Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials

02/04/2026

WASBO recognized Trevis Thompson, Lead Maintenance for Cornell School District, as the recipient of one of three 2025 Wisconsin Custodian & Maintenance Professional of the Year Awards on February 2, 2026, during the 2026 Facilities Management & School Safety Conference at the Kalahari Convention Center.

Watch his recognition video here: https://youtu.be/GEC_RXVA7uE

The Wisconsin Custodian & Maintenance Professional of the Year Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of those who make a difference in their local school district, community, and the custodial and maintenance profession. Thompson received the 2025 award in recognition of his twenty years of reliable dedication and his critical role in keeping the district’s aging facilities operational and safe. Colleagues emphasized that he makes students and staff his top priority, often fixing temperature issues immediately and going above and beyond to support the special education classroom by accommodating students with specific medical needs. Beyond his facilities duties, Thompson was recognized for his community service—such as building planting boxes and conducting annual cemetery cleanups—and his unique professional dedication, having transitioned from night custodian to lead custodian and eventually to a full-time teacher while helping train his replacement.

02/04/2026

WASBO recognized Keith Peterson, Head of Maintenance and Facilities for Argyle School District, as the recipient of one of three 2025 Wisconsin Custodian & Maintenance Professional of the Year Awards on February 2, 2026, during the 2026 Facilities Management & School Safety Conference at the Kalahari Convention Center.

Watch his recognition video here: https://youtu.be/hm9UoqPaAH4

The Wisconsin Custodian & Maintenance Professional of the Year Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of those who make a difference in their local school district, community, and the custodial and maintenance profession. Peterson received the 2025 award in recognition of his unwavering commitment and irreplaceable knowledge of the district's facilities, having served the district in some capacity since high school. Colleagues describe his expertise as "cannot be replicated," noting that he played a key role in developing the district's facilities maintenance and long-term capital improvement plans. Beyond his professional duties, Peterson is recognized as a leader in the Argyle community, actively serving with the local EMS and fire departments and volunteering at events such as the annual fish fry. His dedication is so profound that staff remarked he is at the school "way more than he probably should be," earning him a reputation as a true professional and a gentleman.

02/04/2026

WASBO recognized Steve Ketterhagen, Custodian for Wheatland J1 School District, as the recipient of one of three 2025 Wisconsin Custodian & Maintenance Professional of the Year Awards on February 2, 2026, during the 2026 Facilities Management & School Safety Conference at the Kalahari Convention Center.

Watch his recognition video here: https://youtu.be/SXB2l8LLyHU

The Wisconsin Custodian & Maintenance Professional of the Year Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of those who make a difference in their local school district, community, and the custodial and maintenance profession. Ketterhagen received the 2025 award in recognition of his profound impact on Wheatland Center's culture. For nearly a decade, he has been the most-mentioned individual in employee engagement surveys, a testament to his "genuine devotion" and his quiet willingness to step in wherever help is needed. His commitment goes far beyond standard duties; he obtained a bus license to address a critical staffing gap and used his creativity to build custom accessibility devices, including equipment that enables a student in a wheelchair to play hockey. This unique blend of practical problem-solving, such as maintaining a pristine facility through the deep respect he commands from students, and his "friendly, positive attitude" makes him an indispensable part of his district.

02/04/2026

WASBO is proud to announce Franklin Public Schools as the recipient of the 2025 Wisconsin Safety, Security & Wellness Award. The school district, in partnership with the City of Franklin Fire & Health Departments and Volition Franklin, was recognized at WASBO’s 2026 Facilities Management & School Safety Conference on February 2, 2026, at the Kalahari Convention Center in the Wisconsin Dells. This honor includes a $1,500 grant from M3 Insurance to support ongoing risk management efforts within the school district.

Watch the recognition video here: https://youtu.be/LAta7hE7tOc

The purpose of the Wisconsin Safety, Security & Wellness Award is to highlight creative, successful programs that go beyond policy creation to deliver tangible benefits and to ensure safe, healthy learning environments for students and staff. Franklin Public Schools is receiving the 2025 award in recognition of its impactful collaboration with local health and fire agencies to enhance the safety and security of its learning environment. This partnership delivered tangible safety enhancements, including distributing 400 “Stop the Bleed” kits, integrating safety team planning, and conducting more than 800 student health screenings annually. These comprehensive efforts led to measurable wellness outcomes, such as a 9.7% reduction in recent alcohol use and a 5.0% decrease in binge drinking among students.

02/04/2026

01/23/2026

WASBO recognized Topher Adams, Director of Business Services for Grafton School District, as the recipient of the 2026 Wisconsin School Business Manager of the Year Award on January 22 during the 2026 State Education Convention in Milwaukee, Wis.

Watch Adams’ recognition video here: https://youtu.be/1AwYlSm_zkc

This award acknowledges the value and need to recognize outstanding school business managers in Wisconsin and their contributions to public education. Adams is being recognized as the 2026 Wisconsin School Business Manager of the Year for his extraordinary leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence in school business operations.

At Grafton School District, Adams successfully managed major facility projects while maintaining strong fiscal stewardship and securing voter approval for key referenda. His leadership has enhanced operational efficiency, improved student learning environments, and strengthened community trust. In addition to his district accomplishments, Adams has been an active leader within WASBO, including as both a mentor and co-chair of WASBO’s Fall Conference Planning Committee.

This award, sponsored by M3 Insurance, includes a $1,500 cash award for the recipient’s continued professional development. Additionally, Adams will award a scholarship to a 2026 graduating high school senior. M3 Insurance also sponsors the scholarship.

01/23/2026

WASBO is proud to announce that Kelly Fassbender, Director of Business Services for the Unified School District of Antigo, received Wisconsin’s 2026 George Gray New School Business Manager of the Year Award on January 22 during the State Education Convention in Milwaukee, Wis.

Watch Fassbender’s recognition video here: https://youtu.be/4hTA9WhTJOM

This award was renamed in honor of George Gray, who created the School of Business Management Master of Science degree program at UW-Whitewater. Gray trained many Wisconsin school business managers through the “Fairly Normal School District” budget mock Annual Meeting. Fassbender is being honored as Wisconsin’s 2026 New School Business Manager of the Year for her exceptional leadership, financial acumen, and positive impact in the Unified School District. Fassbender quickly distinguished herself by implementing more efficient budgeting processes, strengthening financial transparency, and improving operational systems. Her collaborative approach has built strong relationships with staff, administration, and the community, while her commitment to continuous improvement has enhanced district operations and student outcomes. Fassbender’s early success and dedication to the profession mark her as an emerging leader in school business management.

This award, sponsored by Brown & Brown, includes a $1,000 cash prize.

01/15/2026

Starting the spring semester strong with School Business Ethics! Plenty of great courses coming up, make sure you don't miss out. Find all the content at www.wasbo.com/u!

A new semester of learning has begun with our students at the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials! This week, we launched School Business Ethics with WASBO’s very own Mike Barry. Excited for what’s ahead this semester!

12/12/2025

Watch Trisha Barth's 2025 SBOP Award recognition video here: https://youtu.be/9GP9GpVy43s

WASBO is proud to announce Trisha Barth, Bookkeeper for Seymour Community School District, as the recipient of WASBO’s 2025 School Business Office Professional of the Year Award. Barth was recognized during WASBO’s 2025 School Business Office Professionals Conference on December 11, 2025, at the Kalahari Convention Center.

The Wisconsin School Business Office Professional of the Year Award recognizes the value of and the need to recognize outstanding members of the school business office who handle accounting, payroll, and human resources, who help keep the lights on, staff members, and bills paid, provide an additional layer of fiscal security, and much more. Barth received the 2025 award for consistently strengthening her district through exceptional leadership, deep expertise in school finance, and an unwavering commitment to service. She improves processes, embraces continuous learning, and plays a key role in increasing efficiency and financial clarity across the district. Colleagues describe her as the reliable “go-to” person whose positive influence, professionalism, and steady presence elevate the entire business office.

11/18/2025

Day one of the Special Education Budgeting Academy (SEBA) is underway, and it is great to see everyone finally in the same room after this Academy sold out back in July. This academy, which was brought to life by WASBO and the Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services (WCASS), brings together special education leaders and school business officials to dig into how we plan, staff, and budget for special education in a way that works for both students and districts.

Today kicks off our first in-person session, with another one in February, as well as two virtual check-ins. The energy is high, the conversations are practical, and participants are already sharing real solutions and comparing what has worked in their districts. It's great to see how much collaboration is happening on day one, and we look forward to watching these ideas grow throughout the rest of the academy!

Learn more at https://WASBO.com/SEBA