Board of Education Meeting Recap
November 5th, 2024
Human Growth & Development Update
Relevant Policy: Operational Expectation (OE) 11: Instructional Program
The Human Growth & Development (HGD) Ad Hoc Committee met on October 17, 2024. Dr. Mark Wirtz, an HGD Ad Hoc Committee member, summarized the group’s first meeting to the BOE. The group developed working agreements, reviewed the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI’s) guidance based on Wis. Stat. § 118.019, and discussed HGD programming in VASD. They reviewed data from the Dane County Youth Assessment survey. The group expressed a desire to hear from staff who are teaching HGD. Dr. Angela Hawkins, Executive Director of Student Services, shared that VASD nurses and educators will attend the next meeting to provide firsthand information on HGD instruction. The next meeting is scheduled for December 12, 2024.
2025-26 Budget Preview
Relevant Policies: Operational Expectation (OE) 5: Financial Planning, OE 6: Financial Administration
Deputy Superintendent Chad Wiese and Director of Finance Pete Grender provided a first look at the 2025-26 budget and factors that may impact it. They reviewed the state budget timeline, assumptions, five-year forecast, staffing and compensation, and benefits considerations. Dr. Clardy provided an advocacy update.
Member Murphy emphasized that this advocacy is for students, and it’s also advocacy for taxpayers so that school districts can have a predictable budget and not have to rely on referendums as an ongoing mechanism to finance public education.
In terms of factors affecting the annual budget, VASD doesn’t control the next State budget (per Pupil Adjustment, State and Categorical Aid, Special Education Reimbursement), the cost of living, or Consumer Price Index, and property values which are connected to the mill rate. VASD can control staffing increases to a certain extent, as well as staffing compensation and debt management. VASD can work to manage benefits, operational costs (building budgets, utilities, transportation), and how we use one-time funding (e.g., referendum funds). Deputy Superintendent Wiese stated that VASD could have a budget of approximately $1.6MM if all the assumptions being shared hold true. He stated that this is a gap that VASD is likely to be able to close by smartly applying adjustments to things we can control and things we can manage. The team will continue to inform and seek approval from the BOE as the budget development cycle progresses.
Benefits Update
Deputy Superintendent Wiese shared that VASD's contract with Group Health Cooperative (GHC) ends on July 1, 2025. The Business Services team has had initial conversations with GHC, during which they proposed a substantial rate increase if we elect to renew our existing contract. The next steps in this process include the following: update Verona Area Education Association (VAEA) and Verona Education Support Professionals Association (VESPA) leaders; continue negotiations with GHC with possible plan design changes; draft a Request for Proposal (RFP) which would likely be released before January 1; and, continue to update the BOE and VAEA and VESPA leaders.
Request to Open a Line of Credit
Relevant Policies: Operational Expectation (OE) 5: Financial Planning, OE 6: Financial Administration
Director of Finance Pete Grender reviewed information about VASD’s request for the BOE to approve opening a line of credit. Most of the revenue VASD receives is from the tax levy; we do not receive our first payment until 7 months after the fiscal year begins, and our last payment is received 1 ½ months after the fiscal year ends. In prior years, we received Notes for cash flow at the beginning of the fiscal year. In 2022-23, we chose to build our fund balance to avoid short-term borrowing. In 2023-24, VASD had a $5MM Line of Credit but did not draw upon it. VASD received a $3.2M Note with PMA Asset Management in October, payable in September 2025. We are requesting that the BOE consider approving entering into a $7MM Line of Credit with Lake Ridge Bank. VASD could draw upon it when needed and repay it when cash is available from the tax levy. Interest would accrue monthly only when there is an outstanding balance. The interest rate would be Prime minus 0.75%, with a maximum interest rate of 8.5%.
Approval of the Resolution Authorizing a Taxable Tax and Revenue Anticipation Promissory Note
Relevant Policies: Operational Expectation (OE) 5: Financial Planning, OE 6: Financial Administration
Member Hanes motioned to approve the resolution authorizing a taxable tax and revenue anticipation promissory note for cash flow purposes in an amount not to exceed $7,000,000 as presented. Member Medina seconded. The motion passed 6-0.
Approval of the Results Policy 2.1.1: Language Arts Monitoring Report
Relevant Policy: Results (R) 2: Academic Achievement
Results Policy (R) 2: Academic Achievement holds that the VASD BOE values student learning and achievement that meets or exceeds grade-level standards and goal setting as a cornerstone of teaching and learning. The BOE expects all students to learn Language Arts concepts in an organized way during the school year and across all grades, concentrating on a clear set of literacy skills and concepts that will allow all students to solve complex real-world problems. Each student will be literate and numerate, able to achieve their personalized goals. Accordingly, each student will achieve at individually and appropriately challenging levels and acquire academic competencies in multiple disciplines, including Language Arts.
Executive Director of Academic Services Amy Engelkins and Director of Elementary Education Theresa Taylor provided evidence of compliance with R 2.1.1 Language Arts Indicators 1, 1a, 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4, 5, 6. They provided evidence of partial compliance with Indicators 1b, 1c, 2, 5a, 6a. The full Monitoring Report is available here.
Leadership moves designed to support students in having outcomes in compliance with R2 include the following: a focus on grade-level standards and early literacy, Professional Learning Communities, Co-Teaching Special Education & Bilingual Resource Teachers, Continuous Improvement Planning, and Multi-Level Systems of Support.
Member Hanes asked why our focus groups' denominator (sample size) is quite different year over year. Executive Director Engelkins highlighted that some changes are accounted for by enrollment, and some are from students testing out of needing to take one assessment and moving on to another, therefore decreasing the denominator or sample size by one for each student moving from one assessment to another.
Member Porco stated that he loves to see co-teaching and expressed excitement to see a lot of improvement while pointing out the importance of attending to the discrepancies where some focus group students are not demonstrating improvement. Dr. Clardy reinforced that VASD is working deeply with our educators, noting that if we look at the discrepancies in outcomes overall, it can be overwhelming. We look at how we get a little better each day. We want staff to be efficacious and hopeful, so we focus on an incremental approach to improvement, moving ever closer to success. Member Murphy was curious about the stories of experiences of learners behind each piece of data as well as what the power of collaboration among staff looks like on Late Start Mondays in Professional Learning Communities.
Executive Director Engelkins shared that walk-throughs are underway, with staff looking for specific instructional practices in classrooms and talking to students about their learning. Member Porco praised practices such as co-teaching and walk-throughs because they allow for job-embedded learning and feedback, followed by Late Start Monday Professional Learning Communities, where people work together and learn together to get better together.
Member Porco motioned to approve the R 2.1.1 Language Arts Monitoring Report as in compliance with exceptions (as noted) as presented. Member Peguero seconded. The motion passed 6-0.
