001Good evening. Call to order the board of education meeting for Monday, September 22nd, 2025. Kristen, would you provide a roll call, please? >> Bridget, >> here. >> Tracy, >> here. >> Eric >> here. >> Mark >> here. >> Ryan >> here. >> An >> here. and Aaron >> here. Verify that we have a quorum present. Please rise 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. >> Tracy, would you read the school board mission statement? >> Sure. >> Working together to ensure high levels of learning for all. Kristen, was public notice given? >> Public notice was given to the requesting news media. The agenda was posted in school district buildings and on the district's website. >>
002Are there any adjustments or changes to tonight's published agenda? >> Mr. President, I request to move item number 13, trip request, to before item number nine. With that, I would make a motion to approve the agenda uh with the following revision. Moving agenda item 13 to before agenda item n to accommodate guest. >> Second. >> Motion by and second by Tracy to approve the published agenda with the following adjustments. Moving item 13 to follow item N or to proceed item N. Are there any questions? All those in favor >> I >> opposed. Tonight's agenda is approved. With that adjustment, we have no requests for public input on the published agenda. And as a result, we'll move directly into item number 13. And with that, we welcome Karen MC, English teacher from OS. >> Hello. I
003am coming before you this evening to request schoolboard approval for a student trip for the summer July 2020 2028. The trip is called literature in England. It is a 10day excursion that takes students um through England and um stopping at various literary sites along the way. We get to participate in a storytelling workshop, theater workshop, and then um tour of Globe Theater and the opportunity to see a performance at the Globe Theater on our last night in London. Um are there questions for me? >> All of it. Um so this is a trip that I led. I had six students. Um the trip was supposed to happen in 21 and then COVID happened and we pushed it to 22 and I only had six students and it was an amazing trip. Um we landed in
004Manchester so we were up north in the Lake District which is gorgeous. Um it's almost like the um Scottish Highlands with the sea hills and the lakes small small villages. Um I loved Wsworth's museum and grass up north. Um, we got to do Scratford upon Avon and see Shakespeare's birthplace, which of course I loved. Um, the students enjoyed seeing Oxford. Um, we got to tour um part of the Oxford campus where um parts of Harry Potter had been filmed. And then the the surprise that um the students came away loving was the storytelling workshop and then seeing a performance at the Globe Theater. They weren't excited about it because it was Henry VII. Um, but it was told from the perspective of his queen and not from Henry. So, they've revised it a little bit
005and so even though we were standing for three hours on a concrete floor, um, it was an amazing experience. It was very immersive and the kids were like, "That's the best part." And I'm really excited to be able to take students back to the globe. >> Karen, I'm always so excited for students to have this kind of opportunity. Wonder if you could on what you're anticipating the budget to be for students for the trip and then whether there are any fundraising opportunities that you have in mind or that could be organized related to >> the total cost of the trip is $4,520 per student. Um, I plan the trips two years out because over 30 months or so, um, that brings the monthly payment down to about $138ish, give or take. Um, and that's affordable,
006more affordable for families. Um, just to put that in context, when I did the literature in England back in 2022, that trip cost u $4,250. Um, Scotland in 24 was um $4,440 and Ireland, I'm not sure why it's so much more. Um, but it's $4,629, which we're doing Ireland in 26. Um, I moved the trip from June to July because it saves about $400 per student doing it in July instead of June. Um, our earliest departure date would be July uh 15th. Our latest return would be July 30th. So, it would be that last half of July. I've requested the 18th through the 27th. Um, but that will all depend on availability in terms of the hotels and flights. Fundraising. I always tell parents if you want to organize a fundraiser, please, please, please organize
007a fundraiser. Um, I typically It's just one more thing that I I don't really have time to organize. >> What students are eligible to take this trip? So, I will um open this up to students who are entering ninth grade in the fall of 27. So, they will have finished 9th grade by the time the trip happens. um through um seniors who graduate in 28. So if they graduate in May, then they can come on the trip in July. Thank you. >> Karen, how many students would you anticipate? >> Um the Ireland trip has 30 about 30 students going. I also have seven adults going um paid adult travelers. This trip I want it to be only students. Um I had a paid adult travelers who went to Scotland and then I um opened up
008the Ireland trip for adults and I want I would like to do a trip with just students. I think it changes the dynamics when moms or dads are on the trip and I would like the kids to be more immersed in the trip. That being said, do you have a limit of kids that you would take? >> Um, I think we have to keep it right around 34ish because um we we'll fill if I can fill a bus, I would fill a bus, but then if we have 34 kids, then I need I would need six chefs. So that would fill a bus. >> Would the chefs then be like other teachers at the high school then? So, I've um over the years I've kind of created a chaparone team. Um I have an English
009teacher who travels with me. Um I have um I have two male teachers. I have a female teacher. And then I've been um inviting um a college college professor friends that I have to come along as another female chaperon. We typically had me and then four chaperons on the trip. One more question. So with um if this was approved tonight um eligible kids will be entering n grade and 27. So they would be current. >> So do you market or how how do you engage them in the possibility? So, in the past, I have sent out um I've asked the school secretaries, could you please send out an email to all families of students who are in this grade, this grade? And then they do that. And it's it's worked pretty well. Um especially now
010that people know about the trips. So that's I'm really thankful to the to the um administrative assistants in both of the schools, the middle school and the high school for helping me out with that. >> Any other questions? >> I'll make a motion to approve the trip request by Karen Matic, OS English teacher for the student trip to England in July of 2028. Motion by Tracy, seconded by Bridget to approve the trip request for a July 2028 trip to as presented by Karen. Any further questions? All those in favor? >> I approve. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. We will now continue with recognition items and donations. >> All right. It is with great Hill Topper pride that I share the following donations for all of us to acknowledge, recognize, and share our
011gratitude. Uh the first one is a $550 donation from OHS class of 2005 for the OS acts of kindness fund and money towards a new picnic table. The next item is $1,000 from Dave and Linda Start for the Eagle Bluff Elementary Special Education Department. And the last bullet to acknowledge is $1,440 from Jim's grocery bag fund of the Lacrosse Community Foundation for the district food pantry. We thank them. >> Thank you, Ben. And while these donations don't reach the uh for board approval. They're all very much appreciated and and recognized. I don't think we could do everything we do without kind offers like these. Ben will stick with you for uh comments related to board. >> Thank you, Mr. President. It is the privilege for me to share uh and acknowledge the board. Uh now
012I need to share with you we're this a little premature that I share this with you because board recognition uh week is not until October 5th uh through the 11th. Uh however this is our first or our only opportunity to share this with you prior to uh those dates. Um hopefully we're able to share our gratitude and thanks with you all year long. This is a special week for all of you. As a well, I think this is not quite 15. In 14 years superintendent, I know how important school boards are. And as I started um my work here, uh I shared with all of you that um you know, we are committed to excellence and we have a vision to be a model school district, which means set the bar in everything that we
013do. And it really starts with the board setting the tone in terms of utilizing best practices and governance. And in my short time here with all of you, I've certainly observed that. And I'm looking forward to our board development session after uh this uh meeting for us to discuss ways that we can continually improve and set goals for us to get even better as we work together as a board. Years ago, uh I was listening to a speaker and I I believe that this is still true to this day. They said that they've done many surveys in terms of elected officials um across our country and uh it continues to be that the elected official does school board are the highest ranked as it relates to respect from community members. Um, so I think that
014goes that says a lot, right? And that's comparing uh you as elected officials to of course the executive branch at the national level and um all the way to the state level and and city and and uh county government. Um but I think that says a lot and people thank you and people trust you and people recognize the important work that you do. Um, I want to uh personally thank all of you uh for accepting me as your new superintendent and really looking forward to ongoing work with all of you. So, thank you. We'll shift gears into ourformational and discussion items and start with administrator reports high school. >> Thank you. At our next board meeting, we'll have our student rep to be introduced to the board and for that person to start their uh
015board report. Um tomorrow we have our celebration of learning day and it follows the pattern of the past but one change is that in the afternoon instead of 9th and 10th graders traditionally doing a one through eight abbreviated schedule 18 minutes long they'll be doing five different rotations through what I would call academic skill-based areas. So for example email inbox management and sending email is one session. Uh managing Google Drive um which if you think of what maybe a lot of our Google drives look like um it's an area of need particularly with students. um time management um all the different pieces. They'll be rotating through those in the afternoon while our juniors are on college tours and our seniors are focusing on postsecary activities tomorrow. >> Yes, a few notes for you tonight. Middle
016school. Uh this week we started music lessons for band, choir, and orchestra. And um took it took a lot of work, a lot of conversations, but um working with our music teachers as well as all the rest of our teachers, we found a way to get the vast majority of those lessons during copper time um instead of during core instruction. So they always tried to avoid core instruction as much as possible, but one of the revamps we did with time this year was to partially structure it so that um music lessons could happen almost entirely during topper time. So probably about 90% of them are happening then um which is fantastic because students are missing less instructional time and for but still getting the valuable lessons time and some of them are small groups some
017are sectionals and things of that nature. Um, speak uh speaking of music, uh, our band students are looking forward to playing at the football game Friday night with their high school counterparts. And so that's um, always a great opportunity and experience for students. And then finally, um, just uh, on the on the same vein as what Jerry's talking about with uh, managing life and everything like that, we had a renewed emphasis here this year on planners. And so our planners double as their passes if they need to go somewhere during class. And um we weren't sure how it was going to go, but the 99% of the kids have just adjusted, adapted, and they're carrying the planner around and they're using it to keep themselves organized and on top of things, and it's been a
018great success so far. So, just a fun thing to highlight. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Um a few things to update you on. We have family and teacher conferences coming up this week. So, we're excited to welcome families back into the buildings. they have to sign up today and we've had a lot of families already sign up. So, our goal of course is always to get all of our families into the building. We also have um Love and Logic for early childhood and anyone in the community with children ages two to six that we're going to be offering. Um Sarah Mumaf Flurry and I will be doing a nighttime class which is five sessions for love and logic for our families. We have a couple community things that we've been involved with. Uh we've done
019a lot of celebrations last week around Mon new new year that happened over the weekend and then uh this upcoming week we have October Fest family visits and students attending special fers this week in the community. As in relation to our strategic plan goals, we have our collaborative teams working on um the personal reading plans for students now that we have all of our assessments done and we've been collaborating in our teams. I just joined for example my second grade team this morning. We worked with academic interventionists around how to best support our students who need that support so that we can continue continue to work towards those goals. We've been looking at our sabers data that's come in and connecting students to resources and following up with students that maybe need some support in
020certain areas that might be labeled as high risk from that assessment. And then lastly, we had our first on a play group. And on a play is uh a program for ages two and or ages three and four students who aren't yet eligible for 4K and it's run by one of our early childhood special ed teachers Brianna Gins and it's run out of her classroom at Northern Hills. So we had uh we have a long wait list of families that want to participate but we had a very full vest at Northern Hills on Friday of families excited to drop their kids off with um very little tears. We were all surprised that there were very little tears of just the children coming in and they were there for a few hours on Friday and um
021we're excited to have them back next week. I think >> thank you very very much into building project updates and turn back to high school. >> Thank you. Uh the most of the work has been in finishing the locker rooms. Um finishing the techet area. Um the tech area is very close to being done. The air handler is being turned on this week for the uh the various machines. And then as you're seeing on the screen, the framing up in the new uh choir area as well as the classroom that's right next to it. And if we keep going down um the doors are being installed in all areas. Um so less plywood, more real doors. moving. Um the bathrooms at a fieldhouse, the boys bathroom was turned over to us today, the girls bathroom
022last week. So, um it's great being back to having a full bathroom status for the high school again. And then, uh you're seeing some of the finishing areas going on in the storage areas throughout the area. So, coming together very quickly and uh the we're still looking at a completion date of probably around December 1st. Thanks J. What's going on at the middle school? >> So at the middle school in terms of our construction, we are um making final preparations this week to get students into the new art and tech head rooms next week. Um and the spaces are amazing. Um Hake and Miss Carson are really excited and they should be. They've waited longer than anybody in their new classrooms. So it's going to be great. Uh tomorrow they're going to turn on uh
023test out and do training with the dust collectors, which I didn't know that was a thing. And it doesn't sound like a big thing, but it's a huge complicated system of tubes and whatnotss that um someone's going to have to know how to run. So that's just part of our exciting is getting ready for those spaces. Um everything else then after that is pretty much just the Boys and Girls Club stuff, which they're continuing to move. They were doing painting in there today and so that is currently on track for sometime mid October to be complete as well and then we'll be pretty much wrapped up. >> So we're getting there. >> See, we're we're starting to plan a little bit for an open house. >> Yep. Yep. Yep. In November. So that's really exciting.
024>> It's very exciting. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh we have a another donation that we need to look at here from Tom's grocery bag fund. >> Well, we're very appreciative. I mean, $8,100 is a lot of money and uh we're just very thankful uh that Tom's Grocery Bag Fund of Lacrosse Community Foundation uh is donating those dollars for food needs for our students in our community. And uh we're an organization of student learning. We know that, but we know it's very difficult uh for student learning to occur if the conditions for learning aren't there. And certainly having uh having food in your belly is one of those conditions that is very important. So, it's just another example of the great generosity in our community and we thank them for this great donation and
025we ask that you accept this. I would move for approval of that $8,100 donation from Tom's Grocery Bank Fund of the Lacrosse Community Foundation for food needs for our students. Second motion by Mark, second by Brian to approve a donation from Tom's Grocery Back Fund of the Lacrosse Community Foundation uh for foods for students forum of $8,100. Are there any questions? All those in favor >> I >> opposed and that donation is graciously accepted with much appreciation. Then we'll turn now to a discussion about setting the uh start date for schools for the 25 26 year. So it may seem a little early this week. Yeah. To start thinking about next school year's calendar already. But this is uh it's really important that we start this early so that we can follow a process that
026will give us the most flexibility as we work together with stakeholders to come up with the best learning environment for our students for next school year. I'd like to remind all of you that uh we started school prior to September 1st of this current school year. We started on August 25th and believe it or not, we I believe have already finished our first month of school or at least we're in the fifth week. Um, so we've been in session and we've done some uh informal surveying of buildings and principles and it seems like things went really well uh with that early start date. Um, not to give you a history lesson because you lived it and I wasn't here for it, but the district did go through quite a lengthy process. Uh, la last year
027a survey in the community to get to a point where they would ask uh for an exception or an exemption from the department of instruction. And uh that process was followed through and the department uh allowed for that and uh they brought that to the calendar committee and the process went forward and the board approved that calendar. So here we are starting to think about next school year and it's just a process. So one of the rationale that was used uh to get our exemption for this school year was the fact that our prochial schools start uh prior to September 1st and we are responsible and obligated to provide transportation for our prochial schools uh in the area which is uh at least four. Um, so what I did to start the process was to
028reach out to those schools to see if they intended to continue that practice that they've had in the past and indeed they do. So that rationale that we used for this year will still exist for next school year. because DPI will only allow districts to do this by a year-to-year basis. We must follow them that next same that same process even though it seems like we may have just done it. So, um for me to be able to write a request to the Department of Instruction for them to consider uh allowing us to start prior to September 1st. It begins with the board adopting a resolution that would allow us to do so. Um, and that's what we're here to do tonight. U, basically what we're asking in this resolution is for is for the
029board to adopt something that would allow the calendar committee to consider options that would start schools next year as early as August 24th. Again, we started this school year August 25th. Now, year. There will be uh some differences because Labor Day is uh later next school year, but that will be all discussions that the calendar committee will go through uh as they work with stakeholders on what the best options will be for next school year. Again, we can't have those discussions or even consider those things unless the board makes this resolution allows me to write the letter to DPI. If they give us the green light to have those conversations, then I would continue to brief the board on where we're at in that process. And we would convene a large sector of the community
030to be part of this calendar committee to look at all options. And uh we would likely come up with some examples. uh an option A, B or C if you will and discuss what the best uh possibilities will be. I have found and most of you I think would agree with me that uh students generally are ready to get back to school in late August and they're ready to be done with school in late May and it's difficult for learning to occur during those late months when we're getting to into warm summer weather. Um it is also important to note that especially at the high school levels that most of our activities start in full force really that first uh week in August if you will where uh really have little flexibility to do much
031traveling if any during those times. Uh the other piece and of rationale that the calendar committee and the board should consider in my opinion is the cost savings that this would bring to our taxpayers of our community as we uh believe it's important to be strong stewards of taxpayer dollars. And it just doesn't make any sense for at all for us to provide transportation to proial schools for uh days or weeks without having our students on those buses. It just is not efficient and it's not a good use of money. And uh that's another example of that. Um so with your approval this evening, I would just remind you that this is just one step in the process. The board has the final vote of what our calendar will be for the 2627 school year
032when you will actually adopt a calendar that will be presented to you at a later date. And uh I wouldn't imagine that that would be for maybe at least a month or two, right? But we would like to get that out as soon as possible because as you know families are already beginning to uh make plans for the following year. And uh I don't know if there's any other important information for me to share other than what I shared with you. What you're doing tonight by approving this resolution is just one step in the process and it's far from being final. >> Uh team, I'm I've asked Ann to read the resolution as drafted for consideration. Then we can open questions and final consideration. >> Uh resolution file number 2025-006. olution on modification of school
033start date for 202627. Whereas pursuant to Wisconsin statute section 118.045 commencement of school term, the state of Wisconsin provides that public school districts cannot start school prior to September 1st. And whereas the school board may commence a school term prior to se September 1st if it submits a written request to the department of public instruction asking for earlier start date listing the extraordinary reasons for the earlier start date request. Whereas the school district of an Alaska is experiencing excessive costs associated with the transportation of pupils who attend private schools that start prior to September 1st. It resolved that the school district of an Alaska is officially requesting approval to commence the school term prior to September 1st, 2026 and establish local control and determining the school calendar by commencing the 202627 school year as early
034as August 24th, 2026. It resolved further that on September 22nd, 2025, the board of education for the school district of an Alaska passed this resolution in order to establish local control of the school calendar for the 2026 27 school year. It would be dated this date and signed by Aaron and Brian. >> Thank you. With that, are there any questions for the administration? I don't think I have any questions, but obviously that cost is a significant part of this. I'm just kind of curious. It would be interesting to know how many of these requests are made to DPI each year. >> Yeah, you know, that's some information that I'm happy to get for the board. I can just share with you locally uh in the Kulie region that I am aware that uh at least
035two of our neighboring districts uh will be uh pursuing this or already have and their board has already made this resolution. I do believe that there was two other districts that started prior to September 1st this year other than us. So, we started prior to uh September 1st. I believe Lacrosse School District did and also West Salem. Am I correct in saying that? Um all indicators are that those districts may consider the same, but I certainly can't speak for those. Um but we'll be in good locally without us knowing what >> yeah I think that third we're at where it touches on the excessive cost associated with transportation I just want to expand on that so I was not on the board the last time that this came before us um before the meeting I
036was having a conversation with Janet and I think it's important can you just share a little bit about that five mile boundary so we understand who we're busting and why this is important >> sure so for our private schools that are not located within the boundaries but have students within our boundaries that attend them. There's no state law that we have to transport within five miles. So that's why we're transporting to some of the schools in Lacrosse because part of the school system we have some schools that are within that five miles as well as some for so um we the private schools also have their own transportation for school where those students that aren't a part of like that five mile boundary or within the actual boundary itself of that. So it's they have
037some cost as well as us. >> So I guess the important thing for for me is do we know when the private schools are planning to begin? Is it going to be after that August 24th? Is that why that's our earliest start? >> I when I had conversations with school leaders um my question my first question was they intend to start prior to September 1st. All of them said yes. Uh most of them said that they haven't hammered out the exact start yet date yet. So they weren't able to state with certainty when that would be other than they knew that they would continue on with their past practice of starting earlier. Um we certainly could consider prior to August 24th. I just when I was thinking how we would be writing this that you
038know that if if we started earlier than that you know we might be getting into the mid August and I don't know but the board does have the ability to you know make that change. >> So I think that leads me to my concern and that is the private and schools are not required to start after September 1. That's correct. >> Yeah. There's there no obligation to follow state law. >> We are obligated to transport their students. That is correct. >> Regardless of when they begin. So I just want that to be really clear that this is like tens of thousands of dollars that our taxpayers have to spend to transport private schools and kind of twisting our arm as the public school system to have to start based on when the private schools determine
039they want to start. And I I support the reason behind this resolution, but I'm wondering if in the future we don't consider a resolution where we ask to not have to be responsible for those transportation costs prior to our public school date. So I think that's kind of the root of the issue here. So I just wanted that to be very clear. >> Okay. >> I would just be interested to know like from the administrator's perspective how it's gone. We're starting earlier. I mean we had to start earlier because we had some construction projects and then we started earlier this year because we had we know we made our first resolution. Do you feel like the attitude and the atmosphere in the schools like kids are ready to come back at the time that they're
040coming back or you know as far as you know bridges concerned about starting earlier? >> I was on the calendar committee last year and I can just say from the staff perspective we've had a lot of positive staff feedback. Um everyone on the calendar committee last year was very positive about the option to possibly earlier again in August. Um and I would say too um from the student perspective, from what I've observed in the schools, uh students are have been ready to return. >> Thank you. >> I' I'd like to just have a a quick commentary on Bridget's comment because I think that was really well said and I appreciate you saying that. Um during our working together board. I want you to be aware that in the past in my previous superintendencies, I've always
041tried to put together a local legislative platform that we can utilize locally and inform our public and I also utilize as we go out and talk to our uh legislative leaders uh at the capital, you know, on proposed legislation to change law. This very well could be a topic that we would like to have on our local legislative platform to be able to tell our story to the state leaders. >> Any any other questions? This does require approval. >> I would make the motion to approve resolution file number 2025- 006. Second. Motion by Mark, seconded by Brian to approve the adoption of resolution 2025-006 modification of school start date for the 2026 27 school year as written in enclosure 15 and read by. Are there any further questions or comments? All those >> take a
042roll call. We can take a roll call. >> Yes. >> Mark, >> yes. >> Bridget, >> yes. >> Tracy, >> yes. >> Eric, >> Brian, >> yes. >> And Aaron, >> yes. >> Okay. So, just a point of information board. My next step then would be to craft a communication to send to the department of instruction and I will share that communication with you prior to spending it. >> Our next agenda item is to review the 202526 preliminary budget adoption. We turn to Janet. >> Yeah, you have two budget attachments for this item. One is a presentation. Oh, I have the wrong screen up. Let's try this again. Okay, I apologize. Operator Air, this is the first meeting of three that we will have a budget on the on the agenda. And tonight what we're
043asking you to do is approve the budget that we will take to the um budget hearing. So tonight is approving a budget to take to the budget hearing. Next meeting will have a budget hearing. It's required by state law um for a unified school district. And then the next the next meeting will adopt our original budget. So it's getting three budget three meetings in a row. Um while I have a lengthy presentation here. I know you do not want me to go through that um in detail. So, I will not. What I'm going to do tonight is concentrate um more on what has changed since we adopted that original budget pres that original budget on June 23rd because remember on June 23rd we didn't have a state budget at that point in time. We had
044and what we've also gotten since that time is our state equalization. So those are things that have come in at um at since that point in time. In a nutshell, the state budget was disappointing this year as far as for state equalization aid. As you can see in this chart, we've continuously had increases in state equalization aid, which buys down our local property taxes. And this year there was no new money put in the state equalization aid which means that all of the school districts in the state will be it's just going to be like a reshuffleling of the money that's out there those districts that are growing will probably increase and then those like us with the declining enrollment will will de um will have funding decrease. You can see here spendable money for
045schools, how that has been stagnant over the last few years. And this is an important slide when you're looking at the last period of time and how our revenue limit just has not been keeping up with inflation and that gap for an Alaska. If we would just have just have the inflationary increases, every year we have like $8.9 million more in our budget to spend. Our operating referendum this year is $5 million. It goes a good amount of way to close that gap, but it doesn't close the gap. Then we rely on operational referendum to help us close that gap. and you can see what these amounts are um on this chart. Then there was some good news in our state budget. We had the revenue limit increase of 325. It's not more money, but
046it's an increase of 325 per student. And the best news that we received was the increase for categorical aid for special education. This is something that was a some certain amount in the past and still is. and some certain means there's a certain amount of money that's allocated for it and then that does lead up amongst all of the school districts. It's not what's needed to cover the cost. It's a certain amount that's allocated. And as you can see in this chart in 2425 we're at 31% and then with the state budget it's at 42 and 45% for the next year. We won't receive that amount of money because of that sum certain. We're estimating it'll actually be about 38%. But 38% is definitely better than 31%. And it's important in that it has helped
047us close that budget hole. In addition to that categorical aid reimbursement for highost students, there's not a lot of them, but that has an increase as well, which will help us to cover the education students that have high needs that are attending our schools. Federal budget is just been unpredictable and continues to be that way. But from an operation fund, we really don't rely on the federal budget that much. It's really more for school nutrition and the school nutrition funding, which is important from the standpoint is that if we don't receive that money, it needs to come from somewhere and that would be from the operating which would take away from programs and services. Um, so that's a little scary, but hopefully that will stabilize and we won't continue to have the roller coaster that
048we've had. You always know we try to align our budget priorities to our strategic plan. And then looking at um those things what we do and you remember we had our budget priorities and what I would say with that is like the important thing for us is like going to the grocery store. You don't go to the grocery store with a list of the things that you're not going to buy. You go to the grocery store with those things that are on your list. Put those most important things in the budget first and then we can fill in with everything else. Um the an Alaska per member revenue limit. This is interesting in that seeing what this amount will be for our district and this is a known amount for this upcoming year. Comparing that
049to state statistics. So looking at the lowest am per for a district and then the highest and the median and the a and the average and with that um so just going with that like for us that revenue limits about 38 million that low number and what what I'm doing is taking that number time our membership because that's the amount we're funded per student on the low end it'd be about $2 million less on the high end it would be 68 million Like that's a crazy amount of swing and the average is 32 million and the median is 30 million. So what that's really demonstrating for us is in 1993 is when revenue limits went into effect. And ever since that time we've been frozen because everybody's gotten the same increase. And prior to that
050it was all over the board and what people were spending per student. So periodically the the state will bring up the low the low revenue limit ceiling. You've heard me talk about that before. It's like it's a ceiling that's really a floor and we've been pushed up because of that because we're not spending, you know, up at 68 million. But just kind of interesting to put this into perspective of we're not a high spending school district. We're near the bottom. Then when we combine the state and local factors. Um, our membership is predicted to drop by 46 students. Our revenue limit increase itself is projected to come in about at 400 um thousand. And I should have said right off the bat, the only thing I can guarantee you with all of this is wrong
051because all of this will be finalized when we get our numbers in. It's just our best estimate at this point in time. And the approach we take is not lowballing it so that the information comes in better than projected. We try to get it as close as we can to build the budget. So, some of this might be too high, some of it might be too low. That special education increase is, as I said earlier, that's really helping us this year close that that funding gap. And the operating referendum of 200,000 that to help um fund that what inflation doesn't cover. And then with that, we were able implement some um high strategic budget initiatives for this upcoming year. You remember like all of the stuff that we're doing with with area with the reading
052and student management and remember we talked about some of those things recently which are really important to move our needle forward. Um so uh declining enrollment not a not just a local issue. 71% of the school districts are experiencing this. So we're Not we're not alone in that boat. What helps us is open enrollment. Looking at this slide of knowing how that funding for open enrollment in and out and we're on the positive side on that and last year we had a very good year in that open enrollment in was more than what we expected and open enrollment out was less than what we expected. So it helped if you remember right we had projected a budget deficit for 2425 we didn't have that and this is a good reason why the open enrollment helped
053fund that that deficit that we had been projecting for the 20 this upcoming year the increase in open enrollment could also help us from a funding perspective of um closing that budget hole there's a lot of numbers on this sheet, but yet what I want you to concentrate on is just some of these dollar amounts and the percentages of changes and just seeing like where are the percentage of changes happening and how does that all shake out between our revenue limit, our open enrollment transfer for those students coming in and going out and then the the voucher amounts for the different levels in that. I'm going to move forward to we went through these at our June 23rd meeting. So, I'm not going to go through these again because most of this um has been
054just updated a little bit. So, I'm going to move on whether unless you have a a question. I could talk about this all night. So, um you know, I'm happy to talk about it and I I want to. What's important to me is that you as board members feel like you understand the budget and that you can talk with others about it. And so I struggle with like providing you enough information to to have that knowledge but not so much that it's overwhelming. the the preliminary budget summary revenue limit increase doesn't cover the cost of meeting the operating um expenses and the voucher increase that won't affect our budget per se. That's an in and an out, but it will impact our local taxes. Our 200,000 operating referendum increase helped close that inflationary gap and
055the increase in special education reimbursement is really important for us this year. That really helped um close that budget hole. Then in addition to that, the um the open enrollment is also helpful as I said before capital referendum. It helps address some of those deferred maintenance things. So, we're not taking that out of our operating budget. We're taking it through the referendum. And as always, our staff's efforts to conserve funds just help set us up for the next um the next year. And that's really important as well. So, our estimated levy by component um there is a change a 5.4% increase and a close to $1.4 million increase. Well, that's an increase of the last four years. It's the second lowest. Last year, we had the lowest amount of increase at 3.5%. And that was
056a year that the state put a bunch of money into state equalization aid. And on those years when we have money going into state equalization a local taxes, so it really helps. But the prior two years, both in dollar amounts and percentage were more than point I'm projecting for the next year, which is which is much better than what I had expected. I expected this budget year with no add to the state equalization aid to be much more catastrophic. And again, it's early. We don't know. We've got a lot of budget components to come in yet, but our best guess at this point in time, this is what we're what we're seeing. And this is just a visual to help us understand again that important relationship between state equalization aid and local property taxes. So
057there's there's a direct and inverse relationship between them. And then some of these things are outside our revenue limit that are vouchers and service fun at the local level local level. So with the um another question that I think is important for us to talk about is the impact of the city of an Alaska's tax reassessment because that for those of you that live in the city of an Alaska when you got that um communication from the city probably got a little nervous. And the important thing to remember is that the way that we aortion our levy is that the department of revenue for any entity that has um that crosses municipal boundaries. So we're in five different municipal boundaries. Town of the city of an Alaska town of Mader Hamilton um town of an
058Alaska's >> Yeah. City of Lacrosse. It's the smallest one but I forgot that one. So because we those municipalities if we did not levy our levy based on equalized value we would be some would be paying more than their fair share and some would be paying less. So within the municipality they distribute the levy based on assessed value but we we each of those municipalities based on equalized value. What what does that mean? That means that the department of revenues takes and looks at the sales that have happened in that municipality for the last year and then they do a mathematical calculations to say well regardless of what your assessment value is this is what we really think this municipality is worth. So in essence what we're doing is we're treating each municipality as though
059they had a reassessment that year even though they didn't. So in the case of the city of the prior years it was because the department of revenue is thinking that it it's more. So theoretically, it really shouldn't change that much for any individual um person. What's going to matter is that how did how did the how did your change in for those in the city of an Alaska, how did it change in relation to this average change of 28% and your personal change was less than 28% it means that you are owing less of the total levy. If it's more than 28% you're owing more of the so it's kind of your slice of the pie within that municipality but again remember the size of the pie is determined by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue
060based on sales for every year. It's not based on assessed value. So, it's really just a process of of um teeing it up. And we'll see that most um I'll go through this again when we set our original levy because that's where you can see each municipality's value and how those change and I think it will make the most sense that. But I guess what at this point what I want to make sure that people understand is the assessed value. We're already we're already portioning our levy to each municipality as though they had a reassessment even when they did not. So our estimated um mill rate or levy rate at this point in time is projected to decrease. But again, I always encourage you not to concentrate on this, to concentrate instead on the dollar
061amount of change because as a municipality that's not adding a lot of new value, we don't have a lot of new property that's taking on that additional amount of of tax levy. So, um, what I'm suggesting for tonight is that we adopt the levy to that budget to take to the, um, the budget hearing. And again, it's very preliminary at this point in time. We need to have student count, open enrollment in and out to determine the budget gap. Then to determine the levy, we need to know the state equalization aid, property values, and vultures. Those are all the things that are still outstanding that we need to know before we can finalize this budget. So, um, are there any more are there not anymore are there any questions on the presentation before I flip
062to the other document? Again, we're going to have this for two more times, so we'll go through it. more detail at that point in time. So, what um what we're asking that the board take action on and you approved um a budget similar to this time June 23rd. This is the budget that we would take to the budget hearing. At the budget hearing, I'll go through more of the actual numbers in the different areas just like we review at when we do our quarterly updates. different team. Any questions for Jenn I'll make a motion to approve the um preliminary >> appreciate that um approve the preliminary 202526 budget to be presented at the budget hearing on October 13, 2025. Um that can be found in enclosure 16 titled preliminary budget >> second by approve the
063256 preliminary budget as presented by Janet and detailed in closures 16. Now we do >> yes >> Eric >> yes >> Mark >> yes >> an >> yes >> Brian >> yes >> Tracy >> yes and Aaron >> yes and Preliminary budget is Are there any requests to remove items from the consent agenda for separate consideration? I move a present. >> Second motion by Brian, second by Mark to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Any further questions? All those in favor? I >> consent agenda is approved. We have no further business. >> Second by second by favor. >> Thank you all.