WiRSA State Conference 2026 - OVERVIEW
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Wednesday, October 28, 2025
~ Registration / End of Hall (Map Location Link) (3:00 - 6:00 PM)
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Pre-Conference LEARNING SESSIONS - (5:00 -5:50 PM)
‍ Anne Chapman, WASBO
—Declining Enrollment and so much more!
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Welcome Reception / ECPO 4 (Map Location Link) (6:00 - 7:30 PM)
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Thursday, October 29, 2025
~ Registration / End of Middle Hall‍ ‍(7:00 AM) (Map Location Link)

• Breakfast Buffet (7:00 - 8:10 AM) - Main Expo Center

• Welcome - (8:10 - 8:30 AM) - Main Expo Center

• General Session (8:30 - 9:40 AM) - Main Expo Center

Keynote - Matt Kirchner - Leading Rural Schools in the Age of AI - (8:30 - 9:40 AM)

Exhibitor Time now and throughout the day
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LEARNING SESSIONS #1 - (10:10 -11:00 AM)

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • The NEST: Reimagining Alternative Pathways for Elementary
    Presenters: Sean Stout, Steve Considine, Mary Haseley

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • The Human Side of Consolidation: Communicating Change
    Presenters: Joe Green, Todd Bugnacki, Lisa Sink

• STONEFIELD/Harvest

  • Saving Your Financial Resources: The potential impact to your tax bill's transparency and your district's bottom line
    Presenters: Denise Gaumer Hutchison, Lori Blakeslee, James Bena / Tax-Bill/Voucher/Transparancy

• WOODLAND/Trillium

  • Growing Your Own: Educators Rising
    Presenters: Perry Cook, Emily Tschudy

Exhibitor Time now and throughout the day
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Lunch / Recognitions - Expo Center - (11:30 - 12:40 PM)
(Dr. Jill Underly will kick off the recognitions)

1. CESA Employee of the Year - Dean Leisgang, CESA 8 (Press Release)

2. Support Staff Person of the Year - Jenny Hagemann, School District of Maustion (Press Release)

3. Teacher of the Year - Kally Koch, Riverdale School District (Press Release)

4. Teacher of the Year - Shannon Beighley, Whitehall School District (Press Release)

5. Advocacy Award - James “Murph” Murphy and WRJC, Murphy’s Law Media Group (Press Release)

6. Principal of the Year - Megan Hanni, Waupun School District (Press Release)

7. Administrator of the Year - Joel Heesch, School District of Mauston (Press Release)

8. School Board of Education Member of the Year - Sue Todey, Sevastopol School District (Press Release)

9. Community Partner of the Year - Cindy Tang, Inspiring Community Inc., Platteville School District (Press Release)

Exhibitor Time now and throughout the day

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LEARNING SESSIONS #2 - (1:00 - 1:50 PM)

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • What Innovation Actually Looks Like: Spotlighting Future-Ready Classrooms Across Rural Wisconsin
    Presenters: Christy Tainter, Chelsea Adams, Student-Focused

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • Supporting School Board Effectiveness: Building Trust, Clarity, and Community Confidence in Rural School Districts
    Presenters: Steve Schroeder, Brad Saron, Chandu Vemuri Governance

• STONEFIELD/Harvest

  • Flipping the Script on Summer: Solving the Rural Childcare and Enrollment Crisis Simultaneously
    Presenters: Rich Peters, Corrie Becker, Brian Zacho, Childcare

• WOODLAND/Trillium

  • Building an Education Pathway in Your School District
    Presenter: Eric Burke, Lexi Allen Student / Grow Your Own

Exhibitor Time now and throughout the day
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LEARNING SESSIONS #3 (2:05 - 2:55 PM)

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • Beyond the Test: Building Student Motivation, Opportunity, and Postsecondary Success
    Presenters: Brett Stousland, Betsy Bahn Student-Focused

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • Aligning Your School System: Real Strategies to Connect Your Board, Staff, and Community through Community-Based Strategic Planning
    Presenters: Bradford Saron, Steve Schroeder, Chandu Vemuri Governance

• STONEFIELD/Harvest

  • The CESA Showcase: The Price is Right for Wisconsin Rural Schools
    Presenters: Hilary Cordova, Nick Curran, Mike Koltes Partnership CESA

• WOODLAND/Trillium

  • From Clarity to Action: Building a 6-12 Assessment and Learning System in a Rural School
    Presenters: Amy Webb, Chris Segerstrom, Kyle Polzin

Exhibitor Time now and throughout the day
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LEARNING SESSIONS #4 - (3:15- 4:05 PM)

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • Inside the LIFToFFS Study: Early Findings on AI, Personalized Learning, and Student Engagement
    Presenter: Abby Fernan

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • Opening Doors: Helping Rural Students Find Direction Before They Drift
    Presenters: Wendell Quesinberry, Rob DeMeuse, Bill Foster

• STONEFIELD/Harvest

  • Effective and Affordable Connecting & Cybersecuring Rural Schools
    Presenters: Heidi Genthner, Aivars Margevics, Vince Czahor

• WOODLAND/Trillium

  • Six Preps and a Website: Choosing to Tell Your School's Story (Without Losing Your Sanity)
    Presenter: Amanda Prigge

Exhibitor Time - To 4:30 PM
Reception / Silent and Live Auction EXPO 4 - (5:00 - 6:30 PM)
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Friday, October 30, 2026

• Breakfast - (7:00 - 8:15 AM) Expo Center

• Exhibitor Time (7:30 - 10:00 AM)

• Welcome Back -(8:10 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.) - Expo Center

  • Vendor and Attendee Door Prize(s)

  • One Member Vendor will have an opportunity to win a free booth in 2026

  • Friday attendees will have a chance to win a free registration to our WiRSA 2026 conference.

(NREA - President-Elect - Designee)

Keynote - Mike McGowan - A Path to Success - (8:30 - 9:30 AM)
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Exhibitor Time (8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.)
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LEARNING SESSIONS #5 - (10:00 - 10:50 PM)

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • Sustaining the System: Creative Mental Health Infrastructure, Student Voice, and Adult Capacity in Rural Schools
    Presenters: Elizabeth Calnin, Yedda Olson, Barb Beyer Mental Health/Student

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • We Must Fund Public Schools - Wisconsin PTA, et.al. V. Wisconsin Assembly
    Presenters: Julie Underwood, Jeff Mandell, Taylor Norback, Carlene Bechen

• STONEFIELD/Harvest

  • Referendum Success in Rural Communities - A Panel Discussion
    Presenters: Tom Burkhalter, Todd Felhofer, Wendell Quesinberry
    

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LEARNING SESSIONS #6 - (11:00 - 11:50 PM)

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • The Rural District Health Check: What to Monitor Before Problems Become Crises
    Presenters: Jordan Masnica, Marquez Guzman Finance

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • Best Practices: Rural School Mental Health Collaboration & Funding
    Presenters: Steve Goldberg

WiRSA Annual Meeting - (Following Special Session.)
WiRSA Board of Directors Meeting - (Following Annual Meeting)

WiRSA can't thank our sponsors enough for their incredible support for our rural and town schools!
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• Kraemer Brothers

• School of Education - UW-Stevens - Haru Center - For Opportunities in Education

• George Moore Foundation

• WEA Member Benefits

• SitelogIQ

• Nexus Solutions

• Performance Services

• CMS4 Schools

• JMC

• Findorff

• Community Insurance

• Miron Construction

• TRICOR

• Upper 90

• Cartwheel

• Renning, Lewis, and Lacy - Wisconsin’s #1 Practice for EDUCATION LAW
  

Thursday, October 29, 2025

• Matt Kirchner - Leading Rural Schools in the Age of AI - (8:30 - 9:40 AM)

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • The NEST: Reimagining Alternative Pathways for Elementary
    Presenters: Sean Stout, Steve Considine, Mary Haseley

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • The Human Side of Consolidation: Communicating Change
    Presenters: Joe Green, Todd Bugnacki, Lisa Sink

• STONEFIELD/Harvest

  • Saving Your Financial Resources: The potential impact to your tax bill's transparency and your district's bottom line
    Presenters: Denise Gaumer Hutchison, Lori Blakeslee, James Bena / Tax-Bill/Voucher/Transparancy

• WOODLAND/Trillium

  • Growing Your Own: Educators Rising
    Presenters: Perry Cook, Emily Tschudy

Exhibitor Time now and throughout the day

(Dr. Jill Underly will kick off the recognitions)

1. CESA Employee of the Year - Dean Leisgang, CESA 8 (Press Release)

2. Support Staff Person of the Year - Jenny Hagemann, School District of Maustion (Press Release)

3. Teacher of the Year - Kally Koch, Riverdale School District (Press Release)

4. Teacher of the Year - Shannon Beighley, Whitehall School District (Press Release)

5. Advocacy Award - James “Murph” Murphy and WRJC, Murphy’s Law Media Group (Press Release)

6. Principal of the Year - Megan Hanni, Waupun School District (Press Release)

7. Administrator of the Year - Joel Heesch, School District of Mauston (Press Release)

8. School Board of Education Member of the Year - Sue Todey, Sevastopol School District (Press Release)

9. Community Partner of the Year - Cindy Tang, Inspiring Community Inc., Platteville School District (Press Release)

Exhibitor Time now and throughout the day

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • What Innovation Actually Looks Like: Spotlighting Future-Ready Classrooms Across Rural Wisconsin
    Presenters: Christy Tainter, Chelsea Adams, Student-Focused

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • Supporting School Board Effectiveness: Building Trust, Clarity, and Community Confidence in Rural School Districts
    Presenters: Steve Schroeder, Brad Saron, Chandu Vemuri Governance

• STONEFIELD/Harvest

  • Flipping the Script on Summer: Solving the Rural Childcare and Enrollment Crisis Simultaneously
    Presenters: Rich Peters, Corrie Becker, Brian Zacho Childcare

• WOODLAND/Trillium

  • Building an Education Pathway in Your School District
    Presenter: Eric Burke, Lexi Allen Student / Grow Your Own

Exhibitor Time now and throughout the day

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • Beyond the Test: Building Student Motivation, Opportunity, and Postsecondary Success
    Presenters: Brett Stousland, Betsy Bahn Student-Focused

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • Aligning Your School System: Real Strategies to Connect Your Board, Staff, and Community through Community-Based Strategic Planning
    Presenters: Bradford Saron, Steve Schroeder, Chandu Vemuri Governance

• STONEFIELD/Harvest

  • The CESA Showcase: The Price is Right for Wisconsin Rural Schools
    Presenters: Hilary Cordova, Nick Curran, Mike Koltes Partnership CESA

• WOODLAND/Trillium

  • From Clarity to Action: Building a 6-12 Assessment and Learning System in a Rural School
    Presenters: Amy Webb, Chris Segerstrom, Kyle Polzin

Exhibitor Time now and throughout the day

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • Inside the LIFToFFS Study: Early Findings on AI, Personalized Learning, and Student Engagement
    Presenter: Abby Fernan

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • Opening Doors: Helping Rural Students Find Direction Before They Drift
    Presenters: Wendell Quesinberry, Rob DeMeuse, Bill Foster

• STONEFIELD/Harvest

  • Effective and Affordable Connecting & Cybersecuring Rural Schools
    Presenters: Heidi Genthner, Aivars Margevics, Vince Czahor

• WOODLAND/Trillium

  • Six Preps and a Website: Choosing to Tell Your School's Story (Without Losing Your Sanity)
    Presenter: Amanda Prigge

Exhibitor Time - To 4:35 PM

• Breakfast - (7:00 - 8:15 AM) Expo Center

• Exhibitor Time (7:30 - 10:00 AM)

• Welcome Back -(8:10 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.) - Expo Center

  • All door prizes will take place after the keynote

    • Vendor and Attendee Door Prize(s)

    • One Member Vendor will have an opportunity to win a free booth in 2026

    • Friday attendees will have a chance to win a free registration to our WiRSA 2026 conference.

Friday, October 30, 2026

• Mike McGowan - A Path to Success - (8:30 - 9:30 AM)

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • Sustaining the System: Creative Mental Health Infrastructure, Student Voice, and Adult Capacity in Rural Schools
    Presenters: Elizabeth Calnin, Yedda Olson, Barb Beyer Mental Health/Student

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • We Must Fund Public Schools - Wisconsin PTA, et.al. V. Wisconsin Assembly
    Presenters: Julie Underwood, Jeff Mandell, Taylor Norback, Carlene Bechen

• STONEFIELD/Harvest

  • Referendum Success in Rural Communities - A Panel Discussion
    Presenters: Tom Burkhalter, Todd Felhofer, Wendell Quesinberry

• SPRUCE/Sands

  • The Rural District Health Check: What to Monitor Before Problems Become Crises
    Presenters: Jordan Masnica, Marquez Guzman Finance

• EVERGREEN/Frontier

  • Best Practices: Rural School Mental Health Collaboration & Funding
    Presenters: Steve Goldberg

Annual meeting - Location TBD

Agenda

WiRSA Board Meeting - Location TBD

Agenda