From My View - Dr. Jim Wipke

I absolutely love music, though I’ll admit that, throughout the years, the only concerts I have really enjoyed are those put on by students. I guess I really never got into going to concerts and fighting the crowds. I know…I know — I’m missing out! A few years ago, my wife Jennifer surprised me with tickets to see Needtobreathe. While a concert wasn’t something I would have immediately listed as a “super fun” way to spend an evening, the idea of hanging out with Jennifer and listening to one of my favorite bands sounded like something I could definitely get behind. So off we went — and what a terrific time we had together. Jennifer and I have had Needtobreathe songs on our playlist for years, but after that night, their music meant something different to us. Now, whenever I play their songs on Spotify during my drive to work, I find myself smiling, remembering that night and the fun we shared. One of my favorite songs from the band is “Stones Under Rushing Water.” The chorus goes: As t...

If you were to research the small city of Janesville, you’d quickly learn that it’s the county seat of Rock County, Wisconsin, nestled along the Rock River in the southern part of the state. With just over 65,000 residents, it’s the tenth-largest city in Wisconsin. Together with neighboring Beloit, it makes up the Janesville–Beloit metropolitan area, home to about 165,000 people. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover that Janesville has a rich and fascinating history. Long before settlers arrived, the area was home to a Ho-Chunk village, and later became a gathering place for pioneers drawn to the Rock River and fertile farmland. The city itself was founded in 1835 and named after Henry Janes, one of its earliest settlers. Janesville quickly grew into a hub of farming and industry. It played an active role in the Civil War, sending many soldiers to serve in the Union Army. In 1859, Abraham Lincoln even visited and spoke there, staying in the home of William Tallman—now a well-known ...

When I decided to go into school administration, I knew it would give me the opportunity to work with more students and support them in ways I couldn’t as a classroom teacher. But I also knew it would come with a cost — time away from my wife, Jennifer, and our children. So I made a promise to myself: if I was going to be fully committed to this work, I also had to be fully committed to my family. That was easier to say than to do. One non-negotiable I set early on was coaching my kids in soccer. Coaching brought us closer — but the real magic happened during the car rides to and from practice. That’s where we’d talk about school, friends, life... and belt out our crazy songs. It started with my oldest, Jamison, then Jordan, then Jill, and finally Jacob. Wanting to coach all of them despite my increasingly chaotic schedule, I came up with a system: I’d rent a full field, schedule practices two nights a week, and coach two or three teams at once, with help from some amazing parent assis...

If you’ve glanced at the forecast, it looks like we may be in for another rainy weekend. Now, normally, that might put a damper on things (no pun intended)—but after my most recent rainy run, I’m choosing to see it a little differently.  A few weekends ago, the weather was rainy and miserable. But when I got up that Saturday morning, I was actually excited to see the rain. I know that’s not the typical response when you want to be outside and go for a run, but I genuinely felt that way. There’s something about running in the rain that makes it more fun—more adventurous. As many of you know, running is my release. For some, it might be catching a movie, playing the piano, reading the Post-Dispatch, or scrolling social media. For me, it’s simple—like Forrest Gump said, “I just felt like running.” Most weekdays, I’m on the treadmill in the basement, but on the weekends, I’m outside—no matter the weather. That’s been my routine for about 15 years. I usually map out where I’ll run ahead...

At the beginning of each school year, we gather as a district for our Opening Convocation —a time to reconnect, take a deep breath before the halls fill with students, and set the tone for the year ahead. It’s a special moment. We enjoy breakfast together, celebrate our students’ talents (shoutout to Viva Voce for their incredible performance this year!), and have a little fun with giveaways. I also get the privilege of addressing our staff, sharing reflections, and setting the direction for the year. This past year’s theme was Back to the Future —yes, straight from the iconic movie trilogy. We took a trip through time, reflecting on the past five years, and I connected the theme to a previous blog I wrote about Staff Sergeant Dwight Johnson and his remarkable story. I also got personal, sharing my thoughts as my son prepared to leave for college in Chicago. It made me ask myself: Had I spent my time wisely? Had I taught him enough, given him enough, prepared him enough for life? The ...

Dennis Currier is not just a good friend—he’s a great friend, even though throughout our friendship, we’ve gone through a year or two without speaking. I know that might sound strange. How can you call someone a great friend when so much time passes without a call or check-in? I get it; I really do. But I’ve always known that if I ever needed anything, Dennis would drop everything to be there for me. And you know what? I’d do the same for him. I hope he knows that. Dennis would undoubtedly sit on my Board of Directors if my life were a company. I bet each of you reading this blog has a Dennis in your life. Dennis is a year older than me, and we went to high school together. Back then, he was a soccer star—one of those rare athletes who seemed destined for greatness. He played at the highest level and was often the top scorer on his select team. Meanwhile, I was your typical jack of all trades but master of none, dabbling in baseball, basketball, and soccer without standing out in any o...

Well…I bet that title grabbed your attention! Selfies – they seem to evoke strong opinions, don't they? People either love them or can’t stand them. For some, it’s like, "Oh no, here comes that guy again with the selfie!" But for others, it’s a rallying call, "Heck yeah, let's get a selfie!" So, what's all the fuss about? Why do people take them? And more importantly, why do I take them? For me, it's simple. I love selfies because they capture a moment in time that I want to remember. There’s no better way to freeze a memory than with a selfie. It's like hitting the "pause" button on life for just a second and being able to revisit that exact moment down the road – a year, five years, or even 20 years from now. A selfie allows you time to reflect and say, “I remember that day, and wow, it was a great one!” They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but a selfie? Well, that’s worth at least 100,000! Now, I want to take this a step fur...