001Nothing big. Nothing. All right. 5:30. >> Okay. >> We will call the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Proof of giving public notice. Notice was given. Thank you, sir. Item number four is not needed this evening as all members are present. At this point, I'd be looking for a motion to go into closed session for the matter set forth in the agenda. So move. I'll second. Any discussion? Hearing none, please respond yes with I. If you are in favor, >> I. >> All those opposed. >> All right, we're in close session. >> Not going to lie,
002that was very confusing that you just said that. >> I realized it as I said it. Yes. If it's an I. >> I like Sorry. What? >> Either way, I or yes works. >> Yep. You got it. Sir, Yeah. >> All right. We are returning from recess and we will start off with somebody. >> You just turn it over. >> Oh, okay. We'll start off with public comment on the agenda online. There are posted notices about public comment. Some of the names I apologize I don't recognize. So, I don't know if you've seen those regarding public comment. Did Did everyone have a chance to see those on the agenda online? What's allowed and not allowed during public comment? >> No. All right. Not a problem. Not a problem. Let me let me read those off
003then for you. >> Anybody can say that. Not a problem. All right. For public comment, anyone wishing to speak at the board must be present. A threeminut time limit limit will be enforced. Public comment is only accepted during agenda items. Also, the board is not allowed to converse back and forth. So, we listen, but we can't we can't go back and forth on it. Speakers should address the board as a whole, not individual board members, and should always remain polite and respectful. Only the board president may respond to the comments or questions. Board president has the authority to ask another board member or administrator to respond for clarity. Board members will not respond to the public comments unless designated by the board president. Board president has the authority to cease any conversation at any time
004for any reason. Public comments will be taken under advisement. If public comments are in regard to an agenda item, when the board discusses that particular item during the meeting, the board may consider the comments and questions raised by the public. And only the board will discuss and or take action. There will be no citizen communications during the time of the agenda topics. And finally, speakers are not immune from legal consequences related to content of their speech. And these are more formalities for the people who come regularly. They're aware of it. So, we don't always read it off. But when I see names that I haven't seen before, I just like to share that we've had times in the past where we've had guests come with the full intent of having a conversation. And we feel
005bad that we can't have every time. >> The worst time ever, there was a boy scout here who wanted to talk and it broke my heart to tell him he couldn't talk to us. Uh, so I wanted to make sure that those things are out there in front. Okay, first we have and again if I say your name wrong, please forgive me. Justin S. Okay, Chris, you had it. >> Hi. So once again, I'm here um about the buses. Um, still haven't received a call back from the board member that I contacted regarding this for my concerns. Um I saw I got the email from Chris about where this money or about the bus month numbers. Um I so I understand where the money the number came from. Um I just think the the number
006and how it's being applied um or how they came that number towards the pay for pay to ride program is kind of absur absurd. Um because you stated it's recovery costs um per state law. I mean being a dead horse about this. The I understand it. The district is required to provide busing for certain kids. Um so that number is already established by the bus company. They don't care if it's five people or 50 kids on a bus. That number is the number. They don't if if additional kids decide to come on the bus, bus company does not increase their costs. Um, so with that money that's already budgeted, it's already built into my tax dollars. So I know that I'm already paying my taxes to pay for having this bus service. And now that
007I have because of our unique district with different schools, my one child can ride the bus for free and I pay for taxes, but my my younger child cannot. I have to pay 800 and they both go to her school. That same bus goes from one school to the other school, but because she is younger, she has I have to pay $850 for her to ride the bus. Got stopped in front of my house, but she's not allowed to get on it unless we pay this absurd amount of money. So, if the district's trying to profit off of the money and recoup costs for this, I I kind of understand it, but by charging this astronomical number, I think you're you're not going to be successful with this because you're pushing people away from this.
008you're you're rather than getting a lot of people charging a small number from the people that I've spoken to, there's a lot of people now that are are choosing to find other ways. So, you're losing money by not making it affordable for normal families. Um, again, this is something we're already our taxes are already paying for it. Now, we're paying for it again. Um, it just feels like you're trying to exploit families that yes, they can probably afford it, but scheduling conflicts that they need it. Maybe one of those it's just a scheduling thing for me. Um, and again, I think trying to push people away from using this program, you know, again, I have a bus that parks in front or stops in front of my house. it's half full and you're not going
009to take advantage of that unless you pay money and try and gain money from this. You look at other districts around the area, they don't charge for it. So, if there's room in the bus, they fill the seat. Um, I know I'm a kind of unique situation where my bus stop goes to different schools and one kid gets it and one kid doesn't, but there's a lot of other people here that also get would like to take advantage of this. And with all the publicity and stuff of this happening, I just don't understand how it hasn't been um looked into heavier before he came up with this crazy number. Um obviously everybody in the district knows what kids can and cannot ride the bus. I never got an email or a survey or something to
010to try to figure out who would be willing to do this program or not, who this is affects. It was just a blanket number that they came out with. I mean, and I hate to kind of say it like this, but it almost seems like just like a personal vendetta towards a certain board member. Um, and that's just kind of sad to me. So, that's all I have. >> Okay. Thank you. We have next Lisa Richter. >> That's me. >> I said it right. So, I also came because of the busing because I watched the uh meeting after I found out about this huge cost that you were going to be putting on families. Um, and I didn't really feel like the community perspective was represented in that meeting. It was very very corporate seeming.
011It was very corporate response like it was like some sort of corporate board, but this is actually an elected community board and I felt like no one was weighing the interests of our community members. It also seemed like a lot of the history you had on the program of the busing was uh illinformed. My mom and I um my mom's lived in Hardland for 43 years and I grew up going to these schools. Um and the reason they originally started busing kids even though the state statute doesn't require it is because you used to be able to just walk to your neighborhood school. Things were restructured around 2005 I think. I agree. And um they had all the littles at north, then the middle at south, and then um obviously the middle schools built. Um
012and because they had taken away our neighborhood schools, they instituted a program of busing to kind of people were angry at the time and they were a you could take the bus, you could still be safely bus to school. And that's why they created this program. That's why we're not we go outside of the state statutes. I feel like none of that was brought up at the meeting. um which frustrated me to see that we weren't weighing this um with the history of the community. So I thought maybe the board might be new to the community and didn't have this information or um wasn't able to research that. Um but it was kind of a way to like mitigate people wishing they could still send their kids to their neighborhood schools. I also just think
013as a parent this is a huge cost to put onto families, especially if you have more than one kid with no cat. you're looking at a huge cost. Um, it is kind of, as he said, a little frustrating that at our bus stop, we're right on that 2-m border. The bus stops there anyway. My kids can get on the bus, but then all my neighbors are paying this huge fee. When the bus is um we're getting the bus, we're getting the driver, we're getting the gas anyway, we're going to the school anyway. I don't see why as a community we can't just get these kids on the bus and taken to school. It's a pretty it's a pretty simple thing. I think it's pretty classic part of um American education is getting the kids to
014school safely. Um I think it's complicated by the fact that we have a lot of like working families in my neighborhood where it's that morning time is kind of a rush. So like getting in the car lines is crazy. Um and I think as a community we want to provide that. Again, maybe from like a corporate standpoint, we don't care about that. We just care about what state statutes say. But I think from a community standpoint, we can do much better than that. And that we can get our 5-year-olds to school safely and not try to like claim that they could walk 1.8 miles because some state statute says that they can walk across railroad tracks and it's legal. But that is like Heartlanders, we we can do better and we want to do better.
015So I wanted to represent that point of view, the community point of view, and come before you today and ask you to reconsider this issue. Thank you. >> Now we have Peggy Kellenburgger. >> Yep. That is me. Oh, obviously my daughter included me in in some of what we said here. Um, my concern is how there are town houses across the street from Hartland South where theoretically you could have a 5-year-old standing on her front porch looking at the door to go in at H Heartland South, but she's not allowed to go to that school. She has to walk one one and a half miles, five years old to H Heartland North because of the the situation we have where we send all the little ones to Heartland North and then the others to H
016Heartland to South and the middle school. This is absurd. I can just see that kid on the porch. I thinking why why would a community do this? We look foolish. I mean, we're getting bad coverage for Arrowhead now. were getting, you know, newspaper articles about this stuff. I I'm concerned about even as far out as property values. There was a time when people in real estate ads would say Arrowhead schools, Harland Lakeside schools. I believe this school was a blue ribbon school. I don't know that people are moving here anymore when they hear things like this. I mean, we seem like crazy people. Truly, the front kid on the front porch is going to take a hike. You know, no responsible parent is going to do that. So you're you're voicing the cost onto the
017families or of what I think was a bad decision back in 2008. And rather than than just adjust it with with charging parents and families for this, I think we need to rethink the whole setup where we've got kids, you know, attending schools far away from their house rather than the one that they live across the street from. I'm I'm slightly embarrassed. I've had people from other communities ask me about this, tease me about it. I guess I should say and honestly I think maybe we should be a little embarrassed because this is just ridiculous. Thank you. I would also appreciate more consideration about this and maybe even more public meetings and some more public input put rather than just deciding and sending out a letter. >> Thank you. Uh, last Ben Sek. >> I'm
018just going to stand in sit on my back to everybody. Um, hi, my name is Ben Sek. I spoke for the board before. Good to see everybody. Um, I'm speaking today in reaction to some of the budget items. I don't think I'm the best person to talk directly about the buses. My kids are both at Arrowhead now. Um, but they they went here. Um, I moved out here from Milwaukee and because of some of the great reputations for the Harland school and everything. Um, so I think that the board has a chance to reset some of the priorities and some of the budget items. Um, including obviously reconsidering some things that the community is saying very disappointed that it's a done deal and they're hoping it can be reconsidered somehow. Um, I like many many
019people in H Heartland was barged with mailers and political advertising about schoolboard elections before the recent April elections. Um, I don't I don't understand how the same groups that control our state legislature and share beliefs with some of the board members keep choking off money and funds for the schools. I don't think the buses are the real thing. If it wasn't the buses, it would be money for enough art supplies or money for robotics. We want to do so many great things for our kids, and there's never enough money. I think we need more money, and more money will allow for the buses to be more flexible and thoughtful and have maybe a family cap, which seems very reasonable to me. Um, and so I think that's the big idea, the budget priorities and getting
020more money for our schools. Um, we all just paid our taxes on April 15th or earlier. Um, and that's our money and it goes to our schools in H Heartland and I want our schools to be the best. I know we're still a blue ribbon school. I think we're third if I remember the numbers like third in the state. I remember all the numbers where we're at 97 98 percentile. So, we get docked for not having more improvement because we're already the best because of our amazing staff members and our really um focused administrators. And so, Hartland needs more money to keep doing the great things that we've done since 2008 to produce this great community. So, I am here to ask the board to push for that to advocate for more funding, fair funding,
021and equitable funding. I I don't know if this is the solution, but I know when I sit in these meetings, I always see really awesome presentations with interviews with our kids and the projects for our kids. So, I'm asking the board, please, to advocate and show these great things, the poetry projects, the STEM awards, the student work, show them to our representatives and just put it in their face in a good way of all the amazing things H Heartland's doing and that we need, they need to be fair. need to be fair and they need to give us the money. That is our money that should go to our school. Um I don't want to see negative progress here at H Heartland. I've seen negative progress happening at Arrowhead and I don't want that to
022trickle down. Um Arrowhead is losing because of financial pinches losing senior veteran valued teachers who have long-standing ties to H Heartland who know the rhythm and workings of our H Heartland community. And I don't want the same thing to happen here. I think the number one priority should be to protect staff and protect the great things the school's done. Um I will follow up with these short comments with an email to each board member because I understand the back and forth isn't allowed but that way there can be um I'm sure some of the numbers and the evidence that we'll hear in the financial presentations today explain why it's happening but we don't want it to happen and we're asking the board to push so it doesn't have to happen. Please um again I know
023there's also discussions about consolidation. I have personally sat in some of those discussions because they're open to the public and I know why it might be necessary. Again, it's money, but there's enough money out there, it should go to the schools. I'm here to ask H Heartland to push for what's best for H Heartland and not follow some of the negative practices that have happened elsewhere. Do not adopt those practices, please. And do push for high quality education for all H Heartland families. Um, and one last thing, I know the public comments um are set up for efficiency and so that the meeting can be run appropriately, but I believe the board can change the comments. Like if we want more time for Boy Scouts or if you want to allow back and forth every
024other meeting if if there's room on the agenda, I think the board should be able to make that happen. Like the board makes the rules. So, I'll just put that out there for consideration. Thank you. >> Thank you all for your comments. Peter, before we move on, since several comments came in with uncertainty at how the calculation was created, would you please for the public's sake? >> Sure. >> Just provide the calculation where the number came. >> The 849 is simply the our transportation budget divided by ridership. So it simply looks at what the the the cost of providing buses and says we have x number of students riding those buses that is we pay $8.49 49 to move each student from their home to the school. >> And that's based on the previous year,
025right? Correct. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Last full year. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Can I ask one clarifying question on the writership thing or no? >> Not really. >> Okay. Next we go into presentation >> number eight. Is that when the administration was going to do their presentation? >> It just says presentation number eight. >> Uh no we are sending letter. It should just be agenda. >> Okay. I'm just looking. It says presentation number. That's fine. We'll just move on to committee reports. All right. We'll start off with PBC. >> John, you can close that door. It's okay. >> Okay. >> Should be pretty quick, but we sat down on policy. Uh we went to the personal report, which is in the consent agenda. Uh we talked about the organized student
026travel request that is also in later on in the agenda for tonight. Uh the Northshore Academy and career planning program is going to be talked about later tonight as well. Um then we actually have line items for two uh policies which is conflict of interest in board member behavior uh 144.3 and 144.5. Those are their own line item later in the document as well. So we'll be able to go through and talk through those. So, um, that was the basis of it. There's a couple exciting things that they're going to talk about a little bit later. And then the final thing was we did get a little bit of a a notebook on what's coming into the schools from u vendors regarding AI and Tina's going to make sure that every board member has one
027of those packets to go through as well. So, >> Chris and Morgan. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> Yeah. I was going to I'm going to talk about this also in the superintendent report, but um that's part of it. each of you. Nope, just each of you. The other two received their impeachment >> as the committee members. We'll talk about that here in >> Thank you, >> Is there anything from the committee with recommendations or that will be followed up in the >> Everything has a piece inside the agenda agenda later on. >> All right. Thank you. Next, we have the finance committee report. >> Thank you. So, we have finance uh on April 9th. Uh we did our normal go through spending and financial statements and there's nothing out of the ordinary there. Um
028kudos to Patrick and I guess it was Crystal and Eve went into this RFP for managing print services and we're actually going to go with a new vendor and getting what's the savings? >> 50,000 over five years. >> 50,000 in savings over five years. So that was uh good work from from them. Um and then we spent a lot of time talking about um budget and specifically now the numbers have changed but you know I know there's been a lot of talk about busing and the cost and part of the challenge we face as a district is uh 75 to 80% of our costs are with our people in terms of staff and and benefits and for our benefits costs our initial quote was a $400,000 increase from health insurance costs. That's on a $16
029million budget roughly for so it's a substantial increase. Um those are some of the challenges we face here. We spent a lot of time talking about it, some strategies to mitigate it, some things we can promote to maybe make uh help staff members make some decisions that might help with some savings and things of that nature. Um, fortunately after that meeting, I think Patrick and maybe others met with our broker and others and there's been discussions and that amount is coming down, but it is not coming down to a no increase. Not surprisingly, what we're kind of thinking nothing goes down, but um, so we spent a lot of time talking about what's this $400,000 increase going to do to us next year. Um, again, it's we're looking at something less than that, but that
030that got a lot of air time there. Um, I think that's it. I don't know if there's anything else or >> I guess you're going to talk a little bit in your presentation. I'll share more. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Next section is the consent agenda. We have monthly voucher and purchasing card report, the meeting minutes for March 23rd, the personnel report, and then donations. There are none this evening. If anyone has any items they'd like to be removed, please let me know. If not, I'd be looking for a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Motion to approve consent agenda as presented. >> Second. Any discussion? All right, hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> All those opposed. Great. Motion carries. Thank you very much. New business. First
031one is to do the official oath of Morgan. Congratulations. Thank you. >> So, at this point, I'll turn it over to our clerk. When do you want? Oh, you >> you get to pay. >> Oh, okay. I, Morgan Henning, having been elected or appointed to the office of school board of heartland, but have not yet entered upon the duties thereof, swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin, and will faithfully discharge the duties of said office to the best of my ability. Get signed, too. All right. Next 11B, discussion of the Northshore Academic and Career Planning Program. Turn that over to the administration. >> So, every year annually, we um have to submit the ACP. Um, and I've got my middle school principal, John
032Fox, here, as well as our curriculum coordinator, soon to be the director, director of curriculum, um, Sarah Blankenheim. What we noticed is this was missed. I mean, I, you know, I could have had it on my timeline. We've got all these new people. Um, but we, good thing is it's only been 4 days, so but we have to sign off on on this every year. Now, what we've always done is had this form and it's involved things that that we used to do. Um, but we had a great opportunity. John and Sarah went through the whole form and and we're able to update it based on strategic plan for a graduate and some of the new things that we're doing. Um, I don't know if either of you have some more information that you can
033share with the board in regard to that work and exactly what it means for the district. >> Um, yeah. Hello everybody. Uh so our uh academic and career uh planning is a state statute uh that all school districts in Wisconsin must follow to highlight the things in which they're doing to promote that statute in their schools and that has to be published on district website um the same way that we have to publish certain you know board policies things like that. So just because of statute um what our district has done regarding portrait of a graduate has exceeded the boundaries of the requirements of ACP so much it is it is not even comparable. So um what what we've done with the themes of portraiture of a graduate with um K8 really the themes at
034each school the classes in which we've um started here for students to have everything regarding uh where they've been what they're doing now and what they're planning to do. That's basically ACP in a nutshell. It's looking at um what is the school district doing to prepare each child for what their next is. whether that's military service, whether that's in the workforce, whether that's some sort of uh post high school education certification programs. Um that's what ACP is all about. And um we we do a very very thorough job of that for the eighth graders, sending them off to what's next. Um, so the purpose of uh what what we did, what Sarah put together for uh the website and then submitted to our CISA uh representatives in our region was uh basically just checking that
035box saying here's here's the litany of things that we were doing in the Hartland Lakeside District. We now satisfy the requirements. So, and that just requires a board uh vote to solidify all that. And >> it was very easy to revise because of all of the stuff we've done with computer graduate. It was like So then a few things that we have goals for next year that we want to bring back um for example um more um our career career day >> y >> and um some eighth grade field trips where they go and explore um different different types of fields that um we've done in the past we want to bring back. >> All right. Is there a motion we need to >> just just need to approve it? Uh the challenge is on
036the website it says discussion. It does not say decision. >> That's my >> So I think we'll have to wait >> to do it. Uh the timing on this is due by when? >> I think I think we're going to be we're going to be just fine till the next board. She did say we were in compliance cuz I sent it to her and I said we'll be hopefully on the 20th. >> I'm sure she'll understand. >> Yeah. It'll be fine. We can do that. And she already talked to CISA so we're good. So we'll just we'll just make a decision on May 20th at our board meeting. >> Okay. Just put it under consent agenda or something. >> Yeah. At that point >> no problem. It probably just when it pulled from original consent
037for a conversation, they probably just missed the decision part of it. >> Okay. Next, we'll move on to the discussion decision on the overnight student travel request for the eighth grade trip to the Washington DC in 2627. >> This is also very exciting. We're bringing it back and John um has met with we met and um brought a compelling presentation to um me to say, "Hey, I really think this is something we should do." We brought it to PPC last week and that committee said, "Yeah, let's put it forward." And this was something that we also had in consent, but we pulled out, I think, today just to be able to give it a little bit of a highlight. So, John, go ahead and and share a little bit about what the plan is here.
038>> Yeah. Uh, so like I said, uh, to some of you at um, at PDC, when I came on uh, last summer, it was almost simultaneous when I was having one-on-one meetings with all of our staff members here. Uh there were two staff members who uh we kind of just started talking about it at the same time. They were social studies teachers. Uh they are social studies teachers here. And I've seen it uh in seen this trip in several schools that I've um either when I was an eighth grade student or when I was teaching uh at middle schools. And it's a very very successful trip. It aligns really well with eighth grade uh civics and government. Uh we're looking to design it as an optional trip for uh next year's eighth graders starting that
039will be in the springtime of next year, probably the month of May. We want to give people plenty of lead time because it's a pricey trip to fly to Washington DC. Uh so we want to give people a year's uh planning time for that. Um I've tasked those two adviserss to look into uh area uh scholarship opportunities and grant proposals. Um, HLEF is an excellent um, you know, partner that we can start having conversations with about something. Also, uh, Rotary and other local groups that we can put our heads together for to help offset some, uh, costs. And we've put together a really nice, uh, 4-day ,, uh, itinerary with a company, uh, that's called World Strides that this is basically all they do is educational travel. And, uh, it's it's an excellent trip. Uh,
040so we're really excited. some um kind of informal polling here at the middle school show that kids are they're raging about it already. So, we're really excited. So, um next year planning spring trip for the current seventh graders when they're eighth grade. Uh and then the sixth graders would go in the fall and then it would be a recurring fall trip. It just lines up a little bit better with curriculum to go in the fall than the springtime. Um >> they go with their eighth graders. >> They go in their eighth graders. That would be >> not going to have it ready for you in October. Thank you, Mr. No. >> So, um I wonder if there are any questions or any any um discussion points about that. >> Is there a max amount of
041kids or would you kind of figure out how to >> It would be there's no max. Um there's no max and there there are savings involved for chaperones. For every, for example, every 10 kids that go, we get a little savings for chaperones to go. Um things like that. I'm thinking um it's going to end up being, you know, 75% of the class is going to end up wanting to um take advantage of that. I really do. I think the first year might be a little light. I think as it becomes just kind of a standard operating procedure around here, um it'll it'll start to be a pretty popular trip, I think. >> And how do we sign up to be a chef? >> Um it will be a couple years in advance. Very cool.
042Um yeah, there'll be more more info coming out from those those adviserss as as we um as we find that happening. >> Great. Yeah. >> Uh I just had one question on that. If >> so, the district's not covering anything because it's an optional trip and you're going to fund raise, but >> what about those kids that may be on for your reduced? >> Yeah. >> Will there be any help for them? I think that would be just a good thing for us to look into and discuss to see where we are with um some of our uh we have our crusader funds, we have we have those scholarship opportunities to look at to look at that. We we certainly don't want with a year's planning time. We don't want cost to be a barrier
043if someone really wants to go and we want to try to help make it happen. >> Awesome. >> Yeah, it's what I figured. But I just wanted to >> Yeah, for sure. Get that out there. Yeah, definitely. All right. Thank you. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Okay. So, this is looking for a decision. So, if there are no further comments, I'd be looking for a motion to approve the student travel request for the Washington DC trip of 2627 school year. >> So, moved. >> Second. No, completely triple stamp double stamp. >> Any any additional conversation or discussion items on the motion to approve? >> If not, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> All those opposed. Motion carries. Thank you. >> Thank you guys. Thank you. >> Thanks for helping organize. >>
044I'm going to send an email to two staff members who are going to be really excited right now. So, thank you. Uh the eighth graders that are current still say that they need something. So I just want to make sure you don't hide them. >> They got a couple things. They got a couple things up there. >> I know. >> So the next item on the agenda is discussion of the policy 0144.5 board member behavior communications and code of conduct and policy number 144.3 conflict of interest. Christ earlier. So if I can just lead from the policy committee was brought up that it would be like discussed during the meeting and take a look at it. Uh we looked at it during committee and decided we would just bring it forth to see if there
045was any changes or things that needed to be looked into. Uh so we brought it before the board to take a look at it uh today. So at this point it would be if anyone has any comments on the policies as they're written. I have a question obviously on communication. Um, so I was looking back and I know that we approved this in March of 20 where did that 24 March 11th, 2024 you guys approved or the board approved. Um, but I noticed that we took out a huge section called board member use of electronic communication devices prohibited. And I am wondering if anyone on the board had any um rationale as to why that was taken out back then. I watched the board meeting back then today and I didn't see any discussion. >>
046I think it was in committee maybe Tina if you remember right >> correctly. I wasn't part of that committee but I remember talking about it. Uh >> I saw you well I saw you on that >> but I think we didn't do it. I don't think the board has communication devices if that's the same way you're thinking of. >> So it's Yeah. So it's like not using it during the meeting and >> right >> unless I'm misunderstanding. >> No I'm a different one. Sorry. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So this um >> equipment that we don't have, >> right? Right. So it would make sense. Um so this is just says an individual board member's use of electronic communication devices such as cell phones or smartphones during a board meeting both during open session and during
047close session may lead to the public's and or board members perception that a board member is not paying attention etc etc etc. I would love to propose that this gets pushed back to PPC and you guys look at that if possible and see why if maybe we can add that back in. >> Sure. We can send it back and take a look and see what's there. >> Morgan, can you tell me again what that date is? And >> 31124 was the meeting that I watched. I yeah and it Amy brought up Amy Harker brought up other ones during that meeting but I didn't hear anything any discussion about this and I know it would have come from a committee but >> I didn't see anything. So >> would Diola have any history of whether or
048not that was an either or choice? >> Yeah, it was an either or choice. >> Yeah, it was. >> Yeah. So the initial response was we didn't have it on there because we weren't going to be sitting with it which is why a choice was there but >> yes so we can go back we'll just bring it back in May to the PPC meeting. I'll do some research on it and figure out where and why and you guys can decide what you want to do with it. >> Fair enough. >> Sounds good. >> Anything else on either policy? Um, so I went through the com. Oh, nope. Still on the communication the board 144.5. Um, it says number T that we should disclose any actual perceived conflict of interest. Where is this done? And do
049we like keep that somewhere? cuz I know I've talked about or it's been brought up about HLF and all that, but do we should I be documenting that somewhere? >> Is this 144.5? >> Yep. Number T. >> Letter T. Sorry. T can be a number. You just have to figure it out in a formula. probably something for policy to research and find out from Yola if there's any best practices of something being done with other districts. >> Um that'd be great. And then um going to P no, I was going to say number again, letter P. Um refrain from using their board positions for personal partisan gain. Would this include participating in seminars or panels or things of that nature? Or what do we really define that as? Do we know any specifications on that?
050No, I think it's I think keywords gain. So you I think you can be >> I mean subjective of the person. >> That's I think part of that rule. It's slightly subjective on what that would be. >> And along that line, do we as board members need to disclose that to the board or the district if we are participating in those types of things? >> I don't think well if you're refraining from disclosing it. So, >> I'm sorry. What? >> If you're refraining from it, >> correct? But if you Well, maybe you don't think you're getting a gain from it, but you're participating in it and gifted things or paid for it. Do you have to disclose that or can we come up with a policy that maybe we state that that should be? So,
051I believe there's an enforcement and I believe there is a recording action for it. >> Okay. Um, >> I think the enforcement >> law enforcement >> was more just like if you did it wrong, but maybe it's in the spirit of the transparency of I'm using my board position to speak at things. Does the district need to know about that? >> Can I mean is that something we as a board want to look at and make a policy on? I mean, from my perspective, I mean, the only if anybody's speaking on a board or a panel outside the board, they should be speaking from their personal. It's just like if you post something on Facebook or whatever, should be your own personal opinion, not the it should be a representative of the board out there
052in another forum speaking on behalf of the Hartland School Board. Correct. >> I mean, I I assume I know that that's assumed, but um would that mean then not using the name like saying that you're even on the board or how does how would that then work in execution? I think you're you're an independent voice at that point in time. You're no longer a acting board member. You're now a voice of information. You're acting on your own terms, not as the voice of the board. Sir, >> may I know I I was quoted in the journal Sentinel case twice and I told the reporter when he called me that I'm speaking on behalf myself, not the board, but I've been quoted as Matt Schwab, a member of the Hartland Lakeside School Board. >> Yeah. Um,
053I guess I'm more concerned of, you know, we're going out and going to uh I don't even I don't even know a good example, but like a a seminar where it says Morgan Henning Hartland Lakeside School Board, but it wasn't approved by any of us. But obviously I know I'm speaking of my own personal, but that sign says I'm from Harlem Lakeside. Do we then say, you know, what what are the rules on that? >> I don't think there's a complicated interest as long as you're acting up. Yeah. Your yourself, >> right? I mean, you know, you are, but how does the public know that? >> Should we put ourselves in a situation where we have no, you know, Carlin Lakeside go? >> No, I don't think you Well, actually, no. If it's your own
054personal choice because you are your own person. >> I guess I'm showing my opinion, too. I don't think we should. I don't think so either, but I just want to make sure that things are brought up and in the open for if and when things were to >> Has this ever happened here? >> I have. I don't know. I have not. But >> caught doing it. >> Well, I don't know if it's caught doing it or >> I mean, we got refrain from it. Right. So, >> right. But how would if someone was participating in those what would >> I think at that point you then are violating the guidelines and you take the next steps whether it's dealing with authority whether it's a conversation that pops up inside of a board uh meeting regarding
055those things where you violation of those said laws or guidelines and then the board would have to discuss that piece of it or law enforcement would deal with anything that's higher above that. >> Okay. Anything else from that policy? All right. Anything from the other policy? 144.3. Okay. The only thing I I did want to say is if at any point in time we'll take it back and look at the other policy which is the uh behavior which is the one was just discussed. Um the couple topics that were brought up regarding where to disclose and was the first part of I did write that one down. >> Where to disclose the actual perceived conflict. >> Yep. That was one I just mentioned and there was one prior to that. Um that was the first
056one and then letter letter P was participating in seminars or panels >> which that one I think we discussed. So back with the other one. >> Um and then we have conflict interest. If at any point in time the board wants to do any more further actions or even looking into practice we could use a forum work session at that point in time to dive deeper into better best practices for the the policies that we'll go back and we'll be the one to bring it back. uh hopefully for the board to take a look at or what we found out of it in the next policy. >> So, I actually apologize. I want to kind of go back um for consistency and transparency. I know that I have an opinion from the district's legal council
057about my position with HLF that was brought up through emails and not the board. How do we ensure that that's consistently applied for all board members? I think we're policing ourselves and each other as well as the public as possible. >> Okay. So then with that in mind, Chris, do you have an opinion about from legal about your dual board roles? >> Yes, it's very common and there's no no conflict unless there was a personal or private game. >> Do you have that written approval or written opinion from our legal council like you did get for my HLAF position? >> Yes. >> Could you please share it with the board? with the board. >> Yes, >> I don't have it in front of me, but I can share it from >> I mean, I have
058asked multiple times about this. So, I just would like to I would love to just see that and I don't know why it hasn't been shared since it's been brought up, but that's maybe me not specifically asking for it. I apologize. >> Sure. >> I will refrain from other comments. Um, so yeah, I would love to see the consistency applied for both positions and anyone else going forward. >> I say it's should be consistently for everybody. >> Yeah, I meant to say going forward, everyone consistently. >> Once again, if you feel there's a violation, there's different things that have inside of there. >> Well, reporting portion of it, but below the send complaint or speak for certain reasons, those are all see down below in there as well. >> Cool. Thank you. I look forward
059to seeing that written opinion. >> Sure. Okay. Anything else on the policies? All right. Next, moving on to future enrollments. Thank you. So, this is this is my thing I came up with. So, this is not from Patrick or anything. So, some of the numbers on here are estimates, things of that nature. But, um this is something that's kind of been on my mind since I was elected to the board. is just, you know, long-term financial planning and we are coming up next month. I think we're going to have a workshop on the the capital plan. Is that right? Yeah. >> So, we've got somebody in there has done that. >> Um, I know Patrick and Amy before him, they have a program they use when they set the year's budget that they can go
060forward multiple years. So, this is not to suggest the school is like looking at this sort of stuff, but I hear over and over lots of comments about declining enrollment, declining enrollment, declining enrollment, and we get paid, we we raise tax funds on a perhead basis, right? So, we lose 10 kids. There's a c there's a set amount of money that we lose. And so, I've always kind of I I'd like us to be more pro I'm not looking for any decision tonight. And I wanted to kind of share some of this information so we have it in our discussions going forward as we look at our capital plan as we look at our excuse me our budget for next year as we get pressures from busing and health insurance and all these different things.
061So this is some stuff I've pulled together. So what what this first slide is basically is on the department of education Wisconsin department of education. you can go back all the way to 2005 and for any school in the state you can get enrollment. So that's where these numbers are from. Um I've colorcoded them there based upon grades because I don't know that the build somebody spoke to this earlier. I don't know the buildings have always been the same in terms of what or what but you can see we peaked as a district of enrollment in 2008 2009 of about 1,437 students. Our last year count was 1,091 students, right? That's a drop of almost 350 students. Okay, that's a lot of kids, right? So, you can see I've added kind of that linear trend.
062It's a downward trend. You can see it from the bars. If you jump to the next slide, that 350 drop, if you look at the bottom, what I what I basically, let me just tell you what what I've done here is basically that 26 27 column on the upper left is what we all use to approve kind of open seat enrollments. Okay, so that's our estimated student count for each grade next year. Okay, if you look at our eighth grade class, 133 kids in that class. If you look at our K4 and K5 and first and second, those classes are all below 100 people, right? We're getting like 12,000 bucks ahead for every kid. Every 10 kids is roughly $120,000 of less funds. Next year we are going we're going to lose that eighth grade
063class with 133 kids and we are going to replace it with a kindergarten class which have been averaging 85. That's a 50k drop times $12,000 a kid. It's worth $700,000 in drop in funding. Okay, that 350 peak just to give you a sense of what that volume of kids is. that 350 peak from 2008 to 2009 to last year. What I've done at the bottom there is kind of grouped by grades. You can see 350 we've basically lost if you look at any building today. All those kids just disappeared and are no longer in take away any of the buildings and that's gone. That's what we've lost, right? And we are at what's over on the far side that group the highest highest building count we've ever had. So at that it's a little bit
064higher than our peak because classes shift around, but we've there's been times we've had close to 500 kids in these buildings, right? And we're looking at 300 300 kids per building, 330, 350 in the next couple of years. And at these trends, what I've done is I've kind just kept rolling it forward, right? And I and I keep adding it with like 85 at the back because we don't I don't know how many kindergarters there's going to be in two years. None of us know that, right? But we know just from the state that there are less people having babies and living here and moving to this area, right? And so what I've attempted to do is next year it's not it's a little bit more than 12,000 ahead. But 12,000 ahead times the 10
0651040 gets you to 12 thou 12,400 12.5 million bucks. You can see every year we drop kids. Even if we get that per head revenue, I've increased it by 325. That's that's the 400year improvement, which all of our congressmen are saying is ridiculous and is terrible and needs to be repealed. That's a 2.7% increase in our in our in from 12,000. 325 is 2.7 of that. that that percentage obviously 325 the number gets bigger is 325 it becomes a smaller and smaller percentage the $400,000 increase I just talked about on healthcare is a 2.5% increase on our $16 million budget okay so if we just took that health insurance we didn't go bid it out and say yeah sign up we'll get that 400,000 that's a 2.5% increase that haven't given any teachers any raises.
066School supplies probably getting more expensive. Printing is getting more expensive. Insurance elsewhere is getting expensive. Capital improvements are getting more expensive. Even with that 325 and this declining headcount, we're going to be below 12 million bucks in 5 years from from this amount. So, we are in a real need. And that drop in 2030 2031 is 535 kids. That's bottom right. 535 kids less than what we had at our peak in 2008 2009. Okay. So, I think we need to be seriously considering planning for this and what does this mean for us as a district. Arrowhead waited and prayed for referendums and they did not pass. Now they're take making very unpopular teacher cuts. Lake Country prayed for referendums. They didn't pass. They had to threaten to close their school to get a referendum to
067pass that probably just bought them two or three more years, right? We are in very strong financial shape. We make good decisions, but it's an inev it's inevitable there is a financial crush coming. Okay? And we have three buildings we are operating that are just getting smaller and smaller in terms of capacity. So, I think we need to be thinking strategically as we look at our capital plan to where we're prioritizing our dollars. I think we need to be thinking uh about these things when we're setting our budget, when we're doing programming. And I just want people to be aware to have a dollar amount, not just this, hey, declining enrollment a thing. It's a problem, right? Like try to put some level of dollar on it because you can see going from 122.5 million
068to $12 million. That's a half million dollars in aggregate loss over 5 years and stuff's going to be a lot more expensive 5 years from now. We got three years of teacher raises and and health insurance. So, I don't want to raise like the panic flag, but I also don't want I we're going to be we're going to do fine. We're going to pass a budget this year. It's going to balance. We're going to find ways to do what we need to do. But every year that gets harder for us. And if we don't start looking ahead and start thinking about creative ways to addressing some of this stuff, I think whoever's on the board in three years, be it me or anybody in this room is going to be stuck with the decisions we
069make in these couple years and deal with those consequences. So I want I like I said, there's no decision to be made. I'm not suggesting we propose to do something drastic here, but I want everybody to have this in the back of their mind as we start to look at this stuff going forward. >> Questions? >> That's crazy to see it >> 12 >> laid out like that. Um, do we do we see do we see any increase from our six our fifth graders coming to sixth grade like a a bump in counts because people are want to come to the middle school. I mean I think every year we're looking at it. I I I look at these I really appreciate the opportunity to have this conversation because I think it's that declining enrollment
070conversation. We talk about health insurance. I think that before we have a lot of people that are sitting, you know, at home maybe armchair quarterback in this thing, I just want to make sure that it's really clear and and that we understand that, yep, while we have this declining enrollment, it's not in one grade level. So, it's not like from a from a a teacher perspective, we can just be like, well, we're overstaffed. We're not overstaffed. We can't we can't have a you know classrooms in at you know in first grade of 25 26 kids and lose one or two kids out of each grade level and say okay we can cut staffing. We that's not how that works right. I think also when you start to talk about health insurance I think back in
071the day man when I first started my deductible was $0 my premium was $0. Like it's nowadays I'm just here to tell you all that is not the case. our our teachers are paying 20% premiums. Their deductibles are four and five and $6,000. Their max out of pocket is 10 grand. I mean, it's it's not the way it used to be, right? And so, I I think we've done a lot of the work to try to find different areas to to pull money back from. I I you know, I look at this and I'm like, oh, 20 256 isn't on there. We all know that we've got about 1,110 kids this year. So, we've really worked hard to close that gap. We also are looking at different ways to work on open enrollment. Had a
072great conversation with Heather today who's doing a huge push and campaign for 4K and programming. Um, but this is very real. This is very real. It suggests conversations that allude to the possibility of combining some of our own district schools right within just Hartland Lakeside. it suggests combining with other area schools and maybe having some of those conversations that that the um community kind of um rumbles about. Um I I I don't I don't know what next steps are. It is good for us to be mindful and stay aware and and very cognizant of of of this. And certainly um I think um well I just wanted to make sure that like you know before we start going oh what about this and what about that and we could do that and trust me that
073every single rock is being overturned and every you know compartment is analyzed and looked at both by Patrick and myself. I've never had a business finance person tell me line by line they're going through all thousand some other lines trying to make sure that the funds are there and that we're finding things and and just like any position in any district you're always looking for funds but I don't I I don't know that there's a bump but I definitely think that our middle school is gaining some traction. >> Yeah. I mean we've we've closed the gap on the open enrollment the last couple years. We were a net exporter and now we're flat basically. And that's made about a $400,000 difference over the last two to three years thanks to the efforts of the administration,
074teachers, everything making this a desirable place to be. But this concept, right, I told you it's 12,000 bucks ahead, right? You lose 25 kids, that's $300,000. 25 kids is a class, right? >> Do any teachers here make $300,000 that we just cut a teacher and we save the Right. No. So, >> and you don't lose them from one class. So, >> no. And that's the whole point here, right? Look at next year, right? We're we're basically losing at the middle school level. We're losing 19 kids or is it 21 kids? 21 kids, right? 112 to 131. >> Oh, from that top. >> Right. Right. Because you're basically going to move up. The fifth graders are going to go 118. So you don't lose I think we've already didn't we make an adjustment in the kindergarten
075or K4 recently to like a teacher left and we didn't renew one of the >> Yeah, that was three years ago. >> I mean we've kind of this stuff happens and it will naturally happen but it's not just like oh well we can't just cut 20 teachers next year and make this thing up. And and if you look at the statistics, 92% of the districts in Wisconsin are experiencing some level of declining enrollment. Basically, if you look at a district, if there's not a building boom going on within that district, their enrollment is declining. Uh you know, you can you can see it some faster than others. Some populations are aging and and young families are not moving in would even expedites the loss of students. Um, one other note I would make and just
076so that people are aware when we say total revenue, um, Wisconsin is uses what's called a revenue limit system to fund our schools. That's what's available to us before we before we would have to go to referendum. Um, that doesn't mean the state is giving us $12 million. That $12 million, that 12.5 is broken up between state aid, local aid, and federal aid. So, but in a community like this where I'll just say it, um, compared to other districts is fairly property rich, we get less and less state aid every year because the state uses a formula that says, "Hey, you've got plenty of local property wealth. You should be able to fund your schools largely through local property taxes." as you continue to move that that ball down the road that the the onus
077shifts more and more to the local and less and less from the state under the current model. >> Yeah. And the the count isn't exactly what I said. I mean, it's a rolling three-year count. >> Yeah. It gives you the directionally and it's >> we're at a little over 12,000. >> Yeah. So, it's slowed down the trajectory a little bit because they use a three-year rolling average. So, they look back three years and that's kind of where their comes from. Every year you roll off a higher and you put on >> put on a lawyer. >> So it's >> Well, yeah. We're also losing more kids to choice and vouchers and those are things that we aren't seeing >> which get funded at a greater level. >> Correct. >> so anyway, look, I don't you
078don't need to make any decisions here, but I think you know there's been talk of consolidation at Arrowhead and then those feeder school meetings. We've got decisions whether or not that gets traction. You know, there's decisions we need to make here to make sure we're solid. >> Matt, I think you did a great job. Thank you. Appreciate that. >> And I I agree. I think it's just a good context to have in mind when you make the budget decisions that you make that these are the realities we face. >> Yeah. We got to plan five years, not one year. >> Correct. So it it is it is helpful. It is helpful. Okay. Any other comments? All right. We'll move on to the superintendent report. Yes. So with that in mind, I want to highlight what
079Matt just said. That doesn't mean that we just stop and we just sit and we just wait for things to happen. We stay moving forward. We stay doing what's best for kids and we stay building programs to draw population to our district to put us above and beyond what all other districts in this area are doing. And the team that's about to stand before you right now um has done just that. They've worked really hard to um have conversations to build a plan to assess what our students really need. Um this isn't just oh you know I think this would be neat for us to do. um they went through a lot of planning um at the district level. Then they as a team came together and said,"Well, what are you doing and what are
080you doing and how can we all combine and connect our our greater um cause in this?" and um and taking in mind that strategic plan that this board developed with the community and everybody a year ago with the portrait of a graduate, you're going to hear about how those pieces, those themes, those concepts came together and then this crew came together and um worked with their leadership teams and what you're going to see is a really robust program that takes us far beyond your math and literacy and test taking. it it takes you into application and it's truly the evolution of learning. And so team, I've got Dave Ris, I've got John Fox, I've got Heather Whan and um Sarah Blankenham here tonight to express to you and share with you all the great ideas
081and and um improvements for Heartland Lakeside School District. Take it away. >> Okay. Thank you. I think um it's it's really exciting to talk about something that is highly engaging for kids. So hopefully um a lot of your children when they have an experience in science, when they have an experience in outdoor ed come. They may not tell you about every writing lesson, no offense to our literacy program, right? Or um how they solve their math problem every day. But the reason I bring this up is because we have been I've been thinking about uh enhancing our science program for a couple years. Um and and what would that look like? And so I've had a great opportunity to team um with the rest of the administrators and talk about it. So, our goal today
082is to tell you guys a little bit about our our current model and then give you some ideas of the direction we want to move with this because we have a robust literacy program. Probably, I would think, one of the best in the state. I mean, the way we adapt and absorb things is is truly impressive. Same thing's true with our math programming. I mean, it's it's outstanding. Um and the strategic plan which was assembled last year and then we integrated with portrait of graduate has has only complemented and strengthened our current curriculum programs. So to talk about science again think about hands-on the kids love being you know involved in those things. They love going down to the pond or into the woods um and doing projects um with their peers. So we're going
083to just spend like 15 minutes on that. We're going to we're going to walk through that with you and give you some ideas that we really want to pursue. Okay. >> Can I just add one of the other things that kind of um thinking about is we don't know what kind of jobs these kids are going to have and so we have to think what we can do now to help prepare them and that's also where this come. >> Yeah. Thanks Sarah. >> Yeah. Um obviously phase one this year we all came together and um uh integrated these fantastic six themes of portrait of a graduate and it was a really great way for all three buildings to be on the same page um and to use common language. And as we learned when we
084went through literacy changes and math lab math planning, common language is really critical for our teachers. Um they can they can they can adapt to that. they can share and collaborate with that and they can build on it. So all six of these themes have been really um impressive to watch our teachers adapt, watch our students learn from them and recognize we had to kind of give them the the baseline of you know what are these words and then what do they mean to themselves as a learner and then how does that affect the other people they're learning with. Um but again an excellent you know a very meaningful impact on our year and in some of our curriculum. Um so portrait of a graduate when we think about that we have that really rich
085foundation and for us we want to talk about application next right they understand those six themes they they kind of have a better concept of what that means to themselves and then we want to learn to apply some things so we talk about application in this phase right we really want to talk about science as it's translating STEM into what we're calling durable skills through purposeful innovation and integration into the core subjects. So we think about some some extensions of those six themes from portrait of a graduate problem solving, critical thinking, creative thinking, perseverance and inquiry. And if you go back over to this side, right, we have some things from the strategic plan and from your mission that connect to that, right? um when we talk about critical thinkers, lifelong learners, etc. So, we
086have core integration using them in some of our current areas. Um but we want to expand on that. And the big thing here is is application. How can those students use those skills? Because as Sarah said, hey, we do not know what they're going to be doing, but these skills will definitely transfer into some of those things. Okay. So, here's our goal, right? We want to be recognized in addition for the rich literacy and math programming that we have, we want to be recognized as a cohesive K8 pathway um in science grounded in our portion of graduate that fosters purposeful exploration for every student. So, I kind of introduced and talked about those real world applications, problem solving, critical thinking, creative thinking, perseverance, and inquiry. And we're going to talk about the science and STEM
087um uh and outdoor education programming we currently have. But we're going to tell you that our next step toward the end of this presentation is to move and build on some new signature programs. So, we're going to talk about enhancing robotics, right? building up our technology education programming which is also career technology education or CTE uh as a broader umbrella and then talk about our environmental programs or outdoor programs and uh some new ideas like hydroponics. So, we're each each one of us is going to talk a little bit about the current uh science and technology and STEM programming we have. >> So, I have some notes because I know I have so many things I was thinking about because we talked about this today and I don't want to forget anything, but Dave really
088talked a lot about the purposeful exploration for every student. And at North, we're starting with that with our four-year-olds. And we have some great spaces to do it. in one of our spaces is the Dreams Lab. And that's a place where students can really take the skills they're working on um in the classroom and transfer them to hands-on experiences. And we have so many um really great opportunities between the Dreams Lab and our new library that where the kids can get these um experiences. And there's the things that go into that are there questioning, there's creativity, there's problem solving, there's designing, there's collaboration. It all goes into the things they're doing in those spaces. And just to mention a few favorites um when they're in the Dreams Lab or the library because they kind of
089go back and forth. But a couple of the favorites are if you've ever we have rigma jigs if you've ever heard of them, but they're these wooded pieces and the kids can just like dream about what they want to build with them and then they put them together and there's gears and there's these pieces and they build robots and the robots are like life-sized robots bigger than them and they build houses and things like that um that they're they're just creating and they're working together to get those things to happen. Um, we have the Osmos, which are iPads, but the great thing about this, even though it's a technology piece, is that they're interactive. So, there's another piece that goes with the iPads, and it's interactive, and it really is an extension of math is
090what they're doing um when they're using those. We have Bbots and then other robots um in the Dreams Lab. And the students can either use an iPad sometimes to do the coding on it and then they'll put like um an obstacle course and they'll run them through the obstacle course. Sometimes we have these other little things that we get cardboard out or a big whiteboard and they draw a path and then they're programming these little guys to run on this path. Um and they it's amazing to me to watch what they can do when they're in these spaces. Um, so they have they have those. We have magnetiles that are like light size. Those things are so magnetic that you have to be careful you don't get your fingers stuck in them. But you can
091build things and the kids can be inside of them. And if you know anything about little kids, which I'm sure you all do, if they can build something and go inside of it, it's makes them so happy. Um, so we have that. We've we have added a couple more things that have to do with building and creating and we continue to look for opportunities of things that we can buy whether we're writing a grant to get them um or I'm finding buying something and I'm just we're buying this we have to get it and so we order it to put it in the dreams lab or the or the um the library. So the greatest thing about those spaces is that when I walk in there, I am listening to the conversations that are happening
092and the things you hear. The kids are problem solving. They're working together. And so it's it's really a nice example of the skills that they're learning outside of those spaces being turned into some real life experiences. And that's really fun to watch. Um, in addition to that, each of our classrooms has the Project Lead the Way um, kits, and they use those for teaching science. And just to have an idea of what some of the things they get from the kids, the lessons, one of them in kindergarten, it's one of their favorites, and honestly, it's one of my favorites, too, is the three little pigs. So they go into groups and they have to build a house out of either sticks, straw or bricks. And the best part is they take some time, a couple
093days, and they build it and they make sure it's really solid. And then we get out the leaf blower and you put the wolf on the end because why wouldn't you put the wolf on the end of the leaf blower? And he blows on all the houses and you see how strong they are and some of them fall down and some of them don't. But what a great opportunity to have a really rich discussion about what works, what went well, what could you have done better, what are the materials that worked really well, what materials didn't work well. Um, so you can be guaranteed that I'm there when um because it's just a fun one. Then on top of that, we also have our rich outdoor um education program and Mrs. Marshall does a fantastic
094job of creating the love of the outdoors with our kids. The great thing about that is sometimes she's even creating the love of outdoors with kids who didn't even know they loved it. Um so we get out into the woods and couple things that happen up there. As soon as the weather turns warm, we're tapping trees and we're getting all the sap um out of the trees. All of our trees have names so you can go out and you know which tree is which. And the we um we make some predictions every year like which tree is going to do have the most sap, which tree is not going to, and then we keep track um on a bulletin board of how much they produce. So there's a lot that goes into that. Once the
095sap is all um taken out of the trees, it's turned it's cooked down and made into syrup. And then the syrup is made into candy. And then the kids get to eat the candy or try it. 4K does it a little different. They make pancakes and they put the syrup on the pancakes. That's I prefer that. But um the syrup is really good. So a couple other things they do out there. They were they identify bugs, um different plants, there's birds, and they're like identifying all of these birds and then the calls that the birds make. And how we extend that in to our day is on the announcements. We play the bird calls and then we have the kids guess what they are over the announcements and they get super excited if they know
096what bird it was. Um, but it's kind of amazing that they actually learn what a bird sounds like and can identify it. We do animal tracks are big. And then another one is when it snows, if we get enough snow, they do quinsies which are kind of like an igloo and they leave them and then the kids can they're like little igloos and the kids can go and snuggle up in there. again they anything they can get into they love. So, I could go on and on, but the point of all of this is that um all of these things really create a nice balance and an engaging approach to the science, technology, educ engineering, and math program that we're talking about. And they foster that car curiosity, the problem solving, collaboration, and the love
097of learning. And that's what we want them to take with them when they leave us at Heartland North and they go to H Heartland South. And it gets them ready for what's to come. But I think um our job is just really creating that found foundational experience for them to get their hands in all of those things that they take with them. >> That was excellent. Um I won't share as many examples and honestly I don't know that I have as many. Part of it is the reason that we share Mrs. Marshall and she spends a lot more time with the younger students. So part of the reason we're here today is I want to do more of uh to enhance what Heather starts out in that foundation. Um do we go to the STEM
098lab? Absolutely. Do we do project lead the ways kids? Yes, we do. In fact, like our fifth graders will build and code a robot in the STEM lab. It's a lot of moving pieces. They work as a group. They modify their robot. There's sensors involved in it. Um, so they have to be able to set forth and and pick up or move an object or navigate around an object. Um, and it's a highlight of the year. We have been doing that for a long time. And I'm thinking that we want to keep doing that, but we want to do other things in addition to that because just 10 weeks in that room is not enough for my students. They would love to stay in there and build and do other things. Um, the fourth graders
099build a race car. The third graders used to have a letgo robotics kit. They also have project lead the way. Um but it's time for a refresh on some of those things as well. We have outdoor education because Mrs. Marshall comes over and works with our third graders. Um kind of an extension of what they've been doing. We have enhanced that this year by planning um an alloutdoor day with fifth grade and all outdoor day with fourth grade um a couple of times throughout the year. Um, and we've integrated the core content into that. They wrote outdoors. We had high school students come in and share with some of those activities. So, we've really made the most out of an outdoor experience. Again, wanted to do more. Um, Mr. Zul comes over and teaches and
100talks about a lot about plants. Uh, we we propagate and split things in the fall. We set them off until spring and then we replenish some of the landscaping in or in and around our school with the plants from the fall. We work with seeds. We do some of that natural um landscaping and growing um as a part of just an extension of the the the universal science. Um but again, the kids talk and thrive in those experiences. So just thinking ahead to the goal here is to to to look at what we're doing, what's what's the best of it and how can we do more. >> The middle school is a little bit more about the exploratory process where students can have some voice and choice in what classes they take. Um we have
101at the middle school we have our uh universal science curriculum that is a comprehensive you know sixth grade science, seventh grade science, eighth grade science that is a combination of physical life, earth and space science all those things. Some grades focus a little more than others. Um but you know it rounds out by the time they finish 8th grade for sure. And then our encore classes either are um they're based in project lead or they're path-based. So, some of our path-based classes um for options are health and sixth grade. Uh some of the highlights of of uh quarterly health classes, uh the students will take a cup and they will make a one-way membrane on it to simulate how the lungs work inside the body with air coming in and going out and they'll create
102a vacuum in there um as they go through the different uh systems of the body um in health. And then there's environmental education and outdoor education. Environmental education is a seventh grade class. Outdoor education is its uh secondary. Uh it's second step. I guess it's moving into its uh eighth grade version. And the kids spend time outside. They look at ecosystems. They look at biomes. They uh look at invasive species. And um they do uh projects outside. And they like being outside. I mean, who doesn't like being outside in all months of the year? um looking at our our um fantastic grounds that we have here to take advantage of that. So those are those are our path-based courses and along with our project leadway courses all of those encore classes are quarterly classes. So
103students can select you know select a few of them and they will be for 45 school days. So they'll have a class period for 45 school days. So um by the time students enter sixth seventh eighth grade they'll have a number of those classes. um and also based on if they would take a music class that might decrease the number of classes they could it's just that balancing act of scheduling um in there but project lead the way classes project lead the way is a platform and um where a science class is a little bit more inquiry and discovery based how does this work um how did this become a project lead the way is thinking okay we have this system how do we apply it how do we take a problem and then solve
104it. Um, so in the sixth grade design and modeling class, that's a project lead the way class. Those are all certification courses. We have certain staff members who do summer work and become certified as a project lead the way instructor. They have to take some course work. They have to do some projects themselves to demonstrate that they can adapt the project lead the way principles into what we do here um of design and engineering. But in the design and modeling class, the problem might be for all sixth graders that okay, you have a senior citizen that needs to open a jar and they're having trouble with that based on a um assistive device that they might need. Come up with a plan, design it, print it in the 3D printer, and then put it into
105practice and show us if it works. Team up with another group, put up a marketing strategy. That's like, you know, way way into the next. But those are the kind of problems they take. Here's what it is. Let's apply our principles to make this better. Same thing with aerospace engineering. In seventh grade, they might have something where they plan a mission to Mars. Um, and let's see, medical engineering, they look at um DNA. They do guess the ailments where people come in with symptoms and things like that. So, that's a little bit more medicine based. Science of technology. In 8th grade, they look at nanotechnology in there. And some of the favorites in there include they simulate an oil spill um from a tanker and then they go through the different processes that a company
106would use to clean up that environment to preserve the ecosystem and and keep that in a really healthy um really healthy way. So that's a little bit of of what we have. We have some ideas and goals for what we want to build out on that and what we can really um kind of capitalize with our with our students here and what we see as something that would be really beneficial >> and we've been recognized as a distinguished PLTW >> gateway school. So we also have that. Um >> yeah. >> So building on that foundation again it's you know it's kind of interesting because as everybody was talking I was thinking okay we have outdoors type connection and then we have this digital connection because robotics and coding and 3D printing right and so I
107want to make sure we have kids outdoors and doing the life science things and and planting and growing things. So, it's interesting that our all our ideas kind of came together to to offer both of those. Um, again, going to need your support on this. We want to continue to pursue it. And of course, down the road, support means we're going to have to look at, you know, what do we need to refresh? What do we need to build or or extend or buy? Um, so again looking at those realworld applications in inside some of these signature programs, um, everything we do is pretty thoroughly planned and we talk pretty consistently about expectations. So regardless of who's teaching this content, it's what does it look like in a Dreams Lab for a first grader or
108how does it look indoor outdoor for an 8-year-old? and and the same thing is true at the independents at the middle school. And then threading those skills in um into our content, providing support so that the teachers who are facilitating these things um have some really good professional development. Um upgrading and integrating our current model, u building out more technology education opportunities, more opportunities for kids to learn those skills and use some of that high-end uh tech. Um and then again adding and upgrading new or upgrading and adding new resources. So those two design areas were to build on a robotics pathway um to give kids more greater opportunities and new resources to learn and and develop some of those skills. Again, we know kids learn differently and we also know that by the time
109these students have this s this experience um we are the the the world that they're going to enter their careers in is going to look and feel differently. So having an opportunity to to learn more about coding, to learn more about 3D printing, and to learn more about CAD modeling and things like that might not be the skill they need 10 years from now, but it might give them a foundation. And when we think about those um those five other competencies about problem solving and creative thinking and and perseverance, that might complement them well. Um in addition to that, you know, Mr. Fox has has brought up some really exciting ideas related to life sciences and hydroponics. >> Yeah. Um so I've seen I've seen a couple examples or an example of this uh working
110in a school and it is absolutely excellent from the wellness perspective to community partnerships and to um our our science um our science approach right now is absolutely amazing. There's room to build that out a little bit more. Um if you have a garden or if you've ever had a garden or you enjoy um kind of the fruits of a garden, we can do that in a school classroom. Um, we can take and we can have one of those quarterly classes uh be there and there can be a classroom with uh standing hydroponic units that will grow uh cucumbers and tomatoes and peppers and lettuce and things that will supply all three of our school cafeterias with produce for each student to have a side salad every day. Um, we can we could grow hundreds
111of pounds um of lettuce and provide uh and provide all the salads we could ever want. We could have a partnership with uh local food pantry. We could have a standing weekly uh donation that we make. we could partner with our personal finance class in 8th grade and we could have a once a month uh farmers market at Northshore uh to tie into um that end of it. So to expand out that life science um the modern take on agriculture um is >> what >> Oh, you're sorry. I thought you were I thought you were putting something that you couldn't do all that next. >> We couldn't do all that. That's why we were in year one. John started talking about the next step. >> Those are great. We're excited. >> There's a shortage of
112some produce at pick and save today. I noticed >> all of those things. >> But John talked about those. So that's like year two and beyond. And we can only like we can give you guys some cool ideas about what that might look like, but we know we're going to have to put more planning and we're also going to bring in more input from our science teachers, our science leaders across the district as we kind of get in that direction. you know, for for today's purposes, we just wanted to share with you that we're excited about about recind of envisioning that science program and adding some some new pieces to it and coming back with the ideas that are related to that >> just grounding ourselves in those skills, the skills that we have been
113working on in the portrait of a graduate and then also those added skills that they talked about today. >> Yeah. So that's why we kind of was going to say, you know, going back to that being recognized for being a cohesive KA pathway grounded in a portrait of a graduate um skills that foster purposeful exploration for each student. We just believe that these pieces fit well together and they provide us with a direction that will allow us to enhance science, robotics, life science opportunities, hydroponics, outdoor ed for all our students. Um, so this is this is the this is the next phase that we're interested in pursuing. >> Yeah. Great. I thank you. Thank you so much for coming TODAY AND SHARING UM, SO YEAH, I mean, we talked a little bit about this um,
114previously. We've given you pieces of this. We're obviously not here to make a decision tonight, but I want you to, you know, just really understand the the level of work and excitement and and desire to move forward. Um, I think those Project Lead the Way courses are are fantastic, but they've been the same for years. And so, I think we're looking to grow and develop that. I think we're looking for opportunities for all students. When we talk about all students, our um robotics team is was in year three this year and they went to state. They they went they be, you know, won regionals, won sectionals and and went on to state. Says a lot about the growth that they're leading to >> fourth graders through eighth graders. >> Yes. Yes. of boys and girls
115and we all know, you know, giving giving girls just as much of an opportunity to excel in robotics and engineering and technology as as all other students and and providing providing that opportunity with with, you know, obviously support, but we've done so much work already. You can I mean, even our program right now that we have based on everything they shared, I was like, you guys, you're making it too good. Like I mean, other districts would be envious of what we have right now. it's old to us and and I think that's where we need a refresh and we're looking at um other concepts and I think going back to those durable skills and and trying to look at education in a different way rather than the way we've always done it and the way
116the rest of the world is doing it. We want to be the people that set it apart and really make it intentional. So great work you guys. Thank you so much for for bringing that vision forward. We really appreciate it for the board. There's more to come unless you have questions for the team. >> Thank you. first. Great job tonight. This is this is excellent. And I I hope the community that's listening gets to see and hear all of the things that are happening in our district. And Mr. Fox, I have a question for you who are newer to our staff. >> Yeah. >> Excluding the things that are future facing, >> excluding those, please. >> Yeah. Could you give a perspective on your experience at other districts and how the total integration of the
117programs that we're doing currently >> compare to some of the other experiences you've had at other districts? >> Um the the first thing that comes to mind comparatively is um project lead the way is something that is present in most school districts. We are taking advantage of that highly. And at the middle school, the way our schedule is designed, we are allowed to have a lot of electives for kids. Comparatively, our schedule is really nice and there's a few um requirements in our schedule based on traveling staff and when some staff members are at South versus here. that allows us to be able to have a rich elective opportunity for the students here and because of that we're able to frontload a lot of electives in giving students a lot of choice ultimately a richer
118opportunity. So, so that that is that is the difference. I would say that the the choice is greater here and I there's there's no there's no bad end of that. That is just that is just good um when it comes down to it. >> So, are these because I know that the three of you four of you have worked together on preparation for this. maybe speak to if you if you have the experience down at the literal smaller levels, how how does how does that total experience of the outdoor the building and that compare to maybe where you came from? >> I think I think it could be it could just be where we have an outdoor education class here. Outdoor education may be a unit. Mhm. >> Um, design and modeling is an entire
119quarterly class here. It might be a week-long unit in other places. >> If I may too, I also think that part of it is is critically dependent on the personnel you have working with you. Um, and and honestly, you could do anything you want between this school and Hartland South when it comes to the wetlands that we have and the the wooded areas that we have. And I mean, obviously, you've taken advantage of the space you have at Heartland North as well, but not every school has that backyard. you know, they have to go to they have to go to a park or to to another uh place to just talk about what's living down at the pond or you can go find natural erosion from last week. I mean, it it it it's massive
120in some places and it changes everything when the p the pond literally raises five or six feet and where you were standing is is no longer accessible. So, um, you know, a we've got some incredible opportunities with with the property itself, but again, it's it's about the people because if you if you say, "Hey, you know, we're going to give all the fourth grade teachers all this technology and all this this equipment." We're still depending on those people who are incredibly trained in reading, writing, and math to facilitate and and make make it magical in in a hands-on application. And the reason I bring that up is if is a lot of school districts just don't have the resources, they don't have the time, they don't have the professional development. I mean, it's unique that
121that that we meet with our teams on a regular basis and and talk about those things. So I think it comes down to the people and and whether or not we prepare them to be successful as well. >> I think too well I I agree with you and I think adding to that I think there's there is an element here of permission if I may say um just having the the ability to say I'll share with you um and it's premature but I'm going to share with you anyway is this concept that when I first came on board here I didn't know that that that pond and that wetlands and all that existed. I had no idea that was a thing. And I kept seeing um Jake and Courtney and others trying to take the
122woods and put them in our grassy areas. And and I said to Jake at one point, I said, "We have the woods. Let's go to the woods." And I think there's there was fear there, right? There's fear of the woods maybe. And oh gosh, really? You want us to go into the woods? You we can go into the woods. And then and then we started talking a little bit more about um the the swamp area. Well, Jake today has no idea any of this is going on. Sents an email saying, "I would like to partner through um Oh god, why do I always see the Boy Scouts?" Yeah. And and have them build a boardwalk for our students for to expand that outdoor education opportunity. It doesn't cost the district anything. Here we have this
123great foundation to support and build out these plans and it's going to be amazing. you know, like that's the kind of stuff that we're doing. And these guys are brave enough and strong enough in their craft to say, you know what, we're going to fail forward if we if we you know what I mean? We're going to still keep going forward. And I think it's kind of an old phrase that failing forward concept, but I think being brave and modeling that to say, "No, we can do this and this is how we're going to do it and you're going to do it that way and then we're going to add that and then this is how it all comes together." That's true teamwork. That's true collaboration. It's not collaboration to say that we're collaborating. That's
124truly collaborating and taking what you have and putting it together to create a program. And and and I just feel like you guys have done a really great job with that. And and just to speak to to programming, I I I've been in other districts like John has and and I would agree. It's either just a class or it's an experience and we want experiences here at Heartland. >> Thank you. >> Oh, I actually have a question. Mr. ish with that boardwalk though. Could you do more fishing classes? >> You know, it's interesting cuz um last week >> here we go. >> We somehow there's a bunch of goldfish in the pond right now. They're not natural, nor should they be there. So, Mrs. Marshall has been bringing them into the school. So, now we
125have a lot of goldfish at school. We don't know how they got in the pond. Um, at this point that pond's a little shallow to sustain the kind of fish we would like there, but it's a great conversation. >> Okay. Well, just want to >> if there were fish in that pond that I could catch routinely, that would bring a whole new meaning to recess duty. >> You know what I can make that happen? >> And then also, how, Mrs. Whan, how can we get in on that three pigs experiment? I would love to use the wolf snow uh wind blower, >> right? I'll have to let you know. They haven't I think it's might have already passed. I feel like it was in that classroom. >> Yeah. A few like right after Christmas, I
126think. But I can let you know about next year. >> I mean, I got enough bugs and rocks at home that I'd really love to >> come back around. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Very good. Excellent. Thanks, guys. Um yeah. Um just a couple of things that I want to share from the superintendent report before we get a little long here. Um one was the boardwalk. Um you can see maybe you can't but the map here and then on the back side of it is the the picture of what it might look like. Um it's a raised boardwalk um elevated up above the way cuz it gets a little muddy down there. So, um, we've also talked a little bit about a space that's down there tucked away a little
127bit that would be a great spot for some logs, some split logs possibly to to provide a seating for a little outdoor classroom. Um, as we kind of work to expand that. So, more to come there. Um, I did hear today um we are we are hosting here. It's it's a community forum. It's not really it's not for the school district, but they uh we were contacted um and I think u Mr. Chronic I think is the um engineer or something with it and asked me today to please share um there's a meeting that will be held here um at H Heartland uh Northshore Middle School um on April 23rd from 4:30 to 6:30. Um it's planned to discuss proposed improvements to County K and County E intersection in the village of Hartland in the
128town of Deloffield. um here in Wakau County. Um basically looking at putting in a roundabout over there. Um any decisions that are made of will be made in the project proposal. Where is it? >> K E N E >> is what it says here. >> Um for implementation and construction in 2028. So just so you know that's that that I was asked to share that and and it's being hosted here. So we're opening our doors to the community. It's another great opportunity to say that we're connecting and working with the community um on that. Another piece that we've been talking a lot about and let me tell you, it's taken us all year to get to where we are today. Um in this conversation with a professional development at each of our buildings on Friday
129uh because we really wanted our staff involved in the conversation about AI. Um it's it's scary. It's to some it's like yes, let's go do it. to others and and we kind of had a gamut of it. And and you have to remember there are what six generations of people in any given school at any given time. And so, you know, we've got we got people that are like, "No, don't do anything with AI." Others are like, "I'm ready to dip my toe in it." And others are like, "Yeah, I'm all in." Um, we wanted to be really careful and the board has worked really hard to approve and look at policy and have conversations about the plan. They have seen all of what we've done. We have worked as a team to try to
130to really create a a system that we are comfortable with remembering of course that it is not here to take over curriculum or teach kids. That is not at all what we are looking at it for. Um, so we the what we looked at is district-wide guidance for staff and students, clear expectations for ethical and responsible use of AI, instructional guard rails rather than rigid mandates, a phase realistic approach to implementation, board level clarity, oversight and consistency. Um, and that alignment to the strategic plan and portrait of a graduate we felt was really important. So we um we have three separate presentations and all of our administration has taken a look at the presentation. This one happens to be for Northshore Middle School. The um staff have already received their guardrails. They already know. They've
131already been kind of working within a framework. Um there are very very specific things. AI is already part of your students world. They encounter it daily through apps and devices. Um educators benefit from AI for efficiency, differentiation, and data analysis. and it helps establish consistent ethical expectations across the school. You saw firsthand tonight what it can do um as we look at presentations and whatnot, but we want to stay and even Chris Dylan who's at home right now um kind of making sure that this all gets out to to you all um was really really involved in this from a we we have to make sure that we know what we're doing and how we're doing it because you know there's there's violations of FURPA and HIPPA and all the things that we want to
132make sure that we're we're we're not doing. So we work together to really create this what AI is. AI is a tool that supports teaching and learning. It's a way to increase efficiency, planning, feedback, differentiation. It's a resource for idea generation and brainstorming. It's a support for personalized practice and scaffolding. And it's a means to enhance, not replace strong instructional design. Here's what it clearly is better for us to define for our public, for everybody who knows what AI is not for H Heartland Lakeside School District. It is not a replacement for the teacher student relationship. Um, it is not a substitute for professional expertise. It is not an automatic source of accurate or unbiased information. It is not a shortcut that eliminates the need for critical thinking. It is not a decision maker for
133grading discipline or student outcomes. And it is not a standalone instructional program. We are we are fully engaged in Google. So we are we are only working through Google because it's fully monitored. Everything that happens on Google in H Heartland Lakeside School District is saved and protected under a house, right? So it's a platform and and you don't go without that. You can't go without outside of that here in the district. So um earlier on we kind of talked at the very beginning of the year I had some staff that were like he's using AI. I don't know what to do. He's using AI in the classroom and I know it's AI but I can't prove it. and I got really nervous about that and and yeah, they're experimenting too and we are experimenting right
134along with them and then some of us kind of not wanting to experiment and and so we kind of all just kind of work through it and we use those as counseling moments and like hey so how did you use that and what did you use and where did you go and you know I noticed that you know was this fact checked and and so we're working on it together um and I think we've done a a really great job Sarah's done just an exceptional job of making sure that we're going through these pieces and and and then our principles knowing what their staff are doing, what they need to do, and what they would like to do. Um, and then bringing it, of course, to PPC and having those conversations. And then tonight sharing
135with you one of the resources that we're always working to try to educate ourselves. I encourage you to go through this um this catalog, this this there's some great articles, there's some great uses. Um some things that you might not like to see or might not want, and that's good, too. It's good for us to have that kind of discourse if that's something that you're feeling or seeing when you read it. So, take your time. Nobody expects for us to go through it. I will certainly be bringing this back at some point, probably May, June. Um because what our first step here is kind of giving them the guard rails. They're going to actually experiment with some stuff on Friday and then we'll start to talk about how how it affects classroom um classrooms in
136the future. So, that's kind of where we're at with the AI piece. Um, I think those are all of my clothes or my uh transportation. Um, our times came out today, so please check your email. Um, I do want I do just want to say that um, it has been a long road. It has been a very long road with a lot of meetings and and I want you to understand that it isn't a lack of transparency and I know it probably feels that way and I apologize in advance for that in a afterthought um, because of that. What I what I need you to understand is I never wanted to put misinformation out. I never wanted it to have to be where we have to come back and tell you that we didn't that
137we didn't get it right and now another decision has been made. Um and I think there's a lot of blame out there on on Arrowhead. I think there's a lot of blame altogether. I I will say as I said to the board earlier today, if anything, it's the fact that H Heartland Lakeside said we are not going to tolerate the safety of our students and putting them in front of buses anymore that opened this can of worms two and a half, three years ago. And I own that and I would own it again and again and again because I will not compromise their safety. And so we seen too much of that and and too many questions about it. And I think what it did is it it caused an awareness of what our contracts
138are and were and and what should have never been and were for 25 years. And for 25 years, the districts created this this problem. And now we had to try to come up with a solution. And once we started to recognize what that problem was, then everybody started going, I've got an idea and I have an idea and I have an idea. And I will say that that the the superintendent of all of the feeder schools work together every time to try to come up with a plan and everybody fought for their own district as they should. That's what we're here for is to fight for our own district, right? And I will say Arrowhead, every single darn time somebody had an idea, they went back to Dowman and we had another meeting. At no
139point was it a forced anything for any of us. But we finally came to an agreement and then didn't again come to an agreement and it happened over and over again. So if this felt like it was disjointed, if it felt like you weren't being communicated with, if you felt like there was lack of transparency, that was never the intention. The intention was the exact opposite. Purposeful, meaningful, direct communication about what was actually happening all along was what we were looking to achieve here. This was something that that was a long time coming. And two years from now, at the end of the day for H Heartland, we reached our goals. Our goals were to eliminate those shuttles and that in that um transfer. We no longer will put kids in front of the in
140front of a bus. It will never happen again. I'm very proud of that. We our middle school students will be able to get to events for the first time in years. for the first time in years, they won't be the last kids showing up to practice or to a game. That's impactful for those those families. I've heard about it from day one, right? Our north and north and south kiddos, their schedule hasn't changed, but I think one of the things I do want to clarify a little bit, it's maybe 5 or 10 minutes difference. We purposefully offset them by five minutes because we know we have people dropping students off. So, we wanted to make sure that people felt like they had the time to get from one building to the other instead of starting
141at the same exact time. But in addition to that, they're leaving their buildings. They're not leaving their buildings and coming to Northshore Middle School and sitting on a bus for 20 minutes. They're leaving their buildings at 3:45ish and they'll be home by 4. That's not happened. That's not been what the situation has been. They have not even been leaving the parking lot until 4:07. So, these are all wins. Even though I know it's changed and it's hard and we're trying to figure it out and and we're sorting through it, I I I I ask for for your understanding in the the process and why we went through it the way we did it. It it it was long. It was arduous. And we're on the other end of it. And two years from now, we're
142going to go through another change because we will likely move away from this contract. um that'll be a board decision at that time, but we're committed to to doing what's best um for the educational purpose of our kids. So, that's all I have to say for that. So, thank you. >> Okay, last one for you, Ray. >> I'm done. >> All right, then we're moving on to the director of business services report. >> All right, I've got a a handful of items to to kind of run through. Uh the first is just a discussion of our monthly finance report. As with every month, uh just share with you kind of a breakdown of the cash position of the district. Um highlight anything that might be noteworthy or or outside of the realm of normal. Uh
143as far as cash and bank goes, operating checking ended the month with about 500,000. Um our operating savings, uh about 8.9 million. um a little bit higher, probably the highest you'll see it throughout the course of the year. We did receive the some tax receipts as well as some state aid. Um uh capital improvement savings uh about 1.77 million. And then finally, our our north student activity account uh at about 11 almost 12,000. So in total uh cash position is about 11.2ish. Um, again, uh, much needed cash receipts. Um, I I've said this a number of times, but we have the luxury of being able to be a debt-free school district. We don't short-term borrow. Um, we have the ability to do that because of our our cash balance. So, um, as far as spending
144went, there was nothing really out of the ordinary. It's actually a pretty light month. Um, as far as spending goes, we're starting to wrap things down. We've already put on some cuto off dates on ordering. Uh I know it seems like it's it's early, but um got to make sure we can close the uh close the books and make sure anything uh anything hits this this fiscal year uh before 71. So um that's just the general nature of of a summary of our our finances at at this time. Does anybody have any questions? That takes us to capital improvement. So, we've got really, I guess really five major projects um that have been budgeted for within our operating budget that are going to occur here over the next few months. Um the biggest of those
145is our three paving projects. Um I can't give enough credit to to Greg, our director of building and grounds. Um I write the RFP. He does almost all the leg work. He meets the contractors on site. He walks it. He'll let you know. He answers the questions. He'll oversee the projects as they're happening. Excuse me. But um we have because these are I just want to make sure full transparency because these are budgeted for and we go out and go through the RFP process which is a very transit transparent open bidding process. Uh as long as these items fit within the budget, they don't technically need board approval because they've already been approved through the budgetary process. Um we did go ahead and we got bids from four companies. Um we accepted three. One of
146them didn't have uh the complete pricing that we needed uh in order to make a decision. Um based on that, we are going to move forward with PLM uh as a vendor for uh the paving projects at each of the the schools. And just to highlight that, we're going to be basically doing um all of the playground areas in each of the schools. Um North Northshore Middle School is going to have a little bit extra cuz there's some apron here around the building. Also, the apron that goes around the basketball courts will get done. Um we will also be replacing the um the path that goes between uh here in the elementary. Um because these are not um they're not under load much. They're not being driven on. Um I just want to highlight this
147because our all of our bids include 50% paving base and that paving base is simply the aggregate or the crushed stone that is underneath. that really is the the base for uh the asphalt that's going to be laid on top. Um but they don't anticipate each vendor told us this. They don't anticipate needing 50% base, but we priced it as such because I always want to be conservative on my estimate. Um really where they're going to see that probably hit is where there's low areas and they need to add base for grading and drainage purposes. So um we priced it that way. Uh but again, it's probably I I would expect they're going to come in a little bit lower based on not needing um to to replace 50% of all of the base material.
148Um PLM came in at the lowest price, but that's not exclusively why we went with them. We've got a great relationship with them. Uh we've used them on already two other projects in the short history that Greg's been here. Um he's very very happy and with the with the work that they've done uh the way they manage their projects, how they can make themselves available. Um before I I may be letting the cat out of the bag, but we're going to really try to hit this hard um as soon as school gets out. Um we're PLM said they can have crews at each building about two week turnaround. Um, so, uh, I understand and Greg does too that there there is summer school programming, but we will do our very best to mitigate any interruptions.
149Um, it shouldn't be too big of an interruption as far as traffic flow because we're not touching any of the driving surfaces. Um, but there are always going to be some impact to to that. Um, so they'll all be fresh paved. Um, they'll all get restriped. So, uh, the principles are are are hard at work trying to figure out how they want their four squares set up and where they want their different games to be set up. Um, so very exciting. Uh, PLM came in at about 466,000. Uh, price without base was about 348,000. Um, so um, we're we're well within budget on on this one. So, um that's that's the uh the way we're going to move forward as far as our our paving goes. Uh a couple other projects that we are not
150quite as far along in the process um but are really getting there. Um the elementary um the south elementary carpet in the library needs replacement. Um we have three bids in. We're just one of them is still in process. um they've already been out to the site uh to taken all their measurements, doing done everything they need to do. We're just waiting on that one to come back. Uh again, um because this is going to fall within budget, within uh expectations, um I'll probably present at the next beat uh board meeting on which one of these we went with, but just for full transparency, I put the list of bids and the companies that that submitted bids. Um, and lastly, uh, not as exciting as as playgrounds. Um, we have, and this is this has
151been an education for me. I had no idea, uh, commercial kitchen equipment was was so expensive. Um, we have over the last 5 years, we've replaced uh, dishwashers at both of the elementary schools. However, the one is on its last leg here. Um, unfortunately before we could get it replaced, we've had uh experienced some some breakdown and some some kind of band-aids we've had to put on it just to kind of get it through limping in through the rest of the school year. Um, but luckily it's uh we're looking like it's going to come in under budget. Uh, we've got six bids right now. Um the the lowest bid, which is also a company that we've worked with to replace one of the other units at one of the ele elementary schools, which we've been
152very pleased with, uh came in just shy of $45,000. Um I again, I got an education. The cost of the unit is nearly 28,000. Uh and installation and retrofitting is is right around 17. Um yeah, it's it's been it's been an education. So, but um >> we can't turn that into like a learning class. >> Yeah. Um but I always like under budget because then we can do cool stuff like they're presenting before. >> So, we're replacing champion with a champion now. >> Yeah, that's that's probably the route we're we're going to go. Um we did champion it to both of the other elementary schools. Um >> how long do these last? >> They say 15 20. Um, but how do you really know? Um, we've got a two-year we'll get a two-year warranty. Um,
153uh, we get we get an additional year because we're an education, uh, a school that doesn't operate. It's not like we're running a a commercial kitchen at a restaurant that's we're hitting it every week. Um, it does get some off time in during breaks and summer. So, they they take that into consideration and give us an extra year warranty. >> So, >> I actually had a question about the pay. Sorry. Yeah. >> Um, so you we're doing the walking path between the school between Northshore. So >> being that summer school is at Northshore, >> how are we how's that affecting the walkers >> or do we know like can we set up something? >> We we'll mitigate it the best we can. We'll we'll figure out a solution. I mean, I know there's going to
154be some disruption. >> Um, but we'll make sure that there's is some way to get through um or or staggering when they're doing it. Um, sure. But, >> um, yeah, we have we haven't we haven't started to iron out those those wrinkles yet, but uh, definitely be something to be considered. >> And then my other one was the swings that are behind Northshore that are new. >> Mhm. >> Is there any paving that's going to flatten that out? Cuz it looks like there's like a like kind of a step in the front, but it's flat at the back. >> I think that that happened in the fall. That was an October project and then winter came pretty quick. Okay. So, I think I think there's going to be some >> Yeah, there's going to be
155some grading. Yeah, I know. It was not part of the bid. >> Okay. Just wanted to >> Yeah, but that was just late in the season, I think. Yeah. So, um all of these fall within the capital budget that we set as part of the budgetary process way back when for this fiscal year. Um, so all of these projects will be completed um, knock on wood uh, before July 1. And I'll just add to that when he says that's in budget. That's out of that $16 million operating budget I mentioned. This is not touching the 1.77. >> So when we look ahead, that's how we're like how we're mitigating this stuff, right? Like lose half a million dollars. What what happens in five years is that doesn't come out of operating budget. it comes out
156of our capital budget and then that thing starts to drain. So we have >> that's where we have this cushion to make these things but it becomes harder and harder for us to do this stuff within budget. >> We are doing you know I think >> sat in a lot of those arrowhead referendum meetings and everybody is saying that Arrowhead just basically sat on their building for 40 years and didn't do anything. Whether or not that's true or not I don't know but we are making a lot of improvements here within our budget. >> Yeah. And we'll continue to do so when we can. Um, I I'll be the first to tell you I spent 15 years in the classroom. When when I hear these guys talk, that makes me want to do more of
157this cuz numbers, I love numbers. That's my why, >> right? >> For sure. Um, so we'll continue to try to be as fiscally forward as we can, be financially responsible, uh, and try to take care of as much of this as we can within our operating budget and not touch that capital, uh, that capital plan. Um, more to come next month when we we have we do have a board workshop for updating our capital improvement our 10-year capital improvement plan uh based on the Findorf study that we had done here uh at H Heartland Lakeside. So, um not the first time we're going to we're going to talk facilities. Um the next two items are are discussion and decision items. Um we have had a kind of a a pathway of getting uh to our
158our health insurance renewal. Um as you heard Matt talk about uh initially uh the number came in close to 27%. Um and if if you know anything about healthcare inflation uh it's it's it's running at a rate that is uh far in excess of of of your standard inflation. um 12 to 15% renewals unfortunately right now are becoming more of the norm and less of the exception. So uh we received the first word that hey we've got a a big number coming down the pipeline. Um worked with our broker team. They've been awesome. Uh Cottingham and Butler. I can't say enough good things about about the work that they've done with us. Um but as soon as the number came out uh they got to work. Um and and I said, "Hey, let's let's leave
159no no stone unturned. Let's figure out um I here here's kind of the directive that I I gave them. I said, I want as minimal disruption as possible. Um so as minimal disruption to our employees and families as far as the coverage goes, the network goes. Uh I want them to feel the pain as as little as possible. So I want whatever changes will provide outsized cost savings at minimal disruption. What we did um is we went to bid uh we we got new new bids from Anthem after Anthem came to the table with new bids. United Healthcare, who is the current provider, uh came back to the table with some other options um at the 11th hour, literally. Um I got an email from the broker yesterday working on a Sunday. Um said, "Hey,
160just got off the phone with UHC. Um this is what they're sending us." Um long story short, um Anthem provided us, so the district currently has two healthcare plans, a high deductible plan and a co-pay plan. Um, so Anthem, they sent us their two versions of the co-pay plan and and the the high deductible plan. Full transparency, um, there there are ways that their plans are better than what we currently have and there's ways that are a little bit worse. Just you can't say it any other differently. There's there's there's u costbenefit analysis to everything. That came with a 15.3% increase. UHC came back to the table with their two options and their two options brought their increase down to 18%. After taking care careful consideration with uh network um co-ay high deductible plan comparisons,
161um I'm recommending that we go with the Anthem plans and with with a 15 uh.3% increase. Um it provides the the most cost savings. uh that provides uh minimal disruption or as minimal as possible. Uh it allows us to keep putting money into classrooms, funding programming. Um and um we're not changing the percent that that that employee employees pay. The district is still going to cover the same percentage. Um so um that is my recommendation. for for full transparency, I put about six different attachments on here because the story kind of changed every time we got a new update. Um, but that would be my recommendation. Questions? If no one has any questions, I'd be looking for a motion to approve the health insurance renewal suggestion as provided by the administration to go with Anthem.
162>> Um, would that include the $50 search charge or is that separate that we would discuss? >> And actually, I'm glad you said that cuz I want to bring that up >> because I don't want them together. one one of Thank you for because I and that's why I uh specifically referenced it in the last memo. Um part of our cost-saving strategy is um much of the community probably doesn't know about and I think most of the board members do. Um we have what's called a family advantaged health plan. And the way the family advantaged health plan works, it's really it's an incentive program for employees that have access to other insurance. So, let's say one spouse works here at the district, one spouse works outside the district. If you take your family family off
163of our health plan or just your, you know, you and your spouse or your family, whoever, and you move to that other other plan, what we can do, um, and and this this screams to how expensive it is for us to provide coverage, we can cover your out of cost out of your out-ofpocket costs up to the ACA maximum. Um, and that's as long as you use your in-et network providers with your other insurance. So, basically, it's like insurance for your insurance. So, you you were to move your family to your new plan, the district would then cover your out-of- pocket costs. And not only would we cover your out-of- pocket costs, we would pay you a $50 stipen per month for each member that you moved off our plan. The the reason we're able
164to do it, because everyone's like, "Well, that just seems too good to be true." The reason we're able to do it is it it's it's because how expensive it has become to cover employees, spouses, family members. So, we can we can provide that benefit to them and still save money. One of the incentives to get employees to that plan is we are going to do uh which we which they did last year. Uh we did a great job. We've got about 12 12 people on the plan right now and um I would guess it's going to grow to over 25 this year. I think it'll double. Um I can tell you my spouse and I will be on there um as soon as our open enrollment does. Um one of the ways we're going to
165do that is through education. Um we're going to go through to each building and have employee meetings. Um obviously we're going to show them the new plans, but we're also going to do a comprehensive uh review of the family advantage health plan and kind of how it can benefit them as an employee while also benefiting the district. Uh so education, promotion, um but then there is this false search charge which is is is not a new thing in the world of insurance. uh private sector has been using them for oh 15 yearsish. Um and it's it's I don't want people to think about it like a revenue generator cuz that's really not what it's about. At $50 per month, it's not going to make or break anything for the cost of insurance that the district
166is paying. But it is just a little bit more incentive for for an employee to say, "Well, hey, if my my if my spouse has coverage elsewhere, maybe we go there and jump on that Family Advantage Health Plan, we can get not only can we get $50, but we can avoid paying $50." So, that's that's the thought process behind it. Um, it was one of the strategies that was recommended by our broker team. And as I I did a little bit more digging and saw how prevalent they were, um, we didn't want to make it a huge number so that it was like a gouge. Uh, but we did want to make it so that it was something there to at least make you think. >> And so this would be starting July 1st, I
167think, is right with this $50 search charge. >> Correct. So then I mean I guess I'm just I don't know how this works where if I'm in the district I we my family has the district plan >> but we think oh nope I'm going to take advantage of the family advantage plan >> but how do you then switch if his open enrollment is until December. >> Good question. Good question. We've taken account for that. Uh and so is our broker team. So um it is the one plan that you can switch outside of open enrollment. So you can migrate off of our plan. Uh so like my wife's open enrollment just as for example is December. >> Yeah. >> So when her December open enrollment comes, we will go ahead and join her plan for
168the January one start. Most companies follow with January 1. >> Yeah. We have a this wonky fiscal year of of July 1 to >> So then would you still be charged the $50 sir charge from July to December >> because >> you would be until you moved >> even though you can't move until December. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> And again, that's why we didn't want to make it $100. We didn't want to make it anything. It it's it's and it's it's $50 and it's only charged on the spouse, >> right? >> So, the the person that has direct access to that other plan, >> but if they were a stay-at-home or a non insurance, they don't get charged. >> It's only if you have access to other insurance and you're not taking it. >>
169That's right. >> But there's no way to get rid of that fee. But if there's a stay if you're a stay-at-home person and you've got an employee here, they're not having insurance. >> Correct. Yeah. Right. >> But if you're using the plan, then you should pay for the plan. >> Correct. >> So that's that $50 incentive fee. They're not not paying our They're not not on our health insurance. I get that they're they're on our insurance until December because of open enrollment. So, we're still going to charge them a fee even though they're going to >> change because I get it that they may not change and you could say I'm going to change >> and we're going to you're right. It's not a perfect system. >> Yeah. I just don't love that. But I
170get it, >> but I wonder if there's a way. Is there something we can do for that? >> Well, I can tell you this pro. It probably won't suit exactly this situation, but let's just say you got to pay three months of $50. >> Yep. >> You're going to collect how many months of $50 being paid to you from the district. That's going to more than offset that. >> Okay. And I think that is something that should be explained to people, too, because >> I would I mean, >> yeah, your rates maybe not well, they're going up, but you're still then you're getting another $50 charge. And that's kind of why we went with $50 because it's exactly what we pay per member when they move. >> That was Becca. That's all you have to
171give for credit. >> Great job. >> Okay. Thank you for explaining that because that makes a lot more sense and I think that that needs to be explained as well because >> some stuck on that charge. You know, when when you wear the hat of finance director and human resources director, it's like I I've already told the staff I'm like these two the jobs I have, the two roles, they're completely at odds with each other. Like I would love to give everybody 10% raises and cover health insurance, you know, Cadillac plan if we could. Now, the other side of the job is you have to be fiscally responsible and it's not. So, >> so then do we vote to approve that 50 or do we vote to >> If Chris made a motion, which I'll
172second it, um, >> I didn't make it. I asked if anyone would be willing to make it. >> Uh, I will make a motion to approve the health insurance plan as presented by Patrick. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion on the motion? Just click, that's an >> and the $50 search charge. >> Yeah, it's all packaged. Yep. >> Just want to make sure I'm clear. >> Sure. >> That we are voting on going with Anthem and charging the $50. >> That would be it. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions or comments? If not, all those in favor of going with Anthem as presented, please say I. I. All those opposed. All right. Thank you very much. Okay. Last um >> Thank you. Good night, guys. Thank you. Thank you. Excellent job. >> Um last
173item is um teacher compensation adjustments for 2627. So looking at CPI numbers for the year, um they came in at 2.63, 63 which is uh consistent with act 10 uh within the the statutory requirements of of collective bargaining. Um so as part of that I I'm going to recommend a 2.63% increase to teacher compensation uh moving from 2526 to 2627. Uh I also included in there a list of the updated contract amounts for your review. um so that we can go ahead and and so I guess really what we're approving is a 2.63% increase and the corresponding contract amounts as listed >> and the 2 and I know we talked about this during our financing but just in case the Chris is in Matt the 2.63 63 is the max we can do because of
174act 10. Correct. >> A as a as a group. Now correct you have the ability to to bargain as as if an if an individual came in and said I want to bargain they could still do that but to offer it collectively to the group >> which is something I did not realize until you had said that. So wasn't sure if you guys knew that. Did you guys have questions? Want clarification? >> Our our ketchups are they all caught up? >> Yes. Okay. >> Yep. We're done with that. And then I will also say that this is a timed thing because we have to have contracts out by May 15th. >> Yep. >> So the board knows that. >> I'll make a motion to approve the teacher compensation adjustments as presented. I'll >> second. Any
175additional comments or discussion? I just have one comment to keep in mind the performance of the district, the wonderful things happening that the administrators talked about this evening and how well the district is doing. So, I would encourage everyone to support the motion. I think it's a really good thing and I wish we can do more. Yeah, that's why I pointed out the we can't do more. >> All right. All those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposed. The motion carries. Thank you. >> That's all I got. You sure? >> It's about the fifth time I've heard you give that. >> I would love to hear it again. >> No, Patrick, you did a great job. I appreciate it. There's a lot of information there and you're juggling a lot of balls. So,
176thank you for doing that. I >> I love the way that you explain things. It's >> just so much >> easier to digest the way that you explain things. So, I appreciate that. >> Teacher in a >> That's right. >> All right. Next, moving on to 14 future board or committee action discussion items. I have nothing personally. Does anyone have anything? >> All right. We'll move into future meetings. PPC 9:00 a.m. Monday, May 11th. Is that correct? Yep. finance committee Tuesday, May 12th at 8:30 a.m. >> And then our school board meeting will start at 5:30 on May 20th. And I'm guessing that's with a workshop. >> That is that's the workshop Wednesday. >> It's a Wednesday. And that's an open workshop. >> Yeah, that workshop is um for capital improvements. >> Greg and I
177will run it. Um, >> do we need to do anything like a spreadsheet or anything? >> We will, what we will do is, uh, in advance of the workshop, we'll send you a rough draft of what we have. Um, we've already, we've shared with you guys the Findorf study. >> Um, so whatever prep work you guys want to do, um, but it's really about gaining your input on the rough draft of the plan and kind of looking at what that planning process looks like. >> Is Little Red I didn't see Little Red Schoolhouse in the facility plan. Is that just not something we do anything to? >> Well, so you want me to talk? >> Oh, sorry. Should that be >> we just we it you know for the longest time it's been for lack
178of a better I mean it's just kind of been a money >> pit. >> I don't know about a pit but it definitely what is it purpose right? Um we are looking at some alternative things for the near future. So before we we kind of start having those conversations, I think we need to solidify some things within the district um to try to help us kind of mitigate some other costs again. Always kind of trying to come up with ways to improve our >> we are discussing better ways to utilize the little red schools. >> Perfect. Thank you. That's that's what I meant to say. >> Should we have our meeting over there in the little red school? >> Oh, that's a it's a choice. >> What Greg wants to do is the little room
179is going to get ready for us. Chris Dylan. >> Chris Dylan's the one that actually Dylan and >> I don't think that's quite wired for uh >> for audio visual. >> We don't do it with audio visual for committee meetings. >> Oh, you're right. >> I thought you meant the next >> Oh, no. Our committee meetings would be perfect to be there. >> That'll work. Okay. All right. And at that point, I'd be looking for a motion to adjourn. >> A motion to adjourn at 907. >> What he said? I'll second. >> Any discussion? If not, all those in favor say I. >> I. All those opposed, >> we are ajourned. Thank you very much. Appreciate your support, guys. >> Thank you guys. Y good stuff. >> State all night.