Please sign the petition to insist that Superintendent Andrew Briddell allow Playsical to rent space at Waubesa Intermediate School for Session III classes starting Tuesday, Jan. 7.

On Dec. 30, Dr. Briddell abruptly ended the long-running after-school theater program's ability to rent space, causing anguish for many children and upheaval in many families.

He told the Waubesa Intermediate School community and Kristin Erickson, proprietor of Playsical Productions, that the school would no longer "host" the program (the more accurate term is "rent"), claiming "logistical and procedural issues" and "multiple attempts to resolve our concerns."

Though Erickson and many parents have asked for specific details, they have not been given any.

On Jan. 2, two parents met with the principal and vice principal to formally request that Playsical ability to rent space at WIS be reinstated immediately, so that Session III of Playsical can begin on Jan. 7.

Erickson has also made this request to Dr. Briddell.

Neither parents nor Playsical have been able to discover any reasonable cause for the school district's actions.

Playsical is a tiny, independent company that rents the space at the school for a considerable fee. Note that the rental fee rose by over 450% in 2019, forcing an increase in the tuition parents pay, and hardship for Playsical. Note also that the original increase was supposed to be about 600% -- with considerable effort, Erickson was able to lower it about a 450% increase. 

No child has ever been turned away from Playsical due to inability to pay. Even though the district's rising costs have made it more difficult, Playsical still offers reduced rates as needed.

Playsical has been providing drama/theater/music education since 2014 at WIS, where it has been extremely popular. Erickson says that she's not aware of a single complaint that any parent has made to the school, the district, or to her in all that time.

Many students are heartbroken and in tears, according their parents. There have been reports of children who are crying, despondent, and upset at the news. Many parents have been scrambling to figure out alternate childcare plans. Erickson has already invested financial and other resources in putting together the upcoming sessions.

Kristin Erickson, along with her considerable acting and singing experience, is an award-winning entrepreneur who has owned and operated several businesses since 1991, including the publishing company where she created Brava magazine, the Women's Expo, the Kids' Expo, and many other entities. Most recently, she co-authored the book "143 Reasons Mister Rogers Still Matters." She has deep roots in the McFarland community.

Please ask the school district to put Playsical on the schedule to run Session III at the Waubesa Intermediate School starting Tuesday, Jan. 7.

(In case the multipurpose room is not available on any particular day(s), the school can assign a different room, as it has done many times in the past.)