MMSD Awarded State Grants to Support Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Programming and Student Mental Health

MADISON, Wis.—The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) has been awarded a two-year grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to expand MMSD’s alcohol and drug abuse prevention programming. The grant provides $50,000 for the 2025–26 school year, with an additional $50,000 renewal approved for 2026–27.

The funding, part of DPI’s Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) program, will be used to hire a limited-term employee (LTE) to deliver targeted prevention and intervention services across MMSD schools. The grant also supports the implementation of education and wellness programming that helps students build healthy decision-making skills, while addressing underlying risk factors.

“AODA prevention education helps students understand not just the risks, but how to make informed, healthy decisions,” said Leia Esser, MMSD’s executive director of student and staff supports. “This grant enables us to reach more students, earlier, with support that’s rooted in care, not punishment.”

The DPI AODA program is designed to help school districts address substance use through education, early intervention and family engagement. MMSD’s approach emphasizes equity, trauma-informed practices and collaboration among educators, students and families.

“This work is about prevention, connection and support,” Esser added. “By embedding these lessons into the school day and providing dedicated staff, we’re giving students the tools they need to navigate real-life challenges, not only now but in the future as well.”

MMSD was also awarded an additional $9,500 through DPI’s School-Based Mental Health Professionals grant, which it has used since 2021 to support its recruitment and professional development efforts for school counselors, social workers and psychologists. With a total of $114,500 awarded—including this final $9,500 that closes out the current funding cycle—this grant allows MMSD to maintain its commitment to onboarding, developing and sustaining a representative and equity-centered team of support providers. 

To learn more about MMSD’s approach to mental health and well-being, please visit 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.

M3 Insurance Releases Annual Employee Benefits Trend Report

MADISON, WI – M3 Insurance has released the 2025 edition of its annual employee benefits report, now reimagined as Momentum: An M3 Employee Benefits Trend Report. More than just a name change, Momentum represents a meaningful shift in focus, reflecting the evolving realities of today’s employee benefits landscape.

For more than two decades, M3’s trend report has served as a trusted resource for employers, traditionally centered around plan design benchmarks and regional premium comparisons. But in today’s environment marked by rising costs, expanding point solutions, and strategic complexity, employers need more than static data points.

“As the benefits landscape evolves, so must the tools we use to navigate it,” said Ryan Barbieri, Executive Vice President of Employee Benefits and Partner at M3. “Momentum is built to spark strategic conversations. It’s forward-looking, data-informed, and rooted in what employers need to understand to stay competitive not just today, but tomorrow.”

Key themes in the 2025 report include:

• The rising impact of pharmacy trend, including GLP-1 medications and gene therapies
• The shift toward direct primary care and high-performance networks
• Emerging focus on social determinants of health and care navigation
• The decline of one-size-fits-all wellness programs and standalone telehealth

The full report is now available on the M3 Insight Center.

M3 developed Momentum to meet the growing demand for forward-looking strategic insight, while complementing the real-time, personalized data delivered through its analytics platform, BenchmarkPRO. To learn more about BenchmarkPRO, visit m3ins.com/broker-analytics.

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About M3

M3 is a top insurance broker and risk management firm in America. We’re leaders in the products we represent and the industries we serve. M3’s people are an extension of your team, providing world-class resources to help you manage risk, purchase insurance, and provide employee benefits. And our focus on community builds better places to live and work. For more information on M3, visit www.m3ins.com.

Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) ER for Pets seeking support for VEG Cares 5K

Hi Animal lovers!

I hope this message finds you well! My name is Daniel Darrow, and I’m reaching out on behalf of VEG ER
for Pets – Wisconsin Market (Madison, Brookfield, and (Green Bay coming soon!)) to share an exciting
opportunity to support pets and families in need through our local fundraiser, the VEG Cares 5K.

This family-friendly event will take place on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Brandt-Quirk Park in
Watertown. This event is more than just a 5K; it’s a celebration of community and compassion, bringing
people together to help fund life-saving veterinary care for pets who might otherwise go without.

We partner with the nonprofit Veterinary Care Foundation through our VEG Cares program to ensure
that cost isn’t a barrier to critical care. With the help of donations from families, fundraisers, and
partners like you, our emergency veterinarians and nurses can say “yes” to treatment when a pet’s life is
on the line — whether it’s a neighbor’s dog needing urgent surgery, a shelter cat struggling to breathe, or
a local family facing financial hardship.

We’re reaching out to ask if you might be able to help support this event in one of the following ways:

1. Make a monetary donation — we are kindly requesting contributions of $500 or more from local
   businesses. In return, you’ll receive sponsorship recognition at the event, including space to set
   up a tent and connect with over 300 expected attendees from the Wisconsin community.
   • If you’re unable to attend in person, you can still take part by providing coupons, brochures, or promotional materials that we’ll include in participant registration bags — a great way to get your name in front of our guests.
2. Donate an item for our silent auction — if a monetary donation isn’t feasible, we’d be so grateful for a product, service, or gift card we could feature in our event auction. This is another great way to support local pets while showcasing your business to event participants.

All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of proceeds will go directly to supporting pet families in our community through VEG Cares.

I’d love to chat more about how we can partner to make this event a success. Please feel free to reach
out to me directly at 262-267-8240 or danieldarrow@veg.com.

Thanks for supporting the VEG Cares 5K! Help us reach our $50,000 goal to make a difference for
people and their pets in our community when they need it most!

Warm regards,
Daniel Darrow – Hospital Manager
Veterinary Emergency Group – Brookfield | danieldarrow@veg.com | 262-267-8240

Statement from Dr. Joe Gothard, MMSD Superintendent, on US Department of Education Funding

On behalf of the Madison Metropolitan School District, we are relieved that the U.S. Department of Education has released the remaining $5.5 billion in funds authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The release of these funds allow us to continue to provide critical programs and services, including after school care and wraparound services, that many of our families and students rely on. 

We are also grateful to those who advocated for these funds to be distributed. Their dedication to supporting public education benefits our children and strengthens our communities and our future. 

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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.

Dr. Tracey Scherr Named District’s Next Director of Mental Health and Well-Being

MADISON, Wis.—The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) has named Dr. Tracey Scherr as its new director of mental health and well-being, effective immediately. Scherr previously served as MMSD’s mental health partnerships coordinator and brings more than two decades of experience in school psychology, higher education and community collaboration to the role.

In her new position, Scherr will lead the District’s comprehensive student mental health strategy, overseeing system-wide trauma and depression screening, school-based mental health interventions, professional learning for educators and key partnerships with healthcare providers and universities. She will also coordinate the integration of behavioral and social-emotional supports across departments, with a continued focus on equity and access for historically marginalized student populations.

“Dr. Scherr brings to this important position a deep understanding of school systems and student support, combined with an unwavering commitment to equity,” said Dr. Carlettra Stanford, assistant superintendent of schools and learning. “Her leadership will help ensure that every student in our district has access to mental health supports that are not only effective, but affirming and culturally responsive.”

Before joining MMSD in 2022, Scherr served as assistant coordinator of the school psychology program at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where she spent 18 years preparing the next generation of school psychologists, some of whom now serve within MMSD. She has also worked closely with K–12 schools throughout her career, including helping to lead a substitute teaching program that gave aspiring educators valuable classroom experience.

Scherr holds a bachelor of arts degree from Colorado Mesa University, as well as a master of arts degree in psychology and a doctorate in school psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. She is a licensed and nationally certified school psychologist and has held leadership roles at the state, national and international levels. Her advocacy, legislative work, and numerous publications have consistently focused on improving school-based mental health services, especially for underserved and underrepresented student populations.

“Dr. Scherr has the rare ability to build bridges between schools, families and the mental health community,” said Leia Esser, executive director of student and staff supports. “Her background in higher education and deep ties to MMSD uniquely position her to lead this work with both expertise and heart.”

Scherr succeeds Dr. Kristen Guetschow, who retired last month after years of dedicated service to the district.

For more information about MMSD’s approach to mental health and related supports, please visit the District’s website.

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About the Madison Metropolitan School DistrictThe 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 4,500 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.