Spartans Bring Home Superior Lessons
MILWAUKEE, WI - At the southern point of the state sits the largest city in Wisconsin. Milwaukee was home to this year's Wisconsin State Education Convention, where school districts from all across the state gathered together to learn, grow, and network with other educators. This year's theme was "Learning Beyond Limits."
For over 100 years, the Wisconsin State Education Convention has been the state's largest gathering of educational leaders. Historically, more than 2,000 people attended the three-day convention, which was co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials (WASBO), and the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA).
From January 22nd-24th, six school board members and eight district staff members attended several professional development sessions that covered a wide variety of educational topics including Increasing Community Engagement, Improving School Facilities, School Board Strategies,
School Finance, and State Testing/ACT.
"As the newest board member, attending the recent convention was a great opportunity to connect with other board members and focus on team building," said Sara Schubert McKone, Superior School Board Member. "Superior is facing the same financial challenges as many other districts across the state, but we are ahead of the curve with strong financial plans and administrators committed to fostering relationships with students, staff, families, and teachers. This experience reinforced my confidence in our collective ability to navigate these challenges together."
"The WASB convention is a time for school boards to get important updates on State laws as well as guidance on policies that we may have to update or sometimes even create," said Ed Gallagher, Superior School Board Vice President. "It's important to me to take the time to attend as many seminars as possible to bring back the best and most updated information to our district so that we can make the best decisions possible for our staff and students."
State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly poses with the AWSA Principals of the Year, including SHS Assistant Principal Matt Amerson
During the first general session on January 22nd, WASDA President Michelle Jensen recognized a pair of Superior administrators. Dr. Amy Starzecki was named the 2025 Wisconsin Superintendent of the Year, and Matt Amerson was named the 2025 AWSA Associate Principal of the Year. The Superior Admins were just two of the many who were honored by the state.
The next day, Dr. Starzecki gave a keynote address during the WASDA Luncheon, highlighting the many successes and challenges faced by the School District of Superior.
Dr. Starzecki addresses the crowd during the WASDA Luncheon
"The address from our District Administrator, Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Amy Starzecki, displayed her passion, purpose, and promotion of our school district to everyone in attendance," said Steven Olson, Superior School Board President. "We have so very much to be proud of in our district and Amy's address gave a clear picture to those in attendance why we feel we are Superior!"
"I want to send my sincere thank you to those who were able to attend the convention," said Dr. Starzecki. "Your presence is important, and other districts are always impressed by our board's commitment to continuous learning together. I recognize the time commitment away from work and families is a challenge. Thank you!"
More information about each session can be found on the convention website. Click here for a full photo gallery from Superior’s trip.
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Superior Board Members & Staff Testimonials
Nick Olson - Superior School Board Treasurer
“The ability and time to connect with fellow board members and admin on a personal level has really helped to form some good relationships, which will no doubt add to our ability to get things done and form a more unified team to support our district. The chance to learn from some really smart people at this conference was a great opportunity. My focus going into the convention was mainly on school finance and facility management, which are two things that weigh heavily on my mind as I think about the future success of our district. I have come away with a lot of good knowledge, tools, and resources that I think will help me navigate solutions.”
Crystal Hintzman - Superior Director of Curriculum
“The convention is always a place to hear and learn from others around the state. We often share the same challenges across districts and learning from others about strategies and processes that they have put in place can help us grow and improve our own efforts in Superior. Some great examples this year were growing leadership from within our district, strengthening our Continuous Improvement Plans, and supporting our teachers with implementing health education standards.”
Brooke Taylor - Superior School Board Member
“I have had the privilege of attending the Wisconsin State Education Convention in Milwaukee for the last three years. This year was no different and had an excellent turnout. We are really fortunate that so many of our board members, administrators, and superintendent take the time each year to attend many excellent learning sessions. It's a great way to take what we learn and bring it back for implementation. It's an important time of growth for us all. One of the key points for me was how do we overcome and change our mindset when there is so much negativity in the world. One of the guest speakers, Clint Swindall suggested changing by enhancing the conversation. By asking simple questions like ‘tell me something good’ shifts the focus on the positive and can make all the difference. And then, celebrate! Celebrate it all! Find the good around you and take time to celebrate! While the learning sessions are wonderful I have to say my favorite part of the convention is being able to interact with the others from our district outside of the board room. Getting to know one another better, forming relationships and in turn hopefully gaining some trust. We don't get to do that normally so it's an important time for building stronger partnerships.”
David Coy - Superior Communications/PR Specialist
“This was my first state convention, and I was completely blown away! Seeing so many people supporting one another, they all have the same goal: creating the best education possible for all students. As I reflect on the last few months of the school year, I realize that many school districts are there with us. There are so many celebrations our school district has to be proud of, and I can’t wait to see what we have in store.”
Laura Gapske - Superior School Board Member
“As board members need to challenge each other to support a culture of innovation. The reason being is that a board's governance has a dramatic effect on the quality and quantification of high level instruction. Additionally, the district’s participation in student, community, and business engagement is vital to our success. Thank you for the opportunity to grow as your school board representative!”
Steven Olson - Superior School Board President
“The many opportunities offered to our team of school board members from Superior allowed us to attend sessions we chose to learn more about what is taking place in school districts across our state. In more than one session I attended, a common theme was evident. The first would be being able to express a clear definition of our Purpose and how we commit to our Mission, Vision, and Goals. The second and perhaps most important was the theme of communication throughout the multiple sessions I attended. Communication, the most important thing is to hear first what is being communicated and to make sure all stakeholders are involved in the process.”
Matt Amerson - Superior High School Assistant Principal
“The AWSA convention, which took place January 29th-31st, was enlightening and rejuvenating. I was incredibly proud to accept the Wisconsin Associate Principal of the Year award and share the great work we've done with administrators throughout our state. I was able to pick up a few different techniques and systems to help support our students throughout their time at SHS.”