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Norris Academy
Norris Academy, nominated by Education Reimagined and an anonymous organization, is an elementary/middle/high school in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, that describes itself as a public district school serving learners from a primarily urban/rural area.
Location Mukwonago, Wisconsin
Governance Public District School
Grades Elementary, Middle, High
Students 120
Locale Other, Rural, Urban
District Administrator Johnna Noll
Demographics
Percentage of students*
4%
English Learners
88%
Free/Reduced Lunch
75%
Students with Disabilities
African American or Black 42%
American Indian/Alaska Native —
Asian —
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —
Hispanic or Latino 8%
White 46%
2+ Races —
Why Norris Academy was nominated
School for at risk and learners in treatment. Uses trauma information to provide learner-centered approach. Phenomenal. Norris Academy has been around for 100 years but has become learner-centered in the last 3. More than any other public school I have seen this school has an amazing approach to creating individualized pathways for learners. Many of the learners who attend have a history of trauma, emotional distress or are diagnosed with severe behavioral issues. Many are in the foster system or residential treatment via the juvenile justice. Norris does not know when learners enter whether they will stay for 3 months or 3 years but is committed to developing an individualized pathway for each learner around 4 domains: Wellness, Academic, Employability, and Citizenship. Within each of these domains they have identified large areas of competency, each of which is broken down into progressions. Each learner that comes in is asked to go through about 4 weeks of getting to know themselves with a battery of assessments - personality, cognitive strengths, etc. while the school connects with past environments to get a sense of their history. The team of educators with the learner and any guardian that might exist then crafts an "Urgency Story" that becomes the starting place for the work, support and opportunities that learner gets. However, Norris is unflinching in its commitment to Wellness first, believing that until a human being is well they will not progress significantly or sustainably in the other domains.
Student experience design
Enrollment at Norris offers personalized plans and pathways co-designed with Advisors to achieve each learner’s desired future. These plans encompass short- and long-term goals in the dimensions of academics, employability, citizenship, and wellness. Navigators assist learners in successfully engaging in experiences that utilize district and community resources aligned with each learner’s goals. Learners engage in diverse experiences such as personal conferrals, small group learning labs, online skill development, personal pursuits, and work-based learning, facilitated by specialists and community partners. Learning experiences take place at learning hubs, virtually, within a home base, or at a community-based field site. Each is an opportunity to demonstrate competencies that apply toward graduation.
Core Practices
| Core Practices | Length of Use |
|---|---|
|
Community And Workforce Partnerships |
3-4 years
|
|
Competency/mastery-based Education |
5+ years
|
|
Culturally Responsive Practices |
5+ years
|
|
Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles |
5+ years
|
|
Individual Learner Profiles |
5+ years
|
All Practices
Adaptive Learning Software
Advancement On Mastery
Student Advisories
AI For Learning Materials
AI For Teacher Productivity
AI-assisted Tutoring
Assessments For Agency And Self-directed Learning
Assessments For Career Readiness
Assessments For Deeper Learning
Assessments For Social-emotional Skills
Blended Learning
Career Advising & Support
Career Exploration
Client Projects
Co-leadership
College Advising & Support
Family And Community Support Services
Cooperative Education
Extended Learning Time
Grading Policies Focus On Mastery
All Courses Designed For Inclusion
Industry-recognized Credentials
Educators Have Industry Experience
Industry-aligned Learning Pathways
Internships
Interoperable Data From Multiple Technologies
Individual Learning Paths
Mental Health Services
1:1 Mentoring
Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics
Multi-age Classrooms
Industry Networking
No Tracked Classes
Project-based Learning
Peer To Peer Support
Performance Based Assessment
Reallocation Of Resources For Students Most In Need
Restorative Practices
SEL Integration School-wide
Service Learning
Students Access Their Own Data
Student-led Goal Setting
Self-paced Learning
Students Develop Projects
Trauma-informed Practices
Youth Employment Programs
Career Prep
key reasons for innovating
Better support a specific population of students
Better support economically disadvantaged students
Better support students in the juvenile justice system
Better support students of color
Better support students with disabilities
Better support students with interrupted formal education
Demonstrate what’s possible for other schools
Increase student agency
Artifacts
Date Updated: 4/1/2026
*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.