AEW Blog

Concerned about OOF? We want to hear from you.

November 17 2025

Serious Concerns about SDW Board and Administration Actions Regarding Optimizing Our Future Plan

Alliance Statements, Board Meetings, Optimizing Our Future 504 plan, board meetings, community, concerns, dual language, IEP, oof, parents, school board, school closures, students, teachers, transparency 0

The Alliance for Education in Waukesha (AEW) is a parent-led organization, founded in January 2021, that is dedicated to safe, healthy and strong public schools in Waukesha. As such, we have deep concerns about the future of the School District of Waukesha (SDW) after the school board’s approval of the “Optimizing Our Future” (aptly nicknamed OOF) E.1 plan last Wednesday, November 12, 2025. Over the next week and a half, we’ll be diving in to a multitude of concerns that we feel are important to students, families, teachers, staff, and all members of the SDW community. Those include: Concerns about […]

A photo of SDW district office with the text Slow Down. Do Things Right.

October 17 2025

New Petition Alert: Slow Down “Optimizing Our Future”

Board Meetings, Optimizing Our Future, Petitions board meetings, impact study, oof, parents, petitions, school board, students, teachers

We all want to make sure our students’ needs are kept front and center in the “Optimizing Our Future” process in SDW. As the process moves forward, it’s clear that ALL students will potentially be impacted by the proposed changes and that the community has many questions and concerns that have yet to be addressed. That’s why we’ve started a NEW petition to ask the board and administration to: Slow down and take the time to comprehensively map out the logistics, costs, impacts, obstacles, and solutions inherent in each option. Commission an independent impact study to assess the impacts of […]

"The Alliance calls upon the community to continue to advocate for our students and schools, and to keep the focus on those in power. Let us learn from our diverse perspectives and collaborate to find solutions that work for everyone."

September 8 2025

The Alliance for Education in Waukesha Calls for “Optimizing Our Future” Pause, Impact Study, and Unity

Alliance Statements, Board Meetings, Optimizing Our Future, Press Releases board meetings, impact study, parents, school board, students, teachers

The Alliance for Education in Waukesha calls on School District of Waukesha community members to attend the next school board meeting on Wednesday, September 10th at 6:30pm to demand a pause to all “Optimizing Our Future” votes or action until an impact study is completed. We ask the community to stand united in efforts to ensure a bright future for all of Waukesha’s students. The district administration’s “Optimizing Our Future” options and short implementation timeline have raised significant alarm across our community. Major changes, including the closings, consolidation and sales of multiple schools, are set to occur by the start […]

White text on a black chalkboard background with a thin white border and a red apple in the corner. The text says, "An 'all-hands-on-deck approach 'means people being forced to do unpaid work, work they’re not qualified for, working without breaks, burning out and eventually quitting and making the staffing hole even bigger.'"

February 12 2024

Critical Shortage of Special Education Staff Affecting SDW Students

Open Letters 504 plan, IEP, parents, special education, students, superintendent, teachers, transparency

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View looking in to the Butler Middle School auditorium, where the seats are full and there are people standing behind.

November 29 2023

100+ Parents Attend Contentious Meeting About the Future of Personalized Learning in SDW

Alliance Statements administration, board meetings, compass, flight, middle school, parents, personalized learning programs, quest, school board, students, superintendent, teachers, transparency

(Español abajo) On Tuesday evening, over 100 parents, current and past students, and educators attended an extremely contentious meeting with SDW administrators about the future of the Personalized Learning Programs (PLP) in three of the district’s middle schools. Superintendent James Sebert, Deputy Superintendent Jen Gennerman and Director of Middle School Teaching and Learning Deirdre Garcia, along with the principals of Butler, Horning and Les Paul presented the reasoning for the discontinuation of the program. School board members Diane Voit, Mark Borowski, and Karrie Kozlowski were also present.

Logos for the Quest, Compass, and FLIGHT programs

November 27 2023

Alliance Statement on Discontinuation of Middle School Personalized Learning Programs (Compass, Flight, Quest)

Alliance Statements administration, board meetings, middle school, parents, personalized learning programs, quest, school board, students, teachers, transparency

The decision to discontinue Compass, Flight, and Quest is being made with no plan, no parental input, no data, and no alternatives. We encourage any family who has a student currently involved in the program, or who might want to have their student involved in the future, to please attend the meeting tomorrow evening to share your thoughts with district administration.

October 10 2023

Three Things – 10/10/23

Three Things board meetings, elementary school, food program, fundraiser, high school, parents, playground, PTO, school board, schools, students

Two more schools need help raising money for their playgrounds, Blessings in a Backpack is holding an electronics scrap drive, and we give you a recap of last weeks T&L meeting along with a reminder about tonight’s full board meeting in this week’s Three Things.

September 29 2023

Three Things – 9/29/23

Three Things administration, elementary school, fundraiser, IEP, parents, PTO, school board, schools, special education, students, survey, teachers, workshops

Help Lowell Elementary raise money for a new inclusive playground, learn about informational workshops from Parents United, and take a deeper dive into SDW’s staff turnover numbers in this week’s edition of Three Things.

the words "Back to School" written on a small chalkboard

September 12 2023

Three Things – 9/12/23

Three Things board meetings, elections, parents, school board, schools, students, teachers

The 2023-24 school year is under way, and in this week’s edition of Three Things, we’re giving you tips on how to help your kids manage the transition, how to build strong relationships with their teachers, and how to stay informed and get involved with our district.

September 2 2023

Waukesha Bus Driver Shortage Has Massive Impact on Students and Families

Press Releases parents, school board, school busing, students, superintendent, transparency

A bus driver shortage in the First Student Bus Company is set to have a major negative impact on students and families in the School District of Waukesha (SDW) as classes resume on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.

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