001All right. Good evening. Good evening. I'm going to call our regular board of education meeting for December to order. And I will start with a resuscitation of our vision and mission mission statements. Our vision is that MMSD will be a learning community where all students are valued, challenged, supported, and inspired to reach for their dreams. And our mission statement is MMSD creates safe and inclusive schools, delivers high quality instruction, strengthens positive relationship and partners with families and the community to achieve student self-determination and educational excellence. Tonight we'll go right into our public input. to summarize um written statements submitted for this meeting. Uh we had one uh written statement opposed to the denial of equal access to safe and private restroom facilities at East and one in support of the board providing oversight, transparency, and
002a plan for improvement at Vanheis Elementary. I'll uh now move us into our registered speakers. So Jesse's indicating we have none online. Um it looks like we have 11 speakers who have registered here in person. And then I have a I do have a stack of folks who did not want to speak but who did provide um uh slips uh addressing issues um that they wanted to put out there. So, I'll try to do a quick summary of those and then also pass those around to the board. All right, we'll start with our um registered speakers. Uh first is Amy Robertson and then followed will be Jennifer Hill Wild. And uh Amy, as you're coming up and for the rest of our speakers, um I always like to remind everyone that um you have three
003minutes for your comments. You have a clock up here and the little black box on the podium um will turn yellow when you have about 30 seconds left and then red um is when your time is up. If you're still finishing your thought, if you could just try to do that um as succinctly as you can. Thank you. >> Awesome. >> Thank you very much for letting me speak. My name's Amy Robertson. I'm the step parent of the fifth grader and I'm I will speak even closer to the mic. Perfect. Um I'm here representing a group of Vanheis parents uh who have been consolidating feedback and family concerns about the school conditions of leadership at Vanheis Elementary School since Miss Stein became principal two and a half years ago. Before I start to summarize those
004concerns, I did want to begin with some amount of gratitude. Um, the staff at Van Heist, particularly the special education team worked with us before our son entered kindergarten to ensure that he would have a supportive environment for him. Miss Sherry, Miss Kaja, and Miss Bonzer also all worked directly with us to make sure that he had all the tools. Without them, we would not have had the foundation for learning and development that he's had now as a fifth grader. Things began to change in third grade when Miss Stein started. At first, we assumed our son's struggles were developmental. Then, his classroom teacher left by November and was replaced by a long-term substitute. We sought the support of the administration and were told that the class was unusually difficult, a lingering effect of the COVID
005kindergarten that they had gone through. We accepted that explanation. After all, we trusted the expertise of the school leadership. It wasn't until the end of the year that we learned most families in the class had shared a similarly negative experience. Since Miss Stein began, more than nine classroom teachers had left Van Heis, more in her second year than her first. That doesn't even include the special education special support staff. Teachers sought help through administrative channels and their union before informing parents. Many described the conditions that made it increasingly difficult to provide the education that they wanted for our students. Similar concerns were raised by teachers in the two previous districts that Miss Stein worked at. In fact, they were documented in the Journal Sentinel before she was hired by Mmsd. This is not simply about
006staff dissatisfaction. We are now seeing the impact on students. Vanheis's state test scores have declined year-over-year during that period from an average of 95 over the last 10 years to 90 despite stable school demographics. But our concerns are not primarily about testport. They are about the daily environment our children experience issues impacting their physical and psychological safety, their comfort, their desire to learn, and their exposure to adults and peers being treated poorly by authority figures. During the last six weeks, we've gathered 38 testimonials, three forced from parents. More than 10 raised concerns about bullying, harassment, staff instability, morale, communication, safety concerns, and fears of retaliation, program cancellation, special education gaps appeared repeatedly. We would like you to respond to our petition signed by 12 27 community members seeking immediate independent review and discussion with parents
007to ensure that they are engaged in a meaningful action plan for resolving these problems. Thank you. Hello, President Nichols, members of the school board, and Superintendent Gothic. My name is Jenny Hill Wild, and I'm a special education teacher at Mandota Elementary. I'd like to speak about the salary inequity impacting staff with the longest commitment at MMSD. years ago, the school board made adjustments to the salary schedule in order to attract new talent and be a competitive district in Dayne County. You recognize the need for highquality professionals to fulfill the vision of thriving schools that prepare every student to graduate ready for college, career, and community. By leaving veteran staff out of the new system, the message is that loyal, experienced, and dedicated professionals are less important than attracting new people to the district. I became
008part of MMSD only three years ago when my family moved to Madison. Before this, I taught at international schools supporting our diplomatic core and NOS's in several countries. All of the schools that I was at had a tiered system of compensation based on things such as whether or not a teacher was hired locally or overseas. The same person with the same qualifications would make a different salary based on when or where they were hired. At every school, the tiered system of compensation caused tension. The system provides structural ways to value some while stifling others. Such systems always erode trust and harbor the seeds of resentment, often leading to high turnover. A turnover rates led to large recruitment budgets, shifting resources away from other areas. Schools that increased educator tenure decreased recruitment and training costs. I'm
009sure you recognize the recruitment and hiring process requires a significant outlay of time and money, and new staff need time to grow into their positions before reaching the height of effectiveness in the classroom. By investing in the staff already doing incredible things at our schools, you'll demonstrate the value our experienced teachers bring to classrooms, schoolwide systems, mentoring programs, and institutional and community understanding. I am a better teacher at Menota because of my colleagues and mentors who share their local knowledge and experience with me. Please address salary compression. Students and staff should all be able to learn, belong, and thrive in our Madison schools. Thank you. Next we'll have Amy Turkowski and then following will be Beth Lowhigh. I will go over my time. So, I will stop and then it will go to Beth Lowhide.
010I'll let you know when my time is done. So, I'll go and then I'll stop and then Beth will go just so I know how painful it is for you to interrupt people who go over. So, okay. Hello. My name is Amy Turkowski. I am here today to ask you to find a meaningful way to address the salary compression for veteran staff. Sooner rather than later. The time to act is now. I have been a first grade teacher at Franklin for 21 years and my current pay does not reflect my years of service. If I were to resign and get rehired, I would get an additional four levels. I would move from Q to you. That's a a difference of $3,500 just this year simply for resigning and getting rehired. I am not alone in
011this. I've heard you say that you understand the issue. I've watched you watch the school board. I've watched you listen to public speakers the last few months from the comfort of my own house. Welcome to those watching at home on their couch. Um, I know you've listened to dozens of stories. I know you've received and hopefully [clears throat] read hundreds of emails. The time to act is now. I want you to show us you value us by fixing the salary compression. Again, I am not alone in this issue. There are 16 certified staff in my building who are directly affected and 13 other new hire educators, newer educators who are not directly directly affected but yet they are. As the saying goes, an injury to one is an injury to all. And if this issue
012is a priority, you'll find a way. If it isn't, you'll find an excuse. Um, my name is Beth Lohigh and I work at Franklin. I have been affected by the salary compression. It's time to take action to show us you value us. And I'd also like to point out that by lacking the um by lacking um making it a step uh forward in this, you are actually playing right into Scott Walker's playbook with Act 10. This is what he wanted to have happen. So, I implore you to act now. My name is Rachel Chamberlain. I have been working at Franklin and have been affected by the salary compression. It's time to take action and show you value us. My name is Tanya Rasmmanson. I work at Franklin for 26 years and I am affected by
013the salary compression and I think it's time for you to take action to show you value. It's also her birthday. She's here. It's important. My name is Ellen Bole and I have been a teacher at Franklin School for 22 years. Um, I have been affected by the salary compression and it's time to take action and show us that you value us. My name is Shelley Block and I also work at Franklin. Pre prior to Franklin, I was an instructional coach and worked out of central office. I also have been affected by the salary compression and I also believe it's time to take action and show us that you value us. My name is Tori Wenty and I'm also a teacher at Franklin. I've worked there for 14 years. Um I've been affected by the salary
014compression. It is time to take action to show us that you value us. >> Hi, my name is Sandra Robinson. I work at Franklin Elementary. I've been with the district for 27 years and I have been affected by the salary compression and it is time for you to take action and show that you value our work and us as individuals. >> Hi, my name is Angela Dominguez and I work at Franklin and have for 12 years. I've been in the district for 14. I've been affected by the salary compression and it's time to take action and show that you value us. Hi, my name is Beth Deise and I work at Franklin. Currently, I've been in the district for 19 years both at Franklin and Lindberg. I have been affected by the Sally compression and
015it's time to take action and show us that you value us. My name is Kayla Clever and I work at Franklin. Also, I've been affected by the salary compression. It's time to take action and show us that you value us. My name is Abby Coty. I have been working at Franklin for three years. I have been affected by the salary compression because my colleagues and mentor mentors have been affected. It is time to take action and show them that you value them. My name is Lexi Roberts and I work at Franklin. I've been affected by the salary compression because my colleagues and mentors have been affected. It's time to take action to show them you value them. All right, next up is Laura. Is it Waseka? I'm sorry. And then following will be Bronwin. Uh,
016I think it's Mosman. Mosman. >> Hello, President Nichols, members of the school board, and Superintendent Gothard. My name is Laura Wasulka, and I teach at Menota. I'd like to talk about wage compression. Um, I'd like to mention some names. Miss Preszantine, Mrs. Anding, Miss Leonard, Miss Koala, Miss Lohabins, Miss Leendall, Mr. Kavanaaugh, Mr. Denn, Mr. Kreman, Mr. Kellogg, Mrs. Olsen. These are just a few of the MMSD educators that had an impact on my life as I made my own way through MMSD as a student. These educators, all veteran educators, created a consistent and safe learning environment in which they supported all areas of of my development and identity exploration, instilled a love of learning, and ignited the passion in me to follow my dreams, which coincidentally was to become an educator. Miss Freeman, Miss
017Chamberlain, Miss Stall, Miss Petruska, Miss Powell, Miss Walker, Miss Horton, Miss Torres, Miss Conrad, Miss Cashen, Miss Braun. These are just a few of the amazing educators who, when college did not quite prepare me for the classroom, have supported me, coached me, modeled for me thus far in my 15-year career in MMSD. Without these veteran teachers who have vast amounts of experience and knowledge, I could not have become the teacher I am today while still growing and learning, a reflective, resilient, thoughtful, warm demander who strives to teach and act with equity. Because of educators and leaders like these, our new educators feel supported and keep returning. But it isn't just new educators like I once was who benefit from these veteran teachers. Investing in and valuing our educators, both veteran and new, keeps them in
018our buildings. This benefits our students who are at the center of our work. Keeping educators in our building provides consistency for our students. It provides time to build meaningful, lasting relationships between teachers and students. Valuing our teachers and keeping them in our buildings helps to promote feelings of safety, belonging, and value in our students. I have become a veteran teacher in MMSD and I help to mentor new teachers to starting their careers. I have become a veteran teacher at the school in which I work and I get to smile at and continue to support past students each day and year. However, like my colleagues, I do not feel valued as a veteran teacher when my salary does not represent my experience, dedication, and leadership. I value my MMSD education. I value my career as an
019MMSD teacher. I value the students with whom I work. Please value my colleagues and me by making this right and fixing wage compression. Thank you. Hi, my name is Brunwin Maceman and I'm the mother of a just turned 7-year-old second grader at Vanheis Elementary. Uh, I should say until recently enrolled at Vanheis Elementary. I'm here to join with other parents in requesting an independent review of the school leadership of Beckistine. Um my son has had uh significant challenges integrating with school ever since 4K and we have been working uh intensively with medical team. Miss Stein has been aware of this for at least a year. At no point did she provide us with any information regarding the IE IEP process or special education supports or connect us with the school psychologist or school social worker.
020Upon the advice of the medical team, we began the IEP process this fall. Our son had uh quite a positive surprisingly positive first week at school, but following the first IEP meeting, the situation quickly went downhill. He began to report to us that Miss Stein was screaming at him when he arrived in the office, either because he went there or because he was removed from the classroom, seeking a break in order to calm down, as he had been told by trusted adults repeatedly over the past two years. He also told his therapist that Miss Stein was screaming at him repeatedly. During the second week of school, uh he began to decrease his food intake, be visibly stressed at home, increasingly violent at home, and also have difficulty sleeping. On the Friday of that first week
021of school, I received a phone call from Miss Stein stating that he was upset. She was not with him because she reported to me that he was in another room and she could hear him throwing something. When I arrived at the school, Miss Stein opened the door to an office where he had been left alone. Uh he was sitting in a corner reading surrounded by trashed books, several dozen pairs of scissors, thumbtacks that Miss Stein told me she had been aware of. >> Yep. >> Um though in our public comments, we we do want to hear >> real experiences and things that are happening and things that are kind of directed at a person like a real complaint. We want to make sure that a an actual complaint about um those kinds of things are
022are happening in another setting. Um, so I I guess I want to just make sure that the public comment piece, like some of the things that you're saying do need to be more in a complaint um process, which isn't really >> So, are you asking me if I intend to also file a complaint >> or or you if you have um written this down, gotten it in into another form? Uh, it will be part of the report that Robinson will also be submitting. >> Okay. So, for your public comments, I know that you're being um very specific about the leader um that you're referencing. If if you could just try to keep your comments not not so much about that person, but about maybe what you've experienced so far. >> Okay. Uh I've experienced a
023leader a leader who caused my child to be stressed uh following a pattern of bullying and harassment which I've also discussed with many other members of my community. Uh the concerns that I have regarding my child's safety, the safety of other children, my child's mental health, and the safety of staff have caused myself and my husband to withdraw our child from MSD despite our support for public schools and uh have had significant impacts on my child, my family, my community, and my city. Thank you. Okay. Um, Kent, I think it's Weedmire. >> Oh, so close. And then following will be uh Julie Bourbon. Urban. Okay, sorry. Uh, good evening, President Nichols and school board members and superintendent Goth. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. My name is Kent Wedmar. I'm a proud parent
024of two MMSD students, a spouse of a Lafallet English teacher, and a teacher myself of math and algebra at O'Keefe Middle School. I'm here to highlight an issue in our district that I'm sure you're aware of at this point of salary compression. It's a problem that undervalues our veteran educators, weakens our staff morale, and puts our students long-term success at risk. I came from 13 I spent my first 13 years in education in Sun Prairie Area School District. And I got to the joy of coming to MMSD in the 2018-19 school year. Well, there were a number of reasons I left Sun Prairie. One of the major ones was MMSDs and our community's reputation for supporting education and educators. When I was hired, I was placed on a salary schedule and given all 13 years
025of experience I had in Sun Prairie. Without this valuing of my 13 years of educational experience, I might have been been able to make the move to MMSD. I was astounded to hear that the district that has such a reputation for supporting educators has a compression issue about career educators in MMSD. people, purpose, pride. I find it disheartening that the school board does not recognize the people who have longest served the district and honor their total years of experience. How does someone who has the same years of experience that I have, 20, find purpose in continuing to serve the MMSD community when they're not valued as much as I am as an educator? How do veteran teachers who bring valuable resources and dedicated their lives to serving our most vulnerable students find pride in their
026district's leadership if they cannot recognize the service of their excellence? Please prioritize fixing this problem right away and show that veteran teachers deserve the recognition and the support of our community to benefit our educators. Wow, that was bad. Sorry. Thank you for your time. Good evening everybody. I'm Julie Bourbon. I'm working at Midvil Elementary. Um, and I'm speaking today because the cumulative effects of dealing with the district's 3,500 discrepancy in my federal taxes, paying the $200 penalty, learning about salary compression, and receiving my property tax bill last week. I've been pushed over the edge. I'm taking a deep breath and doing some quick and dirty math for my situation, but my young colleagues need to listen up. Let's do some appro approximate crunching three years. The credit I received when I was hired hired in
027the 90s. I came with six. The teaching in MMSD back then meant you are the cream of the crop. The pay was more. I was honored to be hired and I didn't pursue it. $15,000. The raw amount I've lost in those 35 years without that six-year credit. 7.9% deficit from 2010 to 2018. cumulative colas in the United States were 11.9%. Due to act 10, in those eight years, MMSD was able to give teachers less than 1% or no raise each year. If the average we received each year was at least a half a percent, that would be a 4% increase, but it's still 7.9% less than the actual COLA. $10,000, maybe more. what I might be earning today, not including compression, had teachers receive that 11.9%. $7,000. My current year's cumulative compression loss based on
028those last seven years, over $20,000, the cumulative amount I am not getting credit for in my top three years for retirement only due to compression. $10,000 the approximate amount of money I'll lose in my retirement carryover of health insurance because of compression and because I'm a woman and women have children who go to school and when women have children in MMSD we lose all of our crude sick leave 12 $1,200 the MMSD portion of my property taxes this year it went up 30%. I hit a milestone, friends. Five figures. I'm not celebrating. I'm wondering if the district realizes the potential backlash. If we need to ask for more money to rectify this issue of compression, I don't think the community will be too eager to approve referend referendums for a while. This year, as has
029happened in a handful of years for me, my raise will not color cover that $1,200. I'll be at a deficit over $70,000. The total of my raw numbers without the formulas. I'm afraid it's going to be way more than that if I were to sit down and really dig in and figure everything out. I haven't even talked about TUR. My math isn't perfect, but my feelings are real and intense. I want to retire, but I can't yet in this political atmosphere. The very least the district can do is to set the numbers straight moving forward. I don't want to retire after 35 years with this incredibly sad, powerless, and bitter feeling I have right now. Please make this right so we can all move on. Thank you. Our next speaker is Andrea Misselli and then
030we'll follow up with Martha Nets. Nets and then um Mo Mora Mora sorry farmer. I'm so sorry. Sorry. All right. Dear members of the school board in the community, I am here alongside countless staff to speak about the unjust and ongoing salary compression. For months, you have heard from us. Over 22 different schools have contacted you from showing up um writing emails and spending their precious evenings here. They are not here to complain. They are here because they are upset, determined, and demanding action. It is a tough um and busy time of the year for families. Yet, they feel it is so important that they spend their money Monday nights here and on their birthday. They are spending time away from their families because they know that the justice delayed is a justice denied. A
031question that I've been asked multiple times. When the district figured this out, this inequality of the salary compression and fixed it for one specific group, why wouldn't they just fix it on their own for everyone else? and do the right thing. We we teach our students to do the right things even when nobody else is looking. I personally spoke with many of you about the referendum and if it would pass, would it be enough to fix the salary compressions? And there didn't seem to be any reason why fixing the compression couldn't happen. We have all received our property taxes and have felt the pain. There are no more legitimate excuses for this delay. We want to talk specifically about our I want to talk specifically about our dedicated veteran staff. We have teachers who have
032given 25 plus years of service to this district. Their state their state pensions, their retirement security are being calculated based on this compressed and artificially low salary. They are retiring without the recognition they have earned. They deserve to feel that MMSD values their quarter of a century of loyalty to the district. They should not be earning the same amount as a new teacher who just transferred in with the similar years of experience. We need to demonstrate to these 7% of our staff, our teaching staff who are the bedrock for this district that lo their loyalty is valued. We also need to show we have 44% of our newest teachers in their first five years that they are committed that this district is committed to MMSD and that the district will honor and com their commitment
033for all of their entire career. You have the data, you have the funds, and you have the moral obligation. stop the delay and vote to approve the compression fix immediately for all affected veteran staff so that their years of service and their retirement pensions reflect their true value of their careers here. Thank you. My name is Martha Nets and I have the dubious honor of following the president there. So, um I've been teaching for 23 years and I'm at Mandota and I have 11 colleagues who together have over 200 years of service to MMSD. Um, and because I followed Andrea, um, I have beautifully prepared remarks, but like many veteran teachers, I'm going to go ahead and skip the lesson plan and go right with some extemporaneous things because you see, you've heard it. You've
034heard a lot and you've heard it a lot of times and you've heard it from a lot of people over a long period of time. And the four-year-olds that I teach, we talk a lot about if you make a mistake and you own your actions, like you can fix your mistake and no, like that's that's the right thing to do and you're doing the right thing. But if you know what you're supposed to do and you don't do it, that's not a mistake anymore. That's you're choosing that. and to just keep putting it off and decide that you're just going to like shop it out to someone else. That's not owning your actions. And I feel like you are mature, smart people. You know what you should be doing and you know how to do
035it. And I can't really say it better than she can. So, I'm not going to waste any more of that time. Yours or mine. But just do do better. Good evening. My name is Mora Frell and I am in my 10th year of teaching physical education at Midvil Elementary. I am speaking to heighten awareness about a critical issue that we've all been many of us have been talking about tonight. Salary compression. This is a problem that undervalues veteran educators like me, increases turnover, weakens staff morale, and puts students long-term success at risk. While I am happy to see competitive salaries for new teachers, refusing to move veteran staff to match the increase in salaries devalues my knowledge, our knowledge, skills, and the institutional history that long-erving educators bring to our schools every day. It sends
036a message that experience and dedication are not valued. This isn't just about data points and budgets. It's about people. The specialists team at Midville is unique. Maybe the climate and culture of Midville is special compared to other MMSD schools who experience more turnover than we do. I don't actually know because listening to everyone else, it sounds like we got some nice schools around here. When I started in 2015 and 2016, all of the teachers on my team were veteran teachers of 20 plus years except me and one other person. It was remarkable. I had a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips, and I soaked it up as much as I could. The amount of time these experienced educators gave me to help me feel comfortable at Midville and settle in within the district is a
037gift I'll never forget. In fact, it's a gift that keeps on giving because now as an experienced teacher myself, I am mentoring the next generation of physical educators. Midvil is full of staff who mentor university students and of people who have 15 plus years of experience. The people who end up leaving are typically staff who are surplused, which is your system, or are retiring because the veteran colleagues have shown us the way. They taught us that administrators can come and go, but if we stick together as a faculty, Midville will always be strong. I have remembered this every year I take my first steps into the building after summer break, and it centers me. I am a teacher who loves to create. I have developed new curriculum for our K2 littles around social emotional learning,
038regulation, and mental health. I have taught these strategies to student teachers, colleagues within my own school, and other educators around the state. I came into this position with four years of experience working in the private sector training and leading team building programs. Did I get that when I came into Madison uh for the years experience? Absolutely not. I started at the first level. Several years ago, I was speaking with an MSD middle school teacher who quit because she was undervalued by the school district and wanted better for herself. Unfortunately, that next school year, her old school was heavily short staffed and needed help. She was compelled to help former students like most teachers are and got rehired. To her surprise, she was making $5,000 more annually than she had been. She thought it was a
039joke. Uh, where do I want to go next? I don't have time. Uh, I also want to echo that I am a parent and having two kids, having your all of your sick bank leave and knowing that all these other people are going to be making so much more money just because they decided not to have children is another layer. Midvail has 28 staff that has uh is it affected by salary compression. That's 123 levels that are wrong. That's a lot of money. You guys need to fix fix this immediately and it needs to be swift. Hiring somebody as a consultant to do this isn't enough. It's a waste of your money. We want action now. Okay, thank you to our speakers. Just I also wanted to just highlight the um 22 folks that are
040also maybe still here tonight who did not wish to speak um but did write on the yellow slips. Uh all of the ones that I've gone through are uh the subject is related to salary compression. Um, and the messages are mostly like to um fix the salary compression issue, to be accountable, to be fair, um, and to address this quickly. I will also pass these around to uh, board members. Yeah. And that concludes our public comment. Thank you um, to everyone who came out tonight. Now move us on to the approval of our minutes. Hold on one moment, please. Okay. Um I before we move on to the minutes, I actually I wanted to acknowledge um the parent who's in who's still in the audience. Um, I just wanted to let you know that under
041our board policy, um, just for clarity, it it says that when issues are raised during the public appearances, they will be referred to the superintendent. Um, and that in most cases, we want public appearances not to be intended as a forum for identifying, presenting, or processing complaints or grievances against individual staff members. So, I want you to know that we heard what you said. The superintendent is present. >> Yeah. I just wanted to follow up because I I know that I had to interrupt you. >> Thank you. We'll add that language. I appreciate it and I appreciate you coming out tonight and I just wanted to acknowledge that. Okay, I'm now going to move us um on to the M minutes. I move that board of educates from the regular meeting dated November 24th, 2025.
042>> Second, Maya. >> All right. Um student board, student representative Lee, your advisory vote. I. >> All right. All those in favor? I. >> All right. Thank you. That passes unanimously. Uh we'll now move into board president's announcements um and reports and vice president Pearson and I will um alternate on this. Starting uh we want to acknowledge that it has been a year since the tragic event that took place at Abundant Life School. um yet it impacted all of us in the greater Madison community. We continue to hold their students, educators, and families in our thoughts, and we extend our ongoing support as they move through this healing and restoration. We're also very grateful to the Madison community um and the strength and compassion that has been shown across this city over the past year.
043We remain committed to creating a safe learning environment, providing connection, and showing care in all of our schools. I'll uh pass it over to Vice President Pearson to celebrate some of our student. >> Yes. Celebrating our students. Congratulations to I believe it is pronounced Ilian um Hoskins, a seventh grader at Senate who won the bronze medal at the 2025 Panam U13 Championship. Hoskins was the team USA and competed with more than 150 competitors um from 10 nations. Yeah, it up. That's big. Um the Eastside Players East Side High School uh theater trope was recognized with outstanding ensemble, outstanding direction, and outstanding actor Lewis Morgan and Mises uh Guerrera um awards at the recent statewide Wisconsin Intercolctic Theater Festival. Congratulations. And then Lfallet senior Ethan Powell earned first place in the automative uh service technology competition
044at the school's first skills USA event of the year. Powell was or sorry Powell has been active in CT courses throughout his time at Lafwallet and plans to continue competing in the months ahead. Congratulations to our students. >> And for celebrating our staff, we want to congratulate Taylor CS, a deaf educator at Laled High School who earned a silver medal at the deaf Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan. Uh he won in the 4x100 relay. and Sarah Elmore um of our district at East High School has been selected as an inaugural recipient of AVID's Global Achievement Award Counselor of the Year, a national honor recognizing educators who exemplify AVID's mission of believing in students and preparing them for college, career, and life. >> Oh, it's a lot of celebration. In our other acknowledgements in tonight's consent
045agenda, the board will like to acknowledge and thank all individuals and organizations that have donated to the district, especially Randall Raccoon Rally for a donation of $23,630.17 to support purchasing classroom furniture, essential technology, and other critical resources at Randall Elementary uh school. And then Dean Health Plan by Medicica. Okay. Medicica uh for the donation of 50,000 for Mir Elementary School. Thank you to our donors. >> That I will uh pass it on to Superintendent. >> Thank you, President Nichols, members of the board, staff and community. Thank you for this opportunity. Most recently, I joined hundreds of our students at the Cole Center for W Athletics second annual education day cheer on the Wisconsin women's basketball team. We enjoyed a performance and a W of the national anthem by our very own Samuel Gumper Elementary students
046performing the national anthem before the game began. During the game, there was a lot of energy and excitement. And when the Badgers won, the student voices filled, wait a minute, voices, screams filled the Cole Center with loud cheers. The cheers and smiles on their faces so show just how fun this experience was for them. And as meaningful as it was for our students, I tuned in to Coach Pinchston's press conference and I could see how meaningful it was to her and her players uh that were speaking about the games environment uh following the game. Thank you to WMadison and W athletics for providing this opportunity to our students. Next, I attended the immigration affairs office lunchon which brought together community partners from across Madison. These partners are important to supporting our immigrant students and families.
047Attendees included Dne County human services leaders, county executive Melissa Agard, and county supervisors, law enforcement partners, and community organizers such as the Rainbow Project, W Health, RISE, and Centro. I wanted to give a special thank you to Fabola Hamden, who leads the Dayne County Office of Immigration Affairs for her longtime positive presence and leadership in our community. Partnerships like these are critical to the work we do when we collaborate on behalf of students and students thrive. I'm incredibly proud of all we've accomplished since the beginning of the school year and we're only four months in. When I visit our classrooms, I continue to be inspired by the energy and curiosity I see in our students. They're engaged. They ask questions and I can see they are learning. I also see the dedication and commitment of
048our staff as they support students. As we head into winter break, I want to share some of the many things we've achieved so far in the 2526 school year. Here are just some highlights. We officially launched MMSD's new brand, introducing the first district-wide logo design with a clear strategy and marketing lens. The logo was shaped by feedback from students, families, staff, community leaders, and the board of education. Students and staff achievements showed why MMSD is a destination school district. Many were recognized for their achievements, including 43 national merit program semi-final. We expanded our full day 4K program, piloting a 5-day option. We launched our two-year building for the future boundary review. We made progress on MMSD excellence together, our strategic framework, which will be launched in 2026. We launched our infocus community newsletter, and you
049can sign up for it at mmsd.org. We continued referendum work including re reviewing final designs for phase 1's projects Blackhawk Middle School, Compers Elementary, Sherman Middle School, and Malcolm Shabbaz City High School. We have also begun the process for phase two schools, Orchard Ridge Elementary School, and Akira Toki Middle School, Cherokee Heights Middle School, and Ray F. Senate Middle Schools. Public input sessions have been scheduled in January. These are just a few of the many excellent projects and happenings in the district. I look forward to what's h what's ahead in the coming months. And before I end, I'd like to wish everyone a great winter break. Thank you for everything you do in support of students and MMSD. President Nichols, members of the board, this concludes my report. >> Thank you, Dr. Gothard. It has
050indeed been a a busy and full fall semester and thank you for everything that you're doing to stay visible and present in the community as well as um leading the district. Appreciate you. All right, we will now move on to other items on our agenda. Uh we're going to report on the items that proceeded through the instruction workg group held on December 8th, 2025. and I'll hand that over to Chair Moldro of that uh work group. >> Thanks for President Nichols. On December 8th, we discussed the behavior education plan. We got to hear from Blackhawk, O'Keefe, and Lfallet. In January, we will oh, sorry, Leopold, O'Keefe, and Lafallet. In January, we will be hearing about the district's wellness and mental health approaches. >> Thank you. Next, we'll report on items that proceeded through the operations
051workg group. Um, I know that we did not have an operations workg group held in December. Although, Chair Castro, you may want to say something about our next operations work group. >> Thank you. As you mentioned, we did not have a work group in December, but our next uh operations work group will be January 12th, 2026. uh we will have a uh uh we will kick off the the the budget process for 26 27 by reviewing uh revenue projections. Uh next we will have an update from human resources regarding recruitment and retention and then we will have a referendum update. >> Thank you so much. Um, we did not have any action items that proceeded through either of the workg groupoups. So, there are no um items that we need to vote on at tonight's
052meeting. So, that will move me into our um main motion for the consent agenda. I move that the board of education adopt and approve all of the motions set forth in section 10 of the electronic agenda prepared for the December 15, 2025 regular school board meeting exactly said are written by voting affirmatively on this motion. A board member expresses his, her, or their affirmative vote on each of the motions consolidated hereby subject to any express separations that have been made by any member of the school board. >> Second, Nikki. >> Thank you. Are there any separations? >> 10.12. >> Okay. Are there any others or member Saravo? >> 10 9 and 10 >> 10.9 and 10.10. Okay. All right. Seeing no others, we will vote on um the main motion. Um board student representative Lee,
053your advisory vote. >> I >> All right. All those in favor? I >> I >> All right, perfect. That passes unanimously. All right, now let me move to 10.9. So this one is a data use agreement between MMSD and the University of Wisconsin's Lfallet School of Public Affairs. Let me read the motion. I move that the board of education approve the data use agreement between MMSD and the University of Wisconsin Madison's Lalit School of Public Affairs at a dollar amount of $0 from the deputy superintendent general operating budget. All right. Thank you, board member Maldo. All right, board member Saravo. I believe you had this one expressed I mean separated. I just wanted to focus on the purpose of this one. Do that's regarding the new act that's coming out that we're adjusting our policies
054for and just how we're using cell phones in the classroom. I'm wondering if this is also going to include any recommendations about what kind of cost would be incurred by a school by any of the recommendations therein. if that's something that's going to be clear about if the district is going to be acknowledging that and or is that going to be something will be discussed later on in this per school like if they will have anything subject to do in regards to anything that comes out of this. >> Thank you board president Nichols board member Saravo Dr. McCrae will speak tonight to the partnership that's before you on the consent agenda and that is with the WMadison Lfallet public affairs um and their partnership with us to study uh policy potential policy recommendations. So [clears
055throat] I think I heard your question. So the purpose of this particular is just to partner with the lfal graduate school for us to begin to do the research that potentially could impact our policy that we must create in response to act 42 which is a cell phone policy. >> I guess I'm wondering is if there's any recommendations that would ask a school to purchase any items in order to comply with anything that gets us closer to there. Is that going to be included or do you consider that separate? >> I think that I I can't say yes or no to that until we begin to do the work to determine what we're going to be asking, but I don't know what's going to come out of the work as of right now to make
056it say like are we purchasing things like yonder bag or things of that nature? I I don't know that. >> Dr. McCrae, I will add as well or Saravo that this is just one, you know, large research as we do a lit review and try to gather the best information possible. There may very well be local schools that, you know, want to determine how to um how to implement this policy. Uh there may be budget needs that a school might have to cover or they might want to work with the district or they might want to work with a partner. Those will be all things that we'll determine and share with the board and with the community as we develop the policy. >> Thank you. It also looks like this project is starting from the
057memo January 5th of 2026 and will conclude by June of 2026. And to board member Saravo's questions. So there will be a set of recommendations and research is what I'm assuming is coming out of this partnership. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> And that timeline is aligned to remember because these are graduate students spring semester. So that's the time the timeline is aligned to them actually being enrolled in this particular course that they're at W. >> Okay. Got it. Board member Vander Muan. >> Yes. Um, thank you for uh speaking on this because I would have pulled it but I had forgotten to pull it. My question is, do we I know you're setting up a timeline for the work and I respect that. Can the board also get a timeline of when we could possibly
058see this again just so we could prepare in the >> president Nichols, board member of Andrew Millan? I think that'll be determined by the policy community uh committee, excuse me. Uh so by working with them and making sure that we have it on our normal policy review uh process, um you'll have that timeline once that policy is ready for review. And to add to that, I think that that's the first part of the work that we'll do with the students to determine that so that we can inform the work the policy knowing that we must have a policy in place by July. Any further questions? >> All right, seeing none. Student Representative Lee, your advisory vote. >> I. >> All right. All those in favor? I All right, that passes unanimously. All right, let me
059go to the next item separated 10.10, which is uh it's about WMadison's spring 2026 tuition for cohorts five and six who are participating in the accelerated lensure in special education program. Let me read the motion. I move that the board of education approve an expenditure in the amount not to exceed $76,295.80 for all C cohorts five and six particip uh five and six participants spring 2026 tuition using the 2025 2026 funds from the strategy and innovation operating budget. Okay, that's been seconded by Vice President Pearson. All right, board member Sarabo, I believe you um asked for this item to be separated. Jack, I wanted to pull this because I'd really appreciate our grow your own programs and I was wondering if we could just have someone speak to you just how if this program has
060grown um since we uh started implementing this and just how we value our teachers having programs like these. >> Wonderful. Thank you. Nichols and board member Saravo, director of special projects, Dr. Dr. Jen Shepki will come up and share her uh work with our grow your own programs. And uh you're right, it has been a a strength of ours and a wonderful partnership and she can share some particular highlights of of the partnership. >> I'm really excited to share about ALS. So uh the partnership began in 2018 when we started working together uh between MMSD and UW school of ed to develop a co-developed co-led co-f facilitated program aimed at our special ed workforce. 2019 we implemented that plan and since then we have had six cohorts that have joined the ALS program that is
06180 people who have started this program either as a special education assistant or as a special ed teacher uh throughout the program it has taken two years roughly for each cohort to finish their lensure when they get done they have a three-year service commitment with the district and we are seeing that people are staying pass that. Uh, I'm also happy to share that as of yesterday, we just had 10 more people graduate. So, cohort 4 graduate from WMadison. They are now fully licensed once DPI processes all those applications. Um, and they will be joining our ranks for service as well. So, we're going to be moving into hopefully another cohort that we recruit. Um, and we're settling around about 10 peopleish um, each year that are coming into the program based on budget allocations as
062they they come up. Um, of course it depends every year on what you allocate for for budgets. Um, and I'm very proud to say that we're diversifying our special education workforce and really meeting our workforce needs, hopefully decreasing the need for vacancies that we have. >> That's great. Thank you. And it sounds like we need to say congratulations to all the graduates that we have and excited to see them there. I highly value how much we are able to keep our teachers and keep them growing and see them uh support our students. Thank you very much. >> Thanks. And just a shout out to all the partners that we have working here and at UW. It's it's truly a partnership program that makes it work uh with expertise of both sides. Thanks. Oh, any further
063questions? All right, seeing none, uh, student board representative Lee, your advisory vote. >> I. >> All right. All those in favor? I. All right. That um passes unanimously. Moving on to 10.12. This is about donated funds from the Randall Raccoon Rally. Um, so, oh, sorry, the Randall Raccoon Rally. There's a lot of Rs in there. Let me uh read the motion. I move that the board of education accept uh a donation in the amount of $23,630.17 from the Randall Raccoon Rally to support purchasing classroom furniture, essential technology, and other critical resources at Randall Elementary. Second, Nikki Vandermill. >> All right. Yes. Board member Vandermill and you um asked this one to be separated. >> And I I want to thank um the for the issue thanks for the raccoon the Randall Raccoon Rally for these
064for this incredible fundraiser. I think this will be great on furniture and I have a particular love of all raccoon. So, well, it needed for that reason. So, I want to say thank you. >> Thank you. All right. Board student rep uh Lee, your advisory vote. >> I. All those in favor? I. >> All right. That passes unanimously. Thank you. All right. Moving on um to other reports to the board. Uh we can move to student senate. Student senate had two meetings on November 5th and November 19th since the last board of regular board of education meeting and our two committees education equity and student wellness are finalizing their projects for the 2026 year. Um, for education equity, they're finalizing a project for attendance policies. And for student wellness, they're still working on the mental
065health fairs for all four comprehensive high schools and a school safety and security video made by students. And they're finalizing the script and working on casting calls for students in MMSD. >> Love that. Can I ask a follow-up question? Um, do you know if the video will be played ac across the district? Do you know what the plan is for this student made safety? And >> yeah, so that's still playing out. Um, we're still going through the process with um people in the district and trying to figure out how we would get that video out, but they're working on the script and it's turning out pretty cool. So, >> Dr. got this Hollywood, too. All right. All right. Oh, that's exciting. Sounds like you all are up to some good work. Um, next, Madison School
066and Community Recreation Advisory Committee. Uh, board member Moa. >> Thank you. Um, just a quick one from MSCR. Um, like I said last month, um, we're I mean it's almost 2026 now, um, which will mark MSCR's centennial year, and there will be celebrations large and small throughout the year to mark 100 years of public recreation in Madison and MMSD. Registration is open now for winter, winter, and spring programming. Um, and there is space available in many programs for all ages. >> Thank you. Next policy committee. Do you all have an update? >> Yes, we sent out an update this morning. Um we met on Friday and we discussed the various policies that we have for our our quarterly um policy priorities. Um, and our hope is to schedule a uh special meeting in January that
067will be policy focused and have the first read of all of well majority of our policies um minus the electronic one now that we have voted on um the relationship with the um the lazalit school. Um and so we will have those first reads and then after those first reads depending on um what comes out of that conversation um we will then calendar for um the second read um and then bring forth possible other policies to be able to be reviewed for this next quarter. >> Thank you. >> All right. In other business tonight, we have some time to um focus in on the Wisconsin Association of School Boards proposed resolutions for the January 21st, 2026 delegate assembly meeting. So, I'm going to start with the motion if somebody can second it and then we
068can um open it up for any of the any of the resolutions that we need to discuss. So, I move that the board of education direct board representative Blair Falam to vote in approval of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards 2026 resolutions items 1 to 12 at the January 2026 state education convention delegate assembly meeting. >> Second, Maya. >> All right. Um, board member Moser Falam, did you want to open up this? >> Sure. >> Okay. I'm gonna vote against this motion because um for well one really straightforward reason which is that um resolutions 10 and 11 are in opposition to each other. So um proposed resolutions from WASBY 10 and 11 are about whether or not WASBY as an organization will support or oppose decoupling um funding from public schools and private schools. And
069this is all um around issues of how voucher schools and charter schools are funded. Um there is a movement to they call it decoupling which would put put the state in the position to be paying all all of those um vouchers and all of those char students tuition essentially um through the state. And while that can seem like an attractive idea, um opponents of decoupling are are actually arguing that um do doing that decoupling opens up the the space for like a massive expansion of voucher programs. Um and so I'm going to vote against this motion because we can't we can't approve both 10 and 11. And then um once we have the full board having voted in favor or not in favor of this motion, I'll move that we approve one through let me
070just double check my notes. One I can't remember which one is approve and which one is oppose but I'm going to find out in my notes. Um, I'm going to move that we um that you you tell me to vote in approval of all of the Wasby proposed resolutions except for number 10. >> We will we'll we'll we're just opening up for discussion. So, um because the current motion reads that we're um directing you to vote in approval of all resolutions, items 1 through 12. What you're bringing up is that actually number 10 would not be the one that you would want to vote um in favor. So therefore the motion should fail and we should re >> move again to approve my my reword the motion >> all but number 10. >> Okay. Okay.
071Are there any other questions or comments regarding resolutions 10 and 11? Because I I see what you're saying. they're like the same issue but like worded from one is like for and then one is against and it's the exact same issue. Um or is there anybody from the administration that also wants to provide any context? So let me just open it up and see are there any questions from further board members or Yeah. I just want to say uh thank you to Blair and Martha for putting in the work and really going through these thoroughly and also bringing back the conversation around the decoupling. Um, and then also just shout out to our um, favorite friends at the network um, who constantly is doing this work um, and making sure that folks understand um, the
072nature um, of vouchers in our state and how they affect us as a public school system. And so, thank you both for doing that work and thank you Blair for elevating this. >> Member Vanderm, >> I'd defer to Blair on this. I thank Blair and Martha the work on it. Um the whole decoupling issue and the fact that of the uh expansion of voucher schools is truly a threat to MMSD and to public education as a whole. So that's why I will take my lead from Blair. Vote no on the initial resolution and then vote yes on the second or member survival. >> I appreciate the highlighting the Wisconsin Public Education Network because they've been uh talking about this issue for a long time. And so if anybody's actually looking to find out more about
073decoupling and to understand it in a more um personfriendly language and to really break it down, if you go to their website, you can really um understand this very complicated issue in a way that's presented more on uh for the public to take in to understand why we would be voting in this manner. All right. So, um, let's go ahead and take a vote on the original motion that's on the floor. Um, board representative Lee, your advisory vote. >> No. >> All right. All those in favor? I. All those opposed? Nay. All right. All right. So, that fails unanimously and we will um redo the motion. >> Do you want me to make the motion or would you like to >> um Okay, Dr. McCrae would like to assist with that. >> Thanks. I move
074that the board of education direct representative Blair Mosner Falam to vote in approval. Wisconsin Association of School Boards 2026 resolutions items 1 through 9, 11 and 12, and to vote against item 10 at the January 2026 state education convention delegate assembly meeting. Any other questions or comments on that motion? >> I second. >> Yep, that was seconded by board member Mo. All right. Seeing no further discussion, board represent Lee, your advisor vote. >> I. >> All right. All those in favor? I >> I >> All right. That passes unanimously. Thank you u board member Mosner Falam for bringing up the conflict in the resolutions. Thank you for uh suggesting that we come up with a new motion. I'm looking forward to hearing more about you and board member Saravo at the state convention this year.
075Um, with that y'all, um, we have no further business. I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved, Maya. >> And board member Vanderm, that was a second. >> Yes. >> All right. I'm sure there are no objections, but to make sure uh, all those in favor of adjournment, I All right. Thank you. Meeting is adjourned. Have a great winter break. >> Good night. >> Sorry, the raccoon.