Hello, and Welcome to Upsala Area Schools

My name is Vern Capelle, and I am honored to serve the Upsala Area Schools – ISD 487 as the Superintendent, and in turn serve the communities of Upsala, Bowlus, Grey Eagle, and more. I am endlessly proud of our Districts' academic growth and our community's continuous, outstanding support. At UAS we operate with a passionate, skilled staff dedicated to unlocking the full-potential of each of our students.

Upsala Area Schools has a long, rich history that dates back to 1920, when four separate elementary schools consolidated under one new brick building. Today we continue to seek out technology advancements, programming enhancements, and innovative teaching techniques to not only honor our original graduates, but also to inspire and mold our future generations.

Background Credentials

• (Graduate) Educational Specialist – Educational Leadership –– Concordia University; St. Paul

• (Graduate) Master of Arts – Educational Leadership –– Concordia University; St. Paul

• (Undergraduate) Bachelor of Science – Biology/Secondary Education –– University of Wisconsin; River Falls

From the Superintendent's Desk

Welcome to the 2024-2025 School Year

The 2024-2025 school year is almost upon us and I hope that you have had a very relaxing and enjoyable summer. Here at UAS, we have had a busy summer up to this point and I want to take a moment to update you on some of the happenings in the District.

Back in June, we began our capital improvements project that was approved by District voters. Over the summer, construction has been ongoing throughout our building. When completed, we will have a new high-efficiency heating/cooling system that will significantly improve the climate control throughout our facility. In addition to the improvements in climate control, we will see significant savings in the costs to operate and maintain our facilities. Today, as I am writing this article, we have a massive crane loading the final rooftop units to be installed. We have also replaced a number of our roof areas that had begun to show areas of failure. On the interior of the building, we are continuing our progressive replacement of flooring in the classroom areas. Two additional elementary classrooms and the high school band/choir room will have new carpet this year. The stage in the old gym has been removed and replaced with storage and mechanical rooms. Once construction is complete, we’ll be busy getting the building ready for the students to return. Thanks to Mr. Harren and his summer maintenance team for all of their hard work this summer.

Another item to note as we begin the school year is the change in our calendar from early out in-service days to late starts. Once a month, we will have a 2-hour late start to provide professional development for our teachers and support staff. These late start days will occur on the third Wednesday of each month and are noted on the 2024-2025 school calendar. We have still scheduled a few early release days as well, which are also noted on the school calendar document. Be sure to review the calendar and note these important dates. More information will be sent through JMC and our social media accounts as we get closer to these dates.

In closing, I want to encourage all of our parents and students to begin preparing for the first day of school. For younger students, I recommend beginning school year routines a couple of weeks before school starts. This may involve setting regular sleep schedules to ensure students are ready to wake up earlier for school. Also, discussing routines for study times and responsibilities at home can be a good idea. For high school students, discuss academic goals and post high school plans as appropriate. We will begin welcoming back staff on August 26 with our back to school workshops. We will welcome students and families back to school during our Open House on August 28 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.  

Each year, as the first day of school approaches, I get excited for the potential of what’s to come. I am excited to see our students return, and to meet the new students that will join our school community. I get excited to see our classrooms active and busy again. I get excited to watch our students compete and perform, and to share in their successes throughout the year. One of my favorite quotes is from tennis player Arthur Ashe, who said, “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” I am blessed to be able to share this journey with our students and community and look forward to another great school year.

Vern Capelle, Ed.S.
Superintendent of Schools