February 8, 2021 at 6:00 PM - Regular Meeting

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Description:  Any available time not used for closed session will be used for Board Development. 

Description:  Action should be taken to approve the agenda as presented (or) with changes as recommended.

Description:  This is the general comment section of the agenda where members of the public may comment on any item contained within the evening’s agenda.

Description:  Anna Englebert and Quinn Bogost are the high school student representatives and will provide an update on activities from the high school.

Description:  Kyle Emmert and Ashley Taylor will provide an update from the teachers.

Description:  This section is reserved for any comments from members of the board on meetings they attended or other informational items.

Description:  Brian Hoefer attended the State School Board Convention in January and can provide an update on the Delegate Assembly and other aspects of the virtual convention.

Description:  The following schedule has been used for the Board and Superintendent Evaluations:

• School Perceptions Survey due by February BOE meeting
• Superintendent Evaluation & Priorities Evaluation are distributed at the February BOE meeting and returned by end of March
• After March BOE meeting an individual reminder will sent to each BOE member sharing what they still needed to turn in by the end of March.
• April Special BOE Meeting  - Evaluations

Attached please find the Superintendent Evaluation Form and the Board Goals Evaluation Form from 2019-2020.  For the current year, our goals were targeted at managing the school district through the Covid pandemic, and reviewing our approach to referendum issues.  Before we move forward with evaluating the goals for 2020-2021, we should check for clarity on these two items.  For future planning, it may make sense to review any follow up that may be appropriate from the 2019-2020 document.

Description:  At the Board Retreat it was discussed that we conduct informational listening sessions with the staff and parents, respectively.  The purpose of this agenda item is to solidify when we want to schedule these opportunities this semester.

Description:  Tonight you will be reviewing Budget Goals that were developed to identify priorities as we enter the budget process.  At the Board Retreat it was discussed that the Goals Committee should meet to further develop other priorities for the district to focus this year.  The purpose of this agenda item is to discuss the process and timing for moving this item forward with the Goals Committee.

Description:  Per recent discussion and questions we have received from some community members, the purpose of this agenda item is to clarify the District's practices and plans for streaming and/or recording board and committee meetings.  At this point, we are streaming and recording the full board meetings and the medical ad hoc meetings.  The committee meetings have not been recorded or live streamed since December.  

Attached is our policy on Broadcasting of School Board Meetings. 

The purpose of this agenda item is to discuss, consider, and clarify which meetings of the Board we want to record and/or live stream. 

Description:  Attached please find a resolution submitted by Mike Brandt for consideration by the Board to formally commemorate Black History Month.

Description:  Per the Budget Committee's request, budget priorities were drafted for review by the committee at their January meeting.   Attached please find the draft budget priorities for the 2021-2022 budget cycle.  There will be greater detail put to the priorities as the budget moves forward in preparation for the 1st draft of the budget going to the full board in May.  The Budget Committee reviewed these priorities and is recommending them to the full Board for consideration and adoption on a 3-0 vote.

Description:  The Co-Curricular Committee met on Thursday, February 4th.  The Committee reviewed how athletic programs progressed this fall and winter, and had a dialog around the direction for Fall to Spring Sports and for the traditional Spring sports.

Attached is a report on Fall and Winter Sports from a participation and achievement perspective.  The committee  also discussed how our programs have operated within the Covid pandemic. We will provide an update on this topic also at the Board meeting on Monday.

Additionally, please find attached a recent report from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC).  This document is also being reviewed by PHMDC and provides additional current insight into athletic activities and the spread of Covid.

After discussion with administration and the head coaches, the Committee approved on a 3-0 vote the following items for consideration by the full Board:

1.  The remaining athletic programs for Fall to Spring and the traditional Spring sports, can compete during their designated season, including travel outside of Dane County.
2.  As a condition of these programs moving forward and competing, they will adhere to face covering requirements as outlined by Public Health and WIAA, and through collaboration between the athletic administration of competing schools, ensure that with or without a State Mask Order, we protect our students and operate our programs safely with regard to face coverings.
3.  As a condition of these programs moving forward and competing, collaboration will take place between competing schools to minimize spectators.  For example, winter sports have either a 2-person per athlete maximum attendance, or more restrictive rules that do not allow the visiting team to have any spectators.  The committee is not in favor of competition that does not work to limit spectators.

The Committee is prepared to discuss their recommendation on Monday to provide greater clarity to their thoughts.

Additionally, attached please find a matrix that illustrates the general timelines for when practices and competitions can take place.

Finally, the next Order by PHMDC is expected to be released prior to February 10th.  Upon release and review of that document we may need to schedule an additional Board Meeting in a few weeks to address any lingering issues.

Description:  Attached please find the application for the addition of a Mountain Bike Club in the school district that could serve students in grades 6-12.  The Co-Curricular Committee reviewed this request at their February 4th meeting and is recommending to the Board approval of the club as a Category C activity.  The Committee endorsed this recommendation on a 3-0 vote.

Additionally, once the club becomes established, they can return to the Board for consideration of the middle school and high school being moved to a Category A.   This move in distinction would bring additional requirements per the athletic code, and would allow our high school mountain bike athletes to be able to earn a Major Letter in their sport, similar to our Equestrian Team.

Description:  A report will be presented at the Board Meeting on Monday regarding the start of the second semester and our returning of our grade 5-12 students to school, in their respective hybrid models.  

We will also discuss the upcoming release of the next PHMDC Order and a current update on vaccines for our staff.

Additional information on student progress and items related to students returning to school are included in the Academic Achievement Report later in the agenda.
 

Description:  Attached please find reports from Tim Schell and Amy Johnson regarding an update on curriculum, instruction, and student achievement.  They will be present at Monday's Board Meeting to review this data and provide greater context to the information.

Description:  Sheila Weihert will be present at Monday's Board Meeting to present the course offerings and fees for Summer School 2021.  The courses and fees are attached for your review.

Description:  Attached please find a memo from Tim Schell and Amy Johnson regarding a desire and intention of the school district to formulate a plan for offering a virtual learning option for students/families post-Covid.  This agenda item is not a proposal of a specific program, but rather a notification of our desire to further plan for the expansion of virtual learning and to seek you support for this work.

If approved to move forward, we will devote time to developing a plan to present to the Board for consideration.

Description:  Attached please find a memo from Kurt Eley and Chris Mand regarding the desire to begin a Request for Proposals process to solicit proposals from potential mental health partners to create an on-site mental health clinic to service our students, families, and support the professional work of our staff.

Kurt and/or Chris will be present at the meeting on Monday to share additional background on this partnership idea and how this program could provide needed services to our students and families.

The administration is not proposing a specific carrier at this time, and want to go through the RFP process to look competitively at partnership options.   We want to assess how potential partners can meet our organizational needs, the needs of our students/families, and the cost of offerings such service.

Our research of other school districts indicates that partnerships of this nature have varying cost structures and different approaches to how/what they accept for insurance from families.  

If approved, we would work submit an RFP to mental health providers in our area which could lead to an interview process and potential recommendation to the Board.

Description:  Attached is the 2nd Friday in January Student Count.  As you see, we have gained 15 students from September to January.  This positive change in student population is a net change based on students who moved in, moved away, changed schools from private school to public, or the result of open enrollment.  In reviewing the list of students who are part of this change in numbers, there is no specific trend that articulates one motive for the growth in students.  As you can see from the attached document, the growth of 15 students from September to January is in line with trends from previous years.

Description:  Attached please find our policy on acceptance of exchange students.  This is the time of year when we begin to hear from placement agencies about the need to place exchange students in our schools.  With the unknowns associated with Covid worldwide, I recommend that we not host exchange students for the 2021-2022 school year.

Description:  Attached in the "extras" section of BoardBook, please find a list of the accounts payable payments issued during the month of January 2021.

Description:  Attached you will find the 2020-21 Budget Status report as of January 31, 2021, and the Cash Reconciliation report for December2020. 

Also attached please find the SSM Health Wellness Clinic Performance Report for December as well as the District Financial report for the Wellness Clinic for your review. This report tracks expenditures over time beginning with the first month of the clinic. 

Description:  The safety log report is required to be presented and approved by the Board per the safety grants that we received.  It tracks the requisite drills that we need to perform in the school buildings.

Description:  Monetary Gifts for the Student Financial Assistance Fund from:
Hometown Pharmacy
McPherson Family Trust
David Boetcher
Donation of Leg Press from Steve & Nicole Stricker for WCSD Intermediate School Fitness Center

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