PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MADISON, WI — Bret Wagner, candidate for Madison Metropolitan School District Board Seat 3, has received the endorsement of Carlotta Calmese, Former Dean of Retention and Student Services at Madison College, UW-Madison Assistant Dean, and former PTO President at James C. Wright Middle School.
“I am pleased to offer my support and endorsement of Bret Wagner for MMSD Board,” said Calmese, a retired 42-year “old school” career educator. “As a retired educator, the ability of our students being able to read at grade level will better prepare them to be productive and socially conscious citizens in an ever-changing global society.”
Calmese emphasized the urgency of addressing literacy challenges in the district. “While small gains have been made with MMSD’s literacy rate, still only 47% of students in MMSD tested proficient in literacy on last year’s Forward Exam for grades 3-8. Still more must be done and quickly. Bret recognizes that reading proficiency is an equity issue that disproportionately affects marginalized communities.”
She also praised Wagner’s background and approach: “I commend Bret’s plan as a school board member to use data to make smart board policy and financial decisions and his focus on district accountability and community engagement. Bret’s experience as a classroom teacher and engineer, along with his dedication as a school parent volunteer will add value to his school board role.”
Wagner, a Fitchburg dad and current Cherokee Heights Middle School PFO President, has made reading proficiency the cornerstone of his campaign, pledging to ensure every student reads at grade level.
“We need Board leaders like Bret who are committed to the ‘whole school’—the community, the district, schools, the teachers, students and parents,” Calmese added. “Bret will ask the difficult questions, do the homework, seek successful resolutions. We need a new and different kind of leadership and energy on the MMSD Board.”
For more information, visit bretwagner.com.