Hallie Newman Schmeling - Menomonee Falls School Board

08/25/2026

08/24/2026

To Our Dedicated Educators,

As we transition into a new academic year, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your professionalism, expertise, and unwavering commitment to student learning and growth. The care and skill you bring to your work shape the future of our school and empower our students to thrive. Looking forward to a productive and inspiring year ahead!

08/21/2026

Want to understand Wisconsin school funding? 📚

I put together a one-page overview of Wisconsin’s public school funding system, along with a link to the Funding Friday video series.

Wisconsin’s funding system affects public school districts across the state — not just Menomonee Falls.

📄 Save the one-pager
▶️ Watch the series: www.youtube.com/

Feel free to share! 💚

08/18/2026

New Staff Orientation is officially underway!
A big, warm welcome to everyone joining the district this year. We’re so glad you’re here and can’t wait for a great school year!

08/16/2026

What is a Board Workshop — and why are we meeting on a Sunday?

You may have noticed that the School Board is holding a workshop today. So…why Sunday?

A Board workshop is an opportunity for the Board to learn, ask questions, discuss big-picture issues, and build a shared understanding before we get to future decisions.

Today, we’ll be working with School Perceptions and Bray Architects as we continue conversations around three important areas:

📊 Long-range financial planning — understanding where we are today and what we need to consider for the future.

🏫 Long-range facility planning — working with Bray Architects to look at our buildings and facilities with a long-term perspective. This includes understanding the condition of our current infrastructure, long-term needs, and best practices for maintenance and planning — not simply looking at whether we need to build something new.

📋 Community input — working with School Perceptions as we develop a community survey designed to hear directly from community members and better understand your perspectives, priorities, and experiences.
There won't be a vote to solve all of these things today. The purpose is to listen, learn, ask questions, and have thoughtful conversations so that we can better understand the challenges and opportunities ahead.

And yes, it's on a Sunday. 🙂

Finding a time when Board members, district staff, and outside partners can all be together isn't always easy. This workshop gives us dedicated time to step back from the regular meeting agenda and focus on the long-term future of our district.

Good planning starts with good information — and this is one step in that process.

08/14/2026

Funding Friday — the final one (for now)! 🎓📚

Wisconsin’s school funding system is complicated, and funding trends affect every public school district across the state — not just Menomonee Falls.

I created Funding Friday to make the basics a little easier to understand.

Watch the full series here: www.youtube.com/ and check out the one-pager for a quick overview of it all!

Thanks for learning about Wisconsin school funding with me! 💚

Note: Funding Friday is an educational series where I’m sharing what I’m learning about Wisconsin school funding to help our community better understand how the system works. While I serve as Vice President of the Menomonee Falls Board of Education, these videos reflect my personal learning and are not formal board policy or action.

08/12/2026

📅 Updated August Calendar

Here is the updated August calendar with all currently scheduled Board and committee meetings.

Please note: The Board will meet for a workshop on Sunday, August 16 at 10:00 a.m. in the Committee Room to discuss:
• Long-Range Financial Planning
• Survey Information
• Long-Range Facility Planning

School Perceptions and Bray will be present to provide information and help inform the Board’s discussion.

A Board Workshop is a working session where Board members can learn more about an issue, ask questions, review information, hear from experts, discuss options, and provide input and guidance. It allows the Board to have deeper conversations and better understand the information before any future formal action is considered. No formal action will be taken at this workshop.

Meetings are open to the public.

08/07/2026

Funding Friday #8

This week, we're taking a closer look at how Wisconsin funds special education and why reimbursement rates matter for local school districts.

Unlike many other parts of a school budget, special education services are legally required, and the cost depends on the individual needs of students. Wisconsin helps districts pay for these services through special education categorical aid, but the state's reimbursement has often fallen below its original funding goal.

In this week's video, we explore how special education reimbursement works and the difference between sum certain and sum sufficient funding models. We also look at what happens when state reimbursement is lower than expected and why districts across Wisconsin use local operating dollars to cover the remaining costs.

Note: Funding Friday is an educational series where I’m sharing what I’m learning about Wisconsin school funding to help our community better understand how the system works. While I serve as Vice President of the Menomonee Falls Board of Education, these videos reflect my personal learning and are not formal board policy or action.