On a beautiful day filled with nostalgia and pride, the Madison Metropolitan School District marked a historic moment in time with open houses and ribbon-cutting ceremonies at its four comprehensive high schools: La Follette, Madison East, Madison West, and Vel Phillips Memorial High Schools. These celebrations commemorated the community’s overwhelming support of the 2020 referendum, which provided essential facility upgrades and modern, 21st-century learning environments.  

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West High Class of 2004 celebrates their 20-year class reunion at Butterbird restaurant.

This summer and fall, the Madison Public Schools Friends & Alumni Network had the privilege of supporting a series of wonderful reunions that brought former classmates together in celebration of their shared history and achievements. Reunions are more than just gatherings; they represent the enduring connections forged during our K-12 education and the bonds that tie us back to Madison and our schools. Each year, alumni from various graduating classes come together to reminisce, reconnect, and celebrate the unique experiences that have shaped their lives.

One of the most heartwarming aspects of these reunions is the opportunity to come "home"—whether to the city that nurtured our growth or to the schools that played a pivotal role in our education. It’s a chance to revisit old haunts, rekindle old friendships, and take pride in the lasting impact Madison has had on our lives. It’s also a time to see who traveled the farthest to be there, adding a fun competitive edge to the festivities.

As Ali Zuba, one of the reunion organizers for the West High Class of 2004 shared, “I love connecting and bringing people together for a purpose! I think amazing things happen when we come together, and we definitely felt that connection at our reunion. It was like walking back in time, and being proud of how far we've all come in 20 years!”

(Photo Credit: University of Wisconsin-Madison)

We’re thrilled to share that Donnel Thompson, a proud Madison West High School alumnus and former UW Badger football star, has been inducted into the UW Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024. This remarkable achievement adds a new chapter to Donnel's storied career and reflects his profound impact on both the University of Wisconsin and the football world.

Dr. Gothard’s selection is the culmination of a search process, supported by Alma Advisory Group, that began in May 2023 and was hallmarked by community involvement, most recently evidenced by two days of intensive stakeholder-led interviews of the three shortlisted candidates.

It also marks a homecoming for Dr. Gothard, a native Madisonian who attended MMSD schools throughout his elementary, middle, and high school years, before going on to serve as a staff member at Lincoln Elementary School and Principal at both Akira R. Toki Middle School and Robert M. La Follette High School, as well as the District’s Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools.

The MMSD Board of Education appointed former MMSD administrator, Lisa Kvistad, to serve as interim superintendent during the 2023-2024 school year while a search is underway for the district's next permanent leader. 

On November 3, 2020, Madison voters approved a historic investment in MMSD with a pair of referenda that totaled $350 million. Voters approved both questions on the ballot: $317 million in bonds for capital projects and $33 million in operating funds that will phase in over four years. The "Vote Yes 2 Invest Campaign," was led by Schools Make Madison Advocates, Inc., an affiliate of the Madison Public Schools Foundation.

Three years later, students were welcomed into two new MMSD school buildings at the start of the 2023-24 school year, and construction continues at the four main high schools with full occupancy planned for the start of the next school year. 

Take action. Get involved. 

The students at your alma mater need your support! And the Madison Public Schools Foundation (MPSF) makes it easy to get involved. From volunteering your time to our popular Adopt-a-School program, our goal is to help you find new ways to support Madison’s public schools and students. Here are eight opportunities to take advantage of right away:

NBA Star/Memorial Alum teams with MPSF to help students get active.

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Milwaukee Bucks star Wesley Matthews has come back to Madison to help give back.

He has teamed up with the Madison Public Schools Foundation to help launch a new initiative aimed at making it easier for students to get active. Called ‘Play Every Day,’ this initiative will help provide funds to support the Madison Metropolitan School District, allowing faculty to replace old physical education and recess equipment, as well as help students cover participation fees.

It’s been the subject of countless TV sitcoms: an upcoming class reunion and all of the negatives that come with it. Characters are either scrambling to embarrass an old rival, doing their best to woo an old crush or looking for reasons to skip the reunion entirely. 

We laugh at the episode’s antics and situations—and scoff at the ending when it all turns out okay. But are class reunions really so bad? 

In reality, reunions are great opportunities to reconnect with people from your past. You’ll get to see old friends and catch up on what everyone has been doing over the past few years. All told, there are far more reasons to attend your class reunion than there are to skip it, and with the summer reunion season just about to begin, we thought we’d focus on why you should make it out to yours if you’re able!

What would you do if you had 1 year and $9.5 million to change the game for MMSD?

That is the question that MMSD is posing to the community. 

The district has been given the opportunity of a lifetime to unite, redefine and rebuild our Madison public schools as we navigate through multiple pandemics. An $18.9 million Esser II Grant has been awarded to MMSD, $9.5 million of the grant has been earmarked for what MMSD is calling the BIG IDEA Campaign.

As such, the district is seeking input from staff, students, families, alumni and the Madison community on BIG IDEAS that will enable MMSD to come back better and thriving as a united community.

What ideas do you have that...

• leverage student leadership
• support collaboration with and between students, families and different community organizations
• provide for experiences that bring students outside of the traditional 4 classroom walls
• create experiences that bring our community into our schools and classrooms

This is your opportunity to have your BIG, bold, fresh IDEA heard! Submissions are due April 24th!

Learn more about the timeline and submission requirements at madison.k12.wi.us/big-idea.