We are proud to announce that Johnson Creek High School has been named to the 2024 AP School Honor Roll!

Johnson Creek is a Silver member of the Honor Roll! We had 56% of seniors who took at least one AP Exam during high school, 36% of seniors scoring a three or higher on at least one AP Exam, and 8% of seniors who took five or more AP Exams!

🌿🚜 Get Your Lawn Mower Ready for the Season! 🚜🌿

Spring is here, and that means it’s time for a lawn mower tune-up! 🛠️ Don’t let a sluggish mower slow you down — bring it to our SkillsUSA Lawn Mower Tune-Up Event happening April 28 - May 3! ✅

🔧 Services Include:
• Oil Change (owner provides filter if replacement needed)
• Blade Sharpening
• Air Filter Cleaning (owner provides filter if replacement needed)
• Spark Plug Replacement

⏰ Drop-Off Times:
• Weekdays: 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM
• Saturday, May 3: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM

💵 Cost:
• $25 for walk-behind mowers
• $40 for riding mowers

📞 Schedule your drop-off today by calling, texting, or emailing Ray Lauersdorf:
📱 262-224-0805
✉️ lauersdorfr@johnsoncreekschools.org

🏡 Keep your yard looking sharp and your equipment running strong — spots are limited, don’t wait! 🔥

Trailways South Conference Academic Banquet Highlights 

Last night, Johnson Creek had the honor of hosting the Trailways South Conference Academic Banquet, where we celebrated the outstanding academic accomplishments of students from across the conference.

We are incredibly proud to recognize our eight Summa Cum Laude students and the significant educators who have made a lasting impact on their academic journeys:

• Ryan Wildes – Mr. Burke

• Anthony Van Dyck – Mr. Burke

• Maria Burke – Mr. Burke

• Kiya Imig – Mr. Perucco

• Molly Burke – Mr. Burke

• Madilyn Brigowatz – Mrs. Morris

• Hailey Fincutter – Mrs. Morris

• Carson Vaughn – Dr. Schmitthenner

Your hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence inspire us all. Congratulations to these exceptional students and the educators who helped guide them! 

Middle School Dance - Friday, May 16th. Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYGuE7pFdjZB2z84Utj5Rf6_zEQbM2pB5SfxwdV37Y5spRrw/viewform?usp=header

The Johnson Creek Science Olympiad team proudly competed at the UW-Stout invitational this past weekend, demonstrating exceptional dedication and teamwork.

We are pleased to share that our team — Madi Bennett, Ryder Kertulla, Evan Chowanec, Jason Wildes, Lauren Nadboralski, Hailey Penna, Greta Sixel, Bella Marose, Francisco Gutierrez, Addison Vaughn, Brooke Wilke, Sophia Le, and Maggie Rouhoff — achieved commendable results in a highly competitive field.

As a team, Johnson Creek placed 14th out of 28 small schools and 28th out of 60 schools overall. This accomplishment is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our students.

We would also like to recognize the outstanding individual and partner achievements:

• 🥈 2nd Place (Silver) in Fossils: Madi Bennett and Francisco Gutierrez

• 🥉 3rd Place (Bronze) in Code Analysis: Evan Chowanec and Ryder Kertulla

• 🥉 3rd Place (Bronze) in Microbe Mission: Ryder Kertulla and Jason Wildes

• 🌲 5th Place in Forestry: Madi Bennett and Bella Marose

Our sincerest thanks go to Anna Bennett and Ms. Vodenlich for their invaluable support as chaperones, ensuring the students had a positive and safe experience throughout the competition.

We extend our congratulations to all team members for their dedication, sportsmanship, and for representing Johnson Creek with pride and excellence.

The Johnson Creek School District announces its honor roll for the 3rd Quarter of the 2024-25 school year. Honor Roll is 3.00-3.49 and High Honor Roll is 3.5-4.00. Those students with (*) after their name indicates they achieved a 4.00 grade point average for this quarter.

HIGH HONOR ROLL

Seniors

Molly Altreuter*, Madilyn Brigowatz, Maria Burke*, Molly Burke*, Mary Colon, Hailey Fincutter*, Natalie Frey, Tanner Herman, Gonzalo Hernandez, Rylee Hucke, Kiya Imig*, Alan Mares, Gabriel Rodriguez, Charles Rouhoff, Cohen Schmidt, Eli Smith, Carson Vaughn, Hailee Walk*, Ryan Wildes*

Juniors

Madeline Bennett*, Cole Boehm, Julius Cheaney, Evan Chowanec*, Colton Granzow, Francisco Gutierrez, Luke Hartz, Ryder Kerttula*, Wyatt Kwarciany*, Evan Malueg, Gabriella Marose*, Madilynn Marose, Alex Martin Chilel, Zoe Moser*,Charlize Sanchez, Maverick Weissmann, Madison Wiedenhoeft, Jason Wildes*, Logan Zerbe

Sophomores

Austin Bartelt, Kimora Carris, Annie Chau, Makayla Flynn, Kace Freimund, Mckinsey Goers, Rowan Hackbarth, Jonathan Kamuchey, Kash Lang, Sophia Le*, Evelyn Lira Esteves*, Lauren Nadboralski*, Kevin Orona Amaya, Anna Page, Hailey Penna*, Margaret Rouhoff*, Greta Sixel*, Duncan Thomas, Addison Vaughn, Benjamin Wagner, Stuart Wenzel, Josh West, Lydia Wetzel, Cambrya Wollet

Freshmen

Keira Bakken, Connor Bennett, Kira Boehm*, Ethan Broich*, Tori Buglass, Libby Burbach, Maxwell Chowanec, Lia Constable, Kiara Dach*, Olivia Frey*, Michael Heinrich, Tyler Holland, Allison Jose-Martinez, Elizabeth Lapp, Sophie Morris, Hazel Moulding*, Josie Salmieri, Imogen Scheiber, Kennrich Siewert*, Paige Swanson, Wyatt Wagner, Sylas Weisnicht, Karli Weller*, Sariah Witterholt

HONOR ROLL

Seniors

Zachary Holland, Briar Klemolin, Dameon Klingman, Caitlyn Lapp, Edin Martinez Aguilar, Eulises Moreno, Dominique Patterson-Petty, Anthony Van Dyck, Mason Weisnicht, Ellis Wilder

Juniors

Owen Blakey, Kaylie Brady, Taylor Buglass, Jalen Carlson, Brady Fincutter, Alyssa Hucke, Trent Kvalheim, Hunter Lamp, Jocelyn Maciejewski, Jackson Raabe, Kaley Radtke, Ciena Ritter, Aiden Smith, Trent Uttech-Myers

Sophomores

Kaitlin Butler, Brooklynn Dittmann-Granzow, Jameson Hansen, Collin Hucke, Carlos Martinez, Cael Murfield, Nolan Murray, Bailey Staude, Hayden Wagner

Freshmen

Caroline Armstrong, Ada Clouse, Brayden Deubel, Bella Estrada, Avril Gutierrez-Flores, Daphne Moser, Lizet Peralta, Brendan Ritter, Kayla Rockhill, Landyn Sabol, Analise Spangler, Rodolfo Villarreal

We are proud to announce that our Math Team has achieved 1st place at the recent conference meet! This remarkable accomplishment reflects their dedication, teamwork, and exceptional mathematical skills.

In a special interview, Mr. Gruen speaks with team members Sophia, Lauren, and Kenny as they discuss their experience, preparation, and the keys to their success.

📺 Watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKPWN4lLZs0

Congratulations to the entire team on this outstanding achievement!

In this episode of the Bluejay Update, Mr. Gruen interviews Bella and Wyatt about participating in the Trailways Conference Academic Bowl.

In this episode of the Bluejay Update, Mr. Gruen interviews the seniors of the Boys Basketball team: https://youtu.be/BkCxnxDD4tk

4K Registration is now open for the 2025-26 school year. Please register here: https://sites.google.com/johnsoncreekschools.org/jc4k/home

Do you know anyone looking for more information about 4-year-old kindergarten? Please visit: https://sites.google.com/johnsoncreekschools.org/jc4k/home to learn more about our 4K program and to register for the 2025-26 school year.

In this episode of the Bluejay Update, Mr. Gruen interviews students who participated in Solo and Ensemble last weekend in Deerfield.

In this episode, Mr. Gruen interviews Hailey Penna and Kash Lang about FBLA. Both Hailey and Kash will advance to the State Leadership Conference at the end of March.

On Tuesday night, our High School Forensics team competed at the SubDistrict level festival at Deerfield HS. With only a week passing since their Conference meet, these students took their feedback from that event to heart and improved their speeches, poems, prose, and other presentations.

To advance to the District level, students needed to earn qualifying scores on 2 out of 3 rounds at SubDistrict. Everyone has met that threshold and will be competing on March 17th at the District meet in DeForest!

Below are the qualifying students and their event categories:

Madeline Bennett and Sophia Le (Group Interpretive)

Molly Burke (Prose)

Evan Chowanec (Poetry)

Makayla Flynn (Poetry)

Kiya Imig (Prose)

Allison Jose-Martinez and Analise Spangler (Group Interpretive)

Ryder Kerttula (Poetry)

Sophia Lawrence (Special Occasion Speaking)

Hazel Moulding (Special Occasion Speaking)

Lauren Nadboralski (Special Occasion Speaking)

Hailey Penna (Solo Acting Humorous)

Congratulations to these amazing students! And good luck at the next event!

In this episode of the Bluejay Update, Mr. Gruen interviews Bella Marose and Maria Burke about their experience in Honors Band.

Four Johnson Creek athletes attended the second annual Wisconsin Female Student-Athlete Summit on Wednesday in celebration of National Women & Girls in Sports Day at Alverno College. Freshmen Lia Constable and Olivia Frey, along with Sophomores Greta Sixel and Lydia Wetzel attended.

The mission of the Female Student-Athlete Summit is to empower and connect female student-athletes through teamwork, resource sharing, and inspiration. Athletes were able to listen to multiple speakers. Topics covered included mental toughness, returning to sport after injury, the Paralympics, and the importance of Title IX.

Each girl was asked to share her thoughts on the day.

Greta shared, “It was a great experience being able to meet a bunch of new people and hear their stories.”

Lia added, “I like meeting and getting to know other female athletes. We also learned how important it is to take care of our bodies.”

“I personally thought that it taught me a lot about women in different sports, and how the treatment is different for women than men in sports,” said Olivia.

Speakers included 2x WNBA All-Star Anna DeForge, and 3x Parapan American Games gold medalist Becca Murray, 2x Olympic Medalist Speed Skater Katherine Adamek, WIAC Commissioner Danielle Harris, Title IX expert Peg Pennepacker, among others. 3x Parapan American Games gold medalist Becca Murray, 2x Olympic Medalist Speed Skater Katherine Adamek, WIAC Commissioner Danielle Harris, Title IX expert Peg Pennepacker, among others.

Monday was a late night for our Johnson Creek High School Forensics team. They kicked off their season at the Trailways South Conference meet at Dodgeland. There, 10 students competed in 9 speech events, earning scores and gaining valuable insight and critique from judges across three rounds. At the end of the night, scores were tallied up, and ribbons and medals were awarded to students based on the following:

White Ribbon: Scored at least 20 in 1/3 rounds

Red Ribbon: Scored at least 20 in 2/3 rounds

Blue Ribbon: Scored at least 20 in 3/3 rounds

Medal: Best in category (1st place)

The results are:

Madeline Bennett & Sophia Le: Blue Ribbon and 1st Place in Group Interpretation

Molly Burke: Blue Ribbon and 1st Place in Prose

Evan Chowanec: White Ribbon in Poetry

Makayla Flynn: Red Ribbon in Poetry

Kiya Imig: Blue Ribbon and 1st Place in Prose

Ryder Kerttula: Blue Ribbon and 1st Place in Poetry

Hazel Moulding: White Ribbon in Special Occasion Speaking

Lauren Nadboralski: Blue Ribbon in Special Occasion Speaking

Hailey Penna: Blue Ribbon and 1st Place in Solo Acting Humorous

Congratulations to these amazing students and good luck at Deerfield on February 11th!

Johnson Creek School District Exceeds Expectations

In a remarkable achievement highlighting the district’s commitment to academic excellence, the Johnson Creek School District has received an excellent rating on the state’s annual report card, moving up to the "Exceeds Expectations" category. This marks a significant milestone for the district, which has consistently worked to improve student outcomes across all grade levels.

The state report card, which evaluates public school districts on a range of academic and growth metrics, revealed that Johnson Creek is surpassing state expectations and excelling in areas like 8th-grade math proficiency and teacher effectiveness. Johnson Creek’s score ranks third when compared to ten area school districts and second in the eighteen-district Trailways Conference (not all districts receive a score within the conference).

A Leap to Excellence

The district's advancement to the "Exceeds Expectations" category comes after years of strategic improvements, including investments in teacher development, curriculum updates, and enhanced student support systems. District leaders say the jump in rankings reflects both hard work and a sustained focus on academic rigor.

“We are incredibly proud of this achievement,” said Mark Gruen, Superintendent of Johnson Creek Schools. “This ranking is a testament to the dedication of our teachers, staff, students, and families. Moving up to the 'Exceeds Expectations' level is not just a number—it’s a reflection of our community’s commitment to fostering an environment where every student can thrive.”

Teacher Impact on Student Growth

Another key indicator of the district’s success is its teacher value-added score, which ranks in the 88th percentile statewide. This metric measures how much teachers contribute to students’ academic growth, factoring in both student performance and improvement over time.

“We know that great teaching is one of the most important factors in student success,” said Dr. Neil O’Connell, Principal at Johnson Creek MS/HS. “This high ranking reflects the effectiveness of our teachers in helping students reach their full potential. Their hard work and dedication are at the heart of our students’ growth and achievement.”

A Community Effort

Community involvement and a focus on holistic education are also integral to the district’s success. Parents, local businesses, and organizations have rallied behind the district’s educational initiatives, helping provide resources, mentorship, and encouragement for students both inside and outside the classroom.

“We are fortunate to have such a supportive community,” said Mel Enger, Principal at Johnson Creek Elementary. “It’s clear that everyone—teachers, students, families, and our local partners—are working together toward the shared goal of student success.”

Looking Ahead

While the district celebrates its "Exceeds Expectations" ranking, leaders are not resting on their laurels. Plans are already in place to build on this success, with a focus on continuing to close achievement gaps and ensure every student has the support they need to succeed.

"We are proud of what we've accomplished, but we know there's always room for improvement," said Mark Gruen. “Our next steps will focus on continuing to innovate and adapt so that every child in our district has the best possible opportunity to succeed.”

On Friday, October 25th, staff and students from grades 6 through 12 came together for Sources of Strength training. This program aims to spread Hope, Help, and Strength throughout our community. We focus on encouraging students and staff to identify their strengths and the support available to them. Moving forward, we will develop messaging campaigns to help our students and community emphasize strength and foster growth together.

During lunch, two students from Mr. Burke's class performed Shakespearean soliloquies from Hamlet. Tony Van Dyck and Molly Burke have worked diligently to perform these soliloquies in honor of our annual Shakespeare Fortnight. Their performance can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/gd4goyjbGbE

October is Fire Safety Month and once again, the Johnson Creek Fire Department visited the elementary school to teach students all about fire safety. Students had the opportunity to see the inside of the ambulance and fire trucks, learn about the equipment firefighters and EMTs use and eat lunch with some of the firefighters themselves! We would like to send a big thank you to the JCFD for making time to work with our students and teach them all about fire safety. We appreciate you!

We have a new outdoor learning space at school for all students to use. This space is located between the middle school and elementary 2-4 domes and has been made possible through donations and the hard work of staff and student volunteers. We used donations the district received from Nickel Night last fall, as well as money given by JCSD staff in memory of Julie O'Brien, who taught first grade here for 30 years to create the outdoor space.

Mr. Chuck did the outside work for the space. He planted trees, created a seating area using logs and rocks, and helped with the planning and placement of benches and picnic tables.

Brenda Gatzke and her family donated all of the logs to create the amazing seating area for classes and Ray Lauersdorf and his Building Construction class made the three picnic tables and two benches.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this project a success! Our students love the new space and are excited to be able to take their learning outdoors!

The Johnson Creek School District has an ongoing partnership with Hudl and NFHS to livestream home sporting events. If you can't make the game, you don't have to miss the action! Check out the links below to watch your Bluejays live when you are unable to make it in person!

Hudl - All regular season games

NFHS - All regular season and playoff games(subscription required)

Congratulations to Evan Chowanec, who is one of 32,000 students from across the country to earn academic honors from the College Board's National Recognition Programs! These National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students with academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and connect students with universities across the country, helping them stand out during the admissions process. Colleges and scholarship programs use these honors to identify students from underrepresented groups through the College Board's Student Search Service

Evan earned this recognition by excelling on his PSAT and AP Exams, as well as in the classroom. To be eligible, students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the PSAT, or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams, and attend school in a rural area or small town. Eligible students are invited to apply during their sophomore or junior year and are awarded at the beginning of the next school year.

Congratulations, Evan!

The Johnson Creek Police Department held a drawing at Nickel Night and Lillian Fuchs was the lucky winner of a morning with Moose! Moose is training to become a therapy dog and spent this morning outside the elementary with Lillian. The two of them then rode around the school in a squad car, followed by Moose escorting Lillian to her class.

What an exciting way to start the day!

Thank you to the JCPD, Jay and Vanna Leonard, and of course Moose for spending the morning with our students!

Sophia Fenger is ecstatic to join the Johnson Creek team as the new 6th and 7th grade ELA teacher! She's passionate about both the written word and a good cup of coffee. When she's not immersed in a great book or crafting engaging lessons, you’ll likely find her completing puzzles, making riddles, or listening to podcasts and music. Ms. Fenger looks forward to exploring new stories and ideas with all of you this year!

Meet Sara Guenette, our new First Grade teacher. Ms. Guenette graduated in May 2024 from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a degree in Early Childhood-Middle Childhood Education. The 2024-2025 school year will be Ms. Guenette's first year of teaching and she is thrilled to begin her teaching journey in the Johnson Creek community. Ms. Guenette grew up in Sussex where she was a hockey and rugby player. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, boating, attending country music concerts, walking her dog, and going to Packer games!

Meet Alayna Clark, our new 1st grade teacher. Ms. Clark attended UW-Oshkosh where she played soccer and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education this past spring! In her spare time, she loves watching sports, getting outside, spending time with her dog, Taz and being around her friends and family.

Johnson Creek School District Receives $5,000 Rachael Ray Foundation ProStart Grow Grant to Expand its Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management Program

$5,000 grants can be used to enhance the classroom experience with curriculum, supplies, and equipment.

Johnson Creek is one of 40 high schools nationwide selected to receive a $5,000 grant from The Rachael Ray Foundation and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to enhance their ProStart culinary arts and restaurant management program with new equipment, curriculum, and experiential learning opportunities.

"We are so grateful to be amongst this year's grant recipients - these funds will enable our students to maximize their educational time and effort by learning in an industry-standard kitchen environment with updated curriculum, ensuring they gain the college- and career-ready skills they need to be successful." – Ms. Amanda Olsen, FACE Teacher

“Providing Grow Grants is one of my favorite times of the year. The educators who invest their passion and energy into their classrooms are inspiring. I love to see the impact their work has on the students who graduate from ProStart with the knowledge and excitement for the restaurant industry,” said Rachael Ray.

ProStart educators play a pivotal role in the program’s success in more than 2,100 high schools nationwide, blending its core curriculum with hands-on industry engagement activities, including special speakers, class mentors, and tours of local culinary facilities. The 2024 grant application was open to existing ProStart schools, or those looking to join the program in the coming school year. The NRAEF anticipates that the grants will benefit more than 3,700 students and 42 teachers across 22 states.

In the last five years,153 ProStart Grow Grants have been awarded to schools showing a strong desire to engage students through ProStart’s industry-leading career and technical education program. In addition to classroom grants, The Rachael Ray Foundation and the Yum-o! organization have sponsored more than 260 scholarships for students pursuing post-secondary degrees in the restaurant and hospitality industry.

“ProStart Grow Grants are a gamechanger for many ProStart classrooms, providing the support to add crucial curriculum, equipment, and experiences for students. We’re grateful for the partnership of The Rachael Ray Foundation, which is helping educators give their students a front row seat to all that a career in the restaurant industry offers,” said Rob Gifford, president of the NRAEF.

ProStart has equipped more than 214,000 students with the essentials of culinary arts and restaurant management through its two-year CTE program, found at a mix of public high schools and career technical education centers across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Students completing the program gain restaurant-specific certifications and competencies, over 400 hours of practical work experience, and access to restaurant and hospitality apprenticeship and scholarship opportunities.