001I'd like to call this regular uh school board meeting of the DC Everest Area School District or uh to order. First up is roll call. Josh >> here. >> Larry >> here. >> Katie >> here. >> Ye >> here. >> Shannon >> here. >> Ben >> here. >> And I am here. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Is there a motion to approve the agenda for tonight's meeting? >> So moved. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. This requires a voice vote. All those in favor say I. >> I. Any oppose? That passes. Next up, we have public comment.
002Um, at this time in our agenda, we have set aside for public participation. We value your input and interest in our school community. It is important to note that we welcome differences in opinion and recognize that we are all here because we have a vested interest in our children and our schools. We would also like to remind you that the schoolboard meetings are for the purpose of carrying on the business of the district. They are not public meetings, but official business meetings held in public The public comment presenting before the board reflect only the view of the individual speaker and not the board or the district. Anyone wishing to address the board should have registered their intention to participate. As a reminder, our public comment policy states participants must have a legitimate interest in district
003business such as current district residents, students, parents, guardians, employees, or contractors of the DC Ever School District. Participants will be recognized by myself and are asked to please state their name, address, and group affiliation before beginning their remarks. To ensure that board meetings are conducted in an orderly and productive manner, all public comments are subject to the following time. Each statement by participant is limited to to three minutes duration and should at top address topics within the legitimate jurisdiction of the school board. If a speaker continues past the expir expiration time, the school board president, myself, will ask the speaker to stop and leave the podium. The public comment period will be limited to a total of 30 minutes. Conduct. All remarks should be directed to the board and not to the audience. No one
004may address or question board members individually. Speakers must conduct themselves with respect and civility toward others. Prohibited conduct includes conduct which is disruptive to the meeting, interferes with the ability of others to observe the meeting or speak to the board or interferes with the ability of the board to conduct business. This includes conduct which is abusive, harassing or threatening and conduct which includes the use of vulgar vulgarities or profanities. If a speaker violates this rule, you will first be given a warning and then may be asked to leave. Board response. Concerns raised tonight will not be addressed at this meeting unless they fall under an already approved agenda topic. The concerns may be added to a future agenda at the request of any board member. Topic for discussion. No person addressing the board should initiate
005charges or complaints about individual board members or employees or students of the district. Such charges or complaints should be presented directly to the superintendent. In the event an individual's conduct causes causes a disruption to the board meeting and the board cannot continue its business, a motion may be made to declare a recess. We have one person signed up tonight. Nick You may begin. >> Okay. Uh, good evening. Um, my name is Nick Pock. Uh, 226205 Clear View Drive. Uh, Weston. Um, you know the rest, I think. Um, uh, thank you for, uh, for listening tonight. Um, I am currently the president of the Everest Fast Pitch Youth Softball Organization and Booster Club to the varsity um, softball program. Um, some of our other board members are here with me tonight as well. And, um, I'm
006currently in my third year in this position and I have three daughters in the district, two of which are very active in softball. So, uh, this is a topic that's uh, we're very passionate about obviously. Um, little background about Evers Fast Pitch and what we do. We serve around 150 youth girls each summer in wreck ball. Uh approximately 75 of those girls also play travel ball on weekends throughout the year. Um we're a feeder program for eighth grade, JV, and varsity school teams by introducing and getting girls excited about softball. Um we also help financially support the needs of the high school program. Uh we run concessions. We assist with special event nights um at the varsity games. Uh we sponsor a season kickoff banquet. And basically, we're here to help uh with whatever the
007coach or the coaching staff need. Uh fill in some of the gaps that might not come from typical school budgets, try to help fill in some of those holes and voids. Uh the reason we're here tonight, uh we just have some concerns about the state of the varsity field. Uh the conditions, um fan and player safety, um lack of um accessibility, um restroom facilities, um that currently don't exist, um female athletes and visiting athletes, um not having access to those things when they come to our facility. Um there are pictures in the slides that are being passed around uh with some of our specific concerns. um infield, outfield, condition of the fences, uneven terrain, ter terrain and fan areas, um again I mentioned the lack of bathrooms, the condition of the dugouts, um etc. Um
008there's, you know, a lengthy list. Um recently, some of these things have started to be addressed by the district and we're very happy to see that starting to happen. We just want to make sure we keep moving forward in that direction and that we don't just um say, "Well, good enough." Um uh we looked at Simonfield kind of as an example. Um, we feel, you know, it's a little bit uh more of a pristine facility. Um, maybe it's because of its location out in the front. We're in the back behind the GTCC. A lot of people don't even know that field is there. Um, we feel it's kind of a like a you know, we don't see it, so it's it's okay. Um, and you can see some of the comparisons in those pictures there.
009Um, we know there's some improvements being made to the baseball field right now. Um we're that concerned us a little bit knowing how many needs we have and feeling that they already have a far superior facility to what we currently have. Uh we know there's a facility studying being conducted and that may have something to do with why this was being able to be touched and ours not. And I'm out of time >> and your three minutes is up. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you for the public comment. Uh, next up on our agenda is the consent agenda. >> I'd like to make a motion to approve the consent agenda excluding item B with a roll call vote. >> We have a motion for approval of the consent agenda excluding B. Is
010there a second? >> Second. >> I think Shannon claims that. All right, we have a roll call vote. Josh, >> yes. >> Larry, >> yes. >> Katie, >> yes. >> He, >> yes. >> Shannon, >> yes. >> Ben, >> yes. >> And I vote yes. Is there a motion to approve item B? >> So moved. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Uh, this requires a roll call vote. Uh, Larry, >> yes. >> Katie, >> yes. >> yes. >> Shannon, >> yes. >> Ben, >> yes. >> Josh, >> stay. and I vote yes. >> Next up is our reports and considerations, Shannon. >> Um, on Monday, members of the state assembly and senate introduced a bill for co-sponsorship sponsorship to change special education categorical aid from some certain to some sufficient. Um,
011so this was a top priority for WASB last year and education advocates during the recent budget debate. So, kind of an important thing coming forward. Um, WASBY will provide updates on the progression. So, this is probably one to watch. Um, and I would suggest maybe we reach out to our legislators to let them know how this could be beneficial for us. >> Shannon, have any of our local legislators signed on at this point or who? >> Not that I've heard. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And then in your background, there are the final resolutions for the delegate assembly for the state convention. Um, and One to note is that resolutions 10 and 11 in particular are similar. They're mirroring language. Um the well multiple districts had submitted resolutions both for and against decoupling. So the
012policy and resolutions committee felt that it was best to present both options to the delegates to vote on. Um they're mirrored language, so one is in favor, one is against. Currently WASBY does not have any adopted position either way. Um so they also felt that this was kind of necessary at this point. Um resolution 10 would be in favor of decoupling public and private school funding. If passed, it would support changing current law. Resolution 11 is against decoupling and that would mean support for keeping law current as is. So just an important distinction there. Um and I guess my personal preference I think it would be beneficial for us to discuss these. So regardless of who our delegate is at any point in time, we're all kind of on the same page, board as a
013whole, of how we're voting on these. Um, but it's certainly up to the board if you'd like to discuss those. Um, and also I guess for my due diligence, Casey, generally, how might that potentially impact us if it goes for or against on those resolutions? >> Sure. specific to the, you know, decoupling is a hot topic um across the state, super politicized in the sense that it really is about voucherbased programs and public ed. So, um outside of the politics of that, I think as your superintendent, I would say anything that's going to divert resources from DC Everest and DC Everest kids is bad for DC Everest. if I just oversimplify it. And so, um, you know, WSB serves a really broad coalition of member districts, right? So, they end up with these two different
014resolutions in an effort to either keep the peace or not make a stance. Um, so not necessarily critical of that decision on their part, but they put them out there for their membership to decide which, you know, where they land. um W uh WSBO, which is really Kelly's professional organization, so our school business officials. Um they have tried to run scenarios to determine what that impact would look like. And and WBO lands on the side of decoupling is bad for public ed. Um and really the oversimplified term, and uh Kelly can add or or nod or stay out of it if she wants to because it is a hot uh topic. Um, you know, my simple version is that, you know, right now coupling in the decoupling statement refers to all of this is a
015one big bucket of money for education in Wisconsin. Decoupling would define by statute or budget or both two separate pots of money. And I what I would anticipate is kind of like our some certain some sufficient conversation. If those pots become defined, you have this clearer sense of two public systems. one with a great deal of oversight and transparency and accountability and one lacking that. So creating that definition probably um adds more divide also then in the funding models where um by diverting dollars to this parallel system when Wisconsin says they can't afford one system effectively. So, um, ultimately, um, I would land on the side for DC Everest of saying, uh, any recommendation to decouple appears to likely lead to bad outcomes for the finance of, um, our district. So, long, but, um, my
016take, you want to correct or add anything to that, you're welcome to. So, >> okay. Thank you. I appreciate that. Um, if anybody else has anything they'd like to discuss, >> I think, you know, as a board we should give some direction which way we want to go on any of these things. I think we owe that to our representative and say yeah our board says yes on this our board says no on it. So I think we should probably go through some of these questions I have question but we might as well start with this company D up in 101 and I I think each board member should probably speak up a little bit about it. I'm I guess I'm in favor of consistent with the administration of opposing the decouples. I take it
017two separate pots of money. Theoretically, it would be just a divided money divided into two pots, but that's not how it's going to work. Right. So, I'm inclined to stick with the administration's suggestion and oppose him to decouple me under the banter of I'd rather live with the devil I know than the devil I know. So, that that's my impression, but we got six of the rest of you here. What do you what do you think? And maybe just a quick point of clarification because I think we had a a little bit of discussion about how do we approach um resolution discussions um last year. So I would say Ellen and I but it really is Ellen did a lot of homework with WSB about this topic. So you're you can simply have a discussion
018just in case we get to the point of do we need to vote on each of these like you can essentially advise you as your delegate and he can take that advice um in but there isn't an expectation necessarily that resolution by resolution you need to go through and vote. So discuss away as you see fit as a board but know that we did a little homework and we recognize just conversation is probably sufficient to give you um to inform your delegate. So >> way he knows representing one in favor of the oops >> I would agree. I I would say supporting 11 is where I would land also. >> Yes. >> Stand up your counter from one or the other. So what's in the process? I mean, we're not going to go out discussion
019standpoint. What's process that we should >> I think maybe it's just an email to if you have an opinion on all of them. I mean, that's Do you think that's sufficient? I mean >> report back to us with hey this is where the board falls on this item this item this item based upon what our communications committee is >> just discuss >> yeah it just discuss it now if we come on item number six what it is >> I would prefer not to have that right now I'd prefer to come more prepared to look into these and and have a a good understanding of those items >> well I I would add that um I think our next board meeting is the week before the convention as well too. Um the convention is the 20th
020through 23rd and I think our next board meeting is the 14th here. So we could put it as a discuss agenda item for discussion if this board would want. >> I'm fine with that. >> I think it'd be valuable to give folks time if they want to provide additional review. I mean I reviewed the information but I wasn't prepared. I thought it was more of a report out. wasn't prepared to say I have concerns about this or I don't have concerns about this. I would appreciate additional time to do that review if that's the intent. And then again, I don't think we need to go through one by one, but take them one by one and see if there's any feedback or additional guidance or if we're in generally supportive of the recommendation from WASB.
021I like that recommendation. The the only other thing I would ask that if um when we're doing this because I know that there's going to be some there's some um resolutions that potentially could impact us financially as well too, you know, as a district as well. I would love to have some backup um data as well too because I know that there are sometimes when we're sitting on the delegate assembly floor and we're having those discussions and they're talking about money and how it impacts us. If I have those information, it's it helps us make better decisions and arguments as well too. So any information that staff could potentially provide um specifically looking at Dr. Strike here, you know, um that would be greatly appreciated as well. >> Sounds good. We'll add that to January's
022agenda. >> Thank you. Uh Shannon, do you have anything else for WASBY? >> No. Thank you. >> Perfect. So we'll add all of this on January's agenda again and be ready to discuss. >> And discussion again, not action, just to be clear for Alan and I. Right. Okay. Sounds good. >> All right, next up is season 9. Larry, >> talked about virtual coming up in January and February because the rules are so uncertain. It turns out this week's is also today. >> Thank you. Um went over our usual financials, talked a little about the resolutions, not much and everybody talking about meeting at WSB for those of us who are attending. That's my report. Sounds good. Next up, our student representative. >> Uh, this past month, a lot has happened. Firstly, we had senior signing
023day where six seniors committed to further their athletic and academic career in college and various sports such as cycling, swim, softball, equestrian, and acrobatics. 70 of our junior and senior high students have competed in their JA or junior achievement titan business challenge at NTC. Within the challenge, two of our teams placed first and second place and now they are headed to compete at the state level which is pretty good as the challenge has been very difficult. And for December, student council is doing a month-long dress up day at the senior high where students can get tickets if they participate and are entered to win weekly prizes or the grand prize of privileged parking close to the school where we don't have to deal with the big parking lot out there which can be very chaotic.
024And then to finish the month of December at school, there will be an assembly at the senior high to kick off winter break where there'll be fun games that students can participate in. Sounds like a fun quick month. Thank you. Next up, superintendent report. Dr. N. >> All right, I'm going to start off with a more general update and then dive into the specific topics that we had listed. And I think it's worthy of celebrating Ava's leadership because first major snow, well, not really, but the first parking lot experience we've had. And I would say high school students largely in the line. So, I don't know what you're doing differently. I don't know why you need this privilege parking, but bravo. like well done. Um kidding aside, uh it's the season of tough decisions as
025far as balancing, you know, safety and the consequences of not having school. So do just want to um you know acknowledge that uh we are always trying to balance those two. Um we know kids being in school really really important and we recognize getting them here and home safely is um even more important. So, just a reminder to families that, you know, they always do have that choice to make the decision that, you know, what they think is best for their for their child. Um, in addition to our high schoolers, our bus drivers, I do want to give a shout out to them. Um, you know, tough tough job any time of the year. Um, but definitely uh exceptional right now. So, appreciate our drivers and what they're doing out in the roads. So, uh
026it's also calendar development season. So, we're going to talk a little bit later uh in the agenda about a resolution. you know, we haven't taken that sort of approach before. Um, and I'll give you more uh information when we get to that. But I do want to say uh thanks to staff, parents, students that are all on our calendar committee. So, right now we're in that phase of development that is really leaning heavily into their ideas. So, we meet uh again tomorrow as our next meeting. And so, um those that uh choose to develop their own calendar, we'll bring that in and we'll talk through those. And uh we'll follow a similar timeline as we have in past years. So, we're going to try to narrow those down to two or three choices that we'll
027put out to staff vote and have something to you um as a recommendation in January. Um and I'll talk a little bit more about that process when we get to the resolution as well. So, um appreciate Shannon's comments um about that some certain some sufficient language as it relates to special ed funding. definitely um something that is uh disappointing that we'd like to see that number closer to the 42% that was assured um and at the same time Dr. Strike is realistic knowing in past years that has not been um we've we've never seen that full percentage um that that whole some certain some sufficient gives us the hint that u you might not see it all. So we're we're conservative in how we budget for it and at the same time that was the
028big win for K12 and you know I think districts were unified in that stance. WASB was unified. So do appreciate any advocacy you can do at the state level. Um federally um I want to talk a little bit about uh opportunity I had last week um with League of Innovative Schools. I was in DC. A lot of that was really um a great opportunity to gain additional insight into what's happening uh as far as education at the federal level. Uh as part of that visit um I was with a small team from the Midwest that um met with uh representatives from Illinois and Minnesota um senator and representative and then um I also visited uh Congressman Tiffany's office and Senator Baldwin um sat down with her staffer for a good chunk of time. Um absolutely.
029We talked about um federal funding and I think you know with our staff we talked about the theme of uncertainty um and that challenge uh being in these roles to to plan effectively when we we don't know um always what's coming. Um at the same time we talked about uh especially given the organization I was with the focus on research and development and the need for um federal dollars to support um our ability to know what practices are working for kids. And I think that's even more important today when dollars are tight that we know um what works. And so there are tools out there that as a district that we access that really have federal agencies behind them that steer us towards um what will make a difference for kids and uh what is
030fiscally responsible uh when we go to invest in those. So um for DC Everest uh given the tragedy we've you know experienced locally um I also specifically emphasize the need for new protections for young people. um specifically highlighting a a bipartisan proposal. Um it's a new um child online safety act. KOSA is the the shorthand acronym for that. Um so really um advocating for for changes at the federal level that would um put additional protections in place for kids. So um as I said, uncertainty is the theme at the federal level. I do not think we move mountains, but I also think as um challenging as that environment is right now, I think it's even more important that we stay engaged. So, I was grateful for the opportunity to be there and and learn. So,
031um safety um at a recent meeting, um our team shared a lot of detail about specific safety updates that we've been working on. Um I want to acknowledge some real specific positive progress that we've had on our reunification process. um safety team. Um Gina, Jason, Brady, a number of other leaders um have been very very involved in that. And um as you know, reunification is that process anytime we would need to evacuate a school, how we're going to bring kids um back and reunite them with their families. So that could be a could be a gas leak, it could be a number of different reasons that we end up having to use that protocol. Um I will say that the level of thought and planning into making that moment go smoothly is incredibly impressive. Um,
032and I appreciate the leaders that are thinking through all of the different scenarios and then defining the roles associated with making that happen. Um, but also I'll give a a shout out to the people in this building that are coming over to practice and think through what their role would be and just actively um, think through that because those are really really stressful moments for all involved for families in particular. So that forethought um, I think puts us in a a great um, and wellprepared spot. So appreciate their work behind the scenes to to do that and hope we never need to use it. So uh last um you've got in front of you uh this month's um Findorf's monthly planning um or excuse me monthly update document um that'll hit the web tomorrow. We
033make that available to the community. um not a ton of brand new information on here, but I will say behind the scenes. We're very much um in this creative phase, moving from discussions about square footage into programmatic planning and experience. And so um I think our our team is probably um exhausted from all of the different thinking. So now we're trying to really whittle down um all of those options to prepare for our February workshop with you. Um but super excited about how um that work to think about how we use our space will positively impact uh learning experiences and um although we're trying to be as comprehensive as possible, we know we're working within a confine confined set of um resources. Um and I do appreciate though if you have things as we look
034ahead to February that you want to make sure that we talk about or data or insights, keep those coming. Uh appreciate that so we can give you the most uh comprehensive information as possible in February. and um that'll be a great benchmark moment for us. So, appreciate the team's work and that is my report. >> Thank you, Dr. Knight. Does anybody have any questions? Hearing none. Next, we moved on to unfinished business, new opportunities at New Horizons. >> Got our New Horizons team here and um I know they've got some slides that we'll we'll get up for them. Um but they are a they represent a program within our district that provides kids a different kind of school experience. And so um you've it's been a little while since we've had our New Horizon um
035Horizon's team in front of us. Um they're not going to give you the whole overview of all things New Horizons because the reason they're here is they have this sort of unique moment where we've also talked about new space at GTCC and community impact there. So, this is really um about Miss Pollson, Miss Rosco talking through um that intersection and some fun things that they're doing. We're just going to highlight um their work with kids and with the community. So, um I'm not sure who's going first, but Caitlyn Nicole, welcome. Thanks for being here. >> So, I'm Caitlyn Rosco. >> Nicole Pulson. Um we did throw a little bit of Hold on here. >> There you go. A little bit of update for some of it. It's been a while since we've been here like
036Casey said. So, we have been a program in DC Everest since 2018. Um, started the 2019 school year. We moved over into what was Green Tech and now GTCC, which is a wonderful thing. Um, we are a tier three program available to anybody eighth grade through graduation. And we don't put a hard stop on that 12th grade timeline cuz we're going to get a get a kid done no matter what that looks like. And sometimes it takes a little longer and that's what we do. Um, we have a very blended support with our traditional buildings. So, we work handinhand with the junior high and senior high teams. And we start every day with a guided social emotional learning hour that Nicole runs called Jump Start. And then I lead an afternoon career academy for our
037juniors and seniors to prep them for real real world experiences. Um, we are out in the community all the time. You name it, we're at UW's touring. We're at NTC touring. We are out doing career hands-on walkthroughs, community service. And then one of our favorites is partnering with our elementary schools for buddy time. So that's been really fun. Uh and really the whole community is our classroom no matter what. So we're going to get kids out and see what their future can look like and get them ready for what that can all be. Um we know all these things play a huge role in their well-being and success and their attendance and engagement. And that's what we do. So, because we have students who are dealing with some really large things outside of our classroom,
038we spend a lot of our day focusing on positive connections with peers, adults, and then looking at what community resources kids could be using as well as kind of building positive mental health. Um, recently we've been able to start two new programs um that have really had those focuses. The first one is our community walk and talk. Um with the awesome facilities that we now have at Green Heck, um we are able to just take our students to walk downstairs. Um I do that every day as part of our FIAD class, but we got the idea to have student or community members sign up as volunteers. So once a week during the free walking time uh we have community members that have signed up um that have been approved through the district come and walk
039with our students. It has given them a chance to have a positive adult in their life. Um several of our students are making connections on a social level. They some of them today were even talking about careers. Um just different life experiences. Uh we have kids that at times were like, "We don't want to go down and do this. I don't want to talk to anybody." But by the time we got back upstairs that day, they were like, "This was the best thing ever. This totally totally made my day." And they were able to kind of turn their whole day around. So just giving them some really positive adult relationships that they might be lacking. The other thing that we have recently started is our bark break. Um we have partnered with the therapy dog
040alliance and they are bringing in therapy dogs for us in our area um couple times a month. Um research shows that just even being around or petting a dog can really increase your mental health and decrease stress. And we have seen that already in the few times that we've we've had people come in already. Kids are just loving that little break. It's a positive moment in their day. little bit of decompress and then they're able to kind of keep going on with their day. So, those are the two things that we've recently started. Hoping to really continue those two programs and grow them a little bit and then hopefully keep adding some new programs that will support mental health and community partnerships. >> Yeah, that should be good. So questions, anything we can answer on?
041>> No questions. It sounds like you guys have thought of great programs to add to these kids' lives who are obviously in a struggling time and to help them. I mean, I'm not sure who's liking that better, the dog or the kid. But >> it looks like everyone's enjoying I mean both sides. I'm sure the adults walking enjoy it too. So that was a great program to add both of them. So thank you. >> Thank you for the opportunity. >> I do have a I do have a question. What what can the school board do to continue supporting you in your role helping our students? >> Yeah, I would say that the biggest challenge that we have on a on a daily basis is just mental health support. Um so just continuing to look at
042what our district can do to pro provide mental health supports for students outside of our program as well. Um >> yeah, I mean really K12 at risk as a whole for a department would be our main focus. So, >> is there a policy change that we need to change in order to support you? >> Not necessarily. I think just more of that that support and focus on our ESS structure and making sure kids find the resource that they need most. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Next up is new business 4K contracts for 2627. Uh Dr. Strike background. >> Sure. So each year we bring forward our 4K agreements or contracts with all of our community partners that we work with for our 4K students. Um that contract was developed by legal. no changes to the
043content. Um, regional might and I have talked about potentially um making some adjustments in the future with legal especially because some things changed in the buzz budget recently. An example is the hours of instruction and those kind of things. Um the biggest change is just that increase and although we don't have a perfect science we look at trends and um revenue limit increases etc to um provide increases each year. So this is a pretty typical increase. A few years ago, we did a bigger jump when we did ask um we gave them the choice to maintain the other um payment or do bigger increases to increase the wages. Everyone opted to do that. So, we're kind of doing that for everyone. Now, um we did change to quarterly payments last year, which we will maintain
044and have been working well this year. The only other thing that I want to add that's not specific to these contracts and agreements, but related to 4K in general, many of you have probably heard about get um get kids ready through DCF um funding. That is something we've been talking about with our partners throughout the year, just transparency conversations. Um many of them have the opportunity to potentially um partner with DCF directly. So that's Department of Children and Families. I realize we use a lot of acronyms. um that there may be some funding available to them. There's some unknowns in how much funding. It could be more than us um that we can provide for providing 4K programs within their centers. Um so we've been talking openly about that and I just bring that up
045at this time because um the number of partners, some of them may choose to go that route. Um and we've said we've just asked for transparency, open communication, but we may see a change in the um number of partners depending on what they decide with that new funding. happy to answer any questions. >> Yes, I I just have one question here. With the increases, um what is the total fiscal impact change for the for this up for this to for the 2025 to 2026? >> So, it would be $12 a student. Um and that would depend on the number of students. Um again, that could vary depending on partnerships. So, I want to be cautious to give um too much, but it'd be $1,2 a student. and we had just over 200 students this year
046in partnerships. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Any additional questions hearing? None. Um is there a motion to approve the 4K contracts which include an increase in payments to 4K providers from 2613 to 2625 per student as well as a supply fee of $32 per student. >> So moved. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any additional discussion hearing? None. This requires a voice vote. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? That passes. Next up, everyone's favorite calendar. >> All right. So, the the resolution. I know I mean in part you might know that Lindsay has a fascination with long resolutions and she enjoys reading them. Um, but it's actually more than that, believe it or not. Um we are looking for flexibility everywhere we possibly can with
047our calendar and we're we're barely shackled. Um and start time is one of those. And so the timing of this is um interesting but also me being responsive to the committee and and walking the walk of if we're going to have people in the room listening to their suggestions. So, one of our committee members challenged me um as to why we were not exploring um this this waiver option. The the category there are a limited number of reasons that a district can ask for an exemption to that start date. And one of them, the one that we're bringing to you, has to do with um cost impact. So the cost impact that we're talking about really has to do with um statutoily we provide transportation um to the parochials within our district and they can
048set their start dates as they see fit and we are obligated to provide transportation. So if our start date is required to be over here and they start here there's x number of days that we cover the costs on um in addition to the transportation that we would have. Um, so moving up to align with that limits some amount of cost. If we're using those days instead of an instructional day that we would have had over here, it happens earlier. Uh, we reduce those additional days of parochial transportation. My the my response to the committee member was that in the scheme of our overall budget um this is not um in a from a percentage perspective an immense amount of money. However, their response to me, which is accurate, and the reason that we're bringing
049this to you, is that well, you're saying that you're going to have to reduce again. You're in a declining enrollment environment, and every penny counts. So, shouldn't any additional cost be considered excessive and impactful, and if you can find a way to reduce something that not only doesn't have a negative impact on classrooms, but also frees up flexibility and a preferable calendar, um, why wouldn't you pursue that? And I don't usually have no good response, but or no, I I often don't have great responses, but I had zero response there. I I agreed with their point. So, we went and did our homework and I've had multiple conversations and emails, dialogue back and forth with DPI, with other superintendents with Kelly to cost it out. Kelly has had conversations with our parochials to open a
050dialogue, which is part of what we'll need to demonstrate to DPI if we do this. Um, and ultimately, um, the the challenge that we have is that we have to submit this to DPI by the start of the year, but I just told you we're still going to bring options to our staff and we're not we're not nailed down where we're at. And so, because we're responsive to that committee, the committee really hasn't had a chance to wrestle with the potential of an earlier start. So, we did we Ellen emailed the committee and let them know that we're going to bring this resolution. it will be the board's decision and um that the DPI verified for me that that does not tie us to having to start early. Um if ultimately we have a calendar
051that still starts on a traditional timeline, um we would just need to communicate to DPI that we didn't employ that earlier start. So it it's a mechanism for us to have some additional flexibility. Um, an easy reason for why this comes up every single year is that our AP students at the high school level are kids that are in varsity athletics. They are well into their high school experience. We've got a couple or three football games, other sports experiences, volleyballs happen before we ever actually hit the the doors of the school. So long and short of it, it would open up some flexibility um allow us to deploy off days in a little bit more um strategic way than if we crush that calendar down like we typically do. So that's the long version um
052of why we're making the ask and would request your approval of that resolution, but open to questions for sure too or additions, Kelly or Jeff, if you have other thoughts you want to include there. I mean I'm hearing none. So whereas pursuant to Wisconsin statute section section 118.045 commencement of school term the state of Wisconsin provides that public school districts cannot start prior to September 1st. And whereas a school board may commence a school term prior to September 1st if it submits a written request to the Department of Public Instruction asking for an earlier start date listing the extraordinary reason reasons for the earlier start date request. And whereas chapter 27 commencement of school term lists excessive costs associated with the transportation of pupils who attend private schools that start prior to September 1st. as
053an extraordinary reason, the Department of Public Instruction may grant a request. And whereas the DC Everest Area School District has made a good faith effort to work with private schools to coordinate a school start date on or after September 1st. And be it resolved that the DC Eververse Area School District is officially requesting approval to commence the school term prior to September 1st to alleviate the excessive costs associated with transporting pupils who attend private schools prior to September 1st by commencing the 2627 school year as early as August 24th, 2026. Be it resolved further that on December 10th, 2025, the DC Everest uh school board passed this resolution to alleviate the excessive costs associated with transporting pupils who attend private schools prior to September 1st, dated this date, 10th day of December, 2025. That is
054my motion. Is there a second? Any additional discussion on that? >> I just had a question. Is excessive the right verbiage? excessive or is that the language we have to use? >> Excessive is the verbiage we have to use. I did specifically ask uh DPI if there is a quantitative threshold and they acknowledge that I this lives in the category of local control. They will we are expected to produce documents. They will not ask us what the cost is but they will say did we do our due diligence to try to get people to start later and so we have documents that Kelly has been collecting on that. Any additional discussion hearing? None. This requires requires a roll call vote. Josh, >> yes. >> Larry, >> yes. >> Katie, >> yes. >> yes. >> Shannon,
055>> yes. >> Ben, >> yes. >> And I vote yes. >> All right. Next up is course proposals for 26 27. >> Uh, so three courses on uh your memo tonight. Uh the first is discovery and design. Uh last year we implemented inquiry and innovation for our sixth grade students for our advanced learners. It's invitation only into that course. So we're creating a seventh grade course to to continue that work with our our advanced learners. Um the second one ceramics is um uh interest based but it's also not impactful to our FTE. um our our teachers are probably the um the the best in terms of running two courses together. So that will be run concurrently with our ceramics 2 course and line impact or FTE. Third one is computer keyboarding. Um uh it comes
056with the removal of app design the course app design that we aren't seeing the interest in that we thought we might. Uh but it's also reflective of our students, our SSA students in particular had talked about uh a lack of preparedness potentially for some keyboarding skills. So it's a dual enrollment course uh and and basically driven by um the interest of our students. >> Thank you. Is there a motion to approve Discovery and Design Ceramics 3 and computer keyboarding dual enrollment as course offerings for 2627? So moved. >> Second. Motion by Shannon, second by Ye. Any additional discussion on this? Uh, this requires a voice vote. All those in favor state I. I. >> Any oppose? >> Abstain. I think I should probably abstain on that one. >> We haven't abstained. Thank you. That passes.
057Uh, next up is great place to learn the district report card. So this is a report that I share uh each year um about our our report card. Um information on the report card was embargoed until mid November. So could not make the November um board meeting. I'll say this also. I think one of the things that I don't think our opinion has changed on the report card. Um you know I we see it as one um data point, right? And and I think maybe the thing that we've done or that we've embraced a little bit differently is uh our our continuous improvement plans u acknowledge that it's something that our community sees. So we've uh focused on some lagging indicators that that are tied to the report card. Um so important work um while
058also I'll talk a little bit about the fact that it is um one um one data point for us. So talk a little bit about that breakdown. We'll talk about our report card and and then our kind of our perspective outside of the report card as well. Um report card state accountability report cards are divided into five uh areas from significantly exceeds expectations down to fails to meet. Uh and it's a 0 to 100 scale. Uh this summer uh DPI brought a team together to make some adjustments to uh those scales. Um really related to an update on some of the statewide assessments and and some changing of the norms there and also as a result shifted from a three-year look at achievement to a two-year look at achievement. Uh but those are the the
059new breakdown um ranges for uh the 2425 report card. So, obviously we're in the 2526 school year, but this is a look back at last year's data. Um, the the grade bands are are important. Um, we are unique. Uh, you will see that our system is not um um on that that list of of how DPI looks at the report cards. So, K5, we have pretty consistent comparisons across our our state. Uh but when you've got a um 67 model and thank you um and you got an 89 model and a 1012 model that is u extremely unique within our our state. So uh there is not an exact comparative to uh our system. Uh one of the things that or areas that we see that is that change from the eighth grade forward exam
060uh to the 9th grade uh preac suite. uh and most um districts see that um that adjustment within their their 912 system and we see it uh in the 89 uh schools. So uh it's hard to really compare us across the state is basically what that boils down to. um four priority areas within the report card. Achievement uh which is ELA ELA and math uh growth uh which is also EL ELA math and and uh tracks uh our improvement for our students across uh the district uh in grades 4 through 11. So our kids are assessed at state for for state assessments from grades 3 to 11. So that first growth score comes in at fourth grade to see how kids have moved from third grade to fourth grade. Um the target outcome is our
061bottom quartile our bottom 25 uh 5% uh and they are measured separately as well um to see uh what kind of growth I'll show you our report card in a little bit as well to see what kind of improvement we we are having with that group of students and and achievement growth chronic absenteeism and graduation and the last one is on track to to graduation uh achievement and growth are weighted based on the the percent of economically disadvantaged in our building buildings. Um so the larger the economically disadvantaged population, the more weight there is on growth as opposed to achievement. Uh so a little bit about our report card. Uh we were at a 71.6 as a district that exceeds expectations. You can kind of see that that priority weight um graph in the upper
062right. Um based on the building that moves significantly. Um, so that's our district look at it. But if you look at Weston, Weston's about 58% economically disadvantaged. Their achievement score is 9% 9.7% of their overall score. Uh, and then their their growth score is is counter to that. So it's about 40.3%. If you look at maybe the other end of the the spectrum, you start seeing that that achievement score matter more. We have a couple unique settings. uh Hatley's one of them. When the N is extremely small, it it u changes it um significantly. So the target group is not actually part of the Hatley score. So Hatley's achievement score is 53.4% of of their score overall. So you can see based on the dynamics and the demographics of our buildings, it changes significantly how
063each individual building is scored. Maybe I'll pause there. questions on that. You can see our score for achievement, growth, uh target group outcomes, and on track to graduation. But, uh, I gave you a lot kind of in that that slide. So, happy to answer some questions in that general area. So, this slide is about some comparatives. Um, you can kind of see where we're at, uh, compared to last year, but also, um, compared to some districts around us as well. Uh so certainly favorable. Um I think one of the things that we talk a lot about is the concept Jeb Collins's concept that good is the enemy of great. Uh and uh complacency is um something that we don't want to settle with. So we we are talk a little bit uh about some of
064the ways we're trying to change that score even more. Um in terms of our our buildings, uh we have six schools that are in the exceeds category. We have four schools that are in the meats uh categories. And we do have one school uh that is in the meats view categories. Uh was the same last year. It's Rothschild. Um they're trending in the right direction. One of the things I tell you about Rothschild this year is their achievement score went up nine points. That was the largest um change positive change across our district. So, um, just going to give a little shout out to to Ted Alex and the work that he's doing there. We are trending in the direction that we want to. Um, Ted might be one of the most competitive people I
065know. Um, and um, he he is um, looking for ways to change that growth score as well. So, doing a lot of great work, trending us the right direction. Um, but is that one school that meets few expectations? I want to talk a little bit about our perspective though. Uh again, uh we've really shifted to to acknowledging that our our community sees this report card and and we're talking about that data, but we also see a um a ton of other data that that gives us some more um in the- moment uh assessment. So we've got fast bridge and as web plus we have our insights data that is is part of our um work connections identifying what kids are connected to adults. Now, we look at our attendance data, Gina's really good at putting
066that in front of our our principal team on a monthly basis. Um, but student engagement, YBS, so we look at a lot of different factors. Um, but there's a lot to what we do in our organization. Uh, you know, we've got the pathways learning experience. You learned a little bit about that tonight. We've got 21 languages spoken in our district. We've got industry certifications that that um we are super proud of. you hear about that every summer uh along with our YA placements. Um and and and we're really I think trying to emphasize some job shadow experiences knowing that not every one of our kids can can uh afford the time that's dedicated to YA. So how do we also get students into work sites to experience the the uh the work and kind of
067get a sense for is this the work I want to do for the rest of my life or or or maybe not. Uh both of those being valuable. 87% of our students uh head to college when they go with either DE or AP course work. So starting ahead of the curve in terms of college credit. Uh 77% of our AP exams result in three or higher. We're super proud of our AP calc. Um uh you Jeff Strick does a lot of amazing work and that's our average AP score of 4.228 out of five. So really proud of that. um our NHS and JHS, we've got 25,000 documented community service hours uh for our 1012 students in 20 uh the 2425 school year. So really trying to give our kids a well-rounded experience um and then
068certainly our athletic and academic co-curriculars. So there's a lot to the work that we do here at DC Everest that that is beyond the report card. So we um are really focused on finding that balance between how do we make sure we improve the data within our report card while also celebrating the other work that that goes on within our our organization. Maybe the last thing I would talk about is um kind of our theory of action. Talked a lot about PLC's with the board this year. Uh our our admin team is in the the midst of or halfway through our our um OSA um leading PLC's academy. Uh that's been really great work, really great opportunity for our team to sit and and talk about how do we do better for for our students,
069how do we do do better for our staff. Um so really that guaranteed viable curriculum ensuring clarity that's been the the focus of our uh PD days this year to really ensure that that we have clarity in what um standards we see as priority. Um, in February, we'll be talking about learning targets and what does success criteria look like for for both of our our our students and our staff. What does it look like to be effective within the a particular lesson as as a teacher as well? Um I think collective efficacy. Uh we know that um when we do the work together and and we focus on the belief that we can change and move the needle for kids and we do that as a collective organization um we know that has an impact
070on learning and and and score. So that's uh another focus that that we have and really part of the PLC work uh as a as a team. How can I learn from the other colleagues that I have in in that um PLC to to become better at my own instruction? Why are we seeing good scores maybe in one area? What are we doing different uh from an instruction standpoint? So, that's part of that collective eCacy work. What questions do you have about the report card? Uh or anything that you saw maybe within the slides? uh not a question on your presentation which I think was good but uh foreshadowing for next week the second uh uh resolution is to revise the school district and school report card process again at first blush on this I
071said that's the last thing the taxpayers probably want to see is another revision to these waitings for free and reduced versus this versus that but the devil's in the details here and I would ask and frankly he ask Dr. Lindell with diving into those details. Is this change a good fine-tuning of this process or is this yet another change which is going to make it very difficult to compare these last year's numbers to ne next year's numbers and >> yeah I think um I mean there's always that challenge but I I think >> we come up with a decision whether we support that thing or not next week and I think your input here will be critical. So I think one of the things that that's true about the work that happened this summer was
072the concept that when we de when DPI developed those categories and and it was a number of years ago and things changed, assessments change and and um and so I think they felt pretty strongly that making that adjustment this summer uh was a differencemaker. So I I think there are moments in time where you should take a step back and say is the report card still assessing what we wanted to assess for districts? Um, but I I mean I also I take the the approach. I I think that's something that's important to to make a decision uh with that process, but we're going to respond with what the state provides us, right? And and so we control what we can control. I think that's one of the things we talk about with our our students.
073Um, you know, we certainly have concerns about what what they experience outside of the the school setting, but we control what we control from a teaching standpoint. And so, um, it's it's not a terrible thing to take a a step back. My suggestion would be if that's where the state lands that they continue to, um, utilize local practitioners in the process. uh and it was something that that Mike Rather was going to to be a part of this past summer, but apparently he was transitioning to a new job as well and uh trying to figure out that piece in the process. But but using local practitioners that that experience the work on a day-to-day basis matters. So, I don't know that I gave you a straight answer, but when you when you change assessments and
074you change the things that the the report card are trying to to measure, it doesn't uh it's not out of the question to take a step back and say um let's take a look at are we are we actually measuring that we want to. So, I might look to Dr. Do you have an opinion on that question? Yeah, I think it's just uh it'd be a statistical question because we saw proficiency go up across the state due to the new norms, the assessments. Um they want more of a normative breakdown of report cards across the state. And so as you saw more schools doing better, they wanted to see more of a a norm distribution of how schools were doing on their report card. So they moved the move the goalpost a little bit based
075on that. >> Well, next week we'll we'll decide next month. So be looking forward to your recommendation. I'm hearing it's >> probably a yes right now but >> yeah we'll talk about >> we will be discussing it. So >> we'll do some homework >> because this is the devil's in the details here and I >> I generally the these resolutions are political often this one so too that is accurate. It it really is an anti-DPI sentiment and just just know that that's some of the political backdrop on that. I think both Jeff and Mike are pointing out like we're going to keep doing the work to close the gap for as many kids as we possibly can, but we'll come up we'll do homework and make sure we understand that resolution for next time and
076give you better um clear insight. >> We we are doing law. We're just recommending that the legislature do this or not do this. That's well I'm looking for administration to give us some guidance because it's it's detailed. >> Thank you, >> sir. Any addition any additional discussion on great oh great great place to learn besides my frog in my throat. >> All right, thank you. Uh next up is the girls lacrosse and hockey co-op agreement renewals. um typical renewals um that whenever we have a co-op and often our co-ops have schools that are coming in and out um often very small enrollment scenarios so we renew them when that happens and that is what you have. >> Thank you. Is there a motion to approve the girls lacrosse and girls hockey co-ops through the 2728
077school year? >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any additional discussion hearing? None. This requires a voice vote. All those in favor state I. >> I. >> Any opposed. That passes. Uh, next up is item F. Um, possible move of March 18th board meeting. >> You want to give background on this, Ellen? We we landed on either of those are um options for us and it was about spacing of the meetings um to distribute that. Is that accurate? Either one or >> is it 25th spring break? >> Yeah. Yeah, it's a Yeah, exactly. >> Is it 25th spring break? >> Oh, >> yeah. >> Break starts a week. >> Oh, it starts on Saturday. >> Yeah. Be leading into break. >> And and the request the move I'm sorry we didn't give
078the Y. The Y was my is a conflict on my calendar, I think. Is that correct, Alan? Yeah. This is a this is a a league um trip. Sorry for not backing up. And so it's I'm I'm asking for a move and either of these maintain the spacing um and avoid spring break. So apologies for not starting with the why are we even talking about this. That is why we're talking about it. So >> all right, now we have context. All right. So >> is fine for me. >> Yeah, I'm good. >> Either is fine for me. >> Same here. either. >> Do you as madame president have a preference if it's a quaint? >> I feel like March 25th is going to be sunny. >> The 11th is not. So the 11th >> we
079can do that. Nowhere you'd rather be when it's sunny than here or >> Lindsay's on that plane to Orange Beach. >> Yeah, it might be leaving a little early. Perfect. Thank you for the I I appreciate the adjustment, too, Vinn. Sorry that I didn't qualify that. >> Do you need to make a motion for that? No. >> 11. >> All right, we'll make a motion. Second uh voice vote. All those in favor state I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Good. The 11th it is. Uh the ballot drawing will be held January 7th, 2026 at 800 am. We have this is information only. We have no petitions and communications. Uh future meeting dates, our next regular meeting is January 14th. Um and then we have that special meeting February 16th. Don't forget about that one. Um
080and with that, before we go into close, uh this obviously is our last meeting for 2025. Um, thanks to the teachers and staff for making this month and year special for our students and thanks to the community for providing uh, winter gear and um, additional items for our students, families, and community. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Thank you for a good 2025, and we will see you in 2026. And with that, I will make a motion to adjourn to close session pursuant to Wisconsin State Statute 19.851D 851D to consider strategy for crime detection or prevention and Wisconsin state statute 19.851F for considering personnel uh personal history or disciplinary data of specific persons which if discussed in public would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of any
081person rever referred to in such histories or data or involved in such problems or investigations. Is there a second? Second. >> This requires a roll call vote. Josh, >> yes. >> Larry, >> yes. >> Katie, >> yes. >> yes. >> Shannon, >> yes. >> Ben, >> yes. >> And I vote yes. Thank you.