Board of Education Meeting Recap

Verona Area School District (VASD) Director of Aquatics Deb Bossingham and Staff Wellness and Community Programming Coordinator Sidney Peach shared an update with the Board of Education (BOE) on the 2nd Annual Verona Area Kids Triathlon, held August 29–30 at the Verona Area High School campus for youth ages 5–14. The event reached its registration capacity with 400 participants representing 24 cities and two states, supported by 130 volunteers.

The presentation highlighted the event’s focus on creating a fun and positive experience for children, encouraging physical activity and trying something new, and bringing families and the community together. Student-athletes and community partners played important volunteer roles, including members of the girls swim team, boys cross country team, and the Wisconsin Care Collective. The event continues to build a community tradition within the Verona Area School District. Superintendent Dr. Tremayne congratulated the team on this exceptional event that builds positive community spirit and promotes active lifestyles.

Planning is already underway for the 3rd Annual Verona Area Kids Triathlon on August 29, 2027. Organizers hope to increase capacity to 500 participants, while expanding volunteer participation and sponsorship support.

On Monday, August 24, immediately following Convocation, Director of Policy and Compliance Nate Edwards and Director of Human Resources Rachelle Hady provided professional boundaries training to all VASD staff. The training focused on maintaining appropriate professional relationships with students, recognizing boundary violations and grooming behaviors, establishing clear expectations for in-person and digital communication, and understanding staff responsibilities when concerns arise. Staff also reviewed the District expectations and reporting procedures so they know what to do if they have a question or concern.

On a follow-up staff survey with 198 respondents, 97% responded that the information presented was “completely or mostly clear and easy to understand”. Ninety-nine percent (99%) responded “yes” to the question “After completing this training, do you understand your responsibility to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and to seek guidance or report concerns when you are unsure or concerned about a situation?”

This training is one piece of the broader work around professional boundaries training this year. All District staff and coaches have received the full training, and volunteers will meet applicable state requirements by reviewing VASD’s professional boundaries policy and having access to training from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. We continued the conversation throughout the week with additional training for Special Education staff focused on professional boundaries and serving students with disabilities, as well as ParentSquare communication training for all staff who communicate with families and students. We are also continuing to develop age-appropriate instruction for students so they understand the professional boundaries they should expect from adults and what to do if those boundaries are crossed. We will continue reinforcing these expectations with staff, coaches, volunteers, and students throughout the school year.

The BOE expressed appreciation for the training and the opportunity for all staff to attend. They clarified that a recording of the training will be provided to all new staff who join VASD moving forward. All staff will be required to watch the training and verify their understanding of its contents.

Standards-Based Teaching and Learning Update

Executive Director of Academic Services Amy Engelkins, Director of Teaching, Learning and Innovation Karyn Stocks Glover, and Coordinator of Special Programs Lindsay Simonson provided an update on Standards-Based Teaching and Learning (SBT&L). SBT&L focuses on ensuring students meet grade-level standards through clear learning expectations, ongoing assessment, responsive instruction, and meaningful feedback. The approach is designed to help students understand what they are learning, where they are in their learning, and what they need to do next.

Feedback from students and families is helping guide this work. On the Student Experience Survey taken by students in grades 3-12, students expressed a desire for greater clarity about their learning and next steps, more opportunities to set goals and track their progress, and greater consistency across classrooms. Families similarly indicated a need for clearer, more timely information about what their children know, can do, and are working toward.

The district’s shift to SBT&L is intended to make learning goals clear and transparent, ensure students are working toward grade-level standards, provide greater consistency and accuracy in grading, and give students feedback that supports continued growth. The work is closely connected to the Student Agency priority in the district’s Strategic Framework, with the goal of creating a more accurate, transparent and equitable system in which students increasingly understand and take ownership of their learning.

The presentation also clarified that SBT&L is a broader instructional approach, not simply a change in grading practices. It connects teaching, learning, assessment, feedback, and reporting while emphasizing Essential Standards and evidence of student learning. At the high school level, students will continue to receive letter grades and GPAs, and transcripts will continue to include the information needed for college admissions. Revision and reassessment provide opportunities for students to demonstrate learning but do not result in automatic grade increases, and practice and homework continue to play an important role in learning.

During the 2026–27 school year, educators will continue developing and refining standards-based units that align Essential Standards, rubrics, assessment and instruction. Professional Learning Communities will continue using cycles of inquiry to strengthen instruction and calibrate assessment of student performance. More than 60 educators are also piloting Otus, a grading and reporting program intended to strengthen student and family communication and data analysis. The district will continue gathering feedback from staff, students and families to help inform next steps.

BOE members expressed support for the increased clarity Standards-Based Teaching and Learning can provide students, families and educators. Member Murphy noted that traditional points and letter grades are familiar measures of performance, but they do not necessarily explain what a student has learned, where gaps in understanding remain, or what a student needs to work on next.

Member Porco similarly highlighted the value of making learning more visible, noting that standards-aligned rubrics can help students and families better understand what a student has demonstrated and where additional learning is needed.

Member Murphy also emphasized the importance of staff involvement throughout implementation. She noted that educators have long used standards to assess learning in varying ways and appreciated the opportunity for staff to work through questions and concerns as practices become more consistent. The discussion reinforced the focus on essential standards rather than treating every standard with equal instructional weight. Staff shared that all content areas and grade levels will use rubrics through their Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) this year, with a shared commitment to supporting all students in reaching grade-level proficiency.

BOE members also discussed how SBT&L may affect educators’ day-to-day work. Member Medina asked about implications for class size, classroom composition, and teacher workload. Executive Director Engelkins explained that the work does not directly affect class size, but is intended to provide greater clarity about priority content and expectations, strengthen alignment between standards and assessments, and give educators opportunities to learn and problem-solve together through PLCs. Member Porco noted that shared standards and rubrics could ultimately save educators time by allowing them to collaborate rather than develop approaches independently. Member Murphy emphasized the importance of continuing to listen to educators about where the work requires additional time and where efficiencies emerge.

The Board also discussed the role of technology. Staff clarified that PowerSchool will remain VASD’s Student Information System, while the gradebook function will move to Otus over time. Otus is expected to provide a more visual representation of student growth that can be shared with students and families.

BOE members emphasized the importance of collaboration throughout the transition. Member Medina expressed appreciation for educators working together within and across schools, while Member Murphy encouraged BOE members to develop a shared understanding of the work so they are prepared to respond to questions from the community.

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