Private schools offer unique opportunities to develop and support students through their missions and values. How does a school building project help support that? Join WCRIS’ next Lunch & Learn webinar on April 10 with experts from WCRIS sponsor Plunkett Raysich Architects (PRA) to learn what their experience with school building projects has taught them about: Skills for future [...]
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The Latest
Your source for timely and relevant K-12 school updates
2024 Kohl Award Winners Announced
March 21, 2024
Recipients of the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation scholarships and awards were announced this week. Over 300 Wisconsin students, teachers and principals received an award. See below for a list of all WCRIS member school awardees. Go here for the list of all recipients. Congratulations! Keep up the great work. Awardees are listed in alphabetical order [...]
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WCRIS Executive Director Retiring in September
March 21, 2024
After nearly 10 years of service to WCRIS, Executive Director Sharon L. Schmeling announced her September retirement on Monday. “Thank you for the outpouring of support and well wishes. I’ve been proud and blessed to lead WCRIS through some of the most challenging times for private education. We’ve never been a stronger or more influential [...]
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Upcoming Deadlines and Opportunities
March 21, 2024
April 1: Your school’s attendance area is due to the public school board for busing for the 2024-25 school year. Learn more. April 16: The U.S. Department of Education Office of Non-public Education is hosting a webinar about Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Equitable Services for private schools and students. Register here. April 20: The Diocese of Green Bay [...]
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Executive Director Sharon L. Schmeling Announces Retirement
March 18, 2024
Madison, Wis. – After nearly 10 years of serving as the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools (WCRIS) and several other faithful years of public service and education advocacy, Sharon L. Schmeling has announced her retirement, set for Sept. 12, 2024. Schmeling earned her bachelor of arts degree in both journalism [...]
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Right to Read Round-up
March 14, 2024
The first major step of 2023 Wisconsin Act 20 (“Right to Read Act”) was made this week, as reported by WCRIS in Monday’s Special Edition of Current Events. To cut through the reading ruckus, see a summary of the latest developments and next steps: The latest: Despite multiple lists, rumblings of possible legal action and [...]
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DHS Warns of Measles
March 14, 2024
Ahead of schools’ spring breaks, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and the DPI school nursing consultant are recommending school staff stay alert for potential measles outbreaks. At the time of publication, there are no confirmed measles cases in Wisconsin, but one was recently confirmed in Illinois. Since the beginning of the year, seventeen states [...]
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Principal Question: The Forward Exam
March 14, 2024
Question: If I’m in the choice program, do I have to test my students with the Forward Exam? Answer: It depends on how many choice students are enrolled in your school. Schools enrolling 20 or more students in grades 3-12 in the Milwaukee, Racine or statewide choice programs are required to administer the state’s annual testing program [...]
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Special Ed Draws National Attention
March 14, 2024
As a member benefit, WCRIS watches the headlines so you don’t have to. Recently, special education has been drawing the attention of the press. See the latest below: According to Education Week, there’s three reasons why more students are in special education: 1) Inflexible curricula are leaving students’ needs unmet; 2) Autism and ADHD diagnoses [...]
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Transportation Reminder: April 1 Deadline and Upcoming Q&A
March 14, 2024
Attendance Area Due April 1 Private schools that are requesting busing from the school district for their students must submit its proposed attendance area to the affected school board(s) by April 1. If a new attendance area isn’t submitted by the deadline, the school board will default to your school’s most recent submission. To learn more about [...]
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