001These are 16 and over. Oh, thank you. All this is stage combat tonight auditions next or tomorrow and you've got the part now what on Thursday. All right. I'd like to call to order the board of education meeting. Please stand with me for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve the agenda? Second. All right. All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. Roll call finds us all present. Welcome. Um, next we have approval of the minutes. Is there a motion to approve the regular board of education minutes, excuse me, meeting minutes of June 24th, 2025 and close session meeting
002minutes of June 24th, 2025? Second. All right. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. Is there anyone here for community input? Is there any community input? All right. Thank you. Next, we have the superintendent report. Dr. Conrad, thank you. Just a a couple of FYIs to start with. Registration um is set for August 1st through the 15th. So that process is um completely online, but if families need any assistance, um they just reach out to the school and the secretaries will set up a time for those individuals to come in and work one-on-one to make sure that all students are registered. So it's obviously an emphasis this time of the year. Um we talked in HR committee a little bit. Uh we just had our open interviews yesterday at South High School.
003Two days ago. Yesterday. Um and over 60 candidates. So, um very successful. Jason told me he thinks we'll be close. Uh filling all of our our EA positions. Our building and maintenance team was feeling really good about um having all their positions full. So, it's literally been years since we can say that going into a school year. Um, so we're feeling really fortunate there. We're also feeling really fortunate with our teacher hires. Um, and being able to fill fill positions there has been better than it has been for um, years. And I would also say it feels really good from a perspective of when when you're struggling to hire, you're kind of looking internally um at your district trying to figure out if there's something if it's you uh right or if it's a bigger
004issue. And when you certainly hear of the teacher shortage across the state and you hear, you know, all the other noise, you're thinking it's not you, but it doesn't feel good. Um, and I think what I've been most pleased with is we're coming out of this uh faster than I'm seeing other districts come out of it. So, as I talked with my other colleagues, they're still hurting for uh teachers in some areas where we were able to hire. They're still struggling more than we are for uh EAS and things of that nature. So, I'm feeling pretty good about um where we're doing and how we're doing from from that respect. and uh just makes us feel good about the SASD and and and the employees and the level of candidate that we're attracting. So, we're
005excited about the the new hires and a lot of thanks to Jamie and um all our staff for all that they do to recruit and retain. Back to school bash is August 19th from 10 to 2. You're certainly welcome to uh attend if you'd like. That'll be at South High School in the fieldhouse. Um and then the back to school basic supply community service project uh Longfellow Elementary 8 to 10 on Saturday August 9th. Um and obviously thanks to the rec department. Uh who else do we have to thank here? Shboan Optimus Club and then volunteers from Coler Credit Union, the Noon Optimus and the North Boys soccer team. So, a great great day to make sure that uh kids have what they need to come back to school. And on Wednesday, July 30th, you
006can head to Culver's and a portion of those sales will be donated to support the program as well. So, um I think we just talked about that at your your board meeting. The Hawkins do such a great job of supporting the community. Um so, we're appreciative of that. Even if we uh steal from Big Brothers, Big Sisters a little bit and make sure and buy ice cream on that day for Jake's birthday. That's my birthday. You got it. Um now the now the fun stuff, budget updates. I want to walk through a little bit of where we are from a federal and a state standpoint and then I'm going to kind of give you my interpretation of it, but uh I'm going to do it through the lens of uh Wisconsin policy for me because
007that's unbiased and straightforward. So, from a federal standpoint, um what we had been told is all federal funds were on hold. And what what that would look like um is essentially they they put it on hold. They'd send it back to um Congress and Congress would go through a process, I believe they call it recession, to get them to pull the funds um and make them uh probably turn them into a block grant. Um this changes daily. So sometimes I feel like a fool even talking about this. It certainly has changed since we did agenda setting. Um so on Friday night they released the uh title 4 B funds which are the CLC 21st century grant. So there was enough pressure out there saying don't take away before and after school care of our students
008that they agreed to release that. I think it comes with the caveat that we're going to have the state is going to have to sign a certification of asurances to get those funds is is what's being reported right now. The last time the state was asked to sign asurances, you remember my long spiel to you as to how it came late and we didn't know that we could do it individually until the last second. I had to make that decision myself. Da da da da. So, um, last time the state said no, we're not signing that. So, if they do that this time, we could be in the same position again where they're saying that we're not giving you the funds. Uh my hope is that the the state and the feds can figure out
009a way forward so that we can get before and after school care to kids who really need it. And the CLC 21st century grant fund, they're at Jefferson, Longfellow, Sheridan, they're at our schools, um our highest free reduced lunch schools. Those kids and those families need those supports. We're really good at providing it. It's great to have kids getting breakfast, lunch, and something to eat after school or dinner. Um those funds should be sacred. So, um hopefully it's not a problem moving forward and that those funds are released. On top of that, title 2A funds, which are for uh professional development, teacher shortage purposes, are still held up. That's about um Eric pulled those numbers for me today. That was $343,83 last year. Uh, title 3A, English uh, language enhancement. So, that's meant to help
010our e students, $22,30. And then title 4A, which is they call safe and healthy students, um, technology, digital literacy, a portion of that, it's $154,758. A portion of that goes to um technology, but a lot of that goes to building safety. Um we've done a lot with uh being able to increase where our cameras are in our building and make implementations that are uh Shabbagen Police Department have recommended to make our schools safer. So that's a total of $700,591 still on hold. I didn't know if you were finished. No, go ahead. Are the assurances that they're asking for the same ones as they asked for the last time? Don't know. We don't know. And is all this money that is being held up money that would have to go through recision as in it was
011already previously approved by Congress and now they're trying to pull it back. It was um first time that's happened in 30 years. So yeah, that hasn't happened in education from the way I had it explained to me was it's a regular occurrence from a standpoint of they put money in a budget to build a bridge and they don't need the bridge and that money just sits for years so then they pull it out. That's normal. To take it from something that's allocated and being spent hasn't happened in decades. Um, so unprecedented. Um, from that standpoint, again, I almost feel foolish saying it. What what we were hearing is that they were going to pull that money. It was going to get reduced probably 25 30%. They're going to stick it in the block grant, give
012the block grant to the state, but it would come with stipulations. um most likely stipulations that voucher schools and private schools would be able to access the funds as well. Um so I suppose that's still a possibility. Um I think 10 minutes before this meeting we are getting advocacy things through our email saying now's the time hit up your um state senate race congressmen and women um telling them that you need those funds released. So, uh there there there's a strong push just to say let's not play the block grant game and let's get these funds released. Now, um the timing is in like there are people that were laid off from I know people in this community that moved here from other communities because they were told that their CLC program is going away.
013Uh so they literally moved jobs and and and moved cities as a result of this and then the funds were released anyhow. So you can imagine the disruption that that is causing. Um so we got to stop playing these games. It's it's chaotic on our schools and our communities and not at all beneficial to students. Um from a state standpoint, $325 uh increase in fiscal year 26, $325 increase in fiscal year 27. That's the Ever 400year veto. uh that was upheld by his Supreme Court. I think that is probably not popular with a with a Republican um assembly and Senate. So, um there's no increase to to generally equalize aid on that, which also has happened, I think twice in the last two or three decades, and that was during the Great Recession. Um so,
014you're going to be in a bad position as a board, and all school boards are that you're going to have to tax uh for those dollars um if you if you want to uh get the full 325. So obviously Mark will present on that um and at an upcoming meeting, but that's how that one played out. Um the other piece to that was the 42% and 45% for special ed. So, um it's some certain which probably means we'll whether we'll get 42% or not is anyone's guess. Um historically they haven't been able to fund that at the level they say. So if they say 32% you're going to get 30% something something like that. Um so we'll see where that one falls. 42% certainly better than 35% that was initially proposed. I I think there's
015two camps here. One saying this is a poke in the eye. It's not nearly enough. Um and public education was underfunded in this budget. And I think there's another campaign saying it's bipartisan. The groups came together and don't be too quick um to judge. Thank your legislators for their work and for the increase and to move on. Um, and I think 40 going up to 42 feels good for next year. The following year going to 45 doesn't feel good, right? So, we needed to essentially go from 30 32 to 42 this year. Um, along with a 325 to do a 2.95% to do CPI for our employees. Next year when you're going from a 42 to 45, uh, Mark can't make that magic happen, right? We're only getting a 3% um increase on on special
016ed and we're still going to get that same 325. So um that becomes a much more difficult hill to climb and it's hard to to swallow that. I think we had hoped to get to 60 and obviously fell considerably short of that. So um high cost reimbursement rate will be 50% next year 90%. Um the following year that's an extremely small pot of funds. Um so it helps a little bit but you're think it's it's that was really kind of just a distraction as far as being able to say they were doing something for special ed when they weren't addressing the real need in special ed. So, um, we're talking maybe $100,000 there. Um, open enrollment increase of $1,140, which isn't going to benefit urban districts um at all. So, students that open enroll out
017uh the cost that the district uh now essentially loses is $1,140 more um per student. So that likely cost us about $400,000. Um I missed that. Really? Really? Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. And then for the students transferring in, what do we get? We get $1,000 more. Okay. Urban districts are always at a net loss. And what they're going to do is they're going to come back and say, "Well, figure out how to keep your kids." So good. Yeah. Yeah. So, we're not going to get into that match with them, but that's where we are. Okay. Um, voucher schools, fiscal year 26, I'm seeing a $640 increase for them. This is some of this is yet to to to be super clear. They're still working through some numbers, but I'm seeing a $640 increase for voucher
018school students in fiscal year 26. Uh, our increase, I think, will come out to about $570 a student. Again, don't hold me to these numbers. These are my my best guesses right now. Uh so vouchers did just fine in fiscal year 27 vouchers with a $428 increase and I think we'll be around 400. So um they continue to fund vouchers very very nicely. Um, so then I think if you haven't seen it, Wisconsin Policy Forum put out a really, really nice analysis of funding in Wisconsin schools. Um, so I just want to share some bullet points with you from that. Wisconsin spends 9.9% less per student than the national average. Um, adjusted for inflation, Wisconsin spent $15,22 per student in 2025. Um, I'm sorry, in 2020. Um yeah, in 2025, in 2023, it spent 14,882.
019Um so we're seeing a just minimal increases. In 2005, the national average spent per student was 13,575, well below the state average. Uh by 2023, the national average rose to 16,526. Uh and the state average was well below that at 14,882. Um so what we're essentially seeing from 2002ish to 2023 um is that we were ahead of the national average and now we're considerably below the national average. Um had we kept up with the national average we'd be looking at about $15 million a year more in SASD. Uh in 2002 Wisconsin ranked 11th in the nation for spending on education. Uh it's now 26th and that number is probably worse than 26. That's that's their most recent numbers that won't come for this budget yet. In 20 2002, Wisconsin ranked first in the Midwest. Uh
020we now ranked seventh of the 12th Midwestern states. Uh 2020 through 2023 per people education spending increased 4% across the nation. It decreased by8% Wisconsin. Um, so we're seeing this this trend where we're just not keeping up nationally. And I think that helps. I think when we're talking about um special ed reimbursements that they that can all get lumped into one pot of funding for public ed, but when your state isn't funding public ed um even enough to be average. Uh I think it says something the f the policy form ended their their document with public education is a primary responsibility state and local government. These findings may be worth uh policy makers considering as they move forward. Tracking what our state and school districts collect and expend demonstrates the public's investment in our education
021system and what families, educators, and taxpayers should expect in return. Uh and I thought that was really a nice way of saying you get what you pay for. Um and and expectations sometimes need to be tempered based upon what you have for resources. So um despite all that, I think Wisconsin continues to do well. When I look at ACT rankings and things of that nature, I think there's a lot to be proud of in this state, but um when I hear of declining test scores in the state and things of that nature, I don't you know, when you go from being one of the better funded eth best funded states to 25th, it's you're going to you're going to see the results in the classroom uh start to drop as well. I don't think anyone
022would expect anything otherwise. So, That's where we are. Uh, as I said, Mark will come forward in upcoming meetings and present what this looks like from a budget standpoint. I feel comfortable about where we are next year. There are some uh some things we can do and we'll talk about uh with all of you and and we have to talk with our employee groups as well as far as insurance and and things of that nature. But um next year uh that fiscal year 27's going to be a a bear to grapple with knowing that we're only going from 42 to 45%. So that's where we landed. Uh better than the last time I I spoke with you short of where we wanted to be, but uh we have to fight another day. Thank you, Dr.
023Conrad. Do you want any questions or follow for Dr. Com? I had a question on the you said the back to school bash. What was the date on that? Back to school bash was Tuesday, August 19th, 10 to 2 in the S high field house. Thank you. Got it. If they were to go to the block grant that and hopefully it doesn't come to that, but would that be available for us to use this year? And when would that probably come forward? we did have access. Your guess is as good as Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. So to be clear on that, um I think our our plan is if we have things that we've already committed to within those funds, we move forward and fund balance is available for that. Um but we are absolutely
024uh looking at things right now if it's something that we don't absolutely have to spend on. We're being cautious and we're asking um questions around it, but some of this stuff isn't salaries. It's in it's in people's contracts and legally that had to be done June 1st. So, it's it's chaotic. Well, we thank you and your team for being mindful and working through this and making sure that those funds are being appropriated, but also making sure that you're fighting for our district as well. Got it. All right. Next, we have the ratified collective bargaining agreement with the Shabbo Education Association. Mark, you want to come up? Um, I really just want to thank Mark, Jamie, uh Rachel and of course our employee group, our meet confer group um for all the work that goes into
025this. I don't think um I don't think it's it's nearly enough, right? And and we know that um we were really really hopeful this year that we were going to be doing more than CPI. Um and when we put that 40% in 40, you know, So that would have been a some sufficient rather than some certain. Uh we were hoping that that number was conservative and that we were going to see more there and we were going to be able to do more. Uh that that looks like it's going to be challenging especially given what fiscal year 27 looks like. That said, um they were carded meet and conferred uh not only to obviously 2.95 is is the highest level um that we can go to in negotiations for CPI. Um but then where it
026falls on the salary schedule is always a process and a discussion as well. So, um, really appreciate Mark's work with that, sitting down and meeting with, uh, meeting Confer leadership and working through a a process to make that as positive as possible. So, I'll let you explain where we are and go from there. Yeah. So, um, like Jake said, you know, the our base wage increase is kind of capped at the CPI at 2.95%. Um but we do meet uh with SCA and kind of look at the schedule and see how we can move those monies around uh to uh that we can both agree on a salary schedule for the next year. So um so we did meet with them. We looked at a couple different scenarios and um we did agree to a
027salary schedule for next year. Um couple of the highlights I would just say that um the starting wage on last year's schedule was 48104 that will increase to 50,133. So that's always been um one of those cells you always look at. You want to remain competitive. It helps is as teachers are looking at at different districts, they're always looking at what that first step is. So we're happy with that. The other thing we did is uh we always had what was called uh the gray cells and basically those were teachers who were um above the top of the salary schedule when we uh switched over several years ago. Um so those teachers were always uh just stayed in their cell that they were at and then they received any cell increase that was given but
028they didn't they didn't move up a step. Um, so we are getting rid of those gray cells and allowing um those teachers if they're not at the top step uh to move up a step in um in the next few years. So where our old schedule went from uh 0 to 24 and then there were steps 25 through 30 on the gray scale. The new schedule will just go from step one to 27 and then there'll be a step 28 for those that uh can you can move up to that if you've completed the TDI. So, we have to have that one step. Um, that's only for TDI because the promise made there is that you get this additional $1,000 once you get that TDI. So, uh, so the top step with the TDI is
02986,133. Um, so I think that's a very competitive top step too. And I think moving forward, um, we just want to make sure that we don't, uh, you we still always want to try to decrease steps too to get people up the scale faster. Um, and we've kept the kind of the same structure where the step increases are higher at the lower end of the schedule and then they ramp down as you get to the top. So again, trying to get teachers to a livable wage um you know, their first 10 years here is kind of a a goal that we have. So um if there's any questions around salary schedule, I'd be glad to answer those. So the FTE, is that the amount of um staff in that in that box? Yes, that's that's
030that was the FTE for 2425. Yeah. Are there any other questions from work? And did the new paytime off policy go into that contract or is that that's just a that's not a negotiated item, right? That'll be in the handbook. Yeah. Okay. pass through being confirmed. Anyone else? I think that we can move for an action. Um, is there a motion to approve the administration's approval to ratify the collective bargaining agreement and base wage settlement with the Shabboan Education Association SEA with base wage settlement of 2.95% in the aggregate? Second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. Thank you, gentlemen. So, next we have the second readings. Um item B through I. Are there any objections to take these all together? All right. I'll see. I'm sorry. I just have one question.
031And I don't know if you bring that up after the after the set motion, but district I notice it it talks to district vehicles. Which one? a couple of them. But uh the read um that re does that also refer to vehicles driven under contract or just our own district vehicles. Like, does it deal with the the the bus company separately or is it just if you're driving a van with the SASD sticker on Yeah. I mean, they're not, right? They're not in They're not employees of us of ours, right? So, if that's going to be a a priy issue and we work with them on those would probably be the best way to to say that one. Do we ever rent like a van from Priies and have a coach drive that? You don't
032do that anymore. We drive our own vans. I think back in the day they did. They did let us some of their bands with our drivers, but they don't do that anymore. It's a G& and it just talks about, you know, language like that is in the police contract regarding Yeah. So, I figured it was covered in a different place, but this is our employees are Yes. vehicles. Okay. Thank you. All right. So, I'm seeking a motion to Approve second readings of items 31 20 um.1 excuse me 04 policy 4120.04 3120.08 8 34 31 44 31 4162 [Music] 86 01 and 8640. Second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. Thanks for bringing that up here. Um, next we have reported committees on the instruction. Okay. Uh, we have a proper for
033a new course digital drawing at Salt High School. I move for approval. Second. Any discussion? All in favor state I. I. Motion carries. And then we had the uh academic standards that we have to verify every year. Second, excuse me. All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. And then we had uh numbers 3 through 13 which are first readings. Most of those were just cleaning up language or putting in the new terminology for things. We did have one new one about re-entry reference. expulsion, but the committee moves recommends that people. All right, Peter second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. Thank you. K. Next, we got human resources. Um, yes. So, items number one, appointments, and item number three, retirement. I move to approve those um moves. Second. Any discussion?
034All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. And then number two, separations is for your information in your packets. Thank you. Next, we have facilities, recreation, and theater committee. Okay. I move that uh the board approves the financial reports for theater company as well as community recreation. Is there a second? Second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. Number three is for information. So next we have the finance and budget committee. Sarah. Uh the committee is recommending approval for uh 1 through 4 fund 41 capital projects statement of cash flow revenues of expenditures report and budget revisions and transfers of appropriations. Is there a second? Second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. I. Motion carries. And then can I take five, six, and seven together? So committee is looking for
035recommending approval of the introduction the first reading of policy policy 8500 and 8510. Is there a second? Second. Discussion. All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. Committee is looking for recommending approval of the gifts. We wanted to say thank you to Sergen for the 4,000 mon $4,000 monetary donation. Um, and is there a second? Second. All right. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Motion carries. Thank you. Next on the agenda, we have communication which is there for your information. Also, we have the future meeting dates August 12th. on the committee meetings and then August 26th regular board of education. Next, I seek a motion to adjourn to close session pursuant to Wisconsin state statute sections 19 um 85 section 1 section E to deliberate or negotiate the sale of public properties, the investing
036of public funds or conducting other specified public business wherever competitive bargaining reasons requires a close session. specifically for the purpose of developing potential sale and negotiating strategy for district property. So move. Is there a second? Second. All right, we have to do the roll call vote start. I thank you. We are now moving to close session. [Music] That would be great. It's good. It makes people does it. No, never. I tried. Come on. I tried. Oh goodness.