001integrity and trust in our schools. Thank you. All right, we go to the consent agenda. Are there any questions about anything on the consent agenda? And we have a motion to approve that. >> I make a motion to approve the consent agenda items as presented. >> I say there's no further questions or comments. All those in favor? I >> any post? All right. Announcements. Write reports acknowledgements by the board. >> Okay. Leadership team. Okay. Public comments. All right. Members of the board may ask questions for clarification and briefly discuss. The matter is permitted in accordance with state statute but may not take any action on the item unless on the agenda. Attendees must register their intention to comment in the public portion of the meeting on their arrival at the meeting. Participants must be recognized
002by the presiding officer and will be requested to preface their comments by an announcement of their name, address, and group affiliation if and when appropriate. All citizens are asked to identify themselves before speaking. In accordance with board policy, public comments will be limited to 30 minutes with each individual being allocated five minutes. Can you spell your name? >> I N F as in Frank S. I'm here tonight as a concerned parent, grandmother, and member of the community. I'm here because I cannot stay silent about what has happened here at Wilmont Union High School this past week. Less than 24 hours after being charged with multiple felony counts possessing child pornography, graphic disturbing material involving young children, a 17-year-old student was allowed to return to your school campus. not remote learning, not to suspension, pending investigation,
003but back to the building, walking the same halls as the community's sons and daughters. Let me be very clear, this is not about guilt or innocence in a court of law. Every person is entitled to due process, but a school's first responsibility is to the safety and well-being of every student, not to the comfort or the convenience of one accused of such serious crimes. When parents found out, not from the district but from the news, they were very shocked, angry, and afraid. They were told there's a plan to keep him safe. But what about keeping children safe? What about the trauma to students who now have to sit in in next to them in the classroom with someone accused of exploiting minors on outlines clear expectations for conduct and student safety. It states that behaviors
004that disrupt the disrupt the learning environment or endanger others may result in them removal or suspension. If possessing child pornography and publicly admitting attraction to children doesn't meet that threshold, then what does? The district silence only makes it worse. No message, no reassurance, no transparency. Parents deserve to know what safety protocols are in place and why this decision was made behind closed doors. Parents send their children to this school trusting that they're going to be safe, supported, and protected. That trust has been broken and until the district may takes immediate visible steps to restore that trust, including removing this student from an in-person attendance until this case is resolved. Parents will continue to opt to keep their children children at home, not out of protest, but out of protect Well, mine won't be as as
005good as hers, but um being a single parent and having five children and my daughter coming here from Salem grade school, um us as parents should have I I understand you are legally bound to do what the statement court says. But I feel um there should have been something put in place for instances like this like treating him as like an ISS putting him in a room on his own guarded you know like my younger children when I bring them here now I'm I have to worry about my younger kids and when it's just me it's an issue. So I feel like there should just be things put in place to where instances like this, yes, you're backed in a corner, but we also have to protect our children. So maybe we can do something,
006you know, like do it as an NS or, you know, like give us as a whole, you guys and us, to fight back the court system because if he's going back to be tried as an adult, he should have been put in juvenile detention. But that's me. So that's all I have to say. He's not prepared for talking. I'm not a public speaker, but it's just it's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking to just see what is happening. And we're here as a whole to fight for our children. [applause] >> Why? [clears throat] Can you make it? Can you please spell your last name? Sure. It's D I E T M A N. >> Thank you. And I understand like like the last speaker did that it's a difficult situation, something that none of us in our community
007want to have to deal with. My biggest concerns are with the timing of messaging. Um I didn't receive a message until 7 5 after 7 in the morning. and I was already on the way to school with my daughter. Had something come up the night before. We could have talked. I could have prepared her for what she was going to hear. She got to school, heard that there was a threat against the school and called me frantically. So, I had to turn around and come back and get her. Come to find out also that she was talking about school drills. There hadn't been any type of school preparedness for school shootings. Um, I think she called it an Alice drill. So if those haven't happened yet, I think it's a little too late. Should have
008already happened. And as the other speaker had mentioned, if these things were taking place on school property, the school resources, there's actually no reason a suspension at minimum should have been handed down if not expulsion. Students are suspended are expelled without criminal convictions, without felony convictions. I don't know why this case is any different. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> [applause] >> UH, THE LAST ONE I THINK IS Alana Stevens. Good evening. Um, as parents, we come here tonight deeply concerned about the ongoing lack of transparency and accountability demonstrated by both the administration and the board. When transparency is absent, trust erodess, and without trust, effective partnership between families, educators, and leadership becomes impossible. This situation reminds many of us of the time surrounding the referendum when students reported that an announcement was made over the
009school's loudspeaker instructing them to tell their parents to vote yes warning that the referendum did not pass that if it didn't pass many teachers would lose their jobs. Multiple parents came forward reporting that their children were upset by what they had heard. Yeah, but when when this was raised at a public board meeting, the principal denied that such an announcement occurred, despite consistent reports from families, that incident, like the one we are addressing tonight, raises a serious question. How can parents in the community trust administration and the board when there appears to be a pattern of denying or minimizing legitimate concerns rather than addressing them opening openly and honestly under Wisconsin's open meeting laws Wisconsin stat 19.81 81 9 through 19.98 in public records law Wisconsin stat 19.31 through 19.39. Public bodies such as this
010board are required to conduct their business transparently and in a manner that fosters public confidence. The laws are not optional. They are designed to ensure that government entities act as stewards of the public trust, not as gatekeepers of information. Furthermore, as educators, there is an ongoing responsibility to ensure that every student has access to learning even when circumstances prevent them from being in classrooms. Teachers have ensured that this student received the same assignments, homework, and materials to complete at home. just as any student would. When this basic obligation is neglected, it not only harms that students education, it not only harms that students education but sends a message that some students needs are less important than others. That is unacceptable in any public study. This is not about political parties or personal agendas. The great
011strength about Wilmont Community is that we care deeply about all our students because all these children are all our children. When our students are put in danger or when their educational and emotional well-being are disregarded, it affects our entire community. We are not here to divide, but to demand accountability and integrity. We are asking that the board and administration take concrete steps to rebuild trust by communicating openly, by acknowledging mistakes when they occur, and by ensuring that students, parents, and staff can voice concerns without fear of being dismissed. Only through truth, transparency, and responsibility can we move forward together to create a safe, respectful, and accountable environment for every student here in Mo and throughout the Vermont community. Thank you. [applause] [applause] Okay. for the statutes that she just read. That's why we can't comment
012on any of this stuff because it's not on the agenda. >> Put it on the agenda. >> You said you guys had meetings in closed door behind the scenes. What meetings were those? You said the board conducted stuff publicly and not publicly. You admitted that you guys uh met without it being noticed. So, where did you guys discuss? We haven't discussed anything. >> That is what you said. You said during your lawyer prepared statement board action in front of the scenes and behind the scenes. What was discussed behind the scenes? What's your name? >> My name is Kevin Matthew. >> Okay. I'm looking at what I just read and it said district. It didn't say board. >> It said district. Well, which one of you up there read the sworn statement from uh law enforcement?
013Raise your hand if you have. That's the first problem. None of you have read the sworn statement for the criminal complaint. That's a problem. If I lived out here, you guys wouldn't be happy. How about keeping our kids safe? Our kids. Our kids who have a right to an education. How about that? >> It's not the education of one almost convicted criminal. It's the education of what are there 1,800 kids in this school. How about that? How about my child wants to come to school to learn, but she cannot. She's come because she doesn't want to get in trouble, but she's terrified to be here. How about that? And had I known that I had to sign up for our comment, I would have, but I did not know that. How about that? >> How
014about my kids important? Her [clears throat] kids important. His kids important. How about that? real quick and my name is Linda. Um, if this young man is coming to school, does he have somebody with him at all times? >> No, he does not. >> I would say that's a problem. Sure is. >> That is a problem. >> You guys can make sure if he comes and he has to come according to the law, he needs to have somebody with him go to the bathroom. Not go to the bathroom, but you know, with him at all these different places. That's all you have to do. You you if you can't kick him out because you know you're bound to the legal documentation, you could certainly have somebody with him at all times. >> Who's going to
015pay for that? They kick people out for less. >> Oh, I got to say that my son makes very poor decisions sometimes. I wait for you guys to call me to tell me that he's being suspended for some of the things we've been suspended for. I wait for it. It's embarrassing the amount of emails and calls I get about my son who's 16 who makes very poor decisions sometimes, but not this poor, >> right? Talk about >> and he has to stay home. and he being child as an adult in this school with my with my son. >> If his education is important, you could photocopy textbooks, send textbooks, phone. He's not supposed to be online. He is although he is online because he's made threats. And it's not just one child saying it's a
016lot of children saying it. So he can't have a Chromebook even though he violated the handbook by having porn on a Chromebook. That's an automatic expulsion. >> You can give him textbooks. You can give him photo copies. He's he has his education at home. Let his parents deal with him. Not all of us and our children that are terrified to come to school. The the lack of communication by this school. Our kids are already on the bus going to school and then we get a message that there's not a CREDIBLE THREAT. MY DAUGHTER GOT A REFERRAL for going to the bathroom and she almost peed her pants because her teacher said she couldn't go. And I told my daughter from the get-go, you go to the bathroom when you have to go to the bathroom.
017As long as you aren't taking advantage of it, you go to the bathroom. But this child who is really an adult is doing what he's doing, has five terabytes of child porn, and he is still in school with our children. This is unacceptable. Unacceptable. a school device with a school Wi-Fi >> and a jailbroke home Chromebook. >> You got to you got to say something, guys. They have some kind of >> your children are safe. >> Let me finish. >> Steps have been taken. WE WE CANNOT SAY WHAT has been taken because in our >> in the state law he is still a [clears throat] juvenile. >> Well, he's being charged. >> He's tried as an adult. >> That's two separate governmental agencies. >> Why can't you say what you've done for safety? >> Because
018we're not allowed because he is a juvenile. >> It would be just the same. It would be just the same. And I know I'm going off the off the reservation here and I know all the rest of my board members are not happy with me right now, but I'm just telling you things have been done. Number one. Number two, your children are safe. Number three, the two separate entities of government do not interact. Our children were safe as of when? >> I cannot say that. >> That's a problem. WE SEE THAT >> BUT THAT'S NOT I CAN'T SAY IT because the government has >> it's a date that doesn't reveal anything. How can we How can we see? >> Well, a date never existed. I got an email. Nothing. >> An email. An email before
019kids before kids were already in school. Parents are >> transparent email. >> Yes, >> we need a transparent email. >> But how are our kids being safe if we already know that this guy is not being supervised during the day? That's number one. Nobody's with this kitten. He's roaming the halls. He's in the bathroom. He's outside. >> How are we supposed to believe that our kids are safe? >> You shake your head. But this is from many children saying they have seen him rolling the halls >> by himself. >> And also the police presence that was not here. From many children. They saw the school resource officer. They never saw another police officer. It's a whole bunch OF LIES. YOU'RE LYING TO THE PARENTS. You are lying to the taxpayers. You are lying. >> Why
020didn't you send that message that you write today to everybody? Why hasn't some sort of email went to everybody? >> It shouldn't be an email though. It should be phone calls. >> You don't want to comment about anything ever. How simple is an email to go out? You remind us to sign up for the free ACT. You remind us a whole bunch of stuff. Why can't you send something out weekly that we we validate your concerns? You would you would appease some of these people. >> They don't seem to care. Just make sure you vote. >> Don't get involved. Like I know you're a reporter. >> They're [clears throat] going to have a daycare for this referendum. >> I know you're a reporter, but don't get >> You don't live downtown. >> Hey, you guys.
021>> I don't live in this town. guys wanted a response. He's about to respond. We cut him off. Let him respond. >> Okay, that's all we can say. That's all legally that we can say. >> So, I guess >> we are going to move on with the rest of our meeting. >> Nobody else. >> I I have a question for you. >> I have a question for you. Is there an option to ask this family to just keep their child at home? Is there an option? [snorts] We are not the ones to be asking that. You have to talk to the administration. >> Is this the administration of the administration? That's your job. >> Is this the administration? >> Could you please Could you please I'm not trying to ambush you. I'm not I'm not
022trying to come at you. Not trying to be calm about all this. Could you please answer me? Is there an option that this individual could be asked to stay home? If if you if the laws are there and we have to figure that out, that's fine. But is there an option that this individual can stay home? I'm going to pipe up here. I do appreciate everyone's concern. It would be my concern, too, if I had children going to school. You guys all have to understand public comments are where you are addressing us with telling us your concern. until it gets put on our agenda to discuss back and have a conversation. >> Wow. We are taking everything that you guys are saying >> and it is >> very bad. >> Can I make a a
023motion to add it to your next agenda? Can everybody here say I >> I >> You guys, we would love to sit here and talk about >> and that motion. Did you put it out? >> But if you guys are looking for information on a minor, we can't give it. >> I did ask about >> I asked you if there was an option for to ask the family >> to keep the child at home and and at least start there. >> So all the children can go to school and be kids. I think he's respectfully asking the principal is literally right there and he's adding it. I know. >> Correct. But you guys have to understand this is public comments of you addressing us as the board members. As it states, if you read it
024again, we can ask questions for clarification, but conversing back and forth >> and discuss >> cannot occur here. >> So that would be something I would tell you by all means give a call, talk to Mr. trial, Mr. Bender, >> so we can have >> Mr. Mr. >> and address that concern there and see what they can tell you and what needs to be done. >> I think they're addressing that they don't get calls back on their they don't get any calls back. >> I've emailed I've got >> I got a call back, but I got no information. So, that's not helpful. >> Do you have a point of contact? >> An email, a phone number, somebody >> every single administrator. >> Yeah. Somebody that'll actually email back. Just give us a good name and
025number. That's all we need. >> You understand that a lot of parents called and there no one picked up, right? We're directed to them and no one answers >> from the administration to the board president. I never got a response. >> So, >> nothing. >> To me, this sounds like our meeting. >> Are the absence of you guys out loud? I'm going to defend I'm going to defend our administration right now because I know that they've been working handinand with the sheriff's department and our legal team to put out what they can to the extent of what we can. >> Okay. Are are kids are we are they going to be excused absences if we choose to keep them home and out of the presence of a pedophile? >> Nope. >> Or are these absences
026working against us? You have to try it. >> I mean my daughter is she going to be will the best. There isn't a >> best you can though. I mean my daughter text me. >> Wait a minute. Wait. Okay. All right. Mike. >> All right. >> So are these actions as being what you're looking for? The administration's heard it. They will work on it. We are moving on with the rest of our >> We can't answer with that question. call them back or email them back. >> They can't even give that to their parents. >> Our kids can't participate in after school activities because they're not there in the presence of a pedophile. >> Are you kidding? Isn't this common sense? >> Question if it's excused or unexcused? It's it seems like >> are these
027excused or unexcused absences or is this also something that you'll have to get back to us on? >> But you don't determine both. >> They will get back to you. >> What? When? >> When? What about the fact that the drills have not been question? >> Give them a chance to answer because everybody can't call this. They're here now to answer >> and we can't deal with it now. >> What's the point of tomorrow versus now? We can't answer it >> because in our meeting only what's on the agenda. I've explained that. on the matter if it's programmed there or not. >> Safety of the children should always [applause] concerned parents here right now that want to know what's going on with their children. That should be your agenda. for every single meeting. >> Andy
028knew this was coming, so it shouldn't. >> You made an announcement on this when we first started. That announcement must have been on the agenda. That announcement is about the topic that we're talking about. >> Okay. Can we have an emergency meeting for this then? Like tomorrow, I'm game. Anybody else? >> Emergency meeting. >> We can't do that either. >> Okay. >> Please explain. interrupt protocol to get it. >> We have an emergency town meeting. >> Believe it or not, there are rules about calling meetings also. >> Right. I'm asking you to explain that >> we can't call a meeting for tomorrow because they have to legally be posted. >> Okay. >> Notices put out. You don't do it in one day. >> Right. >> Okay. Well, I can now. We are going to move
029on with the rest of our meeting. I would like to ask why the al students why. >> All right, >> sir. >> We're going to go on to items for >> if I can ask one more thing. Why has the Alice drills not been started this school year with this day and age with all the crap that happens at schools? There's no Alex Jones. My daughter doesn't even know where to go. We talked about it a little bit. Have we ever have practiced it? No. That is not acceptable today, unfortunately with a crazy world we live in. But here we are two months into school starting. Why? >> I'm sure we met the minimum. >> All right. Please sit down so we can continue before something's going to be done. Would you please sit down
030so we can continue? >> All right. So ignore >> you guys. Each year we have to approve students that sign up for starters. We can't hardly hear one another or number should deal with our problem our problem >> and give us some answers and try to work through this with us. >> Still a community tax. >> We would love to. >> They can converse the problems that are >> they're not doing anything for us or for us. >> They obviously don't want to listen. Yep. You're approving the list of the star now. College. >> [clears throat] >> I make a motion. There are some clubs that are some clubs that are still You guys are talking Okay. Hey, >> we're either going to quiet down or everybody's going to go. >> I understand I understand
031that you guys are unable to speak on certain issues, >> but there are questions that you can answer. >> And that is >> the question of how are you going to keep the children of this community safe, not just the one child that seems to be the problem this issue. Why are you inviting the grade schools in next week? >> We understand that you have an agenda and we would like to know how to put our issues on that agenda. >> You can answer that one question. I'd really appreciate it. It is in policy. >> Okay. >> She's asking that we answer. >> I apologize. I'm asking how we can get this issue on the agenda so that you can talk about it regardless of whether you can talk about it legally or not, what
032you can say legally or not. >> Can we get it on the agenda? >> Call the district administrator and request to be on the agenda. >> Thank you. That's what I mean. I I will do that. >> Thank you. And you also get people that can answer those questions here on that time >> because it's not going to do us any good to put it on the agenda and sit here at a blank wall. Is there a way this kid if he has to come to the school legally and he cannot be put in a separate classroom by himself with the teacher? I know he can't talk about. So, let's let's get somebody here at that meeting that can talk about and answer a question, >> but even if it's on the agenda, we're not
033allowed to talk about we're not allowed to talk about one single student. We can't identify one single student. >> Can you answer whether or not downloading pornography on a school Chromebook is >> Wi-Fi? Can is that uh an offense that would be expelled for? Is that in the handbook >> or suspend it at a minimum >> regardless of the student in question at all? >> That has nothing to do with >> hypothetically if it was to happen. >> So now can all the kids just download porn then? >> Yeah. >> Be careful of the information you're reading online that you're taking as true information. >> You're your fault. Everything I put was accurate. Your fault. >> No, it wasn't. You said you got a hold of Hold it. Hold it. You said you got a
034hold of all the board members. My number's in the book. >> You never emailed me. >> Never. So the the Kenosha County I inquirer did not email everybody. >> Yeah, I know who [clears throat] I'm going to believe. Thank you, Kevin. >> I've got a sore after you haven't even read it. >> We should really take the >> Maybe we should check your Chromebook. >> Here you go. Thank you. >> I make a motion to go into recess. >> No. All in favor? >> I like to go talk to you. I'D LIKE NO, I'D LIKE TO GO TALK to you and see the >> [laughter] >> I know you don't like me, but just shut it. >> If you're here, respect >> this meeting in yours. >> No, it's in recess. Thank you. >> They
035went to recess. Thank you. Hope it That's another >> I second it. >> Can I ask Can I just ask one thing just so we can conduct business? >> Mike, we're moving in. The motion's on the table. It has to be addressed. >> I just want them to so we can hear each other. We can't we can't lose a meeting unfortunately. I'm sorry. >> Sure. So, we left off with um new clubs. So, we're adding the clubs that are within. We are also um changing the clubs as you can see within there. our club. >> We want to make sure that we're able to vote. No, we have an art club. >> Yes. So, we're bringing that one back. Oh, so that was disbanded. >> It was disbanded. Red. >> Okay. >> And all the
036other ones are newer clubs that we already have. Approve as recommended. I'll >> second. >> Sure. So, with um the new equipment we have coming in with the referendum for our auditorium, our fieldhouse, press box, we are looking for somebody to help oversee um the uh work with our contractors as we bring in that equipment. and then moving forward to oversee the um kind of like the supervision of that equipment. So this is a um an additional uh siphon position that we would like to add for that specific purpose. >> This is a statement position. Okay. I second >> discussion. All those in favor >> I post. Okay. Um restructuring of activity. Um so as you see up here, the ones on the left are ones that we are replacing or we have not ran
037in a couple years. um based on like the gap we don't have anymore. So what you see up here is the stiping positions that you already approved and the ones that they will be taking over for that we already have. So in terms of budget and money and those type of things, there's not going to be very much difference in what we're already paying out for our advisors and our clubs and we use seven positions, but they're replacing seven positions that we don't currently have. So, we're just asking that um those ones that you approve just replace those ones impact on any questions and positions. >> I will make a motion we approve that present. I second. discussion. >> I certification numbers get a little boring now. Um, so tax levy So the tax levy
038gets figured out off of the revenue limit which gets sent out on October 15th from the state and then we work from that to set the tax levy. Uh so for the fund 10 which is our general fund we're the tax levy will be 9531,75125. Um for fund 39 which is sort of the referendum payback that will be 2,342,46. Uh and then for our community outreach which will um help fund the community projects and camps that is 150,000. So the total tax levy is 12,24,15725. There is a couple other slides that kind of breaks it down by home values equalized value by each district. Oops. This comes this is part of the preliminary property tax value that comes from the state. They do it by district. Um if you go one more slide that kind
039of looks a little bit and I know they're all >> Oh gosh. >> So this shows last year's levy and then this year's levy. Um it's affected by some values and then they take the total amount of the levy and it's figured by how much is equal to value for each township and it's just kind of showing the percentage of the change. Um overall the tax levy is going down for everyone. Um it was I think 320 last year and 299 this year. So it is still going down even with our referendum. Any questions? >> I make a motion to approve the tax certification. I'll second discussion. All those in favor >> I final budget adoption. >> So last month we did do the budget adoption. The changes to this one is [clears throat] from
040the um revenue limit that was set out by the state on. [cough] [clears throat] So any of the changes that are made all have to do with that. Um the per child cap that we expected to go up from all the chatter throughout the state did not go up. It stayed at 325. It froze. So that meant that you can see under state aid general it went down by 392,000. We were not getting that money. Um so we needed to go towards the tax levy to grab that additional. Um so those changes on the top line is where our revenue sources are coming from. coming from taxes versus from the state. Um, and then that affects also this fed funding because the fed, our general fund has to supplement the special education program. So since
041special education actually did increase in their percentage of reimbursement. So the special education expense came down for the general fund. So those are the how much you guys want. If you have questions, I'll explain it. But that's the whole every change to the budget was just off the revenue limit and where the funds are coming from and how much the state is giving us in the different areas. >> There's nothing. [laughter] So this is the revenue limit that the state supplies and then we work off of that and it goes off a three-year average of the enrollment. So our enrollment this year is actually 943 students and that takes into account our open enrolled in our open enrolled out um any voucher students that we have to account for. So all of that gets calculated
042in there. It shows their expense of what we have to pay off for those open enroll students out what we get in from those coming in. um the voucher amount and then like I said the per capita per student um that going down. So that number comes here. The state gives us a limit of how much we can take and so that was the 9,538,000. So that moves to our front 10 and then this is for the referendum our community outreach and then that's our total tax. So everything's really directly from the state and what we can set the budget >> and based off what you're saying is what we lost on one weekend on the other. So it kind of >> they kind of lost a little bit >> a little bit like 170
043>> still ended up having to levy a little bit extra >> from the community. >> Correct. >> But that's still set the cap still set that state. >> Okay. questions. >> I make motion discussion. All those in >> favored in close session discuss action if appropriate. Consider employment motion compensation of performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility under Wisconsin statute 1985 subc individual employee contract married and uh let's see and also pupil issued We have a motion to go into session. >> Make a motion to go into close session. I make a motion to reconvene into open session. I'll >> second. >> Mike, >> I >> Betsy >> I. >> Mike. >> Yes. >> And I vote I back in open session now. We have
044a motion to >> I make a motion. No, hang tight. I break this one. >> I make a motion to wave the liquidated damages discussed in close session. >> I will second that motion. >> Okay. All those in favor? >> I opposed. All right. >> I make a motion to adjurnn. >> You give me a chance to tell you. Go ahead. >> No, you're fine. >> I'll second. >> All in favor? Hi