WSD BOARD MEETING REPORT

The Wentzville School District Board of Education held a meeting on Thursday, March 30, that was live-streamed via the new WSD Board of Education YouTube channel and can be viewed by visiting YouTube. The agenda and available supporting documents can be viewed online under Public Access to BoardDocs.

Dr. Tormala, superintendent of schools, began the business portion of the meeting by providing comments and sharing District highlights. View the slideshow.

Richard Angevine, chief financial officer, presented the 2023-2024 preliminary budget report to the Board for consideration.

Sherri Bertrand, director of assessment, presented a summary of the District's 2022 MSIP 6 Annual Performance Report and provided the Board with an assessment update.

The Board approved a Leader in Me agreement. Leader in Me will provide support in achieving Board and District goals, specifically goal 2: academic achievement and goal 4: culture and climate. Academic achievement and climate and culture are achieved through the framework of teaching leadership to students, creating a culture of student empowerment, and aligning systems to drive results in academics. Leader in Me is a process, it is not a curriculum. This process is built on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and is grounded in personal goal setting that starts with the adults.

A preliminary tax rate is due to the County of St. Charles in April of each re-assessment year. The Board approved the Preliminary Tax Rate as presented.

The Board approved the 2022-2023 Revised Senior Calendar, the 2023-2024 Revised Academic Calendar, the 2023-2024 Revised REACH Academic Calendar, and the 2024-2025 Revised Academic Calendar, as presented.

The Board approved the 2023-2024 WNEA Nurses Agreement, as presented.

The Board approved the 4894 Closure Agreement, as presented. This agreement includes an average raise of 10% with no employee receiving less than a 5% increase. It also has information about high-need stipends and equalized pay (more information is forthcoming to staff in the upcoming issue of Team WSD on this).

The Board approved the 2023-2024 salaries for Parents as Teachers, Before and After Care, Technology, Food Service, and Central Office staff, as presented. All 12-month, full-time, non-union support staff will be given an annual increase of at least $4,000. Transportation salary information is forthcoming.

The Board approved a Resolution of Remonstrance Opposing the City of Dardenne Prairie's Plan for Industrial Development Project, as presented, that opposes a partial tax abatement that would result in substantial revenue loss for the WSD. WSD Board and administrators plan to attend the April 12 Planning and Zoning meeting to express opposition.

The Board was presented with an update regarding the upcoming Board of Education election. The WSD Board of Education has three open seats in the election on April 4, 2023. Read clarification on how votes will be counted from Kurt Bahr, St. Charles County director of elections.

The Discovery Ridge third through fifth grade Singing Stars performed in celebration of the WSD Board of Education for Board Appreciation Month. This month, we celebrated our dedicated school board members. Our Board members devote countless hours to making critical decisions for the schools in our community. We are pleased to take this opportunity to thank each of them for their time and commitment to public service on behalf of all the students, staff, and stakeholders in the WSD.

The WSD Board of Education approved hiring Nicole Adams as the director of elementary programming, effective July 1, 2023.

Adams has served as the curriculum and instruction specialist for the City of St. Charles School District for the past seven years. In her 20 years in education, she has also served the students, staff, and community of St. Charles City in the roles of classroom teacher, math coach, literacy coach, and instructional coach. Read more.

The WSD Board of Education approved hiring Lauren Keebey as the assistant principal of Lakeview Elementary, effective July 1, 2023.

Keebey currently serves as a kindergarten teacher at Heritage Primary in the WSD. She has nearly 13 years of experience in the education field from her combined time in Wentzville and the City of St. Charles school districts. Read more.

At the workshop on Wednesday, March 8, WSD Board of Education approved hiring Dr. Dannah Steele as the principal of Green Tree Elementary, effective July 1, 2023.

Dr. Steele currently serves as the principal of Delores Moye Elementary in the O’Fallon District 90 in O’Fallon, Ill., where she also acts as the District Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Coordinator. Prior to that, she served as a principal in the Hazelwood School District. She has seven years of administrative experience in the O’Fallon, Hazelwood, and Normandy school districts combined. Dr. Steele has also previously been a classroom teacher, curriculum coordinator, and assistant principal. Read more.

Resignations & Retirements

This month, the Board approved the resignations, effective June 30, 2023, of Dr. Keri Skeeters, assistant superintendent of Teaching & Learning; Dr. Danielle Todd, principal of Duello Elementary; and Jessica Hanks, principal of Heritage Intermediate. The Board also accepted the retirement of Scott Swift, South Middle School principal, effective June 30, 2023.

Openings

Join Team WSD! Look for these positions posted for hire now and in the coming days! Become our next assistant superintendent of academic services, elementary school principal, or middle school principal.

The next regular Board Meeting is set for Thursday, April 20, 2023. A Special Board Meeting will be held Wednesday, April 5, 2023, and a Board Re-organization Meeting will be held Tuesday, April 18, 2023.