the future. This amount was proposed in addition to the Debt Service tax levy in the amount of $4,444,310, which was approved during the District’s Annual Meeting on Monday, July 24, 2023. 

During the Annual Meeting in July 2023, the Mequon-Thiensville community voted to approve a tax in the amount of $44,067,757 for the 2023-24 school year. This total tax included a General Fund levy in the amount of $39,395,867, Debt Service tax levy in the amount of $4,444,310, and Community Service tax levy in the amount of $227,580. With the increased levy approved on Monday evening, the total tax levy for the 2023-24 school year comes to $45,981,159. The resulting mill rate is $6.81/1,000 of equalized value, a decrease of $.27/1,000 from the prior year. 

“While our tax levy will increase from what was discussed in July, in our work to be fiscally responsible, it is prudent for us to utilize all available tools to minimize tax impacts for our community,” said Viera. “Having the flexibility in Fund 39 to either avoid interest, reduce the amount of debt payments, or reduce the amount needed to levy in the next fiscal year, puts the District and taxpayers in the best position possible given our budget challenges this year, and into the future.”

The approval of the 2023-24 school year budget comes with a deficit of $1.4 million, which the MTSD is mitigating through use of Fund Balance and Fund 46, or the District’s “cash on hand.” In order to address future projected budget shortfalls of between $2 to $4 million in 2024-25 and beyond, the MTSD recently announced the launch of the 2023 Community Task Force, the latest in a history of the District’s use of ad-hoc committees to engage the community in important initiatives. The task force will work to assess and explore solutions for the school district’s projected budget deficits.

“Despite what was described as a historic year for funding public schools, the MTSD, as a property-rich community rebounding from declining student enrollment, will not receive significant spendable dollars from the state. Years of little to no increase in adequate state funding has led us into what we can only describe as a budget crisis,” said Dr. Matthew Joynt, Superintendent of Schools. “Unfortunately, we have reached a point where we can no longer just ‘make it work’ in balancing our budget. We are now forced to go even further in finding ways to increase our revenue or be faced with the reality of making some very tough decisions to reduce operating costs going forward.”

On Tuesday, October 24, the 2023 Community Task Force held the first of four scheduled meetings to engage in its review with the goal of presenting recommendations to the Board of Education and administration by early December. All task force meetings will take place in the Range Line Community Center Conference Room at 11040 N. Range Line Rd., and are open to the public. To learn more about the work of the task force, see a schedule of task force meetings, learn more about the budget development process, and access frequently asked questions, please visit: www.mtsd.k12.wi.us/task-force.