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About this Award

Established in 2020, the Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor given to an outstanding alumna or alumnus. The award celebrates the achievements of alumni whose professional accomplishments and community service represent the foundations and goals of the School District of New Lisbon.

Eligibility and Timeline

All graduates from New Lisbon High School are eligible for consideration of the award. Honorees are selected by committee comprised of administrators, teachers, and students, during a meeting in January. The Distinguished Alumni Award recipient will be notified and invited to speak at the graduation ceremony at the end of the year.

Nominations

Alumni, faculty, staff, students, community members, and friends, may submit nominations for the award beginning in October until January 1st. Completed forms should be submitted electronically using the form link above.

Contact

Please direct any questions about the award or candidate nominations to:

Dr. Adam Englebretson, District Administrator
(608) 562-3700 

a.englebretson@nlsd.k12.wi.us

TOM ANDRES NAMED 2022 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

The School District of New Lisbon would like to congratulate Mr. Tom Andres [Class of 1966] on receiving the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award! Dr. Englebretson made the announcement at Monday night's board meeting. Mr. Andres is a well loved educator with many years of experience helping many districts as the role of interim superintendent including New Lisbon School District. Tom will be speaking to our seniors at Scholarship Night. Congratulations, Tom! We can't wait to see you again.

“When I was growing up, I didn’t have a father and was in a poverty situation,” Andres said “There were teachers in my life who made a huge difference. The power of teachers and the power of education can take people places and show them things that are beyond their imagination at times. I just think that teaching and working in education isn’t really a job or a career; I think it is a calling. You have to have a real heart for working with kids, and seeing where they are and where they can be.”

Andres has three degrees: a bachelor of science in broad field social studies for grades 7-12 from UW-La Crosse, a masters degree in counseling for pre-K-12 from UW-Oshkosh and a specialist degree in educational administration from UW-Superior.

The New Lisbon native started his teaching career in the Hillsboro School District in 1970. He later taught at Laconia High School in Rosendale before landing his first counseling role at River Falls High School in 1975. He was also the counselor for two years at Rhinelander High School before moving into the assistant principal and activities director roles at that school. In 1990, he took over as principal at Sauk Prairie High School in Prairie du Sac for 10 years, then spent four years as superintendent of that school.

In 2004, Andres followed his dream of coaching and served as assistant women’s basketball coach at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio, for two seasons.

“Shortly thereafter, the shooting occurred in Weston and my friend, who was the superintendent, asked me to come over and help,” Andres said. “I helped for a little while and then the board asked if I would stay as their superintendent. So, I stayed for six years at Weston and worked with them.”

He also spent two years as superintendent in his hometown, then two months as superintendent at River Ridge School District in 2015 and four months as superintendent of Grafton School District in 2016.

Andres has earned accolades such as 1994 and 1995 WBCA All-Star Team Coach, 1997 Wisconsin Principal of the Year, 2004 Wisconsin Superintendent of the Year, 2002 inducted into the Wisconsin Coaches Association Hall of Fame and 2013 WBCA District Administrator of the Year.

“The key thing to remember is that I’m pretty good when I’m surrounded by good people,” Andres said. “I am surrounded by some good people here. This is a good place for kids.”