School District of Fort Atkinson

🎉🏆 Fort Atkinson Senior Earns National All American Debate Honor!
Congratulations to Fort Atkinson High School senior Elijah “Eli” Szabo, who has earned the National Speech & Debate Association’s Academic All American Award in debate—one of the highest honors in the nation.

January is School Board Recognition Month! We want to thank our dedicated board members for their service and commitment to #1Fort Schools:
⭐️ Kory Knickrehm, President
⭐️ Amy Amato, Vice President
⭐️ Matt Loup, Clerk
⭐️ Robynn Selle, Treasurer
⭐️ Kurt Lewis, Member
We appreciate your leadership and the time you invest in supporting our students and schools! 🙏

🎶 When the show can’t go on… the music still does! 🎶
The SDFA 5th grade band and orchestra concert was unfortunately canceled due to inclement weather, but that didn’t stop the music. The following day, Mrs. Haffelder, our Band and Orchestra teacher, had students perform a mini concert throughout the halls of Luther, spreading holiday cheer to students and staff alike.

The students and staff at Luther School were treated to a special performance by opera singer Grace McMahon. Grace, the daughter of Luther employee Kristi McMahan, was home from LSU on winter break and generously shared her incredible talent and inspiring story with our students.

✨ Purdy Elementary kicked off the holiday season in the best way! 🎅

This past Saturday, families gathered for Breakfast with Santa, and the cafeteria was filled with holiday cheer, big smiles, laughter, and plenty of festive fun. ❤️🎄

🎉 Congratulations to our November Safety Patrollers of the Month!

We are so proud of these student leaders for their dedication and commitment to keeping our schools safe. A big thank you to Jimmy Johns for hosting us!
⭐ Olivia K. (Rockwell)
⭐ Daleyza G. (Purdy)
⭐ Jaret Y. (Rockwell)
⭐ Tobias G. (Barrie)
⭐ Gabby H. (Luther)
⭐ Winnie C. (Barrie)
⭐ Marjorie B. (Luther)
⭐ Myles B. (Purdy)

Great job, patrollers! Keep up the outstanding work!

🎄✨ Nothing shines brighter than a community in the holiday spirit!
On Sunday, December 7th, our community came together for the annual Fort Atkinson Lighted Holiday Parade, and it was a magical time from start to finish! Students, families, and staff lined the streets to enjoy the festive floats, sparkling lights, and cheerful holiday spirit.
Thank you to everyone who participated and supported this wonderful #1Fort community tradition. What a beautiful way to kick off the season! 🎅🎶🌟

✨ Purdy Elementary kicked off the holiday season in the best way! 🎅🥞
This past Saturday, families gathered for Breakfast with Santa, and the cafeteria was filled with holiday cheer, big smiles, laughter, and plenty of festive fun. ❤️🎄

A special thank you to the Kiwanis Club of Fort Atkinson for cooking, volunteering, and helping make this event truly special. We appreciate you! 🙌

Thank you to everyone who joined us and added to the magic of the morning!

The Food Drive at Luther was an incredible success! 🥫

Thanks to your generosity, we collected close to 1,000 items for the Food Pantry and the Humane Society. A huge thank you to everyone who donated!

These Purdy students loved getting outside to play in the fresh snowfall. ⛄️💙

A special new tradition was started at this year’s Fort Atkinson Girls Volleyball banquet! 🏐❤️ Each senior had the chance to “leave their mark” on the blocking box used at practices. Hannah Baldry, Caroline Anderson, and Savanna Hendrickson each added their fingerprint and a meaningful phrase they wanted to leave with the program. These three seniors have made a lasting impact, and their leadership and spirit will be greatly missed. Thank you for everything you’ve given to the volleyball program! 🖤🤍

Students and families at Barrie came together to enjoy a delicious turkey lunch during our Fall Family Meal! 🍂

A big thank you to our Student Council members who helped serve throughout the lunch. Your teamwork and smiles made the event extra special! 💙

We also featured a touching Veterans Day display honoring past and current service members. 🇺🇸

Three of our students, Lily Rottmann, Daisy Heussner, and Maia Price, along with their advisor Mrs. Jenna Zangl, attended the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation Summit at Turner Hall on Friday, November 7.

Last spring, these students conducted interviews with community members, peers, and state representatives to gather data on overall wellbeing and social media trends. That important information helped shape the conversations and activities at Friday’s summit. 💡
Working side by side with community partners, our students helped create a shared vision for a thriving Jefferson and Dodge Counties. 🌍👏

Check out our class picture of these amazing persuasive first graders! As a school, we are voting on the best candy from a Rockwell perspective during every library class, using the list of candies these students wrote about. ✏️🍭

🚓 Honoring Our Everyday Heroes! 🚒💙

The Fort Atkinson School District lives by the motto: 1Fort Team, 1Fort District, 1Fort Community. Today, we put that motto into action by celebrating and giving back to those who serve and protect our community every day. 🙌

A huge thank you to our Jefferson County and Fort Atkinson First Responders for all that you do! We appreciate your dedication, bravery, and service. 💛

Special thanks to Officer Dutcher for stopping by to pick up all the goodies! 🍪🚓

👏🎨 We’re thrilled to share that our very own Angela Szabo, Fort Atkinson High School art teacher, has been named the Wisconsin Art Education Association’s (WAEA) November 2025 Art Teacher of the Month! 🏆

Her creativity, passion, and dedication inspire students to explore, express, and achieve through art every day. 🎭🖌️

🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️ Fort Cross Country Shines at State! 🏅

This past weekend, our boys team and Addi Miller proudly represented Fort Atkinson at the 113th WIAA State Cross Country Meet! 💪

For the first time since 2005, our boys team qualified for state — and they made it count! Despite the challenges of a tough Ridges course, the team finished 5th overall, marking our highest team finish since 1972! 🎉

A huge congratulations to:
Grant Heagney, Vinny Sitkiewitz, Jameson Stafford, Jude Clayton, Max Rosenberger, Declan Reed, and Michael Cassiday — what a phenomenal way to cap off an amazing season! 👏

In the girls’ race, Addi Miller toed the line for the second consecutive year and delivered another strong performance, finishing 56th overall. Her hard work, perseverance, and dedication truly paid off. 🌟

A special shoutout to Senior Grant Heagney, whose leadership, positivity, and example have left a lasting impact on Fort CC. Thank you, Grant, for all you’ve given to the program — you’ll be missed! ❤️

This week, Officer Enger visited Luther to teach DARE classes to our 5th graders! Students had meaningful conversations about what it means to be responsible at home, at school, and in the community. They also learned about the DARE Decision Making Model and how to make safe and healthy choices.

🐴✨ Congratulations to the Fort Atkinson Equestrian Team!
This past weekend, our riders competed at the WIHA State Horse Show at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison — showcasing incredible teamwork, sportsmanship, and skill.

We’re proud to share that the Fort Atkinson Equestrian Team earned a Top 10 Finish at State! 🎉👏

The Purdy Green Team held their first event last week and made a great start. K through 5 members helped with a fall clean up in the courtyard and painted rocks that will be added to our sensory space.