APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – Members of the Appleton community gathered inside the Appleton Public Library to share their thoughts and opinions on what the Appleton School District proposed in a meeting earlier this month.
The district discussed whether a student who exceeds 5 unexcused absences would face fines, counseling, a supervised work program, or other consequences.
“I feel like this proposed truancy ordinance is taking a step backwards, and we need to think more innovatively, we could make the Appleton Area School District (AASD) the example in innovation,” says parent Amanda Rudd.
After the district meeting, many parents felt they were not heard by the school board, and did not get relief on their concerns.
“There were so many of us who spoke out and had the same concerns, but where are those concerns now? We haven’t heard anything about it, and AASD hasn’t put it out there, so where are they?” says Rudd.
Ed Ruffolo, a member of the Appleton School Board, attended the meeting not as a board member, but as a community member, to listen and see what he could take away from a roundtable like this one.
“I’m looking forward to hearing a lot of stories, people who maybe had truancy issues, or had a student who had truancy issues, and how they dealt with that, and ideas they may have to help the school look for creative ways to solve this problem.”
Ruffolo says the event shows just how strong the Appleton community is—coming together to share and reflect on such a serious issue.
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“So this is the time to really focus on these issues, and make sure to get these kids started back to school the right way.”
The Appleton Area School District did give a statement to Local 5 about the meeting that took, stating:
“We are not affiliated with tonight’s planned listening session to discuss the Appleton Area School District’s efforts to improve attendance at the secondary level.
While we may not always agree on the process or the approach, we all share the same goal: helping our students succeed. Ultimately, student success begins with consistent attendance. When students are in school, they have greater access to learning, support, and opportunities that prepare them for their future. We value the ongoing conversations in our community and with the City of Appleton and remain committed to working together to ensure every student is present, engaged, and supported.
This work began in spring 2024 and has included District-led work groups composed of staff, parents, and community members, multiple Safety & Licensing Committee meetings, Appleton Common Council meetings, a District-led community listening session held on August 4, 2025, and more.”
