Image 4K Student in the Racine Unified School District

A 4K student in the Racine Unified School District is pictured playing in 2015. Four-year-old kindergarten programs grew in popularity until by the 2014-15 school year, 95 percent of Wisconsin school districts had implemented 4K.

For decades, technological advancements have driven changes in curriculum delivery. During the 2010s, personal devices, apps, interactive whiteboards, e-books and the growth of online resources made an indelible impact on teaching.

A young girl in the Shawano school district had some one-on-one time with her school’s therapy dog in 2018. With the mental health needs of students getting more focus, therapy dogs became a common sight in schools during the 2010s.

The 2010s

A horrified nation added massacres at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to a rapidly growing list of school shootings. Climate change became more pronounced with an increasing frequency of hurricanes and drought-induced wildfires juxtaposed by a bone-chilling polar vortex.

The #BlackLivesMatter movement was inspired by the death of Trayvon Martin while the #MeToo movement encouraged sexual assault survivors to speak out. Edward Snowden fled the country after releasing classified information. “Streaming” and “going viral” took on new meaning with the rise of smartphones and social media. And with a mash up of musical genres, the diverse cast of “Hamilton” turned the theatrical world upside down.

The WASB

2010: The WASB receives an award from State Superintendent Tony Evers for its policy guidance to schools on bullying and other safe school initiatives; WASB director Tim Sivertson of the Elk Mound Area School Board is elected to the National School Boards Association board of directors.
2011: The WASB introduces the Policy Resource Guide as a new, comprehensive online policy service for members.
2012: WASB staff help rewrite collective bargaining agreements and employee handbooks in response to the previous year’s state law changes and substantial school aid reductions.
2013: The WASB Insurance Plan introduces the Endorsed Agency Plan. Gallagher, M3 Insurance Solutions, TRICOR and USI Insurance Services currently participate.
2014: The WASB initiates Wisconsin School Board Appreciation Week to recognize school boards for their commitment to public education.
2017: The WASB implements the current member database and website to enhance member services.
2018: The WASB Board of Directors adopts an equity statement, “We affirm in our actions that each student can, will and shall learn.” The statement was expanded in 2020.
2019: The September 2019 issue of Wisconsin School News marks the magazine’s 75^th anniversary.

WASB Presidents

2010 – Mary Janssen – Little Chute
2011 – Rick Eloranta – Owen-Withee
2012 – Patrick Sherman – Genoa City J2
2013 – Nancy Thompson – Waterloo
2014 – Mike Blecha – Green Bay
2015 – Wanda Owens – Barneveld
2016 – Stu Olson – Shell Lake
2017 – Terry McCloskey – Three Lakes
2018 – Mary Jo Rozmenoski – Black River Falls
2019 – Brett Hyde – Muskego-Norway
2020 – Bill Yingst, Sr. – Durand-Arkansaw

Our State

2010: A sophomore at Marinette High School takes 23 classmates and a teacher hostage, shooting himself as police close in.
2011: The Green Bay Packers defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 to win the club’s fourth Super Bowl title; protests erupt at the state Capitol in response to proposed legislation to substantially limit collective bargaining rights for most public employees.
2013: With the 15th pick in the first round of the NBA draft, the Milwaukee Bucks take a chance on Greek teenager Giannis Antetokounmpo; private school vouchers expand statewide.
2014: Two Waukesha girls’ fixation on internet boogeyman “Slender Man” lead them to brutally attack a friend.
2015: Gov. Scott Walker signs a new law prohibiting a requirement for workers to pay union dues.
2017: President Donald Trump and Gov. Walker announce a controversial $3 billion incentive package for Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn to build a massive plant in southeastern Wisconsin.
2018: State Superintendent Tony Evers defeats Gov. Walker to be elected Wisconsin’s 46^th governor.
2019: Barron teenager Jayme Closs escapes after 88 days of captivity; Lake Michigan water levels go from a record low in 2013 to an increase of six feet by 2019, wreaking havoc on shoreline properties.

Our Nation

2010: The Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig explodes in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 workers and spewing millions of gallons of oil into the ocean.
2011: Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda leader and key organizing figure in the 9/11 attacks, is killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in Pakistan.
2012: Hurricane Sandy rips through the Caribbean and up the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, killing 150 people and causing upwards of $70 billion in damage.
2013: Terrorists explode bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring almost 300 runners and spectators.
2015: The U.S. Supreme Court deems same-sex marriage legal.
2016: Donald Trump defeats Hillary Clinton for president.
2017: Millions of women and activists march in support of gender equality and other civil rights; fidget-spinners captivate the nation.
2018: U.S. senator, statesman and former prisoner of war John McCain dies in Arizona.
2019: The U.S. House of Representatives approves articles of impeachment against President Trump; “Avengers Endgame” becomes the highest-grossing movie of all time with $2.8 billion at the box office.