Beloved Sussex teacher's contract not renewed; parents rally in support
The Brief
The Hamilton School District isn't renewing Woodside Elementary School teacher Cate O'Connell's contract.
Ten instances of what the district calls "unprofessional behavior" were presented in a recent meeting.
But parents call her a beloved teacher who cared about each of her students.
SUSSEX, Wis. - The last day of school is truly the last for a teacher in Sussex.
What we know
The Hamilton School District isn't renewing her contract, and parents are rallying around her. They call her a beloved teacher who cared about each of her students.
But district leaders say Woodside Elementary School teacher Cate O'Connell had a list of unprofessional behavior. In May, the Hamilton School Board made the unanimous decision not to renew O'Connell's contract.
What they're saying
Parents like Joe Fuller came out to show support for O'Connell.
"We thought she was one of the absolute best in the district," Fuller said. "Cate was very proactive in her approach to helping these families – and not just the students. She was faulted for it."
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O'Connell was with the district for 11 years and was named "Teacher of the Year" during her time at another school district.
"I just wish that more kids here could experience her as a teacher – because it hands down made it one of the best years he could have had," Hope Orvold, a concerned parent, said.
When asked about what was going on, Hamilton superintendent Paul Mielke responded, "It's a personnel thing."
Through an open records request, the school district did provide an hour-and-a-half-long audio recording of last month's non-renewal meeting.
Ten instances of what the district calls "unprofessional behavior" were presented.
She recorded a TikTok on company time, did not alert administrators when reporting a student concern to Child Protective Services, and she showed a tampon to students outside a human growth and development class.
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Valery Jahn's daughter, Gigi, died by suicide last November. O'Connell was her former teacher.
"She was a safe person, and I'm sure she will continue to be a safe person for many young people," Jahn said. "That is taking away a safe person for many students."
Dig deeper
O'Connell declined to speak with FOX6 News on camera, but shared more than 30 letters of support submitted by parents to the district.
FOX6 reached out to O'Connell's attorney but never heard back, and her union representative did not return our calls.
The Source
The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.
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