Appleton Area School District families,

This family message includes important updates and information on next year’s school calendar, the charter school application window for the 2025-26 school year (now open) and the upcoming Charter School Fair, an event for special education parents/guardians, an overview of weather-related school closures and Snow Day Partner Programs, winter clothing drive information, info about high school Explore Night, school and district state report cards, an opportunity to provide feedback on materials, and Community Opportunities for Students.

Important Upcoming Dates

• Monday, December 23, 2024, through Wednesday, January 1, 2025: No School (Find our yearly calendar here.) We’ll welcome our students back on Thursday, January 2, 2025.
• Friday, January 17, 2025: No School
• Monday, January 20, 2025: No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Charter schools and Appleton Central programs may follow their own calendar, please refer to your school or program calendar.

2025-26 School Year Calendar Approved

The AASD calendar for the 2025-26 school year was approved by our Board of Education on December 9, 2024. Meeting all State requirements, the calendar ensures instructional minutes and a post-September 1st start date. The approved calendar allocates surplus minutes to accommodate the potential cancellation of two school days due to severe weather conditions and ends the academic year during the first week of June. Learn more here.

Application Window Now Open for AASD Public Charter Schools

Our charter school application window is now open for the 2025-26 school year. AASD charter schools are tuition-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. Our application is a lottery process so there is no need to rush; take your time learning about all of our offerings. Learn more about our application timeline and what is needed to apply here.

Only in the AASD Charter School Fair

The Appleton Area School District will be hosting the Only in the AASD Charter School Fair this January! Join us from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 11, 2025, 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. Stop by the Fair for a convenient and easy way to learn more about each of our 15 different, tuition-free, public charter schools in one day and one location. Learn more.

Special Education Parent Panel & Social
Join us for an evening of connection and learning with fellow parents of students with disabilities. This event provides a unique opportunity to ask questions, share experiences, and gain valuable advice in a supportive environment. The event will take place on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. in the Einstein Middle School Cafeteria (324 E. Florida Ave). Beverages and light snacks will be provided. This event is free but requires registration for each attendee. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Steiner. 

Discover Your Future at AASD High School Explore Night

Will your student be attending Appleton East High School, Appleton North High School, or Appleton West High School next year? Discover their course offerings and extracurricular opportunities, tour the school, and meet staff at each school's Explore Night held on Monday, January 6, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Learn more here.

Help Keep AASD Families Warm This Winter

We are collecting new winter items to support our families in need. The collection will run from December 11 - February 28, 2025, with donations accepted on school days between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. at the Welcome Center, Family and Community Engagement Office, (2701 N. Oneida Street, Appleton). Items needed include gloves, boots, shoes, warm hats, headbands, coats, jackets, snow pants, and warm or heavy-duty socks. Please consider donating waterproof and warm items to help our students stay comfortable during the cold winter. If you have any questions, please contact Julie Bargholtz. Thank you for your generosity and support! Learn more.

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.

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 your child’s school to report the absence.

How can I find out if schools are closed? 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. Families can also listen to any local radio station or watch many local television stations for information about school closings.

We will stagger notifications to ensure timeliness while minimizing early-morning disruptions.

• Website and social media posting will be completed as soon as possible
• Email notification as early as possible, starting no earlier than 5:00 a.m.
• Text notification as early as possible, starting no earlier than 5:30 a.m.
• Phone calls at 5:45 a.m., to allow enough time for 10,000+ calls to be completed by shortly after 6:00 a.m.

A note about robocalls: We serve more than 15,000 students and our call-out system cannot call all of our families at the same time. It may take a few minutes to reach your family after the notification is sent. For that reason, we also post to our website and social media accounts as soon as we know the District will delay or close for the day.

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.  Learn more here.

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. The selection of educational materials is delegated to the professionally trained and certified personnel employed by the school system. The responsibility for coordinating and maintaining qualitative standards in the selection process rests with the Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction (ACI) department.

We are currently soliciting feedback on the instructional materials for:

• High School World Language

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.

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. 

Recently added flyers:

• Grand Chute Parks and Recreation Holiday Events
• Jr. Patriots Registration
• Transition Series for Special Education Parents from CESA 6
• Scholarship Informational Session
• Appleton Little League 2025

Miss a Family Communication? Find them all here.