Oshkosh Area School District launches Oshkosh Schools Academy

OSHKOSH, WI- (WISS) – The Oshkosh Area School District (OASD) is launching a community engagement program it calls the Oshkosh Schools Academy. It is a six-month program designed to allow community members to expand their knowledge of the OASD’s mission and strategic priorities.

“The Oshkosh Schools Academy is an excellent way for our community to get an inside look at the operations, leadership, and governance of the Oshkosh Area School District,” said Dr. Bryan Davis, superintendent of the OASD. “We are excited to offer this immersive program and look forward to engaging with participants who are passionate about understanding and supporting public education in Oshkosh.”

Davis said allowing people to explore a deeper knowledge of the district and how it operates will help people thinking of running for school board, students’ parents, and taxpayers. 

“ Most of our constituents, taxpayers in Oshkosh, don’t have kids in school. So having an idea of how the district works, what our top priorities are is important,” Davis said. “One of our areas of focus is around community engagement and how can we increase the number of volunteers that we have in our schools. And so this is an opportunity for that also.”

The program will run from January to June 2025, with monthly sessions covering topics ranging from district operations to academic priorities, staff development, and community engagement. The monthly sessions will be conducted in a workshop-type format. 

“We certainly want it to be interactive. We want people to be able to ask questions and to be able to also provide some ideas. If there are resources that people have that they think can get matched up for the district to help promote some of our initiatives, then that’s great. I mean, we’re always, always open to that,” Davis said.

Davis added participants will also engage in a book study on the book Schools Cannot Do It Alone by Jamie Vollmer.

“We’ll do a little book study, because there should be a little bit of homework with a Schools Academy,” Davis said. “But it’s a good opportunity to gain some perspective.” 

The deadline to apply for the Oshkosh Schools Academy is December 11, 2024. The program is limited to 30 participants. If more than 30 people apply, the participants will be selected at random. Those not selected will be added to the wait list for next year’s program. There is no charge to participate in the Oshkosh Schools Academy.

For more information on Oshkosh Schools Academy, including the application form and program details, please visit the OASD website.