Gov. Evers Welcomes Educators and Staff Back to School With Video Message

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today shared a video message with Wisconsin’s educators, school staff, and administrators to welcome them back to school for the 2026-27 school year. As a former educator, principal, superintendent, and state superintendent, this is Gov. Evers’ 50th Back-to-School season and his final as governor. In the coming days and weeks, the governor will also be visiting schools across the state to welcome students back to school for his annual statewide back-to-school tour.

Gov. Evers declared 2026 the Year of the Neighbor in Wisconsin, celebrating all those who make Wisconsin the great place it is, including all of the educators, staff, and administrators who work tirelessly to comfort, inspire, and educate Wisconsin’s students. The governor has spent his entire career fighting for Wisconsin’s kids, first beginning his career as a science teacher in Baraboo in 1976, before going on to become a principal, superintendent, and state superintendent and eventually a two-term governor.

The governor’s back-to-school video message is attached, and a transcript of the video message is available below.

Image from the Office of the Governor.

Hey there, Wisconsin educators and staff. Governor Tony Evers here.

I am jazzed to help welcome all of you back to school for another wonderful school year.

As many of you know, my first back-to-school season started when I was a science teacher in Baraboo.

Since then, I’ve had the privilege of seeing the start of the school year as a principal, superintendent, state superintendent, and now, as governor.

All told, this is my 50th back-to-school season, if you can believe it, but this time of year never gets old.

Each school year presents a new opportunity for educators and students alike to grow, learn, and create new connections.

There’s no limit to the lessons that will be learned, friends that will be made, and breakthroughs to be had.

But one thing never changes, and that’s the commitment and dedication of our educators and school staff.

Every school year, you work to guide, teach, and show students how to become kind, curious, and attentive learners.

From their first day of kindergarten until they walk across the stage their senior year, all of you are the mentors, helping hands, and role models that define each chapter of their education.

Whether serving meals to fill hungry bellies, planning the next lesson, helping our kids pick out a book at the library, taking their temperatures when they don’t feel so good, or helping make sure our schools are clean and run smoothly, all of you are heroes in my book.

It’s because of people like you that I declared 2026 the Year of the Neighbor in Wisconsin. All of you help make our schools, our communities, and our state the great place it is to call home.

Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be traveling the state to welcome students, educators, and staff back to school, but if I don’t get a chance to tell you in person, welcome back to school, Wisconsin.

Whether this is your first year teaching or your last, I hope you cherish the opportunities and revel in the curiosity and eagerness to learn something new.

And above all, thank you for all you do to support our kids, our schools, and our communities.

Let’s make it a great school year, folks. Take care, and thank you.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

Recent Press Releases by Gov. Tony Evers

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Gov. Evers Blasts President Trump, Republicans in Congress for Sky-High Costs as Kids and Families Head Back to School

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Table of 2026 Price Hikes for Back-to-School Supplies by product (left), Table of 2026 Price Hikes for Popular School Lunch Items (right) as provided by the Century Foundation and Groundwork Collaborative