City Times Staff

The search for a new school superintendent is over.

The Wisconsin Rapids Board of Education has announced that Craig Broeren has been selected to replace Colleen Dickmann as Superintendent effective on her retirement on June 30, 2017.

Broeren has served in education leadership for nine years, most recently as the Barron Area School Distrct Administrator. According to the news release:

“Mr. Broeren brings a wealth of experience in school district operations, strategic planning, and fiscal management to the district.”

Broeren earned a Bachelors of Science from UW-River Falls in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, as well as a Masters from the University of St. Thomas in Teacher Preparation. Broeren completed the principal licensure program through the UW-River Falls/University of St. Thomas.

He is currently working toward completing his doctoral degree.

The following is a written message from Broeren:

My name is Craig Broeren (pronounced like “roarin” with a “B” in front of it) and I am honored to have been selected as the next Superintendent of the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools. I look forward to working with the Board of Education, staff, students and community on existing initiatives as well as developing and advancing new ones. I have been involved in public education since 2000 as a teacher, coach, athletic director, principal and for the past seven years as superintendent; four of which have been in the Barron Area School District where I am currently employed. In addition to my experiences in public education, I have also worked in the private sector in cancer and AIDS research and pathology.

On a personal level, I have been married for nearly twenty years to my wife, Sunshine, who is a pediatric occupational therapist. We have three amazing kids- Raya age 12, Keaton age 10, and Porter age 10 who are involved in numerous athletics and co-curriculars which keep us very busy. I enjoy running, boating, fishing, and playing sports with my family.

I am very passionate about public education and the opportunities we provide our students; I will serve the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools  as an outspoken advocate for public education. I know that Wisconsin Rapids has a solid reputation for academic and co-curricular opportunities for kids and I am fully invested in ensuring existing programs continue over time and that the district remains focused on innovation and continuous improvement well into the future.

My family and I are very excited to become part of your community and look forward to meeting new people and becoming meaningfully involved in and contributing to the Wisconsin Rapids School District and community!

Broeren was chosen out three finalists that were selected in February for a second round of interviews.