Board of Education Meeting 7-14-2025

001speak more than once on the same topic unless all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard part sorry participants shall address only topics within the legitimate jurisdiction of the board all statements shall be directed to the presiding officer no person may address or question board members individually the presiding officer may interrupt warn or terminate a participant statement when the statement is too lengthy personally directed abusive obscene or irrelevant request any individual to leave the meeting when and that person does not observe reasonable decorum. Request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a disorderly person when that person's conduct interferes with the orderly progress of the meeting. Call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum so interferes with the orderly conduct

002of the meeting as to warrant such action. The portion of the meeting during which the comment of the public is invited shall be limited to 60 minutes unless extended by the vote of the board. Reminder to board members and speakers, this is not a conversation between the board and the person speaking at the microphone. The person at the microphone will be allotted their five minutes to speak and we move to the next person who has signed up to speak. >> Thank you, Kristen, for reading that for me tonight for all of us. Uh the first speaker, when you come down to the microphone, please be sure that you're speaking into the microphone. Uh the first speaker is John Maddock. You'll come down Mr. Maddock and state what item that you're speaking toward on the agenda,

003please. Sir, >> my name is John Maddock. I'd like to thank the board, administration, and staff members for their time tonight. I'll be speaking toward action item A, which is the referendum. I wanted to say a long overdue congratulations to our superintendent, administrators, staff, and board members during the 2024 year for their hard work to pass this forever. He went to county and city board meetings. Numerous group and club meetings were available for all the question asked and provided facts to our community. It's excuse me. It's exciting that our community wants to invest back in our kids. I'm glad that we finally passed a referendum referendum for Anigo that can help move this district in the right direction. I'm proud of the teachers who dedicate their time and stayed here, especially during some very tough

004times in recent years. I'm glad that they will be able to enjoy future success of our school districts. We went from we went from only being above seven schools in our testing to now above 124 schools out of 420. That makes me very proud of the improvements that have been made already. Our community, our families, our administrators, our teachers, and especially our children should be proud of the improvements. I hope we continue this positive direction and can't wait to see our new school finally being built and put to use for our children and families of our district. Thank you very much again. >> Thank you, John. >> Thank you. [Applause] >> Our next speaker is Nicole Kubayic. Nicole, give us your name and what item that you're speaking to award, please. >> Okay. Um, I'll

005be speaking tonight under the consent agenda, specifically the minutes of the June 16th board meeting, as well as the resignation report. Uh, I'm Nicole Kubachic, a longtime member of Lang Lake County, a graduate of Ano High School, a parent to a student that recently graduated from the high school and one at the middle school. I want to call attention during this June 16th board meeting during Sarah Cruz's public comment. She was she would be speaking on curriculum and instruction under administration reports. Miss Cruz was stopped during her comment by the school board president stating number three is not an actionable item, so you cannot speak. Policy 167.3 public comment at board meetings. Item D states comments made by the public shall be in reference to a specific agenda item. Nowhere in the policy does it

006require the public comment statement to be an actionable item. When Mr. George Schers was called up to speak, the school board president stated, "As long as you speak to an actionable item, Mr. Commissioners, you can speak. I would like to ensure in the future the school board, including the president that presides over the meeting, is aware that public comment does not require an actionable item on the agenda per your policy. Regarding the resignation report, with all the design discussions last month about this significant amount of resignations given throughout the past two years, there have been no there has been no transparency by the school board or the school district of these issues. And now you have purposely eliminated the resignations and new hires listing from the board p packet that was public. Was this conduct

007done on purpose in an attempt to hide from the public the ever growing list of resignations that continue to pour in due to lack of leadership and standard human resource management practices. Two resignations that I would expect to be on the list. Mr. Mike Perezic, a highly skilled professional who helped hundreds of high school students in connecting them with area businesses in acquiring skilled labor from students still in high school and after. Another would be Mr. Jerry Rhoden, another high school instructor. Jerry was an English teacher who made a meaningful impact on his students through creative and learning experiences. Jerry welcomed to his classroom local professionals such as Chelsea Deloreia from the Aniggo Daily Journal to speak to the students about professionalism. Jerry was also my daughter's written communications teacher. To reiterate um board member

008comments from June 16th, Miss Maddox stated, "We cannot afford to lose many this many teachers. We still have not filled vacancies from last year's resignations and our kids are not able to take those classes. We can't keep doing this. Something is wrong. Something is broke. It needs to be fixed. And the board needs to step in and help the administration. It's a shared responsibility. It absolutely is. We need to be better. We're not doing going. We are not going to have any teachers to teach our kids. Mr. Schrader stated stated we are not the administrator. We don't see the daytoday. We don't see the evaluations. We basically hear from the superintendent. We hear from the public. So, we're in a bad position. We need to treat the staff better. We're making people too unhappy. I

009know we want to try to improve education, but I'm not sure we're doing it in the right way. We need to try harder. We need to apologize. We need to do something. As Miss Brown stated, it is critical that we have so many unhappy staff that it definitely needs to be addressed. With such critical and now public concerns over our school district is facing, how can you, as school board, as a school board, continue to sit idally by and allow this nonsense to continue? Where are you, our school board members, doing to hold our administrator accountable here? That is your responsibility as schoolboard members. Policy 1210 of the board district administrator relationship states the board is responsible for determining the success of the district administrator in meeting the goals established by the board through annual

010evaluations of the district administrator's performance. I would hope that maintaining appropriate staffing levels to fulfill the needs of the school district to operate what fall under the evaluation and performance. When was the last time you as school board members read and reflected on the mission and value statements of thisi unified school district of Anigo? Allow me to remind you of each of those. The mission statement states USDA ensures high levels of learning for each and every student through high quality instruction. The vision statement states, "Every student and staff member experiences a sense experience experiences a sense of belonging and authentic supportive relationships in in partnership with our community. We commit to fostering student well-being and learning success. In order to achieve this mission, staff at the USDA agree to the following collective commitments. We will

011provide a safe and supportive environment for all staff and students, no matter what their socioeconomic status, race, religion, gender, or or sexual identity they may be. We take time to build relationships with staff and student members. We will advocate for and support the needs of students and staff. We will provide a challenging, rigorous, and developmentally appropriate curriculum. Um, it seems to me that some of our schoolboard members and administration need to reread these. >> Nicole, your time is up. Thank you. [Applause] >> Our next speaker is Chelsea Kubachic. >> Technical challenge here. Okay, Chelsea, wait just a moment. >> All right, you can state your name and what item you're speaking toward on the agenda. >> My name is Chelsea Kubayek and I'm speaking towards the consent agenda. Hello, my name is Chelsea Kubachic. Many

012of you may remember me from the last time I spoke at this podium. Once again, I'm not here not on not only on behalf of myself, but I'm also representing members of this community who feel silenced, intimidated, or afraid to speak up. At last schoolboard meeting, nine individuals, former staff, concerned citizens, and community members voiced serious concerns about the unfair and toxic conditions within our district. We heard firsthand from teachers who described experiences of bullying, a lack of support, and unanswered question. One teacher even shared that they resigned because the district had become an unhealthy environment, specifically calling out how high school administration administration mistreated not just staff, but students as well. And yet, here we are. The board continues to sit here as if all is well, like it's all sunshine and rainbows. Meanwhile,

013real issues are being swept under the rug. Speech is being limited. People are being mistreated. lies and deceit continue and it's honestly sickening. It's not just the community speaking out anymore. It's multiple news outlets have now reported on the concerning environment within the district, highlighting the staff resignations, the public's frustration, and the lack of transparency. Still, no meaningful action has been taken. The school continues to dodge questions, ignore requests for information, and leave this community in the dark. The more we ask, the more we are stonewalled. When I first came forward, it it was out of concern for the lack of transparency around the metals and red robin machining programs. But now I speak with an even greater urgency because I along with hundreds of others have come to see how deeply broken and corrupt

014the administration and board have become. At the last meeting, I had several others intend to speak on Mike Pzik's resignation, a topic that absolutely should have been on the agenda. To our surprise, even some members of your own board were unaware that his resignation letter had been removed from the meeting packet. And now, as I reviewed this month's agenda to prepare my comments, I see that his resignation letter still hasn't been included. This feels like yet another clear attempt to control what the public can can and cannot talk about. You keep using this word vision, but what is the vision? What is the plan to rebuild trust, to restore a healthy work and learning environment, and to hold people accountable? What specific actions are each of you as schoolboard members and as leaders going to

015take to actually fix fix this? The community has been reaching out for weeks, and while people have received responses, they're vague, unhelpful, and provide no real answers. We're told things like, "That's not your guys's responsibility," or to find another committee that handles that, but were given no direction and no resolution, and the committee meetings were cancelled. This can't continue. The district is in crisis, and you continued silence and in the action are only making it worse. Our students, teachers, and communities deserve better, and we're not going to stop asking for it, and we're not going to stop speaking. Thank you. >> Thank you, Chelsea. Number two, consent agenda, approval of agenda, minutes, financial reports, request for overnight travel, report of district new hires, report of retirement, and resignation report. I will be looking for a

016motion. I move the board approve the agenda minutes from the June 16, 2025 board of education meeting, report of district new hires, district retirement and resignation report, financial reports for June 25 and July 2025, consideration of current bills, checks number 90054 through 9096 in the amount of $168,881.95. AC's number 24251-681 through 2526029 in the amount of $256,92568 for a total of $425,6763. There are no wire transfers posted for June and July of 2025. >> Motion has been made by Bobby. Would you like to speak to your motion? >> Yes. with the correction to the resignation and retirement report including Mike Perezic. >> Mr. Ozinski, >> I'm sorry. I understand that that probably was not on time to make the June meeting, but definitely should be included on this on this report if I'm not mistaken.

017Mrs. Fbender you can speak to that please. >> So we have processes as to when people are on the resignation list and it has to follow um different procedures including when liquidated damages are paid, when the checks are cleared and then when release of contract happens. So it may not be the same exact month that they give their resignation letter. Also, resignation letters have never been public. >> And then in speaking with our attorney, uh, new hires as well as resignations are not public information due to the fact of there's been information that's been leaked out as we have hired staff members. They wanted to come to our district, but people in our community has contacted them and now they changed their mind about coming to our district. So, uh, just as late as today,

018our attorney confirmed with me that district hires and district resations are not public information until after the board votes on them. >> Understood. >> And I know that Abby, you had sent me an email and I was clarifying that with our attorney before I can get back to you. So >> I sense >> in person. Any other questions or comments of the motion on the floor? >> I I have a few comments. Um first I would like to speak to the resignations. Um so we have four new hires which isn't resignations new hires. So we have four which is amazing. I was also very happy to see that there was a lot of other people on the interview committee. Um but we have seven resignations. um some of these that have 13 over 13 years

019um and I I don't want to say their names but that have made very big impacts in our district and have willingly moved into different roles and excelled in them and then are now still choosing to leave us um and pay the liquidation damage fee and um I feel like that alone speaks volumes. Um, I'm wondering if our negative the ne the negativity in our community as of late is making people maybe not want to come here. Um, and I'm wondering what we can do about it as a board so that we can have teachers to teach our kids. I think we definitely need to be more transparent. We hear that all the time. Please be transparent. I think a lot of the manufacturing things could have been cleared up if we would have just

020been honest right away and said what the plan was, but we're not. So, I have a lot of wonders about that. Um, when we're on the news and we're in the paper and we're on Facebook and we're on everything all of the time and some true and some not, that has to hurt us. So, that's my first thing. My second thing is I have asked several times how many positions we need to fill um and I am ignored um or told I can look on weekend. So I did look on weekend and um it just gives me way more questions. So I contacted again um and did not receive a a reply. So I would like to know how many teachers we need. I know that we have a lot and also when I go

021on we can I struggle because it'll say elementary teacher and then it doesn't say where which grade level we would need teachers and I realize that sometimes that's very common with districts. I'm not saying that we're doing anything different but if I really want to be a second grade teacher I would kind of like to know that. But even more concerning is for the content. So, if it says social studies, it says 612. Well, is that a middle school position? Is that a high school position? How many do we need at the middle school? How many do we need at the high school? I know we're having a lot of applicants, but are they all just for one lumped in elementary or one lumped in content? And again, I did not want to bring this

022up and talk for a million years. I tried to contact some board members to get some answers and I'm ignored and emailed and so I'm bringing it up here. >> I've never received an email from >> Nobody contact. >> Well, let's let's clarify that we're we're having a discussion and if we're going to be calling people out, let's >> be clear. >> I've never been contacted >> ever. >> I also have not. >> I have not. All I've ever been is nominated for something that I didn't even know I was going to be nominated for. Little lack of respect would be a little respect would have been nice at that point. >> I think I will comment on this also to say that I do appreciate >> the transparency of our district. I have explored

023other districts um board meeting agendas and minutes and ours is very easy to find um new hires and retirements and resignations and it took a lot of work on other districts more than one that I explored to try and see because obviously our staff who are resigning are going somewhere um so there's openings so I would just like to share that in exploring other districts ours is very easy to navigate. It's very easy to find and it's very transparent. >> I would second that. I went on numerous district websites to see how many resignations that have been in other districts um because I truly feel that that is this is not an aniggo issue that this is a teaching issue. And again, I could not find any district that had it posted easily to find.

024I 100% agree, Abby, that this is a a negativity issue that we are having teachers leave because of the lack of support for staff and teachers in our community. And I have always prided myself on this community coming together in a time of need. And I don't know what greater time of need it is than having our students get taught, our young learners, have teachers. So, we need to we need to come together as a community and show some support for these young kids. We have a brand new school coming. The the support is there. We just have to remember that we're headed in the right direction. >> I I wholeheartedly agree with that. We We got a lot of problems. There's a lot of school districts that have problems. There's districts we get hammered

025on because our people are going to a certain district every year. My question is why is that district have an opening every year? Mhm. >> There it's it's a revolving door in the state of Wisconsin. Teachers have been bashed for years. Public employees have been bashed for years. It's a community problem. It's not just us or teachers. It's everybody in this town. I grew up here. I'd hate to say I I can't say in public what people used to call me as a teacher's kid in this town. It's shameful. So, it's all of us, including me, calling myself out. >> So, it's time we come together. >> Any comments or questions of the motion on the floor? There's just one more comment on the parameters of the weekend postings. Um, first of all, I just

026want to make it clear that um the Anigo school district doesn't decide exactly how that posting appears because um you may list a position like an elementary school teacher um or an social studies 612. Um I think it's up to our our decision on placement whe where that teacher gets placed um you know where they're licensed where they're placed and that takes conversation. Also just to note that also on weekend there are um there's definitely a space on weekend where the number of openings is listed. So that is available information but again um when you set up putting in a open position a vacancy we don't have you know it's the name of the position. There's only certain fields that can be filled in and that doesn't allow you to customize that necessarily as to

027um location or um grade level. So I just wanted to make note of that. So, it provides flexibility in the potential new hires and also in workability with our current staffing that if we have somebody um that could fit a vacancy and is qualified for um but maybe applied for a different position within our district. It gives us the ability to have that conversation with them and even make shifts or movements. So, that way we are ensuring that our most vital positions are filled. Obviously, we want all of them filled. Um, but that's a pretty common HR practice. >> Yep. Provides flexibility. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions or discussion of the motion on the floor? >> Yeah. >> Scott, >> one other comment. um just the way the climate is. There's a lot of

028people that are going into teaching and are really good in their field but aren't trained in um behavioral management. Kicking a kid out of class, shutting the class down, that's not a behavioral management technique. So I would put it on the administration that when we hire someone who is not trained, has not gone to college and had the conversations about how to deal with autistic kids, Asperers kids, and even to know how to identify those children and and know how to deal with them. They they should be told the first time first day they're hired that they are going to go through behavioral management training and learn to deal with those kids. Our elementary teachers in the country get it. They don't kick kids out of class. They get a roster and they deal with

029them every day. I don't see that happening all over. >> Thank you, Scott. Okay, your voting device is now open for the motion on the floor of the consent agenda. [Music] >> All right. Would anyone like to change their vote? The vote is now closed. Dustin and the motion carries. We will be moving to the administration report and we have our superintendent report as normal uh in July. Uh we do skip committee meetings uh to keep the month of July light. >> So for my superintendent report tonight um my admin team and I have been busy trying to work on different scenarios to get positions filled across the district. Currently, we have the following positions open. Three elementary classroom teachers. We have one pending acceptance. We have two elementary principal positions, one elementary music position,

030two middle school teacher positions, one is pending acceptance, two special ed at the middle school, two high school ELA, two high school math, one Spanish, which was posted all year long. It's a shortage across the state for many school districts. And we also have three special education positions at the high school with one pending there. Um some celebrations for our district. I um got the sense that the celebrations last month were kind of overshadowed. So it was requested that I bring those back because we should always be willing to lift up and accept the positive things that are happening in our district to support our students and our staff for the hard work they're doing. So, we'll start tonight with all of our Anigo High School AP human geography students who were in Mr. Dennis

031Ducatcha's class scored and earned college credit. Only four students took the test. Three of those students scored a four and one of them earned a five, which is the highest score. So, that's something to be very proud of. Along with AP US history, out of 21 students who took the exam, 18 scored and earned college credit. Our stu students overall were six percentage points higher than the Wisconsin state average and 12 percentage points higher than the global average. Need I remind you that is our first and foremost obligation is to make sure our students are getting a highquality education and our student outcomes are proving that each and every year for the past couple of years. Again, a reminder as a huge celebration and shout out to our middle school DPI. identified them as a

032high impact for achievement and award. They recognize the middle school because they demonstrate exemplary dedication to student growth and achievement. That is the teaching staff that is the support staff that is the administrative staff in that building. Something to be celebrated. Um the anigo middle school received this award in this category based on rigorous criteria including academic performance, measurable progress in student growth or graduation rates and efforts to reduce achievement gaps particularly for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Due to the significant academic achievement over the past two years, particularly among students identified as economically disadvantaged, our middle school has been selected for this prestigious honor as being a high impact school. Again, another celebration for the Anigo school district. Um, also, Mr. Tom Scofield was recognized by WIAA as the district 2 athletic director of

033the year. Congratulations to Mr. Scoffield on this well-deserved honor along with not forgetting that Mrs. Fosbender was also named the new business manager of the year for the state of Wisconsin. All of those should be a huge celebration for the Anigo school district coming from nearly the bottom of the state and rising as many points as we have. Please applaud the accomplishments of our staff. [Applause] And lastly, we have Mrs. Bornean and Mr. who will speak to us around things regarding scheduling processes and offerings at the Anigo High School for the upcoming school year. >> So Anigo High School follows a process each year to collect student course requests, build the master schedule, and create individual student schedules. Enrollment numbers are also carefully reviewed to ensure fiscal responsibility for the 202526 school year. Angle High

034School is projected to serve approximately 600 students, 190 students than the previous year, largely due to eighth grade transitioning back to the middle school. In 2024 and 25 school year, two CT teachers began teaching at the middle school and high school levels to support and grow the middle school CT programs. With the return of 8th grade to the middle school and a projected decline in enrollment, staffing needed continued to be evaluated. In February of 2025, course offerings for the 2526 school years were shared with all students in the Balm. Overviews of classes, including the newly added social studies course and the spring dual credit firefighting academy with NTC. Students then had time to talk about the courses that they needed and wanted. In March of 2025, Mr. Moroccan counselors went into the English classes during

035the day to help students select the courses they needed. Students had a week after to make changes to their course selections. All courses in the course catalog available to students at this time. Metals fab is only offered every other year, so it would be offered during the 20126 2027 school year. All CT classes were available for students to select, including Red Robin Machinery. Several staffing and schedule changes were made in response to enrollment and student course selection data. In the previous year, several high school course sections had 10 or fewer students enrolled, and that's not fiscally sustainable. As a result, the staffing audit was conducted. Staffing levels in social studies, science, family, and consumer ed, German, and metals were all reduced based on enrollment trends and student interest. For example, in German courses only justified

036a 0.5 FTE. It was also found that in metals classes were only justified a 0.5 FTE. Carpentry courses generated a strong student interest at the high school by moving carpentry classes fully back to the high school and allocating a full FTE to that program. The 0.5 FTE for the metals position was able to absorb the middle school sections resulting in a full-time position. This change supports concurrent enrollment but also is expected to promote continual interest in the metals programs among students as they transition to high school. One of the reasons we've seen a decrease in student requests for metal courses is the increased participation in the welding academy at NTC. This program provides student with an excellent opportunity to earn a certificate while directly entering into the workforce after graduation. The entire district looked at

037their enrollments and fiscal responsibility this year. Every year at all levels, we look at enrollments and course offerings. >> Am I allowed to ask a question? you can ask a question here. >> Okay. So, first of all, thank you for that explanation. As a former elective class, I totally understand if you don't have kids in your class, it's not going to be offered. That's not rocket science. Um, so thank you. Um, but my question is probably not appropriate, but my son is extremely excited about an officials class that he signed up for. Um, is that is that I think you should talk about how that is a >> we could actually talk about >> possibility because he's really excited. he does not get excited about school. >> So, we um actually just talked about that

038again this morning because we only had three students sign up for that class. So, one of the things in working with Mr. Scoffield that we had offered to students this year because we do not have middle school officials. Um we don't have we have officials. Officials are hard to find. Um high schoolers can officiate middle school games. So, we had offered during course selection that because official the official class is not long enough to be a semester that it would be partnered with the lifeguarding class. So then they would have two different job options after that as high school students. We had three students select that. Um so we were talking about how to make that a correct, right? Like >> this is a money maker. Um we had three students select that. So we

039were talking this morning about how can we make that possible yet because we need lifeguards and we need officials and we have kids who are interested. So I don't have an answer for that because we have three kids. >> Okay. >> But I'm it's not off the table yet. >> Okay. Thank you. I think it's awesome that you're thinking about offering those officiating classes. And that just goes back to another comment on public ed on education in general. They don't offer officiating at state colleges anymore, do they? >> Not that I don't believe so. >> When I was in college, you could take officiating of football, officiating of basketball, wrestling. We turned out officials. They're blaming that. They're blaming parents be uh treating officials poorly for the reason that we don't have officials. Well, maybe

040that's a little bit of it. A lot of it is we don't encourage it because we don't think it's worth it. We don't we don't think it was we didn't think it was worth a quarter college credit so they cut it out. Dr. Bardo, I saw your hand come up. >> Uh you mentioned that we have students in the welding program who go to NTC. Could you uh give the number of student how many hours per day are kids allow allowed to go to NTC >> for that welding class? >> So this year it was I believe three class periods but it's NTC tells us what the class periods that they need. So like um and then we just work around that. So the new fire academy that we're going to be able to offer

041in the spring um we're not sure how many class hours they'll need out of our building but then we'll work around what they need um so that they're able to do that with And that was also offered during course scheduling. Um and we let students know that we will have eight I believe NTC said they can take eight students for um the firefighter academy and then they'll be licensed firefighters um when they come out of that. There's stipulations around age and things and what they can do but they can work with the fire department. >> But I'm talking the medals program. >> I believe it was three hours this year for the welding courses. Amy, do we know the numbers of of how many students are going to NTC that will get advanced welding? >>

042Yep. >> While we're waiting to comment on uh Scott, there's a group that goes around and offers like officiating courses. It's not through the school. Obviously, we need younger officials. A lot of times those officials are older officials and we need younger officials to get in. So, trying to have something at the high school would be more beneficial. >> Be great. Yeah. I I I applaud you for doing that. >> Can we just put a little less money in fund 46, not $2.5 million, and fund a few more classes? >> Not up for discussion right now. >> Kristen, >> so my my question is more towards Kelly. So if we took every dollar that we received from a student and took that to solely pay a teacher's salary and benefits, knowing very much that's not

043possible. But if we were, how many students would have to be in that class? Obviously, it would have to be arranged because we have a low and a high on that table. >> How about >> Thank you. That was nine to 10 because it wasn't in the microphone. >> Could Amy answer my question? How many kids are going to NTC for welding? Yes. I'm sorry, Dr. Bar. >> Yeah, based on what I have last year, the 24 school year was around 10 students that went >> is that for both. >> We opened it up so that they could finish the program. >> Thank you. >> Projections for this year. I guess is what I was >> we have eight for the fall and then we don't get the spring until October 1st. So we have

044eight currently that are on track to go this fall. >> Thank you. >> Are there any other questions for the superintendent report? >> Kristen, what was the answer to your question? So it takes 10 students in a class to be basis sustainable >> and that is if every single dollar >> was eight to n it's every >> nine to 10 and that is is if you could take every single dollar from that student and pay the teacher's salary and benefits. So no lights no electricity >> take the heating >> nothing else just their salary. >> So conjecture would say maybe 15 >> I mean you just throw that out >> or 20. So, we appreciate looking at enrollment numbers because to be fiscally responsible, we have to make decisions that aren't always easy. And so,

045I appreciate that question and the response because it I just think it helps connect the dots of decision- making um based on interests of students to ensure that we're being physically responsible. >> Can can you talk a little bit about when I read one of the resignation letters, it talked about not having a chance to advertise the class? I know you mentioned that there was sort of a chance, but can you clarify that a little more? >> Sure. So, we we go in the bone. We um have each grade level come in at a separate time. So, we have nth grade come at a certain time. Um 10th grade, we had eighth grade here this year, so we got to do the eighth grade um and then 11th grade as well. And so we present

046all the course offerings that we have everything from um our core content um classes to our um CTE uh music uh fad and things like that. So we present everything that's available for students and kind of talk through and they can answer any questions that they have also at that time. So you you guys present it. You kind of give a little summary about the classes or do the teachers from that class do it or how does >> Correct. Um oftentimes um teachers are teaching and so um they have in the past came down and talked about their classes if it's during a prep or um they've can find someone to cover but this year it was more of like our counseling and uh myself presenting. Can you explain the process of how eighth grade

047gets exposed before eighth grade was moved out of the high school to all of the CTE offerings? >> Um so eighth grade there was like a eighth grade rotation and so they had got to experience um four different classes in that rotation. So it was by quarter and it was just basically again to gain as much exposure exposure as possible to those classes so that when they got into high school they were looking at what their future uh may be. Um they had experience w with those courses so there was kind of a rotation. Um again oftentimes classes are semesterized. They're not quarterized but for eighth grade they were quarterized. And can you talk a little more about um the process around staff going to the middle school as a way to rebuild the programming

048and maybe speak to carpentry and what has happened with the exploding numbers in that class? >> Yeah. So when we were looking at staffing numbers and we found what we found um we looked at what middle school students were interested in. Um and they when they are coming into high school the carpentry numbers are just getting larger and larger. Um however at the same time they were also interested in graphics. When you look at Zello their career u profile information so that was something that was taken into account too. Um and realistically it's probably going to be cyclical every year. We're probably going to have to look at that and say okay so middle schoolers are interested in this. We have low numbers in this or low interest in the high school in this. And

049how do we build that back up? Um, that's that's truly what we looked at when we looked at what um we would do be able to do to create a full-time position for the metals program. What worries me is, hey, AI can do graphics pretty good, but at least carpentry and metals and welding and the stuff is so hands-on, you know, that's at least, you know, jobs that they can feel that ex'll exist for at least five or 10 more years. So, I don't know. So, you think we have enough staffing in the metals and CTE program for the enrollment or is it okay in a situation like that to have not not have it be sustainable if we have extra money or not really? >> So, we would need to have more students in

050the class um to make more classes, right? That's what that looks like. Um, so opening up the class offerings, um, getting more students interested and involved in that would mean taking them out of something else. Um, they have certain classes they have to take, right? Like ELA, math, social studies, science. You can't tell them that they have to take a certain elective class. And so we truly, they all selected their courses. We were very honest with them when they were selecting courses. You need to select what you want. because that's who we're building the schedule and that's what we built it off of. There was no schedule created before that um because Infinite Campus then looks at all of the requests and how you can get the most students in the most requested classes um

051still getting their graduation requirements in there. So, right now, um we would need more student requests. >> I would like to give a shout out to the uh high school guidance office, too. When your staff does their scheduling meetings, it is always looked at what are your interests and they do a great job helping kids navigate their upcoming schedule and their their future schedules throughout high school so that they're guided through um if it's CTE, if it's culinary, like you name it, they are they're proactively at an early point helping students to go on that path and also helping them pivot. So they tried this path with their um not not extracurriculars, their electives. Thank you. Um but it wasn't a good fit. So then they help to pivot so that they try a different

052path to see maybe this is your fit. So shout out to your staff because they do an excellent job in those meetings with students. And I if I I I guess as an old coach, if your numbers are are down at the top, you really need to work at emphasizing what's going on at the bottom lower levels. And um I mean, if the head coach isn't willing to go down to the lower levels and do some work, that's kind of a problem. Something something to consider. Are there any of the board members who have not spoken on the uh superintendent report like to speak? >> That's part of the job description, right? Is generating interest. >> I believe so. I have not seen the formal job description for the metals teacher, but I believe so.

053>> Okay. >> I would just think any educator would have that goal, >> right? to keep >> and not only and not only to teach a subject. >> That's probably the secondary thing that you're hired to do. The main thing you're hired to do as an educator is to turn out a citizen who's willing to work and become productive. You teach math. You hope that kid learns some math, but you're really there to turn out a citizen. And that takes a willingness on the part of the teacher to be willing to to work with the unwilling. And I can I think I carry credence on that because I spent 22 years teaching the unwilling and I loved them and they deserve opportunity. >> Bobby, you have a question or comment? I just um wanted to

054point out that um thank you for your creativity and your um work with the scheduling process. I know how difficult that must be. Um and then secondly, just to clarify for sure, Matt, you had mentioned this. There are no CT classes going away. Is that correct? So everything was offered that we had offered the previous year and the course that at that sign up time, correct? >> Thank you. >> Okay, Dr. Borrow, I think you have something. >> Yeah, I'm not I'm done with you. >> I have a question for the superintendent, >> which is has nothing to do with what we're talking about now. >> Can you talk a little about AP? >> Wait just one second, JD. Dr. Bartau has the floor. Um, Mrs. Ojinski, uh, it was a little rockish last board

055meeting and since then we've had some radio or some uh, TV exposure and so I'm just wondering you you laid out at the beginning of your report how many openings we have at the current time. So my question is since the last board meeting, how many applicants have we had? Have any have there been people who were going to come that suddenly said, "No, we don't think we're coming to this district." So um I'd like to know it and I think that uh the people in the audience needs to hear it for whatever those numbers are. So, yes, we have um we've had teachers who we hired early on, maybe as early as May, that called after the last board meeting and said, "I I I can't come to Antigo. There's there's too much turmoil

056in the community. We you know, there's not a support for education. So, I'm going to resign and I'm going to accept a position in a different district. Um, we had two very high quality applicants for a pretty hard to fill position that we received almost instantly once it was posted. And when we called them the day they applied to interview, they called back and declined to interview. So yes, they have people who have left have expressed they've left because of the lack of support from our community around education and people who have declined interviews have shared that same thing because when people aren't from the area, they typically will go and watch board meetings. We had um a principal applicant uh head basketball coach and teacher. It was a family who was going to move

057here and they came and spent the day in Anigo and then they had a lengthy phone conversation with Kelly and I after a couple of interview rounds and later said, you know, we hear all the wonderful work that's happening in the district from the staff. They're very positive about how things are going and you know, we love the no cell phone policy, but your community doesn't have anything nice to say. We ate at a restaurant on Fifth Avenue and everyone we talked to, they didn't have good things to say about your school district. >> So, they chose to leave. >> I think it's a reflection of the community >> and you're not >> and everybody here and everybody here. You badmouth your own community. You think people are going to show up. Let them make

058up their own mind. >> Treat everybody respectfully. >> Everybody. So, we got signs in town now. The bullies, the bullied are doing the bullying. So, have we had any applicants at all for these open positions since the last >> I think we've had three. >> Three applicants for about 12 jobs. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you, >> JD. I want to go back to you for your question to Tri and Matt. When you just talk about the AP classes, are they still is it the same process? Like if someone says US history versus I don't even know what the other ones are anymore. >> Yeah. Um so the same process we did I actually was just having a conversation with one of the social study staff members today about um the A push class and

059what some of the students were worried about um going into this year since they'll be a new teacher. Mr. Duke retired. Um, and so we're just kind of looking at a we looked at student requests. That's how everything was made based on student interest and student request. Um, however, after that, looking at do we need to take some of those and make them every other year or what are the student concerns out there that we're hearing that and how do we alleviate those? Um, because there's been a lot of changes. Um, but the AP courses are still in the course catalog. They were still able to select those. Is Spanish also in the could could kids sign up even though it's a pretty low chance that we're going to find somebody? I mean, hopefully not,

060but could they still sign up for Spanish? >> So, we did not have them sign up for Spanish because we did not want to put false hope out there that >> um there was going to be Spanish and in-person Spanish. We offered virtual Spanish last year, right? Um, again, we're talking about what that looks like and how we can offer that to students because once students, so last last year when the schedule was made, um, prior to my coming, Spanish was in there and then we had to go back and work with students and take that out and then some students wanted to try and it just got really messy. Um, but we have some different virtual options that we're looking into right now trying to figure out what is truly in their best interest.

061Yeah, I think that was a good move to >> Thanks. >> Okay, I think we can move on to item number four, board action. Before I move to board action, um the board is always uh accustomed to receiving a recommended action on the actionable items. However, if you notice on letter A under your recommended action, there is a blank that has not been filled in. If you would refresh your page, there is a recommended action that has come from the the administration. >> I have it. >> Do you have it now? >> You have it now. >> I had >> Does everybody have the line filled in >> under the recommended action? for coming. >> We're going to hear a great presentation from Steve in just a moment. He's no stranger to our district and

062we'll see a lot more of him over the next few weeks. Right. >> Okay. Thank you for letting us get that updated. uh actionable item does not mean that the board has to use that recommended action item for a motion but it's always there in front of us. So board action number four letter A consideration of the blue design group presentation of bids for selection of general contractor for new elementary. I will be looking for a motion please. I move the board to approve Myerin as the general contractor for the elementary building project as presented. >> Motion has been made by Bobby. Would you like to speak to your motion? >> No. Thank you. >> Okay. Jake. >> Steve. >> Jake or Steve? Dustin, can you go ahead and project? You want to project? Not

063yet. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Can I Before you start, Steve, can I um >> maybe >> give some direction to the board just for a moment because the scope of this project entails more according to the referendum than just the elementary school. And Bobby, I your motion stated just the elementary school. However, the motion belongs to the floor now and we need to vote on that motion first, unfortunately. >> Um, so the motion that you gave was to approve Myron as a general contractor for the building of the elementary school. Okay. >> Would it be okay to vote on that motion? Can I just reorder >> or does somebody like to make an amendment to that motion? >> I can amend it. >> Okay, Bobby, you can amend your own motion. >> Um, for

064the sake of clarity, I thought we needed to include what what my rent is for the general contractor, what it's for. So, that's why I added that. So, I would amend the motion to read. Um, I move the board to approve Myron as the general contractor >> as presented for the referendum process. >> Does that Okay. >> Sure. >> Diana, did you get that >> legal? Okay. So, now the motion has been amended to approve Myron as a general contractor. and read the rest of it. Diana. >> Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. >> That's all right. >> I move to approve Myron as a general contractor as presented for the referendum >> Project project. >> Okay, >> I'm good with that. >> You're good with that? Any other discussion on that? All right.

065So, we have the the amended motion on the floor. Uh, any discussion of the amended motion on the floor? Pause just a second. Any discussion of the amended motion on the floor? Okay. All in favor of the amended motion on the floor, let it be known by saying I. I. >> I. All opposed of the amended motion on the floor, let it be known by saying I. No in opposition. Now the main motion is >> point of order. >> Yes, sir. >> I didn't vote because >> what if we have Steve make a presentation and then the board chooses another contractor. This is just to get it on the floor. >> Correct. >> So why are we voting? We're voting on this becoming the main motion and then if you want to entertain another amendment

066to that, you can later. >> You can after the discussion. Yes, sir. Okay. I'm just clarifying. >> Thank you. >> I mean, I've worked with Myron before, so I know they're a good contractor, but I just wanted to make sure we weren't getting ahead ourselves. >> Correct. >> So, I will be a yes on that. >> Okay. All right. So the motion uh the amended motion is now the main motion on the floor and we are up for discussion. Steve, >> can I ask a question before I start? >> Yes, sir. >> The the motion was to approve my for the referendum project. Does it have to be specific to the elementary school portion of the referendum? >> No. The referendum project includes all the verbiage that was in that referendum. Okay. I just want

067to make sure that it's not including correct phase that we have yet to even start on. >> Right. That's why we corrected it. >> Okay. Y Okay. >> Thank you. >> That was my >> Thank you. >> And I'll be happy to present. >> Okay. Thank you, Steve. You go ahead. >> So, it was about a year ago roughly, give or take a couple of weeks that I was here and we presented to you and the facilities exploration team made a presentation to say, "Hey, here's our recommendation. we really want to get going on this and with the successful referendum in November, we really got going on things. And um I I want to tell you that that there were a lot of other referenda that passed in November of last year. And because of

068a snowball of workload from previous referenda in April and the amount that passed in November, a lot of the architects pushed all of the November work out automatically about four to five months. We saw that as an opportunity for your school district and we really jumped on things and ran with it. Um that has turned out to be a blessing. We worked very closely with uh Mrs. Zojinski and and Jake and put together schematic design documents which are very preliminary. They outline the systems that we want to use for the project in a in a general floor plan and then some elevations that go with that. And in late December and we had that laid out by late December. Um at that time we presented that to a couple of contractors who we work very

069closely with in the school market all the time. It was Bolt Construction and CD Smith and they provided us with what we consider to be schematic design level cost estimating or budgeting in this case because we were still not saying this is a final product. They put budgeting together for us at that time. And keep in mind they were the same two companies that also did budgeting for us prior to going to referendum. They helped develop that $54 million figure at at late January. I'm sorry. Late December, early January, that presentation of their numbers came back and it said, "Hey guys, you're tracking right on. You're within about $500,000 either way of our original budgets." And we felt really good about that. Shortly thereafter, there there became this discussion about tariffs and we kind of

070panicked. I won't lie. You know, we were we were starting to pick and choose materials and then we were having having to do it very very carefully so as to make sure that they were coming from the right countries and um drawings progressed and we put the systems together a little bit more uh thoroughly developed things few more details and by about the third week in March we said let's do this all over again and we challenged those contractors to bring us back another budget and at this at that time we were trending actually about one said we're about two million under budget and the other one said you're still right around your budget so we felt like the we had brought the numbers down a little bit we still continued to watch things and

071go through them with a fine tooth comb at the end of May we put the drawings on the streets we were hoping for four solid contractors to bid the project at one point during the bidding phase we had eight contractors participating in the process Um, I will I will tell you that uh of those eight, four backed out before after about 3 weeks, I'm not I'm not frustrated by that. That's normal for this type of a project. And given the um the schedule that we had associated with it, I think it was probably wise for a couple of them knowing what their workload is like to have pulled out. We ended up with four numbers and Dustin, could you present those? Um we received numbers from Myron Construction, Sheerer Construction. Um they are down in

072Burlington, Madison somewhere in that vicinity, uh Wasau and Eagle River, Howard Immel out of Green Bay and Findorf out of Madison and Wasa. And the the process that we went through to solicit bids was pretty detailed. We worked very closely with Jake to make sure that while we were specifying things that we needed in the building, we weren't locking ourselves into one manufacturer per se. And as an example, we knew we wanted a generator for the building in case of an emergency. Um, so we wrote our specs that said we need a generator in this building and it needs to satisfy these systems in case of an emergency. We weren't trying to run the entire building at the time on the generator, but we said this is what we needed to do. And instead of

073us saying you can choose from generator brand A, B, C, or D, we actually wrote a list of alternates. And we had four different alter alternates. One for, as an example, Caterpillar, one for Cumins, and one for I don't even remember all the names. Yeah, thank you. So, so we forced contractors to single out who they were bidding on so we knew the exact product and the exact bid and it gave Jake an opportunity to look at those and say, you know, I really I really like this brand. It might not be the low bid. I prefer that one if it's not too much more. So, we actually had 41 or 42 alternate bids on this project, which I have never in my 39 years in this business seen before, but it proved to be

074very effective. I think we chose uh 10, nine, 10 alternates in the end um for varying reasons. And and so in the end, the low bid from Myron Construction is $30,1,63 significantly under budget. So how did we get there instead of where our budget was tracking? We knew from day one that our contractors who were budgeting were were doing so at a rate of about 12 to 15% over the current market value in 2024. We knew that that's a contingency plan on their part and our part quite honestly to guide you through inflation or other things that happen tariffs as an example. Um we also know that in the last four and a half to five and a half months, our construction market in north northern Wisconsin and northeastern Wisconsin has slowed. And those contractors

075that we got numbers from, their workload has slowed. And remember at the beginning I told you that there was a gap because some of those other architects shoved all that work out four to five months. >> We capitalized on that because that's right where some of these contractors are falling off and needing to pick up work. your job went out the door and bid just in time for them. So, we beat the other school districts, so to speak. >> It worked out great. Um, so there was about we knew we were tracking 12 to 15 over and I'm being told right now that there was about another 9 to 10 or 10 and a half% that the market dropped in the last four to five months during that time. Plus, I had I had more

076involved in the bidding process on this than I've ever had before because these contractors were so competitive. I went through those numbers again. You can look at them. We were like 1% apart between the first and second low biders. That is unheard of. And and to be as tight as they are from first to fourth is really pretty remarkable. So I really feel I you know I stood here the day we were interviewing for this job and I said there is no perfect set of drawings. There will always be holes here and there because there's so much that we have to try to control. But I feel really good about the set of drawings that our design and engineering team put together and the fact that we worked as closely as we did with your

077owner representatives and and I think it's a great package for you. I think this is a wonderful marketing opportunity for this school district moving forward. Just the great news of low bids and and the fact that you've got a new building that's going to come online. Also want to point out Dustin, can you can you slide that up where we can see what's down below that information? Thank you. Um included in that number from Myron Construction is a 5% of the cost of construction contingency allowance for unforeseen circumstances. If they go out in that field out there and they dig and we find rotten soils, and it's happened many, many times, we might find rock. We might find a lot of different things along the way. We have $1.42 million to cover the cost of

078removing soils to do all of the things that we need to remediate those unforeseen circumstances, whatever they might be. So, >> can you clarify that we had so >> Yep. Yep. Prior prior to >> we didn't go into this blind. That's a great point. We didn't just throw a pot of money up there. We we had a soils exploration team um come and do I don't remember the exact number of borings. I think it was 12 or 14. Um we were right in that range and we pretty much covered that that northern half of the the property that we've got out there on a grid. So they came out, they drilled down x amount of feet depending on whether we were anticipating that to be a parking lot area or a building area. They gave

079us recommendations for footings and foundations and how thick the soil or the uh asphalt needed to be on our driveways, etc. So, we did a little bit of homework there. That budget is intended to be for unforeseen circumstances. I will tell you that we've seen that uh to to um cover the cost of >> it would be great to have a door a window between these two rooms so we can collaborate a door or whatever it might be. We can use it for those sorts of things but primarily for unforeseen. Um I want to also clarify that uh it does include some slight adjustments uh which were post bid changes based on conversations with Jake based on conversations we had with the low bid electrical contractor. They had a very detailed scope of work and

080we we spent about an hour and a half with that contractor on Friday morning going through and making sure that they had everything that was on our checklist. We wanted to make sure that they did, but what we found was they did their job. They used their low bid contractor for a couple of items that wasn't the preferred by the school district. So that that bumped that up. So if somebody comes along and says, "Hey, those aren't the real numbers from my construction." They're right. But that's because we tweaked them along the way to fine-tune this the the contractor list and um alternate list to the district's likings. So, does anybody have any questions about that so far? >> So, if it comes in way under budget, do we just not take out as many

081bonds and the tax increase is less or >> I'll answer that quickly and then the board rest of the board can chime in. But I've never seen that done in 39 years, especially in a district that worked as hard as you have to gain that popular vote and approve the referendum. What what it means in this case, JD, is that that if you probably just have a whole lot more money for renovation on your existing buildings here at the high school and middle school >> to to again to create some great environments for kids. So, we had, if you remember back, we had um we had the new building project and then we had a phase one renovations pot and we had a phase two pot that was even bigger. >> And we basically can

082take a lot of that phase two, if not all of it, and slide it in and accomplish a lot of the district's very long-term needs on each of your existing buildings. Other questions? >> That's some good news. Anyway, >> some great news. >> Yes, it is. >> How set are they like now if new tariffs come online? Like we got to approve this so they can start buying stuff so that >> that's a great question too. I >> think anybody knows that answer. >> They're ready to have a shovel out there in about two weeks. They want to get going on it. Part of their bid I want to point out is part of their bid says that they want to start August 1st and they also have set December 1st of 2026 as their

083completion date. So, um they're they're pretty firm with that. >> December what? >> 1st of 26. >> So, they're they're pretty firm with wanting to get going. In fact, I've had conversations with uh the president at Myron for the last four or five days and um he's hoping that I have a contract drafted out by noon tomorrow so that he can take a look at it and and your attorney or or somebody at the district can take a look at it and we can get it hammered out and get them going. They they actually as I was on my way up here, I got a couple of calls from suppliers and Myron has already reached out to them. Not being too presumptuous, but proactive. Um, the suppliers have told me that Myron's already put them

084on notice and that they need to start producing shop points for the project. So, they're going to push and they we've worked with them loads and loads. They're very, very efficient at what they do. They'll be a great contractor for your district. >> Jake, didn't they do this one? >> They did. They did. The other thing I I just wanted was going to point out there um they Myron came to me during the bidding process and they said Dave Voss said I want you to be aware of something. He said we are going after this project very very hard and mind you my did not help us put budgets together. They were one of those contractors that were very very busy last summer that it's sliding off and they need to pick this up. Dave

085told me Steve it's a different situation right now. He said, "I want you to be aware of the fact that about 40% of our field staff lives within a 30 mile radius of Anigo and we are going after this and I want to put somebody on that project who deserves to be there." So, um, the person that will that that managed this building that was the field superintendent, I apologize spacing. Yes, his first name I can't remember, but his grandson Brian White will be running this project. So, okay. >> I know him. >> Any other questions for Steve as he's brought us this great information? >> This is wonderful. Thank you for all the work that you've put in from the beginning to now. This is a huge moment for our community um and wonderful

086news that you shared. So, thank you. Yeah, you're welcome. I think I just shocked Jake. We're going to be here Wednesday all day Wednesday and Thursday roaming the middle school and gathering information for that building and probably in this building following the week. So, we're just going to keep on rolling. >> So, like how do local contractors get involved? What >> we had we had participation from some of the local contractors, not as many as we had hoped for, but um the one that comes to mind is Forefront Mechanical. They were brought on as the low bid for the plumbing portion of the work. So, we do have them. I don't I don't know about I I mean, we have contractors from Mel. We have contractors from the the northern part of the state. It's

087not our I don't want to say typical, but it's not the list of subs that we see if we're working say from FondeLac down to Madison. It's it's a different group. A lot of them are from uh more west and slightly northwest of here. I will tell you that we had we had subcontractors calling us from Minneapolis and Duth and all over in northern Minnesota. And I do believe that a couple of the suppliers are out of Minnesota rather than Wisconsin. They were very competitive. Any other questions or comments for Steve? Steve, you have more to the presentation or are you done? >> Okay. >> Hearing no questions or comments. Uh the voting >> What about the middle school part? So that's working. >> Can you move a little closer to your mic? >> Middle

088school part or you know the or the the ren of the other renovations? Is when is that stuff going to start or like the air conditioning in this building? >> The the physical work. I just didn't >> we're going to start the design on Wednesday >> and and and when I said we're going to be roaming through those build the building there and here we have to first of all that the middle school itself was built in I think nine different eras over the last hundred years right Dave's looking um we didn't have any CAD files for that project we had loads and loads of old blueprints so we had to ship those off I think they went to Indonesia and they got scanned and somebody drafted them up for us and sent them back.

089Now, we have CAD files. And so, one of our things we do this week is go through and measure all the walls and the doors and the windows. And of course, the windows are new, but we have to make sure they're in the right spots. Um, so we're going to go through and verify all of that stuff. And then once we have all of that in place, we know the walls and the and the doors and and cabinetry are um correct, then we'll bring our engineers back and they'll go through the electrical and mechanical systems and do that same exact thing. Our design process will take us through I'm thinking probably through Thanksgiving and then we'll go through another bidding process. I don't want our team to be working on design any later than December

09031st because I want the month of January to bid. And the reason for that is um every year we see our new labor rate hikes sometime in January. So I don't want to bid before that and I don't want to bid too far after that. If we hit right in the middle of it, our 30-day bidding period falls, you know, that that that labor rate increase falls in the middle of that, then contractors know exactly what it is, and they're not grasping at straws and over bidding for the sake of a contingency allowance there. >> So, that's kind of our our timeline for the next phase. And that will include the work at the middle school and the high school. But because of the complexities associated work with the work at the middle school, primarily

091the mechanical system, that will take two summers. It it can't be done while the kids are in classes. Although not all of it can be done when the kids are in classes. some of it. And we've we've done these projects before and if you get the the right contractor and you get the right group of staff members and they're willing to let those contractors come in at different times during the day, they'll work around students. Um, and if it's not right, we won't allow it. But if it if it works out, we'll go for that and try to push them. But it's going to take two summers to do all of those mechanical revisions at the middle school. It's just a massive massive project. So, um, that unfortunately is driving the the construction timeline. The

092the work here at the high school, I believe, will be done sooner. >> Okay. >> Oh, Kristen, >> not to go over the same thing again. So, it sounds that then there's going to be different bidding processes for future projects. So, is our motion worded correctly? Because Myeron is only doing the elementary school at this time. >> Correct. >> So our motion is not >> reflecting it. >> I want to make sure >> correct because we we probably would not want to come back to have this other discussion for other contractors. So, as presented would be covering the scope of the referendum project and that's what the motion reads. So, that includes the phase one and possibly phase two. >> We only want it to we only want it for the elementary. >> We only

093want it for the elementary. >> We could possibly use different >> We may rebid the phase two. Correct. phase two will be bid competitively and we could end up with those four contractors again in >> different >> that's why I asked the question >> that's what I was getting >> so that if I need to go back >> had it right to begin with >> so then I think it should read something on the order of >> the phase one go Steve >> I would suggest you make it something specific to bids received received on July 2nd for the construction of the new elementary school because that's that then is very specific to what has been bid already but nothing in the future. >> You've done this before so a couple times. >> Can you

094help Bobby amend her motion again? >> What was what was the beginning of your wording Bobby? Um, >> we move to approve my construction >> as a general contractor >> for >> as presented for the referendum project. >> So what it was >> I would say for the >> as a general contractor for the new elementary school based on bids received July 2nd 2025. >> Diana's the one writing it down so maybe you talk to her. Can she hear through this too? >> Well, I I don't know if you she she wasn't quite ready yet is all I was saying. >> Are you ready, De? >> I got Y. >> How far are you? >> So, I said I move to approve Myron as a general contractor based on bids received on July 2nd >>

095for construction of the new elementary building. >> There you go. >> Like we said, >> well, Kelly, my fear about that is I I spoke a little bit about the middle and high school projects and I >> I presented on those. I don't want that to be misconstrued >> and there could be a note including >> specific that in the minutes just >> for clarity. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Diana, can you read uh Bobb's new amended motion? >> Yep. I move to approve Myron as the general contractor based on bids received on July 2nd, 2025 for construction of the new elementary as presented. >> Elementary building >> period. >> New elementary building. >> No as presented. >> As presented. >> No as presented. No. Strike it. >> Okay. >> No onions. >> Okay. >> Can

096you please read that again? included or >> Yeah, that's what she said. Building. >> Okay. Just want to make sure. All right. >> Can you please read that one more time? >> One more time. I move to approve Myron as a general contractor based on bids received on July 2nd, 2025 for construction of the new elementary building. >> Yes. >> Okay. Bobby, you want to speak to that motion? >> No. >> Okay. just want I just want to speak. >> Okay. >> And I don't I don't want to disenfranchise anybody. Does anybody want to speak to that motion that amended motion? >> Okay. The voting device is now open for that motion, the amended motion on the floor. Would anyone like to change their vote? That vote is now closed. Dustin, we have all in

097favor but one. >> Bobby, did you >> the amended though? >> It's the amended. So you'll be able to vote again. I'm sorry. The vote has to stay where it is. >> I just >> So there are eight in favor and one opposed. >> And the motion carries. Now that becomes the main motion. >> Yeah, you could let me change my vote. >> I I can't. We closed the vote. I'm sorry. >> Any other discussion of the main motion on the floor? >> I just am happy with where we're at, but I'm also happy that there will be other opportunities for local um >> for future projects more on their >> interest level. Correct. >> More opportunities. What did you think the original bid was going to be? So, it's 30 million, but what do

098you think it was going to be before? >> We were actually budgeting. We had 42.6. >> That's why I said we knew that number was about 12 to 15 over where we thought we would be. So, >> that's a lot of money. >> Yeah. 12 to 15% not million. >> Yes. Okay. The voting device is now open of the motion on the floor. If you are in favor of the motion, vote yes. If you are opposed, vote no. >> Would anyone like to change their vote? >> The vote is now closed. >> And the motion carries unanimously. [Applause] >> Okay. Letter B, consideration of the WIAA membership renewal. I will be looking for a motion, please. >> I move the board to approve the WIAA senior high membership renewal for the 25 202526 season. >>

099Motion motion has been made by Dr. Bartau. Would you like to speak to your motion? >> Uh yes, this is normal procedure for all the school districts in the state. uh our what we pay is based on a specific fee that everybody makes to the WIA plus another specific fee for each sport that we we provide for our kids. So that's our total. Any discussion of the motion on the floor? Hearing no discussion of the motion on the floor. Your voting device is now open. Would anyone like to change their vote? The vote is now closed and the motion carries. Letter C. Consideration to approve the second reading of the special update of the Edgar policies. I would be looking for a motion, please. I move to approve the second reading of the special update

100Edgar policies. >> Motion has been made by Katherine for the second reading of the Edgar policies. Would you like to speak to your motion? >> No. >> Any discussion of the motion on the floor for clarity? This is the second reading. Once this either passes or fails, this will become policy or not. Hearing no discussion, the voting device is now open. Would anyone like to change their vote? The vote is now closed and the motion carries. Letter D, consideration of deposit to fund 46. I will be looking for a motion, please. I move to approve the estimated 2.5 million to fund 46 transfer as presented. >> Motion has been made by Jill. Would you like to speak to your motion, please? >> No. I I would like to make a comment. >> Sure. >> Um

101when Rylander built their dome, they had $5.2 million in their fund 46. showed a lot of foresight on their part in the end. Not saying that we're going to use that to build a dome. I'm just saying Rylander District, who everybody from here thinks is doing great things, had 5.2 million in their fund 46. >> Are there any other questions or comments of the motion on the floor? I'd like uh Jake to at least tell the the group and the board what fund 46 is used for because it has specific meanings that fund 46 can only be used for. >> Thank you for that question. >> Yeah. Um so fund 46 is a separate account that we can move um non-expended money into at the end of the year. The only way that money can

102then be expended is on an approved capital improvement plan. So I have to bring or administration has to bring a plan to the board. The board has to review it and approve it and then only items on that approved list can u be completed with with those funds. Um that can be updated at at any time. Typically we do it annually. Um so any any expenditure that we want to look at for a capital improvement plan, we just have the discussion moving out of that list and then we obviously would bring that back um for final approval of the project as well, but it has to be on that list first. >> Thank you for that explanation. Any other questions or comments? >> How much is in fund 46 right now? roughly. >> So, we're

103finalizing all of our um interest and all of those pieces that go to add into that total. So, I can get that information of what the exact balance is. But just over the last two years, um we've gained $242,27.78 just in interest alone and put five million an estimated $5 million um in there. So I can get >> including this. Yep. I've only been here two years. >> Yep. But I can get you the balance of all of the rest of the years so that you can look if that's what something the board is interested in. I can definitely put out what happened each year with um the balance at the end of each year since it's been started. >> What's our fund balance percent roughly? Like isn't our policy say we're trying to keep

104it at 15% of the we're trying to have a cushion of 15% for of what the total district revenue is. >> So I can get you all of those numbers as well. Right now we're finalizing all of those pieces as it's year end. So, our final expenditures don't come in until um into July. So, we won't have we're doing our audit next week. So, we are going to be looking at what all of those pieces are that fold into fund balance like assigned fund balance, certain carryovers, all of those pieces. So, um we will have those updates coming up when we have the results of the audit. I know Dave likes this because then we get the tax is back on it. But >> if we have to spend it on other things, would it

105be some of it be better served in fund balance or do you think we are we putting some in fun? >> Good. Crest question. >> Can I just comment on I don't I that's rude. I'll wait. I'm gonna wait. >> Yeah, that's a really good question. Um if we put it into fund balance then we don't get that aid next year. That doesn't mean we don't get the same amount of money. That just means that our taxpayers will have to pay more money in property taxes because the state won't give the district and essentially our taxing um pool additional aid. >> But then we can spend the money on staff >> if that is what the board would choose to do is higher taxes to spend more money on staff. They absolutely could out of

106fund balance. One of the things that you're going to want to remember is that when you increase staffing, you're increasing operational expenses. So, one of the things I feel that I remember being in this district for many years is the looming operational referendum that was always on the table, >> and I'm sure that long-term board members would remember that. So, um, one of the things that we've done is since the end of the COVID relief funds, which totaled about $8 million since 2020, the district had $3 million of that put into their operational expenses. So that means when SR3 ran out the year that we started, we would have been facing a2 to3 million deficit the next year. So you could have definitely kept that many staff that which positions were created with one-time grant

107funds and gone to operational referendum to sustain that. Or you could have used fund balance. it's additional one-time money that does run out. Then you would have to do short-term borrowing to be able to pay the expenses that you have throughout the year so that you can keep up with cash flow because as we've talked about every year in our annual budget, those are very volatile throughout the year as to when you get funding. Um, so in addition to your question, taking operational expenses such as staffing that get health insurance increases every year, um, salary increases every year, all the things that um, salary and benefits have. You could definitely do that, but you will run out of money. >> So, it's a way to avoid operational referendums kind of >> one. Yeah, one way,

108but also if you spend money out of fund balance, then in additional to having to go to an operational referendum, which increases taxpayer burden, you will also be aided less that next year if you use fund balance. So that will further increase the mill rate for your taxpayers. >> So like do you have any idea what um other schools around here what their fund 46 balance is? >> Um I could definitely that just be very interested to find out where we sit >> compared to other districts. >> The other um really important thing to note, and I don't have the exact statistics, but it is um especially high throughout the state of Wisconsin for operational referendums that have been executed over the last few years as well as capital referendums. So, one of the things

109that I've heard since I've been in the district, which Jake, I don't know what that was, 2015 maybe we've had and I don't know if anybody would disagree some pretty significant facilities issues and there wasn't a budget that our administration including our director of business or buildings and grounds could use to be able to develop and maintain a long-term capital improvement plan to be able to sustain the facilities we even have. So one solution that some districts go to is operational referendums to be able to fund those things or capital referendums to be able to maintain. So by realigning the budget to be around two main areas which obviously number one is our student achievement which I believe we talked about earlier increased 89 spots in one year. I know that our test scores have

110come back have increased significantly and we'll see what our state rankings are in November. So, we've done that and then we've also prioritized facilities. So, those are the two areas that our focus have been and we put our money in those areas to be able to sustain long-term student achievement and facilities. >> So, are we going to be able to do this again next year or is this like leftover esser money? >> No, leftover esser money um was finished at the end of 2024. So, when I came in August, and this is all laid out in our topic summary sheet, um we had to drastically realign the budget in a very small period of time because if it wasn't expended by June 30th, um you were going to give $4.3 million back to the state.

111And if we wouldn't have realign realigned open positions, there was significant amount of those that were created with grant money, we would have had to cut even more staff. >> So, I'm just confused where we got all So, this is not even including all the savings from shutting east, right? That's coming next year. >> So, when we talk about realigning the budget, our team went line by line of every single account number in our district last year and then this year. So that means every piece looking at what did we actually spend, what did we actually spend years prior, what were those pieces that were spent to make sure that we didn't miss anything that might need be coming up because you know you're coming into a brand new budget. And um there was a

112lot of things that were being spent or planned to being spent that didn't align with our return of academic investment. So, we aligned all of those things and we were able to put the budget into alignment with what's going to increase our student achievement. So, I know Jill always asks this, well, what does that mean? Curric um our curricular um materials, our professional development to ensure that our staff knows how to implement those things and put in practices that meet the needs of every single learner. um our facilities obviously and programs. So, and our teaching staff, but we also had to look at what our class sizes are just like every single district does every year and look at if there is four third grade classrooms and you have one classroom with eight kids and

113another one with 23, how do we realign our district to be able to do that? Um, and with declining enrollment, which I know has been a topic of this district for as long as I've been knowing anything about Anigo and been here since 2015, we've had declining enrollment. So, we have to look at numbers every single year just like every other district does. And we can't have more staff than we have students. and we have to look at what positions we have to support um the teaching practices that we want to put in place that show increased outcomes. >> So one year at the board meeting we just we had extra money so we said let's give everybody one more step on the pay scale. So if we have unhappy teachers could we just would

114that cost 100,000 and then we'd put 2.4 million in fund balance >> have to find out >> in fund 46. Um, like I said, the board can do whatever they would like to do with the budget, with the um with the priorities that you have. So, um, if that's something that the board feels like is going to keep every teacher happy, >> then >> happier happy. >> I I will just say that I'm in support of the motion on the floor. I appreciate the work that has been done by our finance department. Thank you very much. We just went through and passed with large support from our community a referendum on a new building that we just passed for my to be a general contractor. A big part of the reason that we got to

115that need was the fact that we did not utilize fund 46. And for each year that I've been on this board, Jake Lighterman has presented to us to say here are our dire absolute priorities in air quotes because the priority list was so extensive. Here's our capital or >> capital improvements that we voted on but we didn't even have the money to touch that. So I appreciate that. One thing that as just one board member in the referendum campaign, what was important to me as just one member is what are we going to do as a district to maintain and sustain a building? Because we cannot repeat the same mistakes that we had made as a district that is not pointing the finger at a at a um finance director, at a board, at a

116superintendent. This has been years and years and years of decision-making and a lack of utilization of fund 46. So, I am in support of this. I appreciate the work that's being done because we are showing our community, thank you. We heard you and we are also going to ensure to maintain and sustain this new build. >> Kristen, I believe you had I saw your hand. >> Uh it was basically the same exact thing that Joel just said. Our community wanted to know what we were going to do to prevent getting in this situation again. And this is how we do that. >> Even though we're going to have 10 million extra dollars that we don't need for the building, >> that is not the >> that will be used. used for >> that money also

117has to include furnishings which is not in that bid that Steve presented. >> So that's other on top of that >> playground isn't included in that bid. >> Correct. >> There are multiple other things on the referendum question than just the elementary school. Kelly, I do want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to write up this three and a half, four page rationale that most of the questions that have been asked by this board was answered in that rationale. So, thank you so much for taking your time to make that rationale. >> Amend the motion to do 2.4 million into fund 46 and the other 100,000 to the certified teachers divided equally. Okay, we have a motion, an amendment on the floor to You want to say that again

118so Diana can write that down? >> To do 2.4 million to fund 46 and the other 100,000 divided equally among the currently on staff certified teachers. >> What about >> Can I ask how many certified teachers we have? >> What about support staff? >> I did not include that. So they don't deserve anything I guess from you. >> You weren't interested in any. You can amend my motion. >> I guess how how many Diana did you get that? >> Okay. So support staff is important and we approved a raise for them last meeting. >> Okay. >> So say move to approve the that's why I asked how many >> 2.4 million to fund 46. and 100,000 divided equally to certified teachers. >> Is that the what you want your amendment to read? >> Yes. >>

119Okay. >> Can I ask how many certified teachers we have approximately? >> I don't have that number off the top of my head. I would have to look. I mean, this time of the year there's >> Is it less than 200 >> of liced teachers? >> Yeah, probably. Get your math going, Mr. Roberto. >> I don't have that one, >> but I do want to say something. >> 100,000 >> because I haven't. >> Yeah. >> Speak to the amendment. Well, the the amendment I'm going to vote no because I was the one that introduced fund 46 to this board and luckily people saw the need to do it and it's as Jill said >> we never had money in the budget to upkeep buildings. And you can look at north, west, east, and you can

120pick apart all those buildings for what they started as and what they became because there was not money in the budget. Um, the other things that were brought up in our consent agenda, Dr. BTO, you're treading very thin on ice because we're not on the consent agenda, >> but the JD B spoke about how much money do we have? >> Okay, when he was talking and it was actually in our consent agenda, it's 9.765906 and61 as of July 1st. and he brought up about and Kelly brought up about um short-term borrowing which the foresight of previous boards back in the 60s7s and 80s they made sure that the fund balance was high enough so that this district did not have to short-term borrow. I will tell you at for all the years I was down

121in Wittenberg that that was over 20 that district had to short-term borrow every year because money doesn't come in and when you pay your taxes we start in July and we start paying things off. We're paying our teachers come September and we get to January. at the end of January is the first time we get local taxes. And if people only pay half, that's going to come in July of 2025 and it's after we should know what we have to end the year. So, it's it's important that we fund fund 46 because there's not enough money in our budget to upkeep our buildings unless we use fund 46. So, I will be voting no on the amendment and voting yes on the original motion. >> Knowing the work that goes into the budget, I'm curious,

122and maybe this is an inappropriate question, and if so, I apologize and do not want to response. Um, I'm curious, JD, if that question was posed to Kelly prior to just now, for her to look at numbers and share to allow us to have a well-informed decision on our vote, right? >> No. >> Okay. >> That's >> You said no. Correct. Okay. That's what I wanted to know. Approximately I'm in favor of the concept. Um think it'd be a great PR move. Sometimes we spend say five I would amend it to higher. Say sometimes you spend $500,000 and you get $5 million worth of public relations. And I think we need some public relations right now. So, when it comes time, I'm going to try to amend the motion. >> Um, I just want to

123add one thing. I This is a new fiscal year. So, this is we would have to check to see if we were even able to do that because the fiscal year is over. Um, and this is money that would be allocated um before or on July 30th. So, I'm not even sure that that's something that you'd be able to do or not, and I'd have to look into that. >> So, can we table this? >> Uh, no, we can't because July 30th is the last day Kelly can put transfer money from fund 10 to Fund 46. Any other questions or comments of the amendment that's on the floor? >> Diana, could you please read that amendment one more time so everybody knows what they're voting for? >> Okay. I just want to include Do we

124want to do we want to put the word estimated? >> Yes, you need estimated because all of our bills are not in. >> Correct. >> So, it has to be estimated. >> Okay. Can you read that amendment one more time, please? >> I move to approve the estimated 2.4 million to fund 46 and 100,000 divided equally to certified teachers. >> Correct. >> That is the amendment on the floor. >> It's legal. We vote. >> Yeah. I'm not sure that we can do that. But if we vote on it and it's legal, >> I might want to add that assuming it's legal. >> Well, what will happen last year? >> It's last year. >> What will happen, Scott, is that if this passes, that $100,000 will go back into fund 10 and that will be looked

125at by the state as a $100,000 that we didn't spend then added to the fund balance and then our >> So, it's too late to get the raise, >> right? because our people will be taxed for that $100,000 next year. >> If we spend it before the 30th, then it just gets aided. >> But if but that $100,000 isn't in this year, it's in next year. >> What if we don't have that $100,000 next year? >> July. So June, >> every time you add on a pre raise, it doesn't go away. We can't take away $100,000 next year. you saying bonus, but I guess if the if the t if the formula doesn't work that way, it's something we should have talked about earlier. >> So, this is a you're saying this would be a

126stipen and who would be receiving this? >> I was hoping Scott's going to >> certified staff as of when though like who's >> I'm I would amend it to certified I would amend it to all staff. >> We can't. >> And I would up it to five. I would up the >> Hold that. Hold that thought. It's too late. >> And I get that. I I understand the rules. It's too late. >> I guess I'm just confused who would who you're including in this their hire date, their resignation date, their like I I also align with you, Mr. Peterson, and can say that I I support the concept. What I don't support is feeling um as though I am forced to choose whether or not we utilize fund 46 to the full extent as presented

127or should I vote against this then be perceived by the public as though I don't support our certified staff or all staff when in fact I simply don't feel as though I have enough information to make a well-informed decision on this. Would I love for the staff to get a one-time stipen? You bet. I have advocated routinely and you can check my voter records on that for staff pays raises. However, at this time I believe I will likely vote against the amendment simply because I do not have enough information on this though I do appreciate the thought. >> So Kelly, when did you post this 2.5 million in Board docs? >> Um I'm not sure when it was posted in Board Docs. when it was um posted as the agenda. >> Like, how was I

128when was I supposed to know we had this much money? >> So, June 30th happens at the end of the fiscal year. We still have light bills. We still have phone bills. We still have everything from June 30th still coming in. So, um again, this is estimated. So, there are still invoices coming in. >> So, when did you put she estimated that or >> I don't know when the agenda was posted. I I remember being told it was over 2 million >> Thursday night. >> Kristen, >> Mrs. Ojinski, is there any teacher who did not receive a raise in the last school since last school year >> with that followed the handbook policies and protocols. >> Correct. >> Yes, they did >> because we updated the teacher compensation plan so that we're competitive with surrounding

129school districts. So, we're not the lowest anymore. >> Thank you, >> Diana. Can you clarify when the agenda was posted? >> The agenda was posted on Thursday afternoon. >> Thank you. >> It just simply says last modified July 14th. I don't know if that's for this agenda item specifically or the whole thing. >> Do you want to know when was the >> I'm just saying how much notice I was supposed to give to come up with the idea when I didn't know about that. We had this much money. >> Did you read the agenda? >> No, I read it today. Two hours ago before the meeting. >> So, I will just say that if you would have had notice on Thursday, JD, it wouldn't have done you any good because you looked at the agenda

130two hours ago. So, your question, it was talked about. The $2 billion figure was thrown around at board meetings. >> Every month we have a budget update >> and this has been trending the entire year. >> Yeah. So, that that's been a discussion. >> You don't list that in your budget update. So at our committee meetings, we talk about the budget um and we talk about where the budget is trending based off our forecast 5 model. >> So if you attend the finance committee meetings then that would be a place in which you would see those graphs um and projections every month. >> Okay. We're going to take a vote on the amendment that's on the floor. >> Can we read it? >> Voting. >> Read it one more time. >> Yes. One board member

131>> asked. So read it one more time, please. >> I move to approve the estimated 2.4 million to fund 46 and 100,000 divided equally to certified teachers. >> Voting device is now open. If you are in favor of the amendment, let it be known by voting yes. If you are opposed, vote no. >> Would anyone like to change their vote? Yes. >> Yes, I do. I have to I think I just pressed the wrong button. >> Okay, Dustin, we've never had anybody change their vote. So, >> it changed. Yeah, >> it changed. >> Okay. Would anyone like to change their vote? All right. The vote is now closed. There are six opposed and three in favor. The amendment fails. The main motion is on the floor which is to approve the estimated 2.5 million uh

132dollars to transfer to fund 46 as presented. >> The point >> the voting device is now open. >> I'll tell you it's July 14. >> Dr. Bardo, you want to try one more time? >> Oh, one more time. I pushed it once. Sorry. >> You're having Bobb's problems now. >> Yeah, it switched to mine. >> Would anyone like to change their vote? >> I'm going to own my mistake. >> The vote is now closed and the motion carries with seven in favor and two against. You got the names. >> Okay. Letter E, consideration of the report of donations. I will be looking for a motion. >> I move to approve the July 2025 report of donations as presented. >> And the donation goes to comes from JW Madak and Suns, $200 uh to go toward

133the aquatic center. Abby, you made the motion. Would you like to speak to your motion? >> Yes. I just want to say that's a very great business. >> I concur. >> As always, thank you to the local business um for their donation to our district. It is very much appreciated. I believe there's some in the audience tonight. So, thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Always generous. Thank you. >> Okay. The voting device is now open to accept this donation to the aquatic center. Would anyone like to change their vote? Vote is now closed and the motion carries. Thank you for that donation. Uh item number five, close session, consideration of a motion to adjourn into close session under 19.85 85 1 C and F for the purposes of considering employment, promotion, compensation or

134performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body as jurisdiction or exercises responsibility and for purposes of considering financial, medical, social or personal histories or disciplinary data of specific persons. Preliminary consideration of specific personnel problems or the investigation of charges against specific persons except where paragraph B applies, which if discussed in public would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of any person referred to in such histories or data or involved in such problems or investigations to wit discussion uh and possible action on specific employees current contracts. I will be looking for a motion. >> So moved. >> Motion's been made by Jill. Is there a second to that motion? >> Second made by Scott. Jill, would you like to speak to your motion? >> No. Thank you.

135>> Any discussion of the motion on the floor? >> Hearing no discussion of the motion on the floor. Diana, could we have a roll call vote, please? >> Abby Medic. >> Yes. >> Dr. Bto. >> Yes. Bobby Brown, >> yes. >> Joe Madak Nelson, >> yes. >> Kristen Matt Miller, >> yes. >> Scott Peterson, >> yes. >> JD Schrader, >> yes. >> Katherine Solen, >> yes. >> Danny Patt, >> no. And the motion carries. We are now in close session.