001All right, welcome everyone. This is a school district of Prescott Board of Education regular meeting. I'll call the meeting to order. Subject 1983 section 1983 Wisconsin statutes. We got the pledge of allegiance. Brad, would you care to lead us? Sure. Pledge allegiance 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. >> Excellent. Next up is recognition of visitors. Rules for public comment are as follows. Please approach the podium at a time stating your name, municipality, and topic you'd like to address. The allotted time is 3 minutes per individual, six if you are representing a group that is present at the meeting. All comment should be directed to the board and not to staff or other participants.
002The board will not act on any comments that are made during the meeting. The presiding officer may direct the district administrator to follow up with that individual or date. The public comment section will be limited to 30 minutes unless board action is taken to extend and please refer to our public comment policy listed on the agenda for a full description. Anybody at this time care to be recognized? I'm looking at Yeah, the full house here. We're looking at you packed in here. All right, we're going to move on. Thank you. Uh, next item is good news. Good evening board. Mm Smallski is representing the admin team. um from around the district. Uh Malone Elementary, Miss D Success Summer School's half done and going very smoothly. Um lots of smiles. The students are enjoying engaging the
003staff and their friends in some fun classes that challenge them in different ways. Um to the general public, don't forget to join us for Frozen, which is next Friday, June 26th. And this is put on by our elementary kiddos through summer school. And show times are 4 and 5:00 p.m. So get your tickets online. Uh intermediate school wrapped up the school year with a summer blastoff day. Students participate in a number of activities from kickball, pickle ball, kickball to pickle ball, ladder golf, can jam. Um, we want to thank the Malone parent committee for some much needed treats and our so officer Jacobson for coming out full uniform and participating in the heat of the day. Um, student services elementary extended school year is off and running. A big thanks to Helena Yiannis, Char Mogul,
004and Michelle Pink for their work in making this happen. high school extended school year will be in August. Um, from the athletics, congratulations to Coach Johnson and Lady Cardinal softball team on winning their eighth straight regional championship this postseason. Um, also in track and field, we had a few podium finishers at the state track and field meet. Kira Dixs in the two-mile placed fifth. Um, the boys 4x100 team placed third and the boys 4x200 team placed sixth. And we also had a 4x400 that placed 16th. So, congratulations to all of our athletes um for our summer, excuse me, our spring uh sports. That's it. Thank you, Michael. Um for the staff, um again, it came to a great uh successful close to the end of the year. We had high school graduation, fifth grade, and
005kindergarten celebrations. Those were wonderful to take care of. Um we were able to move our uh district office while we're in the process of moving up to the back of the high school uh in door number seven. Um but uh we're also able to recognize all of our 5 10 15 20 25 and 30year uh employees as well as our four retirees. Um in the consent agenda there are a lot of annual reports. Um most of these um are the typical excellent work by our staff and have been done um on a normal basis. Our June uh Cardinal Champion for her work uh on graduation senior awards banquet but also especially all the work she does organizing um and helping summer school run smoothly um was Susie Linder. Uh Mr. Figy and myself had an
006opportunity this summer or this morning to uh present her with her cardinal champion reward and uh able to give her her thanks for really advocating for our students. Um so all right, thanks Jim. We'll move on to school business and let's rip through the consent agenda here. In the consent, we have the May 20th, 2026 regular meeting minutes and the June 11th, 2026 special board meeting minutes, finance reports, personnel report for non-licensed staffed staff, annual crime statistics reporting, school safety training drills, annual nursing report, annual nutritional services report, annual community education report, the AC capella choir overnight trip to virtual Wood, Wisconsin. And C the CMS for schools renewal contract updating the district office address to 1010 Dexter Street, Prescott, Wisconsin in the PSD Neola School Board policies. And that is everything in the consent.
007Anybody care to move anything out of consent and into the regular agenda? >> No. All right, Jim, are there any changes to the regular agenda? >> So, we are adding item 5H, which is consider moving the regular June July school board meeting to a suggested date of July 22nd. Uh at the same time, 6 p.m. on the public high school library. And under 6, we're going to add information and discussion. We're going to add 6C. Um, a preliminary budget for 2026 27 and finance update from Ashley Bo, our director of business services. Any questions on the changes to the agenda? >> No. >> All right. So, we can take a motion to adopt the consent agenda or approve the consent agenda and adopt the regular agenda. I move to adopt the agenda with the changes
008mentioned and approve the consent agenda. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I oppose. That carries. Item B, consider personnel reports for certified staff. Uh Jessica Olsen has turned in her letter of res re resignation. She was a high school English teacher. Um, this has already been posted on weekend and Mr. Figgy and Mr. Montreal are taking the lead on that. As of this afternoon, we already had two applicants. >> All right, that's it for that. Anybody any questions, comments? >> No. >> Unless we can take a motion. >> I move to approve the personnel report for the certified staff listed above. >> I'll second. >> It's a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I opposed. That carries. Item C, food, updated updated food pricing for
0092627 school year. >> There's your I got three of your three slides on here, Nicole. And then there's a clicker up there. You can just say turn the page. >> Mhm. >> All right. Thanks for having me, guys. I apologize for my voice. I was just at a conference and I Can you get a little pull the mic a little closer? >> Better. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, there's a bigger report and definitely ask questions. I mean, if you guys ever have questions, just reach out, you know, call me. And I didn't meet you yet. I'm Nicole. I do the food. Feel free to reach out anytime. Um Oops. Oops. Oops. Go back. Okay. So, I just want to touch on the proposed meal prices. So per DPI we had to run this calculation
010and we have to increase by 25 cents and then some alle cart stuff. So I got it in there and I think the really big takeaway for that is if your child eats every lunch all year long it's $45 a year more. So like we have in the past we try to minimize that as much as we can but unfortunately prices of other things aren't coming down. So we do everything we can. Um, we've implemented the new program that starts tomorrow. So, if you guys are bored and you want to lift heavy things, come see me tomorrow. We got 400 kids signed up. >> Wow. >> And we'll be busy. But so, we're always trying to growing. Always trying to grow. Always trying to feed kids and always trying to help the bottom line. So,
011it's there. If you have any questions, definitely let me know. I know Pat likes click in there. You got this. Oh, man. Are you clicking or am I >> I'm not clicking. >> It's me. >> No. >> Am I on it? Am I screwing around? >> Oh, >> no. Those were those were the only three Nicole that we put on there. >> I don't know. >> Looking ahead. Okay. So, our goals for 20 26 27. We're going to increase participation like we always try to. We're going to do um the fun events. We're going to get kids engaged. We're going to keep doing that. We're going to do our summer meal program like I mentioned starts tomorrow. So that we can do for 5 years even if they say just kidding. So it's kind of
012cool. So we're guaranteed 5 years of it and we're going to do it all 5 years because it's going to be amazing. Um we're going to strengthen our community partnerships, continue sustainability initiatives, enhance menu offerings and student engagements, and then support staff development and training. And we're also going to do opportunities for additional nutrition education. So, we're always trying to grow and help where we can. If anybody has any ideas, definitely reach out. Email's the best. I mean, if you call me, I'm rarely at my desk, but I'll get back to you. Any questions? >> Uh, Pat, any questions? >> Um, no. Remind me what we Yeah, I'm kidding. We do. Um, remind me what we increased last year. What last year's increased? So I try to do it every other year with I either
013try to do meal prices and then alle cart and try to balance it. Last year we did do meal prices but because of the DPI equation I did have to do both this year. So I tried to balance it out the best I could. So I hit some alle cart things that would kind of not make us increase more than that quarter. Um I did increase staff meals but not more than a little bit as well just because it's even $5 now. So that way >> when they want to pay cash honestly that's the easiest way. So they could be like, I don't got to put money in. No, here you go. Like five bucks, you're good. So less than a Starbucks coffee, you get the whole nine yards. >> Yeah. >> So awesome. >>
014Can you remind me you you said DPI calculations and you brought that up a couple times. Can you remind me what what is the DPI calculations when it comes to the >> Yep. Because we didn't have a positive balance last year. They send me this equation and we have to feed into it and I have to play with the numbers and kind of make it equal whatever they say. Okay, we get a little bit of a grace period and this gives us a 3centent grace period just in case next year, but I don't think we'll need it next year. >> Okay, >> so it's kind of tipping the scales to as even as we can get and I can send it to you guys, too. It's called a PLE. Okay, >> it's really great. >>
015That's okay. But it kind of takes um kind of maybe where like our negative balance and says it is about how much you need to increase for everybody to get to. >> Okay. >> And I work with our DPI agent. She's her name is Jill. She's really awesome. I'm sure. >> Yeah. And I know we've been struggling and it's of no fault to anybody within our program, right? But just um trying to keep it up at that equal it's like a we it pays for itself kind of program. Um and so it's been a couple years now and how are we making progress towards getting equal? >> Yep. And this program will definitely help too. The summer one we >> we kind of fell into it. So normally to get it you have to have
016a 50% free and reduced rate >> which we don't. Okay. >> But luckily our friends in New Richmond noticed, hey, like you qualify this just by your region. So only the high school can do it just because the geological like location and all the surveys that they do, the census surveys. >> So >> she's like, "Why aren't you doing this?" I'm like, "I don't qualify." And she goes, >> "You need to do this." So in 2 weeks, we took it from zero to 5,000. >> Wonderful. >> And I'm like, "We got this." >> Okay. because I remember last I think board meeting we talked about um our meal programs over the summer and we could have it at one site because and so it's the same thing but now this is the pricing is great.
017That's great. Um I was also happy to see all the cart didn't change that much cuz I can't afford it any longer but yeah and we do track so if if they get pizza we always tell them listen you got to take a fruit or a vegetable so we can do a meal and they're like no I don't want it. like your parents really want us to have you take this. I'm like, give it to a friend, guys. So, we kind of try to convince them that way. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> That's all my questions. >> Ricky, >> um, was it last year that you got the growing system for the lettuce? >> It was this year. >> Was it this year? >> How did that go? >> Yep. So, we did I
018think it's about 66 lbs and that is in the slideshow. So, and that's just one. So, we do have two, but finding that cadence I needed to learn to walk before we went run, right? And what I'd really like to do is put one at the middle school, but I got to figure out how to get it behind the gate cuz I love middle schoolers, but they're totally going to mess with my lettuce. So, finding the space for it. But, we have two, so putting it at two schools, I think, would be really ideal. If there's any like any teachers that want to help out with that, like their kids could totally help grow it as long as, you know, we go through the wash your hands and like do all the things. But yeah,
019it's we're calling it the cardinal crunch and it's really good lettuce. Like when we have it at the high school, the kids go nuts so great. So cool. >> Good. Good to hear. >> No questions, but love your enthusiasm. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, it doesn't stop. I'm so sorry. >> Thanks, Nicole. Uh, anybody else have any comments or questions here? Otherwise, we can take a motion. >> I move to approve uh the updated food pricing for 2026 27 school year. I second. >> All right, we got a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. That carries. >> Item D, approve employee handbook for 2027. One sec. Um, I don't have much to add to this because we've been talking about this for two or three months. The only updates we
020made since uh we reviewed everything for the for the second or third time in May is Courtney did a great job um updating the table of contents cuz some things just slid one page or the other. Everything else has stayed the same since uh since the you since what you saw in May. >> All right, Vicki, any questions or comments? >> No questions. is just happy to see this is done prior to next school year starting. So >> yeah, Brad. Oh, tied. >> Yeah, no questions. I um I know we talked about it last time and I haven't heard any feedback from staff about it. So um I I take that as a pretty good thing. So >> yeah, no questions. >> I I'll just make a comment. I mean, this this is great that
021we have the handbook in hand and approved in June with tons of feedback over months and months to get this done. This is um this is a first for us. So, I really appreciate the hard work and the input that was gotten from the staff through the this the advisory committee and and all that, Jim. So, really testament to you reaching out and being proactive on getting the handbook changes in. I know there's a lot of really good handbook changes, especially for staff. So hopefully, you know, we've come to some common ground with them as well on some of the changes and things are uh positive. So um with that, we can take a motion. >> I move to approve the employee handbook for the 2026 2027 school year. >> Second. >> We got a
022motion and a second. >> All in favor? I >> I oppose. That carries. All right. Item E, Neiola. >> So, uh, the Wisconsin legislature and, uh, Governor Iver signed Act 89 back this winter. Um, this is Nola has updated a lot of these rules. Um, I want to say that again, we've done an excellent job, uh, over the last decade plus really doing all a lot of this. Um, but this is kind of the anti-grooming law. It defines grooming. Um, again, we've been enforcing this um as far back as our uh institutional knowledge knows. Um there's a mandated report that principles must call parents. Our principles are excellent. Anytime um a kid is involved in any type of incident, there's typically a phone call to that parent before the uh principal goes home. And that
023just puts this into law. Um, it adds a lot of definitions of what actions are allowed by staff and volunteers. Um, again, a lot of that's very typical. Uh, one good example is you're only allowed to use school approved communication apps. Um, I reached out to our principles and especially our athletic director, Matt Smith. He uh within 15 minutes had me a list. He goes, "Here you go. This is what everybody does and these are the apps that are approved and they were all on the list." So, it's just a good example of how we've kind of already been doing all this. Um, but as it's added to Act 89, it needs to get updated in our policy. It does add an annual training requirement that will hit in August. Um, and some of these
024are repeats because you get one uh like 1213, 3213, and 4213 are really all the exact same thing. It's just one that's for support staff, one that's for uh certified staff, and one that's for administrators, but it's really the same uh policy over and over again. All right, Tanya, do you have any questions on any of the policies? I assume you read them all. >> I did. Well, actually, I don't know if any of you noticed, but the system was down for a little bit, so it's hard to read them all again, but um I just I did look back on our last agenda, and these weren't on there. So, this is this considered the first reading for them here. >> Yeah, this is the first. >> Um and I just had to I I
025think they all make a lot of sense. I thought we recently looked at some of these too when it came to grooming and stuff like that and they maybe were a little bit different. I did have just kind of a question on one of them. It crosses off the word guardian throughout and puts parent instead and I was just wondering why >> I asked the exact same question. That is because the act 89 says parent and not parent/guardian. So the assumption is it's who's ever in charge of the child. But yeah, that's not a typical I would I would list parents/guardian too, but we got to follow the way act 89 was written. >> Okay. So if a So if a parent isn't identified, then we do guardian anyways. >> Yeah. Correct. So if there's
026somebody who's homeless or in a foster home or Yeah. Who's ever Yep. Yeah. Who's Yeah. Who's ever got the court the court's jurisdiction over the child is considered the parent under this law. That's what they're telling us. if it ever comes in front of a judge 3 years from now, then they might tell us something different. >> Um, otherwise, that was my only question. I felt the other things in there were pretty um I mean, they made sense and it doesn't really change the policies all that much either. >> All right, Pat. >> No questions. >> Vicki, >> no questions. >> Brad, I read every word. I don't have a question. >> All right. Well, let's take a motion then. I move to accept the first reading of Neola's act 89 special update policies. Uh
027this policy will receive a second reading at the next regularly scheduled board meeting. >> I'll second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. That motion carries. We're on item F. consider approving Prescott's virtual charter school, the River's Edge Virtual Academy. >> We're really doing it, huh? Rivers. >> So, uh, Mr. Piggy presented twice. Um, I know there has been, um, there have been some lots of questions, lots of discussions. Um, our next step is a formal contract which the board has a copy of and if approved would be signed by the board tonight. Um, a couple questions we had was how often does the board want updates from Mr. Figgy. Um, again, our goal starting out this fall and this lets us start this fall
028is to really target some of our own virtual students and um some of the home stu school students in the area and as the year goes on um you know, start reaching out more and more to students outside our district and see if we can get some open enrollment numbers. But again, our we're going to start local and grow from there. Mr. Figgy, do you have any comments you want to say or >> I can ask or answer any questions that you have. All right. Uh Vicki, do you have any questions or comments on this one? >> No, I don't I as long as everything is as it presented last month. I mean, I think we we ran you through the the question mill last month. So, as I think we've got I've got all
029the information that I needed. >> All right, Brad. >> Yeah, I agree with Vicki. I don't have any questions. Tanya. >> Um, yeah, I I don't have any questions. We've talked a lot about this. I I mean, really, even beyond just the past couple months, I know you thought about this maybe a year or two ago as well. Um, when it comes to the question that you have for us, like how often do we want to hear feedback and stuff like that? Um, you know, I don't know, maybe a little bit more often this first time just to kind of see number-wise and stuff. I don't think it needs to be like every board meeting or anything, but when maybe kind of at the beginning of the year when you get some enrollment numbers, I
030mean, those are probably the things that um matter a lot. And then I'd be curious like staffing wise and all that stuff throughout. So maybe a couple times throughout the year, whatever. And and I mean, you always can do more whatever you feel like you need, especially at first. So yeah, I think it's great. >> Um, sorry, Mr. Figgy. I was going to maybe suggest even if it was a sentence or two for the first year, maybe we do hear a quick update every board meeting. Um if if it's just a waste of time and there's not much to share, we can change practice. But that's maybe where my head was at just just quick, right? Just what are the highlights? >> Yeah, I want to compromise a little bit too is, you know, maybe
031Mr. He presents September and then he's just sending a little update through me in October or something like that and then he's back and just within the contract Mr. is the tech chair of the virtual charter board. So if I >> congratulations >> we like how Mr. Igel presents >> between the three of us. Sure. >> Yeah. >> And if worst case scenario, they can get it to me and I'll I'll pass it along. >> In in all seriousness, I not a presentation, just a quick update would be great. >> Yeah. I mean, I just think of like what are we interested in? Probably enrollment numbers. Number one, >> enrollment and and if you've been able I mean, you do need to get a board and you know, as long as you don't have that
032turnover, if you've got, you know, if you run into that sort of issue, I think that's something we probably need to know. Um, >> other than that, >> okay, so I do kind of now have a random question and that's just because and maybe you don't know it. Um, but it talked about um students that we do not have to admit students that had been expelled from another school district, but we could. And is it the board that would like your board that would review that to look at would we admit them or not? >> Correct. >> Okay. I just >> Yeah. Thank you. I I would assume that that might be one of the options we look at when we're working through some situations with our families and stuff too and then you guys
033would kind of see whether or not it's appropriate. >> Correct. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> All right. Um I apologize, but so the one thing I think the one question we had last month was the Neola policies. Did we agree? Did we finalize that our policies were going to >> uh Todd, our Neola rep, is looking through those right now and hopefully those will be coming in July or August. He has not heard of any major updates that need to come for Neola policy, but they're kind of cranking cranking through that right now. >> Great. >> All right. I think we're ready to make a motion here. >> It's a big motion. This a big deal. I move to approve uh Prescott's virtual charter school, River's Edge Virtual Academy. >> I'll second. >> We have
034a motion, a second. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. That one carries. Congratulations and uh thank you guys for putting in all the hard work and thought process on all this. This is great. Great step forward for Prescott. Okay, item G. Consider overnight trip to Hawaii. Dang. Let's go. >> Not for us. This is for the coral festival >> specifically. This is a schoolboard retreat. Correct. >> Better clarify that. >> I was first on the school board and we had retreats and then it was just here in like a meeting room and I was like, "Wow, I just felt that would have to be approved at >> if you noticed uh my tan today. We did our second day of our admin retreat to the ITV room right there. A lot of sun was
035pouring in the air. So, um, so just proposing it based on our schoolboard policies, proposing any overnight or out of state trip. Um, we've got a lot of trips that we try and offer through the school. So, some of these are music related trips, some of them are culture related trips. Um, we've got a right now it's on an every two-year schedule. Um, even for I think of them as our Europe trips cuz they've gone to Europe historically, but now we're going to Japan this summer. Um but Jeff Ryan leads kind of these historical cultural trips every two years. Um the last one was to Greece two years ago and now they're going to Japan. So um this is kind of the latest iteration. Uh one of our groups um kind of on a two-year
036rotation now. Our coral director is trying to provide opportunities um to those students who are interested in choir. Um this one happens to be at a vacation destination, but I'd encourage you to not think of it as that vacation destination. I think sometimes that, you know, that throws up a different mindset. Um really what you're seeing is um providing students an authentic musical performance opportunity, some cultural learning experience, um and then some growth opportunities which is part of educational travel. Um outlined up there are kind of the the the big things that go along with this trip. So you're going to see that this um coincides with Hawaii's um Aloha Music Festival. it is for all of their middle school and high school um students as well as students from out of state. Um and
037then in addition to that, there are a number of historical and cultural opportunities um that are part of that. So there's a performance opportunity here. Um, a big chunk of this is if you've been to a choir concert in the last uh 2 or 3 years, a large chunk of what our um coral program is trying to do is look at music just outside of kind of the traditional um European tradition of music or very Americanized traditions. So often times there's a blend of different language music or different cultural music. Um, and we were reached out to on this one that there is an opportunity for um, Polynesian music and Hawaii music traditions happening in um, in this trip. So, we felt like that was going to be um, pretty impactful for our kids. We
038do recognize this is a significant investment for families. Um, so the participation of this is completely voluntary. It's also prices like all of our other trips kind of determined based on how many how many students are going, how many people are going, um whether we quad up and we would be quading up in in rooms. Um so, uh in addition to that, just to kind of do the the focus on what the board probably is is going to ask, uh there is no taxpayer burden. This would be families paying their own way. There are fundraising opportunities that we would have, but as I always say about our overnight trips that are larger to destinations, fundraising only gets you so far. Um, often times I would tell families when I led trips like this, it's just
039better off to get some sort of steady job. You're going to have a more you're just guaranteed the money you get um versus picking grapes or selling magazines or world's finest chocolate. Um, but there there will be some fundraising opportunities um through our travel company. there's a payment plan option. Um, but really this is about students and families self- selection of whether the interest is there, whether they have the the means and the resources um to do this. Um, I'm going to stop there and see if you guys have any questions cuz I don't want to ramble up here. >> Right. Okay. Um, Vicki, do you have any questions or comments questions maybe first? >> Uh, I do. So, the choir went to New York City spring of 2025, correct? >> Two. Yep. Two years
040ago. >> Okay. Um, it was my understanding from the past like so for the band, the band trip to Florida is every four years, correct? >> Mhm. >> Okay. So, with Mr. Brian's trips that go international. They're every 2 years, but that allows all students in the high school to participate. >> Correct. So, I guess what I'm looking at is our band is doing this every four years. The choir went two years ago. I would be more comfortable with the choir doing these types of trips every four years like the band does. Um, I understand the reason behind it. like I the the Polynesian aspect of it, the music, um learning something new, but again, I do feel that that just is kind of giving a little more, I don't know, special treatment to choir,
041saying, "Well, you did that, now do this." Where band has been every four years. Um I think it gives the families a little more time to plan. um for something like this knowing that in four years we're going to do another big trip and my child may be or is going to be in choir and can do that. So I do I do almost see it as a limiting factor because of the cost for some families to do something like this every two years. Um I think that's almost a little too high a price to ask for some families. So that does unintentionally but it does isolate kids um and their families. It it does single them out. I think if we do it every four years that gives a family that time to know
042that you know if you stay in choir in 3 years or 2 years they're going to do this again and you can go. So let's let's start planning and saving for that trip in the future. Um because I do see it as as limiting to some of our families. Um and and yeah, I would much rather have because it is a limited number of students. It's the students who just take choir. It's the students who just take band. I would much rather that those types of trips be on that same type of schedule where it with band it's worked out every four years. So I guess my feeling would be that we go every four years. Is for choir. Is there a reason why they want to go this next year versus going out another
043year or two? >> Well, to be honest with you, the the New York trip 2 years ago was an off-scheduled trip. Um 3 years ago, so four years from this proposed trip, uh was their typically scheduled choir trip. So this would technically be the the scheduled trip for choir on their year. And one of the things you're going to see up at the top is actually it does say Prescott High School band and choir trip. Um our our historical 4-year trip to Disney was under Mr. Canfield. Um looking at the collaboration between Miss Camrath and Miss Cornish. Um they're looking at maybe some more authentic music experiences other than just Disney. Uh Miss Cornish wanted to be able to take the band on this. I actually vetoed that for the exact same reason to say
044you can't ask a family to spend, you know, thousands of dollars on Disney one year and then turn around and make it feel like this is another financial um lift that they have to make. So, this one would just be for choir. Um I think a number of our participants who are in choir right now never have the opportunity to go on the New York trip. Um that was in conjunction with community ed. those students. A lot of our students were in middle school at the time, so this would be a completely new group of students going um as well. >> I guess I when I guess looking back at the New York City trip, I guess I didn't know I need to look back further at the other trips. What have were the other
045trips that the choir has taken? Um I think for four or five cycles they were doing Las Vegas because there's a conference out there for students around music and then there are a lot of performance opportunities. I think what our music teachers are feeling right now is if you look in audit um the trips that they're taking Las Vegas, New York, those are very um urban arts institutions, performance venues, they're providing one lens of music and and performance. um they're really not providing the full spectrum of what performance is. And uh I think again going to the concerts the last few years both at the middle school and the high school that's the broad scope that I'm starting to see as a as an audience member that we're looking at what is music around the
046world. Any questions we can come back to if you want to All right. Hey Brad, do you have any questions or >> cadence going forward? Is it is it going to be every four years or >> are these trip these test trips? >> Yeah, I think the goal of the group is every two years. I think I think to create a static trip to New York and again I think half of our participants on the New York trip were actually parents that went along. Um they didn't have to just be choir students and choir parents. We had some people who just piggybacked along cuz they'd never been to New York City and seen the music scene. Um I think we had one grandparent that went along. Um but I do think the goal is every
047two years and have um but I I I know that talking to both of our music teachers, they want to synchronize their trips at some point. They don't want to they don't want to continue to have it be New York and then a choir trip and then a band trip. They would like to at some point come together. So, it's a music trip, not band versus choir. And if you're a band and choir student, you now have many things that you're trying to decide between. >> Yeah. I mean, I don't I don't necessarily have a if there's no impact to the taxpayer. I mean, I don't have any issues with this particular trip, but I do agree with Vicki because at some point we need to get a regular cadence where families can plan for
048these type of things because it is a significant amount. Um, it might even be good. You know, I think you had mentioned that, hey, might teach some responsibility for our kids to get a job except instead of just relying on fundraising. Um, so I think that's all I ta >> Well, I think you guys on that side of the table bring up some good points. And um, do we still take a Spanish trip, too? >> Uh, >> is that kind of on a similar cadence? >> No. >> Okay. Uh, I think the last one caused nightmares, honestly. They got stuck in San Jose for 5 days. Um, and ate at Denny's. That was the food voucher they got for >> whatever. >> Yeah. 15 meals in a row. So, >> so they might move away.
049>> They They have not >> They haven't revived that yet. I know that they would like to at some point. Um, >> okay. I I guess I would be interested in looking at I I get it. It's an off like the New York one was through community ed like a kind of a partnership deal and so that might be a little bit different but I would be interested in getting more information on how do we increase participation the most cuz like to me that's the ideal is about participation. I think about like if you're going every other year, like personally I would tell my kid pick one of the one time in high school, right? But then I'm I'm trying to think of like how does that even impact the class and practices and getting
050ready for it and stuff like that when only some of the kids are going and like you want the majority to be able to go ideally. And so I I do think uh almost 4,000, you know, three to $4,000 trip every two years on top of other opportunities is really hard and does put um you know with it's the unintentional consequences. We do have kids that are able to access that because they have the resources to access that and kids that are not able to access that and that's that's hard. So um I'm I feel like this is an okay trip. I'm going to vote yes on this just so everybody knows. But I do think that it would be nice to kind of before another one of these kind of gets approved, we come
051back and we kind of say, "Hey band, let's plan this out and choir. Let's plan this out in Spanish if you ever want to try it again." Um, so we kind of make it where each kid has an opportunity to go and we have the most participation. And I I do think every other year is probably too much to ask of families. Would you just so I have clarification, would you include some of our again I'm calling it the Euro trip, but >> um Jeff Ryan, >> I mean I think that's part of the deal too, right? Like you have this trip and maybe you can't do another trip and you know or maybe like that's every other year there. I guess what I'm saying is I would want to see that that has a
052cadence. It doesn't have to be the same like that's different than an educational like directly linked to like a class per se. >> Yeah. And I think And what we've tried to do maybe unsuccessfully is provide >> one >> Yep. >> at max two opportunities a year to travel. >> Yeah. >> You know, with competing interests. Um otherwise I'm worried we're going to stack three or four trips in a year. >> Yeah. >> And Yeah. And maybe that's what it is. One a year. And so how does that work out? It's not, >> you know, you got band choir potentially Spanish the other trip. So, I would just I would be curious to kind of see um if moving forward we could kind of pick out a long-term kind of cadence with it. So, um
053I do on the flip side, these are great opportunities. I think the kids that are able to go on these trips, I mean, these are things they're going to remember forever. it's going to enrich their, you know, in this case their their music and it it's a great trip and a great opportunity, but um you know, you want as many kids to go as as you can and you want to work towards it and um and that might, you know, anyways, go ahead. >> I agree with everything everybody said. Tanya, maybe her and I must have shared notes. I I I would I'm I'm going to I'm going to personally vote, you know, on this one as a as a as a yay. But, um I also do just recognize, you know, the grind it
054is to keep coming up with money and people kind of feeling left out. And I also don't not want to stifle opportunity either. So, um I trust that our administration will find the right balance and and just I think for future trips like this, we just maybe talk about the balance and >> I mean that's that's where my head's at. >> Uh I mean you guys have pretty much echoed everything I would say. So Josh, just really like is there a minimum amount of people that we have to have signed up for this to to pull the trigger on it and move forward? >> Six. Six people. >> Six people. Okay. Um, have has this been kind of floated by parents and students yet or is this a >> um I've I've asked them not
055to do that. I think when we talked about Disney, we did kind of an interest beforehand. I'm sure there's been chatter, but um up until 2 or 3 weeks ago, there wasn't a solidification of even the details here. And >> you know, band our band director was still hoping that they could come on board. Um so no it hasn't really been floated in any official or unofficial capacity. >> So does the final decision I mean if the board goes ahead and approves this and you know we start organizing and um who is it you that would make the decision whether yes we're going to do this or no we're not going to do this or we saying the board's approving it we're doing it. You know what I'm saying? Like we got to get >>
056oh if we fall below the like a threshold >> um really the company won't. >> Okay. you know, the company will decide like we're a group tour. You don't have a group. We can't we can't travel with you, >> you know, and I don't think it would be impactful for our our kids, honestly, to only have a minimal amount of students going along. I mean, this is supposed to be group travel um to have some of these shared experiences around music. So, >> Okay. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yep. Yeah. I'm pretty much falling in line as I think Brad, you kind of touched on my points. I mean, it's not it's not it's not impacting the taxpayers. Um it's opt it's opt in you know and if but I agree with all the comments that have
057been shared here. I think we got to make sure that we're providing opportunity for all the students and a enough time to give them chance to prepare and save. So uh anything else? >> Yeah >> Vicki. So, is there outside of saying, "Yep, we wanted to do this choir thing this next year," had band and choir, had they gotten together and discuss the possibility of doing something in two years and doing it together instead of doing this one this year, had they looked at maybe doing that in two years instead of this year because the band just went to Florida, giving the band that one year off and then in 28, let's do this Hawaii trip and do everything and then we maximize maybe we get more participation, maybe we get more kids. Was that
058ever an option that was discussed amongst the directors? >> I don't know, honestly. Okay. I doubt it. >> I think this was this is kind of on that four-year rotation for our choir to be going. So, it's been planning or it's been percolating for that group, I'm going to guess for the better part of a year, for the school year. Um, you know, we had a change over in how music was organized this year with our modern music choir and band. I think obviously our band director was very focused on Disney. So, I think it was only post Disney that that was probably even on the radar. Um, but I wasn't part of any of the conversations or aware of conversations of how they wanted to to plan out. I know once this started to
059materialize then it became a could we do something together if you want my my inference that is to recruit and retain students. I think often times these things even Disney become a recruiting and retaining tool and that's one of the reasons why it's every four years because it allows you know the director to keep kids for four years in the program if they want to get that reward at the end. Um, I guess I was just went online and was looking at, you know, prices and what things cost. And I reading through what they allow for flights, what they allow for that sort of um, the rooms, the food, that sort of stuff. I just think this is a very expensive trip and I do really feel that it's going to limit some of our
060students and again, you know, might limit other students from going just because of the sheer distance of it because truly it is I mean it's an overseas flight. It's not it's not international, but it is not a short trip to Hawaii. So, um it's it's a big ask for some parents and for some kids to go that far. Um, so I just feel like this trip is um is going to cause some roadblocks for some of our families. So, >> I would be more inclined to see if band and choir want to do um something together that there's a little more time to plan for um a trip of this size and this this distance, this cost and this time frame because this is a this this is over a week and this is not
061a short trip. Um, and we do lose a couple days of learning contact for them to do this. Um, that means we also lose our teachers. So, we've got substitutes. So, there is a cost to the district um because we're going to need some substitutes if because not all the kids are going to go. So, we're still going to have choir students here. Um, so I just um with a a trip of this size, I would feel more comfortable, I guess, seeing it spread out or down the road another year. And if they're looking at bringing both band and choir together to do more of these more substantial trips, I would much rather see that first. So, >> all right. Any other comments or questions from the anybody else on the board here? No. >>
062All right. Um, if we're willing to entertain a motion here, somebody can make it. >> I move to approve the overnight trip in March 27 for the Coral Festival. >> I'll second. >> All right. We have a motion and a second. We'll just do all in favor. >> I opposed. >> Opposed. No. >> All right. Motion passes. Thank you, board. And uh thanks Josh. Well, let's move on to item H. Uh we are considering moving the July regular board meeting to the following Wednesday 22nd. Um honestly, I put this one on here cuz I have a conflict. So, um if if this if this date works for everybody, it won't work for me. >> We have a >> It won't work for me either. >> It won't work for you guys. >> I'm out of
063town softball. Are you out of town baseball? >> Yeah, >> I'll be in Canada for Shangh. >> Um, is there is there another date that would work? I mean, do we want to >> Yeah, I'm pulling up our So, the conflict for you is the >> the 15th is a conflict. >> Okay. See, I'm trying to pull it up. >> Can we Can we try shooting for, you know, a Tuesday or Thursday >> or what about the 29th? >> That's Um, no good on the 25. >> That pushes way back. >> Yeah, >> Mike, I'd be good. I'd be good the the Tuesday or Thursday surrounding the 15th. >> I would not I would not be able to do the 14th or 15th. So, >> I could do Monday the 13th. >> Monday the 13th.
064I can do >> I can I can do that too. >> Is there any chance we go to the following Monday to give us a little better chance to take a look at our finances? You'll get a better finance report on the 20th. >> The 20th works better. >> I'm out of town that week, but you guys might still have a >> So you guys are both out of town that that following week that week. >> I mean, we we as long as we have a quorum, we're we're good. So, we can either leave it >> or >> for the three of you guys >> on Monday the 20th. I'm unavailable too. >> 31 minutes. >> So, >> we did have our alltime fastest meeting when you weren't here, Mike. >> I can do the
065Thursday the 16th of July. >> I I can as well. >> I I can't. >> We're out of town. >> How many people can make it on the 16th? >> I I can make it on the 16th. >> So, we'd have four on the 16th. Yeah, >> Tanya, you get that? >> Yeah. >> Jim, anything that we uh would like really like to have all five of us here to weigh in on next month >> as of June 17th? No. July is typically our quietest board meeting. So, I don't see anything coming up. There'll be the second reading of the Nola policies. I can reach out to Tanya a little bit ahead of time. >> Let's push it if if we can if if you're okay with it. Let's let's shoot for the July 16th.
066>> Yeah, >> that work. >> Okay. So, we would need a motion for that one. >> I move to approve July 16th, 2026 at 6 p.m. at the Prescott High School Library as the regular school board meeting for July 2026. >> I'll second. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I opposed. That carries. Thank you. >> Yep. >> See that, don't we? All right. 16th. All right. That concludes business. We are on info and discussion and we're starting with the joint federal notification packet whatever that is. >> Sandy is both standing. >> Okay. >> Good evening school board. Sandy Strand, director of student services. Thank you for allowing me to share um this year on our joint federal notification. Um annually uh we are rated by the federal
067government on a series of indicators in special education. Um and those indicators um have to do with educational environment codes. So whether a child is spending 0 to 20% of their day in special ed or 21 to 50% of their day in special ed or six. So we we are rated on whether or not we have the majority of our students in general education classes. We are also rated on um student special ed student participation in standardized testing. um were rated on timeliness of evaluations um and those kinds of things. Last year, you'll probably recall that we were on a corrective action plan because we had a disproportionate number of students with special needs that were opting out of state testing. Um and after last year, we um we were able to have a 100%
068participation rate um last year and so we came off of that um correct corrective action plan last year. Um, this is just explaining what it is, but I'm not going to bore you with all of that. Um, we are designated as either meeting requirements, needing assistance year 1, needing assistance year 2, or needs intervention or need substantial intervention. Um, my first year here, we were needs assistance year 1. The data is based on the year prior and two years prior, generally speaking. Um and then my second year we were needs assistance year too which is why last year we were on a corrective action plan. Uh we did that corrective action plan and had 100% uh participation in um in our um assessments. Our overall score in 2024 was an 88% meeting requirements and our
069overall score this year was 100% um meeting requirements. So, I'm very proud of our our staff um and our administration for really prioritizing these items. Uh we also received um this is 2024. The maximum number of points you can receive in any area is two. You can see the way a number of areas grad exits meaning students who are 12th grade or 18 um who do not graduate but remain in school as they are eligible for until age 21 with an IEP. um we have a couple of students that are in that age bracket. So last year we only got one point. Um and then you see that assessment participation uh was one and one for math and ELA. Um and then our educational environment code was a one as well. This year we were
070twos across the board. Um so I'm very proud of that work. I'm proud of the work that we've done in the last two years to really meet the letter of the law. Not only that, but this is an indication that our students are well cared for. They are included in their general ed classrooms and they are participating at a high level with their same age peers. Let me see. Does this is that my last slide? >> Yes. >> There's one that says uh keep doing good things next. Oh, >> there we go. Moving forward. We're going to do great things for all students. So, you can't get better than 100%. Um, so we're going to continue to do the things that we're doing and and do them well. Thank you. >> Any questions, Tanya? Or
071>> I don't have questions. I was really excited to see this. I hate that we get for that number one indicator for kids that go beyond cuz I think it should be reversed, you know, like kids that need it, you know, like they should go get it and we shouldn't have a negative port. So that'd be the one I'd be okay with. And I think maybe this is a year behind lagging. So, I'm sure that has a lot to do with graduation anyways and the age of the kids. So, awesome job. Looks great. And yeah, it's exciting. Nice job. Thank you. >> Looks great. No questions. >> Thank you. >> No questions. >> Awesome. >> Thanks, Amy. >> Thank you. >> All right, let's see. Is the next one already up there? >> Yep. Just
072keep going. Social and emotional learning. Next slide. >> Move it to their house. >> All right. So, Jim uh asked me to just do a an overview of where we're at with social emotional learning. This could go on for hours and hours. It will not. Um I just want to share why it matters, what it is, and where we're at. Um, social emotional learning matters because we are mandated by the state of Wisconsin um to uh have our teachers, our staff uh facilitate um quality um instruction in both academic and social emotional learning. This is straight from DPI's website. Um there are state competencies around social emotional learning that all staff are expected to be knowledgeable about and implement. Um when we talk about social emotional learning, we try not to look at it through
073its own lens. We try to look at it through the same lens that we're doing with our instructional strategies, our student supports, our learning spaces, um those types of things. So when we're talking about those tiered levels of supports, we want to talk about what's happening for all kids. What are our student guarantees for all kids? And then what are we doing for kids who need a little extra help? And what are we doing for those kids that might need a little bit more help? So that tier one, tier 2, tier three is what we mean when we're talking about multi-level systems of support. Social emotional learning, it is teaching students to be self-aware. It's teaching students to self-manage, to be socially aware and responsible, to develop good relationship skills, responsible decision-making skills, and optimistic
074thinking. It is not a mental health screener. We are no longer doing a mental health screener. We're not we're not in the practice of evaluating kids and diagnosing kids. We are not doing mental health therapy. Um, our staff does not we're not qualified to do that. And we are not diagnosing students. We are simply working on these life skills for them to be good students and good citizens. So the tools that we currently use for this is um the DESA which stands for um the DERO something something student I don't even remember what it is but it's through Aperture Education. We use this tool for data tracking. We do three times a year benchmarking. This was our second year using this tool. Um then with that data we can um streamline it into um potential
075interventions and the DESA tool has interventions built in that overlap with and speak to our second step curriculum which um this year we ended a three-year contract. Um we're estimating that a a new contract for 3 years for K through 8 would be at about $11,000. Um, same thing with DESA is about 11,000 and that's for uh the assessment tool, the data tracking and all of the information in inter intervention resources. And then we also have been using empower you which is an an individual intervention. We consider it that top tier of intervention cuz it's one-on-one coaching with a professional um who helps students set goals around those areas that I mentioned before. responsible decision- making, um, self-awareness, uh, being socially responsible, and we've had really good results with it. But, um, in our second
076year of implementing it last year, our third year of implementing it last year, um, our staff just really found it harder and harder to identify kids that really wanted to kind of buy into it. And so we thought because tier 3 really should only be maybe 1% of our student population getting those intensive interventions, we um proposed to go down to 10 seats at the high school level. Um which brought our cost down to $34.90. Previously when we had 30 seats, it was about uh $20,000. Um so I already kind of explained what that was. Um, why you're on Empower You. Do kids get a credit for that one? >> They do. Absolutely. Yep. At the high school level. Um, it's an independent course of study with six and 12e options and our counselors help
077facilitate that. So, they have a they >> virtual. >> Yep. It's online. Um, but it's with a real human, right? Um, and then we get a an impact report at the end of every year. Second step is our social emotional learning program that we've used for a long time in the district. Um, it's used in over 45,000 school districts across the country and it looks at developing skills around behavior, belonging, and academic readiness. Um, this is what our counselors at the K8 level utilize to do their caricatures that they teach to every month. This is what they use to build their weekly um, social emotional learning lessons for teacher advisory at the middle school. Um, and I think that's it. So, that's the overview of what we're doing for social emotional learning. Those are the
078tools we're currently using. We are currently setting some goals in terms of what kind of our our big rocks are going to be, our big goals um for the district moving forward. Um, and and we'll determine kind of how quickly we move forward with really building that that solid tier one and tier two across the board. But right now, we've got some great tools in place. >> All right. Uh Ty, I'll start with you again. Do you have questions or comments? >> Um I don't really have a lot of questions. I'm familiar with this stuff. Um I know it's part of MTSS, which is um a system that schools use um social emotionally, but also academically because we look at a whole child. And so, um, I'd like to see that we have a tool,
079DESA. I was just looking it up a little bit, that we're using as a tool to track data. I I I think it takes away that emotional feel that a teacher might have or somebody might have about and it kind of tracks that data and I really like that approach. So, um, the programs that you guys use, I think are great. Um, kids, um, come to school for more than just the core academics. we have to work on decision- making, how to communicate with peers, how to collaborate, and that's what this kind of stuff works on. So, um, looks great. >> Um, all great points, and I appreciate you guys looking at the the, you know, how to scale it properly, right? We're able to save some money and continue to have the right tools
080that we need. So, thanks for doing that. >> Thank you, Pat. >> Ricky, >> no questions. >> Thanks, Andy. >> Have a good evening. >> Yep. Uh, now we move on to item C, preliminary budget for 2627. >> I don't have access. >> I just wonder if it's in the folder Google Drive. >> We're going to be in the black by a million dollars. >> Well, we're working on that. We're working on that. Um, I will say that I feel like we're in a really good place in the business office. We are staffed and we have really good people in place. So, um, everybody's been on board and getting um, you know, kind of closing out the year and kind of tracking where we're at for 25 26 to be able to start planning for
08126 27. Um, that's kind of, you know, right now wrapping up with staff and, um, making sure everybody had contracts before they left for the summer and, uh, you know, working through those numbers. So, um, you want to >> That one's not mine. >> Who's got a cast? You >> keep going. Should be there. Keep going. Did not hold a second. I cast it. It was on the other one, but >> I can keep going. >> No, no, hold five seconds. No problems. >> It's all good. >> I will say um you know, we have our team in house and we have Katie now who has joined full-time, which has been a huge asset, and um Veronica and her work super well together. in uh this new space that we're going to be in is
082going to be really like we've already collaborated more you know just in a short period of time. So uh that's really exciting as well. We also are still partnering with uh CISA to continue with some of the accounts payable and rollover and training and things like that as well as Baird. Um we use the Baird model and um we've been connecting with the lease on that for resources. So, this is just kind of some of the general things that um we're kind of processing through as we're looking at 2526 and seeing kind of where we're at and and jumping into um this next fiscal year. Uh, I'm kind of looking as this is my sixth month right in this position and I'm kind of counting these as bonus months and so, you know, I'm starting
083fresh into a new fiscal year, but come this time next year, I have already done this. So, I know some things that have worked so far and some things we need to improve on. So, um, I'm excited to kind of carry that knowledge throughout this new year. So, those are just kind of some of the things that we're looking forward to. Um, okay. So, sorry, >> there's a there's a delay. There's like a 3 seconds. >> Okay. Um, so now talking about the budget, as you know, um, kind of timelines are a little different and it rolls July through June. And so, we're still kind of closing out 25 26 and we will continue to do that as we start into our next budget here. um we will really receive our main information for uh
084revenues and where our numbers are going to lay out in October, right? So when you kind of take a step back and look at it, um somebody told me that it looks like a storm coming in and you have predictions and you kind of get like a big overview, but really like as you get closer and closer is when you really narrow it down. So today um I'm just sharing big big picture. um things that we have already been talking about. Um obviously we will find more information as we go about like where our full-time student enrollment is and all of that comes into play. So um if we can look at it like the storm then, you know, I think that'll help us map it out a little bit better. We're really delayed. There
085we go. So this is our starting point. Um, this is the same model that you guys have seen when we talk through compensation because as you know compensation really makes up a big portion of our budget. So, um, as we're closing out 25 and 26, we can really narrow that information down and put that um, you know, we can see what buckets still had money in it or what buckets need money. we can have the conversations of did we really need that much in here or what is kind of like mapping out how we can um continue to be responsible with the money and maybe get on a plan of uh you know reoccurring expenses and things like that. So this is just a blown up uh picture of that. And again these numbers you
086have seen um and that's where we're starting and we're going to keep digging in and go deeper. So, next steps obviously are um closing out the year. Uh so, we know exactly where we're going to be coming into this next year. Um we have talked about doing some transfers potentially in July. Um so, we want to know what those numbers are before, you know, we make any of those decisions. And then, um we have variables that are going to come out that we just don't necessarily know yet. And so, once those come into play, then that will help us narrow things down. so I can continue to give updates um as we keep going. Um as well as you know 30 third Friday count in October. You guys are familiar with all of this stuff.
087It's nothing new and just like kind of everything the budget is living and we're working through it and so things are going to change. Information becomes available one day and not the next, right? So, as we continue to get that and enrolling updates and um staffing needs and changes, we have a lot of stuff to look at this year as far as um what our buildings are going to look like, right? So, taking all that into consideration and just um making sure we keep coming down closer to that, you know, non-existent storm but weather, right? So, that's all I have for today. Does anyone have any questions? >> Yeah, let's uh Pat, do you have questions? I don't know many questions. I I I do like the storm analogy. We've been looking at this for
088a long time. It probably bears just repeating that. Um your slide I think five, right? Um that is that that does that includes not selling a building, but it does include we are operating as a three educational uh you know uh building district right now. >> Correct. And that model also includes us continuing um the current academic arts and athletics operations as is today. Right? That's important. And then um and and I think as we talk as a board often um the yellow right gets us to that end of the second bianium that um we all said was the target when we had our last voter approved uh operations referendum. So, yeah, I don't really have any questions right now, but >> All right, Tanya. >> Um, just a clarifying question. You talked about operating
089with three buildings. That starts the 2728 school year, right? Correct. So, >> forward. Okay. >> So, 26 27, we got them all, but then this budget is adjusted to show the three starting there. Perfect. >> Yep. And then I just want to um whenever I see deficit spending and I know like we're all scared and we get nervous and we don't want to see red and um just to kind of for everybody that's following along and has been for the past I don't know it's been a while >> we planned this. So we knew that we were going to have to be deficit spending. We knew we would have to deficit spend or we would be cutting a ton of programs to get to where that is every year. Um we cut um a handful
090of things just I mean was just a couple years ago maybe about three years ago and so um we we knew that we would be here um our board goal of that fund balance is closer to 20%. It kind of changes based on our budget every year so we don't have a really great number but it's about 20%. And so we knew going into this rather than um go back to our taxpayers, we knew that we had a responsibility to get closer to that 20% which is the board approved amount rather than saving money and slush funding it and stuff like this is why we were being really diligent and kind of growing that fund balance when we could so we could weather these kind of storms and by ourselves sometimes to make decisions about
091buildings and by our community sometimes and for us to make some decisions So we absolutely know that that I mean I I wrote down that number of -311540 like we don't we're going to be doing some cuts so we hopefully don't get that low right so we have things that we want to do um but also we were aware and this is we we know that this is kind of um has been our forecast for a while so >> great points Vicki >> and you were saying that you're getting close down you're you're closing the year end numbers are coming in from everyone. Um, so you're recognizing areas where you have pluses, you have minuses, and kind of readjusting from there. And then with looking at other areas, I know you had said you're doing
092that. So, as far as like I think it was listed there as far as the ordering of supplies, the how you can streamline that, how you can find the better deals. Um so that is all those things that will be coming. So the hope is then that we see those numbers adjust >> right. >> Um so it sounds great. You've got everybody in the same office now and I do think the bouncing of ideas or I heard or someone said could we look at those sorts of ideas now? >> Yeah. should be able to come a little more quickly and be a little more readily discussed and and hopefully um I'm excited for you guys having, you know, you've got your team ready to go. Everything seems to be clicking and moving. So, um yeah,
093we knew this was coming, but looking forward to see what you can do with it. >> Yeah, me too. I think I think we have some things that we can play with that, you know, get creative with it and just make sure we have the conversations around it. If nothing else, we have to have the conversation cuz we need to make sure that we're spending the money on things that we need and we're planning appropriately. So, um, just making sure that that happens frequently. >> Yeah, Brad. >> Yeah, I mean, I agree with, you know, what my board members just said. I like your comment. I mean, we have to be intentional with every dollar we're spending, right? We're going to be held accountable to that. um you know, we're all holding ourselves in the
094same standard as our our own household and we have to be the same responsible uh with how we're spending the taxpayers money. So, I like where you're going. I think to to your point, there's going to be some very difficult decisions that have to be made um just the way that the model, >> right? >> Yeah. I won't beat this to death. You guys said a lot here. Um the goal to get to 28 29 2930 um was always the plan. Um couple things I what I really like last year uh around tax time is how we kind of explained where we got to with the taxes and I'm hoping like one of the things I think is really helpful is knowing the dates that we're going to get information that could change the budget
095like the the final enrollment the whatever the city comes out with. I I can't remember all the there's like two or three data points that like they they're staggered throughout the fall. I think having that information on the dates that we project to get that information so the public can be aware cuz we come we usually come out with a rough a plan for the budget hearing, right? And and at the annual board meeting, those numbers are going to change. Um when those numbers change, I think is important to articulate before they change, right? So I think I think you're on the right track here. not even here a full year. Ashley, you're kind of getting thrown into the fire. But those are just some of the things I think like if we can avoid
096um be proactive about about when we know things are going to change. We've always said, yeah, this isn't finalized or it's going to it's not, you know, it's subject to change, but when will we know um in those data points, right? >> Yeah. So yeah, again, at the annual meeting in August, we'll hopefully have a or sorry, September, we'll have a we'll have a preliminary budget. The third Friday count comes at the end of September. We have good internal numbers then, but unfortunately, we don't get our official state numbers until October 15th, and then the board gets the wonderful task of finalizing the budget with the help of Ashley, myself, and the administration team by October 31st. So, we always have two weeks to finalize the budget, which is a wonderful thing about our the
097Wisconsin uh funding rules. So, October gets is where we get it. We did have a great uh great relationship with the city and Beth Lancing last year. And yeah, I hope to repeat that where we can just say cuz if Ashley jumps to the bar model, it'll tell you what we're projecting a 3.5% raise in taxes and uh or whatever. Yeah. 3.57% raise in the tax levy and a 1.54% change in the mill rate. But we know that number is not accurate because it does not include increase in value. So it's assuming your $390,000 house stayed at $390,000 since last year and that doesn't happen for anybody's houses. So uh the city can definitely help us that by municipality as well. >> Yeah. And can you go back to that slide five again, Ashley? The
098one that's right after this one. >> Yep. >> Just one more comment. Um, when we when we projected all this, we didn't we we did not include we we had a flat enrollment. Remember, I'm just I'm I'm being a broken record. We've talked about this probably a dozen times, but I want every time I get a chance to talk about this, feel like we have to bring it up. This this factors in declining enrollment. Now, we we put that into the plan. >> Um, what we think based on the population study that was done, when was that? Last year. >> Yes. um based on the population study, we kind of factored in declining enrollment. So that's all factored in here. And then the other big thing is, you know, remember what we went to referendum
099for. It was for retaining staff and making salaries more competitive. And the board made a really really concerted effort, not only last year, but just recently this earlier this year. Was it couple was it last month or the month before we finalized it? And and we went we went as far as we thought we could go with the dollars that we have with the intention of still staying within that range of that 28 29 where we were just about to fall below that threshold where we want to be with the 20%. And we feel like when we had those conversations at the workshop that 14% we we think there might be some opportunity to gain and try to keep that closer to 20. And so the board felt confident that going bigger on on salary
100increases to try to close that gap for the teachers and their and their competitive salaries against our peers in the middle border and and neighboring school districts. Uh we made a really we made a really concerted effort to try to close that gap as much as we could this year. We made some pretty significant changes and I I feel like that we did a really you know we we did the best we could with with what we had. So Ashley, great job. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Well, that's it. Information discussion is is >> Discussed. Yes. Uh so we can move back to recognition of visitors. Anybody at this time do be care to be recognized? No, she's slouching. Okay. All right. We're going to move on. Uh, the board will consider a motion
101to convene in close session under exemptions 1985 1C in the Prescott High School room C103. Is that over here? >> No, that's the new district office. Uh, back door number seven. >> Oh, that's right. Okay. All right. The district office, which is actually set right there. >> Uh, so we will consider a motion at this time. board. >> I move to convene in close section under exemptions 19.851C in Prescott High School, room C 103, the district office at 7:30 p.m. >> 7:30. All right, second. >> Sorry. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I opposed. That carries. We will reconvene in close session. coming out of closed. There may be a motion that the board will take an open session which will be in open session in C
102103. The door will be open. So if anybody wants to stick around and hear that, surely more than welcome to you. Thank you.