6/11/2025 Board Meeting

001What? Why? She's Can we tell if we have any audience? I don't There's not an audience. No, when you look at the YouTube, you can see that's So, do we have any idea how many people are paying attention to what we're doing? Are we recording right now? Yep. Huh? I just said, but it's not live. Probably not. So, well, in that case, I move we adjourn. Second. You wish. All right. I'll call the June 11, 2025 meeting of the Kick Area School Board to order. And we'll begin with roll call, please. Mara Earl Wallace here. Isaac Wallace here. Bo Shrader here. Janet Matthysse here. Scott Walter here. Affirmation approve the publication of the agenda. I, Kimberly Johnson, hereby certify that notice of the Kickapoo area schools regular schoolboard meeting was caused to be published in

002the epitap news on 6525 and posted on billboards in the following places on 6625. The Kickapoo K12 school building, Citizens First Bank of Biola, Biola Post Office, and our school website. Thank you, Kim. I'll next entertain a motion to approve tonight's agenda. I will so move. I'll second. Motion by Earl. Second. Can I ask a question? You can now. Oh, no. Never mind. Agenda is fine. I was stepping then. All in favor? I opposed. We have an approved agenda. Does Janet now have a camera or you want We're good for another couple. Item four then audience visitors and board members and we do have a visitor tonight. Okay. So again I'm with the Viola Public Library and this is a little free library that the director won at a library conference and has been sitting

003in the library for almost three years. Tired of looking at it. Okay. But it's a really nice one. It's that poly plastic one. It comes complete with post and a way to mount it and all the hardware. So, all you have to do is dig the hole. And I don't remember when I was talking. I guess when you guys were talking about the scoreboard for the softball field or something and I was thinking back to my childhood that if I were a child that had to go to someone's ball game, no offense, and I had to sit and watch um a sport, I would might be happier if I had a book. So, I didn't know if you guys would take this as a donation to put it somewhere kind of off like on near

004the sports field or put it somewhere away so when people are out there if they want to look at a book or something. Again, this is just I'm just offering it. I will haul it away, but I'm hoping you'll take it. That's why I post. But, um so I don't know. I just thought I would offer again the library is just offering this this stuff. We're not going to come stock the right um library, but going to the books for breakfast. There seems to be a lot of books. We got books floating around. Um and I just thought that'd be really be kind of fun to have that out there by a ball field. Just I mean I don't know just whatever. So I don't know if you can vote on this or should I

005take it away? Are you going to call me or what what I should do? I think at first blush I think that's a great idea. I love those little what do they call free little free and this is actually one it actually is an official little free library. has a little tag on it and everything. This is a really nice one. Um composite and everything. It's plaid. Um it's it's a really and we just couldn't we couldn't really figure out where to put it because we're like, "Oh, we could put it at Go Mag." We just we just never could decide where to put it. And the library does already have one on Main Street. Um and I work at the library, so you have to come to the big library. Yeah. And it's a

006pretty one, too. It's not your school colors, but it's pretty somewhere where it's easily accessible and parents know it's there. Yeah. just but I mean I didn't know cuz you were talking about like that field that was kind of far away. I don't know. I would like to have a library there. So anyway, so can I leave it here? Anybody have any concerns? Walk away. I should come back and check. But no, that would make me ever so happy if you guys if somebody would use this. So I think you could put that to good use. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Thank you very much. Let me put I'm going to put this inside cuz this is the little thing. Anyway, you'll whoever puts it up will understand. When I looked at it even

007has the screw and everything. Y everybody's happy. Thank you so much. Bye guys. Have a good night. Yes, there it is. All right. Any board member thoughts? Thank you. Issues, concerns. Oh, actually at the Mattha's wedding, um, I had somebody stop me to just say how wonderful they think Kickoo is and the track kids and everything else that's going on. So, it's nice to actually hear nice things for change. So, I'm gonna say that effort almost. Very good. Thanks, Andy. I guess I just Andy mentioned track. The girls and boys teams both did very well season long, but conference champs, both regional champs, I think girls were girls were boys missed playing. And then some good performances at states. So, kudos there. School record. Yeah. Excellent. Anything else? Then we will move on to expense

008vouchers and receipts. Questions? I had a question in the checks. The Western Technical College, the GED contracts for $3,800. How many how many kids were involved in that? Do you know? We had two kiddos go through that this year, right? So this is a whole class. They go through that GED prep thing and then culminates with their test their GE. They did good. They both got it. Yep. Which was good. Yes. The only thing that I was just curious about, we have under the check reports checks to multiple life insurance companies. How are those separated? There's Madison National Life and American Heritage. So, um Madison National Life is like our um it's our true life and disability insurance. American Heritage is our all state plan. So, that's more of like um an accident insurance or

009a cancer insurance um insurance. Okay. And those are policy holder. Those are what the school actually pays for or are those things the teachers choose that are accom they pick and then they pay. So we're getting it out of we get the premiums out of their So the American Heritage Life Insurance that is all 100% um premiums that teachers staff pay. Um, with the Madison National Life, the school pays for some, but not all, like a life insurance policy and a long-term disability insurance policy, but then there's also supplemental life insurance for which they choose and then they pay that part of the bringing. Correct. Got it. I got one other question. It's not exactly about the check itself. It's just I don't ever remember seeing this. If I can find it, it's page four.

010It was uh in the they're paying for the food. It was to performance food services food purchase for there are two of them and their staff member names. We do that. I mean, is that kind of a policy or was it for personal use or is it for clubs or you know or an activity classroom use or most of the time it's for clubs. There have been a couple times where like they can order like for a graduation party to order bulk food for that, but then we should be seeing reimbursement for that. Yep. And there's nothing here for that. So So those all get lumped together. We don't pay the bill until we get the check. No, but we get we should be getting the check from the person. Correct. And that should be

011showing up. So that is included in the cash receipts. It's not one singular line item. not in the receipts in the receipts. It should show up as a line item. Everything else does when somebody pays for a lost book and it might not have their exact name on it. It might just say them for it. I don't know. I find it I don't know if we don't have any policy against that kind of thing. I don't know. I just wonder Yeah, I did. That deposit went through this week. Okay. So let's thank you. So just so I'm clear. So somebody has a graduation party, a staff member, has a party for whatever national honor, they can get their food ordered through our food service. I don't know. I I don't know. But why would they

012reimburse that if it's a because it's for their personal personal use? Yes. If it's for club, they come out of their club. Yep. Yep. Yep. Okay. Oh, I guess I had one key cards, too. Lori Kaufman, it was wilderness. Um, that would have been the single trip. Yeah, that was the remaining payment on it. I think we saw the initial couple. Yep. So that comes out of their senior class then? Yep. I assume a lot of these food things and stuff like that that go on advisor PE cards are that way where they actually end up coming out of their activity account, but we don't really know that. Yep. So a vast majority of any foods are typically for like concession stands which comes out of their club account. I'm talking about like restaurants and

013things like that. Oh, restaurants. Yes. Those are all club funds and [Music] so it's this point where I look around. I don't know if anybody's gleaning new information or just turning pages to look busy. Ready to Yeah. So I entertain a motion then to approve a motion to approve the expense vouchure receipts. I'll second motion by Earl, second by Isaac to approve this month's expense vouchures and receipts. All in favor? I opposed. Motion passes. Moving onwards then. Tonight's consent agenda includes a number of items. some minutes from uh the May uh regular board meeting. Uh board permission to seek bids for snow plowing uh snow removal, bread, milk, and meat for the coming school year. Uh 2526 WA membership, which you see in your packet. And the best thing we approve every month, a donation,

014uh, lumber for the baseball concession stand deck from Ross Carpenter. Many thanks there. Uh, a couple trips being planned. Summer high school boys basketball trip. Looks like uh, next, what would that be? Monday and Tuesday. Uh, basketball tournament in Wisconsin Dells. And then a music trip to Pennsylvania, DC, and New York. next spring. Uh, the one comment I'd make is I don't know who puts the summaries of the music, band, and choir trips together, but they are comprehensive. That's Greg or Greg and Catherine. I really appreciate that detail because when I first saw 1,500 bucks, I'm always worried that's going to be exclusionary that, you know, I think, but then he said, you know, previous fundraising, the average that students have in the bank already is nearly 800 bucks. So, they work hard to make

015that affordable. So, anyway, kudos to I guess Greg and Katherine put a lot of time into that. Can I ask a question on the basketball trip too? We had we did not have a lot of detail on that one. We had about four lines. Um and the cost was obviously nothing like the trip. But is that another one that gets paid for out of their club club and do we provide trans? I don't know how many kids are going. So do they transport themselves? I think he was planning to take a like a or something like just a school van. So the school is for the school van. Yeah, but I think that was it. I don't think there's anything. And else it is it summer basketball this year? I know I was at the

016bus fun and your party and Jeff said he had just that day gotten requests for I thought he said bus, but maybe he just meant trans vehicle or something for it. So, are we now transporting kids to their summer league sorts of games and things, too? And is that being paid for out of their activity accounts then? or am I off on what that was? I guess I don't I mean this was the same one they did last year. This is you said this is the first year he's had it. Oh, I guess they ended up last year. He might have done the tournament. Maybe this first time they maybe that's the first time they trans but no they play in the league like every week. So they they go themselves. So you know that

017one I think being that it's over a weekend type thing. I think that was probably the thing. But yeah, we could certainly follow the first and see on that. He he didn't have the per student cost but it seemed well he had two numbers but one was $300 and something dollars. It sound like it was a motel but I'm going to get you going. You can't you're not going to stay in the for Yeah. a night for $300. It seemed pretty reasonable. You add that up and divide by eight or whatever. It's just a game cuts you a deal on the room. What's that? Just a game has agreements with the hotels. If you come play in their tournament, they get you probably less than 100 bucks to plus 200 bucks of food. I was

018going to say plus the food. Yeah. Any other thoughts or comments on the consent agenda? And I will entertain a motion to approve. I'll make that motion. I'll second motion by Isaac, second by Bo to approve tonight's consent agenda. All in favor? I opposed. Motion passes. Fairly brief action agenda tonight. First item being the 2526 employee handbook. Yeah, this was like 118 pages. So, I sent that to Google on Google Docs. Everybody that came a while ago, right? Last week. Yeah. So, probably was there any major changes? No, just I updated the policies. A lot of the policies were old and then so the only two things I'm waiting on is the teacher the teacher salary scale and the extracurricular pay scale. everything else that tonight. Yeah, but there was I don't think there was

019anything major just some verbage but you know punctuation or whatever. Okay, there weren't any changes to it that the board actually right but as an action agenda item we need to take action. So I'll entertain the motion to approve. Second make that motion. I'll second motion by Janet, second by Earl to approve the employee handbook for the coming school year. All in favor? I opposed. Motion passes. Next item. And Mara has nicely provided a got a calendar for us calendar for us, but we've got to establish our annual meeting date. usually go with the last Wednesday or the fourth Wednesday. One of the typically it's the last Wednesday in October just because we don't actually get a lot of our final numbers until October 15th. Okay. So going then just gives us enough time to

020update anything that needs to be updated and get it to the paper in time for it to be published. Okay. In the requirements that it needs to be um this year that's looking like October 29th. That sounds good. Doesn't do any good to try to do it earlier. Everything put together. I'll make a motion that we have our annual meeting on October 29th. I'll second. Motion by Earl, second by Isaac to approve October 29th as our annual meeting date this year. All in favor? I opposed. 7 p.m. typically wouldn't expect. And then the last thing on our action agenda, I'll point out it's 7:19 p.m. Uh the second reading of policy 5411, third grade promotion and retention at risk. And we did review this, of course, previously. We approve policy. I'll second. Motion by Janet,

021second by Isaac to approve. All in favor? I opposed. Motion passes. Moving then to ourformational agenda at not even 720. Okay. Now we've got our officers as elected in May. uh committee board assignments and Mara put in the packet the current committee membership uh if everybody's okay it would be very easy to pass a motion and say well we don't need a motion but it's your point to by consent accept this for the coming year unless somebody would like to has a burning desire to get on that busy ad hoc committee No, I think that's a good idea. They were kind of rearranged this past year and continuity kind of helps in some of these. Oh, yeah. Sounds good across the board. All right, move forward as such. Next up, Andy's gonna present the 2425

022AG report. Andy, so it looks a lot like last year because I used the same colors and just changed the data. Um, the thing that sticks out is you look at second grade and we alluded to it a little bit last year that that class went in with a whole bunch of needs and they started out in the reading with 45% high risk and 47% high risk and we cut that in half to 23% of those kids are high risk. There's and I just because I was curious I pulled out last year's AGR report and the same thing happened in second grade. Not the exact same numbers in second grade or this happened to these kids in first grade. No, it happened the third graders in second grade started. It was they weren't as that

023high. It was like 35%. The trend, but by the end there are 15. So something that we're doing in kindergarten and first grade that when they hit the second grade, everything pays off because we're taking a whole bunch of kids that are really struggling and helping them out a lot. And part of that this and I part of that is the two second grade teachers we have do an extraordinary job. We also have Mrs. Bon Ruden. We have Mrs. Sverson. Um there's a lot going into that, but it isn't somewhere. We're setting the right foundation in kindergarten and first grade to make that happen. Would I like to see it happen a little bit sooner? Yep. And I think with the changes we've made with the um UFly reading stuff that we've everybody's been trained

024in, I think you're going to see that really start to take off. Um and then with the mass stuff, like I said before, I don't like to do a lot of things at the beginning. I'd rather do a couple things right. We got the behaviors. The data shows that we really got that straightened out this year. Um certainly going in the right direction. I feel like math and we'll talk about the forward stuff next month or August whenever we get to talk about the forward stuff. There's some really nice huh November maybe there's some really good data there that shows that um made a lot of kids made a lot of progress and I was in contact with the Lancaster elementary school because they on their forward results their math stuff is in the 80

02580th 80% of their kids are meeting or exceeding and we're going to send a group of teachers down there and he's going to send some people up here and we're going to kind of steal with some of the stuff they're Some of it we already are. I just think we can learn from then and do it a little bit better. So, there's a lot of stuff. There's a lot of stuff on here that I think we're doing a really, really good job with. And if you have any questions, I would happily try to answer them. Mine is who sets the fast bridge performance objectives? Is that something we have control over or is that a statewide number they put there? Kim had them and I just followed what she said. Oh, it seems like we

026we absolutely achieved none of them in spite of everybody's hard work and stuff. We achieved none of them. I don't know if we've ever had a report where we actually achieved the objective. And I think I just got to ask why you would keep why not look at this year's numbers and put a reasonable well thing that you could actually say we did it. For me, the 80 the 80th percentile, if we could get all of our kids at that point on the forward exam, it may be aspirational, but that's where I want I want 80% of our kids to score meeting or advanced on on it. Yeah. And as long as we're making progress towards that, I'm okay with that. I get what you're saying, Jen. I don't necessarily disagree, but I don't want

027maybe it was a state number they just put in there. Well, I think there's a little bit, Kim, is there with Fastbridge that was part of the That was their recommendation for so we stuck with me. I would have just taken it because once you have guess yeah Janet if you look at se if you look at first grade math we're at 70% low risk. We're getting pretty darn close. Yep. Yes we are. I know that too. That's one kid Janet. That's one kid. And that's the other thing we always keep in mind is one kid makes a huge thing. But uh yeah, the next one down after that though was 59. So the highest we got besides that was 59. So generally things move in the right direction though. But if you look at

028second and third grade, they're pretty stagnant or even over the course of the year behind. What's the Well, first let me ask you be careful looking at the numbers too. Andy, let me let me ask you. So the you pointed out a case where things really improved the over second grade. Second grade. Yeah. They cut in half. Yeah. Because 45% on high risk went down to 23. So yeah. And 24% low went up to 40. So you want your low risk to go up in your high-risisk commitments. It's kind of hard to look at these if you don't know. Yeah. To really think through. And third grade remembers that transition from learning to read to reading to learning. Thanks C. So like kindergarten math went from 4% higher risk to 22%. Yes. And that's and

029Amy and I talked about that. No, let let me back up. Okay, I'll answer yours. Where we're showing progress. Why are we showing progress? Like in my mind, we've got effective teachers in the classroom. We've changed the curriculum. The curriculum, your eyes talking about that, Andy. We're doing this new thing. Yep. And we've also invested in interventionists. Yep. Are all those kind together? Yes. And I the biggest thing with the curriculum and I talked about this at our staff meeting is we started that we got trained in the middle of January. Bless you. And we started that in the beginning of February. When you look at how many lessons people probably actually went through, it was probably it might it's hard to say we even got 50 lessons in. By the time you had field

030trips and everything from the time we got started, it was really a quarter. And if you if you went around and you asked each kindergarten, first and second, and third grade teacher what they think of you flying, is it going to make a difference? Yes. Are we stuck where I think it's going to make the biggest difference is in these kindergarten numbers because we're playing catch-up with the second graders and the first graders because they didn't have that foundational phonics that they needed. My hope is that as they move forward that next year's kindergarteners, it's going to be more like 65% of them are low risk and only 10 or 15% are high risk because they're and they're kind of the other thing with the ACT 20 is me doing the um what's the word

031I'm looking the progress monitoring every week is it's pretty easy to see which kids are making progress. and which kids aren't. And I can tell you that every kid even that is in the high risk in second grade has made a ton of progress. Did they make enough progress to score three points higher on FastBridge to get out of that out of to get to a different thing? No. But I can I have it all. It's all on you fly. There's kids that started in January that were reading 14 words a minute that are reading 25 or not 20, some of them 25, but 45, 55, 65 words a minute. And that's happening because of everything that's happening in the classroom. The first grade, the kindergarten drop because, and I went and asked Amy that,

032and this is where we're going to get to that math part of it, but when she does in kindergarten, they still the teachers ask them that there's a jump in fastbridge at the last quarter where the math is they spend more time, the test asks them to add 10 plus 8. and and our math curriculum doesn't do that yet. And like Amy said, she goes, "They're not going to do well on it because they haven't seen it, right? Gets harder." So, that's part of that. And I've gone around and I've asked more of those questions like, "What happened here? What happened there?" Yeah. It gets a little harder in second and third grade to make bigger jumps because they're farther along. I think we get more bang for our buck and we can make bigger

033changes in kindergarten and first grade. and the first grade. That's there's a group of kids in there that strugg that have struggled and I've read with them every week. There's also there's about four or five kids in the middle that I think are really close to taking off and we've talked about one of them. We're going to going to take off next year. So, that number is going to drop because I've watched their progress monitoring from January till May. I've watched them improve. That's that is the one thing that I like about Act 20. I like the progress monitoring because that still gives me a chance to be with kids at least one or two days a week and I get to read with them and I actually get to watch if it's going up

034or down and it's going to streamline how we do special ed because it's getting it's pretty easy after 12 or 14 or 18 weeks to say to Katie, we've tried different stuff and this kid is not getting any better and then it's a learning disability. So that's forced us and I'm I said at the staff meeting I only get nervous when I think things are going good. I feel really good about how things are going in elementary and that's not easy for me to say because that's not my personality as some people well know. I if I think it's really going to pay off here in the next year, two years, but we're going to see some really good results. Well, kudos, you know. Well, I wish they were better, but so back to my

035original question, like with those improvements in some of the grades, you look at like third grade reading began the year 11% high risk, end of the year 11% high risk. You know what? On the flip side, what's the hold up there? Is it mostly behavioral issues or is it It's kind of where they are, I think. And that's not a great answer. Yeah, a lot of times it's in the automaticity because they're expected to have mastered and then the speed of how they how fast they read or what you know in third grade it's um reading to learn but even in kindergarten I know that we would assess that they know the material but the speed at which they're producing it wasn't meeting the standards for the tests that we were we were giving. Um,

036okay. And we're gonna the other thing and Kim and I have talked about this is Jim who has helped us with some of our reading and behavior stuff from CISA. Jim wants to help look at some curriculum and make sure that we're focusing like we did with our to go to UFI to focus on foundational skills of reading. He wants to help us make sure that we're focusing on the most the most important part of our inter reading and our reading curriculum to make sure that we're hitting those key skills which we have. But it's like anything else is our reading curriculum has everything you need to teach reading. Honing into what are the two or three most important things is a is really hard for teachers to do sometimes on their own. I've tried

037to help, but I think that's where Jim's experience is really going to pay off. And that's when I talk, it's like talking to the guy from Lan, it's also the guy from Lancaster's brother-in-law, but he had he's helped Jim has helped them with their reading in Lancaster. And I a couple of teachers have all already asked me about can we meet with Lancaster this summer for the math stuff because I know that our math curriculum I've looked at everything not everything I've spent a lot of time looking at different stuff of how to get kids to understand math not just follow the trick but understand it conceptualize it so that they can problem solve as they go through our curriculum has Everything is supposed to happen. They're supposed to play with numbers and, you know,

038take tens and breaks and six and four. We do all of that and there's still a piece missing where we don't where the kids don't get it and understand it. And Brad made a really good point. He goes, "If your kids in third grade aren't at grade level, you've just cut off different avenues of their life." Because if they're in third grade and they're they're going to struggle in math, they're probably going to struggle in fourth grade and they're going to struggle in fifth grade and they're never going to take algebra 2. And if you're a farm kid who really likes animals, you're not going to be a vet because you can't pass algebra 2. So, you're cutting off kids chances for what they can do in life if you don't get them there in

039third grade. Like I said, we behaviors we got. I feel really good about the reading. And now the next part is let's get the math. and he he does some stuff with some thinking classrooms that I've that I taught in fifth grade that I used and I think when we talk and listening to the staff they see that that's the next part and there's some schedule stuff we can do but I think that's really going that's going to be the difference and when he said that yeah it makes a lot of sense because they are if you can't you're cutting kids off if they're not at grade level at the end the third grade is that and I'm sure it's handled in the classroom so that it doesn't but does treating kids differently by providing

040an interventionist or extra homework or more time does that in any way stigmatize them and impede their confidence in terms of I don't I don't I think it's the opposite because when they go to Mrs. Von or they go to Tracy and then they start to succeed they have more confidence. Okay. Yeah, they're not. And nobody downstairs gives them extra work as a punishment because they don't understand what they're doing. Okay. Yep. And they love coming to the office to read for me. So, I don't think that's a bad part because we screw around all the way down there. So, um No, I don't. That's a good question, Scott, but it's not. Yeah. I think it only builds our confidence. Good. Anything else? Just a comment about when Kim was sitting in your chair, we

041talked about a graphical way of present. I don't know if you remember that. Um, if you'd be interested, we're going to talk about that relative age thing at some point. Maybe we'd look at a way to present this to the board. So, it's graphical instead of tracking numbers left to right. Yeah. Just an easy an easier way to look at it. Yeah. So, you look and say, "Boom, that's going up, that's going down." Yeah, we can. Then we can actually there's some his we could follow the grades across too. Yeah. Cuz like the third grade you saw last year second grade and that standard isn't static, right? Like the assessment throughout the school year, the expectations to Yeah. They have to score higher. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, it's a moving It's a moving It's a

042moving goal, which makes it more challenging. The kids I mean, you can really see improvements, but they're still not meeting expectations cuz the expectations are that's especially challenging. And I to show my ignorance, what the hell is CDMR? I was going to ask it's words per minute. It's words read per minute. So, that's it's like a time one minute reading. So, it's how fast how fluently they can read in one minute. And they have to read the glove. Yep. Because you don't know. Yep. No, they're reading it alone. So what's interesting is this is the bassbridge CBMR which is words per minute. For the act 20 we have to use as web. They're really they're close. They're supposed both they are both supposed to be nationally normmed. They're pretty close but they're not exactly the

043same. So if we used Ames web would it make our data look a little better? 80 and some kids some not just anyway we have the only thing that the state looks for act 20 is to see if they need a reading plan or not is the CVM in third grade second grade and first grade so actually the like the where it just says reading they don't even look at that or they don't care which is not necessarily a great indicator either because some kids read really fast and don't know what the hell they read. Yeah, but according to the state, they wouldn't need to read the plan. So that's why and I've got a thing with the forward and Ames web and fast bridge that I'm putting all together to kind of see how

044they all relate to each other. And then I took the subtest of the forward to see if we can find gaps on our forward test where okay, we're not teaching this specific thing. And that's kind of a question for Jim too when he comes and talks to me. So at one minute they read a lot. How do you handle that with a kid with an IEP who may well according to the state reading is fine or speech problem. Well for act 20 there is no exception. They just read or don't read. So we I said well there's a young third grade girl that she read one word. She read a high. But yeah it doesn't it doesn't make any sense for them to have to read it. But that's the way it's set up for

045act 20 for like Aaron said for the forward they have exceptions and there's stuff they can do and same for bridge a little bit. Anything else Andy? Very good. I always really like to see this stuff. Any other thoughts or comments? To me, this just encapsulates why we're here, right? I mean, behind each of those percentages are 20, 25 kids that are going to be adults and have their potential defined in part by what happens here. So, these are, I always think, really important reports. Thanks, Andy. I'll speak to that as a father thinking about my daughter how she started, you know, and you think your kids's going to be fine and everything until you start comparing them to other kids that are able to do all these things, you know, it's like why can't

046my daughter read like them, you know, what if we mess up and it's people like Andy and and it's not me, she just reads like a spend extra time with them. was such a big deal and to be able to catch them up and just think that's awesome because you look at the data of them thinking about my daughter struggling and then trying to catch up the whole year and now you know we have the subtitles on watching TV and she's able you know it's just pretty awesome stuff you know you guys just awesome that's what education's all about but I guess to that end that's what I I'd love to see when you start talking about tracking the kids across the years and stuff like that I mean to some point like the numbers

047here they aren't telling a story you know in my mind but I think you're you're telling a story which is a good story and you know I think having that kind of stuff to kind of see how they go year over year if the purpose of the numbers is to show somebody else or that you know that I think there's value in that you know at some point you have other things to focus on but that's what I love to just be able to kind of share your message kind of beyond the narrative well and the AGR thing is is what we have to fill out for the state. Yeah, I know. And that, you know, and that's I don't think it's that's kind of and that is that's why I'm playing around with the

048the forward exam and the a since we have to use Ames web and we have to use FastBridge and we have the forward. I would like to see how that and I could Aaron want me to be quiet, but I'm going to tell you this. There are four kids in the third grade according to Fastbridge and Ames Web are all above the 65th percentile. And when they took the forward exam, they must not have cared because they both all four of them scored as below meeting expectations. So on our state report card, we're going to have instead of whatever percentage is meeting or exceeding, we're going to have four kids that are going to drop a percentage. And four of them, there's no doubt, they've never flagged for anything. They've never been low at anything.

049They just got the state test and were like either they didn't care. I'm serious. I mean there's there's no way those four kids and that's and all that goes into the data which doesn't show. It sucks because those kids shouldn't be there. But what we could do Isaac and and we used to do this on the board report and it got a little bit confusing. You probably remember this J. We used to put a category at the end that showed their scores the previous two years where they fit in. So maybe this year what we could do is we could actually have pick each grade and show it from so we take the seventh grade class and we could show their scores every year proficiency all the way up through. Would that be helpful? You

050know what I mean? Then you can see that would tell your but we only have two years now of forward. That's true. You only go back one year. You're right. So that would because they changed it. But that essentially if that would be the continuity that's kind of what you're looking for, right? Okay. And I do have the other one sitting in my room. If you want to look at it afterwards, or you can look at last year's, you can slide them up, see what happens. Now, I I we've talked about this before. I think it would be neat to look not at static numbers, but at individual scores and change and compile that in a way that shows how students are improving across school years. I think we've talked about that a couple times.

051And it would be, well, we've only got two Is anybody I assume before they implemented this new test they did some kind of standardization to show that the two are yeah yeah as web was picked because it is nationally standardized and we use fast bridge because it's standard but those two tests so we two years ago we switched from one to the other that's forward forward is also nationally normed that's the state of Wisconsin one change the cut scores but they change the cut scores so you can't compare past Okay, I know they're Yeah, they don't want to show all these numbers, but you'll never make sense of them because the same again. But we've got two years of data to look at that. Like Isaac, I'd be really curious to see, you know, on

052an individual student level. Not that we report individual scores, but how things are changing one year to the next. Well, growth is motivating and I think that's what we identify there and I mean I can tell you after the last four months today marks my fourth month. um every day what was motivating was to identify the growth and so I think that speaks volumes that you want to see growth and I think that's motivating for teachers too because you do get stuck thinking I'm not getting anywhere and I mean I could have done that but you have to find something there's there's growth and that is what um is motivating and makes you feel good so and I think that's what I'm trying to say too is like it's less about the numbers and even

053if they don't match year over year it's like you want to be feel. It's not because I question that we're doing the right thing. It's because I just, you know, I want to make sure we're telling the best story to everybody else that this is what happened here. And I do question it all because I want to know if the stuff we're doing is making a difference, you know? I Yeah. Seriously, that's just the way I want to see if okay, does has this made a difference? And that's where the frustrating part for me is the fact that I don't think the state test always shows exactly how much growth they made. Yeah. You know, and even on the fast regular days that some kids are just like, "Yeah." You know, and you can you

054can there's a way to tell how long they spent on it. Got that done in six minutes. That's Oh, jeez. But it it does go back to a degree with what Andy said about when Jim said if they're not here by third grade, we're cutting them short. I mean, with that, you're going to see you're not going to see a lot of in first grade, they were incredibly low and third grade, you know what I mean? They skyrocket. I mean, that you see it a lot more in first through third. Yes. Rather than from third on. So by the time they get to third, you're probably going to see some changes, but it's not going to be like a, you know what I mean, a crazy amount. And I think that's the part going back

055to what he said. By the time they get to third grade, there is at least some level set of progress. And you can certainly improve, you can certainly not improve, but it makes it that much more difficult to completely. And that's and that's why I hope that the the stuff we're doing in kindergarten and first grade sets the foundation that everybody at the end of third grade is at 80 is higher because then third grade isn't trying to catch people up. You're not trying to catch up in fourth and fifth grade. You're you're supposed to be So are we doing a new math curriculum? Is that how long do you want to be here? He was trying to get nothing. No, I No, I don't think so. Because when I Brad and I probably talked

056for 45 minutes and in part of the conversation, I just said I go, I'm going to ask you what you're using, not because I want to steal it. I just want to know. And he goes because they the school wasn't and there was an NP article article about him. Eric agreed back like, "Hey, you got to call this guy. Do you know him?" And I'm like, "Actually, I do. Sherry sent it to me." I'm like, "Would you leave me alone? I'm trying to plant corn. Anyhoo, when I because he's Jim's brother-in-law, Jim said, "You guys need to talk." He said this way before. He thought we'd get along. And Brad said, he goes, "I've had four other schools call me and I wouldn't tell him what I used." He goes, "Because it's not the curriculum."

057He told me what they used. He goes, "They use math expressions." He goes, "I took CESA sent out a thing what everybody's using." He said, "I took everybody using math expressions and there's 32 schools in the 31." 31. He goes, "Third, fourth, and fifth are math math expressions. 17, 16, and 30, 31, and 32." He goes, "It doesn't matter. It's the people you have and how they're presenting it and what the steps they're taking to get it. They do some stuff I don't think we can do. They're big enough they can compartmentalize. I I don't think we can do that, but I think we can use some of the steps that they're using and I to make it to make what we have work better." So that's a roundabout way, isn't it? I don't think

058we need a curriculum. I think we need to just kind of change what we're doing. People, not programs. Yes. Well, but how many years has it been since we went through that dramatic change in math curriculum from whatever it was called Aurora Math to Eureka Math? This is at least. Yeah, we did. It's been a while. It's been a while. Yeah, because that was 10. It seems like lots of discussion. I remember coming down to one of the Yeah, when we had the meeting in the auditorium. Yeah, it's probably been six years, five years. Six to six to eight I would say roughly all of that. But you you are confident the the curriculum we're using has the I think it's just a matter of figuring out. Yep. It's definitely been a lot more continuity

059to it with scores and not all place. Our math scores have definitely gone up for sure. Yeah, math scores look good generally. But I No, I think it's there, Janet. I just there are some tweaks I think we can make from an instructional standpoint that I think will make a difference. So, how do you motivate the kids to focus? I know this is an impossible question. So, you get the the best candy. I I offered ice cream. I did. I said if everybody's fast bridge scores everybody whose fast bridge scores go up I will bring you ice cream. I what I'm not mean enough not long just long as they tried their hardest. Everybody got to rip your float. I don't think it makes a difference. There are days when kids are going to do

060their best and but you got to remember our population too. Did they get fed last night? What happened at home? Was mom you know there's so much that goes into it. Yeah. That's where I get frustrated with the test score sometimes. And you mentioned Amy was aware that scores were going to change or the scores aren't going to do as well because they hadn't even done that. Right. So the the date the test is given that statewide or something. No, this for this we just pick it in. There's a fine line with the fast bridge. So you try to do it in the spring, but you start getting a little in May, you don't get a very good score either. You know what I mean? Because the kids by second I did that one time

061in fifth grade. I gave my kids the one in May and I was just like could have punched them all. So like you guys didn't even try. But once you get to that middle of May, you're not getting good results anyway because the musical started and so you kind of got to do it and then you usually it's coming right off a state test and they're like we just got done testing. like ah yeah we'll just I'd rather do better on the state test than the fast bridge one but well very good one one last comment and then I'll shut up on this but um few years ago uh Sarah Wallace and I know she's high school but her contract was 95% English 5% reading specialist does she is there any value and a reading

062specialist helping at the elementary level. I don't there she Yeah, she has come down and she's done stuff down below. Um it's really hard for her with her time to be that she doesn't have enough time to really go into it. And honestly, with Jim's input, he's really good. I mean, he's he's helped me see, and that's the next part is to we wouldn't have made the if he wouldn't have if I wouldn't have asked him for his help, we wouldn't have made the changes we made this year. We wouldn't have I we were we would have tried different stuff and other I'd still be grasping at straws, but he gave us the tools to figure out where our where our biggest weakness was, and we've tried to fix that. And now our next one

063to try to help the scores. The next part is to make sure that we're getting now that we have the foundation is to make sure that everybody's hitting the right skills to go forward. Yeah. And what you only had for half of the year this year, you are going Yeah. We'll have you fly the whole way through. And remember some of those third graders, they started if there's a hundred, let's say there's a hundred UFly lessons, some of those third graders started like on lesson 15 because they were missing those the schwa sound and different blends where the first graders were already doing that. You know, they're we're trying the third grade were trying to back fill with some of those kids. The second grade were and it paid off for the second grade. And

064that's where I think, well, if the kindergarters get all 100 lessons and the first grade gets it, should work. So, so the reading specialist thing, do we have to have a reading specialist legally? Yeah. Okay. Because I and because if because if because we aren't going to do it on staff I because I just asked because I remember looking through that DPI the administrative part of the database and everybody all the districts I used to look at there was always administrator and principles and psychologist I think might have been there I don't know but reading specialist was always there and in the RCSA oh 90 I don't know how much most of the time it was a a southwest tech Oh, so we must be able to just I don't remember seeing that as a

065complying item, but there must be some What does that mean? Contract just means we contract with some of us for it and you get whatever you need for you're covered. You have your Yeah. And I'm sure they offer some kind of service. Interesting. Can All right, this is my last question. Do you get the feeling these kids are, not to point at Kim again, but I remember when my older kids were young, there was the reading 20 minutes a day thing, which was a pain, by the way, every night you're reading. But, you know, they read every day. You get feeling kids now with cell phones and whatever are sitting with books and my hope is the little ones don't have cell phones yet. Yeah. cuz that's my biggest fear. Um, no, but that's on

066one of my list of things to do is try to come up with some whether it's tape the principal to the wall or do something to try to have them read more. But every teacher there has a thing. First grade is read 20 minutes. Second, you know, they everybody has something set up for their kids to read every day. So, are they last? Are they checking books out from the library? Yep. Like, so they're taking books. Okay. Anything else? Thank you, Andy. Again, this is really needy stuff. Uh, moving to something as meaty. 2526 preliminary budget. Alison All right, my little caveat before I get going is that we don't have a lot of concrete numbers yet. So, this is just our best projections with the knowledge that we have so far. And I know

067that this is going to change before we actually finalize it in October. And right now, there's just a lot of unknowns, but this is what we have with our best um estimates and the knowledge that's out there for now. Um, so starting at the top, we'll go through our general fund and this is our fund 10. This is our main fund that we use. A lot of our stuff goes through um going down through our revenues. So our transfers in source 100. This is um indirect revenue from our idea grant. We always budget this and if we need it, it's there. In previous years, we haven't used it because we've had enough other expenses in IDA that we don't need to transfer it in. Um, it's a grant that we get. It's a f federal

068grant. I've heard it for a long time, but I cannot tell you what that stands for. Yeah, most of the time it's I think actually all the time it's used for um special education expenses, disabilities. Um and then moving down to local sources which is source 200. Um these are our tax lovey dollars. So that's where a vast majority of that is coming in. There is a small amount like whenever we have to host um whenever we get to not have to a WIAA regional event for any type of sport that money goes in that source 200 as well but very very small amounts compared to our our tax levby dollars. That is mostly our property tax. So the increase is $400,000 of new referendum. Yeah. Correct. So $400,000 more coming out of our taxpayer

069pockets. So, thinking about that line at the annual meeting, we, you know, the referendum passed with stepwise $400,000 increases, but part of our messaging was we're not going to let you if we don't need to. And then it was the first year we have to, but we may not. And now the second year we're having to. So, there might be some messaging you need to consider. Yeah. There's another reason we have to also that that even though we had what company bigger does that had that person here did not explain to us how that actual how that works very that's what we learned at the schoolboard convention and we weren't the only ones because the booth was very busy after but anyway we we we're going to have to we might as well just be

070upfront about it. No, I agree. We don't one year. We could never leverage any more than we did that year. That first year. Yeah, you explained that nicely. So, but but still base. Yep. And it must have built the base some, but it's just maybe a different path than some folks. Whoever out there in our constituency is tracking this, they may remember the messaging and question it. So, but I think it's fully justified. It would have been I don't know silly not to. We would have been responsible if we didn't play. I think that's the key word responsible. That's I absolutely agree. But my point is that trying to get the votes for the referendum we were suggesting that after that first year we may not have to. Somebody might point at that and suggest

071that. So Scott, I think the thing you have to look at is the next four lines that Al is about to present where our state and federal funding is decreasing from last year. That's right. Yeah. So So as much as that's increasing our re our tax base, you know, we we don't have a choice. We still don't have enough. That's right. That's not when you get down to the bottom with total revenue. Even though we're going to tax our taxpayers $400,000 more, we're only generating 200 less than $220,000 of an increase because we're having to use that referendum money to make up for the losses that Isaac just pointed out. That's correct. Unfortunately, we always hope it's different, but maybe we'll get some really good good news, but I'm not holding my breath too much.

072But as far as planning a budget, I I I think you're following everything I've heard of CIS. So, regarding those four lines, largely federal money, you're making some predictions here. How certain are those? Like, where are you getting those that information? A lot of it is through other business managers and um CISA. Right now, all of the messaging I've gotten is to keep your grants at about where where they are this year. The only preliminary grant information that we've gotten thus far is for title one. And that one came in I think this year we got $350,000. Next year it's coming in at 346 is the estimate that we've got. $4,000 left AC less approximately. But otherwise, I haven't heard anything on any other grant, but I will keep on rolling if that's okay with

073everyone. Y um so next on the list is the interd district payment sources 300 and 400. The vast majority of this is our open enrollment in revenue that we receive. Um, then going down to intermediate sources, source 500. This is just Carl Perkins. That's the only thing that goes in there is Carl Perkins. I have learned a little bit more on that. And with our Carl Perkins grant, since we get under I think it's $10,000, we have to go into a consortium for it. So CISA 3 handles it. So I report everything to CISA 3. And when you're in a consortium, they also take a cut of the grant for administrative fees. But it's under 10,000. we have no option but to go into it. Um so one day if we do end up getting

074more then it would kind of be a twofold of getting an increase in grant because we could handle or I could handle everything in house and then not have to pay that overhead cost for it. Um next on the list is state sources. So these are all of the state aids we get. The biggest chunk probably being our equalization aid, but it also um includes like our high cost transportation. Um we have another SAGE grant in there. Um but yeah, most of it is just that equalization aid. Um then going down our federal courses. So these are all of our title grants. And this one we're going to see a very big decrease because last year we still had a little bit of extra funds and this year we have $0. Um, we had roughly

075$150 or $150,000 in ESSER funds that we spent between July 1st and September 30th. And that is officially done, wrapped up. No more esser. Then the last revenue for fund 10 is all other sources. This is just some miscellaneous revenue. It's some um insurance dividends that we get. If we were to sell a bus, that revenue would go into this source. Um, so that brings our total revenue projection for next year to 8,18,543. Then looking down at expenditures, um, that first line item is for instruction function 100,000. And this is kind of just what it says it's it says it is. It's all type of teacher expense expenses, salary benefits, classroom supplies, um, everything incorporated into that. Um then going down is support services function 200,000. This includes all administration costs. Um our bus drivers,

076our custodians, any office staff, um school psychologist, that's all lumped into there. Um it that's also in there. Then going down to nonprogram transactions. Um this includes our open enrollment out payment that we make. Um, it has vouchers. If we ever, um, if a student ever were to take a college course that we would reimburse for that, that would come out of here as well because there's a couple different places that we or that they can go. Um, but yes, the biggest piece of that is our open enrollment help payment that we make. And then that brings us to um a balanced budget of $8,18,543 in expenses for next year in fund 10. Then moving down to the special projects fund. This includes fund 21 and sorry can I Yeah. So that budget the expenses

077include what we talk about projected salaries. Mhm. Okay. Yes. Yep. Um, yes. Moving back down to special projects. Fun 21 and fun 27 are included in this. So, fun 21 is our includes any gifts. Really, the biggest thing in here is our Griffin fund. Um, we also run any scholarships through here. Overall, our fund 21 is relatively small that we account for for revenue that we're really going to get in. Um, fund 27 is the biggest piece of this. Um and that is our special education fund. Um fund 27 has to be zeroed at the end of every year. This is where a big chunk of our um fun 10 and I should have mentioned this before in our fun 10 nonprogram transactions. This is also our um fun 10 to 27 transfer goes there.

078Um so that is a big chunk of that expenses in this special projects fund is that 1027 transfer. Right now with the information that I have um it is projected that we will have a fund 27 transfer of $889,368 which is up from this year by $81,66. $800,000. Last year we transferred 6 and something total, right? Yes. Last fiscal year 600,000. This year was projected to be 87762,000. Next year is the 889,000. Almost 900. Yes. Almost. So we could say No, we can't. Never mind. Any word? We were talking about the bial state budget and Kim was talking about the minimal maybe increase to 40% I think it was and special ed reimbursement. Do we know where that's at in the legislature? They're pushing for it. Everything I've heard is don't count on it. So

079when I've been doing my projections, it's still at the what we're getting now. And actually right now they say we should be getting close to like 30 or 33%. In actuality, it's coming in closer to 27%. Because of how they fund it. So, yeah, we can always hope for more, but yeah, everything I've heard is don't hold your breath that it's going to jump up any it's going to kind of stay where it's at. I think that budget hearing is tomorrow, so maybe some of that will be a little more concrete. I don't know. I think they want to go for more of the high cost instead of just the special ed. Yeah. Which is Yeah. High cost. High cost. What is that actual term? So high cost for special education is any student that

080costs more than $30,000 every year. So then it would just be another um form that we fill out to get extra reimbursement for them. Would we have such students in a typical year? Yes. Yeah. Because that go to [ __ ] So we would but ideally I mean it's to go for the Yeah. special ed increased but and actually at the last conference that I was at they did a whole presentation on the high cost special education system and they were like even if you don't think it's going to make it put them in there because you never know like there are things that come up like little things that you don't think about but it it adds up. So that was my biggest piece of advice is we just need to every kid that we have

081put them in this system and yeah little things and then that's another way for the people above us to know that you know there are a lot of kids out there that are either over that 30,000 or just about to that 30,000 and it's more of that message of we need more funding or another message and what are they proposing they will do for in most cases for high cost. Yeah, that's still up in the air right now because right now they'd just be included in everything and we're only getting we're supposed to get 30 some% and we're getting 20ome. So what are they saying that if you have one of these cases they're going to pay more per on that? We're gonna Yes. And I can't remember they're not saying how much. I think

082that there is an exact percentage but that is something that's being discussed. It's tomorrow it's they're going to talk more about it. This was just kind of it would be nice if they just pegged it as an additional whatever on the other and then you set a number and then it never changes. So we cost per student there there is a um program out there that yes you can I think it's with wise somewhere so I need to do some digging but yep there's a there's a program out there that you can add in a student with their um wise ID and then you can tag like this person had a one-on-one parah to help with their needs and then you can tie that parah's salary and benefits to that student and then that would

083help with it but and that kind of brings up some of things that came up yesterday at our negotiations meeting too. We we'll we have to be careful that we are billing all costs that we can to special ed. So whatever percent of the site colleges time is spent on or with special ed kids or doing IEPs and stuff that all has to be care tracked so that you know even if we aren't going to get paid more than the 20% let's be able to justify no it's really 30%. you know, and I I wonder what I suppose it's got to be out there on the DPI site somewhere. Our number of students that you know, I don't know definition of special ed, does that mean I have an IEP? I'm special ed. If I

084don't have an IEP, I'm not 504 plan. Yeah. Okay. So, if that's the definition, then is there somewhere out there? What percent of kids do we have that's in that category? Are we higher than than normal? I think we're like 17. Yeah, there's roughly spended $800,000 and I think we're less than 17% of 500 kids. I double check that, but it's right around 17* 5 is maybe I'm low on that sound right off of that. I think No, I think it's relatively close. I think under 20. Right around 17, but I think there would only be 85 kids. We're spending $800,000 on 85 kids. There's I don't know if it's even 85 kids. Well, I just roughly said Yeah. No, I'm just He said 17%. No, no, I'm just thinking how many more than that

085even more mind. Yeah. No, we can double check that percent. Pushing 80 and that's it should show right on our Is that what it is? Pretty close. Yeah, cuz when I did the child count. Okay. So, that's pretty close, so I think she said 80. So, more than I thought. I was closer than I thought. You were doing that here pretty close. But yeah, I don't think we're I mean, just in looking through like other districts when they have the report card, you know what I mean? And the free or whatever. Yep. Um we're we're not in the higher realm. I know that. Um, um, and I did have a conversation with Katie earlier today and she was going to look into some different programs for the students that would be a cost savings to

086us, but it's just making sure that the pro whatever program they're in fits the needs. So, she's she's looking and hoping she can find something that would use that a little bit. Does she track her time? Like that's $10,000ish per special ed student, but does she if we're going to identify students that are costing us more than $30,000? Is Katie tracking her time from 1:15 to 2:00? I met with this student and that dollar value her that portion of her salary goes to some spreadsheet so we can have we haven't get that. No, but Jan did bring that up yesterday of what percentage we can actually bill. And I think like the 20% is I just think that's like a standard number that we can do, but we were going to check to find out

087if it's more, could we actually bill more? But I think that's secretarial time. I think that's a standard everybody, you know. I I don't know how you look for those kind of things. Well, they must have some plan if they're this what is it called? High cost high cost special education aid. They must if they're going to reimburse schools at a higher rate for individual students that cost more than $30,000, they've got to have some way to measure that. So, did they ever mention anything that that's high cost on individuals? Did they ever mention anything about overall cost for the school based on your your enrollment or something and how much you're spending or how much you have to spend per student even if it's not over 30,000 that if you just spread it over

088your whole population kind of like high cost transportation or you know what it really sounds like what it really starts to sound like is our insurance now that we're sort of self-insured you have insurance for individual individual deductible an individual goes over a certain amount Well, then we don't have to pay that out of our pocket. That's our part of our consort. You know, that group we pay to belong to covers that. And then there's also the umbrella that if your whole total among everybody you're insuring gets over a certain point that kicks in. So, you know, you have like a $2 million stop. You know, if they were doing something like on both parts, maybe we could do it. But are you sure whatever they're planning in terms of this high cost reimbursement isn't

089schoolwide? I just don't see how they can tabulate that per individual student. They can. Each kid has this ID. I don't didn't know what the number was called. She said it and we have not had to be that granular right to this point. But if they start doing that that your kids have to be over 30. Yeah. Cuz we have then we have to start name upstairs. They had to hire the 84. Katie is going to see a come incoming first grader who is in Chelita now. There's two kids that not Chelita, but there's two kids that go to Coup. Yeah, they're getting I don't know. There be more kids for those kids. It's easy, right? I would guess if they did anything what is it 27% right now? Do we get reimbured? They'll probably

090up to 30. Yeah, I don't I would guess it would be something like that. I wouldn't worry about it till they actually have sold up at 3%. Yeah. Well, I mean, who knows what they'll do, but I would guess they just do a percentage over time, but maybe it's going to take and some of that it's going to take away, especially in a small school from psychologist or some of those people being able to actually do the job with the kid and having to be a half hour dragging their time. Yeah, this is Yeah, a little bit. Well, we're not the only ones, but I mean I understand. So, there's a meeting tomorrow legislature, education committee, whoever's is WSB or anybody sending lobbyists to pound fists on the podium and say, I think so. Sending

091emails to part of that was contact your legislators and everything. So, there's some lobby that just has happened. I know I saw an article about that this morning on that they're going through all the different costs for schools or special ed. Oh yeah. Yeah. I can find share with you all was I mean it's all the same stuff. So it does sound interesting. Yeah. Anything else? That's all I have in 2027 really is at the end of the year has to balance and next year I haven't heard that it's going to look any better, but we can always Well, and the other thing then at the top of your budget and you still have us not touching our fund balance this year if we have to do the $800,000 transfer. I mean, it was going

092to in April things up pretty bad. So, are there enough areas in there that we're not going to have to touch our fund balance to find $800,000 to transfer? Yep. That was originally bud budgeted this year was the transfer of $800,000 for for this current fiscal year, but we never actually see that in the budget and this in our projected preliminary. No, next month we'll have the prelim preliminary budget. This kind of thing does it ever show up in? Not in that one. That's just our quarterly budget, but in the preliminary budget that you get next meeting that will hopefully have a little more. We should have more information on um that will have a separate line item out of this is your transfer for 127 and it was shown last year at the annual

093I remember that number. So it's not a deviation from what the expectation was. Yeah. So, with that projected transfer next year, you're confident that we'll be able to balance this budget. Yep. This I put it in as a balanced budget. So, I included that almost $890,000 as an expense in our fund 10 to cover the fund 27. We're going to be able to pay for gas and teachers and so far, yes. everything that all of the gnomes that I have, but again, there's a lot of lot of unknowns. And realistically, we're not going to know I won't know for sure until October 15th as to what money we're for sure getting for equalization aid, which is our biggest aid payment. And even along those lines with the open enrollment and stuff like that, we won't

094know that more in our for sure student count until September for the third Friday count. So there there really is just a lot of unknowns. This is just a best guess at the moment. The one kind of known would be preschool and you know how many student screen? Yeah, Mar there might be a couple more show. Yeah, there's been I mean I have something there's a number of people that have contacted because they missed the deadline to do open enrollment. right now just from my guess of projected and plus adding we had eight people or eight students who I was contacted inquiring about the alternative open enrollment that starts July 1st so we're looking at 465 so we're about what we were this year if but who knows who's going to leave or if we'll

095get more but that's kind of where we're at could I ask I'm going to ask for two little bits of information next month or whenever. I mean, no no big rush, but a year ago or a couple years ago, we looked at from preK through 12 class sizes and then projected total enrollment, you know, 5 years into the future, whatever. You remember that? and just making an assumption that we stick with 27 for the next four years, but we're going to be losing some larger classes, 40s. My Coy's going to be a junior. There's 48, I think 50 in her class. Anyway, it would be really informative, especially when we start talking about state revenues to see what enrollment is going to look like over the next few years and we could get a pretty

096good grasp of that. Yeah, sure. Can we look at those? And then the second thing I'd really like to understand the special ed budget and higher resolution like this is really informative, but what is what's the cost? You know, when you we look at that specialized budget, can we break it down into staff? Yeah. And that'll actually be a little more of the preliminary budget next month as well, but I can make sure that I have it detailed at that level. It's pretty clear that's a big part what we're going to have to pay for going forward. Oh, that was quick. But you want it for five years. you want like project. [Music] Yeah, I'm thinking yeah, this is exactly the data you need. But then you can sum these is you see you know

097the 12 graduate 41 students and 27 come in next year and then the next year 48 students graduate and 27 come in. So you could just look plat total enrollment and just at this we're going to lose 41 48 32 35 and 25. All those numbers except the last are greater than our current prek enrollment. So we're going to lose, you know, made a good point. There's actually a chart I could actually run up and get it that we ran three years ago that would show. And if I remember off the top of my head, this coming year, we were supposed to be at like 420 or 425. Starting 2728, we were going on to 400 kids. Yep. And right, I'm just I could I could get it to actually show you, but it was

098three years ago. And I know this year we were like supposed to be 420 kids, and we are still staying like exactly where we were when we ran it. Open enrollment still increasing for us. Open enrollment in going up. Yep. Variable. Yeah. So, that could change, but yeah, but that projection, it just doesn't help us. It's definitely been a lot more positive than what it looked like three years ago and where we're supposed to be. Doesn't help us. Well, I'm saying like guessing that in the next five years as a decrease doesn't really help us make decisions today, though. I mean, Right. Well, I think it does. I mean, if if if we're expecting over three to four years to lose 60 students, then the fin finance committee can start to think about where we

099make up that money. Yeah. I mean, we added a staff member for next year. Now, at what point are we going to have to go the other way? I mean, it's like just even the two top ones we lose 41 48. we got right now 2732 just on the bottom and I don't know what the the other things we have to be it doesn't always it translates to yeah we're going to have to do some things looking at those numbers but also keep in mind open enrollment is great but at some point here it's going to come down to population there we have all these kids they're not ours and these when those calculations start with your population, you know, your population, then you get to add in your open enrollments open enrolled in and

100subtract your open enrolled out. But that basic number that we and maybe I'm wrong, tell me if I'm wrong. I hope I'm wrong. If that per student aid that they debate about every budget time, that's just on your students, right? Yep. So, our revenue limit is based off of our district residents and then our open enrollment in and out revenues and expenses are a separate area, right? And the state sets that amount and I'm not sure how if they've got it percentage of, you know, the regular because we don't get the full amount of aid for those open enrolled in. We get a good chunk of it, but we don't get 100%. Yes. And that is partially because most school like the per pupil revenue amount at every school is not the same. Some are

101at the low revenue ceiling and others are much more kind of um so I think that they take all of that into consideration to figure out what that amount will be. But bottom line that state per student aid that they like I say argue about every time there's budget bill every two years I guess it is is our population. Now if you just project way out and say we we have no kids here is we aren't going to exist. I mean so we also really just need our population you know what's happening are we you know you know it's great to be able to bring in but can you run a school with only 20% your own kids and relying on open enrollment for 80%. You know what was our percent of open enroll last

102year? I don't know. I know our numbers are good. 22 23 That's growing. Yeah, it's gone from Yeah. If it could stay somewhere in that neighborhood, we've already shown we're okay with it. But how low can we go? As I recall that discussion, two things saved us and kept us from getting to that really low enrollment. and Aaron talked about prek bounced a little bit as did open enrollment for five four or five years our net open enrollment was heading downward in the last couple years it's bounced back so since co it has come up but you know in terms of Isaac's comment I I know what you're saying like that's we got decisions to make now that's down the road but I think it's nice to be proactive instead of reactive at least have

103some understanding of where budgetarily we're going to be down the road. And if we look at, you know, if we do that trend, it's pretty easy math looking at current per pupil state payments, we can actually sort of predict what that budget kit will be, right? I find that stuff pretty informative. I got a quick question. So, um, with the addition of another teacher would be losing a room, right? So, did we do the 3K in the spring? We've been having discussions. If we do anything, we'll have to slide it in the Sarah's room in the Yeah. be creating. Yeah. A lot of at least twice a week. So, yeah. Yeah, we have two little classrooms. So, yeah. All righty. Well, I will keep rolling and we can move on to the debt service fund.

104So, this is funds 38 and 39. Um, these includes all of our referendum debt and non-referendum debt. Fund 38 is our energy efficiency bonds and those will be paid off in fiscal year 2028 29. and fund 39 is our pool loan which will be paid off in 2027 28. So these the end is near with those couple of of payments. And really what that is is just a taxpayer relief coming when that happens. What that says to those of you who will still be on the board then that's when you have to do your next referendum. we're going to have to find a way to get by till then because then when those the pool goes, you know, when those things are gone, that's when you do a referendum because you can keep taxes, you

105know, instead of jumping this side, it's only going to have like that much effect because debt's coming off. Mhm. So 27 28 28 29. So we might be working out all right cuz what is this? I just went right. 25 26 coming up. It's coming up. 26 27 27 28. Then after that, that 400,000 is gone. No, it's not. We still have that amount. It stays, but but we're still going to need something. I mean, everybody who does not return does return satis. you start to see we're not well considering that almost half of other things that we didn't really that fails just make up for other sources that aren't there so any more to wrap up uh that's all I have for the debt service fund and then moving down the capital projects fund

106this is fund 46 so this is money that we can set aside for whenever we have a capital projects. To my knowledge, we don't have any that will need to be addressed in the 2526 fiscal year, but we do know that within I think 5 years was the last number I heard, we'll need a new roof. Though that money can be used to help that new roof or a new section of roof. Yes. Not a full roof, just had to have when we started 46 and we're still supposed to have it. There's supposed to be a plan of a live I don't know you remember that supposed to be you have when you're establishing you have a reason for it but you had to have reason that's why and it's something that ground we started

107building out again and then I think with staff turnover here has been on hold so that's something should get back into you know yes maybe even looking at next year trying to get ahead of some of that and we may have to be using more of that too as things tighten up. Any other big Yeah, replacement big expenses building wise coming up. Really? not um we were looking at those cement steps down there um previously um having some cracks and stuff but otherwise um I think there was some talk about just like general painting and maintenance that was kind of larger numbers and chunks of that that need to happen over time point stuff. So, I mean, I still have all those kind of rough spreadsheets. I was trying to get that in the organization

108that we could actually look at and have kind of a running number. So, that's we'll put on the agenda that any other questions for Allison. I like it when numbers balance. From this point for you, it looks like it balances. All right. a little food service which is fun. I don't know if it's I have one of those. wait and get it done unless anyone has questions. Um, yeah, there's only there's only two funds left on the top of that service and community service. And I will say both of those two funds I budgeted worst case scenarios. I am not predicting the fund balance to get as low as what it's saying on here. Yeah. But I'm just waiting for the end of the year to come so I can actually get a for sure

109ending balance for this year. Do you know what? It'll be starting for next year. Um, so yeah, fun 50. It's it's showing that we're going to be very close to breaking or needing to transfer money because fund 50 like 27 can't be negative at the end of the year. You can have a positive balance but not negative. How how can they have lost this year if you're showing their fund balance going down from 125,000 to 58,000? So, how could they have lost that much money? So, part of it was um we can only have a certain amount of a fund balance. I know we were supposed to work it down, but how could they have lost that much in one year? We did buy some upgraded equipment. We had the blast chiller. What else did

110we buy? We're buying as much this year as we have other. No, that was the blast gel and there was a couple other Yeah. Yeah. Just and those were Okay. So, that would be you can look at that on their detailed line things and find out if you take that stuff out. How did they do? Because we had somebody new there this year. We got to make sure we I mean people at supervisor have to make sure that we're they're breaking if you take those special items big items out that we used to pay for out of the general fund when they didn't have much of a fun balance but they've got to at least be able to cover you know the salaries and the food and the normal stuff. And it should be pretty

111easy, right? Because inside that fund, you're going to have salaries and wages and capital equipment and I don't know. I don't know enough about when you look at that. Yes, it is closer to a break even. When I budgeted this just in case because I don't want any big surprises, I did budget like, oh, we maybe not won't get as much revenue. So, I kind of decrease that and then increase expenses maybe more than what I truly think they will be just because I don't want any crazy big surprises. And I'm with you on that. I budget that way, too. We're we're you know, let's put expenses a little more than we anticipate and let's not anticipate as much revenue. But if that's anywhere close to to going from 124,000 at the beginning of this

112year to 9,000 at the end of next year, that's there. At that point, the next year after that, we're going to be taken from the general fund to make that break even too on top of the million and a half dollars it's going to take for special ed. Another option is always to increase our lunch cost. That would be another way to increase revenue. And that's something that I think that was decided at the last meeting. We kept lunch and breakfast prices the same. So, that would be an option next year is to increase that just to help increase that revenue. Are we That's a good point because as far as I can remember every year we keep them recently anyway we've kept them the same but you go to Quick Trip things are doubling

113but that was partly why it was kept the price was kept the same because they had such a a large thing such a large are we seeing the costs of our food I assume seems like you've taken it down too far. food costs have gone up. Um, I think Heather's doing a great job of trying to keep it as as consistent as possible. She's done a lot of really good things in there this year. And and I and I can't say this for sure, but everything I've heard is we've had more kids eating this year than we have in the past. Just when I was on the interview group for her, too. She was familiar with some software that Tina had not been using to track a lot of the stuff. Okay. So, she probably

114has had better information throughout the year than anybody had before. Yeah. So, yeah. Anyway, just the concern that it's Yeah, it was supposed to be held worked down, but I didn't expect it was going to go in two years. I I don't think 9,000 is I don't think it had to go that low, but there must be some documentation and what's appropriate, but I don't know what it is. Yeah. And I could look into into what their recommendation is a DPI as to what we should keep it at, but that would be good. Probably some percent of something, but all right. Um I will move on to fund 80 then. So that's another one. It's a worst case scenario. I can say I looked at the um community service fund this morning just to see

115how we were coming in this year and we are showing a $3,000 surplus. So knowing that um our beginning balance next year is going to be higher than what it is um our revenues for it and all of our revenues for this is all just pool fees whether it's out of district water aerobic swimming lessons that has been higher than what we thought every year. Um I know last year doing the budget it was like oh you know the newness is going to wear off it's you know we're not going to have as much revenue and and they've really held their own on it. So, I'm very pleased with that. And and with this one, again, I I probably budgeted less in revenues than I could have just to for that worst case scenario. Um

116the expenditures in this is um our pool supervisor pay. Um very few supplies go into it. Um and then um yep, there's some lifeguard pay out of it. And we also um send money to support the track club every year. And I think that's a $1,000 that we send every year. Um, but yeah, my my projection is that that ending fund balance in fund 80 next year is going to be a few thousand more than what it's showing right now. Um, but this is just worst case scenario. And once we get all of our expenses in for the end of the year, then I'll have a better idea of this is what we actually did this year. And then I can go through and adjust so it's more accurate in what this is showing. And

117FYI for anybody that isn't aware of it, funding community service is not under the revenue cap that you get to um let taxes on separately and above. Yes. So if the fund balance does start to get really low, this is something that we could do that additional levy for um just to Yeah. But you have it only has to it can only cover things that are actually correct. But schools that actually like have a big pool program and all kinds of things. Who knows? Daycares. Pardon? Daycare. Yes. Girl's got their funding. You don't think? I think so. Just brought to mind where where's the news or not news on the Griffin funding in this whole So that was in that second section. Um special projects fund. It's part of fun that section is fun 21

118and fun 27. So, Griffin is lumped in with that. All right. Then, moving down the list, the package and cooperative program fund. That's not something that we currently use and we haven't used it in the time that I've been here. It's just another fund out there. Um, then going to the bottom of the page, looking at that full school levy projection for next year. Um, it's an increase of 15.96%. I did dig back through when we were running the referendum um and we projected that our total tax levy would actually be $400,000 more than what I'm showing right here. And it would have been like a 25% increase from last year or from this year to next year. Outstanding as usual. Thanks. I'm about [Music] Any other budget related questions? I have lots of budget

119discussions of course coming up. Well, moving on then. Superintendence report and Kim is here to give it. Yeah, I don't really have much in reports. Um, my kind of what I've been doing, what I continue to do for June and July until I start full-time in August is to kind of build my self back and build my knowledge back and I'm attending the meetings all the meetings that I can online um, and talking to staff. Um, so that's kind of where I'm at. just trying to do I've tried to make kind of the big moments for students and um be as present as I can um while still being true to my recovery and and not getting set back. But um gradually um trying to get back at it and and attend meetings and I'll

120like it's all initially like super overwhelming. Um so just trying to take it in pieces and and build myself back. Um, and I appreciate the staff like beyond and all of you. So, um, obviously I did not want to go through this, but when you do, it really helps to be surrounded by the right people and I definitely have been. So, thank you. So, no really reported. Sorry. Continue to approve. Trust me. Um, not much. Said goodbye to some really good staff members, Ashlin and Jenna and Trace. Um, talked to Katie today. We're going to post for Tanya's PAR job. Um, probably do interviews like the first week of July because be done with second cut and I will be back from seeing my son in Nebraska. Um, had a good end of the year

121and we have the most numbers that I've ever had for summer school. So that will be starting on July 7th, 8th, whatever that Monday is. But again, all right. Um, just another shout out again to State Track. I think if you look at the number of kids and the events and it certainly was without a doubt, I think probably the best athletic accomplishment day in Kickoo High School history. Without a doubt. So, um, pretty awesome. I think with that though, um, just the effort that's gone in from the coaches and the kids to be in the wait room on three days a week at six o'clock lifting before school, all the extras, um, which is great. So, just again, just a big shout out to all the kids and staff and everybody um, to have

122that great accomplishment. Um, scheduling stuff for next year. Um, we talked about that. Hopefully everybody got that to see um, the schedule for next year, numbers, where things are at. Um, everything really pretty consistent. The only Oh, shoot. Is that not there, wrong? I bet that didn't print either. It's not. It's not. It just ended. It just ended a little early. Yeah. Well, I know. I assume you've done it cuz I know that I got here. You want to copy it? Yeah. Okay. Do you want me to run and copy it, Marlo? So, sorry. Actually, I didn't notice it till during the meeting. So, um as far as really anything different or changes um numbers pretty consistent, you know, there's a couple classes and just understand, you know, with some of the lower level math

123with kids who can't necessarily be in upper level math courses or whatever. Some of those courses are a bit smaller. Um, one of the changes that we have not had in a while and we're going to try is that this is the first year since probably I think 2012 to 13 that we've had enough kids to do sixth grade band as a whole class as an hour. Greg has wanted that for a long time. Um, it's just been really difficult to make in the schedule because trying to keep a split doesn't really work. Um, go ahead Janet. You got a thought? No, I I it just occurred to me where is sixth grade is that middle school or not? Yeah. So then why just sixth? Why not six, seven, eight? So the the issue that

124how to play has always been the concern is that they started earlier. When the sixth graders come in, they cannot play with the seventh and eighth graders. So never mind. I've heard that first concert. So, this would give So, sixth grade band would actually have a dedicated hour each day to work. Um, so we're going to try that. I think as long as the numbers are consistent, um, it should work okay because we can have a split on the back end. Um, the other thing that we're going to look at and try um, it's eighth hour um, with a block with uh, Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Walter. We're going to try to every other day incorporate Mr. Peterson with the leadership class with those kids. I think as we look at just kids coming through

125and where things are at and their understanding of um the world as a whole and everything within it, the continuation to work within that will be good. Um on the back end that will allow those teachers um to focus on more some some more specific things on the off days um work with some kids individually in groups. Um so not a huge change. Again, we're going to try it to see how it goes, but um just trying to incorporate that in uh to do the best we can with the schedule and all the kids and meeting all the specific needs. So, other than that, I'll let you take a couple minutes to look through the the numbers and the classes. You send me the colored one. Sorry, I didn't get it. Can I send you

126the colored one? You can borrow mine for now. That'll probably work. It gives him the good section online packet. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, so you guys did actually. Okay. I saw it. Okay. Okay. Okay. Um other than that, I wouldn't say there's anything. So, is sixth grade in here too then? Yeah. Seven and eight, but I there's the English I Yep. So, right now the change would be instead of Mr. Smith having a study hall with those sixth graders. Sixth hour he'll have van which in some ways helps with another because we have a lot of kids who fifth if they're sixth graders they have study hall fifth hour and then they have study hall sixth hour and so there becomes an element of what's happening and what they're doing and trying to find some other

127things that are productive for them to work on. Um, so I'm really hopeful that this this will work out to be a good fit and it's something that we can continue to do and will be um best for the kids overall. And there will be some tweaks um as we go. There's always some schedule changes and things um and this is always a constant changing and shifting in each hour and what you can change and you get some lower numbers in a class and then you have to change it to a different class and shift some of those kids to make things work. But um again, there will still be a few tweaks, but you know, this is where this is where we are at this point in time, and it's pretty pretty solid. So,

128yeah, this is a lot. This is a This has got to be Are the just one question? I I I don't understand the schedule enough to have any real input, but if a kid wants to take a class, are they ever told it's full like or is it I don't see No, not not really ever. Um we've had some of the upper level English courses where if they haven't met the criteria or something, but not like okay, it's full. Um no, I don't I don't remember anything in a long that I can remember. kids are able to take the classes there. Yeah, there's definitely not quite like when they get to college. Yeah, you couldn't switch Heather's prep to five. Let's talk about this later. That was not a good time. Is that it? Uh,

129no. That's it basically. Yep. Okay then. I'll entertain a motion and move into close session pursuant to state statute 198 19.85 part one paragraph C concerning employment promotion blah blah blah purposes tonight summer softball helper for T-ball and eight and under softball summer volleyball camp coaches school psychologist contract teacher salary scale including teachers with extended We can administrator compensation for employees with individual contracts projections comparisons and employee longevity pay they just they don't have motion by second by Janet to move into close session. We'll do a roll call on this one. Isaac Wallace. Yes. Moder. Yes. Janet Matthysse. Yes. Bro Wallace. Yes. Scott Walton. Yes. class makes life harder. All right, we are in open session. Motion to approve Senator Helper for Tet. And I suppose summer volleyball camp coaches and Sarah Miller second motion

130second by Isaac to approve those individuals. All in favor? I opposed. Uh, make a motion that we approve the school psychologist contract as presented to us. I'll second. Motion L, second by Isaac. All in favor? I to take and make a motion to approve the teacher salary scale with with uh the steps met as presented to us. I'll second that. Motion by second by Janice to approve the teacher scale for the coming year. Roll call this one. Yeah, let's roll call that one of the things. Earl Wallace, yes. Isaac Wallace. Yes. Jan Matthysse. Yes. And the other two abstain? Yes. Yes. Yep. If you need to stop. Let's see. We're into administrative contract. Uh we'll make motion to approve the administrative compensation as presented to us. I'll second motion by second by Isaac to approve

131the administrator contracts. All in favor? I opposed. to make a compensation for employee with individual contract. Make a motion to approve contract as presented. I'll second motion barrel. Second by all in favor motion. That's it. That is it. Motion by to adjourn. Is there a second? Second by we are journ. Thank you everybody. Marley, do you want these back? Yeah, I want the I think they lost. Yeah, exact. I give them lots