Working in the AASD
Hello prospective staff members! I’m so happy you are here, and that you are considering joining the Appleton Area School District (AASD)!
I am proud to have worked for 22 years in the AASD. Both of my sons experienced an outstanding education in the AASD. As the AASD superintendent, I want to
instill trust in our students, staff, parents, and families. High levels of relational trust are found in schools and districts where leaders exhibit
integrity, competence in their roles, personal regard, and respect for others.
Building trust takes time – time spent making connections, listening, collaborating, and planning together. With the circle of trust in place, I believe that we will be able to accomplish our district priorities –
Safe, Healthy, and Welcoming School Environment;
Effective Instructional Practices; and
Standards-Based Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum.
Diverse Staff
We have a
positive working relationship with our employees and a Board of Education that is dedicated to making our District an excellent place for children to learn. The Board recognizes the
benefits of employing and maintaining a culturally and socially diverse staff.
Accordingly, one of the Board’s goals is to employ qualified minority personnel within the District. This supports the Board’s mission to develop knowledge of, appreciation for, and an understanding of different value systems and cultures, as well as developing the skills necessary to cope with social change.
Inclusive Environment
Our school communities and school culture are where we need to start to ensure that we are
inclusive and
responsive to each individual student and their
unique cultural backgrounds and needs. We recommit ourselves every day to a
welcoming culture for ALL by building an understanding and acceptance of differences between and among our students.
I believe that we have the moral imperative to move forward in becoming a more
culturally responsive organization – for every child every day – in
every classroom every day, in
every school every day – across this district. We will do this by working together, as a team, within a culture of trust.
Sincerely,
District Overview
Our District includes Appleton Community 4K, 15 elementary, 4 middle, and 3 high schools. In addition, we have 13 charter schools and 1 magnet school. We have a large Hmong and Hispanic population and provide English Learner services for students with limited English proficiency.
Support
The AASD is known throughout the area as a progressive district that emphasizes individualism, empathy, and community-oriented learning. As the sixth-largest school district in the state, we think our staff programs and benefits speak for themselves:
New Staff Induction
- Supporting educators in their first years in the AASD with a structured, collaborative, and non-evaluative support system that will yield professionally empowered educators who understand AASD’s commitment to their continual professional growth, thereby fostering student success
New Educator Mentor
- Supporting educators in their first years in the profession. The two-year induction program, in compliance with PI-34, contains three main components: an ongoing orientation to welcome all new educators to the district and provide training, support seminars for professional development tied to the Wisconsin educator standards, and a mentor to provide ongoing instructional and management support to initial educators
Opportunities
Professional Staff Development
We believe that staff development must:
- Successfully assimilate and support the professional development of staff in the district
- Be ongoing, interactive, and job-embedded
- Continuously be assessed to direct the planning and implementation of district efforts
Benefits
Large district resources including:
- Technology Initiatives, including Technology Integration Specialists
- Literacy Specialists
- Special Education Resources
- Collaborative Learning Environments with Planned Learning Times
- Paid Time Off, Medical Benefits, Dental Benefits
- Extensive Employee Wellness Program: Gold Level Well Workplace Award winner
- Competitive, transparent salaries
- A path to compensation increase based on staff development