001Okay, good evening. It is six o'clock. We'll get started with our meeting. Welcome to the Franklin Board of Education meeting um for February 18th. The meeting has been posted. Can we have a roll call, please? >> Yes. Mrs. Yank >> here. >> Mrs. Wakowski >> here. >> Dr. Khan >> here. >> Mrs. Serski >> here. >> Mr. Sprag and Mrs. Larson are both excused and I am present. >> Great. Thank you for that. If we can stand for the pledge. ledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Looking for a motion to approve the agenda. >> So move second. >> Motion was made by Mrs. Welki, seconded by Mary Yank. All in favor?
002I >> I opposed. Motion carries. And we have our Robinwood team here. So, Linda. >> Yes. Tonight we have with us uh first of all, Robinwood principal Lydia Cesing. Rhymes with guessing >> and some of her and some of her excellent staff. Uh she's in her second year with the district. She has worked in Milwaukee schools as a kindergarten teacher and in West Alice West Milwaukee as an instructional coach and in leadership roles from high school through elementary. She appreciates the progression of learning and sees herself as always learning. Robert Wood's enrollment uh this is from last year's uh school report is 437 with 8.7% open enrollment. Students with disabilities are 14.2%. Economic disadvantage is almost 23% and English learners is 8%. The school achieved an overall score of 83.3 which exceeds expectations. They are
003excited about an increase in growth for target group outcomes and the increase in mathematics achievement. Robin Wood has 27 teaching staff and 28 support staff for a total of 65. I think you'll be excited as I was. I mean, that was about the numbers, but I was really excited to hear about the roar time that happens every day for 30 minutes for every student with all staff on deck. With that, let's come to the tape. Come on up. >> You want to introduce your staff also? >> Yes. Oh, >> that slide for it. It's coming. >> All right. >> You can pull up extra chairs. just pull the trigger. >> I don't know if we are using these, but um so basically we wanted to highlight spotlight today our vertical or multi-grade um PLC's and
004bas our our road group. So we're going to kind of highlight two things. Um as Linda said, one of the things that we're excited to share is that we have that time for everyone for those 30 minutes, but there's a lot of planning that goes behind that to make sure we have just the right skills um for our students to work on. So, we're going to really talk a lot about the vertical or multi-grade PLC's that go into the work of those ROAR groups today as well. Um, and kind of that what we're tying in is that focus of data driven and individual student needs. And that's really working on our school improvement goals, our student engagement goal, which focuses on our 4K through fourth grade AIM score achievement as well as our fifth grade
005and maps. Um, and then our other goal, which is that overall student growth, and we're really focusing, we have 40 students in 4K through four with disabilities, um, that we're really focusing on the lower percentiles to show those higher growth goals. Um, our lowest, um, our, uh, lowest below the 30th percentile, we really want to see that growth score of at least 70%. So, we really want to make at least that one year's growth to really start closing those gaps. So, this this is kind of our spotlight of that. So joining me today um I have Miss McDermad and Mcdermad here, third grade teacher Sam Sematic third grade Rachel Weezy third grade and Lauren Fueling our instructional coach. I thought something exciting to share is they have a combined 57 years of experience believe it
006or not right with 43 of those years right here at Robinwood. Um so I'm really excited. Um, this team is really great at early adopting and trying new things and using data to do that. So, I'm really excited to have them here. We'll be showcasing students through videos and they'll be showcasing all the hard work. So, take it away. >> All right. So, um, in order to work towards some of those goals, um, and really focusing in on the growth of our students, we know we needed to meet them where they were at. Um, and an initiative we took on this year, um, and plan to continue is our vertical PLC's or professional learning communities. Um, so vertical PLC's just mean that we're meeting among different grades. Um, all of the teams have worked within
007their grade level in a PLC. So we're kind of creating another community within our school. Um, so we have it within the grade levels in each pod at Robinwood. So that means like 4K, kindergarten, first grade is a vertical PLC. second and third grade is a vertical PLC and then four or five is a vertical PLC. Um they meet at least once a month. Um and we are currently focusing our work when we are together on planning, implementing and revising our ROAR groups. Um so those ROAR groups then are part of our MLSS system to really work towards those like school improvement goals to really meet students where they're at. Um it is that set aside time to ensure multiple layers of support can be implemented for all students. Um it can focus on literacy,
008it can focus on math and it can also focus on needs. Um while um in those vertical PLC's then planning for those groupings. Um, we have regular ed classroom teachers, we have crosscat teachers, we have interventionists, our English language teacher, we have our um, speech and language pathologist, we have our OT, our school psych, we have our social worker, um, coaches are involved, principal involved. So, it's it really is like a team effort. U, making sure everyone is, you know, on the same team to work towards supporting our students. Um this year then along with our vertical PLC's we decided to pre-plan our roar times so that those within the pod or involved in the vertical PLC will have those roar times at the same time so that we can also utilize um adults like
009crossrade level. So if a first grade student has similar needs as some of our kindergarten students or kindergarten has first like similar first grade we can kind of cross mingle there and best meet those needs. Um when it comes to actually implementing those groups and those plans that we've created then within our vertical PLC um it is an all hands-on deck collaborative approach um we have classroom teachers again school psychologists instructional coaches um educational assistants our crosscat teachers interventionists and even our students are all involved in helping run some of our groupings. Um, so we have a few of pictures of some of those groups in actions and then we also have video on the next slide to kind of show it all in action as well. Heat. Heat. Do you play that music one
010day, too? >> No one knew we were coming, so I was actually surprised how many people didn't though. So cute. Um, I'm going to talk a little bit about how we take on this huge project of dividing up all of our students so everybody is hitting their just right skills that they need. Um, there are three major things that we look at to get data. Um, the first thing is Ames Web. Um, so we do Ames Web reading and Ames Webb math. In third grade, we look at a couple of different assessments. It might be their oral fluency, their vocabulary, their comprehension. In math, it's also their fluencies, but also problem solving. And once we get all of that data, if we see that we might need to dig in and have more information, more
011specific information, there are diagnostic assessments that our lovely Miss Lauren Fueling helps out with or our instructional or um making blue invention. >> Our interventionists, they help a lot with making sure that we have exactly the kind of data that we need for our students for their academics. Um, another area that we look at is the sabers screener data and the data that we get from that is SEAL data. So things that we might not see on the outside of a student, it gives us a little glimpse of the inside of what is happening with our students. So once we take all of this information, which helps with our PRPs, our personal reading plans for act 20, it is helping us to form our groups. Um, we take that with just our general observations with
012our literacy and our math curriculums and just conversations with the students. And as a teacher, we are looking at how can I group these students so that I can hit as many skills as I can. And if I find that my students need similar skills as those in Mrs. McDermott's class or Miss Whisy's class, we'll group those students. And now we're able to check in with second grade who we vertically PLC with. Um, and we just check with each other and see what kind of similarities do we have. Um, utilizing all of these people, then we're able to make all sorts of groups that are hitting just right skills for our students. And then once we figure out our groupings, um, we use the FPS workbook to figure out what resources are best going to
013meet their needs. So huge task and undertaking. It took us a lot of time and effort and >> sitting with all of this data. Um but I think it's really turned into something special and something really worthwhile that we're seeing results from. >> Okay. So yes, it was a lot of work getting the the groups together and then we had students who weren't in skill building groups and we thought, well, how can we give these kids some opportunities, too? And I think it was um Mrs. Wheezy that said, well, maybe we can have some of the third graders read with the second graders. And so we looked at it like, well, who would be like leaders or, you know, that could be mentors? And so we started out small and asked a couple of these
014kids, "Do you want to be mentors for the second graders?" I remember one of the kids in my class said, I took him out in the hallways and he said, "Mrs. McDermott, I never thought this would happen to me in my entire life." And I'm like, "Oh my gosh." You know, and I just saw his whole face. He was smiling. He was like, "I can't wait to tell my parents." And I thought, "Oh my gosh, who knew that was going to be so emotional and like meaningful for him?" So he loves it. we started to get some other kids involved and um they were loving it too. So then we expanded it. So like we started with reading. So they have, you know, certain materials we give them and we kind of train them like,
015you know, you're going to teach it just kind of like, you know, we do and we're going to read, you know, read it together with them first and then go through the comprehension questions and, you know, here are the answers in case you get stuck, you know, but they they so they feel really comfortable about it. And then it was so successful that we thought, well, let's expand it to math. So then we started doing some math where like some of these groups are like where the second graders need a little help with math and then like our really top performers in third grade were giving them like kids that need a challenge from second grade. So um you know we didn't stop at that. Then we contacted fourth grade you know even though we're
016not vertically with them and we're like do you have any readers that want to come down and read with our third graders and give them a chance? And so, you know, the fourth graders, of course, love coming back and like working for us, you know, because they get to come back and see us and um we have the materials and they, you know, we can do it as much as we can with the time um restrictions because we had never, you know, arranged it with fourth grade before, but you know, we'd love to look at expanding that next year, too. And, you know, those kids really enjoy being leaders. Um there are other grades that are doing some other enrichment opportunities. So for English language arts for instance using data to run book clubs and
017um math Mrs. Fueling runs a great group for deeper thinking um for like advanced they're kind of like application problems from from class or advanced thinking tasks and those kids love it. >> I mean they're they're problems that you don't figure out in one time period. Okay. >> And so they have to be learn patience and that those answers aren't always going to come quickly to you. And for some of these high real high achievers, that's a lesson in itself. So, they work real hard on that. And you'll you'll hear from a couple of them today about how they enjoy that. >> All right. Um, our final components for determining groups involve our ongoing flexibility. Um, this block of time allows us to implement students personal reading plans or PRPS based in alignment of act
01820. We believe we have been flexible for students who need reading, math and support by splitting the time periods during ROAR into 15 minute sessions. So for example, the first half could entail 15 minutes of math and then the second half could be 15 minutes of reading. Um all groupings are also fluid. So as students need change, so do the groups and the mentor leadership opportunities. We keep track of these groupings using a spreadsheet which is similar to the graphic on there um which is shared amongst all the teachers and collaborators involved in our roar block so that they can keep track on there as well. Lastly, our overall process is reflective and responsive in our vertical PLC's. Teachers and collaborators frequently discuss student progress needs and resources. We use this reflection time to be
019responsive and so as our students grow, our support grows with them. Um, and this ongoing cycle of flexibility, collaboration, and reflection ensures that Roar Time truly responds to what our students need most. >> We have a video coming up next. Um, so all of the kids really wanted to be here, so I do apologize for the the multiple videos, but every kid wants to talk about things in their roar group and what they're teaching or what they're learning. I mean, you'll hear kids that talk about that have that split grouping where they have 15 minutes of teaching and then something like that they're doing on those other times or some of them they're split like um we have some kids that need something they go Monday, Wednesday, Friday, but then they might have anal bunch
020on Tuesday, Thursday. So, there's lots of different things. So, you'll hear kids kind of just sharing um from all the different grade levels. We wanted to showcase, you know, a wide wide variety of of them because they're going to give you all the best insight into what ROAR is. What do you do during more time? >> So, I do reading and um out loud in a group and um after that we go and answer questions and if and then we normally read it again. Oh, like this. Like when she says when she sounded s we pop it and then when she takes the and then when she says uh take uh the word take the beginning away and then we take it away. >> Okay. So if she said um pop the word clap, what
021would what would you do? >> Take the C away and then uh and then um And then we say the rest of the word. >> What would the rest of the word be? >> Uh, laugh. >> During lunch time, me and Miss go in a quiet room to practice our reading out loud and fluency. And the best part about it is that I get to meet my friendly practice fluency. We make sure we got upper case and lower case periods and questions. >> For for warm up, we do reading alphabet books. And then when we're done with our warm up, um spell and we then we spell and we have we had new games. play games. We sometimes go on um peers and journals. My teacher is working with friends. So it's like some from
022the other kind and she pulls some other and those come back to work and work with my teacher. >> So Tell me about your work groups. >> Oh, I have one where um I'm the teacher in it and we read books in it and I teach someone younger than me. Um when we after we read the we read books and after we read the books um we fill out the sheet of paper that has questions about the story. >> And you have another group too. >> Yes, I have this um math group. We solve problems and I think they're harder than the ones in our classroom, but not that hard. >> I read books and write about them and write words. >> Um, what do you like best about your roar group? >> That it's
023challenging more than what I do in classroom cuz I kind of already know that stuff. >> How do you feel when it's time for groups? I feel excited because then we can go then I can get out of the classroom and see new people. >> How do you know you're improving in reading? >> Speaking of the books that like were harder now. >> Can you tell me about a time you felt proud of your work in your time? >> Yeah, it was like a book that was really hard, but I kept trying and trying and it was like had the same words, but the ending was different. So, I started to miss Mia's group. I felt proud because I um I wrote the passage really fast with like only one mistake. So, that's it. That's
024our our roar time and kind of all the planning that goes into those components. Um so just kind of that wrap up that it's very collaborative, it's multi-grade. Um there is a lot of you know time and effort that goes into to doing that and seeing okay who can take this group Monday, Wednesday, Friday, we also need a group Tuesday, Thursday and and how do we kind of coordinate that also with what everybody here is also an expert in, right? So like uh like our school social worker does a great job. You know, the days that she's there, she does a lot of support for some of those skills and um we're we're just very lucky to have a whole team working on it and it's an ongoing process. So we continue to reflect and
025grow and just excited to share it with you guys. >> That's it. That's us. >> Thank you. I tell the kids they did a great job. >> Kids have kids have questions. The kids have fun. >> This kid has a question. This sounds I'm noticing a theme from I think it was Ben Franklin. They talked about this 30 minute. Is this something that all the elementary schools are trying to implement or are we just lucky that we've heard the the last two elementary schools focus on this this approach of um like cross classes to meet MLSS needs. >> My understanding is most have like a flex time. We introduced roar time last year um at Robinwood um and then that was the first year that we had really done it. So we our growth on
026it this year as a school was to do that multi-grade and have more hands on deck so we can support more kids with those skills um you know in having multiple people take groups at those times. So yes to answer your question. I would say the vertical teams is what's unique to Robinwood and a few other schools starting to do that, but everybody's running MLSS groups at least at the grade level and working on the skill sets where students are at. >> Thanks. >> I think it's amazing that uh it's every day 30 minutes and and kids are aware of what they're they're working on and what their goals are. >> They they're saying it in their way when they share. you know, they we we definitely did not prompt them on how to say
027it, but it's perfect because right that one kid explains my teacher takes kids from this class and this class, right? Like, you know, so that you can really see like how that is all pieced together. >> Yeah. >> Creating future teachers. >> Oh, yes. >> Very proud of their mentorship. >> Yes. Yeah. That's awesome. What a grounding. I love that. >> Yes. They're very proud when I come around too. And I'll do observations in classrooms. I've been going to every class and we're doing roar observations. So I'm in every room and they're like, "Are you going to observe me teaching my group?" And I'm like, "Sure, yes, you're in this." >> Absolutely. >> Sometimes give me a little report on how their partner did that day. >> That was a fourth grader. Yeah. They take
028it very serious. >> It's good accountability for those students that you might not be able to meet with on a daily basis. >> Um, so a student who may have special needs, are they woven into this whole process as well? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> Als Yeah. Every single student has a place where they are and a group that they're engaging in. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Our crosscat teachers also have a roar group during that time. Um, sometimes it's not like their SDI, so that might be at a different time. It might be more of like a layer two or or other things too. It all depends, but they have all of those layers. So, we make sure that um for example, Miss McDerm might be working with a student that
029might have that SDI for reading, but then she also is working on that same skill at a a different tiered or layer of support um maybe during that roar time. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> A picture for a picture. >> Jess is our photographer. I am highly trained. >> Yeah. No treat. >> Yes. >> Introduce you at the end. >> This is our fan club. Nicole came at it to to support I don't know. >> Mrs. McDermott is sessing turn, I think. Yeah, there we go. >> Thank you. >> Here for your styling. >> You've been with Nancy. >> Thank you. Continuing on item number five, community comment. There was not a community comment earlier. Anybody in the community want to speak? We will skip community comment. Looking for a motion to approve the consent
030agenda, please. >> So move. >> Second. >> Motion was made and seconded. All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Thank you. >> Schoolboard calendar update. We have our workshop at our um next two Wednesdays from now, March 4th, 6 o'clock here at the ECC. There is the um South Suburban Chamber Networking Breakfast on Wednesday, March 11th at the CIRC building at 7:45. Um also on March 11th is key communicators. Um Wednesday, March 11th at 5:00 also in the CIRC. So we can just have a whole day of CIRC if anybody's interested. And uh we have a regular board of education meeting on Wednesday, March 18th here at six o'clock and then our regular board of education meeting on Wednesday, April 15th here at 6 o'clock. And I will ask Dr. Bennon for an
031update. >> Excellent. Well, good evening. Uh a couple updates of excitement around the district this evening. Uh so our district was recognized by the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials WBO sometimes abbreviated as with the 2025 safety security and wellness award. So it's been out there for a little while. They finally were receiving the award and some pictures have been out on social media. Um it's a statewide honor. It reflects our partnership with not just the city of Franklin health department but also the fire department and balition. Um and Andy Daniels was really the lead for us as a district in setting that up. Um, so it it looks at spending that money and talking about advancing emergency preparedness, youth development, and substance misuse prevention efforts. So, a great recognition um in a $15 grant
032that will also come to the district. >> How much? >> 1,500. >> Did I say 15? >> $1,500. >> Welcome to winter in my nasely voice. I apologize. Um, so last week was National Bus Driver Appreciation Week, so we always like to do a nice shout out to Rightway, who's been a great partner to work with and work through times of struggle and times of celebration. We had a lot of families and our younger students, especially coloring pages for them and bringing small little prizes and tokens of appreciation. Uh, so a nice moment for that. I mean, our bus drivers are important for many reasons. They get them here safely. They're also the first and last face they see and voice they hear each day. So, um, it's really a quite remarkable role and we
033appreciate them. A huge congratulations to our FHS dance team led by coach Sarah Heinveter. They were runner up, so I have to get through the whole list here. Runner up of the 2026 D1 state championship in Palms. In addition, they finished as state runnerup in jazz and placed third in kick, making Franklin the only division one school to place top three in all three categories. um 24th year at state level championship and I believe currently they're >> at nationals. >> Thank you. And done competing or soon to be so we don't have all the results but probably Angie can give us them in our update shortly. Um and then FHS Future Business Leaders of America FBA program took third at regionals recently um and earned multiple state qualifiers. So congratulations to all of our students
034moving on to state. Um and this week we all sorry last week actually no it was Monday my apologies. Um we had a many of our Muslim families and parents and students have hosted a meal at it started at the high school five years ago. It's now across a lot of our other schools in the district um for our staff in recognition of Ramadan. So we're very very appreciative of the students and the families uh for sharing that tradition uh wonderful food and a deeper understanding uh to this celebration. So just a few of the updates across our wonderful district in the last couple weeks. Awesome. Thank you. Moving on to any board leazison reports. >> My school has been Franklin. I went to the um PTO meeting a couple of weeks ago. It was
035very well attended. Everyone's very invested. I think they had some bumps a few years ago. I'm not quite sure what that was all about, but it seems like they've recovered. Um they their funds are they just bought a new fridge and now they're working on getting a projector for the um um events that I think are in their larger larger space. Um so Mr. Hine was there. He encouraged them um families to complete the engagement survey. Um he said mentioned the uh net promoter score that is is really impressive. Um and um Yeah, they were just they were going to have their their talent show, which I unfortunately didn't get to, but it sounded like it was really going to be very enjoyable. So, um yeah, very invested, involved parents in that in that group
036and and really successful in engaging um with other families. So, it was very very fun. >> And I did visit with the Robinwood school also. They took a spin around the circle. It's It was a very wonderful visit. Very high energy and it was before the kids got there and then they all >> kind of got to get out of the way. >> Any other board leazison reports, school or community engagement reports? >> Jazz. >> Yes. >> It happened or it has >> or it's coming up >> Saturday. >> It was last Saturday. Fantastic. And and I just have to say, I know in the past, I think we've had outside uh musicians come in, but this year, and I think in a couple previous years, it's just it's it's our musicians and blown away
037just by the the talented musicians that we have on our staff. Um is just so incredibly um you know, wonderful to to see them perform. Mr. Duner, Mr. Kuban, um Mrs. Her um Miss um >> Kudson. >> Emma Kudson. We just have some fantastic musicians on our staff. So I just it was so so enjoyable >> and the students were good too. >> I was going to say it was very well attended and it was really fun to see students across you know we don't always get um band orchestra and choir together in the same space and so to have kids performing from all three areas and together and things a very fun night. >> And when was it? this past weekend. What? Like Saturday night? >> Saturday night. It was Valentine's Day. >> It
038was Valentine's Day. Lots of people came and shared their Valentine's with us. >> I missed it because I was in Orlando. The dance the dance team did in fact earn a birth at a national competition and um represented our school in Wisconsin very well. They of the five numbers they took, three of them were made it to finals and all three of those made it in the top 10 for the first time at a competition. I mean, amazing amount of talent. Those girls work really hard. Um it's a very wellrespected program across the state and now we can say nationally as well. >> That's awesome. Congratulations. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Reports, presentations, and business. We will start with Mr. Vololo with our academic and technical excellence scholarships, please. >> Good evening everybody. Uh >> it's
039always nice to return. Good evening, Linda. And at your stations, I did put a copy of the actual academic excellence and tech excellence scholars um there. Obviously, that's student information. So, I would appreciate um if you handle it as such. Um the only thing I'll point out before I kindly request that you take the action syndicated is uh the valatoran of this year's class and our technical excellence scholar, the first one on the list. They're both my advises. So, >> I'm a proud adviser. I'm really really uh happy um to to be speaking to you not just as high school principal always but also those two students are my >> advises the record will reflect >> I move that we accept the slate of academic excellence scholarship uh recipient as presented >> motion made by
040Dr. Beer seconded by Mrs. Lacowski. All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion passes for academic. >> I move that we accept the slate of technical excellence scholarship recipient scholars as presented. >> Second. >> Okay. Motion made by Dr. Beer, seconded by Mrs. Yank. All in favor? >> I. >> Any oppose? >> Motion pass. Thank you. >> We got some awesome students. Good job. >> Way to go. >> Musicians. Moving on, then we will invite Missi for up to talk with us about our music trip, student travel. >> Good evening. grateful for the opportunity to um request the um the opportunity for our students to continue their um study of music and in study of world cultures and opportunities through um this time traveling to Europe, specifically Prague and Vienna. Um we have
041a rich tradition of travel and music. We think it's a really important way for students to learn about the world, other cultures, music history, and themselves um through um these incredible privileges and opportunities. Um we are looking to continue our um ideally a four-year rotation of travel. Um last year we were fortunate to travel to New York City. We had 65 students in band choir and orchestra join us for that. Um this year we're taking a day trip to Chicago and then year three of the rotation would be an international tour. Um so we are looking at Prague and Vienna with which has very rich musical history opportunities to study the legacy of Beethoven and Smetna and Mozart and um not only um immerse ourselves in these beautiful landscapes and music history cultural sites but
042also the chance to perform there as well. Um so a band, choir and orchestra students would have the chance to perform there in public performances. Um we are looking to partner with Bob Rogers Travel with whom we've traveled since 2011. Um domestically and internationally. We've traveled to Italy and Ireland before. Um they are widely regarded regarded as the the premier u music education travel company. Um we're very familiar working with them and um they've put together an itinerary for us that's very um provides many rich opportunities for our students to make the most of our time there. Um I believe the itinerary has been shared with you. the proposal as well and we'd fly out of O'Hare. We're looking at traveling June 1st through 8th, 2027. Um, taking advantage of that window with our modified
043academic calendar um, close to the end of the school year. So, our students will have retained their work through rehearsal within the school year to still be able to perform there. Um, and happy to answer any questions that you may have. >> Are there any questions? I move that we accept the um Vanquo Orchestra 2027 trip as presented. >> Second motion be made by Dr. Beer, second by Dr. Dr. Mrs. Wakowski. Any further discussion? >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Have a wonderful trip. >> Thank you for the support. >> Moving on then we will go to student fees. Mr. Cromy. >> Um so attached to the um board document was a grouping of school districts um starting with the number ones which are what we use to compare ourselves when we talk
044about academic data and all the markers. They have the closest group to us. Um then we had a second grouping number two who's the next closest um three the third closest and then we added WACA in there as a very close data point. um as we have all of the people or all of the school districts um surrounding us already indicated in there. Um as you can see from a median standpoint, we are quite a bit below on student fees. Um a little bit below on middle school athletic fees and pretty close, I'm sorry, on uh high school and middle school athletic fees and pretty close on activity activities fees of both of those. Um a little bit under an instrumental uh fee. High school parking we happen to be quite a bit o uh
045over. Um, one of the reasons in using comparative data um, from other school districts, it is very common for um, schoolboard members to ask how do we compare just in general to our neighbors. Um, there were some additional questions that came forth over the weekend regarding um, what are fees used for? What backing do we have for fees? Um, those were sent out via email, I believe yesterday, by Dr. Bennon. Um but our fees in general are meant to cover supplies um and other items used throughout the school day. SANS technology um in order to educate our students. Um the numbers provided by Dr. Bennon clearly do not match what we're proposing tonight and ultimately asking for support on March 4th in terms of what does it actually cost to educate a child. Um in
046total our fees top to bottom. So athletics that student fees, parking represent about 1/100th of our budget, actually a little bit under that. So we're talking about a little bit less than 1% of our total budget, but it is a component, right? If we wipe this out, that we would be looking for 625 $650,000 to figure it out. Um we're certainly not looking to um make up all of the costs of educating a student in our student fees. We're looking to um just be a little bit more in line um with what fees are costing and with our neighbors who are um adjacent to all around us and our comparable neighbors. So you'll see some differences in our school fees being proposed. One um making keeping 4K its own but taking 5K and instead of
047separating it into bands taking 5K through five and making it a elementary grade and elementary grade band 68 keeping that uh 912 keeping that. So you'll see some adjustments on the school fees. Um a minor adjustment to both athletic fees. So athletic fees um are uh 25 uh 75 at the high school and um at the middle school um our student fees are 25. So it's really moving our maximums of 75 and 150 at the middle school and high school respectively. keeping those but moving our family total so that it matches with at a specific number of choices. So at the high school our family max is 200 but that's like two and two/ird of a sport. So just moving it to be three sports like if you play three sports we're $225. If you
048have two kids and you play six sports still 225 but it matches with 75 for one 75 for two 75 for three. Um we're not proposing anything with um activities parking in terms of really raising those in terms of our neighbors. Um as you know we had um Cordell here last time and he does a lot um with a lot of different groups but one of the biggest things we tout is our students that participate in at least one, two, three or more and the academic changes that happen for them in terms of grade point average um attendance. really it's their interaction with the school and their attachment to the school. So, um and looking at it from that lens, we don't want to price students out of being able to participate. Um and with
049anything, the more you raise it, getting everybody that already was included in the group of people who are going to pay will start to get smaller with anything, right? There's there's a it's a teeter totter effect like we can raise it so far before the number of people we pay are going to start to decline. So we don't want to price kids out of being able to participate in activities in athletics. So it's really just making that family match in line with having three of those versus the two and two/3 of an activity. Um outside of that, there's some minor adjustments for 4K through um 12. Um tweaking those numbers. Um and then another proposal would be to let's just put a cycle to this so that we have some sort of rhyme or reason
050to it. Um, I know it hasn't been brought in my time in at least a year before that. So, we're on a fifth year as far as I know and I didn't do any history to go back further than that. U, but we should probably have some sort of history to come back to it. So, at the very least, we're reviewing it um periodically. So, I'll be happy to answer any questions that you have. >> I was just curious um what your practice is with students or families who might be experiencing economic hardship. >> Yep. So the first and foremost is always to request for them to fill out the free and reduced application. If they qualify for free and reduce, we can wave those fees right off the bat. And schools are actually not
051required. Schools are really um reminded that you should just be doing that. If they qualify for free and reduce, please wave those fees. >> And we practice. >> Yeah. Yes. Very >> uh very heavily. We're not looking to to price students out again or price families out. Um, every year though at graduation and if Mr. Vololo were here, he could attest, we have a handful of people who have not paid fees for a number of years and they want their child to walk graduation. Um, we do work with those families as well um, ideally on a payment plan um, to recoup as many of those fees as we possibly can before they go across the stage. Um uh we get that too around prom time. Very similar to can't buy your or I guess homecoming
052and prom can't buy your homecoming or prom ticket. Um a little less to the degree of we're getting to graduation and that's a way more mom and dad um thing than it is a student where prom and homecoming are there like intrinsic motivation to get those things paid. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> So are we like taking two actions? I mean we're already going to approve a We're going to ask you to next time approve the 2627 approve the modifications for 2930 and then we're back on the reviewing the cycle for 2030 30 3132. >> So why and why are we doing the twostep I suppose to >> um well really in looking at it um if we talk about elementary school we'd be going from 34 and 5k up to 60. So that's
053almost a 70 80% jump. First, second, third, fifth. Again, a larger jump. So we're looking to just break that apart so we're not providing such a steep increase um in year one and making it a little more plausible for families to get there. >> Um so what is the basis for the athletic fee? I know you gave examples of the >> I can't tell you why it was set at 75 way before my time. Um so I'm not necessarily sure why it's set there. Um, but again, we're looking at it not increasing it from a standpoint of we we want as much participation as we can. >> But is it still the same idea that this is to cover some of the consumable cost? >> Oh, in terms of a fee in terms of the
054rationale of why? Yeah, I don't know why it's 75, but yes, same idea. >> Um, for some sports, it probably covers >> as much of the fee as possible. Um, tennis is probably a prime example. I mean, outside of tennis balls, on a yearly basis, most kids are buying their own rackets because they prefer to play with a this racket or a that racket. Um, if you're talking football, like 75 doesn't $75 doesn't touch the cost of a helmet. So, um, different sports require different needs. Um, and we have a couple that are club that do pay the whole thing. Hockey is a great example. Hockey is a club sport for us at this point. It's pretty expensive to play hockey. Um, lacrosse and uh, rugby fall under that as well. They're club sports. So,
055their participation cost is a little bit different. These are for our WIA um sports. >> Lacrosse is a close one. >> Yeah, at this point it's still club sport. >> How do I know that? >> I don't know. >> It's newer. That's just tends to be how they start. >> I don't know how you would know that. >> Website maybe. I don't know. Handbook. >> I mean, it might say it in those, but really like they start out as clubs. It's often to do with like how many are in the conference to compete yet if you're going to be competing outside of conference. Like it just hasn't grown to that size yet. So it's a lot based on WA >> or WA regulates what's club and what's >> they have a lot to do with
056like it's you're working with them on how big it's growing across the state. Like lacrosse, women's wrestling are newer sports. So not every school is a program yet. So you don't always have a conference in your area. You might be scheduling like clubers scheduling wherever you can with teams. >> So that's not club sport women's wrestling. No, >> we don't have a women's wrestling. >> They just the first year was >> I don't know off hand. >> First year was this year. >> Wait, so we do have or we don't >> we do we have >> we do have some females participating. Yes. >> Correct. >> I saw something on our website Facebook page and Cordell had that in his report last meeting too. >> Yeah, you're right. >> Yeah. >> This is the first
057year though, >> right? >> Okay. And what do we do at parking fees? The report doesn't leaving them exactly the same. >> And what are they? How much are >> $200 a year? >> And but that's based on again materials. What what what's the basis for parking? >> We provide a parking lot. We make it safe. We make sure that students have insurance that it's licensed is providing a safe place for students to park. >> We don't charge employees. We provide the same thing. >> Then you should say, I don't want to charge a parking. Well, I I did ask the question about how this relate to our policy on fees and parking doesn't seem to >> because our policy is a student fee. Parking is a privilege fee. We don't have a privilege fee
058board policy. >> It's a privilege fee >> 100%. It's a privilege to park in the high school park. >> You can ride the bus if you don't want to drive your car. >> And if you do something dumb, you get that revoked. You do something dumb playing sports, you get that revoked as well. That's why activities and athletics fees are not part of student fees either. Those are privilege fees. Like you get the privilege to do that. >> I'm just Is it defined somewhere? I was not aware of that term privilege fees. >> Nope. But they're not called student fees for a reason. Whereas the others are called student fees. >> Okay. Well, they're included in this student fee review report I have in front of me. >> That is correct because they are fees
059we charge for that. So, we can separate that out. >> They're not under student fees, but we looked at all fees umbrella wise. So yes, we probably could have changed the title to student fees and other fees accured to students. Understood. We can change that next time. >> Privilege fees. >> Heard. >> Thank you. >> So these won't be raised for five years. >> Well, we're requesting your approval of raising for the 2627 school year as on here. Raising again in 2930 as is here. Reviewed then again in five years. It's possible in five years we come back and say you should do nothing with them. >> It's possible we come back and say they should go up by $5 >> at least then we'd have it on a cycle and we'd have a plan
060when we're going to be looking. >> Yep. Otherwise, it's kind of just, oh, what are we doing with school student fees? Oh, we should take a look at that. >> It was time to look. >> Yeah. >> Can a current board approve a future year fee? >> Yes. The board can also choose to pull that part out and we can bring it back next year and put it in a consent agenda. It's already been talked about. >> It's not even in the next. This is 26 27 that's not next year would be 28 >> 27 28 28 29. So the purpose was to evaluate against other fees and eval it's as you saw it doesn't pay to evaluate against actual cost because it's putting a small slice into that and then looking at where we
061need to go being conscious of making a big jump in one year instead breaking it over two and if the board chooses not to approve both this evening you can approve the first one or not and you can also pull the second one out and say bring it back and we'll put it in consent agenda a year from now and approve two years from now and approve it at that time. like that's completely up to the board. You can pull it out and we can bring it back and >> we're reviewing the five years today. We the prices or the fees for 2930 are really really where we think they should be set. But setting those today is a big jump from where we currently are. So setting the two different levels then sets us
062up for reviewing again in 2031 32 which is the next 5year cycle. So, it's really taking what we think the five-year price should be or component, but saying that's a big jump today. >> Let's break that up into two jumps. >> This is just what we're >> I don't think we're looking to catch up. >> I think it's we're we're not going to get debate territory about it. It's just suggesting where we think we can be rationalized against what comparable districts are doing and against where we're at. And if the board doesn't choose to make that, that's up to the board. It's just our suggestion and our rationale to why it's being conscious of breaking it up and then it's putting us on a fiveyear cycle so that we can have an expected response and
063review rate. >> Angie, >> um, thank you for bringing the compre the comparison to neighboring districts. It's helpful to have both the rationale for levying fees and also explanations about how ours line up against other districts. I appreciate that the 2930 change is one that you would like to see us make to get us in line sooner rather than later and I appreciate the suggestion of doing it in a two-step process even though that means approving something that will happen in two to three years. I understand your logic. Thank you for doing that. We're going to vote on this next time. >> Well, thank you for sharing where you're you're at, but I would say that the board shouldn't be approving this 2930 at this time. They should bring it back and review it again.
064>> I'm not sure the five year is the appropriate time. Uh or that's a long time between uh >> you didn't have anything before, Linda. There was no schedule before. So, >> well, I don't know why you picked five. I think we're trying to uh again avoid a big increase for our parents. So, that's why you would do it more regularly than five years. And I don't understand why we're comparing it to other other districts should be if it's based on the cost of materials that is the rationale you provided cost of materials. We know that that's increases based on inflation not what other districts are doing. >> That's a fair question. In doing this for three other school boards the very first question is how do we compare to neighboring districts? So that's also
065a component that we added >> component >> and we look at the comparable districts. Remember we've gone through these before are not just neighboring but comparable are similar like socioeconomic status and um some of our other areas. So that's part of why the rationale to look at those. And I just want to say that, you know, I have a a 98-year-old father who would probably say to me at this point, just because everybody's jumping over the the uh the hill doesn't mean that you should do it. We're kind of justifying, well, they're doing it, so we should do it. >> We're not trying to meet or exceed them. I don't think we're just trying to see if we're if we're way out there on one that's way above and beyond what everybody else is doing.
066We would have probably looked at reducing it like that. We wouldn't want that to be out there. But we're just looking to be around the median. We're not looking to jump beyond others or solve anything else with it. >> Figure out what we want to do and do that. Um it's $24,000 projected increase. Is that correct? >> Uh yes. >> What percent is that? And what's the base? >> Um that's approximately 90% of the increased fees applied to every student. And that's based on us uh right now obtaining about 92% of all the fees. So again, we're going to raise currently we we recoup about 92% of fees that are assessed. >> The question is what percent increase is it from the base? >> What is 24,000 based on the 625? We collect about 625,000
067to $650,000 in fees >> and these fees. Okay. >> The 24,000 is actually based on the percent that we typically collect which is around 92%. reducing that slightly because we might reach the point where we're going to have fewer people pay, but it won't be drastic because it's not a drastic increase. So, using a slightly lower rate of about 90% of people paying versus the 92% we're currently at, >> but our base is 650,000 >> 625 to 650. >> I don't have the specific data for, but that's about where we >> are on a yearly basis. >> And we have 4,000 students, right? 4,400 >> 4400 >> question divided out I guess I don't know >> not every student pays because of free and reduced price >> well and we'll be taking action on this
068at our next meeting are there any further questions >> $150 maybe student >> okay >> no further questions >> I'm still doing my math if you don't mind. >> Is it something that's going to impact us tonight or can you do your math and we can talk about it at our next meeting? >> Thank you. 150. Yes, you >> Thank you. >> Good job, Andy. >> Appreciate your math. >> Moving on. Then we'll go to state convention reports. >> Everybody have a chance to go through the reports that were posted? >> I did not have a chance. I didn't >> I just wanted to highlight that um I in the past we've talked about sort of high level things that we've taken away and so I really made a point to attend sessions that had
069to do with board governance sort of focusing on what should the board be attending to as much as I'm tempted to go to sessions on literacy um you know things like that um I tried to focus a lot on uh board governance and went to some really interesting sessions um but I I think might provide us some opportunities um to think about um what we want to really be receiving as a board in terms of reports. We heard I heard from some districts who were saying they set a board goal of at least 50% of the information that they were presented had something to do directly with student achievement. And I thought, well, that's a really interesting way to think about the work the board is choosing to undertake. And I thought it might be
070an interesting exercise to look at what reports were statutoily required to review and which ones we are receiving and reviewing as a matter of we've always done it this way and think about because our meetings can tend to get a bit long. Um, and might there be opportunities to receive information in another way other than asking people to sit through meetings and present to us once a year on something that may not necessarily be required or um something that necessarily needs to be done in person. And then there were also just some interesting sessions on, you know, again thinking about good governance, governance techniques. And so I took away some good takeaways that I look forward to discussing at our next board retreat. >> Are these in the Google docs? Is that where the library
071>> I love a literacy session. Yeah, I mean it was it was in it was Ashkosh um uh leadership and just how they had this goal of improving literacy in their district and encompass connections with faith communities, chamber of commerce, public library. It it just is really a very holistic approach to in their community. So it's pretty cool. one of the sessions um that I attended uh well actually Angie was there as well um similar concept of looking at you know how other boards function but I did I really liked their little video that they made and I did link it in here um in your report if you want to find it. It's also just easily findable if you go to the DeForest um school district. It was a very simple video, but it
072just really highlighted how a board works. And you know, a lot of times you get comments from the community, you know, I I wish they didn't serve chicken nuggets so much. Well, that's not what we as a board do. And I just thought the video did a really nice job of kind of framing how a school board functions well with good governance. Um, and kind of keeping those, you know, we talk about above and below the line, just kind of and very simple but very effective video. So, if you have, I think it's about two and a half minutes. I encourage you to look at that. Um, one of the other sessions I attended was about um pharmacy benefits which um just because we talk about health insurance and pharmacy things so often, I thought
073well let's go see and you know as a medical person myself wanted to see what they were saying and really it was just very interesting to see all the different choices you can make. They talk about which levers to pull and I know Andy has said that before too like which levers do you pull to make these different um you know to kind of keep your your costs in in line and just the the super expensive specialty medications and how that really drives spending and how you can work with different products and companies and things to try to control that. Um so it's just interesting to see just there it's a huge part of budget >> any inspiring speakers some >> uh the yes >> keynote on that >> keynote was she's an ESPN reporter
074I'm sorry I can't remember her name >> she did a very Nice. It was inspiring. Now, if you're going to ask me to what the action item from that inspiring speech was, and I am not going to be able to remember because I often find, I'm speaking frankly, that the keynotes are very emotionally inspiring, but I often leave without sort of two or three actionable items that we can take. But I did find her to be one of the more engaging speakers that we've had. >> Cultivating audacity was what was audacity. It was kind of resiliency. >> Resilience. Overcoming. >> Yep. overcoming challenges, >> finding value and worth in every student and helping them feel belonging um in their system and had some stories around that. >> I attended the keynote by Mikis Jr. saxophone
075but amazing amazing to be honest he's a talented teacher. That's such a beautiful presentation about how we can show to the students that they loved that you know needed and how we as even schoolboard members and teachers are needed. It was such a beautiful presentation. Amazing. He did everything on the saxophone and that you know song. >> Beautiful. Beautiful. >> It's okay to have our our emotional cup filled up to it at conferences too. I don't mean to suggest that the keynotes aren't important. It is it is good to have positive feelings >> filled back up. >> I just think it's always interesting to see you know talk to people who come from so far away. I feel a little spoiled that we can just, you know, jump in our car in the morning and
076drive down there and, you know, if you needed to leave, like just easy. These are people who come for the whole week. You know, they come from way all the corners of Wisconsin and they're here for a week. And then it's also just interesting to sometimes hear like what are they doing in their districts and how is that similar to what we're having in Franklin and then how it's very different. You know, you talk to somebody from like some rural district that has totally different issues than we do. I don't know. I just think it's really kind of I don't know kind of motivating to go and be inspired to do this work. >> Go ahead. >> So, in the literacy thing um one thing that they suggested and maybe I've just missed it is
077having a more targeted um targeted school visits like to our liaison. I mean when I first started I don't remember getting like a template or a you know this is what you should be discussing. do we have something like that for our liaison visits? And if not, you know, I'd be interested in maybe uh coming up with something because we're going to have some new board members and um I remember going in and being like, what am I supposed to ask? And >> yeah, >> we have you have it in the the library specific points to ask for. And I think that role of liaison is kind of always kind of >> being looked at and evaluated. So we kind of make adjustments if we need to. >> Okay, good. that I think it was
078the DeForest session that really blew me away because they also she talked about their their annual the rhythm of their board year and having a very thoughtful approach to at the beginning of the year when you're onboarding new board members also sort of reviewing your board norms so that you're both onboarding new board members and reviewing and re-uping your commitment to the standards you set with your current board members holding that in. >> Awesome. Okay. Well, thank you. Good reports. Good conference. >> Uh item F, treasures report is available in the board docs library. Future agenda items. We will be hearing from Countrydale at our next meeting. We will look at our summer fall 2025 early college credit and start college now requests. Student fees will come back for action at our next meeting. Board
079clerk's report. Um the election notice and notice of ballot positions. Technology report. First read 4K wraparound care for information. Friends of Franklin, oh then our next meeting would be Friends of Franklin, Southwood Glenn Elementary School presentation. Um our first read of our board of education meeting dates for the next year. Um health insurance first read, CISA 1 contract first read and approval of administrator contracts and the district administrator self-evaluation. I'm looking for a motion to adjurnn. >> I move to adjourn the meeting. Second. Motion was made by Mary, seconded by Angie. All in favor? >> I. >> Meeting is adjourned at >> 706.