001Open forum. I will call to order. This is a meeting of the Winn County Community School District Board of Education. It is October 20th, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. We are in the Winn County Middle School Library. Meeting notices were sent to members of the press, members of the school board, and were posted on the front doors and vestibules buildings. This is a meeting of the board in public for the per purpose of conducting the school district's business and is not to consider. There may be a time for public comment as indicated in the agenda. The meeting will also be available to watch live at www.youtube uh.com/winnotti. Please stand and join me in the pledge. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands,
002one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Roll call, please. >> Stellar. >> Calartz, >> here. Veric >> here. >> Aman >> here. >> Harter >> here. Kundy here. Hansen >> here. Uh recognizing our administrative team, we have Dr. Larson, Dr. Hughes, Mr. Maner, Mrs. Dodd, Mr. Jerob, Mr. Shrader, and Dr. Mashad, and Mrs. and Mrs. Horbath. All right. and visitors. There is a sign up sheet in the back if you could all sign in if you haven't already done so. Um, and now is the time for open forum. And uh, Laura Aman. Good evening. Laura Aman, Moms for Liberty. I am a resident of this school district. Um, I'd like to share concern about what occurred at on October 6th following the regular school board meeting where the human resource
003and finance committee met immediately afterward. It was my understanding that two elected board members asked to attend this meeting and were denied. Under Wisconsin open meeting laws, specifically Wisconsin statute 1981.81 81 through 19.97. Schoolboard committees are considered governmental bodies. They're required to meet in public unless a narrow exemption applies under statute 19.851, such as for specific employee evaluations, collective bargaining strategy, or pending litigation. Based on what I'm seeing, none of the three items listed on the closed agenda appeared to qualify for a closed dooror meeting. The topics seem to involve general HR or financial matters, including discussions of potential board member pay rates. Those are public policy discussions, not private personnel issues. And the Department of Justice has been clear on such matters. By holding that meeting as a closed session and by not allowing
004current board members to attend the district most likely violated Wisconsin statute 19.85 on open meetings which says no duly elected member of a government body may be excluded from any meeting unless their present conflicts with the uh lawful purpose of the closed session. When a meeting is held in violation of these provisions, any actions or recommendations made are voidable and can be challenged for up to two years. I'm not making an accusation. I'm simply pointing out that as written, the law provides that opportunity if compliance questions arise. I'm asking the board to please do three things. Review the legality of that October 6 finance committee meeting. release any notes or records from that session so that the community has full transparency and then recommmit to ensuring that all future meetings committee meetings are properly noticed
005and open to both the public and all elected board members. We all value transparency and accountability in our school. Following the letter and the spirit of Wisconsin's open government laws protect not only this board but the public's trust in it. Thank you for your time. Um just just I do want to respond to that. Um it was posted as a closed closed meeting. Uh we were unaware that there were board members wanted to attend. There was no notification ahead of there was no notification ahead of time that they wanted to attend and we heard about it after the meeting. So uh it won't happen again. Um but it um we were unaware that they wanted to attend. So >> the topics the three topics that you spoke about in that meeting did not qualify as
006a >> yes it did because we were talking about individual salaries. So, >> good evening, Adam Erenss, uh, Baltimore. I'd like to address a concern about the board's frequent use of executive or closed sessions during regular meetings. After reviewing agendas from May through October of this year, I noticed that nearly every board meeting has included an executive session, often citing Wisconsin statute 19.85. While the law does allow close session for specific purposes such as employee evaluations, student matters or confidential legal issues, the Wisconsin Department of Justice open meetings laws compliance guide states clearly that there is a presumption that meetings of governmental bodies must be held within the open session exempting allowing closed sessions are not to be invoked sparingly and only where necessary to protect the public interest. Uh other districts I have in
007Wnebago County and around the state that I have, you know, friends on, they they don't move into closed sessions as nearly every meeting, some only a couple times a year. So I would say Winnie's pattern appears unusual and at times maybe broader than what the state law intends. Um several of the recent closed session notices use very general language. For example, considering employment promotion or compensation, the DOJ guide and the Wisconsin Institute Law and Liberty Citizens Guide to Open Government both explain that public notices must describe the subject matter with enough detail to let the public understand what's being discussed, not just site a statute number. I fully understand the need to protect confidential personnel or student information, but when agenda items involve broader issues like salary structures, administrative planning, or financial considerations, those discussions
008should generally occur in open sessions, I respectfully ask the board to review the recent use of closed sessions to ensure that each one fits within narrow legal exemptions, provide more specific public descriptions when closed sessions are warranted, and commit to handling as much board business as possible. possible in open session where the public can listen and engage. Wisconsin's open meeting laws are built on the idea of transparency. Transparency builds trust. Following both the letter of the spirit of those laws strengthens confidence in the decisions made here. Thank you. >> Carrie Flag, Winn County School District resident. At the most recent policy committee hearing, the chair announced that the committee would further not look at review not look at and review policies and won't meet again in the near future. Two committee members asked to continue
009reviewing the district's policy on a rotational basis from the start of the manual till it's finished. That request was denied. The committee members were told they only had to review policies that Neola recommends that they should review. One member of the committee asked if he could make a motion and was told no. However, based on research, a member can make a motion as it is an open meeting. I don't believe that the vote was taken at that committee. As a resident, I'm concerned that halting these meetings in this manner will conflict with open record open meetings laws and it's the board's responsibility as a transparency governance. Wisconsin state statute 19.82 82. A schoolboard committee is a governmental body and must operate openly. Wisconsin Supreme Court confirmed this with state creger v. Appleton area school district
010board of education in 2017. A committee created board policy by a board policy cannot simply stop meeting unless the full board formally acts open and noticed session to suspend or dissolve it. The policy committee plays a vital role in ensuring that our district policies remain lawful and current and reflect our community values. If the committee has completed one round of review, this does not mean the work is finished. The policy evolves as laws do and the district needs to change. I respectfully ask the board to clarify whether it has been a formal board action to sus suspend the policy committee. if not to direct its regular meetings continue. Transparency again is your job as a governmental body and maintaining the trust of the public and our schools. Cindy Cruel. I'm a member of the resident
011of Win Winn County School District. As a citizen, I attend the October policy meeting and have some concerns regarding decisions on communications made during this meeting. I would like to address the matter of transparency, the board governance, and that occurred during the recent policy committee meeting. A schoolboard member requested the Niola policy contact information so they could ask questions directly about our district's policies. That request was denied by committee leadership. Under Wisconsin open meeting law, specifically Wisconsin statute 19.811, 811. The legislature has made clear that the public by and by extension the elected representatives of the public are entitled to the fullest and most complete information regarding the affairs of the government. As board members, we each have the sanctuary duty under Wisconsin statute 120.121 and 120.131 to oversee district affairs which necessarily requires access
012to re relevant information and resources. Denying one board member access to contact information for a p public policy constitute interferes with the that duty under undermines transparency and collaborative intent of our governance model. Furthermore, the Wisconsin Attorney General has consistently held that governmental bodies must interpret the duties under open government laws to favor access and openness. State case bad key versus village board of Greenale 173 Wisconsin 2D 5553 1993. I am therefore requesting that the board formally affirm that all members have equal access to the same information including NEOLA policies, contact details, and other policy related resources so that we may carry out our roles with integrity and independence and accountability to the public we serve. Thank you. All right, with that I will close the open forum and we will move into the uh
013business part of the meeting. Um, and I would entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Move. >> Second motion by Harter, second by Hansen to approve the consent agenda. Um, any questions or comments from the board? Roll call, please. >> Stellner, >> hi. >> Calartz, >> hi. >> Veric, >> hi. >> Aman, >> hi. >> Carter, I >> Kandy Hansen, >> I um the June 15, 2026 board of education meeting. We would like to move that to um 5:15. We do have a um a meeting with Ted Nitsky prior to that. we just like to flow from that meeting into um the board meeting. So requesting a time change um to 5:15 on the June 15, 2026 board of education meeting. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion by Verich, second by Kundi
014to approve the time change on the June 15, 2026 to 5:15 p.m. Any questions, comments from the board? Roll call, please. >> Calartz, >> I. >> Verich, >> I. >> Ecman, >> I. >> Carter, >> I. >> Kundy. I Ster. >> Hi. >> Hansen. >> I. >> And we have a few policies. So, I will turn that over to Mr. Kundi. >> Okay. The policies that are being brought forward tonight, uh, we had met at the prior board meeting prior and we viewed those with the consensus of bringing them forward for approval as well as what was asked as far as a description of each of the policies was also provided um, in your board packet per request. Policy 3120-04, employment substitutes. This policy has been revision to outline the available options that may be
015selected in policy 3120-04, employment of substitutes. As you read through the policy, the fourth paragraph of new language, as we've stated there, we will put a check mark there. A person will be considered a long-term substitute if the person is appropriately certified and the staff member for whom the person has been hired to replace has leave that extends for more than 20 consecutive days, 20 consecutive school days. The long-term substitute position will be terminated by the end of the school year subject to issuance of reasonable assurance of to the substitute teacher regarding intent to provide substitute teaching assignments in the subsequent school year whether in the same or different assignment. Any other questions on 7-3? The next policy, policy 3120-08, employment of personnel for co-curricular and extracurricular activities. This policy is updated to include a
016reference to the issuance of reasonable assurance notification to avoid the possibility of coaches or advisers qualifying for unemployment compensation between school years. As we read through the policy again uh the new language in the fourth full paragraph, we are not checking prior to the end of the school year, district employed coaches and advisers who the district intends to employ for ensuring school year will receive a written notice of reasonable assurance of continued employment. Issues of a notice of reasonable assurance to employee as described in this policy shall not constitute a guarantee of employment in any successive academic term. And as we speak many a times with our coaches of course we the board approve the WIAA varsity coaching positions but remember these are considered a letter of assignment. Any other questions on 7-4? Uh yes,
017Mark. >> Yep. >> Um for sentence two, we have the district administrator shall make a recommendation to the board for approval of WIAA varsity coaching positions. Um who does the actual interviewing for that position? >> That would be between our athletic director and uh his committee as well as uh working with our district administrator. >> Okay. So that committee would compromise or compos be composed of other coaches too >> potentially other coaches and or district employees that work within those respective areas of that sport. >> Okay. >> Or group or association. >> Excellent. Any other questions on 7-4? 7-5 policy 5310-01 emergency nursing service plan. As you see in the beginning of this policy, there is a significant amount of new language uh to this policy. As we go about halfway down through the policy,
018we'll start with the new language. To provide for the health and safety of students, the district shall develop an emergency nursing services plan, also known as protocol, that are incorporated into the district's administrative guidelines. This plan shall in accordance with statutory requirements for the provision of emergency services, nursing services, and shall include the following requirements. We are not putting a check mark um in that particular area because there are no administrative guidelines that fall within in that area. The next paragraph down as well a the school nurse you notice that we had health agencies and services designated by the board upon the recommendation of the nurse. Um we we do not put a check mark in there as well. And as we go through the uh rest of letter A, as we work through that
019policy, we have no check marks within those paragraphs. As well as we have no parag or check marks in letter B. Um because all of this is in writing, but it is not in administrative guideline. Any further questions on 7-5? 7-6. Um, as we go through letter C, um, arrangements shall be made with a licensed physician to serve as medical adviser for the district emergency nursing services plan. Our district, um, as far as medical adviser is Marcy Messid. And if we go on through there, it's the district administrator shall annually designate the district's medical adviser. Letter D going down through letter E, the district's emergency nurse nursing services plan. We do have a check mark there and again we do not have a check mark in the area of administrative guidelines. Any further questions on
020the language in 7-6? >> I have a concern. Um C on 76 says arrangement shall be made with a licensed physician to serve as medical advisor. I Marcy Messer Schmidt's a nurse practitioner isn't she? And recent >> that's what she does for us. We haven't had this recently. with a significant health. >> No, I understand that and I don't have any issues with Marcy. I have issues with it saying that our medical adviser needs to be a licensed physician and we don't have a licensed physician as our medical adviser unless licensed physician broadly includes someone like a PA or a nurse practitioner. But I mean I just by common knowledge licensed physi physicians either a medical doctor or DO. >> Okay. >> Well, can we change it just to be a licensed medical provider? >>
021Well, we have to run that by legal then. >> I I do believe our district nurse reviewed this, right, Peggy? She did. >> Yes. We can certainly bring it back. I can find more information. >> Yeah. I mean, I don't I don't have an issue. I just want our language to reflect reality. >> And then Mark, I got a question on D. >> I'm sorry. On D >> D back page. Um so if a the emergency nurses service is available during regular school day including summer or interim school and sponsored student activities which led me to wonder our nurse if she's at school all day for eight hours who covers like let's say a basketball or football game in the evening how does that work >> we we have a athletic trainer who is typically
022at every event, which would cover that. >> So, an athletic trainer is also classified as a nursing emergency nursing service, >> I'm assuming. So, yeah, >> I'm just thinking the legal stuff, you know. >> Yeah. No, there's always a And even at away games, they always have a trainer there who's who's some type of uh medical. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I'm I'm just worried that, you know, a kid gets hurt and then the parents read through this and they say, "Well, that emergency care wasn't good enough." You know, that it's a you know, a trainer instead of a actual nurse. >> Does that happen >> with our emergency? >> Okay. But I understand. >> Yeah. So that was run past legal then. >> Was that was this issue run past legal? I mean >> you
023know with the semantics. >> Okay. >> I will get back to you. >> So am I hearing then that we're going to bring this back. Okay, any other questions? Otherwise, we'll move forward on our next policy. Policy 8540. Um, as we discussed this policy here on vending machines, as you've noticed in your packet, the recommendation is is that we do not even adopt this policy basically because we don't have any vending machines per se in the school district. um that this would even fit uh the policy. Um so that's the recommendation of the committee is that uh this this policy here with the revision and and so forth we are not looking to adopt. Any further questions on 7-7 policy 8540? 7-8 is just the statute legality policy 8550 competitive food sales. Um as we
024go through the revision of this policy um based on direct feedback from the department of public instruction, school nutrition and so forth um we are looking to uh uh adopt this policy with option number two. Um again as we read through that uh paragraph under option number two um we are not putting a a check mark in where it says board policies and administrative administrative guidelines because we don't have any administrative guidelines to follow this policy. As we go down through um end of options uh uh food and beverage sold during school day outside the cafeteria may be operated on a non on a profit share program with prior approval of the director of food service program and the principal. We are not checking that. And as we go down further through the non-discrimination statement,
025of course, we are taking out the include are taking out the language including gender identity. Um but as uh the uh committee had followed up with the legal as far as language based on the non-discrimination statement because our food service program we do take federal dollars other than taking out the including gender identity. The rest of the language needs to stay in the policy. Any further question on 7-9 7-10? All right. With the idea of bringing back the policy 5310-01 and not adopting policy 8540 vending machines, I would look for a motion to accept those other three policies together in one motion if if we can. I move to approve policy number 3120.04 3120.08 and to table 5310.01 >> second >> motion by Veric second by Kundi to approve policies 3120.04 3120.08 08 8550 into
026table and bring back policy 5310.01. Any other questions or comments from the board? >> Roll call, please. >> Veric. >> I. >> Ecman, >> I. >> Harder. >> I. >> Kundi. >> Hi. >> Cowarts. >> Hi. >> Hansen. >> I. >> All right. Admin reports. Um those were in the packet. Um any questions from the board or additions from the admin team? like they worked very hard to clean those >> as far as the basement classroom that's still in process but they are doing very well in our Okay. >> I just want to thank Steve. >> Okay. All right. And board reports. Any communications? >> There are no communications. >> Okay. Committee reports um HR and finance. >> Uh as you've heard, we met after uh last uh general meeting and uh the topics will
027be discussed at our next board meeting. uh marketing and public relations we have not met and policy >> we presented what we had reviewed prior to the last board meeting and with the direction of the board then we will be reviewing to bring those uh policy back that was asked to be brought back. >> Okay. And with that I would accept a motion to adjourn this meeting. >> So move second. >> Motion by second by Kundi to adjurnn. All in favor say I. I >> opposed. >> Okay.