Board of Education Meeting Recap
November 5th, 2024
Summer School Update
Relevant Policy: Operational Expectation (OE) 11: Instructional Program
Director of Engagement & Extended Learning Programs Dr. Angela Hawkins, K-5 Summer School Principal Lindsay Simonson, 6-12 Summer School Principal Samantha Wolfe, and Elementary Summer School Student Support Molly Lawry provided a review of Summer School. Summer School was led by a team including principals, coordinators, and student support staff. The focus was on building a K–12 aligned system that connects to the district’s Strategic Framework Priority Areas: community collaboration, inclusive teaching and learning, student agency, value and belonging, and wellness and mental health.
Summer School served over 1,700 students across elementary, middle, and high school, with enrollment climbing sharply at the secondary level.
Elementary students explored science, technology, and literacy through daily standards-based instruction, enrichment classes like Learn Chinese Through Arts and Theater and Video Game Creation, and small-group reading interventions. Teachers reported that consistent literacy goals kept students engaged, while students themselves said they enjoyed new challenges and hands-on experiments.
Secondary students had a record 1,074 enrollments! They were supported by more than 80 staff members. A mix of enrichment and credit-bearing courses included new offerings such as Introduction to Weightlifting, FASHION Weekly, and Behind the Curtain. Daily morning meetings and clear expectations built a strong sense of community. Feedback was positive across the board. Students said classes felt “fun but not like regular school,” parents expressed gratitude for the opportunities, and staff noted high levels of engagement. Superintendent Dr. Tremayne Clardy visited classrooms and described the atmosphere as “joyful and full of authentic engagement.”
Member Peguero shared from a personal perspective that his family’s children had a great time at Summer School and were excited about the classes in which they participated. Member Murphy would like to visit Summer School, and other BOE members concurred. She also noted that the number of VASD staff who commit to this work in the summer speaks volumes about their commitment to educating VASD students. Member Murphy and Member Porco expressed an interest in seeing data on educational outcomes during the school year disaggregated by students who did and did not participate in Summer School or other similar data.
Family and Community Engagement Update
Relevant Policy: Results (R) 5: Journey of a Lifelong Learner
Director of Engagement & Extended Learning Programs Dr. Angela Hawkins, Family, Staff and Community Engagement Liaison Tamera Stanley, and student Brannagh Erickson shared information on Family and Community Engagement. Family and community partnerships remain a cornerstone of the district’s work. The group shared some of the 2024-25 highlights as follows:
EmpowerHER becomes EmpowerUS: About 50 middle school students took part in weekly leadership sessions, service projects, and the Empower Summit. Brannagh read a poem entitled “There’s This Girl” that she wrote as part of her participation in EmpowerHER. The program will expand to include Spanish facilitation and a new, more inclusive name: EmpowerUS.
Family Gatherings: Five sessions during the year brought 40–50 families together each time to learn about PowerSchool, summer school registration, mental health supports, and more.
Community partnerships with groups like 100 Black Men of Madison, United Way of Dane County, and JP Hair Design provided school supplies, toys, food security, and even free back-to-school haircuts.
Reducing barriers: Supports such as childcare, transportation, translation, and food access ensured families could fully participate in various educational and social experiences.
Looking ahead, the district will launch a Family Welcome Center at Verona Area High School, expand EmpowerUS facilitators, and continue focusing on cultural awareness and staff wellness.
BOE members expressed deep appreciation for the district’s ongoing commitment to family and community engagement. They highlighted how this work is making a meaningful difference for both families and staff, with particular gratitude for Ms. Stanley’s dedication and skill in building connections and removing barriers. Several members emphasized the importance of Brannagh’s poem, noting how her words captured the spirit of empowerment and authenticity that the district strives to cultivate in students.
BOE members also pointed to the Family Welcome Center, set to open soon, as a powerful example of the district’s vision for supporting families, and they recognized the contributions of staff who often work quietly behind the scenes to make this work successful. Collectively, their comments reflected pride in the district’s partnerships, admiration for the passion and talent of staff, and encouragement for students to continue embracing their unique voices and leadership.
Wisconsin Guarantee
Relevant Policy: N/A Compliance with State Law
Executive Director of Academic Services Amy Engelkins, Verona Area High School (VAHS) Principal Brian Cox, and VAHS Counselor Kelly O’Connell provided an update about Direct Admit Wisconsin and Wisconsin Guarantee, two opportunities based on Wisconsin Act 95 designed to streamline the admissions process for qualified students to the University of Wisconsin (UW) System Schools.
Direct Admit Wisconsin, based on Act 95, offers early and proactive admission to participating UW System Schools for rising seniors at participating Wisconsin high schools. The UW System Schools will collaborate with participating high schools to review student academic records at the end of their junior year and make offers of admission to participating UW System Schools without the need to submit a traditional admission application. UW-Madison, UW-Eau Claire, and UW-LaCrosse do not participate in Direct Admit.
The Wisconsin Guarantee is also based on Act 95. VASD and all other Wisconsin school districts are mandated by law to comply with the requirements of Act 95. The Wisconsin Guarantee offers guaranteed admission to most UW System Schools for all who qualify. First-year/freshman applicants from Wisconsin high schools who are in the top 10% of their class at the end of 11th grade will be guaranteed admission to most UW System Schools except UW-Madison; those in the top 5% are also guaranteed admission to UW-Madison. According to Act 95, “Pupils shall be ranked on the basis of academic achievement and the sole criterion for ranking pupils shall be the pupil's grade point average (GPA)”. If, however, more than 5% or 10% of students have the highest possible GPA, Boards of Education may submit a waiver to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for permission to use criteria in addition to GPA to determine the top 5% and top 10% of students
2025-26 Draft Budget Hearing and Annual Meeting Report
Relevant Policy: Operational Expectation (OE) 6: Financial Administration
Deputy Superintendent Chad Wiese and Director of Finance Pete Grnder provided a preview of the 2025-26 Budget Hearing and Annual Meeting. The 2025–26 draft budget reflects the district’s commitment to fiscal responsibility while investing in staff and student success.
Compensation: All staff will receive a 2.95% base wage increase, aligned with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), along with step increases.
Debt management: Prepaying capital debt will save taxpayers over $10 million in interest while keeping the mill rate stable.
Healthcare: A new provider and the opening of an on-site Employee Health Clinic are expected to control costs and improve staff access.
Staffing: Positions reduced through attrition (not layoffs) saved about $500,000 annually without raising class sizes.
Retiree benefits (or Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB)) remain a long-term challenge, as the trust fund is projected to be depleted by 2032. To extend solvency, the district will add $1.25 million this year and continue exploring strategies such as refinancing and gradual budget integration.
Deputy Superintendent Wiese shared an updated levy recommendation and a projected mill rate of $10.75, down from $10.99 last year.
