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Heads up! We have scanned the upcoming agenda for Menasha Joint School District. We found 10 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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$32k Spent on Vague ‘Wellness Program’
Buried in the spending report is a $32,499 payment to ‘Mobile Health Team’ for a ‘Wellness Program.’ This large expenditure for a vaguely defined program raises concerns about what services are being provided to students, potentially without direct parental consent or presence.
Recommended Action Plan
Email Director of Business Services Brian Adesso at adessob@mjsd.k12.wi.us and demand Item 7.C be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate vote on the $32,499 ‘Mobile Health Team’ payment. Ask the Board: ‘What specific services does this “Wellness Program” provide to students, and what are the parental notification and consent policies for these services?’
💰 Impact: $32,499
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| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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District Approving $63k for i-Ready Screen Time
Hidden in the Accounts Payable list is a $63,292.78 payment to Curriculum Associates for the i-Ready software. The district is spending a significant amount on this student-facing EdTech without providing evidence of its academic effectiveness or detailing how much daily screen time it adds for students.
Recommended Action Plan
Email Director of Business Services Brian Adesso at adessob@mjsd.k12.wi.us and demand Item 7.C be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate vote on the $63,292.78 i-Ready expenditure. Ask the Board: ‘Before approving this payment, please publish the independent, non-vendor-funded evidence that i-Ready produces meaningful academic gains, and state how much daily screen time this program adds for a typical student.’
💰 Impact: $63,292.78
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| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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New Policy Forbids Parents from Opting Out of Screenings
Buried within the ‘Student Assessment’ policy update (po2623) is a new rule that explicitly forbids parents from opting their children out of ‘reading readiness screening’ in grades 4K-3. While the policy allows opt-outs for some state tests, it carves out this one area as mandatory, removing parental consent.
Recommended Action Plan
Contact Superintendent Dan Slowey at sloweyd@mjsd.k12.wi.us before the vote on Item 8.A: ‘I support the parental rights protections in policies 2210, 2510, and 2521, but I demand you amend policy po2623. The provision that “Parents may not opt any student out of the reading readiness screening” is a violation of parental rights. Parents, not the district, have the final say on what assessments their children are subjected to.’
💰 Impact: Your Right to Consent
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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Social-Emotional Learning Vendor Found in Spending List
A $2,998 payment to CharacterStrong LLC for ‘Tier 1 Curriculum’ is buried in the Accounts Payable list. CharacterStrong is a vendor that promotes Social Emotional Learning (SEL), replacing traditional character education with therapeutic and ideological content.
Recommended Action Plan
Email Director of Business Services Brian Adesso at adessob@mjsd.k12.wi.us and demand Item 7.C be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate vote on the $2,998 CharacterStrong expenditure. Ask the Board: ‘Why is the district spending money on SEL curriculum from CharacterStrong instead of focusing on core academics? Parents must be allowed to review this curriculum before it is purchased.’
💰 Impact: $2,998
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
The board is presenting the proposed 2026-2027 district budget. The full budget book is attached to the agenda but not included in the provided text, and it could contain funding for ideological programs, consultants, or controversial curricula.
Recommended Action Plan
INVESTIGATE: Open the ‘Proposed 2026-2027 Budget Book’ file attached to Item 2.A in the Official Agenda (linked above). Scan the document for line items funding DEI, SEL, ‘climate surveys,’ or contracts with vendors like Panorama, CASEL, or CharacterStrong before the board votes.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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SEL-Aligned Teacher Training in Spending Report
The Accounts Payable list includes an $1,800 payment to the ‘Center for the Collaborative Classroom’ for teacher training. This organization promotes Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and ‘restorative practices’ as part of its professional development, embedding ideology into teacher training.
Recommended Action Plan
Email Director of Business Services Brian Adesso at adessob@mjsd.k12.wi.us and ask for clarification on the $1,800 payment to ‘Center for the Collaborative Classroom’ under Item 7.C. Ask: ‘What specific “professional learning services” were provided, and will all training materials be made available for parental review?’
💰 Impact: $1,800
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| MONITOR (LEVEL 5) |
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School-Based Dental and Nursing Services Update
The district is discussing its nursing services, including Narcan protocols and the reintroduction of a school dental program. This raises questions about parental consent and oversight for medical services provided to children at school without a parent present.
Recommended Action Plan
Email Director of Special Services Lisa Kuehl at kuehll@mjsd.k12.wi.us: ‘Regarding Item 6.C, what are the specific parental notification and consent procedures for the dental program and any nursing services, including Narcan administration? Will parents be present for all services provided to their minor children?’
💰 Impact: Parental Consent
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| MONITOR (LEVEL 5) |
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District Spending on Student ‘Strengths’ Assessments
A payment of $2,127.92 to Gallup Inc. for the ‘Clifton Strengths Explorer’ is listed in the accounts payable. These types of assessments are often used to collect non-academic data on student mindsets and personality traits under the guise of career exploration.
Recommended Action Plan
Email Director of Business Services Brian Adesso at adessob@mjsd.k12.wi.us regarding the Gallup Inc. payment in Item 7.C. Ask: ‘Is the Clifton Strengths Explorer assessment mandatory for students? Who owns the data collected, and how can parents opt their children out of this non-academic personality assessment?’
💰 Impact: Your Child’s Privacy
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✅ Wins to Defend
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
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| Major Win (LEVEL 10) |
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District Adopts New Parental Rights Protections for Curriculum
The district is adopting revised policies (2210, 2510, 2521) that require advance notice to parents for any instructional content that may conflict with sincerely held religious beliefs. These policies formalize the right for parents to opt their children out and receive alternative assignments.
How to Lock It In
PACK THE ROOM to support Item 8.A! Email Superintendent Dan Slowey at sloweyd@mjsd.k12.wi.us: ‘Thank you for strengthening parental rights by adopting the revisions to policies 2210, 2510, and 2521. We fully support codifying the right of parents to be notified and to opt their children out of instruction that violates their religious beliefs.’ Your public support will secure this win and make it a model for other districts.
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| Major Win (LEVEL 7) |
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District Expands AP Course Offerings and Access
The district is adding a new AP Business and Personal Finance course and expanding eligibility for AP Statistics to more students by removing a prerequisite. This action increases access to rigorous, advanced academic coursework for high schoolers.
How to Lock It In
Show up to thank the Board for approving Item 7.F and expanding advanced academic opportunities for our students. Get this on the record so it can’t be quietly reversed and use it as a model for neighboring districts.
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