District Happenings

🎉 Congratulations to Evan Chowanec! 🎉

We are proud to announce that Johnson Creek High School Senior Evan Chowanec has been named a Semifinalist in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program!

This honor is reserved for fewer than 1% of U.S. high school seniors. Over 1.3 million students entered the program by taking the PSAT/NMSQT, and only about 16,000 earned Semifinalist status.

Semifinalists now have the opportunity to compete for nearly $26 million in scholarships next spring. To advance to Finalist, Evan must submit a detailed scholarship application, provide a stellar academic record, write an essay, and confirm his scores with the SAT or ACT.

About 95% of Semifinalists become Finalists, and roughly half of Finalists will be awarded National Merit Scholarships, earning the prestigious Merit Scholar® title.

📱 Having trouble getting notifications from our school app? When we upgraded to the new version, push notifications may have been turned off. Here’s how to reenable them:

1️⃣ Tap the Menu button in the bottom right.
2️⃣ Select Settings.
3️⃣ Tap Notifications.
4️⃣ For each category you follow, change it to “Visible (with notifications)”.

That’s it—you’ll be back to receiving important updates right on your phone!

👉 If you haven’t downloaded our app yet, learn more and get started here: https://www.johnsoncreekschools.org/district/get-our-app.cfm

The September edition of the Bluejay Bulletin can be read here: https://secure.smore.com/n/0kym5j-bluejay-bulletin

Jersey Mike’s Subs in Johnson Creek has teamed up with Johnson Creek Schools to treat one lucky student and one lucky staff member to a free sub each month. The rule is simple: you must be present to win!

This month’s winners were Ms. Braunschweig and Paige Wittchow. General Manager Cory Kaschub joined us today to surprise them right in class with their prizes!

A big thank you to Jersey Mike’s for supporting our school and community. We appreciate your partnership!

Meet Tucker Hall, JC's new Elementary Music teacher! Mr. Hall graduated from Lawrence University in 2024 with degrees in Music Education and Clarinet Performance, and previously taught Instrumental Music in the Appleton Area School District in Appleton, Wisconsin. Mr. Hall also teaches clarinet lessons privately and at the university level, and continues to perform actively as a clarinetist. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and enjoys visiting his family, who now live in California, Illinois, and West Virginia. When he's not teaching a cool new drum groove or trying to remember ukulele chords, you can find him cooking, hiking, playing Minecraft, or reading.

Meet Emily Adams, our new High School Science teacher. Ms. Adams graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from UW-Madison in 2024. She then completed her Master's in Curriculum and Instruction, along with receiving her teaching license from UW-Madison in 2025. This is her first year teaching, and she's committed to prioritizing scientific inquiry in the classroom. In her free time, Ms. Adams likes to hang out with her cat Chowder, go to the gym, and play her flugelhorn.

Meet Jasmin Mata, our new English Language teacher. Ms. Mata recently graduated from UW-Whitewater with her Bachelor's degree in Elementary/Middle Education. This is her first year teaching, and is excited to be part of the Johnson Creek family. In her free time, Ms. Mata enjoys spending time with family, being outdoors, and baking.

Meet Valerie Wallace, the newest member of the Kindergarten Team at Johnson Creek Elementary. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota with her Bachelor's degree in 2024 and a Masters degree in Elementary Education in 2025. This will be her first year teaching, and she could not be more excited. Ms. Wallace also recently got engaged, so she will be occupying her time with lots of wedding planning! Other things she enjoys doing in her free time is reading, going for walks, being active, and spending time with her family.