001There you go. All right, you guys ready? >> All right, the time is now 7 o'clock and we'll call this meeting to order. Uh, has this meeting been posted? >> Yes, it has. >> Roll call will show that all five board members and both student board members are present and we will stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Are there any communications? >> Yes, there are. Uh, Governor Tony Ivers signed a bipartisan bill into law at the end of October that requires Wisconsin public schools to ban cell phone use in classrooms during instructional time. The law, which is now known as 2025 Wisconsin Act
00242, requires school districts to create their own enforcement policies by July 1, 2026, but it allows for exceptions for emergencies, healthcare needs, and educational purposes authorized by a teacher. The policy committee will review the current policy with act 42 and re recommend any changes if necessary before the start of the 2627 school year. Uh, Greenell schools promoted the food drive for the St. 's food pantry led by the Greenale Health Department and provided families with information for food assistance in the weekly newsletters. Uh Greenell High School received the bronze award for the 2020 for 2024 as part of the AP school honor role awards. The state of Wisconsin released funds for curriculum resources purchased for reading curriculum under act 20. Greenell schools has received the maximum reimbursement allowed which is 50% of resources excluding professional
003development. The grant for $130,679.34 will be budgeted for curriculum resources and will come to the board during the next budget adjustment for final decision. And I'd like to recognize donations made to the Greenell Park and Recreation Department. A donation in the amount of $1,000 for the Greenell Senior Social Club Christmas Party was made by Mary Cummings. A donation of $750 was made by Manchester Investments towards the Greenell Community Theater production of Newsies. Thank you to both Mary and Manchester Investments for their donations. That concludes my communications. >> All right, thank you. Uh, moving on to the student updates. >> Um, so DECA is holding a parent information meeting for ELC information, competition introduction, and travel information for the rest of the year tomorrow at 6 p.m. here in the IMC. The robotics team has completed
004their initial grant applications and has begun reaching out to local businesses for possible sponsorships and donations to their fundraiser on the class community website. Chess club has began preparation for its activities with its first session being held on Wednesday, November 19th after school in room 155. Sources of strength continues its week-toeek source wheel initiative developing videos for ACP lessons and connecting with the green bandanna project. And then finally, Ephe Bach represented Green Cross Country at the WIA State Cross Country meet, running a time of 2034 and placing in the top 20 for freshmen at the event. Saturday the 8th, Cheer had its first competition, taking first place in Swim Head sectional, sending five girls to state. The school play was successfully wrapped up this weekend while offering students in NHS volunteer hours for concessions and
005ushering. Last Friday, Model UN went to a field trip at Carthage College and found and had their debate. Juniors who chose to do so received their preacat scores last week and most students in AP classes have officially signed up for their exams. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, we can skip comments from visitors and move on to approving the meeting minutes from the last meeting. >> I move approval of the October 23, 2025 meeting minutes as presented in agenda item 1.1. >> Second. >> All right, we'll do a roll call. >> Yes. >> And I'm motion passes. Uh, moving on to new business. Uh, first trimester district scorecards. So the school board has approved scorecard uh goals which are aligned to the strategic plan and that strategic plan um was adopted by the board in
0062021 with support of the community. There are four district office uh reports and tonight uh Mrs. Bernett is going to present the people's services report uh with information on progress over the course of the first trimester of the school year. So the goal um that I'm working on is to ensure that our people service team members have the training and skills to support our mental health needs. So we want to increase knowledge, foster consistency and enable implementation of our mental health systems. So in order to do that we have four new pupil service team members this year. We have two schools psyches, a new social worker and a new guidance counselor. We also have two of our current pupil service team members that were on leave. So one just came back and one is out.
007So we wanted to ensure from a district standpoint that all of our pupil service team members were prepared. Along with that though, we wanted our administrators to be prepared, our administrative assistants and any other team members that we felt that needed that knowledge. So in order to do that, we hosted the standard reun reunification method. So that's the SRM and the standard response protocol method. So, we did that in August and we had all of our administrative assistants, principles, district office administrators, and um pupil service team members attend that. We from that meeting, we created a standard response protocol poster. So, you'll see there's one hanging there. in any school that you go to or district office, we have those in all of our learning spaces so that all um staff and students are clear
008on our planning for that. We updated our crisis team folder and shared that out with team members that required that. And we also reviewed the suicide screener and the behavior threat assessment management process. So our next steps were to hold a BTAM training which we did uh last week which was well attended by all of our pupil service team members and administrators that still required that training. And then our next steps are to update our what we call our green folders which are our suicide screener process. We want to make sure that all staff are trained in that process and that the protocol is um utilized consistency across buildings. And then we also are working on updating our BTAM forms. Those are updated pretty regularly. And then having a data collection system that works across
009all buildings so we can monitor any type of behaviors that qualify for um the BTAM process over time with students. >> All right. Thank you. Uh any questions? >> No questions. I'm not seeing any questions. Thank you. >> All right. Moving on to um policy first readings. The policy committee met last week Monday. Uh and there are recommended policies for change. Uh Rob and Kathy were present at the meeting and we reviewed each of the policies recommended for revision. So if you have any questions around specific policies or suggestions that they that we should consider that now's the time to do that and then um if they are substantially similar then we can take action to approve these policies uh next week. >> Anyone have any commentary? I have one one question. Um, this uh
010came up at the end of our policy meeting, the cell phone thing. When Kim, did you say we will be um going over that policy? >> We will go over it at the next policy committee meeting which is scheduled for March. I'm looking at Christie. Not sure. March. February. March. >> February. So, we'll be looking at it in February. Okay. >> Any other questions? All right. Uh moving on uh to the proposed course changes. >> So Mr. Lotus is here there uh the board is responsible for approving curriculum and the courses offered at the high school are part of that curriculum. So uh we he will be presenting the recommendations for course additions and deletions at the high school tonight and then bringing that back for approval at a future board meeting. Mr. Lotus. >>
011Hi. Thank you. Good evening. Um, this yearly report, um, basically I'm able to submit proposed changes to the course offerings, um, and then can and then move forward with the continuous improvement process of, uh, what we offer at Greenale High School for our curriculum and our programming. Uh, the feedback that you give me um, I have a week turnaround until next week uh, to to answer any questions, make any changes. uh but uh that'll allow us then to finalize our handbook and uh start the scheduling process for the 2026 27 school year. Course additions in this report uh add a college reading strategies elective course. To be completely transparent, this idea was um conceived in January after our data analysis team uh meeting. It came together pretty quickly last spring and we're actually piloting this
012course right now. Uh it's modeled after similar courses in the UW system. It's invite only based on academic need primarily indicated by the students preACT reading scores sub scores. Uh and research shows that students scoring below a 17 on the ACT reading section are at higher risk of struggling in college due to the demands of the reading um in colleges. So the benefits of this course are strengthening reading skills across subject areas, improving ACT reading scores in their uh junior year uh which can impact college admission and scholarships and the opportunity to earn college credit as part of the CAP program. So what started as an idea to uh work with some of our readers uh to improve uh their proficiency ended up being a college credit um earning opportunity uh for a small group
013of our students. Another course uh that we like to add is the advanced placement uh African-American studies course. Um that course joins the other AP electives that are available through our social studies department. AP government and politics, AP US history, AP Euro and APsych. It obviously offers an AP exam opportunity and this course focuses on the study of diversity of the black community in the United States within the broader context of Africa and the African diaspora. So this that's uh defined as the spread away from the homeland with experiences um within that move. So that class um is born out of discussions in the social studies department and we'd like to add that to our elective uh courses. Another idea and uh we'd like to add an adaptive physical education peer mentor opportunity. Um this
014course would be a one semester physical education course that could count as a mandatory or elective fied requirement and it will support the students who benefit from additional experience in working with students with adaptive physical education needs. Uh so this is at teacher discretion probably by um interview or a selection process. Uh but this would allow um regular education uh fi fied students uh to work in our adaptive physical education classes. A great opportunity especially for the students that are in our health and human services and teaching pathways. Deletions uh mainly these are out in front of you uh because they have not run for a long time. Uh dropped the dropped the English elective survivor themes and literature. uh dropped the business elective business law and ethics and then also um we have a
015class uh we always run a full section of MATC's uh medical terminology. It's a very popular course and uh when it was first brought um to our attention it was part of a threecourse um MATC healthc care certificate that included healthcare customer service and introduction for computing uh for healthcare. Neither of those other two classes have run in probably close to eight to nine years now. So, uh we're just kind of cleaning up the uh um the course handbook that way. And then finally, dropping the social studies education elective individual school and society because that class has been replaced by our W Milwaukee articulated introduction to teaching uh course which we have a semester of uh in the spring. Uh there's a few course uh modifications that are in progress. Um we have worked uh
016Miss Olsen and I have worked with the FIAD department and uh we'd like to modify phys physical education courses that are eligible to meet the graduation requirements. uh we have some very wellestablished electives and uh the FIE team proposed a wider pathway to meet the 1.5 physical education credits and the um um the pathway would be a required a required first credit which is 9th grade uh and that's what's currently in place 9th grade PE but then after that instead of funneling students into just PE 10 1112 um students can choose from PE 10 1112 and then that bolted list of all the other electives that we offer Um in FIED uh courses may not be repeated for the required credit and of course we're keeping the PE waiver option available for students also as
017the third required credit for physical education graduation. And then finally uh modify the physics graduation requirement. uh science department would like to broaden the physical ed the physics education requirement which now would consist of allowing 11th and 12th grade students to enroll in AP physics 1. Um which means that uh AP physics one can be substituted in the junior year for physics as a graduation requirement for students. And last other the last function of this report um and that next Monday's approvals is our education for employment uh report. I linked it into this and uh this is work that Miss Olsen, Mr. Curry from the middle school and myself have been uh working on for over a year now. And uh this planting the education for employment uh document into this report guarantees that we
018meet the uh DPI requirement of having it approved by the board every year. Basically, this report's yearly update guarantees that there will be continuous work on our academic pathways and our career planning processes and opportunities for students. There is a lot in that report. Um, we have been working with CISA 1 at times as they review all of those ERE plans and I'm happy to say that it's been reviewed by CISA 1 and we meet all the requirements. Uh, before I bring it for your approval today, I can take questions. >> Any questions? Kathy, >> one comment. Um, I was excited to see the one addition um with the peer mentor opportunity and just I don't know if Julie or you can answer to this, but does this um in any way will our educator
019rising candidates will this be kind of a pathway for them as well? It has been used in a number of other school districts as uh a gateway to finding your passion for working with other with others and um doing that. And so yes, it will be part of the list of opportunities to find a pathway to teaching. I just want to thank you for adding that. I think any steps we can take to help grow the pipeline of teachers is great. So I was happy to see this and I'm sure some students will benefit from that. I just appreciate adding additional AP courses um to the schedule because the more we can offer kids, the better. I know there was some conversation earlier this year around physics and making sure that we were meeting all
020those needs. So, I appreciate that those are going to be added. >> Anyone else? >> Um yeah, I'm just curious how the difference between the um AP African-American studies is versus the class that was eliminated a few years ago. um a couple of first of all the class that was eliminated was a semester course and it was a purely uh a pure elective course. It wasn't to my memory articulated with any sort of accredited opportunity. We feel that the um subject matter if that is uh um something that would cause a student to take um that elective course they would now have the opportunity to take a year-long course and also gain college credit from it. >> And I don't think it was do we I don't think we removed it. I think it's still
021in the course handbook. It was I don't recall that, but I'll check that. >> I don't think it's >> I don't think it was >> I don't think >> it hasn't been deleted, but it hasn't run. >> That is accurate. >> It hasn't run the last two years, but it hasn't come to you for approval from removal from the handbook. >> You're both right. >> Yes, we are both right. It has not run. >> Anyone else? All right. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And moving on to the 2026 27 school calendar. >> Uh the board approves a calendar for school and uh we are bringing it forward at this time so that families have accurate information on the calendar as they approach the first of the year when many of them have
022to select vacation days. So, um, the proposed calendar is in the board packet and we did do a quick survey of staff last week and got some feedback there and I turn it over to Mrs. Grotoforce to share some of that feedback. One piece that we would like to note is the draft calendar currently shows April 16th as a PD day and based on staff feedback we would propose moving that to the 23rd of April instead of the 16th because of the forward window. Um so that just adjusts it so that it's not interrupting the forward testing. Um overall staff response to the survey we had 37 staff members respond and 80% over 80% of them are supporting or strongly supporting the proposed calendar. So lots of support. There were specific comments around the length
023of winter break and wanted to come forward to the board tonight with a um discussion around the possibility of adjusting some days off to allow for a full two weeks off at winter break. Um, right now we are scheduled to be off the 23rd through the 1st. Um, but the proposal would be that we would eliminate the March 29th day after Easter. Um, that we would return to school that day and not have that as an off day. And then um adjusting that um so that school would end on Friday the 11th of June instead of Thursday the 10th which is shown on the draft calendar. So by taking those two days, we would be able to extend winter break to be a full two weeks um to include the 21st and 22nd of December.
024So looking for some board feedback on if that is something that you'd like us to further explore. I will add um information in that the last time we surveyed families and it's been almost 10 years. So the the families that are currently in our system um were not surveyed at the time. Um, but as we looked at it, we asked a number of questions about days off. Uh, we looked at that's part of why our professional development days are full days instead of half days or delayed starts. It's part of why our professional development days are on Fridays and Mondays because they attach to a weekend. That was parent feedback. Um, and one of the questions that we asked was around um, spring break and uh, winter break. And the majority of families said that
025they preferred a week and a half because child care is more difficult to get that full two weeks in. So there's pros and cons to doing it in different ways and just wanted to add that voice. We have not surveyed families about this specific calendar and that data is old but that is part of why we look to do that week and a half when we initially look at it. So you were saying the if I may ask um the the parents in the past have wanted not to have the two weeks. >> Yes. Because of child care needs. >> Is that something we could possibly get feedback on before we make a decision on this calendar to see if they still feel that way? >> Um it would be a tight turnaround if you're
026looking to approve it on November 17th. if you would like to hold the approval until December 1st, we would have better opportunity to ask those questions. >> Yeah, I I think um given that parents chimed in in the past on this, I think that would be, you know, if because if we're going to go to a full two weeks and that's not something I think we need to hear from them. Um I had a question too with your professional development days. Um, do the teachers in Greenale get a work day at the end of every quarter to work on grades or is that part of this professional development day? There are three dates that are listed as data PM. Those are opportunities to review data that are associated with grading on the grading periods. Okay.
027So we actually have more um but the elementary school is on trimesters so there's only three report cards reporting periods so they are timed to provide for that opportunity when you look at the PD in the morning and data in the afternoon that is what that's intended for. >> Have any other comments? No, if we could get survey from current parents about the preference including um like if they want that Easter Monday or the two weeks and then also letting parents know bridges would be available during that time too. I don't know if they know that um that they're open during those vacation days. Um it would be helpful to be able to make a decision. Yeah, we could do we can take a look at a quick three question survey around those specific points
028uh to go out in the weeklys this week and then uh give them some time to get back so that we'll bring it to you on December 1st >> or use our fantastic new app. >> I was going to ask to survey parents. >> We'll be we could do that too. Yes, we can we can do a follow-up if you haven't already seen it in the weeklys. Please fill out the survey. Yep. Just one other piece to note um that there was some staff feedback preferring a October day off. Um right now it's scheduled for November 2nd. Um that is scheduled that way because we have two polling sites in the schools and so we are scheduled for staff PD on the 3 um to allow for parking. Um so that is why that's set
029in in November instead of placed in October >> and safety. As a parent, I really appreciate that the schools are closed to kids on those days with strangers coming into the building. >> Um, one other comment I was going to make is, um, I see we've gone back to what we did this past year, a later start for the the staff, I'm assuming, are in favor of that after this year. Um, you started a week later this year, right? Which looks they had requested it in the previous calendar. Um, it is there and there was no feedback on this one. one comment not liking it being squished into the one week. Um, but in the past that has been the preference that that they prefer it the way it is. They prefer the way that
030it's proposed in this calendar. >> That one comment is far less than the comments we got about the starting earlier. So, >> on a selfish note, I will not be able to be there on opening day, but um I I think the staff um obviously if that's what's best suited for them, that's what we should be doing >> when we survey the parents. Um, what does that look like typically? Like how many I mean are we going to make a decision based off of like 50 50 people or >> um what it what it'll be is you'll have some um percentages and you'll have any kind of comments or feedback from parents and then you'll have to weigh that and decide as a board. So, uh, we will provide that feedback, um, in the report
031and then the board can consider it when they're making a decision to approve a calendar or make an adjustment and approve a different calendar. Sometimes we have brought back two calendars and you can vote to approve calendar A or calendar B. Um, so we'll see what the results are and bring back our recommendations and options. >> Anyone else have any comments about the calendar? All right. Thank you. Uh, moving on to board calendar. >> Uh, only one week between now and the next meeting. There are a couple of things that are happening. Um, there is a superintendent coffee on Wednesday morning at 8:45 at Blooms. Um, and there is a fi board finance committee on Wednesday evening at 5:00 pm. >> All right. Thank you. And I don't see anyone in the crowd, so we
032will adjourn and come back next Monday.