About

Our mission

SCAPE is organized to support public school education. SCAPE members believe that public schools are successful when parents, educators and the community are jointly committed to their success.

We facilitate cooperation beyond the classroom, engage in school district governance, and advocate ways for schools to meet the diverse needs of all students in a changing world.

We envision public schools that promote creative and analytical thinking, and treat education as a lifelong process.

Our story

In 2012, a group of parents and educators at Crestwood Elementary School decided that there was power in finding common ground and working together to support public education in the Madison Metropolitan School District. Many of us had marched in solidarity at the Wisconsin state capitol during the Act 10 protests. SCAPE was the next step in supporting Madison’s public schools, and each other. Our group quickly grew into a more formal organization of Crestwood educators, parents and community members.

SCAPE is a grassroots organization run by volunteers. One of our key strategies is to engage in Madison school board meetings. We attend as many meetings as possible and keep our members up-to-date on what the board is talking about and voting on.

In 2013, SCAPE achieved our first victory with the school board by advocating for Ready, Set, Goal conferences in Madison’s elementary schools. Ready, Set, Goal conferences allow students, families and teachers to meet and build positive relationships at the beginning of the school year. Funding for these conferences had been cut from the proposed budget. Thanks to the efforts of SCAPE members, these conferences are still happening.

Below, you will find a list of other issues and initiatives we’ve worked on over the years.

Many the people who started SCAPE have moved on to new schools in the Madison district. At the same time, threats to public education have escalated. In response, we have broadened our reach to the entire Madison Metropolitan School District, and we are building partnerships with organizations advocating for public education in our schools, our community and beyond. Together, we can make a difference. We hope you will join us.

Issues and initiatives we’ve worked on

  • Maintaining support for Ready, Set, Goal conferences and third quarter parent-teacher conferences at elementary schools
  • Engaging families in the Allied Drive neighborhood
  • Including parents in district decision-making about high-stakes assessment
  • Family, staff and community engagement in School Improvement Plans
  • MMSD technology plan
  • Educator Effectiveness
  • The MMSD budget process
  • School board elections

Community service

SCAPE is working to make our community a better place not just through advocacy, but also through service. In 2015, we partnered with the Boys and Girls Club to build a Little Free Library for the Allied Drive neighborhood. We engaged neighborhood children in decorating the library and filled it with books. The Crestwood Elementary School community continues to provide books for this little free library, so children can read to their hearts’ content.