Unlocking New Opportunities: Madison Reading Project expanding literacy services to Sauk County children

Madison, WI – Madison Reading Project is thrilled to announce it is expanding its service area to include Sauk County, starting with its early literacy services for young children. We believe every child deserves the chance to fall in love with reading. 

Since our pilot program began in 2014 at the Salvation Army Neighborhood Center, we have fostered curiosity, listening, trust, and collaboration to enhance access to resources. We’ve significantly expanded our services, reaching children from birth to 18 through our work, and launched various literacy programs to bring books and engaging events directly to communities. The impact of 12 years has been significant to the county, in the volume and quality of resources, the longevity of programs and relationships, and the willingness to be innovative to enhance book accessibility and book joy for all children, families, and educators. 

We will start with the youngest readers and introduce Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for Sauk County families later this week, providing invaluable resources to support young readers. Thanks to the generous support of the Roots & Wings Foundation, our expansion will focus on early literacy services that build the foundational skills kids need before kindergarten.

Our small but mighty team is devoted to staying curious, being in the community, and making an impactful difference. This expansion marks an exciting new chapter, and we invite you to stay tuned as we share plans and ways you can get involved. Together, we can ensure that all children, families, and educators across our region have access to quality literacy materials and books to read, dream, and succeed.Beginning March 19, parents and caregivers can easily enroll their child(ren), birth to age 5,  in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to receive, at no charge, a carefully selected free book by mail every month that corresponds with the child’s age. Enrollment is at www.MadisonReadingProject.com/imaginationlibrary 

“We’ve been administering Imagination Library in Dane County since 2021, and thanks to the generous support of Roots & Wings Foundation, we’re now able to widen our reach,” says Rowan Childs, Madison Reading Project Co-Executive Director/Founder. “More than 13,500 children in Dane County receive this amazing gift in the mail every month and jumpstart literacy in their home. When families sign up their newborn, by the time their child turns five, the family will have received 60 books through the mail, helping build their home library, which not only enhances literacy skills, but also provides important opportunities for parent-child bonding.”

“About 3,500 children throughout Sauk County could be enrolled,” adds Deirdre Steinmetz, Co-Executive Director. “We are elated to grow this program to serve rural communities and bring the excitement of early literacy resources to more kids.” 

Each child is welcomed to the Imagination Library with The Little Engine that Could, and at age five, “graduates” with Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come. Books mailed in between those are based on their birth year, starting with board books and moving through more complex learning stages.

“We’re eager to make an impact in learning in Sauk County by putting more books into the hands of young children,” adds Sarah Burke, Madison Reading Project’s Early Literacy Coordinator. “More books in homes means more family bonding time and more opportunities to experience the joy of reading together.”

“We are overjoyed to be joining the Sauk County community and look forward to learning and growing alongside local children, families, and educators to inspire the next generation of lifelong readers,” Childs adds.

Questions about the Dolly Parton Imagination Program? Email: imaginationlibrary@madisonreadingproject.com

Facts to know:

• Children can be enrolled on the day they are born
• Children can be enrolled at one location- if that household is the address of a grandparent, friend, or relative, their name needs to be used as the parent to ensure delivery.
• Every child under 5 in a household can be enrolled. Duplicate titles may occur
• Madison Reading Project has funding from Roots & Wings Foundation to continue this program for five years.
• Dolly Parton Imagination Library works with local nonprofits to provide books to children in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland. Over 300 million books have been gifted since the program’s inception in 1995.

Lake Ridge Bank in Janesville Celebrates Grand Opening

March 5, 2026 (MADISON, Wis.) – On Thursday, Feb. 19, Lake Ridge Bank celebrated the grand opening of its larger, full-service location at 2605 Kennedy Road in Janesville with a ribbon cutting, facility tour and social event.

Forward Janesville CEO Shar Hermanson shared a few words about what Lake Ridge Bank’s growing presence means to the region’s business community during the ribbon cutting ceremony. Lake Ridge Bank President Paul Hoffmann and CEO Jim Tubbs also spoke during the event, sharing their excitement for this expanded commitment to Janesville and the surrounding area. 

“Community banks make communities stronger,” said Lake Ridge Bank President Paul Hoffmann in a separate statement. “Focusing our efforts and attention on local businesses, local projects, and local people who want to make our area a better place to live, work, and play creates a more stable and vibrant community as a whole. And based on the community’s response to our expanded services, Janesville agrees!”

A financial partner for the Janesville farming and ag community since 2014, Lake Ridge Bank’s new office space officially opened its doors on November 3, 2025. Janesville businesses, nonprofits, individuals, and families now have access to the full suite of services offered throughout the bank’s network of locations in Rock, Dane, Green and Sauk counties, including:

• Personal Banking
• Business Banking and Treasury Management services
• Ag Lending and Crop Insurance
• Mortgage Lending
• Wealth Management
• Executive Banking

For more information about how Lake Ridge Bank does things differently, visit lakeridge.bank.

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Lake Ridge Bank’s mission is to “build prosperous communities, one relationship at a time.” For more than 100 years, this has meant getting to know each of our clients to offer personalized services to meet their specific financial goals. Lake Ridge Bank offers a full line of financial products and services. We focus on offering products and services to make your banking easy. Our business banking and mortgage lenders are trusted leaders in their field with the expertise to provide the right loan at a competitive for our clients. As a community bank, we are dedicated to reinvesting in, and making our communities great places to live, work and raise a family. Visit lakeridge.bank to learn more about how we can help you.

Spherion Expands Presence Across Wisconsin With New Appleton Office

Locally Owned Staffing and Recruiting Firm Invests to Support Wisconsin’s Evolving Workforce Needs

MADISON, Wis. – Spherion Staffing and Recruiting (Spherion) announced today that its South Central Wisconsin team, led by local President & Franchise Owner, Austin Kassner, will expand its presence to the Fox Valley and greater Green Bay area this summer while also extending services into the Milwaukee market. This expansion will allow the team to better support existing partners while continuing to build new relationships.
 
For Kassner, a Green Bay native, this represents both a professional milestone and a meaningful return to the community where he grew up. The local staffing and recruiting company will now operate as Spherion Wisconsin and Northern Illinois, reflecting its expanded service area and continued regional focus.
 
Kassner’s team currently operates offices in Madison, Wisconsin and Rockford, Illinois. Since acquiring the Madison branch in 2022, he and his team have built on a more than 35-year local legacy while continuing to strengthen long-term partnerships.
 
Over the past several years, Kassner has invested heavily in building and developing his internal team — an effort recently recognized when Spherion was named one of Madison Magazine’s “Best Places to Work”. As part of the expansion, the team also plans to add several internal positions in the coming months.
 
“We’re seeing increasing demand for skilled trades, along with a continued need for operational and professional talent across the communities we serve. At the same time, we’re expanding our capabilities in IT to better support clients as technology continues to shape workforce needs,” said Kassner. “As we grow into the Fox Valley, Green Bay, and Milwaukee markets, we’re looking forward to spending more time on the ground, getting to know local business leaders, and building the same kind of long-term relationships that have driven our success in Madison and Rockford.”
 
Spherion Wisconsin & Northern Illinois has been a trusted workforce solutions partner since its founding in 1990. With a track record of success in both temporary and direct hire placements across manufacturing and distribution, office and administrative, professional, IT, and scientific roles, Kassner and his team work closely with organizations across industries to develop tailored workforce solutions that support long-term business goals.
 
To learn more about Spherion Wisconsin & Northern Illinois, visit www.spherion.com/madison-wi.
 
About Spherion Wisconsin & Northern IL 

Driving careers. Growing businesses. Bettering the community. These tenets have been at the core of Spherion Wisconsin & Northern Illinois since its doors opened over 35 years ago. Locally owned, Spherion provides comprehensive staffing & recruiting services, including: flexible staffing, temp-to-hire, professional direct-hire placement, and workforce management solutions. The Spherion Wisconsin & Northern Illinois team invests the time to develop relationships with everyone they work with to deliver differentiated results. Its tenured team understands the Wisconsin and Northern Illinois markets and has a proven history of matching the right candidates for the right role across a wide array of industries.

M3 Announces Expansion into the Minneapolis–St. Paul Market 

MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MN – M3 proudly announces its expansion into the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, marking its 10^th office location and the natural next step in the firm’s strategic growth plan. A top independent and privately held insurance broker in America, M3 is committed to providing in-depth market knowledge and world-class resources to clients with a local, national, and/or international presence.  

M3 has been doing business in the Twin Cities market for years, serving clients across specialized industries, including senior living & social services, food & agribusiness, and manufacturing & distribution. The firm offers a full spectrum of solutions to businesses, nonprofits, and individuals including property & casualty, employee benefits, personal lines, financial services, surety, pharmacy solutions, and HR services. 

“Minnesota and the broader Twin Cities market have long been a part of our marketplace presence,” said Mike Victorson, CEO at M3. “By establishing a stronger physical footprint here, we’re better positioned to meet the needs of our clients and deliver tailored solutions backed by our specialized industry expertise.” 

The new office is located at 5980 Golden Hills Drive Minneapolis, MN 55416. 

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About M3

M3 Insurance is a top private and independent insurance broker and risk management firm in the nation. Recognized as a leader in the products it represents and the industries it serves, M3’s people act as an extension of each client’s team, providing world-class resources to help manage risk, secure insurance solutions, and deliver comprehensive employee benefits. With a strong commitment to community, M3 works to build better places to live and work.

MMSD Details Phase 1 Referendum Progress and Upcoming Phase 2 Input Sessions

MADISON, Wis.—The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) continues to make steady progress on its Phase 1 facilities referendum projects, advancing planning, design and early construction work while preparing for formal groundbreakings on March 20, 2026.

Phase 1 projects include replacement of the buildings that house Sherman Middle School and Malcolm Shabazz City High School, and Samuel Gompers Elementary School and Black Hawk Middle School. Work at each site is focused on modernizing learning environments, improving safety and accessibility, and supporting long-term sustainability.

“As we move closer to construction, our focus remains on delivering high-quality facilities that reflect the needs of students, staff and the broader community,” said Scott Chehak, MMSD senior executive director of building services. “This work represents years of planning and community input, and we are excited to see these projects begin to take shape.”

The projects remain on time and on budget. So far, MMSD has invested more than $6.7 million in referendum-related work across the district. Spending by site includes:

• Sherman Middle School/Malcolm Shabazz City High School: $2,510,790.19
• Samuel Gompers Elementary School/Black Hawk Middle School: $2,029,780.33
• Orchard Ridge Elementary School/Akira R. Toki Middle School: $492,039.29
• Ray F. Sennett Middle School: $403,697.05
• Cherokee Heights Middle School: $358,104.89

These investments support early planning, site preparation, design development and project management as work advances across both phases of the referendum.

“Careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars is central to this work,” Chehak said. “We are committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility and making sure each project delivers lasting value for students and neighborhoods.”

As planning continues for Phase 2 projects, MMSD will host a series of public input sessions later this month to engage the community and gather feedback on proposed improvements. Families, staff and members of the public are encouraged to attend to learn more directly from the project team.

Upcoming public input sessions:

• Orchard Ridge Elementary School/Akira R. Toki Middle School
  5602 Russett Rd., Madison, WI 53711
  Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Cafeteria
• Cherokee Heights Middle School
  4301 Cherokee Dr., Madison, WI 53711
  Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Library
• Ray F. Sennett Middle School
  502 Pflaum Rd., Madison, WI 53716
  Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Cafeteria

Additional information about MMSD’s facilities referendum projects, including timelines and design updates, is available on the district’s website.

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About the Madison Metropolitan School District

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin, serving more than 25,000 students across 52 schools. The district’s vision is that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community. With more than 6,000 teachers and staff, MMSD is committed to ensuring the district’s goals and core values are held at the center of its efforts, so students can learn, belong and thrive. For more information, visit mmsd.org.