I am Martha Siravo 

• Running for the School Board became part of my vision several years ago as I championed my own daughter’s academic journey. From there, my passion grew into a desire to help other parents around me who likewise strove for their children to get the most out of their education. Ultimately, this became an obsession with realizing a better experience for ALL students—a goal I hope to embrace fully as a member of the MMSD School Board.

• Several things make me who I am today, most notably the rollercoaster ride that kick-started my unique life experiences. I am thankful for all of the experiences, and the litany of incredible people I have been blessed to know and collaborate with along the way. Without both of these, I would not be the person I am proud to call “me” today.

• Ultimately; my daughter, Jasmine, is my greatest joy and the biggest spark fueling my deep love of educational advocacy through her bold and enduring nature.

• A little background

• I grew up in Watertown Wisconsin; attending St. Marks Lutheran, Luther Preparatory School, and graduated from Watertown High School in 2001. 

• In February 2002, I was in a car accident and sustained a C6/C7 spinal cord injury. I’m forever grateful for my rehab team at Froedtert, and of those that supported my therapies so that I could regain my independence and tenacity through the use of a manual wheelchair. 

• Attitude has been absolutely everything in my success. That perspective was what got me to embrace my new “normal”. To this day, it is one of the key things that lights my fire from within, even on the darkest of days.

• Continuing the Journey with Jaz

• My whole world shifted again, when my daughter was born in 2012 and diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (5 years later we’d add Epilepsy to the party). 

• For me, being a mom with a physical disability, I already had experience in learning to pivot and adapt. Those skills came in handy, making it second nature to modify our lives as needed and keep moving forward. Once again having an incredible (medical) team and the good fortune to be surrounded by a fabulous circle of people that educate about our options and community supports was invaluable to our success. It takes a village.

•   Things shifted gears for us again in 2017, when Jaz became age-eligible to go to 5K in MMSD.  I was told she would be transitioning from her 4K half-day Head Start program with a full IEP. I found myself diving down the dizzying “rabbit-hole” of Special Education trying to navigate support services (PT, OT, Speech/Language, and Special Education). I, like many parents, had to learn quickly about what this all meant. Not only do caregivers have to learn about the services; they need to know about IEP laws & practices, as well as try to absorb the rights and responsibilities… all while simply trying to navigate life as a family. These HUGE decisions that are made about education when your child is young and has a disability are not easy. But, you make the best decision you can, with the information you have available.  I found what really I could have used (and ended up becoming for others, years later) was having another peer-parent with experience to connect with regarding all these complexities.  It’s a lot to handle on your own. 

• In the midst of this; I (and the 4K team) realized that in order to be ready for 5K, Jaz  really needed a second year of 4K in a FULL day program  to build skills that she would need. Administration informed me that if I chose that route for her, they would remove all of her therapy and services as they were not required to support a student who is repeating 4K in a community program. 

• The decision MMSD made was one based on a policy technicality, not an individualized one as a student with disabilities needs to thrive. 

• The breakdown looks like this: At age 5, with a summer birthday, Jasmine was ‘technically’ eligible to enter 5K after completing 4K. However, she was only 5 due to being born prematurely and had a clear and documented need for further time spent in the 4K environment. 

•  Among the things I learned was that DPI guidance states that no child is REQUIRED to go to 5K until they’ve turned 6 years old. 

• After countless hours of consultation with Doctors, Therapists, and supports; a lengthy mediation with MMSD; and a complaint to DPI; I made the decision to have her repeat 4K with the support of Head Start and without the support of MMSD. Hello crash-course in advanced advocacy skills! 

• I believed that to be in her best interest then, and I still believe it now—as she is currently thriving amongst peers that would have been her classmates if she had been born on her due date. 

• Within the past year, DPI revised their guidance and now requires districts to support students and families who are faced with similar circumstances. No longer is there a loop hole for kids to get lost in. 

• Our struggles are not unique and NEVER should have happened in the first place. 

• It is far more essential to support individual needs than to remove programming due to a technicality. That they turned their backs on supporting my daughter, because they didn’t “have to” help her is disgraceful. 

• The dedication we encountered when Head Start stepped up to the plate by meeting her where she was at, inspired a vision for the kind of education Jasmine (and all kids) deserve. Yet again, with an amazing team, not only was Jaz able to have an amazing year, completely focused on giving her the best preparation year but I was able to go to College for Medical Coding.  Good education means knowing that we all play a valuable part, including a child’s family, and that you cannot separate the student you have in the building from the student at home.

• Teamwork. Dedication. Persistence. Heart. 

• Even though we were left to fend for ourselves, we found love and support when we needed it the most.  

• Advancing school expectations with Madtown Mommas & Disability Advocates

• As Jasmine continued her education, and as I finished college with a technical degree in Medical Coding, it was time to make a decision: find a full-time job as a Medical Coder, or pour fuel into my fire to advocate for my daughter and other families facing complications around their child’s education. A flyer came in the mail highlighting the work of Rep. Taylor and I made an appointment to go & have a conversation with her. After that, I was directed to connect with Nicki Vander Meullen, who was on the MMSD School Board. She then connected me to BPDD, the Board for People with Developmental Disabilities, and encouraged me to take their Partners in Policymaking course. It was there, the class of 2018/2019, where I met 3 other moms who lived in Madison and were also seeking out ways to advocate for their kids above the local level. 

• Madtown Mommas & Disability Advocates was founded in 2019, and is still doing work with families and other organizations to this day. I am the Momma on the ground who helps many families through direct support: attending IEPs, connecting people to other organizations based on need, speaking at Board meetings, and working directly with MMSD Administration to solve problems and create opportunities. The work can occasionally include connecting with principals, teachers, and students navigating challenges they face at any point during their school career.

• Through all of the experience I’ve gained over the years, my mission has remained the same: “I believe inclusive education paves the way to a bright future. I am part of this work because every student is unique and deserves to have an opportunity to thrive. To do that, they need access to public education which supports their individual needs.”

• This. Is. Me.

• I am a dedicated single mother and have become a well-known community leader in Madison. As the proud mother of Jasmine, a twelve year old 6th grader with cerebral palsy and epilepsy and an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that provides services and staff to accommodate her while at school.

• My personal experiences as a parent and advocate have fueled my relentless efforts to ensure that all students—especially those with disabilities—receive the support and attention they deserve.

I received a Christopher Reeves Hope & Spirit Award from Froedert Medical College, an award presented to 5 individuals for their hard work and endurance through a life-changing injury/traumatic event, and came through with perseverance and a smile.

I am the president of Madtown Mommas & Disability Advocates, a parent-led organization focused on empowering families of children with disabilities.

I have served on several DPI committees, including the Parent Council (2019) and the Equity Council (2019)- both very different rooms. One was focused on parent input from across Wisconsin, and the other was made of legislatures and organizations who are stakeholders/advocates in public education. 

As Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin 2020/21, I used my platform “Embrace Inclusive Education” to raise awareness and advocate for accessibility and inclusion in education through the Ms. Wheelchair America national organization.

I’m the recipient of the 2021 Wisconsin Public Education Network Changemaker Award, which recognizes individuals across Wisconsin who tirelessly champion and advocate for public schools.  

I am an event planning member Disability Pride Fest Madison (my area is the dance/sports arena), which is an annual event in Madison that celebrates the wide array of people with disabilities through music, art, sports, and a large resource fair.

I am the founder of Wheels & Heels Inc., a nonprofit that supports adaptive dance across Wisconsin. We look for opportunities to do workshops, community performances, and collaborations that are yet to be made! I work closely with Arts For All Wisconsin and participate in competitive ballroom (I was one of the Wi representatives of Team USA in 2024), latin hip-hop, lyrical, and aerial dance.

Most recently, January 2025, I was nominated to be on the WAES (Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools) Board, and was unanimously accepted!

• I will always fight for the rights of my daughter, and remain committed to ensuring that every student in MMSD receives the education they deserve—no matter their abilities. 

• My work is driven by a belief that public education must be inclusive, accessible, and truly serve the needs of every child.