Jim Sebert

Superintendent of the School District of Waukesha, WI. Author of Going to School - A Life in Education. Host of Going to School - The Podcast.

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Congratulations, Eric! #waukeshaproud

[Waukesha North HS @WaukeshaNorth1]

Congratulations to North Athletic Director Eric Plitzuweit for being named Wisconsin Athletic Director of the Year by the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association!

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Episode 6 of Going to School - The Podcast is here!

In this episode, Faith Lincicum, principal of Hillcrest Elementary School in Waukesha, talks about her path in education. She started as a classroom teacher, taught across grade levels, then became an instructional coach and later a principal. We look at what has driven Hillcrest's rise since 2017 to 2026 Wisconsin Blue Ribbon recognition, and how districtwide collaboration keeps student success consistent. Faith also names the mentors who shaped how she leads. Along the way she covers what people misunderstand about educators' work, why rest and recovery matter for school staff, and the people she still carries with her today.

Thank you for listening below or wherever you find your podcasts!

https://t.co/EhVRi5jXxC

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Episode 5 of Going to School - The Podcast is here!

In this episode, Sue Doyle talks about her path through education. She started as a classroom teacher at Pier Elementary, moved into school leadership and has now become the Executive Director of CESA 1. She describes the mentors who shaped her, including Jerry Sullivan, and the experiences that prepared her to lead. Sue explains her leadership philosophy, why she builds teams with people who think differently and challenge her, and why mentoring the next generation of education leaders matters. She ends with what she wishes more people understood about being an educator, and who she is most grateful to.

Listen at the link below or wherever you find your podcasts!

https://t.co/ikC4pmChXC

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

We made candles tonight in downtown Waukesha as part of Amy’s date night plan. I’m proud to announce that my candle is going to be a best seller for the Fall season. At least in my mind! Check out my ingredients. It’s definitely a winner!

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

When you take a walk back in time with your wife at the Pabst Theater on a Sunday night to see Clint Black! Just awesome!

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Our final Homecoming of the year at South! So fun and exciting and a tradition that will never get old! We are Waukesha! #waukeshaproud

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Homecoming is a true tradition in our Waukesha High Schools. North and West had theirs last Friday and they were resoundingly successful! We are Waukesha! #waukeshaproud

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Welcome to Fall and October! Episode 4 of Going to School - The Podcast is here!

In this conversation, veteran educator and consultant Don Smith traces his path from the classroom to school leadership to his work today with First Educational Resources. Don unpacks why relationships and collective efficacy sit at the heart of school improvement, what makes PLCs and collaborative time actually move student outcomes, and what stays the same when supporting schools across the country. He shares the teacher who most changed his life as a student, how schools can create more of those life changing relationships for every kid, and what he wishes more people understood about educators who look resistant. He closes with a heartfelt reflection on gratitude and the people who shaped his journey.

Listen at the link below or wherever you find your podcasts!

https://t.co/WDTOCxG0Y1

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

@DrewDiener I should clarify, Drew. It was the Dick Baumgartner Shooting Camp, also in Indiana and also in the van. Earlham College!

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

@DrewDiener Got all cleaned up when your Dad took us to the BC Camp in Indiana in the van. Came back to play football and it all vanished!

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

We are rolling through the school year and need to keep the momentum going for both kids and staff! Do what you can to be a positive influence and use these resources as needed for inspiration!

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

I played a bunch of basketball and never had much in terms of "ups" or jumping ability. Seems that things have not changed as they relate to getting a Hovercraft off the ground. What was cool however was seeing so many kids at @WaukeshaSTEM having the time of their lives! Kudos to the staff for bringing this awesome experience to their new K-8 site! We are Waukesha! #waukeshaproud

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Excited to share that Going to School - The Podcast is now also available on @tunein. Listen today!

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Excited to announce that Going to School - The Podcast is now available on @Deezer

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Following up on the recent donation of 55 new ZOLL AEDs from the Wisconsin Masonic Foundation, the School District of Waukesha is proud to share how this gift is continuing to positively impact our community. 
Members of the Waukesha Fire Department and the Kai Lermer Foundation visited the district administration building as we officially handed off the district's previously used AEDs. Because our school facilities are now equipped with brand-new, standardized units, these fully functional replaced AEDs are being repurposed and redistributed directly into the Waukesha community.
Through this partnership with the Waukesha Fire Department and the Kai Lermer Foundation, these life-saving devices will be strategically placed in public spaces to enhance sudden cardiac arrest preparedness across Waukesha.

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Episode 3 of Going to School - The Podcast is here!

School District of Waukesha Deputy Superintendent Jenn Gennerman joins us to talk about the leadership philosophy behind one of Waukesha's most ambitious eras of district-wide improvement. Jenn traces her path from special education into system-level leadership, and explains how that background shapes the way she thinks about curricular alignment, data access, and the connective tissue between special and general education. We dig into the mindset of continuous improvement; where it came from, how she's built it into the district's operating rhythm, and why communication is the single most underrated lever in moving a school system forward. Along the way, Jenn shares the mentors and pivotal moments that shaped her, what actually makes large-scale change stick, and what she wishes more people understood about the daily work of educators.

Thank you for listening! It's available below and wherever you find your podcasts.

https://t.co/1acLOonBQJ

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

Yesterday we cut the ribbon on Crosspoint Academy, southeast Wisconsin's only recovery high school.

For young people returning from substance use treatment, going back to a traditional high school often means walking back into the very hallways and pressures that made sobriety so difficult in the first place. Too many have been forced to choose between their recovery and their education.

Starting this week in Waukesha, they don't have to.

Crosspoint Academy serves students in grades 9-12 with standards-aligned academics, weekly counseling from a licensed substance use professional, therapeutic support groups, and family education, all in a safe, sober, and restorative environment on our former STEM Saratoga campus.

A school like this doesn't happen because of one person. It happens because a community decides its young people are worth the effort. I'm grateful to our Board of Education, who didn't just approve this idea but championed it. To our supportive state legislators who backed our Act 72 Planning Grant application. To Rogers Behavioral Health and the parents and advocates whose lived experiences shaped this school. And to our small but mighty Crosspoint staff, who are building a community rooted in hope, belonging, authenticity, integrity, and resilience.

To the students who will walk these halls: this school was built for you. Your recovery matters here. Your diploma matters here. You matter here.

https://t.co/vrhmWLggwk

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

The next Going to School podcast will come your way next week. Having so much fun talking to educators and hearing their stories. Going to School - The Podcast is available now whenever you find your podcasts.

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

May we never forget.

[Jim Sebert @JimSebert]

I was grateful for the opportunity to be able to tell our Waukesha Story with @wendyryork and @LTL_360. #waukeshaproud

[Lead·Teach·Learn·360° @LTL_360]

Big changes. Tough decisions. Student-centered leadership every step of the way. 🎓