Hortonville Area School District board approves student trips, policy updates and multiple staff hires

At its July 13 meeting the Hortonville Area School District Board of Education approved several student trips, a package of policy updates and multiple staffing hires for the 2026–2027 school year.

Board member Brian Gooding is recorded in the meeting notes as having approved the trip requests, including the girls varsity volleyball overnight trip to Kettle Moraine scheduled for Sept. 11–12 and the HHS choir's second-reading overnight out-of-state trip to New York City set for March 10–15, 2027. The GMS choir trip to the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee on Sept. 18, 2026, was also placed on the approved list.

The board approved a slate of NEOLA and district bylaw and policy updates listed in the meeting record, among them Policy 0144.5 (Board Member Behavior, Communications, and Code of Conduct), Policy 1213/3213/4213 (Student Supervision and Welfare), Policy 2521 and 2521.01 (Selection and Removal of Instructional Materials), Policy 7540.03 (Student Technology Acceptable Use and Safety), Policy 7544 (Use of Social Media), Policy 8120 (Volunteers) and Policy 8462 (Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect, and Sexual Misconduct). The meeting minutes present these policy updates as approved under the motions section.

The board also approved multiple staffing memos that list new hires and replacements for the coming school year, including:
- Zachary Schafer, Adapted Physical Education Teacher, replacing Kalen Ouelette
- Jenessa Ryczkowski, NGES 4th Grade Teacher, replacing Ben Schoenebeck
- Mariah Kirsch, HMS 6th Grade Teacher, replacing Sara McMorrow
- Madelyn Fox, HHS Counselor, replacing Staci Chevremont
- Michele Collins, HMS Instructional Coach and Math Interventionist, replacing April Lee
- Megan Lingenhag, HMS School Nurse, replacing Kimberly Schoettler
- Emily Heideman, GMS Digital Literacy, replacing Carley Jensen
- Cassandra Smith, NGES Inclusion Coach, replacing Sara Awe
- Hannah Hess, HMS 6th Grade Teacher, replacing Jaclyn Derby
- Emilee Jensen, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, replacing Danielle Obry
- Jesse Frozene, HMS Band Teacher, replacing Emma Burchall

In addition, the board recorded a recommendation for approval of the district's annual declaration and parent notice of academic standards, noting compliance with sections 120.12(13) and 118.30(1g)(a)1 of the State statutes as cited in the meeting notes.

The meeting record does not include roll-call vote tallies or mover/second details for the listed motions; items are presented under a Motions - Approved heading. Where the minutes attribute action, Brian Gooding is noted in the record for approving trip requests. The district's District Administrator Todd Timm delivered the administrator's report earlier in the meeting, which the minutes list as including staff retention, enrollment and facilities updates but do not expand with further details.

The board listed upcoming meetings, including the next regular Board of Education meeting on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the District Board Room.