May 23, 2022 at 5:00 PM - Education/Operations Committee Meeting

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 15 Minutes
A District parent will be asking the Board for permission to explore the creation of a new outdoor learning charter school in the Wausau School District.  

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 1 minute
With the passing of the referendum and expansion of Montessori Charter Educational Space at Horace Mann Middle School over time, there is an interest to expand service to students in grades 4K-8th grade as space allows, beginning with expansion  to 7th grade with 2 current 6th grade students in the 2022-23 School year.  The Montessori Charter Contract will be amended to include the potential to expand to grades 4K-8th grade as space allows once the Board approves this motion.

Description: 

Estimated Time to Present: 15 minutes
Administration suggests a motion to recommend that the Board approve issuance and sale of $99,990,000 general obligation school building and improvement bonds as a result of the referendum vote on April 7.  Administration would then work with our financial advisor and bond counsel to prepare the appropriate offering documents, conduct the Moody’s rating call in association with the issue, and conduct the competitive sale.  Pending Committee approval, the competitive bond sale will be conducted on June 13 and all final documents will be presented at the Board meeting on that date.  The balance of the full $119,800,000 referendum-approved debt issue will be conducted at a later date as market conditions warrant.

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 20 minutes
The Committee will have an opportunity to review the referendum design and construction timeline and consider its approval as presented.

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 10 minutes

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 15 minutes
The initial version of this year's budget is based on assumptions presented in November and the budget reconciliation plan approved by the Board earlier in May and is being presented here. 

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 2 minutes
Dr. Rauscher will preview the WIAA Membership renewal.  The documents are expected to be sent to the District the first week in June in time for formal approval at the June Regular Board meeting. 

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 2 minutes
One of the requirements to establish and maintain a Long Term Capital Improvement Trust Fund (Fund 46) is Board approval of a capital improvement plan that is at least ten years in duration. The following motion and presented capital improvement plan fulfills this obligation and offers desired flexibility that will enable the district to leverage this tool to maintain and improve District buildings and grounds.

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 5 minutes
The District’s Long­-Term Capital Improvement Trust Fund (Fund 46) may only be funded through transfer from the General Fund. Following establishment of such a trust fund in 2016, transfers may be made from the General Fund to Fund 46. With the understanding that any such transferred funds would become available five years from the creation of this fund (during 2021-22), administration recommends an amount of $300,000 to be transferred. This amount will be considered a shared cost for 2021-22 for purposes of calculating equalization aid for 2022-23. This will effectively increase shared costs for 2021-22 in a year when shared costs are lower because of the increased dependence on ESSER funds.

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 5 minutes

Each year we review our Handbook for any updates and edits that may be needed. The attached list of updates is being submitted by administration for approval. As you will see from reviewing the information, most are procedural or housekeeping updates to keep our handbook aligned to current practices.
 

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 15 minutes
The Board will review the suggested changes to the policies included in the Neola update.

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 10 minutes
Per Board request, this item is being brought forward for discussion and possible action. 

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 10 minutes
Per Board request, this item is being brought forward for discussion and possible action. 

Description:  Estimated Time to Present: 10 min

Administration is requesting to approve increases to our substitute pay rates for the 2022-23 school year. The following increases and rationales are offered for your consideration. 

All support staff sub positions -- $0.95 per hour increase ($1.06 per hour increase for non-special education paras)
Rationale -- We continue to struggle to fill these positions and the rates are very low in many of the areas. These increases will bring us to an above average rate for each of the employee groups based on the latest comps that we have available to us for sub rates. The $1.06 increase for non-special education paras will bring that rate to the average of the current comps that we have. 

Regular Daily Sub Teacher Rate -- $130/day ($16.25 per hour equivalent)
Rationale -- This small adjustment represents a 1.5% increase. It also moves us up in the comps for our region to be the same as 3 area districts who currently pay that amount. We would also be $2 & $5 more per day than 3 other area districts.

Long Term Sub Teacher Rate -- $222.90 (27.86 per hour equivalent) 
Rationale -- This increase ($5.46/day) represents a 2.51% similar to what we put on the base salary for teachers. It also moves us into the #2 position for LT sub pay in the region only behind Marshfield who is currently paying $229/day. Historically, this rate was tied to our base salary amount on the teacher schedule, however, we have not done this the past few years and the comps do not necessarily call for that level of adjustment to remain competitive in our region.