Board of Education

Regular meetings of the Wausau Board of Education are held on the second Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m. in the Nicholson Board Room of the Longfellow Administration Center, 415 Seymour Street, unless posted otherwise. Special meetings are also called when necessary. All meeting notices are announced to local media. The Board of Education serves the public and all of its meetings, including committee meetings, are open to the community. Public attendance and input are encouraged by the Board of Education.

State law permits the Board to go into closed session only to discuss personnel matters, property acquisition, consult with attorneys, etc. These sessions must be posted and all action taken must conform with the requirements of the Wisconsin Open Meeting Law, Stat. 19.85.

Board meeting agendas are posted at the Longfellow Administration Center and on the District’s website at least 24 hours before a scheduled meeting. Special provisions apply in case of an emergency meeting.  

The order of business at a regular meeting of the Wausau Board of Education usually is as follows:

• Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance

• Excellence in Action
• Open Forum
• Consent Agenda: Approve minutes, staffing, payment of bills, and donations to the District
• Old/Recurring Business
• New Business
• Committee Board Referrals
• Open Forum
• Closed Session, if necessary
• Adjournment

There is one standing committee:  the Committee of the Whole for the School Board.  This meeting, which also includes the audit of the bills, is held to provide greater opportunities for in-depth study of programs and topics. State statutes require that each School Board committee meeting be posted in accordance with the Wisconsin Open Meeting Law, Stat. 19.85. The Committee of the Whole Meeting is open to the public. Periodically, the Board may establish ad hoc committees for a specific task. These meetings are also posted in accordance with the Wisconsin Open Meeting Law.

Committee Chair:  James Bouché

Individuals wishing to address the Board of Education may do so by signing the Open Forum sheets at the information table at most School Board Meetings. The sheets ask for name, address, and a brief statement about the item being presented. These sheets will be collected prior to the Open Forum. At the discretion of the presiding officer, those who have signed up to speak on a specific agenda item may be called upon when that item is being considered. Speakers must state their name and address upon addressing the Board. A time limit for presentations will be determined by the Board President.

Citizens attending Board Meetings will not be permitted to interfere with the orderly conduct of the session. Speakers are expected to treat others with respect, confining their remarks to School District issues. The President may terminate a speaker’s privilege to speak if the speaker persists in improper conduct or remarks. No person addressing the School Board should initiate charges or complaints about individual Board members or employees of the District. Such charges or complaints should be presented directly to the Superintendent of Schools or designee.

Written comments will be shared with the Board and uploaded in redacted format to the district website following the meeting; however, the comments will not be read aloud at the meeting.

All public comment must be received by 3 pm prior to the meeting in order for it to be recognized for that meeting.  Comments may not exceed 350 words in length and must be related to a matter on the agenda for the board meeting to which the comment was submitted, or if not on the current agenda, the comment must pertain to a matter within the scope of the school board’s authority.

Public comments identifying specific personnel or students by name or through the use of sufficiently detailed description so as to identify the individual staff or student referenced are not appropriate subjects for presentation to the School Board and should be referred to the superintendent’s office. Comments will be rejected if the content is reasonably interpreted to constitute discriminatory or harassing statements on the basis of any protected classification identified in District policy, or constitute threats, intimidation, obscene or of a sexual nature, or that are otherwise inappropriate for the forum of a public school board meeting. Those who submit public comment bear the personal risk if anything he/she writes is defamatory, slanderous, or otherwise harmful to another individual. The presiding officer values civil discourse and may prohibit comments that do not adhere to the rules. No comment will be excluded based on the commenter’s particular viewpoint or perspective on a topic.

Public comments may not be submitted anonymously, but rather must identify the commenter and home address. Home address and personal email addresses will be redacted prior to publishing the written Public Comment on the website, however, anonymity is not guaranteed and commenters are reminded that once submitted, the public comment is subject to the Public Records Laws.

If you are interested in running for the Board of Education, please contact:

Cassie Peck
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools
Board Secretary/Deputy Clerk
715-261-0505

2026 WASB Guide for Candidates

Board Member Contact Information

Administration Contact Information

Notice of Wausau School Board Election (Wi. Statute S. 120.06(6)(B)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to qualified electors of the WAUSAU SCHOOL DISTRICT that a School Board election will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. The term of office for the three candidates with the most votes for school board is three years beginning on April 27, 2026, and ending on April 22, 2029.  The candidate receiving the fourth highest votes will fill a one-year unexpired term ending on April 25, 2027.

It is required that the following positions be filled by the April election:
Office                                                                                                                     Incumbent
School Board Member at Large__________________________ Jennifer Paoli
School Board Member at Large__________________________ Cory Sillars
School Board Member at Large__________________________ Lance Trollop
School Board Member at Large (one-year unexpired term)_____Charles Burger

An elector desiring to be a candidate for a position on the School Board of the Wausau School District must file a completed DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY, CAMPAIGN REGISTRATION STATEMENT, AND NOMINATION PAPERS at the WAUSAU SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICES, 415 SEYMOUR STREET, WAUSAU WI 54403, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, mailed to the address noted above, or filed personally with the School Board Clerk or Deputy Clerk PRIOR TO 5:00 PM ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026. The Wausau School District Offices will be closed to the public for Winter Break from December 22, 2025, through January 4, 2026. If you would like to personally file election paperwork during that time, please make an appointment by emailing the Deputy Clerk at cpeck@wausauschools.org. District boundary information may also be obtained at Wausau School District Offices. The first day to circulate nomination papers is December 1, 2025.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that, if a primary is necessary, the primary will be held on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.  Acceptable Photo ID will be required to vote at this election. If you do not have a photo ID you may obtain a free ID for voting from the Division of Motor Vehicles.

Dated this 25th day of November, 2025.
Cory Sillars
School District Clerk

Candidates for Wausau School Board

NOTICE OF INCUMBENTS WHO HAVE FILED A NOTIFICATION OF NONCANDIDACY

The following incumbent school board member(s) whose term of office expires in April 2026 and whose seat will be contested at the 2026 Spring Election have filed a Notification of Noncandidacy, as provided under section 120.06(6)(b)3 of the state statutes:

Name of Incumbent:  Jennifer Paoli

Description of Office / Seat Held:  Board Member

Date Notification Filed:  December 14, 2025

The above list reflects filings as of December 15, 2025. The deadline for filing a Notification of Noncandidacy is December 26, 2025.

By filing the Notification of Noncandidacy, the incumbent(s) listed above have given advance notice that they do not presently intend to be a candidate for reelection to their school board office.

Except as otherwise provided under state law, a qualified elector of the School District who wishes to become a candidate and have their name appear on the election ballot for any of the school board seat(s) that will be contested at the 2026 Spring Election must file all necessary forms at 415 Seymour Street, Wausau, WI 54403 by no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Additional information about school board elections is available on the
District’s website or by contacting Cassie Peck at 715-261-0505 or cpeck@wausauschools.org.

This notice given on December 15, 2025, by:
Cassie Peck, Deputy Clerk
Reference: Section 120.06(6)(b)3 of the Wisconsin Statutes

Elections Results - April 7, 2026

Election results are now verified for the Wausau School Board race.  The Board of Canvassers met Monday, April 13, 2026 to verify results. 

Certificate of Canvassers

Results are as follows:

• Kathryn Ruland: 5,166
• Charles Burger: 5,792
• John Huntington: 5,365
• Cory Sillars: 6,203
• Yauo Y. Yang: 8,231
• Lance Trollop: 7,709

Lance, Yauo, Cory, and Charles received the most votes. They will be sworn in on April 27.

Announcement:  Wausau School Board Vacancy

Long-time Wausau School Board member Jane Rusch has submitted her resignation effective immediately.  Jane is stepping away because of some life circumstances and wants the community to know that this was one of the most difficult decisions of her life.  "I have absolutely loved every minute I have served on the board.  Even the tough moments," she said.

The search for Jane's replacement begins immediately.  Applications are being accepted at the Longfellow Administration Center located at 415 Seymour Street in Wausau through September 25, 2025.  Applications must include biographical data; a statement of qualifications; and a statement of interest/special interest.  Here's the full timeline going forward:

• September 25:  Deadline to submit applications
• September 29:  Special Board meeting to narrow candidates down to 4
• October 13:  Interviews/voting/Oath of Office.  Appointee takes the seat

Applications can be submitted to Cassie Peck, Deputy Clerk. She can be reached at 715-261-0500 or by email at cpeck@wausauschools.org.

On behalf of the Wausau School District and the Wausau School Board, we would like to thank Jane for her commitment.  She served as a board member for 16 years and during that time, advocated for students, staff, and families.  We wish Jane nothing but the best.   

Wausau School Board Vacancy Policy

Notice of School Board Vacancy

Press Release

Applications must be sent to:

Deputy Clerk Cassie Peck 
Longfellow Administration Center
415 Seymour Street
Wausau, WI 54403
cpeck@wausauaschools.org
(715) 261- 0500

Application deadline is 4 pm on Thursday, September 25, 2025

Election Results as of April 1, 2025

Nick Crochiere:  11,122
Jon Creisher: 10,890
James P. Bouché: 11,067
The Board of Canvassers will meet on Monday, April 7 at 10:30 a.m. in the Nicholson Boardroom of the Longfellow Administration Center at 415 Seymour Street in Wausau.