RIVER FALLS — Wisconsin State Superintendent Jill Underly was welcomed to the School District of River Falls on Feb. 13, visiting the high school and Westside Elementary. Underly heard from high school students about Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities and how they have furthered their futures before heading to the elementary school to hear an all-school assembly on perseverance that was capped with an appearance from members of Division III National Champion UWRF football.

Underly was joined by Deputy Superintendents Tom McCarthy and Sara Knueve on the visit.

“From the moment I stepped into the high school, and then even here at the elementary, I just felt so welcomed. You can just tell that the culture and the climate is one where everyone belongs. I just loved seeing all the aspects of your Career and Tech Ed program. You can see that the students just love being in each of those courses and that they’re developing these skills that are going to serve them the rest of their lives,” Underly said.

At the high school, the tour moved from CTE classroom to classroom, visiting the student-run Common Grounds coffee shop, the wood shop, the consumer science classroom, a robotics lab, a metals lab and the agriculture area. Students spoke to the projects and responsibilities they have taken on and how it has forwarded their education and careers beyond the offerings of the high school. A student from the Renaissance Charter Academy also discussed how providing a smaller, hands-on school has helped some students learn.

“We just love the opportunity to highlight the River Falls School District, and allow our students and our staff to share all the awesome things that we do,” River Falls Superintendent David Bell said. “It’s always good when somebody from Madison, who is a decision maker, gets to see the things that we do.”

At Westside Elementary, students gathered for an assembly that included children performing a reader’s theater play to teach about compassion and empathy.

“I was remarking how every kid was engaged in that. You can tell that they really care about each other, and they also exhibit those qualities that they’re talking about like empathy and compassion,” Underly said. “I just really can’t say enough good things about what you guys are doing here. It was just a wonderful visit.”

Before the assembly concluded, out came the UWRF football team, wielding the trophy to show off to the crowd. The group of student athletes spoke about the perseverance it took to win a National Championship.

“The remarks the football team gave, too, about how perseverance, and cooperation and kindness starts here. Teaching that to the students, you can just tell that it’s just a great group,” Underly said.

RFSD representatives spoke to the value of support from district residents in making the district one Underly was impressed by.

“We talk about that we have community support for education, and you can see what the result is,” RFSD School Board President Stacy Johnson Myers said. “When our community invests in schools, this is what we get. River Falls has a tremendous amount to be proud of in what happens in school buildings.”