001Call to order this meeting of the Stoen Area School District Board of Education. Miss Daramo, will you call the role? Mr. Timbo is excused. Miss Mia Croy. Mr. Jim Moser here. Miss Don Garcia here. Mr. Dr. Zach Masamayers here. Miss Lisa Pew is excused. Miss Allison Sork here. Dr. Sharon Milin Bartlett here. Student Rep. Michaela Becker here. And President Joe Patterson here. Second item on the agenda is public comment. Uh seeing no members of the public in the gallery tonight and seeing no electronic public comment, we can move on to item 2B, the legislative update, which Dan has a agreed to give in Lisa's absence. All right. Um shorter one this evening. The Department of Education uh last Tuesday issued a dear colleague letter to um state education officials encouraging states to pursue a waiver
002from federal K12 educational law. Um the letter urges states to think creatively about how they can use educ use federal funds to improve academic achievement, strengthen literacy and numeracy and expand parental decisionmaking. Um the state appropriations committee um last week um approved the fiscal 2026 labor, health, and human services and educational spending bill. Um the committee committee's deliberations were cordial and bipartisan in nature. The proposal rejected much of the uh President Trump's proposals for the Department of Education, including a significant cut to K12 educational programs. um designed to um cut block grants um and to dismantle the agency. Um on the state level, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a host of new budget summary papers designed to help um better understand the effects of um the new um state budget um for districts and communities
003around tax collections. Uh most important among among these are um membership and out outlining estimations of how each individual school district aids will change over the next two years. Um sir on a related note um for federal and state um funding Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction was moving forward to post allocation spreadsheets um including the or sorry for the 2526 school year. Um, these allocations are set to include all the title grants that recently were re uh rescended as part of the letter from the federal government to the state and then later um reversed. The amounts should be released on a spreadsheet on DPI's website um later this week, August 20th. And then last but not least, DPI sent out a letter um uh last or late last week. Um last Thursday, a group of
004over two dozen educator educational leaders from across the state convened in Madison to look at u a standard setting process aimed at updating the performance benchmarks for district and school report cards. The group voted 25 to1 to recommend those updates um to the benchmarks in calculating overall accountability scores in the report cards. The recommendation now gets forwarded to state superintendent Dr. Underly for adoption. Once adopted, the benchmarks will be reflected in the 2425 school and district report card scheduled to be released later this fall. Any questions for Dan about the legislative update? Just ask just to clarify so that she can she can take that recommendation and run with it. Doesn't need any further legislative approval or anything from there. Based on my read, no. Okay. Okay. Seeing no other questions, I can't see Allison,
005so if she has her hand raised, can you let me know? Allison. Yeah. Um I'm not Could you explain a little bit more about that the waiver that you said in the first thing from the department of education is that do we have any indication what the state would do um and what kinds of things are allowed under this waiver? And to be fully trans transparent, I did not read the dear colleague letter, so I do not know, but I can certainly find out. Okay. Well, if that is available, I will look for it as well. All right. Thank you. Any other questions regarding ledge update? Building on that quick And if you find it, could you email it to me, too? I'll I'll forward the dear colleague Lar to the full board. Thank you.
006Okay. All right. Uh then we will move on to item 2 C, workg groupoup reports. The first one on the list is outreach met today. Is that right? No, that was last week. That's Lisa's group. I can Okay, maybe do a report. Oh, okay. Um so we met and discussed um the community conversation um procedures things are moving along. um elementary principles are generating a list for the first event and we talked about the questions that are going to be asked and had a little bit of feedback that we're giving to um Lynn and he's working on modifi you know working on fine-tuning those questions now and we'll bring it back to us anyone on that work group remember anything else that we talked We also talked about the um Wisconsin resolutions for the WASB
007convention and um the last three years we spent a significant amount of time in making recommendations and we're taking a hiatus for a year. Okay. There wasn't anything that really stood out to the group as needing our voice. So, okay. Good. Any questions regarding outreach? work group. Is there Alison's hand up? Nope. Okay. All right. Then employee relations. Yep. So, we met on August 5th to discuss um we met with SEA and the EAS and I think there was really open communication and it seemed like everybody was in line which you'll see later and uh Don or Allison if you have anything from that. But yeah, I think it was great discussion and you know clarity because it's always confusing talking about age w supplemental wage unless Erica really wants to talk about it again
008which I don't think she does but yeah but no it was it was um I think fruitful and we'll just see it in discussion action here tonight depending any questions. Okay, any questions for that group? Seeing none, employee relations committee met. Oh, that was that's what we just met. So, climate and culture third one. Uh we met just uh immediately prior to this meeting. Um we had two main things. One is we did take a look at the community conversation question related to belonging since our group has done uh quite a bit of work on belonging and has had some suggestions to pass along to Lynn. And we also reviewed three policies that will be forwarded to the board. They'll be on the agenda on the meeting for the second. They're not shown up tonight
009because no one would have had a chance to review them, but uh they'll be on the next meeting agenda for the full board approval. Okay. Um any questions for climate and culture work group? Allison? No. Okay. All right. Then we are on to my favorite part of the night, the student representative report. I actually have things to talk about now that school is kind of getting started. So, um, for athletics, girls tennis had their first varsity invitational at Sun Prairie. Um, and then they'll play in the JV Invitational in Middleton this weekend, so Friday and Saturday. And then girls golf had their first home meet um at Coachman's on August 14th and then we'll play Portage tomorrow. And then football will have its first um game this Friday which is at home against or Oregon.
010So that's a pretty big rivalry. So that'll be the first game of the year. And then for activities, so student senate will have its full kind of meeting tomorrow. Um, and some things that we'll be working on, we're proposing a name change to student council, so you might see that later on. Um, and then planning homecoming and introducing our new members. And then the senior football players will participate in an event called seniors versus seniors tomorrow at the senior center. And so basically, they go and they compete in pool, darts, and cornhole. And they have pizza for lunch. It's kind of like an event they do every year. And then the Norwegian dancers are having their dancer camp this week. So that's just kind of their preparation for new members and getting ready for fall
011performances. And then I also forgot to mention, but freshman orientation will be next Wednesday. So link crew leaders will be getting ready for that next week as well. Um and then arts, just kind of one thing. So this year's high school musical was announced. It will be Chicago. And then auditions will be held that first week of school and performances will be in November. Yeah, that's all I have. Awesome. Um, any questions for Michaela? Nope. Okay, cool stuff. Now we're on to item three, Dr. Kaser's report. mine very brief. We're right in the thick of getting ready for the start of the school school year. So, um we welcome our new educators this week um beginning Wednesday. So, August 20th will be the first day that um they're with us. And on um the 21st
012at the end of the session, the board is invited to um come to the ice cream social that um welcomes or kind of concludes the district portion of the um orientation and then Friday they'll be spending time in in the uh buildings. Welcome back week is one week from today we'll kick it off. Um the staff will start in their buildings and then at lunchtime um noon we uh will be meeting all in the high school commons for a few words and then a lunch um before um everyone scatters for um meetings and trainings and so forth in the afternoon. So again, the 21st this week, if you're available board, feel free to come here and have some ice cream and meet some of our new educators. And then on the 25th at noon, um
013come to the high school commons um and meet with all the staff. First day of school is September 2nd. And don't forget, I did not put it up here, but tomorrow at 5:30 over at River Bluff, we will be um hosting our ribbon cutting ceremony to c ceremonially u mark the ending of construction, although there's plenty of work to be done over the next couple of weeks here before everyone comes back. Questions? Any questions for Dan? Summer is almost over. It's still here. Well, yes, but the minutes are ticking down. All right, we are we have item five discussion listed, but there's nothing listed under it. So, consent agenda. Oh. Oh, sorry. Consent agenda. Who's reading that? Move approval of the consent agenda as presented. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Croy. Any discussion?
014Seeing none. All right, I'll call the question. All in favor? I I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Consent agenda is approved. Now eight. We are on to item eight. And those the item eight needs a motion or multiple motions I believe. Yes. Move ratification of the tenative agreement upon the board initial proposal dated August 6, 2025 for the 2025 2026 master contract with the Stoden Education Association. Second. Seconded by Dr. Milan Bartlett. Any discussion? Seeing none, does this need to be a roll call vote? Let's make it a roll call vote. Okay. All right. Miss Croy, yes. Mr. Masa Myers, yes. Miss Garcia, yes. Miss Sorg Missorg, she's going right now. Okay, Mr. Moer. Yes. Dr. Milin Bartlett. Yes. President Patterson. Yes. Oh, she's connecting again. There. Sorry, I have no idea what happened. It's okay.
015But sorry, Allison. Um, are you in approval with the ratification item 5A? 8A. Oh, 8A. Sorry. You're on mute, Alison. Oh, you're muted. Sorry. I thought I had turned that on. We are 88. Oh. All right. Yes. I I'll Okay. All right. Then I need a motion for item 8B. Move to approve increases to supplemental pay for employees within the bargaining unit who are eligible for retention incentives according to the current compensation plan for SASD educators. Second. seconded by Miss Garcia. And let's do this roll call as well. Mr. Masa, yes. Miss Sorg, yes. Miss Croyle, yes. Mr. Moser, yes. Dr. Milin Bartlett, yes. Miss Garcia, yes. President Patterson, yes. All right. And I need a motion for item 8 C. Move ratification of the tenative agreement upon the board initial proposal dated August 6,
0162025 for the 2526 master contract with the Educational Assistance Association of Stoen. Second. Seconded by Croyle. And another roll call, please. Miss Garcia, yes. Dr. Milin Bartlett, yes. Mr. Maers, yes. Mr. Moser. Yes. Miss Sorg, yes. Miss Croyle, yes. President Patterson, yes. All right. And then item 5D. Move to approve the supplemental pay increases retroactive to July 1st, 2025 for Educational Assistance Association of Stoen Bargaining Unit members. Second. Seconded by Garcia. Miss Sorg, yes. Mr. Moser, yes. Miss Croy, yes. Mr. Masa Myers, yes. Dr. Milin Bartlett, yes. Miss Garcia, yes. President Patterson, yes. All right. Now, we are on to item nine. Oh, it's I don't have a question about the content of those. It's just a process question for the thousands of readers of the hub. um what processes in place or how does
017the information about what we did in terms of actual you know what it what it means for taxpayers get out to the public you um I don't think I fully understand the qu question you're if I were out in the community and I saw watch this meeting I would say we just approved a bunch of stuff well we approved the budget annually at the annual meeting and budget right right but that's not the details of the contract contracts, right? Correct. We don't what what is report we just approved the ten both the tenative agreement and then supplemental increases for both the sea so our teachers and then our um EAS so our educational assistance right to that those pieces are kind of big rocks within within our within our overall budget. So when we do
018our annual budget, these show up show show up in our line items for salaries and benefit and so forth. But so so how so my neighbor says, "Well, what how much of an increase the teachers get? How will they know?" Oh, I see. In terms of what the percentage increase would be? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, percentage or any other significant changes, but largely percentage. and and because I don't I know there's thousands of viewers on online here. Uh and I'm maybe I'm trying to make the hub more exciting. I don't know. Uh uh well I guess just in the general it's so it's really a process question of how does the community and the people we represent know what we did and in a percentage increase and and where that they look at they look
019at Madison and say well Madison re teachers got x% or I'm looking for them to go to the detail and compare but if I were if I were just out in the community I'd be curious right so well I guess what I would need to do. I've I've not been asked that question before. So, if you wouldn't mind giving me a little bit of time to reflect on the question and and then be able to email email the board back what what it um my response and then can certainly follow up at at the next board meeting too. Yeah, I it's really just a it's yeah, it's really just a question of we, you know, do these things pretty quickly and whether it's policies or this and people out there generally don't see it and
020understand what we did. And you know, if somebody were to ask me, well, gee, what kind of a raise did teachers get in this contract? I would say we'll go look at the line item budget. I mean, that's not going to be helpful. So, you tell them what we just passed. kind of by I'm just wondering I guess that's the question is are we at liberty to disclose that I feel like it is typically becomes public knowledge because we know what other districts do right and we so but but before I before I uh before I respond let me just make sure I collect my thoughts and be able to put put give the board and then um by way of the the public. Sure. One comment, one common answer. So, yep. Thanks. Okay. Any
021other questions before we move on to meeting closing? All right. So, um action items. I have Dan has two. He's going to uh forward the dear colleague letter to everybody so we all know what they're recommending we wave as far as federal requirements. And then Dan is also going to look into stout process and the process around publicly um announcing right the increase. Um any other action items I may have missed. Okay. Uh we have a regular board meeting on September 2nd which is notable because it's a Tuesday and not a Monday. Uh then an second board meeting in September on September 15th. Governance workg group meets this Wednesday at 5:30. Employee relations meets on August 25th and outreach meets on September 3rd at 5:30. Our first home football game is Friday. Riverbluff Gymnasium River
022cutting is tomorrow. Anything else in the near future? All right. Being nothing, I would entertain a motion for adjournment. So moved. Moved by Croy. Second. Seconded by Mossa Meyers. Any discussion? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Meeting is adjourned.