06252025 Special Board of Ed Meeting

001To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, getting right into it. Um, can I have a motion to approve the consent agenda regarding anybody proposing There's there's nothing in the consent agenda as far as resolutions. We're good to go with that. Good to go. Okay. Do we need to approve a consent agenda? We're good. Okay. All right. Moving into unfinished business. Second reading to approve policy 345-5 Scots 20 grade level achievement and retention. Scott. So board members within your topic summary and materials are the same documents in which we discussed previously. Um this would be the second reading if the board finds consensus of moving that through and were there any additional questions or

002feedback from our policy committee or items to be shared at this time? John, I I'd like to kick it off by making a motion to um accept the uh policy uh the new policy for third and fourth grade advancement as presented. Uh but not at this time to move forward the administrative guidelines which is a separate document. I'd like to see that sent back. So, my motion is simply for the guide uh the uh policy at this point. Do we have a second on that? I'll second that. Okay. All right. Discussion on it. I'm going to throw my two cents in. Um I'm a little passionate about this one. Um, I I I think that retention needs to happen before third grade. I think kids are very socially aware at third grade. Um, I think

003that, you know, if it's going to happen, it should happen, you know, kindergarten, first grade, maybe second grade. I think the writing is on the wall for a lot of these kids that have issues. And I say this because I'm a mom of one of those kids and before anyone spouts out that it's bad parents not getting their kids to school. Um you know I have we have five kids. One is a head of accounts payable. The other is actu at WMadison for actual actuarial science. The other one is on high honors. So don't tell me that I'm not I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing with my child. I remember the first time I talked to a teacher about concerns that I had with my daughter. Now, she's going into fifth grade,

004but year after year, she was in interventions. And that's why I asked um Candy at our last meeting, after how many interventions do we start to talk about maybe other testing? And I didn't know Candy before I got on the board. So I feel like in a way my kids slipped through the cracks. I guess as a parent I was looking to my teachers and to the intervent interventionists to help guide me with my daughter and say you know what maybe it's time for more testing. Maybe, you know what? Maybe things, you know, we did one, two interventions, even the first year, but now we're talking kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade of interventions, and it took her to fourth grade before she was finally tested. You know what? Maybe I'm a

005shitty parent for not getting her, taking her to Catela Health. We had problems with our insurance company, but if it's happening to me, how many other parents is it happening to? You know what? I'm not saying that there aren't parents that aren't showing up for their kids, that aren't getting them to school, that aren't reading with their babies every night. I know there's parents out there like that. But I know there are parents that are stepping up to the plate. And I think for a lot of these kids, the writing is on the wall. The foundation is set so early. So why are we addressing it at third grade? Why aren't we addressing it earlier? You want to retain at third grade? I mean Paisley Paisley just if I can interject we only have to

006have a policy at third grade because the state is mandating us. I'm not against what you're saying but that is why we are talking about third grade because your policy has to have a has to have a plan from third to fourth. I'm not saying anything against what you're saying but that is where we're at with the third grade. The other thing I would add is our current policy allows retention at all those levels and in talking to Scott some it does happen from time to time but with act under act 20 um how many kids supports how many kids have we retained in the last five years you know I I don't know those numbers there there are there are students I don't know it's fair to send a number out there just it's

007a smaller number it's a smaller number but there but this year there are students being retained in the lowest grade levels of pre and 4K, kindergarten, and first grade. The main the main thing though is Act 20 supports. We we probably should have started something like that long before act 20, but the supports start in kindergarten. So, and they're new. We It's only been It's only just starting. So um the the third grade to fourth grade uh advancement policy is just one aspect of it. I firmly believe that um if if we're proactive with the staff and whatnot that um teachers and principles will start to do exactly what you're recommending if they seem because you know it's it's it's no question it's more difficult for a kid to get held back at at a

008larger age, you know, and therefore knowing that that is a barrier it can be done either And you know, uh, this policy is here because we had a deadline of June 30th to to pass it to pass a policy that says what we're going to do. But we can definitely look at at uh whether it needs policy or just um administrative guidance to um encourage that to happen earlier. I I think it will, you know, I think it will. It's kind of getting back to a practice that used to used to be pretty common. You know, I'm not talking about super common, but you know, 20 20 30 years ago. So, it it's this is just the beginning. This is just the beginning. I agree with you, Holly, that we should be looking at holding

009back early kindergarten, first, second. I think there should be some policy on that, whether it's administrative guidelines or policy. And I said it before, I think we need to look into that next after this will likely be passed. Um I I think that we definitely need to look at implementing some policies on there is policy and and procedure for students that aren't meeting that mark where it's initiated, you know, whether it be through a title interventionist or a teacher that brings it forward or a principal when looking at the data, that that type of thing. I I feel bad for you and in your situation and and how that came about within that if that truly you know moved down through that there somebody should have stepped in and said hey you know let's look

010at this again you know from a perspective you know within that but I know that that typically does happen you know in conversations I think three that I've been brought in because uh those conversations have to make their way to the director level for discussion that's a big deal you know, if we're considering that, you know, often one of the barriers, you know, are the parents where they may not support that where the school is saying this would be of best interest. Not always, but sometimes. Um, but I agree, K prek one, that's where you're going to get your your your best opportunity to show growth. And I think this is going to help support that identifying those kids who might be slipping through the cracks. Well, and I just want to say I want

011you to keep talking. When you just said, "Why are we talking about third grade?" Because I'm on policy committee, we have to talk about third grade because that's what the loss is. But I want you to keep talking. I just think I know. Yes. But I just think, you know, um I think that as far as retaining our kids, it needs to be done at a a lower a lower grade. And I don't know what do we do? Do we do we need more interventionists to help? I I know that's more of an expense. Yeah. And it's gonna but I mean or reading per I don't know. I don't know what the solution is. More reading teachers. Obviously there's a problem because like that spreadsheet that you sent out was that surprising to anyone else

012the numbers. Yeah. Well, I think just because I've been in and out of the special committee that's formed with the intention of addressing this, um there will be some findings coming from um what Linds Lindsay and Bill have I think been the most active and then I know Bill met today with um Kirk Delwitch and um just from the outside looking in. I know intervention was like huge and um hopefully we can find a way to I heard that feedback come up already about um it was actually true and see and um absentee absentee y so I think you'll probably hear more about that and hopefully we can find a way because if you can't read you can't do anything else moving forward is the basis um hopefully we find a way to make some

013intense intervention happen sooner like you're talking about and it's crazy because kids that there kids that struggle with reading, they seem to have strong suits in different areas and whether it's that they're a harder worker or they're whatever it may be. I mean, that's one thing feedback that I've heard back constantly is like with my daughter, she is not one to give up. She she comes she puts forth her very best effort. So, I just I don't I don't know what the answer is, but I I think it needs to happen earlier than third grade, the retention. So what is what is your thought on what we have to put forward with this like we have to address third to fourth right we have to have something on the topic of retention that but act

01420 is a multiaceted that includes u developing reading programs for kids that are behind on their grade level so I think that's going to happen but what do we do about what we're what like Chris's motion is right to meet the deadline that's in front of us. We need to acting preventing us from doing more. Correct. But this deadline really needs to be met. Well, yeah. Our choices on that was was either retention or pass them and set up separate ELA classes for those kids that uh we're not in compliance with Act 20. If we make our policy sooner, it has to address third to fourth. No, we're not. There's nothing in state law that says you you can't retain kids at any level that you think that they're behind. And our our current general

015retention policy actually encourages that um and and u you know encourages uh staff to take a look at that. So So I'm only saying if you see the bullet points on our topic summary sheet key requirements of Wisconsin Act 20 relevant to school districts. Bullet point one is policy imple implementation. Adopt a third to fourth grade promotion policy by July 1. Right. That's what I'm asking like. Yeah, we they don't dictate what policy we have to do. They they just dictate that we have to have a policy. We have to recognize, right? So, I was asking for her thoughts on that because I haven't been through what she's talking about. Like, I just truly want to know. I feel like if we if we're going to if we do what we should do, which is

016address it at an earlier age, this will be less of an issue when it's when it's actually implemented two years from now. I feel like those those third graders, it's going to be more if I mean, if we attack this right away, I feel like our third graders are going to have more of maybe the robust remediation instead of talking about holding them back a year, right? And that's the intent of this next year, obviously, to intervene. So, okay, maybe there is supposed to be some money forthcoming for grants specifically to hire reading specialists to comply with um Act 20. I don't know where that is. Maybe Joe knows where that is, but the the bill is passed, but it hasn't been funded yet uh the last I heard. they expect it to get funded

017either in this budget or as a as a side thing. Am I correct about that, Joe? Have you heard about that? I I can talk to that. So, I think there was action by the Supreme Court uh either today or yesterday on actions of the and I may be not hitting it exactly on the head, but the Republican party had the $50 million and they uh where the governor was saying, you know, it's unlawful to retain that and not put it towards the program in Act 20. Um they've retained it and set it aside as appropriate. And that was uh the Supreme Court, if I'm not mistaken, stated that the actions by the Republican party not to uh put it forward is okay. It's within their rights to do that. So, I I'm hopeful that

018it does come forward, but uh them hanging on to the the funds, not pushing it out to this right now is within their legal rights to do so. So, but I hope that yes, it does come forward to uh interventionists. That was one of the things and people working with districts and schools uh trickle down effect rate to students within that. So, that's what I know right now. It's it's a little up in the air and under in other but we need to advocate for those funds because it's very important part of act 20 $50 million 422 schools districts in the state. Yeah. Lots of teachers, kids and programs. Um, every dollar counts. Every dollar will help. It might be something cost. Yeah. The bill passed that said we're going to provide specialists for uh

019schools that have significant numbers of kids that need reading specialists and uh it just hasn't been funded yet. So, how like how is that something that can be like you hire people on a part-time basis that like just want to do reading or is that a whole different set of qualifications like if you want to hire 10 reading interventionists like so we do that reading background certifications title one instructors uh teachers with English PLA background you know all of those there's lentures and reading there's license you know that that they are the clinicians of teaching reading. And I guess I was just asking like can you hire like are these people out there enough that like we need a bunch of you? We need a lot of you they're out there you work part time.

020Can you like potentially? Yeah. We have people on staff that are title one certified, you know, that do that job. Now, you know, the the voice that I'm hearing from the other uh subgroup is perhaps we need more intervention important. So what does that look like then? Yeah, that's what I'm saying. What does that look like? And I think yes, there are opportunities to look at what that looks like. And does it have to be a certified title instructor? Maybe not. Maybe somebody with strong backgrounded in our philosophy of what's important, you know, can meet that mark. So, I'm having a hard time like I don't usually have a hard time understanding, but like what am I voting for with your motion? It's third to fourth read, right? It would begin uh with I guess

021the year that ends two years from this June, but it would you know it u we can you know the school district can start letting parents know and letting teachers know about it between now and then. This piece is only to do with retention but act 20 has four or five different moving parts to it. So are we in compiance which are already many of those are already underway and have been in most of those we've we've been doing it for the whole school year this year. So what I'm saying is can we have our own policy of a first to second grade and ignore this third to we've always had that third. No, I'm just saying like what your does it have to I don't think we we would have policy but we can't

022ignore but we can't ignore it. That's what I'm asking. It has to be third to fourth we have to we have to address third to fourth. Right? I mean, we we can say we're not going to retain them, but here's what we're going to do with those third graders, and it it has to be something different than we're doing now. So we'd have to go back to the drawing board to rewrite the policy if if and we you know at our not to speak for you but at our policy meeting we you know I shared the the DPI's model policy and all of their you know suggestions which you push and pull from which Chris which you referenced you know advancing students with outside support going to the next grade level but still giving that

023instruction at that previous grade level you know we're we're saying that we're going They go through all these interventions on the front end. And if it does get to third grade and they're not there and if they're not meeting the good cause exemptions which are recognized from IEPs or some of those other uh circumstances, well then yes, then retention variable could be an action that comes forward for an individual at that point. But between now and then, we're dedicated as we've started to go through this process and get our kids as ready and prepared and staff as well and communicate effectively. The one thing the law does say is we can't do what we've been doing, which is let's say you got 15% of third graders that are not a third grade reading. We cannot

024pass them a fourth grade English. We can pass up fourth grade, but we have to pull them out of of English. What's your thoughts on that? Because you were saying they're like really good at other things. How long how many years can you retain a kid in a row under this policy? Only one. So, you can't do two. I'm currently floating kind of in Holly's boat. I know. I My mic is in the IEP program. Um had struggles with reading. struggles with math. We're working with him at home constantly. It's very frustrating like teach trying to teach at home after he's already exhausted from it. So like if he were to be held back, which I don't think he would need to be this year, but second grade I know is going to be challenging

025because the the course of work is more challenging in second grade. Um, I would be definitely open to holding him back that just so it gives him that relax. I can I can take a second look and see this and understand it clearly rather than being pushed forward into harder coursework, you know, like it's just common sense to me. So, like I agree like we shouldn't limit this to third grade. I I don't know. I I'd like and maybe I'm misunderstanding it. I think that that retention in the policy should go back to those earlier grades with the hope that the robust remediation would be our third grade option. And we can do that. All right. We can do that. But our policy is that But this this addresses strictly act 20 which is strictly

026third to fourth grade the state statute. So if we want to go back and revisit prek through grade two and and reestablish something similar or not to this then the board can choose to do that. Right now we do have those markers or indicators of what might be a good candidate or student to be retained based on this that and the other thing that happens right now every year at the younger at the younger year. Yes. Right. This is now saying that it's it's not a choice for districts to just move kids through. So when they get to third grade, the state has inserted law to say that boards have to recognize a process from that point on. Before that, districts, yes, good districts, good practices are still are addressing that as well, knowing that

027earlier retention is better than later retention with that. I think a good solution would be basically we have to do we have to do something in order to to meet act 20 but I'm I'm very much open to sending sending a policy or a proposed policy to policy committee that we do this but we just we look at an implementation implementation we have a great advancement policy that's probably what you would start with so That covers our bases. Yeah. And if it's any consolation, Mississippi, which was the first state to do this, uh they've been retesting the kids that were held back in third grade uh and given extra supports, which is all of them. Um uh they're retested. Uh they're those kids are retested at sixth grade. and those that are that did uh

028third grade over again are performing better than the than the class as a whole. So it's it you know that part is working and I'm not saying it wouldn't work better if they started in first or second grade. Um but um it it is u kids are are responding if they if they've been held back a year they are um they are But it's it's the combination of that and the supports. It's not simply retention. It's retention with the supports. But it's really a last resort, right? Because we're trying all these other Well, and that's the other thing. The number of kids behind when the retention policies put in drops significantly because of greater parent engagement. Not every parent is as active and engaged. Do you think it was solely parent engagement? Uh it it

029is that and the extra reports that are provided in first and second and third grade to those kids. Um the numbers have dropped dramatically of the kids that are below um below their grade level for for reading in those states that have gone ahead with this policy. So the good news is that our next meeting on the 11th is the next time we meet um by law we have to report out to the board on act 20 all right our findings from this last year what we've done since January through now and that'll be another opportunity for the board Miss Peterson and uh Nikki Tesh one of our title teachers will be present all right and uh maybe Tamila as well u to support discussion on act 20 and where we are right Now this

030is this is the next step along implementation for the board to recognize. So you're talking about the next next board meeting board meeting. The ninth. Yes. The ninth. Yeah. This is just one aspect of the 20. There's a whole bunch of things. Any other thoughts from you? Because I'm kind of taking Well, I I think I think there's a lot of emotion in this for me. I I think that you know we sat on curriculum the curricul both both you and I were and Mark um and you know we we heard about the bell curve and we heard about how we will never you know meet certain criteria or we'll never meet certain numbers and we heard about you know arc and how um we could see how each student while we may not be

031hitting certain goals we can still see that these students are moving forward and I I almost feel like some of that was sugarcoated Because now here we are looking at this one. Oh, you're giving me big eyes. But is that I mean, do you feel the same way? Well, no. I mean, I'm You're probably saying what I was thinking, I guess, sitting through those. I just I truly value what you're saying because I I can't I I didn't have any experience. So, I I feel like I don't know why I'm so torn. I've been so close to this being on all the policy committee meetings and now I'm like I've gone both ways. Well, and it's not like I mean I' I've seen other parents at those meetings and whatnot. You know, you have your

032parent teacher meetings in the fall and then you have your other ones for like if your kid isn't meeting certain goals or needing extra help where you're it's recommended, right? It's not required. It's recommended or whatever that you go. And I like I said, I just wish in one of those meetings someone would have sat down with me early on and said maybe we need to look at different options or maybe we should do different testing or maybe you know given me I mean there were plenty of those meetings that I cried in because I could see things happening with my kid and now here we This policy gives us a whole year to use all the other supports to see if that moves the needle. I think it's two, right? It's two. Well, I

033mean, it gives us a whole extra year versus you said it's going to be a lot of interaction with parents and establishing what what needs to be done. And for our staff, it's going to be a huge change for our staff. So, um, and you know, summer school, if we knew that this was a problem before, why didn't we why didn't we have something for summer school that was robust? And I know this is all in the past because I keep asking why, but I just Yeah. And the answer is we could have and we did. And we did. We have summer school remediation recommendations of every child that goes in that isn't at their mark. A recommendation to go to the uh summer school that is part of our elementary uh framework. Are you

034recommended to go? Again, it comes down to that participation from parents, you know. But now we have an actual class, right? Versus before it's was like we we sign. No, it's more reading. I mean, it was reading focus and absolutely. Now, yes, by act 20 is the the remediation for specifically for this, but there were classes for reading, you know, building reading skills. I can't speak to the specific of what the names were and that type of thing, but there absolutely are classes that intend that, but yes, there are the enrichment and then there's the core classes that are part of that. But yeah, so when we vote Oh, sorry. Go ahead. There's multiple tests that they're that they take that demonstrates their their ability. There's not just one test. We talked about that last

035time. There's three there's three I forward and as a as web plus. So it's not just one test that that the decisions are based off of. Guess it might be better at doing one test than another test. We do have a long ways to make up. You guys probably got the same email I got from Bill Cross about the Ames web tests for the end of this year. We we got a ways to go and it's going to take every tool in the in the book. You know, not just retention, but you know, without without retention, the other things are going to be weaker in my in my opinion. I appreciate your feedback. Moving to the easy part first. It sounds like everybody is in support of guidelines or policy directed toward earlier intervention or

036or holding back. Yes. So that I think could be sent to the policy committee for the next time they meet for more discussion and taking that off the plate. Um any more discussion? Are we ready to move that out of vote on this? So we are looking to vote and just uh we're only going to look at passing policy. We're going to hold off and administer guidelines because we think we can do a little bit more tweaking to that. That was my my just to do the final. Is there is there a timeline on the next piece for guidelines? Um there's not a deadline because it's administrative guidelines, not policy. However, um I will put it on the agenda for the next policy committee to to review that sent something to come back here pretty

037quick for guidance. Yeah. If there's no further discussion move to a vote, all in favor? I moving on. Wait, who Chris, did you make the mo who who made the motion and who second it? Andy seconded. Chris. Okay. All right. 202425. co-curricular co-curricular report. Board members uh this evening, Phil Swma, our associate principal at the high school and co-curricular director is with us to take us through our spring activities overview. I put a hard copy at your uh workstation as well and I'll bring it up on the screen here if you'd like to watch along up there. Mr. Swa. Thank you, Mr. Members of the board, thanks for having me. I always enjoy uh the three times I get to come to you throughout the year, fall, winter, and spring, and share with you the

038highlights of our students, not only our student athletes, but also our students who are involved in multiple co co-curriculars and clubs. Mr. Blake, so again, a little bit of an overview. We'll talk about the numbers. I think that that's important that they have been pretty consistent uh over the years. will highlight our allconerence honors. Look at our state recognition not only for our student athletes but also with our clubs. Uh baseball. Uh something to point out and I'll point it out later as well. We were fortunate to add three three teams or add a third team this year. We added a JB2 team uh which was f fantastic and between all of the rain and the weather that we had to deal with, I thought it was a pretty successful season getting games in for

039our uh students and uh from the high school side on the left to the middle school side on on the right. We have a lot of students at the high school and at the middle school participating in the numerous co-curriculars that we offer. Moving on to baseball. As I mentioned, we did add a JB2 baseball team this year. Varsity finished 500 in the conference and we had three athletes who were recognized by Bay Conference coaches for all conference honors. Tommy Fields, a senior, second team with the infield. Troy and Logan are juniors going to be seniors and they were recognized second team and honorable mention respectively. Golf. Uh we had three golfers that received uh Bay Conference honors. Uh all three of them were honorable mention. Uh some other highlights from the golf season. We

040did host the D2 Golf Regional. So a huge thank you to uh Carrie and Corey Kugi at Shamrock Heights allowing us to be out there. That was our graduation where we were hosting. So it was a fan fantastic day. Weather cooperated immensely. Uh at regionals the team qualified. So, the five golfers did qualify for the region, excuse me, the sectional that was held at Seymour, and that was the um third time in the last five five years. How many girls do we have in the golf girls golf team this year? Right. Right now, those numbers, you know, they're still coming in. Uh but talking to coach Coach Sams the other day, we're we're pushing a little bit south of 20 right now. So, you know, anywhere between 12 and 17. So, but we we know

041that that that that can change. Uh a lot of our fall and winter sports uh teams have been having open gyms, contact days, practices. So, our kids are not taking a break during the month of June. Moving on to rock climbing. Uh Mrs. Schultz wanted me to share. It's the most successful season to date for the team with 12 of the 15 climbers moving up a division. A division in rock climbing. It's important to note kind of works the inverse of what we're used to when we're thinking about a WIAA sport. Um so in rock climbing, division four is your top division for the athletes. The the better you are, uh the more skill you have, the higher division you go to. Okay? So just something to note there. So again the most division three

042climbers in program history. Um the team finished 14 out of 34 teams at state and then two students finished eighth in their respective divisions. Nathan U Hardy and Jillian Kener soccer. Moving on to soccer. Uh we hosted Camelport and won in the first round of the WIAA regional. Winter Pearl and Joselyn Eert were voted on by Bay Conference coaches. uh second team. And it's worth noting that bottom picture, that long one with all the seniors and their parents. That's our parents night. We graduated 11 seniors from that team. So, um sad sad to see see them go, but looking forward to what's in store for them in the future. Softball. Uh softball, the varsity team finished 500 in conference. We had three brand new coaches at the JV level. Um we defeated KBY Abbottzford. We

043hosted them in the first round regional play and then in the regional semi-final we came up short to uh Medford 4 to3. Seven members as you can see there received Bay Conference honors. Uh you will note an asterric by Aaron Odana and Ellie Wkelman. What that is noting is that they were unanimous all conference selection. So, the other softball coaches in the conference said, you know, those are some some of the best uh players at those particular positions. I just received an email earlier today. Uh also worth noting that the Wisconsin Fast P fast pitch softball coaches association uh selected Ellie Wkelman as first team all district and honorable mention all state and Aaron O'Donnor mention all district. So, great accomplishments for our softball team. Moving on to track and field. Uh, not going to

044read every single name on on there, but what uh this slide shows is are are the students are student athletes who received conference awards at the conference track and field meet. Uh, if you were a first team athlete, that means you were first in your event. Second team athlete, you were second place. And if you were honorable honorable mention, you placed uh third. Few highlights from the track. Uh season freshman and sophomore men's team were champions at the W Oshkosh invite. At the W Stevens Point invite, the boys team took second. Uh at the Waka County meet, uh they were the boys were the team champions. Um again, 20 males and female athletes received conference awards in 13 events. We had one regional champ, Addison Marsh, uh, in the discus, 14 sectional qualifiers, and we

045had one state qualifying team in the 4x800. What's interesting to note for the 4x800 boys relay? Uh, I don't know if this has ever happened in state history. It may have, but I just don't know. But something to note, we had a different relay team for the regional meet, the sectional meet, and the state race. just with kids getting hurt and kind of shuff shuffling them around. So, so something neat for for them. Uh something to note for next year, we will be hosting the county meet and the conference meet for track and field. Moving on to our trap team. A few highlights there. Trap team, uh I want to give give a shout out to our New London Fishing Game Club and the Reedfield Gun Gun Club. Uh those are the two locations uh

046where our students shoot and those two clubs uh have been extremely supportive of our trap team. Um at at the manual competition we had 20 New London students. They participated in in the event. Bri Schmidt was second uh in the female division. Parker Heisy was second in the male division and Jack Glover was third in the JB male division. Uh, New London also participated in the state ski meet this year. That was on May 31st. Um, Nate Nathan Wagner earned third place for the team. And then at the state trap meet, which was a couple weeks ago on June 7th, um, many students shot their season best, but as a team, they finished middle of the pack. Senior Jack Lover uh, ends his high school career. He shot a perfect 25 which earned him third

047place in the JV category. So another successful season for our track team. Moving on then to our clubs. Three three clubs uh that I want to uh focus on. DECA, HOSA and FFA. We had are we had five students that participated in DECA nationals which was held in Orlando, Florida uh April 26 through the 29th. uh the categories that they competed in business solutions, school-based enterprise and business services and business finance. Um not only were they competing but they were also to take were able to take in some sites down in Florida univers Universal Studios, Hollywood Studios and Cocoa Beach. And a huge shout out and thank you to Stalker Sports Flooring and the New London Lions Club for donating funds to help offset the cost of that trip. HOSA uh just you know H

048OSA just got back last week from Nashville. Uh they had their HOSA international competition uh June 18th through the 21st. 10 students attended and competed in three events health education. There were two teams and respiratory therapy. Kylie Heisy. She advanced to the final round in respiratory therapy uh where she showcased her knowledge and understanding in a hands-on demonstration at an off-site hospital. uh and soccer sports. Floren was also generous with uh donating money to HOSA in order to offset some of the costs for the students. Then the last club is FFA. The state FFA competition was held June 9th through the 12th. Uh the A issues team of Vincent Packis, Bri Schmidt, Morgan Williams, Laney Idenburgger, and Daniel Tank won. They will be heading to nationals in the fall. And then the New London FFA

049is a silverrated chapter based on the National Chapter Award. and Evan Rretzoff, class of 2025, former student board rep. He was selected as the section 8 state officer. He has a full year ahead of him. And then the last club or excuse me, the the last slide, sorry, miss. Thank you. uh as I kind of reflected it's been seven years since I've been in this role and I can't thank the school board enough for all all the support uh that you have shown for our co co-curriculars so on behalf of not only the coaches advisor students community thank you for for that this shows all the clubs activities co co-curriculars that have been added so not only at the middle school um but also at at the high So again, I just want to thank

050thank you for everything that you do for our students. That is spring. Any questions? Um, prior to you being here, there was not JB2 baseball. Is that what that's not correct? Not during my time. Hope those numbers can continue to grow. Thank you. Thanks, Phil. Thank you. Moving on, review potential approval of the 202526 employee handbook. Board members, uh in the agenda uh reading, it says review potential approval. Um, yes, if the board sees it as appropriate to move through for for approval. Um, but if there are questions that do come forward or whatnot, approval at our July regular meeting is very much in line. Um, hopefully everybody's had an opportunity to to go through tried to make it uh as simple as possible to highlight uh the areas just to kind of set the

051stage as to what was done this year in a review of our handbooks. uh took time to gather feedback from our administrative staff as well as our district office staff and building staff. Um and then as well an opportunity to bring that forward and and share with our compensation committee who took time to review that earlier this month. And so recommendations are cited in red which would be remove green which signify add or revision or revise. Uh within there are very simplistic parts of the puzzle if you will. Uh some that are a little more detailed that may uh bring up questions as they come forward. So if you're comfortable I'll just simply take us through page by page talk to it if there's additional feedback that we can uh bring up. um by all

052means. So the first was on page seven and eight, the all staff handbook. Remember we have three handbooks that represent one. We have our all staff from uh my position down to um our support staff and everywhere in between. So all staff handbook represents all staff and then we have certified staff with with contracts and then we have individuals without contracts and each one of them has slightly different items that were in. So the first few items go through to the all staff. That's very simple. The first one recognizing the change in leadership and um uh educational equal opportunity and non-discrimination. Uh Candy Martin right now recognizes Sarah Johnson within that document. uh section 9.1 lunch period on page 30 uh was talking about lunch period and the uh the efforts to always be concise

053and um to ensure that times are documented. Um our staff need to take lunch. Okay. And it's important that they do. But there are times where it's not uh something comes up where they they work through a bunch so on and so forth. and we continually need to be um revising a process to ensure that it's accounted for and knowledgeable by all stakers that are approving that process. So in that second and third process, it's it's recognizing uh the note must be on a time sheet that they're not um taking that lunch. And then that last paired school year and extended school year all employees who regularly are unable to take the regular scheduled lunch must receive written permission from their direct supervisor to continue this practice. So it's a communication piece that understanding and

054knowing as to why that's not happening. Just greater care clarification. The next uh 10 12 uh which is on insurance. So, this is something new um that we're looking to implement and it's talking about if you remember um employees when they they choose to to quit a job or position uh the addition would be if an employee quits midmon they continue coverage through the end of the month. More of a clarification again that was always the practice but now it's in there as well. if they take unpaid time during that time. Okay, that would be paid um paid back benefits by the day that they would not be there. The other piece on the next page is looking at uh individuals that u participate in our group health um plan within that if they wave

055that compensation, wave the the plan in the past. um some individuals would be eligible to receive that payment in lie. Okay. Um for not taking our plan and what this now recognizes that if you are an employee within the district and um I choose to wave the plan, all individuals that wave the plan would be eligible for that payment in loop. Um I think it's like $3,500 Mr. or $3500. That's our recommendation. Yeah, the recommendation is that 3500. I think it's 34 something within there. So, this also then recognizes uh a process where in the past if you had uh spouses that worked within the the district, they did not qualify for that benefit, if you will. Um it was just a longstanding past practice that has been established within. So this would then allow

056uh if there are spouses that are working within the district obviously one person would take the the benefits but the other person would receive a cash in lie of that knowing that the district is still saving um funds in their overall budget development within feedback comments uh from the u so the committee you answered one of my questions but I'm not really sure how that amount was calculated and it says that would go to the board of education for approval. Do are are we it'll be determined by the board. Such cash payments will be determined by the board. How so? Are we approving the request for cash? We didn't approve the budget the budget process that the annual amount that has been recognized thus far through the budgetary for that health insurance renewal process. That's

057typically when that number had been recognized with it. It's been that 34 something for a very long time. Many years we talked at committee to making it a round number of $3,500. We started talking about this last fall when we had the insurance renewal that if we made that incentive for all staff, would this be uh a way to incentivize people to to go off the plant? They had other options and the discussion at the committee at that time was the handbook was the appropriate spot to have that discussion since it was in the handbook and at that time we were going through the insurance renewal. The $3500 you just using round math. We would divide that over 12 months and then that is added to their paychecks when they would wave it for the

058month. Um our suggestion is to with the $3,500 because that amount comes from the insurance savings that we had this year with individuals uh moving off of the plan where we had budgeted for as being on the plan because they were on the plan for the first half of the year and then in January some individuals waved. So, we could always revisit that each year from the amount, especially we'll be talking about insurance again uh as we approach the next few months with our renewals, but $3,500 uh we communicate that in our handouts to our employees. There's a summary of benefits sheet that they receive each year and is also on our shared drive that they can access to know the amounts. Hey, your question was, does the board have to approve each individual case?

059And I'm hearing no, we just have to every year in the budget decide is that 3500 or is it going to be another number? Right. That was Thank you. I was looking for clarification. Oh, good. Okay. Good question, Nate. Thanks for asking. Uh 114 uh deals with other leaves of absence uh particularly around unpaid leave of absence. Just bringing further clarity to that that request. On occasion there is a request for unpaid leave of absence if a person uh exhausts uh leave that has been established um you know 6 days personal days that type of thing within um just our principles are very much aware that this is happening but we're saying that um prior support of building principal or supervisor that they are communicating that our frontline system which uh monitors that they need

060to be communicating effectively with their building or supervisor advisor principal within that all unpaid requests should be submitted 10 days prior to an unpaid leave. Typically, an unpaid leave is something that comes up. Uh it's it's not an emergency. You know, you're planning for it. Um that time for us to find a potentially a sub to put in that classroom as whether it be a pair or a certified staff. Um takes time to do that. It's just not an overnight, hey, I need this day and the sub shows up tomorrow. So extending that back to 10 days prior puts a little onus on our individuals as well to plan accordingly um to see that through. Uh the next line where it talks about uh prior to recognizing unpaid requests it just we can end that

061sentence prior to that with work responsibilities at the end. Um unpaid leave will not be allowed on a red letter day or days where personal time cannot be taken. simply what that's referencing. There are certain days during our calendar where you say our sacred if you will whether it be a professional development back to school or days in which uh we need everyone here and uh it just brings that clarity to that. Uh the last paragraph does talk about um individuals who exceed um more than five unpaid leave days will be required to meet with district office administrators. And this is just good practice uh in my opinion as well to review the absences. You know, if absences are shown and there's rhyme and reason and um you know, consensus is built around as to

062why that took place. Um it'll be easy to understand and know, but we know that our school year is approximately, you know, 78 days and our staff uh work anywhere from 178 to 190 within. we we need them here, you know, and that's it's a priority that our staff are here to support that. Um, in the unfortunate circumstance where if it's somebody after review, it's really deemed as an excessive u taking advantage of that, we just simply, you know, say there will be a consequence or could potentially be a consequence that comes to that from a a pay freeze or, you know, if a continued trend would happen. uh just clearly states out, you know, restorative or disciplinary action and or termination. It could come from a person that is continually uh exceeding with unpaid

063days. Also noting that FML a related absences um don't apply or they they exclude FMLA, meaning that if you're out for a certified recognized medical leave, um that can't hurt against you, okay? if it's unpaid during that time because it's being recognized that you are out for a medical issue. Any questions? Okay. The next few are under the professional staff uh with individual contracts. Um so 6.8 under retirement. Um this is a known but we look to continually to communicate effectively the language of what retirement eligibility truly means. um retirement eligibility is defined of 55 years of age and 15 years or more of service to the district. Um there there was conversation at our committee level about why 55, you know, could it be 57 or or another um year to be fully vested

064into the Wisconsin retirement system is a 30-year process. It doesn't mean a person couldn't retire prior to or before. Uh but that 55 is typically that number where a person is vested if they've been involved and that 15 years of experience more to our district which could potentially lead to if they are to receive a postemployment benefit. Uh that's telling individuals that they have been vested into our district. 15 years of service to our district is what we're looking at saying yes, you are you have been vested in and it's not I say coming here at 50 and then retiring at 55 and taking post-employment benefits. So just reaffirming and reating that within our language. Uh professional ed again uh 69 early staff retirement and recognition. Uh this is a process that started a few

065years back now. Uh the declaration of notice, it says by September 1. That is new. Okay, we had the 15th now. And I apologize that wasn't highlighted, but it was the 15th and we'd like to take that back to September one. Um and then the increase enhanced just word smithing the paragraph within that. No changes other than that. And I think our staff are now well verssed of that. If a person is truly considering uh the retirement recognition, um they know that that's out there. and the timing of our payroll and setting that up within it's more advantageous for us to be able to do that on September one and we would effectively communicate that out with our staff that have this benefit. uh the sick leave payout. This was a new concept that uh

066has continually come forward from our uh building level educators when we've talked gathering feedback about potentially recognizing um a benefit upon retirement for un sick days. Uh just to to refresh, a certified staff member can accumulate up to 120 sick days to be maxed out, if you will. And there are multiple um staff that have that um you know just from their years of service and commitment and being great employees with our district. So what we're recommending um is that if an individual meets the uh qualify for this staff member must have at least 60 unused days, okay, at the time of retirement are retirement eligible, okay? And then they would receive $50 per day up to a maximum of $3,000. So that 60 days would be recognized. Um payment would be subject to all

067of our other post-employment benefit processes, payroll taxes, deductions, and so forth. This is a practice that is recognized within our support staff group right now um at just uh I guess at a $2,000 level. We'll get to that shortly. Um but then this would as well mimic our support staff. So this is the benefit that was established in our support staff that we're recommending is recognized in our certified staff as well. Question. 73 health insurance is simply word smithing eligibility and then on to the uh be the one two three the fourth paragraph of health insurance. This is the recommended change in a I'll say a process what the district currently has. All right. Board members may be familiar that the district offers a personal health assessment for reduction of contribution rates for our employees

068if they take this personal health assessment. And right now we have it's the employee and the spouse and they're given multiple times from back to school inservice through uh the first part of November to complete this. And our recommendation is that u only the school employee would be obligated all right to take the personal health assessment. Okay. If there are spouses that choose or wish to continue to do that, we would certainly see that um as an opportunity for them to do that as well and participate in the PSA andor the health coaching sessions if it is interested by them. Okay. uh 74 that's the alternative uh benefit plan in lie of health insurance. So this was part of the certified staff all right handbook before and we're taking it out all right and simply

069putting it into the all staff handbook. So that's why it's in red. Uh it's just been moved to the all staff handbook within there. The next section employees without individual contracts. Just a couple items. Um 2.6 closing for inclement weather signifies employees that might be on a family medical leave will not receive pay for inclement weather days. Thus they're on that leave during that time. uh further clarification and uh as well in 6.1 health insurance the same thing I just uh cited there with that u the district will pay percentage of health insurance monthly premium with that PSA personal health assistant our support staff are able to take advantage of that uh same process as well and we would look to mimic that same process with our support staff And then lastly, um the individual

070contract 69 sick leave with pay. All right. So this is just I wanted to highlight out that yes, it's also part of our support staff. And then we're just getting rid of that 50% of acred sickly and just simply stating that up not to exceed a $2,000 value at at the point of retirement with our support staff. Any questions beyond what I've shared as recommendations for the board to consider? I know committee members are all part of this conversation as well. There's any dialogue that uh you'd like to contribute in or share silence. I want a motion to approve. Oh uh as presented the uh topic I was talking uh is that which one about um clarifying the um the things that uh master's degree what types of degrees will enhance. So that's in our

071uh that's in another book. That's well no that's it that's in our professional staff handbook. Yeah. You know is that something you'd like to talk about or or Yeah. I I think it's it's a little bit vague there as to what what number is it Chris again? It's page it's on page 76. Okay. Thank you. 6.2. Um uh it's a little bit vague as to uh what type of master's degree I I would assume that if somebody is say a math teacher and they get a master's degree on the side in you know Spanish or something that that doesn't apply to it but uh if they get something in in education or mathematics it does apply. Um, I I would like to to um ask the committee if they could develop some wording for us

072for that that would clarify um when a master's degree enhances salary. Okay. Is that something that I guess how would you like to like the committee the compensation committee to take that on as a task to do that? Send that only. I mean we can pass everything else but uh you know other board members would like to see that as well we could send that back. So just to give the the overview right now the current practices if a person uh comes forward with a request for additional certification or lensure there's a form okay which should be completed and and filled out and it's a request uh to let's say you know the example here educational leadership or education technology let's say somebody wants to get a just that a master degree in education technology

073that request would come through all right end up in the district office, the director team would take that and have a discussion and ask a question. The person has also asked, you know, share in writing, how will this help, you know, themselves, how will this potentially help the district? Um, and then ultimately, because part of our um our advancement of additional degrees and salary adjustments, if a person earns a master's degree, it is a salary adjustment of $5,000 upon completion. Okay? and then that is rolled into uh their salary ongoing moving forward and then um an additional certification which may not be a master's degree but it it could be another lensure like it's not uncommon for um say I don't know if some of our science teachers have picked up teched okay that's a

074certification uh within or that is as well recognized within uh the $2,500 addition to salary and or assistance in offsetting the cost of classes to choice for the individual with that. So if I'm hearing you Chris, you're you would like the compensation committee to look at that. Okay. And just revisit it. Revisit it and and um come up with some wording that specifies uh more where the master's degree has to be in order to to uh meet. And that'd be that'd be a good time to go over it. As far as the the actual fine points of okay what triggers what kind of payment with that. There's two areas where it's triggered. One is the one you're talking about when somebody who's working for us goes and gets a master's degree. And obviously that's not

075going to get approved if it's not in the area they're actually working in. Right. It has to be a value added to the district as a whole. Right. For the example Scott just said like a science teacher, they get certified for industrial arts. Yep. What if they don't do anything with it? Um, well, typically we're pushing them to do something with it, you know, w within that. So, they went to school, they just do it, right? Picking up another example might be a regular ed elementary teacher who goes back for a special ed certification or reading specialist certification. You know, those are all things that play into benefiting us. Yeah. In the other the other instance where it's used is in hiring somebody new and um multi you're interviewing multiple people when one doesn't have

076a master's degree one does but when when does that master's degree have to do with the job that they're that they're getting and when is it not really relevant to Sure. Okay. That's probably case by case. Yeah, very much discussion on that and compensation. All right. Any other discussion items on it? All right. Do we have a motion to approve employee handbook as presented? Do we have a second? Second. All in favor? I pass. Moving on. review and potential approval of parent student handbook revisions. So board members, kind of the same concept again. Uh our parent guardian handbook is as well equally as important and our ability to have expectations, accountability for students and families within our district. Each year suggestions come forward from our administrative team that um as well bring themselves through our

077building level PLC's and coalitions for as well as district office and other office staff to make it best as it can be knowing that things do change from year to year um as society changes within. So the attempt again was to simply uh give the highlights of changes and recommendations for consideration. Same approaches I'll take with that page two um the administrative department leadership change names change names. We're recognizing Camela McCartney Sarah Johnson and Mark Marsh and the removal of Chinsky from the document noting the individuals within their positions which they are responsible for. Page six, name changes to the board of ed rules responsibilities. Uh, President John Hiderman, Vice President Katy Batten, Clerk Holly Schwitzer, uh, treasure Mark Gman, directors Chris Bartonson, Andy Thorp, and nothing changed with you. So that's why you got

078there. No, it did change. Okay, it did change. Not getting rid of me that easy, Scott. Can't leave me off the list. All right. Um, where are you? But nothing. No, I'm not on there. Well, you're not because the you were you were a director last year. You're a director this year. I was a treasurer last year. Oh my god. Yeah. I guess I could have put that on there. So, all right. No big deal. Okay. You'll be in the book. I'm in the handbook. Hey, you There you go. Actually, you're still in the handbook, but you're just not on the revision here. So, here we go. Yeah. uh attendance uh bulleted point adding seniors who are absent for more uh nine days or more full days the second semester may be considered eligible participate

079in walk and graduation ceremony. Uh this is something that was in place this last year already. it was part of our handbook. Adding it into more is better for students and families to know that um it could be a consequence if attendance slips and as well student participate in athletics and activities must be in school and attend all scheduled classes on the day in which they are to practice participate in a contest except in cases of family emergency excuses pre-applied absences or written medical releases obtained from the physician. And furthermore, participant must be in school for all classes on a Friday to be eligible for a Saturday activity. Not to think a student may skip or this or that, you know, that type of thing. But we're saying if you're going to be doing the

080extras, which Mr. SLMA is is highlighting and so forth, we need your commitment within our school setting um and not just, you know, taking advantage of a situation and still having the reward of whatever that co-curricular might be um to be there. Page nine, school to work. Uh, three additions and it's basically adding in uh the youth apprenticeship program uh to accompany our school to work. Just knowing that those are two programs within um from the various verbiage within the paragraphs on page nine and school to work and youth apprenticeship. Page 13, violations against technology. Again, add three ads. We're looking to create more of a robust uh paragraph because items continually change, especially in technology. Cell phon, smartphones, excuse me. Uh smart watches, earbuds, any other smart devices in classes. How about smart glasses?

081Has anybody seen smart glasses? Yeah. wear the glasses and it is like take pictures, look something up, see within. Yes, they are out there. So, uh that's you're adding that. Well, that's any other smart devices. So, a smart device. So if a person has smart glasses on, we would ask them to remove the smart glasses or come up with an alternative knowing that they can do all the things that your uh your phone could do or a device. So they look like glasses. Uh my readers are null smart. Uh using artificial intelligence uh to cheat, alter image or any other inappropriate actions. U again another item just more clarity, specificity into what that looks like. uh bringing a personal device to school without oversight of district personnel. Uh we're saying that your devices that are

082coming into the building are um are the districts in the sense of a Chromebook andor devices that the district um sees appropriately and authorizes to come in. So you just can't bring in a device which might be able to do things that could lead to a violation against technology. Page 15, bullying, uh, adding, bullying that takes place outside of the school creates an undue disturbance inside the school setting subject to disciplinary action and potential police involvement. So I think just from our experiences, you know, we know that uh sometimes what's outside comes inside and if it continues in but originally started out, it could it could bring about disciplinary action if deemed appropriate and potential police involvement or disciplinary action from our administrative team. Page 17, improvements to the dress code guidelines. Hey, this one

083will be in every handbook from now to the eternity of time with dress code, clothing or accessories that create distractions, disruptions, students will be asked to change. So it is giving that it's not an individual that okay if it's causing a distraction or people are are bringing up whatever it might be our admin team would have the ability to say hey you know what it it is taking away from our environment and give that ability to ask the student to change uh page 18 students cell phones smartwatches and other smart devices um at the middle intermediate middle school again recognizing that those same items items that were just referenced are can and will be in other areas of our district as well. So, it brings in the middle and high school 19 uh graduation requirements.

084We're going to add seniors who are absent for nine days as well the second semester. Uh same verbiage that we recognized earlier again also putting it in there in another place within the handbook. Again, more is better if you will in understanding what those expectations are for students with page 20. Uh part of our handbook we shared with our transportation office as well as they look at the different elements and expectations to keep our uh system running as efficiently as they can. There's a recommendation to add under bus routes that students be prepared uh five minutes prior to pickup at their um at their location within. Okay. Just as we know how weather can fluctuate and uh one student, two students that may not be in a route and then the driver works really hard

085to keep the timing of the route. Uh but at times that can get thrown off and we just like our students and families to be ready five minutes earlier than our anticipated pickup time. Page 21, bus routes. Again, uh building principal has an option to alter student pickups, drop off locations. We're going to remove that. Okay. This will come right from uh the transportation. It will not be the responsibility is with the transportation supervisor when we're talking about altering student pickup or drop off locations. Makes perfect sense. the building principal can be knowledgeable but to authorize it the transportation supervisor should be the one clarifying the the time the location is it a safe location is it not a safe location um and that's their responsibility to see that through so giving that uh to

086the transportation office page 28 parking lot high school uh just best practice if you will no watering in parking lots prevented before during ing after school. um you know students are arriving uh before and after you know what what is loitering uh what you know to be you know it's very subject to that time but as well if it's something that's causing a disturbance within um students are there in and out of cars vehicles make your way to and from page 29 technology devices looking to add two items within only schoolisssued devices may be brought and used in schools unless permitted by the school administrator again recognizing that school issue technology is our best practice and most appropriate way to do just that. Um on occasion if there is something that would be requested in

087the school administrator would acknowledge that prior to making it into the building. Reference to additional devices, smartwatches, earbuds, other smart devices, just noting that uh that continues to grow as to what devices might look like. Uh and then on page 30, uh reference on legal notices. As I mentioned earlier in our other handbook, uh reference to the new director of pupil services, Sarah Johnson. Questions on the uh parent student handbook. I have a question. Yes. On page 99 of our packet, if you look at the right column that says board of education meetings and members. Yeah. Um, we also I was wondering and I know I've asked this other years. Yeah, we're only required to have the regular board of education but we or the you know the first meeting of the month but we

088always I mean except this July right typically have should we put both of them in there? I just feel like does that decrease transparency because all of a sudden we're meeting and they're like well it doesn't say they're meeting you know like I just feel like as a general rule it's a second and fourth Wednesdays and I think you could say that as it's always the regular one and typically specials are the fourth Wednesday. I think that'd be a good way to say it because it looks like it looks here like we don't right no just recognized for the regular. So that's that's an easy fix. I could I could do that. You know the second and fourth Monday or excuse me Wednesday. would say they're like typically also the fourth or however you want

089to give yourself leeway. You bet. Or when when special meeting is needed, but it's not like we decide if it's needed. We always meet. We set a schedule when we already we already set that schedule for the year. So I think it enhances transparency. I agree. I would ask on page 28 or the packet 122. Um the change you made, no ordering and no avoiding in parking lot is permitted before green and after school. Um it's pretty vague and it's very subjective. Um not that I want to have issues, but I mean I I don't want to be creating a problem where a problem doesn't exist either. So I I would just caution that one. I mean, I know my kid, he came to school early every single day so that he could hang out

090with his buddies for a few minutes before class. So, I don't want to create a problem where a problem doesn't exist. But is a suggestion not to have it then or or not? I don't know. Is it a problem now? It hasn't made it to my desk. Okay. You know, that was a suggestion that has come forward from the from our high school. I mean, that's where parking lots or students I mean, I think we have I think we have rules in place if any less than desirable behaviors are happening to deal with that. I don't know if we need to create a a no no loitering policy, per se. Well, it probably just means like you're not backing up the truck and tailgating like all, right? I don't I think there's other policies that

091they'd be violating if that was what they were doing. So, I don't know that we really need to do that or what the I think this gives them some leeway. So, if kids are hanging out in the parking lot causing a ruckus, then they say you're loitering, get out. Well, and loitering is very in trouble if you don't. Yeah. Like loitering is subjective. So, if they're six kids hanging around talking, they're not causing a problem. Maybe that's not that's kind of up to their school principal like you said. I get that. I don't know that we need to add this. Hopefully, it doesn't. We're not creating problem. So, has it always been that way? Have we always recognized that? Uh, this is this is an addition. So, there must have been something that prompted it.

092I'm guessing I'm sure they're not calling your help for being 10 minutes early in the class or parking lot. Yeah, he's also graduated. He's done. He's over. Okay. All right. We'll leave it. Hopefully, we're not back seeing that one. All right. We have a motion to presented the parent student handbook revision. I'll make that motion. Do you have a second? Second. All in favor? I thank you very much. Uh we appreciate that. We'll work on refining them and getting them out here after July one. All right. Moving on to the state bianium budget update. Joe, so Mr. Mark's going to share some uh some feedback on the recent 2527 bianium state budget development. Uh hard not to uh listen to the news where you're hearing feedback about our legislators and and the process and where

093they're at. Uh usually public education is right to the front of the of the storyline in many cases and the funding and u wanted to wanted to share some information to us locally and what it's meant over the past few years and you know the state budget typically always has a target of being completed by July 1st. uh whether that will be this year or not to be determined, but it sounds like the the state legislators are are moving forward at a at a pretty good clip where my guess is it'll be around that time frame. Joe, thank you. Uh do give you a few updates tonight. Lots of important topics on the agenda tonight. This one is equally as important because it does impact a lot of things that we do in our district

094and having sustainability in our budget helps us do all the things that we every day. Um, as Mr. Black mentioned, is definitely in the news a lot with the bienium and where it's at. It's a very political discussion and that is just the way it is. I've learned to deal with that and know that when K12 education is a a large appropriation in the state budget is going to create a lot of feelings throughout the state. So, that's okay. Um, however, I do want to share what the impact of what has been uh preliminary discussed so far and how it would impact our school district. That way you're able to be knowledgeable of it and also uh potentially share advocate for uh additional funding because additional funding is definitely important for school districts like New

095London that I characterizes low spending because that's where our revenue limit is set. So taking the first paragraph there, there was a motion passed a couple weeks ago now that um was where the joint finance committee was at and where they felt uh K12 should sit. Each year, agencies and the governor and um those professional organizations that I listed in there as well are all advocating for funding to help support programs across the state. as they looked at K12 education. That's how I summarized those bullets that were below. They are not recommending any additional increases to the $325 that is in state law. I do not know this for a fact, but I believe some of that is push back between legislators and the governor of the veto number that was put in at 325

096for not forever, but really for a long time with that cross out of the year. I think that there's the Supreme Court is allowing that to be in place. Um, that said, I believe that that is probably a sticking point of, well, if the governor did this, this is what we're going to do. We're going to go with what the governor did, and now the 325 is not going to increase even from an inflationary sense, which does hurt school districts like New London. Were you expecting that or not expecting that? Well, that's what we budgeted for. The 325 is in law. That's what you use in the world that we feel like we live in. That number at least going up to respond to what happened in inflation the last couple years should have at

097least been the starting point for discussions. Um and inflation whatever number you use is definitely over 10% over the two years of the bianium. So that would to me would have been just a logical point for discussion. And we're not saying that that's not That's just what happened with the motion. This none of this is a for sure. It's just to give you an update of where we're at today. Also, no increases to per pupil aid of $742, which has not changed since the 1920 year. So, it's been a few bianiums since that has increased. Per pupil aid takes your three-year average of your districts and gives you a revenue. It's a categorical eight. School districts like New London, when you're going down in enrollment, it is actually in the state is going down in

098enrollment, it actually cost the state less money in the budget because there's fewer students. So, it's really I look at it as a decrease to K12 education because if you don't increase it and there's fewer public school students in the state, it's costing less. The third piece is no additional appropriations to state equalization aid. So if we do receive $325 and additional revenue limit authority, if they're not going to give equalization aid to come with that, that will cost taxpayers in all school districts more because every school district, unless you are one that has some specific things going on, is going to be eligible for the $325 increase. and that would come with additional state aid. So that would increase taxes across the state. The fourth bullet on there relates to special education aid. As

099you remember in the middle part of the year, we talked about how the last bianium was targeting 33% as a categorical aid reimbursement and it ended up being less than that because it's not some sufficient meaning that it doesn't mean to cover 33% they're going to give a pot of money and it's dispersed between all the school districts kind of like the 50 million that was talked about earlier with act 20 and reimbursing districts 50 million is there it's divided between all of the districts same thing for the categorical aid 33% was the target but it wasn't enough to cover all of the cost so it end up being less than 30% that said this is what I would view as a positive, if they are able to fund at 35 and 37% over the

100next two years, that does increase revenues in our budget. I'm going to show you why on a couple of the supporting documents in a little bit. The last bullet talks about increasing appropriations for high cost federal special education aid. These are local costs that are 30,000 or more per student. Uh the last few years, we've been able to claims for students and we get about $35,000 a year for those students that have costs above $30,000. This is attempting to add to that $35,000 revenue that we get, which again is a positive to the budget. So, going back to the bullets, just to explain one more time, the 325 is in current law. It's what we're using for our budget for this year. However, that's not an increase. And really, if I I said I don't

101want to make things political, but it really still is kind of a stinger for uh public education because before the 325 was there and the low revenue limit increase, there were several bianiums where school districts got zero. So you average that over 10 years, school districts are only receiving about 1% increase on a revenue limit and that's hard to do with all the things that we have going on in the school district. So that's that's that's a real fact. It's just something we hope that we can continue to see uh different for public education. I listed those organizations and I know that it's not always great to list acronyms, but they're ones that are known well in the the K12 community. WBO is the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. WASDA is the Wisconsin Association of

102School District Administrators. WASPO is the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials. AEF is the Association for Equity and Funding and that's for school districts that fit at that 11,325 where we are at as a school district. And the last one is the school administrators alliance that is um supporting administrative uh feedback throughout the state. As I mentioned from a budget standpoint, many of you when you had your legislative meeting up at the high school and in our past bienium, advocating for those increases and the revenue limit authority is really important. And I'll show you in a little bit why. And then the secondary request was for that categorical aid of special education. I wanted to show you a couple graphs that or a couple supporting documents that we have starting on uh the page in

103your packet that it just shows the 325 and where school districts are at the the average revenue limit in the authority for the state for all school districts is $11,835 and we're in 11325. So again, as we shared, New London being a low spender, that's 510 bucks less than the average that all the school districts in the state have. And that equals the real math. You take the 500 times 2,000 kids, over a million dollars every year. And again, we've been dealing with this for a long time. It's just how budgeting works. But that's why the Association for Equity and Funding has continued to advocate for school districts like New London because it's, hey, this is 9293. Haven't they been fiscally responsible for long enough? Let's help get all school districts kind of in the

104same area and then talk about what's next. So, that's why I wanted to show that. I know that there's the top three listed there. the 24949. I'm not sure if that's one that I would have used as I know it's real data. There's are some outliers in a data. That always happens, but you could see there are some school districts that have a lot more per kid to spend than we do. Um, moving to the next page just shows you there are 171 school districts are still at 11325. So it's not just New London. There are 170 other districts that are across the state. Mostly are rural. So rural school districts are the ones who often are challenged to find those additional resources to continue to support school districts and your de declining enrollment. So

105over there it shows 112 of those districts also lose kids like we do. So, as I mentioned, if the per pupal aid stays at 742, you're although those school districts are seeing less money there and at some point the 325, there are some old harmless clauses in the formula catches up to you. So, that $1,000 that we got last benium really pushed off uh deficits that are looming because it helped us spring up to get to those bases. So next year at 325 we don't have a deficit budget. The following year, you know, it's we have some things that we would need to look at, but if it stays at 325, it just grows that incremental challenge of trying to keep pace with budgets because 325 is not even inflation from 11,325. So the you

106can tell what I'm trying to show is 325 is great. It's better than zero, but it's hard to say it's going to be enough to continue to maintain the programs that we have. You saw Mr. Schulma's slides that we've added programs for kids. There was a lot of discussion about uh act 20 tonight and the policies and trying to help students and continue to serve all the students that we have and we get feedback a lot from our staff members and our parents and our community members. There's a few points in public forum tonight that talking about supporting students. If you don't have resources, it's hard to do that in a way that is not perfect. It's not an excuse. It's just the reality of why money is important in a budget that we have.

107And we don't have control of the revenue that comes from the state's budget. And then the last uh item to show you is if they would have just left everything at inflation, we would have uh a lot more money to spend um in our budget over those years. It'd be over $5 million per year. Now would that have been needed? I don't know that answer because things always change over each bianium and each year but that's a lot of money that it if just left at inflation. And then the very last slide just I uh or the very last two just talks about special education. New London is at about 19% of our students um qualify for special education. So, it's showing the statewide percent. We are a little bit higher than the statewide percentage,

108which also is why we have a larger transfer from our general fund to our special education fund to balance that each year. So, going back to the positive, moving from 33 to 35 to 37 is important for a school district like New London because we are a school district that has a higher population of students with needs. Um, so it's kind of a hard dynamic. I look at the revenue limit increase is it it's helpful for your entire district for all of your students. The special education increase is helpful. Helps our budget, helps the students that fit within that category, and it helps offset in our budget. But I've always said boosting up your revenue limit formula gets your base up and especially when you're one of theund I said 71 or 72 districts that

109sit there you jump up where others are at and then the other categorical aids hopefully will follow as needed. So kind of the conclusion of that is I know it's not over in the state budget. That's it could change tomorrow. We could all get a legislative alert that it's over and this is the budget that we are going to be working with. But there is still time. Many of the legislators, the key legislators who are what I would say in authority to to have their voice heard are in school districts that have low revenue limit amounts of 11 325. I would always ask the question, how how could you not vote for more for your local district? I know that you're representing the state, but you're also representing your local district as well. I would

110always be curious on what that is, and I know they would say it's complicated and other things. I get it. It's just we all say that when we presented with a a challenging question, but if you so choose, please encourage legislators and community members to reach out. They don't want to hear from administrators. They don't we we can help give data, but they don't want to hear from us. They want to hear from school board members and parents that are are voting for them and giving them what they would feel like is is not an unbiased amount where all administrators just always want more money from the state and the communities and all that. And our job is to help provide education and advocate and give information to our stakeholders and constituents to help them

111know where it's at. Because at the end of the day, if we are unable to provide what we would like to in our budget, that creates shortfalls or choices about reductions or in turn goes to additional referendum discussions. And referendums are always hard. We know that. Are there any questions that Mr. Black or myself could answer either tonight or get you answers on? I was wondering about I can't remember what meeting we were in. Weren't we sitting we as in Wisconsin a budget surplus that just wasn't there like there is a budget surplus? Yeah. Is it just for education or is it a whole So like what good does it do sitting? Billion dollar budget surplus. How much? 4.5 billion with a billion. Yeah, that's correct. What good does it do just sitting there? I'm

112like so confused. I feel like Groundhog Day. Yeah. Well, what they what they have shared with us is the economy is slowing down. So, they're being prepared for a recession or being prepared to not have that surplus in future budgets. Yeah, but it's been like how long since I've been sitting here? And and there is nothing simplistic about this. the formulas. We've talked about this and and there's still many of these that boggle the mind as far as how how the actual charts and graphs and but the one that gets me is okay. This this doesn't level the playing field in any direction that we'd hope for. It it doesn't do that. Um yeah, is there extra ugliness because of the 400year veto? For sure there is. Um the part that I look at, okay,

113if it stands, if they continue to not make any additional appropriations to equalization aid, and if if the policies that are in here don't change over the long haul, eventually it would level the playing field because your top your top rece receivers are going to find themselves in a in a property tax situation that's unsustainable or it would seem to me I know and sometimes I simplify what I the way I look at this but is is that an over simplified way of looking at this I know that's a much longer term look at it but not that this is the way we wanted to get here but does it at some point in the future create a level playing field because of it. I'm not sure I can answer that with the variables. The

114state continues to get more and more complicated with things too because more and more school districts are going out to referendum for more and more big items and New London has a referendum out there too. So with the 1.3 million that we have annually for 10 years every couple years left on but we're seeing referendums to the tune well over a hundred million and school districts get aid on expenditures for that. So those districts are spending more faster than we are. So I feel like it actually hurts us more. Yes, there could be a a longer impact of districts that taxes go up because equalization aid doesn't go up, but sometimes they already have those funds then and then it's hard to change that and the divide will just keep growing. Yes. So, it's like

115the opposite of what you said. Well, the district that's uh getting my attention here is the K12 uh 11 35 average. The top three, the top one is uh revenue limit 24,949 basically $25,000. Do you know what district that is? And does that does that include extra millages or extra referenda that they passed or is that strictly their revenue limit for um there there are a few districts that had some unique circumstances. I don't know that one right off the top of my mind. I think I do, but I don't want to be wrong. We record all our meetings now, so I don't want to say it be wrong. um they had unique things that went on in the 9293 year. day were really high to start with. They have without going back and looking

116at what's happened the last 20 years or 30 years for them. I don't think that it's been referendum based. It is just they started higher. But like anything I usually if I were to give what is the true average you take off the three highest ones there and there are a couple that are below 11 325 too because they were passive referendum or there was else that happened and it's still going to be around 118. So those three are when you have 400 plus just squishes the gap a little bit. Okay. Well, I I would encourage you to use this data and if you choose to advocate um or need some more help, let us know. We're happy to help. So, as of right now, there's no talk of raising the revenue limit beyond the

117325. From public data, no. However, in caucus, in negotiations, it could be going on. Um, we've gotten legislative alerts that have said negotiations have stalled over a few issues. So, hopefully there's compromise. That's what budgeting is, compromise to try to make the best decisions. And if we can get higher than that, it's great. The last time that $1,000 though was to get to to create some equity and equalization amongst districts. And like you mentioned, like John mentioned, that's not even close to maybe it wasn't $1,000 what we would get, but the what we shared would help New London isn't really being considered at all because if it's 325 and the per pupil aid stays the same, that's nothing to what we would have shared with a local legislator. If we trust Google, it says it's

118Gibralar. Where's that? It's a very small school district. So yes, Google is right. It's also AI. AI is not always right. Very high tax. All right. Local session. Yes, we do. We do that one. The very last one. Okay. So pursuant to section 19.85 5 Wisconsin statute board of education will convene in close session for considering strategies for crime detection or prevention. So I'll rollet yes. I was here yesterday. I did.