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Meet with key members of the DPI School Finance Team to get your questions answered!
7:00 AM
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Stop by to learn more about WASBO University, UW-Whitewater and the products and services that our top level sponsors can provide.
7:00 AM
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Your adventure begins here! Join us as we officially kick off the 2026 FALL Conference and set out on a journey inspired by America's iconic national landmarks. Just as these treasured places represent history, resilience, innovation, and discovery, this conference celebrates the lasting impact Wisconsin school business professionals make in their districts every day. Get ready for two days of engaging learning, meaningful networking, and fresh ideas as we explore new destinations in leadership, finance, operations, and public education. Welcome to the journey—we're glad you're here!
8:00 AM
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What does it take to rise from overlooked to indispensable—and from the front lines to the executive leadership?
In this inspiring keynote, Jeremiah Johnson shares his journey from a traumatic childhood, through entering the custodial profession, to ultimately becoming the Chief Operations Officer of a large organization. With honesty, humility, and humor, Jeremiah shows how resilience, self-belief, and intentional leadership can transform not just a career—but a life.
More than a story, this keynote is a roadmap. Jeremiah breaks down 10 practical leadership strategies that anyone—regardless of title, background, or starting point—can put into action immediately. These lessons are grounded in real-world experience and designed to help individuals lead from where they are, create opportunities, and build lasting impact.
8:15 AM
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Track
Financial Management
9:30 AM
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As utility costs rose and maintenance budgets tightened, the Elk Mound School District saw an opportunity to rethink how it managed energy across its facilities. Through comprehensive building and system assessments, developing practical optimization strategies, and strategic use of available rebates, the District achieved meaningful reductions in operating costs while extending the lifespan of existing equipment. This session dives into Elk Mound's journey - demonstrating how a small district with limited resources empowered its staff, sustained long-term improvements, and redirected savings back into classrooms. Attendees can look forward to a real-world example of how smart energy management can deliver results, even under budget constraints.
Track
Sustainable Operations
9:30 AM
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Want to help students, teachers, families, and community members connect with each other in ways that advance healthy conversation? Looking for a way to ease built-up tension in your school community? Hoping people feel the empathy of your office team? The people we serve want to be heard. Join Jeff Wright from the Sauk Prairie School District and look at some of the brain science connected to mental health and spend time practicing strategies – including empathy interviews – you can use one-on-one or with large groups to lead by listening.
9:30 AM
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Sport surfaces and fields are critical to the operation of successful athletic programs. Learn how to manage different types of sports surfaces through effective field maintenance, aerating, seeding, fertilizing, top dressing, set-ups, and documentation. Artificial turf maintenance & product selection will be discussed.
Track
Facilities Manager Core Certification Module 5
9:30 AM
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Declining enrollment is one of the most significant challenges facing Wisconsin school districts, impacting everything from revenue limits and staffing to facilities, programming, and long-term sustainability. While enrollment trends may be outside of a district's control, how leaders respond is not.
This session will explore practical strategies school business officials and district leaders can use to adapt to changing enrollment patterns while maintaining educational quality and fiscal responsibility. Participants will examine approaches to right-sizing operations, maximizing resources, engaging your community, evaluating programming, and making data-driven decisions that position districts for long-term success.
Drawing on real-world examples from Wisconsin school districts, attendees will leave with actionable ideas and planning tools to help their districts navigate enrollment declines proactively rather than reactively.
10:30 AM
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Building a robust cybersecurity posture does not require an enterprise-grade budget, but it does require strategic collaboration. In this session, leadership from the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District will share how they maximized their cybersecurity defenses by leveraging free and low-cost resources and by building organizational awareness and capacity. Attendees will learn actionable strategies for building strong human coalitions across technology and administrative departments to safeguard their schools.
10:30 AM
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Learn to read and understand your district’s electric and gas bills in this seminar. Then hear several school districts share practical strategies to reduce utility costs and boost Fund 10 balances. Seminar includes examples of Fund 80 cost recovery strategies, Fund 50 utility cost allocations, and new Focus-on-Energy incentive programs
Track
Financial Management
10:30 AM
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Your presenters will review the state accounting codes (WUFAR) as they apply to their school district, the processes they use to develop a facilities budget, and how they are attempting to work with declining budget amounts.
Track
Facilities Manager Core Certification Module 5
10:30 AM
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Lunch is included with your registration. Make the most of this time as we recognize award winners and you get to network with your colleagues.
12:15 PM
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When a cybersecurity incident hits, technical defense is only half the battle; administrative and operational response are what keep a district moving. This interactive session takes participants through a live tabletop exercise based directly on a real security incident experienced by MCPASD. Together, school leaders will analyze the threat timeline, evaluate high-stakes decision-making, and walk away with a practical framework for coordinating a unified, district-wide incident response.
2:10 PM
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This session helps school business office staff develop practical cash flow management strategies that support stronger financial planning and investment decisions. Participants examine cash flow forecasting tools, revenue and expenditure timing, investment planning, and financial monitoring practices available to Wisconsin school districts. Through hands-on examples and analysis techniques, attendees learn how to streamline cash flow management, improve financial visibility, optimize investment earnings, and support more effective district financial operations.
Track
Financial Management
2:10 PM
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Track
Financial Management
2:10 PM
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In this session we will cover all aspects of capital planning from the development of a five or ten year plan for major maintenance, energy, security, etc. to planning of new schools or additions. Your presenters will discuss how to prioritize projects as well as identifying funding sources, managing tax impact, and understanding debt retirement schedules. They will also discuss formulating a communication plan to present your plan to the Superintendent, School Board and general public. Finally, they will cover potential resources to help you in the overall capital planning process.
Track
Facilities Manager Core Certification Module 5
2:10 PM
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Tax Incremental Districts (TIDs) can be powerful tools for economic development in Wisconsin and their impact on districts is often misunderstood. This session will provide school administrators with a clear understanding of why municipalities develop them, the role of the joint review board and the district’s role in it, the impact of a TID specially for a school district, and what happens when a TID closes.
Track
Financial Management
3:10 PM
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When the next big facilities expense arrives, do you borrow, save, or both? Taxpayers are paying closer attention than ever to interest rates and how their dollars are stewarded. Presented by Kelly A. Brown, CEO of Ampersand Public Advisors, and Dr. John Stellmacher, CFO of the Kettle Moraine School District, this session offers a practical framework for answering that question with discipline rather than emotion.
This session introduces an emerging alternative to the traditional capital referendum: a disciplined strategy that blends operational savings, prudent investment of reserves, and strategic use of operating referenda. Drawing on Kettle Moraine’s experience, the conversation covers administering a 10-year facility plan, weighing incremental projects against larger economies of scale, and Ampersand’s role in evaluating interest rate risk and structuring investment of district reserves so long-term liquidity is managed prudently alongside — or as an alternative to — traditional borrowing.
Track
Sustainable Operations
3:10 PM
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Leadership is about influencing others, navigating challenges, and creating opportunities for those around you. Join an accomplished panel of women leaders in school business offices as they share candid stories, practical leadership lessons, and strategies for leading change, navigating difficult conversations, and growing your career. While grounded in the experiences of women leaders, the insights and conversations are relevant to all attendees seeking to strengthen their leadership, expand their influence, and make a greater impact.
3:10 PM
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With the passage of many facility referenda, Wisconsin facility managers have been tasked with oversight of billions of dollars in construction projects over the last decade. A facility manager's role in each of these projects can differ, but trust that you will be expected to lead, and that large projects can consume a facility manager for years at a time. This course is designed to give a brief overview of the stages of a referendum, from planning, through execution. We will review some pitfalls to avoid as well as opportunities that will present themselves.
Track
Facilities Manager Core Certification Module 5
3:10 PM
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Casino Night at the Fall Conference is one networking event attendees say they do not want to miss. The Lions Club will provide engaging Casino Games as you unwind from a full day of excellent professional development. Beverages, light snacks and prizes will be included as part of your evening. Join us immediately following sessions for continued networking in the Grand Libelle Lobby!
4:00 PM
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