October 6-12 is Wisconsin School Board Week. School board service carries a significant amount of responsibility, and Hudson has a fantastic group of dedicated leaders in our district.

“It takes strong schools to build a strong community, and these men and women devote countless hours to making sure our schools are helping every child learn at a higher level,”
Superintendent Nick Ouellette, PhD, said. “School board members give the citizens of Hudson a voice in education decision-making. Even though we make a special effort to show our appreciation in October, their contribution is a year-round commitment.”

Thank you to the Hudson school board for their hard work and leadership! The members serving our district and their years of service are as follows:

Jamie Johnson, President

Jamie Johnson was elected to the Board of Education in April 2013.
His current term expires in April 2025.

Bob Baumann, Vice President

Bob Baumann was elected to the Board of Education in April 2018.
His current term expires in April 2027.

Kate Garza, Clerk

Kate Garza was elected to the Board of Education in April 2021.
Her term expires in April 2027.

Molly Powers, Treasurer

Molly Powers was elected to the Board of Education in April 2021.
Her term expires in April 2027.

Rob Brown, Member

Rob Brown was elected to the Board of Education in 2015.
His term expires in April 2025.

Lynn Robson, Member

Lynn Robson was appointed to the Board of Education in December 2023.
She previously served on the Board of Education from 2008 until 2018.
Her term expires in April 2025.

Megan Rozowski, Member

Megan Rozowski was elected to the Board of Education in April 2023.
Her term expires in April 2026.

To learn more about the Hudson School Board and its members, click here.

Learn why the Hudson School District has an operational referendum question on the November 5th ballot by watching the video below.

Listen to our recent podcast with Dr. Ouellette

Why is an Operational Referendum necessary?

State policy limits how much school districts can spend. Most school district funding comes from a combination of state aid and local property taxes. From 1994 to 2009, school district revenue limits were adjusted for  inflation. During this time, most school districts could keep up with ongoing needs. Since the 2010 state-imposed revenue cap was put in place, 80% of school districts in Wisconsin have turned to their community voters asking for a levy override in the form of an operational referendum.

More and more school districts have fallen behind without state aid increases to account for inflation. We have critically reviewed budget projections extending through 2028-2029. Based on assumptions that consider wage increases, health benefits, revenue limits, student enrollment, and special education aid, the School District will experience a budget deficit estimated at $7.5 million by 2028-2029.

In addition to state aid not keeping pace with inflation, student enrollment has declined over the past several years. Across the country, declining birth rates have contributed to the lower number of school-age children. At the same time, the Hudson community has seen a decrease in the number of families with school-age children moving into the area (in-migration). The School District has maintained a “capture rate” of over eighty percent. Capture rate refers to the number of school-age children who reside in the School District and attend Hudson Schools. This capture rate has remained stable for over twenty years.

Click here to learn more about the November 5th operational referendum

The Board of Education held their Annual Meeting on September 9, 2024.

Superintendent Dr. Ouellette addressed the community highlighting the state-of-the Hudson School District. Click here to view Dr. Ouellette’s presentation.

Chief Financial and Operations Officer Bonnie Stegmann presented the 2024-2025 budget for approval.

Dr. Nick Ouellette, Superintendent of the Hudson School District, was elected to a three-year term on the executive committee of AASA, the National School Superintendent Association.

Founded in 1865, AASA serves as the nation’s premier organization for public school district leadership, representing thousands of school system leaders throughout the United States.

The 22-member committee, elected by the AASA governing board, represents each region of the country. The committee meets quarterly and conducts the ongoing business of the organization. 

“Having experience in a variety of district sizes and settings throughout my career provides me with a great understanding of the many challenges facing districts around our region,” said Dr. Ouellette. “Fostering deep relationships with public school leaders has provided me with a true understanding of what others are going through and increases my ability to offer support.”

Dr. Ouellette served as Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA) President from 2022 to 2023, and has served on their Board of Directors since 2016. He has been a passionate AASA Governing Board member since 2018.

The countdown to back to school is here! Here’s what you need to know to start the 2024-2025 school year.

First Day of School

• 1st – 12th grade is August 28, 2024
• 4K is August 29, 2024
• Kindergarten is September 3, 2024

School Supply Lists

• Hudson High School – students will receive their supply lists from their teachers during the first several days of school.
• Hudson Middle School
• EP Rock Elementary School
• Houlton Elementary School
• Hudson Prairie Elementary School
• North Hudson Elementary School
• River Crest Elementary School
• Willow River Elementary School
• River Crest 4K/Willow River 4K

The Sharing Tree provides free school supplies and backpacks to families in the Hudson School District. Click here to learn more.

Meet the Teacher and Orientation Nights

• Middle School 6th Grade – August 22, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Elementary school meet the teacher – August 26, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
• Freshmen Student & HHS New Student Orientation – August 26, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Middle School 7th & 8th Grade meet the teacher – August 29, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Picture Day

• Hudson High School – August 26th, 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Hudson Middle School – August 15th, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM & August 19th, 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• EP Rock Elementary – September 10th
• Houlton Elementary – September 25th
• Hudson Prairie Elementary – September 17th
• North Hudson Elementary – September 24th
• River Crest Elementary – September 25th
• Willow River Elementary – September 20th

School Breakfast & Lunch

• Click here to learn more about breakfast and lunch menus, meal pricing, free or reduced meal applications, and all things Nutrition Services

Hudson School District Ranks in Top 10% of All Wisconsin K-12 Schools

The Hudson School District received good news on the Wisconsin School State Report Card and from the US News & World Report school rankings. The District attained the “Exceeds Expectations” rating from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). The District’s overall report card rating places Hudson in the top 10% of all K-12 districts in Wisconsin. Additionally, this is the highest school district rating in CESA 11 and in the Big Rivers athletic conference. 

Hudson had the highest School Report Card score in comparison to neighboring school districts.

• Hudson – 75.9
• St. Croix Central – 73.5
• Somerset – 72.4
• River Falls – 70.8
• New Richmond – 66.1

The Hudson School District also learned two Hudson elementary schools rank in the top 20 elementary schools in Wisconsin on the US News and World Report’s annual school ranking. Houlton Elementary School ranked 7th and North Hudson Elementary School ranked 20th. There are over 1,200 public elementary schools in the state.

Hudson High School ranked 44th out of 514 Wisconsin high schools. In a review of neighboring high school district rankings, Hudson is the only area high school ranked in the top fifty. Hudson also performed well in comparison to Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area high schools with a #25 ranking. 

• Hudson – 44
• St. Croix Central – 63
• River Falls – 78
• New Richmond – 90
• Somerset – 209

The US News and World Report’s ranking is widely regarded as a benchmark for assessing the quality of education across the nation. The Hudson School District rankings are a testament to its continuous dedication to providing a high-quality learning environment for its students.

Key highlights contributing to the Hudson School District’s success include:

1. Academic Excellence: The District has consistently demonstrated high academic standards, with students achieving notable success in standardized testing and advanced placement courses.Recently, Hudson High School received Advanced Placement Honor Roll recognition for delivering successful results while expanding access for students. Based on the 2023 test score data, Hudson High School earned Gold Level recognition. This is the second highest accomplishment for schools nationwide and puts Hudson in the top 1,700 schools in the nation. 
2. Academic and Extra-Curricular Opportunities: Hudson High School offers a wide variety of college level courses during the school day – over 20 Advanced Placement courses, 11 Project Lead the Way courses, and 27 dual credit courses in partnership with University of Wisconsin – River Falls, and Northwood Technical College. Outside the school day, Hudson students can participate in 18 athletic teams, over 10 competitive extracurricular activities, and over 10 non-competitive extracurricular activities. 
3. Instructional Excellence: District instruction is data driven. School teaching teams review standardized test scores and other measures to guide instruction for improved student learning outcomes. Emphasis has been placed on teacher support with veteran teachers mentoring and supporting new teachers. The District fosters a culture of high expectations with high levels of support. 
4. Student Achievement: Hudson School District’s students consistently excel in various academic, extracurricular, and leadership activities, showcasing the District’s commitment to nurturing individuals with a wide range of skills and abilities. The District recognizes the importance of family engagement in the academic success of students. Teachers and staff work hard to partner with families to maximize the learning potential of all students.
5. Community Engagement: The strong partnership between the District and the local community plays a crucial role in supporting student success. Collaborative efforts ensure students receive a well-rounded education and support beyond the classroom.

Superintendent Nick Ouellette expressed gratitude for the hard work and dedication of the District’s educators, staff, students, and the entire community. “Our School Report Card and the US News & World Report recognition is a result of the collective efforts of our exceptional staff, supportive families, and engaged students. We are very proud of this achievement and remain committed to providing the best education in the region and the state.”

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Speak Up Speak Out

The State of Wisconsin’s Office of School Safety provides a 24/7 tip line for reporting potential harm or criminal activities directed at schools, students, and or staff. The Speak Up, Speak Out (SUSO) School Resource Center is set up to respond confidentially and quickly. The tip line is not just for threats to do harm to schools. Tips are also made regarding daily concerns students encounter such as bullying, drug use, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and more. The Hudson School District is part of the SUSO network.

Most tips fall into one of three categories:

• A classmate is being bullied or bullying someone else.
• A classmate might hurt themselves.
• A classmate might hurt others.

We all play a vital role in creating safe schools and communities. Anyone can submit a tip. Tips are received by a trained resource center staff who pass appropriate information on to local law enforcement and schools. We want people who see something to say something. SUSO allows us as a school community to keep each other safe, address concerns about someone’s safety, and help get the support needed to resolve concerns.

We encourage student and families to contact their building administrator or SUSO of any threats to do harm to a school.

Among the educators and program partners earning grants from the Education Foundation of Hudson were, from left, Dan Bell (St. Patrick School principal), Amanda Fedor (St. Patrick School), Tracy Metz (Willow River Elementary School), Stephanie Chuckel (Willow River Elementary School), Traci Wolfe (River Crest Elementary School), and Samantha Thrane (River Crest Elementary School).

The Education Foundation of Hudson awarded Star Grants in November for innovative classroom projects and curriculum training. The grants totaled $12,622.77 for five projects involving several educators and touching many schools in Hudson.

Foundation Board President Lynn Krueger, and other board members, presented the awards during ceremonies at Hudson High School on November 30, 2023. Krueger told recipients that the foundation and community are proud of the educators’ efforts to bring innovative ideas to the classrooms of local schools.

Grant recipients are listed below.

• ELL communication iPads submitted by Samantha Thrane from River Crest Elementary School. The program will impact all non-English speaking students at Hudson elementary schools. English language learners (ELL) will have access to iPads that are able to translate both speech and printed words from their native language to English, or vice versa. Hudson elementary schools currently have 71 ELL students at various English speaking levels. The books assist both students and parents as they learn English. The foundation awarded $3,989.85.
• One School, One Book submitted by Traci Wolfe from River Crest Elementary School. The proposal will provide every student and classroom with one book to help build a sense of community amongst their peers and provide a connection of home and school communication. The foundation awarded $2,634.
• Hudson High School tech education equipment submitted by Dan Weiland. The program is designed to provide updated equipment for the STEM lab. It will be geared toward electronic engineering testing equipment and 3D design materials. The foundation awarded $2,616.
• Building peer communication via Augmentative Alternative Communication submitted by Stephanie Chukel and Tracy Metz from Willow River Elementary School. The equipment will be used by students with complex communication needs. The equipment will help students with AAC to increase social and academic interactions. The foundation awarded $2201.92.
• Sensory room materials written by Amanda Fedor from St. Patrick’s School. The materials will be added to an already existing sensory room at the school where students with certain needs can deal with stress or other issues. The room has become useful in assisting the counseling department at the school. The foundation awarded $1,181.

The foundation, founded in 1990, is a private organization established to strengthen community participation in local schools and inspire both teachers and students. With November’s grants ($12, 622.77), the foundation has funded just over $2,100,00 in local education projects and awards since the organization’s inception.

In addition to Krueger, current Foundation board members are Dr. Ron Berth, Jodell Krause, Doug Stohlberg, Joan Thompson, John Kramer, Heidi Gilbert, and Scott Snyder. Thompson recently announced that she will be retiring from the board at the end of this year (2023). Steven Keller is the organization’s volunteer executive director.

Learn more about the Education Foundation at: https://hudsonraiders.org/educationfoundation/