September 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  This is a meeting of the Board of Education in public for the purpose of conducting the School District's business and is not to be considered a public community meeting.

Description:  This meeting was noticed by way of publication in the Waterford Post on Thursday, September 25, 2025, was posted at the District Office (Door #7) and at Entrance #19, and was published on the District's website. Minutes from the regular board meeting of July 14, 2025 are posted on the District's website.

Description:  At this time the board would like to invite any member of the audience to stand with comments about items of interest or concern that do or do not appear on the agenda this evening. Please begin by stating your name and address. It would be appreciated if you would limit your comments to three minutes so that we can keep the meeting moving in a timely fashion and allow others an opportunity to speak. We ask that you remember that Wisconsin law prohibits us from discussing specific employees or their job performance. Thank you for your support of our school district.

Description:  Mission:  WUHS inspires all to achieve high expectations and ensures that each student is prepared for college or career and life.

Goal 1:  By the end of the 2025-2026 school year, 100% of students will demonstrate measurable growth in at least one core skill area—reading, writing, mathematics, problem-solving, or critical thinking—as measured by growth from baseline to post-assessment on district-approved tools (e.g., STAR, ACT, local common formative assessments, or AP assessments).

To achieve this, all students will complete baseline assessments by early fall and set individualized growth targets. Teachers, working in professional learning communities, will implement evidence-based instruction, integrate problem-solving and critical thinking across subjects, and monitor progress quarterly using both classroom and district tools. Students who are not on track will receive targeted interventions, including small-group support, tutoring, and enrichment opportunities, documented and reviewed through our RTI framework. Staff will receive ongoing professional development in data-driven instruction and assessment design to ensure consistent, high-quality implementation evidenced by monthly growth plans submitted to the superintendent. End-of-year post-assessments will measure individual growth, and the results, disaggregated by subgroup and skill area, will be reported to the School Board in June 2026.

We will measure critical thinking skills through a combination of performance-based assessments, structured rubrics, and reflective tasks. Students will engage in real-world problem-solving projects, debates, and analytical writing where they must evaluate evidence, consider multiple perspectives, and justify conclusions. Teachers will use a district-wide rubric aligned to recognized frameworks (Bloom’s Taxonomy) to assess skills such as reasoning, analysis, and evaluation. Additional measures, such as Socratic seminars, project reflections, and standardized tools, will provide multiple data points to ensure we capture both the process and the product of critical thinking growth.

Goal 2:  By the end of the 2025-2026 school year, the business office will have maintained an AA Bond rating and completed the 2024-2025 audit with no significant findings.  These accomplishments, coupled with a deliberate effort to lower self-funded health insurance expenses, will ensure the fund balance remains at least 40% of our operating budget.

To achieve this, the superintendent will closely monitor key financial indicators, complete monthly reconciliations, and prepare for the annual audit to meet all Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and DPI requirements. Health insurance claims and stop-loss coverage will be reviewed regularly, with cost-containment strategies presented to the Board as needed. Quarterly and monthly financial reports will update the Board on fund balance status, bond rating metrics, audit readiness, and insurance performance, ensuring sound financial stewardship and long-term fiscal stability.

Description: 

A board member has requested a discussion/action item regarding the sale of caffeinated beverages (Bubbl’r, Bloom, C4, Kickstart, Celsius, Rockstar) in the cafeteria.
Administration does not recommend removing these options for the following reasons:

• Student Choice and Access -
  Students already have ready access to these beverages in local stores.

• Caffeine Levels -
  A typical 12-ounce coffee such as Folgers or our Collectivo offerings contains about 150-200 mg of caffeine, which is similar to or greater than most of the drinks in question (Bubbl’r ~50 mg, Kickstart ~90 mg, Rockstar 160 mg, Celsius 200 mg). Eliminating these beverages while continuing to serve coffee would create an inconsistent standard.

• Educational and Revenue Value -
  The morning coffee shop operated by students with disabilities provides meaningful work-based learning and generates significant revenue. As our Food Service Director, Ashley Rupp, notes, beverages are among our strongest revenue sources, with comparable programs at Central High averaging about $1,000 per day.

Governance Note
According to board policy, decisions about cafeteria beverage offerings fall within administrative management and are not a matter for board-level policy. Wisconsin law reinforces this separation of roles. Wisconsin Statute §120.12(1) charges the Board to "have the possession, care, control and management of the property and affairs of the school district" and to "employ a district administrator to supervise the operation and management of the schools." Wisconsin Statute §118.24(1) states that the district administrator "shall have general supervision and management of the professional work of the schools and the general supervision and management of the school system." 

Description:  The design phase for the referendum-funded facilities project is approximately 95% complete and remains on schedule. The architectural and engineering teams are finalizing details and are preparing bid specifications so they can be issued to potential contractors on time as planned.