Graduation Task Force Action Team

The Graduation Task Force exists because of the reality that one in four students in Brown County in grades 6-12 is at risk of dropping out. Furthermore, there is a 20-point equity gap between high school graduation rates for white and black students in Brown County.

In response, in 2017 Achieve Brown County convened local school districts and mentoring services to design and implement a system that detects students at risk of dropping out and pairs them up with community-based mentoring supports. In the first year of the pilot program, more than 50 students were supported. Now in its third year, the program has scaled to serve more than 200 students in the 2020-21 school year.

The overarching goals of the Graduation Task Force are a 100% graduation rate in Brown County and to close the disparity in graduation rates among white students and students of color. We believe that the systems change of implementing a standardized process for identifying kids at risk of dropping out and referring them to mentoring supports is the key to reaching these goals.

Equity Gap Statement

In 2020, in Brown County, there was a 13.15-percentage point gap in High School Completion between White students and First Nation students.

Team Leadership

Team Members

  • Mary Malcore-Miller, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin
  • Johanna Wicklund, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Green Bay
  • Kathleen McKee, Greater Green Bay YMCA
  • Kathy Farr, Denmark School District
  • Amy Fish, Green Bay Area Public Schools
  • Ben Gunderson, Green Bay YMCA
  • Jennie Garceau, Howard-Suamico School District
  • Orleana Batiste, Oneida Youth Enrichment Services
  • Tammy Nicholson, Ashwaubenon School District
  • Dr. Jamie Froh Tyrrell, GRACE School System