Ashley Furniture Honored by Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance

November 12, 2018  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

WiRSA is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping address challenges faced by rural school districts.

Ashley has partnered with the four schools of the Trempealeau Valley Cooperative (Arcadia, Blair- Taylor, Independence and Whitehall) to collaboratively meet the needs of the region’s, state’s and nation’s future by working to expose teachers to modern global educational practices, providing modern and high cost equipment, committing to continued logistical support and providing access to travel, research and experiences that are not often afforded to public school districts.

The highlight of this collaboration to date is the rolling out of the Mobile Advanced Manufacturing Skills Lab sponsored by Ashley Furniture to begin this school year. The high-tech self-contained lab is focused on worldwide research of best practices and a return to focus on efficient “making”. The over $3 million project has been provided to the schools of the TVC 2.0 to better prepare both students and adults for the future with a range of educational programming.

“In my 20+ years as a Wisconsin School Superintendent, I have not seen the depth of discussion that we are seeing in our region today,” said Mike Beighley, administrator for Whitehall District. 

Other award winners honored by WiRSA at the Rural Schools Conference were Dan Viste, Southern Door County School District, Rural Support Staff Person of the Year; Steve Pate of Portage, Rural Board of Education Member of the Year; Bryce Bird, district administrator of the Riverdale School District, Rural Administrator of the Year; Justin Gerlach, teacher in the Mishicot School District, Rural Teacher of the Year; and Heather DuBois Bourenane, executive director of WPEN, Rural Advocacy Award.