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Dialogue
Neenah Joint School District Newsletter - April 2024
Harrison Selected as NJSD Superintedent
Dr. Steve Harrison has been selected as the next superintendent of the Neenah Joint School District.
Harrison comes to Neenah from the Appleton Area School District where he has worked since 2015 and been the Assistant Superintendent for Assessment, Curriculum and Instruction for the past five years. Harrison will replace Dr. Mary Pfeiffer, who is retiring after 15 years as the Neenah superintendent. His duties officially begin on July 1.
“In many ways, this feels like I’m coming home,” said Harrison, whose mother, Barb, was a reading specialist at Spring Road Elementary School in Neenah from 1981-2003. “I spent a lot of time in my mom’s classroom while growing up and it fueled my desire to work in education. It’s exciting to come back to a district that has given so much to my family. It’s really a dream come true.”
In his role in Appleton, Harrison oversaw assessment, curriculum and instruction for all levels of the District after previously serving as the Continuous School Improvement Coordinator for Math, Science and Health. While in Appleton, Harrison oversaw a continuous school improvement process that aligned goals, systems and structures across all 23 schools in the District. He also led a literacy audit at the early elementary level and a full program review of the District’s entire English Language Arts program that has led to improved literacy skills across the District.
Neenah Receives Best Communities for Music Award
The Neenah Joint School District has been recognized as one of the Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation for the second straight year. Now in its 25th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.
Neenah offers a wide range of courses in its music curriculum at all levels throughout the District. The District begins band courses in fifth grade and offers a Suzuki Talent Education program for students beginning in third grade. Neenah has a strong extracurricular music program with the competitive Vintage and Act II show choir as well as the Touch of Class orchestra, jazz ensembles and marching band that showcase their talents both locally and internationally.
A total of 975 school districts nationwide were honored, including 37 in Wisconsin. Districts were selected based on their funding for music education, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs.
25-Year Employees Honored at Quarter Century Club
A group of 14 Neenah Joint School District employees were honored with induction to the Quarter Century Club for 25 years of service to the District. Pictured (Front, L to R): Beth Sommer, Lorene Misco, Kristin Scovronski, Kimberley Frierdich, Amy Schneider and Rebecca Puuri. (Back): Kert Dietrich, Chris Rundquist, Andy Dubey, Jesse Lenz, Don Judnic and Jim Kuenster. Not pictured are John Knaus and Renee Poeschl.
High School Spring Play Set for April 25-28
Neenah High School will host four shows of its spring play, Kodachrome by Adam Szymkowicz, April 25-28 in the high school's black box theater. Shows are April 25-27 at 7 p.m. and April 28 at 2 p.m.
The play welcomes audiences to Colchester, a small town where everyone knows each other and the pace of life allows the pursuit of love to take up as much space as it needs. Our tour guide is Suzanne, the town photographer, who lets us peek into her neighbors' lives to catch glimpses of romances in all stages of development. It is a play about love, nostalgia, the seasons and how we learn to say goodbye.
Tickets are available at rocketplayers.com. Seating is limited, so it is encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time.
Kodachrome is presented by arrangement with Concord theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordthatricals.com. (Photo credit: McKenzie Images)
Neenah Activities Continue Their Success
Powerlifting Takes Home 15th National Title
Neenah High School's girls powerlifting team defended its national championship in the raw division at the National High School Powerlifting championships in Baton Rouge, La. It marks the 15th national powerlifting title in school history.
The boys and girls combined raw and equipped teams both placed national runner-up and the boys raw team placed fifth. Bri Ankerson won her second straight national title and was Neenah's lone individual champion.
Boys Basketball Makes 30th Trip to State
Neenah High School's boys basketball team reached the state tournament for the third straight year and state-leading 30th time overall with a 52-48 sectional final win over Marshfield.
The Rockets had their season end in a record-setting four-overtime state semifinal game to Arrowhead 99-95 in the longest and highest-scoring game in state tournament history. Neenah finished its season with a 21-8 record after a 4-6 start to the season.
Special Olympics Fifth at State Unified Event
Neenah's Special Olympics basketball team competed in the Ralph Davis State 5-on-5 unified basketball tournament at Wisconsin Lutheran College. The Rockets opened with a win over Milwaukee Rufus King and then lost by two points to defending state champion Milwaukee Washington and ended up placing fifth overall.
The Neenah team consists of six Special Olympics athletes and six unified athletes.
Ziebell Wins National Three-Point Shooting Contest
Neenah High School senior Allie Ziebell concluded her tremendous high school basketball career by winning the national three-point shooting contest at the Powerade Jam Fest prior to the McDonald's All-American game in Houston. Ziebell won the girls competition and then beat boys champion Trent Perry of Harvard-Westlake High School (Calif.) in a tiebreaker shootout to become the overall champion.
Ziebell led the Rockets to a state runner-up finish in 2023-24 for their highest state tournament finish since 1981. Neenah beat Hartford in the semifinals 77-70 and then lost to Arrowhead in the title game 69-59. Ziebell scored 75 points for the second-highest two-game total in tournament history. She finished her career fourth in state history with 2,819 points over four seasons.
Girls Basketball Team Posts State's Highest GPA
Along with their on-court success, the girls basketball team added a first place finish in the classroom. The Rockets posted a cumulative team grade point average of 3.903 to win the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Team Academic All-State Award. Neenah's team GPA was slightly better than Waunakee's 3.900. Neenah also had 13 athletes from the team named to the WBCA's individual Academic All-State Award that recognizes students with at least a 3.5 GPA.
Oitzinger Wins Kohl Excellence Scholarship
Neenah High School senior Aubrey Oitzinger has been selected as a Herb Kohl Excellence Scholarship recipient. The award is presented to students who have demonstrated academic excellence and initiative and have displayed a broad range of activity and leadership in their community.
Oitzinger will receive a $10,000 award. She is one of 187 students selected from across the state this school year.
The daughter of Ben and Michelle Oitzinger, Aubrey carries a perfect 4.0 grade point average. She participates in band, show choir, golf, curling and softball.
Award recipients are selected by a statewide committee composed of civic leaders and representatives of education-related associations and the program’s co-sponsors.
What's Happening in Our Schools
Firefighters Spend a Day with Tullar Students
Five new Neenah/Menasha firefighters and one new firefighter from Oshkosh volunteered for 3 1/2 hours at Tullar Elementary as part of their "Community Engagement" during the new hire process.
The firefighters spent their time doing read alouds and presentations, being lunch buddies and supervising recess.
Young People's Concert Shows Fine Arts Opportunities
Middle School Students Learn from Robotics Champs
Neenah Middle School students had the chance to learn from the two-time defending world university robotics championship team from UW-Platteville. The college students shared the design process for the robot and how they got involved in robotics. Students also had the chance to operate the robot for themselves.
Fusion Academy Honors Community Heroes
Two individuals who made significant impacts on the lives of youths in the Neenah community were honored by the Neenah High School Fusion Academy as Heroes of Neenah during a recent ceremony at the school.
Retiring Neenah Joint School District Superintendent Dr. Mary Pfeiffer (pictured, right) and Boys and Girls Brigade Program Director Marnie Spielbauer (pictured, left) were both recognized for their achievements. This marks the eighth year of the award, which is organized and selected by the school's student project-based learning academy.
Pfeiffer completes her term with 20 years in the District and 15 years as superintendent, having also served as an Associate Principal at Neenah High School from 1998-2003. Spielbauer has been involved at the Boys and Girls Brigade since 2001. A Neenah High School graduate, she organizes activities and recruits volunteers for the Brigade's summer events at Camp Onaway.
Annual NJSD Art Show Scheduled for April 29-May 14
The annual NJSD art show is taking place April 29-May 14 at the Neenah Public Library. The top projects from the year representing all grade levels and all schools across the District will be on display. The event will begin with an opening night reception on April 29 at 3:30 p.m.
Transition Planning Assists Families with School Changes
In February, the Board of Education approved several elementary boundary changes for the 2024-25 school year, including the closing of Hoover Elementary. The District has been actively planning for students, families and staff who will transition to new schools.
Hoover staff assignments for 2024-25 have been communicated and the majority of the Hoover staff will be at Horace Mann or Coolidge Elementary.
Due to the closure of Hoover, a transition team has been actively working on plans to support Hoover students and families through the transition.
A welcome letter has been provided to families. This will include an overview of their new school and a chance for students and families to hear from their new principal. This will also include dates for any upcoming PTO meetings at the new school if new families should choose to attend.
Informational Sessions/School Tours will be planned at each building for new families to visit in May. Families will be able to tour their new building and ask questions of the new principal/new school staff such as information about Y-Care, transportation, etc.
The informational nights for new families are set for May 13 at Tullar from 4-5 p.m., May 13 at Coolidge from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and May 15 at Horace Mann from 6-7 p.m.
Athletic Fields and Tennis Courts Being Reconstructed
To achieve long-term performance and maintenance characteristics for the tennis courts and natural grass athletic fields, construction activities are taking place at the new Neenah High School campus. All of this work is being completed under the terms of the original contract with no additional expense to the District.
The tennis court reconstruction involves removal of the existing surface and new application of the asphalt and surface coating. The issue is grade control and items related to appropriate drainage. This was identified after the courts had the surface coating and lines applied. This work began in April and will be completed by the end of July in order to be available for the 2024 girls tennis season in the fall.
The athletic fields work is being done on the two baseball fields, two softball fields and practice soccer field. The game field for soccer was reconstructed last fall. The issue is insufficient drainage as there was some ponding observed in certain areas. Additional testing and evaluations were conducted, finding that the fields would not have adequate drainage for long-term use. The fields are safe for use this spring and will be completed in time for the 2025 spring season.
Literacy Tip of the Month
Instead of asking a testing question, like, "What do we call the person who delivers mail?", ask something open-ended, like, "What do you think is in the package he/she is delivering?"
Upcoming Events at NJSD
Here's a sampling of some key events at Neenah schools over the next month:
April 25-27 - NHS Spring Play, Kodachrome, 7 p.m. (NHS Black Box)
April 28 - NHS Spring Play, Kodachrome, 2 p.m. (NHS Black Box)
April 29-May 14 - District-wide Art Show (Neenah Public Library)
April 30 - NHS Orchestra Concert, 7:30 p.m. (NHS Performing Arts Center)
May 1 - Middle School Band Concerts, 6 and 7:30 p.m. (Pickard Auditorium)
May 2 - High School Band Concert, 7:30 p.m. (NHS Performing Arts Center)
May 9 - Suzuki Concert, 6 p.m. (NHS Performing Arts Center)
May 11 - Show Choir "Finale," 7:30 p.m. (Pickard Auditorium)
May 13 - Middle School Choir Concerts, 6 and 7:30 p.m. (Pickard Auditorium)
May 14 - High School Choir Concert, 7:30 p.m. (NHS Performing Arts Center)
May 16 - Touch of Class/Jazz/Choir Concert, 7:30 p.m. (NHS Performing Arts Center)
Click here for a calendar of NJSD fine arts events