001It's used as an educational milestone for predicting post-secondary success. Uh, elementary school is at 78.3% which is up from 74.5% last year. The state average for K through5 schools is at 64.7% there. So, we can continue to excel there. And our on track to graduation rate increased from 90% to 91.5%. And our attendance is still strong at 95.5%. Along with our testing score, test participation is at 99.1%. So those are all things that are going well and we continue to push and strive with. Uh our growth possibilities. Um, this was a a number that stuck out right away because they put it the biggest on the report card. Uh, our overall score of 56.8% is a a attention getter. Uh, a lot of that is uh impacted by the score, the way they formulated the
002score this year. What affects us the most is that our growth rate is not as strong. Our achievement continues to do well. our growth rate is not strong. So with that, we're going to continue to look for ways that even with strong achievement, how can we continue to push further to have greater growth each year. Um some things that we're going to look at with that is to evaluate the changes that we have made recently. We're on the third year of our ELA curriculum, so we have to take a look to see is that hampering our ability to show that growth each year. Uh some other things that we have to consider are the impact over the past couple years with our staffing and having pulled some staff away with our interventionists, um special ed
003teachers and we have to consider whether or not we'll see hope to see those changes with this year's scores when we're bringing those positions back. Um, so we have to continue to evaluate that. And then also the increased demands that we had during our testing sessions with Act 20. We had more testing this past year than we've had in the past. Um, that could have led to test fatigue by the end of the year when we got around to these tests. Uh, we also have to look at too that our test groups were much larger with the the staff reduction that we had. So, um, we're hoping that our our numbers this year will bring those things back up as we continue to reimp implement those things that we had taken away for a short
004period. >> If you remember, Jason talked a lot about act 20, which was coming up with reading plans for students K3. Um, our state legislature, loved that idea, and now we're going to do that into math. So, um, we will have to add a lot more testing to an already very full assessment calendar that we have at the elementary school because of our legislators thinking that we as public schools aren't doing what we're supposed to. Well, every time they add in more assessment, they're taking away teaching. Just want to throw that out there. And one of the other things that we have to consider last year with the changes in in the ACT 20 assessments, we continued to use our benchmark testing throughout the grade levels because we didn't know if that new testing platform
005would give us similar data. So, we wanted to continue with the other testing as well just so that we could look at those numbers to see. So, as we continue to evaluate that with the teachers and staff, we're going to look to those to see, was that a significant difference? Is that something that we should continue with, or do we need to look at making an overall change to the platform that the state is requiring us to use for that? >> So, you don't have any data yet at this point on your continuation of the your previous >> We haven't. We haven't had a chance to evaluate it with stats yet. Year's not a great time for that. platform. >> What's that? >> Does the platform require them to take their assessment at one time
006or can they break it up into smaller pieces? >> Uh that they have to do a screener test uh at the same time. Um the act 20 testing isn't it was didn't include math. So that was another reason we continued to use the other platform we we used. So um there are testing windows. Do you have to do the testing in one sitting or could you break it up into 10 minute? You know, every day you come in for 10 minutes to do little pieces of the test versus that anxiety that kids sometimes get with testing. >> Uh for for the state exam tests, for the forward tests, they we have them in larger chunks. the the the fun that >> oh those are those are relatively smaller chunks for the assessment um because of
007the benchmark testing for last year for us it was time consuming uh because we were learning how to use it and working through that with staff. So, >> and like with ACT 20, you have your screener and then if they score at a certain percentage, you now have to do diagnostic, which can be anywhere from four to six additional tests. And it's all one-on-one. So, a lot of it is teacher le. So, it took away with our interventionist and them meeting there. I think we looked at it was about 3 weeks where kids weren't receiving that support. >> Yeah. And that that is one of the larger impacts of it is that time that it takes away from staff with that curriculum and the intervention time. So we're going to continue to evaluate and look
008for areas that we can make improvements and also areas where we can be more efficient. I going to say that every year I hear this, it's just I shake my head because it seems very difficult to understand all of the different parameters that go into that end score of 50 something because I I saw the 99% like participation. I'm wondering, well, what is that at other schools? you know, are they, >> you know, are we comparing the apple to an apple or are they, >> you know, eliminating certain kids from testing, thus they get a higher score and look better? I just questions that I ask myself. >> Yep. I think all those things do play a part in it. And um I think the important thing to to remember our our staff and we've
009been fortunate to have the support of the board to focus on the time that we have with the students and um I I believe the staff feels that they they have that support to continue to do that. And um we know through observations and through the smiles we see in the hallways that kids enjoy being at school and and that's going to continue to help those scores and that's what we're going to keep working towards. I follow a congressman on social media that recently said average test participation rate at Wisconsin public schools about 91% and at charter schools it's about 45%. >> An apple to a rotten tomato. [laughter] >> I'm just sharing numbers. You can you can interpret that however you want to, but that's the answer to the question. >> Thank you. Good
010job. >> If you have other questions, don't hesitate to let me know. Oh, we'll come back to that paper cup. >> Oh, you got >> So, this is always an exciting time for me because who doesn't like playing a game where they change the rules a little bit each year? Um, so I guess the things that I wanted to highlight, um, our overall score um, for the middle school was 78.6. it exceeds expect expectations and that that really has I mean we've stayed with that exceeding expectations for a while but I did note that it is an increase of uh 5.5 points. I don't again I don't know if that has to do with us. It's hard to tell. Is this because we're making improvement or is this because they've changed the >> the state
011has told us don't use any previous report cards in interpreting [clears throat] this year's inter report card and they've said that the last few years, right? Um, so what I always did focus on each year is where we are in line with the state average because I figure if they're drawing this line for the state, then we can see where we're at as well. And what I like is the fact that we are higher than the state average um for both ELA and math. Um, our growth is is the only spot um in ELA that we're a little lower than the the state average. Um, our math is still um showing that we're growing higher than what and again that state fix that that 2/3 spot is is kind of their um what they feel
012is is right. Um, and again, I I think part of where we're looking at our growth is the fact that we have enough students who are performing where we want them or higher, and so it's very hard to show growth when when we're performing that high. Um I additionally this year because we did start some things with with absenteeism, we have a a board that we meet um as needed throughout the year um to try to reduce the amount of um absence that we have. Um so I threw that on here this year. Um we have excellent scores as far as um we're higher than the state average. They said what they do is they take the number of absences you have and subtract them from 100 and where you end up um on there,
013you know. So the state average for middle school is around 80.7 and we're in the '9s. So um I I don't again have anything to compare from previous, but I do know that we are making improvements with our our absence. And then for high school, I kind of focused on the same thing. Um, high school, we did actually move from meets expectations to exceeds expectations. Um, was an increase of nine from last year, even though we're not looking at, you know, that officially. Um, kind of the same thing. We are um above the state average as far as um how our ELA and our math achievement scores are. Um, growth again um is the spot that we're struggling to um show with the ELA. um math, we're still growing. And then the chronic absenteeism for
014our high school, again, um high school was surprising to me that it's 75% is is what the state average is and we're in the 90. So, >> awesome. >> Yep. >> And I did have the on track for graduation. That that is something they don't do for middle school. Um but we're at 98.2, two, which is, you know, still way above where the state average at the low end of 91. Hello. Uh, Cuba City School District special education. So, the way that this works is there's certain categories of students. Um, and when we have a big enough group, then we get data on them. If we don't have a big enough group, we don't get data on them. So I do have data for cubit at elementary school but not for the middle and the
015high school because those subcategories were just smaller. Um so for the elementary students with disabilities showed a double-digit improvement in both ELA and math proficiency. Um it's a significant indicator of instructional growth and support effectiveness. So then I'm just going to provide you background on how the department works on providing those minutes and instruction. So, at the elementary level, students with IEPs receive their SDI or specially designed instruction through a pull out, which means they come out of the classroom to receive their instructional minutes and a co-taught. And that means that we have a special education teacher that goes into the gened classroom to support those students with those needs. Um, students receive their specially designed instruction. So, at the elementary, we have teachers that are um certified and trained in wild, which is an
016alternative approach to phonics or ELA. Uh CGI is cognitive guided instruction and that's a math way to teach. Um reteing pre-teing as well as a variety of accommodations and modifications throughout the students uh school day or assisted technology. Um at the middle school students receive students with IEPs receive their specially designed instruction through a pullout model or a co-taught. Uh students receive a variety of accommodations, modifications, assistive technology, pre-teaching and reteing grade level content. And that at the Cuba City High School, it's kind of the same. Um, but at the high school level, they receive um like resource study halls. They also receive those in middle school, but high school is more focused on co-eing and minimal pull out instruction. So, any questions? No. Perfect. So, for like all this testing in general, is funding
017tied to it? So, like better scores, we get worse. No, not at all. >> no. >> And so, and then they tell don't pay attention to to the scores, >> but you're required to do it. >> They're in their attempt to make everything apples to apples, they're trying to add in every year they add in more pieces. So, the equation and you've probably seen it at some of the things we're at, the equation for the report card >> is, you know, 14 letters and 27 numbers divided by another set of seven numbers. It's a crazy equation, but every year they're adding more to it to try to make it more apples to apples. I I think they're trying to do that. You can't though. Um they tried unless you have 20 kids and that's called
018a subgroup. So we've got basically three schools testing in three grade levels each. In elementary we test third, fourth, fifth. In middle school, we test 6th, 7th, 8th. In high school, we test 9th, 10th, and 11th. So the subgroups are a big deal. And if you don't have 20 kids in a subgroup, so a subgroup could be a certain race. Um, subgroups are genders, subgroups are, um, socioeconomic status. So, uh, English as a first language is a is a subgroup. So, we've got a lot of those different things where smaller schools, some years we don't have enough for a subgroup. So, that really throws off the equation that they're trying to balance. So, then they just don't count it. Well, then they they end up in the in the district equation. So, we at the
019elementary I know we didn't have we don't have a lot of subgroup numbers that really hurt us. And so, if we don't have 20 kids that fall into that category, that hurts the score. Um, and some subgroups are counted three or four times. You know, if you're a third grader and you're reading and you're low soio economic status and um you don't speak English as a first language, you're you're counted four that score is counted four times. So, they're trying to make a better report card, which is why it changes every year because people complain and say this isn't really good and they're trying to change it. I think they're trying to do the right thing. How do you compare apples to apples in public schools that are so diverse? It's very it's it's difficult.
020So, what we do is we look at, okay, are our kids getting better? Are we want more kids to score proficient and advanced because we that's that's what we focus on. Uh they did change the proficiency they used to say only in one-third of our readers are proficient advantage. That's changed. They got a group of Wisconsin people together and said what does a third grade proficient reader look like and let's score it that way. And that kind of jumped up for everybody in the state so it doesn't show up as any different for us. But um you know I I think they're trying to do the right thing with the report card. It's just really hard to make apples to apples with Green Bay Southwest and Cuba City scoring scoring the same way. How do
021you how do you do that? So, there's no funding tied to it. Um, it doesn't cost us anything to do the testing. The real cost is the opportunity cost of lost teaching time when we have to do act 20 for reading. And now we're going to have to do act is it 25 or 24 for math? >> 24 >> which probably will pass. And then we have to do uh different screeners and then we have to do the forward exam. And then at fourth grade and eighth grade we've got to do the whole gamut of all subjects and then you've got to do that three times a year to make sure that they're growing within the year. where in Finland, widely regarded as the best education system in the world, they take one standardized test
022your last year of high school and they just they just teach the rest of the time and kids are in classrooms for four hours a day. And we we talk about this a lot is like, hey, how can we incorporate some things? There's a lot of time for play at the elementary to get some of that energy out and um man, it's really hard to do that when there are all these mandates that are that are coming at us. Um, but we're trying to look at what everybody else does that gets good results and trying to figure out how we can make that work in Cuba City. It it's not easier when we keep getting these mandates that take our teachers away our teachers teaching away from our kids. Um, it's like, hey, if I
023if I keep measuring my kids, that doesn't make them taller. Believe me, I measured them a lot. None of them are tall. Um, but that's what we feel like happens, you know, sometimes with with education, especially in Wisconsin. So, I just have to say number one, I absolutely appreciate you guys doing this presentation and breaking it down. I think that's great. And I have 100% confidence that you're looking into what you should be looking into, right? Like not focusing on necessarily the number, right? But what are we going to do to keep growing? And that's the biggest that's the most important piece. So, I appreciate it and thank you guys for putting all that work into it. And I'm a data geek. So, I was right on the report card right away the day it
024was like released and I looked at it and I knew we were going to come in. you guys were going to have a plan and how we were going to look at and what we need to look at and reasons behind why we might be the why behind where we're sitting with some of the stuff. So, thank you. >> Funnily enough, the same week we got the news on the report card. If you want to look behind us, uh US News and World Report identified our elementary school and middle school and our high school has have been recognized for this in years past. Also, I don't know if that's that list isn't out yet or if we didn't make that this year. I'd be surprised if we didn't, but um they do it at two
025different times. So, maybe we'll get this at the high school as well. but identified our elementary and middle schools as some of the best elementary and middle schools in Wisconsin. And they the reason we bring this up at the same time as this is they each just use different data. This is trying to make everything very equitable and trying to change every year. This is more just based on performance. They just looked at how many kids are are proficient and advanced. And that's a big part and weighed here. The most heavily weighed thing on DPI is soioeconomically disadvantaged students. That's the most heavily weighted thing. Um, in CISA 3, we are the second, we have the second lowest socioeconomically disadvantaged population. Um, [clears throat] I think the state average is around 48 and we are
026below 30. Um, so when that's a really heavily weighted item this and that was the first year that this was heavily weighted. Um, that that's the biggest change in the report card. So, uh, it just depends on what you look at. you know, some some things will look at our schools and say, "Oh, they do great at this." And others will say, "Oh, they're they're barely meeting or not meeting expectations." So, what we look at is we look at kids and we look at our teachers are doing a good job. We're we're growing. We want to make sure that we're getting more kids proficient in dance and reading and math um every year. So, that's pretty much so that's that's back there. And then you can see Chris and Jason each have a plaque there.
027One stands up and one lays down. So can't see can't see the other one, but Chris has one there as well. So any other questions on any of the the data items that came out? >> Thank you. >> All right, we can everything you do. >> Thank you. So should I say that concludes your elementary, middle, and high school reports or do you have anything else? >> Can I add one thing just so I just need to thank Jason and Whitney and Jordan um came to my they came to my Laura's class and they presented on 504s and did an absolutely fantastic job. So you did a great job representing Cuban City, but you also did a great job in the whole presentation. So, thank you for doing that. >> Thank you. And I I
028did link that in my board report if that's something you'd want to look at. So, >> all right. Thank you. >> So, if it's appropriate, we'll go to Miss Heather. >> Was I am I giving my report? I didn't bring >> Yep. That's We're not [laughter] giving individual reports. That's the report. So, we move on to >> No, we'll move on to the next part of the of the meeting. >> All right. Do we have any anybody sign in to talk today? Um, public recognition. We're going to do the discussion first, though, right? >> Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. Discussion. Yep. Discussion. A. >> All right. A is hosting meetings off school grounds. Angie, you want to add anything? >> Not really. I brought it up um kind of going off of our original conversations um
029prior to the referendum about really trying to be collective and collaborative and bridging that and not only kind of showing up when we are in need of something, right? So, I just wanted to bring it back for a revisit. I think I I know I kind of reached out to Aaron and said it doesn't have to be I mean even again if it's not decided I understand. And I just want to make sure that I put it out there, but it could be a year from now, but on the next round of scheduling board meetings, if that's something I think we schedule a year out, right? Like from what we usually like get them out there kind of like whatever a month at a time. >> Oh, sorry. I thought it was like a whole
030agenda thing. But so anyway, I wanted just to put it out there because that was some of our conversations prior to going down. Just really trying to build community and all our little community >> and I put it on here just because we hadn't had that conversation probably in since Sarah's been on here. Um cuz I think Terry brought it up is this is something we want to do and I remember the conversation was around well we've got 12 v voting municipalities you know are we going to go to multiple ones each time started to look around other you know I'm I'm unaware of too many schools that that change their location that doesn't mean that we can't so like if Jamestown wanted one and then you know um because we've got people in Possi
031and Smellser and um you know all these different Hazel Marine you know they're all voting municipalities that go in our district um and you know certainly Dicky bill is is the largest so that's what we talked about last time is at what point do we say no we're not we can't have one in each one of the 12 voting municipalities the other part was the technology which um Tina said she was going to look into but Tina's not here today >> so what is the board's thoughts I mean, I'd be willing to go anywhere, but I mean, are we doing it because >> just to make us feel good that we're reaching out? I mean, our board meetings in general are very poorly attended if we if we >> eliminated the staff that should >>
032we do get a lot of people that watch them >> and that's perfect. But I mean, us moving to Dickyville or to Jamestown or >> Sner Hall, I don't know that it's going to get any more people there. Uh, and again, if it's a technology thing, it's just I mean, it's just why why are we doing it? Are we doing it just to to feel good about ourselves or is there really need for it? I think if there was a lot of clamoring to come to a meeting, they'd come to some meetings. >> I would agree. I would too. Yeah, I think having that at the school is kind of the point of it to be honest with you. >> My feelings wanted to put it out there for discussion. I think those communities have
033an opportunity to request it if they want it. You know, if those community members want us to, but if we haven't been approached by it or with it, >> but maybe res Angie Ang and she's asking >> and I again when I was over in Hazelane we did go to Keeler once a year. That was what we did. We held one board meeting in Keeler once a year as kind of good faith for the community that had a majority you know. But >> do you feel Dickyville members would attend? >> I don't know. I don't know if they would attend. I don't know if it's a opportunity for us as a collective board to say, "Hey, we're reaching out to another community that, you know, we want to bridge that and we're going to host
034a meeting here once a year." I mean, again, I'm bringing it up for discussion based on our previous conversations about how do we bridge and how do we continue to collectively work as, you know, filtering these communities together. So, >> well, we can always revisit it again because >> it's not a board It's not a board agenda item to vote on. It was merely up for session. Yes. Well, and and from my past experience, uh you know, we could come back next month and say we want to hold a January board meeting in >> because we do set the date and time. Um so I mean we could always we could always change that. >> We have put it out there for things to keep on the on our >> I guess just keep your
035ears peeled if you have hear feedback. I guess I'd be interested in know. >> Thank you for stand. >> Thank you, Angie. Mhm. >> B is additional scope items to the building project. We just got done with the buildings and grounds committee and the item was uh brought up as maybe we should look for a special board meeting where we're just looking at additional scope items to talk about each one and kind of go through a process that we're all comfortable with of identifying the priorities um and do we want to get some done this summer? Do we want to wait on some? And as the other one was, do we want to wait on the FEMA grant or not waiting on the FEMA grant? So all those are are big decisions. So um I'll
036be sending out an email just kind of see if everybody what dates we have available for that. But building the grounds, do you guys want to share anything else from that meeting? >> Well, I think uh pretty much everybody heard I think uh what we discussed. I believe um Joe or Julie. >> No, I I agree. >> The good news is we we can add additional scope. The rough one is we can't do all of them. Everything we can't do everything. >> It's not not like when I was a kid where I could circle everything in the series of rob. >> All righty. Moving on to C. Uh 612 grade virtual academy. >> Yep. So this will be an actual item later. Um, but we just wanted to open it up for discussion because it's
037new. This year we've lost 14 students um to this is just grade 612 to virtual schools and we're usually less than five, right? Just a handful. So that equates to $155,000 roughly of lost revenue that that we're sending out to different places. If if we would have a virtual academy and let's just say those same students um wouldn't have gone to the McFarlands or wherever and we would have kept them in our academy, it would have cost us $42,000 to pay for them to to go to that virtual academy as a cost per kit but not 155,000. So um the thought was we want to look at doing this. So we met with Ed Menum and we had used them during CO and they a lot of schools are using this. So what this does
038is it allows our resident students to still be our students which means they can still be in our clubs, they can be in our um athletic teams, they can be in um take some of our classes. So the the goal for a lot of these kids and you know a lot of the the reason for their going virtual academy might be you know anxiety issue about being around that many people. So what we want to try to do is wean them back into that. So if we have our own virtual academy, say somebody's taken virtual for a couple years and they want to start coming back, they can come back to one or two classes here and then maybe the next year it's three or four and the next year maybe it it's full-time, but
039there are students we keep them. This doesn't allow anyone to open and roll into our virtual academy. We looked into that. In order to do that, you have to h be a charter school. You have to start up your own charter school and the charter school has to have their own school board and you have to have your own licensed virtual teachers. >> So that the difference with the McFarland >> that's what McFarland is. Yep. Um so they they have that and that's why people can open enroll. So this wouldn't allow anybody to open enroll into our academy but it would allow our kids an option if they need that for a certain amount of time. Can I ask a question on that? >> Yep. >> If they open enroll to Cuba City and are
040considered a student here three months, two months, could they then access the virtual academy? >> I don't think they can. >> They would have to go just for our residents. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> What do you think is the reason for the big jump just for this year? So when somebody applies to go one that they there's a bo a certain number of boxes they can check or they can write other um social anxiety is by far and away the number one reason that I'm seeing >> I just get concerned that I know we've talked about like the use of virtual days. I mean, it's sad that basically you're going to have students kind of withdraw from the whole social scene and interaction. I, you know, for their for their future life. That's why
041we think having our own option here is the best route for that because if they let's say they want to be in band, you go to McFarland, you're not like if you're one of our kids and you're in that academy and you want to come in, you know, for sixth hour to be in band, we can do that and we can get them coming back here on occasion and hopefully getting them back, you know, to back to school here where if they go to McFarland or some other virtual academy, they can't do that. >> So, how does that work though? that they can come back for three or four classes like >> the following year. I think >> so they get to choose then what classes they want to be here for and what they
042don't. I feel like that's going to open up a huge >> I was kind of worried about like the slippery slope especially when you can still do everything a person in school can >> you know if I was a senior maybe I would take them virtual and >> still played all my sports and came for study hall and gym or something and then go home. could come back for class. They wouldn't have to. I mean, they could they could be >> but still participate in any extracurriculars. >> Yep. They could. >> Would that be is that uh our decision for them to participate in in clubs and everything or is that like a virtual school? >> I'm just saying by WIA standards they're eligible. I mean, you guys could certainly say if you're in if
043you're a member of our virtual school because we have we'll have to write a virtual handbook. If you want to say if you're in virtual, you know, the virtual academy, you cannot be in in athletics or you you guys could certainly set that they're eligible by the WIA is what I mean. >> So, >> it was a lot virtual stuff. So, I had do have questions. I mean, but I wanted you to finish your you want me to ask my questions now. Okay. >> So, a couple of my head was curious. first was with Edenum is it GPA or is it past fail and then how does that factor into the sports and the extracurricular co-curricular pieces um because I don't know how Ed admentum works so when we use we use edgenuity and egeneuity
044is GPA you know they can they earn a percent so is Edenum pass fail or GPA >> admentum when we had used in the past was grades >> grades so they could still get their GPA with that okay um if a student were opting ing to use virtual and they were part of the Cuba City Virtual Academy, how would SDI be supported and any of those pieces like because I would assume you can't um exclude any student that has special education services. Correct. So, how would that support an online virtual program? >> Edenum did admit that like we can't meet the instructional minute requirements of IEPs. So that might be something they're like, "Well, we could do that if you if you pay more for it >> or you you might have some and 612
045that's not as big of issue as K5, right? >> And we're not even considering this for K5. Um, but in listening to their answers, it wasn't it's not great and I wouldn't recommend it for students with disabilities because >> so what we're required to do and that's why where these questions are coming from just as we have a special education teacher that then provides SDI virtually to try to help balance that. >> Um the other thing with regards to um how it will be funded like how are we going to fund this and is there going to be who's oversight? So obviously Edenum is probably virtually get so is it is it a self-paced program I'm assuming where they kind of get on to what they want to do. So then who in the district
046would be assigned uploading classes monitoring dashboard looking at grades looking at GPA. >> So last time we used Edenum we had a virtual coordinator and they just worked with Edenum as the in between and and we have somebody who's right now working towards their admin license. Okay. >> Who want who would like to be doing that for some of their hours, but that would probably be something that would come back to the um extra duty pay. >> Okay. Okay. Um and I'm just thinking, sorry, I think some of these already answered. Um so the teachers, IEPs, GPA, co-curricular, I think those Oh, and then rigor of the program like Adventum classes, you know. So how would that rigor be comparison? you know, if we're looking at whe they're taking an algebra class, adventum wise, is
047it going to be incomparable or AP classes or like those kind of things that are I don't I don't know about I know know enough about me to know like what the rigor is for admentum. >> The biggest complaint we got about admentum it was very rigorous. >> Okay. >> Like that when we went to wait when we just said we're we're not going to have one of these that what we heard from the parents and from the students is it was very rigorous. Chris, is that correct? >> Yeah, we actually use Adventum right now as our credit recovery during the summer. >> Okay. And you ask any of the kids, they they they thought that this would be the easier rout. >> I was just gonna say that. >> No, it's it's actually pretty
048>> in the same program that we use. We run into that a lot too. I'mma's going to take it on then and I take it for about a day and I'm like I'm not going to do this any longer. So, okay. Because that would be my question too because obviously if it's not as rigorous, >> right, >> like Joe had said, it could open up. we have others that just want to take the classes because we could get our, you know, biology done at a less rigorous rate and that's obviously we don't want it. So, okay, those are my questions. So, thank you. >> Is there any way of comparing Medum to the McFarland as far as the virtual >> uh one's easier, harder? >> We don't know much about McFarland. I mean, I'm just
049along that line of that, you know, rigor. because we start this in the second semester, right, is what you have. We >> we'd like to have kind of a soft start this semester. So, what we'd like to do is contact those people who are already going virtual to see if they'd like to come back. Probably not a lot of them. Uh but also when something new comes up, we want we'd like to say while we're writing kind of the handbook for this, it has to be approved by you guys. We'd like to say we have that option. like we have one student already who if this passes we'll contact tomorrow who's interested in still being one of our students but in a different way >> cuz I will say just I mean and again I
050think I mentioned this when you brought this up earlier whatever a month ago um I think there's value in having the opportunity as long as it's you know really well framed and we're not looking at you know potentially going down the slippery slope but there I have seen it be very successful for students who have legit social anxiety and really just can't find themselves in the buildings and then being able to keep connections. So I think there is >> and the funding that you had asked about money that um it's really kind of in the open role in and out line items for revenue and expenditures right now. You know, we we had not thought that 155,000 would be out towards those schools. you know, we we don't I we don't identify it as, you
051know, virtual versus, you know, brick and mortar schools, but it it's that that's where it would be budgeted for. And um you know, if we have fewer kids going out, that certainly reduces our risk or our liability of sending it to McFarland and Perishene as a virtual school now and Rosaki and Wisconsin virtual schools. when our open enrollment expense increased so much. Then I looked at the listing and you can see where they're going. >> Yeah. >> And last year our open our net open enrollment was like $432 I think,000 and what we're predicting this year is like 312. So we're going back five, six, seven years. So it's like, well, why? So then I started looking, digging into it. It's like, hey, we have so many kids that are going to like a virtual.
052So like that's just where this conversation started is we want to keep more of our kids >> and and honestly, the virtual schools are popping up more frequently. We're seeing a lot more of them. So this is probably a question. I'm sorry, one more Chris. So when you I know when the what the program moves if we have to open a course or have a course added there's additional costs for some of that is that how a momentum runs to or is it like a >> they they could we can go individual by course we can go for a semester or we can go for um the full year and it it obviously it's like if you just take a class it's more expensive that way. you set up a whole schedule for a whole
053year. That's the best value. >> Um, so we have flexibility options to do whatever ways. >> Okay. Okay. >> So along those same lines, if everyone that is taking or going virtual and they take their whole entire day, are we talking about say 155 divided by 14? Is that like the per cost and per revenue? So, it's not more value like the more people that go out, we're either making or losing less. It's I don't know if I'm making any sense, but it's just the same for one kid as it is like triple it for three kids. Let's just say it's for if a kid's worth $13,000 and they open roll out, we've got to send 11 of that $13,000 to McFarland >> where if we keep them, we're sending is it 2400 to Edenum.
054So that's the price difference between open everyone to another district or paying Edenum to run the virtual academy for us. >> So that doubles for two and triples for three. So it's not Okay. >> Yep. Have you had families inquire about this? >> Oh yeah, we we've had a lot of people reach out to to Mr. Sander and just say, "Do you guys have a virtual option for us?" In the last two years, we have not. And for a lot for a variety of reasons, not just social anxiety when we're talking about the people who have contacted you. Some are personal schedules, some are workrelated, some are some have been athletic related, some have been club related, you know. a lot of different reasons. >> Ultimately, we we do not feel that online learning is
055what's best. We're just trying to keep the kids >> our kids as our kids because they are making the decision regardless of whether we are >> I get that, but I also fear that you're opening a door for kids to not be in the building. You're making it too easy. And if our goal is to have kids in the classroom, >> I I it's a double-edged sword. It really is. >> But if they want to go virtual, >> if we don't have it, they're going to go to McFarland. >> But if we can offer it for certain hours of the day, I think as a district, we have to look at other opportunities for our students then as well. I mean, you're allowing This opens up a whole another can of worms for me, but
056you're allowing kids that are doing their AP classes here sitting in a study hall, well, they can choose to go virtual and they can be at home doing that. Like, so I feel like there's so many other opportunities for our kids that we have to also address and look at other than this as well. If we're going to do this, we have to look into other opportunities to make it equitable for all students who do want to be here but still want the flexibility because they don't want to do the online schooling. So, I'm hesitant to say yes or no either way because I think there's other things that we have to consider to make it an equal for the whole district. I'm almost wondering just a thought um especially since this is we're looking
057at a rapid rate of like January that originally and again this is just my two cents thinking quickly um that this not be a transitional program like if you're in virtual you're in it like this is what you do you don't come back and forth in the building and if there is a unique situation like maybe there's not AP cal on virtual and they're a senior and they want to have that that that becomes kind of where they come and they um request that like they it's a special disc I don't got to go to the board but whatever but it's a discussion around what's the reason what's the rationale that you are you know wanting to take this class in person kind of like what we do if you want to take it virtually
058if you want to go to Southwest Tech or you know plat pick up those classes I mean I feel like that you know that might be a we're calling it a virtual school right so this or a virtual option or schooling so you're choosing to be virtual 100% % of the time still with the W for possibly the WA options to be in clubs and sports. That's something homeschooling, correct? If they can tap into all of those things. So that' be my thoughts like it's kind of a and then down the road if this explodes and it's like really successful that okay, maybe there are conversations about it becoming more transitional. But that's just my two cents. >> I guess I'm wondering what the conversation was at boards that now have a virtual school, the
059Prairie Sheen, the McMarlets, the whomever I mean, they probably had maybe all those same thoughts. And >> so, Prairie Dasheen is the is the different one. Prairie actually started a virtual school uh a virtual charter school. >> Oh, >> okay. >> Um they were losing hundreds of thousands of dollars every year and it was it was exploding where they said we need to invest in this to keep some of our own kids. So, they're different. They're the one who the only one in southwest Wisconsin that actually has one and some of our kids have open rolled into Prairie Sheen. Um so that's how they did that. So it's a little different. >> Yeah, they're charter school line item. Remember that's a fairly new expense on our revenue limit worksheet. Um it like more than quadrupled
060in one year. So, I think they I'm I haven't, you know, asked their school business manager, but I can imagine if you all of a sudden have go from a $100,000 expense to a $600,000 expense, they're like, "We have to come up with something because we're paying that's that's not even that's not like open enrollment. That is just their their private school what they're paying for private school charters." So, they were like, "Hey, we we have to do something here." um provide a charter. >> Yes. Yeah. >> So, is the administration's concern that 14's going to turn into 20 next year >> as more people learn about virtual options? Uh or is that a one year anomaly or >> that's a concern. I whether it'll happen or not, I don't know, but it's a cons
061it's a it's a concern we have for sure. I mean, I guess given this virtual world, which I totally agree with Julie, I'd rather have them all in school and not given an option, but obviously 14 know that there's a virtual school and does that become 24 next year? Is there a rush that we are trying to make this for second semester or are we can we be prudent about it and really look at all options and this is something that we do start of the 26 27 school year >> we had talked about both you know we we >> I mean is there is there an urgency to it or is it something we can say okay we're developing this but we want to make sure all of our ducks are in a row
062and we've really considered everything that's on docket for August August, September 26. >> What? >> I just feel very rushed. I mean, we're in November right now. You're going to potentially roll this out. How many? I don't know. I just >> if if next year if we only had if we got back down to five, would you still want to do virtual school or would that be your recommendation or what's kind of like that cut off of now it's probably too many kids to not because obviously we're losing five kids every year and not questioning doing a virtual school. So, is it like 10 kids? >> Well, I think the difference is those those five kids like we knew what those were and they were b like varying scenarios. >> We're seeing an increase in
063social anxiety. We're not the only schools having this. You know, other school boards are having the same conversation probably this month. Exactly. Because the increase of virtual schools has just has gone up. So, that that's a concern that we have is it's going to keep going up. >> And I believe with the with the 14 that we have, I think only one of them is a senior that will graduate out. So they'll potentially still be 13 next year. >> I can see both sides of this. And I mean it goes without saying that we all think inerson instruction is best. But I also don't want to make that decision for parents and not give them an option. So if that's what they are deciding and that's what they want for their kid and we can
064do that. If there's somebody that didn't think about it until we offer it, that's that's in my mind that's more of a parent decision versus our decision. >> I've had parents tell me, "You're not going to tell me how I'm going to educate my kids. >> They they get real belligerent." >> Yeah. And the reason we wanted to go kind of with that soft launch in the second semester is that gives us the whole second semester to write that handbook and to work through some of the issues that we don't know are issues yet before we this summer we can start advertising that for people that send us open enrollment applications for McFarland. We can have Chris contact them and say, "Hey, we we've got our own option here and here's our handbook. We can
065send this to you." So you wouldn't be advertising it out right now so much? >> No. The soft launch would be if if this >> you just you just promote it to the 14 kids we know we've lost. >> Yep. And if if somebody's if we get another letter that says, "Hey, I want to go to open room," then we can reach out to them. But um you know, we would kind of be flying the plane while we're building it, which is what you do in in soft with soft launches. Um, you know, we don't have the handbook yet. >> So, are or have we contacted these 14 kids or the ones that went virtual to know that they did or didn't sign up for a whole year? >> No, we haven't done that in
066>> such that if you actually offered it second semester, it would [cough] get kids back if they were willing. >> Yeah, we'll do that once we know which direction you guys want to go after we vote on. >> I have two more questions. Sorry, this is more procedural stuff. It's just things that pop in my head when I think about how are we tracking attendance because I'm guessing as a student we still have to track attendance for them. So is that like amount of time course work and how I mean I'm just curious those things to be thinking about like how will we track that piece of it and then obviously statewide testing they'll have to students are considered district students so they're still going to have to take the state test as well. So
067some things that >> we did ask the first what what did they answer to the first one as far as attendance do they >> attendance um I think is more well they have some leeway um the expectation is that they log on each day for at least some portion of the day they do have you know some leeway um they have a start date and an end date and if if they go two days without logging in obviously somebody's going to check in with them and at that point Yes, that would count as an absence that way. Um, >> but yet you said it's self-paced. >> It is self-paced. Like I said, they they do have a start date and a finish date. Um, with our summer program, like if they don't do what's expected
068every day, they they won't make the end goal. So it is it is rigorous enough that they do have to log on pretty much every day if they're going to make the the cut off. >> Any other discussion? We may discuss this again because I think it's on the agenda. Correct. >> Y if if it gets voted down, is there a period of time to where we can't revisit it again? >> No, there's no next month. It could be on next month, too. Next month. Yep. All righty. Um public recognition. Is there any Nobody was >> Okay. And then over uh um to new business. Uh approve the date and time for the December and January meetings. >> Yep. Our current December 25th meeting is set for Wednesday, December 17th at 6 p.m. There's been
069a couple requests from board members to change that to December 10th. And then for the January meeting, uh Gary Dan and I are going to go to the state education convention at that normal time. So we're also recommending we move that up a week. So that would be Wednesday, January 14th. So uh that recommendation would be with those two changes, Wednesday, um December 17th and Wednesday, January 14th. >> You mean December 10th? >> December 10th. >> I'm sorry. >> Yes. Wednesday, December 10th. >> Is that all right, board? I can't make the tent, but if it's um just one of all the selfs, I would probably go ahead and still do it. >> Okay. >> I'm I'm good with both those dates and I and I'm not good with the 17th of December. So, but
070again, it doesn't >> We're moving it to the 10th. So, they work. >> Oh, December 17th. I'm sorry. >> The regular scheduled 17th I cannot make, but >> I think Julie, you couldn't make the 17th either. I have a conflict the 10th, but I can I can work around that. So, I'm I can make it work. Yes. For the 10th of December. >> Okay. So, the 10th. Okay. The 14th. All right. Is there a motion that someone would like to make with those dates? >> I didn't look at January. I'll move to approve the December regular board meeting for Wednesday, December 10th at 6:00 and the January meeting for Wednesday, January 14th at 6:00. >> We have a second. Is there a second? >> I will second. >> Okay. Schwagger, >> yes. >> Joel, >>
071yes. >> Bart, >> yes. >> White, >> yes. >> Bowden, >> yes. >> Andrews, >> yes. >> Motion carried. Item B is approved the WIA co-op for gymnastics with Southwestern. Yep. We had to last month approve that Shellsburg could join us and now we're just approving the WIA um contract lot that you sign after the meeting Gary. So this is the the exact same thing we do every year except this year we've added Shell to it. Okay. >> Would someone do you like to make that motion? >> I'll move to approve the WIA co-op for gymnastics with Southwestern School District. Is there a second? >> I'll second. I'm gonna give it to Joe. >> Yes. Joel, >> yes. >> Hard. >> Yes. >> White. >> Yes. >> Andrews, >> yes. Motion carried. >> And then
072C is approve the start of the Cuba City Virtual Academy in 2026. So there obviously is an a motion there. Um, I guess what is the board's uh desire? You guys have options. You can either continue the discussion or somebody can make a motion and we vote on see where it goes. So, it's really up to you. >> I will ask first, are there any more questions or comments? >> If you make the motion, is it for the virtual academy to be a transitional option? they can come back and forth or would it be? >> See, I I guess that one would be you guys are going to approve the handbook. So, if that's something you guys feel strongly about is not having a transition, you know, item, then we put that in the handbook.
073You know, if you guys say, "Well, we don't we don't want people to do that and still be in our athletic teams," then put that in the handbook. Like, even though it's WIA eligible, that doesn't mean that we have to allow it. >> So, those are all kind of handbook things and we can work on those handbook things, you know, throughout second semester. So it's just more or less whether we want an academy or not and then we figure out what kind of academy. >> Y >> but if you have someone who wants to switch at semester then you're saying we don't have a handbook for those participants. >> Yeah. >> we don't have we don't have a program. I would personally almost like to table it and kind of do more discussion about it
074and if we want to kind of aim for next year, but I I just I don't know. I guess if you if you table it, it's going to be um at the December meeting. So I don't know you probably would you have time to start anything for a second? Yeah, cuz when we say January, second semester really doesn't start till January 20th. Do you guys remember? I don't remember the calendar. It's mid January. >> Yeah. Say the 15th is the last day of the quarter. 16th would be the Friday. So 19th. >> I just didn't know what the lead time would be if you wanted to start it in terms of all of the things you'd have to do, including the publicizing it. Are you are you thinking table just to think about it more
075or something? >> I think so. Or more have more have framework put into place to see how it's going to be. I mean >> so are you saying you'd want the handbook done before you vote on it? >> I would think so. Yeah. Just because of how fluid it is or could be then it might not turn out right or how I would hope to help frame it I guess. I I don't like limiting transition. If I've got a kid that wants to be in band or take egg class or, you know, take Miss Ruin's class, why would we not allow that? I mean, I think we should if if we're going to do it. Uh athletic teams, same thing. Why, you know, why not? At to me, I look at it that our numbers
076went from 5 to 14. I would hate to see that number go from 14 to 18 or 21 or whatever it may be. >> So, kind of wanted to go home school, right? Because home school kids can come and take classes. Correct. So, >> and they're eligible for athletics as well. >> Correct. >> Yes. Are they homeschool kids? >> They can't open enroll. >> Correct. So, are you saying we would cap it at two then just like a home school >> where they can come in for up to two classes here like a home school? I guess that that's where I I'm just Do we have protocol for like homeschool students? like is there some and then that's I mean I know it's different but >> I don't think we have any home school students
077that do come in but I think they can come up to >> we do we do have a homeschooled student who takes two >> classes but I believe school to work is one of them and >> yeah so do you have any idea like timeline on what it would take to get a hand book up and running like if we approve this tonight like could we have a framework of a handbook by December so we have an idea of like answers to all questions. I don't I don't I'm not in favor of you doing all this work and then we say no like I want you [laughter] but if we say yes like and develop that handbook >> I can have a draft by December 10th. That's what you're asking. >> Yes, that's what I'm
078asking. >> So if there's no more questions I guess I will ask the question. Does somebody want to make a motion? is again if there's no motion made then it gets tabled. >> I will move to approve the start of the Kuba City Virtual Academy in 2026 as presented. >> Is there a second? >> I will second. >> Schwer, >> no. Joel, >> no. >> Hart, >> yes. >> White, >> yes. Absolutely. >> Bowden, >> yes. >> Andrews, >> yes. >> Motion carry. Um, I will work on that draft and get that to you guys before the December meeting and then if there are things that we want to discuss or alter from that handbook at the December meeting, we can have those as as items to look at as well. Item D then is
079approved the addition of a Cuba City head girls wrestling coach to the district handbook. >> Yep. Um the delineation between boys and girls was approved by the board of control of the WIA back in June of 24. And to clarify, there's no requirement that schools need to have different coaches. Uh this would be a local decision, but our coach last year that did boys and girls did resign from the girls side of that. Um, and it's um that's just kind of how schools are operating. So, girls simply are no longer able to wrestle on the boys team where last year they could. So, if they have a girls team, uh, so school girls, sorry, schools without a girls team, um, shall not have athletes be in the girls tournament series. So, this is just approving
080that we have a girls coach. Um, and we'll act on that actually later in personnel. Um, but we've got to add that to the district handbook as last year that was not in there. >> Questions for >> Is there a limit or is there a number for what makes a constitutes a team? >> Um, like >> can you just do it with one person? >> You can do it with one person. Yep. >> Okay. >> Do you know what our numbers are? I thought Carrie a couple weeks ago said they were at three. So, is it two now? >> Two, maybe three. But the first night of practice is tonight, so >> Okay. We don't know. >> Yeah. >> So, wrestling is just Cuba City. It's not It's cool. It's Cuba City and Southwest. So,
081they're just >> a couple girls from the three. I >> think we I think we've got a handful eighth graders though that potentially next year would grow that team. >> If there's no other questions, there's a motion. >> I just got a question. You You said it's not in the handbook yet. I mean, are we hiring a coach before we have a position or >> um we're adding it to the handbook right now and then in about three items later, we'll approve the coach. >> There's a motion to hire a wrestling coach. >> Oh, maybe I got to get on my agenda here. >> So, we're on new business. >> My apologies. >> No problem. >> Would someone move? I'll move to approve the addition of CCHS head girls wrestling coach to the district handbook
082as presented. Is there second? >> I'll second. >> Schwer. >> Yes. >> Joel, >> yes. >> Bart, >> yes. >> White, >> yes. >> Boden, >> yes. >> Andrews, >> yes. Motion carried. >> Item E is approve overnight FFA halftime conference in Stevens Point, January 1718. >> Yep. This is another FFA event that requires an overnight stay. We recommend you approve. >> If there's no questions, would someone move? >> I'll move to approve overnight FFA halftime conference in Stevens Point January 17th and 18th, 2026 as presented. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Schwagger, >> yes. >> Joel, >> yes. >> Bart, >> yes. >> White, >> yes. >> Bowden, >> yes. >> Andrews, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> Moving to personnel. A is approve an annual medical visit incentive for all
083staff. Yeah, this was a recommendation I got from attending a health service event hosted by Medical Associates this summer. Um, by providing an incentive for staff um, and our incentive would be that they can have that last day of inservice, which would be Friday, June 5th off. Uh, if they get a physical or medical checkup by their medical provider by a certain date, we we picked Friday, May 1st, to get a a checkup every year. medical associates really recommend they said this makes a big difference for a lot of their customers is early detection of of any problems and a lot of people just don't ever go to the doctor. This was their they had a lot of recommendations. This was the one that I thought was the most applicable to schools because we could
084do that. Um and we think this is going to lead to overall better health of our staff and overall uh better health by our staff helps our line item with you know medical insurance. So, uh, this is something that we thought was no cost and could be really great for our for our teachers or for our staff. >> Is this an individual thing? So, individually, if you get it, you get or is it it's all or nothing? >> Oh, no. So, like if Katie says, "Hey, I went to the doctor." She lets us know by May 1st. Um, you know, she we don't get the results of that. She just shows, yep, I show I went, then she doesn't have to come to that in service day. And that would just be the employee, not
085the spouse or family or >> the employee. >> Y So it's all staff. >> It's a It's available to all staff and >> even if they don't take our insurance. >> Y So it's food service, custodian, etc. Okay. >> And they don't have inservice days, right? So what's their incentive? >> Oh, we did talk about that. Um we we did talk about that. $200. >> It was what? >> $200. >> There was a financial incentive. Was it 200? >> $200. >> 200 for support. >> Yes. >> You sure it was 200? >> I feel like that's the number that we talked about. You didn't think it was that? I thought it was 100 >> because we talked about that teachers there would be no cost but for and for custodians it would be no cost
086because we would give them an extra vacation day. >> Oh maybe it was >> shooting I didn't put that in there. >> I didn't I I don't remember. Maybe it now I just did a quick calculation and maybe it was more um 120. I just going off of some numbers that we talked about. >> They probably want the board probably wants to know. >> Should we should we table that vote on that in December? Any thoughts on that? Just while we finalize that because I think >> I I like the idea. I just would like to know exactly what we're >> I know we we had talked about it, but I didn't write it in here. >> I would also like to note how many would be affected with a a payout. So, how many
087are we talking that would require a payout versus the inservice day? >> Does that make sense? >> Yep. >> I think it's a great idea. I think if we can get anyone can get ahead of it. I think that's >> okay. We'll bring that back. >> All right. We're going to table that one then. Um, >> yes. >> Which then moves us to B, which is to approve the hiring of the QC High School girls wrestling coach, Bradley Holmes. Yep. Uh, this recommendation comes from um, Coach Lawson and Mr. Sander both recommend Mr. Holmes who worked with our boys wrestling team last year. >> If there's no question, would somebody make that motion? >> I'll move to approve the hiring of the CCHS girls wrestling coach Bradley Holmes as presented. >> Is there a second?
088>> I'll second. >> Schwiner. Yes. >> Joel, >> yes. >> White. >> Yes. >> Henry is absent. >> Bowden. >> Yes. >> And Andrew, >> yes. >> Motion carried. >> C is approved. Brady uh Coulard as volunteer middle school boys basketball coach. >> This recommendation comes from Mr. Jacob. Met with them and the coach and like to volunteer with him. >> Somebody make that motion. I'll move to approve Brady Coloulird as volunteer CCMS boys basketball coach as presented. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Okay. Schwigger. >> Yes. >> Joel, >> yes. >> Bart, >> yes. >> White, >> yes. [clears throat] >> Absent. Bowden, >> yes. >> Andrews, >> yes. >> Motion carried. >> And D is approved. Katie Shrader is the high school pom poms coach. >> Katie is a QC
089High School Palms alumni. and current elementary school teacher. We're excited that she had she's accepted this position if we can offer this to her. Miss Lawson, Mr. Sand, and I all recommend that you approve this. >> If there's no questions, >> I'll move to approve Katie Schrader as the CCHS pump coach. >> I'll second. >> Schwider, >> yes. >> Joel, >> yes. >> Bart, >> yes. >> White, >> yes. >> Bon, >> yes. >> Anders, >> yes. Motion carried. >> All right. Committee reports. Is there anything budget and finance-wise that board should know about? No. >> Last met on October 8th. Probably won't meet again till later on in the spring. >> Okay. Uh building and grounds. I think we discussed everything there tonight. Personnel. Um any need for meeting? >> There was there was
090a request from the CCA. I'm still waiting to hear back from everybody on the personnel committee if they are willing to meet with them for a meet and confirm. Okay. >> Policy um you met in September. No need at this time. >> Not until they let us know probably January, February. We'll get another update tonight. >> And technology transportation. We have a meeting tomorrow night. Uh, have you handed out uh to that committee the packets that uh um you want to give that to Dan? >> Dan Sarah. >> Okay. So, these are just the individual bus inspection report that we'll go through tomorrow. >> Okay. Um foundation, you met uh last month and >> I think we'll probably meet again in February. That sounds like Yeah. >> Yeah. after the year end's done, he has
091time to file out probably about February. >> Okay. And I don't have anything from uh CISA other than uh um does Dan and Aaron want to go to the uh breakfast that uh CISA holds so I could sign you up while we're at the state convention. >> Which date is that, J? >> I will get it to you. >> I'm signing up for that. >> Okay, I'll be in. >> Okay. All righty. Um, I would like a motion to adjourn, please. >> I'll move to adjourn. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All All in favor? >> I need to adjourn. Thank you all.