Education - Pierce County Journal

Ellsworth Community School District office staff surprised Superintendent Barry Cain with a fishing themed retirement party in May.

End of an era: Cain retires as Ellsworth superintendent

Ellsworth Community School District Superintendent Barry Cain considers himself lucky to have spent a big chunk of his career in his hometown. But all good things must come to an end: Cain’s … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 6/27/24

Pictured are (top row, from left): WDA Director Thomas Draghi, Deputy Division Administrator at DWD Meredith Dressel, Project SEARCH Skills Trailer Emily LaBadie; interns Jasmine Leary and Alesha McKinney, Project SEARCH Skills Trainer Ben Wilen, Allina Health River Falls Director of Patient Care, Jennifer Loesch, Allina Health River Falls President Jill Ostrem; (front row, from left): Intern Rachel May, Project SEARCH Instructor Natasha Herum; interns Adrienne Bayer, Kylee Collins, Karlee Bishop and Isaiah Kasay, and Allina Health River Falls Executive Assistant and Project SEARCH Business Liaison. Miranda Thorson.

Project SEARCH empowers individuals with disabilities for employment success

RIVER FALLS - Project SEARCH, a transition-to-employment program for individuals with disabilities, recently celebrated the achievements of its latest cohort. Licensed through the School District of … more

6/27/24

Retiring River Falls Superintendent Jamie Benson is pictured with other district retirees, including (from left): John Witt, Lisa Lockie, Pam Friede, Jamie Benson, Christine Engel, Rita Sommerfeldt, and Carrie Loney.

Benson retires as River Falls superintendent

Superintendent Jamie Benson has steered the ship for 11 years in the River Falls School District, but he’s set to hand the wheel over to a new skipper. His last day is June 28. … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 6/27/24

Prescott School Board looks at potential operational referendum and cost of meal increase

PRESCOTT – During public comment at the June Prescott School Board meeting, Tracy Collins from New Adventures Daycare represented three day care centers in the area that would be negatively … more

By Nicole Rogers | 6/27/24

Prescott High School applauds 3rd trimester honor rollees

Prescott High School has released the third trimester A and B honor rolls for the 2023-24 school year. Congratulations Cardinals! A honor roll Freshmen: Abigail Brock, Kyra Dix, Brady … more

6/27/24

Elmwood MS/HS recognizes honor roll scholars

ELMWOOD – Elmwood Middle/High School has released the fourth quarter honor roll for the 2023-24 school year. Congratulations students! A honor roll Seniors: Blake Allen, Riley Bechel, … more

6/26/24

(From left): Landen McDonough, Nathan Winger and Luke Battaglia with a giraffe in the background.

EPC science students head to Africa

Not many people can say they’ve assisted scientists in Africa on a rhino horn trimming study – but a group of Elmwood/Plum City students can. Led by Elmwood High School science … more

By Sarah Nigbor | 6/26/24

Ellsworth School Board member Gary Kressin congratulates Valedictorian Jocelyn Boyle at the May 19 Ellsworth High School awards ceremony.

GALLERY: Celebrating EHS Class of 2024 accomplishments

The Ellsworth Class of 2024 shared a night of accolades on Sunday, May 19 in the Ellsworth High School Cafetorium. more

6/20/24

Proposed athletic code tabled for revisions by Ellsworth School Board

The Ellsworth Community School District tabled the proposed athletic code revisions for tweaks and heard a presentation on the Ellsworth Hall of Fame that is in the works during the June 10 school … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/20/24

Plum City MS/HS applauds 4th quarter honor roll

PLUM CITY – Plum City Middle/High School is proud to announce the fourth quarter honor roll for the 2023-24 school year. Congratulations students! A honor roll Seniors McKenzie … more

6/20/24

UWRF music program honored with national finalist recognition

RIVER FALLS – Four University of Wisconsin-River Falls choral ensembles and one university band have been selected as finalists for a prestigious national honor. Four different choral … more

6/19/24

Susanne Wiesner, assistant professor of environmental science at UW-River Falls, and her team monitor soil greenhouse gas emission and carbon uptake at UWRF’s Mann Valley Farm.

Four UW-River Falls CAFES faculty awarded research fellowships

RIVER FALLS – The University of Wisconsin-River Falls College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) recently awarded four faculty research fellowships to help increase … more

6/19/24

Kurt Vogel, UW-River Falls professor of animal welfare and behavior and director of the Humane Handling Institute, speaks with meat industry employees during a training session on effective and humane restraint and stunning of animals at the university’s Mann Valley Farm in November 2023. The Rosen Family Foundation, Inc. has given a $1 million gift to support the Humane Handling Institute.

UWRF’s Humane Handling Institute secures $1 million gift from Rosen Family Foundation, Inc.

RIVER FALLS – The Rosen Family Foundation, Inc. has announced a $1 million gift in support of the internationally recognized Humane Handling Institute at the University of Wisconsin-River … more

6/19/24

River Falls Class of 2024 throws their caps in the air in celebration of their graduation June 2.

River Falls Class of 2024 turns the page at graduation ceremony

Another class of high school students saw their time at River Falls High School come to a close Sunday, June 2 with a pool of graduates celebrating their step into the next chapter of their lives. … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/19/24

Former UW-River Falls student CJ Sycks speaks with an onlooker during an event in 2022 at the university at which conservation and environmental planning students solicited ideas about planning issues facing the city of River Falls. The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents has approved starting a new undergraduate community and environmental planning degree at UW-River Falls that will develop skills specific to urban planning.

UWRF adds community and environmental planning degree

RIVER FALLS – Students seeking to design communities now and into the future will have the opportunity to learn those important, in-demand skills at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls … more

6/12/24

Baking & recipe challenges at the Pierce County Fair

The 2024 Pierce County Fair includes not only the return of the recipe challenge, but the new addition of a quilting challenge! These challenges allow friendly competition between open class … more

6/12/24

Campus notes: Achievements of Pierce County college students

UW-Stout MENOMONIE - The following students from the area have been named to the University of Wisconsin-Stout Dean's List for the spring 2024 semester. The award is presented to students … more

6/12/24

RF SB takes on policy updates, job descriptions and more

The River Falls School Board tackled a lengthy agenda during the May 20 meeting, discussing topics of job descriptions, salary increases, policy verbiage changes and more. The board heard a … more

By Andrew Harrington | 6/5/24

Malone Elementary School fifth grader Kendall Anderson is pictured with (from left) teacher Alex Magnino, Kevin Ballman of Pierce County Farm Bureau and STEM teacher Karey Sizemore.

Prescott 5th grader wins ag essay contest

PRESCOTT – Kendall Anderson, daughter of Justen and Corri Anderson, is a Pierce County winner for the Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Essay Contest. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau … more

6/5/24

EHS celebrates last honor roll of 2023-24 year

ELLSWORTH – Ellsworth High School has released its fourth quarter honor roll for the 2023-24 school year. Congratulations students! Freshmen Molly Abbas, Cayman Anderson, Mason … more

6/5/24