Overview
- Dane County prosecutors filed two misdemeanor counts of failing to report suspected child abuse against former principal Jennifer Ploeger in a case stemming from the 2025 probe into ex-dean Robert Gilkey-Meisegeier.
- Police had referred three counts for Ploeger, while prosecutors declined to pursue referred charges against human resources director Chris Sadler.
- An independent investigation led by attorney Samuel C. Hall Jr. found significant failures in judgment and process but reported no evidence of malicious intent or mandatory-reporting violations.
- Following the report, the district said Ploeger and operations director Bridget Kotarak will not return, retained Peg Shoemaker as interim principal, and plans a formal principal search in the spring.
- Ploeger’s attorney says she fully cooperated with investigators, denies criminal wrongdoing, and vows to contest the charges.