PESHTIGO – The Peshtigo School District Board of Education held their most recent meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
During this meeting, Director of Curriculum Kami Harvey presented the 2024-25 Wisconsin DPI School and District Report Cards.
Before diving into the specifics of the data, Harvey explained what the report card is.
The report card is a “backward-facing tool” that utilized the past two years of data — typically it utilizes three years, but the test was updated two years ago — and scores using multiple measures, including attendance, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, and state test scores.
She said, “this is a statewide piece of data that scores growth higher than achievement because of socioeconomic factors.”
This means that schools score higher when students make more progress instead of being judged on what the final test results look like.
Superintendent Patrick Rau explained that “differences in resources would contribute to differences in outcomes… you can compare districts, but you have to dig in and ask a few more questions.”
Kami echoed this sentiment, “there are local and in-school assessments used that give more immediately actionable data.”
The Peshtigo School District received a three-star “Meets Expectations” score out of a possible five stars. Numerically, they scored 62 out of a possible 100.
Contributing to this score are four priority areas: Achievement, Growth, Target Group Outcomes and On-Track to Graduation.
This area measures English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics performance for students in grades three through 11 who took the statewide assessments. The district scored 60.7 in Achievement, , which was the same or higher than 22.6% of districts in the state.
As a district, there was a slight decline in the percentage of students scoring in the “Meeting and Advanced” categories compared to the previous year. ELA scores decreased from 46.1% to 44% while math decreased slightly from 49.3% to 48.8%.
This area compares a student’s progress to similar students across the state with similar histories and demographics. This is where a school can raise its test scores but still receive a low growth score if its students improved less than their peers statewide.
The district scored 48.9, which was the same or higher than 4.5% of districts in the state.
The 2024-25 Growth scores for schools in the district were as follows:
Harvey explained that the school has already begun using strategies to improve this area, including Visible Learning signature practices, peer observations and curriculum implementation and support strategies.
This area focuses on the students in the bottom 25% of the prior year’s test results. Improving outcomes for this group generally lifts the district’s overall performance.
The district scored 53.3, which was the same or higher than 9.9% of districts in the state.
To better serve this group, Harvey said that the district is using the personalized adaptive math instruction program SuccessMaker as well as increased classroom support and interventions.
This area measures how successfully students are achieving educational milestones that predict postsecondary readiness. It uses a variety of factors, such as rates of chronic absenteeism, graduation/attendance, third grade ELA achievements and eighth grade mathematics achievements.
The district scored 85.7, which was the same or higher than 37.6% of districts in the state.
In addition to the other implemented changes, Harvey shared that the district is piloting a volunteer ACT prep program in the mornings for juniors that they plan to fully implement next year. Additionally, the district is increasing communications with parents regarding the effects of chronic absenteeism.
One factor that multiple board members discussed were the math scores.
According to the board, students say that the new math program is harder which is increased by the need to fill in knowledge gaps from previous years.
Board member Josh Seefeldt explained this, “it’s hard teaching students things that they should have already been taught.”
School Board President Gary Larsen and Rau both voiced their determination to improve scores through recent implementations — which also includes Harvey’s position, who was hired less than two years ago — and keep pushing forward.
Board member Jennifer Schwittay added, “I think a lot of the changes that have been made are going in the right direction. We just need to make sure we’re following through.”
Following this presentation, the board approved the resignation of John Berth as an assistant varsity football coach as well as the retirement of Director of Building and Grounds Brian Williams. Williams will officially retire on June 30, 2026, after 15 years in the district.
A variety of donations were also approved, including:
Additionally, the following donations were accepted for the Students Eat Every Day (SEED) program: Jared and Stacey Philips, $750; Peshtigo Fire Tower Run, $1,000; Ruby’s Pantry, $1,000; anonymous donor, $500; and anonymous donor, $500. Food donations valued at $6,500 were collected during a food drive across both buildings.
The 2026 - 2027 middle and high school course description books were accepted without changes and a first reading of school policies was held.
The Peshtigo School Board will meet next on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
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