GBAPSD Board of Education Special Meeting & Work Session: July 14, 2025

001[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Okay, good evening everybody. This evening we will start with a quick um special board meeting. We have some action items to take care of and then we'll move right into the work session. So with that, Kenzie will call roll. >> Meister >> here. >> Canel >> here. >> Mow >> here. >> Gerlock >> here. >> Larly >> here. >> McCoy >> here. >> Becker >> here. >> Thank you everybody. Everyone is in attendance. Um we'll go directly to action items to A. Will someone please read the motion? I move that the employment of staff as presented be approved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Kenzie, >> online voting is now open. Did you join the meeting? >> Can you voice vote? Jenna, do you want to voice vote on

002this one? >> All votes have been entered and the motion is carried with all board members voting in favor. >> Thank you. Um, action item 2B. Will someone please read the motion? I move that the resignation of staff as presented be approved. >> Second. >> Discussion. >> Kenzie. >> Online voting is now open. >> All votes have been entered and the motion is carried with all board members voting in favor. That concludes the action items in the special board meeting. I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed. We are adjourned. Thank you. Switch meetings. Welcome everybody to the July 14th U board of education work session. We will start with roll call. >> Becker >> here. >> McCoy >> here. Larly >> here. >> Gerlock >>

003here. Minnow >> here. >> Panel >> here. Meister here. >> Thank you. And we are also joined this evening at the board table by two members of our inner city student council. Please introduce yourself. >> Chanel Leopold, Prebble High School, Isabella Rodriguez, Prebble High School. >> Thank you. Please feel comfortable joining us in discussion. Ask any questions that you might have. Appreciate it. We'll move now to um item 2 A, open forum. Um public forum. We have two individuals that have requested to speak this evening. If you also want to speak, there's a little bit of time if you have not yet filled out a pink sheet. Um, but I will move first to Damian Duran. As you approach, just state your name, your address, and then you'll have five minutes. Do I have to

004hold it? It'll fit. All right. Dorne address is 1078 Rosco Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin, 54304. And um hello. Um I've been uh an implant in this city for 30ome years. Um, I moved here in 1989 as a straight A student and I got into a fight at Lombardi Middle School when I was in seventh grade and um I got reprimanded more than the individual that started to fight and that led a long road of uh situations. I ended up being incarcerated at an early age due to uh the school's administration feeling like I was a problem child as a straight A student. So, I lived up to it and um I'm here now as a member of the community who has since reformed himself and repaired his reputation and has gotten into the community and

005created curriculums and workbooks and everything for youth to work on their mental health because some of our youth are experiencing situations at home that others would have no idea would even exist in a home. So, uh, me coming from one of those homes, being born to a pimp and a prostitute, um, you can understand that my life was filled with darkness. And even in that darkness, I was a straight A student. So, school's my escape. And for a lot of our youth, based on some conversations that I've had, school is their escape. And um with that being said, I feel representation of these particular students would also be ideal. And so I'm looking to offer myself and my services um to the school district again officially this time um to kind of pick my brain

006and experience and see how we can get more representation for our brown students in our Green Bay public school primarily but all students um that deserve it because poverty sees no color. So, you know, sometimes we have to look past the the melanin of an individual and me being a mixed man in America. Um, I've seen both sides of the coin because I live on the edge, so to speak. So, um, I really don't have a lot to say. I really just wanted to introduce myself, let you let them let it be known that I am aware of some issues within our school district. Um, very big pop brown population. Um, and I would love to see some brown representation from a uh teacher or advocacy or nonprofit or whatever the case may be inside

007the school so that our student body feels like they're heard, appreciated, respected, and represented. >> Thank you very much. Um, next is Miss Jackson. back here so I can see everybody. Um, my name is Miss Jackson. Um, I live in the Green Bay community. Um, I do have kids that are in our district. Um, I have two high schoolers, um, and one elementary child. um I guess what I am. Um I'm a mother. I'm a youth activist. I'm a community activist. Um I tend to keep my nose in everyone else's business that you know to deal with our especially with our district um our schools and just the community as one. Um I do have a lot of concerns. Um, I guess my number one concern is um leadership and I mean leadership around the

008table and that goes from our admins to our teachers down to our district and around the table. Um, how are we treating our students in school? Um, at the end of the day, you guys have to think about it. Not just raising, we're raising more than just kids. We're battling against social network like Tik Tok and a lot when I talk to a lot of like my higher officials like I tend to tell them like they have to get with the program. We have to get to the tik tock trend to understand what our kids are going through what's happening. You know what I mean? Like um because that's the era they're living right now. So, we're battling against media, how we're treating our kids at home, how we're raising our kids at home, and

009how we're raising our kids at school. Um, I guess when it comes to me, there's poor leadership in our district. Um, especially dealing with our our kids at our schools. Um, communication when we have comm like our communication goes a long way. So say my child got suspended for school. Don't just send my child home. You call me. I want to pull up. I want to know what's Don't just send my kid home because I dropped my kid off to you in your hands. So I expect to pick my child up from Don't recommend my child without my concern. I want to know what's going on with my child. I want to know where my child is. I don't want to have to worry about, damn, so you let my child, excuse my language, you

010let my child just go. Now I have to find my kid when it's school hours and all kids supposed to be in school, right? It's a law, right? Yeah. During school hours. So there should be no kids outside. communication around the table. We need to um start communicating with our higher up as well when things situations go on. If that means that our admins have to call and document every day or what's going on in our school, that means that it needs to happen so we know what's going on so we don't get backlash like, "Oh, they didn't tell me that, but what the hell happened?" We should all we should know everything when it happens. Don't let it backlash because it backlashes on you. But what about the worry about how to repair all

011these pieces and you could have just like hey this happened today and let's get it out the way. I'm going to get off. But so yeah, my my biggest thing is just the leadership that's going on, how our kids are being treated and keeping our kids safe in our community, especially in in our schools. We don't want to leave no kids left behind. And that should go for all our staff at school. We need to communicate with the parents. If you guys are that damn scared to call home about a child, you shouldn't be in this job. What are you scared for? Stop being scared. Hey, come and get your child because um I can't handle him right now. I can't handle her right now. Let's hold him accountable cuz now they're just playing your

012guys' faces. They don't care if you kick them out or not. So, if we want to make them accountable, we have to be accountable around the table. Stop being scary of your students. Okay? Are you scared of your kids at home? Are you guys? Yeah, right. I'mma recommend my child any given day. I I'm pulling up to school. Hey, check this out. D Stop doing it. If I have to pull back up, it's going to be Let's go. >> Miss Jackson, we're at five minutes. I'm done. Do you Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Those are the only two requests I had this evening. I don't see any others. So, we'll move down to section three I agenda item 3A. Um, and I think um, Alex, you're going to run education this evening, right? I'll pass

013the chair to you. >> So, our first update is in regards to the bilingual program update. And this, as well as the other three, will include uh, Mr. John's and uh, a number of different people that he will bring with him. Do you want me to share my picture over there? >> The key is is when you touch it, it silences everyone else's. So if they they ask you a question, you have to re-engage. Good evening board. Good evening, student leaders. Happy to be with you this evening um with an esteemed panel of guests. uh board as it's been um a while since we provided an update on our bilingual programming in the district and with some of you new at the table as board members um we felt it uh proper and appropriate to

014give you an update on our bilingual programming this evening. I'm going to test this out. There we go. I'm joined at the table um this evening by uh principal Natalie Nihis from Dodie Elementary. Uh Jennifer Trembley, associate director of multilingual programming. Uh Shaina Poches, elementary school leadership director. Julie Seafelt, director of multilingual programming, Dr. Gratzio Villa Royale, special guest and community partner, and Amanda Garcia, special guest and community partner. Um, I'll uh actually reintroduce our community partners a little bit further into the presentation. Tonight, we want to share with you um a range of uh content around our bilingual program. We'll begin with uh the benefits, share with you an overview of our programming and what our programming model looks like throughout the district. Uh options available to our families as they select bilingual programming

015within our district. The alignment with bilingual programming in our district vision and priorities. And then a unique and special opportunity ahead at Dodie Elementary um in the years to come. And that's where I'll be uh including and inviting back in our community partners. And then of course there's opportunities for questions from you. It's slow to respond folks. So give me. Thank you. All right, I'm going to be speaking to the benefits of the bilingual programming and multilingualism, there's three major benefits um that we have outlined which are student achievement, college and career ready and also community. Um, when we look at student achievement across the board, bilingual children end up outperforming monilingual children when it comes to divergent thinking, pattern recognition, problem solving, and creative thinking. When we're looking at their cognitive advantages, we see

016more um mental flexibility, um, stronger executive functioning skills, and metal linguistic skills. Um, multil- language learners can tell you, you learn how to process language differently. you learn how to connect two languages, three languages together. So, um, bilingualism also leads to that metacognition. They have stronger memory skills and that tends to seep into supporting other subjects like math and sciences and other content areas. um for all participants it does raise achievement but for uh students who are Spanish speakers um from birth it also reduces achievement gaps so when we look at student achievement again it's a solid benefit college and career ready well um it prepares students for a global economy um if you were to look at any place any town you're going to see that most um businesses have some sort sort of

017global connection and they're looking for students who only bilingual but also are bicultural or have those cultural kind of global readiness. Um when we look at mentally also the job opportunities in multiple private and public sectors. Um personally being multilingual has probably led to most of my career advancement um and been a contributing factor. Um so I can speak from it personally. Community um opportunities for bicultural competence also it promotes global awareness and it reduces discrimination for our students. um it increases their self-esteem and these stronger crossgroup relationships um as I think are more important to not only reach our demographic here in Green Bay but if we look at where of our children might end up um this is something that builds community for them in a lifetime here in the district. Oops. Slide.

018Sorry. Like I'll just race ahead here. Um, if we look at our own district with bilingualism and the district vision and priorities, you see that we look at academic excellence and we look at that ELA math performance grades 3 through 11. Um, the goal is to meet and exceed or exceed those annual state averages as measured by state assessments. when we look at the thriving student body um at least 12% of our students will graduate with prof proficiency in multiple languages and then finally when we look at the Wisconsin seal of biiteracy which has become more difficult to ascertain and to get um we see that this is a state approved student credential that is awarded to graduating high school students in districts um with a DPI approved D program. So they demonstrate their achievement

019in bilingualism, biliteracy and social cultural competency in two or more languages. And Julie, you we had students who this year received that. Correct. Yeah. So we're um this is something that we're building on and again it is something that for those students it carries with them. But of course also if we're looking at those 12% of students who graduate proficiency in multiple languages that can be taken into any post um postk12 education. So that is something that if you were to look at students going into college going into non-ol programs military um of those areas that 12% of our student body that is something that is sticks with them as far as for their future success. So, bilingual programs overview. So, when we talk about bilingual, it's just using two languages for instruction. And here

020in Green Bay, we have Spanish bilingual programs. You will see across the country, there are Polish bilingual programs, there are Arabic bilingual programs, there are M bilingual programs. Green Bay, we're going to be talking about our Spanish bilingual programs. So, dual language and immersion, we sometimes refer to that as DLI. You will hear that. So, dual language immersion, the goal is to develop high levels of language and content in both Spanish and English. So, if you think about dual language, it's the umbrella. And underneath that, there are two specific different programs. one being the two-way bilingual program and then there is the one-way bilingual program. Now, both of those remember are DLI. They are dual language immersion programs. A two-way program um your class is mixed. you are going to have 50% of the students

021who are coming from that Englishonly background and then you have 50% of your students who are coming from primarily Spanish is their home language and they do have varying levels of English proficiency from very new to the country to maybe I was raised bilingually in my home speaking both languages. um a one-way program uh 100% of that classroom are from that Spanishspeaking home. So here in Green Bay, we do have both types of programs. We have two-way programs and we have one-way programs. Um once you have that established program, you have to figure out what's going to be that content allocation plan. And here in Green Bay, we have what's called a 5050 model. That means within the walls of that classroom, approximately 50% of the time is spent in instruction in Spanish and 50%

022of the time is spent in instruction in English. And it doesn't matter which program you are in, the two-way or the oneway, they are both 5050. So through that program, what Natalie talked about, we have uh many students who are accelerating that use of Spanish. And what we do in 8th grade is we administer what's called the Apple Spanish language assessment. And that is a proficiency test in Spanish. And we use that to help determine can a student quote like pass out of Spanish one, Spanish 2, Spanish 3. You'll see a little bit later our data of our students coming out of our dual language programs. how many classes of high school Spanish they are like passing out of. If you think about in college you had retro credits. That's basically the same thing here

023we are seeing in Green Bay. I'm coming in with those high levels of Spanish proficiency. So not everybody in Green Bay is in dual language immersion programs. So then we also offer that world language program to also obtain that seal of biliteracy and to reach Spanish proficiency. World language is you're focused on just the high levels of language proficiency in that other language. So, for example, it could be French in our district. It could be Spanish in our district. Um, and that starts in middle school. Uh, eighth graders do have an opportunity to take Spanish one as an eighth grader. Um, or I can take that in high school and I can have Spanish one, two, three, four, and then I have my AP Spanish and then my extended opportunities for credit beyond AP. And

024that's where I'm earning actual college credits. So, Jen's going to dig a little bit deeper. And I think um I had wanted to mention as well that when we think about dual language immersion, whether it's a two-way or a one-way, the research does really show show that a well-implemented program takes six years at least for um students to reach native like proficiency in their languages and grade level achievement. We know that a two-way program might achieve that a little bit sooner. Um but both programs um do that around six years of a well-implemented program. So if you flip the slide, we wanted to share what options we have specifically here and at what schools you will find the program. So um 4K um we have 100% Spanish speakers in those programs and about 90% of

025it is taught in Spanish and 10% is taught in English. We're located at the Head Start Learning Center, Baird, Dans, Eisenhower, Jackson, and Sullivan. And the numbers there indicate how many students are enrolled >> currently. Yep. We have two buildings that currently have the two-way bilingual and that is Bear and Wilder. The class makeup, as Julie said, Spanish speakers and 50% English speakers. And in the two-way you can enter in kindergarten and first grade only simply because beyond that an English speaker would not be able to keep up with where um the proficiency of the languages of all the other students and then all academic subjects are taught 50% in both languages and then like the specials areas like gym art music are taught in English. the schools that we house oneway programs at again

026that's 100% of Spanish speakers Dan's Dodie Eisenhower Jackson Nicolay and Sullivan those um student numbers are there and similarly um the academic subjects are taught 50% in English 50% in Spanish um just like the two-way and then in middle school at Edison and Washington um they have a blend of English and Spanish instruction and that just varies by their grade level and content. And then again knowing our um goal of multilingualism in the district, we also offer Spanish one at all of our middle schools in 8th grade and we have currently have 392 students in Spanish one. That's also me. I apologize. Um, like Julie mentioned earlier, okay, as as Julie mentioned earlier, our eighth graders have the opportunity to take that Spanish language assessment to help them place into or offer them the opportunity

027rather to place into higher levels of Spanish as a world language. And so you can see here that we do have quite a few students who are placing into Spanish 3, Spanish 4, AP Spanish. Um, and then like Julie said, once they complete those um, and if they still have time left in their career, they can um, get early college credit um, as well if they choose. And now it's time for me to talk about Dodie. Well, I could talk about Dodie all day, but um basically what we're looking at here is a couple little shifts and opportunities um for the Dodie campus. Um we're looking at doing two-way with the addition of specials. So we would have our specials, art, music, and PE also being offered as bilingual classes. So that would depend kind

028of on what content area and how that would pan out, but we would be looking for extending that two-way all through the day and that would be one of the opportunities we have to kind of shift the program model. The other part and we'll be introducing this is community partnerships and kind of building more pathways for families um connecting our families that are part of the program with each other but also with opportunities to connect with the language. um as mentioned uh the PE and then also with the community partnerships is looking at another kind of longer range conversation which is around recruitment of bilingual staff and possibly using Dodie as more of a mini little incubator to grow um bilingual teachers in a non creepy way. So, as it relates to the opportunity at

029Dodie that um Natalie just laid out and in incredibly excited for all of the potential there if you look to the research in terms of what an optimal bilingual program should look like. Um we we really have an opportunity to approach that um and have that be a model um that could be replicated in other places within our district. So, I'd like to reintroduce our community partners at this point who are who are and will be critical um to making this experience at Dodie and the strength of our program beyond Dodie um possible. Uh Dr. Gratzio Villa Rial is a bilingual and bicultural educator who brings strategic foresight and lived experience to help schools and organizations work more effectively across languages and cultures. She served for three decades as a professor at St. at Norbert

030College and Amanda Garcia whose passionate bilingual educator and community leader whose work centers on early childhood education, family engagement, and culturally responsive nonprofit leadership. She served as a Latino She served the Latino community for over 15 years in various roles. She's currently pursuing her doctorate of education in applied leadership at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay with a dissertation exploring the role of bilingual education and supporting community integration and student achievement. Amanda has taught in bilingual classrooms at St. Thomas Moore, a Catholic school committed to dual language uh instruction. She initially volunteered as an instructor for the Escalita early childhood program and now oversees the bilingual and bicultural program along with other programs focused on Latino education, community well-being and health education. She serves as the educ executive director of Kasa Alba Melanie where she

031leads community- based education efforts and builds strong school family partnerships rooted in cultural respect. As I share the bios of these two partners, it's clear why we turn to them um to join us in a supporting role of further developing the vision for this program and uh the ultimate success of this for our kids and families throughout the district. I'd invite our partners now to share uh what motivates and inspires them about being a part of this work um and where they hope to see it go. >> Thank you. Thank you, David. Um well, it is a pleasure for me to be here tonight. Um there are probably several reasons why why this is really interesting. Um for me personally and also for the community. Um I think one of the first ones is because

032I'm really interested in strategic foresight. Uh we we have to do things today so that our community will benefit from them 10 years from now. And I think one of the biggest issues is that we are have become a very diverse district and it's important to educate the population so that that population will be able to really continue to make uh Green Bay the the the incredible community that it is today and that continue to grow and continue to be a place where people want to come and the way to do that is through education. So that's one big motivator. Uh second motivator I think is that if you don't uh if we don't do things now others will do it and they already are starting as we know the Green Bay uh Catholic schools

033are starting to provide bilingual programs across the board. We know that there are schools like Christo Ray St. Tag Academy that are already looking at what they could do in Green Bay because we have a very large Latino population and diverse population. So, I think that one that's another really big important factor for me is that it's really important for our community that has everything in place right now to be able to move forward and and really start doing this today. Thank you. Still on Buenos to We can't have a conversation about bilingualism without a little Spanish. Um, I said good evening everyone in Spanish. Um, as was mentioned, my name is Amanda Garcia and I was a strong advocate for keeping Dodie open because I believe in the bilingual programs and just expanding what

034we have currently in Green Bay. I think my biggest why for wanting to partner on this project is lived experience. I went to How Elementary and I was an only Spanish speaker in kindergarten. I still remember when my parents dropped me off at school and said, you know, you'll learn English eventually, but it it might take you a while because I was I was only a Spanish speaker at the time. And I did become bilingual by the time I was in third grade. Um, but at the time, I remember just getting pulled out for an hour every day to do some Spanish instruction and then the rest of the day, I had no idea what was going on. So, um, I'm very excited about the opportunity that this presents to both Latino and non-Latino families.

035As was shared, we're becoming a very diverse community. Um, we are a diverse community and the Latino population is the largest growing demographic group in Brown County. That's what the data shows us. Uh right now we're 30% Latino, but I anticipate that by in 10 years from now that number is going to go up to 40 or 50%. And I think this is also an opportunity to try to bring families back to Green Bay to want to have their kids enrolled here because this presents an opportunity that might not exist elsewhere. So I can go on and on about my why as to why I want to uh join this partnership. I'm really excited about what this could look like and I'm happy to share my expertise in this area. Thank you. >> Thank you.

036Thanks to both of you. Thank you um panel for the presentation. Um next slide is an invitation board for any questions. Mr. Mow, we're happy to field. >> President Larley. And so I just want to make sure that I understand what the opportunity is. So your presentation differentiated Dodie from the other school programs by adding the specials and so is that the scope and if that's the scope, what is the the nature of the partnership? I recognize that you indicated incubating teachers, right? Um can you kind of give me a flavor of what that looks like? So I think oops so I think at Dodie one of our goals would be um to use um the opportunity to build using what we already know about dual language that works here in Green Bay but then

037offering and basically piloting seeing does it do we get that added boost I guess from having the specials also be so you're extending the day and you're extending the language for both partnerships. So for both your English speakers and your Spanish speaking students, I think the community partnership, one of the things that when you look at the chess checklist of effective models, um it's highly highly um the idea of how do you engage families? How do you engage families to begin with, but then how do you keep their engagement strong? Because this is more than a commitment from uh a like a one-time commitment. the students um and their families have to become part of a community and our partners are um willing to help with not only that recruitment phase but then also that

038engagement and continuous engagement phase. So I'm not sure if that answers specifically or if someone else has something to add on >> that that helps me and I'll just let others ask questions. >> I would actually just add on to that too which might help you understand a little bit. So one piece I think to articulate is our programs have morphed in their emphasis and the offerings over the last 10 years especially in one of the things that has happened in some of our past iterations of our program setup is um parents you know of of English and Spanish speaking backgrounds kind of opting in and out of the program as they've gone through it and kind of maintaining that engagement and that that value in what they're getting out of the program instead of

039saying hey I don't want this anymore it's not working seeing it through. Um, and so that's where I think reorganizing and also putting out there by the way to the entire community that we are back to uh emphasis on 5050 bicultural bilingual and not an English proficiency emphasis is a huge thing that will help continue that u that long-term engagement. >> Uh, Lyn, >> this question might follow up on what you just said. Can somebody explain in terms of a school district program the difference between a bilingual program, a multilingual program, and an ESL program? And I have other questions, but please start there. >> Yep. So I talk with my hands. So when we look at multilingual learners, those are the students and the state has programs that we are allowed um to use

040to educate students. So the goal of any program is proficiency in English, but the bilingual program has that great added bonus of becoming proficient in English and proficient in Spanish. Um, so multilingual learners, like if we have a M student, if we have a Somali student, we do not have a bilingual program for them. So their program is ESL, English as a second language. Now, within that program, we still do use native language to help students acquire and take on English. It just works with making connections. We are fortunate we do have some mungspeaking ESL teachers in our district. We do not have any Somali um speaking ESL teachers but that's where we hire bilingual paraprofessionals in Spanish mung uh Somali uh Dari Poshto Karn. So we were able to use that language even in

041that ESL setting. Does that does that help? Okay. So, um for the um 50/50 or two-way, whatever we call it, um children who are native English speakers have to start that in kindergarten or first grade, you said. So, that must be a parental decision, right? And then is the assumption that they will go for at least six years. And and and how does how is that working out? So yeah, the goal would be that the parents commit to the the six years to see the the scope of the benefits of language proficiency and content knowledge. Um I do think that what we have seen in the and then into middle school is that um we lose English speaking students along the way. So, I think like Natalie was saying with our community partners, how can

042we really create a robust program where that's not happening? Um, and really be strategic, I guess, about supporting families through that process. Um, because initially I do think some English- speakaking students do struggle, some it's a completely different environment um for them, but our teachers um are really supportive of students to to support them through that. Um and then it yeah our goal would be that they they at least go through six years >> James. So I I appreciate it and actually you answered a question in your presentation a question I had in your presentation by identifying how many students per facility are actually enrolled in the program. I I I anticipate a a answer to this question that I don't like. Um but that tells me what we are able to provide as far

043as capacity. What is the unmet demand? Right? So has anyone looked at our district and said if I know that the impediment to expansion is qualified teachers, right? and making sure that we are able to resource this. But if we had an unlimited supply of um qualified staff, does has does anyone have an idea of what the demand is in our district for this program? >> To clarify, are you asking about the one way or the two-way or anything in particular? either so outside of world languages inside the bilingual education whether it be one way or two-way have we done an assessment and said we are not meeting demand of 500 students okay right that that's the question that I have and if someone's actually done that analysis >> so I don't have hard numbers

044for you but what I can tell you is we do have many families of Latino heritage who would like their student in a bilingual program and we just don't have the space for them. >> We don't have the capacity. Right. Okay. >> Yes. And I would quickly also add that and I think a lot of you know my my background related to bilingual that um and I kind of mentioned this before that also making sure the community is aware of kind of a renew focus on bilingualism and really communicating well what our goals are especially long-term and re-emphasizing our commitment to it. Um I think that will also have a positive impact on some of those numbers and that demand. Um because I think unofficially, you know, if you talk to a lot of people

045of of, you know, Latino and non Latino background, there is a lot of demand out there, but there I think there's a lot of community questions and concerns about the changes and the quality of the programming that's kind of continued to morph. So I think this what we're doing here today is very important and will affect that. Um Andrew, >> u thank you. So is it uh is it 5050 in all grades now? And if so, when did it um when did it change? Because I remember there being a lot of discussions about it changing and then did it change too quickly between grade levels and then I might have a follow-up. >> So this year the the start of the the 5050 instruction actually came about with our literacy program that um and our

046literacy curriculum. um we really wanted to make sure kids were getting opportunities to use both languages and um be able to I guess see the connections between the two at the same time um and ensure that they had opportunities to be developing English along with the Spanish. So right now that's where our 5050 is. um math instruction still lies a little bit heavier in Spanish and K2 and um a little heavier in English 35. Overall, their academic day is about 50% in each language. Um teachers also utilize strategies like so if they're in English, they might use some strategies in Spanish to help kids understand. So coming up with an exact 50% um every single day um is complicated, but overall the goal is 50% in each language. I guess just to to follow up,

047there were um and maybe maybe this is maybe we've moved on from this and it's just a 5050 average, but I remember there being quite a quite a bit of concern about especially the um what appeared to be a cliff edge between a 7030 and then a 3070 um split. So that's not there or that is there for math but not other stuff or >> So I think you're referring to the language allocation that was here about 3 years ago where in the K2 it was 70% Spanish 30% English and then in 35 it went to 30% Spanish 70% English as Jen has said um it was primarily due to our ELA adoption, the teachers who were piloting that, they were in that 7030 and it it couldn't be done. And so it was the

048teachers who came forward and said, "We really need a 5050 model across the board." Um, and so that's when it switched. I just want to add on to from my experience of being in um three different buildings of bilingual all different models. We've moved away from the days where they would literally wear like a colored scarf the teacher would wear and that would signify I'm now in English mode and if the scarf went off I'm now in Spanish mode and it was very strict. And now we see through research it's actually better to translage and be able to support both simultaneously. So you will often be in a classroom and they will respond to the students needs and they will be able to go back and forth between languages. A child can answer in their

049preferred language. We honor their language and then their activity we might want to you know support them in practicing a certain way but if they want to write or speak in whichever language they can. >> Laura, >> this is a question for Natalie. Um, so I like very much the idea of of DOD being kind of an incubator and um an example for the rest of the district. Um, but DOD is about to have some huge changes. Um, so can you talk a little bit about what preparation has been done as it um it gets set up to welcome a whole bunch more kids into that community? Maybe there maybe that maybe I'm jumping the gun. Maybe it hasn't happened yet, but do you anticipate do you can you give me some just what are

050your thoughts about that as as you consolidate those two schools? >> Well, um my cohort uh my partner Melissa is not here today. she's off this week. But um one of the things that we're already doing is Melissa and I meet quite regularly and we're already starting to align different parts of our school um as far as our we'll be sharing a coach, interventionist, uh math coach, hopefully a behavior PST. Beyond that, I'm working to prepare my staff for kind of like that change as we um might be looking at different structures around behavior and behavior management. Um so that as all you know as was announced I will be the associate principal role and she'll be the principal role. So trying to even my staff through that kind of change in leadership and I

051think um help them understand sort of like the direction we're all going into. So a lot of the things uh last year it was funny when my staff uh we do all staff needs assessment so everybody's there and a lot of the questions were okay so can we find out first like ling laid how do they feel about that you know because we we need to see where they're at on this and so there was a lot of conversation about where their staff is and also things that we felt like oh we are super important but also things where we're like you know we have to be ready when something's important to kind of come together and group together. So, we're doing a lot of the leg work now as um the construction obviously started

052um and everything that entails, but we're mostly looking for this first part of the school year is really to give Langlaid their opportunity to um kind of focus on Langlaid and then we'll be trying that second part of the school year to do more active integration with between students, between staff, things like that. But first, we got to give them their space. Um, it's a hard situation and we want to make sure we're being completely, you know, understanding of that. >> Miss McCoy, if I, if I might add, just to your question, um, I don't think it was mentioned explicitly, but um, when this happens at Dodie, it'll happen with a kindergarten class only and then it'll grow one year at a time. So in terms of thinking about the magnitude of this in the

053school, it will phase in through the kindergarten class first and then annually grow. >> Superintendent Byer, >> thank you for asking that question. We plan to provide the board with an update sometime this fall on the consolidation plan, but they've been working the the six schools that will be impacted since it was finalized. >> And Samantha, >> thanks. Um this is really really exciting and this kind of was answered a bit but I was just curious as to obviously this is a conversation at the elementary level and really getting this model going at the elementary level with a huge amount of community support is really exciting. um I guess long-term thinking if this is very successful, what does that look like into the middle school level as well so that we're supporting those students as

054they continue on their language journeys? I think that our goal is to we know that it's a six-year minimum for students. So, I do think you know we already have bilingual programming at the middle school. So I do think that we're going to consider those options and you know where where can this go you know from there for those students who are who are um who elected that option to be in bilingual at Dodie. >> I would like to piggyback on that myself. So, I was at Edison when we had started um took the first set of Dan's kids and then started the bilingual at the middle school level for the first time and it was new and we you know, long story short, we weren't necessarily super prepared for that yet and we got

055some things together. Um, so kind of taking that with what you just said, that is definitely something I would like to ask slashpush for is to make sure that we put some more emphasis on what we are doing at the middle school level because for example, as someone who actually started late becoming bilingual with middle school, um, thinking where kids are going to be coming, I just feel like that's a crucial part um, that kids are really going to need and that is really going to be just really a crucial part to their overall devel development, big picture, especially as you get into the higher level classes, thinking um you know, and everything in high school and college and beyond. Um, so with that being said, um, real quickly, as probably one of, if not

056the only person who's certified in physical education or related art and Spanish and a bilingual certified related arts teacher. Um any thoughts, plans, considerations on, and this is where she could have a role as well, how to make sure we have people that can teach the FIAD, the art, because there are very few people like myself who are certified and experienced to to teach bilingual related arts classes because I right now I don't I mean I'm here now so I can't come back. Can't double dip. That's an important part of the partnership with our community partners and the connections they have working with our wonderful HR team um with our different departments because we have to secure our best staff and that will involve the related arts as well. Um so we're looking forward to

057that. It's going to be an awesome challenge. James, I >> I just want to make sure I heard you correctly. Um, you were talking about we have to secure this starts in the fall, right? We have the appropriate resources. Oh, 26 27. Sorry, I apologize. Thank you. >> Yes. And we do have currently um some staff that are certified in the related arts and speak Spanish. Anything else from all of you? >> No, thanks. We look forward to some more updates as the year progresses and RX will be excited to share um the opening events with you all when the time comes. Thanks team. Appreciate you. >> Thank you very much. Very excited for all of your work. Next we will have the um 3B posting of standards and I believe uh David Johns will

058be back for this one as well. Um just as he gets prepared a couple things. This is something that we are annually required to do. uh required to post particular uh academic standards. So, it's a little bit of a formality and something that we will be um voting on to adopt at a later date. Thank you. I've invited Angie Lome, director of teaching and learning to the board table um for any questions you might have about um as Mr. Mow said this annual uh requirement we have to post um standards in the designated curricular areas any questions anyone anything you want to share otherwise okay got chat One moment here. Got to get back to our meeting. Thank you. Uh 3C uh strategic plan dashboard update. Thank you. You get me again. Um I am

059joining the Zoom meeting because I'll be um I'll be projecting from my screen here in just a moment. The purpose of this agenda item is to share with the board um what I would call a prototype of the strategic planning dashboard and um strategic actions accountability table. Um it is meant to center and guide our monthly conversations about where we are in the progress of achieving or exceeding our five-year goals outlined in our strategic plan. It's July. This is month one of year one of our strategic plan and um we have an amazing uh programming team ready to respond to your feedback today after I share a snapshot of the plan um or the visual and then um I'll go right to them tomorrow with an early morning appointment and we'll make some adjustments with

060the intent to come back to you in two weeks with a proposed calendar of when these updates would all uh month over month. And so um that would be for you to take a look at and um discuss um and then we'd move forward with that cadence. So, I'm going to share boy. I'm going to share my screen quickly so you all don't have to look at that on screen. All right, here we go. Kinsey, are you that adjustment again so we can get that whole screen? Okay. Um so the finer details within here just know come explicitly from the strategic plan itself. Um this is a visualization and again it's meant to um solicit feedback from you uh that represents the strategic goal areas under our academic excellence priority. This um visual shows how

061we would be able to represent year-over-year our progress toward a five-year goal. And you see these unpacked here on the left um in the table. What you see here is not the five-year goal. It's the year one benchmark because we want this visual to be archable to show year-over-year the progress that we're making. So um the uh domain teams that um were the architects of this plan took our year five goals and then worked with data to backmap it to what we call benchmark goals. year one, year three, sometimes year 1, two, three, four, and five depending on what we're actually measuring. So here you see um our academic excellence goals um pretty pretty traditional language around ELA and math goals um as measured by state assessments. What it shows right now on this and

062this is where this is why I wanted to present this. It shows on the mouseover where we are at our starting point and where the state is. The reason why we're showing the state on some of these is because our goal is actually to meet or exceed where the state is. We fundamentally believe we can be leaders in Green Bay in all areas. And so we are benchmarking our progress academically against where the state is as a whole. So right off the bat, you see the gap that's to close. The state will be a moving target each year. Um, so we'll keep this updated and continue to visualize uh what I intend to show and that is the closing of that gap between where the state is and where we are as a district. Each

063one of the data points represents a year. Year zero is our baseline. Year 1, 2, 3, so on and so forth all the way up to year five. So these graphs tell the story of all things academic, the ACT, graduation rates, dual students with dual credit, um AP credit, credentials, things like that. There are three other um strategic domain areas where again we'll prepare visuals. Um but really just wanted to get some feedback on this. I think I'll stop here and hear what your thoughts are around the data visualization and then we'll take a look at um what we'll use to monitor our conversation about our actions because there's one thing to say this is where we want to be. The other part of that conversation is well what are we going to do to

064get there >> James? Thank you David. Um, so what I'm looking at is I see the the target in red, right? The blue line that's part of the visualization right now, that's plan, right? So you plan a incremental of change per year towards our goal. So is your intent to layer actual on as a third trend line as part of this visualization as we move from zero to one to two to three. So we'll actually see where we are against plan and against threshold. >> Yeah, absolutely. The the the intent would be to show ideally where we're accelerating progress toward our goals. I'll just I'll just add um uh this like is something I would see every day in my workplace. This matches my expectations. This allows us a way to monitor and I recognize

065that these changes being year over year. um we only have real good evaluation you know point in time during a year and that's at the end of this but this helps me tremendously and you know having been here just three years this is um from a governance perspective a radical change uh in the last three years um from where I came um to now so I really appreciate the work that's been put into this and the effort to build this out I know that there some um IT and and computing resources to to put this together. I really appreciate that. >> And I would also add two, you know, completely different things. first and foremost for the community to also understand that, you know, with our strategic objectives and goals going forward, this is a

066newly created um thing that we are formulating to gauge our progress so that we can be held accountable as a district, as a community of whether or not we are achieving our goals and obviously course correct as necessary and we need these tools to do that. And as a board, just a reminder again too, this is our opportunity, the beginning of our opportunity to formulate this how we want it so that we can use this and have the information that we want. Um so again, any questions obviously continue to um keep asking them and keep going. >> Thank you. Um, I really do see each month as we take a look at a moment in time with these as a learning opportunity together about how this may need to be refined and and and and

067fine-tuned. Um, Mr. Larly, as you pointed out, that academic data, the goals are based on a once a year, which honestly we don't even get official results until October of the following year. Um, so our intention is to share with you at the same time interim data related to those goal areas that that are actually driving our actions and allowing us to make adjustments to our actions. And so um, an academic update, let's say quarterly, um, is going to be rich with data relative to what are we looking at that's predictive of where we might be by the end of the year. And so this this won't be the only data you'll see visualized monthly, but this will really be the the summation of that. >> Go ahead. Yes. >> So So am I envisioning

068this correctly? This is sharable, right? As as um parents, community members want to evaluate our performance against strategic plan. this will be discoverable on our web properties or whatever so that they can kind of look in and not just get a DPI scorecard snapshot but also see this trend line of where we're moving. >> Absolutely. And see it layered um measuring the health of our entire system beyond what a DPI scorecard would give. So, I'm going to then um shift and you'll see that these are tabbed and this will be available to you um in real time. Um these are tabbed and so um academic excellence and again I'll go to the programmers tomorrow and we'll have the other three put in there for the end of the month. Um but just as important will

069be the way in which um we talk about our actions. So um we have a a way of depicting uh checkpoints on our strategic actions. These again are the path um that we'll take to be successful year-over-year uh and make that progress toward our five-year goals. These will change year-over-year. These are meant to be built upon. Some of them are foundational. Some of them are launching work that hasn't even started yet. And so, um, what we want to be able to communicate with the board and engage with the board around would be, um, those things that, um, may not have yet been started, but we would provide using again our, um, programmer's technology, the ability through mouseover to highlight when that actually is going to start. And so should we reach half six months through

070the calendar year and there's still a lot of um not yet started um we would owe you a description of well when is that going to start? Other ways that um we envision depicting progress would be um a statement like on track. It communicates to you that things are going as planned with this and to the degree that you want to talk about that or hear evidence around that we're open to that. This notion of at risk would be probably what I would call the first bump in the road. Something that we've gotten started, but has hit some type of barrier. And it would be important that we discuss those barriers. It might be the loss of a funding source. It might be challenges with staffing. It might be competing directives that are coming to

071us. Those would be all things that might signal one of these actions to be at risk. Um, and we have to talk about those things at the board table. And then of course behind. behind means exactly that. We thought we would be to a certain point and we're not there and we need to talk about why and we need to resolve that because if it was important enough to say this is one of a handful of things that we're going to accomplish this year, we need to see it through. And then of course completed and the goal would be month over month we would continue to update this so that we could she see the shifts from um not yet started on track to ultimately competed. and we'll talk about the spaces in between where

072we're having some struggles. These are the strategic actions designed by the work team. So, so these are these are locked in um with the understanding again based on your feedback. Is this how you'd like to monitor our progress toward those? >> Samantha, >> just a clarification. I'm sorry if I missed it. Um, you said these are things that would either reset or re kind of orient themselves annually then on the year-by-year progress. I'm assuming some things might carry over if they're ongoing. >> The relationship between this and the data dashboard is that um these are the things right now that we believe will get us to those year one benchmarks. Um, and it's, you know, it's kind of the difference between, um, strategic priority and what I call the day job. So, a lot of

073these are actually just going to become the day job. So, if if the if the in if the intention in year one is to establish a data protocol that would be used universally and consistently throughout buildings, then we'll do that. But year two won't say use the data protocol. We'll monitor if there's challenges in using it. But some of those things are kind of like one and done and then cooked into the system. Um, other things might have a level of complexity that grows year-over-year. There's a few different ways these might unfold from year-over-year, but it'll all be based on what kind of progress are we making toward year one. James, >> I want to ask a followup to Samantha's um question because it's reasonable to consider that in a particular year um after you

074plan in July, you get to November and you need to change your plan, right? So is it it's I could imagine this list being pliable or flexible with description of why we removed number eight and you know put in a new number eight kind of thing. So, I I see this kind of as a the the work and from a district's perspective, I would um challenge you not to make a annual plan and then treat it as gospel um and don't not not be flexibly minded during the year to do the right thing at the right time as long as we have an opportunity to see that and ch manage that change across time. And when I look at the um the statusing um and how you're projecting the health of the particular executive actions,

075I I would recommend when I think of what I'm seeing at risk is a proactive look into the future where you see a risk to this not completing on time that behind is I've realized that risk, right? And so if you've realized the risk, my expectation would be that you have some sort of remediation plan at the table when you come and say, "Yeah, we've realized this risk. Here's what we're going to do about it, right?" And keep us informed and kind of proactively, you know, manage the the risk at the the at risk items, you know, there as well. So the more in advance we know about something that bump in the road actually turning into an impediment of blocker to success um the the the more healthy the conversation around the table will

076be um and allow us to support you. >> Thank you. Those of us who will be executing this plan appreciate everything you said. >> Anyone else? I just want to make sure I capture my takeaways as I work with the team tomorrow to build out the other visualizations um uh when when appropriate based on the data that we're representing to make sure that we include essentially a tracking line that captures our real progress relative to what our trajectory was. um and um a way to think about communicating the distinction between these um kind of zones of accomplishment here for these these actions. Was there anything else that would be important for the programmers to know um before we build this out fully and um start putting it into use? The only thing I would add

077is if this isn't inherent in one of your responses, uh, so I just want to clarify, um, you know, we have our yearly data, we only get it at a certain time and so on, and you've kind of answered this, are we going to use or include a spot to have other data we're doing in our schools that we do on a quarterly or semester basis? Um, so, you know, you know, whether it's star testing or whatever other data forms we might use. Um, so are we going to or can we have that in some location to at least be able to kind of say, "Hey, look at this. You know, this is where we're at now with this data and and we can draw some correlations." >> Yeah, I appreciate you mentioning the star

078because that's going to be an important screener that will be installed um through high school for us. And so when I talked about the quarterly updates, not just basing it on annual data, but also visualizing data that is more real time and in the moment for us. Um that's where we'll present a balance not in the dashboard, but in supplemental materials that we'll present during the time of the the um check-in. >> Thank you everyone. Thank you much. And lastly for education, which I believe we still need you as well, um the progress report on our high school continuous improvement. I'll be welcoming at the table principal Lisa Lip from East High School and Director Cindy Olsen, um secondary director of school leadership to partner with me. Um, Kinsey, will you launch that second deck,

079please? So we open this um conversation and discussion around continuous improvement in our high schools with the portrait of a graduate. We lead with the portrait because we lead with the portrait in mind. Um the origins of this um unfold over the last 18 months. Um this is the first full school year we'll be going into with the portrait as our guide. It is essentially our vision as a district. And when we think about that student that walks across the stage um sometime in June and you're all there shaking hands with them, this is what we want to keep in mind. These are the young people that we're sending out into the world and this is what the community asked us to develop among the young people that we sent out into the world. So

080what we're sharing around some changes and updates and improvement opportunities within high school is in the interest and in the service of ensuring that more of our students are walking across the stage year-over-year really embodying embodying this portrait. Next slide, Kinsey. So the path to this um portrait when you think about that student there is the lowest possible bar we can set and that is you've earned enough credits to graduate. There's enough tick marks on a on a transcript to say you get the diploma. And so that's listed on the bottom here because that is really the lowest bar. What we absolutely hope happens is through positive experiences in high schools, our students can explore their interests through electives. They can be engaged clubs, performance groups, athletics start new clubs and organizations. And that while

081they're in high school, they're guided by a plan to pursue options that are starting to orient them beyond high school into their post-secary life. So that's what we want to focus on today. The opportunities we have to look beyond the most basic level and that is do you have enough credits to graduate into creating experiences and structures in high school and taking advantage of levers that are within our circle of influence to ensure that our students walk across that stage embodying the portrait. >> Next slide, Kinsey. So with that um talk about the work that we're doing with our students as our portrait of a graduate, we've divided the work into four levers. Um excuse me, how we'll organize students, how we use our time, the way that we monitor and respond to students needs,

082and then how we continue to grow the capacity of our school staff. Kinsey So, organ organizing our students, this work started in um January with a meeting with all of our comprehensive principles where we um acknowledged the fact that there needs to be some work on the high school experience to ensure that every student um is uh meeting that threshold of graduating. But then also um we wanted to do some work to make sure the experience is um better for our students so that um it's more than just meeting the tick marks of graduation. So our principles have divided and devised um plans in each of the four high schools to create smaller learning communities um within the ninth grade. Um and then we are adding more um personalized programming for students that may be

083off track. Uh and that starts with uh a meeting with families for students that are seniors entering our schools um this fall as seniors that may not be on track to graduate. So we work together um as a team. Um, just so you know, we as head principles of the high school, we meet monthly um, in our own CLT. We are collaborating probably like we haven't done before as head principles. Um, this is my first year at East as the head principal and I've not seen it in the eight years that I was an AP there. So, we are intentionally collaborating around everything we do in our schools. So, there's more consistency because we're more alike than we are different. Um, one of the things we talked about is our nth grade experience. our ninth

084graders are coming in um not really understanding what high school is all about. Um and it shouldn't look the same for every single student. We need to make sure that we're really um looking at unique experiences for every single one of them. So, we did talk uh we're doing teams. Um I know Prebble's calling them hives um because it just uh fits well with them. Um, but we will have teams so that students were shrinking our student population so that teachers are there's a group of teachers that are going to work with those students in our core classes. So, English, math, um, social studies, and science. So, there's going to be a team that then can collaborate around those students and can talk about the struggles that they're having with students because we want to

085try to hit those struggles early. Um we do work with LST so learning support teams um and so that's that will help us those teachers will be a part of that along with counselors administrators to talk about the students who are struggling so we can start looking at that early on as a freshman. So not waiting until they're sophomores and juniors and they're credit deficient. what can we do now to capture them so that when they want to do things like City Stadium Automotive or Bay Links Manufacturing, we can get them there um and so they're not applying as sophomores for City Stadium Automotive and they can't get in because they're credit deficient as sophomores. Um we're also looking at how do we then now work with our students who are credit deficient. So we

086have sophomores, we have juniors, and we have seniors that are credit deficient. with the seats um decreasing at the academy um we're bringing programming back into our building to try to help get them to recoup those credits. So at East, we have an additional U 1.0 FTE that's coming. It's a teacher from from um NEW that is going to come in and help us look at each of these students. We will bring them in and talk with them, the parents, with the student, with counselor, with administrators and looking at what does their programming look like. So, not just shoving them into a credit recovery, but also looking at what is their career trajectory and how do we also then get them into an NWTC class, a dual credit class. Um, if they want to be

087something in the medical field, can we get them in the CNA class? So, those are examples of what we want to do for each individual student so that they can also then they can graduate, but they also have something under their belt that will help them to um have a career once they graduate. Uh in the area of use of time, um we will be bringing forward a common high school schedule. Um and some components of the schedule would be a later start time, consistent daily schedule for students. Um and then a blend of longer and shorter classes. So sometimes it's called block and skinny. um might be what the terms that you you you hear students talk about block and skinnies. Um fewer transitions that optimize instructional time. And then um this was all

088designed collaboratively and I see some nods between um superintendent buyer and our students um that um this is going to have an amazing impact on the daily schedule. It's 2627 so it's not next year but the next year. Um but really some um taking student feedback from ICSC and then um having a a group uh come together to look at what the high school schedule um could look like and then um having that be implemented consistently um districtwide. One of the things that that does is that really allows us to provide virtual programming for our students at any point in the day. Right now that doesn't work because we do have different schedules in our four high schools and so there has to be some strategery that goes into when a class is being held.

089Um so that strategic work that needs to be used. Um strategic work. Sorry. So I caught that look too Vicki. Um some strategic work um that we need to do whether it's the beginning of the day or the end of the day that it falls within within a natural time to fit with within each um for each high school. I'm really really happy to see the later start time being reintroduced after being off track during co and um a lot of work went into that um some years ago. I I went to a lot of those meetings and it was very interesting. Um, do you I don't know how far you are into that part yet, but um will the work of that committee be um too dated to use at this point, do you

090think? Are we would be able to go back and revisit that work and maybe use it at least partially for for changing the uh the later start times? >> So, I was a part of that work too, Laura. Um and we've um definitely used uh some of what was talked about then. Um one of the things with this with the change and the block and the skinnies, one of the things we're able to do is recuperate a lot of time that right now was used for lunch. And so you can't count that in instructional minutes. So we're taking I I don't want to like give a number, but we're we're getting a good chunk of time back in the instructional minutes. So, I'm sure there's some people out there thinking and worried that, well, if

091we start later, then we're going to end later, too. Not necessarily. Um, so, uh, there's a there's a nice balance between the two. Um, so there's a lot of work to do to get the time specific yet, but yes, a later start time. I'm just really I know a lot of people um are interested in that and I know from those meetings I don't know was that five years ago now um that it's way more complicated than most people understand but um but still doable. So thank you >> Lyn. Um, for the consistent daily schedule, are you talking about consistent from high school to high school or are you talking about Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday all being day one, not day one, day two, day one, day two? Both. So, all high schools

092would have the same schedule and um we would function on semesters um versus trimesters or um day one, day two. Andrew. >> Uh, thank you. So, is if there's semesters that aren't day one, day two, then how does that work? Are you in a a half credit? Because right now if you're in a one period traditional length period for one one semester it would be a half credit or for the whole year it would be one credit. So does that am I missing something on how the um am I missing >> Yeah, that's a that's a that's a good catch that you bring that up. When we talked about a blend of longer and shorter periods, there will be some courses and they'd be consistent courses that would be offered all year long for a

093a shorter amount of time, similar to what we have now, but we we actually think we can get a little more time in those courses. Um, approximately 45 46 minutes per course. They would run year-long, which for example would be an an advanced placement course because it's really important that our kids are in the class concurrently when they're being assessed for it. Other classes would be longer but would be only a semester long. So um students would have students if I'm a student and Cindy's a student we wouldn't have exactly the same carbon copy daily schedule based on the courses we picked. Um but some courses would be offered only as the shorter course to year long and others would be blocked. >> So where does a so how would a half credit course exist?

094that would be uh short for one semester. Okay. And then there would be two different ways of getting a full credit. Okay. Feedback from um teachers in the field uh is really pointing to where it would be ideal. Um we know things like uh language acquisition um requires consistency and routine. Um, we know that high school lab-based science classes require lots of setup so that we can get the most out of the lab experience. And so that points us in two different directions with how we would structure those courses. So along that same line, you know, this modified block and you and I have talked have made schedules like this in the past and that was that's kind of where my question comes from is um you know, how have you made your decisions um

095and who has been involved in decision-m or at least up to this point as far as which classes receive a certain time allocation in frequency? >> Those decisions are still to be made. Um we're at a point uh 18 months into this process of really just landing on this schedule design. We certainly have the voices of the 30 plus participants in our work group in terms of types of subjects. Um our last outreach to the field solicited probably 25 opportunities for followup where we were learning more about that. Um this is a 20 26 27 schedule and that's to be learned to make sure that um um the folks who um need a certain configuration of time have that accommodated. We will stay consistent. We won't have we won't have a lab science class in

096one school be blocked and in another school be short. Yeah. >> And just to follow up, my biggest ask um and and concern and ask would be that, you know, department chairs and school leadership, educators, you know, in different content areas obviously have a pretty strong at least opportunity to give their input on what they think. We also um talked about our advisory um class that runs. Um so um we're excited that we're going to first of all we're going to be excited that we're going to be on the same schedule. We did a lot of work at East when we moved to that trimester and we truly believe in the longer class periods, the less transition. There's there's a lot of benefit from that. There are some hind hindrances that come with being on

097the a different schedule than everybody else. Um but we are excited about that. But we talked a lot about our advisory and all of the schools are now on um we all have grade level advisories at the high school. So freshmen are in one 10 10 are in others. Um and then um they keep that same teacher for four years. So they there's this consistency there is a relationship that is developed um along the way. And then um we're all going to be using Prep for the Step, which is something that came out of ICSC. Um so this is helping our ninth graders transition in from middle school. Um and at East, we've started that mid we started that at the beginning of the year. So, we started working with eighth graders trying to get

098them to transition into high school um by having meetings by having them come and do tours a couple times already in the year by having some of our um ninth graders go or our upper classmen go over to Washington and mentor some of our students who we know are going to struggle as they come into high school. And so we're really looking at how do we leverage our advisory so that our students can really um take advantage of high school um especially looking at freshman but then also continuing that as sophomores, juniors and seniors. >> So is that the sole focus possibly going forward on advisory or is there other things that you also are thinking about when you're talking about reimagine advisory since it's still really only about five years old? So when we

099look at advisory it has evolved over those five years and we were given a couple years ago we were given a curriculum that we were supposed to follow. Um but we know that that's not all of our that's not students need. So um one of the things that I all of our high schools are doing now are flex days during that advisory time which allows for our students to get extra help in areas um that they need. So, if they need to retake a test, if they need to do some extra studying, there are a lot of opportunities that they can do that. Um, I know Prebble um has uh Fridays that they can do more of like kind of fun activities. The rest of us are trying to get to that point as well.

100Um but we're trying to use advisory for multiple things to help with um mental health even with our um counselors and our social workers doing SEG groups with our students um to getting extra help when the students need it on time um when when they need it. And then also um getting them accustomed to if it's ninth grade working on what does it mean to be a high school schooler when it's a senior what does it look like to graduate sorry say groups are um now I can't think of the basically >> assistance and intervention >> thank you student assistance and intervention group so basically where we see the needs the counselors and social workers see a need in a group of students they pull them in to a like group and they can work

101with them around that sometimes it's mental health. Sometimes it's trauma. Um we've had some a lot of our students who have gone through a lot of things. So our social workers will meet with them in a group and process through uh with them. >> Go ahead, Kinsey. In the area using the lever of monitor and responding, um ELA and math screener will be using STAR um universally through um 10th grade. Um we're also um placing our competency based program uh back in our high schools which is something that Lisa touched on. Um the academy is the program that we're talking about and that is currently housed at NEW's School of Innovation. Um and we are working to provide that competency based instruction back in our high school. So, our students don't need to leave their

102home school in order to um meet the requirements of graduation through demonstrating competencies. Um that uh that is a balance between fewer students in the academy at NEW and then um eventually uh phasing out the process of having our students leave their home school to go to another school to complete the competency based requirements. We will just have that programming within each of our high schools so they never have to leave. In addition to that, um really thinking about uh monitoring our students as they move through high school. So looking at our freshman at the end of the semester who's already looking like they need additional support. Let's figure out what that needs to look like. Are they a student that needs to um be engaged more with their hands uh to deliver um or

103show that they understand what they're being taught? um are they a student that would engage more with bridges or uh programming at some of our other that our other high school had other high schools have that are um not the traditional um desks and rows teacher in the classroom um model. Um also with that um that creates an opportunity for us to look at um that master schedule making adjustments to create that common planning and collaboration time um for our staff. you want to add anything >> just that um with the universal screener um coming we used to have STAR in the district years ago and now we're bringing this back and so for our ELA and math that is going to be critical for our for our teachers so that we can really monitor

104they're going to come in from middle school with some data points already that that way we can service them correctly get them the intervention they need in math and ELA and then we can continue that work through they're going to be taking this through 10th grade so as they're going into 11th grade we'll have a starting data point even for Um, so we're really excited at the high school level to have this universal screener back to help our students even sooner. >> Uh, James, >> yeah, I just need to clarify myanding of um the competency based programming. So I understood academy you go there and you're in a competency based program. So now that it's back in the home school, is it the model where for some subjects you could be in normal programming and

105then some subjects you would be in competency based credit recovery programming? >> So for this next year we're focusing primarily on our seniors who would have or wanted to attend the academy but because of the lower numbers they're back in their home school. So this next year will be primarily competency based programming. Maybe some students might do that differentiation, but what we where we want to get is where a student can choose a menu of their pathway, okay, through high school. So it's not going to it will not look the same for every student. Um, I would, um, think if a student is, um, gifted in math, they might be progressing through math in a different way than they might be in ELA or science or social studies depending on where they're finding success and

106how they find success. >> And just to follow, maybe you can correct my understanding because it was I had always assumed that competencybased instructions weren't bound by semesters or whatever. when you learned the competency, you got the credit at that point. So would this new structure of being in school change any of that or is it still run the same way? >> The competency is based on when you meet the competency you've completed that >> task or that um portion of your requirements for graduation and so they can be completed at any time. >> Yeah. >> So some con Yeah. construct the construct of a semester is less meaningful to the competency. >> Absolutely. It's time to learn. >> Sure. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Thank you, Kinsey. Um and then finally um in growing capacity

107um we're creating an opportunity where our department chairs and um instructional coaches will come together to learn a universal planning process um grounded in an instructional framework. Uh and then also um we've rei revised the department chair um job description and then not job description responsibilities and um Lisa is going to talk a little bit about how that has impacted uh changes with within the department chair. So this year we started be before this year even started we started working with our department chairs on and what in the building and and there are instructional leaders. So we really wanted to place them in front of our our staff. Um so in professional development we asked them to step forward and and uh participate not only participate but lead a lot of our professional development um

108which is led by our goals and our plan uh within our building. Um so they they're taking a much uh much more of a leadership role within our with our buildings. Um and all I think all four of us I can speak I'll speak for all of us that um we appreciate that clarification within the job responsibilities because that gives us a little bit more um um teeth behind you know asking them to kind of step up and be part of that. We put them as department chairs because they know what they're doing. These are our leaders and so we want them to showcase what they're doing. Um, and right away at the beginning of the year in August, I had several of them step up and it was much more meaningful when my staff

109heard from their colleagues than just me standing up front kind of regurgitating things to them. So, as they're showing off the expectations that we're doing, they were really um engaged in with their colleagues versus just me or my APS doing the work. Um, real quickly, I in general I'm excited about the main components of of what we're talking about. Um, I did have a people bring forth a lot of information and a lot of their own concerns um about the department chair aspect um and some of the either proposed or initially started changes uh with department chairs. Um so that is definitely something that I'm not sure how much other people are maybe informed about. Um but um I would like you know at some point uh maybe an opportunity to delve into some of

110the details of that because I thought as a former department chair as well that some of those concerns were very valid and things that I think could maybe um get in the way of some of the successes that you're starting starting to articulate that we're looking for. Um so just wanted to bring that to light and make sure that it's something that we could um discuss in more detail at some point. We did also talk to each individual chair um about the changes and really had them recommmit to that too. So there were some person a lot of personal conversations around that just so that the board is aware that we really did that work. So um board as you take all this in and are wondering about this sounds like a lot. How will

111we know if it's making a dis a difference? The beauty of this is that everything that was just identified is captured through our strategic plan and our monthly monitoring. So when the question arises, well, what impact is this having on student success in academic core areas, the credits that they're earning, we have a mechanism to provide that update and we'll disagregate the report to you so we can look at a snapshot of our high school students uh relative to whatever the monitoring topic might be. you'll see under thriving student body, we're also monitoring many of the things that these levers are are seeking out to address. And then of course, my hope as we continue through the superintendent reports, those portrait of a graduate more snapshot pieces um where the superintendent can share photos, artifacts,

112things that are captured from the field that are that are much more that holistic evidence that our students are uh personifying the the aspects of the portrait. next step for this and and many of them came up um already, but um uh the leaders uh in high school are excited to continue this communication to rally and motivate the ninth graders who are coming in to start a successful year. Um we are we will be seeking a third round of feedback from teachers on the schedule proposal um soon after they come back uh and report for duty. Um family uh listening sessions are also scheduled for um the summer uh weeks ahead. Um particularly around um uh the impact on the later start and some other some other components of the schedule to make sure that

113um we're broadening the understanding of the benefits of that. Um it's listed as one of our strategic actions, but that data analysis protocol, we're going to be rich with screener data. We need to know how to use it. And so we're going to install some common approaches to that. Um we have a great model in place um through what we're doing in elementary school uh with the K3 screeners. And so we'll be replicating a lot of that in the high schools in the middle schools and high schools as well. And then um you know in terms of something literally on the calendar um continuing to build capacity and develop our department chairs on October 2nd and 3rd with a two-day district-wide professional development. Those are some of the next steps directly related to these shifts.

114>> James, um, there may be a very good reason that I just don't understand, but my question is on the third bullet point. Why this summer for family engagement listening sessions in advance of really even socializing this beyond? So my fear is no one's listening and no one is, you know, in tune with this until we kind of socialize and let communications do some work and and kind of get it to be a thing and then in families who are now paying attention to us. Um why why this summer? I I should have been more clear. the the family um listening sessions and engagement sessions are around some narrower topics, but most specifically around um the high school experience and um uh the opportunity to really work toward the portrait for their students. And so

115it's really a it's a it's a planned continuation of the portrait socialization that we're now bringing that into these family engagement conversations. So you're right because I I understood it as you know what the impact of a start time and and everything was. So I appreciate the clarification. >> Yeah. >> Thank you very much for everything. With that I yield. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. Thank you very much everybody. All right. Thank you very much Alex. Um, before I turn it over to Janette, I would like to make a motion to reorder operations to start with 4C and then proceed through the agenda as normal. Um, we have individuals in the audience that would just um for timing um like to start with 4C. >> Second. >> We have a second. Any discussion or concerns?

116Yep. I just was concerned that I think we have a little baby out there related to clean energy and I would like to see that move forward as fast as possible. That father gets a medal. >> So, but do we want to can I amend my motion to go operations 4 C 4 and then 4 A and just flip it on? Is that that puts it in front of the referendum update? Second >> discussion. All in favor? Opposed? Great. Thank you. With that, I'll pass the chair to Janette. We're on agenda item 4 C, educational interpreter compensation structure. >> Good evening, everyone. Um, I'd like to ask if the public has a baby I could borrow for future meetings. Uh, since I would get to scoot ahead in the agenda, Just kidding. Um, uh, my

117name is uh, Mike Freeze. I'm executive director of human resources. I'm joined at the table tonight by our director of special education, uh, Jackie Hower. We appreciate the opportunity to connect with you briefly around a proposal that would um add a level to the um compensation uh schedule for our deaf and heart of hearing educational interpreters. Um we have spent a number of years analyzing the situation trying to find ways to remain competitive and support retention um and recognize uh the specialized skill set that our staff bring forward. Um Director Hower, would you mind speaking a little bit about that? Um currently we have um 10 educational interpreters on our staff. There are very limited places in the state of Wisconsin that you can receive this lensure. Um we are lucky to have one of

118them be WTC which is close to us but the number that is being turned out is by no means um the number that is needed by the districts in the state of Wisconsin. Um we have been working hard to retain this group and have been having uh conversations since before CO actually happened um around that. Um our educational interpreters are one of our groups that still needs to go back and get continuing education credits and units. Um so it makes their position as well a level in that continuing that is needing to happen. Um we have done many um comparisons of price um amongst districts nearby to us um to be fair and competitive um and as well have really tried to keep the expertise um as we've had um and retained many of our

119interpreters for several years now and we want to continue to do so. Um, that being said, we have had to contract out as we've had um some retirements um from our staff and as everyone knows those costs are um a very high cost for us as a district. So, we're hoping to be able to maintain the staff we have with looking at another level of um a level. So again, in short, the memo does outline the expenses the district has um taken on relative to contracted services. Um and uh in comparison, proposing a fourth level to support retention for staff uh 10 years and beyond here in the district. We believe that would uh be a meaningful step. Then we are seeking your approval for that change to that wage scale for that particular employee

120group. And we'll happy to answer any questions as best we can. Andrew, did you have a question? >> Oh, okay. >> Laura, thank you for this memo. Um, this is sort of was sort of new information for me. Like I I don't know that I've seen what our district is spending. Um, it's not an insignificant amount. Um, and in a time of deficits, um, it's something to think about, but my my strong feeling about this is that this is money well spent and this is necessary and whatever it takes to be able to provide these services for our students, um, I, um, completely agree with. So again, thank you. James. >> So, I'm going to ask you a very similar question um that I asked before. Um is 10 the right number? Is 10 something

121that the the staffing that we just feel like we can support? Does it meet the demand that we have in the district? That's the first part of my question. And then I'll just go ahead and tell you the second part of my question. When we lose someone, what's the average length of time it takes to replace that person? >> Director Hower, have we been able to backfill anybody that we've lost in recent years? >> Next one over. Um, we have had a position out on weekend for two years when we um lost one of our staff members to retirement. That position is still out there. um as well as we had someone move from the area um move up north and we have not filled that either. That is why we have the two contracted

122staff members we did this past year. Um so at this point in time um when we had first looked at the pay scale multiple years ago, we besides a retention cost as well had like mentoring and things like that that could allow for some additional pay um increases as well. we have not been able to take anyone on to be able to mentor. Um so that tells you kind of um when you talk about how long it takes it it hasn't in the last two years. Um when we looked at 10 years we kind of had already looked at what our current scale was um and looked to see where the next level was. I will share like I said we have a very dedicated staff. This will be I believe eight or nine of

123our staff members that will be in this new pay range. Okay. But 10's not the right number, right? So, we have positions open that are out on weekend. Um, so is 12 the right number? Is that what I'm hearing? Is we we're contracting for two positions? >> We are. >> Okay. >> We actually have 13 had a float in the past, which is because of the high um level of need in this position. you can as well see that last year about 43 to $44,000 was just in freelance. So when someone's out because of a sick leave, a vacation day, things like that. So um we're we're shooting for two, but um in the past we have always had that uh float to be able to cover our own needs and and prevent the need

124for freelance because it's also I will share very hard to obtain freelance at this point in time. >> Alex you may have just answered this question. So the the years on there is is simply based on years of service. People fall into that C category based on that. So then the followup to that is is there anything that prevents um or any reason why we wouldn't want to put people in a higher level simply to attract a newer qualified person that may not have served that many years so that they won't come work for us. >> There's no reason why we wouldn't have that conversation. We've looked at this generally speaking as retention within uh our district service in our district. Um I think we need to cross that bridge uh should we get a

125an applicant that we would have the opportunity to hire? >> Lynn, >> um do these um uh educational interpreters use ASL, American Sign Language, and do we offer ASL as a foreign language in our district? We do offer ASL in our district. Um we do have some kids that um some students then that do go into NWTC, but they must have that path. You do need that associates or for two or four year degree. Is there any data that shows that if you have a robust ASL credit program for students that you're more likely to build your interpreter pool or is my dreaming? >> I can't speak to that. um it would seem like you would have chances maybe to, you know, um invigorate people to want to go into that path, but I can't

126say that we've seen it necessarily come back to us as a benefit as a district that way. >> James, >> what's the staff to student ratio for an interpreter? Um it depends on the situation, but usually you're looking at um two students for an educational interpreter to work with. >> It it becomes more at the secondary level when um students become more independent with their sign and the language and vocabulary um is being taught. Um but um I would definitely say um at our elementarymentaries it's probably usually 2:1. >> Any other questions? >> Thank you very much. Clean Energy Advisory Committee. >> I think Casey, you want to come to the table? >> There's a hand off. >> He's handing off the baby. Yeah. I have a feeling there would have been a lot of

127offers there. Thank you. go check one thing. If if you'd like to both introduce yourselves, I'll be right back. Uh hello everyone. My name is Casey Hicks. I sit on the uh clean energy committee with the school district. I also work um with Wisconsin conservation voters as our federal government affairs manager. And for folks who are curious, my intern who's with me is Norman back there. So you >> Yeah. Hi, I'm Nick Lavish with Mckin Street. Um thanks for having us. Uh Norman's a key part of our committee. He's been to several meetings and never has interrupted and like the students saying much smarter things than I do. So, I'm with McKinstry and uh glad to be here and appreciate the opportunity and thanks as always uh for letting us take some time um to

128kind of recap our energy committee. um the clean energy committee, our monthly meeting um last week uh July 8th. Um and a good portion of that meeting um we reviewed some survey results that um had went out um to the public May 22nd as you can see up here uh on the slide deck um and return those results in in June. Um with the help of Lori Blleyley and our communications department, we were able to um put these together um and review these as a committee. Um for a couple reasons. Uh we felt strongly that that a survey it was a good time for a survey. um being that the resolution obviously had passed. We had uh passed um approved a plan uh to meet the resolution and one of the pieces was communication and

129feedback um from our community staff and students. Um so this is just one small piece of that. Um and then also some information to kind of help guide some priorities um that we had set forth in the plan but kind of how we want to prioritize and attack um some of those pieces. Um, so I won't um spend too much time on this, but um Casey and and Nick, if if there's anything else you want to share um as we go through the results, um just jump in. Um but first, as you can see here, we just um the response um I felt was was favorable for um for this topic. I was a little uncertain of who would take the survey. So, um obviously a little unscientific in terms of who was uh responding,

130but uh we did have some good participation. Um overall that you'll see here is uh there is some overwhelming I would say support um in favor of a lot of things we're doing as as a district um as a board as a committee um and um um it was a a common theme through all of our questions. So, as you can see up here, um just uh general support um for our energy efficiency improvements, um support for the transition to our clean energy um kind of via our resolution, um support for um funding those projects and integrating that um into the classroom. You can see all all great support for that. Um the pace obviously a little bit lower number on the pace. Um a varying feedback for those that were in support of implementing

131this. Obviously the the um responsible execution of these but also uh in a timely manner as well. Um and then uh this kind of branched off into the majority of our conversation at our last meeting. Um what should be communicated and and what we should be focusing on. Um as you can see here, waste reduction was um a big part of that. That was part of our plan. If you recall um in regards to our resolution um the plan had called for establishing a subcommittee and prioritizing uh waste reduction in the district along with our carbon footprint. Um so that sparked um and kind of reinforced the thought that waste reduction was going to be a priority for this team. Um, and then, um, also for, um, sharing out that data. Um, I think I'm

132going to address that a little bit here, uh, coming up with Mckin Street. That was kind of in our next part. Um, but we're going to be having some good opportunity, I think, to address some of these other items you see up here as well. Um, in particular, the the sharing of data, um, us as a team. Um and then kind of reiterating that um areas that the advisory committee should focus on um as we're we're continuing our work. Um obviously waste reduction again um students community education. Um so not only in the classroom but out in the community. Uh pursuing grants to fund this work. Um and then our on-site energy production, so our solar um our geothermal type projects that we're pursuing as well. Um and then this was a a question towards

133um the end of the the survey um in particular to what would the public like to see or our survey what would we like to see in the classroom for curriculum? um and just some topics you can see here. Um a broad broad spectrum of it, but um just trying to to hone in on on what um those conversations should be about moving forward um as we discuss with the learning side and um and what we discuss with our our community. Anything else on that? Yeah, if I could just add, you know, as as we work across the state with a lot of districts and a lot of the bigger districts are going with these initiatives and obviously with the state funding handcuffs that you folks are working under some you know a lot of

134the constituents may not understand that handcuffing. So when they it's good to see that they support clean energy and I think you know the district does such a great job from an efficiency standpoint and you look at how effectively you're implementing the referendum projects both fiscally and technically I think it's just a a great testament to that. So I think uh you've got company with other districts that are looking at this. you know, it's a logical approach. And not to mention Laura's favorite subject, WPS rates, you know, are going to be going up. All the utilities are going up like crazy with the data centers that are going to be going in. So, um, but yeah, the committee did a really good job and it was good to have board support there, um, community support

135and, uh, really good good participation all the way through. So, and I'll kind of force Casey's hand a little bit here, too. Um, so part of kind of some of the feedback that we received was that communication piece um notifying the public, sharing what we're doing and and and sharing the the real results of that. One of the things we're working um Casey has helped bring to our attention. We're doing a a showcase um at no cost to the district um at our um um sorry Star Elementary. Got to get used to saying that. Star Elementary um geothermal and solar projects and then as well as our King and Lombardi projects. Um so a firm um that Casey had helped introduce to us is going to help do a showcase video on those uh projects

136to help get that out to the community sharing some of those results. what that means um to not only our schools but to our community as well. >> If you can. >> Um yeah, so with uh my employer, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, we're lucky enough to have a full-time visual storytelling manager. So someone who goes across the state and films different clean energy projects, interviews people who have worked on those projects, and just shares the community benefits of those. Um, at this point we've done three different um, videos on school districts. The most recent one being Manasha Maplewood, which I think is a really stellar um, example of a net zero school and how it makes sense for the community to save money uh, for the taxpayers and then also to boost curriculum and introduce something

137new for an industry that's going to be growing over the next several decades. Um, and especially within the next few years. hopefully. Um, so if anyone would like to watch that, you can go to our YouTube channel, Wisconsin Conservation Voters. They're really short and you can kind of get an idea of what we're going to be trying to go for to tell the story. Um, yeah, I have another thought to share, but I'm going to wait a little bit later when we're talking about projects. Um, yes. So, I'll kind of open this up too if there's any questions, but um a big takeaway for us um is that there is support um for what our resolution is, our plan to attack um to meet our goals and then um also um focusing um on that

138waste reduction and that curriculum in the classroom. Um so that will be kind of a a topic of discussion coming up here with um with the clean energy committee as long as uh as well as um working towards um our additional um resolution goals and plan. So with that I'll kind of open that up to questions for anyone. James, >> when you were going through the results of the survey, I saw that on-site energy production scored probably third or fourth, you know, down and it it didn't receive the support that I was expecting to see. Have you given any thought as to why that is? Was it design of the survey or the design of the question? Or do you think that we should hear that as we don't want to tell you to spend

139money? I think high level looking at you know obviously it's difficult um with the comments to filter through those but I think there was some hesitation on responsible spending um of that and I think that's probably and what you're going to see here actually in a little bit um of an explanation of of how we're going to be able to at least in the short term approach um a responsible way to um execute these projects with a quick um return on investment on these. Um so I think there is some hesitation there where we just don't want to be throwing up solar panels and and and not executing a plan here. Um but I think with the help and and why we partnered with Mckin Street is to to look at this from a district

140level and make sure that the plan is well thought out. Um um as you'll see here in a little bit too um it coincides with roofing projects for solar or replacement of equipment and not just equipment to replace equipment with um energy efficient. It it's about timing. It's about responsibility and best use of funds um um that we can. Um so I think that was part of that hesitation. Um and then I think there is a little bit of I think um education that that we need to do with our public to help them understand how efficient solar is becoming. Um how well geothermal is is performing in our area. um a lot of the perception and maybe um you two can speak to this too, but um solar in Wisconsin doesn't seem as great

141as maybe um out west or anything like that. Um but the technology is there for us and you'll see again I keep referencing but you'll see in these projects we're proposing um that the return is there. >> Yeah. One thought when when you made your comment, I think when people hear on site production, some people's mind goes to wind and you know wind isn't the most popular with a lot of people, but I think if you look at WPS, you're buying WPS power at you know 14.4 cents a KW and you can produce it for 8.2 cents with this investment. So you look at that over time, you know, it's pretty compelling for that. But understand the root of your question and I think wind we see wind as a a big red herring in

142people's mind which never was under consideration. So >> well and that's why I said was it question design because if you didn't like disagregate them and say solar versus wind I could understand exactly what you just said. Yeah. >> Any other questions? I have a question. So, waste reduction that was high on the list. What kind of waste are we talking about? Are we talking about I mean food waste is a huge contributor to methane gas, right? As well as you know recycling paper, cardboard and those kinds of things. What kind of reduction are you talking about? >> I think that's one we need to explore more. I think the comments we received a lot was with food waste. Um the comments about recycling that that um you know there's some challenges with that with

143our um local vendors um of separation and how we perform recycling or don't I should say. Um but yeah, food uh food waste was was high up on that. But I think um not speaking for the committee, I think the committee's goal here is to to put together or put forward some ideas that we can um execute with some success. Um um this is really going to have to be we've talked a little bit kind of a grassroots type thing. Um this has to be um behaviors learned at at you know the student level all the way up. Um so that's going to be the challenge of that participation. Um so there are some ideas. Um what we also talked about too is maybe the public doesn't realize is yes our food waste is high

144but we are trying to address um things. Um I spoke with our food service director and sharing tables um trying to get less food waste in that way. Um and then in particular um just waste from our utensils and our trays. um installing multiple dishwashers um this summer to try to reduce that. But but from a food way standpoint um getting um more and more feedback and adjusting menus and those sharing tables I talked about so the students can share the food that they're not eating. Um we are taking steps to do that. Um but it is so um visible that food waste. I think that's why it's top of mind for a lot of the people that took the survey. I agree. I met with Lynette today and we had a long discussion about

145that as well as the dishwashers and trying to avoid using paper products that they're using. Um they have washing machines for the towels at at food service and going to um different types of trays and things like that to reduce plastic. So yeah, definitely there's a focus on that and that's great. Thank you. the student members of your committee had some strong feelings about that because they're in it. They see it every day um up close and personal and they had um oh god it was a few it's been a while since I've been to a meeting so I um but I feel like they were maybe even trying to address it in their own schools a little bit. Yeah, they had um had had done some things in the past um to help that.

146Um Reds Smith was brought up a couple times. Um our student members couldn't be here. They were invited. They just weren't able to make it. Um and we are kind of delaying this discussion until um the students do come back. Um we want to make sure they're going to be, as I said, um very important is going to be very important in in waste reduction. Um, so the committee is really going to bring that back to the table here once school comes back in and we we do have our student representation back. >> Some kind of incentivizing of that of that behavior. I don't know what that would look like. Um, but uh yeah, I I I mean I don't know maybe Casey in your work you come across schools that are that have good

147ideas around that. Um I mean we're such a huge institution that it it would be hard to do that across so many schools but um I don't know I'm really interested in this particular aspect and I look forward to hearing any ideas that can be implemented. >> Um thank you. I hope I hope we aren't working off an automatic assumption that you know students appointed to an important committee like this are just just automatically unavailable during the summer. Um I imagine there would be people Well because because that that's the way you could do it. you say, "Well, I guess we're just not going to I mean, I'm I'm glad you're not doing it without student reps." But, you know, I would expect that in the summer it's natural that any committee might have fewer

148people available on a given day and more vacations, but that doesn't mean the if if anything, I think you're you might find that teacher me harder to catch in the summer than the student members, too. So, I I hope we're not just automatically assuming that we can't do it with student members because it's in the summer. If if the student members you have are naturally unavailable to make the dates, then that's different. And we did move to a fixed date every second Tuesday. And our student representation at our last meeting did request if we could um start that conversation in a little more focus um come August. Um, so we do have, and that wasn't to broadstroke our students not being there. Um, we do have representation. Um, but we just wanted to make sure

149we had that that kind of opportunity to make sure everyone was back. >> Sorry. Follow up then. If, um, you know, there's also something to be said for if they want to be able to, you know, go back in school and interact and that's that's hard to do. I still would lean towards I think the it's better to not pause for just that reason, but um it it is good that the student members have played an important role. >> Uh I was just going to quickly uh respond to what you said, Laura. I I will be honest. I don't know of specific initiatives that other schools have taken, but I think the benefit of having student representation on the committee is I mean the students who sit on the committee are there at pretty much

150every meeting and they're very involved. Um and I think since this since waste reduction is such a behavioral change and it's about forming good habits um there needs to be buy in. And so I'm looking forward to when more students are back and we can start having these conversations as a committee like Kale said in the next month to kind of jumpst start it once students are back that um we can engage the student body and take their feedback and what they want to do because I think they'll be more likely to follow through with the behavioral change if it's coming from the student body as opposed to um just from some clean energy committee that students probably have most students probably don't know out. >> All right. Thank you very much. Um, do you

151have anything else to say? >> So, actually, um, I should have led with this. I apologize. Um, so we're actually kind of intertwining a few energy topics here. Um so we're going to go into a brief summary of um some proposed projects and then um an introduc a a reintroduction of fun 146 um and what these projects mean to fund 146 and what that will look like what we would be bringing um to vote here in um our next meeting. So yes. Yeah. So, um what you're going to see here is um a proposal of of kind of a next step in our um plan or I should say our execution of our plan towards our resolution. Um there's a couple of reasons for this um as an introduction. one. Um this is really again

152progress towards our resolution following our plan um that the board approved in regards to our resolution um earlier this year. Um it aligns also with um some of our our current facilities improvements um and and obviously that goal of that carbon footprint reduction. Um there's also a major financial impact here that you're going to see. Um we're going to explain that a little more in this brief presentation. Um and really looking at long-term um from a financial impact relief to our fund 10 um but taking also taking advantage of some um credits that the federal government still has on this. Um and then from a again a timing standpoint um this is really important with that IRA our facilities improvements in this case uh roofs um roof replacements that we have um and then also

153our implementation of our active energy management which was part of our plan um to help um guide our energy efficiency for our resolution. Um, so we'll explain a little bit more of what that retro commissioning and active energy management is, but that's kind of bundled in here with these projects. So I don't know, um, if you want to hit anything on the timeline here. Um, yeah, we go to the next slide. So I I wanted Nick just to to comment. So we're going to talk a little bit about the IRA um tax credit. So this is a direct payment. I shouldn't say tax credit. It's a direct payment to the district. Um that is still currently in place. Um and there was some recently some updates. Um so this is fairly new information for us.

154Um and why it was important that we got this in front of the board. Um when we did so let >> Yeah. Over the fourth holiday when that big bill got got signed, it provided clarity for the federal funding. So, it provides a million dollar just shy of a million dollar opportunity to the district to capture uh as part of that solar. Uh so, it's a 30% coupon, if you will. People in Wisconsin like the word coupon. I'm going to use the word coupon and say it's a 30% coupon that you you'll be able to use uh towards this. And the sunset really is that you have a year from the project signing to um begin the project. uh if this moves forward, we actually complete the the project in 2025. So, there's a safe

155there. And then there's going to be a sunset. If you look at solar and wind, uh there's going to be a sunset in 26 and 27. So, it'll still be available. We'll still have an opportunity to do it. So, as I said earlier, there's a lot of larger districts like we're seeing in Madison, Middleton that are kind of rushing to utilize this this funding source because it's uh it's quite attractive. So, I'll leave it at that. Uh Kale didn't want to talk politics, so he dumped it on me, but uh that's okay. >> Laura, go ahead. I'll talk politics. So, let's just when we talk about federal funding these days, um, how confident are you that this is money that's going to remain available? I mean, yes, by all means, let's take advantage of it.

156I just have almost next to no confidence anymore that federal funding of any sort is going to stay available to people. So, >> oh, >> maybe you know more than I do about you. I'm sure you do actually know more about this than I do. >> I'll let Nick cover this, but it it's been my understanding through this whole process. Much like Star Elementary, King and Lombardi working with Baker Tilly um our partner in capturing these funds is that this is tax law. Um and with that being the case um for this time frame then it it's a fairly certain piece because it is law. >> Yeah. So and what I said a year from the bill signing um it's 100% there and that it'll phase out out of that and but Baker's been great

157to work with. We just provide all the technical information like on King and Leardi and then they they provide essentially the district has to file an IRS form. That's why they call it a a tax credit. It's even though you don't pay taxes, but Baker handles that for you. So, um confident, Laura. So, but good question. >> I'm going to add one thing to that as well. Um the the only thing I think to just be aware of is there's um a parameter that was passed with the budget reconciliation bill that um has to do with foreign entities of concern. So that's still I think relatively unknown as far as what is going to be listed under that. But essentially what it means is if there are components that are used um in a solar

158installation for example that are coming from a foreign entity or foreign country um China is kind of the biggest one um because they really produce a lot of these clean energy uh components um that as time goes on those foreign entity of concern um restrictions become more strengthe And I think that will be something that the district will need to look out for and just be aware of. Um, but to my understanding at this point there's no list or anything like that of what all the components are. >> That's right, Nick. >> Yeah. So, we work with Baker on that. So, Casey's right to point out there is that foreign country of concern or whatever. Um, through this year though, it'll be fine. It's it's it's there. So, but then that will come into play

159as the phase out starts starts to go in. So, so with that, I'll give you a quick overview of the um of the kind of five components of the project. Overall, I just shared an overall kind of budget snapshot for you of what this looks like. Um what uh this would require is a $3.9 million initial investment. the thought as Nick mentioned um just over $1 million in returns with um focus on energy um IRA um and then other rebates um so that would be a direct return on the project um and then looking at the lifetime of the project what we would save as a district and utilities um and that that's with that increased cost even with a replacement of inverters on our panels um We're looking at at a net 25 year

160return of that $3.2 million to the district um or in savings to the district, we should say. So, it's not obviously profit, but um a savings to the district. >> Yeah. One thing to think about and you brought it up earlier relative to the um people's concern about, you know, is it makes sense to produce? Well, these these panels are now um guaranteed for 25 years, you know. So Norman will be out of law school and married by the time these things, you know, are coming out of life. So I think, um, that's been a big push and why these systems have been going forward that you're able to to provide that economic benefit. So um, so with those, there's four solar projects that align with roof projects, um, that the board had approved. Um,

161the first one being at Aldo Leupold. Um the this one also incorporates some grant-f funded solar panels. Um Ned Dorf um has been working on this project for some time. So it'll be uh great to implement that and Mckin Street worked really well um on on making sure we incorporated that into this project. Um but as you can see here a very large offset on that site. Um 84% offset on that site. And then the next one um Edison Middle School. This is a is a massive array. Um so a large um contributor to our our utility bills um and our greenhouse gases. So a 93% offset at at a school like Edison um will be one of our our largest. I got to believe too between that and the new windows at Edison, those

162brand new windows that don't leak as bad. Um that's got to save a ton of energy. which for referendum paid for with the referendum >> 22 referendum. Yeah. The um and then East High School um again and these roofs too, some of these roofs were referendum funded as well. Um this one is a replacements of existing array and expanding. Um so 31% offset there. And then the last uh proposed site is Washington with the roofs there at at another 32% um offset at that site. Um so those are the four solar. Um and then on the next slide we'll jump into is the other piece of this is our retrocommissioning and this is again all in our plan um that the board approved towards our resolution. Um our plan earmarked a certain amount of kilowatts

163for um target for solar. Obviously, this gets us ahead um and with the additional um Star Elementary and those pieces, we should be able to get out ahead um knowing that uh you know, some uncertainty with with budget and funding moving forward. Um this at least gives us a little jump start on that. But with the retrocommissioning and the active energy management, what those pieces do are making sure that we're running our buildings efficiently. Um, so this is essentially using um using our components within our building um monitoring that um and finding ways to to squeeze even more efficiency out of those. Um, we have, as Nick mentioned, our district does a great job with this already. So, we were realistic on what we thought we could recover from this. Um, and the plan should

164uh be implemented that way. Um, that just so we're not wasting dollar something that's not there. James, >> I have a question before we go too far. The what was the return on investment over 25 years? Was it six or is it 3.2? Is that discounted over time or is that just straight, you know, cost recovery of it's just straight? It's not discounted dollars. Okay. you just do a net present value, but we just showed it. >> Okay. >> I'd like to ask a question before we go a little bit too far, too. So, the as I'm looking at the pictures of where you're going to be putting um the solar panels, those are all flat roofs. Do those solar panels move with the sun or are they fixed? They're fixed. You're thinking maybe ground

165mount where they track the sun. So yeah, in the roof they're they're flat. >> Okay. So then logically I'm thinking we get we get 30 inches of snow on April 16th. They're they're not going to be effective until the snow melts. >> Yeah. We calculate all of the availability the snow. You know the the advice is to just let let it melt. You don't want to go up there and do anything. So that's all factored in to the guaranteed savings that we provide. So >> and I and we have a pretty good precedent with um King and Lombardi. Um our production has been exceeding kind of expectations there as well. So um obviously we had a a favorable winter um but still even with that um being conservative on our estimates um which has been

166a request of ours throughout. Um and then the last piece to this um this necessarily isn't a part of the project but a piece that's coming on board because of it is um our dashboard um where we will be able to share some of the data um of the savings um the um environmental impact and other information that not only the board but the community can see. Um we are talking with our committee of how we want to share this out. Is it our website? um other areas where we could um show this information. Um but now that we we'll we'll start to gather u the remainder of this information, our dashboard is um is nearing um a time where we can go uh public with it. And one thing to add on that too,

167I think, you know, the facilities department does such a great job and to communicate that out stewardship wise, as I said, with construction, with staffing, with energy, you know, and as you look to for community support going forward, I mean, you think about the big step you got through the referendum, you know, what a great story that is to tell. I think just showing stewardship is key. As I said, we're working with other districts like Rine where they've been given some referendum dollars as well. So, to communicate that back that it's being used favorably and effectively and it certainly is your um your facility team, and I'm just saying that because Kale's sitting here, it's I think it's mostly Lan, but um you know, your team is is really really great, you know. So, >>

168so this is this is what we had to present on the projects. Um, the last piece is talking a little bit about the funding mechanism for this. Is there any questions on the projects before I kind of jump into that that last part of uh our conversation. Okay. So, in order to fund this, obviously the $3.9 million investment um upfront um is is a large investment. Um what uh the board had established in 2020 was fund 46. Um we've now come to a time um good timing again. Another reason why this project works is that fund 46 uh has matured um to a point where we can tap into that resource. um and being with the IRA um the timing with our roofing um and the return kind of on that investment for fun 10

169long term, we felt this would be uh a project that we want to tap into that fund 46 um um kind of as our initial project with that. Now, in order to do that, um I need to bring a revised um 10-year capital plan for the board to review. Um that will call out this project. Now, it's very important, and I want the public to to hear this, too, is that 146 um when that was established, it is not established for general cash flow, um for other operational expenses. This is a capital trust fund. Um, so that's why you will see a 10-year capital plan in front of you. This is for capital expenditures only and it's restricted by DPI um to withdraw from that and invest into those projects. And that's why the 10-year

170plan needs to be established. And what I'm proposing is bringing that 10-year plan um to the board every year uh to review whether or not we use it for fun. And what you will see when I bring that plan forward is that doesn't show um really what I'm showing is a $3.9 million investment here. Um I am waiting on some final numbers but a potential investment the following fiscal year um for an energy project that could tap into IRA as well. But other than that, that just shows our standard $3.5 million capital investment. That doesn't mean fund 46 is funding that. that just is showing our capital expenditures for the year. Um, so really what we would be looking for is an approval of the fund 46 10-year plan to invest $3.9 million into this

171uh energy project which was noted in our resolution as well. Um, and that is in accordance all this which is in the memo that I will have for the board um um in compliance with the state statute um allowing that to mature for five years, establishing that plan and having the board vote on an approved plan. Laura. So, I'm all in favor of being as aggressive as possible. Um, and and knowing that money is always going to be a concern. Um, and the sooner the better. I mean, the sooner we do it, the sooner we can get the benefit. Um, and if if there's funding available, let's do it. Um, and that and that >> I I think I had mentioned to the board too, I I I think we want to be careful of

172fund 46 and the projects we're investing in. Um, so this was not taken lightly when we brought to the board. That return on investment is huge. That's relief to our our fund 10. Um, as you noted, construction costs continue to escalate. Um, we don't know what that IRA brings back either moving forward. again some uncertainty after 20 uh 27. So a lot of reasons kind of brought us to this uh the reason to bring this request forward. >> What is the total value of fund 46 right now? Do you know? >> Um as of last year uh 21.3 million. One thought too is we as Mckin Street provide a financial guarantee around the savings. So if you there's a shortfall and Kale mentioned the dashboard so you you're able to see that. So if there's

173a if this forming or we screwed up on the calculations um our company does write a shortfall check to you and uh we've been in you know those arrangements with the district before. um you'll be if that happens you'll see me working at Quick Trip but uh the district will get get fully funded with that. So I think that's uh that's another thing to think about you know in terms of that. So >> James, >> so the guarantee is against the dollar amount that you presented tonight. >> Annual savings not over 25 years. So >> microphone. >> Um it's as long as you maintain the measurement and verification. Okay. >> We fund the four first three years. If you continue that the guarantee continues. So it becomes a district's choice. What we don't want to

174do is provide service that if the the district says, "Hey, it's working fine. We don't need to pay you to to write a report." Um, so it's really up to the district. So, >> okay, >> Laura, sorry, I'm super enthusiastic and I always have a lot of questions about this, but um, this dashboard really appeals to me. I'd like to have it so that it like comes up on my phone in the morning. We should could give it a name and give it a personality. And my recommend um to name it would be Norman. Any other questions? >> Thank you so much. So Janette, before we progress through the rest of the operational section, um if we can get to a consensus without a motion, I suggest that we take a five minute recess. We've

175been at it like two hours and 30 minutesish. Um five minutes, everyone. Thank you. All right, we're going to see if we can get it started again. Okay, Janette, I'm gonna hand the chair back over to you so that we can proceed through the rest of the operational agenda. >> Okay, we're back to operations A224 referendum updates. Kale, >> thank you. I'll keep this one I'll try to keep this one as brief as you want me to. Um, so just a an update um on our 22 and 24 referendum projects. um for the first time um we have all the 22 referendum planned projects um in the construction phase with the approval of the ASB um expansion um last month that project um is kicking off. Um so as you see up here all the

176projects you see are in the construction phase or phasing out. Um and on the next one, one of highlight that we've had of note here is at West um high school and the project out there with our cell tower um conflict. Um we have our completion of our structure itself. Um and all put together um usable structure um you can see sight lines and things um played out really favorably um and not having to relocate that cell tower. Um so that project structure is up and completes. Um with the help of uh I I do want to call out Rettler, our engineer on the project, paid a lot of work um a lot of coordination with a lot of people um that weren't direct contractors of ours and they did a wonderful job along with

177our general contractor IEI. Um so this project does you will see some equipment on site there. There is some restoration um of landscaping and asphalt that is still taking place but the structure itself is complete. >> Andrew, >> thank you. So now that so we ended up not moving the tower, what um what what proportion of the seats were were unusable until this work was complete? Um um as you're looking at the photo, there's kind of two sections if if you're looking in the top left corner, the two sections uh to the left of the press box were were not installed at the time. So it was about 2/3 um installed. So about a third of the the grandstands. >> Okay. It stopped right basically after the the press box. >> Okay. When did they

178when did they actually go in? Because I I checked from from time to time, but I thought we were it was going to be close to July 4th before it was was done. Did they get some of them in sooner? >> Yeah. Seats wise, uh the structure got complete I I believe the week after the 4th. Um the our contractors were in there. Um there was some delays with um our cell tower um contractor that was not under our contract, but we were able to uh work with our contractor and II to um essentially right on on time. Okay. Okay. So, I could I I didn't have a I mean, I didn't go into the stadium, but I thought I took a pretty pretty decent drive by. If if I was there on it was

179July 2nd or third, then it still would have been missing everything past the press box or two se one section would have been there, but two would have not been there yet. >> I couldn't tell you exactly. It was under construction. I don't know if the enclosure was up at that time. I I forget the exact day the actual seats were put in um because there's trim panels and things around the tower itself um that were being done the week after the 4th. I know that um but the main structure itself um I believe the majority of it was in probably when you were on site. >> Thank you. that project was um along with the others will be wrapping up. As of right now, um we've been battling um obviously a tight uh time

180frame on a lot of these projects. Um as of today, um our contractors are confident of meeting uh contractual D. um we've had some supply chain issues um even within the states um but they have been working through that. So it will be a busy fall um as we transition back into the school year. Um but as of right now our contractors are confident in our end dates. Um so more um updates to come on that. Then jumping into 24 referendum. Um our final phase one project um we receive bid results um uh on the 17th this week. Um so we'll be opening that hopefully with the same success we have um with the the three prior. Um and then um we continue our design for phase 2 at Bowmont uh Lincoln and then uh

181I did not include this last time um but we um are beginning our design at NEW at the NWTC campus as well. Um so with that um is there any questions? Thanks. That's a great update. Okay, we should be down to um operations D 2526 revisions to the district organizational chart. Thank you, Miss Canel. Um, every year this time I present to the board if there are going to be any updates to the central office organizational chart. So, Kenzie, if you could pull that up, please. I have just one recommendation for the 2526 school year and that is shifting the executive director of technology and information from under the COO over to the deputy superintendent. All other positions would remain the same. Um you'll see a few um people in the positions have changed. So

182that's an update as well. But otherwise, uh, structurally, uh, everything else remains the same. I also want to share with the board that I'm working with a third party to review our current central office structure to make sure that we are aligned with our district goals as well as in alignment with other life-size districts. Laura, did I hear you hear you correctly when you said that the um executive director of technology and information would be under the deputy superintendent? >> That is correct. >> Does that mean that um since that position is vacant that that will fall under your your leadership? That is correct and Amy is super excited for that. Uh a lot of the work that she does even though um it's technical in nature uh and operations in nature uh has a

183a large role in the way we do our academics. So it it's a natural placement for her to be structured this way. >> I might have more to say about that later, but I'll keep it there for now. Thank you. Alex, go ahead. >> Can you remind me um sorry if I forget what the who's filled the deputy superintendent position before >> Vicky Byer. >> And yeah, sorry I was I was like what am I I'm like it wasn't clicking. I'm Thank you. Um it's been a long meeting. And the other question is in light of, you know, and this might be a little bit early, but in light of some of the the budget information that we now know, um, you know, any initial thoughts on, you know, how that might change, not necessarily

184this coming school year, but then what we have to do going forward um, if anything. >> Yeah, I think that's a very important question that we are going attention to as the year progresses. Laura. All right. I guess I can't really keep this I' I'd like to talk a little bit more about that vacant spot. Um, so I guess my my question is is is um having that spot vacant, is that keeping um your team from being able to achieve some of the things that they I mean, we've just had a whole night of very ambitious um planning and goals and all kinds of um very forwardthinking process. and progress. Um, but I worry that, you know, that vacancy um and the oversight of all the people that fall under it will will that will

185somehow be impeded by not you know not being able to maybe achieve some of the things that uh we were that have been highlighted tonight. Uh, I think that's the right question when we talk about central office structures and I will that uh I don't think I've been able to give Ingred and Mike the attention that they deserve to be able to continue their good work. Um, but I would say that at this point it isn't something that we're screaming we need to fill right now. Um, I would say this team has really picked up a lot of the work and and we've spread it out and they've been working very hard as I shared with you all along. Um, so I don't know how to answer that other than how I just did. I

186know it's a hard question. I just um I that's that's a lot of positions that fall underneath that position and um as superintendent you already have like a job. You know what I mean? So I'll leave it there. >> James have two two statements or a statement and a question. Um, first I recognize that, you know, you may feel like, um, the people that report to you deserve more attention. Um, but at this level in an org chart, um, being able to execute your role without direct and constant supervision is an expectation, right? So, I I recognize that paid off of where you spend your time, right? And you know there is you know some impact negative impact for not having that role filled. Um but I don't know that there's a direct causal relationship

187between success at goals and having that that vacancy uh in in what we have planned for this year. Right? because, you know, ultimately you could be addressing more of the superintendent role um if you had a deputy in in a position, including more community engagement and more selling the district to to our community out there. Um but then I also want to address some of what Alex you know um you know his statement about um as we look at continued and increasing deficits over time recogniz that that is one of the reasons why you initiated kind of an assessment of do we have the right organization? Do we have the right um people and size um as it relates to like districts and our our mission? Um, do you have a timeline um for how

188long that assessment is going to take so we can start engaging in that conversation? >> Yeah. Uh, first I just want to clarify um Ingred and Mike are highly competent and don't require um the attention but um I I like to be a bigger part of the work that they're doing. >> Sure. Um so uh my hope is that um by the end of this calendar year I'll be able to share the results of the study. I would also like to challenge each one of us that there's some pressure we can take off of Vicki by us being advocates and um talking in the public about our school system and whatever opportunities we can as board members take that burden off of Vicki. Okay. So, I will bring this back to the board at the

189regular board meeting for approval. Thank you. And now we'll move on to item E, budget update. >> Okay, Angie's gonna join me. Um, yeah. No, that's because you're excited for this discussion. Um, board requested that we come forward and do some preliminary discussion about the budget for the 2526 school year. We will by October have a final budget to bring to the board for approval for the school year. But, um, we do want to provide you with an update of where we're at right now. Um we knew coming into the 2526 school year that we would be facing a deficit um unless the state really came through with a miraculous budget for us. Um we didn't hold our breath and that turned out to be smart of on our end. So, we've been working um

190this past school year to reduce our budget and um just as a reminder for the public that might be paying attention, we've um closed and consolidated three schools. We've reduced staffing including 10% of our administrative staff. We've reduced department budgets. Um we've taken on a burden of some of the employee benefits plan but also increased what our employees have to pay into it. And uh we passed a referendum and the purpose in large part for the referendum was to prepare for consolidation and energy efficiency which which Kale was just talking about. So looking at long-term financial savings for the district. We've been at this for three years now and uh it continues to be a challenge. So Angie's going to share with us uh state budget impact on the district and we'll talk a little

191bit about what we just learned from the federal government and that impact on the district and then talk about next steps. >> Good evening everybody. Um, okay. So, before before talking about or diving into um the district's 2526 budget, I think it's really important to remind um the community that we're talking about and the board that we're talking about the operational budget. So the operational budget is um funded mostly or primarily by property taxes, equalized aid um and then some federal funds and um obviously the 2017 operational referendum that we passed back in 2017 in the amount of 16.5 million. So that's what we're going to kind of be talking about today. very different than the referendums that have been passed for 22 um and 24 2024. Um those were specifically um we use those

192for facility updates and for capital improvements. So um you know long-term some of those projects, the energy efficient projects of course are going to help us in the long run on the operational budget side. Um but those funds are strictly for um capital uh capital updates. So not uh operational which we're going to talk about today with the state budget. So um so we're going to go through the highlights or or some of the points that um we now know now that we we have a state budget in place for the 2527 bianium u year. So the next two years uh we do know that there was no equalized aid added to to the pot uh of money. So um nothing to address inflation. And if you recall um that's an inverse relationship. So equalized

193aid and property taxes. So as your equalized aid amount goes up, your property taxes go down. So, we have nothing to offset the increase that we're going to see with that 325 per pupil that we've been talking about all along. So, that was what um Governor Ivers had signed into place with the veto. So, that 325 remained um that's what we have had in the in the budget model for um the last couple of years. So, that 325 um was what we had projected for 2526 and 2627. But the important thing to note is that's going to fall strictly on the property taxes because there is no aid to offset that that levy increase with that 325 um per pupil increase. The special education reimbursement if you recall the ask uh at the state level

194was the 60%. We were asking for 60% reimbursement. Um instead we got a lower amount uh the increase uh for next or for this upcoming year 2526 is at 42% and then it jumps to 45% and 2627. Um I think something to note is that because the pot of money is fixed and as special education costs across the state increase everybody's taking a little bit bigger piece of the pie. So what that what happens is exactly what happened in 2425. We were expecting to see 33% which was promised by the state, right? Or that's what was was set out in the budget and we actually ended up with 30%. So what that what that looks like for us is about 890,000 short of what we had budgeted for this year because we were expecting that

19533%. So to be conservative, which you all know that's my job, I am going to budget for 39% because historically we've seen about a 3% decrease of or or a 3% lower amount of what's been um stated at the state level. So in of 39%. Um the good news is it's some um some money. So, it it's approximately $3.1 million for our district um which will decrease that transfer that we talk about um often to from fund 10 to fund 27 to support the special education fund. So, each year we set aside approximately $35 million from fund 10 to um you know to transfer over to support our special education fund because of um inadequate funding. Um, one thing that did happen was the increase to higher cost special education expenses. So, what this is

196going to do is this will equate to about $200,000 for us. In 2425, we received 263,000. So, it it is a substantial increase in the percentage. It's 50% and then it jumps to 90%. So, it does mean something for the district. Um, so we're expecting to see right about a $200,000 increase in that category. So, just wanted to to give you a number so you kind of know what that looks like. It's about 400 450,000 is what the district um will see for those highcost students. Um the public open enrollment transfer. So, our voucher payments, our open enrollment, this was actually um I would say somewhat of somewhat of a surprise very similar to what happened in the prior year um state budget. uh there was increases in the amounts that we're paying for vouchers

197in open enrollment for those open enrolled students out. So resident students that um you know that open enroll out to other districts or surrounding districts. So um when we talk about and when we look at the chart so Kinsey if you just um scroll down a little bit. There you go. Thank you. So what we're looking at is um we kind of charted it out. So the base uh you know fiscal year 25. So the base is what we what we're currently paying now in 2425 and then it shows you for the next two years what those payments are increasing to. So at the bottom you can see what Green Bay is getting. So um in 26 right we get that 325 increase. So we'll be getting 11,650. What we also wanted to note here

198is we also get a categorical aid if you recall which is $742 per pupil and that is outside of the revenue limit. So we get additional funding right but it's outside of the revenue limit but I think it's fair to put it on here so it actually represents what we are getting per student um you know with the revenue limit and then with that categorical aid and then you can see the comparison. So, for example, open enrollment, um, you know, we were paying or paid 8,962 per openen enrolled student out to another district that jumped in 2526 to 10,12. So, if we keep the same number and open enrollment um, has really stayed consistent both in and out. So, we sit around that 2200 mark um, and that has not we have not seen drastic

199changes. So if we remain the same, if we just assume that we're remaining the same, that's a jump in about $3.5 million expense on our books in 2526. So that's why I say a surprise, right? Because um it was a significant jump for for all of these categories that we have to add to expenses on the 2526 and the 2627 budget. So, um I just thought it was really good to highlight that um because it really wasn't talked about until we saw, you know, the summary. Um >> Angie, I'm sorry. Can you can you say the amount one more time? >> Um yeah, it added about $3.5 million to 2526 expenditures with all of these categories. So I just want to clarify this for myself and also for the people watching. Where is that money

200going? That 3 something million. Where is that money going? So that is for our in resident students who have opted out or open and rolled out to um surrounding school districts, public school districts, >> not to voucher schools. Yes, this is different. The vouchers um or the choice school is that K through 8 and then 9 through 12. Those are the payments that we're paying for voucher students. >> Al, >> yes, it also went up. >> Can you explain how or why or what was done for that amount of open enroll student dollars to go up? I don't remember hearing anything about that. like where'd that come from? >> I always say I always say, Alex, is that I don't really like surprises unless it's Christmas. And this was this was definitely a surprise because

201it's a significant increase in expenditures for the district for the next two years. >> Like what is it based on? Like is there like like do they change that number each year based on something? Like what do I not know maybe? Um, I think uh I think what it had said was it was a $500 increase um for each category plus categorical aid. I got to check I got to check, Alex. I don't know what they based the increase on. Um but of course it was just allocated funds that Right. That's where they wanted the increase to go. >> So I'll just wrap it up. So they basically just made a decision. We want more money to go to students that open and roll out. And it's just kind of as simple as that. Yeah,

202that was the decision. >> So, but what's our net? Right. So, we have 2200 out. We have 500ish in. What's the What's the in number? >> Sorry, James. I thought you shut me off. >> Yeah, I've got it, too. Um, we're at like a hundred. Wait, 461 kids. Yeah. >> Okay. So that also stays pretty steady, right? I mean it fluctuates a little bit but within like 10 students. >> Sure. But the impact is the net number, right? Because we're going to get more money for those 461 kids. Yep. Right. >> Absolutely right. So So the increase and that is the net number, the three and a half million. So net. >> Yes. So we we have a million dollars coming in because Right. because we're getting more for the open enrolled students in um

203and then Right. And then more going out. So yeah, the net number is about 3.5 million. And so, and just to follow, unlike increases in the voucher program, because the voucher program is we're going to s that right to property taxes because we can for the next year we're going to we're going to be able to levy $13,371 per voucher student. Yes, >> that is not the case with open enroll. Is that correct? >> That is correct. So, we're going to be able to levy up to 11650, >> but we have to pay an additional 2,000. Well, next year a,000 uh $34, right, per open enroll student, right? >> Because we get to count those open enrolled students on the revenue limit. So, yes. So, we we get to count them, but then yes, we

204got to pay out more than what we're actually receiving >> on the revenue limit. So, a negative impact to the district and a negative impact to local property tax. This chart is hard to look at, frankly. Um, and I just think it might be a good time to remind people that that money is going our taxpayer money is going to schools that we have no control over. They don't some of them don't have elected school boards. Um, that's but that's the burden that our local tax property taxpayers are going to bear. Um, and that's just fundamentally wrong in my opinion. >> Any other Go ahead, Andrew. >> Um, thank you. I we can um if this math gets too deep into the weeds, we can talk offline, too. But I guess I'm trying to figure

205out I I understand to a point um underestimating because the state the state percentage uh sometimes doesn't live up to expectations or there's surprises with it or it's or it's unevenly distributed with with regards to Green Bay. But there was a and the budget did I mean, we don't the budget doesn't say it's we say it's 42% and 45% because of where the raw dollars that go in, right? I mean, the the budget increased it by 500. >> Yeah, I don't know the exact number, but yeah. So, the 42% is based on the amount of money that they put into that fixed, right? It's a fixed sum of money. And so the the number and that statewide number right now is what is it? 30 is it 32 statewide >> like total what's in the

206pot of money? I don't know that off the top of my head. >> I guess I'm I'm concerned that I I don't you know I um I am not interested in and I don't I hope this isn't what's presented to us but just some advanced know. I'm not voting for an austerity budget. Um I'm not voting for a for a crisis budget outside of a a crisis. So I I guess I'd like to know more about why we are um you know that 30 because the the difference between 39 and and 42 would have been what? How much? Like if we did it at 40 if we did assume we got the 42. I'm not saying we should assume we get the 42. I just want to know the how big of a difference 1.5

207million. >> Okay. So, 39. So, 3% is a million and a half. So, one 1% is about a half million. So, okay. It's not huge, but if we're looking if we're looking at at cuts, I just want to make sure that we, you know, know and I understand there's it's a it's a set sum of money, but inflation will happen before before then, so you don't get all of it. Um but it it seems like a you know to say that we're going to get um and what what are we at right? What is Green Bay at right now? Are you at 32 30? >> Oops. >> Yes, we got 30%. 33. >> Sorry, my mic was off. Uh promised 33. Yeah, we were like we were promised 33 as in Green Bay's calculation was

208supposed to be 33 but we got 30 or 33 because that's the state promise was 33. >> State promise was 33% but we ended up with 30%. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. We have to remember that public schools are funded at some certain which is the pot of money and we all pull from that one pot of money and oh no you spent $20 more. Too bad you got to eat it. But let's remember what the voucher schools are getting reimbursed 90% still Angie on their special education and they're at something called some sufficient and I'm saying this not for the board because I think a lot of you know this but I'm saying this for the public. They are being reimbursed at some sufficient. So that means if they spend $20

209more they get $20 more. they don't get their percentage reduced from 33% to 30%. Please talk to your representatives, talk to your senator. I'm doing it and I know a lot of you at this table are doing it and we need to make a difference here and we need to light a fire under our representatives. So they are funding our public schools properly in Madison. They need to be sending the money. Property taxes are going to go up. I don't like that. I pay property taxes. That means housing costs are going up. And all of you that are worried about high housing and unaffordable housing, guess what? Property taxes have something to do with unaffordable housing. And so, if we don't fund our schools properly, we're going to have high property taxes. And you don't

210blame the school districts, whether it's Green Bay or Ashwabanon or Depir, it's the guys in Madison who voted for this budget. Thank you. We'd like to keep bringing you great news of joy um and talk about the federal the recent decision at the federal level. Um, Angie, you want to go ahead with that? >> Sure. So, um, and and Vicki, uh, fill in as as you go because I know that you kind of filled in this, um, this afternoon, but, um, so on Monday 30th, um, we were notified by the United States Department of Education of the freezing of the following funds. So, these are listed. Title 1 C, Title 2 A, Title Three, Title 4 A, and Title 4, which is our um our 21st century or CCLC grants, which is our afterchool programming

211that is in fund 10. Um so, and that Yep. So, the funds support our afterchool programs. We have um and most of these, a majority of these grants fund um fund salaries, right? salaries and benefits for literacy coaches, professional learning and math support, bilingual and multi multilingual staff, and social workers and counselors for the 2526 school year. Um, so it sounds like these federal funds have already been authorized by an act of Congress signed into law by President Trump in March 25. However, um they're they're frozen as of right now. So um so we are still and and as from the budget I guess from the budget side of things when we look at all of these grants generally when you budget right you've got the revenues coming in and you've got the the expenditures

212going out so they net um when you talk about about grants and that is exactly what we're continuing to show in the budget until we know otherwise. So, um I feel it's it's, you know, it's early, right? I mean, we're we're mid. Um so, we're going to continue to just show that we've got an offset and then we will proceed if we find out that we, you know, that we aren't going to um get the funds. But collectively, the freezing of these funds will have a $3.4 million impact on the district. So that's how much um we have right in in these grants that are that are funding the positions that we listed and the programs um that are that are listed up above. Um because we have already finalized staffing and programming for the

2132526 school year, we will proceed as planned. So we don't have any um you know plans to to do anything drastic moving into 2526. Um all will will stay the same. we've got to shift some funds for supplanting reasons and things like that. Um but you know, collectively we will we will continue to fund these positions and these expenditures in 2526. Um today, July 14th, Wisconsin joined a multi-state lawsuit challenging the decision by the United States Department of Education to withhold approximately $72 million of funding for the federal education programs listed above. if you have anything to add more to that, Vicki. >> I'm just going to emphasize a couple of things. Um, so this was frozen. The funds had already been approved by Congress. They have already been approved by Congress and President Trump

214signed off on it back in March. So, we set our programming and our staffing based upon expected funds. This would impact us by $3.4 $4 million. We are going to go into the 2526 school year assuming that those funds will be released and we are grateful to uh the states that have joined in the lawsuit challenge to get those funds in the district so we can support our most vulnerable students because that's what these funds are for. The kids that need additional support not due to special education needs but rather socioeconomic factors. afterchool programming for parents that have jobs and they rely on those afterchool services so that they can work in our community. These are programs we will continue this school year >> Alex >> um couple quick questions. So we're looking at losing

215a few million more than expected due to open enrollment changes. um potential federal freeze of three and a half million and is there what is roughly the increase in um lost money from the changes related to vouchers and all the other things on the previous chart. So I'm trying to get an idea of going into this next school year how much more we could expect to how much less we could expect to have than we were initially projecting. If that makes any sense. Um I think okay so so let me know if I understood that question. Um so when we were when we were talking about uh a few months ago um call it February March we were looking at about 10 to 12 million deficit. So we have reduced um all of the things

216above um staffing um those reductions are all within the budget. Um but then now with the 3.4 4 million, right? And then you add the 3 and a.5 million that was that was unexpected. I mean, we're still looking right at going into 2526 with a deficit. And then, right, if you're talking raises and and things like that, then that would put us even right further into the hole. But right now, we're working through 2425. So, we are closing up 2425. So, we'll get a better picture as to where we actually fell for salaries, um, you know, salaries and benefits. And then we'll use those actuals to project out more accurately for 2526 so we can get an idea of where we're going to be with all of the reductions. So um so we're still working

217through that. Is it expected that once we close up this year with all the to to reduce you know our costs and everything that that's that number is you know we've kind of closed the majority of that gap and then whatever deficit we might have is going to be based on kind of these decisions roughly speaking. >> Okay. >> That's that's the hope >> James. >> Okay. So I I just maybe I'm need a little bit more help and support. Right. So it's my understanding that when we came in, we worked the um the budget deficit down from 10 millions down to something where we felt like we could be balanced. But that was if we suspended steps and it was if we did not provide a cost of living increase to to our staff.

218Right. I'm supposed to take the $3.5 million that hit the books in expense based on the increased open enrollment outlay. Right. So now we're at negative3ish million dollars. I'll just talking ballpark figures. Um and we still have not made a decision. That's if we make a decision to suspend steps and to suspend a a cost of living increase. Correct. >> Yes. And the 10 the 10 to 12 million deficit included the cost of living increase. So when we write so yes that's correct >> and but I'm trying to figure out and we're acting as if at the end of the year >> the titer title dollars will be there so if they're not there >> tell me what that means >> we would have to use fund balance to cover those >> okay so fund

219balance is the the remediation there is we would have to dip I mean Honestly, yeah, there's no >> So, we have to you we would have to use fund balance >> and we'll be revisiting this conversation about what to do with those programs because if they don't show up this plan year, that probably means they've reassessed those programs and they discontinued those title funds at at some point. So now we have the same conversation next year about whether to fund you know you know teacher salaries and increases according to what we have to quote Andrew a long-standing relationship with our um represented uh staff to to make sure that we do right by them >> or programming >> right >> at that point. Okay. Thank you. And then furthermore, and so that 325, you know,

220per student that we can essentially levy up for, um, that's something we can do one time going forward, but it doesn't it really is kind of only a partial one-time initial, I guess, solution, if you will, right? Um, >> yeah, it accumulates, uh, so we'll get the 325. So right now we're at 11,325. So then it'll move up to 11,650 then 11,975. So we'll get that over the next two years and then that stays. >> And so the point I'm trying to clarify and make sure that everyone else understands is the implications that that has for when the community is wondering what's happening with their tax bill and how that changes and they might think we're doing something wrong and now we're continually adding increasing their bill and we're mismanaging money. It's like, no, there

221is a state budget decision that has been made for the next two years and a federal one potentially that is directly superseding any supposed savings that you would get otherwise that is going to significantly impact the property taxes for anyone who owns property in our school district. >> Mr. Mr. Mino, that that is an excellent point and it's really important for the community to understand that we're sitting at a budget surplus at the state of about $5 billion and we received no additional funding from that pocket from that bucket. I'm sorry. Go ahead, Laura. Kenzie, can you put the chart up again? I'd like people to have another look at that. Yeah, I went and I'm going to take a picture of that, too. Um, this this to me represents an enormous amount of unfairness

222in our in our how we fund public education, our fund education in this state. And I I would like I would like more people to see this. Um, this you know what Alex was saying about the profound effect that that that these decisions in Madison have on our school district. were at the mercy of politicians and again and again they have proven that they well I have to ask myself and I'm speaking only for myself now do they care that they care about the economic driver that this school district is in this in northeast Wisconsin and the only way you can sustain that is by continuous investment and not you know some um certain but some sufficient Um, and I it's really hard to look at this chart and not get really angry and frustrated.

223I It's I find it outrageous. And I also, before I forget, Vicki, I I I um I really appreciate how much you've been out there in public lately talking about this. I know behind the scenes as well, but um and we got our media update today and and you're giving interviews and reminding people of this and how this is going to impact our our district. Um people need to hear it again and again and again because those tax bills are coming and and they're going to be shocked and you know um we're going you know they're going to see what what part of that for the first time this year. What part of that goes to uh choice schools to vouchers and um and if they're outraged, they'll probably, you know, they'll be have a

224right to be outraged. So, but it's time to start preparing for that day. >> Go ahead, Andrew. >> Um I completely agree. just uh guess just a shorter statement I think about something that is probably a misconception is that um I I think I think most people know by now but I think some people still think maybe that a voucher is or whatever I would have paid in taxes myself I get a check to send to someone else. It was always way more than that for an average homeowner. uh grand if you have a certain above a certain size of house you get less but then I think there's also an assumption that okay well you know certain number of dollars per per student okay well it's just not it's just not going to the

225public it's going to the the private and it's a a wash um which still would be wrong anyways for other reasons but just keeping it real simple it's it's not a wash they get they get more the the voucher is more than the average student here. So, I would think that for voucher voucher supporters, they should look at that carefully because um one of the arguments um and I think it was there was more parody or maybe even at one point the voucher was was less. It's it's more now. So, there's there's your fairness that's panned out the window now, I think. Laura, just one more point. Um, and maybe Vicki, you're the best person to speak to this. Um, can you you I know you talk regularly to other superintendents across the state. Can

226you can you give me or give us uh some feeling for how this is playing across the state? >> Uh, very similar conversations are happening. Uh obviously the larger districts, Madison, Milwaukee, the impact of both of these is substantial. Um they're all having conversations about uh where else can we possibly cut before we start hurting our children. That's uh across the state for public schools. U you will see more schools closing in the next year >> like schools or school districts, maybe both. I don't know. Some of these small rural districts are barely getting by. So, next steps. I'll be back in October. Um, so yeah. So, so like every year, um, we'll be presenting a budget. Uh, October 13th, I believe it is Monday. Um and then actually October 15th is when we get

227the final numbers for the third Friday count, the equalized aid, our voucher numbers. Um but uh you know, but the 13th we'll we'll have a pretty good idea and then um and then I'll bring the updates back to the board and then the board will um you know, we'll vote on the levy and uh we'll approve the the budget in October. So, Go ahead, Al. >> Simple quick question. So, I'm assuming that um considering all of this, you're going to come with the most robust menu of uh solutions and places to possibly pull money from. >> Um yeah, unfortunately, there's not a tree in the backyard, right? um esser funds uh right to also remind the public we no longer have esser funds and esser funds were really um right they were closing that gap

228for the last couple of years so um so we've seen you know a big hit along with all the other districts so um yeah I mean we continue to strategize um reduce uh and to Vicky's you know to Vicky's point as we're trying to do the best we can to not affect the classroom right so that's why you see the department budget Right. We have asked them to pull back 10%. Um and yeah, we're, you know, we're we're always um strategizing and um creating efficiencies and and and looking at staffing and right sizing. So yeah, the work the work will continue because um we're in the same situation for the following year. >> Samantha, so just to put it very bluntly, we're at the point Assuming things are what they are kind of right now

229and cuts have been made and made and made and made made, we're at the point of making decisions that directly either impact our students or directly impact the professionals that support our students. Is that correct? Yes. Any other questions? Thank you, Angie. Uh, she's doing the best she can. Okay. Operations F, preliminary planning for superintendent search process. >> So, I will take that one and guide us through a conversation. So, board members, I sent an email out to everyone last week that um had the superintendent search 2025 the 26 spreadsheet um referenced. Um we're just going to go through this and just have a quick conversation about the the timeline. Um, I'm going to go step by step down the the line and if you want me to stop and if you have questions about

230that particular task, who's involved, what it means, um, I'll I'll entertain a conversation and we'll have questions, you know, handled at that time. All right. So, the timeline starts um, we've already passed June 1st and June 7th. What's happened to date is we've had some board leadership and district leadership meetings um where we have tried to and um uh Lynn had conversations with Trustee McCoy and Becker trying to gain insights from previous superintendent searches. What went well? What went poorly? what we would like to try differently this time and try to get all of that information kind of built into our plan, right? Um and from um leadership conversations and those um conversations order of business is to determine who if anyone is going to help the district from an external perspective navigate the search.

231Right? So as part of the timeline the um proposal right now is having looked at different vendors we thought that was D was the had a service they do not um so the only um you know already contracted vendor that we have is WASB um and they provide a service to help districts with this search. they would um assign a consultant to help us. Now, they have a menu of and they have a plan that we have to agree to, right? They will not peace meal and say, "Well, we'll do this and we'll do that, whatever." And I can understand why. I mean, you know, they've communicated if it goes sideways, they they don't want to be held accountable for someone else's plan, right? they come with best practices and um the years of experience

232and so they have a plan. Now having said that um that plan is um much more collaborative um than some of the vendors that we've interviewed and we've um had seen through the RFP process before. So ultimately um the near-term action is selecting a vendor. So we have three choices. Um we can as a board um uh the next meeting uh you know vote to approve um going basically single sourcing this um through WASBY um and just going directly and and adopting their services um or we can make a decision that we have to go through an RFB process and we want to cast a broader net and see all the vendors out there. That's what we did last time, right? And we it takes um six weeksish, right, to both, you know, issue the

233RFP, get the responses in, kind of determine who we want to interview, interview, make a decision. So, as you see the the navigation of all of the board um meeting dates, that's not a short process um to pick a offender. Um or um not recommended by board leadership or district leadership, go it alone, right? And the the problem there is um you know we have a staffing concern from just a capacity to do this work. If you at least this communicates it's not small right. um the the number of resumes, our ability to um look at, triage, ascertain and evaluate resumes for this particular position um would put a burden on an HR team that we have tuned and from a talent acquisition perspective to hire teachers, right, and to hire supplemental staff and not

234perform executive search functions um for us. So, I think it would be a struggle. um all the way around um to go it alone um out there. But again, that's not a board leadership decision. That's a board decision um out there. And so I'm going to stop. So I feel like we are um at line four um you know I trying to determine through the September and October time frame if we are um accelerating and that and saying yeah we'll go with a a known vendor a known set of services um or if the board would prefer a alternate course. So I'll open the floor for discussion and questions. Andrew, this is me now. >> No, it's not actually you're you're right. It's you still. >> Um, uh, thank you. I think I think there

235should at least be a at some point at least a brief mention of if we do WASBY, why we wouldn't be cashing in mandatory research from a previous firm. And if that's because of is that because if that's because of hidden costs and if there's so much hidden cost that it's like the um the the you're free and so this this was a a contractual guarantee of a free redo if your superintendent didn't stay three years. Um, so I I don't like to I don't like to not take, you know, free money that's on the table and we could certainly direct them to whatever parts, you know, you will do these, you'll do these parts and, you know, we will take it from here whether you, you know, whether you like it or not. Um

236but again, if the hidden cost, the uncovered things in their plan would lead us to the same bill as Wasby or close, then that's a different um that's a different situation. Obviously, >> others, Alex, >> do we have any information or you know, I'd like to ascertain to what extent um we can even possibly recoup some of that. For example, this might be extremely hypothetical, but contractually they may be obligated to do some sort of work for us based on the ter that or throwing one out there. Is there a possibility of us saying, "Hey, maybe we don't want your services, but um in lie of that um we want a partial refund and then you don't have to waste your time otherwise." Like I'm trying to think of anything where we can >> I'm

237sorry. I I like what you're saying, but I think that gets towards a legal counsel topic. Yeah, >> that could be a potentially a closed session, but I like the concept. >> Yeah. And I and I'm just kind of asking like, you know, obviously we have a contract, we have those things, we have, you know, options and I want to make sure that we are looking into all of any potential options to help us with this. >> So, Alex, I'm familiar with the contracting. I I think the only um remedy um was that was presented was a a a redo search. there was no um offer of some sort of refund or remuneration. Um so that would be outside of contract as I understood the contract um that our only recourse would be to re-engage

238them for the services. So Andrew, I I appreciate you bringing that up. So from an an action item out of this uh meeting, I'm absolutely willing to working with whoever I need to within the district if you guys will allow me to re-engage that vendor to ask the questions. What does that look like? What are the scope of because they didn't say we will perform an entire search. They said and they I think if I remember there was a a set of a subset of activities that they would perform on our behalf um if if the superintendent did not stay um for the the contracted period. Um so Laura >> going to search back in my memory here. Um after our last superintendent resigned, um that person did reach out to me and reminded me

239of that clause, but my understanding um is that it wouldn't cover any of the expenses. It would they would cover the search and stuff, but there's other expenses that go along and and they're not included in the contract. So things like travel and meals and all kinds of stuff. Um and um and I'll just put my two cents in here. I have no desire to re-engage and I take that back. I think I think if you re-engage James and and at least get a a full understanding and report back to the board, I think that's good. >> Yeah. But just my personal opinion is I don't have any desire to do business with that company again. >> Yeah, I I understand that and I appreciate Andrew's position. Right now I don't have anything to compare

240Roby to, right? And that kind of makes me uneasy just from, you know, a due diligence perspective. So at least having the here's what this looks like and here's what WASBY services because I do agree that I think we can come up and you know kind of do a job of filling in the blanks because I know that re-engaging that firm is not going to be free right nor is WASBY right so at least I would be able to compare the extraordinary expenses outside of the terms of the contract against what WASBY would charge us and I think it would be a good input to a conversation about, you know, directionally where we should go. Um, but absolutely not engage in and and make any decisions on behalf of the board. Just someone has to

241make the call, right? And someone has to do the work and I wouldn't want to delegate that to the district on behalf of the board. Um, so I'm willing to do that work um so that we can get a set of facts in front of us um to review. >> Yeah, Alex. And I would just point out in general personally I'm not set on any one thing here. Um but it's my opinion that it kind of goes without saying that this is the most important thing that we will do in this position. So I only say that to say that at the end of the day I'm I personally am willing to spend as much time invested in this whatever path we take vendor not peacemail not etc. um as I am anything else that

242I will ever do. >> Yeah, I I agree with you. I think it's multiple components, right? Um it's time, but then there's also competencies and then there's some um HR and legal um issues that we would have to cover, you know, given which path we go. So, yeah, I I appreciate the fact that I think everyone's willing to put time into this and I think everyone understands that this is an ex this is our job, right? This is if you all boil it down, we have to hire an employee and we get to do that once, right? So, um other questions on that. So, my takeaway is I'll re-engage. I'll try to get a set of facts. I'll um you know, use any resources um at the district um through, you know, Superintendent Byer that

243I think will get us to a set of facts that we can use to make a decision. I agree with Laura. I don't think a monetary comparison is the end all beall, right? because I do think there are attributes of the previous search firm that you know in retrospect you know they didn't have as much recruiting in state right and there are other things about them that um you know fall in the we probably wouldn't want to do that again um category out there but it's absolutely worth the look. Yeah, Laura, >> and I'll just add this. Um, I've had a lot of contact with people from WASBY now for the last eight plus years, including their director, um, in various staff members and, you know, go to the convention, all that stuff. And every

244time I engage with whoever it is, I can see that they are watching our district. They're paying attention to our work. They um for lack of a better term, they're kind of like cheerleaders. They care. I can tell that they care about our district. And to me, um you know, yeah, would they be doing this for a fee? Sure. But it's um they actually know our district. They know our superintendent. They know our leadership. And um there there's a familiarity there that um I think would be a benefit to us. Sure, Alex. >> Laura, you might be and others, no offense, but a lot some certain you might be um really in tune with this just based on time, but um in our previous searches that we've done for the last few, have we used

245WASB for any of those? >> It was considered um and um the the last couple times they were they were considered but not chosen. And there are a couple different reasons why um they weren't. But again, as we've gone through and now we have having to do this back to back, right? I think we we benefit from short-term memory and and of of the the situation. So, okay. So, I'm going to move on through the the timeline. So after we do that obviously there's negotiation contract and hiring vendor the date the timeline there I think is has the most flexibility in it depending on which way we go I think this is tuned for after having gone through an RFP it would be September and then we would move on. So depending on directionally where

246we go the start of this could probably be um advanced um depending on which way we go. You good with that? I just suggest to the board that um the the applicants potential applicants are most likely already committed to a school district. So >> if um I would encourage the board to consider a later posting date to allow them the opportunity to >> consider. >> No, I actually I wasn't talking about moving the entire timeline up. I'm just saying that this this September through October probably flexible to do the negotiation to contract and hire the vendor based on which way we go. I absolutely agree with you. The next item should start and end closer to when we actually want to make our posting and that's creating a district profile strengths and weakness. So last

247time we went directly to creating a candidate profile, right? Um, inside the candidate profile and the actual posting, there were some descriptors of what our district was like, but it was not an indepth description of what our district uh was like. So, this um plan and working with district leadership and you you see everyone that's aligned with this activity would be part of building out a factual representation of what this person is taking on, right? demographics, size, all of the facts um that someone needs to understand. So, you can imagine ripping a lot of stuff out of our budget book and and others. But then, you know, going about to kind of flesh that out potentially with community input and others. And if you go with someone like WASBY, they're going to require as part

248of their plan community input because that's part of their um their process um to make sure that we end up with an accurate representation of our district and then move into okay what what kind of candidate is best to match that that challenge, right? And and build that. We have a candidate profile that we'll socialize that was from the last time so that you can understand what that looks and feels like um out there and kind of be an accelerator to those conversations. Alex, did you have a question? >> So is it so it sounds like there's a WASBY plan that's already out there that that we could all get pretty much anytime. So, um, if we make the decision, so no, I have not spoken to WASBY, um, and gotten in and they've related

249to I think Melissa, did you make the call? Now, Kenzie, you made the call. And do we have a actual their actual project plan in in house or do we need to select them and then they would give us a project plan? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, um, more important, I haven't engaged them, um, at all to say, "Here's, you know, here's what we need and here and match that against their plan to see if there's any flexibility or whatever, um, in that in that plan." I know that they have some, you know, hard hard nos or deal breakers, but I don't know anything else. Okay. District profile. So to um Vickiy's point, it's in that December time frame where we'll get the district profile presented to the board, agreed to it um and then

250move in that mid December um time frame, actually publishing the the posting um and starting the marketing um campaign around that and leaving it open um until this time we were um leaving it open until January 30th. So that's that per and that is a window that matches best practices. That's when everyone's looking. That's when the candidate pool is the largest and we will also be in competition with the most school districts um for this same pool of candidate. Um so after that we'll um so things that you see marked you know kind of identified as vendor um support think we are in agreement this time going into this process that a vendor can make the initial contact have the initial conversations provide a summary um but whatever vendor we go to go with I

251I think the what we've heard from from um interviews and my recollection is I don't necessarily want a vendor disqualifying candidates. We want to see them all and make it a board decision to disqualify candidates. They can provide the summary and details and they can help us evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the application materials and provide that consultation. But ultimately with the last vendor, we permitted them to cut candidate pools from like 25 or whatever down to 12. And we received a why they did it, but we did not have any in uh influence on, you know, they used their professional experience to cut the candidate pool. And I think that was a dissatisfier um for multiple board members and something that we wouldn't want to to reproduce. questions, concerns. Okay, so Alex, this

252is the work, right? This is a lot of time and and and reviewing and I we have idea how many um individuals um will apply. I think there were about two dozen last time that um applied. So it could be much more than that because that was right at the end of CO and I don't think anyone wanted a job um at that point in time. And so, you know, I I I would not say two dozen the number um out there that it could be more than that. All right. Um after that, um there will receive some training on interview protocols um as legal aspects um how we um then go in and develop interview questions. Um so this is so un unlike um you know appointing a board member there are a a

253set of questions we have to ask as a process that we have to follow um and um we want to make sure that um we do this in a in a way that HR appreciates that legal appreciates and that does right by all the candidate applicants um in the in the process questions. So um in that February um 24th to 28th time frame, we'll um schedule interviews. We'll perform first round of interviews in um March, early March. We'll have a board meeting to determine um who makes the second round. So the second round of candidates usually in are invited to the district, do a day in the district. just an it's a um kind of soup to nuts, you know, here's every department here, all the of our stakeholders and it's overwhelming I think um

254out there. You know, last time we had some hard um directives that we followed or or plan that we followed um you know to limit the number of individuals that made second round. I think that we can re um visit that as we get closer um and to fit that number both to the district budget whatever but also u make it um flexible according to the candidates that um we have and what I'm referring to is is two the right number when we have three really good qualified candidates and wanting to see all of them kind of thing. So we'll revisit that conversation as u we get closer. Um and after that it becomes the work of um determining the final candidate and then authorizing the issuance of a contract contract negotiations in late March

255and April. We want to get this done and schedule a special board meeting in the superintendent before the board that does all this work changes. Right. So that's the that's the key um deadline that you see in the the timeline is before the end of April we want to make the decision um out there and unfortunately as as we get towards the end of this process it creates compression right and it creates stress or whatever. So, we really want to make sure that our candidate pool will render a good candidate out of there because it gets going really fast in our and we have some really heavy decisions to make as we approach that end of April time frame. All right. After that, uh, premp employment process and contract begins. Questions, suggestions, any anything that

256you see that you feel like um we we've missed a step. Yes. >> So I know there's certain qualifications that a superintendent has to have and certain certifications etc. H is there do we need to do this whole process if somebody within our district is qualified and steps forward? >> Yes. >> We always just like if you were in a corporation you have to do this whole process. >> Yeah. >> Okay. It has to be a competitive process for the top job. >> To to be fair, it's not illegal for the board to select and hire someone, but I certainly think any any candidate needs to go through a competitive process. >> Yeah. >> Um I would assume in part of this there's going to be some discussion of like minimum criteria that must be

257met by the applicants. And if that's the case, would we be okay with ultimately if a vendor is able to screen into a separate pool people that maybe don't meet those minimum criteria just so that we aren't spending time on that. >> Correct. So when I say they can't disqualify, we need to see them and we're the ultimate arbitrator of yay. But I think the creation of that summary, the interview notes, and I I would even go as far as recommendation, right? You know, whether or not But you're right, during this, you know, October to December time frame, we'll create a district profile. The candidate profile is that set of minimum qualifications, right? and what we're looking for. Um, so both the optimal qualifications and and the minimum qualifications, other questions. Okay, thank you, Jim.

258So, yeah. Okay, thank you. Um, so, um, that ends the operations section of the agenda. Um, I know what my takeaways are and um, we'll follow up and be communicative with the board as that process goes. Um, then we'll pass the chair to Andrew U for policy and governance. Okay. Thank you. We have uh one item and it is a fairly fairly routine um annual item which is the resolution for authorization and appointment of an independent uh hearing officer. >> Mike said he's going to bring a baby next time. I'm bringing puppies to get moved up on the board. Yep. Puppies. Um I I presented you with the memo as to the why as to why we are um requesting the appointment of an independent hearing officer. Um we've done it now for a number

259of years and I believe it has gone well in the district. Uh the um hearing officers that we contract with are do a really nice job with our families, with our students. um they conduct a really nice hearing and then um we're able to use that decision and the the preliminary decision then in close session with you for the explanation. So we're back here. We're required annually to ask for this authorization. >> Right. Any uh questions? else. >> What if any is any major um or poignant feedback that you've received over the number of years we've had this um from major stakeholders, from parents, from families, uh from even teachers or principles? The feedback that I've received um primarily is from um our staff and those who testify at the hearing, our school resource officers,

260that the hearing officer conducts a very fair hearing and conducts it in a manner that is um so everyone can understand it. It's a very legal proceeding, but I believe both hearing officers make use language that is easily understandable by everyone involved who don't have legal backgrounds so that it's not an intimidating process either for the parents because usually the student and the parents are not represented by legal counsel. So there's, you know, it doesn't do anybody any good to use legal language or make it even more complex. Um, anyone else? Okay. Uh, that'll just move uh forward then. Thank you. Okay. That concludes the agenda for this open working session. Um, there is a motion to be read to adjourn into close session. Lyn, would you read the motion? I move that the board

261convene into close session pursuant to Wisconsin statutes 19.85 85 section 1 C considering employment promotion compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility to it which superintendent's performance evaluation. >> Second >> discussion Kinsey Sorry, it popped up >> in close actually. You have to call >> Meister. >> Yes. Canel. >> Yes. Minnow. >> Yes. >> Gerlock. >> Hi. >> Larly. >> Hi. >> McCoy. >> Hi. >> Becker. >> Hi. >> We are journed into close session. You have been watching the Green Bay Area Public School District's Board of Education meeting. Please visit the school district's website, www.gbaps.org, for more information on the district and future meeting dates. If you cannot fully access the information on this video, please let us know the accessibility issue

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