001Good evening. I'll call to order the board of education meeting for Monday, July 28th, 2025. Kristen, could we have a roll call, please? >> Bridget >> here. >> Tracy >> here. Eric >> here. >> Mark >> here. >> Brian is absent tonight. Ann >> here. And Aaron >> here. I'll verify that we have quum. Please rise and join the flag of the stand indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> And would you please read this school board mission statement? >> Working together to ensure high levels of learning for all. >> Thank you. When 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. >> Are there any? >> No changes. >> Um given there's no changes, I'd
002like to make a motion to approve the agenda as written. >> Second. >> Motion by Tracy, seconded by Mark to approve the agenda as published. >> Are there any questions? All those in favor >> I pass. We have no requests for public input on tonight's published agenda and we'll move into our first recognition item. >> So it is with great Hilltop of pride that we acknowledge and uh share our thanks and gratitude to the following donations. $1,000 from Robert George for the Irving Perch Elementary and an Alaska Middle School. the multilingual learners program. $2,141.31 from Beer by Bikes Brigade for student lunch accounts. $2,000 from Servicemaster on Alaska for student lunch accounts. And lastly, $1,39960 from Office Depot for school supplies for Northern Hills Elementary. It's always surprising the way that organizations and individuals in
003the community recognize and support what we're doing here in the school district. All of those donations are certainly most appreciated. We'll move intoformational and discussion items starting with building project updates. >> Thank you. Uh there's a lot of work being done on the Wilston Street side of the school, which you may have noticed if you've come past. Um sidewalks are being put in. Uh it's getting ready for asphalt and the large retaining wall that will separate the new parking lot down below from up above is also nearly finished. Um I think in the next day, there's also work being done by the new parking lot entrance on the southwest corner of the building. And then lots and lots happening in the building. The locker rooms are coming together very quickly. Um, in terms of, uh,
004the ceilings being put in, uh, lights being put in, um, the techad area is getting closer and closer to completion. Um, the floors were done last week, paint booths in, and then, uh, finally downstairs in the basement, uh, the French and the business area. The drywall is all up. It's being prepped for painting and, uh, hopefully flooring soon thereafter. Um the main parking lot has been it's paved and now striped. Um the comment is it's starting to look like the picture that was rendered to us. So that is that's fun to always see and um seeing some of the things start to come to completion. Uh the new music classrooms are pretty much ready. The um the flooring needs to go in there. Um the boys and girls club And the playground is also pretty
005much ready to go. The Boys and Girls Club gym, I mean, they just uh put the floor into the gym and are framing out the spaces for the Boys and Girls Club. Um and then work continues to progress in the art and teched classrooms. Um those are the spaces that we hope to occupy pretty um soon after the school year starts. Um there's some special some special things that they have to do to the flooring to cure in order for that to be ready for students to be in. So we have alternate plans for art and tech specifically. >> Anyone have any questions for Jared or we'll move into item 11 which is the 2025 26 handbooks and we're start with the elementary student handbook. >> I sure will. Uh you'll notice as you listen
006to all of our handbook presentations this evening, there's a handful of things that you'll see across all the handbooks and those come from every year when we get our updates from Niola to ensure that we're aligned with any policy updates that need to be reflected in our handbook. So the first substitute change is we added a section called academics that just includes a non-discrimination statement for all of our courses as well. under access to the building. We did a lot of work on our safety plan as you know this year. So, we clarified how the entrances and uh how that works with our updates to the safety policy. We added contact information for how to ensure that attendance information is shared with our offices. Under care of property, we changed a phrase to say families
007may be required to pay rather than will be required to pay as those we handle on a case- by case basis. For clothing guidelines for students, we realized that we actually had two sections that addressed this. So, we took that one out. Uh all of that information is present in the student dress section. For daily schedule, we added language to ensure that students do not arrive before we have supervision for them in the mornings. And then also clarified message to contact the office with any changes to their schedule. Under drug prevention, an addition that came from the policy updates is adding a statement of misuse of over-the-counter drugs or medications as well. Under our electronic devices, we added watches to the list of devices and statement reinforcing that students should not be using watches or
008cell phones to contact during the school day. Just keeping up with the technology on that one. For emergency drills, we updated that to reflect our uh new updates to our safety plan. And for field trips, we clarified procedures for permission. Parents give permission in their annual student update in Power School. So, we just clarified that so that parents are aware. Under the inclement weather, we clarified that and added the air quality index. That typically was something we only used in the summer, but that became something that we needed to be considerate of this spring. Under the meals section, we added that pop, sweeten, and caffeinated drinks are highly discouraged. And also, if you recall a few years ago, we stopped offering milk break. So, we deleted the statement about offering not offering milk break because
009it's been a few years since we changed that. And we added a USDA discrimination statement there to stay current with policy. Probably one of the bigger changes that we have this year is to the promotion placement and retention policy. Because of act 20 and the policy that was enacted for third grade promotion, we added the information about that to the elementary handbook. Under searches of school of school property, we added a statement about why a staff member might search school property at the elementary level. Under testing and assessment, we just updated the assessments that we're providing. For tobacco, we updated that the legal age is 21, not 18. And then under volunteers, just an update to stay current with the times. It used to say that there was a written application to volunteer, but now
010that's an electronic background check to volunteer. So, those are our substantive changes. You'll notice throughout we've changed dates and things like that to maintain that it's current, but otherwise that's our substantive changes for elementary. >> This is on first reading. So is is anyone fielding questions from the board specifically and Mr. President, if I could just interject, if someone did have questions in the handbook, if they could run that through me and I >> premitting this going. We had not had a prek prior to her um in her role as our prek coordinator and uh through collabor collaboration with our prek staff um and elementary principles we um came up with this handbook for our families. Uh it is really only applicable to our school sites. You know we have partner sites with our prek
011program but they have their own uh guidelines and handbooks that they follow. But these will be linked on our websites when completed in the process of approving these. So you won't see any highlighting or or strikethroughs in this because it's it's brand new, but we did model it after the uh elementary handbook. So what you've got in the um important highlights, the summary of important highlights are kind of where it deviates from the elementary because of the uniqueness of prek. So um in terms of attendance, uh there's no compulsory attendance for for 4K. So, uh, we do have a plan in place to notify families of attendance to help build those positive habits. They start in preK even to get our our students to school um, consistently. In terms of busing, our 4K has a
012a handtohand contact with an adult policy. As we pick up and drop off, we want to make sure there's a a handoff with an adult um at the student's residence or um at daycare where they are are deposited, not at a large group or elementary rout. And then classroom placement procedures a little different for prek um because it's based on kind of time of enrollment, child care center placement. We have different boundaries um for our prek and um transportation impacts that as well. So uh different classroom placement procedures, daily schedules are updated for 4K and PM session times. The meals section um 4K does include a meal break but no for our 4K students. And then playground section is unique to 4K um students and families as they learn our playground rules. It might be
013a little different than just going to the neighborhood uh playground. And um finally, the clothing and dressing section. This is unique to 4K students as as part of our standards to learn self-help behaviors um to meet the physical needs of students. So that is included in that section. So that highlights of the deviations for prek as compared to elementary. Any immediate questions for Todd or any questions that we have in between tonight and second middle school activities handbook. And this is also first read. >> Um throughout there'll be updates to websites links. Um we updated parents to parents and guardians or families. Um updated with our new logo and links to the sections so for ease of use. So you can go from the table of contents to each section. Um we added a couple
014clubs, Crochet Club and Dungeons and Dragons. Um, our biggest substantive change was to the team formation guidelines outlining how we form teams um and how it differs in seventh and eighth grade but making a consistent um approach to team formation for the team sports um in comparison to the individual sports. So you'll see football, basketballs and volleyball and softball look a little bit different than cross country and tennis and track and field and golf. Um and then in each description of each activity, we updated the way that the just highlighting the information guideline of that sport um or activity. We added the descriptions to Crochet Club and Dungeons and Dragons Club. We added an update to our um physical form. The physical is good for every two years and we just highlighted that in um
015the rules of eligibility. And then we highlighted a section for um suspension from school. If a student is suspended from school, they'll be ineligible to play in the next competition. >> I have a question and you may not have the answer. I will follow up on email too, but I know there was some comments last year from some parents who had this situation where there were m I think it was volleyball, multiple teams and so some of the teams only played half as many games they had expected. Would that be solved by this or does that still happen with this plan where they have to split the number of games they play? >> Um will be for some of the sports that have larger numbers. Um there's a difference in seventh and eighth grade and
016it's highlighted in there in that um seventh grade is still split splitting fairly evenly and then in eighth grade it would be more um there would be one traditional A team and then we would split the rest of the group um >> by the question is like when you have multiple B teams do they alternate which games they play or do they get the same number of games or >> um it'll be dependent on the amount It'll be dependent on the amount of games. Um there's there's a I guess an opinion on do you play one game and then have the other team play another game or is it like you go to one competition and then maybe don't go to the next competition and we're just trying to figure out what's the best. >>
017That's kind of that part. Okay. Thank you. Y >> we have a lot of the same changes as elementary. So I'm going LI did a great job of explaining the changes um to the elementary handbook. So I'm going to breeze through some of those same changes and then highlight some of the ones that are a little bit different. um updated the academic with the non-discrimination. Um same with the access to the building per the safety policy. Same with the attendance, added the office email to report attendance. Um cell phones or personal communication devices. We added a little bit um more information on this to include smartwatches because the students at the middle school are communicating via their smartwatches. So wanting those to have the same sort of policy, they can wear the smartwatch, but if
018they're using it for communication, we follow our cell phone. It follows the same um procedure as our cell phone procedure if students are misusing their watches for communication. Um classroom placement procedure, we updated on um how a um parent or guardian may request a specific teacher. Updated some guidance on that. We updated um for the daily updated the wording on early drop off. Um we in the drug prevention section added the misuse of over-the-counter drugs or medications. Um something in addition to updating from 18 to 21 for the tobacco uh update. We also included the specific forms of tobacco. We felt like that was a little more applicable to middle school students um than including that in the elementary handbooks. you'll see a big long section on different tobacco products. Um staying consistent with the
019emergency drills, um something that you'll see in both um the middle school and the high school is on um Chromebook insurance. We updated the policy on Chromebook insurance to align with our new district technology um handbook. Um inclement weather was the same. We updated uh since we're changing our schedule this year, we updated information LMC section on the ability for students to use the LMC a little bit more. Traditionally, students had gone during one of their um ELA classes and we updated just more of an ability to access the LMC. Um removed information from our lost and found, added the non-discrimination um section in the meals section. We actually added um a whole meals section. We didn't have a section on that before. So we added pretty similarly to the elementary school. Added that but
020um included in the middle school neutral break instead of snack break and um information on al cart. Updated the searches of school property. Um updated the sincerely held religious beliefs section. Um we updated for visitors to our school um advanced notice requested from the principal before a visitor would um come to our school so that we can have time to not prepare for the visitor but we have time for um just advanced notice for a visitor to come to our school and um remove the written application to volunteer as that's no longer a part of the process. I know I whipped through those, but there's been a lot of explaining. >> I just add that those changes are very much substantive versus cosmetic. And so underneath that, of course, is a lot of staff work
021and a lot of passion. So, I appreciate all that. And then going back just to one, very early on, it says the school is is comes first over athletics. And that's just such a powerful thing to say, especially upstream for students that will eventually get into the high school. It's easy to say that, but the very first thing is school comes first. And you can look in the handbook and see how prevalent that is. So that's fantastic. And then for volleyball, um it just shows I think what a learning environment the middle school is. Like I was I had a kiddo in volleyball as well. It sorted itself out. But what you guys did is went right at that with the methodology. And however that ultimately plays out, I know that underneath that is a
022structured system well thought out that will lead to good outcomes. So, I just personally as a dad and professionally as a schoolboard member, also appreciate diving headlong into that uh complication and then really putting out clean math that explains why and how it engenders trust and I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Uh Jason's out of town, so I have both the co-curricular and activities. Both of these had major rewrites last year that were approved. Um, so this year, uh, you'll notice the co-curricular staff handbook. Uh, there are no changes other than the date change. And then, uh, the only significant change that Jason made is on page four of the activities handbook, um, in looking at moving some different groups into different levels based on their their if they're doing overnight trips or not overnight
023trips in terms of where they fall from a co-curricular coach standpoint. any questions? All right, we'll move on to our action items. And we'll start then with item 12, which is program evaluation and potential approval of a recommendation for a general contract. We'll start with you. >> So, we put this on as an action item in the event that the is prepared to take action this evening. However, we want you to feel comfortable if you are not comfortable moving forward with action. That's certainly okay. We just wanted to give you that option. And then in addition to that, we wanted to do our best to frontload with as much information and as much history as we could to help you understand why were why were the bids blocked significantly from what we had projected. And
024if you remember with this project, we started with the potential Anna Palels program as part of our strategic budget plan way back when. Then we also had it when you approved the capital asset project for um for this year. We had a placeholder in there for $100,000 to get ready for the physical implementation of this program. So in the attachments to this there are two attachments. One is kind of background and history on how did we get to where we are and then in addition Vantage submitted a kind of chronological history of um trying to outline like okay we started with a 100,000 that's not where we ended up. Why? And if you if I was a board member I'd want to know why. How come how come we're off and how come we're off
025that much? So trying to explain to you like what what was the rationale and in a nutshell we did that estimate after a visit to one program in one school. Then once our staff came together and started designing the space and there were the elementary principles as well as Lori and then also our teacher who we hired later in the process had input on that design too. So it's really through a great process with the people that would be using that space as well as their work in looking in other programs besides just the one that was toured early on to make sure that we were taking a long view on how what's the best way to to design this space moving forward to have the best the best result for the students utilizing the
026program as well as the other students in the school building. um in this case, Eagle Bluff, where this program will be located. So, I won't um I won't go after any more than that. I know that you've read the documentation. We have Jerry and Jessica here from Vantage to answer any additional questions that you might have. And with that, I guess I'll turn it back to the board for any questions that we can answer. >> Can you refresh your memory on the number of students in this So to start with um like Janet mentioned we hired a teacher and we are in the process of hiring two support staff. We hope to start no we will start the program even if it's not in this specific location because we're kind of having to come up
027with a plan B in the interim knowing that this may not be available by the beginning of the school year. Three students by the hopefully before the of the school year. There's five that are kind of earmarked for the program. >> Five additional or five total? >> Five total. Five total. >> And is that roughly the number that you expect to see year? >> Yeah, you know, it's hard to predict, right? >> Um but when you look at historically our data of how many students we have had to seek out of district placements for at the elementary level, that's been about our number. and flows a little bit. Um, but that's been about the number of students we are looking at this as our most restrictive last kind of resort placement for students with disabilities
028before we would look at something out of the district which we have never had before. So, so not an easy decision and it would not um it would not be obviously our first go-to and it would be um something that any other interventions and um services and the resources we have in the buildings then we would maybe consider this. So I I don't anticipate it's going to be a large number of students and it should but a high ratio of support staff or of of teacher and support staff to students in order for it to be successful. Um I just had another question and I know you had said and it says in the documentation you provided that um it's going to serve elementary students with individualized education plans or IEPs who are not succeeding
029in our school environment. Um that can be a wide range you know grade wise and age wise and levelwise. Do you feel like whatever you're proposing as the design um will accommodate everybody at the ele for the elementary level? Yes, I do. Um and at least to start with and this I think is a benefit. The students that we are looking at happen to be at a second and third grade level which gives us a great place to start from and then grow from. So, yes, we know there's a lot of decisions we need to make going forward, but I do we're we're building this with the with the core thought of it being an a district-wide elementary program. So, K through five potentially. Yes. >> Does that answer your question? >> Yeah. I was
030just kind of curious what's the the given space is this initial design to get you know get things going or whatever if you feel like there's going to be sufficient space if you do get that variation in age >> grouping a smaller toilet and all that. >> Oh the other way around. >> The other way around. >> Yeah. >> Oh bigger toilet. >> It was an early it was an early childhood special education classroom at one point which Yeah. Lori, in your opinion, what's the maximum number of students this space could accommodate >> the space? Um, >> that's my off the cuff. I mean, I'm thinking of like if I envisioned staff and students in that space, I would think and I would invite other opinions too because this has been a a team effort.
031eight or nine max. >> So if if we were to not do this and have someone else do the services, what would that cost the district? >> Yeah, Janet looked into the or we last week we looked at the cost um over the last three years. Now we have to separate it out because not all the students that are in out of district placements are at the elementary level. Mhm. >> But what was it like on average over $200,000 a year that we're already spending >> for those placement costs and the the range of cost per day was either it's around $220 all the way up to $460 per day. >> No, I'm not suggesting we do that because you lose control. I mean, someone else is happening. >> Yep. >> Um Jerry, I had
032a couple questions for you. So it looks like the big misses on this were HBAC and electrical. Can you >> That is right. When we started out um with the initial design, we didn't have rooms, places like that in there. Um and so that's that's really was a big change. We started having two independent rooms added to it. So unfortunately they were next to the office and next to the toilet room. We needed fresh air. We needed return air. We had to change the as the toilet room get fresh air and stuff to these two calming rooms. And as we were doing that, the engineers said, "Geez, gently putting some fresh air in the cubicles, too. It's going to be great for the kids." So, that was a big one. That was the HBAS was
03314,000 electrical. We started out simple. We then we added the Ricotta um intercom system to that exterior door. Then we said, "Gez, it should be nice to control the lights for these are going to, you know, control dimmer, that type of thing. Then we started building the cubicles and we said, "Boy, we better get the power in the out of the walls because these kids are going big the power out of the walls." So, electrical got much bigger. Um, and some of it was just general construction because we had room, we had ceilings, we had floorings, we had bases, painting, and then lastly was the site work. Then the city got involved and said, "What can we put in some planting islands?" I some quick numbers, but it was like 16 for general construction, 14
034for HBC, um about 30 electrical with all the lighting, uh 25 for the site work, and you put on the 20% overhead and profit, there's 123,000. That's what we was almost double, but it was things that weren't in the beginning, you know, and and if you say, well, can we take something out? Maybe we can take out some of the lighting and stuff, but that be ing it. You know, you want to have it in there someday. Don't say, "Well, let's save 20,000 today and spend it next year." That type of thing. That's probably not true either. HBAC, we want to do uh the city has to do the site work, the general construction. Unfortunately, there's to take anything out right now would probably be a mistake or you just have to put it back
035in later. >> Just this is a specialy area. Yeah. And yes, that's all I >> just some additional commentary that I'd like to share to regarding the city component. Um certainly uh Fran prior to me had had some conversations. I'm sure you've been briefed upon that and I've had some additional conversations uh and just as recently as today with the mayor and the city administrator uh regarding this. Um there is a process that we potentially could go through. Um there's no guarantees. Uh but it would be about two two months or so uh to make an appeal on their what they're asking us to change for the code which is the parking lot uh island if you will. And if I'm mistaken I I hope I'm not is it about 25,000 additional dollars for that?
036Um originally when we were having discussions we thought it was a higher that number was higher um but uh we did find that that was 25,000. So that is something that is potentially you know could be worked on. The unfortunate piece with doing so is it would prolong our uh ability to move forward with this project and two there's no guarantees that that we would be approved for that and uh you know I think the the other well that's probably the two reasons and you guys can you know ask us to consider um you know doing that work or if we if the board wants to pass it tonight you certainly I'll make a motion to approve the bid of $223,346 by um hammer. >> I'll second that. >> Motion by second by Tracy to
037approve the recommendation of hammer for the house remod with the bid 223,346. Are there any questions or comments. >> I just want to clarify something $200,000 for district and that is that elementary supportive but we're already Sorry. Um, more than any other year is that our options outside of the district were at capacity. So then what? And so other I know other area school districts run into the same because we we feed into the same alternative options and when they're followed they're still our student and we're still responsible for their education and we don't have another plan. So yeah I just want to add one clarification to that. So so when we're talking about that we need to remember that this cost is just for the physical plant. you know, we will still have personnel
038costs with both the staffing of the teacher as well as some para profofessionals as a part of that. So, this cost I think the best way to be thinking about it is advertising it over time in the amount of money that we're not paying out to these other exterior organizations, but it's not a one for one because we will also have additional cost in our budget. >> I think it's a really question that Bridget and you know I think also through the dialogue the you know there's there's a clear like overtime return on this investment to the district to the community right but it's also an opportunity to serve our students right here in our own district we're not doing >> I do have one final question um based on enrollment and everything else I
039know you said the space could potentially house up to eight or students. But again, staffing would probably have to be changed, etc., you know, to accommodate additional students with the staffing that you anticipate now. And I know that this is like starting from scratch, right? Like, but do you foresee if we did have space that we would potentially, you know, take students if we have the space from other districts? >> That's I know it's big picture. You might not have the answer, but that's where my brain's going. >> Yeah. I I don't Yeah, I don't know. I mean, there are programs where districts share programs and and um space, especially when there's such a small number of students that are being served. >> Um we hadn't thought about that um yet and making a plan
040for that, but I know I I shouldn't say that. I've thought about that, right? Um it would be an interesting endeavor and I recognize we have to get started and see how it goes to start anyways but that's just big picture. >> So just one last question. >> Do we serve our students better by doing this or not doing this? That's an easy answer. >> I mean, we have more control, more um safety all of those things that we are we know that all the components of that are then following our mission are yes um in my mind that you know leaving them here without serving our own the way that we want to serve our students would seem to be less restrictive than yes and it depends on the alternative site too. I would
041say um some like one site in particular runs more like because they have such a large population of students that they serve it run more like with classrooms and larger groups even than this than what we're looking at. Um but then another one of the sites it's pretty isolated. that student has a staff person with them all the time, which then I would say is even more restrictive. Being off site makes it also more restrictive than in our district. So, there's different different factors to consider. Um, I think one of the biggest benefits and and maybe we won't see it this next year, but hopefully is reintegrating students back into our buildings in our regular classrooms from an internal program will be so much easier than when we transfer students from other agencies into. And
042for students that do transfer to us, they have a place to go that isn't just right back into a regular classroom to transition back from an alternative site. So it gives us that that that in between that we've been missing. >> The discussion has pivoted a bit perhaps in evaluating on benefit which is clear as you mentioned easy answer but I think the way the district presented it at the beginning which is this is over two times as high as we thought no need to hurry like we don't have to action it just this to me I was I was hearing a um clearly a program with great value and and everyone understands but the bid is over two times what we thought it would be that's where the district has given us time I
043think in several different documents and words of it's okay let's just think about this if you would like to approve tonight um it's a roll of the dice to a degree to say hey here's the one course of action um the bid is going to be you know two 23k versus you know Jerry you mentioned it's a mistake to take something out say $20,000 say and do it later I think that's board thought perhaps so maybe there's one bid that is is what it was and then that's a good conversation if by doing this we lose and then here's the next and by doing this we lose and here's what takes us to 223 then the board gets to see perhaps three different things and make a choice versus what ends up being an all
044or nothing and I might not be entirely comfortable with at 223 whereas all the logic is sound and the program is obviously good to me that's a separate conversation alto together so I regret perhaps that we're speeding towards a approving something without maybe having a just frankly taking up the offer we've been given a few different times of of let's look at this for a second and then the vote is one rooted in okay we've seen options of math clearly great program high five it just feels like decision space has shrunk a little bit on the space that we've been given in terms of let's look at at math so that's why I know the motion approvals on the floor um I think perhaps it's it's misdirected in that it's becoming a statement on the
045value of the program rather than a good look at a bid that was was really And we were given opportunities to pause and look at that. >> So the 223 346 is that a final number? Is there a percentage that you typically have built into your contract that you can exceed? certain >> I guess I would suggest that we talk to Amber and just see you know can we pull out the light pull out things >> I'm not worried about pulling out I'm just saying if this were approved as it is tonight >> is that the number >> that is the number I mean that was a competitive bid >> okay so there's not going to be oh hey the back end $2000 >> this is a contract amount >> you're asking I guess I
046would like to emphasize a lot of the things that were said from Aaron and others and I've had multiple conversations with Janet about this and you know our philosophy and our feeling that we we want to serve our students. And another point is this is available. It's underutilized at this point. So, you know, that's another factor. We can make good use of that. Request for >> yes. >> Eric, >> yes. Tracy, >> yes. >> Bridget, yes. Mark, >> yes. >> And Aaron, >> yes. Thank you for your work on that. >> Thank you. >> We'll move into item 13, which is our 2025 26 school nutrition update and pricing. And welcome Johnson. Am [Music] I good? Green is good. All right. So, our year in review, uh starting with some points of pride for school
047nutrition. Uh we expanded our elementary offerings to three options daily for kids to choose and definitely increased our participation and I think the overall approval of our program. Our students loved it. loved it. I think staff also, our staff especially, um, noticed the big change in food waste. They had a choice. So, it was something that they bought into it. Most definitely. Um, we had a lot more students actually eating what was on their tray rather than taking components to make it a reimburseable meal. Um, another change that came about when LIS initiated contact with me via email with a student who was that the chicken and waffles that was offered at the high school should be an item that was on the elementary menu. Also, I did not realize she was a sher. She
048was um she had a good argument. Let me just say that. So, I found a waffle that was compliant for that age group and um fit the fit the profile for our our menu items and uh it is now the best received menu across the district, elementary, middle school, and high school. Chicken waffles is supplanting orange chicken. >> Yeah, for sure. For sure. Orange chicken is yesterday, too. Chicken waffles a big deal. >> Also, uh Janet uh is an amazing leader, I have to add. And she in her effort to get to know the school nutrition a little bit better. offering personal information, but what really came out of it is their own frustration about being part of a team where they don't see each other. So, just by getting this electronic document together, Janet
049interviewed everyone. They offered in pictures of themselves and something about their families. And I I have never seen them feel so important. They were it was just really amazing the the effect it had on on my team and I appreciate it, Janet. So, thank you for initiating the project and I hope that it did help you get to know everyone better because it it was a pretty awesome thing. So, we're intending to work for permission from staff to share it with the buildings. We don't want them to feel like we wanted your personal information for some other reason right away. Um, but it just turned out so cool, we'd like to share it. So, building wide, building districtwide in the building's going to try and get be able to share that with the rest of
050the staff in the building. I know um at middle school does a nice staff spotlight with his newsletter and it's something that we all look forward to. Um, Muffin Mania day was a big deal. at the middle school in May. Um the DPI chef put out three farm to school local muffin recipes for districts to try and we just kind of grabbed the whole thing and ran with it. We did all three of the muffin recipes and then had the middle school students sample them at their nutrition break and then they were able to vote on which item made the menu going forward. They were well received all of them. And we are planning to menu all of them going forward, not just the one that won the voting, but um strawberry rhubarb. >> It
051was a hit. Strawberry rhubarb, um blueberry, and what am I missing? Oh, apple carrot. They were all very good. So, the chef came um complimented our staff. um did what a wonderful job they did in the baking department and just really impressed with our students and their participation as well. Uh this next slide shows these eighth grade boys were so into the muffin sampling process. They handed out samples. They were in charge of voting stations. They did a really nice job. Um ongoing things, we're all we're now using Rebel Greens Trionic out of Minnesota for a local offering for all of our greens and lettuce on our salad bars districtwide. Um we are continuing with our Tom's grocery bag backpack program to send groceries home with families for the weekend, things that are kid-friendly and
052added to those backpacks. We've also started to do some personal items um which is well received as well. Um we're grateful that the new school food pantry distribution center is at LMS and by our central kitchen. It's a really nice facility and a nice amilies to come that's modernized and easy for them to get to and it also is helpful for the food pantry staff. We have some availability to store some frozen items for them that they didn't have access to before. So sharing the location with them is I think going to be a really good partnership. Um we have amazing staff who are dedicated to our students, their families and each other. Our region farm to school program will continue. We offer a monthly menu item called of the month and then our students
053um do a sample of that menu item once before it's on. That's wellreceived as well because the students are actually physically handing out the samples and I think they really like participating with their peers. And last but not least, um the communitywide support just with our negative meal account balances. It's amazing. I'm always impressed year after year that somebody somebody comes forward and this year we've been very fortunate. The beer by bike brigade made a nice donation. Marine credit union had an employee that was retiring and her request was that it go to school nutrition. And then service master, we just heard about that one recently. So very appreciative of our community and those folks that choose to send their money our way to help families. nice for them and really nice for me to
054have something else to offer on the other end of that phone call rather than you owe money we could help. So, uh looking forward to 2526. Um completing the referendum project at middle school for sure will elevate our dining experience for the middle school kids, allow us to showcase menu offerings and increase our part participation there as well. Um we'd like to expand the favorite meals week we do at the high school. um kind of uh interview the seniors ahead of time casually and find out what their favorite menu items are. We really know just by participation, but it's nice to include them in the process. And then we do one week of senior favorite meals and seniors love it and I think that at the elementary level the fifth graders would love it if
055they got to choose and at the middle school level the eighth graders would. So we're going to look forward to doing that next school year or this coming. Um we're implementing a professional learning community for school nutrition site supervisors so they can um do a better job of doing some lunch and learn lessons with kids and focus on what we can do to do a better job for them or what their you know needs and wants are. um and implementing a long range capital equipment replacement plan is something we've got a lot of lot of aging equipment in the district that we need to think about how we're going to replace them before any emergency that we do. >> So I'll take these next couple slides on budget. The first one that you'll see is
056basically looking at our revenues and expenditures by source and by object. And if you remember on expenditures, we always look at them kind of two different ways. The what and the what for. With school nutrition, it's kind of all the same what for. So we look we're looking at this by object. You'll see that in our proposed budget. We'll be we'll be revising this as we close out this year just like all the other budgets when we adopt our original budget in the last meeting in October. But at this point in time, um this is our best estimate on what we're proposing for the next year. And we're proposing this year we proposed a deficit budget to uh on purpose to use up some of our fund balance next year. If we do that, then
057we're proposing that we propose present a balance budget for the 25 26 school year. Then looking at the next slide, it's sometimes easy to see how our revenues and expenditures by looking at these in a pie chart and how uh where does our money come from? And you can see that a lot of it is local 47.3%. But the the drama that we're having at the federal level makes this 51.3 kind of catch our attention on the the hope that we continue to have those funds moving forward because they really support our school nutrition budget and the way that school nutrition budgets are set up in Wisconsin is that it needs to be a self self-sufficient fund. So revenues and expenditures have to match. If they do not and we go into a deficit overall
058that must be supplemented from the general fund. So you You can have budget negative budget years until you overspend all of that. Thankfully, we're not in that place. There are a number of school districts that have to do a transfer from the general fund every single year. We're not in that spot due to good leadership that we've had with our programming here. And we want to stay that way because if we get to the point where we need to make those transfers, that's money that's not going for classroom kinds of programming. It's stuff that's coming out of the general budget to cover the deficit in school nutrition. But when we look at um so so you can see it's primarily local and federal. When we look at expenses, when you look at the budget um
059for the rest of our budget, the staffing takes up like usually 75 to 80% of the budget. And um if we could advance to the next slide, looking at school nutrition, that's not the case with um wages and employee benefits, 44.5%. And you see that big chunk of food. That's the one that gets really expensive for our school nutrition program. Um, and then as Krie talked about earlier, we need to be working on replacing that capital equipment because if we don't keep up, we're going to need to catch up. And as you asked in our treasurer meeting today, you know, it seems like we're spending a lot of money fixing our school nutrition equipment. those just keeping that stuff, you know, running so that we don't have to have those expenditures moving forward. And then
060if we can go on to the next slide, Carrie will talk about our pricing history and our proposal. And when Kerry says that um we're proposing this increase, we we look at the budget information. We feel we need to do that in order to um because this year we we anticipate going into a fund balance a little bit. That's okay for a year, but we don't want that in an ongoing basis. So, we need this price increase. And the other thing that we don't want to have is large spikes and changes. So, if we need to change it just a little and we all know going to the grocery store, grocery prices are not getting cheaper. Next few years. sorry that automatically qualify people for free and introduced price meals. I think some of our
061folks are going to have to go to a paper application if those benefits that automatically qualify have been um rescended. So um we're going to do everything we can to encourage people to fill out those applications. We already have them all available in every building on our website. our staff districtwide are very versed in handing people an application, offering to help with filling it out or just sending them our way to get that done. So, I'm pretty confident that we'll reach the people we need to, but it might be a different way for some folks to um qualify for the benefit. Um I would just like to thank our school nutrition staff. They work very hard to deliver outstanding customer service. We strive to provide quality nutrition food products, nutritious food products so that our
062learners have the necessary brain fuel for optimal success. Um, if you haven't ded with us or visited, please give it a try. The pictures on this slide are actually pictures of the dance team who came and visited at lunch at Irvin Elementary. And then uh police officers actually came and served lunch one day. And the kids love it. They'd love to see your faces anyway. They're very curious about who's coming to see them. Welcome. You're welcome to come and join us anytime. >> So, is that the last slide that we ask the board? Um, you can see the proposed recommendation for 2526 and we would um ask that the board make a motion on accepting that or modifying. >> I just have a general question. Um, Carrie, and if you don't know the answer, that's
063totally okay, too. Sure. As someone who doesn't have child in the elementary, middle school where they have lots of choices. >> Um, how do you go about knowing what they're going to want? You know what I mean? Like in the morning, do they pick what they're going to want? I mean, I think it's >> at the elementary they do. At the elementary, they choose choice one, two, or three. Choice three is always a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the uncrustables, which they love. Um, and then the entree one or entree entree two. And at attendance in the morning at elementary, they make their choice. choice one, choice two, choice three. The buildings have gotten pictures so that when they do the announcement, they show what the lunch is, not just the name of it, but
064physically what it looks like. And they we've done a really good job of predicting at the elementary um what's what. Now, for Jackie at the middle school and Angel at the high school, it's a crapshoot. You do best you can, and you know by the first service when you have three that the moon is sitting strange if they're all taking the item you didn't expect. And then you that transition. It's um it's hard work and they do a very good job of knowing what's what and um adjusting on the fly. It's not going the way they think it should. >> I just think that's awesome that you know, like you said, there's less waste. Kids are actually eating their food which helps brain power, you know, during the day. So, you know, getting that choice
065and then knowing ahead of time sounds like it's a real benefit in the elementary school waste, you know, reducing the amount of food waste as well like I was concerned that our staff would think of it as, oh, you know, more work. What am I going to do? And that I would be problem solving those things. Not once. They were thrilled. They were they just took it on and it's been really successful. Yeah. That's awesome. Thank you, Karen. Thank you. >> So, I have a question for you and I think I know the answer, but I want to hear you say it. >> Sure. >> So, let everyone has an account. >> Say the child doesn't have money in that account. Does anyone ever go hungry? No one ever goes hungry. We never remind a
066student in line or anywhere else that they owe lunch money or they're getting low. It's all taken care of electronically with parents. They get a bright arrow message if they're negative or late. I make phone calls. Um if it gets really bad, we have policies in place where I work with principles and the principles help me work with the families. And never ever ever do we ever take a tray away, embarrass the student, or even let them know that they don't have money. They don't know and the systems point of sale systems don't allow for anyone to see the screen or know if someone's free or reduced or any of that called over identification and we don't do it. >> Perfect. I thought that was >> that's great. Also, it's it's nice to see some
067of the things districtwide kind of flowing through you as well like the professional learning community that you mentioned with your staff. That's great. >> Thank you. I'm grateful to be a part of it as well. Um that's been a big turnaround in school nutrition culture as well. We feel like we're really part of the district. That was a little bit the comment I was gonna make is I telling Ann last week I look forward to this presentation every year because you know mainly because it's another example is the a group that you know to the students is very visible right but you live the mission of the district and support that every day. you think creatively about it and it's really just impressive to see the energy that you bring to it. Right. But I
068know there's a whole team behind you that's doing the same. >> Thank you for everything that you and your staff. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Senator Nick6 approval. >> Second motion by Bridget by Brian to approve the nutrition meal and mic milk price recommendations as detailed in closure 13% by Janet. Are there any further questions? All those in >> favor. Thank you. >> Thank you for sharing those pictures with us. and we'll move on to action item number 14, which is the second reading for the 2025 26 induction handbook. We're asking the board to approve this. There are no changes to this handbook. Second >> motion by second by Tracy to approve the 202526 initial educator induction handbook as outlined in closure. Anyone have any questions? All those in favor >> I thank you all
069for your work on that. We'll move Personnel report. Are there requests for any items to be removed from the personnel report for separate consideration hearing? >> Thank you. We are rounding out our teaching staff here with uh Kaylee Cole um being our fourth grade teacher at Eagle Bluff and then we have a few hourly staff positions. So Chambers will um be our last custodian at the high school to finish that hiring process for them. And then we start with professionals of Jared Cooper and Emily starting out for this 2526 school year. Um we are excited to have Lift join at the district office as our new director of instructional services. Um we also have one parah Zoe D'Vor and it will be transferring from Northern Hills to the high school through the honability programs. Um
070we have the summer school contracts for our kindergarten camp here in August and then curricular changes um in the high school and then uh a couple resignation notifications. >> So, I think I ask this question every year. We're looking good. We have everybody we need. >> We are looking good. We have one uh special education teacher at the middle school, a new position that the board recently approved. So, that um is not filled yet. Um and then we have a number of pair of professional positions still open that you'll see on the next couple reports as we start this school year. >> Thank you. Second by approve the personnel report as presented by detailed report. Any further questions? All those in favor >> are there any request to remove items from the consent agenda for
071separate consideration? >> Seeing none, I move that we approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Second by Mark to approve the consent agenda as presented. Any further questions? All those in favor. >> The board of education will entertain a motion to convene into closed session for student to Wisconsin statutes 19.85 considering financial medical or personal histories or disciplinary data of specific persons. Preliminary consideration of specific personnel problems or the investigation charges against specific persons except where B applies which if discussed in public would likely to have substantial adverse effect on any person referred to in such histories or data or involved in such problems or investigations for the purpose of considering the evaluative data collected by former interim superintendent. The board will entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting. >> I would make that motion
072by Mark second to convene in close session as Eric. >> Yes. >> Tracy, >> yes. >> Brian, >> yes. >> Mark, >> yes. Yes. and Aaron. >> Yes.