WSD Board Meeting - Regular - April 27, 2026

001Good evening. I call the April 27th, 2026 school board meeting to order. It is 6:01 p.m. We are in conference room C of the Fiser Administration Building at 12121 West North Avenue. Miss Summers, please call the RO. >> Here. >> Miss Pac, >> here. >> Mr. Wadier, >> here. Miss Memor Rolland >> here. >> Dr. Worley, >> Mr. Bower >> here, >> Miss Lamers >> here. >> So we will we had on our agenda >> this sound effects. >> Um we had on the agenda originally recognition. We're going to move that to because the student could not be with us this evening. Um so we will go uh to superintendent's update. >> Thank you Dr. Worley. Um few weeks ago um we experienced more rain. Um we started the school year with um significant flooding

002that impacted Hart Park and Waltosa West. Um, recently the most uh most recent rain impacted uh Whitman Middle School. And I just want to show you a video of what it looked like. This is just if you can see this is >> this is that seventh grade. >> This is the seventh grade wing um that was impacted. You can see how much water the Zamboni is picking up. Um it was significant. This took place during um forward Wisconsin forward testing. Just to give you a sense of how much water is just in the hallway alone alone. Oh, just you can also see Mr. uh Lefountain uh did us a favor and showed the classrooms. If you if you can see Center Street, if you see those classrooms from classroom 12 all the way down that

003hallway, those classrooms were hit the hardest. Um, and then the water even impacted the classrooms across the hall um from classrooms 11 through 23 as well. Um, I just I want to pause and give you a perspective of we actually invested nearly $100,000 in trying to fortify the wall that is facing Center Street about a year and a half ago and that failed. Um, it this it's just it emphasizes the need for us to continue to talk about our secondary schools and their conditions. Um, I want to thank first and foremost our staff, our teaching staff at Whitman. They were uh miraculous in in making sure that they were able to make uh to make the students feel at home. They shifted things immediately. Um, we moved classrooms. Um, and again, as I stated, we

004were doing state testing all the while uh this was happening. I also want to thank Mr. Fountain and his team in that they worked around the clock to get things dry again um as dry as they could be um for our students and for our staff. It was just another sign of just terrible um conditions that our our teachers were asked to um work around become flexible around and they they answered the call. So again, I just I want to highlight this uh because this is really um a good example of how we work in the district. Teachers pull together. They do what's necessary for students. And I also want to thank our our buildings and grounds team. We have a lot of people who work behind the scenes who uh make these things really

005um possible. I know Mr. Ber, you had a chance to go over and examine things um firsthand. I I want to give you the floor to also say a few words. Uh yeah, absolutely. I wanted to thank um uh everyone who welcomed me. Uh I went on this past Thursday, so after the water had been cleaned up, I got to see the dam in what was the orchestra room where they laid down a line of uh sandbags effectively. So when more water came in, it was able to be controlled so they could start drying out those uh those rooms on the other side of the hallway. Um, I was able to see uh how they took two ELA classes and took them into the library and effectively co-taught for I don't know if they're still

006doing it now. I've imagined. >> No, they went back today. >> They went back today. >> I can give you the seventh grade update. >> Thank you. Um, right. like just a real kind of grim determination, a real burr of effort uh in order to make sure that operations continued, teaching continued um despite the disruption. So, I wanted to thank them as well for hosting me. >> We might want to observe that there's not a lot of extra rooms in Whitman when we toured. Um the school is already using all of its spaces and nooks and crannies. Um, so I too would like to thank the staff. I got firsthand um updates every day from a seventh grader who um just was, you know, is who's easily disregulated who just really felt like it went

007smoothly um and felt that they kept going and everything was was working out. So the teachers and staff really did pull um pull it up. I know some of them were there cleaning too. from the staff. >> We will likely be bringing to you another solution to address this issue because um it is it's just not good for students for us to hold our breath um every time the the the melt of the winter the third year. >> It's the third flooding and it flooded flooded. >> This is the third time. You're right Dr. Worley that this we've dealt with this. So, we need a longterm strategy. We thought we had a long-term strategy with the investment uh that we made um almost 18 months ago, but we'll we'll be coming back to you with

008some more solutions. I'm going to uh shift gears and and talk about a real good celebration. Wall Tulsa East um regenerated its wall of inspiration celebration and there were five extraordinary alumni who were recognized um a few weeks ago. Um our fair mayor um class of 1972 graduate Dennis McBride was the MC of the event. You'll see the the names of the five uh um awardees. We we made it a full day. Um we actually had a student assembly uh Dr. Mr. Worley and Mr. Ber were present. So, thank you for being there. Um, and the the five inductees I thought provided a really good message overall for our students that um they too have the opportunity to do amazing things. They too have a chance to change the world and be an inspiration um

009for for others. Um it was a really good class. It it it covered a lot of different eras. Um um and and so we we uh I just I wanted to point out that um Jane Becker uh has um has passed away and her brother was uh in attendance um on her behalf, but all the rest of the uh awardees were there and they they did a great job. And so what I want to do is just play a video for you that captured your day. all inspiration creating what is possible. So today privilege yet another group of inspiring individuals in that legacy. >> Yeah. I think all of us want and to know that the work that really matters and I'm so honored to be included among the other young kids today who have

010done like such amazing work in all these important fields and know you're able to see a lot of successes that I encountered throughout my career but you see what's in that middle ground I think the best thing you can do is really just keep showing up. The birthday for today, it might not show up tomorrow or next week, but eventually we learn that. >> At one time, uh the final inductees today sat in the same seat as you guys are. And we hope that whatever successes and accolades that we've been blessed to receive the years will serve as an inspiration to you, of you to realize your goals. If we have done that, then we've done our job. I hope you find safe inspire and just remember being has something to contribute. Now the advice

011I will give you is to be lifelong learners and then have the belief that it's also your job to be a lifelong teacher. Whatever you know, share. Give back to the community and at every stage possible be part of that community. Make a difference in other people's lives. I just wish you so much for all you want you guys to go out and make a difference. information is what is often strong. So I I just want to end by saying that the the strong connections that we were able to form that day uh with the hall or the wall of inspiration uh at Tulsa East was really a sign of our strong community bonds and what we we really purport to to talk about which is connections and and ensuring that we're also showing students

012career opportunities beyond high school. That is the conclusion of my uh superintendent report. I do have another update I want to bring to the board in the community a little later after public. >> Great board members comments or questions. >> It was a truly inspiring >> speakers. They were quite different in what they've done in their lives. >> Okay, so we move on to um item number three on the agenda, public comment. Um, I want to share that some of you um may or may not know who are in or watching the meeting that currently our um our online uh website where we keep all of our documents. They're all still there. We're just not currently able to access them for docs. Um, we did have an email asking if um since people can't see

013them during the meeting, the the public comment is there, but um would we read it? Well, it is an extensive long um pile of public comment which is fantastic. We love getting public comment. So um what we've done is we have moved those public comment documents temporarily. Um so you you want to find them during the meeting. You go to the Wawaossa school district website or we made copies. We didn't really move them. Then un on once you're on the Watuso um school website um then you're going to go to schoolboard which is one of the menu items that you can call up and from there you're going to go to board meetings. All we have there is the public comment not everything related to this meeting but we'll be projecting um the items that

014we can tonight um and taking our time to talk through so that people can follow. So again, if um for the public comment that was sent to the public comment um email address by 10 a.m. this morning, um it is now located so you can find it um on the Wawaossa School District website under schoolboard in the menu and then follow from there to board meetings. I want to thank the comm the um person who emailed us and asked us to make that um something that's available while the meeting is going on. So we are going to move to public comment. Um and I'm going to just read a brief paragraph about public comment. Um we do have a longer policy that outlines um how we um encourage uh sharing and civil discourse um in

015our district. Uh tonight um this is a general board meeting so we will be taking um public comment both on uh agenda items and non-aggenda items. Um and we will start in the room and then I will check um online. Members of the water school board value the input of students, parents, staff members and community members. The board's regularly scheduled meetings provide an opportunity for opinions and concerns to be expressed publicly. The board values all comments and will respectfully consider this input in decision-making. The board requests that individuals limit their comment on each item to three minutes. Following any comment, a individual board member may respond on the issue. However, it is not the intent of the public comment portion of the agenda for the board to enter into a debate with the members of

016the community because non-aggenda items are not publicly posted in advance, no action will be taken on public comment regarding non-aggenda items this evening. Um, just a couple other points is when you do share your public comment, according to policy, we ask that you share your name and when you make public comment, if you would make that comment towards the officer. um which in this in in that's running the meeting which in this case is me um not towards uh staff members or other members of the board. I think we're ready to begin. Is there any public comment in the room? If so, please approach the microphone. >> Welcome. >> Good evening. My name is Bridget Finnean Forbes, proud educator in the district for the English for multilingual learner department. I primarily serve at Eisenhower, but

017I've also had the privilege of working in a variety of our um schools and programs in the district. First, I want to thank the board. Uh a volunteer position of this kind is challenging on during the best of times and I imagine excruciatingly difficult in the face of um these crisis. So, thank you. Thank you for being open for um your careful consideration of everyone's ideas and um concerns regarding our staffing plan as we move forward. Clearly, we're dealing in our most precious resource, which is people, and the impact that these people have on our highest priority, which is our students. I'm here to implore the board to act strategically and resourcefully. I'm concerned about creating new positions at the district level. Um at the same time of moving towards having school sites um increasing

018our school sites all for great ends that we want to address student needs. However, this seems like trying to bring in two solutions for the same core issue. Um, and I would suggest that we see about leveraging the expertise and the resources of our own people and maybe uh allocating some of our new school sites to do some of that consultation for dynamic student behaviors that um need an extra support. Um, I want to be a problem solver along with our uh leadership who have spent a long time and have made a lot of uh efforts to put together a thoughtful staffing plan. Um, and while it's painful for us at at Eisenhower to lose our social emotional specialist, um, Mrs. Green has made a tremendous impact. We also understand that the district's trying to

019move towards something more um uh s like systematic in addressing behavior. Um however, including two new total compensation packages is a concern when we're looking at cutting critical individuals at at the building level, including our coaches and our academic interventionists. Um, please keep in mind, and of course, I haven't seen the latest um, proposal that you're looking at or voting on tonight. Um, but I would ask that you um, consider the incredible importance of our literacy coaches and interventionalists and don't make it a binary choice between them. Teaching a child to read turns the light on in their lives. We need strong tier one coaching so that we have best practices in our classrooms and our interventionists are there to do the critically important work of um protecting our students from falling through the gaps.

020So again, I know there's a million other things I'd like to mention, but I know there's a lot of people who also want to have their voices heard. Thank you again for your service and and thanks for your consideration. Thank you for your comment. Is there any other public comment in the room? If so, please approach the microphone. >> My name is Katrina Dickinson. I'm a district parent and I have not done this before. So, I'm actually going to start with a question. If something is on the agenda subsequently, is this the time to talk about it? I would really prefer to wait until I hear what you have to say. >> This is the only time we have public comment this evening. So, please do comment. We've had many emails about the agenda, too.

021So, we listen to all of it. Please go ahead and make it. >> Well, I'm here about the before and after school childc care issue. Um, excuse me. Um, I would be interested in finding out how right at school was initially chosen. Um, I would like to know what the plans are for picking uh new vendors. I would like to know how transparent that process will be. I would like to know if you guys are going to be studiously avoiding companies that are owned by private equity. And that's about all I can manage before I start crying. Thank you. We know this is um a a very intense um topic, which is why I asked to have it on the agenda tonight. Um so, thank you for being willing to come forward and and make

022your comment and ask your questions. Uh anyone else in the room before we go online? Okay. So, we will move um to our friendline. I see one hand raised at this time. >> Melissa Johnson, you have the microphone. >> All right. Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can. Please proceed. >> Okay. Wonderful. Thank you. Good evening. Uh my name is Melissa Johnson and I am a parent of two students at Washington Elementary. I want to talk about the before and afterare program as well. So, I want to begin by saying that student safety must always come first, and I fully support removing any employees involved in harming students. But I'm here tonight to ask the board to reconsider the decision to terminate the right at school program districtwide. And if you will not reconsider

023that decision, then I'm asking you to make an immediate and concrete commitment to the employees who have done nothing wrong. Ending this program with only 6 weeks left in the school year impacts roughly 75 employees and hundreds of Wawaossa families. With summer almost here and most programs already full, many families are being left with no clear path forward. At our school, we've had the same lead teacher, Miss Bonnie, since the program began in 2017. And um my son has truly thrived under Miss Bonnie's clear guidance, excuse me, steady direction, and the program that she's helped build. She's been a trusted, consistent present in presence in his life, and I know many families feel the same. right at school calls its staff memory makers. And that's exactly what they have been for our children. They've created

024routines, relationships, and a sense of safety and belonging that cannot simply be replaced overnight. The district has said that these staff members will be strongly considered by a new provider. But that is not enough. These staff members deserve more than vague promises. They deserve a real commitment and a clear path forward. Now, please reconsider this termination. And if you choose not to, then act quickly to protect the employees and families who've done nothing wrong. We owe them more than empty words. We owe them dignity, fairness, and a real commitment. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comment. Um, there's another hand online. >> Alli Jones, you have the microphone. >> Hello. Um, thank you very much. I am, um, calling in to speak about the staffing plan. Um, thank you for your careful consideration of

025the proposed 2026 2027 staffing plan. I am a parent and an educator in the district and I choose this district for my children and for my career because of the shared values that are communicated in the board's northstar and the district's mission, vision, and theory of action. Um, it is a privilege to work in collaboration with the instructional coaches and academic specialists at Underwood Elementary School in my role there as the SLP. um I was one of our SLPs there. Um these colleagues are relentless in their commitment to ensuring a rigorous learning experience for all students. Um they are incredibly student- centered solutionsoriented professionals whose actions and advocacy embody um again the district's mission, vision, and theory of action. They work to ensure that our processes, planning, assessment, and instruction are inclusive of all learners

026and staff members too. Um, these the instructional coaches and academic specialists at Underwood are truly lifelong learners themselves and they are committed to our collective continuous improvement and authentic learning for all Fireflies. Um, as you reflect on the proposed um 2026 2027 staffing plans, I please ask that you consider the following questions. How will the staffing plan impact our progress toward ensuring an exceptional educational experience for all students? How will the staffing plan impact access, engagement, and progress for all students within our new elementary, ELA, and math curricula? Um, and given the FTE reduction of instructional coaches um and um the academic specialist, is there an opportunity to clarify how all educators in the system can readily access support from content area experts and support being in the form of guidance, modeling, and feedback. And

027then the last question um I ask you to consider is how will the staffing plan welcome and support educators in our system that hold emergency licenses. Thank you so much for your time. >> Thank you for your comment. I see another hand online. >> LC, you have the microphone. >> Hello. Can you hear me? Okay. >> Yes, we can. Please state your name and proceed. Um, my name is Luke Carson and I am just trying to change my screen so I can see my question that I had typed out. So, in light of the changes in the district, I am a parent and a community member. Um, and I am one that likes to help troubleshoot and problem solve. So, I was looking at um a couple of the comments that have been previously made

028at um the meeting last week, I believe it was in the middle of the week, the special meeting. And in general, um some of the um statements that have been made regarding how to support some of the struggling learners. Um understanding that there are several um schools that exceed the expectations. Um but also acknowledging that there are some students that still yet struggle and looking at the fact that there have been discussions about um staff cuts and how to maximize academic supports. I wanted to know if the district is willing to develop a collaborative or a couple of collaborative focus groups that can help um maybe come up with um some different strategies and plans to maximize the resources without spending extra money. um in the areas of supporting neurodeiverse learners and um supporting the

029implementation or the consistent implementation of the use of assistive and instructional technologies to support children and um with special needs and diverse learners as a whole um while maximizing inclusive practices and accessibility during tier 1, tier 2, and tier three instruction. Thank you. >> Is that your full public comment? >> Um well I I know that that I probably took three minutes so I didn't want to um elaborate too much but that is pretty much it that I wanted to >> about 15 seconds left if there's anything else you want to say. >> Okay. Um well um just with I do have um a lot of background in special ed and um learning uh technologies so I would be willing to um donate time to help um outside of my normal day job. Um so

030that's why I was interested in learning whether or not the district was willing to develop collaborative focus groups. Um, and I don't know if that's something to explore through the PTA or not, but I wanted to put it out there. >> Okay. Thank you. Could you repeat your name and we'll be sure to reach out. >> Lucricia Carson. >> Okay. Thank you, Lucricia. >> Thank you. >> We love volunteers. >> I'm happy to do it. >> Okay, we have um an additional uh hand raise online. We still have a little time left in our public comment. >> Uh Leanne Ho, you have the microphone. >> Hi. Um I'm Leon H and I'm a parent of two children at Lincoln and I'm here to speak on behalf of the wraparound aftercare program in Wright at school.

031So, um I've heard, you know, through the rumor mill what happened um to the children that were impacted by the the teachers at right at school and I don't condone that by any means. What happened was very terrible. But I'm actually here to speak on behalf of the right at school teachers. Um I do not think that the act of one teacher or two teachers should impact the full staff me staff of right at school specifically. Um, just like that other parent mentioned, Miss Bonnie at um, Washington, my daughter has been there as well, and Miss Bonnie is amazing. So is Miss Tracy and Miss Alexis at Lincoln and all the kids that or all the teachers that go there. They actively work with these children on curriculum. They're teaching them French. They work with

032my son particularly who has dysregulation problems. They're very patient. They're very understanding with these children. And I fully understand that. I think there's probably no opportunity for right at school to be reinstated. But what I would ask is that in whatever arrangements you are making with the new provider that there is some sort of arrangement in place with that provider to bring these teachers on if they are so choosing to continue the care at these schools because these teachers have been amazing for our kids. And I just do not think that these individuals should lose their jobs or our children should have to be faced with a full overhaul of teachers um due to the terrible acts of um one or two providers. And that's all I have. >> Thank you. Thank you for your

033comment. >> Track of 30 minutes remaining. Okay, we have um another hand up uh online. >> Uh Laura of Laura's iPhone, you have the microphone. >> My name is Laura Wind Passenger. I'm a parent in the district and well, I first and foremost wanted to say that I really appreciate the board and district's swift action in addressing what has been an ongoing issue with right at school for many schools in our district. I realize that there's a few schools that have really great experiences and that's amazing, but I am a parent who has tried several times to use the right at school program and it has been nothing short of a disaster. My children are very easygoing and have we've had multiple staff changes at our sites um and just overall bad experiences. So, while

034I can really appreciate that there's a couple schools that have had really amazing experience with tenur and stable staff there, please keep in mind that there are schools that haven't had that same experience. And quite honestly, this change is a long time coming. And I'm really grateful to the board and administration for taking swift action and finally addressing this issue which has been affecting many families negatively for many years. >> You can make a comment. Last call for online. Seeing no hands, last call for in the room. Anyone here for public comment that didn't get a chance before? Okay, seeing none, I'm going to close public comment, but I do want to say that this is exactly why we do public comment. Tonight was an excellent example of the community bringing your thoughts, sharing them,

035um, and being willing to participate in the work of the board. So, thank you um for speaking up tonight. We'll move on um to item number five um which is before and after school child care. Um I want to turn over um to Dr. Means on behalf of the administration to talk about um what he wants to say about uh what has happened and what is happening and the plans um so far as we know them. Please understand that this is um a this is in progress and we're doing our best to um to address what is a very very um disappointing, difficult, terrible situation in many different in from many different perspectives as you've heard tonight. Um so thank you Dr. Means for preparing uh a report for us. >> Thank you Dr. Worley,

036board members, community members. Um, last week, Wednesday, at approximately 2:45, I became aware of uh a situation that took place at two of our sites, both at Roosevelt and Eisenhower. Um and uh the reports that occurred at both um schools were associated with right at school staff members being physically aggressive uh with our students um in the before and after care um situation that they provide for us. I know there was a question asked earlier of how was right at school initially chosen that that provider was chosen prior to my arrival. So I'm not quite sure how right at school was selected. It's my understanding that right at school um in terms of an organization we are we being the wallet school district is the only K12 public school system that they have service with.

037Now I think they work with a lot of other private and parochial type of um institutions in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. They are a national organization, so they do have a national footprint. Um, but uh, so I can't answer how they were chosen. Um, but they were here when I arrived and have been in the district for a while. Um, back to our situation that took place last week. Um, during the course of the week, I was able to get more information through uh, Mr. Martin. I want to thank Mr. Martin for his leadership in addressing this along with Mr. Ecker who is his direct supervisor. Um, as I learned more um and actually had a chance to see the surveillance video for one of the two schools, it it is it's awful. I I

038don't know how else um to put it. It it is despicable uh in terms of what occurred. Um the district immediately um did a few things. The first thing that we decided uh was that we we recognize that and you heard it a little bit through the public comment that we're not in a position to unilaterally take away the before and after school care. We're not in that position and these terrible incidents that happened both at Roosevelt and Eisenhower should not be an indictment on all the staff at Right School. Um, but I have lost confidence in writing school. So to that end, starting next week Monday, we've been working with our human resources team and I want to thank them um significantly. We're going to have staff members through our our substitute teacher pool

039observing the right school staff. Um I I I am un I don't have enough confidence in in those staff members. Um, this week we will ask uh Mr. Martin to make more popins on all of our sites um and and more uh check-ins uh with our sites until we can get this staffing up and going. Um so that's the first thing that we did to to make sure that the right at school um situation is as safe as it can be. Um I immediately then contacted legal counsel and legal counsel gave us three options. Uh the first option was that we could terminate um in the event of a material uh breach uh with right at school. Um that would mean that we would continue to be in service with them for another 30 days

040after the written notice of breach with the district. Um and that would be the soonest that we could terminate uh the contract. Understanding where we are in the the the time of the school year, that did not seem to be very plausible. The second option that we had legally was to um terminate um u for convenience upon 90 days notice. And then the third u component that's in the the written contract is that we can we can terminate at the end of the school year um letting them know that we will be looking for another provider for the next school year. Um and so that's what we've chosen to do. Um, a written notice has been provided to Write a School that they will no longer be our provider um, as of June 11th, which

041is the last day of school. Um, they will not be our provider for um, child care services during the summer. Um, Mr. Martin and Mr. Eker and I will be part of interviews um, for um, potential providers during the summer and going into next school year this Wednesday and Thursday. So, we've already scheduled um pro um providers to to come in. We've been very clear with those providers and the the clarity that we've provided to them is that I have a vision that we do this work through our rec department inhouse um where we can have our staff members working with students, but we need a runway and I think we need a runway of at least three years um to to provide that type of uh service to our our community. We've been very

042upfront with providers telling them that they're coming in um for a three-year runway. Many of those providers have shared with us that they want to prove us wrong. Uh they want to prove that we um don't want to do that type of work. Um and that they're going to try to um convince us that that is not uh something we want to do. I I'm not deterred at this point. Uh, I think that the situation that we're dealing with with right at school is a prime example as to why we do need to have more oversight and and control and and not outsource this type of work when you're talking about dealing with our students. Um, I think there's a difference when you have when you outsource contracted cleaning or food service. Um, and frankly

043even food service is is delicate. Um, when you have young people, they connect with our food service staff. Um, but with before and after school care, I think this is just something that I would I have a vision and a hope that we can bring in house, but it it's going to take more time um for us to try to build. Um, couple other things that I would just uh note to you in closing here. Um the first is that uh we'll continue to work with the proper authorities to let them know where we stand as a school system. Um as as it pertains to what has occurred with right at school. Um I I know that there have been some in the community who have said how could this have even happened u with

044right at school. And I I do want to state that we have been more diligent u and aware of right at school this year than we've ever been before. Um the fact that Mr. Martin has a school leadership background, we've been able to have more visits to the right of school sites prior to we prior to uh ever before. We've all we were also very upfront with our right a school at the beginning of the school year of where we needed to continue to see continuous improvement. Um I this is an unfortunate situation, but again uh as one of the speakers during public comment stated, some sites are really strong and some sites are um not and we need to make sure that there's consistency u across our district when it comes to something as

045precious and as um sensitive as before and after school care. So that's my update uh Dr. world board members um of just as a summary we have given notice to write a school we have started the process of soliciting uh vendors those interviews start um on Wednesday they'll continue into Thursday we'll continue to keep the board and the community updated updated on where where we are in that process um and then finally our work with expressing ourselves and our disappointment with what happened with right at does not stop with us issuing the termination of the contract. We'll continue to work with uh the appropriate authorities to express ourselves. Um and those authorities could be uh at both the local, state um and maybe even national levels. >> Thank you. Could the board ask um because

046we've talked about this before, ask you and Mr. Martin to keep in mind the requests of potential vendors because they'll need more staff um to consider the existing staff that um have a good >> work record as a yes as um employees so that they don't fall into a space of of non-employment and also so the children very good comment made that there are relationships here as well as people here >> we definitely feel that of the 75 plus staff members that the actions of a few does should not characterize all of them. And we will we will express to any potential vendor that there are many staff members who would want like to continue to serve the walls community. >> Yeah, Mr. >> Um can you uh thank you first of all uh for

047a very direct and quick response. Um I think was appropriate. Um, but can you provide a little bit more insight into the decision matrix of how you're going to choose which vendor you're going to go with or at least provide a plan of sharing that? We will share it um at at a point um that is appropriate. Um I'm a little hesitant to do that because we're we're going into the interview process with those vendors and sharing the criteria. I I don't want I don't want people >> Don't give me the answers. >> Yes. I don't want them to have the the answers to what we're seeking. That's prior to the >> I'm not asking right away. >> Can I add something? >> Um, one of the things that we asked Mr. Martin to do

048going back to last fall was begin investigating other providers. And so while we had to make this decision quickly, uh, he's been spending the whole year um on site visits to other providers. So, it we are I'm glad that we won't have to make a rush decision on who that next provider will be, although it might feel quick. He's been doing his investigative work all year >> and and yes, it doesn't have to be immediately. >> Sure. In due time. >> Else. Okay. Seeing no other comments. Um, we >> if I might just may say one last thing from the bottom of my heart and I know I speak for the board as well. As a parent, we do apologize for what has happened to the children who were involved in in these situations. It

049it it no parent should ever have to worry about the safety of their child. Um, and when you hear that something happens and and I've received enough feedback, this was one of those rare instances where the board I heard from all board members who said this is awful and this is terrible and please act with swift action. Uh, so I just I I want to convey on behalf of our district for for the families and the children who aren't who have been impacted, we are sorry. uh we are acting um with swiftness um and um this should have never happened to anyone and we will continue to work um to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Thank you. Thank you for your leadership on this and for um taking every step that you could

050find to um make sure that people are held responsible as well um and also that we find a new solution. We um we move on to our next agenda item. Um we do this once a year. This is a time period where we do our annual board reorganization. Um once uh the board is seated um as we did before the meeting tonight and took the oath of office um now we need to decide um who will take be taking which role on the board. Um and because all of us who are on the board as elected officials um are going to be seated in various capacities uh we um work with uh Dr. means um who serves as each year as our secretary to take leadership of this process. So you'll see him um coordinating

051the votes uh so that no um person potentially being elected to a seat um is coordinating the votes and we will go right through the officers um as uh as as slated on our agenda. So the first uh officer position is office for office of president. Uh we have nomination um forms here. My apologies the student rep does not have the ability to vote but we'll keep you updated along with everyone else. And then so here are the nominations. Please once uh you are done identifying people that you would like to nominate please fold your your ballot and then return it to me. Choose one, not people, >> right? And choose one of the candidates >> that you would like to know. >> Yes. Choose one and then fold um fold it and bring it

052back. >> Ballots get fancier. That's too >> Oh, yeah. Would you like to collect the balance and to be part of the process? No, you're good. >> Leverage be excellent. >> Next round. >> Okay, let's see what we have. And this is all uh susceptible to open records as well. So, if someone wants to >> We keep the ballots. Yes. Um >> no pressure if you don't want to collect them. We have three candidates uh for who have been nominated for president. Uh Lyn Worley, Liz Himeran, and Christopher Bower. >> Asking Miss Himer, would you like to be considered for president? >> No, thank you. >> Okay, Miss Worley. Dr. Worley. >> Yes. >> M. Yes. Okay. Very good. We have two candidates and that's Dr. Worley and Mr. Bower. I will now pass out

053the nomination or not nominations but the actual ballots for president. Please select one candidate and then fold and return. and on a vote of 6 to one, Dr. Worley has won the role of president. Congratulations. Raise hard. Okay, our next nomination process is for vice president. Please select one candidate to nominate and then fold and return. >> We probably should not nominate. We should not nominate Dr. Worley. >> Yeah, bet. Dr. Worley is now eliminated. Yes, good. She >> is now eliminated as option. Yes. Okay. We have three nominations. Mama, you have been nominated for vice president. Would you like to accept the nomination? >> Yes, please. >> Mr. Bower, you have been nominated for vice president. Would you like to accept? >> Yes. >> Mr. Mr. Guier, you have been nominated for vice president.

054Would you like to accept? >> Yes. >> Outstanding. So, I will now pass out the the ballots for voting on vice president. with five votes. Miss Himeran has been elected vice president. Congratulations. As someone has pointed out, that's now this will now eliminate both and Dr. Worly for the next role which is for treasurer. So I will now pass out the nominations for treasurer. Please select one person fold the nomination ballot and please return it. Uh Dr. Means it should be noted that uh there are term limits to all four of these positions. Correct. We are not in >> um any risk of having someone elected that is over those terms. Correct? >> No, >> I think just president vice president. >> Just president vice president. >> Yeah. just as a woman. We have two

055nominees. Mr. Bower and Mr. Wier. Uh Mr. Wadier, do you accept the nomination for treasur? >> Yes. Mr. Bower, do you accept the nomination for treasure? Yes. All right, we will now pass off the ballots for treasure. on a vote of four to three. Mr. Bower has been elected treasurer. Our final officer role is for clerk. Please select one person. Understanding that three have been eliminated um from consideration. We have two nominations. Uh, Miss Bach, do you accept the nomination for clerk? >> Yes. >> Disclaimers, welcome to the board. Uh, you've been nominated for the role of clerk. Do you accept the nomination? >> Uh, no. Thanks. >> Okay. That's very stately of you. Um that means we have one candidate for the role of clerk. >> Nobody else. on a 70 vote. Miss Heidi

056Bach has been uh elected. Congratulations, Dr. Worley. That is the conclusion of your board officer election process. Uh, so we now need to talk about other roles. Thank you for >> Hey, we have a motion motion. You're right. Thank you. >> Um, Liz, I think you have >> Do you want to read it or do you want someone? >> I can. Okay. It is recommended that the following persons be elected officers of the Wawaossa School Board in accordance with policy 0152 for a term beginning tonight and ending in April 2027. And I so move President uh Dr. Lyn Morley, Vice President Liz Heimer Rand, Treasurer uh Chris Bower, and Clerk Haidiva. May I have a sorry and it is recommended that the superintendent be appointed to act as secretary to the board and ISO move.

057>> I was wondering if we did that. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Mr. Bower, grab that one. >> Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Mr. Roier, >> yes. >> Miss Lamers. Mr. Bower. >> Yes. >> Miss Boach, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Miss Armor Rand, >> yes. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> And the motion carries. Now we get to talk about other roles. So um the next appointment that we have um and these are appointments um would be an action to appoint our CISA representative. You've been our CISA representative. Mr. Bower, would you say a quick few words about what that means? Yes, I certainly can. Uh you uh attend a meeting not so dissimilar to this. You elect um the board of uh the CISA

058representatives and then you participate in various meetings. It is infrequent. Uh it is not a huge time engagement. Easy piece of cake. Are you is our CISA representative interested in continuing? >> Is there anyone else who would like be considered for CISA representative? >> Okay. Um, would you be willing to read? It is recommended that the school board appoints the representative and ISO. >> May I have a second? Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Wy. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> Miss Himemer Rolland, >> yes. >> Miss Lamers, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr. Wadier, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. And the motion carries. Thank you. Uh, we move to letter C, action to appoint policy committee members. Um we

059have uh Miss Bach and Miss Brazinski have been on the policy committee. Um is there anything you want to say about uh what that entails for those that haven't been to policy committee meeting? >> It's really exciting work. I think we uh meet once a month, look at different policies that are up for review or um sometimes there are policies that just are in need of some revision because of changes in legislation. Sometimes it's people have suggested that we take a look at a policies have conversations about it. propose what those changes and working on ways that we operate. Is there anyone who's interested in serving on policy committee in the in the coming year if you'd like to continue? Okay, >> you'd like to Is there anyone else? Okay. Um, it sounds like we

060have two willing appointees. Um, so Melissa, we always have the script and uh you just have to say their names. You're ready to go first. >> Kindly, it is recommended that the school board appoint Heidi Bach and Sarah Berzinski as policy committee members. And I so move. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Hmer. >> Um, Miss Summers, please call the RO. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Miss Lamers, >> yes. Miss Faul, >> yes. >> Mr. Wadier, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Fzinski, >> yes. >> Miss HR Rolland, >> yes. >> And the motion carries. >> Okay, we move on to letter D. Action to appoint the Legislative Advocacy Committee members. And Mr. Bower, you're the one board member that's sitting here that has been

061on LAC. Can you say a little bit about what that involves? >> Absolutely. Um, so this is the group of the board that sits down and works through the direction that the board would like to push legislative actions whether that is um at the local level, at the state level, or even at the national level. Um, Mr. Morrison, I uh were the committee members last year and we focused primarily on the local and state level for obvious reasons. um mostly because we actually have a voice that's available. Uh this particular committee will become uh important over the course of the next year because your primary focus will likely on uh influencing the joint finance committee um and influencing the state budget which as we all know um is kind of a big deal right now.

062Um, so good luck to whoever wants to do that. >> It sounds like your committee slate is full. >> Uh, I'm going to end up on finance. >> You will. Yes, I know. As treasurer, you have to be out of hands. So, we are looking for two members of um the LAC. And as Mr. Bower said, this is going to be um important for all the board members to be involved, but to coordinate us um the work at the LAC will be uh significant in the coming year. Do I have board members who are willing to serve on LAC? Okay, Miss Adams. Um, we can also we can also uh put you on and then we can go ahead to our other committee and see who ends up um taking that one. Yes, Mr. White,

063>> you'd like to do that? Excellent. Thank you. All right. So, um, thank you each each person for stepping up. Um, Miss Bzinski, would you like to do the nomination? I sure would. It is recommended that the school board appoint Melissa Lamers and Jason Watiier as legislative legislative advocacy committee members and I so move. >> May I have a second? >> Thank you, Mr. Bower. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Lamers, Mr. Wier, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> Miss Rolland, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Motion carries. Thank you. So yes, >> when you guys said your first meeting about I would like an invitation please >> to have some coord transition time. Exactly. >> I think that

064would be >> um E letter E action to appoint finance and resource committee members as noted. Um the treasurer serves on this. So we need a second member um of this. Um, do we have I guess one person left. Liz, are you willing to serve on FRNC? >> Um, okay. So, I will read the motion. It is um recommended that the school board appoint um Mr. Bower as treasurer of of the board on finance and resource committee and Muslim Roland as a second member on finance and resource committee. And I so move. >> Um may I have a second? >> Second. Thank you, Miss Bach. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Rolland, yes. Miss Prosinski, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wier, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr.

065Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Lamers, >> yes. >> And the motion carries, but we're not done yet. We have more more positions to fill. So, we move on to letter F. Uh, this is an action to appoint exeicio member to the curriculum council. Miss Hammer and you've served on this in the past. Would you say a couple words about what that includes? >> Sure. Um, it is a monthly meeting with uh different members of uh academic performance. Um, usually getting some updates that will be provided to the board at a later date. Um there's community members who are part of the committee as well as some staff who are members and it's it's one Monday a month for about an hour and a half. >> Perfect. Are you interested in continuing? You are. Is there

066anyone else who's interested in that role? >> But if somebody else wants to try, >> you could do without >> I mean I like it a lot but somebody else wants to try. >> I understand. It's a great opportunity to learn more about the curriculum. Okay. Well, it sounds like um you are the one that we're going to nominate. Um Jason, >> it is recommended that the school board appoint member to the curriculum curriculum council and I so move. >> May I have a second? >> Thank you, Mr. Bowers. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Miss Lamers, >> yes. >> Mr. Mr. Wier. >> Yes. >> Miss Rollins. >> Yes. >> Miss Bzinski. >> Yes. >> Mr. Bower. >> Yes. >> Dr. Worley. >> Yes. And the motion carries.

067>> Okay. We move on to letter G. Action to appoint an expulsion hearing panel and alternate board member for the first semester of the 2026 2027 school year beginning in July 2026. So just for um new board member and community um we have to have um the people seated on the expulsion panel um we usually split the year in half. So we do from July to January and January to July. So we'll we're now working on the one for the fall summer into fall. Um do we have uh board members that are willing to serve on it? Um, actually I should first say there's someone who served on it who wants to uh I've served but never been called. So >> likewise. So >> you want to say anything about what this includes? >> Sure.

068Um, like you just heard, it's not uh common to be called to do this, but if you are, um, it's like a hearing would be. Um, you sort of you hear the student parent perspective and then you hear administrative perspective and then you with your fellow board members um, decide whether or not the administration's recommendation uh, you agree with it or you don't. Um and then and there's some flexibility too um in that decision and then uh what you decide then eventually comes to the full board to make uh sure whatever action was taken as part of the panel um gets approval from the board. >> Thank you. So we need three um regular members and an alternate board member. So a total of four um Mr. Mr. Wing, >> Miss Lamurs, Mr. Bower, Mr.

069Rosinski, alternate. Okay, so we have Mr. Wade, Miss Lamers, Mr. Bower, and Miss Bzinski as the alternate. Um, Mr. Bower, do you want me to read that since I just memorized it or you want to read it? >> Don't worry. I probably should myself. >> Recommended the school board appoint an expulsion hearing panel including Mr. Watier, um, Miss Lamers, Mr. Bower, and as an alternate board member, Miss Bzinski, for the first semester of the 2026 2027 school year, and I so move. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Himemer Roland. Miss Summers, could you please call the role? >> Miss Lamers, >> yes. >> Miss Rolland, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wadier, >> yes. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> Miss Bach,

070>> yes. >> And the motion carries. Thank you for being willing to serve. We move on to letter H, action to appoint distinguished service award reviewers. We need um two people to serve in this. Um and is there anyone who's done this who would like to say briefly? Yes. >> Yes. Um so this uh sometime late school year you'll get um all the people who are nominated for the distinguished service award and you review there's a rubric um Phil and I actually like came up with the process because there really wasn't one prior. Um and Mr. Bower was a reviewer last year. Um, so you review a lot of um applications or um not applications, nominations and then fill out the rubric. I would suggest only because I see three listed of people who are

071interested. It's it's an undertaking um to do this. So I would recommend three if that's okay. um because it's it's very timeconuming during this but a wonderful experience. Um it looks like Sarah has something to say but I say the more the marrier. >> It is a question when what is the time frame for this? >> Typically what six week four to six weeks between the time we got the nominations and when they were due. >> Yeah we'll have the nominations I would say about when school gets out. Um and then we um we honor the recipients um at our back to school convocation in August. Um what I was going to add as well is that um so we we've tried to improve the process with feedback um every year. So, whoever um whoever

072uh chooses to be part of this important process this year, um Sheri Johnson and I will go ahead and meet with those individuals and um provide an overview of the process um go through the the rubrics um that Liz um and um and and Phil created um and just make sure everybody's on the same page. And we can also check in a couple of times during that review period as well. I'm interested >> long as it's not this month. Thank goodness. >> Anyone else? >> So, we have it's not outlined that we have to have only two, right? >> Okay. >> So, um >> we're lucky that we have so many nominations. >> Yes. Um, is this what they do? Exactly. >> Great reminder that that's um Michelle's asking while we're getting the motion ready,

073how do people make these nominations if they want to? >> Uh, so that'll actually be going out um in our TOSA Times as well as um through the district newsletter in the next week or so. Um so individuals can submit responses um both for our certified staff as well as for our educational operational staff members. There's a Google form that's linked um in the information and that comes directly to us and then again we we package it and send it out um to the um to the uh I don't know if I should call it a formal committee but to the reviewers. So >> excellent. Thank you. >> Yep. >> So um we have Miss Bzinski, Mr. Bower and Miss Lamers. Um, >> it is recommended that the school board appoint, Melissa Lamers, and Sarah

074Bzinski as distinguished service award reviewers. And I so move. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Buck. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Slammers. >> Miss Faul, >> yes. >> Miss Pzinski, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> Miss HR Rolland, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Mr. Roier. >> Yes. >> And the motion carries. Okay. We actually have come to our last appointment. Um action to appoint energy efficiency and sustainability subcommittee um liaison. Uh this is a relatively new committee. I think I'm the only one who has served in this capacity so far. So I will just mention that we have um about half a dozen community members with some expertise in various aspects of sustainability and energy efficiency. Um this committee meets as much as one

075time a month but is really six to eight times a year. Um and we work um with um Kevin Lefountain uh in operations. uh and we um we work with the expertise of the community members and Mr. Le Fountain's expertise uh to consider ways that in terms of um operations as well as within our curriculum we may um consider uh the importance of of energy efficiency um sustainability and sustainability education. Um, I will say I I can continue, but I don't want to take it from someone else who would like to do it. It's a really fun group of people to work with, and I'm happy to have someone else do it if that's your interests. >> Next time, a year from now, >> I'll put in term limits on this one. >> I find

076it fascinating. Yeah, I mean it's it's been really exciting to see what the district's been able to do and you'll get be getting a report soon thing think about um a lot of money that's been saved with the work that's being done in the district mostly uh under the operations. We're more sort of a think tank um type of group that works with them but uh their work. Okay. Could we have a motion? >> It is recommended that school boards appoint Dr. Worley as energy efficiency and sustainability subcommittee leaison and ISO. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Uh, thank you Mr. Bower. Um, Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Mr. Zinski, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wier, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bach,

077>> yes. >> Miss Rolland, >> yes. >> Miss Lamers, >> and the motion carries. Thank you everyone for not only stepping up to be on school board but for all the uh additional committees and roles that you're playing as part of the school board. Uh we move on to item number seven. Um feels like we're coming to the consent agenda very late in the meeting tonight but um here we are. Um we are at the consent agenda. Um and this is the um point at which uh I ask board members if there is any item on the consent agenda that you wish to remove. Um and so is there anyone this evening that would like to remove one of the items from the consent agenda for separate consideration? That could be because you have a

078question or you want to discuss it or there's something about that item that you'd like to highlight. Okay, seeing none, um we will move then to the motion. Uh that would be to approve the consent agenda. >> Recommended that the school board approve the consent agenda and I so move. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Bzinski. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Rolland, >> yes. >> Miss Faul, >> yes. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. Miss Lamers, >> yes. Mr. Wier, >> yes. >> Dr. Worle, >> yes. And the motion carries. >> Board members, we've been here since 5:30 officially. Would you like a 10-minute break before we dive into the rest? >> Yes, please. >> Okay, let's do that. Then we're going

079to take a 10-minute break. Um, we will start again um or 11 minute break when it says 7:30 on our phone. Everyone, we're going to um return to our meeting and we are on number eight, strategic goals, systems, and structures. And we'll start with um letter A, a action to approve the preliminary 2026 2027 school year staffing plans for teaching staff, educational, and operational staff. And I believe that Dr. Dr. Means is going to tee us off with just some reminders about where we're at. Um and then we'll put the motion on the floor and then we'll have an opportunity for any amendments, discussion, etc. that people want to move. Doc, >> thank you Dr. Worley. Uh board members, community members. Uh I want to start by thanking the board once again. You have done

080your due diligence around this work. You had initial an initial conversation earlier this month about the the initial plan. you appropriately through your governance structures uh directed administration to bring back uh alternatives other than what was initially presented uh to you. Uh you had a meeting on April 21st where you um talked for nearly and and deliberated among one another and asked more questions uh for two and a half hours um around different items. Um I have watched you field many questions from the public and frankly you've asked us um a significant number of questions um on this timeline we are here tonight uh because um simply put uh from an HR perspective we have to start the process of issuing uh contracts and um we are hopeful that we will be in a position

081um with your affirmative vote sometime this week. I'm not going to presume that we'll get there tonight. Um I'm hoping we will, but uh that on May 11th, we are able to have app board approved contracts and salaries. So then we can actually issue contracts either on uh that Thursday or Friday of the week of May 11th. So, that's really important for us to have this concluded tonight so uh we can start the issuance of non-renewal notices and present contracts for final approval um on May 11th, which then that's Monday, May 11th. So then by May 14th, May 15th, we're able to actually put contracts in the hands of people, giving them a month to decide if they're going to return to wall toaster or not. this is all part of this process. Um, so,

082uh, there there's obviously a lot of details that I'm sure we're going to unpack and discuss and we look forward to answering any of your questions, uh, this evening. >> So, just so boarding members know because I know this is a place that not having the documents in front of us may be um, something to that that you want. Um there is a Google link um might be able to get the documents. I haven't >> uh there's a a Google Drive link that was sent out. If you go into Google Drive and download it and just open it up, there should be a file called index.html HTML and it will bring up basically the replica of the board docs >> one more time. >> You just have to uh get the whole folder downloaded and

083then >> Okay. So download it, right? >> Yeah. >> Through that email that summer sent out. >> I just thought it would be helpful. Um besides what you have up here, thank you for having this PowerPoint here. The actual proposal that was given to us, the staffing um proposal would be good for us to know if you have a copy. >> You sent model D that the board put together last week, >> right? But that's just the academic performance sign. >> It's not everything. >> I think it's important for people be able to see everything. >> Yeah. back able to download it and then you need to open the zip file. >> Is that just alternative? >> Well, that's really just Great that or should I >> don't know if that's okay. So, while we're

084doing this, board members, um we're going to put the uh motion on the table, which is the um whole package with a specific that we discussed last week of Eid. Um and then I'm going to open it for discussion. And I think it's really important for us to just have a review of all of the pieces of what's in this. >> Just a question. Would it make sense for us to do the job descriptions before the um the staffing plan because staffing plan have the postcard description of it or the title. >> I think it would depend upon what we vote to move forward in the staffing plan. That's why it's first. >> Understood. This is the >> Yeah. >> Um what we don't have in the PowerPoint is that um in on the side

085of uh pupil services >> we're making some changes in what's being called but we're keeping the same number of FTE. Correct. We're adding >> right. So, I'm going to try to toggle I um >> that's not going to show up in that one. It's always ladies. >> Initial plan had been to go back to the first meeting. We can't get the >> So, I think there's a couple things to just point out. Um, is that um maybe this is what you're speaking to. It's just important to note that while we are reducing the five social emotional specialists, we are actually adding 5.8 FTE in the in the position of school site social workers. So, we're not losing anything from anal standpoint. actually we're gaining more of it but there's an there's an element of role

086clarity that is happening uh when we hired our social emotional specialists they had various lensurers that they were able to apply the fact that we are now able to systemically um and and and from an organizational standpoint support schools with social workers and psychologists in a more orderly fashion. that is an actual benefit to the the school system in terms of how we support schools. So again, we're not losing SEAL support. We're actually increasing. It's just in different roles. Miss CL, did I capture the our intent appropriately >> and the letter D that you're advising as actually two behavioral specialists? >> Yes. Yes. >> Would be initial. And then what else? What other positions is is the package that you're putting forward also including the communication specialist? >> Yes. So there um in our overall

087package there is a suggestion to have a communication specialist. That would be someone who reports um and works with Miss Jesse Tuttle. Um I think in the overall the initial executive summary that we provided uh we shared that there um school systems our size typically have more than just one person um serving in the role of u of advancing communications. So that's one position. Um the other is having an assistant recreation um director. Um that would not impact our our fund 10 at all. that would be a position that comes out of fund 80. Frankly, I think the the the crisis that we've had with right at school is a prime example as to why we need that that role. I'm thankful and Mr. Eer pointed it out earlier. I'm thankful that Mr. Martin had

088time throughout this school year to do his due diligence and work with and to work with potential vendors. That's why we're in a position to pivot and be prepared to have new vendors in place for the summer. Um, I think we can s support our families and our community more so if Mr. Martin had support and assistance with an assistant uh rec director and again that's not going to impact our overall budget with fund 10. That position would be paid out of fund 80. >> Yes, Missowski. And just for the direct Thank you, Miss Ozaskki. And that position of director of people services is not an ad. uh Miss Clim is taking on the duty of of special education in her role of chief of people and family supports. Very similar. I think some people

089are looking at it and saying this is a new position. Mr. Pinion, I believe took on many of the roles of the what a director of people's services would do. And so that's why you didn't see that position because he assumed it in his role of chief. It's just Miss Clum is car she's going to she's going to take on an area that is her expertise in special education leaving us in a space where we do need to have someone pick up the role of people services direct. >> Thanks for clarifying. So, so it's it's a reorganization really of taking advantage of the skill sets. Yes, ma'am. >> Of the people. >> Scott and >> and what was the one other point that you >> the behavior specialist >> behavior specialist. Right. Yep. and behavior

090specialist is a position that we don't have. It >> it is not a position that we have. Uh and thank you Dr. Worley for lifting it up. It's a position that we don't have and I think it's one of those areas where we we haven't equipped our schools with the greatest level of support that we could um help them with. There are students who need expertise. Um, and we are not providing the students, their families, the teachers or the principal with that support with a with someone who understands strategies that may require a lot of knowledge and expertise. Um, I think it's also important to note that when we look at all these different reductions that that has happened, um, that many of our our reductions, people are not losing positions. They're not losing roles.

091They're just being reassigned um to to positions. Um, and so that's important to know. out of the 26.1 FTE that we're reducing uh many people are going into other roles uh through attrition and so as a result of the attrition that is happening throughout the organization people are are uh actually finding other roles in the district of the 26.1 FTE that's being reduced four people are left without a role those are the two administrators that we reduced um is one social emotional specialist and a speech and language pathologist. Those are the four. Everyone else uh and I want to thank Miss Elazoski. She's been very flexible uh throughout this process. We have found a um a position uh to keep people in our organization. They may not be in a role that they're currently in,

092but we are able to to keep them employed in the district. >> We're waiting for the motion on the floor. Yeah. I just what I was trying to do is make sure that everyone had all the pieces of what it is that we're looking at. So >> board members, you know what you're what's being put on the floor now. It's the letter D and academic performance. It's the um uh people and services changes that were brought up previously um which is changing some job titles and people um keeping actually adding to some some potential FTE there. Um and then it is uh adding a communication specialist um adding uh two well yeah two behavioral um specialists and reorganizing um the pupil services a little bit so that there's a new named position but it's the

093same um content that was there that clear okay know so so Jason if you would like to just move what we just talked about. The proposal that's been recommended by um the administration is the is the proposal we're going to put on the floor. >> Yes. I'm trying to find the spot on the page. >> Maybe somebody else was Sarah. Never mind. You're the next page. >> Yeah. Okay. >> I'm not the same. >> You're fine. No, you're not. So, it is recommended that the school board approve the preliminary 2026 2027 school will your staffing plans for teaching staff and educational operational staff and ISO move. May I have a second? Thank you, Mr. Bower. Sorry, that's got that spot here. Have my page turned over the wrong way. Um, board members, comments, questions. Uh

094we'll discuss for a little bit. If um anyone has a um modification to what's being proposed that you would like to try an amendment, we can do multiple rounds of votes. >> Um thank you. Uh there were multiple a surprising number of people who commented on my quietness on Tuesday. So, I figured I should um and the reason why I was quiet on Tuesday is because uh it weighed on me that we had kind of painted ourselves into this corner uh very effectively with the 4% raises that we promised with the uh operational referendum plus $8 million on top of that plus the budget mistakes. We were making all of these numbers based on uh erroneous data or at least misleading data. Plus, uh we want to keep low class sizes at least on average.

095Plus, we want to strategically reduce our reliance on open enrollment, which it goes immediately against low classes in some cases. Plus, we're moving sixth grade back to elementary schools. >> Inflation. >> Plus inflation. Plus uh we want to make sure that we close as many non- studententf facing FTE which is actually a disputed uh comment depending on who you talk to. Plus we want to maintain the pursuit of student learning. Plus we want to maintain electives plus we want to al also maintain uh our AE courses and dual enrollment courses. Um >> and we have a lot of new curriculum if I can add to your list. >> Yes, we're doing a lot. Um and so as we bring everything in line ultimately while I accept and realize the fact that we need to reduce

096the footprint the number of FTEEs that we are paying out um it's a lot of conversations and trying to bring in constituents bringing in our stakeholders trying to get us all to pull in the same direction um in order to I'm trying to decide if I should use my colloquialism or not. Pick the um best option out of a list of bad options. Um and there are a lot of good suggestions that I've had in a lot of conversations. Um I probably put in three times as many hours as this board has put in as a group in just talking with people and trying to figure out things. um things that we can look at not necessarily now but um in the future, you know, perks, stipens, uh PhD support, retention bonuses, uh health insurance

097postretirement. Um all of these things came up in my conversation as ways of saving money. Um and absolutely, I think we should have that conversation because it is highly likely that we're going to find ourselves in this position in one year. Um, one of the more poignant types of conversations I've had was cutting different positions and restructuring. Um, I talked a little bit about this with Dr. Means, but also with someone who is not in the education sphere, but is focused on structural change and organizational change. Um and the message from both is in order to have effective structural change um that takes time to prepare the different divisions. So it while it is tempting to say well we just merge these two branches of academic performance or we just cut uh we start looking

098at uh HR or uh data or finance um and just cut a position there. Um, I almost want to say willy-nilly. Uh, it should be taken on with a fair amount of earnestness because that's disrupting an entire process flow. Um, which needs to be managed in a uh in a thoughtful way. Um, so I'll pause there. Um, the one thing that I would like to bring offer up to the group is perhaps instead of two behavioral specialists, maybe we go to one and we either take that behavioral specialist and we put it back into uh leadership roles for our um growing group of social workers or um psychologists. or we move it into contingency for when we need an an extra FTE somewhere and we don't have to go back to it. Um so that

099would be what I offer up as a suggestion here at this relatively late hour of uh planning. um would be to move one behavioral specialist to a contingency FTE or whenever so we understand what at least until we understand what the current landscape and the current team looks like and who needs the most support. >> How contingency FTE do we have built into this? I know it's in the document. I just people may not have any problems. Right now the contingency is 1.95 FTE. It it's really about uh about one and a half FTE because right now uh our JK numbers are not showing that that we need a full section of JK where we had anticipated it. So so while it looks like it's close to 2FT right now, it's really only about one

100and a half notwithstanding JK. Um, I had a a meeting prior to this um with Miss Clement and she uh cleared up some confusion for me. I was uh very against the proposals that were out there because they were explicitly stating um removing the social emotional specialist and uh role and what she had the way she and uh uh Daryl Hansen explained how the re how it's it is really a reorganization of that um and that uh within the the way that it's it's structured will give these district level um resources. They'll it will let them become more student facing spend more time with them because they will be able to have a home base if you will each one in each building. Um as well as so a psychologist and a social worker. So

101instead of moving around all the time, they're a they're able to almost form a symbiotic uh you know cohesive plan uh to take care of what's going on at the school. And then the my as to my best my interpretation of of the behavioral specialist is more like the um triage damage control if you will. It's it's someone who would be deployed throughout the district for uh when there's when there are larger um things that the the tandem wouldn't be able to necessarily handle in the moment and or uh you know they they would be just more like a general I guess generalized social emotional learning uh person. So, I'm I'm I can definitely be behind um keeping that additional FTE as as in reserve if we just want to have one person with that.

102Uh since we don't really I we don't have it all hashed out quite yet, I think, in my opinion. Um, but also I'm I'm I'm now comfortable with where that part of the this the staffing FTP FTEES are. Um, so that put my concerns kind of back and now I'm looking at it as had these three buckets. Um, we had the the coaches and and and curriculum in one bucket. We had the academic interventionists in the other and we had the social emotional learning. And it to me it looked like we were trying to have to pick pick two and one would get wouldn't get as much. So, I'm saying I'm I've done more follow-up work to say that I I feel good about the the mental health and that side of everything. Um the

103the extra behavioral specialist, we we could certainly just use the contingency 3 or 4 months in if we if it's we see that we need another one. Um so, we could certainly do that. I think to me it comes down to okay then how do we divvy up between the other two buckets and I think that Mr. B's point that's been at least from what I've seen most of the emails that have come in and there have been a lot and thank thank you to the public um it it's both informative uh but it's also tough because I'm seeing like almost an equal debate here >> among which one which one is most important but I think the general tone that I got from from most of them was that uh at the elementary level

104the um interventionalist is is most viewed as most important from the people that I was talking to and at the uh middle school and high school level the curriculum and uh coaches are the valuable resource. So, I like the look of let's maybe just kind of keep them even and uh and we we have the administration work on deploying the academic heavily on the elementary side and the coaching and curriculum more heavily on the uh on the secondary side. in teachers at the elementary level. Um many of them they're they're general generalist teachers I think is the term where they're they're expected to teach all the different subjects. Um, so what at least I would think that someone with that kind of skill set should be able to pick up um pick up the curriculum

105maybe a little bit I want easier is not the right word. Um, but just it it will it might make more sense to them as opposed to the secondary teacher um that's going to look at the math curriculum and really hone in on it. and um they're going to they're going to probably want and want additional help and uh um they're going to be implementing that that curriculum for three two or three grade levels and um they really need to get it they need to stick it when stick the landing on it. So I realize I've been talking for a long time so I'm gonna seed my time. >> Thank you for um updating us on on your thinking um after the meeting. I I also want to reflect that um again the community has

106really helped including we've had an unusually high and very um thoughtful of course um feedback from um staff in the district and that's been super helpful because these are dilemmas that we wish we didn't have but we do have um these dilemmas in front of us and uh you I think the the first meeting we had we talked a lot about um hearing hearing from staff that coaching um wasn't something that was in the model wasn't working as well. But we have heard from quite a few teachers um that have uh given very concrete evidence of how coaching has has um helped them. So I think if I look at the larger picture is that we need all these pieces in this system. um we're searching for a good balance and not everybody and not

107every school needs the same mix. Even though we are striving for equity across the district, that does not mean that every school has the same set of equal needs or every level as you're pointing out um has the same set of needs. Um so just to summarize, I think that's sort of where we're at. Um Mr. Ber, you raised an interesting question, which would be does the board want to put um one or more positions into general contingency? It doesn't even have to be behavioral specialist contingency in order to um allow the we're making a lot of changes to a system all at once, allowing that to sort of sort out and and see where the need comes. Um but I don't know if that's even something we can do, Miss Elazoski, or if you

108need very specific definitions at this point. Uh, thank you. Um, so, uh, I'm I'm good with a contingency. Um, so it it allows for us to Dr. Means that's is laughing at me. Um, it allows us to respond to needs that we're not anticipating right now in a different way. I would add however that if if the need that we're identifying is is specific, so in this case talking about a behavior um a behavioral specialist, the window to hire someone of good quality with that skill set is right now. So if we think that we're going to still need support in that space, we do not want to put that in contingency to wait later. We want to hire that now. If we want to put it in contingency for any need moving forward, then

109I would think that that's more reasonable and we would still have a timeline for when we would say we need to make a decision about what this looks like so that we don't put ourselves in the position of not being able to hire someone of the quality that we're looking for. So I think it really depends on on how you see that um based on when we can secure individuals who are competent and effective and help will help move us forward. >> Missoski, if I may just add and I'm sorry, Mr. our parents. >> I'll just try to be succinct. When I think about the last few years of the explosion of concerns out of Eisenhower, what I've heard this year out of Madison, I consistently hear teachers say, "We need support." The behavioral specialist

110is the person that we would deploy to a building when teachers and the principal or all are saying we don't know what to do with this group of students. We we've tried 10 strategies. They're not working. What else can you do? Because when I hear teachers say we're not we the district are not supporting them. it is in the mode of we don't have those systems in place right now and the more responsive school systems do have them in place. Last thing I would say is Mr. Guadier at the beginning of the month when we started talking about this he he talked about Manslow's hierarchy of needs and that if you don't have an environment where people feel safe and secure about what they're doing in an institution of learning then they won't they won't

111learn and they won't be able to teach well and that's what this second position does for us. >> Other thoughts on this? I mean, one of the things that um I think is harder for the board is that it's a new position. So, we don't know to what extent. We do know that we've had the concern. So, we don't know what to what extent um that need will be there. And so I I do have some leaning towards the idea of developing the single position and having some ability if that person needs support maybe not to have another position right at that level but um their ability to to ask for um additional help which may not be in the same category. Um, I also know that we have over the last couple of years

112um had situations where um a couple more educational assistance or an additional special education teacher are things that come up um as we get closer to the school year. So that's why I kind of lean towards that contingency option because before we even get to the point where a school is in need of um a behavioral specialist, uh making sure that we've fully deployed staffing to support um students in the school seems like even a another really important consideration. >> Uh thank you Dr. Worley. um as we as we are uh listening and and wanting to give you the the best possible council in terms of um what we're hearing um uh Miss Clement did highlight that like like this past year if we did see in the fall once we had once we're able

113to take a a look at our our resident students and our in our full enrollment if we do see that we have additional needs in special education we have the ability of of adding FTE through the transfer of service and so so while the funding for that comes a bit later um we are a there is a mechanism in place for that in particular not in place from a regular education standpoint >> right >> what do you see Missoski in your um snowball your looking forward in terms of where we're at guess guesting guesstimating the educational and then the size of classrooms because that's often something that parents um raise up concerns and we've heard some about. So just always good to go >> special ed. >> No, in general. >> Yeah. Um so uh

114our from an elementary perspective um we have I believe two elementary classrooms are are two grade levels at specific schools involving four classrooms where the where the class sizes I want to say in fourth or fifth grade are somewhere around um 25 26 there might even be a 27 um that is those are the exception those are the largest class sizes and still within our ranges. Um, looking at the looking at the projections even after where we would place open enrollment seats, I expect that we are still going to have the smallest class sizes in the Milwaukee metro area for again for just based on numbers of students in classrooms, >> right? >> Um, so I don't see that changing. Um I I do see and again back to the conversation related to kind of

115contingency and available um pools of candidates. We really need to have our special ed education staff in place uh like the by July 1, July 15th at most. We struggled this past year because there were a number of positions that we had to fill after that point and it was very difficult to do so. Uh so I I see that as being a really critical piece in terms of being ready to start the school year and what we do to support those new teachers that we've hired in special education is going to look very different as well. And so um Stacy and I have collaborated on how we will continue to onboard and provide support to those again new special education teachers, new classroom teachers and what that looks like. But we need um I'll

116be working with principles to make sure we're getting as many positions filled, hopefully every position filled, especially in special education um by early July. You did really good work. I I just, you know, for for thinking this through, the fourth grade is that point where um or at least I hear from parents where they have this level of concern because this transition from the size of first, second, third to fourth um is a little bit more of a change. Um and that seems to be a place that we hear. I'm not expressing opinion. I'm just saying I want to reflect um information we've had in the past. So, thank you for being able to put that that data out there for us. Yes, Miss Herro. >> Um, can you clarify for me? Um, you say

117we have in this plan 1.5 contingency. We've got and I can't pull them up because I can't get boards open. Um, we have had communication from Dr. Means um saying two things. Um this proposal also assumes uh that that salaries are set. So uh in your conversations with the WA they've requested a little bit more in salary. So does the one and then Dr. me and said, "Okay, if we do that, then we can take some out of conting some FTE out of contingency." And then we also were told that or we could reduce two educational assistant positions and one other position to compensate to get to where W are you following it. >> So, um it'd be easier if I had the notes. Um, so >> we need $400,000. >> Yes. The $400,000 difference.

118So is 1.5 contingency. Um, that's assuming that we don't increase salaries per what WA is asking. Is that correct? >> The the 1.5 contingency is consistent with the proposal that we've given the WA. So that would be a um an a teacher increase of 4.97%. >> Yes. And the WA has requested um 5.36. >> Okay. Sorry. 5.63. >> Yeah. Thinking there's another possible way that >> Well, no. So 1.5 if if we increase salaries per the WA's recommendation. Okay. >> Then we would be 0.5 contingency or no? >> No. Uh so the initial if you remember last week we offered a model is now model E, >> right? um and we would have made deeper cuts um and to we wouldn't have we would not it would not have been part of the contingency. We

119would have just gone deeper in our reductions. >> And then you sent another update though that we wouldn't have to do the cuts, but we could take it out of contingency. >> Not contingency. >> Well, I what we typically do is we do midyear salary adjustments. So, I knew what you meant. Um, and so what what we typically do for for the community who's following uh this conversation, what Miss Zelazowski does mid year is she presents to the board salary adjustments based on people's uh experience and we try to bring people up um to a certain level and she typically has somewhere between $100,000 to $150,000 um to make that happen. One option is for us to not do salary mid-year salary adjustments, place that money on the front end and then subsequently we could

120we can increase our package. However, everyone just needs to understand that means there will be no midyear salary adjustment >> for teachers. And the other thing I would add is that your >> yes >> initial letter D which is now moved to E um had one behavioral specialist >> right >> but had the room for >> oh no the room for adjusting to WA >> okay >> that that's where I think you're remembering >> yes >> that that that last column >> on the chart was sort of setting up that >> and as a reminder last meeting I believe is when we approved approved the salary adjustments and those typically or recently. >> Yeah, the adjustments and that was to primarily help the f the veteran teachers >> because they weren't getting pay increases a

121decade ago um kind of catch up. So, I just want to level set with all the kind of different we're not just looking at these staffing numbers. We're also trying to figure out contingency, uh, salary adjustments, uh, you know, meeting that $400,000 recommendation from WEA and where does that pull staff from? So, there's a lot of moving pieces. Um, and I'll just kind of level set here for behavioral the behavioral specialist position. Um my concern the first April 13th was that one person wouldn't have the capacity to meet the goals of that position. Um so I was happy to see that we were able to add a second uh position. I think those that that p those people or person will be incredibly helpful for our neurode divergent students or our students who don't necessarily

122meet the requirements to have an IEP but they're still having behavioral issues in schools. I have also heard um from some schools who because the needs aren't as high as others, they don't have the support of other schools as other schools do because they maybe have like five students that are showing really disregulated behaviors. And so it's not to the level where we would staff a a specialed person necessarily. Um, but that doesn't take away the needs and the effects of those that school community. Um, so I I really find a lot of value in that position and I I really think that we need two of that position to be able to meet the needs that we know are in our schools. Can >> I ask a question? um for for what you're thinking

123through uh would and what I'm struggling with is how we're also putting more social work time, more psychologist time in so I'm not I don't have as much clarity as you do that there would still be as big of gaps. >> Say something quick. >> Yeah. Um I think it's we have to make a point that school social workers and school psychologists are master level um educators. Um I mean I'm not a school social worker but I do have a masters in social work and I graduated 20 years ago with that and at that time mental health was a huge thing that we learned about. So, I can just imagine in 20 years time what they are learning um what they have learned if they're new graduates that I think we have to really give

124school social workers and school psychologists the ability to use that education and use their mental health um education and really give them the credit that you know they went to school for a long time to be able to learn about mental health and how to work with kids with mental health iss issues, kids who have behavior issues. Um, so I'm just throwing that >> and that was what I was trying to get is with all of that new and having one assigned per school, I have less concern about a single behavioral specialist being able to at least initially until we know what that position looks like being able to carry the one. >> I I'm I don't want to be in a position to try to persuade you. However, in my seat, the most humbling

125moment that I have is when a faculty says we don't know what else to do. That is the most humbling thing that I because these are proud educators who are saying we just want to teach and we don't know what else to do. And the behavioral specialist will be those experts that can come into a building when the principal has come to their wits end and when staff have said we've done everything and they've done they've had their student support team meetings and they've called the parents and they've done everything and they're still unable to figure out what and we have those and what I've seen in my time in the district is that what happens is that those behaviors have to elevate to a point that then we we pour resources into those schools

126to kind of simmer things down. What Miss Clim and I are asking for is if we can be more strategic with the behavioral specialists and distribute them when schools are in crisis. And I think we spend a lot of time and I think the vision right now is elementary, but I can tell you when I walk into certain grade levels at middle schools or there's certain groups of young people, I I received an email today from a parent at a high school that said there's pockets of girls at a high school. These are all areas where if we can address those behaviors, the teaching and learning that we want the intervention teachers and the CNI specialist to address, we can get to it if people feel safe and secure. But there are fonties. >> Anyone

127questions that that would be ideal? I think we're back to the limited resources question. Where do we deploy them? Is there any board member that hasn't had a chance to to follow up on this piece of the conversation um that wants to to add to it? I mean, if we could entertain a um a motion to amend and then we can come back and find out what else your other questions are about staffing. >> Absolutely. And the counter to Dr. Means's argument joins with Miss Lamers because if we have M's level support already in buildings, it might not be a position that's required that comes with benefits necessarily, but additional training or time to organize such that we can develop a network amongst colleagues as opposed to another person, right? Another human. So, but >>

128another choice would be to continue and see if there's other positions that people would have a concern about. What is your preference and take them one at a time? >> So, question on procedure. So, are we looking at models A, B, C and like going through or what like what are we actually doing? >> The proposal was D. That's what was put forward. D as it is with with two. >> Yes. And so now the question is we could continue to brainstorm other changes that you would make to D that then we can go through a process of um people offering an amendment if they have one and if that amendment passes then it changes the overall proposal. Um that's usually the the cleanest way. We would only do one at a time. But I

129don't know if we want to get everything in the pot um so we don't have competing amendments. What's your preference? >> The cleanest way to do it is take it individually and see because that will >> if we allow multiple amendments to stack up on top of one another then it becomes much more amorphous and hard to think. So would you like to >> So the motion would be to amend model D uh the motion on the table such that we remove one district-wide behavioral specialist and move that FTE into contingency to be determined later >> and I move. >> May I have a second? I'm going to second it so that it gets on the floor. Any conversation further? >> Yes. Could we ask um Miss Hansen, you're here? Um so under director of

130student success, uh you would um oversee the psychologist, social workers, and our 14 um school counselors. Um do you sort of through what Mr. Bower has stated was um hold off on that one behavior specialist and let the social workers and psychologists kind of find their footing in our schools? Um, do you do you think that it would be beneficial to have these behavior specialists that are focused solely on the behavior aspect or do you think that the school psychologists and social workers and yourself would have the capacity to manage those help manage those behaviors? >> I'm going to ask you to come to the microphone. Sorry. Just so everyone can hear. and and you don't have to take a position if you don't want to. Just if you have anything else to inform the

131conversation is maybe a better way to to ask it. >> Um I guess I I do kind of feel like I'm like sort of in a hot seat right now. So I guess what I want to just reiterate is one of the challenges with how we're currently structured in my vision is uh difficulty with clarity of roles. So what we're trying to get to is a place where I can pull all the school psychologists together and I can say, "Hey, these are your specific roles. Let me help you with professional learning around those specific roles and things like that." So um um also piggybacking I think what you said, Miss Lamers, is that I have great um trust and faith in all of our staff, honestly. Um, and I think that our social workers and

132our psyches, um, and our school counselors have much capacity. I think what you're asking me to do though is sort of to predict what those subsequent additional needs are. And there are going to be some other needs in buildings as we've experienced, right? We had Eisenhower in a big crisis. We have had Madison in a big crisis. and to be able to predict if one or two behavior specialists are going to be able to address that. I I don't know that I can predict that because I don't I also don't know we have more staffing now of school psyches in our buildings. Um I have great optimism that we're going to be able to retain our psyches that we are losing because they don't get to be student facing. But am I able to predict

133real cleanly they're going to be able to cover all the needs? I don't know that I can I can say that. Um, so I'm not really giving you an answer because I feel like >> it's too crystal ball for me, but I I can say that I am so supportive of trying to define role clarity and trying to really be strategic about our professional learning for people in each of the different roles and having that be much more clear because I do think we have a lot of inefficiencies in our system right now because that's not there. >> That was super helpful. >> I don't >> Thank you. I think that I think that's what we were hoping to get a little bit more thinking on. So, thank you. >> Yes, Mr. Monte. >> Um,

134so I I guess I would be I would be for keeping two of them right away. Um, twofold. Uh, one, as you had stated, it's going to be way you're going to find way better talent if we're doing it now as opposed to three, four, five weeks from now. And two, um, for the same reasons that were stated, we don't we don't know um, we know that these these groups of professionals are going to come together, gel, figure everything out. And but I would actually make the argument that um someone said I don't remember who said it but they said do we need them because um these groups are going to let's let them go find their footing. I would say the time that during the time that they're finding their footing in this first

135year is exactly the time that we need to we need two uh behavioral specialists because that allows them to take a little bit less off their plate and they can spend some time working together to really refine it. And then when we have this discussion again next year, then we can look at at we'll we'll know what all the roles are and what they've done and what they've been able to accomplish. We will hear from them uh as to you know what they think. Do do they need it? Do they we'll hear is the structure good? Do we need something different? So I I think we we need to keep both of them uh for for those two reasons. Thank you for articulating. Um I don't want to come off as someone who opposes having

136more behavioral specialists, but I'm going to say that um I am feeling that we need to really take care of our resources um and have a little bit more flexibility. And that's what draws me um to Mr. Bower's idea um which is to go into the year uh cuz we as as was said we don't know we don't know if it's a behavior issue that's going to come in the building or if we identify um more academic support needs um or you know some other space in which we you know we find that our um studentf facing teachers are limited and I feel like the amount of contingency that we're planning right now, it's very small. Especially if we keep into the account of the idea that um we want to honor our long tradition,

137at least I want to honor our tradition of working um with the teachers on uh on their compensation package and making sure that all our non-eing staff have compensation because that's of the percentage that we're um hoping to do. Uh too often we in my opinion we make these kinds of decisions and then we find ourselves in a situation where um we uh we have to dig a little deeper into resources that we're not even sure we have. Anyone else want to share where you're coming from? We will take a vote on this. Miss Rodier, I I think that Yep. It's um a time when having two behavioral specialists would perhaps be most beneficial, especially if we get some strong talent to fill to fill those spots. Children are calling out for that that help.

138Our parents have reached out to us through email saying, "Please help our teams, help our kids. I though see that numbers that having having more flexibility. I don't know how else we get that flexibility to be responsive to to the needs when when they change in the next couple of months if we don't have some contingency FTE built in. And to be clear, there really isn't like a horribly wrong answer. Like I'm agreeing with everyone who says everything. It's which is the most frustrating part of all of this. >> Yeah. Are we ready to um call the vote? >> Sure. Please do. You always ask good ones. So, >> so if this was put into the contingency, would that be that would be like if there's a need for another position later on next year

139and would that be is that like then reserved for just anything generally or for something specific to this? >> So, the proposal that was put out, I believe, was for for general um does not exclude it from being used for this, but the point that was made was um to hire someone with that level of experience and capacity. were unsure we would be able to do that midyear or closer to September. >> It would probably be wise at this point to ask what we used urgent uh contingency this current school year because we had a couple of FTE. >> Correct. >> We did uh so you might recall in October uh we brought forth a proposal to increase FTE that was predominantly for special education I think predominantly assist. Yeah, predominantly assistance in the transfer

140of service. I believe we started the year with approximately the same uh contingency that that we have now. Um I think we added a special education Oh, I know we added a special education teacher to do program support and diagnostics plus the others. And so and we we continue to have something like 043 FTE that we have not needed to assign or that we did not assign anywhere um during the year. >> Wasn't some of that uh contingency also part of the midyear adjustments? >> Uh kind of. So we also keep track of costs when we hire teachers at lesser costs than then they leave the organization. So, so between the FTE contingency and then those salary savings, the other place that we had had some savings and I don't I don't think Scott and

141I computed this, but we have so for instance, u Mr. Pinion's position that we haven't had filled for like six months of the year. Um, you know, there's savings in those places as well. But from an from an FTE standpoint, we added the program support and diagnostic teacher and then we added through transfer of service a couple other special education positions. Yes. >> So, if we were to vote yes on this amendment and it passed, um you said it would be difficult to find quality applicants for a behavioral specialist position. What about like we decided we wanted to hire an additional coach or an additional interventionist? How how likely is it that we would have a good pool of candidates to hire for those positions? >> Um, so thank you for the question and I

142hope I hope you hear what I'm sharing with you is just being the considerations for you know again we we will work with the plan that that you approve. I think the complication would be if we were adding FTE in either academic intervention or um curriculum instruction specialist that we are reducing individuals in those positions now. And so the theory would be I mean those are going to be the the most recently trained the most updated in terms of our systems and structures knowledge of the staff members that we have. So we would want to put those individuals back in those positions because the only reason they were removed was due to finances and then we're double backfilling. So it would be the you know equivalent of um taking someone out of a classroom teaching

143position putting them back into one of these other roles and then finding somebody else for the classroom. So um I don't think it's as difficult to to fill to backfill a classroom teaching position but it is disruptive for students and we try to minimize that above everything. Is that helpful? Okay. >> Theoretically that could h preferably would happen before the year started um rather than during the year. furably would happen before July 15th, which which again from a runway standpoint, I mean that, you know, you get some more information by July 15th, but we still don't have the full picture yet. So, with the just to clarify, with the motion, if you vote yes, you're voting to have the staffing model that will then be on the floor unless we make additional changes to it.

144Um, to have only one behavioral specialist rather than two. That's the motion that's been made. Okay, Miss Summers, please call the role. Sinski first. >> We started mixing this up just for this reason so we don't >> we don't Okay. Uh, yes. Mr. Wier, >> no. >> Spock, no. Disclaimers, yes. And Sim Rand, no. >> Dr. Wley, >> yes. >> Mr. Bow, >> yes. >> And the motion carries with a vote of four to three. I counted that right. Okay. So, we have an amended proposal. Um, are there other uh discussions, concerns, areas of the staffing plan that you want to bring up, go ahead. >> Give me a vote. Go ahead, Mr. Rosier. I saw your hands here. Go ahead. >> Uh, again, I think this is more procedural question. So, we did not

145we just voted to say that that line item would be one. We haven't that was not a vote for saying that it it is a contingency right now. It's just we've reduced that to one. >> No, the proposal was to put it into contingency. >> Okay. So, >> undetermined. It's another if we wanted if for instance if I as an example if I wanted to put a motion out to take that out of contingency and into curriculum that would be something >> I I just want to make sure I guess I wasn't 100% clear that >> also I I voted no either way. So but also that that would in one fell swoop we were putting it >> directly >> the proposal. Yes. >> Yeah. If you had wanted to change that, just for people

146to know, if you'd want to change it while it was happening, you would bring that up and you would ask if that was a friendly amendment um and you would see whether the person who put the motion on the floor wanted to adjust. But this what you're proposing is certainly um an an option. >> I'm not I'm not proposing it. just want us to know >> else questions you have um about uh the staffing proposal that is now before us with the with the amended be the D but with one on districtwide behavioral specialist. So it would have a seven at the bottom. Um but all of the other positions as listed in academics will look like that to say we're going to call the question. Okay. Um so we have a motion on the

147floor uh that's been amended and that is to um take the proposed uh staffing report with the amended amendment that it will only include one defined behavioral specialist position. um and that the um contingency uh undefined will be increased um through having only the one behavioral specialist defined. Okay. So if you will vote either yes or no or abstain um just wait till there. Okay. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Mr. Wadier, >> no. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> Miss Lamers, >> yes. >> Miss Rolland, >> no. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> And the motion carries 5 to two. Okay. Thank you for your hard work board members. Um we will move on to now we have uh letter B 8B um

148action to approve the 2026 um preliminary financial non-renewal notices and contract salary changes. We'll wait to hear that. evening. I thought it would just be easier to talk if I could see all of this. >> Sounds good. >> I'll turn our heads around, >> right? Should I should I change the speed? Um uh so this agenda item um requests approval of financial uh contract non-renewal notices. There are three recommended full um full non-renewal notices uh based on the staffing plan that you just approved. And then there are additional reductions based on um uh new assignments of individuals into positions that have lower salaries associated with them. So the the second half of the of the recommendation um includes non-renewals, but they are not full non-renewals. They're just related to salary um based on the the

149new position those individuals would have. >> Do you have any other questions? >> Dr. Worley, do you mind if I weigh in for a second? Yes. I I think um there is a heaviness that um has been lifted with your prior vote. So we would be remiss. I think that's why Miss Elazoski and I continue to make these faces at one another. What an incredible whiff that you have accomplished from a governance standpoint. So thank you. We now have clarity. We know how to move forward. So what's in front of you now is the reason why we had that timeline slide of showing. So here's the next steps. So thank you for the clarity. We understand and we are very grateful to work within the framework that we now have. The next step is for

150us to issue contracts and and so Miss Elazoski is making a a mental transition of now I have a staffing plan. How do I start communicating with the human humans in our organization on what the impact is? Is that a good way of trying to describe where you are mentally right now from a mental model standpoint? Miss Oz, >> thank you. I have a lot of work to do. >> So, um, and you had to come prepared for a whole potential set of choice. >> Yeah. Yes. Thank you, Dr. Means. >> Yes. So the part of the next step then is um based on the staffing plan that's approved um we have some required communication with individuals who are impacted by the um by the FTE changes. And so part of that is this um

151non-renewal process which in Wisconsin is the way to notify teachers that um that we're issuing them a different or not issuing them a contract for the next year. And that's a two-step process. These are the preliminary notices. and then I'll be back at the May 11th meeting with the with the final notices comments or questions. >> Sorry. >> Yeah, this is the difficult work that we signed up for. Real people um limited resources, not limited need but limited resources. Again, I would go ahead and reiterate that these are financial non-renewal notices. There can also be non-renewal notices for performance reason. That is not the case here. That helps employees as there's they're looking for other jobs when we are able to identify it as uh for economic reasons. >> Yes. >> Question. um for the

152non-renewals and the assignments and and I I understand a lot of things just mentally shifted in your estimation. Um are are we retaining the best possible talent for the roles that are approved and are we sure that we are I guess the reductions um that there isn't another fit elsewhere. Um so uh thank you for the question Mr. Washier. Um so for instance um two individuals who would be receiving preliminary non-renewal notices they're under consideration for a vacant position that we have in the district. So, I expect that one of them will will stay in the district in a in a different role, but I'm not sure who that would who would be selected for that position. So, I'm having to proceed with non-renewals for both of those individuals right now. So, back so to

153your question in terms of do I feel confident that we're retaining um as many or the most the most effective staff members we can? Yes. um uh the academic performance team, um the pupil and family supports team, we've worked really hard to go ahead and make sure that that we are retaining effective educators in every way possible. No, I may sound like a broken record, but just for um board member's sake, you know, I used to work in human resources at the school district level, so this is I'm always envious of Miss Zelazowski of some of the things she gets to do. Do you mind referencing for our viewers and the board the policy that drives decisions around who's identified for this process? because there is a process and there's a policy that drives the

154work. Do you you mind just lifting that up for for our viewers in the board? >> Uh we have a staff reduction policy and we have a transfer policy. Um and while it's important that the policies themselves exist, the administrative guidelines that go along with those policies really provide the nuts and bolts of how we operationalize um that decision-m. Um I think we started this past fall. Um my colleague Leah Claybour and I from an a human resources perspective u when we anticipated that we might have more you know more reductions this year based on our financial realities. We worked with our administrative team um to uh to explicitly flesh out what would be our priorities if we have to make transfers or we have to make reductions. Um and so as a as an

155administrative group um we worked on those administrative guidelines over a period of months um tested them, sampled them and then we deployed them uh to go ahead and make the decisions about transfers and contract uh reductions. Now so that's um again that was the work of our administrative team over the course of several months. Um we identified three different levels of priorities, high, medium and low priorities for both reductions and transfers. Um I think the low priority item in both administrative guidelines was um was tenure or seniority. Um high priorities were um related to certification, contributions to the school and to the district uh being collaborative. Um, so again that that team uh we facilitate that process over over an extended period of time um and while there's no process that's ever perfect, I think

156it worked well for us and we'll continue to refine that moving forward. But so we did we did have a um an as much as possible an objective process to use that we were able to consistently apply that led us to these recommendations. Dr. means does that capture what you were >> It does. I think Mr. year's question was just >> y >> really centered around are we making the the best decision with the limited resources we have >> and if I remember correctly the last few years not saying that we always can do that we've done we've we've kept and been able to um find spots for a lot of you work very hard on that way >> I'm happy to announce that board docs is up and so it it I believe the

157board the the policy number is 3131 of uh reduction in in staff. >> Thank you. >> That's the policy number. >> Just a um brief editorial on this one that's in front of us. I believe that um you would want it to read uh that the first name position then 2025 2026 FTE and 2026 2027 FTE for each of the preliminary reductions. Right. >> I'm I'm sorry, Dr. Willie. Did you ask uh Oh, yes. I see I see that there is a typo in the I mean, it's obvious, but I want to have that in the record that those that the the >> the zero FTEES are not referring to this year school year, >> the 26 27. Yes. Thank you. >> Anyone else comments or questions? So, so what right now says 2425 that

158is reflective of their 2526 FTE and then it would be 2627 that would be reduced to zero. >> Anyone else? We got two pieces here. The non-renewals and the reductions. >> They're both technically from a technical standpoint. They're both considered financial contract non-renewals, but again, but they're different circumstances. Okay. Um Sarah, do you or I can read it either. Um, >> hold back. >> Um, there it is. It is recommended. >> Oh, I am lost. >> It is recommended that this You can do the second. How about that? Is recommended the school board approve the preliminary 2026 2027 school year staffing plans. Oh no, sorry. Here we go. One more down. Um, it's recommended, it's me, that's the problem, not you. It's recommended the school board approve the 2026 2027 preliminary financial non-renewal notices and

159contract salary changes. And I say move. May I have a second? >> Seconded. >> Thank you, Miss Rzinski. And that would totally one on me. >> Um, so the motion is on the floor. Um, seeing any other um questions or concerns, Miss Summers, could you please call the role? >> Mr. Wier, >> yes. >> Miss Rolland, >> yes. Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Miss Lamers, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> And the motion carries. So now we move on to 8 C. Um we'll be go back to electronic and off the paper which is action to approve revised job descriptions. I do. >> Yeah. You have it up. Do you want to? >> It's uh the academic intervention teacher, formerly known as academic

160specialist, academic operations coordinator, formerly known as student growth coordinator. Curriculum and instruction coordinator, formerly known as curriculum coordinator. Curriculum and instruct instruction specialist, formerly known as instructional coach. Director of curriculum and instruction, formerly known as director of curriculum. And then under people and family supports, is the chief of people and family supports and director of student success. Yes. >> Questions or comments about any of these job descriptions? motion. >> Yes, >> we also the assistant recreation director. >> That's the next item. >> The next one. >> Thank you. >> These are revi the revised ones. Thank you for asking that clarification. So, academic intervention teacher formally academic specialist, academic operations coordinator, formally student growth coordinator, curriculum and instruction coordinator, formally curriculum coordinator, curriculum and instruction specialist, formally instructional coach, director of curriculum and instruction, formally

161director of curriculum. And there's some changes to the chief of pupil and family supports as well as the director of student success. So, seeing nothing else, it is recommended that the school board approve the revised job descriptions and I so move. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Bower. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Mr. Zenski, >> yes. >> Miss Lamers, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Emerald Rand, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr. Wadier, >> yes. >> And the motion carries. Uh given that people may have comments or questions on the D um should we get the motion on the floor? >> It is recommended that school board approve the new job descriptions and I so move.

162>> I have a second. Thank you, Miss Bach. Um what would you like to tell us about the new job descriptions? >> Um the new job descriptions again follow along uh with the staffing plan that has was approved earlier this evening. Um uh the job descriptions have been the collaborative work of um the human resources team as well as academic performance and people and family supports. Um we believe that these positions will be meaningful in the organization moving forward. So, board members, in case you don't have board docs up yet, this is um the new job descriptions are one um.0 FTE, assistant recreation director, um 1.0 FTE, behavioral specialist, behavior specialists, um 1.0 um FTE communication specialists, and 1.0 FTE director of pupil services. Just as a clarification, the assistant recreation director funding comes from

163a different school of >> community services fund. Yep. >> Than the educational staffing. Correct. on the um communications. Uh there is a job function um to work on the ADA compliance which is going to be a big lift. Um, but where is is that somewhere in the qualifications or is there a specific qualification that we're looking for um in order for the person to be able to function in that way? >> There spec. So your question is are there specific qualifications that will allow the individual to meet the ADA compliance requirements? Or I could say I think it would be wise to have that as something that's part of the identification of this person because having personally been in the midst of needing to do that for my own >> um documents as a teacher

164for the last few months, it is not just looking things up. It's not simple. There is a lot to that. And um if that's going to be part of this function of this position, I would want to know that you're hiring someone who has that capacity and experience. >> I think under the essential job functions, >> it mentions it, but I I wasn't sure if that would be um it needs to be reflected in the qualifications as well or not. >> This position will work under um Miss Tuttle. And so, um, >> uh, I believe she's also going to be providing, um, oversight to how this person functions. So, whether it's not whether it's a qualification or something that someone can be trained to do, um, I would lean on her expertise for that particular

165piece of functionality that I am not first in. I will say in the organization that I'm in, we had two people that had to go train in order to then train um other people. That was just within one university department. >> Um it is a big big lift. If there's not to say that I want to make your pool super small, but if you if there's some level of maybe preference that this person's going to do that, yes, maybe they could learn, but we have been given an extra year. But I and I'm not clear on how far we have gotten in that um preparation yet, but it's not a small lift. We understand some some some suggestions on that particular job description. >> Any other Yes. >> Yeah. Just real briefly, I'll say um

166through the board engagement sessions that we've held this year and through talking with various um community stakeholders, particularly those who don't have uh students in our district, in our schools. Um the number one concern I hear from them is that they wish that they got more communication from our district. Um, and so I'm hoping it looks like through the qualifications and essential job functions, uh, I'm hoping that that um that person will be able to to lessen that gap that we currently have as well. Anyone else in any of the new job descriptions? Okay. I may not already. >> Right. Right. Are we all ready? Yeah. Are we all ready? Anyone else? I wasn't sure if you had something you wanted to say about it or Okay. >> Um, Miss Summers, please call the RO.

167>> Miss Har Rolland, >> yes. Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Miss Lamers, >> Mr. Wadier, >> yes. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> Dr. Wley, >> yes. And the motion carries. Oh, here go. Oh, okay. Um, we can move on to letter E, presentation of proposed employee benefit plan changes. Meanwhile, I'm just pulling that up to share the slides. I believe what we have left are presentations. Hey, we're going to begin this evening uh looking at uh health insurance um and uh what our employee benefit structure we're proposing will look like for the 202627 school year. Um, as you know, um, we have had, uh, the best start to this to the school year that we've had, um, in several years related to our health insurance plan. Uh, again, this

168is just a comparison of the utilization rates um, for the past few um, the past few months since the start of the plan year in October. When we look at that utilization um on a a cumulative basis, we can see that as we compare this February to the prior Februaries, uh we are u many percentage points um uh better uh than we ran previously. Um though, um this is a short plan year, we are still only a few months into that. Um this year's plan year will end um as of June 30th. And so while we're trending um better than we could have hoped um so far um we still have a couple months of uh of claims to go. So this is not the full story yet. Um but this trend um is allowing

169us to experience um a a more than reasonable renewal. Um we know that um the trend for prescriptions and medical costs is around 10%. Um our renewal increase came at came in at 7.68%. We are carrying over however a couple months at the end of the last plan year um on this fiscal year. So our actual renewal rate increase is 8.48% that being within what we budgeted as far as trend. um leaves us in in good shape um in terms of the plan design that we can offer for employees uh for 2627. Um here is a cost comparison of what we're proposing for 2627 um uh as as compared to current year. Our plan costs would go up somewhere um for the entire year. the employee premium contributions would increase somewhere between $7754 for the

170year um to $318.15 uh for the year. So those are those are premium increases alone um uh based on the the different plan options that we have. Um, part of the reason that our plan is running so well is that we've made a number of very intentional, very strategic changes to go ahead and be in this position. Changing the plan year uh to a July 1 to June 30th allows us to um end one school year knowing what our salaries and benefits look like for the upcoming school year. We are also switching our plan administrator from UHC to UMR. This change allows us vast flexibility in the design of our plan moving forward as well as um detailed reporting that we have never had access to before. So be able to make much more informed

171decisions about our plan. This will also require all of our employees to get new ID cards. Um we have the same network of providers that we've had for the past couple of years. There are no changes in the medical plan design that includes um the deductibles as well as um co-pays for prescription drug expenses. Uh and we are not making any changes with our prescription drug administrator which is um CVS care. We are um offering uh brand new benefits for employees at zero cost. Uh we are previously we offered um Maven newborn uh programming for staff members and their families. Uh we are expanding that to include Maven maternity, Maven parenting and Maven midlife health. Uh we are also transitioning to a new virtual physical therapy service for back joint and muscle uh pain which

172has been very effective in reducing costs on the health plan for muscularkeeletal related um conditions. and we are expanding our current TEDoc health from general medicine to also include dermatology and mental health care um at zero cost to members. So uh from a mental health perspective um children um ages 13 and up or individuals ages 13 and up will have access 7 days a week 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. to virtual mental health services at no cost out of pocket. So, we're very excited about those benefits. Um, we will also be able to offer at no cost to employees um uh the N program, which is um a a science-based um app that allows not only nutrition tracking, but also co uh behavioral health coaching uh in terms of making um healthy choices for yourself.

173um uh I think their ads are particularly um uh interesting and so it feels pretty pretty great to be able to offer like a consumer quality program to our employees at no cost. We have in the past offered um weight management services um but this is certainly the highest quality that we've had access to. Um we are also um uh proposing that we uh enhance our short-term disability benefit for employees. Uh, our provider, National Insurance Services, has offered to go ahead and um provide employees with an opportunity to increase their weekly benefit if they qualify for short-term disability. Um, and employees, if they've already signed up, they can make those increases or make those changes in in the benefit without um having a a health screening or a health physical. And this is just a

174that's a one-time change. employees either need to do that when they sign up um or at this point without having that um medical review. Looking at the overall plan design, I just wanted to make sure um uh I know you all don't look at this every day like I do or have have it fairly well memorized, but we offer two different health plan options for employees. Plan option A offers a higher monthly contribution and lower deductible. Um, plan B offers um, a lower deductible, excuse me, a lower monthly contribution but higher deductible. And then we also offer a third option that is cash in lie of insurance. Uh, again while these premiums are the premiums for options A and B are increasing slightly. Uh, we are maintaining the same deductible and health savings account contributions

175for employees um, with both of these plans. And we would also be maintaining the same cash in lie of insurance amount of $5,000. And I'll go ahead and pause there related to health insurance and benefits. Um, at the onset of this presentation, you noted that our increase in the cost of insurance was lower than what we budgeted, right? We we budgeted 10% of an increase and it came at 8%. Um what where does that money go in terms of the budget and or why then are we increasing employee um contributions owed to the premiums? So, um, for each plan option, option A and B, uh, the district pays a percentage of the monthly monthly premium. And so, that's between, um, I believe like, so 15% for plan A and I think it's 12% uh, for

176plan, um, option B. So, the district is picking up the majority of the increase of the cost of those premiums based on the percent of the premiums that we pay. Um, and employees are having just a small increase based on either the 12 or 15% that they pay. um the the actual renewal amount is what is allowing us to offer um the salary increases that we're going to talk about in a few minutes. Had our had our renewal come in at the 10% or somewhere between where we're at right now, the 8.48 and the 10%, we would be proposing lower salary increases. So, we knew from a from a total compensation perspective, we knew we needed to budget the 10% um for for benefits, but because we came in lower, that's what's allowing us to

177offer those higher uh >> salary rates. >> Absolutely. That makes sense. I just wanted to make sure it was clear that that was being rolled into somewhere. >> Can Can I just add something, too? Um the board hasn't approved a budget yet. So we're we're basing everything on still projections um that we put together in December and work through throughout the year. So uh you know remaining pieces of this we won't know we won't actually know our revenue until after the third Friday in September. So um part of building this whole budget puzzle is making certain assumptions and and adjusting as we go. So, um I I just want to be clear that the next step now is I can get more tight with the budget now that I know how many FTEEs we'll have.

178So, there will be several steps uh in approving the budget. Uh and now I can put a piece in with the FTE. I can plug in this um health insurance increases. We'll find out student count. And as the board knows, we won't actually finalize the budget until end of October. That makes a lot of sense. Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> Okay. >> I'll just comment um a big thank you to Sarah. I said this in finance. Um it I it would be hard to find another organization that is going to have such a small increase in healthcare um with only more benefits to our staff. So when we talk about the staff experience and student facing positions or not student facing positions, something else that um affects staff satisfaction is the benefits that

179they can receive. And um Sarah's ability to do that um should be recognized and your team, but it should be recognized and appreciated equally to all the other resources that we're able to to give our staff. So thank you. >> Of course. and your knowledge of the landscape is something that our district is really really lucky to have. >> In the coming months, um I anticipate that we'll uh continue to bring to you options for continued cost savings and better benefits for employees this winter. Uh our district health and wellness team engaged in a benefit strategic planning process. So I'm looking forward to sharing with you the outcomes um as well as our priorities moving forward which um as a preview the idea of maintaining low um lowcost benefits uh with high quality services and

180more um more optional and voluntary benefits for employees at very low to no cost um is a priority. So you'll continue to see that as a theme coming out of that process, which leads well into then our next two agenda items um related to uh employee salaries. Um so I would just go go ahead and ground our conversation and this is something that members of the finance and resource um committee have seen regularly. Um we did a a benchmarking survey the past couple of years um with my peers and other school districts looking at actual average teacher salaries um in the organization. Um and I I know we all remember from a couple of years ago how Wawaossa was was the you know at the at the bottom of the first quartile as far as

181far as teacher salaries. We are now now solidly at the median for teacher salaries um based on 2526 numbers and that feels like a much better place to be um to go ahead and root our conversations related to salary increases in the consumer price index which is generally thought of to be the the measure of cost of living increases. What you know what it costs us um to live and to receive services that are fairly foundational for us. Um and then that that CPI um U for the Midwest also then is what a lot of employers use um to think about salary increases for employees for um for our upcoming period um contracts or positions that begin on July 1, 2026, um that cost of living increase is estimated to be at 2.63%. Uh when

182we look at our non-eing positions, you um and we have many many other groups beside teachers, they're just not as large in terms of FTE as our teacher group. Um we have salary schedules for many of these. Um many of which uh our board um has approved over the past couple years. Um, and so the the combination of step increase on the schedule as well as percent added to the schedule is what gets us um to the 4% average increase that we're proposing. So you can see how those break down um for each of the employee groups and there are a couple of groups um our select um exempt staff and then our administrators do not have salary schedules. So for those groups the average increase um is 4% um across existing salaries. there's no

183other step increase because of the lack of schedules. When we look at that in terms of collective bargaining terminology for a teacher group, um I summarized the proposals that we exchanged earlier this month with the Wawaossa Education Association. The base wage increase is what is allowable um under collective bargaining at this point in time. Again, that's this uh 2.63%. Uh then we start looking at supplemental increases which would be um the rest of the step increase which is the 37% each step on the teacher schedule is 3%. Um and then we look at the supplemental um salary schedule increase. So the percent we could add to each level on the schedule. And then as you know our compensation uh plan for teachers includes a number of retention bumps um and other other retention mechanisms. And

184then when you equate that um to an overall salary increase, it comes out to 75 75%. Um uh Miss Himro Rand, we started speaking this evening about, you know, the the difference between WAS's proposal as well as WA's proposal. Uh it is less than 1% this year. There the amounts are much closer together. Um but there's still a difference of about $400,000 as you look across both proposals. We also felt it was important to go ahead and give you a snapshot of where um of where the proposals land um in reference to the referendum commitment that was um that was approved in 2024. So in this particular table you can see that breakdown um of increases and the and the value of those increases um in referendum terminology. And then you see what this proposal

185looks like for 202526. Um and again that's the the Wawaossa school district proposal. And then on the far right um you can see the cumulative referendum um commitment in terms of a salaryon increase. Um and so we're about at uh $2.5 million over the course of the two years in terms of that meeting that commitment. However, salary is not the only form of compensation. And so um uh there is another slide that um that I will make sure you have access to that looks at the at the cumulative um salary and benefit increase in terms of a graph that shows how much was met with last year's salary and benefits increase. What would be met with this proposal and then what that would look like for the third year. So I'll make sure you see

186that as well. Um but clearly again salary is not the only portion um of of um compensation. And so the other the other graph shows the combination of salary plus benefit costs. We have three options from a negotiations perspective when we meet with the union. Um I believe it is on Thursday of this week. Um one option is that the 4.97% could be our full and final offer. Um, another option we would have, which is I think what we suggested um, in the proposal that was submitted for this evening's board meeting, is that we could increase our offer to four 5.19%. Um, and then knowing that that would forego other teacher salary adjustments um, for the 2026 2027 school year, there would be um, no additional adjustments and that's what we're recommending administratively. The third

187option is that we could make some other financial reductions to be able to meet the WA's proposal of um 5.63%. Um so that you have it not only in percentages but in dollars and cents. Um increasing the offer from 4.97 to 5.19%. That's putting an extra $100,000 on the table that then would not be available for salary adjustments. So, we were to meet um the WA's proposal to get to the 5.63% we'd have to find $300,000 somewhere um that we are not going to move forward with that we can then reallocate um to salaries. Um that is not our administrative recommendation. Um but that is certainly again an option um option that the board has. >> A,000 in addition to the thousand >> 100,000. Yeah, correct. It would be 400,000 is what would it would

188take to get to the 5.6. >> 400,000 is the difference between our two proposals right now. >> Yeah. >> Is this something that we'll vote on on May 11? >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Last year, if I remember right, we had a a close executive session where we talked about this more fully. Um, are we going to have something like that time or >> we can think we or just wait till the 11th? >> We just discussed it. >> Yeah, it was open. >> I think I think you know often people talk about transparency and us being >> and putting everything out on the table. I think we we wanted to heed that council and so no I we wouldn't what we've said here is what we would have said in both such

189>> and I think people ask you all to involve the board sooner which you have >> yes ma'am >> not that I'm advocating postession I'm just saying >> with the planet planets >> I think the one thing that we've learned um in addition to bringing the board in and into this sooner and this goes to the earlier topic that we discussed u and Liz you'll you'll remember yes Miss Ozaskki deserves a lot of credit I remember a few years ago we brought to the board uh insurance increases and the board had to vote no >> because you weren't you weren't comfortable and and to see the progress we made there All of this is so transparent now due to the work that Scott and and Sarah have been able to put out that it it

190is fairly um it's fairly clear um to to us in terms of what needs to happen. And we also recognize clearly that there was a promise made uh with the 2024 operational referendum. And so we hope that we were very transparent and showing that we're meeting we're we're fulfilling that commitment um in the proposal that we're moving forward. >> I think it'd be good like you mentioned that graphic. I think it'd be good for us to have that again so that we can see and explain that because it looks like so much less percentage wise than last year. And so understanding that we frontloaded >> understanding that we that we frontloaded that last year and that it will that there's a build each year that we don't add the same amount on it's accumulation. Yes,

191>> we can definitely work on I think Mr. Eer actually worked on a graphic. >> There is a graphic just making sure that that we and the community have access. But I I just I know that we we we would have and should have recognized that earlier in the process as we negotiated earlier. We wanted to get out ahead of that uh issue this time around. And so really proud of that that progress we've made. So back to your your question, Mr. Broward. It's fairly clear from us or us >> for those who haven't been as um involved in it in the past. If we did as a board take the administration's recommendation which would we've and we haven't at that point reached up the WA coming in line with that given the way our

192state rules are still kind of done at that point. Um, but what what's the plan for in the relationship or the next couple of weeks trying to get to a place of collaborative understanding? >> Well, this was >> No, I mean I'm just I'm a negotiator. It's like put it on the table because it's, you know, >> it's a good question. It's a good question. >> Um, so the the steps related to collective bargaining um for us would be that you know uh so we meet again on Thursday. Um typically uh when groups meet you try to come closer to the middle from both sides. Um so we would see what uh the WA would would have to propose for us. Um ultimately um we bring forward a proposal for for you um to to

193decide on to approve um or not. And and frankly from a compensation perspective u we need you to approve something. And the sooner we do that, the happier our auditors are as well as our staff. >> Um, and then on the WA side of the equation, they also bring forward a proposal for their members to um to review and vote on. Um, you hope that that all parties agree um to accept that proposal. Um, but that's not required. Um, so thank you. All right. Thank you for presenting that content. We are ready for letter H. I think you want to combine H and I together. >> All the other items, >> right? Information. Yeah. because of board docs here. Okay. Um so again there we've gone over the March financials at finance committee uh a

194video published. I'm not going to go through every slide but I do want to fast forward to the last slide which is the headline anyway. Um, and before I I'll go to it, but then I had a few comments I' I'd like to make uh Okay. So, I was as um as I'm about to present this and and the headline is we have good news. Uh we're going to finish I'm almost certain we'll finish better than budget. And it is scary to say that because uh as the finance person, you always want to you feel like you want to keep your cards close. Um but we are 8 months of the way through the school year, almost nine. Um the algorithm would suggest that we're within 99% certainty of of finishing better than budget. Um,

195so that that's the headline and I'm reflecting back on about 20 months ago now um that I was sitting in a room like this and talking about how we finished nowhere near budget and um what a what a what a different spot we're in. And I want to compliment the board and the administration and and everyone really um on what we've been able to accomplish not only financially but still within our strategic plan. So, I've um you know, been in meetings for for almost a couple years now, and I've repeatedly heard about um the staff development that continues to happen. Um the large investments we make in staff development. Uh we've made progress on I know I'm going to get the term wrong here, but I remember Luke sitting and sharing graphs of uh the

196the behavior um issues uh drastically declining. Um and all of that amidst what was some budget turmoil under two years ago. And I I think that's a that that's a real celebration. Um Sarah just shared that we're she's projecting we're going to have the lowest student teacher ratios in the region. Uh we continue to have super low class sizes. We still maintain neighborhood walking elementary schools. Um and and we are doing our best to get by with things like flooding and um um deficiencies in some of our buildings. So the headline should be that we're making real progress and we're doing so with within our means right now. I also want to caution the the board um that it is this has been done through um patience and and being deliberate and um disciplined work.

197And it would be easy to um it'd be easy to say, "Hey, good news. We're going to have the we're going to finish better than budget. How can we go spend that money?" And I want to remind the board about some of the the competing interests for that money. So, of course, we we want to value our staff. So, so that is one of the competing interests. Um, we know we have $150 million in deferred maintenance. >> 165. Thank you. I Oh, yeah. I wrote down approximate. Um, part of that is Whitman's flooding situation, which I expect will be about $400,000 to fix. Um Kevin's getting um quotes on that right now. Um we we don't have a fund balance that meets the board policy right now. So that's another thing that we're working towards.

198And so I I don't want to be Debbie Downer because the headline here is that we're doing great work and we're doing it within budget. But I I want to urge us to say to stay disciplined so that and remember that any um savings we have this year helps us in future years too. Um as you were talking about having flexibility in um FTEES uh not spending to your full budget also gives you flexibility in forward years as well. A and so I want to uh thank you uh for the the work that you've done this year and and you know use this as a highlight of where we're going to end the year and also use it as a jumping off point uh for next year and future years. questions. >> Any questions? >>

199Yes, Mr. Chair, >> just a comment. Um, it it's been pleasure working with you on the finance committee this last year and thanks. You have uh you've you've really done a good job of taking us from a a dark place and now we've got a little bit of light there. So, um, and I think it's great that we actually have options, uh, or or we'll finish with options of what what can we should we do anything with this money, first of all, and then second of all, what would we do it? We didn't we didn't have those last year. So, um, keep up the great work. Well, again, this this is as difficult as the conversation was earlier tonight, making those difficult decisions. um puts us in better financial positions. So that that that's always

200the hard push and pull with probably an in or any organization, but in particular school districts. >> I think maybe what we're also saying is that you complimented us on being disciplined, but I think that it's your um work and contribution to this conversation that has helped us to be disciplined. So thank you. >> Thank you. >> You set up a structure that really keeps us in that area of discipline. Anyone else questions or comments? All right. Thank you very much. Um I discussion of firewall infrastructure renewal and sub. >> Uh item I um is really just there for information purposes only. Uh it is um the firewall as well as the the finance committee heard about some work we're potentially doing with our wireless overalls. So um that's there for you to review if

201you are um I know Jason for instance is kind of I guess our our board expert in uh those areas of technology. Um so there will be some upcoming um agenda items at finance committee about those pieces of our infrastructure and uh so pay attention to that to come too. >> Okay. Thank you very much. We move to item nine, uh, adjournment. The time is 9:31 p.m. May I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Thank you, Mr. Bower. May I have a second? >> Dr. Worley, I'm trying to >> I was trying to miss second. >> Go for it. So Miss Pzinski is trying to build up her second. >> That's like two two in one. Yeah. So that would say is Miss Brazinski will call for um and so Miss Summers

202please call the role. >> Miss Faul, >> yes. >> Mr. Wadier, >> yes. >> Miss Brazinski, >> yes. Miss Lamers, yes. Dr. Worley, >> yes.