At a business park in Waukesha County, one mom is working to do what she says the federal government is no longer interested in doing: creating a school that will be a welcoming place for LGBTQ+ students.

Maria Luther said she decided to start Autumn Hill Academy, a new public charter school opening in the fall, after seeing too many teens struggle with bullying, anxiety and depression.

“The idea is if we create a school that is 100 percent focused on mental health issues and positive well-being, in addition to really strong academics, that maybe we can head off some of this,” Luther said.

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The school’s mission is to create a “supportive, inclusive environment where students are empowered to live authentically and achieve their full potential.”

Luther and other Autumn Hill leaders say recent changes made by local school board leaders and the Trump administration, including the end of federal Title IX protections for transgender students, have moved some schools in the opposite direction.

Luther is a former corporate attorney who now owns the Smiley Barn toy store in Delafield. She also is a mother who has both biological and foster children. She said seeing her own children bullied made her want to open a school that put student well-being first.

Luther’s daughter, Britney Seaborn, is a freshman at Oconomowoc High School. Britney, 14, said bullying at school is rampant.

“People pick on other students for no reason at all, just because of the way they are dressed, or the way they speak or the way their hair looks,” Britney said.

She’s hoping Autumn Hill will be a “bully-free” school.

Informational packets are on display during an open house for Autumn Hill Academy, a new public charter school opening in the fall, on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Pewaukee, Wis. Angela Major/WPR

Autumn Hill wants to welcome LGBTQ+ students

While Autumn Hill is open to all students, Luther anticipates up to 40 percent of the enrollment will be LGBTQ+ youth.

The school will prioritize respecting diversity and inclusive policies by highlighting LGBTQ+ history and role models.

“They’re faring the worst out of all the groups right now,” Luther said. “They’re not being socially accepted, and a school like this is going to give them a really safe place to just be who they are.”

All Wisconsin teens are facing significant mental health challenges, but survey results show girls and LGBTQ+ youth are at the highest risk of depression, anxiety and self-harm.

Seventy-nine percent of LGBTQ+ students who took the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported experiencing anxiety. Sixty-three percent reported experiencing depression, and 40 percent reported considering suicide.

Youth and young adults between the ages of 10 and 24 years old account for 15 percent of all suicides, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for this age group, accounting for 7,126 deaths in 2021. From 2000 to 2021, suicide rates for this age group increased about 52 percent.

In 2022, the suicide rate in Wisconsin for 18 to 24 year olds was 16 per 100,000 residents, according to the state Department of Health Services.

The problem has touched Waukesha County quite recently. In the last five months, three teens in Waukesha County have died by suicide, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2023 also found notable decreases in students feeling like they belong at school. Generally, students who report having strong adult support as well as high levels of school participation and belonging are less likely to engage in risky behaviors like self-harm.

Encouraging banners are hung throughout Autumn Hill Academy during an open house Saturday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Pewaukee, Wis. Angela Major/WPR

Luther chose Pewaukee for the location of Autumn Hill because she lives in Waukesha County. But she says the public schools in Waukesha County have not been particularly welcoming to LGBTQ+ students.

In 2021, the School District of Waukesha was the first district in Wisconsin to require the removal of all “political” signage including Black Lives Matter signs, Thin Blue Line posters and rainbow signs and flags supporting LGBTQ+ individuals.

Four months later, a special education kindergarten teacher was suspended for displaying a rainbow flag in her classroom.

In 2023, the district enacted a “parental bill of rights,” which does not allow students to change their pronouns without written parental consent. And the board voted to end any diversity, equity and inclusion work in the district.

The School District of Waukesha gained national attention for its LGBTQ+ policies, including the firing of teacher Melissa Tempel and the controversy over the song “Rainbowland.”

The first-grade dual-language teacher blasted the district on social media after it excluded the song “Rainbowland” by Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton from a student performance. The lyrics were widely believed to focus on acceptance, and district officials said they found the song “could be deemed controversial.”

Tempel has since filed a federal lawsuit.

Waukesha School Board members have said their decisions represent the values of their community.

Waukesha School Board member Eric Brooks said he’s happy to see some folks on the left are “willing to embrace the power and importance of school choice.”

Brooks said Waukesha has “made it a priority to remove political distractions from classrooms and instead invest in proven, rigorous curriculum and high-quality educators.”

“When parents are empowered to choose, kids win,” Brooks said, noting that he was speaking in a personal capacity and not as a board member. “While I’m certainly skeptical of the school’s mission, sustainability and effectiveness, I fully support the right of Autumn Hill parents to choose the system that they believe will provide their child with the best education possible.”

An art classroom is set up for future students Saturday, Feb. 22, 2024, at Autumn Hill Academy in Pewaukee, Wis. Angela Major/WPR

Changes to Title IX, LGBTQ+ policies happening nationwide

Waukesha is not alone. School districts across Wisconsin including Kettle Moraine, Winneconne Community School District, Muskego-Norway Schools, the School District of Abbotsford and Hartford Union High School District held off on making changes to their Title IX language this year.

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, including discrimination on the basis of gender identity, in all education programs that receive funding from the federal government.

A Biden-era effort to expand Title IX protections for transgender students in K-12 and college was later thrown out by a federal judge.

And the first days of the new Trump administration included a slew of executive orders, many targeting the LGBTQ+ community.

One of the president’s orders encourages criminal prosecutions of teachers for affirming LGBTQ+ students.

According to the executive order, children “are made to question whether they were born in the wrong body and whether to view their parents and their reality as enemies to be blamed.”

Another Trump order prohibits transgender girls from participating in school sports teams that align with their gender identity. It states that “efforts to eradicate the biological reality of sex fundamentally attack women by depriving them of their dignity, safety, and well-being.”

That directive has made its way to Wisconsin.

On Feb. 19, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association voted to change its policy to say only athletes “designated as females at birth” would be allowed to compete in girls sports.

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote soon on the confirmation of Linda McMahon, Trump’s nominee to be education secretary.

During a recent confirmation hearing, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, asked McMahon if she would provide women with “basic safety” and enforce Trump’s executive orders regarding Title IX.

“I was very happy to see those restrictions on Title IX vacated, so we are really back to what Title IX was originally intended to do, and that is to protect [against] sexual discrimination,” McMahon said. “Women should feel safe in their locker rooms. They shouldn’t have to be exposed to men dressing in front of them.”

Watertown mother says her transgender son is a target

Wendy is the mother of a 16-year-old transgender son. She and her family live in Watertown, where the school district in November approved a “Gender Support Plan,” shifting to more restrictive policies for transgender students.

Wendy, who isn’t using her last name to protect her son, said the school board’s decision to approve the plan was disappointing but not surprising. In 2023, a group of neo-Nazis protested an LGBTQ+ Pride event in Watertown. The group carried swastika flags and shouted homophobic language. In Wendy’s view, leaders who failed to condemn the rally contributed to an escalation of anti-gay rhetoric and activism.

Wendy’s son transitioned in middle school. He’s now a junior in high school and for the most part, Wendy said the staff and teachers have been very welcoming at Watertown High School.

“Some of the students have not been,” Wendy said. “My child has been called slurs in the hallways. He is called ‘it.’”

Watertown’s new policy states if a student is a minor, their parent or guardian must be alerted and provide consent before the student can identify with new pronouns or a new name that is different from what is on their birth certificate.

If a parent gives consent to affirm their child’s gender identity with new pronouns and a new name, under this policy, school staff “may” use those pronouns and name but “shall not be compelled” to do so, according to the district’s plan.

Students will also use the restrooms, locker rooms and other facilities on district property consistent with their biological sex.

The November meeting where the policy was decided drew hundreds of people, many in support of the new language.

One eighth grader said: “If I go to Watertown High School, I don’t want guys in my bathroom. That could give them the option to hurt any girl. You are taking my safe space.”

Hundreds of people attended the Watertown School Board meeting in November during the discussion of the Gender Support Plan. Submitted photo

Wendy, who is a public school teacher in another district, attended the meeting, too. She said it reminded her of scare tactics used during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.

She has learned about Autumn Hill Academy in Waukesha County, but her son is too old to attend.

Still, Wendy is hopeful for other LGBTQ+ students who will go to the school.

“Its purpose is to be overtly supportive and welcoming to queer and trans kids,” Wendy said. “I do know people who [feel that] we should fix the schools so that kids can just go to their home school, which I agree with. But if my kid is getting bullied in Waukesha or some of these other schools, I would be tempted.”

Maria Luther is the founder of Autumn Hill Academy, a school that aims to be a welcoming place for LGBTQ+ students. The school held an open house Saturday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Pewaukee, Wis. Angela Major/WPR

When Luther began the work of launching the school, she was reacting more to local school board politics rather than to national politics. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Office of Charter Schools approved Autumn Hill’s application in September, before the presidential election.

Even though her plans for the school were conceived during the Biden administration, she said the need is stronger now as the culture continues to shift right.

She and her board of directors held the first open house for interested families this month. They are preparing for another one in March.

The group is hoping to have about 170 sixth through 10th graders enrolled in fall. The school will eventually expand to sixth through 12th grade.

“Autumn Hill Academy is not exclusively for LGBTQ kids, it’s really about social and emotional well-being for all kids,” she said. “But we find that in this day and age, with some of the things that are happening, that group needs the support more than ever.”

A new public charter school seeking to create an inclusive environment for its students is looking to open in Waukesha County.

Autumn Hill Academy is a proposed sixth through 12th grade school that seeks “to provide a supportive, inclusive environment where students are empowered to live authentically and achieve their full potential,” according to its website.

For Autumn Hill to become a charter school, it needs a qualified authorizer to approve it. The school has applied to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Office of Charter Schools, which will review the application this fall before sending to UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone for final approval.

Here’s what to know about the proposed school.

What is a charter school?

A charter school is a public, non-religious school that allows for “freedom from most state rules and regulations in exchange for greater accountability for results,” according to the Wisconsin Department of Instruction’s website.

Charter schools can be run either by public school districts or independently. Independent charter schools can be authorized by the Milwaukee Common Council, the chancellor of any Universities of Wisconsin (UW System) institution, each technical college district board, the Waukesha County Executive, College of Menominee Nation, Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University, and the UW Office of Educational Opportunity, according to the DPI.

Where did the idea for the school come from and what will the school’s focus be?

The school is the idea of parent Maria Luther, who said she’s noticed disappointing mental health statistics regarding teens and preteens.

“We know that more needs to be done. There is a mental health crisis among our kids right now,” Luther said.

The school’s website cites statistics from Waukesha County’s 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which found that in Waukesha County, 23% of high school students were bullied, 50% experienced anxiety and 30% experienced depression.

Luther said the school will focus on being “radically proactive in preventing negative mental health situations” by creating an environment that’s “laser-focused on mental well-being as well as a strong academic path with college preparatory courses.” To do so, Luther said it’s about creating peer relationships where students bond with each other from the beginning in a smaller school environment.

However, it’s not just about being a small school, Luther says, but also about having strong resources like social workers.

“Right now, you’re finding in some of the larger schools the ratio is very poor for students to social worker resources, so we’re going to be stronger in that area,” Luther said.

Luther also said the school will provide curriculum to teach students tools for managing emotions and having more self-awareness.

The school also cites statistics from Waukesha County’s 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey that found 41% of LGBTQ+ high school students experienced bullying, 80% of LGBTQ+ high school students experienced anxiety and 40% of LGBTQ+ high school students contemplated suicide.

“Autumn Hill Academy will be a place where LGBTQ+ youth are fully accepted and valued. Students will find supportive policies, educators and staff, and inclusive curricula highlighting LGBTQ+ history and role models,” the school notes on its website.

The school’s website also notes that “students of all races are appreciated and celebrated.”

“We will promote racial equity by highlighting the contributions of people in racial and ethnic minority groups, teaching accurate American history, and creating an anti-racist, culturally sensitive learning environment,” the school says on its website.

The school is also focused on special education services.

“We have high expectations for our Special Ed program and will dedicate significant resources to ensure it excels in meeting student needs,” the school’s website says.

Luther said the school is already seeing interest from potential special education teachers.

“We already have teachers that are emailing us telling us about their interest in coming to Autumn Hill and teaching based on what we’re offering and the environment that we’re going to create. We think we’re going to have the pick of the very best teachers and this is going to help us with all of our programs, but it is key in special ed,” Luther said.

When is the school expected to open?

The school is looking to open in the fall of 2025 with grades six through 10, then adding 11th and 12th grades over the first two years.

Luther said the school is seeking authorization through UW-Milwaukee’s Office of Charter Schools. She said the school submitted its first phase application at the end of February by providing a general overview of the school’s concept, which she said was approved. Now, she said the school is working on submitting a more detailed plan that will be evaluated in September.

UW-Milwaukee’s Office of Charter Schools’ director Adrienne Woods confirmed her office received and approved the school’s initial application. Woods said her office’s application review committee will review the school’s full application and then hold interviews with Luther and any others affiliated with the school in September. Woods said she’ll notify the applicant by the end of September of the committee’s decision. In January, the office’s advisory committee would then send the contract to the UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone, who then decides whether to approve the final contract.

Where will the school be located?

No location has been determined, as the school says “facility planning is in its early stages.” It says it is looking “near the center of Waukesha County” for its location, according to its website.

Luther said the school is looking at locations that are very close to an I-94 exit, either off the Highway F or Highway 164 exits, and within 25 minutes of Wauwatosa and about 25 minutes away from Oconomomowoc.

“This will really service a broad area within almost all of Waukesha County,” Luther said.

Who is eligible to attend?

The school is open to any Wisconsin resident regardless of where their home school district is, the school’s website says.

Will the school provide busing?

Luther said in its startup years, the school would probably not be able to provide busing.

“There are families out there; they will seek out a school like this even if in early years we can’t have the bus transportation,” said Luther.

How will the school be governed?

The school has a seven-member board of directors that is responsible “for establishing and maintaining the school’s mission, vision and strategic goals, as well as ensuring legal and fiscal oversight,” according to the school’s website.

Members are elected to two-year terms, “which are staggered to maintain continuity,” according to the school’s website. Meetings are generally held monthly and are open to the public, but are not open for public participation.

The members of the board are Luther, who is the board chair; and Susan Byshenk, Patricia Jackson, Maura McMahon, Jeff Peterson, Brook Stanley and Martha Ziegler.

Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.

WAUKESHA COUNTY — A group in Waukesha County is planning a new school where everyone belongs.

That’s because the focus at Autumn Hill Academy, a charter school, is building an inclusive environment.

The board chair, Maria Luther, had the idea after seeing her children struggle with mental health and bullying.

TMJ4 News Maria Luther is the Board Chair of Autumn Hill Academy. She saw a need in Waukesha County for something different in public schools to address mental health and inclusivity. She hopes this new charter school will be a safe place for everyone.

Britney Seaborn (right) is her daughter and going into high school. She’s been bullied in the past and has friends who were also bullied. She wants to go the new school once it opens.

“Being a mom and a foster mom, I’ve seen far too many kids struggle with bullying and mental health. People need to step in,” Luther said.

TMJ4 News Maria Luther is the Board Chair of Autumn Hill Academy. She saw a need in Waukesha County for something different in public schools to address mental health and inclusivity. She hopes this new charter school will be a safe place for everyone.

She and the rest of the board started to look at research in Waukesha County.

“Traditional public schools are trying things but we’re seeing data that it’s not enough. We need to try something new to do that pioneering work to hone in on mental challenges,” Luther explained.

Part of creating an inclusive environment, she said, includes creating a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth.

According to a 2021 Waukesha County Youth Risk Behavior Survey, LGBT high school students were more likely to have experienced bullying, with 41% saying they experienced bullying.

“They have higher rates of anxiety and depression. They need a place where they can feel safe and that focuses on inclusion and well-being,” Luther said.

The academy will offer college preparatory coursework like any other public school while emphasizing mental wellness.

Part of the framework includes:

Self-Awareness

Self-Management

Social Awareness

Relationship Skills

Responsible Decision-Making

“We know one of the key factors for mental health is a sense of belonging. When kids find their tribe and when they find a place of inclusion, their mental health outcomes are far better,” Luther explained.

While the location is still being determined, the school will open in the fall of 2025 with grades 6-10 and expand to grades 6-12 over the first two years.

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The Appleton Area School District is partnering with African Heritage Inc. to establish The Ọmọladé Academy, an African-centered charter school.

The tuition-free academy will be open to all Appleton students enrolled in kindergarten through third grade in the fall of 2024. The school will focus on providing a “holistic educational experience that celebrates the cultural heritage of African descendants.”

It’s the first new charter school to open in the Appleton district in a decade.

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“School culture is not necessarily their own culture. That’s what they have to learn,” African Heritage President Juliet Ebiere Cole told the Appleton School Board on Nov. 27. “But how can we include their culture? How can we include who they are?”

Appleton School District Superintendent Greg Hartjes said the Ọmọladé Academy will meet the various needs of students.

“They’re passionate people that want to bring together a different learning model,” Hartjes said. “We’ve had several partnerships with African Heritage Inc. over the years, so we know them well, we trust their expertise in their areas, and we trust our expertise on the education side.”

African Heritage, Inc., an Appleton-based non-profit, first approached the school district in fall 2022 about serving as the authorizer for a new charter school.

At that time, the state was not accepting new charter school grant requests. This summer, African Heritage was awarded a five-year, $1.7 million charter school grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

On Monday, the Appleton school board approved the Ọmọladé Academy charter school, which translates to “Child of the Crown” in the west African Yoruba language. When it opens this fall, the school will be the district’s 14th charter school.

The Appleton Area School District has about 15,000 students. About 5 percent are Black or African-American, according to the latest state report card.

The last charter school to open was Appleton Technical Academy for high school students in 2014. Other charter schools include a Montessori school, a leadership academy, Tesla Engineering Charter, and Renaissance School for the Arts.

Hartjes said the Ọmọladé Academy will be located in a district elementary school that has several empty classrooms. Over the next several weeks, planning for the school will be completed, Hartjes said.

“As the authorizer, we hire the staff, the teachers, the principal — they are Appleton Area School District employees,” Hartjes said. “We oversee the curriculum, the instruction and the assessments.”

The Ọmọladé Academy has plans to eventually expand to fifth grade. Organizers say in addition to teaching an African-centered core curriculum, students will also be taught a STREEAM curriculum, integrating science, technology, reading, engineering, entrepreneurship, arts and math.

Hartjes said it’s too early to know how many students will enroll in the academy. Some of the district’s charter schools have low enrollments, yet some have waiting lists, he said.

“We do know that there are students and student populations that are not finding success in our district,” Hartjes said. “And so, you know, maybe with this different educational model, they’re going to find more success. Even if that’s 20 students next year, or 40 students next year, we think it’s worth the effort to give this a try for five years and see where it goes.”

Mill Creek Academy, a new charter school in Waukesha, is slated to open for the start of the 2023-24 school year.

The school, at S46 W23850 Lawnsdale Road, will be easily accessible to families in the city and county and will meet a demand for school choice in the area, according to an email from Leah Nixon, director of communications for National Heritage Academies.

NHA operates more than 100 charter schools across nine states that serve more than 60,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

A charter school is a public school governed by a contract, or “charter,” and is allowed more freedom in exchange for more accountability, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Public school districts or approved independent authorizers can approve charter schools. In the case of Mill Creek Academy, the University of Wisconsin System’s Office of Education Opportunity authorized the school’s charter. The school will receive public tax dollars and will be overseen by an appointed school board.

Here’s what you need to know about the new school.

What grades will Mill Creek Academy include?

Mill Creek Academy will open as a K-5 school for the 2023-24 school year and will add a grade level each year through eighth grade, according to Nixon’s email.

The school will also offer “Ex-celerate,” an advanced learning program for students who are “ready to progress beyond grade level.” “Accelerated content” will be available to K-5 students, while sixth- through eighth-grade students can earn high school credit by taking “advanced courses.”

What kind of curriculum will the school offer?

According to Mill Creek Academy’s website, the school will feature a curriculum focusing on “college-prep academics and a focus on moral character, preparing students for a lifetime of educational and personal success.” The website also mentions NHA’s approach of blending one-on-one teaching, small group instruction and independent practice time.

What kind of staffing and class sizes will there be?

Nixon said Mill Creek Academy will hire “approximately 40 plus staff,” which will include teachers, paraprofessionals, aides and social workers “consistent with enrollment and the needs of students.” She said the school’s goal is to be fully staffed by the start of the 2023-24 school year.

The goal is to have 25 students per classroom for kindergarten and 28 students per classroom for grades one through five. The school’s goal is 28 students per classroom for sixth through eighth grades once they are added, Nixon said.

What is the anticipated enrollment?

For its first year in 2023-24, Nixon said the school anticipates enrolling 520 students. It hopes to grow to 760 by its fourth year, when the school is operating as a K-8.

What features will the building have when construction is complete?

The building will be in an H-shape to allow for age-appropriate wings for housing classrooms, such as a K-2 wing for younger students. The shape will allow for windows in each classroom. The building will also feature a gym and a parent room, “giving parents space to be connected to school,” Nixon said.

What will the school’s leadership structure look like?

Along with a principal, the school’s leadership team will include deans to support teachers “within grade levels of the school such as a kindergarten through second grade dean and a third through fifth grade dean.

A four-member volunteer school board will oversee the school’s operations: President Kyle Koenen, Vice President Brittany Brzenk, Treasurer Dan Cahalane and Secretary Alan Petelinsek. The members are appointed by the school’s authorizer, University of Wisconsin System’s Office of Education Opportunity.

Will busing be provided?

No busing will be provided, but parents can call the school office once the school year starts if they are interested in carpooling, the school’s website suggested.

Will there be any before- or after-school care?

The school is researching potential before- and after-school partners in the area and will post more information when it’s available.

How can I register my child? Is there any cost?

As a public charter school, Mill Creek will be tuition free.

Applications were considered in November 2022 for the 2023-24 school year as part of an open-enrollment period. They will be considered in the order in which they were received. If there are more applicants than available seats, a lottery will be held. Otherwise, all eligible children are accepted, Nixon said. A lottery is not needed for the upcoming school year, she noted.

The school will accept applications from throughout the state; students must live in Wisconsin and meet age requirements. Nixon said families with questions about those requirements should call the NHA parent relations team at 877-642-7471.

Nixon said families who apply usually receive a response within the course of a normal business day, depending on when the application is submitted.

There are still slots open for the 2023-24 school year; applications are accepted at bit.ly/MillCreekAcademy. More information is available at one of the school’s upcoming information meetings. The next informational meeting is scheduled for March 9.

Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.