The Whitnall Board of Education is thrilled to announce that, in a unanimous vote, it has selected Dr. Brady Reinke to assume the role of Whitnall School District Superintendent, with an official start date of July 1, 2024.
Over the past several months, the board has undertaken one of its most important tasks: superintendent search and selection. In collaboration with the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB), the board used a thorough, systematic process to gather feedback from the community and staff, review an exceptional pool of candidates, and select Whitnall’s next superintendent.
Dr. Reinke comes to Whitnall with decades of impressive experience in leadership and instruction. Reinke holds a PhD in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service from Cardinal Stritch University, a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Concordia University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Education from UW-Madison, where he was a part of the wrestling team.
Most recently, he has served as the Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning with the School District of New Berlin, where he led the system-wide selection and implementation of science-aligned curricular resources and demonstrated results in increasing achievement in multiple district schools. At the state and legislative levels, he is well known for his expertise in evidence-based literacy instruction.
Prior to his time as Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning, Dr. Reinke served New Berlin at Poplar Creek Elementary as Associate Principal and Principal and later as Principal at Ronald Reagan Elementary. He began his career as a Kindergarten teacher in Oregon, WI.
“I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to serve the Whitnall community,” shares Dr. Reinke. “During the hiring process, I was impressed with the high levels of learning and engagement I observed from students in our classrooms, the outstanding leaders and passionate staff I met, and the supportive community that wants what’s best for our kids. I am excited to get to work building upon this strong foundation.”
Whitnall School Board President Jason Craig said, “Dr. Reinke has demonstrated passion for education a nd commitment to Whitnall’s motto of being ‘All In’.”
Dr. Reinke will immediately begin collaborating with interim superintendent Dr. Kristen Taylor and the broader Whitnall team.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome and congratulations to Dr. Brady Reinke as he joins Whitnall School District as the Superintendent of Schools.
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The Whitnall School Board is pleased to share the three finalists selected to proceed in the Superintendent selection process. These finalists will visit the District on April 9th to spend an afternoon touring the schools and our communities. In the evening, there will be two "Listening Sessions," one for WSD staff and the other for WSD community stakeholders.
During these sessions, the finalists will share a profile of self and address a question(s) provided by the School Board. In the WSD staff listening session, the finalists will discuss their leadership style and their vision for fostering a positive work culture. While in the WSD community listening session, they will present their reasons for applying to the Whitnall School District and how they can positively impact the District if selected. Stakeholders will be able to provide feedback via a form. That feedback will be used by the Whitnall School Board to inform their work to identify a final candidate. Please find the information for the “Listening Sessions” below.
Following the sessions and final interviews, the School Board will deliberate and identify a final candidate. Contract negotiations will then ensue with the selected candidate, and an announcement will follow once negotiations are completed.
For any questions, please contact Jason Craig, School Board President, and Kristen Taylor, Interim Superintendent.
LISTENING SESSIONS
Staff Listening Session
Date & Time: April 9 at 5:15- 6:45 PM
Location: Whitnall High School Library
Community Listening Session
Date & Time: April 9 at 5:45-7:15 PM
Location: Whitnall School Board Room
Streaming Link: Watch the listening session at home by using this link.
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BRADY REINKE
Dr. Reinke is currently serving as the Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning with the School District of New Berlin in New Berlin, Wisconsin. His previous roles with the School District of New Berlin include Principal at Ronald Reagan Elementary School and Poplar Creek Elementary School, Associate Principal at Poplar Creek Elementary School. He has also held positions with the Oregon School District as a Kindergarten Teacher at Netherwood Knoll Elementary School, a Virtual School Teacher, and Head Wrestling Coach at Oregon High School.
Dr. Reinke also serves as a member of the New Berlin Rotary Club, New Berlin Safety Commission, Education Foundation of New Berlin on their Board of Directors, and as an Adjunct Professor at Carroll university.
Dr. Reinke holds a B.S. in Elementary Education; Early Child and Middle Childhood from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a M.A. in Educational Administration from Concordia University, and a Ph.D. in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service from Cardinal Stritch University.
RONALD RIVARD
Mr. Rivard is currently serving as Principal and Curriculum Director for the Randall Consolidated School District J1 in Burlington,Wisconsin. He has also held positions with the South Milwaukee School District as Principal at Blakewood Elementary School and Associate Principal at South Milwaukee High School. Additionally, he has held positions with the School District of Waukesha as a Secondary Director of Instruction, the Waterford Graded School District as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, the Muskego Norway School District as Principal at Tess Corners Elementary School and Associate Principal at Lake Denoon Middle School.
Mr. Rivard holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a M.A. of Educational Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University.
CHAD SCHRAUFNAGEL
Mr. Schraufnagel is currently serving as Principal and Superintendent of the Lake Country School District. He has also served with the Hustisford School District as Principal at the Hustisford High School and Hustisford Junior High School and the Lake Geneva School District as Associate Principal at Badger High School.
Mr. Schraufnagel also serves as a member of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators, Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, and National Association of Secondary School Principals.
Mr. Schraufnagel holds a B.S. in Education from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a M.A. in Educational Leadership/Administration from Marian College.
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The Whitnall School District is seeking a visionary superintendent who has the ability to move an organization toward excellence, a passion for enhancing the educational opportunities for all students and a commitment to value staff experiences, family involvement and a close-knit community. The ideal candidate will demonstrate abilities in the following areas:
Educational Leadership:
- Develops and implements a dynamic strategic plan that aligns with the district’s mission and vision and results in strong organizational outcomes.
- Provides focused direction, support and leadership to district staff and administration, fostering a culture of collaboration, agility, innovation, positive problem solving and strong instructional practices. •
- Supports a wide range of educational opportunities and a comprehensive curriculum that meets a variety of student needs and interests.
- Establishes high expectations for oneself and others and is accountable to student outcomes so that the district reaches new heights of success and builds a strong sense of pride.
- Strategically leverages strengths of the district and addresses opportunities for improvement so that the district remains competitive and desirable.
Relationship Building:
- Builds trust and transparency through a variety of open and honest communication approaches that connect stakeholders to the district, including students, staff, families and the broader community.
- Implements cycles of continuous improvement, utilizing data, listening to input, seeking feedback and engaging with stakeholders.
- Builds positive and effective relationships with and among school board members, fostering a culture of trust, collaboration and mutual respect.
- Partners with community organizations and businesses to support student success and opportunity.
- Fosters the closely knit community, valuing families, staff, students and the community.
- Displays humility, integrity and honesty and is visible and approachable in all settings.
Financial Leadership:
- Ensures financial sustainability and seeks opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Deploys effective retention strategies that attract, develop and retain high-quality staff.
- Collaborates with staff, administrators and the board to plan, implement and manage a budget that supports student success and aligns with district and community priorities.
- Works collaboratively with the school board and stakeholders to address facilities issues, including the potential of a referendum.
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The Whitnall School District is a unique district proud to serve approximately 2,500 students from the Village of Hales Corners, part of the City of Greenfield and part of the City of Franklin across four buildings. The students are served in 2 elementary schools, 1 middle school and 1 high school by 372 district employees. The district prospectus includes our values of Advancement, Belonging and Courage.
Whitnall is All In! Watch that video to learn who and what the district is.
Whitnall is proud of its offerings and achievements! The unique Whitnall School Forest is the winner of the 2023 MMSD Green Luminary Award. In 2023, Whitnall High School had a National Merit Semifinalist along with one of 308 students worldwide with a perfect score in AP Drawing. The high school and middle school offer 23 different athletic opportunities for students, and the high school offers 22 different AP classes and 24 clubs. Whitnall basketball alumnus Tyler Herro currently plays for the Miami Heat.
With an annual operating budget of $31 million, Whitnall School District is in an extremely strong financial position, with strong Fund 41, Fund 46 and Fund 50 budgets. The district operates with a $6 million Fund 27 annual budget.
In 2019, the district launched a 10-year Capital Improvement Plan where projects are evaluated and completed annually. Within the last year, roofing projects have been completed at Whitnall Middle School, in addition to exterior wall and window renovations in the east wing of Whitnall High School. Hales Corners Elementary experienced major renovations and an addition in 2018. In the past several years, all buildings have added communal learning and study spaces for students.
In 2018, the district passed a $16 million dollar school building and program improvement referendum with strong support from the community. In 2023, a Citizen Advisory Committee was formed to provide community recommendations about potential capital improvement projects to the Whitnall School Board. Concurrently, the district is conducting research, including focus groups and community surveys, in anticipation of a potential November 2024 capital/facilities referendum. The district has engaged Bray Architects to design potential referendum projects to present to the community and school board based recommendations provided by the community
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