Appleton Area School District families,

As we move through fall, there are many important updates, events, and opportunities happening across the AASD. From upcoming no-school dates and a community-wide potential referendum survey to free and reduced reminders and ways to share your feedback, we encourage all families to stay informed and involved. Miss a Family Communication? Find them all here.

Important Upcoming Dates (Find our yearly calendar here.)

• Friday, October 31, 2025: No school for AASD neighborhood schools
• Wednesday, November 26 through Friday, November 28, 2025: No school for AASD neighborhood schools
  • Charter schools and Appleton Central programs may follow their own calendars; please refer to your school or program calendar.

Upcoming Community-wide Potential Referendum Survey

In November, the Appleton Area School District will gather input on a potential referendum through a community-wide survey. Our families and staff will receive a personalized survey link via email, and all households within the AASD attendance area will receive a mailed paper survey. 

Our community can complete the survey in one of the following ways:

• Online, using their unique email link
• By mailing back the printed survey
• By dropping off the completed surveys at any AASD school

To ensure accuracy and confidentiality, the District has partnered with School Perceptions, an independent educational research firm, to conduct the survey. Each survey link or access code can be used only once to maintain data integrity. 

Please complete the survey using your own email invitation rather than a forwarded link. The access code does not identify you—it simply ensures each response is counted once. School Perceptions’ privacy policy guarantees that your contact information will only be used for this survey and will not be shared for any other purpose. 

The survey will close on November 26, 2025. Thank you so much for your response, as it is essential in helping guide our future decisions.

Upcoming BOE Community Feedback Session

The Board of Education relies on your continued engagement and advocacy, and they want to hear from you. Join the Community Linkages Committee, a subcommittee of the Board of Education, for an upcoming Community Feedback Session. The committee works to strengthen connections between the Board and our community by creating more opportunities for open, two-way conversations.

At this session, you’ll have a chance to share your thoughts and ideas through an open forum and interactive activities. They’ll gather input on key areas such as financial stewardship, belonging, attendance, and behavior — as well as any other topics that matter most to you.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, November 11, 2025, from 6:00–7:30 p.m. at the Appleton Public Library (200 N. Appleton St.) in the Mary Beth Nienhaus Community Room A (3rd Floor).

Reminder: Free & Reduced Meal Applications 

Families who may qualify for Free & Reduced meal benefits, your carryover status from the 2024-25 school year expired on October 15, 2025. 

What does this mean? Families must reapply for Free & Reduced to receive meal benefits for this school year. Free & Reduced meal applications need to be filled out each school year. Families may apply or reapply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed or experiences financial hardship may become eligible for free and reduced-price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.

How does this affect your family? If you haven’t filled out a Free & Reduced form this school year and you qualify, your family reverted to full pay on October 16, 2025. This may also be impacting other benefits that can come along with a completed Free & Reduced application. These annual forms are necessary for other programs and may be used to determine if your household is eligible for additional benefits.

If you think your family may qualify for Free or Reduced meals, or you aren’t sure, we encourage you to annually complete the Free and Reduced meal application online through the Parent Portal. When logging into the Portal, the Free and Reduced Meal Benefits Application is available on the center panel under "Meal Benefits.” Only one application is needed per household.  

Please remember to add money to your meal account if you have not applied for the current year. If you have questions, please email the Food Service staff at foodservice@aasd.k12.wi.us or by phone at (920) 852-5314.

Families with students who attend a CEP School (Community Eligibility Program) will continue to receive meals at no cost. Families are still encouraged to submit free or reduced meal applications each year. While CEP meals do not require an application, other waivers and benefits do. 

Feedback Requested on Instructional Materials

The Board of Education, as the governing body of the District, is legally responsible for all educational materials utilized within the instructional program of the AASD. We are currently soliciting feedback on the instructional materials for:

• Secondary Social Studies

As part of the adoption process, AASD staff members, students, parents, and residents are provided with the opportunity to examine and contribute feedback on the recommended instructional materials. The feedback collected will be considered by the committee to determine the final list of instructional materials recommended to the AASD Board of Education. Learn more about Materials Review in the AASD.

Elementary Counselors Introduce “Sources of Strength” to Build Lifelong Skills

Elementary school counselors teach life-long skills in classrooms in Kindergarten through grade 5.  They have been working to revise their lessons and are pleased to share information about a new resource they will be using to teach students. Find more information here about Sources of Strength for elementary students. 

A New Resource Available to AASD Students

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already part of everyday life—almost 9 out of 10 students say they use it in some way. In the future, using AI will likely be as common as sending an email, searching online, or using a computer.

In the AASD, we believe it’s important for schools and families to work together to help students learn how to use AI safely and responsibly. AI is always changing, so we want to give students safe opportunities to learn and practice. That’s why students will soon have access to MagicSchool, a platform designed for education. MagicSchool ensures AI is used responsibly, with strong privacy protections, teacher oversight, and filters that keep the focus on learning. Student safety and privacy come first—your child’s information will never be used to train AI.

Over the next several years, AASD will continue to learn about AI, train staff, and provide meaningful opportunities for students to explore how to use it effectively. As a district, we have created guidance for families about how AI can be a helpful tool in your student’s education. Our goal is to use AI thoughtfully to support your students’ growth while maintaining strong teacher-student relationships and ensuring privacy and safety. 

Reminder: Free Student Rides via Valley Transit Now Require WisGO

We want to share an important update about student transportation with Valley Transit. Beginning this school year, Valley Transit is transitioning to a new fare collection system. While AASD middle and high school students will continue to ride Valley Transit buses for free, student ID cards will no longer be accepted as fare. To ride for free, students must now use either the WisGO card or the WisGO mobile app. Students will choose one method only—either the card or the app—not both. Learn more about getting started here.

Community Opportunities for Students

Each month, the AASD shares local community opportunities for students. These community opportunities for students include upcoming events and activities such as art and music camps, youth athletics, cultural events, enriching programs, and more. We encourage our families to review these opportunities for students of all ages. Check out this page at any time for a current list of opportunities.