001I move to >> Approve the agenda as presented. >> Second. Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carries. U. Is there anybody that wants to do public comment? Okay. I just pulled my little sheet out, but I don't know where I put it. If you would like to speak for public comment, each person has three minutes and it's their time alone and cannot be passed on to anyone someone else's time. If you have concerns or comments about individuals, those are not appropriate during public comment times. So, please don't say anything that would identify circumstances or a person or a group of people directly by what you say. Be respectful. People on Zoom are welcome to join public comment. Please put your name in the chat. Who do we have? Heidi. >> Um, I had
002some comments regarding the some of the policies that are coming up on the agenda for the reading. Um, one of them, the policy 2464. It was the identification of uh gifted students. There was a section in there I think should be deleted and it's quote the identification process and tools shall be responsive to factors such as but not limited to pupils economic conditions, race, gender, culture, native language, developmental differences, and identified disabilities. Um, I don't I think that gifted has to do with the mind. it doesn't have anything to do with race, gender, culture, native language, developmental differences, or identified disabilities. So, that's there. And then also under gifted um it should um policy 2464. I think it should also refer just to gifted instead of adding talented in there too because gifted is talented.
003And then there's another section in that policy under uh title documentation and evaluation said the district administrator no longer would report effectiveness and the data analysis to the school board. And I'm wondering why not because if we're having this program and we're selecting students and measuring the progress and results in any way the taxpayers have a right to know what's being done. And then for policy 5512 under tobacco, there's something mentioned about ceremonial use. I don't I thought in Wisconsin you couldn't smoke um under 18, but I might be mistaken on that. And it says quote discourages suspension expulsion. To me, if you have a rule, then you enforce it. It's not well, you know, maybe maybe not do that. People don't they're not going to respond to may. Um, under policy 8395 where it
004says uh student mental health services, I'm wondering why you're adding physical to the mental health part. Um, and I'm wondering if that has anything to do with uh with gender dysphoria or sex change procedures, that being a physical part. I'm just wondering if if you're trying to put that in there. If so, I wouldn't think it would be appropriate. Um, under policy 8531, free and reduced price meals, I'm figuring the taxpayers have a right to know who's getting the meal, their students or staff. Under the policy 8600, transportation, it's about putting disabled and non-disabled peers together. I can see where this might not always work well depending upon um the disability involved and that's what I had for oh uh just a couple things 2415 on the agenda I think is a typo it should
005be 2416 from what I could see and 6605 was on the agenda for crowdfunding but it's not in the link and 8510 was on the agenda for wellness and that is not in the link with the edits at least I couldn't find it so thanks Jo is there anyone else thank you um we'll go next to the communication for the superintendent let's go now so we had a really interesting first day of school which I know you're all very familiar with um a power outage at 8:10 a.m. Students didn't miss a beat. Staff didn't miss a beat. Uh they just kept right on going and we moved them to areas where there was daylight outdoor spaces. Came up with a great solution for lunch. I commend Ivy and Chandra on all their quick thinking and
006like steadfast desire to like keep moving the day forward. So, uh, it was a it it turned out to be a really positive and and great day and I think I'm sure very memorable for everyone. >> And we made the paper today. I checked last week. >> So, yeah. Um, we'll have to check that out as well. So, uh, kudos to everyone who our staff, our students, our administration, our support staff. Uh, everyone just rallied together and did amazing things. Uh we have strategic planning starting uh the process next week for one evening and a full day and then another date in October. So really looking forward to revisiting our current goals, revamping things a bit, determining our direction and focus for the next five years. And then the last Oh, I want to share
007something that I'm planning to do moving into October monthly in my report. I'll include enrollment and attendance data for the board um kind of for the month by grade level. So you can compare numbers because there's been lots of discussion around enrollment. How is that kind of impacting us? What does that look like? And then the attendance rate has also been a topic. So Heidi and I are working on a a report and we'll make sure we get that to you to kind of shift into some datadriven uh aspects of the reporting and then I just want to walk through uh a preliminary budget that's more finalized. So we presented you a budget um before July 1st, but now that we have our numbers much more solidified, the state has released u more information. we
008can kind of walk through this ahead of the annual meeting in the event that you have some questions. We can then um bring those answers in October which is not very far away. So if you all I think there were extras for everyone to grab if they wanted uh to kind of follow along. Uh so the first line on the sheet under general fund 10 is the fund balance the first two lines actually. So it gives the ending fund balance on line two or technically it's the third line now. Um and you can see that last year we were at $582,56.79 and we were able to add um due to our health insurance premium savings to our fund balance and now we're at $9713148. So, a much better improved number. Um, getting closer to that
0091.2 which is where we were. Um, >> I just want to add there was also a lot of work on your behalf, not just the health insurance for us to get to to increase that fund balance. >> Yeah. And Janet who was instrumental in correct working her magic. >> Thank you for doing that. >> Absolutely. Um under revenues and other financing sources you can see we have uh you can see the unodudited uh 202425. You look the audited 2324 is the first one and then we're projecting for our 2526. So you can kind of compare the three columns and you can see our local sources. Um, we will have a tax increase due to the 325 per pupil, but we receive no additional equalization paid. Um, so you'll see that number go up, but you'll
010also see other numbers below go down to kind of even things out. Uh, interd district. >> Can I just clarify something on that a little bit? Go ahead. >> Yeah. the $325. Um, if you remember last when um, Governor Eers did the line item by veto and made it so that there was $325 per student for the next 400 years. >> Correct. >> Well, the way they did it was by not financing it through the state, but it allows the district to add that to the tax levy. So, then they didn't give us a raise, but what it does is increase our tax levy. and we didn't have any say in that. It was just the way that was handed down to us. So that's kind of a >> right. So no additional aid to
011offset the 325 that's coming from taxpayers for people. >> Thank you for clarifying that. Uh interd district payments that would be open enrollment in and any sports co-ops that we um receive funding for. You can see we've had um an increase in that going into this year which is going to be helpful. Uh intermediate sources 500 that those are some grants through CISA 12 and Janet said as of right now it's just too much of an unknown to include those numbers in the budget but she'll add them once she has more uh information. our state sources. That's our state equalization aid. Uh and that is reduced because our assessed value, our property values in Washurn, our municipalities and our city all increased. And so when that happens, of course, the aid that we receive goes
012down. So that's why you see a decrease in that number, but an increase in that uh local source number, the actual tax increase, the lobby that we went over a minute ago. Uh federal sources, uh Janet did explain if you look at 2023 24, that number is significantly higher, but that was still when we had some ESER dollars that were um offsetting the COVID time. And so the 2425 was a little more up without those extra dollars, the 290. Um, but we're now down to 232 for this year because of the decrease in title two and title one. So we're working on how we're going to recover that. And then all other sources um is the health insurance premium that was not paid. That's just part of that health insurance piece that we worked through
013and we're not going to do this trust any longer. So you see the total revenues and other financing there for us. Uh any questions on the revenue side? Sort of where those numbers fall. So fun 10 will jump down to expenditures. So instruction uh is going to be our staffing uh costs and you can see we've decreased those costs over the last three years those expenditures uh as well as our support services and uh same with our non-program transactions. So, we really made it a priority to spend funds uh responsible on needs and not wants. And then the the reduction in health insurance premium also helped carry over to this fiscal year. So, that's what we're looking at for our expenditures. And you can see there's balance, our revenues side. Uh if we go down
014to special project fund. So the beginning balance, this one is a little bit interesting. You have a beginning balance, the fund balance, the ending fund balance, and then it gives you the revenues and expenditures that happened. Um those are all fundraising accounts for athletics and co-curricular activities. So those are all self-supporting. Um they're just kind of cyclical accounts. special project fund fund 27. Of course, that's a transfer. So, you can see um how much we had to uh move within uh the fun 127 and we did see a reduction for this year and that was partly due to the health insurance cost going down for staff and why that pre why that 1.4 is so much less. We also have um some savings with some of our staffing like an aid versus a teacher um
015and also our speech and language. Um our debt service fund. This is all referendum funds in terms of the borrow and the payment. And Janet would definitely be the person to talk to more in depth if you have questions about um all of that. But you can just see that we clearly in 2324 we were paying an expenditure for the new playground equipment um at the elementary school and I think is sort of what that money that 150 and I believe we pay that each year until 202 I think is right. So that 150,000 is embedded in 2425 and 2526 with the additional referendum dollars. Uh capital funds project that is uh where we would place dollars for capital projects and 2324 that was exhausted and then 2425 is the sale of bonds and the
016referendum spending will be housed in that account. uh food service fund that ends up you know having to balance out and equal zero each year our revenues and our expenditures. So we do we have reduced from four full-time food service workers to three with assistance from some mushroom supervisors and we are um working on food processing charges that were eliminated through our commodities order scratch cooking we're working on implementing more of that and we're working on increasing our participation rate so food service is definitely an area we continue to work in and I feel like we're making great progress and then ELC That's our community service fund weight room. So we've kind of um combined a few different things. So community service fund 80 includes the early learning center weight room equipment which we're also
017hoping will become a little bit self-sufficient for some of the people that are utilizing each month. Uh football field renovation and our middle level sports we've actually moved into from the 80. um as long as they're um all students are allowed to participate, we can use that fund to um support that. So you can see our beginning balance, our ending fund balance again, revenues and expenditures in that account. And then you can see all of the funds, the gross expenditures, inter fund transfers, and just kind of the the change from one year to the next, which she said the 15.46 is uh you know, referendum like that large increase looks large, but it's really the referendum dollars that's making it look that way. It's not because we're spending 15% more. I almost feel like we
018should almost pull that out, you know, just to see the comparison like actual to actual versus the referendum dollars. So, uh, and then you can just see the the, um, proposed tax levy and how that will all shake out, uh, the tax increase due to the 325 per pupil for the general fund, but no additional equalization aid. And then the very bottom where it says percent increase, um the 202425 increase was due to that first levy for the referendum and then having flat aid, but it should level out thereafter because it was that one time now that we're going to be like continually receiving that money as part of the referendum. That will level out. >> All right. Nice job. Yeah, >> I've learned Janet Janet, she's a great teacher. We're working together. So, I
019just wanted to walk through this worksheet with all of you. So, ahead of the annual meeting, we can look it over. If you have additional questions, Janet will of course be there for that meeting. We'll dive in a little deeper um and break some things out for you all, but feeling really good about where we're at for 256. Um, can I can I make a statement comment? Um, I appreciate your acknowledgement of like all of the work that you did and you mentioned in your report like expenditures, you know, like we're really like honing into the needs versus the wants. And I just want to take a little bit of like pause and just remember that like we still have kids who aren't reading at a proficient level and who aren't excelling in math. And
020so for you to say like needs versus wants, I think that like the wants are probably needs. >> Oh yeah. >> You know, just to make sure that we all recognize that we are like generally underfunded to make sure that students succeed. That's just kind of what >> Yes. Like always doing more with less is >> Yeah. Right. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. And I think that's a better way to to say like we've just been doing more with less and we had to really like really do that this year. last year like I think you guys have done a tremendous job. >> Yeah. >> Well, it's a team. It takes a village. So, it's the combination of all the amazing staff and and all the decisions and conversations. There were a lot of them. So
021hopeful we can get ourselves back in a mode of feeling less like we're doing as much as we are without >> Yeah. Can I ask you the first day in the darkness? >> Don't our solar panels have batteries? >> That is a great question. >> Do what have batteries? Well, they do gather energy in batteries, but I don't know if we can tap into them. >> They're tied in. >> I don't know how they're sent. I think the power is collected and then it must be >> I don't know if we can like tied in like >> I just had that question because um friend of mine has solar panels also and she said, "Well, we weren't because we just used our battery, >> right?" >> So, I was thinking, >> "Oh, and just like
022turn it." >> Yeah. I don't know. >> I want to find out how. Do either of you, Shander, or Ivy, know that ins and outs? I know. >> They're tied directly to the um I believe said it was going to be like several thousand more inverters and all the power. Okay. >> Be way cheaper just to put it directly to the grid. >> Okay. >> I know the batteries are expensive. I really couldn't hear everything Cody said, but just you just said that it went into the grid. >> Yeah, it goes directly into the grid. It doesn't go like to the schools. Like I guess Homer was saying it's going be like way more expensive to hook it like to get the inverters and the batteries and all of that is going to be like
023way more cost and not be cost effective. >> Yeah, great question. >> Well, that that is a very good question. Yeah, because in a moment Well, the the other question is kind of the generator factor, right? Is it >> and I didn't think of the solar panels to be honest. We were just talking generator when it all happened, you know, is that >> but how often does it happen and not, you know, I think that's why everyone kept just walking and no one really stopped because I think we all just thought it was going to come right back on, right? And >> so it was like, oh wait, the power's out. And then we just But then it stayed out and then everyone was like, there's something going on. But you know, sometimes you get
024those blips and it just comes back on. >> Nice to happen now. The weather's nice. You know, a great day so that you can prepare for if it happens again in the like depths of December. >> Yes. And also the first day. So no one had a Chromebook anyway. So all the first day things mostly are without technology. Um and so it's no one was scrambling to find like a lesson that they could do because everything was pretty much without anyway. So they just kept all their first aid things >> and the cherry on top was finding out it was caused by a squ. >> Yeah, that's funny. >> You know, it it would not hurt because we've had those for quite a while. It wouldn't hurt to check on what it would be to
025have a battery because they're not as expensive with as they were when they first started >> and it's, you know, the they're just a little bit easier to use now. And um it would be a great backup, >> you know, and sustainability they put because I know that there's they're doing a whole system because they got quite a big grant for it and and they're trying to do it so that it's sustainable for people so that you know there's going to be places like I know the town of Washington is getting the solar and they'll have a battery so that you could go there and power up your bones or whatever. Um, so it was just the idea that sustainability it might be something worth looking into. >> Absolutely. >> As a hub >> and
026I'm wondering would it only impact the elementary school? There are some here but >> the majority are in that there's that field there. So I wonder >> would it be shared or would it just be >> I'm sure it could be shared but I think we should I think it would be a good idea to check that out. >> Dr. with Bill Bailey. He's the guru on solar. >> Okay, I will leave that. I will not >> question Ellen. >> Anything else today? >> No, that was it. >> All right, >> thanks everyone. >> We'll go on to the summer school report. >> Yeah, get your readers on for your summer school update. >> Did you get a copy of this? >> Okay. Um, so what I I want to start with the fact that
027like the classes the teachers are coming up with like they're so energetic and enthusiastic and they get the kids out moving and um I mean so tied to learning but just the level of engagement is just awesome and so that's all on the staff and it really was another wonderful summer of learning and fun. Um so you can go through maybe you can see maybe you can't but down I kind of got an average of numbers from each week and overall I mean it ranges between um the last week as a low at about 135 and the top week I think we had about 160 160 kids so give or take probably on average about 145 kids coming through every week. um the boost program service 35 kits and then you can see in very
028well I keep saying and you can't see I'm really sorry about the print I did send this um via email to everybody but um June breakfast there were 649 breakfast served um 155 lunches and then for the month of July 1,178 breakfast and 2,168 lunches to students and of Um the food is open so if people want to bring in children in the community to come in and eat they can do that as well. >> Did you see that happen very often or do you know? >> Oh yeah. Every day there's people who kind of make it part of the routine to walk in and bring their kids for lunch. >> Good. Um, would that be like families who are already have kids who are enrolled and they would eat lunch or they would just
029come in off the street like they maybe weren't enrolled in summer school but they would come in and eat? um >> just like that anecdotal I know but >> generally um it we would either see probably parents who are coming in whose kids are maybe enrolled and they're bringing in younger kids to eat >> and then um >> there was a family that >> some of it's a lot of like some of the kids are enrolled and then it's the family coming maybe to pick up the kids and bringing the other kids to eat >> families who are homeschooled or attend other schools in the in the community but live in the Washurn school district >> and then we do have high school students coming in and out to complete complete um course work >>
030and from the emails I think we had about five completions. So that would be students who are able to bring their grade up to passing. Um and then of course, you know, the lunch is open through high school. So sometimes those kids will stop in. But >> Nice. >> Thanks. You do you have any idea how those numbers compared with last year's or was it a >> pretty similar? Yeah. And I could get you I've got the numbers now for a few years, but it's >> I'd say it's pretty similar. It hasn't been like a big drop or a big increase. >> Okay. >> All right. I I I think you need more than that. I just wanted to know kind of where it was. >> Yeah. Steady. Um and then the other thing just
031a shout out to our students who always impress me. Um there were a number of different activities where they were getting out among the community and um it was more than once Lisa and I received a letter saying just about how well-mannered the students were and um how great the behavior was. And it's you know that always makes me extremely proud to get to to know that they're representing themselves and the school well. And again, they did a great job putting all those things on Facebook and um having that so that people in the community could see what they were doing. It was great. >> Nice. Julie, anything from CIA 12? >> All right. Um Caes 12 hosted a summer pack leadership training day in Washurn and had nine of our districts attending either individuals
032or with the leadership team. So, how did that go? Anybody go? >> Good. >> I was there. Yeah, it was great. Great conversation. It's a great group. Um, and some principles were there, some special ed directors, um, superintendent. It was a good day. Um, Diamond Gulick presented a data dashboard that she has been creating for Ces 12 districts to monitor and track the implementation of the services they have purchased. District personnel will be able to see which CISA staff are assigned to their districts for the services purchased and services funded through grants and contracts. They can see how the days purchased are being utilized. Information on the dashboard will be updated as real time consultants enter their data. So, will we be using that? Okay. Because I know in the past sometimes you'd look at
033it and you couldn't tell how many hours were left or when they came. And this is really good. Um, season 12 has completed the third year of its five-year strategic plan. Nick Madison shared an endofear report on the strategic plan measures. Um, Nick also shared the facility plan that outlines some improvements and other items that CIA 12 will work on over the several years. Most items are going to be covered within the operating budget. All right. Thank you. >> Um, financial reports and bills. >> Um, I reviewed uh, sorry, this didn't I should have said that at the beginning of the agenda approval, but anyway, I reviewed August and July if you remember last month. I had to defer >> July to this month. Um and so um I'm just going to these have already
034been said like these a couple of these statements have already been said today and we'll probably have more conversation later. Um but just looking at that budget um just to remind you as like property increases go up, the state aid goes down. Um property value up, state aid down. So that means more pressure I guess on our local property taxes and unfortunately you cannot take the equity from your home and pay your taxes. So um so I just wanted to point that out again uh that that's just feels like um a little bit of a like um different for every district, you know, not necessarily the same for us as it's going to be for somebody else and other communities and bigger communities. But like I think that this is like kind of a trend
035at least that we've been noticing out of. Um there's also a really good summary at the end of uh like you know our schoolboard updates that we get from the Wisconsin Association of School Boards um that goes over kind of like line items um of the governor's budget and kind of like breaks it down for us. Um it's like it's pretty minutia, but you could kind of it was like really helpful to see some of like okay here's the summary of like the governor's budget and like literally see it play out in our budget a little bit. Um this format basically just feels a little bit more um helpful, you know, when we're looking at like the fund balance and what it takes to make sure the budget's balanced and all of the different funds
036that like go in and out. I can appreciate that like month to month. Yeah. The it's going to look really inflated one month and not so much the next because of how the money comes in and out and it's hard for us to kind of like track that. But I think like in general um it's been really I feel a lot more confident being able to like look at our numbers and and have the pulse of our um school finances and have the um then those uh those financial reports and bills just it just makes so much more sense now. So um so anyway that was the that was the takeaway. I think there was one more takeaway I wanted to mention. Um but I think that's it. So, I move to approve the um
037financial reports and bills for August and July of of 2025. >> Second. Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carried. >> Consent agenda. >> I move to approve the consent agenda. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? I actually have a discussion. Did we hire so we hired a school path a school speech language person? >> Well, uh yes, we will. So, uh, we had a candidate two summers ago who had recently moved to Washurn, uh, and had just had a a new baby, was very interested in the speech and language position, but with child care and the timing, we just it just wasn't going to happen. So, she passed that opportunity by and has been in contact with Ivy a bit and reached out this spring and said, "If
038there's ever an opportunity in the future, I think I'm ready. My my son is is now going to be maybe almost two." Uh, and and this could be a really great time. And then we received notification a week or two ago that the the person we had been working with virtually was going to take an in-person position in the city she lives in and she was going to be stepping aside. So, we were able to or Ivy was able to connect with uh the individual who's hopefully going to be approved tonight and then um is willing to work 24 hours a week in person along with Brianna who will still be working her full position as an SLPA with um Jess. So, it'll all be in person which is just like the best dream come
039true. And it's someone who doesn't want to work full-time but is willing to work alongside the individual we already have in house. So like us a complete gift. Yeah. So much better for everyone students >> and each other. >> Well first let's vote again. All in favor >> I >> opposed. Motion carried. Now can we give her name? Yeah, just the poor provost. >> Yeah, >> that was like a miracle. >> Yeah, >> I mean it's just Yeah, Maggie can probably just speak to all of those conversations sort of lining up as they did and we would have been incredibly happy staying with the virtual um SLP that we had. She was phenomenal. Um, she just made a decision to and she wanted to be back in person and she lives in the Apple area,
040I believe. So, >> oh, this is this is good. Good job. >> Working miracles. >> All right, let's go to the discussion items. Um, we have the revised copy of the schoolboard goals. Um, much shorter. Um, I will review them. The first one, the board will strengthen its role as an advocate for public education, specifically the school district of Washurn by building relationships with legislators and community advocates and building knowledge of state and federal issues regarding education. Anything there that you'd like to change or is that okay with you? Good. Um the second is the board will increase community engagement through the process and completion of a strategic plan. We got that going. And the third is the board will study and reflect on the work of the board striving to increase its effectiveness. This
041will include a review of the policy bylaws outlining the responsibilities the board and a monthly reflection at the end of each board meeting to determine effectiveness. So, we kind of try to make those that we had last time a little bit more concise. Um, and then on the back of maybe you don't have it. I do have some reflection questions. Um, we won't necessarily go through those right now, but we will use those at the end of the meeting and then we can, you know, tweak them as we need to. >> Oh, okay. because that's that was the only like discussion that I already was about those discussion questions. So if we're going to table that that's fine. >> Well, we'll we'll do that when we actually go through the reflection at the end because
042those are we just we're going to practice those. >> Sure. >> So um if there's no other discussion on that, we'll approve those later on. Anything else? Well, I assume those are like flexible like a monthly questions and reflection is not necessarily set. We have to follow these questions, right? >> Oh, no. I'm just actually I took those reflection questions out of our the book that governance book and >> um you know from different places in that book. So, but we can talk about that at the end when we approve the goals. Um the full transparency for taxpayers a resolution. Um this is something that has come up um recently. Um we met last week with Chris Ham Boille and um she works for the Wisconsin Public Education Network and this is a um suggestion
043that she had. Um the this resolution was um passed at the in the Green Bay schools and it was just recently passed in Superior. So those are the only two schools that have it so far. But the intent of this is to be able to put on the tax bill how much we are paying for private school vouchers and what that's what that's costing the taxpayers each year. Um, so there's a there's a training next week on it that we'll get more information, but the resolution we wanted you to be able to read it and see what it would look like and then what we would have to do maybe because we're only number three in the state of looking at this. So the process isn't exactly set in stone. Um but looking at if
044if we were to pass that resolution here, then we would have to um get the city of Washurn and the other three townships towns to um also approve the resolution and then hopefully we could get that onto our tax bill this year. >> Oh, this year. >> We're hoping. >> Is there a deadline in order to get it on the tax bill this year? Is there a deadline that we have to approve this by? >> A probably November. >> Oh, >> okay. >> So, we would have to be like >> not like August like when we did the >> No, >> we did the referendum that was like >> Yeah. Has to be three months in one day or whatever it was. >> No, I don't believe so. This is this would be this would
045be a resolution that we would then bring to the county because Bville County may or may not have to approve it. We're not sure on that one. But because Bay County prints our tax bills, um they would just they would do their >> they have to do it, questions, thoughts, this is up for discussion, I guess for me. I mean it's it it increases transparency, so I like it. I I question what the negatives might be like what to me it's I don't want to say no brain but like I like transparency. I like the taxpayers to be able to see what money is how much >> um because it impacts our financials. >> Okay. >> Uh so I love it. I think it's a great idea. Although I also admit I may not see
046some negatives that might be out there. I don't know if anybody knows of any negatives I'd love to hear. >> That's what I was thinking was why didn't everyone do this? >> Well, I know that um there was a bill written um at the state level, but they have not brought it to the floor for discussion. It's just been sitting there on the side. Um but you know basically you know right now we have we levy $156,000 for this last year for private schools. Um so you know one of the questions may be whether we want to just put one year on there. Superior has decided to put two years on there and part of that is because there was a big increase in the amount of monies that they got for vultures and so
047it increased it considerably from one year to the next. And so that would also show that while the public schools did not get any money for for funding, the public schools got a big increase in their vouchers. >> Private private schools, sorry. It looks like we also increased 35% from one year to the next year for those payments as well. you know, like our two-year change also is like not being significant, >> right? And the other way that this this is being sold is um this money this $150,000 or whatever it comes out to according to the state is given to the the public schools and then the public schools give it to the private schools. So, it was explained to me as a little bit of money laundering because then they can say they
048are giving all that money to the public school, but we're really not getting it. >> And so, it's they can say, well, we've increased >> we may we maybe didn't increase this piece, but we increased all this other giving it to you, but they're not saying that we're giving they're we'll get the increase, but then we have to give it away. So, it's a it's a way of selling the amount that they're giving us. I don't know what that's called. That doesn't sound Yeah, it sounds like there be that's a pretty solid argument for transparency. Yeah, there's just like a little bit more >> going on to that conversation than not. >> And that and I I don't think we had the transportation. I I just have the the old one, the first one that
049we wrote was the resolution um to also include on there that we also pay about 25,000. >> Yeah. >> 20. Yeah. 23 last year and the year before was 27 >> because we also have to pay to transport the kids from here to Ashlin. So that will also be added into the resolution. >> I like it because you know you you can explain to people who show up to the school board meeting how complicated the financials are, >> but if no one shows up, you're not teaching anyone anything, you know. So if you put it out there like this, then um everybody sees it. I love it. You know how we have um you know property values are going up, state's going down, t property taxes then go up and we are we live in
050such a great community that loves our school >> and so I think that it's helpful for them to know that the money is going to their school, you know, and right now they'll be able to see how much of it is not right. And I think that that's that's helpful because they're going to they're we they everybody is like um having this like public school burden kind of on their shoulders for our community and this is a small community >> which is also like I'm going to I'm going to try and see like what might not be great about this. And so I I'm think I'm going to do a little bit of research and maybe try and find um some of the districts that did not pass the resolution like if it came up
051in their board. >> It hasn't been done yet. >> Hasn't been in. So they've been kind of like checking like looking and talking like talking to Washurn. We're we just passed a referendum, right, in a major way. Let's talk to them. They they will likely pass this, right? So um so I'm just trying to think like what like where where would the conversation go of a a community that that wouldn't be and and again like it's I think it might be a little bit easier in a community like Superior. It's like really big town and there's probably not a lot of parallel school options. Yeah, there there are none in in here. It's like, man, my neighbors like like I know all I know who this is going to affect, >> you know, and so
052that feels like I think the argument. >> It's just like it just feels a little more personal in a small town. Like I don't know if we can be like >> a leader for change like the third district like approve this. Like I don't know if that feels quite right. >> Taking the money away. >> No, I know. I know. I'm just like I'm just trying to look at another perspective. you know, like what like why wouldn't we pass this? Because to me, my gut instinct is like, yeah, we have a passing this resolutions totally makes sense, >> right? In line with a lot of the other like resolutions that we would pass as a school board. >> Um, and so I'm just trying to think of like why like why wouldn't we like what
053what other it would be great for you to do some research on it. I don't but you're not going to find other schools who didn't pass it because it hasn't happened yet. Um, I mean this is just >> Can you think of any like you guys can you think of anything that would be like >> I think you hit the nail on the head like as a small community, you know, >> how is that? >> Yeah, I you you may be able to identify who >> I support my neighbors, right? like I I really enjoy the people in this community that I live in, all of those people. And I think that that makes a school richer, but if they have an like a a desire and a family choice to like send their um
054send their kids to a specific type of like learning and growth, >> you know, like yes, like let's do that. I still really appreciate you. And so I just like is that as long as there's not like an air of judgment in this resolution, you know, I think it's just what you're saying. I think it's transparent >> and it's it just is. And I think that maybe it can like it could potentially even be celebrated. Look at how much money we're giving to nonpublic education. I don't know. I don't see how it you know >> if you would like I mean there is a there's a um online discussion next Tuesday. >> Oh yeah the training. Yeah >> I think that might be very helpful. >> So that's open to anybody. So you just need
055to go on there and register. Um I know Denise is registered. I'm registered. >> Yeah. >> I would just like Yeah. I would just like I would just love to make it easy. Yeah. Think about other like think about other reasons why like and that would be a good question to ask there. >> I think it definitely probably cost me um you know look how much you're costing our our school you putting your kids in the public school. Oh right that Yeah. And I Yeah. And I don't want to I don't want to like single out. >> Yeah. >> And in a small town, you know, it's almost like the co >> Yeah. Right. >> Okay. >> Well, super interesting. I really >> It is interesting. >> I I really think of it too as
056like I mean, think of like all of the things that you just said. so hard to like communicate to a community the difficulties and complexities with our budget and the and the complexities of like the state legislature like that are giving money to the schools but then schools have to turn around and like give it to somebody else like but that's not really giving it to the schools, right? And then there's a um another thing in in that school news bulletin that mentions that special ed reimbursement. So, if you have a student that enrolls out of the district, whether it's open enrollment or voucher school, you give them money for special ed. And coming up, okay, that's like in line with everything else. But the money to the voucher school is more >> than the
057open enroll. >> So, you're even giving more money >> to the private education rather than the public education. It's just like every like all of this like cut public education it's it's not equal and how do you explain that in a elevator speech? It took me two minutes that you know and so um so all of this is like very nuanced and I and I hope that a resolution like this provides like just like you said I think transparency is the best word for it >> which is what they call it the transparency project. >> Yeah. And um and I and I hope that that's the intention and that it's not meant or potentially used is to visit wrong, but like there really needs to be some some education, you know, about um about what's
058going on too. You know, my fear of this, especially when you see increases to the voucher amount and no increase to the public school amount, >> um you're you're setting public schools up to fail. >> Yeah. >> By increasing what's going on in private schools. And then I look at that as a whole beginning steps to privatization for education. And I am a big public school um advocate because that's in our constitution for one thing. you know that we provide you know free and appropriate education for our students and once it goes to a private then it's a different game >> which are not held to the same like uh what is that called the thing that I really don't like um accountability standards yes they have to take the forward exam but do they
059have to publish their scores like we have to publish ours and so they're not held at that same standard of like community scrutiny because right now the only availability for the public to like see how Washurn's doing is a school report card that may or may not even indicate like what we're doing. >> Whereas, you know, a a school voucher school takes a test, but then they can report how they're doing in whatever framework that they deem necessary for their school, and they don't have to give out the report card or they don't have to give out the scores of their standardized tests. Um, so it's just like it's not apples to apples. >> They don't have to accept everybody. >> Yeah. >> Which is my big concern. >> Yeah. Of course. My special interest.
060>> Yeah. >> Um, do anything you want to add to that? >> No, I think the conversation is super important. It's the hottest topic at the state level in all superintendent uh conversations. uh it's just we the funding discussion, the lack of support um from our legislators for our public schools. And so just finding a way to promote and communicate how we're using the tax dollars and also how our tax dollars are being used um to fund other schools is of the utmost importance. But I would also say um it's worth having some conversations with others in our community to see where they um stand on the topic and the issue um ahead of us, you know, pushing forward as a school board in the school district. >> Okay. Okay. Um we'll go on to
061individual action items. Uh the first is the um policy. second reading of the policies. Um, >> so there I'd like to just interject. I'll do like a comparison. If there are a couple policies not in the folder, I'll be sure I add them. >> Okay. >> To next month, >> okay, >> I'll just repeat them and we'll we'll go through the reading process. >> So, should we go the >> I think you can vote to approve and then I'll just pull out the ones that we know aren't in the folder and >> Okay. just we can revisit those. >> Okay. And then I don't know if that 2415 is should be 16. >> I'll double check on that too. >> Okay. But we know the student privacy and >> I mean the number is the
062number I feel like the name, >> right? Um and then I would assume when you say you are open to anybody coming to you for any explanation of what any of those policies are. >> Oh, absolutely. Okay. >> All right. Um, is there a motion to approve the second reading of the policies? >> I move to approve the second reading of the policies as listed. >> Is there a second? >> Second. Any discussion? All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carried. Um B, approve an early graduation application. >> I move to approve early graduation application. Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carried. See? I move to approve the 2526 certified staff handbook. >> Second. I'll second. >> Any discussion? >> Were there significant changes? >> Right. >> No. >> Correct. >>
063All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carried. Approve the school board goals and then we'll go through and do the reflection. >> I make a motion to approve the 202526 school board. >> I'll second. All in favor? >> I oppose. >> Oh, just sorry. You said discussion. You just said like not the reflection. >> Not the reflection because those aren't part of it. >> Okay, good. Because I would not approve. >> Okay. >> Those but like Yes. >> So, just the goals. >> Just the goals. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carried. >> All right. Let's reflect using our reflection questions to see how we're doing. Um, do you want to just go through them and then as we get to the question that of concern, you want to mention it, Tina? >>
064Oh, sure. >> Okay. So, was the meeting run efficiently but effectively? >> I think it was. I agree. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Was everybody given the opportunity to express their ideas and concerns? >> Yes. >> Sometimes I think I talk too much. So like but we give you the opportunity to do it. >> Yeah. I just want to make sure that I give anybody else the opportunity to. So just like all >> I think you're doing >> decisions were discussed in a manner that was clear and transparent so the community was able to understand the reasoning and the logic of the decision. >> I mean I hope so. I think I made the community that let me know that. >> I think we tried to >> Yeah. And I think that like uh even just
065like in the past couple meetings having a moment like just to pause and discuss and like think about our processes. I think that is ultimately going to like those spots that were maybe like potential weaknesses or maybe weren't just like super clear why we had this on the cons consent agenda and not something else etc. Um I think that those will continue to improve. Okay. Anything else? Decisions were consistent and fair for staff. >> That's the That's the question I had. >> Okay. >> Issue with which um and I think it was in context of all of them. So now I'm going to try and bring it back up here. Um >> is it that we're like >> trying to remind ourselves to always keep the decisions consistent and fair for staff? I think it
066was just like a it's a legit it's a great question is like I said it's on there. What I noticed was that like we didn't necessarily have one for students except for the mission of the district but it doesn't say you know like I I just really think that like students need to be on the top tier >> and I and I definitely consistent for staff but when we make things harder for students it's almost as if like the staff follows like form like form follows function or function follows form. I can't remember what it is, but like it's uh when you when you put students at the top, other things are set up to fall into place. And so it's not that like we're going to take for granted that things are consistent and
067fair for staff. I just don't know if that's necessarily my priority. Although we could put a um slash student staff >> would that work better to say, you know, are we fair and consistent with students and staff basically? Um I I think it's just something that we need to >> or perhaps be aware are addressed in the mission. You know, did >> maybe we don't maybe maybe we don't necessarily like tell me the logic of putting number four in there. Well, that's what I was saying. Like, is that is that what we're trying to do is say like, okay, hey, let's just reflect on what we did today and make sure we're keeping um staff in mind as well as students like but I think again I think that likely is reflected in the mission
068of the district. I think that's encompassed in the mission of the district. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it's good to call things out specifically like that. I don't know. I don't know either. I like I said, I took these questions right from the book that we just did our study on. >> Um, so I don't I don't have any need to have it or not have it. I do like the idea of pausing to reflect. Um, and kind of having some reminders and touch points on like, all right, we want to make sure that as a board we're we're keeping a staff fairness or >> student priorities consistency or messaging and all of those things like >> like that's not necessarily our strength in the last couple years, right? like even just like the way we
069have formatted in our um agenda, you know, like taking HR like HR stuff kind of off of the public agenda. I think that makes a lot of sense and that's consistent and fair for staff, right? Um and and like I said in the previous improvements because we're having these discussions. >> Um but I just don't know if that one needs to be I have a little concern that we would Like we're having these reflections after we've already decided stuff like oh what if we're like hey actually you know that one thing we did wasn't there can we retract it at this point and go like we should actually revisit item number five is that something that's doable >> I don't know that we could go through these questions for every decision we make. >> Yeah.
070Well, we should be then we should be. But >> we should be doing that internally when we're making decisions. But if we're going through these questions monthly, maybe then that will be foremost in our mind going, "Oh man, I got to answer question number four, >> right?" >> Well, that's what I mean like reflect because it keeps you >> thinking about that when we're we're doing the job, right? So, it's like a it's like a check, you know, we're doing it. Another you know you and I know as you were talking about it you know we we have been having our mission statement on the top of the agenda. Is it something I mean maybe question five is um enough if we are looking at >> the mission of the district and looking at our
071mission is to enable students to enter the global society with the knowledge skills habits and attitudes required to be contributing citizens were our decisions based on that and maybe we need to read that every time. I think I like the idea of reading that every time like starting the meeting with question on our mission, >> mission statement, vision moment. >> So, do we want to have four or five in there? >> What would you like to do on that? >> I I'm I'm fine with having it in there because >> I don't think it hurts anything. It doesn't do anything. I think it's a good reminder and >> and like now we've seen these keep them in mind when you're have the next name at the end. Did you do it? >> I you know
072I think there's been times where we have questioned whether we have been consistent and fair. I mean I think we've questioned ourselves at times. So I think that this is it will help us to >> I love like creating that space right to intentionally >> do a checkin on those items. So I I say keep it on >> both four and five. >> Yeah. >> Well, five is what encompasses the students. So absolutely five. Okay. Yeah. >> And for I'm um I think we have to keep staff in mind. >> Well, yeah. It's just it's just uh and that put them in a different order. >> No, I just I just feel bad. >> Yeah, it just doesn't say students. >> Well, that's that's I'm fine because it says students in the vision, you know,
073we know that that is students. >> Put staff and students. >> Yeah. Or students. Yeah. Right. >> Let's do it. >> I like >> because that's Yeah, because that's true. >> Again, not going to hurt. I'm gonna go back to that book too and just kind of see like the context of >> Yeah. Because the book was very like like student centered, you know, or like achievement centered for each student. Every student has that potential. >> Yeah. Um suggestions for future agenda items, things that we would like to discuss, things that we'd like to learn about, things that we want to find out more about. Well, first I think we have to put the monthly reflection questions maybe on the agenda >> at the end of >> the end. Is that an agenda item? Does
074it need to be an agenda item? >> I don't think it needs to be an agenda. That doesn't feel right. But I don't know if we want the question. >> No, you don't put the questions on an agenda item is >> questions, >> right? >> Have everybody have a copy that you have to bring every time so that our mission statement and a reflection point. >> All right. >> Anything else for future agendas? Yeah, I do like that question on the reflection because it just kind of helps you think about like more forward looking than just always reacting to the question. >> Um, so I at this time I don't I don't know like we we've had like a couple ideas and plans, but that's kind of listed in our goals and I think that
075those start to come when you've got such a good handle on that. So I have no suggestions right now for other items. Okay. Um just for your information to going back to our goal number or which goal is the first goal. Um I have had a chance to talk to Angela Straoud >> and her right now she is scheduled to meet with us at our board meeting in December and she will come and um do a little presentation. I also sent a letter to Roma Quinn >> and it sounds like he's willing to come. He would like to come and have a tour of the of the facilities and so I asked him if he could come in January. So, um we'll see how that goes. >> Great. Thank you. >> Um okay, so we're
076going to put this on the one thing I would like to see on an agenda and it's not so and it's just because of what's been happening in the world right now. Um and and then our conversation on the way in about doors being locked and you know just a um an idea I know that we've been doing the Alice training but what other things have been happening as far as keeping our kids safe. you know what are some of the um protocols um processes things that are happening um and I know that there is no guarantee but it would be kind of nice just to know what what things are in place to have that as a discussion it agenda >> not a discussion but like to like a report like an opportunity to
077ask questions and Great. Anything else from anybody? All right. Interesting. You are always also interesting in your conversations. I appreciate it. Um, move to a journ. Is there a second? Second. >> All in favor? >> We are adjourned. Thank you everyone. But I