La Crosse School District launches community engagement initiative

An initiative to help the community get involved with the La Crosse School District is beginning Friday, with the first of eight monthly sessions, at the Hogan Administration Center.

The program Leadership SDLC was put together by both the School District of La Crosse and the La Crosse Public Education Foundation.

It is aimed at deepening the understanding of select local leaders called to positively transform the region through active engagement in schools and community.

Throughout Leadership SDLC nine months of programs, this group of community members that will be partaking in sessions to get insight into district governance, operational processes, leadership principles and actively foster involvement in La Crosse schools.

“Leadership SDLC underscores our belief in community involvement and its critical role in advancing the quality of education,” Dr. Aaron Engel, Superintendent of the School District of La Crosse, said in a statement. “By empowering community members with knowledge and insight, we create a stronger foundation for collaborative efforts, ultimately benefiting our students and our community as a whole.”

The program’s structure includes monthly 90-minute sessions, featuring networking opportunities, discussions on key chapters from Jamie Vollmer’s enlightening book “School Cannot Do It Alone,” and department presentations with Q&A by diverse district leaders.

These sessions will cover various aspects of education, such as curriculum, instruction and assessments, technology, special education, school facilities, safety, school culture and community engagement, plus much more. 

Scheduled sessions, hosted at the Hogan Administrative Center, will cover topics that provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the school district and its operations:

• Friday, October 20 – District Overview, School Community Relations, and Engagement
• Friday, November 10 – District/State Budget & Funding
• Friday, December 15 – School/Classroom Leadership & Assessment Tools
• Friday, January 12, 2024 – Digital Learning & Technology
• Friday, February 16 – Student Services & Special Education
• Friday, March 15 –  District Operations, Facilities & Construction
• Friday, April 19 – School Culture, Safety, & Staff/Community Engagement
• Friday, May 17 – Redefining Ready – New measures of student success