001Okay, we're good to go. Okay, we've got uh 6 pm. We're going to call this special meeting in the Merin Community School District Board of Education uh to order. Um this meeting has been posted in all the normal and questionable posting places. Just looking for a motion to approve tonight's agenda. So, second. We have a motion and a second to approve tonight's agenda. Any discussion? Ron, are you doing minutes? Yeah, I'll take minutes. Okay. Yep. Yes, sir. Okay. So, we're going to add the pledge of allegiance, please. Okay. All right. Any other discussion on tonight's agenda? All those in favor of approving tonight's agenda, say yes. Yes. Oppose say no. Motion carries. All right. Let's go ahead and do the pledge of allegiance of Detroit. Ice to the flag of the United States of America
002and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right. Thank you for that. Okay. We are going to move forward to uh personnel actions this evening. Do we have three to discuss? Yes. So uh in front of you there are three u resignation letters. U board make a motion to approve the resignation letters of Suzanne Fuller, Christine Netshine, and Sarah Marion as presented. Second. All right, we have a motion and a second to approve tonight's personal personnel actions. Any discussion? Ron, could you go over uh Suzanne C's resignation as I know we've received emails and there's a lot of false accusations going on about you and the school wars out there. If you can kind of run down for everybody that'll be watching. Sure.
003Um the truth the truth behind your resignation. So, we asked uh we again when we do our FTE calculations for special education, we take a look at the case load numbers. Um when we reviewed the case load numbers, we had the need for three full-time special educators at Merton Primary School. Um Suzanne Fuller is one of them and Suzanne Fuller has been uh serving our early childhood through 5K students on a full-time case slope. Um Suzanne's lure is only through 5K in the area of special education and regular education. So we uh called in and went through our proper process because it is a teacher pro it is a teacher contract which is requires a process to to move forward with it. Um so we spoke to Suzanne. When I say we, it was my
004uh our director of student services, Lori Larson, and then Brenn Roodie, our associate principal, and Suzanne was in the room with a representative. We offered it um and we highlighted the need for a full-time educator at Merin Primary School in the area of special education and highlighted that Suzanne is no longer licensed to go above 5K. And we offered her a contract, offered her the opportunity to extend her license. um she was unwilling to at that at that time she said I wasn't going to extend my license. Um from that standpoint then what we did was is we went into okay um if that's the case then I will need a letter of resignation. Um we did ask for that to occur by the end of the week. Uh again this was March 17th when
005this occurred. um we asked for the letter of resignation uh so that we can look for the very best candidate possible so that we could post and begin recruiting. We did receive that letter of resignation later that week on um March 20th and at that time then that following Monday I did post for a opening for the Martin Primary School cross categorical position. So um that is what happened. um she left that there the meeting understanding what the the requirement was is when I say requirement is what she told us is that she was not going to pursue that alternate lensure. So I want to be careful with our words about truth here because we have one portion this was your explanation that does not match what the what this person said nor the person
006in the room that day and I did not want to get into this tonight but if we're going to be labeling things as truth I want to say that is your narrative that you shared. I don't know if you received it, but Bren and Lori also sent emails and the other two people in the room disagree. I haven't heard from the other two in the room. Yep. So, before we get too far, uh, want to make sure we stay within the confines of what we're discussing here. I I'm just clarifying that this is one narrative and we have labeled it as truth or that he's been labeled as truth. This is Ron's narrative. The other person is not here to refute that. So, the facts are she resigned her position. We all agree on that.
007The facts are that she was asked to resign her position and she agreed. I would say we asked her we asked her to extend her license. She asked you to ask DPI what she would need to do to get a provisional license. Is that correct? Not in that meeting. I I have I reached out to DPI and asked what it would be take for her. And did you have that information when you asked her to told her she DPI got back to me after the meeting? Okay. So, why didn't you wait to have the meeting until after you have the information? Because if she told me, "Yes, I'm interested. Here is where here's here's some options for you." She cut it off right away that she was not interested. So then I didn't have to
008pursue that because she was not interested. I have a lot of concerns about how this happened, including the timing. I presume that you knew about this before March 17th and so could have had these conversations earlier than that. So, We we I know we can go round and round on this. I'm letting you know that I'm I have a lot of concerns about how this happened. It's I'm not she's letting her resignation stand. So, I'm not going to fight that portion of it, but I'm not happy with how happened and I have a lot of concerns with how we did it. I don't think it's good for our district. Yeah. All I can say is this is how we handle all teacher contracts at this time of year. We did give a one month notice
009even ahead of uh state requirement to give notice of non-contractor. So Ron when you said you offered a contract um to to pursue that lensure right what that what does that mean? That means that uh an individual would um work with either a institution of higher ed. Uh there are alternative pathways that can be pursued but ultimately has to commit to pursuing additional lensure. There is um work that the district then would have to do as well which we were we offered it. Um but uh so again it would be they would be working under the provisional licenses. Um all of our teachers have to be licensed in the areas in which they teach for period. That is state statutes and we want highly educated and we want highly um you know certified people. But
010in this case we offered it up and it was turned out. It is my understanding that she was willing to pursue a provisional license with professional development portfolio review and mentorship and that that was not an option for her. We found that out. Literally, I found that out earlier today. So, I think there's some disagreement on that. There is there is there's going to be we're talking about truth. You have you're sharing your perspective of it. I'm hearing another one from somebody else. And so, when we label things true, you can say the things that you know, but somebody can disagree with what that timeline was. She experienced. So, have you had a direct conversation with students with the Yes. So the um I did not know what had happened until parent had contacted me.
011But you spoke with Mer you spoke with Miss Fuller or you spoke with the parent? I spoke with the parent and then I spoke with Miss. Without getting off topic, I just want to say something that I've said a few times while I've been on the board is we come in front of the community community and we're supposed to make decisions, but it's hard when other board members don't share what else is. So, I didn't know until today that I wasn't receiving the board the emails from the full board. So, I didn't know there were other conversations help fix my account and I now will be able to see them. But until this afternoon, I had I did not know that there were any of the other things. So when Ron said to me this
012morning I would receive something. Then when I went to look for it and didn't find it, that's when I asked Jim if there might be a problem with my house. Did you receive the first email though? This the original school board? No, the original one. Well, did he forward it to? There was one parent who contacted the board this morning and you did not receive that one. Somebody is that the one that you forward it to me? I forwarded you. Yes. Yep. So I haven't been but I didn't have that until after all this. So but I don't know how many other emails the board has gotten regarding that. I've received two. And at any time has the board been involved in this either force forced resignment. So that's another lie that's out there in
013the community being put out. I don't think the Okay. I will I will put out on that good old inquiring. Exactly. I mean that's right now I mean it's being said another good rumor from our wonderful community saying that um the board seems to demand registrations what feels like every year especially when it involves staff who appear to be doing a fast job in our schools from Emily Van H. So that's another BSC comment on that. Board is not involved. Board is not exact. Board has never been in three years I've been on this board. The board has never forced resignation from any employee. If it was to get to the board, the employee would need to appeal it to the board. And that would be a means of getting there. But that is not
014happening by the the statuto process. Um if she chose not to resign, it would be to go through the normal the normal non correct. That's outlined by 11822. Correct. So my question is if a board on her resignation majority of us do not accept her resignation, can you force a non? No. You well then the the the board we we go into the formal process. We go into the formal process which well basically that process is is me bringing the board together in close session um and then beginning the process that way. So exactly. So I mean do we want to do that? I mean that's something our community needs to learn that they need to stop spreading those rumors out there. Keep your mouth shut. It seems punitive. And I do believe we have
015a wonderful community that is concerned. So I don't have any interest in following a punitive path there. It's not it's just the process. Again I don't know if it's punitive but it's the process that I don't control. Say when the means is the community needs to learn and we're going to show this process that appears punitive to me. I would not like to follow that process. Well, there's information that's being put out there that's just not accurate. That's council, right? It's just not accurate. Community numbers don't necessarily they're not the representative of the individual. So, that would not be to say that the community has said this, therefore this person deserves this thing to happen to their Exactly. I understand that, but the community needs to learn when they keep doing this, it's going to
016hurt people they think they're trying to help more. I'm not interested in following that process. It's not a positive thing for the district at all. Um, but anyway, I think we're getting off topic here. We need to get back to uh any other So, uh, we're discussing personnel actions here and they are discussion on the personnel actions that we're taking this evening. So, you feel that we're going to be able to get a good replacement? Yes, we've already started the process. Proper licensing? Yep. Again, I don't think this is anything about Miss Fuller's performance job. a lensure issue that she chose not to pursue that she indicated to us. All right. Is there a discussion in regards to personnel actions this evening? So each one individual the motion is together. Motion's together that motion to
017motion. What's that? Um, Nicole did and second it. I would like to make a motion to resend my prior motion for the approval of personal actions. Personnel actions. I'll second. So, we have a motion and a second to prior motion to approve personnel actions. So, then I'll make a motion to separate the three personnel. Uh, I need to vote on this motion to resend. I'm sorry. Yes. Thank you. Um any discussion on the motion to resend? Thank you. Okay. All those in favor of rescending uh the motion to approve personnel action say yes. Yes. Oppos say no. No. No. Okay. Motion carries three to two. Okay. Moving forward. So Troy, go ahead and make your motion. I make a motion to separately approve the resations as presented. We just do one at a time. Just
018do that. Yeah. Make a motion to accept the resation letter. All right. We have a motion in a second to approve each resignation individually. Any discussion? All those in favor say yes. Yes. Post say no. Same. Motion carries forward one session. Okay. Well, you will start with um I guess they're in order, correct? So, Sarah Mary, I pronounce that correctly. Make the motion to accept the resignation of Sarah Mary. Second. We have a motion and a second to accept the resignation of Sarah Mary. Any discussion? All those in favor say yes. Yes. Oppose say no. Motion carries. I'll make a motion to accept the resignation of Christine Net. Second. We have a motion in a second to accept the resignation of Christine Netshine. Any discussion? All those in favor say yes. Yes. Yes. Oppose say
019no. Motion carries. I'll make a motion to accept the resignation of Susan Ford. Second. We have a motion and a second to accept the resignation of Suzanne Fuller. Any discussion? All those in favor say yes. Yes. Oppose say no. No. Motion carries 41. All right. Thank you for that. Thank you. Moving forward to item five, uh, reconsideration of a contract for an associate principal at Mer Primary School. DJ, I asked to have this put on the agenda. When this was handled, I there was only four me board members at the the meeting and uh I was not present. Um after hearing uh how we were going to be splitting up the duties of that individual, I think uh I would like the administration to ask our AP if she'd be willing to accept a one-year
020contract. motion. So, I think we'd have to handle this. Would that be a separate motion, Dean? I can make that into a motion. So, I think first we need to vote on reconsidering that. No, no, we're good. It's just now it's that's the topic. So, a motion would be to to Dean's point to approve a one-year contract for the associate principal position at Merin Primary School to Bin Roadie. Yeah. So, so just the agenda is reconsideration of the contract. Yep. First have to vote on if we're going to reconsider this contract. That's my interpretation of this. If that's the will of the board, that's fine. There's been a motion, so I would second the motion. You make the motion for consideration. So, isn't that where we are? Yeah. And I I think u in order
021for us to do this where it's not a two-year administrative contract, you you do need to approach the individual, don't you? See if they're willing to accept. No, the board can handle a can can hand out a one-year administrative contract. The maximum is two years. So, Yep. So, it would be a one-year contract offer, but in Dean's situation, a one-year contract, August until June, and that would be the commitment to that as well with a defined set and date. Very similar to what we did this year. It'd be an identical contract to this year. So, again, we are we are changing the topic. Well, I mean, honestly, if we just vote through the do the vote on the board is willing to correct. Just for example, if we vote and we decide not to reconsider
022it. If you vote on the motion, you vote it down, then there's no discussion. Exactly. Correct. And then and then you guys next meeting, then you could approve. We have to approve the reconsideration and actually have to vote on Sorry for that. That's the agenda. Yeah. Yeah. That's that's that's what the agenda says. That's what we have to vote. Okay. Dean, are you comfortable with that? Yeah, I think we can make things happen. Okay. All right. So, just looking for uh a motion to approve the reconsideration of a contract to the associate principal primary school. I'll make that motion. Second. We have a motion and a second to reconsider uh a contract for an associate principal at Morton Primary School. Any discussion? I wasn't at the last meeting. Um so, I just want to say
023that while I think she did a great job, Martin has not had an AP in years past. Correct. Correct. And I realized that we brought her in more as a transition period and that's how I remember it. Correct. Absolutely. Um, she did a great job and I think I have I mean I know I have full faith in our administrative team going forward. We're on the right track and yes, she was part of it, but I know that you guys can do this moving forward. I always have faith in our administrative team. I do want to say that but there is still the ability to do everything really well when we've had a lot of turnover. And now that we also have a new special ed position and Bren's background is in special ed, I
024think it's more important now. the last time I spoke to have her on for the next year to help to mentor that person and we have all the um provision probationary teachers other people to that she's helping with that work. So I always believe in administration I think they do a really good job and I think to meet the needs we are right now I think a one-year contract is a good idea. So Dean, can I can I just ask after if we were offered one of your contract, what where we go from there? You know where I'm going from there. I will bring up at another meeting about the idea of going back moving fourth graders over to uh the intermediate building and uh and we'd have a year to consider that talk about
025it. We can't do it now and so it should be too much of a rush. But uh when uh Pakistan left, we hired another principal. That principal was overwhelmed and lasted several months or six weeks, whatever the short period of time was. We hired an interim and added support people to help that interim get through that year. And then we hired uh Bob Lington and we added help in this building because we have more teachers and children in this building by considerable amount than we do in the intermediate building. And so that's why I think that uh we need to have it staffed well enough. Um, it's not a it's not a full-time position, but it seemed to work very well last year. And so that's why I'm proposing that. So if we were to
026do this and not move fourth grade over, which the community's already spoken fairly openly about being not for um what would be the the four I I I caution you on that statement, but we have about five individuals reach out to us when we uh uh I don't opposed it the last time when Ron recommended to us. It wasn't wasn't a huge one. I know there was a lot of people there was a lot of we did some special things. There was well enough to to tell the board just to ask the board not to do it and the board took that took that recommendation from or took the feedback from the community and decided to keep our current building layouts. So we would have to have the conversation again if the factors have changed.
027Yeah. Then we'd have the conversation again. I think we that we need the position regardless if we move for fourth grade for this next year. I think we need it for stability. We've heard a lot from families telling us that they appreciate that stability and again since we're going to have more change in special ed and that's part of Brin's background that calls for a one-year contract for this year to help to maintain that stability and then if we do end up moving toward we'll be having those conversations and we can think about what kind of staffing we need that with that going forward. So I could sound like board member Dean and say that I probably heard from all five parents five community members. I think that was about how many emails we had.
028There were about that and more people came to the There were people that came as an AP it wasn't a cell tower as an AP is that position meant to help with special ed or is it what is their sole role so everybody understands the position as is is we have it again there would be working with our special education uh teachers and ultimately through the associate principal role with behavior. Sometimes we lend ourselves to that in some of our So sometimes you would lend yourself to she would lend hers. But is that how it was when you brought her on? Was that the intention? Was that the intention? No. Well, no. The position itself was to work through student management, assist with supervision of the building. When I say supervision of both staff and
029students, so through that migration and then looking at in skill set which is the background in special education. She has taken over the supervision the teaching supervisors of the special education department as well as the instructional assistant component. So as part of our rationale for moving Brin particularly forward her background in that special education is coming into a lot of positive things and what we're starting to see too. So um it definitely plays into the fact of us asking to bring back in particular and when we say student management that's all kids includes that includes all kids in working with with with with teachers through how to handle um any type of things that happen through classroom management and I wasn't trying to single anyone out. I was just trying to understand if it was
030staff uh recess lunch hallway or if She was given direction. No, she was like for instance some of the common behavior and things she was leading that along with our uh I can't remember which team it is guiding coalition or mer values team one of the two. So yep and she's part-time and from what you explained that some days she comes in for two hours some days four hours some days could be six. Yeah, because again we we try to low set well it's 10 to two is the majority of her her days. Uh again since she is parttime just like we do with our our part-time teachers is we try not to abuse the part-timeness. So we do there are some days where she needs to to be here. She is the LEA for
031many IEPs as well. So during our IEP power day she may be here six day six hours. Um, if that's a reoccurring thing, then we may say, "Hey, on a Friday, why don't you leave around, you know, come in at noon during recess or whatever it might be." Just some flexible time just like we would with a part-time person on a salary. We try not to beat them down. Be reasonable with the part time. Yes. And she's on the same contract. How many days? 195 days as a teacher, correct? And just north of 52,000. Um 45,000 was her contract this year. And then ultimately the benefits, the total package, again, no benefits or anything. Um, was approximately $52,000 for 20 hours a week. Yep. 20 hours a week. Yep. And you said that that money's
032already been budgeted. It's in the budget, correct? Yeah. It's in the budget. And question I have is if you know this doesn't pass, where are you going to put that money? uh it would go back into the just the general pot and we continue to just work towards uh finalizing our budget moving forward. I'd like to see the pass go to our teachers somewhat. I can say we are going to be posting a new reading teacher at uh for for uh primarily at Merin Intermediate School. So that is going to be coming out. I mean, yeah. If my only concern with that, Troy, and again, we'll get into that a little later, is if you're going to put 52,000 into the teacher bucket, which again, I appreciate that, it continues to be a reoccurring cost.
033So, compared to this one year in this situation, a one-year thing where if it does go away or budget, you perked up some people's ears here. Okay. Uh, any further discussion on this topic before we move forward? Okay. Uh, all those in favor of reconsidering contract for the associate principal Merin Primary School say yes. Yes. All the post say no. No. Motion carries. Motion fails. Motion fails. Sorry. motion for this. Okay, moving forward to our next topic, which is um rescending the center of board member Troy Anderson. So, I asked this to be placed on this evening's agenda um for a couple reasons. One, um this is Troy's last meeting. Um, I feel Troy has brought a lot to our school board and our school through policy work and other things. Uh, I felt that
034um, I guess I I can't have a discussion now, but I'm the one that brought the topic uh, to the board for the for the consideration of resending his censure. So, looking for a motion motion to resend censure of board member Troy Anderson's Troy Anderson. All right, I'll second that. Any discussion? What is the rationale? What are you trying to accomplish? Um, so I'm trying to accomplish the fact that, um, I think it sets a bad precedent for the reason of the censure. um which I felt was very much going into free speech that we all should have the right as individuals. Um nothing to do with whether I agree with uh Mr. Henderson's actions. Um but I don't think it was right for the board at the time to to take that action. So
035you'd like to go back to So it's two boards. So this is resending a decision that a different board had made. We're a different composition now. There is no lasting anything that happens from this. In fact, a a century is to tell a board member that or to tell a member that a board does not approve of their actions. That's all it did. And so that had happened. So to resend that would be to say that that previous board made a mistake. Yeah, I agree. Okay. And so that uh given that that board had that conversation and had that there I am not in favor of resending. Justin, you want to lead this board of the community? And uh when we sign up to be board members, we put our name up to be valid.
036There is expectations of conduct that uh we should have high standards. Um, you're saying that we should lower the standards. We should Yes, he has free speech, but as a board member, the conduct also reflects on us as a board. And uh I I I don't understand the rationale that you're giving us. I it just we shouldn't be condoning the conduct. Yeah. And by resending this, we are. And Dean, I fully uh appreciate your opinion. Um but I didn't agree with the fact that it was brought to the table to begin with. Um so I'm just I'm presenting to the board that we resend it. um so that Troy can leave the board, right, and no longer have that? There's been two articles written um recently that referenced Troy being censured as part of the
037board. Weren't they referenced because it was on the agenda? No, there was one because of the recent election when he filed his non-candidacy that he was a censured board member. That is true. So, That's what I put on tonight's agenda. Point of information who can vote on this motion. All members are eligible to vote. So the object of the center can also vote on the center to apart from what we do here in general most parliamentary procedure says that an object of the center cannot vote on it because it is not them. That may not be what we choose to do here but that is most parliamentary procedure. When you say parliamentary procedure, you refer to Robert's rules. Yes. Very important. So Robert's rules doesn't specifically talk about the parliamentarians write about it. They write
038about what works with centure and what the expectation don't say about the expectation. What the what they see as the ethical procedure since the person is the object of the vote that they are not a part of vote. I understand that may not be what we do tonight, but I wanted to share that. Thank you for sharing that. Any further discussion? Okay. Um, all those in favor of rescending the center of board member Troy Anderson say yes. Yes. Yes. Said no. No. Motion carries. Two. Three to two. All right. Looking for I got call point of order on that needs to be researched. Could you check with legal on that? No point of order. Point of order on your point of order. That should have been called before the vote. Correct. So been taken. Yep.
039Vot's been taken. It was questioned before the vote. The vote's been taken. So it's been taken. We'll take we'll take a we'll take a pause. Dean, what is your point of order you're referring to? I I think we need to get legal. uh whether Troy can vote on it or not. Okay. Um the vote's been taken, right? Point of order is not if it's illegal for him to vote on it, it is not dies, right? And the fails as Miss Ein pointed out, right? I didn't ask a lawyer. I have spoken with Bob Butler in regards to this topic, right? I did not ask specifically if board member Anon is allowed to vote on the topic. Um, but I'm just asking Ron if you could check on that part, please. The vote's been taken at
040this point. So, motion carries. All right, moving forward to um 7 motion and roll call vote to go into close session. Nope. We roll into Come back right out of here. Okay, just need a motion and a move we go to close session pursuant to Wisconsin statutes 19.85 1 CE and F and G and do uh approval of close session minutes discussion of the initial proposal of base wages considering compensation for administrators uh sport staff confidential staff second. All right, we have a motion and a second to go into close session pursuant to Wisconsin statutes 19.851 CEFG for the purpose of those again. Okay. Approval of close session minutes from January 6, 2025. Discussion the 2025 initial proposal 2526 initial proposal a base wage negotiations with Arrowhead United Teachers Organization considering employment compensation of district
041administrator administrator support staff and confidential staff motion roll call vote to return to open session to announce or take action if any and if appropriate. Roll call. Roll call. Thank you. Roll call. Dean. Yes. Rebecca, yes. Nicole, yes. Troy, yes. Justin, yes. Okay, we sneak this here and turn this off. Post. Okay, back into open session. Back into open session. Okay, we are now returning to uh open session. Looking for a motion to I have to announce that no action was taken. Yep. I've announced that no action was taken. just to announce or take action. No action was taken. Okay. So, uh we've come out of close session. No action was taken during that session. We adjourn. Second. We have a motion and a second to adjourn. Any discussion? All those in favor say yes.
042Yes. Post say no. Motion carries. Thank you. Thanks everybody. It's about 9:15. Thank you. See you.