NJSD Unveils Plans for Pickard Renovation
Plans for a facelift to Pickard Auditorium and the recently-named Shattuck Performing Arts Center at
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Plans for a facelift to Pickard Auditorium and the recently-named Shattuck Performing Arts Center at Neenah Middle School have been unveiled by the Neenah Joint School District. The renovations would be done through a fundraising campaign and will not involve a referendum. The plan was presented at a community meeting on June 25 along with representatives from Somerville Architects. Total cost of the project is estimated at $4.459 million. Pending the ability to raise the money, the District aspires to begin construction sometime in 2025. The proposal would upgrade the seats in Pickard, while creating a center aisle and accessible seating areas. The auditorium and lobby would receive new carpeting, lighting, HVAC and acoustics. The plan would also update the exterior entrance to the Performing Arts Center. No major structural changes are part of the plan. The facility will still seat nearly 1,500 people and look very similar to the new Performing Arts Center at Neenah High School that has a capacity of 850. Pickard Auditorium has undergone few changes or upgrades since its opening in 1972. The facility is part of the Shattuck Performing Arts Center, which includes the lobby area and music suites. The area was renamed in January 2024 by the Board of Education as a way to honor the generational giving of the Shattuck family after the closing of Shattuck Middle School following the 2023-24 school year. A fundraising committee will be formed to develop the campaign. Those interested in assisting with the committee should contact Jon Joch at the District Office at 920-751-6800 ext. 10102 or jjoch@neenah.k12.wi.us.
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Koenecke Named Middle School Principal
A familiar face to Neenah Middle School students and staff has been named the school’s new
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A familiar face to Neenah Middle School students and staff has been named the school’s new principal for the 2024-25 school year. Jenni Koenecke, who served as the school’s associate principal for the past two years, has been selected to replace Jackie Muñoz-Ellmann. Muñoz-Ellmann was recently named the District’s Assistant District Administrator for Leadership and Engagement. “Jenni brings an unwavering commitment to supporting all students and staff at Neenah Middle School to reach their full potential.” said incoming Neenah superintendent Dr. Steve Harrison. “Her belief that all students can achieve at high levels as well as her desire to collaborate with staff will serve her well as she leads the largest middle school in the state of Wisconsin.” Community and staff engagement has been a priority for Koenecke in leading the school with 1,951 students. She organized community outreach events and implemented a systematic approach to reducing truancy and attendance issues. Koenecke also led opportunities for staff to experience professional development from the nationally-recognized Ron Clark Academy. Koenecke was a founding member of the Fox West Academy in the Hortonville Area School District and taught in the school for 12 years. She also coordinated staff mentoring programs in the District from 2010-20. She previously taught seven years at Greenville Middle School. Koenecke earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from UW-Oshkosh. She owns master’s degrees from National Louis University and American College of Education. Her husband, Nate, is a math teacher at Neenah High School.
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Two Added to District Admin Staff
Two current Neenah Middle School administrators have been selected to fill open positions at the
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Two current Neenah Middle School administrators have been selected to fill open positions at the District level of the Neenah Joint School District. Middle School Principal Jackie Munoz-Ellmann has been selected as the NJSD Assistant District Administrator for Learning and Engagement, replacing Chad Buboltz. Current Associate Principal Curtis Bartlett has been selected to fill as the NJSD Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, replacing Tim Kachur. Buboltz and Kachur recently accepted new positions outside of the District. Munoz-Ellmann has been in the District for 18 years and has been a principal at the middle school level for the past nine years. She was at Horace Mann Middle School from 2015-22 before spending one year at Shattuck Middle School and the inaugural year of Neenah Middle School this past year. Munoz-Ellmann was principal at Clayton Elementary from 2012-15 after serving as a special education teacher in the District for six years. She was the District’s Administrator of the Year in 2020-21. Bartlett is completing his 12th year in the District and his first as middle school associate principal. He was the District’s STEM Coordinator from 2015-23 after previously spending three years as a math teacher at Neenah High School. He also held teaching positions for four years in Austin, Minn. and two years in Washington, N.C.
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