McFarland School Board Meetings 04/07/25

001Okay. In that case, I will call the meeting to order at 7:00 sharp. Uh, we have some consent agenda items as as a just a mechanical question. Do any board members have any specific consent agenda items they would like to pull out or can we approve them as presented? If so, I would look for a motion. I move to accept the consent consent agenda as presented. Thank you. Do I have a second? Second. Thank you, Tom. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Motion carries unanimously. 5. Let's see. We also have some professional staffing recommendations that do not require a vote. So, we will move to uh public comments. Angie, do we have any public comments? I would not have anyone register public comments this evening. Okay, thank you very much.

002Moving along, that brings us to the high school student report. Oh, boy. Hi there. Sorry. All right. I can share the student report my screen. All right. All right. So, the McFarland High School student report for April 7th, 2025. Some of our highlights. So, what's going on at MHS right now? We are actually celebrating Med Club's achievement with raising over $29,000 to support Leukemia and Lyoma Lymphoma Society. Their success was celebrated at Manona Terrace along with other visionaries from the greater Madison area that evening. A total of almost 620,000 was unveiled as dollars raised for the money that has been raised since that evening. And here's some our some of our key people for that. We also have are celebrating our mad month. Um, seven MHS model UN students headed to Wisconsin high school model

003UN conferences hosted at WMadison. Um, they went to spend two days building alliances, delivering speeches and responding to crisises as they acted in the decision making roleplay. Um, several MHS members had incredible engagement, specifically M Mary Desiree, who won an award with as the ro as the role of Thomas Jefferson in the historic crisis committee above the first American cabinet. Uh, and then we have our VAC competition. Congrats to Tatum Curts, Ashton Terrell, Lydia Foster, and Gwen Demar's for getting gold medals in the visual arts competition in Edgewood College. What we have coming up the week of April 21, 21st to 25th, student council will raise cancer awareness week. They will be sponsoring cancer awareness to raise um awareness about different types of cancer and raise money to donate to the American Family Children's Hospital.

004On April 16th, preacs will be secure. Only freshman and sophomores will attend school, meaning I will be in bed. From April 25th to 27th, Lightning Thief the musical will be performed in McCormack High School Performing Arts Center. On the 25th and 26th, it will be hosted at 700 p.m. And on the 27th, it will be hosted at 2:00 p.m. and hosted by yours truly. On April 24th, Connect Club will be hosting the second annual equity picnic. Equity clubs from both McLaren High School and Middle School will be joining together to discuss and participate in activities on how to make our school a better and more accepting place. Our athletics updates for sports. Track and field has been a busy week. They managed to go to a conference meet at Mount Hora and invitationals at Watertown

005Water. For softball, we just started off that season with two well played games. For girls lacrosse, we had the week off at a competition, held practices, but they're but we're getting ready for our game tomorrow at Ed. For boys lacrosse, they had their first game against so Prairie and competed very well. Baseball had two games. Girls soccer had a busy week with also two games. Boys golf had a good first week and they will start their competition this week. Boys tennis had a good first week as well and they will start their competitions also this week and Ultimate Frisbee has started their their practices and are also getting ready for the week and that's all. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. We appreciate it too. Thank you so

006much. Any comments? Go ahead. Yeah, I just have one question. The um med club is not one that I've heard of before. How long has that been around? Do you know? I think it's in their round. I think they opened it last year. Okay. Yeah. They're doing really well though. I' I've seen them uh constantly having these kinds of fundraisers for cancer and for a lot of other uh different events. Yeah, they're they're very um they're very good at what they do. Yeah, Jade, I have a couple things. How did Med Club raise $29,000? I personally don't know all about it, but I do know that one of the members who is a friend of my sisters ended up sending out me uh mail to people who are interested trying to raise awareness, sending out

007a essay or some kind of u paragraph that just explained what they were doing and also trying to just bring awareness to the situation while you know trying to get out to people they know. And you talk about the equity picnic that's coming up for middle school and high school. Um, and I know you do things with other school districts. Do other districts have equity picnics with like the middle school, high school students? I'm actually not sure. I know that our um it was our principal, our president of Connect Club who started actually last year. So, we're we're really not sure about other districts, but yeah, this is our second time actually ever doing it, so we're just hoping it goes well. Well, kudos to you to uh bring middle school and high school youth

008together for that. And then one other, it's more of a question. The Hope Squad, we used to hear quite a bit about the Hope Squad, uh their activities and mission. Um, could you provide us uh sometime in the future sort of an update or a status uh quo report on the hope squad here at the high school? I would really like to. I just don't in our club right now don't have anyone who's participating in Hope Squad. I know last year and when it first started, one of the key exec board members was part of Hope Squad. He was like uh actually a part of the executive team on Hope Squad. So that's why they had so much information about it then, but now we don't have any members who are part of it and

009we're trying to reach out, but it's just that our meetings aren't accumulating in a good place for everyone. It is. Yes. Who's your advisor? Uh, Miss Mle. That might be something we could chat with her about to see if we could get some info. Yeah, it's very important. Still very active. They just had hope week last. Yeah. Yeah. Last week or the week before. So, it's just a matter of getting it. Yeah. You know, to connect to get to you. Yes. So, that's so that's another interesting um question then. How many like what percentage of clubs are represented in connect club do you think? Honestly, it's it's not that very many. I know we have a couple we have a few members. It's very unfortunate. We had a couple members sign up and then just

010no one goes to the meetings. I think it's just since we host them so early in the morning, it's just a matter of time and I guess participation. But yeah, it's it's really sad. We did want to have that's the whole reason we have connect to bring together more clubs. We have been noticing more freshmen, but I think it is definitely something we have to think about time management wise to get more connection. It could be even something as simple as one of the um executive leaders from each club just sends a quick update to you so that way it could be included in the high school report. Yeah, that's actually very Yeah, I haven't thought about that. Yeah, I I should definitely talk to about that with my with my fellow members. Yeah, because

011we love hearing all the stuff. So, yeah. So, it would be that' be a lot the mod the idea of having a rep on connect wouldn't it wouldn't make sense now logical. So, I think what you're saying is makes a lot of sense. True. Anybody anything else? If not, thank you very much. Thanks. Thanks. Thank you. Have a wonderful night. You bet. You too. We'll see you next time. All right. That brings us to ourformational items. And first on the agenda is the joint village board school board meeting held March 11th, 2025. Mr. Turner. Well, I I was there, but I you know, I can defer to our board members who are also there to share a little bit of their synopsis. There we go. Or do you want me to go ahead? I would

012prefer you did. Yeah. Well, thank you. Wow. I will chip I will chime in. Yeah. Yes. So the there uh the main um guest speakers or guest topic featured topic I think would be a good way was provided an update on the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts of both the village and the school board. Uh and so it began with our coordinator Britney Brazzo who shared a great update uh one that you have seen just summarizing the things that that we have done here through her leadership the equity specific clubs talking about speak up speak out and and addressing harmful language. Uh ensuring there's equitable outcomes across students the mentoring circles that she leads. um the staff professional development that she's been a part of and that we're leading with an e equity lens. Uh

013the the McFarland School's equity collective and talking about collaboration with the village um Crystal Johnson who is the the the diversity equity inclusion strategist for the village joined a little bit later. She was having some travel travel issues. Um but Matt Shanki, the village administrator, provided an update on some of her work uh leading their um diversity, equity, inclusion committee. They've been working on a flag policy. Um she's been very engaged in their mission, vision work and establishing their the updating their mission and vision. The recruitment for the police chief is something she was heavily involved in talking about genderneutral restrooms in area facilities u village facilities really focusing on the integration of the department and then some some some grant work as well. So, I thought that was a a kind of a a

014nice way to show um some of the different things that are happening and the bigger updates for the village are that they continue to to update that mission, vision, and values. That's been a big project. We talked a little bit about the the solar farm um and that that work continues on that collaborative project with the village uh on Sigle Co. Is that broken ground yet? It it it will this spring. It has not yet, but um will be breaking ground. Um you know, it's going through the planning commission. I by now it's gone through the planning commission. And you know, this is a project that is two years in the making. So right it take a lot of persistence and tenacity from a lot of people including uh from the school end uh director

015of business uh Jeff Mahoney and then several people on the village end as well working with WPL. So very exciting. I think it is their first joint project with a village in a in a school district that they've worked with. We talked a little bit about Highway 51 construction and uh that was that was pretty much it. Our next meeting is May 13th. Anything you would like to add, board members? I don't think so. My I part of why I wanted you to talk was because I accidentally left my notes at home, but it's always a good it's just always a good collaboration and update. And um I think did we also decide this meeting or was that last meeting that we were going to stick with quarterly last meeting? Yeah, I think that is

016that is what it was. It was a quarterly. Yeah. Okay. So it sounds like uh once that solar farm is up and running that might be another field trip destination. Oh for sure. for a particular grade level or levels because I think not kind of 11 but obes. Why not? Interesting. Yeah. Yep. Anything else? If not, we will move along to unusually hazardous transportation plan. Mr. Mahoney. Thank you. Um, yeah, unusually hazardous transportation zones. I mean, it's pretty exciting stuff. Um, another way to talk about it is what are really acceptable walk zones. Um, is kind of how we've always featured it on our website for our families and promoted it to our families. I first just wanted to uh talk about so state law requires that minimally school districts must provide transportation for those

017students that live two miles or further away from their school. And uh the McFarland School District actually up until 2017 other than our 4K program had that in place for all levels. We required families to either walk or drive um up to two miles unless they lived in an unusual hazardous transportation area. In 2017, we did change a few things. We went to that we would transport all continue to transport all 4K students, which I think is pretty darn good. Yeah. And we also included K through two as part of that. Um at the same time we lowered from two miles down to one mile three through five. We left in place up to two miles unless the student lives in an unusual hazardous transportation zone 6 through 12. Um I'm bringing that up because

018we have had a lot of changes to our um transportation of students that have been very positive and good. We transport nearly 1,200 students every day and that is a wonderful thing. Additionally, um before I kind of dive into this, we've, you know, you talk about those collaborative projects, we've worked with the village on numerous projects to make sure that we're helping find, you know, better crosswalks. We continue with our crossing guards. Um so, there's a lot of things that we continue to do. Um, state law requires the school district to have on file with DPI a unusual hazardous transportation plan. Um, when I arrived, there was one that was put in place in 2001 and we reviewed it again in 2007 and there necessarily was not any changes that were necessary. Um, in the

019fall of 2024, we had a group of parents that were a little concerned about uh some walk zones um for our 35 grade levels. Um, this was a project that was kind of on our plans and our radar that we have to move forward with. Um, and we've been kind of holding it off because it's quite an expense. Um, this review is nearly $20,000 to have done. Um, so we for the first time had to move forward with it because we actually had families that had challenged it and so we moved forward with it this year. Um, and that's a when you think about it, we haven't had to have a formal study since 2001. So, I think it was well money well spent for the school district to have it professionally managed, reviewed. Um,

020it used to be that the county would do it for free. Now, the county requires the school district to contract before they review with someone. So, all of that has occurred. Um, how did we land on Tatty? Um they had done studies for Sun Curry, Waneki and Deorest most recently in our county. Um so they were kind of a natural we've done some work with them a long time ago. Um so they are a very wellrecoognized organization of which I think you saw the 30page document that exists there. Um I don't know all of their formulas. Some of them are a little unique. Um, but what I wanted to focus on tonight is first we're just go to our website. Angie's gonna drive a little bit for us. Not the school bus, just the website.

021That's right. If you were licensed to drive a bus, you'd never be able get to do your day job. So, scroll down to our um, keep going. We'll go down to the walk zones. Sorry. Keep going. Oh. Yeah, it's both. So, let's just or go to the hazardous zone maps. Oops. You're right there. Yep. It's right below the zone. So, click on that. I'm on it. It's just not lined up. It's not the function. Well, I can describe it for you. Our hazardous walk zones include the area pretty much to the west of 51 and the north of Siglecow in our residential areas that are part of our village. Those have been in place well prior to uh Siglecow being developed into being a fourlane uh road and more in particular and something we'll talk

022about a little bit further. Highway 51 in 2001 did not include Larson Beach Road. Uh please note that I did find the error in the report that has a little caveat. It's called Lagona Beach Road which that would be cool if we had Laguna. That'd be awesome weather, but we don't. Um, and Brahma Road is Burma Road. So, if you come across a couple typos, okay, those are being fixed. So, those are our haz hazardous areas that would be within two miles of most schools where kids could walk, but you as a school board, your predecessors in 2001 determined those would not be walk zones. Partly because There were not safe areas. The underpass at Taylor Road did not exist. Larson Beach Road lights did not exist. Uh there were not sidewalks that went down

023Farwell Street and crossed over at Farwell and 51. So, in a sense, this has been a good time for us to have this review so that we could determine if these areas still would remain as hazardous areas for um our schools. When we and we can just kind of leave this up when we go to the study. Before we go to that, we've determined with this company that while the area north of Siglecow could have been potentially a walk area for 612, the caveat that is holding that back is the fact that there's two municipal jurisdictions. Yeah. And the future development of what's happening on Siglecow Road. So that has been continued to be determined that that is still going to be an unusual hazardous transportation area and we are still going to have buses

024that will go to that area no matter what. The area west of 51 will continue to be an area where first of all we transport all 4K through two. So we don't even really have to get into that. All of 35 within a mile is prior to 51. So there's no conversation about 51 and our third through fifth graders. when the uh Teddy scored out the walk zone safety area of the areas west of 51 6 through 12 scored within a reasonable level of being able to walk to school. Yeah. And it's within two miles. Um it's in some areas it's very close. Yeah. So, um, to summarize and to not go through a lot of detail, I just wanted to kind of cut to the chase that our big change, not be a huge

025change because there's been a lot of modifications to Highway 51, including two controlled intersections and underpass. and we're working with um one of the things that I asked for them to do, which they did, which is call out some recommendations for the state to consider on Highway 51 with signage and stuff like that. So, when the state starts phase six, they're in phase seven right now, but they're going to go to back to phase six, which is what comes through the village. We will be providing them information study of things that would enhance those area those crossing areas even better for not only just students but families and our elderly. Yes. So um a lot of good things uh from this study. I don't want to complain about the cost even though it came out

026of my budget. Um it it was the right time. Um, the TDY's review was then forwarded on to the county, which the county then reviewed it and met with local law enforcement. I wasn't involved in those conversations and a couple weeks ago they approved uh the TADY recommendations and plan moving forward. Um, the board doesn't have any action on this this evening. This isformational so that the next time the board meets on the 21st, we have to have an approved plan on file by the board so that we can send it to DPI. Um I think if we went to the I can stop or I can go to the exhibits of I think pictures are better than the words in this case. We could go to the uh exhibits that are in the report

027that just show it again mapwise where things will be at. I'll also note while Angie's pulling that up, in addition to having these hazardous areas and areas that are within one mile or two miles of school, particularly 6 through 12, parents had have had an option to pay to have their students transported if we have routes that are going past a logical spot and we have room um that is getting to be a little bit more difficult because more of our families live further out. So, it's um and our families pay uh this year about $200 per student. And some would say, well, boy, that's a lot. Well, the cost to transport a student in our district is nearing $700. So, the district is still subsidizing Wow. if they have space and if it's on

028a road about $500. So it's per student. Per student. Yeah, exactly. Is there particular page you'd like to go to? Yeah. Almost to the last five pages. It's page 20 on that right now. I'm sorry, page. It starts at page 18. Yeah, it's this one right here. So, I'm not trying to go away from looking at the So, that's our unusual hazardous transportation zone for everybody K12. Um, and is that's north of Sigle Cow? Those are the two areas that are in our village and in our school district. So, are they considered to be unusually hazardous um just due to the traffic or having to cross Sigle Cow or all? Yes. Okay. In other words, playing bleep. In other words, playing bleeping frog. Yeah. Right. So, and we had reached out to the city of

029Madison to see if we could get some sort of joint agreement about five, six year, you know, it was pre-COVID, so seven years ago of could we get crossing guards over there and they didn't feel that city of Madison was not going to do a crossing guard for half of the road and we couldn't get a so we couldn't work out an agreement of half the road and half the road between the village and the city because it's divided between the two municipalities. Gotcha. So, well, I will say there are some lovely new flashing lights at True. I'm Valley Drive. Yeah, it's Valley Drive. But then there's one even and there's one at Marsh. Yeah. Which is popped up. I think they moved one from public intersection there to another suit. So that is actually

030likely to there's I'll speak to that Craig. There are two updates. Uh the village is going to do something here at Burma and the 90 degree turn because a few years ago they put a sidewalk in there. So there's going to be some flashing something coming there uh this summer. And then the equipment that was near the safety facility is going to be out on Holshire and likely Red Oak. Um so that there's additional um safety uh at a area that's it's not a controlled intersection that's one block further down. Yeah. But that is a kind of a blind uh little bit curve. Um the the speed data that we got on there was actually pretty good compared to some of the other locations. I live right over there and speeding isn't the issue. It's

031just like the traffic and I mean it can get to be a little bit So this first slide is again just the for everybody in our district that would be uh 4K through 12 even if we didn't offer transportation to all 4K through second that would be considered unusual hazardous transportation and that's why we have nearly 600 students that are on buses from those two areas. Yeah. Every day. Yes. Wow. A lot of buses go through secret places. You just won't know it's secret. Well, I'm a little punched. Such a bad joke. I know. I'd be a cancer that um next slide, please. That would be the Wabisa area. And as you can see, it's all really contained within I got jump to 27. We kind of went with an area that would be about

032just a mile because it was within the railroad tracks. It was south of and it was east or just east of 51. Um, and it also compared relatively similar to our other neighbors, K5s, Oregon, Manona, um, to Forest, some of those as well when we made that change back in 2017. So, we're within and it scored well uh, with Tatty. If you see the slash hatch area on the east side, that's where the next east side development area could be and that would be considered part of so we don't have to go back and do this study. If they continue to do residential that already would be part of the onem zone um for is that does that include the eight acres for the uh solar farm in there? I think part of that actually

033probably just gets the outskirt. Yeah, that's actually going to be commercial. Okay, so that acorage to the west of to the east of our solar farm is going to be commercial. Okay. So, there would be it's just another chunk of land that could be developed for residential and that would be within um a portion that would be within a mile to what? Okay. So, just so I'm understanding this correctly, everything in blue Yes. is technically in a walk zone. Yes. So every student their parents would pay $200 for the bus. Yeah. If we had space and if we had spots for people to go. Okay. Is there a family plan if you have more than one student from the same family? Is there a price cut as well? No. I mean it sounds like there's

034a getting a price significant price. Yeah. $500 per child. You know that's so but but but we used to have a family years ago. Yep. But the first child also used to be $335. That's true. Interesting. Then the second child had a price reduction. Get 50%. Then we went back down to that was with dollars back then. Now that's probably a $6,000 value. I don't know. I'm not good with inflation. We we are fortunate that we're able to do what we can because we're a really small land area school district. That's right. It's great. So the next slide is the middle school, but it also represents the high school. This is the two mile zone. Yeah. Of which you'll see covers pretty much the entire village in full. How did they measure it? Is that

035a as a crow flies kind of distance or it's distance actually from a person's residence. So they map that to the uh starting point or the drop point of each of our buildings which actually is on our board policy and it's not as a profile applies. No, because that'd be a circle. Yep. So interesting. So when we would have people, which we do every year, ask us to review, we drive from the point that's on our board policy to their location using the shortest distance road. Okay. Obviously, you got a couple weeks to send me questions, concerns, thoughts, and like I said, I'm taking care of the couple typos that I didn't come across until a couple days ago. And financially, it's just the what was it? 20,000. It was just south of 20,000. So,

036Jim, I have a question. if they were to uh do a little repair job on the sidewalk on Creamy Road between Countrywood and Milwaukee Street, so they couldn't so students couldn't use the sidewalk. Would that automatically become a hazardous zone? Would those kids be bust during that construction period or not? Not necessarily. because there's a lot of leeway to walk between, you know, on either side of the sidewalk because of the marsh on one side, the road right be there. So, I was just curious about that. What about the reconstruction of 51 that phase six that you were talking about? Are they talking about reconstructing the intersection of Farwell and 51? No, I don't think that it'll be different lighting and you know some of the recommendations that Tatty had was to have just better

037signage. Um and also have uh if some have ever experienced you go in Madison there's that where you push the button to walk and before traffic even gets a shot to move. It's just the only people the only thing that's working is people are walking. you can't there's still red lights so it's called a delay. Okay. So those will be items that we'll pass along to the state which they'll be um April 24th which is also the NFL draft in Green Bay and my sister. If anybody wants to come to Badger State Brewing, I will be there with my job giving out free boots. Just throwing that out there. All right. My own professional back. There you go. So, the DOT will be at Wisa Intermediate School and they're presenting to the community um and

038area businesses that evening on phase six. And the lastly, my comment is this study has been very well done. It's indepth, comprehensive. So, thanks for sharing that with us. so concerned about single cow and no crossing guards out there but I understand what the limit is and that's why we're busting from there. It was a situation where we could have said how about we really look at this or at this point until some reconstruction ever happens there we'll continue to have that as a unusual hazardous transportation. Okay. Yes. a walking bridge. Have the walk zones that are on here, how much do they differ from the current walk zones? Are they pretty? They're pretty much identical. Okay. Um the nice thing is they have better boundary areas so that we can deal with and I

039don't have to drive to as many locations as much. The only real change is grades 6 through 12 highway west of Highway 51 is part of the walk zone. Okay, cool. I never knew what went into all this. You know, they talked about rush hour. Yeah. Student parking, parent parking, uh the crosswalks themselves, the distance between the sidewalk and the street, whatever. So, it's very I learned a lot with that. I mean, there's practically algebra on here. There is practically I mean, it is The other thing, Tom, and for the rest of the board members, I mean, I actually we're picking, we picked their brain because they were doing a study on how we could maybe improve our parking lot that needs to be redone asphalt-wise in a couple years, the west end of the

040high school. That's the last parking lot that hasn't been done since the referendum did it back in 99. So, it's starting to sink a little bit. So, uh, the village and allegiance and myself have met start talking about that area and, um, Taddyy gave us some ideas to the grill. Perfect. Thanks, Daddy. Oh, that is good. I like your name. Thank you very much, Jeff. Yeah, thank you. That's really educational because people they can begin to understand the logistics of what are seemingly simple things. Yeah. and the work that goes on behind that makes it look simple. Right. Thank you. And once again, I compliment the district for having the safety of students in mind when they're talking about all these decisions. And I think the idea of blessing all 4K through second grade has

041been a great improvement in the district. And Tom couldn't walk them to school anymore. Yeah, I know. But they can still miss the bus. I could walk them home. Anything else? Thanks, Jeff. Thank you. Moving on, we have the district administrators report. Mr. Charit, sir, the floor is yours. Few things. Uh, a little bit of an update. So, April 1st was uh a couple things. Uh, one, we had an election for school board. So, congratulations to Megan Fesser will be returning. Thank you. and Meredith Huie will be joining us and she'll take the oath of they'll both take the oath of office at our next meeting which will also be Mr. Mooney's last meeting for now sad for now and uh but there were other referendums uh around because that's what schools need to do

042in order to maintain their funding. So, um, 56% of the referendums passed and that was 89 questions in 81 districts. And the passage rates were 57% for non-recurring operational and uh 20% for recurring operational and 61% for debt or capital projects. So, um, it was a little bit lower than what we saw in in November. I thought the I thought the recurring passage rate was really interesting. Like it made us made me feel extra good about our about our passing ours and how and several non-recurring didn't. Yeah. Right. Didn't pass too. Some even just two years. Yep. I really wish there was a way we could like simplify the conversation for people about referendums and public education financing. I was in my job job talking to some people in uh the Milwaukee area and we

043were talking about public education funding and you know it was a lot of oh the schools need to be doing more and it's a school's fault and I was like let me give you a little funding 101 overview and so when you break it down Barney style they're like that's what's going on like yes that's what's going on you know um and I don't know how we break it down easier because it is very very confusing from, you know, the legal perspective, but getting better. We're getting better. It's true. Unfortunately, we've had opportunities to practice, right? Some recognitions. Uh, one of the things that happens on a quarterly basis is our our security of our our network uh is evaluated by by a cyber insurance company. And I want to just recognize Aaron Folskick and

044and the crew uh that team that keeps our network safe. Our last rating was a 99 which I think is like the best you can really like. Can you get a 100? I don't think so. So that just means we have a a significantly reduced risk of a cyber incident. So that's great news. Uh shout out to Jeff Mahoney and and village administrator Matt Shanki and Blake Theson from Parkitecture. They're going to be presenting up um at a conference coming up. The Wisconsin Association of Business Officers has a conference coming up and they're going to talk about a village and school district collaboration. This is going to focus on the inclusive park. Oh, cool. And their work and and how that was better for everybody. And so that will be nice. Recognizing our very own

045uh high school teacher, Brian Ward, and the members of the Indigenous Solidarity Collective of McFarland. So, they're organizing a fundraiser so that we can add a plaque to each of our buildings with the land acknowledgement. Uh, we do not have district funds available for the $7,272 it would cost to add for uh quality uh and and and durable signs to one to each of our buildings. So, there's a fundraiser if anybody wants to donate. It's on our website. So these plaques that will go inside the buildings or outside. Okay. Inside similar to what you see, you know, like when you see the dedication. Yes. You know, uh it'll be very similar to that. And the village is also adding similar plaques to their facilities. So, uh thank you to Melissa Fo and for her organization

046and the curriculum council leaders. A reminder, we brought in my in my time brought back curriculum councils and that is a a K12 collaboration around content areas. So looking for that scope and sequence across the grade levels and uh we are once again going to have them again people found it was valuable. We're going to have four meetings next year August, October, February and May. They're going to occur right before lunch on those professional development days. So that's exciting and I appreciate her leadership. Shout out to Fred Bartman. He's organizing a a teacher study group, but it also involves parents. Um so and you are welcome to join too. It's called Thrivvers of the Surprising Reason why some kids struggle and others shine. So it's a book. We'll be reading each meeting. will read uh

047reflect on a chapter from the book and um it's starting up April 15th. So uh that's exciting, you know, just to learn about what what helps uh kids persevere and and the characteristics. We had the second year stay interviews have been concluded. So, a reminder that's a practice that we started last year where Melissa Fo and I divide up and talk to people that have been here uh two years and talk to them about what's working, how could we improve, how can we keep you forever. And the feedback was really really positive. They talked about what a strong positive culture we have. Uh they talked about high levels of job satisfaction, strong administrative report and a and a commitment to staying. And that was done through artificial intelligence. It's not just our bias. So that's

048what their feedback shared. Um employees reported feeling very val uh valued, supported, and heard. Areas of growth include professional development. Just people want more opportunities that they can get. um continued increasing communication with staff. Compensation obviously was a concern that they mentioned and just more student support structures related to behavior and mental health. They all said 100% said they would recommend the district to a friend or a colleague. So I thought that was that was exciting. I think it it is reflective of the value that our new teachers are seeing and also uh it reinforces the areas that we had already identified as as growth areas. So feels like we're on the right track but we have work to do. It's just the right work. That's wonderful though. Yeah. It's a it's valuable. It's much

049better than just doing exit interviews. Yes. Because those tell you a story after the fact. Still valuable. a few pictures from around the district to share with you. Here you have, you remember last time I think I mentioned this kindness retreat and then high schoolers come over and work with the fifth graders and they talk about showing acts of kindness and what that looks like and building empathy. So, a great event and and really exciting and you know kids get to interact with the high schoolers who are really kind of their idols. We bring in a group uh an outside group to facilitate that's just so their expertise is very impressive. Youth Frontiers been doing that for several years. So thanks to those that organized that too, especially the fifth grade team Robotics got a

050trophy here, the middle school robotics. And again, if you ever have a chance to check it out, please do. um the high school robotics practices in that room just behind if you ever want to take a a peek in that after a board meeting. The blue notes and uh the middle school singers did a a tour just before break. So went really well. Uh very exciting. I think that is at is that Wabisa I think. Um so just a really great event. and I was able to attend one of them and woo there's a lot of talent there and they really had fun and the students were really engaged. Uh great audiences. That was fun. Here you can see at on that same day in the afternoon the middle school has a tradition before breaks

051of having a drop everything and read for staff and students alike. So that time right before spring break, um it shows our commitment to literacy and our recognition that kids get a little hyped up before break and so we provide a very calm activity to transition. And Aaron, what's the significance of the share sign there? So in the that's in the library at the middle school and they have signs. Oh gosh, I can't remember what they all say. One of them says share. Um, so it's just about it's sort of like things to do in the library. So that's one of the things that you do in the library. I can't remember. I should know. Uh, we've talked about this, you know, I think I I mentioned this at our last time. So now you

052just see some pictures of this um resident who whose father was a in Poland and um you know fought. So I think it was a really impactful story. You can see a student there asking follow-up questions afterwards. It's always a good sign when students voluntarily come up afterwards to spend time with another adult. So the curiosity was peaked. another um activity. This is also again I think both of these were organized by Angie Bazan. So thank you to Angie and this is uh speaking to his grandson's US history class which got to love that right? Yeah. And talking about his experience in the Air Force in the Cold War and Vietnam Wars. Vietnam. So good experiences. You heard about this a little bit. um $29,000. And I will say as as someone that received a

053personal uh card encouraging donation and then did um that's persuasive that the personal touch and the extra time that was put in really led to that. So wonderful fundraiser model UN. You heard a little bit about that. See them down on campus there. Very happy, very proud. I like the post-it note on that. I know. That's Yes. You don't lose your notes. It sends a message. It does. It really stands out literally and figurative. Yeah. Since we had our last board meeting, it was National Pair Professionals Day. And we just have such a great team. It's one of the things that uh our secondyear stay people would often reference is the quality of and the talent that our support staff, our pair professionals have. They really make a difference. Definitely. Um, you can't value them

054enough. You know, we need to keep reminding them how valuable they are. It was also National School Librarian Day last week. So, here's our four outstanding library media specialists that do way more than you can ever imagine. And as was mentioned prior to the board meeting starting, it is uh the associate principles week. So we recognize them um today and all week and they have a challenging job uh having done that job. I certainly understand and that was in a different time. So great admiration for PJ Dana Brooke. How long has been the assistant principal? Been at least 15 years. I was going to say probably 15. Yeah. Yeah. So he has been um in that role since I started as principal. Well kind of a year before he did half time. So that's 10

05513. Yeah. About 14. The thing that I'm most impressed, this is one of those things that really helps staff tremendously is is these these individuals. Um and their ability to work with their principal. Yeah. And it's just it's a coordinating thing that and they do it seamlessly. Yep. And it's wonderful. Yeah. And their expertise and collaborating with families is just really admiraable and it's exciting that we're going to be looking at hiring or you're about to start looking in a hiring process for Yes, there are interviews this week for Wisa associate principal. That's that's wonderful. coming up. April is um well, we're in April. It's National Autism Acceptance Month, Mung Heritage Month, ArabAmerican Heritage Month, National School Library Month, National Bilingual Multilingual Learners Advocacy Month, and Occupational Therapy Month. Of course, we have the the

056week this week for our social principles. Uh the 9th is Prisoners of War Remembrance Day. The 9th is also our mentor mentee dialogue dinner with our new new staff and their mentors. The 11th is the middle school student of the month assembly. Also the day of silence. The American creed day is the 13th. The 14th is the fourth grade music art show art music show. And the 16th of April is Bandorama which is always a fun event. Patriots day is the 19th. We have Easter Sunday. on the 20th and then we're back here for a schoolboard meeting on the 21st and it's also kicks off their grade field trips to the Dayne County Landfill where they learn about the landfill. Our favorite. Yeah. So, lots of good things. Any other recognitions from the board? I

057mean, the music department, they're quite busy these last few days. Yes, Los Angeles. But we'll we'll have a report on that next time when it's all finished, I'm sure. Yeah, very exciting. If nothing else, then thank you very much, Mr. Tarnet, sir. And we will move along to our action items. And the first is a discussion and potential action on renaming of Conrad Elvium Primary School. Um, and there's a little something else here in terms of making a motion on this. Uh, the suggestion is after discussion, a board member may make a motion to rename the school. However, it is not necessary for a board member to make a motion to keep the name to keep the current name. If a board member wishes to make a motion, a possible motion might be and then

058it's it says so what I would like to do is start with Megan Chapman and go around the room in a clockwise motion um to make any comments you have as little or as much. And are you sure you don't want Bruce to go first because he's got may vote on this tonight. Okay. Just I think what I'm going to do just just for a second is just to give you a little in case if someone's just watching for the first time just to give you just a quick overview that this has been in the process for about two years. the the concerns were brought forward by a student, Riley Brown, a couple years ago and a citizens uh uh uh facilities naming committee was advisory facilities naming committee was formed. They provided a recommendation

059at the last board meeting. So, if you're just tuning in for the first time, please go back and watch that report uh that's available there. At that time they recommended that Conrad Elbian Primary School be renamed. Um, and kind of the way that they pray they phrased it here is that his name is connected to a documented event in 1931 when he was one of 106 people who signed a petition to change the neighborhood covenants in the Nakoma in Noma to exclude people of color. Though historical context suggests this action may not have defined his full character, the name of the school should reflect our present- day commitment to belonging and inclusivity for all students, families, and community members. I won't read all of it, but they had several other recommendations within that, including making

060continuing to honor the wonderful things that he did um and um recommended forming a separate committee to explore possible future names. Okay, that's all. Okay, thank you. Um, well, first off, I want to tell the committee, you guys did an amazing job on educating all of us about Conrad Elvium. Um, you know, I walked in the door and my family was like, "How are you going to vote? How are you going to vote?" And I was talking to them about everything we talked about and then even, you know, just in my travels and talking to friends and family about Conrad Alvium and everything. Um, because it's a really important conversation that we have. Um, so getting quick to the point, I am in support of renaming the school. Um, you know, Conrad LVM did a

061lot of great things. I am I I don't want to focus on the negative pieces that he might have done just due to the timing of him moving into the neighborhood. We talked about how he was only living in the neighborhood for about two months when he got asked to sign the document and we don't know what his motivation is behind it. Um, but in the same sense, I would never want any students, staff, parents to feel that they weren't welcome and accepted in a school due to the name of the school itself. Also, if we look at all the other schools in McFarland, this is the only school that is named after someone. That being said, I want to be very conscientious of the fact that we had a wonderful community support our district

062with the referendum. There is a significant cost associated with renaming the school and we are in, you know, a financial time right now that has a fairly significant amount of uncertainty associated with it. And I just think we need to be very conscientious of our budget and how we are spending those dollars. So, from a timeline perspective, I do know this was a two-year process. And ultimately, I I'm glad it took two years because it really got us to the place we are now. But I just want to make sure that as a board and as an administration, we just look at various funding avenues. We do have a lot of um very generous people within McFarland. Um so, I don't know if there's any opportunity there, but like I said, I'm in complete support

063of renaming the school. I just want to be budget conscious. Thank you, Bruce. Okay, I'm going to uh confess that I I wrote five pages here. So, um that's okay. I was kind of anticipating there'd be more people here. Um so, with that in mind, I will probably try to peck through what I've written. But I think in the end I'm probably a better thinker in some ways by having something on paper than just trying to add lib. Um I know that inevitably I would afterwards kind of uh kick myself for having left something out. So please forgive me. Um hopefully uh Mr. Tarner will not fall asleep as he warned me uh beforehand. Um and uh at the same time can I just start with again thank you all of you who were on

064that committee because I just first of all I guess more than anything you confirm my belief that we are all in this together. Um I want to especially thank Riley um just for bringing the question to us and the school board about two years ago. Um is it a very appropriate question to ask um our community? Is it something that we should do? And I'm so proud that our students are thinking and questioning about what they're being taught. And at the same time, I'm so proud that our teachers encouraged that. And I believe it was Angie Bazison. It was in her class where this happened. Um, I just think it's one of the most important goals of an education to get young people to think and question things. It's how we develop good citizens. I

065believe we live in dangerous times. We have become so divided and we somehow find ourselves believing that everything is a zero someum game. I win, you lose. If you win, I lose. And unfortunately, we have political leaders who are pushing us to believe that. Zero sum games may work in a game, but they can be incredibly divisive. And so, they don't work in democracies like our nation, our states, our local communities, or in our school district. And that's because we all are in this together. So Riley, I'm thanking you. Um, I spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the issue and it hasn't been easy. Um, however, luckily for me, I really tend to enjoy the challenge and I'm also lucky that I've always seen myself as more of a tortoise than a hair

066in my thinking process. Things just kind of stew around and I just need time to reflect and slowly digest everything. Um, again, perhaps most importantly, I see the whole experience as educational experience and a chance to learn about ourselves, our community, our state, our nation. And I hate to see us waste that opportunity. Again, as a former teacher, I think that's so important. Don't waste these opportunities. I've gone back, like everyone else, back and forth on it. Um, I don't think there's an easy solution. And as a student and a teacher of history, life, unfortunately, is rarely simple. And the more I thought about it, the more I realize that the complexity I'm feeling is due to the fact that both sides are partly right, which also means both sides are partly wrong. And that

067is where I believe we will find the truth somewhere between them. I do believe that truth can set us free and as a result it will make us stronger together. As a social studies teacher and coach, I love to teach about paradoxes. My students or athletes would rightly point out I just contradicted what I had said. And then I would smile and say, "Yes, but they're both true, aren't they?" And they were. I believe the question of whether or not to rename Conor Elvin School is just that. As I lay out my reasoning, let us remember what Abraham Lincoln said so beautifully in his second inaugural address. I probably didn't need to say this, but it's such a beautiful statement. With malice towards none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God

068gives us to see the right, let us strive to finish the work we are in. As I said, I was very impressed with all the work the committee had gone through. In fact, as I read through the last page, that's page 16 of the summary. This summary is I'm sorry, it's just damn good. It's amazing. Um, in fact, if you take a look at my notes, you just say, "Excellent. Excellent." I'm going through the whole thing. Got a good grade. Yeah, it was it was um as I read through the page um that you presented at our last board meeting and it's where you make your recommen recommendation to the school board. I found myself agreeing with everything you said. his incredible accomplishments, the belonging and inclus inclusivity of all students, families, and community members.

069Upholding the district's mission, vision, commitments to belonging, continuous improvement, and compassion, not just in words, but in actions that shape the experiences of our students and our community. However, in the next paragraph, in fact, it's the very last paragraph, and it's the very last sentence of this report, something was written that just did not resonate with what I believe is the truth. It states, "Changing the name of the school sends a message to students that while you can and should embrace a growth mindset and learn from past mistakes, your decisions matter and have lasting impacts alongside your own noble endeavors." And so far at that point, I agreed with all of this. However, the rest the sentence says so it's important that they and here I presume they mean or you mean your decisions and

070your actions. So it's important that they align with your values and the legacy you want to leave. And I read this and I said to myself, but that's not the way life works. It's not as if we always think about what our legacy is going to be. None of us know exactly where our life is taking us. None of us know the ending of our story and certainly not as a young person. All we can do, in fact, the best we can do as we muddle through our lives is try to do the best we can. I wish it was clearer than that, but it's not. It's like saying Connor Elim should have known that he was going to become president of the University of Wisconsin that he discovered the B vitamin nin and in

071doing so cure pelgra that was responsible for the deaths of 87,000 poor Americans the vast majority of them being black females followed next by black males that he was going to be nominated for eight Nobel prizes and he should have known that his hometown of McFarland Wisconsin was going to name a new elementary school after him in 1968. He should have thought about this before he signed that racial covenant in 1931 as a 30-year-old recently hired professor and new father. We have no idea why he signed that racial covenant. However, we do know that at the time nearly half the homes in the United States owned by whites had racial covenants. I cut out something about my own family and growing up. And I brought my high school yearbook. If anyone wants to talk to

072me afterwards, you can because that influenced me as well. Presentism is the term used for judging people in the past by our current present day values and beliefs. It is a very questionable practice. We need to jump back in a time machine. I always had a time machine in my classroom. So that my students when they came in I said we're going back to 1931 or whatever it was. The Great Depression which went from 1929 until 1941 was raging. In 1931 unemployment was rising. Home values were plunging. We were also in the middle of the Great Migration, which went from about 1915, pretty much near the end of World War I, to about 1970 or even 1980. Millions of poor blacks were leaving the Jim Crow South and hoping to find social, political, and economic

073opportunities in the north. Are people aware that there was a huge KKK rally held in Madison, Wisconsin in 1924? If you read this book, settling, there's a picture of it. This is Madison. All of these events could have played a part in having that racial covenant. We do also know that there were people at time who refused to sign a racial covenant and there are fortunately always a few who are ahead of their time. But in the great bell curve of humanity of America at this time, I think that Connor Elvian probably was somewhere in the middle. I would say he probably reflected the values of most white Americans in his views on race, but we don't know for sure. However, what impresses me most about or impresses me about Conor ever was that in

074later years we have statements, actions that showed a clear commitment to human rights and that he voiced sympathy for those whose rights were denied. He also came to the belief before the height of the civil rights movement which was later in the 60s and the everex expanding widespread coverage of television he must have been influenced by Brown versus Board of Education to be Kansas 1954 the murder of EMTT till Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott those were both in 1955 and the actions of President Eisenhower which I think took tremendous courage and the Little Rock Nine. As a former social studies teacher, I'm deeply concerned that we are incre increasingly trying to sanitize history. I have always hated political correctness. We should always strive to discover the truth and learn from it. At the

075same time, we need to realize that both liberals and conservatives are quite willing to leave out or erase inconvenient individuals and events that don't quite fit their agenda. It's one of the things that bothers so many people about attempts to rename things. And however, in a weird twist, the anti-woke movement of today is trying to do the same thing by trying to end diversity, equity, and inclusion and related programs, censoring historical references like at the Smithsonian and other governmental agencies. Some conservatives are trying to do exactly that. In fact, there are Americans who would like to strip Martin Luther King Jr. of his significance and importance, even after all the incredible accomplishments and contributions that this man made to our country. they want to remove simply because he con he like Conor Elvium wasn't perfect

076in his personal life. He had flaws. Perfection is a pretty high standard for most of us. If Conor Elvium did change his views on race, then we need to applaud that and it should be a reason for keeping his name on our primary school. Is that being woke? I prefer the biblical term epiphany. And that is what I think happened to him and I hopefully will happen to others as our nation continues on its journey. Epiphany should be views viewed as a strength by the way not a weakness. I would like to see our elementary school continue to be named after Connor. He grew up in McFarland. He became a world-renowned cit scientist. He saved tens of thousands of lives. I had hoped that he would serve as an inspirational role model for our students

077just as Martin Luther King Jr. has. I started the term the long blue line here in McFarland as a way to get our athletes to see that they're part of a great tradition in athletics that extends back to our founding as a school district. I hope that it might motivate some of our athletes to say, "Well, they did it. So can I." We need our students to dream big. We need positive role models for our youth. And I think Connor Devin could provide that example. There will always be that controversy but also mystery over the racial covenant. In fact, it will always be his cross to bear. However, it also becomes an incentive for people to read the display or exhibit about his accomplishments while at the same time it gives an incentive to also

078read the history and the impact that racial covenants have had on America. I feel that is imperative that we must have both of them in that display. his accomplishments as well as racial his the impact of the racial covenants that they have had on the lives of black Americans. Let me use the story of my parents to illuminate. Soon after World War II, my dad with money from the GI Bill and with an FHA loan bought a house that I grew up in Riverside, Rhode Island. He bought it for around $3,600. Both the GI Bill and the FHA loan program were not made were not made available to black Americans. something I never learned in high school or in college. In fact, I only learned this when I began to prepare as a teacher in

079US history. That is horrible. I often think how much wealth my sisters, my brother and I inherited as a result of this opportunity and how much each of us in this room have inherited as a result of the of programs like this. while so many black Americans have been denied that opportunity. And depressingly, in the book, Poverty by America, and it's right here, it's written by the author who wrote the Pulitzer Prizewinning book, Evicted, the author, Matthew Desmond, points out there are still there is still discrimination going on in our cities and suburbs by the use of zoning laws. So, in other words, yes, we've ended the covenants, but there's other ways. The R1 and R2 districts are still being used as a way to segregate our neighborhoods. I believe it is getting better in

080our nation, but is still painfully slow and we have to keep fighting for justice. And perhaps I apologize for going so long. I hope no one that no one believes, this is my my probably key statement. I hope that no one believes that by simply removing Conrad's Alvium's name from the elementary school, by doing that we are striking a blow against racism. That is pretending at best. My greatest fear is that in removing his name, it will rather quickly just disappear, as it has happened in so many other renamings. I cringe to hear a person ask in the future, "Wasn't this school named after some guy named Connor Delvium? Who was he?" And another person answers, "He was some racist guy from McFarland. What a waste that is." And such a great learning opportunity lost.

081And without Connor Elvium's name on the school, there is less incentive for students and families in McFarland to talk about the history of racism in our country. That is also a waste and a great learning opportunity lost. Like Connor Alvium, I believe education is a great tool for social change. At times it may be slow and cumbersome, but I believe it is still the best way to shape our future and help our nation form a more perfect union. As I mentioned in the beginning about paradoxes, what if both the liberals and the conservatives are partly wrong and both partly right on this issue? I think they are. Racism will always be our nation's cross to bear until we take the time to be open and honest about how pervasive and pernitious it has been throughout

082our history. If the truth will help set us free, then let McFarland be a way to show that truth. Lastly, one comment that I would like to finish with. There are those in this society who don't want us to teach the history and the real facts about racism in this country because it will make some children feel guilty. My response is that a good teacher like a parent can explain that we can't change the past. But we can and we must learn from it. My biggest fear is that if we are not honest, we could be on the verge of teaching our children to not even listen to their conscience or have empathy for their neighbor. And that is both scary and sad. We are all in this together. Thanks. Sorry. No apologies necessary. Apologies.

083Thank you. Um, thanks Bruce. That was your thoughtfulness is always an honor to serve with. Um, yes, there um many have said it already. Um the the committee um members said it when they presented last week. I think it's it's a both and situation. There's both reasons to rename and both good things that Conrad LVM did um and things that that he maybe wouldn't be proud of or that we using my new the new word now presantism. Is that right? um that we would deem as, you know, not a good choice. Um but it is it's it's both and he's human, we're human. Um and I think we really have to embrace that growth mindset. Um without erasing people's the good that they've done. Um, and so I do I'm also in support of renaming

084the school with the idea of having some fiscal responsibility and that to me it's two different decisions. Um, first deciding whether we rename it or not and then second how we fund that or how it gets funded. Um and um and I think it's but I also think it's important to a lot of for the reasons that you said Bruce um and that the committee brought up is that it's important to recognize you know that recognition of him and and that the fact that the school was named you know Conrad Alvium Primary School for so long um that that is recognized somehow um in the after it's renamed. So, thank you. Yeah, I got a message this morning asking me how long. My response to the person that wrote that was, I have yet to

085hear all information. I have yet to hear what fellow board members this topic. So, thank you for sharing that with me. I appreciate it. Does it influence my decision? It does influence my decision somewhat. But I also want to thank the committee like everyone else has for your time, insight, commitment, perseverance, and encouragement that you brought to that whole committee function well. committee is my understanding even though I wasn't there. Um that it's a type of ad hoc committee that others could learn from based on the outcome that you have shared with us here at the board meeting. But for me a significant amount of the information, data, facts and my experiences, my personal experiences uh play into my decision also. but from my heart. I think oftenimes we speak from the heart or the

086soul or from something else. And I think that's, you know, has to be done once in a while because we're a community that cares so much about each other, particularly about the children here in Charlotte that I again, you've heard me say I'm proud to have served uh at Conra School for 27 years as principal. I had the portrait of Conry Elgam hanging in the office many of those years. Um, kids that would come in I was told were afraid because he looked so stern. But on the other hand, it was a great teachable moment. You know, who is that guy? So I told them some just basic information that they couldn't understand. And I and I think that eased their mind because whenever they went by the office, they saw this picture hidden there.

087um for support staff, teaching staff, kids and families. Our identity has been associated with reopening not only for the past 27 years, but since 1968 CE has been part of our history. That's exactly what it is, history. That doesn't mean we have to continue the historical piece of it as is. We can continue to honor and respect people for things that they've accomplished in the past in a different way. And that's that all comes from my heart. However, I do feel it's time to consider a rationale for a potential paradigm shift here in the district. Uh possibly renaming the primary school. uh speaking out from the uncovered history uh of discrimination, exclusion, uh falsehoods, uh some would call them untruths. My thinking and response is one of of the evolving paradigm uh because it continues

088to change. And I wasn't quite sure how I was going to make the decision until right in just a few moments. Um, but I do agree that Connor Delin was a person of strong identity here, a person that benefited society not only McFarland but worldwide. We certainly uh do not want to forget that either. So uh in closing what I would say is that uh this is probably one of the most difficult decisions that I as a board member I'm facing with because whatever decision we make collectively as a board may change what we're all about what we're perceived to be all a part about because again the name on a building is that just the name on the building is the people within the building people in the community that make that come alive

089that share uh the history or future of what that person uh might bring. That concludes my comments. I'll just I love the comments. Thanks. You too. Okay. Uh yeah, this was uh extremely difficult uh from you know on many levels. It it's the actions you know that we're considering are you know almost a hundred years ago. We know to some degree what society was like back then um but not to a great degree. But I think anyone any rightthinking person understands that a racial co covenant is not a good thing in terms of uh the character of the folks that uh sign it. uh also considering the character of the folks that refuse to sign it and some of the actions uh after the signing of the covenant taken while he was affiliated with the

090university also appeared to some degree that uh he wasn't altogether comfortable letting uh all this information out. Then we jump to his accomplishments. I I struggled mightily. I thought it would be simple. How much good does it take to negate this much bad? I don't know. Nobody I asked knew. So I think we live we live in today's society and we should learn from our mistakes. I think Conrad Elvia made a mistake. Um, were he to come before almost anyone in a job interview, his signing of that covenant would in all likelihood be a mark against him. Um, after a lot of a lot of thought and appreciation for all the information that the the committee managed to to uh come up with. I don't I don't imagine that there's much more that we could

091know about him. Uh this is a difficult vote for me, but uh I'm going to honor the recommendation of the committee and vote to rename. So now any other questions or comments you'd like to make? Can I can I suggest at the very least let's do a better job than what Madison has done in so many communities. They rename it and that's the end of it and it goes. There is a incredible library, how am I saying? Display that's going on and it's going to be coming to McFarland unfortunately in 2026, so about a year from now. Um, and I would hope we might be able to either purchase it, take photos of it, get the rights, and put that up. It's called Unjust Deeds. and Jane and I went down to Belleville and saw

092it and it's phenomenal. I think Tom, you may have seen it as well. It's it's unbelievable and it gives that that whole because to me if we just say, "Okay, we changed it and now we can kind of wash our hands of being accused of being racist." We I do think we're just pretending. We have to tell the public this is about something that I hate to use the word systemic racism because we're going to just we're we're living in a strange time. But you know what? We also have the the courage to literally stand up and say this is what we believe in. We have to this is it it's wrong. Um I'm I'm almost tempted to read what I was going to say here. my when we moved into our house right after

093World War II, there were three communities in East Providence High School where I went to high school, all the black students in our high school, all lived in one of those communities. And I got really curious. I I haven't done the research, but I can't help but believe that where I lived, which was Riverside, they had racial covenants because there were no black kids in my high school and not my excuse me, in my junior high, elementary school. And I know for damn sure, pardon my French, in Rumford, which is to the north of our district, that was where the really rich kids lived. There were no blacks who lived there. So they all lived in East Providence. And so then I said to myself, well, would that mean my dad, because he probably signed

094it, I I think without even thinking, he just said, "Well, I guess that's what you got to do. It's after the war and he wanted to get in and move in." Was he racist? And was my mom racist? And of course, none of us can judge our parents, right? I mean, let's face it, we're human. But then I started thinking about it and I read in my yearbook and I really encouraged some people to read it. I I really became very close friends with a guy named Daryl Robertson. We're teammates on the cross country and track team. We are classmates and he wrote in my yearbook. I I I just I'm like going, "Holy cow, what he wrote was so it it just touched my my soul. It's like holy buckets." And it's one of

095these things where I actually lost kind of touch with him. I saw him a couple times after high school after he graduated. I know that he's passed away. He died of cancer in his late 40s, which is a tragedy, but he was a great guy, great friend. And I just want you to realize what he said, particularly what he said about my parents. So I'm going like because people sign that. It's a bigger issue than this. And we've got to let the public realize this is something. It is an ongoing systemic problem in our nation and until we come to grips with it, it is our cross to bear. We got to deal with it. And uh I just hope we will do something rather than just say we changed it and you know we

096put these couple things up here. That was always my argument. If you have his name up there, there's going to be people say, "Well, should his name be up there?" Well, then read and find out. And I don't know if there is a right or wrong in this, and you guys have all said the same. So, I'm not here. I'm I'm going to be a team player, but uh I just want to make sure that at least we should examine the unjust deeds. It's a unbelievable presentation and you'll just sit there very quietly and uh I just hope it's something that we can we can think about and I guess that would be something we have to probably decide later. So, again, forgive me for going on and on. In Scotland, they call that blathering

097and so I was blinging. Sorry. I think the other piece uh for me was one day, you know, we're brought up Catholic, you know, and the experience that we had in our neighborhood with African American family moving next door to us. I was just appalled at our neighbors. And ever since I've been a young kid, I've always thought about that. How can you do this to them and to us because we preserved a new neighbor in the neighborhood. So sus discrimination racism I have no place for it in my life. Agree. I think we all share that. I think we all share that we want to make a decision that in the long run it's going to be best for the community and best for our kids. Um now that should anyone want to know

098about Conrad Elbium, you know, pre 1960s, you certainly have the information out there to to go look, do some research on your own and make your own determinations. Um, I think I think this is a vote that shows both uh the school district and the community um where McFarland is positioned itself in terms of tolerating any sort of anti-incclusionary or racist views. I hope you know none of us have a crystal ball. We don't know how people will respond. Um, but this is a brave vote. Well, and I think it also shows that we don't make decisions based on feelings and based on I mean that there's so much information that we were provided and that the committee learned. I mean that's you know we take these things seriously and and use facts to do

099them in a time when facts are not necessarily valued. Sounds like we maybe need a motion. I think so. I will I'll move to accept the recommendation of the citizens advisory facilities naming committee to rename Conrad LVM Primary School. Second let me catch up. Okay. Uh motion was made by Megan and seconded by Tom. Is there any other discussion? So what is the what are the next steps as Bruce was sharing and others also? How what do we do so we don't lose fact about who was for our community? I I think this vote is simply whether or not to rename the facility, not what it's going to be or anything beyond uh tonight's vote. I think probably next steps uh would be to probably have another uh ad hoc group of some kind to

100consider names and the process that is going to be used to rename the school. Yeah. And I just made that uh comment so we don't lose it, right? Yep. Yes. So that those are two separate you kind of have three things in front of you. You know, one is how to continue to recognize Conrad Elvium's legacy. The second one is how to decide a new name. And the third one is how are you going to pay for it. So those are really three separate but connected um decisions in a way because when you talk about whether it's a display or something to recognize Conrad LVM there there's an expense there as well. So they kind of all tie together. So I think that's something next action steps for the board to form. What I have

101told you, many of you individually, is that if you are open to exploring new names and you choose to form another committee, that is great. If you really just want to name it McFarland Primary School, the board does not need to have a committee to make that decision. If you do explore other names and you end up naming it McFarland Primary School, that's fine. That's fine. And I think those are some of the things for the board to think about. what kind of process you'd like to engage in to to begin the renaming and how it will be funded. Yeah, like everything else, there is a price attached. Um, not that a decision of this significance should probably be, you know, swayed one way or another by the amount that it figures to cost to

102rename it. So, that that really didn't enter in my u thinking on how I was going to vote. I will say the estimated cost is about $15,000, right? um that you know changes by the day. What I would say the the other thing you know to note is that as of this time the there have been no direct expenses um that that the district has paid to for the process thus far other than my time but I'm not an hourly employee. I'm a salaried employee. Um so you know at this point there has been no direct and chocolate we did provide chocolate um but honestly it hasn't and it's through donations of people that that donated to pay for researchers times. So that's important that fiscal responsibility that you mentioned. I want to be clear

103that money has not been spent and the district at this time wherever your vote falls has not committed any funds. Okay. So for clarity then uh a yes vote is simply a vote to rename the school. Nothing more, nothing less. That's just one step out of you know the process that we have to take. So I have a motion and I have a second. Is if there's no further discussion. Uh all those in favor please signify by saying I. I opposed. Excuse me. Okay. Thank you. So the motion carries four to one. Um and we will communicate next steps whenever they're available. Uh second here now we have action on adoption of Wisconsin school nutrition purchasing cooperative resolution. The district belongs to a purchasing cooperative to help reduce the cost of food and materials purchased

104to run our school nutrition program. There are over 50 member districts that shared the fees for procurement of a consultant and a cooperative coordinator plus reasonable and necessary expenses. Though administrative fees paid through the approved vendor agreements and through membership dues pursuant to section 66.030 0301 of the Wisconsin statutes. If you are in agreement, uh motion is in order. So I would look for a motion. I move to adopt the Wisconsin school nutrition purchasing cooperative resolution as recommended by administration. Thank you. Do I have a second? I can second. Thank you, Megan. Chapman. Chapman. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Motion carries 5. Next action on the 2025 03201 Wisconsin school nutrition purchasing cooperative agreement. The district belongs to a purchasing cooperative to help reduce

105the cost of food and materials purchased to run our school nutrition program. There are over 50 member districts that shared the fees for procurement and a consultant and cooperative coordinator plus reasonable and necessary expenses through administrative fees paid through approved vendor agreements and through membership dues pursuant to section 66.0301 of the Wisconsin statutes. I would look for a motion to approve. Thank you, Bruce. Can you read the motion, please? Oh, thank you. Sorry. Wait a second. I move to approve the 2025 26 66.0301 Wisconsin school nutrition purchasing cooperative agreement as recommended by administration. Thank you. Do I have a second? I can second. Megan Chapman Chapman or Fesler. She wins. Quick draw. Chapman short. Yep. Any other discussion? Erin, is there a fiscal agent for this one? Yes, it's Middleton Cross. Middleton. Okay. Thanks. Anything

106else? No, I think these cooperative agreements are as prices go up, they're going to become more and more important. So, thankful they exist. Okay. All those in favor, please signify by saying I I opposed. Motion carries 5. Moving on. Action on 2025 2026 CISA 2 contract. Administration recommends the district sign the CISA 2 contract for the educational services that are provided. This contract has been reviewed to ensure only necessary items are included. If you are in agreement a recommendation of this recommendation, I would look for a motion. I move to approve the 202526 CISA 2 contract as recommended by administration. Thank you, Tom. Fesler can second. Fesler second. Okay. Any other discussion hearing? None. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I oppose. Motion carries 5. Next, uh, action on McFarland High School

107spring early college credit and start college now program requests. The students in the in the exhibit have applied to take college level courses under the early college credit and or start college now programs at Madison College and WMadison. A list of all the students and the courses that are requested are included in the packet. Uh if you're in agreement, I would look for a motion to approve these uh um early early college credit and start college now requests. I move to approve the course approvals and denials for the early college credit and start college now program requests as recommended by MHS administration. Thank you. Megan, do I have a second? Fesler can second. Just make it easy. Any other discussion? Erin, do we have a total cost to the district for students that take advantage

108of this? I don't have that off the top of my head, but I can certainly can get that for you. And again, I compliment if it's the high school administration or andor Jeff, the way you've lay laid all the information out, it's a wealth of information, but it's still very self-explanatory. Excellent. Yes, I would give credit to high school student services department. Yeah. And can I just point out we have some smart kids. Yeah. Yeah. They're interested in a lot of stuff. Wow. I mean, it's not just for the public. There's nine pages of uh requests. Yeah. From various students. Um now, correct me if I'm wrong, just since you brought up the cost thing, Tom, which I think is a really good question. Um the other part of it is that this is also

109statutoily required of us, right? So regardless of the cost, we have to support it. So but it's good to know that the cost what the cost is. Um but we require that they take classes that we offer first. Correct. Yeah. And it even says in here like it's not approved because they haven't taken X, Y, and Z and whatnot. So, or that or even that a virtual class um exists through DCA. So, yeah, it's great. Anything else? If not, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. I oppose. Motion carries. 5-0. Action on first reading of policies. administration recommends approval for the first reading of the policies listed below. Uh if you're in agreement, I would look for a motion to approve the first reading of the policies too numerous for me to read

110this evening. If someone else would like to do it, you're welcome to. Otherwise, uh you see the list. I can I I can read it. I'll make the motion. Thank you. I move to approve the first reading of the following policies as recommended by administration. Uh 1100 district organization 1130 ethics and conflict of interest 1241 non-remployment of the district administrator 20 2210 curriculum development 2240.01 01 Summer or Interim School Attendance 2270 Religion in the Classroom 2271.01 Start College Now Program 2416 Student Privacy and Parental Access to Information 2464 Programs for Gifted and Talented Students. 3214 Staff Gifts. 3230 Ethics and Conflict of Interest. 4214 Staff Gifts. 4230 Ethics and Conflict of Interest. 5113 Open Enrollment Program. 5330 Administration of Medication and Emergency Care. Taking a breath. 5341 Emergency Medical Authorization. probably means emergency medical authorization.

1115411 third grade promotion and retention at risk students. 5512 use of tobacco and nicotine by students. 5710 student complaints. 3440 job related expenses. 4440 job related expenses. 611 internal controls. 6112 cash management of grants. 6114 Cost principles spending federal funds 1,400 job descriptions 3120.01 job descriptions 5200.01 full-time student and last but not least 8220 school day school closure the ever popular Okay, well done. Do I have a second? [Music] I hope. Did you hear that? I can Yep. Yep. I got it. Okay. Megan F. Bruce, did you second that? Okay. I've got a a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Yes. Could we go through some of those? Mhm. Sure. Should we do what we usually do and just go policy by policy? Yeah, absolutely. Um 1100 district organization 1130 eth ethics and conflict

112of interest 1241 nonremployment of the district administrator 2210 curriculum development. That's what I have a question about. Okay. Uh, under letter D talks about um being consistent with the district's mission, philosophy, and goals, including student voices in both the development of new curricula and the evaluation of existing curricula and an emphasis on critical thinking skills, especially in the history curriculum. How is history curriculum different differentiated from other types of curriculum? I don't know. I and I don't know why it's particularly separated um because we have actually used um not only the mission philosophy and goals but student voice in across our curriculum. So I don't know if there's something statutoily that singles out history but I certainly can I think it's social studies in general. I think they lend themselves to those kind of debates.

113I'm taking a class right now with Jane on the Scopes trial and we are talking about how science teachers in some ways are somewhat flustered when they hear someone with a different point of view what they've learned scientifically and and social science teachers and I was mentioning my experience as a teacher. Um I had a student who was uh very much believed in the theory of creation you know creationism and I always felt it wasn't my role to say well why would you have that it was kind of like oh that's interesting and then explain. So I think in a way they're kind of trained but I don't know if that's true. Yeah. I don't know. It's an interesting question you're asking. So Tom are you suggesting that that moved? Yeah. like why why highlight

114why highlight one curricular area? I mean I could see social studies if they're not statuto. Yeah. You know I don't see any reason unless unless that they whomever they is has determined that history social studies. Yeah. Lends itself to creative teaching. I think sometimes and alternative facts and they just maybe want to prevent that sort of thing from happening possible. I just thought it was uh pretty exclusive. It does seem unnecessary. Yep. I will look into that. Okay. Thanks. 2240.01 summer or interim school attendance. Yes. I have a question on this one. Okay. Uh under the third to the last sentence or paragraph and this is about summer school excused students excused from summer school. It talks about the school will attempt to contact the parent on the school's on the student's second day of

115absence if the parent has not notified the school of the student's absence. Now that's different from regular school year, right Eric? Correct. Don't they do it? So why why would we allow two days if we base the regular school year on safe arrival and not during the summer? Uh the reason why it's been done historically is because summer school attendance is optional and not mandatory and I understand that required but if a parent sends a little one off to school but they don't show is so safe arrival doesn't play during the summer school. It does. It does and we do we do check on day one. We don't wait till day two. Okay. So, it would be fine for us to to change that. You know, it's I think it's an unnecessary exception. You mean

116to to leave for the way it is? Yes. Right. Yes. Yeah. I I think so. So, I could um I mean, you could really take out that whole sentence, right? You really could. Yep. That was a good catch, Tom. Okay. Yeah. And that's not required by statute or anything. 2270 religion in the classroom. 2271.01. Start college now program. Uh let's see. What about we have 2464? Uh it's coming up. Oh, right. It's coming up. Sorry. Yeah, there's kind of the separate packets. Mhm. 2416 student privacy and parental access to information. 2464 programs for gifted and talented students. Yes, I have uh something here on under the on the back page. It talk under instruction. They talk about it's the very last sentence um early admission to kindergarten or first grade current enrollment at accredited institutions

117and early graduation. So, are they saying that someone who I think what they're saying is early admission to kindergarten or first grade is a form of accelerated learning. Would that be accurate, Erin? That's what that's also how I've read it. Yes, which it is. It looks like they're providing a list that is inclusive but not because the full list. years ago when I was practicing, uh, we'd have, you know, a family now and then have their child enter kindergarten in a prochial school as early entrance and they were just four, but they still had to meet they they still had to be age six to enter our first grade. So, right, but they thought they could get around it, but they they can't. Okay. 324 staff gives. Yeah. I um I just wanted to bring

118up the fact that um I think so in here is it this one or one of the other ones that we do um where it lists it, but it um I don't know that a lot of parents know about this or that even staff would because I it um I doubt it. In one of the other ones that we're going to review, they it talks about a $25 limit. Yeah. And I had I had emailed Aaron asking if that was a statutory like um determined amount or if it was something that we determined. And it sounds like it's statutory because I think that um a lot of parents do more than that. Um especially at the younger grade levels, I think. and I don't want to put our staff at risk or um want to

119exceeding some Yeah. amount. So, I don't know. It just might be something we want to I I don't I don't actually have much comment on the actual policy because I don't know that we can really do much about it. Um but I think it's just important to note that I think statutoily the limit's pretty low. you know, and if if it becomes any kind of an issue, we should probably just educate folks that these are the rules that we need to play by. And it's the government telling us that. Yeah. Yeah. It's federal guidance. Y again, it's a fine line. You know, parents want to show their child's teacher appreciation, especially if it's been a hard year or something. Yeah. So, in the past, I don't think it's been a issue and I don't want

120to be brought up as an issue, you know. So I think just common sense. Well, and I also think the one of the other parts of it is um wanting to show appreciation and then also how it can make kids feel who whose family can't or has decided not to. That's always an interesting thing. So it's I mean it all goes to just how much we have to appreciate our staff and educators within the bounds of our budget. Agreed. But but it's also the case because I've observed this over the years is that teachers are very um careful and and and discreet. That is true. Yes, that is true. If they're receiving something, they just thank the student and move on. That is true. And I would say that and it is just so you

121know, this policy staff gifts references the next policy which is ethics and conflicts of interest which includes the $25. Thank you. um specific to federal rules. And I think what I see more most commonly is that when families are donating to the classroom as opposed to, you know, it's like correctly here is this get give this to your class or here, you know, and that's what teachers most often are doing, right? You know, there's no elaborate trips to the Bahamas or anything. No. But but yes, it's good to be conscious of. Appreciate the thoughtfulness. Okay. 3230 ethics and conflict of interest. 4214 staff gifts once more. 4230 ethics and conflict of interest. Yes, I do have a question about this one. 42. Um, and this deals specifically with teachers or support staff that provide tutoring

122to select students after school beyond the school day because according to this policy, they cannot be in the school building. Is that correct? Correct. That's correct. And now we have the library which helps. That's where some of them have been going to. And we do provide an annual reminder to staff of those expectations. So that is that is promoted and something that's clarified. In fact, I think it's likely to go out this coming week. We usually do it about this time of year. All right. 5113 open enrollment program. Uh let's see. I do have a couple questions here. Okay. D. Okay. Uh so uh there's a students are put on sort of a wait list. If they have not gotten in for open enrollment and then their name comes up, we contact the family. Let's

123say it's close in August sometime and the family has 10 days to respond to the district. Is that statutory, Erin? I don't believe it is. I don't think anything specific. 10 days is an awful long time. Think like 10 days could be this first day of school. If they decide not to accept that invitation, the next child may already be enrolled in their home school district. So the question is, can we shorten that up to like three days? Parents will know whether or not they want to send their It shouldn't it if they need 10 days to make that decision that they should have been thinking about, you know, the previous six months. It's It's hard I think some of them to make exclusions. I think some of them apply to multiple school districts, don't

124they, Eron? They do. Aren't they supposed to do that? No, they they can. So again, three days from my in my opinion that's sufficient because especially you have other kids on the waiting list. I wonder if it so 10 days does it I don't remember reading it actually but um When does the 10 days start days from probably once they're notified. So if they receive it in the mail sometimes like I wonder if it's 10 days because of the mail and is it is it only via mail? It's 10 calendar days from the date of notice. Date of notice. Yeah. So it doesn't need to be mailed. Most often it's like that's a phone call. Oh, so phone call. Okay. I can look and just make sure it's not statutoily required. Yeah. And how would

125the others feel if we shorten that timeline? I would be okay as long as it's actually in whatever delivery method. Yeah. Through the post postal service. You said they call them. That's typically what you would I mean that's the fastest way to get a hold of it. Okay. Um but if we don't get a hold of someone, it may take longer. Yeah. Right. Yeah. I would. So that's probably why it is 10 days is so that the default being mailing. Does that make sense? Yeah. Which does make s you know you know how long it takes right? Could we do something like if successful noticees happened with a phone call then you have three days. If it's mail then it defaults to 10 or something like that. if it's after you find out what's I

126mean I don't want to over complicate it but no I agree on some level that I would be surprised if they would do it through the mail other than to make sure that what you said was going to happen is official you know to confirm that you've got you you've been given an opportunity to enroll someone if in school I just want to make sure that families that you want to say are serious about having their child come here and they're on their wait list that there isn't someone in front of them that you know they right they're just going to wait until our seat true yeah I think that that the challenge is just making sure you get contact with someone because you can say yeah we just call but if I'm not getting

127anybody and I'm not getting any number and the number's disconnected and or who knows right so you probably mail something out right Okay. Just because you know that's so but I can check I will check. Yeah. I don't want other families to suffer due to the negligence of some that's one person does not pick an emergency for me. Right. Um I did have one. So under I think it's the second page of this one under the full-time open enrollment annual space determinations the new language. Um I think it was confusing to me um who it's so it says if the board determines that no special education space is available in any greater program the district must still review each student's IEP in its entirety to determine the following um whether there's space and whether we

128have the capacity basically whose whose IEP is under review. So if I is under review the the two different what makes them difference different different excuse me um the first one is whether there's we provide the service but is there space available the second bullet is do we provide the service so there's certain services that some districts provide and some don't you don't have to provide so you could not have face. That's one issue. Or you could not even provide the service. Does that make sense? Yes. But even in the first part where it says if it determines that there's no special education space, why are we still reviewing the students IEP? Like are they are Yeah, that's a little redundant or something. like I don't it feels like that's a waste of resources to

129review the IEP if if we've already determined a determination has already been made is that statute driven though that sounds like well that would make sense that's but we know law right um yeah I can check the wording is a little bit yeah I see what you're saying because it says no space available and then it says again whether space is available Yes. Well, and even just the idea that if if we've already determined there's no space, then why are we reviewing IEPs first? You know what I mean? Okay, I will check. Okay, thank you. 5330, Administration of Medication and Emergency Care. Yes, I do have a question a couple questions here. In that first paragraph, they talk about administering medication during school hours. So, kids are out for sports or clubs. Is that just

130an extension of school hours? Yes. Okay. Oh, that was easy. Yes, it is. Okay. Oh, and I have a and uh on page three, three of four, in the middle of the page, it talks there's an option that's marked there. And they have a new term that I'm not familiar with. Bronco deators. Bronco. Wait, where is that one? Under the middle. Is it? Oh, I presume it's something to do with asthma. Yes, it is. I'm not familiar with that term, but what letter is it under? It's kind of probably Oh, all that where all the green starts. Oh, okay. bronco diilators. So, what they are, they're those tubes that the asthma or the medication goes in. And so, when kids take their asthma, only reason I know is because my kids have them. Um, and

131it just makes it easier for them to breathe it in. Rather than it being kind of like a start like it kind of like it's a little bit easier. That's true. It's like an add-on to the end. Yeah. like a big that's where you also see some of these the terms and this was some of these changes were actually from our health services department like with the epinephrine delivery systems because there's just so many new things coming up and it just allows flexibility so you don't have to change it every time a new name comes. Yep. Okay, that's great. 5341. Uh, as we said, I'm going to assume that is emergency medical authorization. 5411 third grade promotion and retention at risk students. 55 I'll just move. Okay. So, um, under introduction, it talks about it

132would go into effect um, September 2027. Yeah, that question. Is there a reason why it's out so far? Yes, because that is the latest date you can have it and so ourselves and many other districts because this is not this is a policy that is per state statute and we are anticipating um a couple things. So one is the um level of support and direction provided to support the statute has not been provided by the state. Um so we're putting everything in motion, but in terms of being accountable for the policy, we'd rather wait because it's likely to be changed between now and that date. Wow. So, we want to kind of be like, you know, until this policy won't go into effect until we've got Yeah. we and others have all the kinks worked

133out. And this is the just for clarification, this is so this is act 20. Yes. So, this is the one that's stuck in all of the courts between with the support like if it's funded or not. Right. Correct. Okay. So that's why you anticipate there being and there's just we're learning everybody's learning as as we're implementing because we are everybody's implementing we're implementing you're learning things and so it could be possible that this model policy will be adjusted revised prior to that date. So then we'll have a updated policy. And when they talk about retaining students at third grade, if they aren't reading at third grade level at the end of the year, um the the whole issue of retention that goes off to the side according to the politicians unless we do some of

134these other things like summer school or the the reading plans and making modifications to them. Correct. That was hotly debated. Yes, I would imagine. It was hotly debated at the legislature. What are our staff saying about this? Do they have any That's a good question. Fear that there's going to be increased numbers of students or there's going to be budget implications. Yes. And yes. Yes. I I think the um the spirit of act 20 is is supported. You know, I think the the need to to, you know, increase some of our early reading support is important and our staff value that and are very committed to it and are doing great things, things we are already doing and changing, but um the legislaturator's caught up to us. And so I think people feel like, you

135know, the challenge with any statute is there's hoops. there are steps you have to take that at times feel a little less uh um feel more like you're checking boxes sometimes. So, what I think our staff have done that is really great is they're trying to make it as valuable as they can and meaningful to the student learning and we're seeing progress from our students already. Well, if I had a third grade student, I'd want them in this district versus 99% of the other districts knowing what support systems are available. Yeah, we're seeing great work. People are working really hard right now to get this implemented. That's it's just there's a lot there's a fair amount of accountability, which we understand and respect uh and and appreciate. It's just that adds some bureaucracy. Yeah. And

136if I could chime in real quick, nothing to do with this. I was totally mispake misspoke when I was talking about the bronco dilator. Okay. When my kids pediatrician was telling me about it, they were actually referring to the medication itself. So any inhalent that will help with asthma and breathing, that's what it is. The tube is like a bell chamber, but they just called it all one thing. So Okay. I didn't want to misrepresent any medical stuff. Thank you. Thank you for that. Nice job factchecking yourself. Yeah. 5512 use of tobacco and nicotine by students. 5710 student complaints. 3440 job related expenses. 4440 job related expenses. 6111 internal controls. 6112 Cash Management of Grants. 6114 Cost Principles Spending Federal Funds, 1400 Job Descriptions 3. I have a question about that. Go ahead, Erin. How

137often are the job descriptions updated? Not often enough. And so, um, there we go. I would say that one of the things that we've uncovered uh is that our job descriptions are very out ofd. And so what we're starting to do is as positions become available uh open and we're posting is when we're updating the job descriptions. in a good way. The reason for this district initiated proposed change is because currently under policy, every time we change a job description, it would require board approval, right? Well, that adds another step that is going to slow down that process. So, it allows us to work with staff and to update job descriptions as responsibilities change. We could change board policy on that though and say we wouldn't need board approval to for a change and that's

138what this is. Oh, that's what this Y and that's what it is. It would allow that flexibility. And to be honest, I'm not sure that it's a policy that has been followed. Um my guess is over time, you know, whenever this came into effect, you know, adopted in 2012, I would I would guess since 2012 or 2019, depending upon the reision, that job descriptions have been updated without board vote. I do know the teacher job description did was vetted through the board and voted through the board, but there's many other positions that we do um support staff currently. Uh, it is allowed. It doesn't require board approval currently. So, this just m would then mirror the support. That sounds a good plan. That's why I brought it forward. All right. Good question. 3120.01 job descriptions.

1395200.01 full-time student. I have question about that just um simply because because we just reviewed it in January. um what prompted the change? Yeah, so this is something we've been working with um the high school and and student services uh department about because we felt that the this previous language that this year it talks, you know, about this being six credits. Well, what's more important for us is that the kids are enrolled in something during the day. um or that there is a you know a separate plan dictating their instruction. So an IEP or a 504. So what we did for this process was to look at other districts um policies and realized that ours was a little bit limiting and now this allows clarity I think for all students a variety of situations. Is

140it an issue often? I think it is not. I wouldn't call it so much an issue. I think we feel like we're having to explain the policy to people and this makes it a little more user friendly I think by just saying they just need to be scheduled in a class study hall or other school sponsored or supervised work experience program. I like it. you know, explain to who who are the people that you students and parents. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Last but not least, 8220 school day, school closure. Yeah. I have a couple things. Um, sounds like we've removed the temperature in degrees and chill factor out of there. U, right. Yes. And now we go with uh winter warnings, weather warnings, and extreme cold. Which is based on a temperature. That's that's what I

141was going to ask benchmark for that then specifically defined. Yeah. Minus 30 but that's coming from the National Weather Service. Correct. Correct. Okay. And so this was one of those things that I just happened to stumble on because the National Weather Service changed their criteria. for this this past winter. Oh, they did. Uh yes. Yep. And they they no longer use a windchill term, a windshield warning. Oh, but that doesn't exist. It's extreme cold. And so I just wanted to update this to reflect it. And it also provides flexibility so that if the National Weather Service determines that an extreme cold warning is now minus 35 again that we don't need to come back right and change the policy that we're just going to rely on extreme if that makes sense. Yep. Will that have

142any impact with what the feds are doing? Um it's impacting I think some of couple of the Madison weather stations. Oh, where they're only relying on weather from regional areas, national weather forecasters like in Sullivan, Wisconsin, right? They won't be relying on our local Yeah. WKO I think actually falls under that umbrella where it's all being turned over to central like it'll be coming out of Atlanta now and it'll just be like, "Oh, this is your weather. It won't have local meteorologists. But but they must have sensors in each of those geographical locations so they know what our temperature is. Not not my area of expertise. Uh come on. I just when the National Weather Service, which is is based out of Sullivan, when they when they tell us what it is, then I go,

143"Okay, thank you for telling me." We still have to make a call. The weather service, National Weather Service, Oh, yes. I mean, I get I got an email today. I thought there was, you know, chatter that that was going to be done away with on a national level as well. CNN, I think you're thinking of the National Oceanic. Yeah. But um I will but I will they've been great. They're a great partner. The National Weather Service is amazing. The support they provide at with their 345 webinars are outstanding. You could change really that's in the morning. Okay. I have a motion and a second and we have had adequate discussion. All those in favor please signify by saying I. I I opposed. Motion carries. 5 action on recommended WEA destinations Career Academy and Insight School

144of Wisconsin statute 118.48G 408G student transfers to resident districts. At this time, WEA Destinations Career Academy and Insight School of Wisconsin are requesting approval of recommended student transfers back to their resident districts due to lack of engagement. Look for a motion. I move to approve the WEA Destinations Career Academy and Insight School of Wisconsin recommended school transfers back to their resident districts due to lack of engagement. Thank you, Megan. Fesler Fesler can second. Thank you, Megan. Fesler. Any other discussion? I'll have to draw from memory because I left my data on my desk at home. Um, there's like one third grader, one fifth grader, one sixth grader, and six eighth graders. Yeah, good memory. That's correct. Children. It is. Wow. Children, adolescence. That deserves no applause. They're going from a safe situation. At least they're

145being monitored right now uh through EVA out to limbo somewhere and I understand I don't like it. I don't think any of us like it. We're going to let these kids fall. It is. It has improved though. It has improved. We're they're trending in the right direction. Absolutely. For sure. Okay. Although Tom I'm sorry. I was just gonna ask one question. Who are you going to pass that off to when you leave? We Yes. making sure that we not we not wea just this specific thing of identifying when we have the really youngest learners. It doesn't require board action. No, but I'll be on the agenda. But I'll be listening for that. But I'll hear I'll be calling somebody. All right. I'll be calling somebody. Guess who? Okay. Any other? All right. All those in

146favor, please signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. 5-0. And I would look for a motion to adjurnn. I'll make a motion to adjourn our meeting. I was waiting for Mr. Fiser. Okay, I'll second. Thank you, Tom. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. 5 and we are adjourned at 9:21. Well done by all. Thank you very much everyone. Thank you Melanie. Okay, that cracks me up. And it's apparently my fault.