001Good evening. Call the November 10th, 2025 schoolboard meeting to order. It is 6:00 p.m. We are in conference room C of the Fiser Administration Building at 12121 West North Avenue. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Bzinski, >> here. Mr. Bower, >> here. Miss Bach >> here. >> Mr. Morris >> here. >> Miss Himer Rand >> here. >> Dr. Worley >> here. >> Mr. Wadier >> here. >> Thank you. We are going to um go to item number two. I do want to say about this for um those who are going to be um asked to not be in the room during the executive session close session that we will be coming back into open session to do any action and then to continue the rest of our meeting including um public comment. So
002at this point I am going to um ask the purpose of the closed session is to discuss employee compensation and base wage negotiation with the WTOSA Education Association. The time is 6:01 p.m. May I have a motion to uh adjourn into close session? It is recommended that the school board adjourn to close session pursuant to Wisconsin statute 19.85 85 friends one close friends e friends deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties investigating of public funds or conducting >> I'm sorry >> investing I'm sorry investing of public funds or conducting other specified public business whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed sess session specifically to deliberate uh regarding matters related to collective bargaining with the WASsa Education Association and I so move. >> Thank you, Mr. Barrow. May I have a second? >> Second.
003>> Thank you, Mr. Morris. >> Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Rosinski, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >> Miss Roland, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wier, >> yes. >> And the motion carries. Thank you. We will now pause and um those who are online, it'll be coming back on the same meeting session as soon as we are done in this room. in a close session. We've reconvened into open session and we'll move to item number four. Um public comment. I'm going to we're tonight we're taking is a general board meeting. We're taking um public comment in the room and online. And I will read now the um the policy that shapes our public comment. Policy 0167.3 public comment
004at board meetings. Members of the 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 will take public comment on both non-aggenda items and agenda items at each regular board meeting and may take public comment during special board meetings. The public comment period will occur near the beginning of the meeting and shall not exceed 30 minutes in length unless extended by the presiding officer or a vote of the board. Individuals must limit their comments to three minutes. Participants must be recognized by the presiding officer and will be requested to process their comments by an announcement of their name. Public comments submitted to
005the schoolboard email address by 10:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting of the board will be added to the online meeting documents to become part of public record. Email public comments must include the name of the person or person submitting the comment. All public comments shall be directed to the presiding officer. No person may address or question board members individually or direct statements, comments, or questions to staff or other meeting participants. Board members are obligated to follow the Wisconsin open meeting law, which requires advanced notification to the community of the board's intent to discuss and or take action on an item. If a public comment concerns an item that is not on the current meeting agenda, board members may not respond other than to thank and acknowledge the speaker for their input. The presiding
006officer may a limit the number of times a speaker may comment on the same topic. B interrupt, warn, or terminate a public comment when the statement is too lengthy, directed to anyone other than the board presiding officer, obscene, or disorderly. C. requests any individual to leave the meeting when that person engages in conduct which is disorderly. D. Request the assistance of law enforcement officers and or security officials in the removal of a disorderly person when that person's conduct interferes with the orderly progress of the meeting. E. Call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when disorderly conduct so interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action. F. Wave these rules with the approval of the board when necessary for the protection of privacy or the administration of the
007board's business. Recording, filming, or photographing board meetings is permitted. The person operating the equipment should contact the superintendent prior to the board meeting to review possible placement of the equipment and must agree to abide by the following conditions. A. No obstructions are created between the board and the audience. B. No interviews are conducted in the meeting room while the board is in session. C. No commentary, adjustment of equipment, or positioning of operators is made that would distract either the board or the members of the audience or otherwise disrupt the meeting while the board is in session. The board encourages all residents to be well informed about school affairs. Therefore, regular board meetings are livereamed and the recorded schoolboard meetings are available for viewing online on the district's website. Executive sessions and inservices for board members
008are not recorded. Okay. So, tonight um Mr. Bower will be keeping track of the three minutes. Um when you have 30 seconds left, if you're commenting, um he will, if you're in the room, he will hold up a yellow um rectangle. if you're online, he will mention 30 seconds or less. Um he will then ask you to stop um at the end of the three minutes. Uh that would also be cued in the room by a red rectangle. Um and Mr. Morris is tracking the 30 minutes total that we have. Um and we're happy to invite public comment. We're going to start um with public comment in the room and then we will look at participants online um and after we've had a few public comments in the room um and then we'll see if
009there's online ones. So, if you are in the room and would like to step up to the microphone for public comment, please please feel free to do that. Good evening, board. I'm short. Katie Wilks, president of the Wawaossa Education Association. Um I'm here to thank quite a few of um our committee members here in the room this evening. Um and thank Miss Delowski, Dr. Means, and Mr. Ear for meeting with us over the past few months. I also want to thank all of the um teachers who wrote emails to inform you how they felt um going into what would have been the special meeting last Thursday and I thank you for reading those and truly valuing what people had to say in those. We were very happily surprised with how many people shared what they
010were sharing with us with you. So, I want to thank you. Um, and I want to say a shout out to my vice president, um, Sarah Bremer for all of her hard work over the past few months. Thank you. Is there any other public comment in the room? >> Not as short. Um, hello. My name is Brian Condan. Um, and I'm a proud union representative. And I was a proud union representative to be in the WSOS school district. As I sat in our auditoriums at opening day each year, I heard from district administration how much the WOsa Educator Association is respected in this district. And I'll be honest, I was deeply hurt a few years ago when we were left out of our healthcare conversations. um especially after being told in the Tossa East Library
011years ago that it wouldn't be touched and that appendix C was simply a concept. Um that promise really meant something to us and I was even more discouraged when it felt like we were being excluded from the conversation about our salary negotiations this year when I was on the committee. Um I just want to take a moment to sincerely thank our school board for ultimately listening and recognizing the dedication of our teachers and for helping to find an additional 2% seemingly out of thin air. Um, that action matters not only because of the the money, but because it shows the board's willingness to hold the administration accountable for the referendum funds that were promised to support teacher salaries. And more importantly, the promise made to those people of Watossa. This can mark the moment where
012Waosa School District no longer strives to simply be competitive in terms of salary and becomes a leader in the years to come, bringing in new amazing educators and retaining our teachers at home. This moment really brings me hope. hope that moving forward we can communicate openly and start to work as true partners because when teachers are supported and respective our students and our entire community will thrive. Thank you. >> Thank you. So t typically we take about three in the room. If there's one more that wants to go in the room otherwise I'm going to go online which is fine too. Okay one more coming to the microphone here and then Jamie after that we'll move to the two people who are online. I'm medium height. Okay. Hi, I'm Emily Petrin. I am also a
013union rep at Longfellow and um I just want to say a huge thank you for taking the time to read our emails. I'm not sure how many we sent to you, but I have a feeling it was quite a few. Um and reconsidering the initial offer that you guys made for salary increases. Uh the initial offer of.5% to each step was kind of difficult for us to hear considering it was so far away from the suggestion that we had made and that we were hoping for. But our teachers are very passionate and hardworking and these individuals really felt seen after you guys took the time to reconsider and postpone that board meeting so that you could really in depth look at what we were saying and what we were talking about. So thank you. Um
014we're also grateful to feel like we were part of the conversation and thank you board for hearing us out. Thank you for your comment. Okay, Mr. Surprise, we'd like to move to online. I see two hands raised. Um, and I'm not sure which one is first, but I'm open to whichever one. >> Sykes, iPhone, you have the microphone. >> Thank you, Carrie Sykes, uh, from my kids go to Eisenhower. We live in town. I want to say a huge thanks to all the service members. Um, I just had a question and I realized I won't get an answer, so I'll continue to listen in. Um curious if the board or the district will be giving some information on thoughts of agility with our finances, especially hearing some of the things that are going on in
015the school district um particularly as it might have to do with STEM as well as any of the teacher um information. So again, just curious about hearing how that impact will be for the district and um listening to see what I can learn about that. Thank you. >> And thank you for your comment. We'll move on to the second um hand online, please. >> Chris Murka, you've got the microphone. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can. Please proceed. >> Good evening. My name is Chris Murker with the 2030 task force and reform initiative, speaking on behalf of many residents, parents, and educators who have followed this past week's developments closely. For those who want to learn more about our ongoing investigations into district decisions and policy missteps, visit www.tosa2030.com or follow us on
016Facebook to get involved. You can sign up on our website. In just a few days, we watched the district attempt to impose a contract that short changed teachers only to find the money after scores of staff and community members spoke out. There's no excuse for making teachers and staff work nearly 6 months without a contract. Tonight's outcome is a credit to our educators persistence to engage parents and residents and to the Wawaossa Education Associates Association steady constructive advocacy. But it also exposes something deeper, a budgeting and governance failure created by this board administration. The 2024 operating referendum was sold to voters with a clear promise. Make teacher pay competitive and stabilize district finances. Yet here we are less than a year later, lurching from deficit warnings to lastminute reversals, from closed door sessions to public
017backlash. That's not stewardship. That's dysfunction. And no one should be surprised. We've seen the same pattern of squeezing pennies everywhere. From efforts to defund support for the Tosa East marching band to bushing extracurriculars to raise outside money to reigging on promised compensation for teachers. With an 11 million structural deficit after years of mismanagement, the district is in a tight spot. But these are self-inflicted wounds. It will take far more than a single concession tonight to restore trust or achieve financial stability. We still not we still have not seen a real transparent plan to write the ship. One that prioritizes classrooms over bureaucracy and proactive governance over damage control. And let's be candid. Advancing a $350 million high school and middle school facilities referendum next year while the financial house is in disarray is indefensible. First
018things first, get your house in order. Wawaossa deserves leadership that plans responsibly, communicates honestly, and respects both educators and taxpayers. We are ready to work toward that outcome openly, constructively, and with urgency. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comment. I see um a third hand has been raised online. Mr. Price, could you go to that speaker, please? Nicole Eder, you have the microphone. >> Thank you. Actually, this is uh John Eder, her her husband and uh yeah, resident and Wawaossa teacher and proud Wawa Wawaossa parent and member of the negotiations team uh for WA. Um just wanted to uh to come in to uh you know urge the board to uh approve the uh the district's proposal and um just want to say uh yes it took us a while to get here. Um
019but when I came here in 2007 I think it took us till February uh to get a contract then. So um it's been a long and bumpy road but that's part of that can be part of contract negotiations. Um and I'd just like to uh you know to to take a moment to um to thank uh both this board, the previous board and uh Dr. Means and his team for um for the historic investments uh that have been made over the past four years um for our teachers. So it's um so for many many years our our compensation lagged behind other districts and um it's uh it's been wonderful to work with an administration and boards that um were willing to you to meet with us at the table and um to do a lot
020to you to help us and to make this um a great an even better place to work and one that uh because of those investments has been uh attracting uh talented um you talented veteran teachers from other districts uh finally willing to to jump ship and join us to offer our kids the best education possible. So um so again so again I urge you to vote in favor of it and uh again just thank you board for supporting us and thank you Dr. Means for being willing to work with with teachers. >> Thank you for your comment. I don't see any further online. Is there anyone else in the room who wanted to add public comment before we close it? Okay, we will um end that item number four public comment and we will move
021to item number five consent agenda. >> Close it down. >> Yeah. Are there any items on the consent agenda which board members would like to remove for separate discussion and action? >> Okay, Miss Hammerald item C. >> I just have questions. >> That's fine. I think it's cleanest just to remove it from the agenda and then we can come back. Are there any other items? We should be >> okay. So um Miss Himemer Roland has requested item C >> to be removed from close off any online we wanted and we got you know almost wanted. Could >> we go ahead and mute um all the speakers that are online? Okay. Thank you. Um to remove for separate discussion action. Um board, do you concur? Any objections? Okay. Hearing no objections. Um it is recommended that
022the school board approve the remainder of the consent agenda. Um, I'm just going to say that and ask for a second. Thank you, Miss Himer Roland. >> Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Mr. Bzinski, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >> Miss Rolland, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wadier, >> yes. >> And the motion carries. Thank you. Um, so let's go to um item number C and see what your questions are. Thank you so much. >> Uh these are mostly be for Dr. Marble. I just had a question. So some of the prereex still list algebra 1 and algebra 2. Will that just shift as integrated math one and two? >> Yep, that's accurate because right now nobody has
023completed integrated one. Okay. >> Uh my other question was for the teaching assistant. It says credit bearing option has been removed strictly not offered not for credit. >> Yeah. So, uh our two high schools were functioning very differently um in terms of how they were leveraging teaching assistant to have for students to earn credit despite our many attempts to create a process and have there be some teeth behind students earning credit. um we have we were not able to make the proper progress that we had um had imagined and actually our school counselors had recommended that we move in this direction. And then just one last comment is it looks like you've done a lot of work on merging classes together which I think will actually end up uh giving our high school students a
024lot more access to these classes. Um, and I appreciate that, um, several classes are now going to be available to 10th grade students. I think the sooner that, um, our students are able to choose their classes and kind of get out of the like straight classes, um, the more enjoyable experience they have. So, um, thank you for you and your team's work on this new guidebook. It's great. >> Could I add one other comment? I believe that last year at about this time um or soon after some of the folks who have students who are in special education asked for clarity. Do you feel like this course guide now has the clarity or is there another mechanism that they're able to use as they do planning with their students? >> Um there there should be
025ample clarity in this document now to be inclusive of um all students. I thought so, but I just wanted to make sure that okay that people heard that you had done that work. So, any other comments or questions from board members? Okay. So, hearing none, um would you like to read the letter C? So you just say >> it is recommended that the school board approve item C and I so move. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Mr. Bower. Thank you. >> Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Bzinski? >> Yes. >> Mr. Bower? >> Yes. >> Miss Bach? >> Yes. >> Mr. Morris? >> Yes. >> Miss Rolland? >> Yes. >> Dr. Worley? >> Yes. >> Mr. Wier? >> Yes. >> And the motion carries. Thank you. So we now
026move to item six, strategic goal systems and structures. Thank you Miss Salazoski for being here. >> Good evening. Uh the first um item on the agenda this evening is recommendation to approve a collective bargaining agreement between the Wawaossa Board of Education and Wawaossa Education Association. Um, this document reflects the maximum allowable salary increase for a represented teachers union under the law at 2.95% for the contract beginning July 1, 2025. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, do you want to Sarah, do you want to read that? >> Yes, please. Um, it is recommended that the school board approve the 202526 agreement and base wage increase for teachers represented by the Wawaossa Education Association of 2.95% and I so move. >> May I have a second? >> Thank you. Miss time rolling board. Is there any comment? >>
027Okay. Um, Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Bzinski, >> yes. >> Mr. Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bach, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >> Miss Himer Rolland, >> yes. >> Dr. Worley, >> yes. >> Mr. Wier, >> yes. >> And the motion carries. We go to letter B. Uh the second uh recommendation this evening relates to uh compensation increases for teachers including uh the base wage increase uh with the associate association that you just approved as well as uh supplemental compensation increases. Um uh if approved this proposal would increase Wawaossa teacher compensation by an average of 6.01%. Uh the total package is 6.32%. Um, I want to go ahead and uh just affirm uh for our employees as well as the board that while we had initially intended to make
028this recommendation at the meeting last week, uh we felt it was important for the full board to hear uh the proposal this evening um but that change in um in date of approval or date of consideration would not change the implementation timeline. So if approved, uh teachers would see they are um their new uh 202526 salary uh on their second November payroll. Uh and the back pay going to the beginning of the contract year would be on the first December payroll. Uh we have not yet finalized when uh when new contracts would go out as we prioritized the pay um uh that goes with those new contracts um over the the contracts themselves. >> Hey, thank you for outlining how that's going to work. Um I also um want to say on behalf of the
029board that um we are really pleased to honor the commitments that have been made um by past board members um and by our own uh current board members um to what the referendum um said it was going to do. Uh and I will say that um we continue to feel this is important and we went to the community because um we are clear that there is inadequate funding coming from the state um towards public education um and that you know we went to the local community and I'm very proud of our city that um that we stepped up um and are taking care of um our teachers in the classroom as well as our educators and administrators um across the board in this district. Um we did have some of you know we had um
030we've been discussing it and thinking about this and we continue also to have um a strong fiscal responsibility um as board members. We're all committed to that. Um and we will continue to work with the district um to make sure that this is sustained even if this means we have to make some um hard decisions internally um financially. um don't know what those will be yet, but we're going to make sure that um that those are that we're being fiscally fiscally responsible as well as responsible to um our educators and to the referendum. Um and I did want to note that we do have one employee this year that is not um getting any increase. Um and I want to recognize Dr. means um for voluntarily um instructing um the the uh human resources that
031and the board that he was not going to take an increase this year. Um that said, uh we're going to put this on the table and then open this up for any other comments that board members want to make. Liz, would you be willing to read? It is recommended that the school board approve the 2025 2026 supplement wage increase for teachers represented by the Wawaossa Education Association of 3.37% and I so move. >> Thank you. May I have a second? Thank you, Mr. White. Board members, anything else you want to say? >> Yes. I I would like to acknowledge that there are so many people from our school staff staffs to community members. Um so many parents who reached out and over and over again they wanted to say, "We really care about our teachers.
032We care about our schools. We care about our children. Please take care of the people who take care of our kids." Um, we know you work hard. So, >> thank you for sharing that. >> Thanks. And thanks for when when you reached out. Thanks for doing so in a in a considerate and constructive manner. It's it really helps reading all of those emails when they're worded so kindly. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Prosinski. Any other board members? I think what you said is obviously well reflected in the faces of other board members. >> Okay. Hearing none. Um, Miss Summers, could you please call the role? >> Miss Prosinski? >> Yes. >> Mr. Bower? >> Yes. >> Miss Bach? >> Yes. >> Mr. Morris? >> Yes. >> Miss Rolland? >> Yes. >> Dr. Worley? >>
033Yes. >> Mr. Wadier? >> Yes. >> And the motion carries. Thank you. >> Miss Elzoski, thanks for all your work. Dr. Means, thanks for your work. We move to letter C. >> Um the final recommendation for the evening uh addresses salary increases uh for a very uh diverse group of employees in the organization. What we've referred to and are reflected on our staffing plan as our educational and operational staff. This includes administrative assistance, custodial and maintenance employees, educational assistance, uh both exempt and non-exempt select employees as well as administrators. Uh there are uh there are at least uh five different salary schedules represented by this group as well as a number of positions um that do not come with their own salary schedules. The recommendation uh for uh for these employees in the organization is
034an average increase by group of 4% coming out to an average total compensation increase of 4.32%. Um, I would note that based on the particular schedules and the employees in the groups, based on where they fall in the different steps, the percentage that we're adding to the schedule in order to make sure that there's an average 4% increase per group varies and it is outlined um in the recommendation. Uh, this is for um every employee in the organization say one um as Dr. Willie mentioned uh that um that Dr. means uh has requested a salary freeze for this year. >> Okay. Thank you. Um Jason, you want to get on the floor for discussion? is recommended that the school board approve the 202526 recommended wage increases averaging 4% per classification as proposed for non-eing classifications
035including administrative assistance custodial and maintenance employees cooks food service staff educational assistants recreation and technology department staff administrators and select exempt and non-exempt employees and I so move >> May I have a Second. >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Bower. >> Um, any comments? I mean, I do I do want to say appreciation to to Dr. Means. Um, but also make very clear that this was voluntary. This the board does not see this as representative of any disappointment that we have in the work um that Dr. Means is doing. Um, this for me that's that's the hardest part of all of this. I think that um we need to continue to compensate all of our employees. Um but I I understand the the request and I understand and appreciate um how it positively affects our
036um our budget in this district. Anyone else comments or questions? >> Again, I think it's important to say thank you to all of these people that are represented in these groups. Um our schools cannot run without without your hard work. So, thank you so much. >> Okay. Thank you, Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Miss Bzinski? >> Yes. >> Mr. Bower? >> Yes. >> Miss Bach? >> Yes. >> Mr. Morris? >> Yes. >> Miss Himemer Roland? >> Yes. >> Dr. Wley? >> Yes. >> Mr. Wier? >> Yes. >> The motion carries. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Elas. We recognize that some people may have come just for this section of the meeting. You are certainly welcome to sustain yourself further in the evening if you would like. If you have other commitments and
037this was what you were here for, please don't feel shy about um moving and uh going home and getting some other things done. We appreciate the public comment this evening and and the um participation. We move now to um item number seven, first reading of policies. Policy we are policy board and policy is at the heart of a lot of our work. Um, so I'm going to uh turn this over to the policy committee um leadership to tell us a little bit about what you've been working on and what feedback and give board members opportunity to share their thinking. These are first readings of policy which means they are not action items tonight but they are up for discussion. We're starting with policy 5500.01 01 conduct in virtual classroom. This is a new policy for
038us. Um it's important given that we have virtual classrooms and this is just our first reading. Is there any questions? The second one is 5511 dress and appearance. Um, we had a lot of discussion about this one. >> Yeah. >> Um, and we we want to get feedback from the board. We're interested in what the student board members this is just our first reading, so this is not the the last time we'll see this. Um, but we just think it's really important that we get a lot of people's opinions to weigh in on this. >> Miss Bach Spinski are being kind. It was a spirited I would say in the four years of the policy committee, it may have been the most spirited conversation we've had. I it and it in light of some other
039issues that come across the desk, it it seems um it seems silly that this is where we had a spirited conversation perhaps. I will admit that maybe I was the one who had had some questions and I have perhaps some oldfashioned standards, but I but mostly I want what I want to make sure is that whatever this says also aligns tightly with what our guidelines are and that and that it also sets like all right it's a first reading Do do we have expectations for like how people show up for students? It is schooling is akin to your job. Do we hold expectations for how people show up for their work? If I may, and and I want to tee this up for our student reps. We >> Dr. Worley explicitly said that she wants
040to hear from you this evening. So, please weigh in on address on this policy. But I I want to just share that I'm in alignment with Miss Bzinski. I think the one concern I have about this policy is that we're not preserving the academic the quorum of our schools with our dress code. I think some of our administrators at time times feel they feel handcuffed, if you will, and and implementing dress code violations. I have seen things um I've seen things in our our schools where I'm concerned about um um house shoes um hair bonnets >> slippers >> Crocs >> um not piranas uh clearly um slippers um hair bonnets um do-aggs being worn in the school environment and I have a concern with the again the academic decorn. So I I think this is
041a healthy conversation >> about it. Um, and I'm generalizing here a little bit, but I I I've seen it and and and it's a concern. And so I hope that we continue to dig into this because I think we we need to this is we have to preserve an academic environment as well. And and there I think there are times where we're not preserving that academic environment as well as we should. I would just say that I know last week, it was it Thursday or Friday, we had board members go to uh uh Whitman and and Waltosa West and we've made a lot of progress um in those buildings and and when you walk through those hallways, they're not and Miss Dr. Worley is a parent uh of students who have traveled that pathway. part
042of why we were able to make the turnaround in those schools is because we we double down on the academic decor of what we expect of young people. Um and so I hope that as we continue to have this conversation about this policy that we we make sure that that's forefront uh in the discussion. I have a couple I just want to say first of all there's the discussion how it evolves in terms of the policy versus the administrative guideline right we often talk about if you get too specific in policy you know then you have to go back and change of the pol the administrative guideline but I I guess so that's one thing for us to keep in mind um I would love to see in the between the times that we have
043to look at this um I a reason I asked for student engagement not to put you all on the spot. I mean really you are you know have the opportunity to to talk to other students is because I think it will all go better if it's reflective of um coming as well also from our staff but from the student base and one thing that caught my eye was you know because it's the principal which makes sense um we have two high schools so what is the process that we're using to have alignment um within that is that it's a common administrative guideline. Do the principles work on that together? Is that how it maybe Mr. Pinion do you have? >> There is a common guideline that resulted from this policy, but it is from 2018.
044Um, but that is what they lean into. >> Okay. >> And the guideline spells it out a lot more explicitly in terms of what types of clothing, how they can be worn, etc. So maybe to cue this up for the students if they've got perspective. I think to recap some of the conversation from the policy committee really came down to hats, head coverings, midrift showing and house shoes. >> Hoodies. Hoodies as part of head coverings. Hats >> hoodies in a particular way. The hat up >> having the hood up. I mean we don't mind if you wear a hoodie but when you have the hood up while instructions happening and your posture is down that is in essence sending a message to the instructor that I am not going to engage. >> Do we have
045um and this conversation may have been had already. Do we have within that though a discussion of um you know sort of sensitivity to fabrics um overwhelming like the pathways that if if that is or a regulation >> what is the pathway for a student and how do they learn and understand that um because that takes us into a different space um but I just want to put that out there. I do want to you've had a little bit of time to think and react and hear a little bit of this discussion. Student board members, do you have particular asks or thoughts or processes or ways that you would want the policy committee um to consider or processes that you'd like to see on this moving forward? >> So with hats, was that like any
046kind of hat like baseball hats, does that apply to that as well? So, the way the administrative guidelines have read since 2018, um it does say that heads can be covered, but as long as it's not obscuring part of the face for safety reasons. Um so, right now, as the guidelines read, um head coverings are allowed in different shapes and forms. Um as long as they're not obscuring the face. >> Okay. Um, in my in my uh personal view, I think that there are a lot of people who wear like do-aggs who wear that as like a sense of their personal style as well as um for their hair. And I think that a lot of people where uh board members might see something as unprofessional and not for a school setting, those students might
047also see it as part of their selfidentity. And I do understand uh what you're saying, Miss Bzinski, about um school being like a job and you want to maintain at least a semblance of uh professional and decorum there. But I also don't know if the best way to do that is having a strict dress code that would limit a student self-expression when they're in the classroom. I do think it makes sense uh with like a hoodie not if it's interfering with their learning if they're like covering their face and then not paying attention all I think that makes sense. But if it's something like slippers or wearing a do-rag that doesn't actually interfere with their learning, I don't know if I would agree with that as much. But I would respect whatever decision the board
048makes. Just your feedback. >> Just put a quick note that head coverings in some cases aren't just expression of self. They're also a cultural requirement in some some cultures. So, keep that in mind. Yeah. >> Um I'm just sort of wondering what was the original policy that's being discussed like um what are the original requirements of the dress code? >> So, you can see the language in the link for board docs that um anything that is green is new language from the link there. Anything that is red is recommended to remove. Um, but it really outlined some general, like if you look at A through D, some general parameters that then informed those guidelines when this likely was last updated. >> So, just also to make clear, so we've mentioned two things. One is policy,
049which the board votes on, and then the other piece is the administrative guidelines, which tends to get much more specific and into some of those spaces. But there are a few things in the policy that trade the guard rails like ex you know expression but not if it is un makes for unsafe um or questions safety in the school. I mean, you can see those those are written into it. And I think the discussion we're trying to figure out is do we add any additional guidelines um in the policy itself? Um or is it that the policy we need to be thinking about the policy does what we want it to, but as Mr. Pinion has mentioned, there hasn't been a process on the administrative guidelines for for a while. So, I think that's if
050I'm hearing the conversation, that's kind of where we're at. Um and the policy committee is is at as well >> been many uh teachers who have um like expressed that they feel that it's like causing a disruption just like student dress in their classrooms. >> It's a good question. Which opinion do you >> No one has volunteered that information to me. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Uh I can't speak to anyone reaching out with that information um to me. nor have I surveyed or asked anyone. >> When I do walkthroughs, and I do them often, when you see students in certain with hoodies up and heads down, that does impact the instructional environment, not only for that student, but for the students around them. Um, and and so that's one component. I think it
051that issue of decorum is also something where teachers feel like they're they're kind of stuck in terms of is this an expression? Do I try to help the student understand as Miss Bzinski and I align with that the statement she made or is school a space where we are trying to convey that there's a level of decorum that will be expected when you are in a place of work. So, believe it or not, I used to wear a do-agg. I I there was a time where I had hair where I could wear a do-rag. I don't know if I would have ever worn said do-rag at a board meeting. And so I appreciate the concept of what self-expression is, but and I'm only speaking for myself here, >> but I don't know as an educator
052if I am preparing individuals who would say I'm expressing myself when I wear a do-rag. If I am not also indicating and showing that there's another pathway that perhaps in certain channels of society you will have to transition in some circles they use the terminology you you may have to code switch you may have to do there's a lot of different language that we use and as an educator because at the core I'm not just a superintendent I'm an educator I I don't know if we are collectively as an organization helping young people understand that there may be environments forums that you'll have to go into where you have to present a certain decor that that is I again I'm speaking for self and and so to answer your question again I believe that some
053of our administrators have have been they feel stuck and and understanding what they can and cannot say to help young people evolve as they are maturing and figuring it out. >> So if I could have sort of respond have a thought on this. Um for me it would be really important that it not unless it's like cover like we have a rule that says don't cover your face. I get that one. Um, but I wouldn't want to have a guideline that got so specific into one area or another. So, either we have head coverings or we don't, right? Um, but if I think about parallel to our cell phone policy that we realized that there was a need for maybe social media education and I feel like some of the things you're mentioning to me
054are much more about that mentoring and guiding than they are about setting a policy. And I think we run into some really really tight places. Um whether we want to call it um self-expression um multicultural inclusion um students sort of uh self-development. Again, we're talking about a big changes that happen between 9th and 12th grade and a single policy, you know, that really calls out individual pieces. I just really I struggle with that. I also don't want to create economic differences. Um, you know, and it it in some in some spaces it's, you know, what you wear and how you do your hair is quite costly to be um culturally um acceptable. And I and I say that as a parent who funds um hair braiding on a regular basis. um because I think that's
055really important. So, I don't want a policy to back us into a space where where the student isn't able to then do the learning um because they're so stressed or they don't come to school. So, I just I I really I really appreciate the the conversations that can come out of this, which is why I've kind of said this one policy committee member, well, how do we engage students more around this? um how does this become something that maybe students in the school lead and help design and you know maybe our link leaders or our advisory people or our student council starts to think about how those discussions get going. There are going to be jobs where covering your hair is actually probably a good decision. um you know if you're going to be painting
056for example or cooking or some other things there are places where it is actually part of but I know there's particular ones that that may be being used um and then the other strategy would be how do we support our staff in having those conversations with parents with students as as they need to happen. Um, I still go back to I feel like and I think many agree with me that any any behavior is a is a student trying to give us a message about something. And so we're we go back to our um theory of action um those adult practices where those change um then our student outcomes improve. So I really appreciate this being brought up. I think is always good to talk about um and I would just encourage us to think
057carefully about what we have to do by law and by you know sort of at the inclusion level at the same time um creating that space for conversation um you know to support Mr. opinion and anything move forward on that to support students um in bringing forward what they'd like to see in their learning environment as well as staff you know who may be you know carefully saying well I don't know if I can say something about sunglasses for example right so so where are those spaces where um we can be supportive but not create a policy that's so restrictive that's just my my take on this >> Dr. Yeah. Um, so I think I'm probably at the polar opposite of Miss Bzinski and Dr. Mean's feelings on this. Um, I think policing students and
058what they're wearing, quite frankly, puts a lot of pressure on our administrators. Um, some days my daughter spends two hours on makeup and getting ready before school, and other days she shows up like in a hoodie and pajama pants. I just don't think it has an impact truly on student learning. Um I know when this policy changed in 2018, I did I did a lot of research. Um one because minorities and females are >> much more likely to be called out on any strict um dress code. Um and I didn't at that time find any research that shows it really makes an impact on student learning. I also think um it's more of a family discussion. If I'm okay with my daughter walking out in pajamas, um then I think that that should be okay
059for school. I wouldn't recommend slippers necessarily. Um maybe some fuzzy Crocs, but I just think I was really happy with where our district landed with this policy. Um, and it would take a lot of convincing at least for me to have any more restrictive language added. >> Thank you. Yes. >> Well, I think I'm probably somewhere in the middle on there. Um, it and the it kind of depends on the the initial language. Uh, Miss Bzinski said, uh you know, uh, if if we're going to equate school to being their job, and I get for the most part, we're talking about high school here and and probably a lot less about middle school and elementary. Um, but it so because I I don't I don't view school as their job. Talking about eighth grade or
060or or lower. They're they're still children. They're learning. they're they're trying to figure out their identity. Um, in high school that that starts to change a little bit. Um, but but also I don't like the concept of of of pushing the narrative that school is your job because that is a very very narrow capitalist view in my opinion. Um, and that that is also not where everyone is. uh people there are there are any parts of the population where uh they aren't going to ever be able to work and I don't I don't like the the reinforcement of school is your job. I do like it that school is your responsibility um something like that >> but but to go with to go with that I I do oversee people at work. we do have
061these conversations and work in a professional environment and I know that sometimes these things are needed. So, um, and I kind of landed in the middle there, but for the most part, if I'm trying to motivate my team to get the best possible results, which is all are typically going to want the the motto of wear what works for you to get the job done. So getting the work done and the work is on par or better then I don't really care what what it is as long as as long as it is not again I know this is super subjective distracting others from being getting to their best potential. So, it's it's for me um I don't know. I guess I'm more in alignment with just let it let it be. Um and also
062knowing that there are a ton of sensory issues. um that we could really have to force more more in-depth discussions about um establishing IEPs or five floors if someone uh doesn't realize they have a sensory processing issue and maybe it takes them until they're 17 or 18 to realize that, you know, Socks and I don't get along and I'm I get twice as much work done when I'm barefoot. There there aren't plenty of people that that is all thing to say. Um I'm rambling on this so I'll I'll wrap it up. But that's that's kind of where I'm at with it. I just it's good and I don't think you necessarily are from a policy perspective. I don't see anything that really hamstrings us, but also I wanted to make sure that pull on it.
063I'm with uh Liz and Jason on this one. I think this is uh just fine the way it is. uh if we start to restrict from a policy point of view, we're going to restrict the administrations of the buildings and they have so much time during the day in order to affect all of the rules that we are asking them or all of the policies we are asking them to do. Uh if we don't like the fact that uh a student is putting up a hood and then putting his head down, that's fine. I don't I have a problem with that. That's not the hoodiey's fault. That's the kid that's not being engaged. So, we need to figure that out first. Um, so >> anything else before we move on? Policy committee, do you have
064your >> many notes? Yes. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thanks for just being honest and open. I appreciate it. >> So, we will move on then uh to of district property. any comments or anything you want to tee up on this one? >> No. Um, there's like a very small change from saying that students are urged to exercise respect to like they're just we expect you to exercise respect. Just a little clearer there. Um, >> all right. Seeing no comments, move on. Um, 55401. It's a new policy. >> Um, yeah, a new policy based in law about Right. So, not much wiggle room. Just how do we how do we navigate situations with suspected child abuse and um notifying families, the investigations? >> Um, comments or questions? >> Yeah. I guess what was the conversation
065in policy in choosing to go with the green, the highlighted green versus having essentially the school administration contact parents or families? >> I think once the social services agency takes over the situation, they're responsible for contacting parents. The school is not. I would add that does add a really difficult and uncomfortable layer of uh pressure on the administrator in terms of having to call parents um from someone who's been in that position before or who has had my name disclosed by social services. Um we would prefer the agency handle those notifications in those situations. >> That clarification. Okay. Not seeing any um other comments. Um copy. Oh, 5710 5710. It's an updated 2009 policy. Student complaints. This is one of the situations where we've got big changes, I would guess. And so, you're going to
066a full rehab to stay with the law. Is that the >> And so, yes, students of course have space to to um bring up complaints. Um and but we have um and the procedure for doing that lie within these other policies. >> So if you are if you're feeling that this is a complaints about bullying then please see this policy etc. >> Okay. >> Is a navigating policy. >> N Yeah. >> Basically a funnel to try to or >> a router air traffic control. >> Yeah. >> Right. If if I may, I would say I really appreciate this policy. As someone who feels a lot of different types of complaints, this reads very much like emails that I share with parents when I'm explaining different paths they can take, different policies that apply. Um, it
067is nice to see it in one space versus being um, sent to numerous policies that are five, seven pages long each. Um, this is a helpful piece for parents >> to see those options laid out in one spot there. Okay, the board that searching a little more directed too, which is good. Okay, seeing no other comments. Um 5720, uh updated template, student activism and expression. Um there were just minor changes made to this one. Um Dr. mean suggested adding at the at the last paragraph students may not use obscenity, slanderous or labelist statements or tactics that jeopardize the order of the educational environment or endanger students. >> Dr. Means, is this during school or is this at all times during school? >> And we want to encourage student activism. I I want >> I like
068the language to this because it's not saying no disrupted, >> right? We we just want to make sure that it's not slanderous, it's not in it's not in violation. We we had a protest as you remember earlier this school year and that was good. Um our young people left their their campuses and in protest of of trying to get more gun control laws on the books and and we were quite proud of our kids and we want them to do it and they did it in the right way. They they went to their administrators prior to the walk out and they shared with them how it was going to happen. That's good. That's a great learning experience and we want to continue to encourage it. >> Is that something, this is a side note, but
069it was my sense that the two principles might have approached that a little bit differently. Is that something that we can add to the annual conversation among principles about? So not that they have to be locked step but I think it I think it would be helpful to have a similar way of thinking about process and how things would happen. I mean especially if you have a difference like between is it excused or not excused all that creates all this chaos instead of just having this is how we're going to do it. >> I have a growing list of policy and associated admin guidelines uh to update and to review. So we will certainly get that in the queue in terms of pieces to continue standardizing across town. >> In the interim, we do meet
070with our high school principles every two weeks just to create alignment. I we can definitely put that on our our >> agenda for a future. So thank you for >> it just takes away from the educational piece once when people have angst about you know one school is this way and other schools the other way. >> Dr. means can you give me I guess I'm I can I understand the disruptive tactics but the change for or tactics that jeopardize the order of the educational environment not the endangering students but the that first part of that the tactics that jeopardize the order of the educational environment >> if there are young people who are engaging in tactics that will prevent teachers from teaching because they're yelling in the hallways or they're they're they're stopping instruction somehow
071some way those are the types of tactics that we can't condone. um the protests can happen, but when it interferes with the instructional mission of the of the school, that's when we have to draw a line. That that's what it means. >> Okay. I was just curious on there because the walkouts and organizing and all those things. I understand I've read and seen other things especially on the West Coast where they've staged the kind of the digital silence sitins where they turn their chairs away and in silence. >> That's okay. Yeah. And I said, but then when I read that as that's disruptive to the educational environment if they didn't, you know, that came digitally. That was where something that was like almost like a flash mob where it's like send this to all the
072seniors. We are going to the left or we're going to be silent until >> but the teacher could continue to teach and the students who want to engage could continue to engage. And I think that would be the right that >> that's how I would interpret. >> Yes, >> that's exactly how I would interpret. >> And so if a principal called and said, "Damon, what should I do?" they've turned all to the left. And if the teacher can continue to teach, there may be some young people who choose not to participate in that that level of protest, they can they can move on. >> Good conversation. >> These were these were good. I mean, no offense to prior uh policy committee members, but this is it's these were really good uh policies. And again, uh,
073for our student reps, if you have other thoughts, please don't hesitate just because we had the conversation here. If you have other thoughts, please let get it to us and we'll make sure that that's lifted up. >> I have one thing about with um, Mr. Morris's example. It also mentions not violating school policies or guidelines. I I wonder is there any like guideline that if like students just like all turn away from the teacher and like aren't talking or like are completely silent. Is that um cuz like you had mentioned earlier with if someone has a hoodie on and then they're they put their hoodie up and then they just sit at their desk. If that would be an issue, would a would it also be violating um like a policy or guideline if all
074the students did what Mr. Morris, >> I would not interpret that as a violation of interrupting instruction if prior to the protest, the leaders of said protest inform the principles that this is what we're planning to do. >> Might happen. >> It may happen. And so now as the principal, I can get to my staff to share with them this may happen in your classroom. That doesn't mean that you have to stop teaching. >> Isn't the other piece of that is that in deciding to make that kind of protest, there may be consequences. So if you did that on the day of socratic dialogue for example right you know there's a certain consequence potential but when people protest that's part of what what they work through right is that you know >> um >> yes
075I think >> they all have to come the next week after school and redo the socratic dialogue if they want to improve their grade for even as an example it would it it >> it would still be um continuing education In our in our American history, there have been civil distrust and and civil disobedience. And the folks who engaged in it understood at some point there may be consequences for their their their actions. The the young people who sat in at the the the the lunch counters, they knew that there would be potential consequences, but they did it in the name of the protest. So I think the key is for I I think it was exemplary how our students this fall engaged with their principles ahead of time um to share that it this
076was the goal and this was what we were planning to do. It allowed the principles to call us at the district office to prepare for what would happen and so we we could all be uh at least uh on the same page. >> Great. Good questions, good conversation. Thank you. Um, I'm going to move us to uh number eight for governance. And I'm going to keep us going through these two even though we're getting close to the first two hours because we're going to go then into executive close session. We'll take a little stretch break at that point just for board member health and wellness. Um, okay. So, um, we have first reading of the resolution on cost vouchers in the local tax bill. This is all both of these um today are coming from
077our legislative advocacy committee. >> Absolutely. I'll take first crack and you back me up. Lovely. Um all right. So, Green Bay uh last year um their school district uh or a group of organizers asked their common council uh their uh city leadership to add a line on their tax bill to include how much of the property tax dollars that are being taken in every year are going to voucher schools. uh voucher schools indicating someone that's not the public schools, Green Bay public schools. Um there have been since then multiple other districts who have also asked for this to happen. Um so this resolution would do exactly that. It would ask the city of Wawaossa uh to adopt a more transparent tax notification model that would indicate how much of our citizenry uh tax dollars are
078going to voucher schools. um because well voucher schools don't have open records uh requirements or have to publish a budget or anything really. Um so that is the fir this is the first reading on that resolution. It would be to ask the uh our leadership over in city hall to go ahead and include that. uh it would very likely have to go with some advocacy from not only us but also from citizen action groups who have similar similarly minded goals. I cover all that accurately enough >> all accurate and I I think those those last few lines that for the public out there are what are are very important. It's we have a lot of eyes, a lot of people talking about the finances and people talking about their taxes and all the things that
079we're doing in our community in our city. it. I think it's only fair that everybody and we we've talked about this that we believe it's only fair just like they've done in Green Bay and other places that we know and see on that line in any way possible to say my tax dollars here went x% or this number to the public schools and by the way separate from that this amount went to the voucher schools whether that's private schools which we can look in our community and see what's there as well as the non-district independent charter schools because to uh our points there those types of schools do not have to disclose their public finances uh to the public and they can they only have to adhere to kind of minimal information there. Uh they
080don't have to hold open meetings the same ways that we do to deal with our finances and things we have to put out to the public. We just think that this is a further step in transparency for everybody when we say we're talking about the dollars that go into our district. Well, we talk about the dollars that go into our city as a whole that all of our taxpayers are are paying >> with this then uh I I often hear the comment and sometimes it's brought up kind of flippant uh that you get enough of our tax dollars, you should figure it out, you should be able to pay for everything. This would be a little bit of uh it would it would give us something to push back to say well we don't actually
081get as much as you think that we are getting. Am I correct that assumption? >> Uh that would be a side effect of this happening over at city hall. >> You bet. So, you're looking to create some clarity when tax dollars are taken out for education that it's going not just to public schools. Um, and that many people may think that's where it's going is just to public schools. >> Some legislation regarding school vouchers done at the state level. >> Know like what level of governance that's done at? So are you talking about like the funding for voucher schools and how those work? Yeah, that happens at the state level. >> State is saying like Watossa has to allocate this amount of property taxes to vouch. Okay, >> that is correct. So there's a a
082a ticket uh price for each student uh that go into right there voucher that goes into uh public or I'm sorry private school. Um, so what this is attempting to accomplish or this resolution would attempt to accomplish is making that amount, that total amount that we all pay into this common bucket comes to uh, TOSA and then TOSA has to pay that money over to private schools based on the number of students that they report. >> You're raising a good point. It goes back to what Dr. Worley said at the beginning of the meeting around compensation. So the state legislature has created another school system without first adequately funding the one that they are constitutionally required to fund adequately which is the public school system. So this resolution is stating taxpayers should at least be
083aware of what they are paying into this new system that the state has created without addressing what they are constitutionally obligated to do which is to fund this type of school system. Um, at least in my view, I think that uh having like school voucher programs are often just a way to help more privileged, usually like white students get a private education well where other students can't. And I think it's an important thing for people to recognize that and see that on their tax bill so hopefully when they vote and they can advocate to their assembly person or senator to change that possibly. >> Yes. Any other comments? Okay. So, this was a first read. That'll come back. >> Absolutely. This will come back in a couple of weeks. Then I'll ask you guys to
084approve it officially. >> Um and then we'll start getting to work and start getting ducks in. >> Right. Also just that's we're saying that just so also the community has an opportunity to ask what questions they want to ask um via the public comment um mechanism um email. Uh so thank you for bringing that forward and explaining it. Uh letter B discuss summary letter of resolutions. >> Absolutely. So uh what this does is we have collected over the course of this session uh several resolutions. Um so we thought that it would be important to continue uh inviting ongoing conversation with our other elected representatives um about these topics. So effectively this letter is uh exactly that here are the things that we have passed resolutions on here is what we are thinking and then an
085invitation to have them engage us or allow us to engage them on how we can work together on the various things. Um >> so let's let's just um clarify because uh once before this was viewed as already sent this is a proposal. >> Yes. for the board to look at and discuss the wording. Um, and it has not been sent and in fact, um, one of the pieces you cover still has to be voted on, which is the tax transparency. So, just for folks in the community who are looking at this document, the only time the school board can really do its work is in the public space for everyone to be able to see that. whether it's in committee, this is an opportunity for the committee to ask for larger schoolboard feedback as well
086as community opportunity to um comment. Uh some of these resolutions have been passed um one hasn't um and this letter has not yet been sent. >> That is correct. >> Or signed correct. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments or questions? I want to appreciate the LAC for a lot of hard work that you're you're doing um and continuing to bring uh this thinking to the board and reflect the concerns that you're hearing from the community um around education. Okay. Then we will now go to item number nine which is to adjourn into executive um closed session. Um Mr. Brower and sec two for tonight. All right. It is recommended that the school board adjourn to close session pursuant to Wisconsin state statute 19.85 friends one closed prince close uh open PR friends F closed
087presence considering financial medical or social social or personal histories or disciplinary data of specific persons. preliminary consideration of specific personnel problems or the investigation of charges against specific persons except where paragraph B applies which if discussed in public would likely have to have a substantial or would likely would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of any person referred to in such history or data or involved in such problems or investigations. And I so move. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Morris. Miss Summers, please call the role. >> Mr. Bzinski, >> yes. >> Mr. Bower, >> yes. >> Miss Bob, >> yes. >> Mr. Morris, >> yes. >> Miss Himer Rolland, >> is that all? >> Yes. >> Dr. Worley? >> Yes. >> Mr. Wiggers? >>
088Yes. >> And the motion carries. We now will move into close session, which would be followed by item number 10, which is adjourning. So for those um this this part of the meeting will not be recorded um or public. Thank you.