001No, you don't. But he was sort of asking you to do it in the email, but it's okay. >> Well, that's what I >> now he's changing. >> All right. Good evening. Welcome to tonight's regular board meeting, Monday, July 14th, 2025. We have met compliance with official notification. Roll call, please. >> Nick >> here. >> Sarah Schubert Mcome here. Ellie Men here. >> Katherine Dan here. >> Laura Gatski here. President Steve Olsen >> here. This time would all please rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> I 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. This meeting is a meeting of the board of education held in public for the purpose of conducting the
002school district's business and is not to be considered a public community meeting. There is a time for comments by members of the public during the meeting as indicated on the agenda. Members of the public wishing to address the board on any of the topics included on tonight's agenda may do so by completing a public comment signup sheet and handing it to the deputy clerk. The board requests refraining from making any comments involving personally identifiable information about students, staff, or administration. Comments should be respectful, focused on the items being considered by the board and will be restricted to three minutes in length. Action taken at today's meeting will be final approval unless otherwise noted. Our first agenda item, comments by members of the public. I'd like to welcome Kyle Smith. That was a cold just >>
003in the nick of time. >> Darn train. Uh yeah, thank you. Um start my timer. Um I wanted to try and just touch on two agenda items. One's the uh salary increase for admin that's on the agenda and I believe you did get email uh from Lee. Um and then if I can touch on the cell phone policy, but we'll see where I am for time. uh several uh teachers had reached out to me when they saw this this increase on certain positions and and I certainly don't I'm not looking to devalue any of our admin. Uh we have a fantastic admin uh team. Um I think the questions were of the timing of this uh on certain certain positions of 10,000 increase to 10 5,000 another 10,000 8,000 11,000 10,000 on that step five.
004So the timing I think we looked at the you all looked at the salary schedules of admin four to five years ago I think but I we we're not sure reached out to David um to get a little context of this um um I was hoping you're on vacation um but so I just wanted to hear kind of when you get to that agenda item uh kind of the rationale of the timing uh when we hear about you know our enrollment going funding at the state level, not where it needs to be. Funding at the federal level, especially special ed at a very questionable uh level to say the least. Um and so yeah, so I just wanted to hear, you know, the justification, the rationale um maybe it is to retain and be competitive
005uh with our admin. I feel like admin, we get great admin to come here because I know the district is strong. Um, so I guess that's what uh many of us are looking for when you get to that agenda item um about about the increase. Um, the other thing was just briefly I think you're taking out language of a cell phone policy because I think I saw that it doesn't match the student handbook language or something to that extent and it uh I just want to and I looked at the student language and it's the expectation you know is away for the day which I think all of us agree is a great thing. Um I I I wonder if at some point we could look at adding language of not only the expectation but
006what's the accountability or consequence uh in the student handbook as a start. I noticed we have expectations of riding the bus and it lists out things that are expected and then it also lists consequences as well. And I don't think in the student handbook there is really anything except a wave for the day. I know if you click in the link of the uh uh where where all the the uh guide or the statutes are that you get this from uh it's more specific. Yeah, thank you. It's more specific uh but in that student handbook. It's pretty >> good. Three seconds. >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Kyle. >> Kyle, did you need more time or are you good? I'll talk about that when we get to the BC. >> Okay. >> Just so folks, we
007can make a motion to add more time if someone if they still needed time or not. >> All right. Thank you. Our next agenda item, disposition of minutes from June 9, 2025. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second. Motion in a second to approve the minutes from June 9, 2025. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Action items. Annual superintendent report. It's a resolution. I need a motion for approval. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second. Motion in a second discussion. So I have to read the resolution for you and then we'll have discussion. Resolution 25-02 superintendent as designated representative. Be it resolved by the board of education of the school district of superior, Douglas County, Wisconsin,
008that Amy Starzki, district administrator, be designated the legal authorized representative to sign applications and to execute grant documents from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 for and on behalf of the school district in connection with federal and state public laws andor funding authorities and local public and private funding agencies that provide categorical funding support to the school district. >> Um, I have a discussion item and maybe it's a Molly thing or I'm not quite sure Amy too, but we changed all the language that used to have superintendent and our policies and I know like since I've been on here I feel like we've been trying to move away from superintendent language to district administrator which is what is more generally used from my understanding. When do we just what's the plan? And are we
009going to abandon that language or >> you mean YSO superintendent as designated rep? Is that what you mean? >> Why why do we use superintendent versus district administrator or is it the it's the same thing or do you keep both? >> I think they're virtually the same thing, >> right? >> Um I think that districts tend to you like to use the official title as district administrator so there's not confusion with state superintendent. >> Okay. Um, but ultimately the role that I sit in is superintendent, right? And so I think this resolution comes from past legal language and so this is an annual notice that we have to have the board approve every year. >> Okay. >> Um, you know, I use my official title is district administrator, but when I'm out often in public,
010I often use superintendent because people understand that better. >> Yep. Okay. >> So, I think they're interchangeable and I think it's okay to use either, but I tend to when it's more formal, I use district administrator. >> Okay. Thanks for the explanation. >> Molly, is there anything to add to that? >> Okay. But our policies, we put district administrator and then this resolution puts her as the >> I think we've been changing it as we have been doing. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Policies her contract we change from superintendent to district administrator. >> That's all I had. >> Any other questions or comments? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. The next action item, WIA membership renewal. Committee recommends approval of resolution 25-03, renewing WIAA membership for
011the 202522 school year. 26 school year. >> Motion to approve. Second. >> Motion. A second to approve resolution 253. resolved by the board of education of the school district of superior Douglas County, Wisconsin to renew membership affiliation with the Wisconsin intercolastic athletic association WIA for senior high school sports boys and girls for the 2025 2026 school year. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I oppose. Motion carries. >> Should we sing the school song now? >> We're from You >> should all know it. >> All right. >> Right. Kayla, you know. >> Any discussion? There were no discussion items. Noformational items. Amy, is there anything you want to add to your report at this time? All right. I would accept Oh, we don't there. Sorry. Um,
012next up our board committee reports, budget and insurance committee action items. Gifts, grants, and bequest. The committee recommends approval to accept gifts, grants, and bequests received in June 2025. And let's pull those up. >> I guess I'm doing >> the ones on the left. I just want to note on there that the the Amber and Matt Ostulin that actually came from the Osman family and Matt Malinkovich. >> Oh, so Matt Malinkovich is supposed to be added up there as well then. Okay. Will we fix that or where do we keep record of this like All right, I'll change it in the minutes. I'll not thanks an appreciate that generous donation for sure. And >> we received an email support of that also. All right. Is any further discussion hearing? None. All those in favor signify
013by saying I. >> I. Opposed. >> Motion carries. Action item authorizing pre-approved bills. The committee recommends approval of resolution 25-04, an annual resolution authorizing payment of pre-approved bills from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. Resolution 253 be it resolved by the board of education of hang on let's switch that over to 25-04 be resolved that the board is authorized to direct its representatives to certify for prepayment without further action of the board payrolls when due bills on which cash discounts may be obtained bills which require prompt payment to avoid penalties and other bills where timely payment is required and/or beneficial for district operations when properly approved by the district administrator. ator or designate for the period beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion a second
014to approve resolution 25-04. Is there any discussion? >> Is there a reason we do this once a year and then every month? What is the different? >> So this is the resolution that I have the authority to do it. What you see every month is actual the post approval of it and also it's for transparency sake. See what what >> any other questions or discussion hearing? None. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppos. >> Motion carries. There were no discussion items, informationational items, budget update. David, anything to >> um I know one more. We do have >> shared services >> by Olson Olsson comedy team checks up >> approval of shared services contract administration recommends approval of shared services contract for deaf/heart of hearing services >> motion to approve >>
015second >> motion second to approve the shared service contract it is with the school district of Solen Springs Amy on it >> I'll talk a little bit about it I'm going to ask David and Dina to add to this a little bit. So, um, one of the challenges that we have in special education is we don't always have the ability to reduce staff even when our needs are reduced. It's called maintenance of effort. I think the the rationale uh is that when budget cuts need to happen, the the government wants to protect special education is not the first place you go to balance your budget. So, I mean that I don't know. I think that's the rational. Um so uh we have had a decline in our case load for deaf of heart of hearing.
016Solen Springs is in need of some support. This gives us an opportunity to sell some of our services. Um he would stay fulltime. Um but it allows us to be able to share our services and then the times that he supports them, they uh will reimburse us for that that time. Um David, do you want to say anything more about that? I know Dena has an amendment she'd like to potentially make for this contract if possible. >> Yep. So, you know, and I work together to figure out what that rate should be to ensure that we're at least, you know, covering the full expense of what that employee is. And as Amy said, uh it's not something where you can make a reduction even in this area because the the federal government requires the maintenance
017maintenance of effort in which you have to keep spending the amount you've done in previous years. Um unless there's some exceptions like if somebody retires, you don't have to refill the position, but there's very few exceptions. So, >> and so this is an opportunity for us for get to get some revenue that we wouldn't otherwise be able to get. >> So, I know where's Dena in the podium. Okay. Do you want to talk a little bit about a potential change you'd like to make to this contract? >> Yeah, there was just an error in the the um hourly rate that we're charging it. It doesn't. And so, do >> you know where that is on what page, Dina? under four. >> Four. Yeah. Three right there. So that says 592 section 6388. That should be
018amended. >> So Dina is wondering if the board would consider a motion to amend to approve this with the accurate reflected rate of what did you say? >> 6318. >> And this also has to be approved by Solen School Board as well before this is official. So this is one step in the process. >> So I'll make a motion to amend the amount to include the fringe at $6318 an hour. Is that correct? >> Mhm. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second to amend the contract to reflect hourly service of 6318. $63.18 there. Any further discussion? >> This is for two years, correct? That's what I'm seeing on page four. Is this for two years? >> Two year contract. >> Just for one year. >> One year. >> This for the upcoming school
019year. >> Where do you see two years, Sarah? The top page four. This agreement shall become effective on August 1st, 2025, and shall continue in effect for a term of two years based on the need for services. >> So, should that be amended to one year? Yes, please. So, >> that would be up in there's a 25 26 26 27 all the way on the top, too. >> So, we can just generally say that this contract would be adjusted to reflect a one-year agreement, >> although it may go into a second year. >> Make an additional amendment to modify the contract to be one year for the next school year. >> Yeah. Motion in the second to amend the agreement shall become effective on August 1, 2025 and shall continue for one year to June
02030, 2026. >> This is the first time we've done this, so this is these are good questions. Um, we haven't had a contract like this before. >> Any discussion on that? >> So, we'll be supplying supplying that's a bad word. Um a member a member of our school district will be going to the Dolan Spring School District perform the duties of that's said for one year and then um if I remember right this person will be compensated for travel >> that's >> they do get their yeah they do get an hour of prep time and >> right on page three >> yeah but is Both ways or is it just the one way? >> One hour maximum. >> Person lives that direction. >> Right. Right. He does. Well, that person does. All right. >> All
021right. Any further discussion? >> Just curious. Do you know about how many hours throughout the year has that been? >> Three hours a week. the prep time. So yeah, it's not a lot >> but you know enough to support them and what they need. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Use one for both because that's going to that was some cost we had. So we're actually push someone and someone has a savings in the end as well. >> It would cost them a lot if they had to find someone or or rent um a contract out with a private. So this They had to go to seesaw. >> Yeah, they were asking >> great partnersh Mr. Hopky is good person to work with. >> All right. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify
022by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. There were no discussion items,formational items, budget update, David. >> So I just want to talk real quick about the state budget was just recently passed last week. Um so I heard a lot of people say, "Hey, we came out better at the end, right?" Um it's like instead of hitting us twice, they just hit us once. Um we do have to be thankful that we did get a larger increase in the spend reimbursement. So what that's going to do for Superior is that's an additional million dollars. it's going to be in reverse to the district uh for sped. Um they say it's at 42% but that's some certain so it's actually going to be 40%. Um so that that was a good thing. It was a
023step in the right direction but if everybody remembers 60% was the ask 90% is what happens on private schools. Um the per pupil revenue limit was increased by 325. Again that's a good thing that we had that. That's the state statute the the ether is veto. Um, unfortunately in my mind it's causing more harm than good to us, but at least 325 is better than nothing. It's below inflation, but we brought we got some money in. Um, the bad parts about it is on July 1, the general aid um estimates came out and Superior is looking at a 1 mill $1.8 million reduction in general aid. What that means is the state's going to give us $1.8 million less, which means property owners need to give us $1.8 million more. Um, on top of the
024reduction uh of aid going to Superior, there was a zero increase in general aid from the state of Wisconsin. What that means is that 325 is 100% the responsibility of property owners. Um it's it what that all entails then is we're going to see probably an 8% increase in our school tax levy. Um because the state's giving us less and the state didn't increase aid to begin with on that baseline. It's going to be across the state and it's going to be really bad for a lot of districts. We're actually better than a lot of them. Um so there are going to be some districts that are going to be really hurt by this. Um although our taxpayers are going to feel the feel the pain of it. Um other items that kind of slid
025under the radar, we saw a reduction or we didn't see a reduction. We get what's called a personal property tax exemption. Last year that was $700,000 and that was outside the revenue limit. They move that inside the revenue limit on these two things. Overall, we get $700,000 less because it's now inside the revenue limit. and two property owners are paying for that because aid didn't go up. Aid actually went out. So that's being pushed on to property owners. Open enrollment number that jumped by $1,500. So when somebody when a kid leaves our district and goes to West, we got to pay them $8,500 a kid. That's what we're paying this year. Next year we pay $10,000 a kid. Because of our vast size, we open and roll more kids out than we open and roll
026in. Because of that, that $1,500 increase is going to cost the school Superior School District $200,000. So just on that personal property tax and our open enrollment change, we just ate up over $900,000 from that million dollar new spend on special education. Um there was a zero increase on per pupil aid. That's something that hasn't been touched for now. This is the second budget in a row where it hasn't been touched. Um, and the lower the ceiling has is a zero increase. So, what that means is it it's still separating the halves from the half knots. And we are we can't get any lower than the $11,650. It's going to be out there and we'll be at $11,652. So, there's always going to be that that difference. So when I go online kind of one
027of the things I'm hearing people say is also school districts or school district are saying fully fund us fully fund us. The question that I see people asking is well how much they ask that question because not many people have that answer. Um my unofficial answer if I'm going on so I'm not as a representative school district but if I am out there I'm going to give three options. We can either do $12,342 because that'll be what the average is for the state after this 325 increase. We're at 11,650. The second second option is um 13,371. That's the same amount that a private school gets for a high schooler. Um or the other one is $14,032. That's to keep up with inflation since 1112. So not even 0909 the number is even bigger just to
028keep up with 11 and 1112 2011 2012 during act 10 where they right sized everything if they want to call that that's what that number would be. So when somebody comes in and says hey um you have less kids fine they go off the 14,000 because that takes into inflation and then you do your numbers in the background to say each kid you get $14,000. So, um, that's >> Is that sort of a gauge as to the mark that was missed? Is that sort of what I'm hearing you say? Like, this is what we needed and this is where we're at. >> Yep. Okay. >> So, they're So, starting 112, they say here's here's a $50 increase. Well, if you go off of inflation, that increase is actually $200 or $300. It just And it
029keeps growing and growing growing. So, um, those are the three numbers I want to look at it. Um, as I told the board before I try to leave you on a good note when I talk, one nice thing was the office of school safety was fully funded. I really like that program. I think it's a really good program and government actually asked for 12 people and they made it up to 13. Um, I think it's a really good thing that really helps our school district specifically, but all all kids. It makes kids safer at the end of the day. So, it's >> been one of the tools I think that truly saving lives across the state. Thank you. At >> least our voices were heard on that because a number number of letters were sent
030from this school district in support of that program. >> David, do you know how many people accessed that that web page? Other David, the legislative one that we did >> check with Casey. >> Yeah, I'm just curious if if we saw any movement from it or >> did ask Casey at one point. I don't remember what her response was because it was a while back, but I do want to I do want to provide an update. I am looking at compiling uh putting together a doc that's going to compile the federal reductions that are happening and the impact on our school district because the gains that we made with the referendum passing last fall are what we will lose um due to the losses that we're feeling at the federal level. So, I just want
031to be able to articulate how those funds were used and the impact that it's having on our local district. So, we'll we'll continue to provide those updates on our website. >> Have you also been receiving the mailers? Um there's like a homeowners property association that's been sending money about um >> see something I don't know the tax increases like David's talking about and how school funding shouldn't be put on >> property tax um owners. Yeah, property taxes. So, those have been interesting mailings that I' I've seen as well. They haven't reached out to us, but I have heard of them. >> Everybody just needs to tell people because I can't say that enough taxes are going to go out and people need to know that ahead of time. People need to know that it isn't
032our fault. It isn't school district's fault. I've already kind of seen stuff in the background where they're trying to spin that, oh, schools decided to increase it. choice. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions for David on the budget? >> And I suppose we're at the Fund 10 report where there really isn't much information on there. How did we do as far as last school year? >> This is last year's July. Okay. Um if you look at the revenue um down bottom, it's going to be short because we're still doing receivables. So we got to set claims and everything. We're actually going to come in a little above um our projected revenue. Part of that is the $700,000 in per personal property. There's the million dollar we got for the sale of Lake Superior. Um
033and then we had, you know, smaller I think we got more on ticket sales and things like that. So, um, it's all explainable on on the revenues. We'll be we'll be higher. We could do it on the on the side at least on our guessing. >> So, we're under for expenses, right? >> Yep. So, yeah. On the next one, we're under on expenses. That number is way low. Uh, the reason that number is way low is because I have not entered our um fund 27, special education transfer. That's going to be around $7 million. I haven't added in our fund 46 which our capital improvement transfer and I haven't included our fund 73 OPEC transfer all to take place by um fee or July 30th. So at that point in time that's when the numbers
034are going to be more solid. Um I have an audit coming my audit is supposed to be on first day of school. So um to the first students of school um that others will come you know present >> David is it safe to say that we've been working hard at least since I've been here for seven years um to every year contribute to our fund balance and continue to build that fund balance. So if there's um a hard year, you know, we've got that we've got that available to us. But as we continue to build the fund balance and as we do our budget projections into years three or four from now, it's going to be more challenging. And as a matter of fact, the board may need to make some decisions about whether we
035intentionally dip into that fund balance on a one time to balance. So I just want to continue to kind of say we've been building that up but there may be a time where the board want may want to intentionally >> I think the so the so the main reason that fund 46 and fun 73 transfers that would take place is I need to figure out how we're going to do it what we're going to put in for to the to our fund balance um what that surplus is going to be used for because once I put it into 73 or 46 it is gone that money is in it's stuck in there we can only use it for either capital improvements or for um postemployment benefits. One thing that I actually met with our actuary
036to figure out how we're looking on our post-employment benefits is the the our old right now is made up of um our implicit rate which is the additional amount we pay for health insurance because we have retirees on it and for the all the teachers hired before January 1 of 07 that get the HA payment. um those two that's like $10 million. So we need to make sure that money is sitting there and eventually going to have to pay that out. Um we're trying to fully fund that fun 73 expenses come through. I'm going to have to pull it from our fun 10. Either way, it has to be paid no matter what. If during any times right now where we have this $2.5 million referendum that we can put more money into that fund
03773 that's going to help in a year and two and three years from now when that referendum and the lack of state funding isn't even going to be able to cover our operational budget. Then I can make a reduction and say all right I'm not going to put a million dollars in postmployment benefit money away to 73. I'm going to spin it around and make sure that's for keeping teachers in the classroom first. lots of moving parts on it, but that's kind of >> I just think it's important we continue to talk about budget not on a one-year basis, but understanding kind of where David and I are visioning, you know, three, five years out, what this needs to look like. So, >> I think when I joined because it was right after the capital,
038we were like at 19. >> Yep. >> And that might have been when you jobing every year and we've done it really intentionally knowing that there may be some hard years ahead that we may have planned for. go back down. >> You should really take pride in the fact that we are one of the most fun districts in school in the state of Wisconsin. We're still able to contribute to our fun balance. Um keep an eye on some schools. The one that I'm really watching is Blo. They're in a bad place right now. Um so that's one I'm just watching. Man, that's they they couldn't pass a referendum and now their aid significantly dropped and that's all the fault of property owners and good luck and >> those districts will need to go to short-term
039borrowing to be able to pay payroll and things. Thank you, David. Any other questions, comments? There a motion to accept the budget insurance committee report. >> Motion to accept the budget and insurance report. >> Second motion second to accept the budget insurance committee report. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. Teaching and learning committee action items. Jennifer Willoughby, director of early childhood and family education, recommends the approval of the district English learner e plan, which is a >> good evening. Um, >> hang on a second. We got second. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion second to approve the action item for the approval of the district English learner EL plan. Sorry about that. Um I just wanted to give a
040little bit of information about the plan. Um last year our district joined the English learners consorcia through CISA 12. Um we had been with the previous CISA in the past but through joining um CISA 12 we've uh we've been able to attend a lot of professional development this year and have some additional trainings um which has been great um as I've learned this role. Uh we all one of the things we learned is that it's uh recommended that we have a detailed English learn English learner plan um that the board has approved outlining our process for identifying, evaluating, serving, and monitoring progress of our EL students. Um we've included information about unique circumstances and links to all of our documents that our EL team uses. Um in addition, we've began to create translated versions of
041documents for families that need or prefer this option. Um Leah Norton is our English learner teacher and she and I worked to create this plan. Uh it's aligned with DPI's um EEL handbook and it's going to be used as a reference and a guide for students, families, and staff. So I think it'll be very helpful and useful to have everything all in place. Um and I just want to say this plan is really a reflection on our current practices and we have an amazing EL team. Leah Norton, as I said, is our teacher. Chris uh Pastone is our EEL care professional. They've worked really well together really hard to serve our Yale students over the years. So, it's been great to work with him. Do you have any questions for >> I appreciate the work
042you've done on it. It's pretty extensive the things that you had to do. But >> Jen is very good at the details and being comprehensive. So, it's really nice job. >> What are our numbers? >> Question. Good question. Uh I think I so I haven't looked at it since last spring uh few months ago now, so numbers are escaping my brain, but I want to say we're at like 20. >> Yeah, it's 22 in this plan. >> Thank you >> approximately. >> Okay, perfect. Any other questions? Thank you. >> Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppos. Motion carries. There were no discussion items. Informational items. Crystal. >> Um, this is an annualformational item, but I thought I'd just uh come up here in case our
043new members had any questions about this. So it is in state statute and then of course in a district policy of ours that we annually notify families and students of the standards that we teach. And so we are required on each July board meeting to provide you with anformational item about those standards. Um there is a link to a document with all of the links to the standards uh that are set by DPI and um this information is all also found on our website so families or community members could find that at any time. Do you have any questions? >> It's a very loaded document. It is. >> So if if if uh parents or guardians have questions, who would they call you? >> Yep. >> Okay. Or their teacher. >> Yeah. >> Perfect. >>
044Or their principal. >> Yep. And to make it a little bit digestible, we in addition to obviously this document with all these links have kindergarten through fifth grade curriculum guides on our website that are kind of a more digestible nice document about all the things students learn in first grade math, first grade social studies, science. We also have a middle school curriculum guide that has a description of what the students at the middle school learn in grades six through eight in each of the classes they take. And then of course we have our high school of course catalog. So while not everyone's interested in the big long sets of standards, we do have other digestives documents for families if they'd like them. >> Are they alongside each other on the website? >> They are in
045the same spot. Yep. >> Okay. >> Is there a motion to accept the teaching and learning committee report? >> Motion to accept the teaching and learning committee report. >> Second. Motion in the second to accept the teaching and learning committee report. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I oppose. Motion carries. Policies and rules committee action items. Administration proposes the approval of changes to the following policies based on the recommendations in order to be in compliance with state andor federal law updates. First one, adoption of policy 2260-02, English language proficiency. Motion to approve. >> Motion in a second. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. >> Motion carries. Adoption of replacement policy 2464, advanced
046learning instruction, gifted and talented. This policy replaces the existing policy to account for significant revisions. The replacement policy includes new provisions based on statebased statutory language and administrative regulations from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. This policy was developed with the assistance of the Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted WATG. Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion a second to approve replacement policy 2464, advanced learning instruction. Is there any further discussion? >> I just wanted to point out Amy Patel is here. You did a lot of work on this. So, thank you and supported Crystal in getting this updated. So, thank you for doing that. Thank you. >> Thanks, Amy. >> Am I reading this right? This hasn't been updated since 1997. >> Um, maybe. administrative guidelines would have been updated but the official policy
047>> hadn't been >> and I think some change in statute sparked this change in policy correct yeah >> and most of the that change was about the involvement of families in the conversation to be sure the students needs are met >> there's we don't go like once we get updates that's usually the time that we update them and yeah >> the other thing I just want to point out just like um Jen just shared with you kind of a handbook around EL programming. I think your plan next month, Crystal, is to share a guide book that you put together that that kind of demonstrates how we will be implementing this gifted and talented policy. Alongside that, there is an administrative guideline that accompanies this that we will likely be bringing forward for deletion because it
048doesn't really align to this. But the handbook that she will be bringing forward will provide those same sort of guidelines and more practical usage. So you'll see this conversation continued into August. >> And that handbook is actually already posted on our website to access if they want. >> I know we did have a parent reach out you know asking more information about our advanced learning instructions and you know what are all the options that we have and the website was a good place to refer them to. >> And I think the book that you put together is going to be even more comprehensive. Yeah. Thanks. >> All right. >> Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. Adoption of policy 5136, electronic equipment and wireless
049communication devices. Changes in this policy align with our cell phone expectations in our student handbook. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion a second to approve policy 5136 electronic equipment and wireless communication devices. >> So >> discussion >> um one of the things uh it was about three years ago where we worked with a group of teachers and principles to put some new guidelines in place for cell phone expectations 6 through 12. Uh we weren't really sure how this was going to play out. Um over time it's been a success. I think one of the questions um Kyle uh raised I think um Aaron Fezi and I were talking about needing potentially to add some language to our internal systems on what are the consequences for students who um are repeat offenders I think
050is his greatest question. Um and so kind of talking a little bit more about that. That's kind of aside from this policy conversation. Um, so we didn't change the policy when we were brought those changes forward really because we weren't quite sure how this was going to play out. Um, we recognize now that this is probably a new way of life and many districts across the state of Wisconsin are adopting similar practices that we adopted three years ago. As a matter of fact, they ask for our our resources often. Um and so this policy revision reflects those changes now that we have been um implementing for the last three years. Um there is an accompanying uh uh administrative guideline that you're going to see um later in here. It really doesn't align to our cell
051phone practices. Our cell phone practices are really articulated well within our code of conduct. We don't feel like this is necessary. On a side note, one of the things Ann and I are noticing is that as as policies, we've changed a lot of policies over the last 18 months. As we've been changing policies, we haven't necessarily been changing the administrative guidelines and some are outdated and unneeded. So Ann and I in the next probably couple months are going to start looking at which administrative guidelines do not have policies that align to them. So you might see some coming forward that will be asking for deletion because there's no policy that accompanies them or will made maybe need to make some revisions. So that needs to get cleaned up a little bit and this was one
052of the things that we saw need to get cleaned up. >> This addresses that there could be consequences but it's kind of vague. >> The code of conduct will be where the consequences this is just outlining the fact that we don't allow the use of cell phones during our instructional time in our our classrooms. >> Right. It says there will be consequences policy. It's just not >> but they're not spelled out. Yeah. We all work with the principles to kind of figure out what that language is, our internal controls so that we are consistent across our schools with that >> policy versus procedures because procedural a sixth grader versus you know a 12th grader we we don't want to get that detailed in there. >> Right. Right. Hopefully that helps answer the question. >> Any
053further Excuse me. >> Does that answer your question? Okay. >> There any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I >> opposed. Motion carries. There were no discussion items,formational items. The district student handbook has been updated for 202526 and you can click on the link to view that handbook. The otherformational item we are deleting administrative guideline 5518 cell phones electronic communication devices. is the guideline is being removed because it its content does not align with the most current cell phone expectations and policies in the East New Handbook. >> I'll make a motion to accept the policies and rules committee report. >> Motion and second. >> Is there a second? Motion to second to accept the policies and rules committee report. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify
054by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Personnel Negotiations Committee action items. Administration recommends approval of July 2025 new hieries and separations report. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion in a second to approve the new hieries and separations report for July of 2025. >> Are still hiring for some open positions. So you'll see some more. >> What's open, Molly? We have a social studies teacher at the high school, math teacher at the high school, school counselor at the school and which I do have a candidate to offer for that position, right? And then the health teacher at the middle school and then I'll be posting with a support staff position so professionals and then we have a couple library assistant positions this week. >> How about the bus um situation? bus drivers
055we still posted and there's so >> great a few custodian jobs still that we need to hire for. >> Okay. >> And one early childhood special. >> Yes. >> Oh, sorry. >> That's okay. >> Spread the word. >> All right. Thank you. >> Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. >> Motion carries. Administration recommends releasing James Hogan, social studies teacher from SHS from his 2526 school year contract for his request effective June 30th, 2025 with the liquidated damages provision in force. >> To approve second >> a second to approve releasing Jim James Hogan from his teaching position, school district of superior. There any discussion? we all received an email from him whether you expressed anything to him individually or as a group. Um Jim was one
056of our best teachers I thought in the school district and the number of things that he did for us over the school year was exemplary. Um Ashland is is getting a a fine man, a mentor, a coach and a parent. So our loss but but their game there. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I opposed. >> Motion carries. Administration and the personnel negotiations committee recommend the updated salary schedule for administrations effective July 1, 2025. >> To approve, >> second to approve the updated salary schedule for administration effective July 1, 2025. Discussion. >> Um, can I provide a little of context? >> Sure. >> Uh, I'm relying on David Molly to help, but um, just a little bit of background. Um it was probably four years ago or
057so where we had to make some adjustments to the salary schedule trying to um do a comparison study at that time. We particularly compare ourselves to the Big Rivers conference. Um but at that time it was sparked by the fact that our administrative team saw some significant cuts in the benefit package that we could no longer sustain over the long term. So, it was trying to um increase pay to attract principles into our district, but try to maintain some of the benefits to to sustain and maintain our our our current administrative staff. Um over time, um concerns have been raised um at listening sessions and among district leadership. We've seen some inequities within the salary schedule itself. Um there's some there's some things that have been kind of um uneven within the salary schedule itself.
058Um and the board tasked us recognizing there was concerns and recognizing we didn't have a lot of turnaround last spring before the changes were made at the April handbook. They tasked us with two things. One is to look at a comparison a comparison study using the big rigorous conference again as our our comparison districts and also bring forward potentially something that u moves away from a step schedule as an option for potential employee groups moving forward. So, what you have here is that um work that we've done to move away from a step schedule, but also try to um bring us closer to the average of the Big Rivers Conference for comparable um employee employee groups. Uh we're still not at the average, but this gets us a little bit closer. Um, we've lost two
059principles last year to a neighboring district whose salary is significantly higher but yet work less weeks than our current administrators. And we've also posted for an IT director. We have only two applicants and we were not able to hire a position under that current salary schedule. Um, considering that we only not only compete with other school districts for that position, but we compete with other industries also when we talk about IT directors. Um and so this um is a is kind of uh what we're bringing forward based on those conversations. We did meet with a personnel committee to get their feedback. You guys are certainly you know can share kind of your feedback on that. Molly and David, do you have anything you want to add? I think uh also with that part of it
060was I went in there we looked at how the teachers compared on the big rivers conference as well and they were ask um one thing that's different for superior teachers as opposed to in the big rivers is how quick they get to step 13. So sometimes we see that the max the step 13 max is lower than say what the step 13 max is in chip wall falls. The difference is every single year a teacher goes up one step in the superior school district. Majority or a lot of the other school districts it goes off educator effectiveness which means they get a step every three increase every three years. So when we max out after 13 years for a teacher chip falls for example they don't max out until about 30 years. So over the
061life of a teacher at Superior, they'll make $190,000 more because they max out quicker. And then it isn't until, you know, really late in the career that Chip Falls also start catching up because they're now making a larger salary than our person that position, but that's because it just got anything you want to add? Just to go back to when we did the the scales in the 2122 school year and reduced the benefits, not every administrator position increased that year. Um so not everybody got an increase even though they did get benefits taken away. So again to reiterate to make it equal, we needed to increase the salaries again because we're falling behind again since we didn't increase all of them before. And I think moving to a salary range is able to help retain
062some of the administrators that we have is you look in other industries most management type positions are paid on a salary range not a step schedule. So, >> so step five doesn't necessarily equate to a maximum salary schedule on here, right? There's going to be a significant uh amount within >> then I assume that's going to be quite a bit of work on your part. >> Okay. Comparing the apples and apples and oranges and apples. I um so I believe within seven years again at the I've been on and off the board that during this time we have um adjusted the teacher salary at least once. We did the same for support staff and then now like you said this has been a long-term conversation and just of waiting knowing this needed to happen but
063that a lot of other things took a front row seat and so we just kept putting this on the back burner that's is that correct about the different scales right for the different groups >> and I think we did almost every single position with the support staff y over the course of the last >> right and we've adjusted some our professional staff as needed with some specific positions as we've got hired or had to redo job descriptions and things. We've adjusted that >> like we took some of the folks off of the admin into professional. Yes. >> Yeah. >> So the question is then how are we going to afford this? I mean just for the public sake. >> Yeah. >> So the salary increase it's about $171,000. That's a high-end estimate because I just
064based everybody on a max because just to make the numbers round and that's not going to happen. Um, and in that preliminary budget that I presented a month or two ago, that was worked in because I wanted to make sure that I had conservative numbers. You know, this was passed or wasn't passed. I needed to make sure that it's easier to pull the money away than it is to add it in. So, that's already been baked in. So that's a one time large adjustment I mean it's just the um CPI increase that we place out. So >> there's no step increases that would happen as a result of this salary range. Uh the only increases administrators would get would be any CPI increases that you provide on annual basis. >> CPI >> um consumer prices
065the yeah the inflationary piece. Yeah. >> So this goes in place as of July 1. And this came out of the listening sessions which we've been trying to across the board implement track of. Yes. What are the recommendations and trying to make progress towards those when possible. >> Yeah. We're not able to always right address everything, but >> and and prior to our new members coming on, we we've had conversation and I don't necessarily know that we've really uh echoed that with this group yet, but we were committed as a group long before this to take good look at at at all the areas support and the professional staff and really taking a look at our teaching staff and and where they are. It's it's it's hard to I want to be careful what I
066say because for many years in this school district there was a us versus them attitude and and and the last few boards have worked very hard of making sure that we we are collectively one and us taking time I think us and I mean us as the board now and perhaps in the future taking a look explicitly at each one of the groups trying to help out as much as we can. Our pot of money is so much less. However, that that doesn't mean that we should not be looking at making improvement monetarily and perhaps uh in other areas to make sure that not only we are ensuring our kids in this district that that they have everything they need, but trying to make sure that we have the opportunity to provide all of you
067with with what you need. It's >> so off there. I will say too that our admin team is pretty darn lean, >> whereas there's a lot of districts that have assistance and more assistance and you guys are doing one or two people's jobs. >> We've really tried to cut back on a number of FTE at the administrative level, >> right? >> But we're we're we're about as lean as we can be now at this point. So I think the financial aspect you guys are already cognizant of that and and made cuts internally here >> and I think we've been kicking the can long enough. We just need to rip the band-aid off and forward and give the admin team what they need. >> This has been one salary schedule that's been very um significantly discrepant
068from their peers as opposed to our other employee groups. So >> I just wanted to say that really mean >> these people are doing a ton of work >> that other districts they have two or three people doing. >> Are there any other groups that are inequitable that would need to be looked at as well that we have to plan for for the future? >> I know when we met um as a personnel committee do you mind if I say your name? Sure. That Sarah asked one of the questions. Um, is it possible that we look at whether we do scales for at least the professional and the support staff? That might be an option. And so that's something uh David, Molly, and I can try start drafting. But I would like to have some
069listening sessions with those employee groups in the fall and winter and and ask answer questions, give them more context. Um, we met with administrative staff this summer as we talked through this so they understood kind of what how the salary scale is different than the salary steps. Um, and so obviously there's always the ability to have that conversation what that needs to look like for the long term for our teacher employer group too. So, and like David talked about as far as how rapid our steps are versus other districts. Um, we also had a year where >> um the teachers union, we we had a certain pot of money and they had voted to put it at the last step. So then we had kind of disjointed steps as well. So, it's just it's always
070changing and it is something like you said that we should be checking in on a regular basis and long-term planning around. >> Any other comments or questions? >> Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I opposed. >> Motion carries. There were no discussion items and noformational items. Motion to accept the personnel negotiations committee report. Second. >> Motion second to accept the personnel negotiations committee report. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Other reports by members of the board. First of all, Mr. Wilson. Understand it's your birthday. It's >> us. Well, happy birthday to [Music] you. >> Oh, look at his face. >> Um, on a serious note, I I do have one thing. Um, on Saturday the 19th, um,
071at 1 p.m. at the atrium at the, uh, government center building in the city of Superior, there will be a peace rally in honor in a memorial for Kim Young. Her grandchildren have gone through our school district. Um, she had passed away a little over a month ago. um she's done a lot on behalf of equity and diversity um for the community, the Twin Ports area, but also was very active in our school um in our school district. So, I just want to invite folks in there um uh to join us again 1:00 on Saturday. And um thanks to Kim for her amazing advocacy and her daughter Tasa actually graduated um this past year. So, or in June. >> Any other reports by members of our board? >> Just that we're summer school is in
072full swing. There's been I just Jen has done a really nice job trying to get some different options for kids out there. I know we've got like a Spartan manufacturing boot camp coming up. We're doing nth grade orientation stuff at the high school to bring in some summer school revenue and doing some fun things. So, thanks Jen. It's been good. any district or program highlights. Sorry, >> I was just saying I'm very excited about Spartan manufacturing. >> Yes, very excited. [Laughter] >> Super other district and program highlights. Just a notice that the board is holding a retreat on Monday, July 28th from 5:00 to 7:00. I believe it'll be here in this building. Is that accurate or >> here? Okay. >> Okay. There will be dinner. >> All right. >> Jamie, are you doing it?
073>> No. [Laughter] >> Happy birthday. I think that's >> really thank the directors because you're you're here tonight and that some of you will join us on the 28th as well. Amy and I are developing an agenda which will get out to each one of the board members so you can see what what the plan is. >> I did send a message out to our directors planning for that date so to be prepared and ready to go. >> And finally, consideration of bills and pre-approved bills. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Motion second to pay the bills. There any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Oppose. Motion carries. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion to adjourn. >> Motion a second to adjourn. Roll
074call, please. >> Sean, I >> m. This meeting is closed. Thank you very much everybody for being here. Maybe don't run away yet.