Wisconsin Public Education Network Event & Action Calendar

Please check back regularly for new events and updates!
The events below are listed in chronological order with upcoming events at the top. If you have an event you’d like to add to the calendar, please contact us. We publish events hosted or sponsored by our Network partners, and events of general interest to supporters of strong public schools.
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Note: An I love my public school Logo Display heart indicates a Wisconsin Public Education Network-sponsored event, meeting, or action.

Wisconsin Public Education Network Events & Actions:

  • Nov. 10, 2020: WEAC webinar for parents/guardians and families — “Is Your Child Getting Enough Social-Emotional Support?” — 5:30 p.m. Information and registration here.
  • Nov. 3, 2020: General Election. Polls open 7am to 8pm.
  • See below the map of local events and opportunities associated with the 2020 #VotePublic campaign, and click here to sign up for one of the #VotePublic Action Workshops.

  • Aug 11, 2020: Partisan Primary. Polls open 7am to 8pm.

  • Logo DisplayFriday, July 24, 2020: 6th Annual Summer Summit in Sun Prairie! Register here: https://summersummit2020.eventbrite.com.
  • Logo Display Wed. May 13: Virtual Town Hall. REGISTER NOW at https://forms.gle/Ja4Zww1YTQiQoRab6
  • May 12: Board of Education Training sponsored by WEAC Regions 5 & 6. Online from 5:00-6:15 pm – featuring a presentation from WPEN!Agenda:
    School, Community and Decision-Making
    Contracting and Building Policies
    Challenges for School Funding and Public Education
    To register (free of charge) please contact:

    Margo Schmidt at: schmidtm@weac.org or 608 298 2384

  • May 1: Census enumeration begins (door to door). Click here for census resources for educators.
    Click here to take the PLEDGE TO BE COUNTED!
  • Logo DisplayApril 14: Virtual Meeting of Network Partners
  • April 7, 2020: Spring Election. Polls open 7am to 8pm.
  • Logo DisplayMarch 30: Webinar: Helping From Home [see archived program here]
  • March 12: Online census is open!
  • March 2: “Public Schools, the Cornerstone of Democracy” FCA4PE welcomes Dr. Julie Mead (UW-Madison) to the Fox Cities. 6:30- 7 p.m. social; 7-8:30 p.m. presentation/Q&A. Shattuck Community Room, Neenah Public Library, 240 E. Washington Ave., Neenah, WI 54956. Public welcome.
  • Feb. 29: Edcamp Social Justice, Sun Prairie.
  • Logo DisplayFeb. 24-28, 2020: WE LOVE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WEEK (Note change of date this year to coincide with national Public Schools Week)
  • Feb. 18: Spring Primary Election. Polls open 7am to 8pm
  • Logo DisplayFeb. 14: Wisconsin Public Education Network meeting & Special Delivery event – state capitol. Meeting 9am-11am, North Hearing Room, followed by special deliveries. Meet up for lunch at the Great Dane after delivering Valentines to your lawmakers!
  • Wed. Jan 29: ACLU Smart Justice Lobby Day. We support the “invest in schools, not prisons” message of our friends at the ACLU and join the call for common sense justice reforms to combat the radical inequities in our communities and schools.
  • Jan. 23, 2020: Go Public Happy Hour with Wisconsin Public Education Network Partners at the State Education Convention. 4:30-6:30 pm, Monarch Lounge, 2nd floor, Hilton (across from the registration desk).
  • Dec. 14: Education forum with the Democratic Candidates for President
  • Logo DisplayDec. 13: Trivia Night at Bounce Milwaukee to celebrate 2019 collaboration of WPEN, ACLU of Wisconsin, WiLD and Wisconsin Voices.
  • Logo DisplayDecember 6:  Wisconsin Public Education Network meeting and ANNUAL WINTER SOCIAL. RSVP HERE!
  • Nov. 16: Educators Amplified LIVE 2nd Anniversary Broadcast!
    In person at Sugar Maple in Bayview or live on 1510AM
  • Nov. 9: Fair Maps Summit, Marshfield. See lineup and RSVP here: https://www.fairmaps4wisummit.com​​. WPEN will be tabling at this event so be sure to stop by and say hi!
  • Nov. 2: AAUW WI Public Policy Day, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Madison Technical College, Traux Campus, 1705 Hoffman St. | Madison, WI 53704
    Public Policy Day Info & Registration Form. WPEN is presenting at this event.
  • Wisconsin Leadership Development (WiLD) Training is organizing workshop Oct. 24-26 in Milwaukee. If you have a team you’d like to bring to the training, or know individuals who want to attend, please contact Heather at hdb@WisconsinNetwork.org. WPEN has sent many teams through this excellent training and highly recommends it for those ready to take their local advocacy to the next level! Learn More and Register for the Workshop.
  • Oct 28-29: 2019 Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance (WiRSA) Conference, Glacier Canyon Lodge Conference Center in Wisconsin Dells.  Register here.  More details here. WPEN will table and present at this event.
  • Logo DisplayOctober 7: Regular Meeting of Wisconsin Public Education Network partners, Milwaukee. Register and submit your reports if you can’t attend here.
  • Oct 3-4: Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted conference,​ Wisconsin Dells. WPEN will be tabling at this event!
  • The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities is recruiting family members or self-advocates for Wisconsin Partners in Policymaking, a six-session advocacy and systems change training program designed to develop a group of future leaders across the state to work with legislators and communities on policies and initiatives that will support the full participation and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of life. Click here to apply and learn more.  Deadline: Sept. 30.
  • Sept. 24, 2019: Dr. Julie Mead to speak in Green Bay on the future of public education. Dr. Julie Mead, UW Madison School of Education Professor in the Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis department, will speak at Washington Middle School Auditorium at 314 S Baird Street in Green Bay at 6:30 p.m.  The presentation is hosted by the League of Women Voters of Greater Green Bay, with the support of the Patricia Marguerite O’Neill Memorial Fund.  Dr. Mead will discuss the tradeoffs involved in the various forms of school privatization and the implications of those policies on public education.  Prior to Dr. Mead’s presentation there will be a social hour from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and following Dr. Mead’s presentation there will be question and answer session. The event is free to the public and all are encouraged to attend.
  • Sept. 19: Annual State of Education Address, Wisconsin State Capitol, 12-1pm
  • Logo DisplayAugust 5: 5th Annual Summer Summit, La Crosse. 
  • Logo DisplayOFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND DETAILS
  • Joint Finance Committee Takes up EDUCATION BUDGET. Press event at Capitol. 10 am. Details TDB. Committee takes up budget at 11 am. Contact your legislature and the members of the JFC BEFORE then.
  • Logo Display WHAT THE BUDGET REALLY MEANS TO WISCONSIN STUDENTS. May 16,   4-6 pm, UW-Madison. for a frank conversation with district leaders on what the 2019-2021 state budget really means to the 860,000 children attending Wisconsin’s public schools – and what we can do about it. Cosponsored by WPEN and Wisconsin Collaborative Education Network.  RSVP today at http://bit.ly/2019WiBudget
  • STATE BUDGET HEARINGS were held in April in Janesville, Oak Creek, River Falls and Green Bay.
  • Thursday, April 4: A Time for Action: School Funding Report Forum with Green Bay Superintendent Michelle Langenfeld; Milwaukee Public Schools’ Legislative Policy Manager, Chris Thiel and WI Public Education Network’s Heather DuBois Bourenane, Green Bay. Sponsored by the Green Bay League of Women Voters.
  • Thursday April 4: How Will the State Budget Affect Our Public Schools? A Budget Forum with Dr. Julie Underwood and Dr. Phil Ertl, sponsored by SOS-Support Our Schools Wauwatosa.
  • Tues. April 2: SPRING ELECTION. Early (in person absentee) voting going on NOW. Local advocacy teams are holding candidate forums around the state – make sure you get informed and cast a vote for local candidates that support strong public schools!
  • March 30: Art Build and Video Testimony Party, UW-Milwaukee. Details tba! Contact Jarrett English for more info: jenglish@aclu-wi.org
  • Sat. March 23: Budget Action Training, Kenosha
  • Logo Display Wed. March 14: Eat, Drink & Be the Change! A fun social event with “speed dating” to get to know each other and practice sharing our reasons for budget advocacy, plus planning time for Dane County advocates (all issues welcome). RSVP here.
  • Logo Display Wednesdays in Eau Claire – Weekly Budget Hours from 6-7pm! March 13 kicks off at The Plus (208 S. Barstow/Eau Claire). Contact Chris Hambuch-Boyle for more info: chbschoolboard@gmail.com
  • Logo Display Budget Action Workshops – get the tools and connections you need to be a more effective advocate for the budget our students deserve! Register here for any of the four regional trainings:
    March 2: Kaukauna
    March 3: Middleton
    March 9: Eau Claire
    March 10: Milwaukee
  • Feb. 27, 2019: “How School Privatization opens the Door for Discrimination” talk by Prof. Julie Mead. Appleton Public Library, Room ABC, 225 N. Oneida St., Appleton
  • Logo Display Feb. 11-15, 2019: 3rd Annual #ILoveOurPublicSchools Week. See our toolkit here and plan to celebrate local schools all week long!
  • Jan. 23-25, 2019: State Education Convention, Milwaukee
    Join us from 4:30-6:30 on Thursday Jan. 24 for a #GoPublic Happy Hour in the Monarch Lounge at the Hilton, and stop by the exhibition hall any time to visit us in booth 1124!
  • Governor-elect Tony Evers’ team is holding a new kind of listening session to gather public input to inform their 2019-2021 biennial budget. “Rather than a traditional listening session format, attendees will participate in small group sessions that focus on specific issue areas, generate group discussion, and create valuable feedback for our policy teams. These events are great opportunities for people to have their voices heard and their policy items prioritized.”Information about each session, as well as the link to RSVP to each event, is below:
    • December 11, 4:30PM-6:00PM: Green Bay, University of Wisconsin Green Bay, Phoenix Room. 2420 Nicolet Dr, Green Bay, WI 54311. Register for Green Bay session at this Green Bay link.
    • December 12, 12:00PM-1:30PM: Wausau, Wausau Labor Temple. 318 South Third Avenue, Wausau, WI 54401. Register for the Wausau session at this Wausau link.
    • December 18, 12:00PM-1:30PM: La Crosse, American Legion Post 52. 711 6th St South, La Crosse, WI 54601. Register for the La Crosse session at this La Crosse link.
    • December 19, 4:30PM-6:00PM: Milwaukee, United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County Volunteer Center. 200 West Pleasant Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212. Register for the Milwaukee session at this Milwaukee link.

    Let’s not miss our chance to participate in these events and share our priorities for what our students and schools need most!

  • Dec. 19, 9am, WI State Capitol: Final (?) meeting of Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding  No public input will be heard. The Commission will meet to finalize recommendations on school funding after a year of meetings and hearings held around the state. See our Blue Ribbon HQ page for more info.
  • Dec. 7: Wisconsin Public Education Network meeting (3-5pm) and Winter Social (5-7), 33 Nob Hill, Madison. With very special guests Lieutenant Governor-elect Mandela Barnes, Treasurer-elect Sarah Godlewski and DPI Communications Director Tom McCarthy.
  • Nov. 13: Public Schools & Democracy: A Community Conversation with Dr. Julie Mead. Sun Prairie Public Library, 6:30-8 pm. Cosponsored by SPARC and the Sun Prairie Public Library.
  • Nov. 6: Election Day. Polls open 7am to 8pm statewide. Visit Wisconsin Vote to learn more, and MyVote.wi.gov to register, find your polling place, and see a sample ballot. In-person absentee voting takes place starting Sept. 24 (check with your local clerk for hours).  Visit our Vote Public HQ ​for more.
  • Oct. 29-30: Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance annual conference, Wisconsin Dells. WPEN will be presenting! Come say hi!
  • Oct 25:  What’s Next for Our Public Schools? Legislators Talk Strategy. 6:30-8pm, Christ Presbyterian Church, Madison. This forum with area legislators is co-hosted by Wisconsin Public Education Network, GRUMPS (Grandparents United for Madison Public Schools), and MTI. Facebook event here.
  • Oct 20-21: Network for Public Education Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Oct 16 & 17: Elmbrook Schools Hosts Legislative Candidate Forums (Assembly Districts 13 and 14 and Senate District 5), 6:30pm for a brief, candidate meet and greet before the forum begins at 7pm. Both forums will be recorded and available to the community for viewing from the District website on October 18. To register for these events, please click on the date(s) linked below:

    Tuesday, October 16
    Candidates for Wisconsin State Assembly District 13
    Rob Hutton
    Dennis McBride
    Candidates for Wisconsin State Assembly District 14
    Matt Adamczyk
    Robyn Vining

    Wednesday, October 17
    Candidates for Wisconsin State Senate District 5
    Julie Henszey
    Dale Kooyenga

  • Oct. 13: Educators Amplified, Milwaukee
  • Logo Display  Oct. 1-6: VOTE PUBLIC Week of Action! Learn more at our #VotePublic HQ page
  • Logo Display  Sept. 25: Free Screening: Backpack Full of Cash, Racine, featuring opening remarks by WPEN director Heather DuBois Bourenane. Co-hosted by REA-Unity.
  • Sept. 22: Wisconsin Grassroots Festival Eau Claire. One of the featured keynotes is WPEN partner and education advocate Sheila Plotkin!
  • Logo Display Sept. 20: State of Education Address (12-1) and Wisconsin Public Education Network Friend of Education Reception (1-2) and meeting (2-3:30). RSVP here. Facebook event here.
  • Sept. 19-22: Fall Superintendent’s Conference (WASDA), Madison
  • Logo Display August 1, 4th Annual Wisconsin Public Education Network Summer Summit, Appleton North High School
  • June 4, Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding, Madison. RSVP here.
  • Monday, May 21 Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding Public Hearing:  Turtle Lake. RSVP here.
  • Saturday May 12- Educator’s Amplified Live Radio Broadcast, Miramar Theater, 2844 N. Oakland Ave Milwaukee WI
  • Logo Display May 11, Wisconsin Public Education Network meeting, Milwaukee (hosted by Parents for Public Schools-Milwaukee) RSVP here.
  • Logo Display PUBLIC TALK: Friday, May 11: An Evening with Jennifer Berkshire, Milwaukee, More info here on this event cohosted by WPEN and Parents for Public Schools-Milwaukee with national public education blogger and privatization expert Jennifer Berkshire
  • Monday, May 7 Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding Public Hearing: Tomahawk. RSVP here.
  • Wednesday May 2: Screening of “Backpack Full of Cash” – 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Greendale High School, 6801 Southway, Greendale, with Tim Slekar, Jeff Pertl and Jim Bender on the panel. Sponsored by Greendale Education Association. More info here.
  • April 27-29, Wisconsin PTA Annual Convention, Janesville Ramada.
  • April 27FILM SCREENING: The brand-new advocacy team, Coulee Region Public Education Network, plans to launch its kickoff event with a free screening of “Backpacks Full of Cash” on Friday, April 27 at 7pm at the Rivoli Theatre in La Crosse.
  • April 26: The Manitowoc League of Women Voters is sponsoring a talk on Thursday, April 26: “The Cost of School Vouchers: Who is paying the price?” with WPEN’s Heather DuBois Bourenane; Mark Holzman, Manitowoc Public School District Superintendent; and Lisa Quistorf, Two Rivers School District Superintendent. Screen Shot 2018-04-09 at 10.06.10 AM
  • April 23  Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding Public Hearing: Oshkosh. RSVP here.
  • Logo Display April 13, Wisconsin Public Education Network meeting, Green Bay (hosted by the Green Bay League of Women Voters) RSVP here.
  • FILM SCREENING: Community Advocates 4 Public Schools (CAPS) in Watertown is hosting a FREE screening of Backpack Full of Cash on Wed. April 11 at the Towne Cinema in Watertown.
  • April 9, Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding Public Hearing: Fennimore. RSVP here.
  • April 3, Spring Election
  • April 2018: Month of the Military Child
  • March 26, Public Hearing: Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding 2:00 PM, Foth, 2121 Innovation Court De Pere, WI 54115. Click here to RSVP.
  • Logo Display March 12, 5pm. Screening of Backpack Full of Cash, Racine
  • Logo Display March 16, Wisconsin Public Education Network meeting, Sun Prairie, 10-noon. RSVP here.
  • March 5, Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding Public Hearing,  Lacrosse, 1pm-6pm. RSVP and Details.
  • March 2018: Middle Level Education Month 
  • Feb. 14: Wisconsin PTA (Parent Teacher Association) Legislative Conference. 9am-2pm, Wisconsin State Capitol, 2nd Floor North Hearing Room. Facebook event here. Speakers include Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt and Wisconsin Public Education Network’s Heather DuBois Bourenane.
  • Logo Display Feb. 12, Wisconsin Public Education Network meeting and I Love My Public Schools week kickoff event, hosted by CAPE Middleton, 12:30-2:30, Middleton Public Library. CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR FEB. 12 MEETING.
  •  Logo Display MY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WEEK, February 12-16 Stayed tuned for action events for this week.
  • Feb 2: meeting of Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding. Public testimony opportunity. 10:30 am to 4 pm at the James Madison Academic Campus, 8135 W. Florist Ave, Milwaukee.  (See map.) Click here to RSVP with WPEN and connect with others who plan to testify.
  • Jan. 27: Educators Amplified: What Does Accountability Really Mean? 12-3pm, Cactus Club, Bayview, WI, 2496 S. Wentworth Ave. Cosponsored by Schools and Communities Unites and WEAC Region 7. Featuring Earl Ingraham and Tim Slekar.educators amplified 1.27.18
  • Logo Display WPEN Partner Meeting, January 12th. 1 pm – 3 pm, Kaukauna Public Library. Please RSVP here. Followed by the first Summer Summit Planning Meeting.
  • Jan. 11, hearing on “Teacher Protection Act” – a bill uniformly opposed by WPEN partners and public education advocates. Testify in person Thu. Jan. 11, 9:00 AM North Hearing Room (2nd Floor North) (testimony will likely be limited to 2 minutes) or via email by sending written testimony or a statement of opposition to Rep.OttJ@legis.wisconsin.gov as well as to your own legislators. Find your legislators’ contact information at http://legis.wisconsin.gov. A press conference organized by Disability Rights Wisconsin begins at 8:30 am.  Please join them by 8:15 in 415 NW to participate. All are welcome.
  • Logo Display FREE WEBINAR: Go Public! Using Social Media, January 10th. Now available online here: http://socialschool4edu.respond.ontraport.net/go-public-using-social-media-celebrate-public-school

Jan.10Webinar

  • Logo Display WPEN Partner Meeting, December 15th. 2 pm – 4 pm, followed by Winter Social. [Cancelled]
  • Logo Display WPEN Partner Meeting, November 10th. 10 am – 12 pm, WEAC Builidng  33 Nob Hill Rd, Madison, WI 53713
  • 2017 Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance Conference, Oct. 30-31, Wisconsin Dells: “Rural Schools– The Heart and Soul of Wisconsin” 2017 WiRSA Conference info
  • FIRST ANNUAL WAUSAU GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL,  Saturday October 7, 2017, Registration 8:00 / Event 9:30, Wausau Labor Temple
    318 S 3rd Ave. – Wausau, WI. Features panel, WPEN Smart Education, with Jeff Leverich and David Gorski.
  • Crisis in Wisconsin’s K-12 Education Funding. Capitol Lakes Grand Hall 333 West Main Street Madison, WI, 53703

      How can Dane County communities deal with declining financial support, changing demographics, and attacks on the concept of public education?

      Jeff Pertl, Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Public Instruction, and District 17 Supervisor, Dane County Board

      Julie Mead, Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, UW–Madison

      Heather DuBois Bourenane, Executive Director, Wisconsin Public Education Network

    • ThiLogo Displayrd Annual Wisconsin Public Education Network SUMMER SUMMIT
      Wed. August 9, Lake Mills High School – click here to register and learn more!  Full day of panel and workshop presentations, networking with advocates from around the state, and featuring the Wisconsin Premiere of “Backpack Full of Cash.” 
      Summer Summit 2017 graphic + Backpack promo
    • Logo DisplayTraining opportunity! July 27-29, Wausau: Wisconsin Leadership Development Project training. This 2.5 day workshop has provided invaluable training and networking opportunities to over 75 Wisconsin Public Education Network partners and grassroots team members around the state. The focus on relationship-based organizing, telling your own story in a way that show others why you do the work you do, and focused strategies for organizing teams and local level actions has been a great help to us as we continue to work to support local schools. Click here to register by July 5: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc1Qx6_5q7_b0theEj6t1xRvj1j_lRPOWpb7-NvWWz-bk53ug/viewform?c=0&w=1
    • June 20: School Choice, Politics, and Money. Sponsored by NAACP-Milwaukee, Women Informed, and Schools & Communities United. 2745 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. 6-8pm.  More here
    • DPI to hold six public listening sessions on ESSA plan in June:
      • June 12, 8 to 10 a.m. — CESA 1, N25 W23131 Paul Road, Suite 100, Pewaukee;
      • June 15, 9 to 11 a.m. — CESA 9, 304 Kaphaem Road, Tomahawk;
      • June 16, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. — CESA 6 Conference Center, 2300 State Road 44, Oshkosh;
      • June 19, 1 to 3 p.m. — CESA 4, 923 East Garland Street, West Salem;
      • June 19, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. — Milwaukee Public Schools Central Services, 5225 West Vliet Street, Room 206-208, Milwaukee; and
      • June 27, 1 to 3 p.m. — Lussier Community Education Center, 55 South Gammon Road, Community Room, Madison.
    • Tuesday, May 16, 6:00pm. South Milwaukee Forum on the Impact of Private School Vouchers. Presenters will include representatives of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the School District of South Milwaukee, and the Wisconsin State Legislature. South Milwaukee High School, 801-15 th Ave., South Milwaukee. Contact: Guy Costello / 608-395- 1914
    • Sat. May 13, 1-3 pm. Merrill. School Voucher Information Presentation. As a result of education reforms coming out of the state legislature in Madison, Wisconsin taxpayers are now footing a bill of more than $248 million for school vouchers for the 2016-2017 annual school year.  Currently, more than 59,000 children receive vouchers to attend independent charter schools, privately-run/for-profit schools, or, religious schools. (In contrast, approximately 90% of K-12 students attend public schools.) To learn how school vouchers impact public school children, your local property taxes, and, the community’s ability to effectively manage and control their own school district, the public is invited to attend an informational meeting sponsored by the League of Women Voters in partnership with The No Vouchers Coalition. This event will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2017 from 1:00-3:00pm at T.B. Scott Public Library (in the Community Room) in Merrill. Guest Speaker will be Representative Sondy Pope, who serves on the legislature’s Education Committee and as Vice-Chair of the Task Force on Urban Education.
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      Fri May 12 Wisconsin Public Education Network Meeting,  10am-12pm, Fisher Building (12121 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa). Hosted by SOS-Wauwatosa. Click here to RSVP for May 12 meeting.

    • Joint Finance Committee: Public Hearings on the 2017-2019 Wisconsin Budget
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      BUDGET ACTION OPPORTUNITY! TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF A BUDGET THAT ENSURES STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS & THRIVING COMMUNITIES!  Click here for our full and regularly updated BUDGET ACTION GUIDE

      • Monday, April 3, 10am – 5pm UW-Platteville, Ullsvick Hall,30 South Hickory Street, Platteville, WI 53818
      • Wednesday, April 5, 10 am – 6pm State Fair Park, Exposition Center, 8200 West Greenfield Avenue, West Allis, WI 53214 (Milwaukee)
      • Friday, April 7, 10am – 5pm Berlin High School, Auditorium, 222 Memorial Drive, Berlin, WI 54923
      • Tuesday, April 18, 10am – 6pm Spooner High School, Auditorium, 801 County Highway A, Spooner, WI 54801
      • Wednesday, April 19, 10am – 5pm Ellsworth High School, Gymnasium, 323 West Hillcrest Street, Ellsworth, WI 54011
      • Friday, April 21, 10am – 5pm Marinette High School, Auditorium,
        2135 Pierce Avenue, Marinette, WI 54143
      YOUR VOICE MATTERS!  If you are interested in connecting to the regional Budget Action Planning team in your area to participate in JFC Hearing actions and share your concerns about the budget at the hearings and in your community, please contact the coordinator listed for your region here.
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      Fri April 7, Wisconsin Public Education Network Meeting 10am-12pm, Portage County Public Library, Stevens Point. Hosted by School Funding Reform for Wisconsin. Meeting cancelled due to conflict with Berlin JFC Hearing. Our apologies to the School Funding Reform for Wisconsin team – we hope we can reschedule a meeting in this region soon!

    • April 6, Active McFarland is sponsoring a talk on “Wisconsin’s Voucher Program: How It’s Affecting Our Public Schools and Our Children” by Jeff Leverich, senior researcher for the Wisconsin Education Association Council. 7:00-8:30 pm.  E.D. Locke Public Library, 5920 Milwaukee St. in McFarland.
    • March 25: Wisconsin Grassroots Festival. 9am to 4:45pm, Wisconsin Heights High School, Mazomanie. Dr. Julie Mead is a featured speaker on the topic “Fighting for Education”
    • March 20: SOS Budget Forum. Longfellow Middle School in Wauwatosa from 7 to 9 pm. Jeff Pertl of DPI will present and there will be a panel of education experts (including Wauwatosa Phil Ertl, Chris Thiel and a rep from Women Informed) to take questions from attendees.
    • March 16: Wine not Whine, Lyons Irish Pub. Hosted by Watertown CAPS. Join us for an evening of action when we write postcards to our legislators urging them to restore fair funding to public schools. Enjoy the company of other public education advocates as we stand up for our public schools together!
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      Mon March 13 [note date change], Wisconsin Public Education Network Meeting Eau Claire, WI. 1-4 pm. WPEN meeting 1-3 pm (followed by Budget Action & Legislative Advocacy Workshop 3-5 pm), Eau Claire Area School District Administration Building at 500 Main Street. Hosted by ECASD. Click here to RSVP for March 13 meeting.

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      March 9-11: WiLD (Wisconsin Leadership Development) Training, Milwaukee. This 2.5 day training has already been attended by nearly 75 education advocates around the state. Bring your team and connect to an organizing model that focuses on building relationships around shared values to make a local impact that has state-level consequences. These trainings have also provided opportunity for us to strengthen our statewide Network by developing local level teams.  Contact Heather at hdb@WisconsinNetwork.org to learn more and get registered. Scholarships available.

    • Logo DisplayTues. Feb. 28. State Funding, Local Impacts: What You Can Do to Support Sun Prairie Public Schools. sp flier
      Sun Prairie Public Library, 1350 Linnerud. Featuring presentations by DPI’s Tom McCarthy, SPASD Superintendent Dr. Bradford Saron, and Heather DuBois Bourenane of Wisconsin Public Education Network and Support Sun Prairie Schools, followed by audience discussion and Q&A.
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      Thurs, Feb. 16. UW-Madison Professor Julie Mead: “WisconsStoughton Forum on Vouchers-page-001in’s Voucher Program: What is it Doing to Public Schools and our Kids?” Sponsored by Active McFarland, Oregon Area Progressives, and Stoughton Dems & Progressives. Time: 7:00 pm; Place: Stoughton High School Cafetorium, 600 Lincoln Ave.

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      Feb. 13-17, I Love My Public School Week of Action. WPEN encourages local teams and individuals to consider how they can send a positive message of support for local schools to elected officials and decision-makers. Send valentine postcards to your legislators, hold an event, write a letter to the editor, deliver a gift to your school/district office – then amI love my public school WEEK OF ACTIONplify the message on social media and by letting us help share your story. Use hashtag #ILoveMyPublicSchool. Please plans/photos/posts to Heather at hdb@WisconsinNetwork.org or tag us on facebook (@WisconsinNetwork) or Twitter (@WiscEdNetwork) – let’s create a blizzard of love for our schools this week!

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      Mon. Feb. 13: Wisconsin Public Education Network meeting. 10am-12pm (followed by 12-1 Capitol visit). Madison – WASB office, 122 West Washington Avenue, Suite 400 . This meeting will be followed by a visit to the Capitol to kick off the Feb. 13-17 I LOVE MY PUBLIC SCHOOL Week of Action. Click here to RSVP for one or both parts of the meeting.

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      NOW-Feb. 10: DEMAND RESTORED FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS! Call for LETTERS & OP-EDs. We are calling on our statwide partners to “be the media” and publish op eds and letters all around the state that put forward a positive, aspirational message about what we expect to see in the 2017-2019 budget to support our schools. New reports indicate that the legislature has $2 billion to work with. Let’s do the right thing and restore funding to our public schools! Our goal is to come out in FRONT of the Governor’s budget proposal by painting a picture of what full and adequate funding looks like where we live. Please share letters/pieces from your group/region with us so we can help amplify your voices. If you have questions about messaging or need a proof-reader, get in touch.

    • Feb 8: Governor Walker’s Budget Release/Address
    • Logo DisplayThurs. Feb. 2: Bridging Urban & Rural Education Divides: A Conversation with Katherine Cramer, author of The Politics of Resentment. Dr. Cramer is Director of the Morgridge Center for Public Service and professor of political science at UW-Madison.  She’ll sit down with Network partners to talk about what we can do to bridge our gaps. Click here to register.
      Cramer Event graphic 1.25.17 2
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      NOW through JAN. 31: The vote to confirm the Secretary of the
      Department of Education has been delayed to Jan. 31 due to ethics concerns. Wisconsin Public Education Network partners have shared grave concerns about the appointment of pro-privatization nominee Betsy DeVos as education secretary. If you share these concerns, please take action. Contact your Senator: Ron Johnson: (202) 224-5323 or email; Sen. Tammy Baldwin: (800) 247-5645 or email

    • Jan. 30, “Go Public! Why our public schools need our help and what you can do to support them” Heather DuBois Bourenane. 7:00pm, Green Bay, Brown County Central Library Auditorium. Co-sponsored by League of Women Voters of Greater Green Bay and Green Bay Advocates 4 Public Education.
    • Sun Jan 29.“Can Public Education be Saved?” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Evers on the effects of vouchers and the future of public schools. 4:30 PM, North Shore Presbyterian Church in Shorewood, WI. Hosted by Grassroots Northshore.
    • Tues. Jan. 24. Stacy Racine Lynch, President of SOS-Wauwatosa will speak to members of the new advocacy team CAPE (Citizen Advocates for Public Education) Middleton at Kromrey Middle School, room 600, 6:30-8:00 pm

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