Madison, WI – On August 24, 2026, the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education announced that it approved three new names for district elementary schools, effective for the 2026-2027 school year. One of the elementary schools will be named in honor of prominent Menominee scholar, activist, and civil servant Ada Deer. Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) released the following statement:
 
“Yesterday, the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education announced the approval of three new names for Madison elementary schools, which will take effect this coming school year. I am thrilled that one of the schools, which is located in my district, will be hereafter known as Ada Deer Elementary School.
 
Ms. Ada Deer left an enduring legacy of advocacy, activism, and leadership in Wisconsin and across our country. As the powerful force behind the Menominee Restoration Act, Ms. Deer was able to win back federally recognized status and sovereignty for her tribe. An accomplished Indigenous scholar, activist, educator, and civil servant, she would go on to become the first woman to lead the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs.
 
A trailblazer in so many regards, Ms. Deer was also the first member of the Menominee Tribe to earn an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, the first Native American to receive a Master of Social Work degree from the Columbia University School of Social Work, the first woman to chair the Menominee Tribe in Wisconsin, and the first Indigenous woman in Wisconsin to run for United States Congress.
 
Ms. Ada Deer was also my cherished personal friend. Her memory and her legacy remain an inspiration for all Wisconsinites, including our young people who want to make a difference in the world around them. Her leadership, tenacity and determination have set a powerful example for future generations of changemakers, and she is deeply missed.

Naming a Madison school in tribute to Ms. Ada Deer is an honor befitting the countless contributions she has made to our city, our state, and our nation, as well as a reflection of the vision and values we share for our students. It is a privilege to now be the Representative for Ada Deer Elementary School.”