Finco retires after 27 years in Onalaska School District

After 27 years with the Onalaska School District, superintendent Fran Finco retired Friday.

Finco has been involved with education in several different roles, including as a teacher, a principal and finally superintendent for the past eight years.

“Lot of changes in expectations for kids in learning,” Finco said. “We use data a lot more. We used to clump everyone together, and now we’re looking at individual students.”

Finco started in Onalaska in 1992. He didn’t plan on sticking around this long. The plan was five years.

“The community was so inviting to our family and so supportive of public education, and education in general,” Finco said.

One thing he won’t miss is dealing with the legislature in Madison.

“There was a time where districts had autonomy and they could set their own levy,” Finco said. “When they put revenue limits on, then the only way you could get more money is by adding more students, or asking the public for assistance through referendum.”

Todd Antony will replace Finco.