Appleton Area School District families,

In this month’s roundup, you’ll find important upcoming dates and reminders, including details about our community-wide potential referendum survey, new state and city policies impacting students, and the release of District and School Report Cards. 

We’re also sharing updates on health office notifications, the winter clothing drive, charter school applications, and how to stay informed during winter weather closures. Plus, learn about transportation changes, free and reduced meal applications, and new community opportunities for students. Miss a Family Communication? Find them all here.

Important Upcoming Dates (Find our yearly calendar here.)

• 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.

Reminder: Community-wide Potential Referendum Survey

The Appleton Area School District is gathering input on a potential referendum through a community-wide survey. Families received a personalized survey link via email on November 10 and a reminder email on November 18, and all households within the AASD attendance area have received 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. The survey will close on November 26, 2025.

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. 

Thank you so much for your response; it is essential in guiding our future decisions.

New Wisconsin Law on Student Cell Phone Use

You may have seen that a new Wisconsin law was signed earlier this month that requires all school districts to have a policy in place by July 1, 2026, that limits student use of personal electronic devices—such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, and gaming devices—during instructional time. 

The AASD already has clear expectations in place regarding student use of personal electronic communication devices at both the middle and high school levels. These existing guidelines closely align with the intent of Wisconsin’s newly signed legislation, which seeks to limit distractions and support focused, engaging learning environments during instructional time.

Over the coming months, the AASD will review the new law in detail and work to integrate its requirements into our existing District policy. The law allows certain exceptions, including emergencies, health needs, individualized education plans (IEPs or 504 plans), or when a teacher permits use for educational purposes. This process will ensure continued consistency with state expectations while maintaining our commitment to creating safe, supportive, and distraction-free classrooms.

Important Update: New City Ordinance Related to Student Attendance

The Appleton Area School District believes that school attendance is critical to the success of all students, and is a responsibility shared by students, parents, schools, and our community. The AASD is committed to partnering with our families and community to support student attendance.

The AASD is concerned about excessive absences, especially for students who miss 18 or more days, because they can lead to lost learning, failed classes, and even prevent graduation. As a result, the District and the City of Appleton recently worked together to reinstate an attendance/truancy ordinance. The Common Council adopted the ordinance that took effect on November 1, 2025. 

This ordinance enforces the state law requiring all children under 18 to attend school regularly. For AASD high school students who are habitually truant (5+ unexcused absences in a semester) and have excessive absences affecting academic success, this ordinance could result in a ticket. Learn more here.

This information was originally shared with our high school students and families, but we want to ensure all AASD families are aware.

District & School Report Cards

As part of the state accountability system, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) produces report cards for every district and school in Wisconsin. School report cards provide a school and district-wide overview of:

• Student Achievement
• Student Growth
• Target Group Outcomes
• On-Track and Post-Secondary Readiness

Click here to access the district and school report cards, or click here for a list of Educational Options and Opportunities.

Health Office Visit Notifications

Beginning in the next month, parents/guardians will start receiving communication through Infinite Campus if their student visits their school’s Health Office or receives any as-needed medication during the school day. These messages are intended to keep you informed about your student’s health and wellness while at school. 

We encourage you to talk with your student about any Health Office visits they have, so you can stay connected about how they’re feeling and any support they may need. If you have any questions about a notification or your student’s health needs, please contact your school directly. Thank you for partnering with us to support your students’ well-being!

Winter Clothing Drive for AASD Students

We are collecting new winter items to support our students in need. The collection will run from December 1, 2025, through January 30, 2026, with donations accepted on school days between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at the Welcome Center, Family and Community Engagement Office, (2701 N. Oneida Street, Appleton). 

Items needed include gloves, boots, warm hats, coats, jackets, and snow pants. To ensure the health and safety of our students, we can only accept new items. Please donate waterproof and warm items only, as these help keep our students the most comfortable and protected during the winter months.

If you have any questions, please contact Julie Bargholtz. Thank you for your generosity and support! Learn more.

AASD Charter School Application Window Opens December 1, 2025

Our charter school application window will open on Monday, December 1, 2025, for the 2026-2027 school year. AASD charter schools are free, public schools that offer unique, innovative programming such as environmental education, online learning, project-based, engineering, manufacturing, fine arts, bilingual learning, and Montessori education. 

In the AASD, charter school acceptance is determined via a lottery application held every December through February. Because our application uses a lottery process, there’s no need to hurry—take the time to explore all of our schools and find the best fit for your student. Learn more about our application timeline and what is needed to apply here.

"Only in the AASD" Charter School Fair to be Held on January 10, 2026

We will be hosting the Only in the AASD Charter School Fair this January! Learn more about the innovative and unique learning opportunities found only in the AASD. Join us from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 10, 2026, in the Appleton West Emmanuel Gym (610 N. Badger Ave). The event is free and open to the public. Interpreters will be available for families whose home language is Spanish or Hmong.

School Closure Information

When the weather is bad, we follow a process for deciding if schools will be open or closed. The district must make a decision that is best for all students. We encourage and strongly support you in making the decision that is best for your child(ren). You are always the best judge of your child’s health and safety. If you do decide to keep your child(ren) home on a day when school is in session, please be sure to contact their school to report the absence.

How can I find out if schools are closed or delayed? Families will be notified via Infinite Campus alerts with robocalls, emails, text messages, or a combination to reach all families in case of school start delays or closures. Please ensure that your Infinite Campus contact preferences are up to date. On days when the weather is questionable, families can always check the District website or their school's website for an alert. The District’s social media will also be updated. Families can also listen to any local radio station or watch many local television stations for information about school closings.

Snow Day Partner Programs

When severe weather strikes and our schools are closed, our partners at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley and YMCA can help! Both programs offer care options for families on these days. From structured activities to nutritious meals, they provide a safe and nurturing environment for students when schools are closed due to severe weather or other unexpected situations. 

Explore the Boys & Girls Club of the Fox Valley and YMCA’s range of services designed to support families and students during school closures here.

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. 

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. 

District Digest

Did you receive your copy of the District Digest, our Community Newsletter, sent last month? The Appleton Area School District's District Digest is published twice each year and distributed to our community via U.S mail. Check it out here.