Board of Education Meeting Recap
November 5th, 2024
New Century School Viral Learning Moment
A brief video clip on New Century School (NCS) students keeping the beat to a song while jumping into brightly colored hoops became a viral learning moment, with over 3,174,000 views, 1,032 comments, nearly 6,000 shares, and over 13,000 saves after the school posted the video on social media. The students’ teacher, Dr. Holland-Berry, shared that this NCS 4th grade music class was practicing keeping the beat in their bodies while having fun. Dr. Holland-Berry believes it is important for music students to learn concepts through a variety of methods, including kinesthetic movement. Lessons such as hoop jumping on the beat are steeped in the Dalcroze Eurhythmics method of music education, which believes strongly in connecting bodily movement to the understanding of intellectual concepts. By having the students understand and feel the beats within a time signature, it ultimately improves their instrumental and vocal ensembles as a whole. Dr. Holland-Berry has witnessed this improvement already this year as NCS students listen and work with each other in their percussion playing. We often say that the magic happens in the classroom, and this explanation opens the curtain to what is behind the magic, and it's the expertise, knowledge, and skill of educators to translate theoretical knowledge into engaging lessons and learning activities!
VAHS Solar Panel Project with Sustain Verona
Relevant Policy: Operational Expectation (OE) 12: Facilities
Deputy Superintendent Chad Wiese and Sustain Verona and community member Dr. David Lonsdorf presented an update to an earlier proposal for a potential solar energy project. The project would be a collaboration between Sustain Verona, the VAHS Club Green, and the Verona Area Education Foundation (VAEF). The proposal envisions installing solar panels at VAHS, with Sustain Verona raising $250,000 and VAEF serving as the fiscal agent. The project would rely on a matching commitment from VASD of $250,000, supported by future grants and donations. Sustain Verona has already raised over $32,000 in a few months.
BOE members voiced strong support for the updated solar energy proposal, noting that this was a return to a project they had previously discussed with enthusiasm. They emphasized the wide-ranging benefits of the project in reducing the district’s environmental footprint and providing long-term financial savings. Several members highlighted that the project represents a strong return on investment and could help stabilize the district’s future energy costs.
BOE members also spoke about the powerful educational impact of the project, noting that students would be able to monitor and study real-time data on energy production and savings. They described this as a valuable, hands-on learning opportunity that will help students graduate with a stronger awareness of environmental issues and sustainability practices.
The discussion reflected the BOE’s appreciation for the collaboration among Sustain Verona, VAHS Club Green, and the VAEF, and their commitment to advancing a project that aligns so well with the district’s values.
Final 2025-26 Budget Presentation and Enrollment Update
Relevant Policy: Operational Expectation (OE) 5: Financial Planning, Operational Expectation (OE) 6: Financial Administration
Deputy Superintendent Chad Wiese and Director of Finance Pete Grender presented the final 2025-26 budget to the BOE. They briefly reviewed the following factors and their impact on the final budget: VASD’s budget considerations and goals; enrollment; no increase in final state aid; equalized (fair market) property values; capital debt payments; loss of funds to the school voucher program; and school levy credit.
VASD’s budget goals are to recommend a tax increase lower than inflation for the average property owner in a high inflation environment, provide a staff compensation increase in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), continue debt management with an eye toward preparing for future capital expenditures, align staffing to enrollment, and bring a balanced budget to the BOE.
Deputy Superintendent Wiese defined pertinent terms related to enrollment.
Headcount: Everybody VASD is educating → This is how we staff the buildings.
Membership = Who lives in this district → Used as basis for revenue.
Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) = Converts Membership to FTE → This is how we receive revenue (50% for students Birth - 4, 60% for Pre-K (4K) students, 100% for K-12 students.)
Overall, VASD’s enrollment slowed this year, with 5,661 students enrolled for the 2025-26 school year compared to 5,811 in 2024-25. There are fewer students in seats this year compared to last year. The BOE reviewed enrollment history, birth rate data, and Kindergarten class size information.
The BOE members reflected on the broader implications for the district. Member Murphy noted that the trends present a lot to grapple with, particularly as the district considers future open enrollment decisions.
Dr. Clardy emphasized that the Verona Area is not alone in facing these shifts. Across Dane County and the state, many districts are seeing lower birth rates and greater difficulty projecting Pre-K and Kindergarten numbers. He explained that the district’s recent projections have been higher than reality, which is leading to important lessons for future planning and open enrollment discussions.
Dr. Clardy also noted that in the past, the district has been cautious about allowing open enrollment at the Kindergarten level to avoid overcrowding. However, with the landscape changing, the district may need to reexamine that approach. He highlighted that our staff are the reason we are a great district, and that VASD will continue to showcase the quality of its education as families make school choices in an increasingly competitive environment.
Member Hanes added context, noting that declining enrollment is not unique to the Verona Area, but part of a larger demographic trend affecting Dane County and Wisconsin as a whole. Fewer families are having children, and those who do are having fewer of them, resulting in lower birth rates and smaller incoming class sizes.
Members Hanes and Murphy also clarified that when “Full-Time Equivalent” (FTE) is discussed in this context, it refers to how students are counted for state funding, not to employees. For example, Pre-K students are reimbursed at 0.6 FTE and Summer School students at 0.4 FTE.
Deputy Superintendent Wiese continued with a capital debt summary, highlighting that $15,910,015 is available for debt payment, with a minimum debt payment of $10,005,881 required and $5,904,134 available for additional debt payment in 2025-26 or future years. VASD will realize about $11,000,000 in future total interest savings following the 2025-26 defeasance. He also reviewed how enrollment, no increase in final state aid, equalized (fair market) property values, capital debt payments, loss of funds to the school voucher program, and the school levy credit are impacting VASD’s budget and levy. The mill rate of $10.66 is lower than last year’s rate of $10.75, and the lowest since record keeping began in 1984. The BOE briefly discussed that individual taxpayers will likely see a range of increases and decreases to their property tax bill based on multiple factors, such as changes in their equalized property values.
Deputy Superintendent Wiese shared information about the impact of Wisconsin’s private school voucher program on funding in the Verona Area. In Wisconsin, the state issues per-pupil voucher payments directly to private schools for eligible students. Those payments, roughly $10,877 for each K-8 student and $13,371 for each 9-12 student in 2025-26, are not funded with new state money, but rather by reducing state aid to the public school district where each voucher student resides.
An increase in voucher participation within the VASD reduces the amount of state aid the district receives. The state compensates for this by allowing districts to raise additional local taxes. Consequently, in many cases, the financial impact of vouchers is borne by taxpayers through higher property taxes. The total statewide cost of the voucher program now exceeds $350 million, and many districts lose more in aid than they can recover through local revenue. This creates growing inequities across Wisconsin and can lead to higher local property taxes as communities backfill the shortfall.
For public schools, the fiscal challenge is compounded by the fact that losing a handful of students does not proportionally reduce fixed costs such as staffing, building operations, or student support services. Districts must still maintain the infrastructure to serve all remaining students, including those with higher or specialized needs. Voucher schools also operate under different accountability standards, which can complicate fair evaluation of outcomes between public and private schools.
Locally, the VASD’s voucher-related costs have continued to rise each year. In 2022–23, about 36 resident students attended private schools through vouchers at a cost of $323,000. For 2025–26, that number has more than doubled to nearly 75 students, costing approximately $879,000 in lost state aid. The portion of the local mill rate attributable to vouchers has increased from $0.05 to $0.11 over that same period.
Results Policies: Interpretations and Definitions
Executive Director of Academic Services Amy Engelkins presented updates to the VASD’s Results Policies interpretation and definitions sections of the Monitoring Reports. These policies represent the BOE’s expectations for what students should know and be able to do, and the monitoring reports form the foundation for how the Superintendent and district staff report progress toward meeting those expectations.
The updated Monitoring Reports include clarified interpretations and definitions that bring greater consistency, transparency, and alignment across the district’s accountability system. Results Policies 2 and 3, focused on Core Academics and Exploration Academics, respectively, build on existing language, while Results Policies 4 through 6 introduce refreshed expectations related to Special Academics, The Journey of a Lifelong Learner, and the VASD Strategic Framework, respectively. Where possible, the team intentionally mirrored terminology already established in the Strategic Framework and other key district documents to ensure a unified approach.
The inclusion of defined terms and educational acronyms helps develop a common understanding across the district and makes the monitoring process more accessible to both staff and community members. These refinements were designed to help the BOE more clearly evaluate progress and provide more meaningful oversight of the district’s work.
Executive Director Engelkins shared a sample Monitoring Report, illustrating how data, narrative context, and progress indicators will be presented throughout the year. In total, the district maintains 23 different Results Monitoring Reports, each aligned with the policy framework. Together, these reports will provide a comprehensive and transparent view of student achievement and growth across all grade levels and subject areas.
BOE members expressed appreciation for the clarity and structure of the revisions. Member Murphy noted that the BOE’s current review focuses on determining whether the proposed measures and interpretations are reasonable and whether they provide clear, practical ways to monitor progress toward the BOE’s stated Results.
Member Peguero affirmed that the updates make sense and appear measurable, adding that they effectively capture the kind of data and information the BOE has been seeking to understand student outcomes.
Member Murphy also commended the Academic Services team for integrating elements of the Journey of a Lifelong Learner and the Strategic Framework into the revised Monitoring Reports, noting that this alignment tells a fuller story of student learning and provides meaningful connections across multiple Results areas.
The BOE discussed a few specific refinements. Member Murphy pointed out that in Results Policy 3, the phrase “all students will access” could be misleading, as the BOE’s intent is to ensure access for students who choose to participate in creative and performing arts, not to require universal participation. She also suggested updating language around “personalized goals,” noting that the term has become outdated. Executive Director Engelkins confirmed those adjustments will be made.
Member Medina raised a question about language in Results Policy 4.3, specifically the reference to “domains of giftedness.” He asked whether the district is required to use the state-defined domains or if VASD has flexibility to expand beyond them. Executive Director Engelkins clarified that the domains originate from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and are embedded in Wisconsin state statute, but noted that VASD can build upon those definitions if desired. Dr. Clardy emphasized that the district’s approach begins with compliance with state law and then extends beyond compliance to ensure excellence.
VASD 2026-27 and 2027-28 Calendar Development
Relevant Policies: Operational Expectation (OE) 10: Learning Environment, Operational Expectation (OE) 4 Personnel Administration
The BOE received an update on the development of the 2026–27 and 2027–28 school year calendars, a process that balances legal requirements, instructional priorities, and the well-being of staff and students. Public Information Officer Marcie Pfeifer-Soderbloom outlined the many factors that must be considered in building a calendar that meets state standards and community expectations.
The presentation reviewed Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requirements for instructional minutes and the state statute that prohibits school from starting before September 1. Additional considerations include the number of teacher contract days, transportation logistics, start and end times for each school, and ensuring adequate time for professional development, grading, and family conferences. Officer Pfeifer-Soderbloom also emphasized the importance of maintaining strategically placed breaks during fall, winter, and spring to support the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of both students and staff.
Officer Pfeifer-Soderbloom noted that calendar design involves carefully weighing competing priorities. Staff and family surveys, along with feedback from principals, have provided valuable insight into preferences regarding October and winter breaks, wellness days, and the overall length of the school year. While not every preference can be accommodated, the team is striving for a calendar that is both instructionally sound and supportive of staff and student needs.
The presentation also celebrated academic growth trends across the district. Data show year-to-year gains in math and language arts achievement, growth gains in math, and sustained improvement over the past four years among key focus groups. Officer Pfeifer-Soderbloom credited Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), which meet during Late Start Mondays, as an essential driver of this continued academic progress.
Together, these updates underscored the district’s commitment to aligning its school calendars, instructional time, and professional learning structures to maximize both student success and staff well-being. Based on feedback from both families and staff, VASD will retain two days for fall break in October and a wellness day in February. The team will continue to finalize the calendar and share it with staff and families before the end of 2025.
Member Murphy acknowledged the importance of gathering and considering feedback. Member Hanes reinforced that state statute prohibits school from starting before September 1. Member Medina wondered about what other options might still be being considered by the team working on the calendar. Dr. Clardy pointed out that, because we are retaining two days for fall break in October and a wellness day in February, and continuing our practice of Late Start Mondays due to the positive academic impact, there is not much room to exercise other flexibilities and still meet DPI requirements for minutes, the VASD’s requirements for number of contract days for staff, and other factors.
Greater Dane County School District Governance Consortium Meeting
The Greater Dane County School District Governance Consortium (Consortium) gathered on October 9, 2025, for its 2025 convening, hosted by the Madison Metropolitan School District. Superintendents, administrators, staff, and school board members from across the Dane County area met to explore their collective advocacy efforts, exchange effective governance practices, and plan for the future.
The Consortium reviewed last year’s platform and celebrated progress on its top advocacy priority of improved state reimbursement for special education costs. Wisconsin’s 2025–27 biennial budget raised reimbursement rates from about 30% to 42% in 2025–26 and 45% in 2026-27, marking the largest increase in decades. Still, participants emphasized the need to continue pushing for school funding that keeps pace with inflation, noting that general state aid remains unindexed to the Consumer Price Index.
Small group discussions centered on communications structures to inform and engage internal and external careholders, board use of data, and board and superintendent relationships. Looking toward the future, the group explored the possibility and potential value of having an ongoing presence and voice at the State Capitol.
The meeting closed with commitments to continue the consortium’s collaborative work, with sessions planned for January and April 2026, aimed at sustaining advocacy and shared learning across the area’s public school districts.
Urban League President’s Award for Rising Stars
BOE Member White received the Urban League President’s Award for Rising Stars for his community activism at the local, national, and global levels. This honor was presented by the Urban League of Greater Madison’s President & CEO to recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the Urban League’s mission and to the broader Madison community. It celebrates those who demonstrate outstanding leadership, commitment to equity, and impactful service that uplifts underserved populations and advances civil rights and equal opportunity.
